USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 76
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Edith S., born April 12, 1882, graduated from the Mason high school, class of 1900. Had about four years experience as a teacher. May 12, 1904, she was united in marriage to Grant McCormick. They have one child, Irma Edith, born April 1, 1905. The McCormick's reside in the capital city and are pleasantly situated.
Oscar J., born May 15, 1889, is at home with his parents. It is a fact worthy of note with reference to the four children married ; they had each had experience as teachers in the public schools, and each married a com- panion of like experience.
Another fact relating to the home farm of one hundred and twenty acres of Harvey Wilson's which he inherited from his father, is, that the land was never deeded or mort- gaged, except the original deed from the government.
Surrounded by their children and grand- children, and in the enjoyment of the filial affection of each and all, and with a com- fortable competence for the declining years, and bearing with them a consciousness of lives well lived, they may each well say with one of old "My cup runneth over."
The family give loyal support to the Baptist church society of Mason. In poli- tics Mr. Wilson lines up with the Repub- lican party.
JOHN A. HEMANS AND FRANCES L. HEMANS.
John A. Hemans was born on the 28th day of April, 1830, at the Village of Ban- well, Somersetshire, England ; a picturesque village in a valley of the Mendip hills, some twelve miles southwest of Bristol and six miles to the east of the Channel. He was the youngest in a family of five, born to Thomas and Mary Hemans or Hemens, as the name was indifferently spelled. His second name was given in honor of the maiden name of his mother, who before her marriage was a Mary Ash of Exeter in the adjoining shire of Devon. Before leaving England the Hemans family had been a race of black- smiths, at least for many generations one or more of the family had in each genera- tion plied the trade at the Village of Ban- well. They were a family of deep religious convictions and tablets in the ancient church of the village still bear testimony of their piety and philanthropy. Thomas Hemans being among the younger of his father's family and therefore kept from the inherit- ance, with his wife and five children turned his face towards America as a refuge of hope and promise. They took passage in the Causemore, a sailing vessel which after a weary voyage of nearly twelve weeks landed them in New York. Two weeks later they were landed from the Erie canal at Thomp- son's Landing, near the present City of Syra- cuse. The father at this time was in his fortieth year, a numerous family and a single guinea his worldly possessions. Thomas Hemans could make claim to being of a wonderful family, for such was their vitality that of the four brothers who came to America and one brother and two sisters who remained in England. all surpassed their eightieth year.
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For some years following the landing of the family of Thomas Hemans in New York they knew the trials of toil and privation. The children of the family by necessity were early obliged to relieve the family burden by seeking employment elsewhere. It was thus that the subject of this sketch in his thir- teenth year found a home with the Hon. Wm. M. Taylor of Manlius, N. Y., a phy- sician of much prominence, and at the time the Representative of his district in the Na- tional Congress. Here the lad, John A., found a home for the ensuing two years, re- ceiving winter schooling and what was of greater value, the benefit of a helpful asso- ciation. He early desired to learn the trade of a machinist, but lacking the influence to secure a suitable position, he later, and in his sixteenth year, took up the calling of his father's, and began the learning of the trade of a blacksmith. Good habits were assured by the fact that for two years in addition to his board he was to receive the annual payment of thirty-five dollars. In 1852, his trade mastered and some money saved from its prosecution, he purchased a shop and business at the Village of Collimer, some seven miles from Syracuse. Here he labored for six years, until he was the owner of a home and business free from debt. While here, and on the 3d of July, 1858, he was united in marriage with Frances Lovinia Sherwood, daughter of Wells Sher- wood the village carpenter; her father of English extraction, while her mother was but one generation from Holland, she hav- ing been born at Coeymans, Albany county, July 12, 1838. While residing at Collimer three children were born and here the eldest. Marian A., died. From here the family in October, 1865, removed to Canada Settle- ment, Eaton county, Michigan, where the father had purchased a farm, upon which
they continued to reside until 1868, when they removed to Mason, where the father re- sumed the avocation of a blacksmith, which he continued for some seven years and until March, 1875, at which date he moved upon a large farm, which he had purchased in On- ondaga township, one and one quarter miles south of Aurelius Center. This continued to be the family home until 1888, when ad- vancing years brought the father and mother to Mason, where they still continue to reside. To Mr. and Mrs. Hemans four children have been born that are now living : Egbert W., of Onondaga township: Lawton T., of Mason : Gertrude May, wife of Alonzo B. Gretton of Aurelius and Mary Isadore, wife of Walter Rogers of Lansing.
