Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 58

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 966

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In November, 1868, Mr. Norton mar- ried Miss Susana Norris, the daughter of Aaron and Margaret Norris, farming people formerly of Ohio. To the subject and his wife have been born the following children : A. J. died at the age of twenty-six years ; Blanche is the wife of Thomas Patterson, a farmer; Hazel H. still remains under the pa- rental roof and is unmarried. Fraternally, Mr. Norton is a member of the time-hon- ored order of Free and Accepted Masons, belonging to the blue lodge. He exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, but has never sought or desired office, preferring - to give his time and attention to his business affairs. in which he is meeting with credit- able and well-deserved success. All that he has is the reward of his own labor and his . life record proves what a potent element is diligence in the active affairs of life.

SOLOMON RILEY.

The record of Mr. Riley is that of a man who, by his own unaided efforts, has worked his way from a modest beginning to a position of influence and comparative affluence in his community. His life has been of unceasing industry and perseverance and the systematic and honorable methods which he has followed have won him the un- bounded confidence of his fellow citizens of Kalkaska county. Mr. Riley, who conducts a good and productive farm on section 36, Kalkaska township, was born in Williams county, Ohio, on August 12, 1856, and is the son of John and Mary Eliza (Richter) Riley, natives of Pennsylvania. The father died in 'Williams county, Ohio, at the age of seventy-six years, while the mother's death occurred in St. Joseph county, Indi- ana. They were highly respected people and were the parents of eight children, Solomon having been the sixth born. Solo- mon Riley was but six weeks old when his parents removed to St. Joseph county, Indi- ana, and on a farm in that county he was reared to manhood. In the meantime he at- tended the common schools and secured a good practical education, while during the vacation periods he faithfully gave his at- tention to duties on the farm. In Septem- ber, 1878, he came to Kalkaska county, Michigan, and during the following eleven years was employed in the woods, lumber- ing. He then located in Oliver township, this county, which was the place of his resi- dence until the autumn of 1894, when he purchased eighty acres of land in section 36, Kalkaska township, this county, which has since been his home. About seventy acres of his land is cleared and in a high state of cultivation. His methods are in keeping

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with the progressive spirit of the twentieth century and his well-improved property is a monument to his thrift and well-directed efforts. He is a man of broad humanitarian principles, of earnest purpose and upright life and does all in his power for the uplift- ing of his fellow men and the promotion of the moral welfare of the community. He is widely known and by all is esteemed for his genuine worth.

Mr. Riley has been twice married, his first wife, to whom he was married July 19, 1881, having been Miss Sarah Rebecca Ayers. To them were born two children, Harvey E. and Ida May. Mrs. Sarah Riley died on May 29, 1884, and, at Grayling, Michigan, on August 12, 1886, Mr. Riley was united in marriage with her sister, Miss Ida I. Ayers, who was born in Fulton county, Ohio, December 5, 1870, and is a daughter of Charles D. and Sarah E. (Al- wood) Ayers. Her parents came to Kal- kaska county in 1878 and settled in Oliver township, where they made their home for a number of years, later removing to Bar- ry county, this state, where they now reside. Mrs. Riley was the third in order of birth in their family of seven children. To Mr. and Mrs. Riley have been born the follow- ing children: Zora J., Ruby B., Sylvia, John M., Charles R. (who died at the age of three years), Solomon J. McKinley, Wil- liam W., and Gladys G., who died July I, 1905, at the age of four months and sixteen days. Mr. Riley evinces a commendable interest in public affairs and while living in Oliver township he served for several terms as highway commissioner. In fraternal matters the subject and his wife are affiliated with the Grange of the Patrons of Hus- bandry at Boardman village.

ALBERT E. IMLER.

