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 63
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Mr. Snyder is a staunch Republican and gives his support to that party at all times. He was at one time a member of the Grange, but is now no longer affiliated with that worthy society.
In the year 1875 Mr. Snyder married Miss Uranie Kindy, a daugh- ter of David and Eliza (Culp) Kindy, residents of Kalamazoo county during the latter years of their lifetime. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder have one son, Paul D., and an adopted daughter, Eva May.
SAMUEL Fox, well and favorably known among the agriculturists of Fredonia township, was born in Marshall, Calhoun county, Michigan, on the third day of February, 1849, and is the son of John and Angeline (Hagenbaugh) Fox. Both were natives of Pennsylvania, the father born there in 1820 and the mother in 1827. They came to Michigan in 1848, locating in Marshall, Michigan. In 1849 John Fox purchased a small tract of land from the government, to which he added later by purchases from individuals thereabouts, until he held an acreage of one hundred and twenty acres, that representing the extent of his hold- ings at the time of his death. He was a man of great industry and energy, and with his own hands he cleared the most of his farm, erect- ing himself the buildings which one by one appeared on the place, and in every way showing himself a true pioneer and worthy citizen of a new district. He there reared his family and died there in 1891, his wife following him some years later, in 1905. They became the parents
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of four children : Clara, deceased; Ida, also deceased; Samuel of this brief review; and Rosa Belle, living in Kalamazoo. John Fox was a Republican in his political beliefs, but was never a politician. The fam- ily were members of the Lutheran church, in which church the father was reared in his Pennsylvania home, where his worthy parent, John Fox, was one of the well and favorably known men of his community.
Samuel Fox attended the district schools as a boy at home, and early began to assist his father in the work of the homestead, remaining thus until he reached his legal majority. He then became connected with the carpenter business and gave his time and attention to that work for a period of thirteen years, after which he was employed in the store at Marshall, and later at Burlington and Eckford, his service in those three places aggregating thirteen years. In 1895 he bought out the in-
terests of the remaining heirs to his father's farm, and since that time he has been engaged in carrying on the work of the old farm, in which he has been singularly and pleasingly successful. He has proved him- self a farmer, and in addition to the general farming which he carries on, does considerable in the way of stock raising. His farm of one hundred and twenty acres is one of the best kept and most productive spots in the township, and is in every way a credit to the man as well as the farmer.
In 1897 Mr. Fox married Miss Ida E. Wright, a daughter of Myron W. Wright, a native of Vermont who came to the state of Michigan in the early fifties, and is now a resident of Fredonia township. They became the parents of three children ;- La Verne married Arlington Sebring and lives in Fredonia; Jessie and Inez are still in the parental home. Mrs. Fox is a member of the Evangelical church. In his poli- tical persuasions, Mr. Fox is a Republican, and is active in the best in- terests of the party in his district. He is a valuable citizen, and his towns folk have honored him in his election to the office of township treas- urer. Mr. Fox is a self-made man of a very creditable type, and is in every way deserving of the high place which he occupies in the com- munity which has represented his home and the center of his business activities practically all his life.
LOTE C. ROBINSON. In naming the representative citizens of any community, we invariably find among the most prominent the men who started out in life with little or no advantages, and who have worked their way to the top through their own perseverance and industry. One of the most successful farmers of Eckford township, and a man who has been an influential factor and active worker in public affairs, Lote C. Robinson, may be named in this class. He was born in Battle Creek township, Calhoun county, Michigan, November 15, 1857, and is a son of Solon E. and Mary Jane (Granger). Robinson.
