USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan > Part 42
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Politically, Mr. Edwards has been identified all his life with the Republican party, and many years he has been one of its most trusted lead- ers in Hillsdale county. On many occasions he has held positions of honor in the gift of the party, and has always discharged the duties of public of- fice with fidelity and ability. For a period of two years he served as clerk of the township, and was treasurer for onc ycar. Hc has also held the po- sition of highway commissioner, and, for a defin- ite length of time he was one of the directors 01 the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Co., one of the important business concerns of that section of the state. For a period of thirty years he has been a member of the Grange, for fifteen years he has scrvcd as master, a position of much importance in the local community. The family are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Their responsive sympathy with all good causcs, and also their kind and generous cooperation with all movements tending to the uplift and clevation of individuals or departments of church and soci- ety work, place the entire family high on the roll of the county's best citizenship.
DWIGHT A. CURTIS.
The American members of the branch of the Curtis family to which Dwight A. Curtis of Hillsdale county, this state, belongs, are descend- ants of Samuel Curtis, who emigrated to Amer- ica, in 1690, from Sheffield, England, and settled at Windsor, Connecticut. One of his offspring, Deacon Elnathan Curtis, moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and his son, Major Elnathan, Jr., was the great-grandfather of Dwight A. Curtis, and the Major's son, Elnathan, his grandfather.
Dwight A. Curtis was born in the state of New York, seven miles west of Rochester, on October 25, 1834, the son of William and Sallie (Brown) Curtis, also natives of New York. His father came to the Empire state with his parents and was there reared and educated, his father, Elnathan Curtis, being a prominent merchant at Genoa in that state. He died in 1812 at Stock- bridge, Masaschusetts, of typhus fever, while on a trip to the East to purchase merchandise
for his store, leaving a widow and two sons. They took up their residence at Stockbridge after his death, and, later, his widow remarried with Captain Brownell, who removed the family to Cayuga county, New York, where William Cur- tis grew to manhood, was cducated, and began life for himself as a farmcr. He continued in this occupation, and in the hotel business at Town Line and Lancaster, until 1851, when he brought his family to Michigan and settled in Hillsdale county, purchasing the farm of 280 acres on which his son Dwight A. Curtis now lives. They have added to this estate until the farm now contains 700 acres. The land was partially developed and improved and he dili- gently addressed himself for four or five years to its farther development and improvement.
Getting it into an advanced state of cultivation by that time, rcady for an enterprise which he had long been contemplating, about 1856 he be- gan the breeding of Shorthorn cattle for a high- grade market. His first stock of this kind was bought of J. O. Sheldon, of Geneva, New York. Later he made his purchases in Canada and Kentucky. The product of his breeding farm was sold in almost every state in the Union, ev- crywhere holding a high rank in the stock mar- kets. His sons Frederick and Dwight werc asso- ciated with him in this business, the firm name be- ing William Curtis & Sons. Frederick E. Cur- tis dicd in 1887 and his father in 1888. Dwight A. Curtis has since conducted the business, and his herd is renowned throughout the cat- the world as "The Hillsdale Herd of Shorthorns," and the farm, which is its home, is one of the best managed and most highly improved stock farms devoted to this interesting and profitable business. It displays a fine brick residence, commodious, substantial and well-arranged barns and other needed outbuildings and is equipped with every device for producing the best results in its in- dustry. Everything about the place gives evi- dence of progressive, far-sèeing and energctic management, excellent judgment and good taste.
To the business which so engrosses him and of which he is preeminently the head in Michigan. and one of the ornaments in this country, Mr.
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Curtis brought an education secured in the public schools and at Albion college. From college he at once entered the business, becoming a part- ner with his father and his brother, and since then he has given his attention solely to its de- velopment and improvement. He is a close stu- dent of its needs and its details, carefully and studiously reading its literature, closely observ- ing all its features and phases, applying theories with judicious and discriminating care, trusting rather to his own judgment than to the sug- gestions of others.
