USA > Michigan > Barry County > History of Barry county, [Michigan] > Part 8
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Mr. Cook is survived by his widow and two sons, Marshall L. and William R., proprietors of the Hastings Banner.
Mrs. D. R. Cook is the daughter of William and Ellen Mar- shall, who were among the earliest pioneers of Prairieville town- ship. She was born in Ontario County, New York, June 29, 1839. Her father moved to this county in 1842, his brother, John Mar- shall, having located the farm on which William settled in 1839. Mrs. Cook, full of years, and with the gracious sweetness of a happy and mellow old age, is living with her son, William R., in Hastings.
OSCAR L. CROOK
A man who comes from pioneer stock and whose career it is a pleasure to set forth in this volume is Oscar L. Crook. He is known to his community as a man of irreproachable integrity, of impeccable habits, and one who gives to his vocation the utmost attention and care.
Mr. Crook was born in Monroe County, Michigan, July 8, 1854, and in the following year was brought to this county by his parents, Elam and Catherine Crook, who located on a farm just north of the present County Farm. The story of their first years in Barry County is a vivid chapter from real pioneer life. It was in March when they first arrived and the family stayed at the home of D). McDonald while the father cut logs for a house. There was no bridge over the Thornapple and this stream had to be crossed in order to permit the pioneer father to reach his property from Mr. McDonald's. Accordingly, taking off his boots, he would wade through the icy waters to get to his place of work. Snow was still on the ground and this had to be shov- elled away to make it possible to build a house. Finally the home was completed and when the family were finally ensconced
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in their new log habitation Father Crook found that he had just half a dollar in money.
During the summer he cleared some land for corn and potatoes and thus supplied his family with the necessaries of life. Mr. Crook, senior, had his corn ground in Hastings, taking it to mill down the river in a boat and in returning home he would push the boat up the stream.
At that time Indians were numerous in the vicinity of the Crook farm and Oscar L. Crook remembers watching the redskins as they camped in the woods on the banks of the Thornapple. At this time there were all kinds of wild game and hunting was widely indulged in. All these conditions Oscar Crook has seen changed. From a real wilderness he has seen come forth the present cultivated and fertile fields.
For the past thirty years he has been connected with the railway mail service, receiving his appointment under President Arthur. In this connection he has been a faithful and competent employe. In his earlier years Mr. Crook taught school for five terms and among his best friends today are some of his former pupils.
Mr. Crook was at one time the owner of Indian Landing, where the first corn in Barry County was raised.
Fraternally Mr. Crook is a Knight of Pythias and a member of Hastings Lodge, F. & A. M.
October 13, 1875, Mr. Crook married Miss Anna Green, who also had taught in the rural schools. Mr. and Mrs. Crook are the parents of three sons, Guy E., a real estate and insurance broker in Hastings; Don E., who is engaged in the plumbing business in Vicksburg; and Shirley B., who is cashier of the Thornapple Gas and Electric Company at Hastings.
LEN W. FEIGHNER
One of the hustling and progressive men of Barry County is Len W. Feighner of Nashville, editor and owner of the Nash- ville News and postmaster of that village. He is a man who is always to be found pushing any project which will be of advan- tage to the community and he is distinctly a citizen who is worth while.
Len W. Feighner was born in Canton, Ohio, June 5, 1862. His father was William F. Feighner and his mother Henrietta
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OSCAR CROOK
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Stauffer Feighner, both being of German descent. The Feighners came to Ohio from Pennsylvania and the Stauffers from Mary- land.
In September, 1862, when Len W. was only four months old, his parents moved from Ohio to Castleton, whither the father's two brothers, Henry and John, had preceded him and had become the owners of a saw mill. He had acquired an interest in this mill while yet living in Ohio and on his arrival in Castleton he became actively engaged in the mill business.
In this same year, 1862, David and Elizabeth Stauffer, the parents of Mrs. William Feighner, also moved with their family from their home in Ohio to Castleton and located on a farm in that township on which Mr. Stauffer lived until his death in 1878, this being occasioned by a tree falling upon him while chopping in the woods.
