USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
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BAPTIST CHURCH,* ALLEN VILLAGE.
This church was organized in 1841. Its first pastor was Rev. W. G. Wisner, and its first clerk Daniel Nichols. Its first house of worship was built in 1844-45 as a union church, by the Baptists and Wesleyan Methodists, and the present fine brick church was erected in 1871-72, at a cost of $10,000. The old church is yet standing in the north- east part of the village.
Among the original members of the Baptist society in Allen were Ansel Nichols, Susan Nichols, Daniel Nichols, Alvarado Brown and wife, George Boon, Truman Coles and wife, Orson Randall, Alfred Willmoth, Francis Ran- som, and Stephen Edmonds.
The pastors of this church from its organization to the present have been as follows : Revs. W. G. Wisner, G. W. Warren, A. Town, L. M. Mack, L. A. Alford, I. D. Hos- ford, J. Lyon, J. Kelly, J. R. Abbott, A. D. Abbott, L. C. Pettengill, William Prentiss, H. C. Beals, H. M. Gallup, William Remington, S. E. Faxon, and the present pastor, Rev. R. D. Clark.
The membership in December, 1878, was 60, and that of the Sunday-school, 40. The number of teachers and classes in the school is 7, and a library is owned containing 150 volumes.
Grist- and Cider-Mill (South of Allen Village) .- The grist-mill now standing was built by John Herring, about 1871. It contains two runs of stone and does both mer- chant and custom business. Power is furnished by Little Hog Creek, the outlet of Hog Lake. The cider-mill was built by Messrs. Herring and Warner, in 1873. An excel- lent article of jelly is manufactured by boiling down the cider. Six persons are employed in the mills, and steam is used to run them when the water is low. The property is at present owned by John and William Herring, father and son.
Cradle-Factory. - About 1862, John Herring and Daniel Deusler began the manufacture, on a small scale, of grain-cradles, and Mr. Avery, now Mr. Herring's partner in the business, was employed by them. After that the firm was composed of Messrs. Herring & Warner for three years. The old shop, which was used about twelve years, occupied the site of the present mill, which was built in 1874,-the original one having been torn away to make
room for it. The present firm, Messrs. Herring & Avery, employ from three to seven hands, and manufacture annu- ally, including cradles and lumber, from $5000 to $6000 worth of material. The goods are principally disposed of in Michigan, although many are sent into Indiana and Ohio. Three agents are employed, selling to dealers and others.
MILITARY.
Several of the early residents of Allen were veterans of the war of 1812, and the " Black Hawk" and " Toledo" wars called forth a few from the township. During the war with Mexico one or two enlisted from this town,-one of whom was a Mr. Root. Lee Clark, who afterwards settled in the township, had been a soldier in the regular army, but volunteered and went to Mexico after his time was out: During his service he contracted disease, which resulted in his death after coming to Allen. The war of the Rebellion deprived the township of many of her brave sons, and their bones lie bleaching on memorable Southern fields, awaiting the final summons which shall awake them from their slumber, when they shall stand foremost in the ranks of martyrs, and noblest among them all.
VILLAGE OF ALLEN.
The earliest settlers in the township who are now living in the village have been mentioned. Others who arrived later, but have become prominent citizens, also deserve notice.
Bishop A. Johnson, the present township clerk, came to Allen village in 1846, from Genesee Co., N. Y., and with the exception of two years spent in Hillsdale, has resided here since that time.
Albert Prentiss, the present supervisor, was also formerly a resident of New York, and came to Michigan from Steu- ben County, in that State, in the fall of 1845. The village of Allen has been his place of residence since, and he has been prominent as a citizen of the township.
David Winchester, the father of Andrew and Charles Winchester, of the village, removed here from Dutchess Co., N. Y., in February, 1845, and soon began keeping tavern in the building now known as the " Allen House," W. H. Shelp, present proprietor. It has since been largely remodeled and repaired. It was originally built of tama- rack poles by a man named Abijah Mosher, probably about 1838-39. Mr. Winchester died in the village at the age of eighty-three. Six children came with him to Allen ; also his sister, older than he, who died at the age of eighty- seven.
A man named Randall built a small hotel in 1837, now known as the " old Pink tavern," from being painted that color afterwards.
When the Winchesters came to the village, a hotel was kept by Isaac N. Russell, on the ground where Robert . Clark now lives. James M. Burdick informs us that he kept the first hotel at the village himself. The sign-post in front of the " Allen House" has been in use 43 years, hav- ing been first set up by Isaac N. Russell in 1835, at which time he was keeping a hotel on the opposite (south) side of the street from the present one.t
t Information by W. H. Shelp.
