( HISTORY OF IONIA COUNTY MICHIGAN HER PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS REV. E. E. BRANCH Editor-in-Ohief With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED 1916 B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana THE NEW VORK PUP'"" U^^ARY 641049 A ASTOR, LENOX AND tilDen foundations I R 1933 L CONTENTS VOLUME 1 CHAPTER I— GEOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS 33 Location — Boundaries — Mineral Deposits — Wells — Rock Formations — Glacial Drift — Moraines — Natural DrainaRc — Climate — Climatic Influence of the Great Lakes — Cyclonic Storms — Temperature — Precipitation — Winds — Soils — Farm Lands — Streams — -Lakes — Water Power. CHAPTER II— ORGANIZATION OF IONIA COUNTY 48 Legislative Acts Creating County — Ionia Township — First Elections — Estab- -^ lishment of the County Seat — The Toledo War — County-scat Contests — Official Roster — Judges of Probate — Shcriflfs — County Clerks — County Treas- ^^ urers — Registers of Deeds — Prosecuting Attorneys — Circuit Court — Com- " missioners — County Surveyors — Coroners — The Public Square — County ^ Office Building— Court House — County Jails— Poor Farm and BuildinRs. ^CHAPTER III— BERLIN TOWNSHIP - 70 _^ Organization — Description — Changes in Boundaries — First Officials — Scttlc- ^ ment and Land Entries — Alonzo Sessions— Some Pioneer Experiences— Tax- payers in 1844 — Voters in 1846 and 1849 — Supervisors. ^^ CHAPTER IV— BOSTON TOWNSHIP 81 2J Organization— Name— First Officials— First Permanent Settlers— Early Events— Grand River Turnpike— Settlers in the Vicinity of Watcrvillc— Tax- -^ payers in 1844— Supervisors— Saranac in 1849, a Reminiscence by J. F. I'roc- Jrv( tor. CHAPTER V— CAMPBELL TOWNSHIP " ^ Legislative Act Creating the Township— Name— First Township McctinB— ^ Location and Boundaries— Natural Features— Pioneers of the Township— "^ Growth and Development— Resident Taxpayers in 1849— Voters in 1849. 1850 ^^ and 18S4— Supervisors— Clarksville. 1 \ CHAPTER VI-DANBY TOWNSHIP —.---— .rt Organization-Name-First Officials-Description of-Natural F"«""»- ^^ First and Subsequent Settlers-Mill-First Events-M.ssionary Eflforts Among the Indians-Resident Taxpayers in 1845-Corncll V.llagc-Super- 98 visors. CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII— EASTON TOWNSHIP 103 Creation and Organization of — First Election and Officials Chosen — Settle- ment — ^Avon Postoffice — Supervisors. CHAPTER VIII— IONIA TOWNSHIP 107 Organization — Division of — First Township Meeting and Election — Early Official Record — Genereauxville — Early Settlement — -Pioneer Saw-mill — Su- pervisors — Prairie Creek — Place's Mill — South Ionia. CHAPTER IX— KEENE TOWNSHIP 115 Organization of, and Subsequent Changes — Name — First Township Meeting and Officials Chosen — Location and Boundaries — Early Settlement — Dicker- town — First Events — Supervisors. CHAPTER X— LYONS TOWNSHIP 120 Creation of the Township — Name — Changes in Boundaries — First Officials — Natural Features — Early Settlement — First Events — First Crops — Farming According to "Scientific Principles" — Supervisors — Indian Battles — Lyons — Unrealized Hopes — Village Plats — Early Growth — Navigation of the Grand River — Early Events in the Village — Incorporation — First Officers Under the Charter — Present Condition — Muir (Montrose) — Pewamo. CHAPTER XI— NORTH PLAINS TOWNSHIP 139 Name — ^Organization — Changes in Area — First Township Meeting and Offi- cials Chosen — Living Pioneers — The Glass Tragedy — Early Settlers — Hub- bardston — Early Religious Services — First Fourth-of-July Celebration — Other First Events — Supervisors — Matherton — Mills. CHAPTER XII— ODESSA TOWNSHIP 154 Creation of— Name — First Township Meeting and First Officials — Odessa Village — Pioneer Settlement — Stories of Pioneer Days — Supervisors — -Lake Odessa — Bonanza. CHAPTER XIII— ORANGE TOWNSHIP 163 Organization — Name — First Officials — Settlers — Early Conditions — First Events — Supervisors. CHAPTER XIV— ORLEANS TOWNSHIP 168 Organization of — Name — First Township Meeting and Officials Chosen — Pre-emptions and Land Sales — Guy Webster— Other Early Settlers — Super- visors — Shiloh. CHAPTER XV— OTISCO TOWNSHIP... 175 Organization — Name — First Election — Description of the Township — Natural Features — Water Power — Cook's Corners— First Events — Early Settlers — Otisco Postoffice — Supervisors — Kiddville — Dickinson — German Settlement — Smyrna (Mount Vernan). CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI— PORTLAND TOWNSHIP 184 Boundaries — Natural Features — Township Aid for Railroad Construction — Soil — Organization of the Township — First Officials — Settlement — Maple Postofiice — Supervisors — Early History of Portland — Experiences with the Indians — Wild Game — Naming of the Village — Portland Postmasters — Early Township Records. CHAPTER XVII— RONALD TOWNSHIP 196 Formation of the Township — First Township Meeting and Officials Chosen — Settlement — First Events — Resident Taxpayers in 1845 — Supervisors — Pal" —Mills. CHAPTER XVIII— SEBEWA TOWNSHIP 203 First W'hite Resident of the Township — Other Early Settlers — Resident Tax- payers in 1845 — Voters in 1845 and 1853 — Supervisors — Sebewa Postofficc (Cornell). CHAPTER XIX— CITY OF IONIA - - 209 Location — Surroundings — Change in Conditions — Settlement — Selection of a County Seat— Pioneer Hardships — First Things— Railroads — Traders— Tav- erns — The Land Office — .An Era of Depression. Followed by Sulisiantial .Ad- vancement — Survey of Ionia County Seat— Ionia Village in 1845— Its Incor- poration as a Village, and, Later, as a City— First City Officers- Mayors- Supervisors — Municipal Improvements— The City Hall— Soldiers and Sailors Monument— The Country Club— Ionia Gas, Light and Coke Company— Ionia Water Power Electric Company — Sorosis Garment Company— Citizens Tele- phone Company— Haycs-Ionia Company— Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Com- pany—Barrett Cigar Company— E. H. Stafford Manufacturing Company. CHAPTER XX— CITY OF BELDING 227 Situation— Public Utilities— Supervisors— First Settlement— Early Mills— Broas Rapids (Patterson's Mill)— Belding Brothers and the Rise of the Silk Industry— Richardson Silk Mills— Spencer Electric Light and Power Com- pany—Grand Rapids Paper Box Company— Belding-llall Cmpany-Hclding Basket Company— E. Chappie & Company-Belding Land and Improvement Company— First Passenger Line into Belding. CHAPTER XXI-TRANSPORT.\TION ,•--.; — : '^' The Pere Marquette System (Detroit. Grand Rapids & Western Railroad Company-)- The Grand Trunk System (Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railroad Company)-First Railroad Charter in the State-Delay and Dis- couragement in the Construction of the First Railroads-Early Kquipmrn.- Oakland & Ottawa Railroad Company-Detroit, Lan.sing * L.-.k.- M,.ln«..n Railroad Company. '48 CHAPTER XXII-MILITARY HISTORY .-— — — Loyalty of the People of Ionia County During the Civil War-Ko.tcr of Ionia Men Who Enlisted. CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIII— FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS 309 Brief History of the Banks of Ionia, Saranac, Portland, Clarksville, Lake Odessa, Belding — Building and Loan Associations. CHAPTER XXIV— SECRET, FRATERNAL AND PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES— 317 Free and Accepted Masons — Royal Arch Masons — Royal and Select Masters — Order of the Eastern Star — Independent Order of Odd Fellows — Daugh- ters of Rebekah — Knights of Pythias — Independent Order of Foresters — Equitable Fraternal Union — Loyal Order of Moo^ — Ancient Order of Gleaners — Knights and Ladies of Security — Daughters of the American Rev- olution — Grand Army of the Republic — Woman's Relief Corps — Daughters of Veterans — Sons of Veterans. CHAPTER XXV— EDUCATION, SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS 337 The Pioneer School House — Work of the Pioneers Reflected in Present Conditions — History of Early Schools in the Townships of Berlin, Boston, Campbell, Danby, Easton, Keene, Lyons, North Plains, Odessa, Orange. Orleans, Portland, Ronald, Sebewa — Public Schools of Ionia — Schools of Saranac — Schools of Lyons — Portland Public Schools — Schools of the County at the Present Time — Recent State Laws — Teaching Hints — Standard School. CHAPTER XXVI— NEWSPAPERS OF IONIA COUNTY 372 The First Paper in the County — Subsequent Papers at Ionia, Portland, Beld- ing, Saranac, Lake Odessa, Clarksville, Muir — Defunct Papers of the County. CHAPTER XXVII— IONIA'S POSTAL HISTORY 384 The Postoffice, the Barometer of Local Business Conditions — The First Mail Routes and Postoffice in Ionia County — The Ionia Postoffice — Active Post- offices of the County — Defunct Postoffices. CHAPTER XXVIII— CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS 392 Methodist Episcopal Churches — Baptist Churches — Presbyterian Churches — Congregational Churches — Church of Christ — United Brethren Churches — Evangelical Church — German Evangelical Lutheran Church — Seventh-day Adventist Church — Dunkard Churches — LJnion Church. CHAPTER XXIX— THE MEDICAL PROFESSION 424 First Physician in the County — Physicians at Ionia — Other Early Practi- tioners in the Various Communities of the County — Registration — Ionia's Pioneer Doctors — Medical Necrology. CHy\PTER XXX— BENCFI AND BAR OF IONIA COUNTY 432 Sketch of the F"irst Term of Court in Ionia County — First Cases — Attorneys Prior to 1845— Those Up to May, 1880— Later Attorneys— Those Who Have Gained Unusual Distinction — Present Attorneys of the County. CH-M'TI'-.R XXXI— HISTORY OF THE GRAND RIVER VALLEY 439 Mrs. L. P. Brock — First White Visitor — Indian Occupancy — Early Explorers — Chief Pontiac — Saginaw Treaty of 1819 — Chicago Treaty of 1821 — Wash- CONTENTS. ington Treaty of 1836 — Story of an Old Song — "VVashtcnong" — liarly Life Along Grand River — Sophia Bailly — Manassch Hickey — Chief Cobmoosa — "Cobmoosa's Lament" — Madame La Fromboise — Rix Robinson — Louis Cam- pau — Father Frederick Baraga — Genealogy of the Dexter Family — Coming of White Settlers to Grand River Valley — Joel Guild's Song, "Michigania" — A Pioneer Guide — Location of First Houses — Farly Craftsmen — A June Frost — Samuel and Anna (Fargo) Dexter — Candace (Winsor) Dexter — Chil- dren of Samuel and Anna Dexter — Oliver Arnold — Shortage of Provisions — Erastus Yeomans — "Gratitude to God" — An Acrostic — William B. Lincoln — Work of a Pioneer Physician — Doctor Lincoln's Descendants — "Pioneers" — Ionia's Firsts — Interesting Xotes — Alonzo Sessions — White Pigeon — A Son of Black Bird, the Indian Chief — Anniversary Celebration — "The Beautiful River Grand" — The Historical Pageant — An Historical Relic. CHAPTER XXXII— SIDELIGHTS OX lOXlA HISTOKY 506 The First Armory — City Armory — Michigan Reformatory — Ionia State Hos- pital — Rebel Prisons in Civil War Days — Dates of Incorporation of Cities and Villages of Ionia County — Population of Ionia County — Vote for Gov- ernor — Xotable Citizens of Ionia County — State Senators from Ionia County ■ — Representatives for Ionia County — Important Offices — Young Men's Chris- tian Association — Pioneer Days. HISTORICAL INDEX VOLUME 1 Algodon 155, 388 Ancient Order of Gleaners 327 Armory w_ 506 Arnold, Oliver 481 Attorneys 432 Attorneys, Prosecuting 64 Avon 105. 388 B. Bailly, Sophia 454 Banks 309 Baptist Churches 400 Baraga, Father Frederick 4^>4 Belding City — Banks 312 Belding Brothers 229 Building and Loan Associations 315 Churches 395, 403, 416 Dams 228 Early Business Interests 229 Improvements 227 Incorporation 514 Industries 236 Land Company 239 Light and Power Plant 235 Lodges 318. 322, 332. 334 Newspapers 378 Paper Box Industry 23^ Physicians 430 Population 514 Public Utilities 227 Railroads 240 Richardson Silk Mills 234 Settlement 228 Silk Industry 232 Belding City — Situation 227 Supervisors 227 Water Power 234 Bench and Bar 432 Berlin Township — Changes in Area 70 Description of 70 I'irst Township Meeting 70 Lakes 45 Land Entries 7! Mills 76 Name 70 Oflicials, First 70 Organization 70 Schools 337 Settlement 72 Streams 45 Supervisors 80 Taxpayers in 1844 78 Votcr^ in 1846 and 1849 79 Bonanza 155, 160. 3H9 Boston Township — Cemeteries 84 Description of 81 I'irst F.vents 83 First Township Mectinfr 81 Indians 89 Lakes ..\ . 45 Mills S" Namc hi Organization . 81 Pioneers .. 81 Schools — 337 Settlement >• ' Streams . •'- Supervisors >■' Taxpn vpr «. 1(1 1844 S' ' HISTORICAL INDEX. Boundaries of County 33 Bricker Park 45 C. Campau, Louis 463 Campbell 388 Campbell Township — Boundaries 92 Campbell 338 Creation of 91 First Events 95 First Township Meeting 91 Indians 100 Lakes 45 Location 9- Name 91 Natural Features 92 Officials, First 92 Schools 95 Settlement 92 Squatters 92 Supervisors 9/ Taxpayers in 1845 101 Taxpayers in 1849 96 Voters, Early 96 Cass 388 Cass Township ^0 Catholic Church 14t) Chadwick 389 Chandler 389 Chicago Treaty of 1821 448 Chief Cobmoosa 457 Chief Pontiac 444 Church of Christ 413 Churches 392 Circuit Court Commissioners 64 Clarksville 97, 311, 319, 324, 382, 387, 412 Clayey Soil 44 Clerks, County 63 Climate 38 Coal Measures ^^ Cobmoosa, Chief 457 Collins 389 Commissioners, Circuit Court 64 Commonwealth Dam 4/ Congregational Churches 410 Contests for County Seat 55 Cook's Corner 176, 177, 179 Cornell 101, 208 Coroners 65 County Clerks 63 County House 68 County Jails 67 County Office Building 66 County Officials 62 County Seat Established 52 County Surveyors 65 County Treasurers 63 Court Commissioners _t 64 Court House 66 Creation of County 48 Cyclonic Storms 39 D. Dams 46 Danby 100, 389 Danby Township — Boundaries 98 First Events 100 First Township Meeting 98 Mills 100 Name 98 Natural Features 98 Organizations 98 Schools 339 Settlement 98 Streams 44, 98 Supervisors 101 Daughters of Rebekah 324 Daughters of the American Revolu- tion 329 Daughters of Veterans 335 Deceased Physicians 430 Dexter, Samuel 54, 213, 465, 475 Dickertown 118 Doctors 424 Drainage, Natural 37 Dunkard Churches 422 E. Early Craftsmen 473 Early Life 451 Eastern Star, Order of 318, 320 Easton 389 Easton Township — First Township Meeting 103 Mills 104 HISTORICAL INDEX. Easton Township — Officials, First 103 Organization 103 Reformatory 507 Schools 340 Settlement . 