USA > Michigan > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Michigan; Volume I > Part 11
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SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING.
President George Thurston, of Burr Oak, opened the next an- nual meeting of the society, held August 21, 1878, and the follow- ing new officers were elected: William Connor, Nottawa, presi- dent; vice-presidents-George Benedict, Leonidas; Louis Leland, Colon ; Harrison Kelley, Burr Oak; Attorney Wood, Fawn River; N. S. Johnson, Mendon; Jonathan Engle, Nottawa; Joseph Cade, Sherman ; Hiram Jacobs, Sturgis; L. E. Schellhous, Park; Samuel Fitch, Lockport; Thomas Stears, Florence; George W. Beisel, White Pigeon ; John Nichols, Flowerfield; Alfred R. Metcalf, Constan- tine, and Samuel Early, Mottville; William B. Langley, secretary ; Edmund Stears, treasurer; executive committee-William Watkins, John Hull, John W. Fletcher, Isaac Runyan, and Edmund Stears.
A prayer was offered by Rev. A. J. Eldred, of Three Rivers, and speeches delivered by Hon. Wales Adams of Branch county, Hon. E. A. Turnbull of Detroit, Colorado, Charles Dickey of Mar- shall, and S. C. Coffinbury of Constantine. Forty-five deaths were reported as having occurred since the last meeting.
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SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The society held its next annual meeting June 11, 1879, at the fair grounds in Centerville. It was called to order by William B. Langley, secretary, in the absence of President William Connor, and John Hull, of Constantine, was chosen president pro tem. After prayer by Rev. A. H. Van Vranken, the society proceeded to the election of officers, with this result: President, Dr. William N. Elliott, of White Pigeon; vice-presidents, same as preceding year ; secretary, John Hull, of Constantine; treasurer, William McCor- mick of Centerville; executive committee-William B. Langley, H. A. Hecox, Edward S. Moore, I. D. Toll, and William M. Wat- kins.
The society adjourned for the regular noon picnic dinner and upon re-convening was regaled with music by the Centerville quar- tette. The members then listened with interest to addresses by E. A. Turnbull, S. C. Coffinbury, and W. H. Cross. Mr. Cross had just returned from a visit to the Straits of Mackinac and gave an account of the missionary station established there in 1671.
The number of pioneers who had passed away since the August meeting of 1878 was forty-two.
Addresses were also made at this meeting by Rev. A. J. Eldred, Three Rivers; Hon. H. H. Riley, Constantine; Hon. John B. Howe, of Lima, Indiana; Hon. Edward Moore, of Three Rivers; S. C. Coffinbury, of Constantine, and Oliver Wilcox, of Centerville.
Hon. J. Eastman Johnson, attorney of Niles, Michigan, favored the meeting with a fine poem. The meeting was in every way a suc- cess, the attendance being about one thousand, and it really seemed good to see so many "gray heads" together.
EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING.
On June 9, 1880, in the fifty-third year of the settlement of St. Joseph county, the society convened at the Centerville fair grounds, and was called to order by William B. Langley. William Cross was chosen chairman, President W. N. Elliott being absent. Offi- cers elected : President, Hiram Jacobs, of Sturgis; secretary, Wil- liam B. Langley, of Centerville; treasurer, William McCormick, of Centerville; executive committee-W. B. Langley, E. S. Moore, H. A. Hecox, I. D. Toll, and William M. Watkins. The weather was
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so unfavorable (with its downpour of rain) for the picnic dinner that it was decided to adjourn to the court house.
The afternoon meeting at the court house was called to order by Dr. William N. Elliott, president, which was followed by music by the band and prayer by Rev. W. I. Cogshall. It was reported that thirty-three pioneers had passed away since the last meeting.
HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS IN 1880.
It appears from the records that considerable history was contributed to the annals of the society in 1880 and 1881, the fol- lowing being specimen items: In 1829 Michael Beadle built a grist-mill on Rocky river from stone gotten out of the river, which ran in a hoop, the size of a half-bushel measure to grind grain for flour, and the water was conveyed to the water-wheel through a hollow log.
The winter of 1831 was very cold, the St. Joseph river being frozen solid at Knapp's Riffles below Three Rivers mills, and the pioneers had to pound corn and grind buckwheat in a coffee-mill to make cakes. The Black Hawk war now broke out, all the men being ordered to meet at Captain Powers to go and fight the Indians.
Jonathan Engle came with his family to Three Rivers, in 1830, and Benjamin Sherman at the same time. Captain Alvin Cal- hoon came to Michigan October 6, 1829, and traded eight pounds of flour for two acres of wheat on the ground.
