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 5
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To Delos A. and Lu E. (Stevens) Towle have been born three chil- dren, as follows: Dorothy Lu, who after having been graduated from the Stanton high school attended Oberlin College for two years; Thomas Stev- ens, who after his graduation from the Stanton high school entered Oberlin College, from which he also was graduated, after which he entered Cornell University, from which he was graduated and is now working as an electrical engineer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Delos Allan, Jr., now in Detroit, after being graduated from Oberlin Academy entered the University of Michigan and was graduated from that excellent institution. Mr. and Mrs. Towle and family are attendants at the Congregational church. The fam- ily is prominently identified with the social life of Stanton and takes an
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active part in all good works here about, all being held in high esteem throughout the whole county.
Mr. Towle is a Republican and for years has taken an active part in the political affairs of the county. In educational matters he is regarded as a leader and for years has been president of the school board at Stanton, his admirable services in that connection undoubtedly having done much toward elevating the standard of the schools of that city. Mr. Towle is a member of Star Lodge No. 250, Free and Accepted Masons. at Stanton, having been made a Mason in 1887, and was master of the lodge for four years. He also is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Greenville and when the Knights of Pythias had an organization at Stanton was chancellor commander of the lodge there for two years. In the civic and commemrcial acitivities of Mont- calm county, Mr. Towle long has been a prominent figure and it is not too much to say that he enjoys the confidence and regard of the entire com- munity.
MORRIS W. STEVENSON.
Former Mayor W. W. Stevenson, of Stanton, this county, who is engaged in the general merchandising business in that city, is looked upon as one of the "live wires" of this section of Michigan. He is a native of this state and has the general interest of this section at heart, advancing them in every way in his power.
Morris W. Stevenson was born at lonia, Michigan, on April 21, 1860, son of Edward and Margaret ( Kidd) Stevenson, the former of whom was a native of England and the latter of New York state. Edward Stevenson was the son of Jesse Stevenson and wife and accompanied them to this country in 1834. the family locating at lonia, this state, where both Jesse Stevenson and his wife spent their last days. They were the parents of six children, Jessie, John, George, Edward. Kate and one who died in youth.
Edward Stevenson was trained as a shoemaker in his English home and for some time after settling at Tonia worked at that trade. He later went to Grand Rapids, where he started a shoe shop, which he conducted for several years, at the end of which time he returned to Tonia and there became a pioneer merchant and was thus engaged until his appointment to the office of register of the United States land office at lonia, in which capacity he served for some years. He later, in 1862, was appointed post- master at lonia, and served in that capacity for quite a term. He died at
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the age of sixty-eight years while on a visit to Stanton. His widow, who survived him many years, died at Stanton at the age of eighty-six. She was a member of the Christian ( Disciples ) church and he was a member of the Methodist church. Mrs. Stevenson, who was Margaret Kidd before her marriage, came to Michigan with her parents from New York state many years ago, the family locating in the Ionia neighborhood in the thirties, becoming pioneer farmers. Mrs. Stevenson was one of six chil- dren born to her parents, the only one of whom now surviving being Elsic, who is past eighty-eight years of age, the others having been James. Thomas, Robert. Mary and Margaret E. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson were the parents of six children, Mary, who is the wife of John W. Crinns; Hampton E .. James J., Frank T., Morris W. and William K.
Morris W. Stevenson was reared in Ionia, receiving his education in the public schools of that place. As a boy he learned the printer's trade and worked in the newspaper office there for some time. but after his father's appointment as register of the land office, he became a clerk in the latter office, where he remained five years, performing excellent service in that capacity. In 1892 he located in Stanton, this county, where. in com- pany with his brother, Hampton E., he established the business in which he is still so successfully engaged. This partnership continued for a period of eight years, at the end of which time Mr. Stevenson bought his brother's interest and has since been conducting the business alone. His is one of the best-stocked general stores in this part of the state, quite a force of clerks being required in the establishment, wherein are handled dry goods. clothing, boots and shoes, ladies' and men's furnishings and groceries.
