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 49
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Adelbert Jefferson Murray, who was one of a family of five sons and three daughters, spent his boyhood in the Calhoun county of fifty and sixty years ago, when the Indians were still here along with the deer and wolves. Free schools were not yet established, so he got most of his education in the subscription schools. His practical career be- gan early. At the age of eleven he was hauling lumber and staves to Marshall and elsewhere. On leaving the home farm at the age of twenty he was engaged in carpenter work for a time, after which he bought forty acres of heavily timbered land, and like his father developed a farm out of the wilderness. To add to his income he employed the off seasons in chopping wood and stave bolts. His wedded life was begun on this farm, and with increasing prosperity he became the owner of about two hundred acres in Lee township. As a farmstead of Calhoun county, his place has long borne a fine reputation for improvement and productivity. Stock raising was one of the industries which he fol- lowed with success. In April, 1912, Mr. Murray removed to Marshall, where he resides in a comfortable home on East Mansion street.
November 17, 1869, Mr. Murray was married to Miss Mary Lewis, and to their happy union six children have been born. Milton L. is a prosperous farmer in Lee township : Milo C. is principal of the Mich- igan City public schools; Arthur O. lives in Marshall; Jessie, at home,
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is a graduate of the Valparaiso University; Clyde E. manages the old homestead; and Bessie is the wife of Burt Oxby, of Lee township.
Mrs. Murray, who was one of a family of twelve children, was born at Lorain, Ohio, July 10, 1851. Her parents were both natives of New York, and in 1858 moved to Calhoun county, where they spent the rest of their lives on a farm in Lee township. The mother died in 1867 and the father in 1881.
Mr. Murray has not confined his efforts to the routine duties of the farm. Farming and stock raising with him were a highly developed and successful business, and the same qualities which he used in those lines were applied to other affairs and to public life. He has been connected with public affairs of township and county for many years. He became pathmaster in his township at the age of twenty-one and held the office nine years. He was highway commissioner seven years, township treasurer two years, and an official of the schools for nearly forty years. He has also served as supervisor, and has been chairman of the Democratic central committee. He is a Mason and has long been identified with the Patrons of Husbandry. He has been a member of the Citizens Mutual Fire Insurance Company thirty-two years, and for twelve years has been secretary of that important local enterprise. He is a director and local representative of the Hastings City Fire Insurance Company, and likewise represents the Lansing Hail Com- pany. Mr. Murray is also a member of the Calhoun Agricultural So- ciety. He is a citizen of broad interests and activities, and his efforts and influence have for many years been exerted for the advancement and material and civic welfare of his home and native community.
LOUIS E. GARDNER, the oldest grocer of Battle Creek, whose business has been developed from a humble beginning nearly a quarter of a cen- tury ago to one of the leading establishments of its kind in the city, is known as one of the leading business citizens of his adopted city. He be- longs to that class of men who have been the architects of their own fortunes, having started in life with little save energy, determination and inherent ability, and the position he has gained in business circles has come as a reward of long years of persevering effort. Mr. Gardner was born at Hubbardstown, Ionia county, Michigan, August 28, 1862, and is a son of Robert and Eliza (Chick) Gardner, natives of England. They were married in their native country, where their oldest child was born, and came to the United States during the early 'fifties, locating first in New York state, where Mr. Gardner was employed in the Schenec- tady Locomotive Works for a short period. He was a wagon maker by trade, and on coming to Hubbardstown, Michigan, opened an establish- ment for the manufacture of vehicles, in which he was engaged for nearly half a century. Both he and his wife died at Hubbardstown, where they are buried. They had a family of thirteen children, of whom all except two lived to grow to maturity, and the following are living today: Charles, who is engaged in wagon making at Muir, Michigan; Charlotte, who married H. E. Jackson, a resident of Florida; A. W., liv- ing in Hubbardstown; John T., a druggist of Cass Lake, Minnesota ; Louis E .; Mrs. H. A. Sessions, of Traverse City, Michigan; Mrs. C. W. Mack, of Hannibal, Missouri; Mrs. George Demming, of Rochester, New York; and Robert, engaged in the grocery business at No. 547 Maple street, Battle Creek.
