USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
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* By John L. Rockey.
256
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Mrs. H. Williams, of Lincoln ; and Mrs. Applegate, of Mills Co., Iowa.
About the same time, or a little earlier, Harrison and John V. Nash and their mother made a beginning on sec- tion 34, but in the course of ten years sold to Benjamin Lemon, and moved to a place nearer Stevensville. Sub- sequently, John V. removed to Hagar, and Harrison to Oronoko, where both yet reside.
In 1845, Leonard Archer became a resident of section 36, settling on the place now occupied by the family of Leroy W. Archer, who also came the same year, and who died there in the winter of 1878. Leonard Archer moved to Adams Co., Iowa, a number of years ago. Later in the season of 1845, Mrs. Mary Archer, the widowed mother of the above, came, with her family. Of these, James is yet living in the township ; Elizabeth resides in Idaho; Ambrose and Norman are deceased ; Hannah married Hiram Parce; Submit, Stephen Lamunion ; and Mary is Mrs. Gould Parrish.
Stephen Lamonion became a settler of the same section in 1847. He died in the township, leaving sons named James, Leroy, Norman, and Francis, who are yet residents of this neighborhood. His daughters were named Mary, Margaret, Nancy, and Almeda, three of whom yet survive and live in the southern part of the county.
On the James Morrow place Alonzo Spear settled, after 1850, his son Charles coming the same time. Other sons were Lloyd and Isaac. The father died in the township, and most of the family removed.
Stephen Bonnell came about 1854, and settled on section 36, on the place at present occupied by his widow, Elizabeth Bonnell. There were sons named Charles and Joseph, and two daughters. A brother of the above, Ogden Bonnell, came to the township about the same time.
On the opposite side of the road, on section 35, Alexander Wilbur began improvements about the same period, and a few miles farther north were Andrew J. and Isaac Smoke. In 1854, Dr. J. N. Percell and his father-in-law, James Dunham, settled at Stevensville, and near by were Hiram Barnes, Philip and William Walworth, the pioneers in their respective localities. Other pioneers in their respect- ive neighborhoods were Jacob Fikes, John Bort, Orrin Brown, Chester Phelps, John Graham, Artemas Walker, Henry Evans, William A. Brown, George Martin, and T. W. Dunham.
The following names appear on the poll-register of the township of Royalton as legal voters (living in that part which forms the present township of Lincoln) prior to 1862, and were, therefore, among the early settlers :
A. G. Abbe, E. L. Abbott, Christian Abraham, James Archer, Abijah Birdsey, William Byers, Orrin Brown, David N. Brown, Lyman Beeman, Henry O. Beeman, Philander Beeman, Christopher Brown, Joseph Chapel, Powell Crickman, John Corrigan, A. D. Crandall, James Dunham, Hiram Dunham, L. W. Davis, John B. Danforth, Elias Davoe, Jacob Fikes, Hiram B. Gard, R. A. Gregg, Jacob Gardner, Samuel Green, Job W. Hollywood, Robert F. Hollywood, W. J. Hollis, L. K. Hyde, R. E. Johnson, Allen Johnson, Jacob V. Jeffries, W. D. Jeffries, Frederick Keeler, James K. Kinne, James Lamunion, John W. R. Leister, N. H. Lounsberry, John Mielkie, George N. Martin, Alexander Mc- Donald, William F. Morrow, Nicholas Miller, Barnard Miller, Elias B. Miller, Daniel A. Miller, Elijah H. Myers, Thomas S.
Myers, Harrison Nash, John V. Nash, Gould Parrish, James A. Parrish, John N. Percell, Hiram Parce, Chester P. Phelps, B. M. Quint, Moses B. Quint, Lewis Richards, Charles S. Richardson, Thomas Richardson, Andrew J. Smoke, Alonzo Spear, Henry S. Strickland, Ansel Stone, Mitchell Spillman, Charles Spear, Austin J. Sperry, William Smith, Jacob Van Deusen, Peter Van Deusen, Philip M. Walworth, John Wagner, Artemas Walker.
