USA > Michigan > Cass County > A twentieth century history of Cass County, Michigan > Part 81
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Aside from his official service Mr. Becraft has been identified with business interests in Dowagiac. For about fifteen years he has been con- nected with the P. D. Beckwith Stove Company and is now acting as secretary of the company, the business being carried on under the style of the Round Oak Stove Company. Ile is also a stockholder in the Farmers & Merchants Bank at Benton Harbor and the Lee Paper Com- pany at Vicksburg, Michigan. His business investments have been well placed and are the source of a gratifying and desirable income.
Mr. Becraft was married in 1870 to Miss Harriet H. Britton, and they have one son, Fred E., who is now assistant postmaster. Mr. Be- craft belongs to the Modern Woodmen camp, to the Elks lodge, and is a Mason, a Knight Templar and a Shriner. In his political views he has always been a stalwart Republican, and in addition to the office of postmaster he has served as city recorder for fifteen years, was secretary of the school board for sixteen years and has filled other offices, to which he has been called by a constitueney who recognize that according to the merit system he is entitled to the offices and well deserves the honor and trust thus reposed in him. He is today the oldest native citizen of Dowagiac and one of its most prominent residents.
GEORGE E. BISHOP.
The commercial interests of Dowagiac find a worthy representa- tive in George E. Bishop, who is now engaged in dealing in hardware with a well appointed store and a good trade. He was born in Genesee
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county, New York, March 12, 1849: His father, Horace L. Bishop, was also a native of that county and a son of Isaac Bishop, whose birth occurred in Massachusetts in 1758, a fact which indicates that the family was established in New England in early colonial days. Isaac Bishop was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and was but seventeen years of age when he enlisted in the American army, serving for six years in defense of the cause of liberty. The Bishop family is of English lineage.
Horace L. Bishop was a farmer by occupation and remained a resi- dent of the Empire state until 1855. when he came westward to Michi- gan, settling in Hillsdale county. He married Emeline Allison, a native of New York and a daughter of Joseph Allison, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. The death of Mr. Bishop occurred in 1893 when he was in his seventy-third year, but his wife is now living at the age of seventy-seven years, hav- ing been born in 1828. Her father was a soldier of the war of 1812, enlisting from Washington county, Pennsylvania. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Horace L. Bishop were born six children, two daughters and four sons, all of whom reached years of maturity and are living at this writing.
George E. Bishop, the eldest son and second child of the family, is the only one now residing in Cass county. He was six years of age when he removed with his parents to Hillsdale county, Michigan, and there his youth was passed, while his education was acquired in the com- mon schools of that county. He remained at home until more than twenty years of age, when he started out upon an independent business career, securing a clerkship in a country store, while later he was em- ployed in the town of Allen in Hillsdale county. He was for ten years a salesman. in the employ of C. H. Winchester in Allen, the time, how- ever, being divided by a period of two and a half years spent in Cold- water, Michigan. He came to Dowagiac in January, 1881. and bought an interest in a hardware business, becoming a member of the firin of Bishop & Dickinson. This relation was maintained until January, 1883. when the junior partner sold out to W. M. Vrooman and the firm of Bishop & Vrooman was then formed, having a continuous existence until 1890. In that year Mr. Bishop purchased Mr. Vrooman's interest and conducted the business alone until January, 1904. when he admitted Isaac Armstrong to a partnership and the Bishop Hardware Company was thus organized. Since becoming connected with this enterprise Mr. Bishop has labored earnestly and effectively to enlarge the scope of its undertakings and has developed an excellent business, which has constantly grown in extent and importance. He was also secretary of the Dowagiac Manufacturing Company during the early period of its existence and has done all in his power to further commercial and in- dustrial activity in the city and thus promote its prosperity and growth. for the welfare of every community depends upon its business interests.
Aside from his commercial pursuits Mr. Bishop has also labored
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for the welfare of his adopted city, giving active co-operation to many plans and measures that have had direct bearing upon general progress. In politics he is an earnest and unfaltering Republican with firm belief in the ultimate triumph of the principles of the Republican party. Upon that ticket he was elected mayor in 1888 and again in 1897, succeeding P. D. Beckwith as chief executive in the former year. On both occa- sions he gave a public-spirited and businesslike administration, exercis- ing his official prerogatives to advance reform and improvement, using practical methods in working toward ideals in citizenship. He has also been a member of the school board for about six years and the cause of education has found in him a stalwart friend, whose labor has been effective in its behalf.
