Person:Charles Ashbrook (1)

Charles W. Ashbrook - An enterprising and thriving agriculturist of Van Buren county, Charles W. Ashbrook, owning and occupying a valuable farming estate in Bloomingdale township, has brought to his independent vocation excellent business methods and sound judgment, and in his undertakings has met well deserved success. A son of Joseph R. Ashbrook, he was born April 6, 1855 in Goshen, Elkhart county, Indiana. His paternal grandfather, Elias Ashbrook, was an early settler of Ohio, and for many years owned and operated a tannery near Zanesville. Migrating from there to Indiana, he conducted a tannery in the vicinity of Goshen for some time. Selling his tannery, he moved to Milford, Kosciusko county, Indiana, where he engaged in the grocery business continously until his death, at the venerable age of eighty-seven years. He married Jane Smith, who was born in Scotland and died in Milford, Indiana, at the advanced age of ninety-four years. Her parents were weavers by trade, operating hand looms in their native land. On coming from Scotland they brough a quantity of web with them, intneding to weave after they were settled in their new home, but could find in this country no loom fine enough to answer their purpose, and the web is now preserved as an heirloom by their descendents.

 Joseph R. Ashbrook was born near Zanesville, Ohio, and when a young man learned the trade of cabinet maker, which he subsequently followed for a while in Goshen, Indiana. He afterwards operated a sawmill at Milford, Indiana, manufacturing lumber. Coming to Michigan in 1870, he in partnership with Jonathon Sell, bought a hotel at South Haven, and conducted it for about four years. Selling his share at the end of that time, he bought land in South Haven township, where he was profitably employed in general farming for a number of years. Now, a venerable man of eighty-seven years, he is living retired from active business at Grass Lake, Michigan.
 Joseph R. Ashbrook was twice married. He married first Jerusha Flagert, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of Jacob Flagert, a blacksmith, who spent his last days at Milford, Indiana, Passing away at the age of four score years. She died in middle life leaving five children, Charles W., Jonathon, Amanda, Joseph E., and Amos E. The father subsequently married for a second life Avis King, now deceased.
 Charles W. Ashbrook acquired his early education in Indiana, attending the public schools of Milford and Goshen. After coming to Michigan he was variously employed for a while, eventually, beginning his independent career as a farmer on rented land. For fifteen years he leased land in Columbia township, and in 1893 bought his present farm in section 28, Bloomingdale township. Industrious, energetic and a wife manager, Mr. Ahsbrook has made improvements on his place of great value, and is here profitably engaged in general farming and dairying, each year reaping a good incomefrom his harvests.
 Mr. Ashbrook married in 1878, Alvina Baxter, who was born in Bloomingdale township, a daughter of James Baxter. Mr. Baxter was born in 1798, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, where his father William Baxter, a native of Northern Ireland, settled just prior to his birth. He was brought up in his native state, and thus learned the trade of distiller. After the death of his first wife he moved to Ohio, where he was for many years employed in the butchering business. Coming to Van Buren county, Michigan with his family in 1850, Mr. Baxter was a pioneer of Bloomingdale township. Purchasing from the government a tract of timberland in section thirty, at one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre, he erected a log house and began improvement of a farm. The county throughtout this section was then in its original wildness, and he had but three neighbors within reasonable distance of his clearing. Paw Paw was the nearest market and depot for supplies, and as there were no raods in this vicinity a trip there was somewhat of an undertaking. He cleared a large part of his land, and was just preparing to erect a frame house when, in 1872, his death occurred. Mr. Baxter was married twice, by his first wife having five children, Daniel, William, Catherine, Sarah and John. The maiden name of the second wife of Mr. Baxter was Mary Hull. She was born in Ohio, a daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Pyles) Hull, natives of Ohio. She died in 1898, leaving five children, namely: Mary Ann; Alvina, now Mrs. Ashbrook; Emily; Joseph: and James. Mr. and Mrs. Ahsbrook have six children names Mina, Sidney, James, Mabel, Irwin and Fern. Mina married George Confer and have two children, Ross and Hope. Sidney married George Arnold. Mabel married COnrad Beach and they have two daughters, Mona and Lucille. Mrs. Ashbrook is a charter member of the Bloomingdale Lodge, No. 148, Order of the Eastern Star and her son James is both a Mason and an Odd Fellow.