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 42
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living in Indiana, and Norman, on the old home place with the mother. William Sexton, Sr. was a man of sterling character, hospitable and liberal in every way and well liked by all who knew him. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, carefully living the teachings of the order and was also affiliated with the Daughters of Rebekah. He was one of the most active Republicans of his section and took an active part in the development of his community. He was a school director for many years and also a member of the highway commission.
William H. Sexton, Jr. grew up in Belvidere township and received such schooling as the somewhat limited facilities of the time offered and was reared by his father as a farmer. He remained on the home place until twenty-two years of age, worked out some among neighboring farmers and then started out in life for himself on a forty-acre tract in Ferris township, this county. There he remained for five years when he sold out and came to the eighty-acre farm in Belvidere township which has since been his home. When he purchased it, it was but partially cleared and Mr. Sexton erected the buildings, put up fences, etc., and has cleared the land until he has a fine farm. It is ideally located on a main road and the whole air of the place suggests good management and prosperity. Mr. Sexton is a general farmer, raising also some live stock of good grade.
On April 11, 1804, William H. Sexton, Jr., was married at Palo, Ionia county, this state, to Fanny Fancett, born in that county on April 23, 1870. a daughter of William and Emily ( Wenmen) Fancett. The father was a native of England, and upon coming to this county settled for a time in Bushnell township, later going to Tonia county, where he died on February 1, 1907. Ile was a life-long farmer. Ilis wife was born in England. There were seven children in the Fancett family. Mrs. Sexton being the eklest. The others are George, Lillian, May (deceased). Charles, Lloyd and Donald. Mr. and Mrs. Sexton have one child, a daughter, Mildred, a bright and promising girl. She is a graduate of the Edmore high school and also of the State Normal College, at Mount Pleasant, finishing there in 1915. At that institution she won a life certificate for the primary and sixth and seventh grades.
Mr. Sexton is a Republican, much interested in local affairs but has never aspired to office. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons through the local lodge at Six Lakes and is also a member of the Order of Gleans. Mr. Sexton is a progressive man in every sense of the word, public spirited and held in high esteem by all who know him.
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WILLIAM E. HOWELL.
William E. Howell, one of the best known and most highly respected of the successful farmers living in Douglass township, Montcalmn county, was born in Brant county, Ontario, Canada, on March 18, 1866, a son of William S. and Mary (Gee) Howell, natives of Canada, the former born in 1836.
William S. Howell, who was a son of Enoch Howell and wife, was educated and grew to maturity in Brant county, working as a farmer in his native community until 1882, when he came to Montcalm county and engaged in "pine slashing" on a four hundred and forty acres tract of land in Doug- lass township. Later, the elder Howell, together with a brother, Reuben, built a saw-mill, which they operated for six years and then selling their mill to William M. Thomas & Sons, of Stanton, in 1888, the Howell brothers moved to the state of Arkansas, and there secured about three hundred acres of land on which they operated a mill and dealt in lumber for about three years. About this time, Reuben Howell having been killed in their saw-mill, William S. Howell disposed of his interests in Arkansas and returned to Montcalm county, Michigan, where he lived as a general farmer until 1909, and then went to Rochester, New York, living a retired life at that place. William S. and Mary Howell, the latter of whom lives with her youngest son in Arizona, are the parents of five children: One child who died in infancy ; William E., Isrice, who died at Alpena, Michigan; Samson, who is deceased, and Peter, of Arizona. The elder Howell is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, at Stanton.
William F. Howell received his education in the schools of Brant county, Ontario, after which he work as a farmer throughout his locality for some time, later in 1881, coming with friends to Montcalm county, Michigan, where he since has been engaged in general agricultural pursuits. Mr. How- ell now owns a desirable farm of eighty acres, has his place well improved with a beautiful cobble-stone residence and other buildings and is modernly equipped for his farm activities in which he has proved to be a recognized success.
During the month of June, 1888, William E. Howell was married to Hattie Hancock, who was born in Montcalm county, a daughter of Albert Hancock and wife, who are deceased. To the marriage of William E. and Hattie Howell was born one child, Mabel. who died in infancy. In 1890, Hattie, the wife of William E. Howell, died and during the month of Jan- uary. 1892, Mr. Howell was married, secondly, to Cora Beers, who was
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born near South Haven, Michigan, a daughter of Abel and Julia (Cummings) Beers. William E. and Cora Howell are the parents of one child, Leon Glenn, born in October 24, 1893.
