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 41
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Josiah Miller, the first of the name in America, had four children,-
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John, Hiram, James and Hannah. His son, John, became the father of Lucien, Cynthia, Josiah, Frances, John and Josephine; Hiram was the father of Hiram, Simon, Mintha, Phoebe, Sarah, Sarahann and Georgeanne, while James, the third son of the founder of the family, had children, Stacy, George and Alice.
Clarence L. Miller received only a common school education, and has passed his life in various occupations thus far. He is known now as a prosperous farmer and merchant, and is also engaged in operating a cider mill. Formerly he was identified with the threshing business and for twenty-five years was engaged in that manner. He is a man of exceptionally good standing in his township and has held various public offices, among them that of township clerk and member of the school board in various capacities. He is now a director of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and is agent for the Wind- storm Insurance Company as well. Mr. Miller is not connected with any church by membership, but is generous in his attitude toward all and gives his support in many ways. He is fraternally identified by his membership with the Modern Woodmen of America, of which he is a beneficiary member, and he has been clerk of the order since its organization here on February 2, 1900.
On July 3, 1877, Mr. Miller was united in marriage at Erie, Michi- gan, by Rev. Kroh, to Miss Lena Miller, who was born in Carleton, Monroe county, on August 14, 1860. She was reared by her uncle and aunt, Melchior and Margretta Koegle, in Sandusky, Ohio, her mother dying when she was two years old. Her father, Peter Miller and her mother, Frances (Mason) Miller, were born in Baden, Germany, where the father spent fourteen years in the German army. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller: Horace G., born August 31, 1878, and died January 31, 1901; Edith M., born April 19, 1880, is the wife of Dr. Edwin Sylvester Cornwell, of Otis, Massachusetts, but now of La Salle, Michigan, where Doctor Cornwell is the only practicing physician in the town. They were married on September 23, 1901. Charles W. was born October 4, 1882. In later years, when their chil- dren had left the parental homes, the kindly hearted couple took two orphaned children from the state. normal school to rear. The boy, William Johnson, was seven years old when he came to the Millers, and he is now in his seventeenth year. He has received the advantage of a good common school education and has taken the name Miller. He is a bright, industrious boy, and fully justifies the kindness with which he has been treated in the Miller home. The girl, Helma Lytia Granlud, also was seven years old when the Millers took her, and is now seven- teen years old. She has received the same advantages that the boy was given, and like him, is proving well worthy the generous care accorded to her in the home of her adopted parents.
ALFRED L. GILDAY, supervisor of La Salle township, Monroe county, Michigan, is one of the wide-awake and up-to-date young men of his locality, Erie being his postoffice address. He belongs to a family long resident of Monroe county, and their history in connection with personal mention of him should be given a place in this work.
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Alfred L. Gilday was born on a farm on section 31, La Salle township, Monroe county, Michigan, October 28, 1881, son of James B. and Ella (Stankard) Gilday.
James B. Gilday is a son of William Gilday and wife, nee Kavany, both natives of the Emerald Isle, from whence they came to America and to Monroe county, Michigan, some time in the '30s. Here they lived for many years, reared their family and died. Ella (Stankard) Gilday is a daughter of Edward Stankard and wife, nee Jane Kelly, also both natives of Ireland, who, on coming to this country in the '50s, set- tled in Ohio, and from there, about the time of the Civil war, moved to Michigan and became residents of Monroe county. Thus the history of both the Gildays and Stankards dates back to the primitive settle- ments of this locality, when log schoolhouses were in vogue and pioneer homes were far apart. Both James B. Gilday and his wife conned their district school lessons in a log house, and previous to her marriage she was a teacher in Monroe county. With the passing years sons and daughters to the number of eight were given to them, whose names in order of birth are as follows: William E., Alice, Alfred L., Jennie A., James Grover, Walter, Byron and Mary. All have had the benefit of educational advantages, and two of the daughters are now engaged in teaching. Alice in her native county, and Jennie A. at Hammond, Indiana, the latter being a graduate of both the Monroe high school and Ypsilanti normal school. Byron is also a graduate of Monroe high school, and Mary, of St. Mary's Academy, Monroe, she being a member of the class of 1912.
