History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1739

a number of years ago moved from Putnam county, Illinois, to Springport, Michigan, locating on a farm in Eaton county. He is still living
and has retired from active pursuits.
Elmer N. Peters acquired his early education in the common and
high schools of Springport, gained a good knowledge of the lower
branches, and after leaving school was a teacher during the winter
months, while the summers were spent in farming. Later on he took up
the study of law, finally entered the University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor, where he graduated in 1899, and was admitted to the bar. Mr.
Peters began his practice at Eaton Rapids, where he soon built up a
good business and remained until I905. While in Eaton Rapids he served
in the office of city attorney, and his election to the office of prosecuting
attorney of Eaton county caused his removal in I905 to Charlotte. Mr.
Peters gave an excellent administration as prosecuting attorney for four
years, and since leaving the office has devoted himself to his large and
growing private practice. He has a well-equipped office and a well-selected law library, and has appeared as attorney in many of the most important cases tried in, the local courts.
In I899 Mr. Peters married Miss Irene V. Burges, of Springport, a
daughter of George and Jane (Houseman) Burges. The three children
born to their marriage are as follows: Vine Burges, now a student at the
University of Michigan; Bernice, also a student in the State University,
and DeWitt Clinton, who attends school at Charlotte. In politics Mr.
Peters is an active Republican, and fraternally is affiliated with Eaton
Rapids Lodge of the Masonic Order, with the Knights of Pythias, and
with the Woodmen of the World. Mr. Peters has a brother living at
Springport. His home is a neat and substantial residence at No. 412 W.
Lovett Street in Charlotte. From his long residence in Eaton county Mr.
Peters is well known and has a wide acquaintance.
STEPHEN D. THOMPSON. After the Civil War had begun the first
man from Newaygo county to enlist for military duty was Stephen D.
Thompson, then a young man who was best known to the community as
a worker in one of the general stores at Newaygo. Since the war Mr.
Thompson has for upwards of half a century been identified with merchandising, and has long held a position among the most successful and
influential men of his county.
Stephen D. Thompson was born in Madison county, Indiana, December 27, 1839, a date which indicates that his family were among the pioneers in that section of the Hoosier State. He comes of good American
stock, and his grandfather, Asa Thompson, a native of New York, and
who spent his last years on a farm in Michigan, was a soldier on the
American side during the War of I812. Mr. Thompson's parents were
Leonard and Amy (Ferguson) Thompson, both of whom were born in
New York State, and in the year I8io. The father died in I850 and
the mother in 1849. After their marriage in New York they moved out
to Indiana, later settled in Ohio, and from there came to Michigan in
1845, locating on the new farm in Ottawa county. A few years later the
father started out for California, following the discovery of gold on the
Pacific Coast, and taking the overland route, died in Utah before reaching
the promised land. He was by trade a blacksmith and did fairly well from
a business standpoint of view. There were six children, of whom
Stephen was second, and the other three still living are: Mary Thayer,
a widow, living in Grand Rapids, who was twice married, and her second
husband was a Mr. Cantrell; Martha, who married William Knapp and
lives in Greenville, Michigan; and Wallace, who is a carpenter at Lansing.
Stephen D. Thompson grew up in Ottawa county, was educated partly