William E. Howell has taken his place as a citizen by serving on the board of review and is an interested worker and supporter of the Republican party in Montcalm county. Fraternally, Mr. Howell is a member of the Ancient Order of Gleaners, at Entrican, and also is a member of the local organization of the Grange, at Entrican.
TIARLAN P. NEVINS.
Harlan P. Nevins was born on July 29, 1847. in Litchfield. Medina county, Ohio, and is the son of Andrew B. and Clarissa ( Snow ) Nevins. Andrew B. Nevins was born on January 31, 1820, in Farmington, Con- necticut. and was "bound ont" when but a child of twelve years. Soon after this he decided to learn a trade and chose cabinet-making, spending five years in the mastery of that trade. The next eleven years were spent at Cleveland, Ohio, subsequently engaging in carpenter work for the sixteen years following. He then removed to Wauseon, Fulton county, Ohio, where he engaged in the saw-mill business for three years, followed by ten years in the same line in Sydney township, Montcalm county. Michigan, and four years in Day township, of the same county. He then sold his milling inter- ests and engaged in general farming, in Allegan county, Michigan, adjoining the village property of Moline, residing on this eighty-acre farm until his death on August 26, 1896. Politically, he was an active Democrat and was supervisor of Day township for one term, and justice of the peace for several years. After assisting with the building of the Congregational church, in Litchfield, Ohio, he became one of its deacons and choir leader for many years. His wife was also a member of this denomination. Clarissa (Snow) Nevins was a native of Williamstown. Connecticut, and was born on Sep- tember 30, 1825. She died on April 12. 1902. They were the parents of six children : Harlan P., Andrew M., now living on a farm in Moline, Michigan; Ella, now Mrs. Noah, of Oakfield, Michigan; Melvin, employed in a furniture factory, in Muskegon. Michigan; Edwin, druggist and jeweler of Moline, Michigan ; and Frank, who operates the home farm near Moline, Michigan, was postmaster of Moline for seventeen years.
Harlan P. Nevins was reared on the home place and educated in the
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schools of Litchfield, Ohio, after seventeen years of age being engaged in his father's mill. He learned the carpenter's trade and removed to Moline, Michigan, at the same time that his parents removed to that place. In con- nection with his brother, a general merchandise store was operated in the town of Moline, for seven years. He also assisted in the erection of the elevator and several other buildings of the town. In 1902 he removed to Six Lakes, Michigan, where he followed his trade during the summer. Pre- vious to his establishing a residence in Six Lakes, Michigan, he sold his eighty-acre farm in Belvidere township. of this county, and in 1889 removed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he was employed as saw filer for the School Furniture Company for seven and one-half years. He now owns and operates a forty-acre farm adjoining the town of Six Lakes, Michigan, which place is well improved and managed. Politically, he is a stanch Republican and cast his first vote for Grant in 1868. He is also a member of the township board and has served three terms as justice of the peace. Fraternally, he is a member of Enterprise Lodge No. 406, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He belongs to the Congregational church in Six Lakes, Michigan, in which church he was formerly a deacon. His wife is a member of the United Brethren church, of Six Lakes.
On December 21, 1870, Harlan P. Nevins was united to Libby Hol- land. daughter of George Holland, who died a short time after her mar- riage. She was a native of Evergreen township, of this county. Her death occurred on March 26, 1873. On July 28. 1874, Harlan P. Nevins was married to Mrs. Rosalia ( Palmer) Tupper, daughter of Loren and Lydia ( Manly) Palmer, and six children were born of this union, three of whom died in infancy: Edith is the wife of Oscar Fleck, of Belvidere township. and they have four children. Harlan. Lucas, May Ellis and Asa; Lura is the wife of Edward Brown, also of Belvidere township, and they have four children, George, Maxine, Lila and Atlee; Lydia is the wife of Elvin Cor- nell of Belvidere township, and they also have four children. Elsie, Melvin, Raymond and Rose. The mother of these children is a native of New state, born in Albany.
