Harley C. Bement, an honored pioneer settler and representative generalagriculturist of Allendale Township, Ottawa County, Mich., is a native ofSteuben County, N. Y., and was born January 3, 1835. He was the seventh child ofa family of ten children born unto the union of Harley and Eliza (Briggs) Bement,natives of New York. The father, a farmer, left the Empire State for Michigan in1836, and, arriving safe and sound at his destination, located in Macomb County,being one of the first settlers within its limits. Michigan was yet a Territory,and the nearest neighbor was four miles away. He purchased land of theGovernment and as rapidly as possible transformed his acres into a productivefarm. At first the family were obliged to go to Mt. Clemens for their flour, andthe father frequently carried it on his back the long distance of fifteen miles.The Indians, who were numerous, were usually harmless, although given todishonesty, and upon one occasion during the absence of the family stoleeverything the house held, even carrying away the clothing of the mother andchildren. The father followed the Indians two days and recovered theirtable-knives, all ground to fine points, and his wife’s silk dress, which hadbeen cut short in the skirt to be worn by the Indians. The daughters’ dresseswere served in like manner, and everything which had been carried away was moreor less injured.

Being a great hunter, the father was enabled to furnish meat for the tablefresh from the woods, which abounded in game. In 1839 or 1840, the familyremoved to Ingham County, then one of the new counties of the State, the Bementsbeing also pioneers of this locality. Her the husband, wife and children livedmuch the same as before for a time. The father assisted in building the firstsawmill erected in Hardy, Livingston County, and which was on the county line ofLivingston and Ingham Counties. He placed the largest log in that mill ever usedin the construction of any building in the State, the said log being sixteenfeet in length and six feet through at the top or small end. Remaining thereuntil 1853, the father then made his home with his family in Georgetown, wherehe engaged in farming and lumbering. He followed these various pursuits untilthe breaking out of the War, in 1860, then, fired with patriotic enthusiasm,enlisted in the service of the Government. Born in about 1791, and his firstwife in 1800, he was only a lad of eighteen when he joined the Sixth New YorkInfantry, and fought with courage in the War of 1812. He engaged with valor inthe battle of Plattsburgh and took an active part in other fights, in one ofwhich he was slightly wounded. He served throughout the period of the war andwas honorably discharged at the close. Now, when again the country had need ofhim, although no longer young, he promptly responded, entering Company D,Seventh Michigan Cavalry, and enlisting as Veteran Surgeon of the company. Hewas attached to the Third Corps of the Army of the Potomac but only engaged inone battle, which was fought in Virginia.

The father was one of the most robust men in the county when he entered theservice, but when discharged from the hospital in Washington, D.C., havingserved one year, his constitution was so shattered by exposures and privationsthat he was a physical wreck, and upon his return home was not able to do a day’swork. Although then in his seventieth year he survived the scenes of the waruntil March 3, 1882. For eight years prior to the war he ably administered thelaw as Justice of the Peace, and in this office gave universal satisfaction tothe general public. He was twice married. The first wife lost her life by theburning of their house in the township of Groton, she being alone at the time.This was in June, 1856. The father and mother were both devout members of theMethodist Episcopal Church. Of the ten children who brightened the old home, alllived to maturity. Harriet married L. Brown, and resides in Olive Township; Leviis deceased; Naomi, deceased, was the wife of J. J. Christian; Lavina is thewife of Pat Roe, of Grand Rapids; Silas, who lives in Isabella County, Mich.,served with courage nearly two years in the late war, and was wounded in thefight at Seven Pines or Fair Oaks; Eliza, deceased, was the wife of Moses Buxson;Harley C., is our subject; Clemons died in the army at Chattanooga, Tenn., in1863; and Priscilla and Silas are deceased. The father, a second time marrying,was then wedded to Mrs. Annie (Wood) Parker, who still survives and now, in hereighty-fifth year, makes her home with our subject.

Harley C. Bement was educated in the common schools and mainly reared upon afarm, although he had engaged in lumbering as well prior to the war. Upon June10, 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Third Michigan Infantry, and was in theThird Corps. Army of the Potomac. At the time of enlistment he was made anon-commissioned officer and received promotion as Sergeant. He actively engagedin the decisive engagements of Bull Bun, Yorktown, Williamsburgh, Fair Oaks,Seven Days’ Fight, and around Richmond, and also participated in the secondbattle of Bull Run, in which encounter he was three times wounded, first throughhis left hand. Before he would get off the field he was shot in the fleshy partof the right thigh, the third wound being given by a grape shot, which struckhim in the back, tearing his cartridge box into pieces. From the effects of thislatter shot our subject has never entirely recovered. Mr. Bement was then sentto Bellevue (N.Y.) Hospital, from which place he was discharged in November,1862, and returned at once to his home and family in Michigan. Since then he hasdevoted himself to farming and threshing, and for seven years framed for EdwardCole, of Ottawa County, hauling logs and lumber from the woods to the sawmill.

In 1875, our subject went to Utah for the purpose of mining, first stoppingat Salt Lake City. He remained in Utah one summer, but not finding his miningventure a success returned home and engaged in farming in the township ofGroton, from where he later removed to his present farm of eighty acres in 1882.At the time Mr. Bement purchased his Allendale Township homestead, the land wasentirely unimproved, but the farm now contains fifty highly cultivated acres. InFebruary, 1892, the residence and contents were entirely destroyed, and sincethen our subject has erected a handsome two-story frame building at a cost of$1,100.

In 1857, were united in marriage Harley C. Bement and Miss Marinda Parker, anative of Ohio, and daughter of E. W. and Annie (Wood) Parker, who came to thisState in 1855. Mrs. Parker later became the wife and widow of the father of oursubject. Mr. and Mrs. Parker were the parents of seven children: Andrew, whoresides in Ingham County; Amanda, deceased, who was the wife of J. Corlis;Herrick, deceased; George, a citizen of Butler County, Mo., Marinda, the wife ofour subject; Ezekiel, who lives in Denison, Tex., and Benjamin, who died in1893, at Tucson, Aria. Our subject and his estimable wife have been blessed bythe birth of ten children. Lemuel was the eldest born; Medora is the widow ofSeth Barager, of Grand Rapids; Clemons, Pearl, Benjamin C., Annie, Albert,Charles and Maude complete the list of intelligent sons and daughters whogathered at the family fireside.

Mr. and Mrs. Bement are both valued members of the First Christian Church ofGeorgetown. Fraternally, our subject is a member of W. Thuskittle Post No. 388,G. A. R., of which Bement was Commander two years and is Senior-Vice. In 1883,Clemons was thrown from a horse, and, his head being injured, was invalid fiveyears, and two years of the time upon his back in bed and could not be turned ormoved. Science restored him in a great me—to health, but excellent care and alarge outlay of money were needed to save his life and give permanent relief.The family of our subject widely known and highly esteemed, occupy ---ions ofuseful influence and command the evidence of many sincere friends.