Solon E. Robinson was born in Orleans county, New York, August 17, 1820, and in 1836 came to Michigan with his older brothers, set- tling in Tekonsha township, from whence he hauled his grain by ox- team to the market at Jackson. After accumulating a farm in Tekon- sha township, he disposed of it and moved to Battle Creek township, just south of the city, and there purchased 160 acres of land. Although he had but little to start on he was a hard and industrious worker and became very successful. From Battle Creek township he moved to LeRoy township, and eventually secured the farm in Eckford town- ship on which Lote C. Robinson is now carrying on operations, and on which he first located in 1867. There he resided until his death in 1899. A Republican in politics, he was prominent in the affairs of his day, serving in the State Legislature in 1873, and both he and his
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wife were faithful members of the Baptist church at Marshall. He was married in 1845 in Tekonsha township, to. Mary Jane Granger, who was born January 29th, 1824, at Sweden, Oswego county, New York, and to this union there were born five children: James C., who resides in California; Francis L., of Chicago; Adrian D., living in South Haven, Michigan; Chauncey C., who is deceased; and Lote C. The mother of these children passed away in 1909.
Lote C. Robinson received his education in the district schools and the school of hard work, or as he himself aptly expresses it, "grad- duated from the university of hard knocks." His early life was spent in working for his father, and after the death of his parents he bought the property from the other heirs, and on this tract of 100 acres he still carries on operations. He has devoted himself assiduously to gen- eral farming, but has also found time to interest himself in public af- fairs, and, like his father, has been prominent in Republican politics. For two years he served as treasurer of Eckford township, was also township clerk for two years and served as chairman of the county com- mittee for six years, and in 1903 was sent to represent his district in the State Legislature. In all these offices he displayed much executive ability and a conscientious regard for the duties of his position, thus firmly establishing himself in the confidence and esteem of his fellow townsmen. He has made an enviable reputation as a man of sound judgment and unquestioned integrity, and is recognized as a champion of progress and good citizenship.
December 15, 1880, Mr. Robinson was married to Miss Fannie Overy, daughter of Thomas and Fannie Overy, of Sheridan township, the former of whom met his death in a railroad accident when Mrs. Robinson was a small child. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have one son : Solon Thomas Robinson, who now lives at home and works on the farm, although he spent four years in the county clerk's office, and one term in the auditor's office at Lansing. Fraternally, Lote C. Robinson is connected with the Knights of Pythias, at Marshall, the Modern Wood- men of America, at Homer, and the Knights of the Maccabees, at Eck- ford.
EDWIN A. RANDALL. Impelled by native force of character, and with the stimulus of high examples from his sturdy ancestry on both sides of the house to incite him to action, Edwin A. Randall, one of the progressive and far-seeing farmers and live stock men of Convis township, this county, has been true to his inward promptings and also to the lessons of the past in his family, and has used all his oppor- tunities for advancement among men to good advantage and with grati- fying results. He began life for himself on a small scale. He is now a man of worldly substance in good degree and stands well in the estima- tion of all who know him. The path between the humble beginning and the present elevation has been rugged and thorny, but that he has successfully traversed it is proof positive that he is a man of real mettle and might have commanded success in any line of effort to which he was adapted no matter what the circumstances might have been.
Mr. Randall is no importation into this region, but is wholly its own product. He was born in Convis township on March 20, 1872, a son of Theodore and Maria (Deitrich) Randall, the former a native of Clarkson, Monroe county, New York, born on September 30. 1829, and the latter of Marengo. Michigan. where her life began on October 1. 1836. The father came to Michigan and Calhoun county at an early day and settled on a farm in Convis township which he farmed during the remaining years of his life. In earlier life in his native state
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he was a school teacher, and he followed this pursuit a short time after his arrival in this state. But nearly all of his time here was devoted to farming with enterprise and success. He and his wife were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. The mother died in 1903 and the father in 1904, she passing away on the home farm in Convis town- ship while he passed away in Bellevue, Eaton county.
They were the parents of four children, Edwin being their last born. Fannie, the wife of James Grinnell, lives at Bellevue. Augustus died a number of years ago. Fred E. lives in Convis township. The father was a Republican in his political faith and firmly adhered to the principles of his party in all campaigns. He was recognized as a man of force and ability and filled nearly all of the offices in the gift of the township in which he lived. His first purchase of a farm in this county was a tract of forty acres of land, which he afterward traded for a farm of 115 acres. Late in life, when he retired from active work and after his wife passed away he moved to Bellevue, in the adjoining county of Eaton, where, as has been stated, his long and useful life ended.
