USA > Michigan > Early history of Michigan, with biographies of state officers, members of Congress, judges and legislators > Part 25
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MICHIGAN BIOGRAPHY.
and Senator in 1845-6. In later years he followed farming. In politics a Democrat. He died at Spring Arbor, July 18, 1886.
EDWARD VINCENT.
Representative from St. Clair county in 1883, was born in Lower Canada, October 31, 1825, and removed with his parents to Clyde, Michigan, in 1836, and has resided in that town since that time. He received a common school education, and is by occupation a farmer. Has held the office of county treasurer for four years, and has served twenty-two terms as supervisor of the town. Has always been a Republican.
DAVID VINTON, JR.,
Representative from Grand Traverse and Maniton counties in 1883, was born in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, September 16, 1828. At the age of ten years he was placed at work on a farm, and remained to the age of fourteen, when he was apprenticed to learn the tanning business at Newark, Ohio. He remained there unt 1852, removed to Steuben county, Indiana, continuing in the same occupation until 1870, when he removed to Williamsburg, Grand Traverse county, and engaged in mercantile business. He has been a Republican since 1860.
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EMORY B VORHEES,
Representative from Clinton county in 1885, was born in Ovid, Mich- igan, October 22, 1853. He received a common school education. Has been secretary of the Ovid union agricultural society for eight years in succession. He has always been a farmer by occupation. He was elected as a Democrat on the fusion ticket. Has been a supervisor.
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HIRAM VOORHIES
Was born in Belvidere, N. Y., February 5, 1800, and died December 24. 1878. He came to Orion, Michigan, in 1836. By occupation a farmer; in politics a Democrat. He resided in Orion thirty-four years and hell the positions of supervisor, school director, justice and in 1851 was a Representative. In 1870 he was elected county treasurer, removed to Pontiac, and served two years in that office. He was a member of the common council of Pontiac at the time of his death.
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MICHIGAN BIOGRAPHY.
ISAAC I. VOORHIES,
Representative from Oakland county in 1835-6-48, was born in Somerset, N. Y .. in 1799. He removed to Pontiac, Michigan, in 1824. He was supervisor of Pontiac in 1833-4, and held other town offices, and was a member of the constitutional convention of 1835. He removed to Lapeer in 1866, where he died August 2, 1886. In politics a Democrat.
SEBRING VOORHEIS,
Was born in Fayette, N. Y., January 7, 1815. He came to Michigan in 1836, and for three years lived near Ypsilanti. In 1839 he settled on a farm in White Lake, Oakland county, where he resided until his death, February 8, 1882. In politics a Republican. He was supervisor in 1843, and held that office seven times, the last in 1876. Was town clerk in 1851. He was a Representative in 1863-4. He was an elder in the First Presbyterian church of White Lake, of which he became a member in 1840.
GEORGE VOWLES
Was born in Westbury, England, November 10, 1818. He came to this country with his parents in 1829, who settled in Onondaga county, N. Y. He came to Michigan in 1835, and resided in Inde- pendence, Oakland county, until 1840, then at Milford until 1855, from that time living in the town of Lyon until his death, Nov. 4, 1878. In politics a Republican. He was a Representative in 1869-70.
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JOHN J. VROMAN,
Representative from Wayne county in 1857, was born in Orleans county, New York, August 5, 1840. Has been a resident of Michigan thirty years. By occupation, formerly a farmer, at present a mer- chant. He has held the following offices: township clerk, treasurer and supervisor, and superintendent of the poor of Wayne county three years. He was elected Representative on the democratic ticket by a vote of 1.741 to 1,703 for George W. Coomer, Republican, and 159 for Richard Bird, Prohibitionist.
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SILAS A. WADE,
Representative from Hillsdale county in 1557, was born in the state of New Jersey, September 4, 1797. By occupation a millwright and
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MICHIGAN BIOGRAPHY.
miller, in politics a Republican. Came to Rome, Michigan, in 1835. Removed to Jeff rson, Hillsdale county, in 1850, and was supervisor in 1862. Died February 19, 1869.
