By Staff
Twins are always a subject for attention. One can only imagine the attention they caused in 1877.
Lester G. and Leslie W. Platt were born July 2, 130 years ago.
Twins are known for closeness and the Platt twins were no exception. A story in The History of Berrien County states the boys were "closely associated in all their pleasures and interests in boyhood in their school life and during the greater part of the time in their professional career."
They opened the firm of Doctors L.G and L.W. Platt, Dental Practitioners in Niles following their schooling.
The twins married within a month of one another. Lester married Abigail Gayl King, Dec. 27, 1905, following brother Leslie's marriage to Edith Gould Nov. 29 of the same year.
Each fathered one child. Lester became a father in 1907 with the birth of daughter Alice Ella. Leslie's son Edward Gould was born a year earlier in 1906.
It was Edward and his wife Jane Kerlin, who would prove the suspicion the legacy of twins missing one generation with the birth of twins – son John Leslie and daughter Katherine Jane – in 1946. Their birth followed that of Edward's other children, Edward Gould Jr. (1933) and Betty Anne (1938).
Lester's daughter, Alice, with husband Harold G. Hanlin had only two children: Harold Graydon, born in 1933 the same year as Edward's first child, and Marjorie Lestra, born in 1935.
It was their paternal grandfather, according to The History of Berrien County, who moved from the east to Michigan "at an early period in the settlement of this part of the state. He was a tinsmith by trade and on coming to Niles established a hardware business, which he conducted very successfully until a short time prior to his death when he turned the business over to his three sons: Henry C., William E. and Alonzo W. Platt. They continued in the conduct of the enterprise under the firm style of Platt Brothers until the death of Henry C. in 1892, when William E. became the sole proprietor…"
He was the father of the twins born in Niles in 1843. William married Ella Jane Deniston in May of 1869.
The couple had two other sons: Ralph Deniston Platt born February 1870 and William Raymond Platt born October 1874.
The History of Berrien County further stated both Lester and Leslie were members of the Knights of Pythias Fraternity. The Fraternal Order of Knights of Pythias is a great international fraternity which was founded in Washington, DC, Feb. 19, 1864.
Lester was also a Mason.
The book, written in 1906, continues to say that "in the city of their birth, they are popular both socially and professionally and have a very extensive circle of warm friends."
Lester passed away May 30, 1935. Leslie died a little more than six years later on June 18, 1941.