Alfred L. Gilday, like the other members of the family, passed his boyhood days on his father's farm. He graduated with the June class of 1902 from Monroe high school, and during the next six years taught school in winter and worked on the farm in summer. For five months he was principal of the school at Erie, Michigan, and at the end of that time severed his connection with this work to accept a position to which he was appointed at Washington, D. C. He remained in Washington until the summer of 1911, and during his stay in that city attended law school at night at Georgetown. He came home with the degree of LL. B., which he received in June. At the March caucus of the Republicans of La Salle township he received the unanimous vote for supervisor, and the following April was elected by a majority of ten votes, this in a town- ship counted Democratic by from fifty to one hundred votes. Mr. Gilday is the second Republican ever elected supervisor of La Salle township.
Fraternally, Mr. Gilday is identified with the K. C. of Monroe and the K. O. T. M. of Erie. The Gilday family, Alfred L. included, are mem- bers of St. Joseph Catholic church at Erie.
BENJAMIN J. GREENING. With the industrial and commercial prog- ress of fine old Monroe county no name has been more worthily and influentially identified than that of the Greening family, and of the same the subject of this review is a representative of the fourth generation in the county. On other pages of this publication is given a review of the career of his father, Charles E. Greening, president of the Greening Nursery Company, and also of the latter's father, John C. W. Greening,
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who was the founder of the family in Monroe county and also of the business which has been developed into the great industrial enterprise now controlled by the Greening Nursery Company. Concerning this corporation, which has been a most important factor in furthering the material and civic upbuilding of the county, adequate mention is made in the sketch dedicated to Charles E. Greening, and thus it is necessary in the present connection to state only that Benjamin J. Greening is vice president of the company and general manager of its nurseries. He is an alert and progressive young business man and is aiding effect- ually in maintaining the high prestige of the family name in connection with the important line of industry with which it has been long and prominently concerned.
Benjamin Jansen Greening was born in the city of Monroe, Michigan, on the 5th of February, 1882, and is the elder of the two sons of Charles E., and E. Frederic (Janson) Greening. To the public schools of his native city Mr. Greening is indebted for his early educational discipline, and in 1901, after his graduation in the high school, he entered the Cleary Business College, in the city of Ypsilanti, in which he was gradu- ated as a member of the class of 1902. He then assumed a position in the offices of the Greening Nursery Company, and familiarized himself with the various departments of the business. Finally he became a travel- ing salesman for the company, in the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Michi- gan, and he continued to be thus engaged until 1903, when he again assumed a position in the home offices of the company. In the autumn of 1904 he entered Harvard University, in which historic institution he completed a special course in botany and landscape gardening. The impaired health of his father caused him to leave the university and he thereafter had general charge of the offices of the Greening Nursery Company until the 1st of January, 1907, when he was made vice president of the corporation, a position which he has since retained and in which he has proved a capable and progressive executive. He also has the gen- eral management of the mammoth nurseries of the company and is an authority in the various details of this line of industry, of which the Greening Company is one of the most extensive representatives in the entire Union, as will be seen by reference to the other articles relative to the members of the family and to the specific industrial chapter incorporated in this publication.
Benjamin J. Greening manifests the same civic loyalty and public spirit that have so signally characterized his father, and nothing that touches the well-being of his native city and county fails to enlist his interest. He is a Republican in his political allegiance.
On the 11th of May, 1911, Mr. Greening was united in marriage to Miss Helen L. Bronson, who was born and reared in Monroe and whose father, John P. Bronson, is one of the representative business men and influential citizens of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Greening have a beautiful modern residence at 208 South Macomb street and the same is a center of gracious hospitality, as both are popular factors in the representative social activities of their home city.
WILLIAM N. LANPHERE, prominent in building circles of Monroe, and an architect of unquestionable ability, has been for several years closely
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identified with the growth and expansion of the city in which he has made his home. His labors have been of a large and worthy character and have been resultant in much good to the city. He is acknowledged to be one of the most progressive and wide-awake citizens of the community, and one whose industry and influence are important factors in the furthering of the best interests of Monroe.
