USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 20
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diligently applied, and has made him a suc- cessful farmer.
On the 22nd day of February of 1892, there occurred the marriage of our subject to Miss Lottie Tilletson, daughter of Milton and Ella T. Tilletson, who were residents of Ohio. Her father is a farmer by occupation, and a native of Ohio, where the mother was also born.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Binkley have been born three children, namely : Harrold Dean, born March 10, 1894; Ralph Forclmond, born October 4, 1895, and Ella B., born September 1, 1897.
Mr. Binkley casts his vote for the Democ-' racy, and takes an active interest in all that pertains to the good of his locality. In his farming operations, he is a painstaking and methodical man, and has successfully con- ducted the farm of Mr. George Dell. Though still a young man, he commands the respect of his associates and neighbors, and bids fair to become one of the successful farmers of his community.
LUCIUS BOWDISH.
The name Bowdish has been intimately associated with the Township of Stockbridge from its earliest settlement to the present time.
In the year of 1836, when the entire coun- try was practically a dense forest, and the only thoroughfares across the country, In- dian trails, Judge John R. Bowdish, a na- tive of Vermont, born January, 1803, with his family located on 160 acres of wild land in Stockbridge. A log house was rolled up and the clearing away of the forest began.
One important event in the life of Judge Bowdish was his marriage to Miss Emeline Dewey in New York state in 1826. Mrs. Bowdish was a native of Massachusetts, born February, 1810. Of this union were
born nine children, of which our subject was the fourth in order of birth. Their order of birth and other data respecting them is given as follows: Maria, deceased; Ferdi- nand, enlisted as a soldier in the 27th Mich. Vol. Infantry, and was mustered into serv- ice April 10, 1863. He followed the for- tunes of his regiment, participating in nearly a score of battles, including Knoxville, Tenn., Siege of Vicksburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Springs, Petersburg, and was captured at the Battle of Reames Sta- tion, August 19, 1864. He was confined in the prison pen at Belle Isle, Libby, Salisbury, and Andersonville. No definite date is at hand as to the length of confinement in these places of torment and horror. It is suf- ficient, however, to know that when ex- changed as a prisoner of war, he was so broken in health, that he was mustered out of service because of disability. He lingered for two years and died a martyr to the cause of civil liberty ; Phoebe J., deceased; Wel- lington W .; Carlton ; Corydon, was a mem- ber of the 7th Mich. Infantry, enlisting Jan- uary, 1864, and participated in all engage- ments of the regiment to the Battle of the Wilderness, where he was mortally wounded and died a few days later; and a girl who died in infancy, and Fernando.
Lucius Bowdish was born in the Empire State, March 21, 1835. His early education was such as afforded by the district schools of that time.
When a lad of seventeen he began for himself as a month hand on the farm and continued at this occupation for nine years or until the breaking out of the Civil War. He enlisted August 15, 1861, in Co. B, 7th Mich. Infantry, under command of Capt. Philip McKernan. He followed the fortunes of this gallant command at the battles of Ball's Bluff, Yorktown, Peach Orchard, Sav- age Station, Bull Run, South Mountain, An-
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tietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Hay Market, Gettysburg, Falling Waters, Brist's Station, Robertson's Tavern, Mine Run and the Wilderness; which is glory enough for any man.
The Seventh was known as one of the best fighting regiments of the Army of the Potomac, and at the last named engage- ment, our subject, one of the bravest of the command, sealed his devotion to country, leaving his strong right arm on the field of battle. For over forty years an empty sleeve has been a constant reminder of that awful struggle. He was mustered out of service Aug. 30, 1864, by reason of disability.
· Mr. Bowdish upon his return to civil life again resumed the occupation of farming. Nov. 24, 1864 was united in marriage to Mary J., daughter of William Presley, who was a highly respected citizen and pioneer of the township and came from England to the United States in 1835. Her inother, whose name was Martha Lowe, was born in Ulster Co., N. Y. They were united in marriage at Dexter, Washtenaw Co., in 1837. The father died in 1865; the mother lived' to a ripe old age, passing away in 1898, aged ninety-three years.
In addition to carrying on his farm opera- tions was a loyal Methodist preacher, and in the early days labored during the week, while his Sabbaths were devoted to preach- ing the gospel in the country school houses.
