History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 60

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166

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Levant Bungs, farmer. 614 Blackstone street, son of Ora B. and Phebe (Beebe) Bangs, was born in 1838, in the town of Columbia, Jackson Co., Mich. His parents, who were natives of Watertown, New York, came to Michigan and settled in Columbia tp. in a very early day. His mother died there some 37 years ago, and he was brought up from seven years of age by R. J. Crego, of Columbia tp., with whom he lived 15 years, and enjoyed the advantages of the district school. Mr. Bangs worked two years for Mr. Crego's brother; and Sept. 21, 1861, enlisted in Co. C, 9th Mich. Inf., which was assigned to the army of the Tennessee, and served as provost body guard to Gen. G. H. Thomas. Mr. B. received two flesh wounds by gunshots, in the left leg and the right arm, at the battle of Murfreesboro, and carries one of the balls yet; was captured at the same time, but soon after paroled; the next December rejoined his regiment, and in March, 1863, was discharged from disability. After returning home he was gnard at the State's prison. On Nov. 24, 1864, he was united in marriage with Miss Carrie M. Reed, a native of Mount Morris, N. Y. In the spring of 1865 he was em- ployed for six months as night watch in the prison, and in the fall moved to and cultivated his father's farm in Leoni two years. The spring of 1869 he came to Jackson and has since been keeper in the prison until he resigned in March, 1880. He is now directing his attention to farming. Mr. Bangs and wife have 2 children-Edgar

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A., aged 14 years, and Florence P., eight years of age. Mr. and Mrs B. are members of the First Baptist Church.

Charles Bankson, engineer M. C. R. R., was born in Cayuga county, N. Y., Oct. 12, 1833, son of Benjamin and Maria (Van Wee) Bankson, natives of New York, who emigrated to Marshall, Mieli., in the spring of 1837, where Mr. B., Sr., followed butchering for 16 years, and died Jan. 27, 1854; mother is still living. Mr. Bankson was reared on a farm until he was 20 years old; his edu- cation was limited to the public schools, attending only 30 weeks in his life, but has educated himself since. When 21 years old he engaged as fireman between Detroit and Marshall, and Aug. 20, 1866, was promoted to engineer; has been on the road 24 years.

Mr. Bankson has been very fortunate in saving life in the 15 years he has followed engineering; has. never injured a passenger. He married Miss Mary E. Garlick, who was born in Lower Canada Dec. 11, 1834. There were 5 children, 2 of whom are living- Win. H. and Lottie L. Mr. B. is a member of A. O. U. W. and Chosen Friends.

E. W. Barber, President Jackson Furniture Co., Jackson, Mich., was born in Benson, Vt., July 3, 1828. When 11 years old his parents, Edward H. and Rebecea (Griswold) Barber, emigrated to Eaton eonnty, Mich. His father was a pioneer, clearing up the country, and built a mill in 1840, taking up some 2,000 acres of land. The subject of this sketch remained on his father's farm until he was 19 years old, when he entered the Expounder office at Marshall, and remained there three years; was also assistant on the Kalamazoo Gazette and Telegraph, in company with Volney Haskell. Then went to Detroit, where he was engaged on the first Free-Soil paper that was ever published in Michigan, the Detroit Democrat, as city and commercial editor. He remained here un- til 1855, then returned to Eaton county, where he engaged in the mercantile business and farming until 1857, when he was appointed Assistant Clerk in the Legislature, and was Clerk of the House from 1861 to 1863. He was elected as County Clerk in Eaton county in 1860. In 1864 he was elected Register of Deeds; in December, 1863, he was appointed Reading Clerk of the House of Representa- tives, Washington, D. C., in the Congresses of '38, '39 and '40; in March, 1869, received the appointment of Supervisor,of Internal Revenue, of the States of Michigan and Wisconsin, and in March, 1873, was appointed as 3d Assistant Postmaster General, and served until 1877, when he resigned. He married Miss Martha Dwight, danghter of Peregrine Dwight, of Belchertown, Mass.

