USA > Michigan > Kalamazoo County > Compendium of history and biography of Kalamazoo County, Mich. > Part 75
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WILLIAM HARRISON.
The Harrison family has figured prominently in the history of Kalamazoo county ever since the day, now far back in the past, when Judge Bazel Harrison penetrated its primeval forests, and as its first white settler, braved the dangers and hardships of a pioneer life to found a home within its borders. His son William was the first to take up land in what is now Charleston township, this county, and is noted in local an- nals as the first pioneer dweller in this region. The land he secured was from the United States government, and the deed for it bears the signa- ture of President Martin Van Buren. When Judge Harrison came to what is now Kalama- zoo county, he settled on Prairie Ronde, and the next year his son William came hither from the old Ohio home, and was the first white man who located in Charleston township. He broke the first furrow and raised the first crop ever sown in this soil by a white man. He lived to be ninety-seven years old, was widely known and greatly revered for the noble traits of character which marked him as a true man of unblemished reputation, a social, amiable disposition, and a strong, clear mind. His wife, America Harri- son, a descendant of Benjamin Harrison of Revo- lutionary fame and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, two of whose descendants have been Presidents of the United States, is sup- posed to have been born in Maryland. She lived to be sixty-seven years old, was the second wife of her husband, and the mother of eleven children. Their son Joseph was born in Charleston town- ship on August 5, 1839. He was the fifth child and second son of his parents, and was reared under pioneer influences in the home of his birth. His education was secured in the primitive schools of the early days, and as soon as he was able he went to work on the farm. At the age of seventeen he went to Battle Creek to learn his
trade as a blacksmith. Two years later he bought a smithy at McCain's Corners, Pavilion township, which he conducted three years, winning a high reputation as a skillful workman who could make anything that could be made in his line. Mr. Harrison, with the patriotic interest in every pub- lic event that always characterized him, watched the course of the Civil war with great anxiety, and in August, 1862, enlisted in Company L, Sixth Michigan Cavalry, in which he served three years and three months, fighting right gallantly in many of the great battles of the war. On July 19, 1867, he united in marriage with Miss Jennie F. Sliter, a native of New York state, and a daughter of William and Phoebe (Loveless) Sli- ter. She was reared in her native place and came to Michigan with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison had four children, Clarence U., a drug- gist, who is now deceased; William S., Cassius J., and Dottie Belle, now the wife of E. J. Stev- ens, of Kalamazoo. Joseph Harrison's whole ca- reer has been an honor to his family and his na- tive county. His manly traits of character have given him the confidence of his fellow men and . prominence in public life and social circles. He was a justice of the peace twelve years and town- ship treasurer two years. His fraternal affilia- tions are with the Grand Army of the Republic and the Masonic order, in the latter being a member of the blue lodge, chapter and command- ery. In politics he is a zealous and unwavering Republican.
FRED W. NEASMITH.
Fred W. Neasmith, of Schoolcraft township. is one of the best known and most successful farmers of the county, and is one of its leading business men in several lines of commercial en- terprise. He was born on March 3, 1860, on the farm which is now his home, and is the son of James H. and Susan (Dykeman) Neasmith, the former a native of Manchester, England, and the latter of the state of New York. The grand- father, James Neasmith, was born and reared in Scotland. He was a sailor and was lost at sea, leaving at his death a widow and two sons. The
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mother brought her boys to the United States when James M. was five years old and located in Philadelphia, Pa. Some years later she moved to Pembroke, N. Y., where her children were educated in the district schools and at Batavia Academy. James learned his trade as a cooper and worked at it and kept hotel in New York until he came to Michigan and bought the farm of three hundred and twenty acres now owned and worked by his son Fred. It was partially im- proved when he made his purchase, and was his home until three years before his death. In 1893 he moved to Vicksburg, where he died in 1896, the mother following him to the other world in December. 