USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 81
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by Witter J. Baxter, of Jonesville, and other members of the order from sister lodges. The hall they now occupy was fitted up and furnished by them at a cost of about $600. The workings of the lodge have always been marked by perfect harmony and good brotherly feeling. We append a list of officers comprising the first and present incum- bents:
First Officers .- N. G., H. W. Russell; V. G., S. N. Curtiss; Sec., Eli R. Forquer ; Treas., Wilson Haynes ; Per. Sec., Thomas Wyble ; Warden, B. F. Finkham ; Con., Ernest Canfield.
Present Officers .- N. G., William Rogers ; V. G., Francis M. Woodard ; Sec., Alden C. Eldridge ; Treas., O. G. Berry ; Per. Sec., R. B. Pettit ; Warden, Wilson Haynes; Con., C. S. Martin.
The Grand Army of the Republic is represented here by a post, named in honor of one of Reading's noblest sons,- a true Christian soldier,-who went forth to fight in defense of his country, and laid his life a sacrifice on the altar of Liberty. It is called
FRANK FORNCROOK POST, NO. 7, G. A. R.
It was organized June 12, 1878, " C. O. Loomis, Post No. 2," conducting the ceremonies. The officers elected, and who are also the present officers, were Alfonzo Shafer, P. C .; William Rogers, S. V. C .; Abram Shafer, J. V. C .; Howland H. Weaver, Q. M .; B. K. Robbins, Chaplain ; Nelson J. Pierce, Surgeon ; Wilson Haynes, Officer of the Day ; Frank M. Sherman, Officer of the Guard; W. H. Petrie, Q.M .- Sergt .; Grove S. Bartholomew, Adjt. ; John C. Dugan, Sergt .- Maj. These, together with Nathan Van Fassan, Albert U. Potter, Frank Eaton, Andrew A. Baxter, and Ezra Weaver, were the charter members of the post. The membership has already increased to 29. The meet- ings are held semi-monthly in Odd-Fellows' Hall, on the first and third Wednesday of each month.
The inhabitants of Reading have always been a temper- ate people, and to this virtue, no doubt, they are largely indebted for their prosperity and progress. Whenever called upon to express their sentiments at the polls, their voice has ever been for the right. The first vote was taken April 1, 1850, on the question of licensing the liquor traffic, and the vote stood 47 for license and 55 against. The vote on the prohibitory law, three years later, was a still more full and decided expression of their sentiments, the vote standing 123 for the law and but 34 against it. In support of these principles, and as a means of educating the people and making their efforts united and effective, several temperance societies have been formed at different times, brief sketches of which are appended. The first was a division of Sons of Temperance, organized in 1848, and the next a Temple of Honor, started in 1859. Both of these societies died out within two or three years after their formation. The next was a lodge of Good Templars, organized about 1871-72, and which, after a brief exist- ence of less than one year, went down. The next was a division of the Sons of Temperance, instituted in the fall of 1875, which operated about a year, and then ceased working. Then another lodge of Good Templars, known as
RESIDENCE OF GEO. G. CONE , READING, HILLSDALE CO., MICH.
RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL C.DODGE, READING, MICH.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
PHAROS LODGE, NO. 945, I. O. G. T.,
was organized. It was instituted by Rev. C. H. Ellis on the 1st of February, 1876, with 16 members. Its existence has been, like that of all other similar organizations, marked by many vicissitudes, but it is now, having passed the point of the ebb, apparently rising, on the flood-tide, to prosper- ity and renewed usefulness. The meetings are held every Tuesday evening, at Odd-Fellows' Hall. We present a list of the most prominent first and present officers.
First Officers .- W. C. T., J. A. Cassidy ; W. V. T., Mrs. C. H. Ellis ; W. S., H. W. Russell; W. F. S., Miss Ada Ellis; W. T., N. P. Sherman.
Present Officers .- W. C. T., Daniel W. Mickle; W. V. T., Mrs. Lavonie Mellon ; W. S., J. A. Cassidy ; W. F. S., N. P. Sherman ; W. T., Mrs. A. Roat.
The Gospel Temperance Reform movement was introduced in Reading by a young lawyer from Lansing by the name of Johnson. He was himself a reformed man, and at the close of a stirring address one evening in February, 1877, he organized the
READING RED RIBBON CLUB.