* By H. J. Koon, church clerk.
SOUTH ALLEN MILLS
JOHN HERRING
MRS. JOHN HERRING.
HERRING AND SON, SOUTH ALLEN
SHOP
FARM & RESIDENCE OF JOHN HERRING .
HERRING & AVERY.
ALLEN, HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICH.
261
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
W. H. Shelp, present proprietor of the " Allen House," came with his father, Henry Shelp, to Branch County, from Lima, Livingston Co., N. Y., in the spring of 1841. The elder Shelp was born on the northern border of the State of Maine, and is now residing in the township of Butler, Branch Co., Mich., aged seventy-eight years. W. H. Shelp was born above his father's birthplace, in the lower part of Upper Canada, and when eleven years old removed with his father to the State of New York. He has occupied the " Allen House" since March 25, 1864.
Mrs. W. H. Shelp is a daughter of Robert Bell, who settled in Allen, on section 8, April 15, 1836. He pur- chased of Alonzo Standard on that day the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of the above section. Mr. Standard had built a small house and planted a garden, and was quite comfortably situated when he sold to Mr. Bell. The latter came from the State of Maryland, where he had lived near the shore of Delaware Bay. He died in Janu- ary, 1878; his widow yet resides in town.
John M. Ford, from Spafford, Onondaga Co., N. Y., emi- grated with his family to Michigan in 1837, and located at Adrian, Lenawee Co. From there he came the next year to Moscow, Hillsdale Co. About 1850-51 he re- moved to Allen, and from thence to Jackson County. He is now living at Allen village with his son, Edwin J. Ford, who came here and established a blacksmith-shop about 1860-62. Another son, Stillman W. Ford, has been in the wagon- and carriage-manufacturing business at this place since October, 1866.
Allen Post-Office .- Hiram B. Hunt was the first regu- larly-appointed postmaster in Allen township. Previous to that time Richard Corbus, who lived on Sand Creek, had mail left at his house for distribution, this being before a post-office was established. Mail was carried over the route on horseback. The post-office afterwards established at Allen Prairie was in existence as early as 1836-38, and was called Sylvanus, which name it bore until about 1849, when it was changed to Allen, to correspond with the name of the township and avoid conflicting with the office called Sylvania, in Lucas Co., Ohio, north of Toledo. In 1839 it was kept by a man named Randall, a blacksmith by trade, and was then located on the site of the present residence of Andrew Winchester. Mr. Goodwin, an uncle to Good- win Howard, was postmaster in 1837, the office being located at that time at the corner north of Mr. Howard's present residence, where the Hillsdale road diverges from the Chi- cago road, east of Allen village. The present incumbent of the office is Andrew Winchester.
One of the first merchants at the village was Don C. Hewitt, who occupied a store on the ground where Allen C. Howe's residence now stands. Lucius A. Webster was also in business here early, on a small scale. The first im- portant mercantile house was established by Messrs. Latimer & Fries, of Tecumseh, who sent Dudley Chaney on with a large stock of goods. Mr. Chaney succeeded his employers in the business, and Andrew Winchester worked in his store as clerk when but thirteen years old. The Latimer & Fries store stood on the site now occupied by Andrew Winchester's house, and Mr. Chaney was in business at the same place. David Winchester subsequently built the frame store now
occupied by James N. Conklin, druggist, and rented the same to Chaney. This building yet belongs to Mr. Win- chester's estate.
Numerous building lots were sold to individuals before the village was regularly laid out and surveyed, and it was not until 1868 that their owners and the proprietors of the adjacent land made a plat of it and had it recorded. The village lies on sections 9, 10, 15, and 16 of township 6 south, range 4 west, and its proprietors, at the time the survey was made, were the following persons, viz. : J. C. Remington, C. H. Winchester, Hattie Winchester, D. S. Olmsted, M. L. Olmsted, E. J. Ford, S. L. Ford, B. S. Brooks, P. A. L. Brooks, Laura H. Lyon, Hiram A. Davis, Roxenia Davis, George W. Elmore, Emily F. Elmore, E. Johnson, Urbane Shepard, Susan Shepard, David Winchester, Jane Hedge, Andrew Winchester, Bishop A. Johnson, Wm. H. Shelp, J. E. Shelp, Albert Prentiss, May E. Prentiss, F. Sherman, S. B. Sherman, Lester R. Watkins, J. W. Watkins, F. Ham- burgh, Jane Hamburgh, E. Coon, C. Coon, J. M. Reming- ton, R. A. Remington, William Stone, J. J. Whitney, R. Clark, Mrs. A. Clark.
