USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > Past and present of Shiawassee County, Michigan, historically; with biographical sketches > Part 29
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was not an office-seeker, yet he was quite an active politician, and was justice of the peace for twelve years. In early days he was post- master in Antrim. He cast his first ballot for Andrew Jackson and his last for Grover Cleveland. He was an admirer of Abraham Lincoln, voted for him and named one of his sons after him. To his principal business of farming, he added that of real-estate invest- ment, dealing largely, in an early day, in tax titles. He was a familiar and conspicuous figure in the conventions of his party, in pioneer meetings, and most all public gatherings. He was one of those sturdy, strong-willed men whom age could not stoop nor obstacles turn. Living to the ripe age of eighty-five years, there were no roads too rough and no weather too inclement to pre- vent him from going from place to place as his business called him. He was one of the members of the Shiawassee County Pioneer Society, saw its membership dwindle from year to year, and stood by the graves of most of all of his compatriots of pioneer days. He dealt extensively in lands and at one time owned more than twelve hundred acres. He gave each of his children a farm or helped them to buy one. To Mr. and Mrs. Beard were born three children: Martha B., born April 1, 1832, married George Tyler and both are dead; Byron Beard is the sub- ject of a sketch of this work; Chas. F., who was born September 21, 1838, enlisted in Com- pany H twenty-third Michigan Infantry, and was killed November 12, 1863, at the battle of Campbell's station, Tennessee. Mr. Beard married for his second wife Charlotte Thomp- son, who was born April 13, 1828. She passed out of this life October 19, 1905, at the age of seventy-six years. She took great delight in relating stories and incidents of pioneer life. Mrs. Beard lived on the farm, which she rented, up to the time of her death. The issue of this marriage consisted of the following named children : Allen, born No- vember 13, 1848, died December 12, 1855; Joshua, born April 14, 1850, died December
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5, 1855; Walter, born September 10, 1851; died September 13, 1858; Eleanor, born Jan- uary 12, 1854, died October 4, 1858; John C., born November 26, 1856, now lives on part of the old farm; A. L., born April 16, 1860, is a banker at Morrice, Michigan; Sarepta, born February 8, 1864, married George Honecker, and they live on part of the old farm; Maryett, born in 1865, was the wife of Robert J. Marble, now deceased ; George W., born in November, 1867, now lives in Bancroft, Michigan.
A. BYRON BEARD
It has been said by a noted man of let- ters, that "the race by vigor not by vaunts is won." So it may truthfully be said of the gentleman whose name heads this page. He owes his present success in life to vigor, and his success is something he has reason to be proud of. Who in life has reason to be more boastful than a young man who settled on a timbered piece of land in the early days of Michigan and created of it a beautiful home, with broad, cultivated fields, a commodious residence, large barns and other necessary buildings? This, in brief, is a picture of what A. Byron Beard has accomplished, on section 10, Antrim township. Like many, very many, other citizens of this state, our subject is a native of Ohio. And did the reader ever stop to realize how much Michigan owes to Ohio for supplying her with so many good men and women? As already remarked, Ohio gave birth to A. Byron Beard. He was born in Willoughby township, Lake county, De- cember 1, 1835. At an early age his parents, Allen and Hannah (Arnet) Beard, removed to Antrim township, Shiawassee county, Michigan. A sketch of these honored pion- cers is given elsewhere in this work. Young Beard was educated in the common schools of that township. He remained at home with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-four years, when he bought eighty
acres of land and began farming for himself. This land was nearly all heavily timbered. He first built a small frame house and barn. In 1886 he "builded greater" in the shape of a large frame house, barns and other struc- tures. The erection of these was personally superintended by himself, as he had previous- ly, at "odd times," picked up the carpenter- ing business. Later he bought one hundred and twenty acres more land, making his pos- sessions of real estate two hundred acres in one body,-a large farm for Michigan. He has since transferred eighty acres of this to his son, leaving him one hundred and twenty acres,-as fine a farm as one could desire.
April 26, 1860, Mr. Beard formed a mat- rimonial alliance with Harriett V. Alling, a native of Antrim township, where she was born November 12, 1838. She is a daugh- ter of Alanson Alling, who was born in the Empire state in 1803, and who joined the silent majority, in Antrim township, in Sep- tember, 1857; her mother was Beulah ( Price) Alling, who was born in Orleans county. New York, in 1810, and who died, in Antrim township, in 1874. Mrs. Beard's parents were married in New York state and came to Michigan in 1836, locating on two hundred acres of land bought from the government at "ten shillings" per acre. They were among the first settlers in Antrim township, Mrs. Alling having been the first white woman in the township. They remained on this farm until they died.
