When the railroad came to Howard City Ben turned to farming. He continued to purchase tracts of land which he had drained and cleared, transforming it from cutover timber land into farmland. Eventually he owned over 800 acres.

Ben Ensley was the first person to have a stump puller in the area.

(Photo courtesy of the Ensley Historical Society)

 

The township’s tribute notes that the village of Howard City “owes much of its early prosperity” to Ben’s influence and aid. He appears to have lost interest in the township and to have spent his energies in encouraging the growth of Howard City. He never again held an elective township office. He joined Howard City community organizations rather than township organizations. Ensley Street still is the main street in Howard City and Ensley Park, located on land donated by Ben. Ben had encouraged the establishing of a newspaper in Howard City and the Record’s first issue, August 15, 1872, carried the following item:

GOOD YIELD - Mr. B. Ensley, Newaygo Co. had 19 acres of wheat, situated in Montcalm County, this year which yielded over 40 bushel per acre; the same yielding, last year, 43 bushel per acre, while an adjoining piece reached 45 bushels per acre. Mr. E. informs us that this was on pine land and among stumps. We think this settles the question as to the fertility of the soil in the Pine lands. Mr. Ensley is an enterprising farmer cultivating a farm of nearly 300 acres, and using all the implements in husbandry of modern improvements.

 

Ben Ensley's Barns in 1874

The barn to the left of the Wind tower is still standing today (see below)

Picture taken from the big barn facing West

(Photo above and below courtesy of the Ensley Historical Society)

 (Photos Retouched by Verduin Webs)

 

Ben Ensley's Barns in 1874

The Horse Barn and Livery Stable was an "L" shaped barn

The Horse Barn housed 142 Horses

These buildings were torn down in 1968

Ben Ensley was mentioned frequently in the Record and in the Newaygo Tribune and Newaygo Republican. The Record reported the arrival to his farm of the first stump machine that anyone in the area had ever seen. The editor of the Republican visited his farm and wrote that he “is full of business having 20 men stacking wheat, but he takes the time to show us about his farm, which is probably the largest in the county.” His home, referred to as the “Palace”, was described by the Record as “fabulous” and noted that even the outbuildings were draped with scrollwork and gingerbread.

 

"The Palace" in the Fall of 1888

Photo taken west of Newcosta Ave. on 104th Ave. facing East

The fence went all around Ben's farm and equaled 2 and 1/2 miles

The long barn on right is the horse barn that housed 142 horses

(Photo courtesy of the Ensley Historical Society)

(Photo Retouched by Verduin Webs)

 

On August 31,1873 tragedy struck the Ensley home when Mrs. Mary Ensley died in childbirth. The baby, John A., died twelve days later. Previously, an infant, Frank, had died but six children, ages three to sixteen, survived their mother. Mrs. Ensley was buried from her residence and the Record reported that over a hundred teams were in the funeral procession. Ben remarried two years later and he and his second wife, the former Lucinda Witham, had five children. Of these, four survived their father. A son, John, died in infancy.

 

"The Palace" Old and New

(Photo Retouched by Verduin Webs)

 

One of Ben’s brothers settled in the township. (Northeast corner of Butternut and 120th) Jacob J. Ensley was born in New Jersey in September 1815. The 1850 and 1860 Federal Census enumerators found him in Oakland Township, Oakland County, Michigan. There, in Oxford, on April 23, 1865, he married Hannah Graff. The next year they came to Ensley Township buying a farm in sections 13, 14 and 24. If the two brothers ever engaged in any joint ventures, no official record of it has come to light. At the time of Jacob Ensley’s death January 22, 1902, B. Lowrey, editor of the Howard City Record, who personally knew both brothers, noted that Jacob’s obituary in the Newaygo Republican stated that Jacob had been the oldest person in Ensley Township having come here in 1866, and that the township had been named for him. Lowrey stated that he checked the records and found that the first meeting to organize the township took place in Ben Ensley’s home in October 1858. He stated “Ben came here twelve years before Jake did. The township was named for Ben not Jake.” (Vol. XXX, No. 3k, Feb. 13, 1902.)

His crops continued to get rave reviews in the Newaygo and Howard City papers and his spread was indeed one of Western Michigan’s showcase farms during the late 1870’s and early 1880’s. On May 3, 1880, the Record carried the story that “B. Ensley’s celebrated horse Medler died.” The next fall he brought some of his potatoes to the Record office to be put on exhibition. They were of the “Snowflake” variety, “only twenty required to make a bushel” with some weighing five pounds, four ounces. Incidentally, seed was available at the Ensley farm.

Snowflake Potatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wind tower in 1924. 1908 was the last time the tower was repaired before it was taken down in 1966. People used to watch for the stage from inside the tower. The tree on the left still stands. This picture was shot with the camera facing northwest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Photo courtesy of Ensley Historical Society)

(Colorization by Verduin Webs)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last remaining barn of Ben Ensley

(The Big Barn burned down on April 22, 2008)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Photo taken by Verduin Webs)

 

 

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