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Witt 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD 

of 

SAGINAW  AND  BAY  COUNTIES 
MICHIGAN 


VOL*  & 


CHICAGO 
BIOGRAPHICAL  PUBLISHING  CO. 
1892 


954485  A. 


»|8 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Tlit'  memory  of  this  lovely  girl  is  cherished  by  her 
associates  and  friends  as  one  whose  brief  life  might 
well  be  an  example  for  others. 

The  political  opinions  which  control  the  public 
action  of  Mr.  Stone  are  in  hearty  accord  with  the 
declarations  and  platform  of  the  Republican  parly, 
yet  he  is  not  blindly  lead  by  others,  being  sulli- 
ciently  independent  to  control  his  vote,  in  local 
matters,  by  his  own  judgment  and  the  exigencies 
of  the  times,  and  in  all  affairs  of  county  and  town- 
ship he  votes  for  the  man  whose  judgment  and 
integrity  he  trusts,  in  preference  to  endorsing  any 
one  partisan  ticket. 

While  Mr.  Stone  i>  too  busy  a  man  with  his  own 
affairs  to  be  greatly  absorbed  with  the  affairs  of 
social  orders  he  belongs  to  Freehold  Tent,  No. 858, 
K.  ().  T.  M..  and  is  a  faithful  and  prominent  mem- 
ber of  that  order.  He  is  also  an  attendant  at  and 
supporter  of  the  Methodist  Church.  He  had  no 
capital  with  which  to  start  life  unless  we  may  count 
as  such  robust  health,  an  excellent  constitution,  a 
determination  to  succeed  in  whatever  lie  under- 
took and  a  manly  sense  of  integrity,  and  with 
these  he  has  achieved  success  and  is  numbered 
among  the  prosperous  men  of   his  township. 


BRAM  WHITBECK.  Among  prosperous 
farmers  who  have  conic  to  Michigan  from 
i!>  the  Empire  State,  we  may  mention  Mr. 
Whitbeck,  who  i>  carrying  on  a  successful 
business  as  farmer  and  stock-raiser  in  Bridgeport 
Township,  Saginaw  County,  lie  was  born  March 
21,  1K.-15  in  Rensselaer  County.  N.  Y.,  and  is  a  son 
of  Peter  G.  and  Dorothy  A.  (VanBuren)  Whitbeck 
who  were  born  in  New  York  anil  arc  of  Holland 
descent.  Our  subject  was  the  fourth  son  in  his 
lather's  family  and  grew  up  in  his  native  home 
receiving  his  training  and  early  education  there 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty,  after  which  he 
went  to  Saratoga  County;  it  was  his  home  for 
some  four  years,  working  in  the  meantime  for  his 
uncle  Henry  Yanliuren.  being  engaged  in  farming 
and  helping  in  carrying  on  a  sawmill, 


The  opportunities  for  education  which  were 
proffered  to  our  subject  in  his  childhood  and 
youth  were  extremely  limited  but  his  love  for 
learning  and  his  ambition  led  him  to  self  improve- 
ment in  later  years,  and  by  a  thorough  course  of 
reading  of  both  books  and  periodicals  he  has  added 
materially  to  his  stock  of  learning  and  prepared 
himself  to  observe  intelligently  the  advancement 
of  men  and  nations.  After  leaving  his  uncle  he 
spent  four  years  in  Toledo.  Ohio,  previous  to  com- 
ing to  Michigan  and  it  was  in  1866  when  he  came 
to  Saginaw  County,  and  settled  upon  the  farm 
where  he  now  resides.  This  land  was  then  practi- 
cally unimproved  and  he  lias  brought  it  by  hard 
work  and  unflagging  industry  to  the  splendid  con- 
dition which  we  see  to-day. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Whitbeck  with  Miss  Emily 
Simons  look  place  February  26,  IKlili.  This  lady 
was  born  July  25,  1835, in  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.. 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  .lane  Simons,  who 
at  one  time  made  their  home  in  Frankcninuth 
Township.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Whitbeck. .Jennie E., Ella  M.  and  George. 

This  gentleman  inclines  to  Democratic  principles 
in  politics  and  is  warmly  interested  in  the  success 
Of  that  party  but  in  local  matters  he  is  willing  to 
join  hands  with  any  of  his  fellow-citizens  in  bring- 
ing about  changes  and  improvements  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, rpon  his  beautiful  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  he  is  raising  an  excellent  grade 
of  stock.  He  is  an  excellent  representative  of  the 
best  class  of  fanners  and  enjoys  the  confidence  of 
the  whole  community  while  his  entire  family  stand 
high  in  social  circles  and  are  active  in  works  of  be- 
nevolence and  progress. 


irv 


«^> 


ARRY  C.  MOULTHHOP.  Although  h< 
ha>  not  yet  reached  the  prime  of  life,  Mr. 
Moulthrop  ha>  become  closely  identified 
\$G))  with  the  public  affairs  as  Asssistant  Cashier 
of  the  Hay  City  Bank,  and  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Ueberroth  A'  Co..  dealers  in  crockery  and  glass- 
ware. In  recording  the  events  of  his  life,  per- 
chance  the  biographical    writer  uf  a   half-cent un 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


519 


hence  will  find  rare  pleasure  in  narrating  the 
honors  and  emoluments  which  will  have  been 
bestowed  upon  him.  At  present  we  can  only  re- 
cord the  principal  happenings  in  a  life  of  less  than 
thirty  year-,  and  note  the  steps  by  which  he  has 
risen  Crom  an  humble  clerkship  to  his  present  res- 
ponsible position.  His  life  affords  another  illustra- 
tion of  the  power  of  conscientious  perseverance 
and  honest  industry  in  crowning  labors  with  the 
most  complete  success. 

'1  he  house  in  which  Mr.  Monlthrop  was  horn 
stood  on  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Saginaw 
Streets,  in  Bay  City,  and  was  occupied  by  Clark 
and  Elizabeth  Monlthrop.  parents  of  our  subject 
and  pioneers  of  the  city.  Harry  ('.  was  born  May 
23,  186?,  and  passed  his  boyhood  days  in  his 
father's  home,  amid  mingled  work  and  play.  At 
an  early  age  lie  commenced  to  acquire  the  rudi- 
ments of  his  education  in  the  common  school, 
which  lie  continued  to  attend  until  he  had  passed 
through  the  various  grades  to  the  High  School. 
There  the  fund  of  knowledge  previously  obtained 
was  supplemented  by  an  excellent  course  of  in- 
struction, which  equipped  the  diligenl  pupil  for  a 
practical  business  life. 

During  his  vacations  Mr.  Monlthrop  engaged  as 

clerk  for  his  father  in  his  grocery  store,  and  after- 
ward became  clerk  in  Gibson's  grocerj  establish- 
ment  at   tin-  loot    of    Center    Street.       He    made  his 

first  engagement  with  the  Bay  ('it\  IJank  as 
collector,  and    was   promoted    from   that    position 

sueee..-i  vel  \     to     the    position-    of    collection     clerk'. 

book-keeper,    general    I k-keeper.    discount  clerk. 

teller  and  assistant  cashier.  He  became  teller  and 
assistant  cashier  Septembet  6,  1890,  and  is  now 
serving  efficiently  ami  with  marked  ability  in  that 
capacity.  February  19,  1889, he  became  interested 
in  the  til  1 1 1  of  Ueberroth  Si  Co..  on  Center  Street 
in  the  Shearer  Block,  and  lias  continued  in  the 
firm  since,  having  been  with  it  when  its  line  new 
building  was  put  up  in  1891  at  No.  816  X.  Wash- 
ington Street. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Monlthrop  was  one  of 
the  charter  members  of  the  l>a\  City  Club  and  was 
its  Treasurer  during  the  first  year  of  it  existence, 
lie  has  established  a  pleasanl  and  attractive  home 
al    No.  229   N.  Madison  street,   which  is  presided 


over  by  his  wife,  to  whom  he  was  married  October 
19,  1889.  Mrs.  Moulthrop  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Mary  <■.  Crippen  and  prior  to  her  marriage  re- 
sided in  Saginaw,  East  Side.  Her  parents  arc 
Charles  and  Marjorie  (Grant)  Crippen.  A  lady 
of  superior  culture.  Mrs.  Monlthrop  enjoys  the 
sincere  and  universal  esteem  of  the  people  of  Bay 
City,  and  is  prominent  in  its  social  circles. 


WILLIAM     B.     (I. AUK.       Since     187(1    Mr. 


W     Clark    has    been    engaged     in     the     retail 
grocery    business  at    the   corner  of    First 

and  Van  Buren  Streets,  and  not  a   housewife  ill  the 

city  but  what  feels  that  articles  gotten  at  this  store 
are  better  than  those  obtained  elsewhere  lie  always 
keeps  the  best  stock  of  staple  and  fancy  goods, 
and  table  delicacies  that  are  loved  by  the  epicure 
and  that  appeal  to  the  man  with  the  full  purse. 
Since  coming  to  Bay  City  he  has  had  no  occasion. 
either  for  want  of  trade  or  for  other  considera- 
tions, to  change  his  location,  and  his  prospect  for 
the  future  is  as  goodas  it  has  been   ill  the  past. 

Mr.  Clark  was  born  in  Way  ne  County,  this  State. 
seven  miles  cast  of  Ypsilanti.  February  7.  1842. 
lie  i^  the  SOU  of  Timothy  and  Sophia  (Smith) 
Clark,  who  were  pioneers  in  that  portion  of  the 
Stale.  The\  were  farmers  by  calling' and  our  sub- 
ject was  early  trained  in  the  duties  incident  to 
pioneer  farm  life.  As  a  boy  he  attended  school  ill 
the  district  SChoolhouse  and  then  became  a  student 
in  the  old  Ypsilanti  Seminars',  and  a  Iter  lie  had 
finished  his  school  training  he  was  apprenticed  to 
learn  the  carpenter's  1  rade  with  his  brother, Wood- 
bury Clark,  lie  worked  at  that  for  several  years, 
and  in  1866  on  the  20th  of  August,  came  to  Bay 
City  and  began  working  at  his  trade.  lie  also 
took  contracts  and  put  up  a  number  of  buildings 
in  this  city. 

For  four  years  Mr.  (lark  was  employed  in  this 
i>u-i]ii^>  and  so  successful  was  he  in  partnership 
that  he  decided  to  launch  out  alone,  lie  built  a 
good  stoic  and  residence  and  opened  up  business 
as  above  stated,  in    (870,     He  is  naturally  of  a 


520 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


sunny,  genial  temperament,  and  attracts  trade  for 
his  affable  qualities  as  well  as  by  the  excellence  of 
the  goods  he  offers.  He  is  besides  a  thorough  and 
careful  business  man.  Besides  his  business  pro- 
perty, Mr.  Clark  owns  six  houses  in  the  city,  and 
also  other  city  real  estate.  All  of  this  lie  lias  made 
by  his  own  efforts.  On  coming  to  the  city  he 
found  hut  one  brick  building  here,  and  that  was 
the  old  Union  Block.  The  Frazier  House  was  in 
process  of  construction,  and  on  that  lie  did  his 
first  work  in  this  city,  so  he  has  witnessed  the 
growth  of  the  place  from  ils  incipience  to  its  pres- 
ent fine  proportions. 

Our  subject  has  been  selected  to  represent  the 
First  Ward  as  Alderman  and  has  served  in  that 
capacity  for  two  terms.  He  has  commended  him- 
self to  the  best  class  of  citizens  and  city  officials 
by  his  excellent  judgment,  common  sense  and  ad- 
herence to  principle. 

Mr.  CJark  was  married  to  Mis>  Ellen  M.  Duns- 
more,  of  Ypsilanti,  February  7.  1865.  In  their 
church  relations  they  are  Episcopalians.  Socially 
lie  fraternizes  with  the  Masonic  order.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Bay  City  Lodge,  Blanchard  Chapter 
and  Bay  City  Commandery 


_S 


~S 


^HM 


is- 


3 


1/SAAC  A.  SHANNON.  The  Saginaw  Valley 
is  famous,  not  only  throughout  Michigan,  but 
|i  also  through  the  Northwest  as  the  seat  of  many 
and  varied  manufacturing  interests.  The  lumber 
resources  of  this  part  of  the  Wolverine  State  and 
the  character  of  its  early  population,  as  well  .as  its 
splendid  opportunities  for  the  adaptation  of  water 
power  have  led  to  this  result  and  we  have  here  to 
chronicle  another  establishment  of  this  character. 
Mr.  Shannon,  of  Bay  City,  is  the  oldesl  wagon- 
maker  in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  having  been  estab- 
lished here  since  1863 and  is  now  doing  line  custom 
work  exclusively.  He  has  built  a  good  two-story 
brick  shop  50x75  feet  on  the  lot  where  he  has  been 
Located  for  over  twenty  years  and  gives  employ- 
ment to  ten  first-class  mechanics,  and  supplies  the 
best  city  trade.  He  was  born  in  Warren  County. 
N.  J.,  February  29,  1836,  and  is  a  son  of  David 
and  Catherine  (Angle)  shannon.     The  mother  was 


born  in  Brooklyn  and  the  father  in  Warren  County, 
N.  .1..  where  he  was  a  wagon  and  plow  maker  and 
later  a  farmer.  They  were  devout  members  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  and  the  father  was  an  old-line 
Whig  and  afterward  a  Republican,  lie  was  born 
in  1803  and  died  in  1883  and  the  mother,  who  was 
born  in   1813,  died   in   1886. 

( )ur  subject  was  educated  in  Warren  County  and 
grew  to  maturity  upon  a  farm.  He  came  i"  Michi- 
gan before  he  was  of  age  and  resided  in  Oakland 
County  and  afterward  in  Illinois  and  about  the 
year  1860  returned  to  this  State  and  settled  in 
Rochester,  Oakland  County,  where  he  apprenticed 
himself  to  a  earriagemaker  and  thoroughly  learned 
the  trade  of  which  he  had  acquired  much  from  his 
father  at  home.  In  1863  he  came  to  Bay  City  and 
established  a  shop  on  his  own  responsibility  being 
an  entire  stranger  in  a  new  city  without  capital. 
During  his  first  year  here  he  was  drafted  into  the 
army  but  as  it  seemed  hot  tor  him  to  continue  in 
carrying  cm  his  business  he  hired  a  substitute  and 
still  devoted  himself  to  the  building  up  of  this  in- 
fant industry. 

At  the  inception  of  his  business  .Mr.  Shannon 
employed  but  one  or  t  wo  men  bill  soon  had  a  trade 
that  demanded  a  larger  force.  He  bought  the 
property  where  he  is  now  located  and  in  1871 
erected  a  small  shop  which  he  occupied  until  1882 
when  his  present  factory  was  built.  He  is  now 
contemplating  another  addition  to  his  building  in 
order  to  facilitate  the  immense  trade  which  he  has 
built  up.  He  has  made  it  his  aim  to  make  his  out- 
put of  the  very  best  quality  that  could  lie  made 
and  his  shop  is  known  all  through  the  valley  as 
tin'  finest  custom  shO;    in  these  parts. 

In  1872  .Mr.  Shannon  sold  his  business  and  went 
to  Virginia  to  reside  on  account  of  the  ill  health 
of  his  wife,  hut  after  several  months'  absence  he 
returned  home  and  again  resumed  his  former  busi- 
iiis-.  Besides  his  manufacturing  interests  he  has 
had  some  dealings  in  real-estate  but  has  devoted 
most  of  his  energies  in  the  direction  of  his  trade. 
lie  has  not  dabbled  in  politics  although  he  is  a 
worker  for  the  Republican  party,  but  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  order  ever  since  he  was 
old  enough  to  he  accepted  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Bav  (  it  \   Lodge, 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


521 


The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Etta  Ben- 
nett, of  Rochester,  Mich.,  took  place  November  3, 
1865.  This  lady  is  a  daughter  of  Harvey  Bennett. 
They  have  one  daughter,  Geneveve,  who  is  still  at 
home.  Mr.  Shannon  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
the  Universalis!  Church  of  which  this  gentleman 
has  been  a  Trustee  for  over  twenty  years. 


T^S  EUBEN  W.  ANDRUS,  deceased.  This 
L^f  gentleman  was  born  in  Chautauqua 
■  *  \  County.  N.  Y.  near  the  village  of  Cedar 
V£)  Creek.  February  20,  1832.  He  had  his 
training  in  the  common  schools  and  in  1854  went 
i"  Buffalo  and  engaged  to  work  in  a  store.  In 
1856  he  came  to  Owosso  and  established  himself 
as  a  merchant  and  a  few  months  later  removed  to 
Chesaning  where  he  continued  in  trade  for  a 
number  of  years.  With  his  brother  and  with 
L.  II.  Nason  he  owned  a  water-mill  at  Albee  and 
erected  a  steam  mill  at  Maple  Grove,  and  was 
carrying  thai  on  when  he  was  elected  Sheriff  in 
1x70.  He  had  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  one 
term  and  served  sixteen  year-  continuously  as 
Supervisor.  He  was  a  Republican  in  his  political 
veiws. 

At  the  election  of  1872  his  opponent  claimed  to 
be  elected  by  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  vote-  and  secured  a  writ  of  quo  war- 
ranto against  Mr.  Andrus,  who  by  the  advice  of 
friend-  resigned  after  entering  the  office  and  Dr- 
John  B.  White,  the  Coronor  was  appointed  in  his 
place.  He  immediately  appointed  Mr.  Andrus  his 
Deputy  and  a-  such  he  served  out  his  second  term 
of  office.  After  he  came  out  of  office  he  again  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  trade  in  which  lie  continued 
until  his  death,  which  took  place,  October  20,  1*7*. 
Mr.  Andrus  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order 
and  also  the  Odd  Fellows  fraternity  and  was  an 
active  Knight  Templar,  and  was  buried  with  the 
honors  of  a  Knight  Templar.  He  was  a  strong 
politician  and  became  associated  with  the  Green- 
back party,  being  imbued  with  the  pervailing  ideas 
upon  the  matters  of  national  currency.     Ho   was 


married  in  lxijl  to  Emma  Roy  Crowfoot,  of  (  hes- 
aning.  she  died  leaving  a  daughter,  Haltie.  who 
is  now  Mrs.  Lagroth,  of  Minneapolis. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with   Mrs.  Maria  M. 

Legg,  widow  of  Sila-  W.  Legg.  took  place.  Febru- 
ary 28,  1865.  This  lady  is  a  daughter  of  Hosea 
Wood. of  Ulster  County,  N.  V..and  in  that  county 
she  was  first  married  in  1855.  Mr.  Legg  was  a 
-tone  cutter  who  came  to  Chesaning  the  year  of 
their  marriage  and  there  continued  to  live  until 
his  death  in  18G4.  Their  one  son,  William  C. 
Legg.  who  was  only  three  years  old  at  the  time  of 
his  father's  death,  is  now  residing  in  Riverdale. 
this  county. 

Mis.  Andrus  is  a  member  of  the  St.  John's 
Church  and  resides  in  a  beautiful  residence  on 
Carroll  Street.  After  the  death  of  her  husband 
Mrs.  Andrus  continued  the  grocery  business  for 
about  a  year  and  then  closed  it  out.  She  spent 
one  year  upon  the  farm  adjoining  the  town  of 
<  hesaning  but  the  most  of  her  widowhood  has 
been  passed  at  her  town  residence. 


*i*  *T*  *T*  *■**  *?7"K"  r^i*  *T*  **  *T*  "y*  ■■ 

~ '  "I*  *J*  •£•  *i*  *ii>',.''li\  *I*  •**  *J*  •**  ■ 


OSEPH  M.  TROMBLEY,  wholesale  and  re- 
tail dealer  in  lish.  is  justly  proud  of  the  fact 
that  he  is  the  oldest  survivor  among  the 
native-born  citizens  of  Lay  County.  He 
was  born  in  the  old  Center  House,  which  was  the 
first  frame  building  ever  erected  in  Lay  County 
and  was  located  at  the  corner  of  Water  and 
Twenty-fourth  Streets,  in  what  is  now  Lay  City. 
The  date  of  hi-  birth  was  January  8,  1839,  and  a 
sketch  of  his  father.  Joseph,  is  presented  on  anothei 
page.  He  remained  in  his  native  place  until  1^17. 
when  In-  removed  to  what  was  then  known  as 
Bangor,  but  is  now  the  Brst  ward  of  West  Lay 
City,  and  here  he   has  -pent    almost  his   entire  life. 

After  coming  to  West  Baj  I  ii\   he  attended scl 1 

during  the  winter  seasons  until  he  was  eighteen 
ami  to  reach  the  "temple  of  learning"  he  was 
compelled  to  cross  the  river  on  the  ice. 

During  the  summer  season  Mr.  Trombley  was 
employed  on  farms  until  he  was  fourteen  and  then 
he  began  fishing  on  the  boat '"Eagle."  At  theageof 


522 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


twenty-one  his  father  gave  him  the  boat  and  an  out- 
lit,  and  lie  began  to  fish  on  his  own  account.  Two 
years  later  he  sold  the  "Eagle"  and  bought  the 
"Nimrod"  in  which  he  sailed  for  four  seasons  and 
met  with  considerable  success.  In  1873,  in  connec- 
tion with  his  brother,  David,  he  built  the  "Morning 
Star"  and  the  two  fished  in  partnership  until  1889 
when  our  subject  purchased  David's  interest  and  is 
now  sole  owner.  The  vessel  has  a  capacity  of  eight 
tons.  On  Decembers,  1890,  Mr.  Trombley  com- 
menced in  the  wholesale  and  retail  fish  business 
on  water  lots  No.  1.  2.  3  and  1.  in  Banks,  where 
he  has  a  substantial  ice-house  and  a  fine  fish-house, 
with  docks.  lie  buys  and  sells  fish,  and  ships 
East,  South  and  West. 

The  elegant  residence  which  Mr.  Trombley  now 
occupies  was  erected  by  him  in  1872  and  is  located 
on  the  corner  of  Elm  and  Sophia  Street.  Besides 
that  property,  he  owns  other  real  estate  in  the 
city.  He  was  married  in  1863,  al  Banks,  to  Miss 
Nancy  Beebe,  who  was  born  in  Owosso,  Mich.,  and 
dying  left  one  son,  Theodore,  now  engaged  as  a 
fisherman.  On  February  22,  1868,  Mr.  Tromblej 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Susan  Bennett, 
the  daughter  of  Capt.  John  Bennett,  a  native  of 
Queens  County,  Ireland.  Her  grandfather,  An- 
drew, brought  his  family  from  Ireland  to  Canada 
and  improved  a  farm  in  PresCOtt,  where  he  died. 
John  Bennett  was  fourteen  years  old  when  he  ac- 
companied his  father  to  America  and  was  a  sailor 
from  his  boyhood.  While  still  young  he  became  i 
a  master  and  sailed  on  the  lakes  for  more  than 
twenty  years.  He  also  owned  a  farm  near  Pres- 
COtt, whence  he  removed  to  Corunna  and  retired 
from  active  life  with  a  competency.  His  death 
occurred  in  1x71  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years 
and  six  months.  During  the  Canadian  Rebellion 
he  served  as  a  McKenzie  man  and  was  a  picket 
guard. 

Mrs.  Trombley 's  mother  was    known  in  maiden- 

I d  as  Mar}  Tierney  and  was  horn  in  Monahan, 

Ireland,  whence  she  emigrated  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een years  to  New  York,  and  six  years  later  came 
to  Michigan.  Mrs  Trombley  was  ni  xt  to  the 
youngest  among  ten  children,  and  was  horn  in 
Prescott,  where  she  remained  until  nine  years  old. 
From  that  place  she  accompanied   her   parents    to 


Corunna  and  in  1867  came  to  Bay  City  to  make 
her  home  with  a  sister.  Of  the  union  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Trombley  eight  children  have  been  torn, 
namely:  Mary,  Mrs.  Bush,  Of  Hanks;  Henry, 
whose  home  is  in  Cheboygan;  Kate,  who  died  at 
the  age  Of  three  years;  Leo  and  Casper,  who  died 
in  infancy;  Blanche,  Reuben  1!.  and  Irene,  who  are 
Still  under  the  parental  roof. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  Mr.  Trombley  recalls  in- 
cidents of  pioneer  days  and  these  he  relates  with 
evident  interest  and  animation.  He  remembers 
when  there  were  only  four  buildings  in  Bay  City 
and  recalls  the  erection  of  the  first  brick  structure 
in  1863.  During  the  early  days  Indians  were  his 
frequent  companions  and  he  learned  to  speak  the 
Chippewa  language  with  fluency.  He  was  a  per- 
sonal friend  of  the  renowned  Nock  Cliickamec. 
Chief  of  the  Ta was,  with  whom  he  used  to  work. 
In  his  political  sentiments  he  is  allied  with  the 
Republican  party  and  never  neglects  an  opportu- 
nity to  cast  his  ballot  foi  the  promulgation  of  its 
principles.  He  and  his  family  are  devoted  mem- 
bers of  the  St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church,  and  occupy 
a  prominent  position  in  society. 


^€>*<§^ 


AMES  TENNANT.  The  Bay  City  Stone 
( 'ompany  has  as  its  presiding  geniuses  two  of 
the  most  able  and  expcrii  need  business  men 
of  Hay  City.  Thesenior  member  of  the  firm 

is  he  whose  name  appears  above.  They  are  manu- 
facturers of  granite  and  marble  monuments  and 
cut  stone  of  even  description.  They  also  deal  ex- 
tensively in  sewer  pipes  of  all  kinds.  Mr.  Ten- 
nant  hears  a  good  old  English  name,  and  he  was 
horn  in  Keighley,  Yorkshire,  England,  June  20. 
1841.  lie  is  a  son  of  George  and  Mary  (Smith) 
Tennant.  The  former  was  born  in  Aysgath,  in  the 
same  place  where  the  noted  English  Commoner. 
John  Bright,  was  horn. 

Our  subject's  grandsire,  George  Tennant.  was  a 
mason  by  trade,  as  was  also  our  subject's  father. 
and  they  did  much  ornamental  stoni  trimming. 
They  built  the  Lower  Wyke  Tunnel,  which  is  near 
Barnsley  aud  is   three  miles    long,  occupying  two 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


523 


hundred  men  night  and  day  until  its  completion, 
and  is  one  of  the  largest  tunnels  in  England. 
After  being  engaged  in  various  important  works 
our  subject's  father  retired  from  business  in  1883. 

Iu  1857  George  Tennant  brought  his  family  to 
Cobourg,  Canada,  and  was  there  engaged  in  con- 
tracting on  the  Buffalo  &  Lake  Huron  Road,  and 
in  building  bridges  from  Goderich  to  Stratford.  In 
1880  he  went  to  Texas  and  remained  in  Dallas 
until  1883.  He  now  resides  at  Ft.  Gratiot,  this 
State.  Our  subject's  maternal  grandsire,  .James 
Smith,  served  in  the  English  army  and  was  a  body 
servant  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington  and  with  him 
went  through  the  wars  with  Napoleon  Bonaparte. 
He  was  retired  on  a  pension  and  met  a  most  un- 
timely death  by  being  murdered  on  the  King's 
Highway.  Our  subject's  mother  died  in  1890,  her 
demise  being  the  result  of  a  fall. 

Our  subject  had  eleven  brothers  and  sisters,  the 
family  comprising  si\  -on-  and  six  daughters,  nine 
of  whom  lived  to  be  grown.  One  died  at  sea  on 
the  way  to  America.  The  eldest  son.  John,  i-  a 
prominent  merchant  at  Waco,  Tex.;  .lames  II.  is 
third  in  order  of  birth  of  the  family. and  was  reared 
in  England.  He  had  not  many  educational  advan- 
tages, for  when  a  boy  of  eight  years  he  felt  the 
necessity  of  working,  and  soon  began  to  serve  ;m 
apprenticeship  as  a  stone  cutter  and  mason.  He 
was  sixteen  years  old  when  he  came  to  America 
with  his  father's  family.  After  a  short  residence 
in  Cobourg,  Canada,  he  worked  with  his  father  on 
railway  contracts,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  years 
took  charge  of  a  force  of  men  in  Detroit  in  part- 
nership  with  James  Stewart,  taking  contracts  to 
get  out  stone  on  Drummond  Island  for  the  new 
jail  in  Detroit.  lie  was  then  engaged  on  (  hrist's 
Church  and  on  finishing  this  went  to  Toronto.  Can- 
ada, and  later  was  engaged  on  the  Atlantic  &  <  rreat 
Western  Railroad,  being  interested  in  building  all 
the  bridges  Irom  Akron  to  Dayton,  and  the  con- 
tract  occupying  two  year-. 

Next  Mr.  Tennant  took  a  contract  to  build  the 
machine  shops  for  the  Ontanagon  Railroad  Com- 
pany at  Marquette,  and  thence  went  to  Massillon, 
Ohio,  where  he  took  the  contract  for  the  stone 
work  whii  h  was  there  cut  for  Trinity  Chuicfa  of 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  and  in  1872  he  came  to  Bay  City  to 


build  the  First  National  Bank.  After  its  comple- 
tion he  went  to  Saginaw  and  superintended  the 
building  of  the  People's  Savings  Bank,  and  then 
with  hi-  brother  John  formed  a  partnership  with 
ill.  Bate  and  Mr.  Pryor,  the  linn  being  conducted 
under  the  firm  name  of  Tennant  Bros.  &  Co.  John 
Tennant  withdrew  and  went  to  Waco.  Tex.:  then 
on  the  withdrawal  of  Mr.  Pryor  the  Bnn  name  was 
changed  to  the  Bay  City  Stone  Company.  .Mr. 
Tennant  has  charge  of  the  contracting  department. 
In  1889  the  company  built  the  Michigan  Central 
depot,  win  ;h  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  State. 
They  also  did  the  stone  work  on  the  Crapo  Block, 
the  l'lnenix  Bloi  k.  the  Slit  -ares  Bloek  and  the  Com- 
mercial Bank.  They  built  the  First  Natioi  al  Bank 
of  Saginaw,  the  Flint  High  School  and  the  Manis- 
tee County  court-house.  During  one  year  Sir. 
Tennant  had  charge  of  fourteen  large  contract-. 
The  company  furnishes  constant  employment  to 
eighty  men.  They  own  thirty-three  acre-  on  the 
Saginaw  Bay  shore,  from  which  they  get  excellent 

stone. 

Mr.  Tennant  was  married  in  St.  Catharines, 
Canada.  June  26,  1867,  to  .Miss  Emily  Horsham, 
who  wa-  bom  in  Devonshire,  England.  They  arc 
the  parents  of  four  children — Arthur  .1..  Mabel. 
Gertrude  and  Sidney.  The  eldest  -on  is  a  practical 
stone-cutter,  located  in  Washington  State.  The 
family  residence  i<  located  at  the  corner  of  Eighth 
and  Sherman  Street-  and  is  a  most  attractive  place. 
Mr.  Tennant  is  united  with  many  societies  and  i- 
a  Knight  of  the  Maccabees,  also  belongs  to  the 
United  Friend-.  He  and  his  wife  are  associated 
with  the  Congregational  Church.  He  is  a  Repub- 
lican in  political  predilection. 


_SOs^i 


"•■. 


5*mm-&&wwm. 


6s 


OSIAH  SQUIRE,  a  leading  farmer,  residing 
on  section  I,  Saginaw  Township,  was  born 
December  in.  1835,  in  Woodhouse,  Leices- 
tershire, England,  where  his  father.  John 
Squire,  carried  on  work  in  a  lace  factory,  but 
migrated  across  the  ocean  in  1845,  and  farmed  near 
Brantford.  Ontario.  1  Ie  died  there  at  the  age  of 
eighty  years  in  the  hope  of  a  glorious  resurrection 


PORTRAIT  AM'  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


nml    di  voted    member 
througbuul  Sli  thodist   (  liureh,  as    \\  -i- 

,  name  was  Maiy  W  en- 
tbe  mother  of  nine  children  and 
:  fifty-four  \  ears. 

100I  in  hisnath  e  land,  Josi  ill 
with  hi-  parents,  at  the  age  of  thir- 
montb  mi  tin-  voi 
join  a  the  ship  "Marmion."     Attheageol 

in  independent  work,  taking  a 
hundred  acres  "ii  shares.  When  lie 
S59,  he  located  at  Saginaw, 
landing  with  on lj  $1  in  his  pocket  and  being  three 
01  four  weeks  without  work.  During  his  firsl  win- 
tor  here  li<-  worked  in  a  liveri  stable  and  then 
t •  ■  1 1 1 1 ■  I  < - 1 1 1 1 >  1  •  > v  1 1 n •  1 1 1  on  Mi.  Brockway's  farm,  after 
n hich  hi  !:u  in  oi  John   Lent,  making  :i 

_■  - 1 i 1 1  io  have  tin-  use  of  the  farm  tor  clearing 
and  fencing  five  acres  a  year;  but  at  tin  expiration 
of  tin-  second  year  In-  -old  hi-   |< 

I       young  man  next  bought  n  house  and  lot  at 
tin-  i  \  •  hi  in  ~  and  Bond  Streets  in  the  city, 

ami    did    teaming  until    1866,  .it    which  linn-    he 
bougbl  hi-    present    property,  onlj    two    or    threi 
-  of  wbicb  wei  cleared,  and    which  had 

upon  it  ;i  larger  stock  of  wild  deer  than  domestic 
animals  ami  In-  could  even  boast  of  a  goodly  num- 
'■:  tears  which  made  their  home  upon  hi- farm. 
Here  he  buill  a -mall  wooden  bouse  and  went  in 
work  to  clear  the  farm  and  put  it  in  shape  forcul- 
ii\  ation. 

Mr.  Squire  was  married  to  the  lady  of  hischoice 
in  1856,  aiol  -he  was  before  her  marriage  with  him 
Mrs.  \iina  Bailey.  Of  their  sis  children  live  are 
lit  ing,  vi/.:  Habbie,  Anna.  Bailey,  b'red,  ami  Alfred. 
The  daughter  <  arrie  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
*,  jusl  after  graduating  in  the  cit)  High 
Schools.     One  hundred  acres  of  the  one  hundred 

ami  t went \  m   the   | ession  of    Mr.    Squire,  arc 

now  under  cultivation.  Hi-  beautiful  I te,  w  hich 

he  erected  in  1881,  and  to  winch  he  built    an   ad- 
dition in  1889,  is  situated   lour  am]   a   lull'    miles 
north  of  the  city.  The  two  commodious  barns  aid 
indeed  all  tl utbuildings  of  the  farm  are  credit- 
to   tbe   enii  rprise  ami  thoroughness  of   the 
•  i . 
The  political  view-  ,,t  on,  subjeel  have,  through- 


out most  of  hi-  life,  brought  hint  into  affiliation 
with  the  Republican  party,  but  of  late  he  ha-  ex- 
perienced a  reaction  on  the  larift  question,  and  has 
left  thai  party,  a-  he  cannot  believe  in  the  expedi- 
ency "I'  a  hich  tariff,  lie  therefore  now  counts 
himself  as  in  line  with  the  Democratic  party.  His 
intelligence  ami  interesl  in  the  local  educational 
affairs  have  broughl  him  into  prominence  in  con- 
nection with  the  schools,  and  he  i-  now  a  School 
Director.  Both  lie  ami  hiswifeare  prominent  ami 
active  members  of   the    Baptist   Church   and    find 

therein  a   wide  sphere  of    influence. 


*-7-^II()MAS  II.  MON08MITH,of  Bay  City,  is 
/ /T\  the  proprietor  of  the  kindling  wood  fae- 
V — /  tory  at  Thirty-seventh  Street  and  the  rail- 
road crossing  of  the  Flint  &  I'ere  Marquette 
Road.  He  carries  on  a  large  business  in  tin-  man- 
ufacture  of    pitched    and  dried    kindlings,  using 

-team  power  and  having  in  hi-  employ  some 
twenty-six  men.  He  is  the  only  man  in  this  busi- 
ness in  theSaginaw  Valley  and  there  are  none  in 
the  West  ea.-t  of  the  Mississippi  River,  doing  a 
larger  business  than  he.  He  ships  to  Chicago  and 
other  large  cities.  He  has  the  largesl  factory  west 
of  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Monosmith  began  this  business  about  1879 
in  Medina  Ohio,  hut  in  1882  he  removed  to  Michi- 
gan because  he  could  here  secure  a  better  supply 
of  lumber  and  is  thus  a  pioneerin  this  line  and  has 
made  it  a  success.  His  plant  here  covers  eight  hun- 
dred square  feet  and  he  has  a  switch  track  con- 
necting his  yard  with  the  main  track  of  the  rail- 
road. 

Our  subject  was  horn  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio, 
June   in.  1844,  and  isasonof  Joseph   and    Lizzie 

(Hawn)    M smith.      As   the   father  was  a  farmer 

the  -on  was  broughl  up  in  the  country  and  had 
good  practical  training  both  at  home  and  in  the 
common  school  and  for  some  time  tauffhl  in  that 
'  ty.  The  father  wa-  Supervisor  of  his  town- 
ship and  a  man  of  prominence.  The  youug  man 
Mist  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  butter  and 
cheese  in    a  factor}   on    tin-   Western  Reserve  and 


PORTRAIT  AM)    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


527 


built  for  himself  a  factory  in  Medina  County,  in 
L868.  After  operating  it  for  some  time  lie  sold  it. 
Inn  still  carried  on  the  same  line  of  work  in  other 
places, until  1879  when  be  took  bold  of  his  presenl 
work  whicb  was  then  a  new  business. 

Upon  his  arrival  here  Mr.  Monosmitli  formed  a 
corporation  known  as  the  Michigan  Fire  Lighter 
Company  and  was  elected  as  it-  President  and  oc- 
cupied  the  position  as  manager.  After  a  business 
period  of  four  years  Mr.  Monosmith  secured  entire 
control  of  the  business.     The  plant  was  located  at 

tin ner  of  Fortieth  and  Watei  Streets.   In  1888 

the  entire  plant  was  destroyed  by  fire,  making  a 
total  loss,  as  lie  carried  no  insurance.  During  the 
conflagration  Mr.  Monosmith  bad  a  verj  narrow 
escape  from  death.  He  then  moved  to  his  presenl 
location. 

Thuma>  li.  Monosmith  was  united  iii  marriage 
June  18,  1868  with  Miss  Emily  I...  daughter  of 
Olnej  Rounds.  Their  three  children  are:  Olney, 
who  is  a  graduate  of  the  Bay  City  High  School 
and  is  now  a  student  at  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons  in  Chicago;  Perley  B.,  who  is  with 
our  subject,  and  John  I>.  While  this  gentleman 
has  not  been  an  active  politician  he  votes  the  Dem- 
ocratic ticket.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  the  Maccabees. 


ENRY  SHAKES.  This  former  valued  resi- 
dent of  Saginaw  was  horn  in  Prussia.  Ger- 
many, January  28,  1840.  His  father  died 
when  he  was  a  mere  child  and  he  with  an 
older  brother  and  his  mother  came  to  Canada, 
when  he  was  ten  years  old.  His  mother  married 
again  in  Canada  and  Henry  early  learned  the 
mason's  trade  and  began  his  own  support.  He  had 
a  good  German  education.  He  also  was  a  great 
ri  ider  and  observer,  and  retained  all  he  read. 
Alter  completing  his  trade  as  a  mason  he  came  to 
Saginaw  and  worked  at  it  for  some  time. 

Returning  to  (  anada  Mr.  Shakes  was  married  at 

Exeter.  April    11.    1864,    to    Miss    Barbara     Ellen 

Deemert,  who  was  horn  at  Guelph,  Ontario,  and  is 

Of  German  ancestry.     The  young  couple    came    to 

24 


the  city  of  Saginaw,  where  Mr.  shakes  soon 
after  became  a  contractor  and  liuilt  some  of  the 
principal  residence-  and  business  Mocks  of  that 
city,  such  as  the  Giesler  block,  the  Derby  block, 
the  Hoyt's  planing-mill,  the  File  works,  and  the 
Hurt  residence,  besides  doing  much  building  ill 
other  cities.  One  of  his  principal  jobs  was  the 
large  hotel  at  Bay  Port,  and  another,  the  hank  at 
Standish.  James  Kern  was  his  partner  for  some 
time  and  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  our  SUOJecl 
they  were  buildingamill  for  Duncan  &  lire  wer.  and 
one  for  Mitchell  and  McClure  at  Duluth.  He  was 
fatally  injured  by  the  breaking  of  a  scaffold  which 
caused  him  to  fall  some  ten  feet  and  his  death  oc- 
curred at  Duluth.  April  1.  1891,  just  a  week  after 
the  accident.  He  gave  the  business  his  full  atten- 
tion and  supervision  up  to  the  very  last  moment 
and  not  five  minutes  before  his  death  was  on  his 
feet.  As  SOOn  as  he  wa-  hurt  his  wife  hastened  to 
his  bedside  and  tenderly  watched  over  him.  Hebe- 
ing  bright  and  cheerful  they  anticipated  no  danger, 
so  no  dark  shadow  cast  a  gloom  over  the  last  few 
days  they  -o  happily  spent  together. 

Mr.  Shakes  wa-  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  74.1.  ( ). 
().  I-'.,  Lodge  No.  508,  K.  of  II..  the  Arbeiter  So- 
ciety, and  the  Builders'  and  Trader-'  Exchange. 
He  was  selected  as  a  delegate  to  the  National  Con- 
vention to  be  held  in  New  York  but  as  business 
called  him  to  Duluth  at  that  time  he  was  not  able 
to  attend.  At  the  time  of  his  death  his  pall  hear- 
er- were  -elected  from  the  societies  to  which  he 
belonged  with  the  addition  of  two  members  of  the 
Brick  Layers  Union.  He  was  a  careful  business 
man  and  his  contiacts  were  invariably  successful. 
In  physique  he  was  robust,  healthy  and  vigorous, 
ami  socially   was   very    companionable.       He    was 

often  asked  t icupy  offices  of  public  trust  hut 

invariably  declined,  although  he  was  interested  in 
party  movements  and  a  stanch  Democrat.  He 
was  -aiil  to  he  the  mo-t  straightforward  of  the 
business  men  of  the  city  and  always  stood  well 
with  all  his  workmen,  ever  realizing  that  they 
were  human  beings  and  never  having  difficulties 
or  strikes  among  them. 

As  Mr.  and  Mrs  Shakes  had  no  children  they 
adopted  a  little  girl  when  she  was  four  years  old. 
This  daughter.  Carrie,  is  now  the  wife  of  Louis  A. 


528 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Seifert,  who  is  in  partnership  with  Heavenrich 
Bros,  in  the  shoe  business.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren. Lulu  Barbara  and  Elsie  May.  Mr.  Shakes  pos- 
sessed strong  social  qualities  and  was  a  genial  com- 
panion and  valuable  friend.  He  found  his  greatesl 
pleasure  in  the  society  of  his  wife  and  daughter, 
and  his  home  was  an  exceptionally  happy  one  and  lie 
could  not  have  loved  an  own  child  more  heartily 
than  he  did  the  brilliant  and  handsome  girl  whom 
he  adopted.  Her  two  little  daughters  were  very 
near  to  his  heart  and  could  not  have  been  more 
dear  than  they  were  had  they  been  his  own  Mesh 
and  blood. 

A  lithographic  portrait  of  the  late  Mr.  Shako  i> 
presented  in  connection  with  this  biography. 


<fl  OfclLLIAM  V.  PRYBESKI.  Our  subject  is 
\/~\///  one  "^  ""'  m"st  prominent  representa- 
\yvy  tives  of  that  country  that  has  suffered  so 
severely  from  the  avarice  of  the  great  European 
powers  and  that  is  now  a  people  without,  a  home 
government.  It  is  not  surprising  that  in  a  foreign 
land  those  who  are  loyal  to  the  histories  and  tra- 
ditions of  the  Fatherland,  should  become  associa- 
ted, and  organize  a  Polish-American  Alliance  that 
should  have  for  its  object  the  cultivation  of  loyal 
American  citizens  and  the  support,  recognition 
and  aid  of  the  oppressed  of  their  own  people.  Mr. 
Pry beski  is  now  Censor  or  Supreme  President  of 
the  Polish  National  Alliance  of  America  with  which 
he  has  been  connected  since  1880.  heretofore  as  the 
President  of  General  Government  of  the  Alliance, 
and  now  occupying  the  Chairof  that  Alliance.  He 
is  also  the  present  Treasurer  of  Bay  County. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Poland  in  the  city  of 
Kowalewo.  now  called  Schoensee,  in  the  State  of 
Thorn,  his  natal  day  being  February  5,  1857.  He 
is  a  son  of  Paul  and  Margaret  (  Bneski)  Prybeski. 
The  former  is  a  native  of  the  same  place  as  is  our 
subject,  where  he  was  a  merchant.  He  was  an  officer 
in  the  German  army  in  which  he  distinguished 
himself.  He  continued  in  business  in  his  native 
place  until  just  prior  to  his  decease,  in    1877.     His 


son  Joseph  now  succeeds  him  in  business.  Our 
subject's  mother  was  a  daughter  of  John  Brieski, 
a  regent  of  the  locality  of  Kowalewo.  (formerly  the 
Castle  Kowalewo. i  and  a  prominent  man  in  that 
vicinity.  Our  subject  was  one  of  eight  children 
born  to  his  parents  there  being  four  boys  and  four 
girls;  of  these  only  three  are  now  living,  viz: 
Joseph,  Agnes  and  Wiliani  Y. 

Our  subject  laid  the  foundation  of  his  education 
in  the  schools  at  his  home  until  he  was  fourteen 
years  of  age.  lie  then  began  attendance  at  the 
High  School  in  the  same  city,  and  from  sixteen  to 
seventeen  years  of  age  was  in  the  city  of  Thorn 
with  Simon  &  Co..  engaged  in  the  wholesale  gro- 
cery business,  to  which  he  had  been  trained  from  a 
boy.  Returning  to  his  father's  home  he  remained 
there  three  months,  but  meantime  the  idea  had 
crystallized  into  the  determination  to  come  to 
America,  having  been  interested  in  the  super- 
ior advantages  that  a  young  man  enjoys  here 
b\  a  friend  who  had  been  to  this  country.  In 
March.  1874,  he  left  Berlin  for  Hamburg  and  sailed 
on  the  steamer  "Abyssinia"  to  New  York.  After 
spending  two  weeks  in  the  great  metropolis  of  the 
seaboard,  lie  came  to  Detroit,  Mich.,  in  March.  187  I. 

Mr.  Prybeski  was  first  employed  in  Detroit  as 
clerk  in  a  wholesale  meat  house  of  William  Smith 
.v  Son.  then  proprietors  of  the  largest  meat  business 
in  that  locality.  He  remained  there  two  and  a  half 
years  and  in  the  fall  of  1876  came  to  Hay  City 
and  launched  into  the  meat  business  for  himself 
in  partnership  with  A.  Mendriski.  This  partner- 
ship continued  until  1885  and  on  it>  dissolution 
our  subject  became  sole  proprietor  and  continued 
the  business  until  receiving  theelection  a-  County 
Treasurer. 

Mr.  Prybeski  has  added  much  to  the  attractive- 
ness of  the  city  by  his  public  spirit  and  thorough 
business  qualifications  and  has  acquired  consider- 
able wealth.  His  election  to  the  position  which  lie 
now  holds  took  place  in  1890,  being  elevated  to 
thai  position  by  the  Democratic  party  and  their 
vote  being  endorsed  by  the  Labor  Party,  lie  re- 
ceived the  nattering  vote  of  fourteen  hundred  ma- 
jority, and  assumed  charge  of  the  office  January  1. 
1891.  He  is  the  first  of  his  people  who  has  held 
a  County  Treasurer's  office  in   America,  and    per- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


529 


haps  a  county  office  of  any  sort.     Our  subject  is   :i 

self-made  man  in  every  respect    bul   his  bition 

Ikis  induced  him  to  continue  the  process  of  self- 
culture  under  trying  circumstances.  After  coming 
to  America  he  perfected  his  knowledge  of  English 
and  of  business  methods  by  attending  business  col- 
leges in  Detroit  and  Hay  City. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  was  marriedin 
Bay  City,  June  25,  1890,  to  .Miss  Mary  Smialek, 
who  was  born  in  Europe  and  brought  to  America 
when  a  babe,  being  reared  in  this  city.  In  Ikmo. 
our  subject  organized  the  Polish  National  Society 
in  Bay  City.  It  proved  to  be  successful  beyond  his 
most  sanguine  hopes,  and  its  local  membership  is 
eighty-six.  In  1886  he  became  President  of  the 
General  Alliance  whose  headquarters  werechanged 
from  Chicago  to  Bay  City,  and  at  the  convention 
at  Detroit  in  September,  1891,  he  was  elected  Cen- 
sor, which  is  the  highesl  office  in  the  Alliance.  He 
has  been  delegate  to  the  ~i\  conventions  of  this 
association,  at  Chicago,  .Milwaukee.  Bay  City,  St. 
Paul.  Buffalo  and  Detroit.  He  is  well  known  by 
the  Polish  population  of  America  as  well  as  in  Po- 
land and  enjoys  the  highest  esteem  of  his  people  in 
this  country  and  his  native  land. 


Haj- 


HARLES  URIAH  THORN.  This  enter- 
prising young  business  man  of  South  Bay 
J  City,  is  well  read,  intelligent  and  progress- 
ive. He  was  horn  in  Oxford  County,  Me.,  Novem- 
ber 15,  1848,  and  his  father,  William,  was  also  horn 
there,  while  his  grandfather.  Thomas,  was  a  native 
of  Massachusetts  and  removed  to  Oxford  County, 
Me.,  to  take  up  Government  land  in  that  less  set- 
tled state.  He  went  there  with  two  brothers,  one 
of  whom  was  killed  by  the  Indians  and  the  other 
was  captured  and  never  heard  from  again. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was   reared    in     Maine 

and  upon  reaching  inanh 1  went  into  the  grocery 

and  dry-goods  business  and  in  L861  went  to  To- 
ronto. Cauda,  and  dealt  in  grain  for  fourteen  years, 
after  which  he  came  to  the  Slates  and  carried  on 
the  same  business  in  Mason  City,  111.  It  was  in 
'1881  that  William  Thorn  came  to  Bay  City  and 
acted  as  an  agent  for  others,  but    in  October    1888 


he  returned  to  Maine  where  he  carried  on  a  grocery 
business.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  his  political 
affiliations  and  a  Universalis!  in  his  religious  be- 
lief. 

Alinira  Ripley  was  the  maiden  name  of  her  who 
became  the  mother  of  our  subject.  She  was  horn 
in  Oxford  County.  Me.,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
Maj.  William  K.  Ripley,  a  native  of  Massachusetts 
whocarried  on  farming  and  a.  sawmill  business.  His 
military  rank  was  gained  in  t  he  Seminole  War  and 
he  was  a  prominent  man  in  his  vicinity,  belonging 
to  the  old  Puritan  stock  of  New  England  which 
can  be  traced  back  to  the  "Mayflower."  The  fam- 
ily in  which  our  subject  grew  to  manhood  con- 
sisted of  three  children,  and  his  sisters  are:  Sarah, 
Mrs.  Mulholland,  and  Ella  S. 

Common  school  advantages  in  Maine  and  ( lanada 
comprised  all  the  educational  opportunities  which 
were  given  our  subject  and  he  remained  at  home 
with  his  father  until  1869.  At  the  age  of  fourteen 
he  began  the  cigar-making  trade,  and  eighteen 
months  later  his  employer  died  leaving  him  free. 
He  then  worked  at  the  trade  of  a  mechanic  in 
Canada  and  in  1869  went  to  Boston  as  a  journey- 
man in  the  employ  of  Wylder  &  Eastenbrook,  a 
very  large  firm  of  cigar  manufacturers.  Subse- 
quently he  worked  at  other  places  and  was  in  the 
shop  of  Wait  &  Bond,  which  is  now  so  great  an 
establishment.  In  1*7.'?  he  removed  to  Toronto  and 
after  working  for  three  years  at  his  trade  went  to 
Philadelphia  and  thence  to  Chicago,  and  after- 
wards spent  some  time  at  various  Illinois  and  Kan- 
sas towns  and  came  to  Bay  City  in  November,  1KHK. 

After  coming  here  Mr.  Thorn  started  a  cigar 
factory  on  Water  Street  which  two  years  later  was 
burned  down  and  then  again  established  himself 
in  the  Bridge  Block,  now  known  as  the  European 
Hotel.  Somewhat  later  he  became  foreman  for 
Bradock  it  Bateman  in  South  Bay  City,  the  largest 
cigar  factory  in  the  Valley,  but  in  lfs'.il  decided  to 
again  strike  out  for  himself  and  established  his 
own  factory  at  the  corner  of  Bower}'  and  South 
Center  Street.  He  is  engaged  in  making  the  Ox- 
ford Boy  and  Cantonian  cigars  and  his  special 
brands  are  Old  Gus,  Rover  and  Natty.  His  trade 
is  exclusively  with  his  old  home  at  Canton,  Me., 
as  he  ships  all  his  cigars  to  that  point. 


530 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


The  lady  who  became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Thorn  in 
Pekin,  111.,  in  1880,  was  known  in  maidenhood  as 
Miss  Susie  Hauk.  She  was  born  in  Altoona.  Pa., 
and  reared  in  Illinois  and  is  now  the  mother  of 
four  children,  namely:  Kate,  Alice,  Dora  and 
Charles  J.  Mr.  Thorn's  polities  are  of  the  true 
blue  Republican  stripe  and  he  is  a  member  of  the 
National  Union  of  Cigar  Makers  and  the  Bay  (  it\ 
Local  Union. 


/^  HRISTIAN  YOLZ.  The  intelligent  young 
III  farmers  of    Saginaw   County   are   the    bone 

^Sy  and  sinew  of  the  community,  as  their 
strength  and  vitality,  their  enterprise  and  energy 
carry  forward  the  agricultural  interests.  None  of 
them  is  more  justly  appreciated  than  he  whose 
name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  narrative,  ami  his 
beautiful  farm  of  one  hundred  and  eight  acres, 
lying  on  section  21.  Buena  Vista  Township,  Sagi- 
naw County.  i>  well  adorned  and  improved  with 
the  good  buildings  which  lie  has  placed  upon  it. 

Christian  Yolz  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Ger- 
many, November  1.  1855,  and  came,  in  the 
spring  of  1867,  to  America  with  his  parents.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  received  a  good  education, 
which  isalways  accorded  German  children,  and  has 
supplemented  that  knowledge  with  judicious  read- 
ing. The  parents  of  our  subject  located  in  Buena 
Vista  Township  a  few  months  after  their  advent 
into  Saginaw  County,  and  our  subject  continued 
to  reside  at  home  until  his  marriage,  although  he 
spent  four  years  in  Detroit,  being  employed  in 
gardening. 

October  30,  1 S 7 : > .  was  the  date  of  our  subject's 
marriage  with  Miss  Louisa  Dehn,  their  nuptials 
being  celebrated  in  Saginaw.  Mrs.  Yolz  was  born 
in  the  township  in  which  they  now  reside,  Dec-em- 
ber 25,  1858.  To  them  have  been  born  a  family 
of  six  children,  viz:  Yetty,  Christian  J..  Katie, 
John  M.,  Louisa  ami  ( lei  irge  .1.  <  >ur  subject 's  father 
was  Christian  Yolz  and  his  mother's  maiden  name 
was  Dora  Walz.  botli  of  whom  were  natives  of 
"Wurtemberg,  Germany.    They  are  now  residingin 


Buena  Yista  Township,  having  removed  hither  in 
the  fall  of  1867.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Yolz  were 
Peter  and  Barbara  (Stolz)  Dehn,  nativesof  Bavaria, 
i  .11  many.  The  mother  died  in  Buena  Yista  Town- 
ship in   Is.sl'. 

Our  subject  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
about  two  years  and  fulfilled  the  duties  of  the 
otliee  to  the  full  satisfaction  of  his  fellow-towns- 
men. In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  be- 
lieving that  party  to  be  in  the  right.  Both  our 
subject  and  his  wife  are  influential  and  popular 
members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church  and  are 
liberal  contributors  to  the  support  of  the  same. 
They  are  good  citizens  and  desirable  acquisitions 
to  society. 


_a 


^^ 


_M 


[S" 


PAVID  WILSON  i>  a  prosperous  and  well- 
known  farmer  who  resides  on  section  12. 
Tittabawassee  Township,  Saginaw  County- 
where  he  is  tin-  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  as 
line  land  as  LS  to  be  found  in  the  county,  lie 
boughl  this  property  before  it  had  been  touched 
save  by  the  hand  of  nature,  and  be  cut  the  first 
wagon  road  from  Freeland  to  that  spot,  lie  now 
has  it  thoroughly  improved,  and  has  placed  upon 
it  such  buildings  as  are  creditable  to  any  farm. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  «>f  David  and  Susan 
((  low  |  Wilson,  who  were  born  in  Lincolnshire, 
England,  as  was  also  their  son,  who  had  his  na- 
tivity June  30,  1831.  The  father  was  an  engineer 
and  young  David  was  brought  up  to  the  same 
trade,  lie  had  the  misfortune  to  have  his  educa- 
tion cut  short  as  far  as  literary  attainments  go,  but 
he  had  a  thorough  and  most  essential  practical 
training. 

The  lady  who  became  the  wife  of  our  Subjed 
on  the  21th  of  July,  1853,  was  Fannie,  daughter 
of  William  and  Jessie  (Crosby)  Newton,  of  Eng- 
land and  Scotland  respectively.  -Mr.  Newton  fol- 
lowed the  calling  of  a  contractor  and  builder,  and 
did  much  work  in  various  part-  of  the  world.  lie 
was  for  some  time  engaged  in  work  in  the  West 
Indies.  lie  there  met  Miss  Crosby,  and  the  ac- 
quaintance  ripened  into    love   and  they   formed  a 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


531 


happy  union  and  spent  some  tunc  in  the  Wesl 
Indies,  and  there  their  daughter  Fannie  was  born 
June  25,  1830.  The  family  came  to  this  country 
in  1837,  and  settled  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  where  Mr. 
Newton  died  in  1811.  In  1845  Mrs.  Newton  and 
familj  removed  t<>  Pontiac,  Mich.  In  course  of 
time  Fannie  made  the  ;i  •  [iiaintincc  of  our  worthy 
subject 

Eight  children  came  to  bless  the  home  of  Mr. 
ami  Mrs.  Wilson,  and  seven  (if  them  are  Mill 
living  to  cheer  the  hearts  of  their  parent-.  Min- 
nie S..  who  was  born  June  1.  1854,  makes  her 
home  with  her  parents;  Eva,  born  July  16,  1856, 
is  the  wife  of  David  Turnbull, of  Saginaw  County; 
Andrew  J.,  born  March  2H.  1859,  took  to  wife 
Katie  McKellar, and  resides  upon  a  farm  adjoining 
his  father's;  Ida  A.,  born  May  II.  1861,  has  mar- 
ried Osgood  Xinis.  of  Saginaw  County;  William 
M.,  born  August  20,  1863,  married  Alice  Gilbert 
and  makes  his  home  in  Kay  County:  Fannie,  born 
January  2.").  1866,  married  S.  C.  Brown,  a  lumber- 
man of  Duluth,  Minn.:  David,  born  May  :i  1 .  1868, 
died  September  1.  1870;  and  Jessie,  born  Decem- 
ber 2.  L871,  married  James  Turnlni.ll,  of  Saginaw 
County. 

The  political  convictions  which  govern  the  vote 
of  Mr.  Wilson  arc  in  many  respects  at  variance 
with  the  standards  of  either  one  of  the  great  polit- 
ical part  ies.  although  he  sees  truth  in  some  plank-  of 
the  platform  of  both.  He  casts  his  ballot  for  the 
men  and  measures  which  judgment  approves,  and 
finds  this  t  i  he  most  satisfactory  to  him.  lie  is  an 
attendant  at  the  services  oi  the  Methodisl  Epis- 
copal Chinch  and  a  supporter  of  all  measures  look- 
ing   toward    the    promotion  of    the    welfare  of    the 

community,  and  is  ever  pleased   with    progress  in 
this  direction. 


!•==* 


"A 


<«       SALTER   FRAZEE.     That  the   fear  of  wh* 
%/iJ/i    comes  •'lllr|'  death  "makes  cowards  of   us 

vV  :ill"  is  as  true  to-day  as  when  penned  by 
the  immortal  bard,  and  to  most  men  those  fears 
cause  a  shudder  when  contemplating  the  tomb. 
Many  people  designate  the  details  of  their  funerals, 


hoping  thus  to  assuage  this  feeling,  and  it  is  a 
consolation  when  dying  to  know  that  the  body 
will  he  consigned  to  its  hum  sleep  by  tender 
hands  and  followed  by  loving  hearts.  Years  of 
experience  have  made  Mr.  Frazee  proficient  in 
performing  the  saddest  of  human  rites  and  tender 
obligations,  and  much  of  the  repulsiveness  of  the 
final  duty  of  man  to  man  is  mitigated  when  tohis 
trained  hands  and  eye  and  thoughtful  mind  can 
be  relegated  the  work  in  which  he  is  so  proficient. 
Friend-  can  always  rest  assured  that  no  omis- 
sion or  interruption  will  mar  the  occasion  when 
the  direction  of  the  funeral  is  in  the  charge  of 
Mr.  Frazee,  and  Mr.  II.  Coleman,  in  whose  estab- 
lishment this  gentleman  has  been  Superintendent 
of  the  undertaking  department  for  years,  feels  that 
in  him  he  has  his  ablest  coadjutor.  He  was  born 
in  Durhamville,  N.  V..  July  2.">.  184  1.  and  his  par- 
ents. Arial  and  Julia  Ann  (Morse)  Frazee,  were 
both  native-  of  New  York,  who  came  to  Michigan 
in    I860,  settling  in  Ypsilanti. 

The  father  of  our  subject  had  command  of  a 
trade  as  mechanic,  and  was  formerly  a  salt  manu- 
facturer of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  where  he  owned  two 
salt  blocks.  He  died  at  East  Saginaw  some  eight 
years  ago.  The  son  had  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade  with  his  father,  and  worked  at  it  until  he 
was  twenty-five  years  old.  He  had  come  to  Sagi- 
naw City  in  1HH2,  and  here  he  worked  at  his 
trade  for  seven  year-  jobbing  with  his  father.  In 
L869  he  took  up  undertaking  in  connection  with 
Adam  Haiste,  under  the  firm  name  of  Haisle  it 
Frazee,  doing  business  on  the  east  side  of  Saginaw 
for  some  two  year-,  at  the  end  of  which  time  the 
partner-hip  wa-  dissolved. 

Mr.  Frazee  continued  business  on  the  West  side 
by  himself  for  two  year,-,  and  then  removed  to 
Monroe.  Mich.,  where  he  carried  on  an  undertak- 
ing establishment  four  years,  and  then  returned 
to  Saginaw  and  conducted  business  for  C.  L. 
Benjamin  for  one  year.  He  was  then  proffered 
his  presenl  position  with  the  firm  of  Harvey  & 
Coleman,  and  after  Mr.  Harvey  retired  he  con- 
tinued with  Mr.  Coleman,  and  he  has  had  charge 
of  that  branch  of  the  business  ever  since.  He  wives 
stiict  attention  to  business  and  has  two  assistants 
to  help  him  in  conducting  affairs. 


532 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


Our  subject  was  married  November  3,  1866,  to 
Miss  Abbie  McDonald,  of  Midland  County,  and 
their  children  are  as  follows:  Lottie,  Hattie,  Harry, 
Cora,  Jennie,  Fred  and  Lillie.  All  the  children 
are  still  at  home  and  Jennie  is  a  student  in  the 
High  School.  The  family  residence  is  located  at 
No.  :!.'!."i  North  Weadock  Street.  Mrs.  Frazee  was 
horn  at  Kingston,  Ontario,  and  i-  a  lady  of  more 
than  ordinary  social  qualities  and  is  highly  es- 
teemed. .Mr.  Frazee  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men, and  is  also  identified  with  the  Royal  Arca- 
num and  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees. 


ISS    HATTIE    I..    THOMPSON.      The   at- 
tractive millinery  establishment  located  at 
i  No.  10*  Walnut  Street.  West  Hay  City,  is 
owned  and  managed   by  this  lady,   whose 

inherent  love  of  the  beautiful  is  the  secret  of  her 
success  in  business.  A  capable  financier  and 
possessing  excellent  judgment  and  good  business 
qualifications,  she  i-  capable  of  ably  managing 
large  interests,  while  her  genial  disposition  has 
won  a  host  of  warm  friends.  As  a  consequence 
of  the  greal  care  she  uses  in  the  selection  of  stock, 
her  establishment  i-  regarded  as  headquarters  for 
tine  millinery  and  she  enjoys  a  large  patronage  of 
the  ladies  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.  Her  business  has 
steadily  grown  from  its  beginning  and  is  still  in- 
creasing, as  her  work  gives  universal  satisfaction 
and  her  reliable  methods  have  secured  for  her 
merited  success. 

( >n  her  father's  side.  Miss  Thompson  i-  the 
granddaughter  of  an  old  Revolutionary  soldier, 
who  was  a  farmer  in  New  Hampshire  and  died  in 
Grafton,  Vt.  In  the  last-named  place  her  father, 
Horace,  was  born,  and  thence  he  removed  to  Ohio 
in  1839,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  pur- 
suits. In  his  political  belief  lie  was  a  strong 
Democrat  and  not  only  in  local  affairs,  but  also  in 
all  matters  of  general  importance,  he  was  well  in- 
formed.    His  death  occurred  in  October,  1881.    In 

his  early  manh 1  he  married  Miss Lydia Gregory, 

who  was  born  in  Saratoga  County.  N.  Y.  and  died 


in  Ohio  in  September.  l*7(i.  She  was  a  faithful 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church  and  possessed  a 
noble  character  and  high  impulses.  Her  father 
was  a  successful  farmer  and  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Medina  County,  Ohio. 

Six  children  in  the  family  grew  to  mature  years. 
namely:  Frances  (Mrs.  F.  1"..  McCoy),  who  resides 
in  Oklahoma;  Mary,  (Mrs.  M.  A.  Lawson),  whose 
home  i-  in  Grafton,  Ohio:  Hiram,  who  enlisted 
during  the  late  war  in  Company  A.  One  Hundred 
and  Twenty-fourth  Ohio  Infantry, and  died  in  the 
hospital  at  Chattanooga,  in  1863,  when  twenty 
year.-  old;  Maria  (Mrs.  Henry  llolbrook).  who  re- 
sides in  Saginaw  County;  Luther,  whose  home  is 
in  Oregon  and  Hattie  L..  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
She  was  reared  on  the  old  homestead  where  she 
was  born  in  Lorain  County, Ohio,  near  Elyria,  ami 
rececived  a  common -scl I  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  that 'community.  Until  the  death 
of  her  father  she  resided  at  home,  after  which  she 
-tailed  in  business  for  herself  in  Elyria,  Ohio,  buy- 
ing a  carefully  -elected  stock  of  millinery  and 
fanc\  goods  and  remaining  there  successfully  en- 
gaged in  business  until  1885,  when  -he  came  i" 
West  Lay  (  ity. 

Here  Miss  Thompson  lir-t  started  in  the  millinen 
business  a1  No.  607  Midland  Street,  but  later  re- 
moved to  her  present  place,  where  she  carries  the 
largest  stock  of  millinery  and  fancy  goods  of  any 
establishment  in  the  city.  Her  sympathies  are 
with  the  cause  of  Prohibition,  and  she  is  a  consist- 
ent member  of  tin-  Methodisl  Church  when-  she 
teaches  in  the  Sunday-school  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Kpworth   League. 


^I>*<§= 


DAM  FISHER.  Tin-  warm  hearted  neigh- 
bor, true  friend  and  popular  citizen  i.-  a 
(i  Canadian  by  birth  and  now  make-  his 
home  at  Carrol  ton.  Saginaw  County,  where 
lie  carrie-  on  a  jobbing  business  at  the  shingle 
mills  of  C.  M.  Hill,  lie  was  born  in  Norfolk 
County,  Canada,  April  21,  is.! 7.  and  is  a  son  of 
.lames  Fisher,  who  wa-  born  near  Ancaster,  Canada, 
where  he  carried  on  the  double  vocation-  of  miller 


PORTRAIT   AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


533 


and  cabinet  maker;  he  also  lumbered  some.  He 
was  married  to  Miss  (  liarity  Misner,  who  be- 
came the  mother  of  our  subject.  The  father  died 
:it  the  early  ag<  of  forty-nine  years  leaving  six 
sons  and  one  daughter,  the  mother  "a-  also  taken 
from  these  children  s'.nn  after,  dying  at  the  age  of 
fifty-one.  They  were  both  religious  in  their  lives 
and  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Our  subject  attended  school  through  his  early 
years  and  learned  hi-  father's  trade.  For  some 
elgbl  years  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  and  also 
entered  upon  the  manufacture  of  potash  and  car- 
ried "ii  a  grocery  store.  He  came  in  Michigan  in 
i  lu'  fall  of  1882  and  took  a  position  as  foreman 
with  I-;.  Ii.  Finney  in  his  shingle  mill.-,  where  ln- 
workcd  for  three  years.  In  1885  he  began  this  en- 
gagement with  .Mr.  Hill,  which  ho  ha-  been  pursu- 
ing ever  since. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Fisher  in  1858  united  him 
with  Margaret  Marr,  a  uative  of  Canada,  and  to 
them  have  been  horn  one  son  and  three  daughters, 
namely:  John,  Linnie,  Josephine  and  Nellie.  All 
of  these  children  arc  now  married  and  have  estab- 
lished home-  of  their  own. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fi.-her  are  and  have  been  all  their 
lives  devout  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
<  >ur  subject  has  ever  been  attached  to  the  princi- 
plesof  the  Republican  party,  yet  is  independent  in 
the  disposition  of  his  ballot  in  regard  to  local 
issues,  since  1889  he  has  been  the  Justice  of  the 
Peace  here  and  has  tilled  that  office  to  the  advan- 
tage of  the  community  and  to  his  credit. 


1 


v^' 


OHN  SHEPHERD.  No  more  interesting 
man  can  be  found  in  Saginaw  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  than  this  old  resident  who 
^  may  be  characterized  as  a  warm  hearted. 
shrewd  Englishman,  whose  practical  common-sense 
and  business  push  are  enlivened  by  a  strong  vein 
of  humor  in  his  mental  make-up.  lie  was  born  in 
Upwell,  Cambridgeshire,  England,  April  5,  1826 
and  his  father  William,  and  hi-  grandfather,  were 
both  in  service  in  a  gentleman's  family  in  Cam- 
bridgeshire,   The  father,  who  died  thereat  the  age 


of  forty-nine,  married  Mary  Rolpb  and  -In'  became 
the  mother  of  six  children:  Elizabeth,  William. 
Joseph,  Thomas,  John  and  Susan,  the  latter  dying 
when  quite  young.  Uoth  parents  were  members  of 
the  Church  of  England, and  the  mother  lived  until 
she  reached  the  age  of  -ixtv.  Her  father  was  a 
game  keeper  on  the  Townley  estate. 

In  his  boyh 1  days.   John    Shepherd    attended 

school  and  worked  in  a  large  garden  in  Cambridge- 
shire, but  before  coming  to  America  in  1852  spenl 
throe  years  as  apprentice  to  the  painters'  trade. 
During  the  long  voyage  of  five  week-  ami  two 
day-  upon  the  ocean  (which  was  shared  li>  seven 
hundred  and  twenty-one  fellow-passengers)  there 
occurred  on  board  three  deaths,  two  births  and 
one  suicide. 

After  working  for  one  summer  at  Lockport, 
N.  V..  and  passing  on  to  Cleveland, Ohio,  where  he 
followed  painting  as  a  trade.  Mr.  Shepherd  came 
to  Michigan  in  1857  and  at  once  soughl  Saginaw 
of  which  he  bad  heard  much.  At  first  sight  he  was 
so  disappointed  with  what  he  styled  "a  one  horse 
town"  that  he  almost  decided  to  return  to  Cleve- 
land but  wa-  induced  to  stay  by  Judge  Williams. 
an  early  settler. who  pointed  out  to  him  the  brighl 
prospects  of  the  town,  the  cheapness  of  lots  and  the 
facilities  for  building  and  promised  to  help  him 
find  employ  ment. 

During  bis  stay  in  the  city,  which  continued  un- 
til 1866,  the  young  man  followed  his  trade  and 
then  located  upon  the  farm  two  miles  out  of  town. 
He  has  seen  East  Saginaw  grow  from  a  village  ton 
city  of  thirty-five  thousand  inhabitants  and  is  aide 
to  relate  some  rather  humorous  incident-  growing 
out  of  the  ill  feeling  between  the  Easl  and  Wesl 
Sides  of  the  city  engendered  by  the  starting  of  the 
former  town  in  apparent  rivalry  to  the  latter.  Upon 
the  wall-  of  the  plea.-ant  home  which  Mr.  Shepherd 
built  in  1876  i- a  drawing  made  by  his  son  of  the 
first  home,  a  board  shanty  surrounded  by  trees 
and  stumps.  The  road  wa-  then  a  mere  trail  and 
in  order  to  clear  fifteen  acre-  of  land  he  took  out 
seven  hundred  stumps. 

Our  subject  was  first  married  in  England, 
in  December.  1850  to  Elizabeth  Trotman.  She  de- 
parted this  life  September  2  I.  1851,  and  wa-  the 
mother  of  one  child  who  (lied  young.    Mr.  Shepherd 


534 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


was  again  married  March  1,  1855,  to  Sarah  Wallis, 
who  was  horn  in  Sackett  V  1  [arbor,  Jefferson  County, 
N.  V.,  where  her  father  was  a  farmer  and  cooper. 
Mr.  Wallis  settled  at  Cleveland,  Ohio  in  1832  and 
three  years  later  at  Springfield,  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
sided for  six  years  and  then  made  his  home  al 
Solon,  the  same  State,  and  here  died  at  the  age  of 
fifty-four  while  his  wife  lived  to  be  eighty  years 
old.  Their  four  children  were,  Charles  II..  Elizabeth 
.1.  (deeeased).  Minnie,  (Mrs.  McLeon)  and  Wallis. 
Our  subject  had  one  hundred  acres  of  land  but 
he  has  sold  and  given  to  his  children  until  he  now 
has  only  forty  acres,  lie  has  handled  farm  imple- 
ments to  some  extent  for  the  past  ten  years  and 
now  sells  the  Butler  Windmill,  the  D.  S.  Morgan  & 
Co.  binders,  mowers,  spading  harrows,  etc..  and 
sells  implements  for  the  Patrons  of  Industry,  lie 
was  for  many  years  a  Republican  in  his  political 
views  but  is  now  an  Independent  in  politics. 


^-*^**A^a«3<  • 


ylLLIAM  WHIPPLE.  Step  by  step  Mr. 
Whipple  worked  his  way  until  hi>  worldly 
affairs  at  the  time  of  his  death  were  on  a 
substantial  basis,  and  he  was  numbered  among  the 
well-to-do  citizens  of  Hay  County.  While  advanc- 
ing his  financial  interests  he  by  no  means  neglected 
the  better  things  in  life,  but  discharged  in  an  able 
manner  the  duties  of  citizenship  and  helped  to 
elevate  the  intellectual  and  moral  status  of  the 
section    in  which  he    made  his  home.      lie  was    the 

owner  and  proprietor  of  a  well-appointed  farm, 
situated  on  section  3,  Portsmouth  Township,  from 
the  fertile  sod  of  thi>  place,  comprising  seventy -one 
acres,  large  harvests  are  gathered  and  the  estate 
is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  best  improved  in  the 
community.  A  view  of  this  place  is  presented  in 
another  portion  of  the  Rkcord. 

While  a  small  child,  Mr.  Whipple  was  doubly 
orphaned  by  the  death  of  his  parents,  who  were 
natives  of  Orange  County,  N.  Y..  and  who  earh 
settled  in  Madison  County,  the  same  State.  In  the 
last-m  ntioned  place  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  October  1,  1820,  and  was  still  quite  young 
when  he  was  forced  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 


world  on  account  of  the  death  of  his  father  and 
mother.  He  soon  acquired  that  self-reliance  which 
characterizes  those  who  in  youth  commence  to 
battle  with  adverse  circumstances.  He  remained 
in  Madison  County  until  1857,  in  the  meantime 
growing  to  a  sturdy  manhood  and  taking  \i\>  p 
among  the  representative  citizens  of  the  county. 

Not  feeling  satisfied  to  make  his  home  perma- 
nently in  New  York.  Mr.  Whipple  resolved  toseek 
the  growing  West  and  there  establish  a  home. 
Coming  to  Genesee  County.  Mich.,  in  1^57,  he 
engaged  in  lumbering,  but  after  a  short  sojourn 
there  came  thence  to  Bay  County  in  I860,  and 
followed  milling  about  ten  year-.  His  business 
grew  from  the  first,  and  his  reliable  dealings  gained 
the  good  will  of  his  fellow-citizens.  The  place 
upon  which  he  resided  until  death  was  purchased 
by  him  in  1*70.  but  he  did  not  locate  upon  it  im- 
mediately after  its  purchase.  His  home  continued 
to  be  in  Bay  City  until  lK,s:i,  when  he  located  on 
the  farm  and  afterward  engaged  in  a  general  tann- 
ing business. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Whipple  and  Miss  Char- 
lotte Hill  was  solemnized  in  1842  and  unto  them 
was  born  one  son.  Hiram,  who  died  in  Oregon, 
leaving  a  wife  and  two  daughters.  Mrs.  Whipple 
died  about  twoyears  alter  the  marriage,  and  Mr. 
Whipple  subsequently  was  united  with  Miss  Mi- 
nerva Green,  of  Genesee  County.  This  "estimable 
lady  is  highly  esteemed  in  the  community  in  which 
she  resides,  and  is  a  devoted  wife  and  a  tender 
mother.  four  children  were  bom  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Whipple,  of  whom  two  are  still  living — Clayton 
B.  and  Fred  C,  who  arc  still  at  home  and  in  at- 
tendance at  the  I  n  tenia  t  ion  a  1  Business  ( lollege  i  ■ 
Bay  City. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Whipple  wasidentitied 
with  the  Masonic  fraternity.  In  Portsmouth 
Township  he  became  well  known  as  an  active 
farmer  and  energetic  citizen,  whose  services  in  be- 
half of  the  community  were  ever  willingly  offered. 
In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Republican  and  never 
failed  to  use  every  opportunity  of  casting  his  vote 
for  the  condidates  of  that  party.  His  fellow-citi- 
zens realizing  hi*  fitness  for  office,  called  him  to 
lill  several  positions  within  their  gift,  and  the  du- 
ties of  these  offices  be  discharged  to  the  besl  of  his 


LATE  RESIDENCE  3F    /VILLIAM     WHIPPLE,  SEC.3. .PORTSMOUTH  TR.BAY  CO., MICH. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RFCORD. 


537 


ability  and  to  the  general  satisfaction,  rn  educa- 
tional matters  his  interest  was  great,and  as  a  mem- 
ber i  f  the  School  Board  for  eighl  years  prior  to 
his  demise  he  did  much  effective  work  in  the  way 
<>f  securing  capable  instructors.  Beside  the  farm 
upon  which  be  resided,  In-  owned  fort}' acres,  lo- 
cated in  Saginaw  Township. 


^> 


HRIS  [I.  UEBERROTH  is  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Ueberroth  a-  Co.,  of  Day 
/  City,  prominent  dealers  in  crockery,  glass  - 
wave,  china,  wall-paper  and  art  goods.  The  busi- 
ness is  carried  on  in  the  Ueberroth  .V-  Co.  block 
at  No.  816  North  Washington  Avenue.  This 
fine  brick  structure,  a  view  of  which  appears  on 
another  page,  consists  of  three  stories  and  a 
basement  and  is  25x100  feet  in  dimensions,  hav- 
ing a  glass  front  and  stone  trimmings.  It  is  one 
of  the  finest  stores  in  the  city  and  is  adjacent 
to  two  other  splendid  structures.  The  firm  occu- 
pies the  whole  of  the  building  and  their  goods  are 
so  arranged  as  to  attract  the  eye  of  everj  visitor. 
Thc\  keep  in  their  employ  eighl  clerks  and  con- 
duct a  lucrative  and  increasing  trade. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  horn  in  Bay  City, 
December  15,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Leonard  and 
Mary  (liemhart)  Ueberroth.  The  father,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  the  city,came  here  direct  from 
Gi  any  in  1853.  Our  subject  received  his  early 
school  education  ill  Bay  City  and  in  his  youth 
began  clerking  with  Frank  Crandall,  dealer  in  toys 

and  !anc\  goods.  Later  he  was  with  White  & 
Davenport  in  the  crockery  business  and  remained 
with  their  successor,  A.  IS.  Griswold,  until  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  G.  R.  Fox.  lie  was  engaged 
with  the  host-named  gentleman  until  August,  1884, 
when  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Frank  King 
under  the  firm  name  of  King  &  Ueberroth,  their 
first  location  heme- on  Center  Street. 

The  firm  opened  up  a  good  sized  store  bul  con- 
tinued in  partnership  only  six  months  when  our 
subject  took  with  him  W .  E.  Sec.  Thai  connec- 
tion continued  until  1889,  when  Mr.  See  went  out 
and    II.    (.    Moultht'Op    look    a    partnership    which 


continues  until  the  present  time,  lie  his  indus- 
trious and  persistent  habits  Mr.  Ueberroth  has  at- 
tained hi-  prominent  position  as  one  of  the  leading 

men  in  the  business  circles  of  the  city  and  now 
devotes  hi-  whole  attention  to  his  line  of  business. 
enjoying  a  large  trade  throughout  the  State. 


WILLIAM  MORIN,  the  genial  proprietor  cf 
of  the  Morin  House,  is  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative Frenchmen  of  West  Bay  City. 
He  was  born  in  Quebec,  Canada.  September  14. 
1840,  and  is  the  son  of  Peter  Morin,  a  native  of 
France.  The  father  of  our  subject  being  an  agri- 
culturist. William  was  reared  to  perform  many  of 
the  duties  pertaining  to  a  farmer's  boy  and  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof  until  fourteen 
years  of  age  when  be  came  to  the  stales  and  worked 
for  eight  years  in  the  wood-  of  Maine.  He  then 
returned  home,  remaining  there  for  one  year  and 
early  in  1867  came  to  West  Bay  City. 

William  Morin  was  married  November  2,  1868, 
to  Miss  Grace    St.    Lawrence,    of    Bay     City.        The 

next  year  he  established  in  business  as  "mine  host" 
in  Bay  City  and  four  years  later  erected  bis  pres- 
ent hotel,  which  is  now  the  leading  one  in  the 
city.  lie  has  made  this  city  his  home  since  first 
locating  here  and  in  liis  business  has  been  more 
than  ordinarily  successful,  being  one  of  those 
whole-souled,  genial  men  who  make  friends  of  all 
who  meet  them. 

Our  subject  was  the  Originator  of  the  summer 
resort  at  Bellevue,  Mich.,  but  sold  his  interest  toS. 
O.  Fisher  and  it  has  since  been  known  as  Winona 
Beach.  Mr.  Morin  ha-  been  honored  for  twe 
years    with    the  office   of    Alderman    of    the    First 

Ward  and  al  the  present  time.  (January.  1892)  is 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works.  In  re- 
ligious matters  he  is  a  member  of  the  si.  Mary's 
(  atholic  Church,  being  one  of  the  earliest  members 
of  1 1 1 .- 1 1  hi  m  1  \   in  Bay  ( 'itv. 

To  Mr.  and  Mr-.  Morin  have  been  granted  a 
family  of  thirteen  children,  six  of  whom  are  living, 
and    who    bear    the    respective    names    of    Louisa, 


538 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Flemming,  Eva,  Bella,  Adele  and  Minnie.  Louisa 
is  the  wife  of  Louis  Eric  and  is  the  mother  of  one 
child,  Blanche.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morin  arc  the  cen- 
ter of  a  true  and  genuine  hospitality  and  use  their 
influence  in  every  way  for  the  upbuilding  of  so- 
ciety and  the  forwarding  of  the  interests  of  mor- 
ality and  religion.  Mr.  .Morin  served  three  years 
in  Company  G,  Fifteenth  Regiment  [nfantry,  of 
Maine,  under  <  ten.  Banks. 


■ .  *&*  >■  y5  g> 

SCAR  M.  PAUSCH.  The  progress  of  a  city 
depends  upon  the  enterprise  of  its  citizens, 
and  the  present  high  standing  of  Saginaw 
has  been  secured  by  the  tireless  exertions  of  its 
business  men.  Various  avenues  to  success  have 
opened  to  those  who  have  sought  homes  in  the 
Valley  and  few  who  have  judiciously  used  their 
mental  faculties,  have  failed  to  become  prosperous 
Conspicuous  among  the  establishments  of  Last 
Saginaw  is  the  studio  of  Mr.  I'ansch.  in  which  can 
be  obtained  elegantly  finished  pictures,  varying 
from  the  smallest  card  photograph  to  a  life-size 
portrait.      Although  he  has  resided  here  for  a  brief 

period  only,  Mr.  Pausch  has  become  known  as  a 
stirring  business  man  and  a  successful  photogra- 
pher. 

The  only  surviving  son  of  Frederick  and  Aga- 
ihe  (Dressell)  Pausch,  our  subject  was  horn  in 
Thuringia,  Germany,  April  23,  ls.H'>.  and  is  one  of 
six  children  —  four  daughters  and  two  sons.  The 
father  was  actively  engaged  in  business  as  a  mill- 
wright in  the  Fatherland  and  was  a  man  of  un- 
flinching integrity  and  many  honorable  traits  of 
character.  The  school  days  ot  Oscar  M.  were 
passed  in  Germany  and  he  acquired  a  good  com- 
mon-school education  prior  tO  the  age  of  fourteen 
years.  lie  then  commenced  to  learn  the  art  of 
photography  and  served  an  apprenticeship  at  thai 
business  until  he  was  more    than  sixteen  years  old. 

I  la\  ing  resolved  upon  coming  to  the  I  baited  states, 
to  establish  a  home  and  seek  a  fortune,  lie  left  his 
native  country  in  1872  and  crossing  the  Atlantic, 
settled  in  New  York.  After  a  short  sojourn  there, 
he  proceeded  westward  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  and 
from  there  to  Granville,  the  same  State, 


Returning  to  Columbus,  Mr.  Pausch  spent 
eighteen  months  in  that  city,  and  from  there  re- 
moved to  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.,  where  he  remained 
fourteen  months.  Altera  sojourn  of  six  months 
in  Chicago,  he  came  to  Fast  Saginaw  in  1880,  not. 
however,  to  remain  here  permanently  at  that  time. 
We  next  find  him  in  Detroit  and  after  seven 
months  there,  in  Newark,  Ohio,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged as  a  photographer  for  seven  years.  The 
year  1890  marked  his  second  arrival  in  this  city, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  He  bought  out  1 ). 
Angell  and  in  January,  IW'2,  litted  up  what  is 
now  the  finest  and  best  arranged  Photo  Art  Gal- 
lery in  Saginaw,  located  at  1  1  1-1  111  North  Frank- 
lin Street,  and  he  has  introduced  all  the  improved 
instruments  and  methods  which  enable  him  tocon- 
duct  a  successful   business. 

In  1880  Mr.  Pausch  was  married  to  Miss  Adea 
.lone-,  of  Granville,  Ohio,  the  daughter  of  John 
D.  and  Elizabeth  JoniS.  Three  children  have 
been  born  of  the  union — Olga,  Oliver  and  Virgil. 
In  his  social  connections.  Mr.  Pausch  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  was  identified  with 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ohio,  from  which  he  was  de- 
milted,  lie  also  belongs  to  Wolverine  Lodge,  No. 
94,  K.  of  P.,  and  the  Central  Council.  No.  29. 
Royal  Arcanum.  I  lis  residence  is  pleasantly  lo- 
cated at  No.  135  Molt  Street,  and  is  the  abode  of 
a  cultured  and  happy   family. 


>"~) 


TTO  11.  SEITZ.  Among  the  prominent  and 
influential  fanners  of  Blumfield  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  we  are  pleased  to  include 
the  biographical  sketch  of  Mr.  Seitz  who  is  resid- 
ing on  section  15.  The  father  of  out  subject  was 
George  Seitz,  and  his  native  place  was  Bavaria, 
Germany,  the  date  of  his  birth  being  April,  1818. 
In  I  MIS  he  decided  to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  New- 
World,  and  coming  hither  came  directly  to  Michi- 
gan, settling  in  the  Saginaw  Valley.  He  made 
Blumfield  Township  his  home  in  1854,  where  he 
erected  a  sawmill,  which  he  ran  very  successfully 
until  1869,  when  it  was  destroyed  by  lire.      A    few 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


539 


years  later  the  elder  Mr.  Seitz  erected  the  sawmill 
which  at  present  stands  on  section  15,  the  home  of 
our  subject,  and  which  is  operated  l>y  Otto  II. 

Our  subject's  mother  was  known  in  her  maiden- 

1 d   as   Miss    Caroline    Kunz.   who    was  born  in 

Austria;  she  passed  from  this  life  March  ■>'■'>.  1890, 
jusl  one  year  previous  to  the  death  of  her  husband. 
his  decease  occurring  February  II.  1891.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  George  Seitz  became  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  fourth  in 
order  of  birth.  Otto  H.  Seitz  was  born  in  Blum- 
field  Township,  December  ."),  1859.  Like  other 
farmer  lads,  he  received  his  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  was  reared  to  perform  many  of 
the  duties  of  farm  life,  which  he  has  found  to 
be  very  useful  to  him  in  following  the  life  of  an 
agriculturist.  Our  subject  has  made  this  township 
his  I le  from  earliest  boyhood,  and  is  thus  inter- 
ested in  everything  thai  pertains  to  its  welfare. 

Mr.  Seitz  was  united  in  mairiage  with  Miss  Eliza 
Krebs,  in  Blumfield  Township,  their  nuptials  being 
celebrated  March  1.  1886.  Mrs.  Seitz  is,  like  her 
husband,  a  uative  of  this  township,  her  natal  day 
having  been  October  II.  1861.  She  is  an  estimable 
lady  and  i-  iooked  up  to  by  all  her  neighbors.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  Seitz  was  Hugo  Krebs,  a  native  of 
Prussia,  and  her  mother  was  Natalia  Krebs,  who 
was  also  born  in  the  Fatherland.  The  parents  are 
residing  at  the  presenl  time  (  1891  )  on  section  Hi. 
Blumfield  Township.  Their  family  numbered  six 
children,  of  whom  Mrs.  Seitz  was  the  eldest,  and 
wa •  thus  reared  to  perform  all  those  domestic 
duties  which  mark  a  good  housekeeper. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seitz  have  two  children — Elsie  and 
Emma.  Our  subject  assisted  his  father  in  running 
the  farm  and  in  operating  the  sawmill.  In  1886, 
in  company  with  his  brother  George,  he  purchased 
the  mill  ami  firm  and  they  continued  in  partner- 
ship in  the  op  Tation  of  these  interests  until  1890, 
in  November,  when  our  subjeel  boughl  his  brother's 
interesl  and  has  since  carried  on  the  bu>ine.-s 
alone.  The  mill  answers  the  double  purpose  of 
saw  and  grist  mill. 

Our  subject  has  been  tin  recipient  of  the  offices 
of  Township  Treasurer, which  position  In  occupied 
tor  two  years,  also  Township  Clerk  for  the  same 
Length   of  time.     The    Republican    party    in    its 


declarations  has  embodied  the  political  principles 
in  which  Mr.  Seitz  believes,  and  he  casts  his  vote 
for  the  candidates  ■>!  that  body.  He  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  influence  in  the  Lutheran  Church, 
and  are  well  liked  by  the  people  of  their  township, 
being  always  ready   to  enter  into  all   good   work.-. 


_s 


~s 


5H-£ 


&^- 


\.\n.  P.  ROBINSON.  Prominent  in  agri- 
I  cultural  circles  i>  he  whose  name  we  have 
just  given,  whose  beautiful  farm  is  to  be 
found  on  section  11.  liuena  Vista  Town-hip. 
Saginaw  County.  Maine  has  sent  many  of  her 
sons  to  Michigan, and  invariably  they  have  proved 
good  citizens.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Carmel, 
Me..  .Inly  2H.  1851.  He  received  his  early  training 
and  education  in  Carmel  ami  was  also  trained  to 
those  duties  pertaining  to  a  farmer  lad. 

In  the  spring  of  1889  Mr.  Robinson  left  his  na- 
tive State  and  emigrated  Westward,  making  his 
place  of  destination  Saginaw.  During  his  resi- 
dence  here  he  wa-  in  the  employ  of  Thomas  Mer 
rill  on  a  farm,  remaining  here  for  six  years.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  time,  feeling  that  he  would 
like  to  visit  his  relative-  and  friends  in  Maine,  he 
returned  to  that  state,  but  when  desirous  of  mak- 
ing a  permanent  location.  In'  again  returned  i" 
Michigan  and  worked  with  his  former  employer 
for  three  months.  By  hard  work  and  economy  he 
was  enabled  to  lay  by  a  snug  little  sum  and  with 
it  purchased  his  present  faun  in  liuena  Vista  Town- 
ship, where  he  ha-  -ince  resided.  It  is  under  the 
most  perfect  cultivation  and  net-  him  a  snug  in- 
come. 

Mi-.-  Johannah  Weir  became  the  wife  of  our 
subject,  May  20,  1890,  their  marriage  being  cele- 
brated in  Saginaw.     Mrs.  Robinson  is  a  native  of 

the  Wolverine  Stale,  having  been  born  here  De- 
cember 29,  1870.  she  is  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Margaret  (Melloy)  Weir,  native- of  Canada  and 
Michigan  respectively.  The  parents  of  our  subjeel 
were  Thomas  and  Sarah  A.  (Page)  Robinson,  na- 
tive-of  the  Pine  Tree  State.  The  father  was  a 
farmer,  which  occupation  he  followed  in  I  armcl. 
The  elder  Mr.  Robinson  took  quite  an    active    part 


.-,1(1 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


in  all  local  affairs  and  was  greatly  esteemed  by  all 
who  knew  him.  Our  subject  was  the  second  in 
order  of  birth  of  a  family  of  four  children  born  to 
his  parents. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robinson  are  prominent  and 
active  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  They 
have  one  son,  Thomas.  Mr.  Robinson  is  a 
firm  adherent  of  Democratic  principles,  casting 
his  vote  and  influence  in  support  of  the  success  of 
the  party.  Our  subject  has  served  his  fellow- 
townsmen  by  acting  as  Drainage  Commissioner  of 
his  township,  which  office  he  held  for  two  years.  A 
genial  and  pleasant  tempered  man,  Mr.  Robinson  is 
popular  with  all  who  know  him. 


V. 


*--:- 


ADER  TROMBLE.  There  is  probably  no 
man  in  Bay  City  who  can  more  delight- 
fully entertain  a  company  interested  in 
the  history  of  the  pioneer  days  that  the 
one  whose  name  we  have  now  given,  lie  settled 
in  the  unbroken  woods,  where  Bay  City  now  stands, 
in  the  early  September  of  1835,  and  is  the  oldesl 
settler  now  living  here.  In  those  days  Indians  and 
wild  game  abounded,  and  there  was  not  another 
white  settler  in  the  neighborhood. 

This  pioneer  was  born  in  Detroit,  November  L6, 
1813,  which  was  also  the  birthplace  of  his  father. 
The  grandfather.  Louis,  was  a  native  of  France. 
His  mother  died  when  he  wasyoung,and  his  father 
brought  his  three  children  to  Quebec.  When  Louis 
was  about  fourteen  years  old  his  father  married 
again,  and  after  that  the  children  were  not  happy 
at  home.  A  body  of  fur  traders,  who  were  ascend- 
ing the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  the  Lakes,  coaxed 
the  Tromble  children  to  accompany  them,  but 
upon  reaching  Detroit  they  concluded  that  they 
had  done  wrong  to  bring  the  children  so  far  from 
home  and  left  the  sister  with  a  family  at  Ft.  De- 
troit, and  she  afterward  married  into  the  Revoir 
family. 

Louis  Tromble  and  his  brother  were  left  with 
the  Chippewa  Indians,  near  Detroit,  and  after  two 
years  with  them  the  lads  built  a  little  hut  on  Com- 


er's Creek,  and  there  lived  and  supported  them- 
selves until  they  were  old  enough  to  secure  land 
claims  from  the  English  Government,  which  was 
then  in  possession  of  this  section.  They  then 
obtained  six  eighty-acre  tracts  and  began  clearing 
and  improving  the  land,  and  after  awhile  built  a 
saw  and  grist-mill  on  the  creek.  They  became  men 
of  wealth,  and  Louis,  who  was  a  Government  con- 
tractor during  the  War  of  1812,  had  the  largesl 
and  handsomest  house  in  Detroit  at  that  time. 
Louis  had  eighteen  children,  some  of  whom  died 
while  young,  and  his  younger  brother,  Gennor. 
never  married. 

Thomas  Tromble  received  a  thorough  education 
in  French  in  Detroit,  and  became  the  manager  of 
his  father's  mills;  later  he  engaged  in  farming  and 
had  two  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land,  lie  took 
part  in  the  War  of  1812  and  was  in  the  fort  when 
Hull  surrendered  the  city.  He  was  an  officer  and 
made  of  the  stuff  which  never  surrenders,  and  he 
picked    up  a  dozen    guns    and    made    his    escape 

through  the  hack  of  the  fort  to  his  solid  log  house, 

where  he  prepared  for  self-defense,  lie  was  missed 
from  the  fort  anil  a  brother  officer  was  detailed  to 
show  the  British  the  way  to  his  house,  which  lie 
did.  but  declined  to  go  any  nearer,  as  he  knew  the 
Bghting  qualities  of  the  man  they  were  seeking. 
Some  of  his  friends  afterward  induced  him  to  sur- 
render, and  he  was  afterward  court-martialed,  hut 
as  he  hail  so  many  friends  he  escaped  without 
punishment,  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-one. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Alfriesen,  daugh- 
ter of  Louis  Telin,  who  traced  his  ancestry  hack  t'i 
the  crown  of  France,  and  was  probably  a  I'm -I 
cousin  to  Louis  Phillipe.  He  was  horn  in  Fiance, 
and  engaged  in  trading  with  the  Indians  and  finally 
met  his  death  at  their  hand-.  Of  Alfiiesen  Trem- 
ble's fourteen  children  all  grew  to  maturity;  among 
that  number  our  subject,  who  was.over  six  feet  tall, 
was  the  smallest,  of  them  all.  He  received  a  French 
education  in  Detroit  and  learned  farming,  taking 
charge  of  the  estate,  while  his  elder  brothers  en- 
gaged in  trading  with  the  Indians,  lie  and  his 
brother  Joseph  bought  a  tract  of  land  about  one 
mile  in  length  alone-  the  Saginaw  River,  where  i> 
now  the  site  of  Bay  City,  and  they  were  the  first 
to  locale  on  land  of  their  own  in  this  city.     They 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


541 


built  the  first  house,  which  was  a  block  house,  and 
kept  the  first  store  on  the  river  :it  this  point,  car- 
rying on  a  trade  with  the  Indians.  In  1836  they 
built  the  Center  House,  into  which  they  soon 
moved.  They  traded  with  the  Chippewas  and 
spoke  their  language.  The  smallpox  plague  swept 
the  Chippewas  of  this  region  from  existence  in 
1887, and  about  that  time  he  closed  his  trading 
business,  and  later  they  lost  their  property  here 
through   trickery. 

After  the  Indians  were  swept  off  the  game  be- 
came very  thick,  and  the  Trombles  devoted  them- 
selves to  tracking  and  hunting  for  furs,  and  later 
carried  on  fishing  with  a  spear.  Our  subject  speared 
in  one-half  night  nine  barrels  of  white  fish,  and 
these  they  shipped  to  Cleveland  and  found  the 
business  very  lucrative.  Mr.  Tromble  has  dealt 
extensively  in  real  estate  and  has  platted  several 
additions  to  the  city,  and  still  retains  enough  land 
to  carry  on  farming  within  the  city  limits.  He  has 
built  many  houses  and  has  done  much  to  build  up 
the  city.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  Tromble,  in  October, 
1*47,  united  him  with  Sarah  McCormick,  who  was 
born  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  whose  father.  .lames, 
was  an  early  settler  on  the  Flint  River.  She  died 
Octobei  22,  l  s k 7 .  leaving  eight  children,  seven  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity,  namely:  Frank;  Mary, 
Mrs.  Hose;  Josie, Mrs.  Greening;  Fremont, a  dealer 
in  real  estate  and  a  contractor  and  builder;  Daniel, 
a  lumber  inspector;  Edward, a  wholesale  fish  dealer 
and  Eugenia,  who  resides  at  home.  The  daughters 
were  all  educated  at  St.  Mary's  at  Monroe,  this 
State.  This  venerable  gentleman  is  a  strong  and 
conscientious  Catholic,  and  a  member  of  St.  James 
Church.  In  his  early  days  he  was  a  Whig  in  pol- 
ties.  but  since  1K">1  he  has  been  a  Republican. 


EPHRA1M  KIKEH.     At  the  present  time  re- 
tired from  active   business   life,  the  gentle- 
i   man      whose   name    heads    this     sketch    has 

been  one  of  its  most  enterprising  merchants. 
being  a  dealer  iii  what  was  at  one  time  the  prin- 
cipal product  and  industry — that  is,  in  fish.  Mr. 
Riker    was    born     in     Caldwell    Township,    Essex 


County.  N.  .1.,  April  2,  1815.  He  is  a  son  of 
Henry  and  Sarah  (Wan  Ness)  Riker.  His  father 
was  a  farmer  and  of  Holland-French  descent.  His 
mother  was  a  representative  of  one  of  the  most 
prominent  of  Holland-Dutch  families;  she  died  in 
New  Jersey  at  an  advanced  age. 

The  family  of  which  our  subject  is  one  com- 
prised eight  children,  five  of  whom  grew  to  years 
of  maturity;  of  these  Ephraim  was  the  next  to  the 
youngest.  The  first  eleven  years  of  his  life  were 
devoted,  as  most  boys,  in  absorbing  both  "astro- 
nomically and  mentally,  and  in  developing  large 
talents  for  mischief.  When  eleven  years  old  he 
went  to  New  York  City  and  entered  a  grocery  as 
clerk.  He  remained  there  for  two  years,  when  he 
returned  to  Essex  County,  and  when  fifteen  years 
of  age  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  mason's  trade 
at  Newark.  He  was  in  training  for  three  years, 
and  then  served  as  a  journeyman  in  New  York 
City.  He  helped  to  build  several  of  the  large 
brick  structures  on  Eighth  Avenue  and  around 
Washington  Square. 

Mr.  Riker  went  to  Ohio  in  1X34,  and  located  in 
Erie  County.  He  was  for  a  short  time  engaged  in 
fanning,  but  later  devoted  himself  to  his  trade, 
taking  large  contracts.  He  also  went  into  Missis- 
sippi and  built  several  large  buildings  at  Pitts- 
burg. Armed  with  a  letter  of  introduction  to 
Gov.  Brown,  of  Mississippi,  with  his  recognition 
and  aid  he  was  enabled  to  secure  the  contract  to 
build  the  first  theatre  in  Yicksburg.  lie  spent 
eighteen  months  in  that  State  and  then  returned 
to  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  and 
produce  business,  having  in  connection  with  this 
wholesale  fish.  In  1851  he  located  in  Toledo  and 
dealt  in  a  wholesale  manner  in  fish,  and  retailed 
groceries.  These  interests  were  conducted  most 
successfully. 

Mr.  Riker  built  the  first  tug  ever  used  for  fish- 
ing purposes  on  Fake  Erie.  In  I  HI!.",  he  came  to 
.Michigan  and  settled  in  East,  Saginaw,  and  in 
1867  he  came  to  Bay  City  and  at  once  engaged  in 
the  fishing  business.  From  Bay  City  he  removed 
his  store  to  Au  Sable  and  for  one  year  was  engaged 
in  the  grocery  business  there,  and  then  returned 
to  thi>  place.  The  first  location  of  his  business 
was  on  Water  Street.  Using  small  sailboats,  he  fished 


542 


PORTRAIT  ANT'   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


in  Lake  Huron  anil  bought  and  sold  in  a  whole- 
sale way.  his  place  of  business  being  located  on  tin- 
Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  Railroad.  He  used  to  ship 
his  catches  to  Cincinnati,  Buffalo  and  Louisville, 
and  probably  exported  more  pounds  of  lish  tha"o 
any  other  man  at  that  time.  He  also  packed  con- 
siderable fish  and  at  the  same  time  with  that  large 
amount  of  business  did  his  own  corresponding, 
collecting  and  bookkeeping.  In  1889  he  retired 
from  active  business,  having  pursued  his  fishing 
tor  forty  years,  lie  was  the  first  >liit>p<r  line  who 
shipped  to  the  trade  and  for  a  number  ot  years 
conducted  the  most  extensive  business  in  this  line 
in  the  city. 

Our  subject  i>  the  owner  of  three  hundred  acres 
of  land  extending  one  and  one-half  miles  on  the 
lake  front.  He  was  the  original  purchaser  of  Point 
Lookout  and  became  it-  possessor  when  it  was 
very  wild.  He  conceived  the  idea  of  converting 
it  into  a  resort,  taking  a  suggestion  from  Capt. 
Holt.  The  tirst  improvements  placed  here  were 
the  building  of  a  doelc.  a  tavern  and  a  hotel.  He 
then  built  the  large  hotel  on  the  point  and  all 
these  improvements  stand  there  at  the  pre  ent 
time.  He  also  built  sixteen  cottages,and  for  some 
time  it  was  a  great  success.  He  later  sold  it  most 
advantageously. 

Mr.  Riker  owns  a  very  line  brick  residence  at 
No.  2D4  Madison  Street,  and  another  line  place  on 
Jefferson  Street,  besides  other  valuable  property. 
He  now  occupies  himself  in  looking  after  his 
loans  ami  collections.  Aside  from  the  property 
mentioned,  our  subjeel  owned  Charity  Island.  No. 
2.  located  six  miles  out  in  Saginaw  Bay  and 
thirty-live  miles  from  Bay  City.  This  he  used  for 
fishing  purposes;  and  it  has  been  to  him  a  valuable 
piece  of  property. 

Mr.  Piker  was  first  married  in  New  York  City. 
January  31,  1834, to  .Miss  Sarah  A.  Miller. a  native 
of  Orange  County.  X.  Y.  The  fruits  of  tin-  union 
were  the  following  children:  Mary  .1..  Mrs.  Lull, 
of  Indianapolis;  Henry,  who  was  a  sailor;  Isaac 
II..  who  died  in  Cass  County;  Ephraim  s..  who  re- 
sides in  Indianapolis;  Samuel  M.  i>  a  Cincinnati 
lish  and  oyster  dealer:  Philip,  who  died  in  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  and  Charles,  of  Lay  City.  Mrs.  Sarah 
Riker  died  in  October.  1864,  and  our  subject  again 


married,  the  lady  of  his  choic<  being  Henrietta  F. 
Denhain,  who  was  born  near  Bangor,  Yt.  While 
a  resident,  of  Ohio  our  subject  was  greatly  inter- 
ested in  polities.  His  interest  since  coming  here 
has  been  quiescent.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  a 
Mason,  lie  was  also  a  member  of  the  National 
Fish  Association.  He  for  years  has  been  a  most 
consistent  Republican,  upholding  the  party  in  its 
platform  and  theories. 