1901. He was a leading Republican and filled a number of important offices, being elected county treasurer in 1862 and serving six years. He also served four years as state land commissioner, two terms as state senator; and a number of years as township supervisor. Aiding materially in founding the Vicksburg Exchange Bank, he was its president for some years. He and his wife were married at Pembroke, N. Y .. and became the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter. all of whom are dead but the daughter, Mrs. Charles Cooley. of Vicks- burg, and the son, Fred W. The parents were members of the Congregational church, and the father was an Odd Fellow. The son was reared and educated in this county, attending the public school at Vicksburg. He began farming early in life. and followed that industry in this country until 1883. when he bought a section and a half of land in Lamoure county. N. D., where he lived ten years prosperously engaged in raising wheat and live stock, and during three years of the time served as one of the county commissioners. He still owns large interests there, but returned to Kalamazoo county on account of the death of his brother George and the advanced age of his par- ents, and he has been living here ever since. In 1884 he was married at Schoolcraft to Miss Anna D. DeMerrill. a native of Canada. They have had three children. their son James M .. who died. and their daughter Sue and Elizabeth, who are living. Mr. Neasmith is a stockholder in the bank at Vicksburg and the Vicksburg Creamery
Company. In fraternal relations he is a Free- mason of great activity and prominence. now serving as the worshipful master of his lodge at Vicksburg. In the public life of the county he takes an intelligent and helpful part, and is uni- versally esteemed as an excellent farmer, a good citizen, a wise counselor in reference to matters of public improvement and development, an oblig- ing neighbor, and a faithful and honest friend.
C. E. BALDWIN.
This enterprising and progressive citizen of Ross township, who is the son-in-law of William O. Muchmore, and the manager of the William O. Muchmore Nursery. Floral and Landscape Gardening business, was born at Sandusky. Ohio, and came to Kalamazoo county as a boy. His parents settled in Ross township, where he was educated and grew to manhood, then farmed for a number of years. Turning from this occupa- tion in the vigor of his young manhood. he sold fruit trees and nursery stock for a number of years, and thus became interested deeply and practically in their culture, and conceived the idea of establishing a plant for their extensive production in this county. Accordingly. in 1892. he formed the Northern Nursery and Orchard Company with William O. Muchmore and Jo- seph L. Wetzel as his partners. After three years of successful operations on an enlarging scale, the partnership was merged into a stock company with Mr. Baldwin as president. Mr. Muchmore as vice-president and F. L. Hibbard as secretary and treasurer. The company did business under this organization until August. 1904. when Mr. Muchmore purchased the whole business, owning also the Golden Hill Nursery at Fremont. Ohio, and Mr. Baldwin has since man- aged the affairs of the local establishment. This comprises two hundred acres of land devoted to the production of fruit and ornamental trees and other nursery stock. and employs thirty men on the farm besides traveling salesman, or one hun- dred persons in all. It is one of the largest and most successful undertakings of its kind in south- ern Michigan, and lays under tribute to its busi-
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ness extensive markets in all the northern and central states and large sections of Canada. Its output has a high reputation in the trade, and the correct, enterprising and considerate manner in which the business is conducted holds and satis- fies all additions to its patronage. The rapid growth of the concern, its firm and elevated standing in the business world, and the case with which it has reached and maintained a leading po- sition in its lines, unite to make a high tribute to Mr. Baldwin's energy, capacity and business gen- ius, and stamp him as one of the prominent and most accomplished commercial men in the county ; while the excellence of its commodities has been a potential means of raising the standard of trees and enlarging the scope of fruit culture in this part of the world. Mr. Baldwin was married in 1800 to Miss Leila M. Muchmore, a daughter of William O. Muchmore. They have one child. their son Granville. The father takes an active interest and a prominent part in public affairs and especially in the lines of activity appertaining to or growing out of his business. He is chairman of the township committee on fruit, and has been during the past six years, and in this capacity gives earnest and effective attention to fruit dis- cases, their remedies and preventives. Frater- nally he belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees. His citizenship is of the earnest and useful kind that furnishes at once an example and an incite- ment to his fellows and multiplies all the means for good to the community, and he is esteemed as one of Ross township's best and most service- able men.
DR. PAUL T. BUTLER.
