History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 85

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 85
USA > Michigan > Berrien County > History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 85

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 first school-house was built of hewn logs, on lot No. 1, and is still standing. The house now in use was built in 1877. One was built in 1857, an addition in 1867, and it is now used as a Lutheran church. The town hall was erected in 1866, the Congregational church in 1870, the Methodist Episcopal church in 1878.

From 1863 to 1876 a large number of business houses were erected and occupied. The present population is

about 500 within the village limits, and about 200 near the limits. The village at present contains four churches (Con- gregational, Baptist, German Lutheran, and Methodist), a post-office, school-house, depot, express-office, three general stores, two drug, two hardware, four groceries, two saloons, two milliner, two wagon, and two blacksmith-shops, one livery-stable, two meat-markets, one bakery, one photo- graph-gallery, three boot- and shoe-stores, one barber-shop, one cooper-shop, two harness-shops, one saw-mill, two handle-factories, one printing-office,* two jewelry-shops, and five physicians.

The act of incorporation of the village of Three Oaks was approved March 20, 1867. By that act it was pro- vided that " All that tract of country situate within the township of Three Oaks, in the county of Berrien, in the State of Michigan, which is known and described as fol- lows, to wit, the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter and the west half of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 2; the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter and the east half of the southeast quarter of section 3; the east half of the northeast quarter of section 10 and the west half of the northwest quarter of section 11, town- ship 8 south, of range 20 west, be and the same is hereby made and constituted a town corporate, by the name, style, and title of the village of Three Oaks."

In accordance with the act of incorporation, an election was held on the 2d day of April, 1867, for the election of officers. At that meeting 61 votes were polled, and the following village officers were elected : William Chamber- lain, President; Horace R. Pike, Robert D. Cross, Benja- min Sheffield, Rudolph B. Goit, Trustees; Thomas C. Bradley, Recorder ; Luther Sage, Treasurer.

At the first meeting of the council the streets on the village plats were named, and it was ordered that the re- corder make, or cause to be made, a map of the village, for the use of the council.

The following is a list of presidents, trustees, recorders, and treasurers from 1867 to the present time :

PRESIDENTS.

1868, William Chamberlain ; 1869, William K. Sawyer; 1870, Robert D. Cross; 1871, Henry Chamberlain ; 1872-73, Thomas McCann ; 1874, John D. Miller; 1875, Owen Churchill; 1876, William Chamberlain ; 1877-78, James L. McKie; 1879, Edward K. Warren.

TRUSTEES.

1868, Isaac W. Martin, M. F. Wilcox ; 1869, John D. Miller, James L. McKie; 1870, Jesse Sheffield, John M. K. Hilton; 1871, E. L. Miller, Charles Close; 1872, E. G. Ely, Henry Landers; 1873, Isaac W. Martin, Jacob M. Smee; 1874, Simeon Francis, Peter Strehle; 1875, Rudolph B. Goit, Charles Close; 1876, Joshua Chatterson, Samuel Hess ; 1877, Emanuel G. Ely, Isaac W. Mar- tin ; 1878, Samuel Hess, Joshua Chatterson ; 1879, William H. Breece, Owen Churchill.

RECORDERS.

1868-70, William H. Breece; 1871, James McKie; 1872-74, William H. Breece; 1875-78, D. F. Bommerscheim; 1879, Henry N. Chamberlain.

TREASURERS.

1868, Luther Sage; 1869, Josiah Martin; 1870, Edward K. Warren ; 1871, E. G. Ely ; 1872, Erasmus N. Shead ; 1873-74, Emanuel G. Ely ; 1875, Jacob M. Smee; 1876-78, Peter Strehle; 1879, Henry N. Chamberlain.

* The Michigan Independent is published here. Its history is found in the "History of the Press" in the general history.

RES. OF FRANK JERUE, GALIEN, BERRIEN CO., MICH .

RES.OF MRS. EDWARD VETTERLY, THREE OAKS, BERRIEN CO., MICHIGAN.