From this time on the population increased very rapidly. In 1868 the following persons were assessed to pay a tax on personal property, and in most instances they were resi- dents of the township at that time :
Names. Section.
Names. Section.
Leroy W. Archer.
36
Christopher Miller 22
James Archer
26
Barnard Miller
12
Christian Abraham.
2
David Myers.
24
E. L. Abbott.
9
Joseph C. Myers
13
W. W. Alport
10
C. P. Martin 23
J. W. Brown.
15
John Milke.
10
Orrin Brown
9
John Maginnis
15
John S. Brown
3
Harrison Nash. 28
Nelson & Benjamin. 21
Ole Olson ..
J. A. Parrish. 23
Gould Parrish 36
Victor Plea 21
Hiram Pendland 13
D. R. Baldwin ..
2
Perley Putnam. 22
Chester Phelps 9
2
Gael Bronson
14
Andrew Passoski.
B. M. Pettit.
3
Ozro Bronson
23
Submit Parce 36
Horace Bronson
14
B. M. Quint 28
O. W. Quint .. 28
C. L. Richardson. 14
23
A. D. Crandall
28
John Reeder.
3
L. W. Davis
24
3
Richard Dobson 13 Wellington Stewart .. 16
Charles Stewart 16
3
William B. Smith
3
W. E. Domoni.
25
Elias Davoe
23
Daniel Fisher
16
D. M. Fisher.
32
Eri Stephens.
14
J. E. Stephens.
1
Fuller & Peters.
2
10 Michael Spillman. 2
2 A. J. Smoke
23
1 John B. Shinn
22
Frederick Gest
3
11 Joseph Stiles.
3
A. O. Griswold.
32
Sutherland & Granger.
34
Fred. Grahl
27
Henry A. Truax
3
William Hudson
16
H. L. Huntington
3
I. M. Hill.
10
W. C. Van Patten
1
L. P. Haskell
25
C. J. Williams
3
Jacob N. Jeffries.
33
Henry C. Ward.
3
E. R. Johnson.
25
J. G. Wells
1
Allan Johnson.
1
Harry Wood
26
Wesley Jewell.
J. A. Johnson
D. A. Winslow
9
James G. Kinne
John Wagner
25
Samuel King
24
L. A. Wilber.
35
J. W. R. Leister
16
William T. White 2
14
Leroy Lamonion
35
2 Whitney & Vanvlear
James Lamonion 35
John A. Stone. 25
John Stephenson
Jacob Fikes.
2
H. S. Strickland. 10
Rebecca French
Jacob B. Gallinger.
R. A. Gregg.
E. J. Stambeck
3
John Graham
Nelson Upson
Jacob Van Deusen 15
Peter Van Deusen
9
George Higbee
William Walworth
28
Hiram C. Hess
George Smith
33
Ansel Stone 25
Daniel Bowker
14
E. S. Caldwell
9
A. H. Conkey
11
James M. Richardson
Hiram Dunham
S. T. Smith
T. W. Dunham.
M. N. Dunham
11
William A. Brown
33
Christopher Brown. 26
D. N. Brown
9
John N. Percell 21
Philander Beeman.
15
Elizabeth Bonnell.
36
Charles W. Peters
Lyman Bronson
23
Orrin J. Brown
11
Chester Brown.
11
Augusta Brown.
3
John V. Nash 28
Alonzo D. Brown
Charles Breithaupt.
Charles Royce.
Henry Evans.
27 A. A. Webster. 11
The valuation of the personal property in the township in 1868 was $11,125; in 1878, $12,600. At the former period the entire valuation of Lincoln was $149,719, and at the latter, $152,460.
The whole number of acres in the township is 13,584, a small proportion of which is owned by non-residents; and the average value is reported as $10.29. In 1868 the taxes of the township were about $1100, and in 1878, for the same purpose, nearly $1400.
Artemas Walker
John Lawler 27
.
DAVID MYERS.
MRS. D. MYERS.
RESIDENCE OF DAVID MYERS , LINCOLN, MICH.
-
257
TOWNSHIP OF LINCOLN.
ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
The township of Lincoln was erected and organized in 1867, the first meeting for the election of officers being held April 1, in that year; Abijah Birdsey, Wellington Stewart, and D. N. Brown presiding as inspectors. The Republican ticket received 106 votes and the Democratic 74. The officers elected were as follows : Supervisor, James A. Parrish ; Clerk,. Robert F. Vanvlear ; Treasurer, Alonzo D. Brown ; Justices, Leroy W. Archer, O. W. Quint; Constables, John A. Sperry, A. H. Conkey, B. W. Quint ; School Inspector, A. O. French ; Road Commissioner, C. E. Spear.
Since that time the principal officers of the township have been the following :
SUPERVISORS.
1868, James A. Parrish ; 1869, Leroy W. Archer; 1870-79, Alonzo D. Brown.
CLERKS.
1868, R. F. Vanvlear; 1869-72, J. G. Wells; 1873-75, Martin Weiss; 1876, John F. B. Thompson ; 1877, George W. McMaster ; 1878, James A. Collins; 1879, William M. Smith.
TREASURERS.
1868-70, A. D. Brown ; 1871-79, Leonard Whitney.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE FROM 1861 TO 1879. .
Joshua G. Wells, John W. Leister, Alonzo D. Brown, Gould Parrish, Gottlob Ketler, L. E. Knowles, James Dunham, Charles E. Spear, Leonard Whitney, William Gifford, D. M. Warren, Silas Latta, Peter Van Deusen, Abel Goddard, William G. Mielkie, and Taylor V. Ward.
PUBLIC THOROUGHFARES.
It was with much difficulty that good roads were con- structed in certain localities in the township. The yielding nature of the soil made it necessary to corduroy or plank the highways in many places, by which means they have been rendered not only passable, but, in most instances, they are in excellent condition. This is especially true of Lincoln Avenue, in the northeastern part of the township, which runs through a locality where the early settlers thought it impossible to build a road. The township has been divided into 14 road districts, which now (1879) are in charge of the following overseers: Adam Yound, Wil- liam Gallinger, Erskine Danforth, William G. Mielkie, C. Kroenig, Henry Mielkie, Nathaniel Beardsley, T. W. Smoke, William M. Smith, George E. Smith, George Hol- lis, Charles Bonnelle, Henry Berendt, Christopher Miller.
In February, 1870, the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad was completed through the township, and subse- quently stations were located at Stevensville, Lincoln, and South Lincoln.
MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES.
The first manufacturing establishment in the township was a saw-mill on Hickory Creek, on section 34. It was put up by Benjamin Lemon about 1852, and after being operated a number of years by him and others, was dis- continued. At a later date H. S. Strickland erected a saw- mill on the same stream, on section 28, which was carried on until a recent period.
East of the present village of Stevensville A. L. Putnam got in operation a steam saw-mill about twelve years ago, adding a few years later a grist-mill. In 1875 the latter was destroyed by fire.
Some time about 1853 a water-power saw-mill was put up on section 10 by George Martin, which was operated by him until it went down ; and on section 11 John Graham put in operation a steam saw-mill about 1864, which was destroyed by fire. Here is at present a good mill of about 1,000,000 feet capacity, owned and operated by E. A. Graham.
On section 22 Victor Plea built a steam saw-mill in 1865, which was discontinued in 1871, and the machinery removed to Stevensville in 1873, where it formed part of a large lumber, fruit-package, and turning establishment, which was also swept away by a conflagration. At the site of his old mill Victor Plea put in operation a steam grist- mill in 1869, but in a few years removed the machinery to a building erected for a mill on Hickory Creek, near by, where it was operated only a short time.
In 1871, M. M. Dunham built a steam saw-mill at Stevensville, which became the property of L. R. Brown in the course of a few years, and was changed by him into a grist-mill in 1877. It is supplied with three run of stones and good machinery, and is the only flouring-mill in the township.
Near Stevensville Fisher & Hoskin had a small steam saw-mill in 1867, which was burned soon after ; and about the same time T. W. Dunham started a mill of greater capacity on the Grand Marais, which is yet operated to a certain extent. To facilitate the shipment of lumber Mr. Dunham erected a pier on Lake Michigan, from which schooners were laden. Other interests may have abounded a short time, but the foregoing have been the principal ones.
