My Genealogy Hound

M. B. HOUSER, whose residence is located in Lake Township, is a leading farmer of this section, and his fine farm attests by its thrift and productiveness the excellent qualities of thoroughness and system which mark the owner. He inherits all his industry and enterprise from his German ancestors, no doubt, and is progressive and thorough-going in a marked degree. The Houser family came to America prior to the Revolutionary War, and the descendants became worthy and upright citizens of this country.

M. B. Houser was born in the Buckeye State August 21, 1831, and was the third in order of seven children born to Henry and Mary (Brown) Houser, the former a native of Maryland, and the latter of North Carolina. Henry Houser came to Michigan in 1836 or ‘37, and settled in the woods of Cass County. At that time Indians were numerous, and there were very few white settlers. He purchased a farm of two hundred acres with a few improvements and engaged strictly as a farmer. He held very few offices, but was Supervisor of the township, Township Clerk, School Director and Justice of the Peace. He took quite an active part in politics, and was a prominent Whig in his day. His wife died in Cass County, and he followed her to the grave in 1880, when seventy-five years of age. Of the seven children born to this worthy couple all are living except two. Daniel, the eldest, died in childhood; S. M. resides in Howard Township, Cass County; M. B. is our subject; Ely is deceased; William resides in Cass County; Mary E., wife of Joshua Lants, resides near Dodge City, Kan.; and Martha J. makes her home in Cass County.

The original of this notice was educated in the common schools of Cass County and in the State Normal at Ypsilanti, Mich., receiving his diploma from that institution. He was granted a life certificate to teach anywhere in the State, and after this passed his time teaching during the winter and tilling the soil during the summer seasons. In 1855 he went to Kansas, but returned the same year, and subsequently engaged in teaching at Quincy, Ill. In 1856 he returned to Kansas and was there during the John Brown trouble. Returning to the East in 1858, he stopped in Illinois for some time and then came home. In 1861, when the war cloud hung darkly over the nation, he assisted in raising Company A, of the Twelfth Michigan Infantry, and served with considerable distinction for one year. He was mustered in as a private, but was soon promoted to be First Sergeant. He refused the office of First Lieutenant when first entering the service. Mr. Houser participated in the first battle of Shiloh only, as on account of disability he was discharged at Detroit, Mich., in 1862.

In 1860, previous to entering the army, Mr. Houser purchased one hundred and sixty acres of his present farm, and to this has since added eighty acres more, thus making two hundred and forty acres of excellent land. His first farm was heavily timbered, but he went to work and with much hard labor succeeded in clearing it. On this farm in 1890 sprang up the pretty little village of Baroda. Mr. Houser being anxious to establish a depot, gave the railroad considerable property for that purpose, and then laid out his land in lots, which he sold very cheap. On his farm he now has one of the largest shipping points on the railroad in this section for fruits of all kinds. He has under cultivation one hundred and twenty-five acres, and has one of the handsomest rural homes in the township, if not in the county. Everything about the place indicates him to be a man of progress and enterprise, and reflects the greatest credit upon his management.

In political matters our subject has ever taken an active part, and is quite an active Republican. He has frequently been a delegate to the county conventions, and is a public-spirited and valuable citizen. Previous to the war he was noted throughout the county in which he resided as being greatly opposed to slavery. In his younger days Mr. Houser was celebrated for his penmanship, and frequently taught writing-schools. At one time he taught a writing-school in Bloomfield, Iowa, and for his pupils had the County Clerk, County Judge and County Attorney. Gen. Weaver was also one of his pupils, and Mr. Houser found him an apt scholar. The clerk, Judge and attorney became noted men during and after the war, either in Iowa or Missouri.

In 1880 Mr. Houser was married in Michigan to Miss Sarah A. Guntle, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Elias and Sarah (Hoops) Guntle, the father also a native of the Buckeye State. Mr. and Mrs. Guntle were the parents of seven children: Emily, wife of D. Whittle, of Kansas; William A., of Indiana; Louisa, deceased; Sarah A., wife of our subject; John A., of Kansas; Ellen E., wife of Thomas J. Chivington, of Indiana; and Evan A., deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Houser have been born five children: Addie Z. and Alta F. (twins), born December 28, 1880; Mabel B., born April 15, 1883; and Zadaa G. and Edith P. (twins), born July 28, 1885. Mr. Houser has been a Mason for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Houser are in religious belief stanch Universalists, although not members of any church.