The lives of John A. Hemans and the faithful wife and mother have been lives of unfaltering industry, piety and sacrifice, sacrifice of that noble order that would make some privilege for their children that had been denied to them. Their lives have been lives of modesty, repressing abilities and at- tainments, suited for higher spheres. Their application has insured to them a modicum of comfort for their advancing years. In the humble walks of life they have earned life's greatest honor, which is the conscious- ness of lives lived in reverence, rectitude and integrity.
This just tribute by their son, Lawton T. Hemans.
ANDREW BEERS.
The subject of this brief biography was the son of Marcus and Lucinda (Duell) Beers. The father was born in the "Land of steady habits" and came to Michigan in the year 1836 and took up eighty acres of land from the government and cleared it and carved out for himself and family a home.
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Andrew was born in 1840, and was the only son born to his parents. He was blessed with three sisters, all of whom have passed out of life.
Our subject's boyhood days in the then new and undeveloped country were similar to the boys of his time. Plain fare, scant clothing, with uncertain schooling in the old log schoolhouse was the common experience. Young Beers, however, made the most of his opportunities, and while yet a minor was able to pass a satisfactory examination in the primary branches, and was given a cer- tificate to teach. This was his occupation during the winter of 1860-61, after which he went to Ann Arbor and entered school. He was there but a short time, when Fort Sumter was fired upon and war was de- clared. He laid aside his books, abandoned for a time his ambitions for an education .. and offered his services to his country for the defence of the flag and her honor. He enlisted in Co. B of the 2d Michigan Cav- alry, under command of Capt. Henry A. Shaw. Young Beers followed the fortunes of his regiment through a number of bat- tles and skirmishes. He participated in the battles of Franklin, Pennville, Chickamauga, Nashville and others less severe. He has to his credit four years of faithful serv- ice. Three months of the time he was con- fined in the hospital in the State of Missis- sippi.
In the campaign of 1864 he served as a scout for General McCook : this is exception- ally dangerous service and one for which men are seldom detailed. Volunteers are called for in this branch of special service, and only good men are available. He was mustered out at Macon, Ga., by reason of the close of the war.
Returning to civil life Mr. Beers came home and assumed the management of the
farm, which he did for about twenty-five years, or until failing health caused him to retire from manual labor. About 1890 he moved to the Village of Dansville, where he has since resided.
Mr. Beers has cultivated the social side of his nature by a membership in the Ma- sons, the Maccabees and the G. A. R.
In politics he affiliates with the Repub- lican party, and has often been honored by a place on his ticket. He served his town- ship as Commissioner of Highways, Justice of the Peace and Supervisor. His father was the first Township Clerk in Ingham township, and at that time the township em- braced what is now the territory of four townships. At this first election twenty-five votes were cast. Mr. Beers still has in his possession the ballot box used on the occa- sion.
Mr. Beers has given much study and thought on the subject of nature, and he is now engaged in re-writing the manuscript of "Excerpts from Nature." His first manu- script for his work was lost in a fire. Mr. Beers has a good library and spends much of his time with his books. In religious views, he is what he terms a "free thinker."
Mr. Beers prizes very highly his collec- tion of war and other relics, which he has been enabled to secure. Though not in rug- ged health, by thought and study he is get- ting a good degree of satisfaction out of life.
BENJAMIN F. DAVIS.
The name of Davis is inseparably inter- woven with the history of Lansing and Ing- ham county, as the father of our subject, William F., and the mother, Mary M. Davis, were among those early pioneers, who gave up the comforts of the older east and emi-
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grated to what was then considered, "the West," and cast their lot with that of the early hardy pioneers who laid broad and deep the foundation of Michigan's prosper- ity.
