USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan > Part 38
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
As a true citizen Mr. Bishopp has given every evidence of devoted loyalty to the land of his adoption, in his profession lie has not only won distinction and exalted position, but has se- cured the confidence and respect of his pro- fessional brethren; in the matter of local and general improvements and in the elevation of the community he has been foremost with sagacious counsel and substantial aid; in social life he is recognized as an ornament, a graceful support to all the bland amenities, a valuable and solid member of the body politic.
WILLIAM BOONE.
One of the leading farmers of Woodbridge township in this county, is William Boone, a native of Somersetshire, England, who was born there on January 7, 1854. His parents were James and Louisa (Loxstone) Boone, both of the same nativity as was himself. The father, in his native land a farmer, came to the United States with his young family in 1856, settled in Yates county, New York, and lived there until 1865, when he moved to Michigan, where he had pur- chased 106 acres of land partially cleared and improved. On this farm he made his perma- nent home, to its development and further im-
provement he devoted his energies, and on it, after a long career of useful labor, he died in 1891. His widow survived him five years and died in 1896. They had eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, and nine of them are living, five being residents of Hillsdale county. The father took no special interest in politics, for his farm work and his domestic life filled the measure of his desires and gave agreable occu- pation to all his faculties. At the same time he was deeply interested in the welfare of the lo- cality in which he had cast his lot, and aided in every proper' way to advance and improve it. The grandfather was John Boone, who died when James, his son, was an infant.
William Boone grew to manhood in Hills- dale county, and received a limited education in its public schools. He remained at home until he was twenty years of age, and then began life for himself by settling on a rented farm of 120 acres of good land half a mile cast of the home- stead. Three years later he rented 320 acres near Jonesville, which he farmed successfully one year. After living on the old homestead one vear he bought sixty-one and a half acres of land upon which he located, and upon which he has since resided. . This he has developed and im- proved, and he also owns and cultivates the homestead, managing all of his agricultural oper- ations with success and energy.
He bought his first land from money saved from rented farms, and he located on it in the spring of 1879. He has since replaced the old house with a modern brick residence, barn and outbuildings to correspond therewith, and he has one of the model farms of his township. In 1874 he married Miss Alice Hinkle, a native of Hills. dale county, a daughter of Samuel and Flora (Benedict) Hinkle, early settlers in Wright township. Mr. and Mrs. Boone have four chil- dren, Cora L., William J., Charles E. and Claude E. · Mr. Boone is a Republican in political alle- giance, has served as township treasurer two years, and fraternally, he is connected with the Odd Fellows and the Patrons of Husbandry, giving valuable aid to the life and activity of both orders. He is one of the well-to-do farmers of
227
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
the township in which he lives, having ever so demeaned himself as to win and keep the regard and good will of all who know him, and the respect and confidence of the people.
WILLIAM L. BIBBINS.
The present postmaster at Jerome, Somerset township, in this county, is William L. Bibbins, one of the leading business men of this section of the state, whose appointment in 1896 was generally approved by the patrons of the office, and whose reappointment, in 1900, was a uni- versally desired and a well-merited reward for his fidelity and capacity during his first term. Mr. W. L. Bibbins was born in Moscow town- ship, Hillsdale county, Mich., on December 25, 1865, being the son of Amaziah and Ann (Squires) Bibbins, 'a sketch of whom will. be found on another page. He was raised and educated in the county and followed farming un- til he was twenty-one, then began a hardware trade at Moscow which he conducted for four years, during two of which he also served as . postmaster at that town. From there he re- moved to Benton Harbor where he was engaged in the manufacture of cigars until 1893, when he returned to this county, soon after his arrival locating at Jerome. Here he started a second hardware business, which he is still success- fully conducting with expanding volume and in- creasing profits. In 1896 he was appointed postmaster of the village and in 1900 was re- appointed. In this year he succeeded in estab- lishing a rural free delivery route, it being the first of the kind in this part of the county. This succeeded in vigor and effectiveness, and in pular approval, beyond the expectations of the .riends of the movement, and has won warm commendation of his enterprise and persistency behalf of its inauguration.