103 Streams 45 Supervisors 105 Education 337 Election, First in County 49 Enlistments from Ionia County 248 Equitable Fraternal Union 325 Evangelical Church 419 F. Farm Lands 44 Financial Institutions 309 First Armory 506 First County Election 49 Foresters, Independent Order of 325 Fraternities 31/ Free and Accepted Masons 317 Frost, A June 474 G. Genereauxville 1™ Geology ^^ German Evan. Luth. Church 419 Glacial Drift 36 Glass Tragedy 144 Gleaners, Ancient Order of 327 Grand Army of the Republic 331 Grand River, First Mention 452 Grand River Valley 439 Grand Trunk Railway 241 Great Lakes, Influence of 38 H. Hickey, Manasseh '^^^ Hospital. State 509 Hubbardston — Beginning of 146, 148 Churches 397 _, ISO Dams — Incorporation -^ Lumber Interests '^^ Mills 148' ''' Hubbardston — Population 515 Stores, Early 149 I. Incorporation of Cities and Villages 515 Independent Order of Foresters 325 Independent Order of Odd Fellows 320 Indian Treaties 445 Indian Villages 453 Indians, 89, 100, 127. 144, 158, 445, 453, 471 Ionia City — Armory 506 Banks 309, 493 Building and Loan Associations.. 315 Churches— -392, 00, 408, 413, 419, 494 City Hall 221 Country Club 222 County Seat 52, 210 Early Description 216 Electric Company 223 First City Election 220 First Things 212, 493 Gas Plant 223 Historical Pageant 503 Improvements 221 In 1845 216 Incorporation as City 219, 515 Incorporation as Village 218 Industries -23 Land Office - 214 Location -*'^ Lodges 317. 320. 324 Mayors '■- " Newspapers 372, 493 Pioneer Hardships 211 Population ^14 Postoffice 384. 493 Public Improvements 221 Railroads -212. 241 Schools — - - 221. m Selection as County Scat 52, 210 Settlement 210 Soldiers' Monument - 222 Supervisors — 220 212 Taverns — . "/■ Telephones — 224 HISTORICAL INDEX. Ionia City — Traders, Early 212 Physicians -■— 424, 430 Water System 221 •■Ionia County Seat" S3, 215 Ionia Township — Changes in Area 107 Creation of '*" Description 10' Election, First 49 First Township Meeting 107 Mills 109, 110. 112 Officials, First J-— 49, 108 Organization 104 Settlement 109, 113 Supervisors HI Ionia,'s Firsts -. 493 i'. '1 J. Jails ^7 Judges of Probate 63 K. Keene 389 Keene Township — - Boundaries US Canadian Settlement 117 Dickertown 118 First Events H^ First Township Meeting 115 Location US Officials, First US Name US Organization US Schools 341 Settlement 116 Squatters 116 Streams 45 Supervisors H" Tavern 117 Kiddville 176, 179, .389 Knights and Ladies of Security 328 Knights of Pythias 324 Kossuth 389 L. La Fromboise, Madame 461 Lake City 155 Lake Land 44 Lake Odessa — Banks 312 Beginning of 159 Churches 407, 417 First Buildings 161 Incorporation SIS Lodges -^ 319, 322, 324 Newspapers 381 Platted — - 160 I'opulation 515 Postoffice 387 Public Utilities 162 Railroad Influence 160 Summer Resort 161 Lakes 45 Lakes, Influence of 38 Lakeview Park 45 Lawyers 432 Lincoln, William B. 489 Location of County 33 Lodges 31/ Loyal Order of Moose 326 Lyons — Beginning of 129 Bridges 131 Churches 399, 404 Uam 46 Election, First 134 Improvements, Early 130 Incorporation 133, 515 Indian Trading 128 Lodges 331, 335 Newspapers 38- Physicians 425. 431 Platted 129 Population 515 Postoffice 387 Schools 359 Settlement ^28 Situation 128 State Routes 132 Lyons Dam 4o Lyons Township — Boundaries '21 Cemetery, First 124 Changes in Area 120 Dams ^^ Drainage, Natural 121 First Events ^22 HISTORICAL INDEX. Lyons Township — First Township Meeting 120 Indian Battles 127 Name 120 Officials, First 121 Organization 120 River Navigation 131 Schools 342 Scientific Farming 126 Stage Routes 132 Settlements 121 Streams 44, 121 Supervisors 127 M. Maple 187, 389 Maple Township 120 Marl Deposits 33 Masonic Order 317 Matherton — Beginning of 151 Churches 418 Fires 152 Lumber Interests 151 Mills 151 Physicians 425, 430 Plat 151 Postoffice 151. 387 Water Power 153 Medical Profession 424 Methodist Episcopal Churches 392 Military History 248 Mills 76. 85, 100, 104, 109, 110, 112, 132, 135, 156, 166, 182, 190, 202 Montrose 1^' ^^^ Moose, Loyal Order of 325 Moraines Morse. Allen B. 519 Mt. Vernon 1^3 Muir — Additions '^'' , 1-19 Beginning of '•'- Churches ^^^ Incorporations Mills 132, 13 T,. 135 Name Newspapers Physicians 426, 431 „, \ 1J6 Plats Muir — Population SIS Postmasters 136 N. Natural Drainage i7 New Berlin 78, 390 Newspapers 372 North Plains 389 North Plains Township^ Change in Area 139 Churches 146 First Events 147 First Township Meeting 139 Glass Tragedy - 144 Irish Settlers - — 146 Living Pioneers 140 Name 139 Officials, First — 139 Organization 139 Religious Services 146 Schools 343 Settlement — 140, 145 Streams 45 Notable Citizens -- 51-'' Notes, Interesting -- 494 O. Odd Fellows Odessa Township — Creation of l-irst F.vints l-"irst Township Meeting- Indians Lakes Location Mills Name Officials, First Pioneer Stories Physicians Schools Settlement .Supervisors Voters, First Office Buildings, County.. Officials of County 425, 320 154 156 154 158 45 155 156 154 l.M 1.5« 4.10 .145 155 159 154 (/i 62 HISTORICAL INDEX. Orange Township — First Township Meeting 163 Mills 166 Name 163 Officials, First 163 Orchards, First 165 Organization 163 Schools 346 Settlement 163 Supervisors 167 Trails, Early 164 Orchards, Early 165 Order of Eastern Star 318 Organization of County 48 Orleans Township — Churches 396, 398 First Township Meeting 168 Lakes 45 Name 168 Officials, First 168 Organization 168 Physicians 425 Pioneer Cabin 169 Schools 347 Settlement 169 Supervisors 173 Otisco 390 Otisco Township — First Events 178 First Township Meeting 175 German Settlement 180 Location 175 Officials, First 175 Organization 175 Settlement 177 Streams 45, 176 Supervisors • 179 Water Power 176 Palo 201, 318, 323, 387, 396, 404 Patriotic Societies 317 Patterson's Mill 228, 386 Fere Marquette Railway 246 Pewamo — Beginning of 136 Churches 400, 405 Early Conditions 137 Pewamo — Incorporation 515 Lodges 319 Mills 138 Name ' 136 Physicians 426 Pioneer Traders 137 Platted 136 Population 1 515 Fostoffice 387 Survey 136 Physicians 424 Pioneer Days .• 521 Pioneer Doctors 428 Pioneer Hardships 186, 211 Plains 387 Pleasant Park 45 Pontiac, Chief 444 Poor Farm 68 Population of Cities and Villages.. 515 Population of County 515 Portland — Banks 311 Churches 392, 402, 410, 421 Early Buildings 193 Incorporation 515 Lodges 317, 322, 334 Name 193 Newspapers 376 Physicians : 425 Population 515 Postoffice 193, 388 Schools 360 Portland Township — Aid to Railways 184 Boundaries 184 Crossing Streams 191 Early History 189 First Events 193 First Township Meeting 185 Fish 193 Indians 192 Mills 190 Officials, First 185 Organization 184 Pioneer Hardships 186 Roads, Early 192 Schools 348 Settlement 185, 189 Soil 184 HISTORICAL INDEX. Portland Township — Streams 44, 184 Supervisors 188 Water Power 184 Postal History 384 Postoffices 384 Prairie Creek 111 Precipitation 40 Presbyterian Churches 408 Press, the 372 Probate Judges 63 Prosecuting Attorneys 64 Public Square 66 R. Railroads 241 Rainfall 40 Rebekah, Daughters of 324 Rebel Prisons 510 Reformatory ' 507 Registers of Deeds 64 Registration of Physicians 426 Reimer Park 45 Religious Societies 392 Representatives 517 Richardson's Corner 389 Rix 390 Robinson, Rix 461 Rock Formations 3i Ronald 390 Ronald Center 390 Ronald Township — Churches 423 First Events 200 First Township Meeting 196 Lakes 45 Mills 202 Officials, First 196 Organization 196 Physicians 425 Schools 348 Settlement 196 Supervisors 201 Taxpayers, 1845 201 Rosina 389 Roster of Ionia Soldiers 248 Roster of Officials 62 Royal and Select Masters 318 Royal Arch Masons 318 S. Saginaw Treaty of 1819 445 Sandy Soil 44 Saranac — Banks 310 Churches 411 I'irst Buildings 88 In 1849 87 Incorporation 515 Indians 89 Lodges 320, 324, 33i Newspapers 380 Physicians 431 Population SIS Schools 357 Schools 95, 221, 337 "Scientific Farming" 126 Sebewa 207, 390 Sebewa Township — First Settlers — 203 First Township Meeting 207 Organization 207 Schools 249 Settlement 203 Supervisors 207 Taxpayers, 1845 206 Voters, First 206 Secret Societies 317 Security, Knights and Ladies of 328 Senators, State 516 Sessions, Alonzo 73, 215, 495, 518 Sessions, Nathaniel 143 Seventh-day Advcntist Church 421 Sheriffs 63 Shiloh 174 Sidelights S06 Smith's Crossing 388 Smyrna — Beginning of ''' Change in Name 1S3 Rarly Business Interests 182 Mills - — '82 Name "'3 Physicians ^25 Plat "^^ Postoflicc 183. 3K« Settlement '81 Stores, First '8' Soils 4.1 HISTORICAL INDEX. Soldiers from Ionia County 248 Sons of Veterans 336 South Boston 390 South Cass 155, 390 South Ionia 92, 116 Squatters 92, 116 State Hospital 509 State Senators 516 Standard Schools 369 Stony Creek 390 Storm Area 39 Streams 37, 44 Surveyors, County 65 Swamp Land 44 T. Temperature 40 "Toledo War" 59 Tornadoes 40 Transportation 241 Treasurers, County 63 Treaties with Indians 445 U. Union Church 423 United Brethren Churches 417 Vote for Governor 515 W. Wagar Dam 46 Washington Treaty of 1836 448 Water Power 46 Waterville 86. 391 Weather 38 West Campbell 389 West Sebewa 391 Wheatland 388 Willing Dam 46 Winds 42 Winsor, Eugene E. 494 Woman's Relief Corps 334 Woods Corners 391 Y. Yeomans, Erastus 59, 62, 467, 484 Young Men's Christian Association., 519 Y. M. C. A. Camp 45 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX VOLUME II Adgate, Chester ^^ Albert, Joseph 501 Aldrich, James A. 184 Allen, Marcellus J. 302 Allen, Thomas R., M. D. Hi Amsden, George W. "' Angell, Joseph T. 446 Arnold, Burt W. -48 Arnold, Fred -4S Arnold, W. D 249 Ashley, John, Jr. 346 B Barber, Thomas S. 154 Bates, Richard 331 Beckwith, Edwin F., M. D. 276 Benedict, Arton L. 162 Benedict, Ledrue R. 498 Benton, Fred 348 Berry, Edgar L. 425 Berry, Luther M. 475 Blanchard, John C. 300 Bliss, Roswell E. lf>9 Bouck, Elliot 506 Boughner, T. J. '90 Braden, Cyrus F. -^' Bradley, Charles H. 264 Bradley, John M. 99 Braley, F. W., M. D. 65 Branch, Rev. Elam E. 208 Brickley, William F. 236 Brink, Charles E. 405 Brock, Loren P. 147 Brooks Family 1^' Brown, Byron F. 452 Brown, Hiram M. 229 Browne. William J. 160 Buck, George A. 325 Bunnell, Alfred S. 330 Burhans. Burr, -Albert P. _- Burtraw, Frank A. Butler, John C. — Winslow P. 279 397 169 59 Cahoon, Fred E. 199 Campbell, Samuel L. 435 Cannon, Richard 402 Carpenter, Lewis A. 332 Garten, Thomas A. 280 Chappie, John G. 225 Chase, Major Frank R. 472 Chickering, Sylvester D. 453 Chubb, James 145 Clarke, William J. 441 Colwell, Eugene F. 477 Colwell, Raymond A. 493 Conkey, George 431 Cowles, Richard B. 124 Crawford, Capt. David C. 122 Crawford, Stephen M. 76 Croel, William A. 439 Curry, James B. 1*^5 Curtiss, Sheldon R. 72 Cusser, William L. 411 Cutler. Fred 218 Cutler, Fred, Jr. 361 D Danner, Emery S. — - 370 Darnell, Henry B 240 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX. Davis, Judg^ Frank D. M. 35 Day, Henry H. 116 Dean, Oscar H. 176 DeGarmo, John A. ISO DeKwak, Abraham 120 Dibble. H. A. ^ 108 Dimmick, Alvin S. 413 Dinsmore. Adelbcrt S. 334 Dinsmore, Albert 334 Dorin, Ellis W. 50 Dougherty, John R. 320 Douglass, Dayton 349 Durkee, Charles F. 220 Dutt, W. Andrew, M. D. 414 English, John H. 192 Estep, Charles A. 497 Eyster, Charles C. 251 Fender, Adam 46 Fishell, William 54 Fortune, John W. 221 Fowle, James L. 242 Francis, Arthur L. 393 F'reeman, Perry C. 395 Frost, Orson V. 210 Frost, Thomas 496 Galloway, John J. 133 Gates, Cliarlcs 266 Gates, Clinton . 256 Gemuend, Harry H. 115 Gesler, Albert E., M. D. 85 Gifford, F. J. ..„ 364 Goodwin, Marcellus H. 98 Graft, Reuben T. 101 Grant, William A., M. D. 343 Grant, William R., M. D. 336 Green, Elmar N. 340 Greenwood, Levi M. 129 Guilford, Dennis J. 68 H Hall, Arthur N. 179 Hall, Brinton F i 457 Hall, Frank W. 82 Hall, Henry J. 73 Hall. Joshua S. 183 Hall. Luther E. 118 Hamilton, John H. 170 Hargrave. Frank A., M. D. 138 Hartman, Marcus R. 429 Hathaway, Claude E., D. D. S. 229 Hawley, William C. 374 Hay, John R., M. D. 75 Hayes, Nathan B. 400 Hearsey, Roscoe A. 244 Hendershot, William 203 Hill, C. M. — 102 Hixson, Warren 60 Hoag, Isaac P. 319 Holden, Darius 141 Hotchkiss. Charles E. 182 Hotchkiss, Newell 350 Howard, Frederic W. 408 Howe, Rev. Martin L. 117 Hudson. Eugene E. 418 Hudson. Frank H. 508 J Jenkins, Frank L. 96 Johnson, E. S. 178 K Kfister. Fred D. _. 344 Kennedy. Duncan G. 326 Kennedy, James 164 Kilborn, Edgar E. 131 Kirby, Charles F. 158 Klotz, Augustus F. 206 Knapp, Clyde A. 466 Kohn, Anthony M. 272 Kohn. Anton 272 L Lamonte, Major T. 380 LaSelle, Ernest A. 211 Lauster. Fred G. .„ 259 Leach, William E. 455 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX. Lee, Henry 495 Lee, Hiram N. 358 Leik, Paul 127 Lenhard, M. P. 381 Locke, Alfred R. 282 Locke Family (see Brooks) 198 Lowrey, Ebenezer N. 416 Lowrey, Ed. N. 64 Lowrey, Prof. Harvey H. 56 Lowrey, Richard R. 436 Luscher, William 132 Mc McCartney. William H. 484 McLaren, William A. 135 McQuaid, David A. 121 M Mack, A. A. 333 Marshall, Levi 144 Martin, Thomas F. 442 Mason, Frederick A. 503 Mattison, William H. 316 Maynard, Charles H. 409 Meade, Albert 404 Millard, Rev. David E. 328 Miller, Hon. Frank C. 40 Miller, Louis P 199 Milliman, Mrs. Arminda 192 Minty, Alexander 490 Morse, Hon. Allen B. 448 Morse, Joseph 255 Moss, Adelphin 194 Moulton, George W. 267 N Newman, Asa 309 Nichols, Hon. George E. 237 O Olmsted, Louis N. 69 Orr, Marjory M., M. D. 491 P Packard, Dclmar .