St. Joseph County MI

Biography of William N. Smelser

William N. Smelser has been a member of the Emporia bar for twenty-five years. His had been an enviable record both as a lawyer and as a citizen, and his ability, industry and his conscientious care have brought him a high position among Kansas lawyers. His family have resided in Emporia more than thirty years, and William N. Smelser was about fourteen years old when brought to that city. He was born in Sturgis, in Southern Michigan, February 2, 1870. The Smelsers came originally from Germany, but have been Americans since about the time of the Revolutionary war. The first … Read more

Purkes, Lena Floy Tozer Bowman – Obituary

Mrs. Lena F. Purkes, 92, of 800 Mechanic St., died at 5:35 P.M. Thursday in Fairview Medical Facility in Centerville where she had been a patient since January, 1972. She was born in LeRoy, Mich., July 26, 1880, to Mailand and Olive (Simonton) Tozer. She was married to Edson R. Bowman on April 18, 1902 in LeRoy. He died Aug. 7, 1944. On Oct. 12, 1951, she was married to Thomas Purkes in Angola, Ind. He died July 29, 1960. Mrs. Purkes was a member of the First Baptist Church. Surviving are a son, Virgil Bowman, of Sturgis; three daughters, … Read more

Biography of Judge Columbia Lancaster

JUDGE COLUMBIA LANCASTER. – Judge Lancaster, one of our earliest and most eminent judges, was born at New Milford, Litchfield county, Connecticut, on the 26th of August, 1893. His father was of Quaker descent, and settled in Ohio at an early date. Columbia read law under Whittlesy & Newton in Ohio. The Whittlesy of the firm was the honorable Elisha who was a long time in Congress, and afterwards held office in the auditor’s department under both Whig and Democratic administrations with no charge of his political sentiments. He though almost as much of his student Lancaster as of his … Read more

Dwight Imnah Todd of Williston ND

Dwight Imnah Todd9, (James A.8, Alfred7, Caleb6, Caleb5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Dec. 19, 1877, in Burr Oak, Mich., married June 24, 1903, Jessie Valentine, daughter of Henry Edmund and Elizabeth C. Willard, who was born Feb. 14, 1897, in Fort Wayne, Ind. She attended the Angola Normal School, after which, she taught school several years in Fort Wayne, Ind., and neighboring towns. She studied vocal music in Chicago, Ill., and Meadville, Penn.; was later a soprano soloist. He graduated from the High School in Burr Oak, Mich., and later attended the Normal School in Angola, Ind. At one … Read more

Bowman, William Levi – Obituary

William Levi Bowman, 28, living with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edson R. Bowman, a mile and a half southwest of Nottawa, died this morning from an injury received in 1927 while he was in the U.S. Army. Mr. Bowman enlisted in the army I 1920 and served at Fort David in the Canal Zone until 1923 when he was discharged. He re-enlisted two years later at Grand Rapids. In 1927, while at Fort Sheridan, he fell 41 feet when washing windows and struck on some concrete steps. He sustained a fractured skull and injured ankle. He was taken to … Read more

Biography of Selden B. Kingsbury

The profession of the law, when clothed with its true dignity and purity and strength, must rank first among the callings of men, for law rules the universe. The work of the legal profession is to formulate, to harmonize, to regulate, to adjust, to administer those rules and principles that underlie and permeate all government and society and control the varied relations of men. As thus viewed there attaches to the legal profession a nobleness that cannot but be reflected in the life of the true lawyer, who, rising to the responsibilities of his profession, and honest in the pursuit … Read more

Biography of Joshua A. Stone

Joshua A. Stone. One of the old time citizens of Montgomery County was the late Joshua A. Stone, who identified himself with Independence and that locality soon after the country was open to settlement, and who impressed his ability and energy upon many local business activities. He was especially prominent in the coal mining industry. Mr. Stone died at his home in Independence April 30, 1914. Mrs. Stone, who is executrix of his estate, has proved herself a very competent business manager, and is one of the highly esteemed women of Montgomery County. Born in Centerville, Michigan, in March, 1846, … Read more

Early Native American Gardening

Grand River Michigan Ancient Garden Beds - Plate 6

What proportion of the prairies of the West may be assigned as falling under the inference of having been abandoned fields, may constitute a subject of general speculation. It appears to be clear that the great area of the prairies proper is independent of that cause. Fire is the evident cause of the denudation of trees and shrubs in a large part of the area between the Rocky and the Allegheny mountains. Water comes in for a share of the denudation in valleys and moist prairies, which may be supposed to be the result of a more recent emergence from its former … Read more

1894 Michigan State Census – St. Joseph County

United States Soldiers of the Civil War Residing in Michigan, June 1, 1894 [ Names within brackets are reported in letters. ] Burr Oak Township – Roswell Wilcox, Orrin M. Brooks, Stephen Gilkerson, Henry Kiser, William H. Wells, Alfred Sargent, James Billman, George Hackman, John J. Van Vorst, Leonard 0. Green, John Botzner, Henry W. Fretter, Harlow C. Gilson, Abner G. Van Vorst, John W. Green, Philip Rusher, Erwin Tisdal, George Skimp, James Prouty. Village of Burr Oak – George Sheffield, David H. Carter, Anton Miller, John C. Rollman, James Downs, Seymour H. Hogle, Albert Slingerland, George Robinson, Leander B. … Read more

Alfred Todd of Portland OR

Alfred Todd9, (Oliver H.8, Alfred7, Caleb6, Caleb5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Dec. 24, 1878, in Colon, Mich., married Oct. 10, 1907, Myrtle Biddleman, of Thornberg, Iowa. He graduated from the University of Michigan, June 20, 1906, after which he practised law in Lamar, Colo., for about six years. They moved later to Portland, Ore. Children: 2569. Oliver Elwyn, b. May 24, 1909. 2570. Rebecca Biddleman, b. April 29, 1911. 2571. Priscilla Fredericka, b. Jan. 6, 1913.