ENRY    A.  MANWKLL.  who  i-  the  owner  of 

■    a  handsome  farm  of  eighty  acres  on  section 

■Wf     25,Tittabawassee  Township,  Saginaw  Coun- 

4|),'  ly.  bought  this  tract  of  land  in  its  wild 
condition  and  built  upon  it  tirst  a  log'  but.  which 
he  lived  in  until  1880.  lie  now  has  the  whole 
farm  in  an  excellent  condition  and  with  all  im- 
provements, including  good  farm  buildings',  lb' 
is  the  son  of  Amos  and  Eliza  (Waddell)  Manwell, 
and  his  lather  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  his 
motherof  Scotland.  They  came  to  Michigan  when 
it  was  a  Territory  and  located  in  St.  Joseph  County 
and  there  the  subjeel  of  this  sketch  was  bom.  Jan- 
uary 29.  1838. 

Our  subject  had  hi- early  training  and  education 
upon  a  farm  and  as  his  father  died  when  Henry 
was  lint  an  infant,  the  mother  moved  to  Canada 
with  her  six  children  whom  -he  managed  to  -up- 
port  h\  her  own  labor  in  spinning  and  weaving, 
and  at  the  same  time  gave  them  the  advantages  of 
a  fair  education. 

At  the  age  of  twenty  the  young  man  returned 
to  Saginaw  and  worked  in  the  lumber  woods  until 
January  21.  1864,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company 
1).  Sixteenth  Michigan  Infantry  "for  three  year-  or 
the  war."  This  regiment  was  attached  to  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  and  -cut  on  at  once  to  the  Rappa- 
hannock Valley  where  they  participated  in  the 
engagement- of  the  Wilderness  being  under  tire  for 
twenty  six  consecutive  days,  and  having  men  in 
the  -hilled  and  missing"  column  daily. 

Through  all  this  terrible  time  of  conflict  our 
young  hero  was  so  fortunate  as  to  escape  without 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


543 


a  scratch  and  lie  narrates  a  humorous  incident  of 
liis  first  detail  on  skirmish  line.  As  he  had  not 
had  much  experience  in  drilling  he  made  a  mistake 
in  taking  the  command  right  dress  for  left  dress 
and  breaking  the  skirmish  line  he  advanced  through 
the  brush  and  came  mi  to  an  officer  whom  he  took 
to  In-  the  sergeant  of  Company  A,  and  therefore 
did  imi  shoot.  In  a  few  seconds  the  officer  gave 
the  command  "Attention  Company"  when  he 
found  he  was  in  the  rebel  lines  with  a  company  of 
rebels  not  twenty  feet  away.  lie  beat  a  hasty  re- 
treat and  ran  into  another  company  of  rebels. 
which  when  he  discovered  he  started  in  a  third 
direction  receiving  a  volley  of  shots  from  both 
companies,  but  none  hit  him,  excepL  one  bullet 
which  cut  the  tent  cloth  from  his  back  and  another 
bullet  knocked  off  the  heel  of  hi*  boot,  and  he  re- 
turned to  his  own  lines  in  safety,  lie  thinks  he 
iiiiim  have  outrun  the  bullets  foi  more  than  fifty 
shots  were  tired. 

After  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness  his  regimenl 
went  with  Grant  to  Petersburg  and  he  was  taken 
sick  and  was  in  hospital  some  time,  but  rejoined 
his  regiment  before  the  surrender  of  Appomattax 
and  participated  in  the  Grand  Review  in  1865,  re- 
ceiving his  honorable  discharge  at  Jeffersonville, 
Ind..  July  8,  1865,  and  being  sent  from  there  to 
Detroit,  then  returned  to  hi-  home. 

The  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Manwell  took  place  in 
1861  and  united  him  with  Tracy  Russell  who  died 
in  December.  1862,  ami  in  1864  he  was  married  to 
Betsey  Turner  and  five  days  later  he  marched  away 
to  battle,  leaving  his  bride  to  watch  for  his  return. 
This  union  was  blessed  by  the  birth  of  two  daugh- 
ters: Matilda,  born  May  31,  1867,  who  married 
Charles  Braley  and  died  in  August,  1891,  leaving 
two  children,  and  Emma,  born  August  II,  1870, 
who  is  now  the  wife  of  ( '.  Fetzer,  of  Saginaw. 
The  mother  of  these  daughters  passed  from  this 
life  in  February,  18*1. 

The  present  Mrs.  Manwell  became  the  wife  of 
our  subject  February  3,  1884,  and  she  was  before 
this  event  Mrs.  Julia  McKellar,  widow  of  Duncan 
McKellar,  and  the  mother  of  mx  children:  Phoebe 
J.,  born  October  2.  1870;  Effie  C,  May  9,  1*73; 
Mary  ('..  August  8,  1*7."»;  Willie  A..  October  II. 
l«7x;  Albert  A.,  May  24,  1881;  and  Maggie,  July 


12.  1883.  By  her  union  with  Mr.  .Manwell  she  has 
had  three  children.  John  A.,  born  August  27.  1886; 
Phil  Ray,  January  31,  1890;  and  Mabel,  Septem- 
ber 18,  1891. 

In  political  matters  our  >ubject  is  independent, 
preferring  to  be  guided  by  his  own  judgment  rathe i 
than  by  party  leaders  and  he  votes  for  the  man 
and  the  measure  which  his  conscience  i  udorses.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  J.  N.  Penoyer  Post,  No.  90,  G. 
A.  1!..  and  is  honorably  upon  the  pension  rolls  al 
$12  a  month,  lie  started  in  life  without  a  dollar 
but  with  good  health  and  willing  hands  has  made 
a  success  of  life. 


s~\  SCAR    III  TSCIIFNREUTHER,  Alderman  of 

III     )))   (he  Fifth  Ward  of  Wesl    Bay  City,  where  he 

V_/      has  been  a   resident    since    the    fall    of     1865, 

keeps  a  sample  room  al  No.  Ill  Linn  street,  lie 
was  bom  in    Bavaria,  Germany,  July  5,    1  x -"» 1  and 

is  a  son  of  Karl  Ilutschenreutlier.  also  a  native  of 
the  Fathenand  and  where  the  grandfather,  John 
J.,  was  born.  The  last-named  gentleman  was  a 
manufacturer  of  chinaware  in  Germany  and  was 
one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  prominent  citizens 
of  his  community.  He  had  been  given  an  excel- 
lent education,  being  a  graduate  of  the  Erlangen 
College.     He  died  in  the  Fatherland,  in  1858. 

The  father  of  our  subject  also  followed  the  oc- 
cupation of  a  manufacturer  of  china  and  was  well- 
to-do  in  this  world's  goods,  lie  died  when  forty- 
five  years  of  age  in  Germany,  in  1859.  His  wife, 
the  mother  of  our  subject,  was  .Mrs.  Kathinka  (Al- 
bright) Ilutschcnrcuthcr  and  was  born  in  Coburg, 
Saxony.  She  was  the  daughter  of  J.  A.  Albright, 
who  was  an  Elder  in  the  Lutheran  Church,  lie 
was  court  priest  of  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Saxe 
Coburg  for  three  years,  or  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1859.  He  had  received  a  classical  edu- 
cation and  was  a  man  of  prominence  in  his  native 
land.  The  mother  of  our  subject  came  to  America 
with  her  son  Oscar,  in  1865,  and  is  at  present 
making  her  home  with  him,  being  seventy-two 
years  of  age. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  this  sketch  is  written 


544 


PORTRAIT  AND  lilOGKAi  HICAL   RECORD. 


was  the  oldest  but  one  in  a  family  of  five  children 
born  to  his  parents,  three  of  whom  are  now  living. 
He  was  an  only  son  and  is  said  to  be  the  only  man 
in  the  world  bearing  the  name  of  Hutschenrcuther. 
He  received  a  fine  education  in  Germany,  attend- 
ing school  until  fourteen  years  of  age.  In  1865 
his  mother  desiring  to  come  to  America,  they  left 
Bremerhaven  on  the  steamer  ••  Herman  "  and  after 
a  voyage  of  sixteen  days  landed  in  New  York, 
and  thence  came  directly  to  the  Wolverine  State 
and  located  for  a  few  months  in  Detroit,  in 
November,  of  that  same  year  they  came  to  Lake 
City,  now  Bay  City,  and  our  subject  attended 
night  school  for  three  winters  and  thus  became 
familiar  with  the  English  language. 

Soon  after  locating  in  Hay  City  Mr.  Hutschen- 
reuther  entered  the  employ  of  Miller  Bros.,  learn- 
ing the  butcher's  trade  and  remained  with  them 
for  three  years  when  he  began  working  in  the 
Sage's  saw-mill  and  for  ten  years  was  in  the  em- 
ploy of  that  company.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
time  he  engaged  to  work  for  George  Kolb,  St..  un- 
til 18X(>.  when  he  Started  the  sample  room  at  the 
corner  of  Washington  and  Seventh  Streets,  and 
later,  July  1,  1891,  removed  to  his  present  location 
at  No.  1  1  1  Linn  Street. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  was  united  in 
marriage  in  Bay  City,  June  30,  1X74.  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Rauschert  who  was  born  at  Three  Oaks,  this 
State,  April  23,  1857.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
Henry  Rauschert,  a  farmer  in  Saginaw  County, 
Mich.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  become  the 
parents  of  four  children,  namely:  George,  Emil, 
Louis  and  Annie.  The\  have  a  pleasant  home  in 
the  Fifth  Ward  and  are  people  greatly  esteemed 
in  the  community. 

In  1KX7  our  subject  was  elected  Alderman  of 
the  Fifth  Ward  on  the  Democratic  ticket  and  so 
well  did  he  fulfill  the  duties  of  that  position  that 
in  1889  he  was  re-elected  and  again  in  1891.  lie 
lias  been  Chairman  on  many  committees  of  import- 
ance and  has  given  entire  satisfaction  to  his 
constituents.  In  politics  he  is  a  firm  adherent  to 
Democratic  principles  and  has  represented  his  party 
as  a  delegate  to  count}'  and  State  conventions.  He 
is  at  the  present  time  a  member  of  the  Bay  County 
Democratic   Committee    and    is  a  member  of  the 


City  Committee.  Socially  he  is  an  Odd  Fellow, 
and  is  Treasurer  of  the  Arbeitcr  Society,  and  of 
the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  In  1885-86  All. 
Hutschenreuther  visited  his  relatives  and  friends 
in  his  native  land,  spending  six  months  there 
renewing  his  acquaintance  with  the  scenes  of  his 
early  life.  He  is  a  man  of  enterprise  mid  push  in 
his  community  and  is  in  favor  of  all  movements 
which  will  benefit  the  county. 


FORGE  A.  CORNWELL  is  one  of  the 
prominent  grocers  of  Lay  City  and  is  lo- 
cated at  No.  522  North  Washington  Ave- 
nue, where  he  has  been  in  business  foi  the  pasl 
twelve  years  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  A.  Corn- 
well  &  Son,  our  subjeel  being  the  active  member 
of  tlie  linn  and  the  general  manager.  He  was  born 
in  Port  Burwell,  Ontario,  December  12,  1861,  and 
is  a  son   of   Daniel   and    Jemima    A.    (Carpenterj 

(  'or  11  Well. 

The  father  ('•■line  to  this  city  in  1870  and  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business  here  being  located 
al  the  corner  of  Third  and  Monroe  Streets  for 
some  seven  years,  after  which   he    removed    to     the 

present  location,  continuing  in  active  business  up 

to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred   December 

24,   1890.     He   left   a    widow    ami    four   children, 

namely:  Ada.  our  subject,  Charles,  and  Nettie. 
Charles  is  now  in  business  in  the  city  where  he  is 
engaged  with  the  Universal  Credit  agency. 

The  father  had  built  up  a  large  trade  here  as  he 
had  given  bis  whole  attention  to  the  business.  He 
was  horn  at  Digby,  Nova  Scotia,  in  1818,  and 
there  received  his  education,'bu1  removed  to  On- 
tario in  1857  where  he  married  Miss  Jemima, 
daughter  of  Charles  Carpenter.  After  coming  to 
this  city  he  built  a  home  at  the  corner  of  Tenth 
and  Van  Buren  Streets,  which  is  still  the  family 
residence.  He  was  a  devoul  member  of  the  Madi- 
son   Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Church    and    one 

of  the  highly  respected  business  men  of  the  city. 

Our  subject  was  educated  in  the  public  and 
High  Schools  of  the  city,  after   which    he    learned 


W3£     fsSs&iSI 


,J***WJ 


C  W    G RANT 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


547 


bhe  business  with  his  father,  subsequently  spend- 
ing nearly  three  years  in  the  music  store  of 
(i.  E.  Van  Sickle.  lie  entered  into  partnership 
with  his  father  in  1878  and  they  continued  to- 
gether until  the  death  of  that  parent,  after  which 
the  son  took  the  entire  charge  of  the  business.  lie 
now  has  one  of  the  largest  and  most  desirable  en- 
terprises  of  Bay  City  and  occupies  a  store  25x100 
feet,  using  two  floors  and  employing  three  men. 

Mr.  Cornwell  was  married  January  7.  1888,  to 
Miss  Jennie  Fitch,  of  Bay  City,  whose  father, 
Henry  Fitch,  was  a  former  resident  of  Welland, 
Ontario.  One  child  has  come  to  bless  this  home,  a 
little  son,  Charles  A.  Our  subject  is  a  member  of 
Joppa  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  is  also  connected 
with  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  He  is  a  de- 
vout member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
on  Madison  Avenue,  and  in  politics  is  a  straight 
Republican.  He  is  a  man  most  highly  spoken  of 
by  his  neighbors  as  worthy  of  esteem  for  both 
character  and  ability. 


#=NN=# 


■^r 


ON.  CHARLES  W.  GRANT.  No  more 
popular  or  genial  man  is  to  lie  found  in 
Saginaw  than  he  whose  name  we  here  quote 
^Jj  and  whose  portrait  appears  on  the  opposite 
page.  Not  only  is  he  admired  by  the  rich  and 
fortunate  but  by  the  young,  needy  and  those  who 
are  struggling  for  recognition.  He  has  always 
been  a  wonderfully  active  and  vigorous  man,  and 
possesses  a  fund  o!  interesting  reminiscences  of  the 
early  days  of  Saginaw  Valley.  He  takes  greater 
pride  in  the  Saginaw  of  to-day,  and  has  not  only 
witnessed,  but  has  assisted  in  every  change  that 
has  worked  this  wonderful  transformation.  From 
seeing  the  swarthy  Saghe-nak  shoot  his  canoe  across 
the  turbulent  waters  of  the  Tittabawassee  when  the 
entire  country  was  a  wilderness,  he  now  beholds 
with  pride  Hie  valley  occupied  by  an  intelligent 
population  of  more  than  one  hundred  thousand 
souls,  and  numberless  smokestacks  tell  the  story  of 
the  civilization  and  commercial  enterprise  to  be 
found  here.  There  is  scarcely  an  enterprise  tend- 
ing to  the  advancement  of  the  interests  of  this  lo- 
25 


cality  but  has  found  in   Mr.  Grant  a  firm  friend 
and  supporter. 

Charles  Wesley  Grant  was  horn  March  15,  1X1*. 
at  Smithville,  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  and  is  a 
son  of  Charles  and  Margaret  (Hines)  Grant.  His 
father,  who  was  a  native  of  Colerain,  Mass.,  and 
born  in  1794,  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  holding 
the  office  of  Captain  at  the  battle  of  Sackett's 
Harbor.  He  attained  to  the  age  of  ninety-two 
years  and  passed  away  in  Clinton  County,  Mich., 
where  he  had  lived  for  fifty  years.  Great-grand- 
father Grant  was  a  native  of  Scotland  and  Dr. 
Isaac  Grant,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  served  as 
a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Our  subject  came  to  Michigan  in  1839,  and  lo- 
cated first  in  Ionia,  where  he  settled  in  the  timber, 
and  ran  a  sawmill  for  some  time.  In  1840  he  re- 
moved to  Flushing  and  was  employed  in  a  shingle 
mill,  thence  going  to  Flint  where  he  ran  a  mill  for 
eight  years.  He  came  to  Saginaw  County  in  the 
spring  of  1X41).  At  that  time  there  was  no  railroad 
or  plank  road  and  he  came  in  a  skiff  down  the 
Flint  River,  with  the  late  George  R.  Cummings, 
Esq.  Mr.  Grant  built  a  lathe  and  siding  mill  and 
put  in  the  first  circular  saw  ever  used  in  the  valley. 
In  1850  lie  came  to  Saginaw  and  in  company 
with  Alfred  M.  Iloyt  built  the  first  mill  erected 
here.  He  also  erected  for  himself  the  first  dwelling 
in  Iloyt's   Plat. 

The  first  township  meeting  was  held  in  East 
Saginaw  in  April,  1850,  in  the  Emerson  House,  and 
Mr.  Grant  was  one  of  the  seventeen  voters  who 
organized  the  township  of  Buena  Vista,  which  then 
included  Spaulding and  Blumfield  Townships.  At 
that  time  he  was  elected  Township  Clerk  and 
Commissioner  of  Highways.  He  served  as  Super- 
visor and  in  several  other  local  offices  and  was 
then,  as  he  has  ever  been,  a  stanch  Republican. 
With  his  business  as  a  lumber  dealer  and  the  numer- 
ous demands  upon  his  time  in  organization  he  was 
kept  very  busy.  In  1858  he  bought  a  mill  at 
Lower  Saginaw  (now  Bay  City),  but  four  years 
afterward  the  mill  was  burned.  In  1876  Mr.  Grant 
formed  a  partnership  in  lumbering  and  has  since 
carried  on  a  large  business.  He  has  been  operating 
a  mill  at  Carrollton,  where  he  manufactures  fifteen 
thousand  and  fort3'-seven  barrels  of  salt  per  year 


548 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


and  in   1890  he  manufactured  a  large  amount  of 
staves,  headings,  lath,  etc. 

Mr.  Grant  came  to  Saginaw  poor  in  purse  but 
rich  in  energy  and  courage.  Having  satisfied  his 
taste  for  public  office  he  turned  his  attention  to 
lumbering,  in  which  he  has  been  very  successful. 
By  the  exercise  of  his  building  talent,  which  is  of 
high  order,  he  has  established  an  enviable  credit 
and  amassed  an  ample  fortune.  lie  is  an  example 
of  that  sturdy  advance  in  wealth  and  social  stand- 
ing that  is  achieved  usually  without  difficulty  by 
a  young  man  of  good  habits,  who  is  persevering 
and  industrious.  Mr.  Grant  liasa  palatial  residence 
on  the  "James  Riley  reservation,"  and  here  he 
lives  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  well-earned  com- 
petency, and  dispenses  an  elegant  hospitality. 


iP^a  FA'MOUR  HILL,  the-highly  respected  ex- 
^W#  Clerk  of  Bridgeport  Township,  Saginaw 
IvL/^J'  County  is  a  native  of  Genesee  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  was  born  May  81,  1834  and  is 
descended  from  New  England  parents  as  his  father. 
John  Hill,  was  born  in  New  Hampshire  and  his 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Harriet  Fenton, 
was  a  native  of  the  Green  Mountain  State. 

This  couple  leraoved  with  their  children  to  Gen- 
esee County,  this  State,  about  the  year  1846  and 
settling  in  the  woods  became  true  pioneers.  The 
father  lived  until  1876  when  his  life  ended  in  Flint 
and  his  good  wife  survived  him  for  three  years. 
They  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  of  whom 
only  two  survived,  our  subject  and  his  sister  Rosa- 
linda, now  the  widow  of  Jonathan  Coomer. 

Amid  the  pioneer  scenes  of  Cencsee  Count \   our 
subject  grew  to  the  years  of  maturity  and  his  edu 
ealioii  was   such   as   could    be  obtained    in  flu   dis 
trict  schools  as  they  were  in  that  day.      His  ad  van 
tages  were  not  broad  and  it  is  only  through  a  per- 
sistent course  of   reading  that   he   has  become  the 
man  of  intelligence  which  lie  is  today. 

This  young  man  was  one  of  the  first  to  respond 
to  the  call  of  President  Lincoln  for  men  to  help 
maintain  with  the  gun  the  honor  of  the  tlag.  Ik- 
enlisted    in   August,    1861,  in  Company   G.  Eighth 


Michigan  Infantry  and  his  service  was  mostly  in 
South  Carolina  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Sher- 
man, lie  received  his  honorable  discharge  in  1863 
after  which  he  returned  to  Michigan  and  the  fol- 
lowing year  he  took  up  his  residence  in  this  county 
and  settled  upon  his  present  farm  in  1891.  Here 
he  has  forty  acies  in  a  finestate  of  cultivation. 

.Mr.  Hill's  business  for  a  number  of  years  past 
has  been  in  connection  with  the  lumbering  in- 
terests.' and  in  the  way  of  contracting,  and  he 
has  shown  himself  enterprising  in  his  own 
affairs  and  public  spirited  in  efforts  to  promote  the 
general  welfare  and  the  true  advancement  of  the 
community. 

In  political  matters.  Mr.  Hill  has  always  been  in- 
clined to  adopt  the  principles  of  the  party  which 
was  so  strong  a  support  to  the  adminstration 
during  the  Civil  War  and  without  tin'  help  of 
which  even  so  strong  a  leader  as  Abraham  Lincoln 
might  have  faltered.  While  he  is  not  a  wire 
puller  or  office  seeker  he  is  earnestly  solicitious  for 
the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  party  with  which 
he  has  cast  his  lot  and  ever  willing  to  use  his  vote 
and  influence  for  its  progress.  He  has  served  as 
Clerk  and  Treasurer  of  Bridgeport  and  in  public 
as  in  business  l,fe  he  has  earned  the  confidence  of 
the  community. 


-!*^ 


OL.  TIIO.MASSAYLOR.  Amongthe  prom- 
inent and  representative  citizens  and  active 
Republicans  of  Saginaw  County,  we  take 
pleasure  in  presenting  Col.  Saylor,  of  Bridgeport 
Township,  formerly  of  Fast  Saginaw,  who  was 
born  in  Philadelphia.  July  24,  1831.  He  is  a  son 
of  Thomas  and  Hannah  Savior  and  his  father  was 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 

Our  subject  was  reared  to  the  years  of  his  ma- 
jority in  the  city  of  Brotherly  Love  and  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  began  learning  the  trade  of  a  saw- 
maker,  serving  an  apprenticeship  of  live  years  and 
following  the  trade  up  to  the  time  he  entered  the 
army.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  went  to  New 
York  City  and  lived  there  for  a  time.  His  early 
educational  advantages  had  been  obtained  in  the 
public  scl Is. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


540 


It  was  in  September,  1861,  that  this  young  man 
joined  the  United  states  Army  as  Captain  of  the 
Third  Michigan  Cavalry  and  through  most  of  his 
military  career  he  was  with  the  Army  of  the  Cum- 
berland under  Gens.  Sherman,  Grant,  Sheridan, 
and  Thomas.  He  took  part  in  the  conflicts  of 
New  Madrid,  Island  No.  10,  the  siege  of  Corinth, 
Iuka  and  Hatch ie  and  was  also  with  Grant  in  that 
long  siege  before  Vicksburg  at  the  time  when  that 
great  general  undertook  to  take  it  by  land  with- 
out any  other  help,  lie  was  also  in  the  battle  of 
Murfreesboro  and  in  that  of  Titllahoma  and  num- 
erous other  engagements  in  Grant's  various  cam- 
paigns, as  well  as  in  those  of  Sherman,  Sheridan, 
Rosecrans  and  Thomas. 

Capt.  Savior  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major 
of  the  Third  Cavalry.  July  12,  1862,  and  was  com- 
missioned as  Colonel  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Michi- 
gan Infantry  in  July.  1864,  serving  as  Colonel 
from  that  time  until  his  discharge  September  6 
1865,  thus  completing  four  years  of  brave  service 
for  his  country.  After  returning  home  to  Easl 
Saginaw  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber 
in  partnership  with  C.  W.Grant,  which  connection 
continued  for  a  decade. 

In  1K67  Col.  Savior  was  appointed  Register  of 
the  United  States  Land  Office  of  the  Saginaw  dis- 
trict and  there  served  for  four  years.  For  a  like 
period  of  time  he  also  served  as  Alderman  of  the 
Fourth  Ward  of  Fast  Saginaw  and  in  l<s7.">  he  was 
appointed  Postmaster  of  that  office,  and  continued 
thus  for  eight  years.  Since  that  time  he  has  been 
principally  engaged  in  fanning  in  Bridgeport 
Township,  and  removed  his  family  on  to  the  farm 
in  1887.  It  is  a  splendid  tract  of  over  three  hun- 
dred acres  and  upon  it  he  has  erected  a  handsome 
brick  residence. 

It  was  in  1866  that  this  gentleman  was  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  F..  daughter  of  Aaron  K.  and  Maria 
L.  (Romar)  Penney,  his  wedding  day  being  Dec- 
ember 10.  This  lady  is  a  native  of  Sullivan  County 
N.  V.,  and  in  that  State  her  parents  were  also  horn 
They  came  to  Saginaw  County  in  1849,  being  thus 
among  the  early  settlers  here.  Her  mother  died 
in  18H4  but  her  father-till  makes  his  home  in  East 
Saginaw. 

To  Col.  Saylor  and  his  wife  have  been  horn  four 


children,  three  of  wl are  still  living,  Thomas  A., 

Rose  L.,  and  Charles  E.,  and  the  daughter  who  has 
passed  on  to  the  other  life  was  named  Grace.  Coi. 
Saylor  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views  and  is 
identified  with  the  Gordon  Granger  Post.  No.  38 
<i.  A.  P.  and  also  belongs  to  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  and  the  Knights  of  the  Macca- 
bees. When  he  first  came  to  Saginaw  County  it 
was  in  1858  and  he  is  well-known  throughout  all 
this  region.  His  tine  rural  home  is  noted  for  its 
hospitality  and  his  genial  nature  makes  friends  not 
(inly  among  his  neighbors  hut  with  strangers. 


""■s^s  c^o*n  ^=^"« 

FY.  LUDWIG  FUERBRINGER.  The  gen- 
tleman of  whom  we  write  is  aiding  in  the 
\  spread  of  the  Gospel,  devoting  himself 
l^Jwith  assiduity  and  loving  zeal  to  the  work 
a-  pastor  of  St.  Lorenzo's  German  Lutheran 
Church.  The  center  of  his  present  Held  of  labor  is 
Frankenmuth,  where  he  is  beloved  by  all  who 
know  him.  He  is  a  man  of  broad  intelligence,  de- 
cided literary  ability,  and  the  dignified  yet  win- 
ning manners  so  thoroughly  in  keeping  with  his 
profession.  He  is  a  native  of  this  city,  having 
been  born  here  March  29,  1864. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  the  Pev.  Ottomar 
Fuerbringer,  a  sketch  of  whom  will  lie  found  on 
another  page  in  this  volume.  Our  subject  at- 
tended the  common-scl Is  in  Frankenmuth  until 

reaching  the  age  of  thirteen  years,  when  he  en- 
tered the  Concordia  College,  at  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind., 
in  September.  1*77.  lie  was  graduated  from  that 
institution  in  1882,  and  in  September  of  that  year 
entered  the  Concordia  Seminary  at  St.  Louis.  Mo., 
intending  to  tit  himself  for  the  ministry.  In  June, 
three  years  later,  he  was  graduated  from  that  sem- 
inary and  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  July  12, 
that  year,  his  ordination  taking  place  in  Franken- 
muth. lie  had  been  called  as  assistant  to  his 
father,  a  position  which  he  has  since  held. 

The  voting  membership  of  the  congregation  over 
which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Fuerbringer  presides  numbers 
about  four  hundred,  and  over  two  thousand  souls 
are  under  his  charge.     The  church  was  organized 


550 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ill  1845  in  Germany  by  the  founder  of  missions  in 
Michigan  among  the  Indians — the  Rev.  William 
Loehe.  When  the  church  was  organized  in  I  Ger- 
many, seven  men  came  to  Michigan  and  Franken- 
muth,  in  1845,  to  establish  a  mission  among  the 
Indians,  thai  being  the  spirit  of  their  mission  work. 
Their  first  pastor  was  the  Rev.  August  Craemer. 
In  the  early  days  they  added  to  their  good  works 
by  establishing  a  school  for  the  education  of  In- 
dian children,  but  after  being  successfully  con- 
ducted for  a  time  in  Saginaw  County,  it  was  trans- 
ferred to  Isabella  County.  The  Rev.  August 
Craemer  continued  to  be  pastor  of  the  church 
from  1845  to  1850  when  the  charge  was  given  to 
the  Rev.  Mr. Roebbelen,"'who  remained  its  minister 
until  1857,  when  he  was  obliged  to  resign  his  posi- 
tion on  account  of  ill  health.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Craemer 
died  in  Springfield,  111.,  in  May,  1891.  He  was 
professor  of  theology  in  the  Concordia  Seminary 
of  that  city,  and  was  thoroughly  respected  and 
very  popular  in  every  community  where  his  lot 
was  cast. 

In  September,  1858,  the  Rev.  Ottomar  Fuerbrin- 
ger,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  St.  Lorenzo  Church,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  in  charge  of  the  same.  He  was 
born  in  Gera  Reuss,  Germany,  June  30,  1«H>.  He 
was  educated  in  his  native  town  and  remained 
there  until  1827,  when  he  entered  the  University 
of  Leipsic,  from  which  institution  he  was  grad- 
uated in  1830.  He  afterward  became  tutor  in  a 
private  .school,  preparing  boys  for  college.  This 
position  he  held  until  L839,when  he  decided  upon 
coming  to  the  New  World. 

The  elder  Mr.  Fuerbringer  upon  coming  West 
located  for  one  year  in  Perry  County,  Mo.,  where 
he  was  professor  of  the  classic-  in  the  Concordia 
College,  which  institution  is  now  located  at  Ft. 
Wayne,  Ind.,  and  of  which  lie  is  the  only  sur- 
viving founder.  In  184(1  he  was  called  to  take 
charge  of  the  congregation  at  Flkhorn  Prairie. 
Washington  County,  111.,  and  remained  with  them 
for  the  succeeding  nine  years,  at  which  time  he 
assumed  the  responsibilities  of  pastor  for  the 
church  at  Freistadt.  Wis.,  where  he  remained  until 
he  was  called  to  Frankenmuth.  in  1858.  Four 
years  previous  to    his    removal    to    Frankenmuth 


the  Rev.  Ottomar  was  elected  President  of  the 
Northern  District  of  Missouri  Synod  and  served 
until  1882. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  married  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  Octobei  18.  1842,  to  Mrs.  Agnes  E. 
Walther,  whose  maiden  name  was  Buenger.  Mrs. 
Fuerbringer  was  born  in  Etzdorf,  Saxony.  July  23, 
1819.  Mrs.  Fuerbringer  is  a  lady  of  much  energy 
and  strength  of  character,  and  with  these  traits  are 
combined  the  softer  qualities  of  womanhood,  thus 
qualifying  her  for  the  important  duties  which  de- 
volve upon  her  as  the  wife  of  a  minister.  Our 
subject  is  one  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  born 
to  his  parents,  six  of  whom  lived  to  grow  to  man- 
hood and  womanhood.  Our  subject  enjoys  the 
full  confidence  of  the  church  of  which  he  is  pas- 
tor and  the  good  which  he  has  accomplished  in  the 
uplifting  of  humanity  can  only  be  measured  when 
time  shall  be  no  more. 


* 


ROF.  EDWARD  MENTE.  who  stands  so 
high  as  musical  director  and  orchestral 
leader,  lias  now  been  for  a  number  of  years 
a  citizen  of  Saginaw.  This  city  is  noted 
throughout  the  country  for  its  musical  societies 
and  the  talent  therein  shown,  it-  German  ia  and 
Teutonia  Societies  both  taking  a  front  rank  among 
musical  organization-.  Much  of  the  present  crit- 
ical taste  and  development  in  Saginaw  arc  due  to 
the  efforts  of  a  few  educated  gentlemen  who  at- 
tained their  own  skill  and  musical  education  under 
some  of  the  greatest  masters  of  this  country  and 
Europe. 

The  subject  of  this  review  takes  a  leading  place 
among  lovers  of  music  and  as  an  author  his  excel- 
lent arrangements  are  appreciated  and  admired. 
Born  in  the  metropolis  of  the  country.  March  16, 
1851,  he  was  reared  under  musical  influences,  his 
father  being  Charles  Mente,  a  renowned  soloist  in 
Theodore  Thomas'  unequaled  orchestra.  His  per- 
formances on  the  oboe  have  never  been  excelled 
and  his  devotion  to  his  art  made  him  a  til  tutor 
for  his  brilliant  son  whose  natural  inclination  for 
music  was  displayed   at   an    extremely    early    age. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


551 


The  father  was  among  the  best-known  musicians 
of  New  York  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  and  foi 
twenty  year-  was  closely  identified  with  the  fam- 
ous Philharmonic  Society. 

When  but  twelve  years  old  Edward  Mente  he- 
came  a  close  student  of  the  violin  and  under  his 
father's  instruction  made  rapid  advancement,  so 
that  his  playing  attracted  the  attention  of  some  of 
the  foremosl  artists,  who  urged  his  father  to  give 
him  the  advantage  of  European  training.  At  the 
age  of  thirteen  the  hoy  was  sent  to  one  of  the 
greatest  German  masters,  Prof.  Weismenann,  of 
Saxe  Weimar.  Germany.  There  he  devoted  two 
years  to  close  application  being  completely  fasci- 
nated with  his  instrument.  He  made  rapid  pro- 
gress and  at  the  end  of  two  years  he  returned  to 
America  and  became  identified  with  his  uncle. 
Prof.  Herman  Mente.  a  renowned  artist  now  con- 
nected with  the  Cincinnati  Orchestra,  and  after 
some  time  returned  to  New  York  and  played  with 
his  father  for  one  season  at  Niblo's  Theatre.  The 
two  following  years  he  was  in  the  orchestra  of 
Booth's  Theatre,  frequently  appearing  in  solo  parts 
and  during  the  summer  season  played  with  his 
orchestra  at  various  summer  resorts,  his  ability  as  a 
performer  and  leader  attracting  the  notice  of 
musical  people.  He  then  organized  and  was  for 
two  seasons  the  leader  of  the  Alice  Dungan-Ling- 
hard  Comedy  Company  orchestra,  traveling 
through  various  States.  He  also  gave  special  in- 
struction on  the  violin  at  tin-  Normal  College  at 
Deleware,  <  >hio. 

In  1K!S(I  Prof.  .Mente  arrived  at  Detroit  and 
there  learning  of  the  needs  of  Saginaw  in  a  mu- 
sical line  lie  determined  to  become  a  resident  here 
and  for  five  years  he  was  the  director  of  Rice's 
hand  and  orchestra,  finally  merging  it  into  what 
is  now  known  as  Mente's  Orchestra.  During  most 
of  this  time  he  has  been  employed  at  the  Academj 
of  Music,  a  place  of  amusement  which  offers  the 
people  of  Saginaw  only  first-class  entertainments. 
Aside  from  these  public  duties  his  hours  are  well 
filled  in  giving  private  instruction,  and  many  of 
his  pupils  have  made  remarkable  progress. 

Our  subject  plays  with  much  feeling  and  his 
rendition  of  classical  music  has  a  verve,  strength 
and  pathos  heard   only    when    the    instrument    is 


touched  by  a  master  hand.  Education  is  but 
growth  and  with  such  masters  of  composition  and 
art  as  it  now  possesses,  Saginaw  may  well  hope  to 
stand  at  the  head  in  musical  appreciation  and  ad- 
vancement. The  Professor  makes  his  own  ar- 
rangement of  music  for  orchestral  work.  Prof. 
Mente  was  married  November  25,  1883,  to  Miss 
Mary  Montgomery,  of  Detroit,  who  was  horn  Jan- 
uary 15,  1863,  in  Honesdale,  Pa.  Their  two  chil- 
dren are  Albert  Clark  and  Nathan  Charles.  Our 
subject  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views  and 
an  active  member  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church. 


— .$- 


\/\f//    the  prominent 


JAM  B.  BAUM.  We  have  here  one  of 
t  I  i-erman- American  citizens 
Vj  who  has  shown  his  earnest  devotion  to 
American  ideas  and  institutions,  and  who  has 
been  honored  by  being  made  the  Mayor  of  the 
city  of  East  Saginaw.  While  in  that  ofliee  he 
proved  himself  a  competent  and  efficient  incum- 
bent, and  one  who  was  wide-awake  to  the  interests 
of  the  city.  Mr.  Baum  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Saginaw,  on  the  East  Side.  January  23,  1856,  and 
is  the  eldest  son  of  the  late  Martin  Baum.  who 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1851,  and  came 
to  Saginaw  two  years  later.  Here  he  became  one 
of  the  active  citizens  of  this  growing  village  and 
kepi  what  was  known  as  Hie  Sherman  House, 
which  is  now  in  the  hands  of  three  of  his  sons.  The 
mother,  Catherine  Baum.  is  still  living  and  occu- 
pies the  old  homestead,  a  line  brick  structure  on 
( renesee  Avenue. 

The  subject  of   this  notice  was  educated   in  the 

city  schools,  and  he  then  entered  his  father's 
service  in  the  Sherman  I  louse,  continuing  there 
until  he  reached  his  majority  in  1*77.  The 
father  carried  on  this  successful  hotel,  which  he 
built  in  1873,  until  L881.  If  is  now  owned  and 
operated  by  his  three  sons — William  B.,  Martin  B. 
and  John  B.  William  1!.  Baum  was  elected  Al- 
derman  for  four  years  in  succession,  and  in  1888 
became    Mayor    of  East   Saginaw,      The   follow. 


552 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ing  year  he  was  re-elected  to  that  oilier,  receiving 
a  majority  of  one  thousand,  live  hundred  and 
eleven  votes.  He  was  the  flrsl  Mayor  of  Fast 
Saginaw  who  was  native-born  in  this  city,  and 
was  the  last  Mayor  of  that  city  before  the  con- 
solidation of  the  two  cities.  During  his  incum- 
bency as  Mayor  and  Alderman  he  was  instrumental 
in  bringing  about  many  substantial  improvements, 
much  progress  being  made  under  his  special  direc- 
tion. 

For  nine  years  Mr.  Baum  iva-  Treasurer  of  the 
German  ia  Society  of  East  Saginaw,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  German  societies  of  the  Mate.  He  is  Pres- 
ident of  the  Arbeiter  Verein  and  Past  Commander 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  lie  lias  been  the 
Lecturing  Knight  of  the  Elks,  and  besides  being 
a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  Lodge,  No. 
96,  he  belongs  to  Lodge  No.  303,  F.  A-  A.  M.,  ami 
also  to  the  Order  of  the  Foresters. 

He  is  a  Director  of  the  People's  Savings  Bank, 
a  member  of  the  Fast  Saginaw  Club,  an  honorary 
member  both  of  the  Stationary  Engineer's  and  the 
Police  Fund,  and  a  member  of  the  Saginaw  County 
World's  Fair  ( Commission. 

The  third  extended   trip  through    Europe  made 

by  Mr.  Baum  was  in  1891,  and  while  abroad 
he  visited  England,  Holland.  Belgium,  Germany, 
Norway.  Sweden,  Finland.  Russia,  Hungary, 
Austria,  Switzerland,  Italy  and  France,  ami  his 
travels  covered  some  seventeen  thousand  Euro- 
pean miles  He  is  one  of  tin-  most  public-spirited 
citizens  of  Saginaw  and  is  always  active  in  all 
efforts  which  are  intended  to  further  the  interests 
of  his  native  city.  In  polities  he  is  a  stanch 
Democrat  and  is  recognized  as  influential  in  the 
ranks  of  his  party  in  the  State. 


ARYFY  GILBERT,  M.  D.,one  of  the  older 
physicians  and  surgeons  of  Baj  (  ity,  came 
to  thi~  place  in  1874  and  now  enjoys  an 
extensive  practice.  He  was  born  in  Simcoe, 
Ontario,  January  28,  1846,  and  is  a  son  of  John 
W.  and  Christine  (Smith)  Gilbert.  The  parents 
still  live  on  the  old  farm  where  the  father  was  born 


in  1813, and  the  mother  was  bom  during  the  same 
year.  Thej  reared  a  family  of  five  sons  and  one 
daughter,  and  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  in 
1888. 

The  members  of  this  family  beside  our  subject 
are  Isaac  A.,  of  the  firm  of  Pratt  A-  Gilbert,  attor- 
neys of  Bay  City;  Albert,  who  lives  at  Simcoe 
with  his  parents;  Frank  O.,  a  member,  of  the  firm 
of  Gilbert  &  Light,  dentists  of  Bay  City;  Saman- 
tha,  the  wife  of  William  Culver,  of  Simcoe.  and 
the  Hon.  Peter  Gilbert,  of  Arenac,  now  Senator 
for  this  district  in  the  State  Senate,  and  whose 
popularity  in  Bay  City  carried  the  vote  there  by 
eighteen  hundred  majority.  The  family  were  in 
the  early  days  Episcopal  Methodists  in  religion  but 
now  are  more  inclined  to  the  Episcopal  faith.  All 
through  the  war  they  were  ardent  loyalists  in  pol- 
itics. 

The  education  of  our  subject  was  obtained  in 
the  common  ami  grammar  schools  of  Simcoe.  and 
he  studied  medicine  in  the  New  York  Homeopathic 
College,  taking  a  special  course  in  the  Ophthalmo- 
logical  Hospital  in  that  city,  graduating  from  both 
in  March.  1874.  lor  six  years  lie  practiced  his 
specialty  as  an  oculistand  aurist  and  then  devoted 
himself  to  general  practice  which  he  has  built  up 
finely  in  this  , - ] t  \ . 

The  Doctor  is  considered  one  of  the  leaders 
among  the  homeopathic  profession  in  the  Saginaw 
Valley,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Homeopathic  state 
Medical  society,  and  in  the  Saginaw  Valley  Hom- 
eopathic Medical  Society  he  has  been  Treasurer  for 
three  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order 
and  is  Past  High  Priest  of  the  ISIanchard  Chapter. 
He  has  belonged  to  the  Independent  ( (rder  of  <  i.M 
Fellows  but  i>  not  now  active,  but  in  Masonic  cir- 
cles has  been  influential  and  is  one  of  the  projectors 
of  the  Temple  Building  Association.  lb-  i~  proba- 
bly doing  as  much  for  the  Masonic  order  as  any 
man  here,  and  was  projector  of  the  Masonic  Fair 
held  here  in   December.  1891, and  uasils  President. 

Dr.  Gilberl  was  married,  May  26,  1875,  to  Ida. 
daughter  of  William  Beemer,  of  Simcoe,  and  they 
have  two  children  —  Leta  and  Van.  The  eleganl 
home  in  which  they  reside  at  No.605  N.(  .rant  Street, 
was  built  by  (he  Doctor  seventeen  years  ago  and  in 
it  they  have  made  their  home  ever  since  the  fam- 


PORTRAIT  AM     BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


553 


ily  was  established.  They  are  members  of  tin-  Trin- 
ity Church  congregation,  and  the  Doctor  has  taken 
au  active  pari  in  the  movements  of  the  Democratic 
party,  although  he  does  not  care  to  seek  office. 
He  was  chairman  of  the  Board  of  Health  and  lias 
done  much  in  bringing  ab  ml  the  present  effective 
system  of  this  branch  of  the  city  government.  The 
part  (if  the  city  charter  referring  to  the  Board  of 
Health  was  revised  b\  him,  and  the  taws  which 
were  written  bv  his  hand  still  govern  the  city 
health  departmenl  and  have  stood  the  test  of  time. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Bay  County  Horticultural 
Society  and  has  been  a  warm  promoter  of  all 
movements  for  building  up  thai  branch  of  the  in- 
dustries of  the  COUfitv. 


WILLIAM  II.  LENNI 
Police  Of  West  Ba 
the  city  prison,  is  o 


ylLLIAM  II.  LENNON,  who  is  the  Chief  of 
Bay  City  and  Warden  of 
me  of  the  old  settlers  of 
the  place.  His  kindly  nature  and  thoughtful  con- 
sideration make  him  a  universal  favorite,  and  he  is 
ever  ready  to  exchange  a  pleasant  word  with  a 
friend  and  neighbor.  He  was  born  in  Hamilton. 
Canada,  February  11.  1847,  and  bis  father,  Capt. 
Hugh  Lennon,  was  born  in  Ireland  and  came  to 
Canada  when  a  boy. 

The  Captain  began  as  a  boy  sailing  upon  the 
ocean  and  worked  his  way  to  a  Captaincy,  and 
then  entered  the  lake  service  until  he  retired  and 
in  his  later  years  made  his  home  in  Ontario.  lie 
there  obtained  a  Government  position  as  jailer  for 
eighl  years  and  died  in  1855.  His  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Annie  Hogan,  was  born  in  Ham- 
ilton and  died  the  year  previous  to  her  husband's 
demise.  They  were  both  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  ( )f  their  six  children  three  are  living  and 
our  subject  is  the  only  one  who  makes  his  home  in 
the  United  States. 

Mr.  Lennon  was  reared  in  Hamilton  and  Cayuga, 
and  in  1863, after  he  completed  his  sixteenth  year, 
he  came  to  Bay  City  and  found  employment  in 
lumbering  and  rafting  for  five  or  six  years  at  vari- 
ous points  in  the  Valley  and  there  became  pur- 
chaser  for   Cooper,  Heath   &  Co.,  who  were  in  the 


hoop  husiness  at  Unionville  and  Sebewaing.  The 
Village  Council  at  Wenona  made  him  Marshal  in 
1874,  and  when  the  towns  were  consolidated  he 
was  appointed  City  Marshal  of  West  Bay  City  and 
held  that  office  until  June,  1887. 

During  his  official  position  Mr.  Lennon  was 
made  Constable,  and  also  engaged  in  carrying  on  a 
bazaar  store  on  Midland  Street.  This  business  had 
a  steady  and  healthful  growth  and  was  enlarged 
until  June,  1891,  when  he  sold  out  the  stock.  It 
was  al  that  time  the  largest  bazaar  store  in  West 
Lay  City,  lie  was  Alderman  elect  for  two  years 
but  resigned  to  accept  the  position  of  Chief  of  Po- 
lice.which  was  tendered  bun  in  April.  1X1)1.  As  Mar- 
shal and  Constable  in  the  earlier  days  he  made 
many  an  arrest  of  Indians  and  woodsmen,  and  he 
has  seen  this  place  grow  from  a  mere  hamlet  with- 
out bridges  or  modern  conveniences  to  a  prosper- 
ous city  with  more  than  ordinary  railroad  facilities 
and  all  modern  arrangements  for  carrying  on  bus- 
ness. 

The  marriageof  our  subject,  in  lK7.'i,  in  Hamilton 
united  him  with  Miss  Isabelle  Dunn,  a  native  of 
that  city.  Their  two  children  are  William  D.  and 
Hortense  E.  Among  the  social  orders  he  belongs 
to  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
lodge  of  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workman  in  this 
city.  Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat  and  an  influ- 
ential man  in  his  party,  lie  has  held  the  office  of 
Constable  for  thirteen  years.  In  1882  he  was  Dep- 
uty Sheriff  and  for  two  years  more  was  Under 
Sheriff  under  the  same  man. 


<  »  1 1 .1.1  V  M    A.   COLE   is    one   of    the    pioneer 

\  /  fathers  of  Tittabawassee  Township,  Sagi- 
V V  naw  County,  and  a  biographical  history 
of  the  enterprising  men  who  have  made  this  sec- 
tion what  it  is  would  be  incomplete  without  a 
mention  of  his  name,  lie  is  a  son  of  Leonard  and 
Hannah  (Knapp)  Cole,  natives  of  New  York  and 
Connecticut  respectively,  and  he  is  a  grandson  of 
Henry  Cole  who  was  a  soldier  in   the  Revolution- 


554 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ary  War.  His  great-grandsire  was  Leonard  Cole, 
a  native  of  Holland  wbo  came  to  the  United  States 
in  boyhood  and  who  Coughl  in  the  Revolutionary 
War.  He  was  tli*-  father  of  three  sons  who  also 
served  their  country  in  that  dark  hour  of  her 
trial.  He  died  at  the  age  of  about  seventy  years 
and  his  son.  our  subject's  grandfather,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-one  years. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  January  Hi. 
1822.  His  parents  came  to  Saginaw  County  in 
1845,  and  located  a  farm  near  the  State  Road 
Bridge.  They  then  purchased  a  farm  across  the 
river  and  cleared  seventy-four  acres  of  land  for 
which  they  received  a  warranty  deed  and  the  use 
of  the  other  seventy-four  acres  for  ten  years.  Our 
subject  as  a  young  man  purchased  fifty  acres  on 
Swan  Creek  and  lumbered  on  this  tract  for  one 
year.  It  was  at  the  time  literally  a  wilderness 
inhabited  only  by  bears,  wolves  and  deer.  At  that 
early  day  the  country  was  inhabited  bv  about 
thirty  or  forty  thousand  Indians.  Smallpox  be- 
came rife  among  the  latter  and  after  it  had  run 
its  course  there  were  only  about  fifteen  hundred 
left. 

June  2.'!,  1850,  our  subject  was  happily  married 
to  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  Roger  K.  Cook,  a  native 
of  Ohio,  although  .Mrs.  Cole  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. January  24,  1832.  Seven  children  were 
granted  to  our  subject  and  his  wife,  but  at  the 
dictates  of  a  mysterious  providence  the  little  ones 
were  gathered  to  their  long  home,  all  dying  in  in- 
fancy excepting  Henry  A.,  the  lirst  born,  who  died 
when  seventeen  months  old,  and  Rhoda  A.,  who 
was  live  years  and  seven  months  old  when  she 
died.  After  his  marriage,  in  1851,  Mr.  Cole 
bought  a  farm  in  Midland  County,  this  State,  and 
made  it  his  home  for  two  years,  thence  removing 
to  Saginaw  Township  where  lie  lived  one  year. 
He  then  purchased  the  eighty  acres  where  he  now 
resides.  It  was  in  an  entirely  wild  state  and  their 
nearest  neighbor  lived  at  a  distance  of  two  miles. 
This  he  has  all  cleared  and  now  owns  a  good  home 
where  he  and  his  estimable  wife  are  spending  their 
declining  years  in  comfort  and  relieved  from  ex- 
cessive care.  On  tiist  coming  to  this  place  their 
nearest  market  was  at  Saginaw,  but  when  the  fam- 
ily were  in  need  of  fresh  meal   Mr.    Cole    was    ac- 


customed to  take  his  rifle,  sit  down  in  the  lee  of  a 
bush  and  wait  for  a  deer,  and  always  had  plenty 
of  meat. 

In  polities  our  subject  is  a  Democrat  of  the  old 
style  true-blue  sort.  His  mind  is  stored  with  in- 
teresting reminiscences  of  events  relating  to  the 
early  history  of  this  State  and  of  the  Revolution- 
ary period  as  told  him  by  his  grandfather  when 
our  subject  was  a  lad.  He  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church. 


'TfOHN  B.  MORITZ.  Numbered  among  the 
most  enterprising  of  Bay  City's  young  busi- 
ness men,  is  the  subject  of  this  biographical 
notice.  He  was  born  at  Port  Washington, 
^'is..  May  26,  1855,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Bar- 
bara Moritz.  His  father  was  a  brewer,  as  was  also 
the  grandfather,  who  had  a  large  business  on  the 
Rhine,  at  Mainz.  John  1!.  received  his  education 
in  Wisconsin,  after  which  he  learned  the  rudiments 
of  the  brewing  business  with  his  father. 

In  company  with  his  brother,  Louis,  our  subject 
visited  Germany  in  1873,  remaining  there  until 
1876,  and  devoting  his  entire  time  to  acquiring  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  the  details  of  the  business  to 
which  he  expected  to  devote  his    life.       lie    visited 

and  carefully  examined  all  the  large  breweries  of 
the  Old  World,  among  them  those  at  Berlin  and 
Munich,  and  upon  his  return  from  Germany  he  and 
his  In-other  found  lucrative  employment  with  the 
Philip  Besl   Brewing  Company,  of  Milwaukee. 

Mr.  Moritz  remained  with  the  Bcsl  Brewing 
Company  for  some  time,  but  resigned  his  position 
there  to  accept  the  superintendence'  of  the  Hansen 
Hop  and  Malt  Company,  remaining  in  that  capa- 
city until  coming  to  this  city  in  1884.  Here  he 
became  one  of  the  partners  of  the  Bay  City  Brew- 
ing Company,  which  succeeded  C.  E.  Young  & 
Co.  They  remodeled  and  enlarged  the  works 
until  at  the  present  time  they  have  a  capacity  of 
about  twenty  thousand  barrels.  The  company  was 
incorporated  January  I.  1884,  with  a  capital  stock 
of  $50,000,  and  the  present  officers  are:  Charles  E. 
Young.  President;   W,  I>.   Young.   Vice-President; 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


557 


Louis  Moritz,  Superintendent;  and  J.  1!.  Moritz, 
Secretary  and  Treasurer. 

The  Bay  City  Brewing  Company  aims  especiall) 
tn  supply  the  domestic  trade,  and  their  large  es- 
tablishment gives  employment  to  about  twenty-five 
men.  They  have  recently  fitted  up  a  new  depart- 
ment, the  bottling  works,  and  will  bottle  a  prime 
quality  of  export  beer  designed  chiefly  for  family 
use.  The  ice  houses  in  connection  with  the  brew- 
ery have  a  capacity  of  four  thousand  and  eighl 
hundred  and  seventy-five  tons.  The  engine-room 
is  fitted  with  a  twenty-live  horse-power  engine 
which  furnishes  power  for  the  whole  concern.  Its 
chief  use  is  to  pump  brine  through  the  endless  sys- 
tem of  pipes  that  are  used  to  tune  down  the  tem- 
perature of  the  storing,  fermenting  and  other  de- 
partments. A  view  of  the  Bay  City  Brewery  is 
presented  on  another  page. 

Mr.  Moritz  has  established  a  pleasant  home  in 
Bay  City,  which  is  presided  over  by  a  lady  whose 
maiden  name  was  Mary  Gavord,  and  who  became 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Moritz,  in  1886.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Moritz  are  quite  well  known  in  Bay  City,  and  pos- 
sess genial  dispositions  and  charitable  natures, 
which  win  for  them  many  friends. 


* 


yll.UAM  II.  WARNER,  (deceased)  of  East 
Saginaw.  There  are  but  few  cities  in  the 
Union  whose  growth  has  been  so  rapid 
and  wonderful  as  that  of  the  city  of  Eas1  Saginaw, 
Mich.  There  were  no  natural  surroundings  to  the 
locality,  nothing  inherent  out  of  which  to  build 
even  a  village,  except  it  maybe  the  river  on  which 
the  place  is  situated;  but  a  small  band  of  energetic, 
enterprising  men,  having  the  courage  to  follow  oul 
their  convictions  to  a  successful  result,  resolved 
that  a  city  should  be  built,  and  to  this  end  they 
worked  together.  The  labors  of  these  men  can 
never  lie  pr<  perly  estimated.  The  efforts  they 
made,  in  the  face  of  many  obstacles,  deserve  to  be 
commemorated  in  enduring  history.  Every  failure 
Of  a  cherished  scheme,  instead  of  discouraging  the 
early  pioneers  of  East  Saginaw,  served  simply  to 
stimulate   them    to    renewed    endeavor.     Some   of 


these  men  died  before  their  hopes  were  realized, 
but   many  of  the  projectors  of  the  e  in  Inyo  city  lived 

to  see  their  anticipations  accomplished.  Of  this 
handful  of  men.  the  names  of  Warner  and  Eastman 
gained  and  sustained  a  widely  extended  repute.  It 
is  the  purpose  of  the  writer  to  deal  with  but  one 
of  these  men  at  the  present  time;  but.  the  circum- 
stances surrounding  them  make  at  least  a  casual 
mention  of  the.  partnership  a  necessity;  for  each 
of  the  partners  became,  in  the  process  of  time,  the 
complement  of  the  other. 

William  Harrison  Warner  was  born  in  the  town 
of  Enfield,  Conn.,  on  the  21st  of  August,  1K13. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  the  mother  was  of  New  England  origin.  They 
removed  to  Springfield.  Mass..  when  he  was  two 
years  old.  and  there  gave  theii  son  such  educational 
facilities  as  the  common  schools  afforded  at  that 
early  day.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  commenced 
an  apprenticeship  n\  the  trade  of  carpenter  and 
joiner,  with  Gideon  Gardner,  in  Springfield,  Miss. 
In  his  very  early  history  he  became  a  member  of 
the  Hampden  Association,  a  temperance  society 
which  flourished  in  Springfield  at  that  time;  and 
to  the  principles  which  were  then  instilled  in  his 
mind,  he  attributed  much  of  the  happiness  and 
prosperity  which  attended  him  through  life.  Mr. 
Samuel  Bowles,  the  editor  and  founder  of  the 
Springfield  Republican,  a  paper  of  great  influence 
and  of  wide  circulation,  was  the  President  of  the 
Organization  referred  to.  and  the  effect  of  such  a 
life  on  the  mind  of  young  Warner  could  not  fail 
to  be  beneficial. 

In  is;{(;  theyoung  man  removed  to  Mt.  Clemens. 
Mich.,  being  then  twenty-three  years  of  age,  and 
the  master  of  a  good  trade,  lie  continued  in  this 
pursuit,  in  the  lasl    named  place,  until    1854,  when 

he  made  one  i e.  and  this    time  a    (inal    removal 

to  East  Saginaw,  where  he  continued  to  reside  un- 
til the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  March  18, 
1890.     Hi-  fust  business  enterprise,  after   settling 

in  his  new  and  permanent  home,  was  the  establish- 
ment of  a  foundry  and  machine-shop,  the  first  ol 
its  kind  in  the  entire  Saginaw  Valley.  It  was 
at  this  time  also,  thai  his  partnership  with  L.  II. 
Eastman  was  formed,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Warner   a-    Eastman,    which   continued  in  active 


558 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


operation  for  some  twenty-five  years,  until  the 
death  of  the  latter,  which  occurred  in  1879. 

A  short  time  subsequenl  to  the  building  of  the 
machine-shop,  Warner  &  Eastman  built  a  sawmill. 
and  they  were  among  the  early  successful  pioneers 
in  the  manufacture  of  Saginaw's  great  staple,  salt. 
As  has  been  stated,  the  history  of  this  firm  is  iden- 
tified with  the  history  of  the  city,  which  it  helped 
to  build.  Mr.  "Warner's  influence  was  ever  used  to 
benefit  the  community  of  which  he  was  a  member, 
and  his  firm  was  among  the  foremost  in  the  aid  of 
every  important  undertaking. 

It  is  not  properly  within  the  scope  of  such  an 
article  as  this  to  give  a  history  of  all  the  many 
events  in  which  .Mr.  Warner  bore  his  part,  so  man- 
fully and  well,  but  it  can  safely  be  stated  that  his 
life  was  a  useful  one  for  the  consistent  example  he 
exhibited  throughout  his  history.  It  was  marked, 
also,  by  an  earnest  piety  and  a  strict  integrity  of 
character,  two  salient  points  of  great  weight  in  a 
young  and  thriving  city.  Mr.  Warner  was  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  first  Congregational  Church 
of  East  Saginaw,  and  one  of  its  most  useful  officers 
and  members.  lie  was  elected  Deacon  at  the  time 
of  its  organization,  and  filled  that  office  until  his 
death.  In  1867  the  machine-shop  which  he  founded 
was  sold  to  A.  i".  l'.artlcti  .v-  Co.',  and  is  yet  inactive 
operation.  The  sawmill  and  the  lumber  interests 
which  the  firm  had  acquired  were  sufficient  to  oc- 
cupy the  attention  of  Mr.  Warner  ami  his  partner 
from  1867  until  L879,  since  which  latter  date  Mr. 
Warner  gave  the  matter  his  personal  supervis- 
ion. 

A  friend  who  knew  him  well  pays  this  tribute 
to  his  reputation:  •■Although  Mr.  Warner's  life 
has  not  been  an  exciting  or  an  eventful  one.  it  has 
yet  been  marked  by  consistent  piety.  He  is  kindly 
in  his  judgment  and  is  ever  a  peacemaker."  The 
Highest  Authority  has  given  to  peacemakers  an 
exhalted  position.  His  was  the  privilege  to  pre- 
vent broken  friendships,  or  to  restore  such  rela- 
tionships if  once  severed. 

Mr.  Warner  was  twice  married.  His  first  union 
was  with  Miss  Clarissa  I).  Barrett,  of  Hinsdale,  X. 
II.  Eight  children  were  born  to  the  parents,  only 
two  of  whom  survive.  Mis.  Warner  died  in  1863. 
In  1865  Mr,  Warner  married  Miss  Khz.-,    F.ldred.  a 


native  of  Erie  County,  N.  Y.  There  were  two  chil- 
dren born,  but  none  living  of  this  latter  marriage. 
In  politics  Mr.  Warner  was  originally  a  Whig,  but 
when  that  party  became  extinct,  he,  with  many 
others  of  like  mind,  joined  the  Republican  ranks. 
He  never  solicited  public  office  or  political  prefer- 
ment, but  was  ever  willing  to  perform  his  part  as 
a  good  citizen,  and  to  give  such  service  as  might 
be  demanded  of  him.  lie  was  one  of  the  original 
stockholders  in  the  organization  of  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank,  and  for  several  years  was  Vice-Presi- 
dent. 

Mr.  Warner  was  indeed  a  father  in  Israel,  and 
the  fact  that  he  was  known  everywhere  as  Deacon 
Warner,  and  that  the  title  was  affectionately  and 
tenderly  given  him  by  all  who  know  him.  speaks 
volume-  for  the  sincerity  and  thoroughness  of  his 
piety.  His  record  of  almost  forty  years  in  the  Sagi- 
naw Valley,  gives  the  story  of  integrity,  fidelity 
and  capacity,  and  his  just  and  charitable  dealings 
with  hi-  fellow-men  have  deepened  the  impression 
made  In  his  Christian  profession  and  devotion  to 
the  church.  The  harmony  between  these  two  is 
his  highest  honor,  lie  was  not  a  man  of  words, 
hut  of  actions,  and  being  reserved  he  spoke  only 
for  a  purpose.  His  nature  was  deeply  spiritual, 
but  found  expression  more  in  practical  righteous- 
ness than  in  emotional  utterance-.  A  full  share  of 
afflictions  was  his,  yet  he  lost  no  faith  in  the  good- 
ness and  mercy  of  (iod.  He  was  always  genial, 
helpful  and  a  good  counselor,  and  those  who  knew 
him  best   loved  him  most. 


1111. II'  C.  FLOETER.  This  genial  and  cul- 
tured gentleman  has  a  high,  standing  in  Kay 
(it\  as  an  architect  and  superintendent  of 
buildings,  and  has  built  up  for  himself  a  tine 
business  which  is  well  sustained  by  his  practical 
knowledge  and  experience.  He  was  bom  in  Chat- 
ham, County  Kent, Ontario, Canada/June  22,  184i), 
and  is  a  son  of  Robert,  whose  father.  Frederick,  was 
horn  in  Prussia,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  German 
Army  during  the  Napoleonic  Wars,  and  the  Cri- 
mean   War.  ami    later  entered    the   English   army. 


PORTRAIT  ANT)  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


559 


serving  in  the  Commissarj  Department.  He  after- 
ward came  to  Canada,  and  engaged  in  operating 
flouring  and  woolen  mills  at  Chatham. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  contractor  and 
builder  and  in  I860  rune  to  Bay  City,  and  after- 
ward spent  several  years  in  Flint,  but  Qnally  re- 
turned to  <  lint  1 1 .- 1  in  where  he  now  resides.  He  was 
a  Deacon  in  the  Baptisl  Church,  and  a  man  of 
sterling  character.  His  good  wife,  Elmira,  is  a 
daughter  i>f  Philip  Clan.-,  a  Pcnnsylvanian  by 
birth,  who  is  a  farmer  in  Chatham.  Our  subject 
had  only  one  brother  and  one  sister,  namely. 
Robert,  who  is  a  manufacturer  at  Chatham,  and 
Jennie,  who  has  passed  from  this  life. 

Young  Floeter  was  reared  in  Chatham,  and  after 
Studying  in  the  city  schools  worked  at  his  trade  as 
a  builder,  and  when  past  fourteen  year-  of  age  he 
traveled  in  different  places  and  in  L863  came  to 
the  United  States,  and  for  eighteen  year-  followed 
building  in  nearly  all  of  the  Western  Males,  and 
for  two  and  a  half  years  was  foreman  in  the  Pull- 
man Car  Works.  In  1881  became  to  Bay  City, 
and  taking  up  architecture  entered  in  partnership 
with  I-'..  W.  Arnold  A-  Co.  This  firm  continued 
until  1885,  when  it  dissolved,  and  the  linn  of  1*.  C. 
Floeter  &  Co.,  was  formed,  Mr.  Kaufman  being  the 
partner  in  this  concern;  but  in  1889,  our  .subject 
bouglil  out  that  gentleman's  interest,  and  hassince 
been  e.in  fing  on  the  business  al :. 

Among  thr  notable  buildings  which  have  been 
designed  and  erected  under  the  supervision  of  Mr. 
Floeter  are  the  Griswold  Building,  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  on  Madison  Avenue,  the  Episco- 
pal  Church,  Harmon   &   Winer's    Business    Block. 

and  tin-  line   private  reside -    of    Dr.    Vaughan, 

Joseph  Eastwood,  and  others.  At  Easl  Saginaw 
he  put  up  St.  Paul's  Church,  also  the  large  Mortu- 
ai  \  Vault,  Chapel  and  ( Conservatory,  and  he  rebuih 
St.  John's  Church,  with  il<  guild  house  anil 
rectory  at  Saginaw  City,  also  the  Court  Street 
Methodist  <  h  irchal  Flint,  Grace  Episcopal  Church 
at  Port  Huron,  t'.ie  Masonic  Temple  at  Ludington, 
and  the  famoili  Wriglil  House  and  sanitarium  at 
Alma.  The  workshops  buill  for  the  Detroit,  Lan- 
sing, and  Northern  Railroad  at  Ionia  at  a  cOSl  of 
$175,000,  and  the  huge  railroad  depot  at  Claire 
are  from  hi-  design,  and  elected    under  his  super- 


intendence, a-  were  also  thirteen  railroad  depots 
on  the  Cincinnati.  Saginaw  A-  Mackinaw  Railroad 
and  main  other  public  and  private  edifices  in  the 
State,  and  in  adjoining  Stale-. 

The  marriage  of  this  prominent  gentleman  took 
place  in  Chatham.  Canada,  and  his  bride  was  Mi- 
Ma  ry  Lewis  who  was  a  native  of  that  place.  To 
them  have  been  born  three  interesting  children,  to 
whom  they  have  given  the  name-  of  Fred,  Grace, 
and  Wave.  Mr-.  Floeter  is  a  prominent  and  active 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Bay  City,  and  a 
lady  who  has  a.  wide  social  influence.  The  political 
views  of  our  subject  are  independent,  and  yet  he 
inclines  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Democratic  party. 
The  Knights  Templar  recognize  him  as  one  of  their 
most  valuable  members,  and  in  all  social  circles  he 
is  esteemed  as  a  leader. 


'■    '   °-^h 


EN^' 


>HOMAS  D.  CAMPBELL.  This  gentleman 
is  one  of  the  prominent  lawyers  of  Bay  City 
being  a  precise,  careful  and  earnest  man 
and  a  close  reader  of  human  nature.  He  has  been 
a  re-idenl  of  this  place  for  the  past  five  years  and 
i-  now  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Campbell  &  Con- 
man-.  This  gentleman  is  the  possessor  of  a  targe 
degree  of  common  sense  and  originality  of  reason- 
ing and  never  acts  only  after  mature    deliberation. 

lie  of  whom  we  write  was  born  in  Barry  County, 
this  State  and  in  the  year  1865,  on  the  20th  of 
March,  being  a  .-on  of  Duncan  and  Harriet  (Camp- 
bell) Campbell.  The  father  came  to  this  State  from 
Canada  when  it  was  in  a  wild  and  unsettled  con- 
dition  and    our   subject    passed    his  early  youth  in 

the  Union  sel 1-   at    Middle-villc   and    afterward 

attended  the  .Michigan  State  Agricultural  College 
at  Lansing,  being  graduated  in  1883.  Subsequently 
he  went  to  Hastings.  Larry  County,  and  entered 
the  law  linn  of  Knappen  A'  Van Arinen.  as  a  law- 
student,  where  he  -pent  two  years  with  them 
studying,  and  then  entered  the  University  of  .Mich- 
igan al  Ann  Arbor,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  the  Class  of    'Si;. 

After  finishing  in  the  law  school  our  subject 
came  to  this  city   August    23,    1886,    and    entered 


560 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   EECORD, 


into  partnership  with  S.  P.  Flynn,  of  West  Bay 
City  with  whom  lie  remained  about  one  year  and 
a  half  when  the  connection  was  dissolved  and  Mr. 
Campbell  continued  in  practice  alone  for  some  time 
when  he  entered  into  partnership  with  L.  P.  Con- 
mans  who  is  now  Justice  of  the  Peace.  They  have 
their  office  in  the  Fisher  Block  where  they  have 
built  up  a  splendid  practice  in  the  city.  Mr. 
Campbell  has  always  been  an  ardent  Republican, 
one  who  does  not  swerve  from  the  views  and  prin- 
ciples promulgated  by  that  political  organization 
although  he  has  never  been  active,  giving  his  en- 
tire attention  to  his  professional  labors. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch 
was  united  in  matrimony  with  Miss  Anna  C.  Nev- 
ius,  of  Hastings,  Mich.,  a  daughter  of  the  Hon. 
John  M.  Nevins  of  the  same  place.  Their  mar- 
riage was  celebrated  January  l'."..  L889  and  they 
have  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  one  child,  a  boy, 
Don  B.  Mr.  Campbell  is  one  of  the  leading  mem- 
bers of  the  Masonic  order  of  the  city. 


s~*  EORGE  MOULTON.  There  are  f ew  homes 
ill  _ -,  in  Saginaw  County  more  attractive  or  de- 
^Nss<J|  sirable  than  that  of  the  subject  of  this  bio- 
graphy. The  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  on  section  36,  Joneslield  Town- 
ship, he  has  placed  forty-eight  acres  under  splen- 
did cultivation  and  embellished  the  place  with  all 
the  improvements  noticeable  thereon  al  present. 
The  commodious  residence  is  surrounded  here  and 
there  by  shade  and  fruit  trees,  while  in  the  rear 
are  the  bains  and  Other  outbuildings  for  the  shelter 
of  stock  and  storage  of  grain.  His  present  pros- 
perity has  not  been  secured  without  arduous  exer- 
tions on  his  part,  and  in  his  efforts  he  lias  received 
the  hearty  co-operation  of  his  estimable  wife.  As 
a  stock-raiser  and  general  farmer,  he  is  prominent 
in  the  community,  and  his  public  spirit  and  enter- 
prise are  well  known. 

Many  years  ago  in  Canada  a  ceremony  was  per- 
formed which  united  in  marriage  Joseph  Moulton, 
a  farmer  whose  native  home  was  in  Vermont,  and 
Elizabeth    Mullen,  who  had  emigrated   to  Canada 


from  Ireland,  where  she  was  born.  Neither  of  this 
worthy  couple  lived  to  be  old.  the  husband  dying 
in  1846,  and  the  wife  three  years  afterward.  They 
left  a  family  of  five  children,  four  of  whom  now 
survive.  Our  subject,  the  third  child,  was  born  in 
Canada  in  1840,  and  was  therefore  a  mere  child 
when  doubly  orphaned  and  left  homeless  and 
friendless  to  make  his  way  against  adverse  circum- 
stances. He  was  taken  into  the  home  of  a  Mr. 
( lunningham,  with  whom  he  remained  until  he  was 
eighteen  years  old.  working  on  a  farm  and  enjov- 
ing  none  of  the  home  comforts  which  most  chil- 
dren have. 

When  eighteen  years  old  Mr.  Moulton  com- 
menced to  work  out  by  the  month  and  continued 
thus  employed  for  several  years.  When  he  was 
able  to  establish  a  liome  of  his  own. he  was  married 
October  21.  I860,  to  Miss  Sarah  L.  Wilson,  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Cnderwood)  Wil- 
son, natives  of  New  York.  Mr.  Wilson  died  in 
1862,  but  his  widow  still  survives  (1891)  at  the 
age  of  eighty-seven  years.  She  was  a  widow  with 
five  children  at  the  time  of  her  union  with  Mr. 
Wilson,  and  he  had  ten  children  by  a  former  mar- 
riage. Their  union  brought  to  them  five  children. 
four  of  whom  are  now  living.  Mrs.  Moulton  was 
born  June  1(1,  1844,  in  Canada,  where  she  was  mar- 
ried in  her  young  womanhood. 

In  January.  1866,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moulton  came 
to  Michigan  and  located  on  their  present  farm, 
where  he  had  built  a  shanty,  and  proceeded  to  clear 
the  land.  One  year  prior  to  bringing  his  wife  and 
children  hither,  he  hail  come  here  in  1865  and  pre- 
pared for  their  removal.  He  took  up  a  homestead 
claim  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  timber 
land  and  struggled  hard  against  hardships  and  pri- 
vations. So  poor  was  he  that  after  buying  a  sto\  e, 
bedding  and  a  few  dishes,  in  Saginaw,  he  had  five 
cents  in  his  pocket,  and  was  about  $50  in  debt.  At 
that  time  there  were  only  three  settlers  in  the  com- 
munity, and  his  nearest  neighbor  was  one  and  one- 
half  miles  distant. 

Ten  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Moul'on.  of  whom  seven  are  now  living,  as  fol- 
lows: Ella  L.,  the  wife  of  Albert  Wilson,  and  the 
mother  of  three  children;  Julia  F..  Caroline  V., 
James  W„  William  J..  Walton  J.  and  Mabel  O..who 


PORTRAIT  AIS'D  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


561 


are  still  at  home,  and  have  received  good  educa- 
tions. Mr.  Moulton  has  always  maintained  great 
interest  in  educational  matters,  helping  to  organize 
the  school  district  where  he  resides  and  serving  as 
a  member  of  the  School  Board,  and  Director  for 
many  year-.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  has 
been  Supervisor  of  Jonesfield  Township  for  seven 
years.  Treasurer  for  one  year.  Constable  and  Oxer- 
seer  of  Highways.  He  assisted  in  organizing  the 
township  of  Jonesfield,  and  has  been  closely  iden- 
tified with  its  progress.  He  has  worked  in  lumber 
camps  for  twelve  winters,  and  promoted  the  lum- 
bering interests  of  this  State.  During  the  fire  of 
1871,  he  lost  his  entire  crop,  but  by  almost  super- 
human efforts  was  able  to  save  his  house  and  passed 
through  the  awful  ordeal  in  safety,  although  the 
eyes  of  his  eldest  daughter  were  injured  thereby, 
and  continued  weak  until  she  was  sixteen  years 
old.  The  family  are  highly  esteemed  in  the  com- 
munity, and  have  contributed  greatly  to  its  pres- 
ent high  standing. 


* 


IJIL^ON.  EMIL  ANNEKE,  of  Bay  City,  was 
born  December  13.  1823,  in  the  city  of 
Dortmund,  Prussia.  At  the  age  of  ten  years 
he  entered  the  Gymnasium  at  Dortmund, 
and  passed  his  examination  of  maturity  nine  years 
later.  He  was  then  admitted  to  the  University  of 
Berlin,  where  he  studied  higher  mathematics,  nat- 
ural science,  and  law.  After  completing  his  stud- 
ies, he  traveled  for  hisgeneral  information  through 
Saxony.  Bohemia,  Austria,  and  other  parts  of  the 
(  ontinent. 

In  184K  .Mr.  Anneke  took  part  in  the  Revolution- 
ary movement  that  swept  over  a  large  part  of  Eu- 
rope, and  when  those  Struggles  had  been  subdued, 
and  all  efforts  for  the  establishment  of  a  Ger- 
man Republic  proved  unsuccessful,  he,  with  hun- 
dreds of  other  liberal  young  men,  left  his  native 
country  and  came  to  the  United  States.  He  ar- 
rived in  the  city  of  New  York  in  1849.  From 
there  he  went  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he  engaged 
in  school-teaching;  but  disliking  this  employment, 
he  was  offered  and  accepted  a  position  on  the  edi- 


torial staff  of  the  New  York  Staats  Zeitung,  which 
he  soon  after  resigned  to  engage  with  a  large  mer- 
cantile house  in  New  York  as  corresponding  clerk. 

Mr.  Anneke  remained  there  until  185.5,  when  lie 
removed  to  Detroit,  Mich.,  and  assumed  the  edi- 
torial management  of  a  German  paper.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  he  was  appointed  clerk  in  the  Audi- 
tor-General's office  at  Lansing.  He  took  with  him 
to  this  office  the  same  energy  and  precision  that 
had  characterized  his  life;  he  suggested  many  new 
improvements  in  the  conduct  of  the  office,  and 
made  his  services  so  valuable  as  Chief  Clerk  as  to 
have  them  recognized  by  a  nomination  by  the  Re- 
publican party  for  the  office  of  Auditor-!  .eneral.  to 
which  he  was  elected  by  a  large  majority  in    18G2. 

So  faithfully  did  Mr.  Anneke  discharge  the  du- 
ties of  his  position,  that  he  was  again  tendered  the 
nomination,  and  re-elected  by  an  increased  major- 
ity. At  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  was  admit- 
ted to  the  bar,  and  began  the  practice  of  law  at 
(Wand  Rapids;  during  the  summer  of  that  year  he 
was  appointed  Receiver  of  Public  Money  in  the 
District  of  Grand  Traverse.  He  resigned  this  po- 
sition, and  removed  to  East  Saginaw,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1874,  when  he  came  with  his  family  to 
Bay  City,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  at  his  residence  on  the  corner  of  Tenth 
and  Grant  Streets.  While  a  citizen  of  East  Saginaw 
and  Bay  City,  he  was  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
law  and  the  real-estate  business. 

Mr.  Anneke's  nature  was  domestic  and  retiring, 
and  his  happiest  moments  were  passed  in  the  pri- 
vacy of  his  home,  to  which  he  was  greatly  attached. 
His  honor  and  integrity  were  unimpeachable,  and 
lie  looked  for  the  same  virtues  m  others  that  were 
so  strongly  manifest  in  his  own  nature.  He  was  a 
genial  companion,  a  gentleman  of  the  old  school, 
generous  in  scanning  the  faults  of  others,  and  ever 
ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  his  less  fortunate 
friends,  hi  business  matters  he  was  strict,  but 
never  exacting;  economical,  but  generous  when  the 
cause  was  worthy.  He  attached  people  to  himself 
by  his  unostentatious  manner,  and  his  uniform  po- 
liteness. His  sufferings  during  his  last  illness  were 
lightened  by  the  administrations  of  his  three  sur- 
viving children,  who  anticipated  every  want  and 
desire,  and  made,  so  far  as  love  could  suggest,  his 


562 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


last  hours  peaceful  and  contented.  His  children 
who  survive  are:  Mrs.  Charles  F.  Kusterer,  and 
Mrs.  Emma  L.  Sullivan. of  Grand  Rapids:  and  Ed- 
ward E.  Anneke,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Bay  City. 
In  polities  Mr.  Anneke  was   a   stanch   Republican. 


:    ii'iill- 


^yp^l  UGENE  ZABST.  The  industries  of  the  Sag- 
Ikt«~  inaw  Valley  have  been  worthily  represented 
J' — '  and  greatly  developed  by  this  nentleman, 
who  is  conceded  to  lie  the  finest  and  most  practical 
horse-shoer  in  Hay  City,  and  has  met  with  unusual 
success  at  his  trade,  of  which  he  has  made  a  special 
study.  lie  has  the  largest  assortment  of  shoes  in 
the  Valley  and  carries  on  an  exclusive  horse-shoe- 
ing  business,  doing  the  work  in  the  most  skill- 
ful manner,  and  making  a  specialty  of  shoeing  fast 
and  driving  horses.  His  practical  knowledge  "I 
his  business,  the  accurate  attention  paid  by  him  to 
all  orders,  and  the  uniform  reliability  of  his  deal- 
ings, have  secured  for  him  a  prominent  place  in 
the  confidence  of  the  community,  and  a  prosperity 
which  grows  steadily  from  year  to  year. 

The  ancestors  of  Mr.  Zabsl  were  of  German  or- 
igin, his  grandfather.  John  Zabst,  having  emi- 
grated to  America  early  in  this  century  and  located 
in  Ohio,  where  he  died  at  the  age  (if  eighty-seven 
years.  Jacob,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  horn  in 
the  Province  of  Alsace, Germany,  and  was  brought 
to  America  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  In  his  ma- 
ture years  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  demen- 
tia A.  Page,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  young  cou- 
ple settled  in  the  Buckeye  State,  whence  they 
afterward  removed  to  Indiana.  The  father  en- 
gaged m  farming  when  a  lad.  hut  later  learned  the 
trade  of  a  blacksmith,  which  he  still  follows  in 
Toledo.  Ohio.  A  brother  of  our  subject,  William 
E.,  resides  in  Hay  City,  and  has  an  established  repu- 
tation as  one  of  the  finest  professors  of  music  in 
Michigan. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Greenfield,  Ohio.  Au- 
gust 20,  1854,  and  was  reared  to  manhood  in  vari- 
ous places  in  Ohio  and  Indiana.  He  was  quite 
young  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Elk- 
hart, hid.,  and  later  returned  with   them   to   Ohio. 


and  from  there  U_>  Peru.  hid.  At  the  aire  of  fifteen 
he  was  apprcnl  feed  to  learn  the  blacksmith "s  trade. 
serving  an  apprenticeship  of  six  years.  Next  he 
went  to  Sandusky.  Ohio,  where  for  three  years  he 
was  apprenticed  to  a  practical  horse-shoer,  md  has 
since  made  a  special  study  of  that  line  of  work.  In 
1882  he  came  to  Kssex ville.  Bay  County,  where  he 
entered  the  employ  of  J.  R.  Hall,  and  remained 
with  him  six  years,  having  charge  of  his  horses  in 
Alger,  Arenac  County. 

The  year  1888  marked  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Zabst 
in  Bay  City,  where  he  embarked  in  business  on  the 
corner  of  John  and  Catherine  Streets.  He  has  the 
finest  establishment  of  the  kind  in  West  Bay  City, 
and  indeed  in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and  can  do  any- 
thing in  his  line,  making  a  specialty  of  doctoring 

the  diseased   feet  of  horses.       He  owns  his  place  and 

has  by  the  exercise  of  sound  business  judgment 
and  economy  become  well-to-do.  In  his  politics 
he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  believing  the  platform 
of  that  party  besl  adapted  to  the  progress  of  our 
nation.  In  ail  hi*  enterprises  Mr.  Zabst  has  had  an 
efficient  helpmate  ill  his  wife,  who  prior  to  her 
union  with  him  was  known  as  .Miss  Emma  Russell. 
Mrs.  Zabst  was  horn  in  Erie  County.  Ohio,  where 
her  marriage  took  place.  Shehas  become  the  mother 
of  one  son.  Burt,  who  is  the  finest  cornet  player  in 
the  United  stale-,  considering  his  age,  which  i- 
on'\  thirteen  years,  lie  plays  the  mosl  difficuH 
solos  with  perfect  ease  and  wonderful  skill,  and  his 
artistic  genius  has  won  for  him  a  wide-spread  repu- 
tion. 


->-  r*>- 


AFAYETTE  ROUNDSVILLE.  This gentle- 
man holds  the  position  of  First  Engineer 
A  of  the  West  Kay  City  Electric  Street  Kail- 
way  Power  House.  He  is  a  line  practical  engineer 
and  mechanic,  is  well  known  and  is  always  spoken 
of  for  his  honesty  and  integrity.  He  stands  high 
in  the  estimation  of  the  people,  and  is  well-liked  by 
everyone  for  his  sociability  and  geniality.  Hi- 
home  is  on  the  comer  of  Walnut  and  Ohio  Streets. 
and  is  a  comfortable  and  convenient  residence. 
His  father  bore  the  name  of  Evans,  and  was  horn 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


563 


in  New  Jersey.  He  settled  in  Lawreuceburg,  Pa., 
about  the  year  1825,  where  he  was  one  of  the  early 
pioneers,  following  the  trade  of  a  cooper.  II* 
passed  from  life  in  1847.  The  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Electa  Madison,  a.  native  of  Knoxville. 
Pa.,  and  her  parents  were  pioneer  farmers  there. 
She  died  in  1861;  she  and  her  husband  were  of 
English  and  Dutch  descent. 

The  native  place  of  him  of   whom    we  write,    is 
Deerfleld,  Tioga  County,  Pa.,   where  he  was  horn 

June    21.   1833.      His    early    boyl 1   days    were 

strewn  with  hut  few  advantages  in  any  way,  as  his 
father  was  an  invalid  and  at  the  early  age  of  ten 
years  our  subject  was  stricken  with  rheumatism  in 
the  hip,  which  partially  crippled  him  for  twelve 
years  or  more.  He  being  the  eldest  of  five  chil- 
dren left  to  his  mother  on  his  father's  death,  that 
same  year  he  started  out  on  his  crutches  to  find 
something  for  himself.  A  young  farmer  Alfred 
Congdon,  who  lived  near  by,  took  a  liking  to  the 
crippled  hoy  and  offered  him  a  home,  which  was 
accepted  gladly,  and  in  a  few  months  he  was  par- 
tially restored  to  health  and  able  to  help  about  the 
farm,  and  before  the  year  was  up  could  perform 
haul  labor  for  a  youth  of  his  years.  He  remained 
with  his  benefactor  for  three  years,  when  he  went, 
to  live  with  his  brother,  Benjamin  D.  Congdon, 
also  a  farmer,  with  whom  he  remained  four  years 
About  a  year  after  this  he  concluded  to  finish  his 
education,  and  attended  what  was  known  as  the 
Union  Academy  for  three  months,  when  his  health 
again  failed,  and  his  education  was  postponed  in- 
definitely. 

After  recovering  his  health.  Mr.  Roundsville 
went  to  Lawrenceville,  where  he  engaged  as  a  lum 
her  piler  at  a  steam  sawmill  owned  by  C.  II.  I.. 
Ford, of  Lawrenceville.  Thefirst  vacancythey  had 
for  a  sawyer,  was  given  to  him,  and  he  became  an 
expert  at  handling  the  "bar,"  but  the  heavy  lifting 
necessary  in  handling  lumber  in  those  days,  proved 
too  laborious  for  him,  and  he  abandoned  the  work 
and  obtained  a  position  as  fireman,  firing  and  learn- 
ing to  start  and  stop  the  'Jxl8  inch  engine.  He 
continued  firing  and  running  small  engines  in 
Tioga  and  Bradford  Counties  during  the  next  three 
years,  when  he  went  to  Canada,  and  in  the  little 
village  Bell  Evvart,  in  the  winterof  1857,  obtained 


a  position  as  second  engineer,  was  afterward  pro- 
moted to  he  first  engineer  and  remained  with  them 
for  eight  years  in  what  was  considered  a  large  mill 
in  that  village  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Simcoe.  This 
mill  was  owned  by  Sage  A'  Grant,  and  he  was  in- 
duced by  the  former  to  come  to  West  Bay  City. 
and  here  manage  the  engine  in  his  mill.  The  II. 
W.  Sage  .V  Go's,  mill  was  the  largest  in  Michigan 
at  that  time.  It  had  an  aggregate  of  seven  hundred 
horse-power,  and  had  a  capacity  of  two  hundred 
thousand  feet  of  lumber  per  day.  During  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century,  the  time  Mr.  Roundsville  was  em- 
ployed by  this  mill,  they  produced  seven  million 
feet  of  lumber.  He  remained  in  the  employ  of  Mr. 
Sage  until  October  28,  1889,  when  he  resigned  to 
take  his  present  position  as  first  engineer  in  the 
West  Bay  City  Street  Railway  Power  House.  The 
engine  is  two  hundred  horse-power  and  furnishes 
power  for  ten  miles  of  road,  running  from  six  to 
twenty  cars.  lie  feels  some  pr.de  in  having  run 
the  engine  for  so  long  for  the  largest  mill  in  Mich- 
igan. In  his  present  position  he  has  full  charge  of 
the  power-house  engine  which  is  a  Corless  engine. 
18x42,  and  three  No.  20  Edison  dynamos.  He  is 
well  thought  of  by  all  the  employes  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  firm,  and  is  highly  respected  by  his  fel- 
low-citizens. 

This  gentleman  was  married  on  the  29th  of  April, 
1858,  to  Mrs.  Isabel  A.  Roy.  born  in  Tioga  County, 
Pa.,  and  is  a  daughter  of  George  Spencer,  an  early 
settler  of  the  same  county.  She  was  the  widow  of 
Monroe  Roy.  of  Wellsboro,  Pa.,  and  had  one  son, 
John  M.  Roy.  a  salesman  of  Ford's  clothing  store. 
By  her  second  marriage  she  has  become  the  mother 
of  one  child.  Ada.  now  Mrs.  A.  S.  Beach,  of  De- 
troit. Mr.  Roundsville  was  elected  on  the  Hoard 
of  Village  Trustees  when  Wenona  was  organized 
about  1866,  and  served  four  consecutive  years: 
later  he  was  President  of  Wenona  for  one  year. 
He  was  Treasurer  of  the  Wenona  graded  schools 
from  1867  to  188T),  and  was  Collector  of  Royal 
Arcanum,  Wenona  Council  No.  38,  from  1878  to 
1890.  lie  has  been  Alderman  of  the  Fourth  Ward 
one  term.  Our  subject  was  a  charier  member  of 
the  Fire  Department,  and  ran  the  fire  steamer  while 
he  was  connected  with  it  for  seven  years.  lie  is  a 
member  of,  and  Collector  of  the  National  Union. 


564 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


He  is  also  a  member  of  the  order  of  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons.  He  belongs  to  Branch  No.  3,  of 
the  National  Association  of  Stationary  Engineers, 
and  represented  his  Board  in  New  York  City  in  1889, 
at  the  Ninth  Annual  Session;  was  Corresponding 
Secretary  for  two  years.  He  is  liberal  in  his  re- 
ligious views,  but  inclines  toward  the  Second  Day 
Adventists.  Has  always  been  a  stanch  Bepublican, 
and  cast  his  first  vote  for  John  C.  Fremont,  but 
differs  from  them  on  the  money  question, believing 
in  the  Greenback  theory.  lie  has  recently  been 
elected  as  a  member  for  five  years  of  the  Sage  Li- 
brary Board  of  West  Bay  City. 


S~ 


e*^* 


\-^  UMPHREY  SHAW.     We  have  here  another 

prominent  citizen  of  Saginaw  who  is  of 
Eastern  birth  and  training,  and  who  has 
~))  now  reached  the  age  when  he  may  suitablj 
retire  from  active  life  and  spend  the  remainder  of 
his  days  apart  from  the  bustle  of  the  world.  For 
almost  forty-two  years  .Mr.  Shaw  has  resided  in 
the  Saginaw  Valley,  and  during  most  of  that  time 
he  has  been  identified  with  much  of  its  material 
interests.  He  has  witnessed  every  change  which 
has  taken  place  here,  and  was  himself  at  one  time 
lost  in  the  woods  within  a  few  rods  of  where  his 
beautiful  home  now  stands.  Saginaw  County  owes 
much  to  him  for  its  present  prosperous  condition. 
Many  of  the  present  well-improved  farms  now 
occupied  by  wealthy  farmers  were  sold  by  him  to 
poor  men  to  be  paid  for  on  easy  terms,  many 
times  in  staves  made  from  the  timber  on  the  land. 

In  every  business  transaction  he  has  been  the 
soul  of  honor,  and  although  a  quiet,  unobtrusive 
citizen,  his  keen  business  sagacity  and  his  faith  in 
the  future  of  the  city  ever  led  him  to  bend  his  en- 
ergies toward  the  advancement  of  its  prosperity 
and  renown. 

Our  subject  was  born  at  Westport,  Mass.,  Octo- 
ber li,  1809,  and  he  is  the  son  of  Job  and  Amy 
(McComber)  Shaw.  The  father  was  born  at  Tiv- 
erton and  was  a  son  of  Nathaniel  Shaw.  Job 
Shaw,  who  was  a  cooper,  gave  his  trade  to  his  son 


Humphrey,  and  they  carried  on  the  business  of 
making  oil  casks  at  New  Bedford  under  the  firm 
name  of  J.  Shaw  &  Son.  Our  subject  is  the  eldest 
of  six  children,  of  whom  three  are  living,  and  the 
sister  and  brother  make  their  home  at  New  Bed- 
ford, where  the  early  days  of  Humphrey  were 
passed.  He  remained  in  partnership  with  his  fa- 
ther until  he  was  twenty-eight  years  old,  and  that 
parent  continued  in  business  some  years  later,  but 
lived  a  retired  life  for  some  time  before  his  death, 
which  took  place  when  he  was  eighty  years  old. 
His  faithful  wife  survived  him  for  nearly  twenty 
years  and  died  in  her   ninety-fifth  year. 

It  was  in  January,  lH:i7,  that  Humphrey  Shaw- 
came  to  Michigan  to  engage  in  buying  supplies 
for  oil,  wine  and  other  large  casks  at  "Six.  Clemens 
for  the  home  and  foreign  market,  which  business 
lie  conducted  until  December.  1849.  Upon  com- 
ing to  Saginaw  he  engaged  in  the  same  line  of 
business,  working  on  salary  for  New  York  patties 
for  five  years,  after  which  he  took  charge  of  the 
business,  independently  assuming  the  lands  which 
his  employers  had  formerly  controlled,  and  giving 
his  notes  for  nearly  $20,000.  He  continued  in  this 
line  of  work  until  the  stave  material  was  pretty 
well  exhausted  in  this  neighborhood  and  then  be- 
came identified  with  Warner  A-  Eastman  in  the 
foundry  business,  to  which,  however,  he  did  not 
give  his  personal  attention,  but  has  been  engaged 
in  handling  farming  and  pine  lands,  in  which  lie 
has  done  so  much  to  develop  this  part  of  the 
country. 

The  first  vote  cast  by  this  worthy  gentleman  was 
for  Andrew  Jackson,  but  since  that  early  day  he 
has  been  a  Whig,  and  later  a  Republican,  and  has 
never  missed  a  Presidential  election,  feeling  it  the 
duty  of  every  citizen  to  east  his  ballot  when  an 
opportunity  offers.  Yet  he  has  never  aspired  to 
any  public  position,  preferring  to  serve  his  town- 
ship and  county  in  other  ways. 

When  he  was  twenty-one  years  old  Mr.  Shaw- 
was  united  in  marriage,  at  New  Bedford,  with 
Miss  Sarah  W.  Bragg,  of  Asonet.  Mass..  who  died 
at  Mt.  Clemens.  His  union  with  the  present  Mrs. 
Shaw  took  place  July  4,  1861.  at  Hartford,  Pa.  Her 
maiden  name  was  Mary  Ann  Munn,  and  she  was 
born  near  Ithaca,  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  and  is 


MRS.  ISABELLA    MB.  KELLAR. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


567 


a  daughter  of  Brewer  and  Betsey  (  Brigdon)  Munn. 
Two  of  the  three  children  of  the  first  marriage 
died  in  infancy,  and  Sarah  Ann.  who  married 
George  K.  Newcomb,  of  Saginaw,  died  in  this 
city.  Both  our  subject  and  Ids  good  wife  are 
members  of  the  Jefferson  Avenue  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  of  which  he  has  been  a  Trustee  for 
twenty  years,  and  he  lias  been  identified  with  the 
church  since  he  was  eighteen  years  old.  Mrs.  Shaw 
is  active  in  all  woman's  work  in  her  church  and  is 
prominent  in  the  Ladies'  Aid  and  .Missionary  So- 
ciety. Mr.  Shaw  has  never  used  liquors  as  a  I  lev- 
erages, neither  has  he  used  tobacco  in  any  form. 

Athough  he  has  just  celebrated  his  eighty-sec- 
ond birthday,  Mr.  Shaw  is  a  well- preserved  man 
with  a  clear  understanding  ami  able  t<>  transact 
business  affairs  as  successfully  as  ever.  Almost 
every  one  of  his  associates  have  passed  from  earth, 
vet  he  has  not  outlived  his  usefulness,  and  when 
the  final  summons  shall  come  for  him  it  will  lie 
the  unanimous  voice  of  all  who  know  his  life  that 
an  unwavering  friend  to  his  brother  man  and  faith- 
ful servant  of  the  universal  Father  has  been  called 
up  higher.  Too  rapidly  these  grand  old  men  are 
crossing  the  river.     May  they   not   be   forgotten. 


FXCAX  McKELLAR.  AVe  have  here  a 
brief  biographical  sketch  of  the  life  of 
one  of  the  most  worthy  of  the  former 
residents  of  Tittabawassee  Township,  Sag- 
inaw County,  who  came  from  that  noble  stock 
with  which  Scotia  has  helped  to  replenish  the  pop- 
ulation of  Michigan.  He  was  born  in  1814,  and 
is  a  son  of  Duncan  McKellar.  Sr.,a  native  of  Scot- 
land, lie  was  married  to  Isabella  A.,  daughter  of 
Dougald  and  Mary  (Weird)  McKellar,  natives  of 
Scotland,  where  their  daughter  was  also  born.  May 
22,  1823.  Her  parents  migrated  from  their  unlive 
home  to  Canada,  in  1831,  and  there  earned  on 
agricultural  pursuits. 

.Mr.   and   Mrs.   McKellar  became   the   parents  of 
ten    children:  their   first-born    was    Dougald.    who 
26 


i-iine  tu  them  on  Christmas  Day.  1846,  and  in  his 
young  manhood  gave  Iris  lib'  fur  the  cause  of  lib- 
erty and  the  h'nior  of  hi-  country.  It  was  on 
December  •-'(.  1862,  the  day  before  lie  wa-  sixteen 
years  old  that  he  responded  to  the  call  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  and  enlisted  under  the  banner  of  his 
country,  joining  Companj  <■.  Eighth  Michigan 
Cavalry.  Although  so  young  he  manifested  an 
interest  and  judgment  commendable  in  a  man  of 
mature  years,  and  his  service  was  highly  valued. 
He  was  attached  to  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  and 
participated  in  its  various  engagements  up  to  the 
siege  of  Knoxville,  when  he  was  mortally  wounded 
and  the  sacrifice  was  perfected. 

The  second  child  of  this  family  was  Mary,  who 
was  born  January  29,  L849.  She  was  married  to 
William  Hacketl  and  now  resides  in  Saginaw 
County:  the  second  son,  Duncan,  born  January  9. 
1852,  married  Elmira  McDowell,  and  resides  in 
Saginaw  County;  Katie  born  March  6,  1854,  mar- 
ried John  Tague  and  resides  in  Oswego  County, 
X.  V.;  John,  born  March  Hi.  1856,  married  Ella 
Patterson,  and  resides  in  Saginaw  Count}';  Jean- 
ette.  born  March  12.  1858,  is  now  Mrs.  Frank 
Ilartwell.  of  Bay  City:  Margaret,  born  June  4.  1861. 
i-  a  deaf  mute  who  has  been  highly  educated  at 
Flint,  Mich.,  and  is  a  young  lady  of  rare  intelli- 
gence and  ability.  She  makes  her  home  with  her 
mother.  Xeil.  born  November  8,  1863;  Edward. 
March  2(5.  1865;  and  Isabel.  July  14,  1868.  all 
reside  at  home  with  their  mother,  and  the  last 
named  ha.- been  a   teacher  for  the  past  two  seasons. 

Mr.  McKellar  and  his  family  removed  from  Can- 
ada to  Lynn,  St.  Clair  County.  Mich.,  in  1857,  re- 
siding there  until  November  1,  1863.  Thence  he 
removed  to  Saginaw,  working  different  farms 
until  1878,  when  lie  settled  on  the  farm  now  occu- 
pied by  Mrs.  McKellar.  Here  he  resided  until  the 
16th  of  December,  1880,  when  he  was  called  from 
earth  and  the  family  was  left  to  mourn  his  irre- 
parable loss.  Mrs.  McKellar  has  shown  herself  to 
be  a  woman  of  judgment  and  executive  ability  in 
carrying  on  her  affairs  and  in  rearing  and  educat- 
ing such  of  her  children  as  were  not  grown  at  the 
time  of  their  father's  death.  All  of  them  have 
received  excellent  educational  advantages  and 
have  been  trained  in  lives  of  Christian  principles. 


568 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


They  are  all  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
hut  are  attending  the  services  of  the  .Methodist 
Episcopal  body.  A  lithographic  portrait  of  Mrs. 
McKellar  appears  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 


^UDGE  JOHN  W.  M.  MATH.  It  is  seldom 
that  official  positions  obtain  for  a  consider- 
able length  of  time,  during  the  changing 
igi//  administrations  of  our  Republican  form  of 
Government.  Judge  McMath,  who  is  a  prominent 
attorney  in  Bay  City,  has  held  the  position  of 
United  States  Commissioner  for  the  Eastern  Dis- 
trict of  Michigan  since  IMC  I.  He  was  born  in 
Romulus,  Seneca  County.  X.  V.,  June  :;.  L824,  and 
is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Fleming)  McMath. 
farmers  by  calling,  but  being  proprietors  of  a  hotel. 
The  father  died  when  our  'subject  was  but  three 
years  old. 

In  the  year  1827,  before  the  decease  of  the  head 
of  the  family,  the  McMaths  came  to  what  is  now 
Willow  Run.  four  miles  southeast  of  Ypsilanti.  The 
family  continued  to  live  there  for  six  or  seven 
years,  and  then  removed  to  Lenawee  County,  where 
the  family  broke  up  and  our  subjectagain  took  up 
his  abode  near  Ypsilanti,  where  he  remained  until 
he  was  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  years  of  age. 
The  youth  acquired  the  rudiments  of  his  education 
in  the  old  Ypsilanti  Seminary  and  later  took  a 
course  in  the  Michigan  University,  entering  in 
1846,  and  graduating  in  the  Cass  of  '50,  that 
had  among  its  members  such  men  as  W.  A.  Moore, 
Dr.  Fiske  and  O.  M.  Barnes.  The  young  man  cap- 
tured the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  and  soon 
afterward  began  to  read  law.  While  pursuing  his 
studies  he  taught  for  one  year  in  (  cntci  ville.  Mich., 
and  then  began  reading  in  Detroit  with  Messrs. 
Backus  &  Ilarbaugh.  a  leading  law  linn  at  that  time. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  October,  1852,  and 
before  the  Supreme  Court  of  which  the  Hon.  San- 
ford  M.  Green  was  then  Chief  Justice. 

Our  subject  began  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  Mackinaw.  He  remained  until  1863,  having 
been  appointed  Collector  of  Customs  for  the  dis- 
trict of  Mackinaw  in  l861,andalso  Superintendent 


of  Lighthouses,  that  office  being  then  ex-officio,  as 
the  district  at  that  time  included  all  points  in 
Michigan  north  of  Muskegon,  also  on  the  west 
coast  and  north  of  Saginaw  Bay,  also  all  points  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Sioux  and  Lake  Superior.  He 
also  had  supervision  of  the  points  in  Wisconsin  in- 
cluding and  north  of  Manitowoc,  which  took 
in  Green  Bay,  Appleton  and  similar  places.  He  held 
that  position  until  the  summer  of  1867,  when  he 
handed  in  his  resignation.  In  1863  the  headquar- 
ters of  that  customs'  district  was  located  at  the 
Sioux,  and  there  he  made  his  residence  until  his 
resignation,  coming  from  thai  place  to  Bay  City, 
which  has  been  his  residence  ever  since. 

On  locating  in  Bay  City  our  subject  resumed  his 
law  practice.  He  has  been  City  Attorney  three 
years,  member  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  one 
year,  Alderman  one  year,  and  he  was  elected  Pro- 
bate Judge  in  1872, serving  until  1*711.  Soon  after 
the  expiration  Of  his  term  of  judgeship  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  the  Hon.  George  1'.  Cobb,  which 
continued  until  the  time  when  Judge  Cobb  took 
lii~  position  on  the  bench  of  the  circuit  court,  in 
1888.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  alone.  Mr. 
McMath  is  known  as  one  of  the  prominent  attor- 
ney -  of  the  city  and  his  judgment  is  considered  to 
be  distinguished  by  remarkable  clearness,  equity 
and  foresight,  Inning  at  his  command  the  experi- 
ence gained  from  his  extended  readings  of  the  best 
legal  works. 

Our  subject  has  taken  an  active  part  in  politics 
as  held  by  the  Republican  party.  lie  has  been  a 
delegate  to  State  and  other  conventions  and  as  a 
speaker  during  various  close-contested  campaigns. 
has  done  his  share  of  work  that  has  had  its  bearing 
upon  the  general  outcome.  Aside  from  his  legal 
work  Mr.  McMath  has  been  interested  in  real 
estate  and  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  building  up 
and  advancement  of  the  interests  of  Bay  City. 

Judge  McMath  was  married  to  Miss  Ella  J., 
daughter  of  Reuben  I).  Roys,  of  Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 
Their  nuptials  were  celebrated  in  July.  1852.  The 
one  child  of  this  marriage,  William  G.,  is  now  a 
resident  of  Duluth  and  is  engaged  in  a  real-estate 
and  abstract  office.  He  was  Registrar  of  Deeds  for 
Bay  County  for  one  term  and  also  carried  on  an 
abstract   office    here.     He   married  Miss  Minnie  M. 


c 


v  .■"i^c-C1 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


569 


Menton  of  Canada.  Her  parents  reside  on  the  easl 
side  of  the  St.  Clair  River,  near  Baby  Landing. 
.Indue  McMath  and  wife  arc  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Bay  City,  and  he  has  been  one 
of  the    Deacons  of  that  body  for  many  years. 


B#+£i 


e~ 


ON.  SANFORD    M.  GREEN.     Since    1867 


l)  Bay  City  has  been  the  place  of  residence 
5^f  °^  ^u^oe  Green,  who  has  figured  as  the 
'(£5)!     presiding  spirit    in    the   Supreme  Court  of 


/ 

this  State.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Grafton 
Township,  Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y..  May  30, 
1807.  Possibly  the  fact  that  he  was  horn  under 
the  Democratic  administration  of  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son, ruled  the  trend  of  his  own  political  prefer- 
ence, for  he  has  taken  a  prominent  stand  in  the 
policy  of  that  party  since  reaching  his  majority. 
Judge  Green  is  a  son  of  William  and  Nancy 
(Wright)  Green, from  old  Rhode  Island  stock,  and 
who  were  a  family  of  farmers. 

Our  subject  remained  with  his  parents,  and  with 
them  went  to  Oneida  County  when  eight  years 
old.  Until  sixteen  years  of  age  lie  had  worked 
at  home  without  acquiring  even  the  rudiments 
of  an  education,  hut  at  that  time  he  made  an  ar- 
rangement to  purchase  his  time  of  his  father  for 
*40,  which  he  afterward  earned  and  paid.  When 
in  this  way  his  own  man,  he  began  working  inde- 
pendently, and  studied  under  a  private  teacher, 
continuing  for  the  most  part  on  a  farm  until  nine- 
teen years  of  age.  when  he  began  teaching  during 
the  winters  and  working  on  the  farm  during  the 
summer  until  1826.  This  was  at  a  time  when  our 
greatest  statesmen  were  beginning  to  shine  in  all 
the  lustre  of  their  brilliant  intellects,  and  stirred 
with  a  desire  to  distinguish  himself  in  a  legal  di- 
rection, the  young  man  began  reading  law  with 
Mr.  Lansing,  then  with  George  T.  Sherman  and 
for  a  period  with  .Indue  Ford,  and  then  with 
Messrs.  Sterling  &  Bronson,  of  Watertown,  X.  Y.. 
with  whom  he  remained  three  years,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  at  the  bar  in  1832,  having  al- 
lowed two  years  for  classical  Study  and  live  years 
in  the  law  office,  it  being  required  that  the  appli- 


cant for  admission     to    the  bar   should   show  seven 
years'  reading. 

