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 62
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Four children were born of their union, of whom John C. was the second in the order of birth. His older sister Ella has her home with him. Their brother Thomas died in 1910, and their other brother, Frank, lives in Marengo township and is engaged in farming and rais- ing live stock. A sketch of him will be found on another page of this work. The grandfathers of these children were Thomas Cooper on the father's side and Martin Buckley on the mother's. Both passed the whole of their lives in Ireland, where their families had been domesti- cated for many generations.
John C. Cooper was educated in the district schools of Marengo township, as he was but two years old when his parents moved to this county. He assisted his father in the labor on the farm while attend- ing school and after completing his education, and then remained with his parents for some years afterward. He began life for himself on a farm and conducted its operations until 1902; but previous to this he determined to turn his attention to merchandising and in 1895 founded the general store which he has ever since been keeping at Marengo. In 1895 he was made postmaster of this village and he held the office con- tinuously for fourteen years thereafter.
On June 4th, 1884, Mr. Cooper was united in marriage with Miss Julia M. Crossman, a daughter of Luther G. and Amanda (Burling- Vol. II-27
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ame) Crossman, natives of New York state who came to Michigan some- time in the thirties, and passed the remainder of their lives here suc- cessfully and profitably occupied in vigorous and enterprising farm- ing operations. They stood well in their community, too, as citizens and in social life, and were regarded throughout the county as most estimable and worthy persons.
Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have two children, their daughter Agnes and their son Stuart F. Agnes is a school teacher employed in Lagrange, Illinois. She obtained part of her education in a summer school at Ypsilanti and was also graduated from the high school at Albion, and attended college at Albion also. Stuart F. is now in Memphis, Ten- nessee. He attended the State Agricultural College at Starkville, Mis- sissippi, where he made an excellent record in his studies and also at- tained high rank as an athlete, being prominent and effective in the football, basket ball and base ball teams. .
Mrs. Cooper is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which her husband also attends. He is a member of the Democratic party in his political relations, and always true and loyal to his party although not what may be called an active partisan. Neither has he ever been a seeker of public office or desirous of political prominence, but he has served as township clerk in response to a demand from the people of the township for his services. For he has proven himself to be a pro- gressive and enterprising citizen, warmly interested in the advancement and improvement of his township and county and zealous in assisting to promote the welfare of their residents in every way open to him.
He has a good and growing business in his store, which is a popular mart for a large extent of the surrounding country, and in addition does considerable work in writing fire insurance. Both in his busi- ness and in general relations to the community he is a leader of thought and action, and is universally esteemed throughout the county as one of its most useful, enterprising and representative citizens, always ready for any duty for the general well being and giving a fine example of elevated manhood in all the relations of life and in all respects.
WILLIAM FRANCIS LESLIE, M. T. D. The restoration of minds and bodies congenitally weak or weakened by disease and misuse is a subject . which within recent years has forced itself upon mankind and gained the practical attention and study of the wisest leaders of every race. The subject covers a much broader field than the ages-older one of medicine and surgery. To make life more efficient, to develop the latent. powers of the human being, to substitute wholesome vigor for the defective physical machine-these are objects of attainment that are far in advance of the old school of therapeutics and disclose a field of possibilities the results of which are yet undreamed of.
In one branch of this distinctively modern science, W. F. Leslie, Doctor of Mechano-Therapy, has made a very notable record during his residence at Battle Creek. He is a graduate of the American College of Mechano-Therapy at Chicago, and is the leader in this line of practice in the state. The chief maxim of the science of Mechano- Therapy is "Permanent health through perfect circulation," and it is around this principle that he has conducted his work with such excel- lent success in Battle Creek. By a scientific combination of food, cir- cumstances, ideas, water, and motion for the stimulation of physiological action by mechanical and other means, he has in hundreds of cases succeeded in establishing a normal condition of the body, and has accomplished results such as the regular physician would not attempt or claim as within the powers of his profession. Dr. Leslie has never
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relied on extravagant claims in building up his professional success. By manipulation or artificial exercise of the body, under attendant condi- tions to favor the process, he promotes the restoration of powers and organs that have atrophied or diseased, and the evidence of his patients has been the means of his increasing success.
