USA > Michigan > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Michigan; Volume II > Part 17
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three years. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Schlo- tenman was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania. She survived him a few years, at her death leaving ten children, as follows: Mary, Abraham, Sarah, Daniel W., Elizabeth, Samuel, John, Het- tie, Lucy and Addie.
About fourteen years old when he came with his parents to St. Joseph county, Daniel W. Feas began soon after his arrival to work as a farm hand, but afterwards learned the trade of a cooper. On August 11, 1862, his spirit of patriotism being aroused, he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-fifth Michigan Vol- unteer Infantry, and went with his command to the front, being with his regiment in all of its various marches, campaigns and battles. One of the fiercest contests in which he was actively en- gaged having been, on July 4, 1863, when, at Tebbs Bend, Ken- tucky, his regiment, consisting of two hundred men, commanded by Col. Moore, battled with upwards of two thousand of Morgan's guerrillas, and defeated them, the enemy, with a severe loss in killed and wounded, being completely routed. On May 14, 1864, at the Battle of Resaca, Georgia, Mr. Feas was wounded, and sent to the hospital at Knoxville, Tennessee. He was afterwards trans- ferred to Jeffersonville, Indiana, thence to Detroit, Michigan, where, in May, 1865, he received his honorable discharge from the service. Returning to Three Rivers, he here carried on a suc- cessful cooperage business a few years, after which he bought land in Fabius township, and has since been prosperously em- ployed in farming and stock raising, although he retains his res- idence in Three Rivers, making this place his home.
Mr. Feas married, June 29, 1867, Jane E. Stull, who was born in Union, Union county, Pennsylvania, November 22, 1840. The only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Feas lived but ten months. Mr. and Mrs. Feas are valued members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally Mr. Feas belongs to the Ed. M. Prutzman Post, No. 72, G. A. R. at Three Rivers.
H. JAMES KLOSE .- As a representative of the worthy agricul- turists of St. Joseph county, and as an honored and respected citi- zen of Moore Park, H. James Klose is especially deserving of men- tion in this volume. Since the days of his boyhood he has wit- nessed many changes throughout this locality, and as a general farmer has contributed his share toward the development and growth of its prosperity, at the same time accumulating enough of this world's wealth to enable him to spend his later years retired
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from active business. A son of Daniel Klose, he was born Sep- tember 19, 1842, in Beaver township, Union county, Pennsylvania.
Daniel Klose was born in Northumberland county, Pennsyl- vania, of German ancestry, and remained in the Keystone state, employed in tilling the soil, until 1854, when he migrated with his family to St. Joseph county, Michigan. Locating in Lockport township, he bought a tract of land lying three miles northeast of Three Rivers, and on the farm which he cleared and improved he spent the remainder of his life, dying at the age of seventy-seven years. He was twice married, his first wife dying in early woman- hood. He married for his second wife Mrs. Elizabeth (Stennin- ger) Smith, who was born in Pennsylvania, of German ancestors, and who died at the age of sixty-eight years. She, too, was twice married, and by her two unions became the mother of fifteen chil- dren.
Twelve years of age when he came with his parents to Michi- gan, H. James Klose attended the district schools of Lockport township, and as a youth assisted his father on the farm. Having thus acquired a practical knowledge of the various branches of agriculture, he chose farming as his life work, and for two years followed his occupation on rented land. Succeeding well in his ventures, he then bought seventy-nine acres of land in Park town- ship, and there devoted his time and energies to the improvement of a farm, carrying on general farming and stock-raising. He labored wisely, and in course of time erected a substantial brick house and other buildings adapted to farming purposes, and fur- ther added to the value and beauty of the place by setting out a variety of fruit and shade trees. In 1881 Mr. Klose retired from active pursuits, and has since resided at Moore Park. He still owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Park township, and from its rental receives a good annual income.
On November 22, 1861, Mr. Klose married Lovina Miller, who was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of John Miller, who migrated with his family from that state to Michi- gan, and spent his last years in Park township. She died in Octo- ber, 1890, leaving three children, namely: Mary, wife of Samuel Andre, has five children, Allen, Will, Maude, Enos, and Frankie; John D., married Angie Stahl and they have two children, Clarence and Lovina; and Enos J., who married Emma Bender, has three children, Ethel, Earl and Lloyd.