Mrs. Rebecca Barnard, widow of Daniel Barnard, residence corner First and Biddle streets, is the daughter of Jethro Bunker and Rebecca Coffin, of Nantneket, and was born in 1821, in Columbia county, New York. When she was nine years of age her parents re- moved to Michigan; lived seven years in Ann Arbor; then removed to Sandstone tp., Jackson county. In the spring of 1830 Mr. Bunker rode an Indian pony from Ann Arbor to the present site of

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Jackson, then containing but two log houses, and for 30 miles of the route saw no white person. Mr. Bunker spent the remainder of his life on the farm he improved in Sandstone, where his daugh- ter Rebecca married Mr. Barnard in 1840. He was a native of Dutchess county, N. Y., born in 1816. They bought the old home- stead in Sandstone, and occupied it till they settled in Jackson in 1872. The old farm is still in the hands of the family. Mr. Bar. nard was Supervisor from Sandstone many years, and after coming to the city was Superintendent of the Poor, and also Secretary of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Co. He died in the spring of 1875. They had 5 sons and 1 daughter. Two of the sons are deceased; 1, Luther, was accidentally drowned while bathing in a small lake near Jackson in May, 1871. Mrs. Barnard now resides with her son Charles, who is employed in the hardware house of Wells & Fuller.

Warren C. Burney, engineer M. C. railroad; residence 811 Detroit street; a son of William G. and Eliza (Baker) Barney, and was born in Calhoun county, Mich., Sept. 26, 1858; received a common-school education; up to the time of coming to this county followed clerking; after coming to Jackson worked in a restaurant, since which time he has been engaged by the M. C. Railroad Company.

Daniel P. Barret, engineer M. C. railroad, is a son of Samuel and Lydia A. (Thompson) Barret. His father emigrated to Detroit, Mich., in 1835, where he followed his trade as carpenter and car builder; built the first cars that were used on the M. C. railroad, and the Detroit & Milwaukee road; owned the block where the City Hall now stands, and his shops were located upon it. The subject of this sketch was born in Detroit Oct. 27, 1845, where he was educated. When 18 years of age he commenced work for the M. C. railroad as foreman, in which capacity he remained four years; was then promoted to engineer. May 6, 1868, he married Miss Jesse A. Crowman, who was born Feb. 22, 1849. They have had 4 children-Charles D., born May 17, 1869, died July 1, 1869; Emma E., born Nov. 12, 1870; Georgie A., born Feb. 6, 1876; Harry G., born Nov. 19, 1877, died Feb. 15, 1880.

John Bedford, pump maker, Jackson, Mich .; residence, 117 Pearl street; was born in Monmouthshire, Wales, April 2, 1828. His father, William Bedford, emigrated to this country and located in Pittsburg, Pa., where he followed the business of manufacturing iron; he died in 1834. Mr. B. was reared on a farm and received a limited education. In 1848 he came to Ann Arbor; in 1861 enlisted in the Ist Mich. Vol. Regt. under Col. Robinson; was at the surrender of Vicksburg, and participated in all the battles of the regiment up to the battle of Fredericksburg, when he was struck with a musket ball; was taken to the field hospital, and after- ward to Washington, D. C., and was left in Douglas hospital. After leaving the hospital he was put on detached service, and afterward transferred to the V. R. C. His whole term of service

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

was four years and ten months. He came to Jackson in 1869, and was keeper in the State's prison five years, since which time he has been in his present business. In 1870 he received an accidental pistol shot at the fair grounds, which he carries to the present time. Mr. B. held a commission from Gov. Blair, and also one from Abraham Lincoln, as Captain, which he can feel proud of. They are framed from a piece of wood from the pirate Florida. He married Leah Welch, who was born in England in 1835. They have 1 adopted daughter-Edith, who is still with the family.

George W. Beebe, anditor of Austin, Tomlinson & Webster Manufacturing Company, was born and reared till 15 years of age in Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., N. Y. His father, Joseph L. Beebe, was a native of the same State, and married Miss Jane Chapin, born in Massachusetts. George was educated in Seneca Falls Academy, and upon leaving school entered the banking house of Sidney Sweet & Co. (now the First National Bank of Dansville), Livingston Co., N. Y., and remained there six years, as book- keeper and teller. He was then three years bookkeeper in Cook's First National Bank of Bath, Steuben Co .; returned to Dansville, and in October, 1863, was united in marriage with Jenette McCay, of that place. After passing six years in the hardware business, Mr. Beebe came to Jackson in the fall of 1869, and continued in the same line of trade until the spring of 1874, as a member of the firm of Lement & Beebe. He then closed out, and assumed the duties of his present position. Mr. Beebe is a member of the A. F. & A. M., lodge and chapter. He and wife are the parents of 2 children-Sophie and George C. Beebe.

James T. Beebe, deceased, was born in Onondaga county N. Y., Sept. 25, 1830. His father was a contractor on the railroads, and James was with him until he was 20 years of age, when he was employed by the express company, which business he followed until his death, which occurred in December, 1874. He was first engaged as messenger on the Great Western R. R. eight years. He married Miss Ellen M. Marvin, daughter of W. E. Marvin, of New York State; she was born in South Deerfield, Mass., May 21, 1839. They have 5 children, viz. : Charles F., James F., Arthur D., Elmore M., Marvin. Mr. Beebe was a thorough business man, of unapproachable character, and was respected by all who knew him.

