Family:Josiah Knowles and Eliza Wiley (1)

BARRY COUNTY MICHIGAN 1985: Page 206, JOSIAH D. KNOWLES FAMILY Biography 1985 in Barry County, Michigan, USA

Josiah D. Knowles was born 7-22-1876 to Albert L. and Mary E. Knowles in Section 9 Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan. He attended the Brown School and completed eight grades there before attending high school at Hastings graduating in 1894. He assisted the family farm operation of 330 acres until he married Eliza M. Wiley who born 8-7-1879 at Elsie, Clinton County, Michigan - daughter of William and Martha Wiley. To this union, two sons were born: Orno L. born 6-14-1897 and Woodrow L. born 12-17-1913. In 1902 they purchased the John Lewis farm in Section 22 Carlton Township after recovering from an appendectomy that was performed at Ann Arbor by Dr. Peterson who later founded University Hospital. Josiah built a house on the farm in 1903 and moved in 5-4-1904. They were a very progressive farmers raising registered Holstein cattle, Poland China hogs and Shropshire sheep. In 1908 they built a new 40' X 80' barn with a basement and a 10' X 30' silo - the first in Carlton Township. They also installed a bathroom with hot and cold running water - the first in Carlton Township. In 1913 they sold the farm to John Johnson and Clarence Covert and purchased the old family home as his father had passed away and his mother could not manage the farm. They installed carbide gas lights in the house and barn - the first in the area. Their second son Woodrow L. Knowles was born here. They purchased their first automobile in 1915. They were involved in the first telephone service to the Carlton area and connection to the Citizen's Telephone in Hastings and Josiah became its treasurer. He was a true sportsman having killed 109 deer and loving to fish. There was a picnic grove toward the back of his farm which was once an Indian campground but during the early 1900's it was used as the site of the township eighth grade graduations and year-end school picnic. All the rural schools in Carlton Township participated. A 20' square stage was built and planks were laiod across logs for seats. There was a bountiful potluck dinner and local musicians played each year. After suffering several heart attacks, he decided to quit farming, sold the farm, and purchased twenty acres in Howey, Florida in 1919 and set it to orange and grapefruit. Josiah's mother had a stroke and needed care so his family returned to Carlton and cared for her until her death in 1920. Afterwards he purchased a home at 320 North Broadway in Hastings and worked for Goodyear. Later he traded the house for a pool room in Freeport which he operated for a couple of years before selling it and buying another home in Freeport where he died July 7, 1936. Eliza died in 1968. Both are buried in Fuller Cemetery, Carlton Township.