USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 70
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Okemos was born on what was known in later times as Knaggs' reservation, on the Shiawassee river, in Michigan. He went early to live on Grand river, at Shim-ni-con, twenty-four miles from Lansing, on what was afterwards the great trail from Detroit to Grand Rapids. He claimed to be of blood relationship to Pontiac.
Okemos commanded the war party of Ot- tawas, who with other Indians defeated Gen. Arthur St. Clair on the Miami river in 1791. He was also in the battle on the Maumee river, August 20, 1794, when the Indians suffered a severe defeat by Gen. Anthony Wayne. He was also in the battle of Tip- pecanoe, November 5, 181I.
In the war with Great Britain in 1812, Okemos fought for the British under a col-
onel's commission. Early in 1813 Okemos. with an Ottawa chief, Caribaick, and Oke- mos' brother, Standing-up-Devil, command- ed a war party who set out to join Gen. Proctor, who was then on his march toward Fort Stephenson, on the Sandusky river. held by Capt. Croghan. When they reached Seneca Plains, six miles from Fremont, they met Capt. Ball, with a strong detachment of dragoons, sent to aid at the defense of the fort. Okemos saw that the Americans were too strong for his braves to attack and they hastily concealed themselves in the brush and would have been secure had it not been for a young buck, who could not restrain himself and fired upon the dragoons as they had gotten well past where the Indians were concealed. The dragoons wheeled and charged and a desperate hand-to-hand battle took place, which resulted in every Indian falling. Okemos fought with his usual reck- less courage and was among the last to fall, with a sabre cut in his head, his shoulder blade cut through, and a gunshot in his side. Okemos did not recover consciousness until in the night, when he gave the low Ottawa signal whoop and received an answer. It was repeated and answered a second time, when, by creeping and rolling, he succeeded in reaching the spot from whence the answer came, and found his brother, Standing-up- Devil.
In telling the story to the old pioneers, Okemos used to say: "The devil couldn't stand up any more." The two found another wounded warrior, and after a time the three succeeded in crawling down to the river, drank their fill of water and washed the blood out of their wounds. They found an old canoe and crawling into it floated down the river until they were found by friendly Indians and rescued. These three Indians were the sole survivors of the battle.
As soon as Okemos was able to travel -he
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returned to his home on Grand River. The fight on Seneca Plains was early in 1813. He recovered from his wounds so as to take the warpath in the fall, and was in the bat- tle of the Thames, October 5, 1813. when Gen. W. H. Harrison defeated Gen. Proctor and where Tecumseh was killed. In this battle he was again severely wounded. This was his last fight against the Americans. After the battle of the Thames he returned to his Grand river home to recover from his wounds, and was not again seen in Detroit until the spring of 1814, when he presented himself to Col. Godfrey, the interpreter at the fort, and said: "Now I make peace and fight no more. Chemokemon too much for Indians. Me plenty fight enough." Col. Godfrey took the chief to Gen. Cass, and through him upon one side and Okemos up- on the other, a formal treaty of peace was concluded between that band of the tribe of Ottawas which Okemos commanded and the United States. He kept his word and never fought again.
There was a period of time between the battle with Gen. Wayne in 1793 and the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, when Okemos was engaged in some bloody Indian wars of which but little is recorded. Two of the greatest were the fight of the Ottawas and Pottawatomies against the Shawnees, and the great war repelling the Chippewa in- vasion of Michigan from Wisconsin and the northwest. In both wars the Ottawas and Pottawatomies won and defeated the in- vaders. These wars were about or following the year 1800.
Elkhart, the famous chief of the Shaw- nees, who held forth in the territory now comprising Indiana, had his eye on the rich hunting grounds of southern Michigan, and was seized with the desire for "expansion." He made war on the Pottawatomies, under Pokagon, who appealed for assistance to
Okemos and Wakazoo, of the Ottawas. The Indians rendezvoused at the junction of the Kalamazoo river and Waupakisco creek, now the location of Battle Creek, and marched across Climax and Schoolcraft prairies and Prairie Ronde, to the vicinity of the present city of Three Rivers, where they met and gave battle to Elkhart and his host of Pawnees. This was the blood- iest battle of all the Indian wars of Michi- gan, and lasted for four days, resulting in the complete defeat of Elkhart, who re- treated from Michigan and never again at- tempted its conquest from the Pottawato- mies. To the credit of Okemos belongs the winning of this great fight. In generalship and strategy he outranked Elkhart, and ad- ministered a crushing and lasting blow to the great Shawnee warrior.
