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 56
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Charles W. Blumberg was prominently identified with the best interests of Montcalm county, Michigan, and was foremost in every movement which he thought calculated to the benefit of the community. Politically, Mr. Blum- berg was always a Republican, and for eight years served as a supervisor of this township, as well as having served in the same capacity in Clinton county. Mr. Blumberg was greatly interested in school affairs and did much for the promotion of educational interests in Douglass township and Montcalm county.
Charles W. Blumberg and his wife were prominent in the affairs of the Baptist church in both Clinton and Montcalm counties, Michigan, Mr. Blum- berg having filled the office as deacon of the church in Clinton county for nearly thirty years and he gave the land and assisted materially in the erec- tion of the Baptist church in Douglass township, this county, also assisting with a church at McBride, Montcalm county.
Fraternally. Charles W. Blumberg was a member of Star Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, at Stanton, and was a prominent member of Osmer F. Cole Post No. 81, Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of which he was past post commander.
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During the month of January, 1905, Charles W. Blumberg retired from his agricultural pursuits and moved to Stanton, Montcalm county, where he lived until the death of his wife, which occurred on February II, 1909. After that time he lived with his children in Stanton in Douglass township, until June 19, of the same year, at which time he passed to the Great Beyond, just four months and eight days after his wife.
HENRY L. INGRAHAM.
Henry L. Ingraham, successful farmer and business man engaged in the operation of a saw-mill and feed-mill, in Douglass township, Montcalm county, Michigan, was born in Montcalm county, on November 23, 1863, a son of Harvey and Amanda ( Makecomber ) Ingraham, natives of New York state, the former born in Onondaga county.
Harvey Ingraham spent his early days in his native county, after which he came with his parents, Warren Ingraham and wife, to Montcalm county, Michigan, and settled in Wolfsin Plains, at a point where Clear creek and Black creek come together. Here Harvey Ingraham lived on the home farm until after the death of Warren Ingraham, when Harvey Ingraham was married to Amanda Makecomber, they becoming the parents of two children : Henry L. and Albert, who died in 1904.
Harvey Ingraham was a lifelong mill man, a successful judge of lumber and operator of saw-mills in Pine township, at Langston, West Lakes and at Trufant. On December 25, 1890, Amanda, the wife of Harvey Ingra- ham, died, and some time later, Mr. Ingraham was married, secondly, to Mary Terry, there being no children born to this marriage. Harvey In- graham died on June 28, 1915.
Henry L. Ingraham was reared in Montcalm county, Michigan, and edu- cated in the public schools of this community. While yet a lad in school, he learned the trade of sawyer, in the saw-mills operated by his father, Mr. Ingraham at the same time aiding in the duties of the home farm. Following the completion of his education, Henry L. Ingraham spent some years on the home farm, after which he married and then engaged in the milling busi- ness, in Douglass township, successfully conducting his saw-mill until late in the year 1899, when he purchased his present farm of eighty acres, located in Douglass township, this county. Mr. Ingraham has improved his place
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with a new house erected in 1904, with a new barn built in 190.₺, and has otherwise equipped his farm until now it is one of the desirable places for i general agricultural pursuits to be found in the community. In addition to the agricultural pursuits conducted by Henry L. Ingraham, he operates a saw-mill and feed-mill on his farm.
On October 23, 1889, Henry L. Ingraham was united in marriage to Flora Perry, who was born on August 27, 1870, in Montcalm county, later moving with her parents to St. Joseph county, where after living five years she returned to Montcalm county. Henry L. and Flora Ingraham are the parents of eight children: Edna, born on March 6, 1891 ; Leon, December 7, 1893 ; Leo, March 27, 1897; Leonard, June 27, 1900; Henry, September I, 1903; Evelyn, June 14, 1908; Erma, May 27, 1911, and died seven months later, and Harris Lauren, May 8, 1915.
Mrs. Ingraham was a daughter of John Flander and Adeline (Tiffany) Perry, natives of New York state, who spent their early days in their native state and following their marriage came to Montcalm county, Michigan, locating near Gowen, later moving to near Colon, St. Joseph county, Mich- igan. where they lived the remainder of their days. Mr. and Mrs. Perry were the parents of three children: Flora, Candis and Gertrude.
