USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 71
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 71
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Eli Hill was a man of considerable prominence in the village about the year 1836, when he came from Avon, N. Y., and purchased the larger portion of the tract occu- pied by Berrien village. He made some building improve- ments, and was engaged in erecting a hotel upon the lot now occupied by Kephart's drug-store, when he died, about 1840.
One Gibbs came to Berrien about 1835, and after a resi- dence of a year or two moved to Illinois.
George Ewalt and George Essick came to the village together from Bedford Co., Pa., in 1836, both being young men without families. Ewalt was a carpenter, and worked at his trade in the village until 1856, when he moved to a farm a mile and a half west of the Springs, where he still resides. Ewalt married a daughter of William Lemon.
Essick was a tailor, and for a time pursued his calling in the village. Shortly after 1858 he opened the hotel built by Eli Hill, on Ferry Street, and after he ceased to be a landlord he became a tinner. He resided in the village until his death. Two of his daughters-Mrs. Henry D. Howe and Sophronia Essick-live in the town.
EARLY VILLAGE PROPRIETORS.
Berrien Springs village was originally known as Berrien, and as such was surveyed and platted, in August, 1831, by Samuel Marrs, deputy surveyor, for the proprietors, Pitt Brown, Horace Godfrey, and Francis B. Murdock. When R. E. Ward located in the village, in 1835, he called the place Berrien Springs (and had its name changed by the post-office department), because of the presence near there, on the east bank of the river, of sulphur and other medi- cated springs ; and by that name it has been commonly known since. These springs, it may be remarked, contain val- uable properties, but their present inaccessibility, by reason of being located in a marshy district, impairs their useful- ness. Measures are on foot, however, looking to the opening of easy and convenient communication.
In 1837 the village was designated as the county-seat of Berrien, and naturally this important accession gave its af-
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fairs a healthful and vigorous impetus, which has continued to make the community moderately prosperous.
PIONEER MERCHANTS.
About the year 1831, Thomas Love and Edward Bal- lengee came from Virginia, and opened a store in a small log house which they put up on the hill near where the Defield House stands. In 1832 their log store was de- stroyed by fire, and directly afterwards they built a frame store on the river's bank, at what is now the west end of the bridge. The two stores named were small affairs, and in 1834 Love & Ballengee erected near their second store a third one, of considerable pretensions to size. The firm sold out, in 1836 or 1837, to Andrew J. Murray & John Wittenmeyer. The latter had previously kept store in the building opposite Love & Ballengee, where Pitt Brown & R. E. Ward opened a store about 1835. Brown & Ward failed, and, as related, Wittenmeyer succeeded them, pur- chasing the stock of goods that John F. Porter, of St. Joseph, had sent to Berrien Springs, to be sold by Adam Small, a clerk for Brown & Ward.
When Wittenmeyer bought out Love & Ballengee he took in Dr. Andrew J. Murray as a partner. They sold out to W. G. Ferson, of Niles, who was in turn succeeded by B. D. Townsend. Townsend kept the store about eighteen months, and then sold to his clerk, James M. Platt. Platt closed the building, and, following the tide of civilization, took a store on the hill upon the site now occupied by the Reed House. Townsend had built the store, and C. W. Angell kept it for a while. Platt moved it to the corner where he afterwards put up his fine brick block, and upon the erection of the latter removed the frame structure to the adjoining lot. It is now occupied by N. J. Davis as a store. The store at the foot of the hill, built by Love & Ballengee and closed by Platt, was eventually moved to the top of the hill, and forms now a part of the store of P. Kephart & Son. Mr. Platt continued in the mercantile trade in Berrien Springs until his death, in 1874.
Aiken, Smith & Co. kept a small store on the hill after 1842. In 1843, Dr. Philip Kephart (who settled in Ber- rien Springs in 1841) opened a general store, and has been a store-keeper in the village ever since. In 1848, Thomas L. Stevens & R. W. Landon opened a store in the frame building built by the Sons of Temperance, upon the lot opposite Platt's corner.
