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 7
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Oscar C. Miller is a deacon and for fifteen years has been a trustee of the Congregational church, and he is a prominent member of Greenville Lodge No. 96, Free and Accepted Masons.
JAMES T. RIDLEY.
James T. Ridley, well-known business man and citizen, prominent in the public and official affairs of Greenville, Montcalm county, Michigan, was born in Canada on November 19, 1863, a son of Thomas and Ann ( Noble) Ridley, natives of England.
Thomas Ridley lived in his native country until he was a young man, when he came to America and settled in Canada, where he was married and where he engaged in farming for some time, he also having served for a period as an exciseman. Thomas Ridley was active in the work and wor- ship of the Church of England in his community, and was a man well-known for his part in the general life of the locality in which he resided. The elder Ridley died in 1880; his wife died in 1870. Thomas and Ann Ridley were the parents of nine children, of whom three survive, namely : William, a farmer in Canada; Elizabeth, who married a farmer in Canada, and James T .. of this sketch.
James T. Ridley was reared on the home farm in Canada, was educated in the public schools of his locality, after which he helped his father on the farm until twenty-one years of age. He then went to Dakota, where he worked on a farm for two years and then returned to Canada. there engag- ing in the egg business with David Hill. After two years, Mr. Ridley went to New York City, where he spent one year in an egg commission house and then came to Charlotte, Michigan, and became a partner in the firm of Young & Ridley. In 1894 James T. Ridley came to Greenville, Montcalm county. and engaged in the egg business, first in a small way, but now, as a result of ability and resource. he has built up a large and lucrative trade in his line, being now the proprietor of the "Egg Emporium," one of the best- known houses for the conduct of this line of business to be found in the com- munity. Mr. Ridley not only is the owner of his business and the building
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in which he operates it, but he is the owner of eighty acres of good farm land in Canada.
In 1894. James T. Ridley was married to Anna Ellico, who was born and educated in Canada. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ridley.
Mr. Ridley is known and prominent in fraternal circles, being a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Ridley being past chancellor and past venerable consul of the latter organization, and is generally regarded as one of the most esteemed citizens of Greenville, his activity and interest in the town and county, having won for him a place of honor in the community.
Politically. Mr. Ridley has been active and has taken an important part in Greenville affairs, for three terms having been a member of the Greenville city council. In political affiliation, Mr. Ridley is a Republican. being a past president of the Greenville Republican Club.
CAPT. HENRY M. HEMPSTEAD.
Three generations of the Hempstead family have been honorably rep- resented in the wars of this country. Capt. Henry M. Hempstead, an old settler of Montcalm county and one of the best-known men hereabout. per- formed valiant service in behalf of the Union cause during the Civil War; his father was a doughty soldier during America's second war of inde- pendence in 1812, and his grandfather was a no less valiant contender in behalf of independence for the colonies during the Revolutionary War.
Henry M. Hempstead was born in Williamstown, Oswego county, New York, on February 2, 1832, son of Col. William and Marriam ( Hyatt) Hempstead, both natives of New York state. the former of whom was the son of Nathan Hempstead. a soldier in the patriot army during the revolutionary War. who died at Frezonia, Chautauqua county. New York. at the age of ninety-three years, and whose wife lived to the age of ninety, having reared a large family, among their children records being preserved which name Isaac, Jonathan. James, William and Mrs. Esther Case. Mar- riam Hyatt was the daughter of Gilbert Hyatt and wife, early settlers of Williamstown, New York, among whose children mention is made of Mrs. Esther Smith, Mrs. Hyman, Marriam. Robey and Aurelia.
CAPT. HENRY M. HEMPSTEAD.
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Col. William Hempstead, who served as a soldier during the War of 1812, kept a tavern in Williamstown and also operated a foundry. He died of pneumonia, after an illness of four days, in 1834, at the age of fifty-one vears. His widow survived him until 1865, her death occurring then at the age of seventy-three years. They were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom lived to maturity, William Charles, Mary Ann, Edward James, Catherine, Mary, Jane, Laura. Isaac M., Elvin Arthur, Park and Henry M.