Allen Bennett, one of the representative business men of the city of Jackson, was born in Otsego county, N. Y., April 4, 1819, and is one of a family of 3 living children-2 sons and 1 daughter- of Allen Bennett and Julia (Wood) Bennett, both natives of New Hampshire. His parents removed to Wayne county, N. Y., while he was small, and there be enjoyed a limited attendance in the com- inon school until 1836, when they immigrated to the Peninsular State, and settled in the then small village of Jacksonburgh, now Jackson city. Young Bennett having obtained a situation in a drug store in Clyde, Wayne Co., did not co:ne West until May, 1837. Soon after landing in Jackson he en.barked in the

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

mercantile business, keeping a general store, including drugs, the first stock brought to the place. He continued in general mer- chandising for about 20 years, then sold out, and, in connection with the lumber trade, established a furniture manufactory. Two years later the manufactory was sold to Mr. Henry Gilbert, but Mr. Bennett carried on the Inmber traffic for nearly 20 years. In July, 1868, he, in company with Wm. D. Thompson and Charles R. Knickerbocker, engaged in the milling business. Their mill was destroyed by fire Ang. 28, 1871; was rebuilt and again burned June 11, 1879. The loss in each instance was heavy, reaching $50,000 to $60,000. The firm did not renew the business after the fire of 1879 in Jackson, but had purchased the Albion Mills in 1871, which they still own and run with an additional partner, George T. Smith.

The same gentlemen, under the title of the George T. Smith Middlings Purifier Company, have also established extensive works for the manufacture of Smith's Middlings Purifier, an im- provement of great value to the miller and bread-eater, a more extended mention of which will be found in the on section mann- factures in this work. Mr. Bennett is President and General Superintendent of the concern. He was for years heavily interested in the banking business, as well as a large store in Parma, this county; and some seven years ago he built a foundry and machine shop, and a grain elevator at Hastings, Mich., which were run under the firm name of C. F. Dwight & Co. He sold his interest there three years ago. Mr. B. also established the Robbins Cul- tivator Works in Jackson some fonr years ago, but owing to the op- pressing cares of his large and varied business he disposed of that interest in January, 1889. Besides a large private property, Mr. Bennett is the executive head of the company's business, aggregat- ing a million dollars per annum.

On May 12, 1847, Mr. Bennett married Harriet E. Stage, of Rochester, N. Y., born in Genesee county. Their family consists of 2 sons-Charles E. and George S., both married and residents of Jackson.

Chester Bennett (deceased) was born in the State of New York, Oct. 9, 1800; learned the tanner's trade when he was a boy, and fol- lowed it until he came to Michigan in 1834, being before there were any railroads to Jackson; the first few years followed farming, then engaged at his old occupation of tanner, which he followed until his death, which occurred in 1862. He married Miss Polly Curtis, who was born in Trumbull tp., Fairfield Co., Conn., in 1798; she died May 25, 1845, leaving a family of 7 children-4 sons and 3 daughters. For his second wife Mr. B. married Miss Ra- chel M. Woods in 1846; she was born in Sudbury, Rutland Co., Vt., Jan. 28, 1805. When Mr. Bennett came to Jackson it was in its infancy; he took a great interest in the organization of the Con- gregational Church; was a member 40 years, and a Deacon for a

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number of years. He was a kind husband and father and was loved and respected by all who knew him.

