EDWARD E. OWEN

EDWARD E. OWEN, one of the venerable and honored pioneer citizens of Eaton county, still resides on his attractive homestead farm, in Bellevue township, and he is now permitted to enjoy the generous recompense for his long years of earnest toil and endeavor, including the herculean labors which fell to him as a pioneer in the wilds of a heavily timbered section of the Wolverine state. He was born in Sheffield township, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, August 25, 1827, and he is a scion of stanch colonial stock in New England, being a son of Chester and Parmelia (Andrews) Owen, both likewise native of the old Bay state, where the former was born February 26, 1789, and the latter December 30, 1795. His father passed the closing years of his life in Ohio, where his death occurred February 10, 1846, and the mother died in Bellevue township, Eaton county, Michigan, January 25, 1869. Chester Owen was a man of versatile talents, having been a carpenter and wagon maker, a capable surveyor and a successful farmer. His marriage to Parmelia Andrews was solemnized October 14, 1813, in Massachusetts, and they continued residents of that state until 1836, when they removed to Ohio, where the father purchased a farm of sixty acres, in Portage county, where he passed the remainder of his life. Of the seven children, Edward E. was the fifth and he is now the only one surviving. Maria L., born August 18, 1815, became the wife of Augustus Cox and died in Iowa; Cornelia, born November 27, 1818, became the wife of Wakeman Johnson and died in Eaton county, Michigan; Elizabeth, born October 11, 1821, became the wife of Sidney Alford, and died in Kansas and is buried in Eaton county, Michigan; Minerva, born July 19, 1824, died in infancy; Charles M., born November 7, 1830, was a farmer in Ohio, whence he finally removed to Michigan, enlisting as a soldier in a Wisconsin regiment at the time of the civil war and dying, from illness, while in the service, August 5, 1864; Henry C., born September 30, 1835, likewise died while serving as a Union soldier, the date of his demise having been January 21, 1563. Edward E. Owen, the immediate subject of this sketch, remained with his parents and continued to attend the country schools until he was about eighteen years old, and after the death of his father he began the battle of life on his own responsibility. He was variously employed in Ohio for a number of years, having worked as a farm hand in saw mills, as a maker of cheese boxes and in a carding and spinning mill. While engaged in the last-named establishment his hand was caught in a belt and he was drawn into a pulley or shaft, where he was whirled around at the rate of sixty revolutions a minute. Some time elapsing before he could be extricated, when it was found that his left leg had been broken and badly shattered in two places, the result being that he has since been a cripple. It was almost miraculous that his life was saved at the time bf this accident. In 1851 he and his wife, with a team of horses and a wagon, by means of which they transported a few household goods, started for Michigan, his financial resources at the time being represented in the sum of ninety dollars. They had learned that good land was to be secured near Hastings, Barry county, and had decided to make that place their destination. In two weeks they reached Bellevue, arriving Sunday noon and finding accommodations in a little hotel conducted by a man named Sprague, who charged them only fifty cents a week each for board. Mr. Owen was induced to look at land in this vicinity, and finally secured the eighty-acre homestead in section 23, Bellevue township, which has ever since been his place of abode. He traded his team and paid the balance of the price in cash at the time of securing this property. The trees had been felled upon about two acres. One family named Ives had two log houses on their land, and in the unoccupied domicile Mr. and Mrs. Owen were comfortably sheltered until he could complete the erection of a log house on his own land. With the exception of three years, passed on the farm of Mrs. Owen's father, in the northern part of the township, this log dwelling continued to be the home of Mr. and Mrs. Owen until 1865, when he erected his present frame residence, the same being built under his personal supervision, as he hired men by the day. The timbers were all hewed by hand and the lumber taken from his own land. The house is spacious, and it is needless to say that it is substantial. Mr. Owen cleared forty-eight acres of his first eighty, leaving the remainder in woodland, the trees being largely sugar maples, from which he has secured good returns. He early decided never to be without fuel, and this wooded tract is retained for supplies in this line. Just after the close of the civil war he purchased one hundred and twenty acres directly across the road from his homestead, and this he has since divided between his two sons, who reside on their respective farms, having most attractive homes and being numbered among the progressive farmers of the county. Mr. Owen continued to live his allegiance to the Democratic party until the occasion of the second nomination of Grover Cleveland for the Presidency, when he voted the Republican ticket, having since been aligned as a supporter of the latter party. He states, with appreciative humor, that there are only two offices he has ever cared to hold-one being that of President of the United States and the other that of pathmaster of his district, the result being that of the latter position he was incumbent many years, assisting materially in laying out and improving the roads in his section of the county. He has been identified with the Patrons of Industry for many years, never having united with any other fraternal organization. Mr. Owen has been very successful as a farmer, and in former years took much pride in raising blooded cattle, securing many premiums at the county fairs in the early days, but lack of interest on the part of others and consequent failure of competition caused him to abate his efforts in his line. Citizen of the community is held in higher esteem than this worthy pioneer, and it will be gratifying to his many friends in the county to peruse this brief outline of his earnest and upright career. May 14, 1850, stands as the date recording the marriage of Mr. Owen to Miss Sarah M. Bonney, who was born in Ohio April 9, 183'2, who still remains by his side, having been a faithful wife and helpmeet during the long intervening years-more than half a century. She is a daughter of William and Belina (Finch) Bonney, the former of whom was born in Connecticut, January 3, 1808, and the latter in Massachusetts February 18, 1811, and both of whom died in Eaton county, Michigan. William Bonney was a direct descendant of Governor Bradford, of Plymouth colony. Mr. Bonney came with his family to Michigan about 1853, making Eaton county his destination and locating on a farm in Bellevue township, where he passed the remainder of his life. Of the six children Mrs. Owen was the first born; William R. is a resident of Allegan county; Cordelia died at the age of thirty years; Lyman is a resident of Hillsdale county; Norman maintains his home in the state of Colorado, and Homer died at the age of eighteen years. In conclusion is incorporated brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Owen: Ada, who was born August 29, 1853, is the wife of John Berkimer, of Bellevue township, and they have two children; Lillian, who was born January 30, 1855, is the wife of Jasper Henry of Cherokee county, Kansas, and they have three children; Chester, who was born July 20, 1857, and who is owner of a good farm given to him by his father, as previously intimated, married Miss Eva Lane, and they have one child; Alice, who was born November 6, 1860, remains at the parental home; Lucy, who was born November 22,1862, is the wife of Charles Cargo and they reside in the village of Bellevue; Mary, born November 16, 1864, is a successful and popular teacher in the public schools of Minnesota; Charles, born February 27, 1868, died at the age of eighteen years; Glen, who was born April 23, 1810, and who owns the remainder of the farm of one hundred and twenty acres divided between himself and his elder brother, across the road from the parental homestead, married Miss Edith McCotter and they have one child ; Viola, who was born April 24, 1873, died at the age of four months.