USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 12
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On April 19, 1893, Levi M. Greenwood was united in marriage to Mrs. Effie ( Eilenburg) Kelland, who was born in Rochester, Michigan, daughter of Frederick Eilenburg and wife, the former of whom, a native of Stras- burg, Pennsylvania, came to Michigan in 1855 and spent the rest of his life at Rochester, a successful market-gardener. To Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood two children have been born. a son, Frederick Marvin, and Naomi E. Mr. Greenwood is a member of the Church of Christ and his wife is a member of the Congregational church. He is a Mason and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
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EDGAR E. KILBORN.
Edgar E. Kilborn, a well-known farmer of Otisco township, this county, where he owns a well-kept place of fifty-five acres on rural route No. 4, out of Belding, is a native of that same township, having been born in a little log cabin on a pioneer farm near by the place where he is now living, on August 29, 1849, son of Freeman and Cynthia (Joy) Kilborn, both natives of New York state and early settlers of this county, where they spent their last days, respected and useful residents of Otisco township.
Freeman Kilborn came to Michigan as a young man and entered a homestead claim to an eighty-acre tract in Otisco township, this county, and then returned to New York, where he married Cynthia Joy and straight- way returned to this county with his bride, arriving here in 1846. He built a log cabin on his homestead tract and established a home there, he and his wife becoming early recognized as among the most influential of the pioneer residents of that section of the county. The homestead tract pres- ently was cleared and improved. a better dwelling erected and there Free- man Kilborn and his wife reared their family and spent the remainder of their lives. To them two children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch now is the only survivor, his sister. Harriet, who married William N. Sparks, having died on January 29, 1909, leaving three children. Free- man Kilborn died on November 26, 1900. His wife had preceded him to the grave more than six years, her death having occurred on March 29. 1903.
Edgar E. Kilborn was reared on the pioneer farm in Otisco township and his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home was followed by a course in the school at Cooks Corners, under the instruction of Prof. Asa Slayton. On August 29, 1860, he married Adaline A. Ilale, who was born near Akron, Ohio, and who had come to this county with her parents, the family settling in Orleans township, later moving to southern Illinois, from which place they presently returned to this county, locating permanently in Orleans township, where she was living at the time of her marriage. Following their marriage, Edgar E. Kilborn and his wife settled on a farm where he now lives, but later moved over into Mecosta county, where they established their home on a farm and there they remained for twenty years, returning to this county in the fall of 1902 and settling on the farm where Mr. Kilborn now lives. Mrs. Kilborn died on June 7. 1910.
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To Edgar E. and Adaline A. ( Hale) Kilborn seven children were born, Henry. Cynthia ( deceased ). Cora. Almira, Freeman, Ruth and Harriet. The eldest son, the Rev. Henry Kilborn, is a local minister of the Free Methodist church in Mecosta county, Michigan; he also has a farm. He married Emma Williams, who was born in Canada. Edgar F. Kilborn is an active member of the same denomination and is a steward of the church. He is a speaker of considerable local note and formerly often occupied the pulpit of the church. He is an ardent Prohibitionist and is a widely known speaker in behalf of the principles of that party.
WILLIAM LUSCHER.
One of the painstaking farmers and stock raisers of Ionia county is William Luscher, of Sebewa township, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, July 25, 1857. He is a son of Jacob and Annie ( Hunsicher ) Luscher, both parents natives of Switzerland, where they were reared and married. Jacob Luscher was a cabinet-maker by trade, which he learned in his native land. He became an expert on hand-made furniture. He brought his family to America in 1854, locating in Cleveland, Ohio, where he followed his trade. When William was a babe his parents brought him to Ionia county, Mich- igan, the father following his trade in the town of Ionia, but later moved to Sebewa township, taking up forty acres of government land, on which he built a house and continued working at his trade, but did not clear and develop the land. After living there five years he moved to another place in the same township, making his home with his son who had an eighty-acre farm there, and continued at his trade until his death in 1884, his widow surviving until February 5. 1904. Their family consisted of eight children, six of whom grew to maturity, and four are still living, namely : Rudolph, who lives in Gratiot county, Michigan, was a soldier in the Civil War, a member of Company D. Ninth Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry ; Lizzie is the wife of Elias Steinbaugh and they live in Danby township. lonia county ; Jacob lives in lonia: the next child died in infancy, unnamed ; Mary is deceased : Frances died in infancy; Maggie is deceased; William is the only one of the children born in the United States.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the public schools of Sebewa township, this county. He made his home with his brother, Jacob, from the age of five to twenty-two, then bought forty acres in sec-
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tion 2, Sebewa township, and removed there with his mother, where he lived two or three years, then moved to the farm on which he now lives in section 2. Sebewa township, which place consists of one hundred and eighty acres, on which he has made many improvements and is successfully engaged in general farming. lle is also a stockholder in the Portland Farmers Elevator Company, and is a director in the same.
