Thomas Mars

As printed in 1906

HON. THOMAS MARS, now living retired, has led a life of industry crowned with successful accomplishment and has figured prominently in the public life of the state, at one time representing his district in the senate. He was born in Giles county, Virginia, May 4, 1829. His paternal grandfather, Archibald Mars, was a farmer and is supposed to have been born in Delaware. He followed farming throughout much of his life and died in Virginia. Hugh Mars, father of our subject, was born in the Old Dominion, became a blacksmith by trade and engaged in business in his native state until 1830, when he came to Michigan, arriving on the 6th of April of that year. He located in what is now Berrien township in the midst of a wild and unimproved district, and where the work of development had been scarcely begun. He took up land from the government and the deed was signed by President Jackson. The forest stood in its primeval strength, the streams were unbridged and the land uncultivated. Mr. Mars first built a bark shanty, in which he lived for one year, when he erected a log cabin. He entered from the government eighty acres of land on the St. Joseph river about three miles north of Berrien Springs. Two years later he sold that property and entered another eighty-acre tract in the same township, to which he afterward added a similar amount so that his farm comprised a quarter section of land. He cleared one hundred acres of this farm of one hundred and sixty acres and he lived thereon for about fifty-seven years, when he sold out, taking up his above at that time on what is known as Mars Hill. There his remaining days were passed, his death occurring when he had reached the advanced age of eighty-one years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eleanor Riggin, was born and reared in Virginia, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Dunn) Riggin, of Irish descent. Mrs. Mars died when thirty-seven years of age, leaving a family of four sons and two daughters, all of whom reached adult age and are still living in Michigan with the exception of one daughter, Eliza, now deceased. She was the fifth in order of birth. The others are Andrew W., Thomas, Samuel, William and Malinda. There was also a half brother and sister, Benjamin F. Mars and Mrs. Elizabeth Magill. The father was married four times but had children by only two marriages.

Thomas Mars was but eleven months old when brought to Michigan by his parents. Berrien county at that time formed a part of Cass county but was soon afterward cut off and organized under the present name. The family shared in the hardships, trials and privations of pioneer life and amid the environments of a frontier existence Thomas Mars was reared upon the old homestead farm in Berrien township. The first school which he attended was located on Dowagiac creek, and he continued Tiis studies in a school which stood about three miles southeast of Berrien Springs. It was a log schoolhouse with primitive furnishings, such as the old-time fire place and slab seats. For three years he was a student in that school, after which the Union schoolhouse was built near what was the Union Church in Berrien township and it was in that school that Mr. Mars completed his education save that experience, reading and observation have added largely to his knowledge in the passing years, and he is today a well informed man of broad ideas and wide outlook. In the summer months during the period of his youth he worked upon the farm, assisting in the arduous task of developing new land and improving the property. In his twentieth year he went to Niles and served as an apprentice to the carpenter's trade, receiving seventy-five dollars for the year's work. He afterward began contracting and building on his own account, which he followed for eight years, erecting many dwellings and barns and in fact doing all kinds of work pertaining to the trade. Most of his work was done in Berrien township but he also executed contracts in other townships. He built a bridge over the St. Joseph river at Berrien Springs and many of the schoolhouses which he erected are still in use. In 1857 went to the west, locating at Lawrence, Kansas, where he followed his trade as a carpenter and builder. He afterward went to Andrew county, Missouri, locating at Fillmore, where he purchased an interest in a sawmill, which he operated for two years, or until the war broke out. Because of his political views he was ordered to leave within fifteen days.

In the year 1860 Mr. Mars married Miss Margaret A. Wood, a daughter of Christopher Wood, and a native of New York, where she was reared. It was in the same year that Mr. Mars was ordered to leave Missouri because of his political affiliation and sacrifice to his party interests. He then returned to Berrien county, where he arrived on the 4th of June, 1860. Here he rented an old sawmill and in the fall of the same year he purchased the property where he now resides, making it his home continuously since. He was engaged in the milling business on this place until 1896. His farm is called the model farm of the county, comprising one hundred and twenty acres pleasantly and conveniently located three miles east of Berrien Springs in Berrien township. For the last seven years he have lived retired in the enjoyment of a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves, for his business life has been characterized by untiring activity and perseverance, qualities which are always crowned by successful accomplishment.

In 1903 Mr. Mars was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 27th of September, of that year, her death being deeply regretted by many friends throughout the county. There had been five children in the family but all have passed away and four of the number died in childhood. One daughter, Imogene, became the wife of Dr. Lacrone. They had two children, Thomas Mars and Frank W., both of whom are now in the naval service, Thomas Mars being on the Iowa and Frank W. on the ship Hancock.

Mr. Mars gave his early political allegiance to the Whig party and upon the organization of the new Republican party he joined its ranks and has since been one of its stalwart supporters. He has assisted in electing every Republican president who has occupied the executive mansion at Washington and he was elected a delegate to the first state Republican convention which was held at Jackson, Michigan. He also attended the fiftieth anniversary of that event and was elected vice president of the Fremont Association, which holds its annual meetings at Jackson. He has also been an earnest and influential worker in the interests of the Republican party, a recognized leader in its ranks, and in the fall of 1881 he was elected to the state senate of Michigan, representing Berrien county. He was the last senator to represent Berrien county alone, for the district is now composed of Berrien and Cass counties. He was also representative in the lower house of the legislature for one term and in the general assembly was an able working member who did not seek to figure prominently as an orator but was active in promoting constructive legislation. For four years he served as deputy oil inspector for Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties and was county agent for the special board of charities for nine years and a member of the state board of charities for the state public school at Coldwater and chairman of the board for two years. For a long period he was master of the State Grange of Michigan and for twenty-seven years a member of its executive committee, while for ten years he was its chairman. He is interested in all that pertains to the agricultural development and progress of the state, and in connection with the Grange put forth effective and far-reaching service in this direction. Over the record of his public career and private life there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, his record as a man and citizen being above reproach. He has now passed the seventy-seventh milestone on life's journey and is honored as one of the venerable and early residents of Berrien county.

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.