History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 125

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 125
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 125

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).

The first annual election for village officers was held May 3, 1869, in Chadwick's Hall, on which occasion the aggregate number of votes cast was 139. From the year of the first election to 1879, inclusive, the village presi- dents, trustees, recorders, and treasurers have been chosen as follows :

1869 .- President, Sylvanus Rowe; Recorder, B. M. Williams; Treas- urer, E. S. Cleveland; Trustees, Joseph Trumbull, James B. Johnston, Amos Darling, Francis A. Wakefield, Charles M. Bridges. .

1870 .- President, Sylvanus Rowe; Recorder, J. B. Potter; Treasurer, E. S. Cleveland ; Trustees, James B. Johnston, Amos Dar- ling, Joseph Trumbull, H. M. Marshall, Stephen Ransom.

1871 .- President, James B. Johnston ; Recorder, H. M. Marshall; Treasurer, George Rowe; Trustees, L. J. Dane, Joseph E. Trumbull, Sylvanus Rowe, James M. Fisk, J. B. Hen- dricks.

1872 .- President, John M. Fisk ; Recorder, Edward S. Cleveland ; Treasurer, George A. Cross ; Trustees, Charles Rockwell, H. M. Marshall, Lyman J. Dane, E. H. Phelps, Leonard Watson.

1873 .- President, Sylvanus Rowe; Recorder, E. S. Cleveland ; Treas- urer, George A. Cross ; Trustees, J. M. Fisk, Charles Rock - well, E. H. Phelps, R. Webster, H. M. Marshall.

1874 .- President, Sylvanus Rowe; Recorder, H. M. Marshall ; Treas- urer, J. F. Barrows; Trustees, M. A. Howe, Talcott Shaver, C. S. Sutton, L. J. Dane, R. Webster.

1875 .- President, J. B. Johnston ; Recorder, H. M. Marshall ; Treas- urer, J. F. Barrows ; Trustees, J. F. Barrows, J. M. Fisk, Charles Rockwell, G. A. Cross, R. Webster.

1876 .- President, A. S. Haskin ; Recorder, Theo. L. Reynolds; Treasurer, John F. Barrows; Trustees, A. H. Draper, T. O. Sweet, E. H. Phelps, J. W. Seeley, William W. Vanderveer. 1877 .- President, J. B. Johnston ; Recorder, J. B. Potter ; Treasurer, John F. Barrows ; Trustees, O. B. Wiggins, F. A. Chadwick, William W. Vanderveer, Samuel G. Mather, James M. Fisk. 1878 .- President, R. L. Warren ; Recorder, J. B. Potter; Treasurer, J. F. Barrows; Trustees, Charles Rockwell, O. B. Wiggins, A. S. Haskin, F. A. Chadwick, Samuel G. Mather.

1879 .- President, O. B. Wiggins ; Recorder, J. B. Potter ; Treasurer,

J. F. Barrows; Trustees, J. W. Seeley, O. E. Holmes, Fran- cis Branch, Charles Rockwell, H. M. Marshall, Thomas O. Sweet.

The Fire of 1859 .- On the night of Dec. 31, 1859, the village of Lawrence was visited with a destructive fire, which swept the west side of Paw Paw Street of all its stores, and laid nearly the entire business portion of the town in ashes. The stores burned were two belonging to Chadwick & Bro., and the places of Sylvanus Rowe, J. B. Potter, George Koon, J. L. Phillips, and L. Moulton. The aggregate loss was about $12,500. Measures were, how- ever, speedily taken for the rebuilding of the structures, although the business interests of the village received a severe blow through the disaster, which now would be con- sidered serious, and then was a great public calamity.

The Lawrence Advertiser, now published at Lawrence by Van Hoesen & Bates, was founded by Theodore L. Reynolds in February, 1874, and continued by him until 1876, when he sold it to G. A. Cross, who disposed of it three months afterwards to R. L. Warren. In October, 1879, Mr. Warren transferred his interest to the present publishers, continuing, however, his editorial control. The paper is strongly Republican. It contains 4 pages, or 28 columns of printed matter, and is issued weekly.

