Judge Edward Huntington Wylie, deceased, a citizen of superior judicial ability, a jurist of culture and fine attainments who, with honor and distinction, for twenty years presided in the Probate court of Muskegon County, Mich., and, a long-time resident of the city of Muskegon, held with able fidelity various official positions of trust and, a liberal-spirited citizen, was mourned as a public loss when, upon April 27, 1882, he was suddenly taken ill while at work in his office. He was removed to his home and died the same evening. Our subject, born in Lebanon, Madison County, N. Y., December 8, 1819, was the son of Capt. Moses and Mary (Clark) Wylie. The mother was the daughter of Dr. John Clark, a physicion of eminence, and the granddaughter of Dr. John Clark, Sr., whose mother was the sister of the celebrated divine, Jonathan Edwards. The remote Wylie ancestors were natives of Scotland, sturdy, self-respecting  men and women of rectitude and thrifty industry. Judge Wylie belonged to the Huntington family, which contained many distinguished names. Theodore D. Weld, the famous Abolitionist, was a cousin, also Grace Greenwood, the well-known authoress. The Clarks were originally from England, but, emigrating in a very early day to America, founded in this country a branch of a family noted for its culture and piety.

    Our subject, throughout his life a great reader, was educated in the schools of Lebanon and Utica, the days of his boyhood being spent in the two places. Arriving at manhood, he engaged in mercantile business in his native State and had attained to twenty-six years when, in 1843, he followed the tide of emigration to the farther West and settled in Kent County, Mich., where, he devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. In 1849 Judge Wylie removed to Muskegon and here he became interested in lumbering, but later again embarked in mercantile business, in which he continued for a few years. Politically a stalwart Republican, our subject soon became a leader in the local councils of the party and received at their hands the offices with which he was honored, and which he by his efficient discharge of duty honored. Judge Wylie first received an important political promotion as County Treasurer, and for several years was in charge of the moneys of Muskegon County, which he handled with a clear judgment, financial ability and sterling integrity which gained him the good-will and respect of his fellow-citizens. He was also County Clerk and in this capacity became widely known. Elected Judge of Probate, our subject for nearly a score of years aided in the administering of estates and ever sought conscientiously to award all property so that it should subserve the ends of right and justice.

    On November 22, 1859, Edward Huntington Wylie and Miss Eliza Mounteney, a native of England, were united in marriage. The union was blessed by the birth of four children, three of whom are living, one daughter and two sons: Mary A., at home; Alfred Weld and Vernon Huntington. The Judge was a faithful attendant at the Congregational Church. Mrs. Wylie resides in a pleasant home at No. 102 West Clay Avenue, Muskegon, and in the hour of her bereavement received from her many friends, tried and true, the sincerest sympathy. Eleven years have passed since our honored subject was suddenly called from his life work, but his memory is green in the hearts of all who knew him and bore him respect for his many virtues and genuine worth.

James H. Williams,  resident manager and member of the firm of C. G. Alley & Co., large lumber dealer of White Lake, and also interested in various other financial enterprises, has for the past two years been President of the Village Council of Whitehall, Muskegon County, Mich. Mr. Williams was born in Utica, N. Y., February 19, 1848. His father, Orsamus Williams, was born in the same house in Utica in 1809, and was the son of Sebra Williams, a native of Vermont. The great-grandfather was a Welshman by birth, but, emigrating to the United States in a very early day, settled in New England. Grandfather Sebra williams, a shoemaker by trade, removed when quite young to Utica, and carried on shoemaking, but owning a farm of eighty acres near the city, finally retired to his homestead, where he died at the age of eighty years. the old farm then came into the possession of Orsamus, who lived on it until 1865, when he removed to Michigan, and located on a farm near Lawton, in Van Buren County. For fifteen or twenty years prior to this time, the father was a large and prosperous stock-drover, buying in the West and driving the cattle through to the Eastern markets. He was said to be one of the best judges of stock in the country, and made a fortune in the business, but afterwards lost heavily by a dishonest partner. While in New York State, Orasmus Williams served faithfully as Assessor, and was for many yeras Supervisor in Lawton, where he died in 1874.

    The mother of our subject, Abigail (Howlet) Williams, was born in Oswego, N. Y., in 1808. She was a most estimable woman, beloved by all who knew her, and passed away mourned by many friends in 1891, at the home of a daughter in Lawton. The parents were blessed with a family of four sons and four daughters, our subject being next to the youngest in order of birth. Adelia married James Nash, and lives on the Lawton homestead. Nelson H., enlisting in the in the late Civil War, in the One Hundred and Forty-seventh New York Infantry, was wounded at Gettysburg, taken prisoner and thrown into Libby, where he spent three months. At the expiration of this time transfered to Andersonville, he remained eight months in that prison, and denied medical attendance, suffered constantly from his wounds. Weighing one hundred and sixty pounds when captured, he was reduced to seventy-five pounds after his eleven months in rebel prisons, and three years later died from the exposure and privations then endured. Sarah Williams, the second sister, died when twenty years of age. Elon H. also passed away at twenty. Henry S. graduated from, Hillsdale College and went to South Dakota, where he is now a leading politician, and editor of the Aberdeen Daily News. He was for some years in the Government Land Office in Aberdeen, and served ably as Treasurer of Brown County. Laura Williams married Seymour Winters, a farmer of Lawton, Mich. Edna A. became the wife of Scott Catsner, a successful agriculturist residing near Lawton.