Mr. Lanphere is a native of New York state, born in Chautauqua county, December 17, 1868, the son of Asa and Mary (Daily) Lanphere, both of whom were natives of that state and who there passed their lives and died in advanced years. The father was a farmer, and prospered in his affairs. The son, William, attended the public and high schools of his native town. After leaving school he devoted himself to the learning of the carpenter trade in Jamestown, New York state, and while he was thus engaged he carried on studies in architecture, his ambition being to become an architect. He succeeded so well that when he came west in 1890 and located in Detroit he carried on a successful business in architecture and in real estate, to which latter business he gave a part of his time. For seven years he remained in Detroit, enjoying a measure of prosperity, after which he removed to Monroe, seeing in that place exceptional opportunities for his business in the future growth of the city. Here he has become one of the foremost men in the building busi- ness, and many of the more important buildings in Monroe were builded after plans and specifications prepared by Mr. Lanphere, the St. Mary's school being an example of his architectural skill. Quick to realize the relative importance of existing conditions, Mr. Lanphere associated with several other citizens, subdivided and platted Riverview addition. River- view has built up in a most pleasing manner and is a fine example of the foresight and progressiveness of Mr. Lanphere and his associates. This addition is well improved in every way, having fine streets, with excellent sewer and water systems.
In 1902 Mr. Lanphere married Miss Mabel Gibb, of Detroit, a daugh- ter of Antony Gibb. She was educated in the public schools of her native city. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lanphere-Mar- garet, Genevieve and Harold A. The family occupy the fine home which Mr. Lanphere recently erected, and which is a model of excellence and beauty, modern and appropriate in every detail.
Mr. Lanphere is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 209 Monroe, and is identified with many of the forward movements of the city. He is a thorough citizen and a valuable asset to the civic life of any community.
VICTOR J. BERTHELOTE. There are turning points in every man's life called opportunity. Taken advantage of, they mean ultimate suc- cess. The career of Victor J. Berthelote is a striking illustration of the latter statement. Diligent and ever alert for his chance of advance- ment, he has progressed steadily until he is recognized to-day as one of the foremost business men of Monroe, Michigan. Here he is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens, who honor him for his native ability and straightforward career. In 1908 he was elected justice of the peace of Monroe county and he is still the efficient incumbent of that responsible position in 1912.
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A native son of Monroe, Michigan, Victor J. Berthelote was born December 28, 1856. He is a son of Louis and Victoria (Moross) Ber- thelote, the former of whom was born in Calais, France, in 1811, and the latter of whom was born at Erie, Michigan, in 1836. Lewis Ber- thelote accompanied his parents to the United States in 1827; they landed in New York City, and after living there for a time the young Lewis went south. In 1834 he decided to come west and in that year located at Monroe, Michigan, where he resided during the remainder of his life-time and where he died in 1881. He was a carpenter hy trade and being handy with all kinds of tools, also became a skilled mechanic. He was employed by different parties at Monroe, and engaged in the grocery business from 1840 to his demise and managed to lay up a small competency. He was long survived by his wife, who died in 1906. He was the father of eight children, of whom the subject of this review was the youngest in order of birth.
Victor J. Berthelote attended the public school at Monroe, and later was a student in the parochial school at Dayton, Ohio, in which latter place he likewise attended St. Mary's Institute. After completing his educational training he returned to Monroe, where he embarked in the grocery business, in which line of enterprise he was most successfully engaged for the ensuing twenty years. In 1906 he turned his attention to the real estate and insurance business, and during the long inter- vening years to the present time he has been an extensive and promi- nent dealer in city property as well as farm lands. In politics he is a stanch advocate of the principles and policies for which the Dem- ocratic party stands sponsor and in 1908 he was given proof of the high esteem of his fellow citizens by election to the office of justice of the peace of Monroe county. He was elected for a term of four years and is still incumbent of the office, in discharging the duties of which he is acquitting himself with the utmost honor and efficiency. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of the Maccabees, and in their religious faith he and his family are devout members of St. Mary's Catholic church.
In the year 1877 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Berthelote to Miss Victoria Heven, a daughter of Lewis Heven, of French descent. Mr. and Mrs. Berthelote have four children, concerning whom the fol- lowing brief data are here incorporated : Lewis C. is in the employ of the Weis Manufacturing Company, at Monroe; Laura A. is the wife of Perry Overmeyer and they reside at Monroe; and Stella I., and Emma A., remain at the parental home.
HERMAN J. REISIG. A lifelong resident of Monroe, and for nearly thirty years in business, Herman J. Reisig is a merchant and citizen who needs no introduction to the people of Monroe county. The Reisig family has been identified with the tailoring business in this city for more than half a century, and to thousands of customers during nearly two generations the name has stood for reliable and highest grade of workmanship.