Paw Paw Valley Agricultural Society. - In 1863 a stock company was organized for the purpose of holding annual autumn fairs at Lawrence, and in the western part of the village laid out grounds and improved them to the extent of an investment of $5000. After an existence of eight years the company failed, and its effects passing to a new organization called the Paw Paw Valley Agricultural Society, this latter has carried the matter forward since then with much success. The grounds, which are well ap- pointed, cover about 20 acres. For 1879, the President was H. J. Hendryx, of Decatur; the Vice-President, Amos Dopp, of Lawrence ; the Secretary, J. B. Potter, of Lawrence; and Treasurer, Charles Rockwell, of Lawrence.

Rising Sun Lodge, No. 119, F. and A. M., was char- tered Jan. 13, 1860, and is claimed to be the third lodge

DAVID FERRIS.

MRS. DAVID FERRIS.

DAVID FERRIS.

Thomas Ferris, the father of David, was born in Washington Co., N. Y., April 19, 1779. Mrs. Thomas Ferris was born Nov. 9, 1790. Their family consisted of the following children, viz. : David, born Dec. 12, 1812; Rachel, born April 30, 1814; Daniel, born Jan. 20, 1817 ; Adeline, born July 9, 1818; Julie E., born June 23, 1820; War- ren, born Sept. 20, 1822, died Oct. 28, following ; Elizabeth A., born April 23, 1824; Lucy Ann, born Feb. 25, 1826 ; Sheldon, born Jan. 18, 1830; Ira W., born Oct. 3, 1832; Hattie, born Dec. 1, 1834. Mrs. Ferris died Sept. 14, 1840; Thomas Ferris died May 27, 1875.

David Ferris, the oldest of the above large family of children, was born in the State of Pennsylvania. When but a child he removed with his parents to Washington Co., N. Y .; thence, in 1820, to Jeffer- son County ; in 1833, to St. Lawrence County ; and in 1850 he came to Lawrence township, Van Buren Co., Mich. Mr. Ferris was reared on a farm, and

engaged in agricultural pursuits, with his father, until he was twenty-five years of age, when he entered the employ of an iron company, at ten dollars per month, and remained with them five years. Jan. 9, 1843, he married Miss Elizabeth A., daughter of Joseph and Jerusha Goodell. Their children have been six in number, as follows : Jerusha, born April 6, 1844 ; Louisa A., born July 14, 1845; Charles D., born May 29, 1847; Ellen J., born Aug. 29, 1849, died Aug. 7, 1873; Harriet J., born Nov. 1, 1854; Sheldon E., born Jan. 6, 1862, died Oct. 8, 1865. In 1862, Mr. Ferris purchased eighty acres of wild land, cleared and improved it, and has transformed it into a fruitful farm, which he now occupies. He is known to his neighbors as an upright, honorable man, and to no one is he indebted a single dollar. His persevering labors through the years that have passed have brought him prosperity and a competence, which he can now enjoy. Mrs. David Ferris died April 7, 1878.

497

TOWNSHIP OF LAWRENCE.

in the State in point of age. Its charter members were 10 in number, as follows : Emory O. Briggs, M. ; J. R. Ste- venson, S. W .; John B. Hudson, J. W .; - Goodale, R. B. Danks, S. G. Mather, C. H. Betts, Peter Dyer, Clark Van Dervoort, H. Bunnell. The lodge-room, in the Marshall block, Lawrence, is one of the handsomest in the county. The membership Dec. 1, 1879, was 80, when the officers were J. F. Barrows, W. M .; O. B. Wiggins, S. W .; Orrin Crawford, J. W .; Charles Rockwell, T .; George Crawford, S. D. ; T. O. Sweet, J. D. ; L. J. Dane, Tiler.

Lawrence Chapter, No. 95, R. A. M., was chartered Jan. 20, 1875, with Amos Dopp, S. G. Mather, R. W. Stickney, Eri Bennett, A. S. Haskins, Isaac Monroe, Newell Crissey, William Webster, E. L. Cross, and J. F. Barrows as members. Amos Dopp was H. P .; S. G. Mather, K. ; R. W. Stickney, S. The present member- ship is 55. The officers are as follows: Newell Crissey, H. P .; S. G. Mather, K .; A. S. Haskins, S .; O. B. Wiggins, Sec. ; Charles Rockwell, Treas .; G. A. Cross, C. of H .; Eri Bennett, P. S .; J. F. Barrows, R. A. C .; C. W. Sweet, 3d V .; C. R. Webster, 2d V .; T. O. Sweet, 1st V .; M. Ryan, Tiler.