RALPH WADHAMS,
Representative from St. Clair county in 1838, was born in Goshen, Conn., in 1798, and died in April, 1817. When young his parents removed to Leicester, N. Y. He received a good normal education, and became a clerk in a store. He landed at Detroit in 1823, and for several years was a member of the firm of Reese & Wadhams, gen- eral merchants. They occupied the first brick store built in Detroit, corner of Jefferson and Woodward avenues. Later the firm became Howard & Wadhams. He came into possession of a tract of pine on Black river, and commenced lumbering. In 1829 he located in St. Clair county, and in 1830 built the first grist-mill in the county, and did an extensive business, employing many men. He was super- visor of the town of Desmond in 1832, then comprising all the territory from Macomb to Saginaw. He was a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1835. President Jackson appointed him postmaster at Clyde Mills, which he resigned in 1874, after thirty-six years' service. Politically a Democrat.
JOHN WAGNER
Was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, April 18, 1818. He came to Cleveland, Ohio. in 1938, and remained there until 1815. He then removed to Leroy, Calhoun county, Michigan, and bought a farm. He was supervisor for six years, and in 1969-70 was Representative in the legislature. He filled other town offices. In politics a Republi- can. Died December 13. 1876.
JONATHAN G. WAIT,
Representative from St. Joseph county in 1851, and Senator in 1863- 4-5-7, was born in York, N. Y., November 22, 1811. He traces his ancestry back to 1075, and is a descendant of Richard Wait. who settled at Watertown. Mass., in 1637. He removed with his father to Perry, Ohio, in 1-25, and taught school when seventeen. He settled at Sturgis, Mich., in 1835, where he now resides. He engaged in lumbering, building, and has been a drover, grain dealer, merchant and manufacturer. He built many houses and saw-mills, and a cabi- net and chair factory. As agent of the Michigan Southern, he made
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many contracts for railroad material. In 1857 he was one of the organizers of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad, and is still a director. He was ten years a justice, and many years supervisor. In 1860 he started the Sturgis Journal, and was its editor and publisher until 1872. He was postmaster of Sturgis from 1872 to 1886. He married Susan S. Buck in 1832, and they had nine sons and three daughters. For many years a leading man in southwestern Michi- gan.
BENJAMIN W. WAITE
Was born in Aurelius, N. Y., October 13, 1811. In 1839 he settled on a farm in Scio, Michigan. He was for about twenty years superin- tendent of the poor in 'Washtenaw county, and for four years presi- dent of the Washtenaw mutual fire insurance company. He was Representative in the legislature of 1849, and was a member of the constitutional convention of 1850. In politics a Whig. In 1868 he removed to Dexter, where he now resides.
DANIEL B. WAKEFIELD,
Representative in 1838, and Senator in 1842.3, from Genesee county, was a lawyer and farmer, and a Democrat in politics. He died some years since at his home in Grand Blanc, Genesee county.
MARCUS WAKEMAN,
Born in Connecticut, March 17, 1795, moved with his parents to Batavia, N. Y .. in 1810. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and fought in the battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane. He came to Michigan in 1837, and settled as a farmer in Jackson county. He was elected by the democrats a Representative in the legislature of 1846, and filled various township offices. Died Jan. 17, 1869.
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DAVID S. WALBRIDGE
Was born at Bennington, Vt., July 30, 1802. IIe received a common school education. He removed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1842, and was a farmer, a merchant and a miller. He was Senator in 1849 and 1850. He was nominated and elected to congress in 1854. as a repub- lican, receiving 12,865 votes against 10,178 votes for Samuel Clark, democrat; was re-elected in 1856, receiving 23,550 votes against 16,046
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MICHIGAN BIOGRAPHY.
votes for F. J. Littlejohn, democrat, serving from Dec. 3, 1855, to March 3, 1859. He was first a Whig, a Republican after 1834. He died at Kalamazoo, June 15, 1868.