William T. and Mary M. Davis were na- tives of New York City, who in their early married life, moved to Genesee county of that state. Here the father followed the oc- cupation of farming for a number of years, thus providing for his family of six children, who were born in that locality. Believing in the greater possibility for an ambitious and enterprising man, in the West, he emi- grated to Michigan in the fall of 1853, and took up his residence in the town of Lan- sing, awaiting the final construction of the new family home, which was being built up- on a quarter section of land which he had previously bought, and which is now a part of the city, being located in the southeast part. This home is still standing. To the improvement and development of this prop- erty Wm. T. Davis devoted his time and energies and thereon resided until his death, which occurred in 1875, his wife having long survived him, departed this life in 1890.
William T. Davis was a man, honored and respected by all who knew him, possess- ing many stern traits of character, which en- deared him to his numerous friends.
Benjamin F. Davis, the only surviving member of this family, spent his boyhood and youth as other lads of the period, at- tending the Townsend street school, where he acquired his early preliminary education, which was later supplemented by a more thorough course at the Agricultural College. Leaving this institution in 1863, when he accepted an appointment in the Quarter- master General's office at Washington, D. C., where he remained for the following four years or until 1867, when he returned to Lansing. In 1881 Mr. Davis with four
others effected the organization of the Lan- sing Wheelbarrow Company, in which he acted in the capacity of manager until 1886. This institution under his personal efforts became one of the important manufactories of the city, adding much to its material growth and development. His capable fi- nanciering of this institution had attracted no little attention and gave him a reputation which was extremely flattering, consequently upon the organization of the City National Bank in 1886, he was tendered the manage- ment of this institution and his position he has efficiently filled to this time.
On the 18th day of May of 1875. Ben- jamin F. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Eva Sparrow, and to this union were born two daughters, namely, Bessie and Edith Eva. In January, 1890, Mr. Davis was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife. In April of 1902 he was again mar- ried, this second union to a Miss Sarah Day, a daughter of the late Dr. Fiske H. Day.
Other business interests of importance and which have proved valuable factors, as manufacturing and commercial interests to Lansing, have claimed Mr. Davis' time and attention, as he is now serving as treasurer of the M. A. C., also the Lansing Wheel- barrow Works and of the Lansing Cold Storage Co. As a public-spirited citizen, Mr. Davis has taken an active part in pol- itics, casting his vote and influence with the Republican party. He is likewise an active member of the Masonic fraternity.
The City National Bank of Lansing, which stands today as one of the successful, conservative, financial institutions of the State, owes much of its growth and develop- ment to the capable management of Ben- jamin F. Davis. The characteristics of the man are such that they have well fitted him for the position of responsibility, which he now holds. The confidence of the people, in
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the management of an institution of this year he carried mail from Howell to Ham- character, is an absolute necessity for its burg on horseback, after that he worked on growth and development. That Mr. Davis has enjoyed this privilege is a statement that will seem trite to those that are familiar with his life's history. a farm three and one-half years. Here the young lad had the advantages of country life, plain fare and sufficient manual labor. He attended the rural schools and acquired most of his education in them, but added to REV. EDWIN H. BROCKWAY (DECEASED). this schooling two years in Albion College, after he had become a young man of twenty- five or twenty-six.
Had the life of this devoted pioneer min- ister of the Gospel been lengthened, but the short span of five days, he would have rounded out the full four score years.
E. H. Brockway was born at Sand Hill near Dansville, N. Y., May 11, 1825, and died at Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 6, 1905. Rev. J. W. Crippen of Ann Arbor wrote of his death as follows :
"Suddenly, peacefully and painlessly our dear brother, Rev. E. H. Brockway, passed away at our University hospital, Saturday afternoon, the 6th. Through the closing of the esophagus he had been unable to take anything into the stomach since about April 20. After coming to the hospital, April 23, he had received nourishment by other means, and did not suffer except from thirst. and was expecting a surgical operation with a possible hope of relief on the morrow. This, however, was not to be. Sitting in a chair by his bedside he was seen to gasp, and before medical aid could reach him he was not."
