USA > Michigan > Montcalm County > History of Montcalm County, Michigan its people, industries and institutions...with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families Volume II > Part 12
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Even before he had gained a residence here, Captain Hinds was elected to a local public office, and has been supervisor. chairman of the board of supervisors, state senator, and was at the head of the state live stock sanitary commission for twenty eight years, prior to which time he had been a mem- her of the board of control of the state public school at Coldwater, Michigan. during the construction period and inauguration of this wise charity for the benefit of indigent children, which is the parent institution of its kind in the world. Captain Hinds was a long-time member and president of the Stanton school board, and for more than a quarter of a century was con- nected with and one of the managers of the State Agricultural Society, which has charge of the Michigan state fair.
On December 16. 1871. Capt. Henry H. Hinds married Mary Elizabeth Sherwood. of Rushville, Pennsylvania, daughter of William H. and Mary
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Jane ( Turrel ) Sherwood. Mary E. Sherwood was born on December 10, 1853, in Forest Lake township. Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. Her paternal grandfather was Nathan J. Sherwood. To this union were born five children who survived the period of infancy, as follow : Edna, Alma, Eva, May and Sherwood. Edna was born on September 17. 1875. and died on April 30, 1892. in her seventeenth year. Alma was born on February 15. 1877. She was married to Edward H. Baker. April 28, 1907. and is now residing in Flint, Michigan. She has two children. Edward Hinds. born on March 19. 1908, and Edna Estelle, born on February 26, 1910. Eva was born on March 21, 1882. She was married to Frank D. Phelps. October 25. 1908, and is now residing in Hudson, Michigan. She has one daughter, Elizabeth, born on August 17. 1910. May was born on May 13. 1883. She has been a victim of epilepsy from infancy and is permanently in an institution for care and treatment. Sherwood was born on March 1. 1885. Ile married Mary Hayes, July 24. 1909. and is now a civil and mechanical engineer. residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has three chil- dren, Dorothy, born on October 16, 1910: Ward R., February 11. 1912. and Sherwood Richard. June 24, 1915. Mrs. Hinds died on October 13. 1903. aged nearly fifty years. She was a charter member of the First Congre- gational church at Stanton.
Captain Ifinds was the first man initiated in Stanton Star Lodge. No. 250. Free and Accepted Masons, in Stanton, Michigan, and later was master of the same for a number of years. He is also a charter member of Stan- ton Chapter No. 110. Royal Arch Masons, and has been its high priest. and for more than forty years he has been a member of Ionia Commandery No. Ir. Knights Templar. He has been a member of Grand Rapids Consistory. Scottish Rite Masons, for more than thirty-five years. fle is also an old member of Saladin Temple. Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. at Grand Rapids. Ile and his wife were charter members of Stanton Chapter No. 47. Order of the Eastern Star. he having been first worthy patron, and she first worthy matron of that chapter. Captain Hinds was grand worthy patron of the state of Michigan: also most worthy grand patron of the Order of the Fast- ern Star of the world. the highest rank attainable in that order. He and his wife were long-time members of the Grange, he having served as a mem- ber of the executive committee of the state grange. They were charter members of Stanton Grange No. 748, he being its first master, and she was its first lecturer. Mrs. Hinds served as a member of the woman's work committee of the state grange from the time the committee was inaugurated
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until her death. Captain Hinds is a charter member of Stanton Post No. 37. Grand Army of the Republic. Department of Michigan, and was the post's first commander. His wife was a charter member and first president of Stanton Women's Relief Corps No. 9, and from that position rose to department president for the state of Michigan.
LESLIE T. BARBER.
