History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 83

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 761

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¿ Also given Lammon.

J.W. DARLING.

MRS J.W. DARLING.

L. C. KIMBLE.

SAMUEL SHEARER.

PHOTO'S BY PACKARD

309

TOWNSHIP OF BRADY.

J. Wilson, Sidney Annis, William O. Beebe, Silas Morse; 1865, J. C. Tryon, Seth Vroman, John M. Blair, William Downey ; 1866, Daniel Hoch, Nicholas Reid, Harrison Cronkhite, William Root; 1867, J. C. Tryon, H. W. Cronkhite, Nicholas Reid, Menzo Best; 1868, Solomon Dinger, H. W. Cronkhite, Stiles Roberts, Nicholas Reid; 1869, William McCaslin, Samuel Laz- erar, H. W. Cronkhite, Ethan Richmond ; 1870, N. V. Jones, William McCaslin, Sol. Dinger, George Strong ; 1871, Benjamin Burpee, S. Lazerar, George Richmond, Archibald Finlay ; 1872, Henry Munn, Drury Lammon, P. B. Rogers, Charles Shattuck ; 1873, Benjamin Burpee, T. J. Dowling, B. S. Robards, M. Potter; 1874, E. E. Burdick, Albert Crouch, B. P. Burpee, N. V. Jones ; 1875, N. Reid, D. Lammon, N. V. Jones, J. S. Elkerton ; 1876, A. Crouch, D. Lammon, V. Hampton, John J. Beebe; 1877, F. Trivelpiece, W. S. Wandell, J. Rockwall, V. Hampton ; 1878, Michael Kinney, Henry Munn, Curtis Merry, Francis Trivel- piece ; 1879, Emmett Jamieson, Charles Vroman, Henry Clough, Darius Beebe.

RELIGIOUS.

St. John's German Lutheran Church .- A society was organized about 1870, by Rev. Jacob Raible, of Kalamazoo. The present frame church building was erected in 1874, on land purchased for church and burial purposes from F. Bas- tian. Rev. Mr. Raible has held services alone at this church until the present time, except during a part of the year 1879, when Rev. Robert Hoeck also preached. The present membership of the church is about 12 families. The church is located in the southern part of town.

SCHOOLS.

The first school district organized in what is now Brady was that at present known as fractional district No. 1, in the northwest corner. The second is still known as No. 2, lying east of the village of Vicksburg. A neat brick school-house was built in 1874, near the residence of Wil- liam Jenkinson. No. 3 was next on the list. In the winter of 1839-40 a school was taught, probably by Har- rison Whaley, in a log house built for a dwelling by a man named Brooks. The building had been vacated and was utilized for a temporary school-house. A log school build- ing was erected about 1841-42, near the present residence of J. M. Beebe, on a knoll which was known as " Mount Zion," the " Hill of Science," etc., and was used a number of years. This school-house was the scene of many lively occurrences in the " pioneer days."

From the report of the school inspectors for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879, the following items, relative to the schools of Brady, are taken :

Number of districts (whole, 5; fractional, 2). 7

Children of school age. 441

Attendance during the year 333

Number of days school taught. 1136

" " volumes in district libraries. 304

66 " school-houses (brick, 3; frame, 4). 7 Number of sittings 477

Value of school property $6800

Number of teachers employed (male, 7; female, 8). 15 Wages paid teachers (male, $898 ; female, $408) ... $1306

Total resources for the year. $1956.64 Amount on hand Sept. 1, 1879. 472.62

Total expenditures, less amount on hand. $1484.02

Thanks are tendered to John W. Darling and wife, J. M. Beebe, P. Bohner, D. E. Rishel, Bradley S. Williams, of Kalamazoo, and numerous others, who have assisted in the compilation of the foregoing sketch.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JOHN W. DARLING.