Edwin H. was the son of Elisha Wade and Mary (Lemen) Brockway. The father was a native of Connecticut and the mother of the Empire State. The family came to Michigan in the year 1829, first locating near Ann Arbor. Five years later they moved a few miles north settling upon a tract of land near Hamburg. He stayed at home until twenty-two years of age. At- tended district schools in the winter. One
He had a strong religious nature, and very early in life felt the rightness and duty of putting himself into the care of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, but failed to carry out this impulse. While yet a young man, however, in 1846, he was clear- ly converted. This occurred under the serv- ices of Rev. Calvin S. Kingsley and a local preacher by the name of Samuel Whiting in a schoolhouse meeting being held about a mile north of Whitmore Lake. He at once joined the church, and after a few years following the call of God, came into the min- istry, joining the Michigan Conference on trial at Ann Arbor in 1854 in a class of twenty-four, none of whom we think are still living. His appointments were : Mason, 1854; Chelsea, 1855-6: Blissfield, 1857-8; Rome, 1859-60; Medina, 1861-2; Franklin, 1863-4; Milford, 1865 ; Unadilla, 1866-7-8 : Fowlerville, 1869-70-71 ; Byron, 1872-3: Swartz Creek, 1874-5: Gaines. 1876-7-8. In 1879 he was placed on the supernumer- ary list and lived during the year at Albion. In 1880-1-2 he was appointed to Medina for the second time, and superannuated in 1883, moving to his old home at Mason, where his first pastorate was, and where he lived ever after until his death. His first year of su- perannuation was not spent in retirement, however, and he became the pastor of that church, thus opening and closing his ministry of thirty years in the same church. His strength of mind and usefulness as a pastor
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may be inferred from the fact that in almost every instance he remained in his charges the full length of time permitted by the dis- cipline of the church. In every charge of his ministry he had conversions and in some ยท of them extensive revivals.
A few years ago writing of himself he said: "Through the mercy and long suffer- ing of the Lord I have been spared until the present, being now nearly seventy-one years of age, and am happy in the enjoyment of the Saviour's love and my attachment to him and his cause is strengthened daily."
He was of a retiring nature with a sweet and calm disposition and a fine Christian spirit and a simple saving faith.
August 24, 1855, he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Fidelia S. Thompson, a lady of culture, and at the time of their marriage a teacher in the public schools at Mason.
Two daughters have been born to them, Mary and Ida, both are with the mother. Mrs. Brockway has proven herself a help- meet, indeed, having during all the years of their labors of love for the church and so- ciety given her best endeavor to promote the cause so near their hearts.
He leaves a brother, Rev. Nelson L. Brockway, of Mancelona, and a sister, Mrs. J. L. Smith.
His funeral obsequies were observed at Mason upon the 80th anniversary of his birth, in the same town where he began his ministerial labors over a half century before.
At the time of his death, Rev. Brockway was president of the Ingham County Pio- neer Society, an honor conferred upon him in recognition of his early and earnest en- deavor in behalf of morality, virtue and re- ligion.
He has gone to his reward; we shall never see him again here. Shall not we who read
this brief outline of this just man so order our lives that when it is said of us, as of him, "he is dead," the consolation that comes to his stricken family may come to those who love us-that he has "gone to be for- ever with the Lord."
Col. L. H. Ives, who had known Rev. E. H. Brockway for a half century, having been invited to take part in his funeral ob- sequies, spoke of him as a citizen, substan- tially as follows :
"I esteem it a compliment to have been in- vited to take part in these memorial exer- cises, recognizing as I do, that in services of this character, only friends of the deceased would be expected to speak, and to have been counted as a friend of Edwin H. Brock- way in his life time, is indeed a compliment.