Louis E. Gardner received his education in the Hubbardstown pub- lic schools, and began his business career as a clerk in the general store of L. W. Robinson, who later came to Battle Creek and now has a large dry goods store in the Post building. After spending seven years in
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the employ of Mr. Robinson, Mr. Gardner embarked in business on his own account, and for three years was proprietor of a grocery business at Hubbardstown. In 1889 he came to Battle Creek and bought out the business of N. E. Retallide, who also has a sketch in this work. At the start, Frank A. Harris was Mr. Gardner's partner, the firm being known as Gardner & Harris, but after one year Mr. Gardner bought out Mr. Harris' interest in the business. Fifteen minutes after the deal had been consummated, Mr. Harris started home for his supper, and when crossing the Grand Trunk Railroad tracks, located within a short dis- tance of the store, he was struck by a train and killed. Mr. Gardner has been engaged in business alone in his present building, No. 247 Main street, East, to the present time, and carries a complete line of fancy and staple groceries. Many groceries have changed hands during the twenty-two years since Mr. Gardner's arrival, a large number of them having proved unprofitable, but Mr. Gardner's business has prospered and shown a steady growth, and he now controls one of the finest trades in the city. Good business judgment, fair and honorable dealing and progressive methods have served to make his establishment popular with the buying public, while his courteous and genial personality has made friends of his customers. He is a valued member of Lodge No. 35, Knights of Pythias, of Battle Creek.
On October 2, 1883, Mr. Gardner was married in Sanilac county, Michigan, to Miss Ida Lena Hinkson, who was born and reared in that county, daughter of Charles J. and Eliabeth Hinkson. Her father, who was engaged in agricultural pursuits for a number of years, died in 1910, while her mother is still living and makes her home at Port Huron, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner have one daughter living: Ida Lucille, who was born in Hubbardstown, Michigan, and educated in Battle Creek, graduating from the high school in the class of 1906 and sub- sequently attending Kalamazoo Seminary for a short time. A son, Charles Bruce, was born in Hubbardstown, Michigan, and died there at the age of six months.
The family residence is situated at No. 364 East Main street. Al- though Mr. Gardner is a very busy man, he finds time for recreation, his chief pleasure being found in automobiling. He owns a large modern touring car, and during the summer of 1912 made an extended trip through the east, visiting the home of his sister, Mrs. Demming, in Rochester, New York. Both he and Mrs. Gardner have numerous friends in Battle Creek, drawn about them by their many admirable qualities of mind and heart.
CHARLES J. PRYER. One of the oldest and best known native citizens of Marshall is Mr. Charles J. Pryer, who was reared and educated in this city, went from here into the service of the Union army, then returned and for upwards of half a century has been identified with the teaming and transfer business.
During the pioneer period of Marshall's corporate existence he was born in one of the homes of this village, on November 13, 1845. the old- est son of James and Mary ( Wetherly) Pryer. The parents, who were natives of England, were married in Calhoun county after their families had separately migrated to this country. James Pryer. the father, was a brick and stone mason, and gave many years of an industrious life to that calling. Both he and his wife died in Marshall.
As the oldest of the family, Charles J. had to begin the practical work of life before his education was carried to completion. The local public schools gave him most of his training. including a short time spent in the high school, and after leaving school he worked as a farm hand.
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He volunteered and became a member of Company E of the Sixth Michi- gan Heavy Artillery. This was Colonel Bacon's regiment. With this regiment he went to New Orleans, thence to Port Hudson and Vicks- burg, from there up White river to Little Rock and to Duval's Bluff, par- ticipated in the skirmish at Fort Gaines, was engaged in the siege of Fort Morgan on Mobile Bay and was present at the capture of the city of Mobile, where the 15-inch mortars were used in the reduction of the city, and adjacent fortifications. His honorable discharge was obtained at New Orleans, August 20, 1865, and he then came up the Mississippi and returned to Marshall as one of the honored veterans of the great war. During the many subsequent years of civilian pursuits, he has built up a thriving business, and has used several teams and wagons to handle the traffic.
Mr. Pryer is a member of the C. Colegrove Post, No. 166, G. A. R. His home for many years has been at 317 South Marshall avenue. He was married in 1870 to Miss Emaline Saunders, whose parents, Stephen and Jane Saunders, came from England and were early settlers of Cal- houn county, where Mrs. Pryer, like her husband, has spent practically all her life. Mr. and Mrs. Pryer are the parents of two children. Charles A. is a carpenter and builder in Marshall, and Etta May is the wife of E. G. Bangham. There is one granddaughter, named Fern.