Lawrence Grange, No. 32, was organized in 1874, with 21 members. Meetings are held in Lawrence village once every two weeks. The present officers are William W. Bass, M .; F. Branch, O .; D. S. Bacon, L .; Albert Bryant, Treas .; Charles Jacobs, Sec .; T. Lanphear, Steward.

Railway Communication .- Previous agitation touching the necessity of railway connection with some point, resulted, in 1867, in great activity and enthusiasm in support of a project urged by John R. Baker to build a railway which should connect with the Grand Trunk. The proposition awakened much eager attention, brought out the promised support of local capitalists, filled the community with san- guine expectations, and pushed business briskly ahead, while real estate advanced considerably. Unfortunately the enterprise failed, and the reaction was great and de- pressing. Other railway projects followed in due time, and each fresh proposition received such local encouragement as disclosed a strong desire for railway conveniences, but noth- ing in the way of tangible results was reached until 1877, when the narrow-gauge road, known as the Toledo and South Haven, was completed from Paw Paw to Lawrence, and on September 15th of that year the first train reached Lawrence. Since that time the village has enjoyed the convenience of daily rail communication with the outside world.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES IN LAWRENCE.

First Congregational Church .- From an old church record, of date Aug. 19, 1837, it appears that " at a meet- ing on that day of several professors of religion, agreeable to previous notice given, in the township of Lawrence, the Rev. Silas Woodbury, of Kalamazoo, being present took his seat as moderator, and Horace Stimson was appointed clerk. On motion it was resolved ' that the time has ar- rived when it is our duty to organize ourselves into a church.'" The following persons presented letters and certificates of church membership: John R. Haynes, 63

Margaret Haynes, William Haynes, Vine Branch, Abigail Branch, Israel Branch, Betsey Branch, Eaton Branch, Peter and Isabel Dopp, Margaret and James Dopp, Har- riett Bateman, Thomas S. Camp, Elizabeth Camp, Horace and Cynthia M. Stimson, Amanda M. Branch, and Anna Mellen. It was voted to call the church the First Presby- terian Church of Lawrence. John R. Haynes and Horace Stimson were chosen to be ruling elders, and a resolution was adopted placing the church under the care of the St. Joseph Presbytery. At the next church meeting, August 20th, Thomas S. Camp and Vine Branch were ordained deacons. In February, 1838, Philander, infant daughter of Israel and Betsey Branch, and Mary Coates, daughter of Horace and Cynthia M. Stimson, were baptized by Rev. Luther Humphrey.

Rev. Luther Humphrey was the first pastor of the church, and succeeding him Revs. Calvin Clark and D. Jeffers occu- pied the pulpit, although only the latter was ordained as pastor. At a meeting held Aug. 11, 1844, it was voted " to change the church to Congregational," whereupon all the officers resigned. The church was named the First Congregational Church of Lawrence, and August 12th Watson Pool and Horace Stimson were chosen deacons, and by resolution the church was placed under the care of the Kalamazoo Presbytery.

Until February, 1858, worship was held in the village school-house and the Baptist church. February 20th the society's new church edifice was dedicated, E. Taylor, of Kalamazoo, preaching the dedication sermon.

Since 1844 the church has had for its pastors Revs. J. L. Marvin, Walter Pattinson, John Scotford, Edward Cleveland, Edward Shaw, James Watts. Rev. G. W. Blanchard is the present pastor, and preaches once a week. The church trustees are H. L. Cornwell, F. M. Banta, and Eaton Branch. The deacons are Eaton Branch and Geo. Kelley. The membership Dec. 1, 1879, was 33. The Sunday-school is in a prosperous condition, and is in charge of the pastor.

