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Submitted by Cheryl VanWormer

				BENJAMIN AND SARAH (YATES) HARTER

	Benjamin Harter, son of Michael Harter, was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., April 18, 1813.
His father was a native of the same county, in which eight brothers who bore the name of Harter 
had settled at an early date.  The family came from Germany.  Michael Harter was a farmer.  His 
wife, Abigail Harter, was a native of the same county.
	Benjamin Harter was the third in a family of thirteen children, and assisted on the 
home-farm until he was sixteen years of age, attending the common schools in the vicinity.  At 
the age of sixteen he entered as clerk in a Utica grocery, and after a short time went to Little 
Falls, where he was employed as a clerk for eight years, attending select school during a p
ortion of the same time.  His wages were given to his father until he was twenty-one.  In 1839 he 
came to Michigan and located upon one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land in Ionia County,
four miles from Ionia.  At that time he states that the county contained but two or three stores.
Aug. 9, 1841, he was married to Miss Sarah Yates, of Ionia, who was born in Skaneateles, 
Onondaga Co., N. Y., May 26, 1823.  In 1845, Mr. Harrison moved to Ionia village, and was 
employed for two years as a clerk by James M. Kidd.  At the expiration of that time he 
established a drygoods-house, and continued in business from 1847 until 1867.  During that period
he served his township one year as supervisor, and was for several years a village trustee.  In 
1867 he retired from business, and since then has lived most of the time a quiet life, although 
engaging to a small extent in farming.  His residence is in a very pleasant location on the 
heights in Ionia City.  He has ever known good health, and has been an active worker.  Of his 
four children two are now living,--Mrs. L. B. Avery, of Ionia, and Mrs. U. B. Rogers, of Detroit.
Politically, Mr. Harter is a staunch Republican.  For twenty-one years he has been connected with
the Christian Church, and his wife is a member of the Baptist Church.  Mrs. Harter's parents, 
Samuel H. and Hannah (Lockwood) Yates, settled in Ionia County in 1835.  Mr. Harter has always
been identified with the best interests of Ionia, and the brick block of stores known as 
"Harter's Block" was built by him.  He has liberally aided churches, railroads, etc., and for 
about eighteen years, or since its organization, has been a director in the First National Bank 
of Ionia.



This biography is taken from "HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES, MICHIGAN" 
by John S. Schenck. Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co., 1881.  Pages 165.