Mr. Klose married for his second wife, in June, 1891, Mrs. Lucinda (Bramer) Weinberg, who was born in Park township, St. Vol. II-11
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Joseph county, Michigan, August 25, 1845. Her father, George Bramer, was a pioneer of Park township. He traded his house and lot in Pennsylvania, his native state, for ninety-five acres of land lying in the southeast quarter of section 28, Park township, and, bringing with him a team of horses, came here with his fam- ily. Building a log house, he began the arduous task of reclaiming a farm from the wilderness, and was there engaged in tilling the soil until his death, in 1850. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Fetter, lived until 1871. To the marriage of George and Margaret (Fetter) Bramer seven children were born, two sons and five daughters, of whom three are now living: The eldest, Caroline, resides with Mrs. Klose; Lucinda (Mrs. Klose), is next in order of birth; and Margaret is the wife of Simon Bloom, a retired farmer of Garden City, Missouri, and they have four sons and five daugh- ters and are members of the Evangelical church. Mrs. Lucinda Klose was born and reared in Park township, St. Joseph county. She married first, in 1862, Jeremiah Weinberg, who was a native of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, a son of George Weinberg, a pioneer settler of St. Joseph county. He died October 5, 1886, leaving no children.
Mr. and Mrs. Klose are members of the Evangelical church at Center Park. Mr. Klose is a Republican in politics and cast his first vote for the martyred Lincoln, and had the honor of voting for Blaine, Garfield and Mckinley as well as for the great typical American, Roosevelt.
Although she had no children of her own, Mrs. Klose adopted an infant, Wilma E. Vale, who was left an orphan when a few weeks old, her father, John W. Vale, having died in a hospital while a soldier in the Civil war. The child was reared and edu- cated by Mrs. Klose as her own daughter, and subsequently she was happily married to Dr. G. A. Hughes. Mrs. Hughes passed to the higher life April 17, 1894, at the age of twenty-nine years, seven months and ten days, leaving a host of friends to mourn her loss. The following shows the esteem in which Mrs. Hughes was held: "Wilma E. Hughes, wife of Dr. G. A. Hughes, rested from her labors on the 17th of April, 1894. She was a woman who will be greatly missed in our village. She was identified with every organization for the advancement and welfare of mankind and now that an irreparable loss has come to her own household, let none of those who ever received good at her hands forget their obligations. Her home was always open to the needy, her bounties were shared with others, and her sympathies were not limited to
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her own household. Such friendship deserves and will receive life-long gratitude. We honor her as one who stood well and best at home and as a neighbor. We feel as if one of our own household had been taken, and mourn with her family as she and they have mourned with us, and hope that we, as neighbors may meet again in that brighter and better land. A Christian not only in her belief but in her life, she learned to love her Savior in her early youth, uniting at the age of fifteen with the Lutheran church at Moore Park. Married at the age of twenty to Dr. G. A. Hughes, she came with him to Jones, where she joined the Methodist Epis- copal church, of which she was a member at the time of her death. She was greatly loved and honored, but we will not mar the sweet memory of a loving wife and daughter by any attempt to speak of her virtues in the home circle, as these are too sacred to be touched upon, but we as neighbors and friends join with her family in cherishing, so far as known, the history of her home life, who will remember with reverence her last hours with us, for if God ever reveals to the spirit while yet in its earthly tenement the peace and happiness of the heavenly home, such revelation was hers. She will hold a place in the memory of her many friends until the bright sun of life sinks in its great West, only to rise in eternity's great East." The funeral of Mrs. Hughes brought together the largest assemblage of people on any similar occasion in the history of the village. The services were conducted by Reverend Montgomery; of Three Rivers, assisted by Reverend Emmons, of Vandalia. The chapter read was Mrs. Hughes' selection, and the text was her own last word. A lover of flowers, her casket was adorned within and without by the loving tributes of her family and friends. The interment was at Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Kalamazoo county.
GLOVER E. LAIRD .- Bonnie Scotland, the "Land of the Thistle," has contributed many of her sturdy sons and daughters to aid in the development of Free America and the following is a brief review of a descendant of the Scotch people, the grandfather of Glover E. Laird having been the first to come to the United States to lay the foundation of the Lairds of this line.