Mr. Reisig was born here on the 22d of January, 1860. His father
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was the late Leonard Reisig, who died in 1907. His mother's name was Margaret (Kohn) Reisig, who is also deceased. The father, who was a native of Bavaria, Germany, spent the years from six to fourteen in the common schools of his native land, and then became apprentice to the tailor's trade. As the custom is, in Germany, after finishing his appren- ticeship he served as journeyman in several places, and in 1847 emigrated to America. From New York he first went to Baltimore, then to Defiance, Ohio, and finally to Monroe, Michigan, where he was a cutter for M. Maryfield for some years, and later was connected with the estab- lishment of his son until his retirement from a long and active career.
Herman J. Reisig, up to his sixteenth year, was a student in the parochial and public schools of Monroe. He learned his trade in this city, after which he spent several months in John J. Mitchell Cutting School, where he gained a finish and expertness in his craft. In 1883 he started business on his own account, and for nearly thirty years has enjoyed a prosperous trade. His store, occupying space 22 x 80 feet, has a fine stock of foreign and domestic cloths, and year after year he supplies the wants of a large and critical patronage. He also operates a cleaning and dry-pressing establishment. Besides this regular and long established business, Mr. Reisig is a stockholder in the River Raisin Paper Company, and is interested in other local enterprises.
Mr. Reisig's home is a substantial brick residence at 557 Fifth street. His wife, whom he married in 1888, was Miss Louisa I. Eichbauer, a daughter of Leonard and Christina Eichbauer, old and well-known resi- dents of Monroe. The six children born to their marriage are as fol- lows: Herbert, who is associated with his father in business; Eliza A., a stenographer; Anita; Edmund; Alma, and Albert. The family are members of the Trinity Lutheran church, to which Mr. Reisig has given a service of twenty-five years as a trustee and for several years was treasurer.
PETER A. LEONARD, one of Monroe county's representative citizens whose agricultural interests cover 102 acres in Erie township and 151/2 acres in Bedford township, has made a specialty of the fruit business, in which he has been very successful. As a prominent factor in this indus- try in his locality, some personal mention of him and his family is of interest in connection with this biographical record of the leading men and women of Monroe county.
Peter A. Leonard was born in Bedford township, Monroe county, Michigan, December 25, 1865, son of Antwine and Julian (Dusseau) Leonard.
Antwine Leonard, also a native of Monroe county, was born in La Salle township in 1825, son of Francis and Julia (Connor) Leonard, the former a native of France, the latter of Detroit, Michigan, of Irish descent. Francis Leonard and his wife spent the greater part of their lives and died in Monroe county. They were the parents of four sons and two daughters, one of whom was living in 1912-Joseph Leonard, . a resident of Bay county, Michigan. Antwine Leonard and his wife had eight children, of whom three are living at this writing, Peter A.
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and two sisters, Josephine M., wife of Frank Roe, of Dundee, Michi- gan, and Dalia, wife of Andrew Roe, of Lenawee county, Michigan.
His father a farmer, Peter A. grew up as other farmer boys. He attended district school during the winter terms until he was seventeen. From that time until he was twenty-three he worked for his father, and then, on reaching his majority, he married and settled down to farm- ing on his own responsibility. With the exception of 221/2 acres which he received from his father's estate, he has earned everything he has by his own industry and good management.
Mr. Leonard married, October 29, 1889, Miss Josephine Cousino, who was born in La Salle township, Monroe county, October 18, 1866, daughter of Peter and Mary A. (Stine) Cousino, and they are the par- ents of three children : Bernadett, Anthony and Loretto, all at home.
Mr. Leonard has been a Democrat all his life and for the past eigh- teen years has filled the office of justice of the peace in his township. He and his family are members of the St. Joseph Catholic church of Erie.
JOHN VIVIAN, a well educated and substantial farmer of French- town township, Monroe county, Michigan, is well and favorably known throughout a large section of this part of the country. Of English descent he is a type of the stock that forms the real backbone of the American nation.
