History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 77

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 77
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 77

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).

April 15, 1855, he married Mrs. Emma M., widow of John Randal, and oldest daughter of Joseph Gard, of St. Joseph. Six children blessed this union, viz. : James B., Viola, Martha, Hiram, William, and Mary. Viola is the wife of John Geisler, living in Watervliet. Mr. Gard deeded to Mr. Ashoff eighty acres, where he

now lives. He has since added twenty acres. This farm is located in Royalton township, section 20. Mr. Ashoff owns land in St. Joseph and Lincoln townships, and has cleared eighty acres since he has been in this State.

Mrs. Ashoff died Jan. 4, 1873. Aug. 6, 1873, he married for his second wife Elizabeth Kniebes, of Bainbridge, widow of Christian Kniebes, and daughter of William Duckshier. In politics Mr. Ashoff is a Democrat. His integrity and uprightness won the confidence of his fellow-citizens, and he has been chosen to many positions of honor and responsibility ; and he has ever discharged their duties with credit to himself, and to the entire satisfaction of the people. Among the offices which he has held are the following : elected town- ship treasurer in 1858, held the office six years; in 1866 supervisor and school inspector, serving six years in each; in 1869 justice of the peace, still holding the office ; in 1872 appointed treasurer by the township board; in 1873 re-elected supervisor for three years; in 1875 elected to the State equalization board at Lansing; in 1876-77 re- elected treasurer. He has been appointed administrator to settle up several estates, always giving entire satisfaction. Mr. Ashoff has been a member of the Evangelical Church for twenty years. He has held different offices in the church, having been class-leader for eighteen years. He has been filling offices of trust, both in State and Church, almost all the time since his first arrival in America. In reading this short sketch of the eventful life of Mr. Ashoff, the correct conclu- sion of any one must be that he is no ordinary man. His early edu- cation, so thoroughly instilled, has prepared him to fill any office of trust into which he may be placed. In connection with his education, his energy and industry have made him such a man that the commu- nity in which he lives can but regard him as one whom they cannot well lose, or, if lost, whose place cannot be filled. What a pleasure it must be, when life is drawing towards its close of activity, for one to look back on its varied shadows and sunshine, its struggles and triumphs, and feel that they have lived to some purpose, having bene- fited mankind in having lived. Such a one, surely, is Mr. Ashoff, who has devoted so much of his time for the good of those around him, not only to municipal affairs, but his time and talents have been given to the cause of his Master ; this he can review certainly with a calm and serene feeling, born of an unfaltering trust in One "who doeth all things well."

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TOWNSHIP OF ROYALTON.

Shearers, and they were as much apart from communion with their own race as if they had been cast adrift upon the ocean. They had no time, however, to think of the loneliness of their situation, for they had that to engage their attention which gave them no leisure for idle thought, and so they worked bravely amid the wolves and Indians, and grew contented with their lot. " Going to mill" was one of the unpleasant features of existence, but it was one of necessity and importance. Although there was a mill at Niles, the Shearers chose to go to Prairie Ronde, thirty- eight miles distant, and to that point the journey was often made. In those days of unbroken roads a trip of seventy- six miles was no slight affair, and that it was going to mill under difficulties may easily be understood.

David Shearer lived upon his farm until his death, in 1865. Of the thirteen children who came to Royalton with him, those now living are Eli Shearer, Andrew Shearer, Sarah Briney, Catharine Boughton, and Lizzie Edwards.

When the Shearers came in, Clark Pennell and his father were keeping what was known as a tavern, on the St. Joseph road, near the present bridge over the Buckhorn Creek. Pennell's log tavern was a shabby concern, so saith the report of those who knew it, but it was much frequented by travelers passing between St. Joseph and Berrien, and drove a flourishing trade for a while. The Pennells grew tired of the business and the country in a short time, how- ever, and moved to Indiana in 1835. One Spencer suc- ceeded as the landlord, and after an experience of about a year, relinquished the tavern to D. M. Drum, who kept it several years and proved its last proprietor. The place was long known as the Buckhorn tavern, by reason of the pres- ence over the tavern-shed of a pair of buck's horns, placed there by William H. Tryon, the slayer of the bucks.

