USA > Michigan > Cass County > A twentieth century history of Cass County, Michigan > Part 73
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
an advocate of the Republican party. He has resided in this county for a half century and is now the only Wilber here representing his father's descendants. He is well known and his strong and salient character- istics have been such as have won for him favorable regard from his lellowinen. Great changes have occurred since he came to the county as the work of improvement has been carried forward and Mr. Wilber's inind reverts back to the time when much of the land was still unculti- vated, when there were considerable stretches of forest yet uncut and when several of the towns which are now the centers of business and com- mercial enterprise had not yet been founded. He has ever been deeply interested in the work of development and has borne his full share in this task, manifesting at all times the same loyalty which he displayed when upon southern battlefields he followed the stars and stripes.
II. A. CREGO.
11. A. Crego, known throughout Cass county as Squire Crego, has for thirty-six years been justice of the peace, and no stronger evidence could be given of capable service and impartial decisions than the fact that he has so long been retained in the office. He has lived in Cass county from an early day and now makes his home on section 29, Vol- inia township. Moreover he is entitled to representation in this volume as a native son of Michigan, his birth having occurred on the 2nd of August, 1840, in Lenawee county, at the junction of the Chicago and Monroe turnpikes. His parents were Rulef D. and Eliza (Arms) Crego. The father was born in the Mohawk valley of New York and there remained until about thirty years of age, when, believing that he might enjoy better business opportunities in the new but growing west, he made his way to Michigan, settling in Lenawee county. He had been married in New York. His first wife was Mary J. Strannahan and there were ten children born of that marriage. Following the death of the mother the father married again. His wife was a native of Conway, Franklin county, Massachusetts, and was there reared. She first married Ichabod Nelson, and it was subsequent to his death that she gave her hand in marriage to Rulef D. Crego. By this marriage there were born three children, of whom Squire Crego is the second. The other two, however, died in infancy, so that the subject of this review is the only surviving member of the entire family.
When only two years old Squire Crego was brought to Cass conn- ty by his parents, the family locating in Newberg township, where he was reared in the usual manner of farm lads of that period and locality. He was educated in the district schools and shared with the family in the pioneer experiences incident to the establishment of a home on the frontier. The father died when the son was eighteen years of age and he and his mother remained in Newberg township for about four years thereafter, when Mrs. Crego also passed away. Squire Crego, how-
Не Начеда.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
ever, continued to reside in the same township for some time there- after and was married there on the 14th of February, 1863, to Miss Mary Lynch, a daughter of George and Rebecca Lynch, who lived in Adams- ville, New York, and came from the Empire state to Michigan. The birth of Mrs. Crego occurred in Adamsville, and at her death she left one son, Charles C. Crego, who is now a salesman in a department store in Washington. In 1869 Mr. Crego was married to Miss Phebe Hin- shaw, who died leaving one son, Frank R., now a resident of Volinia township. In 1897 occurred the marriage of Squire Crego and Mary Jane Newton, who was born upon the farm where she now resides Jan- uary 1, 1853, her parents being George and Esther (Green) Newton, who came to this county in pioneer days, the father in 1831 and the mother in 1834. The name of Newton has since been associated with the history of progress and development here and has always stood as a synonym of good citizenship.
Squire Crego has been a life-long farmer and is now following agricultural pursuits on section 29, Volinia township. He has voted with the Republican party since age gave to him the right of franchise, and has been honored with a number of local positions of public trust, having served as constable and as township clerk in Newberg township, as highway commissioner of Volinia township and as justice of the peace for about thirty-six years. His positions were strictly fair and impartial and have "won golden opinions from all sorts of people." He belongs to the Methodist Protestant church and is a member of the Masonic lodge at Volinia and also the Knights of the Maccabees. He has been a resident of the county for sixty-four years and in 1905 was elected president of the Pioneers' Association.
