USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 8
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William Winslow worked at various kinds of masonry and plastering. He lived in lonia part of the time. When Nathan was twelve years old the family moved to a farm in section 14, about 1858, the place being unim- proved, and there they built a log cabin in the woods. They lived there until the prison was built, when they bought a farm in Berlin township, sell- ing out a few years later and moving to fonia, where they lived two years; then bought another farm in Berlin township and lived there until about 1893, when they moved to Saranac, where the father's death occurred in the fall of 1800. His wife died when Nathan was eight years old, leaving two children: Rosanna, the daughter, died in 1868; she was the wife of Nathan Boyer, of St. Louis, Michigan. A third child, a son, died before Nathan was born. After the death of the mother the father married Ann North, a daughter of John North, who was also a pioneer settler here. Five children were born of this second marriage, namely: Byron, Thomas E., Lenford L., John and Edith.
Nathan Winslow left home when fourteen years old and worked on the Simon Welch farm four years. When eighteen years old. he enlisted on February 23, 1864, in Company D. Third Michigan Cavalry of Veteran Volunteers, and remained in the service until February 12, 1866, in the western army. He was in New Orleans, Louisiana, when Lincoln was assassinated. Later his regiment was sent to Mexico to help depose Maxi- milian. They were located at Eagle Pass for some time, but were in Texas from August 2, 1865, to February 15, 1866. He proved to be an efficient soldier, and was honorably discharged. February 12, 1866, at San Antonio. Texas. He had an eventful voyage from Galveston across the Gulf to
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New Orleans, thence up the Mississippi to Cario, Illinois. After his career in the army he worked at farming in lonia county until 1872, as a hired hand. Having saved his earnings he purchased the place where he now lives, in section 22. Easton township, starting with forty acres of unimproved land, which he cleared and put under cultivation, and later bought twenty acres more, adjoining, and here he has lived ever since and has a comfortable home. In 1873 he married Annie Hoover, who was born in Oakland county. She came to Danby township, Ionia county, when young, with her parents, William and Elizabeth Hoover. Two children were born to this umon. namely : Herbert, who lives in Ionia, was married to Myrtle Hulan, and they have one child. Emma: Carrie is the wife of Charles Conner, they live in Easton township, and have three daughters, Josephine, Veda and lone. Sub- ject's first wife died on April 6, 1888. On November 21, 1880, Mr. Wins- low married Eva Simington, who was born in Saranac, lonia county, and is a daughter of George W. and Margaret Ann ( Shively ) Simington. The father was born in Ohio, April, 1830, and there grew to manhood and married and removed to lonia county, Michigan, about 1852. He was a blacksmith by trade. He spent nearly all of his life after coming here in the vicinity of Ionia, and died about 1903, his widow surviving until in April, 1912. They were the parents of nine children, namely : Johnson, Lillie, Elizabeth, Margaret. one died in infancy, Louise, George W., Marion. Eva, George W., and Marion.
Mr. Winslow is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a well preserved man and is hale and hearty. Although he had to undergo great hardships in the army and saw his comrades die by the dozens, he came out uninjured.
HUGH J. WELLFARE.
Hugh J. Wellfare, a farmer and stock raiser of Danby township, lonia county, has made a success of his chosen vocation because he has worked hard, managed well and liked his line of endeavor. He was born on the farm where he now lives, June 27. 1870, and is a son of Jesse and Lydia ( MeCansey) Wellfare. The father was born in Linfield, Sussex county, England, south of London. His father worked on a large estate there for many years and there Jesse spent his boyhood and went to school, being twelve years old when his parents brought him to New York state, locating in Canandaigua, where the parents spent the rest of their lives, the father
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engaging in gardening, also the undertaker's business. Jesse Wellfare worked on the farm in the summer time and attended school during the winter months. receiving a good education for those days. He remained with his parents on the homestead until he was twenty-two years old, when he came to Calhoun county, Michigan, having traded property which he owned in the state of New York for eighty acres here, and on this he set- tled after his marriage to Sarah Owen. To them three children were born, namely: Mary, who is the wife of C. B. Twomley. of Lansing, Michigan ; Frank is living in Lansing, and Viola is the wife of George Gunn, of Sebewa township, lonia county. Jesse Wellfare lived in Calhoun county until the winter of 1864, when he removed to Danby township. fonia county. having traded his farm in the former county for one hundred acres here. His wife died in September, 1865, and on December 25, of that year, he married Lydia McCansey, a native of the state of New York, born on April 17, 1846, she being six years old when her parents moved to lonia county, Michigan, in 1852, her father buying a farm in Danby township, where he lived until 1861, when he enlisted in Company D, Ninth Michigan Volun- teer Infantry, in which he served about a year. He did not survive very long after returning home. His family consisted of seven children, five of whom survive. Ilis widow continued to live on the home farm in Danby township until about 1868, when she moved to Sebewa township. Her death occurred in 1883.
