Ingham County Biographical Sketches



J. E. Banghart


Among the influential farmers of Lansing township, we are pleased to mention the name of J. E. Banghart, who was born December 14, 1855. He is the youngest of five children born to Jabez G. and Mary (Campbell) Banghart, the father having been forn March 4, 1818, and the mother, January 9, 1825. The parents of our subject were married February 20, 1842, at Ann Arbor, where they located. They had invested their first savings in sixty acres of land which they afterward sold, and moved to Iowa for two years. They came back to Lansing city and there the father died at the home of our subject in 1884, on the sixth day of January, the mother having passed away March 15, 1858.

The mother and father of our subject came to this country when the land was all new and endured the hardships common to the pioneer of those days. In politics, the father was a Democrat.

J. E. Banghart acquired his early education in the common schools and later at Lansing. At the age of twelve years he started out for himself and worked on a farm by the month for eight years, when he went to Lansing and was engaged in the meat market business for seven years. During this time Mr. Banghart bought a farm in Lansing township, consisting about forty acres, about five acres of which was cleared and upon which was a small house and barn. As prosperity attended our subject he added to his possessions and at present is the owner of one hundred seventeen acres of highly cultivated land on section four.

November 14, 1877, Mr. Banghart was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Van Etta, whose parents were old settlers of Locke township and afterwards lived in Meridian township.

Three children have blessed the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Banghart: Arthur J., born August 25, 1878, maried Maud Housel and resides at Mason; George E., born October 16, 1880, lives at home; Fred A., born September 11, 1883, lives in the old homestead near the father.

Mr. Banghart is an active Republican and has held the position of Highway Commissioner for three years. He is socially connected with the Royal Arcanum.

In agricultural circles, Mr. Banghart is regarded as a prominent man, as the find condition of his farm gives a prestige which he richly deserves. His fine modern home, erected in 1904, and the excellent improvements about the place show to every observer the hand of a thorough going and systematic farmer.




Taken from:
"Past and Present of the City of Lansing and Ingham County, Michigan", by Albert E. Cowles.
Published by The Michigan Historical Publishing Association Lansing, MICH., 1905.
Pages 303 - 304




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