Dr. Leslie has had an interesting career and is a man of varied attainments. He was born in New York City in 1877, his birthplace being on Fourteenth street between Fourth and Fifth avenues, in the heart of the downtown section of the metropolis. His father, Solomon F. Leslie, was a Rusian Jew, a native of Russia, and his mother, Augusta P. (Lear) Leslie, was born at Greenbach, Germany. The father, now deceased, was one of Tiffany's diamond settlers. The mother is now a resident of Battle Creek.
Dr. Leslie was reared in New York City until he was twelve years old, attending the public schools there. He was then in Williamsport and Bradford, Pennsylvania, for seven years, and during the last sixteen years he has been a resident of Battle Creek. For seven years he was a nurse in the Battle Creek Sanitarium, after which he took charge of the physical culture, Swedish and bath rooms at the Phelps Sanato- rium. For a part of this time he worked at the barber's trade, but all this work was merely a means to an end, until he could perfect himself in his profession. In January, 1909, he was graduated from the Ameri- can College of Mechano-Therapy at Chicago, and since then has been engaged in. regular practice in Battle Creek. He has practiced in this branch of therapy longer than any other in the city. He has the best possible equipment for the successful performance of his work, and has all the practice he can conveniently care for.
Among the followers of aquatic sports and in athletic organizations throughout the country, Dr. Leslie has for a number of years enjoyed a reputation as a swimmer of most varied and remarkable skill. In connection with Professor Haylock, known as the champion swimmer of Michigan, he has given numerous exhibitions in cities throughout the country, and as a demonstrator of scientific swimming Dr. Leslie is probably without a peer in the country.
Dr. Leslie was a member of the National Guard of Pennsylvania at the age of eighteen, during his residence in that state. He is a graduate nurse of the Michigan Sanitarium at Kalamazoo. In music he has also attained proficiency as a clarionet player, and was formerly a member of the Pennsylvania Regimental Band, one of the crack military bands in the United States. Fraternally Dr. Leslie is a member of the Battle Creek Elks. Possessing all these varied accomplishments, Dr. Leslie has done more than gain merely personal success. He has done much disinterested service from the impetus of professional zeal, and is constantly giving his influence toward the promotion of saner and better living among all classes of people. He is both a practitioner and a teacher, and is deservedly held in high esteem in his home city.
RUFUS F. KATZ, an enterprising young farmer of Fredonia town- ship, Calhoun county, Michigan, was born on the farm on which he now lives, December 13, 1882, son of John and Minnie (Walbeck) Katz.
John Katz was born in Germany in 1838. When he was quite young, the Katz family emigrated to America; or, rather, they all started to America, but on the voyage over, the father and one daughter died and were buried at sea. John, with other members of the family, shared
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the vicissitudes of life in a new land, with little means for maintenance. Finally, he was "bound out" for several years to a farmer. On reach- ing manhood, he came to Calhoun county, Michigan, where he found employment on farms, and was a wage worker until he was twenty- seven years of age. He saved his earnings and in time had a farm of his own. His first purchase of land was eighty acres near Burling- ton. Subsequently he sold this and bought a tract of land near Lyon Lake, which he owned at the time of his marriage, in 1865. The follow- ing year he bought the home farm on which his son Rufus F. now lives, and still later he bought twenty acres of Newton township. On the home farm, which consists of 130 acres, he spent the rest of his life and died, his death occurring in 1907. His wife, Minnie (Wal- beck) Katz, was a daughter of Conrad and Magdeline (Kint) Walbeck of Fredonia township. She was born in 1847, and died in 1910. Their children, two daughters and two sons, are Lizzie, wife of Arthur J. Gleson; Mattie, wife of William Mohrhardt; Frank, of Marshall, Michi- gan, and Rufus F. The parents were members of the Lutheran church, and, politically, the father was a Democrat.