Mr. William Dougherty, now residing on a farm near Berrien Springs, came to the village from Washington city, in 1838, with a stock of goods, built a store on Ferry Street, at the top of the hill, and from 1838 to 1843 carried on business as a merchant. For a time he retired from trade, but resumed it in 1852, and continued at his old stand from that date until 1865, since which time he has been living in retirement.
PIONEER MANUFACTURERS.
As already narrated, George Kimmel put up in 1832, on Lemon Creek, the pioneer saw-mill. There was a lot on the river-bank donated by the town proprietors for a saw- mill lot, and upon it, about 1833, Pitt Brown and R. E. Ward built a saw-mill, which, however, they put to little if any use, their object in erecting the structure being
doubtless to avail themselves of the benefit of the donation. The property was idle most of the time until 1838, when Ward & Brown converted it into a distillery, in which R. C. Payne, of Niles, was also interested. A grist-mill was added, but proved a failure. The distillery passed into the possession of Wm. F. McOmber, and lastly to Garrow, Smith & Co.
The history of the early attorneys and physicians, and of the press, will be found in the general chapters.
EARLY PUBLIC-HOUSES.
Pitt Brown was the pioneer tavern-keeper of this sec- tion, and between the years 1831 and 1840 his hostelry, below the hill on the river-bank, was a popular resort, known far and wide. After Brown retired from business, Jacob Statler was the landlord, and after him David Wilson, fol- lowing whose retirement the building was destroyed by fire.
John Defield built the first tavern, " on the hill," in 1842. The house is still known as the Defield House, and is owned by his widow. Eli Hill, who became the proprietor of the town in 1836, by purchase of the interests of Pitt Brown, Horace Godfrey, and Francis B. Murdock, began in 1836 to build a hotel on the corner now occupied by P. Kephart as a drug-store. Hill died before he could finish the structure, which was not completed until several years afterwards, and not opened as a hotel until 1859, when Geo. Essick became the landlord. He was succeeded by Andrew Marrs, in 1861, and Marrs sold in turn to Robert Wickoff, during whose time the place was burned. A wing of the building was saved, and moved by one Carey to where the Reed House now stands. Carey kept tavern in it, and in 1870 sold to Otis Reed, who added to it, and made the present Reed House of it.
STEAMBOATS ON THE ST. JOSEPH.
The steamer " Newburyport," owned by Capt. White, of Buffalo, and commanded by Capt. Samuel Woodford, navi- gated the St. Joseph River in 1832, and was the first boat to reach Berrien Springs. She attempted to go as far as Niles, but grounded, and returned to St. Joseph in a dam- aged condition. Later she was put in the trade between St. Joseph and Chicago, and after making a few trips went ashore and broke in pieces. In 1833 the " Matilda Barney," commanded at one time by Ebenezer E. Farley, traded as high up the river as South Bend; and in 1834 the "Davy Crockett," whose captain for a time was Pitt Brown, appeared as a rival to the " Barney." The river trade was considerable then, and at a point opposite Ber- rien Springs Eli Ford built a great warehouse, where con- siderable freight for the interior was landed, and where vast quantities of the products of the surrounding agricul- tural region were taken for shipment down the river. The " Barney" and "Crockett" were in commission for some time, and managed to make river history somewhat ani- mated. Following these boats were the " Pocahontas," " Indiana," " Algoma," "Niles," and others, all famous in their day.
PHYSICIANS.
Andrew J. Murray, who was a partner also with Mr. Wittenmeyer as storekeeper at Berrien Springs, was the first
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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
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physician in the village. He opened an office in 1836 where Mr. J. Shearer now lives, at the corner of Marrs and Mechanic Streets. Mr. Murray practiced in Berrien Springs until 1839 or 1840, when he removed to St. Joseph, and subsequently to Niles, where he died. He is still re- membered as an excellent physician and worthy citizen. Dr. Chamberlain came in 1837, and became associated in practice with Dr. Murray, but remained only a year, when he removed to Michigan City, Ind. He now resides in Elkhart, Ind. In 1841, Philip Kephart engaged in the practice of medicine at the "Springs," but continued it actively only until 1843, when he engaged in mercantile pursuits. Since 1843, Mr. Kephart has been in business in the village, and is now, as he has been for years, one of the leading merchants of the place.