Others in the church might have been given my place, who would have spoken more eloquently : but, perhaps in considera- tion of the years of our acquaintance and social relations, none more appropriately. I distinctly recall, that when a small boy at home, of two earnest looking young men of sedate appearance, and plainly clad, coming to my father's house, the object of their visit was to secure a loan to purchase a horse. They were accommodated, 'broke bread' with us, and departed. I remember to have heard my father say: "Those boys are brothers and both have entered the min- istry.' This was considerably more than half a century ago, but since that date I have known of the whereabouts and whatabouts of Bros. Edwin and Nelson Brockway. Some years after the event spoken of, Bro. Brockway filled the pastorate of my old home church, the little brick structure at Williamsville, Unadilla, where I was born again,' and where nearly forty years ago I was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to my beloved wife. The memory of asso-
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ciations reaching so far adown the lines of the past become wonderfully tender under the influences of an hour like this.
I am to speak of Mr. Brockway as a citi- zen. He is esteemed a good citizen who obeys the laws of the land, pays his honest obligations, and externally conforms to the usages of society. Did it never occur to you, my friends, that a man might do all these and be a long way from measuring up to the best there is in him, or the demands of God upon him? There are moral and religious obligations-debts we owe to society, and the communities in which we live that are as binding as an oath; by reason of our form of government these are upon us, and must be met, and that too without hope of com- pensation, except the satisfaction that comes from the knowledge of having lent a helping hand to a less fortunate brother. The weight of these obligations were upon our brother, he recognized their justice, and they were cheerfully met and discharged.
Edwin H. Brockway was not only a good citizen in the broadest acceptation of the term-he was more-much more : he was a good man. He understood that the Divine secret of peace in the soul is being, not doing.
I have looked into my own life and into the lives of others, and speaking now as a man to his friend, I declare to you my con- viction, which I deem well founded, that perfection of character or Christian citizen- ship is the highest aim to be sought, and the only attainment that will fully satisfy the soul.
Our brother himself would not lay claim to perfection of character, but those of you who have known him as I have known him, will agree with me, that the mainspring of his life was not only to do right, but to be right. No more fatal error can be cherished
than that the best type of citizenship can be attained without the element of religion in the character. The essential factor is not moral integrity, but religion, pure and unde- filed. Good citizenship is human nature in its best form, plus Christianity in the heart and life. Such a man was our brother, whose memory we commemorate today.
Many a man the world calls great, is a mere pigmy in good deeds before God. Our brother did not aspire to greatness or great achievements, but, by the even tenor of his life, using the talents God gave him, he earnestly desired to do good and keep right with God.
His life has been one continual benediction to those with whom he has associated, and its influence will linger long years after the grass has been green above his lowly bed.
It has been said-A man's true worth hereafter is the good he does in this world to his fellowmen; when he dies, people will ask, 'what property has he left behind him ?' But the angels will ask, 'what good deeds has he sent before him?' We ought to live in this world as citizens of the world: we may have preferences as to our associates and as to location, but we ought always to possess a generous feeling for the good citi- zenship of the world. None will question but our brother entertained this broad feel- ing of brotherhood of the race.
I am not given to fulsome praise. My estimate of the life and character of Edwin H. Brockway today, has not been formed or changed since his death: it is the same as I have entertained for many years. I have long classed him as among the very best men I have known in life.
No man who ever knew him in life has paid him a doubtful compliment since his death. We have sometimes heard the ex- pression-'Oh, there are worse men living
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than he,' a doubtful compliment, indeed. For him there has been but one verdict, 'He was a good man.'
He has gone, but he has left to this com- munity, to the church, indeed, to us all, the priceless legacy of an exemplary Christian life, well rounded by deeds of love and ser- vice, a life around which clusters many help- ful and hallowed memories."
"Were a star quenched on high, For ages would its light Still travel downward from the sky- Shine on our mortal sight. So when a good man dies, For years beyond our ken, The light he leaves behind him lies Upon the paths of men."
EBER F. THOMPSON.
The hope of any people rests with the character and intelligence of the rising gen- eration. There is everywhere a demand for young men of integrity and energy. A good practical education-the fundamental ground work for success-is within easy reach of all who have sufficient ambition to grasp the situation.
The subject of this sketch is but entering upon the threshold of life's activities, and having wisely secured the foundation for a prosperous business life, he starts in under conditions that give promise of good results.
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