Mrs. Beard was one of a family of seven children, and their mother had one child, Antoinette, by a former husband : this daugh- ter married Avery Bacon, but died years ago, in New York state. Concerning the other children the following is brief record: Wil- liam, born August 31, 1833, died a good many years ago, having married and having lived on part of the old farm: our subject's wife was next in order of birth: Mary, born August 26, 1840, married Amos Young and lives in South Dakota; Henry Rossman died young ; Martha, born August 31, 1848, mar-
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ried John Bennett and lives in Morrice, Michigan ; Volney, born in 1846, married Alice Hill, and they live on the old home- stead, in Antrim township; Henry (2d) lives in Morrice, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Beard have only one child-Myron E. Beard. He was born January 5, 1862, and married Florentine Frazier. They lived on eighty acres of the old homstead, the property hav- ing been deeded to them by his father, and are blessed with two children-Gertrude V., born May 16, 1897, and E. Spencer R., born April 30, 1899.
In politics our subject is a Republican, but aside from that of highway commissioner he has never held any office, preferring to look after the interests of his general farming, and in this regard, he has, as already stated, proved a signal success.
WASHINGTON BINGHAM
Washington Bingham resides on section 33, Venice township, Shiawassee county. He is a native of New York state, having been born in Columbus, December 19, 1853, and is a gentleman of more than ordinary activ- ity, being one of the most extensive sheep growers in Michigan. In 1886 he sent his son Clare to England and imported sixty head of the first Shropshire sheep ever brought into the United States. The same son has repeat- edly gone to England since that time to secure high-grade sheep. Some time pre- viously to this Mr. Bingham commenced fattening sheep for market. At first he bought around home but finally originated the custom in his locality of going west for sheep for feeding purposes. Then he bought in Montana, but he now seeks the Chicago market. During 1904 he fattened six thou- sand sheep for market, and now has one thou- sand eight hundred on hand. He is an au- thority on sheep raising and sheep feeding. Mr. Bingham's father was born in Sher- man, Chenung county, New York, September
5, 1811, and there owned a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he bought from the government and which he cleared. He always lived in that state. Mr. Bingham located on his present farm of sixty acres in 1869. It was half improved at that time. Since then he has built the fine house in which he lives, with four large barns for sheep feeding. One is forty-four by one hundred; one fifty-six by one hundred; one twenty by eighty and one thirty by forty. These are without doubt the largest struc- tures for this purpose in the state.
Mr. Bingham is one of twins, the other being Wellington, who is married and lives at Sherman and has three children,-Alice, Lena and Albert. The third and fourth children were also twins,-William and Wil- son. William married Frances Harrington and lives at Sherman, having two children, -John and Lewis. Wilson married Julia Manchester, and lives at Sherman, having seven children. Albert, who died at Sher- man, married Emma Manchester and had two children. The sixth and seventh chil- dren were girls, who died in infancy.
In 1860, Mr. Bingham married Emily A. Cove, who was born January 12, 1831, and who died September 11, 1865. She was a daughter of Benjamin Cove, who was born December 6, 1795, and died August 20, 1858; her mother, whose maiden name was Ann Burbank, was born August 7, 1803. Mrs. Bingham's parents were natives of New York state and always lived there, on a farm of one hundred acres. By his first wife, Mr. Bingham had one child, Clare, who was born April 13, 1862, and who lives with his father. For his second wife Mr. Bingham married Della M. Cove, sister of his first wife. She was born November 4, 1838, and died Oc- tober 29, 1888. His wife's father was twice married,-first to Emily Root, March 18, 1819. She died December 22, 1830. They had fivé children: Russel F., born Decem- ber 17, 1819; Royal D., born November 18, 1821; Josiah R., born November 14, 1823;
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and Theodore, born November 9, 1825, are all deceased. Charles E., born December 1, 1827, now lives at Sherman. , Mr. Cove's second marriage occurred January 15, 1832, to Ann Burbank. They had five children : John F., born March 8, 1830, and Joseph, born May 27, 1833, are deceased; the next two were Mr. Bingham's first and second wives; Benjamin John, born March 28, 1845, now lives on the old homestead. Joseph Cove, father of Benjamin, died March 23, 1814, at the age of forty-nine years ; his wife, Maria, died March 17, 1812.
