USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume II > Part 21
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R. O. Hazen was married December 21, 1905 to Miss Ruby Shaler, of Milan township, daughter of an ex-soldier of the Civil war, who was an early settler of Monroe county and is now deceased. His widow now lives with Mr. and Mrs. Hazen, and is widely known and much beloved for her many admirable qualities of mind and heart. Mr. and Mrs. Hazen have two bright and interesting boys: Clair, who is five years of age; and R. Paul, aged three. In political matters Mr. Hazen is a Republican. In March, 1907, he received his appointment as rural free delivery carrier, a position he has continued to hold to the present time.
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A capable, conscientious and courteous official, he has gained a wide popularity throughout the section over which he travels, and has gained and retained many warm friends in Milan township. He has interested himself in fraternal matters, belonging to Wolverine Lodge, No. 197. Mr. Hazen is also a member of the F. and A. M. Lodge of Milan, Michi- gan, I. O. O. F., and Mrs. Hazen is a member of the Rebekah Lodge. In the prime of life, with his best years before him, Mr. Hazen's usefulness is not near its close nor his advancement at its highest, as without doubt this typical son of Michigan has the ability and intelligence to place himself among his community's leading men.
= HENRY SMITH. One of the venerable citizens of Azalia, Michigan, who was for many years identified with the growth and development of Monroe county, as a contractor and builder, is Henry Smith, who is now the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres in Milan township. Mr. Smith is a veteran of the great Civil war, has served in numerous township offices with great ability, and has the esteem and respect of all with whom he has come in contact in either a business or social way. The birth of Mr. Smith occurred in Yates county, New York, October 9, 1829, his grandfather was in the War of 1812, John W. Smith being a native of the Empire state. He was of English descent, was a slave owner during the early days, and became a pioneer of Monroe county, Michigan, where he died at the remarkable age of one hundred years. He married Catherine Dryman, of New York, and she died at the age of sixty years, having been the mother of seven children.
Henry Smith was reared to the vocation of an agriculturist, but decided to follow a business career, and accordingly learned the trades of carpenter and millwright, which he followed for many years with great success. Subsequently he engaged in contracting for railroad ties for sixteen years, and then became a general contractor and builder, erecting numerous houses, barns, sawmills and other structures through- out Monroe county. He gained a fairly-earned reputation for honorable methods in business dealings, and his word at all times was considered as good as his bond. At this time he is living a somewhat retired life on his well-cultivated farm of eighty acres, near Azalia, where he has a modern home, good barns and outbuildings, and engages in general farming. At the last call for troops, Mr. Smith enlisted, September 3, 1864, in the Twelfth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, with which he served gallantly until the close of the Civil war, and received his honorable discharge July 28, 1865. Although he is eighty-two years of age he is in the best of health, and is a man of strong physique, being six feet tall and weighing 185 pounds. . For twelve years he served the citizens of his township as justice of the peace, and was considered one of the most capable officials elected during his day. He and Mrs. Smith are consistent members of the Baptist church.
On June 4, 1862, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Diantha Jones, who was born February 4, 1832, daughter of Nathaniel Jones, of Rutland, Vermont, a soldier of the War of 1812, and a descendant of an old Welsh family. He died at the age of sixty-one years, his wife attaining the advanced age of ninety-nine years, and of their thirteen children, twelve
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grew to man and womanhood. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had nine children : Helen; Diantha; John, who is deceased; Jennie, who is also deceased; Nathaniel, living in Milan; Clara; Matilda ; Lillie, the wife of Henry Myers; and Martha. Mrs. Smith has been a faithful wife and helpmeet to her husband, and he attributes much of his success in life to her self-sacrificing assistance and support. During late years her eyes have troubled her to some extent, but her mind is active and her memory excellent, and she can recall many reminiscences and experiences of the early days of Monroe county. Both are held in high esteem in this section, where the number of their friends is only confined by the number of their acquaintances.
FRED C. WAGNER. For the last quarter of a century the name Wagner has been associated with the boot and shoe business of Monroe, and the Wagner store on East Front street is one of the mercantile enterprises first to be mentioned among the commercial assets of this city.