Eli Hill, who purchased considerable property in the vil- lage in 1836, practiced medicine occasionally until his death, in 1840, although he did not aim to be a regularly prac- ticing physician. In 1843, C. C. Wallin opened an office, and remained until 1849. He is now living in Chicago. Charles W. Angell practiced from 1846-49, and in 1847 Lyman A. Barnard (still living in Berrien Springs) became one of the village physicians. Between 1849 and 1850 he had the field to himself. S. C. Bartholomew, Dr. Bar- nard's contemporary, came in 1850 and practiced until his death, in 1858. Meanwhile J. L. Bugbee practiced one season, and in 1851, Dr. Henry Leader came in and re- mained until 1860, when he removed to Pokagon, where he died. Subsequently the physicians were B. F. Dela- plaine, J. S. Fowler, H. J. Wilcox, W. F. Mason, Edward Hall, Dr. Hayes, J. D. Bowman, Dr. Ludwig, J. S. Mar- tin, S. T. Armstrong, W. F. Reiber, O. Wheeler, and T. W. Anderson. The last two named are now (September, 1879) the practicing physicians of Berrien Springs.
THE "BERRIEN GRAYS."
In 1845 military ardor permeated the bosoms of some of the eminent citizens of Berrien Springs, and as a conse- quence they formed a militia company, enrolled it in the service of the State, and urged the enterprise forward with great vigor. The company was called the " Berrien Grays," and elected, at the organization, Jacob Statler captain ; Ezra D. Wilson and George Kimmel, lieutenants. J. M. Wat- son was orderly sergeant; Adam Small, drummer; and Uziel Williams, fifer. The company uniform was gray, trimmed with black, and, it is said, made a showy appear- ance. The Grays enjoyed frequent parades, and became locally famous ; but the vigorous enthusiasm which attended the birth of the command lessened as time advanced, and within a few years grew so feeble that the organization passed out of existence.
THE RIVER FERRY.
Pitt Brown was the first one to put on a ferry at the village. He started it in 1831, and continued it several years, when Lyman A. Barnard, who had been doing the work upon it, bought the business and put on a rope-ferry. John Defield and Jacob Statler followed Barnard, Statler operating it until 1844, when the building of a bridge at that point put an end to the ferry.
The first man to cross Pitt Brown's ferry was, to use Pitt's own expression, a boy. At all events, when Brown put his boat off from the Berrien Springs shore on its first trip, it had aboard Amos Farley and a lad named E. A. Brown (brother to Darius Brown). " Hello, my lad," ex- claimed Mr. Brown, "you are the first man ever carried over this ferry, and a good deal of an honor it is to you in the bargain."
POST-OFFICES AND POSTMASTERS.
A post-office was established in 1831, and Pitt Brown appointed postmaster. He kept the office in the bar of his tavern, which stood at the foot of Ferry Street, upon the site of Stowe's bowl-factory. At that time there was but little postal business transacted at this point, for the charge of " two shillings" postage made letter-writing too great a luxury to be indulged in except upon urgent necessity.
Berrien was then a mail-station on the route between Niles and St. Joseph, and the passage of the river was ef- fected by means of a ferry. It happened, one day in early winter, while Lyman A. Barnard was operating a " rope- ferry" at that point, that Mr. Huston, the mail-carrier, ar- rived from Niles at the river's bank, and found the stream so choked with ice that the ferry-boat could not cross, while the ice barrier was too thin to permit the passage of a man over its surface. In this emergency Barnard got the mail over by crossing on the ferry-boat rope and pushing the mail-bag before him, it being understood, however, that Barnard didn't " walk" the rope; he simply sat astride of it, and drew himself along with his hands.