Mrs. Bowdish was third of five children born to her parents, named respectively : Jane, deceased; Richard was a member of the 9th Mich. Infantry, he died at West Point, Ky., Feb. 9, 1862; John, did valiant service for his country as a member of the 7th Mich. Infantry, enlisting Jan. 2, 1862. He participated in all engagements in which his regiment fought; the Battle of Wilder- ness being his first engagement, including the Siege of Petersburg, when he was strick-
en by disease and taken to the hospital in a tent under a tree near the James river, where he had the strange misfortune to be killed by a stroke of lightning, Aug. 17, 1864. Mrs. Bowdish's father was twice married, his first wife bore him three children, all of whom are deceased.
To our subject and wife have been born six children, data given respecting them is as follows: Emeline, born 1866, the wife of August Lisman, they reside in Livingston Co., Mich., and have one child, Truman; Clare, born in 1896; Martha A., born in 1869, wife of Geo. R. Cooper, resides in Ann Arbor, Mich .; Leonard C., born in 1871, was united in marriage to Anna Gros- venor in 1893. She died in 1898. For his second wife, Leonard C. married Bertha Galagher, they live in Kansas; Inez M., born in 1874, teaching; Mary G., born in 1876, teaching ; Clara M., born 1882, died 1886.
In the year 1869 Mr. Bowdish settled on the farm where he now resides, about one mile south of the village of Stockbridge. His first purchase was forty acres, with but a small ..... and no buildings. Mr. Bow- dish, though handicapped by the loss of his arm, has by perseverance and energy cleared the land, erected the buildings and added to his possession until he owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres.
Politically he has always been an ardent supporter of the party that stood by the ad- ministration during the dark days of the re- bellion, a Lincoln Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Bowdish have for many years been actively interested in every good work tending to the betterment of society. They affiliated with the M. E. church.
Mr. Bowdish's father received his title of "Judge" from his service at an early date, when two associates were chosen to occupy seats beside the Judge during court sessions. He was a man of strong character. good
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judgment and highly respected by his neigh- bors.
Both the Bowdish and the Presley fam- ilies were among those whose influence made the county what it is today.
JOEL SMITH.
The subject of this review has resided continuously in Ingham county since 1848, excepting two years in California, and is therefore justly entitled to be classed as one of its pioneers. A native of New York, he was born on the 16th day of September of 1827, in Manchester township, Ontario county. His father, Asa Smith, was a na- tive of the Green Mountain State and born in 1789. The mother, whose maiden name was Hannah Poor, was of Revolutionary stock, as a relative of her's took part and was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill, while another was an officer in the Conti- nental Army, who took part in Sullivan's raid through Central and Western New York. The father was a farmer by occupa- tion and followed that pursuit throughout life and died at the age of seventy-nine years, while his wife and helpmate on life's journey long survived him, living to the advanced age of ninety years and both are buried in Manchester, Port Gibson cemetery. They became the parents of fourteen children, two daughters and twelve sons, all of whom lived to man and womanhood excepting one, an infant, and of whom seven are now living, the subject of this sketch being the seventh son.
Our subject's grandfather, Ezekiel Smith, was a native of Massachusetts. He moved from Stonington in 1788 to Lamoll county, Vt., where Asa Smith was born at the foot of Mansfield Mountain, April 3, 1789. Some years after the family moved to Ma- lone, Franklin county, N. Y., where our sub-
ject's father and mother were married in 18II. The mother of our subject was born at Haverhill, New Hampshire, on the Mer- rimac river in 1795, her parents having moved to Haverhill, New Hampshire, from near Boston. In 1811 the father moved from Malone to the vicinity of Palmyra, Wayne county, N. Y., having purchased from the government a tract of wild land in the town of Manchester, Ontario county. In 1813 he moved upon this tract and cleared a large farm and here he raised a large old fashioned family. The first squatter upon the place, upon which our subject now re- sides, was John Pierce, who came about 1840 and built a log house and moved in and did a small amount of chopping. He stayed on the place about three months and in the spring of 1848 Truman Rockwell procured a pre-emption and moved in and did some chopping and clearing.