C. L. SHERWOOD.
C. L. Sherwood is the pioneer druggist of Dowagiac and has been connected with this line of commercial enterprise in Michigan and else- where for fifty-two years. The consensus of public opinion is altogether favorable regarding his business qualifications, reliability and enterprise and no history of the commercial development of Dowagiac would be complete without the life record of Mr. Sherwood. He was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of September, 1838, and is of English lineage, the family having been founded in America by three brothers of the name who came from England to the new world at an early period in its colonization. One of the brothers located in New York, one in the south and the other in New England. The grandfather of our subject was John Sherwood, a resident of the Empire state. His son, P. W. Sherwood, was born in Tompkins county, New York, and became a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was reared and educated in Pennsylvania and. determining to devote his life to the work of the gospel, he prepared for the ministry and for forty-five years
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labored earnestly in advancing the cause of the church in Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, where he filled various pastorates. His influence was a potent element for good in every community in which he lived and his memory remains as a blessed benediction to many who knew him and came under his teaching. His last days were spent in Ohio, where he passed away at the age of eighty-three years. In early man- hood he wedded Miss Orilla Frye, a native of Vermont, who, however, was reared in Erie county, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of John Frye, who was of English descent. Her death occurred in 1862 when she was about forty-five years of age. Four children had been horn of that marriage, two sons and two daughters, of whom C. L. Sher- wood of this review is the eldest. The others are: Lucy, the wife of Gibson J. Stranahan, of Lima, Ohio, where he is engaged in business as an employee of the Standard Oil Company; Mary, the wife of P. T. Mowry, an insurance agent of Chicago, Illinois; and Oscar M., who (lied when about thirty-six years of age, was a resident of Dowagiac, and was a druggist.
C. L. Sherwood spent the first thirteen years of his life in the state of his nativity and then moved to New York. In 1859 he returned to Pennsylvania, settling at Union City, and in 1868 he came to Dowagiac, Michigan, where he has since made his home. He entered the drug business at Holley, New York, and continued in the drug trade at Union City, Pennsylvania. On coming to Dowagiac he purchased the drug store of Howard & Halleck and he also purchased the stores of M. B. Hollister and Asa Huntington. He has since continued in busi- ness and is today the oldest druggist of the city. He has a well equipped establishment, neat and attractive in its arrangement and he carries a large and well selected line of drugs and sundry goods. His trade has constantly grown with the development of the town and surrounding country and almost from the beginning the business has proved a profit- able one, so that as the years have passed Mr. Sherwood has become one of the substantial citizens of his community.
In 1862 Mr. Sherwood was united in marriage to Miss Mary W. Wood and unto them were born two children, but both died in child- hood. Mr. Sherwood is identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and the Knights of Honor. He is also a very prominent Mason, having attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish rite, while with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine he has crossed the sands of the desert. His political allegiance has long been given to the Republican party and he served as postmaster in Pennsylvania under appointment of Abraham Lincoln. He has also been postmaster of Dowagiac for eleven years under the administrations of presidents Grant and Hayes and he was mayor of Union City, Pennsylvania. No public trust reposed in him has ever been betrayed in the slightest degree, his official service being character- ized by unfaltering devotion to duty. He has been in business in Dow-
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agiac for thirty-eight years, the firm being now Sherwood & Burlingame, and in addition to his store he owns valuable property interests here, including two business blocks, houses and lots. All that he possesses has been acquired through his own enterprising efforts and his life rec- ord shows what may be accomplished by unremitting diligence and energy that never flags. He has not made the accumulation of wealth, however, his sole end and aim in life, for he has had due regard to the duties of citizenship, of home life and of social relations and is recog- nized as a man of genuine personal worth.
GILBERT CONKLIN.
Gilbert Conklin, a prominent farmer living in Silver Creek town- ship whose capable management of his business interests is indicated by the success that follows his efforts, was born in Otsego county, New York, March 17, 1839. He is the eldest child of Abram and Belinda ( Gilbert ) Conklin. The family is descended from three brothers, who came from England to America in early colonial days. The paternal grandfather. Simeon Conklin, was a native of New York, born in Otsego county. There he devoted his entire life to agricultural pursuits, spend- ing his last days upon his farm.