\. 335 Page, Rufus L. 257 Parker, Edward N. 355 Peake, Clarence W. 104 Pilkinton, Silas H. 492 Pinkhani, Joseph F., M. D. 398 Pline, Mathias 172 Post, Bert 419 Post, Lee 419 Potter, George W. 44 Powell, Rev. Henry W. 291 Powell, Herbert E. 375 Probasco, Capt. Jacob O. 288 Pryer, Charles H. 55 Pryer, Frank W. 426 R Ralston, Charles M. 88 Ranger, Howard A. ill Reed, Maurice A. 488 Reed, William B. 406 Renkes, Albert C. 469 Renwick, James 224 Rice, Charlie C. 260 Richards, Frank E. 388 Robbins, George 486 Robertson, .Alexander 351 Robinson, Jefferson 394 Roof, Adam L. 312 Roof, Hon. Albert K. 312 Ross, John E. 470 Rudd, Clinton J. 226 Ruel, James H. 420 S Scott, James D, 308 Scoville, Glenn H., D. V. S. ill Scoville, Leroy A. 389 Seeley. Lewis S. 114 Sclleck, .'Augustus 128 Sclleck, W. F. 128 Shaw, George N. 167 Shellhorn, Edwin 296 Shepard, Warren 424 Sherwood, Nathan B. 193 Slye, Elbridge E. 228 Smith, Cortland 53 Smith, Herbert L. 444 Smith, Jesse H. 166 Smith, John C. 233 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX. Somers, William H. 365 Soule, William F. 499 Sparks, Thomas 137 Spencer, Fred L. 467 Spinney, Andrew B., M. D. . 304 Spitzley, Josiph 205 Spitzley, William 213 Stebbins, Perry H. 78 Steele, William N. 479 Steere, William C. 434 Stevens, Benevolent H. 341 Stevenson, Major Thomas G. i7 Stillwell, Coral A. 271 Stone, Orin 253 Stout, Clyde M. 174 Strong, Emory F. 305 Striible, Lambert B. 214 T Taft, I'Vank 152 Tasker, Robert N. 156 Taylor, James 199 Tebbcl, George W. 189 Tcbbel, John 189 Thurlby, George C. 507 Tingley, Henry G. 67 Tower, Osmond S. 504 Townsend, Ed S. 482 Townsend, Emery 384 Townsend, Lorin P. 368 Townsend. Sherman M. 110 Tucker, Mrs. Samuel E. 52 Turner, Harvey A. 407 Tyler, Otis D. 462 U Upton, Victor F. 3S6 V Vanderheyden, Fred H. 392 Van Vleck, Peter 353 Van Vleck, Rector H. 352 Vctter, Ansclm ' 386 Vohlers, Eugene L. 62 Vosper, Benjamin 186 Vosper, James 186 W Washburn, Frederick A. 125 Watt, Hon. J. Clyde 451 Watt, S. A. 216 Webber, Herbert "B. 42 Webber, John A. 464 Webber, Lorenzo 464 Wcljster, Judge Montgomery 262 Webster, O. F. 438 Welch, Amos M. 274 Wellfare, Hugh J. 91 West, George L. 359 Weter, Guy D. 415 White, Reuben H. 382 Wilder, William A. 412 Wilkins, Frank S. 339 Wilson, Charles L. 459 Wilson, David E. 432 Wilson, Ferman G. 247 Wilson, Gilbert W. 456 Wilson, Henry J. 456 Wilson, William H. 106 Winchell, Clarence G., D. D. S. 314 Winchell, George P., M. D. 269 Winchell, Walter L. 323 Winslow, Nathan 89 Wooldridge, Edward M. 95 Wooldridge, Ernest S. 87 Wooldridge, George W'. 378 Wooldridge, Samuel 427 Y Yeomans, F.dwin S. - 93 Yeomans, Erastus T. 285 Yeomans, Lion. Walter 48 Yeomans, Willard S. 80 Young, John 33 Z Zahni, Michael 175 •||>M\ \(M'\(;. BIOGRAPHICAL JOHX YOUNG. In making np the memorial annals of Ionia county no record would be complete that did not carry fitting mention of the life and services to this comnnniity of the late John Young, who for more than forty years was (jne of Ionia's best-known and most enterprising merchants. John Young was born in Otsego county. New \'ork, March 5. 1832, son of Jacob and Esther ( Ward ) Young, the former a native of New York state and the latter of Massachusetts, who later moved to Elmira, New York, and thence to Fainted Post, in Steuben county, same state. When a boy, John \'oung learned the tinner's trade, although his mother was very desirous that he i>ecome a .Methodist minister. His advantages in the way of schooling were limited, but he was a diligent student a:id possessed a marvelously retentive memory, thus becoming a very well-informed man. He memorized the entire Bible, and in his early manhood associated much with ministers and was a frecpient exhorter at meetings. He engaged in the tinning business, Inu presently became a lumberman, sending logs down the Susquehanna river, but finding that venture unprofitable gave it up and in September, 1857. he then being twenty-five years of age, came to Michigan and settled in Ionia. Upon locating at Tonia, John Young entered the employ of the Sloan tin-shop and was there engaged as a tinsmith for two years, at the end of which time he opened a shop of his own. The year after coming to Ionia, Mr. \'oung married and from the very beginning of his business venture hi'^ affairs prospered, the tin shop ])resently developing into a hardware store and in the latter business Mr. 'SOung remained engaged the rest of his life, soon coming to be recognized as one of the most substantial and influential merchants in the town. Twice his store was destroyed I)y fire, once in i860 and again in 1865, Init, nothing daunted by these backsets, he rebuilt and went right ahead. Mr. Young was an ardent Democrat and took a warm interest in local political affairs, but never was an office seeker. He con- tinued activelv engaged in business to the time of his death, June 24, 1003, having thus been continuously engaged as a merchant in Tonia for ff)rty- (3a) 34 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. tliree years, ami the lousiness which he left is now being successfully carried on by his two sur\i\ing sons. Frederick and John Young, among Ionia's best-known and most progressive merchants. John Young was an earnest member of the Episcopal church, as is his widow, and their children were reared in that faith, the family ever l^eing devoted to local good works. Mr. ^'oung had been a witness to the develop- ment of Ionia from a straggling backwoods village to a pretentious, modem city, and had done well his part in promoting that ilevehipment along all proper lines. When he arrived there in 1857 the Cirand Trunk had just finished their line to Ionia, then the terminus of that road. There were only two brick residences in the place and two brick store buildings. A log cabin stood right across tlie street from the present Young store and where the librar\ now is situated there was then an unsightly mud hole, which not long- afterward was drained and converted into a potato patch. Deer frequently were seen in the neighborhood and one day, not long after Air. Young's arri\al, a bear came lumbering down into the village nut of the woods on the highland now the north section of the city. h"or many years afterward Indians used to come into the village, riding "Indian tile" on their ponies. Though such scenes long have ]xissed, thex- are still \ivid in the memory of Mrs. Young, whose mind is a veritable storehouse of knowledge regarding the growth and development of the citv which has been her home ever since 1857- On J;uuiar\- 1, 1S58. the year after his arri\al in Ionia, that John Young was united in marriage there to Mary Jane Sheets, who was born in Licking county, Ohio, Jul\' J, 1838, daughter of Hezekiah and Elizabeth (Glosser) Sheets, both natives of Marylruid. the former born in the city of Baltimore and the latter at (''rederick. I iezcki.-ih Sheets died w hen his daughter, Mary Jane, was three years old and his widow moved to Knox countv, Ohio, v.herc she si)ent the rest of her life. When she was ten years old, Marv lane Sheets went to Ii\e with her mother's brother and the hitter's wife, whn had Inst three children ot their nwn, and she grew to wninjuihndd under their care. In \^^/ she came ti> bmia nn a \isit to a married si.ster who had located hei-e. but after meeting Jnhn ^'llung had no desire to return to Ohio .and their marriage followed shoi't]\- after. To tliat union four children were horn, nameh': George (.'lanc\' ^'oung, who married Ger- trude \vers and was associated in business with his father at Ionia until his death at the age of thirty-nine years in 1808; Frederick Young, who married Theresa Janderno.i and is in the hardware business established b\- his father and with which he was connected for \-ears before the l.itter's IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 35 deatli ; John, who married \ erona I.eweyllen. and is also in the hardware business established by his father ; and Esther, who married Edward R. Bailev. one of the ]jroi)rietors of the Bailey House in Ionia at that time, wlio later ojjeratetl the I'ike summer ta\ern at 'ro])enalx'e on Mnllctl lake. this state, and who died on Deeember 3. 1914. survived by his widow and one son, John E.. who are continuing:- the hotel business at Topenabee. Edward R. Ilailey was born in Ionia on March 18, 1863, son of Lemah and ixachel { Klink ! Bailey, the former a native of \\'ayne county, New ^'ork. who for a time was engaged in the hotel business at Cleveland, Ohio, and who came to Michigan in 1852. oi)ening a grocery store and restaurant at Ionia, which he conducted until his establishment was destroyed by fire in 1861. after which lie engaged in the hotel business until 1864, when be rebuilt his store room and again engaged in the grocery business, but after he was burned out there a second time in 1865 he bought the Runyan House and later bought the old Eagle hotel, changed the name of the same to the Bailev House and continued its projirietor for thirty-three years. He dieil in 1891 and his widow died in 1897. After the death of the elder Bailey his sons. Edward K. and Herbert Bailey, continued the business until 1896, when Ivlwanl K. Bailev took hold of the I'ike summer tavern and was thus engaged the rest of his life, becoming very successful in that business. The Bailevs had their origin in luigland, a father and three sons having emigrated to this country in colonial days, settling at Rutland, Vermont, where all save Oliver Bailey met death during the Revolutionary War. Oliver Bailev, father of Leman Bailey, later moved to Wayne county, New York, where he spent the rest of his life. He had another son, Ephraim Bailev. who came to ^Michigan many years ago and was cared for by a son until his death, at the age of ninety years. JUDGE FRANK D M HANTS Judge 1-Vank D. M. Davis, judge of the Ionia circuit court, who has held that honorable position since 1892 and who enjoys the unusual dis- tinction of having been twice re-elected without opix)sition. as the nominee of both dominant parties, is a native of Buffalo, New York, having l)een lx)rn on April 9, 1854, son and only child of Evan M. and Ellen A. (Will- iams) Davis, both natives of Oneida county, New York, who died at Ionia, this countv, the latter in 1853 and the former in 1865. 36 IONIA COUNTY, MrCUIGAN. Evan Al. I )avis was the sun of Maltliew Dax'is and wife. nati\'es ui Wales, who had settled in Oneida county. New Vurk. where the former was a miller. He learned the painter's trade and followed that all his life. He married Ellen A. Williams, daughter of Edward and Mary (Jones) Williams, also natives of Wales, who had settled in Oneida county. New York, farming people, both of whom lived to advanced ages. In 1854, Evan M. Davis and wife came West and located at Ionia, where Airs. Davis died the following year. Mr. Davis later went to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he resided for a time, l)ut in i83() returned to Ionia, where he died in 1865. He had been reared as a Congregationalist, Ixit later became an earnest adherent of the church of the Seventh-Day Adventists. Left an orphan at the age of twelve years, Frank D. M. l)a\is has made his own way in the world ever since. He worked at farm labor in Mont- calm and Ionia counties until he was sixteen years old, meanwhile applying himself to his studies dining the winters in the schools of Ionia and Green- ville, displaying such aptitude in that direction that at. sixteen he received a license to teach in the public schools of this county and was engaged in teaching for several years. In the meantime he had been applying his leisure to the study of the law and in 1875, he then l)eing twenty-one years of age, was admitted to the bar. Upon being thus qualified to practice his chosen profession, Mr. Davis opened an office at Saranac, this county, and was there engaged in practice until the time of his election to the office of prosecuting attorney for this judicial district, in 1880, in which year he moved to Ionia, where he ever since has resided. I-'or eight years he served as prosecutor and then served one term as mayor of Ionia, and in i8q2 was elected, as the nominee of the i'Je])ublican party, judge of this juilicial cir- cuit. So admirably has Judge Davis discharged the duties of his official position that he has been retained on the bench of this circuit ever since. Previous to his election to the office of prosecuting attorney. Judge Davis had served as a justice of the ]ieace in Pxislon township and had also sor\cd as court commissioner. On .August 6. 1874. I'Vank I ). M. l)a\is was united in marriage to Ellen A. Strong, who was born at Niles, this state, October 7, 1855, daugh- ter of Noble D. and Rozilla M. (Potter) Strong, natives of New York, the former of whom was born near .