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 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
(4b)
50
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
FRANK W. BAILEY,
Frank W. Bailey, the efficient treasurer of Montcalm county, and a citizen who has, for many years taken an important place in public and official affairs of the community, as well as being a man who was successful as a farmer and stock raiser, was born. in Nelson township, Kent county, Michigan, on January 6, 1858, the son of James J. and Mary A. ( Richard- son ) Bailey, natives of New York state, the former born in Cayuga county, the latter in Allegheny county.
James J. Bailey, came with his parents, and located in Nelson town- ship, Kent county, Michigan, when he was a young man, and after his marriage to Mary A. Richardson, in Nelson township, who had come to that locality with her parents, the elder Bailey engaged in general farming, a line of work which he followed for the remainder of his days.
Frank W. Bailey received his education in the commmon schools of Nelson township, after which he lived on the home farm until he was seven- teen years of age and then, his father having died some seven years earlier, Frank W. Bailey disposed of his interest in the home place and secured land in Maple Valley township. Montcalm county, a place which was the homestead of his grandmother, Elizabeth Richardson, who had secured the land on February 8. 1864. the deed to the land having been signed by General Grant. To the eighty acres which he obtained, Frank W. Bailey added fifty-eight acres by purchase and lived there alone as a farmer, culti- vating his soil in the summer and devoting a part of his time, in the winter, to work in the lumber camps of the region. As a farmer, Mr. Bailey was successful, his crops being of an excellent quality, while his activity in raising Shorthorn dairy cattle and Oxford-down sheep, resulted in his securing awards and prizes at county fairs, in 1914, at Greenville, Mr. Bailey having received the first award as the owner of the cow producing the most butter- fat.
In May, 1879. Frank W. Bailey was married to Augusta A. Cook, who was born in Ontario, Canada, the daughter of William G. and Arvilla (Bowman) Cook, both of whom were born in Ontario, Canada, and who came to Michigan, and located in Nelson township, where William G. Cook was a successful farmer. To the marriage of Frank W. and Augusta A. Bailey have been born two children : Guy, a farmer of Maple Valley town- ship. Montcalm county, who married Sarah Reynolds and to whom has been born one child. Anna M., who lives at home.
51
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Few men have taken a more important place in the public life of Mont- calm county, than Frank W. Bailey. While yet a youth, he was a member of the local school board, and only a short time later he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board of supervisors, at the next election being elected to continue in that office. For a few years after this time, Mr. Bailey retired from public life as a result of the activities of the Patrons of Hus- handry, but after this wave had passed. he was again elected as a supervisor, serving some years, until his entire record as a supervisor in Montcalm extends over twelve years of efficient and unselfish service to his consti- tuents.
In 1914. Frank W. Bailey was elected to the office of treasurer of Montcalm county, taking office in January, 1915, since which time he has been capably conducting the affairs of this important office of trust and honor.
Frank W. Bailey has long been known as a citizen interested in the support of clean politics and in the promoting of the candidacy and election of competent and efficient officers. his service along this line having given him a rank of esteem and honor among the people of Montcalm county.
CLIFTON H. CLEMENT.
One of the pleasantest and most affable men in Montcalm county is. Clifton H. Clement, a retired merchant of Sheridan, a veteran of the Civil War, who saw much active service in that great struggle, and for many years one of the most active and influential politicians hereabout.
Clifton H. Clement was born in the town of Jefferson, Seneca county, New York, on January 11. 1844, son of John D. and Margaret L. (Hopkins) Clement, the former of whom was born at Bristol Hill, New York, in 1826, son of John Clement, who was born in the Mohawk valley and was a soldier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War, while Margaret Hopkins was of the family which was honored by Step. Hopkins, of Rhode Island, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. John D. Clement was reared in New York state, where he married, and in 1850 came with his family to Michigan, locating in St. Joseph county, where he bought a farm. The next year, however, aroused by the tales of the great gold-finds in California he left his family and started for the gold-fields, where he remained for four years, at the end of which time he returned to his family,
52
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
much richer in experience, but little, if any, better off in material wealth, having failed to "strike it rich." In 1865 John D. Clement and his wife left St. Joseph county and moved to Mecosta county, where both spent their last days. They were the parents of four children, three sons and a daugh- ter, namely : Allen E., now deceased, who served as a Union soldier during the Civil War, a member of the Eleventh Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry ; Charles M., born on July 11. 1838, who also served as a soldier in the Seventeenth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, in the Union army ; Clarissa C., wife of Jay Neadau, of Millbrook, this state, and Clifton Il., the subject of this sketch.