LINCOLN FRUIT INTERESTS.
Fruit-growing has become the controlling industry of the people of the township, the acreage increasing from year to year until thousands of acres are used for this pur- pose. Until 1863 much of the soil of the township was re- garded as unfit for the cultivation of peaches and the small fruits, but the profitable nature of the business in St. Joseph and other townships induced the planting of several orchards, which proved successful beyond the anticipations of their owners. Other clearings were rapidly made, and the barren wastes were transformed into fruitful fields as if by magic, enriching their proprietors and giving employ- ment to many men. The failure of the peach orchards caused a temporary decline of the business, which has again attained importance since the culture of small fruits has received attention. In 1878 the shipments of berries from the different stations in the township amounted to 44,713 half-bushel packages; peaches, 15,904 one-third- bushel packages; and apples, 6899 barrels.
The shipments of 1879 will greatly exceed the foregoing, having already reached, in July, 40,000 cases of berries.
In 1872, before the failure of peaches, there were in the township 288 acres in strawberries; 104 acres in rasp- berries ; 223 acres in blackberries ; 35,154 grape-vines ; 4092 cherry-trees; 140,987 peach-trees; 11,108 pear- trees ; 28,567 apple-trees, 2327 plum-trees; and 4631 quince-trees. The first farms were from 2 to 98 acres in extent, and the growers owning more than 10 acres were as follows :
33
258
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
E. L. Abbott, B. W. Batchelor, A. D. Brown, Orrin Brown, E. S. Cadwell, J. A. Canavan, L. Carpenter, E. Danforth, H. R. Dusen- berry, Jacob Fikes, Gordon Brothers, R. S. Goodell, R. A. Gragg, F. Graff, A. Halliday, William Hudson, C. Kaper, F. Croft, Thomas Mason, G. W. McMaster, R. Miller, B. Miller, W. G. Mielkie, John Mielkie, A. H. Morrison, C. Miller, D. Myers, W. M. Parrish, A. E. Perkins, C. W. Peters, B. M. Pettit, C. P. Phelps, I. S. Reed, W. Smith, Charles Stewart, J. E. Stevens, M. Spillman, P. Vandeusen, S. P. Wadsworth, A. Walker, D. M. Warnn, A. A. Webster, P. Weber, M. Weiss, A. E. Brush, T. W. Dunham, James Dunham, D. M. Fisher, H. C. Hess, Victor Plea, H. Putnam, H. S. Strickland, J. Vandeusen, W. W. Allport, M. B. Cleveland, William J. Davis, P. D. Locke, A. N. Merriman, and M. H. Morris.
HAMLETS AND VILLAGES.
The first effort to found a village within the bounds of the township was made by E. P. Deacon, Hiram Brown, and Robert Richards, of St. Joseph. In May, 1836, they platted a number of lots at the mouth of the Grand Marais, on which was to be built a village to bear the name of Liver- pool. The power was to be improved for manufacturing purposes, primarily to cut up the large forests of pine grow- ing along the lake-shore. The proprietors never realized their object, the place remaining to this day a " paper city."
North of the centre of the township, at South Lincoln Station, a post-office was established in June, 1879, with M. N. Lord as postmaster; and here a country store is soon to be opened, which will give the place the character of a country trading-point.
Stevensville, an important railroad station on sections 21 and 28, is the only village in the township. It was laid out by Thomas Stevens, of Niles, who owned a large tract of land in that locality. In the same season an addition was platted by D. N. Brown. The place contains Metho- dist Episcopal and Protestant Methodist churches, several stores, hotels, shops, a good grist-mill, and about twenty houses.
In 1871 the Stevensville post-office was established, with James Dunham as the first postmaster. The successive postmasters have been Solomon Fassett, Abel Goddard, and William M. Parrish. Several mails per day are received.
No merchandising was carried on in the township prior to 1870. That year Victor Plea built a store near his mills, in which a stock of goods was placed by Boughton & Graham. In the early part of 1871, George Morrison moved the goods which remained unsold to the depot build- ing in Stevensville, and for some time kept a store there. But William M. Smith had the first store in the village. He engaged in trade in 1870, and continued until 1877, being succeeded by the present merchant, E. D. Collins.
