USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 36
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James H. Somers was born in Steuben county, New York, May 30. 1839, son of Nicholas and Alvira ( Yerton) Somers, the former of whom was born in Herkimer county, New York, March 4, 1812, son of John and Mary Catherine Somers, who came to this country from Germany. Alvira Yerton was a daughter of Henry and Kate ( Madole) Yerton, the latter a
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daughter of Thomas Madole, or MacDole, of Mohawk. Nicholas Somers died at his home in Ronald township, this county, in 1874. On February 21, 1861, in Steuben county, New York, James H. Somers was united in marriage to Caroline Phoebe Johnson, who was born at South Dansville, in that county, December 8, 1842, daughter of Lewis and Patience Calista ( louks) Johnson, the former of whom, born on April 29, 1812, son of Jesse and Mary ( Hallock ) Johnson, died in Montcalm county in 1896. Jesse Johnson was born on August 10. 1776. and died on May 23. 1845. It was in 1869, eight years after his marriage, that James H. Somers and his family came to Michigan and located in this county, settling on a farm in the southwest part of Ronald township, where he established his home and there remained for twenty-four years, at the end of which time he moved to California, but after a residence of a year there returned to Michigan. locating at Vickeryville, in Montcalm county. In 1906 Mr. Somers and his wife returned to the scenes of their old home in this county and located at Palo, where they spent the rest of their days. James H. Somers died on March 23, 1913. and his widow survived him but a year, her death occur- ring on March 2, 1014. she then being at the age of seventy-one years and two months.
James H. Somers was an excellent carpenter and for many years was a prominent contractor and builder. During his long and active career he never was a party to a law suit, either as plaintiff or defendant, and ever observed the most scrupulous regard for the faithful fulfilment of his contracts. Ile and his wife were spared to live together for more than fifty-two years in happy wedlock. Their golden wedding anniversary was celebrated by a large family gathering at their pleasant home at Palo, on February 22, 1911. Their son. Fred, brought fruits from his ranch in California to grace the table and among the gifts appropriate to the occasion was a plate of gold coins, presen- ted by their children and other relatives. James H. Somers and wife were the parents of five children, namely: Florence V., wife of Carl Graves, of Ronald township, this county; Fred, who lives at Pomona, California; Lil- lian, wife of Frank W. Young, living near Vickeryville, Montcalm county, William 11 .. the subject of this biographical sketch, and Minnie E., wife of C. C. Ross, living at "Romona Acres," near San Gabriel, California.
Under the careful direction of his father. William 11. Somers became a very competent carpenter even as a boy, and has been engaged in the build- ing trades all his life. He worked with his father until he was eighteen years old, when he started out as a journeyman carpenter with a view to seeing something of the country, and when he finally came back to his home county,
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at the age of thirty, and "settled down," he had covered the country from coast to coast and had traveled more than thirty-seven thousand miles. Dur- ing that time Mr. Somers spent more than four years in California and more than three years in New York City and along the Atlantic coast, while he had worked in nearly every important city in the country. He was in the United States army during the Spanish-American war, attached to Battery L, of the Fifth Artillery. During his travels Mr. Somers kept a faithful diary, the pages of which present an interesting history of his comprehensive itinerary and the incidents of a busy life. When thirty years of age he returned home and located at lonia. In 1900 he married and for ten years thereafter made his home in lonia. He then went to Detroit, where for three years he was associated with one of the largest contracting firms in that city, Schmied. Sisman Company, making rapid advancement with that firm. During that connection Mr. Somers superintended the construction of some of the finest residences and club buildings at Grosse Pointe. In January, 1913. he returned to Palo in order to be with his widowed mother during the last months of her life and after her death in the following March continued to make his home, in the parental home, where he ever since has lived and where he and his wife are very pleasantly situated. Since locating definitely in Palo Mr. Somers has been actively engaged as a building contractor and his wide experience and thorough knowledge of architecture and architectural con- struction gives him a most excellent equipment for his business. Mr. Somer's brother. Fred Somers, now of California, also was formerly a well-known Michigan contractor and erected three of the large buildings of the state hospital at lonia: large factories at Flint and Grand Haven. the Masonic temple at Muskegon and numerous other buildings of import- ance throughout this part of the state.
