USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 116
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 116
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Charter Oak Lodge, I. O. of O. F., No. 231 .- This lodge was instituted May 7, 1874. The charter members were R. W. Stickney, Morris Jacobson, Luther Sutton, Oscar Stickney, and Geo. Harley. The lodge has a present membership of 48. The present officers are John Righter, Noble Grand ; A. P. Shaw, Vice-Grand ; H. E. Rich., Sec. ; Allen Olds, Treas. Meetings are held in Odd-Fellows' Hall.
Hartford Encampment, I. O. of O. F., No. 73 .- This encampment was organized Feb. 11, 1876, with the follow- ing charter members : James E. Durden, Charles G. George, Morris Jacobson, James H. Van Vrankin, Isaac S. Rose- velt, A. G. Eastman, O. W. Oviatt, and H. E. Holland. The present number of members is 30, with the following officers : Charles Hilliard, Chief Patriarch ; H. Braught, Senior Warden ; H. Spaulding, Junior Warden; C. Mor- timer, Scribe ; J. Jones, Treas.
Hartford Rebekah Degree Lodge, No. 24 .- The lodge was instituted Feb. 22, 1879. The charter members were Henry Spaulding, Charles Mortimer, Geo. F. Collett, R. W. Stickney, John W. Hubbard, Luther Sutton, Chas. Hilliard, Mrs. Helen Spaulding, Elizabeth Mortimer, Addie Collett, Hortense Stickney, Annie M. Hubbard, Priscilla Sutton, and Mary Hilliard. The number of members at present is 45. The officers are Mrs. Geo. F. Collett, Noble Grand ; Mrs. R. W. Stickney, Vice-Grand; Mrs. John W. Hubbard, Sec. ; Mrs. A. P. Shaw, Treas.
Hartford Lodge, No. 862, I. O. of G. T .- This society of Good Templars was organized May 13, 1875, with 20 con- stituent members, and J. E. Sweet as Worthy Chief Tem- plar ; Mrs. P. A. Travis, Worthy Vice-Templar; Rev. A. G. Parish, Sec. The present membership is 20, and the officers at present are Luther Sutton, Worthy Chief Tem- plar ; Miss Clara Thompson, Worthy Vice-Templar; Mrs. Alice Russell, Sec.
Charter Oak Lodge, No. 28, Knights of Pythias .- This lodge worked under a dispensation, granted Oct. 27, 1875, until Jan. 25, 1875, when a charter was obtained. The charter members are as follows : Milton L. Palmer, James H. Curtiss, Wm. H. Lefler, Hugh W. Taplin, Aaron Wal- dorff, Albert Hale, Richard Hale, Hiram P. Simmons, Cortez Hawkes, Benj. F. Sweet, and William Cook. The lodge at present numbers 20 members. David C. Ray, Chancellor Commander ; Ansel E. Reynolds, Vice-Com- mander ; John Rassett, Prelate; M. F. Palmer, Keeper of Records and Seals.
Hartford Grange, No. 89, P. of H .- This order worked under a dispensation, granted Oct. 7, 1873, and a charter
was granted March 21, 1874. The present officers are J. D. Robinson, Master ; Miss Ida Irey, Sec .; Geo. W. Shep- herd, Treas. Membership of 50.
SCHOOLS.
In 1837 the first school in the township of Hartford was taught by Mrs. Martha Conklin, wife of Thomas Conklin, in their house, while this territory was yet in the township of Lawrence. The next year Abigail Mellen taught in a log house, near where William Thomas now resides, and the same summer one was taught in a cabin opposite Mrs. Robert Olds.
The first school-house was built in the spring of 1842, and the first teacher therein was Olive Pool, with only five scholars. She received $1.25 per week. District No. 5- in the village-was organized in July, 1854, and Antoinette Stoughton taught in the house of Harvey Tamblin. The first school-house in the village was built, about eighty rods from the Rassett House, in the spring of 1856. In the fall of 1871 the district was changed to a graded school, and the brick building was erected in the summer of 1873, at a cost of $6000, including fixtures, and opened for services Oct. 31, 1873, with 140 pupils and A. L. Fox, principal. The principals since that time have been Horace B. Clapp, J. F. Smith, and J. M. Lamb, the present incumbent.
