The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-10-19

Van Buren County stalwarts.


Treasurer, was born in McHenry Co
Ill, in 1Si3. His father was farmer,
but when this son was nine years old,
he moved his family 10 South Haven,
Michigan, and engaged in the lumber
business at time when the Haven
bore little resemblance to the prosper
Gus village il has since become. Mr..
Wells relates how his father and a few
other early settlers who were DESTROYS
of sending their children to school,
united their efforts and built the first
school-house, a little log cabin on the
bank of the lake near the present site
of Lyman Monroes fine residence. Here
he gained the first rudiments of an
education, alternating the Shd6ings he
received from the teacher with no less
violent ones inflicted by the ague so
common at that time.
When Hiram was thirteen years old,
his father again moved, this time to
Arlington township where he settled in
the midst of the woods and cleared up
farm, tour lusty boys and as many girls
growing up to make the surrounding
woods resound with their shouts. The
subject of our sketch worked with his
brothers on the farm summers and at
tended the district school winters, find
ing time to chop many n cord OF wood,
thus developing the stout muscles and
hardy frame that were to stand him in
good stead later on; for July -, 1868,
saw him don IA soldiers uniform and
take his place in the ranks of Co. G.,
Sd Mich. cavalry, with which company
he rode some ZOO miles before he was
mustered out at San Antonio, Texas,
in March, 1866. During this period,
10 ffrana Inh
Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Missis-
sippi, and Louisiana, making frequent
raids into the enemy's country, keep
ing open communications between the
various parts of our forces, fighting
guerrillas and bush whackers, under
taking perilous scouting expeditions, in
fact performing the numberless duties
necessary to the advance of large bodies
of troops, the kind of duties that often
times require even more valOr than
does some dashing charge wherein each
man may win promotion for his
prOwess.
Mr.. Wells participated in numerous
sharp cavalry engagements, the most
memorable being that at Ripley. Mis-
sissippi, where $50 of his regiment dis
mounted and held about 1000 rebels
under Gen. Forrest in check for two
hours, until the arrival of reinforce
ments, the confederates feeling assured
that their bold demeanor indicated an
ambush and SO not daring To advance.
He also relates some thrilling expert
ences when on advance guard duty,
stories which make one realize how
many privations were endured by the
men who risked their lives for the
preservation of the Union. When the
war was over, Mr. Wells came home
and settled on the old homestead in
Arlington, TO which he brought his bride
in 1868, remaining there until 1872,
when he went to Bangor and for three
years was in the employ of the Furnace
Co. there. Then he moved onto the
farm near Arlington Center still owned
by him, and continued to reside there
until his election to his present Office
in the fall of 1899.
Previous to coming here, he was town
clerk Of Arlington for three years and
supervisor for six, so that his business
ability had been fully demonstrated,
and his denomination by reclamation
is proof of the confidence felt by his
party that the funds of Van Buren, Co.
could be safely trusted in the hands of
honest County Treasurer Wells.
The present Prosecuting Attorney OF
Van Buren, Co, Lincoln H.. Titus, is
one of those self-made men peculiar To
America. He began life in Monmouth,
Kennebec Co., Maine, August II, 1860,
as the son of Il poor farmer who, though
anxious for his son to procure an educa-
ton, was yet able to furnish him but
little assistance. Accordingly, the
ambitious son was compelled To
economic in every possible way while
attending the village academy, from
which he graduated at the early age of
fifteen. Then, by dint of some small
earnings OF his own and the little aid
his father could render, he succeeded
in completing the course at Oak Grove
Seminary, Vassalboro, in April 1879
though the memory of those days re-
calls many trying experiences connect
ed with the "bachelor's hall" and other
economical shifts to which he was
obliged to resort.
However, with the coveted parch-
ment in his possession, he came to
Michigan the following July, burning
with eagerness to utilize his recently
completed education; but the same old
stumbling block, the requisite funds.
again CO1lIOuJcu MIN, ana ne spent the
summer and fail in Keller, working as
common farm hand, in the winter
teaching Il district school near Hart
ford and the next summer again work
ing on the farm. In the winter of 1881
he m ade one step higher and taught the
public school ut Keller, in the summer
using some of his carefully boarded saw
ings for the qualification of 1.-The old folks
ut home," by making them visit. That
winter he again taught school in Hart
ford township, within which time sly
Cupid made him captive and in the
spring of 1882 he took unto himself an
helpmeet, returning once more to his
fathers roof-tree. Here for two sum-
mers he labored on the farm, spending
the intervening winter in lawoflice.
In the fall of 1888 he again came To
Hartford, teaching that winter and
reading as much law as possible, next
spring going into the law office of G.
W. Merriman, where he used his time
to such good account as to gain adj