WILLIAM GLAU has spent the main portion of his life within the con- fines of Calhoun county ; and the state of Michigan, and particularly the county of Calhoun, knows no more loyal citizen than he. He is one of the successful farmers of Newton township where he resides, and although no longer a young man takes an active part, not only in the work of the farm, but also in the public affairs of the community, putting some of the younger men to shame by his activity and energy. However, William Glau has German blood in his veins, and this accounts somewhat for many of the strong traits of his character, for no better blood has ever been brought into this country than that of our Teutonic brethren, and it is to be sincerely hoped that those of the future generation who can boast German ancestors will cling to their heritage and never forget that the German race stands for the highest in morals and in intellect.
William Glau, the eldest son of his father, Dedloff Glau, was born in Holstein, Germany, on the 14th of January, 1851. His father was also a native of Holstein, Germany, and his mother was Amanda Bach of that place. Dedloff Glau was a farmer in the Fatherland, but his peace- ful agricultural life was interrupted by war, and he was called upon to serve his country. For six years he was a soldier in the German army, and took an active part in all the campaigns during the war with Den- mark. He finally determined to come to America. Upon his arrival in New York he came across country to Sioux City, Iowa, near which place he settled down as a farmer. Here he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1906, two years after the death of his good wife. In his political views Mr. Glau was a Democrat, and both he and his wife were mem- bers of the Lutheran church. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Glau, as follows: William; Henry; John, who is deceased; Chris, a farmer in Iowa; Julius, also a farmer in Iowa; Edward, located at Char- ter Oak, Iowa; Dedloff, also located in Iowa, where he has a farm near Sioux City ; Lena, who is Mrs. Rosenaff and lives in Virginia ; and Bertha, the only one of the family to remain in Germany, is the wife of George Urbann.
William Glau came to America before any of his family, and it was his enthusiastic reports of the New World that brought the others. He first located in Toledo, Ohio, and secured work on the railroad known as
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the Toledo, Wabash & Western, and remained in the employ of that com- pany for two years. He then came to Newton township, Michigan, and located on a farm, not far from the one he owns at present. This farm consisted of eighty acres, and he succeeded in raising good crops and was soon accounted one of the prosperous men of the community. After the death of his first wife, to whom he was deeply devoted, he sold this farm where they had spent the happy years of their wedded life, and bought his present place of forty-five acres near his old home.
William Glau was married the year after he came to America that is, in 1874, and his wife was Elizabeth Damon, who was born in Paris, France, on the 14th of November, 1849. She came to America with her parents, Nicholas and Elizabeth (Scheiferstein) Damon, in 1873. They located at Newton and both the parents are now dead. Four children were born of this marriage: Willard, now living in Sioux City, Iowa; Frances, who married William Laupp and lives in Newton township; John and Edward who live in East Leroy and who are mentioned at greater length elsewhere in this work. Elizabeth Damon Glau died on the 24th of July, 1893. After an interval of several years Mr. Glau mar- ried Mary Madt of Toledo, whom he had known as a child. She died on the 10th day of December, 1909, leaving no children.
Mr. Glau is a Democrat, and he has had an active share in the affairs of the party in his community, at one time holding the responsible post of overseer of highways for Newton townships. He is a member of the Lutheran church, the faith of his fathers.
LUTHER H. HOLTON. Of the old and well remembered merchants of Battle Creek, one of the most prominent was the late Luther H. Holton, who was a druggist of this city for thirty years. A success- ful business man, he displayed much public spirit in the civic affairs, was a kindly and highly esteemed associate and friend. His death, which occurred March 23, 1889, closed a career of substantial achieve- ment and good citizenship.
Mr. Holton was fifty-eight years old at the time of his death. He was born in Yates county, New York, July 12, 1831. In 1855, at the age of twenty-four, he came to this city, and four years later established himself independently in the drug business. In 1869 his brother, Sam- uel M., now a retired citizen of Battle Creek, became associated with him in the firm of Holton Brothers, of which he was president at the time of his death. Their store was located on East Main street in the place now occupied by the American Express Company.