Among the early settlers in Kalamazoo County were the families of Elisha Doane and Reed Darling; the former coming in as early as 1829, the latter some years later. Reed Darling was born in Springfield, Mass., about the year 1785. When he was eleven years old his father moved to Bethlehem, Albany Co., N. Y., where he grew to man- hood. He learned the ship-carpenter's trade, and for sev- eral years worked in the city of Albany. He was for four years police constable. On the breaking out of the war of 1812 he enlisted in Capt. Van Wees' company of infantry, - and served several months on Long Island, where he was finally discharged. In the fall of 1834 he came to Michi- gan, and the following year located one hundred and sixty acres of land on the banks of Portage Lake, in what is now the town of Mendon. He built a log house and sent for his family, and the same season saw them settled in the new home. But he lived only a short time to enjoy it, dying in 1837, followed a few months later by his wife, who was a Miss Mary Wayne. They had a family of five children, of whom John W. Darling was the fourth, born in Bethlehem, Sept. 7, 1816. He received a common- school education. Mr. Darling came to Michigan with his father's family, and remained with them until the death of his parents. He then worked by the month at whatever he could get to do, most of the time in saw-mills, in Flow- erfield and Vicksburg. In 1838 he located the south west quarter of section 27, in Brady. In 1844, under the pre- emption law, he received a deed of land, and his start in life was made. Having built a log house he, in 1841, moved his newly-married wife into it, and commenced to improve and clear up his farm. This farm he still owns except fifteen acres, and to it he has added forty acres, on which he has built a good house and outbuildings, and where he intends to pass the remainder of his days. In the spring of 1851, with a party composed of his friends and neigh- bors, he started for California, going by the overland route and being five months on the road. At Council Bluffs they were joined by others, making a party of about two hun- dred. Finding it impossible to feed so much stock by the way, they divided up into small parties, Mr. Darling's being composed of twenty-eight men. Their journey through the Indian country was attended by many hardships and dangers. They had several skirmishes with the Indians, and two of their party were killed. Arrived in California he ran a saw-mill for a short time, then for eighteen months engaged in mining, meeting with fair success. In March, 1853, he shipped in the steamer " Brother Jonathan" for San Juan del Sur. Then crossed the Isthmus and took passage in the ship " Proteus" for New York, where he landed in March, and on the 28th of the same month reached home. In politics Mr. Darling was a Democrat until the formation of the Republican party, since when he has been a sup- porter of its principles. He has been justice of the peace, highway commissioner, and supervisor.

On the 4th day of March, 1840, Mr. Darling married Miss Mary Ann Doane, who was born in Lyme township,

310

HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

Huron Co., Ohio. Her father, Elisha Doane, was born in Worcester, Mass., in 1796. When a small boy his parents moved to Vermont, where they remained fifteen years, and then moved to Cayuga Co., N. Y. When but eighteen years old Mr. Doane started out in life for himself. He went to Huron Co., Ohio, which was then a new country, where he married a Miss Chloe Miller. In 1829, with his family, he came to Michigan and located, on Prairie Ronde, the farm now known as the Edwin H. Lothrop farm, to whom he sold his claim. He then bought of the govern- ment eighty acres of land, which he owned a few years, when he sold it and built a saw-mill on the Indian reser- vation, which was the first one built in the town of Brady, . and which was run by him. In 1854 he sold his mill and went to Mendon, where he and Mr. Darling surveyed and located the mill-power now owned by Mr. Wakeman. On this he built a double saw-mill, which he sold in 1850 and went to California, where he lived until his death, in 1872. Mr. Darling's family consisted of nine sons and three daughters, nine of them reaching adult age.

There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Darling nine children, as follows: Elisha, born Jan. 13, 1841; Wayne, May 17, 1844, died Aug. 18, 1846; Warren, June 15, 1847; John M., Dec. 3, 1851, died Oct. 11, 1852; Frank, Jan. 31, 1854; John C., Feb. 23, 1856 ; Stewart, Nov. 27, 1860; Mary L., May 15, 1865 ; Grace, June 6, 1868, died Dec. 12, 1871.

