The Sharai Families of Berrien County, Michigan

JOHN W. SHARAI is numbered among the oldest settlers of Berrien county, where he owns a farm of thirty-five acres, situated on section 22, Sodus township, and he also owns forty-two acres of the old homestead property. He was born in St. Joseph, Berrien county, this state, December 9, 1845 a son of Tanos and Louisa (Wheeler) Sharai, more extended mention of whom is made on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of his brother, Edwin Sharai.

John W. Sharai, whose name introduces this record, was the eldest of five children.

horn of his father's family, and was very young when he was brought to this township by his parents, the family having previously lived in Pipestone township, this county. Here he was reared under the parental roof, assisting his father in the duties of the farm, being assigned such duties as his age and strength permitted of, and when not occupied at farm work he pursued his studies in the district schools near his father's home, there acquiring the education which fitted him to later carry on his business affairs, when he started out in life on his own account. He continued as a member of his father's household until he had attained his majority, when he started out in life on his own account, choosing as his vocation the work to which he had been reared. He purchased thirty-eight acres of land on section 22, Sodus township, and he is also operating an additional forty-two acres, which was a part of the old homestead and which was inherited by him from his father's estate. Here he is engaged in general agricultural pursuits, raising the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and each year he harvests good crops as the result of the care and labor which he bestow upon the fields. He is practical and progressive in carrying* on his work, using the best machinery to facilitate his labors, and he is accounted one of the enterprising citizens of his community, where he has taken a deep and helpful interest in all that pertains to general progress along agricultural lines.

Mr. Sharai has been twice married, his first union being in 1869, when he wedded Rebecca Seeley, who died leaving two children: Willie and Lula, the wife of Nels Wikoff. For his second wife Mr. Sharai those Miss Josephine Thebo, and unto them have been born five children, as follows: Johnie, who wedded Nellie Eckright; Laura, the wife of Amos Thomas; Clarence, who married Etta Taylor; and Lenora and Letha, both of whom are with their parents.

Our subject is a Democrat in his political views, giving active and helpful support to the principles of his party, while in his fraternal relations he holds membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grange. Mr. Sharai has spent his entire life in Berrien county, which covers a period of fifty-one years and therefore is widely known. He has always been an industrious and hardworking man, accomplishing whatever he has undertaken, for he has allowed no obstacles to deter him in his pursuits, and today his farm is an indication that his has been a successful career.

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

EDWIN SHARAI was born on section 22, Sodus township, Berrien county, on the farm which is still his home on the 13th of September, 1848. His father, Tanos Sharai, was a native of Canada, his birth having occurred near Toronto, and he came as a boy with his parents to Berrien county, the family home being established in Bainbridge township. The father of our subject purchased a farm on the bank of the St. Joe river, and there continued his home for twelve years, after which he removed to the farm where the son Edwin was born and where he has continued to make his home. Tanos Sharai was married to Miss Louisa Wheeler, a native of New York state, who came with her parents to this state at an early day, the family home being established in St. Joe, where her father, John Wheeler, was a lumberman, and was one of the pioneer settlers of Berrien county. Both parents are now deceased, the father having passed away at the age of seventy-four years, while the mother died at the age of sixty-nine years. Their family numbered five children and with the exception of one all are now living.

Edwin Sharai, whose name introduces this record, was the second child and second son of his father's family, and was reared and educated in his native township. He, however, started out at the early age of twelve years to earn his own living by working by the day and month at farm labor. During his youth he also learned the carpenter's trade and for sixteen years was connected with the building operations of this county. In 1864, at the time of the Civil war, his private business interests were interrupted, when, at the age of seventeen years, he enlisted for service, joining Company H, Twenty-fourth Michigan Volunteer Infantry as a private and he served until the close of hostilities, taking part in the battles of Weldon Road, Hatch's Run, Petersburg, and many other important engagements, and was honorably discharged at the close of hostilities, being mustered out at Detroit, in July, 1865.

