USA > Michigan > Cass County > History of Cass county, Michigan > Part 70
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CLERKS.
1833, C. Calkins ; 1834-35, A. B. Davis; 1836- 37, A. Dibble ; 1838-39, Seth Weed; 1840, O. M. Long; 1841, A. Dibble; 1842, Seth Weed; 1843, H. Shelden ; 1844-45, A. Kennicott; 1846, S. Tay- lor; 1847, A. Kennicott ; 1848, J. H. Hartman ; 1849- 50, S. Taylor ; 1851-52, Milo Powell; 1853-54, A. II. Long; 1855-56, F. Teesdale; 1857, G. Hebron ; 1858, W. S. Stearns; 1859-60, L. Beebe; 1861- 64, W. S. Stearns; 1865, G. Hebron ; 1866, C. C. Parker; 1867-68, H. H. Bowen; 1869, A. R. Thompson ; 1870-71, H. H. Bowen ; 1872-73, E. T. Motley ; 1174-76, M. McHuron ; 1877-78, H. H. Bowen; 1879-80, J. Frank Bowen; 1881, George S. Symons.
UNION.
In 1831, a post office was established, with Jacob Charles as Postmaster, and he kept the office in his house. After a few changes, it was removed to the present site of Union, where, in 1853, William B. Dibble opened up a small grocery store, and, later, Daniel Williams brought in a general stock of goods. It is now a thriving little mart of 100 inhabitants, and contains two general stores, one blacksmith and wagon shop, a shoe shop, two carpenter shops and two churches.
WILLIAMSVILLE.
Williamsville was laid out by Josiah Williams in 1848, who was also interested in the first store. It now contains two stores; two blacksmith shops, one run by W. C. Rinehart ; a grist-mill, with two run of stones, now run by J. Fred Merritt ; a saw-mill ; one physician, Dr. Otis Moore ; and has a population of eighty-eight.
SCHOOLS.
The first school was taught, in 1832, by Jemima Wood, in a log schoolhouse covered with shakes. The capacious chimney extended across one end, with the exception of a place for a doorway. The chimney was destitute of jambs and was supported by brackets, while the back wall was built of stone by Jarius Hitchcox. Into holes in the logs, wooden pins were inserted, on which slabs were placed, which consti- tuted the desks, while wooden legs inserted into slabs constituted the backless seats. In 1840, this house was supplanted by a more modern frame structure. Mr. Way, Mr. Parent, Sarah Mead and Philetus P. Perry were among the early teachers.
In 1838 or 1839, a school was organized in the Hartman neighborhood, and taught by Squire Weed in a cooper shop on his farm.
In 1837, a frame schoolhouse was erected in the Bowen neighborhood, which was the first one built there.
In 1850, the first schoolhouse in the David Stan- nard district was built of logs and taught by Caroline Donnell. And thus school after school was organized, and old log buildings gave place to frame ones, until now there are thirteen districts in the township, and all are supplied with frame schoolhouses except Dis- trict No. 2, which has a brick. The total value of the school property is $7,525; seating capacity of schools, 599; total number of school children be- tween the ages of five and twenty years, 554. The wages paid male teachers for the fiscal year ending October 1, 1881, was $1,421.75; female teachers, $1,076.50.
The log houses of Porter, have, with few excep- tions, given way to fine and substantial farm building, and the woods to finely cultivated fields, for of the 29,434 acres in farms, 19,891 are improved, the total number of farms being 248. In 1879, from 5,858 acres sown to wheat, 115,610 bushels were threshed, being an average of 19.74 bushels per acre ; from 3,- 225 acres planted to corn, 126,474 bushels were husked, while 971 acres sown to oats, produced 33,- 595 bushels. There were also raised 645 bushels of clover seed, 11,956 bushels of potatoes, and 3,418 tons of hay. There are also possessed in the township 867 head of horses, 1,479 head of cattle, and 2,212
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
sheep. There were also 6,480 bushels of apples sold, while grapes and other small fruits are raised in abundance. Surely the pioneer fathers have created a township of which they may justly feel proud.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
OZIAL STOREY.