CAMPBELL WALDO,
Senator in 1848-9 from Calhoun, Eaton. Branch and Kalamazoo counties, was born in Middletown, Vt .. Dec. 25, 1786, and was brought up on a farm. He became a physician, and practiced many years in Cayuga county, N. Y., and was a member of the N. Y. assembly in 1825. In 1833 he became a merchant at Port Byron, N. Y. In 1837 he settled at Albion, Mich., built mills at various points. and was a leading man. He died at Albion, Nov. 6, 1576, at the age of 98. He was a man of fine personal appearance, courteous and affable in his manners, a good physician, and a christian.
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HENRY WALDRON
Was born at Albany, N. Y., Oct. 11, 1816; graduated at Rutgers col- loge, N. Y., in 1836; removed to Michigan in 1837: settled at Hillsdale in 1839; built the first warehouse on the Southern railroad: and from that date was engaged in manufacturing and banking. In early life a civil engineer. He was a director of the Michigan Southern rail- road; president of the Detroit. Hillsdale & Indiana railroad: and pres- ident of the first national bank of Hillsdale. He was a Representa- tive in 1843; presidentialelector in 1848: a Representative in congress from 1855 to 1861 from the second district, also from 1571 to 1877 from the first district, in all twelve years. He was a delegate to the repub- lican national convention of 1868. He was a Republican in politics, a good speaker, a successful business man. and a political power, especially in southern Michigan. He died several years since.
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ARNOLD WALKER,
Representative from Ingham county in 1873-4, was born in Gibson, Pa., in 1821. He removed to Seneca county. N. Y., in 1837, and to Ingham county, Mich., in 1844. He received a common school educa- tion, and was a practical business man. He was a chrector of the Jackson, Lansing & Saginaw railroad for many years, and filled large railroad contracts. He lived in Vevay until 1860, then became a resi- dent of Leslie until his death, Dec. 5. 1854. 1Ie was long president of the Leslie national bank. In politics a Republican.
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ALVAH H. WALKER
Was born in Rhode Island, February 15, 1802, and removed to Chau- tauqua county, N. Y., with his parents in 1805, where he resided until 1855, when he removed to Detroit. For many years, at Fredonia, Chautauqua county, he was one of the trustees and treasurer of the Fredonia academy, and was supervisor of Pomfret. He was on the whig electoral ticket in 1852, and in 1854 was a member of the New York Senate. In 1855 he removed to Detroit. In 1857 he became interested in village property in St. Johns, and removed there in 1861; for several years was engaged in mercantile business; in 1867 was elected to the constitutional convention for Clinton county. He has been an active Whig or Republican all his life.
BENJAMIN WALKER,
Representative from Shiawassee county in 1873, was born in Whiting- ham. Vt., March 7, 1814. He received a common school education. In 1847 removed to Michigan and settled in Perry, where he still resides. Held the office of justice 24 years; supervisor two years, town clerk three years, and school inspector. He has been treasurer of the Shiawassee mutual insurance company ten years. He was president of the Shiawassee agricultural association, two years. By occupation a farmer.
CHARLES I. WALKER,
Representative from Kent county in 1841, was born in Butternuts. N. Y., April 25, 1814, his parents moving there from New England He received a common and select school education. At sixteen he was a teacher, and then a clerk. At twenty-one he was a merchant at Cooperstown, N. Y .. but sold out in 1836, and removed to Grand Rapids, Mich., as agent for eastern capitalists in the buying of Michi- gan lands. The panic of 1837 closed out land speculations, and he took an interest and became editor of the Grand River Times. He commenced the study of law, went to Vermont to complete his studies, and was admitted to the Vermont bar at Brattleboro in 1842. He practiced in that state until 1851, and then settled at Detroit. He was circuit judge for abont a year, but resigned, and was professor in the law school at Ann Arbor from 1559 to 1874. He was for several years president of the board of state charities. He has always taken an active interest in the early history of the northwest. and has writ- ten able papers on that subject. Has been president of the state pioneer society. Is an able lawyer, politically a Democrat. He was
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a member of the second convention of assent in 1836, and has held several honorable local positions.