Mr. and Mrs. William Feighner, on their arrival in Castleton, at first located upon a farm, but soon afterwards moved to where Nashville now is. Here Mr. Feighner, with his brother-in-law, the late S. E. Stauffer, started, in 1863, the first store in Nashville, this store being located at the north end of what is now Main street on the south bank of the Thornapple. A short time later Mr. Stauffer bought Mr. Feighner's interest in the business and the latter then started the second store in Nashville. This was located opposite where the postoffice now is and here Mr. Feighner continued in business until his death, December 12, 1869. Mrs. Feighner, who survived him, is still living, being a resident of Hastings.
Young Feighner's first education was secured in a slab school- house in Nashville, not only the building but also the seats being made of slabs. Holes served for windows, glass not being obtain- able. His first teacher was Miss Agnes Smith, now Mrs. C. M. Putnam of Nashville.
On the death of his father, when he was only seven years old, Len W. went to live with his uncle, L. E. Stauffer, the family of four children being too great a burden for the widowed mother. In the next year, 1870, Mr. Stauffer moved to Grand Rapids and young Len attended school in that city. A short time later Mr. Stauffer moved to Hastings and here young Feighner completed his formal education.
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In December, 1878, he engaged to learn the printer's trade in the office of the Hastings Journal. In 1879 and 1880 he worked in Nashville for Arno Strong of the News. He then returned to Hastings, where he worked on the Banner for George M. Dewey and later for Cook & Bowers. He left the Banner in 1881 and for three years was a journeyman printer, being employed in Muskegon, Indianapolis, Greencastle, Ind., and Chi- cago. He remained in Chicago until 1884, when he returned to Nashville and became foreman and local editor of the News.
In 1885 Mr. Feighner married Stella L. Wilson of Nashville, daughter of Lyman J. and Ladosca Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Feigh- ner have one daughter, Vada M., born March 1, 1895.
October 1, 1888, Mr. Feighner bought the Nashville News from Arno Strong and has remained its proprietor and editor since that time, now nearly a quarter of a century. The News has the well founded reputation of being the best paper in the best shop in any town of equal size in the state.
In politics Mr. Feighner is a Republican and has always been an enthusiastic worker for his party. He has been postmaster of Nashville since 1899, receiving his first appointment from President Mckinley.
Besides his newspaper, Mr. Feighner is interested in manu- facturing and various other business affairs, both in Nashville and elsewhere. He is president of the Grand Rapids Textile Machin- ery Company and is active in advancing the company's interests.
He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Masons, Odd Fel- lows, Maccabees and the Foresters.
One institution in which Mr. Feighner is particularly inter- ested is the Nashville Club, whose organization eight years ago was due, to a great extent, to his efforts. He was its first presi- dent and has continued to hold this office ever since. The club is a social organization and has splendid rooms in the Griffin block, the second story of which is owned by and devoted almost entirely to its uses.
Len W. Feighner is pre-eminently a progressive and forceful citizen. He is a man who has made his own way to success and one who has made his success of benefit to his fellow citizens. It is most fitting that he should be a representative of Nashville in this History.
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LEN FEIGHNER
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CHARLES F. FIELD
Charles F. Field was born in Manchester, Michigan, Septem- ber 23, 1851. His parents were John and Alcey J. Field, natives of Wayne County, New York. His boyhood was spent in his native town, where he attended the village school, and when the new High School building was finished in 1867 he became a member of the first class, which graduated in 1871. In the fall of that year he was one of four young men that entered the State Univer- sity from the Manchester High School, graduating from the literary department in 1875 with the degree of A. B.
For several years following graduation Mr. Field taught school, one year in Clinton and four years in the Manchester High School. He then purchased the Clinton News, which he conducted until the spring of 1884, when he moved his plant to Tecumseh and founded the Tecumseh News. In 1896 he sold the News and shortly afterwards became an editorial writer on the Detroit Free Press. After three years in this work he was elected to a position in the Detroit Central High School, where he taught Latin and Rhetoric for a year, when he again yielded to his journalistic proclivities, resigning his position in Detroit to purchase the Hastings Herald, which he conducted until the fall of 1911, when the Herald and Journal were merged into one paper, called the Hastings Journal-Herald. He is one of the editors of this paper and vice president of the Hastings Printing Com- pany, the corporation which owns the aforesaid journal.
