The Feather Families of Berrien County, Michigan

JOSHUA FEATHER is a retired farmer living on section 7, Oronoko township. A review of the past indicates that for a long period he was one of the most active and enterprising representatives of agricultural interests in his part of the county and as a result of his labors he acquired a competence that is sufficient to enable him now to enjoy a well earned rest. He was at one time the owner of six hundred and thirty ty-three acres of valuable land but he has since shared his holdings with his sons.

His life record began in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, February 2y, 1832. His father, Joshua Feather, also a native of the Keystone State, was a son of John Henry Feather, who was likewise born in Pennsylvania. The family is of German descent and was established in America at an early period in the colonization of the new world, Joshua Feather being of the fourth generation in this country. John H. Feather followed the occupation of farming during the greater part of his life, although he was a shoe-maker by trade and did good work along that line. His son, Joshua Feather, also became a shoe-maker and farmer. He remained a resident of Pennsylvania until after his marriage to Miss Mary Smith, a native of that state and a daughter of Michael Smith. In the year 1836 they brought their family to Michigan, settling in Oronoko township, Berrien county, where the father entered one hundred and twenty acres of land from the government. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made upon the place but with characteristic energy he began its development and with the assistance of his three sons transformed the wild land into productive fields. He also figured prominently in public life, serving as highway commissioner and doing much for general progress. In politics he was a Democrat, active in the work of the party and he did much to mold public thought and action in an early day. He was prominent in Masonry, in which he attained the Knight Templar degree, at Niles, Michigan. He held the highest office within the gift of the chapter at St. Joseph and which he helped organize. He was also one of the most helpful and zealous members of the Evangelical Lutheran church and he died in that faith at the age of seventy-three years. His wife, an earnest Christian woman, passed away in her eighty-second year. There were four sons and one daughter in the family, all of whom reached adult life.

Joshua Feather, the third child and third son of the family, was but four years of age when brought to Berrien county, Michigan, and now for three score years and ten he has been a resident of Oronoko township. He has, however, traveled all over the country, thus gaining an intimate knowledge of his native land. He spent one winter, or three months, in the west and three months upon the gulf in the south. When a boy he was a student in a log schoolhouse which was furnished with slab seats and an immense fire place. The methods of instruction were primitive as compared with those of the present day but he made good use of his opportunities and reading, experience, observation and travel have since added largely to his knowledge. He remained at home until twenty-one years of age, when he began earning his living by working in the woods and thus he gained his start in life. When he was married he took his.bride to a hewed log house on the farm where he now lives and there he has resided continuously since, covering a period of more than a half century. He has been very successful in a business way and an analyzation of his life record shows that this result has been attained through close and unremitting diligence, supplemented by sound business judgment and unfaltering enterprise. As the years passed and his financial resources permitted he added to his land until his holdings embraced six hundred and thirty-three acres but he has since given two good farms to his sons, William A., of Lake township, and Stephen A., of Oronoko township. In the year 1856 Mr. Feather was united in marriage to Miss Susan Harner, a daughter of John Harner, who was one of the early settlers of Lake township. Her father was a native of Snyder county, Pennsylvania, whence he removed to Ohio, where Mrs. Feather was born. She was a little maiden of only six summers when her parents came to Berrien county, Michigan, and here she has lived continuously since.

Mr. Feather has never been an office seeker although he is not neglectful of the duties of citizenship devolving upon him. He has preferred, however, to perform his public service as a private citizen rather than as an incumbent in office. For a long period he voted with the Democracy but a change in his political views led him to give his support to the Republican party, of which he has now been an advocate for many years. He is an active and helpful member of the Lutheran church and has contributed freely and generously to its support. He has also been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1858 and belongs to Western Star Lodge, No. 39,