337

TOWNSHIP OF THREE OAKS.

Village Plats and Additions .- The first plat of the village made by Henry Chamberlain, dated Dec. 30, 1857, con- sisted of about five acres, on the south side of the railroad.

The first addition was by Cyrus Ryther, Jan. 24, 1860, of two acres south from first plat.

Second addition by Henry Chamberlain, Nov. 10, 1863, 12 acres north of the railroad.

Third addition by Henry Chamberlain, Dec. 13, 1864, 20 acres north and east of last mentioned.

Fourth addition by Mrs. Henry Chamberlain, Aug. 4, 1865, 10 acres east of Ryther's addition.

Fifth addition by Benjamin Sheffield, Nov. 20, 1866, 15 acres north of last.

Sixth addition by Henry H. Pike, Nov. 28, 1866, 10 acres west of Chamberlain's third addition.

A seventh addition, known as Friedel's addition, has been made since the last named.

The Tempest Fire Company of Three Oaks was organ- ized May 5, 1875, with Charles Close foreman. A hand- engine was purchased by the corporation in the same year. The present members of the company are 30. The officers are Peter Strehle, Foreman ; C. Vollman, Assistant Fore- man ; A. F. Martin, Secretary and Treasurer.

AVERY'S STATION.

This settlement is located on the east line of the town- ship. The first improvement was made there in 1854, by Gilbert B. Avery and Thomas Love, who built a large steam saw-mill, which was destroyed by fire in 1859, but was rebuilt and is still standing. A post-office was estab- lished in 1856. Mr. Avery was the first postmaster. The settlement contains a post-office, about 20 houses, and has a population of about 100.

POST-OFFICES IN THE TOWNSHIP.

The first post-office was established in the township in 1849, and was called Spring Creek. It was situated in the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23. The mail was received weekly from New Buffalo. Samuel P. Webb was the first postmaster. The office was also held by George Drake. It was discontinued in a few years.

The post-office at Three Oaks was established in 1854. Joseph G. Ames was the first . postmaster. He was suc- ceeded by Henry Chamberlain, William Chamberlain, Charles M. Valentine, and Wm. K. Sawyer, who is the present incumbent.

The post-office at Avery's, a station on the Michigan Central Railroad, was established in 1856. The post- masters of that office have been Gilbert B. Avery, Thomas Love, and Edward Avery, who still holds the office.

TOWN HALL.

It was voted to raise $800 to build a town hall at the town-meeting, April 4, 1864. H. Chamberlain presented a deed of two lots for that purpose in the village of Three Oaks, situated north of the school-house. On these lots the town hall was erected.

TOWNSHIP BOUNTY TO VOLUNTEERS.

A meeting of twelve electors, held Aug. 2, 1864, peti- tioned the township clerk to call a special meeting, to take

into consideration the propriety of raising a bounty for volunteers serving in the Union army in the war of the Rebellion.

In accordance with this petition, a special meeting was held Aug. 18, 1864, at which it was voted to offer a bounty of $100 to each accepted recruit on the township quota under the call of July, 1864 ; and the township board was authorized to issue bonds for that purpose. The same action was taken on the call of December, 1864.

TOWNSHIP LIBRARY.

The first action towards the establishment of a township library was taken at the township-meeting, April 4, 1859, when it was voted to raise $25 for the purpose. In 1860, $25 was raised for library purposes, and the amount received from fines ($13.36) was added. The amount of fines for 1861 was $17.40. Since that time the sum of $25 has been raised annually for library purposes. The present number of volumes belonging to the library is 369, as shown by the last report.

SCHOOLS.

The first school-house in the township was built about the year 1840, near the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 23. It was built of cherry logs, and was known for years as the Cherry school-house. It was 10 by 14 feet inside, and 8 feet to peak of roof, with puncheon floor, one window, and flattened logs set on pins for seats. A school had been taught for a few weeks in some of the cabins of the early settlers. The first teacher of whom anything is now known was Elizabeth Chamberlain (daughter of Moses), who taught in the summer of 1844.