Henry L. Ingraham is one of the highly respected citizens of Douglass township, Montcalm county, one who has been active in the affairs of the Republican party, and a man who has been foremost in all movements for the beterment of conditions in this community.
THOMAS W. MUSSON.
Thomas W. Musson, a farmer of Belvidere township, Montcalm county, Michigan, is a native of England, born in Leicestershire, October 19, 1868, a son of Richard and Sarah Ann ( Remington) Musson. Richard Musson was also born in the same place and shire on December 12, 1839, a son of William and Sarah (Headworth) Musson, both natives of England, who never left their native land. Richard Musson received his education in his boyhood home and was married in 1863 to Sarah Ann Remington. To their union were born six children, the youngest dying in infancy. The others are Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Ford, of Belvidere township; Thomas, Charles, Helen (Mrs. Truman Outman) and John, all of Belvidere township. Rich- ard Musson and his family emigrated to this country in 1867. They landed
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in New York and came directly to this state, locating in Kent county. On arriving in Grand Rapids Mr. Musson had but six cents in his pocket. He lived in Grand Rapids for six years and then went to Ionia county, where he also remained for six years. He then came to Belvidere township, this county, where he has made his permanent home. His farm of forty acres was wild land when he obtained it and was covered with a heavy growth of timber. There were then no roads through that section, and Mr. Musson improved his own land, helped to lay out and build roads and bridges and has contributed in no small measure to the general welfare of the township and county. Mrs. Musson died in 1878 while the family lived in Ionia. That was about two years before Mr. Musson became a citizen of Montcalm county. Mr. Musson married again in 1884, his bride being Mrs. Charlotte Hunt, born in Leicestershire, England, March 31, 1836, a daughter of John Headworth and Sarah Pierson, his wife. No children have been born to this union.
Richard Musson holds fraternal affiliation with the Order of Maccabees through the local lodge at Edmore, and while having long been affiliated with the Democratic party, he is more or less independent in politics, voting rather for the man than the party. Mr. Musson was reared as a farmer and has followed that vocation all his life. He farmed in Belvidere township from February, 1880, until 1908, when he left the farm and took up his residence in Edmore, practically retired from the active duties of life.
Thomas W. Musson received his education in the schools of Belvidere township and was reared as a farmer. He has passed practically all of his life in this township with the exception of eight years which he spent in the Upper Peninsula working in the timber, scaling logs and in the lumber and shingle mills.
On November 1, 1899, Thomas W. Musson was married to Nettie Rus- sell, born in Ionia county, a daughter of William and Sadie Russell, and to that union were born four children: Alpha, Kenneth, Fern and Clifford. Mrs. Musson died on February 22, 1907, and Mr. Musson remarried in April of 1908, his bride being Nora Frye, born in Mecosta county, this state, daughter of Edward Frye. No children have been born to that union.
Mr. Musson carries on general farming on his farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He first came to Belvidere township in 1880 on February 15, and assisted his father in overcoming the disadvantages of a pioneer home. When nineteen years old he secured his first farm of forty acres and after his first marriage came to his present farm, where he has since resided. Mr. Musson is a staunch Republican and active in the ranks of that party.
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For the last fifteen years he has held a township office of some kind, being supervisor for the last five years. He was a candidate for county clerk, but withdrew his name. In April of 1915 he was elected on the board of reviews for Belvidere township, with George Cole as second member, there being but the two. He was also a member of the school board for a number of years, and is a citizen who has taken more than an ordinary amount of in- terest in local matters.
Mr. Musson holds fraternal affiliation with the Free and Accepted Masons, being a member of the blue lodge and chapter at Six Lakes and also a member of the Eastern Star. He is a stockholder in the Peoples Bank of Edmore and a member of the executive committee of the same insti- tution. He is also a director, solicitor and adjustor in the Peoples Mutual Fire Insurance Company and agent for cyclone insurance.
HANS HANSEN.
Hans Hansen, successful farmer and stock raiser, and a man of prom- inence in the affairs of Fairplain township, Montcalm county, Michigan, was born in Denmark, April 22, 1848, the son of Hans and Annie (Hansen) Nielsen, the former of whom died in Denmark, after which the latter was married to Nels Andersen.