Henry M. Hempstead was but two years of age when his father died. When he was twelve years of age his mother and her family moved to Oswego, where he grew to manhood. When twenty-two years of age he came to Michigan and located at Marshall, where he was a clerk in a store until 1855, in which year he went to Minnesota, locating at Stillwater, where he was a bookkeeper and general clerk in a lumber office in the pineries. The man who employed him finally owed him the sum of twelve hundred dollars, which he was unable to collect on account of extensive losses on the part of the timberman, who, as "conscience money." later gave him a note for five hundred dollars, which, owing to the panic time which ensued in 1857, proved worthless. Thus deprived of the rewards of his labors, Mr. ITempstead returned to Marshall, not well pleased with the outcome of his Minnesota experience. He resumed his former employ- ment as a clerk in a store at Marshall and was there when the Civil War broke out. On August 24. 1861. he enlisted in Company M, Second Regi- ment. Michigan Cavalry, Francis W. Dickey, captain, which rendezvoused at Grand Rapids. Going into the service as a sergeant. Henry M. ITemp- stead was promoted to second lieutenant in 1863 and was mustered out with his regiment in 1865 with the rank of captain. Captain Hempstead's regiment participated in many of the most strenuous campaigns and hardest- fought battles of the war and saw a great deal of active service.
After the close of the war, Captain Hempstead returned to Marshall and, in partnership with Tom Marshall, who was second lieutenant in the came company during the war, engaged in the grocery business. In the fall of 1866, Captain Hempstead was elected to the important office of treasurer of Calhoun county and was twice re-elected to the same office. thus serving in all three terms, after which for a time he continued his valuable public service as deputy treasurer. At the end of this service he bought the store in which he had first been employed upon locating at Marshall and for seven or eight years was engaged in the dry-goods busi-
(6b)
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ness. On account of the failing state of his wife's health, he then decided to locate further north and went to Cheboygan, having previously con- tracted for a store room there. Upon reaching his destination he found that the building was only half completed and he was compelled to store his mer- chandise in a warehouse for three months. Dissatisfied with this arrange- ment. Captain Hempstead abandoned further thought of locating at Che- boygan and, in December, 1882, located at Stanton, this county, where for several years he was engaged as manager of the John Weatherwax store, after which he bought out the insurance business conducted by his employer's brother and has been engaged successfully in the insurance busi- ness for the past twenty-five years, having made a name in that time as an active and energetic insurance man.
On May 5, 1864, Henry M. Hempstead was united in marriage to Martha A. Hammond, of Marshall. Michigan, daughter of John Hammond and wife, and to this union two children were born, Arthur HI. and Henry M .. Jr. Arthur 11. Hempstead is a successful business man, one of the best- known timber experts in the state of Michigan. For over twenty years he was in the employ of a big lumber firm at Bay City, during which time he spent seven years in Canada, in that company's interest, and is now manager for Merchon, Eddy & Parker Company at Saginaw. He married Belle Ford and has two children, Helen E. and Henry M., the third. Henry M. Hempstead, Jr., who married Lotta May Dunu, died on April 18. 1908. Mrs. Martha A. Hempstead died on April 10. 1872, at the age of thirty- three years, and on April 23. 1873, Captain Hempstead married, secondly, Persis A. Hammond, his deceased wife's sister, which union was without issue. The second Mrs. Hempstead died on May 24. 1893, at the age of forty-seven.
Captain Hempstead is a Republican and for years has taken a warm interest in Stanton's civic affairs and in the politics of Montcalm county generally. For one term he served the public as city treasurer of Stanton and in other ways has given of his time to administrative affairs in the public service. The Captain is one of the six remaining members of Stanton Post No. 176. Grand Army of the Republic. Department of Michigan, and for many years has devoted his time and energies to the interests of that post. Despite the fact that the snows of eighty-three winters have fallen upon the stalwart shoulders of Captain Hempstead, he is still active in busi- ness and vigorous physically and is accounted one of Stanton's energetic and enterprising business men. He has a very wide acquaintance through- out the county and is held in the highest esteem by all.
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ARTHUR J. TAYLOR.
Arthur J. Taylor, county drain commmissioner and a citizen who has been prominent in the agricultural and business circles, as well as taking a leading place in the public affairs of Montcalm township, Montcalm county, was born in Greenville, this county, on August 22, 1868, a son of William and Elsie ( Hodge) Taylor, the former born on October 30, 1834, in Staple- hurst, England. a son of William and Sarah ( Barden) Taylor; the latter born at Sherman, New York, in 1837, a daughter of Francis and Ann Hodge.