The following statistics are taken from the school report for 1879 :
District.
Number of School- Children.
Houses.
Seating Capacity.
Value.
Teachers.
Wages.
No. 1.
15
1*
40
$600
2
$90.00
No. 2.
34
1*
80
800
2
28.00
No. 3 ...
50
1%
60
700
2
113.60
No. 4 ..
42
1#
42
600
2
112.00
No. 5 ..
60
1#
60
1,000
2
71.10
No. 6 ...
54
1*
60
600
2
36.00
No. 7.
266
1+
244
6,000
4
913.00
No. 8.
56
1#
60
200
2
36.00
No. 9.
53
1*
50
800
2
16.00
No. 10.
46
14
60
800
2
48.00
No. 11.
74
1#
40
50
2
Totals.
750
11
769
$12,150
24
$1463.70
RECEIPTS.
District.
Moneys on hand Sept. 1,1878.
Two-Mill Tax.
Primary- School Fund.
District Tax.
Total.
No. 1
$32.50
$26.00
$10.82
$100.00
$172.90
No. 2
17.80
60.00
15.64
40.00
139.28
No. 3
20.53
80.58
28.47
40.17
178.90
No. 4
27.95
45.80
31.47
100.00
220.71
No. 5
12.25
89.20
28.47
151.00
290.07
No.
6
67.27
116.55
27.52
220.19
No. 7
9.45
326.30
134.55
1345.85
1930.71
No. 8
41.15
78.70
27.38
100.00
256.35
No. 9
90.19
73.50
21.82
59.50
252.95
No. 11.
26.50
40.12
41.40
65.00
221.38
Totals
$415.74
$936.75
$367.58 $2001.52
$3953.63
EXPENDITURES.
District.
Amount Paid Teachers.
Total Expenditures, in- cluding Cash on hand.
No. 1
$90.00
$172.90
No. 2.
98.00
139.28
No. 3 ..
113.60
178.90
No. 4.
112.00
220.71
No. 5
191.10
290.07
No. 6
166.00
220.19
No. 7.
1663.00
1930.71
No. 8
186.00
256.35
No. 9
76.00
90.19
No. 10.
138.00
252.95
No. 11.
160.00
221.38
Totals
$2993.70
$3953.63
* Frame.
t Brick.
90.19
No. 10
70.11
Number of Amount of
462
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
The school directors for 1879 were Elias Whipple, Jerry Wilcox, Solon Root, J. S. Dowd, George W. Shepherd, J. D. Robinson, Charles Mortimer, A. J. Traver, J. M. Potes, Dennis Healey.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Methodist Episcopal Church .- About the year 1859 a class was formed in the village of Hartford, in the old school-house, of which John and Maggie Van Ostrom, Charles and Sarah Doty, and Fanny Goodenough were the constituent members. Charles Doty was the first class- leader. The first pastors were the Revs. J. Hoyt and C. C. Kellogg. For several years the charge was supplied by two ministers alternate. These were followed by Soule and Colwell, H. H. Joy and T. T. George, Hoag, G. A. Buell, John W. Miller, F. I. Beard, Fowler, John Webster, J. P. Force, E. A. Tanner, I. G. Parrish, C. Woodward, N. M. Steele, F. I. Bell, and E. V. Boynton, the present pastor. The church numbers at present about 80 members.
About 1869 the church organized a Sunday-school, with C. H. Engle superintendent, who still holds the position. It has an average attendance of 100. A church edifice was commenced in the summer of 1866, and finished in the summer of 1867, at a cost of about $5000. The society at that time was in charge of the Rev. John W. Miller. The dedication sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Reed, of New York.