The paternal grandfather, Theophilus Randall, was born in Ash- burnham, Worcester county, Massachusetts, on September 10, 1791. After reaching maturity he moved to the state of New York where he passed the rest of his life, actively and successfully engaged in the practice of his profession as a physician and surgeon, in which he at- tained considerable local celebrity. The grandfather on the mother's side was George Deitrich, a Pennsylvanian by nativity, born on Feb- ruary 16, 1796, at Stroudsburg, Monroe county, in the great Keystone state, and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Best, was born on June 25, 1800, at Moorestown, Northampton county, in the same state. Both died in Convis township, this county, the former on September 11, 1858, and the latter on May 22, 1879. They had thirteen children, of whom their daughter Marie Anna, the mother of Mrs. Randall, was the tenth in the order of birth.
Edwin A. Randall, like most other country boys in our history, ob- tained his education in the public schools. He began life for himself, on a farm, working for his father until he attained his majority. He' bought the farm he now owns and cultivates in 1899. It comprises 160 acres, nearly all of which are under cultivation and highly pro- ductive. The tillage is progressive and skillful, and as the land is fertile and responsive, the returns are good. On this land Mr. Randall carries on general farming operations, and also raises and feeds live stock ex- tensively for the markets.
On November, 14th, 1893, Mr. Randall was united in marriage with Miss Rose Cooley, a daughter of Levi and Jane (Van Nocker) Cooley, the former born in Genesee county, New York, in 1826, and the latter in Newton township, this county, in 1836. The father died in 1881 and the mother in 1900. They were farmers and the mother was a faith- ful member of the Baptist church. Nine children were born of their union, six of whom are living, all but one of them residents of Calhoun county. They are: Lyman, Charles, Elmer, Vera (the wife of Alonzo Kellogg), Julia (the wife of William Walkinshaw), and Mrs. Randall. Elmer lives in Eaton county.
Mr. and Mrs. Randall have five children, all of whom are still liv- ing at home with their parents. They are: Leah, Edna, Maynard, Leslie and Robert. The parents are members of the Baptist church and the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, and the father is a firm ad- herent of the Democratic party in political relations. He is loyal to his party in all its contests, and does good work for its candidates in
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the campaigns, although he has never held or desired a political office himself. His activity in this respect springs from his devotion to the welfare of his locality and his desire to promote that in every way. He believes that the public weal will be best secured by the supremacy of the principles of the party to which he adheres. But he is an ex- cellent citizen rather than an active partisan, and the people through- out the county hold him in high regard as such.
ELI WILSON FLAGG. The eminence of Battle Creek among the in- dustrial centers of the middle west has been due to the presence here of a group of men possessed of remarkable genius as manufacturers and of fine capabilities as organizers and business builders. Capital has been less conspicuous in the net results than personal ability, and it is with pride that the city regards its list of inventors and industrial executives.
A high place of honor in this record belongs to Eli Wilson Flagg, whose genius at mechanical contrivance and invention has contributed some of the most important elements to the splendid manufacturing enterprise of the Nichols & Shepard Company, with which he has been identified for forty years. Mr. Flagg has been a resident of Battle Creek for nearly sixty-five years, is one of the oldest living citizens, and has had a notable career.
He was born in the village of Massena, St. Lawrence county, New York, November 2, 1838. He was the second in a family of eight chil- dren born to Barzillai and Sarah (Wilson) Flagg. Seven of the chil- dren grew up and five are living, Mr. Flagg being the oldest, and the other four are: William H., Mrs Clara Morgan, of Nashville, Michi- gan; Elijah, a machinist with the Rumely Company of this city; and Mrs. David M. Sherman, of this city. The two children now deceased were Mrs. Elizabeth Detro and Clark Flagg, both of whom died in Battle Creek. Clark Flagg served as a private for about three years in the First Michigan Sharpshooters. The father of this family was by trade a carpenter and millwright, and followed that occupation after coming to Battle Creek until his death, which occurred April 16, ยท1852. He was a native of Massachusetts, while his wife was born in Canada, and they were married at Massena, New York. The mother passed away in Battle Creek in February, 1884.