In addition to his mercantile industry, Mr. Bibbins is largely interested in business ven- tures which have an important bearing on the industrial and commercial life of the community, being a stockholder in the Jerome Brick & Tile Co., the Jerome Brick & Cement Co., and the 15
Jerome Creamery Co., all productive factors in the business enterprise of the town, yielding their due proportion of the effective force which makes Jerome a live and bustling manufacturing and trading center. Mr. Bibbins was married in 1889 with Miss Maud Wyllis of Moscow, and their attractive home has been brightened and enlivened by the birth of two children, their sons Laurence and Leal. In politics Mr. Bibbins has been a Republican from his young manhood, in fraternal relations he has belonged to the Masonic order in blue lodge and chapter for a definite number of years, holding membership at Jonesville, and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows with membership at Jerome. The family are valued members of the best social circles, well-esteemed among all classes.
FREDERICK SEWARD BLACKMAR.
In the township over whose interests he now (1903) presides as supervisor, that of Moscow, Frederick Seward Blackmar was born on July 6, 1848. His parents, Osborn B. and Lazette (Miller) Blackmar, were natives of New York where they were prosperous farmers for a num- ber of years after their marriage. In 1831, they became a part of the host of emigrants to the wilderness of this state, and, settling in Moscow township, entered a tract of government land, which was then virgin to the plow and the sys- tematic industry of man. On this they dwelt in a rude log cabin they constructed, until ad- vancing fortune, and the rich fruits of their labor, enabled them to provide a better residence and greater conveniences of life. While clearing their land and reducing it to cultivation they also kept a tavern on the Chicago road, which was a popular and much needed resort for weary way- farers and new-comers like themselves, and which furnished to their young and observant son, whose life-story is the theme of these para- graphs, many phases of human nature for valu- able contemplation and many useful lessons for the battle of life in which he, himself, was soon to engage.
In 1848 the father joined the eager Argo-
228
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
nauts, who flocked to California in search of gold, making the trip overland, experiencing all its privations, dangers and many thrilling adven- tures. For two years he was a successful pros- pector and miner, and, in 1851, when perhaps about to return home, he was waylaid and killed by highwaymen in Grass Valley near Nevada City, being also robbed of the fruits of his labor. His remains were buried, and have since rested, beneath the soil of that state, and his family continued the enterprises in this county which he had begun. Some years after his arrival in this county he made an exhibit of some thoroughbred stock at a state agricultural fair, which was the first exhibit of the kind ever made from the county. In many other ways he showed himself to be an enterprising and pro- gressive man, deeply interested in the develop- ment of the section of country in which he had cast his lot. He was a captain of the territorial militia of Michigan, and contributed essentially in keeping up the much-needed martial spirit of its people, for, in those days, danger from hos- tile Indians was ever present. At his death he left two sons and two daughters of whom three are living, Frederick and his two sisters. Their mother died in 1870, having survived her hus- band nearly twenty years. She lived to enjoy an undisturbed peace after many trials, a com- fortable rest after many exhausting labors. The paternal grandfather, Lyman Blackmar, was a native of Massachusetts who moved from that state to Erie county, New York, where he rose to local distinction, serving for a long time as probate judge. From there he came to Michi- gan with his son. He died in Iowa. but is buried in Hillsdale county. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and, in all public affairs in- volving the welfare of his country in general, or the particular section in which he was living, took an active part. The maternal grandfather, Miller, was also a judge in New York, and later an honored pioneer in this state.
Frederick Seward Blackmar grew to inan- hood in this county, and received a good educa- tion in the public schools, and at Hillsdale Col- lege, finishing with a course at a commercial
college in Chicago. After leaving school he cultivated the paternal estate for a short time, then went to California, spent thirty months in mining in that state and Nevada, thence return- ing to Michigan over the Union Pacific Rail- road, which had just been completed. He took a portion of the home farm to work and has since then been actively engaged in farming and in buying and shipping cattle, carrying on a thriving business, giving a due share of his time and energies to the improvement and pro- gress of the township and the county of his resi- dence. In politics he has been devoted to the interests of the Republican party throughout his mature life, and during the past five years he has been supervisor of Moscow township, while during the last six years he has served as a director of the county agricultural society. For many years he held membership in two of the fraternal orders, the Patrons of Ilusbandry and the Knights of the Maccabees, and, in these organizations, as in every other enterprise with which he has been connected, he made his influ- ence felt for the general good and advancement of the community and that of the interests in charge. He was married in 1871 to Miss Emma A. Ward, born in New York state, the daughter of John H. and Sarah A. Ward, also natives of that state. They have three children living, Milton W. and Edgar O., residents of Buffalo, New York, and Frederick S., Jr., now a student at the State University at Ann Arbor.