First Baptist Church .- In 1858, Horace Dow and family and others were dismissed from the church of Law- rence, for the purpose of organizing a church in Hartford. Letters missive were sent out to the churches at Law- rence, Paw Paw, Dowagiac, Niles, and Watervliet. Dele- gates were present from all the churches except Niles. The Rev. S. H. D. Vaughan, of Dowagiac, was chosen moder- ator, and the Rev. A. Handy, clerk. The meeting was held in the school-house in Hartford village, in November, 1858. After examination as to doctrine, etc., it was unanimously voted that the First Baptist Church of Hartford be recog- nized and received with the following constituent members: Horace Dowd, Mary Dowd, Sylvanus Reynolds, Emma Rey- nolds, James Wolcott, Maria Wolcott, Alvah McNitt, Sylvia McNitt, Jane Disbrow, Elvira Hunt, Clarissa Craw, A. H. Brown, Mary L. Brown, Chapin W. Reynolds, Ann Jane Cassellman. Horace Dowd and S. Reynolds were chosen deacons, and J. S. Dowd church clerk. The sermon was preached by the Rev. S. H. D. Vaughan, and the right hand of fellowship was given by the Rev. A. Handy, of Paw Paw.
The Rev. E. S. Dunham preached before the organization, and the Rev. H. Munger was sent as a missionary upon the establishment of the church. He was succeeded by Albert Gore, William Simons, William Gates, E. A. McGregor, R. S. Dean, M. Meacham, J. F. Ross, J. G. Portman, Sherman Hendricks, and S. A. Cole, the present pastor. The church edifice of the Universalists was purchased in 1873, and repaired in 1879. The church membership is 42.
About 1854 the Rev. Mr. Rowe, of Lawrence, gathered together the Christian people of this place and formed a society known as Congregational. The Rev. Mr. Stevenson,
.
also of Lawrence, ministered to them a year or two. No permanent society was organized.
About 1860 a number of the inhabitants of the village of Hartford gathered together for the purpose of forming a Universalist society. Subscriptions were made for a church, and during the next year a church was built, at a cost of $3400. It was dedicated June 23, 1861. The Rev. Mr. Countryman preached the sermon, and remained here during that summer. The church was built almost entirely by the energy and means of Thomas Conklin. A Sunday- school was organized with about 100 pupils, and was sus- tained for some considerable time. The church was finally sold to the Baptist society in the summer of 1873, and the society was abandoned.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
HON. FABIUS MILES.
Jonathan Eastman Miles, the father of the above, was born June 2, 1782, in Hampden Co., Mass .; was one of a family of six sons and one daughter. Mr. Miles followed the occupation of a farmer his life long ; was very successful as such, and a man of great ability. When about four years of age his parents removed with him to the State of New Hampshire; located at a point nearly opposite St. Johns- bury, Vt. At the age of sixteen he passed one year in Connecticut, and in 1799 went to Whitesborough, N. Y., and attended a school taught by one Dr. Stedman, under whom he completed his education. In 1800, with a sack of apple-seeds upon his back, he journeyed on foot to Water- town, N. Y., a distance of eighty-five miles. At that time but three families resided in what is now the township of Watertown, and but one, Hart Massey, on the site of the city. Johnson Howk, who lived about three miles from Massey's, allowed Mr. Miles to sow his apple-seeds on his place ; and from this nursery sprang, and were transplanted, many of the best orchards in that region. He remained in Watertown until 1807, and there became acquainted with Miss Mary Sheldon, whom he afterwards married. She had come from Connecticut, about 1804, with her parents. In the fall of 1807 he took a prospecting trip through many of the Southern States, purchasing a pony in Alabama, which he brought to Watertown on his return, in the fall of 1808. The same season he was married to Miss Shel- don, who died in 1809, after giving birth to a daughter, Caroline May Miles, who is now living in Crete, Neb. After his marriage Mr. Miles settled upon the farm he continued to occupy until his death, which occurred in February, 1860. In 1810 he was married to Miss Lu- cinda Sheldon, a younger sister of his first wife, she having been born in 1791. By her he had seven sons and five daughters, all of whom reached maturity except one son, who died in infancy, and eight of the number are now living. One son, Pliny Miles, was for some time associated with his brother Fabius in the book business, in Water- town, afterwards becoming a noted newspaper correspond- ent, and wrote able articles upon various reforms in the gov-
PHOTOS, GY CHAS. G.AGROL.