About 50 persons joined the first evening, and the fol- lowing officers were elected : Corvis M. Barre, Pres .; A. M. R. Fitzsimmons, Vice-Pres .; E. Foote, Sec. ; C. Martin, Treas. Club-rooms were fitted up in Mallery's Hall, a reading-room and library established, and weekly meetings held, addressed by prominent speakers from abroad or by local talent. The membership rapidly rose until it at one time reached between 600 and 700. The club-room, reading-room, and library were kept up for about nine months. From that time the interest seemed to wane, and the club displayed less activity. At present an effort is being made to revive the interest in the work. The pres- ent officers are Porter W. Thomas, Pres. ; Ernest Canfield, Sec .; Sanford Stiles, Treas.
The last of these aids to the cause of temperance reform is the
WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION,
a branch of the State Union, which was organized at a meeting held at the Presbyterian church, April 4, 1878, by Mrs. E. A. Hallett, President of the County Union. The present membership is 45, and the Union has done considerable to sustain the interest in the Reform Club as well as to maintain its own standing. The officers at the organization and the present officers are given below.
First Officers .- Pres., Mrs. E. W. Case; Vice-Pres., Mrs. J. T. Iddings ; Sec., Mrs. E. J. Mills; Treas., Mrs. H. W. Antisdale.
Present Officers .- Pres., Mrs. E. J. Mills ; Vice-Pres., Mrs. H. P. Parmelee; Sec., Mrs. P. W. Thomas ; Treas., Mrs. H. W. Antisdale.
We now draw near the close of this imperfect sketch, and it is fitting here to speak of some serious and sober things that have formed a prominent and memorable, as well as painful, part of the history of Reading. Ever since the first transgression of God's divine law, the grim angel of death has exercised relentless sway over the destinies of
mankind, calling from every field of labor and usefulness the brightest and best at his pleasure. In his own time he visits all, and none escape. As we have before mentioned, the first death in this community was that of an infant child of Judge John Mickle. The next two were those of Mrs. Charles Lee and her infant child. Next was Mrs. John Mickle, in 1839, followed closely by that of Mrs. Tappan, mother of Chester Morey. The first man who died in the town was Mr. Howard, the stepfather of Mrs. Odell, who went into the woods to cut broomsticks, was caught in a snow-storm, and, getting bewildered, wandered about in a circle until he was overcome by exhaustion and cold, and was frozen to death before he was found. All of these deaths occurred before 1840. The visitations of death are always the source of pain and grief, but, when he comes in the midst of joy and happiness, his coming casts a sable pall over our hearts, deeper and darker than under other circumstances. One such occasion, and one which will long remain fresh in the memory of this people as the saddest event of their history, occurred on the 4th of July, 1859. A picnic and celebration had been planned on that day to take place at Clear Lake, Ind., a noted resort for pleasure-seekers, and a large number of Reading people at- tended it. The time was employed in fishing, boat-riding, bathing, and in pleasant social intercourse, until the day was far spent, when a gloom was suddenly cast over their enjoyment by an awful accident, by which 11 persons, mostly young people and children, lost their lives. The boat used for their excursions across the lake to an island opposite the hotel was a frail craft, and illy managed by those having charge of it, and when returning from one of its trips, and still distant some 40 rods from the shore, it suddenly careened to one side and capsized, leaving its freight of human beings struggling in the water. As before stated, 11 lost their lives, and, of these, 7 were loved and respected ones of Reading. Their names were Isaac J. Berry, Danforth W. Berry and his wife Miranda ; Salome and Estelle, wife and adopted daughter of Wm. F. Turner ; and Louisa and Olin, children of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson M. Turner. This event cast a deep shadow on the entire com- munity, and will ever remain a tender yet painful recollec- tion through the coming years. But all is not dark, for the poet sings, in a strain almost divine,-
" There is no death ! The stars go down To rise upon some fairer shore, And, bright in Heaven's jeweled crown, They shine forevermore."
The first cemetery in Reading was the Mickle or North Reading burying-ground, and the next the one near Eleazer Gleason's. There are now five burial-places in the town, all under the supervision of the town board of health. The largest is a newly-opened ground north of the village, which is being improved with walks, drives, trees, and shrubbery, and will be a pleasant and beautiful cemetery.