Early in the fall of 1834, Rowland Tryon and his son, William H., made the journey on foot from Indiana to Royalton in search of land, and decided to locate 80 acres upon section 29, in Royalton. Tryon the elder visited the land-office at Kalamazoo to enter the farm. Upon his ar- rival, in the evening, he learned that some other person was determined upon entering the same lot, and, the land-office being then closed for the day, Tryon resolved to be up bright and early the next morning for a move on the office, for fear the other man might get in ahead of him. At daylight, accordingly, he was astir, and soon afterwards took his place at the land-office door, so that as soon as the agent appeared he made his application, effected his entry, and was happy, which was far from the condition of feeling en- joyed by the other, when, applying at a later hour to enter the land, he learned that some one had been before him.

Having secured his farm, Mr. Tryon and his son returned to Indiana, and began to make arrangements for the trans- portation of the entire family, consisting of father, mother, and five children, to Michigan. The country was new, and roads of any kind few and far between. When the Tryon family came to Royalton, in 1834, the road from Berrien to St. Joseph was being cut out, and at that time offered but a poor thoroughfare for the traveler. The Tryons camped out upon their new farm and lived a week, when they moved into a small log cabin, hastily built by Mr. Tryon and his two sons, William and John. They managed to make

it do that winter, and in the spring, with the assistance of neighbors, who came promptly to their relief, they effected material improvements in the family dwelling, and in the fall brought it forward to the dignity of a double log house.

During the winter succeeding the arrival of the family, William, the eldest son, managed, with some assistance from his father, to clear considerable land, so that in the spring they were enabled to make a respectable start towards raising crops. Old Mr. Tryon, who had been a sailor, did not take at first with much enthusiasm to the business of clearing land, and William was therefore called upon to take the lead in pioneer labor. He has resided in Royalton since his first settlement, and still lives upon section 29. His father died upon the old place in 1875, and his mother in 1878. His brother John, who came with the family from Indiana, is also a resident of Royalton. When Mr. Tryon moved in, his nearest neighbors were Eli and David Shearer and a man by the name of Bogart, who was living on the river's bank, upon the place now occupied by Dr. E. Hall. Bogart is supposed to have located there with his family as early as 1833, but in 1837 removed to Missouri.

In October, 1835, Adam J. Briney, who had, with the Shearers, located land in Royalton the year before, con- cluded to move, with his wife and four children, to his new farm, although he had for a twelvemonth been hesitating to make the change. With him also came William Mil- tenberger, with his wife and child, and William Baumgart- ner, a young man fired with an ambition to explore the western wilds,-these being all residents of Darke Co., Ohio. They had also in their company Eli Shearer and wife, who had returned to Ohio from Michigan for a hur- ried visit.

The journey was made with wagons, and upon reaching Royalton Briney and his wife located at Eli Shearer's house, where they remained two weeks, by which time Briney had put up a cabin on a place adjoining Shearer. He had there 160 acres, upon which he resided about ten years, when he removed to a place on section 19, north of his first location, and there he lived until his death, in 1875, leaving a widow, who still lives on the place.

William Miltenberger, whose mother had married David Shearer, resided at her house upon his arrival in Royalton with his wife and child, and for a year or so labored upon his own and the farms of neighbors. At the expiration of that period, having entered 80 acres upon section 30, he moved upon his farm, and there still resides in the log house into which he first moved.

Baumgartner remained in Royalton but a short time, doing service as a farm laborer, and then returned to Ohio. He came back to Michigan after a while, and worked about here and there, eventually settling, however, in Royalton, upon section 18, where he now lives.