In 1881 Mr. Curtis's brother organized the Exchange Bank of Addison, and in this institution Mr. Curtis had an interest during the life of his brother, and he conducted it a short time after his brother died, but he has since disposed of all his interest therein. He has, however, been active and serviceable in behalf of all enterprises in the community directly tending to the public good, especially such as have been in the line of his own business and its adjuncts. For four years he served as the president of the county agricul- tural society, and, during his tenure of this office, he raised the organization to a high state of efficiency and usefulness. He is one of the most widely known and most highly respected citizens of the county, and his beautiful bachelor home, with its evidences of intellectual culture, its wealth of creature comforts and its bounteous hospitality, is one of the prominent social in- stitutions of the township, a great resort for his friends, who are to be found in every part of this and adjoining counties.
WILLIAM H. DURYEA.
William H. Duryea, one of the well-known and highly respected pioneers of Jefferson town- ship, this county, is a native of New York state, born on June 19, 1824. His parents, William and Sally Duryea, were also New Yorkers by nativity who came to Michigan in 1834, settling on gov- ernment land, which they entered to the northeast of Osseo. They cleared up this land and resided on it some years, then moved to Hudson and re- mained a few years, when they returned to Osseo'
and there made their home until death. The eld- er William Duryea was twice married, his sec- ond wife surviving him. A shoemaker by trade, ) he followed this craft for many years. When the War of 1812 broke out he joined the Federal army and rendered an appreciated service in the cause of his country, incurring disabilities in the service, for which he subsequently received a pension from the U. S. government. Of his seven sons and one daughter, two sons are living, Wil- liam H. and Simon, a resident of California.
William H. Duryea was but eight years of age when the family came to Michigan, the country was wholly unsettled, full of the barbarous life which had filled it for ages. Indians were here to greet his people, who were among the first ar- rivals, and every energy of the family was re- quired in the contest with the unfavorable condi- tions which confronted them. His father erected a large log house near Osseo, which, for a long time, served as a tavern for the neighbor- hood and all of the travelers, it being the first and inost pretentious structure built in the sec- tion. The opportunities for schooling here were necessarily few and limited, Mr. Duryea not being able to take advantage of these in full measure. He assisted in clearing the farm and continued to reside on it until he was of age. In 1849, while the California gold fever was at its height, with a number of other men from Osseo, he made a trip to that land of promise, driving across the plains with horse and ox teams, and occupying four months in the journey. They had many adventures of thrilling interest, encounters with Indians and with wild beasts, but escaped without more serious mishap than the loss of some of their stock. He was successful in mining and gardening in the new Eldorado, where he re- mained for two and one-half years. He then re- turned to Michigan and to his wife and child, whom he had left on the farm, making the return trip by the ocean and the isthmus route.
Determined now to remain in Michigan, he began clearing up the farm of eighty acres, on which he now lives in Jefferson township, which he had bought of a Mr. Hodges before going to California. Since then he has added land, by
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purchase from time to time, until he owned at one period 340 acres. During almost the whole of his life, he has been engaged in farming, but, during the construction of the railroad from Adrian to Jonesville, he was employed on that enterprise, first in making the survey, then in grading and afterwards for some years as a fireman. In 1850 he was united in marriage, in this county, with Miss Catherine Brokaw, a native of New York, who was left an orphan in childhood and came to Michigan after her sister, Mrs. Joseph Slaght, of Jefferson township. Mr. and Mrs. Duryea were the parents of seven children, all of whom are liv- ing but one. Those living are Cascus, Minor J. and Theron, of this township, Charles, of Allen township, Andrew, of Woodbridge township, Lil- ly, the wife of Elmer Osmun, of Cambria. Mr. Duryea has never taken an active part in politics or filled public office, and, with his wife, belongs tc the Christian church.
REV. MINOR J. DURYEA, second in order of birth of the living children of William H. Duryca, and also a noted preacher and temperance lec- turer, was born on September 19, 1854, in this county, where he was reared and educated. In 1876 he married with Miss Anna Miller, a daugh- ter of Martin and Margaret Miller, who moved from Ohio to this state and county in 1866. They have two children, Lucy V. and Jasper I. Dur- yea. Mr. Duryea began life as a farmer, and, for a number of years, he conducted his farming op- erations without a thought or desire for other occupation, although taking all the while an active interest in church work. In 1871 he was con- verted to the Christian religion and at once began to look toward the ministry as his life work. Hav- ing been ordained, in 1885, he was stationed at Orangeville, in Barry county, the next year being changed to Millbrook charge in Mecosta county where he remained two years. His ministry here was very successful, resulting in 180 conversions and the erection of a large church building. From there he went to Jackson, where he re- mained four years.