Clifton H. Clement's boyhood was spent on the farm and at twelve years of age he started to make his way in the world. His first employ- inent was as a clerk in a general store at Leonidas. Michigan, and while working there the Civil War broke out. He enlisted in Company C. Seven- teenth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, attached to the Ninth Corps of the Army of the Potomac, later to the Army of the Cumberland, and was in the Mississippi campaign, during which he participated in the siege of Vicksburg and was present when that Southern stronghold fell. At the battle of Antietam, Mr. Clement received a serious wound, but recovered and was with his regiment until the close of the war, receiving then an honorable discharge. Returning to St. Joseph county at the close of the war, Mr. Clement located at Colon, where he learned the shoe-maker's trade and some time later engaged in the boot and shoe business. and presently enlarged his premises into a general store and was there engaged in business until May of 1883. at which time he came to Montcalm county and opened a general store at Sheridan, where he continued in business until 1906, in which year he retired and since that time has been living comfortably at Sheridan, enjoying the rewards of his active life and looking after the various interests which he has retained in and about Sheridan. Mr. Clement is quite well circumstanced and is the owner of three store rooms in Sheri- dan, besides other valuable property.
In August, 1884, Clifton H. Clement was united in marriage to Lou M. Bachelor and to this union two children have been born, a son and a daughter, Jay Dee, born in May. 1886, who was graduated from the Sheri- dan high school and from Ferris Institute at Big Rapids and is now a snc- cessful merchant at Detroit, and Grace A., born in 1888, who is the wife of Lloyd Towner, of Sheridan.
Mr. Clement is a Democrat and for years has taken an active part in the political affairs of Montcalm county, being at present chairman of the
. ......... :
53
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN. .
Democratic county central committee. In other days he was a well-known and popular figure in the Democratic councils in this part of the state. Mr. Clement was a member of the Michigan delegation to the Democratic national convention at Baltimore, which nominated Woodrow Wilson for President, and took a prominent part in the activities of that delegation. Despite his long service in behalf of his party. Mr. Clement has never been an office seeker and the only public office he ever held was that of super- visor, during his residence in Mecosta county.
Mr. and Mrs. Clement take an active interest in lodge work, the former being a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges at Sheridan and his wife a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and of the Daughters of Rebekah. the woman's auxiliaries to those popular orders, and both are held in the very highest esteem by their many friends in that section of the county. Mr. Clement has attained to the encampment degree of the Odd Fellows and Mrs. Clement has passed all the chairs in the orders to which she is attached. Mr. Clement also is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. being attached to the lodge of that society at lonia, and is a member of Tom Custer Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, in the affairs of which he for years has taken a prominent part. Ilis long connection with the business life of Montcalm county gave him a firm place in the confidence and regard of commercial and financial circles hereabout, and he is looked upon as one of the honorable and substantial citizens of this commonwealth.
ALFRED J. STEARNS.
Alfred L. Stearns, county clerk of Montcalm county, was born in Ferris township. this county, on June 7. 1874, son of Horatio and Etta Omans ) Stearns, natives of New York state, both of whom had lived in Ferris township since their early youth. their respective parents having been early settlers of that township.
Horatio Stearns is the son of Lawson and Emily ( Ferris) Stearns, who emigrated from New York state to Geauga county, Ohio, and thence to this county, settling here in what is now known as Ferris township, that township having been named for its first settler, Elijah Ferris, brother of Mrs. Stearns, who had preceded the Stearns family here some years. Law- son Stearns became a well-established farmer of that section of the county
54
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
and during the Civil War served the Union as a soldier in a Michigan regi- ment. He died at his home in Ferris township at the age of sixty-five years. His widow survived him many years, having been eighty-three years of age at the time of her death. They were the parents of seven children, Mary Etta, Emily J., Joseph L., John F., Joel, Horatio and Ella.
