USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan > Part 20
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DR. LESTER R. WATKINS.
The pen of the biographer has seldom a more engaging theme than the life story of a good citi- zen who has grown old in the service of his peo- ple, and has lived to see the fruit of his labors in their prosperity and happiness and the estab- lished success of valued public institutions, to whose creations and development he has essential- ly contributed. Such a theme is presented in the rarcer of Dr. Lester R. Watkins, one of the pio- neer physicians of Hillsdale county, who departed this life on February 4, 1880, after a successful practice of his profession of over thirty-four years in Allen township. He was a native of Hope- well. Ontario county, New York, born on Sep- tember 3. 1821, a son of Ephraim and Deborah (Whitney) Watkins, natives of Massachusetts, who spent the last years of their life in the place of his birth. His father was a farmer and the family consisted of three sons and six daughters. One daughter, Mrs. Susan Metcalf, of Rochester, New York, is still living. His son, Lester, was a student by nature and manifested his bent early in life. After leaving the primary schools of his native town he entered Canandaigua Acad- emy, and upon the completion of his course there he began the study of medicine under the capa- ble direction of Doctor Holden, of Hopewell.
Before he was twenty-one years of age he entered Geneva (N. Y.) Medical College, and in 1846 he was graduated from that institution with the degree of M. D. He located in Hillsdale county, Michigan, at Allen, made that place his
home for the rest of his life, and, throughout all of the surrounding country, he was soon well known as an energetic and skillful physician and surgeon, finding himself favorably launched on the flood tide of a large and successful practice. He was a close and thoughtful student, an atten- tive and discriminating observer, a resourceful and intelligent practitioner. Throughout his entire life he was faithful to every duty, holding broad and progressive views in reference to the development and moral standard of the communi- ty in which he had cast his lot. Churches, schools, all educational and moral forces, received his earnest and active support, while in social life he was genial and companionable to such an ex- tent that his presence was ever a stimulus to good humor and the better and loftier aspirations of the human mind. The literature of his profession enlisted his continual and studious interest, as did the organizations formed among his profes- sional brethren for the purposes of mutual benefit and the common good, which were aided and ele- vated by his active membership and the valued contributions he drew from his extensive expe- rience and ripe judgment.
Doctor Watkins belonged to the county and state medical societies and was a zealous and uséful member also of the Tri-State Medical Association. In politics he was an unwaver- ing Republican, and, although not an active partisan, he took great interest in the public local affairs. He served as the township clerk for many years, being wise in counsel and diligent in his action in behalf of every public enter- prise. He was a charter member of the Ma- sonic lodge at Allen, in which he kept up his active membership to the day of his death. His early practice was in a wild, unbroken country, with bridle paths and Indian trails as the only thoroughfares of travel in many places, and over these for long years he rode on horseback day af- ter day, in all weathers and under all kindsof try- ing circumstances. Through the exposure to which he was thus subjected he contracted a chronic rheumatism, the disease ending his life at the age of nearly sixty years, reaching and par- alyzing his heart in one of its acute attacks.
On April 27, 1852, at the home of the bride
S. P. Watine
2 . Dr. Nothing
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at Gorham, Ontario county, N. Y., Doctor Wat- kins married with Miss Zeruah W. Pickett, a daughter of Ansel and Charlotte (St. John) Pick- ett, the former a native of Litchfield, Connecticut, and the latter of Saratoga county, New York. After their marriage her parents settled at Gor- ham, subsequently removing to Phelps, in the same county, where the father died in 1866. The mother then divided her time between the home of Mrs. Watkins and that of a daughter at Ro- chester, N. Y., dying at the Watkins home in Al- len township, Michigan, on June 3, 1881.
