History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 101

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 821

USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 101
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 101

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Horace Bonfoey, who came with the Warners in the spring of 1835, was from Otsego Co., N. Y., and made a settlement in Almena, upon section 29, where he lived until his death, Jan. 11, 1873. At the time of his loca- tion he, the Warners, Jonas Barber, and Derosier were the only white inhabitants of Almena. Of Mr. Bonfoey's children, those now living in Almena are Russell W. Bon- foey and Cyrena Hall.

In the fall of 1834, William Ranney, and John, liis son, Campbell Waldo, Frederick Krull, Alvin Hall, Russell Palmer, and Freeman Hall came to Almena in company on a land-hunting expedition. Ranney bought land on sec- tions 14, 23, 25, and 26; Palmer and Krull on section 24; Freeman Hall on section 26; and Alvin Hall on the same section, adjoining Freeman's place. Of the seven, how- ever, John Ranney and Freeman Hall were the only ones who became actual settlers. Returning East with the rest of the company after the lands were located, John Ranney came West again alone in 1835, and made a settlement on section 25, upon land his father had located. Ranney was a bachelor, and the story goes that when he left his New York home for the West he was engaged to be married to a charming girl, and the understanding was that he was soon to return for the wedding. The girl, however, speed- ily proved false to her vows, and not long after John's de- parture married an idle, brainless fellow. Ranney took the matter so much to heart that he forswore womankind and resolved to die a bachelor. Meanwhile, the girl who had jilted him led a sorry life with her worthless husband, who, fortunately for her, died before many years. She wrote to Ranney informing him of the event, thinking, it might be, that his heart still warmed towards her, and that she might win him back ; but Ranney paid no heed to her communi- cation, and she died not long after in an insane asylum. True to his resolve, Ranney lived a bachelor, and died on his Almena farm in 1863.

Willard Newcomb, who bought of Potter (he who came west with the Warners in 1834) land entered by the latter in Almena, settled in the town in 1835, and put up a blacksmith-shop on section 29. Freeman Hall, who came to Almena in 1834 with the land-looking party of seven, returned hither in 1836, and effected a permanent settle- ment on section 26, which has since been his home. When he settled, there were in the town only the Warners, the Newcombs, the Bonfoeys, John Ranney, and Mears the miller.

Samuel C. Annable, now a resident of Almena, came to the town with his family in November, 1835, and settled upon a farm in sections 23 and 26, previously located by

RESIDENCE OF ALONZO W. STEVENS, ALMENA TP. VAN BUREN CO., MICH.

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TOWNSHIP OF ALMENA.

his father-in-law, William Ranney. He found a temporary home for his family in John Ranney's log cabin, and in the spring of 1836 built a comfortable house on his own place.

Asahel S. Downing, a resident of Cayuga Co., N. Y., migrated to Almena in the spring of 1836, with his family and his father-in-law, Isaac Barnum. They went first to Paw Paw, and stopped six weeks with Edwin Barnum. Downing and the elder Barnum then went into Almena and bought land on sections 29, 32, and 33 of Willard Newcomb and Horace Bonfoey. The mill-site now occu- pied by Brewer's mill was on the property, and there Bar- num intended to erect a grist-mill, but before the under- taking was commenced he was stricken with apoplexy, and died the year following his settlement in the town. Downing assisted Mr. Barnum to put in a crop of wheat, and then moved to a place of his own on section 28, where he put up a frame house in 1837, and in that house-since then enlarged and improved-he still lives. Mr. Downing's residence was the first framed house of any consequence erected in town. Downing opened also a blacksmith-shop on his place, and carried it on for more than twenty years.

Henry, son of Isaac Barnum, lived with his father until the latter's death, and then settled upon section 29, re maining there until his death, in 1856.

Isaac Barnum had come West in 1835, and determining then to be a settler when he should come again the follow- ing year, he resolved to provide a supply of wheat before- hand, and so purchased a quantity of Dr. Brown, of Prairie Ronde. When Mr. Barnum came out in 1836 he sent Mr. Downing over to Brown's to get the wheat, with in- structions also to take it to mill. When Downing reached Brown's he learned that the latter had gone to Virginia on a visit, carrying the key of the barn with him. Downing returned home without the wheat, but on a second trip se- cured it and carried it to Redmond's mill in Prairie Ronde. The miller being unable to grind the grist then, Downing went home empty-handed a second time.