David Ball was a settler in Royalton as early as 1834, upon section 13. Little can be said of him, save that he had a family of four children, and moved out of the town- ship in 1839, after selling his farm to Robert Hollywood.

Hollywood was a linen-bleacher in Ireland, and, coming to this country about 1820, became a sailor. He sailed the lakes with Captain White, on the steamer " William Penn," from Buffalo to Chicago, during the Black Hawk war, and

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

afterwards, in 1834, was commander and owner* of the steamboat " Davy Crockett," which plied on the St. Joseph River. After navigating the " Crockett" about four years that vessel was lost at a place on the river now known as Crockett's Island, and Captain Hollywood then took charge of the ferry at St. Joseph. In 1839 he purchased the farm of David Ball, in Royalton (120 acres), and moving upon it, remained there until his death, in 1851. His sons -Robert T. and Job W .- now occupy and own the estate, to which they have added 90 acres and made it one of the finest and most profitable farms in Royalton.

In the fall of 1831, Theodore C. Abbe, of Oswego, hav- ing purchased land in the township of St. Joseph, in Michi- gan, visited Massachusetts, where his widowed mother and family were living, and persuaded them to remove to the West with him. In the spring of 1832, accordingly, Theo-

trip to Detroit via the Erie Canal and Lake Erie, and started from Detroit for Niles with a team ; but the roads proved to be so bad, that after proceeding less than one- half the distance he and his children abandoned the wagon and footed it to Niles, a distance of nearly one hundred miles. After sojourning in Niles about two weeks, Mr. Danforth went to St. Joseph, where he busied himself for a year at various matters, and then purchasing a farm in Royalton, upon section 7, moved there in the spring of 1838. Mr. Danforth remained upon that farm until 1850, when he moved to the residence of his son, J. B. Danforth, upon section 12, the latter having located there in 1847, and resided there until his death, in 1858. The only one of Mr. Danforth's children now living in Royalton is J. B., above mentioned.

About 1840, Dennis Kelley, residing in Chicago, moved,

A. G. ABBE.

MRS. A. G. ABBE.

dore, his mother, sister, and two brothers sailed from Os- wego for Detroit. At the latter point they procured an ox-team and lumber-wagon, with which they proceeded to Niles. There a pirogue was obtained, and in that the family, except A. G. Abbe, one of Theodore's brothers, and the lumber-wagon, sailed down the St. Joseph River to Royalton village, while A. G. drove the oxen overland to that place. A. G. lived in Royalton until his brother Theodore died, and then he became a river boatman. He plied on the St. Joseph nine years, worked at his trade as carpenter two years more, and in 1847 located upon a farm in Royalton township, entered with zeal and energy upon a pioneer life, and although a settler after many others in that town, made his home upon land covered with timber, and untouched until then by the woodman's axe. Mr. Abbe has resided in Royalton since his settlement in 1847, and still lives upon the farm which then became his home.

Samuel Danforth, a widower with four children, left Onondaga Co., N. Y., in 1837, with two of his children, for the West, intending to locate in Michigan. He made the

with his family, to Michigan, and purchasing 120 acres in Royalton, on section 21, settled upon it without delay. This land is now owned by Dr. E. Hall and by the S. P. Phil- lips estate. One Hogart, who had occupied the place at an early date and moved away after a short sojourn, had cleared about 15 acres, and when Kelley arrived he found matters happily so far advanced that he began straightway to raise crops. He lived on the place twelve years, when upon the death of his wife he sold out and moved to Niles. Of the eight children who came to Royalton with Mr. Kelley all are living, but only one of them (Michael) re- sides in Royalton.