Jesse Wellfare continued to live on the home farm here for fifty years, dying August 9, 1912. He has two children, Hugh J., the subject of this sketch, and Lee N., who lives in Sturgis, Michigan. He was a member of the Congregational church, although he was reared in the Epis- copalian faith in England. He was a stanch Republican in his earlier years, but in later life was a Democrat. He was a great reader.
Hugh J. Wellfare grew up on the farm and received his education in the Portland schools, graduating from the high school in 1891. He worked on the farm in the summer and taught during the winter months, attending Albion College one year; then in district schools four years. Since 1895 he has devoted his attention to farming, and owns a well-improved place of one hundred acres, his place being known as "Fieldsview." In connec- tion with general farming he raises high-grade Durham and Jersey cattle. He was married on July 1. 1806. to Carrie AA. Dorman, a daughter of David and Rosetta (Gibbons ) Dorman, and to their union four children have been born: Marian M., now seventeen years old. is a student in the Portland high school: Jesse D., fifteen. is also attending high school; Doro-
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thy 1. is in the district school ; and Catherine 1. is also in the district school.
Mr. Wellfare and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church in Danby township, in which he is a steward. Fraternally, he belongs to Mulliken Lodge No. 412, Free and Accepted Masons, also Lodge No. 39. Royal Arch Masons, and the Royal and Select Masters, of Portland. Poli- tically, he is a Democrat, and is active in party affairs. He has served as pathmaster and has been school director for the past six years. He was township clerk in 1897 and 1898, and is at this writing filling a vacancy in this office. He was justice of the peace from 1909 to 1913.
EDWIN S. YEOMANS.
The dairy business has long been an important industry in Michigan. One of the farmers of Ionia county, who has been carrying on this depart- ment in connection with general agricultural pursuits with pronounced suc- cess, is Edwin S. Yeomans, of Easton township. He was born on Septem- ber 19. 1867, on the farm where he now lives. He is a son of Sanford A. and Marietta A. (Stebbins) Yeomans. \ full record of the father is to be found on another page of this volume. Subject's mother was born in Franklin county, Massachusetts, March 6, 1829, and is a daughter of Chauncy and Sophia ( Rice ) Stebbins. Chancy Stebbins was born in Mas- sachusetts in 1807, and was a son of Chester and Nancy Stebbins. In 1827 he married Sophia Rice, who was born in Conway county, Massachusetts. in 1809, and was a daughter of Benjamin and Anne ( Monard) Rice. Her mother's father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and her own father, Benjamin Rice, served in the War of 1812. Chauncey M. Stebbins came to lonia county, Michigan, during the thirties, being among the earliest set- tlers here. He made a little clearing in the great woods and erected a small log cabin and a log barn. This land is now within the limits of the town of lonia. Later he moved to Clinton county and lived in Essex township until 1814, when he returned to lonia county, when his daughter, Marietta. was about fifteen years old. He settled where the reformatory is now located. Marietta A. Stebbins grew up in a frontier environment and her brothers had Indians boys for playmates and the language of the red men was familiar to them. Bear, deer and other wild animals were common in this locality then. By her marriage to Sanford A. Yeomans five sons and one daughter were born, among them being Frank 11. and Edwin S., of this sketch.
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Edwin S. Yeomans attended the schools of lonia and Poucher's Busi- ness College. and he remained on the home farm until the death of his father, working with him, then took charge of the place which he managed on his own account and has continued on the homestead ever since, having made many improvements and kept the place under a fine state of cultiva- tion. Three years ago he added dairying to his general farming and has been successful in both lines. The home place contains four hundred and ten acres. There are three tenant houses, and the family home is a large, handsome residence in the midst of pleasant surroundings. Several large barns and convenient outbuildings are also to be seen on the place. Part of the buildings were demolished by a tornado in September, 1915. Besides the home farm, Mr. Yeomans owns other farms, aggregating two hundred and fifty acres, in Easton township, and town property in fonia, among which is the American House. He also owns Grandfather Yeoman's old homestead, same being situated on West Main street. He has been very suc- cessful in a business way and is one of the substantial men of his county.