Abram Conklin, father of our subject, was born in Otsego county, and in 1851 came to Michigan, locating first upon a farm known as the Hess property in LaGrange township. The following year, however, he removed to Silver Creek township and took up his abode on the east shore of Indian lake, where he developed and improved a farm, giving his attention to its cultivation for many years thereafter. In fact he resided upon that property until his death, which occurred when he was in his seventy-sixth year. He married Miss Belinda Gilbert, a native of Herkimer county, New York, and a daughter of William B. Gilbert of the same county. He was of French descent. Mrs. Belinda Conk- lin died upon the home farm in Silver Creek township at the age of fifty-two years. There were eight children in the family, one of whom died in infancy. The others are: Gilbert, of this review: Simeon; Abram: Jane: George, who died at the age of fourteen; Charles; and Lydia.
Gilbert Conklin was reared in the county of his nativity and ac- quired his education there in the district schools. He came to Cass county, Michigan, with his parents and remained with them until his marriage, in the meantime assisting in the work of the fields and the development of a new farm. On the 13th of February, 1862, he was joined in wedlock to Miss Maria Bedford, a daughter of George and Ann (Smith) Bedford, both of whom were born in Lincolnshire, Eng- land. They spent their childhood there in that country, were married there and in 1835 crossed the Atlantic to America, locating near Syra- cuse, New York, where they remained for about six years. In 1841
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they came to Michigan, settling in Silver Creek township, Cass county, where they spent their remaining days, both attaining an advanced age, the father passing away when he had reached the age of seventy-five years, while the mother's death occurred when she was seventy-four years of age. In their family were six daughters and two sons, of whom three died in infancy. Two of the number were born in New York, while the others were natives of Silver Creek township. There are four daughters and a son living. Mrs. Conklin, who was the third child and second daughter, was born in Silver Creek township, June 5, 1842, and has been a life-long resident of this part of the county. At the usual age she began her education in the district schools and after- ward she engaged in teaching, which profession she followed success- fully up to the time of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Conklin began their domestic life upon the farm where they now reside, living first in a small frame house which was practically nothing more than a little shanty twelve by twenty feet. As the years passed by, three children were added to the family: William G., who was born in 1863 and died in 1803 at the age of thirty years; Linda, who is an artist now living in Chicago, Illinois; and Dr. Alice I. Conklin, a practicing physician residing in Chicago.
Mr. Conklin has extensive and valuable landed interests in this county, his farm comprising three hundred and forty-eight acres of rich land which responds readily to the care and cultivation he bestows upon the fields, bringing forth rich and abundant harvests. He has long heen recognized as an enterprising agriculturist of his community and he has a well improved farm, using good machinery to facilitate the work of the fields. He has been almost a life-long resident of the county, coming here in his boyhood days and his residence here now covers more than a half century, during which time he has witnessed the greater part of the development and improvement of this portion of the state. He has been a stanch champion of the cause of temper- ance and is an earnest prohibitionist, working eagerly for the success of his party. At one time he was supervisor of his township. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is district trustee. His life has been honorable, his actions manly and sincere. for at all times his conduct has been actuated by Christian principles and devo- tion to truth, justice and right.
ALBON C. TAYLOR.
Albon C. Taylor, supervisor of the first ward of Dowagiac, was born in Franklin county, New York, April 8. 1861. His father, Mar- shall W. Taylor, was also a native of that state and during the period of the Civil war espoused the Union cause, donned his country's uniform and went forth to defend the stars and stripes. He died while serving as a soldier. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Jane Abbott, was
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a native of Toronto, Canada, and was taken by her parents to the state of New York when only four years of age. By her marriage she be- came the inother of three sons: Arthur J., who is now residing in Malone, Franklin county, New York; George E., who makes his home in Kalamazoo, Michigan; and A. C., of this review.