On the 4th of January, 1869, an addition was laid out by Albert Prentiss, and May 22, 1871, an addition was platted by Goodwin Howard and Erastus P. Norton.
The village contains at present (winter of 1878-79) one hotel in operation and a second not now kept as such, 5 stores, 2 churches, a fine union school building, 2 millinery- stores, a post-office, 2 wagon-shops, and several blacksmith- and other mechanic-shops, and a stave-factory, owned by John H. Parish. The brick stores belonging to Andrew and Charles Winchester are a credit to the village, and tes- tify to the taste and enterprise of her citizens. Aside from Hillsdale and Jonesville, Allen ranks among the most im- portant villages of the county in the variety and value of her improvements.
Allen Lodge, No. 253, F. and A. M., was organized July 12, 1868, with 29 members. Its first Master was Benjamin W. Brockway. The membership on the 4th of December, 1878, was about 65, and the following were the officers at the same time, viz. : Worshipful Master, C. H. Guy ; Senior Warden, A. F. Brown ; Junior Warden, C. E. Hill; Senior Deacon, W. F. Shepard ; Junior Deacon, E. O. Goodrich ; Sec., W. H. Aller ; Treas., D. Hall.
The lodge-room is located over the store of Andrew Win- chester, and is very neatly fitted up. At
ALLEN STATION,
a mile north of the village, two small hotels and a saloon have been built, and one or two dwellings. Quite an exten- sive business is done here in the line of buying and ship- ping stock and grain.
Among early settlers of the township, who have not al- ready been mentioned, are John T. Warn, now living on the Chicago road, east of Allen; William Glasgow, on the east line of the township; A. Hewitt, residing in the southeast part of the township, chosen State Senator at the November election, 1878; and M. W. Balcom, in the same neighborhood. S. George, who lives northwest of the sta- tion, is a veteran of the war of 1812, but not among the pioneers of the township.
262
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
The general improvements in the township of Allen are of a high order, and there is manifest evidence on every hand that the first comers to its broad fields were not mis- taken in their estimate of its character and advantages. The spirit of emigration was innate in the breasts of many of the early settlers, however, and they moved onward to develop other lands and make room for the incoming tide which took possession immediately after their departure. To-day Allen wears as staid an aspect as many older settlements, yet there is withal an appearance of freshness about it, such as characterizes most of the towns in Southern Michigan. Well may the inhabitants of Allen be proud of their home.
Among the many who have furnished information from which the foregoing history has been written are James M. Burdick, of Quincy ; John S. Reed, Robert Clark, Andrew Winchester, Dr. L. R. Watkins, A. Prentiss, B. A. John- son, W. H. Shelp, and numerous others in the village ; and Ira and Washburn Wight, Mrs. Roscius Southworth, Mrs. Jesse Pomeroy, Jonathan Whitney and wife, Goodwin Howard, Benjamin W. Brockway and wife, Isaac W. Sheriff, and others in the township; and Mrs. Daniel Bost- wick, of Argentine, Genesee Co. To all we ret rn sincere thanks.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ALEXANDER HEWITT
was born on the 25th day of March, 1818, in Saratoga Co., N. Y. His parents were poor but industrious. His father devoted his time to clearing and fencing new land. His mother was a spinner and weaver, using the wheel and hand-loom, and by unremitting toil converted a good deal of flax and wool into substantial cloth. When quite young he removed with his parents into the new regions of Western New York, and was at an early age inured to the hardships of pioneer life. His advantages for an education were very limited. Books were scarce, but those at hand were read with care.
When fourteen years of age, he chopped cord-wood at twenty-five cents per cord, and used the money to purchase a copy of Webster's spelling-book and Ostrander's arithmetic, which he studied, sometimes in school and sometimes by firelight in the chimney-corner. When grown to manhood he possessed what he had inherited and his surroundings had given him, namely, a robust and healthy constitution, coupled with a determination to do something in the world. He labored several years at farming and school-teaching.
At the age of twenty-six Mr. Hewitt was married to Miss Mary E. Noble, of Honeoye, Ontario Co., N. Y., and in a few months, accompanied by his wife, started westward in search of a new home. He arrived in the township of Allen, Hillsdale Co., in the fall of 1844, and bought the land on which he now resides, which was at that time en- tirely uncultivated. His wife, who has always given her personal attention to the duties of the household, and her counsel in business transactions, is entitled to a large share of the merit of converting the wilderness into the pleasant home they now enjoy. Mr. H. also attributes a large part
of his financial success to a strict adherence to the pay-as- you- go policy.
