USA > Michigan > Calhoun County > History of Calhoun County, Michigan, a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 19
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ROBERT MURPHY
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ALBERT J. HORNBERGER. An industrious and skilful agriculturist, Albert J. Hornberger is busily pursuing his free and independent occu- pation in Tekonsha township, and by persevering toil and good manage- ment receives each season excellent returns for the labor he expends upon his land. A son of Mathias Hornberger, he was born in Fredonia township, Calhoun county, Michigan, October 20, 1879, of thrifty German stock, and of pioneer ancestry his grandparents, George and Christina Hornberger, having settled on that very farm many years ago, just after they came with their family from Germany to this country.
Born in Rheinberg, Germany May 10, 1843, Mathias Hornberger was twenty-one years old when he crossed the Atlantic with his parents. Although without means, he had strong hands, a willing heart, and plenty of pluck and courage, assets of value. He worked out by the month for several years, and when he had accumulated some money he began farm- ing on his own account, buying the interest of the remaining heirs in the parental homestead, in Fredonia township, where he tilled the soil to good purpose. He has since removed to Newton township, where he has three hundred and eighty and one-half acres of land, which he is culti- vating with satisfactory results. He married November 25, 1874, in Michigan, Louisa Fousel, who was born in Germany, August 10, 1856, and came with her parents to Washtenaw county, Michigan, when but nine months old. Her father subsequently removed to Tekonsha town- ship, Calhoun county, bought land, and partly improved the property now occupied by Mr. Hornberger. He died on the farm where he had spent so many happy years, and his widow, who survived him, passed the later years of her life in the village of Tekonsha. Eight children were born to Mathias and Louisa Hornberger, as follows: Louisa, now Mrs. Esch Christ, of Ypsilanti; Albert J., the subject of this sketch; Fred, Martha, now Mrs. Hes"; Herman, Robert and Lena. The father is a Democrat in politics, a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, and belongs to the German Lutheran church.
Albert J. Hornberger was educated principally in the district school at Warner Lake. Following in the footsteps of his worthy ancestors, he selected farming as his chosen work, and for two years was in the employ, at Union City, of L. L. Harsh, a noted farmer and breeder of thorough- bred stock. He subsequently worked for his father a year, and after his marriage took charge of the old Fousel estate of one hundred and forty acres, on which he has since lived, paying rental each year, at the same time making annual payments on its purchase price, it being now largely paid for.
Mr. Hornberger married, December 4, 1906, Ida H. Reinecke, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Reinecke. Her father was a pioneer farmer of Calhoun county, where he cleared and improved a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He died, April 3, 1912, from a stroke of apo- plexy, having been found dead in Mr. Hornberger's field, his death being a shock to the family and the community. Mrs. Reinecke died June 6, 1906. A woman of talent and culture, Mrs. Hornberger is a gifted musician, playing with skill the violin, organ, and piano. Politi- cally Mr. Hornberger is a Democrat, and religiously he is a Lutheran.
BERT HOWARD, holds high rank among the prominent husbandmen of Calhoun county, wherein his entire life has been spent. Of him it can be truly said that he is a native and to the manner born, his birth having occurred, September 12, 1866, in Tekonsha township, on the farm where he is now living, he being a son of the late George S. How- ard. His grandfather, Alonson Howard, a native of New York state, served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Coming with his family to Cal-
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houn county in 1843, he located in Tekonsha township, buying from the government the land now owned and occupied by Mr. Bert How- ard. He was a man of marked individuality, active in advancing the Masonic order.
George S. Howard was born, October 31, 1826, in Sweden, New York, and as a youth of seventeen years came with his parents to Tekonsha township, where he assisted his father in the pioneer work of clearing and improving a homestead. Succeeding to the ownership of the farm on which he had so faithfully labored he subsequently bought additional land, becoming owner of one hundred and eighty acres, on which he was prosperously engaged in general farming until about 1891. Retiring then from active business cares, he removed to the village of Tekonsha, and was there a resident until his death, Sep- tember 24, 1899. He was always a Republican in politics, having cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont. Religiously both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church. He married, De- cember 19, 1849, Louise Ames, who was born in Port Byron, New York, February 7, 1827, and died on the home farm, in Tekonsha, February 21, 1907. Three children were born of their union, as follows: George Merrett, Bert, and Mrs. Etta Howard Cater.