A. F. & A. M. He continued for many years in active farm work but now leaves the more arduous duties of the fields to his sons, with whom he has been most generous, dividing with them his extensive landed possessions. His name has long been a synonym for activity and integrity in business affairs and not through speculation or any particularly fortunate circumstances but through his own intense and well directed activity has he gained the place which he now occupies as a substantial and representative citizen of Berrien county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HENRY A. FEATHER. Among the representatives of farming interests in Oronoko township, who are successfully conducting their business interests, is numbered Henry A. Feather, who now resides on section 7. It was upon this place, known as Tair View Farm," that he was born April 26, 1854, his parents being John H. and Lucy Ann (Bachtel) Feather. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, and when eight years of age came to Berrien county, Michigan, with his parents, Joshua and Mary (Smith) Feather, who in pioneer times cast in their lot with the early settlers of Oronoko township, taking up their above upon a farm which adjoins the place that is now the home of our subject. There John H. Feather was reared and was trained to habits of industry and economy whereby he gained a good knowledge of farm life and was qualified for practical duties along those lines in later years. He was married in Oronoko township to Miss Lucy Ann Bachtel, also a native of Pennsylvania, whence she was brought to Berrien county by her parents when fifteen years of age. The young couple began their domestic life upon the farm where our subject now lives and there the father carried on general farming and also engaged in the agricultural implement business in his later days. He sold all kinds of farm machinery and buggies and was very successful in his mercantile venture. His life was a busy, useful and active one and he lived to the age of sixty-nine years, being widely and favorably known in the county in which the greater part of his youth and manhood were passed, and with the early history of which he was closely and helpfully associated. His wife lived to be only about forty-five or forty-six years of age. In their family were eight children, five of whom are now living. After losing his first wife the father married again and by the second union there were three children, of whom two survive. At the time of the father's death the following memoir was inserted in one of the local papers: John Henry Feather, who lacked but one day of being sixty-nine years old and who had been a resident of this township for nearly or quite sixty years, died at his residence near Hinchman Monday forenoon. He was a member of the Pennsylvania colony,' that has furnished so many good citizens to this vicinity, and one of the pioneers. He was one of the men who embarked in fruit growing at an early day and he stuck to it and had been successful. As a result he is supposed to have accumulated a fine estate. How large that may be is not known but enough is in sight to be a fair reward for a life's work. He was a man held in high respect for his sterling integrity and by his industry and enterprise he showed to others a good example.

"He was twice married and at his death left a widow and eight children. Two children had preceded him to the grave. His three sons, Andrew, Rufus and William, are all living in this vicinity and two daughters, Mary and Harriet, live at home. iVnnie and Lina married two brothers, French, and one of them lives in Buchanan, the other near the old home. His daughter Julia married a Mr. Blish and lives at Niles. Two brothers, Joshua and Daniel T. Feather, survive and they live not far from the ground their parents first occupied on their arrival in this country.

''Mr. Feather was prominent in business matters and had been a man of very considerable influence in the affairs of this community until recently. His health had not been good for three or four years but had not been so poor as to prevent his attending to his business until within a year. His visits to tow'U within that time have been very rare and his old friends have regretted to see how ill he looked and that he was nearing the end of his active and useful life."

Henry A. Feather is the third child of the first marriage and was reared upon the old homestead place, while in the district schools of Oronoko township he acquired his education. Remaining at home he assisted in the farm work, receiving ample training in the labors of the fields. His educational privileges, however, were somewhat limited, for he attended school only every other winter, alternating with his brother. He worked for his father to the age of twenty-six years and was then married and left home in order to establish a home of his own.

