History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 47

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 47
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 47

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 office of superintendent of schools was created in 1876. The first superintendent was Robert H. Rogers, elected in 1876, and again in 1877. His successors were Nathan Johnson, in 1878, and Herbert C. Smith, in 1879.

VILLAGE OF BUCHANAN.

In the original plat of the township sections 25 and 26 were reserved for university lands, and were not in the market until about 1834.

Charles Cowles and John Hatfield had settled on the southwest quarter of section 25, and in 1834 they sold their claims to Dr. C. C. Wallin. In 1842, John Hamil- ton pre-einpted the southwest quarter of the same section. John Hamilton, Wm. Murphy, David Ralph, Joseph Mc- Knight, and Ira Mansfield purchased the southeast quarter of section 26. David Sanford purchased the northwest quarter of section 36, and Andrew C. Day the northeast quarter of section 35.

On these four quarter-sections and in the valley of Me-

180

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

Coy's Creek the village is built. The creek that passes through it was named from Rev. Isaac McCoy, of the Carey Mission, who, before the permanent settlement of the whites, preached to the Indians on a bluff near here, and for whom they built a wigwam. An Indian village was located in the east part of the present village, and on the small creek that passes through section 36. This village was called Mis-a- qua-kee, and contained about 25 families.

The village plat, bearing date July 21, 1842, was laid out by John Hamilton, and contained about 40 acres. The additions that have been made to its limits are as follows : first addition, A. B. Staples, in 1844; second addition, Joseph De- mont, in 1845; third addition, - - , in 1852; fourth addition, Andrew C. Day, in 1857; fifth addition, Ross and Alexander, in 1864; sixth addition, J. D. Ross, in 1865 ; seventh addition, A. B. Clark, in 1865; eighth addition, Nathaniel B. Collins, in 1868; ninth addition, Mrs. Wm. Bainton, in 1868; tenth addition, Lewis Bryant, in 1868.

The village now has the St. Joseph River for its north- ern boundary, and the property of the Michigan Central Railroad for its southern.

At the time the village was laid out John Hamilton owned and operated a flour-mill on the stream. His dwell- ing was where John D. Ross' residence now is. Andrew C. Day lived where he still resides. A store on the site of Ross block was occupied by Stanley & Staples.

The village of Buchanan was incorporated in 1858, and the first charter election was held March 3d, in that year. The officers elected were James M. Matthews, President ; Wm. Rook, C. J. Ingersoll, Dr. J. M. Roe, Alfred Richard, Michael Hess, and Daniel Totten, Trustees; George W. Begole and John W. R. Lister, Assessors ; B. R. Blanchard, Treasurer ; N. B. Collins, Clerk.

The officers of the village of Buchanan from its incor- poration to 1879 have been as follows :

PRESIDENTS.

1858, James M. Matthews; 1859, John D. Ross; 1860, Daniel Per- rine; 1861-63, John D. Ross; 1864-65, N. B. Collins ; 1866, John D. Ross ; 1867-71, Charles Clark ; 1872, William Pears; 1873-76, Charles S. Black ; 1877, William Pears; 1878, Francis H. Ber- rick; 1879, John D. Ross.

TREASURERS.

1858, B. R. Blanchard ; 1859, Nathaniel Hamilton ; 1860, George W. Begole; 1861, D. E. Terriere; 1862, Garrett Morris ; 1864, J. H. Roe; 1865, Homer N. Hathaway ; 1866, Sanford Smith; 1867, L. P. Fox ; 1868, S. Miller; 1870, L. P. Fox; 1871, S. L. Estes; 1872, Willis Rise; 1873-75, Orange W. Rose; 1876, Samuel Miller ; 1877, A. F. Ross; 1878, Horace H. Kinyon; 1879, George Churchill.

CLERKS.

1858-59, Nathaniel B. Collins; 1860, H. B. Strong; 1861, J. M. Albert; 1862, Alonzo Bennett ; 1863-66, Enoch A. Ross; 1867-70, N. H. Merrill; 1871-72, W. D. Kingery.

RECORDERS.

1873, Daniel Terriere; 1874, D. A. Wagner; 1875-79, Benjamin D. Harper.

TRUSTEES.

1858 .- William Rook, C. J. Ingersoll, John M. Roe, Alfred Richards, Michael Hess, Daniel Totten.

