Nathaniel M. Brant

As printed in 1906

NATHANIEL M. BRANT is one of the venerable citizens of Berrien county, his home being in Bainbridge township. He is still a hearty man although he has passed the ninety-first milestone on life's journey, his birth having occurred in Macedon, Genesee county, New York on the 12th of March, 181 5. His parents were Simeon and Sarah

(Herndon) Brant. The father was born near Rhode Island, and was married in Genesee county, New York, whither he had gone as a boy with his parents. His mother, who bore the maiden name of Phoebe Loetz, was a native of England, and his father was probably born in that country. Simeon Brant served for one year as a soldier of the war of 1812, and after his discharge re-enlisted for further military service. Later in life he received two land warrants in recognition of the aid which he had rendered to the government during the dark period of hostility with England.

The year 1836 witnessed the arrival of the Brant family in Michigan. The westward trip was made across the country with two yoke of oxen, and the father was accompanied by three sons and a daughter, namely: Nathaniel, John Daniel, Augustus and Malvina. Two other sons, Artaxerses and Van Rensselaer, came later, and the Brant family has figured for many years in the public life of this part of Michigan, especially in subjugating the wilderness and extending the frontier. The father, Simeon Brant, settled on the east half of the southeast quarter of section 31, Bainbridge township, while his son, Nathaniel, secured as a claim the west half of the northwest half of section 32; Daniel, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 32; while Augustus settled in Pipestone township. Three years later Artaxerses Brant, who had first taken up his above at Three Rivers, came to Bainbridge township and secured the east half of the northeast quarter of section 31. The daughter, Malvina, married Oliver Surrell, and they settled in Hagar township, but later removed to Pipestone township, where they lived and died. The members of the family, however, lived in one locality and did an important part in the work of development and improvement there.

Simeon Brant had come to the west expecting to enter land near Benton Harbor but on reaching Kalamazoo, Michigan, he became ill and while there he purchased the eighty acres on which he settled, without.having seen the property. Nathaniel Brant had joined the family at that place, having proceeded that far by boat, after which they drove across the state to their destination. Some days there would be twenty-five or thirty families in the caravan as they traveled along but each going to their destination they would perhaps by night all be scattered. The Brants followed the Chicago turnpike that extended through Niles as far as Edinburg, after which they started for Pokagon prairie and the Indian Lake. From Indian Lake they had to cut their way through the north eight miles and to the Territorial road then proceeded west on that road to within a mile of Millburg, not far from the Davis Junction. From that point they proceeded two and a half miles south to the land which Mr. Brant had purchased. There he located section corners and in that way located the land they sought. They probably reached their destination in November, with snow on the ground, and immediately afterward a log cabin was built. There were no settlers north of them to Millburg, a distance of five miles. Mr. LeRue had a mill on Pipestone creek, three or four miles to the southwest, while to the south stretched an unbroken wilderness and also to the east. It was about three years, then settlers began to come readily of this section of the state. Artemus Stickney was about the first to locate as a near neighbor of the Brant family. Lott Sutherland and his brother the father of Lewis Sutherland, were the first to settle east of the Brant family.

In the midst of the forest Simeon Brant hewed out a farm, clearing and cultivating his land, and transforming the place into rich fields. There he carried on general agricultural pursuits until his wife's death, after which he went to Illinois with his son Nathaniel, and passed away at the age of eighty-four years. Daniel Brant lived and died on his home place, and his son Ezra is now on the old homestead. Artaxerses Brant spent his life on the homestead which he commenced to develop about the time his father secured property here, together with his brothers, Daniel and Nathaniel. He was the eldest of the family.

Nathaniel M. Brant, whose name introduces this review, secured his land in 1844, and has since lived thereon. He was married on the 29th of April, 1840, in Pipestone township, to Miss Martha Hazzard, a daughter of Crawford Hazzard, who had also come to Berrien county in 1836 from Sacketts Harbor, New York, settling first at Watervliet and later in Pipestone township. For four years after their marriage Nathaniel M. Brant and his wife lived in Pipestone township, and in 1844, removed to his present farm thereon he has now resided for sixty-two years. His life has been passed in Michigan from the age of twenty-one years. He started in business on his own account with eighty acres but through his well directed energy and business capacity he became the owner of two hundred acres in the old homestead, also two hundred acres in Pipestone township, forty acres in Hagar township and forty acres in Watervliet township. He has practically given all this away, however, but has kept a life lease on his home place of eighty acres. He has assisted each of his children to gain a' farm and has been most generous with his sons and daughters. In his business career he has prospered, because he was diligent and energetic, and he now well merits the rest that is vouchsafed to him. His wife died in May, 1901, after they had traveled life's journey happily together for sixty years. She had been indeed a faithful companion and helpmate to him on life's journey. In their family were eight sons and three daughters. The daughters were Laura, Phoebe and Ann, but none are now living. The sons, however, still survive. These are Wesley C.; Warren; Dudley, who resides upon a part of the farm originally owned by his grandfather, Simeon Brant; Philander, who lives upon a farm adjoining his father's place; Newton, living near Spinks Corners; Orval, who makes his home on a part of the old farm property; Oscar, who had forty acres of the old homestead, and died when a young man of thirty-two or thirty-three years; Barney, who resides on the homestead and with him his father lives.

Mr. Brant is one of the most venerable citizens of the entire county, and few, if any, have more intimate knowledge of the early history of this section of the state and of conditions which here existed at the time of the arrival of the Brant family in 1836. The forests were uncut, the streams unbridged and roads were not yet laid out. The Indians were far more numerous than the white settlers, and Nathaniel Brant engaged in trading with them, buying furs, etc. He also hunted deer and other wild game and did some trapping, and he helped cut out all the roads which were made in those early days. During his first year in Pipestone township, he worked for Dr. Enons and took forty acres of land for his pay. His wife lived within a half mile of the place and thus they become acquainted. Mr. Brant also bought and shipped shingles to Chicago, and bought cattle, sheep, horses and other live stock. He worked energetically and persistently year after year and was well known as a successful business man and a typical representative of the early days. In politics he has given his support to the Republican party and he is yet a hale and hearty man although he is now ninety-one years of age.

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.