William Luscher was married in 1885 to Nettie Thorpe, and to this union four children have been born, namely: George A. is an engineer on the Pere Marquette railroad and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan: Carrie is deceased; Warren is at home: Kittie is the wife of Hector McIntosh, of Detroit, Michigan.
Mr. Luscher was married, secondly, to Louise Sieg, on September 12, 1900. She was born in Ionia, Michigan, and is a daughter of Rudolph Sieg, a native of Germany. To this second umion one son has been born- Harry W., who is attending the district schools.
Politically. Mr. Luscher, is a Democrat.
JOHN J. GALLOWAY.
John J. Galloway, a well-known and enterprising merchant of Palo, this county, is a native son of lonia county, having been born in Palo, where he still makes his home and where he has spent all his life. He was born on November 24, 1855, son of Barnabas D. and Ellen 1. (Pew ) Galloway, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Michigan. both of whom came to this county with their respective parents about the year 1850 and here spent the remainder of their lives, for years having been prominent and influential residents of Palo.
Barnabas D. Galloway was born near Palmyra, New York, son of John Galloway and wife, who later moved to Ohio, settling in the Toledo neigh- borhood, thence coming to Michigan, settling in Monroe county, where they established their home and spent the rest of their lives. It was about 1850 that Barnabas D. Galloway came over into Ionia county and entered a claim to a tract of land about two miles cast of Palo, the country thereabout just beginning to be settled at that time. Soon after locating there he married Ellen L. Pew, who was born near Monroe, this state, daughter of John W. and Jane Pew, who came to this county about 1850 and located on a home- stead tract about one mile east of Palo, at the same time taking a claim in
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Bloomer township, in the neighboring county of Montcalm. John W. Pew after some years engaged in farming, moved to Palo, Ionia county, where his last days were spent. After Barnabas D. Galloway's marriage he estab- lished a home on his farm east of Palo, but later engaged in business at Palo, in partnership with his father-in-law, Mr. Pew. In 1861, upon the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted for service in Company I, Berdan's Michigan Sharpshooters, but about a year later was discharged on a physician's cer- tificate of disability, his health having been seriously impaired as a conse- quence of an attack of measles, improperly treated. Upon his return from the war he engaged in the saw-mill business at Muir, this county, later engaging in the grocery business at the same place, but presently returned to Palo, where he spent the remainder of his life. He took an active part in the general affairs of his community and was the first Democratic supervisor ever elected in Ronald township, then a Republican stronghold. Barnabas 1). Galloway died in 1895. His wife had preceded him in death three years. her death having occurred in 1892.
John J. Galloway was reared at Palo and there learned the trade of painter, which he followed for seventeen years, or until 1892, in which year he began clerking in the store of C. H. Mandeville, at Palo. In 1893 he started a grocery store of his own at Palo and was presently appointed post- master of that village by President Cleveland, which office he held for nearly five years. After conducting his grocery store for about ten years he added a stock of hardware and ever since has been quite successfully engaged in both the grocery and the hardware business, long having been regarded as one of the leading business men of Palo.