In 1880 Mr. Feather was united in marriage to Miss Mary Elizabeth Hinish, who was born in Oronoko township, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Fryman) Hinish, who were old settlers of Berrien county. Immediately following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Feather located on a farm where he now resides and here he has since lived. In 1885, how'Cver, he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife. In their family were two children, Milton H. and one who died in infancy. For his second wife Mr. Feather those Jessie L. Gleason, who died five years later, and in August, 1902, he wedded Mrs. Millie H. Small, the widow of E. L. Small. Mrs. Feather was born in Kosciusko county, Indiana, June 13, 1859, and is a daughter of John H. and Mary (Wyman) Shaffer. There were three sons and six daughters in the family, and six are living. Her father was born in Germany in 1818, and died in 1893. He was a lad of seven years when he landed in America. By occupation he was a farmer. He received his education in the common schools, and was married in Ohio. Politically he was a Republican, and was a member of the Evangelical Church. He died in Elkhart county, Indiana. Mother Shaffer was born in Ohio in 1826, and died in 1867. She was also a devout followed of the Evangelical faith. Mrs. H. A. Feather was educated in the common schools, and when she had reached years of maturity wedded Edward Small in 1884, and two sons and one daughter graced the union, and all are living: Fannie received a common school education and was then a student in the Berrien Springs high school and the Hinchman high school. She is quite proficient in instrumental music. She is a member of the Royal Neighbors of Hinchman, Michigan, and is receiver of that order. Frank A. Small completed the vIO common school course and is now a student in the Hinchman high school and will graduate in the class of 1907. His choice of professions is that of electrical engineer. Wyman H., the youngest, is in the seventh grade of the public schools. Mrs. Feather is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was one of the teachers for some years in the Sunday-school, She is a member of Hive No. 189 of the L. O. T. M. at Berrien Springs, and is also a member of the Royal Neighbors, being vice oracle of this order. Mr. and Mrs. Feather have one of the parchment deeds executed February 1, 1849, under the hand and seal of President James K. Polk. Mr. Feather is a numismatist, and has some of the 1857 pennies, the 1865 two-cent pieces, and a Danish coin dated 1771, also other coins of 1832, 1852 and 1856, two gold coins of one dollar dated 1862, a two and one-half dollar piece dated 1836, and two of the fractional currency during the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Feather have their beautiful country home, known as the ''Fair View Fruit Farm," lighted by one of the most complete acetylene plants in the county. The lawns are even lighted by this magnificent light. It makes a country home metropolitan and city-like. This modern equipment of their pretty home will cause others who are up-to-date farmers to introduce new and modern ideas. Mrs. Feather is a model hostess, and she graces her pretty home in such a cordial manner as to win the high admiration of her many friends.

Mr. Feather has a farm of two hundred and forty acres of well improved land and is carrying on general agricultural pursuits, while about forty acres of his place is planted to fruit. In addition to his general farming interests he has also engaged in the coal business at Hinchman and holds mining interests and also property at other places, including Rapid City, South Dakota. He has interests in oil lands and in other profitable investments and his interests are now varied and extensive. He has been a lifelong resident of Berrien county, where he is well and favorably known. At local elections he votes for the candidate regardless of party affiliations and at national elections he cases a ballot for the Republican candidates. He has held some school offices and is a prominent and active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has been president of the Sunday-school Association of his township and superintendent of the Sunday-school at Hinchman for several years, and his efforts have been effective and far-reaching for the benefit of the church. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors, and was counsel in the Modern Woodmen camp. His life has indeed been a busy and useful one and whatever he has undertaken he has carried forward to successful completion. He and his cousin, John H. Feather, are sole proprietors of the Feather Company telephone line, extending through the townships of Oronoko and Lake with offices at Hinchman and Baroda. He has ever displayed a most progressive spirit, which is manifest in his business interests and his connection with public life and the value of his services is widely acknowledged by his fellow townsmen who recognize him as one of the representative citizens of the community.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM A. FEATHER, Sr., living on section 13, Lake township, is the owner of three good farms which are conducted along thoroughly progressive and modern lines and he is accounted one of the leading agriculturists of the community. He was born in Oronoko township, this county, January 15, 1858, a son of Joshua and Susie Anna (Harner) Feather, of Oronoko township, the father being a wealthy farmer of this county. In the family were six children: William A.; Stephen A., who resides in Oronoko township; and four who died in childhood.