Mr. Yeomans was married, first, to Etta R. Kitson, who died on October 28, 1901. By this union two children were born, both deceased : they were named as follow: Dorothy, who died on May 24, 1900, and Sanford K., who died on December 7. 1901. On February 16, 1904, Mr. Yeomans married Ola M. Snell, who was born in Easton township. Jonia county, and is a daughter of George A. and Catherine .A. ( Powilson ) Snell. Mr. Snell was for many years a prosperous farmer of Easton township. but now lives in Ionia. He was born in Seneca county, New York, June 20), 1844, and is a son of Sylvanus T. and Susan ( Tunison ) Snell, both of German ancestry and natives of New Jersey. Slyvanus T. Snell came to lonia county, Michigan, first, in 1836, only three years after the first settle- ment of this county, and here he bought three hundred and twenty acres in what is now Easton township, for which he paid six dollars per acre, but he did not begin developing this land into a farm until 1849, when he removed here with his family. and by hard work cleared it up and put it in cultivation. He erected a small log cabin that served as the family home for some time. His death occurred two years later, leaving a widow and six children. The widow survived until June 28, 1884, dying at the age of seventy-five years. These parents were both active workers in the Baptist church.
George A. Snell grew up amid pioneer scenes, and on New Year's day. 1870, married Ann Powilson, who was born in Benton county, Arkan-
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sas. December 16, 1850. She is a daughter of Isaac V. and Elizabeth ( Allen ) Powilson. Her father was a native of New Jersey and the mother was born in the state of New York. These parents removed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, when their daughter, Anne, was young in years.
George A. Snell continued farming in Easton township on the home- stead which his father had bought in the early days, and developed an excellent farm of one hundred and twenty acres here, remaining on the farm until March. 1906. when he moved to lonia, where he bought his present home. Mrs. Yeomans grew up on her father's farm and was edu- cated in the public schools.
To Mr. and Mrs. Yeomans three children have been born, namely : Russell E., who died March 25, 1911, at the age of four years; Edwin R .. born on September 19. 1909, and Gerald D., born on December 25. 1911.
EDWARD MAURICE WOOLDRIDGE.
Farming is the world's biggest business. It furnishes the nations with food and is the basis of all prosperity and happiness, in a material sense. One of the successful farmers of lonia county is Edward Maurice Wool- dridge, of Easton township. He was born only a short distance from where he now lives, April 11. 1867, and is a son of Samuel and Mary ( Lightfoot) Wooldridge, whose records may be found elsewhere in this volume.
Edward M. Wooldridge grew up on the home farm and he received his education in the local public schools; later he formed a partnership with his brother, Ernest, and they purchased the old homestead after the death of their father and farmed in partnership many years, not only the home farm, but also bought other land. Their hoklings have since been divided, Ernest keeping the home place. Edward M. purchased one hundred acres in the northern part of Easton township, on which he built a good resi- dence in 1901. also barns and other buildings. His residence is modernly equipped, with steam heat. hot and cold water, etc. His place is well kept and well improved in every respect, and he is one of the most enterprising general farmers of his township.
Mr. Wooldridge was married. February 17, 1867, to Millie Doty, who was born in Berlin township, Ionia county, and is a daughter of Charles and Mary Elizabeth ( Bailey ) Doty. Her father was born in Berlin township. July 10. 1850. and died in November, 1909. in his sixtieth year. He was
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the son of William and Amanda M. ( Winslow ) Doty. William Doty was from New York, and he came to lonia county, Michigan, when a young man, soon after the first settlement of the county, before the Indians had been removed. He entered government land in Berlin township, abont one-half mile west of where the asylum now stands, and there he developed a good farm by hard work and spent the rest of his life in that community. lle also built a warehouse on Grand river and brought freight here by boat from Grand Rapids. He was married here to Amanda M. Winslow, who was born in Vermont, and came here with her parents in early life. Her father was a millwright. The history of this family is further set out in the sketch of Nathan Winslow, which occurs on another page of this vol- ume. Charles Doty lived in Berlin township all his life on a farm, which he owned. His wife, Mary Elizabeth Bailey, was born in Brewster, New York, and was a daughter of Harvey M. and Eunice ( Wright ) Bailey. She came here when eleven years old with her parents, who settled near lowell, and there she lived until her marriage. She is still living on the old home farm, south of Grand river. Harvey M. Bailey lives in Flint, Michigan, at the age of eighty-seven years. He has been three times married, his first two wives being deceased.
