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 58
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In November, 1911, Dr. Dullam had the happiness to be joined in this city by his brother, Dr. M. Stuart Dullam, a dentist. The latter was born in Flint, Michigan, August 21, 1876, and followed his public school education with attendance at the Adventist College of Battle Creek. He later became a student at Northwestern University, of Chi- cago, and prepared for his life work in the Detroit College of Den- tistry, becoming a graduate of the same in 1902. He first hung out his professional shingle at Flint, Michigan, and subsequently removed to Manistique, and it was after practicing a year at the latter place that he came to this city. In the steady growth and development which have characterized the age, the science of dentistry has kept pace with the general progress and in this profession Dr. Dullam stands as a man of eminent qualification. Both gentlemen maintain finely equipped offices together at 19 East Main street, and Dr. M. Stuart Dullam, like his brother, is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of
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Elks. Both doctors belong to Battle Creek's list of very eligible bachelors, and make their home with their mother, at 67 Marshall street.
GLENN E. LOCKWOOD. He whose name initiates this review is num- bered among the representative farmers and stock growers of his native county, and his finely improved farm of two hundred acres is the old homestead on which he was born. Mr. Lockwood is a scion, in the third generation, of a family whose name has been prominently and worthily identified with the annals of Calhoun county since the terri- torial era of the history of the state. His grandfather, Isaac Lock- wood, came from the state of New York to Michigan in 1831, about six years prior to the admission of the state to the Union, and he estab- lished his home in Marshall township, Calhoun county, where he secured from the government a tract of heavily timbered land, a very consider- able part of which he reclaimed to cultivation. He reached a venerable age, and was one of the sterling pioneers of Calhoun county, where he was known and honored as a man of ability and as a citizen whose in- fluence was exerted in a benignant way. Augustus Lockwood, father of Glenn E., was born in Delaware county, New York, and was nine years of age at the time of the family removal to Michigan. The jour- ney to the new home was made with horse and ox teams and the fam- ily knew full well the trials and vicissitudes incidental to overland trav- eling in the pioneer days. Augustus Lockwood became one of the pros- perous farmers and stock-growers of Calhoun county. He was a man of progressive ideas, and was a citizen who ever commanded a place in popular confidence and esteem. He was a Democrat in politics, held various offices in Marshall township and continued to reside on his old homestead farm until his death, which occurred in 1910, five years after the passing of his beloved wife. Her maiden name was Julia Pierce and she was born in Vermont, whence her parents came to Michigan when she was a child, her father, John Pierce, having been another of the early and honored settlers of Marshall township, this county. They became the parents of five children, whose names, in the order of their birth, are as here noted : Jennie O., Ernest J., Albert S., John P., and Glenn E.
Glenn E. Lockwood was born on his present homestead, in Marshall township, on the 10th day of May, 1873, and after availing himself of the advantages of the district school in his native village, he attended a select school in the village of Homer, after which he was for two years a student in the Marshall high school. He then completed a thor- ough course in the Krug Business College, in the city of Battle Creek, after which he was for a time traveling representative. He next renewed his allegiance to the great basic industry under whose influence he had been reared, and returning to the home farm was a number of years engaged largely in the dairy business; he maintained a fine dairy herd of about fifty cows. With this line of enterprise he continued to be identified for thirteen years, and in the meanwhile he had made the best of improvements on the homestead, especially in the way of pro- visions to facilitate his dairying operations. He erected a fine barn, two stories in height, the first story being of reinforced cement. In November, 1911, the upper story of this barn was demolished in a great wind storm, which swept through this section, but the cows were unin- jured, as they were protected by the cement construction of the lower story, in which they were quartered. A portion of Mr. Lockwood's house also was blown down and other severe damage was done, in the destruction of fruit trees, etc. He had erected two fine silos with an aggregate capacity of one hundred and twenty tons, but neither of
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these were damaged by the storm. After this disaster Mr. Lockwood sold his dairy here and has since given his attention to diversified farming and stock-raising. His fine farm of two hundred acres is now under a high state of cultivation and yielding good returns. During the time he was engaged in the dairy business practically the entire tract was given over to pasturage and the raising of fodder crops.