Acquiring his preliminary education in district school number six, Bert Howard supplemented that by a year's study at Albion Col- lege, there acquiring ample knowledge to fit him for a worthy position in the ranks of the world's workers. Returning home, he then assumed the charge of the parental homestead, and now owns one hundred and forty-two acres of choice land. Continuing the improvements previously inaugurated by his father, Mr. Howard has five hundred sugar maple trees in his well kept grove, and has piped the water from the fine springs of clear, pure, health-giving water to his house, which is sup- plied with modern conveniences, and heated with a furnace, his home being one of the most pleasant and attractive in the entire county.
Mr. Howard married, in 1899 Rose Olney a daughter of William and Hannah (Carter) Olney, who settled in Girard township, Branch county, Michigan, in pioneer times, and there spent the remainder of their days. A strong advocate of the principles of the Republican party, Mr. Howard has served as highway commissioner. He is a member of Washington Lodge, No. 7, Free and Accepted Masons; and the Order of the Eastern Star, to which Mrs. Howard likewise belongs, and which she has served as worthy matron for four years.
CAMER A. HOWARD. A well-known and esteemed citizen of Tekonsha township, and one of its skilful and prosperous agriculturists, Camer A. Howard is the descendant of one of its earlier pioneers, and the son of one of its pioneer physicians, Dr. Alonson Howard. He was born, August 3, 1868, on the farm where he now lives, and which has always been his home. His grandparents, Alonzo and Priscilla Howard, came from New York state to Michigan, locating in Tekonsha township, on what is now the William Howard farm, and having taken up govern- ment land redeemed a homestead from the wilderness.
Born in Sweden, Monroe county, New York, in 1823, was but a boy when he came with his parents to Calhoun county. In the district schools of Tekonsha township, he laid a substantial foundation for his future education, and subsequently took a course of study in the Uni- versity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. Choosing, as natural to one of his mental calibre, a professional life, he entered the Cleveland Medical College, in Cleveland, Ohio, and was there graduated with the degree of M. D. Returning to Calhoun county, Dr. Howard was here success-
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fully engaged in the practice of his profession the remainder of his life. Realizing that he might be of much more benefit as a practi- tioner if he made a thorough study of some particular branch of his profession, the Doctor became a specialist in chronic diseases, and in their treatment became somewhat famous, having patients in many parts of the state, and traveling a good deal during his later years. His death occurred at his home in Tekonsha township, in 1883, when but sixty years of age. He married first Letitia Cone, who bore three children, two of whom died in youth the third, Truman, is a farmer at Blocker, Arkansas. He married second in 1857, Cynthia Edmunds, who was born in 1832, and died in 1899. Four children were born of their union, Camer A. being the youngest of the family. The eldest son, Manchie Howard, M. D., is one of the leading physicians of Peny- ville, Arkansas, the others being Mattie and Lettie. Dr. Howard was a Republican in politics, and a Mason.
Camer A. Howard began his early studies in the district school, afterwards continuing his education in the Marshall high school. Suc- ceeding to the ownership of the parental acres, he has since devoted his time and energies to general farming, his property being under a fine state of tillage, with improvements of value.
Mr. Howard married, in 1895, Alice Fox, a daughter of Bowen Hew- itt, of Burlington township. Mr. Howard is also a Republican in politics but is not an aspirant for official favors.
EDWIN FRENCH. A native-born citizen of Tekonsha township, Cal- houn county, Edwin French has spent the major part of his life within its limits, and as a practical and progressive farmer has been an im- portant factor in developing and advancing its agricultural interests. He was born, October 25, 1852, in Tekonsha township, very near his present home and was here brought up and educated.
His father, Willis French was born May 1, 1818, in New York state. Reared to habits of economy and prudence, he saved his earn- ings, and when he had accumulated a small sum, he started westward, coming to Michigan in 1842. Becoming a pioneer settler of Tekonsha township, he took up sixty-nine acres of wild land, and on the home- stead which he reclaimed, and on which his daughter, Mrs. Young, now lives, resided until his death, in 1888. Although he came to this town- ship without means, his only capital having been pluck, perseverance, and two, strong and willing hands he accumulated a good property, at the time of his death owning three hundred and ten acres of land. His wife, whose maiden name was Roxanna Butler, was born in New York state in 1827; was married in Calhoun county, Michigan, in 1845; and died on the homestead in Tekonsha township, in 1905. Five boys and two girls were born of their union, Edwin, the subject of this sketch, being the fourth child in succession of birth.