Hans Hansen came to America in 1872, being twenty-four years of age at the time, and settled at Greenville, Montcalm county, where he lived for ten years, during that time Mr. Hansen having been employed in the mills of the community and on the farms of the locality. About the year 1882 Hans Hansen purchased eighty acres of land in section 4, Fairplain township, a place which this progressive farmer has improved extensively and to which he has added forty acres, until now Hans Hansen has one of the best improved and most desirable farms for general farming and stock raising to be found in the county. The beautiful farm of Mr. Hansen is known as "Evergreen Farm."
During the month of October, 1874, Hans Hansen was married to Car- rie Olsen, a daughter of Hans Olsen and wife. To the marriage of Hans and Carrie Hansen were born the following children: Daniel and Alfred, who are deceased: Lawrence, who lives on a farm adjoining that of his father; and Harry, who lives in Fairplain township. Carrie, the wife of Hans Hansen, died, and in the year 1892 Mr. Hansen was married, sec-
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ondly, to Stenia Hansen. Hans and Stenia Hansen are the parents of five children : Alfred, Anna, Helen and Hans, who live at home, and Hazel, who lives at Greenville.
Hans Hansen is one of the best-known fraternal men of Montcalm county, being a member of Evergreen Lodge No. 87, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Sheridan; a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, and is active in the affairs of the Danish Brotherhood, of Greenville.
For six years Hans Hansen has served Fairplain township as justice of the peace and he is a man whose efforts and activities in the interest of the community has won for him a host of friends. In politics, Mr. Hansen is independent of party.
HANS L. HANSEN.
Hans L. Hansen, who owns a splendid farm of two hundred and sixty acres in Fairplain township, Montcalm county, Michigan, was born in Den- mark, December 28, 1858. He is the son of L. Hansen, who spent all of his life in Denmark.
Hans L. Hansen was reared in his native country and educated in the public schools, which he attended until he was fourteen years of age. He worked on the farm for his father until he was twenty-three years old, when, having saved enough money, he came to the United States, locating in Greenville, Michigan, where he worked on farms in the summer and in lumber yards in the winter. After he had been in this country for five years he purchased a farm of eighty acres and, after his marriage, purchased the place where he now lives, to which he has added until he now owns one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Hansen can very deservedly be called a self- made man, having accumulated all of his possessions since coming to this country.
Hans L. Hansen was married to Cena Judson, who was also born in Denmark, and to this union have been born five children, Mary, Carl, Alice, Elva and Florence. All of these children are still single and living at home with their parents, and all have excellent educations, Elva being a graduate of the Greenville high school and a teacher in the public schools.
Politically, Mr. Hansen is a Republican, but has never cared to take an active part in politics, preferring o devote his time and attention to his extensive farming interests.
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G. W. HARDY.
G. W. Hardy, a fruit grower, farmer and stockman, living on his eighty- acre farm one mile west of Stanton, Montcalm county, was born on March 15, 1881, in a saw-mill camp in Grand Travis county and was the son of Judson J. and Amy E. (Bennett ) Hardy.
Judson Hardy and Amy Bennett were married in Hillsdale county on March 1I, 1880, where they lived for a short time after which they came to Traverse City and Mr. Hardy engaged in the lumber business at Long lake, where he located his mill and later moved his family. They remained there for three years and then returned to Traverse City, where Mr. Hardy was engaged at the carpenter's trade for a short time, and then they took up their residence in Kalkaska county where Mr. Hardy was engaged in the saw-mill business for two years. He later moved to Stanton where he was engaged in a shingle-mill at what was then known as Fish creek, six miles east of Stanton. From there he went onto a farm two miles from Stanton. After farming on several different farms for some years, the family moved to Stanton where they lived for three years. At this time G. W. Hardy was thirteen years of age and the father took a claim of forty acres in Mecosta county where the family took up their residence. The family had been in their new home but a short time when the father was taken ill and the family remained for a time with relatives at McBride. Some months later Mrs. Hardy took her husband to Sheridan, where he died on December 25, 1895.
