USA > Michigan > Newaygo County > Portrait and biographical album of Newaygo County, Michigan : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county also containing a complete history of the county, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 31
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Prairie resumed his occupation as lumberman, which he has followed since, alternating the labors of that calling with those of farming. He has twice ex- changed his property in real estate, and now owns 60 acres of land in Big Prairie Township, 40 acres in Everett Township, situated across the highway, and 40 acres in Everett, located one and a half miles south, making 140 acres in the aggregate. Mr. Bar- ton has 97 acres of land in fine farming condition, with good buildings. He is a Republican in political connection and has been Town Treasurer four years.
Mr. Barton was married Dec. 16, 1864, in Neway- go, to Martha M. Krusen. She was born July 22, 1845, in Licking Co., Ohio, and is the daughter of John and Eunice (Goff ) Krusen. The former was born March 16, 1820, in New Jersey, the latter Jan. 27, 1824, in Licking Co., Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. B. have one child, Albert Barton, born May 8, 1868.
benezer Richardson, farmer, section 5, Denver Township, was born in Madison Co., N. Y., Aug. 30, 1824. His father, Ebenezer Richardson, was a native of Massa- chusetts and died in Ohio; his mother, Sybil (Eaton) Richardson, was a native of New York and died in that State. The subject of this sketch at- tended school in his native county, and when 12 years of age went to Lake Co., Ohio, where he com- pleted his education, and worked on his father's farm until 17 years of age. He then commenced life for himself, and worked on a farm until he was 35 years old. During this time he came to this county and located a farm in Dayton Township, which is his present home. He then returned to Ohio, and Feb. 22, 1865, he married Miss Ellen Devine, daughter of John and Mary (Buck) Devine, natives of New York, who was born in Queensbury, Washington Co., N. Y., May 17, 1821. When she was quite young she was taken by her parents to Wyoming County, that State, where she was reared and educated in the common schools of that place, and in 1850 they moved to Painesville, Ohio.
In the spring of 1866 Mr. R. returned to this State and settled upon his farm of 160 acres in Dayton Township, and now owns 80 acres, and has 35 acres
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in a high state of cultivation. In politics he is a very zealous Republican, and himself and wife are con- sistent members of the First Baptist Church at Hesperia.
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ohn D. Gowell, farmer, section 16, Denver Township, was born in Kennebec Co., Me., May 11, 1845. His parents, Lewis and Caroline (Berry) Gowell, were also natives of Maine, and of English and Scotch ancestry. They were married in Sagadahoc County, after- ward moving to Kennebec County. In 1849, when the gold fever was at its height, they moved to Cali- fornia, where his father established a large quartz mill and built a hotel. While living at this place, he was attacked with bilious fever and died, in the spring of 1851. John was the seventh child ; and beingobliged to assist in the care of his mother, his educational advantages were limited. But being full of determination and perseverance, he improved his leisure time in study, even when out of school; in the army his book was his constant companion.
When 15 years of age he engaged himself to .an agent of the Boston Navy Yard, to go to Northumber- land Co., Va., to secure lumber for ship-building. While there the war question was agitated, and the State passed an ordinance to prevent all Northern men from leaving the State, for any cause whatever. But Mr. Gowell's sympathies being decidedly with the North, he, with 23 others, seized upon an oyster sloop that was then lying in a small harbor off the Chesapeake Bay, called Cockle's Creek, and, securing the officers of the boat, they set out for the bay, and finally reached Baltimore, just after the riot, having just $1 in money. They were greeted with applause, and borne through the streets with pomp and glory, reaching their respective homes in due season. Pos- sessing a never-dying love for their country, they all enlisted in her defense. Mr. Gowell enrolled in Co. F, 19th Me. Vol. Inf., July 3, 1862, Ist Brigade, Second Division and Second Army Corps, commanded by Gen. Hancock. He had previously enlisted three times ; but, being only 17 years of age, his mother forbade his joining the army ; this time he was per- mitted to go. He participated in 17 battles, and was
in Grant's campaign of the Wilderness 60 consecutive days, when the -general was going to " fight it out on that line if it took all summer." He was in the second Battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Falling Water, Peters- burg, and at the surrender of Lee's army at Appo- mattox Court-House. He was in Libby prison eight days, and was wounded three times : at Cold Harbor, in the back of the head, by a minie ball ; at Hatcher's Run, in the left knee, by the fragment of a shell; and at Gettysburg, in the left arm, by a ball passing through It. He was at one time made a spy, and was very suc- cessful, having caused the capture of a regiment with a large amount of artillery. He was honorably dis- charged May 31, 1865, at Washington, D. C.