Mr. Lockwood has had no desire to enter the arena of practical politics or to assume the responsibilities of political office. He is one of the progressive citizens of his native county and here his circle of friends is coincident with that of his acquaintances.
In the year 1909, Mr. Lockwood was united in marriage with Miss Clarice Fitz John, who was born and reared in Eckford township, this county, and who is a daughter of David Fitz John, an old and popular citizen and substantial farmer of that township.
WALTER P. MARSH. To the Empire State must be given the credit for supplying Michigan with some of its best citizenship. It has sup- plied men of training in the trades, learning in the professions and thorough knowledge in the sciences, arts and vocations. Especially is this apparent in the field of agriculture, many of the Wolverine State's leading agriculturists being natives of the great State of New York. In this connection it is not inappropriate to briefly sketch the career and activities of Walter P. Marsh, a native New Yorker, who has added in no small way to the prestige of Calhoun county as a center of farm- ing industry. Mr. Marsh was born in Jefferson county, New York, February 1, 1846, and is a son of James and Sarah (Membery) Marsh. His father was born in England in 1809, and his mother two years later, and they were married there in 1831. They became the parents of eleven children, Walter P. being the ninth in order of birth. In the same year that they were married Mr. and Mrs. Marsh came to the United States, locating in New York, where Mr. Marsh followed his trade of wagon maker up to within twenty years of his death, when he pur- chased a farm in New York, and there spent the balance of his life, his death occurring in 1863, while his wife passed away two years later. In political matters he was originally a Whig and later joined the ranks of the Republican party, and both he and his wife were faithful mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Walter P. Marsh's early education was secured in the New York public schools, the school at Watertown and Adams Academy, and as a youth spent his time in work on his father's farm. In the spring of 1874 he came to Michigan, and after a short time purchased a farm of 200 acres in Clarendon township, on which he has since been engaged in general farming, stock raising and dairying. He erected handsome' buildings and finished clearing his land, which he has developed into one of the best farms in the township, and now raises large crops and breeds cattle that bring top-notch prices in the markets. He has ably demonstrated his ability as an agriculturist and his judgments is often appealed to in matters pertaining to farm work. Mr. Marsh is a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted in August, 1864, in Company C, 186th Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, with which organization he participated in a number of engagements, including Danville Railway and Petersburg, and received his honorable discharge in June, 1865.
In 1871 Mr. Marsh was married, while on a trip to Michigan, to Miss Elizabeth Cook, daughter of Sylvanus and Lucy Cook, of Homer township, Calhoun county, prosperous farming people who are now. deceased. and to this union there have been born two children : Frederick C. and Henry. In political matters Mr. Marsh is a Republican, and
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has served in the office of highway commissioner, while he is fraternally connected with the Odd Fellows, and is a popular comrade of the local Grand Army of the Republic post. He and Mrs. Marsh are members of the Presbyterian Church, and both are well and favorably known in religious work and social circles.
AUSTIN PRICE. Born December 22, 1854, on the farm in Clarence township on which he resides and now owns, Austin Price has spent the whole of his life, or nearly sixty years, in this locality and as an upright and worthy citizen stands high in the esteem of his community. His parents, John K. and Clarissa (Price) Price, were numbered among the many emigrants from New York who in the fore part of the last century sought cheaper and better homes in the newer state of Michi- gan. The father was born in Livingston county, New York, on March 30, 1808, and the mother's nativity occurred in Genesee county of the same state on June 30, 1818. They came to Michigan in 1850, locating first at Albion, where John K. Price followed the coopering business a short time. In 1852 he purchased the farm of fifty-six acres in Clarence township now owned by his son Austin and set to work to clear it and improve it. He built a log house and cooper shop, the former of which the family occupied a number of years, or until the father and son finally replaced it with a comfortable frame residence which remains the dwelling of our subject. He was a successful farmer and at the time of his death in 1874 had made considerable progress in the development of his homestead. He was survived by his wife until 1883. Politically he was a Republican, and both he and his wife were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of nine children that came to their union but two are now living and Austin is the only one residing in Michigan. Kent Price, the paternal grandfather of Austin, was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, who moved to New York and spent the remainder of his life there. His maternal grandfather Price was a native of New York and spent his entire life in that state.