Mr. Bingham is a Republican. He handles money for eastern capitalists and at one time had one hundred thousand dollars loaned in his locality. He is, a gentleman of the utmost integrity and honor and is de- servedly popular.
EBENEZER P. BLISS
Cicero once said that "there are more men ennobled by study than by nature." But what can be said of a man who wrecks his health by overstudy? Is such an example worthy of emulation or is it to be dissap- proved? Be this as it may, Ebenezer P. Bliss, who was born in Lee, Massachuetts, April 15, 1820, left a record for faithfulness and long years in the harness as a school teacher that challenges a parallel in Michi- gan. He came to this state when a young man and bought eighty acres of unimproved land on section 16, Rush township, where the family now live. He built a log house on this land and cleared it up. He after- ward taught for seven years in one school in New Haven township. He continued teaching winters and working on his farm summers for several years. He was fond of books.
Golden volumes! richest treasures, Object of delicious pleasures ! You my eyes rejoicing please, You my hands in rapture seize ; Brilliant wits and musing sages, Lights who beam'd through many ages !
Overstudy and too much reading finally undermined his constitution and precipitated apoplexy. He died July 15, 1902, aged eighty-two years. He had taught the "young ideas how to shoot" for more than forty terms, a record that challenges a parallel in Michigan, as has been said above. The direct cause of death was hemorrhages and paralysis of the brain, the result of over- study. He was a son of Joshua and Grace Porter Bliss, and the family traced back to the earliest days of America. The original stock was from England.
Ebenezer P. Bliss was the eighth in a family of nine children. He was married January 14, 1858, to Betsey Dellamater, who was born March 16, 1840. She was a daugh- ter of Peter Dellamater, who was a native of New York state, where he was born De- cember 23, 1804. His wife, Lydia, (Bas- sett ) Dellamater, was born in New York state in 1802 and died in 1857. Peter Dell- amater was married in New York state, later removing to Canada. In 1856 he came to Shiawassee county, Michigan, and located in Rush township, on section 15, on eighty acres of wild land. He built a log house, still standing, and cleared the land. His was among the first families in the township and suffered all the experiences and priva- tions of pioneer life. There were eight chil- dren in the Dellamater family, and besides Mrs. Bliss the others were: Eleanor, who is now Mrs. Henry Teeple; Martin, who died from scarlet fever, when young ; Angeline, who married Barnabas Allen, and lived in Rush township; John, who is now deceased; N. D., who lives in Rush town- ship and who married Permela Dean ; Reu- ben, who died when a boy, of fever: the eighth died in infancy.
When Mr. Bliss and wife located on their land and built their log house in the woods there were but few families in that region. They lived in the house about twenty-seven years, when they erected the large square frame residence in which the widow now lives.
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Before his death, Mr. Bliss bought fifty-five acres of land, partly improved. Mr. and Mrs. Bliss had eight children, as follows : Grace P. was born December 30, 1858, and died January 21, 1867; Ebenezer P., born April 22, 1861, is married and lives in Brady township, Saginaw county, having four chil- dren,-Alva, Gordon, Florence, Bertha, and Lydia; Jesse, born March 15, 1863, married Lydia Hobart lives in Rush township, and has two children,-Howard and Esther Grace; Elmer, born January 22, 1865, mar- ried May Webb, lives in Montana, and has one child .- Mary Eleanor; Arthur, born April 12, 1867, is a bachelor and is at home, being a Democrat and a member of the Odd Fellows; Lemuel, born September 13, 1869, lives in Brady township, Saginaw county ; he married Emma Appleman and they have one child,-Stanley. Asa V., born March 1, 1872, lives in the west; Alpheus F., born September 12, 1877, died at age of seven years and twelve days, having been killed by a pile of lumber falling on him when a barn was being built.
Mr. Bliss was a Republican in national affairs, but independent in matters local. He had been township clerk, justice of the peace and supervisor-holding all of these offices for several years. He was quite prominent in politics and had one hundred and thirty- five acres of improved land at the time of his death. His widow still lives on the place, with her son Arthur.