Mr. Hewitt has enjoyed the confidence of his fellow- citizens in a very marked degree. He has filled the most important offices in his township, was elected to the lower house of the State Legislature in 1872, was re-elected in 1874, and was chosen to the State Senate in 1878. In politics he is a decided Republican, and in religion a Uni- versalist.
Mr. H. has a family of four children,-one son, William Eugene, living at home ; Rilla, wife of Frank K. Proctor ; Mary, wife of Prof. A. E. Haynes, of Hillsdale ; and Hattie, who resides at home. A fine view of his farm of one hun- dred and eighty acres is given in this work.
THOMAS O'HANLON
was born at Elmira, N. Y., Jan. 30, 1820. He was a son of Owen O'Hanlon, who emigrated from the county of Lowe, Ireland, in the year 1818, and settled at Elmira, N. Y., where he carried on the coopering business until
Photo. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale.
THOMAS O'HANLON.
1837, when he purchased a farm on the Horseheads road, about half-way between that village and Elmira. Here he died about 1860, leaving five sons, of whom the subject of this sketch was the oldest. He lived at home and assisted on the farm until he was twenty-one years of age, when he came to Michigan, purchased eighty acres of timber-land in the town of Allen, and commenced the hardy task of cutting for himself a home from the unbroken forest. This enterprise he pursued diligently, unaided and alone, for six years, when he secured a copartner and helpmeet by marrying Miss Jane Shannon, Feb. 4, 1847. By their united efforts the forest receded, and in its stead have appeared broad fields, a fine residence, and such surround- ings as indicate a thrifty farmer and a pleasant home.
JOHN GLASGOW.
MRS. JOHN GLASGOW.
MRS. JOHN GLASGOW, ( DECEASED.)
MRS. WM. GLASGOW.
WM. GLASGOW:
---
MRS. S. W. GLASGOW.
S.W. GLASGOW.
263
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Mrs. O'Hanlon departed this life Jan. 27, 1863, leaving one son, Owen, and one daughter, Mary E. Mr. O'Hanlon was again married, April 4, 1867, to Miss Eliza Ann Crocker, daughter of William H. H. Crocker, one of the early settlers of this county, and now one of the prominent farmers of Reading township. By the second marriage, Mr. O'Hanlon has been the father of two daughters, Belle and Jennie. The latter died when five years of age. As a representative farmer and a pioneer of Hillsdale County, Mr. O'Hanlon has justly earned that distinction.
THE GLASGOW FAMILY
trace their genealogy back to James Glasgow. His wife was a Mitchell. They emigrated from Scotland to the north of Ireland about 1750, and settled in the county of Tyrone, near Cookstown, where, in after-years, the family became numerous and influential.
John Glasgow was the son of James; he was a farmer near Cookstown, raised a family of seven children,-four sons and three daughters. When the second son, William, was twenty-one years of age, the family conceived the idea of coming to America, and William was sent over in 1833 to prospect for a future home. He reported favorably, and in 1837 purchased some land in the town of Fayette, this county, making Auburn, N. Y., his stopping-place. Here he married Miss Eliza Glasgow, Aug. 4, 1836, and in 1842, with his wife and John, his brother, came to this county, built a cabin on the land he had previously pur- chased, which was some two miles south of Jonesville. Here the two brothers, by their united efforts, commenced laying the foundation for one of the most successful families of Hillsdale County. Here the brothers worked diligently for several years, the young wife sharing the hardships and privations of cabin life in the wilderness, when they saw a better location, and changed to the place where they now reside, each taking adjoining pieces of land, from which they have made two of the finest farms in the county.
Their father, John Glasgow, came with the remainder of the family to Fayette, where the old people died at an advanced old age.
John Glasgow, Jr., was born April 15, 1814. Married Miss Elizabeth Eddy, August, 1845. She died November, 1854. He was again married, Jan. 24, 1856, to Miss Mary Sinclair. She died Nov. 19, 1872, leaving two chil- dren,-a son and daughter. By the first wife he had three children,-two sons; both died when young ; one daughter, who married James Gould, a farmer in Missouri. Mr. Glas- gow was married a third time, to Mrs. Mary Ann Howard, formerly Mary Ann Babbitt.
William Glasgow has three sons and one daughter, Mrs. William Howlett, living in Colorado. W. C., the oldest son, is a lawyer in Indiana; Silas W. married Miss Emma L. Mitchell, of Jonesville ; they live at home and work the farm with the father.