To Edward M. Wooldridge and wife two children have been born, namely : Mary Elizabeth and Margaret.
FRANK L. JENKINS.
The period in which we are now living is often called the electric age. and well it may be, in view of the importance electricity is now playing in civilization, and the man who becomes skilled in the use of this inscrutable something, which has never yet been satisfactorily defined, is sure of remun- crative employment.
One of the skilled electricians of lonia county is Frank L. Jenkins, city electrician and superintendent of the electric light plant of Portland, Michigan. He was born on September 29, 1880, in Westphalia township. (lin- ton county, this state, and he is a son of W. S. and Fannie ( Young) Jen- kins. The father was born in Portland township, lonia county, and was a son of Sylvester Jenkins, who came to this locality in pioneer days and here he was married and established his home, taking up land from the gov- ernment, which he developed into a good farm and on which he continued
FRANK L. JENKINS.
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to reside until late in life. but spent his last few years in the village of Portland, however, retaining his farm. He became a well-known and influien- tial citizen here. W. S. Jenkins grew up on the home farm and was edu- cated in the district schools and those of Portland, and when he married he purchased a farm in Danby township, where he lived until his father's death. then sold out and purchased the homestead of the other heirs, and lived there until 1900. in which year he moved to Portland and with his two sons entered the machine shop and repairing business, which he has since con- tinned. a few years ago adding a garage to his plant. The partnership with the sons still exists, Frank I. being a member of the firm since November, 1907. He is the eldest of the children, the other two being Sylvester, who has charge of the garage, married Florence Gardner ; and Grace, who is the wife of Richard Bates. cashier of the Maynard Allen Bank of Portland.
Frank L. Jenkins received his education in the public and high schools of Portland. He then entered the machine shop and learned the machinist's trade, he and his father buying the shop later and conducted it until 1907, when Frank L. took the position of superintendent of the electric light plant of the town of Portland, which position he still holds, and has discharged his duties in an able and satisfactory manner. On June 9. 1905, he married Nellie Smith, a daughter of Ralph and Ellen Smith. She was born in Otisco township. fonia county, and when about ten years of age came to Portland with her sister, Nettie. and her grandparents and received her education in the public schools of Portland.
Politically, Mr. Jenkins is a Democrat. Fraternally, he belongs to Portland Lodge No. 31. Free and Accepted Masons, and Lodge No. 39. Royal Arch Masons, at Portland: also belongs to Rogers Camp, Modern Woodinen of America, and he and his wife are members of the Order of Eastern Star. He also belongs to the Jovian Order, embracing prominent electrical men over the entire country.
In June. 1896, Portland installed its own municipal lighting plant, of which 11. A. Sprague took charge and continued its management for eight years, then V. L. Derby succeeded him, remaining in charge four years, after which Mr. Jenkins took the position of manager, which he has retained to the present time. In 1806 the city also put in a dam in the Grand river. which was rebuilt in 1913 by a reinforced concrete dam. During Mr. Jen- kins's administration as manager of the light plant. the plant has become free from indebtedness and today Portland is one of the best lighted towns of its size in the state.
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MARCELLUS H. GOODWIN.
In is interesting to consider the pleasure and profit of farm life as compared with other vocations. The business of farming is one of the most important known to man, as well as the oldest of human callings. One of the successful farmers and stock men of lonia county is Marcellus H. Goodwin, of Easton township. He was born August 22, 1855, in Keene township, this county, and is a son of Levi C. and Ann ( Barlow) Goodwin. The father was a native of Monroe county, New York, where he grew to manhood and married Ann Barlow, also a native of that county. They came to Michigan among the pioneers, probably in 1835, locating on the second farm east of what is now Potters Corners. lonia county. When their son. Marcellus H., was six months old they moved to Easton town- ship, on the place where he now resides and here they spent the rest of their lives, the father dying in 1889 and the mother in 1887. They were the parents of four children, namely: Amanda, who died when about fif- teen years old; Burdette lives in Easton township; Frances is the wife of Peter Slaybaugh and they live in Zeeland, Michigan; Marcellus H., the subject of this sketch.