DEWITT C. WALKER,
Representative in 1840-44-46, and Senator from Macomb county in 1841-2, was born in Vermont in 1812. He was a graduate of Middle- bury college, studied law at the Yale law school, and was admitted to the bar in 1836. He then came to Romeo, Mich., and continued there in law practice for twenty years. He was prosecuting attorney of Macomb county; a regent of the State University in 1845: a dele- gate in the constitutional convention of 1850: and four years judge of probate. He laid out the village of Capac in 1857, having settled there.in 1857, and still resides there. He built a grist and saw mill, donated land for churches, and for many years was president of the village.
EDWARD C. WALKER,
Representative from Detroit in 1867, was born July 4, 1820, at Butter- nuts, N. Y. He graduated from Yale college in 1842, studied law, attended law school, was admitted to the Detroit bar in 1845. and was long a partner of his brother, C. I. Walker, then of Walker & Kent, and lately with his son. of the firm of Walker & Walker. He was a regent of the University from 1864 to 1882, and during the whole term was chairman of the executive committee. In religion a Presbyterian. Politically whig and republican.
- FREDERICK WALKER,
Representative from Genesee county in 1872-3-4, was born in York- shire, England, in 1909. By occupation a farmer and lumberman, politically a Republican. He emigrated to New York city with his parents when two years of age. Settled on a farm in Genesee county, now part of Mt. Morris village, in 1836. He was a justice for twenty years, for thirty-six years a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and twelve years Sabbath school superintendent. Died January 20, 1879.
HENRY N. WALKER
Was born in Chautauqua county, N. Y., in 1813, and was educated at the Fredonia academy. He came to Detroit in 1534 or 1835, and was
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admitted to practice as an attorney, and was thereafter a leading member of the bar for many years. During his life he held the fol- lowing official positions: 1837, master in chancery; 1843 to 1845, attorney general of the state: 1844, Representative in the legislature, same year Supreme Court reporter; April, 1839, to September, 1860. postmaster at Detroit: 1883, state immigration agent. In business life he had extended relations. In 1836 he was state agent of the Protec- tion insurance company; in 1849, one of the founders and vice presi- dent of the Detroit savings fund institute; 1858 to 1863, president of the Detroit & Milwaukee railroad company; 1861 to 1875, proprietor and editor of the Detroit Free Press, and during the later portion of this period, was president of the western associated press. In 1845, while attorney general, he was largely instrumental, in a semi-official capacity, in organizing the Michigan Central railroad company, which in 1846 purchased the Central railroad from the state. He was influential in securing the building of the Great Western railway of Canada: also in voluntary enterprises, first in the temperance cause in the early days of the movement, 1835-6: as historiographer of Detroit. 1843 to 1845: and when the building of the Detroit observatory at Ann Arbor was first agitated he made a liberal contribution for the build- ing, and also purchased the transit instrument at a cost of $3,500. In politics a Democrat. in religion a Episcopalian. He married Miss Emily Norvel, daughter of the late Senator John Norvel, and left two sons and a daughter. Died Feb. 24, 1886.
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HENRY T. WALKER,
Representative from Washtenaw county in 1842-5, was born in Bristol. N. Y., April 29. 1808. By profession a physician, in politics a Demo- crat. He came to Michigan in 1836, and settled in Washtenaw county in 1837. For several terms a justice of the peace. Died October ?. 1871.
