My Genealogy Hound

HENRY HESS, a prosperous general agriculturist, has since 1867 resided upon his valuable homestead located on section 15, Berrien Township, Berrien County, Mich., and has for more than a quarter of a century been intimately associated with the growth and history of his present locality. His father, Andrew Hess, a native of Northumberland County, Pa., was born in 1806, and made farming the occupation of his life. He removed from his birthplace to Ohio when quite young, and having attained to mature years married Miss Mary Henry, a native of the Buckeye State. The parents of our subject settled in Crawford County upon wild timberland, which the father cleared, cultivated and improved, making his permanent home there until his death, in December, 1875. Andrew Hess was an earnest, hard-working man, a kind father and husband, and was universally respected. He was a well-educated man, and gave his children every possible opportunity for study and schooling. He was a prominent member of the Lutheran Church, to which his estimable wife belonged from her early youth. The widow, yet surviving and seventy-nine years of age, resides with her children.

Of the twelve sons and daughters who blessed the home of the parents, seven are now living. Our subject, Henry Hess, was the third child and was born May 2, 1838, in Crawford County, Ohio. Mr. Hess was reared upon his father’s farm and early trained into the daily routine of farming duties. He received a good common-school education, and at twenty-one years of age began life for himself. He worked in a mill one year, and August 15, 1861, answering to the call of the Government, enlisted in Company C, Forty-ninth Ohio Infantry, and entering upon service as a corporal was later promoted to be Sergeant. From Camp Dennison, Ohio, our subject was sent to Kentucky, and participated in the battles of Shiloh (under Gen. Buell), Serits Hill, Perryville, Stone River, Liberty Gap, Tunnel Hill, Buzzard Roost, Kingston (Ga.), Pumpkin vine Creek, Burnt Hickory and Dallas (Ga.), in which latter fight Mr. Hess was wounded May 27, 1864, by a musket-ball, which penetrated his right lung. For two days he lay in the field hospital and was then forwarded to Nashville, where he remained ten days. The succeeding two weeks he passed in Jeffersonville, Ind., and from there was sent to Madison, Ind., where he was likewise detained for two weeks. He finally returned to Camp Dennison, and was located permanently in Ohio until April 3, 1865, having charge of a steam laundry.

Our subject was — as one of the Veteran Reserve Corps — detailed to guard the prisoners at Rock Island, Ill. The war ended, Mr. Hess after four years and three months of service was honorably discharged at Springfield, Ill. Although on duty continuously for so long a time, he was never wounded but once, and was only confined to a sick bed one week. He took part in fifty engagements, and, constantly exposed to capture, escaped the prison pen. Immediately after he left the army Mr. Hess made a visit to Michigan, and then returned to his old Ohio home. Upon February 1, 1866, he was united in marriage with Miss Julia S., a daughter of William and Margaret (French) Ramsey, highly respected residents of Crawford County, in which part of Ohio Mrs. Hess was born, September 30, 1846. The excellent wife of our subject enjoyed good educational advantages and was well fitted to assume the cares of a household. In 1866 the newly-wedded husband and wife settled on the farm since their permanent home. The eighty acres were then entirely in their primitive condition, but now seventy acres are under fine cultivation. In 1887, Mr. Hess erected an attractive and commodious residence at an expenditure of $1,300; the barn built at the same time is a substantial and well-finished structure, costing $700.

Of the five children born unto Mr. and Mrs. Hess, four survived to maturity. Nora C., is the wife of Arthur J. Miars; she lives in Berrien Township and is the mother of one child. Magnolia is the wife of Dwight Fisher, of Van Buren County. Elroy J. and Lodema are at home. The family are members of the Lutheran Church and Mr. Hess is especially active in religious work. He is Assistant and has been Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He has been a member of the School Board almost the entire time of his residence in the county, and, an ardent advocate of extended education, aided his children to obtain a thorough course of instruction. Fraternally, our subject is a member of the Grange and has been an officer of the society; he is also a member of George G. Meade Post No. 36, G. A. R., and has held most of the offices and been Commander of the Post. Politically, Mr. Hess is a stanch Republican, and when elected Township Treasurer ably discharged the trusts reposed in him and gave universal satisfaction to the community in which he has a host of sincere friends.