Mr. Wagner has been a lifelong resident of Monroe, got his business training while a boy in one of the stores of that period, and both as a ยท citizen and business man has for many years held an honored position in the community. He was born in Monroe May 3, 1858, the oldest son of John Casper and Margaret (Wucherer) Wagner. His father, who was born and received his primary education in Germany, emigrated to Amer- ica and landed at New York in 1854, coming from that city direct to Monroe, where he was employed on the construction work of the Lake Shore Railroad between Toledo and Detroit, and was later engaged in similar work for the Michigan Southern. His death occurred January 2, 1903. His wife, who was born in Bavaria and came to this country in 1852, is still a resident of Monroe.
Fred C. Wagner got his early education in the German Lutheran and public schools of this city. His practical career began when he was thirteen, at which time he left school and began working for N. R. Haskell, a vegetable gardener, and was also employed for a time by the I. E. Ilgenfritz Nursery Company. His subsequent entrance as a clerk into the establishment of F. S. Sill and Company, dealers in boots and shoes, was the beginning of his permanent business career. After re- maining with that firm fourteen years, in 1886 he formed a partnership with Mr. M. T. Duvall, and Duvall & Wagner for the subsequent nine years were among the leading boot and shoe merchants of the city. Since that time, having bought his partner's interest, Mr. Wagner has been in business alone, and is one of the oldest merchants in this line in the city. His location is one of the best in the mercantile district, and his patronage has always been of high-class character.
Mr. Wagner was married in 1883 to Miss Kate A. Gutmann, daugh- ter of J. Casper and Kate Gutmann. The family residence is at 310 Second street. There are two children, named Erwin F. and Verena E. Mr. Wagner's brother, John G., is a carpenter of this city, and he also has two sisters, Mrs. Mary Resig, of 609 Third street, and Mrs. Barbara Bicking, of 259 South Macomb.
The public-spirited citizenship of Mr. Wagner is well known in this community. For the past twenty years he has been a member of the
FRED C. WAGNER
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board of education, and in this time has done much for the improvement of the facilities of public education. His politics is Republican, and he and his family are members of the Trinity Lutheran church.
CHARLES W. TEALL. Any list of the prominent citizens of Monroe county, Michigan, would be decidedly incomplete did it not contain the name of Charles W. Teall, of London township, who has spent his entire life within the confines of the county, with the exception of the period of the Civil war, through which he fought gallantly as a wearer of the Union blue. He is a native of Monroe county, and was born on George Washington's birthday, the year the late President McKinley was born, February 22, 1843, and is a representative of a family that has sent its sons to battle in defense of its country's flag since colonial days, and whose members have ever been noted for their courage, industry and high standing in every walk of life.
The Teall family was founded in America by three brothers, who came from England in 1750, one going to the south, another to the west and a third remaining in New York state, where were born Asa H., Oliver and Timothy Teall. Asa H. Teall was born at Geneva, Ontario county, New York, there grew up on a farm, and was married to Soph- ronia Taylor, also a native of the Empire state. Some time after his marriage he migrated to Erie township, Monroe county, where his wife died when Charles W. Teall was a baby, they having had a family of four- teen children, eleven sons and three daughters, of whom five of the sons fought valiantly as soldiers in defense of the Union, namely : Taylor, Lem- uel James, Chas. W., Oliver and Malanthan. Asa H. Teall spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits in Monroe county, where he passed away at the age of seventy-nine years. He was a Democrat in his political views, served as justice of the peace for many years, and was esteemed and respected throughout the county.
Charles W. Teall secured his education in the district schools of Erie township, and was reared to the work of the home farm. At the outbreak of the Civil war several of his brothers had enlisted in the Union service, and when President Lincoln called for 600,000 more troops, he responded by enlisting in Company D, Eighty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for three years or during the war, this com- pany being organized at Columbus, Ohio. The regiment was subsequently sent to camp at Clarksburg, West Virginia, and then removed to Beverly, but went back to Clarksburg, and was then sent to Ohio, where Mr. Teall received his honorable discharge. He then remained on the home farm until March, 1864, when he enlisted in the Sixth Michigan Heavy Artillery, Company C, Col. Clark commanding the battery. This battery was ordered to Port Hudson and was subsequently sent to Fort Gaines, and at the storming of Fort Morgan Mr. Teall was lashed to the mast of one of the gun-boats under Admiral Farragut. They then went to Vicks- burg, Mr. Teall being present at the surrender of that point, July 4, 1864, following which he was sent to Hospital No. 2, and remained there until the 19th of the same month, when he was sent home, and received his honorable discharge at Jackson, Michigan, on account of the end of the war. His regiment had participated in some of the hardest fight-
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ing of the great struggle between the states, and lost more men than any other Michigan regiment by sickness.