During all the years of his active life Mr. Field has been connected at various times with the work of the public schools. While living in Manchester he was township superintendent of schools. During his Clinton residence he was for a time a mem- ber of the school board. In 1891 he was elected by the Lenawee County Board of Supervisors, county commissioner of schools, and in 1893 was re-elected by the people. Soon after locating in Hastings he was the candidate on the Democratic ticket for school commissioner of Barry County, but was defeated. In December, 1901, he was unanimously chosen by the Board of Education of the City of Hastings, Superintendent of the City Schools, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of the superintendent. He entered upon the duties of superintendent January 1st, 1902, and held the position until June, 1904, when he retired from school
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work to devote all his attention to his newspaper. In the fall of 1892 he was the Democratic candidate for member of the state board of education, but, his party being in a hopeless minority, he of course was not elected. A similar honor was accorded him in 1910, when he was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for state senator.
On December 31, 1878, Mr. Field married Miss Kate Kies, daughter of Joseph S. and Elizabeth Kies, of Clinton. They have two children, Will J. Field, editor of Electric Traction, of Chi- cago, and Elizabeth Louise, wife of Adelbert M. Hall, a prom- inent merchant of Belding, Michigan.
In religion Mr. Field has been actively identified with the Episcopal church for most of his adult life, having been a member of the vestry while at Clinton, Tecumseh and Hastings. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which order he has held the secretaryship of Tecumseh Lodge and Chapter, and for the past eight years he has been secretary of Hastings Chapter No. 68, R. A. M. He is at present Worthy Patron of Hastings Chapter No. 7, Order of the Eastern Star.
HENRY A. GOODYEAR
There is no name in the county more closely associated with its advancement than that of Hon. Henry A. Goodyear. He came to the State of Michigan at a time when it was nothing but a still unsettled wilderness, inhabited principally by Indians and widely scattered white settlers, and offering little in the way of opportunity to any one not possessed of that hardy and indom- itable spirit of conquest that actuated the minds and bodies of our early pioneers. He witnessed the evoluion of Barry County and the City of Hastings from their rough inception to finishd maturity. He saw comfortable homes and thriving interests sup- plant the log shacks and itinerant enterprises of the '30's and heard the whistles of the factories and locomotives where the axe of the woodman had sounded before-all this in a lifetime of industry and progress that has left its lasting impress on the community in which he lived.
Mr. Goodyear was born in York, Pennsylvania, June 30, 1818. He secured an academic education at home, remaining there until he was sixteen years of age, when he embarked in
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C. F. FIELD
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his first business experience, entering the employ of a druggist in Philadelphia, working in the drug store and learning the rudi- ments of pharmacy.
Young Goodyear remained in Philadelphia two years and then, in 1838, he came to Michigan, locating in Detroit. Here he continued working at his profession until 1840, when he came to Hastings, arriving there, for the first time, in the month of November.
Hastings, at that time, was a cluster of rudely constructed houses, built in the woods, and Mr. Goodyear spent his first night in the village at Chase's Tavern, situated on the bank of the Thornapple, near the present Michigan Avenue bridge. He brought with him a stock of general merchandise and drugs and subsequently opened the first store in Barry County on the corner of what is now Creek and Main streets.
It has been written that the young store proprietor, when standing in his own doorway, was unable to see the nearest house, a distance of 100 feet away, on account of the density of the trees that intervened. At this time, Mr. Goodyear, who is described as a man of rather bashful and retiring disposition, earned for himself the sobriquet of "doctor", which title clung to him during many years and was bestowed, probably, as a result of the fact that he kept a stock of drugs in his store. No records show that he was ever educated in, or practiced the profession of medicine.
Mr. Goodyear continued alone in his first mercantile adven- ture for several years, but eventually formed a partnership with his brother, W. S. Goodyear. In 1854 he sold his interest in the business to Nathan Barlow, but resumed it one year later, being associated this time with William Barlow. In 1859 he again disposed of his share in the store, his brother, J. S. Goodyear, being the purchaser. In this same year he started in the hard- ware business in a one-story wooden building which he built on the present site of Pearson's grocery store. This business has continued to the present day and is now conducted by Mr. Good- year's sons, John F. and David S., under the firm name of Good- year Brothers. At the time when he established the hardware business, Mr. Goodyear resided a short distance east of his newly built store, on the present location of the National Bank. and in
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a wing of his residence, which extended west and opened into his store, he conducted a private bank which later became the Hastings National Bank.