In 1877 Mr. Bishop was united in marriage to Miss Jennie D. Dickinson, of Coldwater, Michigan, a daughter of Higby and Mary W. (Swaine) Dickinson. The Swaines were one of the old Massachu- setts families, her mother's father was a native of Nantucket Island. and was a whaler on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, having frequented many of the South American ports, especially Santiago and Valparaiso. which were devastated only recently by the terrible earthquake, similar to the famous San Francisco disaster. Mrs. Bishop was born on a farm in Branch county and obtained her education in the schools of this city. Four children grace this marriage: Edith, who is now the wife of John Crawford. of Pokagon township: Dickinson H., who is assist- ing his father in the store: Mary and George E., who are at home. The family is one well known in the community and the members of the household occupy an enviable position in social circles. Mr. Bishop is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and pos- sesses a social, genial nature which renders him popular with a large circle of friends. As the years have passed he has demonstrated that suc -. cess comes as the legitimate result of perseverance, energy and diligence. Without special advantages to aid him he has worked his way upward, winning for himself a creditable place in business circles. He is to- day the oldest hardware merchant in Dowagiac and has long main- tained a prominent position in commercial circles, not only by reason of his success, but also owing to the straightforward and honorable busi- ness methods he has ever followed.
WILLARD WELLS.
Willard Wells, who has been closely connected with building opera- tions in Dowagiac as a contractor, but is now living retired, was born in Montgomery county, New York, on the 16th of September, 1829. and is therefore in his seventy-seventh year. He was the second in order of birth in a family of ten children born into Ira and Maria ( Woodworth) Wells, who were also natives of Montgomery county. The father followed the occupation of farming in later life but engaged
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in business as a boot and shoe merchant in his early years. He re- moved from Montgomery county to Onondaga county, New York, and became a resident of Orleans county in the same state in 1855. There he was engaged in merchandising one year, but later he resumed farm- ing which he carried on until about twenty years prior to his death, when he retired from active business life and took up his abode in Medina, New York. He was a leading, active and helpful member of the Methodist Episcopal church and served as class leader for forty years. His Christian faith permeated his entire life. established his conduct toward his fellowmen and made him a man whoni to know was to respect and honor. While living in Montgomery county he was married to Maria Woodworth, and he reached the advanced age of eighty-five years, while his wife passed away at the ripe old age of seventy-eight years. Of their ten chiklren six reached years of maturity, while four are now living, namely: Charles H., who is living in San Diego, California: Willard, of this review; Mary, the wife of John Wells, who is living in Orleans county, New York; and Frances, the wife of Judson Hill. of Quincy, Branch county, Michigan.
Willard Wells was a youth of six years when his parents removed from his native county to Onondaga county, New York, and there the clays of his youth were passed, while his education was acquired in the public schools. Thinking that he might enjoy better opportunities in the middle west he came to Michigan in 1855. spending the winter in Wayne township, Cass county. In the spring of 1856 he took up his abode in Dowagiac, and for a long period was identified with business affairs here. He had been married in Onondaga county. New York, in 1852 to Miss Harriet Henderson, a native of that county. On locating in Dowagiac Mr. Wells began working at the carpenter's trade, his first work heing on the construction of the home of Thomas Gilbert on the east bank of Indian lake. He was employed as a carpenter until 1861. when, with the money that he had saved from his earnings he bought a farm in Wayne township, locating thereon and devoting his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits through the succeeding four years. In 1865 he again took up his abode in Dowagiac, where he began contracting and building on his own account, continuing in that line of business until about 1890. He was one of its first builders and many of the substantial structures of the city stand as monuments to his skill and enterprise. He enjoyed a liberal patronage for a long period and then, with a comfortable competence, retired to private life.
In 1904 Mr. Wells was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died in Dowagiac on the 30th of October of that year. She was the mother of four children, but only one is now living. Dora. the wife of R. W. Van Antwert, who is living in Dowagiac.