Acquiring his elementary education in the district schools, Edwin French continued his studies at a select- school in Tekonsha, after- wards doing high school work in Coldwater. He began life for himself as a tiller of the soil, but subsequently removed to Marshall, Michigan, where he was engaged in business for six years, having built up a good trade as a dealer in agricultural implements. Returning then to Tekon- sha township, Mr. French bought the interest of the other heirs in one hundred and twenty acres of the old home farm, and has since been engaged in general farming, carrying on dairying and stock growing with much success, raising Jersey and Durham cattle, and Poland-China hogs.
Mr. French has been twice married. He married first, in 1876,
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Lavina Abel, daughter of Moses Tompkins and Celestia (Bradley) Abel, of whom a more extended account may be found elsewhere in this volume, in connection with the sketch of Nelson Shedd. She passed to the higher life February 21, 1910, leaving five children namely : Mer- ton, a decorator in San Francisco, California; Ernest, of Homer, in the feed, wood, coal and ice business; Mabel, wife of Burt Metcher, of Tekonsha; Ida, wife of William McCanliffe, of Albion; and Ray, of Homer. She was a noble-hearted Christian woman, and a faithful member of the Baptist church. Mr. French married second, Mrs. Syl- via Warner, who is likewise a member of the Baptist church. Politically Mr. French is identified with the Republican party.
WILLIAM B. DURHAM. Noteworthy among the extensive landholders of Tekonsha township is William B. Durham, who began his agricul- tural operations on a small scale, but has added to and extended his business, being now one of the most successful farmers in this part of Calhoun county. He is an exceedingly skilful agriculturist, and is in all respects a valuable citizen of the township, fulfilling his duties and obligations as such with fidelity. Of English parentage, he was born, January 1, 1865, near Battle Creek, and has spent his life in this part of the state.
His father, the late Barnett Durham, was born, January 31, 1821, in Yorkshire, England. His prospects for earning a livelihood there being not very brilliant, he immigrated to America in early manhood, about 1842, locating first in New York. In the early fifties, not very long after his marriage, he came with his family to Michigan, and lived for a time in Emmett township, Calhoun county. He afterwards bought land in Convis township, from there moving to Tekonsha town- ship, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, on which he made many improvements, and continued his residence until his death, thirty-two years later, in 1904. He was never naturalized, but he took much interest in the advancement of the public welfare, and belonged to the Church of England, of which his good wife was also a member. He married, in New York, Elizabeth Severance, who was born, December 20, 1830, in Devonshire, England and died in Tekonsha township on the home farm, in 1905. They were the parents of six children, of whom William B. was the youngest child.
Gleaning his early knowledge of books in the district schools, Wil- liam B. Durham was early trained to agricultural pursuits, becoming fitted while young for his future occupation. He was by nature of an active and enterprising disposition, possessing a resolute will and an honorable ambition; thus equipped, he met with no failures in his undertakings, but has from time to time added to his original purchase of ninety-eight acres of land until now he has title to four hundred and sixty-nine acres. Of this land, Mr. Durham has himself earned the money to pay for all but one hundred and sixty acres. He is now living somewhat retired from active pursuits, renting all but thirty acres of his farm. Mr. Durham has never married, his sister living with him, and presiding over his household.
DANIEL SUTHERLAND. Owning and occupying one of the finest farming estates in Calhoun county, Daniel Sutherland, of Tekonsha, has met with eminent success during his active career, and is now living somewhat retired from business affairs. He is a man of decided opin- ions, possessing much force of character, earnest and thorough in his work, wise in his judgments, and well merits the esteem and respect so generally accorded him. A son of John Sutherland, Jr., he was born,
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September 23, 1857, in Eckfort township, Calhoun county, on the place known as the Haskell Farm. His grandfather, John Sutherland, Sr. emigrated with his family from Canada to Michigan, about 1846, and settled first in Jackson county. In 1848 he moved to Fredonia township, Calhoun county, and embarked in farming. A short time later, being seized with a severe attack of the gold fever, he made an overland journey to California, and never returned, the last that was heard from him having been in a letter which he wrote saying that he had been successful as a miner, and was coming home.