In 1900 William H. Somers was united in marriage to Ida Wilder, who was born on a farm near Palo, daughter of Thomas R. and Mary A. ( Ster- ens) Wilder. the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Michigan. Thomas R. Wikler, who was born near Canandaigua. New York, July 28, 1848, was about nine years old when he came to Michigan with his parents, David and Sarah ( Rutherford ) Wilder, who came here in pioneer days. David Wilder entered claims to two or three tracts of "Congress land" hereabout, besides buying a considerable tract on which he established his home and became one of the most substantial farmers in his community. Ilis wife, Sarah Rutherford, was born in Yorkshire, England. December 7. 1813. and was four years old when her parents came to the United States, locating
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at Bath. New York, where she grew to womanhood and where she married David Wilder. She died at Palo. this county, on September 28, 1892.
Thomas R. Wilder grew to manhood on the homestead farm one mile east of Palo and on January 6, 1870, was united in marriage to Mary A. Stevens, who was born at Salem, in Washtenaw county, this state, daughter of George and Lucinda ( McCormick ) Stevens, the former of whom was born in New Canaan, Fairfield county, Connecticut, February 12, 1824, and who at the age of eleven came to Michigan, settling in Washtenaw county, where he grew to manhood and where, in 1850, he married Lucinda McCormick. three years later establishing a home in Bushnell township, over the line in Montcahn county, being among the first settlers in that community. Later he engaged in business at Palo and still later conducted a store at Muir, but after awhile resumed farming near Palo and there spent the rest of his life. his death occurring on February 13. 1891. His widow survived him less than eight months, her death occurring on October 9, following. Thomas R. Wilder was a life-long farmer and lived on the old home place east of Palo until his retirement from the farm, when he moved to Palo, where he died on August 23, 1915. His widow still is making her home at Palo.
William H. Somers is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the blue lodge at Palo and of the chapter at Stanton, and both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. Somers was made a Mason when he was twenty-one years of age and has visited lodges of that ancient order in many of the principal cities.
LORIN P. TOWNSEND.
In the memorial annals of the Clarksville neighborhood in this county there are few names held in better remembrance than that of the late Lorin P. Townsend, who died at his home in Clarksville in 1910 and whose widow is still making her home there, being the owner of one of the finest residences in that pleasant village.
Lorin P. Townsend was a native of Michigan, son of one of the earliest settlers in this state, and lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Superior township, Washtenaw county, July 10, 1838, son of George W. and Sarah A. ( Andreas) Townsend, both natives of this state, whose respective parents had been among the earliest settlers in the terri- tory of Michigan, having located in the Washtenaw district as early as the
LORIN P. TOWNSEND.
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year 1800 or shortly thereafter. There were three of the Townsend brothers who came to this region from New York and all established homes and reared families in Michigan, the connection now being widely scattered throughout the state. George W. Townsend was a son of one of these brothers and he grew up in Washtenaw county and there became a well- to-do farmer. He and his family later moved to Kalamazoo county, where they settled on a farm and it was on this latter farm that the subject of this memorial sketch grew to manhood.
As a boy, Lorin P. Townsend received but a limited education, but he was trained to thoughtful reading and being a natural student and a great reader he acquired a wide store of knowledge and became a very well- informed man. In the fall of 1862 Mr. Townsend married in Kalamazoo county and there established a home on a farm, on which he remained until 1870. in which year he and his family came to Ionia county and here he spent the remainder of his life. Upon locating in this county, Mr. Town- send bought an eighty-acre farm in Campbell township and entered upon the task of improving the same. He was an excellent farmer, progressive in his methods, and prospered from the very start, gradually increasing his land holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres, well improved and profitably cultivated. In May, 1900, he and his wife retired from the farm and moved to Clarksville, where they bought the residence property where Mrs. Townsend now lives and there Mr. Town- send spent his last days in quiet comfort, his death occurring on April 18, 1910. he then being at the age of seventy years, eight months and twenty- nine days.