LEONARD S. BOWLES
Leonard S. Bowles, of Owosso township, hails from Orleans county, New York, where he was born July 8, 1843. He is a son of James Bowles, who was born in Norfolk county, England, June 20, 1809, and who died in Owosso township, March 8, 1897. He came to the United States in 1829 and first settled in Orleans county, New York, where he bought forty acres of wild land,
which he improved, but he subsequently lost the property through a defective title. In 1856 he removed to Calhoun county, Michi- gan, where he worked for ten years. Then he located in Owosso township, living with his son Leonard until his death and aided the latter greatly in 'buying and clearing his present farm. Mr. Bowles' mother was named Anna. She was born in England and died in Orleans county, New York, when the subject of this article was a small lad. Mr. Bowles received some of his education at Clarendon, New York, and in the district schools of Calhoun county, Michigan, but has since greatly added to his fund of knowledge through his own efforts. Indeed, the latter method has produced the best and most practically educated men in the country. From the age of thirteen to that of fifteen years he worked for five dollars per month. He then had his wages increased, and at the age of twenty-one he enlisted at Mar- shall, Michigan, August 2, 1864, and shortly afterward was mustered in, at St. Louis, Missouri, with Company L, Second Missouri Cavalry, known as "Merrill's Horse." The regiment was organized in 1862 as an in- dependent organization but was later credited to Missouri, because its colonel belonged to that state. Three companies of the regi- ment, however, were from Michigan. He was in the battle of the Big Blue. After returning from the war he located in Owosso township and purchased eighty acres of wild land, on section 34, building a log house and stable. At that time there were no roads, no fences, few neighbors,-nothing, in fact, but trees and wild game. In 1866 a neighbor killed a bear in his yard. In 1892 he added forty acres to his original purchase. This was partly improved and there are now thirty-two acres of the same under cultiva- tion. He has a fine house and barns and in all thirty-two buildings are on the place.
'Tis not a lip, an eye, we beauty call, But the joint force and full result of all.
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So with this elegant farm. The "full re- sult of all" is what makes this beauty spot, this farm, what it is.
November 27, 1879, Mr. Bowles married Ida J. McNichol, who was born September 20, 1853. She is a daughter of Turner Mc- Nichol, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1796, and who died in Howard township, Cass county, Michigan, in 1881. Mrs. Bowles' mother was Margaret Ann (Glass) Mc- Nichol, who was born in Ireland, in 1816, and who died June 29, 1890, in the same place as did her husband. They were married in Europe and came to the United States two years afterward. They were located in New York state for a short time and then came to Niles, Michigan, buying eighty acres of wild land in Howard township, Cass county. They built a log house and stables, improved the land and later added forty acres. They owned a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres at the time of their death.
Mr. Bowles is the third of four children. Robert, born in 1838, lives in Owosso, is married and has five children,-William, Nel- lie, John, Frank and Cora. Robert enlisted April 8, 1861, in the Second Michigan In- fantry and served about two years. Mary, born in 1841, lives in Owosso township, hav- ing married Edward Osser; Anna lives in Kansas, having married Le Pruyne De Ar- mond, and having had one child, now dead.
Mrs. Bowles is the youngest of seven chil- dren. William died in infancy; Jennie died on the old homestead, having married Wil- liam Lewis and having had two children,- Arthur and Nellie; Mary, deceased, lived at Greenville, Michigan, having married Wil- liam Livingston and having had one child,- Fred: Mattie died at Greenville, Michigan, having married Niles Bowerman and having had two children,-Minnie and Albert ; John, deceased, married Julia Annis, and lived at Shilo, Michigan; Arthur, who lives in Ne- braska, married Sara Rhodes, and had six children.
Mr. and Mrs. . Bowles have two children :
Floyd, born November 22, 1881, lives in San Francisco, California, and Nettie, born August 5, 1883, is a stenographer in Detroit. Both were graduated in a business college in Ypsilanti, and attended Mrs. Gould's pri- vate school in Owosso. Mr. Bowles is a Republican, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is now serving his fifth term as justice of the peace. He makes a specialty of growing strawberries and rasp- berries, having raised as high as twelve acres of the former in one season. His output of strawberries one year was twenty-seven thousand and fifty-three quarts, with over one thousand quarts of raspberries.