Ozial Storey, one of the pioneers of Porter, was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., July 24, 1809. From Onondaga he removed to Pennsylvania, and from thence to Oswego, N. Y., where he married Miss Sophia Boots. She was a native of Sussex, England, and was born September 21, 1811. After their mar- riage, they removed to Syracuse, N. Y., where he was engaged on the Erie Canal and in the manufacture of salt. In October of 1836, he came to Cass County with his family, which consisted of his wife and three children, and settled in North Porter, where he utilized a rude cabin, that had been used as a sugar camp, as a place of abode for his family. In this place they lived one year, undergoing many privations and hardships. They were obliged to carry drinking water nearly two miles. In 1837, he located forty acres of land in the north part of the town, which became the nucleus of a competency, which was the result of the industry and energy of himself and family which overcame all ob- stacles, and he became one of the substantial and pros- perous farmers of the township, and at the time of his death (July 27, 1876), he owned 280 acres of land.
Mr. Storey was an indefatigable worker, as was each member of his family. His worthy wife (who used to manufacture cloth for home use) and children each performing their full share in out-door employ- ments, and assisted him in the manufacture of char- coal, of which he produced large quantities.
He was at one time identified with the Baptist Church, from which he withdrew, as he became what might be termed liberal in his religious convictions.
In his political convictions, he was originally a Whig, but on the formation of the Republican party, he joined its ranks. He held the office of Township Treasurer, and was regarded by all as a worthy citi- zen and a good neighbor. He reared a family of nine children-Sarah A., now Mrs. Levi Reynolds, of Calvin ; Amanda (Mrs. William Robbins) ; William A. and Milton, both of whom are prominent farmers in Porter ; Hulda O. (deceased) ; Susan, now Mrs. Charles H. Williams, of Iowa; Julia M., wife of M. V. B. Williams ; Frank A. and Charles B., both de- ceased. Mrs. Story, whose death occurred Novem- ber 21, 1880, was a kind mother and a devoted wife,
and an exemplary Christian lady. She was a mem- ber of the Baptist Church for many years, in which faith she died.
OLIVER P. BRONSON.
Oliver P. Bronson, of Porter Township, was born in Wayne County, Ind., February 20, 1819, and was of Scotch-English descent. In 1830, when nearly twelve years of age, he moved with his father's fam- ily to Elkhart County, Ind., and in 1834, to South Bend, where his father, Reuben Bronson, died in 1836. Oliver then became an apprentice to the car- penter's trade, and after three years' service became a very fine workman. Upon the 1st of May, 1842, he mar- ried Miss Catherine Calkins, of South Bend; she was also of Scotch descent, and was born in Monroe County, N. Y., on the 25th of September, 1825. Her father, Caleb Calkins, was born in Vermont. The subject of our sketch becoming tired of the life of & mechanic, made a trip to California in 1850, and upon his return in 1852, resolving to follow farm- ing, removed to Porter Township and purchased the property of Joseph Roots, which is his present home. He has held, from time to time, various township offices of more or less importance, offices not sought by but rather forced upon him. He has been succes- sively a Whig and a Republican. Mr. Bronson en- joyed only the most limited advantages for obtaining an education, but has obtained large information from reading and observation. He is really a self-made man.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Bronson, eight in number, are Mary J., Martha A., Alice M., Flora, James Oliver, Elnora, John Schuyler and William Sherman.
GEORGE B. ORK.
Thomas Orr, a native of Ireland, came to America when eighteen years of age, with his mother, his father having previously died. He first located in Fairfield County, Ohio, and it was here that his son, George B., was born, September 23, 1821. When eight years of age, George B. removed with his parents to Lower Sandusky, now Fremont, in Sandusky County, Ohio, and it was here that he grew to manhood's estate in a new country, and assisted his father in clearing up two farms, and has, therefore, from his earliest child- hood, been conversant with pioneer life and the means and expedients adopted by pioneers while improving and developing a new country. Thomas Orr had nearly attained the ripe old age of ninety-three years at the time of his death in 1876. He died in full faith of the tenets of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which denomination he had been a consistent mem- ber for many years. His wife Sarah (Low) Orr, who
OLIVER P. BRONSON.
MRS. OLIVER P. BRONSON.
RESIDENCE OF H. K. FIELD, PORTER, MICH.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
was a native Virginian and also a member of the same Christian denomination as her husband, died at Fos- torio, Ohio, aged eighty-five years. Having disposed of his property in Sandusky County, Ohio. George B. Orr came to Cass County in April, 1804, and pur- chased his present farm in Section 17, North Porter Township, and commenced life in the woods, there being at this time no road past his farm. Neither was there a road south from the present site of the Methodist Church. The log house erected on the farm at this time, a view of which, together with his present residence, can be found on another page, con- tained neither doors, windows or a floor, and Mr. and Mrs. Orr know full well the privations and hardships of pioneer life, but they have, by perseverance and toil, overcome all obstacles, and can now enjoy the ample fruits of their industry.
