USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 24
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BURT W. ARNOLD.
Burt W. Arnold supervisor of Easton township, this county. proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty-one acres and a pleasant home situ- ated on rural route No. 2, out of Saranac, and who has long been regarded as one of the most substantial and progressive farmers of his neighborhood. is a native son of lonia county, a member of one of the oklest families in this section of Michigan, his grandfather, Dexter Arnokl, who was a kins- man of Erastus Yeomans and Oliver Arnold, members of the colony which founded lonia, having come here in 1835. two years after the original settle- ment, and established his home in the then wilderness.
The Arnold family is of old New England stock. of English ancestry. and was well established in this country in early colonial days. Dexter Arnold, the lonia pioneer, was born on March 1. 1795. son of Job and Hannah ( Dexter) Arnold, the former of whom, a soldier in the patriot army during the War of the Revolution, died in 1834. in his seventy-fourth year, his widow surviving him five years, her death occurring at Ionia on July 11, 1839, she then being seventy-eight years of age. Job Arnold, the patriot soldier, was a son of Job and Freelove Arnold, the former of whom.
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM D. ARNOLD AND SONS, BURT W. AND FRED.
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born in 1707. died on July 20, 1776, and the latter, born in 1721, died on March 23, 1811. in the ninetieth year of her age, after having been a widow thirty-four years. Dexter Arnold married Olive Kimball, also a member of an old colonial family. of English descent, and to that union four sons were born. Anson R .. William D. and Walter Damon ( twins) and Irving E. When the family came to this county in the fall of 1835, two years after the original settlement at Ionia, the village consisted of four log houses and one frame house. Dexter Arnold cleared a space in the woods and erected a log cabin in the settlement, but after a time moved one mile farther north. where he established his permanent residence and where he spent the remain- der of his days, his death occurring on June 9. 1879. His wife, Olive ( Kimball ) Arnold, had long predeceased him and was the first person buried in Oak Hill cemetery.
William D. Arnold, one of the twin sons of Dexter Arnokl and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Herkimer county, New York, May 25. 1827. and was a little more than eight years old when he came to the wilds of lonia county with his parents in 1835. He grew to manhood on the pioneer farm north of lonia and on December 24. 1854, married Isabel Kimball, who was born in Bennington county. Vermont, October 23. 1836, daughter of Martin and Lucena ( Smith) Kimball, the former a native of Rhode Island and the latter of Vermont. Martin Kimball was born on December 25, 1804, son of Noah and Azuba (Salisbury ) Kimball, the former born on August 8, 1764, and the latter, January 24. 1764. In 1849) Martin Kimball and family came to this county and became early settlers in Easton township. Mrs. Kimball died in October, 1855. and Mr. Kimball died on March 12, 1875. They were members of the Wesleyan Methodist church.
In 1855, the year after their marriage, William D. Arnold and his wife settled on a farm out on the river road in the woods about five miles west of Ionia, in the southwest part of Easton township, and there erected a log cabin and proceeded to establish their home. Ten years later they built a frame house and in 1800 erected the present commodious residence occupied by Burt W. Arnold. William D. Arnold was a good farmer and an active, energetic citizen, who carly became regarded as one of the leaders in the community life of his neighborhood. He took an active part in public affairs and for six years was township supervisor. He and his wife were men- bers of the Wesleyan Methodist church and took a prominent part in all good works in the vicinity of their home. Mr. Arnold for years was one of the stewards of his church and Mrs. Arnold was one of the leaders of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, of which she was treasurer. Mr.
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Arnold was a Prohibitionist and both he and his wife were in full sympathy with all movements designed to advance the general welfare of their com- munity. About 1879 they retired from the farm and moved to Saranac, where they spent the remainder of their lives. William D. Arnokl dying on January 10. 1909, and his wife on January 9. 1914. She was the third in order of birth of the five daughters born to her parents, Martin Kimball and wife, and her death, at the age of seventy-seven, was the first break in that devoted group of sisters. William D. Arnold was eighty-two years of age at the time of his death and his twin brother died about the same time. Their elder brother, Anson R. Arnold, lived to be past eighty, and their younger brother, Irving E., is still living, a hale and hearty octogenarian. To Will- iam D. Arnold and wife two sons were born. Burt W., the subject of this sketch, and Fred, of lonia.