'The little village of Okemos, six miles east of Lansing, on the Cedar river, bears his name, and the old chief lived there with a portion of his band at times, and many of his tribesmen are buried there. He died December 5. 1858, in a favorite camp on the Looking Glass river, five miles northeast of De Witt, Clinton county, and was buried at Shim-ni-con on the Grand river, the next day. At the time of his death he was over 100 years old.
AUGUST A. E. HELMKER.
August Helmker is a splendid representa- tive of the sturdy sons whom Germany has furnished for the pioneer development of the United States. Born in the Fatherland in 1837, on the 25th day of December, he came with his parents to America in 1853. and has therefore become a citizen of this great republic for almost half a century. His father. William Helmker, was also a native of Germany, and sailed for America with his family in 1853. and eventually located at
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Toledo, Ohio, where he died with the cholera, after a residence of one year. He had served in the German army for six years. In this family were three children, of which our subject is the only surviving member. Mr. Helmker acquired his early education in the common schools of his native country, and arriving here at the age of sixteen years, he found employment on the Erie canal for two years. At the age of twenty-two years, having a strong and conscientious interest for all matters of religious interest, he be- came imbued with the desire to enter the Master's service by preaching the Gospel, and was thus engaged for the following four years, when he decided to come to Michigan. Thus it was, that in 1856 he came to Ing- ham county, and bought eighty acres of land in Delhi township. With characteristic energy, he began clearing this land, built upon it and placed it under cultivation. Upon this place he has made many and all improvements, and to the passerby it needs but a glance to indicate the thrift and pro- gressiveness of its owner.
In the month of November, 1862, our sub- ject was united in marriage to a Miss Mar- garet Rilling, daughter of Valentine and Margaret (Deihl) Rilling, who were both natives of Germany. Mrs. Helmker is one of a family of eight children.
Unto our subject and wife have been born five children, as follows : Henry W., born in 1864, now resides upon a farm purchased by the father four miles west of Holt ; Emma C., died when thirteen years of age; James F. A., born October 18, 1868, resides at home; Bertha M., born in 1870, is now the wife of George Dell, and Minna, who was born August 29, 1874, became the wife of M. Mohrlock, and lives at Chelsea, Michigan.
Not only has our subject been faithful in the discharge of his duty as an upright citi-
zen, but being imbued with a spirit of patriotism for his adopted country, he en- listed in the union army, by joining the boys in blue in Co. D, 7th Mich. Cavalry, serving in all for eleven months, being mus- tered out in 1865 at close of war. He has always voted the Republican ticket, believ- ing in its measures for the best government of the people. He enjoys the membership with G. A. R. Chas. T. Foster Post at Lan- sing, while he and his good wife are mem- bers of the Methodist church. For almost half a century he has been a resident of this county and has been interested in its im- provement and development, and has won in a straightforward and manly way his share both as a soldier and a citizen.
H. W. RIKERD.
Foremost among the prominent business men of Lansing is H. W. Rikerd of this re- view. He is the son of David W. and Har- riet E. Rikerd. The father was a native of New York, being born in the village of Rheinbeck, Duchess Co., where he was rear- ed and educated. In about 1832 or 1833 he emigrated to what was then considered the West and became a pioneer of Oakland county, this State. He located in Troy, where he engaged in farming and then re- moved to near Birmingham, where he was afterward engaged in business. Here he became one of the pioneer settlers of this portion of the State. Securing a tract of land, he built a primitive log house and be- gan the development and improvement of his property, planting and harvesting, until he finally had the entire tract in a fine state of cultivation. He remained in this locality until 1864, having in the intervening years secured and partially improved several farm properties.
It was in the year above mentioned that
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he became a resident of Ingham county, set- tling in Lansing township, he purchased be- tween four and five hundred acres of land. After a residence of two years upon this farm he then moved to the City of Lansing, where he resided until his death, which oc- curred in 1891. He was a man of many commendable traits of character, possessed of a remarkable degree of energy and deter- mination. Starting out in life for himself with practically little or no assistance, he prospered as the years went by and eventu- ally became a man of means and prominence. His widow, who bore the maiden name of Harriet E. Case and who still survives him, was born in Birmingham, Oakland county, of this State. She was a daughter of Lyman Case, a native of New York, who settled in Birmingham at an early date and there died.
