Otis Sanctuary - Land Ownership Questions and Answers

Farm Silos - glazed & concrete block

The original land patents for the acreage that became Otis farm was first sold in 1856, fairly late for land grants in the southern part of Michigan where most land was snatched up by 1839.  Ownership was divided into two parcels, the first part of a 280 purchase by John Cameron of Calhoun Co. The second part is more interesting; those 40 acres (NW 1/4 of SE 1/4) went to James Manning, Private in Capt. Clark's Company Georgia Militia Florida. Now how did a Georgia lad get this Michigan property? It was thru the "1850 Act granting Bounty Land to certain Officers and Soldiers who have been engaged in the Military Service of the United States".

Bounty land played a vital role in bringing settlers to the Northwest Territory. Unfortunately, due to scurrilous rumors from early land exploration Michigan was deemed to be swamp land and unsuitable for designation in the bounty land program! Thus Ohio and Indiana benefitted from soldiers getting land in lieu of pay accounting for a head start in development.

Now James Manning assigned his parcel to Sherman C. Prindle. One has to assume two things: he didn't want to resettle in Michigan, and Prindle paid him for the land.

John Calhoun is difficult to trace. He also purchased quite a bit of property in Calhoun Co. in 1839. There are also countless John Calhoun in the Michigan land grant database. Most likely he engaged in land speculation as did so many of those first patentees.

During this time of pandemic the county register of deeds office is either closed or visited with a mask.  So only a bit of research was completed before lockdown.

Betsey Otis purchased the Otis Farm property Jan 10, 1880 from Leo Myers. It was passed to Fred Otis Aug 30, 1886. Why Betsey and not her husband Parsley? And did Fred buy it from her? Closer examination of the actual transaction is needed. And who was Leo Myers! Need to delve further into the land records when pandemic restrictions are lifted.

Baker Sanctuary - Oil in Them Thar Hills?

In the early 1970's oil companies took an interest in the land under the sanctuary. They wanted to start testing. The Michigan Audubon Society President in 1975, Robert Bradburn, favored oil drilling. He saw a tremendous income potential for the Society. Among those much opposed to the drilling was Mabelle Isham - later bequeathed land to expand Baker Sanctuary.

Hubert Zernickow

In 1976 Mobil Oil offered MAS a 2 year lease offering $2,000 in rental fees, $18,000 incentive bonus and 1/8 of oil production revenue. The Society also had a new President - Hubert Zernickow. incidentally he died in Jackson, MI Aug 2019 at age 97.

An amendment to prohibit oil testing was rejected by the board who was concerned it would restrict future drilling requests in other sanctuaries. The proposal was submitted to the membership. How did they vote?

By Nov 12, 1976 Mobil Oil gave up. They said they "lost interest" in the plans to drill at Baker.

Lake Bluff Sancutary - History

Like Otis Sanctuary, this property came with a house and out buildings. While initially it seems a great idea, it poses many problems for organizations who get donated buildings. Generally structures are old, historic and in need of maintenance. Increasingly these organizations simply don't have the funding to take care as is needed for unused structures. A good example is the National Park Service; buildings conflict with their mission to keep properties natural, so in the past they've demolished and removed buildings. At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore a different problem arose - they have a whole lot of buildings! The park encompasses Port Oneida farm community of farms typical of the century. It is rare to find such a large collection of older farms free of modern development.  However there now exists the Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear group that has partnered with NPS to preserve the 360 buildings. (Sadly this was my favorite site in the park as no one else visited!)

John M. Peterson

This brings us to Lake Bluff. John M Peterson began Lake Bluff Farm at the turn of the 20th Century. John was born in Denmark 1859; by age 22 he lived in Greenville, MI. He made his way to Manistee and Buckley & Douglas Lumber Co. where he worked his way up from bookkeeper. Then he became the purchasing agent for Manistee & Northeastern RR. He was involved with the construction of Ruggles & Rademaker Salt Co. then became their purchasing agent in 1920. His work history reflects Michigan economic development.  Meanwhile he operated a model fruit farm at Lake Bluff for 20 years. He retired in 1928. And In 1936 sold the property to the Grays. He died in 1939.

The Ruggles factory was built on the site of the Buckley Sawmill! Worked out well for John. In 1930 the salt factory was purchased at auction by Morton Salt, a name that comes up in the Gray family history. The Visit Manistee County website has great information about Manistee's history (even if it mistakenly attributes the house as being built by the Morton family).