Mr. Wells has made his home in Cass county for a half century, and therefore the principal events of its history are known to him, while upon memory's wall hang many pictures of pioneer experiences
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and incidents. He has been a lifelong Republican, active in the interest of the party, for he believes that its principles contain the best elements of good government. He was elected for supervisor for six years of the second ward of Dowagiac, was elected a trustee of the village and was chosen to the position of alderman for three terms, after Dowagiac became a city. His official duties were very promptly and faithfully performed and he has stood strong in the advance of progress, reform and improvement for the city and county. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and in his life has exemplified the beneficent prin- ciples of the craft. which is based upon mutual kindliness and brotherly helpfulness. There have been no exciting chapters in his life record and yet it contains many elements worthy of emulation, showing what can be accomplished by determined purpose and faithful effort, for whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own labors and perseverance.
HUGH E. AGNEW.
Perhaps no one agency in all the world has done so much for public progress as the press, and an enterprising, well edited journal is a most important factor in promoting the welfare and prosperity of any community. It adds to the intelligence of the people through its trans- mission of foreign and domestic news and through its discussion of the leading issues and questions of the day, and, more than that, it makes the town or city which it represents known outside of the immediate locality, as it is sent each day or week into other districts, carrying with it an account of the events transpiring in its home locality, the advance- ment and progress there being made, and the advantages which it offers to its residents along moral. educational, social and commercial lines. During much of his life Mr. Agnew has been connected with journalistic work, helping to pay his way in school by that means, and his power as a writer and editor is acknowledged among contemporaneous jour- nalists.
One of Michigan's native sons, Hugh E. Agnew was born in Hills- dale January 31, 1875. the second in a family of four children, two sons and two daughters, born to Allen and Rhoda ( Mason) Agnew, namely : Rney, wife of Gilbert Keller, a general merchant of Topeka, Indiana; Hugh E., whose name introduces this review : Claudia, wife of Professor C. D. Albert, one of the faculty of Cornell University, of which insti- tution he is also a graduate. and he is now a resident of Ithaca; and Paul G., a resident of Washington, D. C., and a member of the Bureau of Standards for the Government. Mr. Allen Agnew is a native of Livingston county, New York, born in 1844, and is now a resident of Tillsdale, Michigan, living retired from the active duties of a business life. In the early part of his industrial career he was an agriculturist. but later became a merchant. During the Civil war he offered his services to the government, becoming a member of Battery I, First Mich-
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igan Light Artillery, his first service being with the Army of the Po- tomac, while later he was with the Army of Tennessee. He is a Repub- lican in his political affiliations, and his first presidential vote was cast for Grant. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Agnew, who was born in Fulton county, Ohio. in 1849, is also living.
Mr. Hugh E. Agnew was reared in Hillsdale county, Michigan, except five years that his parents lived in Kunkle, Ohio, receiving his education in its common schools, and is a graduate of the Hillsdale High School of the class of 1895. also of the Hillsdale Commercial College of the class of 1892, and in 1898 graduated from the Ypsilanti Normal, from which he holds a life certificate. After completing his education he assumed the superintendency of the Portland City Schools, there re- maining for three years, and in 1901 he entered the literary department of Michigan University, graduating therefrom in the class of 1902. Immediately following that event Mr. Agnew went to Howell, Michi- gan, as superintendent of schools, there remaining for one year, and in 1903 came to Dowagiac and entered upon his journalistic career by purchasing the Dowagiac Republican, a semi-weekly eight page quarto. He is the owner of the finest press in the county, a two-revolution Cot- trell, and he also has two job presses. His paper is the leading organ of the Republican party in the county, with a circulation of about fifteen liundred. Its editor is candid in the expression of his opinions, and strives to give the true status of the news generally. He does a general printing business and has arranged to add a book-binding department, which will make it the most complete printery in Cass county.