Our  subject  began  his  practice  by  opening  an 
independent  office  in  I'.rown  ville.  where  he  re- 
mained  Until    1835,  When     he     went    to     Rochester. 

X.  Y.,  and  in  the  spring  of  1837  came  to  Michi- 
gan, first  locating  at  Owosso,  and  at  once  was 
numbered  among  the  enterprising  pioneers  of  the 
town.  lie  remained  there  helping  on  with  the 
organization  of  various  municipal  branches  and 
interests  until  the  winter  of  1842,  having  been 
elected  State  Senator  that  fall.  During  the  session 
of  1843-44  .Indue  Green  had  been  a  member  of 
the  Judiciary  Committee  and  also  of  other  impor- 
tant committees,  during  which  time  a  provision 
was  made  for  revising  the  statutes  of  the  State. 
The  commission  to  do  this  work  was  appointed  by 
the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  the  Chan- 
cellor. .Indue  Green  received  the  compliment  of 
the  appointment  and  was  required  to  report  at  the 
session  of  1816,  thus  being  granted  eighteen 
months  in  which  to  prepare  and  revise  the  work. 
The  statutes  as  revised  by  him  were  voted  on  and 
adopted  by  the  session  of  1846,  going  into  effect 
in   March,  1S47. 

The  original  of  our  sketch  was  re-elected  to  the 
senate  in  the  fall  of  1845,  and  served  during  the 
session  of  1846-47.  On  the  expiration  of  his 
legislative  connection  he  returned  to  Pontiac, 
which  he  has  made  his  home  from  the  time  of  his 
first  election.  He  formed  a  partnership  with 
Lieut.-Gov.  Richardson  and  continued  to  practice 
law  with  him  until  the  spring  of  1844.  On  the 
dissolution  of  this  partnership  our  subject,  whose 
press  of  business  was  so  ureal  that  he  could  not 
care  for  it  alone,  formed  a  partnership  with  Gen. 
II.  L.  Stevens,  with  whom  he  had  formerly  been  a 
partner  in  Rochester,  X.  V.  This  partnership 
lasted  until  1848.  March  1  I.  ISIS.  Mr.  Green  was 
appointed  b\  Gov.  Ransom,  and  the  appointment 
was  confirmed  h\  Hie  Senate,  to  the  office  of  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  being  assigned  to  the  Fourth 
District  for  holding  courts,  lie  served  in  that  po- 
sition until  January  1,  1858,  when  the  present 
Supreme  Court  was  organized.  From  1858  until 
1867  the  Hon.  Mr.  Green  was  Circuit  Judge  of 
the   then  Sixth   District,  and  in    the   spring  of  that 


570 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


year,  having  arrived  at  the  age  of  sixty  years,  he 
resigned  his  position,  anticipating  a  few  years  of 
pleasant  practice  when  he  should  retire. 

Removing  to  Bay  City,  .Judge  Green  resumed 
the  practice  of  law,  but  his  respite  from  official 
duties  was  of  brief  duration,  for  five  yens  later 
he  was  called  upon  to  lill  a  vacancy  in  the  Eight- 
eenth Judicial  Court,  which  vacancy  was  caused 
by  the  death  of  Judge  Crier.  He  presided  on  the 
bench  for  over  thirty  years,  and  during  that  time 
not  the  shadow  of  a  suspicion  derogatory  to  his 
honor  clouded  his  fair  name.  lie  has  ever  been 
an  honest  man  and  an  upright  judge,  and  in  his 
advanced  years  the  veneration  and  respect  of  the 
people  not  only  of  Bay  City  but  of  the  State  at 
large,  cannot  but  be  gratifying  to  him,  as  being  a 
tribute  to  his  best  qualities.  In  1860  Judge  Green 
published  a  work  on  the  practice  of  circuit  courts, 
of  which  twelve  hundred  copies  were  sold.  In 
1X77  he  published  a  treatise  on  the  practice  of 
common  law  courts  in  Michigan,  putting  it  forth 
in  two  large  volumes,  and  in  1879  he  published  a 
treatise  on  townships  and  the  duties  and  powers 
of  township  officials.  In  1882  a  second  edition  of 
this  was  called  for,  and  ten  thousand  copies  were 
purchased  by  the  State  for  the  use  of  its  township 
officials.  His  latest  work  is  "Crime,  its  nature. 
causes,  treatment  and  prevention."  This  work 
was  issued  from  the  press  of  the  J.  IS.  Lippincott 
Company,  of  Philadelphia,  and  has  met  with  the 
success  that  it  deserves. 

Judge  Green  has  given  up  the  arduous  duties 
of  his  profession,  and  at  the  present  time  ( 1891) 
employs  himself  in  such  congenial  work  as  does 
not  make  too  heavy  a  drain  upon  his  time  and 
strength.  He  is  Treasurer  of  the  Bay  City  Manu- 
facturing Company,  Limited,  which  is  a  stock  com- 
pany. Socially  Judge  Green  was  formerly  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
but  when  appointed  to  the  bench  his  duties  were 
so  arduous  as  to  necessitate  the  relinquishment  of 
many  of  his  social  relations.  He  has  never  been  tn 
any  sense  a  politician,  although  ever  striving  by  ex- 
ample and  influence  to  arouse  a  greater  interest 
in  true  statesmanship. 

Our  subject  was  married  February  12.  1832,  to 
Miss  Mary  Ann,  eldest   daughter  of  Judge   Calvin 


McKnight,  who  was  the  Judge  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  of  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y.  From 
this  union  five  children  have  been  born,  of  whom 
four  still  live.  They  are:  Mary  Frances,  now  Mrs. 
Russell  Bishop,  of  Flint;  William  G,  who  is 
engaged  in  real  estate  in  Chattanooga,  Tenn.; 
George  S.,  of  Chattanooga,  and  Florence,  now  the 
wife  of  Albert  II.  Van  Ftten,  of  Winnipeg,  Mani- 
toba. Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Green  died  on  the  28th  of 
May,  1879,  and  as  a  woman  of  sterling  worth  and 
marked  intellectual  ability  she  was  greatly  missed 
by  her  friends  as  well  as  the  members  of  her 
family,  to  whom  she  was  especially  endeared  for 
her  many  personal  excellencies. 


= — ^*9." 


c^> 


DAM  KOLB,  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Roll) 
Bros.,  Brewers,  located  on  Fitzhugh  Ave- 
nue, between  Sixth  and  Seventh  Streets,  is 
a  native  of  Salzburg,  Mich.,  where  he  was 
born  January  15,  1K67.  He  is  the  son  of  George 
Kolb.  Sr.,  for  whose  sketch  see  the  biography  of 
George  Kolb.  Jr.  Our  subject  received  his  educa- 
tion in  this  city,  after  which  he  attended  the  High 
School,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1886.  Sub- 
sequently he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother 
and  bought  the  brewery  of  M.  Westover,  which 
was  at  the  time  of  purchase  only  a  frame  building 
with  a  capacity  of  eight  thousand  barrels  per  year. 
In  1X90  these  brothers  rebuilt,  putting  up  a  large 
brick  structure  with  a  basement  and  three  stories, 
which  now  has  a  capacity  of  sixty  thousand,  but 
only  making  thirty  thousand  and  increasing  as 
they  have  demand. 

This  linn  has  one  of  the  finest  offices  in  the  city, 
it  being  finished  in  hard  pine.  They  sell  mostly 
to  local  customers.  Mr.  Kolb  is  one  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Board  of  Water  Works  of  the  city, 
but  he  does  not  dabble  in  politics,  as  he  has  enough 
else  to  do. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Mary  Brenner,  of  West  Saginaw,  Octo- 
ber 29.  1890.  They  are  the  happy  parents  of  one 
child,  whom  they  have  given   the   name  of  Lena. 


■f 

I 


^        K^/g^^^^ 


~7~ 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


573 


Mr.  Kolb  and  his  wife  reside  in  a  fine  and  capacious 
residence  a1  No.  1*06  Center  Street,  where  they 
dispense  a  gracious  hospitality.  Socially  our  sub- 
ject is  a  member  of  the  Arbeiter  Society,  of  which 
he  is  the  present  Treasurer. 


—■ i- 


■     ' 


4- 


TX  ANIKL  MAMiAX.  We  here  present  the 
1  portrait  and  pergonal  sketch  ot'a  well  known 
lr  attorney-at-law  and  the  Police  Justice  of 
Bay  City,  who  was  born  in  Caledonia,  Ilaldimand 
County,  Ontario,  January  1,  1851.  His  parents 
were  Thomas  and  Ann  (Cullen)  Mangan  and  his 
father  was  a  mechanic.  In  Caledonia  he  received 
his  early  education,  graduating  from  the  grammar 
school  in  1869,  and  immediately  removing  from 
that  place  to  Bay  City  with  the  intention  of  study- 
ing law  in  the  office  of  Marston  &  Hatch.  The 
senior  member  of  this  firm,  Isaac  Marston,  was 
afterwards  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Michigan. 

After  remaining  with  Messrs.  Marston  A:  Hatch 
for  some  time  the  young  man  entered  the  office  of 
McDonell  and  Cobb  (the  latter  now  judge  of  this 
Circuit).  He  remained  with  them  until  1874  when 
he  was  admitted,  after  examination,  to  the  bar,  in- 
cluding all  the  courts  of  this  State  and  the  United 
States  Court.  Shortly  after  opening  an  indepen- 
dent office,  in  the  fall  of  1874  he  was  elected  Cir- 
cuit Court  Commissioner  and  after  serving  for  two 
years  was  re-elected  in  1876  for  another  term. 
While  filling  the  duties  of  that  office  he  also  prose- 
cuted his  private  practice  and  thus  established 
himself  in  his  profession. 

In  the  spring  of  l*7'.l  Mr.  Mangan  was  elected 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  Bay  City  and  held  that 
office  up  to  the  time  of  the  establishment  of  the 
Police-Court.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  the 
Police  Justice  and  is  the  only  one  who  has  ever 
served  in  Bay  City  in  this  capacity.  He  has  dis- 
charged the  responsible  duties  of  his  position  with 
much  credit  to  himself  and  greal  acceptance 
among  the  people.  Most  of  his  time  is  devoted  to 
the  court  where  he  has  charge  of  a  [arge  amount 
of  business, 


Our  subjeel  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  con- 
victions and  it  is  to  licit  party  he  owed  his  first 
election.  Although  he  has  each  time  been  elected 
on  that  ticket  he  has  had  a  growing  constituency 
among  men  of  all  parties  and  the  esteem  in  which 
he  is  regarded  is  a  just  reward  of  his  devotion  to 
the  duties  of  his  office.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  and  of  the  Catholic 
Mutual  Benefit  Association.  He  is  also  a  devout 
member  of  the  St.  James  Catholic  Church  and 
belongs  to  the  order  of  the  Knights  of  the  Macca- 
bees. 

Daniel  Mangan  was  married  July  6.  1*71,  to 
Miss  Ellen  Crump,  of  this  county,  who  was  born 
in  Chatham,  and  is  now  the  mother  of  six  children, 
namely:  Anna,  Frank.  Nellie.  Lillian.  Mollie,  and 
Alice.  Thomas  Mangan,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
wa>  born  in  County  SligO,  Ireland,  and  was  there 
married,  but  remained  in  his  native  home  only  a 
short  time  after  that  interesting  event.  He  mi- 
grated to  Canada  and  afterwards  to  Bay  City 
wherehe  died  in  February,  1 885,  at  the  age  of  eighty 
one  years.  His  devoted  wife  is  still  living  and  is 
now  seventy-four  years  old.  Our  subject  has  a 
brother,  James,  in  this  city,  anil  another  brother. 
Thomas,  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Air.  Mangan  may 
well  lie  characterized  as  one  of  the  able  and  strong 
men  that  Canada  has  a;iven  to  Michigan. 


E 


DGAR  R.KNAPP,M.D.     The  field  of  labor 

for  a  medical  man  is  so  broad  that  if  his 
JL  --  heart  is  in  the  right  place  and  his  head 
evenly  balanced,  with  an  ordinary  degree  of  indus- 
try, he  can  scarcely  fail  to  be  successful.  The 
prominent  features  in  the  make-up  of  the  physician 
whose  biography  we  are  attempting  to  write,  is  a 
large  amount  of  intellectuality,  a  commanding  de- 
gree of  dynamic  power,  a  strong  physical  command 
and  a  thorougli  liking  for  his  profession.  The 
reader  may  judge  for  himself  of  his  success. 

Dr.  Knap])  was  born  in  Danby,  Tompkins  County, 
N.  V.,  February  7.  !«■'!  1.  His  parents  were  Richard 
and  Mary  (Dexter)  Knapp,  both  natives  of  Con- 
necticut who  settled  in  New  York  at  an  early  date. 


574 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  until 
eighteen  years  of  age,  receiving  a  common-school 
education.  He  had.  however,  determined  t < >  In- 
come a  professional  man  and  in  1852  entered  the 
office  with  his  brother  Henry  then  practicing  at 
Adrian,  this  State,  now  of  Lathrop,  Cal.  Under 
his  able  tutelage  he  progressed  rapidly,  and  during 
the  winters  of  1854-55-56  lie  had  the  additional 
advantage  of  attending  lectures  at  the  State  Uni- 
versity. He  was  graduated  from  the  Medical  De- 
partment in  March,  1856,  and  began  practice  in 
partnership  with  his  brother  at  Adrian.  Alter  grad- 
uating, however,  he  located  at  Lindon,  Genesee 
County,  and  there  continued  until  enlisting  in 
1861. 

Our  subject  joined  Company  E,  Sixth  United 
States  Cavalry,  being  mustered  in  at  Washington 
as  a  private.  He  was  stationed  at  the  National 
Capital  until  March.  1862,  and  then  his  regiment, 
with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  as  body  guard  to 
Gen.  McClelland, took  part  in  all  the  Peninsular 
campaigns.  Enlisting  as  a  private,  in  six  weeks  he 
was  made  acting  hospital  steward, and  in  1862 was 
transferred  to  the  Firsl  United  States  Cavalry  in 
the  field  as  acting  Assistant  Surgeon.  After  a  few 
weeks'  service  in  the  regiment  In  was  ordered  to 
the  Naval  School  Hospital  al  Annapolis  to  act  as 
Assistant  Surgeon,  and  was  so  employed  until  Jan- 
uary, 1864.  At  the  last-mentioned  date  he  was 
transferred  to  the  Camden  street  Hospital  in  Bal- 
timore, and  September  I".  1864, he  was  discharged, 
having  served  for  three  years. 

( )n  returning  to  Michigan  in  November,  1864, 
our  subject  located  at  Saginaw  and  resumed  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  The  brother  with  whom 
he  had  studied  was  a  homeopathic  physician  and 
he  had  practiced  under  thai  school  until  after  his 
graduation,  when  he  adopted  the  regular  method 
and  continued  the  same  until  he  came  to  Saginaw, 
when  he  resumed  the  use  of  the  homeopathic  rem- 
edies. Dr.  Knapp  belongs  to  the  Saginaw  Valley 
Homeopathic  Medical  Society.  His  practice  has 
been  eminently  satisfactory  and  he  has  frequently 
been  called  into  consultation  by  the  leading  regu- 
lar physicians. 

Our  subject  was  married  November  1-1.  1865,  to 
Miss   Helen  C.  Clark,  of  Lindon.  a  lady  of  marked 


refinement. who  died  only  three  years  her  marriage. 
which  was  celebrated  September  14,  1868.  Dr. 
Knapp  \\a~  again  married  April  9.  1871,  the  lady 
of  his  choice  being  Miss  Mary  Kmma  Fisher,  of 
Saginaw. a  teacher  in  the  public  schools.  She  died 
November  16,  1H77.  There  was  only  one  child  by 
this  marriage,  Edgar  L.,  who  was  born  September 
21.  1873.  He  is  a  student  in  the  High  School  and 
is  a  very  promising  youth.  The  Doctor  has  resided 
since  December,  1884,  at  his  present  home  at  No. 
12;52,  S.  Washington  Avenue,  where  he  has  a  very 
fine  residence. 

Dr.  Knapp  is  not  radically  attached  to  anypartyr, 
voting  as  he  believes  to  be  for  th  'best  conditions 
of  the  public  or  private  good.  He  belongs  to  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  although  he  was  reared  a 
Methodist.  Socially,  he  is  a  Mason  and  stands  high 
as  a  member,  having  taken  the  thirty-second  de- 
gree. 


#* 


APT.  HARRY  P.  MERRILL.  The  announce- 
ment of  the  death  of  this  prominent  mer- 
'('  ehanl  and  respected  citizen  of  Ray  City  on 
November  17.  1H!)1,  brought  a  personal  sense  of 
lo>s  and  sincere  sorrow  to  all  who  had  known  him. 
Not  alone  as  an  energetic  and  successful  business 
man.  bul  also  as  a  valiant  soldier  in  defense  of  the 
Union,  his  ability  won  universal  recognition,  and 
his  record  m  a  private  and  public  capacity  is  one 
of  which  his  posterity  may  be  justly  proud.  A 
public-spirited  man  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  he 
always  fell  a  deep  interest  in  the  prosperity  of  the 
city  where  he  had  acquired  fortune  and  labored 
incessantly  for    its    interests.      As   a    soldier    whose 

bravery  won  him  renown,  as  a  business  man  whose 
judgment  and  ability  were  of  an  unusually  high 
order,  and  as  a  citizen  whose  example  is  worthy 
the  emulation  of  the  young,  it  is  with  pleasure  that 
we  record  his  name  among  the  representative  citi- 
zens of   Lay  (  ouiitv. 

On  March  10,  1839,  Harry  P.  Merrill  was  born 
in  Darien.  ( ienesee  County.  N.  Y..  his  parents  being 
Theodore  S.  and  Abigail  (Durfy)  Merrill.  He  was 
descended  from  early  and  respected  Eastern  ances- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


.r)75 


tore,  his  forefathers  on  both  sides  being  prominent 
Xrw  England  people.  When  he  was  four  years  of 
age  hi-  father,  who  was  a  merchant  in  Genesee 
County.  X.  Y.,  removed  thence  to  Michigan  and 
embarked  in  the  mercantile  business  in  Shiawassee 
County,  al  the  same  time  conducting  a  farm.  In 
1849,  bereaved  b)  the  death  of  his  parents,  our 
subject  was  thrown  practically  upon  his  own  re- 
sources and  at  the  ageof  ten  years  commenced  the 
battle  of  life  for  himself,  lie  remained  for  ten 
years  with  an  older  brother  upon  the  home  farm, 
and  then  with  something  of  a  spirit  of  adventure 
coupled  with  the  determination  to  make  his  way  in 
the  world,  he  went  to  Colorado,  California  and 
New  Mexico,  and  engaged  in  trading  and  taking 
goods  in  the  mining  regions. 

Until  the  breaking  out  of  t lie  Civil  War  Mr. 
Merrill  remained  in  the  far  West  and  then  return- 
ing to  Michigan,  enlisted  at  Pontiacin  the  Twenty- 
second  Michigan  [nfanlryas  a  private  and  in  com- 
pany with  his  regiment  proceeded  to  Lexington, 
Ky.  His  practical  business  ideas  were  soon  recog- 
nized bythose  in  authority  and  he  was  detailed  on 
special  duty  in  the  capacities  of  purchasing  agenl 
for  the  Government  ami  inspector  of  horses.  So 
valuable  were  his  services  ami  so  highly  apprecia- 
ted, that  he  was  continued  iii  this  department  for 
more  than  two  years,  until  at  his  request  he  was 
relieved  of  his  duties  in  order  to  entei  upon  a  more 
soldier-like  life.  He  was  commissioned  Captain  of 
Company  II.  Fourth  Kentucky  Mounted  Infantry 
Veterans,  by  Gov.  Bramlette,  and  with  the  com- 
pany which  he  had  recruited  was  sent  to  the  front 
under  Sherman,  at  Chattanooga. 

The  branch  of  the  service  to  which  the  mounted 
infantry  belonged  gave  opportunity  for  active 
soldier  life  in  skirmishing,  raiding  and  hard  fight- 
ing during  all  of  that  most  memorable  campaign, 
and  e^ery  soldier  who  marched  from  Atlanta  to 
the  sea  has  become  historically  immortal.  On  ar- 
riving at  Atlanta  the  Fourth  Kentucky  was  sent 
on  a  raid  known  as  Stoneman's  raid,  operating  on 
the  south  of  Atlanta.  It  was  on  this  expedition 
that  Capt. Merrill,  with  many  others,  was  captured. 
While  a  prisoner  the  Union  army  bombarded 
Charleston  and  the  Confederate   forces  sent    more 

than     one    thou-and    of    their    prisoner?     including 


Capt.  Merrill  and  placed  them  under  the  guns  of 
the  Union  army  to  receive  their  fire. 

1 1 o never  ( 'apt.  Merrill  had  no  intention  of  losing 
his    lite    in    that     way  anil     with    another     prisoner 

sought  a  means  of  escape  by  tunneling   under  the 

Street.       They     were     discovered,    recaptured     ami 

transferred  to  Columbia,  S.  C,  where  Capt.  Merrill 
made  another  attempt  toe-cape.  Ihi>  lime  with 
more  success.  With  his  companion,  Lieut.  Charles 
Swope,  of  Kentucky,  he  followed  tin-  Santee  River 
from  near  Columbia  to  it-  mouth,  a  distance  of 
three  hundred  miles  through  the  enemy's  country, 
and  during  the  twenty-two  days  of  the  journey 
lived  chiefly  on  raw  sweel  potatoes.  At  Columbia 
they  were  re-cued  by  a  blockading  steamer,  from 
which  they  were  transferred  to  a  passenger  steamer 
and  reached  New  York  in  the  spring  of  I860.  The 
sufferings  which  the  Captain  had  undergone  un- 
fitted him  for  further  active  service  and  in  April. 
L865,  he  resigned  his  commission  and  returned  to 
Michigan. 

On  November  30,  1866,  (apt.  Merrill  and  Miss 
Laura  C.  Grow,  of  Pontiac,  were  united  in  mar- 
riage, and  two  children  were  horn  to  them — Frank 
(.'..  now  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  Maud,  aged 
fourteen.  In  1  siiH.  his  health  being  much  improved, 
our  subject  want  toSaginawand  opened  a  grocerj 
store,  where  he  remained  until  1871.  At  that  time, 
he  came  to  Bay  City  and  engaged  in  business  a-  a 
wholesale  grocer  with  the  late  R.  P.  Oustm  as 
partner.  The  firm  of  Gustin  .v  Merrill  was  re- 
markably successful  and  the  partner-  continued  in 
business  together  until  1884,  when  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  linn  retired.  Since  then  the  linn  has 
been  known  as  Merrill,  Fifleld  A'  Co.,  and  in  vol- 
ume of  business  are  exceeded   by  only  one  house 

ill   the  Mate. 

The  building  occupied  by  Merrill,  Fifleld  >v-  Co. 
i-  located  at  Nos.  1005  and  1007  North  Water 
Street  and  has  a  frontage  of  fifty-five  feet  on 
Water  Street  with  a  depth  of  one  hundred  feet  to 
a  warehouse,  two  stories  high,  10x60  feet  in  dimen- 
sions and  fronting  upon  the  docks.  In  addition 
to  this  the  Michigan  (  entral  Railroad  has  buill  for 
the  firm  an  elevator  with  a  capacity  of  one  hun- 
dred thousand  bushels  of  grain,  which  the\  occupy 

iii  connection  with  another  warehouse,  [00x60fee1 


576 


PORTRAIT  AND  HIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


in  dimensions.  The  store  is  well  lighted  and  ven- 
tilated and  contains  all  modern  improvements  for 
the  display,  sale,  and  shipment  and  Storage  of 
stock,  or  the  transaction  of  business.  A  force  of 
seventeen  clerks  is  employed, besides  several  trav- 
eling men.  and  in  addition  to  a  large  business  in 
May  City,  the  linn  enjoys  a  heavy  trade  in  North- 
ern Michigan. 

Although  devoting  :i  greal  portion  of  his  time 
to  the  grocery  business,  Mr.  Merrill  engaged  in 
various  other  enterprises  in  all  of  which  he  met 
with  success.  He  was  a  Director  in  the  Second 
National  Bank,  President  of  the  first  Chamber 
of  Commerce  in  Bay  City,  and  Commander  of 
D.  S.  Grant  Post,  G.  A.  R.  two  terms.  His 
opinion  in  public  matters  was  greatly  relied 
upon  and  his  honesty  was  beyond  question.  In 
various  ways  many  of  Ihe  city'-  interests  have 
been  committed  to  his  care,  and  lie  was  regarded 
as  one  of  the  most  valuable  citizens  in  this  part  of 
the  State.  Personally  and  socially  he  was  one  of 
the  most  agreeable  of  companions,  of  attractive 
appearance,  pleasant  address,  and  was  held  in  the 
highest  esteem  and  affection  by  his  fellow  citizens. 
In  the  prosecution  of  his  business  interests  lie  was 
ever  active,  yet  he    never    failed   in   duty  to  the 

public,  giving  to  it>  various  concerns  his  lime  anil 

advice,  and  at  all  times  having  it-  welfare  upper- 
most in  his  mind,  lie  was  m  regular  attendant  of 
the  Methodist  Church  and  an  earnesl  Republican. 
His  death  although  not  unexpected,  came  suddenly 

at  the  last,  as  night  comes  quickly  after  a  long  and 
beautiful  twilight. 


NDREW       THOMSON.       This     successful 

Jj    business   man,  whose   Well-earned    reputa- 
iJ    lion    for    enterprise    and    square    dealing 
C^y  commands  the  respect  of  the  community 

and  whose  genial  nature  ensures  his  popularity,  is 
one  of  the  largest  contractors  in  the  Saginaw  Val- 
ley. Besides  contracting  ami  building,  he  manu- 
factures sash,  doors  and  blinds,and  general  building 
supplies. 

Mr.  Thomson   was  horn    in   Caithness,  Scotland. 


December  7.  1840,  and  his  father  and  grandfather, 
both  of  whom  bore  the  same  name  with  himself, 
were  wealthy  farmers  in  Scotland  having  an  estate 
of  some  twelve  hundred  acres.  The  father  came 
to  America  after  his  marriage  and  settled  in  Niag- 
ara County.  Canada,  where  he  carried  on  a  farm 
and  afterward  removed  to  Michigan,  spending  his 
last  days  in  Saginaw  and  dying  there  when  seventy- 
nine  years  old.  While  in  Canada  he  belonged  to 
the  Reform  party,  and  after  coming  to  the  States 
became  an  earnest  Republican.  His  wife  was  known 
in  maidenhood  as  Barbara  McKay  and  was  also  a 
native  of  Caithness,  and  a  daughter  of  John  McKay, 
a  wealthy  farmer  of  that  region.  She  lived  to 
reach  her  sixty-ninth  year  and  died  in  Saginaw. 

Our  subject  is  the  eldest  of  eight  children  and 
was  brought  to  America  when  three  years  of  age, 
traveling  in  a  sailer  which  was  sixteen  weeks  upon 
the  ocean  and  finally  landing  at  Quebec.  He  bad 
his  training  and  education  in  Niagara  County  and 
Huron  County,  attending  the  common  schools  and 
when  sixteen  years  old  was  apprenticed  at  Gard- 
ner, Canada,  for  four  3'ears  to  a  contractor.  He 
finally  engaged  in  this  business  for  himself  inde- 
pendently and  put  up  there  some  of  the  finest 
residence's  ami  most  permanent  business  houses  in 
the  place. 

!t  was  in  July,  1872,  that  Mr.  Thomson  came 
to  Bay  City  where  he  undertook  contracting  and 
building  and  two  years  later  removed  his  residence 
to  West  Bay  City,  although  be  carries  on  as  much 
building  in  tin'  former  as  in  the  latter  division  of 
this  flourishing  town.  He  put  up  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  West  Bay  City,  the  Library  building, 
the  Water  Works  building,  the  Fisher  Block,  the 
residence  of  the  Hon.  Mr.  Fisher,  and  a' number  of 
the  best  residences  in  Wot  Bay  City.  Many  of 
the  best  business  houses  in  Bay  City  are  his  work 
and  we  mn\  particularize  among  instances  of  his 
buildings  the  Jennison  Block,  the  McEwan  Block, 
the  Taylor  A-  Rose  Block,  the  Polish  Church,  which 
is  the  largest  house  of  worship  in  the  Sag- 
inaw Valley,  besides  a  number  of  the  finest  resi- 
dences, lie  make-  building  a  specialty  and  has 
done  more  work  of  this  kind  than  any  other  eon- 
tractor  in  West  Pay  City. 

'The   planingmill    and    factory    of   Mr.  'Thomson 


H.    J.    WALLACE. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


579 


was  started  in  1 886  and  lie  now  does  a  large  job- 
bing  business  and  his  factory  for  doors  and  sash  is 
the  largest  in  the  city.  He  has  built  and  sold  :i 
number  of  residences  and  his  own  home  which  he 
erected  is  on  Midland  Street,  between  Fremont 
avenue  and  Chilson  street.  The  lady  who  became  his 
wife  in  Goderich,  in  1864,  was  Miss  Flora,  daughter 
of  Archibald  McQuarrie,  and  was  horn  in  Nova 
Scotia  where  her  father  was  a  farmer.  Their  three 
sons  are  Andrew  I.,  who  is  now  an  attorney  at 
law:  William  J.,  who  is  a  law  student  with  Pratt 
&  Gilbert;  and  Frederick,  who  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Thomson  was  Supervisor  of  the  Third 
AVard  for  one  year  and  Alderman  of  the  Sixth 
Ward  for  two  years  and  did  good  service  on  vari- 
ous committees,  being  very  efficient  in  effecting  a 
complete  system  of  city  sewerage  and  in  securing 
the  franchise  for  the  street  car  company.  Hi-  po- 
litical views  are  in  accord  with  the  declaration-  of 
the  Republican  party  and  in  regard  to  religious 
matters  he  is  connected  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic  order  and 
the  ( Irder  of  Foresters. 


J_    ENRY  JAMES  WALLACE.     We  aie  grati- 
fied to   be  able  to  present  the  portrait  and 

IV^f  give  a  brief  sketch  of  the  life  of  one  of  the 
former  citizens  of  Saginaw,  who  did  good 
pioneer  work  here  and  was  useful  in  promoting 
all  worthy  objects  while  a  resident  of  Saginaw. 
He  was  born  January  21.  1844,  in  Ketley,  County 
Leeds,  Ontario.  Hi-  father,  James  Wallace,  was 
born  in  Scotland,  and  his  mother,  Nancy  (Mooney) 
Wallace  was  i  f  Irish  parentage  but  was  bom  upon 
the  ocean.  The  grandparents  on  both  side-  made 
their  home  in  Canada  after  crossing  the  Atlantic. 
and  it  was  not  until  our  subject  was  a  young  man 
that  his  father  and  mother  came  to  Michigan  and 
settled  in  Cass  City,  where  they  resided  until  their 
death. 

Henry  J.  Wallace  was  one  of  nine  children, 
seven  of  whom  are  now  living.  He  was  reared 
upon  a  farm  and  remained  at  home  assisting  upon 
the  place  until  he  reached   the  age  of  eighteen,  at 


which  time  the  family  removed  to  Michigan.  lie 
soon  entered  the  employ  of  Eber  Ward  and  was 
engaged  in  prospecting  for  pine  kinds  and  iii  other 
work  in  connection  with  lumbering.  lie  continued 
working  for  lumbermen  in  Saginaw,  locating  pine 
lands  and  during  the  winters  was  foreman  of 
camps  for  various  firms.  During  the  war  he  was 
for  a  time  employed  by  the  Government  :i-  a 
bridge  buildei  and  was  in  that  work  for  a  number 
of  months. 

Fora  number  of  \  ear-  Mr.  Wallace  was  employed 
by  various  firms  and  also  engaged  in  prospecting 
for  minerals  in  the  Lake  Superior  region.  After 
about  three  years,  however,  he  gave  up  that  part  of 
his  work  and  devoted  himself  entirely  to  pine 
lands,  prospecting  on  his  own  responsibility.  His 
death,  which  took  place  June  15,  1887,  was  the 
result  of  complications  of  the  liver  and  the  disease 
was  greatly  aggravated  by  overwork  and  exposure 
for  many  years.  • 

Mr.  Wallace  wa-  not  a  politician,  but  his  vot( 
and  influence  werecasl  with  the  Republican  party, 
and  in  religious  matters  he  sympathised  with  the 
tenets  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  was  mar- 
ried March  1.").  1867, to  Mis-  Eliza  Jane,  daughter 
of  Capt.  William  and  Florence  (Stark)  Willis,  the 
former  for  many  years  a  lake  captain.  Their  chil- 
dren are:  Edith  Ellen,  nowthe  wife  of  Herbert  W. 
Savage,  whose  biography  is  found  <  lsewh<  re  in  this 
work;  William  James,  who  i-  residing  at  Portland. 
Ore.;  and  Florence  Margaret,  who  is  at  home. 
Their  daughter  Edith  has  shown  unusual  talent  in 
the  line  of  art  and  ha-  some  very  beautiful  paint- 
ings which  are  the  result  of  her  work.  The  home 
in  which  Mrs.  Wallace  resides  was  planned  and 
built  by  her  husband  and  is  a  most  delightful  and 
comfortable  pla<  e  of  abode. 


ILLIAM     MUNSIE.     This     prominent    in- 
surance and  real-estate  man.  who  has  a  tine 


v  v  office  at  No.  815  Saginaw  Street,  has  been 
m  business  in  Bay  City  for  the  past  four  years.  He 
wa-  born  in  Dumfries,  Scotland  ami  came  to  the 


580 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


United  States  with  Ins  parents  when  quite  a  youth. 
His  education  was  received  partly  in  Scotland  and 
partly  in  this  country. 

Our  subject  spent  some  years  in  York  County, 
Ontario,  and  for  fifteen  years  he  held  the  office  of 
Justice  on  the  Queen's  Commission  and  was  also 
Postmaster  of  Nobleton,  and  at  the  same  time 
Reeve  of  the  township.  He  held  his  commission 
as  Postmaster  from  Sir  John  McDonald  and  while 
in  Canada  was  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business 
having  three  dry-goods  stores  on  his  hands  at  one 
time. 

When  Mr.  Munsie  first  came  to  the  States  he  en- 
gaged in  the  life  insurance  business  at  Port  Huron 
and  from  there  removed  to  Saginaw  where  he  re- 
mained until  four  years  ago  when  he  came  to  Bay 
City.  For  the  three  years  that  he  was  at  Saginaw 
he  was  engaged  in  insurance  and  real  estate  and 
in  every  place  where  he  has  resided  he  has  done 
wey  in  business,  proving  by  his  prosperity  and  the 
respect  of  his  neighbors,  his  genuine  qualities  of 
integrity, ability  and  enterprise. 

Few  men  in  Bay  City  have  more  thoroughly 
the  respect  of  their  fellow-citizens  than  this  one, 
who  is  comparatively  a  new  comer  among  them, 
and  he  has  been  able  lo  work  up  a  good  line  of 
business  in  both  city  and  country,  lie  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  order  and  is  Vice-President  of  the 
st.  Andrews'  Society  and  is  Presidentof  the  Heather 
Curling  Cluli.  He  is  a  true  Scotchman  at  heart 
and  loves  to  keep  up  the  customs  and  traditions  of 
his  early  home  and  being  an  ardent  admirer  of  the 
game  of  curling,  he  organized  the  club  here  only 
a  year  ago.  It  has  had  a  phenominal  growth  and 
promises  to  be  one  of  the  prominent  sports  of  this 
city. 

s^\  IIAREESH.  SARLE.  This  prosperous  farmer 
111      _  whose  beautiful  tract  of  eighty  acres  is  lo- 

n^^z  cated  on  section  10,  Tittabawassee  Town- 
ship, Saginaw  County,  has  hi>  property  well  im- 
proved and  in  an  excellent  condition,  and  devotes 
himself  to  mixed  farming.  His  beautiful  home 
and  excellent  barns  arc  a  credit  to  the  township 
and  attract  the  eye  of  every    passerby.     His    par- 


1  ents,  Stephen  and  Fammey  (Vosburg)  Sarle,  were 
both  of  them  born  in  the  Empire  State,  and  the 
paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Benjamin 
Sarle,  a  native  of  Rhode  Island  and  of  English 
descent. 

He  of  whom  we  write  was  born  in  Saratoga 
County,  N.  Y.  April  14,  1837,  and  there  he  had  his 
happy  home  upon  a  farm,  being  helpful  in  many 
ways  to  his  father  and  studying  in  the  district 
school,  enjoying  the  many  jolly  sports  of  a  country 
lad  as  well  as  the  drudgery  incident  to  such  a  boy's 
life.  He  remained  beneath  the  parental  roof  until 
he  reached  the  mature  age  of  twenty-four  years, 
about  which  time  he  was  happily  married,  July  27. 
1860,  to  Sarah  Cooper,  whose  father,  Cornelius, 
was  a  native  of  England  who  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  and  settled  in  Onondaga  County, 
N.  Y. 

Mrs.  Sarle  was  born  in  Somersetshire,  England, 
.May  (i.  1841,  and  came  with  her  parents  to  this 
country  when  a  little  child.  Her  eldest  child.  Ma 
Frances,  married  Mortimer  Wyman,  who  is  a  farmer 
and  resides  only  a  half  mile  from  the  home  of  our 
subject  in  Tittabawassee  Township.  The  youngest 
child  and  the  only  son.  Louie  II..  married  Ettie  M. 
Wyman  and  he  also  resides  on  section  10,  Titta- 
bawassee Township  and  assists  his  father  in  the 
operation  of  the  farm.  He  is  the  happy  father  of 
two  little  sons.  Robert  T.  and  Charles  II. 

When  .Mr.  Sarle  came  to  this  part  of  the  country 
and  purchased  the  property  on  which  he  now  lives 
it  was  in  its  wild  condition.  The  ground  was 
covered  by  a  dense  forest  and  the  roads  were  only 
surveyed  and  partly  chopped  out.  His  first  work 
was  to  clear  a  little  space  upon  which  he  might 
erect  a  rude  structure  to  shelter  his  family.  He 
then  felled  the  trees  little  by  little  as  he  could,  and 
clearing  away  the  stumps,  put  the  ground  in  a 
condition  for  raising  crops,  and  it  was  indeed  a 
happy  day  when  they  harvested  the  first  product 
of  their  fields  and  fed  themselves  therefrom.  From 
I  year  to  year  he  cleared  more  of  his  acres  until  he 
now  has  it  all  free  from  trees  and  stumps  and  has 
made  of  it  a  beautiful  home  with  every  adorn- 
ment and  convenience. 

In  political  matters  Mr.  Sarle  is  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of   the  truth   of    the   principles    announced 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


581 


by  the  Republican  party,  yet  in  local  matters  he 
allows  Ins  vote  to  beguided  by  1 1 is  own  judgment 
rather  than  the  dictum  of  party.  In  religious 
matters  both  he  and  his  worthy  wife  arc  earnest  and 
devoted  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  which  they  lind  a  broad  field  for  use- 
fulness. 


/p^EORGE  II.  DOWNING.  The  subject  of 
[||  (——  this  sketch  has  been  a  resident  of  the  Sagi- 
%^[l  naw  Valley  since  the  fall  of  1865.  He  was 
born  at  Euclid.  Ohio,  November  12.  18411.  His 
grandfather,  John  Downing,  was  a  native  of  New 
York,  who  emigrated  at  an  early  day  to  Ohio, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  father, 
Joseph  E.,  was  also  a  native  of  New  York,  and 
followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer  at  Euclid,  un- 
til some  years  after  his  marriage  when  in  1865  he 
brought  his  family  to  the  Saginaw  Valley.  He  was 
a  cooper  by  trade  and  for  some  years  worked  as 
foreman  in  a  shop.  In  1868  he  located  on  a  farm 
in  Kawkawlin.  where  he  homesteaded  eighty  acres 
in  the  woods,  which  lie  improved.  He  is  a  Repub 
lican  in  politics  and  has  been  Treasurer  and  Justice 
of  the  Peace  and  also  School  Inspector.  The 
maiden  name  of  the  mother  of  our  subject  was 
Mary  E.  Johnson,  who  was  horn  in  Xew  York 
State  where  she  died.  The  seven  children  of  this 
worthy  couple  are  all  living,  as  follows:  Augusta, 
who  reside.-,  in  Grand  Traverse;  George  II.;  Frank. 
a  resident  of  West  Bay  City;  Charles,  who  resides 
in  Cleveland.  Ohio;  Clara,  a  resident  of  Grand 
Traverse;  William,  a  marine  engineerat  Pt.  Huron 
and  Eva.  who  resides  at  Kalamazoo. 

George  II.  Downing,  the  subjecl  of  this  sketch, 
was  reared  in  Ohio  on  a  farm  until  eighteen  years 
of  age,  when  in  the  spring  of  1865  he  came  with 
his  father  to  Sand  Beach  and  was  engaged  until 
August  of  thai  year  in  sawmilling.  They  then 
located  in  Hay  (  it\  and  in  November  of  the  same 
year  brought  the  remainder  of  the  family  to  that 
place.  For  two  years  he  remained  at  home  and 
when    of   age  took    up  the  trade  of  a  cooper  and 


worked  in  the  cooper  shops  of  the  piincipal  mills. 
For  eleven  seasons  he  was  employed  by  Folsom  & 
Arnold  on  piece  work;  he  also  worked  in  Zilwau- 
kee,  Carrolton  and  Saginaw.  In  the  meantime  he 
homesteaded  forty  acres  in  Kawkawlin,  which  lie 
improved  and  lived  on  duringthe  summers,  at  the 
same  time  carrying  On  his  trade  of  a  cooper,  until 
1883.  In  1886  he  entered  the  employ  of  Pitts  & 
Cranage,  as  teamster  remaining  with  them  for  live 
years.  In  July.  1891  he  was  employed  by  R.  P. 
Gustin  &  Co..  in  the  same  capacity  and  is  at  pres- 
ent with  that  firm.  He  owns  twenty  acres  of  land 
which  is  well-improved  and  which  he  rents  out. 

.Mr.  Downing  was  married  in  October  1X68,  in 
Bay  City,  to  Miss  Pamelia  Spicer,  daughter  of 
Ezekiel  Spicer.  a  native  of  New  York.  Her  father 
was  une  of  the  first  settlers  in  Kingston,  Canada, 
removing  from  there  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1850, 
afterward  coming  to  Hay  City,  where  he  built  two 
houses.  He  was  ;i  fine  mechanic, being  both  a  car- 
penter and  mason.  lie  bought  five  acres  in  what 
is  now  the  heart  of  the  city,  and  was  engaged  in 
clearing  it  up  when  he  was  taken  ill  and  died  very 
suddenly  in  1854.  In  politics  he  was  a  strong 
Whig  and  in  religion  was  a  Baptist.  The  tnothei 
was  Florence  Maxon,  a  native  of  New  York  and  a 
daughter  of  Charles  Maxon,  also  born  in  that  State. 
The  latter  was  a  Yfvy  early  settler  in  Lower  Sagi- 
naw and  was  the  owner  of  the  present  site  of  the 
Pitts  &  Cranage  Mills.  His  death  took  place  in 
1854  under  melancholy  circumstances.  He  had 
been  appointed  on  the  Board  of  Health  during  the 
time  when  small  pox  was  raging  in  that  vicinity 
and  was  helping  in  tin'  care  of  the  sick  when  he 
took  the  disease  which  caused  his  death.  He  was 
an  active  member  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  was  highly  esteemed  in  the  commun- 
ity; he  was  of  English  descent.  The  mother  of 
Airs.  Downing,  who  still  resides  in  Bay  City,  is  in 
very  feeble  health.  After  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band she  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Lockwood, 
who  served  throughout  the  War  of  the  Rebellion 
in  Company  A.  Second  Michigan  Infantry.  By 
her  first  marriage  Mrs.  Spicer  became  the  mother 
of  four  children:  Mary.  Mrs.  Graham  of  Bay  ('itv; 
Diana,  who  was  accidentally  killed  by  the  kick  of 
a  horse;  Pamelia,  Mrs.  Downing;  and  Clarissa, Mrs, 


582 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Smith,  who  resides  in  Bay  City.  Of  the  children 
of  the  second  marriage  two  are  living — Florence, 
Mrs.  F.  Jackson,  residing  in  Bay  City;  and  James 
Lock  wood,  of  the  same  place. 

Mrs.  Downing  is  a  native  of  Bay  City,  where 
she  was  born  June  30  j  1851,  receiving  her  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  Hampton  Town- 
ship. She  has  been  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church 
for  twenty-three  years,  in  which  she  is  an  active 
worker,  also  taking  great  interest  in  the  Womens' 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society.  Mrs. 
Downing  is  one  of  the  few  women  who  have  be- 
come successful  inventors,  she  being  the  inventor 
of  the  Downing  Washing  Machine  on  which  she 
procured  a  patent  July  22,  1890,  and  which  has 
just  been  placed  upon  the  market.  It  promises  to 
be  a  great  labor  saving  device,  and  a  most  helpful 
addition  to  the  laundry.  It  was  given  the  first 
premium  at  the  Bay  County  Fair  as  being  the  best 
washing  machine  exhibited.  .Mis.  Downing  states 
thatshe  got  the  idea  for  her  invention  by  washing 
laces  with  her  hands,  immersing  and  dipping  them 
in  the  suds  to  save  the  fabric. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  had  a  family  of 
six  children,  all  of  whom  are  deceased:  William 
A.,  died  in  infancy;  Harrison,  at  the  age  of  two 
and  one-half  years;  Lorama  M.,  aged  live  years: 
Newton,  four  years;  James  Wilbur,  two  and  one- 
half  years  and  Flora  B.  four  years.  In  politics  Mr. 
Downing  is  a  Republican. 


-=). 


~S 


£+£ 


r=>  .. 


THOMAS    K.    IIAKDINC,  chief   engineer  of 
the  fire  department  and  fire  marshal  of  Bay 

\^y  City,  has  been  connected  with  the  fire  de- 
partment here  longer  than  any  other  man,  having 
been  with  it  since  1866,  and  chief  engineer  since 
February,  1883.  He  is  a  man  of  broad  intelligence, 
great  popularity,  and  has  numerous  friends;  he  was 
Vice  President  in  1890  of  the  National  Fire  En- 
gineer's Association.  He  [has  worked  hard  to  se- 
cure for  Kay  City  a  good  system  with  modern  im- 
provements in  the  liii'  department,  and  it  is  owing 
to  his  energy  and  work  that  the  city  now  has  one 
of  the  finest  Are  departments  in  the  State, 


Our  subject  was  born  at  St.  Catherines,  Canada, 
and  had  his  early  training  within  sight  of  that 
stupendous  object  of  nature,  Niagara  Falls.  His 
father,  Robert,  learned  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker  at 
Queenstown, Ireland, and  came  to  Canada, where  he 
established  himself  as  a  successful  manufacturer  of 
and  dealer  in  boots,  shoes,  and  leather  findings. 
There  he  did  an  extensive  business  and  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  dying  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
eight.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Mary 
Kelly,  was  born  in  Drogheda, near  Dublin,  Ireland, 
and  now  resides  in  St.  Catherines.  They  had  four 
sons  and  three  daughters,  the  eldest,  John,  served 
his  country  for  three  years  in  the  Civil  War,  be- 
ing a  member  of  the  Eighth  Michigan  Cavalry. 

Thomas  K.  Harding  was  born  March  31,  IK  17, 
and  after  studying  at  St.  Catherines,  finished  his 
course  at  the  Buffalo  (N.  Y.)  High  School.  At  the 
age  of  fourteen  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  printer's 
trade  and  worked  for  three  years  on  the  St.  Cath- 
erines Constitution,  a  weekly  paper,  after  which  he 
took  charge  of  the  printing-office  of  the  Jour/ml, 
there,  which  he  carried  on  for  three  years,  and  then 
after  a  short  sojourn  in  Buffalo  he  came  to  Michi- 
gan, and  was  with  tin'  old  Detroit  Advertiser  for 
three  years,  and  in  1866  took  charge  of  the  Bay 
City  Journal,  being  foreman  of  the  job  depart- 
ment. Later  he  started  the  daily  Tribune  in  con- 
nection with  G.  Lewis,  E.  Kroenke,  and  John  Cul- 
ver, and  m  this  he  had  charge  of  the  job  depart- 
ment. He  afterward  served  Henry  Dowe,  and  later 
James  Birnev,  in  the  same  kind  of  work,  and  then 
entered  into  partnership  with  Mr.  McMillan,  and 
published  the  daily  Observer. 

Since  1883  Mr.  Harding  has  paid  his  entire  at- 
tention to  the  lire  department,  with  which  he  has 
been  connected  since  1866.  In  the  spring  of  1883 
he  was  appointed  by  the  City  Council  as  chief  en- 
gineer, and  he  has  built  up  this  part  of  the  city 
service  until  it  is  in  as  good  condition  as  that  of 
any  city  of  Michigan.  He  is  also  connected  with 
the  common  council  as  secretary  of  the  house  and 
building  committee.  He  serves  in  the  same  capac- 
ity upon  the  Board  of  Electric  Light  Control,  and 
also  upon  the  Board  of  Building  Inspectors,  and  is 
likewise  inspector  of  buildings  and  churches. 

In  1885  our  subject  introduced  into  the  Michi- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


583 


"an   State   Fireman's    Association  a  resolution    re- 

o 

quiring  all  insurance  companies  outside  of  the 
State,  doing  business  in  Michigan,  to  pay  a  per 
cent,  of  money  to  the  Fireman's  Benovolent  Asso- 
ciation, but  did  not  succeed  in  the  matter  because 
of  the  controlling  influence  of  the  insurance  com- 
panies, lie  organized  and  drew  up  the  Constitu- 
tion for  the  Bay  City  Fireman's  Mutual  Benefit 
Association,  and  was  its  first  President  and  is  now 
its  Treasurer. 

We  have  here  to  record  as  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant events  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Harding  his  mar- 
riage, in  1876,  to  Miss  Margaret  A.  Roache,  who 
was  born  in  Petersboro,  Canada.  Six  children  have 
blessed  this  union,  namely:  Fred  W.,  Robert  F., 
Thomas,  Harry.  Lee  and  Helen.  The  social  orders 
with  which  this  gentleman  is  connected  are  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen  and  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees. 


'Sp^DGAR  B.  FOSS.  The  lumber  interests  still 
t«]  continue  to  be  the  leading  and  most  lucra- 
}t — ^  five  business  in  the  Peninsular  State,  and 
those  who  have  engaged  in  it  from  its  develop- 
ment here  have  amassed  large  fortunes,  and  in  fact 
there  is  a  prospect,  as  the  forests  are  decimated  by 
the  woodmen,  that  these  lumber  treasures  will  grow- 
in  value.  Our  subject  is  one  of  the  prominent 
wholesale  lumber  dealers  who  are  located  in  Bay  City 
and  in  this  end  of  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and  although 
he  has  accumulated  a  handsome  fortune,  he  is  ms 
enterprising  now  as  in  his  younger  days. 

Mr.  Foss  was  born  in  Willimantic.  Conn..  Febru- 
ary 28,  1851.  He  is  a  son  of  .John  and  Sarah  B. 
(Slade)  Foss,  the  former  a  native  of  Rhode  Island, 
but  of  English  descent;  the  latter  of  Fx  bridge, 
Mass.  Her  family  were  Quakers,  who  had  come  to 
America  from  England  to  enjoy  the  freedom  of 
their  belief.  Her  father  was  a  Quaker  preacher. 
Mrs.  Sarah  Foss  is  now  seventy-eighty  years  old, 
and  still  resides  in  Willimantic,  Conn.  She  lias 
been  the  mother  of  ten  children,  and  of  these  our 
subject  is  the  youngest.     The  members  of  the  fam- 


ilv  became  Mattered  and  distinguished  themselves 
in  various  ways.  One  brother,  Samuel  S.,  was  Ad- 
jutant in  the  Eighth  Connecticut  Infantry,  and 
served  throughout  the  entire  war,  receiving  a 
wound  at  Ft.  Darling  before  Richmond.  He  was 
in  partnership  with  our  subject  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness until  1883,  when  he  was  thrown  from  a  buggy 
and  killed. 

Our  subject  was  reared  at  Woonsocket  and  Pro- 
vidence. R.  I.  He  attended  the  public  school  at 
the  former  place,  and  was  a  student  at  the  business 
college  of  the  latter  place.  In  ixi'u  he  came  We-t 
and  was  employed  for  a  time  as  clerk  in  the  office 
of  D.  A.  Ballou,  at  Kawkawlin.  This  firm  were 
dealers  and  manufacturers  of  Lumber,  and  one  of 
the  largest  in  this  portion  of  the  country.  The 
young  man  was  advanced  from  Inspector  in  the 
yards  until  in  1872  he  became  traveling  lumber 
salesman  for  the  firm  of  Nan  Etten,  Kaiser  &  Co., 
his  route  being  principally  in  Ohio  for  several 
years,  lie  pursued  this  business  until  1878,  when 
he  with  his  brother  Samuel  S.  boughl  out  the  lum- 
ber stock  of  his  employers,  but  soon  sold  it  anil 
started  into  business  in  West  Bay  City,  in  1879. 
Tin'  business  was  conducted  under  the  firm  name 
of  S.  S.  A  F.  B.  Foss,  wholesale  lumber  dealers,  for 
several  years,  and  then  the  firm  removed  its  plant 
to  Bay  City. 

At  his  brother's  death,  F.  B.  Foss  bought  out  his 
brother's  interest  and  soon  after  took  in  .1.  M. 
Leiter,  of  Ohio,  as  partner,  and  for  five  years  the 
concern  was  conducted  under  the  name  of  Foss  & 
Leiter.  Since  that  time  our  subject  has  been  sole 
owner,  doing  business  as  F.  I!.  Foss  ,V-  Co.  Their 
yards  are  very  conveniently  located  on  the  Flint 
&  Pere  Marquette  Railroad,  and  have  a  capacity 
for  carrying  a  large  stock  of  lumber.  They  have 
several  salesmen  on  the  road  who  represenl  them 
in  Ohio  and  the  Eastern  States.  They  whole-ale 
from  their  yards  both  dressed  and  rough  lumber, 
and  have  first-class  facilities  for  the  manufacture 
of  the  best  grades  of  dressed  lumber.  The  annual 
sales  of  the  firm  amount  to  twenty  million  feet  of 
lumber. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Bay  City,  in  Septem- 
ber, 1871,  his  bride  being  Miss  Elizabeth  Fitzgerald; 
she  was  born  in  Limerick,  Ireland,  and  is  a  member 


584 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Their  marriage 
has  been  brightened  by  the  presence  of  three  chil- 
dren, viz:  Walter  1..  Edgar  II.  ami  Edith  II.  The 
residence  is  Located  at  No.  1600  Sixth  street.  So- 
cially our  subject  belongs  to  Joppa  Lodge,  No.  315, 
V.  &  A.  M..  ami  to  the  Bay  City  Council,  No.  53, 
R.  A.  M.,  Blanchard  Chapter,  No.  .".it.  R.  A.M., 
ami  to  Buy  City  Commandery,  No.  26.  He  also 
belongs  to  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  ami  t*> 
the  Royal  Arcanum. 


way 


!>*<I 


ONSTANTINE  WATZ.  It  isan  undeniable 
fact  that  the  scholastic  world  owes  more  to 
German  student-  and  German  educational 
institutions  tor  methods  of  study,  thoroughness  of 
research  and  new  branches  of  study  than  to  any 
other  nation.  Its  scholars  are  always  enthusiasts, 
and  being  specialists,  bring  to  their  work  a  fresh- 
ness and  vigor  wanting  in  French,  English  or 
American  institutions.  As  Americans  we  have 
been  quick  to  recognise  this  fait  and  glad  to  make 
use  of  the  intellectual  acumen  and  thoroughness  of 
Teutonic  scholars.  One  who  has  left  his  impress 
upon  the  youth  of  Saginaw  and  always  an  impress 
for  good,  is  Mr.  Watz,  and  in  his  decease  the  city 
lias  mourned  one  of  its  useful  and  patriotic  adopted 
citizens. 

Our  subject  was  horn  April  22.  1831,  in  Hoechst, 
Bavaria.  His  sixty  years  of  life  were  replete  with 
usefulness  to  his  fellow-men.  He  died  April  20, 
1891,  at  Saginaw  City.  He  was  the  son  of  Philip 
ami  Anna  Mary  Watz.  He  graduated  at  the  Nor- 
mal Seminary  at  Wurzburg,  Bavaria,  and  at  nine- 
teen years  of  age  became  the  assistant  of  his  father, 
who  was  a  teacher.  He  continued  to  he  thus  oecn- 
pied  until  1858,  when  he  came  to  the  United  States 
and  was  employed  as  a  teacher  in  the  German 
Seminary  at  Detroit. 

Mr.  Watz  was  married  at  Detroit.  November  28, 
1851,  to  Miss  Caroline  Wachter.  His  reputation 
as  an  educator  having  preceded  him.  in  1863  he 
was  induced  to  come  to  Saginaw  as  Superintendent 
i  if  the  school,  which  was  under  the  patronage  of 
the  Germania  Society.     Our  subject  was  connected 


with  that  institution  as  long  as  it  existed.  Then 
for  a  short  lime  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business 
on  the  West  Side,  in  partnership  with  William 
Moye,  and  in  the  fall  of  1871  he  accepted  the  po- 
sition of  Superintendent  of  the  ( rerman  department 
of  the  Wot  Side  public  school,  and  there  taught 
continuously  for  nineteen  years,  fairly  dropping 
in  the  harness,  for  he  did  not  leave  his  work  until 
within  four  weeks  of  his  death,  which  was  the  direct 
result  of  pleurisy.  The  sad  ceremony  of  his  inter- 
ment occurred  on  his  sixtieth  birthday,  when  he 
was  laid  away  in  God's  acre  with  the  greatest  rev- 
erence by  all  who  had  been  associated  with  him  in 
scholastic  work. 

Under  Pros.  Watz's  supervision  the  work  had 
grown  to  great  porportions.  At  first  he  gave 
personal  supervision  to  all  his  German  pupils,  hut 
during  the  last  year  ( 1890)  it  became  necessary  on 
account  of  the  very  huge  classes  to  have  several 
assistants.  He  was  an  accomplished  musician  and 
was  a  leader  of  the  Germania  Harmonic  Society, 
and  later  of  the  Teutonic  Vocal  Societies,  being 
the  leader  and  instructor  of  these  various  bodies, 
lie  was  also  a  virtuoso  of  the  violin,  which  he 
taught,  also  the  piano,  flute,  guitar  and  cornet. 
His  favorite  instrument,  however,  was  the  violin. 
His  musical  instruction  was  as  much  sought  after 
as  his  linguistic   work. 

Prof.  Watz  was  an  author  of  some  note,  and  hav- 
ing made  comparative  philology  a  study  under  the 
most  improved  methods  of  Muller.  lie  was  well 
qualified  to  write  on  this  modern  subject.  He 
was  also  a  well-known  >peaker  upon  social  topics, 
and  was  a  popular  contributor  to  the  programs  of 
various  societies.  In  his  religious  belief  he  was 
liberal,  being  a  rationalist  of  the  modern  type,  lie 
was  frequently  called  upon  to  offer  consolation  to 
friends  and  relatives  over  the  bier  of  their  departed 
ones.  He  was  a  thorough  Shakespearian  scholar 
and  was  as  well  acquainted  with  that  prince  of 
English  dramatists  as  with  his  own  Schiller  and 
Goethe.  He  was  thoroughly  abreast  of  the 
time-  upon  all  educational  subjects  and  never 
thought  of  sparing  himself  in  his  beloved  work. 

Prof.  Watz's  wife  still  survives.  She  is  the 
mother  of  six  children — Herman,  Oscar,  Alma, 
Anna.  Lena  and  Lottie.     The  first  named  is  a  drug- 


PORTRAIT  AND  TYPOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


585 


gist  in  business  in  Saginaw;  the  second  son  is  a 
bridge-builder  in  Detroit;  Anna  married  William 
F.  Morse,  M.  D.;  while  the  two  youngest  chil- 
dren are  students,  still  brightening  the  home  life 
with  their  merry, genial  presence.  Alma  also  is  at 
home. 


|^_  I  (HI  M.  GALE,  M.  D..  C.  M.  Many  of  the 
most  prominent  and  worthy  citizens  of  Bay 
City  have  come  from  over  the  border, 
being  Canadian  by  birth,  parentage  and 
breeding,  but  have  now  become  thoroughly  Amer- 
icanized in  the  United  States  sense,  and  active  pro- 
moters of  the  best  interests  of  their  adopted  com- 
monwealth. Such  an  one  is  Dr.  Gale,  one  of  the 
prominent  and  rising  physicians  and  surgeons  of 
liny  City,  who  has  been  in  practice  here  since  July, 
1885. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Elora,  Wellington 
County,  Ontario,  November  1,  1855,  and  is  a  son 
of  John  and  Miami  (Bradt)  Gale.  As  his  parents 
were  agriculturists  he  took  his  early  training  upon 
the  farm  and  in  the  common  schools,  and  after- 
ward studied  in  the  Collegiate  Institute  of  Elora. 

After  graduating  from  this  institution  of  learn- 
ing, he  tried  his  hand  as  many  an  aspiring  yon  ml; 
man  has  done  at  the  teacher's  art,  and  after  teach- 
ing in  public  schools  for  three  years  he  became 
Principal  of  the  schools  at  Palmerston,  Ontario, 
while  at  the  same  time  he  was  carrying  on  his  medi- 
cal studies  under  Prof.  Mills,  of  Montreal. 

After  completing  his  last  term  at  Palmerston,  he 
went  to  be  with  Prof.  Mills  at  Montreal,  and  re- 
mained there  four  years  in  attendance  upon  the 
McGill  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  March  of  1882,  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
.Medicine  and  Doctor  of  Surgery.  He  took  a  three 
years'  hospital  course  in  connection  with  his'medi- 
Cal  studies,  and  was  under  Dr.  Wallace,  of  Alma, 
for  four  summers,  taking  his  practice  during  the 
Doctor's  vacation. 

Subsequent  to  this  experience  the  young  Doctor 
located  in  Bad  Axe,  Huron  County,  Mich.,  where 
he  practiced  for  three  years,  and  had   an  extensive 


ride  through  that  portion  of  the  county,  but  finally 
decided  to  come  to  this  city,  so  that  he  might  have 
a  better  opportunity  for  building  up  a  successful 
practice.  He  has  succeeded  in  building  up  for 
himself  a  reputation  truly  enviable  for  character, 
ability  and  skill,  and  his  practice  heresoon  eclipsed 
that  which  he  had  been  able  to  secure  at  Bad  Axe. 
Dr.  dale  was  on  the  . '51  si  of  May.  L883,  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Anna  McDowell,  of  Bad 
Axe,  who  is  a  daughter  of  William  II.  McDowell,  a 
former  resident  of  Bay  City.  They  are  both  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  people  of 
earnest  Christian  character,  and  they  arc  bringing 
up  their  little  son.  Esson  M.,  in  the  faith  and  prac- 
tice of  the  Christian  religion.  The  Doctor  bought 
a  pleasant  home  at  the  corner  of  Twelfth  and  Van 
Burcn  Streets,  which  has  been  the  family  residence 
for  the  past  four  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Bay  City  Medical  Society,  the  Saginaw  Valley 
Medical  Society,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  and  the  Masonic  order.  He  was  health 
officer  of  Bay  City  one  year,  and  has  been  Presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Health  for  two  years,  and  is 
the  present  incumbent. 


fe="««r^B*= 


^> 


RONALD  J.  O'DONNELL.  The  proprietor 
of  O'Donnell's  Business  College  and  au- 
thor of  a  work  entitled  the  Perfected 
Science  of  Arithmetic,  was  born  February 
15,  1856,  near  the  shores  of  Lake  Simcoe  in  the 
Dominion  of  Canada.  At  the  age  of  three  years 
he  lost  his  father  and  this  misfortune  and  ill  health 
together  interfered  with  his  early  education  and 
before  his  eleventh  year  he  was  put  to  work  upon 
a  farm  so  that  he  attended  school  only  during  the 
winter  for  the  next  four  year.-. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-two,  this  young  man  de- 
termined to  lit  himself  for  something  broader  than 
farm  work,  bul  being  financially  unable  to  attend 
college,  he  returned  to  the  country  school  and 
after  a  thorough  review  of  studies  for  four  months 
he  applied  for  and  received  a  certificate  as  a 
teacher.  At  this  examination  only  fifty  of  the 
two  hundred  candidates  passer!  the  trial  as  the  ex- 


586 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


animation  was  a  difficult  and  exhaustive  one. 
After  two  years  of  very  successful  teaching  he  de- 
termined to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States 
and  came  to  Saginaw  intending  to  engage  in  rail- 
way work,  in  which  he  had  spenl  some  time,  but 
having  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Frank 
Emerick,  Prosecuting  Attorney  of  Saginaw  County, 
lie  was  secured  to  teach  first  the  Gouldtown  and 
later  the  Carrollton  Schools. 

The  unusual  success  which  attended  the  studies 
ot  his  pupils  in  arithmetic  inspired  him  with  the 
idea  of  preparing  a  work  on  this  branch  of  educa- 
tion, which  he  did  within  a  period  of  six  months. 
during  which  time  he  was  principal  of  the  Car- 
rollton school.  He  then  gave  an  exhibition  by  his 
pupils  to  illustrate  the  merits  of  his  method,  and 
his  little  pupils  did  full  credit  to  the  demands  of 
their  instructor.  Yet,  :i-  in  many  cases  it  is  found 
that  new  ideas  must  work  their  way  by  the  hardest, 
Mr.  O'Donnell's  plans  were  not   received   with  all 

cordiality  by  the  scl I   ollicials  and   although   he 

offered  to  give  his  books  free  for  the  sake  of  in- 
troducing them  into  the  Saginaw  Schools  his  offer 
was  not  accepted.  In  Februaiy,  1888,  he  opened 
a  private  school  with  five  or  six  pupils  and  soon 
made  it  a  business  college  with  constantly  increas- 
ing membership  and  reputation  so  that  he  now 
employs  three  additional  teachers,  occupying  throe 
apartments  and  having  an  additional  night  school 
of  some  forty  pupils. 

The  two  volumes  prepared  by  Prof.  O'Donnell 
are  his  Complete  Arithmetic  and  supplement  to 
the  same.  In  the  former  he  leads  the  sludent's 
mind  to  grasp  tin'  principle  from  original  reason- 
ing and  does  not  depend  upon  the  memorizing  of 
rules.  He  thus  makes  tin'  step  forward  in  mathe- 
matical science  that  has  long  been  taken  in  gram- 
mar and  other  subjects,  and  he  applies  mathmetical 
principles  to  everyday  business  by  a  short  anil 
reasonable  method  so  as  to  save  time  and  effort. 
The  correctness  and  alacrity  attained  by  his  pupils 
is  a  wonderful  testimonial  to  the  value  of  his  >ys- 
tem.  His  second  book  contains  new  and  advanced 
ideas  and  methods  such  as  extracting  the  cube  root 
and  fourth  and  fifth  roots  of  numbers. 

Like  all  men  who  are  in  the  lead  .Mr.  O'Donnell 
has  met  with  unreasonable   opposition   from   those 


who  should  have  been  his  helpers,  but  he  is  un- 
daunted in  his  determination  to  persevere  in 
bringing  his  methods  before  educators,  and  the  ex- 
hibitions which  he  has  been  able  to  give  of  the 
wonderful  work  of  some  of  his  pupils  has  caused 
many  to  look  upon  him  as  a  man  of  remarkable 
"cuius  in  the  mathematical  line. 


=4* 


S--5—5--5-/ 


ORACE  JEROME.  Perhaps  there  are  no 
more  enterprising  and  cultured  residents  ot 
Saginaw  County,  than  those,  who.  like  our 
subject,  one  of  the  first-class  farmers  in 
Frankenmuth  Township,  are  natives  of  New  York. 
The  agricultural  interests  of  New  York  have  been 
for  so  long  a  time  highly  developed  and  in  a  flour- 
ishing condition,  that  the  animus  of  the  farmers  in 
that  section  Leads  to  a  higher  standard  in  regard  to 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil  than  is  to  be  found  in 
many  other  portions  of  the  country.  Public  senti- 
ment, however,  thus  secured  among  the  agricul- 
tural class  due.  not  ce  ise  within  its  limits,  but  finds 
its  way  even  to  the  "wild  and  wooly  West." 

The  residence  of  our  subject  on  section  32,  pre- 
sents a  pleasing  appearance,  and  is  the  seat  of  a 
fine  cultivated  farm.  Mr.  .Jerome  was  born  in 
Tompkins  County.  X.  Y..  August  30.  1845.  He  is 
the  son  of  Dr.  James  II.  and  Lisette  (Atwater)  Jer- 
ome, both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Tompkins 
County.  N.  Y.  The  mother  passed  from  this  life 
before  their  removal  West,  her  decease  occurring  in 
1863;  the  father  came  to  Saginaw-  and  died  in 
1883.  The  parental  family  includes  eight  children. 
Horace  being  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth. 

Our  subject  passed  his  early  life  in  his  native 
county,  and  supplemented  his  early  training  in  the 
common  schools  by  attendance  at  the  academy  in 
Trumansburg,  and  while  in  that  institution  studied 
surveying,  which  occupation  has  been  useful  to  him 
in  his  settlement  in  the  new  country  of  Michigan. 
Mr.  Jerome  remained  at  home  until  1862,  at  which 
date  he  came  to  Saginaw  County,  and  his  first  work 
was  to  clear  the  land  on  which  is  now  located  his 
beautiful  farm,  and  on  which  he  makes  his  home. 
Since  coming  to  the  Wolverine  State,  our  subject 


m.  m- 


.^S5? 


A 


y~4  z~ 


~^ 


PORTRAIT  AM)    n    <    KAl'IIK  AL    RECORD. 


589 


has  twice  been  a  candidate  for  County  Surveyor, 
but  was  defeated.  Mr.  Jerome  has  been  a  residenl 
of  Frankenmuth  Township  since  his  coming  here, 
in  L862.  1  lis  excellent  farm  consists  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  on  section  32,  and  on  vhich 
lie  has  placed  first-class  improvements. 

Mr.  Jerome  was  married  in  Saginaw  County, 
Ma\  2!>.  lKtWl.  to  .Miss  Martha  E.  licnsoti,  a  native 
of  this  county.  They  have  become  the  parents  of 
three  children — James  II.,  George  \Y  and  John  I!. 
Our  subjecl  has  given  his  entire  life  lo  farming 
pursuits,  together  with  liis  profession  as  Surveyor, 
both  of  which  occupations  he  has  found  tobeverj 
profitable.  He  is  a  firm  believer  in  Republican 
principles,  and  is  deeply  interested  in  every  move- 
ment which  tends  to  secure  the  best  interests  of 
the  farming  community,  and  with  this  view  he  is  a 
hearty  worker  in  every  good  cause.  Mr.  Jerome 
IS  a  nephew  of  ex-Gov.  Jerome,  and  by  his  up- 
right  life  is  an  honor  to  his  ancestry,  lie  takes 
an  active  interest  in  religious  affairs  in  the  town- 
ship, and  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 


^€ 


MIOMAS  CRANAGE.  The  gentleman  whose 
//T\  portrait  is  presented  on  the  opposite  page 
V_y  N  a  resident  member  of  the  firm  of  Pitts  & 
Cranage,  manufacturers  of  lumber  and  salt  in  Bay 
City,  and  is  President  of  the  Michigan  Salt  Com- 
pany. He  is  also  President  of  the  Hay  County 
Savings  Rank,  and  Vice-President  of  the  First  Na- 
tional Rank.  He  was  horn  in  Shropshire,  England. 
July  21.  1833,  and  when  less  than  two  years  old 
was  brought  to  Detroit  by  his  father,  who  had  vis- 
ited America   lief  ore. 

Our  subject  was  educated  in  Detroit,  where  for 
eight  years  after  finishing  school  he  engaged  in  the 
drug  business.    He  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of 

Samuel   PittS  &  <  0.,  with  which   he    was   connected 

until  the  death  of  Samuel  Pitts,  when  the  firm  be- 
came Pitts  &  Cranage.  For  the  last  twenty-six 
years  he  has  been  manager  of  the  business,  his 
partners  residing  in  Detroit.  On  the  organization 
of  the  Bay  County  Savings  Hank.  Mr.  Cranage  be- 
27 


came  ( ncled    with   it.      In     ISM.   and   after    the 

death  of  ils  President,  Alexander  Folsom,  he  con- 
sented to  become  President,  which  position  henow 
holds.  For  the  past  fifteen  years  lie  has  been  Di- 
rector and  Treasurer  of  the  Michigan  Salt  Associa- 
tion, is  one  of  its  heaviest  stockholders,  and  on  its 
reorganization  was  elected  President. 

One  of  the  st  extensive  mill  and  salt  proper- 
tics  in  the  Slate  is  owned  and  operated  by  Pitts  & 
Cranage,  and  located  ,-il  the  foot  of  Washington 
Street,  in  Hay  City.  In  is.".:!  the  present  site  was 
occupied  by  a  mill  of  limited  capacity,  erected  by 
Baughman  >v-  Partridge.  In  1858  the  property  was 
sold  to  the  late  Samuel  Pitts,  of  Detroit,  who  in- 
creased  its  capacity  to  four  million  feet.  In  1865, 
thecapacity  of  the  mill  was  again  increased,  and 
the  firm  of  Samuel  Pitts  &  Co.  was  established. 
Three  years  later  Mr.  I'ilts  died,  and  the  firm  of 
Thomas  Pitts  &  Co.  succeeded,  to  be  in  turn  suc- 
ceeded by  the  present  linn  two  years  later. 

In  1ST  I  the  old  mill  which  had  a  capacity  of 
twelve  million  feel  annually,  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
A  larger  mill,  however,  was  at  once  erected  and  the 
capacity  increased  to  twenty-eight  million  feet. 
The  plan  in-  mills,  river  frontage,  dockage  and 
shipping  facilities,  piling  grounds,  capable  of  hold- 
ing fourteen  million  feet  of  lumber,  booms,  a  river 
frontage  of  one  thousand,  six  hundred  and  thirty 
feet,  etc..  make  up.  as  stated,  one  of  the  largestand 
most  valuable  plants  of  the  kind  in  Michigan. 

The  mill  proper  of  the  above  firm  is  150x100 
feet  in  size,  substantially  built,  and  in  all  respects 
as  complete  in  equipment  as  experience  can  sug- 
gest or  mechanical  skill  supply.  It  includes  a 
Wickes  Brothers'  powerful  gang  mill,  two  circular 
saws,  steam  feed  carriage,  edgers, trimmers,  lath  and 
heading  mills,  with  other  requisite  appliances  and 
tools.  The  engines  supplying  the  motive  power  to 
this  immense  school  of  production,  so  to  speak,  are 
two  in  number;  one  of  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
horse  power,  and  the  other  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
horse  power,  fed  from  three  batteries  of  steel  tubu- 
lar boilers,  one  consistingof  four  boilers,  each  5x16 
feet,  and  one  of  two  boilers,  fix  I  1  feet  in  dimen- 
sions each,  and  one  of  three  lioilers.  dimensions 
12  inches  by  is  feet. 
The  salt   industry   under   the  administration   of 


590 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


Samuel  Pitts  &  Co.  was  established  in  1863,  and 
now  embraces  six  wells  and  an  extensive  salt  Mock, 
packing-house,  cooperage,  and  other  buildings  nec- 
essary to  the  business,  the  steam  for  operating  which 
comes  from  the  large  boilers  spoken  of  in  the  pre- 
ceding paragraph.  The  products  of  the  mill  in- 
clude twenty-eight  million  feet  of  lumber,  eleven 
million  lath,  one  million  two  hundred  thousand 
staves,  and  three  hundred  thousand  pieces  of  head- 
ing, and  that  of  the  salt  wells  fifty  thousand  bar- 
rels of  salt.  The  former  is  shipped  East,  :md  the 
hitter  is  disposed  of  through  the  Michigan  Salt 
Company,  of  which  the  firm  is  a  member. 

The  plant  of  Pitts  &  Cranage  is  located  in  the 
heart  of  the  city,  enclosed  by  the  tracts  of  the  Flint 
&  Pere  Marquette  and  the  Michigan  Central  Rail- 
roads. They  enjoy,  in  addition  lo  the  water  facili- 
ties, rail  shipping  conveniences,  the  valueof  which 
cannot  be  too  highly  estimated.  It  also  includes 
within  its  area  twenty-six  tenement  houses,  erected 
also  under  the  administration  of  Samuel  Pitts  ,V' 
Co.,  for  the  special  convenience  of  employes  who 
pay  a  nominal  rent  only  lor  the  fullest  complement 
of  home  comforts.  The  firm  employ  a  force  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty  hands,  many  of  whom  have 
grown  from  youth  to  manhood,  middle  life  and  old 
age  in  their  service.  They  also  have  in  addition 
twenty-live  horses,  and  do  an  annual  business  of 
very  large  proportions. 

Of  the  members  of  the  linn,  .Mr.  Pitts  resides  in 
Detroit,  and  .Mr.  Cranage  in  Lay  City,  wheie  he 
directs  operations.  They  are  representative  citi- 
zens and  manufacturers — types  of  the  men  who 
have  erected  cities  and  founded  enterprises  in  the 
Lower  Peninsula.  Bay  City  owes  itr-  origin, 
growth,  development  and  prosperitj'  to  the  liberal- 
ity and  publicspirit  of  this  class  of  citizens,  a  class 
among  which  Messrs.  Pitts  and  Cranage  are,  and 
have  been  the  leading  factors. 

Mr.  Cranage's  tastes  are  not  of  the  cla.ss  which 
make  men  prominent  in  public  or  political  affairs. 
Although  a  stanch  Republican  he  was  never  nom- 
inated for  office,  but  has  held  many  responsible 
positions  in  which  the  interests  of  the  community 
were  involved.  lie  was  the  first  President  of  the 
Lay  City  Library  Association,  and  lias  served  upon 
the  Board  of  Water  Commissioners  and   Hoard  of 


Education.  At  present  In-  holds  several  positions 
of  trust,  being  President]of  the  Lay  County  Sav- 
ings Lank,  Vice-President  of  the  First  National 
Lank,  and  President  of  the  Michigan  Salt  Co.. 
one  of  the  strongesl  i  irganizations  in  the  State.  In 
all  of  these  institutions  he  is  a  large  stockholder, 
and  devotes  much  of  his  time  to  their  management. 
Mr.  Cranage  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who 
know  him.  While  a  thorough  business  man  he 
realizes  that  money  getting  is  not  the  sole  obbjeel 
in  life.      Fond  of  intellectual   pursuits  he   ma\     be 

I' id  daily  in  his   library    during    certain     hours. 

while  for  the  purpose  of  observation  and  recreation 
Mr.  Cranage  and  his  entire  family  have  made  two 
extensive  European  trips.  In  I  S'.M  he  made  an 
extensive  trip,  visiting  the  Nile  Valley  and  assim- 
ilating the  wonders  of  t  lie  count  i  y  of  the  Pharaohs, 
and  other  lands  warmed  by  the  tropical  sun  of  the 
equator. 

October  20,  1863,  Mr.  Cranage  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Julia,  eldest  daughter  of  the 
late  Samuel  Pitts,  of  Detroit.  Three  children  were 
born  of  this  marriage,  but  the  eldest  died  in  1875. 
Samuel  Pitts  Cranage  is  now  in  the  emploj  of  the 
firm,  and  also  otherwise  interested  in  his  father's 
business.  Their  only  daughter,  and  the  light  and 
joy  of  the  home,  is  Mary  II.  The  family  are  wor- 
shipers at  the  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  our  suh- 
jecl  has  been  Warden  for  the  past  twenty  years. 
He  has    taken  great   interest   ill  the  erection    of    the 

present  church,  being  on  the  Building  Committee, 

and  a  liberal  contributor  toward  its  erection,  as  he 
has  alwa\  s  Keen  to  all  charities  and  benevolent  en- 
terprises. 


T  OIIX  1).  McKINNON.  When  one  considers 
that  the  commercial  and  manufacturing  in- 
terests of  theXorthern  tier  of  Central  States 
and  especially  of  that  Mate  which  we  are  at 
present  considering,  dales  its  inception  within 
tin-  lasl  score  of  years,  its  present  nourishing  con- 
dition is  nothing  short  of  marvelous,  and  the  pro- 
moters of  these  interests  must  be  looked  upon  as 
were  the  magicians  of  tin-  past.     Our  subject    is  at 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


59 1 


the  head  of  one  of  the  mosl  importanl  of  the  in- 
dustries of  the  State  of  Michigan,  being  Presideul 
of  the  McKinnon  Manufacturing  Company,  whore 
numbers  of  skilled  mechanics  are  at  work  on  boilers, 
engines  and  all  kinds  of  machinery. 

The    firm    makes    a    specialty  of    patented    work. 

turning  oul  large  numbers  of  water  spacers,  refuse 
burners,  patent  peerless  mate  liars,  sawmill  and 
marine  machinery;  they  also  have  the  advantage 
of  a  slip  fur  hoisting  and  dry-docking  boats.  Their 
place  of  business  is  located  on  the  Saginaw  River 
between  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Streets.  The  shops 
were  established  by  our  subject  in  1867.  lie  began 
in  a  very  mildest  way  with  a  boiler  simp,  adding 
tii  that  a  machine  shop  and  foundry,  and  in  time  a 
pattern  shop,  and  thus  building  up  his  business 
to  its  present  size  and  importance.  The  company 
was  incorporated  in  the  year  1884,  as  the  Mc- 
Kiniiim  Manufacturing  Company  with  a  capital 
stock  of  $50,000.  The  firm,  which  comprises  our 
Subject  and  his  two  sons.  Hector  1).  and  Arthur 
C,  employs  at  the  present  time  sixty-eight  men. 
and  in  1hi>\  seasons  from  ninety-five  to  one  hun- 
dred men  are  on  their  pay  roll. 

The  manufacturing  plant  of  which  our  subject  is 
President  occupies  four  lots.  The  boiler  shop  i> 
50x800  feel,  and  this  with   the    machine    shop    and 

foundry  marly  covers  the  space.  The  slip  for  dry- 
docking  is  31x225  feet,  and  has  a  frontage  on  the 
water  of  fourteen  feet,  thus  affording  accommoda- 
tion for  the  largest  light  vessel.  It  is  fitted  out 
with  hydraulic  pressure,  so  that  they  are  able  to 
raise  the  largest  boats  that  navigate  the  Saginaw 
River,  and  indeed  the  company  has  most  of  that 
business  for  the  city  and  vicinity. 

John  I).  McKinnon  was  born  at  tape  Breton, 
Nova  Scotia.  March  17.  1841,  and  is  a  son  of  Don- 
ald and  .leanette  (Sutherland)  McKinnon.  The 
parents  emigrated  from  Argylesbire,  Scotland,  to 
Nova  Scotia,  where  the  father  became  a  contractor 
and  builder.  lie  remained  there  until  1876,  when 
they  removed  to  Hay  City,  and  there  he  died  in 
1887;  the  mother  still  survives.  She  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  has  brought  up  her 
family  in  the  same  faith. 

Our  subject  was  educated  in  Cape  Breton,  Nova 
Scotia,  and  al  the  age  of  twenty  went  to  New  York 


City.  lie  remained  there  for  eighteen  months  and 
from  that  place  removed  to  Chicago,  111.  After  a 
short  residence  there  he  went  to  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
where  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  median  ic  and  boil- 
ermaker.  lie  remained  there  until  1867,  when  he 
came  to  Hay  City  and  established  himself  in  busi- 
ness. While  in  Cleveland  he  was  one  of  the  firm 
owning  the  Variety  Iron  Works,  which  was  sold 
oul.  as  far  as  his  interests  were  concerned,  on  his 
coming  West.  Air.  M<  Kinnon  wasamong  the  first  to 
establish  an  industry  of  this  class  in  this  section. 
lie  has  also  been  greatly  interested  in  various 
steamboats  on  the  river,  and  has  been  a  prominent 
stockholder  ill  the  Bay  City  Spoke  Factory,  al- 
though  al  the  present,  time  he  is  not  connected 
with  that  firm,  giving  his  whole  attention  to  the 
manufacturing  company,  which  is  one  of  the  larg- 
esl  of  its  kind  in  the  country. 

On. Inly  *.  1864  Mr.  McKinnon  was  united  in 
marriage  to  .Miss  Agnes,  daughter  of  Robert  and 
Mary  Kirk,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  They  have  been 
the  parents  of  two  sons,  Hectot  I),  and  Arthur  C. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  held  several 
importanl  offices,  among  which  ho  has  served  as 
Uderman  for  lour  years,  and  is  Bridge  Commis- 
sioner at  the  present,  lie  was  a  member  of  the 
Police  Hoard  for  five  years,  and  the  Water  Hoard 
for  four  years. 


EV.  COLIN  McBRATNIE,  deceased.  The 
gentleman  of  whom  we  write  was  born  in 
Wigtonshire,  Scotland.  May  13,  1828,  and 
his  decease  occurred  at  his  home  in  Saginaw, 
January  26, 1891.  His  parents  we're  John  and  Ann 
(Christeson)  McBratnie,  and  our  subject  was  tne 
fourth  in  order  of  birth  of  their  family  of  twelve 
children, only  four  of  whom  are  living  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  viz:  Greorge,  Andrew.  Mrs.  Isaac  Parker, 
and  Mrs.  C.  II.  Jewell. 

In  1852  our  subject,  in  company  with  a  younger 
brother,  emigrating  to  the  United  States  and  com- 
ing dired  to  Said  mi  w  Count  \  -was  engaged  for  two 
years  in  farm  labor.  They  wore  followed  later, 
however,  by  the  mother  and  the  remainder  of  the 
family.     The\  secured  land  in  Thomastown  Town- 


592 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


ship,  where  the  mother's  death  occurred  in  1867, 
and  upon  which  tract  George  McBratnie,  a  brother 
of  our  subject,  makes  his  home  at  the  present  time. 
Charles  McBratnie,  another  brother, engaged  in  the 
War  of  the  Union,  enlisting-  in  the  Sixteenth 
Michigan  Infantry  and  was  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg.  William,  the  brother  who  came  to  the 
United  States  with  our  subject,  became  a  prosper- 
ous and  influential  citizen  of  Saginaw  County,  and 
died  some  five  years  ago. 

The  Rev.  Colin  McBratnie  engaged  in  the  lumber 
business  in  Michigan,  and  after  some  time  spent  at 
Menominee  secured  a  tract  of  pine  land  in  Thomas- 
town  Township,  which  he  cleared  in  partnership 
with  his  brothers,  and  when  that  was  accomplished 
he  turned  his  attention  to  the  cultivation  ol  the 
soil  in  Swan  (reek,  afterward  James  Township. 
Saginaw  County.  He  followed  the  life  of  an  agri- 
culturist until  fifteen  years  ago.  of  which  calling 
he  made  a  decided  success.  Soon  after  making 
Saginaw  his  home  Mr.  McBratnie  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business,  to  which  he  devoted  much  of  his 
time  and  attention  until  his  death. 

This  outline  of  a  successful  business  career  com- 
prehends but  a  small  part  of  the  life  work  of  Mr. 
McBratnie,  for  while  lie  was  conducting  to  good 
advantage  a  private  business  hi-  heart  and  soul  were 
full  to  overflowing  with  love  for  humanity,  and 
every  day  of  bis  well-spenl  life  found  him  minis- 
tering in  word  and  deed  to  his  fellow-men, and  his 
memory  is  revered  by  many  warm  friends,  who 
ever  found  a  helping  hand  in,  and  received  words 
of  comfort  from  him. 

Over  thirty  years  ago,  having  his  heart  touched 
by  witnessing  human  suffering,  and  with  a  desire  to 
accomplish  all  the  good  he  could  in  the  world.  Mr. 
McBratnie  became  identified  with  the  work  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church, in  1873  was  ordained 
local  preacher  and  thus  more  effectually  carried  on 
the  work  he  so  much  loved.  lie  had  frequently 
addressed  audiences  upon  those  subjects  near  his 
heart,  and  now  entered  heartily  into  the  active 
work  of  a  minister.  He  visited  the  poor  and  needy 
and  had  regular  appointments  to  preach  to  the  un- 
fortunate inmates  of  the  County  Poor  House. 

It  is  said  of  the  Rev.  Colin  McBratnie  by  a  friend 
that  "he  was  one  of  those  local  preachers  who   did 


not  wait  for  some  one  to  hunt  up  work  for  him 
to  do,  but  found  it  for  himself.  He  did  as  much 
pastoral  work  as  ten  pastors.  He  was  a  striking 
example  of  the  usefulness  of  the  local  preacher; 
m  appearance  he  was  of  robust  frame,  and  his 
beaming  countenance  always  wore  an  expression 
full  of  human  sympathy.  While  he  had  his  own 
business  interests  to  care  for.  he  was,  nevertheless, 
ever  ready  to  minister  consolation  and  offer  prayer 
at  the  bedside  of  the  sick  or  to  point  a  sinner  to 
Christ." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  McBratnie  had  frequently  been 
called  upon  to  till  responsible  public  positions,  but 
he  cared  very  little  for  public  honors,  and  though 
a  Republican  in  politics  was  in  no  sense  of  the  word 
a  politician.  He  served  twelve  years  on  the  Board 
of  Supervisors  of  Saginaw  County,  and  also  held 
other  public  offices.  His  strong  social  qualities  and 
admiration  for  ties  of  friendship  induced  him  to 
become  a  Mason,  and  before  his  death  he  had  taken 
the  Master  degree.  He  was  so  thoroughly  impressed 
with  the  principles  of  that  order,  and  its  doctrines 
being  so  much  in  accord  with  his  own  ideas,  he 
was  intimately  associated  with  that  fraternity  for 
years.  ( )f  a  peculiarly  genial  nature,  he  could 
appreciate  the  mirthful  side  of   life,  but   Laughter 

could  be  easily  succeeded  by  the  tear  occasioned  by 
the  misery  and  suffering  of  others. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  was  united  in 
marriage  February  26,  1856,  t..  Agnes  McCulloch, 
also  a  native  of  Wigtonshire,  Scotland,  her  birth 
occurring  December  27,  L827.  Mrs.  McBratnie  was 
the  daughter  of  Hugh  and  Elizabeth  (McWherter) 
McCulloch.  Her  parents  emigrated  to  America  and 
located  in  .lames  Township.  Saginaw  County,  in 
1835,  where  they  were  the  very  earliest  settlers. 
On  reaching  Detroit  they  met  James  Frazer,  who 
was  endeavoring  to  persuade  emigrant-  to  conic  to 
the  Saginaw  Valley,  and  bis  description  of  this  lo- 
cality was  such  that  the  father  decided  to  locate 
here,  and  with  his  brother  Thomas  set  out  over- 
land for  the  Saginaw  Valley.  The  family  followed 
by  the  water  route.  The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Bratnie, Hugh  Mc(  ulloch.  Sr..  who  was  then  an  old 
man,  accompanied  the  family,  but  the  hardships  of 
pioneer  life  were  such  that  he  survived  only  three 
months  after  reaching  this  place. 


-4« 


i 


',*■  *■ 

I 


1 


•3 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


595 


Hugh  MeCullocb  lived  about  ten  years  after 
emigrating  hither,  his  wife  surviving  until  t-875. 
Mrs.  McBratnie  was  the  third  in  order  of  birth  of 
her  parents'  four  children,  of  whom  one  sister. 
Mary,  is  living  at  the  present  time.  She  is  Mrs. 
Robert  Fawcett,and  resides  in  Chicago.  Our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren, namely:  .lame-,  who  died  when  seven  \  ears  of 
age;  John,  a  farmer  in  Thomastown;  Hugh  Mc.  is 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business;  Charley  died 
when  two  years  of  age;  William  is  a  honk-keeper 
for  A.  T.  Bliss;  Elizabsth  is  at  home  with  ber  mother; 
Mary,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  Saginaw  High 
School,  is  a  teacher  in  the  Fifteenth  Ward  School; 
she  makes  ber  home  with  her  mother. 


f^ERBERT  A.  FORREST.  A  Canadian  by 
birth  our  subject  is  now  a  resident  of  Sagi- 
naw. He  was  horn  in  Collingwood,  On- 
tario, March  10,  1860,  ami  is  a  son  of  Dan- 
iel and  Eliza  .1.  (Stafford)  Forrest,  the  former  horn 
in  Scotland  and  the  latter  in  the  North  of  Ireland. 
They  were  married  in  Canada  in  May.  1856.  Our 
Mihjeet  is  the  eldest  son  of  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren. In  1864  he  came  to  Saginaw  County  with 
his  parents,  his  father  being  a  physician  who  hoped 
that  fortune  would  attend  his  efforts  in  this  new- 
State,  he-ides  giving  his  children  opportunil  ies  not 
to  he  found  in  the  Dominion. 

After  leaving  the  High  School  in  1X7  7  our  sub- 
ject elite. ed  the  office  of  Wisner  A-  Draper,  and 
after  studying  law  under  their  tutorship  for  six 
years  he  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  courts  of 
Michigan  in  1883.  lie  remained  with  the  firm  with 
which  he  had  previously  been  for  four  years 
longer.  In  1885  he  opened  his  present  office,  his 
specialty  being  commercial  and  real-estate  law  and 
he  also  deals  largely  in  real  estate.  He  has  an  ex- 
tensive law  library. 

Mr.  Forresl  has  laid  out  an  addition  on  the  east 
side  of  the  city,  which  comprises  one  hundred  and 
eighty-four  lots  called  Forrest's  Addition.  Many 
sales  have  already  been  made  in  that  distrii  t.     lie 


is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  has  served  in  several 
local  Offices.  He  was  elected  to  the  School  Board 
from  the  Third  Ward  three  times  in  succession, 
hut  resigned  that  office  and  served  two  terms  as 
Secretary  and  Treasure!  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
at  a  time  when  a    bond   of  $80,000    was    required, 

tin'  outlay  of  the  scl I  being  about  $150,000  per 

annum.  During  his  time  the  free  text-book  sys- 
tem was  inaugurated  and  Air.  Forrest  was  one  of 
the  committee  who  favored  the  proposition,  the 
charter  being  amended  by  act  of  the  Legislature, 
and  Saginaw  being  the  first  city  in  the  State  to 
adopt  the  plan.  The  system  has  now  been  in  use 
live  years  and  lias  given  universal  satisfaction. 

In  18H'.)  Mr.  Forrest  was  appointed  by  Gov. 
Luce  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of  Corrections 
and  Charities.  The  hoard  comprises  four  members 
that  are  in  office  eight  years  each,  the  Governor 
presiding  as  ex-officio  member,  and  covers  all  the 
State, penal, charitable  and  henevolent  institutions. 
Mr.  Forrest  has  been  appointed  to  the  committee 
having  direct  supervision  of  the  State  Prison  at 
Jacks  m,  the  Reform  School  for  hoys  at  Lansing, 
the  Insane  Asylum  at  Pontiac  and  the  new  Wayne 
County  Asylum,  lie  has  besides  twenty -one  coun- 
ties in  the  northern  part  of  the  Southern  Penin- 
sula, where  he  visits  at  least  once  a  year  all  the  jails, 
poorhouses,  etc..  and  reports  to  the  Board  person- 
ally as  to  their  condition.  The  Board  comprises 
the  following  gentleman:  Right  Rev.  George  D. 
Gillespie,  of  Grand  Rapids,  who  is  Chairman,  the 
Hon.  James  M.  Neasmith.of  Vicksburg,  Dr.  Samuel 
Bell,  of  Detroit,  and  Herbert  A.  Forrest. 

In  1889  Mr.  Forrest  was  a  delegate  sent  by  the 
Board  to  the  National  Prison  Congress  at  Nash- 
vill,  Tenn.,  at  which  ex-President  Hayes  presided, 
lie  was  also  delegated  to  the  convention  of  1891 
held  in  Indianapolis,  and  at  that  convention  made 
a  stirring  speech;  he  represented  the  State  Board  at 
the  Prison  Convention  in  Pittsburg  in  1891.  He 
has  given  the  subject  of  the  Convict  Lease  System 
of  Tennessee  a  great  deal  of  study  and  personal 
investigation,  and  in  the  report  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  State  Convention  of  the  Board  of  Corrections 
and  Charities,  held  in  1890  at  Howell,  Mich.,  is 
found  an  interesting  and  exhaustive  treatment  of 
the  subject  of  the  "Colony  and  (  ullage  Care  of  the 


596 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Insane."  Mr.  Forrest  greatly    favoring    the    latter 
system. 

The  domestic  life  of  our  subject  was  happily  in 
augurated  November  25,  1884,  by  his  marriage  to 
Miss  Lena  L.,  daughter  of  William  Lake,  of  Sagi- 
naw. She  was  educated  in  Detroit  at  the  High 
School,  and  is  a  most  accomplished  and  pre-poss<  --- 
ing  lady.  They  have  one  son,  Herbert  A.,  dr.  Mr. 
Forrest  and  his  wifeare  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  He  i-  also  greatly  interested  in 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and  the 
Epworth  League,  and  has  represented  his  church 
frequently  in  lay  conferences.  He  was  recently 
elected  one  of  the  two  lay  delegates  of  the  Detroit 
conference  to  the  general  conference  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church  which  meets  at  Omaha  in  May.  1892, 
and  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  youngest 
member  ever  elected  to  a  general  conference  of 
the  Methodist  .Episcopal  Church  in  this  country. 

The  attention  of  the  reader  i-  invited  to  a   litho- 
graphic portrait  of  Mr.  Forrest   presented  in    < - 

nection  with  this  sketch. 


[LLIAM  II.  BELL.  This  gentleman,  who 
is  the  proprietor  of  Bell's  Ait  and  Music 
V V  Emporium,  is  an  excellent  business  man 
and  well  adapted  to  secure  success  in  his  line.  He 
is  pleasant  and  affable  ami  a  man  of  more  than  or- 
dinary literary  taste  and  ability.  His  friends  re- 
gret that  business  interests  prevenl  him  from  de- 
voting himself  exclusively  to  writing,   for   which 

he  has  a  decided  talent. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Auburn,  N.  Y..  April  2. 
1856,  and  his  father.  William,  was  born  m  Herki- 
mer, the  same  State,  in  1801.  The  grandfather, 
William.  Si".,  was  horn  in  Londonderry,  Ireland. 
and  came  to  this  country  with  his  wife  and  three 
children  in  the  year  1800,  locating  first  in  Phila- 
delphia, but  soon  removing  to  New  York,  where 
he  carried  on  farming  until  1812.  He  located 
afterward  in  (  ayuua  County,  and  continued  farm- 
ing until  his  death  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight.  He 
had  four  sons  who  all  lived  to  an  advanced  age. 
The  father  of  our  subject   died   at    an    earlier    age 


than  any  of  his  brothers,  but  he  lived  to  be  seven- 
ty-nine. They  were  of  Scotch-Irish  blood,  and  in 
religious  faith  were  adherents  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  one  of  the  most 
prominent  men  in  Cayuga  County,  and  became 
colonel  of  State  militia.  He  had  command  of  sev- 
eral regiments,  and  had  not  the  state  Legislature 
wiped  out  the  State  militia  he  would  have  been 
raised  to  a  higher  rank.  He  was  a  prominent 
local  politician,  and  was  Supervisor  and  Justice  of 
the  Peace  for  years.  He  was  first  a  Whig  and  then 
a  Free-soiler.  and  during  the  Civil  War  was  active 
in  raising  and  diilling  men,  and  would  have  gone 
out  as  Captain  had  not  his  age  prevented.  After 
the  war  he  became  a  Democrat,  and  during  his 
later  years  was  an  ardent  Prohibitionist. 

(  ol.  Bell  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being 
Sallie  Beach,  bj  whom  he  had  -ix  children,  three 
of  whom  are  living,  and  the  mother  of  our  subject 
was  Man  Delano,  who  was  horn  near  Poughkeep- 
sie,  N.  V..  and  became  by  her  first  marriage  the 
wife  of  John  Hoagland,  by  whom  she  had  three 
children,  two  of  whom  are  now  living,  while  our 
subject   is  the  only  child  of    her    last     union.       The 

Colonel  was  a  strong  and  devoted  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church  and  a  Class-leader  therein. 
\\  ith  his  father  and  lliree  others  he  built  a  church 
near  Monle/uiua.  N.  Y.,  and  his  death,  which  look 
place  in   1880,  was  a  great  loss  to  the  church. 

After  studying  in  the  common  schools  of  Au- 
burn our  subject  graduated  from  the  High  school 
at  the  age  of  twenty,  and  then  worked  his  way  up 
in  the  business  which  he  is  now  pursuing,  begin- 
ning at  the  bottom  and  coming  up  to  his  present 
portion  b\  dint  of  hard  work  and  enterprise. 
Before  leaving  his  native  home  he  had  built  up 
not  only  a  good  retail  but  quite  a  wholesale  busi- 
ness,  and  had  the  largest  establishment  for  the  sale 
of  piilure  frames  and  molding  in  Auburn. 

Mr.  Pell  came  Westandin  1886  settled  in  Grand 
Rapids  for  a  short  time,  but  soon  came  to  Bay  City, 
and  established  himself  in  business.  He  makes  a 
specialty  of  picture  frames  and  moldings  and  also 
of  musical  merchandise,  and  deals  in  paintingsand 
works  of  line  ail.  artists'  materials  and  musical 
instruments.     The  organs  of  which    he    makes    the 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


597 


most  sales  are  the  Newmann  Bros,  and  Cloiigh  & 
Warren's,  while  his  favorite  pianos  are  the  Flveretl 
and  the  Howard.  He  carries  the  largest  geneial 
line  of  liis  goods  in  Saginaw  Valley,  and  is  build- 
ing up  a  splendid  trade  here,  keeping  one  man  on 
the  road  all  the  time. 

Mr.  Bell  was  married  in  Union  Springs,  X.  Y., 
in  1879,  !i>  Miss  Mary  Hoagland,  a  native  of  that 
place,  and  thej  have  two  children  —  Fred  K.  and 
Lester  II.  Mrs.  Bell  is  a  devoted  Christian  woman 
and  a  member  of  the  Methodisl  Episcopal  Church. 
While  living  in  Cayuga  County  .Mr.  Hell  was  col- 
lector  for  his  township,  and  is  a  standi  Democral 
in  his  political  convictions.  lie  belongs  to  the 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Temple 
Association. 


m 


OHN  WILTSE. 
pears  above    is 


To  him  whose    name    ap- 
owing,    in     company    with 


many  other  brave  and  dauntless  men.  the 
present  finely  developed  condition  of  this 
portion  of  Saginaw  County,  for  he  is  one  of  the 
pioneers  who  came  into  a  wholly  wild  region 
and  has  made  thoroughfares,  farms, and  has  helped 
in  no  small  degree  to  advance  the  interests  of  his 
place  by  his  simple  loyalty  as  a  citizen.  He  is  now 
a  resident  on  section  ;».  Thomastown  Township, 
and  was  horn  in  Lucas  County,  Ohio,  October  20, 
1826,  and  is  a  son  of  Cornelius  and  Electa  (Cleve- 
land) Wiltse.  His  father  was  a  native  of  New 
York  and  was  horn  in  1796.  Our  subject's  Grand- 
father Wiltse.  who  was  of  English  descent,  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,  a  blacksmith  by  trade  and  a 
farmer  by  calling,  lie  died  at  the  age  of  about 
eighty  years.  Cornelius.  Jr.  learned  his  father's 
trade  and  also  became  a  farmer.  He  built  a  boat 
and  coasted  to  Ohio  in  1825,  when  he  located  in 
Lucas  County,  settling  in  the  wilderness. 

Our  subject's  father  located  a  tract  of  land  from 
the  Government  in  Lucas  County  and  then  went 
ninety  miles  on  foot  to  the  Land  Office  to  enter  it. 
This  was  an  experience  in  which  much  risk  was 
run,  for  the  country  through    which    he    traveled 


was  full  of  savage  animals,  and  the  Indians  had 
not  yet   disappeared.      lie  was    peculiarly  fitted   for 

pioneer  life,  having  had  a  sturdiness  of  character 
that  was  undaunted  in  the  face  of  privation  and 
hardship.  He  cleaved  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
t  wenty  acres. 

Our  suliject's  father  came  here  in  1837,  making 
his  wa)  to  Pontiac  by  covered  conveyance  and 
thence,  by  reason  of  a  heavy  snow  storm,  by  sleigh 
to  Saginaw  Township,  where  he  settled  on  section 
II.  His  farm  comprised  one  hundred  and  five 
acres,  six  or  eight  of  which  had  been  chopped  off. 
lie  built  a  log  house  thereon  and  made  his  living 
by  lumbering,  trapping  and  farming.  He  con- 
stantly had  many  traps  set  and  killed  large  numbers 
of  deer,  bear  and  many  wolves.  His  decease  oc- 
curred in  December,  1865,  and  he  was  aged  at  the 
the  time  sixty-nine  years,  lie  was  a  firm  believer 
in  the  efficacy  of  the  Democratic  party.  Our  sub- 
ject's mother  was  born  in  1800.  She  reared  eleven 
children  and  died  in  June  1869,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-nine  years. 

Our  subject  was  eleven  years  of  age  when 
brought  to  Michigan  and  recollects  the  moving 
and  Us  various  interesting  incidents.  He  attended 
the  pioneer  school  both  in  Ohio  and  in  this  local- 
ity. His  mother  taught  for  one  summer  under 
the  rate  bill  system,  in  a  log  school  house  with 
open  fireplace  and  slab  benches.  The  youth  began 
for  himself  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years.  He 
was  engaged  as  a  farm  laborer  by  the  month  and 
added  his  earnings  to  the  family  treasury.  For  - 
five  years  he  lumbered  on  the  Tittabawassee  River 
and  Swan  Creek,  and  during  four  years  of  that 
time  he  ran  a  sawmill.  He  settled  on  his  farm  in 
1853.  There  were  then  no  improvements  here 
and  he  built  the  first  barn  in  this  valley.  He  here 
owns  eighty  acres  of  land,  seventy  acres  of  which 
are  under  cultivation.  Al  one  time  he  held  two 
hundred  and  twenty  acres,  but  has  sold  it,  all  with 
the  exception  of  that  141011  which  he  lives. 

Mr.  Wiltse  was  married  Ma\  30,  1849,  to  llul- 
dah  Alma,,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  who  was 
born  January  1,  1830.  They  were  the  parents 
of  eleven  children,  ten  of  whom  lived  to  be 
grown.  They  are  Eliza,  Minnie,  Mina,  Clara,  Dan, 
lien,  .lames.  Rhoda   E.  (who  died  in  infancy ),  John, 


598 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGI<  Vi  1 1  HAL    RECORD. 