For a time a Bed & Breakfast operated in the home. Audubon closed all facilities at Lake Bluff in Oct 2016. Sanctuaries are free to visit, relying on Michigan Audubon for financial support. A request for proposal was issued by MAS for an organization to run and maintain the facilities. Lake Bluff Farms Inc was formed hoping to get ownership of the property. They have a website and Facebook page but the actual status of the property is unclear.

Lake Bluff Sanctuary

In 1988, the Michigan Audubon Society received as a gift the M.E. and Gertrude Gray home and property, which later became Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary.  Atop an 100- foot-high bluff overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan, Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary boasts over 1,700 feet of Lake Michigan frontage on its 75 acres located just north of Manistee, MI. Originally landscaped as an arboretum, many notable specimens have been preserved on the grounds surrounding the home such as California Redwood, Ginkgo, and two Michigan Champion Trees, a Giant Sequoia and a Sycamore Maple.  Over 170 different types of birds have been seen on the property, there are many resident woodpeckers, and eagles are frequently seen flying up the beach or perching in the trees along the shore.

The grounds are open to the public year-round, every day from dawn until dusk. There are 2 miles of maintained trails and beach access.

In October 2016, the Michigan Audubon closed the facilities at Lake Bluff. The following year a group of like-minded individuals interested in protecting the history and integrity of the property met to see what could be done to insure that Lake Bluff is still around for future generations. The group put together a corporation called Lake Bluff Farms, Inc. to form a non-profit in response to the Michigan Audubon Society issuing a Request For Proposal in order to transfer ownership of the property. Lake Bluff Farms, Inc. is one of the applicants hoping to preserve the property of the farm. At this time the status is unknown.

2890 Lakeshore Rd., Manistee, MI 49660

Lake Bluff Farms Inc. has a website with gorgeous photos of the house and grounds. They also have a Facebook page. Lake Bluff Farms – Manistee, MI 

Bernard W. Baker

1941

He was born Aug 3, 1900 in Cressey, Barry Twp., Barry County to John and Kate Baker. They were farmers. 1920 he lived in Battle Creek . After his first marriage in 1924 he and his wife Hazel moved to Kalamazoo, 1108 Douglas Ave. Bernard was a station salesman and Hazel a nurse. The site of their house is now a big parking lot.

1924 to 1930 he was partnered with his two brothers in Baker Bros Auto Parts in Kalamazoo. His sold his share in 1931 and moved to Grand Rapids where he opened Baker Auto Parts on Alpine and Leonard. Over the next years he opened several locations throughout the state. 

Around the early 1930's he started studying and photographing birds. At that time he moved to Marne, Tallmadge Twp, Ottawa Co, just outside Grand Rapids not at all far from where I once lived. About that time he also divorced. In 1943 he married Emilie Stepanek; his son Bernard Jr. was a witness at his marriage. He was a real estate owner with a 75 acre property near Marne, considered a sort of bird sanctuary de luxe in that area. The house was on old M-16, a section of which is replaced by I 96 as it slices thru Tallmadge Twp. Next time I'm up that way have to see if the house is still there; doubtful that the birds still have any sanctuary. But by the 1960 he and Emilie lived in Spring Lake.

His 1943 draft registration describes him as 6"8" 170  with blue eyes, brown hair. I've noticed these draft descriptions are sometimes way off. Might they have meant 5"8"?

In Oct 1948 the Holland Tulip Garden Club hosted Bernard to speak on birds and their habitats. They called him the Birdman of Marne & Michigan. He had a picture library of over 3,000 prints, including those photographed on trips to Cuba and Guatemala. Several prints were tinted by Emilie who also operates the projector at his lectures. (Wonder where are those prints now?) Years later in Nov. 1969 Grand Valley State College hosted an art exhibit of his works in the Manitou Gallery.

He purchased the Sanctuary land in 1941. Growing up in Cressy he likely became familiar with nearby land, especially the Big Marsh Lake. With only 2 years of high school he became President of his auto parts company and then went into real estate and left a lovely legacy for Sandhill Cranes and Michigan residents.

Bernard died Jan. 29, 1981 in Warrensville, Ohio at age 81. No record of a grave site. 