The medical profession is one of the most ex- acting lines of useful activity known among men, and lays its votaries under tribute for every sort of privation and endurance at times, and fre- quently without adequate recompense in a finan- cial way. At the same time it opens a field for genuine and most valuable service to mankind in emergencies, and brings to those who render it the satisfaction of doing much to relieve human suffering. to revive hope in the despairing breast.
to restore strength to the failing, and in extremi- ties to console the spirit that is ready to depart from all earthly ties. Life among men knows no more valuable or necessary class of helpers than good doctors, and although their work is seldom appreciated as it should be, the benefits it con- fers on the race are none the less great in magni- tude and important in results. To this class of benefactors belongs Dr. Paul T. Butler, of Alamo, one of the prominent and very active physicians and surgeons of this county. He has been a resi- dent of Alamo and diligently engaged in the general practice of medicine and surgery for a period of twenty-two years, and in that time has devoted his days and nights and his energies with- ont stint to the service of the people living within a large extent of the surrounding country. He was born in Crawford county, Pa., on December 11. 1858, and is the son of Hiram and Eliza (Temple) Butler, the former born and reared in the state of New York and the latter in Pennsyl- vania. The father was a merchant and kept a country store at Springboro, Pa., many years, dying there in 1863. At the beginning of the Civil war he raised a regiment for the defense of the Union, and was its colonel. But failing to pass the required medical examination. he was obliged to relinquish the command. His father was Walter Butler, a farmer and a native of the state of New York, where he died. The Doctor's maternal grandfather, Alexander Temple, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and rendered good service to his country in the contest. He was a carpenter and also followed farming in times of peace. The Temple family. to which the Doctor belongs. is of English ancestry, while the Butlers are of Scotch-Trish. The Doctor's grandmother Butler was a sister of the father of the late Hor- ace Greeley. Hiram Butler and his wife were the parents of nine children, five sons and four daughters. Of these the Doctor is the only one living in this state. He came to Barry county with his mother and a step-father in his child- hood, and was there reared and educated, at- tending the public schools at Hastings and Mid- dleville. Afterward he took a course of advanced instruction at the Northern Indiana Norma!
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School, located at Valparaiso. He began the study of medicine at Manchester, Iowa, in 1879, and soon afterward entered the Cincinnati Medi- cal College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1881. After practicing a year at Manchester, failing health induced him to return to Michigan, and in 1883 he located at Alamo, this county, where he has since lived and built up a large, exacting and re- munerative practice and risen to the first rank in his profession in this part of the state. He is a member of the County Medical Society and the Kalamazoo Academy of Medicine, being first vice-president of the latter. In 1887 he was mar- ried to Miss Rose Hyatt, a native of Illinois, who died in 1891. They had three children, their daughter Mary, who is dead, and their sons Benjamin and Paul, who are living. On August 3, 1893, the Doctor married a second wife, Miss Charlotte Wheeler, who is a native of Kalamazoo . county, born in Alamo township. They have two children, their son Robert B. and their daughter Esther. In politics the Doctor is an active work- ing Democrat and a leading man in his party. He has long been a favorite delegate from his dis- trict to county and state conventions of his party, and has filled a number of local offices at its be- hest. For a time he trained with the Prohibition party, on one occasion attending its national con- vention as a delegate and at another time being its candidate for congress. He is a Freemason of the master's degree and an earnest worker of the good of his lodge.
PERRY SHERMAN.