On April 21. 1881. Morris W. Stevenson was united in marriage to Della S. Morris, who was born near Birmingham, Oakland county, this state, daughter of George W. and Lovina ( Martin) Morris, both natives of New York state and early settlers in Oakland county. He and his wife. both of whom now are deceased. were the parents of two daughters, Della S. and Hattie E. Mrs. Stevenson's paternal grandfather, Benjamin Morris. came to this state from Morrisville. New York, which town was named in his honor, and he and his wife were the parents of three children, Libbie. Belle and George. William Martin, Mrs. Stevenson's maternal grand- father, and his wife also were natives of New York state who settled in Oakland county at an early day in the settlement of that section, spending the remainder of their lives there, both living to a ripe old age. They were the parents of five children. F. Broox. Clark, George, Ellen and Lovina.
To Morris W. and Della S. (Morris) Stevenson one son has been
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born, George M., who is attending high school. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson take a proper part in the social activities of Stanton and are held in high regard by their friends there. Mr. Stevenson is a Republican and ever since his arrival in Stanton has given thoughtful attention to political affairs. Shortly after locating there he was elected alderman, in which capacity he served for one term, and later was elected mayor of Stanton, in which office he served for six years, his executive judgment in the administra- tion of the affairs of that office having been valuable to the community. Mr. Stevenson also was president of the school board for a period of five years and in that capacity likewise rendered admirable service. Another public service of which he feels justly proud, was his act, ably assisted by Delos A. Towle and Elliot O. Bellows, in constructing ten and one-half miles of public and "state reward" roads, for which service, by the way, he never received any monetary compensation, but he is content now to regard the performance of this signal deed of public service as its own reward.
Mr. Stevenson finds time amid the arduous duties of his extensive business operations, to participate in other enterprises in and around Stan- ton, among his other connections being that of director in the State Savings Bank of Stanton and president of the Stanton Hotel Association. He is an energetic and public-spirited citizen who enjoys the full confidence of the entire community.
ALLEN L. COREY. M. D.
Forty years of practice in and around Stanton, this county, has given Dr. Allen L. Corey an acquaintance hereabout which covers not only Mont- calm county, but the counties adjacent thereto, and there is perhaps no per- son in this section of the state better known than he.
Allen L. Corey was born on a farm in the vicinity of Lapeer, this state. on December 7, 1844, son of Jabesh M. and Eunice ( Howland ) Corey. natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Jabesh Corey was reared as a farmer in Pennsylvania and upon reaching manhood's estate cmigrated to Michigan, settling in Lapeer county, where he bought a quarter of a section of land which he cleared and brought to an excellent state of cultivation. Shortly after settling in Lapeer county he married Eunice Howland, daughter of Judge Howland, a native of Massachusetts, for many years justice of the peace in Lapeer townishp, that county, and to this union were born eight children. namely : Eveline. who died unmarried; Egbert,
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deceased; Clara, deceased, who was the wife of Henry W. Shaw; Alexander, deceased; Frances, who died unmarried; Allen L., the subject of this sketch; Diantha, widow of O. F. France, an attorney, of Toledo, Ohio, and one son who died in youth. Both Jabesh M. Corey and his wife spent their last days on the home farm, the former dying before he was sixty years of age, his widow surviving him about three months. They were Methodists and for years were active in all good works in their vicinage. Judge Howland and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom Mrs. Corey was the eldest, the others, now all deceased, having been Rosanna, Susan, John, Tra. Ephraim, Thomas and Hozial.
Allen L. Corey was reared on the paternal farm in Lapeer county, receiving his elementary education in the district schools of his home neigh- borhood, which he supplemented by a course in Lapeer Academy, following which he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and was grad -. uated from the medical department of that excellent institution in 1868. Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Corey returned to Lapeer county and opened an office for the practice of his profession at Imlay City, that county. where he remained a year, at the end of which time he moved to North Branch, same county, where he remained until 1870, in which year he located in Tonia, this state, where he was in practice for four years. In 1875 Doctor Corey came to Montcalm county and located at Stanton, where he has ever since been engaged in the practice of his profession and has been very successful. Doctor Corey is a physician of wide learning, whose studies keep him constantly advised of the important advancements in modern medi- cine and surgery, and who is thus conversant with the wonderful progress made in medical science during recent years. His medical course at Ann Arbor comprised a period of four years and this he supplemented, some years after locating at Stanton, by a post-graduate course at the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons at New York City, from which institution he was grad- nated in 1885.
