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 55
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Albert A. Almy was married on December 31, 1884, to Mary E. Clem- ent, born in Canada, a daughter of James and Mary (Blasdell) Clement. A full history of the Clement family will be found in the sketch of John N. Clement, presented elsewhere among these pages. To Mr. and Mrs. Almy have been born two children, the elder of which is Clifton C., who married Ethel Hughes and lives next to his father on the same farm, assisting him in the management of the same. Clifton has three children, Merl, Carroll and Harris. Mae, Mr. Almy's younger child, married C. C. Bollinger and resides in Belvidere township. She has one child, Donald. Mr. Almy handles the best of live stock, favoring purebreds only. He has a full-blood Guernsey bull and intends to handle nothing but that breed. He has made great improvement in the place since purchasing it, as it has been entirely cleared and placed under cultivation, buildings erected, etc., and is now one of the finest country homes in this section.
Mr. Almy has been actively engaged in the ranks of the Republican party for many years. He has served as justice of the peace of Belvidere town- ship for a couple of terms and in April, 1915, was elected township super- visor. Mr. Almy has for the past quarter of a century been a member of the Entrican, Michigan, lodge of Maccabees and has for the same length of time been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He takes active part in the work of South Belvidere chapel, as does also his wife, and he has been both trustee and steward of the church for some time.
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Mr. Almy is a well known and highly respected citizen, a good farmer and capable business man. He has seen many changes come about in the manner of living in Montcalm county, and no one enjoys modern advantages more than he. He recalls with interest the time when the nearest postoffice was at Greenville, and correspondence was necessarily limited.
NIEL H. YOUNGMAN.
A dealer in furniture and hardware, an undertaker, and a citizen who has always been prominent in the fraternal and political life of Lakeview, is Niel H. Youngman, who was born in Jutland, Denmark, October 12, 1850. Mr. Youngman is the son of Christ and Marie ( Platt) Youngman, the former of whom was born in Germany, and the latter a native of Denmark. Christ Youngman was a contractor and builder by occupation and followed this trade all of his life in his native country. Mr. and Mrs. Christ Youngman were the parents of five children, of whom Niel H. was the youngest.
Niel H. Youngman received a good education in Denmark, attending both the common and high schools, and, when eighteen years of age, came to America, being the first of the family to come to this country. He had learned the cabinet-maker's trade in his native country and, upon coming to the United States, settled first in Chicago, where he followed this occupation until 1878. In that year he went to Greenville, Montcalm county, Michigan, where he engaged in the manufacture of sashes, doors and blinds, and two years later came to Lakeview, where he started a furniture and undertaking establish- ment, which was the first of its kind in the town. He also had the distinction of shipping in the first carload of merchandise to come to Lakeview over the new railroad after it was built through this town. In 1903 he added a large stock of hardware and stoves to his business, and later took the agency for the Ford and Overland automobiles, in which he is very successful. In 1895 Mr. Youngman went to Chicago and took a course in embalming at the Chicago School of Embalming, after which he was admitted as a licensed embalmer by the state board of health.
In June, 1878, Niel H. Youngman was married in Greenville to Anna Anderson, who was born in Denmark, a daughter of Andrew Anderson and who came to the United States with her parents at the age of seven years. To this union have been born four children, one of whom is deceased. The living children are Grace, who married Fred Kendall and lives in Spokane,
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Washington; Leo, who married Bess Farnsworth, and is a licensed embalmer engaged in business with his father, and Clifton, who is married and is also engaged in business with his father, having charge of the automobile agency. The firm is known as N. H. Youngman & Sons.
Politically, Mr. Youngman is a Republican and has served as councilman and as a member of the school board for fifteen years, nine years of which he was president of the board. The Youngman family are members of the Congregational church and take an active part in all of the affairs of this denomination. Fraternally, Mr. Youngman is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of the Maccabees, and he and his son, Leo, are both members of the Free and Accepted Masons, of which Mr. Youngman has been master of the local lodge for fifteen years. He is also a member of the Pilgrim Commandery, at Big Rapids, and of the Knights Templar. Both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star, of which he ahs been worthy patron for six years.
Seven years after coming to this country, Mr. Youngman returned to Europe and made a tour of that continent, visiting England, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, extending this trip to a length of ten months. In 1915 Mr. and Mrs. Youngman made a nine weeks trip through the West, visiting all of the larger cities.