He then returned home, where he remained a short time, then took a tour through Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois, and returned to Michigan and lo- cated 200 acres of wild land in Troy Township, this county. He also took up 400 acres in Oceana County. He was engaged in lumbering in various parts of the county for Mr. Heald, working nine months without losing but a day and a half, and drew just $1.50. Oct. 25, 1867, he was married, in Pentwater, Mich., to Miss Florella A., daughter of Calvin and Susan (Smith) Woodworth, natives of Ohio, who was born in Ashtabula County, that State, July 5, 1849. She received such education as the district schools fur- nished in her native town, and at the age of 15 came to this State and settled in Colfax, Oceana County, where she remained until her marriage. They locat- ed in Otto Township, that county, where Mr. G. took a contract for logging for Ferry, Doling & Co., and afterward with A J. Covil, contractor to move 9,000,000 logs annually. In the meantime he pur- chased 700 acres of pine land on the north branch of White River ; but, owing to sickness in his family, sold out to his partner, Mr. Covil, and in the fall of 1869 he moved to this county, settling in Denver Township. He purchased 160 acres of land, and afterward added another 160, and now has 200 acres under tillage, upon which he has built very beautiful farm buildings, and a magnificent residence, at a cost of $4,000. Since living here he went to Kansas, made a large purchase and erected extensive build- ings, but soon returned to this State, having made a profitable sale.
Mr. Gowell is a member of the Masonic Lodge,
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No. 346, at Hesperia, and is Secretary of the order. He is also a member of the G. A. R., of the J. A. Dix Post. He is a strong advocate of the temperance cause, and very liberal in his political and religious views, inclining to the Advent Church. Mr. and Mrs. G. have one child, Caroline, born Sept. 13, 1875.
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illiam A. Boyd, farmer, section 8, son of Richard Boyd, was born in Ohio, Dec. 27, 1848. At the age of five years he came with his parents to Hillsdale Co., Mich., where he lived until he came to Newaygo County ; here he engaged in farming. In the fall of 1882 he built a steam saw-mill in Sheri- dan Township, which has a capacity of 12,000 feet per day. He is a member of the Order of Good Templars, and in politics is a National.
Kerbert F. Webster, farmer and lumber- wex man, section 21, Big Prairie Township, was born Feb. 7, 1856, in Newaygo County, and is the son of William Rila and Phebe Ann (Moore) Webster. (See sketch.)
Mr. Webster was reared to manhood in his native county and has chiefly followed the callings of farmer and lumberman; he has also been engaged as an estimator of pine and pine lands and likewise as a " scaler." He is the owner of 80 acres of unim- proved land on section 15, 80 acres on section 2 1 and 40 acres on section 16, of Big Prairie Township.
He was married April 27, 1879, in the village of Newaygo, to Kittie C. Reed, Rev. J. N. Hicks offi- ciating. Mrs. Webster was born in Elk River Town- ship, Sanilac Co., Mich., Aug. 11, 1859, and is a daughter of Elias S. and Elizabeth (Gaffney) Reed, both of whom are natives of Zora, Dominion of Canada, where the one was born in 1832 and the other in 1838.
To Mr. and Mrs. Webster three children have been born, namely : Freddie H., the eldest born, is
deceased ; Bertha Pearl was born May 22, 1881. An infant son, George, was born Dec. 6, 1883. Mr. Webster is an adherent of the National Greenback Labor party, and in religious views adopts the tenets of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
Mr. Webster, though a young man, has a very creditable record as a Nimrod. In the course of two weeks in 1873 he captured 14 deer and two bears, and the aggregate product of his skill with his rifle is about 50 deer and three bears. One of the ex- periences of which he retains a vital remembrance was a long season continuing from September, 1870, to April, 1871, in the woods on the Pentwater River. He is of social, genial temperament, kind to the poor and sympathetic with the suffering, aiding such with all the generosity of his nature. He is specially fond of music and an expert violinist.
homas L. Price, Jr., farmer, section 36, Goodwell Township, was born Dec. 28, 1843, in Wyoming Co., N. Y., and is the son of Thomas L. and Eliza (Betts) Price. The father was born at Saratoga Springs, N. Y .; the latter at Ballston Springs, N. Y.