JACOB KIMBLE

was born in Wayne Co., Pa. His grandfather's family was driven away from his farm (which he had bought from the government) by the Indians, but went back to it as soon as peace was made. On this farm Benjamin, Jacob's father, lived until his death, in 1837. He cleared and improved the farm, and became a wealthy man. On the old home- stead Jacob grew to manhood, working during summers and attending the district schools in the winters. His leisure hours were passed roaming through the forests in search of game, and he became famous as a hunter and marksman ; a panther being one of his trophies. He re- mained with his father until his marriage, in 1826, when he built a house on the farm of his father, and ran a saw- mill which his father had given him and his brother. In 1836, Mr. Kimble sold his interest in the mill and several hundred acres of timber, from which he realized one thou- sand dollars. . He had become weary of rocky farms, and in June of that year, with his wife and three children, in a wagon, moved to Holmes Co., Ohio, where he had a brother. Not liking the country, he again traveled Westward, stop- ping in Calhoun Co., Mich., where he rented a farm. A few months later he came to the Indian reservation in St. Jo- seph and Kalamazoo Counties, and located a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the town of Park, on which he built a log house and planted an orchard. The Indians were then living on the reservation, and the same party that murdered Wisner came to his residence when Mrs. Kimble was alone with her children and a neighbor's girl, and demanded admittance ; but finding the door too strong, finally went away. In 1840 he bought L. C. Kimble's

claim to the southwest quarter of section 31, in Brady. On this he built a house and log barn, and began to im- prove; but he was not to see the fruition of his hopes, and in his death the county lost one of its most useful pioneers. After his death Mrs. Kimble continued to manage the farm, and when it came into market, proved her pre-emp- tion and received a deed for the same, and still owns it.

Mr. Kimble married, Sept. 15, 1826, Miss Margaret Adams, who was born Feb. 8, 1809. Their union was blessed with four children, viz., Amelia, born Aug. 3, 1827 ; William, Oct. 17, 1829 ; Eunice, Oct. 27, 1831 ; and Eliza- beth, June 29, 1837.

H. T. CLEMENT

was born in Montgomery Co., N. Y., Feb. 9, 1798. When fourteen years old he went to live with the Shakers, in Watervliet, Albany Co., N. Y., with whom he resided seventeen years, learning the trade of a carpenter and mill- wright. In 1823 he went to Troy, N. Y., and worked in the United States Arsenal about two years. In 1835 he came to Michigan and worked at his trade near Detroit, and in 1837 went to Marshall, where he helped to build the stone mill; also helped build the first grist-mill in Allegan, and the Emery-mills near Marshall. He also worked at his trade in Aurora, Ill., building grist-mills. In 1841 he came to Kalamazoo, and soon after married Mrs. Jacob Kimble. He at once went to work on her farm, clearing and improving, and making it the premium farm of the county. He built one of the finest houses in the township, and surrounded it with large and fine out- buildings. The premium-money paid on the farm bought Mrs. Clement's second set of silver spoons; her first set being earned while she lived in Pennsylvania. She also kept boarders, many of the early pioneers having boarded with her until they could make homes for themselves. In 1851, Mr. Clement went by water to California, arriving there in the winter of 1851-52. He built mills on Feather River, receiving ten dollars per day and board. In 1853 he returned, and again took charge of the farm, on which he continued until his death, Feb. 5, 1871. He was a inan of great force of character and very industrious, doing much to improve and build up the county. In politics he was a Democrat, but never sought office. He married Mrs. Jacob Kimble, Dec. 3, 1842. There was born to them one son, George M. D., Sept. 27, 1844, who married Miss Rosa B. Slack, of Mendon, St. Joseph Co. There have been born to them five children : Daisie S., March 2, 1870; Henry H., Oct. 27, 1871 ; Lillie M., July 31, 1873; Bertha S., Jan. 17, 1876; George M. D., Jr., Sept. 10, 1878.