Mr. Goodyear retired from business in 1882 after an active mercantile career, covering a period of forty-two yars, during which time he worked tirelessly, furthering his business success with a standard of honesty and square dealing from which he never deviated.
In 1843 he married Miss Mary Barlow, daughter of Nathan Barlow of Hastings. From this union three children were born : William H., George E., and Nathan B. Mrs. Goodyear died in 1848 and in 1850 Mr. Goodyear married the sister of his first wife, Miss Ermina Barlow. The children of his second marriage were: Rosella, Anna, David S. and John F. Anna, now Mrs. Haff, resides in Grand Rapids. Miss Rose, David and John, all reside in Hastings. No children of the first marriage are now living.
In politics Mr. Goodyear was a firm believer in the principles of Democracy and in 1845 he was elected on the Democratic ticket as a member of the state House of Representatives, its sessions being then held in Detroit, as Lansing was still in the wilderness. In 1854 he was elected to the state Senate and in 1874 he was again elected to the House, serving on the Ways and Means Com- mittee. In 1852 he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention that nominated Franklin Pierce for the presidency.
Mr. Goodyear was closely affiliated with the Grand River Valley railway project and witnessed its successful completion, for several years acting as treasurer of that organization. He was financially back of the first newspaper ever published in Hast- ings, "The Pioneer", and contributed to its columns throughout its existence. He was the first President, the first Mayor, the first banker, and, as has been previously shown, the first merchant of Hastings.
Mr. Goodyear's personal character was a rare combination of those traits that rendered him a considerate and lovable father and husband, a conscientious business man and a loyal and public spirited citizen. He was thoughtful and solicitous in his family, honest and painstaking in his financial dealings, and was possessed of a generous, but always conservative, spirit of philanthropy. There are few schools, churches, or other public institutions in
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H. A. GOODYEAR
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Hastings and vicinity which have not in some measure been bene- fitted by the aid of this influential citizen.
During his life Mr. Goodyear was an active member of the Episcopal church and was senior warden of the local parish for many years.
His death, which occurred May 5, 1901, caused deep and sin- cere grief in his home city, the county and the state. The legis- lature of Michigan sent resolutions of sympathy to Mr. Goodyear's immediate family and as an additional mark of respect, the flags on the capitol at Lansing were placed at half-mast on the day of the funeral.
ROBERT J. GRANT
A man who stands out distinctly as one of the representative pioneers of Hastings was Robert J. Grant. For almost half a century he was one of the foremost figures in all of the city's com- mercial, political and religious activities and had an almost in- calculable influence in making Hastings the thriving community it has become.
Robert James Grant was born in Yates County, New York, February 17, 1822, and died in Hastings, August 12, 1894. When only fifteen years of age he moved from the Empire State with his parents and settled in the then wilderness of Michigan, lo- cating near Bellevue. Though young, he knew wirat it was to labor and upon settling in Michigan, his father and he opened a shoemaker's shop.
By industry and economy young Grant accumulated a little means and in 1849, when he was 27 years of age, he moved to Hastings and opened a general store. His ability and close appli- cation to business brought him success in his first venture and in the various other enterprises in which he later engaged, among these being the milling and grain business. He was always am- bitious and industrious, not for the accumulation of wealth but that he might be the means of helping the weak and less fortunate ones of life. With the Indians, who were in the locality of Hast- ings in those days, Mr. Grant was very friendly and among them was recognized as their friend so that in time of trouble they always came to him for advice.
Several years before his death he retired from the dry goods
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and clothing business in which he was then engaged and went into the elevator business, his son, R. K. Grant, succeeding him in the mercantile business. Mr. Grant conducted the elevator business until the time of his death.
During his long life in Hastings Mr. Grant was entrusted with many offices of importance. He was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1868 and on the expiration of his term of office in 1870, he was chosen for another two-year term. Three times he was Mayor of Hastings, his first term being in 1878. He was re-elected the following year and then in 1882 was again chosen for the same office. Because of his active interest in educational work he was made a member of the Board of Educa- tion and made a very efficient official. In all of his public offices he made a very clean and honorable record and was ever a vigilant and trusted public servant.