In 1871, Dr. J. N. Percell opened a drug-store, which he has since carried on, and a few years later M. Dunham began trade in a building in which William M. Parrish & Co. at present have a general store, having been in trade here since 1877.
Fred. Sneck is the proprietor of a furniture-store, the upper story of which forms a grange hall, and there are besides a few small shops, which aid in making the place a good trading-point.
The first tavern was opened by William Gifford, in a building which is at present occupied for this purpose by Charles Hart. In a well-appointed building near by
George Morrison opened a public-house, which since his death has been carried on by his widow.
Dr. E. M. Pettit, a homoeopathist, was for many years a physician in the township. Dr. A. D. Brown has resided in Lincoln since 1863, but has not been in the active prac- tice of his profession. In 1854, Dr. J. N. Percell began the practice of medicine in the present township, and was its first physician. He still resides in the township, although no longer a practitioner. Drs. White and Hess were former physicians of Lincoln, and the present ones are Drs. Charles Hart and J. S. Beers.
Lake Grange, No. 84, Patrons of Husbandry, was or- ganized in Lake township in September, 1873, with 13 members, but since July, 1874, has held its meetings at Stevensville. At one time the membership numbered 100, but at present only 35 are reported. Charles Lord was the first Master, and was followed in this office by David S. Evans, Thomas Mason, and, since 1876, by Samuel Marrs. The Secretaries have been O. P. Miller, William A. Brown, and C. P. Phelps. Orrin Brown is the present Treasurer.
SCHOOLS.
The public schools of Lincoln have received more than the usual degree of attention bestowed on country schools, and are in the condition shown below :
Number of districts. 7
Children of school age. 455
Number attending school 302
Value of school-houses. $5000
Expended for schools (school year of 1879) $2185.98
The school inspectors from 1868 to 1879 have been L. W. Archer, Leonard Whitney, Artemas Walker, A. G. Parrish, William B. Sprague, Charles O. Jeffries, Gould Parrish, Martin Weiss, Charles Hart, and A. O. French ; the school superintendents since the time these officers have been elected by the township, in 1875, have been A. D. Brown and A. O. French.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The Methodist Episcopal was the first church to estab- lish its forms of worship in Lincoln township. In June, 1847, Gould Parrish and others formed a class, at what was afterwards known as Spear's school-house, in the south- eastern part of the present township, which had Samuel Davis as the leader, and other members from the Archer and Lamonion families. That winter a revival took place in this neighborhood, during which more than a hundred were converted, and which gave the class a large increase, among the members being persons belonging to the Smoke, Lounsberry, Parkerton, Porter, Wilbur, and other families. Preaching was had here from this time forward, in con- nection with appointments in the adjoining townships, the whole forming circuits, whose pastoral relations are given in the township history of Lake, in this book. The ap- pointment is at present known as South Lincoln, and the class numbers 24 members, under the leadership of James Archer. The superintendent of the Sunday-school is F. Lamonion. The school has 25 members.
Through the preaching of the Revs. Gould Parrish and William Penland, local ministers of the circuit, a revival of religion took place in 1866, at what was then called the
MR.S. L.W. ARCHER.
L. W. ARCHER.
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE L. W. ARCHER, LINCOLN, MICH .
259
TOWNSHIP OF LINCOLN.
Nash school-house, in the western part of the township, and a class was formed which did not prosper until the following year, when George E. Smith became the class- leader. C. O. Jeffries was one of the active members, and as a result of another revival, which occurred in the winter of 1867-68, 30 persons were converted, strengthening the class and giving it permanency. It is at present known as the Stevensville class, and George Smith is in charge of the 26 members composing it as their leader. The class at Lincoln Avenue has been supplied with preaching since 1867. It has at present 32 members, and William John- son as the leader. The Sunday-school at that place is also superintended by Mr. Johnson, and has 50 members. The services at Stevensville are held in the Methodist Episcopal Church edifice, a neat frame building, which was erected in the summer of 1878, at a cost of $800. The building committee was composed of Edward Johnson, James John- son, and the pastor, the Rev. J. R. Skinner. It was dedi- cated July 18, 1878, by Bishop Merrill, and is a comfort- able place of worship. The present trustees are George Smith, James Johnson, William M. Parrish, Philo Hyde, and C. O. Jeffries.