PETER KLINGER OF KLINGER'S LAKE.
Peter Klinger, for whom Klinger's lake is named, came to St. Joseph county in 1827 and located at that locality in White Pigeon township, where his daughter was one of the first born in St. Joseph county. She is still living in White Pigeon, the wife of Henry Middagh, being nearly eighty-three years of age. After- ward Mr. Klinger moved to a farm west of Constantine, some three miles on the north side of the St. Joseph river, and located a flouring mill on a small stream emptying into that stream. This stood and did work for fifty years, being last known as Hayman's Mill, and was finally wrecked by Chet Brown and the old lumber brought to Constantine.
An executive meeting of the Pioneer Society was held at the office of Judge William H. Cross, May 11, 1882, to make arrange-
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ments for the annual meeting; but there is no record of the latter in that year.
TENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
On June 13, 1883, however, an annual meeting was held in Centerville, at the fair grounds, the principal address being de- livered by Governor Josiah W. Bagley, of Michigan, who came to the territory in 1836.
The officers chosen for 1884 were: Samuel Fitch, of Lock- port, president; vice-presidents, sixteen in number; William Mc- Cormick, treasurer; Calvin H. Starr, secretary; executive com- mittee, Casper Runyan, W. H. Cross, William B. Langley, Mar- cus Watkins and L. A. Leland.
ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The St. Joseph County Pioneer Society held its 1884 meeting at the fair grounds in Centerville on Wednesday, June 11th. The day was pleasant and many pioneers were on hand at an early hour. The meeting was called to order, at 10:30 A. M., by President Samuel Fitch, and Secretary C. H. Starr reported sev- enty-seven deaths in the society since its last meeting. Election of officers for the ensuing year were: W. H. Castle, president ; sixteen vice-presidents, one for each township; H. A. Hecox, secretary ; W. McCormick, treasurer; executive committee, Cas- per Runyan, W. M. Watkins, W. H. Cross, Wm. B. Langley and L. A. Leland.
Upon re-assembling in the afternoon, Rev. A. M. Wayman offered prayer, the Centerville band furnished music and Hon. William Saddler made an address of thirty-five minutes, followed by five-minute speeches from John Hull, A. C. Purtzman, S. P. Williams, of Lima, and Harvey Kenney.
Letters of regret for non-attendance were read from Colum- bia Lancaster, of Oregon; George Kellogg, of Jackson and A. T. Prouty, and the meeting closed with a song by the ladies' quartette.
TWELFTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The society met at the fair grounds in Centerville, on June 10, 1885, and was called to order by W. H. Castle, president.
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Officers for the ensuing year: President, Asher Bonham; H. A. Hecox, secretary ; Harvey Cady, treasurer, and sixteen vice president who represented the townships. From the secretary's report, read in the afternoon, it was learned that fourteen pio- neers had died during the past year. The addresses were by Hon. J. Eastman Johnson, Hon. H. H. Riley, Salatheal C. Coffinbury, Hon. A. Chandler, of Coldwater, and S. P. Doan, of Mendon. Before adjournment a floral monument was dedicated to the memory of the departed pioneers who had crossed to "the other side."
THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The thirteenth annual reunion of the St. Joseph County Pioneer Society was held at the fair grounds in Centerville on Wednesday, June 9, 1886, and was called to order by President Asher Bonham. Prayer was offered by Elder A. Fleming, of LaGrange, Indiana, and the following new officers were elected: Edward K. Wilcox, Leonidas, president; usual sixteen vice-presi- dents; H. A. Hecox, Centerville, secretary, and William B. Lang- ley, treasurer.
An adjournment was then taken to Agricultural Hall for dinner, and an assembly of several hundred was called to order by president at 1:30 P. M. The secretary, reported ninety deaths of old pioneers since the last meeting, at an average age of sev- enty years-forty-eight male members and forty-seven female. The principal address was made by Hon. George L. Yaple, judge of the supreme court. Hon. J. Eastman Johnson presented a newpaper to the society, styled the White Pigeon Republican and St. Joseph County Advertiser, published by Munger Adams in 1838; also copies of the Constantine Republican, published by Daniel Munger in 1838. Judge R. R. Pealer and Rev. Mr. Peek made interesting addresses before the adjournment.
ENTHUSIASTIC FOURTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The fourteenth annual meeting of the St. Joseph County Pioneer Society was held at the fair grounds in Centerville, June 8, 1887. Meeting called to order by the president, E. K. Wilcox, of Leonidas, and prayer by Rev. Mr. Peek.