GEORGE H. LESTER.
The late George H. Lester, who was a successful farmer and a citizen prominent in the official life of Crystal township, Montcalm county, as well as in the legislative affairs of the state of Michigan, was born in Schuylerville, New York, in 1842, a son of George W. and Elizabeth M. (Fitzsimmons) Lester.
George W. Lester moved to Newaygo, Michigan, about 1856, and engaged in his business as a lumberman until 1859, when he died. Following the death of the elder Lester, his widow, Elizabeth, together with her children, moved to Ronald township, Ionia county, and there purchased a farm where they made their home, the children cultivating the place as general farmers.
During the month of December, 1867, three years after his marriage, George H. Lester came to Crystal township, Montcalm county, Michigan, and secured a farm of forty acres, which he cultivated, from time to time improv- ing his place and adding land until he was the owner of two hundred acres
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of well-improved and highly cultivated land, on which he was successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits, for the remainder of his days.
George H. Lester, in the year 1865, was married to Oneella Hawley, they becoming the parents of five children: Edith M., born on December 10, 1868, and who died on February 10, 1875; Edna B., February 28, 1876, and died on May 30, 1906; Fern, February 7, 1878, and died on March 21, 1878; Ben H., June 21, 1880, now chief train dispatcher at Pontiac, Michigan, who on June 19, 1901, married Lottie Coryelle, at Carson City, Montcalm county, and George H., February 2, 1884, who on November 24, 1901, married Alice Viola Berry, they now living at Jackson, Michigan, where Mr. Lester is a locomotive engineer. To Ben H. and Lottie Lester have been born two. children, Harry E. and Edna B. and to George H. and Alice Lester have been born two children, Donald George and Thelma Lucile.
Oneella Hawley is a daughter of Alpheus C. and Lucena (Emerson) Hawley, natives of Vermont and of Bath, New York, respectively. Follow- ing their marriage Alpheus and Lucena Hawley, in 1846, moved to Ronald township, Ionia county, Michigan, where they became early farmers, Mr. Hawley also following his trade as a carpenter, his efforts having no small part in the building up of the community. Later, Alpheus Hawley became a fur buyer throughout the state, traveling about the various counties dealing in raw furs, a business in which this pioneer dealer was especially successful, and a line of trade which he followed until about three years before his death, when Mr. Hawley suffered a stroke of paralysis, from which he never recovered.
Alpheus C. and Lucena Hawley were the parents of six children : Alpheus C., who died at the age of eighteen years; James, who after grad- uating from Hillsdale College, enlisted for service in the Civil War and was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, on September 20, 1863; Benjamin, who enlisted for Civil War service, on March 14, 1864, and after four months service died at Duvall's Bluff, Arkansas; Lucinda, who married Martin Miner, a prominent pioneer citizen of Bloomer township, Montcalm county ; Cornelia, who became the wife of Hezekiah Little, of Ronald township, Ionia county, Mr. Little dying in 1875, survived by his widow and two sons, Alpheus C. and James H., the widow later marrying William F. Pettyes, they now living at Palo, and to them having been born a daughter, Maude, who now is the wife of Claude Dixon, of Ronald township, Ionia county, Mr. and Mrs. Dixon being the parents of twin daughters, Marie and Marion; and one boy, Ben, born in 1901, and Oneella, who married George H. Lester.
Lucena, the wife of Alpheus C. Hawley, died in January, 1850, and
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during the month of October, of the same year, Mr. Hawley was married, secondly, to Mrs. Adelia (Tuttle ) Lemon, who was the mother of one daughter, Nancy A. Later, Nancy A. Lemon became the wife of Capt. Will- iam Brown. a veteran of the Civil War, who died in 1905.
George H. Lester was one of the most prominent of the public men living in Montcalm county, having served as township clerk for four years, as town- ship treasurer two terms, and after that time served Crystal township as a supervisor for about thirty years, during which time Mr. Lester was acting as chairman of the board of supervisors for a number of years. Mr. Lester not only was active in the local official life but he took a place of importance in the public life of Michigan, in 1890 having been elected to the office of representative in the state Legislature, serving with honor and dignity in this office. for two years.