Rhoda  and  Edward.  Mrs.  Wiltse  died  in  1880. 
Our  subject  has  evei  been  an  ardent  huntsman  and 
has  killed  upwards  of  from  two  hundred  to  five 
hundred  deer.  He  used  regularly  to  go  North  for 
fifteen  years  to  shool  dee!-.  The  past  three  years 
are  the  first  that  he  lias  missed,  lie  now  devotes 
himself  to  mixed  farming  and  has  a  good  home 
and  barns.  ( >n  first  coming  to  this  country  his 
playmates  were  often  the  Indian  children  and  he 
learned  to  use  their  language.  He  is  a  Democrat 
iu  politics  and  lias  served  as  Supervisor  of  the 
township  for  five  years,  and  also  as  Treasurer  and 
Highway  Commissioner  and  has  been  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  three  terms. 


rimii ■■::  iiinj- 


'  Atol!  KNOBLAUCH,  proprietor  of  the 
Wes1  Bay  City  Brewery,  has  had  charge  of 
that  enterprise  since  1883,  buying  it  at 
that  time  from  John  Kohler  and  organiz- 
ing the  AVest  Bay  City  Brewing  Company.  The 
old  plant  was  entirely  taken  down  and  rebuilt, 
and  the  new  brewery  now  has  a  capacity  of  12,000 
barrels  a  year,  and  gives  employment  to  ten  "men. 
The  product  is  sold  mostly  to  the  city  trade,  with 
which  the  house  has  a  large  connection.  A  \  iew 
of  the  brewery  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
Mr.  Knoblauch  was  born  in  Wurtemburg,  Get 
many,  February  18,  1831.  In  his  native  land  he 
received  his  education  and  learned  the  trade  of  a 
carpenter  and  joiner.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one 
he  came  to  America,  and  first  located  in  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  where  lie  worked  at  his  trade.  He  was 
there  married  to  Miss  Mary  K.  Guethlein  on  the 
the  l.'ith  of  Septamber,  1853. 

On  August  31,  1856,  Mr.  Knoblauch  came 
to  Kay  City  and  located  in  what  was  then  known 
as  the  village  of  Lower  Saginaw.  At  that  time  it 
was  heavily  timbered  and  no  streets  were  laid  out. 
Fie  built  a  small  house,  which  he  enlarged  as  he 
was  able,  working  lirst  at  his  trade  and  afterward 
securing  contracts  which  lie  carried  out.  He 
finally  bought  the  planing  mill  of  Thomas  Carney, 
and  there  manufactured  sash,  doors  and  Minds. 
carrying  on   that   business   for  some    seven  years. 


He  then  took  the  position  of  foreman  for  Smith 
&  Wheeler,  and  while  with  them  superintended 
all  the  inside  work  of  the  Westover  Opera  House. 

In  1876 Mr.  Knoblauch  was  elected  County  Treas- 
urer, and  held  that  olticc  for  two  years.  In  1879 
he  was  chosen  City  Treasurer,  and  was  re-elected 
at  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office,  lie  has 
also  been  Supervisor  for  a  number  of  terms.  In 
1883  he  bought  an  interest  in  the  brewery,  which 
represents  a  capital  of  $50,000,  and  of  which  he 
is  now  sole  proprietor.  He  also  owns  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  in  Kawkawlin  Township,  and 
property  in  Fraser  Township.  He  has  erected  a 
fine  residence  at  the  corner  of  Madison  Avenue 
and  Third  Street,  and  holds  considerable  estate. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Arbeiter  and  Arion  So- 
cieties 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knoblauch  have  a  family  of  seven 
children  living,  namely:  Catherine,  wife  of  George 
Szyporski.  a  merchant  tailor  of  this  city;  Rosa; 
Josephine,  who  is  principal  of  the  Eifth  Ward 
public  school;  George,  a  machinist  in  Sacra- 
mento Citv.Cal.;  Mary,  who  i-  Mrs.  Arnold  Xacht- 
weith,  of  Saginaw;  Wilhelm;  and  Oswald  !'..  who 
is  with  his  father  in    business- 


•^NC 


E!*^ 


DAM  WEGST.  We  have  here  another  of 
the  well-known  manufacturers  of  Saginaw, 
one  who  conducts   the  Saginaw  Carriage 

work.-  on  Jones  Street  near  the  Arbeiter 
Hall.  This  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Wegst  & 
Beck  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  November 
2,  1833,  and  his  parent-  were  George  and  Rosa 
Wegst.  Thi  father  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
Government  and  died  when  Adam  was  only  two 
and  one-hall'  year-  old.  The  boy  remained  at  home 
attending  school  until  nearly  fourteen  years  old, 
after  which  he  learned  the  cooper's  trade,  serving 
a  three  years'  apprenticeship,  and  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  came  to  America  in  1851.  The  sailing 
vessel  in  which  they  came  was  fi  rty-eight  days  in 
making  the  voyage  and  in  a  shipwreck  on  Coney 
Island    our  subject  lost  all  his  baggage. 

The  voting  man  came  West  as   far  as    Cleveland 


' 


95448.1  A 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


601 


without  means  or  acquaintances  and  after  six 
i]Kmth>'  service  there  went  to  Painesville,  where  he 
spent  two  years  in  a  furnace  and  then  returned  to 
Cleveland  and  took  up  the  business  of  a  cooper! 
working  for  one  employer  for  eight  years  and  for 
one  winter,  during  the  cholera  scourge,  was  at 
Washington  Harbor,  Wis.  In  April,  1861,  hecame 
to  Saginaw,  where  lie  became  partner  with  Fred 
Rump  in  the  cooper  business  and  then  became  fore- 
man for  Mr.  Ten  Eyck  &  Co.,  who  was  then  employ- 
ing eighteen  men.  After  that  firm  sold  out  he 
took  the  position  of  foreman  for  the  Orange  County 
Works  at  Carrollton  until  1886,  after  which  he  be- 
came a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Wegst  &  Mark,  con- 
tinuing this  until  1873.  when  he  bought  out  his 
partner  and  carried  on  a  large  trade. 

Inl886Mr.  Wegst  established  a  partnership  with 
his  son-in-law.  Mr.  Heck,  and  erected  buildings  at 
a  cost  of  $9,000,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
front  mi  Jones  Streel  and  one  hundred  and  twenty 
feel  in  depth.  They  employ  from  ten  to  fifteen 
men  and  he  gives  his  attention  entirely  to  their 
oversight.     This  firm   also   has  a    two-story  brick 

si  men  i on  Genesee  Avenue,  and  the  residence  ol 

our  subject  is  at  the  corner  of  Park  and  Germania 
A  venues. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Wegst  took  place  at  Cleve- 
land, March  2'-'i.  1856,  and  his  bride   was  Js bina 

(  eller,  who  came  from  Wurtemberg  in  1854.  She 
died  Eebrnary  16,  L891, leaving  one  adopted  son, 
John, and  two  daughters,  Emma  Eliza,  now  Mrs. 
Philip  Bvk.and  Minnie  who  was  also  adopted  at 
the  age  of  seven  years  and  is  now  a  young  lady 
of  twenty-two.  They  had  had  one  son, Otto,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  three  day-.  ( )n  account  of  fail- 
ing heal  !h  the  son  John  was  sent  to  ( lolorado  at  the 

age  uf  twenty-two  and  has  resided  there  <>r  in  the 
Wesl  since  since  1872,  but  for  the  last  nine  years 
he  has  nol  been  in  active  correspondence  with  his 
parents  and  the  last  time  he  was  heard  from  he  had 
gone  tu  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico.  Mr.  Wegst  is  a 
member  of  th  i  Germania  Society  and  has  filled  var- 
ious offices  in  the  Workingman's  Aid  Society. 
In  his  church  c  mnection  he  i-  associated  with  the 
Lutheran  Church. 

.1.  Philip  Beck,  the  son-in-law  and  partner  of  Mr. 
Wegst,  was  born  in  Ann  Arbor,  July  20,  1861,  and 


isason  of  Jonasand  Mattha  Beck.  He  had  his  early 
education  and  his  training  in  his  trade  at  Ann 
Arbor,  and  in  1879  he  came  to  Saginaw  and  after 
a  year  went  to  Detroit.  For  six  months  he  found 
employment  in  the  edged-tool  works  and  also  in 
the  Michigan  saw  and  file  works, and  then  with  $300 
capital  opened  his  own  business  and  in  the  course 
Of  three  years  has  built  up  his  trade  SO  as  to  give 
employment  to  four  or  live  men.  Mr.  Beck  is  a 
member  of  the  National  Carriage  Maker's  Associa- 
tion of  the  United  Stales  and  has  taken  premiums 
at  the  Chicago  Exposition  of  the  association  which 
convened  in  1890. 

The  plant  of  this  concern  has  a  frontage  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  and  the  main  building  is 
two  stories  in  height  with  a  three-story  structure 
in  the  rear,  altogether  fumishing'about  twenty-two 
thousand  feet  of  floor  space.  The  building  is  di- 
vided into  various  commodious  departments  for 
storage, finishing,  upholstering,  painting  etc.  Oniy 
skilled  workmen  arc  employed  and  every  piece  of 
work  i-  guaranteed,  so  that  no  more  beautiful  or 
finely  finished  carriages  are  made  than  this  estab- 
lishment turns  out.  Thoroughly  seasoned  second 
growth  hickory  forms  the  running  gear,  and  each 
workman  endeavors  to  excel  in  his  own  specialty. 
Every  employe  is  imbued  with  Mr.  Beck's  enthusi- 
asm and  pride  and  all  work  in  complete  harmony 
for  the  production  of  superior  articles.  Mr.  Beck 
supervises  all  and  inspects  every  detail.  I  [e  is  meth- 
odical in  all  his  actions  and  the  arrangement  of 
each  department  shows  the  inlluence  of  a  master 
hand.  He  was  not  favored  with  advantages  for 
a  higher  education  but  he  has  undoubted  talents 
and  native  tact  and  ability  and  is  a  most  successful 
man. 


m 


m 


':.""  '   •• 


RCIIIBALI)  Mi  Ml  LLAX.  editor-in-chief  of 
vHII  the  riwes-PresSjOCCupieo  a  prominent  place 
I  '  not  i > 1 1 i \  among  the  journalists  of  Bay 
City,  but  of  Michigan  as  well.  He  is  a 
native  of  this  Male  and  was  born  in  Detroit.  June 
1.").  1837.  His  father,  who  bore  the  same  name  as 
himself  was  born  in    New  Hampshire,  but  came  to 


602 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Michigan  at  a  very  early  day.  so  that  the  family 
ranks  among  the  earliest  American  pioneers  of  this 
stair.  They  came  to  Michigan  in  1809,  and  were 
residents  of  Detroit  when  Gen.  Hull  surrendered 
it  to  the  British   in  1812. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  War  of  1812,  before 
the  news  of  the  declaration  of  hostilities  had 
reached  the  settlement,  Grandfather  McMillan  was 
shot  and  scalped  bj'  Indians  almost  in  sight  of  the 
fort.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  little  son,  a 
lad  of  ten  years,  who  was  captured  and  carried 
into  captivity  by  the  savage  foes.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  the  child  was  exchanged  and  thus  re- 
gained his  freedom.  Among  the  early  pioneers  of 
Michigan  no  woman  was  better  known  than  Mary 
McMillan,  grandmother  of  our  subject,  who.  not- 
withstanding the  hardships  incident  to  pioneer 
life  ami  the  perils  from  Indians,  was  a  courageous 
helpmate  to  her  husband  as  long  as  he  lived  and  a 
devoted  mother  to  her  children. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical  notice  received 
his  early  education,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  com- 
i  schools  of  Michigan,  and  when  in  his  seven- 
teenth year  entered  the  office  of  the  Jackson  Pa- 
triot to  learn  the  printing  business.  The  famous 
Wilbur  I-',  storey,  of  the  Chicago  rimes,  had  been 
editor  of  that  paper,  but  about  1853  he  went  to 
Detroit  and  purchased  the  Free  Press.  Mr.  Mc- 
Millan soon  removed  to  Detroit  and  secured  em- 
ployment in  the  Free  Press  and  other  offices, 
where  he  remained  until  1863,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  term  in  the  Commercial  College  and  the 
Wilson  Collegiate  Institute.  New  York.  In  those 
institutions  the  excellent  common-school  educa 
tion  which  he  had  received  was  supplemented  by 
a  thorough  course  of  instruction. 

In  March,  1863,  Mr.  McMillan  enlisted  in  the 
Twelfth  Michigan  Battery  and  was  mustered  into 
the  United  States  service  with  the  rank  of  First 
Sergeant.  He  served  until  the  close  of  the  war  in 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  having  received  promo- 
tion to  Firsl  Lieutenant  as  a  reward  for  meritori- 
ous service.  Returning  to  Detroit,  he  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  trade  until  1879,  when  he  became 
editor  and  publisher  of  the  Dexter  Leader,  and 
there  gained  a  state   reputation  as    a    vigorous  as 

*n,.||  ;i>  Inn 'OUS    writer.       hi    1876  lie  removed  to 


Bay  City,  where  he  established  the  Observer,  and 
continued  as  its  editor  until  \xlx.  He  then  lie- 
came  connected  as  editorial  writer  with  the  Bay 
City  Tribune  and  the  Lumberman's  Gazette.  Dur- 
ing the  following  year  he  assisted  in  establishing 
the  Bay  City  Eoening  Pi-ess,  which  speedily  took 
rank  as   the   leading  paper  of  the  city. 

At  the  present  time  (  L892)  Mr.  McMillan  is  the 
President  of  the  Bay  City  Ti'dk'x  Company  and 
editor-in-chief  of  the  Times-Press,  which  was 
formed  by  the  consolidation  of  the  Evening  Press 
with  the  Bay  City  Times.  The  Times-Press,  which 
is  the  only  evening  paper  in  Bay  City,  has  a  large 
circulation  and  occupies  a  leading  and  influential 
position  among  the  journals  of  the  State.  Mr.  Mc- 
Millan is  well  known  throughout  Michigan  as  a 
\  tgorous  thinker  and  a  clear,  forcible  and  elegant 
writer.  He  is  also  in  no  slight  repute  as  an 
after-dinner  speaker,  for  humor  seems  innate  in 
lii>  composition,  despite  his  personal  appearance 
to  the  contrary. 


,    \    AMI   HL    S.   STONE,   D.   S.      This    popular 
^S^    dentist,  who  learned  his  profession  in  East 
\J_Jj)  Saginaw  with    Dr.  E.  1..  Baker,  and   after- 
ward studied   for  three  years   with    Dr.  1. 
I.,   smith,  of  Indianapolis,   hid.,  has    his   office  at 
No.  Hi'  Court  Street,  in  the  Andre  Block,  al  Wot 
Saginaw.     He  entered  Dr.  Baker's  office  at  the  age 
of  eighteen,  having   been  a    resident  in  his  family 
for  four  years  previous  to  that  time.    He  was  born 
at  Stone's  Island.  Saginaw  County,  March  25,  1850, 
and   is  the   son  of   Henry  I..  Stone,  who  settled  in 
Saginaw   County  at  an  early   day.  when  there  were 
only  two  houses  in  East  Saginaw,  two  in  Saginaw 
City  and  two  in  Bay  City. 

The  father  of  our  suoject  was  a  New  Yorker  by 
birth  and  was  a  lake  captain  by  vocation.  He 
sailed  the  -II.  L.  Mary,"  of  Toledo,  a  schooner 
doing  a  general  freight  business.  At  that  time  the 
nearest  grist-mill  was  at  Flint  and  the  settlers  had 
to  live    in   true  pioneer  style.     The  captain  had  a 

brother,    Solomon     Stone,  who  was    one  of    the    old 


PORTRAIT  AN'U   ,-IOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


603 


Indian  traders  and  settled  near  his  brother  cm 
Stone's  island,  where  he  died  only  eighl  years 
ago,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two,  leaving  oue  daugh- 
ter, who  is  still  living  in  thai  vicinity.  Capt. 
Henry  L.  Stone  died  while  still  serving  as  captain 
<m  the  "H.  L.  Mary,"  and  was  buried  mi  the 
banks  of  the  St.  (lair  River. 

Samuel  S.  Stone  is  the  youngest  of  the  parental 
family.  The  other-  are  Henry,  who  lives  at  Mau- 
mee;  Minerva;  .Mary,  who  lives  at  Essexville, Bay 
County,  and  Alice,  who  lives  at  Maumee.  The 
mother  of  this  family  died  when  Samuel  was 
<mly  six  months  old  and  his  home  was  with  an 
uncle  until  he  reached  the  age  of  ten.  when  he 
was  thrown  wholly  on  his  own  resources.  At  that 
lime  he  came  to  West  Saginaw  and  did  such 
work  a-  he  could  find  to  do  in  connection  with 
tugboats  and  indeed  all  kind-  of  labor,  such  as 
rafting  logs.  When  about  fourteen  years  old  he 
became  identified  with  Dr.  Baker's  family,  and 
after  thai  made  hi-  home  there,  attending  school 
during  two  terms  and  studying  in  the  office  when 
not  occupied  otherwise.  That  professional  gen- 
tleman, who  did  so  much  to  forward  I  lie  industry 
of  this  young  man  in  his  poverty  and  friendle-s- 
ness,  -till  lives  in  the  city  and  make-  hi-  home  on 
Court  Street. 

After  thus  devoting  four  years  to  the  study  of 
hi-  prole-ion  with  Dr.  Baker,  young  stone  went 
to  Indianapolis,  taking  a  thorough  practical  course 
of  three  year-  with  Dr  Smith,  and  then  returned 
to  Saginaw  and  was  in  the  employ  of  Dr.  Baker  for 
three  year-,  after    which     he    opened   his   Own  Office 

and  ha-  since  been  in  active  practice  most  of  the 
time  in  tin-  city,  although  he  -pent  two  years  in 
Reed  City. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  stone  with  Mi--  Rebecca 
Whitney,  daughter  of  Hiram  Whitney,  took  place 
March  30,  1878.  Mr.  Whitney,  who  was  a  carpen- 
ter and  had  resided  in  thiscounty  for  thirty  years, 
died  three  yen-  ago,  passing  away  June  13,  1888. 
Hi-  daughter  was  born  in  Ohio  .Inly  24,  1853,  ami 

ha-    become     lllC    mother  of     four    children — Alice. 

Bessie,  Arthur  and  Daisy.  Arthur  died  Augusl 
8,  ls'.H.at  the  age  of  -even  years,  his  death  hav- 
ing been  the  resull  of  spinal  meningitis. 

The  political  views  of  Dr.  stone  make  him  inde- 


pendent in  the  matter  of  hi-  ballot,  as  he  prefers 
to  use  his  own  judgment  in  regard  to  its  disposi- 
tion rather  than  vote  for  men  and  measures  pre- 
scribed by  party   leaders.      He   gives   Ins  exclusive 

attention  to  hi-  piofe— ion  and  has  a  handsomely- 
equipped  office  with  a  complete  -et  of  the  linest 
dental  instruments.  He  is  prepared  to  do  the  lie-t 
work,  both  in  the  treatment  of  diseased  teeth  ami 
in  the  manufacture  and  adjustment  of  plate  work, 
in  all  of  which  he  has   been    eminently   successful. 


7<>RD<).  RUSLING,  Manager  and  Secretary 
)  of  the  West  Bay  City  Street  Railroad  Com- 
pany, is  an  experienced  electrician,  having 
made  a  study  of  that  science  in  his  travels  over  the 
United    Stale-.      When     he   came    to    this  city    the 

street  railway  was  in  rather  a  dilapidated  c I  it  ion. 

but  by  his  natural  executive  ability  and  pu-h  he 
has  succeeded  in  building  il  up  in  good  shape,  and 
i-  it-  pre-ent  intelligent  manager. 

Mr.  Rusling  i-  the  -on  of  Joseph  I-'.  Rusling,and 
wa-  horn  in  New  Brunswick,  N.  .1.,  .May  13,  1st!.".. 
His  grandfather,  Sedgewick  Rusling,  was  born  in 
England.  After  landing  in  America,  hi'  made  his 
home  for  a  time  in  New  York  City,  and  later  went 
to  New  Jersey,  where  Sedgewick  became  a  minister 
of  the  Co-pel  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
lie  passed  In-  la-t  days  at  Lawrenceville, Pa.,  after 
having  lived  a  noble  and  useful  life. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  prominent  rail- 
road contractor,  having  built  the  Bound  Brook 
route,  now  part  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  of 
which  he  wa-  made  President,  lie  later  wa-  in- 
strumental in  building  the  Ohio  Central  Road  and 
in  all  hi-  undertakings  ha-  been  successful.  In 
1883  he  retired  from  active  business  life  and  set- 
tled near  hi-  farm  in  Lawrenceville,  Pa.,  since  then 
superintending  the  operation-  of  In-  magnificenl 
estate  of  one  thousan'd  acres  in  Steuben  County, 
N.  V.  Being  of  a  somewhal  inventive  mind,  our 
subject's  father  has  obtained  patent-  on  several 
piece- of  machinery,  among  which  is  a  hay  press 
which  was  the  Mrs!  of  it-  kind  that  was  ever  put 
into  practical  use,     Very  few  men    had  more   pro- 


604 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


gressive  ideas  and  tendencies  than  Mr.  Rusling, 
and  he  was  ever  ambitious  to  stand  at  the  head  in 
whatever  he  undertook.  lie  was  the  President  of 
one  of  the  Conferences  held  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  of  which  denomination  he  was  an 
active  member. 

Mis>  Stella  S.  Orton  was  the  maiden  name  of  our 
subject's  mother,  who  was  born  in  Lindley.  N.  V.. 
and  was  the  daughter  of  Milton  P.  Orton.  a  na- 
tive of  New  England,  who  was  graduated  at  Yale 
College;  he  was  a  prominent  physician  and  sur- 
geon residing  in  Lindley.  X.  Y.  During  the  Civil 
War  Dr.  Orton  had  charge  of  the  hospital  on  the 
Jersey  coast,  where  his  decease  occurred  in  1m;  I. 
In  religious  affairs  he  was  an  active  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 

Ford  O.  Rusling  was  the  third  child  in  his  par- 
ents' family  of  six  children,  lie  was  educated  in 
the  academy  of  Lawrenceville,  Pa.,  being  graduated 
therefrom  when  less  than  eighteen  years  of  age. 
He  then  began  studying  to  become  an  electrician 
and  in  1881  came  to  East  Saginaw  and  became  an 
employe  of  the  Swift  Electric  Light  Company, and 
a  year  later  was  made  it-  Superintendent.  When 
the  company  established  a  plant  in  Bay  City.  Mr. 
Rusling  was  made  Superintendent  at  this  place.  He 
remained  with  that  company  until  1884,  when  he 
went  to  Chicago  as  experl  for  the  Brush  Electric 
Company,  and  traveled  as  a  representative  of  that 
firm  through  the  Northwesl  to  the  Pacific  Coast. 
Two  years  later  he  became  identified  with  the 
Schuyler  Electric  Company,  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  as 
expert  electrician  and  traveled  in  their  interest 
through  the  East  and  New  England  for  one  year 
and  then  spent  three  years  in  erecting  a  plant  for 
that  company  in  Wichita.  Kan.  Mr.  Rusling  next 
went  to  St.  Joe,  Mo.,  where  he  became  Superinten- 
dent and  electrician  of  an  electric  railway  plant, 
then  went  on  to  Chicago  as  special  agenl  for  the 
Connecticut  Motor  Company,  and  traveled  for 
them  all  over  tin'  United  state-. 

In  1891  Mr.  Rusling  became  Manager  and  Secre- 
tary of  the  West  Baj  (  it\  street  Railway  Com- 
pany and  has  revised  the  system  until  it  i-  one  of 
the  best  in  the  State,  and  gives  perfect  satisfaction. 
Bay  City  owe-  an  incalculable  d(  bt  to  those  of  her 
business  men  who  have  been  sufficiently  broad  ami 


far-sighted  to  plan  such  conveniences  and  improve- 
ments in  the  city  as  conduce  to  the  prosperity  of 
business  and  therefore  to  the  growth  of  the  town. 
Such  an  one  is  Mr.  Rusling.  who  has  given  a  much 
needed  stimulus  to  the  manufacturing  interests  of 
the  We-t  Side  by  the  improvements  which  he  has 
made    in   the   street    railway   system   since  coming 

here. 

Iii  December.  1887,  our  subject  took  until  him- 
self a  wife  anil  helpmate  in  the  person  of  Miss 
Kate  Scott  Clapp,  a  native  of  Elmira,  X.  Y.,  and  of 
this  union  has  been  born  two  children.  Stella  Orton 
and  Anna  Scott.  Mr.  Rusling  is  a  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Mason,  and  is  a  member  of  the  National 
Electric  Association.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican, but  reserves  the  right  to  vote  for  the  best 
man  regardless  of  party. 


♦^e*=* 


AMES  GRAHAM.  The  large-hearted  owner 
of  the  line  farm  on  section  32,  Thoniastown 
Township,  is  a  native  of  the  country  where- 
in Tom  Moore  is  held  dear,  and  where  the 
shamrock  is  the  symbol  of  unity,  devotion  and 
faith.  Mr.  Graham  was  born  in  County  Tyrone, 
Ireland.  September  8,  L830.  He  is  the  son  of  An- 
drew and  Jane  (Graham)  Graham.  His  father  was 
a  shoe-maker  by  trade  and  emigrated  to  Canada. 
settling  in  Upper  Canada  West  in  1834.  lie  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life  in  Dun  das,  Canada  West, 
where  he  was  the  proprietor  of  a  -hoe  -tore.  His 
decease  occurred  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight  years. 

The  married  life  of  our  subject's  parent-  was 
blessed  by  the  advent  of  six  children — .lame-. 
Eliza,  Andrew,  who  is  deceased;  Margaret.  Mary 
(deceased),  and  John.  Mrs.  Andrew  Graham  died 
at  the  age  of  seventy-four  year.-.  She  was  making 
her  home  with  her  daughter  at  the  time.  They 
were  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Reared  in 
Canada,  our  subject  was  there  sent  to  the  district 
school,  and  spent  the  intervals  of  his  school  life  in 
work  on  the  farm.  On  reaching  his  majority  he 
became  independent  and  worked  for  himself,  rent- 
ing the  farm  and  working  oul  by  the  month. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


i.ii., 


Mr.  Graham  came  to  Thomastown   Township  in 

the  fall  of  1852,  making  the  journey  principally 
by  stage.  He  was  first  employed  by  James  Fraser 
in  the  lumber  woods,  and  in  the  spring  of  1853 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  which  was  thickly 
timbered.  Upon  it  he  erected  a  log  shanty  which 
wa>  18x24  feet  in  dimensions.  Heat  once  began 
the  work  of  clearing,  and  was  the  only  settler  for 
miles  around.  There  were  no  roads  and  no  bridges 
and  he  used  to  go  to  Saginaw  in  a  canoe.  He  was 
obliged  to  cut  roads  in  order  to  gain  an  exit  from 
his  own  farm.  There  was  a  large  settlement  of  In- 
dians one  and  a  half  miles  from  his  farm.  It  was 
to  their  advantage  to  live  on  friendly  terms  with 
them  and  they  were  constant  visitors  at  the  cabin. 
They  used  to  trade  venison  for  pork,  and  our  sub- 
ject learned  their  language.  Many  has  been  the 
time  when  the  family  were  in  need  of  meats,  that 
Mr.  Graham  has  gone  out  on  his  own  farm  and 
killed  a  deer.  The  wolves  prowled  hungrily  around 
the  cabin  at  night.  The  young  man  kept  "bache- 
lor's hall"  for  three  years,  and  wasengaged  in  lum- 
bering for  eight  winters  on  Swan  Creek,  taking 
pine  off  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  the 
first  year  he  lumbered  on  the  Swan  Creek. 

Mr.  Graham  became  the  owner  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  here.  He  has  sold  off  a  small 
amount  of  this  and  now  owns  two  hundred  acres, 
one  hundred  of  which  are  well  improved.  He 
was  married  in  October,  1858,  to  Miss  Fhebe  A. 
Bounting,  a,  native  of  New  Jersey.  Mrs.  Graham 
was  the  mother  of  two  children,  Elizabeth  and 
Anna.  The  former  married  John  McBratnie,  and 
Lives  with  Mr.  Graham  on  his  farm;  the  latter  mar- 
ried Frank  Thomas,  and  lives  at  Hemlock  City. 
Mrs.  Phebe  Graham  died  in  July,  1863. 

In  December,  1864,  he  of  whom  we  write  took 
upon  himself  the  second  time  the  duties  and  re- 
sponsibilities of  married  life,  his  bride  being  Eliza 
M.  Stiff,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  who  died  on 
the  8th  of  December,  1887.  Our  subject  is  the 
Owner  of  a  neat  frame  house  which  was  erected 
in  1873.  His  barns  are  large  and  capacious  enough 
to  hold  the  bountiful  harvests  which  he  has.  Dur- 
ing the  lire  of  1871  helostabarn  containing  grain, 
the  fire  involving  the  loss  of  $2,000.  He  divided 
the  amount  of  the  insurance,  which  was  $500  with 


his  lawyer.  In  his  religious  creed  he  inclines  to  the 
Baptist  faith,  while  in  political  affairs  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat, although  lie  was  a  voter  for  and  admirer  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  He  has  held  nearly  all  the  town- 
ship offices  and  was  Supervisor  from  1883  to  1887, 
and  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  twenty-rive  years. 

He  has  been  Scl 1  Inspector  for  eight  yea  is.  and  has 

held  the  office  of  Director  ever  since  the  district  wis 
organized  in  1858,  with  the  exception  of  three 
years. 


NH-^rj 


■zJ 


\  |OIIN  G.  SCIIEMM,  whose  place  of  business 
is  located  at  No.  926  North  Hamilton  Street, 
Saginaw,  is  carrying  on  the  brewing  busi- 
ness. In  1866  our  subject  formed  a  part- 
nership with  Chris  Truheler,  and  the  linn  prose- 
cuted their  calling  under  the  linn  name  of  Schennn 
<Sl  Truheler  for  three  years,  when  the  junior  mem- 
ber retired,  Our  subject  then  took  in  as  his  part- 
ner Charles  Schoiiheit,  who  remained  with  hi  in 
until  1882,  when  Mr.  Schemm  became  sole  proprie- 
tor of  the  brewery. 

When  first  engaging  in  the  brewing  business  our 
subject,  Ills  partner,  Mr.  Truheler,  and  one  man  did 
all  the  work.  They  erected  a  plant  at  a  cost  of 
over  $10,000,  being  able  to  pay  for  only  half  of  it 
at  the  time,  however,  and  ran  in  debt  for  the  re- 
mainder. Their  output  the  lirst  year  was  twelve 
hundred  barrels  of  beer,  and  they  have  increased 
their  capacity  each  year  until  they  now  manufac- 
ture ten  thousand  barrels.  Their  operations  were 
so  extensive  that  they  were  compelled  to  erect  a 
larger  and  more  convenient  building,  which  was 
completed  in  1890,  and  cost  about  $60,000.  The 
main  building  has  a  frontage  of  one  hundred  four- 
teen feet  on  Hamilton  Street,  is  one  hundred  feet 
deep  anil  live  stories  high.  Mr.  Schemm  employs 
sixteen  men  in  his  brewery.  He  makes  his  own 
malt,  using  about  twenty-four  thousand  bushels  of 
barley  yearly.  The  market  for  his  beer  is  entirely 
local. 

He  of  whom  we  write  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many, January  7,  183  1.  He  is  the  son  of  Frede- 
rick and  Catherine    Schemm,  natives  also    of   Ger 


606 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


many.  The  family  came  to  Michigan  in  1852, and 
located  nine  miles  from  Detroit,  where  he  assisted 
his  father  in  clearing  and  improving  a  ('arm.  lie 
rami'  to  Saginaw  in  1864,  and  for  'two  years  en- 
gag<  d  as  a  teamster.  At  thai  time  lie  did  not  know 
much  about  the  brewing  business,  hut  since  engag- 
ing in  the  manufacture  of  beer  gives  it  his  personal 
attention.  Mr.  Schemm  is  the  owner  of  sixty  acres 
of  beautiful  land  within  the  < ■  i t v  limits  of  Sagi- 
naw. 

Mr.  Schemm  was  united  in  marriage,  October  26, 
185(>,  in  Macomb  County,  this  State,  to  Miss  Emily 
Heiser,  also  a  native  of  Germany.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  are  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Emily,  the  wife  of  Charles  Reidel,  who  is  book- 
keeper in  the  ofticeof  Mr.  Schemm 's brewery;  Au- 
gusta, Mrs.  John  Friedlein ;  George  M.,a  physician. 
who  lias  his  office  in  the  Barnard  Block;  Dora  is 
Mrs.  Christ  Streb;  Henrietta  is  at  home  with  her 
parents;  Ferdinand  was  killed  in  a  boiler  explo- 
sion of  a  shingle-mill.  Two  children  died  in  in- 
fancy. Our  subject  is  a  devoted  member  of  the 
Lutheran  ( ihurch. 


I  OIIN  McLEAN.  Saginaw  County  is  the 
home  of  many  prosperous  and  influential 
farmers,  and  amonu  these  perhaps  no  one 
enjoys  to  a  greater  degree  the  respect  of  his 
associates  than  the  gentleman  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  biography.  The  line  farm  on  section 
•">  1.  .loneslield  Township,  is  his  property,  and  has 
through  his  efforts  been  reclaimed  from  the  wilder- 
ness. It  comprises  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres, 
of  which  sixty-five  acres  are  under  splendid  culti- 
vation, and  the  place  is  embellished  with  a  first- 
class  set  of  buildings,  the  most  conspicuous  of 
which  is  the  commodious  residence  erected  by  Mr. 
McLean  in  1885. 

No  nation  in  the  world  enjoys  a  more  enviable 
reputation  for  thrift  and  perseverance  than  Scot- 
land, the  land  of  the  thistle.  In  that  country  Mr. 
McLean  was  horn  November  23,  1817,  his  parents 
being  Peter  and  Agnes  (Brack)  McLean,  natives  of 


the  same  country  where  he  first  saw  the  light.  The 
father,  a  miller  and  millwrighl  by  trade,  came  to 
America  in  1820  and  followed  his  trade  tor  three 
months  at  Quebec.  Thence  he  removed  to  Mont- 
real, from  there  to  Cliambly,  eighteen  miles  east 
of  Montreal,  and  alter  spending  six  years  in  that 
place,  went  to  Maskinonge,  where  he  made  his 
home  three  years.  Next  we  find  him  hack  in 
Montreal  and  later  on  a  farm  in  the  cistern  part  of 
Canada,  settling  there  in  1833  and  devoting  the 
remainder  of  his  life  to  developing  it  from  its 
primitive  condition  to  a  cultivated  place.  His 
death  occurred  when  he  was  eighty-two  years  old. 
His  wife  died  March    I.   1842. 

(If  the  four  children  born  to  Peter  and  Agnes 
McLean,  three  are  now  living,  viz.:  Elizabeth,  the 
widow  of  Peter  Maris,  and  the  mother  of  seven 
children;  John,  the  subject  ol  this  sketch,  and 
William,  who  lives  in  Indiana.  The  parents  weir 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  he 
was  collecting  steward,  and  both  were  activi  in 
all  good  works,  lie  was  a  soldier  in  the  British 
army  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  Our 
Subjed  was  only  three  years  old  when  lie  was 
brought  by  his  parents  to  America,  and  his  boy- 
hood was  passed  in  Canada.  In  1837  he  enlisted 
in  the  Sheaffor  Loyal  Volunteers  in  Canada,  serv- 
ing three  and  one-half  years  and  participating  in 
an  engagement  at  Cisco  Bay.     He  was   promoted 

to  he  a  Corporal,  and  in  1840  was  made  Sergeant, 
ill  which  capacity  he  was  serving  at  ihe  time  of 
his  discharge. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-three  years  Mr.  McLean 
started  out  in  life  on  Ins  own  account, and  coming 
to  the  state  of  Vermont,  engaged  in  the  milling 
business.       After   sojourning    there    two    years    hi' 

went    I ie  and  took  care  of  li is  mother  until  she 

died.  June  6,  1842.  he  returned  to  Vermont  and 
was  married  to  Miss  Flora  Cameron,  who  was  horn 
June  12,  1815,  in  Scotland.  After  that  important 
event  Mr.  .McLean  first  made  his  home  with  his 
father,  and  later  went  into  the  surrounding  uncul- 
tivated country,  engaging  in  building  mills.  After 
spending  seven  months  in  this  way  he  and  his  wife 
removed  to  Abbotsford,  Canada,  and  settled  on  a 
farm,  where  they  remained  two  and  one-half  years. 
Next    we    find    Mr.  McLean    employed    in    putting 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


607 


machinery  in  a  tannery  at  Milton,  Canada,  and 
engaged  as  foreman  in  the  tannery. 

Thence  Mr.  McLean  removed  to  Roxton  Falls. 
Canada,  where  he  built  grist  and  saw  mills  and 
was  employed  in  different  occupations  for  twelve 
years.  Then  crossing  into  the  United  state-  he 
remained  at  Springfield,  Mass.,  for  eight  months. 
and  was  afterward  with  a  railroad  company  two 
and  one-halt'  years  in  Vermont.  On  July  1.  IKIiT. 
he  settled  on  his  present  farm  which  was  then 
wholly  wild  and  unimproved,  and  at  that  time 
there  were  only  six  families  in  the  entire  town- 
ship. The  place  comprised  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  which  lie  commenced  at  once  to  clear;  he 
erected  a  log  house  for  his  family.  After  a  long 
and  happy  wedded  life  he  was  deeply  bereaved  by 
the  death  of  hi>  wife,  January  7,  1888,  she  being 
aged  seventy-two  years,  six  months  and  twenty- 
six  days. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McLean  had  a  family  of  six  chil- 
dren, of  whom  live  are  now  living:  Jane  is  the 
wife  of  James  Magauran.  of  Joneslield  Township, 
and  they  have  seven  children;  Agnes,  who  married 
Roberl  Reed,  of  Wisconsin,  has  six  children;  Peter, 
who  lives  iii  California,  is  married  and  has  one 
child:  Donald  lives  in  the  West;  William  J.  II. 
married  Isabella  McDonald  and  they,  with  their 
three  children,  live  on  the  old  homestead;  Flora 
died  in  girlhood.  For  many  years  Mr.  Mel. can 
has  heen  a  member  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist 
Church,  in  which  he  has  been  very  active,  serving 
as  Steward,  Trustee  and  Class-Leader.  His  chil- 
dren were  given  excellent  opportunities  for  gain- 
ing  good  educations,  anil  the  three  eldest  were 
proficient  in  both  the  Englis*!!  and  French  lan- 
guages. 

Mr.  McLean  has  been  Moderator  of  his  school 
district  for  nine  years  and  has  also  served  as  Di- 
rector. Through  his  efforts  four  schoolhouses 
have  been  erected,  and  two  of  these  he  built  alone. 
Upon  national  issues,  he  votes  the  Democratic 
ticket,  hut  in  local  affairs  he  gives  his  support  to 
the  best  man  irrespective  of  party  ties.  For  eight 
years  he  served  as  Township  Treasurer,  for  two 
terms  as  Supervisor,  and  is  now  filling  his  third 
term  as  Justice  of  the  Peace;  he  is  also  at  present 
Chairman    of    the    Board   of    School    Inspectors. 


When  he  surrendered  the  funds  held  by  him  as 
Treasurer,  he  handed  over  $1,222.99  in  cash  to  his 
successor  in  office,  a  fact  which  attracted  notice 
because  it  was  the  first  time  a  balance  had  beer 
turned  over.  Mr.  McLean  assisted  in  the  organi- 
zation of  the  township  in  1873;  he  has  served  as 
Road  Overseer  for  many  years  and  has  been  instru- 
mental in  advancing  the  interests  of  the  com- 
munity. 


■^-*^-*fe<  4^^.  -  ->*  , 


i — 7  RED   C.    ROSS.     Forernosl  among  the  busi- 

[— (s\    ness  men  of  West  Bay  City   is  this  gentle- 
1  man,    who  is  engaged    in    a    wholesale  -and 

retail  lumber  business  off  Midland  Street  on  the 
Michigan  Central  Railroad,  also  in  the  manufac- 
turing of  moldings  and  finishing  lumber,  both  hard 
and  soft  pine.  In  every  relation  of  life  he  occupies 
a  prominent  position  as  one  of  the  representative 
citizens  of  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and  his  thorough 
knowledge  of  all  the  details  of  his  business  has  ex- 
erted a  leading  influence  in  securing  for  his  enter- 
prises the  prosperity  and  steady  increase  which 
lhe\  have  enjoyed  from  their  inception  until  the 
present  time. 

A  native  of  this  State,  Mr.  Ross  was  born  m  De- 
troit, July  11,  1805.  and  was  reared  and  educated 
in  his  native  city.  His  father.  I).  A.  Ross,  was  born 
anil  reared  near  Ml.  Clemens,  this  State,  and  at  an 
early  age  drifted  into  the  lumber  business  in  De- 
troit, where  he  was  a  pioneer  lumberman,  and  was 
probably  one  of  the  largest  car  trade  lumber  deal- 
ers in  any  portion  of  the  State.  In  1MK1  he  came 
to  Ray  City  and  started  in  the  wholesale  and  re- 
tail lumber  business  on  the  corner  of  Bowery  and 
Fifteenth  Streets,  lie  is  now  manager  of  the  firm 
of  Ross,  Bradley  A'  Co.,  lumber  dealers,  in  which 
our  subject,  is  also  a  stockholder.  Having  had  over 
thirty-live  years  experience  in  the  lumber  business, 
he_  possesses  a  practical  knowledge  of  every  detail 
Of  the  business,  and  has  become  well-to-do  through 
shrewd  investments.  The  mother  of  our  subject. 
whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  Daniels,  died  in  De- 
troit in  1K78. 

The  second  in  order  of  birth  among  three  surviv- 


608 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ing  children,  Mr.  Ross  passed  his  youth  in  Detroit, 
where  he  received  the  rudiments  of  his  education 
in  the  common  schools,  and  later  studied  in  the 
High  School.  He  wasgraduated  from  Goldsmith's 
Business  College  in  1881,  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
years,  and  accompanied  his  father  to  Bay  City, 
where  he  worked  in  the  office  and  lumber  yards. 
Two  years  later  he  went  on  the  road  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  firm  of  Ross,  Bradley  &  Co.,  in  the 
East,  and  had  his  headquarters  in  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
while  his  territory  covered  a  large  portion  of  the 
East.  He  did  a  large  business  and  traveled  over 
thirty  thousand  miles  a  year.  In  the  fall  of  1890, 
Mr.  Koss  returned  to  Bay  City,  and  has  since  been 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business  for  himself,  lie 
was  a  stockholder  when  the  linn  of  Boss,  Bradley 
A  Co..  was  incorporated  in  January,  1890,  and  still 

has  an   interest   in    the  business.      The  enterprise    in 

which  heat  present  engages,  was  started  by  him  in 
the  fall  of  1890,  as  a  successor  to  Moses  Howe,  and 
he  now  manages  the  largest  retail  businessin  West 
Bay  City.  Steam-power  is' used  in  his  establish- 
ment, and  all  necessary  improvements  have  been 
added  from  time  to  time  as  needed.  While  his 
business  requires  his  constant  and  close  attention, 
and  he  can  devote  but  little  attention  to  politics, 
he  is  a  strong  Republican,  and  an  ardent  adherent 
of  its  principles,  lie  has  established  a  home  at  No. 
502  North  Henry  Street,  and  that  attractive  abode 
is  presided  over  by  his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Annie  Bernard,  and  who  was  horn  m  Detroit.  She 
became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Boss  at  Bay  City  in  1890, 
and  shares  with  him  the  esteem  and  good  will  of 
the  community.  They  are  the  parents  of  one  son. 
Charley. 


^§>*<§^ 


-5- 


|7_^  ON.    GEORGE    WASHINGTON,  a   promi- 

jY)  nent  real-estate  and  insurance  man  of  Bay 

City,  is  also  interested    in   the  business  of 

D)      millinery   and    fancy  g Is.      lie  was   born 

in  County  Roscommon,  Ireland,  duly  25,  1851. 
and  when  one  year  old  came  with  his  parents, 
George  and  Margaret  (Kenney)  Washington,  to 
this  country.     They  settled   in  Hamilton,  Ontario. 


and  our  subject  spent  his  earh  life  upon  the  farm, 
and  received  :i  good  practical  common-school  edu- 
cation. 

Before  he  was  sixteen  years  old,  this  young  man 
came  to  Bay  County,  and  located  in  West.  Bay 
City,  entering  the  employ  of  II.  W.  SageA  Co., and 
of  Weidman  &  Wright,  being  their  foreman  in  the 
woods  until  1874.  He  then  began  his  mercantile 
career  in  Wenona,  which  is  now  West,  Bay  City, 
and  bought  a  general  stock  and  established  him- 
self on  I. inn  street.  Afterward  he  went  to  Mid- 
land Street,  where  he  had  a  larger  store  and  re- 
mained in  business  until  1878,  when  he  was  elected 
Sheriff  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  ami  was  tin1 
only  one  who  was  elected  on  that  county  ticket 
during'  that  campaign.  He  served  for  two  terms. 
being  re-elected  in  1880,  with  a  largely  increased 
majority,  and  his  incumbency  of  that  office  was 
satisfactory  to  the  citizens  irrespective  of  party. 

This  stirring  citizen  was  somewhat  remarkable 
as  a  young  man.  as  he  was  President  of  the  village 
of  Wenona  before  he  was  twenty-two  years  old. 
and  at  the  time  of  the  consolidation  of  Salzburg, 
Wenona.  and  Banks  into  West  Bay  City,  he  was 
President  of  the  village  council,  and  was  nomina- 
ted for  its  first  Mayor,  but  declined  to  run.  At 
the  time  of  the  second  campaign  he  accepted  a 
nomination  and  was  elected  Mayor,  and  was  serv- 
ing in  thai  capacity  when  he  was  elected  Sheriff, 
although  he  was  not  thin  thirty  years  old. 

(  )n  New  Year's  day.  1*7:1,  Mr.  Washington  re- 
moved to  Bay  City,  where  lie  filled  the  office  of 
Sheriff,  resigning  his  .Mayoralty  of  West  Bay  City 
lint  he  might  devote  himself  entirely  to  his  new 
office.  After  holding  office  for  two  terms,  he  went 
into  the  mercantile  business  again, locating  on  Wa- 
ter Street,  where  hi' carried  on  a  general  -lore  and 
grocery  until  he  was  appointed  Postmaster,  which 
position  he  held  until  the  close  of  Cleveland's  ad- 
ministration, after  which  he  resumed  business  until 
July  8,  1891,  when  he  closed  out  his  general  mer- 
chandise and  grocery  stock,  and  put  in  a  millinery 
and  fancy  goods  business  which  he  operated  with 
the  help  of  his  wife  and  sister,  and  he  is  now  en- 
gaged  in  insurance  and  loans  with  an  office  in  the 
Crapo  Block. 

Our  subject   is  now  one  of  the  County  Commis- 


■W 


*--M 


,<< 


s 


AL0M20   VANDUSEN. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


61 


-ion <ts  for  constructing  stone  roads  in  this  county, 
having  been  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Super- 
\  isors.  lb-  has  beer  at  various  limes  interested  in 
newspaper  business,  and  now  owns  1 1 1 » -  plant  mi 
which  the  Bay  City  Democrat  is  printed,  lie  lias 
.-it  different  times  been  in  the  lumber  business  in 
the  North  since  1874,  when  lie  lirsl  became  inter- 
ested in  ii  until  the  time  wjien  he  was  elected  Sher- 
iff of  the  county.  lie  and  his  brother  were  a1  first 
the  onh  men  who  were  interested  in  West  Branch-, 
and  bad  the  first  and  onlj  store  there  for  a  long 
time,  and  practically  established  the  town.  His 
marriage  with  .Miss  Adeline  Campbell,  of  West  Bay 
City,  was  solemnized  November  (5,  1K84,  and  tlu-\ 
have  three  beautiful  children — Adeline.  Mary 
Blanch  and  Edward. 


LONZO  VANDUSEN.    The  pioneer  farmer 

of  whose  life  we  here  give  a  record  came 

1    to  Tittabawassee  Township   in    I860  and 

for  many  years  labored  here,  laying  the 
foundation  of  the  handsome  property  which  In- 
left  to  his  widow  when  called  hence  by  death  in 
L890.  lie  was  horn  in  New  York  and  jusl  previous 
to  coming  to  Michigan  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Maria,  daughter  of   John   and    Chloe    (Giddings) 

Stow. 

Mr.  Stow  was  a  native  of  the  old  Baj  Slate  and 
his  wife  was  horn  in  New  York  as  was  also  their 
daughter  whose  natal  day  was  January  27.  1827. 
.Air.  Stow  was  a  hard  working  farmer  and  was  able 
to  give  his  daughter  very  .scanty  opportunities  for 
an  education,  hut  she  was  a  young  woman  of  more 
than  ordinary  ability  and  enterprise  and  was  an 
efficient  helper  1o  her  young  husband  during  the 
years  which  they  spent  together  on  their  new  farm 
in  what  was  then  called  the  far  \Yest. 

Industry  and  economy  were  practiced  by  this 
3 l:  couple  unflinchingly,  and  before  .Mi-.  Van- 

dusen's  death   they  had  so  arranged  their  property 
that  a   line  competence  was  secured   to  her    through 

life  and  she  is  now  enabled  to  spend  the  balance  of 

her  days  in  ease  and  retirement.   They  had  cleared 

28 


forty  acresof  line  land  and  built  a  beautiful  home, 
excellent   barns  and  outbuildings  before    the   dark 

angel  of  death  called  him  away.  I  le  lived  and  en- 
joyed the  ruits  of  his  labor  for  many  years,  and 
died  al   the  age  of  .seventy-four. 

Mrs.  Vandusen  is  a  lady  of  religious  and  charita- 
ble disposition  and  is  more  than  ordinarily  useful 
in  the  community.  Her  generous  hand  is  ever 
ready  to  extend  aid  to  the  needy  and  her  good 
business  abilities  and  excellent  judgment  arc  often 
called  into  play  in  active  measures  of  philanthropic 
and  church  work.  She  has  been  doubly  bereaved. 
as  her  parents  were  both  called  away  from  life 
some  years  ago.  She  and  her  brother  who  resides 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  arc  all  that  are  left  of  a 
family  of  five  children  who  once  gathered  about 
her  father's  fireside'.  Mr.  Yandusen's  political 
preferences  and  vote  were  with  the  Democratic 
party.  Mrs.  Vandusen  has  now  placed  her  farm  in 
the  bands  of  a  faithful  tenant  from  whom  she  re- 
ceives a  cash  valuation  for  its  use.  and  is  thus  re- 
lieved from  all  responsibility  as  to  details  of  busi- 
ness. 

We  invite  the  attention  of  our  many  readers  to 
a  lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Vandusen  on  an- 
other page 

...    -**.,.*,  -  ^^^^r^^rH^ 

Y  OHM  BARR.  Mr.  Barr  belongs  to  thai  re- 
markable band  of  self-made  nun  who 
through  the  most  toilsome  of  marches  has 
struggled  upward  to  an  acknowledged  em- 
inence in  social  and  commercial  standing  among 
the  men  of  his  locality.  His  name  is  a  synonym 
in  Saginaw  County  for  all  that  is  honorable, benev- 
olent and  worthy  of  a  Christian.  He  now  resides 
on  section  is,  Saginaw  Township,  and  has  been 
engaged  for  many  years  as  a  brick-maker,  whose 
industry  and  excelient  work  have  met  withsuccess. 
Mr.  Barr  was  bom  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  dune  1, 
1819.  lb-  i-  a  -on  of  Robert  and  Margaret  (Barr) 
Barr,  both  Scotch  people.  His  father  was  a  manu- 
facturer of  line  muslins. 

Robert   Barr  died  at    the  age  of    seventy-eighi 
years.      His    wife,    who   was   a    native   of    Paislc\  . 


612 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Scotland,  reared  two  children  of  whom  our  subject 
alone  now  lives,  she  was  a  devoted  Presbyterian 
in  her  religious  life  and  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-six 
years.  Our  subject's  paternal  grandfather  was 
James  Barr.  He  was  a  curer  and  packer  of  hams, 
which  were  famous  throughout  the  land.  He  was 
a  man  of  means  and  died  al  the  age  of  eighty 
years. 

While  a  resident  of  <  llasgOW  our  subject  attended 
school  to  some  extent  and  was  reared  rigidly  in 
the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  attending 
Sunday-school  twice  every  Sunday.  At  eight  and 
a  half  years  old  he  was  set  to  work  in  a  tobacco 
factory,  receiving  twenty-six  cents  per  week,  lie 
continued  at  thai  employment  for  five  years,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  he  was  the  recipient  of  only 
fifty  cents  a  week.  He  then  served  an  apprentice- 
ship in  a  machine  simp,  bid  his  work  brought  only 
a  few  shillings.  Discouraged  by  the  progress  la- 
was  making  in  his  native  land  he  determined  to 
seek  his  fortune  in  America  and  worked  for  two 
years  to  get  money  enough  to  make  the  voyage, 
lie  came  to  this  country  in  1*12.  in  a  sailing  ves- 
sel and  was  sixty-nne  days  on  the  voyage.  It  was 
a  disastrous  year  for  seafaring  men.  There  were 
many  storms  and  many  ships  were  wrecked  and 
that  on  which  our  subject  sailed  was  badly  dam- 
aged. 

Locating  at  Montreal,  Canada,  Mr.  Barr  was  em- 
ployed in  a  machine  simp  for  three  months  on  the 
first  iron  boat  ever  made  in  Canada.  He  worked 
there  for  one  year,  then  spent  one  month  in  To- 
ronto and  afterward  shod  horses  for  six  months  at 
Niagara  Falls.  Mr  Barr  then  rebuilt  a  steam  en- 
gine at  Chippewa,  Canada,  four  miles  from  the 
falls  and  then  started  for  Albany,  X.  Y..  on  the 
canal,  but  was  prevailed  upon  to  stop  and  work  in 
the  simps  at  Colmes.  N.  V.  There  he  helped  to 
construct  the  first  knitting  looms  ever  built.  He 
then  built  fire  engines  for  eight  years  at  Waterford, 
N.  Y. 

While  employed  at  Waterford  Mr.  Barr  twice 
distinguished  himself  as  being  a  man  of  unusual 
presence  of  mind  and  bra  very .  for  twice  he  rescued 
boys  from  drowning.  On  one  occasion  hearing  a 
commotion  and  rushing  out  to  learn  what  it  was, he 
found  fifty  men  on  the  bank  and  before  their  eyes 


a  drowning  boy.  The  child  had  gone  down  for 
the  lasl  time  and  waiting  only  to  find  out  the  spot 
where  he  had  last  appealed,  he  dived  to  the 
bottom  and  brought  him  up  apparently  lifeless,  but 
after  much  work  the  lad  was  restored  to  life  and 
lived  to  thank  his  rescuer  with  all  his  heart.  After 
working  six  months  on  planing  machines  in  Al- 
bany. Mr.  Barr  returned  to  Cohoes  and  there 
worked  for  one  year.  He  was  then  employed  for 
four  years  at  Rochester,  rebuilding  engines  for  the 
New  York  Central  Road,  and  at  the  end  of  that 
time  he  came  to   Saginaw. 

Our  subject's  reputation  as  a  skilled  machinist 
began  iii  Saginaw  on  his  rebuilding  of  the  first 
steamboat  engine  in  that  city,  and  since  that  time 
he  has  done  much  repairing  that  could  not  have 
been  done  by  any  one  else.  He  settled  here  per- 
manently in  1  *(!.">.  having  purchased  his  present 
farm  in  1850.  At  the  first-named  dale  he  went 
into  the  brick-making  business,  beginning  on  a 
small  scale,  and  employing  only  seven  men  and 
later  often  as  many  as  eighteen.  He  averaged 
from  one  million,  two  hundred  thousand  to  one 
million,  three  hundred  thousand  brick  per  year, 
and  many  of  the  brick  used  in  Saginaw  and 
shipped  lo  Bay  City  have  come  from  his  yard.  He 
is  the  owner  of  forty-nine  acres  of  land  which  he 
farms  to  some  extent. 

He  of  whom  we  write  was  married  at  Hamilton. 
Canada,  in  October,  1847,  to  AgnesBrice,  of  Kdin- 
bnrg.  Scotland.  They  had  one  child,  but  both 
wife  and  child  died  within  two  years.  September 
22.  1864,  our  subjed  was  again  married  to  Mary 
lie-lop.  who  is  still  living,  and  who  is  an  amiable 
and  charming  woman.  The  family  residence,  which 
is  a  fine  brick  dwelling,  was  erected  in  1888.  lb1 
is  also  the  owner  of  two  line  residences  in  the  citj 
Of  Saginaw,  in  which  he  has  lived  for  t  wo  years. 
but  now  rents,  lie  also  owns  nearly  fifteen  acres 
in  East  Saginaw.  Both  our  subject  and  his  wife 
are  associated  with  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in 
which  Mr.  Barr  has  been  Trustee  for  many  years. 
Our  subject  is  one  in  whom  the  milk  of  human 
kindness  is  dispensed  most  liberally.  He  is  very 
philanthropic  and  all  worthy  causes  find  in  him  a 
ready  helper.  He  gave  $300  to  help  erect  the 
present    Presbyterian   Church  and   has  also  greatly 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


613 


aided  other  churches.  He  lias  firm  faith  in  the 
platform  as  constructed  by  the  Republican  party. 
Although  lir  lias  been  frequently  urged  to  accepl 
oilier,  he  lias  no  ambition  in  that  direction.  No 
man  in  all  the  country  is  better  or  mure  favorably 
known  than  In-  of  whom  we  write,  not  only  by  Ins 
business  associates.  Imt  by  the  school  children,  for 
whom  he  always  has  a  kindly  word  and  who  feel 
him  to  lie  their  friend. 


— $- 


^~"     ^SiP, 


i>^£-<l= 


-s» 


\jfcICKES  BROS.  In  representing  the  linn 
/  whose  name  we  have  now  given  we  find 
ty§{/  such  a  unity  of  purpose,  plan  and  work 
that  it  is  easy  to  class  the  gentlemen  who  compose 
it  under  one  head.  The  direct  management  of  the 
business  is  now  largely  in  the  hands  of  Harry  T. 
and  William  J.  Wickes,  sons  of  Henry  I).,  one  of 
the  original  managers  and  still  one  of  the  headsof 
the  firm.  These  young  men  have  grown  up  with 
the  business  and  are  thoroughly  familial'  with 
every  department  of  the  work.  They  are  gentle- 
men of  culture  and  business  ability  and  it  is  a 
pleasure  to  be  conducted  by  them  through  the 
works.  The  linn  of  Wickes  Bros.,  of  East  Sagi- 
naw, .Mich.,  has  no  superior,  in  its  peculiar  line,  in 
America.  Its  prominence  has  aided  .in  giving 
character  lo  the  city  in  which  its  operations  are 
conducted.  Nor  is  this  all.  Lumbering  and  the 
manufacture  of  lumber  has  become  the  chief 
basis  of  the  life  and  enterprise  of  the  entire  Sagi- 
naw  Valley,  and  the  mammoth  works  of  the 
Wickes  Bros,  have  borne  an  important  part  in  this 
accomplished  fact. 

The  founder  of  this  noted  firm,  Henry  1 ). 
Wickes,  is  entitled  to  the  honor  of  being  ranked 
among  the  prominent  men  of  Michigan.  He  was 
born  in  Yates  County,  N.  Y.,  on  the  I'.tth  of  Au- 
gust, 1833.  His  father  was  a  farmer  and  cabinet- 
maker, a  combination  of  trades  seldom  known  in 
the  present  day.  In  1839  the  family  home  was 
removed  to  Redding,  Steuben  County,  New  York. 
where  young  Henry  Wickes  attended  the  common 
schools  of  that  early  day  available  to  boys  of  an 
ambitious  turn.     There  were  no   free  colleges,   or 


comparatively  free  institutions,  where  a  classical 
course  of  studies  could  be  followed.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  little  red  school-house  at  the  junction 
Of  the  cross-ioads  was  the  chief  seminary,  and 
I  here  the  boys  were  taught  by  t  he  "school-mistress" 
in  the  winter,  and  were  expected  to  obtain  their 
outfit  of  mental  training  in  a  few  years  of  such 
privileges.  And  I  hey  were  deemed  privileges,  in 
deed;  the  term  is  not  a  misnomer,  for  of  the  man\ 
eminent  men,  in  all  the  varied  walks  of  life  in 
America,  but  few  among  them  possessed  more  fa- 
vorable opportunities  for  a  thorough  education; 
and  yet  the  natural  talents  of  many  of  that  earlier 
generation  were  of  such  ;i  sterling  and  advanced 
character,  and  they  gave  such  heed  to  the  privile- 
ges they  did  possess,  that  they  more  than  hold 
their  own  when  compared  with  the  young  men  of 
the  present  time. 

The  natural  bent  of  Henry  1).  Wickes' mind  was 
towards  anything  and  everything  of  a  mechanical 
nature.  Asa  boy  he  turned  his  attention  to  the 
invention  of  ingenious  devices,  something  that 
would  simplify  ami  benefit  labor.  At  the  age  of 
nineteen  years  he  began  an  apprenticeship  at  the 
foundry  and  machine  business,  at  l'enn  Yan,  N.  V., 
and  in  this  pursuit  he  continued  for  two  years, 
lie  then  spent  another  year  at  Auburn,  N*.  Y., 
pci  feeling  himself  in  the  trade  for  which  he  had 
always  had  a  predilection,  and  trom  there  he 
journeyed  to  Flint.  .Mich.  Here  a  few  more 
months  were  devoted  to  his  chosen  vocation,  and 
then  his  brother.  E.  N.  Wickes,  joined  him,  and 
they  formed  a  c pany  with  H.  W.  Wood,  un- 
der the  title  of  II.  W.  Wood  &,  Co..  to  conduct 
the  business  of  foundrymen  and  machinists. 

This  was  the  actual  start  in  what  may  be  called 
an  eventful  life,  and  here  .Mr.  Wickes  fully  util- 
ized his  abilities  as  a.  practical,  painstaking  me- 
chanic— a  title  of  which  he  is  justly  proud.  .Many 
of  the  prominent  lumber-mills  of  Flint  and  East 
Saginaw  were  fitted  Up  with  the  gang-saws  for  which 
this  concern  has  since  become  so  noted  during  the 
succeeding  four  years.  Hut  the  Saginaws  were 
then  gaining  an  enviable  notoriety  for  push  and 
enterprise,  aiming  to  secure  the  position  of  the 
base  of  supplies  of  Northern  Michigan;  and  there 
the  firm  of  II.  W.  Wood  &   (o.   was   established. 


6 1  1 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


At  first  two  lots  of  land  were  secured  and  the 
ground  cleared  of  timber,  preparatory  to  the  erec- 
tion of  shops;  for  the  embryo  "city"  of  East  Sagi- 
naw had  not  long  before  emerged  from  the  prime- 
val forest.  This  was  thirty  years  ago  and  the  two 
city  lots  have  now  grown  to  sixteen  city  lots,  with 
shops  covering  the  entire  area. 

In  1864,  Mr.  Henry  D.    Wickes  and  his  brother 

purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  W 1.  and  they  then 

formed  the  partnership  which  has  since  become 
such  a  popular  title  in  their  line,  known  as  Wickes 
Pros.  In  the  year  1883,  however,  the  concern 
having  assumed  such  large  proportions,  it  was 
deemed  advisable  to  organize  a  joint-stock  corpor- 
ation; but  the  same  general  name  was  adhered  to, 
the  Company  consisting  of  Henry  D.  Wickes,  his 
two  sons,  and  his  brother,  P.  N.  Wickes.  The 
business  done  by  this  corporation  has  grown  to 
mammoth  proportions.  It  should  be  borne  in 
mind  that  all  through  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and 
throughout  the  Upper  Peninsula  of  Michigan, 
lumber  manufacturing  is  the  most  important  of 
the  many  important  industries  of  that  wonderful 
.State,  and  then  the  growth  of  an  institution  like 
that  of  Wickes  Brothers  can  be  understood.  Com- 
plete mill  outfits  have  been  sold  for  European  use. 
and  the  reputation  of  its  workmanlike  ability  has 
become  world  wide. 

Witb  such  ; 1 1 1  industry  to  organize  from  its  in- 
ception and  to  aid  in  its  growth  for  nearly  two 
score  years.  Henry  Wickes  has  had  hut  little  time, 
and  still  less  inclination,  to  indulge  in  political 
ambition;  but  he  is  a  good  citizen,  and  has  done  a 
good  citizen's  part  by  giving  of  his  time  and  val- 
uable services  for  many  years  to  make  a  siiiir" 
of  East  Sagii  aw  as  a  community,  and  he  has 
gained  the  respect  of  the  community  in  that  ca- 
pacity. He  is  a  Vestryman  of  St.  Paul's  Episcopal 
Church,  in  East  Saginaw,  and  his  fellow  members 
have  learned  to  love  him  as  an  associate.  He  is 
always  ready  to  aid  every  object  looking  to  the 
welfare  and  good  of  his  fellow  citizens,  and  they, 
in  their  turn,  have  given  him  of  their  esteem  and 
good-will.  On  September  21.  1858,  Mr.  Wickes 
was  married  to  Miss  Ann  S.  Bailey,  the  daughter 
of  .larvis  Bailey,  of  Flint,  Mich.  There  have  been 
three  children  of   this   union:     and    of    these,    two 


sons  are  connected  with  their  father  in  business. 
The  plant  belonging  to  Wickes  Bros.,  occupies 
space  that  extends  six  hundred  feet  on  Tildon 
street  and  runs  back  for  two  hundred  and  forty 
feet,  reaching  to  Washington  Street,  and  com  prises 
boiler  shop,  machine  shop  and  foundry.  Ahout 
1300,000  capital  is  required  in  order  to  carry  on 
the  business  and  some  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  men  are  employed.  Although  most  of  the 
business  is  done  by  correspondence,  two  salesmen 
are  kept  upon  the  road.  The  pay  roll  runs  to 
about  *  1  1:5,000  annually  and  many  of  tin1  men  in 
their  employ  have  been  with  the  firm  for  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  years  and  are  skilled  workmen. 

The  Wickes  engines  are  the  heaviest  engines 
built  in  the  United  States  and  the  gang-saws  made 
by  this  firm  are  the  best  manufactured.  They 
built  the  first  iron  frame  gang-saw  about  the  year 
1870  and  over  three  hundred  of  these  are  now  in 
use.     They  also  build   heavj    plate   bending    rolls 

lor  the  manufacture  of  boiler  and  ship  plates  with 
direct  engine  attachment  to  each  machine.  These 
machines  weigh  from  thirty-four  to  forty-nine 
tons. 

Wiekes  Bros,  are  now  making  the  rolls  for  the 
Pacific  Coast  Plant  of  the  American  Steel  Barge 
Company,  of  West  Superior,  and  these  machines 
are  valued  at  ahout  15,500  each.  The  specialty  of 
this  house  is  in  the  heaviest  marine  boilers  and 
they  have  turned  out  boilers  for  large  ocean  ships, 
some  of  them  weighing  fifty-two  tons.  At  present 
eight  boilers  are  being  made  for  the  United  States 
Government.  The  plant  of  this  concern  is  the 
largest  in  the  State  of  Michigan,  and  their  hy- 
draulic riveter  has  a  weighl  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty-live  tons  and  cost  130,000  and  is  the  largest 
one  in   the  West. 


x.. 
f 


' 


>,«t  fifclLLIAM  GLAZIER.  To  behold  the  pro- 
\/kJ/l  i?ess  an^  culture  of  Maple  Grove  Town- 
V^\y  ship.  Saginaw  County,  one  would  scarcely 
imagine  that  a  few  wars  back  it  was  little  more 
than  a  forest  primeval  and  possessed  only  the 
{■harms  of  nature.     This  township  is  rightly  named 


■   OT 


# 


.<  ,■& 


/ 


I    ;y.     :; 


SI* 


<Ls\ 


^.*J 


PORTRAIT  AM)  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


6i; 


being  in  vcrj  truth  a  maple  grove  and  one  well 
adapted  to  business  and  pleasure  alike.  Among 
the  pioneers  who  hewed  out  the  foundation  of 
many  beautiful  farms,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
I  If  makes  his  home  on  section  33,  and  has  been 
largely  instrumental  in  bringing  about  many  of 
the  new  successful  methods  of  advancing  business, 
educational  and  social  systems. 

.Mi-.  Glazier's  birth  occurred  in  Lincolnshire, 
England,  on  the  6th  of  July,  \*'\2.  He  is  the  son 
of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Hardy)  Glazier,  also 
natives  of  Lincolnshire,  where  they  resided  until 
their  death,  the  father  dying  in  1840,  at  the  age 
of  forty-six  years,  and  the  mother  in  1862.  The 
father  followed  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  a  farmer 
and  was  very  successful  in  all  his  dealings.  The 
parental  family  numbered  ten  children,  namely: 
Rebecca,  Joseph,  Elizabeth,  Samuel,  .lane,  John. 
Mary.  William.  Ann  and  Thomas.  Rebecca  mar- 
ried Joseph  Shepherd,  and  died  in  England;  Jos- 
eph resides  in  England;  Elizabeth  married  William 
Buzzard  and  also  makes  her  home  in  England; 
Samuel  remains  in  England;  Jane  married  Mr.  Met- 
ton  Miller;  John  died  in  his  native  country;  Mary 
makes  her  home  in  the  British  Isle;  Ann  died 
when  young,  and  Thomas  came  to  the  United 
Male-;  he  was  married  and  died  in  Saginaw  County 
leaving  three  children — Charles  E..  Eva  Ann,  Min- 
nie Maude. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  his  native 
country  and  his  parents  were  unable  to  give  him 
more  than  an  ordinary  education.  In  1855  he 
came  alone  to  the  United  states,  having  left  the 
most  of  his  family  in  England.  Upon  landing  in 
New  York  he  at  once  came  West,  tirst  stopping  in 
Howell,  Livingston  County,  this  State,  lie  had 
been  enabled  to  save  but  little  money  when  start- 
ing ou1  for  himself,  and  so  worked  as  a  common 
laborer  in  that  vicinity  for  about  seven  years.  lie 
then  -aw  a  better  opening  for  him  in  Romeo,  Ma- 
comb County,  whither  he  went  and  worked  on  a, 
farm,  remaining  thus  engaged  until  he  came  to 
Saginaw  ( iounty,  in   I  868. 

Mr.  Glazier's  first  purchase  of  land  consisted  of 
one  hundred  and  -ixt\  acres,  upon  which  he  now 
resides  and  for  which  he  paid  11,000  in  cash.  His 
tract  was  in  a  wild    state     when     it     came    into  his 


hand-,  but  with  his  characteristic  energy  and  in- 
dustry he  has  placed  it  under  most  excellent  culti- 
vation, and  during  the  period  Of  clearing  his  farm 
he  worked  at  intervals  in  an  hotel  in  Romeo.  Mr. 
Glazier  is  a  prominent  farmer  in  Maple  Grove 
Township  and  all  who  know  him  rejoice  in  the  suc- 
cess which  has  attended  his  labors.  lie  has  placed 
his  farm  under  the  best  improvements  and  supplied 
all  the  necessary  building-. 

January  3,  1875,  our  subject  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Mrs.  Irene  Glazier,  the  widow  of  his 
brother  Thomas.  Their  nuptials  were  celebrated 
in  Maple  Grove.  Mrs.  Glazier  was  born  July  2:i. 
1849,  in  Lapeer  County.  Mr.  Glazier  now  owns 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  independent,  voting  for  the  man  rather 
the  party.  He  has  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace  and  fulfilled  all  its  duties  in  a  manner  cred- 
itable to  himself  and  satisfactory  to  his  townsmen. 
To  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born  one 
child — Ilda,  who  was  born  Augut   13,   lKT'.t. 

Previous  to  the  union  spoken  of  above,  the  wife 
of  our  subject  was  married  to  Thomas  ( Hazier,  and 
to  them  were  granted  three  children — Charles  A., 
Eva  A.,  and  Minnie  Maude,  who  died  aged  sixteen 
years. 


■-;■ 


5K=  =«pH3* 


v  EWTOX  DOUGLAS  LEE.  M.  I).  We  are 
gratified  to  be  able  to  present  the  portrait 
and  life  narrative  of  oneof  the  old  settlers 
and  most  reliable  professional  men  of  Saginaw. 
He  was  born  in  what  was  then  Delaware  (now 
Morrow)  County,  Ohio,  September  20,  1823.  His 
father.  Asa  Lee  was  a  manufacturer  of  woolen 
goods,  also  handled  grain  and  lumber  and  Owned 
a  large  farm,  lie  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts 
and  a  member  of  1  he  famous  old  Lee  family  ol  that 
State,  whose  ancestors  came  from  England  m  1634 
and  who  in  that  day  spelled  their  name  "Leigh." 
Through  .some  difference-  in  the  family  the  name 
was  changed  in  1667  to  Lee.  The  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  ('apt.  Benjamin  Lee.  resided  in  Massa- 
chusetts and  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 

Sarah  (Meacham)  Lee,  the  mother  of  our  subject, 


618 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


was  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  was  a  descend- 
ant of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  who  settled  in  Massa- 
chusetts in  1620,  and  her  father  was  [tilled  in 
:i  naval  engagement  on  Long  [sland  Sound, 
during  the  War  of  the  Revolution.  Asa  Lee  re- 
sided al  Lexington,  Ky.,  and  was  a  companion  in 
boyhood  days  of  Henry  Clay.  He  was  at  one  time 
a  slave  owner,  but  became  convinced  of  the  iniquity 
of  human  slavery  and  set  $30,000  worth  of  slaves 
tree.  He  then  removed  to  Ohio  and  settled  in 
lilenden  Township,  Franklin  County, near  Central 
College,  which  he  assisted  in  starting.  He  was 
only  forty  years  old  when  he  died  August  K*. 
1833;  Ins  good  wife  survived  him  many  years,  liv- 
ing to  be  seventy-six  years  old  and  passing  away 
in  1880.  Of  the  five  children  in  the  family  the 
Doctor  is  the  oldest.  Hi:-  boyhood  was  passed  in 
Ohio,  where  hestudied  in  the  common  schools  and 
then  entered  Central  College.  After  completing 
his  studies  there  he  devoted  himself  to  teaching. 

While  presiding  at  the  teacher's  desk, young  Lee 
found  opportunities  for  pursuing  his  medical 
studies;  at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  began  reading 
with  Dr.  Blymer,  and  afterward  studied  with  Drs. 
Swingley  >v  Douglas.  He  then  took  his  lectures  at 
the  Willoughby  .Medical  College  and  there  re- 
ceived his  diploma,  in  the  spring  of  1847. 

The  young  Doctor  commenced  his  practice  in 
Detroit  with  Dr.  Pitcher,  one  of  the  prominent 
physicians  of  this  State  which  association  gave 
the  young  man  an  excellent  —  t : * 1 1  in  his  profes- 
sional career.  After  Staying  al  Detroit  for  -ix 
months  he  went  to  Pontiac,  .Mich.,  on  account  of 
poor  health  and  fr 1  8  I  7  to  L850  contented  him- 
self   witli    a   small    practice   as   he   was  no1  strong 

enough  to  push  business.     In  1850  he  re ved  to 

Saginaw,  establishing  himself  in  his  practice  a-  a 
physician  and  at  the  same  time  undertaking  den- 
tistry as  there  were  no  dentists  then  in  this  little 
city  of  five  hundred  people,  lie  has  continued  in 
tin-  work  up  to  the  present  time  and  has  a  very 
heavy   prai  tice. 

Dr.  Lee  formed  a  matrimonial  union  in  1853 
with  Miss  Mary. daughter  of  Eleazer  Jewett  and  u  ife 
of  Saginaw.  When  Kieazer .Jewett  firstcameto  this 
rtgion  he  was  the  agent  of  the  American  Fur  Com- 
pany and  in  those  days  the  military  posts  "ere  al- 


most the  only  settlements  and  Indians  were  numer- 
ous. The  three  children  of  the  Doctor  and  his 
wife  are,  Gertrude;  Edgar  Jewett,  who  is  connected 
with  the  Flint  .v  Fere  Marquette  Railroad;  and  Jes- 
sie, wife  of  John  M.  Eraser.  Lumber  Inspector.  In 
1880  the  Doctor  was  elected  Coroner  which  posi- 
tion he  has  held  since,  and  for  the  last  twenty-five 
years  he  lias  been  Health  Officer  of  the  city  most 
of  the  time. 


•:   ;  :.::<^   •  ®  •   ^-  ■ 


()X.    ROWLAND    CONNOR,  M.    S. 


Thi 


notable  citizen  of  Saginaw  was  horn  .June 
16,  is  !•_'.  in  the  city  of  New  York.  His 
V*)  father.  John  Henry  Connor,  as  well  as  sev- 
eral generations  of  his  forefathers,  was  horn  in  the 
same  city,  and  was  among  the  older  class  of  New 
York  merchants  aid  bankers.  The  mother.  Cath- 
arine A,  Reiner,  was  a  native  of  the  same  city  and 
of  German  parentage.  Our  subject  attended  public 
seho  ils  and  finally  the  college  of  the  city  of  New 
i'ork,  and  in  L860,  being  then  eighteen  years  old, 
he  was  graduated  from  that  institution  which  three 
years  later  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Mas- 
ter  of   Sciences.      After    his    scholastic    course    he 

laughl    for   one  year  in  public  and  private  scl Is 

and  then  entered  the  Theological  Department  of 
tin-  St.  Laurence  University  at  Canton.  X.  V..  be- 
ing graduated  therefrom  two  year-  later,  and  was 
ordained  a-  a  minister  in   1  863. 

Mi.  <  onnor  settled  as  pastor  of  a  church  at 
Kingston,  N.  II..  and  ialer  at  Concord,  that  State, 
and  m  1866  received  a  unanimous  call  to  the 
School  Street  Church  at  l'.o-ton. where  he  remained 
until  1874.  From  that  time  until  1880  he  was 
engaged  in  literary  work  in  New  York  and  Boston, 
being  one  of  the  proprietor-  and  editors  of  the 
Naiionand  contributor, also, to  the  Tribune  of  New 
York,  the  Herald  and  Index  of  Boston,  Lippincott's 
Magazine,  and  other  periodical-.  Hi.- article-  have 
in  in  widely  circulated  and  read.  In  his  early  man- 
hood he  came  under  tin  influence  of  Wendell  Phil- 
lips and  others  of  that  wonderful  coterie  of  lead- 
ingminds  which  were  working  upon  the  problem  of 
human  liberty,and  became  a  co-worker  with  them. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOftRAHIICAI     RECORD. 


mo 


serving  on  the  executive  committee  of  the  Amer- 
ican Anti-Slaverj  Society.  In  it-  service  he  was 
ever  readj  to  expend  his  energies.  He  wrote, 
talked,  and  preached  upon  this  theme.  UN  mind 
was  not  bound  down  by  dogmas  and  forms,  and 
he  paid  the  penalty  which  has  often  been  levied 
upon  genius  and  independent  and  was  severely 
criticised. 

Upon  leaving  New  York  in  1880  Mr.  Connor 
came  to  Saginaw  and  here  formed  a  liberal  relig- 
ious society  and  began  speaking  t i i~ t  in  the  Acad- 
emy of  Music,  and  later  in  his  church.  His  sermons, 
or  lei-inn--  electrified  his  hearer.  They  were  upon 
such  themes  as  Darwinism,  Philosophy  of  Evolu- 
tion, the  Bible  of  Higher  Criticism,  and  the  greal 
religions  of  the  world.  He  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Education,  and  during  the  cam- 
paign of  1888  was  made  a  member  of  the  Michigan 
State  Legislature. 

The  members  of  his  congregation  are  gathered 
from  all  classes  and  creeds:  Jew  and  Gentile,  black 
and  white,  Protestant  and  Catholic  unite  with  him 
as  a  leader.  Hisscientiflc  lecture-  have  been  highly 
appreciated,  while  his  early  training  and  experi- 
ence have  given  his  character  a  business  bend  and 
added  acuteness  to  his  conversation.  While  a 
member  of  the  Legislature,  our  subject  served  on 
various  important  committees,  and  one  of  his  most 
important  movements  was  an  amendment  to  the 
general  Banking  Law  in  the  interest  of  Savings 
Hank  depositors,  which  was  largely  due  to  his  per- 
sistent efforts. 

The  consolidation  of  the  two  Saginaws  was  the 
work  of  Mr.  Connor,  and  that  necessitated  no  less 
than  five  additional  bills  in  order  to  enable  the 
consolidated  charter  to  run  smoothly.  He  has  ever 
made  it  his  aim  to  prevent  injudicious  legislation 
rather  than  to  procure  the  passage  of  new  laws, 
lie  was  at  one  time  candidate  for  Speaker  of  the 
House  but  the  death  of  his  only  brother  occurring 
at  that  time  prevented  his  making  any  canvass, 
but  notwithstanding  this  fact  he  received  a  tie  vote 
in  the  caucus  though  he  was  not  elected. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject,  which  took  place 
November  21,  1869,  brought  to  his  home  a  help- 
mate in  the  person  of  Miss  Emma,  daughter  of 
Andrew  J.  Hilton ,  of  Boston,  and  a  son  and  daugh- 


ter have  been  born  to  them.  While  her  home  wa- 
in Boston  she  was  a  member  of  the  old  Radical 
<  lub,  as  was  also  Mr.  Connor  and  he  was  secretary 
of  it  for  a  time.  In  this  club  they  were  broughl 
into  association  with  such  men  as  Emerson,  Ucotl 
and  Higgins.  Mrs.  Connor  is  a  brilliant  conver- 
sationalist and  was  esteemed  mosl  highly  in  the 
literary  circles  in  Boston.  Their  daughter,  Mil- 
dred Bartol,  was  named  in  honor  of  old  Dr.  Bar- 
io|  and  the  -mi  Mauley,  who  i-  qow  a  student 
at  the  State  University,  was  named  for  a  friend  of 
Theodore  Parker.  Upon  being  elected  to  the  Leg- 
islature in  1888  Mr.  Connor  gave  up  the  charge  of 
his  religious  society  and  deeided  to  enter  the  legal 
profession  for  which  he  was  well  fitted,  and  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1890.  He  was  subsequently 
re-elected  to  the  Legislature  ami  is  -till  a  member 
of  that  lm'h  . 


r  LAVIUS  E.  KINNEY.     Among  the  farmers 
and  stock-raisers   of  Chesaning  Township, 
i  Saginaw   County,   we    find    this   native  -on 

of  Michigan,  who  was  born  in  Lenawee  County 
February  2  1.  1849.  He  is  a  man  of  more  than  or- 
dinary intelligence  and  very  successful,  especially 
in  the  line  of  dairy  produce.  His  parents.  Nelson 
and  Margaret  (Youngs)  Kinney,  were  both  born 
in  the  Empire  State,  hut  came  to  Michigan  and 
took  a  farm  in  Lenawee  County  in  the  spring  of 
1842,  going  Onto  a  piece  of  wild  land,  where  In- 
still lives,  and  which  he  ha.-  broughl  to  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  The  father  was  born  in  1815, 
and  the  mother  in  1817.  In  the  family  there  were 
six  children,  including  two  pair- of  twin.-,  allot 
whom  are  still  living  except  the  eldest  son.  Our 
subjeel  was  one  of  these  twins,  his  mate  being  his 
sister  Florence,  now  Mrs.  Mills,  of  Jonesville,  Mich. 

He  of  whom  we  write  had  his  early  training 
upon  the  farm  and  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation. At  the  age  of  twenty  he  began  to  work 
at  the  carpenter'-  trade,  which  he  had  acquired 
from  observation  and  practice,  without  taking  an 
apprenticeship.     For  seventeen   years  he  devoted 


620 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


himself  to  this  work  in  New  York  and  Michigan, 
and  also  worked  in  the  coach  shops  of  the  Lake 
Shore  &  Michigan  Southern  Railroad,  and  at  other 
times  found  employment  in  cabinet  shops.  He 
bought  his  pleasant  home  in  1878,  purchasing  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section  34,  Chesan- 
ing  Township.  This  he  has  cleared  and  brought 
to  a  tine  state  of  cultivation  so  that  he  raises  from 
ninety  to  one  hundred  bushels  of  oats  to  the  acie. 
The  beautiful  home  in  which  the  family  of  our 
subject  resides  is  one  that  is  built  from  his  own 
design.  It  was  on  February  22,  1870,  that  he 
took  to  himself  a  wife  in  the  person  of  Miss  Ellen 
A.  Farnsworth,  of  Erie  County.  X.  Y.,  where  she 
was  born  October  12.  1K17.  Her  parents,  William 
K.  and  Cordelia  (Dole)  Farnsworth,  were  both  na- 
tives of  the  old  Bay  State.  The  two  children  of 
this  couple  are  Walter  1...  who  was  horn  in  Adrian, 
this  State.  December  24,  1874,  and  Edith  ('..who 
was  horn  in  this  town-hip  March  II.  1880.  .Air. 
Kinney  is  a  member  of  the  Disciples'  Church  and 
is  identified  with  the  order  of  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees.  He  was  for  many  years  a  Republican 
and  is  now  an  earnest  and  hearty  Prohibitionist, 
hut,  has  never  been  a  seeker  for  office. 


j**+* 


^  vi>^  •■!■•  *J*  •*•  *J»  •— 


T-\  [CHARD  SCHEURMANN,  the  oldesl   shoe 

Y^/      dealer    In    Hay  City,  in   point  of  business 

*    \       establishment,  is  located  in  the  new  Scheur- 

\£)  mann  Block  on  Washington  Avenue,  near 

(enter  Ayeuue.  where  he  has  a  line  store  •_'."i\l()(l 
feet.  The  block,  a  view  of  which  is  shown  on  an- 
other page,  was  built  by  him  in  the  fall  of  1891, 
and  has  an  elegant  front  of  pressed  brick,  cut  stone 
and  copper  with  oval  top,  arched  doors  and  a  splen- 
did expanse  of  plate  and  decorative  glass.  It  is  one' 
of  the  finest  fronts  in  the  cit\  or  indeed  in  the  State. 
and  the  upper  part  is  lifted  with  elegant  glass  of 
excellent  design.  The  whole  building  is  of  supe- 
rior plan  and  workmanship,  and  contains  all  of  the 
latest  improvements. 

Mr.  Seheurinann  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany, 
August  25,  1834,  and  i-  a  son  of  Ernesl  Seheur- 
inann.  He  was  educated  in  his  native  home,  study- 


ing, first  in  the  common  schools  and  afterward  in 
the  college  at  Stuttgart.  Later  he  entered  the 
mercantile  business  there  as  a  clerk  in  a  large  dry- 
goods  house,  where  he  remained  for  live  years, 
serving  an  apprenticeship  which  gave  him  a  fine 
business  education  and  being  promoted  from  the 
lower  to  the  top  round  of  the  commercial  ladder. 
After  leaving  the  linn  with  which  he  had  been 
for  so  long  Mr.  Seheurinann  came  to  America  and 
spent  eight  months  in  New  York  City  before  com- 
ing on  to  Detroit,  and  later  to  Saginaw  City  which 
he  reached  ill  1854.  lie  was  with  a  relative  for  a 
time  on  a  farm,  and  also  clerked  in  various  stores. 
Finally  he  entered  John  Derby's  large  establish- 
ment, and  continued  with  him  until  liS."i7  at  which 
time  he  came  to  Bay  City  with  Henry  FlatOU,  and 
engaged  as  clerk  in  a  general  store.  Afterward  he 
was  with  Binder  &  Co.,  shipping  and  commission 
agents  and  dealers   in  white  oak  staves,  who  also 

liad  a  general  store  business,  wholesale    and    retail. 

In  lstiG  our  subject  opened  a  shoestore  for  him- 
self (jii  Water  Street,  in  what  is  now  the  Zehner 
Block,  where  he  continued  for  live  years  and  then 
conducted  a  large  business  in  the  Watson  Block 
for  aboul  live  years  more.  In  1876  he  removed  to 
No.  802  North  Water  Street,  where  he  occupied  a 
large  -tore  prior  to  removing  to  his  new  building. 
lie  began  with  a  small  store,  and  has  gradually  in- 
creased his  business  and  his  facilities  until  he  now 
has  one  of  the  tinesl  shoe  stores  in  thi>  part  of  the 
State,  and  gives  employment  to  five  clerks.  A 
\  ei  \  successful  business  man,  his  good  fortune  is 
due  to  his  enterprise  ami  energy,  lie  has  taken 
considerable  interest  in  real  estate  and  in  vessel 
property,  in  all  of  which  he  has  been   prospered. 

Richard  Seheurinann  was  married  September  18, 
1861,  to  Miss  Cornelia  Boutell,  of  Bay  City,  and 
of  their  six  children  four  are  still  living:  Grace  is 
the  wifeof  Albert  Etzold;  Frank  is  with  his  father 
in  business,  as  is  also  Richard.  Jr.;  while  Minnie  is 
at   home.      Our    subject    is   one    of    the   Trustees  of 

the* Congregational  Church  of  this  city,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  tin-  Board  of  Education  for  the 
past  ten  years.  He  has  served  on  the  Board  of 
Police  Commissioners  and  has  Idled  various  local 
offices,  such  as  Treasurer  and  Township  Clerk.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the    Independent  Order  of 


BOT  CITY.  MICH 


PORTRAIT  AND   MK  >< .  KAl'IIK  !AL  RECORD. 


623 


odd  Fellows  for  sixteen  years.  Twenty  years  ago 
he  built  llic  beautiful  residence  which  the  family 
still  occupies  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  Avenue  and 
Jatkson  Street,  and  this  has  ever  been  the  center 
of  a  happy  domestic  and  social  life. 


/ 


PAVII)  .1.  WEBB.  Our  subjecl  is  a  native  of 
Aurelius  Township,  Ingham  County,  this 
State,  and  was  born  August  7.  L843.  lie  is 
a  sun  of  William  and  Jane  (Wright)  Webb,  and  a 
grandson  on  the  paternal  side  of  William  Webb, 
who  was  bora  in  England,  and  who  came  to  the 
United  States  about  1832,  settling  in  Onondaga 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  be  devoted  himself  to  his 
calling,  that  of  a  farmer.  His  son  and  our  sub- 
ject's father,  William,  was  also   born    in    England, 

and  came  with  his    parents    to  New  York.      He  was 

there  married  to  our  subject's  mother.  They 
reared  three  children — Matilda,  David  J.  and 
.Mary.      The   young  people  were  brought   up  undi  r 

the  teachings  of  the  Baptist  Church. 

The  family  of  which  our  subject  is  one  came  to 
Michigan  and  settled  four  mile*  west  of  Mason. 
where  the  father  died  not  a  great  while  alter  com- 
ing here,  his  death  occurring  in  1846.  Our  sub- 
ject's mothei  afterward  married  Mr.  Deering,  and 
from  that  union  one  child,  Estella,  was  horn. 
After  his  father's  decease  our  subject  made  his 
home  witli  his  grandparents  Wrighl  until  fourteen 
years  of  age.  He  is  self-educated,  his  opportuni- 
ties in  an  educational  way  being  exceedingly  lim- 
ited, but    being    ambitious  t<>   make    up  these  de- 

Bciences  he  has  read  and  studied  by  himseif. 

At  tin  age  of  fifteen  years  David  Webb  began 
to  work  at  tiie  cabinetmaker's  trade,  in  which  he 
continued    until    Lhe    time    of    his    enlistment,   in 

March,  1861,  when    he   became  a  member  of   C - 

panj     I!.  Third    Michigan    Infantry,  entering   the 

service  for    three    months,   bul    S( afterward   he 

re-enlisted  for  three  years,  lie  took  part  in  the 
various  engagements  of  Hull  Run, Hampton  Roads, 
Mechanicsville,  in  the  siege  of  York  town.  Williams- 
burg and   Fair  Oaks.     In  the  last-named  engage- 


ment hi'  was  wounded  in  the  right  forearm.  After 
lieini:  four  months  in  hospital  at  Washington,  Mr. 
Webb  was  discharged  October  l.  1862.  He  came 
to  Michigan  in  February,  1863,  and  immediately 
enlisted  in  the  sixth  Michigan  Cavalry,  acting 
with  the  Quartermaster  as  sutler.  In  the  summer 
of  1864  he  returned  to  Lansing;  and  the  same 
summer  came  to  Saginaw  and  engaged  in  lumber- 
ing, and  has  been  so  interested  almost constantly 
c\  or  since. 

In  August,  1870,  our  subject  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on  section  10. 
Brant  Township,  locating  here  in  May.  1871.  He 
now  owns  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  having 
cleared  and  improved  one  hundred  and  eighty. 
What  property  he  has  has  been  amassed  by  his 
own  efforts.  He  has  served  his  township  as  Com- 
missioner and  is  now  in  his  eleventh  year  as  Su- 
pervisor of  the  township.  He  is  a  Democrat  in 
politics  and  has  done  his  parl\    good  Service. 

Mr.  Webb  married.  May  22.  1867,  Miss  Alice. 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Belle  Colvin.  The 
lady  was  born  in  Kite  County.  N.  V.  They  have 
had  eight  children — Charles  R..  Myrtie  V.,  Carrie 
M..  Alice  1!..  Estella  .1..  William,  Grace  and  David 
J.  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webb  are  honored  and  respected 
members  of  society.  As  a  citizen  our  subject 
strives  to  advance  the  best  interests  of  the  locality, 
and  by  his  purity  of  purpose  and  honesty  of  action 
lie  cannot  fail  in  the   desired  result. 


,  ECTOR  E.  WILLIAMS.  It  is  not  to  be  gain- 
said that  climatic  influences  have  a  ureal 
deal  to  do  with  human  temperament.  This 
is  illustrated  almost  invariably  among  the 
young  men  who  have  come  hither,  or  have  settled 
in  any  part  of  the  Union,  from  Canada.  Almosl 
invariably  they  are  characterized  by  great  indus- 
try, clear-headedness,  and  are  far-seeing,  shrewd 
and  capable.  Of  these  our  subject  is  no  exception. 
Hi-  line  farm,  which  is  located  on  section  22, 
Thomastown  Township.  Saginaw  County,  attests 
the  thoroughness  and  ability  with  which  he  em- 
braces every  undertaking.     His  efforts  in  an  agri- 


624 


PORTRAIT  AND  BR  ).  -RAl'HK  AL    RECORD. 


cultural  way  are  conducted  on  a  scientific  plan 
rather  than  by  force  of  muscle,  and  its  advantages 

arc  seen  in  the  bountiful  harvests  stowed  away  in 
his  granaries  and  the  sleek  kine  that  browse  in 
his  fields.  He  was  bora  in  Upper  Canada,  October 
29.  1829.  and  is  a  sou  of  Daniel  and  Catherine 
(Howell)  Williams. 

Our  subject's  father  was  also  a  native  of  Canada, 
and  was  born  December  II.  1799.  His  father. 
William  Williams,  was  a  native  of  Wales,  who 
came  to  America  when  a  boj  and  settled  in  Con- 
necticut, making  his  living  by  peddling  clocks.  He 
accumulated  enough  in  this  way  to  start  into  busi- 
ness handsomely.  He  served  through  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  though,  sooth  to  say.  on  the  Tory 
side.  After  tin-  war  he  removed  to  Canada.  He 
died  there  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years. 

Our  subject's  father  was  a  farmer  and  owned 
over  a  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Canada.  He 
came  to  the  States  in  November,  1*.">7.  and  settled 
where  his  son  now  lives  and  with  whom  he  made 
his  home  for  several  years,  finally  removing  to  Da- 
kota where  he  died  in  1887,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
six  years.  He  was  educated  for  the  ministry, 
being  of  the  Universalis)  persuasion,  but  although 
he  was  a  man  of  great  mental  strength  and  in- 
telligence, he  did  not  show  a  liking  for  his  chosen 
profession.  lie  was  a  Republican  in  politics. 
His  marriage  with  our  subject's  mother  was 
blessed  by  the  birth  of  seven  children, all  of  whom 
are  yet  living,  viz:  Leonora.  Nancy  A..  Hector. 
James.  Charles.  Elizabeth  and  Catherine  The 
mother  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  year-:  she 
was  a  Methodist  in  her  religion-  creed.  Her  father. 
Maj.  Howell,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  where  he 
married  his  second  wife,  lie  served  as  a  major  in 
the  British  Army  during  the  Revolutionary  War 
and  was  elevated  to  the  position  of  Major-General 
after  the  war  when  in  Canada, having  charge  of 
the  British  troops  there.  In  recognition  of  his  ser- 
vices the  Governor  gave  him  several  thousand 
acres  of  land  and  also  a  pension.  He  died  in  Can- 
ada at  an  advanced  age. 

Our  subject  was  reared  in  his  native  land  on  a 
farm  and  was  early  employed  in  a  woolen  factory. 
He  attended  school  a  short  time  and  began  work  in 
the  woolen  facton  at  tin    age   of   fifteen,  and  was 


there  employed  for  four  years.  He  then  went  upon 
a  farm  and  began  for  himself  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty-two  year-  assumed  control  of  the  home 
place,  lie  there  owned  one  hundred  acres,  which 
he  farmed  until  he  came  to  the  States,  in  the  fall 
of   1856. 

March  10,  1851,  our  subject  was  married  to 
(aroline  Town,  a  native  of  Ogdensburg,  N.Y.,who 
was  born  March  10,  1832,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Ann  M.  (Tibbetts)  Town,  both  natives 
of  the  Empire  State.  They  moved  to  Canada 
when  Mrs.  Williams  was  but  six  months  old.  anil 
there  her  father  died  at  the  age  of  eight  \  years. 
Her  mother  also  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight 
years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  have  been  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  of  whom  are  living — Adeline. 
Manly.  Anna.  Harriet.  Jacob  and  Sarah:  Eleazer, 
died  at  one  ami  a  half  year-  old. 

The  journey  from  Canada  here  was  made  by  rail, 
steamboat  and  stage.  There  were  two  brothers 
»!h.  had  preceded  our  subject  to  this  place,  and 
after  Hector  had  worked  for  one  month,  meantime 
prospecting,  he  purchased  his  present  farm  of  two 
bunched  and  forty  acres,  and  moved  into  the 
woods:  not  a  stick  of  which  had  been  touched.  He 
was  obliged  to  clear  the  way  and  built  a  log  house, 
which  wa-  12x20  lcet  in  dimension-.  The  Indian- 
were  frequent  visitors  at  his  cabin,  and  panthers, 
a-  well  a-  deer  and  wolves  made  frequent  encroach- 
ments upon  his  domain.  Our  subject  assures  the 
writer  that  he  used  to  drive  the  deer  to  the  bouse 
with  the  cows,  and  has  killed  many  of  them.  His 
nearest  neighbor  lived  at  a  distance  of  three   miles. 

Mrs.  Williams  was  her  husband's  able  second  in 
his  work  of  clearing  and  farming.  She  used  to 
walk  to  Saginaw  and  carry  back  therefrom  grocer- 
ies, and  has  frequently  picked  and  burned  brush 
until  her  hands  were  blistered.  The  winter  months 
were  devoted  more  or  less  by  our  subject  to  [um- 
bering on  Swan  Creek,  where  he  ran  a  camp  for 
which  hi-  wife  i  ooked  for  live  years.  He  rafted 
his  logs  down  to  Saginaw.  Mr.  Williams  devotes 
himself  to  mixed  farming.  He  is  thorough  in  all 
thing-,  and  ha-  one  of  the  best  places  in  the  Local- 
ity. He  keeps  good  graded  stock,  and  own-  one 
hundred  and  forty-seven  acre-,  of  which  one  hun- 
dred and  five  acre-  are  cleared,      lie   ha-  fair  gran- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


625 


aries,  a  good  house  and  frame  barn.  In  1*71  he 
sustained  a  severe  loss  by  fire,  his  property  being 
damaged  to  the  extent  of  $3,700,  on  which  there 
was  11,100  insurance.  Mrs.  Williams  wove  thirteen 
hundred  yards  of  carpet  in  eighteen  months  after 
the  lire,  in  order  to  make  up  a>  much  as  she  was 
abli  of  their  loss.  Tiny  are  both  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church.  Our  subject  is  a  Republican  in 
politics  and  has  held  various  township  offices,  hav- 
ing been  School  Inspector,  Road  Commissioner,  etc. 


o 


ILTON  B.  DE  LAND,  Justice  of  the  Peace 
and  Notary  l'ulilie  at  Saginaw,  was  born 
in  ( 'andor,  Tioga  County,  X.  Y..  November 
•_'(i.  1820.  Hi-  father,  Charles  DeLand,  a 
native  of  New  York,  was  born  in  Hartford  Town- 
ship, Washington  County,  in  December,  17'.i7.  He 
wasa  Baptist  minister  a  number  of  years.  Hewasa 
son  of  Joseph,  and  the  grandson  of  Daniel  DeLand; 
Daniel  was  a  -on  of  Paul,  and  he  the  son  of  Philip 
Did. and.  The  latter  was  the  first  American  ances- 
i  >i  and  came  to  this  country  in  1694,  settling  in 
the  colony  of  Massachusetts,  lie  came  from  Ports- 
mouth, England,  to  this  country;  these  ancestors 
were  Huguenots.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
Susan  Wilmarth,  daughter  of  William  and  Susan- 
nah ((apron)  Wilmarlh ;  she  wa-  descended  from 
Puritan  ancestors  on  both  sides,  and  was  bora  in 
Stockbridge,  Mass.  The  father,  being  a  minister, 
made  many  changes  in  his  place  of  residence;  they 

re ved    to    Michigan     in     May.    I. si  7.   where    he 

preached     in     different     place-,     finally    Settling     in 

flushing,  Genesee  County,  where  he  died  Febru- 
ary 7.  1864,  hiving  some  time  before  retired  from 
active  service.  His  wife  also  departed  this  life  in 
the  same  place  February  1.  1*71. 

Milton'B.  wa-    the    sec I    -on   and    child    in   a 

family  of  -i\.  of  whom  four  are  living.  When  he 
wa-  thirteen  year-  of  age  he  went  to  Seneca  County 
and  I  here  attended  the  district  school.  He  com- 
menced teaching  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  and  taught 
hi-  la-t  -i  I I  in  1861-62.  He  was  married,  No- 
vember 23,  1844,  to  Mi—  Rachel  Livingston.     She 


was  horn  and  reared  in  the  town  of  I.odi.  Seneca 
County.  X.  Y..  and  was  the  daughter  of  Adam  and 
Amy  (Spence)  Livingston,  of  Scotch  descent  on 
her  father's  side,  her  mother  being  of  Scotch  and 
1  rish  descent. 

In  the  spring  of  1845  our  subject  located  ill 
Washtenaw  County,  where  he  -pent  five  years.  He 
then  removed  to  Flushing  where  he  settled  on  a 
piece  of  new  land,  which  he  cleared  up  and  there 
-pent  fifteen  year-.  Selling  out  in  the  fall  of  L864 
he  removed  to  South  Saginaw,  where  he  still  re- 
sides. He  has  served  two  term-  as  Supervisor  and 
has  been  elected  Village  Clerk.  He  has  also  served 
as  Assessor  and  Trustee.  In  1866  he  became  No- 
tary Public,  and  in  Ikk.'i  was  elected  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  serving  four  years,  and  was  re-elected  with- 
out opposition  in  IHH'.t  by  the  full  vote  of  both 
parties  for  the  term  of  four  years,  but  the  consol- 
idation of  the  Saginaws  terminated  the  office  at 
the  end  of  one  year.  He  was  then  re-elected  in 
L890  a-  before,  by  the  full  vote  of  both  parties,  for 
a  term  of  four  years. 

The  family  of  our  subject  consisted  of  three  chil- 
dren, namely:  Salina,  wife  of  William  II.  Brearlej  . 
who  is  proprietor  of  the  Detroit  Journal;  Alice, 
wdio  died  in  1876,  and  Milton  I...  a  druggist  in 
.Saginaw.  Mr.  Del. and  and  wile  are  member-  of  the 
Michigan  Avenue  Baptist  Church. and  are  in  every 
way  respected  citizen-.  Politically,  he  i>.  and  has 
always  been,  a  stanch  Democrat,  and  is  influential 
in  the  ranks  of  his  party  in  this  locality. 


I  H    )  '    )'  P  t  J     hl      9    *   ' 


■'       I       '      I      '    ■     *><• 


APT.  DANIEL  M.  PIERCE.  Our  subject 
en  joy-  at  the  present  time  the  distinction  of 
being  one  of  the  oldest  captains  running  on 
the  Saginaw  River.  Hi-  experience  in  his  line  ex- 
tends over  a  varied  history  of   this  region,  ami   no 

-more  than  lie    realizes   that    times    are    not     as 

they  once  were,  yet  through  the  many  changes  he 
has  maintained  his  jovial  temperament  and  is  a  fa- 
vorite with  all  whom  business  or  pleasure  take  by 
the  way  of    the  water. 

Our    subject    was  born    in    Middlelield.    Otsego 
County,  X.  Y.,  September  6,  L837,  and  is  a  son  of 


626 


PORTRAIT  AND  .BIC  K  IB  AI'IIICAL   RECORD. 


Nathan  and  Polly  (Beals)  Pierce.  The  former  was 
born  in  Jefferson  County.  X.  Y.;  he  took  part  in 
the  War  of  1M12.  and  was  present  at  the  battle  of 
Sackett's  Harbor  and  at  Buffalo,  lie  lived  to  the 
age  of  ninety-four  years,  and  was  one  of  the  pen- 
sioners of  the  Government.  The  family  is  noted 
for  its  longevity  and  our  subject's  paternal  grand- 
sire,  who  was  a  fanner  in  Otsego  County,  lived  to 
lie  all  but  one  hundred  years  old. 

Nathan  Pierce,  who  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
came  to  Bay  City  in  1844.  There  were  at  that 
time  only  four  or  five  frame  and  log  houses  here, 
lie  employed  himself  in  doing  carpenter  work  and 
in  building  fishing  boats,  lie  also  improved  a  farm 
between  Bay  City  and  Essexville and  died  in  West 
Bay  City  about  L881.  For  many  years  he  had  been 
a  .Mason.  Our  subject's  mother  died  in  this  city 
in  1846. 

The  family  of    which   our  subject    is   one    C - 

prised  (apt.  Benjamin  Pierce  of  West  Bay  City; 
Charles,  of  Mackinaw;  Mary,  who  i>  deceased; 
Serena;  Cordelia,  .Mrs.  .1.1).  Iluckins;  (  apt.  Joshua, 
of  Sarnia,  Canada,  and  the  gentleman  of  whom  we 
write.  Daniel  M.  Pierce  was  reared  in  his  native 
place  until  1*11.  when  with  his  parents  he  came 
Westby  way  of  canal  to  Buffalo,  X.  V..  and  thence 
liv  steamer  to  Detroit  and  proceeded  to  Bay  City 
by  schooner.  His  educational  advantages  after 
locating  here  were  limited,  attending  school  only 
three  months  out  of  the  year,  and  his  knowledge 
of  the  three  "R's"  was  obtained  ill  the  old-fash- 
loiied  school  house.  1  he  CacilitieS  of  which  were  very 
slender.  The  principal  industry  of  this  vicinity 
then  was  fishing,  which  was  a  iiio.-t  congenial  oc- 
cupation to  our  subject.  lie  became  skilled  in  the 
handling  of  uill  nets  and  seines,  and  thus  were  oc- 
cupied many  of  his  boyh 1  days  until  he  was  fif- 
teen years  of  age;  he  then  began  tugging  on  the 
Saginaw  River,  on  tin'  •■John  Lathrop"  for  a 
couple  of  seasons,  and  when  eighteen  years  old 
was  advanced  to  the  position  of  master  of  the 
vessel,  continuing  on  it  for  four  season.-. 