1859 .- John D. Miller, Charles Clark, Daniel Totten, Lorenzo P. Alex- ander, William F. Molsbury, John M. Roe.

1860 .- John D. Miller, Michael Hess, J. M. Russell, John M. Albert, William H. Bainton, L. P. Alexander.

1861 .- C. J. Ingersoll, P. M. Weaver, John M. Roe, Andrew C. Day, William B. Perrott, Alfred Richards.

1862 .- Andrew C. Day, John D. Miller, William B. Perrott, Julius M. Russell, Charles Clark, Hezekiah H. Howe.

1863 .- G. F. Hemingway, L. P. Alexander, T. L. Ross, R. M. Busco, M. Hess, J. M. Roe.

1864 .- Daniel Totten, George R. Treat, William G. Boswell, J. M. Roe, M. Hess, L. P. Alexander.

1865 .- Andrew C. Day, L. P. Alexander, John D. Miller, George R. Treat, David Totten, William Pears.

1866 .- Homer N. Hathaway, John M. Roe, Elijah Beck, L. P. Alex- ander, John D. Miller, A. C. Day.

1867 .- Nathaniel B. Collins, William Pears, Charles S. Black, John M. Roe, A. C. Day, Elijah Beck.

1868 .- Aliner S. Harrington, John Graham, Isaac C. Elston, William Pears, Charles S. Black, N. B. Collins.

1869 .- Benjamin E. Binns, Richard A. De Mont, Theoderick F. C. Dodd, John M. Roe, John Graham, Almer S. Harrington.

1870 .- John M. Roe, H. H. Howe, B. E. Binns, - Richards, Wil- liam Pears, R. A. De Mont.

1871 .- Benjamin E. Binns, Hezekiah II. Howe, William Osborne, William Pears, John Graham, John D. Ross.

1872 .- Charles S. Black, Andrew C. Day, John D. Ross, William Osborne, B. E. Binns, - Osborne.

MEMBERS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL.

1873 .- Charles H. Rea, Solomon L. Beardsley, John D. Ross, John Buckles, Benjamin E. Binns, Andrew C. Day.

1874 .- Hiram N. Mowrey, Ezra M. Griffin, B. E. Binns, J. D. Ross, John Buckles, C. H. Rea.

1875 .- Hezekiah H. Howe, Richard A. De Mont, Harrison Glover, B. E. Binns, E. M. Griffin, H. N. Mowrey.

1876 .- B. E. Binns, George Churchill, Horace F. Strong, R. A. De Mont, E. M. Griffin, II. H. Howe.

1877 .- Nathaniel Hamilton, Hiram N. Mowrey, George Richards, B. E. Binns, George Churchill, Horace F. Strong.

1878 .- John M. Roe, Nathaniel Johnson, Charles S. Black, Nathaniel Hamilton, W. D. Kingery, H. N. Mowery.

1879 .- William Osborne, Orange W. Rose, Charles H. Rea, Nathaniel Johnson, Charles S. Black, John M. Roe.

The population of the village when organized was 860, and in 1878 was 2300. It contains 463 private residences (11 of them of brick), one hotel (the Dunbar House), six churches, one public hall, four three-story brick business blocks, with stores, offices, etc., twenty-two store and busi- ness frame buildings, two livery-stables, three flouring-mills (water-power), four smith-shops, broom-handle factory, one cabinet-wareroom, two planing-mills, one machine-shop, three steam saw-mills, one saw-mill, one coffin-factory, three bed- stead and furniture-manufacturing establishments, two wagon and carriage manufactories, two paint-shops, iron-foundry, zinc collar-pad manufactory, two carpet-stretcher factories, one cheese-factory, two harness-shops, three shoe-shops, three millinery-stores, three tailor-shops, three dressmaking- shops, three photographers, three dentists, three barber- shops, two bakeries, three markets, one brick manufactory, four dry-goods stores, six groceries, three drug-stores, two clothing-stores, two boot- and shoe stores, two hardware- stores, two jewelry and watchmakers' stores, one newsdealer, four physicians, four lawyers, and two newspaper offices .* The number of persons employed in the different manufac- turing establishments is over 400; capital invested, $288,- 000; value of products per annum, $375,000.