John .Sutherland, Jr., was born in Ottawa, Canada, August 30, 1833. At the age of thirteen years he came with his parents to Michi- gan, and in 1850, when he was but seventeen years old, he became the main support of his mother and her family of ten children, his father going in that year to the Pacific coast in search of gold. He had no land, his only capital having been a pair of oxen for which he had not money enough to pay. He labored industriously as a farm hand, first in Fredonia township, and later being employed for one year on the Haskell farm in Marshall township, and there for three years worked by the month and then worked for three years on shares in Eckford town- ship. Saving his money, he first purchased forty acres of land in that township, and later added to it by purchasing an adjoining tract of forty acres, and continued buying from time to time until he had a farm of two hundred and twenty-seven acres, a large part of which was under cultivation. Farseeing and prudent, he accumulated a hand- some property, at the time of his death, which occurred January 27, 1909, being worth $10,000. He married Liza Earl, who died May 17, 1890. Eight daughters and two sons were born of their union, Daniel being the oldest child. Thomas Sutherland, Charles Sutherland, and George Sutherland, brothers of John Sutherland, Jr., served in the Civil war, from which Thomas never returned.
Daniel Sutherland was educated in Eckford, going to school as a boy at the command of his father, only, as he disliked studying books. He now believes in giving a boy a practical education in useful things, but rather opposes the higher branches of study unless one is to enter upon a professional career, supporting the views upon that subject advanced by the late Richard T. Crane, of Chicago. Becoming a farmer from choice, Mr. Sutherland first bought land on March 6, 1883, when he bought a farm of eighty acres, on which he lived twenty-seven years. He then purchased forty acres of land lying just across the road from his original farm, which he sold to his son-in-law, John W. Cook. Beginning life for himself without means, Mr. Sutherland has labored with diligence and perseverance, felling the trees, uprooting the sod, casting out the stones, an almost Herculean task as one might judge when looking at his huge stone pile, twenty rods long and twenty- one feet wide. He has spared neither time nor expense in improving his estate, having erected a fine set of substantial buildings himself, his farm being now one of the most desirable pieces of property in the township. He has carried on general farming almost exclusively, raising some stock, including O. I. C. hogs, which are his favorite breed.
Mr. Sutherland married, February 22, 1882, Ida Lusk, born in Eckford township, and a daughter of Jerry and Nancy Lusk, of Te- konsha, who were early settlers of Eckford township, Calhoun county, coming here from New York. Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland are the parents of three children, namely: Carrie, wife of John W. Cook, living on the old home farm, has two children, Harold and Margie; Howard, a farmer in Burlington township, married Ida Katz, and they have one child, Naomi; and John, living at home.
Vol. 11-9
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BRAY JOHNSON. An enterprising and progressive farmer, system- atic and thorough in his methods, Bray Johnson, of Tekonsha town- ship, is meeting with excellent success in his occupation, which he finds congenial to his tastes as well as quite profitable. A son of Seeley Johnson, he was born, November 29, 1860, in Rockford, Illinois, and during the first eight years of his life lived in the Prairie state. His parental grandfather, Thompson L. Johnson, was born, and lived and died in New York state.
The birth of Seeley Johnson occurred in Seneca, Ontario county, New York, September 10, 1827. In his early life he crossed . the plains with the forty-niners, and for six years mined in the gold fields of Cali- fornia, being fairly successful in his search for the precious metal. Returning to his old home in 1855, he remained there until 1859, when he journeyed westward to Illinois, where he was employed in tilling the soil for nine years. Coming from there to Michigan, he lived for three years in Emmett township, Calhoun county, from there com- ing, in 1871, to Tekonsha township, where he is still living, retired from active pursuits a venerable and highly respected man. He married Mary L. Bray, who was born in New Jersey, July 5, 1835, and died May 8, 1912. Six children blessed their union, as follows: Gussie, wife of Ford Cook, of Tekonsha; William T. died in 1910, aged fifty- two years; Bray, the special subject of this brief review; Fred, en- gaged in the hardware business at Council Bluffs, Iowa; Charles, of Tekonsha; and Alice, wife of F. P. Bach. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Seeley Johnson has held some of the township offices, but has never been an aspirant for public positions. In his younger days he lost one of his fingers, which rather spoiled his good penmanship, and prevented him from serving in the Civil war. Both he and his wife united with the Presbyterian church many years ago.