REESE BOWLES
Pluck and energy have probably accom- plished more in this life than any two things that could be mentioned. Indeed, they are the active forces of the business world. The gentleman whose name heads this page has shown these qualities in a marked degree, as his present home and surroundings attest. He lives on section 11, Antrim township, and is a native son of the Empire state, where he was born January 2, 1835. His father and mother, Josiah and Sally ( Hicks) Bowles, were both born in the same state. They were also married there and continued to live there for some years afterward. When our subject had reached the age of seven years his parents journeyed to Michigan and located in Genesee county, where the father bought eighty acres of native forest land. built a log house and barn and began active work in making for himself and family a farm. In the course of a few years he sold this property and removed to Lapeer county, where he purchased eighty acres, partly ini- proved, with some buildings. He lived there about fifteen years, then sold and removed to Hadley, Michigan, where he made his home with his children. He and his wife (lied there, at the respective ages of eighty
16
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and seventy years, in the order named. In politics Mr. Bowles was originally a Whig, but when that party ceased to exist he naturally drifted into the ranks of the Repub- lican organization. He never held office, however, neither was he affiliated with any church.
At the age of seventeen years our subject began "paddling his own canoe," so to speak, -first going to work on a farm, at thirteen dollars per month. ' This he continued for some time, dividing his time between the farm in summer and the lumber woods in winter. His early educational advantages were quite limited, as he lived a long dis- tance from school and was forced to work when young. This was also the experience of his brothers and sisters. His first pur- chase of land was in Genesee county, where he secured seven acres. He afterward added to this until he was the possessor of thirty- three acres. This was partly improved and he continued to live there for several years, when he sold and located in Shiawassee county, purchasing the eighty acres on which he now resides. When the property came into his possession there were but few im- provements save a log house and stable, He went to work with a will, however, and in course of a few years the forest dissap- peared and the log excuses for buildings gave place to a handsome and commodious frame house and a large modern barn. These are kept well painted, and the farm is one of the handsomest in the entire neighborhood. Mr. Bowles having an eye for the beautiful, as the poet says, "Beauty is bought by the judgment of the eye." So with our subject. He has given abundant evidence that the judgment of his eye is not lacking. Not satisfied with his original purchase, he has added eighty acres more, one mile distant. The latter he uses for pasture. He has al- ways been a tiller of the soil, and in view of the fact that he had a stroke of paralysis a few years ago, is now unfitted for work and has his son work the farm on shares.
Mr. Bowles was married in 1856 to Lydia Herrick, who was born January 17, 1837, in Michigan. She was a daughter of William and Lydia (Roberts) Herrick; Mr. Herrick died on a farm at Goodrich, Genesee county, having passed his sixtieth mile-stone. Mrs. Bowles was one of eight children-seven of whom are still living,-one in Shiawassee. county.
Mr. and Mrs. Bowles have two children- Joseph and Williard. The former was born December 9, 1857, and has been married, but he and his wife are not now living to- gether. He is a farmer in Dakota. Williard was born April 9, 1862, and married Hattie Fuller, who is now dead; he lives with his parents. He has one child, Lydia, now Mrs. Earl Shelp. They live on a farm near the old home.
Mr. Bowles was one of thirteen children -seven of whom are still living. Thomas lives in Linden, Michigan; Nancy lives in Genesee county, being the wife of E. S. Dart; Eleanor lives in Lapeer county, on the old homestead, and is the widow of James Miller; Evan lives in Shiawassee township; Reese is the subject of this sketch; Frank lives in Hadley, Genesee county ; John, now dead, was a solider in the civil war, having served in the Eighth Michigan Infantry; Wil- liam lives in Tuscola county; Josiah is now deceased; Albert and Edgar are deceased; and Dan and Ann, twins, are also dead.
Our subject has always been a Republican. He has served for five years on the board of review of his township, and was pathmaster for several years, but has held no other of- fice. Neither is he a member of any church or fraternal society. He is a highly respected and worthy citizen,-an honor to his town and a credit to the farming fraternity.
JAMES C. BRAND
As we scan the life of the gentleman whose name heads this review we are struck
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with three characteristics which stand out in his nature above all else,-good judgment, decision, and action. Promptness of decision is necessary to accomplish desired results, and result are what count in the battle of life.
Be wise to-day : 'tis madness to defer. Next day the fatal precedent will plead.
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