The first frame school- house in the western part of Berrien County was built in District No. 3, in this township, in 1847. Moses Chamberlain, his son Henry, and E. Ryther were the persons who, after much effort, succeeded in getting a tax voted for the purpose. Thomas M. Bennett was the first teacher. The first school-house built in the village of Three Oaks was of hewed logs, and is still standing, on the corner of Elm and Ash Streets. It was built by subscrip- tion, Henry Chamberlain paying three-fourths of the cost.

The following items are taken from school reports, as filed in the township clerk's office : April 11, 1857, at a meet- ing of the school inspectors the districts were numbered anew for the township, they having held prior the numbers of New Buffalo.

District No. 5 was changed to No. 1. Districts Nos. 2 and 3 remained the same. September 11th of the same year District No. 4 was formed; and Oct. 29, 1857, at a meeting of the school inspectors of New Buffalo and Three Oaks, a new district was formed, part in each township, to be called No. 5.

May 20, 1857, the primary-school fund amounted to $89.57, and was apportioned as follows: District No. 1, $37.63; No. 2, $28.62; No. 3, $23.32.

The following school statistics of the township are from the school report for 1879 : number of districts, 5 ; number of scholars, 479; number of school-houses, District No. 1, 1 frame and 1 brick, valued at $5960 ; No. 2, 1 frame, valued at $500; No. 3, 1 frame, valued at $350; No. 4, 1 frame, valued at $300; No. 5, 1 frame, valued at $500.

338

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

District No. 1, Three Oaks, has an indebtedness of $1700. The remaining districts are free from debt.

CHURCHES.

The Congregational Church .- The church of which this is a record was first organized in New Buffalo as the " Union Church of New Buffalo," and was formed Sept. 18, 1844, under the charge of the Rev. Elnathan Davis, who . was assisted by Moses Chamberlain, Theron J. Wilcox, David M. Hunt, Jacob Gerrish, and Joseph D. Oates.

The original members of the church were Moses Cham- berlain, Mary F. Chamberlain, Elizabeth Chamberlain, Theron J. Wilcox, Jacob Gerrish, Maria A. Gerrish, Helen Wilcox, Julia B. Pressey, Lavinia Howe, Joseph D. Oates, and David M. Hunt. At a subsequent meeting, held in October of the same year, eight members were added to the church, and December following four more. The name of the church was changed by consent, March 12, 1848, to that of the " First Congregational Church."

The first pastor was the Rev. Elnathan Davis, who re- mained about one year. In May, 1851, the Rev. P. B. Parrey, who was pastor of the church at Buchanan, preached at Spring Creek and at New Buffalo occasionally. In 1852 he removed to New Buffalo, and presided over both con- gregations a year or two. The Rev. Josiah D. Crosby, of Ashburnham, Mass., spent parts of 1857-58 preaching both at Three Oaks and New Buffalo, closing his labors in July, 1858, and was succeeded in October of that year by the Rev. Waters Warren, who preached about two years. The Rev. J. D. Crosby again resumed charge of the church in October, 1861, and remained about one year. April 30, 1865, the Rev. P. B. Parrey became pastor over the Con- gregational Church at Three Oaks, and has occupied the pulpit mostly till the present time. The church member- ship is 103. The church edifice was erected in 1870 at Three Oaks, and was dedicated by the Rev. H. A. Reed, of Marshall, Mich. A Sabbath-school was first started in 1858, and has at the present time about 75 pupils. E. K. Warren is the superintendent, and A. B. Wright librarian.

The Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first class in the township was organized at Spring Creek school-house about 1850. The first members of the class were Abram Martin and wife, Richard Love and wife, William Valentine and wife, and Elkanah Ryther and wife. Among the first preachers at that place was the Rev. J. W. Robinson. The Rev. Daniel Smith was a minister of the Protestant Metho- dist Church, and also preached here at an early day.