Burt W. Arnold was born in the original log-cabin home of his parents. on the farm on which he still makes his home, on May 7, 1853. and grew to manhood on the home place. lle married in the fall of 1880 and for two years thereafter lived in a rented house north of his home, employing himself at various occupations. He then returned to the old home place to take direction of the same and has ever since made his home there, he and his family being very pleasantly and very comfortably situated. In addi- tion to being an excellent general farmer, Mr. Arnold is a competent car- penter and has worked at that trade quite a bit. He also for fifteen years operated a threshing outfit in his neighborhood and has long been looked upon as one of the most energetic and substantial citizens of that com- munity. lle is a Democrat and for years has given close attention to local political affairs. He was highway commissioner for two years and town- ship treasurer for two years. In the spring of 1914 he was elected town- ship supervisor and is now serving the public in that capacity.
On September 18, 1880. Burt W. Arnold was united in marriage to Mary Taylor, who was born on a farm near Charles City, lowa, daughter of George and Catherine ( Rote) Taylor, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania, who were married in Floyd county, Iowa. In 1882 George Taylor and his family came to this state and located on a farm in section 19. Easton township, this county, where they lived about twelve years, at the end of which time Mr. Taylor moved to Ionia, where he engaged in the livery business. He died in 1807 and his widow is still living at Ionia. To Mr. and Mrs. Arnold two children have been born, Martin K. and Stella M .. both of whom are still at home. Mr. Arnold is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of the Maccabees.
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CHARLES COOK EYSTER.
Charles Cook Lyster, of the firm of Dean & Eyster, general merchan- dise, at lonia, one of the best-known and most successful business men of that city, is a native son of the Old Dominion, having been born at Prunty- town. in Tyler county, Virginia. December 31, 1845, son of Dr. William Danner and Mary ( Hupp) Eyster, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Virginia, both of whom spent all their lives in the East.
Dr. William D. Eyster was a physician of note in his community, and the most of his active life was spent at Fairmont, Virginia, in which city he was engaged in practice for years. He was a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and at one time was the editor of a news- paper at Fairmont and was also director of a bank there, but his heart was in his profession and his activities chiefly were confined to his extensive practice. The founder of the Eyster family in this country was John Jacob Eyster, who came to America from Wurtemberg, Germany, some time between the years 1712 and 1720 and settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania ; and a Daniel Eyster was a captain in the patriot army during the Revolu- tionary War. Doctor Eyster's wife was a member of an old and prominent family in Virginia, one of the Happs having been a distinguished judge of the court and others of the name having held high stations in life. Doctor Eyster died in the latter part of the year 1865, he then being sixty-five years of age. His wife had preceded him to the grave many years, her death having occurred in 1849. In their religious persuasion they were Baptists and their children were reared in that faith. There were eight of these children. of whom six are still living, namely: Clara, widow of Newton S. Barnes, of Fairmont, West Virginia; Margaret, widow of Dr. W. W. Granger. also of Fairmont : Virginia, widow of J. E. Sands, of Fairmont ; Dr. George Hupp Eyster, now living retired at "Bellemont Farm," in Angusta county, Virginia: Charles C., the immediate subject of this bio- graphical sketch, and Anna, who married Charles H. Sensency, and is now living at Chicago with her youngest son.
Charles C. Eyster spent his boyhood in Fairmont, Virginia (now in West Virginia ) his education being directed by a competent tutor, and was living there when the Civil War broke out. His father and all his family were ardent supporters of the Union cause and he enlisted for service in that behalf in the Sixth Regiment, West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, and upon the expiration of his original term of enlistment re-enlisted, serving
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altogether three years, nine months and eighteen days, entering as a private and being mustered out with the rank of regimental hospital steward. in which useful capacity he had served during the latter part of his service. At the close of his military experience, Mr. Eyster returned to Fairmont and resumed his occupation as a drug clerk, remaining there until 1868, in which year he went to California, where for a time he was engaged in the drug business. He later followed mining in Nevada and Idaho and then went on down into Arizona, where for eighteen years he was engaged in the cattle business, during which time, in 1885, he made a trip to Michigan, and at lonia married Nellie Irish, taking her back with him to his cattle ranch on the Rio Verde. At the beginning of the Harrison administration. Mr. Eyster was appointed internal revenue collector for the district comprising a portion of Arizona and a portion of New Mexico, during which term of service he had his headquarters at Tucson. While thus engaged Mr. Eyster disposed of his cattle business and upon the completion of his term of offi- cial service, in 1893, returned to Michigan and settled in Ionia, his wife's girlhood home.