On the 26th of August, 1902, Mr. Agnew married Miss Marie Le Gault, and one little son has been born to them, Clifton Allen. Mrs. Agnew is a native of Cheboygan, Michigan, born June 21, 1878, and is of French descent. She received her education in the Cheboygan High School, also graduated at the Ypsilanti Normal in 1898, and then en- tered the Michigan University at Ann Arbor. After completing her edit- cation she was engaged in teaching at Newberry, Michigan. Her par- ents are both deceased. In his political affiliations Mr. Agnew is a Re- publican, and he cast his first presidential vote for Mckinley. Fra- ternally he is a member of the B. P. O. E. No. 889, of Dowagiac.
M. O. HADDEN.
Few residents of Cass county have longer resided within its borders than M. O. Hadden, of Dowagiac, who has lived in this part of the state through six decades. He is of Scotch descent and manifests in his life many of the sterling characteristics of his ancestry. He was born in Cayuga county, New York, October 22, 1845. His paternal grand- father. Charles Hadden, was a native of Scotland and after leaving the land of hills and heather crossed the Atlantic to the new world. He
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settled in New York, where he died of yellow fever. His son, Louis W. Hadden, a native of Westchester county, New York, was born in 1805, and was reared in the place of his nativity. In his youth he learned the blacksmith's trade and in early manhood he came westward to Michigan, settling here before the country became involved in the financial panic, owing to the issuance of bank notes by private banks, the currency be- coming known as wildcat money. Mr. Hadden located in Pontiac, Mich- igan, but afterward returned to New York. Again in 18446, however, he came to Michigan, settling in Volinia township, Cass county, estab- fishing the first blacksmith shop in the township. He afterward removed to Wayne township, settling on Section 25, where he also opened a blacksmith shop, following the business for a long period. In later years he also engaged in farming in the same locality and his life was one of untiring industry and enterprise, his succe is being the result of his per- severance and labor. His last days were spent in Dowagiac, where he died in his eighty-fourth year. He was a life-long Democrat, never faltering in his allegiance to the party and he held membership in the Baptist church, living an upright, honorable Christian life. He mar- ried Joanna Gould, who was born in Cayuga county, New York, where her girlhood days were passed. Her mother was a distant relative of President Monroe. Mr. and Mrs. Hadden were married in Cayuga county, New York, and both spent their last days in Dowagiac, Mrs. Hladden passing away when eighty years of age. In their family were seven children. of whom two died in infancy, while five reached man- hood or womanhood. These are: Charles, now deceased; Mary, the wife of George McCormack, of Jackson, Michigan; Armantha, the wife of lliram Adams, of Volinia township; and Cyrena Jennetta, the wife of Samuel Edwards, of Jackson, Michigan.
M. (. Hadden is the sixth child in a family of seven children and the only son now living. He was less than a year old when brought by his parents to. Cass county and was reared upon the homestead farm in Wayne township. When a boy he attended the common schools and at the age of about fourteen years began learning the blacksmith's trade with his father, with whom he worked until about seventeen years of age. He continued upon the home farm, assisting in the task of devel- oping and cultivating the fields and during that time he also bought land for himself, and eventually became the owner of the old homestead. Ile added to his property from time to time until his landed posses- sions were quite extensive. He has since sold some ht the property but still has one hundred and seventy acres of good land in Wayne and Volinia townships. He placed his land under a high state of cultivation and gathered good crops each year, while his grain found a ready sale upon the market. He kept everything about his place in good condi- tion und in all of his farm work was progressive and enterprising. . \t length, however, he retired from general agricultural pursuits, and in
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1903 removed to Dowagiac, where he is now residing in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil.
Mr. Hadden was married first in 1868 to Miss Adaline Ferguson, who was born and reared in Indiana and was a daughter of Richard Ferguson. She died in 1902, leaving two children: Iva, now the wife of Jacob Spade, of Kalamazoo; and Herbert M., a farmer living in Wayne township. Mr. Hadden married his present wife in No- vember, 1903. She bore the maiden name of Sarah Swisher, was the widow of Jerry Foltz and was born in Preble county, Ohio, April 13, 1845. her parents being John and Millecent (Elliott) Swisher, who came to Michigan about 1851, settling in Silver Creek township. Her father died when eighty-two years of age and her mother when sev- enty-two years of age. In the family were ten children, all of whom reached years of maturity with one exception, Mrs. Hadden being the fourth in order of birth. She was first married to George Strackan- gart and they had one daughter. Ida, who is now the wife of Dr. Elmer Mater, of Dowagiac. The mother afterward married Jerry Foltz.