In 1876 John J. Galloway was united in marriage to Ellen F. Bacon, who was born in Bushnell township, Montcalm county, this state. daughter of Melvin and Diantha ( Stevens ) Bacon, who moved from Lenawee county to Montcalm county in the fifties. Melvin Bacon's father. James Bacon, entered a claim to a tract of government land in Bushnell township and was among the first settlers of that section. Melvin Bacon enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War and died of measles while in the service. His body is buried in the national cemetery at Nashville, Tennessee. After his death his family moved to Palo, where the mother died in 1900. To Mr. and Mrs. Galloway one child has been born, a son, M. Clare. They are members of the Baptist church.
M1. Clare Galloway was born at Palo on December 19, 1882, and was graduated from the Palo high school, after which he entered Ferris Insti- tute, which he attended for three years. He then became a bookkeeper at
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Lake View and presently went to Chicago, where he was engaged in office work until 1905, in which year he returned home and took his place in his father's store, where he has been engaged ever since. In October, 1911, 11. Clare Galloway was united in marriage to Louise Brown, who was born in St. Johns, Michigan, daughter of Marvin V. and Hessie ( Shafer ) Brown, prominent residents of that city. Marvin V. Brown was a pioneer resident of St. Johns and a well-known merchant there, one of the leading citizens of the place. Ile was one of the organizers of the order of Modern Wood- men in Michigan and was a public speaker of much power, his talents in that direction being for years exerted in behalf of the Prohibition party, for which party he campaigned in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. llis wife died when their daughter Louise was an infant and he died when she was eight years old. Thus left an orphan, Louise Brown was reared by kinsfolk at Maple Rapids, in Clinton county, where she lived until her marriage to Mr. Galloway. To M. Clare Galloway and wife one child has been born, a daugh- ter. Dorothy B. They have a very pleasant home at Palo and a delightful summer home at Bay View. Mr. Galloway is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
WILLIAM A. MCLAREN.
William A. McLaren, postmaster at Muir, this county, and a well-known and progressive merchant of that place, is a native of the great Empire state, but has lived in this county since he was four years old. He was born at Avon. New York, January 12, 1862, son of James and Sarah ( Hocmire ) McLaren, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of New York state, who later became well-known and prominent residents of fonia county, where their last days were spent.
James McLaren was born at Dunblane, Scotland, in May. 1829, and grew up there. When a young man he came to the United States and set- tled at Avon. New York, where he presently married Sarah Hocmire, a native of that town. In 1868 he and his family came to Michigan and located in Ionia county. James McLaren bought a farm in Ronald town- ship and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. He was an active participant in the activities of the old Ronald "Literary," a cen- ter of community interest in an earlier day hereabout. and did much to promote a proper social life in that part of the county. James McLaren died on February 26, 1891, and his widow survived him many years, her
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death occurring on December 10, 1915. They were the parents of four children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest, the others being Mary, born on April 25, 1867, who died on August 7, 1868; Jay, March 11, 1870, of Grand Rapids, who is married and has a son, Russell, born on May 15, 1893, and Carrie, June 4, 1877, who married Frank Baker and lives at lonia.
William A. McLaren was but a child when his parents came to this county and he grew up on the home farm in Ronald township. Upon com- pleting the course in the schools at Palo he entered the Ionia high school, in the meantime assisting his father in the labors of developing the home farm. and in the spring of 1883. following his marriage in the previous December, rented a farm in the neighborhood of his old home and for two years made his home on the same. He then bought a farm of forty acres near the Grange hall, in Ronald township, where he lived until he moved to Muir, in the meantime adding to the same by the purchase of an adjoining tract of twenty- five acres. In addition to his work as a general farmer, Mr. McLaren was actively engaged in the live-stock business and made much of buying cattle and fattening the same for the butcher markets, doing quite well in that line. On March 25, 1896, he moved to Muir, though he continued to retain possession of his farm, which he did not sell until two or three years later. For six years after going to Muir, Mr. McLaren clerked in Stachen's gen- eral store and then, in 1901; embarked in business for himself and has been quite successfully engaged in the general merchandise business ever since. long having been regarded as one of the leading business men of the town.