Haehnle Sanctuary - Birds and Beer

Casapar II

Johananes Caspar Hähnle at 30 years of age emigrated from Giengen in the Baden-Württemberg area. He first went to Detroit where he married a German widow then moved to Jackson and became a brewer. His expertise probably came from his German background as in innkeeping. In 1867 Casper II, son from Johannes first marriage, emigrated to join his father in the brewery business in Jackson. The elder Casper died in 1869. The younger brought in partners and expanded the business then he died in 1893. 

Caspar III

Now there is another Casper born in 1876 who was only 16 when his father died but he set to work at the brewery until he was old enough to manage and take charge of the company. He expanded their breweries to the U.P. added a winery in Windsor, Canada. Success continued until Prohibition stopped beer production (and all other liquor) in the 1920's. The focus changed to the manufacture of ice, which they already did to transport beer maybe getting some of their ice from Eagle Lake, but now became a mainstay activity. Back to successfully brewing beer, in 1946 he sold distributor rights to Detroit's Stroh Brewery.

The brewery was at Haehnle Hill on Cooper St. where the I-94 interchange now sits. For more photos brewery history see: Peek Through Time: Raise a glass to Jackson's Haehnle Brewing Co., one of the city's originators of craft beer - mlive.com

Jackson H.S. 1922

This last Casper was a hunter, particularly familiar with ducks at Mud Lake where he had a hunting cabin and the surrounding area. So was Lawrence Walkingshaw (see previous post about him). And so was Harold Wing of the Michigan Audubon Society (the lookout at the sanctuary is named in honor of Harold.)"Cap" died in 1958 shortly after donating 497 acres around Mud Lake Marsh to Michigan Audubon. It was named after his daughter, Phyllis Averill Clancy died of a heart attack in 1950 at age 45 about 2 mos after the wedding of daughter Jean.

Phyllis attended UoM and in 1927 visited Havana with her mother. She married Dr. James Clancy and they lived in Hammond, IN with their two daughters; they divorced before her death.

John Casper, wife Nell Meyfarth, daughter Phyllis and other Haehnles are buried at Mt. Evergreen Cemetery, Jackson, in a Haehnle family plot.

Cap's original gift of 497 acres was enlarged to over 900 acres thru gifts granddaughter Judy Clancy Cory and by Michigan Audubon purchases.

The last of the Casper brewers, John, was struck by an auto in Jackson and died in 1958.

Otis Sanctuary - the Otis & Haven Connection

Methodist Church (now Democrat Headquarters)

On Sept 27, 1886 two couples were married in a double ceremony at the Hastings Methodist Church.

They were Fred & Lucille Otis and William & Mattie Havens. Lucille was sister of William Havens. Mattie was cousin to Fred Otis. The Havens had their farm just up the road from the Otis place on Glass Creek.

On Sunday Sept 26, 1936 they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversaries. The whole community helped them celebrate. It made the news in the Battle Creek Enquirer and the Detroit Free Press! 

Otis and Erway couples 1936

The Otis lived in the same home in Rutland Township for the last 48 years. Fred was born in Rutland Township and Luella was born in Washtenaw Co. Their family in 1936 consisted of 10 children, 25 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren.

William was born in Jackson Co 72 years ago; Mattie born in Rutland Twp. They had 3 children, 6 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren. Their farm was in adjacent Hope Twp.

In celebration they held an open house for friends Sunday afternoon and evening. As pointed out in the Free Press, anybody in either family was to some extent related to anyone in the other family! 

Neither couple left Michigan more than once in their married lives. The Havens once visited Wisconsin and the Otises on Sunday drove to Indiana. 

A visit to Rutland Township cemetery on M-43 just NE of Hastings shows the deep roots of these families, together in the township for all eternity. There is a nice aspect to having so many family and friends around one in death, isn't there.

Otis Sanctuary - Family Pictures

Fred and Luella had a large family as was common in the Otis family known for their fecundity far back in the Vermont/Quebec days.  In 1910 they posed for photo. I note how the women all wear white, and managed to keep it immaculate looking having no modern washing conveniences; clearly they were better skilled at doing wash than many of us nowadays. Robert was born a year after this photo was taken.

Standing: Lyle, Catherine, Izolo, Ray, Nina, Bessie, Edna
Seated: Frederick, Luella holding Lucille, Frances

Circa 1949 the family at the farmhouse. Bob is seated on the ground in front. They are in the same positions as the 1910 photo! That can't be accidental. 