The father of Mr. Price died in 1845, when his son was but two years old, and the latter remained under the care of his mother until he was ten years age, when he found the necessity of earning his live- lihood resting upon his own shoulders. He obtained employ as he best could, and before he was 19 years old had become quite a teacher. At that age he re- turned to his native State and remained at home a year. His first business venture was renting a hotel at Newberg, Ohio, which enterprise he pursued a year, and during the three years next following was variously engaged. In 1866 he came to Saginaw Co., Mich., where he resided until 1882, when he bought 80 acres in Goodwell Township. Of this, 25 acres are under cultivation. He acts with the National Greenback party, to whose principles he is an adherent.
Mr. Price was married in Newberg, Ohio, June 2, 1862, to Florence E., daughter of Thomas and Eliza Moore, of Cleveland, Ohio, and four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Price, all living, namely : Charles F., Cora E., William S. and Rena M.
NEWAYGO COUNTY.
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oseph Barder, farmer, section 12, Barton Township, was born in Austria, April 18, 1824, and is the son of Peter and Magda- lena (Stieger) Barder. He lived in his native country until 1867, passing the years of his childhood in obtaining the education bestowed upon children of the class to which he belonged, and afterwards engaging in agriculture, subject to all the privations incident to the laboring community under a monarchical government.
On coming to the United States, he located at Cleveland, Ohio, and there engaged in farming. In 1877 he came to Newaygo County, bought a farm of 160 acres in Barton Township, and has since given his exclusive attention to its improvement and culti- vation.
Mr. Barder was married in 1867, to Anna Sker, a native of Switzerland. They have a family of six children: Katie, Joseph, Lizzie, Edward, Antoine and Martha. Mr. Barder acts politically with the Republican party.
ames Crabtree, farmer, section 14, Big Prairie Township, was born July 11, 1813, in Maine, and is a son of Richard A. and Mary (Giggey) Crabtree. The former was born Nov. 30, 1789, in the State of New York and was a son of John Crabtree, a native of London, England, who emigrated to America in its earliest days. Himself and brother were residents of the city of New York when it was an insignificant " Dutch seaport town." The mother was born Nov. 2, 1788, in Virginia, and was the daughter of parents who were natives of the Lowlands of Scotland.
Mr. Crabtree remained with his parents in his native State until their removal to New Brunswick in 1818, where he resided during the remainder of the years of his minority. Mr. Crabtree records one memorable day when about 20 years old. A school was started in the vicinity of his home, and he at-
tended its lessons one day, the only experience of the kind in his whole life. He passed all his early life assisting his father, and at the age of 21 found himself for the first time at liberty to operate in his own behalf. He obtained an engagement as fore- man of a lumber-camp, in which occupation he had been engaged four years previously. After two years he quit lumbering and became a sailor. He was " before the mast" six years, when he was made Cap- tain of a vessel, and two years later was a ship owner. He was at sea with his vessel, the "Mont- gomery," four years, and during the time sailed round the world. He was in the Gulf of Mexico when the Mexican war broke out, and he "tied up" to the wharf in the city of New Orleans, went ashore and in 48 hours raised a company of 112 volunteers for the United States service. Feeling incompetent to take command, he went out with the company as Sergeant and remained in the army until the close of the war, serving one year under Gen. Taylor and the remainder of the time attached to. the command of Gen. Scott. He was at the head of his company during the last year. He was in the closing fight at the city of Mexico, and brought home the national colors. After the end of the war he spent some time in travel and visited the principal cities of the United States. This accomplished, he felt a desire to visit his friends from whom he had not heard for 13 years. He returned to New Brunswick, and after a year there came to Chicago, Ill., where he resided two years. His next removal was to Amboy, Ill., where he conducted a saw-mill six years. In 1857 he came to Muskegon and resided four years, whence he came to Croton, and six months later to Big Prairie, where he now owns 140 acres of land, with 40 acres cleared, well improved and placed under advanced cultivation, with good buildings and other creditable farm fixtures.