# The Berrien County Record and Buchanan Reporter are published here. The history of these papers, as well as others which have ex- isted here, will be found in the general history, with the press of the county.

LITTLE

JOSEPH COVENEY.

MRS. JOSEPH COVENEY.

JOSEPH COVENEY.

Joseph Coveney, whose portrait with that of his wife is given upon this page, was born in Cork Co., Ireland, March 29, 1805. He attended the parish school until thirteen years of age, when he went to learn the trade of weaver. Wishing to see and know something of America, he, at the age of twenty years, without friend or companion, crossed the ocean in the ship " William," and landed in New York May 26, 1826. Here he learned the carpenter's trade, and worked at it four years in that city. He removed to Schuylkill Co., Pa., and worked at the same trade there for two years.

In 1833 he moved to Portage, and continued at his trade at Egberttown or Portage Point. He built a house there; but the project for forming a settlement failing, he removed to the edge of the prairie (Portage), remaining one year. In the fall of 1837 he married Louisa, eldest daughter of William and Polly Roe, and in the spring of the same year settled on forty acres of land on section 5, Buchanan township, having previously purchased it at the land-office at Bronson. Here he decided to stay and make for himself and family a home. This land was not improved. He commenced his work by erecting a log cabin, in which he and his estimable wife commenced life. He has since built a more commodious house and improved his farm, adding to the original forty acres from time to time until he now owns six hundred acres, located northwest of the village of Buchanan. Wheat is the principal product of his farm, three thousand bushels being raised in 1877.

In 1849, when the " gold fever" raged in this part of the country, Mr. Coveney, with two others in company, started for California, going the overland route with an ox-team. Arriving there, they went to work in the mines at Weaver- ville. Mr. Coveney remained only one year, returning home by the way of Panama and the Mississippi River. His stay in California, though short, was not an unprofitable one financially.

He has made two trips to Europe, and visited England and Ireland, the last trip taking with him his little daughter

Leila. He has retired from active life, his sons attending to the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Coveney have had thirteen children, of whom ten are living.

In character Mr. Coveney is industrious, economical, and of a genial temperament. By hard work and prudent man- agement he has become possessed of a fine farm. He is esteemed as a shrewd business man, a good, practical farmer, an intelligent citizen, and is respected by his neighbors. In his religious belief he is an ardent follower of Thomas Paine, and, like Ingersoll, never hesitates to express his views at any time or place. He erected a beautiful monu- ment in Oak Ridge Cemetery at Buchanan, at a cost of nearly three thousand dollars, upon which were inscribed some of his peculiar sentiments. We quote his own words concerning the same and its defacement: "I was raised in a Catholic country, but it remained for a Protestant Christian to try to refuse me the right to maintain this monument in a public cemetery. I had inscribed thereon some of my sentiments on the religious fallacies of the day. These in- scriptions, not coinciding with the views of the orthodox element, a minister's son, urged on by Christian hate, marred and defaced the monument in a barbarous manner. His act received the commendation of some of the strictly orthodox, though it is but fair to say that all of the most prominent citizens of Buchanan condemned the act, and used every effort to prevent its repetition."

The monument is a model of workmanship, and an orna- ment to the cemetery, although at a close view the stain of the tobacco juice mars its beauty.

Mrs. Coveney has labored side by side with her husband in all the vicissitudes of the new country, where they made their early home, and has ever been an industrious and faithful wife; a helpmate, indeed, to her husband, rearing a large family of children. The work of a mother in such a life is no easy task, but with ever willing heart and hand she ministered to all the wants of the family in sickness and health. Hers is a labor of love, receiving its reward in the love and respect of all her family and friends.