CHARLES KIMBLE

was born in Connecticut, where his father resided until his emigration at an early day to Wayne Co., Pa. ; he being among the first to settle in this part of the State. His father, Walter, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war prior to his settlement. After locating in Pennsyl- vania, the Indians becoming hostile towards the whites,

311

TOWNSHIP OF BRADY.

Mr. Kimble was compelled to leave his home about the time of the Wyoming massacre. After peace was made he again returned to his home and made a permanent settlement. On this farm Charles grew to manhood. Arrived at majority, he started in life for himself, adopt- ing farming as a calling. He became a prominent man, and was widely known as a successful farmer. In 1836 he sold his farm; and in the spring of 1837, with his wife and six children, came with a team and wagon to Michigan, being twenty-one days on the road. They reached Brady township, in Kalamazoo County, on the 4th of July, 1837, and located on the farm now owned by his son Lewis. It was on the Indian reservation and was not then in the market, and Mr. Kimble became " a squatter." He built a log house and commenced to improve his farm. In 1838 the pre-emption law was passed, and Mr. Kimble established his claim, and Oct. 10, 1840, received a deed for a quarter- section, on which he remained until his death, which occurred Nov. 20, 1852. The obituary notice published of him said, " There are many singular incidents connected with the history of Mr. Kimble, as well as interesting tra- ditional events handed down to the present generation by his social and familiar character. All the hardships and trials consequent to an early settlement in a remote wilder- ness, surrounded by wild beasts hungering for prey and by savage tribes remembering the white man's aggressions, were a part of his experience, and the subject of his frequent tales to the grandchildren upon his knee. He was liberal to a fault, open-hearted in all things, and never failed to impress upon the minds of all who knew him his integrity and kindness of heart."

LEWIS C. KIMBLE,

who was the second child of Charles Kimble, was born in Dyberry township, Wayne Co., Pa., Jan. 12, 1815. He was the oldest of the family who came to Michigan, and had almost full charge of the farm from the start. He was young and strong, and had been brought up to work, and the clearing and improving was due mainly to his labor and management. After paying for their land they had but little left and saw many privations. They were the second family of settlers in the town, and Lewis C. is now the oldest living settler. He has lived to see the wilder- ness grow into a prosperous and populous township. When Mr. Kimble's people came to Brady, Schoolcraft, Brady, and Wakeshma were all one. Schoolcraft was set off in 1841, the other two being left as Brady. Mr. Wilcox was the first supervisor and held it two terms. Mr. Kimble, although quite young, was next elected, and has held the office fourteen terms, being more terms than any other man has ever held the office in the county. When first elected he was poor. He had no horse, and used to walk to Kala- mazoo to attend the meetings of the board, and return on foot, making a thirty-six miles' walk. He has also been town treasurer, and is now serving his fourth term as justice of the peace. He has in his official positions worked for the best interests of his township, and filled the offices with credit to himself and his constituents. In

politics, Democratic ; in religion, liberal. On the 13th day of October, 1844, he married Miss Amanda M. Osborn, daughter of Judge Nathan Osborn, who was born Dec. 2, 1825, and died June 16, 1853. Their union was blessed with four children, as follows : E. Ransom, born July 29, 1845; Ann Vennette, Jan. 17, 1848; Lorinda, Oct. 19, 1849, died Aug. 6, 1850 ; and James E., Nov. 16, 1850. For his second wife Mr. Kimble married Mrs. Elizabeth A. Seymour, who was born Feb. 24, 1811. They have one child, Lewis S., born Jan. 24, 1856.