Mr. Joel Smith visited Ingham county and Lansing in August of 1847, before the old capitol was erected, the cellar walls be- ing all built and the frame nearly ready to raise. Men at that time were cutting the timber from the main streets. Mr. Smith went to the land office at Ionia and got a plot of the vacant lands of Delhi and hired one Frederick Luther to help him look over the lands. Not finding any that suited him, he returned to New York in about ten days. In 1848 he again visited the County of Ing- ham and bought off the above mentioned Truman Rockwell and went to Ionia and took up the land from the government. There were but a few acres cleared on this tract of one hundred and twelve acres. With characteristic energy Mr. Smith began clear- ing and developing this place and as he · prospered in his undertakings, added to the original purchase eighty acres, until he now owns one hundred and ninety-two acres of well improved land. Most of the improve-
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JOEL SMITH
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MRS. JOEL SMITH
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INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
ments upon the place are of his own handi- work, and a good home and commodious barns now stand as an evidence of the thrift and progressiveness of the owner. The present structure of prepossessing appear- ance, was built in the year 1876 and took the place of the first primitive home, a log house of pioneer times, sixteen by twenty feet in dimensions, with an addition built in 1853. In this dwelling of pioneer times our sub- ject and his good wife resided from 1853 to 1876.
December 20, 1853, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Mary Jane McCurdy, a native of Redstone, Fayette county, Pa. Her birth occurred April 29, 1833, and she died July 17, 1900. This union was blessed with eight children, namely, Hannah J., born September 27, 1854, died April 7, 1902 ; Elenore, born July 22, 1856; Harriet P., born April 21, 1858 ; Florence May, Feb- ruary 12, 1861 ; Catherine, April 3, 1864; Frederick C., December 21, 1866; Alta L., May 19, 1871, and Mary J., born August I, 1873.
In the spring of 1850 there occurred an event in the life of Mr. Smith, well worthy of recounting in his individual history, as it not only identified him with the progressive spirit of the age, but showed him to be a man of pluck and energy. On the first day of April of the year mentioned, he joined three of his brothers at Adrian and pro- ceeded by way of Council Bluffs and Salt Lake to California, arriving on the 21st day of August of the same year. This trip was made in the face of many hardships and trials, due to the unsettled condition of this country at that time. Here they engaged in mining and prospecting and were quite suc- cessful. Here they remained amid wild scenes and incidents until 1852, arriving home by way of the Isthmus of Panama on the 18th day of January. Returning home,
our subject resumed his farming operations and has here continuously resided since that time. Mrs. Smith was a devoted wife and mother. She was a Christian woman and died in the faith she so long exemplified.
For more than half a century, Mr. Smith has been a resident of Ingham county and lias borne his part in the development. He has taken an active part in any and all meas- ures that have assisted in the moral and ed- ucational development of his adopted county and is justly entitled to prominent mention in this history of its worthy pioneer citizens.
JOSEPH STOFFER.
Joseph Stoffer was born in Green town- ship, Mahoning county, Ohio, August 31, 1836. He was the son of Jacob M. and Catherine ( Meese) Stoffer. His father, a native of Pennsylvania, was born July 21, 1810, in Franklin county, and died Novem- ber 14, 1885. His mother was a native of the state of Ohio. She was born January 20, 1816, in the Township of Salem, Columbus county, and died October 22, 1856. Both rest in the family plat in a little cemetery in Washingville, Mahoning county, Ohio. The father was twice married, the first time March 13, 1834, seven children being born of this marriage, of whom four are still liv- ing. Our subject was the second in the fam- ily. The elder Stoffer was a man of many virtues, always found upon the right side of questions of morality or religion. The parents were members of the M. E. church, to which they generously contributed of their means for its support. The father was a Republican in politics and had faith in his party to administer the affairs of the govern- ment in the interest of the people. Farming was his occupation, to which occupation he gave the years of his life.
Joseph, our subject, remained at home at-
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tending the district schools during the win- ter, helping about the farm work during the summer season. At the age of eighteen years he started out for himself to learn the trade of carriage and wagon making. He worked for two years, receiving for his ser- vices the sum of sixty-five dollars. October 2, 1859, Mr. Stoffer was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Ann Calvin. To them two children have been born, Melinda Jane, born in Ohio, April, 1861, now the wife of Jesse Cole, a successful and prosperous farmer in Aurelius township; Emma Irene, born in Ohio, July 21, 1864, is the wife of James Cole, a twin brother of her sister's husband. The Cole brothers have for several years jointly managed the farm of Mr. Stoffer, his wife having died April 16, 1897, a woman of many good qualities of heart and mind. She was buried in Maple Grove cemetery in Mason.