Two days afterwards he went to Redmond's for his flour, and he was told that the people of the neighborhood having voted Redmond's mill-pond a pestilence-breeding nuisance, had torn the dam away, and so there was Bar- num's grist yet unground, and the family at home waiting for the bread which came not. Downing was much dis- couraged, but he loaded up the wheat once more and car- ried it to Comstock's mill, four miles east of Kalamazoo. There he left it, and returning in two days, eventually se- cured his flour, greatly to his joy no doubt, for in the work of securing it he had made four trips to mill, traveled about one hundred and forty miles, and consumed ten days of his time.

Between 1836 and 1840 the settlements were quite nu- merous, and included those of John Campbell, Albert Fos- dick, Bridget Finley and her five sons, Nahum Eager, Chauncey Abbott, Asa Crofoot, Blakelee Burns, Abel Burns, Jacob Plank, T. C. Benton, Samuel Turner, Libby, and others.

Asa Crofoot visited Almena in 1835, and entered 160 acres on sections 25 and 26. He made a small clearing,

and then went to Schoolcraft, where he obtained employ- ment, and from time to time, as he could, he improved his Almena farm. In 1844 he married, and in that year lo- cated permanently in Almena, and still lives on the place he entered in 1835.

Chauncey Abbott, living on section 23, settled there in 1840, after a two years' residence in Oshtemo. Bridget Finley settled on section 12 in 1839, with six children, of whom Michael and James had farms of their own. Mrs. Finley died in 1864, on the place now occupied by her son James. About the time of the advent of the Finleys, Harvey Fosdick and John Campbell settled in that neigh- borhood. Amasa Tenney, now on section 28, came to Michigan in 1838, and to Almena in 1840, where he bought a farm of Asahel S. Downing. John Maxfield and wife, parents of Mr. Tenney's wife, came out at the same time, but did not like the country and went back to New York.

Samuel B. Fisk, a mill-wright and house-carpenter, lo- cated in Lawrence in 1844, and in the fall of that year settled in Almena, which has since been his home. Samuel Mills bought land on section 34 in 1843, and lived there until his death, in 1860. His son, E. P., now resides on the farm. Allen McPherson settled on section 36 in 1845, and in 1846 Samuel Hayden on section 34, Jacob Erken- back on section 36, and W. F. French on section 23.

Alva T. Stevens was a settler in Almena in 1837. He lived afterwards in Kalamazoo, but finally returned to Ant- werp, where he located permanently on land he entered (in Almena and Antwerp) in 1837, and where he died in 1865. His son, A. W., resides now in Almena.

L. A. Brown, now a resident of Almena, came hither with his uncle, Julius Wilson, in 1856. Foster Johnson and N. W. Waite, although settlers in Michigan in 1837, did not come to Almena until 1861. O. H. P. Sheldon, who settled in Antwerp in 1846, did not become a resident of Almena until 1871.

The pioneers of Almena were not called upon to endure the average hardships experienced by settlers in many parts of Van Buren County, for to those in the south especially Paw Paw was close at hand, with its conveniences of civili- zation, while the country itself, composed of fine oak open- ings, was easily penetrated, and had accessible roadways everywhere. The year 1838 was the sickly year, and many people died of fever and ague. So prevalent was the dis- ease that there were at one time but three well persons in the entire town,-Mrs. Isaac Barnum, Horace Bonfoey, and a colored farm-hand named Henderson. These three looked after the sick ones, and certainly had their hands full.