SAMUEL SHEARER,

of whom this sketch is written, was among the first settlers of the town of Brady. He was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., Feb. 22, 1811. The death of his parents, when he was seven years old, left him almost friendless. From that time he lived among strangers, doing whatever he could find to do. In this way he lived until he reached man's estate, early learning lessons which made him well fitted for a pioneer. At the age of nineteen he went to Wayne Co., Pa., and worked on a farm for Moses Kellam five years. He then, for a year or two, rafted on the Delaware River, leading a life of adventure and hardship. In 1836 he came to Michigan, by the way of Detroit. From Detroit he came with a team to Brady township, in Kalamazoo County, where he settled on the northwest quarter of section 31. It was then all new ; his nearest neighbor was at Parkville, in St. Joseph County, seven miles away.

After locating his land he went to Allegan, driving the first loaded team from Allegan to Kalamazoo. In Allegan he worked for a Mr. Bailey, drawing supplies from Allegan to Kalamazoo for his mills. Worked at this two years. When his land came into market in 1842 he had saved from his earnings money enough to pay for it, and that was all. He moved upon his farm and built a log house, and com- menced to improve and clear it. He lived alone, taking his meals with Thomas Smith, a bachelor. In 1838 he married Miss Fanny Smalley, who was born in Somerset Co., N. J., Oct. 24, 1811. She was daughter of Elias and Catherine Smalley. They were married on Wednesday, and the next Monday took their goods in a wagon and started for the farm in Brady, Mrs. Shearer going on foot. Their neighbors were Indians; wolves howled around their house by night, and the deer browsed in sight by day. When Wisner was murdered by an Indian, Mr. Shearer and Mr. Nolan pursued and caught him. On the farm he cleared and improved Mr. Shearer lived until his death, Oct. 17, 1872. He was a true friend and valuable citizen, one whom to know was to respect and esteem. Was a Democrat in politics.

There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shearer the fol- lowing children : Mary Jane, born April 5, 1843 (married to Daniel J. Fort, who was born Jan. 7, 1840; their chil- dren are as follows : Alonzo, born April 15, 1867; Berdena, Dec. 16, 1869; and Ethelinda, June 1, 1871, died Dec. 11, 1878); Theodore Shearer, born Feb. 10, 1847 (married Mary Jane Cooper, who was born July 28, 1851. They have two children,-Samuel R., born Jan. 29, 1876, and John T., April 26, 1878).

312

HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

JACOB LEMON

was born in Little Britain, Orange Co., N. Y., April 8, 1815, and was the fifth of eleven children. His father, Samuel Lemon, owned a small farm, which he cultivated when he was not working at his trade,-that of a stone- mason. In 1831 he bought fifty acres of wild land in Chemung Co., N. Y., and moved his family upon it, putting them into a shingle shanty. He then started for Orange County to get his goods, when, hearing that the man-of- war in which one of his sons had made a long voyage was lying in the harbor at New York, he took passage in a sloop for the city to see him. On the trip he was knocked overboard by a boom and drowned. His untimely death left his wife in straitened circumstances, with seven chil- dren at home, Jacob, then a lad of sixteen, being the eldest. Thus Jacob found himself the head of a large family. But he was no stranger to toil. At the age of eight years his father had put him in the cotton-factory of Horace Capron & Co., which was the first one built in the State, and was located on the Wallkill, in the village of Waldron. Here he worked two years. Previous to this he had at- tended school but a few weeks, hence his educational advan- tages were very limited. After leaving the factory he worked on a farm by the month, turning his wages over to his parents. After the death of his father he cut the logs and built a log house on the farm, into which he moved his mother and family. The farm was all new, and Mr. Lemon had to work out by the day and month to provide the family with food, many a time carrying home on his back across the mountain the flour he had earned through the day. He remained on the farm until he had improved thirty acres, and had the family well provided for. On the 23d day of April, 1835, with but two dollars and fifty cents in his pocket, and a linen knapsack containing a suit of home-made clothes and one shirt, he, with three others, of about the same age, started on foot for Michigan. On the way they lived on crackers and bologna, paying six- pence for their lodging. At Dunkirk they took deck- passage for Detroit, paying one dollar and fifty cents fare. To enable himself to get through, Mr. Lemon borrowed of Robert Cassidy, the rich boy of the party (who had forty dollars), two dollars and a half. From Detroit they tramped through to Livingston County, where they stayed a few days, and then went on farther west. In Shiawassee County they halted ; and hearing that there was but little to do in the new country, and having no friends, as had his companions, Mr. Lemon resolved to turn his steps towards Ann Arbor, where he had been told work could be had. On parting with his friends he let them have his rifle, which they were to leave at Mr. Parshell's, where he agreed to have the money he had borrowed by the next 4th of July ; and he kept his word, though to do so he walked seventy-five miles, only to find that the boys had sold his rifle and gone back to New York. Thirty years after, Mr. Lemon met Mr. Cassidy, and paid to him the two dollars and a half, with interest. While looking around Ann Arbor he one day met Alanson Holcomb, of whom he inquired for work. Mr. Holcomb replied that he was forty miles from home, and knew no one who wanted help but himself. A bargain was soon made, by which he agreed to work for eleven dol-