Eli Wilson Flagg was ten years old when, in 1848, the family came to Battle Creek, and about three years later his father's death occurred. He had attended the local schools and gained the rudiments of an edu- cation, but as the oldest son of the large family, and his mother being in limited circumstances, he had to turn his efforts to practical use in supporting the home. For .a time he worked as a farm hand, and dur- ing this experience he helped in making hay on the site now covered by the Nichols & Shepard plant. At the age of fifteen he entered the em- ploy of the woolen mills, and during the summer seasons continued in this way for six years, at wages of from twelve to sixteen dollars a month. During the winters he accepted any work that he could find.
In the year 1859 he first became connected with the Nichols & Shepard factory, having entered as an apprentice to learn the machin- ists' trade. His first wages were seventy-five cents a day, which were increased in 1862 to two dollars a day. He had the distinction of help- ing in the construction of the first thresher ever built by the Nichols & Shepard Company. He left that firm in 1864 and began work for Brown & Upton, the manufacturers of threshing machinery, and continued with them until a few months before their plant was removed to Port Huron in 1882. He then had charge of the machinery department of
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the Advance Thresher Company (now the Rumely works) until 1886, and since that date has been continuously identified with the mechan- ical department of the great Nichols & Shepard Company. He is now superintendent of the separator department, and has given invaluable and original service to this company.
While Mr. Flagg is a practical mechanic and for many years has supervised the work of large forces of men, his most distinctive achieve- ments have been in the field of invention. In 1886 he perfected and patented an improvement on the old form of vibrator, which he called the New Flagg Vibrator. He sold the device to Nichols & Shepard, and it was manufactured and used on all their machines from 1888 to 1901. This was only the first of many important inventions and im- provements due to the genius of Mr. Flagg. In 1891 he patented a separating grate and check plate which separates the straw from the grain at the cylinder, and this improvement was first made and in- stalled by the company in 1900. It is now familiarly known as the Red River Special. The first machine thus equipped was sent out to lowa, and did such good work that it at once became a leading feature of the Nichols & Shepard machinery, and has been regularly manufac- tured ever since. In 1902 the device was improved and the patent re- issued, and a third patent covered a still later improvement in 1903. These are the chief among the original accomplishments of this quiet inventor in the field of applied mechanics.
Mr. Flagg was married on November 12, 1863, to Miss Elizabeth M. Jewell, daughter of John M. and Naomi (Cooper) Jewell. Mrs. Flagg died on January 19, 1899, leaving two children, Ora May and John Jewell Flagg. Ora May, who graduated from the Battle Creek schools, is now the wife of Fred Wells, who was in the same class at school. John Jewell Flagg died in October, 1899, when a young man of twenty-four and just entering upon a career of usefulness. He received his education in the high school and business college at Battle Creek. At Mr. Flagg's second marriage, on February 6, 1900, Mrs. Marian (Dwinell) Edmonds became his wife. Mrs. Flagg is a native of Battle Creek and a member of one of the oldest and most prominent pioneer families. Her parents were Henry L. and Calista (Warren) Dwinell. Her father was born in Bennington, Vermont, and settled at Battle Creek in 1831. His wife was born in Holly, New York, came to Battle Creek with her parents, and was married here at the age of seventeen. Mr. Dwinell was for a number of years engaged in farm- ing near Wheatfield, but later moved to Eaton county, where his daughter Mrs. Flagg was reared, and she attended school at Olivet.
While his business career has had sufficiency of solid accomplish- ment to be matter of pride and honor, Mr. Flagg has also been effectively identified with the public affairs of his community. His first presi- dential vote was cast in the campaign where Stephen A. Douglas was the candidate of the northern Democrats. He was an earnest follower of Democratic principles until 1896, since which time he has been with the Republican party. He has given six years of service in the office of alderman, having been elected in 1882 from the first ward and serv- ing three successive terms. Hon. Edwin C. Nichols was mayor of the city during that period. From 1862 to 1882 he had been an active mem- ber of the old volunteer fire department, and when he became a mem- ber of the city council he took much interest in improving the effi- ciency of the department. During his second term he was chairman of the fire department committee, and also served on the water works committee. In 1903 he was made a member of the police commission, and was police commissioner under Mayor Fred Webb one year, under
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Mayor Frank Clapp one year, and under Mayor George Barnes two years.