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The election of officers for the ensuing year was held with the following results: President, William Sturgis, of Sturgis ; secretary, William Hazzard, of Centerville; and treasurer, Calvin H. Starr, of Centerville. As was customary, a vice president was elected for each of the sixteen townships of the county.
Members of the society, relatives and friends adjourned for dinner at high noon to Agricultural Hall, which proved too small to hold the hundreds gathered on the grounds, and dinner parties were formed outside under every tree and shady spot, the feasts there spread being unknown in the pioneer days.
DEATH OF THREE FORMER PRESIDENTS.
The afternoon meeting was saddened by the fact that an un- usual large number of society members had passed away-one hundred and fifty-among whom were three former presidents of the society-J. W. Fletcher, William H. Cross and W. H. Castle. A fitting eulogy was pronounced upon their lives by Rev. Mr. Peek. Then came a poem, entitled "My Michigan," by James Yauney of Florence, and music by the Centerville Military Band.
MINISTER PAID IN CATS AND DOGS.
The address by Rev. Mr. Eldred was replete with interesting incidents. It related to the pioneer times when, as minister in St. Joseph county, he traveled on a circuit of three hundred miles, on a salary of $250, and took his pay in cats and dogs, maple sugar and cranberries, so to speak; for all money was scarce, except "wild-cat," and as that flooded the country and was based upon little else than "promises" much of it was of less value than mongrel curs.
After Mr. Eldred's address and music by the glee club, Hon. J. C. Burrows, congressman, was introduced and held the audience of more than two thousand people almost spell-bound under his eloquent oratory. Hon. J. Eastman Johnson also spoke and Hon. William Hull gave an interesting talk on the reform features of the state administrations of Governor John S. Barry, of Con- stantine, and Cyrus G. Luce, of Concord. Mr. A. Sharp of Sher- man township made some very appropriate remarks and letters of regret were received, because of their absence from the meeting, from Governor Luce, J. J. Woodman, Henry Steel, Col. Isaac D.
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Toll, Samuel P. Williams of Lima, and many others. The largest, the most enthusiastic and happiest pioneer reunion ever held in St. Joseph county up to this date then adjourned.
FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The fifteenth annual meeting of the St. Joseph County Pioneer Society, which met at the Centerville fair grounds, June 13, 1888, was called to order at 11:00 A. M. by President William Sturgis and the following persons, besides sixteen vice-presidents, were elected for the ensuing year : President, William Arnold, of Three Rivers; secretary, James Yauney of Florence; treasurer, Thomas R. Shaffer of Centerville.
At the afternoon session, after prayer by Rev. Mr. Beecher and music by the Marshall band, an account of William Hazzard's pioneer experience in 1828 was read by Rev. J. F. Orwick, and an address delivered by Rev. W. I. Cogshall of Niles. Number of pioneers who had passed away since the last meeting, one hundred and twenty-seven.
SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The sixteenth annual meeting of the society was held at the fair grounds in Centerville, June 12, 1889. President William F. Arnold called it to order and the following persons were elected for the ensuing year : President, H. E. Root, Constantine; sixteen vice- presidents ; secretary, William Hull; treasurer, C. H. Starr, Center- ville.
The usual order of proceedings was observed in the afternoon, after dinner, and addresses were made by Dallis Boudeman, J. T. Cobb, S. P. Williams, Flemming Daugherty and others. The day was beautiful and serene and the gathering was said to be the largest ever assembled on a like occasion, estimated at from two the three thousand, mostly aged people. Fifty deaths of members were reported for the past year, at ages ranging from fifty-three to ninety-one years.
EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
There is no record of the seventeenth meeting, but the eight- eenth was held, as usual, on the fair grounds at Centerville; date,
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10th of June, 1891. It was called to order by President C. H. Starr, an executive committee of five and sixteen vice-presidents were elected, besides the following regular officers : President, William M. Watkins; secretary, W. L. Worthington; treasurer, William B. Langley. Addresses were made by President Starr and William Saddler, followed by the reading of the names of the pioneers who had passed away. A loss of interest in the objects of the society was apparent from the fact that only eight of the sixteen vice-pres- idents elected were present.
NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The nineteenth annual meeting, held on the fair grounds at Centerville, June 22, 1892, was called to order by Secretary William L. Worthington, in the absence of President Watkins. William Benjamin was then called to the chair as president pro-tem, and the meeting proceeded to the election of officers, which resulted as follows: President, Stephen W. Cade; secretary, William B. Lang- ley ; treasurer, Volney Patchen; also the sixteen vice-presidents and executive committee of five. Interesting remarks bearing on the history of early days were made by Bishop Andrews, William Benjamin, James Yauney, Joseph Langley, D. Millard, William Saddler, Rev. H. H. Rood and others. The death list embraced sixty-nine members, from forty-five to ninety-nine years of age. At- tendance not large but interest manifested.