Mr. Stoffer has been recognized as one of the trustworthy and reliable men of his township. His word is always considered as good as a government bond. Mr. Stoffer and wife have for many years been honored and respected members of the M. E. church and by the uprightness of their lives have won for themselves the confidence of all who know them. In politics Mr. Stoffer lines up with the Republican party. He came to Michigan in 1864, and lived for a time in the Township of Vevay, working land on shares. Later he invested his savings in land and has ever since been a freeholder. His farm, situated on section 23, Aurelius township, is one of the well improved farms of the township. The buildings are modern, commodious and attractive. The premises present to the public the appearance of thrift and enterprise.
After the mariage of their daughters, Mr. and Mrs. Stoffer retired from active farm life and for three years prior to her death,
they resided in the city of Mason. Mr. Stoffer is what may be properly termed, a self-made man, starting out in life his only equipment being a strong constitution and a determination to win out. The success that has attended his efforts along this line must be very gratifying indeed to him, having a sufficient competency for his declining years and living with his two dutiful daughters, the outlook for him is gratifying far beyond the average lot of mortals.
WILLIAM L. ROBSON.
Among the successful, well known busi- ness men of Williamston is W. L. Robson, the druggist, who was born at Farmington, Oakland county, Michigan, September 18, 1841, being the son of Thomas and Rachel Robson. His father was born in Yorkshire, England and emigrated to Michigan in 1837. At this time he was but twenty-two years of age. He had learned the trade of a tailor in his native country, which he followed for a time after coming here and later engaged in the mercantile business. He first located at Farmington, but about the year 1838 moved with his family to Lansing, where he worked at his trade until his death, which occurred in Lansing. The mother was born in New York state. Unto this couple were born seven children, of which our subject was next to the youngest. He lived in Farmington with the family until about ten years of age and moved about the State in various places until he came to Williamston in 1877 and went into the drug business. Since residing here he has served the government four years as postmaster, two years under President Harrison and two under Grover Cleveland.
Mr. Robson was married May 25, 1864 to Miss Esther, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Shaw of Jackson county. Mrs. Robson was born at Grass Lake. Mr. Shaw
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died at Jackson, Michigan in 1850, after which Mrs. Shaw with her children moved to Lansing. At this time, Mr. Robson re- calls the fact that Washington avenue was heavily timbered on both sides. Mrs. Shaw died at Okemos in 1895. She was the mother of three children: Willis Shaw of Lansing, Edwin of Ithaca, and Mrs. Robson.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Robson, only one of which is living, Dr. Thomas W. Robson, a practicing dentist at Whitehall, Muskegon county, Michigan.
William L. Robson enlisted in Co. F of the 17th Michigan Infantry August 13, 1862. The gallant charge made by this com- mand on the stone walls behind which the enemy with its batteries were strongly posted, gave it the name of the Stone Wall Regiment by which it was known through- out the war and which has gone with it into history of the war. It is a matter of history that this regiment did most valiant service at the battle of South Mountain before ever having had a battalion drill. It had been from the State but two weeks. In his re- port of the conduct of this command for the first time under fire, General Mcclellan said : "General Wilcox praises very highly the conduct of the 17th Michigan, in this ad- vance, a regiment which had been organized scarcely a month but which charged the enemy's flank in a manner worthy of veteran troops." A New York paper giving an ac- count of the conduct of this regiment, said at the time : "The enemy as usual, sought every advantage, particularly that of stone fences, behind which they assailed our men fiercely, but the impetuous charges of some of our regiments, particularly that of the 17th Michigan, but two weeks from home, carried everything before it and the dead bodies of the enemy on that mountain crest lay thick enough for stepping stones. The greatest slaughter at this point was among General
Drayton's brigade, composed mainly of South Carolinians and some Georgians. Nearly the whole of this brigade was either killed, wounded or captured."
The loss of the gallant 17th in this battle was twenty-seven killed and one hundred and fourteen wounded out of less than five hundred men who were actively engaged. Captain Gabriel Campbell, a member of this command who participated in the fight, in a poem delivered class day before the class of 1865 in the department of science and litera- ture of the U. of M., in describing the part taken by the 17th, among other patriotic things said :
"At length the voice of Withington Makes every heart enlarge, Up springing at the welcome word, We rally for the "charge." Sudden from right to left arose,
A wild unearthly yell As on the foremost rebel line Like maddened wolves we fell.