Mrs. Eyster was born at Lyons, this county, daughter of David and Leonora ( Lyon) Irish, natives of Vermont and early settlers of this county, who had come here in 1836. The town of Lyons was named for Truman Lyon, who also was prominent in the early affairs of Grand Rapids. David Irish was in the clothing business in lonia at an early day and was also for some years postmaster of the town and the proprietor of the old Eagle hotel. Both he and his wife lived to advanced ages, both spending their last days in lonia. They were the parents of six children. Emily, Delia, Laura, Henry, Edward and Nellie.
Not long after returning to lonia, Mr. Eyster, in October, 1895. formed a partnership with O. II. Dean, a veteran of the Civil War and a well- known merchant of lonia, and established the present firm of Dean & Kyster, which ever since has been very successfully engaged in the general mercantile business at lonia, long having been regarded as one of the lead- ing firms engaged in that line in this part of the state. Both members of the firm have a wide acquaintance hereabout and are held in high regard in commercial circles generally. They are kindly and dignified in their rela- tions to the general public and belong to that type of manhood generally classed under the head of "gentlemen of the old school." Mr. Eyster is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to the political affairs of the county, though never having been included in the office-seek-
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ing class. He is an active member of the William H. Boardman Post No. 211, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Michigan, in the affairs of which he takes a warm interest. Mrs. Eyster is a member of the Pres- byterian church and both she and Mr. Eyster for years have been active in good works in and about lonia, being held in the highest esteem by the entire community.
ORIN STONE.
Orin Stone, of the firm of Winchell & Stone, undertakers and dealers in furniture at lonia, this county, and one of the best-known and most progressive business men in that city, is a native son of lonia county, hav- ing been born on a farm near Muir, in lonia township, September 23, 1872, son of Silas N. and Lorana E. ( Beverly) Stone, the former of whom was born in Livingston county, New York, and the latter in the city of Jackson, this state, long well-known residents of this county, whose last days were spent in the city of Ionia.
Silas N. Stone was born in the year 1838, son of Darius and Mahala ( Norton ) Stone. both natives of New York, the former of whom was born in Green county and the latter in Genesee county, farming people, who came to Michigan in 1846 and located in the vicinity of Muir, in lonia township, this county, where they established a permanent home and where they spent the remainder of their lives. Upon coming to this county Darius Stone bought six eighty-acre tracts of timber land, from the timber on which he profited handsomely and all of which he eventually improved, leaving to each of his children at his death a nice inheritance. There were seven of these children, Frances J .. Orin, Silas N., Charles Wesley. Mahala E. and Darius A. (twins), and Clarissa E. The mother of these children, who was born on November 13. 1811, died on May 14. 1865. Darius Stone survived his wife more than twenty years, his death occurring on March 14, 1888. He was born on September 30, 1812.
Silas N. Stone was eight years old when he came with his parents to this county and he grew to manhood on the paternal farm in lonia town- ship. He early became interested in the threshing business and for many years operated a threshing-machine outfit throughout the county. He was the owner of a farm of eighty acres in fonia township, and there he estab- lished his home. He married Lorana E. Beverly, who was born near Jack- son, this state, daughter of Francis and AAmy ( Page) Beverly, natives of
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Steuben county, New York, who became early settlers of the Jackson neigh- borhood, where they spent the rest of their lives. Mrs. Beverly died in middle life, but Mr. Beverly lived to be past eighty-four. They were the parents of five children, Margaret. Lucinda, Marietta, Jesse and Lorana. In 1889 Silas N. Stone and wife retired from the farm and moved to lonia, where the rest of their lives was spent, Mr. Stone, however, continu- ing to direct the affairs of his farm and to manage his threshing outfit dur- ing the threshing seasons for years thereafter. He died on September 8. 1910, at the age of seventy-two years, and his widow survived him for nearly five years, her death occurring on June 3. 1915. she also being seventy- two years of age at the time of her death. Both were earnest members of the Christian church and their children were reared in that faith. There were four of these children, namely: Linna, wife of Eugene Knapp. of Jonia ; Francis E., who was accidentally killed when seven years okl; Orin, the immediate subject of this sketch, and Jessie, deceased, who was the wife of W. C. Peer.