\uliurn and the latter near Herkimer, pio- neers of Ionia county, both now dead, and who were the parents of five children, Emory F., Etta A.. Ellen A.. Elva R. and Carrie A. Noble D. .Strong was the second in order of liirtli of the six children born to his par- IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 37 ents, Isaac Strong and wife, natives of New York state, who spent their lives in the Auburn neighborhood, the other children of that family having been Levi, Samuel, Norman, Isaac and Henry. His wife was the first-born of the five children of Francis and Heziah (Frost) Potter, natives of New York state, who came from the Herkimer neighborhood to be pioneers in Ionia county, the other children of that familv having been Bianca, Elmira, William and Elvira. To Frank D. M. and Ellen A. (Strong) Davis two children have been born, Elbert M. and Elva R. Elbert M. Davis was graduated from the Ionia high school, after which he entered Olivet College and later the Detroit College of Law, from which he was graduated, after which he engaged in practice at Ionia and became very successful. In 1914 he was appointed assistant general counsel of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad Company and since then has made his home at Grand Rapids. He married Marian Morse, daughter of Judge Morse, of Ionia, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume. IMiss I'^lva Davis is a graduate of the Michigan Agricultural College at Lansing and is now operating a large green-house at Ionia. Judge and Mrs. Davis have a beautiful home at 146 Lafayette street, in Tonia, where they have lived for nearly a quarter of a centurv. Judge Davis is a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight Templar and a member of Saladin Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mvstic Shrine, and is also an Odd Fellow and "a member of the Knights of Pythias, in the affairs of which organizations he takes a warm interest. MAJOR THOMAS G. STEVENSON. Major Thomas G. Stevenson, secretary-treasurer of the Peoples Mutual F"ire Insurance Comi)any of Ionia, veteran of the Civil War, a former news- paper editor of Ionia and for years actively identified with the Inisiness and social interests of that city, is a native of Ionia and has lived there almost all his life. He was born at Ionia on July 26, 1842, son of John and Jean (Brown) Stevenson, the former a native of luigland and the latter of Scotland, early settlers in tlii> county and for years inlluenlial residents of Ionia. John Stevenson was reared in England and in 1831, crossed the Atlantic, settling in Montreal, where he married Jean iirown. who was I)om at Abbotsford, Scotland, within sight of the did lunne of Sir Walter Scott, 38 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. and who had come to America witli her hrotlier. setthng in Montreal. In 1836 John Stevenson and his wife came over into Michigan and settled in the then village of Lyons, being among the earliest settlers of the Grand River valley, soon after moving to Ionia. They were earnest members of tiie Methodist church and from the beginning of their residence in this county were accounted as among the leaders in all good works hereabout. Mrs. Stevenson died on February 17, 1883. Mr. Stevenson survived his wife about seven years, his death occurring in 1890. Their second son, Thomas G. Stevenson, grew to manhood in Ionia, receiving his elementary education in the i)ul)lic schools of that cit\-. He early took an interest in newspaper work and by the time he was eighteen years of age, In' working during vacations and after school hours in the office of the Ionia Ca::c'ttc, had earned enough money to pay his way through a course of two years of study in the Ypsilanti Seminary, in preparation for entrance to the State University, but his plans for a higher education were interrupted by the outbreak of the Civil War. At the age of twenty years Thomas G. Stevenson enlisted in Company A, Twenty-first Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and was imme- diately a])pointed sergeant-major of that regiment. In less than a year he had been successfully advanced in rank from second lieutenant to first lieutenant and then to captain of his company. He was with the regiment in the battles of I'erryville, Stone's Ri\er. Chickamauga, .Kveraslioro and Bentonviile and in numerous minor engagements and skirmishes. When General Sherman's army cut loose from its base of supplies and started on its historic sweep through Georgia, Captain Stevenson was apjjointed adjutant-general of a newly organized l>rig;ide and served thus on the march to the sea and on up through the Carnlinas to Washington, where he partici- pateil in tiie Grand Review, and upon l>cing mustered out at the close of the war was brevetted major for meritorious service. Upon the completion of his military service Major Stevenson returned to his home at Ionia and in May, 1866, in association with an old school- mate and army comrade, ("apt. J. C. Taylor, began the publication of the Ionia Sentinel, a weekly journal, through the columns of which for twenty years he advocated the principles of the Republican party, during which time he became one of the best-known newspaper editors in Michigan. 0.n Inly 4, 1892, Major Stevenson purchased the Marshall Statesiiuiii. one of the oldest Republican newspapers in Alichigan, and for years published that paj>er, selling the .same in 1896. The year previously, in 1895, at the annual lOXIA CDINTV. .MICHIGAN. 39 meeting of the xMichigan State Press -Vs.sociation. held at Benton Harbor, Major Stevenson was elected vice-president of the association and accom- panied his editorial brethren on the association's memorable trip tlown the St. Lawrence river to Alontreal, thence to the White Mountains; and in the following winter accompanied the editorial party which made the trip to New Orleans, where the editors were paid special attentions by the city offi- cials and the Mardi Gras directors, the etlitorial excursionists then proceed- ing on into Mexico, spending several days in the land of the Montezumas, receiving distinguished attentions from President Diaz and high oliticials of the republic of the south. For ten years during his connection with the "fourth estate," Major Stevenson had been largely interested, in ct)nnection with others, in wool growing in Colorado and at one time he and his associates had ten thousand sheep on their ranges. Three years before buying the Marslmll Statesman, Major Stevenson had been elected secretary-treasurer (if the Peoples Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Ionia and since selling his paper in 1896 has devoted his undivided time to the afTairs of that progressive and i)rosperous organization. When Major Steven.son took charge of the insurance com- pany's office the company had a membership of 861 and was carrying an insured risk of $1,154,205. The current annual report of the condition of the company shows a membership of 5.250. with insured risks of $7,750,000. Major Stevenson has l)een a Republican since the day he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee in 1864, and has since remained firm in the faith. In 191 1 Major Stevenson was appointed by Governor Oslwrn a memljer of the board of managers of the Michigan state soldiers' home and still occupies th;it responsible position. He is a member of the Grand .\rmy of the Republic and for years has taken an interest in the affairs of that patriotic order. He also is a member of the fraternal association, the Royal Arcanum. On June 24. 1874. Major Thomas G. Stevenson was united in mar- riage to Hannah ('. Pilanchard. who was born at Lyons, this county, daughter of John C. and Harriet .\. ("Brewster) Blanchard, for years numbered among the most pronn'nent ;uk1 influential residents of Ionia, further refer- ence to whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Stevenson is a mem- ber of the Methodist church, of the W'oman's Christian Temperance Union and of the Home Missionary Societ)', in the affairs of all of which organ- izations she takes a warm interest, assisting the Major in such measures as thev approve for the general ad\ancemcnt of local social and cultural condi- 40 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. tions. Major and Mrs. Stevenson reside in the old Blanchard home, a sandstone residence erected by the late John C. Blanchard in 1880, one of the handsomest and most substantial houses in Ionia, occupying broad grounds extending from Main street to Adams street. HON. FRANK C. MILLER. Hon. Frank C. Miller, present city attorney of Ionia, is one of the best- known and most successful lawyers in Central Michigan, former member of the Legislature from this district, ex-mayor of Ionia, former assistant attorney-general of the state, ex-city treasurer and alderman, and has also served as assistant prosecuting attorney of the county. Mr. Miller in addi- tion to looking after his extensive law practice has been largely interested m luml)ering and farming, and for years has been active in the promotion of the varied interests in which he is financially interested and the public inter- ests as well. He is essentially a "self-made" man. Though he admits he IS possessed of certain ideas .somewhat peculiar tu him.self, he thoroughly accords to every other man the right to think as he may please. He has spent the greater part of his life in the city of Ionia and the record of his career is an open book. Frank C. Miller was born at Burlington, Iowa. November J4, i860. His father was a native of Germany and his mother a "down east Yankee" from Connecticut. His father died while he was still a young man and his mother, who.se maiden name was Rachael .Steele, died mi i-'ebruarv _>S. ii)iC). He grew up and spent his boyhood days in Kent. Clinton and bmia counties, where he attended the country schools until he was fourteen years of age. From early childhood he became inured to hard work ui)on the farm and later in llie lumber woods, and he looks back with pride updii the fact that when he was fifteen years of age he worked seven months upon the f.arm m the township of Riley, Clinton county, Michigan, receiving six dollars ])er nioiiih lor lii^ l.ibor ;md that from his wages of se\-en months' service he .saved and took home to his mother the sum of tbirtv-live dollars. There- after, for some years, he worked upon the farm in summer and .attended tlie country .school during winter. Although he did not neglect his studies while working upon the farm, but s]ient every sp.are moment with his books — they were his constant comp;uiions. ;ui(l he c:\vvd little or nothing for the ])leas- nres which other boys of iiis age usualK engaged in, lie recalls the f.ict lONMA COrXTV, iMICHIGAN. 4I that he received his third reader when he was nine years old and reail it from cover to cover the first night he had it in the house, and he stiU has this same hook in his possession. He was sixteen years okl when he located in Ionia county; and alter attending the countr_\- schools during winters, he took a further course in the Ionia high school, after which he began teaching school, in which pro- fession he was thus engaged for several years ; meanwhile he had made up his mind that he wtmld slud\- law and during the school vacations he applied himself to the study of the law in the office of Morse, Wilson & Trowbridge, of which Judge Allen B. Morse was the senior meml)er. Mr. Miller was admitted to the bar on September 6, 1886, since which time he has been almost continually engaged in the practice of his chosen profession at bmia. Michigan, and has taken high rank at the bar. In addition to looking after his extensi\-e practice, Mr. Miller has given nuich time to the public service, b'or se\eral years he was assistant prose- cuting attorney of the count\- : has served the cit\' as alderm.in, city treasurer and mayor and is now ser\'ing his third consecutive term as city attorney. He was elected on the Republican ticket to represent the Ionia district in the lower house in the Michigan Legislature during the forty-fifth session of that body — kjoq-lo, and declined a re-mimination. For years Mr. Miller has given his most thoughtful attention to the political affairs of the city, county and state. For many years lie has been a member of the Ionia county Republican committee, serving as secretar\- of that t)rganiatizon four \ears, and has repeatedh' been chairman (jf the city committee of the same party. Diligent in business. Mr. Miller has prospered, as he deserves to prosper, and he is now the owner of a fine home, several houses, fanus, and a large tract of timber land. For three years he was engaged in lumbering in the Upper Penin.sula and at one time was the owner of about two thousand acres of land, a part of which he subsequently lumbered off or sold. On Februarv 23. 1887, bVank C. Miller was united in marriage to Sarah J. Reid, daughter of John and Dt'borah (Rathbun) Reid. Her father was a native of Scotland and ninther of \ew ^'o^k, both of whom spent (heir last days at the home of their daughter in Ionia. Mrs. Miller being now the sole survivor of that family. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have no children. They are meml>ers of the Church of Christ fDisciples) of which .Mr. Miller is a deacon and they take great interest in the various societies connected with the church activities. Mr. Miller is a prominent Mason, high priest of the Ionia chapter, member of the council and commandery of that order, and 42 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. is also a member of the local lodge of Elks, the Royal Arcanum. ^Modern Woodmen, and the Knights and Ladies of Security, with the national board of which latter organization he was connected for eight vears as national trustee, and takes an active interest in the affairs of these \arious organ- izations. His has, indeed, ijeen a bus\- life. HERBERT B. WEBBER. Herbert B. Webber, president of the National liank of Ionia, who has been connected with the banking interests of that city practically since boy- hood, beginning under the direction of his father, the Hon. .\. J. Webber, one of the pioneer Ijankers of this part of the state, and who also was largely identified with many important enterprises in and about Ionia, is a native of the great Empire state, having been born in Elmira, New York, October 31, iS6j, son of /Vndrew Jackson and Mary C (.