Mr. McLaren is a Democrat and for years has been an active participant in the political affairs of the county, being one of the leaders of his party in the eastern part of the county. He has served a number of terms as a member of the county committee and frequently has been a delegate to the conventions of his party. For two or three terms he served as one of the village trustees of Muir and on January 14, 1914. received his commission as postmaster of Muir, which office he has held ever since.
On December 25, 1882, William A. MeLaren was united in marriage to Amanda Eldridge, who was born in Wisconsin, daughter of Niram and Fidelia ( Somers) Eldridge, who had emigrated from Dansville, New York. to Wisconsin, coming thence to Michigan and locating in lonia county in 1870. Niram Eldridge bought a farm in Ronald township and there estab- lished his home. His wife died there on May 15. 1904, and he thereafter made his home with Mr. and Mrs. McLaren at Muir, where he died on September 13, 1910. For years Niram Eldridge was justice of the peace
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in and for Ronald township and was a man of much influence in his com- munity. Mrs. McLaren had one sister, Mabel, born on October 12, 1875. who married Emory Danner and died on September 8, 1910, five days before the death of her father. To Mr. and Mrs. McLaren one child has been born, a son, Glen, born on October 8. 1886, now living at Grand Rapids, who married Alice Connor and has a daughter, Helen. Mr. McLaren is a Mason and a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, in the affairs of both of which organizations he takes a warm interest.
THOMAS SPARKS.
Thomas Sparks, treasurer of lonia county, is a native of England, hav- ing been born near the city of Hereford, in Herefordshire. June 19. 18.47. eldest of the nine children born to his parents, William and Eliza ( Lewis ) Sparks, the former a tailor, who died in Hereford in 1885, aged sixty-seven years, and the latter of whom survived until 1905, she being upwards of eighty years old at the time of her death. They were Methodists and were the parents of nine children, of whom four came to the United States, those besides the subject of this sketch who came to this country being Mrs. Emma Lung, now living in Tacoma, Washington: James L., of lonia, this county, and Lavina, wife of Joseph Rogers, of St. Joseph, Missouri. Will- iam Sparks was the son of James Sparks, also a tailor, who, with his wife, came to America and spent their last days here, he being upwards of ninety years old at the time of his death. Eliza ( Lewis) Sparks was the daughter of David and Eliza Lewis, English farming people, who died there.
Thomas Sparks was trained in mercantile pursuits in England and spent six years in a store at Hereford and three years in a mercantile establish- ment in London, after which, in 1873, he came to the United States and settled in Kent county, this state, where he engaged in farming. Not long after locating there he married Lucinda Knickerbocker, who was born in Kent county, daughter of Erastus and Lucretia Knickerbocker, pioneers of that section, who had come from New York, the former a descendant of the famous Knickerbocker family which was so prominent in the settlement of New Amsterdam, now New York City. Erastus Knickerbocker and wife, who were the parents of eleven daughters, later came to fonia county, where their last days were spent. In 1885 Mr. Sparks moved from Kent county to lonia county and settled in Campbell township, where he bought a farm
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of eighty acres, and there he lived until his appointment as deputy county treasurer under Edwin F. Cool, in 1900, after which he and his family moved to Ionia, where they have lived ever since. During his residence in Campbell township Mr. Sparks had taken an active interest in politics and for four years had served as supervisor, four years as school director and ten years as justice of the peace. His service in the treasurer's office proved so satisfactory that after two years of such service under Treasurer Cool he was reappointed as deputy under Captain Allen and after four years of that additional service was elected by the Republicans as treasurer and in the succeeding election was re-elected and is still serving as treasurer of the county.
To Thomas and Lucinda ( Knickerbocker ) Sparks five children have been born, as follow: Edith, who married John Neeb, of Clarksville, this county, and has five children, Beatrice, Ethel, Gertrude, Lucinda and ller- bert ; Ethel, who married Bert Ileaven, of Campbell township, and has four children, lena, Clarence, Josephine and Thomas; Lewis, who died at the age of nine years; Gertrude, who died at the age of six years, and Clista, who married Joseph Watkins, now living at Omaha, Nebraska, and has two children, Walwin and Gwendolyn. Mr. and Mrs. Sparks are members of the Methodist church and he is past noble grand of the Ionia lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
FRANK A. HARGRAVE, M. D.