Exciting adventures with wolves were not infrequent among the settlers. Mr. F. C. Annable relates how he was coming home one night from an Indian camp, with two venison hams strung across his shoulder, and how the wolves chased him. He ran for life, and made up his mind to sacrifice the hams to his hungry pursuers ; but for- tune favored him, so that he reached home in safety, hams and all. " But bless you," says he, "I was the worst scared young man you ever heard of." The "big swamp" was a dreaded place, and nearly every pioneer of Almena was lost in its mazes at one time or another, until they began to find out that to follow the streams up would be

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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

sure to lead to an opening. After that the danger of being lost in the swamp frightened no one.

On the north side of the swamp the first settlement was made by Nathan Williams and his son-in-law, John Con- don, who came to Almena in the summer of 1836, and made a clearing on section 12. In the following year they crossed the swamp, and making a location on section 4, lived there until 1865, when they, with their families, moved to Iowa. Condon was equally noted as a farmer, fiddler, hunter, and trapper. He owned an exceedingly well-trained wolf-dog, and the State, county, and town bounty aggregating $30 on each wolf-scalp, Condon gathered first and last a bountiful harvest of dollars from that source.

Next in order of settlement in the region north of the swamp came Jacob Currier and David Showerman. The latter had been at work in Gremps' saw-mill at Paw Paw two years, when, in 1838, he settled on section 7, in Almena, on the Allegan road, and there, after a while, opened a tav- ern. He died in Almena in 1863.

Currier, who had been engaged in milling, with Morrill and others, in the southern portion of the town, made a settlement on section 7, and being by trade a machinist, set up a small shop on his place, which fronted the Allegan road. He died there in 1844. His widow married Wil- liam Markillie, who came to Waverly in 1843, and to Al- mena in 1845, since when he has occupied the old Currier farm. William H. Stephens, now living on section 4, was a bachelor when he made a settlement there, about 1840, and he has lived there ever since.

James Ketchum, who lives on section 9, says that when he came there, in 1843, with his father Elihu, the settlers on the south side of the swamp included Newton Canady, Nathan and Joseph Williams, John Condon, Henry Van Tassell, Jerome Thrasher, Daniel Frary, and William H. Stevens.

Henry Campbell, a New Yorker, came to Almena in 1838, and worked at the company's saw-mill until 1839, when he married a daughter of Willard Newcomb and made a settlement in Waverly. Leaving there in 1844, he located in Almena, upon section 8, where he died in 1872, leaving a widow who still survives him.

Thomas Clark, from New York, lived in Almena a year before locating, in 1847, upon a farm in section 18, where Alvin Crowell had preceded him as a settler. Mr. Clark still lives on the place, and his sons, James, Robert, and William, are living in the town. Silas Breed, the founder of Breedsville, in 1835, moved from there to Antwerp, and afterwards, in 1851, to section 7, in Almena, having bought the place of John Crowell, a previous settler thereon. Mr. Breed died in 1878. His widow and her son Silas now occupy the farm.

J. W. Stoughton, who came to Michigan with his father in 1824, became himself a settler in Oakland County in 1844, and in 1856 removing to a place in Almena pre- viously occupied by Josiah Hopkins, has lived there to the present day.

The first birth among the settlers in the township was that of a child of Elder Warner. The same child was also

the first to die in the new settlement,-the year of its birth and death being 1836. Isaac Barnum, whose death oc- curred in 1837, was probably the first adult person who died in Almena. Interments were made upon the Warner place until 1840, when the Almena cemetery was laid out. At that time seven bodies were transferred from other places and interred in the public burial-ground. The sec- ond child born was a son to Jacob Currier, Dec. 9, 1838. His name is George S. Currier, and from his birth to the present day he has been a resident of Almena. The first marriage was that of Alonzo Cobb, a school-teacher, to a daughter of Willard Newcomb,-Charles M. Morrill, jus- tice of the peace, performing the ceremony.

The jury list of the township in 1842 was as follows : Jacob S. Currier, Roswell Cook, Jacob H. Van Antwerp, Amasa Tenney, Willard Newcomb, Benjamin Eager, C. H. Abbott, Nathan Eager, David Showerman, J. H. Rock- well.

The voters in the town in 1843 numbered 18; in 1844 they were 34; in 1845 there was an increase of 54; in 1857 to 137 ; in 1861 to 144; and in 1874 to 224.