Another cloud that has passed over this community in common with all others, was that caused by the Rebellion of 1861-65, which called forth so many of our noblest sons to do battle in defense of the national honor and integrity, and
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
which quenched by its bloody sacrifices so many bright and promising young lives. We ever cherish and seek to per- petuate the merits and fame of these noble defenders of our country, by instilling in the minds of the rising generation a true estimate of their noble self-sacrifice and their unfal- tering patriotism. With this in view, we point with pride to the list of Reading soldiers who went forth to the con- flict, from which so many of them came not back.
In closing we may say that we have endeavored as briefly
as possible to portray the principal events in the history of the town, and now leave it to the enjoyment of the peace, prosperity, and happiness which ever follow in the wake of earnest endeavor and a faithful observance of the Christian virtues. Since the first crops were harvested Reading has never been dependent upon others for bread or the many things that make life pleasant and happy, and we only wish for her and her people that they may be permitted to bask in the same sunlight of prosperity through future years.
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RESIDENCE OF H. B. CHAPMAN, READING, MICH.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
JOHN COLE
was the son of Joshua and Innocent Cole, of Wayne Co., N. Y. He was born May 8, 1819. When Mr. Cole was thirteen years of age the family removed to Geauga Co., Ohio, where they were engaged in farming. Mrs. Innocent Cole died in 1843, at the age of fifty-two years. Joshua Cole died at the age of fifty-five, in 1844. They were the parents of nine children, of whom John Cole, the subject of this sketch, was the eldest. At the age of eighteen John went back to the State of New York, and made his home with an uncle until 1843, when he was seized with a desire to get a farm and home of his own. He came West to Jonesville, Mich., and bought of Murphy and Varnum one hundred and sixty acres of wild land, in the town- ship of Reading, at three dollars and seventy-five cents per acre.
He at once commenced work on his land, first of all by erecting a log house, and then commenced the work of chopping, logging, and burning off the timber, brush, etc. During the next two years he became acquainted with Miss Anna Sarles, daughter of Garry Sarles, an old settler of Fayette township. This acquaintance ripened into court- ship and marriage. They were united on the 7th day of October, 1845. They went to housekeeping at once, and three years later he erected a frame house, which, with some additions, has been his dwelling-house up to this time. He has a fine, productive farm, well adapted for the grains and fruits for which Hillsdale County is so justly celebrated. He has been especially successful in the cultivation and production of peaches, as by his own peculiar method he rarely fails of having a fine crop every year.
Mr. Cole and his wife have reared a family of five child- ren, whom we briefly notice, thus : Benjamin is married, and resides on a farm of his own, one mile from his parents. John is also married, and resides at Fremont, Newago Co., Mich. He is engaged in the hardware trade at that place, and he and his father are partners in business and own a large amount of property, consisting of lands and village lots in Fremont. Willie W., Martha A., and Amanda M. are young people, still at home with their parents.
Mr. Cole comes of good old Revolutionary stock, his grand- father having fought all through the war for independence in the ranks of the patriot army. All through life he has been uniformly successful in all his undertakings, and by prudence and good management has amassed a very com- fortable property. He is in religious faith a Universalist; in politics, a Democrat of the old school; in social inter- course kind and affable, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who come in contact with him. Mr. Garry Sarles, the father of Mrs. Cole, came into Hillsdale County in 1835, and in 1838 died, leaving his widow and a large family of children dependent upon themselves for a living. Mrs. Sarles lived to an advanced age and to see her large family of children all grown up into useful men and women. Mr. Cole has contributed to this work a view of his farm- home, to be found on another page.
HIRAM B. CHAPMAN.
