History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 132

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 132
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 132

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).

LATER SETTLEMENTS IN PINE GROVE.

For many years Mattawan, Paw Paw, and Kalamazoo were the principal shipping- and trading-points for the in- habitants of this region, the manufacture and sale of shingles being the principal reliance of the poorer classes for the means of purchasing necessary " store-goods."

The progress of settlement in the eastern half of Pine Grove was very slow, on account of its isolated position. Being hemmed in on the east and south by a swamp one mile wide, its general surface quite hilly and broken, and a rep- utation for poor soil, it was in 1864 very sparsely settled. Mr. Baxter had settled and made a small opening on sec- tion 27, E. J. Aldrich and Curran Elms on section 34, Mr. Cobb and Stoughton Warner on section 35. Wm. H. Gregory had just built a cabin on section 23, while on and north of the centre K. Withey, Thos. Donaldson, S. Wil- liams, S. Becker, L. Harbolt, and a few others had let the light of the sun in spots into this dense forest of oak, beech, and pine, and were striving to make themselves homes.

VILLAGE OF KENDALL.

In June of 1864, Lucius B. Kendall bought of Judge E. B. Dyckinan 160 acres of land, densely covered with pine and oak timber, on section 22, and in company with James Thistle laid the foundation of a steam saw-mill on the banks of Duck Lake. In July, Albert Arms, of Kalamazoo, became associated with them in the enterprise. The mill was completed and the first lumber sawed about the 1st of September. There were no roads in this region, and the lumber was hauled with much labor, and under many difficulties, out of the forest through Almena to Mattawan,-twelve miles,-the nearest point on the Mich- igan Central Railroad. Soon finding that the oak of this region was of too " brash" a nature to be salable in the Chicago market, the company at once resolved to go into the stave business. Machinery was purchased, put into the mill, and the business commenced.

In the spring of 1865, P. Ranney and W. L. Cutting, of Kalamazoo, became associated with the company, adding more capital, and the business was pushed forward with energy under the name and firm of Kendall & Co.

DAVID WISE,

son of Daniel and Elizabeth Wise, was born of German parents in the town of Sharon, Schoharie Co., N. Y., Feb. 26, 1804, he being the youngest of a family of nine sons and two daughters. At the age of eight or nine years he was sent to an English school, at which time he could scarcely speak or understand a word of the English language. At that period the school facilities were limited, and his father, being only in mod- erate circumstances, was unable to give his children more than a common-school educa- tion. At the age of fourteen years his father died and left him upon his own resources. At the age of fifteen he went to learn the tanner and currier trade, at which he worked for three years.

In March, 1822, himself, mother, and two older brothers, moved West to what was then a wilderness country, the town of Cicero, Onondaga Co., N. Y. The first summer after settling in Onondaga County he worked for his brother clearing land, and thus saved money enough to buy three acres of land for himself, upon which

1.2

MRS. CATHARINE (YOUNG) WISE.

to erect his tan- yard and buildings. In the fall of the same year he com- menced erecting his buildings and gathering together hides to tan upon shares, which at that time was customary practice with small tan- neries. March 9, 1823, he married Catharine Young, daughter of George and Margaret Young. She was born Aug. 3, 1801, in Minden, Mont- gomery Co., N. Y. In 1821 she, with the rest of their family, moved West to Cicero, N. Y. There being a pioneer log shanty near his tan- yard, he moved his family into it and com- menced housekeeping. He finally worked his stock of hides through, finished the leather, and to the satisfaction of his cus- tomers. Not having capital to continue with, and, finding the business would not support his family, in the spring of 1824 he abandoned it, and adopted the carpenter and joiner business. By his own ingenuity and persevering industry he became a master builder, and followed it as a business with good success.

In 1842 he moved to Baldwinsville, Onon- daga Co., N. Y., where he invested in village property, and erected a large shop with a water-power, where he engaged in general building and the manufacture of sashes, doors, and blinds, employing a large force of men. On the night of January 8, 1849, the shop took fire and was burned to the ground, which for the time being put a check upon him, and prompted him to take

DAVID WISE.

a trip to California in April, 1850. He re- turned home Jan. 8, 1851. In the autumn of 1851 he, with his eldest son, took a trip into Michigan, and were induced to pur- chase an interest in a saw-mill. In the spring of 1852 he, with his family, left Baldwinsville and moved to Pine Grove, Van Buren Co., Mich., arriving May 12, 1852.