Mr. Crabtree was a soldier in the civil war. He enlisted in Co. A, Tenth Mich. Cav., in 1864, and was discharged at the close of the war in Memphis, Tenn. His command was in all the active campaign service of the last year of the war, and, amid other active duty, he was in the detail of soldiers sent into North Carolina to cut off the communications of Lee with the railroad. He was in Stoneman's raid, and the last battles in which he participated were those of Salisbury and. Lexington, or High Points. He sustained a sun-stroke at Sweet Water, Tenn., from
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which he has become blind, being able only to distinguish light with one eye.
Mr. Crabtree was married Aug. 9, 1849, in St. John, N. B., to Mary Jane Darragh. . She was born March 11, 1829, in County Tyrone, Ireland, and is a daughter of George and Isabella (Hawthorne) Dar- ragh. Her parents were born in Ireland near the city of Dublin. Her father was born in 1799 and is still living. Her mother was born in 1801 and died in 1873, in New Brunswick. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Crabtree, seven of whom are living: Their names are, George R., Mary I., Eliza J., James E. (dec.), Charles L., Wm. Ellsworth, Abraham F., Joseph F. (dec.) and Franklin I.
Politically Mr. C. is a radical Republican.
John F. Schroeder, farmer, section 1, Bar- ton Township, was born in Germany, March 16, 1840, and is the son of Freder- ick and Mary Schroeder. He was reared and educated in his native country, and came to the United States when 26 years old.
He settled at Grand Rapids, where he remained 14 years engaged in blacksmithing. In 1874, he came to Newaygo County and purchased 40 acres of land in Barton Township, where he has since occu- pied his time in improving and cultivating his land.
He was married in his native country, in 1866, to Dorothea, daughter of Frederick and Dorothea (Po- « dine) Walter, natives of Germany. The family in- cludes four children : John C., Frederick M., Minnie F. and Mary C.
eorge R. Webster, formerly a farmer and lumberman, resident on section 21, Big Prairie Township, has been engaged since 1881 as agent for the Cascade Commercial Nursery of Kent County. He was born in YAN Denham Township, Upper Canada, Aug. 14, 1851, and is the son of Wm. R. and Phebe A. Webster. (See sketch.)
He came to Newaygo County with his parents in
1853, and has been an inmate of the parental liome most of his life thus far. His views of wedded bliss are still in the anticipatory state, and his numerous friends rely on his calm judgment and sound sense as a basis for their hopes of his future happiness. He is generally esteemed for his character of sobriety, veracity, integrity and his unwavering consideration for the rights and privileges of others. His fur.da- mental principle in social matters is, that only in showing himself to be friendly can a man win friends, and he recognizes the full force of the injunction, "Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you."
Mr. Webster is the proprietor of 80 acres of land on section 16, and 94 acres on section 21, of Big Prairie Township. He has been a successful sports- man, his coolness and self-control making him an exceptional marksman; and he had at one time few superiors in his knowledge of the habits of game in Northern Michigan. Politically he is a Republican, and is a zealous adherent to the tenets of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
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ohn Brotherton, farmer, section 32, Dayton Township, was born in Ohio, July 15, 1826. His parents were Abel and Clara (Griffin) Brotherton, the former a native of New York and the latter of Connecticut. They first set- tled in New York and afterward moved to Ohio. When John came to Michigan he first settled in Lenawee County, and came to Newaygo County in the winter of 1854, when he took up 160 acres of good land on sections 32 and 33, where he now resides ; 75 acres are under improvement. He has since purchased 40 acres more, and now owns 200 acres of land.
Mr. Brotherton was married in Lenawee Co., Mich., in 1847, to Helen, daughter of Weston and Sophia Tenney, the father a native of Massachusetts, and the mother of New York. They first settled in the latter State and afterward moved to Lenawee Co., Mich. Mrs. Brotherton was the youngest of three children and was born in New York, Aug. 17, 1830. Mr. and Mrs. B. have two children, Ophelia and May.
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Mr. B. has been Supervisor, Highway Commissioner, and was County Superintendent of the Poor six years. In politics he is a Greenbacker. Mr. and Mrs. Brotherton are charter members of Fremont Grange, No. 494, P. of H.