His work up to this time had been done for the Wesleyan Methodist church, but, after leaving Jackson, he joined the Congregationalists, and
in this connection was sent to Ashley, this state, and there he also built a churchi and liad a suc- cessful ministry. In 1890, and again in 1892, he visited the battlefields of the South for purposes of observation and study. His ministry at .\sh- ley lasted a year and a half and resulted in 165 conversions. In 1893 lie was called to Linden, Michigan, where he remained two years. He then went to Chicago and for two years assisted Rev. D. L. Moody in his evangelizing work in and near that city, being connected with missions. The next year was passed on his farm ; in 1898 he returned to Chicago, and for two years thereafter was engaged in active church work. One por- tion of his mission work between 1896 and 1898 was at Elkhart, Ind., where he built a church and had over 300 conversions as the result of his min- istry for over two years of grand success. He then was appointed the superintendent of the Bay City (Mich.) Sailors' Bethel Mission. Later, for six months, he was engaged in lecturing in and near Toledo, Oliio. He now contemplates an early return to Chicago to meet a renewed de- mand for his services in that field. Everywhere he has been his labors have been highly appreciat- ed and have resulted in great good to the cause he has advocated. While at Jackson, Mich., he was earnestly solicited to become the chaplain to the prison at that city, and in other places his serv- ices have been sought for special work in the line of his sacred calling. Of the fraternal societies he holds membership in but one, the Knights of Pythias.
As a temperance lecturer Rev. Mr. Duryea is held in the highest esteem, being often spoken of as ranking next to the late John B. Gough in this line of work. His life has been and continues to be, full of active usefulness, and, while he has in- terests of his own which need attention and are sufficient to engage all his faculties, he has no idea of abandoning the work of the ministry, in which he has been so long and so successfully engaged, where he can accomplish so much good and where his services are so much appreciated. His home is one of the most pleasant and, for beauty, is among the first of this section. Recently, while at work in one of his fields, Mr. Duryea found
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a piece of petrified wood which is not only a curi- osity but a distinct novelty. It is a couple of feet in length and about a foot in diameter, one piece, which weighs twenty-eight pounds, of a V shape, separated from the main body, the edges being as smooth as though cut with a saw. The larger piece weighs 124 pounds.
HILLSDALE COUNTY GAZETTE.
After thirty-five years of editorial labor, with an interesting experience embracing many of the ups and downs of newspaper life, James I. Dennis has a well-established county paper with a good and solid body of patrons for its advertising col- umns and a valuable and a steadily increasing circulation. He established this paper, the Hills- dale County Gazette, published at Jonesville, Mich., on March 13, 1878. It was started as an advocate of the Greenback theories, and, as long as they were an issue in the politics of the country, it warmly and forcibly supported them. Recently the paper has become independent with a tendency to support Democratic policies. It bears the same name as the first paper published in the county, and a copy of which is still on file in the Gazette office, which was first issued on April 13, 1839. It was founded by Hon. W. W. Murphy and James K. Kinman, Esq. The plant was moved from Branch, in Branch county, and, when Hillsdale became the county seat, it was located at that place and used to publish a paper called the Hillsdale Gazette and later in produc- ing the Hillsdale Democrat.
Mr. Dennis, publisher and proprietor of the Gazette, is the pioneer newspaper man of the county. He was associated with the Independent for many years, purchasing the paper of H. N. F. Lewis in 1864, in partnership with J. F. Bur- nett. In 1876 he severed his connection with the Independent and leased the Reading Press for a short time. He then founded his present enterprise, publishing his paper for a short time at Waldron, and, for three years thereafter, at Pittsford. Since 1893 it has been published at Jonesville, and in this ancient little village, the center of a rich and productive country, it has
thriven and prospered, gratifying and elevating the taste of a critical circle of readers, serving as a medium of communication between the trades- men and their customers, accurately recording current events, leading the thought of its com- munity along lines of healthy and progressive development. The establishment is as well equipped as any office of similar proportions any- where, and the work it produces will bear close and critical comparison with that of many more pretentious plants.