lars per month, and to report the next Monday. For Mr. Holcomb he worked until the 1st of July, receiving twenty dollars. This was more than his wages, but Mr. Holcomb told him he had earned it, and to keep it. This was the first money he earned in Michigan. Mr. Lemon still remembers, with grateful feelings, Mr. Holcomb and his family, who treated him with great kindness. In the fall of 1835, Mr. Lemon bought of the government forty acres of land near Grass Lake, in Jackson County. This he sold the following year. In December, 1835, with a letter of recommendation from Wm. R. Thompson, of Ann Arbor, he went to Detroit, and obtained a situation with a stage-route company, and with a coach-and-four drove to Chicago, then a small village, and was placed on the route from Chicago to Little Calu- met. Two months afterwards he was put in charge of the route from Chicago to Michigan City, and had full charge of the company's business and property. He held the position eighteen months. In 1836 his mother came with her family to Michigan, and settled in Scio, Washtenaw County, where they remained a short time, and then moved into Livingston County, where Mrs. Lemon died in 1854. In 1838, Mr. Lemon quit the stage-route, and with his young wife and their goods, in a horse "jumper," moved into Lake Co., Ind. The following spring he entered, in Lake County, two hundred and forty acres of land, paying part to the man who took the deed, and who was to give him a deed when he paid the balance. Through sickness he failed to raise the money, and lost the land and what he had paid. The summer of 1840 he passed in Springfield and Rushville, Ill., driving stage. Of his wages he saved one hundred and twenty-five dollars, with which he came to Brady township, in Kalamazoo County, where he in- tended to buy land. Not finding any at once, he loaned his money and lost all but five dollars. In the fall of 1841 he bought of the Widow Watkins her claim upon the south half of the northwest quarter of section 25 in Brady, and built a small log house on it, doing all the work himself. Into this he moved his family on the 22d of November of that year. The land coming into market in the spring of 1843, he pre-empted it, the pre- emption money to be paid within one year. In May of that year, with but seven dollars in his pocket, he set out on foot for Peru, Ill., where he took deck-passage on a steamer bound for St. Louis. From St. Louis he went to Burlington, Ia., where he worked four months for ten dol- lars per month. This would not pay for his land, and the following October found him again sailing down the Mis- sissippi, and bringing up in New Orleans nearly out of money. He soon found employment driving a public hack ; drove but a week, when he was taken sick. Three weeks' sickness found him without a cent, and in debt for his board. Three weeks was then spent in a fruitless search for work. He was about giving up in despair, when he one day met a German, who referred him to a Mr. Burgess, a Frenchman, who was proprietor of one of the finest livery- barns in the city. After a few days of anxious waiting, Mr. Burgess gave him a hack to drive, Mr. Lemon to have one-third of the net proceeds. The business proved lucra- tive, and the following May, with money enough to pay for his land, he returned to Michigan. The farm thus bought

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History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 83

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott Number of Pages: 761

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 761