    Our subject was about sixteen years old when with his parents he emigrated to Michigan. Until nineteen he remained upon the home farm, assisting in the daily round of cares. He received his education mainly in Hillsdale College, and when twenty-one years of age came to Whitehall without capital save youth, energy, and determination to make his upward way in life. Having worked his passage as far as Grand Haven, and arriving in the latter city without a cent in his pocket, Mr. Williams walked the twenty-eight miles to Whitehall, his lunch upon the way consisting of a few dry crackers. Receiving immediate employment with Charles H. Cook, the lumberman, our subject began piling lumber on the docks, which he continued throughout the summer, in the winter cooking in one of the lumber camps. For three years he did anything his hands could find to do, and worked both about the sawmills and in the camps. In 1875 Mr. Williams again entered the employ of Charles H. Cook as foreman of his mill, and remained in that capacity the succeeding nine years. In 1884, our subject, taking a new departure, engaged in the general insurance business, under the firm name of Johnston & Williams, and in 1892 succeeded to the business which he yet conducts, as well as engaging in his lumber business with C.G. Alley & Co., in which firm he had an interest for some three years. In addition to his other enterprises Mr. Williams was for some time interested in a furniture and crockery store in Montague.

    In the fall of 1872, James H. Williams and Miss Minnie Moshier, of Lawton, were united in marriage. This estimable lady died in February of 1874, without issue. In 1878, our subject a second time married, entering the bonds of matrimony with Miss Estella Reynolds, a teacher of Montague. She died in December, 1880, while on a visit to a brother in Paw Paw, and passing away after an illness of three days left no children. December 1, 1888, Mr. Williams married his present wife, Miss Belle McHattie, daughter of John McHattie, a Scotchman by birth, and the proprietor of a flourmill at Cedar Springs. This union has been blessed by the birth of one child, a son, Russell H., now about nine months old, and the pride of the household. Financially prospered, our subject in addition to his other extensive business interests operates a large farm, and is likewise interested in the summer resort, Nahant Beach. Politically, our subject has been a life-long Republican. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, a Knight Templar and a Shriner. He is also a Knight of Pythias, and, widely known as a business man of ability and sterling integrity, commands the esteem of his fellow-citizens, with whom he is identified in every public enterprise of importance.

Geerhard Bennink, the energetic and successful dealer in choice family groceries and fruits has been a highly respected citizen of his present locality, Muskegon, Mich., since 1866, and since 1885 has prosperously conducted his present business, enjoying a trade second to none in the city. Aside from a complete assortment of fine groceries, Mr. Bennink profitably handles feed, and controls a large custom in this department of his business. From his earliest residence in the Wolverine State our subject has been intimately associated with the the progessive interests of Muskegon, and in 1889, elected Alderman from the Sixth Ward, discharged the duties of his office with fidelity to his constituents and to the general satisfaction of the public. Born in Prussia, Germany, February 9, 1839, Geerhard Bennink was the son of John H. and Trude A. (Crabben) Bennink, both natives of Germany, upright and industrious people, who reared and educated in their native land, there made their home after marriage and trained to habits of thrift and industry the sons and daughters who blessed their union. The father, by occupation a farmer, year after year tilled the soil, and finally at an advanced age passed away among the familiar scenes of his youth.

    Our subject received a good common-school education in the excellent schools of his native land, and during his boyhood assisted his father in the work of the farm. At the age of eighteen years he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a carpenter. Five years later, in 1863, bidding adieu to the familiar scenes of youth, Mr. Bennink embarked for America, and after a safe voyage landed in New York and journeyed at once to the farther West, locating in Indianapolis, Ind., where he found ready occupation as  a carpenter and builder. In 1866 our subject removed to Michigan and, settling in Muskegon, here learned the business of a millwright and worked for several years in the large lumber-mills, continuing in the duties of a millwright until the spring of 1885. Mr. Bennink then opened a grocery and feed store, and by unremitting attention to the demands of a large and rapidly increasing trade has won his upward way to a comfortable competence, and, financially prospered, is numbered among the leading businessmen of the city. Politically a Rebuplican and an ardent advocate of the party, our subject was elected as a candidate on that ticket as Alderman of his ward, and has long taken a high place in the local councils of his party.

    August 20, 1867, were united in marriage Geerhard Bennink and Miss Catherine Berghuis, a daugter of Simeon Berghuis, a courageous soldier serving with fidelity under Napoleon. Mrs. Bennink was born in Holland, but her mother, Margaret (Pieret) Berghuis, was the daughter of Peter Pieret, a Frenchman. The estimable wife of our subject passed the days of girlhood in Holland and received her education in the schools of her native land. Emigrating to America in 1867, she landed in New York, and then journeyed directly to Muskegon, where she was at once married to Mr. Bennink by the Rev. Mr. Hubolt. Six children, of whom but two survive, have brightened the home. John H. runs a feed store in Muskegon, and Margaret clerks in her father's grocery. Mr. and Mrs. Bennink are devout members of the Fourth Street Holland Church, and live at No. 42 Mason Avenue, a desirable residence locality. They are active in the religious work and benevolent enterprises of their denomination, and are highly esteemed by a large acquaintance.