One of the best known and most highly esteemed citizens of Kalkaska county, Michigan, is Albert E. Imler, who owns a fine and highly productive farm in section 27, Kalkaska township, and who also gives some attention to the lumber industry, being an efficient and capable timber estimater and judge of land values. Mr. Imler is a native of the Hoosier state, having been born at Liberty Mills, Wabash county, Indiana, on March 2, 1860. His parents, John and Mary (Heater) Imler, were both natives of Ohio, but came to Michigan about 1865 and first settled in Van Buren county, re- moving in 1868 to Allegan county, where the father died at the age of forty-nine years. They were the parents of six children, of whom the subject of this article is the fourth born. Albert E. Imler was reared under the parental roof and secured a good education in the common schools. At the age of fourteen years he began working in a saw-mill and here began to acquire that exact knowledge of timber which has since stood him in such good stead. He re- mained so employed in Allegan county until he was twenty-two years old, and in the au- tumn of 1882 he came to Kalkaska county, bringing with him a portable saw-mill which he set up in section 23. Kalkaska township. and followed the lumber business closely until 1895. Since that time he in a large measure devoted his attention to his farm- ing interests, though not exclusively. He deals in timber and farm lands to a consid- erable extent and is also frequently employed as an estimater of timber, in which line he is considered thoroughly capable and effi- cient. At present his real estate holdings

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amount to one hundred and forty acres, of which he cultivates about ninety acres and on which he has made many substantial im- provements. He raises all the crops eligi- ble to the soil and climate and has acquired a definite success in this enterprise.

On June 8, 1884, at Bloomingdale, Van- Buren county, Michigan, Mr. Imler married Miss Sarah J. Myers, who was born in Ot- sego. Allegan county, Michigan, on May 24, 1860, and is a daughter of Charles T. and Dollie (Pryer) Myers. Her parents were both natives of Ohio and both died in Allegan county, Michigan, the father at the age of fifty-nine years and the mother at eighty-three. Mrs. Imler was the youngest of their nine children. Mr. and Mrs. Imler have one child, Bertha. Mr. Imler is a pub- lic-spirited man and takes a healthy interest in passing events, his interest in the welfare of the community being evident in the fact that he has efficiently filled several of the school offices of his township. At present he is employed by the state as local trespass agent. In his fraternal relations he is a member of the time-honored order of Free and Accepted Masons, and he and his wife are charter members of the grange of Pa- trons of Husbandry at Boardman Valley. In every relation of life Mr. Imler has borne his part and is now in the enjoyment of the sincere respect and esteem of all who know him.

ALLISON M. KERNS.

Among the well-known and highly es- teemed agriculturists of Kalkaska county, Michigan, is Allison M. Kerns, who owns a

fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres lo- cated in section 35, Kalkaska township. He is a native of the Wolverine state, having been born in Ovid township, Branch county, Michigan, on the 20th day of August, 1859. His parents were Levi and Sarah (Miller) Kerns, both natives of Pennsylvania, and the father's death occurred in Branch county, Michigan, when he was upwards of sixty years old. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth. Mr. Kerns was reared on his father's farm in Branch county and in the schools of that locality he secured a fair common school ed- ucation. In April, 1888, he came to Kal- kaska county and for the following eight years he ran a delivery wagon in Kalkaska, finding the business so profitable that at the end of that time he was enabled to purchase forty acres of farming land in section 35. Kalkaska township, it being the place now occupied by him. At the time of purchase the land was in its original wild state and much strenuous toil was required to fit it for the raising of crops. Mr. Kerns was not discouraged by the outlook, however, and lost no time in initiating operations to the desired end. That he has been success- ful in all his subsequent operations of this farm is evident to the casual observer and also in the fact that from time to time Mr. Kerns has added to the original tract until it now comprises one hundred and sixty acres, of which eighty-five are under the plow and producing abundant crops in re- turn for the labor bestowed upon it. Mr. Kerns is methodical and up-to-date in his work and has achieved a pronounced suc- cess since taking up this line of business.

On March 27, 1884, while living in Ovid

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township, Branch county, this state, Mr. 1903, and the father died November 1, 1904. Kerns was united in marriage to Miss May Baldridge, a native of that township, who was born on May 12, 1865, and is the daughter of Niles and Olive (Green) Bald- ridge, residents of Coldwater, Michigan. Of their four children, Mrs. Kerns is the sec- ond in order of birth. To the subject and his wife have been born three children, N. Clifford, Glenn A. and Homer B. In his fraternal relations Mr. Kerns is a member of Tent No. 291, Knights of the Maccabees, of which body he is now serving as com- mander. A man of sterling integrity and unstained reputation, he has won and retains a host of warm personal friends.

ARTHUR VIPOND.