Austin Price was reared where he now resides and received such educational advantages as the district schools of the time and locality afforded. He knows by actual experience the toil and hardships en- tailed upon those who developed farms from the wild and timbered lands of Calhoun county even though his period of experience came a score or more of years after settlement had begun in this section of the state, for he helped to clear his father's farm and to bring it to a state of cultivation. He came into possession of the farm in 1871 and has since been engaged in its management, his attention being given to general farming. On his farm are to be seen a number of fine horses, which is indicative of his interest in this direction.
On November 12, 1874, Mr. Price was united in marriage to Amelia Walker, whose father, John Walker, was one of Eaton county's success- ful farmers during his active years and is still living there at the ad- vanced age of eighty-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Price have one daugh- ter, Almeda. who married Fay Burgess and lives in Jackson county, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Burgess have a daughter, Esther.
Mr. Price sustains fraternal membership in the Modern Woodmen of America, and in political affairs his allegiance is given to the Demo- cratic party.
HEMAN G. ALLEN. A varied and interesting career has been that of Mr. Allen, who has won independence and prosperity through his own well directed efforts and who has maintained his residence in Cal- houn county since 1900, when he purchased the fine estate known as the
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Butler farm, the same lying just inside the city limits of Marshall and comprising one hundred and twenty acres. The farm has a large and attractive brick residence and other excellent buildings and is one of the most desirable suburban demesnes in the vicinity of the judicial center of the county. Mr. Allen finds special satisfaction in the super- vising of the operations of his farm and is otherwise virtually retired from active business, after many years of earnest and successful en- deavor, the generous rewards of which he is enjoying in the twilight of his long and useful life.
Mr. Allen is a scion of a family that was founded in New England in the colonial era of our national history. His grandfather, Cary Allen, was born in Massachusetts and passed the closing period of his life at Rockford, Illinois, where he died at the patriarchal age of ninety-six years. He whose name initiates this review was born at Lincoln, Addison county, Vermont, on the 25th of June, 1840, and is a son of Almon C. and Mary (Derby) Allen, both of whom were likewise natives of the old Green Mountain state. The father was for many years actively identified with the iron-manufacturing industry, and in 1858 he removed with his family from Vermont to Wisconsin, whence he later transferred his residence to Rockford, Illinois, where he died at the age of seventy-nine years, his devoted wife having lived to the venerable age of eighty-three years. They became the parents of two sons and two daughters, and of the number one son and one daughter are now living. Almon C. Allen was not only a successful business man but was also influential in public affairs, in connection with which he held a number of official preferments and was a prominent advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, with which he identified himself at the time of its organization.