Stevensville and Lincoln Avenue are also parts of Bridg- man circuit, whose history is given in connection with Lake township, to which the reader is referred for the names of the pastors who have served these appointments. In the Stevensville church a Sunday-school of 50 members is superintended by Lillie Putnam.
The Protestant Methodist Church of Stevensville .- Since 1854 members who entertained the faith of this denomi- nation have resided in the township, but it was not until 1867 that regular preaching was supplied. At the solicitation of T. W. Dunham, the Rev. Mr. Reeves came about that time to preach to the people residing in the western part of the township, and continued his services with some regularity more than two years. Other minis- ters followed, among them being Revs. Shepardson and Pat- terson. The present preacher is the Rev. D. M. Weaver.
In 1876 a frame meeting-house for the use of the society was begun at Stevensville, but was not completed until the latter part of 1878. A protracted meeting was then held here which promoted a revival and secured an addition of 20 church members. The church has a total membership of 32. T. W. Dunham is the class-leader, and D. W. Percell the steward. A flourishing Sunday-school is main- tained, which has Frank Hoskin for superintendent.
The Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Joseph erected a building in the northern part of Lincoln, for the accommodation of its members in this township, in the fall of 1878, in which the pastor of that church preaches twice per month. A day-school for the promotion of secular and religious education has been maintained the past year. It was attended by 64 pupils.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DAVID MYERS
was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, Sept. 25, 1825, and re- mained in Ohio and the Eastern States until 1855, en- gaged during this time in various kinds of business, as farming, working by the month, driving stock to the Eastern markets, working on the canal, etc. In 1855 he came to Michigan, settling in Niles township. There he purchased a saw-mill, ran it, and bought and sold lumber in partner- ship with Justice Corwin. In 1859 he sold out to his partner, and rented a farm east of Berrien Springs. In 1862 he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Royalton, cleared about forty acres, built a house and barn, and set out an orchard, remaining there until 1865, when he moved to Lincoln township on one hundred and twenty acres of land, it being one of the oldest farms in the township. He is still engaged in farming, fruit-growing, and buying and selling stock. He has made a success of all these voca- tions. In 1858, Mr. Myers married H. J., daughter of Shadrach Ford. Mrs. Myers was born in Berrien town- ship, Nov. 22, 1837,-her father being one of the first set- tlers in the county.
L. W. ARCHER
was born in the State of Vermont, Feb. 28, 1821. At the early age of seven years he moved to Orleans Co., N. Y., where he remained five years, going from there to Upper Canada, and remaining two years; he then returned to Or- leans County.
After a short time he took the Michigan fever, as many were going from that portion of New York to Michigan, and he decided to try his fortunes in the new State. He stopped first at Niles, arriving there in 1845, remaining until 1860, when he settled in Lincoln township, where he remained until his death.
Mr. Archer at the early age of sixteen years embraced religion, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, and during his entire life was an active member, filling many positions of trust in the church. His death occurred Feb. 22, 1879, but the grim messenger found him at his post, and released him from his labors that he might receive his final reward. He left behind him a wife and four children, who, with many friends, mourn his loss.
Mrs. Archer's maiden name was Lorinda Stone. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Archer have all nearly reached the estate of manhood and womanhood.
DR. J. N. PERCELL.
This gentleman was born in Mayfield, Montgomery Co., N. Y., Feb. 17, 1828. When but six years of age he lost his father, and was taken by his grandfather, Daniel An- derson, with whom he made his home until he was fourteen years old. He then removed to Johnstown, where he at- tended the academy some four years; then went to Michi- gan, with his mother and stepfather (his mother having married again), and settled with them in the township of Brady, Kalamazoo Co. Two years later he took up his abode with his uncle, Archibald Anderson, and remained
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