The First Baptist Church of Lawrence .- A Baptist Church was organized in Paw Paw, April 21, 1838, by six persons, and called the First Baptist Church of Lafayette. March 20, 1841, at a special meeting held in the house of Henry G. Monroe, near Lawrence, Orrin Sutton and wife, Peter Clark, and Simeon Brooks, of Lawrence, were re- ceived as members, Peter Clark was chosen deacon, and the name of the church changed to that of the Van Buren County Church, located at Paw Paw and Brush Creek. At that meeting it was resolved, " That we adopt the following articles in addition to our former ones: 'As we believe faith establishes the law as a rule of articles, and is insep- arably connected with good works, consequently we believe it to be inconsistent with a profession of religion to sell or purchase lottery tickets, vend or use any intoxicating liquors, except as a medicine or for mechanical purposes, or to resort to any method of personal gratification or profit which will corrupt good morals or endanger the sal- vation of others.' "

May 5, 1841, at a meeting of the church in the Brush Creek school-house, Laura A. Barnes (now Mrs. Allen Rice) was received by baptism. At a council convened at

498

HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

the Brush Creek school-house, May 5, 1841, at which dele- gates from the churches of Edwardsburg and La Grange were in attendance, the young church was recognized. Its members numbered then 14, as follows : Stafford Godfrey, Ursula Conklin, Archibald Buys and wife, Luther Branch, Henry G. Monroe and wife, Peter Clark, Sally Heath, Sim- eon Brooks, Orrin Sutton and wife, Amanda Briggs, and Laura Adelia Barnes. Rev. William T. Bly was engaged as' pastor, and preaching through 1841, added 11 persons to the church membership. May, 1842, the church joined the St. Joseph River Baptist Association, and until 1844 struggled feebly without a pastor. From 1844 to 1845, Rev. Moses Clark was the pastor, but from 1845 to 1851 no regular public worship was held, and matters were far from prosperous, the organization of a new church in Paw Paw in 1844 having materially weakened the mem- bership.

In 1851 the advent of Rev. E. S. Dunham as pastor gave the church a new lease of life, and under his zealous and active care much prosperity was gained. During his pastorate, which extended from 1851 to 1858, the name of the church was changed, Sept. 6, 1851, to the First Bap- tist Church of Lawrence. The First Baptist Church so- ciety was organized Nov. 29, 1851, with Orrin Sutton, Allen Rice, and O. S. Witter as trustees. The building of a church edifice was commenced January, 1853, and in June, 1854, the church withdrew from the St. Joseph River Association to join the Kalamazoo River Associa- tion. The first church trustees were Thomas De Wolf, O. S. Witter, D. T. Fox, Allen Rice, and Horace Dowd, and although the church was opened for worship in 1854, -three denominations using it in common,-it was slow of completion and was not dedicated until 1865. A union Sunday-school was organized with the Congregationalists in 1854 and continued until 1858, when the latter occu- pied their own house of worship. After Mr. Dunham's retirement, in 1858, there was no pastor until 1861, when Rev. Albert Gore, of Hartford, was engaged and preached one year. His successors have been Revs. William H. Simons, Donald McGregor, H. Hayden, George S. Martin, J. W. Megan, and S. A. Cole. Mr. Cole has been the pastor since 1878, and preaches every Sunday. The membership is now about 80. The deacons are Allen Rice, H. G. Barnes, and Henry Donaldson. The trustees are H. G. Barnes, Henry Donaldson, Levi Firmin, Lyman Moore, and L. Alden. The Sabbath-school numbers 40 scholars, and is in charge of Superintendent William Mer- ritt and five teachers.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Lawrence was or- ganized about 1840, and began to hold worship in the vil- lage school-house. In the absence of records referring to the early history of the church, the relation of that portion of the church's history is restricted to oral evidence. Upon the erection of the union school-house in Lawrence, the house previously in use was sold to the Methodist society, and remodeled into a house of worship. As such it still serves. The present pastor is Rev. V. G. Boyington, whose charge includes Lawrence, West Lawrence, and Hartford. The present church trustees are W. H. Corey, E. J. Lane, and Messrs. Ives, Moden, Cornwell, and Brainard. The class-

leader is E. J. Lane, and the church membership about 40. The Sabbath-school, which is in a flourishing condition, has an average attendance of from 30 to 40, and is in charge of T. J. Parker as superintendent.