Robert Otis

And here is Bob's 1929  high school photo, followed by Millie's from 1932.

Mildred Gruensch

Bob with a nice string of fish from Glass Creek. Wonder what you can catch now...

Otis Sanctuary - Norm & Willie Erway

Norman D. Erway was born June 24, 1922 in Barry County, the fifth child of Louis and Nina Erway (sister to Bob Otis). The Erways were another Rutland Twp family with deep roots in the area. Note Warner Sanctuary is on Erway road and the Otis farm is on Havens Rd. He graduated from Kalamazoo Central High in 1940 and attended Kalamazoo College majoring in chemistry and physics. Norm spent his childhood on the Otis farm, under the tutorage of Bob Otis, his uncle. 

Norm is the author of 'Glass Creek Memories', which shares his thoughts and memoirs, and some photos back in the days where we all lived a simpler life. Excerpt follows:

Bob's death seems like the end of an era for the Otis Family Farm, but it can become a beautiful beginning. The farm with its rolling glacial hills its woods, ponds, march and of course Glass Creek winding its way through the marshes, is really a jewel set in the ring of surrounding state recreational area. That Bob and Millie put this gem in trust with the Michigan Audubon Society made all of my family very proud. Now when we see a wood duck fly by in all its glorious colors we can say "There goes one of Bob's ducks" or better yet, maybe he's flying with it, just checking things out. And then there were the rattlesnakes - not many, but how many does one need to get the adrenaline flowing? When we were bringing the cows in from the marsh, they would sometimes circle out around an area and you had better follow their lead since nine times out of ten there would be a rattler buzzing its warning. Finding one sunning on a haycock, or worse pitching one up on a load of hay was excitement enough for small boys. 

Norm and Willie Erway supported the sanctuary not only through their memories but through moral and financial support. They committed funds to build the boardwalk from the barn to Glass Creek. Volunteers and family members have since worked on repairs.

Norm Erway died March 31, 2013. Some of his ashes were scattered at his beloved Glass Creek. His wife Willie died December 2015.

Erway daughter Kimby writes a blog about her family and the Otis Farm, 'Any Port in a Storm.'.

Norm and Millie at the Otis Farm Sanctuary

PHYLLIS HAEHNLE SANCTUARY - overview

Michigan Audubon’s largest bird sanctuary is located in Jackson County borders the Waterloo Recreation Area (already in the 1930's planned as a recreation area by the federal government) At 1,008 acres, it is known to attract thousands of migrating Sandhill Cranes every fall. The diversity of animal and plant life includes over 270 plant species and 200 species of birds. Benches on a hill overlooking Mud Lake Marsh provide an ideal location for viewing large numbers of cranes in October and early November. Public access to the marsh is restricted.

Learn about the Haehnle family's beer background on later posts.

8746 Seymour Rd., Pleasant Valley, Jackson Co. Leoni Twp T1S R1E several sections

The property is managed by the Jackson Audubon Society. Not only do they take care of trails and the kiosk but do the annual crane count website. Jackson Audubon Society - Home 

Dr. Lawrence H. Walkinshaw, tribute

His name came up in my research on Baker and Haehnle Sanctuaries. It warranted further investigation as his was the only name to come up in two sanctuaries. 

Lawrence Harvey Walkinshaw was born on the family farm in Convis Twp 1904. After graduating from Olivet College he went on to University if Michigan getting his dentistry degree in 1929. He had his practice in Battle Creek until 1968.

The Walkinshaw family has a long history in the township starting with his great grandparents James Honorable and Jemina Walkinshaw. Both born in Scotland and in 1842 immigrated to Marshall, Michigan. They moved to a small farm in Convis Twp. The lineage goes James, Charles, Beaton who married Eva Marie Grinnell and from whence came Lawrence. The plat map shows many Walkinshaws living around the Sanctuary area. So Larry knew this landscape well from his youth. Additionally he actively birded in the area east of Jackson that became the Haehnle Sanctuary. 

The draw for him were cranes. He leaves a legacy of distinguished ornothology. His distinguished career is covered in this account of his work: IN MEMORIAM: LAWRENCE HARVEY WALKINSHAW, 1904-1993 (unm.edu). Not only did he provide valuable research on cranes, but also Kirkland warblers and field sparrows. He saw the cranes restored but the prairie chicken disappear.

