USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 15
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Mrs. Kirby's father. Levi Burdick, was born in the Rochester district of New York state on March 22, 1814. son of Robinson and Esther ( Fox) Burdick. pioneers of Livingston or Seneca county. In 1847 Levi Bur- lick came to Michigan and settled in lonia county. He bought a farm of one hundred and ninety-seven acres in section 1. of Ionia township, the farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Kirby now live, and there he spent the rest of his life. There was a log house on the place when he bought it and in 1852 he erected a comfortable frame house and in 1880 erected the pre- sent Kirby residence, a large and substantial brick dwelling. which still makes a beautiful home. For many years Levi Burdick served the people
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of his home township in the capacity of justice of the peace and for more than thirty years was a deacon in the Disciples church. His wife, who was Polly Stone before her marriage, was born in Livingston county, New York, daughter of Orrin and Betsy (Cowell) Stone. Orrin Stone, who was born in 1785, was a son of Russell and Lois ( Stone) Stone. the for- mer of whom was a son of Reuben and Ann ( Everts) Stone. Reuben Stone, who lived and died at Guilford, Connecticut, was a son of Caleb and Sarah ( Meigs ) Stone, the latter of whom was a member of the famous Meigs family. noted in colonial and Revolutionary history. Caleb Stone, who was born at Guilford, Connecticut, in 1685, was a son of Nathaniel Stone, who was a man of importance in the colony, a lieutenant in 1702 and a deputy of the general court. Lieut. Nathaniel Stone was a son of John Stone, who was born in Herefordshire. England, near Guilford. in 1610 and came to New England in the summer of 1630 in company with William Leete, who afterward became Governor Leete, and his family and that of Governor Leete were afterward intermarried. Betsy Stone lived in New York until her marriage and two of her children were born there. Levi Burdick died on January 15, 1888, and his widow survived him a little more than four years, her death occurring on March 5. 1892. Dora Bur- dick lived on the home farm until her marriage to Mr. Kirby and has lived there ever since.
WILLIAM J. BROWNE.
One of the farmers of Danby township. lonia county, who is making a specialty of thoroughbred live stock in connection with general farming. is William J. Browne, who was born in Milford, Oakland county, Michigan, December 20, 1853, and is a son of Dr. Robert and Mary Ann ( McConnell ) Browne. The father was born in Dublin, Ireland, where he grew to man- hood and was educated, but studied medicine in Glasgow University, Glas- gow, Scotland. For some time he served as physician on the ocean liners between Liverpool and New York. He came of an educated and intellectual family. United States Senator Borah, of klaho, is a relative. Doctor Browne finally located in New York City, where he practiced his profession for some time and where he met and married Mary Ann McConnell, who was a native of Ireland, from which country she came to America when twelve years old. Shortly after she met Doctor Browne her parents moved to Oakland county, Michigan, where her father engaged in farming. While
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM J. BROWNE.
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living in New York, Mr. MeConnell was a member of the police force. Doctor Browne and wife were married in Milford, Oakland county, and lived there from 1850 to 1853, when they moved to Danby township. Ionia county, William J. being an infant at the time, and the following year the McConnells moved here. Doctor Browne continued to practice medicine, becoming one of the leading pioneer physicians of lonia county, practicing here for a period of about twenty years, or until his death, in 1872. His widow survived until 1880. They were the parents of four children. namely: Joseph. deceased when a boy: William, J., the subject of this sketch; Robert S. is engaged in the real-estate business in San Francisco. California: Clarence M. is engaged in the theater business in London, Eng- land.
William J. Browne received his education in the public schools. On October 3, 1879. he married Rose E. Wallington, a daughter of Cornelius D. and Mary D. ( Reed) Wallington. The father of the subject's wife was a native of London, England, from which place he came to the United States when twelve years old. locating in Washtenaw county, Michigan, where he lived six years. then came to Eaton county, this state, and worked on a farm for some time, later buying a farm of his own there on which he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, his death occurring in October, :902. but she survived until August 26. 1915. They were the parents of six children. four of whom grew to maturity, namely: Ella, wife of James C. Belknap. Ptoskey, Michigan : Rose E., wife of William J. Browne; F. C. is an attor- ney in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan: Vernie is the wife of William Wilcox, of Grand Ledge, Michigan.