The early education of H. W. Rikerd was acquired in the schools of the capital city, attending until about the age of seventeen. In 1878 he first started out in life for him- self, as a clerk in Broas clothing store, and there he remained for five years. In 1885 he was appointed Deputy Revenue Collector by John B. Maloney of Detroit for the sixth division of the First District. On the first day of July of that year he took charge of his office and efficiently served in this capacity until June 30, 1889. This division em- braced Jackson, Calhoun, Ingham, Genesee, Clinton, Shiawassee and Gratiot counties. Mr. Rikerd had the distinction of being the first Democratic Revenue Collector ever ap- pointed in Michigan. After the completion of his official service he became identified as the secretary and treasurer of the Capitol Lumber Co. This was in the latter part of 1889. This concern continued its trade rel- ations until 1895, when it was dissolved. In 1895 Mr. Rikerd was instrumental in organ- izing the Rikerd Lumber Co., and has served continuously as its president and manager.
The growth and development of this insti- tution is largely due to the efficient manage- ment of H. W. Rikerd, as it is unquestion- ably by far the largest and best equipped plant of its kind in Ingham county. Many contracts of magnitude have been awarded in recent years as a reward for their effici- ency, one of them being the wood work fur- nishings of the new County Court House of Mason, which is especially worthy of com- mendable mention.
Mr. Rikerd is a member of the Masonic order and has served as Master of Capi- tal Lodge, No. 66, of Lansing. In his polit- ical views he is a Democrat and has taken an active part in politics. He has been a mem- ber of the County Democrat Committee and also a member of the city committee, having been sent as a delegate to several state and county conventions. This mammoth insti- tution, of which he is now practically the head, owes its organization and its prosper- ous condition to his able and capable man- agement, having a thorough and practical of all branches of the business and he has devoted his time and energies to its suc- cess.
In all of his business affairs he has been straightforward, honorable, prompt and re- liable and these characteristics have been the foundation of a success that has made him one of the leading business men of Lansing and Ingham county.
ROBERT THORBURN.
One of the progressive and entertaining agriculturists of Ingham county, Delhi town- ship, is Robert Thorburn, whose birth oc- curred near his present farm in the Town- ship of Delhi, in 1858. Mr. Thorburn is a representative of one of the old pioneer families, as his father James Thorburn set- tled in this county in the year 1855. A com-
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plete history of his life appearing upon other pages of this volume. Our subject, like other farmer lads of his time, acquired his early education in the little common school of his locality, supplemented by a later at- tendance to the high school of Mason. He remained under the parental roof assisting his father in the duties of the home farm until twenty years of age, when he started out in life for himself. This was in 1878. In 1878 he was united in marriage to a Miss Arabella Davis, a daughter of John L. Davis, a native of the Empire State. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Re- becca Harrington, was a native of Ohio. John L. Davis was but eighteen years of age when he came to White Oak township, and was therefore classed among Ingham coun- ty's worthy pioneers. Here he began work- ing for a Mr. William Dryer of Lansing, in whose employ he remained a year and then moved to Delhi township, where he bought a farm two miles west of the Village of Holt, and here resided continuously for fifty-eight years. He dated his residence in this township from an early date, as his was one of the first eight families to locate in that township. Here he cleared the land and placed it under cultivation and moved his family. He died December 28, 1904, honored and respected by all who knew him. Unto our subject and his wife were born four children : the eldest, Ada B., became the wife of John R. Bohommon, a resident farmer, living east of Mason; the second. Ira Otis, aged nineteen years, now lives at home: the third, Orla Robert, aged thirteen years ; the fourth, Clarence Vern, now three years of age, lives at home.
Our subject always affiliated with the Democratic party, and both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Thorburn has taken an active interest in local politics, and has efficiently served his
district as School Treasurer for five years. He has also been active in church work, do- ing all in his power to promote its growth and development. Residing in his pleasant home upon his valuable farm of eighty acres. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has met fair success. Respected by all who know him, he is a worthy son of a worthy sire, and feels a just pride in what has been accomplished by the Thorburn family in the settlement and de- velopment of Ingham county.
