Bio on John Perry Goss Part of this family comes from Portage County. From 'The History of Portage County' 1885 John P. Goss,- After a long and useful career in Bangor township, Van Buren county, during which he was busily engaged in developing the land from the raw timber, John P. Goss, an honorable veteran of the Civil war, is now living in comfortable retirement in his beautiful home in the village of Bangor. Mr. Goss is a notable example of the good, practical agriculturist who so arranges his affairs as to be able to spend the last years of his life in the enjoyment of the fruits of his early labors, and he is a welcome addition to the public-spirited citizens of the village, who recognize in him a man of superior abilities and honest principles. John P. Goss is a good product of the Buckeye state, having been born in Portage county, May 29, 1841, a son of Ormond and Roby (Haven) Goss, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Vermont. Mr. Goss' parents were married in the state of Ohio, and came to Michigan in 1854, settling in Bangor township and taking up wild land. Here the father was engaged in farming for many years, accumulating eight hundred and thirty acres of land before he died, and also operated a hotel at Paw Paw for three years. They were the parents of six children, namely: Henry, Ruth, Anson, Frederick, Polly and John P. John P. Goss who is the only survivor of this parents' children, was reared to the life of an agriculturist and received his education in the district schools of Ohio and Michigan. At the age of eighteen years he began farming on his own account, and so continued until his enlistment, September 17, 1861, in Company C, Third Michigan Cavalry, under Captain Hudson, serving with that organization until February 12, 1866, when he was discharged at San Antonio, Texas, and received his muster out a Kalamazoo, Michigan. During a long and strenuous service Mr. Goss participated in many hard-fought battles, including New Madrid, Iuka, Corinth and the first and second battle of Grenada, and during his entire service he displayed traits of bravery, faithfulness and cheerfulness that endeared him to his comrades and made him respected by his officers. After being mustered out of the service Mr. Goss returned to Bangor township, where he purchased eighty acres of farming land, and to this he added from year to year until he owned two hundred and thirty acres of fine property, all devoted to general farming and stock-raising. In 1899, feeling that he had earned a rest from his strenuous activities, Mr. Goss rented his land and located in the village of Bangor, where he has a fine home. On March 6, 1864, Mr. Goss was married to Miss Harriet Wood, daughter of Mason and Adeline (Mason) Wood, natives of New York, who came to Michigan in 1836 and settled in Jackson county. Two years later Mr. and Mrs. Wood came to Bangor township, where they purchased one hundred Dan sixty acres of land, and there they continued to live the rest of their lives, Mr. Wood passing away April 25, 1853, and his widow April 2, 1888. They had a family of five children, as follows: Daniel M., who is deceased; Harriet, who married Mr. Goss; Polk and Dallas, twins; and Maria, the wife of Hiram Baker, of Lebanon, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Goss have had two children: Mason O., who resides on the old homestead in Bangor township; and Edna M., who married Jay Lafler, of Geneva township. Mr. Goss has always been a great friend of education, and for twenty-two years served as a member of the school board in Bangor township, where his fellow citizens also elected him to the office of highway commissioner. Politically he is a stanch Democrat, and he takes an active interest in the success of his party in Bangor and is considered an influential worker in the ranks of the organization. He is a popular comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic, an enthusiastic member of the local Grange, and a consistent attendant of the Christian church. |