During his residence in Ionia, Doctor Corey was united in marriage to Augusta Fiero, whose parents were natives of New York and early settlers in Ionia. Mrs. Corey's father died at Muir, this state, and his widow sur- vived him many years, her death occurring at Stanton, this county, she being past seventy years of age at the time of her death. To Doctor and Mrs. Corey three children have been born. Lutie, who married William Pettitt, of Stanton, and has two children : Claude, who died at the age of four years, and Velmer, who is at home. Mrs. Corey is a member of the Methodist church and both she and the doctor for years have taken an active part in
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the social and cultural life of the city. Both are held in the very highest esteem throughout this whole section and have many friends hereabout.
Doctor Corey is a Republican and ever has given a good citizen's atten- tion to political affairs. For four years he served as pensioner examiner in this district. He is a member of Stanton Lodge No. 202, Free and Accepted Masons, and has attained to the chapter in that order. In general public affairs he ever has displayed a degree of interest that marks him as a public- spirited and progressive citizen and is long residence in Stanton gives to his counsels a value which is appreciated in all quarters. the good doctor's influ- ence being felt in all movements designed to better conditions along all lines of human endeavor throughout this section.
HON. EDGAR S. WAGAR.
In the memorial annals of Montcalm county, no name stands out more distinctively than that of the late Hon. Edgar S. Wagar, former state senator from this district and for many years one of the most prominent lumber men and bankers of this county, whose death at his home in Edmore on July 17, 1914, was widely mourned hereabouts, for he ever had been a man true in all the relations of life and had well earned the high regard in which he was held throughout this section of the state.
Edgar S. Wagar was a native son of Michigan, having been born at Constantine, St. Joseph county, this state, on August 30. 1850, son of Oris B. and Wealthy (Shaw ) Wagar, both natives of Ontario county, New York, where they grew up and where they were married. Oris B. Wagar was born on December 15. 1819. son of Abram and Hannah ( Washburn ) Wagar, both natives of New York state, the former of whom was of Ger- man descent. and who were the parents of ten children. Catherine, Sarah, Esther Marie, Oris B., Sarah. Caroline E., Zephaniah, Isaac W., Cornelia M., and Mary Jane, of whom the last named is now the sole survivor. Mary Jane Wagar was born on June 18. 1839, and was five years old when the family moved to Constantine. St. Joseph county, this state, where she grew to womanhood and where she married, February 6. 1859. Perry Holmes. who was born at Wooster, Ohio, October 16, 1838. and to this union three children were born, Mina Esther, who married W. A. Courtright and lives in Belvedier township, this county; Sarah, who died at the age of two
HON. EDGAR S. WAGAR.
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years, and Frank L., a well-known barber at Edmore. Mrs. Holmes for years has been a resident of Edmore, where she is still living.
Oris B. Wagar and wife moved from New York state to Constantine, St. Joseph county, shortly after their marriage and there they established their permanent home. Mr. Wagar bought a heavily-timbered tract of land there and proceeded to clear the same, presently becoming recognized as one of the most substantial farmers thereabout. He erected fine buildings on his place and brought his farm to a high state of cultivation, becoming quite well-to-do, a man of substance, possessing wide influence for good in the community. He died on December 8, 1888, at the age of sixty-nine, and his widow survived him about seven years, her death also occurring on the old home farm. They were the parents of five children, Dr. Floyd G. Wagar, of Wolverine, Michigan; Mrs. Annette Brower, of Constantine; Guy. who died at the age of two years; the late Edgar S. Wagar, former state senator from this district, the subject of this memorial sketch, and Louella, who still lives on the old home farm in St. Joseph county, which was under the management of her brother, Edgar S., until the latter's death in 1914.