Mr. Laird, the worthy and genial postmaster of Mendon, Mich- igan, is a native of St. Joseph county and was born November 20, 1858, being the youngest of three sons born to Gilbert and Soloma (Schofield) Laird, and all the sons are still living. The eldest, George R., is a resident of Egan, South Dakota, and is connected with the United States Mail service. He was a soldier in the
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
Rebellion for three years and received an honorable discharge. He is married. Gilbert J., the second son, resides on the old homestead in Mendon township, and is married. Glover Laird is next.
Gilbert Laird came to Michigan when but a young man and he devoted his life to agriculture. He was born in 1815 and died on August 12, 1858. He was always a Republican politically. Glover E. Laird of this sketch, had very meager chances for a good education, as he ceased going to school at the age of four- teen. He was reared as a farmer's lad and had his full quota of work to perform and he is strictly a self-made and self-educated man. He became connected with the United States mail service early in life, as he received his appointment as Route Agent at Mendon in 1900, and on April 1, 1906, under the administration of President Roosevelt, received his commission of Postmaster at Mendon, and is still the present incumbent. He is filling this re- sponsible position with credit to himself and the people. There are six mails delivered every twenty-four hours in Mendon. There are four rural routes and one star route.
Mr. Laird has been married twice-first to Miss Della Barne- bee, whom he married December 19, 1878, and four children, one son and three daughters, were born to this union. Lulu is the wife of H. H. Davis of Detroit, Michigan, where he is a foreman in an automobile tire manufacturing company and they have three chil- dren : Herbert, Newell and Dorothy; Ollie Belle is cashier in the large grocery house of Peter Smith & Son at Detroit, and is highly educated; Glenn W. is deceased; Ruth is the wife of Edison Had- ley of Mendon, Michigan. Mrs. Laird, the mother of these chil- dren, died October 10, 1892, and for his second wife Mr. Laird chose Mrs. Edith E. (Vale) Reedy, and one son was born to them, Eugene. He is in the fourth grade in school. Mrs. Laird is a native of St. Joseph county, where she was reared and educated. Her father is deceased but her mother still lives and resides in Flowerfield township.
Mr. Laird is a stanch and true Republican and has always ardently upheld those sterling principles of the G. O. P. He cast his maiden presidential vote for the beloved Garfield and has always supported each presidential nominee of the Republican party since. He has always been known to stand firmly on his principles politically, and has been selected at divers times as dele- gate to the Congressional and county conventions, to represent his party's interests. Mr. Laird is a warm friend of the public
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schools, although he received but little education himself and that through his own efforts, but he believes in the practical training of the young, and his influence was felt, in the building of the modern and beautiful high school building, erected in Mendon, only a few years ago, which is a credit to the town and county. In fact he has endeavored to advance all measures for the benefit of his little city. He has seen Mendon when it was a small strug- gling village, and points out the first brick building erected on Main street. There were no railroads in the township, nor tele- phones nor rural deliveries of mail. Fraternally he is an enthu- siastic Mason, being a member of Lodge No. 137, A. F. & A. M. also a member of the Centerville Chapter R. A. M. He was worship- ful master two years and at the present time holds the same office in Mendon, Michigan. He is also a member of the K. O. T. M. Tent, No. 349, at Mendon. Mr. and Mrs. Laird are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Mendon of which he is one of the stewards. He is a genial, cordial gentlemen, modest in his demeanor, and a friend whom one may prize. He has seen some of the rough places in the pathway of life but by fortitude, dili- gence and good business ability has now a high place in the estimation of his colleagues and friends.
DANIEL B. WAGNER .- Fully three quarters of a century have dropped into the abyss of time since the Wagner family was founded in St. Joseph county and the name has thus been long and promi- nently identified with the civic and material development and up- building of this favored section of the Wolverine state. It is pleasing to record that the subject of this sketch is not only a member of one of the pioneer families of the county but also that he has been identified in a most successful way with the agricultural industry, which enlisted the attention of his father, who absolutely hewed out the farm from the virgin forest.