After his marriage Mr. Browne settled on a farm just across the road from the homestead and there he resided for a period of eighteen years. then moved to his present farm of one hundred and eighty-six acres in Danby township. Ile also owns one hundred and six acres in section 36 and forty acres in section 34. He is carrying on general farming and raising thoroughbred Jersey cattle, his fine herd being headed by the bull "Lorettas Don," No. 1211 34.
Politically. Mr. Browne is a Republican. He and his wife were formerly identified with the Methodist church, but are now Christian Scientists. A. J. McConnell. an uncle, was formerly governor of the state of Oregon, and for two terms governor of Idaho.
In 1903 Mr. and Mrs. Browne made an extended trip through the British Isles and the continent. They visited many places of interest in ( fra)
.
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London, Glasgow and Paris. They visited the okl Browne homestead and also Stratford-on-Avon, the home of Shakespeare, and other notable places.
Dr. Robert Rayburn, noted surgeon of Washington, D. C., who at- tended President Garfield as physician during his last illness and also pre- viously, was a first cousin of the subject of this sketch.
ARTON L. BENEDICT.
Arton L. Benedict, one of lonia county's best-known and most sub- stantial farmers, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred acres in section 32, lonia township, on rural route No. 2, out of Ionia, is a native son of this county, born on a farm in Orange township, January 29, 1874, son of Ledrue R. and Mary ( Taylor ) Benedict, for many years well-known and influential residents of that township, a further history of whom is set out in detail in a biographical sketch relating to Ledrue R. Benedict, presented elsewhere in this volume.
Arton 1. Benedict was reared on the paternal farm in Orange town- ship, receiving his education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, and remained at home until his marriage in 1902, when he estab- lished his home on his present farm of one hundred acres in section 32. lonia township. where he and his family are very comfortably situated. In addition to operating his own farm, Mr. Benedict also manages the adjoin- ing farm of seventy acres owned by his mother-in-law, Mrs. William Adgate, who makes her home with him. Mr. Benedict has done well in his farming operations and is regarded as one of the solid, substantial citizens of that neighborhood.
It was on August 20, 1902, that Arton E. Benediet was united in mar- riage to Nellie Adgate, who was born in lonia township. this county, on a farm about three miles south of lonia, daughter of William and Sarah ( Tuttle ) Adgate, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Barton I., born on November 14, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Benedict are members of the Methodist church in Orange township and take an earnest interest in the general beneficences of the same, as well as in all local good works.
The place where Mrs. Benedict was born has been in the Adgate fam- ily's possession since 1846, and there has never been a death there. Her father. William Adgate, deceased, formerly and for years a prosperous and influential farmer in the southern part of tonia township, was born in
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Sullivan county, New York, November 20, 1829, and died in Angust, 1901. His father's father, Thomas Adgate, who was a soklier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War, lived to be ninety-seven years old. His mother's father. Grandfather Porter, served from beginning to end of the Revolutionary War, and his father, AAbel Adgate, was an infantryman dur- ing the War of 1812. Abel Adgate was born in Connecticut, as was his wife, who was Polly Porter, though they were married in New Jersey. For a time they lived in Orange county, New York, but later moved to the neighboring county of Sullivan, where he engaged in lumbering. About 1820 he moved to Courtland county, same state, where he lived until 1838, in which year he came to Michigan and settled in Oakland county. In the fall of that year he came over into lonia county and bought a farm in the southern part of lonia township. now occupied by his granddaughter, but did not take possession of the same until the fall of r841. He died in October of the following year, 1842, and his widow survived until 1871, she being eighty-four years of age at the time of her death.
William Adgate was nine years old when his parents came to Michi- gan and at the age of sixteen began to farm on his own account, operating half of the homestead farm. His father had died three years before and his widowed mother kept house for him until his marriage. He did well in his farming operations and after awhile erected a fine residence on his farm, the same now being the home of his son. Lewis Adgate. Both William Adgate and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist church and for years he was a elass leader and chairman of the board of trustees. He was an ardent Prohibitionist and did much to advance the cause of tem- perance hereabout.