Doctor Frank A. Hargrave, of Palo, this county, former president of the Jonia County Medical Society, secretary and general manager of the two telephone companies at Palo, one of the best-known physicians in this county and for years recognized as one of the most progressive and energetic citi- zens of his home community, is a native of Wisconsin, but has been a resi- dent of Michigan since the latter seventies. He was born on a farm at Menomonee Falls, about twelve miles west of Milwaukee, in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, March 29, 1857, son of Isaac and Mary (Villrette ) Har- grave, both natives of Yorkshire, England.
Isaac Hargrave was a sailor and had followed the sea for some years before his marriage. He was married on the day of Queen Victoria s coronation and two years later he and his wife and their baby came to the United States, Isaac Hargrave paying the passage of himself and family by
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his service as a sailor on the way over. Mrs. Hargrave's mother previously had come to this country and had settled at Menomonee Falls and that point in Wisconsin Territory was the objective point of the sailor immigrant and his wife upon landing on this side. They came up the lakes and landed at Milwaukee, then but a mere village, and thence walked the twelve miles out to Menomonee, carrying their baby. There Isaac Hargrave entered a claim to forty acres of "Congress land" and established his home. spending his summers as a sailor on the lakes and clearing his land during the time navi- gation was closed for the winter. He presently became part owner of a lake sailing vessel and was engaged for some years in the lumber carrying trade between Michigan points and Chicago and Milwaukee. While thus engaged he conveyed to Chicago the lumber that entered into the construction of the frame work of the first brick house erected in that city. He finally gave up the lake trade and traded his interest in his vessel for sixty acres of land at the mouth of the Milwaukee river, but this tract seemed of so little value that he after awhile let it go rather than continue to pay taxes on the same. That tract now is in the very heart of the business section of the city of Milwaukee and is worth millions. He continued, however, to improve his Menomonee Falls farm and in 1860 sold the same to advantage and moved to Monroe county, Wisconsin, where he bought a quarter of a section of land and there spent the remainder of his life, living to be eighty-nine years of age. His wife died on September 6, 1894.
Frank A. Hargrave was three years old when his parents moved to Monroe county, Wisconsin, and he grew to manhood on the home farm there. He studied diligently to acquire an education and when about twenty years of age was licensed to teach school, thereafter for some years spending his winters as a reacher. When he had saved up a bit of money he entered the State Normal at Oshkosh and in due time was graduated. In order to receive his credits it was necessary for him to remain at the school until "commencement." by which time his funds were ahnost exhausted. In the meantime he had decided to locate at lonia and upon receiving his diploma bought a railway ticket for the county seat of Ionia county, after paying for which he had left just sixty-five cents. He spent fifteen cents for a supper in Milwaukee, did without breakfast the next morning and arrived at lonia with fifty cents in his pocket. He was not long in securing a school in this county, but before the time for the school to begin he had to provide for his daily needs and worked at various occupations, chiefly farm labor, and was thus employed, teaching school during the winters, until he had saved seven hundred dollars. Having long been privately reading medical literature.
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with a view to becoming a physician, he entered the medical department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1881 and was graduated from that institution in 1884. Thus admirably equipped for the practice of his profession, Doctor Hargrave returned to lonia county and opened an office at Palo, where he ever since has been actively engaged in the practice of medicine, during which time he has built up an extensive practice and has come to be recognized as one of the leading physicians of this county. Doctor Hargrave has from the very beginning of his residence in this county given his most thoughtful attention to the general life of the community. For twenty-five years he served as a member of the school board, in which capacity he rendered an admirable service on behalf of the schools. When the Palo Telephone Company was organized in 1903 he took an active inter- est in the concern and is also actively interested in the Home Telephone Com- pany of Palo, being secretary and manager of both companies. For several years he has been an active member of the Ionia County Medical Society and was president of the same in 1915. He also is examiner for a number of insurance companies. Doctor Hargrave is a Republican and gives his most thoughtful attention to local political affairs.
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