Although the mail was over, the carrier was still on the wrong side of the river, and likely to stop there. Pitt Brown bargained, therefore, with Barnard to carry the mail to St. Joseph ; and before setting out the latter repaired to Brown, early in the morning, to be sworn in as mail-carrier. Brown was in bed, and upon Barnard's entrance sat up and thus delivered the form of oath : "You swear by the eter- nal God to carry the mail to St. Joseph ; that you will not open it; and that you will deliver it to no man but the post- master at St. Joseph." Barnard set out upon his journey, but had not gone far when he was overtaken by Brown, who said that upon reflection he had concluded to go on to St. Joseph himself, and so they both conveyed the mail in safety to its destination. Whether Brown thought the oath administered to Barnard was not strong enough, or whether he thought he was exceeding his prerogative in appointing a mail-carrier, are matters of conjecture, for he never explained. It is only certain that he saw the mail safely conveyed to its destination. Brown was the post- master until his death, in 1842. During his time, upon a petition started by R. E. Ward, the name of the post-office was changed to Berrien Springs. Upon Brown's death the office passed to Thomas Love, who was succeeded in 1845 by George Essick, who kept tavern on what is now the site of Kephart's drug-store. Joseph Faulker, who opened the first harness-shop in Berrien Springs, succeeded Essick in 1849, and held the office until his death, in 1853, when Adam Small, who had served as deputy under Pitt Brown and Thomas Love, was appointed, and continued until 1860. Lyman A. Barnard was postmaster from 1860 to 1870,
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save for a period of six months, when D. G. W. Gaugler was the appointee, and to him succeeded Sylvester Smith. The latter gave way in 1873 to Fred. McOmber, the pres- ent incumbent.
The business of the office during the quarter ending June 30, 1879, was: Amount received for sale of stamps, $242.98; money-orders issued, $5893.78; money-orders paid, $1667.42.
VILLAGE ORGANIZATION.
Berrien Springs was incorporated Oct. 15, 1863. On the 26th of August, 1863, 73 citizens applied to the board of supervisors for a village charter, and against this applica- tion, on October 10th, nine citizens entered a remonstrance. The former petition was granted, however, and Oct. 15, 1863, Berrien Springs became an incorporated village. The territory incorporated is described in the act as follows : " Commencing at a stake on the left bank of the St. Joseph River, in the northern line of Hamilton Street; thence running south, 48° west, on the northerly line of said Ham- ilton Street 7-31 chains, to where the northerly line of Bluff Street, if extended, would cross the said northerly line of Hamilton Street ; thence south, 88° west, 30 chains, to the centre of the Berrien and St. Joseph road ; thence due south 57-77 chains, to the centre of the Terre Coupée road ; thence due east 45-29% chains, to a stake on the left bank of the St. Joseph River, from which a sycamore-tree, 28 inches in diameter, bears south 27° west, and is distant therefrom 21 links; thence following the left bank of the river to the place of beginning."
The supervisors appointed J. W. Howe, Charles D. Nich- ols, and Daniel Terriere to be inspectors of election, which was ordered to be held at the court-house on the first Mon- day in December, 1863. At that election Philip Kephart was chosen President; O. A. Dudley, Clerk ; and Preston Boon, B. F. Pennell, James M. Platt, S. G. Armstrong, James Graham, and Samuel J. Davis, Trustees.
The persons who have served as presidents and clerks of the village from 1864 to 1879, inclusive, are named as follows :
PRESIDENTS.
1864, Philip Kephart; 1865-66, James Graham; 1867-69, P. Kep- hart; 1870, L. A. Barnard; 1871, J. W. Howe; 1872, P. Kep- hart; 1873-74, James Graham; 1875, B. F. Pennell ; 1876-77, R. D. Dix ; 1878, Aug. Kephart.
CLERKS.
