HON. FRIEND IVES, Gun Plain Twp., Allegan Co., Michigan

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History of Allegan and Barry Counties, Michigan, with Illustrations and 
Biographical Sketches of their Prominent Men and Pioneers.
Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co.  1880.  Press of J. B. Lippincott & 
Co., Philadelphia.

Among the early settlers of Allegan County we find the name of Friend 
Ives, who may well be ranked as one of the self-made and prominent men 
of the early days of the county.  His ancestors were New England 
people, he himself being a native of Plymouth, Conn., where he was born 
on the 22d day of December, A. D. 1790.  His father was a farmer, and 
on his farm Friend grew to manhood.  His chances for an education were 
limited to the district schools of his day, yet he obtained enough to 
fit him for the active, successful business life he afterwards pursued. 
Arrived at his majority, he started out in life for himself. He 
traveled through the States of Maryland and Virginia selling Yankee 
clocks.  This he followed several years, acquiring an insight into the 
ways of the world and its people which afterwards served him well.  In 
after-years he used to relate, in his graphic way, incidents of his 
wandering life that would have made an interesting volume.  We next 
find him and his family living among the Shakers in New Lebanon, 
Columbia Co., N. Y., where he stayed a few years pursuing his old 
business.  In 1818, becoming desirous of settling down with his family, 
he emigrated to Medina, Medina Co., Ohio, where his father-in-law had 
bought for each of his children one hundred acres of wild land.  Medina 
County was then a new country, and Mr. Ives found only forests of heavy 
timber awaiting him.  It was thirty miles to Cleveland, where they had 
to go to mill and for their supplies.  He built a log house and at once 
commenced to improve his land.  Before the never-ceasing strokes of his 
strong arm the forest rapidly disappeared, and cleared fields and fine 
buildings soon took its place.  In 1833, having sold his Ohio farm, he 
again turned his face westward, and we find him the fall of that year 
building a log house in the town of Allegan, Allegan Co., Mich., now 
the town of Gun Plain.  He had bought a section of land and reared his 
home on the beautiful burr-oak plains from which the town derives its 
name.  There were but few in the town at the time, and he had his 
choice of land, all of which he bought from the government. Again he 
cleared up a farm in a new country, set out orchards, and erected good 
buildings, thus doubly earning the title of pioneer.  In the township 
of which he became one of its most prominent citizens, Mr. Ives passed 
the remainder of his days, honored and respected by all, passing away 
Feb. 22, 1874, in his eighty-fifth year.  In politics he was always a 
Democrat, and by his party was elected to fill many offices in the gift 
of his fellow citizens.  In 1835 he was elected assessor of the then 
town of Allegan, and was also one of the first assessors of the town of 
Plainfield.  He was also elected one of the associate judges of the 
county, and subsequently represented his district in the lower house of 
the State Legislature, all of which were filled with credit to himself 
and his constituents.  Mr. Ives married Miss Harriet Warner, who was 
born July 17, 1792, and died March 17, 1867.  Of this union there were 
born to them eight children, as follows: Jane, June 22, 1812; Charles 
W., 1814; Sabra D., Dec. 22, 1816; Betsey, 1818; Harriet, May 15, 1820; 
Elnathan, May 2, 1822; James, Sept. 17, 1824; and Ann, June 17, 1827.  
Of the children only Harriet, James, and Ann are now living.  Harriet 
married Joshua Hill, Nov. 25, 1842; their children were Sarah, born 
Jan. 2, 1845, James, who died in infancy, and James N., born April 9, 
1849.
  Ann married, June 21, 1854, Ira Chichester, an old resident of the 
county.  There were born to them four children, viz: Ernest M., April 
9, 1858; Wilton, April 8, 1861; Leon, Jan. 15, 1863; and Fred, Aug. 27, 
1866.
  James was married, Dec. 31, 1851, to Octavia Chambers; they had but 
one child, viz., George T., born Oct. 22, 1852.  Married, second, Miss 
Mary Jane Pierson, who was born Nov. 13, 1834.