On  winding  up  his  connection  with  tin  -'.101111 
Lathrop"  our  subject  began  outside  sailing,  firstas 
wheelman  on  the  side-wheeler  •■Columbia."  on 
which  he  remained  for  three  seasons  and  was  pro- 
moted to  the  position  of   second    mate,    hi-   route 


being  between  Detroit,  Bay  City  and  Alpena.  He 
was  then  made  second  mate  on  the  steamboat 
"Huron."  spending  half  of  the  season  of  1*61  on 
that  vessel  ami  t  he  remainder  on  the  boat  "Mag- 
net." 

In  1864-65,  our  subject  was  on  the  ••Huron"  as 
first  mate.  I  lie  boat  plying  between  Saginaw  and 
Goderich,  Ontario,  and  lie  was  with  it  when  it  was 
wrecked  at  the  mouth  of  the  Saginaw.  Afterward 
he  became  mat"  and  pilot  of  the  "Emerald,"  and 
in  the  fall  of  1866,  when  the  "Huron"  was  rebuilt 
he  resumed  his  place  as  mate,  continuing  until 
July,  I860.  He  then  became  a  partner  in  the  firm 
of  II.  S.  Raymond  A-  Co..  dealers  in  newspapers 
periodicals  and  stationery,  whose  headquarters 
were  in  the  post-office  building.  He  was  with  this 
company  for  fourteen  years,  spending  two  seasons 
of  the  time  on  the  steamer  ••Music."  In  1882  he 
left  the  news  business  and  after  a  rest  of  a  year 
became  Deputy  Collector  of  Customs al  the  port  of 
Bay  City,  holding  the  office  for  two  years  and  three 
months,  until  he  was  displaced  during  Cleveland's 
administration.  While  he  was  thus  connected  the 
reports  on  clearance  and  collections  showed  Bay 
Citj  to  be  next  in  importance  to  the  ports  of  Cleve- 
land and  Buffalo. 

After  leaving  Government  employ  (apt.  Daniel 
Pierce  became  Captain  of  the  "Metropolis"  and  for 
four  years  plied  between  Saginaw,  Bay  City  and 
Alpena.  In  1890  our  subject  purchased  an  unter- 
esl  in  theexcursion  steamer  "Wellington  R.  Burt" 
in  partnership  with  Messrs.  Maxwell  &  Lee,  he 
himself  taking  command  and  in  1891  he  sailed  be- 
tween Toledo  and  Parisburg  on  the  Maumee  River. 
lie  is  the  veteran  Captain  on  that  river,  as  well  as 
the  Saginaw. 

('apt.  Pierce  was  married  iii  Hast  Saginaw  in  De- 
cember. 1866,  to  Miss  S.  Hose  Sayers,  who  was  born 
in  London.  England,  but  who  was  broughl  by  her 
parents  when  a  child  to  Stratford,  Canada.  She 
died  October  27,  IS**.  She  was  the  mother  of  live 
children,  whose  names  arc.  Charles,  who  is  mate  of 
the  propeller  "Sanilac,"  which  sails  between  this 
point  and  Cleveland;  Maude,  who  died  in  1**2  at 
the  age  Of  ten  years;  .Mabel.  Lilly  and  Otto.  The 
family  residence  is  located  in  the  Third  Ward  at 
Xo.  ."1 1  I    Adams  Street,  and  he  also  owns  some  wild 


PORTRAIT  AM     BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


627 


land  in  Cheboygan,  Mich.  Socially  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  and  belongs  to 
the  Scottish  Rites.  He  has  attained  to  the  Thirty- 
second  Degree  in  Masonry  and  is  a  Knight  of  the 
Maccabees.  He  belongs  to  theMystic  Shrine  of  De- 
troit and  to  the  Elks.  On  its  organization  he  was 
elected  President  of  the  Excelsior  Marine  Benevo- 
lo t  Association.  This  body  i-  composed  of  cap- 
tains holding  first-class  certificates.  His  family 
have  been  brought  up  in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  of  which  his  wife  was  a  loyal  and  consist- 
ent member.  In  politics  he  is  a  true  blue  Repub- 
lican. 


^>«^ 


r~>  I  A.    IIORATK)    A.    BARKER.     This    able 
\^/     and  useful  man.  whose  sphere  of   activity 
1    \      has  Keen  a   broad  one  in    various  lines  and 
\£)  who  lias  now  retired  from  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  is   carrying  on   a    general  merchandise 
business  in  Oakley.     He  was  born  in  Byron  Town- 
ship, liciiistr  County.  X.  V.,  May  27.  1826,  and  is 
a  son  of  Augustus  and    Mary   (Eastman)    Barker. 
The  father  is  a  native  of  Vermont  and  the  mothei 
of  New  York.     The  birth  of  the  father  took  place 
.May  22.  L 786,  at    Brandon.    Vt.,   anil   his  marriage 
occurred  at  Attica,  N.   Y ..  June    18,  1812,  and  im- 
mediately after  this  event  the  young  man  enlisted 
in  the  New  York  Volunteers  for  the  War  of  1812. 

Our  subject  spent  his  boyh 1   and  youth  upon 

a  farm  in  Xew  York  and  received  a  common-school 
education  before  coming  to  Michigan,  whither  he 
migrated  at  the  age  of  eighteen  with  his  parents 
who  located  in  Eaton  County,  in  1844.  It  was 
during  that  winter  that  Horatio  Barker  began 
teaching  and  in  1848  he  tjither  extended  his  edu- 
cation by  a  year's  study  at  Olivet  College,  continu- 
ing after  that  to  follow  the  calling  of  a  teacher 
for  a  number  of  years  and  being  for  two  year--  en- 
gaged in  the  city  schools  of  Lansing. 

During  the  time  of  his  work  as  a  teacher  Mr. 
Barker  also  began  preaching  and  after  a  year  or 
two  of  service  in  this  line  he  was  ordained  about 
the  year  1850  as  a  minister  in  the  Free  Baptist 
Church.     He   preached   in    Lansing  for  some  three 


years  and  continued  lor  quite  a  period  to  give 
himself  entirely  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  Dur- 
ing this  lime  lie  was  pastor  ai  Leoni,  Stockbridge, 
Lexington.  Chester  and  Grand  Ledge.  lie  was 
married  November  15,  1855,  at  Stockbridge,  Mich., 
to  Mary  Jane,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  A.  (Pat- 
terson) Soules,  who  was  horn  in  Yates  County, 
X.  Y..  October  2  1.  1835. 

In  1863  Mr.  Barker  received  the  appointment  as 
principal  teacher  in  the  Reform  School  at  Lansing, 
which  he  held  about  three  years  and  then  resigned 
to  accept  a  call  to  a  church  at  Gilbert's  Mills,  ( >-- 
wego  County,  N.  Y..  when'  he  remained  for  two 
years  after  which  he  removed  to  Springville,  Erie 
County,  where  he  was  largely  instrumental  in 
building  a  large  church.  After  two  years  at  that 
placi  he  took  a  pastorate  at  Green  Oak,  Livingston 
County.  Mich.,  where  he  -pent  six  year-,  and  then 
removed  to  Lansing  and  two  years  later  to  Oak- 
ley. 

His  view-  having  so  changed  that  he  could  not 
conscientiously  remain  as  a  pastor  over  a  Baptist 
Church,  he  removed  to  Oakley,  Mich.,  and  there 
organized  a  new  church  on  the  principle  that  all 
whom  Christ  received  ought  to  he  received  into 
membership  in  the  church,  that  errors  of  doctrine, 
not  sufficient  to  prevent  our  becoming  Christians 
should  not  prevent  our  becoming  members  of 
any  real  church  of  Christ.  I  lis  church  afterwards 
became  associated  with  the(  Congregational  churches 
of  Michigan,  lie  continued  as  pastor  of  that 
organization  for  .-even  or  eight  years  and  was 
abundantly  useful  in  his  ministry.  During  all  his 
residence  at  Oakley  he  has  been  engaged  in  the 
merchant ih'  business. 

While  in  Lansing  the  Rev.  Mr.  Barker  built  the 
Free  Baptist  ( Ihurch  thcre,doing about  three-fourths 
of  the  work  upon  it  himself.  This  was  the  first 
church  erected  in  the  central  part  of  the  city  of 
Lan>ing.  While  preaching  in  Chester  his  voice 
failed  anil  he  moved  to  Lansing  and  stud- 
ted  law.  and  after  passing  a  very  creditable 
examination  was  admitted,  to  the  bar.  lie  has  never 
followed  thai  profession  as  when  hi-  voicewasre- 
coveredhe  look  the  pastorate  at  Gilbert's  Mills.  In 
his  political  views  he  finds  himself  in  sympathy 
with    Republican    principles   bul    is  also  an  earnest 


628 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


Prohibitionist.  He  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  four  years  and  while  in  Lansing  he  served  for 
five-years  upon  the  Board  of  Aldermen.  Mr.  Bar- 
ker was  for  a  number  of  years  connected  with  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  but  is  no'  now  an  active  nieni- 
I  ier. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barker  have  had  four  children  and 
the  eldest  of  that  number,  Ida  Vietta,  was  bora  in 
Oneida,  Eaton  County,  this  State,  September  21, 
1859,  and  is  married  toG.  1).  Lansing,  a  farmer  of 
Brady  Township  who  lives  in  Oakley.  Their  one 
child  is  named  Raymond  B.  Lansing.  The  second 
child  of  our  subject  died  in  infancy  and  the  third 
Florence  R.,  who  was  born  in  Lansing,  March  2K. 
1869,  is  now  Mrs.  Charles  N.  C.  Shirreff  and  lives 
in  Chesaning  where  her  husband  is  the  station 
agent.  They  have  one  child  named  Lee  I>.  The 
fourth  child — Myrtus  E. — died  at  the  age  of  twelve 
in  ( )akle\ . 


r- 


AMES  BREMNER.  The  future  of  our  great 
commonwealth  depends  upon  the  stability 
and  integrity  of  the  young  people  of  to-day, 
and  among  those  who  are  contributing  to 
the  general  progress,  is  the  gentleman  whose  name 
introduces  these  paragraphs,  and  whose  life  thus 
far  has  been  crowned  with  success.  One  of  the 
young  and  enterprising  business  men  of  West  Bay 
City,  .Mr.  Bremner  is  engaged  in  doing  a  large 
business  in  plumbing,  steam  and  gas  fitting,  and  also 
manufactures  a  great  deal  of  copper  and  sheet  iron 
work. 

.Mr.  Bremner  is  now  in  the  early  prime  of  life. 
having  been  born  July  '2.  I860,  in  Watertown, 
Jefferson  County,  N.  Y.  His  father,  Alexander 
Bremner,  was  a  native  of  Dundee.  Scotland,  and 
his  father,  also  named  Alexander  Bremner,  was  :i 
merchant  in  the  Land  of  the  Thistle  where  he  died. 
Alexander  Jr.,  came  to  America  when  less  than 
fifteen  years  old,  and  spent  six  years  in  Canada. 
Thence  he  came  totheStates  anil  located  inWater- 
town.  X.  Y..  where  he  learned  the  tanner's  trade. 
He  then  started  in  business  for  himself,  having  a 
tannery  on  the  Black   River,   which  he  continued 


tocarry  on  with  fair  success  for  a  number  of  years, 
when  the  bark  running  short,  he  was  compelled  to 
suspend  operations. 

When  abandoning  his  trade  in  New  York,  our 
subject's  father  became  manager  of  the  Beardmore 
Tanning  Company  at  Bracebridge,  Canada,  which 
he  managed  successfully  for  nine  years,  when  they 
sold  to  Shaw  Bros,  lie  is  now  proprietor  of  the 
Tilsonburg  Tannery  at  Tilsonburg,  Canada,  where 

he  is  doing  a  line  business,  being  only  fifty-eight 
years  of  age,  thus  having  many  years  of  useful- 
ness before  bin.  His  wife,  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  Mis^  Margaret  Mann,  a  native  also  of 
Dundee.  Scotland.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Will- 
iam Mann.  who.  after  coming  to  Canada,  followed 
the  occupation  of  a  farmer  in  Lasheen. 

Nine  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alex- 
ander  Bremner,  James  being  the  eldest  but  one.  He 
was  reared  in  New  York  State  until  reaching  the  age 
of  ten  years,  when  bis  parents  removed  to  Canada. 

lie  attended  the  High  School  there  until  fifteen 
and  then  returning  to  the  States  was  apprenticed 
to  learn  tin'  plumber's  trade  in  Watertown,  X.  Y., 
and  which  occupation  he  followed  for  three  and 
one-half  years.  In  L880  he  went  to  Minneapolis. 
Minn.,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  and  attended 

night  scl 1  for  two  years.      He  later  took  a  course 

at  the  Commercial  College  and  in  1882  made  a  tour 
through  Washington,  Colorado,  Oregon,  Vancou- 
ver's Island,  then  visited  thecitiesof  Minneapolis, 
Dulutb  and  Chicago.  Then  he  went  to  Detroit 
where  he  remained  a  while,  then  to  Cadillac  in  which 
latter  place  he  remained  for  two  and  one-half  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1889  the  gentleman  of  whom 
this  sketch  is  written  came  to  Bay  City  w  here  be 
entered  the  employ  of  Clements,  then  Wheeler  A 
Co.  The  following  year  he  started  into  business 
for  himself  and  has  built  up  a  fine  trade,  having 
done  work  in  some  of  the  finest  buildings  in  Bay 
City,  lie  owns  two  lots  on  Mountain  Street  and 
erected  a  beautiful  residence  for  himself  in  1891. 
He  was  married  in  Ayre.  Canada.  February  23, 
1887  to  .Margaret  Crozier,  a  native  of  Canada.  Mr. 
Bremner  is  identified  with  a  number  of  social 
orders,  being  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Knights  of   the    Maccabees.      Religiously    he    is   ,-i 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


(529 


conscientious  and  active  member  of  the  Westmin- 
ster Presbyterian  Church  and  in  politics  is  a  true- 
blue  Republican.  Mr.  Bremner  is  oneof  the  repre- 
sentative men  of  West  Bay  City,  is  a  gentleman  of 
thorough  integrity,  enterprise  and  intelligence  and 
is  highly  prized  in  his  community. 


=©*> 


~7T  MOS  M.  SWITZER,  of  the  firm  of  Switzer 
&  Eastwood,  lumber  dealers,  has  been  m 
business  here  since  1870  and  liis  firm  has 
its  (kicks  on  the  river  near  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad,  lie  was  born  in  Quebec,  Canada, 
February  16,  1836,  and  his  parents  were  Amos  and 
Diana  (Switzer)  Switzer.  The  name  Amos  has 
been  in  the  family  for  some  eighl  or  ten  genera- 
tions, and  our  subject  lias  the  family  record  by 
which  he  is  tble  tu  trace  his  lineage  hack  to  1407, 
when  the  family  was  connected  with  the  Palatinate 
( lourt. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  civil  engineer 
and  was  born  at  Limerick.  Ireland.  Our  subject 
studied  in  the  grammar  school  at  Peterborough, 
Ontario,  and  again  at  Victoria  College  in  Cobourg, 
"after  which  the  family  removed  to  Norwich,  On- 
tario, and  our  subject  went  to  Vienna,  Ontario, 
and  there  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  with 
Wallace  &  Scott,  remaining  with  them  until  1860. 
At  that  time  he  came  to  the  States  and  spent  two 
years  at  Cleveland  and  two  years  at  Chicago,  and 
then  removed  to  Toledo,  where  he  remained  until 
1870.  During  all  that  time  he  was  engaged  in  the 
lumber  business  and  after  leaving  Toledo  he  came 
to  Lay  County  and  located  at  Kawkawliu, remain- 
ing with  ( ).  A.  Ballou  AT  Co.,  for  eight  years. 

When  he  left  Kawkawliu  Mr.  Switzer  came  to 
Lay  City  and  has  here  been  engaged,  first  in  inde- 
pendent business  and  afterward  in  company  with 
others  up  to  the  present  date.  The  firm  with  which 
he  is  now  associated  was  formed  in  August,  L881, 
and    thc\   are    doing   an  exclusively  wholesale  bus- 

ncss  and  handling  large  quantities  of  lumber.  Mr. 
Switzer  has  been,  and  still  is.  a  Democratic  Alder- 
man, although  elected  from  a  Republican  ward, 
the  Ninth  Ward  of  Bay  City,  which  is  one  of  the 


besl  a-  regards  character  and  standing.  He  is  also 
one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Bay  City  public  library 
and  helped  to  organize  the  Lumberman  State  Hank 
of  West  Bay  City  and  for  some  years  was  one  of 
its  directors. 

Our  subject  wrs  married  in  December,  1873,  to 
Miss  Josephine  Armstrong,  of  Toledo,  and  they 
have  two  daughters,  Grace  W.  and  Julia  Cranage, 
for  whose  thorough  education  and  training  they  are 
warmly  solicitous.  Mr.  Switzer  is  a  member  of  the 
Bay  City  Commandery  of  the  Knights  Templar. 


^ 


\H, 


;;:•;-:  :• 


OI1N  C.  NOTTINGHAM,  M.  1>.  We  here 
present  a  brief  biography  of  the  most  prom- 
inent phy~ieian  and  surgeon  of  the  Homeo- 
pathic School  in  Bay  City,  who  is  also  Presi- 
dent "f  the  Saginaw  Valley  .Medical  Society,  and 
worthy  of  honor  as  an  old  soldier  of  the  Civil 
War.  He  was  born  in  Muneie,  Ind..  February  5, 
1812,  and  his  father  .lames,  was  a  native  of  Ports- 
mouth, Ohio,  and  descended  from  Lord  Notting- 
ham, of  England. 

James  Nottingham  early  learned  the  trade  of  a 
cabinet-maker,  and  came  to  Indiana  when  a  boy. 
locating al  Muneie,  where  he  married  andatterward 
engaged  in  the  manufacturing  business.  In  1852 
he  removed  to  Grant  County.  Ind..  where  he  loca- 
ted on  a  farm  until  he  retired  from  active  life,  and 
for  the  education  of  his  children  made  his  home 
in  the  village  of  Jonesbot'O  and  there  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days, dying  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
six.  He  was  an  earnest  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  his  wife.  Nancy  Russell, 
was  a  Baptist  by  faith.  Her  father.  <  ).  M.  Russell. 
was  a  Welchman  who  became  a  pioneer  of  Muneie. 
and  died  there  at  the  age  of  ninety-eight.  His 
daughter  died  at  Muneie.  and  Mr.  Nottingham  was 
subsequently  married  a»ain.  <  )ur  subject  was  the 
child  of  the  first  marriage,  and  his  brother,  Owen 
I'.,  belonged  to  the  Fifty-fourth  Regiment,  Indiana 
Infantry,  and  served  for  three  years  in  the  Civil 
War. 

Having  had  his  early  training  in  Muneie,  John 
Nottingham  at  the  age  of  ten.  entered  the  Muneie 


r 


630 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Academy,  and  his  youth  was  spent  upou  the  farm, 
and  in  the besl  private  schools  "Inch  that  part  of 
the  stair  afforded.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  enlisted 
in  A iil; list.  1861,  in  Company  A.  Eighth  Indiana  In- 
fantry,and  was  sent  to  Missouri  where  the  regiment 
engaged  in  raiding  and  skirmishing  until  .March, 
L863.  This  young  soldier  tuck  part  i  o  engagements 
at  Pea  .Ridge,  Cotton  Plant,  Port  Gibson,  Champ. 
ion  Hills,  Jackson,  Big  Black,  Vicksburg,  Jackson, 
Ft.  Esperanza,  Harpers'  Ferry,  Winchester,  Fisher's 
Hill,  Cedar  Creek,  and  other  points.  He  received 
more  than  one  wound,  and  at  both  Winchester  and 
Cedar  Creels  was  in  command  of  Ins  company, 
being'  then  Orderly  Sergeant.  He  spent  some  time 
in  the  hospital,  and  was  taken  prisoner  and  kept 
for  four  weeks  at  Van  Buren,  Ark.,  after  which  he 
was  exchanged.  During  that  short  imprisonment 
he  suffered  the  pangs  of  hunger  and  was  almost 
starved.  He  had  to  take  a  march  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles,  and  after  his  return  to  the  Union 
forces,  the  ball  which  had  lain  in  his  left  hand 
through  all  that  time  of  trial  was  extracted  b\  the 
surgeon,  and  he  went  home  on  a  furlough.  Ili~ 
most  serious  wound  was  at  Cedar  (feck,  when  a 
ball  broke  the  bones  of  his  arm.  but  owing  to  his 
own  determination  and  the  skill  of  his  surgeon, 
the  arm  was  saved. 

This  brave  soldier  returned  home  in  .Inly.  1865, 
in  a  terribly  worn  and  exhausted  condition,  and 
after  recuperation  he  entered  the  Purdy  Commer- 
cial College  at  Indianapolis,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated, and  then  returned  home,  and  was  elected 
County  Treasurer  in  1866.  After  two  years  ser- 
vice in  thai  office  he  took  up  the  study  of  medi- 
cine, which  had  been  his  choice  fiom  boyhood. 
After  studying  by  himself  he  entered  in  IS71  the 
Bennett  Medical  College  of  Chicago,  and  gradu- 
ated therefrom  in  1873.  Dr.  Nottingham  took  up 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  Marion,  hid.,  until 
1882,  and  there  filled  the  office  of  County  Physi- 
cian. After  that  date  he  located  in  Bay  City 
which  has  been  his  center  of  operations  since  that 
time,  and  here  he  has  worked  up  a  large  practice. 
lie  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Saginaw  Val- 
ley Medical  Society,  and  a  member  of  the  Hay  City 
dispensary,  and  also  of  the  Grand  Army  Post  in 
Marion,  where  he  tilled   the  office  of  Commander. 


He  now  belongs  to  the  IT.  S.  Grant  Post  here,  and 
is  also  a  Free  and  Accepted  Mason,  and  a  Knight 
Templar  of  the  thirty-second  degree,  lie  is  prom- 
inent in  tin'  State  Homeopathic  Medical  Society, 
and  also  a  member  of  the  American  Institute  of 
Homeopathy.  His  political  views  bring  him  into 
active  alliance  with  the  rank  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  he  is  influential  in  this  direction. 


s^  IIAINCY      II.     SHEARER.      The     affable 
Teller  of  the  Hay  County  Savings    Bank,  to 


e 


i^T  which  position  he  has  been  promoted  in 
recognition  of  his  business-like  qualities,  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  stands  above.  He  has  held 
his  prcMiil  post  in  the  bank  since  its  incorporation 
in  L884.  Mr.  Shearer  was  born  in  Detroit.  Decem- 
ber 11.  1858,  and  is  a  son  of  James  Shearer,  whose 
biographical  sketch  will  be  found  on  another  page 
of  this  Record.  Our  subjeel  was  but  seven  years 
old  when  his  family  removed  to  Bay  City.  Here 
he  received  the  rudiments  of  his  education  and 
graduated  from  the  High  School. 

On  finishing  his  preparatory  course  and  passing 
satisfactorily  and  with  honor  an  examination,  he 
entered  Cornell  V ill  versity  at  Ithaca.  X.  V..  and  re- 
mained at  that  inst  itution  for  two  years.  While 
there,  meeting  young  men  from  all  portions  of 
the  country  and  indeed  of  the  globe,  our  sub- 
ject was  inevitably  broadened  ami  his  outlook. 
even  upon  business  life,  was  much  more  extended 
than  it  otherwise  would  have  been.  Returning 
home  he  entered  the  real-estate  firm  of  .lames 
Shearer  ^  Son,  which  was  finally  changed  to  the 
name  of  Shearer  Bros.,  he  becoming  one  of  the 
managers,  the  linn  being  our  subject.  George 
Henry,  and  James  B.  Shearer.  His  connection  with 
them  lasted  until  after  entering  the  bank.  They 
did  a  very  large  real-estate  business  in  the  city, 
but  our  subject  now  gives  his  whole  attention  to. 
and  his  interests  center  exclusively  in  the  bank. 

Chauncy  II.  Shearer  was  united  in  marriage 
\pril  6,  L880,  to  Miss  M.  Louise,  daughter  of 
Chailes  (;.  Deslllei'.Of  Columbus.  Ohio.      Two  chil- 


^^ 


1^1    -v-  O-t     <- 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


633 


dren  have  graced  this  union,  both  daughters,  who 
bear  the  names  of  Margaret  E.,  and  Marie  Louise 
D.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shearer  are  worshipers  at  the 
Trinity  Episcopal  Church,  and  are  numbered 
among  the  prominent  young  supporters  of  that  de- 
nomination. They  have  a  lovely  home  in  the 
Bnesl  portion  of  the  city  and  it  is  located  at  No. 
Kil.")  Center  Street. 


3-5-5--J--5- 


^ittt^ 


(F^ARRISON  COLEMAN,  one  of  the  promi- 
If  ji)  nent  men  of  Saginaw,  was  horn  in  Conesus, 
HkJP  Livingston  County,  N.  Y.,  May  30,  1840, 
({{§))  and  is  a  >on  of  David  and  Elsie  (Gray) 
Coleman,  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  both  now 
living  at  the  old  homestead  in  New  York.  Our 
subject  is  one  of  four  brothers  and  seven  sisters. 
ami  one  of  these  sisters,  Mrs.  .1.  .1.  Harvey,  is  now 
living  in  Saginaw.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  this 
young  man  enlisted  in  August,  18(12,  in  Company 
I,  One  Hundred  Thirty-sixth  New  York  Infantry. 
During  the  first  year  of  service  this  regiment 
was  attached  to  the  Eleventh  Corps  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  and  was  in  the  battle  of  the  Wil- 
derness under  Hooker  and  in  the  Gettysburg  cam- 
paign, but  was  afterward  detailed  on  service  at  El- 
mira.  N.  Y.,  for  nine  months.  Mr.  Coleman  wasun- 
der  Gen.  Sherman  at  Chattanooga  and  continued 
with  him  through  that  campaign  and  tookpartin 
the  Grand  Review  at  the  National  Capital,  after 
which  he  returned  home.  He  came  to  1  [owell,  Mich.. 
with  . I.  .1.  Harvey  and  engaged  in  the  hotel  and  liv- 
ery  business  for  two  years,  but  in  1«(!7  they  came  to 
Saginaw  and  established  themselves  in  the  livery 
business  on  Germania  and  Eraulein  Streets,  where 
they  continued  for  twelve  years.  At  the  death  of 
the  pioneer  liveryman,  A.  W.  Gates,  they  purchased 
his  Mock  and  stables  and  also  secured  the  property 
where  .1.  .1.  Harvey  is  now  located. 

Messrs.  Coleman  it  Harvey  began  the  undertak- 
ing business  sixteen  years  ago  but  in  1879  our  sub- 
ject  purchased   Mr.    Harvey's  interest  and  is  now 

carrying  on  the  business  of  fi ral  director  as  well 

as  undertaker  and    liveryman.      His    barn     is    two 
stories  in  height  and  measures  60x120  feet.     The 
29 


stable  is  60x66  feet  and  the  store  20x80,  and  he  has 
in  addition  a  morgue  and  a  vault.  His  property 
fronts  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  on  Washington 
Street,  with  sixty  feet  on  Water  Street  and  one 
hundred  and  twenty  feet  on  Tuscola  Street.  lie 
has  some  *l."i.(MI(l  invested  in  the  business,  besides 
his  residence,  which  cosl  $5,000  and  is  one  of  the 
handsomest,  and  most  commodious  in  the  city. 

The  undertaking  department  of  Mr.  Coleman's 
business  is  in  charge  of  W.  Frazee,  who  has  been 
identified  with  it  for  sixteen  years.  As  a  funeral 
director,  no  man  can  surpass  him  and  everything 
in  connection  with  his  business  is  carried  on  accor- 
ding to  the  most  approved  methods  and  with  the 
utmosl  convenience  to  customers.  The  Super- 
intendent of  the  livery  is  E.  G.  White,  who  has 
served  here  for  eleven  years.  Histhree  hearses  are 
of  superior  make  and  one  of  them  is  considered 
the  finest  in  Michigan,  as  it  cost  over  $1,500,  and 
a  number  of  his  coaches  cost  over  $1,000  each.  At 
tins  stable  arc  some  thirty  carriage  outfits  and 
about  thirty  horses.  Air.  Coleman's  reception 
rooms  are  large  and  finely  finished  and  admirably 
adapted  for  the  purpose  of  funerals,  many  of  which 
are  held  here. 

Mr.  Coleman  lias  ever  been  a  lover  of  fast  horses, 
although  not  a  breeder;  is  one  of  the  oiiginatorsof 
the  old  East  Saginaw  Trotting  Association,  and 
was  its  Secretary  for  nine  years.  This  was  one  of 
the  leading  associations  of  the  country  and  on  its 
tracks  "Goldsmith  Maid"  first  became  queen  of  the 
turf,  beating'1  Dexter 's"  time  and  becoming  cham- 
pion of  the  world.  Mr.  Coleman  is  also  interested 
in.  and  for  one  year  was  Secretary  of  the  Union 
Park,  of  Saginaw,  which,  in  1891,  had  the  fastesl 
seven-heat  race  ever  trotted  over  any  course.  His 
advancement  has  been  constant  and  unbroken,  as  he 
came  here  a  poor  man  and  owes  his  Splendid  Success 
in  business  to  close  application  and  a  constant  effort 
to  please  his  Customers.  lie  is  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Hoard  of  Trade  and  stands  high  among 
Savinaw's  best  business  men. 

Our  subject  was  married  January  15,  I867,athis 
old  home  in  New  York  to  Minerva  Thomas,  of 
Livingston  County.  X.  V..  a  lady  of  refinement 
and  a  great  favorite  in  Saginaw  society.  Mr.  Cole- 
man   has    never  been  a  politician,  but   is  connected 


631 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


with  several  of  the  social  orders,  being  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  <>f  the  Chapter  and 
Knights  Templar,  and  an  official  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of    the  Republic. 

In  connection  with  this  biographical  sketch  will 
be  noticed  a  portrait  of  Mr.  Coleman. 


I — -j  RED  WARD  STONE,  editor  of  the  Saginaw 
I— (s)  Evening  News,  was  born  at  Niagara,  Onta- 
[[  rio,  Canada,  July  L,  1862.  Heattended  the 
districl  school  and  worked  on  a  farm  during  vaca- 
tions, and  later  entered  the  High  School  at  Niag- 
ara. His  father  was  a  clergyman  and  in  1874  the 
son  accompanied  his  parents  to  Michigan,  where 
they  settled  in  Fenton,  Genesee  County. 

In  1886  this  young  man  was  graduated  from 
Kalamazoo  College  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Arts,  and  he  had  in  the  meantime  also  taken  a 
course  in  a  business  college  and  had  done  some 
newspaper  work,  lie  spent  two  seasons  a- a  com- 
mercial traveler  and  was  also  a  reporter  in  the 
Michigan  Legislature,  during  the  session  of  1887. 
In  the  spring  of  1888  he  entered  the  office  of  the 
Kalamazoo  Telegraph  where  he  remained  for  two 
years  and  a  half  and  also  did  other  newspaper 
work. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Stone  look  place  in  August, 
1889,  and  he  was  then  united  witli  Mis>  Lizzie  I.. 
Warrant,  of  Kalamazoo.  In  November,  1890,  be 
removed  to  Saginaw  and  became  managing  editor 
of  the  "Evening  News.  lie  is  also  secretary  of  the 
company  which  owns  and  publishes  that  paper  and 
the  Weekly  News,  besides  having  business  interests 
elsewhere.  He  has  proved  himself ,  although  still  a 
young  man.  one  of  the  enterprising  and  influential 
citizens  of  Saginaw. 

The  Evening  News  first  appeared  as  a  six-column 
quarto,  May  2,  1881,  and  was  published  by  Messrs. 
Seeman  &  Peters.  The  first  is>ue  was  printed  on  a 
pony  job  press,  hut  better  facilities  were  soon 
added  and  the  paper  grew  in  circulation  and  influ- 
ence. In  due  time  the  size  of  the  paper  was  in- 
creased t<>  eight  pages, and  June  8,  1887, the  Weekly 


News  was  started.  Both  papers  were  sold  by  the 
original  owners  November  12,  1890,  to  the  Saginaw 
Evening  News  Company,  which  is  composed  of 
practical  newspapermen  and  is  officered  as  follows: 
President,  Eugene  McSweeney;  Vice  President. 
J.  T  Winship:  Secretary,  F.  W.  Stone;  Treasurer, 
G.  II.  Gardner. 

The  Evening  News  owns  the  afternoon  franchises 
for  both  the  associated  press  and  the  united  press 
reports,  besides  employing  a  competent  corps  of 
special  correspondents.  I'nder  its  new  owners  this 
paper  is  being  rapidly  improved  and  is  broadly  ex- 
tending its  held.  The  jVeekly  News  is  issued  every 
Wednesday  and  circulates  all  over  Northern  Mich- 
igan. Both  papers  are  strongly  Democratic  and 
influential  in  shaping  the  policy  of  the  party. 


_3 


^+^1 


-\  EV.  GEORGE  W.  (ARSON.   Although  com- 
L-/    bining  the  dual  occupations  of  a  tilier  of 

Y  the  soil  and  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  Mr. 
Carson  finds  abundant  time  for  the  duties 
of  both  callings,  and  is  widely  known  as  a  promi- 
nent fanner  and  a  successful  preacher  of  Saginaw 
County.  His  home  is  a  pleasant  residence  in 
Richland  Township,  where  he  owns  thirty-eight 
acres  of  good  land,  and  he  is  also  the  owner  of 
a  tine  block  in  Chesaning.  He  is  the  son  of  Sam- 
uel and  Elizabeth  (Wllloughby)  Carson,  who  were 
of  Irish  and  Welsh  descent  respectively.  His  pa- 
ternal grandfather  was  Robert  Carson,  who  was  a 
soldier  through  the  Revolutionary  War.  The 
members  of  tin'  *  arson  family,  so  far  as  the  rec- 
ord extends,  have  been  principally  farmers  and 
people  of  worth  and  enterprise. 

In  Ohio  the  parents  of  our  subject  made  a  per- 
manent home,  tesiding  first  in  Harrison  County 
and  later  in  Seneca  County,  where  the  mother 
died  in  1865,  and  the  father  in  1866.  Of  their 
eleven  children,  tell  grew  to  years  of  maturity, 
and  nine  engaged  as  teachers.  Six  now  survive. 
Samuel  (arson  was  a  member  of  the  Protestant 
Methodist  Church,  to  which  his  wife  also  belonged, 
and  in  which  she  was  an  active  worker.  lie  was  a 
Colonel   in  the  State  militia  and  was  active  in  poli- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


635 


tic-  as  a  Whig,  taking  a  prominent  part  in  sup- 
porting William  Henry  Harrison  for  President  in 
1840.  In  Seneca  County,  where  his  influence  was 
considerable,  he  was  County  Commissioner  and 
held  other  offices  of  minor  importance.  When  he 
first  settled  in  that  county  he  purchased  three 
hundred  and  twenty  aire-  (if  unimproved  land. 
which  he  embellished  with  first-class  buildings. 
lie  also  planted  a  good  orchard,  and  continued  to 
improve  the  place  until  his  death. 

December  21.  l«2ii.  our  subject  wa-  horn  in 
Harrison  County,  Ohio.  While  young  he  removed 
with  his  father  to  Seneca  County,  and  there  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education.  Having  been 
reared  on  a  farm,  he  gained  a  practical  knowledge 
of  the  best  way  of  carrying  "ii  agricultural  pur- 
suits, and  remained  at  home  until  after  he  was 
twenty-one  year-  old.  lie  learned  the  trade  of  a 
carpenter,  at  which  he  served  an  apprenticeship  "I 
three  year-,  and  then  found  employment  at  his 
calling  for  eight  succeeding  years.  He  was  mar- 
ried. January  1.  1853,  i"  Miss  Catherine  Moore,  a 
native  of  Ohio,  who  was  a  teacher  prior  to  her 
marriage.  Of  the  eighl  children  born  of  this  union, 
four  now  survive,  the  parents  having  Lost  three  in 
the  space  of  eleven  days.  John  F.,  the  eldest 
child,  is  married  and  lives  in  South  Dakota:  he 
now  ha-  an  appointment  from  the  Government  to 
teach  an  Indian  school  in  the  Indian  Territory. 
Ro-a  Ella,  the  wife  of  L.Sanderson  and  the  mother 
of  four  children,  make-  her  home  in  Richland 
Township;  George  Ii.  married  Maggie  Currie,  and 
lives  in  (  hesaning;  Martha  Belle  is  the  wife  of 
Johnson  Currie.  of  Fremont  Township,  and  they 
have  two  children.  The  mother  of  these  children 
died  May  23,  1865. 

Mr.  Carson  was  again  married  December  lit. 
1X71.  hi-  wife  being  Catharine  Ann  (Best)  Crane, 
a  native  of  Canada.  At  the  time  of  her  marriage 
to  Mr.  Carson  -he  was  a  widow  and  had  one  child, 
now  deceased.  She  was  born  June  11.  1836,  to 
Conrad  and  Catharine  (Loucks)  Best,  the  former 
a  native  of  Germany  and  I  he  latter  of  Vermont. 
The\  resided  in  Canada,  when'  he  engaged  in 
farming,  and  where  he  died  in  1861.  Mr-.  Besl 
survived  until  1885.  They  were  the  parents  of 
nine  children,  six  of  whom   are  now  living.     One 


child  blessed  the  congenial  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Carson,  a  daughter.  Effie,  who  died  August  23, 
Ism;,  aged  ten  years,  four  month.-  and  three  days. 
Effie  wa-  a  remarkably  bright  and  beautiful  child, 
the  pride  of  her  parent-,  and  already  well  known 
for  her  tahnt  for  singing.  Although  Mr-.  Carson 
has  never  had  hut  two  children  of  her  own.  she 
has  taken  the  pari  of  a  mother  to  twenty-one  chil- 
dren, whom  she  has  reared  to  maturity,  and  her 
kindness  oi  heart  and  love  for  children  are  well 
known  in  Saginaw  County. 

For  live  years  Mr.  Carson  followed  farming  in 
Ohio,  whence  he  removed  to  Michigan  in  Janu- 
ary. 1867,  settling  in  Brady  Township,  this  county, 
upon  a  new  and  heavily  timbered  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acre-,  of  thi-  he  cleared  and 
cultivated  eighty  acre-,  and  there  built  a  barn, 
10x60  feet  in  dimensions,  and  a  residence.  After 
making  it  his  home  eight  years,  he  removed  to 
Richland  Township  and  settled  on  section  13.  In 
1888  he  removed  to  his  present  location.  Mrs. 
(  arson  <  wns  an  eighty-acre  farm  and  they  are  in 
comfortable  circumstances.  In  religious  belief 
Air.  Carson  and  hi-  estimable  wife  are  both  mem- 
bers  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  which 
denomination  he  ha-  of  ten  officiated  at  funerals 
and  marriages,  besides  being  popular  as  a  preacher. 
He  nulled  with  tin  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  when 
twenty  years  of  age  and  wa-  ordained  to  preach 
in  that  denomination.  Mrs.  Carson  is  teacher  of 
the  Bible  class  in  the  Sunday-school  in  Hemlock 
(  ity,  al-o  Presidenl  of  the  Ladies' Aid  Society. 
and  formerly  was  connected  with  the  Good  Temp- 
lars' Lodge. 

Socially  Mr.  Carson  is  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellow,-,  and  in  hi-  political 
preference  F  a  Republican.  He  has  served  a-  Su- 
pervisor of  Brady  Township  two  years,  and  of 
Richland  Township  four  year-.  lie  is  interested 
in  educational  affairs  and  has  served  as  School 
Director.  A  gifted  speaker  and  eloquent,  he  has 
frequently  been  called  upon  to  deliver  patriotic 
and  political  addresses,  and  while  on  tin?  County 
Board  made  a  telling  speech  in  favor  of  building 
the  Court  House  in  Saginaw.  He  is  honored  a-  a 
veteran  of  the  late  war,  in  which  he  and  three 
brothers  served  with   valor.     He  was   in  Company 


636 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


C,  <  toe  Hundred  and  Sixty-fourth  Ohio  Infantry, 
in  which  he  served  a>  Duty  Sergeant,  and  was 
stationed  with  his  company  at  Arlington  Heights, 
Va.  lie  was  honorably  discharged  in  August, 
1864,  and  returned  home  with  a  record  of  which 
his  friends  ma}'  be  justly  proud. 


p=3,DWIN  PARK.  There  is  no  resident  of  Sagi- 
7*j  naw  Valley  who  i-  more  highly  esteemed 
_-<   than  this   gentleman,  who   since    1  s  { 7  has 


made  his  home  in  Bay  City,  and  therefore  justly 
merits  the  honored  name  of  pioneer.  When  he 
came  here  there  wen-  neither  railroads  nor  wagon 
roads,  and  many  a  time  has  he  walked  the  entire 
distance  from  Bay  City  to  Flint,  or  to  his  fisheries 
at  Au  Sable.  Although  he  lias  met  with  misfor- 
tunes in  his  business  adventures,  his  sawmills  hav- 
ing been  burned  to  the  ground  on  three  different 
occasions,  he  has  retrieved  hi-  losses  to  a  consider- 
able extent  and  now  possesses  sufficient  of  this 
world's  goods  to  enable  him  to  pas-  his  declining 
years  in  comfort. 

The  family  of  which  Mr.  Park  is  a  member 
traces  its  ancestry  to  England.  His  father.  Will- 
iam, was  born  in  Massachusetts  and  was  an  early 
settler  of  Tioga  County.  N.  Y ..  where  he  engaged 
in  farming  operations.  A  devoted  adherent  of 
our  Government,  he  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812.  In  1824  he  located  in  Ithaca.  X.  Y.. 
where  he  died  two  years  later  of  consumption, 
being  at  that  time  only  thirty-five  years  old.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Bernice  Whiting,  and  who  was  born  in  Massachu- 
setts; was  a  daughter  of  William  Whiting,  a  farmer 
in  the  old  Bay  state,  whence  lie  emigrated  to  New 
York.  Upon  the  mother,  who  was  a  lady  of  great 
refinement  and  splendid  information,  devolved 
the  care  of  the  seven  children  comprising  her 
family.  She  was  twice  married  after  the  death  of 
Mr.  Park  and  spent  her  last  years  in  Tioga  County, 
X.  Y..  where  she  was  tenderly  cared  for  by  our 
subject. 

The    only   surviving    member    of    the    family. 


Edwin  Park,  was  born  November  5,  1822,  in 
Speedsville,  X.  Y.  He  was  a  mere  child  when  he 
was  orphaned  by  hi-  father's  death,  after  which 
sad  event  lie  was  taken  into  the  home  of  a  Mr. 
Williams,  of  Tioga  County,  and  there  remained 
for  several  years,  assisting  in  farming  operations. 
When  he  was  sixteen  his  benefactor  died  and  he 
managed  the  farm  for  one  year,  after  which  he 
worked  out  until  the  fall  of  1842.  At  that  early 
date  in  the  history  of  this  State  Mr.  Park  came 
hither,  stopping  first  in  Detroit  and  theme  suc- 
cessively visiting  Chicago,  Ottawa.  Buffalo  and 
Pontiac,  where  he  seemed  employment  on  farms. 
In  tlic  spring  of  1846  he  came  to  Thunder  Bay 
Island,  where  for  one  year  he  engaged  in  fishing, 
and  then,  in   lMf7,  located  in  Bay  City. 

Forming  a  partnership  with  C.  Munger  in  the 
fishing  business  on  Thunder  Bay,  Mr.  Park  was 
thus  engaged  until  the  fall  of  1848,  when  he  es- 
tablished a  store  on  Water  Street,  between  Fourth 
and  Fifth  Streets.  The  store  which  he  built  was 
a  frame  structure  with  good  docks,  and  was  well 
supplied  with  a  full  line  of  general  merchandise. 
He  made  a  specialty  of  buying  and  selling  fish, 
which  be  shipped  to  various  points  in  the  Fast. 
During  the  early  part  of  1852  he  went  to  Lake 
Superior  in  a  sail  boat  for  the  purpose  of  trying 
the  fishing,  and  landing  at  Eagle  Harbor,  con- 
tinued there  until  June  of  the  same  year,  when  he 
sojourned  on  [sle  Royal  for  a  few  months.  In 
1854  A.  Munger  was  taken  into  the  firm,  which 
continued  successfully  in  business  until  I860 
when  Mr.  Park  sold  hiss^pre  and  for  a  twelvemonth 
was  landlord  of  the  Wolverton  Hotel. 

Later  Mr.  Park,  together  with  Mr.  Munger.  oper- 
ated a  farm,  and  in  1862  the  former  gentleman 
embarked  in  business  as  a  tug  and  vessel  man, 
continuing  thus  engaged  for  six  years.  He  owned 
at  one  time  three  tugs  and  oarges,  which  he  later 
sold  in  order  to  engage  in  the  lumber  business  at 
Ilatton.  He  first  purchased  a  mill  and  later  built 
a  sawmill,  which  unfortunately  burned  down  in 
less  than  one  year  after  its  erection.  Nor  was 
this  his  only  loss,  for  one  year  later  his  shingle 
mill  was  destroyed  l>\  tire  and  January  1,  1891,  a 
mill  which  he  had  fitted  up  with  Bret-class  ma- 
chinery was  burned    to  the  ground.     After  meet- 


•  ja* 


;- 


} 


(V  n  #y>n  £  t  J    /ko^  c{ 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL 'RECORD. 


i;:;:i 


ing  with  continued  heavy  losses  by  lire,  he  ceased 
operations  in  the  lumber  business  in  L891,  and  is 
new  retired  from  the  duties  which  formerly  en- 
gaged his  entire  attention. 

Besides  considerable  wild  land  which  Mr.  Park 
owns,  he  also  holds  some  real  estate  in  Hay  City 
and  owns  a  beautiful  residence  on  the  corner  of 
Fourth  and  Adam  Streets.  This  dwelling,  which 
he  erected  in  1855,  he  still  occupies,  and  it  has 
been  his  home  since  a  short  time  after  his  marriage. 
His  wedded  life,  which  began  August  11.  1852,  by 
his  marriage  to  Miss  Theresa  Wells,  is  of  great 
happiness.  Mrs.  Park  is  the  daughter  of  William 
and  Persis  (Dunham)  Wells,  natives  of  the  Em- 
pire State,  where  their  daughter  was  also  horn. 
Three  children  came  to  bless  the  union  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Park — William,  who  died  a1  the  ageof  twenty 
years;  Bernice,  who  remains  at  home  with  her  fa- 
ther; and  Jennie,  the  wife  of  David  Hurst,  train- 
master on  the  Michigan  Central  Road  in  Bay  City. 

While  his  private  affairs  have  engaged  Mr. 
Talk's  attention  very  closely,  he  has  never  re- 
fused  his  aid  to  public  enterprises  for  the  welfare 
of  the  city.  lie  has  always  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket  and  is  a  devoted  adherent  to  the  principles 
of  that  party.  He  has  served  as  Alderman  of  the 
Second  Ward  for  three  terms  and  tilled  other  po- 
sitions of  responsibility.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Royal  Arcanum  and  the  Order  of  Chosen  Friends, 
and  socially  is  a  most  agreeable  companion  and 
entertaining  con versiitionalist. 


l(— =jr>RANCIS  HOOD,  the  owner  and  proprietor 
:>  of  two  stave  mills,  is  justly  numbered 
among  the  influential  citizens  of  Saginaw. 
He  belongs  t"  the  class  which  forms  so  large  a  per- 
cent of  the  population  of  the  United  states,  of  for- 
eign-bora citizens.  A  native  of  Prussia,  Germany, 
he  was  born  December  23,  1826,  and  is  the  son  of 
Henry  and  Magdalena  (Miller)  Hood,  natives  of 
the  Fatherland,  who  passed  their  entire  life  in 
Germany.  In  the  family  there  were  live  children 
two  daughters  and  three  sons,  and  of  these  Francis 
was  the  youngest.  He  passed  his  youth  in  Germany 


1  availed  himself  to  the  utmost  of  the  excellent 

opportunities  for  gaining  a  good  education. 

At    the    ageof    thirteen    years   our    subject    left 
school  and  afterward    devoted    his    time  to  aiding 
his  father  in  the  farm  work    until  he  was  nineteen, 
when  he  emigrated    to  the   United  States  and  after 
an  uneventful  voyage  landed  in  Quebec.     Thence 
he  proceeded   to  Cleveland.    Ohio,  at    which  place 
he  spent  eight  months.      From  there  he  removed  to 
( (swego,  N.  Y.,  where  he  spent  two  years  in  learn- 
ing and  following  the  cooper's  trade.     For  a  time 
he  traveled  as  a    journeyman   and   visited  various 
portions  of  the  Empire  State,  stoppingm  Waterloo 
and  engaging  in   business  as  a  cooper  on  his  own 
account.     Between  the    years    1852   and    1874    he 
resided    in    Dresden.     Yates   County,   N.    Y.,    and 
was  employed  in  coopering  and  the  stave  business. 
In    1874    Mr.    Hood    left    the    Umpire  State   and 
coming  to  Michigan  started   a    mill,    first    in    St. 
Charles.   Saginaw    County,  and   three   years   later 
moved  his   family   from  New  York  State  to  Sagi- 
naw City,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and  engaged 
in  manufacturing  staves  and  heading,  operating 
six   mills  at   one  time,   located   at    the    following 
places:     St.    Charles,    Oakley,    Men  ill,   Saginaw 
County;   Reese,  Caro,  Tuscola   County;    Wheeler, 
Gratiot  County.     Having  sold  four,  he  now  owns 
two,  one  at  Merrill  and  the  other  at   Wheeler.     He 
markets  at  Philadelphia  and  throughout  the  United 
States  as  far  West  as  San  Francisco.      His  mills  are 
supplied   with    the    latest  and    best   improved    ma- 
chinery,  and    one   hundred    men    find   steady  em- 
ployment   in    the    two   establishments.      The  daily 
output  is  from   forty  thousand  to  fifty   thousand 
staves,  and  about  Ave  thousand  set  of  headings. 

He  was  first  married  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Brown. 
of  Dresden,  N.  Y..  who  left  at  her  death  one  child, 
Emma,  now  Mrs.  M.  J.  Gardner,  of  Reese.  The 
second  wife  of  Mr.  Hood  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Mary  II.  Fllis,  and  was  the  mother  of  t  wo  children 
Henry  and  Frank.  In  1889  Mr.  Hood  was  married 
to  Miss  Jennie  Murray.  Mr.  Hood  is  a  stockholder 
and  Director  in  the  Commercial  National  Bank  at 
Saginaw  and  owns  two  farms  in  this  county  as  well 
as  a  line  place  in  New  York  State  the  estates  lieiiiLl 
well  improved  anil  lineh  cultivated. 

In  the  best  sense  of  the  word.  Mr.  Hood  may  be 


640 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


termed  a  self-made  man,  for  when  he  landed  in 
Cleveland.  Ohio,  his  entire  worldly  possessions 
consisted  of  twenty  shillings  and  the  first  employ- 
ment which  he  secured  wasat$5  per  month  during 
the  winter  season.  Through  the  exen-i.se  of  excel- 
lent judgment  and  shrewd  investments,  he  has 
accumulated  a  large  property  and  become  prosper- 
ous. He  has  an  attractive  home  a1  No.  820  Cleve- 
land Street  and  lias  given  to  his  children  splendid 
advantages  besides  aiding  them  financially  when 
they  started  outin  life  for  themselves.  In  his  pol 
itical  affiliations  he  is  independent  and  is  a  hearty 
supporter  of  even'  measure  having  for  its  aim  the 
development  of  the  county's  best  resources. 

In  connection    with  this   sketch    will  lie  found  a 
lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Hood. 


-5- 


§Me-«6 


(Q>^ 


ftfOHN  MULHOLLAND.  It  has  been  the 
pleasant  privilege  of  the  biographical  writer 
to  present  to  the  notice  of  the  reader  in 
Other  portions  of  this  volume  an  outline  of 
the  personal  histories  of  several  officials  of  the  Bay 
County  Savings  Bank.  This  hook  would  not  lie 
complete  without  mention  of  its  genial  Treasurer. 
John  Mulholland. 

The  Bay  County  Savings  Bank  is  well  known 
throughout  the  Stale  :is  one  of  the  most  reliable 
monetary  institutions.  The  utility  of  savings 
banks  as  agents  for  the  promotion  of  thrift  among 
all  classes,  especially  with  those  of  modest  means, 
and  aiding  their  securing  financial  independence, 
is  unquestioned,  ami  to  supply  such  aids  to  the  in- 
dustrious residents  of  Bay  County  and  vicinity, 
was  the  Bay  County  Savings  Bank  established.  It 
was  organized  in  February.  1884,  ami  commenced 
operations  on  the  5th  of  March  following.  It  was 
at  once  successful  and  success  ha-  accompanied  its 
career  ever  since. 

The  bank  occupies  eleganl  premises  at  No.  202 
Phoenix  Block,  which  is  on  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  Center  Avenues.  Bay  City,  and  is  one 
of  the  most  conveniently  located  business  blocks 
in  the  city.  The  rules  of  the  bank  provide  for 
the  payment  of  interest    to   the    depositors    at    the 


rate  of  four  per  cent,  per  annum,  and  deposits 
made  on  or  prior  to  the  fifth  day  of  the  month 
draw  interest  from  the  first  of  that  month,  and 
when  made  after  the  fifth,  interest  begins  on  the 
first  day  of  the  succeeding  month  on  all  sums  de- 
posited for  at   least  three  months. 

The  solid  character  of  the  above  institution  is 
expressed  in  its  annual  report,  rendered  January 
1.  1892.  which  showed  tin-  capital  stock  to  be  $50,- 
ooo.  with  a  surplus  of  $25,000,  an  undivided  profit 
of  $5,000,  and  deposits  approximating  $400,000^ 
and  it  is  further  emphasized  by  the  fact  that  the 
bank  has  paid  semi-annual  dividends  of  five  per 
cent,  to  stockholders  since  the  first  year  of  its  or- 
ganization. The  present  officers  are  as  follows: 
Thomas  Cranage,  President;  G.  Henry  Shearer, 
Nice  President;  John  Mulholland,  Treasurer;  and 
its  Board  of  Directors  consisting  of  Thomas  Cran- 
age, G.  Henry  Shearer,  Darwin  ('.  Smalley.  II.  M. 
Gillett,  Gustavus  Iline,  Newell  A.  Eddy  and  John 
Mulholland.  Our  subject  gives  his  undivided  at- 
tention to  the  affairs  of  the  bank,  in  which  line  his 
experience  peculiarly  fits  him.  having  been  con- 
nected with  the  First.  National,  formerly  Bay  Na- 
tional Bank,  for  fourteen  years,  and  was  one  of  the 
principal  organizers  of  the  Bay  County  Savings 
Bank.  The  bank  is  one  of  the  soundest  in  the 
West,  and  its  management  is  a  guarantee  of  its 
solvency  and  business  methods. 

To  return  to  a  more  personal  consideration  of 
our  subject,  outside  of  his  relations  with  the  bank 
— Mr.  Mulholland  was  bom  in  Ann  Arbor.  August 
22,  1844,  where  he  received  his  education.  He 
came  to  Bay  City  in  March,  1869,  and  was  em- 
ployed in  the  Bay  National  Bank  for  fourteen 
years.  During  that  time  he  held  the  positions 
tiist  of  book-keeper  and  then  of  teller. 

Mr.  Mulholland  remained  with  the  First,  or  Bay- 
National  Bank,  until  the  organization  of  the  pres- 
ent institution  and  has  since  given  it  his  undi- 
vided attention  —  not  a  draft  on  any  other  bank 
and  not  a  signature  that  he  should  make  has 
been  deputized  to  anyone  else.  There  is  such  a 
thing  as  having  a  natural  aptitude  for  the  bank- 
ing business,  and  not  all  men  can  be  successful  in 
this  department  any  more  than  in  other  walks  of  life. 
Our  subject  possesses  natural  talent  for  the  busi- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


641 


ness,  and  besides  being  a  practical,  keen  and 
shrewd  business  man.  has  aided  in  shaping  the  pol- 
icy of  the  bank,  together  with  its  Directors,  prom- 
inent among  whom  are  its  President,  Thomas 
Cranage,  and  II.  M.  Gillette  (the  bank's  attor- 
ney), upon  whom  Mr.  Mulholland  relies  implic- 
itly, both  as  to  their  judgmenl  and  to  their  dis- 
interested advice  to  others.  Our  subject  is  per- 
sonally interested  in  Bay  City  real  estate  in  con- 
nection with  Shearer  Urns. 


§^MIi^-^fII§*il= 


-. 


OUIS  MORITZ.  The  brewing  industry  is 
fast  ranking  among  the  most  important  in 
this  great  country.  Its  owners  employ  a 
vast  amount  of  the  cereals  in  the  manufacture  of 
their  beverages.  Bay  City  has  a  large  brewing 
establishment,  which  was  incorporated  under  the 
laws  of  the  State.  January  1.  Ink:!,  and  of  this  our 
subject  is  Superintendent.  Mr.  Moritz  was  born  at 
Port  Washington,  Wis.,  May  12,  is.").".,  lie  is  a  son 
of  Jacob  and  Barbara  (Hoefner)  Moritz,  his  father 
being  a  German  by  birth,  and  a  brewer  in  our  sub- 
ject's native  place. 

Louis  Moritz  received  the  rudiments  of  his  edu- 
cation in  his  native  place.  He  was  then  placed  in 
Engleman's  School  in  Milwaukee,  after  which  he 
siient  live  years  in  Europe.  He  had  learned  his 
father's  business  and  during  the  years  of  his  travel 
abroad  spent  much  time  in  noting  the  methods  em- 
ployed in  the  noted  breweries  of  Europe,  and  on 
returning  to  Milwaukee  entered  the  employ  of 
Philip  Best,  being  in  the  malt  house.  After  that 
he  was  employed  as  brewer  for  K.  Schreir.  of  She- 
boygan, Wis.  He  remained  with  him  as  brewer  for 
four  years. 

On  the  organization  of  the  brewing  company  in 
Bay  City  Mr.  Moritz  wasoffered  the  position  which 
he  now  holds  and  has  been  Superintendent  ever 
Since.  He  has  also  had  charge  of  the  rebuilding  of 
the  plant.  They  now  have  a  capacity  of  thirty 
thousand  barrels  per  year  ami  give  employment  to 

eighteen  men  at  one  ti Mr.  Moritz    being    the 

only  practical  brewer  in  connection  with  the  linn, 
gives  his  whole  personal    attention  to  the   business. 


lie  has,  however,  extensive  outside  interests,     lie 

is  pail  owner  of  the  barges  "Arizona"  and  "Ply- 
mouth," which  are  extensive  carriers  of  coal  and 
ore. 

Socially  our  subject  belongs  to  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  also  to  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees,  to  the  Arbeiter  and  Druids.  He  is  a, 
member  of  the  Board  of  Water  Works  and  is  now- 
serving  his  sixth  year,  representing  the  Fifth 
Ward.  Our  subject  has  a  very  pleasant  home 
which  is  located  on  Twenty-third  and  McCormick 
Streets,  and  in  it  is  to  be  found  all  the  elements  of 
a  happy  domestic  life. 

Our  subject  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Bidgen- 
bach  of  Niedermendig,  Germany,  November  25, 
1875.  Their  union  has  been  blessed  by  the  advent 
into  the  family  of  seven  children,  whose  names  are, 
Bertha,  John,  Paul,  Ernst.  Alma.  Gertrude  and 
Charles. 


&$ 


'  OIIN  DRAKE.  We  give  here  a  life  sketch 
of  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  genial  of 
the  old  settlers  of  Bay  City,  who  has  been 
Deputy  Assessor  of  Internal  Revenue, 
and  also  Deputy  Collector,  and  is  said  to  be  the 
oldest  insurance  man  in  the  Mate  lb'  has  resided 
in  Bay  City  ever  since  1851,  and  during  that  year 
erected  a  mill  here.  He  was  born  at  Patna,  in 
Ayrshire,  Scotland,  in  August,  1819,  and  his  father, 
John,  who  was  a  merchant  tailor  there,  removed 
to  Canada  in  1834  when  his  son  was  about  fifteen 
years  old,  locating  in  Hamilton,  where  he  spent 
some  years,  then  came  to  Bay  City  anil  remained 
a  few  years,  then  returned  to  Komoka,  Canada, 
where  he  died.  The  great-grandfather  was  of  En- 
glish birth,  and  removed  to  Scotland  generations 
ago.  The  mother,  whose  name  was  Margaret 
1  '»a  in  I.  was  born  in  Ayrshire. 

The  parochial  schools  furnished  the  education 
Of  Our  subject  until  he  reached  the  age  of  fifteen. 
After  coming  to  Canada  In-  clerked  for  four  years 
ma  dry-goods  store  in  Hamilton,  and  then  re- 
moved to  London,  and  there  clerked  for  eighteen 
months  after  which  he  started  in  business  for  him- 


r,  i-2 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


self  at  Delaware,  and  carried  on  a  country  store 
for  eleven  years,  being  also  Township  Clerk  and 
Postmaster  for  most  of  that  time. 

In  1851,  young  Drake  came  to  Hay  City,  and 
here  built  a  steam  sawmill,  in  conjunction  with  his 
brothers  James  and  Samuel,  and  bought  pine  lands. 
He  soon  began  the  manufacture  of  lumber,  making 
his  home  at  what  was  then  called  Lower  Saginaw, 
when  they  had  mail  only  once  a  week,  lie  helped 
in  various  ways  to  build  up  the  little  town,  and 
remembers  that  he  gave  the  nails  for  the  laying  of 
the  first  sidewalk  in  Lower  Saginaw.  This  was  in 
1*."}:;,  and  the  following  year  he  sold  his  property 
here  and  located  in  Detroit,  where  he  engaged  in 
the  commission  and  insurance  busines.-.luit  returned 
two  years  later  to  Lower  Saginaw,  and  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  lumber  at  the  Zilwaukie  Mills, 
which  lie  operated  for  two  years. 

The  panic  of  1857  obliged  Mr.  Drake  to  close 
his  business,  and  at  the  same  time  he  was  attacked 
with  rheumatism  which  afflicted  him  for  three 
years,  during  which  time  he  did  little  business. 
He  was  State  Agent  for  tin1  swamp  lands  for  four 
or  five  3Tears,  and  gave  away  much  of  it  to  settlers 
on  the  homestead  plan,  some  of  which  is  now  very 
valuable.  Since  1858  he  has  represented  the  Home 
Insurance  Company,  of  New  York,  and  in  1862  he 
was  appointed  Assistant  Assessor  of  Internal  Reve- 
nue for  the  Fifth  District,  which  Office  he  Idled 
for  live  years,  and  again  performed  those  duties 
in  1872,  after  which  he  acted  as  Deputy  Inter- 
nal Revenue  Collector  for  four  years,  while  at 
the  same  time  he  carried  on  his  private  business, 
and  was  successful  in  both  lines.  He  has  repre- 
sented the  Hartford  Company  for  twenty-nine 
years,  and  now  has  dealings  with  nine  companies. 
He  formerly  traveled  extensively,  but  now  does 
more  home  business. 

London.  Canada,  was  the  scene  of  Mr.  Drake's 
marriage,  iu  1844,  and  his  bride  was  Miss  Emma 
Dickson,  who  was  born  in  Appleby,  England,  and 
came  to  this  country  with  her  parents  in  1831. 
She  died  September  10,  1886,  and  had  been  the 
mother  of  four  children,  all  of  whom  have  passed 
to  the  other  life.  Mr.  Drake  became  a  Mason  in 
1846,  in  Canada,  and  has  now  reached  the  Royal 
Arch    degree.      He    is  a    charter    member    of    the 


Episcopal  Church  of  Hay  City,  and  was  active  in 
building  botb  chapel  and  church.  For  twenty 
years  he  was  a  Vestryman,  and  has  also  been  the 
Treasurer  and   Secretary   of    this    religious    body. 

He  is  a  strong  Republican  in  his  political  views. 


-1*^ 


ARTISTE  BURTON  holds  the  responsible 
position  of  Superintendent  of  the  Pitts  cfe 
I  Cranage  .Mill,  that  does  so  large  a  lumber 
and  log  business.  He  is  also  interested  in 
pine  lands  and  is  associated  with  Andrew  Kent 
of  ( liner.  Arenac  County,  in  lumbering,  and  with 
the  same  gentleman  has  improved  and  is  operating 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
Merrill  Township,  seven  miles  from  Hay  City  on 
the  gravel  road.  This  place  is  well  cultivated  and 
well  stocked. 

.Mr.  Burton  was  horn  in  Brantford, Ontario,- July 
31,  1842.  He  is  a  son  of  Robert  and  Alice  (John- 
son) Burton,  both  natives  of  Ireland,  the  former  of 
Belfast  and  the  latter  of  Dublin.  Robert  Burton 
was  a  yeoman  in  his  native  land  and  a  landowner. 
He  came  to  Canada  about  1830  and  located  at 
Brantford,  where  lie  improved  a  farm.  He  was  very 
loyal  to  the  Government  of  his  adopted  country 
and  died  in  1X7.")  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty 
years.  His  father  came  from  England  and  settled 
in  Ireland.  Our  subject's  mother  was  the  daughter 
of  an  Irish  landowner  and  farmer,  who  also  came 
to   Canada.     She  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years. 

The  family  of  which  Baptiste  is  one  comprised 
ten  children,  eight  of  whom  lived  to  be  grown. 
Our  subject  is  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth.  He  was 
reared  in  his  native  place  and  there  attended  the 
common  schools.  He  remained  at  home  until  the 
winter  of  1863  and  then  came  to  Detroit,  Mich., 
and  for  a  time  was  engaged  in  working  in  I  he 
lumber  woods  for  R.  C.  Rennic.  In  the  spring 
of  1864  he  removed  to  Bay  City  and  was  employed 
with  Messrs.  Pitts  &  Cranage.  He  was  first  placed 
in  charge  of  the  logging  department  and  worked 
up  until  he  was  placed  in  the  scaling  department, 
in  tin'  winter  of  L865-66.  In  the  year  of  1870  he 
\\a-  made  superintendent  of  the  business  and  has 
since  kept  this  position. 


f - 

4 


>r»jv 


<-?? 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


645 


Mr.  Burton  was  married  in  Bay  City  December 
31,  1^71.  his  bride  being  Miss  Alice  M.,a  daughter 
of  Samuel  Drake,  of  this  city.  Their  residence  is 
located  at  No.  707  Monroe  street.  Socially,  our 
subject  is  a  Knight  Templar  and  has  attained  to 
the  thirty-second  degree  in  Masonry,  am d  also  to 
the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
the  Maccabees  and  to  the  Royal  Arcanum.  In 
church  relations  he  and  his  wife  are  connected  with 
the  Trinity  Episcopal  Church.  He  is  a  Republican 
in  his  political  affiliations  and  has  been  a  delegate 
to  State  and  county  conventions.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Bay  City  Business  Men's  Association  and  is 
a  willing  supporter  of  all  the  best  enterprises  of 
the  place,  lie  is  a  stockholder  in  both  the  Bay 
County  and  Commercial  Banks. 


cIt- 


^ssaTEPHEX  L.  WIGGINS.  It  gives  us  plea- 
«^  sure  to  chronicle  the  events  in  the  career 
of  a  man  whose  tendencies  have  always 
been  in  the  upward  direction.  The  gentle- 
man whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  and  whose 
portrait  is  shown  on  the  opposite  page,  is  a  suc- 
cessful man,  not  only  in  a  business  way  by  attain- 
ing a  good  financial  standing,  but  by  rising  to  the 
best  ideal  we  have  of  manliness.  He  is  the  owner 
of  five  hundred  acres  of  excellent  farming  land 
and  has  an  interest  in  twenty  thousand  acres  of 
timber  lands.  His  farm  is  located  on  section  32, 
Buena  Vista  Township,  Saginaw  County,  and  is 
fitted  out  with  every  possible  convenience  for  the 
successful  prosecution  of  his  calling. 

Mr.  Wiggins  was  bom  in  Dover,  Me.,  October 
22.  1«2K.  His  father  was  Elisha  Wiggins,  one  of 
the  earliest  settlers  in  Dover.  Me.  His  mother  was 
known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Mis:-  Susannah  Lam- 
bert, and  was  also  a  native  of  the  Pine  Tree  State. 
Both  the  parents  died  in  their  native  State.  Our 
subject  received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  anil  wad  always  found  to  be  an  apt  and  dil- 
igent student.  Being  the  eldest  son  of  his  pa- 
rents, he  was  called  upon  to  assist  his  father  in  the 
farm  work,  which  proved  to  be  an  excellent  train- 
ing   for    him    in    his   subsequent    occupation    as   a 


farmer.  He  remained  in  Dover  on  his  father's 
farm  until  reaching  his  majority,  when  he  decided 
to  venture  out  in  the  world  for  himself,  and  went 
to  the  lumber  districts  of   Pennsylvania,  working 

three  years  in  the  employ  of  Others. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  three  years  spent  in 
Pennsylvania,  Mr.  Wiggins  returned  to  his  native 
town,  remaining  there  only  about  six  months, 
when,  like  many  another  young  man,  he  was  seized 
with  the  California  fever,  and  went  thither  in  1«;")2, 
ami  engaged  in  mining  and  lumbering,  for  five 
years,  lie  was  in  the  mines  for  about  a  year  and 
a  half,  and  the  remainder  of  the  time  was  spent  in 
lumbering  on  his  own  account.  When  returning 
to  his  native  State  he  made  the  trip  via  the  Isth- 
mus, and  passed  the  succeeding  five  years  in  farm- 
ing and  railroading  in  Maine,  assisting  in  the  build- 
ing of  railroads. 

In  the  fall  of  1862  Mr. Wiggins  came  to  Saginaw 
and  took  charge  of  a  lumber  cam])  on  the  Titta- 
bawassee  River.  However,  he  followed  that  busi- 
ness only  two  years,  when  he  again  returned  to 
Maine  and  followed  farming  pursuits  for  a  period 
of  three  years.  Finally  disposing  of  his  property 
in  the  Pine  Tree  State,  he  returned  to  Saginaw  and 
engaged  in  lumbering  in  company  with  his  brother. 
George  B.  The  brothers  continued  in  partnership 
until  the  summer  of  L888,  since  which  time  our 
subject  has  carried  on  his  lumbering  interests  on  a 
smaller  scale.  While  engaged  with  his  brother, 
they  put  out  as  high  as  twenty  million  feet  of  logs 
annually. 

Our  subject  lived  in  Saginaw  until  the  fall  of 
1874,  when  he  settled  in  Buena  Vista  Township, 
where  he  has  superintended  the  operation  of  his 
farm  in  connection  with  his  lumber  interests. which 
have  been  very  extensive  as  he  is  at  the  present 
time  interested  in  twenty  thousand  acicsof  timber 
lands.  He  also  has  mining  stock  in  Montana  and 
Colorado  which  net  him  handsome  returns.  He 
has  made  his  influence  felt  in  the  township  and  is 
looked  upon  as  one  of  the  leading  men  in  the  Re- 
publican   party. 

.Iul\  Hi.  1860,  Ml".  Wiggins  was  married  in 
Dover,  Me.,  to  Miss  Frances  14.  Dorr,  who  was 
born  in  Dover.  Mrs.  Wiggins  is  universally  es- 
teemed and  admired   for  both  ability  and  culture. 


646 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Her  maternal  grandperents  were  in  a  direct  line 
from  the  Hutchins,  who  came  over  in  the  "May- 
flower," and  were  persons  of  marked  ability  and 
for  successive  generations  were  famous  musicians. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wiggins  have  an  adopted  daughter, 
Fannie,  who  now  resides  in  East  Saginaw.  She 
was  married  December  23,  1891,  to  Edgar  L.  Doore, 

who  died  February  !•,  18'.)2.     In  social  and  d i is- 

tic  life  Mr.  Wiggins  is  considerate  and  courteous, 
in  business  dealings  honest  and  straightforward, 
and  his  reputation  in  every  respect  is  most  excel- 
lent. 


\i'  IJA  II.  WHITNEY,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the 
Merrill  Sentinel,  was  horn  March  12,  1856,  in 
t{\  Hartland  Township,  Livingston  County,  and 
is  the  son  of  .1.  W.  and  Elizabeth  (Davis)  Whitney. 
His  father  was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1816,  and 
followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer;  his  mother 
was  born  in  Rhode  Island  in  1828;  After  their 
marriage  the  parents  came  to  Michigan  in  1854, 
settling  on  a  partially  improved  farm  in  Livingston 
County. and  devoting  the  ensuing  years  to  adding 
necessary  improvements  to  the  place,  which  they 
still  occupy. 

Eight  children  were  horn  toJ.  W.  and  Elizabeth 
Whitney,  and  of  this  family  six  are  now  living,  as 
follows:  Sarah  I.;  Jay  S.. who  is  married  and  resides 
in  Illinois;  Ira  II.,  of  this  sketch;  John  is  married 
and  makes  his  home  in  Osceola  County;  Esli  E.  is 
married  and  resides  in  Detroit;  Hattie  R.  became 
the  wife  of  C.  Taft  and  is  now  living  on  the  Whit- 
ney homestead  in  Livingston  County.  The  mother 
of  these  children  is  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  while  the  father  is  a  I'niversalist 
in  his  religious  belief.  He  has  taken  an  active  in- 
terest in  local  politics  and  is  a  stanch  Republican 
in  his  belief.  In  Livingston  County,  where  he  and 
his  good  wife  still  reside,  they  are  highly  esteemed 
as  public-spirited  citizens  and  worthy  people  whose 
highest  ambition  has  been  to  rear  their  children  to 
noble  manhood  and  womanhood. 

The  boyhood  years  of  our  subject  were  passed  mi 
the  old  homestead,  where  he  gained  considerable 
knowledge  of  agricultural  pursuits  and  whence   in 


the  winter  he  would  go  to  the  district  school. 
When  eighteen  years  old  he  started  out  in  life  for 
himself  and  learned  the  trade  of  a  printer  in  the 
Office  of  the  Milford  Times  in  Oakland  County. 
There  he  worked  fot  almost  seven  years  and  after- 
ward followed  his  trade  for  a  short  time  in  Lud- 
ington.  Reed  City,  Big  Rapids  anil  Bay  City,  be- 
ing employed  in  the  latter  city  in  the  job  rooms  of 
the  Tribune.  In  June,  1888,  he  came  to  .Merrill 
and  four  months  alter  his  arrival  purchased  the 
Sentinel,  which  he  has  since  conducted  alone  and 
successfully. 

Iii  1882  Mr.  Whitney  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Kate  Fralick,  who  was  born  May  17, 
1858. near  Whitmore  Lake  in  Livingston  County. 
Mrs.  Whitney  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Katie 
(Logan)  Fralick,  who  came  to  Wayne  County,  this 
State,  about  1827  and  settled  on  an  unimproved 
farm.  Mr.  Fralick  survives  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine 
years,  but  his  wife  passed  from  earth  in  August, 
188!).  Their  four  children  are  all  living,  viz: 
Charles,  a  resident  of  Toledo,  Ohio;  George,  who 
makes  his  home  in  North  Dakota;  Mrs.  Whitney 
and  Miss  Anna.  The  happy  union  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Whitney  has  been  blessed  with  one  child,  a 
daughter,  Cecile  May.  who  was  born  April  25,  1881. 
They  are  members  in  good' standing  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Merrill,  and  she  is  a  teacher 
in  the  Sunday-school.  Politically,  he  is  independ- 
ent, as  is  also  his  paper,  making  it  his  aim  to  sup- 
port the  candidate  who,  in  his  judgment,  is  best 
qualified  for  the  office  in  question,  irrespective  of 
party  ties.  Since  the  organization  of  the  village 
of  Merrill  in  April.  188:),  he  has  held  the  position 
of  t  Jerk,  and  has  contributed  his  quota  to  the  de- 
velopment of  the  place. 


<&  »  I  I.I.I  \M  H.  SULLIVAN  is  one  of  the  prom- 
\rJ/t  inent  plumbers  and  steam  fitters  of  Bay 
y»jy\y  City,  having  been  here  since  1869,  and  he 
is  Ideated  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  Street  and  Wash- 
ington Avenue.  He  was  born  in  Oswego,  N.  Y., 
November  2:!.  1848,  and  is  a  son  of  Michael  Sulli- 
van.     He  received   his   education    in    his   native 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


CI  7 


town  and  learned  the  plumber's  trade  there,  begin- 
ning to  serve  his  time  as  an  apprentice  at  the  age 
of  thirteen,  and  after  completing  it  working  at  his 
trade  in  that  pari  of  the  State  until  1869. 

This  gentleman  after  coming  to  Bay  City  was 
engaged  foi  eight  years  with  the  Bay  City  <-as 
Light  Company  and  then  established  himself  inde- 
pendently in  1877  and  he  is  thus  the  oldest  plum- 
ber now  residing  in  the  city.  His  first  location 
was  mi  Center  Street  and  he  continued  there  until 
1885,  when  he  sold  ou1  his  business.  This  he  re- 
sumed, however,  f 'years  later,  and   now   has   a 

good  degree  of  the  custom  of  the  city.  He  con- 
stantly employs  ten  men  and  has  had  charge  of 
fitting  up  some  of  the  best  buildings  in  the  city. 

For  four  years  Mr.  Sullivan  was  Supervisor  for 
the  Fourth  Ward,  but  of  late  has  not  been  in  poli- 
tics. His  home  is  in  a  line  part  of  the  city,  being 
situated  on  Seventh  Street    between    Madison     and 

Monroe.  Under  his  happy  roof  lie  and  his  wife, 
who  was  Miss  Catherine  Sheridan,  of  Oswego.  N. 
V..  enjoy  the  companionship  of  their  two  dautdi 
ters,  Catherine  and  Mary  Frances.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and  also  of 
the  National  Union  and  throughout  his  residence 
here  he  has  distinguished  himself  by  liberality  in 
taking  hold  of  all  enterprises  which  would  pro- 
mote the  growth  of  the  city  and  has  been  an  effi- 
cient helper  in  securing  railroads  and  other  con- 
veniences. 


■■.*••:■•$>?■ 


bHEODORE  TROMBLEY.  Among  the  old- 
est of  the  native-born  citizens  of  Bay 
County  is  this  gentleman,  who  is  a  repre- 
sentative of  a  pioneer  family  and  has  by  his  lite 
added  lustre  to  the  worthy  name  he  bears.  lie 
was  born  on  Water  Street.  Hay  City.  September  15, 
1846,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  Trombly,  whose 
sketch  will  lie  found  in  another  portion  of  this 
volume.  The  family  of  which  he  is  a  member 
comprises  five  living  children,  namely:  Joseph; 
Adeline.  Mrs.  p.eebe;  James,  Theodore  and  David, 
and  for  further  particulars  in  regard  to  the  life  of 


each  the  reader  is  referred  to  their  personal 
Sketches,  which  appear  in  the  RlsCOKD. 

The  boyhood  days  of  our  subject  were  passed  in 
Banks,  and  as  there  was  no  school  in  that  place 
the  children  of  the  Troinbley  family  received  in- 
struction under  the  parental  roof.  Our  subject 
had  meager  opportunities  for  acquiring  knowledge, 
but  to  say  that  he  availed  himself  of  every  possi- 
ble opportunity  for  extending  and  enlarging  his 
information  is  but  to  state  wdiat  actually  occurred. 
Careful  reading  and  observation  have  to  a  great 
degree  overcome  the  deficiencies  of  his  early  edu- 
cation and  he  is  now  a  well-informed  man.  1'n- 
der  the  careful  guidance  of  his  parents  he  was 
reared  to  a  stalwart  manhood  and  gained  those 
principles  of  honor  and  uprightness  which  have 
characterized  his  entire  life. 

In  his  childhood  our  subject  assisted  his  father 
in  fishing,  and  in  his  early  manhood  he  built  a 
Sailing  vessel,  the  "Phil  Sheridan."  capacity  ten 
tons,  and  with  it  he  fished  in  the  Little  Charity 
Islands  for  about  seven  years.  Then  selling  that 
boat  he  purchased  the  "Josie  Troinbley"  and  man- 
aged it  for  seven  or  eight  years.  Since  selling 
that,  vessel  he  has  engaged  in  fishing  at  the  month 
of  the  liver,  and  has  met  witli  success  in  that  busi- 
ness His  record  as  a  fisherman  is  unexcelled,  he 
having  caught  stuigeon  with  a  weight  of  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  pounds,  and  trout  weighing 
forty  pounds.  lie  owns  over  two  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  on  section  2,  Huron  Township,  which 
he  uses  for  fishing  purposes,  and  about  two  or 
three  miles  of  that  land  lies  along  the  lake.  He 
owns  two  sail  boats,  has  about  twenty-live  or 
thirty  lots  in  Hanks,  besides  the  residence  in  which 
he  makes  his  home  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and 
Marchand  Streets  and  the  brick  block  on  the  corner 
of  Washington  and  Sophia  Streets.  60x30  feet  in 
dimensions. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  to  Miss  Ida  Brooks, 
took  place  at  Bay  City  in  L872.  The  bride  was 
the  daughter  of  William  and  the  granddaughter  of 
Joseph  Brooks,  who  was  born  in  New  York  and 
followed  farming  pursuits.  The  father,  who  was 
born  near  Hamilton,  Canada,  was  a  farmer  anil  lum- 
berman, and  came  in  1865  to  Kay  City,  where  he 
worked  as  a  lumberman  for  Smith  &  Mohr.      Later 


648 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


lie  was  engaged  as  a  jobber  here  but  now  resides  in 
Canada.  Mis  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Amerilla  Merritt,  was  born  in  Canada  and  was  the 
daughter  of  John  Merritt,  a  soldier  in  the  Wat  of 
LSI  2.  She  died  in  Banks  in  L886,  leaving  three 
children.  Mrs.  Tromblev,  the  eldest  in  the  family, 
was  born  near  Hamilton,  Canada,  in  1858,  and  was 
educated  at  Bay  City. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tromblev  have  four  children,  as 
follows:  Josephine  M.,  Charles  L.,  Gladys  M.  and 
Jay  F.  In  his  polities  Mr.  Tromblev  is  a  firm  Re- 
publican and  has  served  on  juries  and  as  a  dele- 
gate to  county  conventions.  Socially  he  belongs 
to  the  order  of  the  Maccabees.  He  is  particularly 
fond  of  hunting  and  has  shot  more  than  fifty  deer. 
During  the  fall  of  each  year  he  usually  goes  to 
Northern  Michigan  and  there  finds  an  excellent 
opportunity  for  displaying  his  skill  as  a  hunts- 
man. 


FREDERICK  A.  TASCHNER.     Many  of  the 

;};  most  thrifty  and  intelligent  citizens  of  this 
section  of  Michigan  were  born  and  reared 
on  the  other  .side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  to  England 
and  Germany  especially  is  Bay  County  indebted 
for  some  of  her  most  enterprising  and  prosperous 
citizens.  To  this  class  belongs  our  subject,  who 
was  born  in  Prussia.  Germany. and  is  a  son  of  Mar- 
tin, who  was  a  farmer  there,  and  who  died  at  the 
age  of  eighty-five  years.  The  mother  died  aged 
sixty  years,  and  both  were  valued  members  of  the 
Lutheran  Church. 

Our  subject  is  1he  only  one  living  of  the  nine 
children  born  to  his  parents.  He  was  reared  in  his 
native  land,  on  the  farm,  and  received  but  a  com- 
mon-school education.  When  sixteen  years  old  he 
began  working  out  by  the  year  for  $12  a  month 
and  clothed  himself.  He  gradually  received  more 
wages,  and  when  twenty-one  years  old  enlisted  in 
the  German  army,  serving  for  three  years.  In 
the  year  I860  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  rail- 
road and  three  years  later  left  Bremen  on  the  sailer 
"Victoria,"  and  after  a  seven  weeks'  voyage,  landed 
in  New  York,  whence  he  came  direct  to  Detroit. 


On  December  26,  1863,  Mr.  Taschner  enlisted 
in  the  Nineteenth  Michigan  Infantry,  and  the  fol- 
lowing February  was  sent  South  and  was  with 
Sherman  in  the  battles  of  Kenesaw  Mountain, 
Pumpkinvine  Creek,  in  all  the  battles  of  the 
<  Georgia  Campaign,  Peachtree  Creek,  Jonesboro  and 
Atlanta,  lie  fell  back  to  Nashville  under  Thomas. 
after  Gen.  Hood.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he 
still  remained  in  the  service  of  the  Government, 
and  went  to  Augusta,  Ga.,  remaining  six  or  eight 
months,  then  to  Little  Rock,  Ft.  Smith.  Ft.  Gibson, 
Cherokee  Nation,  Fayetteville  (Ark.).  Iluntsville, 
then  back  to  Fayetteville,  protecting  the  border. 
He  remained  there  until  his  time  was  out,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  December  26,  1868,  and  be- 
ing a  well-drilled  soldier,  he  was  said  to  be  the 
best  man  in  the  Nineteenth  Regiment,  and  it  was 
only  because  he  could  not  speak  or  read  English 
that  he  remained  a  private  all  through  the  five 
years,  lie  contracted  the  rheumatism  in  the  service, 
and  now  suffers  severely  from  it,  but  in  spite  of  all 
this  he  is  yet  a  congenial  and  whole-souled  man, 
well-read  in  his  native  tongue,  and  held  in  the 
highest  respect  by  his  comrades  and  many  friends. 

Upon  his  return  from  the  army,  Mr.  Taschner 
came  to  Bay  City  and  worked  in  the  mills  for  F. 
F.  Bradley,  tiring  and  piling  lumber  for  eighteen 
years,  lie  was  then  employed  in  the  E.  B.  Foss 
Lumber  Yard,  sorting  lumber,  in  which  occupation 
he  is  now  engaged,  although  able  to  do  but  light 
work.  He  has  been  a  resident  here  since  January 
1,  1869,  and  now  has  a  comfortable  and  attractive 
home  at  No.  216  North  Jackson  Street.  The  resi- 
dence adjoining  the  one  in  which  he  lives  is  also 
owned  by  him. 

Mr.  Taschner  ami  Miss  Caroline  Black  were 
united  in  marriage  in  the  year  1870.  The  lady 
is  also  a  native  of  Prussia,  Germany,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Karl  Black.  She  came  to  this  country 
in  1869  with  her  parents;  the  father  died  in  1888, 
and  the  mother  is  now  residing  with  our  subject  at 
the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  Twelve  children 
were  born  to  our  subject  and  his  wife,  seven  of 
whom  are  yet  surviving:  August,  John.  Fred,  Au- 
gusta, Herman,  William  and  Bertha.  This  patriotic 
gentleman  is  a  member  of  F.  S.  Grant  Post.  G.  A. 
R.,  of  which   he  is  a  leading  and  valued  member. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


649 


He  and  his  wife  are  consistent  members  of  the 
Emanuel  Lutheran  Church,  and  the  views  advanced 
by  the  Republican  party  have  a  stanch  supporter 
in  Mr.  Taschner. 


NE 


El** 


RANK  1).  PEIRSON,  Superintendent  of  the 
f)   mills  and  salt  works  of  H.  W.  Sage  &  Co., 

of  West  Bay  City,  is  a  man  of  push  and 
great  business  ability.  lie  is  one  of  that  class  of 
men  which  has  added  greatly,  not  only  to  the  finan- 
cial strength  of  the  city,  but  also  to  her  reputation 
among  the  cities  of  Michigan.  Mr.  Peirson  is  a 
man  of  genuine  and  wide-spread  popularity,  and 
was  born  in  New  York  City.  September  6,  is  is. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  is  the  son  of 
Franklin  D.  Peirson,  a  native  of  Massachusetts. 
His  father,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born 
in  Connecticut,  in  which  State  he  followed  farm- 
ing. He  later  removed  to  Massachusetts,  and  from 
there  to  Columbia  County,  N.  Y.,  making  the  re- 
moval about  the  year  1810.  He  was  in  the  War  of 
1812,  and  died  in  1856,  thoroughly  respected  for 
his  upright  life.  The  Peirson  family  are  of  Eng- 
lish descent,  the  great -grand  father  of  our  subject 
having  been  born  in  England. 

Franklin  D.  Peirson  was  a  physician  and  surgeon 
in  his  native  State,  but  later  took  up  agricultural 
pursuits  at  Tarrytown  on  the  Hudson,  where  he 
had  a  farm.  He  then  removed  to  Newburg,  where 
he  is  living  a  retired  life  at  the  present  time,  hav 
ing  reached  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-two  years. 
He  is  a  true-blue  Republican  in  politics,  and  in 
religious  matters  clings  to  the  tenets  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  The  mother  of  our  subject  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Cynthia  Landon,  a  native  of 
Stephentown,  Columbia  County,  N.  Y.  She  passed 
from  this  life  in  1X52.  when  twenty-eighl  years  of 
age. 

Our  subject  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of 
three  children  born  to  his  parents,  and  is  the  only 
one  living  at  the  present  time.  He  passed  his  boy- 
hood days  at  Tanytown.  where  he  attended  the 
common  schools,  and  later  attended  Paulding  In- 
stitute  for   two    years    at    Irvington,    N.  Y.,  which 


closed  his  educational  advantages.  He  then  went 
to  Columbia  County,  where  he  remained  for  about 
three  years.  For  the  two  succeeding  years  he  had 
some  experience  in  clerking  and  book-keeping  at 
Tarrytown,  and  then  went  back  to  Newburg  and 
engaged  in  farming  with  his  father. 

In  the  spring  of  1869,  Mr.  Peirson  came  West  to 
Michigan,  and  located  in  Saginaw  Valley,  at  We- 
iiona.  then  a  small  place.  He  soon  entered  the 
employ  of  Sat>e  &  Co.,  as  book-keeper,  remaining 
in  that  capacity  in  their  store  until  1H75,  when  he 
entered  the  mill  office,  also  as  book-keeper,  and  so 
well  did  he  fill  that  position  that  he  was  made  the 
head  book-keeper  of  their  establishment,  remain- 
ing as  such  until  188(1.  when  he  became  Superin- 
tendent of  their  mills  and  salt  works,  which  are  the 
largest  in  the  Saginaw  Valley.  The  salt  works  turn 
out  ninety  thousand  barrels  of  salt  per  season,  and 
has  seven  wells,  being  located  on  a  site  of  twenty 
acres,  one-half  mile  south  of  the  city,  on  Midland 
Street. 

Mr.  Peirson  is  also  interested  to  some  extent  in 
real  estate,  and  in  all  his  occupations  he  has  been 
more  than  ordinarily  successful.  lie  has  been 
greatly  interested  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  business 
interests  of  Bay  City,  and  his  power  cannot  be 
lightly  estimated.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Home  Electric  Company,  and  was  its  Secre- 
tary and  one  of  its  Directors  from  its  inception 
until  it  was  consolidated  with  the  Hay  County 
Electric  Company.  He  is  also  a  stockholder  and 
Director  in  the  Logger's  Loom  Company  of  West 
Bay  City,  and  has  been  its  Secretary  for  several 
years.  They  do  an  immense  business,  handling 
logs  from  the  AuGres  River. 

In  188.5  our  subject  laid  out  F.  1).  Peirson's 
first  addition  to  West  Bay  City,  which  consisted  of 
forty  acres.  His  home  is  located  on  the  corner  of 
Ohio  and  Litchlield  Streets,  where  he  entertains  his 
friends  in  a  most  hospitable  manner,  and  which 
bears  every  evidence  of  the  cultured  tastes  of  its 
inmates.  Mr.  Peirson  was  married  August  16, 
1875,  at  Kingston,  Ulster  County,  X.  Y.,  the  lady 
of  his  choice  being  Miss  Julia  C.  Budington,  and 
to  them  have  been  born  two  children,  bearing  the 
names  respectively  of  Mary  and  Helen. 

In  polities  Mr.  Peirson  is  a  Republican,  and  has 


<;r.o 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


served  his  fellow-citizens  in  various  responsible 
positions,  having  been  Alderman  of  the  Third 
Ward  four  terms  and  President  of  the  Council.  He 
was  also  on  the  Board  of  Water  Works  for  one 
term.  Socially  lie  is  a  Knight  of  the  Maccabees, 
and  a  member  of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  and  in  re- 
ligious matters  is  an  attendant  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  having  served  that  congregation  as  Trustee 
and  Treasurer.  .Air.  Peirson  is  a  man  of  unusual 
intelligence  and  enterprise,  and  liberal  and  broad 
in  his  thought  and  life.  His  wife  is  a  prominent 
member  of  social  circles  in  West  Bay  City,  and 
they  are  most  esteemed  and  honored  for  their  up- 
right lives. 


#£= 


■"    c=-Jtr=>  v*=i-»™ 

NDREW  I.  THOMSON.  This  well-known 
and  prominent  young  attorney  of  West 
Bay  City,  has  his  office  in  Fisher's  Block, 
acentral  location, and  is  establishinga  very 
successful  practice  here  and  at  the  same  time  is 
attaining  an  excellent  professional  standing  among 
his  brethren  of  the  legal  fraternity.  The  family 
to  which  he  belongs  is  well  known  in  this  part  of 
the  State  as  he  is  the  son  of  Andrew  Thomson,  who 
is  represented  elsewhere  in  this  record  and  whose 
success. us  a  business  man  and  contractor  has  made 
him  prominent  throughout  thisregion.  His  grand- 
parents were  born  in  Scotland,  where  they  were 
memburs  of  prominent  and  wealthy  families  and 
this  young  man  inherits  the  sturdy  traits  of  the 
Scottish  nationality. 

Andrew  1.  Thomson  was  born  in  Goderich,  Onta- 
rio, Canada,  July  8,  1865,  bul  as  his  parents  re- 
moved to  the  States  in  his  early  childhood  and 
made  their  home  in  Bay  City,  he  here  received  his 
education  and  training.  He  attended  the  ward 
schools  of  Bay  (  'ity  and  after  completing  the  course 
of  study  prescribed  in  them  entered  the  High 
School  and  took  a  thorough  course  there,  graduat- 
ing when  he  was  only  fifteen  years  old.  From  his 
earliest  childhood  he  had  felt  a  desire  to  become  a 
lawyer,  and  during  his  vacations  and  after  com- 
pleting his  High  Scl I  course   he  pursued  studies 

in  that  direction.     He  was  thus  occupied  until   1883 


when  he  entered  Olivet  College,  where  he  spent 
two  years.  lie  was  there  a  member  of  the  Adelphia 
Society  and  devoted  himself  thoroughly  to  his 
literary  studies  until  he  Completed  his  Sophomore 
year,  after  which  he  returned  to  Bay  City. 

The  young  man  now  took  up  the  study  of  law 
and  for  two  years  was  in  the  office  of  Simonson  & 
Gillett  and  after  that  for  two  or  three  years  with 
Pratt  A'  Gilbert,  and  during  all  this  time  he  made 
steady  progress  in  his  legal  studies  and  at  the  same 
time  trained  an  insight  into  the  practical  business 
of  a  lawyer.  In  July,  1890, he  was  admitted  to  the 
Michigan  Bar  by  Judge  Cobb. 

Upon  being  ready  to  begin  his  professional  career 
the  young  lawyer  was  invited  to  east  in  his  lot 
with  his  preceptors,  Pratt  &  Gilbert,  and  under 
their  auspices  began  his  practice  in  Bay  City.  In 
the  summer  of  1891  he  thought  best  to  become 
more  independent  and  located  in  Fisher's  Block 
where  he  is  building  up  an  excellent  practice. 
His  political  convictions  bring  him  into  line  with 
the  Republican  partj  and  lor  it-  success  he  is 
earnest  and  active,  lie  is  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  and  an  active  worker  in  its  ranks 
and  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

On  December  30,  L891,  our  subject  was  married 
to  Miss  Edith  M.  Pheen,  a  young  lady  well  known 
in  this  city,  and  they  at  once  moved  into  a  neat 
home  which  had  been  erected  and  fitted  for  their 
reception.  Our  subject  also  entered  into  a  busi- 
ness partnership  on  January  15,  1*!»2.  with  J.  Hil- 
ton Hoffman,  a  young  lawyer  whose  ability  and 
learning  bid  fair  to  place  him  in  the  lead  of  his 
profession. 

•^  APT.  ZACIIAPJAH  BASK1NS.  We  are 
(l(^_,  pleased  to  notice  briefly  the  career  of  this 
\-S  captain  of  police  of  the  Second  Precinct. 
West  Side,  who  is  one  of  tin  tried  and  proven  de- 
fenders of  the  life  and  property  of  the  citizens  of 
Saginaw.  He  is  one  of  the  bravest  officers  of  the 
very  efficient  police  force,  and  has  the  high  respect 
of  all  who  know  him.  He  was  born  in  the  Queen's 
dominions,    near  Ottawa.    Canada.   July    21.    1859, 


?^r 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


651 


and  his  parents,  Thomas  and  Eliza  (O'Neill)  Bask- 
ins,  are  both  natives  of  the  Emerald  Isle.  They 
had  sought  the  Western  World  when  in  youth,  and 
united  their  fortunes  in  Canada.     Both  have  been 

for  years  respected  citizens  of  Saginaw. 

Our  subject  is  the  eldest  of  seven  children,  and 
remained  with  his  parents  until  he  reached  the  age 
of  eighteen,  when  he  came  to  Saginaw  and  found 
employment  as  so  many  others  have  here  in  the 
lumbering  trade.  He  worked  in  the  lumber  camps 
in  the  winter,  doing  the  hardest  of  the  hard  labor 
required  in  that  department  of  the  lumber  busi- 
ness. In  summer  he  worked  on  the  river  running 
logs,  and  in  other  similar  capacities,  and  through 
fourteen  years  he  gradually  rose  in  the  esteem  of 
his  employers,  becoming  more  highly  valued  for 
his  excellent  work.  His  towering  form  and  robust 
and  commanding  appearance,  often  excited  remark 
and  he  was  frequently  asked  why  he  did  not  get  a 
position  on  the  police  force,  and  he  was  finally  ap- 
pointed to  such  a  position  in  October,  1882. 

for  four  years  this  patrolman  served  the  city, 
and  became  a  popular  and  conspicuous  member  of 
the  force.  On  more  than  one  occasion  was  he 
placed  in  trying  positions  where  his  nerve  and  de- 
cision made  for  him  a  reputation  of  honor.  A 
notable  example  was  dming  the  labor  troubles  of 
1885,  popularly  known  as  the  great  strike.  At 
every  call  for  assistance  he  was  ready  and  he  took 
no  inconsiderable  part  in  preserving  the  peace  and 
preventing  bloodshed.  His  services  were  recog- 
nized by  his  superiors,  and  in  L886  he  was  ap- 
pointed Chief  of  the  Saginaw  City  Police  Depart- 
ment, the  duties  of  which  position  he  performed 
acceptably  until  the  consolidation  of  the  cities. 
The  department  numbered  eleven  men.  all  noted 
for  their  valor  and  bravery, and  thoroughly  drilled 
and  disciplined  under  the  personal  attention  and 
instruction  of  .Air.  Raskin. 

After  the  union  of  the  two  Saginaws,  our  subject 
was  made  Captain  of  the  Second  Precinct,  which 
COn&istS  of  the  Wot  Side,  and  al  the  same  time  he 
received  an  increase  of  salary  while  he  kept  author- 
ity almost  equal  to  what  lie  formerly  possessed. 
Under  his  supervision  the  depaitment  has  attained 
a  high  degree  of  proficiency,  and  tin-  peace  of  the 
city  has   been    faithfully    kept.      Saginaw    is   noted 


for  its  law-abiding  people,  its  orderly  streets,  and 
its  freedom  from  much  that  tends  to  lower  society. 
Mi-.  Raskins  was  married  October  ~ll.  1888,  to 
Miss  Ella  Hunt,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Hunt,  de- 
ceased, and  she  had  received  her  education  in  the 
city  schools.  Capt.  BaskinS  is  a  man  who  has  many 
friends,  and  in  his  political  connection  he  is  quite 
independent.  He  is  connected  witli  the  Masonic 
order,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Arch  Masons 
in  the  Joppa  Chapter,  where  he  has  been  foremost 
in  lodge  work.  He  is  also  identified  with  the 
Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  He  was  at  one  time  a 
member  of  Company  D,  Third  Regiment  of  State 
.Militia,  and  after  six  years  service,  was  honorably 
discharged  with  the  rank  of  Sergeant. 

^ J  ■"^ ' '  <&, — <^w^ — 7§T' l=-^-— ^ 

rw7        EE    E.  JOSLYN.  Our  subject  is  one  of  the 
most    prominent    young    attorneys    of   Bay 


A  City.  He  is  also  Circuit  Court  Commis- 
sioner and  has  attracted  considerable  attention 
from  the  fact  that  he  has  line  oratorical  powers,  and 
being  a  well-balanced  reasoner  his  arguments  are 
usually  convincing.  He  has  already  taken  quitea 
prominent  place  as  a  political  speaker  and  without 
doubt  has  a  bright  future  before  him. 

Mr.  .loslyn  was  born  in  Darien,  Genesee  County. 
N.  Y..  .Inly  23,  1864.  lie  is  a  son  of  Willis  B. and 
Amy  R.  (Foster)  .loslyn.  both  natives  of  the  Em- 
pire State.  The  family  lived  in  Genesee  County 
until  1871,  when  they  removed  to  Alton,  Pa.,  and 
in  1873  came  to  Michigan,  locating  in  Dryden, 
Lapeer  County,  where  Mr.Joslyn  was  engaged  in 
contracting  until  1888,when  he  located  in  West  Bay 
City,  and  now  resides  there,  being  still  engaged  in 
contracting  and  building.  Our  subject's  paternal 
grandsire,  Benjamin  Joslyn,  who  for  years  was  in 
the  hotel  business  in  New  York,  served  in  the  War 
of  1812.  He  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years 
in  West  Bay  City  where  he  had  been  an  early  set- 
tler. Both  our  subject's  parents  still  survive  and 
arc  active  workers  in  the  I'ni  versalist  Church. 

The  fifth  child  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of 
seven,  Lee  E.  .loslyn  was  lint  nine  years  of  age  on 
coming  to  Michigan.      He  remained  at   home   until 


652 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


he  was  graduated  from  the  Dryden  High  School  in 
1881  and  then  entered  the  law  office  of  Judge 
Stickney,  with  whom  he  studied  during  the  sum- 
mers for  three  years,  spending  the  winters  in  teach- 
ing school,  his  work  being  principally  in  Lapeer 
and  Oakland  Counties,  ami  during  this  time  lie  was 
Principal  of  the  Otisville  High  School.  Then  for 
two  summers  lie  studied  under  ex-member  of  Con- 
gress George  II.  Durand,  of  Flint,  and  in  the  fall 
of  1885  came  to  West  Bay  City  as  Principal  of  the 
First  Ward  school,  and  in  June,  1886,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Michigan  bar  at  Hay  City  under  Judge 
Gage,  of  Saginaw.  .Inly  13,  1886,  he  opened  a  law 
office  in  West  Bay  City,  where  he  continued  until 
May,  188S,  when  he  opened  an  office  across  the 
river  with  Judge  McMath,  remaining  with  him 
until  April.  1891, when  he  came  tohispresenl  place. 
He  has  a  pleasant  office  in  the  Munzer  Block  and  a 
good  law  practice.  He  deals  quite  extensively  in 
real  estate  and  also  in  collections  with  Mr.  Dodge. 

In  the  fall  of  188*  Mr.  Joslyn  was  nominated 
and  elected  Circuit  Court  Commissioner  on  the 
Democratic  ticket,  with  the  flattering  majority  of 
thirteen  hundred  and  twenty  votes.  He  took  pos- 
session of  his  office  January  I,  1889,  and  on  thor- 
oughly canvassing  the  county  was  re-elected  in 
1890  with  a  majority  of  aboul  twenty-four  hun- 
dred votes,  the  highest  on  the  ticket.  In  August, 
1886,  he  was  elected  on  the  Bay  County  Board  of 
School  Examiners  and  in  1887  became  Secretary  of 
the  board,  which  position  he  resigned  September 
26,  1887. 

Socially,  our  subject  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  is  Past  Chancellor,  lie  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Michigan  two  terms. 
is  also  a  member  of  Wenona  Lodge,  Xo.  256, 
F.  &A.  M.,  and  belongs  to  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  and  to  the  Independent  Order  of 
Foresters,  of  West  Bay  City.  In  church  work  Mr. 
Joslyn  has  identified  himself  with  the  Universal- 
ists.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Young 
People's  Christian  Union  of  the  Univcrsalist  Church 
and  is  now  its  President,  and  in  1889  was  a  dele- 
gate to  the  Lynn  (Mass.)  Convention  of  the  Young- 
People's  Christian  Union,  and  at  that  time  was 
elected  President  of.  the  National  organization. 
It  was  he  who   drafted   the  constitution  of  the  or- 


ganization, which  since  its  beginning  has  increased 
from  twenty-six  to  over  one  hundred  and  sixty 
societies,  with  a  membership  of  ten  thousand,  and 
is  represented  in  twenty-one  States. 


— .$- 


OHN  O.  EDELMANN.  Our  subject,  who 
resides  at  No.  716  Genesee  Street,  Saginaw, 
was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  March  28. 
1829.  In  .Inly.  1817,  in  company  with  his 
parents.  John  G.  and  Christiana  (  Faul)  Edelmann, 
he  located  in  Blumtield  Township,  Saginaw 
County,  where  his  father  died  the  following  year. 
At  this  time  there  were  only  nineteen  families  set- 
tled in  Blumtield  Township,  and  the  people  hail  to 
be  sufficient  unto  themselves,  our  subject 'smother 
continued  to  live  in  that  place  until  her  death,  in 
1881.  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years. 

Immediately  after  his  mother's  death,  our  sub- 
ject came  to  East  Saginaw  and  took  a  contract 
for  clearing  a  tract  of  twenty  acres  of  land  lying 
between  Warren  and  Second  Streets,  reaching 
north  to  Genesee  Avenue.  Its  owners  were  Alfred 
lloyt  and  Norman  Little.  He  was  the  first  German 
tp  locate  in  East  Saginaw.  After  a  few  years  spent 
on  the  farm  he  removed  to  Bay  City,  in  1864, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade,  and 
was  proprietor  of  the  meat  market  until  1867.  when 
he  came  to  Saginaw.  Mr.  Edelmann  here  purchased 
an  hotel  located  on  Genesee  Avenue  and  after  run- 
ning it  a  couple  of  years  he  bought  the  corner  at 
Oenesee  and  Park  Streets.  This  he  has  since  im- 
proved and  in  1886  erected  a  handsome  brick 
block. 

Mr.  John  Edelmann  continued  to  run  his  hotel 
until  he  lost  his  wife  and  since  that  time  has  been 
engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business, 
handling  farm  property  largely.  He  probably 
handles  more  of  this  property  than  any  other  man 
in  the  county.  Atom'  time  lie  was  Superinten- 
dent of  the  AuSable  Lumber  and  Shingle  Com 
pany.  lie  was  also  a  railroad  contractor  and  has. 
been  interested  in  nearly  all  the  roads  coming  into 
the  city.      He  has  also  been  a  large  city  contractor, 


-H^^fi^^ 


PORTRAIT   AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


655 


grading  streets,  having  charge  of  sewer  work,  etc., 
his  contracting  extending  over  the  Inst  fifteen 
years. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Blumfield  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  to  Magdelene  Keller,  a  widow 
whose  name  was  Unsoelett;  she  died  February  20, 
1881.  Of  a  family  of  seven  children  born  from  this 
union  four  are  now  living.  They  are  Margaret 
M..  J.  George,  Carl  M.,  Frederick  William,  who  isa 
physician  of  high  standing.  George  is  a  hardware 
man.  while  Carl  is  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  hard- 
ware company. 