George H. Lester was prominent in the affairs of the Montcalm County Grange, having served as master of this organization for about thirty years, as well as having been, for many years, master of the Pomona Grange. As a church worker, Mr. Lester was well known, he, together with his wife having been active in the work and worship of the Methodist church at Crystal, and also at Carson City. Mrs. Lester, for a number of years, was president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, at both of these cities. George H. Lester, after an active and useful life, during which time he reflected honor on himself and his community, died, on March 17, 1910, mourned by a host of friends.
Following the death of her husband, Mrs. Lester, on November 12, 1913, was married to Rev. Jesse Burdge, a retired minister.
JARED V. COMSTOCK.
Jared V. Comstock, the son of Israel and Betsy (Fuller) Comstock, was born on October 21, 1830, in the state of New York. Israel Comstock was also a native of New York, while his father was born in Connecticut of a Yankee father and an Irish mother. Betsy Fuller Comstock, the mother of Jared, was born in the Black River country of New York. Her father was a native of England and her mother of Wales.
Jared V. Comstock came to Michigan with his parents when but four- teen years of age. The father and mother, with their ten children, made
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the long journey, by way of Canada to Detroit, in a wagon drawn by horses. The family remained at Detroit but a short time and then took up their residence in Jackson county where they purchased a farm, and remained five years after which they located near where Jared V. now resides, on the line of lonia and Montcalm counties. Here the father purchased eighty acres of land and here all the boys, with the exception of one, settled and made their homes.
Of the twelve children of Isaac and Betsy Comstock, all grew to man- hood and womanhood. Those now dead are George, Christina, Edwin, Nelson, Elijah and Selena. Of the living, Sophronia is the widow of Frank Hull; Rowland lives in Silvertown, Oregon; Jerome is also a resi- dent of the Oregon town; Henry, on the old homestead; Benjamin, in Shilo, Michigan, and Jared V., the subject of the sketch.
Jared V. Comstock lived at home with his parents until they came to Montcalm county, while he remained in Jackson county where he worked for others for some years. He later came to Montcalm county, where he purchased one hundred acres of land where he now lives. The money with which he purchased this farm was made by him while working in Jackson county. After coming to Montcalm county he assisted in the clearing of his father's place and placing it under cultivation. Later he devoted his atten- tion to the clearing of his own farm and preparing it for crops.
Jared V. Comstock was married to Mary Jones on January 1, 1857, she being the daughter of Samuel Jones, who lived in Ionia county. After their marriage they settled on the farm where they have since resided. Mrs. Comstock died in 1863. To this union the following children were born: Adelle, who became the wife of George Prey, is now dead; Fannie is the wife of Frank Myers and lives at Owosso, and George, who lives in Ionia.
After the death of his wife Mr. Comstock married Dora Hays, the daughter of William Hays, and to this union the following children were born: William, who lives in Osceola county; Grant, deceased; Nellie, the wife of Percy Hoyt, of Tulare, California; John, in Sheridan, and Guy, on the home place.
Politically, Mr. Comstock is a Republican and cast his first vote for Fremont. He has never been a seeker after office, yet he has served his township as highway commissioner. Mr. Comstock and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Comstock has served as steward and trustee of the church at Palo.
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JOHN N. HILLER.
John N. Hiller is one of the most active and progressive business men and citizens of Vestaburg, Montcalm county, Michigan, and has always been a man of sterling worth. He was born on August 8, 1880, in Caro, Tuscola county, Michigan, and is the son of Walter and Ella ( Montgomery) Hiller. Walter Hiller was born on his parents' farm, located six miles from Caro, Tuscola county, Michigan, his birth occurring on September 26, 1844. He is a twin son of Levina Hiller, a native of New York state. At one time he was the owner of a farm in Tuscola county, Michigan, but has discontinued farming and now is employed at various occupations. Ella Montgomery is a native of Sarnia, Canada, and came to Michigan when she was but four years of age, locating in Tuscola county, where she was reared and educated and afterward married. She was born on July 15, 1857. To the union of Walter and Ella ( Montgomery) Hiller, seven chil- dren were born, namely: John N., Pearl, wife of James Thompson, who lives in Jackson, Michigan; Alice, Archie, Claude and Maude, twins, and Janie. Maude is the wife of Oral Osborn and lives in Akron, Michigan.
