Lewis Vanderwater

Lewis Vanderwater

LEWIS VANDERWATER, farmer, sec. 28, Barton Township, was born Dec. 24, 1827, in Clarkson, Monroe Co., N.Y., of which State his parents, John and Elizabeth (Knowlton) Vanderwater, were natives. His father died there in 1834, and the mother died in 1844, in Michigan.

Mr. Vanderwater grew up in the training commonly bestowed upon the sons of farmers, and when he was 22 years of age he came to Detroit, Mich., where he learned the moulder's trade, which he followed until the date of his enrollment as a soldier in the army of our Government. He enlisted Aug. 5, 1862, in the 22d Wis. Vol. Inf., and was discharged at the end of the war, his papers bearing date of June 20, 1865. His regiment was attached to the corps commanded by General Hooker, and participated in all the engagements from Nashville to the sea. Mr. Vanderwater returned to Wisconsin and from thence came to Grand Rapids. He remained in the latter place but a short time, locating in Newaygo County in the spring of 1866. He "took up" a claim under the Homestead Act, cleared and improved the land and has since resided on it.

He was married in Ottawa Co., Mich., in 1855, to Mary, daughter of George and Susan (Gladfield) Foringer, a native of Crawford Co., Pa., born April 3, 1835. The parents died respectively in 1841 and 1861. The family of Mr. Vanderwater includes two children, - George B., born Dec. 30, 1856, and Willis H., May 31, 1861.

In political sentiment Mr. V is a Republican.

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