1864, Daniel Terriere; 1865, G. H. Murdock, B. F. Feather ; 1866, B. F. Feather; 1867, George H. Murdock ; 1868, J. S. Martin ; 1869-70, B. F. Feather; 1871, Daniel Chapman; 1872, B. F. Feather; 1873-74, E. M. Wansborough; 1875-78, C. F. Howe.
The officers chosen for 1879 were: President, B. F. Pennell; Clerk, T. L. Wilkinson ; Treasurer, George Claar; Trustees, Thomas W. Anderson, H. H. Boon, C. D. Nichols, A. C. Pennell, W. F. Reiber, T. T. Webster; Street Com- missioner, A. J. Mealoy ; Assessor, S. H. Smith ; Constable, T. T. Elliott; Marshal and Engineer of Fire Department, Jefferson Dalrymple; Poundmaster, Preston Boon.
The village was reincorporated in 1867, by Legislative act, and in 1878, for the purpose of receiving power to control liquor-license matters, it was incorporated under the general law.
Berrien Springs contains a population of about 1000 people, and during court-terms presents an especially indus- trious and lively appearance. Mail communication with Niles and St. Joseph is daily, while there is also tri-weekly communication by steam-packet with St. Joseph. There has long been a strong disposition to place the village in railway communication with other points, and it is probable that such an event will be consummated within perhaps a twelvemonth. The village owns a tract of 26 acres, which it is proposed to lay out as a public square and fair-grounds. Other improvements would rapidly follow the building of a railway to this point, and it is, moreover, likely that with the advent of a railway line the fine water-power of the St. Joseph would be extensively utilized by manufacturing capital.
INTERIOR PIONEERS.
In the summer of 1831, Hezekiah Hall, of Euclid, Ohio, came to Berrien, and found Lawrence Cavanaugh and family living upon the river-bank, about two miles above the present village of Berrien Springs. He made a bargain with Cavanaugh to pay the latter $500 for his claim upon 160 acres, and returned at once to Ohio to bring his family to Michigan. In September of that year they made the start from Euclid, accompanied also by William F. St. John, his family, and his brother, John H., all being neighbors in Euclid. Three wagons, drawn by a pair of horses and two yokes of oxen, conveyed the company from Ohio to Michigan, and after a tedious journey through forests and over " no thoroughfares" they reached, without mishap, the bank of the St. Joseph River, opposite Mr. Hall's new land- purchase. Here they crossed the river on two canoes lashed together, and in a brief space of time were securely settled upon Cavanaugh's old place,-that worthy having removed to the opposite side of the river, not before, however, compelling Hall to pay $1000, instead of the agreed $500, for the land he sold him. Hall, being on the ground, and in a manner forced to accept the bargain, did so to be sure, but with an ill grace, and many a strong protestation, no doubt. Wil- liam F. St. John remained with his family upon Hall's place until he could find a location, and shortly thereafter settled upon a place near Hall. Remaining there a few years, he sold to Samuel Wilson, and removed to Berrien Springs, where he resided until his death. His son Luther now lives in the village. John St. John, William's brother, did not fancy the country, and went back to Ohio after tarrying a short time in Michigan.
Hezekiah Hall passed his days on his river farm, leaving a widow. She married John Wittenmyer, and a second time became a widow. She now resides with her son, Chauncey A. Hall .. Mrs. Wittenmyer recalls, with vivid recollection, her early experiences amid the wilds of Michi- gan and her first terror at the appearance of Indians, who showed themselves with remarkable promptness, although in no wise dangerous neighbors. Often her husband used to go to Niles, to mill, leaving her alone with her children, and at such times, she says, she felt the full force of her unpleasant situation. She was not only greatly apprehen- sive of danger, but lonely to a degree that was appalling. At such times her terrors were increased by the appearance at her cabin of Indians, but she kept up a brave heart,
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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
nevertheless, although as it happened the savages were harmless enough. She often saw them in grand carousals and fantastic dances on the river-bluff, opposite her cabin, and became after a while not only friendly with the savages, but learned, moreover, to talk in their language, of which she retains a faint knowledge to this day.