Orin Stone spent his early youth on the home farm in lonia township. receiving his elementary education in the district school in that neighbor- hood. He later attended the high school at Muir and when the family moved to lonia in 1889 he entered the high school in that city and was graduated therefrom in 1802. He then began clerking in a dry-goods store in lonia, becoming thoroughly familiar with the details of that business. and in voor he and his brother-in-law. W. C. Peer. formed a partnership and engaged in the dry-goods business at Ionia, being thus engaged for four years, at the end of which time they sold the store to advantage. Two months later, in 1905. Mr. Stone became associated with Mr. Winchell as a partner in the furniture and undertaking business at lonia and has ever since been thus engaged. the firm being regarded as one of the leaders in its line in this part of the state, both departments of the business being con- (lucted along modern and up-to-date lines.
On August 20, 1903. Orin Stone was united in marriage to Blanche M. Hoy, who was born at Johnsonburg, in Wyoming county. New York, daughter of George and Lucy ( Stone) Hoy. the former of whom was born in Ireland and the latter in Johnsouburg. New York, both of whom are now deceased. George Hoy and his wife were the parents of ten children. Edwin C .. Ella M., Wilson R .. Elizabeth J .. George A., Lucy E., Blanche M. and three who died in youth. To Mr. and Mrs. Stone one chikl has been born, a daughter, Lucy Fois. They are members of the Church of
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Christ, of which Mr. Stone is a deacon, and both take a warm interest in the general welfare of the community, being held in high esteem by their many friends. Mr. Stone is a Democrat, as was his father before him, and takes a good citizen's interest in local politics. He is a member of Ionia Lodge No. 548, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and takes an active interest in the affairs of that popular organization.
JOSEPH MORSE.
As a farmer and stock raiser, Joseph Morse, of Portland township, ranks with the most painstaking in fonia county, and is therefore succeed- ing in his chosen vocation. He was born in Washtenaw county, Michigan, July 14. 1851, and is a son of Thomas J. and Christena ( Saybins ) Morse. The father was born on July 17, 1806, and the mother on February 12, 1824. She was a native of Germany, where she grew to womanhood and was educated, and when twenty-two years of age came to the United States, direct to Washtenaw county, Michigan, where she met and married Thomas J. Morse. They came to lonia county in 1854, locating in Portland town- ship and spent the rest of their lives on a farm here. Their family con- sisted of seven children, two of whom are deceased; the others are, Joseph. the subject of this sketch: Agnes is the wife of Jacob J. Hlatinger, and they live in Edmore, Michigan; Mary is the widow of Burotte A. Allchin, and they live in McBride. Michigan: William 11. is farming in Portland town- Ship: Charles C. is farming in Sebewa township.
Joseph Morse was reared on the home farm and received a common- school education. He was married to Mrs. Mary L. (Guernsey ) Fox, April 13. 1882. She was born in Oswego, New York. April 17. 1858, and is a daughter of Albert Guernsey and wife. To Joseph Morse and wife four sons have been born, namely : Nelson C. lives in Detroit ; Gilbert J. married Aha Sanborn and they live in Lansing, Michigan ; Stanley, born on October 4. 1863, was educated in the schools of Portland, and Robert T., born on Angust 6. 1897. are single and live at home.
Mr. Morse is a Democrat and has held several township offices. Ile and his wife belong to Portland Chapter No. 258. Order of the Eastern Star. and he is a prominent Mason, being past master of Portland Lodge No. 31, Free and Accepted Masons, and past high priest of the chapter, and past thrice illustrious master in the council, and is also past master of the
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Portland Grange, of which his wife is also a member and in which she has held offices. He has conferred the master mason degree on two of his sons, Stanley M. and Nelson C., who are members of the lodge at Portland.