The late Mr. Holton was devoted to the work of his church, the In- dependent Congregational of this city, and was a member and official for many years. In politics he was a Republican. The responsibilities that fell to his lot he carried with fidelity, and his life record was hon- orable. In 1878, at 243 Maple street, the corner of Chestnut, he erected the residence which was his own home for eleven years, and where his wife and daughter have ever since lived. He was married on the 6th of September, 1876, at Bennington, Vermont, to Miss Electa C. Boardman. Mrs. Holton, who was a daughter of George and Caro- line (Stark) Boardman, was born in Vermont at one of the historic localities of that state, and received her education and lived there up to the time of her marriage. Her daughter, Adelaide C. Holton, who is a native of Battle Creek, graduated from the Battle Creek high school and then attended the well known woman's college, Wells College at Aurora, New York.
Mr. Holton was married twice, first to Miss Sophia Packer of Ver- mont. One child of this union was born but died in infancy. They were
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married in January 1861. She died in 1868 and was buried in Battle Creek.
SAMUEL M. HOLTON, M. D. One of Battle Creek's well known retired citizens, Samuel M. Holton, of No. 141 North avenue, who for nearly a quarter of a century was engaged in the drug business in this city, and an honored veteran of the great Civil War, was born Feb- ruary 22, 1836, in Yates county, New York, a son of James and Rachel (Williams) Holton. Mr. Holton's grandfather was one of the first settlers of Western New York, and James Holton, his father was born in York county, Pennsylvania. He was married in Rushville, New York, to Rachel Williams, a native of Massachusetts, and they spent the re- mainder of their lives in that vicinity, Mr. Holton being engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. They had a family of six sons and three daughters, of whom Samuel M., is the only survivor.
Samuel M. Holton secured his education in the little red school- house in the vicinity of his birthplace, subsequently attending Franklin Academy and Fort Plains Seminary. In 1857 he came to Battle Creek to study medicine with Dr. Cox, in whose offices he remained two years, and then went to Ann Arbor to attend a course of lectures. While he was there the Civil War broke out, and May 25, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Union army, becoming a member of Company C, Second Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, as a private. With this regi- ment he served four years and four months. On the organization of the regiment he was made corporal of his company, and on April 20, 1864, was made assistant surgeon, subsequently, March 11, 1865, re- ceiving the promotion to the rank of surgeon and as such was mustered out and honorably discharged July 28, 1865. A younger brother, Charles M. Holton, came to Battle Creek and studied law for one year with L. H. Stewart, and on September 4, 1862, enlisted as sergeant of Company A, Seventh Michigan Cavalry, being made second lieutenant March 22, 1864, and first lieutenant May 24, 1865. He resigned June 23, 1865, and received his honorable discharge. His death occurred in the State of Washington in 1898, he being the owner of the Yakima Re- publican, at the home of his son, who died later, and both were brought back and buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Battle Creek.
After completing his services to his country, Samuel M. Holton re- turned to his medical studies, and received his degree at the University of Michigan. Shortly thereafter he came back to Battle Creek and with his brother, Luther H. Holton, embarked in the drug business under the firm name of Holton Brothers, an establishment being opened on West Main street, where the concern of Skinner & Titus is now situated, and later on East Main street, the present site of the American Ex- press Company. This association continued until the death of Mr. Holton's brother, after which he was engaged in business alone in the Werstein Block for three years, making a period of twenty-four years that he was one of Battle Creek's leading pharmacists. For the past fifteen years he has led a retired life. Mr. Holton belongs to Metcalf Lodge, A. F. & A. M., being a charter member and past master, and is also post commander of Farragut Post, Grand Army of the Republic.
On November 17, 1867, Mr. Holton was married in Rushville, New York, to Miss Mary A. Chapman, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Chapman, farming people of near Rushville, where Mrs. Holton was reared and educated. Mr. and Mrs. Holton have one daughter: Flor- ence J., who was born in Battle Creek and graduated from the high school, since which time she has been engaged in teaching in the public schools. She makes her home at the family residence, No. 141 North avenue.
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WILLIAM W. WHITNEY. Standing prominent among the more enter- prising and progressive agriculturists of Calhoun county, William W. Whitney owns and occupies a well-improved and well-managed estate near Battle Creek, where he carries on general farming after the most approved modern methods, in his undertakings meeting with highly satisfactory results. A son of N. S. and Mary (Pratt) Whitney, he was born, January 7, 1848, in Vermont. His grandfather, Cyrus Whitney, who was also a tiller of the soil, spent his entire life of ninety years in the Green Mountain state.