Heman G. Allen gained his early education in the common schools of his native state, but the major part of his discipline has been secured under the direction of that wisest of all head-masters, experience. On the 4th of December, 1854, when but fifteen years of age, he severed the home ties and set forth to make his own way in the world. For sev- eral years he followed such occupations as he could. He made Fort At- kinson, Wisconsin, his destination, where he remained but two days. He then went to Hudson and then to Pepin, that state, a little hamlet situated on the north shore of Lake Pepin, and for several years there- after he was engaged in carrying mail from that place to various other points in the vicinity ; also operated a stage line to Chippewa Falls. He next removed to Wabasha, Rice county, Minnesota, where he engaged in the livery business. In 1863 he disposed of his property and business at Wabasha and removed to Rockford, Illinois, where he established a livery business and also engaged in the buying and selling of horses, many of which were utilized by the government in connection with the cavalry arm of the service in the Civil war. Mr. Allen remained at Rockford until 1882, in which year he disposed of his livery business and went to Chicago to engage in the livery business and in the Arms Car Company, he being vice president and western manager of the latter. The firm name was Arms & Company, which title was retained until 1896, the firm doing a large business in the shipping of horses to all New England points and to various parts of the world. Upon the dissolu- tion of the Arms Company Mr. Allen and Mr. F. W. Lipe, his son-in- law formed the Allen Lipe Hay Company. Mr. Allen became president of the company, a position which he retained until 1900, when the enterprise was dissolved. In 1900 Mr. Allen retired from active busi- ness, having in 1899, purchased his present beautiful home within the corporate limits of Marshall on the Verona Road. Since that time he
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has lived practically retired, save for the attention given to the general supervision of his fine farm, which is given over to diversified agricul- ture and the raising of excellent grades of live stock.
An active and busy life has been that of Mr. Allen and he has achieved success worthy of the name, the while his course has been so guided and governed as to retain to him at all times the unqualified esteem of his fellow men. He is genial and whole-souled and may well be gratified in finding himself compassed by "smiling plenty and fair, prosperous days." Though he has passed the psalmist's span of three score years and ten he has the vigor of a man many years his junior, and he takes pleasure in devoting himself to his fine homestead, which is one of the most attractive in this section of the state and which he and his wife have made a place of generous hospitality. In politics he maintains an independent attitude and gives his support to the men and measures meeting the approval of his judgment, the while he has never sought or held public office.
On the 12th of December, 1858, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Allen to Miss Ella Gilbert, of Rockford, Illinois, and they have two daughters,-Sadie M., who is the wife of William Lipe, of Toledo, Ohio; and Haidie, who is the wife of C. T. Gorham, of Battle Creek, Michigan. Mrs. Allen died in 1903 and in 1904 he married Miss Addie Nickerson of Chicago.
JAMES W. VAN NOCKER, old resident and one of the best known and most prosperous agricultural men of Convis township, is a native of the state, county and town wherein he now lives, born on the farm he now owns and operates on February 28, 1851. All his life has been lived in the knowledge and companionship of the oldest and best settlers of the district, and he has won to himself, not alone a goodly share of worldly prosperity, but the respect and esteem of the community at large and the friendship of an ever widening circle of good and wholesome people.
The parents of Mr. Van Nocker were Andrew and Julia Caroline (Humphrey) Van Nocker, the former born in New York state in 1798, and whose death occurred in 1884 at his home in Convis township, and the later born in the state of Vermont in 1811. She died at the home of the family on August 10, 1888. Of the life of the father, it is but fitting that some mention be made here, and following facts of his life are thus briefly set forth. As a boy, he enjoyed but very meagre educational advantages, being reared to hard work from his earliest youth. In his young manhood he married Diana Woodward in New York state, and by that marriage became the parent of six children. In the early forties he migrated to Michigan, settling in Calhoun county and locating on a farm near what is now known as Wheatfield station. During his residence there his wife died, soon after which he moved to Penfield township. There he later married Julia Caroline Humphrey, by whom he had nine children, James W. being the sixth in order of birth. A few years after his marriage he bought the farm in Convis township which represented his home until the day of his death, and which is now the home of his son, James W., of this review. He was a patient, quiet and hard working man, and from time to time he increased his land holdings, until, when he died he was the owner of about 380 acres of fine land, being regarded as one of the most successful men in his district in his day. He was of a retiring disposition, never caring for public life or politics of any sort, although he gave his political al- legiance to the Republican party, and performed his full share of the duties of a good citizen all his life. In the later years of his life he
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united with the Baptist church, of which his good wife had long been a devout member. He was a conscientious man, and reared his children in the straight path of moral uprightness, teaching them the value of money and early training them in the work of the home farm. His eldest son, Azel Van Nocker, served in both the Mexican and Civil wars, in the latter being a member of Company A. of Merrill's Horse.