The activity, energy, and perseverance, the variety and changes of occupation, the genius and versatility displayed in the career of Mr. Chapman very strikingly illustrate a peculiar feature in the life and character of the American business man, and afford many useful lessons of great value to the young men of to-day. Of course we can only glance briefly at a few of the most characteristic incidents in the life of Mr. Chapman, commencing with his birth, which occurred Sept. 15, 1817, at Sandwich, N. H. While an infant his parents removed to Fairfield, Vt., and after a few years to Orleans Co., N. Y., and soon after to Portage Co., O., and thence to Wood Co., O., and in 1835 to Gib- raltar, Wayne Co., Mich. In the intervals of all these frequent removals the young lad was engaged in attending the schools, and assisting his father in the farm labors. At nineteen years of age he bought his time of his father for seventy-two dollars, and from that time on for a number of years his occupation was varied by almost continued changes, at first attending school, then as clerk in a store, next as cap- tain of a sloop in the Detroit River, then as clerk in a grocery- store in Detroit, and assisting in the survey of the Grand Traverse region,.next as a teacher in Monroe Co., where he became acquainted with and married Miss Elizabeth Chamberlain. They were married on the 21st day of April, 1840. He at once erected a log house on his pur- chase of sixty acres of wild land, and then commenced life in earnest by alternately working out at fifty cents a day, and in chopping, logging, and burning off his land. By unceasing toil, ably assisted by his noble and energetic com- panion, in five years he had cleared off forty acres, and pur- chased an addition of forty acres to his farm. In 1847 he traded his farm in Monroe County for four hundred acres of wild land in the towns of Reading, Hillsdale Co., and Algansee, Branch Co. He built a log house, cleared off and put in fifty-five acres of wheat the first year. For the next eight years he was engaged in clearing up and erecting buildings on his farm. He became very successful in raising stock for sale on his farm, and as a dealer in the same. His children were all reared and received the wholesome lessons of farm life, and with it the strong, robust health and habits only to be acquired in the atmos- phere of a farm home. On February 28, Mr. Chapman was called to mourn the loss of his companion, who, for twenty-five years, had shared the joys and sorrows of wedded life. She was known among her relatives and friends as a devoted wife and mother, and by a large circle of acquaint- ances respected and esteemed as a kind neighbor and sin- cere Christian. The vacancy in his household caused by the death of his wife was filled by his union with Miss Elizabeth A. Morse, of Detroit. In 1865, Mr. Chapman leased out his farm and moved into the village of Reading, since which time he has been engaged in building stores, dwellings, and business blocks, etc., in the village; and in company with one of his sons has carried on the hard- ware, and for the last five years a banking business.
Mr. Chapman is the father of ten children,-Elbridge R., Clarence H., Alanson W., Adelbert R., Asenath M., Lury E., Jay W., Almond D., Lottie R., and Jennie A. Of these all are living except Elbridge and Alanson. Clar-
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
ence, Alanson, and Adelbert were cavalry soldiers in the Union army in the great Rebellion, and Alanson was killed in South Carolina. All are married except Asenath and Almond. Mr. Chapman by a long life of industry, pru- dence, and sagacity has accumulated a fine fortune, the most of which he has invested in improvements in the village of Reading, and it is conceded that he has accomplished more towards building up and advancing its interests than any other person in it. He has recently erected one of the finest dwellings in the county, complete in all its appointments. Mr. Chapman, although a man of wealth, is plain and un- assuming in his manners, sociable and chatty with his friends, agreeable and polite to all who approach him. The view of his beautiful residence, which will be found on another page of this work, is a handsome contribution, dedicated by him to his children, relatives, friends, and to every patron of this work in Hillsdale County.
HARRISON BAILEY
is of English ancestry; his great-grandfather settled at Bridgewater, in Massachusetts, at an early date in the his- tory of this country. He became engaged in farming, and was one of the first in this country to manufacture ashes into potash. He reared a large family of children, and died at an advanced age. Joseph, Jr., the grandfather of our subject, was born at the old home in Bridgewater, grew up to manhood, and married and reared a large family of children. He was a mechanic, and lived to a ripe old age. Ralph, the father of Harrison, was born at the old Massa- chusetts home in Bridgewater, in 1782; he became a farmer, a mechanic, and at intervals followed the sea as a whaler. He was married in early life, and reared a family of ten children, named as follows: Catharine, Sidney, Catharine (2d), Washington, Harrison, Melvin, Adeline, Melvin (2d), Adonis, Mary Ann. Of these only two are living,-Har- rison and Washington. In 1830, Mr. Ralph Bailey emi- grated to the Territory of Michigan, and settled at Monroe; soon after he moved to the present town of Blissfield, in Lenawee Co., Mich. ; and afterwards the family moved to Reading, in Hillsdale Co. Mr. Ralph Bailey died in 1847, at the age of sixty-five years.
Harrison Bailey was born March 21, 1813, in Wayne Co., N. Y. During his younger years he attended the common schools and assisted on the farm, and until he was twenty-five years of age he followed farming and jobbing. At this time he was united in marriage to Miss Salome Dunton, of Monroe, the daughter of Winslow Dunton and Nabby D. Allen, who came of a long line of English ances- tors. They went to housekeeping at once on their farm in Blissfield, where they continued until 1841, when he sold out and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Reading, which has been his permanent home ever since.