Leslie T. Barber, one of the leading business men of Edmore, Mont- calm county, is a young man with an excellent future before him. Progres- sively active and highly efficient, he commands the respect of all who know him. He was born on March 11, 1886, in St. Louis, Michigan, and is the son of David and Ida ( Bisbee) Barber. He was reared and educated in his native town, after which he acquired a working knowledge of the steam- litter's trade and followed this for a short time. Ile then learned the whole- sale produce business which he thoroughly mastered. being a partner of his Stepfather. J. V. Glassford, until his death. He then launched out for him- self by entering the employ of Swift & Co., in the same line at Edmore, Michigan, where he located in 1908. After severing his connection with this urm he left Edmore for a short time, but finally returned and engaged in the produce business for himself.
On Angust 12. 1913. the I .. Barber & Company Creamery was organ- zed with local capital and a new plant was erected with all modern improve- ments and machinery, and a fine fire-proof structure. This plant is located near the Pere Marquette railroad, at Edmore. Michigan. and has branch buying stations throughout the state. A fine grade of butter is made here and much poultry shipped. Leslie T. Barber is the manager of this thriv- ing concern and does most of the buying. In his political life he is affiliated with the Republican party and is now a member of the local town council. Fraternally, he is a member of Edmore Lodge. No. 360, of the Free and Accepted Masons.
On November 10. 1908. Leslie T. Barber was united in marriage to Unlu M. Newberry, daughter of Steven E. and Emma (Thomas) New- berry, and they are the parents of one child, namely. Thelma Etola, whose birth occurred on October 13. 1910. Steven E. Newberry was born in Genesee county. Michigan, on November 30. 1852, and is the son of Will- ian Newberry and his wife, both natives of England. Steven E. New-
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berry was reared in his native county and in 1884. he removed to South Dakota and thence to lowa, locating in St. Louis, Michigan, on May 25. 1888. Hle was a carpenter by trade and still follows that vocation at inter- vals. On June 9. 1877, Steven E. Newberry was married to Emma Thomas, daughter of Timothy and Mary ( Holman) Thomas, who were both natives of England. and to them were born three children, whose names follow : Jennie, wife of Edwin McManus, of Waterloo, lowa: Emma, and Ethel. wife of Milton Pokorny, also of Waterloo, Iowa. Emma Thomas was born on March 21. 1858. in Lapeer county. Michigan, and after her mar- riage accompanied her husband to Piere, South Dakota, at which place her daughter, Lulu M., was born. She was about four years of age when they located in St. Louis, Michigan, and there she was reared and educated. graduating from the local high school with the class of 1006. She then taught for one year in the district schools of that locality. Her parents now live in Boyne City, Michigan.
ELMER E. STODDARD.
Elmer E. Stoddard is the editor and publisher of the Sheridan Adver- tiser of Sheridan. Montcalm county. Michigan, and is public spirited on all questions pertaining to the good of the community. He was born in Schuyler county. New York, on July 27. 1863, and is the son of Henry and Sarah J. (Norris) Stoddard. They came to the town of Sheridan. Michigan, in October. 1867. where Henry Stoddard operated a store and saw-mill for many years. Financial reverses came and he lost heavily. He is now retired.
Elmer E. Stoddard received his education in the public schools of Sheridan, Michigan, and when seventeen years of age he began work in a saw-mill which position he held until twenty years of age. He then learned the printer's trade of Edwin S. Gill, on the old Sheridan Newes, continuing in that occupation for a period of five years. During that time he worked in different places and finally removed to Muir. Tonia county. Michigan. where he engaged in the painting and paper-hanging business until in Octo- ber, 1902, at which time he returned to Sheridan, Michigan, and in March, 1904. purchased the present business of A. F. Bacon. On July 4, 1887. Elmer E. Stoddard was married to Alta A. Clough and to their union have been born three children: Ethlyn, a graduate of the Sheridan high school
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and the wife of Edwin R. Chapman, who was superintendent of schools at the time of her graduation and is now superintendent of the Pinconning school, in Bay county, Michigan: Esther is a graduate of the Sheridan high school and is now the wife of James B. Wood, of Sheridan, Michigan ; Lottie died at the age of six years. Elmer E. Stoddard is a member of Pearl Lake Lodge, No. 324, of the Free and Accepted Masons and has served in most of the offices of this order. Politically, he is of the Repub- lican faith and has been very active in local propaganda. He is also presi- dlent of the village council and has served as president of the county can- vassers, for several years. His publishing plant has its own electric system and beside furnishing the lighting power for the printing business, it also lights the Masonic lodge.