In 1844, Mr. Orr married Miss Harriet N., daugh- ter of Phillip and Dolly Smith, who were both natives of Connecticut.
Her grandfather, Phillip Smith, died on board a ship of war, being captured by the British during the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Orr was born in Oneida County, N. Y., January 17, 1824. Her mother, who was a member of the Presbyterian Church, passed her declining years under her daughter's roof, her death occurring in 1877, when she had reached the advanced age of 93 years. Mr. Phillip Smith died in Fre- mont, Ohio, January 6, 1862, aged seventy-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Orr have been blessed with eight sons, two of whom died in infancy. Frank L. and Edgar E. reside in Porter ; Harry B. and Irving H. are in business in Chicago, while two sons, Thomas R. and Homer G., reside in Ponca, Neb., the former of whom is a druggist, and the latter an attorney. In politics, Mr. Orr is a stanch Democrat.
HARVEY K. FIELD
was born in Sodus, Wayne Co., N. Y., March 13, 1826. His parents, Darius and Saloma (Clark) Field were natives of the State of Vermont, and reared a family of fourteen children, eight of whom are living. He was a farmer by occupation, and a son of George Field, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Harvey K. received a common school education, and, in 1845, came to Michigan with the family and settled in Con- stantine, where they remained until 1849, when they removed to Porter Township. Harvey remained but a short time, when he joined that throng of adventur- ous fortune-hunters and went to California by the overland route, driving an ox team the entire distance. The journey occupied six months. After a sojourn of six months, during which time he was engaged in mining and trading with the Indians, he returned to
Porter and purchased fifty acres of land, which was the nucleus of his present farm of 203 acres. In December of 1851, he was married to Miss Mary J. Stamp. She was born in Steuben County, N. Y., August 4, 1831, in the town of Reading, Steuben Co., N. Y .; they have had four children, two of whom, Ella L. and Herbert, are living.
In his religious and political affiliations he is a Methodist and a Republican. On another page will be seen a view of his home, which is the result of his own industry. He has acquired a competency, and is among the representative farmers of the county.
SHERWOOD THOMAS.
Harley Thomas was born in Hartford, Conn., in 1818, and from this place removed with his parents to Medina County, Ohio. In 1838, he came to Cass County, and purchased forty acres of the farm now owned by Mr. Gard, in Wayne Township, which he cleared up, improved, and added to as his means ad- mitted, and soon became noted as a successful farmer, which fact was duly acknowledged, as in one of the State Agricultural Reports he was mentioned as one of the "best farmers in Western Michigan." His stock was of the best, and he went to much pains and ex- pense to introduce and propagate the most valued. About 1854, he sold his farm, and purchased the one in La Grange Township now owned by Peter Hardy, which he disposed of in 1863, and removed to Do- wagiac, where he remained until his death in January, 1876. Although economy, coupled with hard work, was necessary to his success in life, he never gave way to a spirit of smallness, but was charitable and public-spirited, which, coupled with a genial nature, made friends of all his acquaintances.
He was twice married ; first to Eunice Hungerford, who died in 1856, and by whom he had seven chil- dren, five boys and two girls. One of his sons, Sher- wood Thomas, was born in Wayne Township in 1844, and reared on the farm, receiving such instruction as falls to the usual lot of farmers' sons.
During the war of the rebellion, he nobly responded to the call of our country for soldiers to preserve her States intact, and enlisted October 5, 1861, as a pri- vate in Company A, Twelfth Michigan Infantry, and as a member of this regiment participated in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Davis' Bridge, Iuka, Alabama, Mechanicsburg, on the Yazoo River, and the seige of Vicksburg, and was honorably discharged at Duvall's Bluff, Ark., February 7, 1865, having passed through the various battles unscathed. After leaving the army, he purchased a farm in La Grange Township, which was disposed of, and in August, 1873, he purchased his present farm of 160 acres in
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Porter Township, and is now numbered among its suc- cessful agriculturists ; a portion of his time is, how- ever, devoted to droving. On another page will be found a fine view of his residence. October 8, 1865, he was married to Lorain, daughter of Norman Jarvis, and they are the parents of one child, a daughter, named Nellie.
THE RINEHART BROTHERS.