Until recently Mr. Flagg took an active part in fraternal matters. He joined Battle Creek Lodge No. 29 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 1867, and besides filling all the chairs of the lodge he was representative to the grand lodge at Saginaw in 1876, at which time he was made deputy grand master. In 1878 he became a charter member of Security Lodge No. 49 of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and filled all the offices and was a member of the grand lodge in Detroit. He has since dropped his membership in both these orders. Now in the seventy-fourth year of his life, Mr. Flagg has spent an unusually long and serviceable career. He has made definite and valu- able contributions to the great field of mechanical industry which has revolutionized the material civilization of the last century. As a citizen he has been a worthy and public-spirited factor, and among family, friends and associates enjoys the esteem paid to a singularly upright and honorable character.
ARTHUR E.,CARUS. Like many millions of other boys in this country who make up the bone and sinew of our population and on whom its present safety and future prospects for advancement rest, to say noth- ing of all its past of glorious history, Arthur E. Carus of Pennfield town- ship, this county, was reared on a farm and obtained his education in the district schools. And like hosts of others, while in the formative period of his history he tried his hand at other occupations before settling down to his life work on the farm. To carry the comparison farther, he at last found his place in the industrial life of the land, and in that he has made a complete and gratifying success.
Mr. Carus is a native of Michigan, born in Portland, Northampton county, on September 4, 1882, and a son of Jerome W. and Mary (Bul- lard) Carus, the former a native of the state of New York, where his life began in 1838, and the latter of the same state, where she came into being ten years later. The father came to Pennfield township, Calhoun county, Michigan, in 1882, and after his arrival in this part of the coun- try served as principal of schools at Bellevue one year. He was well qualified for the office, as he had taught school for a number of years ir. his native state.
But the rich and fruitful land of Michigan awakened his desire for a different occupation and he became a farmer, purchasing what he transformed into a fine farm in Pennfield township, on which he remained until his death in 1894. He was very successful, and at the time of his death owned 100 acres of first-rate land, improved with good buildings and in an advanced state of productiveness, and ranking high in value. He was well and favorably known all over the county, and by his worth as a man, his progressiveness as a citizen and his general usefulness in regard to public improvements and the enduring welfare of his locality, he won the lasting esteem of all classes of its residents.
He and his wife were the parents of six children, four of whom are yet living, Arthur E. being the last born of the family. The children living in addition to him are: Charles, who is a resident of California; Jennie, who married William Boyd and is now a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; and Glenn, who lives in Battle Creek. The father was an inde- pendent Republican in politics, but he filled, from time to time, nearly every township office. He studied law with a view to practicing the profession, but gave up his design in this direction and devoted him- self to farming instead. He and his wife belonged to the Baptist church,
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of which the mother, who is still living, and has her home in Battle Creek, is yet a devout and consistent member, faithful to all her church duties and taking a great interest in the affairs of the congregation to which she belongs.
He was a son of Weaver Carus, who passed the whole of his life in the state of New York. The maternal grandfather was Edward Bullard, also a New Yorker by nativity, who never lived in any other than his native state. Both were men of prominence and influence in the places of their residence and helped to give trend and direction to the public affairs where they lived and left their impress on the local institutions which grew up and flourished in those places.
Arthur E. Carus, after leaving the district school in which he laid the foundation of his education, attended, for a short time, a school of more advanced grade in Battle Creek. He worked for a time on his father's farm after leaving school, then for two years in Toledo, Ohio, and one in Battle Creek, at bakery work. He also passed one year in Fargo, North Dakota, but since then all his time has been spent on the farm in useful and profitable labor, fruitful for himself and beneficial to the community.
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