EARLY MILLS AND MILL-OWNERS.

As already chronicled, Jonas Barber built a saw-mill on section 28 in 1835, and after operating it a short time, dis- posed of it to Maj. Edwin Mears, of Paw Paw. In 1836 he sold it to a company composed of Charles M. Morrill, Nathaniel Livermore, Jacob Currier, and Thomas Brown, who came there from Lowell, Mass., in the year named. They pursued the business on a large scale, and did also something in the way of farming upon adjacent land. The company gave up the business after carrying it on a few years, Livermore removing to Paw Paw in 1847, and then re- turning to Massachusetts. Jacob Currier bought a farm on section 7, and lived there until his death, in 1844. Morrill farmed afterwards on the Territorial road in Ant- werp; he engaged later in milling in Pine Grove, and re- moved ultimately to Lawton, where he now lives. Thomas Brown went back to Massachusetts after closing out his interest in the Almena mill. The mill property passed to the possession of Daniel O. Dodge, and was best known as the Dodge mill. Walter Wise endeavored at a later date to utilize the power in the manufacture of heavy paper, but the scheme proved unsuccessful. The only saw-mill in the town now is the one on section 28, known as Brewer's mill.

Prior to 1838 the nearest grist-mill was at Kalamazoo, but in that year Gremps & Willard's mill at Paw Paw furnished more accessible facilities. The first grist-mill erected in Almena was put up in 1859 by S. W. Fisk. That mill-site was originally owned by Jonas Barber, who contemplated the erection there of a grist-mill, but recon- sidering his determination sold the property to Stout & Co., of Kalamazoo, from whom Horace Bonfoey purchased it, and put up on it a saw-mill and carding-machine.

MAIL SERVICE.

The southern portion of the town was for years supplied with mail facilities only at Paw Paw, until the creation in 1856 of an office called Brewerville, at Brewer's mill, where

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TOWNSHIP OF ALMENA.

Brewer also opened a store. Lawrence Brewer was ap- pointed the first postmaster, and when the office was re- moved to the neighborhood of Fisk's grist-mill, and the name changed to Almena, Samuel B. Fisk was appointed. His successors in the office to the present time have been Simeon Brown, Ira Johnson, William R. Cotter, Russell W. Bonfoey, and Hubbard H. Hill.

Waverly post-office, now in Almena north of the swamp, was originally established in Waverly township. Dr. Bab- bitt, who was instrumental in having the office established, was the first postmaster. Orlando H. Newcomb was Bab- bitt's successor, and upon Newcomb's death, the present incumbent, Hiram Goble, was appointed. In 1874 the office was removed from Waverly to Almena township.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST.

One of the seven towns created in 1837, when Van Buren was divided, was the town of Clinch, which embraced what are now the townships of Waverly, Almena, Bloom- ingdale, and Pine Grove. There was considerable discus- sion in reference to the name to be given the original town, and without coming to any agreement the inhabitants sent their petition to the Legislature with the various pro- posed names attached, and suggested that a choice might be made from the list. When they learned how the town was named the impression was that the name of Clinch had been given as an intimation to the citizens that instead of differing so widely in the matter of christening they ought to have been more harmoniously clinched. It proved, how- ever, that I. W. Clary, member of the Legislature, had chosen the name in honor of Judge Clinch, of Georgia, whom he greatly admired. When, in 1842, the town of Clinch was divided, F. C. Annable, then in the Legislature, presented the petition for a division, and named both new towns,-the western half Waverly and the eastern half Almena. At that time Indian names were in favor for new towns, and Mr. Annable, recollecting something about an Indian princess known as Almena, bestowed that name upon his own town. In 1848 the northern half of Almena was set off and organized as a township with the name of Pine Grove.

Appended will be found a full list of those who have been elected since 1842 to the offices of supervisor, clerk, treas- urer, and justice of the peace.

1842 .- Supervisor, Charles M. Morrill ; Clerk, Junia Warner; Treas- urer, H. Barnum ; Justice of the Peace, J. S. Currier.