It was on January 7. 1854, that William Adgate was united in mar- riage to Sarah Tuttle, who was born in Portage county, Ohio, May 1, 1838, daughter of Nelson and Sophia ( Pangborn) Tuttle, the former of whom was born at Deerfield, Massachusetts. in 1800, and the latter in the Mohawk valley, in New York, in 1805. In the spring of 1846 Nelson Tuttle and family came to Michigan from Ohio and settled on a homestead farm in section 32, lonia township, this county. Nelson Tuttle was a most carnest Methodist and built the first church in lonia township outside lonia and for many years served as class leader there. His wife died in 1865 and he later married Eunice K. Taleott, which second union was without issue. He lived many years, his death occurring on August 18. 1800, he then being ninety years of age. He and his first wife were the parents of twelve children and two of his sons served as soldiers of the Union during the
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Civil War. one ot them, Emory Tuttle, being killed in the battle of Gettys- burg.
To William and Sarah ( Tuttle) Adgate seven children were born, namely : Mrs. Fred Scheurer, who lives in Orange township, this county: Franklin, who married Lizzie Fleming, and lives in that same township; Mary Jane, who married Frank Taft and lives in the south part of Ionia township; Flora, who married Winthrop Hall and died on August 19, 1914; John W., who married Nellie Welsin and lives in Orange township; Lewis, who married Ella Hazzard and lives on the old homestead in Ionia township, and Nellie, who married the subject of this biographical sketch.
JAMES KENNEDY.
In making up the memorial annals of lonia county no name should be given higher honor than that of the late James Kennedy, one of the most influential pioneer residents of this county, a man who for years marked the impress of his strong and upright character upon the life of this community and who did very much toward bringing about proper conditions of social and economic life in the formative period of this section of the state. He was a man of untiring energy and was possessed of great business aenmen. His widow, who survived him for abont fourteen years, also was a conspicuous figure - in the pioneer life of this section and a woman of extraordinary influence upon the general social life of the community, both she and her husband ever standing firmly for those things that are true and of good report, so that in their passing they left good memories.
James Kennedy was born at Armagh, Ireland, September 9, 1832. and came to this country when he was seventeen years of age. Ile first located at Brampton, Canada, but presently moved to Michigan City, Indiana, coming thence, in the spring of 1854, to lonia county. Not long after his arrival here he formed a partnership with his cousin, Henry J. Wilson, and engaged in the mercantile business at lonia, this association continuing for several years. Something more than two years after coming here, Mr. Kennedy was united in marriage, September 24, 1856, to Eliza .A. Mose- man, who was born in the town of Niles, Cayuga county, New York, February 31, 1834, and who, at the age of ten years, came to Michigan with her parents, Charles M. Moseman and wife, the family settling at fonia and at once becoming active in the pioneer life of that village. Not
MR. AND MRS. JAMES KENNEDY.
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long after his marriage Mr. Kennedy associated himself with A. F. Carr, who at that time operated a large general store in what was known as the Union block, and was thus connected until 1860, in which year he opened a private bank at lonia, one of the first institutions of the kind in this county, and was thus engaged. doing a successful business, until the organi- zation of the First National Bank of lonia in 1864, when he put in his forces with those of the new bank and was elected cashier of the same. During the time he was engaged in the private banking business, on account of certain financial conditions existing at that time, Mr. Kennedy was unable to obtain necessary small change and to overcome the difficulty issued a large number of copper coins, upon which were stamped his name, and these readily passed current in the community as cents. Some of these coins are still in circulation hereabout and all that were presented for redemption were taken up by the bank as they came in after the stringency in small change had passed.