TWENTIETH ANNUAL MEETING.
On June 14, 1893, the twentieth annual meeting of the St. Joseph County Pioneer Society was held at the fair grounds in Centerville. The attendance was at first light, about one hun- dred joined the meeting later. It was called to order by Lewis Rhodes, elected president protem, to fill vacancy caused by death of Stephen Cade. The balloting for 1894 officers resulted in the choice of Mr. Rhodes for president; Samuel Cross, secretary, Henry Levison, treasurer; sixteen vice-presidents and executive committee of five members. Adjourned for dinner.
At 1:30 P. M., when President Rhodes called the meeting to order, the audience numbered about four hundred, and near the
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presiding officer sat Ex-Governor Cyrus G. Luce, of Michigan, and Rev. C. H. Blanchard, of LaGrange, Indiana. The latter opened the meeting with an earnest and eloquent prayer, and appropriate resolutions were adopted commemorative of the soci- ety's lamented president, Stephen W. Cade. The constitution was amended so that the children of pioneers who settled in the county before 1845 might become members. One hundred and thirteen deaths of members were reported since the 1892 meeting, of whom sixty-three were males; ages were from fifty-three to ninety- nine years and six months.
TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING.
The twenty-first annual meeting of the St. Joseph County Pio- neer Society was held at the fair grounds in Centerville on June 13, 1894. A deep gloom was cast over the meeting of the old pio- neers by the announcement that their president, Lewis Rhodes, of White Pigeon, had passed away. It seemed especially impressive from the fact that the meeting of the previous year had been called upon to mourn the death of President Cade. Henry Levi- son was appointed president by the executive committee to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Mr. Rhodes, and the regular election resulted in the choice of the following: Presi- dent, Henry Levison; secretary, L. H. Hascall; treasurer, William Benjamin; also vice-presidents. The executive committee was appointed at the afternoon session and consisted of the following: William M. Watkins, Thomas Jones, M. Beardsley, E. A. Strong and Joseph H. Sheap. A resolution was also adopted to the effect that anyone who has been a resident of the county thirty years may become a member of the society.
A very glowing tribute was read and spread on the minutes in memory of Lewis Rhodes, the honored citizen and president of the society.
LETTER FROM SAMUEL P. WILLIAMS.
An interesting and historical letter was received from Samuel P. Williams, of Lima, Indiana, saying that he with fifty others landed in White Pigeon in 1832. At that date White Pigeon was the terminus of the stage line from Detroit to Chicago. The land office was at that place and at Savery's Hotel, the Grand Pacific
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of the territory of Michigan. "For five years," Mr. Williams says, "I was a citizen of your grand state and in it cast my first vote and with pride have witnessed its growth and prosperity." His was a long letter of deep interest to all pioneers. Its author has since passed away with a crown of glory.
Addresses were delivered by Rev. Lee Fisher, of White Pigeon; Attorney Andrew Ellison, of LaGrange, Indiana; Captain Frank Bungay, an old St. Joseph river pilot from 1835-47, and others.
As reported by the vice-presidents, the number of members of the society who had passed away since the last meeting was seventy-seven-fifty-one males and twenty-six females.
TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING.
The twenty-second annual meeting was held at the Center- ville fair grounds on Wednesday, June 12, 1895, and was called to order by Henry Levison, president. The following officers were chosen for the ensuing year : President, William B. Langley ; secretary, George Dickinson; treasurer, William Benjamin. A motion to hold the next annual meeting at Three Rivers was lost, the society refusing to abandon its old "stand-by," the Center- ville fair grounds. An adjournment was then taken to the picnic dinner, and at the afternoon meeting President Levison appointed the following executive committee: Wm. M. Watkins, J. C. Bishop, Henry Levison, Otto Moe and E. A. Strong. The good music rendered by the Centerville band was succeeded by the addresses of William B. Langley, William Saddler; Miss Ruth Hoppin; Captain Frank Bungay, the old river pilot; Rev. Mr. Lee, of Three Rivers, and Attorney Dallis Boudman, of Kala- mazoo. Poems were also contributed by John Gibson and James Yauney. Fifty society members had died since the last annual meeting-twenty-nine males and twenty-one females.
TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING.
The twenty-third annual meeting convened June 10, 1896, at the Centerville fair grounds, William B. Langley being the pre- siding officer. The session was opened, as usual, with prayer,
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and besides the sixteen vice-presidents, the following were elected : President, W. W. Benjamin, of Florence; secretary, George Dick- inson ; treasurer, Henry Levison. Adjourned for dinner.