WILLIAM H. BREZEE.
The honored William H. Brezee, of Somerset township, whose life of more than three score years in this county was full of usefulness and creditable achievement, and was typical of the best American citizenship, was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1829, and, in 1836, when he was but seven years old, he came with his parents, James and Frances (Copeland) Brezee, to Michi- gan. Mr. Brezee was reared as a farmer and was educated at the district schools in the vicinity of his home. He did not, however, long follow the family vocation, but for a number of years was
229
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
engaged in teaching, and for many more he was in the employ of the New York Life Insurance Co. He was a gentleman of fine business qualifi- cations, who won a gratifying success in every line of active usefulness in which he was em- ployed, taking high rank among business men and securing for himself the general respect and good will of the communities in which he lived. In 1850 he was married to Miss Margaret Simpson, a daughter of Andrew and Catherine (McNabb) Simpson, natives of New York. Her father died in Canada in 1835, and her mother in Hillsdale county in 1837. Mr. and Mrs. Breeze became the parents of five children, who are all dead but Mrs. Minnie I. Bowman, wife of A. C. Bowman, of Petoskey, Mich. Mr. Brezee ever took active in- terest in matters affecting the welfare of the town- ship and county, and served for years as justice of the peace at Somerset. He belonged to the Masonic order holding membership in the lodge at Moscow. He was well known and highly re- spected throughout the county, and, during all of the many years he walked quietly along the streets and roads of the county of his residence, malice nor envy never dared to breathe a breath of scandal against his honored name.
ALBERT B. BUCK.
The late Albert B. Buck of Moscow township, whose life was cut short by an untimely death at the early age of fifty years, on November 25, 1897, when his usefulness was pronounced and general, and all his faculties in full and fruitful vigor, was one of the representative citizens and business men of Hillsdale county, in whose ca- reer may be found suggestive lessons of the power of thrift, industry, and elevation and force of character. He was a prominent live stock dealer and farmer, who conducted all his business on lofty principles and with a progressive spirit. He was born on May 10, 1847, on the paternal home- stead of his parents, Israel and Jane E. (Green) Buck, pioneers of this county. They were na- tives of New York who emigrated to Michigan in its early days, and, while enduring all the diffi- culties incident to frontier life, zealously aided in
overcoming them, and establishing in what was then the wilds of the far West a polity of endur- ing value and vitality. Their ancestors were Eng- lish Quakers, admirable examples of the sterling virtues of that sturdy people.
When Israel Buck arrived in Hillsdale county . with his young family in 1835, he bought 200 acres of land, as yet virgin to the plow and the hand of the husbandman, and settled down to the arduous work of reclaiming it from its wild con- dition. With his wife he lived in this county for nearly fifty years and won the high respect and the lasting good will of all of its people. She died on January 26, 1882, at the age of seventy-four, and he on July 16, 1886, at that of seventy-nine. They were persons of sound judgment, pro- gressive spirit and commendable breadth of view. In politics Mr. Buck was long an Abolitionist, and a loyal and devoted Republican. Their family con- sisted of four sons and two daughters: John L .; Emily, now the widow of Hon. George C. Wyllis, a sketch of whom appears on another page; James J., a prominent attorney of Emporia, Kan- sas ; Helen, the wife of. George B. Hall, of Aber- deen, South Dakota ; Edmund and Albert B.
Albert B. Buck, the last born of the family, was well trained on the homestead in all its duties of useful and productive labor. He received a good education, in the district schools near his home, supplemented by a thorough course of study at Hillsdale College. Having a natural ap- titude for the business, after leaving college he engaged in farming as his life work, and was emi- nently successful. He acquired the ownership of a farm of 170 acres of fine, arable land, and this he cultivated with assiduous industry and the skill gained from active practice, close observa- * tion and judicious reading. The residence and other improvements were in keeping with his ele- vated taste and excellent judgment, the appur- tenances being of the most approved type. In connection with his farming operations he was extensively interested in live stock, keeping regu- larly from fifteen to forty cattle and feeding annually from 500 to 700 for shipment to the Buffalo markets.