In 1853 he represented the township of Pine Grove in the board of supervisors. In the fall of 1853 he disposed of his in- terest in mill and lands to John Smolk, Jr., of Antwerp, and Jan. 1, 1854, he moved with his family to Kalamazoo, Mich., where he bought village property and erected a sash-, blind-, and door-factory, which he car- ried on until June, 1855, when he sold and moved back to Baldwinsville, N. Y., where he had left some property unsold. While there he was engaged mainly as a master builder.

Having disposed of his property in April, 1858, he again moved back to Pine Grove, Mich. By this time the township had improved consider- ably. He bought some land and erected suitable buildings thereon. April 1, 1868, his wife died, aged nearly sixty - eight years. She had been his faithful com- panion for forty- five years, and reared a family of eight children,- five sons and three daughters. Four of the sons are still living, in the north- east part of Van Buren Co., Mich. Nov. 10, 1870, he married Miss MRS. FANNY S. (SORTOR) WISE. Fanny S. Sortor, daughter of Henry and Sally Sortor, who was born in Friendship, Allegany Co., N. Y., Sept. 20, 1833, and came to Pine Grove in 1868. She died Dec. 19, 1872, aged thirty-nine years, two months, and twenty-nine days. As a result of the care and anxiety arising from the illness of his wife, he was prostrated by sickness, from which he did not recover until the following April. Sept. 11, 1873, he married Nancy Soule, widow of Henry Soule, and daughter of Peter and Mary Miller. She was born in Luzerne Co., Pa., August 13, 1815.

Since his return from the State of New York, in 1858, he has devoted his time and attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1861 he was elected to the office of treasurer of Pine Grove township, and continued to hold the office from year to year until 1871. Since his severe and protracted illness, in 1872 and 1873, he has not performed any manual labor, and has only been able to attend to his secular and other affairs as they present themselves.

MRS. NANCY MILLER (SOULE) WISE.

RESIDENCE OF DAVID WISE, PINE GROVE, VAN BUREN

Co., MICHIGAN.

525

TOWNSHIP OF PINE GROVE.

The settlement of this part of the town was now really commenced,-roads were laid and worked in every direction, new settlers came in, and the company paid out from $15,000 to $20,000 annually for stave timber and logs. This cash market for their timber enabled the people to improve their farms and build houses, and in a few years the wilderness was changed to an open and fruitful country. Kendall & Co. also opened a store and supplied the community with nearly all the goods required. The prod- ucts of the mill must be sent to market, and from 10 to 40 teams were loaded daily with staves and lumber. In the fall of 1866, E. T. Mills, of Kalamazoo, bought the in- terest of P. Ranney, and became one of the company. James Thistle died the same year. In September, 1867, the mill was burned,-loss, $10,000; insurance, $4000,- but it was rebuilt, and in about two months was in run- ning order again. In 1869, H. E. Hoyt, of Kalamazoo, purchased the interest of Wm. L. Cutting, and became one of the firm of Kendall & Co. Geo. W Howland bought the interest of E. T. Mills, and is still an inhabitant of the village of Kendall.

The question of a railroad from Kalamazoo to South Haven was agitated in the winter of 1868-69, and met with a hearty response from the people along the line. A company was soon formed, and Lucius B. Kendall chosen one of the directors. The work was pushed forward with energy, and the first locomotive ran into the place Jan. 3, 1870. About the same time a post-office was established, and the place was named Kendall. Albert Arms was ap- pointed postmaster, which office he still holds.

In 1871, Tobias Johnson, of Kalamazoo, in connection with Kendall & Co., opened a brick-yard and commenced the manufacture of bricks under the firm-name of Johnson & Co., and bricks of superior quality in large quantities have been turned out every year and shipped to various parts of the State. At this time the company are making the finest red pressed-brick to be found in the State, equal to the best Philadelphia.

In 1873, Mr. Kendall and associates, under the name of the Michigan Chair Company, put up a brick building 100 by 60 feet, four stories high, well filled with machinery for the manufacture of cane- and wood-seat chairs, and for the purpose of working up the large quantities of beech, maple, and basswood timber to be found in the vicinity.

The operations of Lucius B. Kendall and his partners in business have been mentioned here more at length for the reason that they have had more to do with the settlement and advancement of the village and the east part of the township, the opening of roads, the making of a good market for timber, and the general improvement of the country than all other causes combined. Since their com- mencement their varied business has been carried on suc- cessively under the firm-names of Ranney, Kendall & Co., Kendall, Mills & Co., The Michigan Chair Company, and (at present) L. C. Pratt & Co. In the chair-works some thirty men are steadily employed, and the product of the mills is shipped to many parts of the United States.