TIMOTHY L. BALDWIN.
The subject of this review is a native of New York state, his birth having occurred February 28, 1841, in Orleans county. His father. Samuel Baldwin, was a native of Connecticut, being born in New Haven on the 22d day of August. 1782. he departed this life January 15, 1843. The father of Samuel Baldwin was named Benjamin, who was a native of Connecticut, and he was a son of John Baldwin, who was a son of Mann Baldwin, who emigrated from Scot- land. The father's first wife bore the maiden name of Nancy Robinson and became the mother of four children all born in Wind- ham, Green county, N. Y., as follows : Henry D., born August 31, 1809, was a physician residing in New Orleans, La .; Fanny Caroline, born August 1, 1811, mar- ried Joshua Reynolds now deceased formerly a . resident hotel keeper of Albion, N. Y. . Mrs. Reynolds still resides in that city; the next in order of birth is Emeranda, born September 13, 1814, in New York state; Marcus L., was born September 29, 1817, and was a civil engineer of Orangeburg, South Carolina, and died there in 1902. The second wife of Samuel Baldwin bore the maiden name of Abigail Bashford and was also a native of the Empire State, and was
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there married in 1826 on the 2d day of May. Unto this union three children were born, as follows : Artumus, born October 29, 1832, married Julia Kettle, he is a farmer of Watertown, Clinton county, Michigan, and unto them one daughter, Jessie, was born in 1866, still living in Chicago. Artumus Baldwin was a soldier in the Civil war, en- listing in 1861 in the 8th Mich. Volunteer Infantry. He saw considerable active service and was taken prisoner at the second battle of Bull Run, and was paroled on the field and sent on camp parole to Annapolis, where he was exchanged in about two months. After over four years of meritorious service he was honorably discharged August 19, 1865. Artumus was promoted to the rank of captain and was a man of more than ordinary capability, was killed by accidental discharge of a gun, December 28, 1867; Franklin, the next in order of birth, was born May 20, 1837, he married Cornelia Kettle, a sister of Artumus' wife, he was also a farmer of Clinton county. He also saw service in the war with his brother, and was a keeper in the Jackson prison for about twenty years, he died October 26, 1893 at Litchfield, Mich.
The mother of our subject ( Abigail Bash- ford) was a sister of James Bashford, who came to Michigan at an early day and set- tled near Dansville, Ingham county. She died in August, 1876.
The early education of our subject was acquired in the common schools of Carlston, Orleans county, N. Y., attending until about thirteen years of age, when he started out for himself and found employment, the summer following by driving a team, breaking land at four dollars per month and at this worked four months receiving sixteen dollars for his services. He labored along in this capacity until he came to Michigan in March, 1861, or until the breaking out of the Civil war,
when, being imbued with the patriotic spirit of the times, he became a member of the 8th Michigan Vol. Infantry on the 19th day of August of that year. He went into camp at Camp Anderson, Grand Rapids, Au- gust 21, and left there September 16 for Ft. Wayne. Detroit. September 23 he was mustered into United States service and on the 27th day of September he proceeded with his regiment to Washington, D. C. Three days later they were sent to Annapolis, Md., when they became a part of the 3d Brigade Expedition Army Corps, under command of Gen. Sherman, and there embarked October 19, for Port Royal, S. C., and landed there November 8. From this point he followed the fortunes of his regiment, participating in a number of important engagements, which are matters of history and of which extensive mention has been made elsewhere in connection of the brave 8th. For merito- rious service, our subject was promoted to first lieutenant of Co. E, 8th Vol. Mich., and was honorably discharged August 19, 1865. The military record of Mr. Baldwin is one which not only was a credit to himself and his company, but also to the county and com- munity where he enlisted and the writer of this brief biography regrets that this limited space will not permit the recording of those valorous deeds of heroism by officers and men, of the valiant 8th.
After the close of the war Mr. Baldwin returned to his home and went into the lum- ber business ; operating a saw mill in Delta township, Eaton county, for about three years. In 1869 he bought a half interest in a mill at Watertown, Clinton county, which he successfully conducted for one year and then sold. For a time after this venture, he worked as head sawyer and engineer at Webberville, Grand Ledge and Paris. He was also engaged in buying pine lumber and was mill foreman at Paris for some time.