MRS. ZERUAH W. (PICKETT) WATKINS was born at Gorham, Ontario county, New York, May 3, 1826, where the earlier years of her life were spent. On April 27, 1852, she was given in mar- riage to Doctor Watkins, and she came directly to Allen, where the remainder of her life was passed at her well-known home. Two children were born to Doctor and Mrs. Watkins ; one a son, died in infancy ; the other, Charlotte A., at the age of four years. On the evening of November 9, 1902, Mrs. Watkins suffered her second stroke of pa- ralysis, from which she made some progress toward recovery. On December 26, the third stroke fell upon the afflicted lady, and from this she had not strength sufficient to rally, gradually losing her hold upon life, until the evening of Jan- uary 27, 1903, when the worn and weary spirit left its tenement of clay, to be "forever with the Lord." During the long weeks of her last sick- ness, Mrs. Watkins was tenderly cared for by her only niece, Mrs. Josie Bainbridge Maynard, who chanced to be with her aunt when the blow fell upon her, and later, by her only sister, Mrs. L .. H. Haskins, of Morgantown, North Carolina, and also by her lifelong friend, Mrs. M. L. Wyrick, of Saginaw, and Mrs. Watkins' faithful compan- ion, Mrs. Jane Hamburg. The only brother, J. H. Pickett, of Geneva, New York, was unable to be present at the bedside of his sister, owing to his own bodily affliction, from paralysis. Fu- neral services were held at the Baptist church on Saturday, January 31, conducted by Rev. R. J. Lobb, a former pastor, assisted by Rev. Jor- dan, the choir rendering the appropriate selec- tions in a manner befitting the occasion. The re-
mains were tenderly laid at rest in Allen village cemetery, beside those of her beloved companion, who passed suddenly to the Great Beyond twen- ty-three years ago. The casket was literally cov- ered with floral offerings of exceptional beauty, the flowers the deceased so loved in life. Soon after her removal to Allen, Mrs. Watkins was received into the membership of the Baptist church, and since that time her first thought, out- side of her own home, was for the church of her choice and the tender memory and fragrance of her quiet, Christian life rests like a benedic- tion over the community.
THE CITIZENS BANK OF ALLEN.
The Citizens Bank of Allen. Michigan, was founded in 1893, by F. A. Roethlisberger and conducted by him as a private banking institu- tion until June, 1902. He then disposed of it to William N. Benge, who has since carried on its business in the same manner and on the same basis. It is one of the well-known and firmly es- tablished financial institutions of Hillsdale coun- ty, having a high reputation for the accommo- dating spirit which pervades it and for the suc- cess and vigor with which its affairs are con- ducted.
Mr. Benge is a native of Allen township, where he is doing an extensive business in sev- eral lines, and he was reared and educated with- in its borders. He was born on June 26, 1868, one of the eleven children of his parents, eight of whom are living, four sons and four daugh- ters, and all of the sons are residents of Hillsdale and Branch counties. His parents are John and Mary A. (Goldsmith) Benge, natives of Kent county, England, who came to the United States in 1850, and, after a residence of four years in the state of New York, moved to Hillsdale coun- ty, Michigan, settling in Allen township. Re- ceiving a sunstroke on a hot summer day, the father was obliged to retire from all active labor, and is now living in quiet retirement in Allen township, surviving his wife, who died in 1882. His son, William N. Benge, began life for him- self as a clerk for Messrs. Hill & Roethlisberger,
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remaining in the employ of Mr. Roethlisberger seven years. He then engaged in merchandising on his own account in association with F. A. Wagner, under the firm name of Benge & Wag- ner. This firm was in business three years, and, at the end of that time, Mr. Wagner sold his in- terest to Mr. Roethlisberger and the firm name was changed to Benge & Co., and so continued for five years, when Mr. Wagner became a part- ner, the firm from that time being Benge & Wag- ner again. This business is in no way connected with the bank, but both interests are conducted with the energy which has ever characterized Mr. Benge's operations. He is also a director in the First State Savings-Bank of Hillsdale, and has interests in other financial and mercantile enterprises. Mr. Benge married in this county in 1889 with Miss May E. Raplee, a native of the county and a daughter of Andrew J. and Rebecca Raplee, who were early settlers in this part of the state. Their union has been blessed with two children, A. J., who died in infancy, and Wilhelmina.
HORACE BOW.
