J. A. Garland

As printed in 1906

J. A. GARLAND, M. D., who in the successful practice of his profession has demonstrated his broad knowledge of medical principles and approved methods of the healing art, was born in Peoria, Illinois, June 15, 1871, and is the only child of Asa and Marietta (McClelland) Garland. The father, a native of Glasgow,. Scotland, spent his boyhood and youth in that country and came to America when about thirty years of age. He was married in Peoria, Illinois, in 1869, to Miss Marietta McClelland, who was born in this country but was of Scotch lineage. His death occurred March 1, 1871, and his widow, still surviving him, resides with Dr. Garland.

In the public and high schools of Chicago Dr. Garland continued his studies and supplemented his preliminary education by professional training in the Northwestern University, being graduated from the medical department in 1895. He afterward pursued post graduate work in Chicago for a year and in June, 1896, came to Buchanan, since which time he has continued in active practice with a patronage that is constant growing in volume and importance. The public opinion concerning his ability is generally favorable and his skill has been demonstrated in his successful care of many intricate cases and his solution of many difficult medical problems.

On the 27th of November, 1901, Dr. Garland wedded Miss Gertrude Friesleven, who was born in Chicago, and is a daughter of Justus Friesleven, a native of Germany. Dr. Garland has been a Mason for ten years, belonging to the blue lodge, and is also connected with the Knights of the Maccabees and the Modern Woodmen. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party and for many years he has served as township health officer. In the line of his profession his membership relations are with the Berrien County Medical Society, the Mississippi Valley Medical Association, the American Medical Association and the Red Cross Society, and he is neglectful of no professional duty but maintains a high standard of ethics as a representative of the medical fraternity.

THEODORE METZGER carries on general farming on section 29, Niles township, where he owns and operates one hundred and three acres of good land. He dates his residence in this county since 1858, at which time he took up his above upon the farm which is now his home. He was born in St. Joseph county, Indiana, December 18, 1847, nd comes of German lineage, in both the paternal and material lines. His father, Ferdinand Metzger, was a native of Germany and came to America when about twenty-four years of age, locating in St. Joseph county, Indiana. After his arrival in the new world he followed the business of re-- pairing clocks but later located on a farm in St. Joseph county, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits for some time. His last days, however, were passed in Bertrand township, Berrien county, Michigan, where he died when about forty-eight years of age. His wife, who in her maidenhood bore the name of Barbara Santley, was also born in Germany and lived to be about forty-five years of age. Their marriage was blessed with four children.

Theodore Metzger, the youngest child, was only about one year old at the time of the father's death and was left an orphan at the early age of three years. He was then reared by his uncle, John Metzger, in St. Joseph county, Indiana, and is indebted to the public schools of that locality for the educational privileges he received. In 1863, at about seventeen years of age, when the country was in the throes of rebellion, he offered his services to the government, enlisting in Company H, Seventeenth Michigan Volunteers, and his regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He was in the old Seventeenth Regiment for about six months. He then enlisted in Company H, of the Thirtieth Michigan Regiment and was in service till the close of the war. He received his honorable discharge June 23, 1865, and returned to his home. Mr. Metzger remained with his uncle until twenty-one years of age, when he began railroading as brakeman on the Michigan Central Railroad. He was afterward employed by the Lake Shore Railroad, acting as fireman for a time, while later he won promotion to the position of engineer. For three years he was thus connected with the Lake Shore and Northwestern Railroads and he spent altogether about eight years in the railroad service but was obliged to abandon that occupation on account of impaired eyesight. Accordingly he sought other business interests and turned his attention to farming in St. Joseph county, where he rented land for a time. In 1888 he removed to the farm on section twenty-nine, Niles township, where he now resides and in the interim he has successfully carried on general agricultural pursuits. He has been engaged in threshing for about twenty-three years and has one of the best outfits for this purpose in the county or state. The farm comprises one hundred and three acres and is devoted to the production of general crops, such as are best adapted to soil and climate.