During the summer of 1852 the Rev. J. W. Robinson, then stationed at New Buffalo, preached where the village of Three Oaks now stands, in the house of Henry Cham- berlain.

Another Methodist class was organized in Three Oaks, in 1867, by the Rev. Daniel C. Woodward, who was also the first pastor. The first members of the class were Eben- ezer McGee, leader, Diadama McGee, R. B. Goit, Lucretia Goit, William R. Levy, Julia Levy, Rachel S. Anderson, Daniel Savage, John Redman, Lucinda Redman, Mary Edson, Mary J. Hopkins, E. Ryther, Catherine Ryther, Samuel Pinnell. A church edifice was built in 1878, of brick, at a cost of $2000.

The present membership is 50. The Sabbath-school contains an average of 85 pupils. J. R. Hill is superin- tendent. The first minister who preached in this section of country was the Rev. J. W. Robinson, at the Spring Creek school-house, where the first class was formed. The minis- ters who succeeded him were the Revs. Beach, Hendrick- son, Chapin, Beard, Kellogg, Valentine, Van Horn, Van Wyck, Hicks, Woodward, Hoyt, Gray, Van Sire, J. T. Tanner, W. S. Goslin, and Isaac Wilson, who is the present pastor.

The Baptist Church .- This church was organized in 1867, in district school-house No. 3, Chickaming township, with about 15 members.

Rev. Charles G. Manly was the first pastor. He was succeeded by the Revs. E. S. Millis, Israel Wilkinson, Sher- man Hendricks, R. H. Spafford, and Israel Wilkinson, who is the present pastor.

The church has at present 85 members, and a Sunday- school containing 60 pupils, with Charles C. Sherrill as superintendent, who also has charge of two Sunday-schools connected with the church; one is located in district No. 1, with 20 pupils, the other in district No. 3, Chickaming township, with 80 pupils. There are also two others in charge of the church: one in southeast corner of section 30, and numbers 35 pupils (M. S. Sherrill is superintendent), and district No. 5, Three Oaks township, contains 30 pupils, C. C. Brown superintendent.

The church was built at Three Oaks village in 1869-70, at a cost of about $3000.

The First German United Evangelical St. John's Con- gregation was first organized, November, 1866, at the village of Three Oaks, with 15 members. The church was built in 1877, and the congregation at present numbers 38.

The first pastor was the Rev. W. Braumwarth, who has been succeeded by Revs. Julius Schumm and A. Debus, the present pastor.

The Church of the Disciples .- This society was or- ganized at the house of Dr. H. B. Wilcox, Feb. 19, 1868, with 25 members. Josiah Martin was elected elder, which office he retained until his death, in 1878. David Martin was elected deacon, and still holds the office. Services were held from house to house until the completion of the Ger- man Lutheran church, when they occupied the church with that society. Among the ministers who preached occa- sionally were the Revs. Wm. M. Roe, P. T. Russell, and Mitchell. In the fall of 1877 the Rev. C. F. Mor- timer became pastor and remained six months. They were without a pastor until May, 1879, when the Rev. C. F. Cole assumed charge, and is the present pastor. The church now numbers 59 members. They were in a low condition from 1872 to 1875, and were then reorganized. The elders of the society are Dr. H. B. Wilcox and Abram Martin ; deacons, David Martin and Andrew Carpenter.

The German Methodist Church .- The first meeting for organization of a class was held in a small log house that stood in the field of Frederick Rickerts, in section 10, near the village of Three Oaks, and was at the time unoccupied. Meetings were held there for some time, and then at private houses. Upon the completion of the English Methodist church services were held at that place, and preaching is

339

TOWNSHIP OF WATERVLIET.

now had there once in three weeks. The Sunday-school enrolls 20 pupils. John Berkhart, Superintendent.