Among the enterprising and progressive young men whose efforts have lent to the prestige of the agricultural industry of Kal- kaska county, Michigan, is the subject of this review, who has passed practically all his mature years within the borders of the county and who is now one of the successful farmers in Kalkaska township. Mr. Vi- pond is a native of the province of Quebec, Canada, where he first saw the light of day on the 30th of May, 1865. His parents, Jo- seph and Mary (Lancaster) Vipond, were natives of the province of Quebec, and were farming people. They came to Kalkaska county, Michigan, in the year 1883, and at once settled on the farm now owned by the subject in section 25. Kal- kaska township, where they both died in the sixty-seventh year of their ages, the mother's death occurring in November,

They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the sixth born. Arthur Vipond was reared under the parental roof and secured a fair elementary education in the schools of his native locality. He was early inured to the hard toil incident to life on a farm and also became a master of the science of successful agriculture, so that upon attaining mature years he was well equipped to take upon himself a large share of the burden of opera- ting the farm. He has spent his entire life with his parents, looking carefully after their best interests and upon their deaths he suc- ceeded to the ownership of the old home- stead, which he now conducts. Farming has always been his occupation and, by reason of thoughtful attention to details and the ex- ercise of sound judgment in the handling of his crops, he has been enabled to secure sat- isfactory results. The place is improved with a good residence and a commodious and sub- stantial barn and outbuildings necessary for the care and protection of the live stock and crops, and the general appearance of the place is such as to convince even the most casual observer that the owner is a man of good taste and judgment.

On the 27th of November, 1901, Mr. Vipond was married to Miss Nora Benson, a native of Quebec, Canada, born January 3. 1870, and the daughter of George and Dinah (Gowling) Benson, also natives of Canada. The union of the subject and his wife has been a most happy and congenial one and their home has been brightened by the advent of two interesting children, Joseph W. and George G. Mr. Vipond has always taken a deep and abiding interest in local matters affecting the public welfare

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and, though he has never been a seeker after office, he did at one time consent to serve in the capacity of highway commissioner, in which he performed much good service in his township. He is a young man of ability and sterling character and enjoys marked popularity in the community in which his entire life has been passed.

REV. CYRENUS N. COULTER.

One of the well known and revered pio- neers of the section of the Wolverine state with which this publication has to do is Rev. Cyrenus Coulter, whose name initiates this paragraph. He has labored long. de- votedly and successfully in the noble calling to which he early consecrated his life, and though he has now attained to the psalm- ist's alloted span of three score years and ten, he has not laid aside the harness but is still serving in more or less active pastoral relations in Charlevoix county, having maintained his home in the county-seat for many years past and being here held in the highest esteem by all who know him, while his name is one honored throughout this section of the state.

Mr. Coulter is a native of the good old Buckeye state, having been born in Rich- land county, Ohio, on a farm eight miles southeast of the city of Mansfield, on the 15th of June, 1834. His father, Melzar Coulter, was born in Butler county, Penn- sylvania, in 1798. His parents settled in Perryville. Ashland county, Ohio, in 18IT. becoming pioneers of that section. Thomas Coulter, grandfather of our subject, was Forn in Pennsylvania and was a son of John

Coulter, who was born and reared in Ire- land, whence he came to America when young, finally settling in Pennsylvania, where he continued to reside for a long term of years, while it is probable that his death occurred in Kentucky, as the family records and traditions indicate, the date of his de- mise having been July 7, 1789. He was born in the north of Ireland and was of Scotch-Irish lineage. Thomas Coulter was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, on the 8th of August, 1766, and died in Perryville, Ohio, in 1844, having been a prominent farmer and honored and influential citizen of that locality. Melzar Coulter, father of the subject, was born on the 14th of Octo- ber, 1798.

On the 20th of November, 1823, he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Adsit, who was born on the 27th of October, 1806. He became one of the leading farmers in the vicinity of Lucas, Richland county, Ohio, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred on the 28th of February, 1875, while his devoted wife was sum- moned into eternal rest in the year 1842.