The village of Kendall is situated one mile east of the geographical centre of the township, and is a station of the Kalamazoo and South Haven branch of the Michigan Cen-

tral Railroad, which was opened in January, 1870 (as be- fore mentioned), and on the 8th of February, in the same year, the village plat was made and recorded by Lucius B. Kendall, Henry E. Hoyt, George B. Robinson, Albert Arms, and George W. Howland, the plat being located on sections 22 and 27.

A lively little village of 400 inhabitants was built up, with a substantial two-story brick school-house, and a fair prospect of rapid progress, when the panic of 1873 swept over the country, blighting business in Kendall, as else- where, and taking from the village many of its most indus- trious citizens. The population is now about 250, and the village contains besides the brick school-house, an exten- sive chair-works, already mentioned, a church edifice (Methodist Episcopal), a hotel, three general stores, and several mechanic shops.

Dr. M. Mason commenced practice here about 1865, and has proved himself a skillful physician. Dr. L. D. Knowles has practiced in the village and vicinity for about six years, to the general satisfaction of his patrons. He has recently removed, and has been succeeded by Dr. Huff.

One of the best peach, pear. and apple-orchards in the State was planted and brought to maturity by William H. Gregory, on his farm near Kendall. The orchard is now owned by Mr. Scott.

PINE GROVE MILLS AND GOBLEVILLE.

This village, also a station on the South Haven branch of the Michigan Central Railroad, contains the extensive mills of Everest, Wise & Co., one store, post-office, school-house, and about 125 inhabitants. Prior to the completion of the railroad, Benjamin De Puy and family were the only in- habitants in the immediate vicinity.

The railroad was finished from Kalamazoo to this point Jan. 10, 1870, and for nearly six months this was its west- ern terminus.

On the 4th of February, 1870, the village of Pine Grove Mills was platted by David Wise and Benjamin De Puy, upon lands situated upon section 30. Additions have since been made by Daniel B. Brown, David O. Ev- erest, and Chauncey Wise.

Everest, Wise & Co. built their grist- and planing-mills in 1872. A sixty horse-power engine is in use at the present time, and fifteen men are steadily employed. This company, besides their other industries, now manufacture the wood- work for eighty sets of spring-tooth drags per day. At- tached to these mills is an iron-foundry, which was estab- lished by E. H. Haynes & Co. in 1875, for the manufac- ture of various agricultural implements. A beautiful school edifice (the best in the township) was erected here in 1873, at a cost of $2250.

The village of Gobleville, situated partly in this township and partly in Bloomingdale, is more particularly described in the history of the latter township.

SOUTH HAVEN AND KALAMAZOO RAILROAD.

This railroad, now known as the South Haven branch of the Michigan Central, was completed to the station of Pine Grove Mills in January, 1870.

In its passage through the township it intersects sections

526

HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30. To assist in its construction the township was bonded to the amount of $12,400. The validity and payment of these bonds was afterwards con- tested in the courts, but judgment was finally rendered against the township in the sum of $26,000, for principal, interest, and costs. This heavy burden, together with sol- diers' bounties, State, county, and township taxes, have materially retarded the growth and development of Pine Grove.

EDUCATIONAL.

According to the report of proceedings of the first town- ship-meeting, in 1849, a school-house then existed " near Horace H. Hadley's." Priority has been claimed for the house built in District No. 1,-the old Pine Grove Mills locality,-but it appears most probable that the former was the first one built. As to the exact date of its erection, or who was the first teacher, no definite knowledge has been obtained.

The first mention made in the township records regarding the action of school officers shows that on Nov. 30, 1850, the school inspectors of the townships of Almena, Waverly, Bloomingdale, and Pine Grove met and organized fractional School District No. 9. It is stated that School District No. 1 was established, and a school-house built during the same year.

At a meeting of the board of school inspectors " held in the new steam saw-mill, on section 20, Oct. 31, 1851," a new district, No. 3, was organized. It embraced nine sec- tions, as follows : " Commencing at the quarter-post between sections 2 and 11 ; thence west to a quarter-post between sections 5 and 8; thence south to a quarter-post between sections 20 and 29; thence east to a quarter-post between sections 23 and 26; thence north to starting-point."

Miss Flint, of Battle Creek, and Miss Nellie Goodwin were early teachers in district No. 1. In 1855, Miss Mary A. Forsyth and Miss Elizabeth E. Brown were the teachers.

School district No. 4 was formed in December, 1856, and Nos. 5 and 6 in 1858. All the districts were reorganized in March, 1858. During subsequent years many changes of boundaries and numbers have occurred, until they remain as in their present status, viz., nine whole districts and two fractional ones.