Lorin P. Townsend was a Republican from the time that party was organized and ever took a good citizen's part in the campaigns of his party. but was not what is generally regarded as an active politician and had never sought public office, although he had been elected from time to time to minor local offices. In his earlier life he was an active and enthusiastic Mason, but upon moving to this county was compelled to relax his interest in that ancient order, owing to the distance from his home to the nearest lodge room. As a man and as a citizen, the character of Lorin P. Town- send was above reproach. He was a good neighbor. walking honorably in the sight of all men, and his death was the occasion for sincere mourning throughout the community in which he had lived for so many years. He took a great interest in his farm and home and his wife was an able and competent helpmeet to him in all his undertakings.
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It was on November 15, 1862, in Kalamazoo county, this state, that Lorin P. Townsend was united in marriage to Emily J. Arrowsmith, who survives him. She was born near the city of Rochester, New York, Novem- ber 15, 1842, daughter of William and Lucy E. ( Lettson ) Arrowsmith, both natives of that same state and both of English descent. In the early forties. during the infancy of their daughter Emily, the Arrowsmiths moved from New York state to Ohio, where they remained until 1852, in which year the family came to Michigan and settled in Kalamazoo county. There William Arrowsmith worked as a mechanic and became one of the substantial men of that community. It was on that farm that Emily Arrowsmith grew to womanhood and it was there that she married Lorin P. Townsend on her twentieth birthday. To that mion four children were born: Inez, born in 1863, now deceased; Mary Ida, born on August 7, 1864: Frank Lorin, March 16, 1867, who is married and is now making his home in the West. and Anna Grace, February 6, 1871, who married Robert Simpkins and has two daughters, Dorothy and Frances, the former of whom married Ernest Paulson and has twin daughters, Gretchen and Marguerite.
EMERY S. DANNER.
Emery S. Danner, well-known and successful business man of Muir, needs no introduction to the people of Tonia county. Ile was born on December 19, 1871, in Ronald township, this county. He is a son of Simon and Christenia ( Heydlauff ) Danner. The father was born in 1836 at Block House, now a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a son of Fred- erick Danner and wife, natives of Germany. When he was but a child his father died and his mother married C. F. Capp. and soon thereafter they moved to Washtenaw county, Michigan, where they spent the rest of their lives. Simon Danner grew to manhood in that county, and about 1860 he came to lonia county and worked out as a farm hand. In 1861 he enlisted in Berdan's Sharpshooters, under Captain Willett. He was wounded in the left side by a piece of bursting shell, and was discharged for disability after nine months of service, after which he returned to lonia county and engaged in farming in Ronald township. On February 12, 1862, he married Christ- enia C. Heydlauff. and bought a farm of eighty acres, where his widow now lives, in the southern part of Ronald township. It was all woods. He cleared and put the land under cultivation, and built a cabin thereon. I
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the fall of 1864 he again enlisted. this time in Company I, Ninth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, but he was not fit for service because of his old wound. However, in the spring of 1865 he became clerk to the colonel of his old regiment, and he served until in September of that year, when he was honorably discharged. after which he returned home and engaged in farming the rest of his life. He added forty acres to his original purchase, which he cleared and put under cultivation, and he built a comfortable home. His death occurred on December 16, 1896. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, in which he took an active interest. His wife, Christenia C. Heydlauff, was born in Washtenaw county, Michigan. July 24, 1843, and was a daughter of C. Frank and Anna Mary ( Wagner ) Heydlauff, natives of Wurtemberg, Germany, where they grew up and were married. The latter was the daughter of John and Maria (Cook ) Wagner. In 1833 the Heydlauff family came to America, and after spend- ing a short time in Detroit, settled in Washtenaw county, when the country was still a wilderness. In the spring of 1845 they moved to lonia county and bought a farm in section 36. Ronald township, where he built a log house and cleared and developed a farm and lived the rest of his life, dying in 1875. His widow survived until 1893, reaching the age of eighty-three years. To Simon Danner and wife five children were born, namely: Fred- erick W. lives in Pend d'Orville, Idaho; Elizabeth W. is the wife of Alvin S. Curtis, and they live on the old Danner homestead in Ronald township; John H. lives in Jordan Valley, Oregon: Nellie F. is unmarried and lives at home: Emery S. is the subject of this sketch.