Rufus F. Katz was reared on his father's farm, and has continued to reside here, devoting his energies to agricultural pursuits. After the death of his mother, he bought the interest of the other heirs, and now owns the whole of his father's landed estate, which consists of 210 acres. An important feature of his farming operations is his stock. He breeds Percheron horses, Durham cattle, Shropshire sheep and Po- land China hogs, horses, however, being his specialty.
August 17, 1910, Rufus F. Katz and Mary Kennedy were united in marriage, and they are the parents of one child, Nile Leo Katz. Mrs. Katz is a daughter of James and Mary. Kennedy of Missouri.
Like his father, Mr. Katz is Democratic in his political affiliations.
GEORGE E. CHAPIN. Many of the successful young agriculturists of Calhoun county are engaged in cultivating land formerly owned by their fathers, having come into possession of it through inheritance, and are continuing to carry on operations with the same degree of suc- cess that attended the older men's efforts. In this class stands George E. Chapin, of Marengo township, administrator of the estate of his late father and one of the enterprising and progressive business men of his section. Mr. Chapin was born in Marengo township, Calhoun coun- ty, Michigan, October 11, 1878, and is a son of Edward Franklin and Ellen S. (Conger) Chapin. His father, also a native of Marengo town- ship, was born December 25, 1847, and during his entire life was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. He spent a large part of his time in raising stock, and became very successful in his operations, accumulat- ing 360 acres of land. His death occurred March 16, 1909. His wife, still lives in Marshall, and they had two children: May, who mar- ried Thomas R. Lusk, of Marshall; and George E. Mr. Chapin was a Republican during the greater part of his life, but became a great ad- mirer of William Jennings Bryan, and adopted the principles of the Free Silver Democrats. He and his wife were members of the Pres- byterian church. The paternal grandfather of George E. Chapin, Sam- uel Chapin, was a native of New York, and came to Michigan in 1834, taking up land from the government, and continued to live in the town- ship during the rest of his life. He became widely known throughout the county and was regarded as one of the substantial men of his com- munity. His death occurred in 1888. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Chapin, Jacob Conger, was also born in New York, and on com-
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ing to Michigan settled in Hillsdale county, where he carried on farm- ing and merchandising.
After graduating from Marshall high school, in 1897, George E. Chapin attended Albion College two years, and then took a trip through the West and South, spending two years in farming in Alabama. Fol- lowing this he returned to Michigan, and for three years clerked in a store in Battle Creek, eventually returning to the old homestead at the time of the death of his father, whose administrator he i's. An energetic, industrious business man, with large responsibilities, he adds materially to the industrial and agricultural importance of Marshall, where he has a comfortable modern home. He is a Republican in politics, but has found no time to engage in public affairs, although he manifests a good citizen's interest in all matters that influence his community's welfare. Fraternally he is connected with Battle Creek Lodge No. 12, F. & A. M., and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
Mr. Chapin was married in 1906, to Miss Louie McWethy, daugh- ter of Reuben H. McWethy, a lifelong farmer, veteran of the Civil war, and prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, who is now living in Albion. The family moves in the best social circles of Marshall, and its members have numerous friends.
GEORGE W. HARVEY. Starting in life for himself with no capital but his skillful hand, his active brain and his resolute spirit, which saw success was possible to him and determined to win it, George W. Harvey, who owns and operates a large saw mill and hard wood lumber factory in Marshall township, this county, has shown by his career that he did not overestimate his capacity to both see opportunities for advancement and make the most of them when he seized them. He has been very successful and has won his way wholly by his own unaided efforts and his excellent management of his affairs.
Mr. Harvey is a native of Calhoun county, and was born in Athens township on August 13, 1857. He is a son of Israel and Rhoda (Da- vis) Harvey, the former born at Manchester, New Hampshire, in 1814, and the latter in the state of New York on July 4, 1822. The father was a son of Jonas Harvey, who passed the whole of his life in New Hampshire. He was a farmer and also owned and operated a large saw mill. His wife died when her son Israel was but five years old, and he was therefore from childhood without the considerate and di- recting care of a mother.