Lawrence Cavanaugh, of whom Hall bought his land, came from La Grange Prairie and settled upon the place, with his family, as early as 1830, and was, according to some authorities, the second white settler in what is now Oronoko township. As has been seen, he removed in 1831 to what is now Berrien township.
In April, 1832, Henry Freed, with his wife, his son Abram, his daughter Annie (now Mrs. Joseph Feather, of Oronoko), his daughter Mary (now the wife of Louis Storick, of Oronoko), his grandson, Samuel F. Summers (a lad of about fifteen), and Joseph Feather, left the eastern part of Pennsylvania, with a five-horse team, for Michigan, where they proposed to create new homes in the then wilder- ness. Joseph Feather was paying devoted attention to Annie Freed, and wished to marry her, but Annie's father declined to let Joseph have the maiden unless he joined them in their movement to Michigan, and that is how Joseph Feather came to be a Western pioneer. At all events, that is the story related by Samuel F. Summers, who came in company with Feather and the Freed family.
The party consumed six weeks in journeying from their Pennsylvania homes to Niles, passing through Ohio and the Black Swamp country, and camping out en route every night. When Niles was reached, Joseph Feather and Abram Freed constructed a lumber-raft, and floated down the St. Joseph to Berrien village, while the rest of the company continued the journey through the woods to that point by land. Arrived at Berrien, they pitched their tents upon the lot now occupied by the Defield House, where they improvised a cabin by first placing a pole in the crotches of two adjacent butternut-trees, and then upon the ridge-pole thus formed inclining the planks composing young Freed's raft, so that when completed the structure looked something like an Indian wigwam. At the rear end of this "cabin" Henry Freed's wagon-box did duty as a bed- room for the old folks, while the younger members of the party stowed themselves as best they could. At the time of their arrival, says Mr. Summers, the prairie grass upon what is now the village of Berrien Springs was as high as a man's head. As the incidents of Joseph Feather's settle- ment have been presented in another part of this chapter, here will be told simply what befell the Freed family, since Feather pursued a separate line of action upon arriving at Berrien.
Henry Freed located 80 acres of land upon section 23, while Abram located a farm upon section 24. The elder Freed leased a piece of land (about four acres) near the river, and, assisted by the boys, put in a crop of corn and buck- wheat, his family continuing to reside in the cabin erected upon their first arrival. While these crops were growing, Henry Freed and young Summers used daily to go out to the former's farm to clear land (having cut a road from Berrien to the farm) and build a cabin, as a move towards the removal of the family thereto. Meanwhile, Abram
Freed worked upon his farm, all hands usually returning at night to the Freed " mansion" near the river. Early in the winter, all being in readiness for them, Mr. Henry Freed moved his family out to their new home, Summers going with them. Abram Freed put up a shanty on his own place and kept bachelor's hall.
Mr. Summers tells how, one day, while he and Henry Freed were chopping away for dear life, the latter cut his foot badly, but being a man of strong will, he wrapped a rag about his foot and kept on with his chopping. Pres- ently the blood from the wound saturated the cloth, and flowed so freely that Mr. Freed's footsteps were marked by blood. Still he kept on chopping, after adding another bandage made of a portion of Summers' flannel shirt, until, grown weak from loss of blood, he told the lad he would have to give it up, and so they started for their home at the river,-nearly two miles distant. They hadn't gone far when Freed fainted. Summers, who had all along been afraid the wolves would scent the blood and attack them, was in sore trouble, but acting promptly, left his grandfather lying on the ground, hurried to the river, procured a horse and hurried back again, mounted the wounded man and thus got him home, although he was well-nigh convinced, after leaving him, that the wolves would descend upon poor Mr. Freed before assistance could be got for him. Happily the wolves held off, but it was, nevertheless, a trying or- deal.
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