Upon the home farm William A. Feather, Sr., was reared and in the public schools acquired his education. He gave his father the benefit of his services in the cultivation and development of the fields until twenty years of age, when he came to this township and took up farm work, turning his attention to the improvement of a farm given him by his father. He came to his present farm fourteen years ago and has forty-four acres of rich land in the home place on section 13, Lake township. This is equipped with all modern conveniences, including fine buildings and the latest improved machinery. He has a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 12, Lake township, and property elsewhere, including eighty acres on section 24, Lake township, where his son, William A. Feather, Jr., now resides. He has altogether two hundred and eighty acres of land and two lots in Baroda, together with a fine store building and a house and lot in the town. The home place is operated as a fruit farm, a specialty being made of the production of grapes, years, plums and cherries. Only the best nursery stock is used and good crops are annually gathered. All his farming interests are capable conducted and Mr. Feather ranks wath the leading agriculturists and horticulturists of this part of the State.

In 1878 Mr. Feather was united in marriage to Miss Mary Shafer, who was born in Lake township, July 8, -1859, a daughter of John and Katharine (Boyle) Shafer. This marriage has been blessed with two children, William A., Jr., and Bertha May. The son, a representative farmer of Lake township, is married and has two children, Edward and Joshua Andrew, while the daughter, B,bertha May, is now the wife of Henry G. Birkholz and they reside upon the home farm with her father.

In his political affiliation Mr. Feather is a Democrat and has held the office of township treasurer for two years, while for fifteen years he has been a member of the board of review of the township. He is likewise connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is interested in all that pertains to general improvement and upbuilding, and his co-operation can be counted upon as a support to all plans and movements for the public good. In his business affairs he displays keen discrimination and enterprise and has today valuable property holdings.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MILTON H. FEATHER. The young men of the present era are those to whom the great commonwealth of Michigan look to for the rapid progress and full development that the twentieth century calls for. One of the representative young farmers, who is a schon of one of the solid and influential citizens of Oronoko township, is the young man whose name introduces this review. He is a native son of Oronoko township, born June 27, 1882, a son of H. A. Feather, of whom mention is fully given above. He has been reared in his native county as a miller of the soil and as a horticulturist, receiving able assistance from his father, who is one of the leading horticulturists of Oronoko township. He received his educational training in the public schools. At age of eighteen he spent one season with the well known commission house of M. Baker & Company, of Chicago, at a lucrative salary and met the full approbation of his employers.

Mr. Feather established a home of his own by wedding Miss Clara Sattler, April 10, 1902, and two little children grace the marriage — Lewis A. and Cleotus A., bright little children. Mrs. Feather is a native of Oronoko township, and a daughter of Lewis Sattler, who is represented in this volume. Mr. Feather resides on a splendid eighty-acre farm on section 8, Oronoko township, and devotes his life to raising of the grains and to horticulture. Politically he is a Republican and cast his first presidential vote for President Roosevelt. Fraternally he is a member of Camp No. 6273, M. W. of A., located at Hinchman, and he is a member of the drill team. His wife is also a member of the Royal Neighbors. Both Mr. and Mrs. Feather are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is treasurer of the missionary mission. His father is the superintendent of the Sunday school, which supports a missionary to far off China, the cost being twenty-five dollars annually, defrayed entirely by the school, which speaks well for the good accomplished by the Oronoko township Sunday school. Much credit is due the Feathers in carrying forward of this measure of missionary labor. The average attendance each Sabbath for the year ending October, 1906, is forty-four out of an enrollment of fifty-nine, and the average collection each Sabbath foot up two dollars and twenty-two cents. This Sunday school continues throughout the year. Mr. and. Mrs. Feather are young people who are scions of the best families in the township of Oronoko, and stand high in a religious and social states, and we are pleased to present this brief review of this worthy young couple.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM J. FEATHER. Among those formerly closely associated with agricultural interests in Berrien county and now living retired in Berrien Springs, is numbered William J. Feather, who is a native son of Oronoko township. His life record began on the 21st of May, 1841. His father, Joseph Feather, was born at Selin's