In 1867 James Kennedy began lumbering operations on the Muskegon river near the village of Hersey, at which place he conducted a large gen- eral store. He also formed a partnership with Delos A. Blodgett and the firm of Blodgett & Kennedy conducted extensive lumbering operations at Hersey. Later. Mr. Kennedy founded what is known as the city of Evart. this state, and all the lots and parcels of land sold there since that time bear his name as the original holder of the title. In 1875 Mr. Kennedy became interested in Texas properties and devoted his entire time to those interests until 1893. At one time he was managing a ranch upon which there were more than thirty thousand head of cattle. By reason, however, of the default of the treasurer of the company of which Mr. Kennedy was general manager. the western enterprise was closed out and Mr. Kennedy there- after was engaged in conducting a large coal mine at Rippey. lowa. In 1893 he accidentally fell down the shaft of the elevator at the Ozark hotel at Chicago, a distance of fifty feet, and was permanently disabled, never being able thereafter to walk without the aid of canes; yet as soon as his condition would permit he resumed his business and traveled over the country, as the demands of the business required, though ever at great per- sonal inconvenience, by reason of his physical disabilities. Mr. Kennedy died on August 31. 1901, leaving his widow and two children, Harriet K .. wife of George E. Nichols, and Henry J. Kennedy, both of lonia.
Mrs. Eliza A. Kennedy, widow of James Kennedy, died at her home in lonia on September 11. 1915. at the advanced age of eighty-one years. . having been a continuous resident of that city for seventy-one years. She
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was one of the earliest pioneers of the county and at the time of her death was the oldest resident of the city of Ionia. For fifty years she had lived in her home at the corner of Rich and Summit streets in Ionia and had been an active member of the Presbyterian church for over fifty-eight years. The following extract from one of the daily papers at the time of her death is a fitting tribute to her character: "In her home-going, Ionia has lost one of its earliest, heroic and highly esteemed pioneer residents ; the Presbyterian church a valued member of over fifty-eight years, and her large circle of personal friends an associate bound to their hearts by many ties. The heart sincerity of this good woman, the spirit of laughter always contagious, will ever be recalled by those who knew her best."
JESSE H. SMITH.
Jesse H. Smith, cashier of the National Bank of Ionia and who has been connected with that sound old financial institution since 1902, is a native of Michigan, having been born at Riverdale, this state. November 19, 1879. son of Dr. Charles D. and Mary A. ( Aselstyne ) Smith, the former a native of New York state and the latter of Michigan.
Dr. Charles D. Smith came to this state as a youth with his parents, natives of New York state, who settled in Gratiot county in pioneer days and there spent the remainder of their lives, substantial farming people. lle was reared in that county and early turned his attention to the practice of medicine, becoming one of the best-known physicians in this part of the state. During the Civil War, Dr. Charles D. Smith enlisted for service in the Battle Creek detachment of the Michigan Engineers and Mechanics Corps, and after the close of the war continued his military service in the Indians wars in the Bad Lands region for some time. Doctor Smith mar- ried Mary A. Aselstyne, who was born near Monroe, this state. her par- ents also having been New Yorkers and early settlers of this state, and not long thereafter located at Muir. this county, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1912, then being seventy-one years of age. Doctor Smith took an active part in civic affairs and for some time served as president of the village of Muir and also as a member of the school board. Ilis widow still survives him. They were the parents of four children. Fred W .. of Spokane, Washington: Jesse 11 .. the subject of this sketch: Bessie, wife of Bernard R. Ely, of Ionia, and Neil A .. of Wilbur, Washington.
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Jesse 11. Smith was reared at Muir, this county, and was graduated from the high school there, after which he learned telegraphy and passenger work and was in the service of the Grand Trunk railroad. being stationed variously at St. Johns. Ovid and Tonia, and was thus engaged until 1902. in which year he entered the service of the National Bank of lonia as a bookkeeper. Ile afterward was promoted to the position of assistant cashier and in January, 1915, was elevated to the position of cashier of the bank and has since been serving in that responsible and important capacity. Mr. Smith is a Republican and served for some time as assistant city treasurer of lonia, later filling out the unexpired term of the treasurer. He is seere- tary-treasurer of the lonia Gas Company, of which he also is a director. and is treasurer of the Ionia Board of Trade.
On October 12. 1908. Jesse 11. Smith was united in marriage to Edna Freeman, who was born in Pewamo, this county, daughter of Alonzo and Flora ( Worden) Freeman, natives of Michigan, who now reside in lonia and to whom four children were born, those besides Mrs. Smith being Mrs. Pearl Phelps: Winifred, deceased, and Glenn A. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith one child has been born, a daughter. Virginia Winifred. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Presbyterian church and take an earnest interest in the general, cultural and social affairs of the community, being held in high esteem by their many friends hereabout.