Back driven from their firm stockades, They rushed with hideous groan, And rally with redoubled strength Behind a wall of stone,
On comes the line of Michigan. With bristling bayonets all- Three volleys and a charge! Great God ! It clearly scales the wall.
They rally yet-and yet again, Fiendish 'mid wreaking blood- Nor rebel steel-nor walls of stone Can check the loyal flood :
But just as o'er that mountain top
Reflects the setting sun,
Our victors' shouts sent heavenward,
- Proclaim the battle won."
It was amid the awful din and carnage of this struggle that William L. Robson fell
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severely wounded on September 14th, 1862, at South Mountain, Maryland.
Having by reason of wounds become dis- abled for further service in the field, he was discharged July 22, 1863, at Camp Dennison, Ohio.
A soldier's sacrifice or service for his coun- try is not to be measured by the time given but rather to the individual.
HIRAM RIX.
The life sketch of Hiram Rix is that of a man who has made his influence felt, not only during the quiet days of peace, but when the dark clouds of war hung over the land. At that time he joined hand in hand with his neighbors, and upon the battlefield stood shoulder to shoulder with his com- rades in the defense of the old flag, and now he feels that the country for which fought is dearer to him than if he had remained at home in her hour of distress. This gentle- man lives upon a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Leroy township, and was born in Washtenaw county in 1844. He is the son of Hiram and Emily (Osborne) Rix, the father having been born in Canada, December 16, 1811, and the mother in the Empire State, December 15, 1818.
The parents of our subject were married in 1836 in Genessee county, New York, and came to Michigan in 1837, where they en- gaged in farming first in Livingston county, where they lived for about three years on eighty acres of unimproved land. In 1842 they sold out and bought eighty acres on section 8 in Leroy township. This was raw . land, with the exception of a small place where a log house was built. After this they moved to Washtenaw county and here lived until 1850 and they moved back to Leroy township where they lived until their death. Early in life the father of our subject was a
Democrat, but later affiliated with the Whig and finally with the Republican party. In religion, the Rix family are Spiritualists.
Our subject is one of ten children, being fourth in order of birth. 'He was educated in the district schools and this he supple- mented by reading and observation. Mr. Rix worked with his father until twenty- seven years of age, when he settled on eighty acres of timber land and has increased his possessions from time to time until he is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres.
August 27, 1871, Hiram Rix was united in marriage to Betsy Ann, daughter of Ruf- us J. and Dorpha ( Brownell) Neal, the fath- er being a native of New York state and the mother of Vermont. Rufus Neal was born in 1826 and died in 1892, while the mother was born in 1826 and died in 1881. They came to Michigan and Ingham county in 1850 and settled in Leroy, first working land on shares until 1862, when the father served three years in the army and then bought a farm of eighty acres in Locke township, which he sold later and bought eighty acres in Leroy, which he owned at the time of his death. Mr. Neal was a Republican, while our subject, although a Republican in earlier years, is now an active follower of the Democracy. Our subject served as Town- ship Clerk for two years and as Supervisor for six years. He is a member of the Grange and the G. A. R., in both of which he is much interested.
Mr. and Mrs. Rix are the parents of ten children, seven boys and three girls : Milton, George, Walter, Carl, Edith, Floyd, Clif- ford, Gertrude, Luther, and Mildred.
Hiram Rix enlisted in Co. D, 6th Mich- igan Cavalry, October 23, 1862, and the regiment was stationed at Grand Rapids. In December they went to Washington, arriv- ing there at the same time as the 26th Mich- igan Infantry, and spent the time drilling
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GEO. L. CARTER
MRS. GEO. L. CARTER
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until spring when they were assigned to Custer's Brigade of Kilpatrick's Division of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, their first active service being at Gettysburg, where they lost every commissioned officer in the company to which he belonged. At Boonsboro, Maryland, July 8, 1863, our sub- ject was taken prisoner and kept in Libby prison until September 30, 1863, when he was paroled and joined his regiment at Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864, and from there went to Travilian Station, then was sent to the Shenandoah Valley with Sheridan, and was in all the battles of that valley. The next spring, in 1865, he crossed the country to Petersburg and joined Grant and fought in the battle of Five Forks, and from that time till the close of the war was in pursuit of the rebels with with Grant, until the final sur- render of Lee. Our subject was one of the faithful soldiers of his regiment. He well deserved the respect and confidence that his fellow townsmen accord him, having been all through life a self-sacrificing, loyal and patriotic citizen, than which Ingham county has few better.
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