William Taylor received his early education in the schools of his native land, after which he came to America, with his parents, in July, 1848, com- pleting his education in the schools of this country. In 1868, after having been married on March 19, 1855, in Sherman, New York, to Elsie Jane Hodge, William Taylor moved to Montcalm county, and bought forty acres of land, which he improved and cultivated, a few years later, adding forty acres to his farm, which he cultivated as a general farmer until 1895, when he retired from agricultural activity and moved to Greenville, where he now lives.
On April 24, 1874, Elsie Jane, the wife of William Taylor, died, sur- vived by her husband and five children: Anna, born on June 9. 1857; Rose, May 19, 1859: Lillian, February 14, 1861 ; William IT., April 7, 1863, and Arthur J., August 22, 1868. In 1895. Mr. Taylor was married to Mrs. Mary E. Stokes, no children being born to this union.
William Taylor is one of the best known men of the community, one who has been active as a citizen ; taking his place in the official life of his township and county, during many years as a Republican and was elected as the candidate of his party to various offices, among which are those of road commissioner, school inspector and assessor.
As a church worker, the elder Taylor is well known and appreciated. having for more than sixty years served the Methodist church, his affilia- tion with the church, which started when he was but twenty-three years of ige, Mr. Taylor believes to be one of the best acts of his life. Not only is William Taylor a prominent member of the Methodist church, but his wife and all of his children are active in its affairs. Fraternally, William Taylor is a member of the Montcalm Grange, he having affiliated himself with this organization in 1874, since which time he has served in nearly all of the of- Eces and now is the honored chaplain of this order.
Arthur J. Taylor received a limited education in the schools of Green-
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ville, near where he was reared on the home farm. After his school days, Mr. Taylor worked as a farmer on the place of his father for some time, also spending a few winters in the lumber camps of the vicinity. Follow- jug his agricultural life at home, in 1905, he came to Stanton. Montcalm county, and engaged in the hardware and implement business, being asso- ciated with John Stearns in this line, until 1908, when Mr. Taylor purchased the interest of Mr. Stearns, after which he conducted the business as sole proprietor until 1910, when he became a salesman for lightning rods, contin- uing in this business until 1912.
In 1912, Arthur J. Taylor was elected to the office of drain commis. sioner of Montcalm county, which office he now serves, his ability and effi- ciency in this capacity resulting in the construction of the noted Butternut creek drain, which was constructed successfully regardless of strong opposi- tion. Politically, Mr. Taylor is a Republican.
In 1890. Arthur J. Taylor was married to Myrta Van Wyck, a native of Michigan, and to this marriage have been born two children: Elsie, who after completing her education at the Stanton high school, became a school teacher, for two years. until her marriage to Raymond Slankar, of Detroit, and Arthur C., a graduate of the Stanton high school, formerly a school teacher, now an employe of the Northway Motor Company, of Detroit.
Arthur J. Taylor is a prominent member of the Methodist church, at Stanton, and is now serving as a trustee, and for many years before coming to Stanton he was superintendent of the Sunday school of the Methodist church at Greenville. Mr. Taylor is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Stanton, and is a member of the Montcalm Arbor of Gleaners in Sidney township, a chapter of which Mr. Taylor is a charter member.
R. ARTHUR CAROTHERS.
On another page in this volume, in connection with the sketch of New- ton W. Newhouse, veteran editor of the Stanton Clipper-Herald. there is presented a narrative of the manner in which the newspaper with which Mr. Carothers has been so long connected, came to have its hyphenated name, and it will therefore not be necessary to go into further details in that regard. nor further to present the history of these two old papers, the Herald and the Clipper, in this county. Mr. Carothers, who is one of the best-known news- paper men in this part of the state, has been connected with the Clipper, with
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the exception of a few years, since he was sixteen years of age and has been one of the publishers of the same since spring. 1913, at which time he formed his present partnership with Mr. Newhouse, who had been editor of the (lipper for years and who at that time consolidated it with the Herald, the office of which latter paper had about that time suffered a disastrous loss by fire.