He came to Michigan in 1835. He and his wife were early settlers at Marshall, where they located on their arrival in this state, and saw this part of the country in its state of almost primitive wilderness. Mrs. Harvey, who is still living at the advanced age of ninety years, tells of seeing the first train go over the Michigan Central Railroad, and many other interesting experiences of the early days of her residence in this county. During the Civil war she was a widow living on a farm, her husband having died in 1859. She had a hard time to rear her family, and while the sectional strife in this country lasted she was obliged to undergo many hardships and privations, and other portions of her long life have been by no means free from care and have laid her under strong requisitions for endurance and fortitude. These quali- ties, however, she has always shown in a degree that made her equal to all the demands of her situation. She is a daughter of Lemuel and Clarissa (Allen) Davis, who lived all their lives in Franklin county, New York, and attained to far advanced ages.
Israel Harvey, the father of George W., was a cabinet maker, and
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for a time after his arrival in this state worked at his trade. He then bought a farm of eighty acres in Athens township and lived on that until his death, which occurred in 1859, as has been noted, when his son George W. was but two years old. Five children were born in the family. Charles, the first born, is in the livery business in Athens. Isabelle, the second child, married H. H. Brownell, and after his death became the wife of Rev. John McDonald, a Baptist clergyman. They are now living in Elgin, Illinois. Francis E. died a number of years ago. George W. came fourth in the order of birth, and the fifth child is Jennie, who married George Clearwater and resides at Greenville in this state.
The father was a Democrat in his political faith and allegiance, and filled a number of township offices. He also served some years as cap- tain of a company in his home town, something like those which com- pose the state militia. The mother now makes her home with her son George. She is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, attentive to all the duties enjoined in its teachings in her daily life, and is venerated as one of the most worthy and estimable matrons in the county.
George W. Harvey had no facilities for education except those fur- nished by the district schools, and he was not allowed to attend these with any degree of continuity or regularity. The death of the father when the son was only two years old put the family in hard straits, and each member of it was obliged to go to work as soon as sufficient size and development were attained for the purpose. He began work in a saw mill at Muskegon, Michigan, where he was employed twelve years. At the end of that period he returned to Calhoun county and erected a saw mill and established a hard wood manufactory of his own, locat- ing his plant on the site it occupied for a number of years, and from which it was moved to the present site on April 1, 1911. At the old location he was very successful, cleaning up $21,000 in six years, and at the new one he conducts a very extensive business carrying on an average 500,000 feet of lumber in his yard, and finding the other feat- ures of his trade in keeping with this large stock.
Mr. Harvey was married in 1887 to Miss Camilla Weeks, a daugh- ter of William and Camilla Weeks, early settlers in Calhoun county. Three children have been born of the union, all of whom are living. Mark is in the United States navy, was in China, now in San Fran- cisco and will be home September 18, 1912. Paul works for his father in the mill and lumber business; and Ruth is a pupil in a business college in Battle Creek.
The mother is a member of the Baptist church, which the other members of the family also attend. The father is a Freemason frat- ernally and holds his membership in Athens Lodge No. 220 in the or- der. He is also a Royal Arch Mason and belongs to Chapter No. 146 at Athens. In politics he is independent, looking only to the best interests of his community and his country in the bestowal of his suf- frage, and not governed by partisan considerations to any extent, but always zealously attentive to the duties of citizenship. The people regard him as an excellent citizen and worthy of their highest esteem, which they freely accord him.
JESSE C. STAGE. A resident of Calhoun county for more than forty years, Mr. Stage is one of the extensive landholders of this section of the state and is senior member of the firm of Stage & Casey, who con- duct a large and prosperous business in the buying, feeding and ship- ping of cattle, in connection with which they own and utilize a tract
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of about twelve hundred acres in Calhoun county, the home farm of Mr. Stage being situated in Marshall township and being one of the ad- mirably improved places of the county. The firm of which he is a member is one of the most important of the kind in this part of the state and controls an extensive business in the shipping of live stock. Mr. Stage is well known throughout southern Michigan and his careful and honorable business methods have indicated his sterling integrity of character, with the result that he commands unqualified popular confidence and esteem.