Sadly, there is no sanctuary named for him. It can't be said that he left a greater legacy than those who legacy was to have purchased land.

While the rest of his ancestry is buried in Austin Cemetery, Convis Twp, the doctor and his wife Clara Mae Cartland are buried in Holt, MI. For 40 years he did Christmas Bird Counts in Battle Creek then another 20 years of counts in Lakeland, Florida.

A debit is owed to Larry for his ornithological legacy and the beautiful places he helped people become aware of their unique value.

Otis Sanctuary - History Written by Bessie Otis 1970's

The Otis's of Glass Creek

This appeared in Vol. IV Issue 6 Nov/Dec 2006 edition of The Dragonfly (publication of Michigan Audubon Otis Sanctuary)

Around 1855 three Otis brothers, Feril, Philander, and Parshal came to Glass Creek in South West Rutland Township. Of all their hundreds of descendants, only Robert (Bob) H. Otis, grandson of Parshal and son of Fred and Luella Otis, still lives in the area, on the family farm. Gone are Feril and Philander, their farms now part of the State Game Preserve, the fine, big houses, their large families scattered. The name lives on in Otis Lake and Otis Lake Road. The site of the old Otis Schoolhouse is lost in second growth forest. 

Parshal Otis did not settle down immediately but worked in the lumber camps north of Grand Rapids. In time he married Betsey Foreman by whom he had four sons: Fred (our father), Clarence, Delbert, and Ray. They lived on Otis Lake Road, the spot marked now only by a great, spreading lilac bush.

In 1880 they moved east of Glass Creek to a farm consisting of a great marsh along the creek, the rest glacial hills. Here, in 1886, our father married Luella Havens and took on the farm, the mortgage, and the care of his aging parents. And here their children were born, all twelve of them.

It was against the advice of his anxious uncles that our father determined to make a go of farming those hills. But he loved that marsh and those hills and they were his.

In the early years he taught country school in the winter term, and he could always add to the farm income doing things for neighbors, which they couldn't. He could hang paper, work with concrete, butcher - whatever was needed. He was a good salesman too, and he sold hand powered washing machines, home lighting equipment, milking machines, furnaces, silos, plaster, stock in several creameries.

Fred Otis was a good farmer, and because he respected the land it cooperated with him. With good farm practices he built up his soil until it produced crops of which he could be and was, proud.

Bob, like his father, loved the marsh and the hills and all the creatures that live there. He, too, was a good farmer but gave it up to be a carpenter and skilled worker with wood.

Baker Sanctuary - Nearby Conservation Minded Properties

Larry Holcomb is a retired wildlife biologist who grew up in Olivet. He hunted, fished and roamed the lands that became Baker Sanctuary. He studied at MSU where he received a PhD; later he became a Certified Wildlife Specialist with the Michigan DNR. In 2008 this 476 acre property called Big Marsh Lake was up for sale. It borders Baker Sanctuary on the east. Big Marsh Farm has forested and prairie uplands along with 140 acres of wetland. The Holcombs purchased it. In 2017 working with Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, they secured a conservation easement for this special property. The Holcombs have another property just the other side of I-69 on which they previously placed conservation easement.

A person of note in important to this area, albeit not a land owner, is Lawrence H. Walkinshaw, 1904-1993. From Battle Creek he was an avid ornithologist and leading authority on cranes - or Guirformes (ah, we learn the technical term for cranes). Back in the 1930's Sandhill Cranes were a rarity. He knew the area well; here is where he did significant research on cranes that is still relevant.

Walkinshaw provides a detailed account of flora and fauna in his 1950 article  THE SANDHILL CRANE IN THE BERNARD W. BAKER SANCTUARY, MICHIGAN (unm.edu), Society for Ornithological Research Archives.

Mabelle Isham was a wildlife rehabilitator and Michigan Audubon board member. She owned 80 acres, Shagbark Trails, next to the sanctuary. Her daughter inherited the property and sold it to Audubon in 2016.

BERNARD W. BAKER SANCTUARY - overview

This is North America's first bird sanctuary dedicated to the conservation of Sandhill Cranes, established in 1941. It spans some 980 acres in Calhoun County and is the second largest property owned and managed by Michigan Audubon. The centerpiece is the 200 acre Big Marsh Lake, a restored wetland flooding. In the preserve are other ponds, streams, marshes, tamarack swamp. wet meadow, prairie restoration area.