Other early teachers are mentioned by years, as follows :

1857 .- Mrs. Maria L. Locke, Miss Mary E. Murray, Miss Eliza R. Morris, James Murray, Jr., Alexander R. Richards.

1858 .- Miss Lucy J. Currier, Miss Nancy Knight, Miss Henrietta Stamp, Miss Lydia A. Merwin, Miss Jemima Van Ardle.

1859 .- Miss Harriet E. Hayden, Miss Phoebe L. Hay- den, Miss Ellen Sebring, Miss C. H. Cutler, Miss S. A. Whitford, E. J. McNeil.

1860 .- Lucy J. Currier, Miss Eveline Anson, Miss Nel- lie M. Dean, John T. Curtis, Cornelius J. Fonda, John D. Crown, Gustavus A. Morgan.

1861 .- Miss Lovina Bennett, Miss D. A. Otto, Miss Clarinda H. Cutler, Miss Desire Plumb, Miss Sarah Eager, John S. Nash, J. G. Tucker.

1862 .- Miss Nancy Herron, Miss Mary E. Stevens, Miss Susan J. Clark, Miss Euretta M. Dodge, Miss Phoebe C.

Hayden, Miss Susie Knappee, John S. Nash, Bela H. Hayden.

From the report of the township board of education for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879, are taken the following statistics :

School districts (whole, 9; fractional, 2) 11 Children of school age residing in the township ... 611

Children attending school during the year. 477

School-houses (brick, 1; frame, 10) 11

Seating capacity. 678

Value of school property $10,320

Teachers employed (male, 4; female, 16) 20

Months taught by males. " " " females .. 623

184

Paid teachers (male, $529; female, $1090) $1,619

Total school resources,

$4,024.09

RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.

The church edifice of the Methodist Episcopal society at Kendall-the only house of worship in the township- was built in 1870, at a cost of $1500, and has sittings for 250 persons. Rev. Daniel Fow, present pastor.

William H. Gregory was instrumental in starting the first Sabbath-school, in the shanty school-house of the Cobb dis- trict ; and perhaps a year after another Sunday-school was opened by other people in the centre district ; also at Ken- dall as soon as a room could be procured. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Arms engaged in the work at once, and they have always been among its most efficient supporters.

Preaching and religious services have been maintained at Kendall by Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians, by one or more at the same time, with little interruption for the last fifteen years.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

D. O. EVEREST,

the eldest son of David C. and Jane Everest, was born in Montgomery Co., N. Y., March 21, 1825. Disliking the occupation of a farmer, and being a natural mechanic, he left home at the age of sixteen and engaged at Fort Plain, in his native county, as a mill-wright, carpenter, and joiner. He early acquired a dexterity in the use of the tools of his trade. At the age of eighteen, so successful had he been, his employer placed him in charge of his business as car- penter and joiner, and he frequently had a large number of men to oversee. At the age of twenty-two he formed a partnership with D. Wise (his first employer), at Baldwins- ville, for the manufacture of doors, sash, and blinds, and in 1852 they removed to Pine Grove, Van Buren Co., Mich., and engaged extensively in lumbering. Their present business combines flouring, casting, and machine-making, and in their foundry and machine-shop they manufacture spring-tooth harrows. The firm-name has several times been changed, having been, at different times, Morrell & Co., D. & C. Wise & Co., and at present Everest & Wise. Their property has been twice burned, at losses respectively of twelve thousand and fourteen thousand dollars, yet they are owners of extensive real estate and mill property.

TOWNSHIP OF PORTER.

527

Aside from the regular business of the firm, Mr. Everest has built five lumber-mills, and his inventive genius has enabled him to make many valuable improvements. Much

lows: Frank O., born Aug. 22, 1851; Jane L., born Dec. 3, 1852 ; Mary, born April 2, 1854, died at two years of age; Emma, born Nov. 15, 1856 ; John H., born Nov. 16,

LITTLE

MRS. D. O. EVEREST.

LITTLE

D. O. EVEREST.

of the machinery used in these mills was constructed after patterns of his own invention. In 1850, Mr. Everest was married to Miss Reliance A. Strong, of Onondaga Co., N. Y., which union has been blessed by six children, as fol-

1861; Addie B., born May 24, 1865. Mr. Everest always used his personal influence for the benefit of those whom he employed, and is a man very much respected by his acquaintances.