In the history of Cass County, an especial interest attaches to the history the five Rinehart brothers, not alone from the fact that they were the representatives of one of the prominent pioneer families of the county, and were closely identified with the early settlement of the townships of Penn and Porter, but from their high social standing, and the enviable records they have made as citizens. The old adage that every flock has its dusky member never applied to this fam- ily, for no one can point to a single, unmanly or dis- reputable act in the lives of any of them ; socially, morally, and in fact in every way they seem to have each vied with the other to preserve, unspotted the family escutcheon. The family are of German descent. John, the father of the immediate subjects of this memoir, was a Virginian, and was born in 1779. In 1829, he came to Cass County, and first located in Penn Township. In the history of Porter will be found an interesting narrative of the early experiences of the family. They remained in Penn until their removal to Porter, where the elder Rinehart died in 1856.
JACOB RINEHART.
Jacob, the elder of the five, was born in Virginia in June of 1804 ; he was reared to habits of indus- try and thrift, which coupled with good judgment and economy, has brought its sure reward-a competency in old age. He came to Cass County with his father, but shortly after went to Cincinnati, where he en- gaged in boat-building, but soon rejoined the family ; he connected himself prominently with many of the initial events in the early history of Porter, and in company with Lewis and Samuel, he built and oper- ated the first saw-mill in the township. Since 1831, his business operations have been largely confined to running the mill until it failed to be remunerative and farming. Mr. Rinehart has been three times married, first to Jane Emmons; they reared a family of six children, viz .: William, Elijah, Eliza, Mary Jane (deceased), Lewis and Melinda. After his first wife's death, he married Mrs. W. Wright, and on her de- mise Jane Saunders. He has never been an aspirant for civic honors, but has led a quiet and comparatively
uneventful life, and is now passing in peace and quiet the declining years of a well-spent life.
LEWIS RINEHART.
Lewis Rinehart was born in Virginia, December 5, 1807.
He was reared on a farm, but learned the carpen- ter and joiner's trade, which occupation he followed in Ohio. He accompanied his father to Cass County, where Nov. 28, 1830, he married Miss Anna Frakes, who was born in Logan County, Ohio, August 13, 1812. She came to Michigan in 1830, with her parents.
As noticed elsewhere, Lewis was one of the owners of the first saw-mill in Porter, and he did his full share in the development of this section of the county. In 1839, he removed to the farm where his widow now resides, and where his death occurred in Decem- ber of 1879. During the Sauk war, he held a Lieuten- ant's commission. He served his township in the capacity of Collector, but devoted his time and atten- tion principally to agricultural pursuits, in which he was eminently successful. Mr. Rinehart was a con- sistent member of the Baptist Church, and a man who was universally respected for his many estimable qualities. He and his worthy wife were blessed with children as follows: Samuel M., John W., Margaret (deceased), Emeline (deceased), Henry, Nathan, Eliza J. (deceased), Sarah, Mary, Lucretia, and Lewis Clark.
In December, 1831, as Mr. and Mrs. Rinehart were returning from a visit to her father in Kalama- zoo County, they were overtaken by a severe snow storm, and night coming on they could not descern their pathway, which was only marked by blazed trees, and realizing the extreme danger of continuing further, he cleared the snow from underneath a tree whose branches hung low, and covering his wife and her infant child with blankets, he remained there un- til daylight the next morning, and was only kept from freezing by vigorous walking. The child, Samuel M., that was thus sheltered that cold winter's night under a forest tree, is now living at Union.
Did our space permit, many other incidents could be related, showing the pluck and determination of the man, and of the many trials and hardships he en- countered in his pioneer life. He died December 6, 1879; his wife is still living on the old homestead, near the village of Union.
SAMUEL RINEHART.
Samuel Rinehart, the third son, was born in Rock- ingham County, Va., in September of 1809;
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
reared to the life of a farmer, he has followed his chosen avocation successfully through a long life with the exception of perhaps a few brief intervals. " He has resided on his present farm since 1847. He is genial and social, and one who, without ostentation or dis- play, pursues the even tenor of his way, doing what his judgment dictates as right. His mind is a storehouse of pioneer incidents and experiences which he delights in relating. He has never taken an ac- tive part in politics, but first affiliated with the Whig and now with the Republican party. He is a promi- nent member of the Baptist Church, in which he is a Deacon. He was married August 12, 1838, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Eleazer and Martha Hunt, old settlers of Kalamazoo County. Mrs. Rinehart was born in 1821. They have been blessed with a large family of children, all of whom are highly re- spected members of society and are members of the Baptist Church. Their names are as follows : Martha A., Christina E., Amos W. (deceased), Mary, Anna M., Martin (deceased), Elias W .. Ellen E., Alice A., Emma A., Amanda E., Minnie C., Charles (deceased) and Mabel.