Jesse C. Stage was born in Otsego county, New York, on the 20th of September, 1848, and is a son of Ryner and Katherine (Richard) Stage, the former of whom was born in Otsego county and the latter in Livingston county, New York, in which state they passed their entire lives, the father having devoted virtually his entire active career to agricultural pursuits. He whose name initiates this review was reared to the sturdy discipline of the home farm and in his native county re- ceived a good common-school education. In 1871, soon after attaining to his legal majority, he came to Michigan and established his home in Calhoun county. He engaged in farming in Marshall township, where he has continuously maintained his residence during the long intervening years and where, through earnest and well directed en- deavor he has won large and worthy success. He finally began to deal in live stock on a modest scale, and as prosperity increased he ex- panded the scope of his operation in the feeding and shipping of live stock, the while he increased the area of his landed estate from time to time until he now has a fine farm of five hundred acres. He formed a partnership with Garrett M. Casey, under the firm name of Stage & Casey, and this effective alliance which was effected more than 30 years ago has since been continued. The firm has become extensively engaged in the buying of stock, much of which is secured from the great Chicago stock yards, and on the extensive lands controlled by the firm the stock is properly fed until in first-class order for shipment. The operations of Stage & Casey cover a wide range and their methods have not only given them high standing but have also brought to them a large measure of success, the while they have contributed much to the industrial pros- perity of Calhoun county.
In politics Mr. Stage is a staunch advocate of the principles of the Democratic party, and while he takes a lively interest in public affairs he has been too busy to desire or hold official preferment.
In December, 1872, Mr. Stage was united in marriage to Miss Julia Tomlinson, who was born and reared in Watertown, Connecticut and whose father, the late John Tomlinson, settled in the county in 1856. Mr. Tomlinson became one of the successful pioneer farmers of this county and was a citizen of prominence and influence.
Mr. and Mrs. Stage have an adopted daughter Mary, now Mrs. Mil- lard Gardinier, of Marshall.
ISAAC SNYDER. A citizen of prominence and influence at Athens, in Calhoun county, Michigan, is Isaac Snyder, who is president of the Athens Hardwood Lumber Company, an important industry incor- porated with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Snyder is a man of loyalty and public spirit and his citizenship has ever been characterized by the support of all measures and enterprises projected for the good of the general welfare.
A native of the fine old Keystone state, Mr. Snyder was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, November 18, 1850, and he is a son of George Snyder, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania, whence he re-
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moved to Monroe county, Michigan, with his family in the year 1852. In his native state George Snyder was a cabinet-maker by occupation and a great deal of his time was devoted to making coffins from rough lumber to meet the demands of his trade. After his arrival in Michi- gan he followed the trade of carpenter for a number of years and grad- aally became interested in farming enterprises. At one time he was the owner of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Monroe county, but in 1865 he disposed of that estate and removed to Kalamazoo county, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land, which he cultivated until his death. His father, George Snyder, Sr., accompanied him to Michigan in 1852, but subsequently returned to Pennsylvania, where he died. George Snyder, Jr., married Elizabeth Hoover, who was born and reared in Pennsylvania. They became the parents of thirteen children, ten of whom are still living at this time (1912).
Isaac Snyder was the sixth in order of birth among the thirteen children of his parents, and was an infant of but two years when his family moved to Michigan, in which state he was reared and edu- cated. As a youth he attended the district schools in Monroe and Kala- mazoo counties during the winter terms and during the summer sea- sons he worked on his father's farm. On reaching his majority he learned the trade of a sawyer and when he was twenty-five years old purchased a saw mill in Sherwood township, Branch county, this state, where he remained for about five years, at the expiration of which he removed to Union City, and in that vicinity he operated his sawmill until 1885, when he came to Athens, here continuing his interest in the milling business. For a time he was the owner of a mill some two and a half miles east of this place and subsequently he built up the business now known as the Athens Hardwood Lumber Company, which was in- corporated under the laws of Michigan, with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars. He was formerly secretary and treasurer of this concern, but is now its president and general manager. Mr. Snyder is a man of executive ability and capacity and the position he now occupies in the business world is entirely the outcome of his own well directed endeavors.
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