At  the  outset  of  his  career  as  an  American  citi 
zen  our  subject  cast  his  vote  with  the  Democratic 
party,  but  of  late  years  the  Republican  party  has 
stood  highest  in  his  favor.  He  has  held  a  number 
of  offices,  both  in  the  municipality  and  in  the 
county.  As  a  railroad  man  Mr.  Edelmann  began 
as  foreman  in  the  construction  of  the  Flint  .V  Pere 
Marquette  Railroad,  building  the  Salina  branch  of 
four  miles.  The  next  year  he  took  a  contract  ami 
although  he  had  had  no  previous  experience  in  tin- 
work  his  quickness  and  foresight  helped  him  to 
make  a  success  of  it.  There  is  a  much-prized  heir- 
Loom  in  the  Edelmann  family  that  is  of  enough  in- 
terest to  mention  in  connection  with  their  history. 
It  is  a  spinning  wheel  two  hundred  years  <>ld.  hav- 
ing been  handed  down  from  mother  to  daughter 
through  the  successive  generations. 


eSEE^O'' 


~-"7    II.   BLISS,  founder  and  President  of  the 

—fa    International  Business  Colleges  at  Saginaw 

and  Bay  City,  Mich,  and  Ft.   Wayne,  End., 

is  well  known  throughout  the  State  asan  educator 

and  occupies  a  prominent  place  amongthe  citizens 

of  Saginaw,  while  his  institution  ranks  among  the 

most  useful  and  flourishing  enterprises  of  that  city. 

Although  but  a  tew  year-  old.  being  established  in 

1885,  the  college  has  an  enviable  record,  and  an 

annual    attendance  of  between    four   hundred    and 

five  hundred  students  testifies  to  its  reputation  as 

a  business  educator,     [ts quarters  are  in  a  fine  block 

in  the  business  part  of  the  city  and  are  handsomely 

3d 


fitted  up  with  every  needful  appliance  to  can-}  on 
the  several  departments.  It  is  under  able  manage- 
ment. 

Here  a  young  man  or  woman  can  be  trained  to 
commercial  life  by  practical  work  in  any  branch, 
stenography,  telegraphy,  correspondence,  banking, 
wholesale,  retail  or  commission  trade,  each  of  these 
being  represented  in  the  course  of  study  and  trans- 
actions being  carried  on  as  they  are  in  everyday 
experience.  This  method  is  facilitated  by  the  es- 
tablishment of  two  branch  institutions,  the  one  at 
Bay  City  being  opened  in  1889,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Prof.  .1.  M.  Ressler;  that  at  Ft.  Wayne  with 
Prof.  W.  .1.  Elliott  as  manager,  was  opened  in  1890 
with  an  attendance  of  fifty  students  the  first 
month. 

Each  of  these  colleges  occupies  a  handsome  block 
of  buildings  and  is  thoroughly  equipped.  Over 
twenty  superior  teachers  are  employed,  each  a  spe- 
cialist in  his  particular  branch,  while  President  F.  II. 
Bliss  has  direct  supervision  of  all  three  institutions 
and  personally  superintends  the  reviews,  examina- 
tions, etc.  Board  and  tuition  are  furnished  at  re- 
markably low  rates  and  altogether  these  colleges 
offer  unparalleled  advantages  for  a  thorough  busi- 
ness training. 

A  biographical  sketch  and  portrait  of  the  man 
who  has  accomplished  so  much  in  such  a  short  time 
will  be  interesting  in  this  connection.  Mr.  Bliss  was 
born  in  Erie  County.  Pa.,  March  3,  1861,  and  was 
the  second  son  of  A.  E.  and  Louisa  (  Harrington) 
Bliss.  Both  were  natives  of  New  York  and  of  En- 
glish descent.  They  removed  in  an  early  day  to 
Pennsylvania,  where  the  father  carried  on  a  gen- 
eral stock  farm;  about  1866  they  removed  to  Ashta- 
bula County,  Ohio,  where  they  still  reside,  the 
father  engaging  in  business  as  a  stock-dealer. 

F.  II.  Bliss  received  his  early  education  in  the 
common  and  High  School  of  Conneaut,  Ohio,  and 
when  quite  young  began  teaching  in  the  coun- 
try and  afterward  in  the  village  of  Conneaut.  He 
subsequently  took  a  commercial  course  and  was 
graduated  from  Clark's  Business  College  at  Titus- 
ville,  Pa.,  in  which  institution  he  became  a  teacher. 
Later  he  went  to  Erie.  Pa.,  filling  the  position  fit' 
head  teacher  in  the  business  college  at  that  place 
for    three    years.      In     IMS.")   he   came    to   Saginaw, 


656 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


opening  Lis  present  institution  to  which  he  devotes 
his  entire  time  and  energies,  and  which,  as  has  al- 
ready been  stated,  has  proved  a  very  successful 
enterprise. 

Mr.  Bliss  was  married  in  l.ssi  to  Miss  Stella 
Bugby,  of  Kingsville,  Ohio,  daughter  of  Henry 
Bugby.  Their  pleasant  home  is  enlivened  by  the 
presence  of  one  little  daughter,  named  Madge. 
Politically  Mr.  Bliss  i~  a  Republican. 


^sfE 


fl  IMLLIAM  MERRILL.  The  .Merrill  family 
\/\//l  nave  f°r  three-quarters  of  a  century  been 
Vy\ff  prominently  connected  with  the  manufac- 
turing interests  of  the  Peninsular  State.  Roswell 
T.  Merrill,  the  grandfather  of  William  Merrill, 
made  the  first  separators  for  threshing  grain  ever 
built  in  Michigan  at  his  shop  in  the  villageof  Bir- 
mingham, Oakland  County,  a  village  he  himself 
platted  and  founded  not  a  meat  while  after  1826. 
He  had  come  from  New  York,  locating  at  lirst  at 
l'onliac,  but  soon  after  removing  to  Birmingham, 
where  be  erected  a  machine  shop  and  foundry  and 
where  be  did  an  extensive  business  in  his  own 
line,  lie  afterward  became  identified  with  the 
machine  business  at  Battle  Creek,  but  subsequently 
returned  to  Birmingham  and  at  this  writing  isstill 
a  hale  and  hearty  resident  of  that  place,  and  at  the 
age  of  eighty-eight  is  enjoying  his  latter  years  a* 
greatly  as  he  enjoyed  the  days  of  his  youth. 

George  W.  Merrill,  the  son  of  the  gentleman  of 
whom  we  have  spoken  above,  now  a  resident  of 
Ba\  County  near  Essexville  and  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  the  founder  of  the  extensive  business 
conducted  by  the  linn  of  Mitts  &  Merrill,  and  suc- 
ceeded his  father  in  his  business  at  Birmingham  in 
about  is  Is.  In  ls.">l  he  removed  his  plain  to 
Saginaw,  bringing  his  family  and  outfit  overland  by 
teams.  At  that  time  the  nearest  machine  shop  was 
located  at  Flint  and  fearing  the  results  of  a  similar 
business  established  on  the  Saginaw,  the  proprie- 
tors refused  to  make  a  little  machinery  for  Mi. 
Merrill,  and  after  taking  his  plans  there  in  vain  he 
was  compelled  to  bring  them  home  and  make  his 
machinery  by  the  slow  process  of  hand  work. 


George  Merrill  was  identified  with  nearly  all 
the  important  developments  of  the  early  days  of 
Saginaw.  lie  made  the  machinery  used  in  boring 
and  lilting  the  lirst  salt  well,  and  was  one  of  the 
company  organized  to  first  bore  for  brine,  lie  and 
Stephen  R.  Kirby  were  sent  to  Syracuse,  X.  V..  to 
investigate  the  salt  business.  They  were  to  report 
upon  the  necessary  means  of  development.  They 
were  there  told  that  the  "Saginaw  people  were 
all  right,  and  all  they  needed  to  make  salt  was  a 
quantity  of  Syracuse  brine."     When  the  lirst  well 

had  reached  a  depth  of  several  hundred  feet  the 
drills  became  fastened,  and  after  days  of  trouble 
and   effort    the    company    became    discouraged  and 

most  of  the  stockholders  ad\  ised  its  abandonment, 
but  Mr.  Merrill  insisted  that  the  drills  could  be 
recovered,  and  studying  the  matter  thoroughly 
succeeded  in  regaining  the  tools.  The  work  pro- 
gressed and  resulted,  as  all  the  world  knows,  in 
revolutionizing  the  .'•alt  trade  in  general. 

George  Merrill's  enterprise  grew  as  the  mills  in- 
creased and  the  sail  wells  developed,  and  in  1876, 
he  was  Succeeded  by  the  present  linn  although  he 
has  been  identified  with  the  business  up  to  a  quite 
recent  date, removing  tobis  extensive  farm  after  a 
residence  of  Lhirty-seven  years  in  Saginaw.  Will- 
iam Merrill  is  the  only  son  and  eldest  child  in  a 
family  of  four  children  born  to  his  parents.  His 
advent  into  the  world  was  made  at  Birmingham, 
this  State,  January  13,  1851.  He  graduated  from 
tin-  State  University  with  the  Class  of  '71  and  at 
once  became  connected  with  his  father  in  business. 
He  became  a  thoroughly  practical  machinist  and 
the  excellent  work  for  which  the  linn  is  noted  is 
under  the  constant  supervision  of  the  trained  eye 
and  active  brain  of  our  subject.  He  has  elaborated 
anumberof  practical  ideas  and  many  patents  have 
been  granted  him.  Nearly  all  the  specialties  man- 
ufactured by  the  firms  are  the  result  of  his  fertile 
brain. 

William  Merrill  was  married  in  1873,  to  Miss 
Eudora  B.  Woodruff,  of  Ann  Arbor.  They  arc  the 
parents  of  live  children,  whose  names  arc.  Hubert 
W..  Elizabeth  G.,  Alice  E.,  George  1'.  and  Edith  .1. 
The  extensive  plant .which  the  business  occupies  has 
a  frontage  of  three  hundred  and  twenty-live  feet 
on  South  Tilden  street,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


657 


feel  depth  to  the  river,  the  rear  having  excellent 
dockage  and  containing  slips  where  boats  are 
hoisted  by  hydraulic  pressure  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
pairs. The  front  space  i-  all  occupied  by  the  build- 
ing, covering  a  door  space  <>f  upwards  of  twenty- 
four  thousand  square  feet. 

The  company  have  in  their  employ  about  fortj 
skilled  workmen,  many  of  whom  have  been  with 
the  firm  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  The  products 
of  the  plant  are  mainly  sawmill  and  marine  ma- 
chinery, also  agricultural  implements  and  the  trade 
covers  a  territory  from  .Maine  to  Florida  and  wot 
fo  Oregon.  Special  attention  is  given  to  the  pro- 
duction of  Mitts' &  Merrill's  sawmill  specialties, 
such  as  lath  mill  and  lath  bolter,  the  Eureka  Scarfer, 
or  lapping  machine  for  hand  saws  and  the  remark- 
able and  famous  edging  or  slab  grinder,  justly  cel- 
ebrated an  the  most  economical  appurtenance  to  a 
well-equipped  saw-mill.  This  remarkable  machine 
consists  of  a  ponderous  wheel,  weighing  several 
hundred  pounds  and  revolving  rapidly  in  a  sub- 
stantial iron  frame,  and  armed  with  several  keen 
knives  on  its  ground  surface.  All  kinds  of  waste 
lumber,  slabs,  lath.  etc..  are  fed  to  it  and  are  liter- 
ally "chewed  up.'"  the  knives  cutting  all  the  ends 
and  the  chips  passing  into  a  carrier  that  feeds  the 
boilers,  or  loads  into  carts  for  filling,  or  to  bins 
where  they  become  available  for  fuel.  In  the  use 
of  this  well-named  "hog,"  all  such  refuse  material 
is  disposed  of  at  once  and  much  labor  is  saved  in 
hauling  and  piling  it  for  future  use.  The  "hog" 
is  in  use  in  a  large  number  of  the  greatest  lumber- 
ing plants  from  Maine  to  Oregon  and  the  demand 
for  these  machines  is  constantly  on  the  increase  and 
surpasses  tin- capacity  of  the  establishment. 


mMm^ 


""" 


/*|Sn  APT.  HENRY  BENNETT  is  a  master  sailor, 
(if  residing  at  Bay  City,  and  was  born  on  Wolf 

V^y  Island,  in  the  St.  Lawrence  River  (one  of 
the  Thousand  Islands)  September  Hi.  1844.  ilis 
father  was  Philo  D.  Bennett,  horn  in  the  same 
place  as  his  -on  in  1821.  The  grandfather 
claims  the  Mohawk  Valley  as  the  place  of  his  birth 
which  occurred  in  1793.   He  journeyed  to  Wolflsl- 


land  when  a  lad  of  thirteen  years,  and  followed  the 
occupations  of  a  farmer  and  a  sailor.  He  fought  in 
the  War  of  1812.  He  was  of  an  old  Eastern  fam- 
ily and  died  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  ninety-eight 
years. 

Philo  D.  Bennetl  was  a  sailor  from  early  boy- 
hood, and  became  a  master  when  fifteen  years  old. 
He  came  to  Bay  City  in  1866,  and  has  owned  a 
number  of  different  vessels.  I  Ic  died  here  in  1S72. 
His  wife.  Catherine  Kcklin.  was  a  native  of  Canada, 
where  she  was  born  June  1  I.  1819, and  wasa  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Kcklin.  a  native  of  England,  who 
was  a  soldier  in  England,  anil  fought  at  the  battle 
of  Waterloo,  under  Wellington,  where  he  lost  a 
limb.  His  wife  lived  to  be  ninety  years  old.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  was  twice  married,  and  by 
her  tirst  union  had  two  children.  Her  marriage  to 
the  father  of  our  subject  resulted  in  the  birth  of 
seven  children,  five  still  surviving.  Our  subject 
was  the  eidest  of  the  family,  and  was  reared  to 
farm  pursuits  receiving  his  education  in  the  com- 
mon  schools. 

In  1863  Mr.  Bennett  began  sailing  as  man  afore- 
mast  on  the  schooner  "Messenger"  and  the  next 
year  became  mate  on  the  schooner  "Elizabeth," 
which  sailed  on  Lake  Ontario,  lie  then  was  on  large 
vessels  on  the  Upper  Lakes,  but  in  1866,  came  to 
Bay  City  and  engaged  in  sailing  with  Capt.  Estes. 
In  the  fall  of  1869,  (apt.  Bennetl  began  wheeling 
on  the  steam  barge  "YosemitC,"  and  was  promoted 
tosecond  mate  and  sailed  I  wo  season.-,  then  became 
mate  on  the  steam  barge  "Eclipse"  and  for  several 
seasons  was'-on  different  vessels.  In  lis.si  he  be- 
came master  of  the  "Benton"  for  E.  J.  Vance  & 
(  o.,  and  was  on  this  boat  for  seven  years  without 
any  accidents,  lie  carried  lumber  from  here  to 
Buffalo  and  Cleveland.  C.  I-',.  Eastman  &  Co.,  then 
engaged  Capt.  Bennett  a-  Master  of  the"Wilhelm" 
and  he  sailed  her  for  three  seasons.  He  is  now  en- 
gaged on  the  "Folsoin,"  owned  by  William  Mitch- 
ell &  Co. 

This  gentleman  resides  at  No.  212  Adam-  Street. 
In  ls<72  he  was  married  to  Mis-  Eliza  Beard, daugh- 
ter of  George  Beard,  a  native  of  England,  where 
he  was  born  in  1821.  He  was  a  carpenter  and 
builder  by  trade,  and  married  in  his  native  coun- 
try-     In  1*11  he  came  to  t  hi-  country  and   settled 


658 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


in  Toronto,  Canada.  In  1868,  lie  came  to  Ray  City 
and  engaged  at  his  hade  under  the  firm  name  of 
Beard  <fe  Sons.  He  married  Mary  Rainier,  who 
passed  away  in  1882.  This  couple  were  the  worthy 
parents  of  eight  children,  seven  of  whom  they 
reared  to  years  of  maturity.  The  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject was  born  in  Toronto  and  reared  and  educated 
there,  and  came  to  Michigan  with  her  parents. 
She  has  become  the  motherof  four  children — Will- 
iam P.,  Alva  J.,  Xeil  P.  and  Ressie  E.  (apt.  Ben- 
nett is  a  charter  member  of  ihe  Excelsior  Marine 
Benevolent  Association  No.  5,  and  has  been  Vice- 
President  since  its  organization.  He  also  belongs 
to  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Royal  Arch 
Masons,  the  Royal  Arcanum,  and  the  Ancient  Or- 
der of  United  Workmen.  He  anil  his  wife  are  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Methodisl  Episcopal  Church, 
and  the  Captain  is  a  strong  adherenl  of  the  Repub- 
lican platform. 


V. 


♦=♦=» 


f~~         *==•$.=* 


r^ SCAR  DUNCAN  CHAPLN,  deceased.  This 
former  citizen  of  Saginaw  was  horn"  at 
Brunswick,  Medina  ( lounty,  <  )hio,  September 
26,  1826,  and  his  parents  were  Seymour  ami  Acsah 
(Unlet)  Chapin.  The  mother  wasa  daughter  of  [saac 
Unlet,  who  took  up  an  extensive  tract  of  land  on 
the  Western  Reserve  and  was  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  there.  The  Chapins  Mist  settled  at  Spring- 
field, Mass..  in  the  early  days  and  in  1861  at  a 
re-union  of  the  family  at  thai  place  fifteen  hundred 
Chapins  were  present,  all  descended  from  Samuel 
Chapin  of  early  days.  J.G.Holland  was  one  of 
the  family. 

Our  subject  was  the  youngest  in  a  family  of  six. 
At  the  age  often  years  he  was  left  an  orphan  by 
the  death  of  his  mother  and  lie  lived  with  an  older 
brother,  Harlow,  who  died  September  27,1891. 
Our  subject  was  engaged  in  steam  boat  service  on 
the  Ohio  River,  being  Captain  of  various  boats, 
running  from  Pittsburg  to  Cincinnati.  In  dune 
of  L864  his  boat  was  sold  to  the  Government  and 
he  came  to  Saginaw.  He  then  I  ought  an  interest 
ill    a    sawmill    at    the   east    end    of    the    Mackinaw 


Bridge  which  was  burned  October!),  1871  the  same 
night  as  the  Chicago  the.  It  had  a  capacity  of 
seven  million  feet  of  lumber  and  hail  a  capital  in- 
vested of  *7.-,,imo. 

The  linn  at  that  time  was  Chapin.  Barber  A-  Co., 
and  they  operated  two  salt  blocks  in  connection 
with  the  mill.  This  was  mostly  a  loss  on  accountof 
the  insurance  companies  losing  so  heavily  at  that 
lime  by  the  Chicago  lire.  Soon  after  they  bought 
the  S.  Webster  Mill  at  Bay  City  with  a  still  greater 
capacity.     He  did  an  extensive  lumber  business. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Chapin  took  place.  October 
21.  1879  and  was  the  result  of  heart  failure,  which 
had  been  troubling  him  for  some  years.  He  had 
not  been  able  to  supervise  the  work  personally  for 
a  year  and  a  hall'  but  he  was  constantly  consulted 
by  his  partner.  He  was  an  upright  business  man, 
but  not  connected  with  any  religious  organization. 
lie  was  married  August  11.  1849,  at  Marietta.  Ohio, 
to  Eliza,  daughter  of  Col.  David  Barber,  who  was 
bom  May  19,  1799  and  died  November  1.  1886  at 
Marietta. 

Tin  wife  of  Col.  Barber  was  Lydia,  daughter  of 
Timothy  Stanley.  Mrs.  Chapin  was  born  at  Chester, 
Meigs  County.  Ohio.  July  12.  1828,  and  her  father 
was  a  prominent  resident  of  that  place,  being 
County  Treasurer  and  Postmaster.  He  was  after- 
ward a  well-known  merchant  at  Marietta  and  was 
notable  in  business  and  political  circles.  His  first 
vote  »:i-  cast  in  1820  and  he  never  missed  an  elec- 
tion from  that  time  until  his  death,  being  at  times 
carried  to  the  polls  because  he  was  unable  to  walk 
there.  Originally  he  wasa  Whig  and  later  a  stanch 
Republican. 

In  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chapin  the  eldest 
child  was  Charles  Barber,  who  graduated  at  Louis- 
ville Medical  College,  and  practiced  medicine  in 
Saginawuntil  his  death.  January  30,  1888,  at  the 
age  of  thirty-seven;  he  wasa  successful  practitioner. 
He  left  a  widow  and  one  son,  Seymour,  both  of 
whom  are  living  at  Cleveland.  The  second  child  is 
Florence,  Mrs.  George  Greenwood,  of  Duluth.  Fol- 
lowing her  is  David  S.  of  Portland,  Ore.,  and  Kate 
W.,  wife  of  George  T.  Gamble,  with  whom  Mrs. 
(  hapin  makes  her   home. 

Mr.  (hapin  was  a  man  of  solid  attainments  and 
was  well  versed   in  commercial    law.     He   was   an 


.--;£ 


m--- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


661 


ardent  supporter  of  the  Republican  party  and  took 
an  active  interest  in  .-ill  matters  thai  pertained  to 
the  advancement  of  the  business  interests  ol  the 
city, being  one  of  the  promoters  and  organizersof 
the  Sail  Association.  His  every  business  venture 
was  a  successful  one  .•  1 1 1 < I  yel  lie  at  times  suffered 
heavy  losses. 


c^l 


£+£ 


r=_ 


IDWARD  A.  GYDE,  the  senior  partner  In 
the  firm  of  Gyde  &  Wylie,  is  engaged  in 
<r;  the  manufacture  of  <•< >il^<I  elm  hoop-  al 
the  foot  of  Youmans  Street,  in  Saginaw.  The 
business  was  established  in  ibis  city  in  1886  and 
ha>  an  annual  output  of  eighteen  million  hoops, 
carrying  on  an  ever  increasing  business  and 
employing  some  eighty  men.  Not  only  is  it 
one  of  the  largest  hoop  factories  in  the  United 
Slates,  but  sales  are  made,  all  over  the  world. 

Mr.  Gyde  was  born  near  Fremont,  Ohio,  Febru- 
ary 29,  1848,  and  is  the  son  of  .lames  Gyde,  an 
Englishman.  When  seven  and  one-half  years  old 
he  came  to  Saginaw  County  and  witb  his  father 
settled  in  [ngersoll  Township,  Midland  County. 
There  James  Gyde  became  one  of  the  first  pioneers, 
and  took  pari  in  organizing  the  township,  acting 
as  Township  Clerk  for  fifteen  years.  1 1  is  death 
occurred  in  I.s7.">  in  Ohio.  About  the  year  L868 
the  young  man  began  business  for  himself,  by 
opening  a  grocery  store  at  Carrollton,  Mich.,  with 
a  capital  of  $1,500,  the  savings  of  some  five  years' 
work  in  the  lumber  woods,  which  by  an  injudicious 
system  of  credit  he  lost  in  one  season.  He  then 
returned  to  Ohio,  where  he  worked  as  a  fireman  in 
a  stave  mill  and  soon  became  engineer,  then  man- 
ager. At  the  end  of  six  years  he  found  himself 
owner  of  the  entire  plant  worth  $10,000  and  con- 
tinued to  operate  that  establishment  until  1882, 
when  timber  became  scarce.  He  suffered  a  loss  by 
fire  of  $12,000  in  L880,  but  rebuilt,  and  later,  sell- 
ing the  property,  returned  to  Saginaw. 

After  reaching  Saginaw  Air.  Gyde  decided  to 
enter  into  business  in  Michigan  and  limit  a  mill 
at  Frecland.  which  after  operating  for  a  year  he 
sold.     He  then  built  a   mill   at  Mershons  Station. 


this  city  and  there  remained  from  1883  to  1886, 
when  he  built  his  present  establishment.  His  mar- 
riage, which  took  place  at  Sandusky.  ( )hio,  <  Ictober 
20,  1^7;;,  brought  to  his  home  a  bride  in  the  per- 
son of  Miss  Carrie  Barney,  and  to  them  have  been 
granted  two  daughters,  Kitty  and  Caddie. 

The  political  views  of  .Mr.  Gyde  are  ill  sympa- 
thy with  the  Republican  party,  hut  he  is  liberal 
in  his  thoughl  and  can  understand  how  other-  can 
differ  from  him  in  opinion.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  order.  While  at  Freehand  a  circular 
saw  bursl  and  one  of  the  piecesstruck  his  left  hand 
which  was  lying  on  a  block  and  cut  off  the  hand 
just  below  the  thumb  as  clean  and  square  as  though 
it  had  been  done  by  the  surgeon's  knife,  lie  re- 
sides at  lit;  North  Washington  Avenue,  where  he 
has  a  fine  home.  His  partner,  .lames  T.  Wylie.  was 
united  with  him  in  business  in  April,  1891,  and 
they  are  conducting  their  affairs  with  even  greater 
vigor  and  prosperity  since  the  formation  of  the 
firm. 

The  lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Gyde  accompa- 
nies Ihis  sketch  of  his  life. 


T~^  FNJAMIX  II.  MARTIN,  who  is  engaged  m 
Lx  tbe  undertaker's  business  in  Bay  City,  has 
(dTA  I  probably  been  longer  in  that  line  of  business 
^~— ■*  than  any  Other  man  here,  as  it  has  been  his 
life  work,  lie  is  a  -on  of  Oliver  Martin,  of  New 
York  City,  who  was  the  first  man  to  manufacture 
and  keep  on  hand  coffins  in  that  great  metropolis. 
He  came  West  and  settled  in  Ann  Arbor  in  1845, 
when  our  subject  was  only  five  years  old,  and  there 
he  continued  in  business  until  his  death,  when  his 
son,  ( (liver,  Jr.,  took  charge  of  the  establishment, 
and  still  continues  in  its  management.  He  died 
in  ltfH-2.  leaving  a  widow,  who  was  in  her  maiden- 
hood Miss  Phoebe  Hawkins,  of  Ithaca.  X.  V.  To 
them  had  been  born  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 
From  the  time  our  subject  was  old  enough  to  lie 
out  with  his  father,  he  was  with  him  constantly  in 
the  factory  and  furniture  warerooms,  and  driving 
the   hearse    and    almost    without    knowing    it    the 


662 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


boy  had  acquired  all  the  details  of  the  business. 
The  father  experienced  a  disastrous  lire  entailing 
a  loss  of  some  $42,000,  and  aboul  thai  time  the  son 
came  to  Bay  City  and  in  1875  established  an  un- 
dertaker's room  on  Center  Street,  which  he  lias 
now  removed  to  No.  717  Saginaw  Street,  where  he 
is  carrying  on  the  largesl  business  of  this  kind  of 
any  man  in  the  city,  lie  is  also  interested  in  real 
estate. 

Mr.  Martin  was  married  July  18,  1861,  to  Miss 
Henrietta  Phillips,  of  Ann  Arbor,  and  they  have 
one  son,  William  I...  who  is  in  businessat  Cheboy- 
gan and  Ashland,  Mich.,  is  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  prominent  lumbermen  in  either  place  and 
indeed  throughout  that  valley.  This  son  married 
MissPhcebe  Reavor,  of  this  city,  and  they  have  one 
child,  Oliver  I  J.  Martin.  Our  subject  is  a  member 
of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and 
the  National  Union,  but  has  never  dabbled  in  poli- 
tics. He  was  brought  up  a  Baptist,  but  is  now  an 
attendantand  supporter  of  the  Universalis!  Church. 

SHOMAS  A.  BAIRD.  M.  D.  There  is  pos- 
sibly no  more  popular,  and  at  the  same 
time  thoroughly  well-read  physician  in  Bay 
City,  than  the  one  whose  name  we  have  now  writ- 
ten. He  has  a  high  standing  in  his  profession, 
and  his  worth  is  thoroughly  recognized  through- 
out this  part  of  the  State  lie  was  born  in  Wood- 
stock, Ontario.  Canada.  His  lather.  Thomas  Baird, 
who  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  came  to  Can- 
ada with  his  parents  when  he  was  only  fifteen 
years  old.  His  father,  the  grandfathei  of  our 
subject,  had  been  a  wholesale  grocer  in  Scotland, 
and  it  was  in  1841  that  he  located  in  Woodstock 
in  the  same  line  of  business,  and  remained  there 
until  his  death. 

The  father  of  our  subjeel  was  a  commission 
merchant  and  shipped  to  ports  in  England  and 
Scotland.  For  many  years  he  carried  on  a  suc- 
cessful business  in  provisions  and  grain,  and  is 
now  living  a  retired  life.  His  religious  training 
was  received  among  the  Reformers,  and  he  was  for 


many  years  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
His  wife,  Margaret,  was  the  daughter  of  \\  il  1  i:i in 
Miller,  who  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  after  coming 
to  Canada  engaged  in  farming  near  Goderich.    He 

is  a  prominent  man  in  local  politics  and  an  Rider 
in  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

our  subject  is  one  of  ten  children,  all  of  whom 
are  still  in  this  life,  and  seven  of  them  are  in  Can- 
ada and  three  in  Michigan.  The  Doctor  was  born 
July  25,  1862,  and  after  studying  in  the  Woodstock 
school  until  he  was  fourteen  he  entered  St.  Cather- 
ine's Collegiate  Institute.  After  finishing  that 
course  he  matriculated  at  Toronto  University,  and 
in  1881  entered  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
McGill  University,  at  Montreal,  where  he  con- 
tinued his  studies  for  four  years,  graduating  in 
1885.  After  thai  he  took  a  Post  Graduate  course 
iu  the  Polyclinic,  in  New  York  City,  and  in  Feb- 
ruary. 1886,  located  in  Bay  City,  and  engaged  in 
practice,  lie  has  done  much  excellent  surgical 
work  here,  and  lias  been  successful  in  every  line  of 

effort. 

Dr.  Baird  was  married  in  Bay  City,  in  1887,  to 
Miss  Jennie  Rivet,  a  native  of  Ottawa,  Canada, 
and  their  children  are  Fred  and  Margaret  Helena. 
This  gentleman  was  a  prime  mover  m  starting  the 
Northwestern  Hospital  here,  of  which  he  was  Sec- 
retary for  some  two  years,  and  in  which  lie  lias 
been  associated  with  Drs.  Tupper,  McClurg  and 
McTavish.  He  is  a  member  cf  the  Saginaw  Val- 
ley Medical  Club,  and  among  the  social  orders  he 
belongs  to  the  Royal  Arch  Masons,  the  Knights  of 
the    Maccabees,    flic    Order    of     Foresters,    and     in 

politics  is  a  true  blue  Republican. 


\, 


[  I.I.I  AM  E.  TAPERT.  This  foreign-born 
American  who  has  been  many  years  in  this 
pari  of  the  country,  and  was  formerly  in 
the  meat  business  in  Pay  City,  is  now  interested  in 
real-estate  and  has  a  fine  farm  of  forty-one  acres 
in  Portsmouth  Township.  He  was  born  in  Saxony, 
near  Gotha,  Julv  2\.  1843,  and  his  father,  Henry 
E.  was  there  a  meat  dealer  and  hotel  keeper,  and 
also  owned  a  fine  little  farm  and  a  brewery. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


663 


In  1850  the  father  sold  bis  business  and  started 
with  his  family  of  wifeand  eleven  children  for  the 
New  World.  Tin'  vessel  in  which  they  sailed  was 
wrecked  off  thecoastof  Newfoundland,  and  tln\ 
would  all  have  been  drowned  bad  it  not  been  for 
the  bravery  of  a  Newfoundland  dog  whicli  swam 
nut  to  them,  bringing  a  line  by  which  they  were 
able  to  be  hauled  to  land.  In  that  way  three  hun- 
dred  and  fifty  passengers  uric  rescued  in  three 
and  a  half  day-.  Thej  remained  for  ten  days 
with  little  to  eat  and  suffering  greatly  with  cold. 
as  an  iceljerg  was  near  them,  and  then  the  Govern- 
ment -cut  two  \  essels  t<.  bring  them  to  Quebec.  On 
this  last  part  of  the  trip  they  were  again  wrecked 
as  their  vessel  hail  .1  collision,  imt  escaped  withoul 
serious  injury.  Upon  reaching  Detroit,  Mr.  Tapert 
engaged  in  the  meat  business,  and  thus  continued 
until  Ins  death  in  1883.  This  sad  evenl  wascaused 
by  a  fall  on  the  pavement,  which  resulted  in  lock- 
jaw. His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Adelhide 
Frank,  died  in   1885,  leaving  seven  children. 

Our  subject  was  seven  years  old  when  he  came 
from  Germany,  and  attended  public  schools  in  De- 
troit for  :i I h >ut  two  years,  but  a-  they  had  lost  all 
their  possessions  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  go  to 
work  at  an  early  age.  At  the  age  of  ten  In-  learned 
cigar-making,  and  followed  if  fo;  two  years,  and 
then  for  three  year-  was  apprenticed  to  a  silver- 
smith, and  did  journeyman  work  for  a  year.  After 
this  he  was  employed  in  his  father's  market,  re- 
maining with  him  until  he    was   twenty  years   nld. 

In  1863  our  subject  entered  Government  em- 
ploy as  a  butcher  at  Nashville,  and  was  there  for 
six  months,  after  which  he  followed  tin-  •; -  em- 
ployment in   Chicago  before  returning  to    Detroit. 

where  he  engaged  in   the  meat   business  of    the  city 

hall  market  until  1868,  \\hni  became  to  Hay  City. 
and  entered  into  partnership  with  Fred  Simon  & 
In.  Two  years  later  In-  began  an  independent 
business  and  took  as  a  partner  Mr.  Bertch  with 
whom  he  continued  fur  tun  year.-,  after  which  he 
carried  on  his  business  alone  until  1891,  when  he 
sold  out  his  establishment  and  retired  from  trade. 
The  marriage  of  William  E.  Tapert  and  Miss 
Catherine  Sehoellei  took  place  .March  13,  1866. 
This  lady  was  born  in  Germany  ami  came  to  this 
country    with    her    mother     who  still    resides    wit'h 


her.  They  have  two  children,  William  G.  who  is 
head  book-keeper  of  Swift's  Beef  Co.,  and  George 
I'..  whii  i-  with  the  hardware  linn  of  t.idnev  lino. 
The  finely  improved  farm  of  forty-one  acres  was 
entirely  unbroken  and  unimproved  when  ii  came 
into  the  possession  of  our  subject,  and  lie  now  has 
line  buildings  upon  it,  and  is  carrying  it  on  him- 
self, lie-  i-  an  active  member  of  the  German- 
Lutheran  Church,  and  when  their  house  of  worship 
was  erected  in  1890  he  was  Chairman  of  the  Build- 
ing Committee.  He  is  a  true-blue  Republican;  and 
cast  his  first  Republican  ballot  for  Abraham  Lincoln 
and  has  been  a  consistent  adherent  of  the  party 
from  that  day  to  this. 


/lilEXD  I).  RUNDELL,  a  respected  resident 
j)  df  Brady  Township.  Saginaw  County,  who 
i-  a  tanner  and  Stock-raiser  upon  sixty 
acre-  of  land  on  section  13,  wa-  liorn  in  Erie 
County,  N.  Y.,  June  7.  1834.  His  father,  James 
Rundell,  was  a  native  of  the  old  Bay  State  and  the 
mother  was  a  New  Yorker  and  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Abigail  Knapp.  They  came  to  Leslie. 
Eaton  County,  this  State,  in  1840  and  a  year  later 
removed  \<<  Vevay  Township,  Ingham  County. 
which  remained  their  home  until  the  death  of  the 
mother  .March  1.  1851,  alter  which  the  father,  who 
was  a  blacksmith,  disposed  of  his  farm  and  removed 
to  Felt-  (orner-.  [ngham  County. 

The  son  had  no  opportunity  for  education  until 
he  was  ten  \  ear- old  and  during  the  next  six  year- 
had  but  scanty  advantages.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
he  began  to  assist  hi-  father  in  the  shop,  working 
there  in  the  winters  and  upon  the  farm  and  in  the 
brick-yard  during  the  summer,  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty  again  entering  school  and  studying  for  two 
winters. 

Miss  Mary  P.  Turner  of  Lima  Township.  Wash- 
tenaw County,  became  the  wife  of  our  subject 
Augusl  23,  1856.  she  was  born  in  Onondaga 
County,  X.  Y..  April  30,  1837  and  i-  a  daughter  of 
Eli  and  l'ermclia  Turner,  both  of  whom  died  while 
she  was  young.     After  carrying  on  the  blacksmith 


664 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


trade  for  two  years  in  Ingham  County,  Blr.  Rundell 
removed  first  to  Henrietta,  Jackson  County,  then 
to  Parma  and  afterward  to  Bunker  Hill.  He  en- 
listed in  November,  1863  in  Company  I,  Sixth  Mich- 
igan Heavy  Artillery  and  became  a  part  of  the 
army  of  the  Gulf,  Western  Division,  lie  saw  an 
exciting  service  at  Port  Hudson  and  took  part  at 
Dolphin  Island,  Mobile  Bay.  in  the  capture  of 
Fts.  Gaines  and  Morgan.  Mr.  Rundell  was  on 
board  the  steamer  "Clara  Bell"  when  she  was  set 
on  fire  by  guerrillas  and  burned  to  the  waters'  edge, 
two  men  were  killed  and  thirteen  wounded,  and 
three  hundred  mules  and  seventy  horses  were 
burned.  Owing  to  sickness  Air.  Rundellspent  some 
time  in  a  hospital  at  New  Orleans  and  at  other 
places  and  received  his  discharge  September  .">, 
1865. 

While  in  the  St.  Louis  Hospital  at  New  Orleans 
this  brave  young  soldier  was  carried  out  as  dead, 
and  lay  in  the  dead  house  all  night  and  only  escaped 
interment  the  next  day  through  the  careful 
scrutiny  of  Dr.  Motrem,  the  regimental  surgeon, 
who  discovered  faint  signs  of  life.  While  at  Dol- 
phin Island  he  was  knocked  off  from  a  gang  plank 
by  a  wave  and  came  near  being  crushed  between 
two  vessels.  When  he  entered  the  army  he  weighed 
two  hundred  and  fifteen  pounds  and  brought  back 
only  eighty-two  and  one-half  pounds  when  he  re- 
turned. His  family  had  been  living  in  Lansing 
during  his  absence  but  after  his  return  he  bought 
forty  acres  in  Elba  Township, Gratiot  County,  and 
removing  his  family  to  Elsie,  Clinton  County, 
began  working  in  a  blacksmith  shop. 

After  an  eight  years  residence  in  Elsie  Mr.  Run- 
dell removed  in  1873  to  Oakley  where  he  followed 
blacksmithing  and  after  awhile  bought  forty  acres 
of  land  which  he  cleared  and  sold,  and  having  pur- 
chased another  eighty  built  a  house  upon  it  which 
he  parted  with  before  buying  his  present  home  in 
1885. 

Three  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rundell  have 
passed  on  to  the  other  life  and  those  who  arc  Mill 
here  are  Arthur  D.,  who  was  horn  Decembers.  186] 
in  Parma.  Jackson  County,  and  now  lues  in 
Brady  Township;  Wesley  J.,  bom  October  7.  1866 
in  Elsie, and  Sarah  J.  July  111.  1869  in  Elba  Town- 
ship, Gratiot  County,  Mich. 


To  each  one  of  these  children  has  been  granted 
an  excellent  common-school  education  and  the 
parents  have  broughl  them  up  in  the  faith  and 
doctrine  of  the  Free  Will  Baptist  Church,  of  which 
they  are  members  and  where  Mr.  Rundell  is  a 
Deacon.  In  his  political  views  he  is  quite  inde- 
pendent of  party  leaders  and  follows  his  own  judg- 
ment in  the  selection  of  candidates  for  his    ballot. 


HARLES  J.  BOUSFIELD.  This  young  gen- 
tleman, who  is   Secretary  and  Treasurer  of 

V '    the    successful    and    enterprising    firm    of 

Bousfield  &  Co..  is  a  popular  and  thoroughly  re- 
spected citizen  of  Lay  City.  (  For  full  details  of 
the  factory  and  business  of  this  firm  we  refer  our 
readers  to  the  biography  of  Alfred  E.  Bousfield 
upon  another  page  of  this  record.) 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Janu- 
ary 9,  1862,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Sarah 
(  Featherstone)  Bousfield,  whose  biography  is  given 
in  the  sketch  of  their  son  Alfred.  Charles  was 
reared  in  Cleveland  and  educated  in  the  public 
and  high  schools  of  that  city  until  he  reached  the 
age  of  seventeen,  when  he  entered  his  father's  of- 
lice  as  bookkeeper  for  the  Ohio  Wooden  Ware 
Manufactory  Company,  and  remained  there  until 
1884,  at  which  time  he  came  to  Lay  City  with 
his  brother  Alfred,  and  located  here,  forming  with 
him  the  firm  of  Bousfield  &  Co.  Since  his  first 
coming  here  he  has  been  Secretary  of  the  business, 
and  later  became  its  Secretary  and  Treasurer. 

This  young  man  has  a  brilliant  future  before 
him  as  he  has  naturally  fine  qualifications  for  a 
business  career,  and  is  possessed  of  more  than  or- 
dinary enterprise  and  energy.  His  heredity  and 
training  have  given  him  a  thorough  command  of 
business  methods,  and  his  social  qualities  attract 
the  good  will  and  interest  of  all  who  know  him. 

Charles  J.  Bousfield  is  Master  of  the  Lodge  of 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons  in  Bay  City,  and  a 
member  of  the  Council  and  of  the  Royal  Arch  Ma- 
sous.  He  is  Captain-General  of  the  Bay  City 
Commandery  of  Knights  Templar,  and  has  reached 
the  thirty-second  degree  of  Masonry,  besides  being 


% 


:'*'  •'#■ 


(jbjJ^jL'jeh 


■C^i^CLA^UO*^ 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


667 


a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  of  Detroit.  The 
Masons  of  Bay  City  are  now  constructing  a  Tem- 
ple at  the  corner  <>t'  Madison  Avenue  and  Sixth 
Street.  This  gentleman  is  a  charter  member  and 
Trustee  of  the  Building  Association  and  Chairman 
of  the  Building  Committee.  This  beautiful  build- 
ing is  being  put  up  at  an  expense  of  $75,000.  Mr. 
Bousfield  was  a  delegate  to  the  Grand  Lodge  at 
Saginaw,  and  also  to  the  Grand  Chapel  at  Grand 
Rapids.  He  is  a  stanch  Republican  in  his  political 
views,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Mac- 
cabees. 


\fL  ENRY  G.  OBENAUER.  Indisputably  the 
largest  hardwood  lumber  commission  busi- 
ness in  the  State  of  Michigan    is  under  the 

g»))  management  of  Mr.  Obenauer.  who  has  op- 
erated as  a  pine  and  hard  wood  lumber  mei chant 
since  he  was  fifteen  years  old.  Be  is  very  promi- 
nently connected  with  the  lumbering  interests  of 
this  State,  and  particularly  with  Bay  City,  where 
he  has  his  office  in  the  Payne  Block.  He  began 
business  for  himself  in  this  city  in  1880,  operating 
on  Lakes  Michigan,  Huron  and  Superior  as  well  as 
the  Saginaw  River,  and  buying  and  selling  lumber 
on  commission.  At  the  above-mentioned  date  he 
took  into  partnership  John  E.  Byrns,  formerly  of 
Buffalo,  and  later  W.  S.  Clements  entered  the  firm 
which  has  gradually  winked  up  to  their  present 
high  standing  as  business  men.  During  the  past 
season  (1891)  they  handled  thirty-five  million  feet 
of  lumber  and  expect  to  double  their  business  be- 
fore the  next  season. 

It  is  with  pleasure,  therefore,  that  we  present  the 
portrait  and  record  the  important  events  in  the  life 
of  Mr.  Obenauer,  who  ably  represents  the  exten- 
sive business  interests  of  Bay  County.  He  was 
born  in  Evansville,  Ind.,  May  1,  1859,  and  is  a 
son  of  Henry  <;.  and  Emma  (Lippert)  Obenauer, 
both  natives  of  Germany.  The  father,  who  is  a 
man  of  rare  intellectual  attainments,  emigrated  to 
this  country  in  1*51  from  the  Fatherland,  where 
he  had  received  a  splendid  education,  and  was  en- 
gaged as   a  teacher  of   languages,      lie   was  about 


twenty-two  years  old  when  he  came  to  America, 
and  made  his  first  home  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where 
he  taught  various  languages,  and  where  be  was 
married  to  Miss  Emma  Lippert,  a  resident  of  that 
city. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  came  to  Michigan  in 
1862,  and  engaged  as  teachers  in  the  schools  of 
Eas1  Saginaw,  later  coming  to  Bay  City,  where  Mrs. 
Obenauer  followed  her  profession  until  t880.  Her 
pen  has  been  in  constant  requisition  as  awriterfor 
the  press  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  and  her 
articles  have  appeared  in  several  Eastern  magazines. 
She  has  been  especially  active  in  the  crusade  against 
the  social  evils  in  Northern  Michigan,  and  is  a 
woman  of  progressive  thought  and  advanced  ideas. 
In  the  work  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union  she  has  for  years  taken  a  prominent  part, 
besides  being  Secretary  of  the  State  Alliance,  and 
Superintendent  of  the  Manistee  Industrial  School. 
She  finds  a  religious  home  in  the  Congregational 
Church. 

The  family  of  which  our  subject  was  a  member, 
comprised  nine  children,  seven  of  whom  lived  to 
mature  years,  namely:  Henry  G.,  of  this  sketch; 
Philip,  of  Detroit;  William,  who  makes  his  home 
in  Albany,  Ore.;  Victor,the  principal  of  the  .Marsh- 
all (Mich.)  city  schools;  Emma,  wife  of  James  Ta- 
them,  also  of  Albany,  Ore.;  Olga,  principal  of  the 
Ladies'  Seminary,  of  Seattle.  Wash.;  and  Mamie, 
who    remains  at  home  with'  her  parents.     In   his 

childl d  our  subjeel  came  to  Saginaw,  where  he 

received  a  good  practical  education  in  the  High 
school.  After  completing  his  schooling,  lie  entered 
the  employ  of  McGraw  &  Co.,  of  Bay  City,  at  that 
time  the  largest  lumber  firm  in  the  West.  The  ex- 
perience which  he  thus  received  was  Of  inestimable 
value  to  him  and  enabled  him  after  a  clerkship  of 
three  years,  to  start  in  business  for  himself.  The 
lumber  business  lias  been  his  life  work,  and  has 
brought  to  him,  through  his  shrewd  financiering 
and  excellent  judgment,  a  marked  degree  of  pros- 
perity, lie  now  ships  lumber  to  different  markets 
throughout  the  United  States,  but  more  particu- 
larly to  the  East. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Obenauer  is  identified 
with  the  Royal  Arcanum.  His  private  interests 
bave  so  occupied  his  attention   that  he   has  found 


668 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


little  time  to  devote  to  public  affairs,  and  takes  lit- 
tle interest  in  politics  further  than  to  cast  his  1  >;i  1- 
lot  for  the  candidates  of  the  Republican  party.  He 
was  married  July  2.  lssj.  to  Miss  Josephine,  the 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Margaret  (Allen)  McKim. 
Mrs.  Obenauer  was  born  in  Perth,  Ontario,  and  is 
descended  from  Scotch  ancestors,  she  came  to  Bay 
(  it\  in  her  girlhood,  and  received  her  education 
in  the  High  School  of  this  place,  after  which  she 
engaged  as  a  teacher,  and  at  the  time  of  her  mar- 
riage was  principal  of  the  Farragut  Street  school. 
Two  children  blessed  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Obenauer,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  while  the 
other,  Guy  Menzies,  is  still  beneath  the  parental 
roof.  Mrs.  Obenauer  and  his  estimable  wifeare at- 
tendants of  the  Congregational  Church,  and  con- 
tribute liberally  to  all  benevolent  enterprises. 


»5~ 


^m>-^<m 


>v  KTKK    WERNTZ.      A g    the     German 

American  citizens  of  Chesaning  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  is  the  one  whose  name 
we  have  just  given,  whose  finely  cultiva- 
ted farm  i>  situated  on  section  1.  He  was  born  in 
Bavaria,  December  1.  1841,  and  is  theson  ofPhilip 
and  Magdelena  (Fiekies)  Werntz,  who  came  to  the 
United  Mates  when  theson  was  onh  five  years  old. 
For  the  next  fifteen  years  they  lived  in  New  York, 
where  the  father  became  possessed  of  some  fifty 
acres  of  land  near  Buffalo,  where  the  stock  yards  are 
now  located. 

A  common-school  education  was  all  that  was 
granted  our  subject,  but  as  he  was  a  boy  of  bright 
and  capable  mind,  he  profited  well  by  the  instruc- 
tion received. and  speakswith  fluency  both  theGer- 
man  and  English  languages.  The  father  came  to 
Michigan  in  1861,  bringing  with  him  his  wife  and 
two  sisters —  Mary,  who  married  Philip  Yalkmer. 
and  Amelia,  who  married  Edwin  Were.  The  lat- 
ter died  after  coming  here,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren. 

When  thi'  family  came  herein  1861  they  traveled 
by  rail  to  the  nearest  station,  which  was  then  Co- 
rnnna.  The  following  spring  the  father  purchased 
fort \  acres  of  land  and   proceeded   to   improve   it. 


and  as  he  was  without  means  he  was  obliged  to 
work  very  hard  and  get  along  with  as  little  expense 
as  possible.  His  son.  our  subject,  determined  to 
help  his  father  in  every  way  possible,  md  freely 
devoted  his  time  and  strength  to  making  a  success 
of  this  pioneer  work.  Together  they  cleared  and 
cultivated  the  soil  and  in  L866  bought  another 
forty  acres  of  land  and  in  1881  added  an  equal 
extent,  and  ten  years  later  added  another  forty  to 
the  farm,  so  that  they  now  have  a  quarter  section 
of  land.  They  put  up  new  barns  in  1*77  and  a 
year  later  added  a  new  house  to  their  possessions. 
Our  subject  was  married  in  1868  to  .Miss  Anna 
Swallow,  but  their  life  together  was  not  long,  as 
they  were  not  congenial  to  each  other  and  sepa- 
rated. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Ella 
Muffin,  of  Chesaning,  took  place  November  23. 
1886.  She  was  born  in  laic  County,  X.  Y..  May 
27,  1857;  and  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Julia 
(Strong)  Muffitt,  both  New  Yorkers  and  still  liv- 
ing in  Chesaning  Township.  By  this  union  our 
subject  has  two  children — John  Philip,  born  April 
111.  1888,  and  Leona  May.  horn  January  2.  1890. 
The  political  opinions  of  Mr.  Werntz  bring  him 
into  alliance  with  the  Republican  party,  and  with 
it  he  casts  his  vote.  His  religious  training  asso- 
ciates  him  with  the  Lutheran  Church,  with  which 
his  parents  have  been  connected. 


f  (  >N.  BYR<  >N  A.  SN(  >W.  Among  the  learned 
J  and  skillful  attorneys  of  Chesaning  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  appears  above  and 
Sgg  who  was  born  in  Hanover  Township,  Jackson 
County,  this  Mate.  August  21.  1850,  and  is  a  son 
of  Joseph  A.  and  Jane  E.  (Porter)  Snow.  The 
father  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  the  mother  of 
Massachusetts.  They  came  to  Michigan  in  1839, 
and  located  land  in  Jack-on  County,  where  the 
head  of  the  family  became  a  prominent  and  well- 
known  agriculturist.  When  in  the  army  he  lost 
his  health  through  sickness  and  exposure.  He 
died  in  Saginaw  County  in  1886. 

The  original  of  our  .-ketch  is  the  third  in  a  fam- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


669 


ily  of  six  children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  He 
was  reared  on  a  farm  and  knew  little  outside  of 
farm  life  until  he  entered  the  Normal  School  in 
[owa  City,  Iowa,  t<>  which  State  his  father  had 
moved  when  his  son   was  about  eleven   years  old. 

lie  entered  the  school  at  the  age  Of  fifteen  and 
was  a  pupil  tutor,  carrying  on  his  own  course  and 
teaching  others  in  order  to  get  funds  to  continue 
his  studies.  In  the  fall  of  ixii'.t  he  graduated  and 
taught  for  six  or  seven  years.  At  Shell  Rock, 
Iowa,  lie  taught  for  four  years  and  the  remainder  of 
thte  time  at  Hanover.  While  engaged  as  a  teacher 
he  had  taken  up  a  course  of  reading  in  legal  lore 
and  was  about  to  be  admitted  to  the  bar. 

Our  subject's  hopes  in  a  legal  direction  were 
delayed  by  the  failure  of  his  health.  His  physi- 
cian recommended  him  to  take  outdoor  exercise, 
and  according  to  this  advice  he  went  to  Kansas 
where  In'  purchased  a  farm  and  gave  to  it  his.  at- 
tention, lie  regained  his  health  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  at  the  bench  and  bar  after  an 
examination  before  the  Supreme  Court  October  12, 
1882.  lie  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Hanover  two  years  before  being  admitted,  and 
after  his  admission  he  moved  toChesaning,  coming 
here  in   1382. 

Our  subject  was  married  April  <i.  1873,  to  Miss 
Anna  Stevens,  of  Hanover.  She  was  a  daughter 
of  Gillett  and  Elizabeth  Stevens.  Lawyer  Snow 
is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  faith  and  has  been 
elected  to  many  responsible  offices  by  his  party. 
lie  has  been  Supervisor  of  the  township.  President 
of  the  Board  of  Education  and  has  served  one 
term  in  the  legislature,  to  which  he  was  elected  in 
lKKti.  ( )n  a  renomination  he  positively  refused  to 
serve,  as  it  interfered  with  his  legal  business. 
Until  recently  Mr.  Snow  has  been  Village  Attorney, 
but  now  declines  to  serve  in  that  capacity  for 
lack  of  time  to  give  it  proper  attention. 

The  domestic  circle  includes  three  children — 
Arthur  B.,  Albert  Elwood  and  Alice  Luella.  The 
eldest  was  born  in  Hanover.  November  15,  L874. 
During  the  legislative  session  of  1890-91,  he 
distinguished  himself  as  a  most  gentlemanly  little 
page.  Albert  was  horn  July  Hi.  1878,  and  Alice 
was  born  in  Chesaning,  March  21.  L884.  While  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  Mr.  Snow  was  on  a  commit- 


tee of  private  corporal  ions,  also  of  t  he  I  ni  versity  of 
Michigan  and  also  on  several  minor  committees. 
He  was  the  author  of  the  bill  for  assessing  mortgages 

and  deducting    the    same    from    the     value    of    the 

real  estate,  and  although  il    failed   to   q;o   through 

the  Senate,  passed  the  House,  and  he  has  since  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  it  b< ic  a   law. 


-5-=-5-=* 


epI'LBERT    W.   PLATTE,  who    was    born    in 

Soest,  Prussia,  in  L860,  is  a  Professor  of 
instrumental  and  vocal  music  anil  compo- 
sition at  Saginaw.  His  education  was  ob- 
tained in  his  native  country.  After  leaving  the 
common  Schools  he  entered  the  Teachers'  State 
Normal  School  at  his  birthplace,  which  afforded 
great  advantages  in  music.  Here  he  remained  for 
three  years,  devoting  his  entire  time  to  literal  \ 
and  pedagogical  studies,  but  especially  to  music, 
enjoying  the  intruetions  of  Concert-master  Loeser 
on  the  violin,  and  of  Prof.  Knabe.  a  pupil  of 
Loeschhorn  and  Haupt  in  Berlin,  in  piano  and 
organ  playing.  In  1879  he  was  graduated  with 
high  honors,  and  received  the  "grand  diploma"  for 
organ  playing,  the  highest  which  that  institution 
could  bestow.  He  subsequently  became  teacher  and 
professor  of  music  in  the  State  Asylum  for  the 
Blind, which  situation  he  resigned  in  1**2  to  come 

to  the  United  States. 

After  staying  for  some  time  with  relatives  m 
Toledo.  Ohio,  our  subject  was  invited  to  take  charge 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kreling's  class  at  Saginaw,  while 
that  instructor  was  absent  in  Europe,  whither  he 
had  been  called  on  the  death  of  his  father.  After 
Mr.  Kreling's  return  Mr.  Platte  decided  to  remain, 
thinking  Saginaw  a  splendid  field  for  his  profession. 

He  was  engaged  as  Musical  Director  ofthetiei- 
mania  Society;  became  organist  in  one  of  the  lead- 
ing ohurches,  and  built  up  large  classes  in  instru- 
mental and  vocal  music,  besides  devoting  himself 
largely  to  composition. 

In  I.H.H7  the  Professor  returned  to  Europe  to 
further  perfect  himself  in  his  chosen  profession. 
and  remained  there  for  two  years.    After  traveling 


(370 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


quite  extensively  through  Germany.  Austria,  Italy 
and  Switzerland  he  resolved  to  settle  in  Munich 
where  he  was  admitted  into  the  highest  class  of  the 
Royal  Conservatory  and  had  the  good  fortune  to 
study  organ  and  higher  composition  with  the  fam- 
ous conductor  and  composer  Joseph  Rheinberger. 
He  continued  his  piano  studies  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  distinguished  piano  virtuoso,  Prof. 
1 1.  Schwartz,  and  orchestra  and  ensemble  music  with 
Prof.  L.  Abel,  chief  Concert-master  at  the  Court 
Opera.  In  Munich  Mr.  Platte  completed  the  com- 
position of  a  contata  for  chorus,  orchestra  and 
organ,  which  work  was  successfully  performed  at 
one  of  the  conservatory  concerts.  Returning  to 
Saginaw  he  organized  classes  in  vocal  and  instru- 
mental music  and  ha-  gained  a  broad  reputation  as 
a  competent  and  thorough  teacher  as  well  as  a  su- 
perior performer  upon  the  piano  and  organ. 

Our  subject  has  erected  a  handsome  building  es- 
pecially fitted  for  his  profession  and  for  the  l»  tier 
accommodation  of  his  students  at  No.  537  Millard 
Street. and  he  iswell  patronized  by  the  best  people 
of  Saginaw,  the  majority  of  his  pupils  coming  from 
the  most  prosperous  people  of  Saginaw  and  neigh- 
boring  towns.  In  his  compositions  he  gives  him- 
self mostly  to  the  production  of  church  music  and 
songs.  He  is  now  the  organist  and  choir-master  of 
St.  Paul's  Kpi.-eopal  Church,  and  has  brought  the 
music  of  that  congregation  to  a  high  standard. 


c=1 


$+^ 


1  AMES  1).  WILSON.  This  well-known  farmer 
and  stock-raiser  of  Birch  Run  Township, 
makes  his  home  on  section  3.5,  upon  which 
he  settled  in  the  spring  of  1ST  1.  when  he 
first  came  to  Saginaw  County.  It  was  then  alia 
dense  forest  and  he  has  done  a  vast  amount  of  pio- 
neer work,  having  helped  to  clear  four  farms.  He 
and  his  good  wife  have  been  eye  witnesses  of  the 
growth  and  development  of  this  county  from  that 
day  to  the  present  and  they  recall  many  an  inter- 
esting incident  of  pioneer  life. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Onondago  County, 
N.  Y..  and  was  born  December  2n,  1817.  His  par- 
ents were  James  and  Roha  ( i'alier)  Wilson,  and  his 


father  was  a  native  of  New  York,  with  Irish  ances- 
try and  became  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  His 
grandfather  Wilson  was,  according  to  the  family 
records  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 

James  Wilson  was  early  bereaved  as  In-  lost  his 
mother  when  he  was  ten  years  old  and  his  father 
died  two  years  later,  ami  he  was  then  thrown  upon 
his  own  resources.  As  a  consequence  he  received 
hut  a  limited  school  education,  but  has  added  to  it 
by  independent  study  since  he  has  gained  years  of 
maturity.  For  a  number  of  years  he  boated  on 
the  Erie  Canal  and  in  the  spring  of  1837  made  the 
trip  by  Lake  Erie  to  Detroit,  and  then  journeyed 
on  foot  to  Oakland  County.  After  a  short  time 
he,  with  a  companion,  tooted  it  through  to  Saginaw 
(  i  mnty. 

For  a  number  of  years  our  subject  followed  farm- 
ing in  partner-hip  with  his  brother, and  i  id  a  vast 
amount  of  clearing.  He  was  married  May  I.  1842, 
to  Ann  E.,  daughter  of  Milton  and  Persis  (Lout- 
well)  Leach.  She  was  horn  in  Madison  County. 
N.  Y.,  November  20,  1822.  Her  father  is  said  to 
have  been  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1*12.     Through 

most  of   her  girlh 1    -he  made    her  home  with  an 

aunt  and  with  her  removed  at  the  age  of  eighl  to 
Onondago  County,  N.  Y..  and  in  1837  they  came 
to  Michigan  and  settled  in  Oakland  County.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilson  have  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of 
four  children,  and  three  of  them  are  still  living. 
They  are:  Caroline,  wife  of  Hiram  Coulee:  Lewis 
F.  and  Clara,  who  is  now  Mrs.  Alvern  Struble.  The 
family  resided  in  Oakland  County,  until  the  spring 
of    1871.  when  they  came  to  their  present  home. 

While  a  resident  of  Springfield  Township.  Oak- 
land County,  Mr.  Wilson  served  a-  Treasurer  of 
the  Township,  and  also  as  Constable  and  Deputy 
sheriff.  He  has  also  served  <m  the  School  Board 
of  his  district  and  i-  an  enterprising  and  public- 
spirited  man.  one  who  is  ever  ready  to  turn  his 
attention  and  thought  to  the  problems  which  arise 
in  regard  to  the  management  of  local  matters.  He 
i-  earnestly  desirous  that  the  best  resources  of  the 
town-hip  and  county  shall  lie  developed  and  ready 
to  lend  a  helping  hand  in  that  direction.  He  has 
a  fine  tract  of  eighty  acres  the  result  of  the  accu- 
mulations of  himself  and  worthy  helpmate.  He 
feel-   that    he  owe-   much  to  the  good  judgment, 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


671 


prudence  and  active  co-operation  of  his  wife,  who 
has  stood  by  him  in  all  the  hardships  and  priva- 
tions of  their  earlier  years. 

This  gentleman  is  a  member  of  the  Methodisl 
Episcopal  Church  and  is  useful  in  the  councils  and 
activities  of  that  body.  His  political  views  have 
always  kept  him  in  line  with  the  Republican  party. 
He  casl  his  first  ballot  for  William  Henry  Harrison 
for  President  of  the  United  States.  All  the  neigh- 
bors rejoice  in  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  this 
worth v  citizen. 


LTGUST  C.  FITING.  During  the  many 
years  that  Mr.  filing  has  resided  in  Sagi- 
'  naw  County,  he  has  maintained  a  reputa- 
\)  tion  for  integrity  and  energy,    which    has 

placed  him  among  the  most  prominent  farmers  of 
Richland  Township,  lie  owns  and  operates  a  fine 
farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  advantageously  located 
on  section  15,  and  of  the  entire  place  seventy-live 

acres  are   under  u" 1    cultivation.     The  estate   is 

embellished  witb  first-class  improvements,  includ- 
ing a  commodious  residence,  two  ample  bains  and 
other  substantial  out-buildings  for  the  shelter  of 
stock  and  storage  of  grain. 

Mr.  Kiting  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  and  was  horn 
October  31,  1844.  His  father,  Frederick,  was  like- 
wise a  native  of  Prussia,  born  May  12,  1819  and 
was  a  wagon-maker  by  trade.  His  mother  was 
Regina  (Zebel)  Fiting,  who  was  born  in  Prussia, 
i  (ctober  6,  1812.  After  their  marriage  the  parents 
remained  in  their  native  land  until  1856,  when 
they  came  lo  America,  lauding  in  New  York.  Au- 
gust 20.  'I  hence  they  proceeded  as  far  as  Buffalo, 
where  their  money  gave  out.  and  they  were  com- 
pelled tostay  until  they  had  earned  enough  to  pro- 
ceed further.  Two  months  after  reaching  the  city, 
they  started  for  Michigan  reaching  Saginaw  County 
when  this  region  was  in  a  blaze  during  Hie  great 
fire  of   1856. 

In  those  early  day-  settlers  were  few  and  at  re- 
mote distances  from  one  another,  and  the  fertile 
soil  had  few  improvements  and  was  mostly  uncul- 


tivated. The  family  settled  on  a  farm  in  Thomas- 
town  Township,  where  the  father  with  the  aid  of  his 
sons  built  a  log  house  for  the  abode  of  the  family. 
They  remained  on  that  place  three  years,  making 
improvements  on  the  farm,  and  in  the  meantime 
the  boys  contributed  to  the  support  of  the  family 
by  running  a  ferry  across  the  Tittabawassee  River. 
Next  they  removed  to  Richland  Township  and  set- 
tled on  eighty  acres  where  the  father  still  lives. 
Few  improvements  had  been  placed  upon  the  farm, 
and  its  only  building  was  a  rude  log  house.  This 
was  replaced  by  a  frame  house  of  modern  construc- 
tion and  larger  size,  which  still  stands  on  the  old 
homestead. 

There  were  but  seven  other  families  in  Richland 
Townshipwhen  Mr.  Fiting  removed  hither  in  1859, 
and  of  these  but  two  families  now  remain,  the 
others  having  removed  hence.  No  roads  had  been 
opened  and  the  farm  was  covered  with  a  thick 
forest  growth.  In  those  days  Mr.  Filing  was  ac- 
customed to  go  to  Saginaw  with  oxen  and  sleds, 
there  being  no  wagons  or  horses  in  the  county,  and 
the  trip  there  and  return  (fourteen  miles)  consumed 
three  days.  .Many  were  the  hardships  which  this 
pioneer  family  experienced,  and  the  father,  who 
now  rests  from  his  active  labors,  is  passing  his  de- 
clining years  in  comfort  on  his  farm.  His  wife  died 
December  1.  1889.  She  was  survivedby  her  three 
children:  Wilhelmina,  the  wife  of  Fritz  Simon 
and  the  mother  of  two  children;  our  subject,  and 
Charles  II..  who  resides  on  section  15,  is  married 
and  the  father  of  seven  children.  Both  parents 
were  members  of  the  Evangelical  Church,  and  he 
donated  the  ground  for  the  present  church  in 
Richland  Township.  In  his  polities  he  has  always 
been  a  stanch  Republican  and  has  held  various 
township  offices.  He  was  elected  Treasurer  of  Rich- 
land Town-hip  in  1HG2,  and  held  that  office  eight 
years;  he  was  the  first  Highway  Commissioner  of 
the  township,  and  has  served  as  a  member  of  the 
School  Board  twenty  years. 

The  second  child  in  the  parental  family  was  our 
subject,  who  received  his  schooling  in  the  old 
country  and  came  to  America  when  twelve  years  of 
age.  [n  Saginaw  County  he  learned  the  trade  of 
brick-making  and  was  thus  employed  several  years. 
He  also  worked  on  the  river  and  in  lumber    camps 


672 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


until  lie  was  married.  This  important  event  in  his 
life  occurred  .luly  31,  1871,  and  the  bride  was 
Christina  Kastorf,  a  native  of  Mecklenburg,  Ger- 
many and  tlif  daughter  of  Carl  Kastorf.  She  was 
born,  October  23,  1849,  received  a  good  education 
in  the  German  language,  and  accompanied  her  fa- 
ther to  Michigan  in  lK(>!t,  settling  in  Saginaw 
County.  After  his  marriage  our  subject  remained 
in  his  father's  house  until  his  own  residence  was 
completed,  it  being  built  just  across  the  road  from 
the  old  homestead,  lie  then  settled  in  that  place 
and  has  since  make  it  his  home,  devoting  his  atten- 
tion to  general  farming,  lie  has  the  hest  of  modern 
farm  machinery  to  assist  him  in  his  work,  and  has 
always  been  a  progressiveman.  His  father  brought 
the  ti  rst  reaper  and  mower  ever  seen  in  this  town- 
ship. When  it  was  shipped  in  here  the  small-pox 
was  raging  in  the  neigh  boi'hood,  and  Mr.  Fiting 
requested  the  Inspector  to  send  the  reaper  into  the 

neighborh i,  assuring  him  that  they  would    not 

expose  the  people  outside,  but  the  request  was  re- 
fused. Upon  going  for  it  they  were  arrested  and 
tried  tor  exposing  outside  people,  hut  were  after- 
ward honorably  discharged. 

Eight  children  were  horn  to  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Fiting 
four  of  whom  now  survive:  Louisa,  Frederick, 
l.ydia  and  Christina,  all  of  whom  are  receiving 
good  educations  both  in  the  German  and  English 
languages.  At  present  (  L891)  the  sou  is  a  student 
at  tin'  Intel-national  Business  College  of  Saginaw. 
The  members  of  the  family  are  identified  with  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  in  which  Mr.  Fiting 
has  served  as  Trustee.  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  and 
from  the  organization  of  the  church  has  been  one 
of  its  pillars.  It  is  now  in  good  condition,  with  a 
large  membership,  although  when  it  was  organized 
in  1880  the  membership  was  only  seventeen.  In 
political  matters,  Mr.  Fiting  is  a  Republican,  and 
has  served  as  Treasurerof  Richland  Township,  also 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  ten  years.  He  has  been 
School  Director  for  many  years  and  is  now  Moder- 
ator of  the  School  Board.  His  first  vote  was  cast  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  at  his  second  election  to  the 
Presidency,  and  before  In-  wasa  voter  he  was  elec- 
ted Constable. 

After  the  death  of  his  wife,  which  occurred.  Ma\ 
4,  1889,  Mr.  Fiting  was  again  married,  March  .'So. 


L891,  to  Mrs.  Justina  (Bohn)  Hellpap.  This  esti- 
mable lady  was  born  in  Pommern,  Germany,  in 
1850  and  came  to  America  when  twenty-three 
years  of  age.  She  was  the  widow  of  August  Hell- 
pap.  and  the  mother  of  four  children,  only  one  of 
whom  survives,  a  daughter.  Louisa. 


j|7       EBAUI 

P    has  I... 


EBAUN  B.  BEAUDETTE.  This  gentleman 
been  a  resident  of  West  Lay  City  since 
and  t'oi'  the  last  two  years  has  con- 
ducted a  grocery  and  produce  business.  He  was 
born  in  Laver.  Canada,  May  24,  1824.  His  father. 
Francisco  Beaudette,who  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade, 
and  his  mother,  Julian  Fisher,  were  both  natives  of 
Canada.  Their  family  comprised  four  children,  of 
whom  our  subject  was  the  second  born. 

Mr.  Beaudette,  the  father,  was  reared  in  Canada, 
where  he  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  and  there 
carried  it  on  for  a  number  of  years  In  I860  our 
subject  came  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Lay 
City,  where  he  found  employment  in  the  mills 
there  working  for. lames  Shearer  anil  afterward  for 
Taylor '&  Moulthrop.  In  1889,  finding  his  health 
failing,  he  concluded  to  change  his  occupation  and 
opened  up  a  grocery  store  which  he  has  since  been 
successfully  conducting.  He  was  married  in  Can- 
ada to  .Miss  Ella  D.  Lore,  who  was  also  a  native  of 
that  country.  They  are  attendants  at  St.  Mary 's 
Church  and  in  politics  Mr.  Beaudette  is  a  Demo- 
crat. He  is  highly  respected  by  his  neighbors  and 
associates. 


ACOB    ARMSTRONG,    residing  at  Oakley, 

Saginaw  County,  was  born  in  Montgomery 
County.  N.  V..  .luly  2:1.  1812,  and  is  a  son 
'f)  of  Andrew  and  Elizabeth  (Winters)  Arm- 
strong, both  natives  of  the  Empire  State.  The 
father's  people  are  of  Irish  ancestry  anil  the 
mother's  a  mingling  of  German  and  English  stock. 
When  our  subject  was  quite  a  little  boy  his  parents 
removed  to  the  vicinity  of  Troy,  X.  Y.,  and  after- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


673 


ward  made  their  home  in  Genesee  County,  thai 
State,  when  he  wasabout  eight  years  old. 

The  father  who  had  previously  been  a  day  la- 
borer then  boughl  a  small  farm  in  Genesee  County, 
and  there  made  a  home  upon  which  he  lived  until 
hi.-  death.  He  was  a  soldier  in  tin'  War  of  L812, 
and  had  a  land  warrant  a.- a  reward  for  his  service. 
This  warrant  came  into  the  hands  of  our  subject 
and  he  sold  it  for  $40  at  Jackson.  Jacob  Armstrong 

grew  to  manl d  in  Genesee  County.  N.  V..  and 

when  old  enough  worked  by  the  month  to  help 
tin-  family  along  and  thus  was  able  to  receive  only 
a  limited  education. 

The  family  in  which  our  subjeel  grew  to  mat- 
urity consisted  of  eight  children  and  six  of  them 
are  still  living.  The  oldest  brother.  Henry,  went 
aboard  a  man-of-war  and  was  never  heard  from 
again,  and  the  second  brother,  Michael,  who  is  now 
eighty-three  years  of  age,  make-  his  home  in  ( lakley. 
The  sister  Eliza  died  leaving  quite  a  family  of 
children.  John  lives  in  Leslie.  Ingham  County. 
William  in  .lack-on  County,  and  Julia  who  is  (he 
wiclow  of  Herman  Baker  who  died  in  the  army, 
makes  her  home  at  Eaton  Rapids  while  Sheldon 
lives  in  Lansing,  SO  that  all  who  are  still  ill  this  life 
are  residents  of  Michigan.  The  marriage  of  our 
subject,  November  23,  1836,  in  Genesee  County, 
X.  Y.,  united  him  with  Miss  Lucy  Lumliard  by 
whom   he  has  three  living  children.    One  son.  John 

Dwight,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  while  a  soldier 
in  the  Union  army:  Henry  I.,  is  a  farmer  in  North 
Dakota:  George  farms  upon  eighty  acres  in  Brady 
Township:  and  Mulford    is  a  liveryman  at  Elsie. 

Previous  to  his  marriage  Mr.  Armstrong  had 
visited  Michigan  and  located  land  in  Leslie  Town- 
ship, Ingham  County,  and  his  family  was  the  third 
to  locate  in  that,  township.  He  was  present  at  the 
first  township  meeting  aud  was  then  elected  Con- 
stable and  Collector  in  the  spring  of  1837.  The 
same  year  he  took  Hie  census  for  Ingham  County, 
under  an  act  of  Legislature  and  also  served  as 
Highway  Commissioner,  School  Inspector.  Town- 
ship Clerk,  and  Justice  of  the  Peace.  While  resid- 
ing there  he  was  deeply  bereaved  by  the  death  of 
his  wife  who  passed  from  earth.  December  13, 
1868. 

The  present  Mr-.  Armstrong  became  the  wife  of 


our  subject  .March  2'.).  1875,  and  previous  to  thai 
evenl  was  Mis.  Eliza  (Mudge)  Walker,  a  daughter 
of  the  Rev.  John  G.  and  Ann  (Flynn)  Mudge. 
This  lady  was  horn  in  Dearborn,  Wayne  County, 
Mich.,  April  .'!.  1833.  Her  first  marriage  was  with 
Daniel  Wilder  Rood,  by  whom  she  had  one  child. 
Emma  Louisa,  who  in  June.  1890,  was  married  to 
Luther  Vale  Howell,  a  merchant  in  Oakley.  In 
1*71  our  subject  sold  out  hi-  property  in  Ingham 
County,  and  removed  to  ( lakley  the  following  year. 
He  now  ha-  one  hundred  and  thirteen  acres  of 
land,  pari  of  it  on  section  30,  and  part  on  section 
36,  besides  owning  village  property    and  a-  line  a 

residence  a-  there  i-  in  town.  He  has  here  served 
as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  also  on  the  Board  of 
Trustees  and  the  School  Hoard,  and  he  and  his 
good    wife   are   members   of    the   Congregational 

Church.  They  experienced  great  difficulties  in 
their  first  migration  to  Michigan  as  the  Hats  of 
Grand  River  were  at  that  time  overflowed,  but 
their  brave  perseverance  brought  them  through. 


|/,-^  ON.  ANDREW  CROSBY  MAXWELL,  at- 
j  torney-at-law,  ha-  for  more  than  thirty' 
years  been  closely  identified  with  the  pro- 
©)  gressof  Bay  City.  Like  most  men  who  have 
attained  distinction  in  the  profession-  his  success 
i-  the  result  of  his  unaided  exertions.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  New  York  and  wa-  born  in  Pompey  Hill. 
July  11.  1831.  He  comes  of  Scotch  parentage,  his 
parents,  Robert  and  Margarel  ((  rosby)  Maxwell, 
both  being  natives  of  the  "Land  of  the  Thistle." 
In  1819,  on  their  wedding  day,  they  emigrated  to 
America,  landing  in  New  York  City  and  proceeded 
thence  to   Pompey   I  Iill.  N.  Y. 

In  1844  the  parents  of  our  subject  removed  West 

to  Michigan  and  settled  in  Oakland  County;  the 
father  died  in  1864  and  the  mother  in  1867.  They 
were  the  parent-  of  eight  children,  three  -on-  and 
five  daughters,  our  subject  being  the  fourth  in  order 
of  birth.  His  brother  Samuel  is  a  Supreme  Judge 
of  Nebraska,  and  one  of  the  law  lecturers  of  the 
University    of    Michigan    and    the    Northwestern 


674 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


University  of  Chicago.  Until  he  was  thirteen,  An- 
drew C.  Maxwell  resided  in  New  York,  where  he 
was  a  student  in  the  common  schools  and  an  acad- 
emy. In  1*14  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Oak- 
land County,  this  State,  and  aided  in  clearing  a 
farm  in  White  Lake  Township. 

After  remaining  West  one  year  Mr.  .Maxwell  re- 
turned to  the  Empire  Slate  and  made  his  home 
there  for  two  years.  Coming  to  Michigan  thesec- 
ond  time  in  1847  he  commenced  to  work  on  a  farm 
and  was  thus  engaged  for  over  two  years.  In 
September,  1849,  he  entered  Oberlin  College,  Ohio, 
where  lie  was  a  student  until  June,  1K.V2.  in  the 
meantime  pursuing  selected  studies  instead  of  tak- 
ing the  regular  college  course.  Upon  his  return 
to  Oakland  County  lie  entered  the  law  ottice  of 
Lieut.  GOV.  0.  I>.  Richardson,  with  whom  he  read 
law  for  several  months.  During  the  winter  of 
1852-53  he  taughl  a  select  school  in  Lapeer, mean- 
while keeping  up  his  legal  studies. 

In  1853  Mr.  Maxwell  was  admitted  to  the  Inl- 
and commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Lapeer  where  he  at  once  secured  a  large  practice. 
In  the  fall  of  18."i  1  he  was  elected  Prosecuting  At- 
torney of  Lapeer  County,  which  position  he  re- 
signed after  holding  it  one  year.  He  was  elected 
to  the  House  of  Representatives  in  the  fall  of  1864 
and  represented  his  fellow-citizens  with  distin- 
guished ability.  In  1866-68  he  was  a  candidate 
for  State  Senator  and  came  within  a  few  vote-  of 
being  elected,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  lie  was  the 
Democratic  nominee  in  a  district  overwhelmingly 
Republican.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  National 
Convention  at  Si.  Louis  in  1876,  when  Samuel 
Tilden  was  nominated  for  the  Presidency,  and  was 
a  candidate  for  Connie--  on  the  Democratic  ticket 
in  1882, but  was  defeated.  He  now  devotes  his 
attention  to  the  practice  of  law  and  agricultural 
pursuits,  owning  two  large  farms. 

Mr.  Maxwell  was  married  in  Lapeer,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1853,  to  Miss  Sarah,  daughter  of  Oliver  B.  and 
Amanda  (Harrison)  Hart,  a  pioneer  family  of  the 
county.  Mrs.  Maxwell  was  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  a  loving  wife  and 
mother.  She  died  December  27.  1891, leaving  two 
children — Robert,  who  is  in  business  in  Bay  City, 
and  .lennette.who  lives  at  home.  In  securing  impor- 


tant improvements  in  Bay  City  Mr.  Maxwell  has 
been  very  prominent  and  by  his  unaided  efforts 
secured  a  large  appropriation  from  the  ( loverninent 
to  dredge  out  the  mouth  of  the  Saginaw  River. 
He  also  secured  the  construction  of  the  famous 
stone  roads  of  Bay  County  and  the  Third  Street 
bridge  between  Bay  City  and  West  Bay  City. 


'  OSEPH  DOAN.  Mr.  Doan  combines  the 
work  of  a  teacher  with  that  of  a  store- 
keeper. He  was  born  May  12.  1853,  in  the 
town  of  Yarmouth,  County  of  Elgin,  On- 
tario, and  was  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Susan  (Clark) 
Doan,  both  of  whom  were  born  near  Niagara  Falls, 
Canada.  On  the  paternal  side  the  family  is  of 
English  ancestry  and  originally  came  from  the 
North  of  England.  The  mother  was  of  Dutch  de- 
scent. They  were  farmers  and  reared  their  four 
boys  and  five  girls  in  tin  wholesome  atmosphere  of 
country  life.  They  were  Baptists  in  their  religious 
sentiment. 

Country  life  in  the  place  of  our  subject's  nativ- 
ity, is  almost  ideal  during  any  season.  To  be  sure 
there  was  the  routine  of  farm  labor  to  be  gone 
through,  but  always  time  for  the  various  sports  for 
which  that  locality  is  noted.  There  was  sleighing 
and  skating  during  the  winter.  The  early  spring 
were  engaged  in  the  maple  sugar  camps.  Fall  was 
the  harvesl  season  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  and 
among  such  a  merry  family  as  that  of  which  our 
.subject  was  one  there  was  always  something  brew- 
ing in  the  way  of  entertainment.  Joseph  Doan 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  near  London, 
Canada,  and  later  entered  the  commercial  college  at 
London,  Ontario,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1*76. 
and  at  twenty  years  he  began  teaching  in  Ontario 
and  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in  the  work,  with 
the  exception  of  one  year. 

In  the  fall  of  187*  the  gentleman  of  whom  we 
write  crossed  to  the  States  and  located  in  Washte- 
naw County.  Michigan;  one  year  later  he  came  to 
Brant  Township,  where  lie  has  since  resided.  For 
the  past  four  years  in  connection  with  the  -tore 
which   he    runs  at    Leutz.   the    post-office  lias  been 


CAPT  B.F.   PI  ERCE. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


677 


stationed  therein,  he  Laving  served  as  Postmaster 
for  the  past  six  years.  Socially  Mr.  Doan  is  n  mem- 
ber of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  He  was 
formerly  a  Baptist  in  his  church  relations  and  his 
wife  is  still  a  member  of  that  denomination. 
Politically  our  subject  favors  the  policy  and  tactics 
of  the  Democratic  party. 

Our  subject  was  married  to  Miss  Belle,  daughter 
of  John  and  .lane  (Fitzgerald)  McNabb,  whose 
parents  came  from  Ireland.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Doan 
are  the  parents  of  three  children — Olive  A.,  Cora 
M.  and  Edward  L.  Mr.  Doan  is  the  owner  of  fine 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  (-rand 
Traverse  County,  this  State. 


OAPT.  BENJAMIN  F.  PIERCE,  to  whom  be- 
longs the  distinction  of  being  the  second 
oldest  surviving  settler  of  the  Saginaw 
Valley,  was  born  October  14,  1 M 14,  in  Adams,  Jef- 
ferson, County  X.  Y.  He  is  descended  from  wor- 
thy and  patriotic  ancestors  who  held  position-  of 
prominence  in  the  East.  Grandfather  Milo  Pierce, 
who  was  a  native  of  Otsego  County.  X.  Y.,  was  a 
farmer  and  passed  his  entire  life  in  his  native 
county.  Nathan  Pierce,  father  of  our  subject,  was 
likewise  born  in  the  Empire  State  and  served  dur- 
ing the  War  of  1812.  II is  trade  was  that  of  a  car 
penter  and  cabinet  maker,  and  he  possessed  consid- 
erable genius  as  a  mechanic. 

Some  time  during  the  '40s  Nathan  Pierce  came 
West  to  the  Saginaw  Valley,  where  he  operated  as 
a  farmer  until  his  death  at  the  age  of  ninety-four 
years.  In  his  religious  belief  he  was  a  Universalist. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  was  known  in  maiden- 
hood as  Polly  Beals  and  was  a  native  of  Xew  York, 
her  father  having  been  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
village  of  Adams,  in  Jefferson  County.  She  attained 
to  the  age  of  sixty-five  years  and  reared  to  years  of 
maturity  twelve  children,  Benjamin  F.  being  the 
eldest.  Another  member  of  the  family  is  Daniel. 
whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

In    the    Village   of    Adams.   X.   Y.,    our    subject 
passed   his  youth  and  received  a  very  limited  edu- 
cation in  the  log  school  houses  of  the  district,  his 
31 


total  attendance  therein  amounting  to  Only  three 
months.  At  the  age  of  thirteen,  lie  commenced  to 
learn  the  the  trade  of  a  tanner  and  currier.  He 
did  not  follow  the  trade,  however,  but  at  the  expi- 
ration of  his  term  of  apprenticeship  of  three  years 
he  began  selling  threshing  machines  of  one-horse 
power,  continuing  thus  engaged  for  about  two 
years.  Then  followed  a  sickness  of  about  the  same 
length  of  time,  after  recovering  from  which  he  came 
West  by  the  advice  of  his  physician. 

Our  subject  took  passage  on  a  sail  vessel  in  the 
spring  of  1839,  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  and  after  an 
uneventful  voyage  landed  on  Thunder  Bay  Island, 
where  he  remained  fishing  during  the  ensuing  sum- 
mer. In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  proceeded  to 
Bay  City,  where  at  that  time  only  five  or  six  fam- 
ilies resided.  Soon  after  his  arrival  he  opened  a 
store  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  Water  Streets,  in 
in  a  building  which  still  stands  at  the  foot  of  Third 
Street.  He  commenced  to  trade  with  the  Indians 
for  furs  and  continued  in  that  way  for  about  twelve 
years,  in  the  meantime  also  carrying  on  large  fish- 
ing interests  and  having  boats  of  his  own  plying 
tin1  lakes.  He  was  prudent  in  his  expenditures 
and  judicious  in  the  management  of  his  business, 
which  enabled  him  to  purchase  the  schooner  "Julia 
Smith".  lie  sailed  as  Captain  and  used  the  vessel 
in  bringing  freight  from  Cleveland  and  Detroit  to 
the  Saginaw  Valley  and  returning  with  fish. 

After  a  time  Capt.  Pierce  sold  the  "Julia  Smith" 
and  bought  another  schooner,  "Ellen",  which  he 
managed  three  years  as  a  freight  boat,  and  also 
carried  on  a  store  in  An  Sable.  Among  the  Indians 
with  whom  he  traded  he  was  quite  popular,  being 
known  as  Nobby  Quanaina  (Master  of  Vessel)  and 
learning  to  use  fluently  both  the  Chippewa  and 
the  Tawas  language.  Afterward  he  engaged  in 
steamboating  with  ('apt.  Cole  in  the  -Scott",  which 
he  sailed  some  years  and  then  sold  in  order  to  buy 
the  tug  "John  Lathrop".  That  boat  was  sailed 
three  or  four  year.-  and  then  sold  to  George  King, 
Mr.  Pierce"  retiring  from  the  captaincy  to  devote 
his  attention  to   his  property   interests. 

At  different  times  (apt.  Pierce  has  been  engaged 
in  various  real  estate  speculations,  usually  meeting 
with  success.  He  has  platted  several  additions  to 
the  city,  the  first  addition   being  forty  acres  in  the 


678 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Second  Ward,  the  second  consisting  of  about  the 
same  amount  of  land,  and  the  third,  in  1891, being 
in  the  Second  Ward  also.  He  platted  a  portion  of 
the  city  of  An  Sable  in  early  days  in  company  with 
Col.  Little  and  ha^  engaged  in  the  real-estate  busi- 
ness in  that  city  until  the  present  time.  lie  owns 
and  resides  in  an  elegant  dwelling  on  the  corner 
of  King  and  First  Streets  in  the  Second  Ward  and 
there  he  lives,  retired  from  his  former  active  duties, 
although  be  still  maintains  his  real  estate  interests- 
('apt.  Pierce  was  married  in  Erie  County,  N.  Y., 
to  Miss  Janet  K.  Weaver,  who  was  born  near  Au- 
burn and  reared  to  womanhood  in  Erie  County. 
Airs.  Pierce  died  January  28,  1891,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-live  years,  leaving  three  children,  namely: 
Curtis  E,.  Prosecuting  Attorney  of  Bay  County; 
Nettie,  Mrs.  J.  Taylor,  of  Toronto;  and  Caddie. 
Mrs.  Stephen  Flynn.  of  West  Bay  City.  In  his 
political  belief  the -Captain  is  a  thorough  Democrat, 
but  does  not  aspire  to  Official  honors.  He  was  chosen 

i"  serve  as  Alderman  of  Wenona  (now  West  Baj 
City)  and  during  his  term  of  service  on  the  School 
Board  was  greatly  interested  in  the  building  np  of 
the  schools.  In  bis  religious  sympathies  he  is  a 
Universalist,  and  bis  solid  traits  of  character  have 
given  him  an  enviable  position  among  bis  fellow- 
citizens. 

A  lithographic  portrait  of  ('apt.   Pierce  accom- 
panies this  sketch  of  his   life. 


m>-$^<\ 


.@*~  - 


-{— 


'  AMES  SMITH  is  one  of  the  respected  farm- 
ers of  Brady  Township,  Saginaw  County. 
He  is  at  present  residing  on  section  13, 
where  he  has  a  well-improved  estate.  He 
came  to  Saginaw  County  in  the  fall  of  1868  and 
has  since  made  bis  home  in  the  above-named  town- 
ship, his  farm  at  the  time  of  bis  purchase  bearing 
few  improvements.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Seneca 
County,  Ohio,  September  1,  1836.  lie  was  theson 
of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  Jane  (Bigham)  Smith, 
natives  respectively  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ireland. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  was  brought  to  the 
United  States  by  her  parents  when  an  infant.  She 
was  the   daughter  of  William  and    Jane   Bigham, 


who  settled  in  (  )hio  at  the  time  of  their  coming  to 
this  country,  and  in  thai  State  spent  the  remainder 
of  their  lives.  The  father  of  Mi'.  Smith  when  a 
young  man  left  his  native  State  and  made  settle- 
ment in  Ohio  where  be  worked   at    his   trade    of    :i 

cabinet-maker.  He  was  married  to  our  subject's 
mother  in  the  Buckeye  State  and  started  out  in 
life  anew  by  locating  on  a  farm  in  Seneca  County. 
He  resided  on  that  tract  for  many  years,  when,  his 
wife  having  died,  he  went  to  Crawford  County. 
Ohio,  and  lived  with  his  daughters,  Mrs.  Blair  and 
Carson,  with  whom  he  remained   until  his  decease, 

which  occurred   when  lie    was   seven  t\ -seven     years 

of  agel 

The  parental  family  of  our  subject  numbered 
seven  children,  five  of  whom  lived  to  reach  mature 
years.  Our  subject  was  the  eldest  in  the  family, 
then  came  Mary  E.  now  Mrs.  John  Harbaugh,  who 
resides  in  Brady  Township,  Saginaw  County;  Sarah 
li..  who  is  Mrs.  Carson  and  makes  her  borne  in 
Crawford  (  ounty,  Ohio;  Eliza  A..  Mrs.  Blair,  also 
of  Crawford  County;  Jonathan  R.,  a  resident  of 
Saginaw. 

( )ur subject 's  father  being  a  farmer,  he  was  reared 
to  a  knowledge  of  agricultural  pursuits  and  with 
the  educational  advantages  which  at  that  period 
were  possible  in  the  country,  lie  was  married, 
July  1.  1863,  to  Miss  Emeline  Lemon.  Mrs.  Smith 
was  a  native  of  <  mio,  having  been  born  in  Seneca 
County  on  the  1  ."ith  of  March.  1838.  Previous  tollis 
marriage  in  1861,  Mr.  smith  enlisted  in  Company 
B,  Seventh  Ohio  Infantry,  and  was  mustered  into 
service  on  the  side  of  the  Union.  He  saw  much 
hard  fighting  while  in  the  army  and  was  in  many 
skirmishes.      lie  was  in  the  battle  of    CrOSS     Lanes. 

W.  Va.,  and  at  the  battle  of  Winchester  was 
wounded,  which  disabled  him  from  farther  service, 
and  be  received  an  honorable  discharge. 

On  bis  return  from  the  army  Mr.  Smith  again 
engaged  in  the  peaceful  occupation  of  a  fanner, 
which  be  followed  in  the  summer  and  taught 
school  in  the  winter  until  1868,  when  he  came  to 
Saginaw  County,  and  purchased  the  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  which  is  now  in  his  pos- 
session. For  eight  winter-  after  coming  to  this 
county,  he  taught  school  in  two  districts.  His  land 
is  intelligently  and  carefully  tilled  and    bears    all 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


679 


the  improvements  which  give  evidence  of   the  en- 
terprise and  judgment  of  the  owner. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren— Nellie,  wlio  is  the  wife  of  A.  1).  Rundall, 
and  Hannah  J.  who  resides  with  her  parents.  In 
various  public  capacities  Mr.  Smith  lias  advanced 
the  interests  of  his  fellow-men.  lie  is  now  Justice 
<>f  the  Peace,  which  office  he  has  held  since  1874. 
He  has  evertaken  an  active  interest  in  educational 
matters,  serving  as  School  Superintendent  for  one 
year  and  a  number  of  years  as  School  Inspector. 
and  in  every  way  possible  has  advanced  the 
standard  of  proficiency.  Mis  vote  is  east  with  the 
Republican  party.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the 
.Masonic  fraternity,  also  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic  and  the  Union  Veteran  Union.  Mr. 
Smith  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Church,  and  does  all  that  lie  can  to  elevate  the 
moral  standard  of  family,  home.  State  and  church. 
as  well  as  to  make  his  own  example  correspond 
with  the  principles  of   truth  and  justice. 


-2    -*±1-%kS-r.-, 


■u&gms&z^ 


.■ 


tf        MLLIAM  F.  MORSE,  M.  1).     While  the  hu- 
manitarian   features     have    for    centuries 


been  recognized  among  all  classes  and  na- 
tions, it  is  only  within  the  past  few  years  that 
medicine  has  been  classed  as  a  science,  capable  of 
being  probed  by  the  severest  study,  and  original 
discoveries  made  that  show  how  dependent  human 
nature  and  physical  well-being  is  upon  the  ulterior 
agents  of  nature.  The  least  skillful  (four accred- 
ited physicians  of  to-day  arc  vastly  wiser  in  re- 
gard to  their  chosen  calling  than  the  most  learned 
of  several  centuries  ago. 

Our  subject  is  one  of  the  younger  physicians  of 
Saginaw,  whose  training  has  been  carried  on  in 
the  light  of  the  latest  and  most  approved  methods 
of  study.  He  was  born  at  Shrewsbury,  Vt..  No- 
vember IX.  1857,  and  is  a  son  of  William  V.  and 
Diana  (Pillsbury)  Morse,  the  former  a  native  of 
Rhode  Island  and  the  latter  of  Vermont.  The 
youth  remained  at  home  and  was  reared  in  his 
native  village  until  sixteen  or  seventeen  years  of 

aire  when  he  clerked   in  a   -tore.      lie   afterward    at- 


tended the  High  School  of  his  native  place  and  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  began  teaching.  As  with  most 
young  men  the  consideration  of  what  he  should 
devote  himself  to  in  life  was  uppermost  in  his 
mind,  and  considering  his  natural  inclination  to  be 
for  the  medical  profession,  with  that  in  view  he 
entered  the  medical  department  of  the  university 
at  Burlington,  Vt.  After  a  three  years'  course 
there  he  graduated  in  the  Class  of  '82,  which  num- 
bered one  hundred  students.  lie  also  enjoyed  the 
advantage  of  hospital  practice  and  Kenan  to  prac- 
tice his  general  profession  at  Stoneboro,  Pa. 

After  two  years  passed  in  Stoneboro,  Dr.  Morse 
came  to  Saginaw,  in  the  spring  of  1884.  Forfour 
years  he  was  upon  the  Hospital  Staff  of  St.  Mary's, 
acting  both  as  surgeon  and  general  physician, 
and  since  the  organization  of  the  Saginaw  Hos- 
pital he  has  been  recognized  as  one  of  the  most 
efficient  men  on  the  Staff  of  that  institution. 

The  metal  of  which  our  subject  is  made  was 
early  tried,  for  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  he  was 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  but  with  a  self  re- 
spect that  elevated  him  above  petty  considerations, 
he  rose  to  the  line  of  his  future  prospects,  paid  his 
way  through  college,and  although  he  was  in  debt  on 
coming  to  Saginaw,  he  soon  freed  himself  from 
that  incumbrance  and  built  up  a  tine  practice  that 
pays  him  over  $3,000  per  annum.  He  has  a  neat 
home  and  a  well-equipped  office,  on  whose  tables 
may  be  found  the  latest  literature  pertaining  to 
his  profession.  Dr.  Morse  is  particularly  success- 
ful   in    the    treatment     of    children's     diseases,    and 

many  of  the  coming  generation  of  this  city  will 
have  him   to  thank  for    the    prolonging   of    their 

lives. 

The  original  of  this  sketch  was  married  October 
i''.t.  1885,  to  Miss  Anna,  daughter  of  Prof.  Con- 
stantine  Wat/.,  who  for  twenty  years  served  as 
Principal  of  the  High  School  and  is  known 
throughout  this  portion  of  the  country  as  a  teacher 
of  high  standing.  Miss  Watz  was  born  in  Sagi- 
naw, May  7.  isti.'!:  she  was  educated  in  the  High 
School,  in  which  she  afterward  taught.  She  was 
an  expert  kindergarten  teacher  and  highly  consid- 
ered in  an  educational  way.  Our  subject  and  his 
estimable  wife  are  the  parents  of  two  bright  chil- 
dren—  Karl   and    Ralph — upon    whose   future    they 


680 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


have  counted  much.  Our  subject  is  a  Republican 
in  politics  but  does  not  interest  himself  greatly  in 
the  machinery  of  the  governmental  idea.  lie  is  a 
great  lover  of  music  and  much  of  his  leisure  time 
is  spent  in  devotion  to  this  art. 


r 


.j.=_.5.==.}. 


ELVIN  ASELTON.  Among  the  many 
worthy  and  capable  farmers  and  stock- 
1  raisers  of  Chesaning  Township,  Saginaw 
County,  none  is  more  worthy  of  note  than 
Mr.  Aselton.  He  was  burn  on  the  line  between 
Vermont  and  Canada  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain.  February  11.  1836,  and  is  a  son  of  Isaacand 
Nancy  (Chilton)  Aselton.  both  natives  of  the  same 
place  where  their  son  was  born.  The  father  was  of 
Dutch  descent  and  the  mother  of  mixed  Scotch 
and  English  blood.  They  removed  to  Washtenaw 
County,  Mich.,  when  their  son  was  but  three  years 
of  age  and  four  years  later  made  their  home  upon 
unbroken  land  in  Ingham  County,  where  they 
lived  until  1858.  At  this  time  they  removed  to 
Cold  Water.  Branch  County,  this  State,  where  the 
father  undertook  hotel  keeping  for  three  years  and 
then  went  to  Jackson  County  and  bought  another 
farm  after  which  they  removed  to  Chesaning  and 
from  there  to  Ionia  County,  where  he  died  in  1880. 

Our  subject  was  brought  up  on  a  farm  in  a  new 
country  and  had  but  poor  opportunities  for  educa- 
tion. At  the  age  of  nineteen  be  began  jobbing 
and  chopping  and  four  years  later  went  to  Wis- 
consin where  lie  worked  on  the  river,  rafting  lum- 
ber during  the  summer  and  chopping  in  the  woods 
during  the  winter,  and  then  returned  to  .Michigan. 
In  September,  \*~~i  lie  was  married  to  .Mis-  Eliza- 
beth Minckler,  and  by  that  marriage  there  wen 
three  children,  two  of  whom  are  still  living: 
Mariam.  who  married  John  Collard  and  lives  in 
Brady  Township  with  her  husband  nnd  three  chil- 
dren; and  Elnora  who  is  Mrs.  .lames  Shaw,  and 
lives  in  New  Haven  Township,  Shiawassee  County 
and  is  the  mother  of  three  children;  John  M.  died 
in  1890. 

After  marriage    our   subject  farmed    in    Branch 


County  for  one  year  and  then  came  to  New  Haven 
Township,  Shiawassee  County,  and  bought  forty 
acres  of  wild  hind.  Mere  he  lived  for  four  years 
when  his  wife  died  and  he  sold  his  place  and  re- 
turned to  his  father's  in  Jackson  County,  after 
which  he  rented  a  farm,  and  made  his  home  in 
Perry,  Shiawassee  County.  His  second  marriage 
united  him  with  Sarah  J.  Countryman  on  the  2nd 
of  April.  1866.  After  a  four  years  residence  in  the 
village  of  Chesaning  he  bought  his  present  farm 
of  forty  acres  and  afterward  bought  forty  acres  in 
Shiawassee  Country.  Mrs.  Sarah  Aselton  Lived  but 
about  a  year  and  a  half  and  he  next  married  Lu- 
cinda  Phidelia  Madison  who  bore  to  him  four  chil- 
dren: Isaac,  Elizabeth,  Edgar  and  Orville.  Eliza- 
beth is  now  the  wife  of  James  Richards,  a  farmer  in 
New  Haven  Township.  In  June.  1885,  the  mother 
of  these  children  was  called  from  earth  and  Mr. 
Aselton  was  married  July  .">.  1891,  to  Mis.  Martha 
Duulap.  Our  subject  ha-  a  house  and  lot  at  Six 
Mile  Creek,  where  he    lived    for  some    three    years. 

He  has  in  past  year-  been  a  Democrat  in  politics 
but  was  never  an  office-seeker  and  is  now  an  Inde- 
pendent in  politics  but  has  been  attached  to  the 
Patrons  of  Industry. 


-S 


~S 


£+£ 


e_ 


F.N.IAMIN  F.  WEBSTER, who  is  a  dealer  in 


pine 


hinds    and     lumber    at    the   comer  of 


Genesee  and  Washington  streets.  Saginaw, 


was  born  in  Detroit, September  8, 1853, and 
is  a  son  of  Samuel  1 1,  and  Angehne  (Rice)  Webster, 
of  whom  we  have  spoken  more  in  detail  above. 
He  is  the  only  child  in  the  family  and  has  lived  in 
Saginaw  since  his  early  boyhood,  receiving  bis 
education  here  in  the  High  School.  True  to  the 
training  and  influence  of  his  father,  he  early  en- 
gaged in  lumbering  ami  handling  [line  hinds,  not 
only  in  Michigan  but  also  in  Wisconsin  and  Min- 
ne-ota.and  has  also  been  quite  a  dealer  in  farming 
lands  in  Michigan. 

Benjamin  Webster  was  married    June    I.  1879, 
to  Miss  Leoni,  daughter  of  J.  R.  Livingston,  of  the 

Iloyt's   Dry-e Is  Company.     This  lady  was  born 

in   New  York  but  had  her  training  and  education 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


683 


in  Saginaw.  She  is  the  mother  of  one  son — Benja- 
min  I'..  Jr.     Their  happy  home  is  al  the  corner  of 

Warren    and    Tl pson    Streets;    (his  couple  are 

highly  esteemed  in  social  circles.  The  political 
views  of  the  young  man,  as  of  his  father,  are  in 
harmony  with  the  declarations  of  the   Republican 

party,  and  he  is  coi tted  with  the  Masonic  order, 

being  a  Knight  Templar. 


^•HOMAS  MINN,  of  Bay  City,  is  a  manu- 
facturer of  all  sorts  of  sawmill  machinery 
and  supplies,  such  as  edgers,  lumber 
trimmers,  huh  and  bolters.  He  also  manufactures 
a  rotary  gang,  which  he  invented  and  patented, 
and  which  is  the  only  one  made  in  the  United  Stair-. 
Lumbermen  are  just  beginning  to  appreciate  the 
value  of  this  machine,  the  more  so  as  they  are  now 
discussing  the  saving  of  timber.  Besides  this  Mr. 
Munii  makes  many  other  improved  forms  of  ma- 
chinery, among  them  Munn's  improved  four-roller 
gang,  and  also  the  pendulum  slide,  both  of  which 
have  an  increasing  use  in  the  manufacture  of  lum- 
ber. 

Our  snliject  began  his  manufacturing  interests 
in  Bay  City  in  1*(I8.  He  was  first  interested  as 
half-owner  in  the  Valley  iron  Works,  but  selling 
that  finally,  he  built  his  present  factory  at  Twenty- 
third  Street,  at  theFlint  &  Pore  Marquette  Railroad 
crossing.  .Thomas  Munn  was  horn  in  Philadel- 
phia, January  2'>.  li->2'.).  and  is  a  son  of  Samfuel 
G.  and  Sarah  (Gardner)  Munn.  He  received  his 
early  education  under  the  beneficent  influence  Of 
the  Quaker  city,  hut  picked  up  a  large  amount  of 
practical,  common-sense  knowledge  in  his  after  ca- 
reer. He  came  West  with  his  father  when  about 
fourteen  years  old. 

A  natural  mechanical  genius,  Mr.  Munn  soon 
made  himself  master  of  the    millwright    business. 

He  followed  that  exclusively  for  over  eighteen  years 

coming  to  Bay  City  in  186).  He  put  in  the  Kawkaw- 

li n  mill,  the  (  ).  A.  Ballou  and  the  Shaw  A-  Williams 
Mills  of  Saginaw.  He  also  superintended  the  At- 
lantic Salt  Works  at  Bay  City  and  a  mill  for  John 


L.  Woods  A  Co..  and  indeed  much  of  the  work  of 
this  class  in  this  portion  of  the  country  has  been 
the  outcome  in  one  way  or  another  of  his  luisy 
and  fertile  mind.  Finally  Mr.  Munn  confined 
his  attention  to  perfecting  hi-  own  inventions  and 
settled  down  to  manufacturing  for  himself  in  Bay 
(  ity,  which  has  been  his  home  since  1861.  Since 
devoting  himself  to  the  work  in  which  he  is  now 
interested  and  which  includes  a  machine  shop, 
foundry  and  brass  works,  giving  employment  to  a 
large  number  of  men.  he  has  greatly  increased  the 
mechanical  facilities  of  his  shop. 

For  eleven  years  Mr.  Munn  has  served  on  the 
Board  of  Education  and  lor  three  terms  was  its 
President.  He  has  been  greatly  interested  in  the 
development  and  improvement  of  the  methods 
employed  in  the  city  schools,  believing  our  edu- 
cational policy  to  be  the  anchor  and  life  of  the 
Republic.  With  that  in  view  lie  never  lose-  an 
opportunity  to  forward  public  education.  Aside 
from  these  interests  which  he  does  not  consider 
sessarily  allied  to  the  political  issues,  he  has  re- 
fused municipal  offices.  In  1890  he  was  nomi- 
nated State  Senator  by  the  Labor  party,  which 
nomination  was  endorsed  by  the  Republicans,  but 
the  times  were  unpropitious  to  the  claims  of  the 
labor  party  and  he  failed  to  secure  the  election. 
Once  before  he  was  nominated  to  the  same  posi- 
tion and  friends  and  political  opponents  alike  con- 
ceeded  him  the  election,  but  by  mistakes  and  fraud 
he  was  debarred  from  qualifying,  being  counted 
out  by  thirteen  votes. 