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JAMES B. WALKER,
Senator from Benzie and several other counties in 1865, was born at Philadelphia, Pa., July 29, 1805. He became an operative in a factory at Pittsburg, and subsequently a printer: was clerk to M. M. Noah in New York, and principal of an academy at New Durham, N. J .: studied law at Ravenna, Ohio; graduated at Western Reserve college. Hudson, Ohio, in 1831; edited successively religious papers at Hudson, Cincinnati and Chicago: was also engaged in the book trade; studied theology and was heensed to preach in 1811; was principal of a private
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orphan asylum at Mansfield, Ohio; lectured on the harmony of science and revealed religion at Oberlin college and Chicago theological sem- inary. He held pastorates at Mansfield, Sandusky and Chicago, and preached several months at Lansing, Michigan. He was author of many theological works published from 1855 to 1820, also of poems published in "Poets and Poetry of the West." His first work, "The Philosophy of the plan of Salvation," had a very large circulation in English, and was translated into several other languages. He was a trustee and interested in the prosperity of Benzonia college, at Benzie, Mich., and resided for some time in Benzonia. He received the degree of D. D., was the first president of Benzonia college, and gave largely to its support. Died several years since at Wheaton, Illinois.
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JOHN WALKER
Was born in Deerfield. N. Y., May 12, 1818. He received a common school education. Settled in Kalamazoo in 1836, and removed to Cooper in 1840. He represented the 3d district of Kalamazoo county in the House in 1869-70-1-2-3-4. In politics a Republican, by occupation a farmer.
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LEVI WALKER,
Representative from Genesee county in 1873, was born in Granville, N. Y., Dec. 20, 1913. He received an academical education, studied law and was admitted to the New York bar in 1935. In 1847 he removed to Michigan and settled in Flint. He held several important and several minor offices in the town and county. He died before the extra session of 1874.
SAMUEL S. WALKER
Was born at Fredoni 1. N. Y., June 11, 1841, and removed with his father to Detroit in 1855. He was educated at the Fredonia academy, and subsequently at the Barstow union school in Detroit, graduating at the University of Michigan in the class of 1861. He remo ved to St. Johns in 1861, and engaged in the mercantile business until 1865 when he established a banking office at St. Johns, under the firm name of S. S. Walker & Co., continuing that until September of the same year, when, with others, he organized the first national bank of St. Johns, of which he was cashier until August, 1877. He was a Rep- resentative in 1875, and was regent of the University from 1575 to 1883.
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MICHIGAN BIOGRAPHY.
SYLVESTER WALKER,
Representative from Lenawee county in 1847, was a hatter in Nor- wich, N. Y., in 1813. He settled in Cambridge, Mich., in 1938, opened a hotel at the junction of the Chicago and La Plaisance Bay turnpikes, erected fine buildings, where many a weary traveler found a genial place of rest. In politics a Democrat. Died Dec. 23, 1869. His widow was living in Cambridge in 1887, at the age of ninety.
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JAMES WALKINSHAW,
Representative from Calhoun county in 1877, was born in the parish of Boithwick, Mid Lothian, Scotland, July 10, 1810. He was edu- cated in the common schools. He emigrated in 1812 to Marshall, Mich., and was employed by the state railroad authorities as ware. houseman there, and also in the same capacity at Kalamazoo, until the Michigan Central company bought the railroad. He then settled in Convis on a farm. He was supervisor for twelve years. In politics a Republican.
JOHN B. WALLACE,
Representative from Wayne county in 1859, was born m Steuben county, N. Y., Oct. 22, 1809, and came to Michigan in 1939. By occu- pation a farmer and lumberman. He ran the first saw mill in Wayne county propelled by water. He served many years as postmaster at Wallaceville (to which he gave his name), and has held mont. of the responsible local offices of his township. After a residence of more than fifty years on the farm which he located, removed to Detroit in 1885, where he now resides. Polities, republican.