For more than half a century Mr. Dennis has. been engaged in the printing business in this state. In that long period of arduous, and by no means always duly appreciated, service to the public, he has kept abreast with the progressive thought of the country, and laid before his people, as an editor, all he could find of value in general science, education and morals, industrial and commercial enterprise, invention and discovery, politics and finance, and every other line of productive activ- ity, as well as whatever was interesting or helpful in social life. It is high praise to say of any man that with such an engine of power as a live news- paper at his command for more than thirty-five years he has never used its forces except on the helpful side of right and progress, but it is a just tribute to say this of the editor of the Gazette.
ANDREW V. FERGUSON.
Andrew V. Ferguson, of Wheatland township, in this county, is native to the soil, having been born on August 23, 1844, on the farm which he now owns and operates. His parents were Robert E. and Phoebe (Van Vleet) Ferguson, natives of New York, coming from ancestors, who origin- ally emigrated from Scotland, in that country be- longing to one of the earliest families, descending from that Fergus I, who was chosen as the first king of Scotland for his services in driving the barbarous Picts out of the land. See History of Scotland. The father, a farmer, in 1835 came to Michigan, by way of the lake to Toledo, thence by ox teams through the Black Swamp to Adrian. From there the way was difficult and toilsome, there being no roads and obstructions were almost
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innumerable. The party persevered, however, and in due time reached the goal for which it had started, where Mr. Ferguson settled on the eighty acres of government land he selected as his por- tion, there began to make a clearing and to get the ground into condition for a crop. He had but five dollars in money, with little besides with which to begin life in the wilderness after paying for his land. But he joined hands with a neigh- bor, the two between them having a team, each owning one ox.
.A log shanty was speedily built and from this home as headquarters he worked out for a neighbor. receiving his pay of fifty cents a day in salt pork at twenty-five cents per pound. By these slender and trying means he managed to ex- ist and progress until he produced a crop, after which the way was more easy and the progress more rapid. His neighbors and intimate associ- ates included many Indians, Baw Beese and oth- ers being frequent visitors to his cabin. His near- est milling point was Adrian and the trip to that place consumed two weeks going and returning. He lived to clear up a good farm, added another tract of eighty acres to his estate, improving the whole with good buildingsandother necessary ap- pliances. He married in this county, his wife's people having come to the state about the same time that he did. His family consisted of three children, of whom two are living, his son, An- drew, and a daughter, who is the wife of George Combs, of Adams township. The father died in June, 1885, and the mother in September, 1887. The grandfather, Parmenus Ferguson, was a na- tive of New York who came to Michigan in 1835 with his family and died in Hillsdale county.
Andrew V. Ferguson was reared on the pa- rental homestead, began his education in the pub- lic schools, completing it with two terms at Hills- dale College. Since leaving college he has de- voted his life to farming and has made the busi- ness profitable and found it agreeable. His farm is a model of thrift, enterprise and foresight, and its buildings, which were erected in 1893 at a cost of over $4,000, are among the best in the town- ship. He was married, in this county, in 1873, to Miss Anna E. McGregor, a New Yorker by na-
tivity, a daughter of Hon. Hamilton McGregor, at one time a resident of the county. They have 110 children. Mr. Ferguson is a Republican in politics but has never desired or filled public office. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, is a good man, an excellent farmer, a citizen of high charac- ter and public spirit, who is universally respected.
PROF. S. J. GIER.
Every person knows the immense value of the public schools and looks for them as among the best features of every community. Whatever else a town may offer as inducements to new set- tlers, this must not be overlooked. Let sites for manufactories be as free as the air, let all plants be entirely exempt from taxation, let franchises be thrown away with prodigal liberality, let ship- ping facilities be provided to the widest limit at the cheapest rate, the question will still arise : "What school advantages can be had?" Tried even by this severe standard Hillsdale will com- pel a high regard. Its public school system is comprehensive in scope, progressive in movement, modern in method, luxurious in appointments' and judicious in administration ; its work is super- vised by a force, constructive as well as conserva- tive, practical as well as theoretic, sympathetic as well as exacting, inspiring as well as elevated, which gives example as well as precept, in the office of the superintendent.