Latter-Day Saints .- In the "Nauvoo" district, just west and north of Prospect Lake, exists a religious organi- zation known as Latter-Day Saints, and by many incor- rectly called a Mormon community. The organization was effected in the year 1868, by one E. C. Briggs, a traveling elder, with a membership of about 10, and called a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Since 1868 preaching has been enjoyed pretty regularly every Sabbath in the Nauvoo school-house. The church mem- bership was at one time about 50, but is now reduced to 12. The last elder of the church was Columbus Scott, who preached until November, 1879, since which time there has been no preaching, although meetings have been held every Sabbath as usual. The present church officials are Seth M. Bass, Priest; David Bentley, Deacon ; Henry Manee, Teacher.

First Free Methodist Church of Lawrence .- Catherine Coombs, Caroline Erdman, and Jane E. Ransom were the only members of the Free Methodist Church at its prelimi- nary organization, Aug. 27, 1871. At a second meeting, held September 17th, Lawton Draper and wife, Stephen Ran- som, and Hannah Say were received into membership, and a permanent organization of a class was effected by the elec- tion of Lawton Draper as leader. The organization was effected in the Baptist meeting-house by Rev. Edward P. Hart, district chairman of the Coldwater district, attached to the Michigan Conference. Until October, 1875, when the present house of worship was erected, services were held in the Baptist church once a fortnight. Upon its organiza- tion the church was included in the Waverly and Lawrence circuit, and has had for its pastors Revs. Ellsworth Leon- ardson, S. C. Stringham, J. W. Sharp, H. Ferguson, W. H. James, and J. Lawrence, the latter being now in the second year of his pastorate. The membership is 25. The trustees are Daniel Abrams and Stephen Ransom. The steward is Stephen Ransom, and the class-leader James Thompson. The Sunday-school contains six classes and is in charge of the pastor.

Disciple Church .- In March, 1874, Rev. W. W. John. son, an evangelist from Illinois, stopped at Lawrence during a tour through Michigan, and finding there seven persons of the Disciple faith anxious for a church organiza- tion, formed the church at a meeting held in the Baptist meeting-house March 22d. The seven persons who were admitted into the membership were T. O. Sweet and wife, Michael Ryan and wife, Alice Denton, Luanie Howe, and Mary Howe. Nightly revival meetings were held in the Baptist church until April 6th, when the further use of the house being denied, and the church failing to increase beyond the original seven, the organization was dis- continued.

No further attempt was made towards reviving the church until the winter of 1878, when Elder Levi Dewey, of Dowagiac, who had been holding services at the Red Creek school-house, held a meeting at Fisk's hall, in Law- rence, and there, with his Red Creek school-house congre-

MRS. A.U. BARNES.

A. U. BARNES.

RESIDENCE OF A. U. BARNES, LAWRENCE TP., MICH.

499

TOWNSHIP OF LAWRENCE.

gation and members of the faith in Lawrence, organized a church, whose membership then aggregated 25. When Elder Dewey organized the church he removed to Law- rence, and until September, 1879, held services every Sun- day. He then returned to his farm near Dowagiac, and since then has preached for the Lawrence Church once a fortnight. Cross' hall is now used as a place of worship and for the sessions of a Sabbath-school, which was organ- ized in the winter of 1878, and had at one time 45 pupils. The church membership is now 65. The elders are Ste- phen Plopper and T. O. Sweet. The deacons are M. H. Plopper and Merrick Aldrich. Michael Ryan is clerk and treasurer.

SCHOOLS.

The first school-house erected in the township was built by James Gray in the spring of 1837, on the east side of Paw Paw Street in Lawrence village. This was the first township-school, and, as far as can be learned, the first school of any kind taught in Lawrence. The building now does duty as H. Smith's blacksmith-shop. Its first teacher was Elizabeth Camp, in the summer of 1837, and its second Truman Foster, who taught during the following winter.

Lawrence High School .- The only graded school in the township is the one at Lawrence village. It occupies a fine brick edifice, which was completed May 1, 1869, at a cost of $11,117. It has four departments, in charge of a prin- cipal and three assistants, and during 1879 instructed an average of 225 pupils, of whom 30 were non-residents.