March 20, 1866, Mr. Teall was married to Miss Cornelia Overacker, who was born in Lodi township, daughter of Martin Overacker, and she died in December, 1889, having been the mother of six living chil- dren : Rhoda, Elizabeth, Lucy, Elmer, Claude and Hattie. Mr. Teall was married (second) in Monroe, Michigan, August 23, 1900, to Mrs. Mary E. Fornia, widow of Charles Fornia, who died in 1894. Mr. For- nia was a soldier during the Civil war, serving first with the Seventh Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and later joining the Sixth Michigan Heavy Artillery and becoming a comrade of Mr. Teall. He died at the age of sixty-three years, having been the father of four children: Frank and Mrs. Belle LaBuff, who are deceased ; and Charles and Moses Fornia, farmers and steam threshermen of Monroe county. Mrs. Teall was born in York township, near Sandusky, Erie county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Vanranssler Calhoun, who was born in the Vanranssler Reserve, New York, and Matilda (Richmond) Calhoun, also a native of the Empire state. They came to Monroe county during the 'fifties, and here spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying when seventy-six years of age, and the mother when seventy-eight years old. Mr. Calhoun was a farmer and prominent Republican, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist church. They had five children, namely : Joseph ; Steven; Benjamin Franklin, who died in January, 1908; Alva S., who was a soldier in the Eleventh Michigan Infantry and met his death at Beardstown, Kentucky ; and Mary, who married Mr. Teall.
On his return from his military career, Mr. Teall engaged in farming in London township, where he is now the owner of 160 acres of well- cultivated land, in addition to which his wife owns forty acres. As he was a good soldier, so has he been a good citizen and able business man, and his ventures have been eminently successful. In politics he is a Republican, but he has not cared for public life, preferring to give his time and attention to his private affairs. He takes an interest in the work of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is an honored comrade of Lucius Taylor Post, No. 325, at Milan, Michigan. As a man who is prominent in all that affects his community he is well known through- out Monroe county, and no man has a more irreproachable reputation or a wider circle of warm personal friends.
JOHN BANNMILLER. It is always gratifying to true citizens of this Republic to note the readiness of many men, born under foreign flags, to become loyal and patriotic supporters of the United States Government, when they have once made this country their home. This can never be misconstrued as an act of displaying lack of fidelity to their native land, for which they must always hold the warmest affection, but it is evidence that they are men who recognize their duty as citizens in common with the native-born of the Republic, and do not hesitate to perform it. Many of the bravest soldiers in the Civil war were born not in this country, but in the Fatherland, and after the cessation of hostilities, they became men of sobriety and industry, fully capable of fighting the battles of peace as well as of war. Like thousands of his
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fellow-countrymen, John Bannmiller saw no great future before him in his native country, and decided to try his fortunes in the new world, arriving in this country at a time when the discussions that were to disrupt (but eventually to solidify) the nation, were being heard on every side. He was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1838, son of a black- smith, and attended the schools of his native land until he had reached his fourteenth year. When he was nineteen years old, Mr. Bannmiller took passage on a sailing vessel for this country, eventually landing at New York City, from whence he made his way to Monroe county, Michigan.