Daniel B. Wagner was born in Colon township, this county, on the 28th of February, 1846, and is a son of Peter and Catherine (Peters) Wagner, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, where the former was born on the 24th of March, 1810, and the lat- ter in the year of 1815. They were reared to maturity in their native state, where their marriage was solemnized and whence they removed to Ohio, where they remained one winter, at the expiration of which, in 1835, they came to St. Joseph county, Michigan, where the father purchased one hundred and sixty acres of government land in Colon township. Here he erected his primitive log cabin
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and set himself the herculean task of reclaiming a farm from the wilderness. A portion of the original estate constitutes the present homestead of the subject of this review. The parents played well their part in connection with the development of this section of the state and here they continued to reside until their death, the father having passed away on the 24th of May, 1889, and the mother on the 21st of May, 1877. They became the parents of thirteen chil- dren and of the number three sons and seven daughters are now living. The old homestead lies contiguous to the present village of Colon, which was established a number of years after the family located in this vicinity.
Daniel B. Wagner was reared under the conditions and influ- ences of the pioneer days and availed himself of the privileges of the common schools of the locality and period. He continued to be associated in the work and management of the home farm until he had attained to his legal majority when he began working by the month as a farm hand. Soon after initiating his independent career he married and finally he gave evidence of his ambition and resourcefulness by renting a farm and thereafter he continued his operations under these conditions for a period of eight years dur- ing which his success was on a parity with his industry and well directed efforts. After the expiration of his farm lease he located on the old homestead, which is now his place of abode; the same comprises thirty-two acres and is an integral portion of the land secured by his father many years ago. Mr. Wagner is known as one of the progressive and essentially representative farmers and stock-growers of his native county and is a citizen who has ever been true to the civic advancement, taking a deep interest in every- thing that has touched the welfare of the community. He is a Republican in his political allegiance and served three terms as highway commissioner and one term as member of the board of reviews of Colon township. Both he and his good wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.
On the 6th of May, 1866, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Wagner to Miss Leona E. Tomlinson, who was born in New York on the 16th of October, 1846, being one of the seven children of Orson and Jane Ann (Kennedy) Tomlinson, who were natives of the state of New York and who established their home in St. Joseph county, Michigan, in the late '50s, here passing the residue of their lives. Concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Wagner the fol- lowing brief record is given: Helen Gladys, who was born on the 31st of December, 1866, is the wife of Eugene Grimes, of Colon;
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Wallace Hull, who was born on the 17th of July, 1868, and who is the present supervisor of Colon township, married Miss May Stailey and they have two children; Peter Anthony, who was born on the 2nd of December, 1870, died on the 13th of May, 1884; Ansel Russell, who was born on the 21st of August, 1872, is a telegraph operator in Homer, Michigan ; he married Miss Harriet Rathburn and they have two children; Maude Isabel, who was born on the 4th of February, 1874, is the wife of William Simpson, of Leonidas town- ship, this county, and they have one son; Gertrude Jane, who was born on the 12th of February, 1879, is the wife of Frederick Thomes, a successful farmer of Matteson township, Branch county, Michigan, and they have one son; Mary Forestina, who was born on the 26th of October, 1890, and who remains at the parental home, was graduated in the Colon high school as a member of the class of 1910, now a student at Kalamazoo, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner's homestead is known in Colon township as "Oak Woods."
JOHN HENRY WORTHINGTON .- In evidence of the confidence in which he is held by his fellow citizens are the numerous public offices filled by John Henry Worthington. He has, in fact, held nearly all the offices of the township, having been township super- visor for ten years, assessor for two years, highway commissioner for nine years, constable for three, and justice of the peace for four. He stands high in Masonry and has for twenty years held the office of treasurer of Mendon Lodge No. 137. Mr. Worthington was for many years a farmer, but afterward removed to Mendon and for a short time before his retirement from active business was engaged in the butcher trade.
John Henry Worthington is English in origin, his parents, William and Mary (Prayforth) Worthington, having been natives of Great Britain who came to America in 1837 and took up their residence in the Empire state. Three years later they came to Kalamazoo county, Michigan, and after living there a short time, entered eighty acres of land in Brady township. They engaged in farming for the rest of their lives and experienced the strenuous, but wholesome life of the Michigan pioneer. The father hauled the first load of lumber into Mendon. He was a Democrat, but afterward gave his allegiance to the Republican party and he and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist church. Born in 1810 he lived to the age of eighty-three, his demise occurring in 1893. The mother, born in 1808, passed to the other shore in 1858.