1843 .- Supervisor, Samuel Turner ; Clerk, G. H. Brown; Treasurer, Junia Warner; Justice of the Peace, A. Tenney.

1844 .- Supervisor, J. A. Ranney ; Clerk, G. H. Brown ; Treasurer, F. C. Annable ; Justice of the Peace, A. S. Downing. 1845 .- Supervisor, J. A. Ranney ; Clerk, G. H. Brown; Treasurer, F. C. Annable ; Justice of the Peace, Samuel Mills. 1846 .- Supervisor, G. H. Brown; Clerk, Samuel Turner; Treasurer, J. B. Hudson; Justice of the Peace, D. Showerman. 1847 .- Supervisor, Henry Barnum ; Clerk, G. H. Brown ; Treasurer, J. B. Hudson ; Justice of the Peace, Samuel Turner. 1848 .- Supervisor, Henry Barnum ; Clerk, O. J. Heusted ; Treasurer, Freeman Hall; Justice of the Peace, J. A. Chase. 1849 .- Supervisor, J. B. Hudson ; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, Freeman Hall; Justice of the Peace, Samuel Mills. 1850 .- Supervisor, F. C. Annable; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, Elam Warner; Justice of the Peace, David Showerman.

1851 .- Supervisor, F. C. Annable ; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, F. Hall; Justice of the Peace, Amasa Tenney.

1852 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, F. Hall; Justice of the Peace, A. S. Downing.

1853 .- Supervisor, J. A. Ranney; Clerk, J. G. Brown; Treasurer, Asa Hoyt; Justice of the Peace, B. F. Stevens.

1854 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, Asa Hoyt; Justice of the Peace, Josiah Hopkins.

1855 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, Asa Hoyt ; Justice of the Peace, A. S. Downing.

1856 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, Asa Hoyt; Justice of the Peace, N. H. Soule.

1857 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, Abner Soule; Treasurer, Asa Hoyt; Justice of the Peace, D. Showerman.

1858 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, Asa Hoyt; Treasurer, Chaun- cey Palmer ; Justice of the Peace, Samuel Mills.

1859 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed; Clerk, Asa Hoyt; Treasurer, Chaun- cey Palmer; Justice of the Peace, Chauncey Abbott.

1860 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed; Clerk, E. L. Warner ; Treasurer, Chauncey Palmer ; Justice of the Peace, Asa Crofoot.

1861 .-- Supervisor, C. B. Palmer ; Clerk, E. L. Warner; Treasurer, A. Bonfoey ; Justice of the Peace, A. Herron.

1862 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, E. L. Warner; Treasurer, C. B. Palmer ; Justice of the Peace, Jesse Wilson.

1863 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, E. L. Warner ; Treasurer, C. B. Palmer; Justice of the Peace, C. H. Abbott.

1864 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, E. L. Warner; Treasurer, C. B. Palmer ; Justice of the Peace, James Stoughton.

1865 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, R. W. Bonfoey ; Justice of the Peace, Charles Dean.

1866 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, E. D. Whitney ; Treasurer, Jesse Wilson ; Justice of the Peace, Allen Watson.

1867 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, E. D. Whitney ; Treasurer, Jesse Wilson ; Justice of the Peace, C. H. Abbott.

1868 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, E. D. Whitney ; Treasurer, Jesse Wilson ; Justice of the Peace, George W. Myers.

1869 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, E. D. Whitney ; Treasurer, Jesse Wilson ; Justice of the Peace, C. B. Palmer.

1870 .- Supervisor, Silas Breed ; Clerk, I. H. Johnson; Treasurer, Jesse Wilson ; Justice of the Peace, Asa Crofoot. 1871 .- Supervisor, S. W. Fisk ; Clerk, W. F. French ; Treasurer, L. A. Brown ; Justice of the Peace, C. H. Abbott.

1872 .-- Supervisor, S. W. Fisk ; Clerk, W. F. French : Treasurer, L. A. Brown ; Justice of the Peace, C. W. Brown. 1873 .- Supervisor, W. F. French ; Clerk, A. D. Stocking ; Treasurer, L. A. Brown; Justice of the Peace, W. H. Stevens.