Luther K. Hyde and Samuel Davis, brothers-in-law, re- siding in Wayne Co., N. Y., left that country, with their families, June 13, 1843,-Hyde having seven children and Davis six. They traveled with a two-horse team to each family, and started for Illinois, where they proposed to settle. They reached Niles, Mich., without mishap, where Davis fell sick, but after a week's halt they went forward. Hyde was opposed to locating in Illinois, while Davis was opposed to locating anywhere else. When they had got as far as Pigeon River, Ind., however, Davis allowed himself to be persuaded in favor of a settlement in Michigan, and from

* This statement conflicts with that given of the "Crockett" by J. W. Brewer, Esq., of St. Joseph. See pp. 42, 43.

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TOWNSHIP OF ROYALTON.

Pigeon River, therefore, the party came to a rest again in Bertrand, Mich. Finding an empty log cabin in the woods, they lodged their families therein and looked about for land. Davis traded his horses, wagon, and harness for 80 acres in what is now Lincoln township. Hyde went to Berrien Springs and worked with his team until December, 1843, when he bought a farm in Royalton. The place contained 50 acres, and had belonged to one Gilson, who in passing down Buckhorn hill one day with his team fell from his wagon and was run over and killed. For that 50 acres Mr. Hyde gave his horses, harness, and fifty dollars, and upon the farm he has since then continued to reside.

Alanson Risley, of Illinois, emigrated to Michigan in 1846, and made a bargain with Asa Knapp for 160 acres of land upon section 25, in the township of Royalton, which Knapp had bought with the intention of making a permanent home of it, but after chopping upon it a half- day he became convinced that he did not wish to stay there. Returning to Illinois, whence he had come, he sold the property to Risley. The latter moved upon it with his wife and two sons, and it continued to be his home until the spring of 1862, when he died. One of his sons, named Wait, entered the Federal army during the war of the Rebellion, and died on Ship Island, Miss., a member of Company B, 6th Michigan Regiment. Ward, another son, lives in Texas. A daughter, Mrs. Samuel Spry, lives in Royalton, on her father's old farm. Mr. Risley was a hardy pioneer, and found a wide field for the exercise of his industry upon the land he had bought, for it was cov- ered with timber, and what made his pioneer's task a hard one was the fact that he had to work for others to get money enough to keep his family until the crops could mature, and thus between working for fifty cents a day upon other farms, and clearing the land and tilling the soil upon his own at odd hours, and very frequently at night, he managed to struggle on until he could realize on the produce. He set out an orchard also, and to pay for every tree he had to work two days, at fifty cents a day.

Nathan Taylor, of Indiana, was a settler in 1847 upon section 18, where Mrs. Sarah Taylor now lives. Taylor moved to Missouri, where he now resides. Jeremiah Case, of New York, made a brief settlement in Royalton about 1840. After a residence of a year or more he set out to return to New York, but died en route. ~

Settlements in Royalton progressed very slowly from 1834 to 1844, and in the latter year much of the territory was an unbroken forest. In 1840 the population was but 246, and in 1845 had increased so slowly that it was but 284,-the census of both years including also what is now Lincoln township.

The first saw-mill was put up by David Shearer, on Yellow Creek, and the second one by Eli Shearer, on the same stream. The first steam saw-mill was erected by Alexander Fulton, on William Miltenberger's place. The mill building is still there, but it was dismantled some time ago. Alexander Fulton came from Prairie Ronde to Roy- alton in 1843, and located upon section 32, where he lived until his death, and where his widow still resides.

William Pike relates that during the winter of 1831- which, by the way, was made famous by an almost unpre-

cedented snowfall-he was engaged in hauling goods be- tween St. Joseph and Berrien, and after the river froze used to make the trip via the river to Royalton, and thence by road to Berrien. The snow lay at one time so deep upon the ground that he was two days making the journey from Berrien to St. Joseph. About the close of that win- ter he was transporting a load of flour in bags from Niles to the lower country, and reached the river at Berrien Springs only to learn that the ice in the river was too weak to bear a load, and likely to break up at any moment. Pike was determined, however, to get his load over, and so he shouldered his 15 two-bushel bags of flour, one at a time, and carried them across the river at a lively foot-pace. It was risky business, and indeed he came very near being swamped ; but the work was completed, though the strain, both mentally and physically, was so severe that, although the incident occurred nearly fifty years ago, Mr. Pike has never fully recovered from the effects of it.