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TOWNSHIP OF BUCHANAN.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

Wagon-shops of Rough Brothers .- Before 1845, Jacob Luther commenced the manufacture of wagons where the large factory stands to-day. He soon sold to Cronymiller Brothers, who in 1849 sold to Alfred Richards. He soon associated with him as partner Nathaniel Collins. John D. Miller purchased the interest of Mr. Collins, and soon after that of Mr. Richards. In the spring of 1865, E. H. Beardsley & Son purchased the Miller works, and increased their capacity. The factory was destroyed by fire, and the red buildings were then built. In 1872 a stock company was formed, including the property of the Beardsleys, called the Buchanan Manufacturing Company, with a capi- tal of $40,000, and afterwards increased to $60,000. The stock was taken by all classes in the village, and in the same year the present brick building was erected, 40 by 129 feet and four stories high. In 1875, A. C. Day and Sol- omon Rough purchased the entire interest, and in June, 1879, the Rough Brothers, consisting of William R. Rough, Solomon Rough, and George H. Rough, purchased the works. About forty hands are constantly employed here in the manufacture of carriages and wagons of all kinds. About 1500 wagons are manufactured annually. Sales are made mostly in Michigan, but to some extent in all parts of the South and West.

The Buchanan Manufacturing Company .- In 1872 a stock company was organized in Buchanan, with a capital of $20,000, for the purpose of manufacturing furniture. It consisted of about thirty stockholders. Andrew C. Day was President, and William Osborne, Secretary and Mana- ger. The buildings now occupied by the company were purchased of Smith & Ellison, who erected them for the manufacture of handles. Business was immediately com- menced, and about twenty-five or thirty men were em- ployed. The capital was afterwards increased to $40,000, the number of men employed was increased to seventy, and the capacity of the machinery was doubled.

The factory is located on Oak Street, near the Michigan Central Railroad, with warehouses near the track. Bed- steads and lounges are a specialty, Goods are shipped to all parts of the West and South. William Pears is Pres- ident, and William Osborne, Secretary and Manager.

The Furniture-Factory of Black & Willard .- This firm was first started in New Buffalo in 1855, and removed to Buchanan in 1860; commenced work on Oak Street, and removed to the building known as " Fort Sumter" in 1872, and in 1875 to the building where they now are. In 1865, Mr. Willard sold to C. S. Black, and the firm continued till 1872, when H. S. Black took the entire business and con- tinued alone till 1875, when Mr. Willard again became a partner, and the business is now carried on by them. They manufacture furniture of all kinds, bedsteads principally. Goods sold West and South.

The Furniture-Factory of Spencer & Barnes .- This business was commenced in July, 1874, by B. H. Spencer, with whom A. Willard was associated for a short time. In December, 1875, John E. Barnes became a partner, and the business has been continued by them to the present time. Their specialties are bedsteads, centre-tables, and hat- racks. Their sales are made in Canada, and in the West-

ern and Southern States. Their factory is on the east side of the street leading to the depot.

The Zinc Collar-Pad Company was formed in 1870 by Dexter Curtis (the patentee), George H. Richards, and Henry Gilman. They manufactured first near the depot. In 1875 they built the present brick building. Mr. Gil- man retired from the firm in 1878. Nearly 2,000,000 pads of the company's manufacture are in use, and they manufacture annually from 7000 to 10,000 dozen.

SOCIETIES AND ORDERS.

Buchanan Lodge, No. 68, F. and A. M., was instituted Jan. 13, 1854, with Caleb J. Ingersoll, W. M .; S. M. Gris- wold, S. W. ; Nathaniel Hamilton, J. W. The lodge has at present 85 members. Its meetings are held in their hall in Day's block. The present officers are Seth Smith, W. M .; Truman Franklin, S. W .; John Parrott, J. W .; Wil- bin Smith, Treas. ; L. P. Alexander, Sec.

Summit Lodge, No. 192, F. and A. M., was instituted Jan. 10, 1867, with Nathaniel Hamilton, W. M. ; John D. Miller, S. W .; C. C. Bartlett, J. W. The present officers are H. N. Mowrey, W. M. ; Frank Munson, S. W. ; J. N. Murphy, J. W. ; George Churchill, Treas. ; and B. D. Har- per, Sec. Present membership, 79. Meetings are held in Burns' block.

Buchanan Lodge, No. 75, I. O. of O. F., was instituted Sept. 5, 1855. The present officers are W. W. Smith, N. G .; Leroy H. Dodd, V. G .; John C. Dick, Sec .; W. J. Himes, Treas. Present number, 62. Meetings are held in Odd-Fellows' Hall, corner of Front and Main Streets.