Bethich Miles
Jakus Miles
RESIDENCE OF FABIUS MILES, HARTFORD TP., VAN BUREN CO., MICH.
463
TOWNSHIP OF HARTFORD.
ernment service, especially Postal Department; held situa- tions with the New York Tribune, Hartford Courant, Bos- ton Post, and the New York Herald. For three and a half years he was a very successful lecturer on certain scientific subjects in Great Britain, finally locating in London as cor- respondent from that city for the New York Herald. While on his way to witness and report the opening of the Suez Canal, in 1865, died on the island of Malta, in the Mediterranean. A sister of the above, Mrs. Eloise M. Abbott, well known in Van Buren County as a newspaper correspondent, in which business she has for many years been engaged, is now residing with her only child, a daugh- ter, at San José, Cal. Emily, another sister, was a successful teacher in a female seminary at Watertown, of which a sister of Gen. Joseph Hooker was principal.
Fabius Miles was born in the township of Watertown, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Dec. 31, 1814. He received a good common-school education in the district where he lived, and in 1831-32 attended school in Buffalo; returning to Watertown in 1832, he continued his studies in the Water- town Academy, and for several years taught school during the winter months, and continued the prosecution of his studies, including that of the French language, which he studied under the instruction of a French professor, who was a lieutenant under Napoleon in his campaigns in Spain.
In 1838, Mr. Miles established the Watertown Normal School, which he continued with good success until 1844. Among the pupils was Dr. Bartholomew, of Keeler. Among the numerous patrons of his school was Madame De Lafola, the former wife of Count Joseph Bonaparte, an American- born lady, who, after her removal to Paris, became the wife of a wealthy Paris silk merchant, named De Lafola, subse quently returning to America. She was an accomplished French scholar.
May 1, 1844, Mr. Miles left Watertown, and came to Michigan to visit his brother-in-law and cousin, Chas. P. Sheldon, then living on the north side of Paw Paw River, on section 2, Hartford township. Mr. Miles then had no idea of locating here, but journeyed to Chicago, thence to Beloit, Wis., back to Elgin, down the Fox, Illinois, and Mississippi Rivers to Island Number Ten, finally returning to Michigan, locating where he now lives, on the north bank of Paw Paw River, Hartford township. In the fall of that year (1844) he commenced to build a saw-mill. He had brought with him to Michigan the sum of twelve hundred dollars, his net earnings as a teacher in Watertown, and had about one thousand dollars left when he began his mill. The best mill-wright in that section agreed that a mill on the plan he wished to follow would cost about three thousand dollars; but he expended his own capital and two thousand dollars borrowed, and his mill was not then nearly completed. Finding it impossible to obtain further credit, he took his valise on his back and started afoot towards his native town. He walked to Battle Creek, fifty-five miles, and there met a friend who loaned him seven dollars. This, in addition to the solitary English sovereign he had, made him feel more light-hearted, and he took the cars to Detroit, and a boat from there to Buffalo, where he arrived with twenty-five cents left. He boarded a packet-boat on the canal at Buffalo, and, fortunately, found friends who aided
him to get to Watertown. He succeeded in raising five hundred dollars, and in the latter part of July, less than a month after he left Michigan, he started back, and arrived in due time at his mill, on which he resumed work. With money sufficient to pay his men, it was again easy to obtain credit, and his mill was finally completed, and commenced operations in April, 1847. The irons for the mill were procured at Mishawaka, Ind., forty miles away. In 1859 he took a cargo of lumber to New York City via St. Joseph, the lakes, the Erie Canal, and the Hudson. He continued in the lumbering business, exclusively, until 1860. His first purchase of land was nine acres, including his mill- site ; to that he has added at different times until he now has six hundred acres, of which nearly two hundred are improved.