avid W. Flora, M. D., physician and sur- geon, at Newaygo, was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov 20, 1828. He is a son of George W. and Margaret (Sloop) Flora, and was reared to manhood after the method common in the training of farmers' sons of that period. He obtained his elementary education at the common schools and found the curriculum of study open to him under the metropolitan school regulations to be only incentives to the investigation of the wide fields of knowledge to which the higher institutions of learning furnished the "open sesame." He supplemented his primary studies by two years' attendance as a student in the literary department of the college at Augusta, Ky. He was deeply im- pressed with the exhaustive and concise character of the text-books with which he became familiar, and learned from them the lesson designed by discrim- inating instructors,-that they could only serve a specific purpose in designating the route to the possi- bilities lying in the great field of scientific research beyond our mental horizon. To join the already mighty army of authors and investigators, became his highest ambition, and, in casting about for a profes- sion which afforded the widest scope for the con- summation of his desires, he fixed upon that of medicine. His idea was not that of limiting himself to the study of drugs, or their effects upon the human system, or in any sense restricted by the scope of a practitioner devoted to the one purpose of ameliora- ting human suffering, but in the broadest sense pos- sible, and including anatomy, comparative anatomy, physiology and botany,-the whole field included within the limits of natural history.
After leaving Augusta he became a teacher, and devoted seven years to that profession, preparatory to entering upon the course prescribed by custom for such as contemplated the practice of medicine. In 1857, he entered the office of Dr. A. G. Boynton, of Columbus, Ind., and read under his supervision.
He afterwards attended lectures at the Ohio Medical College located at Cincinnati, and also at the Ken- tucky School of Medicine, at Louisville, and later at the Chicago Medical College. He spent one term at each of the institutions named.
While thus engaged, the mighty question of country or no country was forced to an issue by the rebellious South, and in succeeding events Dr. Flora found duty and opportunity closely linked. In all that this may mean, a passing tribute is due to the influence wielded by the schools and instructors of the period between the settlement of this country and the ad- vent of civil war. The spirit of patriotism engen- dered by the struggle for independence had been thereby kept alive, and the fair green plant suddenly burst into marvelous bloom and bore a glorious fruit- age, solving the problem of the rise and fall of na- tions and demonstrating that the inherent principles of liberty are synonymous with those of truth and are as eternal ; also that they foster in the American people impulses which render the National institu- tions as imperishable as are the ties of home and kindred.
Dr. Flora was in the ardor of youth and the flush of ambitious hopes to rise in his profession. He foresaw through the vista of advancement the acme of his aspirations ; and, recognizing the stability of small things for a foundation, he made haste to re- spond to the second call for troops after the disaster at Bull's Run, and entered the service as a private, enlisting in August, 1861, in Co. F, 39th Ind. Vol. Inf., and was made Hospital Steward of the regiment. He was soon placed in charge of the regimental hospital, and made himself activein the care and treatment of the men and officers. His faithful, conscientious labors and the efficiency of his sanitary measures came to be understood at headquarters, and he was detailed to organize a general hospital for the army corps. He was informed that an oppor- tunity was open to him to appear before an examin- ing board of regular army surgeons, under whose dictum he was mustered out by special order of the Secretary of War, preliminary to his appointment as Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. He was assigned to the transportation service and assumed charge of a train conveying sick and wounded soldiers to the general hospital at Louisville, Ky. This duty involved the bringing in of the sick and wounded from outlying posts, and when it was completed he was placed in
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charge of the convalescent barracks in the city, which post he filled from May 1, 1862, to April 1, 1 863.
His next charge was Hospital No. 9, in Louisville, where he remained until September of the year last named, when he was ordered to Camp Nelson, Ky., to care for 1,000 sick soldiers left by Gen. Burnside, when he marched on Knoxville, Tenn. The attend- ant difficulties in this service rivaled the details in some of the rebel hospitals. Dr. Flora had but two assistants to aid him in the care and management of 1,000 disabled soldiers and 1,000 contrabands and laborers, and in less than six weeks himself and fel- low surgeons succumbed to the severity of the situa- tion and were prostrated by typho-malarial fever and dysentery. His comrades went home to die, but he soon recovered his health, and on the first of October he resumed duty at the General Hospital at Madi- son, Ind.
While there he inaugurated a series of original investigations to discover the nature of a certain class of obscure ailments which caused the victims to be classed as "malingerers," "hospital bummers," etc. This class of patients commonly became per- manent appendages to the hospitals. and if dis- charged "cured " and sent to the front, invariably returned and in time became the "opprobrium medicorum " of the profession. By the aid of the microscope and chemical tests, Dr. Flora succeeded in diagnosing and placing under proper treatment this class of patients. The incurable were discharged and the other "ilk " were sent to their commands, so described that they returned no more.
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