Rev. Cyrentis N. Coulter, the immediate subject of this sketch, passed his boyhood days on the old homestead farm on which he was born, while his early educational ad- vantages were such as were afforded in the common schools of the locality and period. He made the best of his opportunities along this line and his ambition to secure a liberal education was such as to cause him to push steadily forward to the "mark of his high calling." For a time he was a student in Franklin College, at Athens, Ohio, and later he entered the celebrated Oberlin Col- lege, at Oberlin, that state, where he was a student at the time when Morgan made his

REV. CYRENUS N. COULTER.

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famous raid through Ohio and Indiana. He continued to attend college during the greater portion of the time which marked the progress of the Civil war, securing a broad and liberal literary education, after which he took a private course in theology, being ordained a clergyman of the Congre- gational church in 1867. He passed one year as a licentiate in the church and for the following two years served in regular pas- toral relations in central Ohio, where his ordination took place. In 1868 he came to Michigan, locating in Hartland, Livings- ton county, where he held a pastoral incum- bency for three years, at the expiration of which, in 1871, he came to the northern part of the state and settled at Atwood, a Con- gregational society having been there or- ganized three years previously. Of this pio- neer church Mr. Coulter took pastoral charge, and during the first winter of his residence in this section he also preached at intervals in Charlevoix, which was then a mere hamlet in the midst of the primeval forest. A Methodist Episcopal church so- ciety had been organized in the village, but no pastor had been secured, and the Pres- byterians also had taken steps looking to the organization of a local society, and it was at the instance and request of this embry- onic church society that Mr. Coulter thus held services in Charlevoix during that first winter. It was his portion to conduct the first funeral service held in the town, that for James Lester, who had suicided and whose remains were the first to be interred in the Charlevoix cemetery. Ever since that early day our subject has continued to reside and faithfully labor in this section of the state, save for one and one-half years which he passed in the vicinity of the city of

Saginaw, in the eastern part of the state. He has been identified with pastoral work for thirty years in a most active way, hav- ing been for six years engaged in pastoral relations with the Methodist Episcopal church as a local preacher, having been too old to enter into regular and direct confer- ence relations For seven years he con- tinued to serve the little church in Banks township, Antrim county, and much of his pastoral work has been of the true pioneer type, involving the holding of meetings in school houses and the supplying of little charges of the weaker sort, so that it may be known that his labors have been arduous and self-abnegating, while he has gained a wide circle of friends throughout this sec- tion of the state. He finally resumed his ac- tive relationship with the ministry of the Congregational church, thus continuing at the present time, though holding no regular pastorate. He supplies many of the various smaller charges and is also called upon fre- quently to exercise his ministerial functions in various ways, including the conducting of services in the more prosperous and im- portant churches of this section. He has also done effective service on the lecture platform, in somewhat of a local way, and has been a deep student of sociological prob- lems and movements, taking an active inter- est in such movements, being at the present time a member of a socialistic club in Wis- consin. He does not coincide in opinion with all the views put forth by the advanced socialists, using the term in its proper and noble sense, but finds much to admire and approve in the doctrines, notably the public ownership of all public utilities. He has also found much pleasure and profit in a study and investigation of the philosophic code

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designated as "New Thought." Mr. Coul- ter has been an effective worker in the cause of temperance and has ever been found a loyal and public-spirited citizen, while his political allegiance is given to the Republi- can party in so far as national and state issues are concerned, though in local affairs he maintains a somewhat independent at- titude.

In the year 1854 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Coulter to Miss Eliza Jane Wilson, of Harrison county, Ohio, and she was summoned to the life eternal in the year 1899. In 1901 the honored subject consummated a second marriage, being then united to Mrs. Anna L. Karney, of Wisconsin. Of the children of the subject we enter the following brief record in con- clusion of this sketch: William M. is a representative business man of Harbor Beach ; Llewellyn B. is in the employ of the great seed house of D. M. Ferry & Com- pany in the city of Detroit; Elmer W. is a prominent business man of Charlevoix and is individually mentioned on other pages of this work; Lysecinius D. is likewise with the Ferry seed concern in the city of De- troit; Alva L. is serving as game warden in Charlevoix county at the time of this writ- ing; Orva L. is a representative of the J. B. Rice Seed Company at Traverse City ; Em- met N. is a tinner by vocation and is follow- ing his trade in Charlevoix: Eva Anna became the wife of William Logan, of Chicago; Carrie M. still remains at the parental home; and Ruby A. is the wife of George Davis, of Detroit. The subject has twenty-four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, and of the no- table total of thirty-five descendants in- cluded in these two generations there has been but one death.