Edgar S. Wagar was reared on the home farm in St. Joseph county, receiving his education in the local schools of that neighborhood, and at the age of eighteen went to Cedar Rapids, where he engaged as clerk in a store. He married there in the fall of 1875 and continued to make that place his home until 1878, in which year he came to this country and located . Edmore, where he engaged in the general hardware business. In 1887, when the lumbering business was at its height, he sold his store and engaged in the lumber and shingle trade, in which he became quite successful. In 1807 Mr. Wagar succeeded Mr. Wisner in the banking business at Edmore, operating the concern as the E. S. Wagar Bank (private), until 1908. in which year it was incorporated as the Peoples State Bank. He was elected the first president of this bank and continued in that position throughout the rest of his life. Mr. Wagar was identified with several other enter- prises in and about Edmore and was vice-president of the Union Telephone : ompany.
The energy and enterprise of the late Hon. Edgar S. Wagar were not confined to the business life and activities of this community, for he was equally active in the political life of this section of the state. He was the second president of Edmore and for five or six terms thereafter, at different times, served in a similar capacity, the interests of his home town ever being (5b)
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dear to his heart. He was an uncompromising Republican and for two years served as chairman of the Republican committee of Montcalm county. For two terms, 1893-96, he served as a member of the lower house of the Michigan General Assembly, representative from Montcalm county, and during the period of that important public service was one of the distinctive figures of the House, having been a member of the ways and means, the finance, the appropriations and other important committees of that body. Following his service in the House, Mr. Wagar was elected to the state Senate, as senator from this district, and served with equal distinction in the upper house of the General Assembly during the two sessions which comprised his term. 1897-1900. Senator Wagar, at the time of his death. was a member of the board of control of the state hospital for the insane at Traverse City. under appointment from Governor Warner, and took an active and influential part in the affairs of that body. In point of service Senator Wagar was the oldest business man in Edmore, having engaged there in July, 1878, and was a man of wide influence in the business life of the community. In religious and fraternal circles he also took a prominent part. For many years he was one of the leaders in the local Methodist Episcopal church, president of the Epworth League and superintendent of the Sunday school, and was a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
On October 29, 1875, at Cedar Rapids, Michigan, Edgar S. Wagar was united in marriage to Louisa Pfeiffer, who was born at East Saginaw, this state. May 25. 1850. daughter of Gottlieb and Christina ( Katz) Pfeiffer, both natives of the province of Wittenberg, Germany, who were married at Ann Arbor, this state, where Gottlieb Pfeiffer was then engaged as a carpenter and cabinetmaker. Christina Katz was a young girl when she accompanied her family to this country. Her father died and was buried at sea. The remainder of the family located at Ann Arbor, where Christina married Gottlieb Pfeiffer, shortly thereafter moving to East Saginaw, where Gottlieb Pfeiffer met his death in 1854 by falling from a scaffold while building a house, leaving three children. Catherine, who died in 1915: Louisa, who married Mr. Wagar, and John W., of Edmore. this county. The widow Pfeiffer married at Ann Arbor, to which place she had returned with her children after the death of her husband. Jefferson Burch, and to this union were born four children, as follow: Mrs. Susan Coy, of Home township. this county; Henry, who is in business with his half- brother, John W. Pfeiffer, at Petosky; Mrs. Geneva Hutchinson. of Alma.
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and Mrs. Martha Horton, of Home township. this county. The mother Di these children died in Chicago. To Edgar S. and Louisa ( Pfeiffer) Wagar one child was born. a son, Harry E. Wagar, cashier of the Peoples State Bank at Edmore and president of the village, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Wagar is still living at Edmore. where she long has quietly exerted her gentle influence for good and where she is held in the very highest esteem by all.
EDWARD C. CUMMINGS.
Among the able business men and influential citizens of Carson City, Montcalm county, Michigan, none have taken a more useful and helpful part, in local affairs, than has Edward C. Cummings, president of the State Bank of Carson City, and a man for forty years a financier and organizer.