J. PHILO TAYLOR, D. D. S
Dr. J. Philo Taylor, one of the leaders, not only in professional circles, Int in the social and public life of Carson City, Montcalm County, was born at Wolcottville. Noble county, Indiana, the son of Venoris R. and Mary A. ( Rowe ) Taylor, natives of Connecticut and of Pemsylvania, respectively. Venoris R. Taylor moved to Wolcottville when he was a young man and there engaged in the general merchandise business for the remainder of his days. He was one of the organizers of the Methodist Assembly, at Rome City. Indiana, and was the first man to erect a cottage at that place.
J. Philo Taylor received his early education in the schools of Wolcott- ville, after which he attended college at Hillsdale, Michigan, for some time and then became a student of dentistry at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and after graduating from which. Dr. Taylor came to Carson fity in 1878, and began the practice of his profession. since that time hav- ing been one of the most successful dental surgeons in the community.
Dr. J. Philo Taylor has taken a most important place in the public and official life of Bloomer township and of Montcalm county, having served as township clerk for seventeen years: as chairman of the Republican county committee, and Dr. Taylor is a citizen whose counsel and judgment on matters of politics and party affairs have given him a country-wide reputa- tion.
In business circles. Dr. Taylor is prominently connected, being a director of the State Bank of Carson City, as well as being the owner of one of the choice farms of the county. Dr. Taylor is a prominent member
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of the Free and Accepted Masons, having served as master of the lodge at Carson City ; he is also a noble of the Mystic Shrine, and has attained to the honored position of a thirty-second degree Mason.
R. J. TOWER.
R. J. Tower was born on February 1. 1859. on the old Tower farm homestead in Oakfield township. Kent county, Michigan, about ten miles west and south of Greenville.
The first fourteen years of his life were spent on the farm doing the ordinary farm boy's duties, when he could not escape them, and making "things" in the old corn barn shop. He well remembers how in the frosty October mornings he would go down into the back lot, barefooted, to drive the cows up to be milked- they used to let them out to pasture over night- and how he would stand on the ground where a cow had been lying to get his feet warm.
His early school days are still fresh in his memory. Every inch of the whole one and three-fourth miles to the old White Swan school house is as clearly in mind as though it were traveled over yesterday, and the copper-toed boots which would not keep the water out, but seemed always to have water inside. How the boys played "snap the whip." and how the Tower boy seemed always to be "snapper."
The winter of 1874 and 1875 saw R. J. Tower going to the red brick Union school in Rockford, Michigan, while his father was in East Tennes- see supervising the building of a foundry and machine shop. In April, 1875, he went to his father at Sweetwater. Tennessee, remaining there until December of the same year, when the family came to Greenville. After attending the Greenville schools a year or two. he went into his father's shops and became a machinist. February 1, 1880, he became of age, and with his elder brother took over his father's business, continuing in partner- ship with his brother until October 1. 1882. At this date his brother drew out of the business and the R. J. Tower iron works was established and for about five years a history of the Tower shop is a history of R. J. Tower. as he made its work his life interest.
In 1887 it began to dawn upon his mind that a certain girl was a necessary possession, if his happiness was to be complete. On December 25, 1888, the girl, Miss Linna D. Baker, and Ray J. Tower were united in
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matrimony. The partnership has continued for almost twenty-seven years. Many years ago his wife recommended to him to make all his aims have a definite goal, and he considers this to be the best advice he ever received.