Having been but eleven years of age when his parents settled in Mont- calm county, Horatio Stearns finished his schooling in Ferris township and upon reaching manhood's estate became the owner of a small farm of forty acres, later renting and tilling an adjoining tract of forty acres in connec- tion with his own farm. He also taught school during the winter for three terms. He married Etta Omans, daughter of James and Anna Omans, early settlers in Ferris township, who also had come to this county from New York state. James Omans and his wife were well-known residents of Ferris township and both lived to a ripe old age. They were the parents of nine children, George, John, Martha, Mary, Frank, William, Irene, Etta and Florence. To Horatio and Etta (Omans) Stearns were born five chil- dren, as follow: Alfred L., the immediate subject of this sketch; Owen J., of Eureka, Clinton county, this state; Emily A., who married Oliver Hyde, of Essex township, Clinton county, Michigan; Addie M., who died at the age of sixteen years, and Essie, who is still with her parents. When sixty years of age, Horatio Stearns moved from this county to Sumner, Gratiot county. this state, where he is now serving as postmaster, his daughter, Essie, acting as assistant. Mr. and Mrs. Stearns are members of the Metho- dist church and their children were reared in that faith.
Alfred L. Stearns was reared on the paternal farm in Ferris town- ship, receiving his education in the district schools of that township, and remained at home until his marriage in 1893, after which for several years he rented a farm, prospering in his farming operations until he was able to buy a farm of forty acres, to which is added a tract of twenty acres which his wife inherited. During all this time, Mr. Stearns had been paying considerable attention to the political affairs of the county and extend- ing his acquaintance and was gradually getting in line for political prefer- ment. He had served the people of the township very acceptably as clerk for a period of four years and had been supervisor for six years; therefore, when he received the nomination for the office of county clerk on the Republican ticket in 1914, he was elected by a good majority in the ensuing election in the fall. He then rented his farm to a tenant and moved to Stanton, the county seat, where he is now living, having entered upon the duties of his office in January, 1915.
55
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
On September 24, 1893, Alfred L. Stearns was united in marriage to Jennie Jolley, who was born in Ferris township, this county, daughter of Francis L. and Margaret ( Pyle) Jolley, natives of Ohio and carly settlers in this county. Francis L. Jolley died in 1905, at the age of fifty-nine years. His widow is still living, being now sixty eight years of age. They were the parents of five children. Blanche, Maude, Jennie, Charles and Gladys. Mrs. Stearns' paternal grandmother, Mrs. Charles Jolley, is still living, at the advanced age of ninety years. She and her husband were the parents of four children, of whom Mrs. Stearns' father was the eldest, the others being Lemuel, Douglas and Dora. Mrs. Stearns' maternal grand- parents. Curry Pyle and wife. were natives of Ohio and early settlers in this county, who lived here to good old ages. They were the parents of three children. Martha. Margaret and a son who died in early youth.
To Alfred L. and Jennie ( Jolley ) Stearns five children have been born, Flossie, Elsie. Burdell, Frances and Horatio. Mr. and Mrs. Stearns are popular among their many friends in this county and are held in high regard by all who knew them.
NEWTON W. NEWHOUSE.
The Stanton Clipper-Herald. one of the best-known and most widely virculated weekly newspapers in this part of Michigan, has been appearing in its hyphenated form since the spring of 1913, a consolidation of the Stanton Clipper and the Montcalm Herald having been effected at that time, following the loss the latter paper suffered by fire; Mr. Newhouse, then sole owner of the Clipper, buying the good-will of the unfortunate Herald and merging its identity with that of his paper, at the same time taking into partnership with him R. A. Carothers, since which time the Clipper-Herald has been edited and published by Newhouse & Carothers, a firm well equipped for the exacting duties it is performing on behalf of the people of Montcalm county.
Newton W. Newhouse was born on a farm in Marlborough township, Stark county, Ohio, December 14, 1858, son of William and Nancy ( Metz) Newhouse, both natives of Ohio. Both William Newhouse and Nancy Metz had been previously married, to the former's first union there having been born six children, as follow : B. Frank, David B., Simon, Leonard W., Maria, who married John R. Stratton, and Velina, who married Simon C.