Judson Hardy and wife were the parents of seven children, all of whom are living: G. W., the subject of the sketch; Ed C., a lumber dealer at Stanton; Charles S., a telephone construction foreman; Pearl Claude, at Lansing, where he conducts a barber shop; Jesse B. and Ovid O. are in the dray business at Stanton, and Orvilla M. is the wife of Ray Harens, a carpen- ter at Stanton.
G. W. Hardy, after the death of his father, went to work on a dairy farm at five dollars per month. The neighbors were all very kind and the family was assisted in many ways. The mother engaged in work to assist in the support of her family and was aided by G. W., who after leaving the dairy, was engaged by F. J. Lucas for three years. The family then moved onto a farm one mile east of Stanton where they remained for two years.
On November 24, 1900, Mr. Hardy was united in marriage to Helen A. Kramer, the daughter of Charles and Dora (Smith) Kramer. Soon after the marriage they, with the Hardy family, moved onto the farm of F. J.
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Lucas, and G. W. Hardy managed the farm in the summer and worked in the elevator in the winter. They remained here for two years when they moved into Stanton, where Mr. Hardy was engaged by Mr. Lucas in the ele- vator. In 1903 he took charge of the elevator at McBride where he remained until ill health caused him to resign and he later bought the farm where he now lives.
Fraternally, Mr. Hardy is a member of the Stanton Lodge No. 202, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at McBride, and is a past noble grand. He is also a member of the encampment, as well as the Free and Accepted Masons. Mrs. Hardy is a member of the Rebekahs and is past noble grand of the lodge at McBride.
WILLIAM H. MILLS.
William H. Mills, the popular proprietor of the Winter Inn at Green- ville, this county, is a native son of that thriving town, having been born there on April 18, 1873, son of James C. and Mary Ann (Bates) Mills, long prominent residents of Greenville, the former of whom was one of the earliest merchants of that town and for many years one of the foremost citizens of the place.
James C. Mills was born just outside the corporate limits of the city of Dublin, in Ireland, in 1837, son of Robert Mills, a native of Scotland who had settled in Ireland. When he was a babe in arms, less than one year old, his parents crossed the water and settled in Canada, and there James C. Mills iived with his parents until he was thirteen years of age, at which time he ran away from home and went to Toronto, where he entered the employ of a tailor with the view to learning the trade. He remained there for some time and then, while still a boy, came across the line into Michigan and stopped at Pontiac, where he was for some years employed as a tailor in the big clothing store of C. R. Mabley. While thus engaged Mr. Mills made himself thoroughly familiar with the general tailoring and clothing business and presently went to Portland, this state, where he opened a clothing store and was there engaged in business for several years, at the end of which time he moved to Ionia, where he formed a partnership, under the firm name of Hudson & Mills, in the clothing business. After awhile this firm decided to open a branch store at Greenville, this county, a new town just getting well under headway at that time, and Mr. Mills came by wagon through the woods with a stock of goods and opened his store in the promising village, thus
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. being one of the very earliest merchants in Greenville. After awhile the partnership of Hudson & Mills was dissolved and a new firm, Bennett & Mills, was created, which after awhile also dissolved, after which Mr. Mills con- tinued in business alone, long being regarded as one of the leading merchants of the place. He was thus engaged in business at Greenville for about thirty- five years, or until his death on February 27, 1912, a long and honorable business career, and his four sons were brought up in the same line of business.
To James C. and Mary Ann (Bates) Mills five children were born, as follow : Etta, wife of M. E. Glass, of Greenville; James H., of Portland. Oregon; Fred R., of Detroit, this state; Wesley J., of Hudson, this state. and William H., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch. The mother of these children died in 1896 and James C. Mills married, secondly, Lizzie Bell, who is now living at Shanty Bay, close to Berry, Ontario, Canada. James C. Mills was a charter member of LeRoy Lodge No. 9, Knights of Pythias, at Greenville, and was also a member of Greenville Lodge No. 96, Free and Accepted Masons, at the same place, and in the affairs of both of these organizations took a warm interest.