John N. Hiller remained with his parents in Tuscola county, Michigan, until 1901, at which time he left for Akron, Michigan, where he had charge of the grocery department of Cook Brothers store. He remained in their employ for three years and then engaged in the lumber woods for some time, working in the camps during the winter and in the saw-mills during the summer. He represented the Mickelson-Hanson Lumber Company, of Lewiston, Michigan. He was employed in the hardware store of George E. Purple for a period of two years, in Edmore, Michigan, and then engaged in business on an independent basis, operating a grocery and restaurant for one year. This place was then sold and he was employed in the store of John Hanson for nearly one year. subsequently engaging with J. F. Snyder in the mercantile business for one year, also in Edmore, Michigan. Follow- ing this he represented the Fred Brunwick Company, of Muskegon, Mich- igan, on the road, but resigned with that firm to accept a position with the Stanton Candy Company, of Stanton, Michigan. He was later with the Asphalt Roofing Company, of West Saginaw, Michigan, as their traveling representative, covering the territory of Western Michigan and North- western Indiana. He represented this firm for nearly seven years, and then removed to Vestaburg where he opened his present business on April 10, 1915. carrying a large and complete line of dry goods and groceries.
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On June 12, 1903, John N. Hiller was united in marriage to Blanch Gillette, daughter of Charles and Levine (Comstock) Gillette, and two chil- dren have blessed their union, Archie and Charles. Both children are stu- dents of the schools of Vestaburg, Michigan. Blanch Gillette is a native of Springport, Calhoun county, Michigan. John N. Hiller is a member of the Illinois Commercial Travelers Association, and is also a member of the Vestaburg lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America. He has always taken great interest in the local elections, and actively represents the Repub- lican party.
GEORGE IRVING BLUMBERG.
George Irving Blumberg, successful farmer and prominent in the public and official life of Douglass township, Montcalm county, Michigan, was born in Douglass township, this county, near his present farm, on July 8, 1871, a son of Charles W. and Martha (Steel) Blumberg, the former of whom died on June 19, 1909, the latter on February 11, 1909.
After the completion of his education in the public schools of Douglass township, this county, George Irving Blumberg lived on the home farm until after his marriage when, in 1892, he secured his present farm of forty acres, which he cleared and where he since has been successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits.
On December 25, 1890, George Irving Blumberg was married. to Elizabeth McLean, who was born in St. Joseph county, Indiana, on June 23, 1870, they becoming the parents of three children: Irving, who was born on November 1, 1898, and died on June 26, 1902; Raymond, September 26, 1903, and died on October 2, 1906, and Lillian, April 27, 1909, now living at home.
Elizabeth McLean is a daughter of Oscar and Emily (Smith) McLean, the former born on March 6, 1846, near Brantford, Ontario, Canada, a son of Eliad and Sofia ( Blaisdall) McLean; the latter born in the same community, in 1849, a daughter of John P. and Sarah (Whitney) Smith. Oscar McLean received his education in the public schools of his native community, where he lived until about two years after his marriage, when he moved to St. Joseph county, Indiana, and there followed various lines of activity, for the next twelve years. He then came to Montcalm county, Michigan, and located on a farm of eighty acres which he cleared and improved, later adding forty acres of land, all of which he cultivated for
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some time. Afterward, Mr. McLean sold all but forty acres of his land, cultivating this tract as a successful farmer until he was compelled to retire from active life, because of failing health, three years before his death which occurred on October 17, 1886. Emily, the widow of Oscar McLean, after the death of her husband, lived for several years on the home place with her children and then purchased property in Entrican, Montcalm county, where she now lives. Mr. and Mrs. McLean have honorable records as workers in the Methodist church, at Entrican. Oscar McLean, for many years, was an active member of the Good Templar Lodge, in Entrican.
George Irving Blumberg has taken an active part in the official life of Douglass township, Montcalm county, for many years having served as township clerk, for this township, during the greater part of fifteen years. Mr. Blumberg now is prominent in the affairs of the Republican party and is a recognized influence in the efforts and plans of this party. Mr. and Mrs. Blumberg are leading members of the Baptist church, at Entrican, they both being known for their work in this church, which Mr. Blumberg now is serving as a trustee. Mrs. Blumberg is a well-known Sunday-school teacher, and at one time served as superintendent of the Sunday-school in the Baptist church. She was treasurer of that church for fourteen years.
Fraternally, George Irving Blumberg is a member of the Entrican Lodge No. 43, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, an organization which he serves as recording secretary, and he also is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, at Entrican.