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In 1874 he purchased a mill a Meridian, Ingham county, which he conducted for the following five years, and also conducted a general store, this he disposed of in 1882.
Becoming the possessor of a farm he fol- lowed that occupation for the next three years, and then removed to Shaftsburg, where he bought a half interest in a saw mill with a Mr. George Harlow, later he pur- chased Mr. Harlow's interest and is now the sole proprietor of this business. Here he is engaged in the general lumber business and lumber manufacturing, also managing his two farms of two hundred and thirty acres of land.
In 1868 Mr. Baldwin was united in mar- riage to a Miss Lucy M. Huxtable and unto them have been born three children, namely : Clara B., born August 18, 1870, married Dr. James Houston of Swartz Creek, Gene- see county. He is a graduate of the Detroit Medical College. They have a daughter, Helen C., born November 25, 1901 ; Win- field, the next in order of birth was born February 28, 1872, and died September I, 1873; Ethel M., born July 12, 1876, married J. G. Marsh and they have one son, Kenneth, born February 4, 1898. Mr. Marsh is a telegraph operator and agent for the Grand Trunk R. R. at Haslett Park.
The father of Mrs. Baldwin, Thomas Huxtable, by name, who was born in Eng- land in 1820, came to Michigan in 1853 and settled in Eaton Co., Delta Twp., on a farm, he was a contractor and builder and married Catherine Burgess. Mrs. Baldwin was born June 24, 1847, in New York state; Lena, the next child married John Barnard and she is now deceased ; Molly, married Russell Tinkham, a lawyer of Ann Arbor and they have two children, Ralph and Leona; the next, William, first married Betsey Strib- bling and she is deceased. He was again married, the second union being with Hattie
Turner of Williamston. He was a farmer of Eaton county, died in 1900. There were six children by the second union : Nellie, is a teacher in the Delta Center schools of Eaton county ; the second is Elsie; the third, Fred Frank, attended high school at Delta Mills; Robert is the next, and the last is Ruth; Susan married Asa Van De Walker, a com- mercial traveler of Indianapolis, Ind. They have two children, Genevieve and Neoma.
In taking up the life history of Timothy L. Baldwin, we write of one who is in every way a self-made man. He is a member of the Fred Turrel Post G. A. R. at Webber- ville. He is also a member of the F. & A. M. As a citizen he has (as in the dark days of the Rebellion) taken his part in affairs and has served his township as Treasurer two terms, and also was Justice of the Peace at Meridian.
Honored and respected by all who know him, few if any enjoy a higher regard or esteem of his associates than Timothy L. Baldwin.
JOHN C. FRENCH.
As a successful real estate dealer of Lan- sing, as well as its efficient Superintendent of Public Works. he stands as one of the representative self-made men of the middle west. A native of Canada, he was born on the first day of October in 1856. He was the son of John and Catherine French, the father being a native of the Empire State, while the mother was a daughter of Eng- land. The latter departed this life some fifteen years ago, while the father is still liv- ing at a venerable age in Canada, to which he emigrated in an early day, and in which he passed many years engaged in mercantile pursuits.
The early education of John C. French was somewhat limited and was acquired in
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JOHN C. FRENCH
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Canada at the common schools of that period. At an early age he began life for himself and found employment as a clerk in Cleveland, Ohio. Drifting thence to Wash- tenaw county, Michigan, he established him- self in the mercantile business. This was in about 1880. After a few years of very suc- cessful business experience in this field he removed to Lansing in 1888, where he has since conducted a prosperous real estate and building business.
In the spring of 1904 John C. French had the honor of receiving the appointment of the Superintendent of Public Works, the of- fice coming to him unsolicited-in fact, a petition being circulated and signed by the first citizens of the city, asking him to accept it. In this position he has more than justi- fied the confidence which was reposed in him. In political views, Mr. French is a Republi- can of the pronounced type and has taken an active interest in local politics, as he effici- ently represented the second ward as a mem- ber of the City Council in 1898 and 1899. During his incumbency of office, it is on record that he took a deep and absorbing in- terest in any measure that pertained to the advancement of his adopted city. He was requested to accept the office of Superintend- ant of Public Works for the second term. but declined, rather desiring to give his at- tention to his undivided and official inter- ests.
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