Prof. S. J. Gier, the superintendent, is a native of Ransom township, this county, born on June 13, 1865, a brother of Dr. Frank M. Gier, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this work. He was educated in the public schools of Allen and Quincy, this state, being graduated from the latter in 1884. He then taught for one year at Quincy and for another one at South Butler, in Branch county. In 1896 he entered the State Normal School at Ypsilanti, from which in 1890 he was graduated, in the meantime, during 1888 and 1889, teaching one year. After graduating in the fall of the same year, he came to Hillsdale to become the principal of the high school. For nine consecutive years thereafter he filled that po- sition with great credit and acceptability. In 1899
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he accepted the superintendency of the public schools of St. Clair, remaining there until he was made city superintendent at Hillsdale, the post he is now occupying. In 1891 he took a special course of instruction in science at the Lansing Agricultural College.
Thus properly prepared for his work as super- intendent, he has not disappointed the hopes of those who placed him in the office, but has made a state reputation as a vigorous, progressive and efficient school officer. While a gentleman of quiet and genial manners himself, he possesses great executive powers and inspires others with enthusiasm and zeal. He has done excellent insti- tute work in various portions of the state and in his way has rendered very acceptable and highly appreciated service to the cause of public educa- tion. Professor Gier was married, at Hillsdale, in 1895, with Miss Leila I. Smith, a native of New York state, a graduate of the music department of Hillsdale College and afterwards a success- ful teacher of music in the public schools of the city. They have one child, their son, Samuel Richard Gier. The Professor, a Republican in politics, has been a member of the county board of school examiners for his resident county and also for St. Clair county. He is a past worshipful master of his Masonic lodge, and he is enthusi- astic in the work of the chapter and the command- ery to which he belongs, being commander at present of the latter organization.
WILLIAM H. FRANKHAUSER.
The American progenitor of this William H. Frankhauser was his grandfather, Nicholas Frankhauser, a native of Germany who came to the United States while he was yet a young man and located in Ohio, where for many years he conducted successful and progressive farming op- erations, where, also, in the fullness of years and of public esteem, he died and was laid to rest. In that state his son, Jacob Frankhauser, was reared and prepared for his life work as a minister in the Evangelical church, in Ohio, also, he rose to note and prominence in his sacred calling. There, too, he met and married with Miss Mary A. Bish, a
native of Virginia, who came to Ohio with her parents in her childhood. In Wood county of that state their son, William, was born on March 5. 1863. In 1875, when he was twelve years old, the family moved to Monroe, Mich., where they remained until 1880, then took up their residence at Litchfield, in Hillsdale county, where the father died in 1889, leaving a widow who is still living, having her home at Hillsdale. They were the par- ents of three sons and three daughters, of whon two of the sons, William and Dr. S. B. Frank- hauser, are residents of this county.
William H. Frankhauser began his scholastic training in the public schools and continued it at Ypsilanti Normal, Oberlin (Ohio) College, and, what was then the Northwestern University, at Naperville, Ill. After leaving college he was en- gaged for ten years in pedagogic labors. In 1889 he began the study of law in the offices of E. L. Koon and Judge Chester, of Hillsdale. Two years later he was admitted to the bar, beginning the practice of his profession as a member of the firm of Boyd & Frankhauser Bros., which had only one year's existence, being succeeded by that of Frankhauser Bros., which lasted three years. Since the dissolution of this latter firm Mr. Frank- hauser has been in partnership with Mr. Cornell, under the firm name of Frankhauser & Cornell. In 1890 and 1891 Mr. Frankhauser was deputy county clerk, then, for a year, deputy city clerk, at the end of that time being elected city attorney, a position which he held for two years. In 1892 he was a candidate for the office of county prose- cuting attorney, but was beaten in the convention by Judge Chester. In 1896, however, he was again a candidate for this office, was successful in the election, and, since that time, he has held it three terms, having had two reelections.
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