My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM VAN NESS. One of the pioneer families of Cass County is that of which our subject is an honored member. His entire life has been passed in Howard Township, and he was born October 20, 1855, upon the farm on section 35, where he now makes his home. Having chosen for his business in life the occupation of agriculture, he has bent his energies toward securing the very best possible results from the land which he cultivates. It is a matter of general comment that his farm is one of the finest in the vicinity, and its splendid cultivation is largely due to his keen judgment and unwearied industry. The father of our subject, William Van Ness, Sr., was born and reared in Penn Yan, N. Y., being the son of John Van Ness, a New Yorker, who traced his ancestry to Holland. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Arietta Lee, and was born and reared in the Empire State, being the daughter of Roderick Lee. The parents of our subject were married in New York, and came to Michigan in 1844, locating in Howard Township, Cass County, on the farm where William, Jr., now lives. There were no improvements upon the place at that time, and Mr. Van Ness lost no time in erecting a log house for the accommodation of his wife and children. He had commenced the work of improving and cultivating the land, and had reaped a measure of success when his useful life was suddenly terminated at the age of thirty-seven years. His widow survived him for many years, and at the time of her demise had attained to the advanced age of sixty-three. In a family consisting of three sons and three daughters, our subject is the fourth in order of birth. He was reared on the home farm, and in his boyhood attended the district school, where he gained a knowledge of the three R’s. His education, however, may be mainly attributed to self-culture, and has been gained principally through experience and observation. He remained a bachelor until about thirty-two years of age, when he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Gerberich, the ceremony being performed April 14, 1887. Mrs. Van Ness was born in Cass County, and is the daughter of David and Catherine (Miller) Gerberich, both natives of Lebanon County, Pa. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Van Ness is Mary, a bright and intelligent child three years of age.

Upon the old family homestead, which consists of one hundred and sixty acres, Mr. Van Ness conducts a general farming and stock-raising business. A Republican in his party proclivities, he has occupied one of the school offices since he was twenty-one. He was nominated on the party ticket in 1893 for the position of Supervisor of Howard Township, but was defeated by a small majority. In his social connections, he is identified with Edwardsburgh Tent No. 729, K. O. T. M., of which he is a charter member, and now occupies the position of Chaplain.