The late Perry Sherman, of Ross township, whose death on October 9, 1904, at the age of fifty-six, ended a life of signal usefulness before its full measure of good to his community was accomplished, but in which as much of worth and fruitfulness was embodied as in many a one that far outnumbers it in years, was a native of this county, and was born on the farm on which he died, coming into the world there on January 26, 1848. His parents were Henry P. and Pamelia (Howland) Sherman, the latter at the time of
her marriage to his father the widow of a Mr. Swetland, and had three children by her former marriage. Both were natives of Saratoga county, N. Y., and they emigrated to Michigan in 1837. They entered eighty acres of government land in Ross township, this county, two miles west of the village of Augusta, and here they passed the re- mainder of their lives, both dying in 1897. Their land was wholly without improvements of any kind and all virgin as yet to the plow when they took possession of it, and the amount of labor and skill they expended on its development was amply shown by its condition when they left it to their son at the end of their earthly journey. Their first work was to build on it a small log dwelling and get a portion of the land into condition for a crop. During the first few years of their occu- pancy of this farm their supplies were scanty, the conveniences of life were few and difficult to get, and the labor required of them was prodigious. But they persevered in faith and industry, and in the course of a little time found themselves the owners of a comfortable home and an estate grad- ually enhancing in value, all the result of their ·own efforts, frugality and thrift. Before their death the farm was increased to three hundred and twenty-seven acres, was well improved with good buildings, and the whole tract was in a high state of cultivation. Both were active in their membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and well known throughout the township for their general benevolence and the upright- ness of their lives. They had two sons and one daughter who grew to maturity, but all are now dead except their son Charles, who lives in the state of Washington. Their son Perry was reared on the home farm and faithfully bore his share in its exacting labors from his early youth. He was educated in the common schools and at Olivette College, and on coming of age became the manager of the farm, conducting its opera- tions until his death. He also dealt in live stock. handling annually for many years large num- bers of cattle and horses of superior grades. On January 3, 1870, he was married to Miss Ellen S. Fellins, a native of Hudson, Ohio, the daughter of Philip and Anna B. (Case) Fellins, long resi-
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dent at that place. In political faith Mr. Sher- 'man was an ardent Republican, and for many years he was a recognized leader in the affairs of his party. He served the people well as a town- ship treasurer several years, and fraternally he was long a zealous member of the order of the Maccabees. He was well and favorably known in all parts of the county, and his early death was a source of great grief to large numbers of the people. His widow still resides on the farm and manages it with success and profit.
.C. S. KENT.
Nearly half a century has passed since this well known and highly esteemed farmer of Ross township became a pioneer of Michigan and a factor in the productive activities of the state. He is a native of Oswego county, N. Y., born on March 31, 1839, and the son of Ahira and Tryphosa (Tuckerman) Kent, the former born in Vermont and the latter in Otsego county, N. Y. The Kents have been pioneers in four states of the Union and borne an important part in found- ing and developing them. The American pro- genitors of the family were early colonial settlers in Massachusetts and among the founders of that state. Some of the next generation moved into the wilderness of Vermont and aided in reducing its savage state to comeliness and fruitfulness. Then following the tide of emigration westward, some became early settlers in the interior of New York when that was the American frontier, and in 1854, when Michigan was yet an almost un- known region and still in the thrall of the wild men of the forest, the parents of C. S. Kent gathered their household gods about them and came into this wilderness and lent their aid to its reduction to productive obedience to the genius of progress and systematic labor. On their ar- rival here the father of this subject bought a farm in Charleston township. Kalamazoo county, con- taining one hundred and sixty-six acres of unim- proved land, most of it still covered with the for- est growth of centuries. On this farm he lived until his death. They had four sons who grew to manhood and are still living, C. S. and his
brother James in this county, one in Barry county, and the other at Battle Creek. The father was an abolitionist Republican, but never sought of- fice, although he was an ardent partisan and an active advocate of his principles. He was one of the founders and for a long time an officer of the Congregational church at Augusta. C. S. Kent grew to the age of fifteen in his native state and attended the common schools there. He came with the family to this county in 1854 and re- mained at home assisting in clearing the farm and cultivating it until about 1860. He then went to Towa and remained until 1863, when he re- turned to this county and took up his residence at Augusta, living there four years and carrying on a flourishing hardware trade. In 1868 he bought the farm on which he now lives, and which has ever since been his home and the scene of his in- dustry and prosperity. Its development, cultiva- tion and improvement have engaged his time and attention to the exclusion of almost every other interest, and he has made every day of effort tell to its advantage and his own. In 1864 he was married to Miss Harriet Woodward, a daughter of John and Sarah Woodward, who became resi- dents of Ross township in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Kent have three children, Albert C., of Augusta, Mary E., wife of W. G. Stuart, of Schoolcraft, and Richard J., a lawyer of Brooklyn, N. Y. The father is an active and prominent Republican, and has rendered good service to his township as a member of the board of review and in other lo- cal offices, and to his party as chairman of its township committee. He is well known in all parts of the county, and everywhere is highly re- spected and esteemed.