For nearly sixty years a resident of Hillsdale county, during all that period being earnestly and actively interested in the growth and de- velopment of this section, Horace Bow, of Cam- bria township, is justly held in high esteem as one of the forceful pioneers of Southern Mich- igan, as one whose life has been a benefaction to the state, and is well worthy of honorable men- tion in any narrative of the doings and achieve- ments of the progressive men of this portion of her domain. He was born in York, Livingston county, New York, on March 2, 1816, the son of Charles and Lydia (Bills) Bow, natives of Pittsfield, Mass., where the father was a pros- perous farmer of that section and time. About the year 1815 he moved to New York and there remained until 1843, when he came to this coun- ty and purchased 160 acres of land in Jefferson township, which he partially cleared, and on which he lived until his death, two years later, on April 7, 1845, he having survived his wife twelve
years, her death occurring in New York in 1833. Their family consisted of four sons and three daughters, all now deceased, except Horace. Ilis grandfather was a native of Massachusetts, who farmed in that state for a number of years, then moved to Livingston county, New York, where he died in the fullness of years.
Horace Bow grew to manhood and was edu- cated in New York, remaining there until he was twenty-three years old. In the autumn of 1840 he made a trip to Michigan, traveling on the Erie canal to Buffalo, from that city across Lake Erie to Toledo, occupying six days in the voyage. He journeyed by rail from Toledo to Adrian, from there by stage to Tecumseh, where he spent the winter. After a short visit to Ypsi- lanti he returned to New York, but in 1844 he came to reside permanently in this state and pur- chased a tract of uncultivated and unimproved land in Jefferson township, which he partially cleared and made his residence for two years. He then moved to Pittsford township, where he cleared a farm on which he lived until 1862, in 1860 making a trip to California for his health. From Pittsford township he moved to Cambria in 1862 and settled on the farm, which has ever since been his home, and which was partially im- proved when he bought it. This he has since greatly impraved and has brought to a very high state of cultivation, making it one of the most attractive and desirable country homes of the township.
In 1845, he was married to Miss Cynthia Turner, a daughter of Delonza and Orissia (Rush) Turner, natives of Massachusetts, who removed to New York in early life, and, in 1836, became residents of Adams township in this county, where the father died in 1848 and the mother in 1881. Of the children born to Mlr. and Mrs. Bow, their son, Charles, is deceased, and their daughter, Ella, is the wife of Wills D. Osborne, of Cambria township. Mr. Bow is an old-time Democrat, with unwavering fidelity to the principles of his party. Mrs. Bow is a de- vout and active member of the Methodist church. Both are valued members of society and most highly respected in all parts of the county.
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HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
EPHRAIM W. BENSON.
With a martial spirit in his ancestry, who drew in love of liberty with the very air they breathed in the Green Mountain region of Ver- mont, which showed itself on the maternal side in Ethan Allen, the very renowned Revolutionary hero, who was one of her progenitors, and on the paternal side in his father, who was a veter- an of the War of 1812, twice wounded in that contest, it is not strange that Ephraim W. Ben- son, of Pittsford township, should have shoul- dered his musket at the call of his country for volunteers in the defense of the Union when armed resistance threatened its continuance, to go forward to the front in the greatest war of mod- ern times, although he is essentially a man of peace and his life has otherwise been devoted to its productive and peaceful industries. He was born in Ontario county, New York, at the town of Richmond, on April 23, 1835, his parents being David and Clara (Briggs) Benson, natives of Vermont, who were born and reared near Rut- land in that state. The father was a farmer and also a soldier in the U. S. regular army for a pe- riod of five years, which covered the time oc- cupied in the second War with England. Dur- ing that struggle with the mother country he was in active service all of the time, fighting gal- lantly wherever occasion required, sealing his de- votion to the cause with his blood on the field of Chippewa, where he was shot in the side, and again on that of Lundy's Lane, where he received another serious wound. After the close of his military service, he settled in Vermont, where he married, and where three of his children, Al- len, Joshua and Adelia, were born. Five other children were born in New York after his remov- al to that state, Chloe J., Rhoda F., Ephraim W., Emory W. and David. All are now deceased. excepting Joshua, Ephraim and David. Their mother died in New York in 1843, and twenty years later, in 1863, the father came to Michigan, where he ended his days at the home of his eldest son, in Barry county, dying there in 1866 or 1867.