Royalton had an early settler known as Cowen, who was an eccentric genius, and so singular in his manner that he was sometimes considered a lunatic. He worked at first for John Pike, and after a while bought of Pike 40 acres of land in Royalton, and built upon it a rude cabin, al- though he did not attempt to do much towards clearing his land. One day he cut his throat, and declared he would die. The neighbors insisted, however, upon preventing such a result, and procuring a surgeon, soon saw him re- stored to strength. After that event he grew more moody and morose than ever, and presently disappeared. His land was sold at auction for $50, which barely sufficed to pay his debts ; but he never reappeared in Royalton. Some time afterwards he was reported as having been seen " going West," and that was the last heard of him.

Hunting was a popular pastime, and game of almost all kinds was plentiful. William Tryon and Eli Shearer were among the most famous hunters of those parts, and were, indeed, often matched in skill against Indian hunters, whom they surpassed on frequent occasions.

The first white person born in Royalton was a son of Jehial Enos. The first couple married were Rachel Pike and Jas. Hutchinson, at John Pike's house, by 'Squire" Lemon, of Berrien. The first death was that of Sarah, a daughter of John Pike, whose infant son was the second person to die in the township.

MARRIAGE EXTRAORDINARY.

Report says that in the long ago one of the township justices was sent for to perform a marriage ceremony, but being unable to leave his business, he deputized a young man to "perform the duty," believing, in the innocence of his heart, that he could empower a deputy in such as well as other matters. Strange to say, the deputy performed the ceremony, and the married pair accepted the dispensation in perfect faith until a few years afterwards, when learning the true facts in the case, they made haste to get married according to law.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST.

Royalton, originally a portion of St. Joseph township, was set off in 1835, and in that year David M. Drum was

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

chosen supervisor. The original limits of Royalton in- cluded the territory now occupied by the townships of Lin- coln, Royalton, and Sodus. Lincoln was made a separate district in 1868. Pipestone (including what is now Sodus) was set off in 1842. The early records, dating from 1835 to 1852, were destroyed by fire, and the only obtainable list of township officials dates, therefore, from the year last named. The names of the persons who were annually elected between 1852 and 1879, inclusive, to be super- visors, clerks, treasurers, justices of the peace, and school inspectors are given below :

1852 .- Supervisor, Richard Brown; Clerk, William Williams; Treas- urer, Albert G. Abbe; Justice of the Peace, Alexander Fulton ; School Inspector, Noble W. Thompson.

1853 .- Supervisor, Samuel Davis; Clerk, William Williams; Treas- urer, A. G. Abbe; School Inspector, A. G. Abbe; Justices of the Peace, Samuel Tryon, John Bacon.

1854 .- Supervisor, William Stevens ; Clerk, John Bunker; Treasurer, A. G. Abbe; School Inspector, Chester Sherman ; Justices of the Peace, N. W. Thompson, A. Fulton, A. G. Abbe, Wm. H. Tryon.

1855 .- Supervisor, A. G. Abbe; Clerk, John Bunker ; Treasurer, W. W. Conley; School Inspector, Thomas Harwood; Justices of the Peace, Allen Conley, W. H. Tryon.

1856 .- Supervisor, N. W. Thompson; Clerk, E. E. Cady ; Treasurer, William Williams; School Inspector, James Carlton; Jus- tice of the Peace, Richard Brown.

1857 .- Supervisor, N. W. Thompson ; Clerk, William G. Taylor; Treasurer, William Williams; School Inspector, G. N. Odell; Justice of the Peace, Benjamin Lemon.