CYRUS THAYER.
Cyrus Thayer, of Cooper township, one of the few remaining monuments of the period that saw the dawn of civilization in this portion of the country, was born in Wayne county, Mich., on July 4, 1832, the son of Nathan P. and Lavina (Swick) Thayer, who were born and reared in Canada. The father, a man of versatile talent and great resourcefulness, was a carpenter, ship-
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builder and shoemaker, and in the later years of his life a farmer. In 1827 the family moved to Wayne county, this state, and entered a tract of government land on which the father died in 1850. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war with the rank of colonel, and also took, in times of peace, an active interest in politics, serving in several local offices as a Democrat. The mother died in Wayne county. They had a family of seven sons and three daughters, of whom five sons and one daughter are living, Cyrus being the only one in this county. At the age of eight- een he went to Saginaw and assisted in building the plank road between that city and Flint. In 1852 he came to Kalamazoo and worked six months on the old plank road leading to Grand Rapids. The next year he made a trip to Cali- fornia by way of New York and the Isthmus, and was shipwrecked on the island of Margarita in the Pacific ocean. The ship was destroyed by fire and five hundred of the passengers and crew were drowned. He arrived in San Francisco in the spring of the year, and after spending some time in mining he engaged in the manufacture of shin- gles. One year in California was enough to sat- isfy him, and at the end of it he returned to this county and bought a farm in Cooper township, which he sold after improving it to sorne extent. He then bought his present home, at which he has been living thirty-two years. While living here he has also been engaged at times in dealing in plows throughout the surrounding country, car- rying on an extensive trade in this necessary commodity. He was married in Cooper township on July 25, 1852, to Miss Eveline Smith, a daugh- ter of Ira Smith who was among the earliest set- tlers in the township. They have eight children, Almyra M., wife of Charles H. Fisk, Ira N., Iva, wife of Frank Lilly, of Kalamazoo, Ida, wife of Frank Fisher, Ada, wife of O. H. Milhon, Mys- tie, wife of Orlo Delano, Charles M. and Edna, wife of Clarence Mears, of Lansing. Mr. Thayer is a Democrat in political belief and has filled the offices of supervisor, township treasurer and post- master. Fraternally he is a member of United Lodge, No. 149, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, at Cooper Center.
JONATHAN A. WHEELER. Ł
Having now reached the limit of human life as fixed by the Psalmist, and passed all but the first two years of his earthly existence in this county, Jonathan A. Wheeler, of Alamo, is worth- ily honored as one of the serviceable pioneers and venerable patriarchs of this part of the state. He was born on March 4, 1835, in Norfolk county, province of Ontario, Canada, and is the son of John B. and Charlotte (Austin) Wheeler, the former a native of Massachusetts and the lat- ter of Pennsylvania. The father was a carpen- ter and wheelwright and learned his trade in Massachusetts. On becoming of age he removed to Canada, where he remained until 1837, then came to Kalamazoo county and located in Alamo township, purchasing a tract of wild land which he designed to be his future home. In the spring of 1838 he changed his residence to Otsego and there built a laundry which he operated two years. He then sold it and returned to Alamo and during the remainder of his life worked at his trade, and with the help of his sons farmed and improved his land. He was a skillful me- chanic and found his accomplishments in this line under constant requisition, building many of the first steam mills and other important struc- tures in this part of the state. He died at Alamo in 1880 and his wife in 1881. They had three sons, all of whom are living, and two daughters who have died. By a former marriage Mr. Wheeler was the father of three daughters and one son, all of whom are dead. He was an ac- tive and influential man in local affairs, serving the township as supervisor several terms and as a justice of the peace for a period of thirty years. Prominently connected for a long time with the Methodist Episcopal denomination and taking a cordial interest in its religious work, he assisted in erecting its first church edifice in his neigh- borhood. Many years ago he was made a Free- mason, and for a long time was active and zeal- ous in the workings of the fraternity. His son Jonathan is the last survivor of the family at Alamo, and one of the few pioneers of his day left among the people for whom they laid the
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