Mr. Morse has a good farm of one hundred and four and one-half acres, and in connection with general farming is making a specialty of rais- ing a fine grade of Ohio Improved Chester hogs.
CLINTON GATES.
Clinton Gates, a farmer of Berlin township, Ionia county, Michigan, living on rural route No. 4, out of Saranac, was born in Springfield town- ship, Erie county, Pennsylvania, on December 18, 1840, being a son of Henry P. and Sally (Stephens) Gates, the former of whom was born in Madison county, New York, on May 25, 1813, and the latter in New Hamp- shire on November 4, 1816.
Henry P. Gates and wife were married in Pennsylvania in 1834 and after a short time came into Indiana, where they located near Muncie in Delaware county. In 1845 they moved to the state of Michigan and secured a location in section 5. Berlin township, lonia county, where they passed their remaining days. She died on September 28. 1899, and within a few months, on April 9. 1900, he followed her into the Great Beyond. They were both active members of the Baptist church at Saranac, in which he was a deacon for many years. He was a Democrat in politics and was regarded as a careful farmer, giving excellent attention to his homestead of eighty acres. There were four children in the Gates family, three of whom are still living. Lydia is the wife of W. H. Disbrow, of Marion, this state; Zaphaniah is dead: Clinton, the subject of this sketch, is the third child. and David A. is a farmer living near Saranac. Clinton was four years old when brought to this township and made the most of the meager advan- tages offered by the district schools of that day. His schooling was con- fined to about three months of the year and when still a youth, he closed his books and became his father's helper on the home place, remaining thereon until twenty-seven years of age. On January 4. 1864, he was united in marriage to Martha J. AAndrews, of Kalamazoo county, this state. She was born in New York state on June 8. 1843, and there passed her girlhood, being grown when she came to make her home in Kalamazoo county, this state. There are seven children in the Clinton Gates family. Elva is the
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MR. AND MRS. CLINTON GATES.
1
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wife of Harvey Gafney; Ruth married Otis Butler; Blanche is Mrs. Gard- ner Eddy; Thomas P. married Belle Howell; Mark C. married Jennie Hart- well and lives in Berlin township; Grace is the wife of Martin Baker, and Ray I. married Mattie White.
Clinton Gates is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while his wife belongs to the Baptist. He is a Democrat in politics and has served one term as justice of the peace for his township. He is a quiet, unassum- ing man, who attends carefully to the farming of his ninety-acre tract, all of which is the result of his own effort. He is well thought of by those who know him best and is considered a representative citizen of lonia county.
RUFUS LEE PAGE.
Rufus Lee Page, well-known and extensive dealer in coal and building material at Ionia and one of the most active men of affairs in this com- munity, is a native son of Ionia, having been born there on February 2, 1866. son of Wellington Cass and Amarilla O. (Heath) Page, the former a native of New York state and the latter of Ohio, prominent early resi- «lents of this community and the parents of two children, the subject of this biographical sketch having had a sister. Mamie .A., now deceased.
Wellington (. Page, for many years one of the most influential figures in the financial and commercial life of Ionia, was born at Whitestown, in Oneida county, New York, where he was well reared and well educated, eldest of the three children of his parents, he having had a brother, Stephen F .. and a sister. Amanda. When he was still a young man his parents emigrated from New York to Michigan, settling in this county, where they entered a tract of government land, established their home and here spent the remainder of their lives, highly respected pioneer residents of this com- munity. Upon coming to this county, Wellington C. Page and his brother, Stephen Page, entered a considerable tract of "Congress land" and cleared and improved a farm of seven hundred acres northeast of lonia, to which they added considerably by later purchases, and early became recognized as among the leaders in affairs hereabout.
In 1862 Wellington C. Page moved into . lonia and there engaged in the banking business, also establishing a grain elevator and an extensive coal yard and was thus actively engaged the rest of his life. Ile was for ( 17a )
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years president of the old Second National Bank at lonia, later succeeded by the National Bank of the same city, and upon retiring from the position of directing head of that financial concern started a private bank which he operated in connection with his other enterprises and for years was regarded as one of the leading business men of the town. His death occurred in 1891, he then being seventy-one years of age.
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