Mr. Taylor, the youngest of the family, was reared in the place of his nativity until sixteen years of age and during that period acquired his education in the district schools. He then left home and made his way westward to Michigan, settling in Allegan county, where he was employed at farm labor until about the time he attained his majority. He then entered upon railroad work in the employ of the Michigan Cen- tral Railroad Company, securing a position in the freight department at Kalamazoo. He came to Dowagiac about 1892 as foreman of the freight house for the Michigan Central Company, spending six years in that capacity, after which he resigned his position and became con- nected with the Dowagiac Manufacturing Company in the molding department. He has since been with the Round Oak Stove Company, with which he occupies a good position.
Mr. Taylor was married in February, 1891, to Miss Irma Thomp- son, a daughter of Dr. W. C. and Kate Thompson. She was born in St. Joseph county, Michigan, and has spent her entire life in this county. By her marriage she has become the mother of two sons, Curtis and Glenn.
Mr. Taylor votes with the Republican party and has taken an active and helpful interest in its work and in promoting its success. He was also supervisor of the first ward in 1904 and again in 1905 and is now filling the position. In the spring of 1906 he was elected as city treas- urer of Dowagiac, Michigan, and is the present incumbent of this office. He is vice-president of the Round Oak Relief Association and was one of its charter members and organizers. Ile also belongs to the Modern Woodmen camp. Coming to Michigan when but a youth, he has re- sided here continuously since, and his life history is well know to the citizens of Cass county among whom he has now lived for many years.
JOHN MATER.
Among those to whom fate has vouchsafed an honorable retire- ment from labor in recognition of former toil and activity, is John Mater, a retired farmer living in Dowagiac. He was born in Parke county, Indiana, June 7, 1838. His father. George Mater, was a native of Pennsylvania, where he spent the days of his youth. The paternal grandfather was George Mater, Sr., who for seven years was a soldier in the Revolutionary war under General Washington and valiantly fought for the independence of the nation. On leaving the Keystone state George Mater, father of our subject, removed to Ohio and after- ward to Indiana, whence, in 1844, he came to Michigan, settling in
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Pokagon township. Cass county, about three miles south of Dowagiac. At a later day he returned to Indiana but again came to Michigan, and then once more went to Indiana, while his death occurred in Illinois in 1875, when he was seventy-four years of age. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Elizabeth Crum, was a daughter of Zachariah Crum, who was also a Revolutionary soldier, being with the army under command of General Anthony Wayne. The Mater family is of Ger- man lineage, while the Crum family is of Holland descent. Mrs. Mater died when forty-five years of age. By her marriage she had become the mother of thirteen children.
John Mater of this review was the seventh child and third son. He remained under the parental roof until fourteen years of age, when his mother died. It was not long after this that he started out in life on his own account, working at farm labor or at anything he could find to do which would yield him an honest living. When about fifteen years of age he returned to Michigan, where he has since made his home. He was variously employed here until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when, on the 12th of August, 1861, he enlisted as a member of Company B. Ninth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, joining the army as a private. He served until October 7, 1862, when he was honorably discharged on account of disability. On the 4th of January, however, he re-enlisted in the same company and regiment to which he had for- merly belonged and served until the close of the war. He was appointed corporal six months after his first enlistment and was made sergeant in the fall of 1864. He was altogether for about three years in the serv- ice and proved a brave soldier, being a worthy representative of an ancestry that furnished several heroes to the Revolutionary war. His regiment was taken prisoner at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on the 13th of July, 1862, and was sent to Camp Chase, there remaining until ex- changed in the following September. Mr. Mater became ill and for this reason was discharged. The regiment was under command of Gen- cral Thomas, acting as guard at headquarters, and remained as such from the battle of Stone River during the war. Mr. Mater received his second discharge at Jackson, Michigan, and was mustered out at Nashville, Tennessee, after which he returned to his home.