Since his marriage. the life history of Mr. Tower is only the history of one venture after another. Some failures, some successes. An attempt in 1804 to manufacture opera chairs, which failed. Twelve or fifteen attempts to beautify spots in Greenville, spots which had been anything but bean- tiful. these attempts have not been failures.
All these years Mr. Tower has been operating the iron works, digress- mg in 1907 long enough to start the R. J. Tower electric plant and flouring- mills. These and the iron works and other ventures go to make Mr. Tower's life a busy one. He says he is going to quit in "two or three" years, and have some time to play, but there are those who doubt it.
One son only survives of three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Tower. This son. Francis E .. is becoming acquainted with the work at the iron works, and will eventually have a share in its management.
REV. JOHN J. SHEEHAN.
The Rev. John J. Sheehan, who succeeded the Rev. K. J. Whelan as pastor of St. Mary's Catholic church at Carson City, has endeared him- self to the people of his congregation and by executive ability built up a thriving parish. He is a native of East Tawas, Michigan, where he was born on May 5. 1876, a son of Timothy and Ellen (O'Connell) Sheehan, both of whom were born in Ontario, Canada. Timothy Sheehan, who was born in 1844. came to Michigan in 1863 and settled in East Tawas. In 1880 he moved to Bay City where he has lived ever since.
In the St. James's parochial school at Bay City, the Rev. John Sheehan received a rudimentary education and later attended the College of St. Sul- pice, at Montreal, Canada. Feeling the need of a more thorough prepara- tion before assuming the duties of his calling, the subject of this sketch determined to study six years longer and as a result was enrolled in the American College at Rome, one of the most famous schools of its kind in the world. On April 11. 1903. he was ordained in the Church of St. John Lateran, in Rome, styled in Roman usage. "the mother church of the city amid the world." and surpassing St. Peter's church in dignity. Upon his return to this country he was assigned the position of assistant at St.
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Andrew's cathedral in Grand Rapids, and for a short time had charge of St. Mary's French parish at Manistee, Michigan.
As pastor of the Immaculate Conception church at Traverse City, Rev. Sheehan remained in charge from 1905 until January, 1914, when he left to assume the duties of his present parish at Carson City, where he is priest of St. Mary's church. The school which is connected with the church is conducted by the Dominican Order of Sisters, who have labored unceas- ingly for its welfare.
In closing this sketch it might be stated that the Rev. John Sheehan, with naught of intellectual bigotry, has shown in his church activities and in all other relations of life the true and gentle spirit of a lover of man- kind. He is a man of unusually high intellectual attainments, is unassum- ing. frank and well fortified in convictions concerning economic and gov- ernmental affairs.
JOHN WILLIAMS SMITH PIERSON.
The ancestors of John W. S. Pierson were probably of Yorkshire extrac- tion.
I. Pierson : Henry Pierson, the emigrant ancestor, was born in Eng- land and settled in Lynn, Massachusetts, whence he came as early as 1640, to Southampton, Long Island, with a colony from Massachusetts, of which Rev. Abraham Pierson, first president of Yale College, believed to be his brother, was the pastor. Henry married Mary Cooper, who was also from Lynn. From 1669 to 1680 Henry was clerk of Suffolk county. He died in 1680. llis widow married Rev. Seth Fletcher and went to live at Elizabethtown, New Jersey, taking her son Benjamin Pierson with her. Children of Henry and Mary Pierson, John, Daniel and Joseph : Henry died in 1701 : Benjamin died in 1731 ; Theodore ( mentioned below ), Sarah born in 1660.
11. Theodore. Son of Henry Pierson. Born at Southampton, Long Island, 1665. He had sons. John and Job ( mentioned below ).
TIT. Job. Son of Theodore Pierson, born 1697. died 1788. Ile had sons, David and Lemmel ( mentioned below ).
IV. Lemuel. Son of Job Pierson was born in 1723 in Southampton. Ile had sons, Samuel (mentioned below ) and William, born in 1762.