Our  subject  has  for  four  year-  served  as  Presi 
dent  of  the  Temperance  Reform  Club,  and  feels 
that  the  movement  has  been  of  great  benefit  to 
this  vicinity.  lie  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  His  aim  in  life  has 
been  peculiarly  pure  and  single-minded  and  has 
been  wholly  to  better  the  condition  of  his  fellow- 
men,  especially  of  the  laboring  ClaSSCS.  lie  feels 
that  the  time  is  not  far  distanl  when  there  shall 
be  more  universal  fellow-hip  and  money  shall  not 
be  the  standard  of  social  and  political  rights  to 
the  degeee  that  it  now  i.-. 

January  13,  1Ho2,  Mr.  Munn  was  married  to 
Miss  Sarah  K..  daughter  of  Cornelius  Willegar.one 
of  the  prominent  early  pioneer-  of  Purl  Huron, Mich. 


684 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Our  subject  and  his  wife  arc  the  parents  of  three 
sons  and  one  daughter.  Of  these  George  II.  and 
Frank  G.  are  in  business  with  their  father;  Charles 
is  in  the  drug-  business  in  Bay  City;  Edith  is  the 
wife  of  E.  C>.  Ingersoll,  of  Canton,  III.,  and  has 
one  son.  Max. 

A  lithographic   portrail    of    Mr.    Munn  accom- 
panies this  sketch. 


F. s  ELON  15.  ALLEN,  an  active,  energetic  busi- 

I  ness  man.  and  one  who  has  successfully 
coped  with    the  difficulties  of  some  of  the 

•j)  hardest  phases  in  life,  is  the  gentleman 
whose  life-histoi  \  we  are  about  to  attempt  to  give 
in  outline.  Mr.  Allen  was  bora  in  the  town  of 
Porter.  Niagara  County,  N.  V..  November  28,  1844. 
He  is  a  son  of  David  P.  and  ( llarissa  A.  (Timothy  ) 
Allen,  natives  of  the  old  Lay  Stale.  David  Allen 
was  a  son  of  Philip  Allen,  who  is  a  farmer  in 
Massachusetts.  He  went  to  New  York  about  1835 
and  there  resided  until  his  death,  which  took  place 
in  1850.  He  reared  his  sis  children,  whose  names 
were:  David  P.,  Whitmore,  Palmer,  Clara.  .lane  and 
Louisa,  in  the   faith   of  the   Presbyterian  Church, 

giving   them    that   best  of  all    inheritance,  a  u I 

parental  record  and  good  constitutions. 

Our  subject's  father  came  to  Michigan  in  1867 
and  settled  in  ClareCounty,  where  he  entered  and 
improved  a  farm  and  there  still  resides.  During 
the  Civil  War  he  served  in  a  New  York  regiment. 
He  and  his  wife  have  been  for  many  years  con- 
scientious followers  of  the  eieed  as  held  by  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  They  reared  a  family  of 
nine  children,  whoare:  ouvsubjeet,  Myron, Charles 
P.,  Herbert,  James  D.,  Helen  E.,  Sarah  L.,  Minnie 
E.,and  Irva  D.  Our  subject's  mother  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Elkana  and  (  Iarissa  (Tower)  Timothy,  na- 
tives of  Massachusetts,  hut  early  settlers  in  New 
York. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  home  farm.  He 
earlyattended  the  district  school  and  there  absorbed 
equal  amounts  of  book-learning  and  mischief.  He 
began  for  himself  on  the  farm,  working  by  the 
month  or  at  whatever  he  could    find    to   do.     He 


spent  two  years  in  the  oil  regions  during  the  great 
excitement  and  in  the  fall  of  1868  came  to  Sag- 
inaw, where  he  entered  the  employ  of  Mr.  II.  A. 
Tildon  and  was  engaged  in  manufacturing  lumber 
anil  sail  tor  ten  years,  after  which  he  rented  a  salt 
block  and  conducted  the  business  himself  for  three 
years.  In  1879  he  built  the  salt  works  at  Garfield 
and  in  L880  located  there,  lie  had  purchased  four 
hundred  acres  of  timber  and  at  once  set  himself  to 
clearing  and  improving  the  same.  He  now  owns 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Clare 
County  and  four  hundred  acres  of  pine  lands  in 
upper  Michigan. 

While  clearing  his  land  Mr.  Allen  has  been  oper- 
ating his  salt  well,  lie  now  holds  the  position  of 
Postmaster  at  Garfield.  lb'  is  a  Republican  in 
politics  anil  socially  a  Mason,  and  a  Knight  Temp- 
lar. He  made  his  own  nay  in  the  world,  for  man  y 
years  striving  manfully  with  adverse  circumstances. 
Mr.  Allen  has  for  the  past  three  years  been  engaged 
in  breeding  Clydesdale  horses. 

Our  subject  was  married  December  16,  1875,  to 
Nellie,  daughter  of  William  and  Laura  (Gould) 
McKnight.  Their  married  life  has  been  very 
pleasant  and  the  future  seems  to  promise  blessings 
and  comforts  in  proportion  to  the  struggles  of  the 
past. 


II.L1AM  SMITH.  Jr.,  is  a  farmer  and  stock- 
iai.-cr  on  section  21.  Chesaning  Township. 

vV  where  he  own-  eighty  acres  of  land.  He 
was  born  in  Worcester  County,  Mass.,  March  25, 
1838,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Eliza  (Boyden) 
Smith,  the  funnel-  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and 
the  latter  of  New  Hampshire.  Our  subject  was 
about  four  years  of  age  when  his  father  came  to 
.Michigan  in  1842,  and  purchased  the  land  on 
which  thc\  made  the  old  homestead,  and  upon 
which  our  subject  still  lives. 

Our  subject  had  hut  slender  educational  advan- 
tage-. Imi  attended  a  school  taught  by  his  sister, 
Eliza  Ann.  now  Mrs.  William  P.  Allen,  of  Chesa- 
ning. At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  began  carrying 
the  mail  between  Corunna,  Shiawassee  County,  and 


PORTRAIT  AM)   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


685 


Saginaw  (  ity.  He  had  to  go  sixteen  miles  by 
lio:it  and  sometimes,  when  the  river  was  mi  thai 
he  could  not  go  by  boal  was  obliged  to  foot  it. 
He  carried  the  mail  for  two  years  and  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  began  to  work  at  the  carpenter's  trade, 
which  he  followed  five  years  until  enlisting  in 
Company  G,  Sixth  Michigan  Cavalry,  September 
3,  1862.  He  was  in  Gen.  Custer's  Brigade  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  and  was  in  seventeen  differ- 
ent battles  before  he  was  wounded,  having  in  one 
instance  his  horse  shot  from  under  him.  The  first 
battle  in  which  he  participated  was  at  Hanover, 
Pa.  He  was  also  at  Gettysburg  and  was  wounded 
at  Raccoon  Ford,  Va.  Later  he  was  in  the  en- 
gagement at  Rapidan  River,  Culpeper  Court  House, 
and  September  II.  1863,  was  shot  through  the 
body.  Using  his  musket  as  a- crutch,  he  hobbled 
as  best  he  could  from  the  Meld,  the  enemy  pressing 
close  behind.  He  was  sent  to  Douglas  Hospital. 
Washington  City,  and  there  lay  for  eight  months. 
After  sufficiently  recovering  our  subject  again 
joined  his  regiment  in  June,  1M64.  He  later  had 
two  horses  wounded   in    battle,  and   since  coming 

from  the    war  he  has  never  been  able    to  recline  on 

the  side  on  which  he  was  wounded.  He  was 
mustered  out  of  service  November  2f>,  1865,  at  Ft. 
Leavenworth,  Kan.,  receiving  his  discharge  at 
Jackson,  this  State  They  had  been  with  Gen. 
O'Connor  fighting  Indians  in  the  West,  and  our 
Subject    helped  to  build  Ft.  Reno. 

It  was  .Mr.  Smith's  intention  to  return  to  the 
West  after  making  a  visit  home,  but  meeting  Miss 
Electa  Hooker,  lie  concluded  to  stay,  and  was  mar- 
ried to  her  September  I,  L867.  She  was  a  native 
of  Hamburg,  Eric  County.  N.  V..  and  born  May 
17,1850.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Andress  and 
Amanda  (Lobdell)  Hooker.  Their  marriage  has 
been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  three  children,  two  of 
whom  are  living:  Nettie  E.,  who  was  born  August 
9,  1869,  is  Mrs.  John  C.  Edsall  and  lives  in  Cleve- 
land, Ohio:  .lame-  W.,  bom  December  10,  1877,  is 
still  in  school;    Fannie  E.  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Smith  remained  with  his  parents,  taking 
cur  nf  them  until  their  decease,  his  mother  dy- 
ing May  17,  I s 7 ."> ;  she  was  born  in  1806.  The 
father,  who  was  bom  April  28,  1800,  died  M.-i\ 
25,    L885.     lie    was    a    prominenl    Democrat   and 


held  various  offices  in  this  township,  having  been 

Supervisor  and  Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  was  the 
tlrst  Postmaster  at  North  Hampton,  the  post-office 
being  in  his  own  home.  He  was  always  known  as 
.ludi;c  Smith.      The  original  Of  our  sketch  is  also  a 

Democrat,  lie  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity and  also  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 
Our  subject's  father  was  County  Judge    for   four 

years,  and  while  in  Massachusetts  was  commis- 
sioned Captain  of  the  Militia,  by  Gov.  Levi  Lin- 
coln, and  served  for  several  years. 


<*  IVILLIAM  .1.  DUNNIGAN,  who  is  now  the 
\/iJ/r  Constable  of  Bay  City,  and  was  at  one 
V V  time  the  Marshal,  is  well  known  through- 
out the  Saginaw  Valley  as  a  man  of  fearless  cour- 
age. In  the  old  pioneer  days  when  lie  first  came  to 
what  was  then  called  Wenona,  which  is  now  West, 
Bay  City,  there  were  only  two  stores  there  and  a 
few  .sawmills. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  London.  Canada.  March 
1.  IH."i2.  and  hi-  father.  Patrick  Dunnigan,  was 
born  in  Ireland  and  was  there  married.  At  the 
ace  of  twenty-one  he  enlisted  in  the  English  Army 
for  a  term  of  twenty-one  years.  He  was  one  of 
the  "Queens  Own"  and  took  part  in  the  Crimean 
War.  He  finally  retired  on  a  pension  and  coming 
to  Canada,  located  at  London.  There  he  bought 
a  farm  some  fifteen  miles  out  of  the  city,  but  later 
sold  it  and  located  in  the  city.  Three  days  after 
this  transaction  he  was  murdered  on  his  way  home 
and  his  body  was  thrown  into  the  Thames  River, 
where  it  was  found  next  morning.  It  is  supposed 
that  the  murderers  believed  him  to  be  in  possession 
of  quite  a  sum  of   money. 

The  mother  of  our  subject.  Catherine  (Tobias) 
Dunnigan,  was  born  in  (  ounty  ( lork,  Ireland.  After 
the  death  of  Air.  Dunnigan  she  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Patrick  Mallev,  and  came  to  Bay  City. 
They  both  died  soon  after  coming  to  this  place.  The 
Dunnigan  family  consisted  of  four  sons  and  one 
daughter,  namely:  Patrick,  who  is  superintendent 
of  the  Saginaw   Bay  Towing  Association;   Michael. 


686 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


wli<>  is  in  '.he  employ  of  the  Michigan  Central  Rail- 
road; Edward,  who  lives  at  Ashland,  Wis.;  Mary, 
who  is  Mrs.  J.  E.  Lyons,  of  ( lleveland,  ( >hio,  and  our 

subject. 

William  Dunnigan  was  reared  in  London.  Can- 
ada, until  he  readied  the  age  of  nine  years,  and  in 
1861    he  came    to   what    was   then  called  Wenona. 

and  attended  the  common  scl 1,  until  he  reached 

the  age  of  fourteen,  when  he  found  employment  in 
the  sawmills,  for  some  twelve  or  fourteen  year-. 
On  account  of  rheumatism  he  finally  left  the  saw- 
mill and  his  employers,  who  esteemed  him  very 
highly,  sought  and  obtained  for.him  a  position  on 
the  police  force  of  West  Bay  City,  which  he  en- 
tered June  9,  1881. 

Our  subject  remained  upon  the  police  force  until 
1887,  when  he  was  appointed  by  the  City  Council. 
Chief  of  Police  and  Marshal,  and  served' the  city 
in  that  capacity  until  April.  1891.  In  ixss  he 
engaged  in  the  livery  business,  buying  out  Mr. 
Baily,  and  carried  on  the  business  until  the  spring 
of  1885,  when  he  sold  out  the  concern.  He  owns 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  of  well-improved  land  in 
Merritt  Township,  this  county. 

Dining  the  time  Mr.  Dunnigan  was  Marshal  he 
had  several  exciting  encounters.  At  one  time  in 
arresting  a  colored  man.  Peter  Saunders,  who  had 
killed  a  man.  he  had  great  difficulty  in  gaining  ad- 
mittance to  the  house  where  Saunders  hail  secreted 
himself.  The  criminal  defied  any  one  to  come  up 
thestairs,  threatening  to  shoot,  but  Mr  Dunnigan 
ascended  the  stairs  and  by  parleying  through  the 
closed  doors  induced  the  man  to  give  himself  up. 
telling  him  that  it  was  better  to  be  locked  up  safe 
in  jail  than  to  be  mobbed,  as  there  wen'  five  hun- 
dred people  outside.  However  brave  this  crowd 
might  have  been  in  mobbing  the  man.  not  one  ex- 
cept Mr.  Dunnigan  dared  to  enter  the  house. 

Another  desperate  encounter  took  place.  .March 
1.  1891,  and  was  with  the  lunatic.  Henry  Colliker, 
who  had  murdered  Andrew  Poison.  The  shot  he 
received  from  this  desperado  caused  a  serious  case 
of  blood  poisoning  and  it  was  only  through  his 
having  so  vigorous  a  constitution  that  he  escaped 
death  at  that  time,  and  he  has  never  entirely  re- 
covered from  its  effects.  When  he  retired  from 
the  police  force    as    Marshal    he  had   been  in    that 


pari  of  the  city's  service  steadily  for  ten  years. 
and  during  that  time  he  had  been  connected  with 
all  the  principal  cases  and   arrests. 

Mr.  Dunnigan  was  married  in  West  Hay  City, 
in  l<s7(i.  to  Miss  Ella  Pridgeon,  who  was  born  in 
St.  Clair  County,  Mich.,  and  was  the  daughter  of 
John  Pridgeon.  a  native  of  England,  who  lived  in 
M.Clair  County  when  he  first  came  to  America, 
but  now  resides  in  West  Bay  City.  Three  sons 
have  been  granted  to  our  subject  and  his  estimable 
wife.  Edward,  Arthur  and  William.  Mr.  Dunnigan 
is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians 
and  belongs  to  St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church.  He 
was  a  strong  Democrat  until  IKS!),  and  at  that 
time  became  a  Republican,  although  he  understood 
fully  that  his  change  of  politics  might  result  m  a 
loss  of  office  as   Bay  City   is  a    Democratic  town. 


RED  II.  PR1EUR.  The  popular  dealer  and 
S  furnisher  of  gentleman's  wearing  apparel, 
in  Chesaning,  is  he  whose  name  appears 
above.  His  stock  includes,  besides  clothing,  hats, 
cap-  and  general  furnishing  goods.  He  is  a  Can- 
adian by  birth,  having  been  born  at  St.  Polyearp. 
|oii\  mile-  north  of  Montreal.  Canada.  September 
■>.  I860.  He  i>  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Eveline  M. 
(Abaire)  Prieur.  The  parents,  though  natives  of 
Canada,  were  of  French  ancestiy.  They  still  sur- 
vive. The  father  is  a  farmer  and  resides  where 
our  subjeel  was  born. 

As  a  boy  Fred  was  taught  the  French  language, 
and  aside  from  this  he  received  but  little  educa- 
tion until  fourteen  years  of  age.  at  which  time  he 
went  upon  a  mail  boatas  second  steward.  During 
the  two  summers  in  which  he  was  so  employed 
his  youthful  perceptive  faculties  were  constantly 
bristling  with  the  effort  to  assimilate  all  the  new 
ideas  and  facts  that  came  to  him. 

\t  the  age  of  sixteen  our  subject  took  a  place  as 
office  boy  in  an  hotel  in  Iroquois,  Canada.  He 
remained  there  two  years  and  began  to  learn  to 
write  and  speak  English,  and  later  attended  an 
English  school  for  about  three  months.  He  then 
came   to    Michigan    and  located  in  Saginaw.  April 


'""''' 


/%■ 


^ 


(^j/l-iyu<~- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


(IS!) 


8,  1879.  He  soon  went,  however,  to  West  Branch, 
where  be  was  employed  in  another  hotel  for  one 
year,  and  during  the  year  1880—8]  li<'  attended 
school  in  Saginaw. 

Mi.  Prieur  then  entered  the  employ  of  G.  Esta- 
brook  &  Co.  June  29,  1881,  and  there  acquired  n 
good  knowledge  of  the  clothing  business,  being 
with  the  firm  for  seven  years.  While  thus  em- 
ployed be  was  married,  July  7,  1885,  to  Miss  Jenny 
M.  Bennett,  of  Saginaw,  but  born  in  the  same 
place  as  our  subject.  Her  natal  day  was  March 
23.  1865.  In  June,  1888,  Mr.  Prieur  opened  up 
business  for  himself  in  Chesaning.  He  had  saved 
up  a  comfortable  sum  from  his  salary,  and  with 
the  aid  of  his  employer.  Mr.  Estabrook,  who  lias 
been  as  kind  as  a  father  to  him,  he  has  been  able 
to  build  up  an  excellent  business,  and  now  enjoys 
the  confidence  of  all  the  people  in  this  vicinity. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prieur  have  been  bles'l  with  two  chil- 
dren— a  son.  Arthur  II.,  who  was  born  May  14, 
1886,  and  a  daughter.  Ida  C,  who  was  born  May 
2.5.  1887.  He  of  whom  we  write  is  a  Republican 
in  politics  and  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  village. 
He  and  his  wife  are  in  their  religious  creed  mem- 
bers of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  Mr.  Prieur  hav- 
ing been  confirmed  at  the  early  age  of  ten  years. 


LONZO  W.  AUSTIN.  The  portrait  which 
appears  on  the  opposite  page  is  that  of  a 
veteran  of  the  late  war  and  a  useful  citi- 
zen of  Chesaning.  A  native  of  New  York, 
Mr.  Austin  was  bom  in  Steuben  County,  May  19, 
1839,  and  is  the  son  of  Rufus  and  Nancy  Austin. 
At  an  early  age  he  was  bereft  of  both  parents, 
losing  his  mother  when  two  years  of  age  and  his 
father  when  but  five.  There  was  a  large  family  of 
children  left,  and  Alonzo  W.  being  the  youngest 
was  cared  for  by  a  sister  until  he  commenced  to 
be  self-sustaining.  When  twelve  years  old  he 
worked  by  the  month  for  $5,  and  from  that  time 
was  employed  at  whatever  he  could  get  to  do. 
During  the  winter  seasons  lie  attended  school, 
bought  his  clothes  and  books,  paid  his  rate  bill 
and  discharged  his  board  bill  by  doing  chores.     In 


that  way  he  received  a  fair  common-school  educa- 
tion. 

When  the  late  war  broke  out  Mr.  Austin  was 
living  in  Geneseo,  Livingston  County.  X.  Y..  and 
in  the  fall  of  18U1  he  enlisted  in  Company  I),  One 
Hundred  and  Fourth  New  York  Infantry,  which 
was  incorporated  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
Among  the  engagements  in  which  he  participated 
were  the  buttles  of  Cedar  Mountain.  Thoroughfare 
Gap,  Rappahannock,  Culpeper  and  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run.  He  was  wounded  in  the  arm 
and  one  side  by  a  musket  ball  and  three  buck- 
shots, one  of  which  he  still  bears  about  him.  The 
same  day  on  which  he  was  wounded  his  right  arm 
was  amputated  on  the  field  near  Centerville,  Ya., 
and  be  was  sent  to  Finley  (leneral  Hospital  at 
Washington,  where  he  remained  five  weeks,  being 
desperately  sick  a  part  of  the  time.  On  receiving 
his  discharge,  be  returned  home  and  for  three  suc- 
ceeding years  was  unable  to  work,  bu1  during 
that  time  received  a  pension. 

In  1865  Mr.  Austin  came  to  Michigan  and  lo- 
cated in  Ingham  County,  east  of  Lansing.  Later 
he  removed  to  Wayne  County,  where  he  had 
charge  of  the  toll-gate  on  the  Detroit  A-  Saline 
Plank  Road  for  about  four  years.  Prior  to  ac- 
cepting the  last-named  position  he  was  married  in 
Ingham  County,  June  27.  18(1(1.  his  bride  being 
Miss  Jennie  Sowle,  a  native  of  Okemos,  Ingham 
County.  Mrs.  Austin  is  a  prominent  member  and 
Treasurer  of  the  Woman's  Relief  Corps,  in  which 
she  has  held  all  the  important  offices.  She  is  a 
lady  of  unusual  executive  ability  and  has  con- 
ducted business  successfully  for  several  years.  Her 
fine  social  qualities  are  universally  recognized  and 
her  presence  adds  lustre  to  any  circle  in  which  she 
may  mingle. 

In  the  fall  of  1870  Mr.  Austin  came  to  Chesan- 
ing, where  for  four  years  he  managed  a  general 
store  and  for  some  time  maintained  the  position 
of  Street  Commissioner.  A  Republican  in  his  po- 
litical preference,  he  has  served  under  his  party 
in  several  capacities,  having  been  Marshal  and 
Trustee  of  the  village.  His  pension  has  been  in- 
creased at  various  times  until  he  now  receives  145 
per  month.  He  is  a  charter  member  of  Pap  Thomas 
Post,  No.  121,  G.  A.  R.    Department  of  Michigan. 


690 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


and  in  1888  organized  Wadsworth  Command  No. 
20,  of  the  Union  Veteran's  Union,  Department  of 
Michigan,  in  which  he  holds  the  position  of  Colonel. 
He  and  hi*  estimable  wife  have  one  child — Fohn 
T.,  who  was  born  in  Chesaning  April  17,  1873. 
lie  is  now  a  member  of  the  Sons  of  Veterans  and 
a  youth  of  great  promise. 


m>^-<^ 


-s- 


'if  OlIN  G.  BUCHANAN,  who  is  the  proprie- 
tor nf  the  Campbell  House,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Bay  City  since  October,  1869.  He 
was  born  in  County  Lanark,  Ontario,  on 
December  15.  1849,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  and 
Catherine  (Galbraith)  Buchanan.  The  father  was 
a  tailor  by  trade  and  resided  at  different  times  in 
various  villages  in  Canada,  and  there  the  boy  ob- 
tained his  education  in  the  common  schools,  com- 
pleting his  studies  in  the  Canadian  Literary  In- 
stitute   at     Woodstock,   after     which     he     came    to 

Michigan,   locating  at   hay  City,  as  above    stated. 

The  young  man  lirst  found  employment  in  the 
woods  among  the  lumbermen,  and  was  able  after 
a  little  to  take  the  position  of  a  scaler,  and  after- 
ward that  of  foreman,  and  continued  thus  until 
1881,  when  he  went  into  the  lumber  business  for 
himself,  remaining  in  that  line  for  some  six  years. 
being  largely  interested  in  culling  and  manufac- 
turing. While  still  in  this  business  he  became  the 
proprietor  of  the  Moulton  House,  which  lie  bought 
in  the  spring  Of  1881.  Some  five  years  later  he 
bought  the  Brunswick  House  property,  and  refitted 
inputting  in  steam  and  other  conveniences,  and 
carrying  on  the  house  successfully  something  over 
two  years,  lie  finally  sold  his  property  to  the 
Government  as  that  site  was  desired  for  the  nev\ 
( rovernment  building. 

Mr.    Buchanan    bought    the    Campbell     House 
Block,  a  fine  brick  building  with  one  hundred  and 
twenty-live    feet   frontage  on    North  Water   St 
and   one   hundred  feet    frontage   on   Third   St:      ', 
buying  also  an    additional    lot    running    bac: 
Saginaw  Street.      Upon  this  lot  he  erected  an  : 
tion  to  the    hotel,  which  he  devoted  to  the  I- 
laundry  and   the   rooms  for    the   help.     The  i 


has  sixty-four  rooms  available  for  guests,  and  it  is 
thoroughly  heated  throughout  by  steam,  and  has 
electric  lights  in  every  room.  About  110,000  were 
expended  by  him  in  refitting  and  improvements 
upon  taking  the  house,  and  in  all  respects  it  is 
now  a  first-class  hostelry.  The  hotel  property 
comprises  six  stores,  two  fronting  on  Third  Street 
and  four  on  Water  Street.  lie  also  owns  another 
brick  block  on  Third  Street.  Mr.  Buchanan  is  well 
adapted  to  achieve  success  in  this  calling  as  lie  is 
accommodating  in  his  nature,  and  genial  and 
kindly,  and  thinks  no  trouble  too  much  in  order 
lo  make  his  guests  comfortable  and  contented. 

Our  subject  is  now  Hie  Alderman  for  the  Sec- 
ond Ward,  to  which  position  he  was  lirst  elected 
in  the  spring  of  1888,  and  again  in  the  spring  of 
1890.  lie  is  a  member  of  Joppa  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M., 
of  the  Blanchard  Chapter,  of  the  hay  City  Coun- 
cil and  Com'mandery,  ami  the  .Michigan  Sover- 
eign Consistory  of  Detroit,  lie  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Mystic  Shrine  of  Detroit,  and  has 
taken  thirty-two  degree-.  He  is  President  of  the 
hay  City  Branch  of  the  Northwestern  Building 
A-  Loan  Association  at  Minneapolis.  His  marriage, 
September  '2.">.  1876, united  him  with  Jane  Jenkins, 
of  Canada,  and  they  have  I  wo  children — Peter 
and  Albert. 


AMUEL  F.  HOFFMAN,  who  now  resides 
in  Oakley.  Saginaw  County,  was  born  in 
Herkimer  County.  N.  Y..  May  19,  I835j 
and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Ann  is  (Farmer) 
Hoffman,  both  natives  of  New  York.  The  father 
was  of  Dutch  origin  and  the  mother  was  a  native 
of  Yankee  land.  The  parents  removed  to  Ivirt- 
land.  Ohio,  when  this  son  was  only  I  wo  year.-  old. 
and  there  the  father  bought  land   and   settled. 

Our  subject  was  brought    upon    a  farm  and   re- 
ceived a    COmmOn-SCl 1    education.       lie    came    lo 

Michigan  when  twenty  years  old  with  his  parents, 
locating  in  Delhi  Township,  Ingham  County,  this 
Mate,  where  our  subject  and  his  father  both  owned 
land.  That  parent  died  September  25,  1861,  while 
on  a  visit  to  Ohio,  and  was  buried  ai  his  old  home. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


691 


Samuel  Hoffman  bought  out  t he  interest  of  the 
Other  heirs  in  his  father's  estate  ami  took  care  of 
his  mother  until  within  a  few  years  of  her  death, 
which  occurred  September  16,  1891.  lie  was  mar- 
ried on  the  25th  of  .March,  1865,  in  Lansing,  to 
Miss  [da  Polhemus.  of  Delhi  Township,  a  daugh- 
ter of  . J oab  and  Flmina  (Scoville)  Polhemus.  Mr. 
Polhemus  came  to  Michigan  in  1849,  lias  lived  for 
many  years  in  Ingham  County  and  died  in  Febru- 
ary, l***.  Mr-.  Polhemus  was  the  mother  of  four 
children.  Mrs.  Hoffman  was  the  third  in  order  of 
birth  and  is  the  last  remaining  member  of  the 
family.  Mrs.  Polhemus  died  in  Detroit.  Mich., 
in  1851.  Mrs.  Hoffman  was  born  in  Attica.  X.  Y., 
December  2.J.  1842,  and  hei  ancestry  on  her  fa- 
ther's side  was  of  Holland  origin  and  on  the  ma- 
ternal side  was  to  In-  traced  to  New  England  stock. 

While  owning  and  operating  a  farm  in  Delhi. 
Our  subject  also  carried  on  a  sawmill  and  had  a 
general  store  for  several  years  in  Holt  during  war 
times,  besides  serving  as  Postmaster  under  Presi- 
dents Lincoln  and  Johnson.  He  kept  an  hotel  for 
about  a  year  and  then  bough.1  a  farm  near  the 
village  of  Holt,  but  -old  that  property  and  removed 
to  Parshallburg  in  1872,  where  he  carried  on  the 
Havana  Mills  for  about  two  years. 

The  removal  of  Mr.  Hoffman  to  this  county  was 
i'l  1875,  and  he  then  -tailed  a  general  -tore  in 
Oakley,  in  partnership  with  Mr.  Sackrider,  and 
joined  with  that  gentleman  in  his  lumbering  in- 
terests, which  they  still  carry  on.  although  they 
sold  the  -tore  in  1885.  They  own  land  there  and 
are  engaged  in  farming  and  in  breeding  blooded 
Lesters  and  Shropshires,  Shorthorns.  Durhams,  etc 
One  hundred  acre-  of  finely  improved  land  is 
Comprised  in  their  farm  here,  and  they  have  four 
hundred  acres  in  Brant  Township  besides  eighty 
acres  which  Mr.  Hoffman  owns  in  hi-  individual 
right. 

The  first  ballot  cast  l>\  our  subject  was  for  John 
C.  Fremont,  and  he  supported  Horace  Greeley, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  a  Democrat,  lie  was 
the  first  Presidentof  the  village  and  served  in  that 
Capacity  for  two  years,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  on  the  hoard  much  of  the  time  and  is  now 
Trustee,  lie  serves  as  delegate  in  county  and 
State  conventions    and   has   never  been    defeated 


for  any  office  for  which  he  was  named.  He  is  a 
Mason   of    the    Royal    Arch    degree  and   a    man  of 

I linence  in   that    order.     Mr.  Hoffman    has  live 

children  living  and  three  have  been  called  hence. 
as  follow.-:  Jennie  Louisa  died  July  2*.  1878,  aged 
ten  months  and  eight  days;  Clarence  S.,  April  I, 
1882,  aged  eleven  years,  eleven  months  and  nine 
day-;  Floyd  I'.,  November  20,  1882,  aged  three 
year-,  eleven  month-  and  eighteen  day-.  Of  those 
living,  Came  married  Fred  Piper,  a  druggist  of 
Lansing;  Julia  is  :i  teacher,  and  Lester,  Marsh  and 
Louie  are  at   home. 


^S 


LWIS  1..  MLNSON.  -One  of  the  very  he.-t- 
hearted  fellows  in  existence."  such  is  what 
friend  -aid  to  the  writer  in  referring  to 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  is  an  old  lumberman 
and  now  a  prominent  farmer  residing  on  section 
2d.  Saginaw  Township,  one  and  one-quarter  miles 
from  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city  on  what  is 
known  as  the  "crossroads."  Mr.  Munson  was  horn 
in  the  town  of  Otisco,  Onondaga  County.  X.  V.. 
September  19,  1*.",;;.  lie  is  a  son  of  Thomas  .Mun- 
son. a  native  of  Middlebury,  New  Haven  County, 
Conn.,  and  born  in  1796.  He  settled,  however,  a1 
an  early  date  in  New  York,  and  was  there  pressed 
into  service  at  the  burning  of  Buffalo  during  the 
War  of  1812  under  Gen.  Brown.  He  removed  his 
family  to  Michigan  in  is  13. 

The  family  made  tin'  journey  from  Senilis  Point. 
X.  Y..  to  St.  Clair.  Mich.,  across  the  lake  on  the 
steamer  "Van dalia."  Our  subject's  father  resided 
in  St.  (lair  County  the  years,  and  then  made  his 
home  lor  ii\e  years  iii  Macomb  County,  spending 
the  same  length  of  time  in  Lapeer  County.  He 
rum  to  Saginaw  in  1859,  and  spent  his  last  days 
with  his  son,  our  subject,  dying  in  1867.  lie  was 
a  well-read  ami  intelligent  man.  who  espoused  the 
political  theories  as  held  by  the  Republican  party. 
Our  subject's  mother  was  prior  to  her  marriage  a 
Miss  Anna  Beach,  she  was  born  on  the  Grenadier 
1-lands  in  1799,  and  was  of  Scotch  de-cent.  She 
was  a  kind-hearted  mother,  and    reared   eighl  chil- 


692 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


dren,  whose  names  are — -Alfred.  Susan.  Nelson, 
Jerome,  Lewis  1...  Enos,  Jane  M.  and  Charles  H. 
.Mrs.  Munson  was  inclined  to  the  Presbyterian 
faith;  she  died  April  19,  1866. 

Our  subject  was  brought  to  Michigan  when  ten 
years  of  age.  He  had  begun  his  school  life  in  New 
York,  and  after  coming  to  Michigan,  spent  a  little 
time  in  school  in  St.  Clair  County.  When  fifteen 
years  of  age  he  began  to  be  self-supporting,  work- 
ing as  a  common  laborer  in  the  lumber  woods  of 
St.  Clair  County.  For  thirty-seven  years  he  was 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  and  it  is  doubtful 
if  any  man  knows  more  of  the  business  than  doc- 
ile. He  served  as  foreman  for  Wright  &  Howard. 
and  for  a  time  for  David  Ward,  of  Pontiac,  and 
was  afterward  in  the  lumber  business  for  himself 
for  fifteen  years.  His  lumbering  exploits  extend 
over  a  wide  area  of  country  and  follow  the  Titta- 
bawassee,  Molasses.  Tobacco  and  Chippewa  Rivers. 

Mr.  Munson 's  first  recollections  of  Michigan  in- 
clude adventures  with  Indians,  deer,  wolves  and 
bears,  and  in  his  life  m  the  lumber  camps  many  are 
the  stirring  experiences  that  he  has  had.  He  re- 
tired from  lumbering  >n  1886,  and  has  since  de- 
voted himself  to  bucolic  interests  and  pleasures. 
He  was  married  October  24,  1MI7.  to  Amelia  Will- 
iams, who  was  born  in  Victor,  N.  Y..  October  2.r>. 
1846.  Mrs.  Munson  is  a  lady  who  at  once  com- 
mends herself  to  the  good  graces- of  those  with 
whom  she  meets.  Able,  intellectually  and  ever) 
other  way.  she  is  a  model  housewife,  and  is  the 
proud  possessor  of  her  husband's  full  confidence 
and  love.  They  are  the  parents  of  four  children. 
whose  names  are  Charles,  Carrie, Myrtle  and  Anna 
— all  of  whom  are  still  at  home. 

The  original  of  this  sketch  purchased  bis  present 
farm,  which  is  known  as  theSwarthout  homestead, 
and  one  of  the  first  farms  settled  in  the  township, 
in  1882.  He  removed  here  the  following  year.  The 
place  comprises  forty-seven  acres,  all  of  which  is 
under  cultivation.  It  is  one  of  the  richest  tracts 
of  land  in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  having  a  sub-soil  of 
clay  that  retains  moisture  and  a  light,  rich  and 
loamy  surface  soil.  Mr.  Munson  has  gone  into  the 
business  of  farming  on  the  scientific  plan,  making 
a  study  of  the  work.  He  keeps  thoroughly  posted 
by  reading  the  best  literature  of  the  day  on   this 


specialty.  He  raises  some  fine  graded  horses  for 
sale,  and  is  the  owner  of  a  tine  animal  of  the 
Clydesdale,  Messenger  and  Norman  breed,  that 
weighs  sixteen  hundred  pounds  and  which  he  keeps 
fi  'i  breeding  purposes. 

Mr.  .Munson  is  a  natural  mechanic,  and  has  a 
small  shop  on  bis  farm,  where,  aside  from  his  own 
work,  he  does  some  custom  work  in  blacksmithing 
and  woodwork.  He  has  just  completed  a  very  line 
large  frame  residence,  one  of  the  best  in  the  town- 
ship, which  he  has  built  at  a  cost  of  11,500.  It  is 
modern  in  style  of  architecture  and  in  finish,  and 
is  a  model  of  beauty  and  convenience.  He  also 
owns  a  residence  in  the  city  on  thecornerof  Ham- 
ilton and  Wayne  Streets,  which  is  rented.  Mrs. 
Munson  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church.  Our 
subject  is  a  Republican  in  polities. 


~S) 


'  RED  .1.  J.  SCHDETT.  We  give  herewith  a 
)  -ketch  of  the  proprietor  of  the  City  Mills, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
successful  of  the  business  interests  of  Saginaw. 
Mr.  Schuett  carries  on  both  a  custom  and  a  merchant 
trade  and  his  mills  have  the  roller  process.  The 
report  of  the  Board  of  Trade  for  1890 gave  as  their 
output  five  hundred  and  thirty-two  barrels  of  Hour, 
and  made  the  statement  that  they  had  boughl 
twenty-four  hundred  and  sixty  bushels  of  wheat 
during  that   year. 

The  specialty  of  this  mill  is  the  popular  brand 
known  as  the  Favorite,  and  there  is  probably  no 
brand  manufactured  in  Saginaw  which  has  gained 
more  surely  in  publicfavor  than  this.  The  house- 
keepers of  the  present  day  are  not  easily  satisfied 
and  will  not  accept  an  inferior  brand  of  Hour  when 
they  are  attempting  to  make  good  and  toothsome 
bread,  and  the  favor  with  which  this  Hour  has  been 
received  by  them  shows  its  excellent  qualities.  The 
City  Mills  manufactures  also  rye.  graham  and  buck- 
wheat flour  and  constantly  has  on  hand  a  large 
supply  of  feed,  com  and  oats. 

Mr.  Schuett  has  been  in  Saginaw  since  April, 
1890,  and  during  the  first  six  months  was  in  part; 
nership    with    Andrew   Zuckeiinandel.     The    mill 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


693 


was  rebuilt  in  L882,  and  has  had  the  roller  process 
for  the  last  five  years.  Business  had  been  greatly 
increased  during  1890,  and  since  that  time  it  has 
been  growing  so  that  1891  will  probably  show  four 
times  as  large  an  output  as  that  of  the  previous 
year. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Nankin  Township, 
Wayne  County.  .Mich.,  sixteen  miles  west  of  De- 
troit. August  1,  1860.  His  parents,  John  O,  and 
Elizabeth  (Langerman)  Schuett,  were  both  natives 
of  Mechlenbuig,  Germany.  The  father  came  to 
the  United  States  in  1856,  and  after  being  married 
settled  upon  a  farm  in  Wayne  County  and  devoted 
himself  to  clearing  away  the  forest,  improving  the 
land  and  putting  it  in  a  condition  for  raising 
crops.  It  was  in  L86  I  that  he  removed  from  Wayne 
County  to  Saginaw,  and  he  resided  for  five  years 
in  East  Saginaw,  where  lie  carried  on  his  trade  as 
a  carpenter  and  then  removed  to  Buena  Vista,  this 
county,  where  he  cleared  another  farm  and  made 
his  home  for  twenty  years. not  removing  from  that 
property  until  April,  1890,  when  he  came  to  Sagi- 
naw and  is  now  with    his  son  in  the  mill. 

He  of  whom  we  write  remained  at  home,  assist- 
ing his  father  upon  the  farm  until  his  marriage, 
which  took  place,  October  28,  1883.  She  who  be- 
came his  bride  was  Miss  Margaret  Schuitz,of  Bridge- 
port. Soon  after  this  event  his  mother  died  and 
the  father  has  since  made  his  home  with  his  son. 
Our  subject  has  one  step-sister,  Mrs.  Loie  Pitch,  of 
East  Saginaw. 

Both  father  and  sun  are  Republicans  in  their 
political  convictions  and  are  in  hearty  agreement 
in  regard  to  matters  of  public  importance.  They 
are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church  at  South 
Saginaw, and  are  highly  respected  by  all  with  whom. 
they  have  dealings. 

For  some  four  years  Mi-.  Schuett  was  agent  for 
agricultural  implements  both  in  Saginaw  and  Tus- 
cola Counties,  lie  has  recently  given  his  mill  .in 
Overhauling,  putting  in  several  pieces  of  new  ma- 
chinery and  an  unusually  line  outfit  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  buckwheat  Hour.  His  machinery  is  all 
new  :uid  he  is  thus  able  to  make  the choicesl  grades 
of  Hour.  His  father  was  the  lirst  man  to  locate  in 
Bnena  Vista  Township,  and  the  country  around 
was  then  under  water  and  no  crops  could  lie  raised 


upon  it  until  it  was  properly  drained.  The  enter- 
prise of  Mr.  Schuett-  in  thus  pioneering  this  move- 
ment greatly  raised  the  value  of  property  on 
adjoining  tracts. 


^  \M(*EL  II.  WEBSTER,  of  East  Saginaw,  is 
a  son  of  Benjamin  E.  and  .lane  (Slade) 
Webster,  who  were  both  natives  of  New 
Hampshire,  of  English  ancestry,  and  the 
maternal  grandfather,  Samuel  Slade.  was  one  of 
the  heroes  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  Our  subject^ 
was  one  of  four  children,  all  hut  one  of  whom  are 
still  living,  and  one  sister,  Lucy  (  Mrs.  Peter  Dixon) 
resides  in  Saginaw. 

The  name  of  "lumberman"  in  certain  portions 
of  Michigan  has  come  to  possess  a  rank  and  merit 
which  do  not  attach  to  any  other  trade  or  calling. 
To  be  known  as  a  lumberman,  especially  in  the 
Saginaw  Valley,  carries  with  it  the  "hall-mark"  of 
wealth  and  prominence  in  the  affairs  of  the  world. 
The  prominence  has  been  fairly  earned,  for  no 
nobler  set  of  men,  taken  as  a  class,  exist  within  the 
limits  of  the  Peninsular  State. 

Samuel  II.  Webster  comes  of  New  England  stock 
and  was  born  in  Surry,  Cheshire  County,  N.  H., 
on  the  I '.tth  of  December,  1822.  The  son  of  a  farmer, 
he  secured  only  the  rudiments  of  a  common-school 
education;  and  yet  the  district  school  of  the  older 
Eastern  States  gave  the  children  of  those  early 
days  as  good  opportunities  for  learning  as  many 
of  the  high  graded  schools  of  the  present  time  can 
offer,  or  else  how  can  the  fact  otherwise  be  ac- 
counted for  that  our  men  of  eminence,  having  had 
no  other  facilities  for  mental  improvement  in  their 
youth  than  that  fust  mentioned,  stand  the  peers  of 
many  wdio  were  college-bred?  The  fact  must  be 
that  the  boys  of  that  olden  time  felt  the  impor- 
tance of  learning,  were  imbued  with  the  idea  that 
education  is  an  important  factor  in  the  struggle 
for  wealth  and  distinction,  and  they  determined  at 
least  to  give  the  teacher  a  fair  chance. 

Young  Webster  followed  the  course  pursued   by 
all  the  country  lads  in  his   neighborhood. attended 


694 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


school  in  the  winter  season,  and  then  devoted  his 
boyhood  and  young  manhood  in  aiding  his  father 
in  the  management  of  the  farm.  This  continued 
until  he  reached  his  twentieth  year  when  the  ac- 
tive personal  duties  of  his  life  were  entered  upon. 
\t  first  he  devoted  two  years  to  railroading,  acting 
as  superintendent  in  the  construction  of  a  line. 
Then  followed  an  interval  of  hotel-keeping  in 
Boston,  and  this  episode  was  followed  by  a  break 
in  all  the  old  established  relation-  of  his  life. 
Like  many  other  young  men.  especially  those  of 
Yankee  birth,  he  wanted  a  wider  Held  of  opera- 
tions than  an}  thai  the  old  home  offered  to  her 
sons,  and  he  profited  by  the  advice  that  Horace 
l.reeley  was  SO  often  giving  in  that  day.  lie  went 
to  the  West  at  the  age  of  twenty-live,  and  at  first 
settled  in  Detroit.  Here  he  remained  for  seven 
years  engaged  in  commercial  pursuits,  and  then. 
believing  that  the  lumber  business  presaged  fame 
ami  fortune  in  the  future  for  himself , he  journeyed 
north  to  Saginaw  City,  in  the  same  state,  in  1856, 
and  remained  there  ten  years, since  when  Easl  Sag- 
inaw ha-  been  his  home. 

Mr.  Webster's  lirst  important  venture  in  this 
direction  was  to  unite  himself  in  partnership 
with  Myron  Butman,  of  Saginaw  City,  and  then 
to  purchase  a  sawmill  at  Zilwaukie,  on  the  Saginaw 
River. and  to  operate  the  same.  They  were  among 
the  pioneers  in  the  salt-making  business,  putting 
down  the  second  or  third  well,  an  industry  then 
in  its  infancy,  bu<  it  has  since  become  one  of  the 
most  important  in  the  land.  A  salt  block  was  built 
and  operated  in  connection  with  the  mill  just  al- 
luded to.  Mr.  Webster  retained  his  interest  in  this 
property  bu1  a  few  years  and  then  having  sold  the 
property  his  active  mind  needed  further  employ- 
ment. This  he  secured  by  erecting  another  mill 
and  salt-block  at  Carrollton.  a  short  distance  only 
from  the  scene  of  his  former  labors,  and  this  prop- 
erty he  operated  successfully  alone  for  several 
years.  In  time  he  sold  hi-  Carrollton  plant  ami 
built  another  mill  and  salt-block  a1  Baj  City.  He 
retained  his  interest  in  this  venture  for  some  five 
year-  and  then  -old  out  only  to  re-engage  in  the 
same  business  at  Portsmouth,  near  Bay  City,  where 
he  erected  another  mill  ami  established  the  neces- 
sary -alt-works.      This  property,  too.  he  disposedof 


after  having  established  it  permanently.  His  mind 
was  of  unceasing  activity,  needing  employment 
constantly  and  finding  it  fully  in  these  many  mic- 
i  e— ful  endeavora  to  develop  the  resources  of  the 
wonderful  land  in  which  he  had  made  his  home. 
Since  the  building  and  selling  of  the  Portsmouth 
mill  in  l!S<so  Mr.  Webster  has  devoted  his  time  to 
the  management  of  his  investment  in  pine  lands. 
He  had  no  predilection  for  public  office,  but  he  has 
always  performed  a  good  citizen'.-  part  by  feeling 
an  earnest  interest  in  hi-  country's  welfare. 

Mr.  Webster  was  married  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two  to  Miss  Angeline  Rice,  a  daughter  of  Eli 
Rice,  of  Bartonville,  \'t.;  they  have  but  one  child. 
a  son,  Benjamin  F.,  who  is  now  associated  with 
him  in  business.  One  of  Saginaw's  most  eminent 
citizens  gives  this  estimate  of  the  hold  Samuel  II. 
Webster  possesses  upon  his  fellow-men,  and  the 
rank  accorded  to  him  among  them.  It  was  an 
opinion  formed  on  long  experience,  and  it  is  a 
truthful  one.  He  says:  -'Mr.  Webster  has  had  the 
happy  faculty  of  being  able  to  so  move  amougmen 
as  to  win  business  success  to  himself  without  incur- 
ring the  envy  or  hostility  of  any.  His  soiial  wavs 
and  his  kindly  manner  toward  all  with  whom  he 
comes  in  contact,  his  hearty  appreciation  of  the 
merits  of  other-,  and   his  enjoyment   in  whatever 

brings  u' 1  to  them:  his  integrity,  which  has  been 

tried  by  the  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  and  found  to 
lie  sterling  and  true;  all  of  these  things  have  won 
for  him  a  position  among  his  fellows,  which  is  one 
of  t  he  greatest  prizes  of  life. 


«^*= 


-^  1' 


/ILLIAM  ROESER,  a  prominent  dealer  in 
agricultural  implements  and  farm  machiii- 
y V  cry  at  Saginaw,  is  a  native  of  Germany, 
and  was  bom  in  January,  1825,  at  Halle,  Prussia. 
where  salt  was  manufactured  over  one  thousand 
years  ago  at  the  time  of  Charles  the  Great.  The 
early  days  of  our  subject  were  passed  upon  the 
farm  where  lived  his  parents,  Frederick  and  Jo- 
hanna (Sehnieder)  Roeser,  and   his  education  was 

gleaned    from   the   text    I ks  of   the  schools  of 

Halle.      For  four   years  he  was  a  student  in  the  fa- 


PORTRAIT  AND  EIOGRAPIIICAL   RECORD. 


695 


mous  colleges  of  that  city  and  to  say  thai  he  availed 
himself  to  the  utmost  of  the  opportunities  for  men- 
tal research  offered  to  him,  is  bul  stating  what 
actually  occurred. 

At  the  agi  of  seventeen  years,  the  school  days 
Of  Mr.  Roeser  wwi-  brought  to  a  close  liv  his  en- 
trance  into  the  mercantile  business  as  ah  apprentice 
in  a  large  establishment,  where  he  remained  for  a 
period  of  three  years  and  acquired  an  understand- 
ing of  all  departments  of  the  business.  At  the 
expiration  of  his  apprenticeship  he  accepted  the 
position  of  clerk  and  bookkeeper  in  the  same  es- 
tablishment two  years,  and  other  firms  until  1850, 
when  in  company  with  his  two  elder  brothers,  Gus- 
tavus  and  Otto,  he  sailed  for  the  United  States, 
landing  in  New  York  City. 

Arriving  in  tins  country,  yonng  Roeser  at  once 
came  West  making  his  first  stop  at  Detroit  and 
coming  thence  to  Saginaw,  where  lie  met  a  former 
acquaintance  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sivers. 
In  June,  1850,  he  settled  on  a  piece  of  hind  in 
Tittabawassee  Township,  when  that  region  was  an 
unbroken  forest  and  only  thinly  settled  along  the 
river  and  the  woods  an  Indian  hunting  ground. 
lie  commenced  to  clear  away  the  trees  and  to  cul- 
tivate the  -oil  In  1855  lie  established  a  general 
stent-  in  Freeland,  a  village  which  he  platted  and 
laid  out.  and  earned  on  merchandising  in  connec- 
tion with  farming  pur-nits.  In  L886  he  sustained 
a  severe  loss  in  the  destruction  of  his  store  by  lire, 
with  but  small  insurance.  During  his  residence  in 
Tittabawassee  Township  he  held  the  following 
ottiees:  Township  Clerk  for  twelve  years;  Justice 
of  the  Peace  for  twenty-seven  years;  Treasurer  two 
years  and  Supervisor  for  ten  years, and  was  serving 
in  the  latter  capacity  at  the  time  of  his  removal. 

In  L888  Mr.  Roeser  removed  to  Saginaw  where 
hi-  present  business  was  established  in  1K80,  in 
which  he  has  built  up  a  large  patronage.  He  was 
married  in  1851  to  Miss  Theresa,  daughter  of  Au- 
gusl  Von  Vasold,  a   German    of  noble   birth,  and 

they  arc  the  parents  of  tin-  following  children: 
( (sear,  merchant  of  Grand  Island,  Neb.;  Herman,  a 
fanner;  William,  who  is  in  business  with  his  father; 
Clara,  wife  of  E.  Solms;  Charles  L.,  who  was  horn 
in  Tittabawassee  Township,  April  9,1861,  and  is 
now  in    partner-hip    with    his   father:    Francis  and 


Albert,  who  both  reside  in  <  trand  Island,  Neb.;  and 
Frederick,  who  is  at  home  .Mr.  Roeser  has  taken 
into  partnership  his  son.  Charles  L..  an  active  and 
stirring  young  business  man.  who  is  also  Registrar 

of  Deeds  of  SaginawC ty.      The  linn  carries  an 

excellent  variety  and  quality  of  stock,  and  owns  a 
fine   building  and   sheds  for  the  storage   of  their 

g Is  several  hundred  feet  long. 

When  the  Republican  parly  was  organized  in 
1854,  Mr.  Roeser  joined  its  ranks  and  has  since 
been  a  devoted  adherent  lo  its  principles.  For 
several  years  he  was  President  of  the  German  pio- 
neer Society  and  of  the  Teutonia  Society  of  Sag- 
inaw. His  pleasant  home  at  No.  107  S.  Harrison 
Street,  is  the  center  of  a  happy  and  hospitable 
home  life. 


i    I    i    ' 


T*-V«1-*T< 


/^IIARI.F.S  McLELLAN.  Of  the  farmers  in 
(l        ^  the   populous  and    well-to-do  Township  of 

V_/  Saginaw,  none  are  more  eminently  lilted 
for  the  position  of  leader  than  he  whose  name  ap- 
pear- above.  His  native  intelligence  is  quickened 
by  a  progressive  tendency  that  naturally  pushes 
him  to  the  fore,  lie  is  one  of  the  largest  farmers 
in  the  township  and  moreover  a  native  of  the  place 
upon  which  he  now  lives.  He  was  born  June  30, 
1848,  and  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Emeliue 
(Palmer)  McLellan.  The  former  was  a  native  of 
New  Hampshire  and  was  born  October  IK.  1813. 
He  still  survives  and  makes  his  home  in  this  town- 
ship with  hi-  son-in-law,  James  A.  Slocum.  Our 
subject's  mother  was  born  June  5,  11S27.  She 
died  December  13.  1890. 

Benjamin  McLellan  came  to  Michigan  in  1834, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  this  locality. 
He  walked  fromDetroit  to  this  place,  following  an 
Indian  trail  from  Flint  to  Saginaw.  II  was  one 
vast  wilderness  anil  inhabited  only  by  Indians. 
bear-,  deer  and  a  very  occasional  white  settler.  He 
was  in  very  limited  circumstances  al  the  time  and 
bought  from  the  Government  the  tract  of  land 
upon  which  our  subject  now  lives.  There  wa-  a 
h>n  cabin  and  about  ten  acres  cleared  and  lie  began 
the  arduous  ta-k  of  clearing  a  farm,  meantime  liv- 


696 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ing  on  intimate  terms  with  the  Indians.  By  care- 
ful management  and  hard  work  he  secured  four 
hundred  acres  of  land,  much  of  which  was  cleared 
and  improved;  this  was  ultimately  divided  betwi  en 
his  children.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  devoted 
Christian  people  and  belonged  to  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children, 
six  of  whom  are  living  at  the  present  time,  ami 
whose  names  are:  Charles,  Frank,  Clara.  Ella.  Will 
and  John.  The  deceased  children  are  Jenny, 
Nelson  and  Amanda. 

Our  subject  was  reared  upon  the  farm  where  he 
now  lives.  The  rudiments  of  his  education  were 
attained  al  the  district  school  in  the  vicinity  and 
his  acquirements  there  were  supplemented  h\  six 
months  in  the  Bryant  A'  Stratton  Busines>  College 
of  Detroit.  lie  began  for  himself  at  twenty-four 
years  of  age.  Mr.  McLellan  was  married,  October 
3,  1872,  to  Emily  J.  Chapin.  who  was  born  in 
Grand  Blanc,  Genesee  County,  January  26.  1842, 
her  parents  being  early  settlers  in  that  county. 
Three  children  have  been  born  to  these  parents. 
They  are  Bertha,  Benjamin  and  Winnie. 

Mr.  McLellan  lias  a  fine  farm  of  two  bundled 
and  thirty  acres,  mosl  of  which  is  under  excellent 
cultivation.  lie  raises  a  large  quantity  of  grain 
and  pays  considerable  attention  to  the  raising  of 
graded  stock.  He  lias  a  neat  and  attractive  and 
well-furnished  home  that  is  greatly  to  the  credit 
.of  its  owner  and  the  township.  Mr.  McLellan  and 
his  amiable  wife  are  members  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Saginaw.  Our  subject  is  a  Re- 
publican in  his  political  creed. 


.FSLEY  KNICKERBOCKER.  We  are  mat- 
to  be  able  to  present  here  a  sketch 
farmer  and  stock-raiser,  residing  on 
section  :!:!.  Chesaning  Township.  Saginaw  County, 
whose  ability  and  character  have  made  him  widely 
known  throughout  this  section  of  country.  He 
was  born  in  Madison  County.  N.  Y.,  September  2(1. 
1829,  and  is  a  son  of  Hiram  and  Julia  (Tousley) 
Knickerbocker,  the  father  being  a  native  of   Con- 


^fj     of  this 


necticut,  of  Holland  stock,  and  the  mother  a  native 
of  the  Empire  State. 

Our  subject  was  brought  up  upon  the  farm  and 
received  from  his  father  thorough  training  in  farm 
duties  and  early  developed  a  taste  for  mechanics 
which  has  made  him  useful  in  other  lines  of  work. 
He  received  a  good  common-school  education  and 
attended  the  Union  school  at  Morrisville,  after 
which  he  took  a  High  School  course  but  did  not 
graduate.  After  reaching  his  eighteenth  year  he 
followed  work  upon  the  Erie  Canal  for  some  twelve 
years  beginning  at  the  lowest  round  of  the  ladder 
and  rising  to  the  position  of  a  captain,  in  which 
place  he  served  for  four  years. 

In  the  spring  of  1862  the  young  man  came  West 
and  locating  in  Saginaw  began  to  work  at  carpentry 
which  he  followed  for  two  years,  after  which  he 
undertook  the  manufacture  of  salt  and  was  one  of 
the  originators  of  the  method  of  manufacturing 
that  useful  commodity  by  the  steam  process,  ami 
in  fact  was  the  first  man  to  make  a  success  of  that 
process.  He  was  at  that  time  in  the  employ  of 
Sears  &  Holland,  of  East  Saginaw  and  remained 
with  that  firm  for  nine  years.  lie  then  went  into 
the  employ  of  C.  &  E.  TenEyck,  also  manufactur- 
ers of  salt  and  during  the  five  years  he  was  with 
them  introduced  his  method.  He  was  also  the 
original  inventor  of  the  process  for  cleansing  dairy 
salt.  He  did  not  take  out  a  [latent  but  it  has  been 
patented  since  by  J.  W.  Bartow.  After  leaving  the 
firm  with  which  he  had  been  for  sometime  he  was 
for  one  3'ear  in  the  employ  of   Warner  A-  Eastman. 

In  the  spring  of  1880 Mr.  Knickerbocker  bought 
his  present  farm  of  eighty  acres  and  upon  it  he  has 
placed  substantial  improvements  and  has  cleared 
and  placed  under  cultivation  all  that  was  uncleared 
at  the  time  he  took  it.  He  was  married  March  20, 
1871,  to  Miss  Amelia  Carlton,  who  was  born  in 
Birmingham.  ( lakland  County,  Mich.,  in  November, 
1840.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Elizabeth 
(Davison)  Carlton.  To  them  has  been  born  one 
interesting  daughter.  Nellie,  her  natal  day  being 
August   III.  1878. 

The  Democratic  party  in  its  declarations  ex- 
presses  the  views  of  our  subject  on  political  affairs 
but  he  cannot  be  called  a  politician.  He-is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Order  of  Odd  Fellows   and    has   served 


/JlSL*~/  ZZt^L~-    J:trjL.<^-^ 


C+- 


I 


PORTRAIT  AM)  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


fiit'.i 


as  delegate  to  the  Grand  Lodge  besides  filling  all 
the  chairs  in  the  Subordinate  Lodge.  He  has  a 
knack  for  turning  bis  hand  to  almost  anything  in 
the  line  of  mechanics  and  is  often  called  upon  to 
set  up  and  repair  engines. 


•M^l 


La, 


.H 


j|g^^.> 


ON.  LORENZO  T.  DURAND.  This  rep- 
resentative attorney  of  Saginaw  was  born 
in  Mbrehouseville,  Hamilton  County,  N.Y., 

December  9,  lis 4'.).  At  an  early  aye  he  came 
with  his  father  and  mother,  George  II.  and  Margaret 
(McMillen)  Durand,  to  this  state.  They  settled 
first  in  Genesee  County,  whence  they  came  in  1863 
to  Saginaw,  and  here  our  subject  has  since  made 
his  home.  His  early  life  was  spent  upon  the  farm 
and  his  education  was  begun  in  the  primitive  dis- 
trict schoolhouse,  and  completed  in  the  public 
schools  of  Saginaw. 

When  his  school  days  were  finished  Mr.  Durand 
turned  his  attention  to  the  study  of  law,  entering 
the  office  of  Webber  &  Smith,  who  were  then 
among  the  leading  law  firms  of  the  Saginaw  Val- 
ley. He  remained  with  them  for  several  years  learn- 
ing the  practical  details  of  office  business  as  well 
as  devoting  a  great  deal  of  time  to  the  study  of 
authorities,  and  then  entered  Michigan  University, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1H70.  Upon  leaving 
the  University  he  became  the  assistant  of  the  Hon. 
Dwight  May,  Attorney-General  of  the  State.  Be- 
ing a  close  student  and  a  hard  worker  these  oppor- 
tunities furnished  that  splendid  legal  training  and 
knowledge  which  has  contributed  so  largely  to  his 
success  at  the  bar. 

In  1*7*  Mr.  Durand  was  elected  on  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  to  the  office  of  Prosecuting  Attorney  of 
Saginaw  County.  He  was  then  only  twenty-eight 
years  old,  but  gave  so  good  satisfaction  that  he  se- 
cured his  re-election  at  the  expiratb  n  of  his  term, 
and  this  was  both  times  by  a  handsome  majority 
in  a  county  which  had  been  considered  reliably 
Republican.  His  skillful  and  efficient  discharge  of 
that  trust  won  for  him  an  enviable  record. 

Mr.  Durand  has  been  repeatedly  urged    to  accept 
a  nomination  for  Congress  and  at  the  last  Demo- 
32 


cratic  state  Convention  his  name  would  have  been 
presented  for  the  position  of  Attorney-General  had 

he  given  his  consent.  1'p  to  the  present  time, 
however,  he  has  chosen  to  be  a  worker  in  the  ranks 
of  his  party  and  to  devote  his  energies  and  his 
talent-  to  bis  chosen  profession  in  which  he  has 
limit  up  an  extensive  and  lucrative  practice  and 
which  he  adorns  as  one  of  the  best  counselors  and 
advocates  of  the  Saginaw  Bar.  1 1  is  law  library  is 
large  and  extensive. 

In  addition  to  a  large  clientage  Mr.  Durand  holds 
the  special  positions  of  President  and  Attorney  of 
the  Central  Bridge  Company.  He  is  also  Vice- 
President  and  Attorney  of  the  Saginaw  Union 
Street  Railway,  one  of  the  leading  electric  roads  of 
the  State  and  is  Vice-President  and  Attorney  of 
the  Saginaw  County  Savings  Bank,  one  of  the 
strongest  among  the  recently  established  banks  in 
the  Valley.  He  was  unanimously  chosen  recently 
by  the  Mayor  and  the  Common  Council  to  fill  the 
long  term  as  member  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works. 

In  1X72  .Mr.  Durand  was  married  to  Miss  Florence 
0.,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  John  Moore,  formerly 
Circuit  Judge  of  this  district.  They  have  one 
daughter,  Carrie  M.,  who  was  graduated  from  the 
Saginaw  High  School  in  the  Class  of  '91.  Mr. 
Durand  is  one  of  the  leading  Masons  of  the  State 
and  has  been  Eminenl  Commander  of  St.  Bernard 
Commandery  for  three  terms.  He  is  a  gentleman 
endowed  with  the  gift  of  making  friends  and  is 
exceedingly  popular  with  all  classes.  As  a  lawyer, 
citizen  and  friend,  hi'  is  held  in  high  esteem  and 
has  a  broad  influence.  His  portrait  is  presented 
in  connection  with  this  sketch. 


-  •5"5"i"i" 


(|       MLLIAM    L.   NIEMANN.     This  prominent 

\/lJ/i  .y,,,m"  man  's  one  ot  ""'  Des*  known  citi- 
W^J  zens  of  Bay  City,  and  is  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  cigars  at  No.  609  Harrison  Street, 
besides  carrying  on  a  wholesale  and  retail  trade  in 
the  same  line.  He  was  born  in  Chicago,  January  2ii. 
I860,  and  his  father,  William,  who  was  born  in 
Germany,  came  to  America  previous  to  his  mar- 
riage,and  engaged  in  the  cigar  manufacturing  busi- 


700 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


ness  in  Chicago.  There  he  had  a  successful  busi- 
ness until  lie  was  burned  out  in  the  great  fire  of 
1871.  but  after  this  disaster  he  at  once  resumed 
operations,  and  built  a  block  of  buildings  on  a 
business  street.  He  died  September  2(5,  1890,  leav- 
ing his  widow,  Elizabeth  (Hill)  Niemann,  in  Chi- 
cago. She  also  was  born  in  Germany,  and  is  a 
Lutheran  in  her  religious  belief,  as  was  also  her 
husband.  Three  of  their  four  children  are  still 
living,  and  our  subject  is  the  eldest  of  the  family. 

William  L.  Niemann  was  educated  first  in  a  pri- 
vate school,  and  afterward  in  the  German-Ameri- 
can Institute  of  Chicago.  From  early  boyhood  he 
worked  with  his  father,  and  at  the  age  of  nine  had 
mastered  a  good  deal  of  the  business.  At  the  age 
of  fifteen  he  began  working  at  the  trade  as  a  steady 
occupation,  and  remained  with  his  father  for  three 
years,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  same  work  in 
Milwaukee  for  three  years,  lie  distinctly  remem- 
bers the  great  lire,  as  he  was  then  a  lad  of  eleven 
years,  and  was  right  in  the  midst  of  it. 

In  1881  he  came  to  Michigan  and  worked  at  his 
trade  at  Detroit,  Pontiae  and  <  Iwosso,  and  the  fol- 
lowing year  came  to  Bay  City,  and  for  seven  years 
worked  for  Beebe  &  Braddock,  and  when  the  firm 
changed,  continued  for  Braddock,  Bateman  A-  Co. 
In  1888  he  went  to  West  Bay  City,  and  started  a 
factory,  taking  George  Bauers  for  his  partner. 
This  firm  of  Bauers  &  Niemann  continued  for  more 
than  a  year,  and  then  our  subject  sold  out  his  in- 
terest to  Mr.  Oustherhoust,  and  located  here,  start- 
ing this  factory  and  entering  into  partnership 
with  .lames  Mellon,  under  the  firm  name  of  Nie- 
mann >v  Mellon.  In  January,  1891,  our  subject 
bought  out  his  partner's  interest,  and  became  sole 
proprietor,  and  is  carrying  on  a  successful  business. 
employing  some  four  or  five  men  constantly.  The 
favorite  brands  which  he  produces  are:  the  "X.  & 
M."  '-The  Little  Phil."  "Pearls"  and  "Oklahoma." 

Mr.  Niemann  was  married  in  Bay  City  in  1884, 
to  Miss  Emma,  daughter  of  Ansel  W.  Watrous,  who 
came  here  from  the  South  in  1861,  and  established 
himself  as  a  cabinet-maker.  This  lady  was  born  in 
Bay  City,  and  she  is  now  the  mother  of  one  beauti- 
ful child,  Bessie.  Mr.  Niemann  was  Constable  for 
four  years,  and  has  been  frequently  made  delegate 
to  Democratic  county  conventions,     lie  is  a  mem- 


ber of  the  Cigar-makers  International  Union  No. 
184,  and  belongs  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and  the 
Arbeiter  Society,  lie  is  popular,  not  only  in  busi- 
ness but  in  social  circles, and  is  active  in  promoting 
the  welfare  of  the  city. 


^H)jH^= 


<*  IVILL1AM  .1.  LOVELAM).  This  well-known 
\r\]f  and  highly  esteemed  citizen  of  Saginaw, 
Ww  who  is  still  carrying  on  his  profession  as 
attoraey-at-law,  was  born  in  Norwich,  Windsor 
County.  \'t.,  November  11,  1823.  His  parents. 
William  and  Sarah  (Hutchinson)  Loveland.  had  a 
family  of  eight  children,  and  carried  on  a  farm  in 
Vermont.  The  father  died  in  his  native  State.  On 
both  sides  of  the  family  there  is  a  noble,  patriotic 
record,  as  Joseph  Loveland,  the  father  of  William, 
St'.,  was  one  of  the  .Minute  Men  of  the  Revolution. 
and  the  grandfather.  Hutchinson,  was  also  an  ac- 
tive patriot  and  was  a  member  of  the  company 
that  had  quarters  at  the  blockade  at  Bethel,  a  town 
adjoining  Royalton,  and  in  company  with  his 
troops  pursued  the  enemy  after  the  burning  of  and 
massacre  at  Royalton. 

Our  subject  attended  the  district  school  and 
spent  his  boyhood  days  in  his  native  county,  and 
in  18-11  entered  Kimball  Union  Academy,  where  he 
spent  three  years.  lie  subsequently  entered  Dart- 
mouth College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1848,  and  at  once  took  up  the  study  of  law.  which 
he  pursued  with  vigor  and  perseverance,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  Windsor  County,  Vt.,  in 
1851. 

The  opening  practice  of  the  young  attorney  was 
in  his  native  home,  and  he  afterward  removed  to 
Lexington,  Sanilac  County,  Mich.,  then  spent  two 
years  in  Tuscola  County.  It  was  in  185(1  that  he 
removed  to  Saginaw,  which  he  has  ever  since  made 
the  scene  of  his  legal  practice,  and  when-  he  has 
built  up  an  excellent  clientage.  This  able  and  ac- 
tive practitioner  has  devoted  forty-one  years  to 
his  profession  and  is  esteemed  as  one  of  the  reliable 
attornej^s  in  this  part  of  the  State. 

The   popularity   with    which    Mr.  Loveland  has 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


7(11 


been  regarded  in  Saginaw,  is  indicated  by  the  fad 
that  he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  two 
terms,  and  also  Circuit  Court  Commissioner.  In 
both  of  these  positions  he  proved  himself  of  greal 
value  to  the  community,  and  in  his  quiet  unosten- 
tatious way  he  has  ever  aided  in  maintaining  true 
principles  and  the  dignity  o.f  the  law.  In  politic- 
he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  has  been  for  many 
years. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Loveland  1<>  Miss  Susan 
Nelson  Briggs  took  place  in  1K67.  This  lady  is 
a  lineal  descendant  of  Miles  Standish.  She  was 
horn  in  Middleborough.  Plymouth  County.  Mass., 
and  is  a  daughter  of  the  late  Ebenezer  Briggs,  who 
was  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  The  pleasant  home 
of  this  couple  is  at  No.  1619  North  Michigan  Ave- 
nue on  the  West  Side  of  the  city. 


^yCS> 


T5o~ 


ON.  SAMUEL  A.  PLUMMER.  This  old 
'  resident  of  West  Bay  City  has  been  very  ac- 
tive in  all  public  matters,  especially  in  the 
fire  department,  which  he  organized,  and  it 
is  now  recognized  as  one  of  the  best  in  the  State. 
He  is  still  Chief  of  that  department  and  Superin- 
tendent of  the  AVesl  Bay  City  Water-works,  and  he 
has  in  past  years  filled  the  offices  of  both  Alderman 
and   Mayor. 

Mr.  Plummer  was  bom  in  China,  Me.,  February 
17.  1835,  and  remained  there  until  after  he  had 
completed  twenty  years  of  life.  His  father,  the 
Hon.  Samuel  Plummer  was  born  in  Whitefield,Me., 
and  his  grandfather,  John,  was  an  Englishman  who 
came  to  this  country  and  settled  in  the  Pine  Tree 
State  when  a  young  man.  There  he  was  married 
and  settled  upon  the  farm  in  Whitefield,  and  after- 
ward in  China.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  British 
army  and  was  thus  brought  to  America  during  the 
Revolutionary  War.  He  became  a  thorough  Amer- 
ican in  his  feelings  and  took  part  on  flic  side  of 
the  Patriots  during  the  War  of  1*12. 

The  father  of  our  subject  carried  on  a  large  farm 
of  two  hundred  acres  and  was  also  in  the  milling 
business.  He  was  the  Treasurer  of  his  township, 
and    during    several    terms  was   a  n  ember   of    the 


Maine  Legislature,  lie  died  in  1888  at  flic-  age  of 
eighty-four,  lie  has  two  brothers  still  Iiving,John 
M.,  eighty-seven  and  A.  F.,  eighty-five  years  old. 
His  early  political  views  were  in  harmony  with  the 
Whig  party  and  later  he  became  a  Republican,  and 
in  religious  matters  he  was  an  Episcopalian.  The 
mother  was  Iluldah.  daughter  of  James  Gray,  and 
was  born  in  Litchfield,  Me.  The  family  claims  the 
best  blue  blood  of  Massachusetts.  Mrs.  Iluldah 
Plummer  lived  to  complete  eighty-one  years  of  life 
and  died  in  1887.  She  had  six  children ;  one  of 
her  sons,  Charles  II.,  was  a  member  of  the  Second 
Maine  Regiment,  and  served  for  two  years  in  the 
Civil  War. 

The  district  school  and  the  duties  of  farm  life 
afforded  occupation  for  our  subject  during  his 
earlier  years,  and  after  he  reached  the  age  of 
twenty-one  he  was  engaged  in  lumbering  on  the 
Penobscot  River.  He  always  avoided  Legal  com- 
plications and  never  sued  or  was  sued.  In  June, 
1866,  he  came  to  West  Bay  City  and  entered  the 
employ  of  Sage,  McGraw  >V-  Co..  as  their  head  saw- 
\ei  and  in  1X69  he  became  the  Superintendent  of 
the  Sage  Mills,  continuing  thus  until  1876  when 
he  started  in  business  for  himself,  lie  bought  out 
James  Monroe  and  entered  into  partnership  with 
E.  T.  Carrington  under  the  firm  name  of  Canine- 
ton  &  Plummer,  doing  a  dock  and  commission 
business  in  wood,  produce  and  brick. 

Two  years  later  Mi'.  Plummer  disposed  of  his 
interest  in  the  business  but  continued  lumbering 
on  the  Tittabawassee  River  and  superintending 
lumbering  camps  for  several  years.  He  was  instru- 
mental in  organizing  the  city  government  in  1866 
ami  has  been  connected  with  if  in  one  way  or 
another  most  of  the  time  since.  He  became  Alder- 
man in  1870  and  continued  in  that  position  for 
many  years,  being  at  one  lime  President  of  the 
Council.  In  1886  he  was  nominated  and  elected 
to  the  Mayoralty  on  the  Democratic  ticket  and 
served  for  two  years,  besides  completing  one  un- 
expired term  of  S.O.Fisher.  For  over  twelve 
years  he  was  on  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  and  has 
been  instrumental  in  building  up  the  city. 

Mr.  Plummer  organized  the  fire  department  in 
1871.  bought  the  old  steamer  •■Defiance"  and  has 
kept  it  for  years  as  a  volunteer  service.    For  years 


702 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


he  was  also  Chief  of  the  Are  department,  and  in 
1891  he  again  accepted  that  position  and  he  has 
also  been  successful  as  Superintendent  of  the  Water- 
works, of  which  West  Bay  City  has  an  excellent 
system.  The  State  Insurance  Adjuster  states  that 
this  city  lias  a<  good  a  lire  department  as  there  is  in 
the  State. 

Our  subjeel  was  married  at  China,  Me.,  in  1854, 
to  Miss  Addie  Pratt,  a  native  of  Windsor.  Me.  Mr. 
Plummer  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  views  and 
has  been  Chairman  of  the  City  and  Ward  Com- 
mittee, as  well  as  delegate  to  county  and  State 
conventions.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Ar- 
canum, in  which  organization  he  acts  as  Trustee. 


ffiOHN  ARMSTRONG,  who  is  now  counted  as 
among  the  oldest  settlers  of  Birch  Run 
Township,  Saginaw  County,  is  a  native  of 
Cumberland  County.  England,  and  was 
born  August  2,  1808.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Dorothy  (Thompson)  Armstrong.  He  was  married 
in  his  native  country. where  he  had  been  from  early 
boyhood  engaged  in  agriculture:  His  schooling 
was  taken  in  the  English  pay-schools,  but  he  never 
was  able  to  attend  them  after  he  was  eight  years  old. 
His  marriage  in  1830  united  Mr.  Armstrong  with 
Ruth  Hutton,who  became  the  mother  of  six  children, 
three  of  whom  are  still  living,  namely:  James, 
David  and  Hannah.  The  daughter  is  now  the  wife 
of  Benjamin  Bauker.  The  mother  of  these  children 
was  called  from  earth  in  1841.  In  1853  our  sub- 
ject was  married  to  Rebecca  Pearce,  a  native  of 
Worcestershire, England,  she  was  born  June  It. 
1818,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth 
(Miles)  Pearce.  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Eng- 
land. Mrs.  Armstrong  became  the  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject in  Toronto,  Canada.  She  had  migrated  with 
her  parents  to  Canada  in  1829,  and  there  had  her 
education  and  training. 

It  was  in  1841  that  Mr.  Armstrong  came  to  this 
country  with  his  first  wife  and  their  live  children. 
and  after  a  voyage  of  five  weeks  and  one  day  they 
landed  in  Quebec.     Canada   remained   the   family 


home  until  18)!),  when  our  subject  came  to  Sagi- 
naw County.  Mich.,  and  in  18f>:5  he  settled  in  his 
present  home,  where  he  and  his  family  found  many 
hardships  to  encounter.  In  those  early  days  the 
deer  used  to  come  frequently  to  the  door  of  their 
log  cabin. 

Mr.  Armstrong  has  served  as  Highway  Commis- 
sioner, and  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views. 
He  and  his  good  wife  are  esteemed  as  among  the 
representative  pioneers  of  the  county.  They  own 
one  hundred  and  seventeen  acres  of  line  land. 
which  have  been  accumulated  through  years  of  un- 
remitting toil.  While  he  was  a  resident  of  Toronto. 
he  and  a  Scotchman.  William  Douglass  by  name, 
formed  the  first  lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  in  that  city, 
and  it  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  very  first  that  was 
formed  in  Canada.  "Uncle  John."  as  he  is  famil- 
iarly known  in  Birch  Run  Township,  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  characters,  historically,  in  the  Sag- 
inaw Valley;  his  venerable  face  and  form  are 
known  far  and  wide,  and  his  presence  is  hailed 
with  genuine  delight  at  all  social  gatherings.  By 
a  long  life  of  devotion  to  duty,  which  has  been  ac- 
companied by  a  kindly  interest  in  his  neighbors, 
he  has  earned  the  good  will  of  all  who  know  him. 


[TLIUS  W.  LPPEL.  No  more  popular  busi- 
ness  man  is  to  be  found  in  Saginaw  than 
he  whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this 
sketch.  His  personal  friends  are  legion  and 
his  business  acquaintances  appreciate  most  highly 
the  gentlemanly,  courteous  business  manager.  The 
store  recently  opened  by  Mr.  Ippel  has  quickly 
taken  a  front  rank  in  the  opinion  of  buyers,  and 
though  established  only  a  few  months  his  cus- 
tomers are  numbered  among  tie-  best  families,  and 
the  well  selected  line  of  goods  and  the  courtesy 
accorded  each  shopper. whether  a  purchaser  or  not. 
ensures  success  in  the  endeavor.  Eight  years 
spent  as  business  manager  for  Mr.  Bauman  gives 
Mr.  Ippel  a  wide  experience  in  buying  and  in 
meeting  the  demands  of  the  city  trade. 

J.  W.  Ippel  was  born  at  West  Bend,  Wis.,  August 
:in.    1861,  and  is    the  son  of  George   and  Agnes 


:>■•  .  ■ 


tvmxo 


PORTRAIT  AND   ''K  HIRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


705 


(Cash')  [ppcl.  The  father  was  engaged  in  gen 
era!  merchandise,  and  in  1868  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business  and  continued  therein  until  his 
death.  The  father  was  from  Bin  gen,  <>n  the  Rhine 
and  the  mother  was  a  native  of  Switzerland,  and 
is  still  living  in  Saginaw.  She  has  two  children; 
her  daughter.  Mrs.  John  A.  Wirth,  resides  in 
Saginaw  City. 

At  the  aye  of  seventeen  our  subject  went  to 
Milwaukee  to  engage  in  the  mercantile  business 
and  after  nearly  two  years  entered  the  diy-goods 
establishment  of  Jacob  Baumau  and  remained  with 
him  fur  twelve  years,  during  eight  years  of  that 
time  being  manager oi  the  business, and  frequently 
going  to  New  York  to  attend  to  the  affairs  of  the 
firm,  and  helped  to  push  outside  interests,  open- 
ing a  branch  store  at  St.  Louis,  Mich.  The  pres- 
ent business  enterprise  of  our  subject,  which  was 
Opened  in  October,  l<891,  is  doing  finely  and  is 
conducted  on   a  strictly   cash  liasi>. 

The  marriage  of  .Mr.  Ippcl  took  place  April  21, 
1891,  and  he  was  then  united  to  Miss  Anna  C, 
daughter  of  Eugene  Rigler,  a  druggist  of  this  city. 
This  interesting  and  accomplished  lady  was  born 
in  Saginaw  and  was  educated  in  the  High  School 
here.  She  takes  a  deep  interest  ill  her  husband 's 
business  matters  and  her  experience  in  Mr.  Ban- 
man's  store,  where  she  was  employed  for  some 
time,  makes  her  his  capable  assistant  in  the  new 
Store.     He  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views. 


i  >2„;..$.;j.r= 


APT.  JAMES    K.   I. IKK.       Pleasure-seekers 

of  Bay  City  and  vicinity  entertain  the 
most  delightful  recollections  of  the  steam 
yacht  "  Laura,"  which,  during  the  summer  seasons 
plies  the  waters  of  Lake  Huron  and  brings  to  its 
passengers  a  pleasant  release  from  the  noise  and 
heat  of  the  crowded  city.  Tin'  "  Laura,"  which  is 
a  passenger  vessel  of  twenty-two  tons,  is  manned 
with  a  splendid  crew,  and  is  owned  and  run  by 
('apt.  Like,  as  an  excursion  boat.  The  Captain  is 
also  engaged  as  a  contractor  of  iron  work  in 
Wheeler's  ship-yards,  and  is  a  line  iron-worker  as 
well  as  a  prad  ical  machinist. 
Capt.  Like  traces  hi-  ancestry  to  Holland, whence, 


at  an  early  day,  members  of  the  Like  family  emi- 
grated to  America.  Grandfather  Abraham  Like 
was  born  in  Athens.  N.  Y..  and  was  a  farmer  at 
Hudson,  removing  from  thai  place  in  L865  to 
Minnesota,  where  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits at  Kasson  until  his  death,  in  1887.  He  pos- 
sessed a  tine  physique,  weighing  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  pounds,  and  was  over  six  feet  in  height. 
Nor  were  his  mental  abilities  inferior  to  his  physi- 
cal development,  and  he  was  widely  known  and 
universally  revered  as  an  upright  man  and  public- 
spirited  citizen.  The  blood  of  good  old  Revolu- 
tionary patriots  flowed  in  his  veins,  nor  was  the 
honored  name  of  the  family  ever  tarnished  by  any 
act  of  his.  He  came  of  a  long-lived  family,  his 
mother,  who  was  a  Scutt,  of  Rhode  Island,  attaining 
to  the  great  age  of  one  hundred  and  thirteen  years, 
while  he  reached  the  ripe  age  of  ninety-six  years. 

James  E.,  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Hudson,  N.  Y..  and  became  a  boiler-manufacturer 
and  practical  machinist.  During  the  Civil  Wat- 
tie  had  a  shop  in  Geneva,  but  as  he  most  earnestly 
desired  to  enlist  in  the  service  of  his  country,  he 
offered  a  man  $1,000  to  take  charge  of  his  shop  so 
that  he  would  be  free  to  go  the  front.  The  Gov- 
ernment, having  a  contract  with  him,  would  not 
take  him  on  draft.  In  1866  he  came  to  Bay  City, 
where  he  built  a  shop  on  the  corner  of  Eleventh 
and  Saginaw  Streets,  and,  that  place  burning  down 
in  1867,  he  rebuilt  the  following  year.  Some  years 
Later  he  sold  out  and  built  a  boiler  shop  on  the 
corner  of  Water  and  Ann  Streets,  running- 
it  under  the  name  of  Like  &  (  ompany,  and  selling 
in  18*7  in  order  that  lie  might  retire  from  busi- 
ness. 

The  spring  of  1891  marked  the  removal  of  James 
E.  Like.  Sr.,  from  Bay  City  to  Minnesota,  where 
he  settled  on  his  farm,  near  Kasson,  and  is  there 
at  the  present  time,  engaged  in  cultivating  its  two 
hundred  and  thirty-four  acres.  At  the  age  of 
sixty-six  years  he  is  in  splendid  health  and  having 
a  good  constitution,  bids  fair  to  attain  to  a 
rounded  old  age.  In  his  political  sentiments  he 
is  a  firm  adherent  of  the  principles  of  the  Republi- 
can party,  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
claims  him  as  one  of  its  earnest  and  active  mem- 
bers.    In  lHf'u    he  was    bereaved    by  the  death   of 


706 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


his  wife,  who  was  known  in  maidenhood  as  Sarah 
E.  Plass,  and  was  born  in  Chatham,  X.  Y..  her  fa- 
ther having  been  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of 
Columbia  County.  Our  subject  is  one  of  seven 
children,  four  of  whom  still  survive,  namely: 
James  E.,  Jr.. of  this  sketch;  Hattie,  Mrs.  J.  H.Wells, 
who  resides  in  Constantine,  this  State;  Smith  Gor- 
don, whose  home  is  in  New  York,  and  Julia,  wife 
of  Horace  Leadbetter,  of  Flint,  Mich. 

The  early  recollections  of  our  subject  arc  asso- 
ciated with  Hay  City,  as  he  accompanied  his  pa- 
rents hither  at  the  age  of  six  years.  His  native 
State,  however,  was  New  York,  where  he  was  born, 
in  Geneva,  April  10,  1860.  When  he  came  hither 
Bay  City  was  a  small  hamlet,  without  a  single 
brick  block  and  destitute  of  the  fine  improvements 
which  to-day  (dace  it  among  the  principal  cities  of 
Michigan.  The  common -school  education  which 
he  received  was  brought  to  a  close  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  years,  when  he  commenced  to  learn  his 
trade.  He  soon  became  a  practical  machinist  and 
received  wages  according  to  his  ability,  earning  as 
much  as  #2.25  per  day  when  a  mere  lad.  His  work 
was  principally  obtained  here,  although  at  time  he 
was  in  Erie,  Pa.,  and  in  other  places.  He  became 
a  member  of  the  linn  of  Like  &  Company  when 
only  fourteen,  and  in  1887  he  bought  out  his  fa- 
ther's interest  and  closed  the  shop.  He  then  came 
to  West  Bay  City,  where  he  began  contracting 
ship  work  in  Wheeler's  ship-yards,  and  has  since 
been  engaged  in  that  way.  lie  lias  assisted  in  fin- 
ishing fifty  or  more  vessels  and  has  an  enviable 
reputation  as  a  reliable  workman. 

The  residence  of  the  Captain  i-  located  at  No. 
305  State  Street,  and  is  presided  over  by  the  lad\ 
who,  since  1883,  has  been  his  efficient  helpmate. 
Miss  Laura  Textor,  as  she  was  known  in  maiden- 
hood, was  born  in  Stratford,  Canada,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Charles  Textor,  a  native  of  Germany, 
who  came  to  Canada  from  his  native  land,  and 
later  established  a  home  in  Hay  City.  He  was  one 
of  the  finest  sculptors  and  artists  in  the  LTnited 
States,  and  his  death,  in  1890,  brought  testimonies 
of  regret  from  the  members  of  the  profession 
throughout  the  country.  Capt.  and  Mrs.  Like  arc 
the  parents  of  two  children.  Arthur  and  Carl. 

The  political  belief  of  our    subject    lias    brought 


him  into  close  affiliation  with  the  Republican 
party,  to  which  lie  is  strongly  attached.  He  has 
served  as  a  delegate  to  county  and  State  conven- 
tions, and  is  a  member  of  the  ward  committee.  lie 
belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Order  of 
Maccabees,  No.  194,  Hay  Commandery,  and  is 
Commander  of  Ray  Division  No.  10,  Uniformed 
Rank  K.  0.  T.  M.,  and  also  Captain  of  the  Di- 
vision. 

A  lithographic    portrait    of    Capt.  Like    accom- 
panies this  sketch  of  his  life. 


i — !  DWARD  SMITH.     A  worthy  representative 

J|— y  of  one  of  the  grandest  classes — the  agricul- 
*_  -  -?  tural — our  subject  is  making  the  most  of 
his  life  and  the  resources  of  his  line  tract  of  land, 
which  is  located  on  section  20,  Chesaning  Town- 
ship. Saginaw  County,  and  which  comprises  one 
hundred  and  fifty  acres.  Mr.  Smith  was  born  in 
Walpole,  Mass..  August  I*.  1830,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Eliza  (Hoyden)  Smith,  the  former  a 
native  of  Massachusetts  and  the  latter  of  New 
Hampshire.  Our  subject's  father  came  to  Michi- 
gan in  the  fall  of  L 842,  and  purchased  his  tract  of 
land  here  of  O.  S.  Chapman,  beginning  as  a  pioneer, 
forthe  land  was  entirely  wild  and  there  were  no 
roads  traversing  it. 

Our  subject  was  about  twelve  years  of  age  on 
coming  to  this  locality.  He  helped  to  clear  and 
improve  the  farm.  Their  first  home  was  a  board 
house  111x2  1  feel  in  dimensions.  They  afterward 
tore  that  down  ill  order  to  make  room  for  a  more 
commodious  residence.  Edward  was  one  of  a  fam- 
ily of  six  boys  and  one  girl,  all  of  whom  are  still 
living,  with  the  exception  of  the  oldest  brother, 
who  at  his  death  left  two  children.  Two  of  our 
subject's  brothers,  William  and  James,  were  in  the 
a  run . 

The  original  of  this  sketch  managed  to  pick  up  a 
common-school  education,  attending  three  winters 
in  ( Iwosso.  He  began  to  do  for  himself  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one,  taking  jobs  of  lumbering.  When 
twenty-two  years  of  age  he    purchased    forty  acres 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


707 


of  land  near  Chesaning,  which  he  afterward  sold 
and  purchased  his  present  home.  IK-  has  at  various 
times  owned  a  number  of  tracts  of  hind,  lie  had 
nothing  given  him  to  help  him  begin  Ins  business 
career,  and  what  he  now  lias  he  lias  made  himself. 
Our  subject  did  not  leave  the  bachelor  ranks  un- 
til about  forty  years  of  aire,  lie  was  married 
April  28,  1872,  to  Miss  Alice  Smith,  who  was  no 
relation,  however,  to  her  husband.  She  was  horn 
in  Oakland  County  March  1.  L 850,  and  reared  in 
the  same  county.  Our  subject  takes  pride  in  the 
fact  that  he  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  lie  has  been 
School  Inspector  and  Highway  Commissioner. 
While  he  is  liberal  in  his  religious  views,  his  wife 
is  a  believer  in  the  doctrine  as  held  by  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church. 


•^MM 


■■:«»■.•! 


if^ 


KY.    JOHN     II.    P.     FARTENFELDER. 
Among  the  clergymen  of    Bay  City,  none 


has  been  here  so  many  years  as  Mr.  Parten- 
^)  fclder,  and  none  deserves  more  favorable 
mention  as  a  Christian  worker  of  experience  and 
ability,  a  genial  true-hearted  friend  and  a  man  of 
learning  and  public-spirit.  Delias  been  since  1808 
the  pastor  of  the  German  Evangelical-Lutheran 
Church,  which  is  established  upon  the  foundation 
of  the  unaltered  Augsburg  Confession.  Since  com- 
ing here  he  has  been  an  efficient  and  active  citizen 
in  forwarding  every  enterprise  both  public  and 
private,  which  he  believes  will  conduce  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  town. 

Mr.  Partenfelder  was  burn  August  5,  1843,  near 
Kulmbach,  Bavaria,  Germany,  where  his  father. 
Andrew,  and  bis  grandfather  Henry  were  shoe- 
makers. The  father  was  the  only  son  of  an  only 
son.  When  he  brought  bis  family  to  America  in 
18.V2  be  was  #2.Vi  in  debt,  but  he  began  working  at 
once  on  the  plank  road  in  Saginaw  at  fifty  cents  a 
day  until  he  was  taken  with  ague,  and  after  his 
recovery  he  engaged  with  a  shoemaker,  and  later 
had  a  shop  of  his  own  at  Saginaw.  His  eyes  failed 
and  he  retired  from  that  business  and  began  a  small 
dairy,  which  he  carried  on  until  the  death  of  his 
wife,  after  which  sad    event    he    returned    with    his 


children  to  Bay  City  where  he  is  now  living  at  the 
age  of  eighty. 

The  father  is  a  man  of  intelligence  and  a  great 
reader,  a  valued  citizen,  and  a  stanch  member  of 
the  Lutheran  Church.  In  his  political  views  he  is 
in  alliance  with  the  Democratic  party.  His  wife 
who  died  at.  Saginaw  in  1882,  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Kunigunde  Graebner  and  was  born  in 
Germany.  Her  father,  John ,  who  was  a  tailor  by 
trade  was  also  a  fine  musician  and  could  perform 
upon  various  instruments. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  had  four  sons  and 
one  daughter, namely,  Conrad,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  seventeen;  John  Henry  Philip;  our  subject; 
Catherine,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine;  Henry 
is  employed  in  the  cracker  factory  at  Bay  City,  and 
Prof.  John  Partenfelder  is  a  teacher  in  Milwaukee. 
The  son  John  Henry  was  eight  years  old  when  he 
left  Germany  in  1852,  and  he  there  received  a  good 
public  school  education,  and  after  coming  here  at- 
tended German  schools  until  he  reached  the  age  of 
fourteen.  He  was  then  confirmed,  and  left  school. 
and  for  nine  months  was  with  his  father,  working 
at  the  shoemaker's  trade. 

In  1858  the  young  man  entered  the  Concordia 
College  at  St.  Louis,  .Mo.,  and  there  studied  until 
18(51,  at  which  time  the  college  was  removed  to 
Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.  and  he  went  there  and  continued 
under  its  instructions  until  18(!,").  when  he  gradu- 
ated. During  the  Civil  War  he  earnestly  desired 
to  join  the  army,  but  was  dissuaded  by  parents 
and  teachers.  He  then  look  three  years  of  study 
at  the  Concordia  Theological  Seminary  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  and  after  graduating  in  18(i8  came  to 
Bay  City  as  pastor,  and  was  here  ordained,  and 
began  his  labors.  He  had  only  a  small  church  of 
twenty  members,  but  he  has  built  it  up  to  a  large 
church  and  congregation. 

In  188:5  Mr.  Partenfelder 's  congregation  secured 
the  site,  which  is  now  owned  1>\  his  church  and 
built  a  schoolhoiise  and  teachers'  residence  and  par- 
sonage, and  in  1890  built  the  church,  which  was 
dedicated  August  31,  1890.  The  congregation  now 
includes  one  hundred  and  forty  families  and  about 
one  thousand  souls.'*  During  his  early  years  here 
he  taught  school  in  order  to  help  himself  along, 
and   to  build   up  educational  advantages   for    bis 


708 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


people,  lie  is  a  member  of  the  Michigan  district 
of  the  Missouri  Synod,  and  of  the  Home  and  For- 
eign Missionary  Committee,  and  has  just  closed  a 
successful  conference  in  his  church  here. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  L8G9  to  Miss  Bar- 
bara Kann,  a  native  of  the  United  States  who  died 
in  1874,  leaving'  one  son  Ernest,  who  is  now  a 
member  of  the  Class  of  '94  of  the  Concordia  Sem- 
inary. Mr.  Partenf elder's  second  marriage  took 
place  in  Norris,  Wayne  County,  this  State  in  187;"), 
and  united  him  with  Miss  Emma, daughter  of  Rev. 
George  Speckhart,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  and 
was  there  a  teacher  of  the  deaf  and  dumb.  After 
coming  to  America  he  became  a  Lutheran  minis- 
ter, and  continued  in  that  work  until  he  was  called 
to  establish  the  Asylum  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  of 
which  he  was  the  President  and  Superintendent 
until  his  death.  This  is  a  successful  and  quite  re- 
nowned institution  and  the  only  one  of  its  kind  in 
the  United  States  under  the  care  of  the  German 
Lutherans,  and  in  it  the  children  are  taught  to 
speak.  Of  the  eight  children  of  our  subject  by  his 
second  marriage,  six  are  living,  namely.  Walter. 
Lothair,  Edwin,  Bernard,  Alma,  and  Louisa. 


^N*E 


EN^ 


\f?  OHN  BURKHARD  GOETZ,  who  has  a  line 
establishment  as  a  florist  at  No.  2165  Macki- 
naw Street,  Saginaw, established  the  business 
i"n  the  spring  of  1H7'.»,  securing  at  that  time  a 
half  acre  of  unimproved  land.  I  hiring  the  first  year 
he  built  a  small  greenhouse  measuring  12x'2l  feet, 
and  his  sales  amounted  to  some  |200.  His  invest- 
ment has  been  about  the  same  each  year  and  he  did 
not  expect  rapid  returns,  lie  was  born  at  Pfaffen- 
dorf,  Bavaria,  Germany,  September  7.  1844.  His 
parents,  Peter  and  Katarin  (Rithwager)  Goetz, 
gave  him  the  best  advantages  which  they  could 
secure.  Ilis  father  died  in  Germany,  and  he  has  one 
sister  still  living  at  the  old  homestead  in  Bavaria. 
At  the  age  of  fourteen  John  began  to  learn  his 
trade  and  for  two  years  worked  at  it  in  Bamberg, 
being  with  a  prominent  florist.  At  Nuremberg  he 
was  for  two  years  private  gardener  for  a  gentleman 
who  was  in  the  wholesale  business,  having  charge 


of  his  fine  private  garden.  He  carried  on  the  same 
line  of  work  at  Weisenburg.  He  then  spent  some 
time  in  visiting  Augsburg,  Munich  and  Wurzburg, 
and  finally  returned  to  his  own  home,  expecting 
to  come  at  once  to  America.  He  spent  some  time 
at  Nuremberg  assisting  in  decorating  the  city  and 
railway  station  for  the  reception  of  the  King  of 
Bavaria  ami  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  who  were 
travelling  together. 

In  \Xt\X  Mr.  Goetz  came  to  America,  embarking 
on  a  vessel  at  Bremen  and  landing  in  New  York, 
lie  at  once  secured  a  position  in  a  vegetable  garden 
near  Greenfield,  N.  .1.  Later  he  took  a  position  in 
the  greenhouse  Of  a  wealthy  gentleman  and  then 
worked  for  a  florist  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  familiariz- 
ing himself  with  all  the  details  of  the  business  as  it 
is  transacted  in  America.  Having  an  old  friend 
in  Saginaw  lie  was  led  to  come  hither  and  soon  be- 
gan business  here  in  a  small  way.  In  the  meantime 
he  secured  work  in  mills  and  lumber  yards  to  sup- 
port himself,  but  as  soon  as  possible  gave  up  other 
employments  and  devoted  himself  entirely  to  the 
pursuit  of  a  florist. 

Mr.  Goetz  has  seven  large  greenhouses,  six  of 
which  are  heated  by  steam  and  one  by  hot  water, 
and  the  plant  is  in  all  worth  some  $5,000.  He 
makes  a  specialty  of  decorating  and  designing.  He 
devotes  his  entire  attention  to  his  constantly  in- 
creasing business  and  is  now  adding  to  his  space 
and  arranging  further  specialties.  He  has  recently 
established  a  branch  store  in  East  Saginaw,  in 
the  Utility  Block,  South  Washington  Avenue, 
where  all  kinds  of  cut  flowers  and  floral  designs 
are  arranged  in  the  most  artistic  styles  and  care- 
fully shipped  to  any  point. 

Mr.  Goetz  was  married  in  1878,  at  Lake  Ridge, 
Lenawee  County,  to  Miss  Maggie  Beland,  who 
died  in  188  I.  Two  years  later  he  was  united  with 
Miss  Odelia  Zerahm,  of  Saginaw.  By  the  first 
marriage  there  were  two  sons  born,  Henry  and 
Frederick.  In  political  matters  Mr.  Goetz  is  a 
Republican,  but  is  so  absorbed  in  his  business  that 
he  pays  little  attention  to  political  movements. 
This  enterprising  florist  has  over  eight  thousand 
rose  plants.  His  heating  apparatus  is  economically 
and  conveniently  arranged.  His  first  arrangement 
for  heating,   the  hot  smoke  flues  extending  from  a 


cirr  property. 


Ml 


tsF-  ipf &if  ^pi 


HfeJ£aar»^Vi~J>w.j.'.  -rC--..  -^-.--^--^-k--,-   - 1 ': t^r..:-  '■■^•-JU.'Aaa.^^a^^^-  : b?-£3&k£&£Mcsb&£IU9&£ ^ 


v         CITY    PROPERTY. 


PROPERTY    OF   JAMES    PASS  MORE,  I N  AND  NEAR   SAGINAW,  MICH 


=^=^^ 


RESIDENCE  &  GREENHOUSES  OF  JOHN    B.  GOETZ  ,  FLORIST.  2IG5..MA.CKIN  AW  ST..SAGI  NAW,  W.  S. 
BRANCH    HOUSE   UTILITY     BLOCK  ,  S.  WASH  I  N  GTO  N    AVE.  EAST  SIDE. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAJ     RECORD. 


71  1 


furnace  one  hundred  feet  through  the  greenhouses 
and  ending  m  an  elevation  of  but  a  few  feet,  was 
the  wonder  of  all  who  saw  it  and  displayed  his 
skill  and  mechanical  ingenuity  to  a  remarkable 
degree.  A  most  persistent  and  energetic  man. 
much  if  not  all  of  the  work  about  his  first  hoiise.- 
was  done  by  himself  and  he  frequently  labored  far 
into  the  night  making  sash  and  frames  for  his 
buildings. 

The  attention  of  the  reader  is  invited  to  a  view 
of  the  greenhouses  owned  and  managed  by  Mr. 
Goetz. 

--*-     -3fc-  --*— 

ffiAMES  PASSMORE.  On  section  21,  Buena 
Vista  Township,  Saginaw  County,  may  be 
seen  a  beautiful  twenty-acre  farm  which  is 
adorned  with  a  comfortable  residence  and 
first-class  farm  buildings.  This  property,  a  view 
of  which  is  presented  in  another  portion  of  this 
volume,  is  owned  by  Mr.  Passmore  who.  in  addition 
is  the  possessor  of  houses  near  the  city  limits  of 
Saginaw. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Cornwall,  England, 
March  5,  1834.  When  he  was  about  seven  years 
of  age  his  parents  emigrated  from  England  and 
made  settlement  in  Montreal.  Canada,  where  they 
remained  for  five  years.  Their  next  removal  was 
to  Whitby,  Ontario  County.  Canada,  where  they 
lived  until  our  subject  attained  his  majority.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  received  all  the  school  ad- 
vantages which  were  possible  for  his  parents  to  give 
him  and  grew  up  to  promising  young  manhood. 
Although  he  made  his  home  in  Canada,  he  went 
to  Rochester.  N.  Y.,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years 
and  learned  the  trade  of  a  mason,  which  occupa- 
tion he  has  followed  more  or  less  to  the  presenl 
time,  with  signal  success. 

Mr.  Passmore  met  his  future  wife  in  Canada  in 
the  person  of  Miss  Amelia  Curvel  and  their  nup- 
tials were  celebrated  in  that  province  July  2(i. 
1855.  Mrs.  Passmore  was  born  in  Lower  Canada, 
January  '.».  1837.  After  their  marriage  the  young 
couple  Located  in  Whitby  Township.  Ontario 
County,  Canada,  and  made  that  their  home  for 
eleven  years,  but  in  the   fall   of     1866     thought     to 


better  their  condition  by  coming  to  Michigan, and 
upon  their  removal  hither  settled  in  Saginaw. 
Mr.  Passmore  followed  his  trade  in  that  city,  being 
engaged  in  building  many  of  the  public  buildings 
ami  finer  residences.  He  remained  in  the  city, 
however,  but  one  year  when  he  was  enabled  to 
purchase  his  present  place  on  section  21.  where 
they  have  since  resided. 

Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Passmore  have  become  the  parents 
of  eight  children,  viz.:  Charles  I).,  Thomas  .1.. 
Frances  A.,  Luke  .1.,  Amelia.  Nellie.  Mary  A.  and 
James  L.  (  ha  lies  I),  has  followed  the  same  business 
as  his  lather,  and  is  a  mason  by  trade;  Thomas  J.  is 
a  carriage  manufacture!';  Frances  A.  is  the  wife  of 
Robert  Law;  Luke  .1.  is  in  the  lumber  business; 
Amelia  died  in  childhood;  the  others  are  at  home. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  were  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Williams)  Passmore.  both  of  who  n  were  natives 
of  Cornwall,  England,  and  upon  emigrating  to 
America,  lived  in  Canada  until  their  death,  which 
occurredin  Whitby.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Passmore, 
Luke  Curvel,  was  born  in  France,  and  his  death 
occurred  in  Saginaw.  Her  mother,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Frances  Ileiino.  passed  her  last  days  in 
Upper  Canada. 

Our  subject  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
four  years,  and  also  served  acceptably  as  Overseer 
of  Highways.  Politically  he  supports  Republican 
principle-  with  his  voice  and  vote,  and  is  ever 
found  to  be  upon  the  side  of  right  and  justice. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Passmore  with  their  daughters  are 
conscientious  and  popular  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  and  are  vt'vy  highly  esteemed  in  the  circle 
in  which  they  move. 


f-~ >  ZRA  F.  STARKWEATHER,  a  prominent 
►=•!  and  representative  citizen  of  section  33, 
J — *  Kirch  Run  Township.  Saginaw  County,  is  a 
native  of  Ontario  County.  N.  Y..  and  was  born  Oc- 
tober 15,  1824.  lie  is  a  son  of  Hilus  and  Cather- 
ine (Tucker)  starkweather,  natives  of  Vermont 
and  New  York,  respectively.  His  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812,  and  the 
son  of  a  Revolutionary  Colonel. 


12 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Our  subject  passed  his  boyhood  days  in  his  na- 
tive State  until  he  reached  the  age  of  fifteen, when 
he  went  with  his  pa  rents  to  Delaware  County,  ( )hio, 
and  in  1837  they  came  to  the  Wolverine  State  and 
settled  in  Oakland  County,  where  they  were  among 
the  earliest  pioneers.  This  remained  the  family 
Inline  for  many  years.  The  early  education  of  our 
subject  was  very  limited,  and  he  had  few  advan- 
tages for  study, but  improved  conscientiously  what 
was  offered  him,  and  thus  secured  a  good  founda- 
tion upon  which  lie  has  built  in  native  life. 

Ezra  Starkweather  and  Ruth  Weston  were  mar- 
ried January  30,  1848.  This  lady  was  born  in 
Oakland  County.  Mich..  February  1.  1831,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  Orrin  and  Mary  (Dailey)  Weston, 
both  natives  of  New  York.  They  had  migrated  1" 
Michigan  about  the  year  1827,  and.  like  the  pa- 
rents of  our  subject,  were  pioneers  of  Oakland 
County.  They  settled  in  the  unbroken  forest  and 
had  to  cut  a  roadway  through  the  trees  to  their 
farm,  as  none  had  ever  been  made  in  that  direc- 
tion. They  were  without  means,  and  the  hard- 
ships and  privations  of  pioneer  life  bore  heavily 
upon  them.  They  had  four  daughters,  viz:  Sarah, 
wife  of  Joseph  Gray;  .lane,  who  married  Albert 
Dunning;  Mrs.  Starkweather,  and  Elizabeth,  who 
is  deceased. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Starkweather  have  been  born 
seven  children,  and  six  of  them  are  >t i  11  in  thi>  life. 
They  are  Charles.  Elmer,  Prank'.  John,  Edward. 
Katie,  (the  wife  of  W.  A.  Forbes),  and  George 
(deceased).  In  thespringof  1863  Mr.  Starkweather 
brought  his  family  to  Saginaw  County,  and  took 
up  his  residence  in  the  City  of  Saginaw,  and  con- 
tinued there  for  a  number  of  years,  devoting  his 
energies  to  teaming  and  lumbering. 