CHARLES W. BLUMBERG.
The late Charles W. Blumberg, who was a successful farmer of Doug- lass township, Montcalm county, Michigan, to which region he came in 1870, where he was recognized as one of the most useful citizens, was born in Oak- land county, Michigan, on December 6, 1838, a son of Michael and Almina ( Hyde ) Blumberg, natives of Schoharie county and of Seneca county, New York, respectively.
Michael Blumberg was a farmer and the operator of a saw-mill in Scho- harie county, New York, where he lived until 1832, after which time he moved to Oakland county, Michigan. In Oakland county, Michigan, the wife of Michael Blumberg, whom he had married in New York, died, and some time
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later, the elder Blumberg was married, secondly, to Almina Hyde, they becom- ing the parents of two sons, Charles W. and Walter H.
Charles W. Blumberg was seven years of age when he moved from Royal Oak township, Oakland county, Michigan, with his parents, to Canton, Wayne county, Michigan, where he secured his early education and then, at the age of thirteen years moved with his parents to Ingham county, Michigan, where he attended school for a short time.
When nineteen years of age, in 1857, Charles W. Blumberg was married to Martha Steel, a native of New Jersey and a daughter of Samuel and Mar- garet (Gunderman) Steel. To the marriage of Charles W. and Martha Blumberg were born seven children : Charles Dennis, who was born on May 24. 1858; Friend William, February 16, 1860; Almina Margaret, March 7. 1864; Daniel Michael, October 16, 1865; George I., July 8, 1871; Mary E., November 25, 1895, and Clarence F., March 25, 1880.
Following his marriage, Charles W. Blumberg remained at home and superintended the cultivation of the home farm, until February 17, 1865, when he enlisted in Company B, Sixth Michigan Cavalry, for service in the Civil War. Ten days after his enlistment Mr. Blumberg was mustered into. the United States Cavalry, his first active service being at a camp at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, later, at the Point of Rocks, on the Potomac, where he was. stationed at the time of the assassination of President Lincoln, being one of a number of recruits who were detailed to search for the assassin. Charles W. Blumberg, next, was ordered to Chapel Point, and from there to Alexan- dria, Virginia, where he became a part of the United States Regular army, with these troops going to Washington, D. C., where he took part in the Grand Review, at the end of the Civil War.
After the close of the Civil War, Charles W. Blumberg was ordered, with the troops'of which he was a part, to the West for service on the frontier against the Indians. On their way to their new station Mr. Blumberg, with his comrades, journeyed by rail to Parkersburg. West Virginia, by boat to St. Louis, Missouri, where a part of the command was detailed to buy horses, the remainder, of which Mr. Blumberg was a part, continuing their journey to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, at which place the troops were properly equipped for a continuance of their journey to Ft. Laramie, Wyoming. Later, the Sixth Cavalry, of which Mr. Blumberg was a soldier, as a part of the com- mand of General Connor, marched to a point about three hundred miles north- west of Ft. Laramie, locating along the Powder river, where the troops erected a fort and lived there for three weeks during which time they engaged in several skirmishes with the Indians, destroying their strongholds, and with
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the aid of friendly Indians, compelled the hostile savages to return to their proper territory.
Some time later, Charles W. Blumberg was appointed a wagon-master of the train from Ft. Lawrence to Ft. Bridges, and afterward was assigned to the post at Salt Lake City, there Mr. Blumberg being appointed as assistant wagon-master. In this capacity, Charles W. Blumberg served satisfactorily until February 27, 1866, when he received his discharge and was mustered out of the service, he then returning to his home in Michigan, after a long journey which cost about three hundred dollars, as a result of poor transpor- tation facilities of that day.
On reaching his home in Michigan, Mr. Blumberg resumed his duties as a farmer, purchasing a farm of eighty-one acres in DeWitt township, Clinton county, where he lived eighteen months and then moved to Olive township, Clinton county, where he lived as a general farmer on one hundred and twenty acres of land. Selling this farm at a profit. Mr. Blumberg, in 1870, came to Montcalm county and secured a farm in Douglass township, his first pur- chase of land in this township, amounting to two hundred and forty acres of land, an estate to which he added two hundred acres at a later time, all of which he cared for and cultivated as a successful farmer until such time as his boys started out in life he dividing with them, at the time of his giving up farming. he having but ninety acres left.
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