DANIEL MISNER.

This volume would be incomplete were there failure to make specific mention of those men who are doing so much to ad- vance and develop the agricultural depart- ment of the state's activities, giving the state a reputation second to none among its sister commonwealths. Among this class is Mr. Daniel Misner, who resides on section 34. Kalkaska township, Kalkaska county. He was born in Reed township, Seneca county, Ohio, on June 21, 1859, and is the son of Debold and Anna (Swaverley) Misner, who were both born in Germany, the mother's death occuring in Seneca county, Ohio, at the age of seventy-three years. The subject of this sketch was the fifth born of their seven children and was reared on his father's farm, early learning the meaning of honest toil. He was given the advantage of at- tendance at the common schools and thereby secured 'a good practical education, which has been supplemented by subsequent read- ing and habits of close observation, so that he is now considered a well-informed man. At the age of twenty-two he came to Barry county, Michigan, and for one year worked at farm labor by the month, after which he farmed on shares until coming to Kalkaska county, in March, 1898, when he purchased seventy acres of land in section 34, Kalkaska township, where he has since resided, de- voting nearly his entire attention to its cul- tivation. He has a set of good farm build- ings on the place and has about sixty acres under the plow. He does not confine his at- tention to any one line of farming, but raises all the crops common to this section of the country. He also has first-class live stock on the place and a splendid orchard.

In Barry county, Michigan, on March

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24, 1884, Mr. Misner was united in the holy bonds of wedlock with Miss Mary Ann Wertz, who was born in Seneca county, Ohio, May 25, 1854, and is the daughter of Reuben and Eva (Harpster) Benehoof, her father, Abraham Wertz, having been Mrs. Benehoof's first husband, to which union were born six children, Anna, William, Milton, Clara, Minnie and Edith. To Mr. and Mrs. Misner have been born six chil- dren, Ervin, Lettie, Anna, Harry, Glenn and Howard. Mr. Misner is an active mem- ber of the Patrons of Husbandry and takes a deep interest in every movement having for its object the moral, educational or ma- terial advancement of his community. A man of many sterling traits of character, he is highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.

WILSON PONTIOUS.

Within the pages of this work will be found specific mention of many who have figured in the growth and development of northern Michigan, each contributing in his sphere of action to the well-being of the community in which he resides and to the advancement of its normal and legitimate growth. Among this number is he whose name appears above. Mr. Pontious was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, on the 14th of May, 1842, and is the son of Samuel and Rebecca (Rieman) Pontious. These parents were both natives of the state of Pennsyl- vania and they both died in Ohio, the father in Wauseon and the mother in Henry county. They became the parents of eight children, the subject of this sketch having been the third born. When Wilson Ponti-

ous was about six years of age his parents removed to Fulton county, Ohio, and settled on a farm where he grew up to manhood, receiving in the meantime a good education in the public schools and during the interim also becoming acquainted with the best methods of successful agriculture. While residing in this county the Southern states rebelled against the national government and in response to President Lincoln's call for troops Mr. Pontious enlisted, in June, 1862, in Company G. Eighty-fifth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served three months, the period of his en- listment. In the early summer of 1863 he again enlisted, this time in Company H, Eighty-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, his enlistment being for a period of eight months. In January, 1865, he joined Company B, One Hundred and Eighty- fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until September 27, 1865, when he received an honorable discharge from the service, having faithfully and uncomplain- ingly performed his full share in putting down the rebellion and maintaining the na- tional integrity. Returning to Fulton county, Ohio, he there remained until 1884, when, in the spring, he came to Kalkaska county. Michigan, and purchased forty acres of land in section 33, Kalkaska township, where he located and proceeded to render the land fit for cultivation, a no slight task, as the place was densely covered with the na- tive growth of timber. He has since pur- chased forty acres additional, so that his present holdings comprise eighty acres, of which about forty are in a high state of de- velopment, being improved with good, sub- stantial buildings, fences and all the other accessories of a modern farm.

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Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 58

Author: Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 966

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 966