Mr. Bannmiller was engaged in working at machine work, when the Civil war broke out, and he soon began to chafe to be at the front in defense of the Union flag. Born in a country where a military training is a part of every youth's early life, he possessed the courage and quali- fications of a soldier, and on November 18, 1862, enlisted in Company K, Michigan Light Artillery, under Capt. Shill. The company was at once ordered to Washington, D. C., becoming a part of Gen. Joe Hooker's command, and with him participated in the bloody battles at Nash- ville, Chickamauga, Stone river and Kingston. At the last named battle, Mr. Bannmiller was wounded in the throat, and was operated on by an army surgeon, but he has always been troubled by this hon- orable wound, and will, no doubt suffer discomfort to the day of his death from the injury received while assisting in the defense of his adopted country's flag. On account of his injury, Mr. Bannmiller was honorably discharged for disability, and returned to the peaceful occu- pation of tilling the soil, to which he has given his attention ever since. He is now the owner of a well-cultivated tract of land in London town- ship, a property of forty-five acres, on which is located a handsome eight-room residence, with a substantail modern barn, 24 x 60 feet. His meadows, pastures and grain fields show the application of scientific and industrious effort.
Mr. Bannmiller was married in Monroe county, Michigan, to Mrs. Katherine Karle, who was born in Baden, Germany, and she is now deceased. They had a family of four children living, namely: Katha- rina, Fred, Rosa and Lena. In his political proclivities Mr. Bannmiller is a Republican, and has been stanch in his support of that party's candidates and principles, although he has never cared to enter the public arena as a candidate for office. Although now seventy-four years of age, when most men feel the weight of their declining years, this old soldier is hale and hearty and in full possession of his health and faculties, and can look back over a long and well-spent, life, con- tent in the knowledge that he can leave to his children the heritage of an honorable name.
JOHN W. LOHR. During a residence of a quarter of a century, in which period of time he has been intimately identified with the agri- cultural progress and development of Monroe county, John W. Lohr, of section 35, London township, proprietor of Grand View Farm, has become well known to the citizens of this community as an excellent farmer, a business man of sound principles and good judgment, and a
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public-spirited citizen who has the welfare of his section at heart. Mr. Lohr is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born in Ohio, February 22, 1861, a son of Peter Lohr, a native of Germany, and a member of a family which has for years been noted in the Fatherland for its intelligence, industry, honesty and morality. Peter Lohr was educated in his native land, and there reared to young manhood, but saw no future in store for him in Germany, and accordingly came to the United States and settled in Ohio, where he was engaged in farm- ing at the time of the outbreak of the great Civil war. Believing that the Union should be preserved, he enlisted in an Ohio regiment of vol- unteers, and his death occurred while he was in the service, his life being sacrificed in defending the flag of his adopted country. He was buried in the south. His widow survived him some years, and was fifty years of age at the time of her demise, being the mother of four children : Catherine, August, John W., and Martha. The parents were consistent members of the Lutheran church, and the children were reared in the faith of that denomination and taught habits of industry and honesty.
John W. Lohr was reared on the homestead farm in Ohio, and attended the public schools of that state, this being later supplemented by much home study, reading and observation. When he had attained his majority, he was married to Miss E. Sauerwein, who proved a faith- ful helpmeet, and to whom Mr. Lohr gives much of the credit for his success in life. She was born in Elmore, Ohio, November 11, 1862, where she was reared and educated. After his marriage, Mr. Lohr came to Monroe county and settled in section 35, London township, where at the age of twenty-four years he was the owner of an excellent farm. Each year has found him adding to his acreage and improve- ments, and at this time Grand View Farm is one of the best to be found within the limits of Monroe county. Mr. Lohr's modern resi- dence contains ten rooms, with spacious halls and closets and wide porches, is of handsome architecture and composed of brick. It is beautified by a row of maple trees and a well-kept lawn, and is com- fortably and tastefully furnished and equipped with modern con- veniences. He has also erected a large barn, 32 x 98 feet, barn No. 2, 36 x 46 feet, granery, 26 x 18 feet, and a hog house, corn crib and other outbuildings. His land is well fenced, graded and drained, and includes a fine pasture meadow and extensive grain fields. He has devoted the greater part of his attention to general farming, but all branches of agricultural work have received a share of his time, and he has been successful alike in dairying, grain raising and cattle and hog breeding.
Mr. and Mrs. Lohr have had a family of seven children, as follows: Clara, who is the wife of Fred Smith, living in Maybee, Michigan, represented elsewhere in this work; Minnie, who married George Hel- zer, and lives in London township; George and Fred, who are bachelors, aged respectively twenty-four and twenty-two years, and live at home assisting their father in the work of the home farm; Bertha, finished the eighth grade of the public schools, and she has taken musical
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instruction; Carl, who died in infancy; and Bernice, who is eight years of age, in school.