56
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Stratton, a brother of John. To Nancy Metz's first marriage four children were born, Benjamin, Frances, Hannah and Mary. To the union of William and Nancy ( Metz) Newhouse two children were born, Newton W., the subject of this sketch, and Ida G., who married William .A. Corey and lives at St. Petersburg, Florida.
William Newhouse was a son of David Newhouse and wife, natives of an Eastern state and pioneers of Columbiana county, Ohio, who were the parents of the following children : William, David, Jefferson, .Anthony, Hannah, Rachel and Rebecca. William, father of the Stanton editor, was a farmer and carpenter and lived most of his life in Stark county, Ohio. He died in 1891, at lonia, Michigan, at the advanced age of seventy-nine years. llis wife had preceded him to the grave many years before.
The youth of Newton W. Newhouse was spent on the home farm in Ohio and his early schooling was obtained in the district school in the neighborhood of his home there. At the age of thirteen, in 1871, he came to Michigan, locating at Mnir, where for two years he received the benefit of further schooling. AAt the age of fifteen he began learning the printing trade at Muir and has been engaged in the printing business ever since. In 1875 he came to Montcalm county, locating at Stanton, where he began working in one of the printing offices. Ile presently became foreman of the Weekly Clipper, a position he retained until 1894. in which year he bought the Clipper and became the editor and publisher of the same. On February 16. 1913. the office of the Montcalm Herald at Stanton was destroyed by fire and Mr. Newhouse then bought the good-will of that paper and merged the name of the same with that of his paper, making it the Clipper-Herald, under which title the paper since has been published. On April 1 of the year. Mr. Newhouse formed a partnership with R. A. Carothers, who had had long experience in the office of the Clipper, and the paper has since been published by the firm of Newhouse & Carothers. The Montcalm Herald was established at Stanton in 1867 and the Clipper was established in 1879, both papers long having been regarded as among the most influential newspapers in this section of the state. The paper's politi- cal policy is in accordance with the principles of the Republican party and under the present management the paper has been made a force in the community. The firm of Newhouse & Carothers also is extensively engaged in the job-printing business and has a wide patronage in that line, both members of the firm being very popular hereabout.
On October 11. 1883, Newton W. Newhouse was united in marriage to Minnie I. Zinkhan, who was born in Hillsdale county, this state, daugh-
.....
57
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
% of Junius M. and Mary (Gage) Zinkhan, both natives of Michigan, who iong have been residents of Stanton, this county, where Mr. Zinkhan is engaged in the jewelry business and where he enjoys the distinction of being the oldest business man in the city. To Mr. and Mrs. Newhouse two children have been born, Raymond and Mildred M., the former of whom died at the age of ten months and the latter of whom is living at home with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Newhouse are members of the Congre- gational church and take an active interest in all good works in the cont- munity and are held in the highest esteem throughout the entire county.
Mr. Newhouse has for years, by virtue of his editorial position, given close attention to political affairs and is looked upon as one of the leaders of the Republican party in this section. For two terms he served the people of Stanton as city treasurer and in many ways has manifested his interest in the public welfare. He is a prominent Mason and has attained to the chapter in that ancient order. He also is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Stanton and has attained to the encampment of that order; in both of these orders being held in high regard by his lodge brethren. As a public-spirited citizen, Mr. Newhouse is ever advocating through the columns of his paper such measures as will advance the general welfare of the com- munity in which he has long and so faithfully labored, and the many expres- sions of confidence heard concerning him and his work are accepted as con- vincing evidences that his labors on behalf of the public are properly appre- ciated.
DELOS ALLAN TOWLE.
A resident of this county since his early boyhood, there is no citizen of the county who takes a deeper interest in the development of the com- munity along proper lines than does Delos \. Towle, a prominent real- estate dealer of Stanton and proprietor of the only set of abstract books in Montcalm county. Mr. Towle is an energetic and public-spirited citizen and ever is found at the forefront in movements having as their object the advancement of the interests of this section of the state.
Delos Allan Towle was born in Erie county, New York, on March 28, 1860, son of James and Lydia ( Cooper ) Towle. the former a native of Vermont and the latter of New Brunswick, who settled in New York state for a time after their marriage, afterward coming to Michigan, where they remained for many years. Mrs. Towle died in 1896, at the age of fifty-
58
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
eight years. James Towle went to Alabama in 1896, and he is still living there.