1858 .- Supervisor, N. W. Thompson ; Clerk, James Carlton; Treas- urer, John Bunker ; School Inspector, Gould Parish ; Jus- tices of the Peace, N. W. Thompson, Merwin Barnes, G. Hettler.

1859 .- Supervisor, N. W. Thompson ; Clerk, James Carlton ; Treas- urer, Henry Ashoff; School Inspector, Chester Sherman ; Justices of the Peace, Gould Parish, Alonzo Spear.

1860 .- Supervisor, James Carlton; Clerk, Burt Sterling; Treasurer, Henry Ashoff; School Inspector, Albert H. Carlton ; Justices of the Peace, Thomas Odell and G. Hettler.

1861 .- Supervisor, James Carlton ; Clerk, Andrew J. Smoke; Treas- urer, Henry Ashoff; School Inspector, Greenleaf N. Odell; Justice of the Peace, Jacob Van Dusen.

1862 .- Supervisor, James Carlton ; Clerk, Andrew J. Smoke; Treas- urer, Henry Ashoff; School Inspector, Chester Sherman ; Justice of the Peace, John Purcell.

1863 .- Supervisor, James Carlton ; Clerk, Andrew J. Smoke; Treas- urer, Henry Ashoff; School Inspector, Albert H. Carlton ; Justice of the Peace, Richard Brown.

1864 .- Supervisor, James Carlton ; Clerk, Julius H. Birdsey ; Treas- urer, Henry Ashoff; School Inspector, Edward P. Clark ; Justice of the Peace, Gottleib Hettler.

1865 .- Supervisor, David N. Brown ; Clerk, L. W. Stanley ; Treas- urer, Joseph Chapel ; School Inspector, O. D. Parsons.

1866 .- Supervisor, O. D. Parsons; Clerk, James A. Parish; Treas- urer, Joseph Chapel; Justices of the Peace, Gould Parish, J. W. Robards; School Inspector, Leroy W. Archer.

1867 .- Supervisor, Henry Ashoff ; Clerk, John M. Hankins; Treas- urer, William Penland ; School Inspectors, James Carlton, Oliver Spalding ; Justices of the Peace, William Penland, Henry Ashoff, O. C. Spalding.

1868 .- Supervisor, Henry Ashoff; Clerk, John M. Hankins; Treas- urer, Wm. Penland ; School Inspector, A. H. Carlton ; Jus- tice of the Peace, Oliver C. Spalding.

1869 .- Supervisor, Henry Ashoff; Clerk, John M. Hankins; Treas- urer, William H. Tryon ; School' Inspector, Henry Ashoff ; Justice of the Peace, Frederick Sourbier.

1870 .- Supervisor, Henry Ashoff; Clerk, John M. Hankins; Treas- urer, William H. Tryon ; School Inspector, Oliver C. Spald- ing; Justices of the Peace, Henry Ashoff and William Stevens.

1871 .- Supervisor, Henry Ashoff; Clerk, John M. Hankins; Treas- urer, Wm. H. Tryon ; School Inspector, Henry Ashoff ; Jus- tice of the Peace, William Penland.

1872 .- Supervisor, Henry Ashoff; Clerk, Lewis B. Tryon; Treasurer, John M. Hankins ; School Inspector, Oliver C. Spalding ; Justice of the Peace, Edward Boyer.

1873 .- Supervisor, John S. Beers; Clerk, Lewis B. Tryon ; Treasurer, Andrew J. Dispennett ; School Inspector, Henry Ashoff; Justices of the Peace, Adam Sinn, George Merwin.

1874 .- Supervisor, Henry Ashoff; Clerk, Lewis B. Tryon; Treasurer, George H. Scott; School Inspector, A. H. Carlton ; Justices of the Peace, Henry Ashoff, R. D. Collyer.

1875 .- Supervisor, Henry Ashoff; Clerk, Lewis B. Tryon ; Treasurer, George H. Scott; School Inspector, Henry Ashoff; Justice of the Peace, J. M. Brown.

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History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 77

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