The condition of the public schools of Lawrence, as shown from the annual report made Sept. 1, 1879, is as follows :

Number of districts (whole, 5; fractional, 2) .. 7

Average attendance .. scholars of school age 533

526

Number of school-houses (brick, 1; frame, 6) 7 Value of property.

$14,800

Number of teachers employed 18

Amount paid teachers. $2398.90

The school directors for 1879 were E. Williams, A. S. Haskin, Arthur Jennings, L. H. Clark, F. L. Spencer, John Robinson, Howland Place.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ANSON U. BARNES.

Soon after the close of the Revolutionary war two brothers named Barnes emigrated from Boston, England, to America, and settled in the State of Connecticut. One of these brothers was Abel Barnes, the father of Uriel T., and grandfather of A. U. Barnes, of Lawrence, the sub- ject of this biographical sketch. Not long after his settle- ment in Connecticut Abel Barnes removed from that State to Schoharie Co., N. Y., and a few years later to the town of Floyd, Oneida Co., in the same State. He had married Miss Mindwell Roberts, and they became the parents of eleven sons and three daughters, most if not all of whom were born after their removal to New York.

Uriel T., the fourth son of Abel and Mindwell Barnes, was born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., Oct. 14, 1794, and while yet scarcely more than a child removed with his pa- rents to Floyd, Oneida Co., where on the 30th of August, 1821, he married Huldah A., daughter of Zenas and Mary (Merrill) Gibbs, of Broome Co., N. Y., and with her settled in Floyd, where their daughter Adelia was born, June 19, 1824. Their eldest son, Trumas S., was born in Westmore- land, Oneida Co., N. Y., Dec. 27, 1826, and soon after- wards Mr. Barnes moved to a small farm which he had pur- chased in Oswego County, where three children were born to him, viz., William M., born April 26, 1828; Mary S., born Oct. 5, 1829 ; and Harlow G., born March 3, 1831. About that time he sold his farm with the ultimate design of leaving the sterile lands and severe climate of Northern New York to find a better home in the West. He, how- ever, engaged to work in a saw-mill in Durhamville, Oneida Co., during the winter of 1831-32, but in the spring of the latter year was so severely injured by the machinery of the mill that he remained a helpless invalid for many months. In the following December, being unable to perform heavy labor, he commenced a grocery business in Whitesboro', N. Y. ; but soon found that he could not live by this, unless he engaged in the sale of ardent spirits. That he would not do; his principles would not permit him to support his own family by carrying desolation into the families of others, so he sold his little stock and left Whitesboro'. During his stay at that place his daughter Sarah Ann was born, Jan. 2, 1833.

Mr. Barnes having now regained his health sufficiently to labor, spent the following winter in the vicinity of Geneva, chopping wood at twenty-six dollars per month and house- rent, and on the 10th of April, 1834, he set out with his family for Michigan, by way of the Erie Canal, Buffalo, and Lake Erie. About a week was spent on the canal and three days on the steamer " Michigan," but at the end of that time they safely reached Detroit, from which place they engaged Lorenzo Graham to transport them to Jackson County, where they arrived about the 1st of May. Mr. Barnes' first Michigan settlement was made in Albion, Calhoun Co. His total property at that time consisted of two cows, his few household goods, and fifty dollars in money. He en- gaged to work for Mr. Tenney Peabody, of Albion, but about that time the entire family were taken sick and his fifty dollars was soon exhausted. But he was still resolute in his determination to secure a home, and he resolved to " squat" on government land, hoping to be able to pay for it in time. With the help of a few neighbors he reared a cabin which was warm and comfortable enough, though there was not a pane of glass in it, nor was there a nail nor a sawed plank or board used in its construction. Into this dwelling the family moved in January, 1835. They had some corn, raised in the previous season on land owned by Mr. Peabody, and on this corn and the milk of their cows the family subsisted. During the entire summer of 1835, Mr. Barnes was sick with the ague, and to add to his troubles a speculator purchased the land on which he had " squatted" and demanded possession. Being unwilling, however, to proceed to extreme measures, he finally paid Mr. Barnes fifty dollars to vacate. This money he invested

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 125

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