Township Tribute to Ben Ensley

From the Minutes of the Ensley Township Board

January 25, 1890

At the regular meeting of the Township Board of the Township of Ensley it was therefore resolved.

That God has seen fit to remove from our midst on December 12^th, 1889, Benjamin Ensley the first pioneer settler of this township. And we as the Township Board of said township deem it just and honorable that the record of Benjamin Ensley and family be recorded in the records of said township.

Date this 25^th of January A.D. 1890.

Michael Kinney, Supervisor

S. Wilber Frey

Dennis Deland, Clerk

 

Township Board

Benjamin Ensley was born in the town of Heronry, Warren Co., New Jersey April 16^th, 1830. There his boyhood days passed. In the summer of 1850 found him in company with a score or more of companions traveling overland across the great American desert bound for the golden fields of California. He returned to the states (Michigan) in 1854 possessed of a comfortable little fortune of which he purchased from the government six hundred acres of land on both sides of the county line between Newaygo and Montcalm counties, where from time to time have erected splendid buildings which have made his place one or the finest and best improved farms in Northern Michigan.  Mr. Ensley was married February 28^th, 1855 to Mary E. Benham in the Township of Courtland, Kent CO. Michigan. There were born to him and wife eight children two died in infancy six now living as follows: William, Benjamin Jr. Mariah, Liza, Nittie (Antoinette), and Lorain.

Their married life was begun in a modest way upon his farm above mention and on account of its location and the hospitality dispensed was one of the most extensively patronized a land the thoroughfare from Grand Rapids to Big Rapids and the northern country.

 Mr. Ensley was ever a public, spirited, and liberal man whose hand and purse were always open to every worthy object  he was one of the founders and plotters of Howard City owning  a good portion of the land on which it was located. He took a lively and active part in securing the extension of the G.R. & I. and the D.L. & H R.R. to that place. Erecting the present union Depot at his own expense and his influence and aid the village owes much of its early prosperity.

His wife died August 31^st, 1873 (The original document is wrong and list her death on December 31st, 1873) and on December 27^th, 1875 Mr. Ensley was again married to Miss Lucinda Wiltham and to them were given five children four of whom are now living, Fred, Charles, Harry, and Grace. Of Mr. Ensley’s brothers, William of St. Joseph Mich., John of Oxford Mich., and Jacob of this town all came to Michigan in an early date and passed through the hardships of pioneer life.

Mr. Ensley was a master mason a number of many years of the Howard City Lodge H & A.M. and his brethren took charge of his remains. The funeral took place from his late residence on Sunday December 15^th, 1889 and was one of the largest ever held in the county.

The burial conducted with Masonic honors and amid a large concourse of sorrowing friends all that was mortal of Benjamin Ensley was consigned to earth in the North Ensley Cemetery.

 

Dennis Deland

Township Clerk

 

·         Altho (Although) Benjamin Ensley was the first that settled in the Township, but Joseph Callar (The original document is wrong and spells his name Keller) cleared and ploughed the first ground on 40 acres in Section 2 N. E. ¼ of S.E. ¼ of this Township in the spring of 1855.

D. Deland

 

(All the above was taken from the original document, written in long hand by the Township Clerk)

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