They are the parents of eleven children, as follows : Sarah, Mary, Julia N., Harriet M., Guy A., Valorus, Frank W., Ernest H., Mittie, Ralph W., and Ada S. Of these all are living except Mary, Harriet, and Mittie, and all are married except Ralph and Ada, who are at home with their parents.
-Mr. Bailey has a fine, productive farm, on which he has
recently erected a very fine, commodious brick residence, at the north end of his farm, opposite to the old residence, which stands at the south end. Mr. Bailey and his ex- cellent wife both enjoy the esteem and confidence of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. In politics Mr. Bailey is a Democrat of the old Jackson type, and believes in the teachings and maxims of the fathers and founders of the Great Republic. He and his lady are known as upright and consistent Christians, having been for many years honored members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It is with much pleasure we present our readers, on another page of this work, a fine view of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bailey, accompanied with their portraits.
CHARLES KANE.
While general history treats of the rise and progress of nations and governments, their wars and conquests, and records the great events of the past, and the mighty deeds of kings, presidents, generals, statesmen, judges, and other great and distinguished men of the past and present, it is proper that some of the real representatives of the people should be assigned their proper place in such a work as this,-that those upon whose shoulders the responsibilities and weight of this great republic chiefly rest are deserving of more than a passing notice in these annals. And it is with pride we call the attention of our readers to the life and character of Charles Kane, of Reading.
He was the son of William and Betsey Kane, of Otsego Co., N. Y. He was born in 1818, and never had the ad- vantages of even a common school. He commenced work as soon as he was old enough to do anything on a farm, and at the age of thirteen worked all winter with his father, threshing grain with a flail. At the age of fourteen he lost his mother. When he was seventeen he worked for three weeks putting in a piece of wheat, living on nothing but milk as it came from the cow. He continued with his father until twenty-two years of age, when he was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Sanford, of Monroe Co., N. Y.
In 1844 he and his wife came to Michigan, determined to secure a home for themselves, but with nothing to pur- chase one but willing hearts and strong arms. He came to Reading, and at once commenced work, jobbing for the first year. He then worked a few months by the month, but finding he could make more money by chopping by the job, he followed the latter. And for the next six years he was engaged the most of the time in chopping on the lands of his neighbors by the job or acre, and at intervals clearing off and working on his own purchase of forty acres. He afterwards made a purchase of eighty acres adjoining his first.
In all Mr. Kane, with his own hands, chopped off over three hundred acres, and fitted it for logging and burning. And to-day he is living in a large and commodious farm- house, with convenient out-buildings, and a finely-cultivated farm, on which now stands the prize orchard of Hillsdale County. Mr. Kane, notwithstanding the disadvantages he has had to contend with in the want of an educa- tion, is to-day respected and esteemed as one of the model
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RESIDENCE OF A. D. SOUTHWORTH, READING, MICHIGAN .
RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM TERPENING, READING, HILLSDALE CO, MICH.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
farmers of Reading, and an honor to his neighborhood. He is still a hardy, fine-looking specimen of the American farmer, and although about sixty years of age, he looks younger than many men of forty-five. This is probably largely due to the fact that he has always had a conscience void of offense, that he never owed a debt that was not paid on or before it became due, and that in all his life he never had a suit at law.
Mr. Kane is the father of five children,-Newton, Louise, an infant deceased, Lucy, and Charles W. Of these, New- ton is married to Miss Josephine Bird, daughter of Erastus Bird, an old settler of Allen township. They have one child, and are at present at home with the old gentleman, assisting in carrying on the old home-farm. Newton has a farm of his own in Eaton County, consisting of one hun- dred and sixty acres. Lucy is married to Oscar Folger ; they reside in the township of Cambria, and they have one child. Charles W. was recently married to Miss Alvada Hollinshead, of Reading, and they are at present at home with their parents.
On the 23d day of November, 1876, Mr. Kane was bereaved in the death of his estimable life-long companion, who departed for the better world, after suffering for many months. She was for many years an honored member of the Baptist Church, and was known and respected as a candid and consistent Christian. It is with pleasure we are able to present our readers with a view of the home, and portraits of this excellent pair of old Hillsdale pioneers.
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