Silas W. was born Oct. 2, 1843. Is one of the enterpris- ing men of the day, taking a deep interest in educational matters ; has been town superintendent of schools for six years. Politically is a Republican, and a zealous worker in
the party ; has held various offices of trust and honor under its administration.
The youngest of the family is C. L. Glasgow; he was born Feb. 16, 1858. The Glasgow family have been iden- tified with the Presbyterian Church as far back as their history can be traced. In the family have been several celebrated divines. The present Glasgows continue in that faith, and are active members of the church at Jonesville.
JOHN HERRING
has been closely identified with the material interests of the town of Allen and the county of Hillsdale for more than thirty years. He was born at Virgil, Cortland Co., N. Y., Nov. 8, 1819. He is the son of Samuel Herring, who em- igrated to Michigan in 1838, with a family of eight children, of whom John was the oldest. They located in Eaton County, some twenty miles north of Marshall, in an un- broken forest. Here they cut the first tree, where now stands the village of Kalamo, and for twenty years the old gentleman kept a hotel there. The subject of this sketch remained with his father for one year ; then, being ambitious to do something for himself, went to Grand Haven, where he worked in a mill one year. Subsequently he came to Homer, where he became acquainted with Miss Nancy J. Brown, to whom he was married March 13, 1841. The next fall he went to Litchfield, in the employ of Monroe & Gardner, milling, where he remained some four years ; then leased a saw-mill and contracted for 160 acres of land where he now resides, and began in earnest to make himself a home. Here he has diligently worked, and by his sagacity and perseverance has added other lands, erected other mills, until he is now the most important manufacturer in the township. Oscar N. Avery has been associated with Mr. Herring for more than twenty years.
They built a mill in the Pinery, and in 1875 erected a large mill for the manufacture of lumber and grain-cradles near the residence of Mr. Herring. He and his son own the flouring-mill at South Allen, which has the most im- proved machinery and is one of the important interests in the town, there being no other mill for several miles. In 1858 he built a steam flouring-mill at Allen's Prairie, ran it for two years, when he sold it. It was carried on for five or six years, when, for lack of business or sagacity in managing, it was dismantled. Mr. Herring has been the father of two children, William and Samuel A. ; the latter died Nov. 6, 1861, in his fourteenth year. William is a partner with his father in the mill at South Allen. He served four years in the war of the Rebellion ; was a member of 7th Michigan Infantry. He married Miss Anna Hicks; they have five children,-three sons and two daughters.
Coming into the county in its early settlement, Mr. Her- ring has watched the progress of improvement in the various branches of industry of the county. A man of strong per- sonal character, ambitious in all business operations with which he has been connected, and possessed of good, sound judgment common to all self-made men, by the wise coun- sels, economy, and frugality of an estimable wife, he has secured a competency as well as the esteem of the commu- nity.
264
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
L. P. ROODE.
L. P. ROODE.
Among the many worthy pioneers and representative people of Hillsdale County, and especially Allen township, none are more deserving of special mention than Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Roode in the history of their county. Having had advantages of early education, they were especially cal- culated to assist in developing a new country and shaping its future. Mrs. Roode was the daughter of J. C. Fink, of Onondaga Co., N. Y., where she was born Sept. 20, 1813. She formed the acquaintance of Mr. Roode at Weedsport, N. Y., where she was attending school. They were married at that place Oct. 18, 1832. The next seven years was spent in that locality, Mr. Roode cultivating his farm summers and teaching school the winter months, until 1839, when they came to Allen, this county, and purchased land near where he now lives; and as he had done in the State of New York he continued here, working at farming summers and teaching school winters. Mrs. Roode taught the first school in district No. 3; it was a private school, and in her own house. Mr. Roode taught at Allen Prairie the same winter. He taught in district No. 3 in 1854, when his own children were scholars in that school. Upon their arrival in Allen they took a prominent position in society, then forming. While living at Weedsport they both experienced religion, and united with the Presbyterian Church. There being no church of that denomination at Allen, they united with the Methodist Episcopal, and re- mained in that connection until the slavery question divided its members. The dissenters organized as Wesleyans, under the Rev. Mr. Hovey ; Mr. F. L. Roode, the son of L. P. Roode, being the first child baptized in that organization. He married Miss Cora Parker, daughter of Hiram Parker, of Burr Oak, St. Joseph Co., Mich. They live at the homestead with the father, as one family, to cheer and com- fort him in his loneliness, Mrs. Roode having departed this life March 8, 1877. Addie, the daughter, married James
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