Emery S. Danner grew to manhood on the farm and received his edu- cation in the public schools, later attending Poucher's Business College. When nineteen years old he began carpentering, which he continued for about four years. In 1896 he married and began farming for himself, renting land for two years, then bought the Eldridge farm, about two miles from the farm on which he was reared. He started out with fifty- five acres. Prospering, he added to this until he now has a finely improved farm of one hundred and seventy acres. In 1903 he came to Muir and began working at carpenter work again, then in 1904 and 1905 worked in a store there, later continuing carpenter work most of the time until 1913, when he bought an interest in the elevator at Muir in partnership with John U. Stott, and continued in the business after Mr. Stott's death, actively managing the elevator until December 18. 1915. when he sold his interest to Mrs. Stott.
On January 1, 1806. Emery S. Danner married Mabel Eldridge, of
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Ronald township, a daughter of Hiram and Fidelia Eldridge. Her death occurred on September 10, 1910. On August 28, 1912, he married Etta E. Storey, who was born at Wyman, Michigan, a daughter of James D. and Eliza ( Mckinley ) Storey, both natives of Canada, where they grew up and married. Mr. Storey came to Michigan and worked in the lumber camps near Wyman, continuing working in the timber about five years, then returned to Canada and married, later returning to Michigan and spent five years more in the lumber camps, working as foreman. He came to Ionia county in 1889, where he followed carpentering for a number of years, and he is now engaged at the Sorosis Garment Company's plant at Ionia, where he has been employed for the past twenty years. Mrs. Danner was an infant when she was brought to lonia county. She received her education in the public schools, graduating from the Ionia high school and later attended Valparaiso University. To Mr. and Mrs. Danner one child has been born, John Storey Danner, whose birth occurred on May 14, 1914.
In 1906 Mr. Danner built a handsome, modern residence in Muir, and is very comfortably fixed. He belongs to the Masonic order, and his wife to the Eastern Star. Her mother was a relative of President Mckinley.
HOWARD A. RANGER.
When but a boy, Howard A. Ranger, farmer and retired merchant of Lyons, Ionia county, learned to rely upon himself, and this fact has had much to do in shaping his subsequent career, yet indefatigable industry has perhaps been the basis of his success.
Mr. Ranger was born on September 6. 1851, in Litchfield, Medina county, Ohio. Ile is a son of Henry and Mary ( Tanner) Ranger. both parents born and reared at Tunbridge Wells, England, where they were married. They came to America abont 18447 and settled at Litchfield. Ohio. Henry Ranger was a man of means and engaged in various business enter- prises. He came to lonia county, Michigan, about 1857, when his son. Howard A., was six years okl. He engaged in shoemaking. when shoes were all made to order. He spent the rest of his life here, dying about 1905 at Lyons, having survived his first wife forty years, her death having occurred about 1865. His second wife was Elizabeth Mitchell. Four chil- (Iren were born of his first marriage, namely: Thomas, deceased; Mary is
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the widow of Charles S. Marsh; Howard A .. the subject of this sketch, and Charles F. Of the second marriage one son, Leo, was born.
Howard A. Ranger received his education in the public schools of Lyons. He learned the iron moulder's trade in Lyons and Grand Rapids. He was janitor at the court house at Ionia for one year, and about 1879 he bought out the general store at Lyons, which his deceased brother, Thomas, had owned. He continued to conduct the business for a period of seventeen years, enjoying a large trade, in the meantime buying two farms, one of eighty acres inside the city limits of Lyons, and the other of eighty acres, just west of Lyons. He has a modern home in Lyons and combines the conveniences of town with the pleasures of the farm. He has been very successful in a business way. Politically, he is a Republican and active in the party.