Mr. Buck married on November 7, 1869, Miss
230
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Sarah E. Smith, a native of Cayuga county, New York, and daughter of Samuel and Sophronia (Huff) Smith, of Moscow township. Like her husband she was of Quaker ancestry and was reared in the faith of the Society of Friends. She received a good education in the public schools, and, being highly endowed by nature with force of character and mental capacity, she became a capable business manager. Since the lamented death of Mr. Buck she has managed the af- fairs of the farm with success and vigor, keep- ing its work up to the high standard reached by him. Six children came to bless the family circle, Mate, Levi, Etta, Lillian, Ruth E. and Rena Ethyl. In politics Mr. Buck was a staunch Re- publican. He took great interest in the cause of education, and, by a service of nearly twenty years as a school officer, he was potential in broadening the spirit of the community in reference to this important branch of public utility, elevating and improving the system in many ways. He occu- pied an enviable position in social circles, being widely and justly esteemed as a liberal, progres- sive and public-spirited man, always in support of local improvements and whatever tended to the general welfare.
JONATHAN J. RAMSDELL.
Among the men who are most beneficial to ag- ricultural communities, are those who breed and sell superior grades of stock. They greatly aid in raising the standard of this necessary adjunct of the farming industry throughout large sections of country, at the same time draw attention from other sections to the stock business in their own. By so doing they make the other advantages of their section to be known in a much larger extent of territory. One of the most prominent and suc- cessful of the promoters of this line of enterprise in Hillsdale county, is Jonathan J. Ramsdell, pro- prietor of the Maple Grove stock farm in Moscow township, who is widely and favorably known among breeders of fine stock, having an excellent name in the markets around him for the excellence of his products and the straightforward manner in which his business is conducted.
Mr. Ramsdell was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1833, the son of Abraham and Abi- gail (Mallory) Ramsdell, both natives of that county, where they were reared, educated and married and where they were also successfully en- gaged in farming until 1844, when they came to Michigan. The next year after their arrival in this state they purchased the farm on which their son, Jonathan, now lives. This was partially cleared and had some improvements upon it. They devoted their energies to bring it to a bet- ter state of development during the remainder of their lives, living there until death, that of the mother occurring at the age of sixty-three, on September 14, 1876, and that of the father on January 19, 1889, when he was eighty years old. The grandfather, Jonathan Ramsdell, moved from his native state of Massachusetts to Wayne coun- ty, New York, in early life, there became an ex- tensive landholder, clearing a tract of 400 acres, and cultivating it with profit until his death. He was a Friend in religious belief, a leader in the councils and services of the church. His son and daughter-in-law. were also birthright Quakers.
Jonathan J. Ramsdell was the second born of the nine children in the family of his parents, all being now deceased, except himself and two of his brothers. From the age of eleven in years he re- sided in this county, received his education in its public schools, began the battle of life for him- self as a cultivator of its soil, and has been one of its progressive and forceful citizens all of his mature life. He was married in 1858 to Miss Elizabeth Westover, a native of. Wayne county, New York, and they have seven children, Aslı- ley, Minnie, wife of Adelbert Turner; Abbie, Alena and Aletha (twins), Garfield, and Olie, now Mrs. Teft. In politics Mr. Ramsdell is a Re- publican. He has served as township treasurer and justice to the peace. He belongs to the Ma- sonic order and the Methodist Episcopal church. His father served the township a number of years as supervisor and also a long time as justice of the peace. Mr. Ramsdell has given much atten- tion to the breeding of Delaine sheep and has pro- duced some prize winners in that line. He also breeds a high grade of Shorthorn cattle.
23I
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
GEORGE W. BUELL.