Born in Frenchtown township October 12, 1863, his parents are Robert G. and Mary (Kellie) Vivian. Mr. Vivian was born in 1823 in Dorsetshire, England, and was a sailor on the ocean until he came to America in the 'forties. Mrs. Vivian, who is still living, was born in 1835. They were married in 1857, and became the parents of ten chil- dren, six of whom have at one time or another in their lives been teachers. Martha, who is single, and who served for a while as a teacher in Monroe county, lives at the old homestead. Joseph A. is also single and has remained with his mother on the farm. Of the others John is a farmer; Richard married Sarah Knaggs; Elizabeth G., unmarried, is a graduate of the Monroe high school and teaches; Mary B. graduated from the Toledo Hospital and is now following her profession as a nurse ; Ruth is unmarried and lives at home with her mother; Jessie is the wife of Warren Webster of Beaumont, Texas; William P., after graduating from the Monroe high school, became one of the partners of the Advance Lumber Company of Detroit, Michigan; Margaret G. is a bookkeeper for the U. S. Pressed Steel Company of Ypsilanti, Michigan.
John Vivian was raised on the farm and attended the district schools and the Monroe high school. He also became a teacher immediately after he completed his own education, but left that occupation after one year to take up farming. He now owns one hundred acres of land three miles north of Monroe, Michigan, where he keeps high-grade Holstein cattle. He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Monroe and also of the Frenchtown Grange. In connection with this latter he served as over- seer for years. He belongs to the Republican party. On June 25, 1902, he and Cora Lane were married. She is a native of Adams township, Lucas county, Ohio, having been born there November 22, 1867, the
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daughter of Alonzo Lane and Mary A. (Driver) Lane. Mr. Lane was a native of Ohio and his wife the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Driver, who had been born in England. Mrs. Vivian was one in a fam- ily of seven children, six of whom are still living, Henry A., of Toledo, Ohio, Etta, the wife of Jay C. Newbirt, of Toledo, Frank E., who mar- ried Anna Beier, Charles A. of Toledo, Dora B., the wife of H. J. Schneider of Toledo, and L. N., who was married to Gertrude Emery of Toledo. Mrs. Vivian attended the district schools near her home until she was eighteen years old. She and Mr. Vivian have had two children, Maribel K., born May 9, 1904, and Robert A., born September 30, 1907.
MRS. OLLIE MATTESON, of Frenchtown township, Monroe county, Michigan, is one of the arbiters of social destinies in her community. and is an active church worker. She is a woman of culture and refine- ment and has raised an interesting family of children whose individ- uality and originality she has fostered to the utmost. Although her in- terests heretofore had lain more in the other direction, since the death of her husband in 1908, she had attended to all her business affairs her- self in an able manner, and has shown herself to be a capable and adapt- able woman. She owns 208 acres of the best land in Monroe county improved to a degree not surpassed by any other farm within miles.
Mrs. Matteson's parents, Jay Loveridge and Jane (Reading) Lover- idge, were born, the one in New York and the other in Monroe county, Michigan. As a result of their marriage, which took place in Mrs. Loveridge's home county, four children were born, three of whom, Ollie, Jennie, the wife of Gabriel Parsons of Flat Rock, and Edward, who married Hattie Matteson, are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Loveridge lived on a farm in Monroe county.
Ollie Matteson was born in Berlin township, Monroe county, June 8, 1858. She was raised in South Rockwood, receiving her early edu- cation in the public schools of that town, and finishing with a course at the Flat Rock high school. At the age of sixteen she began to teach school and continued in that profession until she was twenty-nine. On January 5, 1887, she was married to George W. Matteson, who was born on Stony creek in Frenchtown township, November 23, 1854, the son of Elon G. Matteson and Julia L. (Cowles) Matteson, both natives of Calhoun county, Michigan. Mr. Matteson was educated in the common schools. To them were born five children, Jay, in August, 1890, a graduate of the common schools, Lee, on October 3, 1891, a grad- uate of the common schools, Hazel, on November 28, 1894, at present a student in the Monroe high school and with a decided talent for music, Violet, on October 2, 1897, and Geraldine, on March 21, 1903. For many years Mr. Matteson was a deacon in the Congregational church of Newport, of which the whole family are members, and of which Mrs. Matteson is now the clerk. Affiliated with the Republican party, he was much interested in local affairs and for many years served as highway commissioner. He was and Mrs. Matteson now is a member of the Frenchtown Grange. Mr. Matteson died November 12, 1908.
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