Mr. Hadden has been a lifelong Republican, but has never sought or desired office, although he is interested in the growth of his party and its success. He is a prominent and valued member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the blue lodge of Dowagiac. Sixty years have been added to the cycle of the centuries since he came to Cass county and in this time he has taken an active interest in public measures, co- operating in many movements for the general good. He has a wide acquaintance with the people of the county, has been found to be a reliable and enterprising business man and at all times has stood for improvement along material, intellectual, social, political and moral lines. In his business affairs he has prospered as the result of his keen dis- crimination, close application and unfaltering diligence. He is today the owner of a large farm, to which he makes frequent trips in his auto- mobile. thus giving personal supervision to the development of the prop- ertv.
CHARLES ELLIOTT SWEET.
Charles Elliott Sweet, who has exerted a strong and beneficial in- fluence in behalf of the Republican party in Cass county, Michigan, and is a representative member of the bar at Dowagiac, was born in Van Buren county, Michigan, on the IIth of March, 1860. The paternal grandfather was Ezra Sweet, who removed from Vermont to New York during the boyhood of his son. Joseph Elliott Sweet, who was born in the former state. Ezra Sweet was commissioned a corporal in the New York militia in 1823. He wedded Miss Mary Smith, a daughter of David Smith, the great-grandfather of Charles Elliott Sweet, and a native of Vermont, who served in the Revolutionary war as a private in both the infantry and artillery ranks, and Charles Elliott Sweet now
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has in his possession his pension papers which entitles him to eighty-one dollars and ninety-three cents pension for each year of his natural life. He had served with the Rhode Island regiment.
Joseph Elliott Sweet, the father of our subject, was born in Windom county, Vermont, and after a residence of a number of years in the Em- pire state removed to Michigan in 1840. He engaged in teaching school i11 Bellevue, Battle Creek and Paw Paw for a number of years, and then entered upon the study of medicine in the state university at Ann Arbor. He was licensed to practice about 1850 and entered upon the active work of the profession in Mattawan, Van Buren county. whence he removed to Keeler about 1859. He continued in the active practice of medicine and surgery until 1874, when he retired from the profession and removed to Hartford, Van Buren county, where his last days were spent, his death there occurring in 1903, when he had reached the ven- erable age of eighty-three years. He enjoyed more than a local reputa- tion for his skill in the practice of medicine and surgery and was consid- ered an exceptionally well informed man in his profession. so that he was frequently called in for consultation on important cases. He held membership in the Congregational church, was one of its active workers and served as a deacon. Fraternally he was connected with the Masons and the Odd Fellows, while his political support was given to the Re- publican party. He held township and village offices and for many years served on the school board and at all times in the discharge of his duties he was prompt and faithful, looking to the general good rather than to personal gain or aggrandizement. \ stanch champion of the Union cause, he was eager to enlist in the Union army but was rejected by the medical examiner. Ile stood as the defender of all that he believed to be right and just between man and his fellowmen and supported every movement that he believed would contribute to the upbuilding of the race or of his community. He wedded Mary Adalyn Adsett, who was born in the state of New York and died in 1860, at the age of thirty years. Her parents came to Michigan at an early day, locating near Paw Paw. Mrs. Sweet was an only child and her mother died when she was very young. Mrs. Sweet became a music teacher and was a lady of more than ordinary ability, of superior culture and of fine character. She. too, held membership in the Congregational church. By her mar- riage she became the mother of three children: Elliott, who died in childhood; Mary .A., the wife of Perley E. Wilson, a veteran of the Civil war at Mobile, Alabama ; and Charles Elliott, of this review. After losing his first wife the father married Rachel E. Pletcher, a native of New York and unto them were born four children; Clara B., who is now the widow of Mr. Wellett and is engaged in teaching school in Van Buren county : Edward. who died in childhood : William E., a salesman for the Marshal Furnace Company, and a resident of Dowagiac; and Fred F., who is living in Dowagiac.
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