R. Arthur Carothers was born in North Star township, Gratiot county, Michigan, January 28, 1876, son of James W. and Mary L. (Litle ) Caroth- ers, the former of whom was born in Franklin, Lenawee county, this state, and the latter in Canada. James W. Carothers, who died at his home in Stanton, this county. on April 14, 1915, was born on July 10, 1843. and was one of a family of six children, two sons and four daughters. all of whom have departed this life. the father dying when James was but four years of age. Before he was twenty-one years of age, James W. Carothers ran away from home and enlisted in Company A. Eleventh Michigan Cav- alry, being enrolled on August 31. 1864, to serve for one year or during the continuance of the war, and was honorably discharged on June 16, 1865. during the meantime having endured many hardships. including incarcera- tion in the Libby prison for about three months, during which time he nearly starved to death.
On December 30, 1871, James W. Carothers was united in marriage in Hillsdale county, Michigan, to Mary L. Litle, who was born in Canada on lume 22. 1846, daughter of Ralph and Maranda ( Purchase ) Litle, natives of Canada and New York respectively, and early settlers in Hillsdale county, this state, who later moved to Gratiot county and still later to Stanton, this county, where both died. the former at the age of eighty and the latter at the age of eighty-six years. They were the parents of eight children, Samuel L., Mrs. Hulda Cortright. William T ... Mrs. Harriet Fennel, Joseph H., Mary L., who married Mr. Carothers, Mrs. Roxana Miner, and John. The latter died in infancy. After residing in Saginaw and Gratiot counties a few ears. Mr. Carothers and his family came to Montcalm county and located !11 Stanton, where he built a home, which he occupied until his death. He was a very active, hard-working man and was always busy. He stuck to his post as long as he was able to go. At different times, for nearly six years before his death, Mr. Carothers served as nightwatchman on the street for the city of Stanton and this service he kept up to within about a month of his death in the spring of 1915. The day before his death he called his wife and children to his bedside and requested them not to mourn. He was pre-
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pared for death and went calmly and in a spirit of complete resignation. Besides his widow, who survives, at the age of sixty-nine years, Mr. Caroth- ers left three sons, George H., R. Arthur and Charles H., all of Stanton.
Barton Carothers, father of James W., was born at Clarkson, New York, on March 29, 1811. He married Polly Carothers on January 1, 1840, at Rome, Lenawee county, Michigan. They resided on a homestead in that county until his death, which occurred on December 8, 1845. Polly Caroth- ers was born at Lyons, Wayne county, New York, on December 13, 1815. Mr. and Mrs. Barton Carothers were the parents of the following children : Robert P., born on January 30. 1841, at Lenawee county ; James W., July 10, 1843, at Lenawee county, and Ellin M., October 22, 1845, at Lenawee coun- ty. Polly Carothers was afterward married to James T. Bassett. To this union were born three daughters: Mary C. at Jefferson, Hillsdale county, Michigan, on October 15, 1850, and Mary Jane and Sarah Jane, twins, at Jefferson, on March 15, 1854.
Ralph Litle was born in Canada, January 31, 1811. He followed the cooper and shoemaking business for a number of years, but after his mar- riage to Maranda Purchase he moved to Hillsdale county, Michigan, and engaged in farming for about twenty years. He then moved to Gratiot county, Michigan, where he purchased a farm, remaining on same until too old to work the land. Mr. Litle and wife then came to Stanton to reside with their daughter, Mrs. James W. Carothers. Mr. Litle's parents, Joseph and Jane (Laighton ) Litle, were born in England and Scotland, respectively. They had two sons and five daughters. Maranda ( Purchase) Litle was the daughter of Samuel and Huldah (Parshal) Purchase and was born at Phelpstown, New York, December 12, 1816. She had five brothers and one sister. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Litle are : Samuel L., William L., Huldah J., Joseph H., Harriet A., Mary L., Roxana and John. The latter died in infancy, but the remaining sons and daughters married and raised families; twenty children being born in the seven families, twelve of whom are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Litle both died at the home of their daughter, Mrs. J. W. Carothers, in Stanton. He departed this life on January 23, 1892, at the age of eighty years, eleven months and twen- ty-three days. She passed away on September 22, 1901, at the advanced age of eighty-five years, nine months and ten days.
R. Arthur Carothers was four years of age when his parents moved to Stanton and he has lived in that city ever since. He attended the public schools in his early youth and at the age of sixteen began to learn the print-
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er's trade in the office of the Stanton Clipper, with which paper he has been ictively connected for fifteen years. Upon the consolidation of the Clipper and the Herald, under the name of the Clipper-Herald, on April 1, 1913, he became a full partner with Mr. Newhouse in the publication of the paper and has been thus engaged since that time.
