MASON C. COWLES, one of the young and enterprising agriculturists of Spencer township, Kent county, Mich., is a member of a well-known and influential family of the same, and was born January 27, I868, on the old Spencer township homestead. He is the seventh in a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, born to Shepard B. and Marian A. (Conant) Cowles, the full record of which family may be learned by consulting the sketch of the father at another place in this volume. Mr. Cowles of this sketch received such an education as could be acquired from the advantages of the common schools of his native township and was reared to honest toil as a farmer, which vocation he has followed through life. He is a young man who has ever lived a life of integrity and honor, has always been active and industrious, and has been a credit both to himself and his family. On the 30th of November, I890, he was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Sipple, a native of Courtland township, but reared in Nelson. To this union there has been born one daughter, Cleo. Mrs. Cowles was born on the 23d of March, 187I, and is a daughter of William and Katie (Stoll) Sipple. There were three brothers and one sister in the family, all of whom are living, viz: John, agriculturist, residing in Nelson township; William, also a farmer of Nelson township; Minnie and Alvah. The father of Mrs. Cowles was born in Germany, and at an early age was brought to America by. his parents, Christopher and Maggie Sipple, who settled in Courtland township, Kent county, Mich., where the mother still resides. Here he followed the lumber business for many years and is a successful farmer of the vicinity. In his political predilection he is a stanch republican and strongly upholds the principles of that party. He now lives on his old home with his son, William, Jr. His wife died when Mrs. Cowles was eighteen years of age, when she became his housekeeper until her marriage. Mr. Cowles took charge of the old homestead in the year 1892. He has since by his diligence and industry been able to buy out the other heirs and is keeping the farm in excellent repair and neatness. He has eighty acres of the 260 that originally constituted the homestead. He makes potatoes a leading crop. Mr. Cowles is; in politics, a non-partisan and casts his vote for the man rather than the party. He and his wife are charitably disposed and are ever ready and willing to lend a helping hand to the poor and needy. They are people who hold the highest respect of all their acquaintances in Spencer and surrounding country.