-Vbbey) Webber, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of New York state, for man\- years prominent residents of Ionia, and the latter of wlmui died at the age of eighty years. Andrew J. Webber was the si.xth in order of birth of the nine chil- dren born to his parents, Andrew Jackson Webber and wife, prominent residents of Elmira, New Y'ork, the others being Lorenzo, Azro, George W., Samuel W., Oscar, Sophia, Lucinda and Jennie. He was well reared amid e.KCellent surroundings, receiving a good education and a competent busi- ness training. In 1857, attracted liy the [lossibilities then presented m the lumber woods of this section of Michigan, he came to this state, locating at Lyons, in this county, and for some years was successfully engaged in lum- bering, his principal operations being confined to the Manistee country in Mecosta county. In the meantime he had luarried. but did not mo\e his family to Ionia until iSjo, by which time he had become one of the most prominent ,-uid iiil]uenti;il men in this part of the state. In .-iddition \u his e>ctensi\'e luml)er interests he also was identified with nnpurtant in;muf;u luring enterprises herealiDUt, owned a ciinsidcr;ible stretch nl' farm Liiid and was one of the early bankers of Ionia. Mr. Webber was a Republican and took an acti\c part in local political affairs, sexeral times l)eing elected mayor of Ionia, and .also rei)resented this district in the Legislature several terms, during which service he became one of the best-known factors of his party in the state. In his |;iter years the lion, \ndrew J. Webber pr.ac- lOXlA COIXTV, MKllK'.AN. 43 tically retired from his luinierous Ijusiiiess connections in this county and moved to Detroit, where he died at tlie age of seventy-two years. His wife was born in New York state, daughter of Jonathan Abbey and wife, botii natives of that same state, the latter of whom lUed when coniparatixely a yovmg woman, leaving six children, Sarah, Carrie, Alary t ., Antoinette and Charles F. In his declining years Jonathan Alibey came to Miciiigan and located at Ionia, where he spent the rest of his life. To the Hon. .\ndre\v j. and Mary C. (Abbey) Webber four chiklreu were born, namely; Herbert B., the subject of this sketch; (ieorge H., also of loma ; Charles 11., of I'orl- land, Oregon, and Marie .\.. who married Edward A. Fiske and lives at San Juan Bautista, California. Herbert B. \\'el)ber was eight years old when his parents located iii Ionia and he has been a resident of that city ever since. He received his elementary education in the public schools of that city, supijlementing the same by a course at the Michigan Military Academy at Orchard Lake, ;ifter which he entered the service of the Second National Bank of Ionia, as col- lection clerk, and has been continuously connected with the banking interests of that city e\er since. In iS.Si Herbert B. Webber assisted his father in the organization of a ])ri\ate bank at Ionia, under the firm name of .\. J. Webber & Son, which bank was engaged in business for hve years, at the end of which time it was discontinued, Herbert B. Webber then l)eing elected cashier of the Second National I>ank of Ionia, of which his father and George W. Webber were the principal owners. He continued that con- nection until the expiration of the l)ank's charter, after which George W. and Andrew -J. W'ebljer organized a private bank as a .successor to the Second National Bank, under the name of Webber Brothers, Bankers, which in.sti- tution was continued until i8(j(). in which year Herbert 1!. Webber organ- ized the National Bank of Ionia, capita! stock, fifty thousand dollars, and was elected president of the new financial institution, a jiosition he has ever since occupied, the other officers of the bank being W. II. Mathsin and Ilerl)ert K. Powell, vice-presidents, and J. 11. Smith, cashier. In addition to his extensive banking interests, Mr. W'ebber is also actively identified with numerous important enter])rises in and about Ionia and is regarded as one of the most influential men of affairs in this section of the state. I "or twenty-five years he has acted as treasurer of the Mich- igan state hospital at Ionia; is president of the Ionia Gaslight and Coke ("ompany: secretary-treasurer and general manager of the Hayes-Ionia Company; a director of the Belding-Hall Company, of Belding, this county. 44 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. manufacturers of refrigerators, one of the largest concerns of its kind in the country, and also owns a fine farm of two hundred and seventy-five acres three and one-half miles east of Ionia, in the operation of which he takes much interest. Mr. Webber is a Republican and for years has taken a good citizen's interest in the political affairs of the county, long having been regarded as one of the leaders of the party in this section, but has never been as aspirant for public ofifice. On March 2, 1885, Herbert B. Webber was united in marriage to Mary Ella Vander Heyden, who was liorn at Detroit, this state, December 17, 1866, daughter of William H. and Emily E. (Wood) Vander Heyden, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New York state, who were the parents of four children. William H., Mary Ella, Dora E. and Fred H. William H. Vander Heyden died in ic)i2, at the age of seventy- two years, and his widow is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Webber take an earnest interest in the various social acti\ities of their home town and have many friends in Ionia and thruughuut tiie county generally. Mr. Webber is a Mason, a member of Ionia Lodge No. 36, of that order, at Ionia; a member of the chapter and the commandery of the same order and is an active member of Saladin Temple, .\ncient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, ;it (jrand Rapitls. He also is a member of the Ionia lodges of the Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Knights of the Maccabees and in the affairs of all these several organizations takes a warm interest. GEORGE \\\ POTTER. George W. Potter, secretary-treasurer and general manager of the l'"armers C"o-0[)crative ( "reamery Company, of Saranac, this county, a well- to-do landowner in that neighborhood and one of the most enterprising and ])ublic-spirited men in the coniniunilw is a nati\e son of Ionia countv and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Kccm- township, this county, July i_', 1863, son of Charles !\T. and Celia A. (Taylor) Potter, the f(3rmer a nati\e of the state of Xew ^'o^k and the latter of Connccticin. who became ])ionccr residents of this comit\-, where their last da\-s were spent. Charles M. Potter was born in Xew ^'ork state, but was reared in Hartford. Connecticut, in which city he married Celia A. Taylor, who was bom there. .\ year after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Potter came to Mich- igan and settled in loni;i county. Charles M. Potter bought a farm in IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 45 Keene township and became one of the most substantial and influential residents of that community, living there the rest of his life, his death occur- ring in 1907. To him ;ui(l his wife eight children were l)orn, ti\e ol wluim are still living, those l)esides George W. being as follow: W'iUiam 1!., a grocer at Grand Rapids, this state; I'Ldwin .M.. who now owns ami li\es on the old home farm of one hundred and t\\cnt\ acres in Keene township: Emma Genia, wife of Homer Cutter, of Grand Rapids, and Mrs. .Slcll.i Kinriey, a widow, of Chicago. George \V. Potter was reared on the paternal farm in Keene town^iii]), this county, receiving .his elementary education ni the ]mlilic school in the neighborhood, supplementing the same by a course ni the liusiness college at Ionia, after which he entered seriously upon the work of farming and became the owner of an excellent farm of eighty-eight acres. In 1907 he left the farm and engaged in the hardware business at Saranac. continuing thus engaged for three years, at the end of which time he sold his h.ardware store and engaged in the drug business. Three years later he returnctl to the farm and for two years took active management of his place. On September 28, 1914, he became connected with the co-o])erative creamery at Saranac in his present capacity as secretary-treasurer and general man- ager and has ever since been thus engaged, during which time he has done much to advance the general interests of that progressive and nourishing concern. I\Ir. Potter was one of the original stockholders of the creamery company and is one of the directors of the s.ime. He also is a stockholder in the Saranac State Bank and for years has given his best attention to all measures designed to advance the interests of his home community. Mr. Potter is a Democrat and has twice served as treasurer of Boston township. He also served one term as highway commissioner of that townshi]) and in other ways has demonstrated his interest in |nii>lic affairs. The co-operative creamery at Saranac is one of the best established and most thriving con- cerns of the kind in this part of the state and does a large annu.d business, being very popular with the many dairy farmers in that section. The pres- ident of the company is Martin K. Jepson ; vice-president, George Hill, of Orleans township, and secretary-treasurer and general manager. George W. Potter. On June 6. 1888, George W. Potter was united in m;irriage to Esther Ellison, who was l)orn in Easton township, this county, and to this union four children have been born, namely: Belle, who died aged one year: Courtland M., bom on .August 22, 1890, a graduate of the Saranac high 46 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. school and tlie .Michigan State Xormal School at Ypsilanti, who is now- engaged as a teacher in the state school at Owatonna, Minnesota: Aylmer, October 8. 189-, a graduate of the Saranac high school, who is married and now operating the home farm in Boston township, and Charles H., Septem- ber 22, 1900, a student in the Saranac high school. The Potters long have taken an active interest in the general social affairs of tkeir home commu- nity and are regarded as among the leaders in the general life of the vicinity. Mr. Potter is the present master of P)Oston Lodge No. 146, Free and Accepted Masons, serving his second term as such; and both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. Potter also is a member of Saranac Lodge No. 168, Independent Order of Odd b^ellows, and of the local "tent" of the Knights of the Maccabees, and in the affairs of all of these organizations takes a warm interest. ADAM FENDER. .\dani I'ender, a well-known and progressive farmer of Sebawa town- ship, this county, supei*visor of that township and chairman of the county board of supervisors, owner of a fine farm situated on rural route No. 3. out of Lake Odessa, and for years actively identified with the aft'airs of that neighborhood, is a native of Ohio, but has lived here e\er since he was twenty years old. having located here at the close of his service in the Union army during the Civil War. He was born in Putnam county, Ohio, October 9. 1845, son of Jacob and Rebecca ( Kirkendall) Fender, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Ohio, who in 1865 came to Michigan and settled in Barry county, where their last days were spent. Jacob Fender was trained to the trade of a blacksmith in his native land. .\t the conclusion of his three vears of military service, at the age of twenty-three )ears. be came to the L'uited States and presently made his way into Ohio, where he married Rei)ecca Kirkend.ill, who was born in Columbiana county, that stale. 'rhe\- made their home in Putnam county, same state, where they resided until i8()3, in which year they came to Mich- igan with iheir famib' and settled on a fariu in section 13, W'oodland tow'n- ship, Barry county, where the\' s|ient the remainder of their lives. Jacob Fender's death occurring in .\pril. 1S71. He and his wife w-ere the jiarents of eight children, of whom six are now lixing and the eldest of whom is lOXlA col-XT'!, AriClllGAN. 47 the subject of tliis sketch, the i)thers being as follow: Daniel, of Lake Odessa, this county; i'liias U., who continues to li\e in Putnam county, ()lnt>; Peter, of Sunheld, in the neighboring count}' of Eaton; \ an, also a resi- deiu of Eaton count}-, and Louis P., a resident of Costa ccninly, this state. Adam Pender was reared on a farm in Putnam county, Uhio, and nn February 24, ieen elected supervisor of Sebawa township for nineteen consecutive terms, now serving his second term as chairman of the countv l)oard of supervisors, l-'or tw-el\-e years also Mr. b'ender ser\ed as justice of the peace in and for Seijawa townshii) and in other ways has done his part in lix-al governmental affairs. On June y, 1874, .\dani Fender was united in marriage to Louisa Switzer. who w-as born in Wyandot count}-, ( )hio. anfl who came to Mich- igan with her jjarents in the f;dl of 1866, and to (his union eight children have been liorn, four of whom are li\-ing. as follow': Warren P.. Dora M., wife of Harry ?>. Everest ; X. I'".., of Odes.sa township, and Ray. born on (•"ebruary 10. and is umnarried and li\-es at Jionie. Mr. Fender is a member of Samuel Gm-nell Post No. 283, Craiid Army of the Republic, and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that patriotic organization. He also is a member of West Sebawa Lodge No. 282, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is past noble grand of that organization. 