1. Samuel. Son of Lemuel Pierson, born at Bridgehampton, Long Island. 1753. Died in 1838; married in 1778 to Jerusha Conklin. Children,
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Johanne, born 1780. Sammel Dayton born in 1786, Esther born in 1789, Job- (mentioned below ), Mary born in 1794.
VI. Job (2). Son of Sanmiel Pierson, born at Bridgehampton. Long Island, on September 23. 1791. Died at Troy, New York, April 9. 1860. Graduated Williams College in 1811. He read law at Salem, Washington county, New York, and in 1815 became law partner of Judge Knickerbocker of Schaghticoke. New York. He married September 24. 1815, Clarissa. Taintor Bulkeley. He was elected in 1833 surrogate of Rensselaer county, New York, and from 1830 to 1834 was representative in Congress. His. wife died in 1865. Children. Sarah Jerusha. born at Schaghticoke, New York. 1815. married to Philip T. Heartt in 1839: 2, Samuel Dayton, born 1819. died in 1850; 3. Job ( mentioned below ) : 4, Mary Bulkley, born 1825, married Major Oscar Winship of United States army : had one son. Samuel Cooper : she died in 1912: 5. John Bulkley, born in 1828, died in 1885, presi- dent of National City Bank, Troy. New York; married Mary Lockwood, had one child daughter. Mary, who died at the age of three years.
VII. Job (3). Son of Job (2) Pierson. Born at Schaghticoke, Feb- ruary 3, 1824. In 1834 he prepared for college at Ballard Academy. Ben- nington, Vermont, and in the Francis school at Troy, New York, and was graduated from Williams College in 1842. . He then, after a short time in his father's law office in Troy in 1844. entered Auburn Theological Seminary from which he was graduated in 1847. He was ordained in the Presbyterian min- istry in 1851. He had pastorates at Corning. New York, West Stockbridge. Massachusetts, Catskill, Pittsford and Victor, New York, Kalamazoo and lonia. Michigan. During the fall of 1856 he made a trip to Great Britain, retiring from active work as minister in 1879. From 1889 to 1894 he was librarian of Alma College, at Alma. Michigan. For upwards of twenty years he was engaged in work for the New English Dictionary published by the Philological Society of London and also for the Stanford Dictionary, edited by Dr. Fennell. He was the largest contributor of words of anyone on this side of the Atlantic. He died at Stanton, Michigan, where he had resided frem 1892 to 1806, on February 3, 1806. He married February 7. 1849, Rachel W. Smith, born on December 11. 1820, at Gloucester, Massachusetts, and who died Jannary 19, 1908, at Atlantic City, New Jersey. There were born to them : I. Clarissa Taintor. born at Troy. New York. September 15. 1850: married on December 11. 1872. to Beverly Chew of New York City. Died in 1889. leaving no children. 2. Samuel Dayton, born at Pittsford. New York, October 25. 1852, died at Vergennes, Vt., April 28, 1914. 3.
.
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John Williams Smith ( mentioned below ). 4. Bowen Whiting, born at Vic- tor, New York, 1858. died at Bridgehampton, Long Island, July 4, 1907 ; married on October 12. 1887. to Nannie Meech of Norwich, Connecticut. They had one child. Clarissa, born June 8, 1800, residing at present with her mother in New York City. 5. Philip Titus Heartt, born at Victor, New York, March 15, 1850. married on October 6. 1915. to Mabel Dora Patterson and now resides at Bennington, Vermont.