Marcellus H. Goodwin grew up on the home farm and he received a common school education. He began farming on one hundred and forty acres of land, and, having prospered through good management and close application, has added to his original hoklings until he now has a fine farmi of two hundred and forty acres, on which he has made many improvements. including the building of a modernly appointed barn, lighted with acetylene lights. His residence is a large and substantial brick, in which up-to-date plumbing has been installed, also heat and other modern fixtures. His place is known as "The Homestead." Everything about it denotes thrift, good taste and system.
Mr. Goodwin was married on October 30, 1879. to Sarah Snell, who was born in Grand Rapids. Michigan,. and was a daughter of Joseph and Mary ( Dean) Snell. The father was a native of the state of New York. and when young came to Plymouth, Michigan, and married Mary Dean. who was born near Newark, New Jersey, and was a daughter of Meekin Dean and wife. She came to Michigan with her parents, who settled near South Lyons, not far from Detroit, and there established their permanent home. After their marriage, Joseph Snell and wife moved to Grand Rapids. where they lived until about 1880, when they moved to Easton township,
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Ionia county, and bought a farm on which they spent the rest of their lives.
Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin have one daughter-Hazel, who was grad- uated from the lonia high school, and is now the wife of Noah Bishop. They live near the home of her father.
Mr. Goodwin is an extensive stock feeder. fattening large numbers of cattle and sheep annually. Fraternally, he belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
JOHN M. BRADLEY.
Success has been well deserved by John M. Bradley, proprietor of a large general store at Sebewa. Ionia county, for he has been persistent. conscientions and honorable in all his dealings with his fellow men. He was born in Hillsdale county, Michigan, January 21, 1849, and is a son of Freeman F. and Mary ( Preston ) Bradley. The father was born in the state of New York, from which he came to Ohio when young and there grew to manhood and married, later removing to Hillsdale county, Michi- gan, where Mr. Bradley established a shoe shop, being a shoemaker by trade, and when John M. was a baby. he removed with his family to Indiana, locating in Noble county, later to Elkhart, that state, and from there to Ingham county, Michigan, later to Danby township, Ionia county. and here Freeman F. Bradley died in 1858. His family consisted of nine children, seven of whom grew to maturity and are still living, namely : Lucius F .. who lives in Topeka, Kansas; Luther F., his twin brother, also lives in Topeka: John M., the subject of this sketch: Albert Alonzo lives in Wisconsin; Franklin F. lives in Missouri: George also makes his home in Missouri, and Alva lives in Michigan. The mother of these children married for her second husband Edward Cadwell at Swan, Indiana, where they lived until 1865, when they moved to Elkhart county, Indiana, where they both died. To this union two children were born. Willis, who lives in New Mexico, and Edward. Jr., deceased.
John M. Bradley was only eleven years old when he started ont to make his own way in the world, working on a farm in Noble county, Indiana, for four dollars a month and board, later hiring out to an uncle for his board, clothes and two acres of ground for his labor, remaining with him two years. In the fall of 1858 his parents moved to Indiana and he accompanied them, later going to Detroit. Michigan, where he made his
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home with an uncle, John Tibbetts, one year, then returned to Noble county, later going to Avilla, Indiana, working in a hotel there until he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Fifty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until the close of the Civil War. He then located in Macomb, Ohio, working in a grocery store, which was owned by the man he worked for in Avilla, Indiana. A year later he returned to Swan, Indiana, working at brick making for a season, then worked in a saw-mill for four years, then worked as a sawyer at Stoner's Crossing, Allen county, Indiana, for two years. He had previously gone to Cloud county, Kansas, and entered a homestead, and on this he lived from the fall of 1871 until July, 1873, proving up his claim and selling it, returning to Swan, Indiana, where he farmed a year, then went to Stoner's Crossing and spent two years. then made an overland trip to Kansas and Colorado, locating in Cloud county, Kansas, where he remained until August, 1879. when he canie to lonia county, Michigan, taking a position as sawyer, going to Eaton county a year later, where he worked as a sawyer from the fall of 1880 to the winter of 1882, then bought a mill of his own in Odessa town- ship, lonia county, which he operated until August, 1883, when he moved to Sebewa township and operated his mill until 1897. then moved to Me- costa county, Michigan. In 1888 he bought the building where he is now located in Sebewa and put in a stock of hardware, later turning it into a general store, which he has since successfully conducted ever since.
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