Educated in the district schools, Bray Johnson followed in the footsteps of his ancestors, and has nearly all of his life been a tiller of the soil, an occupation in which he still finds his greatest pleasure. In 1883 he purchased one hundred acres of the land included in his present farm, and in 1910 bought eighty acres of adjoining land. Since assuming possession of his farm, Mr. Johnson has steadily added to the improvements previously inaugurated, his land being under a good state of culture, and well supplied with comfortable and con- venient farm buildings. Politically Mr. Johnson is a Democrat, and has held various public offices. He has been justice of the peace, a member of the Town Board, and for thirty years was a school officer. In 1912, in a Republican stronghold, Mr. Johnson was elected super- visor of Tekonsha township, receiving a large majority of the votes cast. A firm believer in churches, and the work carried on by the various religious organizations, Mr. Johnson pays liberally toward their support, and attends the Episcopalian church, to which his wife be- longs.
Mr. Johnson married, January 2, 1882, Zuba S. Carson, who was born in Seneca county, New York, a daughter of Charles S. and Emily S. (Kibble) Carson, who were life-long friends of Mr. Johnson's par- ents, having been born and brought up in the same neighborhood. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of six children, namely: Clarence Carson, a well-known dentist of Jackson; Belle, who completed the course of study in the Tekonsha high school, and was graduated from the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, in 1910; Claude, who was educated at the Battle Creek Business College, is now engaged in farming; Harold B., attending the Normal School at Ypsilanti, is a member of the class of 1913; Donald B., a pupil in the Tekonsha
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schools; and Bessie. Famed as an athlete, Clarence Carson Johnson has won more honors on the athletic fields of Calhoun county than any other one man, and while at Ann Arbor won distinction in athletics.
BENJAMIN F. McMILLEN. Three generations of the McMillen fam- ily have called Michigan their home. When Benjamin F. McMillen's father was a boy, his parents, Hugh and Hannah (Stark) McMillen, located in Montcalm county. Their former home had been Watertown, New York, where George S. McMillen had been born on January 7, 1849. He grew up amid the rural scenes of Michigan and when he had grown to maturity, he followed varied kinds of useful labor. He was a Repub- lican in politics and a Baptist in religion, with secret society affiliations in the orders of both the Maccabees and Odd Fellows. His wife, nee Mary A. Thompson, was a native of Coldwater, Michigan, her natal day being April 15, 1864. She was, with her husband, a member of the Baptist church, though now connected with the Methodist Epis- copal denomination. The three children of George and Mary McMillen were two sons and one daughter, all of whom have grown to maturity. The eldest George H., is now the editor of Athens Times. Lois, the next in age, is now Mrs. W. F. Brown, a widow of Hudsonville, Michi- gan. Benjamin, the subject of this sketch, commands detailed con- sideration.
He was born in Portland, Ionia county, on April 16, 1882. His early general education was derived from the Tekonsha public schools. When only a boy he worked in a printing-office, where he gathered his first technical information and skill in the line which is now his life- work. When he was twenty-one years of age, he and his brother founded a newspaper which they called the Lake Odessa Times, the circulation of which was throughout Ionia county. They continued its publication until 1905, when he removed to Tekonsha and leased the Tekonsha News, a paper which had first been established in 1878 by James Gribbins. Mr. Benjamin McMillen subsequently purchased the plant of this weekly journal, which now enjoys a good circulation with a very satisfactory advertising business. Its policy is independent.
In 1906 Mr. McMillen was united in marriage to Miss Lillian Wright, a daughter of James and Ambia (Williams) Wright, of Lake Odessa, the father being a stock buyer and retired farmer of that place. Both Mr. and Mrs. McMillen are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Tekonsha.
In 1909 Benjamin F. McMillen was appointed postmaster at Tekon- sha and has ably discharged the duties of that office. In personal poli- tics he holds the views of the Republican party. He is alive to all phases of public welfare and duty and has previously held the office of village clerk for three years before his incumbency of this more im- portant office. He is popular among the Tekonsha townsmen and holds membership in several fraternal organizations. He is a member of the order of the Modern Woodmen of America; of the Free and Accepted Masons, in the Washington lodge No. 7; and of the Order of the Eastern Star. He and his wife are also proud to formally continue their connec- tion with Clan Macmillan, historically located in the south of Glasgow in Scotland.
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