Among the thrifty, self-reliant and resource- ful people of Vermont, who seem able to dare everything, endure everything, overcome every- thing that fate sends in the way of hardship and adversity, and to accomplish everything upon which they set their hearts, lived and flourished the paternal ancestors of George W. Buell, of Moscow township ; the manly qualities which they exhibited amid the mountains and rugged land- scapes of that state have in him been prolific of profitable business for himself, being. also produc- tive of much good to the community on the more genial and responsive soil of this great state of Michigan. He is, however, a native of Michigan, born in St. Joseph county on December 29, 1857. His parents were William and Mary A. (McKer- cher) Buell, the father being a native of New York and the mother of Hillsdale county. His father, a millwright by trade, built the first saw- mill operated at Centreville in St. Joseph county, and, in connection with his father, conducted its industry until 1865.
He then moved to this county and settled on the farm now occupied by his son, George, which he purchased and upon which he lived until his death in 1898. Two years later his widow fol -. lowed him to the other world, the remains of both now resting beneath the sod of Moscow township. The grandfather, Joseph Buell, was a native of Vermont and came to St. Joseph county, this state, in 1833. Here he remained and did good work in clearing a wild tract of land and making it into an attractive farm, living in that county all the rest of his life, except five years, dying there in 1895. The maternal grandfather, John McKercher, came to Hillsdale county in an early day, and, in company with his brothers, pur- chased and cleared up 360 acres of heavily tim- bered land, on which he died of cholera in the forties. Six children composed the household of George W. Buell's parents, of this number four are living, George being the only one resident in Hillsdale county. The parents were First Day Adventists in religious faith and passed their lives in consistent devotion to their creed.
George WV. Buell was reared and educated in this county, where he began life for him- self as a farmer, an occupation to which he has steadfastly adhered through all the subse- quent years of his career, resisting many im- portunities to quit it for the bright glamour of official position or for the glittering promises of mercantile life. In 1882 he was married with Miss Laura Leonard, born a native of Scipio township and a sister of George Leonard, a re- spected citizen of that portion of the county. They have three children, Elna F., Lena M. and Warren M., all living at the parental home. In fraternal relations Mr. Buell belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees and the Patrons of Husbandry, holding membership in the bodies of these orders located at Moscow. He and his wife attend service at the Methodist Episcopal church and take active parts in much of its work of benevolence. Since the advent of the family into the state, its name has been held in high es- teem as a synonym for elevation in manhood, service in citizenship, uprightness in life and fair dealing in business.
WILLIAM E. CARTER.
One of the honored pioneers of Adams town- ship, Hillsdale county, Michigan, and one of the substantial farmers and property owners of that section of the state, is William E. Carter, the sub- ject of this sketch. A native of the county of Lorain, state of Ohio, he was born on March 12, 1828, the son of William and Jane (Stewart) Carter, the former a native of Connecticut, the latter of the state of New York. The father was a farmer by occupation, one of, the earliest pio- neers of Lorain county, Ohio, where he passed most of the years of his active life. Subsequently he removed his residence to Michigan, where he settled on a farm in Rawlins township, Lenawee county, and continued to make that his residence up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1872. During the War of 1812 he was a soldier in the American army, there experiencing a good deal of active and dangerous service. He was one of two sons, his brother being a captain of an
232
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
ocean vessel. He raised a family of one son and four daughters, all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. The mother passed away in Lorain county, Ohio.
William E. Carter of this sketch grew to years of maturity in his native county of Lorain and re- ceived his early education in the log schoolhouses in the vicinity of his boyhood home. Compelled by circumstances to leave school at the early age of fourteen years, he began the occupation of farming in Ohio, and continued to reside there up to 1852, when he came to Lenawee county, Michigan, purchased a small farm and there re- mained until 1862. He then removed his resi- dence to Hillsdale county, and purchased a farm in the township of Pittsford. Selling this place some time later, he purchased farms in Wheat- land and Jefferson townships. In 1872 he pur- chased his present farm in Adams township, con- sisting of 200 acres, and has since made his resi- dence here. It is widely known as one of the fin- est and best improved farms in Hillsdale county. On March 18, 1851, Mr. Carter was married in his native state of Ohio, with Miss Anna Fer- guson, a native of that state and the daughter of Stephen and Sarah (Goodrich) Ferguson, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of England. They removed in early life to Ohio and there resided during their long and active lives. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Carter were born four children, Fernando, Rudolph, Alvando and Mary, the late Mrs. H. M. Lamb, who died on October 14, 1902. The surviving three children are still residents of the state of Michigan.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.