Mr. Grant was of a religious turn of mind and soon after attaining his majority joined the Methodist church. He was made a member of the official board of the M. E. church in 1850, the year after he arrived in Hastings, and continued to serve in this capacity until his death. For 23 years he was Superintendent of the M. E. Sunday school, resigning in 1877. In connection with Mr. Grant's relations with the Hastings M. E. church the follow- ing extract from Daniel Striker's historical sketch of the church, read by him on the occasion of the semi-centennial anniversary of the church's foundation, will be of considerable interest: "Decem- ber 2, 1852," says Mr. Striker, "R. J. Grant, with D. G. Robinson and Lorenzo Mudge, for the Methodist society purchased from the village school district, lot No. 589, paying $150, with the old school house thereon, each paying the sum of $50. Brothers Grant and Robinson seated and arranged the inside of the build- ing so it answered the purpose for holding religious services for quite a while. The society afterwards paid back what they ad- vanced for fixing the inside, but the purchase money was never refunded."
In 1867 Mr. Grant, with Daniel Striker, bought a tract of 160 acres, north of the State Road and east of Broadway, the same being the southwest quarter of Section 8, Township of Hast- ings. Later Mr. Grant and Mr. Striker divided their interest in the tract, Mr. Grant taking the land west of Michigan avenue and Mr. Striker the portion east of the same avenue. In 1867
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R. J. GRANT
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Mr. Grant formed what is known as Grant's first addition from the land which he had retained, and in 1870 he formed Grant's second addition, lying north of the first addition and being also a part of the tract which Mr. Grant had retained from the original purchase. It was on a portion of the first addition that Mr. Grant built the home which has always continued in the family and which is now owned by his granddaughter, Miss Mary Grant.
In 1844 Mr. Grant married Miss Lucelia Jordan, and to them three children were born. Of the three, two died in childhood, one son, R. K. Grant, alone surviving the father. Mrs. Grant died in 1875. The blow was a severe one for Mr. Grant and he sorely felt the affliction, but in the hour of trial he put his implicit faith in God and received comfort.
R. J. Grant was a man who, first of all, was not selfish. He delighted in doing kindly and charitable acts for his fellows and was ever sympathetic in his relations with mankind. The mere acquisition of wealth had no charm for him, for although he was prospered in this world's goods he always looked upon his prop- erty as a stewardship for which he must give a good accounting. Hastings and Barry County are better because R. J. Grant dwelt so long in their confines.
It is also most fitting to chronicle the life of R. K. Grant, the only child of Robert J. Grant to survive him. R. K. Grant was born in Hastings October 8, 1861, and died in Battle Creek, fol- lowing an operation, February 13, 1912, having been a resident of Hastings all his life. He was educated in the Hastings schools and also attended business college. On October 25, 1886, lie was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Baitinger of Woodland. To them were born two daughters, Miss Mary, who lives in the family home in Hastings, and Miss Grace, who is Mrs. Lawrence Col- grove, of Pontiac. Mrs. Colgrove has one son, Philip Grant Colgrove.
Mrs. Grant died in Rochester, Minn., where she had gone to be operated upon, in 1907. On October 26, 1909, Mr. Grant married Mrs. Anna Curtis of this city, who survives him.
Mr. Grant was of a retiring nature. He had many friends and his many deeds of charity were never known uniess those who were benefitted by them told of his aid. He was for many
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years engaged in the clothing business which he sold to G. F. Chidester. He afterwards conducted the elevator business which was established by his father and which he sold to Edmonds Bros. Later he became associated with Guy E. Crook in the importation and sale of foreign products.
Though engaged in business, he found time to serve his city as Mayor, member of the City Council and Board of Education. He was a member of the Hastings Pythian lodge and of the three Masonic bodies of Hastings. He, like his father, was a member of the official board of the M. E. church, of Hastings, and he was also a director of the Riverside Cemetery Association. Kirk Grant was one of the most substantial citizens of Hastings and his memory will always be cherished by his friends.
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