1874 .- Supervisor, W. F. French ; Clerk, A. D. Stocking ; Treasurer, L. A. Brown ; Justice of the Peace, A. H. Lockwood.

1875 .- Supervisor, W. F. French; Clerk, A. D. Stocking ; Treasurer, P. N. Teed; Justice of the Peace, C. Goodwin.

1876 .- Supervisor, J. H. Darling ; Clerk, A. D. Stocking; Treasurer, P. N. Teed ; Justice of the Peace, C. H. Abbott.

1877 .- Supervisor, J. H. Darling ; Clerk, C. B. Palmer; Treasurer, P. N. Teed ; Justice of the Peace, J. D. Abbott. 1878 .- Supervisor, W. H. Stevens; Clerk, Frank Cure; Treasurer, Samuel Hayden ; Justice of the Peace, N. Lillibridge.

1879 .- Supervisor, C. B. Palmer ; Clerk, S. A. Breed; Treasurer, P. N. Teed ; Justice of the Peace, C. Goodwin.

CHURCHES IN ALMENA.

In the southern portion of the town Elder Warner used to preach the Methodist doctrine to the pioneers, and north of the swamp the settlers enjoyed the benefits of religion through Baptist and Methodist societies organized in Wa- verly shortly after 1840.

The Free- Will Baptist Church of Waverly, although organized in the latter town and still retaining the old name, has its church edifice in Almena, a short distance across the line, on Covey Hill. The organization was ef- fected in 1843, at the house of Isaac Brown, in Waverly, with 13 members, whose names were Harviland Thayer and wife, Jonah Austin and wife, Isaac Brown and wife, Jephtha Waterman, Lucy Herron, Lucinda Aldrich, Peter Haines

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HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN. .

and wife, Polly Marble, and Elizabeth Brown. Rev. Peter Haines, who organized the church, lived in Cooper, Kala- mazoo Co., and for a year or more came over to preach in Waverly once a month. Services were held in private houses until 1844, when the Bell school-house being built, that was occupied as a house of worship. Until 1866, various school-houses in Waverly and Almena were used, but in that year the present church edifice in Almena was erected. The first deacons were Harviland Thayer and Isaac Brown. The pastor to succeed Mr. Haines was Rev. W. H. H. Myers, of Bloomingdale, who filled the pastorate about twelve years. After him came Elders Darling, Stan- ford, Whittaker, Keyser, Prescott, and Mrs. Annie Barton, -the latter now occupying the pulpit. The church mem- bership is about 75, and that of the Sabbath-school (of which Silas A. Breed is superintendent) is 100. The dea- cons of the church are C. M. Brown and David Loveland.

The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Almena was organized in 1853, and attached to the Oshtemo circuit, with Mattawan, Genesee Prairie, and the " Hurd" district. The members of the first class were five in number,-Philip Teed and wife, James North and wife, and Ann Smith. Philip Teed, who was chosen class-leader at the outset, has served in that capacity uninterruptedly until the present time. Among the early pastors were Revs. Wilson, Wil- liams (under whose ministry many members were added to the church), Watson, Beach, Hendrickson, Haviland, and Hoag.

The Almena school-house was used as a place of worship until 1869, when the church now in use was occupied. It was dedicated in December of that year, the dedication sermon being preached by Dr. Joslyn, of Grand Rapids. The church is now in the Mattawan circuit, and has a membership of 14. The pastor is Rev. S. C. Woodman, and the trustees P. N. Teed, Hubbard Hill, and Abel Burns.

The Free- Will Baptist Church of Almena was organized in May, 1877, at the Methodist Episcopal church, with a membership of 40. The deacons then appointed were G. W. Failing and Martin Erkenbeck, who still serve. Elder Darling, who organized the church, was the first pastor. Elder Roberts preaches now once in two weeks in a public hall at Almena Mills. The church has now a membership of 30, and the Sunday-school an attendance of 50.

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History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 101

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co. Number of Pages: 821

Author: D.W. Ensign & Co. pub; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, D. W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 821