Loren Palmer, father of Mrs. Nevins, was born in New York state. He came to Montcalm county in October, 1866. He was a farmer in Mont- calm township and lived the rest of his life in this county. He died at the age of seventy years. His wife died at the age of eighty-three years. She was a member of the Congregational church. He was a Republican.
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WILLIAM M. STEERE.
William M. Steere, a pioneer teacher of this region and a prosperous retired farmer, a veteran of the Civil War, now living retired at his pleasant home in Crystal, this county, is a native-born son of Michigan, having been born in Lenawee county, this state, on September 21, 1847, son of William M. and Elizabeth C. (Beal) Steere, pioneers of Bloomer township, who came from Ohio during the early days.
When the junior William M. Steere was in his sixth year his parents moved to Montcalm county and settled in the midst of a timber tract one mile south of the center of Bloomer township. The country thereabout at that time was just beginning to be settled and there was an unbroken stretch of forest for three miles west, through which a bare trail had but shortly been cnt. After living there a couple of years the Steere family moved over into Ionia county and settled in Ronald township, where the elder Steere rented a farm for two or three years, at the end of which time he bought a quarter of a section of unbroken land one and one-half miles west of the town of Palo, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives and where the junior William M. Steere grew up, a sturdy, self-reliant lad.
On August 23, 1864, a month before his seventeenth birthday, William M. Steere. Jr., enlisted as a recruit in Company A. Twenty-first Regiment. Michigan Volunteer Infantry, attached to the Army of the West, under Sherman, and he was with that famous command during the march to the sea, thence through the arduous campaign up through the Carolinas and on to Washington, where he participated in the Grand Review and was mus- tered out in June, 1865. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Steere returned home and resumed his place in the labors of the farmn. About 1871 he was requested to go over into Osccola county and take charge of a school. While not especially prepared for teaching, he had received a good common-school education, which he had supplemented by studious .home reading and he accepted the call, entering upon the duties of teaching a pioneer school, the only one in two townships, the pupils of which came from a distance of five miles around. He taught that winter in Osceola county and the next winter entered upon his career as a teacher in this county and for seven years was thus engaged in the schools of Crystal township, during three of those years having been a teacher in the village of Crystal. About the time he began teaching Mr. Steere had bought a small farm in Jonia county and upon his marriage, in the spring of 1874.
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he and his wife began housekeeping there, but in October of that year sold the place and moved to Crystal township, this county, where, with the exception of several varying periods, they have since made their home, long having been regarded as among the most substantial residents of that part of the county.
Upon locating there Mr. Steere bought a quarter section of timber land, slightly improved, south of Crystal Lake, and there made his home for four- teen years, after which time he was engaged for two or three years in the milling business at Crystal. He then moved to lonia county and thence to Washtenaw county, where for four years he made his home south of the city of Ann Arbor, after which he bought an eighty-acre tract of timber in Evergreen township, this county, which, with the assistance of his sons he cleared and "stumped." and in June, 1910, bought property in Crystal vil- lage, where he ever since has made his home. About the same time he bought a farm southeast of the village, but recently sold it. The Steeres have a handsome "cobble-stone"' house in Crystal and are very pleasantly situated there. Mr. Steere has ever taken an interested part in local civic affairs and for some years served as justice of the peace and has also held other minor public offices. He was a Republican until the divergence in the ranks of that party in 1912, at which time he allied himself with the Progressive party, but now regards himself as wholly independent of party domination. casting his vote, as a patriotic duty, for such candidates for office as he thinks best fitted to the trust. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and for years has taken an active interest in the affairs of the local post of that patriotic organization.