CHAPTER LXVI. PORTER TOWNSHIP .*

Boundaries and General Description-Pioneers and Early Settle- ments-Township Organization, Name, and Civil List-Churches- Schools-Porter Grange, Patrons of Husbandry.

BOUNDARIES AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

PORTER, originally attached to Decatur township, covers an area of six miles square, and occupies the southeastern corner of Van Buren County, its boundaries being Ant- werp township on the north, Cass County on the south, Kalamazoo County on the east, and Decatur township on the west. Designated in the original survey as town 4 south, range 13 west, it was not named until 1845, when it was set off from Decatur with separate jurisdiction.

€

The surface of the country is generally hilly, and from many of the eminences picturesque views, reaching over a wide extent of territory, may be obtained. In the south- east there is considerable swamp-land, although elsewhere the drainage is good and effective, by means of numerous lakes. The largest of these is Bankson's (or Mack's) Lake, which has an area of about 600 acres. Cedar Lake covers about 500 acres, and among the smaller ones may be men- tioned Grass, Gravel, Barker's, Van Sickle's, and Hersey.

The water in Bankson's Lake is deep and clear, and abounds in fish, having recently been stocked by the State. Gravel Lake has a remarkably fine, hard beach, which admits of a superb roadway around its entire circuit.

Porter has no immediate railway conveniences, although the Michigan Central line touches the northwestern corner. In 1870 the township voted $15,000 in aid of the Paw Paw Valley Railroad, which was to pass through Porter, but the project failed. The township contains no village, has but one church building, and has no post-office, no store, or mercantile enterprise of any kind except one saw- mill. The business interests are entirely agricultural. The population of Porter in 1874 was 1182, and the assessed valuation in 1879 was $357,400.

PIONEERS AND EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

The southwestern corner of section 13, now occupied by Samuel Kidney, is conspicuous in being the first tract of land entered in Porter township. Abner Mack, now living in Kalamazoo County, located the lot in 1833, and built a cabin upon it. He concluded, however, within a short time to abandon it, and effecting with Jonas Barber, of Kala- mazoo County, an exchange for land in Prairie Ronde, he moved away. Barber hired Milton Van Duzer to work the Porter place, and there Van Duzer was living in 1835, when James Young, his half-sister, Elizabeth Gibson, and

* By David Schwartz.

528

HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

her sons, Washington and Robert, moved in from Prairie Ronde, and occupied a tract of 67 acres on section 14, bor- dering upon Bankson's Lake. According to the best ob- tainable evidence, therefore, Porter's first settler was Mack, its second was Van Duzer, and its third Young. Washing- ton Gibson still occupies the original 67 acres. Young started for Utah in 1850, to cast his fortunes with the Mormons, but lost his life while on the way, by falling into the hold of a Mississippi River steamer. Mrs. Gibson died in Porter in 1870. Van Duzer remained but a brief period, and then removed farther west. The second house built in the township is supposed to have been put up by one Crooks, of Kalamazoo, although the structure was never finished or occupied. It stood on section 13, north of Mack's, and, as the story goes, Crooks, repenting his choice of location, abandoned the place before preparing it for habitation, and Porter saw him no more.

Settlements in the township having begun in the east, this narrative will accordingly follow at first the settlers who came as pioneers into that district.

The Kinney Settlement .- The father and founder of that portion of Porter known for years as the Kinney settle- ment was Elijah Kinney, who in 1835 came from Milan, Ohio, with his wife, seven unmarried children, his son Luther and family, and his son-in-law, Samuel Corey. The elder Kinney had bought four 80-acre lots, and built his cabin on section 24, where he died in 1864. The place is now occupied by his son Stephen. Luther located south of Mr. Kinney's, and removing subsequently to St. Joseph, still lives there. Up to the time of Elijah Kinney's arrival, James Young and Milton Van Duzer had been the only permanent settlers in Porter. Uri Kinney, Elijah Kinney's nephew, was a settler in 1835, upon section 12, where he lived until his death.

Nelson Corey and his brother Sanford, both young men, entered Porter in 1836, and labored upon the farms of others until 1840. In that year Nelson bought a place on section 26 of one Chapin, who had located there in 1838, and who upon selling to Corey went to Illinois. Sanford purchased also on section 26, of T. R. Smith, a settler, who moved in 1840 farther west. Nelson Corey now lives on section 16. His brother Sanford died in Porter in 1878. Among the settlers in the Kinney settlement in 1836 were George Wilson and Mathew Lewis. In that year Lewis lost a child by death, and buried it on the Luke Munger farm. Lewis' child was the first person who died in the township. Lewis afterwards moved west. Wilson died in Porter.

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History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 132

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