On Christmas-eve, in Watertown, 1839, Mr. Miles mar- ried Miss Bethiah Mantle, a native of that place, born in July, 1817. She was of New England parentage, her mother being a daughter of Capt. Tilly Richardson, of Mas- sachusetts, a Revolutionary soldier, who settled at Water- town in 1804. He had a large and respectable family, his children being mostly daughters, nearly all married, and con- tinued to live near that place until their death.
In September, 1844, Mrs. Miles came alone to Michigan, and joined her husband, occupying, for a time, the house of Chas. P. Sheldon, with him and his family. There, on the 16th of October, 1844, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Miles, and named Rebecca Jane. She became the wife of Edward S. Jelley, and the mother of three children, and died in February, 1875. Her only living child, Isabel B., is now living with Mr. Miles. When their child was about three weeks old Mr. and Mrs. Miles moved into a log cabin, which had been erected on their own place. It was a characteristic structure of true back woods style, with no floor, and a roof made of basswood troughs. While Mr. Miles was absent on his several trips, in 1845, his wife re- mained at home without fear of molestation, often for days and weeks together. On one occasion when her health was delicate he carried her on his back to the house of a neigh- bor, who had recently located, and lived about eighty rods distant, leaving her there during his absence. The trials and experiences of those days are yet fresh in the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Miles, and bind them more closely together. They had lost an infant son before leaving Watertown, and after the birth of the daughter mentioned became the parents of the following children : Florine, born in November, 1846, died in April, 1847 ; Silas Wright, born Sept. 1, 1848, now an invalid from consumption, sojourning at Colorado Springs, educated at Hillsdale College, and was always an active, in- dustrious young man, possessing noble qualities ; Pitt, born Aug. 2, 1850, was possessed of fine business ability, but died in December, 1873; Florine L., born Oct. 3, 1853, now living with her parents; Lydia May, born in May, 1859, married to Marsh Worthington, and now living at South Haven, Mich.
Politically, Mr. Miles was originally a Democrat, and voted three times for Martin Van Buren for President. He was an adherent to the school of Democrats in which Martin Van Buren and Silas Wright were leaders, and was thoroughly imbued with anti-slavery principles. He was
464
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
an active worker in the Free-Soil movement of 1848, and one of the organizers of the Republican party in Michigan in 1854. He was elected to the lower house of the Mich- igan Legislature in 1858, has been supervisor of Hartford township several times, and was for many years its principal school examiner. In 1872, Mr. Miles voted for Horace Greeley for President, and for Peter Cooper in 1876. Otherwise he has supported the Republican nominees. He has always been active in political affairs, and his voice has often been heard advocating the merits of his party candidates. In 1868 he was a delegate to the State Conven- tion which nominated delegates to the National Convention. To the Greenback movement he now gives his support.
The hand of fortune has not always been held out to him, and he has undergone many trials ; yet the noble heart of the man shows over all, and, with his excellent family to aid him, he, it is hoped, may triumph over all difficulties.
THOMAS CONKLIN.
Mr. Conklin's father, David Conklin, was born in the town of North Salem, Westchester Co., N. Y., and was of English descent. He had a family of seventeen children, of whom Thomas Conklin was the eighth.
