Biographies
Michigan Biographies Project
Erastus Bateman came with his family to Michigan in the spring of 1846 and settled in Calhoun county. He was a cooper by trade. The father located upon a farm of eighty acres and improved the same. D. N. is proud of the fact that his father served under Gen. Scott in the War of 1812 and participated in the Battles of Lundy's Lanes.
In the early years of his manhood the elder Bateman was what was known as a free soiler, but later cast his vote with the Democrat party, voting first with that party for Franklin Pierce for President of the U. S. The father and mother were both identified with the Baptist church for many years and reared their family under Christian influences. The father died in 1876 and the mother in 1887, and their remains rest side by side in Greenwood cemetery in Aurelius township, Ingham county.
Our subject acquired his early education in the district schools and later attended a select school, taught by Prof. Taylor at Lansing. Early in the history of the war, Mr. Bateman made four attempts to enlist in the defense of his country and was refused three times on account of being light in weight, but his fourth effort was successful, and he enlisted in the 8th Michigan Calvalry.
He was musterd out in 1865 at Jackson, Mich., when returning to his home he worked for his father on the farm until he was twenty-one years of age, after which he worked as a farm hand during the summer and taught school in Delhi township in the winter. This he followed until he had taught fourteen terms.
In 1865 he was united in marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Mary Parish of Aurelius township. Mr. and Mrs. Parish were old residents in the locality and were highly respected people. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bateman: Hugh H., born in 1867 and died in 1898; Milton R., born 1869 and died in 1891; Guy C., born 1870, married Nellie Leonard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey Leonard of Delhi township. Guy follows the occupation of farming. The youngest, Mary is still at home with her parents.
Mr. Bateman began his farming operations upon forty acres of land, but added from time to time until he owned one hundred and twenty acres. He later gave his son, Guy, forty acres and sold the balance. Mr. Bateman has travelled quite extensively in the west and sold nursery stock. At one time he was quite extensively engaged in evaporating fruit, employed twenty-five people and in a single season has sold as high as one hundred tons to dried fruit. He claims to own the largest apple orchard in Ingham county, embracing eighteen acres of trees. They are of high grade, about fifty to the acre.
Our subject, though independent in politics at present, has held the office of Town Clerk, of School Inspector and refused to allow his name to run for other offices. He is a member of the G. A. R. Mr. Bateman had the misfortune to loose his house by fire in the year 1880. He however built a new and modern home. He is always interested in public affairs, looking to the well-being of society and the development of the country, generally. He was largely instrumental in putting through the extensive tile drain which cost in the aggregate about nine thousand dollars. It was, however, an improvement greatly needed and will result most beneficially to land owners in that section. Mr. Bateman is a pensioner, receiving from the government twelve dollars per month.
Our subject and wife are members of the Baptist church at Aurelius and always give the full weight of their influence on the side of morality and religion. Mr. Bateman is a man of conviction, has a ready command of good English and never leaves his hearers in doubt upon which side he is arrayed in morality. He is a first class citizen.
|
Biographies Michigan Biographies Project |
 Sondra Higbee
|