The constituent members of the first class were Charles Wagner and wife, Jacob Kriess and wife, Frederick Rick- erts and wife, and L. Rickerts. Charles Wagner was the leader. The first minister was the Rev. Jacob Reichter, and he was succeeded by the Revs. K. A. Lober, Carl Kluckhohn, Richard Fickenscher, Jacob Bletoch, Peter Schaeffer, William Wilke, Itermann, F. Fertkon, William Keller, Philip Walker, F. Werth, Henry Lemka, and - Hanka, who is the present pastor. The church is in the Michigan city charge.

SOCIETIES AND ORDERS.

Three Oaks Lodge, No. 239, F. and A. M .- The charter was granted to this lodge Jan. 8, 1868. The officers were Henry Chamberlain, Worshipful Master; Owen Church- ill, Senior Warden; James S. Bird, Junior Warden ; Rudolph B. Goit, Treas. ; Christopher Loney, Sec. ; A. A. Archer, Senior Deacon; Daniel Savage, Junior Deacon ; Silas Russell, Tiler.

The membership, Jan. 10, 1879, was 85, and the officers for 1879 are Henry N. Chamberlain, Worshipful Master ; William H. Breece, Senior Warden ; Henry M. Russell, Junior Warden ; Thomas McCann, Treas. ; John A. Thursby, Sec. ; William H. Dakin, Senior Deacon ; Orrin L. Churchill, Junior Deacon ; William Decker, Tiler.

Three Oaks Lodge, No. 842, I. O. of G. T .- This lodge was instituted April 4, 1875. The present membership is about 60. The present officers are A. B. Wright, Worthy Chief Templar; Nellie Martin, Worthy Vice-Templar; Henry L. Hess, Worthy Sec .; Mattie Reeves, Worthy Financial Sec .; Simeon Sutherland, Worthy Marshal ; Emma Hill, Worthy Inside Guard; Charles Bradley, Worthy Outside Guard.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

EDWARD VETTERLEY

was born on the 15th day of September, 1833, at Wagen- hausen, a village in Switzerland. In 1844 his parents emigrated to the State of New York, bringing Edward, two brothers, and one sister with them. There he remained a number of years, and then removed to Three Oaks, Ber- rien Co., Mich. On the 13th of June, 1869, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Heosi, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Heosi. Mr. Vetterley was in the employ of the Michigan Central Railroad Company over ten years, always proving himself worthy of the trust and confidence placed in him. The remainder of the time he carried on his farm with good success. He had a good German edu- cation, although his advantages were rather limited, as he never attended school in America. He was in politics a Democrat. He was a member of the German Evangelical Church from 1849 until the time of his death, and was ever found ready to do his duty as a zealous Christian. He was an affectionate husband and loving father, as well as an

estimable man and worthy citizen. His death occurred on the 23d day of March, 1874. His widow, Mrs. Vetterley, is one of the few women who are capable of acting as the head of a family, and she has successfully managed the estate since the decease of her husband.

CHAPTER XLIV.

WATERVLIET TOWNSHIP .*

Description-Early Settlements-Watervliet Village-Coloma Village -New Coloma-Settlements in Watervliet after 1842-Soldiers of 1812-Physicians-Township Organization and Civil List-Re- ligious Societies-Schools-Societies and Orders-Curious Relic.

WATERVLIET, the extreme northeastern township of Berrien County, retains the original town allotment of six miles square, and occupies a fruitful agricultural territory, peopled by a community of thrifty and prosperous agricul- turists. The township boundaries are the Van Buren County line on the north and east, Bainbridge township on the south, and Hagar township on the west. Its desig- nation is town 3 south, range 17 west.

The surface of the country is generally level or gently undulating, and, near the centre of the township, diversi- fied by two moderately large sheets of water, known respect- ively as Paw Paw Lake, and Little Paw Paw Lake, while numerous water-courses and ponds, scattered here and there, provide a picturesque prospect and bountiful irrigation. Paw Paw Lake occupies nearly the whole of section 15 and portions of sections 10, 11, 14, 16, and 21, and covers upwards of 1200 acres. Its waters are clear and well stocked with fish. It has upon its borders an inviting stretch of country, and is, during the pleasant season of the year, a place of popular resort for picnic parties, anglers, and others in search of recreation.