More than 200 species of birds have been recorded. Reported were a pair of breeding trumpeter swans and an active eagle nesting site.

The Meadow and Marshland Trail was created in 1996. Trails are kept mowed. Lots of wildlife in the area, not only birds.

21145 15 Mile Rd., Bellevue Convis Twp T1S, R6W Sec 10,11,14 &15

In 2016 an additional 80 acres were added, the Mabelle Isham Shagbark Trails. A collaborative effort through various conservation agencies arranged purchase of the property from her daughter who inherited the property.

And the most recent development is a conservation easement on farm land east of the lake. Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy arranged this working with the property owner, the Holcombs. Big Marsh Farm is a 476 acre addition to protected lands of Baker Sanctuary. 

More about the benefactors in a later post...

MILDRED HARRIS SANCTUARY - Overview

A small relatively unnoticed preserve of 40 acres. It has a mature Beech-Maple forest most likely unlogged - ever! The dense tree canopy fosters an understory covered mainly with small flowering plants such as trout lily, spring beauty, squirrel corn, trillium, wild leek. On the east side is an open field.

Audubon still refers to a trail system under consideration - unlikely to happen. Actually it's very nice to make my way across and around fallen trees and just wander thru the site. A bit difficult when the dog's leash hooks on small seedling trees. Another provision of the property transfer was that controlled burns were to be done regularly in the field to stave of tree encroachment; never done. Surprisingly there are only some juniper and some bushes taking hold. The strip of land between the field and forest is impossible to cross due to a line of brambles.

7015 W 'F' Ave, Kalamazoo Alamo Twp T1S R12W Sec 34

Harris Original Land Patent Holder - Doubleday

Land patents are explained in the Mott post about John McDermid. 

The first person to claim this parcel from the U.S. government  was Demas Abner Doubleday 1786-1862 of Otsego Co., New York in 1839. No surprise for yet another New York resident taking advantage of cheap land prices of $1.25 an acre to engage in land speculation. 

Conceivably Demas may have visited this land, but the family isn’t mentioned in historical records of Alamo Township. However it is his sons who enter the annals of Kalamazoo history, but not as farmers. Any baseball fans out there? One of his sons, Lt. Abner D. Doubleday is rumored to have been the inventor of baseball! It is a disputed rumor so will only get mention. His role in Kalamazoo is of more significance.

The sons of Demas formed Doubleday & Bros Co. in 1898 in Kalamazoo, an office supply company. Lt. Abner D. Doubleday 1829-1903 is buried in Riverside Cemetery with his wife Maria Ruby. 

In 1873 the plat map shows the property owned by John Harris. Ass to when ownership was actually transferred can be determined thru examination of the land records. That requires a visit to the Kalamazoo County Registrar of Deeds and lessening of the current raging pandemic.

RONALD W. WARNER SANCTUARY - Overview

Here are 108 acres of woods on Glass Creek, just a few miles north of Otis Farm Sanctuary. There are old growth beech, oak and tulip trees at the northern end of the property, just follow the trail until just after the first bridge across the creek. Trail is 1.7 miles start on Erway Rd to exit on Hart Rd. Easiest is to return to the parking lot via Hart & Erway Roads, also much shorter distance.

2500 Erway Rd., Hastings, Rutland Twp T3N R9W Sec 29

An unnamed pond is on the property and supposedly there was a floating bog, apparently gone now. But the trees are extraordinary! You find yourself in a location where you'll not hear any sounds of civilization. Is this that early settlers experienced? But they were much more used to quiet unlike people nowadays who can't function without a minimum of constant white noise in their life. 

Breeding birds inhabiting this area typically are Acadian Flycatchers, Ovenbirds, Scarlet Tanagers and Yellow-billed Cuckoos. Cuckoos!  Really! 

I'm convinced the deteriorating white house on Hart Rd was built by the Warner family.  More about the family background in a later post. This is yet another property that was in the same family for over 100 years. I couldn't bear to take a photo of the west side where the wall is rotted out.