GEORGE N. SHAW.
George N. Shaw, veteran merchant, furniture dealer and undertaker, head of the firm of George N. Shaw & Son. of Muir, this county, of which place he has been a resident since 1867, is a native of New York, having been born in the town of Lima, that state, July 10, 1838. son of William H. and Margarete ( Chew) Shaw, who came to Michigan in 1849 and located at Plymouth, from which place, a year later, they moved to Fenton, where they established their permanent home. William H. Shaw was a carriage- maker and for years successfully operated a carriage shop at Fenton, where his son. George N .. became thoroughly familiar with that trade.
In 1863. at Fenton. George N. Shaw was united in marriage to Julia Catherine Wiggins, who was born in New Brunswick, Canada, a daughter of William A. and Betsy ( Seacord) Wiggins, who moved to New York state about 1845 and thence, some years later. to Michigan, settling in
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Detroit. where they remained for some years before finally making their home at Fenton. In 1867. three years after their marriage, George N. Shaw and his wife came to Ionia county and settled at Muir, where Mr. Shaw opened a carriage-making and blacksmith shop and became one of that then bustling humber town's most active and useful citizens. He con- tinned thus engaged until 1878, in which year he abandoned the shop and opened a furniture store and undertaking establishment, which business he has conducted ever since and in which he has been quite successful, the establishment now occupying three connected store rooms. In 1898 he and his son, George L. Shaw, started a furniture store and undertaking estab- lishment in Carson City, in the neighboring county of Montcalm, and con- ducted the same for two years, at the end of which time they sold it to advantage and since that time have devoted their whole attention to the business at Muir, George L. Shaw long having been a partner of his father in business.
Mrs. Julia Catherme Shaw died on June 6, 1915. She and her hus- band had been married fifty-two years and had lived in the home which the latter still occupies at Mnir for forty-five years. She was an earnest member of the Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Shaw has also been a member for more than fifty years, and both had long been looked upon as among the leaders in good works in and about Muir. Mr. Shaw is a Mason of many years standing and still takes a warm interest in the affairs of that ancient order. To him and his wife three children were born, Edith, now living at Colorado Springs, Colorado, who married David Ackley and had two sons, David and George L., the latter of whom is now dead : William .A., who died at the age of twenty-six years, and George L .. who was born at Muir, September 30, 1877, and who has lived there all his life. with the exception of two years spent in business at Carson City.
George L. Shaw supplemented the schooling received in the public schools at Muir by a course in a business college at Grand Rapids and in 1808. he then being twenty-one years of age, engaged in business at Muir and has ever since been thus engaged, for some years past having had general charge of the business. In 1907 he took a course in embalming at the Barnes School of Embalming at Chicago and is a licensed embalmer, under the provisions of the state law.
In 1809, while living at Carson City, George L. Shaw was united in marriage to Louise E. Strong, who was born in Chicago. daughter of Major James AA. and Louise ( Sweet ) Strong. both of whom were born at Marshall, this state. Major Strong was an honored veteran of the Civil
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War and upon the conclusion of his military service became connected with the Chicago Times and spent the rest of his life in that city, his death occurring in 1882. Shortly after the Major's death, his widow and her children moved to Carson City. but after the marriage of her daughter. Louise, to Mr. Shaw, Mrs. Strong returned to Chicago, where she is still making her home. To Mr. and Mrs. Shaw one child has been born, a daughter. Dorothy Louise. They are members of the Presbyterian church and take an active interest in the various social and cultural movements of their home town. Mr Shaw is a Knight Templar Mason and both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. Shaw also is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Modern Woodmen and in the affairs of all these organizations takes a warm interest.
FRANK A. BURTRAW.
Frank A. Burtraw, well-known business man at Muir, this county, proprietor of the Burtraw meat market there, is a native son of lonia county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in North Plains township on August 4, 1873, son of Israel and Polly ( Jenks ) Burt- raw, the former a native of Canada and the latter of this county, both of whom are now dead.
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