JOHN RINEHART.
John Rinehart, or Uncle John, as he was familiarly known, was born in Rockingham County, Va., June 15, 1814. At the age of nine he came with his father's family to Clark County, Ohio, and from there removed to Cass County in February of 1829, and settled on Young's Prairie, on or near the farm now occupied by Isaac Bonine, Jr. He entered the land lately occupied by him in the year 1836. October 1, 1837, he was married to Miss Parthenia Lawson, and during this year moved on his farm, where he lived forty-four years. He was an honest man, a kind and indulgent father, and an unselfish neighbor ; and no one ever neared his happy home but what they where sure of a hearty welcome from " Uncle John." He was a member of the Birch Lake Method- ist Episcopal Church, being one of the leading spirits engaged in the erection of the church edifice, and his house was always open for the benefit of the church society. He was, also, a member of the St. Joseph
Valley Lodge, I. O. O. F., to which he had belonged for over thirty-five years, being one of the charter members, and had filled all the chairs. Mr. Rinehart died February 20, 1881, and left a wife and five chil- dren. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. W. P. French, pastor of the Birch Lake Method- ist Episcopal Church, who preached an eloquent dis- course from Exodus, first chapter and sixth verse : ". And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation." The funeral was the largest ever held in this part of the country.
. . Mrs. Rinehart was born March 15, 1821, in Cham- paign County, Ohio. They had a family of seven children-Caroline J., Lewis W. (deceased), Welling- ton C., Elizabeth E., R. Melcinia, Emma O., and Thomas, who died in infancy. Mrs. Rinehart, after the decease of her husband, took the sole charge of the business, which she managed with consummate ability. She is a lady of generous impulses, and a worthy counterpart of her husband. She is a member of the Baptist Church.
ABRAHAM RINEHART.
Abraham Rinehart was born January 5, 1817, in Rockingham County, Va., and came to Cass County with his father's family. At the age of sixteen, his father " gave him his time," and he commenced life for himself. Two or three years later, he went to Iowa and Illinois. In the latter State he made the acquaintance of Miss Elizabeth Owen, whom he mar- ried in February of 1838. In August following Mrs. Rinehart died, they having come back to Cass County, and he was again married, in 1843, to Miss Hannah E. Denton. They have six children living-Clarence Landais, Carlton W., Mary Amelia, Carrie E., Annis A. and Myra E .; five deceased- Adaline E., Charles D., Edward L., Harriet D. and Abbie A. Mr. Rinchart has lived an ordinary life- time in Cass County, and has witnessed its develop- ment from a wilderness to one of the best agricultural sections in the State, and in his own person, typifies many of the agencies that has wrought this great change. In his political and religious affiliations, he is a Republican and a Baptist.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
CHAPTER XXXI.
WAYNE.
Natural Features-Pre-historic Remains-Early Settlements-Orig- inal Owners of the Land-Early Marriages-Civil Organization- Civil Officers-Early Statistics-Early Roads-Schools and School- houses-Religious Organizations-Cemeteries-Venice-Biograph- ical.
NATURAL FEATURES.
U "PON the northern border of Cass County, west of the center, is situated the Township of Wayne. The township lines were surveyed by William Brook- field in March, 1827, the subdivision lines made by John Mullett, Deputy Surveyor, in April, 1830. In the survey, this township is designated as Town 5 south, Range 15 west. It is bounded on the north by Hamilton in Van Buren County, east by Volinia, south by La Grange and west by Silver Creek. range of hills extending from southwest to northeast divides the township into two nearly equal portions. The eastern comprises that part lying upon the hills, and eastward to the Volinia line is undulating and hilly. The western part includes the lower plateau, and con- tains a portion of the "Dowagiac swamp," being about four miles in length, and from one to two miles in width.
Twin Lakes, the largest body of water in the town- ship, lies in Section 16. The most important water- course is the North Branch of Dowagiac Creek, which enters the township on Section 3, and flows in a south- westerly direction, leaving the township at the south- west corner of Section 18. It drains Dowagiac swamp. Pitcher's Brook, the only stream from the north, comes into the township from Van Buren County, flows in a sontheasterly course through and mingles its waters with those of the creek. Barney's Brook, rising in a pond north of Twin Lakes, flows northwest. The South Branch of the Dowagiac Creek enters the town- ship from Volinia, on Section 36, and flows in a sonth- westerly course, into La Grange Township, and from that township entering again on Section 33, forming Colby's Mill Pond on Section 32, and leaving the township on the southeast corner of Section 31.
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