George P. Bennett, dentist, was born in Genesee county, N. Y., and is 59 years of age. He is a nephew of Isaiah Bennett, who built the first house in Jackson. His parents were Erastns and Sarah (Peck) Bennett. His mother was born in Lyme, Conn., and reared in Ontario county, N. Y. His father was a native of Vermont. Dr. Bennett is one of a family of 16 children, all of whom reached adult age and had families. He was educated at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, and in Middlebury Academy. When 18 years old he came to Detroit, Michigan, and spent 18 months in the hat store of F. C. H. Buhl as clerk. He came thence to Jackson in 1842. Dr. Bennett had studied dentistry with a cousin before leaving New York, and he procured a set of dental intruments and itinerated, doing what business he could pick up for a time, and eventually establishing an office with Dr. Gorham, then a permanent practicing physician. He was the pioneer dentist by some years in this section of Mich- igan. Dr. Porter, of Ann Arbor, afterward his partner, acquired the details of his profession in Dr. Bennett's office. Dr. Bennett afterward returned to New York and took a course of instruction of Dr. Wanzer, of Rochester. Ile returned to Jackson, where he practiced until 1859; meanwhile he engaged in farming and breed- ing fine blooded stock. A pair of Devonshire cattle and 11 Cotswold sheep, the first of these breeds introduced into Jackson county, were imported by him. In 1859 he went to St. Louis and opened an office, but after a year was compelled to leave on account of war sentiment, when he went to Alton, Ill., where he remained some years. In 1863 he reopened the St. Lonis office and conducted business there by proxy about eight years. In 1868 or '69, he went to Carrollton, Greene Co., Ill. In 1877 he located in Louisiana, Pike Co., Mo., returning to Jackson in 1880. At 25 years of age he married Charlotte M. Buck, of Grass Lake. She died in 1870 in St. Louis, leaving a son and daughter, the latter now in Denver, Col. In 1872 Dr. Bennett married in Buffalo, Fanny Sleight, of Carrollton, Ill. Four years later she died in Carroll- ton.

William M. Bennett, senior partner of the dry-goods house of Wm. M. Bennett & Son, was born in Bethany, Genesee Co., N. Y., in 1822. James Bennett, his father, was a native of Vermont, whence he emigrated in 1806 to New York State, being a pioneer in that locality. His father having purchased a large tract of land there, divided it among his sons, and James engaged in and fol- lowed farming. He was a firm adherent of Methodism, and re- ceived license to preach in that Church, confining his ministrations chiefly to local work.

William M. was the second of a family of 2 sons and 2 daughters of James and Alta M. Bennett, nee Rumsey, also of Vermont. His early school advantages were such as abounded in

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

the vicinity of his father's farm. Later he attended several terms at Lima Seminary, in Livingston county; engaged in teaching during the winter and labored on the farm in summer. He worked three years for his father after attaining his majority, for which he re- ceived 8100, having given his sire his entire earnings from teaching besides.

Young Bennett, putting his $100 in his pocket, started in quest of employment and a future home in the new wild West. He spent about a yearin Southern Illinois, teaching and clerking in a cousin's store; then came to visit another cousin in Jackson, Mich. At the urgent request of his father he visited the old homestead, after which he returned and settled down in Jackson, in October, 1847, as a man of all work, in the new store of S. W. Whitwell, receiv- ing his board for his services. There was little demand for labor, and he was determined to be employed. At the expiration of three months Mr. W., having tested his value, engaged to pay him a salary of $15 per month for a year. Two years later Mr. B. had become so valuable to the concern that Mr. Whitwell con- tracted to pay him 81,000 a year, and at the end of three years more he gave the faithful clerk a one-third partnership in the busi- ness. For some years previous Mr. Bennett had kept the books and bought most of the goods for the house. The partnership lasted until the fall of 1856, when Mr. Bennett purchased Mr. Whitwell's interest and became sole proprietor. He has been in

the business continuously since, save three years. In 1875 the firm of Bennett & Son opened their present metropolitan store, Clarence H. becoming a partner. They occupy three floors and basement of their ample building, carrying a stock of $125,000 to 8150,000. Besides their extensive retail trade, they do a jobbing business of considerable magnitude.

Mr. Bennett has served the city two terms as Mayor, and was a member of the Board of Public Works for a number of years. He was the originator and builder of the city water-works, and the prime mover in many of the city's street and other valuable im- provements. He has been twice married; first to Miss Laura J. Hubbard, of Kalamazoo, Mich., and they have had 3 children, only one of whom, Clarence H., is living. Mr. Bennett's present wife was Mary C. Winne, of Troy, N. Y., who has borne but 1 child, now deceased. Mr. B. is a member of the A. F. & A. M., a Knight Templar, and a Trustee of the Congregational Church.

Louise Bigelow was the daughter of Cornelins and Rebecca Polli- mus, who were natives of New Jersey, and came to Bingham- ton, N. Y., in an early day, where the subject of this sketch was born Ang. 4, 1817. When six years of age her parents emigrated to Cayuga, N. Y., remained until 1832, then came to Michigan, and located in Freedom, Washtenaw Co. Here her father bought a farm and re- mained upon it until his death, which occurred in June. 1860; her mother died some five years later. Mrs. Bigelow came to the State in an early day when the county was one vast wilderness. The woods were filled with deer, bear, wild turkey and Indians. She

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remembers running deer around hills on their runways for her father to shoot at. Her sister taught the first school in Freedom tp., and she was the first lady married. In 1869 she came to this county and located in Henrietta tp., where they remained until 1876, then came to Jackson. They are members of the Congrega- tional Church.