48 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. HON. W ALTER VEOAIANS. The Hon. Walter Veomans, former state senator from this district, a well-known and substantial retired farmer of this county and a former banker, who has been successfull\- engagetl in the rcaP-estate and loan busi- ness in Ionia since 1893, '^"^ ^^ ^^'^^ best-known and must progressive busi- ness men in this part of the state, is a native son of Ionia coimty, ha sing- been born on a pioneer farm within a mile of where he now' lives in Ionia, February 13. 1848, son of the Hon. .Sanford A. and Abigail (Thompson) Veomans, earlv settlers ni this cmintw the former of whom came here with his parents, Erastus Veomans and wife, when sixteen years old, from Xew Y'ork state, a member of the Dexter colonv which settled in the center of the county in 1833, and thus became the nucleus around which i)resently gathered the settlemenl vxhich gradually grew into the now flourishing city of Ionia. Erastus Veomans was the first postmaster of the village and one of the first associate judges of the county, for many years taking a prom- inent i)art in the affairs incident to the de\"elopment of this now well-estal> lishecl and thri\ing commonwealth. His son, Sanford A., became ecpially pronfinent in his day and was useful in man\' w'ays in giving proper forma- tion to the growing community. He was an extensive landowner, served the district for two terms m the Icwer house of the state Legislature and was a member of the convention called to re\ise the Constitution of the state of ■Michigan. In a biographical sketch presented elsewhere in this \olume. relating to Erastus '1. \ eom.ans, \etcran druggist at bmia, elder brother of the subject of this .sketch, there is set out in frdl a history of this interesting family in this county, to which the attention of the reader is called. judge Eraslus Yeoinans was a fifer in the conijiany of Captain Morgan, in .Major Shoe- maker's I'i.-itt.ilion, Xew \irietor of "Brookside Farm," con- sisting of one hundred and three acres situated in section 24, four and one- half miles northeast of Sunfield, on nnal route .\o. 2, out of that city, is a native son of Ionia count\- and h;is li\ed lure all his life. He was born on a farm in Lvons township, Xo\eml)er 5, 1N71, sou of lames and Elizalieth (Johnson) l)orin, the former a nati\c of ( anada and the latter of the state of Illinois, both of whom cune to .Michigan with ibeir respective parents in the days of their childhood, the two f;nnilirs settling on adjoining farms in Lyons township, this county. James l)orin was born in Loudon, ( )iil;Lno. in .M,i\, 1S41, and came to Michigan with his parents in 1K34, he then being about thirteen \'ears olcl. Lie grew up on the homestead larm and in iSOi. when twent\' vears old, married his neighbor, IClizabeth Johnson, who was born in Rockford, Illinois, in 1845, 'i'"' ^^'i" ^^'"'^ about six years old when her parents settled on a farm in Lyons tinvnship in iS;i, where she li\e(l until her marriage to lames Dorin, she then being in her sixteenth \ear. lames 1 )orin and his wife IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 5I Started life together on a small farm and there they reared their family. They were the parents of fourteen children, of whom nine are now living, namely: Mary, wife of Richaril Clark, of Arkansas; Frank, a farmer of Lyons township, this county: Fred, who is li\ing in ("alifornia; Grace, wife of James Roberts, of Ithaca, this state; I'-llis \\'.. the subject of this sketch; Guy, a farmer of Orange township, this county; Flora, wife of Gharles Morse, also of Orange township; Lavina, wife of Jesse Gurnsey, of Ionia township, this county, and Susan, wife of Donald I'radley, of North Plains township, this county. The mother of these children died in 1885. Ellis W. Dorin was reared on the paternal farm in Lyons township and received his early schooling in the district school in the neighlxjrhood of his home. He was about fourteen years old when his mother died and after that he started out working for himself, a portion of his wages going to the support of the family, for his father had a large family of little children and was not too well circumstanced at that time. On November 20, 1895, Mr. Dorin was united in marriage to Gertrude (Vane, who was born in Portland township, this county, in 1874, and who had grown to womanhood on a farm in the neighborhood of the Dorin farm in Lyons township. .After their marriage Ellis W. Dorin and wife established a home on a farm in Portland township, where lliev li\ed until looC), in wliicb year they sold the farm and mo\'ed over into Sebawa township, where thc\' bought the old Brown farm and there have made their home ever since. In addition to his general farming Mr. Dorin has given much attention to the raising of pure- bred live stock run! bis Holstein cattle and Percheron horses have a wide repulatidu in the neighborhood. His herd of Plolstcins is headed by "Ypsiland Alajor De Kol 8<)7oo" and his Percheron sire is "Comet 99613," his stock thus being kejft u]> to high grade. Mr. Dorin is a Democrat and for years has been looked u])on as one of the leaders of that party in his part of the count\'. He is now serving as justice of the peace in and for Sebawa township and in other ways has done his i)art in local governmental affairs. To I'^llis W. .'iiid (Icrtrude (Crane) Dorin four children ha\e been burn: Josephine, a graduate of the Suntield high .scIk^oI ; Kenneth, a \ alual)le assist- ant to his father on the home farm ; Wesley, nine years old, and iClizabeth, seven years old. Mr. and .Mrs. Dorin are members of the .Sebawa .Methodist Episcopal church and take an active interest in the various benelicences of the same. Mr. Dorin is a member of Sebawa Lodge No. 351, Independent Order of Odd I'-ellows, and he and his wife formerly were members of the Daughters of Rel)ekah. IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. MRS. SAMUEL E. TUCKER. Mrs. Samuel E. Tucker, of Saranac, this county, widow of the late Samuel E. Tucker, an honored veteran of the Civil War, who died at his home in Saranac on November 20, 1914, after having lieen for years one of the most actixe and progressive citizens of that neighborhood, is a daugh- ter of David and Eliza (Goodnow) Livermore, pioneers of this section of Michigan. David Livermore was born in the state of \ crniDUt and I'.liza ( ioud- now was born in New York state. They were married in the latter state and in 1835 came to Michigan, locating at Shelby, in Macomb county, later moving onto a farm in the Mt. Clemens neighborhood in Clinton township, that same county, where David Livermore died nineteen years later. His widow then sold her farm in Macomb county and in 1865 came to Ionia county, where she spent the remainder of her life. She died in .August, iiS(jy. I)a\id Livermore and his wife were the parents of nine children, of whom but two now survive, the subject of this sketch having a brother. Elias Livermore, who is a resident of Macomb county. .Vnother brother, Leman S. Livermore, a veteran of the Civil War, died on December 30, 191 5. It was on March 30, 1869, about four years after she came to this county with her mother, that the subject of this biographical sketch was united in marriage to Samuel E. Tucker, a veteran of the Civil War, who had come to this state from the East at the close of the war. Samuel E. Tucker was a native of Vermont, but was reared in Xew Hamjishire. In June, 1862, he enlisted for service during the Civil War in the Xinth Regi- ment, New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command until the close of the war. Mr. Tucker became the owner of a quarter of a section of land in the southern part of Pioston townshi]). this county, and ]>ros])ered in his farming operations, coming ti) l)e recognized as one nf the most substantial and influential farmers in that neighliorhood. In addi- tion to his general farming he gave much attention to the growing of fruit and organized the jjroduce business at Saranac, now operated by the Saranac Produce Company, lie also was one of the organizers of the State P>ank- of Saranac and was one of the directors of the same, the stock he held in the bank now being owned by his widow, who also continues to hold the farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Boston inwnship. In 1906 Mr. and Mrs. Tucker retired from the farm and moved to .^ar;mac, where Mr. Tucker (lied on Noveml)er jo, ioi4- lie was a Drnmerat and ever ga\e close ;ilten- IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 53 tion to local political affairs, hut was not an office seeker. He was an active member of the Grand Army of the "Repul)lic and for many years took a warm interest in the affairs of that patriotic organization. Mrs. Tucker is a"member of the Relief Corps. To Samuel E. Tucker and wife ten children were born, of whom eight are still living, as follow: Nina, wife of William Lavander; iMnma, wife of Herman Vanderhoft': George, who married Mary Rollands; John J., who married Minnie Chapman ; Newell, who married Hester Jackson ; Ernest, who married Mabel Jordon; Samuel E.. who married Rosa Roth, and Lucinda E.. wife of Herbert Courter CORTLAND SMITH. Lortland Snnth. well-known farmer anil stuck brcetler, proprietor of the "Brookside Stock Farm" on rural route No. i, out of Grand Ledge, in Danliy township, this county, is a native of Ohio, but has been a resident of lunia county since he was ten years old. He was born in Erie county, Ohio, De- cember 16, 1855. son of .\. M. and Eliza A. (Tingue) Smith, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New York state, who were married in' Erie county, where they li\e(l until the spring of T8r)6, when they came to Michigan with their family and located in Danby township, this county, arriving there on April 23 of that year. Mr. Smith bought a farm in Danby township and there siient the rest of his life, his death occuring in 1882. His widow survived him ten years, her death occurring in i8(;2. Thev were the parents of eleven children, of whom but four are now living, those besides the sul)iect of this sketch being as follow: Isal)elle, wife of James J. Like, of (irand Ledge. Eaton county: Darwin ('., of Detroit, lliis state, and Celestia. wife of Joseph .\stley, of Lansing, this state. Cortland Smith was a1)out ten years old when he came to this county with his parents and his .schooling was completed in the district school in the neighborliciod of his new home, attending there until he was eighteen years of age, after which he entered .seriously u])on the life of a farmer, and at tin- age of twenty-one began clearing a place for himself. He married Sylvia 11. Peake. a neighlwr girl, who was lx)rn in Danby township in 1858, daughter of (i. W. and Betsey (Macuniber) i'eake, early settlers of that townsiiiij. and established his home on the farm of .si.xty acres long known as "Brook- side Stock Farm," si.x miles we.st and two miles north of (irand I^'dge, where 54 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. he ever since had made his home and where he has been very successfully en- gaged in general farming and stock raising. Mr. Smith for ypars has given special attention to the breeding of registered stock and has made a specialty of Percheron horses, Holstein and Durham cattle and Poland China swine, all his stock being of high grade. He is the owner of the locally well-known Percheron sire, "Victor 56636," and the equally well-known Durham hull, "Corndyke," both of which animals are hue favorites among the farmers of this section. All of .Mr. Smith's e.xtensive stable of Percherons are registered and It IS undoubted that he has done much toward improving the strain of horseflesh in the southeastern part of the county and throughout the adjacent sections of neighboring counties. "Brookside Stock Farm" is a well-ke])! place, and is admirably improved, the pro])rietor being an up-to-date farmer who believes in having things shipshape about him. Mr. Smith is a Demo- crat and gives his earnest attention to local political affairs. He has .served his home district as overseer of highways and as a director of schools and in other ways has done well his part as a good citizen. To Mr. and Mrs Smith two children have been born, Frank, who died, aged three years, and a daughter. Carrie P., born on March 27, 1878, a graduate of the Portland high school and a well-known mu.sic teacher, who married Fugene Lyon, also of Danby township. .Mr. and Mrs. Smith have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in the social activities of their home neighborhood. WILLLAM FISHELL. l-'arming has been both a pleasant and profitable vocation for William Fishell of Danby township, Ionia county. I If was born in (Jenesee county, New Ybrk, June 26, 1865, and is a son of Joseph P. .uid \anc\- ( \'an iUiren 1 Fishell. both natives of the state of New ^d^k, where the\- grrw up ,niu married .-uid resided there until the s])ring of 1S74. when tliev came to loma county, Michigan, locating ni Danby township, where tliev lived until icjo,:; or unlil the death of the f;itlier. which ocenrred in that vear. His widow survives at an advanced age and still ni.ikes her home in Danliy township. Their family consisted of fotn- children, namely: William, the snbiect of this .sketch; Elizabeth is the wife of P. Rice; Mary is the wife of Edward Sprague; Ettie is the wife of I hir\ev Rice William iMshell was eight years old when he came to Ionia count\ with his parents, and here he grew to manhood ,,ii the farm, where he worked dur- IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 55 ing crop seasons, and in the winter tnue attended the district schools until he was twenty-one years of age when he started out for himself, hiring out one year as a farm hand. He has devoted his life to general farmins' and stock raising and is now owner of a good farm of one hundred and sixtv- seven acres, which he inirchased with his own earnings, starling without a dollar. He not only cultivates his own place in an excellent ni;mner hut farms in all three hundred and twenty-seven acres, also raises consitleral)le live stock and operates a small dairy, keeping from fifteen to twenty cows. I'or a numher of years he was a hreeder of Chester White hogs, lie is deserving of a great deal of credit for what he has acconii)lished nn.iided and in the face of olxstacles that would ha\'e discouraged manv men. William l-"ishell was married, .