James Van Nocker received some education in the district schools of his home town, but early found it expedient to "shift for himself" as the saying has long been. As a young man he was connected for a time with the Michigan Central Railroad as a brakeman and switchman, remain- ing with them for about two years. Then, as the other brothers had left the home farm, and his father felt the need of the help of his young and stalwart son, James Van Nocker returned home and took up the duty lying nearest to him. He continued to remain there, and has made the old home place his abode through the passing years, there bringing his wife and rearing his family in the home where he was born. When he was thirty-five years old Mr. Van Nocker married Mrs. Charlotte (Parmenter) Calender, and one son has been born to them,-Clifford, who still resides with his father and assists him in the operating of the farm. Clifford Van Nocker married Mabel Ford of Calhoun county, and they have one son, Kenneth Van Nocker.
Mr. Van Nocker is easily one of the most prosperous and prominent farmers in the community, and is in every way deserving of the success he has achieved with the passing years. He is a Republican in his political faith, but has never showed any preference for the "political plums" of office. He has held the office of township overseer and is a member of the school board, performing valuable service to his town- ship in both positions, and is most highly regarded in his town and county as a citizen of sterling worth.
JOHN W. SELLERS. A successful agriculturist of importance in Convis is Mr. John W. Sellers, a son of the noted pioneer, Solomon Sell- ers, who is so widely known throughout this part of Michigan. The German blood of his paternal line is mingled with that of the Irish race to which his mother, Sarah Ann Dougherty, of New Jersey, had originally belonged. In Convis township, to which his parents had come from Pennsylvania in 1844, John Sellers was born on the third day of November, 1860.
In his generation of the family four children were born, of whom three lived to maturity and are widely known in this section. Mr. Sellers' brother, Clarence W. Sellers of Battle Creek has been an extensive dealer in stock for a considerable number of years and has also been prominent as one of the organizers of the Albion Coal Company; while his sister, Miss Luella Sellers has achieved an important position as a teacher.
In their childhood John Sellers and his brother and sister received the best educational advantages of the district schools of Convis township, and of the Battle Creek school system; and later studied further in the old Battle Creek College. John Sellers pursued also a specialized busi- ness course. His preference has always been, however, for manual em- ployment and his first independent occupation was that of blacksmithing, Bellevue being his residence at that time. After one year of this work, he returned to the more varied and healthful exercise of farm life. The farm on which he then settled has ever since been his home.
In 1887 Mr. Sellers was united in marriage with Miss Vera Andrews, whose parents were of New York birth, both having been born in the same year, 1829; having come to Michigan in childhood, within a few years of each other; and having been married in Bellevue. Of their
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four children Mrs. Sellers was the second. Her father, who was a dry goods merchant, was one of the gold-seekers in California in the early fifties and during the last years of his life again went to that state. His death occurred in 1903 and that of Mrs. Sellers' mother in 1889. The former was a Democrat in politics and the Andrews family, including Mrs. Sellers, have been active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The children of Mrs. Sellers and her husband are two daughters, both of a high grade of intellectual attainment. Zella A. is a student at the Michigan State Normal College at Ypsilanti and her sister, Clella B. is a graduate of the same noted institution.
The John Sellers farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres. Be- sides superintending the labor on his own quarter-section, this able farmer also manages his father's farm of three hundred acres. He is up-to-date in his ideas of farming and is an interested member of the Grange organization.
Aside from his local enterprises, Mr. Sellers is also in touch with political and educational affairs in a local way. He is a Republican of intelligent views and has given public service as township justice and clerk as well as on the board of school directors, now holding the position of moderator of the last-named body, as well as serving efficiently as present justice of the peace. He is also a member of the township board and in this, as well as in every other capacity undertaken by him, is proving his ability. .
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