Hamilton Bigham, night yard-master of Mich. Cen. R. R. at Jackson, was born in Canada in 1842 and left there in 1856, and lived in Cook and Will counties, Ill., till he went into the army as a member of Co. D, 1st Ill. Light Artillery, where he enlisted, Aug. 27, 1861, serving in the First Brigade, 3d Division, 17th Corps, Army of the Tennessee, under John A. Logan a considerable portion ot the time, also under Gen. Geo. B. McPherson. He was wounded at Vicksburg June 21, 1863, by a minie ball in the right side, by which he was disabled for several months. In the winter of 1864 he was promoted to Quarter-master just before the fall of Atlanta. He was discharged and mustered out of service July 27, 1865. He returned to his home in New York and was engaged in a flouring mill six months. In May, 1866, he was appointed on the metro. politan police force of Buffalo, serving three years, over two of which he held the position of sergeant. He resigned and entered the employ of the M. C. R. R. in Detroit in 1869, worked in vari- ous capacities for three years, coming to Jackson in October, 1873, where he worked for the railroad company 18 months by the day, and since that time as yard-master. He is a member of the Masonic order, Paris Lodge, No. 292. He was married in Detroit in 1880 to Susan Boulter, of that city.

Rev. Ira C. Billman, Pastor of the Unitarian Society, was born in West Carlisle, Coshocton Co., O., in 1841, and is the son of Andrew Billman, a Pennsylvanian by birth, and Catharine How- bert, a native of Virginia. After their marriage they settled on the farm where Rev. Ira was born. They were the parents of 12 children, of whom Mr. B. is the third. He labored on the farin in the summer and attended school in winter, reading everything he could obtain, until 20 years of age, when he entered the sub-fresh- man class in the college at Springfield, Ohio. But three months after, in August, he enlisted as a private in Co. D, 122d O. V. I., which was assigned to the army of West Virginia, Gen. Millroy commanding. The regiment participated in numerons minor en- gagements, and in the battle of Winchester, where a little more than 9,000 Union troops fought a Rebel force vastly superior in numbers three days, holding them in check while the Union army was preparing for the memorable battle of Gettysburg. They were finally overpowered and about half of them captured, among the number Mr. Billman. After 40 days of imprisonment in Castle Thunder and Belle Island they were exchanged and sent to Camp Chase, O., but soon returned to Washington. Here Mr. Billman was detailed for clerical duties in one of the army offices, remain- ing until he was discharged on account of ill health in the summer

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of 1864. Having taken every available advantage to prosecute his studies while in the army he entered the sophomore class in college and graduated in 1867; and two years later completed the course in the Theological Seminary in Springfield. During his collegiate and theological course, Mr. Billman was noted for independent thought and liberal tendencies, and when undergoing examination for ordination he refused to accept the creed of the Lutheran Church. Upon being ordained, he was called to the pastorate of the Lutheran Church of Wooster, one of the most prominent in the synod of Eastern Ohio, where he labored two years and a half and then accepted a call to the Lutheran Society of Omaha, one of the wealthiest Churches at that time in the general synod. During his two years of service there, Rev. Billman instituted a system of detective work which put him in complete possession of the facts, and then embodying them in two powerful lectures delivered to the citizens of Omaha, he broke up the famous lottery scheme of James M. Pattee, the most gigantic lottery swindler in the United States, and caused his arrest and subsequent flight to Europe. During one week after Mr. Billman began his investigations, Pattee received through the postoffice $115,000 in money orders alone. Leaving Omaha, Mr. Billman passed a season traveling on the Pa- cific coast; then accepted a call to the Congregational Church of Mt. Vernon, O. At the end of 18 months he assumed pastoral charge of a Mission Church in Toledo, O., for two years, during which it became a large and strong society. In 1876 he became Pastor of the Plymouth Congregational Church of Adrian, Mich., and while there, in addition to his ministerial labors, he filled the chair of mental philosophy and logic in the Methodist Protestant col- lege of that place. Receiving a call from the Unitarian Society of Jackson, Mr. Billman entered upon its pastoral duties in April, 1878. The Church was then feeble and worshiping in an old, un- comfortable house, but through his labors the society has greatly increased in numbers, strengthened in interest, and a substantial and attractive brick edifice has taken the place of the old one. Mr. Billman is a zealous student, a clear, logical thinker, a forcible, en- tertaining speaker, and fearless in expressing his conscientious convictions.

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History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 60

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1166

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166