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This estimable couple were the parents of a good sized family of children. William died in infancy; Mary became the wife of Leon- ard Dutton, a farmer, who lives in Bruce, Wisconsin; Jane, Eliza- beth and an unnamed child died in infancy; John Henry was the sixth in order of birth; Richard is a farmer living in Kalamazoo county, Michigan, and Mark and Thomas are likewise Kalamazoo county farmers.
John Henry Worthington was born in New York on March 10, 1837. As a lad he attended the district school and assisted in the farm work, the practical experience thus gained serving him in good stead when, grown to manhood, he became an independent agriculturist. When twenty-one years of age he started out for himself, and for three or four years farmed on shares. He then bought a farm of eighty acres in Mendon township and there resided until 1897, when he brought his household into town and engaged in the butcher business. After two years of this new occupation he retired and made his home in the village. He and his family enjoy affiliation with the Methodist church and play a prominent part in the life of Mendon.
Mr. Worthington was married in 1858 in St. Joseph county to Sarah Bourn, a daughter of Ezra and Lois Bourn of New York state and to the union the following children were born : Delmar L., born May 16, 1859, and engaged in the grocery business in Men- don until 1909, when he became a dealer in implements; he mar- ried Nettie Kepper of Mendon in 1887, and they have one son, Harry, born August 29, 1888. Ida L., born December 17, 1861, is the wife of Chester Stevens, now living in Exeter, Nebraska. Clara B., born in 1863, became the wife of Edward Troy and died in 1890. Lottie is the wife of William Goodrich and lives near Colon. William H. lives on his father's farm; he married Effie Reid and they have one child, Marie. Charles A., born in 1873, lives in Schoolcraft and is superintendent of the lighting plant; his wife was Alice Shaffer of Mendon, and a son named Clare has been born to them. Grace, born in 1875, is the wife of Calvin Walters of Mendon, buyer for the New York Poultry Company. George, born in 1880, is an undertaker in Three Rivers, Michigan; his wife was Miss Mabel Schoonmaker.
Mrs. John H. Worthington died in Mendon, December 9, 1904. The following is taken from one of the local papers:
"Sweetly, quietly, her pure spirit slipped away from her bed of pain to enter the mansions above. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Bourn. The family came to Michigan in 1842, set-
Mrs. Sol , Mealler
Lol. Mysather
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
tling at Dexter, but Father Bourn soon after purchased a farm near Mendon, where the deceased grew to womanhood among many friends. June 30, 1858, she was united in marriage with J. Henry Worthington. They built their home on a farm just west of Men- don. Eight children came to glorify their lives, seven of whom are living, and were with their mother during her long illness. The children are : Delmar L. of Mendon; William who lives on the home farm; Charles of Schoolcraft; George, of Three Rivers; Mrs. Ida Stevens of Exeter, Nebraska; Mrs. Lottie Goodrich of Colon; and Mrs. Grace Walters of Mendon, all of whom are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
"Mrs. Worthington was a devoted follower of Jesus. She was converted and united with the Methodist Episcopal church at the age of twelve. Her life became radiant through constant commun- ion with her Saviour. She looked forward with unwavering faith to that more abundant life that is with Christ. The prayer-meet- ing, class-meeting, ladies' aid society and all the church circles will miss her sorely. Hers was an unselfish and beautiful character- full of thoughtful care for the comfort of others; never murmur- ing through the long hours of intense suffering of her last eight months of life. The Word was her sweet consolation; in the prom- ises she found peace. During her illness she watched the progress of the new church building, hoping that it might be completed be- fore her summons came. In this she was not disappointed, although the church was not entirely ready for final occupancy. The funeral was held from the church, conducted by her pastor, who spoke from the text that she had selected, 2 Tim. 4:7, 8. The quartet choir rendered beautiful music, and at midday her body was laid away under a canopy of pure white snow. 'Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.'-Frank M. Cottrell."
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