On May 6, 1874. William M. Steere was united in marriage to Emma U. Tone, who was born in Genesee county, New York, daughter of John and Electa ( Hubbard) Tone, the former of whom had entered land at one dollar and twenty-five cents in that county and established a home in which he spent the remainder of his life. The family kept possession of the home place until they sold it for one hundred and twenty-five dollars an acre. Emma U. Tone grew to womanhood on that farm and became a school teacher. She came to this county to make her home with a sister in Bush- nell township and was teaching school south of the village of Sheridan when she and Mr. Steere met. To their union eight children have been born. four sons and four daughters, as follow: Edith May, who is at home with her parents: Joseph Beal. a farmer of Evergreen township, who mar- ried Lillian Scott and has two sons. William Robert and Joseph Beal: Ellen
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1 .. , who married Peter F. Johnson, of Detroit, and has one son, Richard; Leonard, an Evergreen township farmer, who married Ethel Heisler and has three children. Wilma, Marguerite and Charles W .; Dr. Thomas H., a veterinary surgeon, of Belding, this state, who married and has two chil- dren. Mariquita and David D .: Electa E., at home: Wilfred J., a farmer. married. and Ethel, a stenographer in a wholesale grocery store at Detroit. All four of the Steere sisters have been teachers. Miss Electa for years was a teacher in the high school at Crystal and has been quite successful as an educator. Mr. and Mrs. Steere are members of the Methodist church and their children have been reared in that faith.
THOMAS EDMOND JACKSON.
Among the successful farmers and prominent citizens of Douglass town- ship, Montcalm county, Michigan, is Thomas Edmond Jackson, who was born in Halton county, Ontario, Canada, on May 19, 1861. a son of John and Maria Jackson, natives of Ireland.
John Jackson spent his early days in County Cork, Ireland, when a young man coming to America and locating in Halton county, Ontario, where he became a farmer on one hundred acres of land which he purchased and cleared preparatory to cultivation. After reaching the point of pros- perity as a farmer, the elder Jackson returned to his native country, where he was married, returning to his Canadian home, where he and his wife lived the rest of their lives. John and Maria Jackson were the parents of eight children: Joseph HI., who died at Saginaw, Michigan, in 1914; Will- iam John, who died in Oregon; David Oliver: Thomas Edmond; Elizabeth, wife of Martin Morrison, of Manitoba, Canada; Lucinda, Ann Jane and Robert James, who are deceased, the latter having been a twin brother of Thomas Edmond, the subject of this sketch. John and Maria Jackson were members of the Church of England.
Thomas Edmond Jackson grew to maturity in Canada, living there until seventeen years of age, when he came to Douglass township. Mont- calm county, Michigan, and joined a brother, William John, who had located in this community and who was a successful farmer. For a time Thomas F. Jackson, after coming to this county, worked as a farm helper in the summer and during the winter was employed in the lumber woods, near Stanton. Later, Mr. Jackson secured forty acres of land in Douglass town-
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ship, which he cleared and then cultivated for some time, after which he sold this farm to Gordon Rice and in 1907 bought eighty acres where he now lives. This land Mr. Jackson improved and now has one of the desirable farms of the community, where he is successfully engaged in general agri- cultural pursuits.
Brower, a native of Hillsdale county, Michigan, and to this marriage have
On October 14. 1887, Thomas Edmond Jackson was married to Laura been born five children: George W., who is an employee of the Oldsmo- bile automobile works, at Lansing, Michigan; John E., an employee of the Reo Automobile Company, at Lansing, Michigan, who married Pauline Grose, they being the parents of one child, Donald; Ernest L., of Lansing, Michigan, who married Avon Earl; Roy at Lansing, Michigan, and Fred- erick, who lives at home.
Mrs. Jackson is, a daughter of Elkanah and Isabella (Chappel) Brower, the former born in New York state, in 1828, a son of Jeremiah and Submit Brower: the latter born in Ohio, in 1843, a daughter of John and Harriett Chappel. Elkanah Brower moved, with his parents, to Jack- son county. Michigan, in 1842, and lived on the home farm until some years later when he purchased a farm in Cambridge township, Hillsdale county, Michigan. In 1885, Mr. Brower moved to Montcalm county, and settled on a farm of eighty acres in Douglass township, living at this place until later in life when he moved to Westville, Day township, this county, where he spent his last days, dying on June 23, 1915, at the age of eighty-six years.
On June 21, 1865, Elkanah Brower was married to Isabella Chappel, who died on March 22, 1870, survived by her husband and two children, Hattie, wife of James Place, of Jackson county, Michigan, and Laura, wife of the subject of this sketch. During the year 1873, Mr. Brower was mar- ried, secondly, to Rachael Fleming, a native of Hillsdale county, Michigan. and to this marriage were born four children: Edwin, of Douglass town- ship, this county; Alice, wife of John Shaw, of Belvidere township, Mont- calin county; Rachael, wife of John Mulholland, of Greenville, this county. and Elkanah, who is deceased. Mrs. Rachael Brower died in Hillsdale county, Michigan. in 1882.