Edward C. Cummings, who was born in Erie county, New York, on April 16. 1837, received only a district school education, doing chores for his board while attending his classes, after completing which, he began, when thirteen years of age, to make his own living in the world. After some time as a farm helper in his community, Edward C. Cummings, when about twenty-three years of age, went to the Oil creek region of Pennsylvania, and during the days of high tide in the oil-fields of that state, he became a teamster, later securing boats, as carriers for oil, which he towed up the freek. in this way earning a large sum of money, with which he established himself in the world. after two years in the oil-fields. On account of the oil gases affecting his health, Edward C. Cummings retired from the oil fields, and about the year 1866, came to Michigan, locating at Ithica, Gratiot county, where Mr. Cummings became a partner in the mercantile firm known as Shepard & Cummings, a business in which Edward C. Cummings con- tinued for about four years, and then. having suffered the loss of his wife, by death, Mr. Cummings travelled in the West, for the next year.
About the year 1871. Edward C. Cummings came to Carson City, Montcalm county, at a time when the town was yet in its infancy, settled largely by lumber men and pioneers, and established a general store, a business which he followed until 1875. and then, after about one year in preparation. in 1876. he opened the first bank of Carson City, a private institution known as the banking house of E. C. Cummings, and with which he has since been officially connected. In addition to his financial
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activity, Mr. Cummings has engaged extensively in agricultural pursuits, at one time having been the cultivator of two hundred and fifty acres of land, in Montcalm county, much of which land was devoted to the culture of alfalfa, a product in the raising of which, he was recognized as an authority.
About the year 1858, Edward C. Cummings was married to Hulda Ann Parsons, who was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, where they were married. In 1870 Mrs. Cummings died, survived by her husband and three children : Carrie, who is now cashier of the bank at Crystal, Montcalm county, and who was married to Elam Willetts, there being born to this marriage two children, Harry, who died at twenty years of age, and Louisa, a public school teacher, of Detroit, and after the death of her husband, Carrie (Cummings) Willetts married William Granger; Morton P., of California, who is married and the father of two children, and Burton, an employee of the street railway company of Erie, Pennsylvania, who is mar- ried and the father of three children.
In 1871, Edward C. Cummings was married to Laura II. Barton, of Gratiot county, who was born near Kent, Ohio, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah Barton, who moved to Gratiot county, Michigan, in pioneer times, and there Samuel Barton farmed on one hundred and sixty acres of land for the remainder of his days, dying at the age of ninety years, while his widow. Sarah, lived to the advanced age of one hundred and three years. To the marriage of Edward C. and Laura IT. Cummings have been born three children: Ira, who after the completion of his education at a commercial school, at Detroit. is now cashier of the State Bank of Carson City, also being interested in the other banking connections of his father, and who was married to Minnie Cox, and they are the parents of two chil- dren. Cecil and Edward; Ora, of Billings, Montana, who is the wife of Roy J. Covert, who are the parents of two children, Paul and Gerald, and Lottie, who is the wife of Don R. Bennett, of Detroit.
As a banker, Edward C. Cummings has not only made the State Bank of Carson City one of the leading banks of the county and vicinity, but he has enlarged on the sphere of his activity as a financier, Mr. Cummings and his son Tra, now having stock and influence in the affairs of the banks at Crystal, Montcalm county, and they are interested as half owners in the Bank of Hubbardston, the latter a private banking house, owned jointly with Ruel and Absden, bankers of lonia county, Michigan.
The State Bank of Carson City, a lasting tribute to the ability of Edward C. Cummings, was organized in 1876, as a private financial insti-
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tation, known as the banking house of E. C. Cummings. In 1887, after a prosperous decade of service, the town of Carson City gave more promise as a town, as the result of a railroad reaching it, and at this time, in antici- pation of future business, the banking house of E. C. Cummings was reorganized under the name of the State Bank of Carson City, with an authorized capital of fifty thousand dollars. For the first five years of the newly-incorporated bank. Edward C. Cummings served as president and cashier. At the end of this time, Mr. Cummings declining to serve in his dual capacity, John W. Hallett was elected to the office of president, while Edward C. Cummings continued in the office of cashier. In 1913, Mr. "ummings was again elected to serve as president of the State Bank of Carson City, and Ira Cummings became cashier. a management which has existed. since that time.
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