The features of the afternoon were addresses by Rev. G. R. Parish, of Constantine, and Mrs. Bishop Andrews, of Three Riv- ers, and the humorous talk of Captain Frank Bungay, who was dressed in the costume of a pioneer backwoodsman. Eighty- three deaths were reported for the year past, of whom forty-three were males and forty females.
TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The twenty-fourth annual meeting was held at the Center- ville fair grounds, June 8, 1897; was called to order by President W. W. Benjamin, and the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: President, George McGaffey; secretary, Richard Daugherty ; treasurer, Henry Levison ; also sixteen vice presidents. Executive committee : James Yauney, W. W. Benjamin, William M. Watkins, M. A. Dexter, and William B. Langley. Adjourned for dinner.
DEATH OF HON. ANDREW ELLISON AND HON. SAML. P. WILLIAMS.
In the afternoon the meeting re-assembled at the grand stand and, after prayer and routine business, Hon. Franklin Wells of Constantine read obituary notices of the deaths of Hon. Andrew Ellison, an attorney at LaGrange, Indiana, and of Hon. Samuel P. Williams, of Lima, that state, both of whom always attended the pioneer meetings. Then an address was given by Rev. Mr. Tuthill and poems offered by John Gibson and James Yauney. Deaths reported, sixty-five-forty-five males and twenty females.
TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The twenty-fifth annual meeting of the society assembled at the usual place in Centerville, on June 8, 1898, and President George McGaffey called it to order. The members then proceeded to elect officers for the ensuing year with the following results : President, Hon. Franklin Wells of Constantine; sixteen vice-pres- idents ; secretary, C. B. Kellogg of Florence ; treasurer, M. A. Deter of Finley. Adjourned to Agricultural Hall for dinner.
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In the afternoon Professor John Everett, county superintend- ent of schools, was called upon and gave a very interesting and in- structive address to an audience of about five hundred. Poems were also on the programme by James Yauney and John Gibson. Seventy deaths of old pioneers were reported-forty males and thirty females.
TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING.
The twenty-sixth annual meeting of the society, held at the fair grounds in Centerville, on June 14, 1899, was called to order by W. W. Benjamin, president pro tem, in the absence of Hon. Franklin Wells, president-elect.
Officers elected for the ensuing year : President, William Haz- zard, of Centerville; secretary, Charles A. Parshby, of Florence; treasurer, Charles B. Kellogg, of Florence; and sixteen vice pres- idents, one for each township. Adjourned to Agricultural Hall, where the ladies had provided a sumptuous repast, of which all partook and enjoyed exceedingly.
At 1:30 P. M. the meeting was called to order and opened with prayer by Rev. Henry A. Decker, pastor of the Congregational church of Constantine. The reading of the poem by James Yauney, entitled "My Early Recollections of Pioneer Life," was followed by a report from the secretary of correspondence from abroad, con- sisting of a letter and poem from Mr. Maria Gomer of LaGrange, Indiana; one from George Beisel of White Pigeon, Michigan; one from Edwin Kellogg, Pleasant Grove, Greenwood county, Kansas; one from Samuel A. Pratt of Spring Prairie, Walworth County, Wisconsin, relating to the early settlement of White Pigeon and White Pigeon prairie.
The speaker of the day was then announced, Rev A. J. Eldred of Saginaw, Michigan. Mr. Eldred is a gentleman seventy-five years of age and was a pastor in the Methodist church at Center- ville, fifty-three years ago.
"America" was sung by the audience and followed by short volunteer speeches from C. H. Starr, Capt. Frank Bungay, William Hazzard and others. Sixty-two deaths were reported from nine townships.
TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING ..
The twenty-seventh annual gathering of the society members and their relatives and friends was at the fair grounds, Center-
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ville, June 13, 1900. The meeting was called to order by President William Hazzard, and the following persons were then elected for the coming year : President, James Yauney of Florence ; secretary, Charles B. Kellogg of Florence; treasurer, Mrs. Charles B. Kellogg of Florence; sixteen vice-presidents.
The meeting adjourned for the picnic dinner; re-assembled at 1:00 P. M .; prayer was offered by Rev. Isaac Wilson; speeches made by Rev. Joshua White, Hon. E. W. Keightley of Constantine, James Yauney, Captain Frank Bungay, E. G. Tucker, Rev. Isaiah Wilson and Richard Daugherty, and a poem rendered by John Gibson. One hundred and seventy deaths of pioneers during the year were reported from twelve of the sixteen townships.
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