Thomas Conklin was born in Rutland, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Jan. 2, 1811, on a farm to which his father had removed from Westchester County, and upon which the young man remained until he was of age, attending the district schools and assisting in the care of the place. From his father he never received any money ; but when he became of age he was the possessor of ten dollars, which he had saved in small sums, from a cent to a shilling. With this amount of money he started for Rochester, paying eight dollars of it for stage fare. With a portion of what he had left he purchased an axe, and went into the country for the winter. For four successive seasons thereafter he hired out at the rate of one hundred dollars for eight months' work. In the early fall of 1836 he emigrated to Michigan, and purchased two hundred and twelve acres of government land in the township of Hartford. The snow soon fell to such a depth that he could not continue his improvements, and he spent the winter in Allegan County. He had been accompanied from Battle Creek to Hartford by his brother, James Conklin, and a cousin named Selleck, they having located previously at Battle Creek. The first night in the woods of Hartford was passed in a shanty made of a few boards and their wagon-box placed against a tree they had cut down. The forest resounded through the night with the howls of wolves. In March, 1837, Mr. Conklin re- turned from Allegan County, and, in company with B. A. Olney and James Spinnings, built a log cabin on his place, and again began improvements. The three lived in the cabin for some time, Messrs. Olney and Spinnings settling in the neighborhood. When the weather moderated Mr. Conklin built a log house, covered it with boards, and lived in it alone for six weeks, cooking his food beside a burning stump. He cut the timber from six acres of his land, planted some corn and potatoes, and about July 1, 1837, started on his return to New York. In August of the
same year he was married, in Jefferson County, to Martha Justina Ely, who was left an orphan when young. She attended the female seminary at Watertown, and became an excellent teacher. She was an estimable lady, and taught for the benefit of the children, although not always receiving her pay. After coming to Hartford she taught the first school in the township. Mr. and Mrs. Conklin came to Michigan soon after their marriage, and moved into the log house on the first day of October, 1837. The building contained no bedstead, and had neither doors nor windows, but was well roofed. A pole bedstead was constructed, of the fashion well known to pioneers, and the ticks were placed upon it. Mrs. Conklin became the mother of two children, one of whom, a daughter, died in infancy ; Luke E., the son, was the first white male child born in the township, his birth occurring Dec. 3, 1838. He is mar- ried, has four children, and is a respected citizen of Hart- ford township. Mrs. Conklin died Dec. 6, 1843, and on her death-bed expressed the wish that her husband should marry Fannie Davison, who had assisted in caring for her during her sickness, and this union was consummated on the 29th of February, 1844. Mrs. Fannie Conklin became the mother of eight children, five of whom died young, and one died when fourteen years old, from the effects of the kick of a horse. Two of them are now living,-Charles Rodolphus, nineteen years of age, and Miland Chester, in his eighteenth year. Mrs. Conklin was a woman of un- usual financial ability, and Mr. Conklin attributes a large measure of his success to her efforts during the twenty- three years they lived together. She was highly respected by all. Her death occurred May 25, 1867. Her father, George Davison, settled early in Keeler township, and was from near Angelica, Allegany Co., N. Y.
In June, 1867, Mr. Conklin was married to Samantha Kennedy (from whom he was divorced), who bore him three children,-T. J. Conklin, Odell Conklin, and Elon Conklin. All are living. May 26, 1879, he entered matrimony a fourth time, leading to the hymeneal altar Mrs. Nellie Poole Jones, divorced wife of Samuel Jones, who was living at Lawrence at the time of her marriage. She is the mother of a daughter, Blanche, by her first husband, and is an estimable lady. She was well and favorably known in former years as one of Van Buren County's most successful teachers.
Mr. Conklin aided in building the Methodist church at Hartford village (although not a member), and paid one thousand dollars towards the Chicago and West Michigan Railway. He built a church in the village and sold it to the Baptist society, and has also erected a brick store building, beside aiding other religious societies. He is a Universalist in belief, and a Douglas Democrat in politics. His nephew, John Conklin, also a native of Jefferson Co., N. Y., who had been for several years a sailor, was chosen as one of the first crew of the original " Monitor" during the war of the Rebellion. Mr. Conklin moved upon his present farm, on section 22, in 1868, and is the owner of five hundred acres of land.
3WOH 010
MRS. A. S. WISE.
A. S. WISE,
RES. OF A. S. WISE, HAMILTON, MICH.
465
TOWNSHIP OF HAMILTON.
HENRY P. PHELPS.
This gentleman is the son of Alexander H. Phelps, who came from Parkman, Ohio, in 1841, and settled, with his family, in the village of Lawrence, Van Buren Co., Mich. He built a saw-mill, and for a few years was engaged in the milling business with his brother, Nelson Phelps, and Har- rison Balfour. He was also, in connection with the mill, engaged in the mercantile business. Both he and his wife were natives of Ohio. Mr. Phelps lived in Lawrence until his death, which occurred March 1, 1878, and his wife is now living in that village. They were the parents of ten children,-six sons and four daughters,-who are all living, except two sons.
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