\ugust 3. 1883. to l'~ffie Sprague. who was born in Ionia, Alichigan, where she was reared anarnard. a daughter of Levi Barnard, who was an early settler in ( )range township, Ionia county, where Mrs. Pryer grew to womanhood and attended school. Her mother before marriage was Mary A. Page, To Mr. and Mrs. Pryer one child h.is been born, l\ayniond H. Pr\er. whose birth occurred August 6, 1S89. He was graduated from the common schools of Danbv township. He is unm;irried and li\es ;it home, assisting his father with the work on the farm. Politically, Mr. Pryer is a Republican, but he has ne\ er been very active in public affairs. PROF. HAin KY H. FOWREY. Prof, llarvev II. l.owrey, commissioner of schools for Ionia countv since the year kjoS, is a natix'e son of this conntw lia\'ing been born on a farm in I'.erlin township. August 14, 1S78. son of b'.benezer \. and (\arrie (jertrude ( 'i'homas ) l.owrey. the former ;i native of Ohio and the latter of ("anada. ])ioneer residents of this countv, for many vears accounted among the best-known citizens of llerlin township. l'2henezer N. Fowrev is the son of Norton Fowrev. one of the earliest and foremost pioneers of tlie central part of this countv. Xorton T.owre\- was reared in Ohio on a farm and married there, he and his wife liecoming ruoi'. ii.\i;\i;v ii. i.owukv. IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 57 the parents of live children, the eldest of whom, Archibald, was killed while serving as a Union soldier in the battle of Stone's River, Tennessee; the others being jnhn ("., b^benezer X., Serona and Jennie. 'i"he mother of these children died in Ohio and Xorton Lowrey emigrated with his children to Michigan, settling in Berlin township, this county, where he married Mrs. Marv ( Hawley i Thomas, to which union one son was born, Ahram P.. ;ommonl\- known as I'ratt Lowrey. l'~l)enezer Lowre_\- was a well-grown boy when lie came to this count} from Ohio with his father and be grew to manhood on the home farm in Berlin township. When the I'ivil War broke out he enlisted in Company B, Sixteenth Regiment. Michigan \dlun- teer Infantrw and \\a^ mustered out with his regiment at the close ol the war with the rank of corporal. He was in thirty-nine battles of the war, from the second battle of Bull l\un to the surrender of General I.ee at Appomattox, and received several wounds, though none of a serious char- acter, the onl\ one which permanently affected him h;iving been a bullet wound in the right .shoulder, which made a 'ieft-handed" man of him. lie also received a nastv wound in the neck. .\t the close of the war b'benezer X. Lowrey returned home and resumed his place on the farm. Xot long thereafter he married Carrie r,er- trude Thomas, who was born in Canada, daughter of John and Mary (Hawley) Thomas, both natives of Canada, where the former died, leaving four daughters, Carrie Gertrude, Kmma, Libbie and ILattie. after which his widow came to Michigan with her daughters, settling in this county, where she married Norton Lowrey. .\fter his marriage, Ebenezer N. Lowrex- began farming on his own account, first bu\ing a tract of eighty acres, which he cleared and largely improved. Tie later added to this tract by the pur- chase of ;ui adjoining "forty" and as he prospered bought an additional tract of one hundred and twenty acres, being now the owner of two hun- dred and fortv acixs and considered one of the most substantial farmers in his neighborhood. To F-1)enzer X. ;uid Carrie Gertrude (Thomas) Lowrey nine children have been born, as follow: W'illard T., who is now living in the state of Washington: Carl J., of Berlin town-hi]), this countv : Roy R.. of Boston township: Harvev H., of Saranac. this county, the subject of this sketch: Kd. M., i)resent sheriff of Ionia county: Karl !■:., of Berlin townslii]), living on the old home farm: Mazel J., at home, and two who died in infancy. Harvev II. l,owrev was reared on the home farm in Berlin township, this countv. receiving his t-lementary education in the district school in the neighl:!orhood of his home, after whieb he entered the high school al Sara- 58 lOXJA COfXTV, MICIIKiAN'. nac, from which he was graduated in i8w th:in une hundred and sixtv doll.ars a \'ear to conduct the satne. whereas in nilier counties nf the size of loni.a it has cost as high as one thousand dollars a vear to look after the truants, lie is held in high reg.ird anmng tiie educators of the --tate .and is recognized as a leader in the state teachers" meetings, this count\" being generallv considert'd as one of the best from ;m educational stand]iornt in the stale, lie has also ser\etate. fur xear-^ prominent residents of Ionia county and the parents of seven children, Rosa, l.illie, Artlnu', Delia, (iilhert, Kdith and lAelyn (i. To Harve\' 11. ;md lAelvn ('.. (Curtissl Lowrey two children ha\e been born, Maindne Alarg.arct ;md l\l;iine J'iosalyn. Mr. and .\lr^. i.owvey are earnest members of the .MetlnKlist l'",i)iscop;d tluirch at Saranac, which is their place of residence, and take ;i iirupcr p.irt in all worth}' niox cniculs designed to ad\ance the liest interests of their cnuimunity, being held in high esteem bv their many friends thereaboiu and throughout tlie county gen- eralh'. Professor I.o\\re\- is a Repnlilican and h,'is for ye;irs given his thoughtful and intelligent altenlicin tn the ]ii)litical aHairs ,i\ the cnunty, e\'er an earnest and consistent advocate "i the principles of good gt)\-ernment. He is a member of Boston Lodge Xo. 14O, Free and Accepted Masons, at Saranac, and of Saranac Lodge No. 168, Indejjendent Order of Odd h'e!- lows, while l)0th he and Airs. Lowrey are mcnibers of \'allcy Chapter No. 17s. Order of the lui.'itern .Star, at .Saranac, in the affairs of which they take a warm interest. JOHN C. BUTLER. John C. Butler, welbknown farmer and live stock breeder and proprietor of "Xutwood Stock J''arm," in IJauby township, is one of the wurthy citizens of Ionia county, deserving of recognition in this work. lie wa^ li(irn ,il Portland. Michigan, May 8, ik up farming on the place he now owns, starting out with only forty acres, but bv good management, the exercise of sound judgment, and close application 6o IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. he |)ros])erecl and is now owner of a well-improved and productive farm of iitree hundred and seventy acres. He has a pleasant home and numerous substantial outbuildings. He has been \ery successful as a general farmer and .stock raiser. Soon after starting nut he began breeding registered Poland China hogs, later Shorthorn and jersey cattle, and is now specializing in Holstein cattle. Percheron horses and the above-named breed of hotrs, in which he has been especiallx- successful. He is an excellent judge of all kinds of live stock and no small portion of his annual income is derived from this department of his business, iu-erything about his place denotes good taste and good management and it is a pleasure to visit his well-kept farm. His farm is in an e.xcellent location, three miles southeast of Portland. -Mr. Butler was married to Xellie Wilcox, who was Ijorn in Jackson county, Michigan. Her parents brought her to Ionia county when she was a young girl and here she grew to womanhood and received her education m the public scIkjoIs and the Pijrtland high school. Mr. and Mrs. Butler jiave two children, namely: Hanmer. who is twenty-two years old; he at- tended the Portland public and high schools and the Michigan Agricultural College, and is now assisting with the management of the home farm; he married Flaudie b'leck, of Mecosta, Michigan, and tlu-y ha\e twtj children. i)()ris li., the other child, is now eight \ears old. Politically, Mr. Butler is a Republican, and is one of the leaders of his party in Ionia county. He was a candidate for state senator on the Pro- gressive ticket a few years ago, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket. Fraternally, he belongs to Portland Podge No. 76, Free and .\.ccei)ted Masons, also the Modern Woodmen of .\merica. He belongs to the liaptist church at Portland, and is one of the trustees of the same. He has always been ready to assist in all movements intended for the general improvement of his locality, and a director of the W^ihcrine Pavewav .\ssociation. W.XKRI'IX HPXSOX. Warren Ilixson. one of tin- liest-known and most progressixe fanners n. tile southeastern part of Ionia county, jjroprietor of a tine farm ot one hun- dred and twelve acres in Danby township, situated on rural route .\"o. i, out ol ( irand l.edge, is a nati\x' of .Michigan ;iiid has li\ed ni this .slali' most ot his life. He was born in i'.aton county, .Michigan, August ic;, 1S55. son of William and Louise (JNJoore) Hixson. the former a nati\e of the state of IONIA COrXTV, MICHIGAN. 6l New York and the latter of Michigan, who later became residents of lunia connty, but whose last davs were spent in the state of California. William Hixson. who was born in 1833, was but four years old wlien Ins parents came from .\ew \'ork stale to Michis^an in 1837. TIk- family settled in Eaton coimty and there William Hixson grew to manhood. He married Louise Moore, who was born in Livingston count}-, this state, and establishetl his home in Eaton county, l^ecoming a prosperous farmer. In later years he went to California with his famil\- and there he died in July, kjoi. To William Hixson and wife eight children were born, of whom se\en are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow ; Funerson, of California; Fremont, of California; Jason, also of California; Wilbur, who also li\-es in California; Mary, wife of Judson Hastings, and Mjittie, wile ot Benjamin Smith. \\ arren Hixson was reared on the farm on which he was born m ( )neid;i township, in the neighboring county of h^aton, and received liis schooling in the schools of that vicinity. He grew up as a farmer and has been engaged in that vocation practicallv all his life and has done very well, .\ftcr spending .some time in the West he returned to his native state and on .\ugusl i<). iught a home in Ionia .and kept her younger children with her, the older children having gone out to make their own way, thus leaving the boy. i'.ugene. the mainstav of the little l',imil\. While living at Cadillac he had worked as a boot-bkick in order to contribute his mite to the family support, and upon locating at Ionia he began working at farm labor at a wage of four dollars a month. He remained a farm laborer until \\\> marriage, at the age of twentv-three vears, in 1894, after which he rented a farm and began farming for himself. Two years later he bought a farm of seventv acres in section ui. Ea>lcrn township, .ind there he re- IdXlA CorXTY, MICHIGAN. 63 inaiiK'cl for eii^ht years, at the end of which time he sold the farm and bought a store at Dildine I'orners, where he was engaged in mercantile busi- ness for three years. He then bought the farm of his father-in-law. (ieorge R. Leach, a tjuarter section in section 4. l-'aslon township, the tild home place where his wife was born, and there he was engaged in farming for three years, after which he became superintendent of the I'".. 11. Stafford Manufacturing Company's interests at Bois Blanc Island. There he erecteil a saw-mill, Iniilt a boarding house and several other houses, (|iute a httle hamlet presently springing up around the mill. Three years later he resigned that position and returned to Ionia county in order that his children might have better educational advantages. He bought a tract of one hundred ;md fifty-three and one-half acres one mile north of Ionia, on the east side of the state road, and there he has made his home since March, lyij. In addi- tion to his general farming, Mr. \"ohlers also engages to some extent in ro.ul contracting and other similar forms of construction work. .Mr. X'ohlers is a Democrat and for years has taken an active part in local politics. He was clerk of Easton township for five years and supervisor for five years, resigning that position when he mo\ed to ISois Blanc Island. While living on the island he also served as su])er\isor and in the sjiring of igis was elected super- visor of his district in Ionia township. In the fall of igo6 he was nomi- nated In- the Democrats of Ionia county for the ofifice of sheritf. .\t that time the Republicans had a normal majorit)- of two thousand m this county and .Mr. X'ohlers ran almost si.xteen hundred ahead of his tickets coming within four hundred and twent\-nine votes of election in a contest in which Roosevelt led the Republican ticket by a majority of more than twenty-two hundred. Mr. X'ohlers rcceised his heaviest su])port in the jjrecincts where he was best known and bad not the li(iuor element in the county o])i)osed his election he certainly would have carried the county, thus signalizing one of the most notable political victories in the history of Ionia county. On Xovember 22. 1894. Kugene L. X'olilers was united m m;irriage to Altha M. Leach, who was born in Easton township, this county, daughter of Cieorge K. and Lucy Xiola (Carpenter) Leach, well-known residents of that town.ship. (ieorge R. Leach was born in Genesee county. New X'ork. November 21. 