The Paw Paw River, an exceedingly crooked stream, flows through the centre of the township, from east to west, and empties into the St. Joseph River at Benton Harbor. The Chicago and West Michigan Railroad passes through Watervliet, generally along the river's course, and, having stations at Coloma and Watervliet, gives the town excel- lent railway conveniences.

The two villages of Coloma and Watervliet are the centres of considerable trade ; they have valuable mill inter- ests, and annually send forward by railway large shipments of fruit and grain,-Watervliet especially making a fine show- ing in respect to the latter commodity. The township, al- though largely devoted to the cultivation of fruit, is also a rich grain-producing region. Among the farmers are a few families of Indians, who are located in the north, and who, in common with their brethren of adjoining townships, have sought to make a mark as tillers of the soil, but their success, as a rule, is not great. Watervleit's assessed valu- ation in 1879 was $260,000.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

The first settlement made by the white man in what is now Watervliet township was begun in 1832, at a point on

# By David Schwartz.

340

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

the Paw Paw River about three-quarters of a mile above the present village of Coloma, and on the opposite shore. Shingle-makers first invaded that locality, and the place was therefore known as "Shingle Diggings." The narrative of the rise and progress of the Diggings, as gathered from Mr. Stephen R. Gilson, now living in Coloma (and himself a resident in Watervliet longer than any one in the township), is given as follows :

In October, 1834, Mr. Gilson, of Chautauqua Co., N. Y., in which his father was a pioneer, rode, in company with a friend, to Sandusky, Ohio, intending to stop a while in Michigan, and then to push on to Chicago, which he pro- posed to make his future home. From Sandusky young Gilson traveled on foot via the Maumee country, and so bar- ren was that region of population that in thirty miles' travel he saw but one house. Happening to know Stephen Purdy, who was living at Berrien Springs, in Michigan, Gilson bent his steps thither and visited his friend, with whom he re- mained several days, during which time he tried, but un- successfully, to obtain employment. Learning that Levi Ballengee, then stopping at Wilson's tavern, in St. Joseph village, was in want of a shingle-maker for his place on the Paw Paw, Gilson went down and bargained with Ballengee to assist him in getting out 125,000 shingles. Together they set out for Mr. Ballengee's place in November, 1834, and there in due time Mr. Gilson began his Western career as a shingle-maker.

Mr. Ballengee's location, as already indicated, was a short distance from the present village of Coloma, across the Paw Paw, and there he had been living with his wife some time. How he came to be there may be told in relating the story of the first white settlement there and the circum- stances immediately following it.

In 1832, Job Davis, of Cass County, made the first land- entry in the territory now occupied by Watervliet town- ship. His purchase embraced 150 acres on section 21, and he went upon the place intending to get out lumber and shingles for the St. Joseph market. Tiring of his en- terprise, however, before he had fairly tried it, he disposed of his interests to Messrs. Griffith, Hoyt & Hatch, who joined for the purpose of digging a canal from Paw Paw Lake to the Paw Paw River, building a saw-mill on the Paw Paw, and engaging to a liberal extent in lumbering, B. C. Hoyt (a St. Joseph merchant) being the managing partner of the firm.

Davis had already got out a frame for a saw mill, had it on the ground ready to put up, had begun the construction of a dam, and had dug a mill-pit, so that Griffith & Co. found matters in such a state of progress that they looked forward to a speedy completion of the projected improve- ments. At this juncture, however, one Sumner stepped in and disarranged their plans. Mr. Hoyt, of the lumber- ing firm, had sued Sumner on a store account, and Sumner determined to be revenged. Knowing that Griffith & Co., by a singular oversight, had failed to acquire a right to the land opposite their mill property, where their dam must necessarily touch, Sumner entered the land in question, and then forbade Griffith & Co. building their dam on his land. This was something which Griffith & Co. had not contemplated, and an obstacle which they were powerless

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan. With biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 85

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