Buchanan Lodge, No. 186, 1. O. of G. T., was instituted May 10, 1875, with 49 charter members. The officers were J. H. Roe, W. C. T .; Mrs. A. J. Russell, W. V. T .; J. T. Terflinger, W. C .; Joseph M. Rogers, W. Sec. ; Miss Maria Sampson, Asst. Sec .; Walter J. Himes, F. Sec .; L. P. Fox, Treas. The lodge has a present mem- bership of 65. Its meetings are held in Good Templars' Hall, in Roe's block. The present officers are J. H. Roe, W. C. T .; Mrs. A. J. Eykner, W. V. T .; Walter Osborn, Sec. ; H. J. Hall, Treas .; Miss Emma Smith, F. Sec.

POST-OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS.

The post-office was first established at the village of Bu- chanan in 1848, when John D. Ross was appointed post- master. The office was kept in the store of Mr. Ross, and the business of the first quarter amounted to $12. In 1852, Hiram Weese was appointed. His successors have been John D. Ross, Dr. C. J. Ingersoll, William Parrott, L. P. Alexander, Howell Strong, William S. Merrill, and L. P. Alexander, who is the present incumbent. In the first six months of 1876, 19,998 stamps were sold from this office; and in the first six months of 1879, 31,063 stamps and 16,329 postal cards.

FARMERS AND MANUFACTURERS' BANK.

In 1852, T. M. Fulton and J. D. Ross started a private bank at Buchanan, and in 1869 bought out the banking interest of George M. Colby, at Niles. Mr. Ross took charge of the business at Buchanan and Mr. Fulton at Niles. Later, Mr. Fulton sold the business at Niles and returned to Buchanan. In September, 1872, the bank became the

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

First National Bank of Buchanan, with a capital of $50,000; T. M. Fulton, President; A. T. Ross, Cashier; J. D. Ross, William Pears, Jesse Helmick, George Smith, Charles Jewett, Directors. Dec. 31, 1873, the bank again became a private bank, and is now carried on by J. D. Ross & Son. The business was at first conducted in the store of Mr. Ross, but in 1865 the present brick building was erected.

CEMETERIES.

In 1844 a few men purchased of Mr. Mitchell an acre of land for a cemetery. The ground was surveyed by Ed- ward Ballengee. The first person buried in it was a child of David Sanford.

July 20, 1863, a committee was appointed to examine locations and report in reference to the purchase of ground for a new cemetery. The committee reported, April 23, 1864, in favor of purchasing Warner Hamilton's lot at $500. The report was accepted, adopted, the lot was pur- chased at the price named, and has since been in use as a cemetery.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS IN BUCHANAN.

The First Presbyterian Church .- On the 22d day of May, 1847, the following-named persons, members of the Presbyterian Church, convened at the house of Uriel Enos, in the village of Buchanan, for the purpose of mak- ing arrangements to organize a Presbyterian Church, viz. : J. D. Dutton, Jeremiah Ketchuin, Warner Hooker, Uriel Enos, Charles Baker, and John Marhoff. Warner Hooker was called to the chair, J. Ketchum was chosen clerk, and the meeting " Resolved that a Presbyterian Church be organized on the 19th of June next, and that Messrs. Enos, Dutton, and Baker be a committee to procure ministerial aid for that purpose." On June 19, 1847, the meeting convened pursuant to adjourninent, and proceeded to organ- ize a church, the Rev. Luther Humphrey and Rev. P. S. Pratt being present.

Certificates of membership and dismission from other churches were presented by the following persons, who were thereupon received as members : J. D. Dutton, Almira Dutton, Jeremiah Ketchum, Phoebe Ketchum, Uriel Enos, Emily M. Enos, Warner Hooker, Charles Baker, Francis Enos, Loretta J. Enos, Benjamin S. Enos, and Franklin B. Wallin. The organization was named the First Presbyterian Church of Buchanan. Warner Hooker, Jer- emiah Ketchum, and Uriel Enos were elected elders, and Uriel Enos clerk.

October 2d of the same year the Rev. Porter B. Parry was engaged as stated supply, and remained until February, 1853. While the church was under his care the meeting- house was built. From this time the church was in a low condition until August, 1859, when the Rev. Elisha B. Sherwood was appointed by the Presbytery of Kalamazoo to examine into its condition, and if possible to build it up. It was resolved by the members to resume active and ener- getic efforts to that end. Several joined the church by letters from other churches. A call was extended to the Rev. E. B. Sherwood to become their pastor, Oct. 9, 1859. He accepted, and entered upon his duties November 1st in the same year, and remained until the latter part of 1861.