On the 20th of October, 1865, occurred the marriage of Mr. Mater and Miss Albina Dewey. a daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Griffin) Dewey, both of whom were natives of Indiana and became pioneer set- tlers of Cass county, locating in Pokagon township April 21. 1839. She is a granddaughter of Henry Dewey, who was also one of the pioneer residents of this county and took up land from the government in Pok- agon township, where he developed a new farm. At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Mater located on a farm in Pokagon township, and there resided until about 1890, when he put aside business cares, then removing to Dowagiac. For many years Mr. Mater successfully and ably carried on the work of the fields, producing good crops and
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
securing a gratifying financial income as he placed his grain on the market. He was practical and enterprising in all his farm work and the neat and thrifty appearance of his place indicated his careful super- vision. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Mater were born two children: Dr. Elmer Lincoln Mater, who is a graduate of the Chicago Medical College and is now a practicing physician in Dowagiac; and Mary Grace, a teacher, who is living in South Haven, Michigan.
Mr. Mater still owns a farm of eighty-nine acres of rich and pro- ductive land, and this returns him a good income. He is a member of H. C. Gilbert Post, No. 47, G. A. R., in which he has filled nearly all of the offices, including that of commander. He is also a Mason, belonging to the Blue lodge and the chapter at Dowagiac. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has also held office, taking an active and helpful part in its work. He has been a life-long Republican, and has done much for the party in this community, serving as a delegate to all of the county con- ventions since his return from the army and doing everything in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of the political principles in which he believes. He represents an old pioneer family of the county, having for sixty-two years resided within its borders and at all times and under all circumstances he has been as loyal to his coun- try and her welfare as when he followed the stars and stripes on south- ern battlefields. Fidelity to duty has ever been one of his strong and salient characteristics and his integrity in business, his loyalty in citizen- ship and his honor in all life's relations have made him one of the repre- sentative men of the county.
ALONZO J. HARDY.
Alonzo J. Hardy, who after many years' connection with farming interests in Michigan is now living retired in Dowagiac, certainly de- serves the rest which is now vouchsafed to him and his life record brings to mind the lines of the poet :
"How blest is he who crowns in shades like these A youth of labor with an age of ease."
Mr. Hardy was born in Otsego county, New York, June 6. 1843. His paternal grandfather. William Hardy, was of English lineage, but the family was established in America in colonial days and William Hardy was born in New York. His son, Peter Hardy, was a native of Otsego county, that state, was reared to the occupation of farming and made that pursuit his life work. He continued to reside in the east until 1862, when, thinking that he might enjoy better business op- portunities in the middle west, he came to Michigan, settling in La- Grange township. Cass county, where he secured a tract of land and engaged in farming until 1869. He then removed to Dowagiac and
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retired from active business, spending his remaining days in the enjoy- ment of a well-earned rest. He lived to be seventy-two years of age. In the Methodist Episcopal church he held membership and in its work was deeply interested, doing all in his power to promote the various church activities. His life was ever upright and honorable and com- mended him to the good will and trust of his fellow men. Prior to the Civil war he was a stanch opponent of the system of slavery and advo- cated the cause of abolition, and when the Republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery he joined its ranks. He was well known in the county as a man of the highest respectability and worth. He married Miss Lydia Huntington, also a native of Otsego county, New York, and a daughter of Benjamin Huntington, who came of New England ancestry, removing from Vermont to the Empire state. Mrs. Hardy died in Cass county when seventy-nine years of age. In the family were but two sons, A. J., and George Hardy, who live together in Dowagiac.
Mr. Hardy of this review spent his boyhood days in the place of his nativity. At the usual age he entered the common schools and therein mastered the elementary branches of English learning. He was nineteen years of age when in 1862 he responded to the country's call for aid, enlisting as a member of Company D, One Hundred and Fifty- second regiment of New York volunteers as a private. He served for three years and took part in a number of hotly contested engagements, including the battles of Cold Harbor, Reams Station and Petersburg. He was with the army as it followed Lee up to Appomattox, where the Confederate forces surrendered. Mr. Hardy then went with his com- mand to Washington and participated in the Grand Review in that city, which was the most celebrated military pageant ever seen on the western hemisphere, thousands of soldiers passing in review before the stand upon which stood the President watching the return of the victorious army, whose efforts and bravery had saved the Union. Mr. Hardy was mustered out at Albany, New York, having made an excellent military record.
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