Returning to his home in Sodus township, Mr. Sharai then resumed his work at the carpenter's trade for several years, meeting with good success in his work. In 1870 Mr. Sharai was united in marriage to Miss Jennie I. Welch, who died, leaving three children, Clara, Bert and Maude, and he afterward wedded Margaret Hanson, who was born in St. Joseph, Berrien county, a daughter of C. W. and Rachel (Henderson) Hanson. Her father was born in Silver Creek township, Cattaraugus county, New York, August 1, 1838, and was only a year old when brought to Berrien county, the family home being established in St. Joseph, where Mr. Hanson is still making his home. His family numbered eleven children, of whom Mrs. Sharai is the sixth in order of birth, and all were born in St. Joseph, this state.

In 1876 Mr. Sharai removed with his family to California, settling in the San Jose valley, where he remained for two years, working at the carpenter's trade. He then returned to Berrien county, where he continued his work in that line for several years, and in 1891 he and his wife made a second trip to the Pacific coast, remaining in the west for about six months. They made the return trip by team, camping along the way, the journey requiring four months and two days. He is now making his home on the old homestead property, situated on section 22, Sodus township, where he carries on general agricultural pursuits, and here he also entertains summer boarders.

He is a member of General H. Thomas Post, No. 14, G. A. R., at Benton Harbor, thus maintaining pleasant relations with his old army comrades. He is a stalwart Republican, giving active and helpful support to his party, and is interested in all that tends to promote the progress of his home locality. With the exception of about three years, a part of which time was spent on the Pacific coast, our subject has always resided in Berrien county, covering a period of almost six decades and he is well known in social and business circles. Although starting out at the early age of twelve years, dependent entirely upon his own resources for a living, he has worked his way steadily upward until he is today in possession of a valuable property and is numbered among the prominent and influential citizens of this part of the state.

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

ALFRED J. SHARAI, a prominent fruit farmer residing on section 26, Sodus township, is a representative of one of the early pioneer families of Berrien county. He was born in the township which is still his home, April 8, 1856. His father, Luke Sharai, was a native of Montreal, Canada, but at an early period in the development of this section of the state he came to Berrien county, locating at St. Joseph, where for about twenty years he was engaged in boating on the St. Joseph river. He then purchased a farm in Sodus township, for which he paid one dollar and a quarter per acre, and here he lived and labored during the remainder of his life, being called to his final rest when he had reached the age of seventy-eight years. He was of French origin. Mr. Sharai married Matilda Beeny, a native of England, but who emigrated with her parents to New Jersey during her girlhood days, and thence came to Michigan. Her life's labors were ended in death when she reached the age of sixty-four years. They became the parents of three children, our subject being the only son and second child.

Alfred J. Sharai, whose name introduces this review, grew to manhood on the old home farm in Sodus township, assisting his father in its development and improvement until his marriage, which occurred in April, 1876, Ida Tabor becoming his wife. She too, is a native of Berrien county, and a daughter of Wallace Tabor, who was numbered among the early pioneers of the county. Two children have been born of this union, Lena, the wife of Burt Rector, of Sodus township, and Farmer, at home. Mr. Sharai owns ninety-five acres of land on section 26, Sodus township, which he has placed under an excellent state of cultivation, arid here he is engaged in general farming. He gives his political support to the Republican party, and he is an active worker in its ranks.

is a lady of excellent business ability, carefully managing her farming interests on section 22, Sodus township, which was once the property of her father, Luke Sharai, who was born in Canada and came to Sodus township, Berrien county, this state, at an early day. He first located in Bainbridge township, where he made his home for a time, and upon his marriage to Miss Matilda Beeny, who was born in Ohio, he located on the farm which is now owned by their daughter, Mrs. Seegmiller, and here the father and mother both passed away, the former having reached the very advanced age of eighty-two years, while the mother passed away at the age of fifty-eight. Their family numbered two daughters and one son: Emily, the wife of I. M. Allen, of Sodus township; and Alfred, whose sketch appears on another page of this work.

Abbie Sharai, the youngest member of her father's family, was born on the farm which she now occupies, November 3, 1858,. where she was reared, receiving practical training in the duties of the household, which prepared her to later care for a home of her own. She acquired her education in the district schools near her father's home, and here in May, 1874, she gave her hand in marriage to Samuel Seegmiller, a. native of Canada, who crossed the border into the United States about 1868, taking up his above in Berrien county. He was a well educated man and after arriving in Sodus township followed the profession of teaching for several years and was also engaged in farming here.

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