In the fall of 1889 the Record carried the story of Ben Ensley with his force of men and boys harvesting fourteen acres of potatoes in two days. The next day the same ground was prepared for and sown to wheat.

Then on October 24, 1889, a large ad “Farm for Rent” B. Ensley, Ensley P.O., Michigan’, appeared in the Record. Ben had sunk his cash into the California mine which still was producing only rock. He could no longer afford to hire that bevy of men to operate his farm, and his sons or son-in-laws were not interested in farming.

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The ad ran for two weeks and then it was withdrawn with a story that Ben and his son William had come to terms and William would manage the farm.

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On Thursday, December 12 the Howard City Record contained a story about the death of Ben Ensley on page 5 of the paper. He had suffered a stroke while in the Howard City Bank and died within one hour.

 

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Howard City Bank

 

Except for some interest to his son William, Ben bequeathed his entire estate to his widow, Lucinda. During his lifetime he had given each son or daughter 40 acres as a wedding present. The probate inventory of his personal property showed the total to be only $1,563.55. The California mine never produced gold. The Ensley House burned June 6, 1896. The widow remarried and problems arose between the stepchildren and the stepmother and the stepfather. She obtained a divorce and moved her family (except Fred) to California. None of Ben’s children inherited their father’s business acumen or farm managerial ability, William owned the property until sometime between 1900 and 1922. In 1922 the township map shows Mrs. A. Hackbardt as owning the property. Today at Ben Ensley’s Corners (Newcosta and 104th Street) only two barns remain, one in Ensley Township and one in Pierson Township.  The smoke house and what must have been the Cadillac of outhouses with its ornate ceiling and Bird's Eye Maple seats are at Pilgrims’ Run golf course in Ensley Township. The windmill was carefully taken down in 1966 and is now standing on a private residence near Fremont.

If it is true that when a man becomes a myth he is indeed a great man, Ben Ensley may be the only citizen of the township to ever fit that description. Descendants of the Township’s pioneers repeat stories about Ben told by their grandparents. His grave in the North Ensley Cemetery is marked by an imposing marble shaft in a lot enclosed by a heavy ornate chain fence.

 

Ben Ensley's grave and to the left is his first wife Mary's grave

(All photos on this page were taken by Verduin Webs)

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