Nov. 8, 1863, Rev. William Fuller entered upon the

pastorate for one year, but remained until early in 1870. The Rev. Henry Bridges was pastor during the year 1871. His successor was the Rev. W. W. Wells, who is still the pastor.

Services were held for seven years in private houses. In 1849-50 the first church edifice was built where it still stands. After the Rev. Mr. Parry discontinued his rela- tion as pastor, in 1853, and the church began to languish, the house was leased for five years to the Methodist de- nomination. In 1859 the church again occupied their house of worship, and have continued to do so to the pres- ent time.

During the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Parry 30 mem- bers were added to the church. During the discontinuance of services, and until the pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Stod- dard, the membership declined, and but 16 remained on the church roll at the time of his coming. During his minis- try 39 were added to the church. In 1865, 97 members had joined the church from the beginning, and at this writing it has a membership of 120, with a Sunday-school of 100 members, of which R. H. Rogers is superintendent.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- In the summer of 1831, John Hunter, his wife Martha, their son Thomas J., and their daughter Sarah, presented letters from a church in Ohio to the Methodist Church at Niles, then under the charge of the Rev. William Sprague. They lived in the township of Niles, on the east bank of the St. Joseph River. Very soon after their joining the church at Niles prayer-meetings were held at the house of John Hunter, and these soon developed into the formation of a class. The Rev. J. F. Robe, an itinerant minister, was the first to preach in that section, and he was succeeded by Thomas McCool and Richard Meek.

A few years later, in 1842 or 1843, the settlement at Buchanan had become of some importance, and the remain- ing portion of this class, with others, organized a class at Buchanan, at the house of David Sanford, who was the first class-leader. T. J. Hunter, David Sanford, James Swift and wife, James Slater and wife, Mr. Hobart and wife, and Mrs. Dr. Harrison were among the first members. Ser- vices were held at private houses, and at the old school- house, until the new school-house was built, in 1843, when they were held there. In 1853 the society leased the Presbyterian meeting-house for five years. In 1860 the present brick edifice was erected. The ministers succeed- ing Mr. Meek were the Revs. Hill, Shaw, Lee, Campbell, Osborne, Prouty, Glass, King, R. Pengilly, J. F. Robe, J. W. Robinson, V. G. Boynton, L. M. Edmonds, Harder, W. G. Hoag, J. Fowler, - Jakeway, T. George, J. B. Berry, William M. Copeland, N. L. Brockway, Levi Tarr, A. J. Rumell, H. Worthington, and A. J. White, who is the present pastor. The church contains 100 members, with a Sunday-school of 150 members, of which W. A. Leveson is Superintendent; Miss Emma Smith, Librarian ; Miss G. Michel, Secretary ; B. T. Murray, Treasurer.

Church of the Disciples of Christ .- The people in the village of Buchanan who were interested in the views of the above denomination met together in the school-house on the 17th day of December, 1854, for the purpose of

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TOWNSHIP OF BUCHANAN.

organizing a church. The following persons gave in their names, and were constituted a church under the above name, viz .: A. W. McCollum, Elizabeth McCollum, Mar- garet McCollum, Cornelius Sparks, Susannah Sparks, New- ton Baldwin, Sophia Bates, William P. Birdsall, Adelia Birdsall, John M. Roe, Robert M. Roe, Harriet Roe, Jesse J. Roe, Ann M. Roe, Levi Sparks, Maria Sparks, and James Case. A. W. McCollum and William P. Birdsall were chosen elders; Newton Baldwin and Levi Sparks, deacons.

The first pastor was Rev. William M. Roe, who remained in charge until about 1862. He was succeeded by the Revs. Marsh, - - Jackson, D. H. Gary, Jesse J. Roe, A. J. Wilson, H. T. Morrison, and William P. Birdsall, who is the present pastor. Since the organization 536 persons have been admitted to the church. Three hundred names are still on the books. About 100 are in actual attendance. A Sunday-school containing about 75 members is in con- nection with the church, of which Jesse J. Roe is superin- tendent. Services were held in the school-house until 1859, when the present church was built.

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History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 47

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