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FRANKLIN B. WALLIN,
Representative from Allegan county in 1861-2, was born in Nelson, Pa., March 25, 1832. By occupation a tanner; in politics a Republi- can. He came with his parents to Michigan in 1836, who located at McCoys Creek, Berrien county. He learned the tanner's trade. In 1853 he removed to Saugatuck, where with his father and brother, he operated three tanneries under the firm name of C. C. Wallin & Sons, the store being in Chicago. He built a tannery in Grand Rapids in 1852, where he now resides.
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MICHIGAN BIOGRAPHY.
GEORGE W. WALTHEW,
Representative from the first district of Wayne county in 1885, was born at St. Thomas, Ontario, May 30, 1860. His parents removed with him to Detroit in 1862. He drifted to Colorado when eighteen years of age, retured to Detroit when twenty-one, and shortly afterwards became manager of the firm of A. Walthew & Sons, scenic artists of Detroit. In October, 1883, he took up the study of the law ; was admitted to the bar in 1884; became the candidate of the labor party of Detroit for the legislature; was afterwards put upon the democratic and greenback ticket and elected.
ANDREW WALTON,
Representative from Bay county in 1875-9, was born at Batavia, N. Y., Jan. 11, 1826, but removed to Ohio when young. He received an academical education. In 1863 he removed to Bay City. Occupation, lumber merchant. He was a member of the board of education, and a commissioner of the Bay City water-works for many years. He was one of the original proprietors of the state bank of Bay City, and one of the directors until its consolidation with the second national bank, and then was elected a director. Politics, democratic.
JACOB WALTON,
Representative from Lenawee county in 1869-70-1-2-3-4, was born in Buckingham, Pa., Feb. 10, 1518. He received a common school education. In 1934 emigrated to Michigan and settled in Saline. In 1851 removed to Raisin, Lenawee county, where he still resides. By occupation a farmer. In politics a Republican.
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JOSEPH WALTZ,
Representative from Wayne county in 1879-85, was born in Detroit, May 24, 1844. He received his education in the public schools, receiving also a full commercial education. Mr. Waltz is a merchant, but deals extensively in lumber and real estate. He has filled various township offices, having been for two years township clerk, and for two terins justice, also supervisor of the township of Huron, in which he resides. Politically a Democrat.
EDGAR B. WARD
Was born in Castleton, N. Y., Sept. 27. 1935, and removed with his parents to Washtenaw county, Mich., in 1836. He was educated at
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MICHIGAN BIOGRAPHY.
Lodi academy, and in 1854 taught school near Millersburg, Ky. In the fall of 1854 he began the study of medicine at the University of Michigan, and graduated in 1558. He went to Centreville, Iowa, and engaged in medical practice. In 1859 he returned to Owosso. Mich., to practice, and in 1862 removed to Laingsburg, where he now resides, and continues the practice of his profession. He is a Repub- lican. In 1869-70 he was a Representative.
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- LYMAN M. WARD,
Representative from Berrien county in 1879-81-2, was born in Cat- taraugus county, N. Y., Oct. 5, 1836. He removed to Wisconsin in 1850, and thence to Michigan in 1866. He was educated in common and high schools. He is a fruit grower by occupation. In 1:61 enlisted in the three months' service and was appointed orderly sergeant of company I, first regiment Wisconsin Vol. Inft. After the expira- tion of that term re-enlisted for three years. receiving a captain's commission. He was successively promoted to major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel of the fourteenth regt., Wis. V. V. Inft. He was in command of a brigade for two years and received the brevet rank of brigadier general.
ROBERT E. WARD,
Representative from Berrien county in 1837, was born in Albany, N. Y. He came to the village of Berrien Springs in 1935, and was a merchant, the partner of Pitt Brown. On a petition drawn by him to the postoffice department, the village name was changed from Ber- rien to Berrien Springs, so named from valuable medical springs. He was a county commissioner in 1837. Removed to Detroit, where he died in 1847.
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