Ephraim W. Benson remained at the New York home of the family in his native county until he reached the age of nineteen, assisting in the duties of the farm, gathering strength and suppleness of body, acquiring habits of industry and thrift, and attending the schools of the vicin- ity, where he secured a limited education. In 1854 he started out to make his own way in the world, coming to this state and, soon after his arrival, locating in Pittsford township, where he worked as a farm hand for four years. On Sep- tember 28, 1858, he married with Miss Elizabeth Clement, and, about the time of his marriage, he purchased forty acres of land, now a part of his present farm. He, however, remained with his father-in-law, Mr. Christopher Clement, until 1862, and assisted in the work on the productive farm of that prominent and honored citizen of Pittsford township, who was born in the town of Root, now Canajoharie, Montgomery county, New York, and came with his parents to this county in 1836, where he became a potential fac- tor in the development and improvement of the township. and a power of great service in push- ing forward every line of fruitful energy in this section. all of his efforts being ably aided by his energetic and diligent wife, whose maiden name was Alice Fish, and to whom he was married on September 28. 1837. They became the parents of four children, Mrs. Benson ; Henry, who lives in Chicago; Kate, wife of Robert Stewart, of Anderson county, Kansas; and Eveline, wid- ow of Philo Long, of Pittsford township. Mrs. Benson is a niece of Cornelius Clement, an ac- count of whose life appears on another page.
Instead of settling on his farm, as he intend- ed to do, Mr. Benson enlisted in August, 1862, in the Union army, as a member of Co. A, Eigh- teenth Michigan Infantry, which became a part of the Army of the Cumberland. His first bap- tism of fire came at Cincinnati, where his regi- ment was a part of the force employed in re- pelling the invasion of Ohio by Gen. Kirby Smith. He afterward saw active service in the campaigns in Alabama, participated in the bat- tles of Decatur and Athens in that state, in that of Danville, Kentucky, and in many others in that part of the country ; but much of his time
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was passed on detached duty as a teamster and a dispatch carrier. He served to the close of the war, and after his discharge returned to this county and settled on his farm, where he has since resided. in the cultivation and improvement of which his energies have been continuously em- ployed. He has added to his domain until it now numbers 140 acres, improved it with good build- ings of every needed kind, until, in condition of tillage and character and completeness of equip- ment, it is one of the best in the township. His family consists of four children, Clara D., wife of Charles Voorhees, of Grand Rapids; Alice. wife of Frank Preston, of Chicago: Leroy and Bina, who are living at home. The last named married with Miss Anna Driscol, of North Ad- ams, and they have one son, Otis Benson. . 1 Republican in political affiliation, Mr. Benson has served five years .as the township treasurer, sev- eral years as highway commissioner, and also several on the board of review. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Patrons of Husbandry. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ben- son are regular attendants at the services of the Free Baptists.
JOHN BOWDITCH.
John Bowditch, of Jefferson township, where he conducts one of the most attractive and best managed farms in this portion of the county, is a brother of Charles G. Bowditch, a sketch of whom also appears in this work, and the son of Michael and Charlotte (Trivett) Bowditch, na- tives of England, where he was born on February 15. 1844. His native place was Devonshire, where his parents were then living, and where he remained until he was thirteen years of age. In 1857 he came to the United States in company with a cousin. They landed in New York and went direct to Canada, where they were met by an uncle, William Trivett, who brought Mr. Bowditch to this county. The young emigrant made his home with his unele, attending school in the winter and working on the farm at other times, for fourteen years. His uncle made him a present of eighty acres of land, which, at that time, cost $1.800, which he still owns, and which
was his home for a number of years, until he purchased the farm on which he now resides. He owns a tract of 400 acres, all well-improved and in an advanced state of cultivation. Thirty years ago he began dealing in stock, and he has increased his operations in this industry until his average sales are now from thirty to forty car- loads a year. He has also given special attention to the breeding of Shorthorn cattle and Poland- China hogs, and in this field has been very suc- cessful, winning high commendation and a ready market for his product, becoming by study and observation an acknowledged authority on all matters pertaining to these breeds of stock.