Elkanalı Brower was a prominent man of this county, having served as a member of the school board and as a school director in Douglass town- ship for some time, and was a citizen who was active in the affairs of the Democratic party in this community. Mr. Brower was a member of Stanton Lodge. Free and Accepted Masons and was a member of the Montcalm
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county Grange. Elkanah Brower was not a member of any church, although he was a man of religious conviction and a recognized Bible student.
Thomas Edmond Jackson is a charter member of the Ancient Order of Gleaners, at McBride, Montcalm county, and formerly was active in the affairs of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at McBride. In politics, Mr. Jackson is a Republican, although he does not aspire to public office.
ROBERT JOHN HILLIS.
Robert John Hillis, a well-known farmer and office-holder of Douglass township, Montcalm county, Michigan, was born in Simcoe county, Ontario, Canada, on October 11, 1877, a son of Hugh C. and Margaret (Boyd) Ilillis, a sketch of whose lives will be found under the name of George Thomas Hillis, presented elsewhere in this volume.
At the age of eleven years, Robert John Hillis, having completed his education in the schools of Ontario, Canada, came to Montcalm county, Michigan, with his parents, and lived on the home farm until after his mar- riage, when he moved, about 1905, to a farm of eighty acres in Douglass township, which land Mr. Hillis secured from his father, a part of the original Hillis farm in this township. On this land Mr. Hillis placed neces- sary improvements and has since made his home on this place, as a general farmer.
On December 25, 1904. Robert John Hillis was married to Hattie Belle Parker, who was born in Pine township, Montcalm county, and to this mar- riage have been born three children: Thelma Belle, born on July 25, 1909; Jaunita May, October 16, 1911, and Anna Margaret, February 13, 1915.
Mrs. Hillis is a daughter of John L. and Annie (Taylor) Parker, natives of Somersetshire, England, the former born on March 7, 1844, near Wells; the latter on December 26, 1852, in the parish of Wedmoor. John I .. Parker came to America when he was twenty-four years of age and set- tled in Onondago county, New York, where he was married to Annie Tay- lor, who came to America when she was two years of age and located with her parents in Onondago county, New York. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Parker lived in New York state for some time and then, in 1880, moved to Pine township. Montcalm county, Michigan, where John L. Parker culti- vated his farm of eighty acres for the remainder of his days, dying on June 24. 1908, survived by four children and his widow, who now lives in Entrican.
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John 1. Parker was a member of the Methodist church and in politics was a Democrat. Mrs. Parker is a devout member of the Episcopal church.
Robert John Hillis has taken his place in the official life of Douglass township as a constable for two terms, and for many years has been an active worker and supporter of the Republican party in Douglass township and Montcahn county.
GEORGE W. HOLCOMB.
George W. Holcomb, manager of the plant of the Crystal Cheese Com- pany, of Crystal, this county, and regarded as one of the leading business men in that part of the county, is a native son of Montcalm county, having been born in Crystal township, February 22, 1876, son of Daniel West and wife, the former of whom was a veteran of the Civil War and the latter of whom died when their son, George, was four years old, whereupon the little lad was adopted by Albert J. and Ella A. (Root ) Holcomb, prominent farm- ing people of that section, now living retired at Butternut, this county, and has ever since borne their name.
George W. Holcomb was reared on the Holcomb farm in Crystal town- ship, receiving his elementary education in the district school in the neigh- borhood of his home and supplemented the same by a course in the high school at Carson City, from which he was graduated with the class of 1894. He then went to Montana, where he homesteaded a tract of land, on which he remained for three years, the period necessary to "prove up" the same, and then went to California, where he spent about a year engaged as a book- keeper in a raisin vineyard. He then returned to Michigan and for seven years was engaged in the yards of the Barryton Lumber Company, at Barry- ton, as lumber inspector. He then went to Muskegon and was engaged as superintendent of construction of the Muskegon Water Power and Electric Company for two years, at the end of which time, in 1906, he married and returned to his father's farm in Crystal township, where he remained for a year, operating the same.
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