Grove, Union county, Pennsylvania, where the family had been established at an early day and where the name was originally spelled Fetter. In the place of his nativity Joseph Feather was reared and educated and there he learned the trade of carpentering and cabinet-making. Thinking to enjoy better business opportunities in a pioneer district he made the journey on foot to Berrien county, Michigan, and took up land in Oronoko township. There he worked at his trade for a number of months and the following year returned to Pennsylvania. In the succeeding spring he came again to Michigan, bringing with him his sister, a yellow dog, a long gun, a cow, one horse and a wagon, reaching Berrien Springs about June, 1833. There he followed the dual occupation of cabinet-making and carpentering until his health failed, when he located on his land one mile west of Berrien Springs. There in the outdoor life his health improved and he continued the cultivation and development of his farm, lying on section 33, Berrien township, until old age. He was married in Berrien Springs to Miss Anna Freed, on the 3d of December, 1833. She was born in Union county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Abram Freed, who was a prominent merchant of Philadelphia, and was of German descent. Mr. Feather passed away in his eighty-fourth year, while his wife died in her eighty-second year. They were among the worthy pioneer residents of Berrien county and were closely identified with its early history. They lived here when the Indians still visited the neighborhood and when only here and there had a log cabin been built and a little clearing made to show that the work of civilization had been begun. Much of the land was still in possession of the government and the timber had been cut on but few tracts. The family shared in all of the hardships and trials incident to pioneer life and as the years passed by succeeded in reclaiming a tract of land for the uses of civilization by transforming it from a timbered region into richly cultivated fields. In the family were seven children, four daughters and three sons. The eldest was Benjamin F. Feather, who was the first white male child born in Oronoko township, the date of his birth being October 10, 1834. The others of the family are: Mary E., born July 11, 1836; Lydia Ann, August 28, 1839; William Joseph, May 20, 1841; Harriet E., April 28, 1843; Reuben Perry, February 18, 1846; and Eliza Jane, June 26, 1 85 1. All are yet living but the eldest daughter, Mary, who died June 2.2 1868.

William J. Feather was reared amid the usual conditions and environments of pioneer life upon the old homestead farm in Oronoko township and attended school in Berrien Springs. During the periods of vacation his labor was a factor in the development and cultivation of the farm and he worked at home until twenty-seven years of age. He was then married and started out in life on his own account, settling upon a farm in Oronoko township, which he cultivated and improved. He converted the wild land into productive fields and continued in his farm labor until 1892, working persistently and energetically year after year. On putting aside the active cares of the farm he removed to Berrien Springs, where he is now living retired, and in 1904 he sold the old home property.

On the 24th of December, 1868, Mr. Feather was united in marriage to Miss Amelia Smith, a daughter of Charles and Clarinda (Brown) Smith. Her father was born in Marlboro, Ulster county, New York, and the mother in Locke, Cayuga county. New York. She died in the Empire state in 1856, while the father died in Berrien Springs in 1878. There were five children in their family, a son and four daughters, of whom Mrs. Feather was the third in order of birth. She was educated in the district schools of her native place and in the Friends Seminary, at Union Springs, New York. She taught in the Empire state and came to Berrien county in 1864, following the profession of teaching here. She devoted ten years altogether to that work, entering the schoolroom as a teacher at the age of sixteen. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Feather was celebrated in New York and they at once came to Berrien county and established their home upon a farm in Oronoko township. Unto them were born the following named: Merton K., a real-estate dealer in Elkhart, Indiana; and Gordon L., who died in 1877, at the age of two years and four months. They also had an adopted daughter, Fannie, who became the wife of C. H. Ireland, and died in 1904, at the age of twenty-six years.

Mr. Feather has been a life-long resident of Berrien county and an interested witness of the events which have established its history and formulated its policy. He has voted with the Republican party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise and has been connected officially with the schools of the village. He and his family are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church, in which he has served as deacon and trustee, while in all of the various church activities he takes a helpful part. Both he and his wife are members of the National Protective Legion of Waverly, New York, and in this county are widely known, while the esteem of an extensive circle of friends is freely accorded them. In his business affairs Mr. Feather has ever been found prompt and faithful, fully meeting every obligation that devolves upon him and never making an engagement that he has not filled. He is thus respected as a reliable citizen, one whose word is as good as his bond.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.