Mr. Lohr and family are members and liberal supporters of St. Paul's church, of Maybee, contributing to all movements that have for their object the advancement of morality, education, religion and good citizen- ship. He has the distinction of being the architect of his own fortunes, in that he started his career without financial aid or influential friends, and through the sheer force of his own energy and perseverence has made a place for himself among the substantial men of his community. His career has been a long and useful one, and he is justly regarded as one of London township's representative men.
JAMES KNOWLES. Every veteran of the Civil war commands our respect and esteem for what was accomplished by the youths who went forth to battle in defense of their country's flag during the dark days of the war between the states, and if when the struggle was over he returned to his home and became one of his community's progressive and industri- ous citizens, then he is entitled to even higher honor. In this connection it may be appropriate to give in brief a sketch of the career of James Knowles, of section 36, Milan township, successful farmer of three and one-half miles north of Dundee, and veteran of the War of the Rebellion. Mr. Knowles was born November 4, 1845, in Macon township, Lenawee county, Michigan, a son of Martin Knowles, who came from the Emerald Isle to the United States as a young man. Here he was married to Miss Martha Ann Van Deventer, of an old Holland family of New York, daughter of Henry Van Deventer. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Knowles removed to Dundee township, Monroe county, where Mr. Knowles died at the age of sixty-four years, while the mother passed away at the age of seventy-eight. Mr. Knowles was an agriculturist all of his life, and was a stalwart Democrat in his political views. He and his wife had a family of nine children : James; Michael, who was a pri- vate in the Seventeenth Michigan Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war, and died in Colorado, at the age of fifty-eight years; Henry ; Mary, who is deceased ; Amy ; Martha, deceased ; George; Daniel, deceased; and Frank.
James Knowles received a district school education and was reared on the home farm, following which he learned the trade of carpenter. He was only seventeen years of age when he enlisted August 24, 1862, at President Lincoln's call for 300,000 troops, becoming a private in Company C, Seventeenth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, for three years or during the war. The regiment was under Cols. Withing- ton and Luce, of Monroe county, and belonged to what was known as the Stonewall regiment, participating in some of the hardest-fought engagements of the great war, including Fort Meyer, South Mountain and Antietam, and under Gen. Willett fought at Fredericksburg, the siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Blue Springs, London, Campbell's Station, siege of Knoxville, Strawberry Plains, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Bethseda Church, Cold Harbor, before Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Reams Station, Poplar Springs, Hatches Run, Fort Steadman, siege of Petersburg, and capture of Petersburg, April 3, 1865. Of the 1079 Vol. II-11
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men in the regiment, 283 were lost in battle, and 152 died of disease. Mr. Knowles was chosen on account of his bravery and efficient services to act as aide for Gen. Wilcox, in carrying dispatches to Col. Ely of the First Brigade. He was also on the line with the Second Michigan Sharp- shooters, and saw the Union flag placed on the old courthouse at Peters- burg, April 3, 1865. He received his honorable discharge, June 3, 1865, after a service that was creditable to him in every respect. Always a brave, faithful and willing soldier, cheerfully performing those duties which fell to his lot, he was honored by his comrades, and respected by his officers.
On his return from his military career, young Knowles resumed car- penter work, and for some years worked on railroads in New Mexico and Arizona, where he had numerous engagements with the hostile Indians while building bridges. In 1881, however, he returned to Michi- gan and took up the old Doran homestead farm of 156 acres, which he has been engaged in cultivating to the present time, with a large measure of success. He has a modern fifteen-room house, located on the road that upwards of ninety years ago was the old Indian trail from Monroe county to Detroit. This house is surrounded by shade trees, which are neatly kept, as are his grain fields and pastures, and the barns and other buildings are in good state of repair, testifying to the thrift and industry. of the owner. In politics, Mr. Knowles is a strong Republican, and his Grand Army connection is with the post at Dundee, where his pleasant personality has gained and retained for him many warm friends.
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