Howard A. Ranger was married on November 11, 1874, to Marian McCloud, who was born at Ionia, and is a danghter of George and Maria ( Pressey ) McCloud. George McCloud was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was reared, educated and married. His first wife died. leaving two children, both long since deceased. Ile came to Lyons, Michigan, about 1835, when lonia county was just settling up. He was a tailor by trade, which he followed here, although this was but a pioneer settlement. In 1850 he married Maria Pressey, who was a daughter of David. and Ann Jane ( Hill) Pressey, who came to Lyons from Montreal, Canada, about 1837, being one of the first families to settle at Lyons. David Pressey was a carpenter by trade. Blindness overtook him soon after he came to lonia county, and for many years he was deprived of his sight. His family con- sisted of four daughters and one son, Richard, who died in early childhood. Mr. McCloud died about 1866, his wife preceding him to the grave by about ten months. They left three daughters and one son, namely: Nor- man, Marian, Mary and Isabelle. The father was a Presbyterian and the mother a Methodist. They lived at Lyons but a short time. spending their later years at Portland.
Mr. and Mrs. Ranger have two sons and a daughter. Walter, who is farming on the home place. married Belle Dilly and they have one son. Howard: Jessie is the wife of Fred Shorts, they live in Kent county, Michi- gan, and have one daughter. Marion ; Carl is practicing dentistry at Ithaca, Michigan, and married Vera Hawley. These children were all given good training and every advantage. Walter has a good practical knowledge of merchandising, having assisted his father a great deal in the store, and he
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also attended business college at Lansing. Jessie, who was graduated from the Normal School at Mt. Pleasant, taught school in Lyons about four years. Carl entered the dental department of the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated in 1909.
Mr. Ranger is a member of Lyons Lodge No. 37, Free and Accepted Masons, and also of Lyons Chapter, Royal Arch Masons.
WILLIAM C. HAWLEY.
In examining the records of self-made men, it will invariably be found that indefatigable industry has constituted the basis of their success. True, there are other elements which enter in and conserve the advancement of personal interests, such as perseverance, discrimination and mastering of expedients ; but the foundation of all achievement is earnest, persistent labor. Realizing this fact when starting out in his career, William C. Hawley, grain dealer of Lyons, Ionia county, has made it his guiding principle.
Mr. Hawley was born on March 8, 1855, at Avon, Livingston county, New York. He is a son of William C., Sr .. and Harriet ( Nowland) Haw- ley, both natives of New York state. The mother died when William C. was a baby. The father came to Lyons, Michigan, about 1858 and engaged in the mercantile business here for several years, and while here married his second wife, Verona Coon. About 1870 he started a warehouse at Muir on the Grand Trunk railway, and began dealing in grain, which business he continued until about 1885, when he retired. lle was postmaster at Lyons under Cleveland's first administration, retaining the office four years. He was a stanch Democrat, and an active worker in the party. His death occurred in 1889. He was the father of two children by his first wife. William C., Jr., and George, deceased. Four children were born of his second marriage, one of whom died in infancy; those living are Walter MI .. Mrs. Corinn Abney and Jessie.
William C. Hawley was brought to Lyons about 1860 and here he grew to manhod and received a common-school education. He began assist- ing his father in the grain business when but a boy, and became a partner of the business conducted by the eller Hawley when twenty years old, the firm name becoming W. C. Hawley & Son. After the father's death, John Stevens was in partnership with Mr. Hawley for about four years, and was succeeded by Charles French, who hired George West to work in his place,
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and about a year later West bought Mr. French's interest in the business, and the firm was Hawley & West. When the railroad built a spur track into Lyons, about 1900, the firm of Hawley & West built another elevator here and took in John U. Scott as a partner. About four years ago Mr. West withdrew from the firm, and the name was Hawley & Scott until about 1913, when the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Hawley retaining the elevator at Lyons and Arthur Johnson being admitted as a partner, since which time the name has been Hawley & Johnson. They do a large and successful business buying and shipping grain. Mr. Hawley also owns one hundred and fifty acres of land on the prairie near Lyons, which is a vali- able farm.
William C. Hawley was married in 1875 to Dora Warner, a daughter of Orlando Warner and wife. The mother died when Dora was a little girl. Mr. Warner was a farmer in North Plains township, Ionia county, where he located about 1860, coming from Livingston county, New York. He left his farm and removed to Lyons about 1872, where he spent the rest of his life, dying about 1880. To Mr. and Mrs. Hawley one daughter has been born, Theo, now the wife of Dr. F. M. Marsh, of Ionia.
Mr. Flawley is a member of the Masonic order. He is a Democrat, and is active in local public affairs, and has held a number of local offices.
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