James Towle is the son of James and Elizabeth ( Monaghan ) Towle, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Ireland. The elder James Towle was a lumberman in Vermont, Maine and Canada, who located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1868, and was there for a time engaged in contracting. Hle later moved to this county, where he died in 1876, at the age of seventy-four years. His widow survived him some years, she hav- ing been eighty years of age at the time of her death. They were the parents of ten children, James, Kate. Matilda, Mary, John II., William, Henry, Elizabeth and two who died in infancy. James Towle, the eldest of the above children, and the father of the subject of this sketch, grew to manhood in New York state, where he married Lydia Cooper, daughter of Samuel Cooper and Rachel Davis, his wife, the latter of whom was born in Wales. Samuel Cooper was an English sailor, who left the sea and became a lumberman in New Brunswick and later a farmer. He came to Michigan in the seventies and settled at Plainfield, near Grand Rapids. To him and his first wife there were born eight children, Mary Ann, William, Sarah, Hannah, John, Lydia, Samuel and George. Upon the death of the mother of these children, in her forty-fifth year, Samuel Cooper married again and to this second union there were born six children, Margaret, Benjamin, Joseph, Martha, Eliza and one who died in carly youth. Samuel Cooper died at the home of his son in lonia, this state, in his ninety-third year. Before the period of the Civil War, the junior James Towle emigrated front New York to Wisconsin, later settling at Detroit, where for a time Mr. Towle was engaged in contracting. He later returned to New York, going thence to Pennsylvania, where he resided for a time, then went back to New York, but in 1867 returned to Michigan and settled at Grand Rapids, from there to Gowen, thence to Greenville, this county, where for some years he was engaged in lumbering. He then went to Florida, where for two years he was engaged in lumbering and for the past eighteen years has been located at Piedmont. Alabama, where he is prominently connected with the iron industry. To him and his wife were born ten children, namely : Delos A., the subject of this sketch ; Mary I., "Matie," deceased, who was the wife of Frank B. Warren; Elizabeth, who died unmarried at Greenville, this county : Lydia Olivia, wife of T. E. Johnson, of Greenville; John W., James IT., deceased; George C. C., of Tennessee; Stewart W., of Piedmont, Ala- bama, and two who died young.
Delos A. Towle was seven years of age when his parents came with
.
59
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
their family to this state in 1867. They lived in Kent county until 1873, in which year they came to Montcalm county, locating at Gowen, and in 1876 moved to Greenville, where Delos A. grew to manhood. After attend- ing the public schools at Greenville, Mr. Towle became bookkeeper in his fathers' lumber office, where he remained until 1883, in which year he was made assistant manager of his fathers' mill at Sheridan, remaining there for one year, at the end of which time, on February 1, 1884, he located in Stan- ton, going to work in the abstract office of his father-in-law, Capt. T. N. Stevens, then register of deeds. In 1893 Mr. Towle became a partner with Captain Stevens in the abstracting business and since May 1, 1906, has been sole proprietor of the business and is the owner of the only set of abstract books in Montcalm county. In addition to his large business as an abstrac- ter, Mr. Towle also is extensively engaged in the real estate and loan business and is regarded as one of the most substantial citizens of this section of the state.
On September 21, 1881, Delos A. Towle was united in marriage to Lu LE. Stevens, who was born at Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, April 28, 1860, daughter of Capt. Thomas N. and Caroline E. (Silsbee) Stevens, the former of whom was born in Wyoming county, New York, and the latter in Grand Rapids, Wood county, Ohio, who had been residents of this county since 1866, Captain Stevens having been in the abstract business at Greenville and Stan- ton all those years. He was an honored soldier of the Union army during the Civil War and died at his home in Stanton on January 19, 1908, at the age of seventy-two years. His widow is still living at Stanton, enjoying many evidences of the high regard in which she is held by all in that city. Captain and Mrs. Stevens were the parents of five children, Lu E., Mary F., Caroline N., Bertha and one, the first born, who died in infancy. Cap- tain Stevens was the son of David Stevens and Nancy Nichols his wife.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.