In 1884 Mr. Metzger was united in marriage to Miss Addie Metzger, and they have six living children, while they lost their eldest son, Clarence. The others are Genevieve, Florence, Theodore, Lawrence, Marie and Edith, all of whom are still under the parental roof. Mr. Metzger votes with the Democracy and is an ardent champion of party principles and policy. He has served as highway commissioner of Niles township but otherwise has held no public office, preferring to devote his undivided attention to his business affairs, which claim from him close application and energy and which in return yield him a gratifying annual income.

resides in Bainbridge township, and is the widow of George W. Yerington, who was classed with the leading citizens of this part of the state for many years. He was born September 29, 1842, and died September 24, 1905, his loss being deeply regretted throughout the community where he was so widely and favorably known...His parents were John and Laura (Vester) Yerington, both natives of New York, whence they removed to Ohio. Their son George was born near Findlay, Ohio, whence he came to Michigan, but after three years here passed he removed to Iowa. In about 1858, however, the mother with her four children returned to Michigan, where her brother-in-law, Edwin Yerington, was living, making his home in Benton township, where his family still resides. Mrs. Laura Yerington having lost her husband, afterward became the wife of James Brewster, who lived in Bainbridge township. She survived to the age of sixty years. Her four children were George W.; Lydia Ann, who became the wife of Balaam Dodge; Emma, the wife of Ed. Disbrow, of Bangor, Michigan; and Angeline, the wife of Joseph Marion, of Battle Creek, this state.

George Yerington, reared under the parental roof, went to Michigan and afterward to Iowa with his parents, and with his mother returned to Berrien county. At the outbreak of the Civil war, feeling that his first duty was to his country, he enlisted in Company D, of the Western Sharpshooters, and served throughout the period of hostilities, receiving an honorable discharge at the close of the war. He always kept in touch with his regiment by attending its various reunions. This was a noted military organization, of which Alonzo Vincent, later warden of the State penitentiary, and others were members. Fourteen of his old comrades of the company to which he belonged attended his funeral and acted as his pallbearers. When at the front he was a brave and loyal soldier, never faltering in the performance of any military duty assigned him, and he thus nobly aided in defense of the stars and stripes.

Returning to the north, Mr. Yerington

> o r was married March 4, 1866, to Miss Polly Wise, a sister of H. M. and Samuel Wise, and a half sister of Balaam Dodge. She was born in Bainbridge township and was married just before reaching the age of twenty-one years. Her parents were George and Mary (Yund) Wise. The latter was a daughter of Solomon and Polly (Shafer) Yund, and was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, January 17, 1818. When seven years of age she accompanied her parents on their removal to Livingston county, New York, and on Christmas day of 1836 she gave her hand in marriage to George Wise. In 1843, with their four children, they took passage on a canal boat for Rochester and for Buffalo, New York, and while enroute their eldest daughter, Katie, then five years of age, was killed by a low bridge. They proceeded to Erie, Pennsylvania, where they were joined by Mr. Wise's parents, Leonard and Barbara Wise, and two sisters, Lucetta and Sallie, also John Lewis, a brother-in-law, and his family. They started for Detroit, going by way of Mackinac and Chicago and crossed the lake on the steamer Champion, Captain Eben B. Ward commanding, to St. Joseph, Michigan, and thence proceeded to Keeler township, Van Buren county, where they remained for a summer. In 1843 M- Mrs. Wise took up their above in Bainbridge township, Berrien county, where his death occurred October i, 1895, while Mrs. Wise passed away July 3, 1906, at the very advanced age of eighty-eight years, five months and sixteen days.

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Yerington lived for forty years upon the farm where the widow now resides. When they took up their above there it was all covered with timber save that a small clearing had been made and a little cabin had been built, in which they resided until the present residence was erected two or three years later. Mr. Yerington placed seventy acres of his land under cultivation, and in order to clear the fields he burned much valuable timber. He personally did the hard work incident to preparing the fields for the plow and placing them under cultivation and always led a very active life. For thirty-five

37ears he was the principal thresher in this vicinity, using at first an old horse power engine, later a portable engine and subsequently a traction engine. In this work he covered a wide area, doing much threshing in Silver Creek township, Van Buren county, as well as in various parts of Berrien county. He threshed for different farmers for nearly thirty years.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Yerington were born two sons and a daughter, George, now in Keeler, and Horace, in Bainbridge, while Ada Ann is the wife of C. J. Pitcher, of Sisters Lakes. Mr. Yerington belonged to the Odd Fellows Society of Keeler and his funeral services were conducted under the auspices of that order. Rev. Silkwood of Keeler officiating. His remains were interred in Bainbridge cemetery. He traveled life's journey for almost sixty-three years and was very active and enterprising, moreover he was straightforward and reliable in all his dealings. His life entitled him to the respect which was uniformly given him and he left to his family an untarnished name. His widow yet remains upon the old homestead, renting her fields. Her residence is on the old territorial road ten miles east of Benton Harbor, situated in a picturesque district, well adapted to the raising of fruit and grain, so that the countryside presents a most attractive picture of fertility.

As printed in A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.