Mott Sanctuary - Jacob Erkenbeck

The History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties 1880 has the biography of Jacob and his wife.  "As one of the early settlers of this portion of Van Buren County, he is entitled to honorable mention. He was a native of the State of New York, and was born March 18, 1801. Dec. 19, 1824, he was married to Helen Cole, who survives him. Mr. and Mrs. Erkenbeck were the parents of eight children, as follows: Cornelius, born Oct. 18, 1825; Maria, born June 25, 1827, died Aug. 22, 1866; Eleanor, born Nov. 17, 1829; Catharine, born Nov. 25, 1831; Wilham, born Feb. 10, 1834; Nicholas, born Feb. 25, 1836, died May 23, 1866; Martin, born Sept. 14, 1838; John, born June 1, 1845. In the fall of 1846, Mr. Erkenbeck removed to Michigan with his family, and settled on the farm now occupied by his widow. He purchased eighty acres of land, and paid for it by trading off his team and wagon. It was very much of a struggle for him to take care of his family, but he finally triumphed over hardships and difficulties, and at his death, which occurred Nov. 8, 1877, hc left them in good circumstances. His occupation was that of a farmer, and in it he was ultimately successful. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church."

And here they are: 

People in these type drawings all look the same; maybe they did in real life, too.

 

Both parents along with Eleanor and Nicholas are buried in the Almena Cemetery. Note that names are misspelled on the tombstone! But is it misspelled? Jacob's will has his name as Erkenbreck. Helen's name has double l. Wonder if this might be due to having to order tombstones by mail as there wasn't a local monument maker.

 

Almena Township Cemetery

Mott - Why Is It named for Martha?

Title for the property transferred to Michigan Audubon October 1971, among the first properties donated to become bird sanctuaries. The donor was 100 year old Charles Mott who purchased the 80 acres in 1955 as it reminded him of Calhoun Co, where he grew up. His family never lived here nor farmed the land so it was essentially untouched since 1955. They did have a vineyard along 44th St, just about where the parking lot now sits. And they planted some vegetables that were left to ripen and feed the wildlife. The property donation was in memory of his wife Martha, who liked nature.

Charles co-owned the property with his daughter, Mrs. Leone M. BeshGetoor.  Charles and Leone's husband founded Be-Mo Potato Chip Co. at 806 Cobb in Kalamazoo. Later the company general manager was William Brenneman, husband of Jenna BeshGetoor. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1984 after 54 years of business.

Martha M., nee Rocho, died Feb 13, 1956. Charles died 1972 at age 101. They both were born near Ceresco where they met at a dance. Later married on Christmas Day. First they farmed, then ran a general store, then Charles was a deputy sheriff in Calhoun Co. They moved to Kalamazoo and in 1931 opened BeMo with his son-in-law, David BeshGetoor.

Among plans discussed for this preserve were a small lodge and caretakers quarters. Nothing came of that. Thanks to a local troop of Boy scouts there is at least a trail.

OTIS FARM BIRD SANCTUARY - Overview

First time I heard the name of this sanctuary I was totally confused. I knew Audubon had sanctuaries, but why would they have one for 'farm birds'? Is it a refuge for old hens, no longer egg layers? Ah, a case of where a comma is useful. It is the Otis Farm, bird sanctuary!

Here are 128 acres of rolling fields, forest, marshland, stream, kettle hole marshes and several springs. And even a rustic cabin for rent. The old barn and house still stand and the sanctuary manager gets to live in the house.

The property sits between Yankee Springs Recreation Area and the Barry State Game Area. Nearest neighbor is a farm half mile down the road and that's it for a couple of miles. Most of the old surrounding farms were bought up by the state back in the 1940's.

Grand opening was Oct 25, 2002. The sanctuary came to be largely due to the friendship that developed between Bob & Mildred Otis with Loretta Gold, then president of the Michigan Audubon Society.

Notable birds species are Cerulean Warbler, and Henslow's Sparrow. I've seen Sandhill Cranes passing overhead. I hear birds, but trying to see enough of one to actually make an identification it is a challenge. It's nice just to hear them and watch the grass wave in the wind.

It is disappointing that the Michigan Audubon website doesn't even post a photo and there is no information about the generous donors, not for any of the sanctuaries, hence this blog.

3560 Havens Road, Hastings Rutland Twp T3N R9W Sec 32 & 33

Walking the 1.2 mile trail I was reminded a bit of the Scottish Highlands. Rolling hill, groups of brightly colored flowers among the grasses.