N. S. Whitney was born, in 1810, on a Vermont farm, and among the rugged hills of his native state grew to a sturdy manhood, for a number of years there working at the machinist's trade. In 1854, foreseeing the future development of the then western states, he came with his family to Michigan, and for eight years lived on rented land in Kalamazoo county. Although he was almost penniless when he located there, he was quite successful in his operations, and having accumulated some money he looked about for place in which to invest it, and having pur- chased one hundred and seventy-five acres in Calhoun county began the improvement of the homestead now owned and occupied by his son Wil- liam, the subject of this sketch. He was a Republican in politics, and a citizen of worth, his death, in '76, being a loss to the community. He married Mary Pratt, whose father, Daniel Pratt, a life-long resident of Vermont, was engaged in seafaring pursuits as a young man, having been captain of a boat, but during the later years of his life was a farmer.
Having acquired a practical education in the common schools of Cal- houn county, William W. Whitney was early initiated into the mysteries of agriculture, and at the death of his father succeeded to the owner- ship of the parental acres, to which he has since added eighty acres of land by purchase, his farm now containing two hundred and fifty-five acres of as fertile and fruitful land as can be found in this section of the county.
Mr. Whitney has been twice married, by his first marriage having three children, namely : Norman S., assisting in the management of the farm ; DeForest, a machinist in Lansing; and Ruth, a bookeeper for the Battle Creek Paper Company, at Battle Creek. Mr. Whitney married second, in 1904, Mrs. Lina (Snyder) Cooley, a daughter of Levi Sny- der, a farmer and carpenter in Barry county, Michigan. Mrs. Whitney is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Whitney is a Re- publican in politics, and belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees.
LEWIS M. SCHRODER. As president of the Schroder Brothers Com- pany, dealers in dry goods, women's garments, millinery and draperies, at 33-35-37 Main Street, West, Lewis M. Schroder holds precedence as one of the most alert, progressive, popular business men of the city of Battle Creek, and while he has been indefatigable in furthering the upbuilding of the splendid enterprise of which he is the executive head, he has also stood exponent of loyal and public-spirited citizenship. To men of such character and ability is due the distinctive prestige held by the metropolis of Calhoun county as a trade center, and in the conducting of the extensive business of the company, which is incorporated under the laws of the state, his effective coadjutor and valued associate is his brother Sherman, who is secretary of the com- pany and of whom specific mention is made on other pages of this work. The Schroder Brothers Company represents one of the most metro- politan mercantile establishment in Battle Creek, and its large and select stock in each department affords wide range of choice to the appreciative patrons of the concern. Fair and honorable dealings and
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effective service have given this house high reputation, and its inter- ested principals command unequivocal confidence and esteem in both business and social circles.
Lewis M. Schroder was born at Galesburg, Kalamazoo county, Mich- igan, on the 28th of January, 1861, and is a son of John and Mary (Bostwick) Schroder, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter of whom was born near Galesburg, a member of one of the old and honored pioneer families of Kalamazoo county. John Schroder gained his rudimentary education in his native land and was a lad of twelve years at the time of the family immigration to America. He was reared to maturity in Galesburg, and it has been his to achieve large and worthy success as one of the world's productive workers. His marriage was solemnized at Galesburg, where he and his devoted wife still maintain their home, and he has long been numbered among the representative citizens of Kalamazoo county, where he is the owner of a large and valuable landed estate, consisting of several well im- proved farms, and he is also interested in one of the leading mercan- tile enterprises in his home village. He is a man of distinctive business acumen, of sterling character and of most genial personality, so that he holds impregnable vantage place in the esteem of the community which has long been his home. He has passed the psalmist's span of three score years and ten but is still active, with admirably preserved mental and physical powers. He accords unwavering allegiance to the Republican party and both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist church. Of the three children the eldest is Lewis M., whose name initiates this review, and his business associate, Sherman, is the second son; Clarence, the youngest of the number still resides in Gales- burg and is one of the successful and popular business men of that attractive village, where he has the management of the store established by his father, the latter still being identified with the business.
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