William H. Mills was reared at Greenville, receiving his education in the excellent schools of that city, and received as well a careful business train- ing in his father's store. As a young man he became a traveling salesman for the Lasser Cigar Company, of Manistee, and for several years was engaged as a commercial traveler, during which time his services were engaged by several commercial concerns. In 1894 he married Cora M. Matthews, who died three years later, and in 1905 he gave up traveling and settled down in the town of his birth, engaging in the hotel business, and has ever since then been thus engaged, doing very well in that line, having become one of the most popular hotel men in this part of the state, his long service as a traveling man having given him a thorough acquaintance of the needs of the traveling public, down to the minutest details. On January 3, 1912, Mr. Mills married, secondly, Mrs. Jennie C. Carney, widow of Frank S. Carney, of Bay City, and in July, 1915, he became proprietor of the Winter Inn at Greenville and is now making that one of the most popular hotels in this whole section.
Mr. and Mrs. Mills take an active part in the social activities of the town and are held in high regard by their many friends. Mrs. Mills is an attend- ant at the Congregational church and Mr. Mills is a member of LeRoy Lodge No. 9 Knights of Pythias, at Greenville, and takes a warm interest in the affairs of this organization.
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MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
GEORGE BRAMAN.
Michigan as a state ranks high in the history of pioneers, not only on account of the achievements of its earliest citizens but also because of the force of character of these first inhabitants who faced privation and endured hardships to transform the wilderness in which they settled into one of the most productive regions of the country. Among those who stand high in the agricultural life of Montcalm county, Michigan, is George Braman, a native of England, who came to Michigan as early as 1861.
The subject of this sketch was born in Lincolnshire, England, September 13, 1849. He is the son of James and Ann Braman, who were natives of an agricultural community in England. When George Braman was eleven years old his parents came to this country for permanent residence, four months after the subject of this sketch had arrived here. His parents settled in Jackson county, Michigan. Later the subject of this sketch went to make his home with an uncle and in his childhood was obliged to work at hard labor so that he could go to school for very short periods only. His treatment at the hands of the uncle just mentioned was of so severe a character that in the end the boy ran away to escape the misery. He accidentally broke his leg, which rendered him helpless for some time. When he recovered, he worked at various occupations until he was fifteen years old, supporting him- self. At the age of eighteen he went into the timber regions of the state and worked at the occupation of lumbering for two years. At the end of that time he turned his attention to the interest of general farming with which he became prominently identified later.
On March 1, 1867, the marriage of George Braman to Mary A. Bancroft took place. A sketch of the life of George Braman would scarcely be com- plete without some reference to his wife and her parents who proved to be of such valuable and kind assistance to him in his early struggles for success. Mary Bancroft was a native of Lincolnshire, England, where she was born on November 28, 1846. She was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Bancroft, the former of whom came to America in 1850. He settled first in Ohio where he remained two years before coming to Montcalm county, Michigan. In this county he entered a government claim on forty acres of land in the southwest corner of Crystal township. His deed for the land was dated November 5, 1853. Mr. Bancroft added to his possessions from time to time until he owned the whole southern half of section 31, in Crystal township. His pioneer home was built in one of the great forests which were so common
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to this section of the country at that time. Wild animals were so numerous that he could hunt from his window and he often told of shooting deer from the front steps of his home. He had the distinction of being one of the very first men to plan a settlement in this part of the county. His daughter, Mary Bancroft, who became the wife of the subject of this sketch, was a remarkable woman in many ways and proved to be a very capable assistant to her hus- band. She was devoted to the home, which she had made extremely attractive and took a keen interest in the education of her children, whose names fol- low : Lizzie, Charles H., Adelbert J., Manda, John W. and George.
After his marriage George Braman lived in Jackson county and later in Washtenaw county where he passed two years. He then took charge of the farm belonging to his father-in-law, which was located in the southwestern part of Crystal township, Montcalm county. During this time he bought a farm of his own consisting of forty acres located at a distance of two miles from the farm on which he worked. He increased his land purchases until he was owner of two hundred acres, most of which he cleared without assist- ance. In 1887 he built a hay barn which was the finest in construction in the county. In 1895 he erected a beautiful brick residence which was sur- rounded by attractive shrubbery and landscape gardening. He made this his home until the death of his wife, which occurred on July 28, 1913. Since that time he has been living with his children. During his residence in this part of the county he has taken part in the development which changed the forest tracts into fertile farms. On of his specialties was the rearing of high grade stock. He is a member of the Methodist church, for whose welfare his wife was also an ardent worker.
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