On June 21, 1900, R. Arthur Carothers was united in marriage to Maude B. White, who was born in Genesee county, this state, on October 8, 1882, daughter of the Rev. John N. and Ella ( Wilder ) White, the former of whom also was born in Genesee county and the latter in Carlton, New York, born June 29, 1850, but who had lived in Genesee county nearly all her life. Rev. John N. White was the son of Alpheus, born in Oakland county, Michigan, and Samantha ( Root ) White, she a native of New York state, and pioneers of Genesee county, this state, where the former died at an advanced age, his widow still living, at the age of ninety years, making her home in Stanton. Later, on November 25, 1894, Mrs. Samantha (Root) White was married to William H. Stevens, an old pioneer of Montcalm county and for forty years a resident of Stanton. He was born in the state of Connecticut on October 18. 1823, and came to Michigan with his parents when a small boy, locating near Salem, Washtenaw county. He afterward moved to Bushnell township, this county and in 1869 located in Stanton. Mr. Stevens engaged in the saw-mill and grist-mill business here for a num- ber of years and also built a four-story brick building on Main street. Here he carried on a hotel and opera house business for years. In many respects he was a very peculiar man. although he had some extra good qualities, a hard worker and had succeeded in amassing considerable property, although pending a snug fortune in the courts of Montcalm county. Mr. Stevens lied April 1, 1909, and was laid to rest in the Bushnell cemetery, beside the remains of his first wife, who was a sister of his late widow. She and her first husband were the parents of seven children, Mina E., Lemuel E .. John V., Mary E., Nathan I., Huldah E. and James D. The Rev. John N. White vas a promising young minister of the Free Methodist church, in which com- munion he was a presiding elder. but whose promising career was cut short by death in 1892, on June 12, at Grand Rapids, Michigan, he being then but .hirty-eight years of age. His wife died on January 2, 1888, at the age of hirty-eight. An infant of six weeks also died at same time. Elliott S. Wilder was born at Fairhaven, Vermont, April 21, 1806. His wife's maiden same was Sylvia Gilkey, born at Lock, Cayuga county, New York, on Aug- ist 1, 1814. They were married 1832. The maternal grandparents of Mrs.
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Carothers were Elliott S. Wilder and wife, natives of New York state and early settlers at Atlas, Michigan. Among their children was one son, Ham- ilton Wilder. who died in Andersonville prison during the Civil War, their other children having been Lina, Eva, Helen. Sarah, Wilbur and Ella. The remaining son. Wilbur. is at present stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia, as Colonel Wilder.
To R. Arthur and Maude B. ( White ) Carothers two children have been born. Marjorie C. and Glen C. Mr. and Mrs. Carothers are interested in the social activities of Stanton and are held in high regard by their many friends thereabout. Mr. Carothers is a Republican and for three years served the public as city clerk of Stanton. for one year as alderman, and for four years served as supervisor. He is a member of the Odd Fellow's lodge at Stanton and is attached to the encampment of that order. Mrs. Carothers was left an orphan at the age of ten years and was raised by her grandmother, Mrs. William H. Stevens, coming to Stanton from Genesee county with her grandmother when she was eleven years of age. and has made Stanton her home ever since. Mrs. Carothers is a member of the Daughters of Rebekalı, the woman's auxiliary of the Odd Fellows, and is a regular attendant of the Methodist church in the city where she lives.
CLAIR W. WEEKS.
Clair W. Weeks, a well-known business man, who is the proprietor and operator of the Weeks monument works, of Greenville, Montcalm county, Michigan, was born near Belding, Michigan, on August 23, 1878, a son of Leonard HI. and Elizabeth ( Slawson) Weeks, the former born at Lowell, Kent county. Michigan, the latter near Watkins Glenn. in Tompkins county, New York, from which place she moved with her parents, to Wisconsin, thence to Missouri, and from there to near Cooks Corners, Kent county. Michigan.
Following their marriage. Leonard H. and Elizabeth Weeks lived on a farm in Tonia county, until 1891, when they moved to Belding. Ionia county, where the elder Weeks, is now a stock buyer. Leonard H. and Elizabeth Weeks are the parents of three children: Guy, of Saginaw. Michigan, who is a traveling engineer for the Pere Marquette Railway Company; Ora, who is the wife of L. M. Sagendorf. a hardware merchant of Greenville, and ('lair W.
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