Mr. Bowditch was married, on February 11, 1869. to Miss Elizabeth Viele, a daughter of Abraham and Eleanor ( Schermerhorn) Viele, both natives of New York. Her father came to Michigan in 1835 and entered a tract of 160 aeres of government land in Wheatland township, this county, and in 1837 he built a log house on the place and moved his family into it, and then be- gan the clearing up of the farm to make it habit- able and productive. He was a carpenter and found plenty of work at his eraft in building houses and barns for the new settlers. By dili- gence and persistent effort, he succeeded in elcar- ing 130 acres of his land before his death, which occurred at the home of his son-in-law in 1891. His wife preceded him to the Silent Land more than a quarter of a century, passing away in 1865. They had six children, all now deceased, except Mrs. Bowditch and one son. One of her brothers died while a soldier in the Civil War, from the effects of a wound received in attacking a Kentucky town. Mr. and Mrs. Bowditch have two sons. Burton A. and John Bowditch, Jr. They also had a daughter, Mabel, who died some years ago. She was the wife of Dr. Clar- ence W. Harris, of Allen, this county, and left a son of the same name, who makes his home with Mr. Bowditch. In political faith Mr. Bowditch has always been an active and zealous Repub- lican. He served for years on the county central committee of his party, and for two terms was the township treasurer. He belongs to the Pa- trons of Husbandry and has been the treasurer of his grange for fifteen years, and during the
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HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
same length of time Mrs. Bowditch has been its lecturer. She is also a member of the Baptist church at Hillsdale. Both are highly esteemed throughout the township, and elsewhere in the county where they are known, being among the most respectable and substantial citizens of this part of the state, well deserving by their upright and progressive lives the estimation in which they are held.
THEODORE P. CARBINE.
Cambria township is indebted to the great state of New York for many of her most pro- gressive and highly respected families. Among the number is Theodore P. Carbine, now living near the village of Cambria, who was born in that state, in Cayuga county, on April 29, 1828. His parents were Horace and Clara (Harring- ton) Carbine, also New Yorkers by birth. The father was a farmer and came with his family to Michigan in 1849, where he settled on a tract of 160 acres of land in Woodbridge township, this county, which he had purchased three years be- fore. His land was all in a state of nature at the time, and he began operations in the effort to make a home of it by building a plank house, 20x30 feet in dimensions, and also clearing a small tract. In February, 1850, death ended his labors, and left the land for his widow and children to clear and occupy, which they did. The mother died in 1877, after a hard struggle, ending in comfort and peace, being in full en- joyment of the respect and regard of all her neighbors. Eight children of the large family, four sons and three daughters, grew to maturity, and of these only three are now living, Theodore being the only one who resides in Hillsdale coun- ty. The grandfather, Zebulon Carbine, a native of New York, was a farmer and sawmill man, who was killed in raising a barn on January I, 1800. His father, Francis Carbine, was a soldier in the French and American armies during the American Revolution. He left his native France for this country at the close of the French Revo- lution, in which he participated and was an offi- cer. He died in 1795, having resumed the prac-
tice of his profession, the law, in America, after our independence was established. The spirit of patriotism which imbued him has been in the family ever since. The father of Theodore was a soldier in the War of 1812, and all members of the family for generations have manifested a deep and serviceable interest in the welfare of their country.
Theodore P. Carbine was educated in the public schools of Ohio, where he was reared, his parents having moved to that state when he was a child of five years. He accompanied them to Michigan in 1849, here assisted in clearing the farm and making it habitable and productive, taking charge of it after his father's death and aiding his mother in rearing the younger mem- bers of the family. He now owns a portion of the home farm, but makes his home in the village of Cambria. In 1853, he was married. in this county, to Miss Susan M. Fitzsimmons, a daugh- ter of Thomas Fitzsimmons, one of the respected pioneers of Wheatland township. She died in March, 1900, and he married a second time on December 22, 1901, being then united with Miss Cora Colburn, a native of Vermont. He is a Re- publican in politics, but has never taken an active part in the campaigns of his party. He is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, zealous in the service of the organization. Having come to the county when it was in a state of primeval wilderness and passing the whole of his subse- quent life within its borders, he has witnessed its progress to its present splendid development and noted all the stages of the advance. At every stage he has been at hand to aid in promoting all good enterprises and giving proper trend and his aid to public sentiment and the spirit of im- provement.
CHARLES BOWDITCH.
This prominent Jefferson township farmer is a native of Somersetshire, England, born on Oc- tober 10, 1848. His parents were Michael and . Charlotte (Trivett) Bowditch, of the same na- tivity as himself, descended from families long resident in that part of England. The father
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