1849. and while a sni;ill boy came to this county with his parents. Calvin and Maria Leach, who settled in b'.a.ston townhii) ;nid be- came active in the i)ioncer life of that community. George R. Leach is a carpenter, though he has lived on a farm most of his life. His wife was born in Ionia, daughter of Luther and b'.mily (Kellogg) Carpenter, who came to Michigan from Xew '^'ork state in 1850 and settled at Ionia. Lulher 64 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Carpenter was a wagon-maker and for some years followed fliat trade in Ionia, after which he moved to a farm in Easton township, and it was there his danghter, Lncy \'iola, was hving when she married Mr. Leach. To Eugene L. and .Vltha Al. (Leach) X'ohlers four children ha\-e been born, namely: Walter, who died in infancy, ;uid (Irace, L\lia and Mildred. .Mr. \'ohlers is a member of the local lodges of the Odd l'"ell(.)ws, the I'dks and the Gleaners, of which latter order Mrs. Vohlers also is a member. Mrs. X'ohlers and her daughters are members of the t hurch of Christ at Ionia and take a warm interest in the \arious acti\ities of the same. ED. N. LOWREY. Ed. N. L(.,wre\', sheriff of Ionia comity and one of the most popular officials in the court house at Ionia, is a native son of this county, having been l>orn on ;i farm in Berlin township on \ugust 5, 1880, son of Ebenezer X. and Carrie ( 'I'homas ) Lowrey, jirominent and well-known residents of that townshi]!. l)otli members of pioneer families, the former an honored \eter.'m of the ( i\il War. and both of whom are still li\ing, highly res])ected by all who know them, l-'or further details of the history of this interest- ing family in this county, the attention of the reader is called to a biographi- cal sketch relating to F'rof. Har\ey H. Lowre\', commissioner of schools for Ionia county, lirother of SherifT Lowrey. jjresented elsewhere in this volume. \u\. \. l.owrev was reared on the ])aternal farm in lierlin towushi]). recei\ing his ek'mentar\ education in the eop!e of loui.a couul\ ;iud wlieii the Re])ublicans iiresented him as their candidate for slurifi in the fall of 1014, bis election was a foregone con- clusion. .Sheriff I .owre\' entereil upon the duties of bis imiiortant otlice on January i, i<)i> and h;is since been ser\iug in tli.at c;i|)acit\'. making a most efficienl and jLainstaking ofticial. KD N. l.dWIJKV IONIA COL'XTV, MICHIGAN. 65 On Jamtary 12, 191 1. Ed. N. Lowrey was united in marriage to Har- riet Frederika Dinginan. who wa.s horn in Tawas City, Iosco county, this state, August 2. iS8«). daughter of Tiionias C and Juha Fredericka (Steck) Dingman. tlie lormcr a native of Illinois and the latter of Wurteml>erg, (rernian}-. hotli now lixing in Ionia, who :ivc the parents of foiu^ children, Allen I'rcscott, deceased: Mrs. Lowrew i-lorencc t'. and Thomas ('., Jr. The eliler Dini.inian is a well-known manufacturer of cement walks at loma. His father, who was reared in I 'ennsyhania, later mo\-ing to llli- noi^^, was a hlacksmith and met his death h\- ;i kick from a horse, (irand- father Dingman was twice married, hut had children only hy the tirst mar- riage, as follow : Henry Herkimer, .\lexander .Arzeno, Cordelia .Sophia, Hattie Maria, Mattie I'dvira and riiom.is ( . .Mrs FJingman is the elder of the two children horn to her parents, Jacoh and I'redericka Steck, she hav- ing a hrother. Jacoh. The elder Jacoi) .Steck, who spent all his life in Ger- many, also was twice married, hy his second marriage having had one son, who is still living. To Vx\. X. and Harriet Frederika (Dingtnan) Lowrey one child has been bom, a daughter, Florence Julia, horn on May 24, 1912. The Lowreys have many friends in and al>out Ionia and are held in high regard by all. Sherifif Lowrey is a member of Saranac Lodge No. 168, Independent Order of Odd Fellows: of Ionia Lodge No. 548. Benevolent and Protecti\e Order of Elks at Ionia : of Lodge No. Qg8, Loyal Order of Moose at the latter place, and of Saranac Camp. Modern Woodmen of .America; also of Lodge No. 76. Knights of Pythias, at Innia, while lM)th he and his wife are incm- I>ers of the Daughters of Rebekah. F. W. LiK.\Lh:V, M. D. Dr. F. W. Braley, a well-known and successful physician of Saranac, this county, was born at Lander, Warren county, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1861, son of Jesse W. and Lovina (Averill) Rraley, l)oth natives of that same countv, members of old .American families, the former of Welsh stock, whose family entered Pennsylvania by way of Vermont, and the latter of English descent, whose family had entered Pennsylvania by way of New Jersey. After their family had grown Jesse W. Braley and wife moved to Jamestown, New York, where Mrs. Braley died, and where Mr, I'.raley is still living at a rii)e old age. They were the parents of five children, (5a) 66 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. of wlioni the .siil>ject of this sketch is the eldest, the others Ijeing David 1'"., of Jamestown, Xew York; Beatrice, wife of James Bohal. of that same city; AHce, wife of Bert Hart, also of Jamestown, and Guy A., of Falconer, New York. 1'". \V. Bralev received his elementar)- educatinn in the schools of his native town, continuing his schooling in the high schnul at Sugar (iru\e, Pennsylvania, and at the Collegiate Institute at Jamestown, Xew York, alter which he taught school for about three years in Pennsylvania and then in Levant, Xew York, for one year. He then came to Michigan, joining at Frankfort, his uncle, who was in business at that place, and for six months was engaged in his uncle's establishment, after which he resumed teaching and for five vears taught school at Arcadia antl at Pierport, in Manistee county. He then was employed as superintendent of schools at Palo, this county, and after four years of .such service there was engaged as superin- tendent of the schools at Saranac, which he served for two years, at the end of which time he entered the Detroit College of Medicine, from which he was graduated in 1897. Inuring his junior year at medical college, Doctor Braley was vice-president of his class and in his senior year was president of the class. Upon receiving his degree. Doctor Braley returned to Sarnac. where he opened an office and engaged in the practice of his profession, hav- ing been thus engaged ever since that time and has been very succssful. Upon locating in practice at Saranac Doctor Braley liought the office and practice of Doctor Conley. Doctor Braley keejjs fully abreast of the modern advancement in his profession and is a member of the Ionia ( ounty Metlical Society, of which he was secretary for two years; a member of the Alichigan State Medical Society and of the American Medical .As.sociation, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest. He is a Repuljlican and takes a good citizen's part in political affairs, lie has been president of the local board of education since 1900 and fi>r twn terms further served the public as president of the village corporation. On October 22. 1884, Dr. I~. \V. Braley was united m ni;u-riage to .\nna M. Wagner, daughter of D. ( '. and Xicolina Wagner, of Cicrman parentage, and to this union three children have been born: Carl, who died at the age of eighteen months; Pena P., a graduate of the Saranac high school, who later took a course in the State Normal ;it 'N'psilanti, after which she taught school for three years in this county, then married J. Howard Payne and i> now living in Detroit, and Lyle \V., a graduate of the Saranac high school and of McLaughlin's Business College at Grand Rapids, who is now receiving IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 67 teller of the Kent State Bank at Grand Rapids. Doctor Bralev is a nieinljer of Bo.ston Lodge No. 246, Free and Accepted iMa.sons, a meniher of the chapter of that order at Lyons, of the council and coniniandery of tiic order at Ionia and of Saladm Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Grand Rapids. He also is a meml)er of the lodge of the Odd F"ellows at Saranac. of the Elks at Ionia, of the Knights of the .Mac- cabees and of the Court of Honor, in the affairs of all of which organizations betakes an acti\'e interest. HENT^Y GROFF TINGLEY. Henry Grott' Tingley, a well-known farmer of Easton township, this county, was born in Erie county. New York, March i, 1850, son of Joseph and Lydia (Groft) Tingley, both nati\'es of New Jersey. Joseph Tingley was born in Essex county, in the latter state, April 30, 1805, son of Lemuel Tingley, who was born in 17(11, son of Nathaniel Tingley, born in 1733, who died in Morris county. New Jersey, in 1800. Both Nathaniel and Lemuel Tingley were soldiers in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War. The Tingley family in this county is descended from Palmer Tingley, who came from Kingston-on-Thames, England, in April, 1635, and settled at Ipswich, Massachusetts. Palmer Tingley took part in the Pequod War in 1637. Joseph Tingley moved from New Jersey to \ew N'ork, settling al)out fifteen miles east of Buffalo at a time when that town was l)ut a village of about six hundred inhabitants. For a time he was a station agent for the New "^'ork ("entral Railroad in the day,s wlicn lucomutixes used wood for fuel, and many farmers in that then comparatively new country paid for their farms by furnishing wood to the railroad. Jo.scph Tingley .spent the rest of hi.s life in Xew York state and died there in 1884. Henry G. Tingley very early started out to make his own way in the world. When he was thirteen years old his imagination was excited by word then proceeding out of the big timl)er woods in this .section of Miciiigan. and he came here alone looking for work. I ie first stopped in Jackson county, but two vears later came to Ionia, from which point he presently went to Stanton, in the neighborhood of which place he took employment in the pine woods, and there he remained until 1876, in which year he came to Ionia countv and at Palo began working in a saw-mill, running the saw anrl planer. The next year he married and a little more than a year later, in 68 IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. March, 1879, bought a forty-acre farm in .section 12. Easton tf)\\nship. tlii> county, where he established his home and where lie still lives. In 1884 he bought an adjoining tract of thirty acres and has developed a very fine farm, well improved and managed under up-to-date methods. It was in 1877 that Henry G. Tingley was united in marriage to .\zelia P. Shaw, who was born in Medina county, Ohio, daughter of James aiul Minerva ( Hall ) Shaw, and to this union five children have been born, as follow: Harry, who is at home: Cora, who married George Harris, of Barrytown, and has three children, Irwin, Cecil and Helen: I'annie, who married Frank Houghton and lives at Jackson, this state; Delia, wife of Edward York, of Lansing, and Anna, wife of Hiram Alonzo Tucker, of Ionia. Mrs. Tingley died on February 18, 1916. DENNIS I. G-UILFORD. The long years that Dennis J. Guilford, of Danlty township, Ionia county, has devoted to agricultural pursuits have not been disappointing to huu, but on the contrary have been filled with Jjoth profit and pleasure. He was bom in Washtenaw county, Michigan, February 1, 1847, ^^'I'l '* ^ son of Arvin and Caroline (Clark) Guilford, natives of Vermont and New York state, respectively. They came with their parents to Washtenaw county, Michigan, when children and there the\- grew to maturity and married and beean life on a farm, where thev remained until in 1868 when they came to Ionia county, locating in Danby township where they spent the rest ot then- lives. They were upright in all walks of life and respected by all who knew them. They were the parents of three sons, namely: Rufus, wlm died m l'"ebruary, 1901 ; Dennis J., the subject of this sketch, and Edwin, who lives m Mulligan, Michigan. Dennis |. (iuilford was l\\ent\-two years old when he came to D;mby township. He grew uj) on his father's farm where he worked hard when a boy, and he received his education in the district schools. He remained at home until he was married, October sy. 1873, to Clara P.oughner, who was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, February iS. 1856. antl is a daughter of Isaac and Lavinia ( Klase) Roughncr. These parents were reared in Pennsylvania where they married and settled, but in 1864 removed to Lenawee county, Michigan, where they resided until 1S70. when llicy came to Ionia countv and located in Danby township. IONIA COl'NTY, MICHIGAN. 69 After their marriage Air. and Mr.s. duilford located on the farm they still own. The original place consisted of but fifteen acres. They now have a farm of tifty-four acres, which is under good improvement and on wliich is to lie. found a commodious residence, wliicli Mr. (iuilford Imilt .some time ago. To the subject and wife one son has l>een liorn, ( hauncey I). Guilford, whose birth occurred August 21, 1878. He grew up on his father's farm, and was educated in the pubhc schools of his district, and in Portland he also owns a farm of eighty acres which adjoins his father's place. On .Xugust 14, 1897, li^ married Helen Gilden, who was born in Portland, Michigan, where she grew up and attended school. To this union two sons ha\x' teen born: Howard C, who was born on July 24, i8g8, is a student in the Portland high school; Harold C., born on Noveml>er 14, iQoo, is also a student in the Portland high school. Dennis J. Guilford is a member of the Grange. The subiect of this sketch is a Democrat, and he has been township clerk for