VIII. John Williams Smith. Son of Job (3) Pierson and Rachel Wil- liams, born at Pittsford, New York, July 20, 1854. moved with his father's family to Victor, New York, in 1856, and to Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1863. Here he attended school until 1870, when the family moved to Ionia, Michi- gan. December 8, 1870, when he went to Greenville, Michigan, and entered the employ of Lovell Brothers & Green, as an apprentice in their tin shop and after serving the full time. three years, entered their employ as a hardware sales- man, where he remained until July, 1876. After visiting the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, he returned to Jonia, Michigan, in the fall and entered the employ of Lovell & Morse, where he worked for a short time in both the tin ship and the store. On November 21. 1876, assisted by his brother, Philip T. H. Pierson, opened a hardware and stove store in the Morrison building on East Main street. With increasing trade, early in 1877. the stock was removed to the Paine building. 108 West Main street, where a lease was taken for a term of years. The great fire of October 12. 1880. completely destroyed the building and stock of goods. The business was soon re-established in temporary quarters in the Palace block. Meanwhile, the implement building at 114 East Main street was fitted up with a store front and counters and the business was removed to this point until the Paine building could be rebuilt. In March, 1881, the business was rcopened in the new Paine building. 108 West Main street. On February 23. 1885. the imple- ment building at 112 East Main street was completely destroyed by fire. .An adjoining lot on the west was purchased of Mr. E. K. Wood and plans were made for the Pierson building, size forty-four by one hundred feet. Meanwhile, Mr. Pierson, together with D. L. McFadden, erected the Phoenix block on Camburn avenne, as a permanent building for the imple- ment department. That year the business that had been conducted as found- ed by John W. S. Pierson was changed to John W. S. Pierson & Company and Philip T. H. Pierson became a partner. On January 22, 1886, the dedication of the present building was celebrated by a reception which marked the rebuilding of Stanton, and the exercises were attended by a large number of people from our city and the rural districts. On March 13,
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1886, the new building was opened for business purposes. On February 1. 1891, the business was incorporated under the name of John W. S. Pier- son & Company, the officers being John W. S. Pierson, president; Philip T. H. Pierson, vice-president, and Elmer S. Stebbins, secretary and treas- urer, and at this time Mr. Levi W. Hunsicker and George W. Markee became stockholders in the corporation with the officers. On November 21. 1901, the silver anniversary, marking twenty-five years of continued business, was celebrated.
John W. S. Pierson was married to Clara Eleanor Dillingham, daugh- ter of Capt. Incius Abell and Jennie Lincoln Dillingham, at Coldwater, Michigan, on October 9, 1904. Born to them one son, John Lincoln, who (lied in infancy. They have two adopted sons, Harold Dillingham Pierson, who resides in Detroit, and John Howard Pierson.
Mr. Pierson, wishing to be relieved from the direction and details of the hardware business, in order to give more attention to other business interests, on March 27, 1908. to take effect April 1, sold a controlling inter- est in the corporation of John W. S. Pierson & Co .. to Elmer S. Stebbins and Charles L. Meach, with no change in the corporate name, Mr. Pierson retaining a substantial interest as a shareholder and becoming vice-presi- dent. On March 7. 19ft, when the corporation changed its name to the Stebbins-Gafield Co. Mr. Pierson upon this date formed the partnership under the title of The John W. S. Pierson Company, dealing in investment securities, chiefly Michigan investments, with offices in the second floor of the Pierson building, with the following officers: John W. S. Pierson. president and treasurer ; Philip T. H. Pierson, vice-president, and Levi W. Hunsicker, secretary. Through the first change in the name of the cor- poration and the later one on January 8. 1913. to Stanton Hardware Com- pany, Mr. Pierson has retained the same interest as shareholder, and the office of vice-president in the business he founded in 1876, in his own name. Apart from business interests Mr. Pierson is interested in the civic, social. and religious interests of our city. During his long residence as a business man he has not sought or accepted any salaried public office, but has accept- ed offices where he felt he could be of service to the community. He was alderman in the first ward for 1882-1883. trustee of the city schools for sixteen years. 1804 to 1910. and treasurer of the school board for ten years of this period and during the erection of the new school house in 1905. He was no less interested in the welfare of the church. A trustee of the Wirst Congregational church since 1886 and united with said church, on pro- fession of faith, on March 1, 1885. He founded the weekly offering sys-
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