The  farm  where  he  now  resides  became  the  fam- 
ily home  in  1873.  It  was  a  place  which  had  been 
chopped  over  to  some  extent,  but  had  not  been 
thoroughly  cleared,  and  there  was  still  a  great  deal 
of  work  to  be  done  in  preparing  it  for  cultivation. 
Besides  the  work  upon  the  soil.  Mr.  Starkweather 
has  done  much  m  improving  the  place  and  putting 
up  buildings,  and  the  eight\  acres  i~  now  a  highly 
cultivated  and  richly  productive  estate.  In  all  his 
endeavors  he  has  been  ably  seconded  by  his  de- 
voted and  intelligent  wile. 


Our  subject  has  found  his  political  views  to  be 
in  harmony  with  the  declarations  of  the  Democratic 
party,  and  he  easts  his  vote  for  the  men  and  mea- 
sures presented  on  its  ticket.  He  has  served  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Highway  Commissioner  of 
township.  The  excellent  social  qualities  and  high 
integrity  of  this  worthy  couple  bring  them  into 
the  front  rank  of  the  citizens  of  their  township, 
and  their  prosperity  is  sincerely  rejoiced  in  by  all 
who  know  them. 


i  LDDLETON  S.  BEACH.  We  herewith 
present  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  a  merchant 
of  Birch  Run,  Saginaw  County,  who  has 
also  served  the  community  as  Notary  Pub- 
lie  is  one  of  the  native  sons  of  Saginaw 
County,  and  was  born  September  15,  1849,  and  his 
parents,  llatten  M.  and  Mary  (  Bow )  Beach,  are  still 
residing  in  Bridgeport  Township.  He  was  reared 
to  man's  estate  in  his  native  county  and  his  boy- 
hood experiences  were  Mich  a>  come  to  all  pioneer 
lads.  He  did  much  of  the  hard  work  of  the  farm. 
felling  trees,  clearing  away  stumps,  breaking  the 
virgin  soil  and  putting  in  the  first  crops  and  en- 
joyed the  sports  which  make  life  so  fresh  and 
breezy  to  the  young  in  any  community. 

A  good  common-school  education  was  granted 
to  our  subject  in  his  boyhood,  as  his  district  was 
more  advanced  than  many,  and  he  availed  himself 
thoroughly  of  all  opportunities  presented  to  him. 
In  1878  he  made  his  first  venture  in  mercantile 
business,  although  he  had  devoted  himself  previ- 
ously to  fanning,  and  had  already  been  married 
for  three  years,  as  in  187.:>  he  was  united  with  FI- 
nora.  daughter  of  Theodore  Smith.  Their  three 
children  are  Alfred,  Eugene  and  llattie,  all  of 
whom  are  living  and  are  the  objects  of  true  par- 
ental solicitude  and  care  on  the  part  of  Mr.  and 
Mis.  Beach.  It  is  the  desire  of  our  subject  and  his 
wife  that  these  young  people  shall  become  useful 
and  honored  members  of  society  and  do  credit  to 
an  honorable  ancestry. 

The  store  of  Mr.  Beach  measures  18x32  feet  in 
size  and  he  therein  carries  a  general   line   of   mer- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


713 


chandise,  such  as  is  usually  found  in  a  village  store. 
For  several  years  he  has  been  commissioned  as  No- 
tary Public  :mil  in  that  capacity  he  has  proved 
himself  obliging  to  the  general   community,     lie 

has  served  as  Clerk  of  Birch  Run  Township  for 
several  years  and  also  as  Treasurer  for  two  years. 
lie  is  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and  in  thai  order  he 
has  aeted  as  Finance  Keeper,  which  position  his 
character  and  well-known  integrity  tit  him  to  till 
with  the  full  confidence  of  his  fellow-members. 

This  public-spirited  citizen  takes  a  deep  and 
abiding  interest  in  all  educational  matters  and  has 
ever  been  one  of  the  most  active  in  promoting 
progress  along  this  line.  His  own  experience  as  a 
teacher,  which  extended  over  several  years,  gave 
him  an  insight  into  the  teacher's  side  of  all  ques- 
tions which  arise  between  school  officials  and  pa- 
trons, and  his  own  genuine  interest  as  a  parent  in 
the  training  of  his  own  children  has  fitted  him  to 
see  the  needs  of  the  community.  His  two  years 
term  of  service  as  Superintendent  of  the  schools 
of  Kirch  Run  were  years  of  prosperity  to  the 
schools  and  he  enjoys  the  confidence  of  the  busi- 
ness community  in  all  his  relations. 


-*-- 


>ILLIAM  II.  NICKLESS.  The  biographer 
is  always  gratified  to  place  before  hi.s  read 
tyyj  ers  the  life  narrative  of  those  men  who  have 
brought  themselves  to  the  front  in  business  mat- 
ters, notwithstanding  trials  and  difficulties  of  ser- 
ious proportions.  To  attain  success  when  all  is 
favorable  is,  of  course,  creditable,  but  to  rise  super- 
ior to  financial  tempest  is  better  worth  a  record  in 
these  pages.  Mr.  Nickless  is  a  man  who  under 
severe  reverses  has"come  to  the  top" and  by  cour- 
age and  hard  work  hns  built  up  a  successful  trade. 
lie  is  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  lumber  business, 
besides  carrying  on  an  extensive  planing  mill  and 
box  factory. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  London.  Kngland,  Au- 
gust L2,  1848,  and  his  father,  Charles,  had  a  tin- 
shop  in    that  city,  being  a  tin-smith    by  trade.      In 


1853  he  brought  his  family  to  America  and  estab- 
lished his  trade  in  Pontiac,  this  State,  bu1  remained 
here  only  one  decade  and  then  returned  to  Lon- 
don, where  he  carried  on  his  former  business 
through  the  remainder  of  his  life.  lie  was  an 
Episcopalian  m  his  church  connection.  His  wife 
Mary  (Drewitt)  Xickless.  was  born  in  London  and 
died  in  Michigan  in   L884. 

Our  subject  was  the  second  in  a  family  of  four 
children  and  resided  in  London  until  he  reached  the 
age  of  five.  After  coming  to  Pontiac  he  attended 
school  until  the  age  of  ten.  when  he  began  working 
upon  the  farm,  and  in  L862  went  to  Oil  City,  Pa. .and 
clerked  in  a  store,  while  at  the  same  time  he  at- 
tended school.  Three  and  a  half  years  later  he 
went  to  Pitthole  City  and  helped  to  establish  there 
the  first  store  and  put  in  the  first  load  of  dry-goods. 

In  December,  1865,  the  young  man  returned  to 
Pontiac  and  engaged  on  a  farm  for  three  year-. 
and  then  went  to  St.  Clair,  where  he  served  in  a 
County  Clerk's  office  and  in  the  office  of  the 
office  of  the  Republican,  of  which  his  brother-in- 
law,  II.  P.  Wands,  was  editor.  In  1*71  he  came  to 
Bay  City  and  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  and 
in  1885  bought  the  box  factory  from  Foss  &  Leiter, 
forming  a  partnership  under  the  linn  name  of 
Nickless  &  Hart. 

Mr.  Nickless  continued  in  this  li f  work  and 

carried  on  this  box  factory  until  l!"i<S7.  and  then 
bought  out  his  partner  and  carried  on  the  business 
alone,  until  August  !l.  1889,  when  the  factory  was 
desroyed  by  lire  and  August  19,  he  lost  his  lum- 
beryard by  fire,  after  which  he  built  the  mill  which 
he  now  operates  and  stalled  again.  His  losses  were 
very  great  at  that  time,  as  he  lost,  not  only  the  mill 
but  stock  and  lumber-yard,  and  upon  the  latter 
there  was  no  insurance.  Besides  manufacturing 
boxes  he  makes  crates  and  box  shooks,  and  ships 
by  car-loads  all  over  the  United  States.  He  also 
makes  a  retail  business,  of  making  and  furnishing 
flooring,  siding,  ceiling  and  moldings,  and  ships  a 
car-load  a  day  of  the  products  of  the  mill,  using 
over  a  hundred  thousand  feel  of  lumber  per  week. 

Mr.  Nickless  is  the  only  man  in  the  Saginaw 
Valley  who  is  carrying  on  the  box  business  alone, 
as  every  other  establishment  isoperated  in  partner- 
ship or  by  corporations.     He  gives  employment  to 


714 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


some  twenty-five  hands,  and  has  a  fine  boiler  and 
engine  of  one  handled  horse-power,  with  self-feed- 
ing attachments  to  furnace.  His  wife,  to  whom  he 
was  united  in  Bay  City  in  1873,  is  a  devout  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Her  maiden 
name  was  Sarah  J.  Bellamy,  and  she  is  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania.  Her  two  children  are  Arthur  W. 
and  W.  Howard,  Jr.,  and  their  residence  is  at  the 
corner  of  Fifth  Avenue  and  Birney  Streets.  Our 
subject  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Older  of 
United  Workmen  and  of  the  Knights  of  the  Mac- 
cabees, and  in  politics  he  is  a  Prohibitionist  with 
leanings  toward  the  Democratic  party. 


iERTRAM  MOORE  &  SON,  contractors  and 
builders,  have  been  engaged  in  that  busi- 
ness as  partners  for  the  past  seventeen 
years  and    now  hold  a   prominent  position 

among  the  citizens  of  Bay  City.  Possessing  sup- 
erior ability,  the  methods  which  they  have  followed 
have  commended  them  to  the  confidence  of  the 
people  throughout  the  community  and  have  mer- 
ited the  success  which  has  attended  their  enter- 
prises. By  close  attention  to  the  details  of  their 
business  and  careful  supervision  of  the  same,  they 
have  gained  the  patronage  of  the  people  of  Baj 
County  and  during  the  past  year  (1891)  erected 
nine  residences,  a  number  of  which  were  as  fine  as 
can  be  found  in  the  city;  besides  that,  during  the 
dull  season  they  built  six  elegant  residences  for 
sale  and  by  so  doing, gave  employment  to  all  their 
men  during  the  entire  year. 

The  senior  member  of  the  firm  was  born  on 
Prince  Edward  Island.  December  20,  1824,  and 
while  still  quite  young  learned  the  trade  of  a  car- 
penter, commencing  when  thirteen  years  old  and 
continuing  for  live  years  in  the  employment  of 
one  man.  In  1845  lie  began  taking  contracts  and 
gradually  by  industry  and  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness, secured  as  much  work  as  lie  could  do.  When 
ready  to  establish  a  home  of  his  own  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Eliza  Lea.  who  like  himself  was 
born  on  the  Island,  and  the  young  couple  made 
their  home  in    their  native  land  until  1873.  when 


with  their  family  they  removed  to  Bay  City.  The 
partnership  above  mentioned  was  formed  immed- 
iately after  coining  here  and  the  firm  has  since 
engaged  in  a  contracting  business  with  marked 
success. 

Unto  Mr.  Moore  and  his  wife,  eight  children 
have  been  born,  as  follows:  Anna;  Mary,  wife  of 
James  R.  Davison,  of  Charlottetown,  Prince  Ed- 
ward Island;  John,  who  is  a  teller  in  Prince  Ed- 
ward Island  Bank  at  Charlottetown;  W.  B.  G.,  in 
partnership  with  his  father;  Walter,  Edmund  and 
Bertram,  who  are  in  Santiago,  Cal.,  and  Carrie, 
who  is  still  at  home.  The  third  child  in  this  fam- 
ily. W.  B.  O..  was  born  on  the  Island,  July  2'.t, 
1852,  and  there  received  his  education,  which  was 
a  good  one.  As  soon  as  old  enough,  he  began  to 
assist  Ins  father  in  his  business  and  upon  coming 
to  this  city  formed  the  partnership  which  still  ex- 
ists, lie  was  married  November  11.  1878,  to  Miss 
Catherine  E.  Jarmin,  who  at  the  time  of  the  mar- 
riage was  residing  in  Bay  City,  but  was  formerly  a 
resident  of  Chatham,  Ontario.  Two  children  have 
blessed  their  union — Arthur  and  Frank.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  family  are  identified  with  the  Madison 
Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  are  lib- 
eral contributors  to  all  benevolent  measures. 


EN 


f)OLNA  KETCHUM,  a  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser  residing  in  Chesaning Township,  Sag- 
inaw County,  has  a  line  eighty-acre  farm 
here,  from  which  he  derives  excellent  crops.  He 
was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Pa.,  June  30,  1847, 
and  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Maria  (Place) 
Ketchum.  The  father  died  when  this  son  was  a 
little  boy  of  six  years,  leaving  a  family  of  eight 
children  for  the  mother  to  support  and  educate. 
She  never  married  again,  but  devoted  herself  to 
the  task  of  caring  for  her  little  ones,  and  this  ne- 
cessitated earnest  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  chil- 
dren to  assist  her  in  the  support  of  the  family. 
For  this  reason  Yolna  began  at  the  age  of  ten  years 
to  work  for  neighbors  by  the  day,  and  later  by  the 
month. 

Previous  to  the  death  of  the   father   the   family 


PORTRAIT  AM)  RHHM.WPIl'CAL    RECORD. 


715 


had  removed  to  La  Grange  County,  Ind.  When 
<mr  subject  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  began 

to  save  his  wages  in  order  to  purchase  property, 
and  at  the  age  of  twenty-live  had  $700  ahead.  At 
that  time  he  was  taken  sick  and  worked  no  more 
for  three  years,  which  used  up  all  his  savings.  lie 
was  married  February  10,  1872,  to  Miss  Eliza  C. 
Kllis.  of  White  Pigeon,  St.  Joseph  County,  this 
State.  This  lady  was  born  at  La  Grange,  Ind., 
August  28,  1854,  and  was  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Cornelia  (Dickenson)  Ellis.  The  father  was  horn 
in  the  Green  Mountain  State,  and  the  mother  was 
by  birth  a  New  Yorker.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ketchum 
have  been  horn  seven  children — Victor  II.,  who 
was  horn  in  St.  Joseph  County,  this  State,  Septem- 
ber 20,  1873;  James  Ellis,  born  in  Chesaning, Feb- 
ruary 8,  1876;  Ernc-a,  January  11,  1878;  Omar, 
August  30,  187!t;  Anna  I!..  June  28,  1889;  Ben- 
jamin, January  2<>,  1890;  and  Volna,  June  14, 
1891. 

Our  subject  worked  on  the  railroad  in  St.  Jo- 
seph County,  and  in  the  woods  when  he  first  came 
hither,  and  valiantly  took  hold  of  any  work  which 
he  could  find  to  do.  by  which  to  gain  an  honest 
livelihood  for  himself  and  family.  It  was  in  1874 
that  he  moved  to  his  pleasant  home,  which  he  had 
boughl  in  March  of  the  previous  year.  It  was  all 
woods  and  swamp,  and  he  has  had  a  great  work  to 
in  clearing  and  ditching  it,  but  he  has  it  now  all 
in  good  condition,  and.  has  built  upon  it  a  new 
house,  and  barn.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic- 
fraternity,  in  which  he  has  progressed  to  the  sev- 
enth degree,  and  he  also  belongs  to  the  Modern 
Woodmen,  lie  is  a  member  of  the  Republican 
party. 


-i- 


* 


-*- 


i 


OSEPII  MATIIEWSON.  We  have  here  a 
resident  of  Birch  Run  Township,  Saginaw 
County,  who  has  faithfully  served  his  fel- 
low citizens  as  Supervisor  and  has  been  in- 
fluential in  effecting  real  progress  in  the  affairs  of 
the  county.  He  inherits  from  Scotch  parents  and 
ancestry  the  shrewd  ability  and  sterling  integrity 
which  marks  the  hardy  and  noble  race,  and  these 
qualities  have  been  of  service  to  the  people  of   the 


township.  "He  was  born  in  I  bulbar,  Scotland,  No- 
vember 5.  1819,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Mar- 
garet (Sproul)  Mathewson.  His  father  was  a  na- 
tive of  the  North  of  Ireland,  as  was  also  his  mother 
and  both  were  of  Scotch  descent. 

After  the  marriage  of  the  parents  of  our  subject 
they  removed  to  Scotland  and  resided  there  for 
nine  years,  and  later  the  father  spent  two  years  as 
a  Collector  for  the  Government  in  Ireland  and 
then  with  his  family  emigrated  in  1824  to  Canada 
and  settled  a  few  miles  north  of  Toronto,  where  he 
taught  school  for  a  number  of  years.  In  1836  the 
family  came  to  Michigan,  making  their  home  for  a 
number  of  years  in  Lenawee  County,  subsequently 
residing  for  a  short  time  in  Detroit,  after  which 
the  family  removed  to  Flint  where  the  father  of 
our  subject  died,  and  the  mother  afterward  died  in 
Saginaw  County. 

A  common-school  education  was  given  to  Joseph 
Mathewson,  but  he  had  no  opportunities  for  higher 
training,  and  has  had  to  depend  upon  himself 
largely  for  further  culture.  He  was  married  in 
1850  upon  the  3d  of  July,  to  Caroline  Smith  a  na- 
tive of  New  York.  They  became  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  of  whom  eight  are  now  living, 
namely:  Addie,  wife  of  Charles  Beach;  David, 
George;  Margaret,  Mrs.  John  Campbell;  Clark, 
John;  Lizzie,  who  married  Robert  Parker,  and 
Joseph.  In  1847  he  had  come  to  Saginaw  County 
and  since  that  time  his  home  has  been  within  its 
confines.  When  he  first  settled  upon  his  farm  in 
the  woods  it  was  an  unbroken  wilderness  and  he 
and  his  family  endured  great  hardships;  now 
they  are  over  they  love  to  recall  the  incidents  of 
pioneer  life  and  to  tell  of  the  many  deer  hunts 
he  has  had.  His  fine  estate  now  comprises  one 
hundred  and  fifteen  acres  and  it  is  all  the  reward 
of  a  steady  and  unflagging  industry  and  an  honest 
endeavor  to  provide  for  the  future.  In  those  days 
their  most  frequent  callers  were  Indians,  and  deer 
and  wolves  were  all  about  their  door. 

During  the  days  of  the  Civil  War  our  subject 
served  as  enrolling  officer  of  Birch  Run  Township 
and  he  is  the  first  man  who  was  ever  elected  Super- 
visor of  this  township,  and  served  his  fellow-citi- 
zens for  four  years  in  that  capacity.  He  is  said  to 
be   the   oldest    settler   now  living  in  the  township, 


716 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


and  there  is  no  more  interesting  or  well-known 
character  here  than  he.  Hi*  political  view.-  bring 
him  into  harmony  with  the  policy  and  movements 
of  the  Republican  party,  and  in  all  matters  lie  is 
thoroughly  enterprising  and  public-spirited  and 
exerts  a  broad  and  strong  influence. 


EDWARD  HOPPER,  who  was  bom  in  On- 
tario County.  N.  V..  July  17.  1839,  is  a  son 
,  of  Edward  and  Elmina  (Thayer)  Hopper, 
the  father  being  a  native  of  New  York  and  of 
German  and  English  blood,  and  the  mother  a  Penn- 
sylvanian  of  English  descent.  Our  subjecl  now 
has  his  farm  on  section  32,  Chesaning  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  and  is  raising  good  crops  and  an 
excellent  grade  of  cattle  on  this  property  of  forty 
acres.  His  parents  were  from  New  York  and  set- 
tled in  Livingston  County.  Mich.,  when  he  was 
onh  two  years  old,  and  as  the  father  was  both  a 
farmer  and  a  mechanic,  the  hoy  early  learned 
farm  work,  although  the  father  lived  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  village  of  Parshallville. 

Edward  Hopper  received  hut  a  limited  educa- 
tion, attending  school  only  two  or  three  months 
in  a  year,  and  earlj  began  working  for  wages.  He 
entered' the  army  in  L865,  enlisting  in  Company 
I),  Sixteenth  Michigan  Infantry,  and  was  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  lie  did  not  participate  in 
any  battle,  but  was  with  the  regiment  through  all 
its  term  of  service,  except  for  two  weeks  spent  in 
the  hospital  at  Jeffersonville,  just  before  coming 
home,  lie  took  part  in  the  Grand  Review  at 
Washington,  and  received  his  honorable  discharge 
in  July.  1865.  At  one  time  they  were  three  days 
without  provisions,  ami  he  received  a  serious  in- 
jury one  dark  and  stormy  night  when  on  the 
march  by  Stepping  into  an  unseen  hole  and  thus 
wrenching  his  hack  and  hip,  from  which  he  never 
recovered.     He  now  receives  $6  a   month   pension. 

After  returning  from  the  army, Mr. Hopper  pur- 
sued various  callings,  and  was  married  -Tune  4. 
1S72.  to  Miss  Clara  N.  Chase,  of  Tyrone.  Living- 
ston County,  where  she  was  horn.  July  22.  1853. 
She  is  a  daughter  of  Nathan  and  Eliza  (Tanner) 
Chase,  thefather  a  native  of  Ohio,  and   the  mother 


of  New  York.     She  received  a  fair  common-school 

education,  and  was  well  lifted  for  teaching,  but 
never  pursued  it.  After  their  marriage.  Mr.  Hop- 
per for  three  years  carried  on  the  farm  belonging 
to  his  wife's  mother. after  which  he  made  his  home 
in  Havana.  Chesaning  Township,  where  he  farmed 
for  awhile,  and  in  1*77  settled  in  his  present  home, 
which  he  had  purchased  many  years  before.  He 
then  cleared  it  up  and  still  has  it  in  a  good  state  of 
cultivation.  They  have  live  children,  Ada  Blanche, 
born  September  22,  1*74.  at  Tyrone,  Livingston 
County,  in  the  same  house  where  her  mother  was 
born  and  married;  Howard  Nathan,  horn  August 
1.  1876,  at  Havana,  this  county;  Mabel  M.,  born 
August  8,  1878,  on  the  present  farm;  Alice  M., 
bom  July  2'J.  1880,  and  Florence  Ella,  horn  July 
1,1882.  All  the  younger  children  had  their  na- 
tivity on  the  farm,  which  is  still  their  home.  Our 
subject  was  brought  up  a  Democrat,  hut  is  now  a 
Prohibitionist  in  principle,  though  not  a  strong 
party  man.  Mrs.  Hopper  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odic Episcopal  Church,  and  while  her  husband  is  a 
believer  in  the  truths  of  Christianity,  he  is  not  a 
member  of  any  church. 

>^n  IIAHLES  T.  NFAVKIHK.M.  ])..  is  numbered 
I  „  among  the  most  prominent  practicing  phy- 
^^Jy  sicians  and  surgeons  of  Northern  Michigan, 
and  also  owns  a  pharmacy  on  the  corner  of  Third 
and  Washington  Avenue,  Bay  City.  There  is  no 
other  resident  of  Bay  County  who  is  so  frequently 
brought  before  the  public  as  he,  not  only  as  a  skill- 
ful physician  and  successful  surgeon,  but  also  as  an 
influential  member  of  political,  business  and  social 
circles.  He  has  traveled  extensively  both  in  South 
America  and  Europe.  It  has  ever  been  his  en- 
deavor to  advance  the  standard  of  his  profession 
and  his  labors  have  made  him  conspicuous  among 
the  medical  fraternity  as  well  as  the  general  public. 
He  belongs  to  the  American  Medical  Association. 
the  state  Medical  Society,  of  which  he  has  been 
Vice-President,  and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of 
the  Lay  County  Medical  Society,  where  his  keen 
intellect  and  brilliant  attainments  have  received 
universal  recognition. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


717 


Dr.  Newkirk  was  horn  near  Simcoe,  Norfolk 
County,  Canada,  Decembei  10,  1842,  and  is  de- 
scended on  the  paternal  side  from  the  German  an- 
cestors  who  came  from  their  native  country  to  the 
region  of  the  Catskills  in  New  York.  His  grand- 
father, Peter  Newkirk,  was  a  fanner  in  Norfolk 
County.  Canada,  whither  he  emigrated  from  the 
Empire  State,  and  he  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of 
ninety  years.  During  the  Canadian  Rebellion  he 
\\a>  very  active  as  one  of  MeKenzie's  right  hand 
men.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  the  Rev. 
Moses  Newkirk.  a  native  of  Simcoe,  and  a  self- 
made  man  of  noble  principles  and  line  powers.  He 
was  well  informed  on  all  subjects, and  to  the  large 
family  which  he  reared,  he  gave  splendid  educa- 
tional advantages.  He  made  it  a  study  to  sec  that 
his  sons  had  the  besl  of  opportunities,  and  in  order 
to  keep  them  in  school  would  often  go  in  debt  and 
pay  high  rates  of  interest  on  his  indebtedness.  He 
was  a  large  farmer,  a  successful  financier  and  very 
prominent  as  a  minister  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist 
Church.  Politically  he  was  a  prominent  reformer 
and  served  as  Magistrate.  His  death  occurred  al 
the  age  of  seventy-eight  years. 

Catherine  (Topping)  Newkirk,  the  mother  of  the 
Doctor,  was  born  in  Woodstock.  Canada,  and  was 
the  daughter  of  John  Topping,  who  came  from  his 
native  land.  Ireland,  to  Canada  and  engaged  in 
business  as  a  civil  engineer.  There  were  nineteen 
children  horn  to  the  parents  of  our  subject,  twelve 
of  whom  attained  to  mature  years.  Dr.  Newkirk 
was  reared  on  a  farm  but  had  good  school  advan- 
tages, attending  the  University  at  Toronto,  and 
Victoria  College.  He  entered  upon  his  medical 
course  under  the  preceptors!) ip  of  the  Hon.  John 
Holph,  and  was  graduated  in  18ti.'5  with  the  degree 
of  M.  D.  After  practicing  a  short  time  in  Canada 
he  removed  with  his  family  to  South  America,  and 
there  spent  nine  months  learning  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage at  Buenos  Ayres.  On  passing  his  examina- 
tion he  was  appointed  by  the  Governor  as  Doctor 
of  the  Province  of  Corrientes  and  was  also  made 
Surgeon  of  Argentine  Hospital,  which  position  he 
resigned  in  three  months  to  accept  a  similar  one  in 
the  Brazilian  army. 

In  a  short  time  the  Doctor  became  First  Surgeon 
of  a  division  with  the  grade  of  Major  and  held  the 


position  for  four  years  in  active  campaign  all  the 
lime  during  the  Brazilian  and  Paraguayan  War. 
Not  a  day  passed  but  they  heard  the  cannon  boom. 
Dr.  Newkirk  remained  in  service  until  after  the 
close  of  the  war  when  he  returned  to  Canada  and 
after  a  brief  visit  there  with  friends  he  went  back 
to  South  America  and  at  Assumption,  in  Paraguay, 
began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  connection  with 
the  drug  business.  He  passed  through  several  epi- 
demics of  small-pox,  yellow  fever  and  cholera. 
His  brother.  Dr.  Daniel  Newkirk.  died  of  small- 
pox about  this  time  and  his  family  also  becoming 
sick,  he  became  disheartened  and  determined  to 
return  to  Canada,  where  he  could  engage  in  quiet 
practice. 

Closing  out  his  business  in  Assumption,  the  I  toe- 
tor  with  his  family  went  to  Buenos  Ayres.  where 
he  had  engaged  passage  on  a  steamer.  He  found. 
however  that  the  yellow  fever  had  broken  out  in 
its  most  malignant  form;  hundreds  were  dying 
daily  and  the  citizens  who  were  abie  were  fleeing 
from  the  city  as  werealso  the  missionaries.  With  a 
degree  of  heroism  and  self-denial  characteristic  of 
himself,  the  Doctor  at  once  decided  to  remain. 
Having  sent  his  family  to  Canada  he  again  devoted 
himself  to  the  work  of  saving  life  and  allaying 
suffering.  He  was  in  constant  communication  with 
the  authorities  for  the  prevention  of  the  spread  of 
the  disease  and  by  his  advice  many  sanitary  pre- 
cautions were  taken,  which  doubtless  cut  short  one 
of  the  most  frightful  epidemics  known.  An  idea 
of  the  danger  can  be  formed  when  it  is  mentioned 
that  2(),0(Mt  persons  died  in  thirty-five  days. 

During  this  plague  the  Doctor  was  four  months 
in  Buenos  Ayres,  and  rarely  worked  less  than 
eighteen  hours  a  day.  His  hotel  was  constantly 
besieged  with  hundreds  of  persons  who  were 
anxious  to  secure  his  services;  some  offered  the 
most  extravagant  fees,  but  he  insisted  on  taking 
them  in  rotation,  the  poor  receiving  the  same  at- 
tention as  the  wealthy.  His  heroic  conduct  was 
highly  applauded  by  the  press  at  Buenos  Ayres  and 
the  committees  of  Montserrat  presented  him  with 
a  splendid  album  in  testimony  of  his  services  to 
the  sick.  The  ovation  paid  him  upon  his  depart- 
ure was  a  most  distinguished  compliment;  on  his 
way  home  he   stopped  a  short  time  at  Rio  Janeiro. 


718 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


where  lie  was  warmly  welcomed  by  old  army 
officers  and  surgeons  with  whom  he  served  in 
Paraguay. 

Immediately  upon  arriving  in  Canada  Dr.  New- 
kirk  set  about  finding  some  good  location  to  enter 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  after  vis- 
iting New  York,  Chicago  and  other  places  he 
concluded  to  settle  in  Bay  City.  His  previous 
experience  at  once  secured  him  a  large  practice 
and  he  has  been  a  very  successful  practitioner  of  the 
Saginaw  Valley.  He  devotes  his  time  to  his  prac- 
tice, although  he  has  a  pharmacy  and  is  interested 
in  real  estate,  lie  has  erected  five  fine  residences 
here  and  owns  and  occupies  a  beautiful  dwelling 
On  Tenth  Street.  He  has  also  been  interested  in 
other  enterprises  and  corporations,  holds  property 
in  Chattanooga.  Tenn..  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Duluth.  Minn.  The  Doctor  lias  been  offered  a  pro- 
fessorship in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons in  Chicago,  but  feels  contented  with  his 
surroundings  m  liny  City. 

In  18112  Dr.  Newkirk  and  Miss  Mary  .1.  Anderson 
were  united  in  marriage.  The  bride  was  born  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  is  the  daughter  of  John 
Anderson,  who  was  born  in  Ireland  and  came  to 
Canada,  where  he  was  prominent  in  the  Canadian 
Rebellion  as  a  McKenzie  man.  Having  to  (lee  for 
safety  to  tin-  United  States,  he  located  in  Cleveland, 
Ohio.  There  are  two  children  in  Dr.  Newkirk 's 
family:  Dolores  and  Harry.  The  daughter,  who 
was  born  in  Corrientes,  South  America,  was  a  grad- 
uate of  Leggett's  Academy  in  Detroit  and  later 
studied  at  Vassar  College.  Poughkeepsie,  X.  Y.; 
she  married  M.  R.  Tousey  and  resides  in  Chicago. 
Harry  is  at  present  (1891)  a  cadet  at  Orchard  Lake. 
Socially  Dr.  Newkirk  is  identified  with  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity.  He  was  County  Physician  for 
more  than  ten  years,  until  his  resignation.  He  is 
now  President  of  the  Bay  City  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, and  has  been  a  member  of  the  School  Board 
twelve  years.  In  educational  affairs  he  has  always 
manifested  a  great  interest  and  has  assisted  several 
through  college  who  otherwise  would  not  have  en- 
joyed a  collegiate  education.  He  is  Surgeon  for 
the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  and  the  Chicago  & 
Grand  Trunk  Railroad.  In  his  political  affiliations 
he  is  a  Republican  and   has   often  served  as  dele- 


gate to  county  and  State  conventions.  Few  are 
so  well  posted  on  the  tariff  question  as  he,  and 
when  there  was  a  joint  discussion  between  him  and 
Rev.  Dr.  Conner  on  that  subject,  people  flocked 
from  far  and  near  to  enjoy  the  discussion,  and 
those  who  could  gain  admittance  to  the  crowded 
hall  witnessed  one  of  the  most  interesting  debates 
in  the  political  history  of  the  State.  It  is  perhaps 
unnecessary  to  add  that  Dr.  Newkirk 's  usual  suc- 
cess did  not  desert  him  at  that  critical  moment 
and  if  was  felt  by  all  that  his  arguments  were  un- 
answerable and  convincing. 


AMES    D.    PEARSALL.       We    are    pleased 

here  to  present  a  sketch  of  one  of  the  most 
well-known  and  highly  respected  business 
1  men  of  Bay  City.  He  is  now  acting  as 
County  Coroner,  besides  having  a  tine  business  as 
funeral  director.  He  was  born  in  Brighton,  Onta- 
rio, and  his  father.  William,  and  his  grandfather. 
John  Pearsall,  were  both  born  upon  Long  Island, 
The  latter  was  a  farmer  and  Revolutionary  soldier 
who  removed  to  Prince  Edward  County,  Canada, 
and  there  carried  on  agriculture  until  his  death  at 
I  he  age  of  ninety.  He  was  a  devout  member  of  the 
Episcopal  Church.  The  Pearsalls  for  eight  gener- 
ations have  been  in  this  country,  but  they  trace 
their  descent  from  Alsace.  France. 

The  father  of  our  subject  removed  to  St.  Clair 
County,  Mich.,  in  1*70.  locating  in  Brockway, 
where  he  engaged  m  farming,  and  remained  until 
his  death,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven.  He  was  a 
Democrat  in  his  political  belief,  and  a  Catholic  in 
religious  faith.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Bridget  Finnegan.  was  born  in  County  .Monaghan, 
Ireland,  and  came  wlien  a  child  to  Canada  with  a 
brother,  as  her  parents  remained  in  their  native 
home.  She  died  in  Bay  City,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
seven  and  of  her  eleven  children,  eight  are  living. 
Her  son  Miles  was  a  soldier  in  a  New  York  regi- 
ment, and  served   for  two  years  in  the  Civil  War. 

James  Pearsall  was  born  in  February,  1K.">1.  and 
in  Canada  attended   the   common  school;  he  came 


! 


&%&>•   Z7 


6-C^C^y^ 


PORTRAIT   AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


721 


to  the  United  States  when  sixteen  years  old,  and 
as  he  mew  ti>  manhood  took  charge  of  hi>  father's 
estate.  In  1K77  he  began  handling  nursery  stock, 
and  a  year  later  located  in  Pay  (  ity.  and  continued 
in  this  line  of  business  for  six  years,  keeping  some 
.six  or  seven  men  on  the  road,  traveling  in  Michi- 
gan, and  conducted  a  very  successful  business. 

In  the  fall  of  1885,  Mr.  Pearsall  engaged  in  the 
undertaking'  business  and  in  that  of  funeral  di- 
rector, and  in  this  as  in  all  he  has  undertaken,  he 
has  achieved  remarkable  success.  In  1«8(!  he  was 
nominated  and  elected  to  the  office  of  County  Cor- 
oner upon  the  Democratic  ticket,  and  was  re- 
elected in  1888  and  1890.  He  has  thus  served 
from  January  1,  1887.  to  the  present  time,  and  has 
met  with  many  peculiar  experiences. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Pearsall  and  Miss  Alice 
Bradley,  which  took  place  in  St.  Clair,  established 
a  home  of  more  than  ordinary  happiness.  This 
lady  was  horn  in  Prince  Edward  County,  Ontario, 
Canada,  hut  had  most  of  her  training  and  educa- 
tion in  St.  (lair  County.  Her  children  hear  the 
names  of  Hurt,  Harry.  Winlield.  John,  .Mary  A. 
and  Roy.  The  family  is  connected  with  the  St. 
James  Catholic  Church,  and  Mr.  Pearsall  has  been 
Vice  President  of  the  Catholic  Mutual  Benefit  Asso 
ciation.  He  belongs  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibern- 
ians, to  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  anil  to  the 
order  of  Foresters.  He  is  a  strong  Democral  pol- 
itically, and  frequently  a  delegate  to  county,  con- 
gressional, and  State  conventions.  He  is  like- 
wise a  member  of  the  city  committee,  and  Chair- 
man of  the  Ninth  Ward  Committee.  His  business 
also  brings  him  into  the  membership  in  the  State 
Funeral  Directors'  Association. 


^l=> 


Y  IIAPLKS  F.  ZOELLER,  City  Treasurer  of 
Saginaw,  i-  one  of  the  German-American 
S^7  citizens  of  whom  our  country  may  justly 
be  proud.  For  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century 
lie  has  been  identified  with  the  business  interests 
of  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and  none  stands  higher  in 
financial  circles  than  he.  Hi-  character  is  unim- 
peachable, and  the  interest  which  he  has  at  all  limes 
33 


displayed  in  public  enterprises  stamps  him  as  a  man 
of  great  intelligence  and  excellent  judgment.  His 
strong,  determined,  yet  kindly  face  looks  at  the 
reader  from  the  opposite  page,  and  Ins  name  is  hon- 
ored wherever  it  is  known. 

In  Bavaria,  Germany,  where  he  was  born  April 
2,  1842,  Mr.  Zoeller  passed  the  early  days  of  his 
life.  His  father.  Vitus  Zoeller,  came  to  this  coun- 
try in  1850,  being  a  political  refugee  on  account  of 
the  Revolution  in  Germany  in  1848-49.  His 
mother,  Caroline  (C.reiner)  Zoeller,  did  not  emi- 
grate from  the  Fatherland  until  1865,  The  re- 
mainder of  their  days  were  passed  in  New  York. 
Charles  was  a  child  of  but  twelve  years  when  he 
came  to  the  United  States  in  the  year  1854. 
and  his  education  was  mostly  gained  in  Bavaria. 
although  he  studied  after  he  came  to  this  country 
until  he  gained  a  fair  command  of  the  English  as 
well  as  the  German  language.  Upon  reaching  the 
age  of  sixteen,  he  removed  South  to  Tarboro,  N. 
('..  where  he  followed  the  trade  of  a  painter. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  Mr.  Zoel- 
ler entered  the  Southern  army  as  a  private  in  the 
First  North  Carolina  Infantry,  belonging  to 
Loyd's  and  Manly's  Batteries  successively,  and 
was  promoted  lobe  First  Lieutenant  just  before 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  participated  in  many  de- 
cisive battles,  among  them  the  engagements  at 
Bethel,  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Antietam, 
Spotlsylvania  Court  House,  ami  was  present  at  the 
siiriender  at  Appomattox.  At  the  close  of  the 
war  he  returned  to  Tarboro.  N.  ('..and  engaged  as 
a  clerk  in  an  hotel.  About  that  time  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Rosa  A.  Whaley,  at  Newbern,  N*.  C. 
This  lady,  who  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  a 
daughter  of  Lawrence  Whaley,  died  at  Saginaw  in 
1881.  She  was  the  mother  of  eight  children,  five 
of  whom  are  living. 

In  1867  Mr.  Zoeller  came  to  Saginaw,  and  carried 
on  the  business  of  painting  until  his  election  as  City 
Treasurer.  Hiselection  to  the  office  which  he  now 
holds  took  place  in  1889,  and  was  for  a  term  of 
two  years,  and  since  the  consolidation  of  the  two 
Saginaws  he  was  made  one  of  the  new  officials,  as 
he  had  served  only  about  ten  months  on  his  first 
term.  lie  had  also  been  for  two  terms  Alderman 
for  the  Thirteenth    Ward.      In    his    political    views 


722 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


he  is  a  pronounced  Democrat.  He  is  a  member  of 
Germania  Lodge  No.  79,  F.  &  A.  M.,  the  Knights 
of  the  Maccabees,  the  Knights  of  Honor  and  the 
Teutonia  Society. 

The  present  Mrs.  Zoeller  became  the  wife  of  our 
subject  in  18SM,  and  is  now  the  mother  of  two 
bright  and  promising  children.  Her  maiden  name 
was  Emma  Plessner,  and  she  is  a  daughter  of  Dr. 
M.  C.  T.  Plessner,  a  prominent  physician  of  Sagi- 
naw. The  delightful  home  of  this  family  i-  situ- 
ated at  No.  11;')  South  Andre  Street  on  the  Wesl 
Side.  Mr.  Zoeller  has  the  firm  confidence  of  the 
business  community  and  it  is  universally  believed 
that  his  incumbency  of  the  office  is  adapted  to  for- 
warding the  interests  of  the  city. 


( ISEPH  1'.  LE  ROUX,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
insurance  business,  and  keeps  a  real-estate 
and  loan  office  at  Bay  City,  is  also  the  Uran- 
ia ager  of  Le  Patriote,  which  is  owned  by  the 
firm  of  Le  Roux  &  Maucotel,  and  has  resided  in 
this  valley  since  1868.  Among  the  French-Cana- 
dian citizens  of  Michigan,  he  is  one  of  the  mosl 
prominent  and  he  is  a  man  of  both  talent  and 
judgment.  He  was  born  at  Riviere  de  l'Isle,  St. 
Ignace  Parish,  Soulanges  County.  Canada,  Octo- 
ber 20,  1846,  and  is  a  son  of  Julien  and  Clothilde 
(Montpetit)  Le  Roux.  1 1  is  paternal  grandfather, 
Antoine,  was  born  in  Canada,  and  was  a  son  of 
Hubert  Le  Roux.  who  came  from  France. 

The  family  have  been  agriculturists  ever  since 
coming  to  this  country,  and  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject died  in  1868,  leaving  to  his  family  the  farm 
which  had  been  his  for  many  years.  His  widow 
resides  on  the  old  homestead,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Pierre  Montpetit,  of  French  descent.  She  married 
a  second  time.  The  child  of  her  first  marriage, 
Gabriel  Martin,  resides  in  Canada,  and  by  her  union 
with  Julien  Le  Roux,  she  had  five  sons,  of  whom 
four  are  living,  namely:  George,  Joseph  P.  and 
Alexandre,  who  make  their  home  in  Bay  City; 
Pierre,  who  resides  on  the  old  homestead  with  the 
mother;  and  Paul,  who  died  in  infancy;  also  five 
daughters,   of    whom    three   are    living,    namely: 


Azilda,  Mary  and  Hermine,  who  are  living  in  Can- 
ada, and  Anna  and  Alphonsine,  who  both  died  at 
the  age  of  eight  years. 

Our  subject  had  his  training  upon  the  home  farm, 
remaining  there  until  he  was  sixteen  years  old,  and 
in  the  meantime  attending  French  schools  most  of 
the  time,  being  only  six  months  in  an  English 
school.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  entered  as  a  clerk 
into  the  general  merchandise  store  at  Coteau  Land- 
ing, of  the  Hon.  William  Ducket  t,  a  member  of  Par- 
liament, and  was  with  him  four  years,  eventually 
taking  charge  of  the  business.  After  he  severed 
his  connection  with  Mr.  Duekett.  he  engaged 
in  business  at  Coteau  station,  in  partnership  with 
Joseph  Asselin,  and  continued  for  eighteen  months 
the  firm  being  Le  Roux  &  Asselin.  In  December, 
1868  he  came  to  Michigan,  settling  at  Saginaw, 
where  he  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  the  clothing  busi- 
ness, being  for  one  year  with  Messrs.  Schott  &  Co., 
of  Saginaw  City,  and  afterward  serving  in  the  same 
capacity  for  the  firm  in  Fast    Saginaw  three  years. 

It  was  in  1873  that  young  Mr.  Le  Roux  came  to 
Bay  City,  and  entered  the    clothing   business  on 

Water  Street,  in  partnership  with  MeSSl'S.  Schott  A 
Co..  with  the  linn  title  of  Schott  A  Co.  In  1876  the 
linn  waschanged  to. I.  P.  Le  RouxA  Co.,andin  1884 
he  became  the  sole  proprietor.  Two  years  later  he 
sold  out  his  business  to  accepl  an  appointment  as 
Deputy  United  Slate-  Marshal,  under  Cleveland's 
administration.  This  office  lie  Idled  for  four  years 
and  at  the  same  time  he  has  been  building  up  an 
interest  in  the  insurance  business  and  attending  to 
bis  duties  as  a  Notary  Public.  He  is  agent  for 
some  of  the  best  companies  for  both  life  and  tire 
insurance,  and  he  also  attends  to  real-estate  con- 
veyancing and  the  placing  of  loans. 

Upon  the  1  1th  of  August.  1890,  .Messrs.  Le  Roux 
A'  Maucotel  purchased  Le  Patriote,  a  weekly  French 
paper  which  was  established  here  in  1879,  and 
has  a  splendid  circulation  all  through  the  French 
districts  of  Michigan,  as  it  is  the  only  paper  in  this 
language  published  ill  Michigan.  It  is  issued  everj 
Thursday,  and  is  an  eight-column  quarto  devoted 
to  the  interests  of  the  French  people  at  large  and 
very  successful  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  It  is 
independent  in  politics  and  thus  is  acceptable  to  all 
shades  of  political  belief.     Its  excellent  job  office 


FORTRAN"    \NI>    I'.KX    l.'AIIIM    \l,    RECORD. 


;■/.; 


is  building  up  a  fine  run  of  business  and  it  recom- 
mends  itself  to  all  customers  by  means  of  the 
promptness,  thoroughness  and  good  taste  of  its 
management. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Saginaw,  in  1870,  to 
Miss  Eulalie,  daughter  of  Michel  Desrosiers,  of 
Saginaw,  formerly  of  Ottawa,  Canada,  lie  came 
to  Saginaw  in  lxtix.  Mr.  Le  Roux  belongs  to  the 
La  Fayette  and  St.  Joseph  French  Benevolent  So- 
cieties, in  which  he  has  ever  been  an  official  mem- 
ber, and  is  also  connected  with  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees.  As  a  Democral  he  is  earnestly  inter- 
ested in  tin-  success  nf  his  party,  and  i.-.  frequently 
a  delegate  to  county  and  State  conventions. 


« — ^=-.-^^ 


■Mi        ITIIFR  HOLLAND.  No.  705  Holland  A  \  e- 
I  (jm  nue,Mich.,  Agent  of  N.Holland,  of  Buffalo, 
JiL^^s  N.   Y.,  with   whom   he   has  been  connected 
for  a  period  of  thirty-two  years. 


ANIEL  II.  TROMBLEY.  We  are  grat- 
ified to  be  able  to  present  here  a  sketch  of 
one  of  the  most  active  and  prominent 
citizens  and  business  men  of  Bay  City. 
He  is  lumber  inspector  and  shipper  and  is  more 
than  ordinarily  enterprising  and  prosperous.  For 
his  ancestry  our  leaders  are  referred  to  the  sketch 
of  his  father,  Mader  Tromble.  The  son  has,  as 
will  be  noted,  changed  his  patronymic  by  the  addi- 
tion of  one  letter.  He  has  been  for  seventeen  years 
engaged  in  the  same  business  in  Lav  City,  and 
took   it    up    when    only    fifteen    years   old. 

This  gentleman  was  born  in  South  Bay  City, 
which  was  then  known  as  Portsmouth,  January  27, 
1858,  and  there  he  had  his  education  lirst  in  the 
common  school  and  afterward  in  the  High  School, 
from  which  he  would  have  graduated  in  three 
months  had  he  not  left  school.  When  he  began 
lumber  inspecting  at  the  age  of  fifteen  it  was  for 
parties  in  Lav  City,  and  lie  carried  it  on  there    for 


three  years,  after  which  he  worked  for  five  years 
for  Andrew  Walton,  and  for  others  in  theSaginaw 
Valley.  In  1882  he  started  an  office  of  his  own, 
and  engaged  in  an  independent  business,  locating 
in  South  Baj  City  until  1886,  when  he  formed  a 
partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  McHoskill, 
Tromblej  &  Brown,  which  connection  lasted  for 
two  years,  after  which  our  subject  bought  out  the 
whole  business  and  has  since  carried  it  on  independ- 
ently. 

Mr.  Trombley  has  gradually  increased  his  busi- 
ness until  it  extends  through  many  parts  of  the 
State  and  includes  hardwood  and  pine  as  well  as 
logs.  II  is  increasing  every  year  and  is  growing 
more  and  more  successful.  His  pleasant  home  is 
situated  at  the  corner  of  South  Center  and  McCor- 
rnick  Streets,  and  the  lady  who  presides  over  it 
with  so  much  grace  and  dignity  became  his  wife 
in  1881.  She  was  Miss  Carrie,  daughters  of  V.  W. 
Deland,  an  old  settler  of  Flushing,  but  now  living 
a  retired  life  at  Saginaw.  They  have  one  child. 
Carlos,  in  whose  training  and  education  they  are 
greatly  interested. 

Mr.  Trombley  is  one  of  the  most  active  and  zeal- 
ous members  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  South  Bay 
City,  in  which  he  was  a  deacon,  and  the  Assistant 
Superintendent  of  the  Sunday-School.  He  is  a 
leader  in  the  movement  which  is  now  in  contem- 
plation toward  building  a  new  church  on  South 
Center  Street.  In  his  political  views  he  is  a  stanch 
Prohibitionist  and  an  earnest  worker  in  the  cause 
of  temperance. 


E*=* 


/ 


.- 


ffiAMES  MURPHY.  Thesubjectof  this  sketch, 
who  is  now  deceased,  was  a  vigorous,  ener- 
geticand  ambitious  man.  whose  business  in- 
terests were  also  public  enterprises  and  to  the 
advantage  of  others  besides  himself.  He  was  the 
proprietor  of  extensive  brick  works  near  Pain esville, 
On  the  south  bank  of  the  Tittabawassee  River.  Lorn 
in  County  .Mayo,  Ireland,  in  1  S.'l.s,  he  was  a  son  of 
Thomas  and  Sarah  (Cannon)  Murphy,  both  na- 
tives of  the  same  county  as  was  himself.   His  father 


724 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


died  of  heart  disease  at  the  age  of  lifty-two  years. 
His  mother  reared  seven  children,  four  boys  and 
three  girls.  She  brought  her  family  to  America  in 
1863  and  located  at  Ann  Arbor. 

Thinking  a  change  advisable  and  to  the  advan- 
tage of  her  growing  sons.  Mrs.  Murphy  moved 
from  Ann  Arbor  to  Thomastown  Township.  Here 
she  passed  her  latter  years  and  died  at  the  good 
old  age  of  seventy  years.  Our  subject  was  reared 
on  a  farm  and  educated  in  the  district  schools. 
The  family  were  limited  in  circumstances  and  the 
lad  was  obliged  to  make  many  shifts  in  order  to 
obtain  the  comforts  of  life  and  those  things  dear 
to  young  manhood.  He  worked  in  a  brickyard  by 
the  month  in  summers  and  spent  a  short  time  in 
the  lumber  woods  during  the  winters.  lie  then 
started  a  brickyard  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Titta- 
bawassee  River,  in  Thomastown  Township,  and 
continued  to  run  this  for  three  years,  lie  then 
started  his  present  yard  near  Painesvillc. 

Our  subject  began  business  em  a  small  scale  and 
increased  it  from  time  to  time  until  he  manufac- 
tured two  million  brick  per  annum,shipping  them  to 
Saginaw,  Bay  City  and  Jackson,  and  many  of  the 
brick  buildings  in  Saginaw  are  built  from  the  pro- 
ducts of  his  yards.  He  was  a  hard  worker  and  a 
good  manager.  His  farm  included  one  hundred 
and  thirty  acres.  Here  he  carried  on  fanning  to  a 
small  extent,  paying  the  greater  part  of  his  atten- 
tion to  the  making  of  brick.  The  handsome  resi- 
dence which  his  family  now  occupies  was  erected  in 
1883.  It  is  completely  furnished  with  all  the 
comforts  and  conveniences  so  necessary  to  modern 
life,  and  is  finely  finished. 

Mr.  Murphy  was  married  in  Ireland  January  in. 
1860,  to  Miss  Mary  Vany,  who  was  born  at  a  dis- 
tance of  only  half  a  mile  from  our  subject's  home. 
May  13,  1842.  They  were  playfellows  and  school- 
mates. Mrs.  Murphy  has  vivid  recollections  of 
the  voyage  over  the  ocean  to  America,which  lasted 
six  weeks  and  three  days.  She  is  the  mother  of 
eleven  children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  They  are 
Bridget,  Anna,  Thomas,  James.  John.  .Michael. 
Henry,  Sarah,  Neal,  Maggie  and  Joseph. 

Mr.  Murphy  passed  away  from  this  life,  October 
15,  1890,  and  was  as  much  missed  in  social  as  in  com- 
mercial relations.    Mrs.  Murphy  is  a  w<  nnan  of  g<  m  id 


business  judgment  and  still  carries  on  the  farm  and 
brick  business  with  the  aid  of  her  sons.  She,  as 
was  her  husband,  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  Mr.  Murphy  was  a  radical  Democrat  in 
his  political  affiliation,  but  had  not  a  great  deal  of 
time  to  interest  himself  in  politics.  Socially,  lie 
belonged  to  the  Knights  of  Honor,  to  the  Macca- 
bees and  the  Catholic  Benevolent  Association.  The 
cortege  that  followed  all  that  was  earthly  of  the 
man  to  his  last  resting-place,  was  the  largest  ever 
seen  in  this  section  of  the  country, and  was  carried 
out  with  all  the  pomp  and  ceremonials  of  the  (lif- 
erent societies  to  which  he  belonged.  Of  humble 
origin,  the  success  which  crowned  his  efforts 
proved  his  work  to  have  been  not  in  vain.  He 
had  main    friends  and  admirers. 


-*«h 


AMES  T.  EMERY,  of  the  firm  of  Emery  & 
McLaughlin,  manufacturers  of  Marblehead 
lime,  and  dealer-  in  Buffalo  and  Portland 
cement,  brick  etc.,  pipe  building,  stone, 
sewer  pipe, also  w 1  and  coal,  and  manufactur- 
ing agents  for  the  Virginia  lire  brick  and  cla\  .  is 
one  of  the  sagacious  ami  thrifty  business  men  of 
West  Hay  City.  This  successful  firm  was  organized 
in  April.  1883,  and  is  now  one  of  the  best  business 
houses  of  its  kind  in  the  city. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  initiates  this  sketch 
is  a  native  of  the  Pine  Tree  State,  having  been 
born  in  Orono,  .Me..  September  25,  1857, and  a  son 
of  Nicholas  Emery.  When  our  subject  was  an  in- 
fant of  one  year  his  parents  removed  to  Wisconsin 
and  some  years  later  came  to  Bay  City,  the  father 
taking  the  position  of  Superintendent  of  Sage's 
mill  for  many  years,  but  is  now  deceased. 

Our  subject  received  biseducatibn  in  the  schools 
here  and  at  Green  Bay.  having  but  meager  advan- 
tages, lie  first  commenced  working  in  the  lumber 
business  in  this  city  for  Mr.  Sage  and  then  served 
as  foreman  under  his  father.  He  finally  commenced 
in  business  for  himself,  entering  into  partnership 
with  Mr.  McLaughlin,  which  connection  has  con- 
tinued until  the  present  day.  They  have  a  num- 
ber of  large  lime  kilns  in  their  yards,  which  is  near 


e^z^2-  -  C>>4^^^£    (-Z  £.  ^^ 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


727 


Third  Street  bridge,  and  with  their  business  and 
dealing  in  coal  give  employment  to  ten  men  all  the 
time  beside  those  employed  in  unloading  boats. 
Thi'\  have  the  largest  coal  trade  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river,as  thej  also  have  in  building  material, 
shipping  in  very  large  amounts  both  by  car  and 
boat.  In  one  war  they  shipped  three  hundred  and 
seventy-five  car-loads  of  building  material  besides 
what  was  taken  in  boats.  They  have  the  contract 
for  furnishing  supplies  of  everything  in  their  line 
for  the  new  Government  building  which  is  being 
erected  at  Bay  (  itv. 

In  all  the  country  there  is  no  more  ardent  and 
(•(insistent  Republican,  no  man  of  better  impulses 
and  stricter  integrity  than  Mr.  Emery.  He  has 
served  his  fellow-citizens  as  Alderman  two  terms 
of  two  years  each  for  the  Third  Ward,  the  duties 
of  which  were  faithfully  performed  and  conscien- 
tiously discharged.  He  is  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Wenona  Lodge.  F.  A-  A.  M.,  and  of  the  Bay 
Citv  Chapter.  Mr.  Emery  was  happily  married  to 
.Miss  Minnie  ('.  Hubbard,  of  St.  George,  New 
Brunswick,  September  21,  1884.  This  union  lias 
been  blessed  by  the  advent  of  one  child,  to  whom 
they  have  given  the  uame  Louisa. 


^o 


y  US.  ADELINE  (TROMBLE)  BEEBE.    The 

capability  of  women  for  managing  large 
business  interests  is  proved  by  a  host  of 
widely  known  and  influential  Indies,  who 
Occupy  positions  of  honor  and  trust  in  the  business 
world.  Among  this  class  Mrs.  Beebenny  be  named 
and  the  extensive  real-estate  interests  which  are 
under  her  charge  are  managed  with  signal  success. 
She  is  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Sophia  (Shepe- 
ton)  Tromble,  early  settlers  of  Hay  County,  who 
are  represented  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

The  earliest  recollections  of  .Mrs.  Beebe  are  of 
pioneer  scenes  in  a  new  country  amid  primitive 
surroundings,  and  she  recalls  the  present  thriving 
city  where  she  now  resides  when  there  were  but 
three  houses  in  its  limits.  She  has  witnessed  with 
no  little  interest  in  the  growth  and  progress  of  Bay 


City  and  now  looks  out  on  splendid  structures  which 

stand  where  once  rose  the  smoke  of  the  wigwam; 
on  churches  and  schoolhouses  which  mark  the 
spot  of  former  forest  trees,  and  on  a  teeming  pop- 
ulation where  once  the  Indians  roamed  alone  and 
unmolested. 

On  the  corner  of  Twenty-fourth  and  Water 
Streets  stood  a  building  familiarly  known  as  the 
old  Center  House,  and  in  that  plain  frame  house 
Mrs.  Beebe  was  born  August  27,  1843.  When  three 
years  old  she  accompanied  her  parents  from  Bay 
City  to  Banks,  and  the  first  school  which  she  at- 
tended was  on  Saginaw  Street  between  Second  ard 
Third.  To  reach  the  school  house  she  was  com- 
pelled to  cross  the  river  and  during  the  winter 
seasons  she  was  drawn  across  the  ice  on  a  hand 
sled  by  her  father  and  brothers.  For  a  time  she 
received  private  instruction  at  home,  later  at- 
tended the  school  in  Banks,  and  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen years  went  to  Detroit  to  attend  the  Convent 
of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Mary.  After  remaining 
there  three  years  she  returned  home  and  afterward 
received  instruction  in  the  schools  here.  On  ac- 
count of  the  ill  health  of  her  mother  the  responsibil- 
ity of  the  charge  of  the  household  early  was 
thrown  upon  her,  and  she  remained  at  home  until 
her  marriage. 

On  June  3,  1863  Jefferson  Beebe  and  Adeline 
Tromble  were  united  in  marriage.  Mr.  Beebe 
was  horn  in  Ohio,  where  his  father,  Lewis,  was  a 
farmer,  and  at  an  early  age  removed  from  the 
Buckeye  State  to  Southern  Michigan,  settling  in 
Shiawassee  County.  When  eighteen  years  old  he 
came  to  Banks,  where  he  was  employed  in  mills, 
also  engaged  in  fishing  for  some  years.  He  was 
i  he  owner  of  the  "Evening  Star"  until  he  sold  out 
his  Ashing  interests  in  1884.  He  is  a  practical 
millwright  and  machinist,  and  is  now  engaged  a« 
foreman  in  the  mills,  and  in  various  lines.  Polit- 
ically he  is  a  strong  Republican,  has  served  as  Ald- 
erman of  the  First  Ward,  and  for  a.  time  was  Pres- 
ident of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Banks.  Socially 
he  belongs  to  the  Order  of  Maccabees. 

The  attractive  residence  in  which  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Beebe  have  established  a  pleasant  home  is  situated 
on  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Bangor  Streets, 
in  West   Bay    City,  and  was  erected  by  Mrs.  Beebe 


728 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


in  1869.  She  also  owns  several  lots  and  houses 
and  about  twenty  acres  of  tine  land  within  the 
corporate  limits  of  West  Bay  City.  In  religious 
matters  she  is  a  faithful  member  of  St.  Mary's 
Catholic  Church  and  socially  is  identified  with  tin- 
Ladies  Tent  of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  In 
her  younger  years  she  was  very  skillful  in  the  use 
of  the  oar  and  frequently  rowed  across  the  Sagi- 
naw River  alone.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beebe  have  had 
five  children, — Jennie  I...  (Mrs.  Palmer)  of  West 
Bay  City;  Amanda,  (Mrs.  Palmer)  who  died  in 
1885  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years;  Frank  J., Charles 
Harvey  and  Joseph,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen months. 

The  attention  of  the  reader  is  invited  to  the  lith- 
ographic portrait  of  Mrs.  Beebe  which  appears  in 
connection  with  this  sketch  of  her  life. 

eAPT.  ROBERT  .1.  MEDLER.  This  well- 
known  and  popular  vessel  master  and  pilot 
has  bis  residence  at.  No.  609  State  Street, 
Saginaw.  He  has  for  over  torn  years  been  iden- 
tified with  the  water  transportation'  interests  of 
Michigan,  and  no  other  man  who  has  sailed  the 
hikes  lias  a  wider  or  more  loyal  acquaintance.  For 
thirty  years  he  has  stood  at  the  helm  of  the  best 
river  and  coast  boats  of  Saginaw  River  and  Bay, 
and  probably  no  living  man  has  been  so  closely 
identified  with  its  water  transportation.  Like  many 
of  1  he  wide-awake  men  whose  lives  have  been  inter- 
woven with  the  growth  of  the  Saginaw  Valley, 
Capt.  Medler  was  born  in  Canada,  his  birth  having 
occurred  on  the  8th  of  May.  1830, at  Port  Burwell. 
Ontario. 

Our  subject  comes  honestly  by  bis  natural  dis- 
position to  navigate  nature's  own  highways,  as  his 
father,  Jacob  Medler,  was  a  sailor  and  shipbuilder. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia,  one  of  the 
greatest  centers  for  shipbuilding  and  water  com- 
merce. The  maiden  name  of  our  subject's  mother 
was  Elizabeth  Stanley,  a  native  of  New  Brunswick, 
where  she  was  married  when  quite  young.  They 
came  to  Michigan  when  our  subject  was  in  his 
seventh  year.     Here  the  father  conducted  an  hotel 


at  what  has  since  proven   to  be  West  Michigan's 

i t  popular  inland  resort. at  that  time,  Reed  Lake, 

but  now  Grand  Rapids. 

In  1837  the  family  of  our  subject  became  iden- 
tified with  a  new  portion  of  the  Wolverine  State, 
and  were  among  those  whose  efforts  were  spent  in 
developing  what  has  since  become  the  finest  of 
many  fine  sections  in  Michigan — the  Grand  River 
Valley.  Here  the  lad  grew  to  manhood,  assisting 
his  father  in  the  work  of  clearing  the  farm,  and 
when  a  removal  was  made  lo  (■rand  Rapids,  where 
.Mr.  Medler  engaged  in  ship  carpentry,  our  subject 
received  his  initiation  into  the  secrets  of  water 
navigation. 

When  eighteen  years  of  age  young  Medler  be- 
came a  deck  band  on  the  "Paragon"  in  its  trips  be- 
tween Grand  Rapids  and  Grand  Haven.  After  be- 
coming familial'  with  the  river,  he  was  made  pilot, 
a  position  of  the  greatesl  responsibility  and  requir- 
ing such  efforts  of  stability  and  determination,  thai, 
wi-w  they  expended  in  any  other  line  of  business, 
would  be  crowned  with  success.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  say  that  our  subject  possessed  all  the  qualities 
that  would  make  of  him  a  trusted  pilot,  and  con- 
tinued to  plow  the  waters  of  the  lower  Orand  River 
for  fifteen  year.-.  One  of  the  noted  vessels  of 
which  lie  was  master  and  pilot  was  the  ill-fated 
••Daniel  Ball."  He  was  engaged  in  those  capacities 
when  the  vessel  was  constructed,  in  I860,  and  was 
her  pilot  when  the  elements  ended  her  eventful 
carcer.au  occasion  which  is  mos<  vividly  impressed 
upon  the  mind.-  of  many  of  Saginaw's  citizens,  as 
a  large  number  of  them  were  aboard  when  she  was 
grounded  and  were  compelled  to  stand  in  the  water 
until  they  were  rescued  from  their  uncomfortable 
position. 

I 'l ion  the  construction  of  the  ( rrand  Haven  Rail- 
way in  Grand  Rapids,  the  river  trade  was  so  dimin- 
ished thai  (apt.  Medler  turned  bis  attention  to 
more  favorable  occupations,  and  accordingly  in 
1862  he  came  to  Saginaw,  which  was  then  doing 
an  immense  water  trade.  Ihs  first,  engagement  here 
was  as  .Master  of  the  "Nebraska."  a  boat  used  in 
conveying  cargoes  of  salt  and  lumber  to  port,  as 
the  water  in  the  river  was  not  sufficient,  to  allow 
the  large  lake  vessels  to  leave  the  bay.  The  "Ma- 
son"  was    then  commissioned,  and  Capt.  Medler 


1'oRTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


729 


became  her  Master,  and  until  18  7  3.  when  the  "Ball" 
entered  this  harbor,  his  services  were  given  to  the 
"Mason"  and  the  "Rej  nolds."  After  the  destruc- 
tion of  tin-  "Ball,"  Capt.  Medler  was  employed  to 
superintend  the  construction  of  a  boal  to  take  her 
place,  and  the  next  season  found  him  master  of 
the. "Wellington  R.  Burl."  a  boal  with  a  carrying 
capacity  of  six  hundred  passengers  and  built  at  a 
cost   of  $21,000. 

Capt,  Medler  was  thus  employed  mi  the  river 
until  business  becoming  so  reduced  it  was  deemed 
best  tn  transfer  him  to  the  trade  at  Toledo,  hut  the 
(  aptain  preferring  to  remain  nearer  home,  the  sea- 
son "f  1891  found  him  Master  of  the  steamer  "Fer- 
ris," running  in  connection  with  the  Pontiac,  Ox- 
ford A-  Northern  Railroad,  from  Caseville  across 
tin-  hay  to  Tawas,  a  distance  of  thirty  mile.-,  lie 
met  with  a  disaster  while  lying  at  the  stone  pier  at 
Caseville,  which  was  the  second  which  had  oc- 
eurred  to  him  in  fortj  years,  his  boat  being  burned 
to  the  water's  edge  July  25,  1891,  occasioning  a  total 
loss. 

The  pleasant  home  of  Capt.  Medler  is  at  No. 
609  State  street,  and  is  presided  over  l>\  his  ami- 
able wife,  who  for  thirteen  years  has  shared  his  joys 
and  sorrows.  His  service  has  been  free  from  dis- 
tressing accidents  by  explosion,  collision  or  similar 
casualties,  and  only  two  men  out  of  the  thousands 
he  has  employed  have  lost  their  lives,  and  they 
fell  overboard  and  were  drowned  before  assistance 
could  he  given  them.  The  (aptain  himself  has 
not  escaped  so  entirely,  as  he  met  with  a  severe  and 
painful  accident  September  23,  1877,  which  resulted 
in  the  loss  of  one  of  his  feet.  As  the  hoat  was 
moving  from  the  wharf  the  Captain  stepped  to  the 
engineer  ami  gave  orders  to  pull  back  to  the  shore 
and  inadvertently  set  his  foot  into  the  coil  of  rope 
which  had  been  cast  off  from  the  cavel.  As  the 
vessel  continued  to  move  hark,  the  coil  tightened, 
and  being  drawn  to  the  gunwale,  the  immense 
strain  of  the  eoi I   about  his  foot    was  sufficient   to, 

cut  hi-  1 t.  stocking  and  part  of  hi-  foot  eiitireh 

off.  lie  was  thus  confined  to  the  hospital  for  many 
week-.  A  second  accident  sometime  later  crushed 
the  remainder  of  the  same  foot  and  caused  greater 
difficulty  than  he  had  experienced  before. 

('apt.  Medler  ha-  ho>ts  of  warm  friends  in  Mich- 


igan, and  his  record  as  a  vessel  master  is  surpassed 
by  none.  His  credentials  from  the  Government 
stand  unquestioned,  and  in  every  respect  he  is 
looked  up  to  as  a  grand  and  noble  man.  His  life 
has  not  been  a  period  of  ceaseless  sunshine,  but 
dark  clouds  have  passed  over  him  and  shadows  of 
painful  memories  linger  in  his  old  and  weather- 
beaten  heart.  Death's  relentless  hand  has  twice 
entered  his  home  and  taken  from  him  those  most 
dear. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  1851,  to  Miss  Maria 
Hough taling,  of  Lansing,  and  who  passed  from 
this  life  in  187:?.  They  had  become  the  parents  of 
two  boys,  one  of  whom.  Jesse,  is  a  captain.  He 
served  as  mate  to  his  father  on  many  of  their  trips. 
The  other  son,  Robert  H.,  is  an  engineer  on  the 
"Metropolis."  Our  subject  was  again  married  in 
1875.  to  Mrs.  Julia  .Tune,  a  woman  possessing  rare 
trait<  of  character,  and  who  died  just  eighteen 
months  after  her  marriage.  December  2."),  1877, 
(apt.  Medler  was  a  third  time  married,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Mahala  Louisa,  a  daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Elizabeth  Brate,  a  cousin  to  his  first  wife. 
Mrs.  Medler's  parents  were  among  the  early  settlers 
of  Tuscola  County,  having  located  there  in  1855. 
Mrs.  Brate  is  now  a  hale  and  hearty  lady  of  eighty- 
four  years,  and  makes  her  home  with  her  daughter. 
Mrs.  Medler  had  been  previously  married  to  Elijah 
Stiles,  a  builder  and  contractor  of  Caro,  Tuscola 
County.  One  child,  a  daughter,  has  been  born  to 
our  subject  and  his  present  wife,  who  bore  the 
name  of  Elizabeth;  she  died  when  two  years  of 
age. 


ENRY  M.  CAMPBELL.  This  prominent 
1  business  man  of  Bay  City  belongs  to  the 
firm  of  McLean  &  Co.,  and  is  also  connected 
with  the  Valley  Soap  Works,  lie  has  been 
in  the  former  company  for  nine  years  and  has 
been  Superintendent  of  the  business  since  the  time 
of  the  building  of  the  lumber  mill.  This  part  of 
the  country  has  been  his  home  ever  since  he  was 
five  years  old,  and  many  of  his  playmates  were  In- 
dians, and  he  went  shooting  with  them  when  game 
was  so  plentiful  that   it    could    scarcelj    he   given 


730 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


away,  and  the  finest  saddle  of  venison  was  not 
often  worth  more  than  twenty-five  cents. 

Our  subject  was  born  near  Sparta.  N.  Y.,  Sep- 
tember 15,  1842,  and  is  the  son  of  William  II.  and 
Man-  (Williams)  Campbell,  of  Syracuse.  The  fa- 
ther was  a  mechanic,  bul  when  the  boy  was  still 
small  decided  to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  West,  and 
coming  to  Genesee  County,  settled  three  miles 
north  of  Flint.  His  father.  John  Campbell,  accom- 
panied him,  and  together  they  bought  a  large 
farm,  which  they  improved,  and  where  they  made 
their  home  for  many  years,  and  there  for  a  long 
while  William  II.  was  -lust  ice  of  the  Peace  of  Pine 
Grove  Township. 

Henry  Campbell  commenced  his  education  in 
Genesee  County,  and  came  to  Saginaw  County 
with  his  father,  who  took  up  the  milling  and 
lumbering  business  and  remained  here  for  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life,  dying  in  1870.  At  Sagi- 
naw,  in  1867.  the  youth  was  first  in  the  employ 
of  Seth  McLean  (his  present  partner),  and  after  a 
time  he  became  manager  in  his  business,  having  a 
great  advantage  in  his  complete  knowledge  of 
milling  as  he  was  able  to  build  a  mill  from  beui  li- 
ning to  end. 

When  Mr.  McLean  removed  to  this  place  young 
Campbell  came  with  him.  and  in  1881  became  a 
partner  of  the  concern.  He  built  the  mill  which 
the  firm  now  uses  some  eighteen  years  ago.  Its 
capacity  is  one  hundred  thousand  feet  a  day  and 
it  is  fitted  up  with  gang  and  circular  saws,  edgers, 
lath  machines,  and  all  of  the  latest  improvements 
necessary  to  operating  a  mill  of  that  capacity. 
The  establishment  gives  employment  to  about  one 
hundred  men.  The  firm  has  also  put  in  two  large 
salt  blocks  which  have  an  average  of  two  hun- 
dred barrels  per  day. 

The  Valley  Soap  Works  are  owned  and  operated 
by  McLean  A'  Co..  which  in  that  connection  is 
known  as  the  Valley  Soap  Company,  and  was 
started  in  the  year  1891.  Here  are  manufactured 
all  kinds  and  as  fine  brands  of  soap — toilet,  bath 
and  laundry — as  any  factory  in  tin1  country.  The 
works  have  a  capacity  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
boxes  a  week,  and  the  business  is  constantly  en- 
larging and  bids  fair  to  eclipse  many  older  estab- 
lishments.     It    has  all    the    modern    appliances  and 


is  run  by  steam.  A  new  patent  process  is  being 
introduced  of  which  the  firm  has  bought  the  right 
for  use  in  this  valley,  and  it  is  selling  the  right 
to  jobbers,  keeping'  men  on  the  road  all  the  time. 
Our  subject  has  been  Alderman  for  the  Sixth  Ward 
for  four  years  and  was  elected  the  third  time, 
but  was  gerrymandered  out  by  the  "squaw  buck" 
Legislation. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Business  Men's 
Association  of  Bay  City,  and  is  considered  therein 
a  representative  man.  Helixes  at  No.  1021  Broad- 
way, and  his  home  is  a  fine  one  of  his  own  remod- 
eling. On  the  26th  of  March,  1  «(>.">,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mary  J.  Callagan, of  Oakland  County, 
and  to  them  has  been  granted  one  son — Arthur 
K.  Mr.  Campbell  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Pvthias  of  the  Uniformed  Rank. 


_!=]. 


~S 


£+£ 


B_ 


-lloMAS  PARKER.     One  of  the  old  settlers 


of  Saginaw  Township,  who  is  now  a  farmer 
and  brickmaker  on  section  19,  is  he  whose 
name  appears  above.  A  native  of  Scotland,  his 
has  been  a  history  that  is  marked  by  many  inter- 
esting features.  He  was  born  August  22,  1819, 
and  is  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Elizabeth  (McColloch) 
Parker,  bothnatives  Of  Scotland.  Isaac  Parker  was 
a  weaver  in  early  life,  but  owned  a  small  tract  of 
land  and  worked  as  a  laborer,  lie  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1854,  and  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven 
years.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  four 
children,  whose  names  are  Hugh,  .lane.  John  and 
Thomas. 

When  about  two  years  of  age,  our  subject  lost  his 
mother  who  was  twenty-five  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  her  death.  She  and  her  husband  were  devoted 
Presbyterians.  Young  Thomas  divided  his  time  be- 
tween his  booksand  the  farm  work.  When  coining 
to  America  in  '!(>.  In-  was  five  weeks  on  the  voyage, 
which  was  made  memorable  by  that  awesome  cere- 
monial— a  burial  at  sea.  for  there  had  been  several 
deaths  on  the  vessel,  which  also  passed  through 
severe  storms. 

About  six  years  after  his  marriage  to  Miss  Jessie 
Beard,  of  Scotland.  Thomas   Parker,  with  his  fam- 


PORTRAIT  ANH  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


733 


ilv  came  to  Michigan  via  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo 
and  thence  by  boal  to  Detroit.     He  had  but  little 

minify  and  the  prices  at  hotels  and  in  traveling 
were  exorbitant  and  soon  exhausted  his  purse,  so 
that  he  was  obliged  to  leave  his  family  at  Detroit, 
and  started  on  foot  fen-  Saginaw,  where  be  had  an 
uncle.  Stopping  at  a  house  t<>  rest,  he  was  be- 
friended by  its  owner,  who,  on  hearing  his  story 
offered  to  bring  his  family  to  Flint.  This  he  did. 
Init  Mr.  Parker  was, penniless,  and  two  weeks  after 
the  family  was  settled  here,  his  wife  died.  She 
was  the  mother  of  three  children  —  Mary, Elizabeth 
and  one  that  died  on  the  way  to  this  State. 

Mr.  Parker  engaged  in  lumbering  for  James  I'ra- 
zier,  but  contracted  the  ague,  from  which  he  suf- 
fered to  such  a  degree  that  he  was  obliged  to  go 
hack  to  New  York  State,  where  he  remained  for 
fifteen  months.  While  in  .Michigan  Mr.  Parker 
shot  many  deer,  and  had  some  memorable  encoun- 
ters with  these  animals.  He  was  on  friendly 
terms  with  the  Indians,  and  spent  two  years  in 
lumberingon  the  Pine  and  Chippewa  Rivers.  Af- 
terward with  an  uncle  he  lumbered  a  tract  on 
Card  Creek,  and  then  began  for  himself,  and  has 
gone  over  a  great  portion  of  the  present  farm  land 
along  the  Tittabawassee  River  and  on  Swan  Creek. 

Our  subject  was  one  of  the  pioneer  lumbermen 
of  this  region.  He  was  on  the  water  week  after  week 
rafting,  and  sold  his  logs  to  Mr.  Frazier,  receiving 
for  the  best  $3  a  piece  when  delivered.  He  spent 
several  winters  on  the  Big  Cedar,  and  was  in  the 
lumber  business  in  all  over  twenty  years;  during 
that  time  he  floated  many  a  raft  of  logs  down  the 
Tittabawassee  to  the  Saginaw  River,  and  thence  In 
Bay  City,  and  so  accustomed  was  he  to  the  work. 
that  he  slept  on  his  rafts  to  waken  in  the  morning 
near  Bay  City.  Such  a  life  was  not  without  dan- 
ger and  narrow  escapes.  On  one  occasion  he  was 
hauled  from  under  the  ice  by  an  Indian,  and  has 
ever  since  had  a  friendly  feeling  for  the   red    men. 

In  1X50  Mr.  Parker  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Thoniastown  Township.  Saginaw  County. 
settling  upon  it  in  1851.  That  was  his  home  until 
1867,  when  he  removed  across  the  Tittabawassee 
River,  and  located  on  his  present  farm.  He  had 
established  extensive  brick  works  herein  1859, and 
is  the  oldest  brickmaker  in  the  country.     lb    used 


to  average  five  million  brick  per  year,  and  at  one 
time  operated  three  yards.       lie  now  a  verages  from 

twelve  t"  fifteen  thousand  brick  per  year  and  - 1 

expects  to  retire  from  the  active  proprietorship  of 
his  business.  He  has  been  more  successful  in  this 
venture  than  any  other  man  in  the  locality.  His 
beautiful  home,  a  view  of  which  appears  on  another 
page,  is  a  large  brick  mansion  on  the  hanks  of  the 
Tittabawassee  River,  and  was  hmlt  in  1865,  at  a 
cost  of  $12,000. 

Mr.  Parker  was  married  a  second  time  in  1851, 
to  Ellen  Alexander  Garden,  who  was  horn  in  Ft. 
William,  Scotland.  August  23,  1818.  They  have  no 
children.  Mrs.  Parker  is  a  lady  of  great  dignity, 
and  is  beloved  by  all  who  know  her.  She  and  her 
husband  have  been  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  for  many  years  and  were  instrumental  in 
building  the  church  of  that  denomination  in  their 
neighborhood,  in  which  he  has  served  as  Trustee 
ever  since  its  erection.  He.  has  tilled  the  position 
of  Sunday-school  Superintendent  for  years,  and  he 
and  his  estimable  wife  have  taught  the  Bible  classes 
for  sixteen  years. 

( )ur  subject's  chief  pride  is  in  his  Republicanism, 
which  lie  has  always  felt  to  he  synonymous  with 
the  highest  patriotism.  Under  his  party  hi1  has 
held  the  position  of  Elighway  Commissioner,  was 
for  one  year  Supervisor  of  Thoniastown  Town-hip. 
and  has  also  filled  the  various  school  offices. 


•m^m\* 


osFS  M.  HARRIS.    Situated  picturesquely 

on  the  hanks  of  the  Tittabawassee,  -i\ 
miles  wesl  ol  Saginaw,  on  the  river  road, 
in  Saginaw  Township,  is  a  farm  on  which 
already  the  softening  seal  of  time  has  Keen  placed.  Its 
owner  i-  one  of  the  few  pioneer-  who  are  still 
identified  with  the  interests  which  they  have 
helped  to  formulate  and  organize,  passing  through 
therefor,  privations  and  hard-hips  incident  to  early 
settlement.  The  farm  is  located  on  section  13; 
iis  owner.  Moses  Harris,  wa-  horn  in  Rochester, 
N.  Y..  December  2(1,  1X2(>\  He  is  a  son  of  George 
and  Amanda  (Ireland)  Harris.  His  father  wa-  a 
native  of  New  York,  hut  of  Welsh  ancestry. 


734 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


Our  subject's  grandfather,  Henry  Harris,  who 
was  born  in  Wales,  came  to  America  when  a  young 
man.  just  previous  l<>  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rev- 
olutionary War.  through  which  he  served.  He  was 
a  man  of  exceptional  physical  strength,  and  in  his 
prime  stood  six  feet  two  inches  high.  He  is  said 
to  have  been  so  strong  that  he  could  pick  up  a 
barrel  of  pork  with  ease.  He  was  of  commanding 
appearance  and  bore  a  military  air.  He  followed 
fanning  in  New  York  State,  and  lived  to  the  re- 
markable age  of  one  hundred  and  ten  years. 

( )ur  subject's  father  was  noted  for  his  generosity 
and  benevolence.  The  soul  of  honor  himself,  he 
too  frequently  took  others  at  his  own  standard. 
He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  and 
then  ran  a  boat  on  the  Erie  Canal  for  ten  years, 
and  from  his  savings  purchased  a  farm  and  was  at 
one  time  the  ownerof  three  hundred  acres  of  land. 
In  1834  lie  sold  his  place  for  $15,000,  taking 
¥"2,(IO(l  cash  and  notes  without  security  for  the 
balance.  The  purchaser  soon  after  took  advantage 
of  the  bankrupt  law.  so  that  .Mr.  Harris  was  the 
loser  of  $13,000. 

After  selling  his  New  York  farm,  our  subject's 
father  went,  in  1834,  to  Lorain  County,  Ohio. 
That  farm  he  cleared  and  remained  upon  for  a  few 
years,  and  then  traded  for  a  farm  in  Rochester 
Township,  Ohio,  which  he  had  not  seen,  and  that 
farm  he  traded  for  a  farm  in  Tittabawassee  Town- 
ship. It  was  represented  to  he  a  fairly  improved 
place.having  good  stage  service  and  other  advan- 
tages. In  truth  it  was  one  sol  id  wilderness.and  quite 
beyond  the  then  bounds  of  civilization.  Soon  after 
settling  upon  the  place  he  divided  it  among  his 
sons,  and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  with  our 
subject,  at  whose  home  he  died  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three  years.  He  was  not  connected  with  any  sect, 
but  was  a  devoted  student  of  the  Bible,  imitating 
as  closely  as  he  could  the  example  of  Christ.  At 
his  death  he  confided  his  wife  to  the  care  of  his 
son   Moses. 

Our  subject's  mother  was  born  in  Schagta coke 
N.  Y.  She  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  ten  lived 
to  be  grown,  eight  boys  and  two  girls.  She  was  a 
kind-hearted  and  conscientious  Christian  woman, 
and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Her   gentle    spirit,    marked   by  angelic  sweetness, 


passed  the  portals  of  the  world  beyond  after  a  toil- 
some life  journey  of  ninety-two  years.  Her  later 
life  was  spent  with  our  subject,  who  fulfilled  in 
letter  and  spirit  the  promise  made  to  his  father. 

Moses  Harris  went  with  his  parents  from  New 
York  to  Ohio  when  eight  years  of  age.  He  well 
remembers  the  tedious  journey  by  packet-boat  to 
Buffalo  and  thence  across  the  great  lake.  When 
six  hours  out  on  the  lake,  and  in  the  dead  of 
night,  a  collision  took  place  and  excitement  ran 
high.  The  boats  were  badly  damaged  and  had  to 
make  for  land  with  all  haste.  While  living  in 
Ohio  his  young  strength  was  taxed  witli  the  work 
of  clearing  the  farm,  but  the  hardships  here  en- 
dured were  but  a  preparation  for  greater  ones  to 
follow.  The  work  of  clearing  had  scarcely  been 
completed  in  Ohio  when  the  journey  to  Michigan 
was  made,  to  recommence  a  more  arduous  task.  He 
was  willing,  however,  and  industrious,  and  began 
by  working  out  and  renting  land,  and  finally  se- 
cured thirteen  and  a  half  acres  as  payment  for 
clearing  a  tract  for  a  neighbor.  On  this  he  built 
a  log  cabin  and  engaged  Indian  labor  somewhat 
to  help  him  with  the  work  of  clearing.  The  larder 
was  supplied  chiefly  with  the  victims  of  his  gun, 
and  potatoes  were  regarded  as  luxuries,  lie  used 
to  dry  corn  by  the  stove  and  grind  it  in  the  cof- 
fee-mill in  order  to  make  meal  for  the  corn  bread. 
He  was  then  given  charge  of  the  County  Poor 
Farm,  which  he  ran  for  five  years,  clearing  mosl 
of  it  during  that  time.  He  purchased  his  present 
farm  in  1878,  and  hard  work  shows  in  its  result  of 
well-tilled    fields  and   comfortable  rural  residence. 

Mr.  Harris  is  the  owner  of  ninety-seven  acres  of 
good  land,  and  has  prospered  greatly  in  the  last 
twelve  years.  In  1858  he  was  married  to  Jane 
Aldrich.  Her  first  husband  was  George  W.  Aid- 
rich,  by  whom  she  had  two  daughters,  both  now 
married.  She  was  born  in  County  Antrim,  Ire- 
land, and  has  been  her  husband's  faithful  compan- 
ion and  co-worker,  and  his  success  is  due  in  no 
small  degree  to  her  untiring  help.  She  has  en- 
dured privation  and  hardship  most  uncomplain- 
ingly, and  deserves  the  greatest  credit  for  the  way 
in  which  she  has  maintained  herself  throughout. 
She  has  reared  two  children,  John  J.  and  Ilattie. 
Mrs.  McLellan.    Mr.  and    Mrs.  Harris  differ  in  their 


PORTRAIT  AND  LIOORAPIIICAL   RECORD. 


735 


church  relationship,  she  and  her  children  being 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  while  tie  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  sect.  Our  subject  takes 
great  pride  in  his  association  with  the  Republican 
party,  which  he  feels  to  be  specially  adapted  to  the 
government  of  this  nation. 


^.ANIEL  THOMPSON.  The  sturdy  inde- 
|;  pendence  of  character  found  in  people 
who  have  been  reared  in  mountain  dis- 
tricts, is  characteristic  of  our  subject.  He 
cares  less  for  the  opinion  of  his  fellow-men  than 
for  the  conviction  that  what  he  does  is  right  and 
best.  Mr.  Thompson  was  born  November  15, 1831, 
in  Catskill,  Oreene  County,  N.  Y.,  and  is  a  son  of 
Samuel  and  Hannah  (l)evall)  Thompson.  His  fam- 
ily is  of  Scotch  origin,  his  paternal  grandsire  hav- 
ing been  born  near  Edinburg, Scotland.  His  father. 
Samuel  Thompson,  was  born  in  Columbia  County, 
N.  V..  and  was  a  fanner.  His  father.  John  Thomp- 
son, was  a  member  of  Morgan's  Rifles,  and  was  en- 
gaged at  the  battle  of  Saratoga. 

In  the  fall  of  1860  Mr.  Thompson's  family  came 
to  .Michigan  and  settled  on  eighty  acres  of  Gov- 
ernment land  on  section  21,  Brant  Township. 
There  the  father  resided  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  October,  1883, when  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
seven  years.  For  many  years  he  hail  been  a  de- 
voted member  of  the  .Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
He  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife,  Hannah  De- 
vall,  bore  him  three  children.  The  eldest,  Hannah 
.1.,  is  deceased,  Daniel  and  Tobias  are  the  other 
two.  Our  subject's  mother  died  in  1836,  and  his 
father  some  time  afterward  married  Eli/.a  Devall. 
She  bore  him  one  child,  John  II.;  her  decease  oc- 
curred in  188(1. 

On  the  maternal  side  our  subject  was  descended 
from  French  ancestry.  His  mother  was  born  in 
Albany  County.  N.  Y.,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Da- 
vid Devall.  Our  subject  was  reared  on  a  farm  and 
received  the  advantages  of  a  limited  common- 
school  education.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  years  he 
began  to  earn  his  own  way  by  working  out  by  the 
month   and  also  by  giving  Ii is  time  on  the  home- 


stead,     lie    moreover   worked    for   some   time  in  a 

sawmill  and  in  October,  1857,  ca with  a  brother 

to  Michigan,  locating  in  St.  Charles  Township. 
Sagiliaw  County.  He  remained  until  June,  1859, 
and  then  returned  to  the  Empire  State,  but  the 
following  year  came  back  to  Saginaw  County  and 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  partnership  with 
his  brother,  making  over  the  deed  of  the  same  to 
their  mother. 

December  18,  1861,  Mr.  Thompson  enlisted  in 
Company  K,  Fourteenth  Michigan  Infantry,  and 
with  that  body  engaged  in  the  following  encoun- 
ters: They  were  lirst  at  Corinth,  then  at  Brent- 
wood, Lavergne,  Stone  River  and  Chickamauga. 
The  night  following  the  last  engagement  our  sub- 
ject was  paralyzed  on  the  right  side  and  was  taken 
to  Hospital  No.  HI.  in  Nashville.  He  remained 
there  for  one  month  and  spent  the  next  year  in 
hospital  at  Louisville,  after  which  he  was  placed  in 
the  invalid  corps  in  Company  '■.  Twelfth  Regi- 
ment, it  being  a  veteran  reserve.  They  were  sent 
to  Washington  and  our  subject  was  made  First 
Duty  Sergeant.  From  the  National  Capital  he  was 
sent  to  Fort  Lyon  and  was  made  Quartermaster 
Sergeaut,  acting  in  that  capacity  until  he  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service,  January  7.  1865,  when  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  and  was  for  a  time  engaged  in 
farming. 

In  the  fall  of   1869  our  subject    purchased  eighty 

acres  whereon  he  now  lives;  it  is  located  on  section 
2X.  Brant  Township.  This  he  has  cleared  and  im- 
proved and  added  forty-one  acres  to  the  original 
purchase,  but  ha.-  given  a  portion  of  the  farm  to 
his  son.  Mr.  Thompson  has  occasionally  been  en- 
gaged in  lumbering  during  the  winters.  He  has 
been  appointed  to  various  local  offices  and  has 
served  two  terms  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Com- 
missioner of  Highways.  His  lirst  vote  was  cast  for 
Franklin  Pierce,  the  next  for  Fremont,  and  from 
thai  time  he  was  a  Republican  until  1868,  when  he 
returned  to  the  Democratic  party,  working  with  it 
until  the  formation  of  the  Greenback  party.  He 
was  Chairman  of  the  State  Greenback  Committee 
that  nominated  Benjamin  Butler  on  the  Presiden- 
tial ticket,  and  was  one  of  the  men  who  engaged 
in  the  organization  of  the  Farmer's  Alliance.  Mr. 
Thompson  has  been  engaged  in  Southern  Ohio  and 


736 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


other  States   for  the  Greenback  party  and  for  the 
Parmer's  Alliance,  and   has  done  good   service  for 

In 'tli  of  these. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  September,  1860,  to 
Miss  Cynthia  S.  Stone,  a  native  of  Onondaga 
County,  N.  Y.  This  marriage  has  been  blest  by 
the  advent  into  the  family  of  tour  children.  They 
are:  William  E.,  Ellen,  wife  of  Edgar  Whalej', 
Anna  and  John  II.  In  I860  Mr.  Thompson  relates 
thai  he  and  his  wife  landed  in  Michigan  with  only 
sixty-three  cents  and  although  they  have  not  been 
exempt  from  misfortune  and  trouble,  they  have 
been  prosperous  and  now  enjoy  the  comforts  of  a 
pleasant  rural  home.  Socially  our  subject  belongs 
to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Knights  of  Labor.  He  is  President  of  the  Sub- 
ordinate Alliance  and  President  of  the  County 
Alliance  and  organizer  of  the  Eighth  Congressional 
District,  and  is  Chairman  of  the  Eighth  Congres- 
sional District  of  the  People's  Party. 


i*Hfrim&$. 


pvVEY.  HOWARD  MACQUEARY,  of  Saginaw, 
\^/  whose  name  has  conic  so  prominently  before 
the  public  as  a  party  to  the  controversy  with 
Bishop  Leonard,  was  born  .May  27,  1861,  in 
Albemarle  County,  Va.  He  was  the  youngest  of 
eight  children  and  his  parents  were  Thomas  How- 
ard and  Sarah  Jane  (Garland)  MacQueary.  The 
family  was  of  Scotch-Irish  origin  and  came  to 
America  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century 
settling  on  a  plantation  in  Virginia.  The  maternal 
grandparents  were  Clifton  and  Diana  (Kinsolving) 
Garland,  and  both  these  families  were  of  English 
descent  and  came  to  this  country  about  the  time 
that  the  MacQuearys  emigrated.  They  were  both 
well-known  families  in  Virginia  and  several  of 
them  were  influential  in  politics,  law  and  the 
church,  although  most  of  them  were  well-to-do 
planters.  Clifton  Garland,  however,  lost  his  prop- 
erty and  his  children  were  deprived  of  many  ad- 
vantages. 

The  parents  of  young  MacQueary  began  lifewith 
limited  financial  means  and  although  the  father 
was    rapidly    acquiring   a    competence    his    death, 


which  took  place  in  April.  1861,  left  his  widow  and 
three  children  in  rathera  destitute  condition.  Five 
of  the  children  of   this  family  had  died  before  the 

father  and    ones i  followed    him.      Howard,   the 

youngest  child,  was  thus  left  entirely  dependent 
upon  his  mother,  who  husbanded  her  meager  re- 
sources and  by  dint  of  industry,  managed  to  send 
him  to  the  parochial  school  until  he  was  thirteen 
years  old.  at  which  time  his  health  failed  and  he 
left  school  and  began  work  upon  the  farm,  lie 
soon  regained  his  health  but  found  it  necessary  to 
continue  farming  which  he  did  for  five  years,  and 
then  went  to  YVashi  ngton  City,  where  he  continued 
his  struggle  for  existence,  barely  succeeding  in 
making  a  living  for  himself  and  mother.  After 
eighteen  months  spent  in  mercantile  business  in 
Washington  he  was  enabled  by  friends  to  secure  a 
comfortable  home  for  his  mother,  and  to  enter  col- 
lege, thus  realizing  his  most  ardent  dream. 

This  ambitious  student  entered  Norwood  High 
School  ami  College  in  the  fall  of  18KH  and  after  a 
three  years'  course,  he  decided  to  enter  the  minis- 
try, and  went  to  the  Episcopal  Theological  Semin- 
ary near  Alexandria.  Va.,  where  he  took  the  three 
years'  course  in  two  years  and  graduated  in  1885. 
His  graduating  essay  sounded  the  key  note  of  his 
subsequenl  career  as  it  was  on  "The  Liberal  Educa- 
tion of  the  Clergy."  At  the  time  it  created  con- 
siderable comment  hut  was  not  considered  objec- 
tionable, except  by  a  few  consei vatives  among  the 
clergy.  On  tin  l'.tth  of  July,  1885,  he  received 
Deacon's  orders  from  the  Right  Rev.  George  W. 
Peterkin,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of  West  Virginia,  and  took 
charge  of  the  Parishes  of  Fairmont  and  Morgan- 
town,  W.  Va. 

An  acquaintance  which  sprung  up  in  1886  with 
Prof.  Joseph  LeConte,  of  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia, exerted  a  great  influence  upon  the  thought 
of  Mr.  MacQeary,  as  he  was  a  radical  evolutionist. 
Young MacQeary's  favorite  studies  were  apologet- 
ics, history  and  the  natural  sciences.  After  a  pas- 
torate of  eighteen  months  in  Fairmont,  he  was 
called  to  the  Episcopal  Church  of  Canton,  Ohio. 
and  there  his  most  notable  work  was  done.  He 
had  been  educated  in  the  strictest  orthodoxy  but 
his  scientific  studies  finally  began  to  undermine 
his  faith    in    traditional    dogmas.     He   first    broke 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


7.'!  7 


with  the  church  on  the  question  of  endless  punish- 
ment, and  he  was  led  to  accept  the  doctrine  of  evo- 
lution by  a  thorough  study  of  Darwin.  Huxley, 
Tyndall,  Spencer,  LeConte,  Winchell  and  others. 
lie  soon  abandoned  the  Calvinistic  dogmas  of  Ad- 
am's fall  ami  the  atonement. 

In  a  careful  examination  of  the  origin  and  in- 
spiration of  the  Scriptures  .Mr.  MacQueary  read, 
first,  the  orthodox  side,  choosing  Westcott,  Godet, 
Lighl foot,  and  others,  and  next  the  critical  side, 
including  Baur,  Zeller,  Keini,  Renan,  etc.  The  re- 
sult was  a  complete  revolution  of  opinion  on  this 
important  question  and  a  loss  of  faith  in  the  mira- 
cles of  Scriptuie. 

For  a  long  time  he  suffered  much  uncertainty 
and  doubt  as  to  whether  he  ought  not  to  resign 
from  the  ministry,  yet  he  did  not  want  to  give  up 
the  work,  as  he  considered  the  dogmas  of  less  im- 
portance than  the  moral  teachings  of  Christianity. 
lie  advised  with  many  friends  among  the  bishops 
and  clergy,  most  of  whom  told  him  that  his  de- 
parture from  the  standards  of  the  church  was  not 
sufficient  to  justify  his  withdrawal  from  the  min- 
istry, and  that  as  a  Protestant  lie  had  the  right  of 
private  judgment.  He  finally  decided  to  remain 
in  the  ministry,  and  believing  that  he  might  help 
others,  resolved  to  speak  out  boldly  his   opinions. 

In  ls'.iii  the  publishing  firm  of  Appleton  brought 
out  Mr.  MacQueary's  book,  entitled  the  "Evolution 
of  Man  and  Christianity,"  and  this  volume  imme- 
diately raised  a  storm  of  controversy.  The  chapter 
which  gave  the  most  offense  was  that  on  miracles. 
in  which  the  author  takes  a  different  view  of  mir- 
cles  from  that  commonly  entertained.  The  Epis- 
copal Church  Congress  shortly  after,  invited  him 
to  speak  on  Biblical  Criticism,  and  this  request 
roused  such  a  vehement  protest  in  the  religious 
papers  that  Dr.  Leonard,  lately  (dieted  Bishop  of 
Ohio,  was  forced  to  take  ad  ion  against  Mr.  Mac- 
Queary, and  sent  him  a  formal  '•admonition,"  in- 
sisting upon  submission  and  a  promise  that  he 
would  not  again  express  his  peculiar  views,  but 
Mr.  MacQueary  declined  to  make  such  a  promise. 

In  November,  1890,  he  attended  the  Church 
Congress  in  Philadelphia,  although  he  did  not 
speak  there  and  went  thence  to  New  York  and 
consulted  a  number  of  clergymen  as  to  the   course 


he  should  pursue.  After  this  he  returned  to  Can- 
ton and  found  his  formal  "presentment"  to  the 
Bishop  awaiting  him.  Again  an  effort  was  made 
to  adjust  the  disturbed  relations  but  in  vain,  and 
Mr.  MacQeary  was  arraigned  before  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal court  of  (he  Episcopal  Church  of  Ohio  in 
Cleveland,  on  the  7th  of  January,  1891,  the  charges 
preferred  against  him  being  his  rejection  of  the 
virgin  birth  and    the   bodily  resurrection  of  Jesus. 

This  court  consisted  of  the  Rev.  .Messrs.  Y.  1*. 
Morgan,  II.  I).  Aves,  and  A.  B.  Putnam,  of  Cleve- 
land, the  Rev.  W.  II.  Gallagher,  of  Pain esville,  and 
the  Rev.  George  F.  Smythe,  of  Toledo.  The  Hon. 
George  T.  Chapman,  a  lawyer,  acted  as  chairman 
and  legal  advisor  to  the  court.  The  prosecutor 
was  the  Rev.  Cyrus  Bates,  1).  1)..  and  Mr.  Mac- 
Queary defended  himself,  assisted  by  the  Hon.  .1. 
II.  MacMath,  as  legal  adviser.  The  trial  lasted 
for  two  days.  He  claimed  that  the  church  places 
the  Scriptures  above  the  creeds,  and  that  in  the 
Bible  there  are  two  views  given  of  Christ's  nativ- 
ity and  two  of  his  resurrection,  and  that,  as  a 
Protestant,  he  had  a  right  to  accept  either  view, 
and  that  either  interpretation  was  allowable. 

As  all  readers  of  the  newspapers  know,  this  trial 
caused  a  profound  sensation  and  made  Mr.  Mac- 
Queary a  conspicuous  figure  in  the  theological 
world.  After  two  and  a  half  months'  delibera 
tion,  two  of  the  judges,  Messrs.  (iallagher  and 
Smythe,  voted  for  acquittal,  and  the  other  three 
voted  that  Mr.  MacQueary  should  be  suspended 
from  the  ministry  for  six  months,  and  if  during 
that  time  he  did  not  promise  "not  to  teach  or  pub- 
lish his  peculiar  views"  he  should  be  deposed  from 
the  ministry.  The  division  in  the  court  created 
as  much  comment  as  the  trial  and  the  verdict  was 
generally  said  to  settle  nothing. 

On  the  18th  of  March  Bishop  Leonard  pronoun- 
ced sentence  upon  Mr.  MacQueary,  and  he  imme- 
diately resigned  his  parish  in  Canton  without 
attempting  to  hold  any  part  of  it,  and  accepted 
invitations  to  preach  and  lecture  elsewhere.  He 
preached  in  Jamestown,  N.  Y ..  Chicago,  Pittsburg, 
Hartford  and  St.  Louis,  and  addressed  the  Nine- 
teenth Century  Club  of  New  York  City.  He  spent 
the  summer  of  L89 1  in  Virginia  for  the  recovery 
of   his  health  which  was  suffering. 


738 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


In  Ihe  meantime  Mr.  MacQuearj  had  discovered 

that  the  sentence   pr< unced   upon  him  was  un- 

canonical,  in  that  il  imposed  two  penalties  for  one 
offense,  and  lit-  therefore  moved  the  Bishop  on 
September  1st,  to  restore  him  to  the  ministry,  but 
the  Bishop  availed  hims'elf  of  a  technicality  to 
change  the  sentence  from  :i  definite  to  an  indefin- 
ite suspension.  Mr.  MacQueary  therefore  decided 
to  take  the  matter  into  the  civil  courts  and  enjoin 
the  Bishop  from  further  suspending  him,  for  lie 
questioned  Ids  righl  to  so  alter  the  sentence. 

At  this  juncture  lie  received  a  Call  to  the  First 
Universalist  Church  at  Saginaw,  Mich.,  and  eon- 
eluded  to  accept  it  rather  than  to  contend  in  the 
courts  for  what  he  believed  to  be  his  rights.  On 
September  22,  he  renounced  the  ministry  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  which  renunciation  was  formally 
recognized  on  the   2-Hh  of   that  month   by  Bishop 

Leonard.     At  the. same  time  another  1 k  by  Mr. 

MacQueary,  entitled  ••Topics  of  the  Times,"  was 
brought  out  by  Lovell.  This  hook  deals  with  so- 
cial and  theological  problems  and  supplements  his 
previous  work.  He  has  also  published  various  arti- 
cles in  papers  and  periodicals  and  is  recognized  as 
a  man  of  strong  mind  and  earnest  purpose  even 
by  those  who  differ  radically  from  him  on  theo- 
logical questions.  <)n  January  14,  1892,  he  was 
married  to  .Miss  Emma Clarkson  Harris,  the  accom- 
plished daughter  of  the  Hon.  John  T.  Harris,  of 
Harrisonburg,  Va..  who  was  for  many  years  the 
Representative  of  that  district  in  Congress. 

A  special  to  the  Baltimore  Sun  from  Harrison- 
burg, Ya.,  gives  the  following  information  con- 
cerning a  social  event  that  Is  of  interest  to  many 
readers  of  this  work: 

"Miss  Emma  Clarkson  Harris  and  the  Rev.  How- 
ard MacQueary  were  married  here  to-day  at  noon. 
The  ceremony  was   performed   by  Rev,  Charles   E. 

Woodson,  rector  of  the  Episcopal  Church  at  Frank- 
lin,Va.,and  a  cousin  of  the  groom.  The  marriage 
took  place  at  the  residence  of  the  bride's  father, 
and  was  attended  only  by  immediate  relatives  of 
the  parties,  no  invitations  having  been  issued.  The 
bride  is  the  second  daughter  of  Judge  John  T. 
Harris,  a  distinguished  member  of  the  Virginia 
bar  and  for  many  years  the  representative  of  this 
district  in  Congress.  Miss  Harris,  who  was  edu- 
cated at  the  Convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart  at  Man- 
hattan vide.    New  York    City,    is    a    beautiful    and 


ac plished  lady  and  has  a  large  circle  of  friends 

in  Virginia  and  Washington  City.  The  groom  is 
well  known  in  religious  and  literary  circles,  his 
work  on  the  "Evolution  of  Man  and  Christianity" 
having  recently  caused  his  trial  for  heresy  in  the 
Episcopal  diocese  of  Ohio  while  serving  a  church 
at  Canton,  and  resulting  in  his  ultimate  withdrawal 
from  the  Episcopal  ministry.  lie  now  has  charge 
of  a  wealthy  Universalist  church  at  Saginaw,  Mich. 
Although  the  marriage  to-day  was  exceedingly 
quiet,  it  was  attended  by  a  number  of  relatives 
from  a  distance,  and  the  bride  received  many 
handsome  presents.  After  the  ceremony  a  wed- 
ding  breakfast  was  served,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mac- 
Queary left  on  the  afternoon  tram  for  Washing- 
ton. From  there  they  will  go  to  St.  Louis  and 
Chicago,  reaching  their  home  in  Saginaw  on  the 
22d  instant." 


*==*==y         / 


+=•5-2 


"\ 


,*sss»  EELEY  Ii.  BIRCHARD.  It  has  often  been 
observed  that  business  capacity  is  an  in- 
herited trait,  and  that  to  one  who  has  this 
characteristic,  opportunities  for  success 
seem  to  come  almost  unsought.  Social  and  educa- 
tional advantages  of  course  add  to  the  capability 
of  such  a  man,  but  he  must  have  these  native  trails 
in  order  to  succeed  in  a  business  way.  Such  capa- 
bilities belong  to  our  subject,  wdio  is  engaged  in 
painting  and  decorating  in  West  Bay  City,  besides 
being  a  stockholder  in  the  Street  Railway  Com- 
pany. He  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  is  a  stock- 
holder of  the  Peoples'  Savings  Bank,  and  is  inter- 
ested to  some  extent  in  real  estate. 

Mr.  Birchard  was  born  iii  YVilla  Wana.  Pa.,  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1857,  and  is  the  son  of  George  Birchard, 
a  native  of  Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  Daniel  Birchard.  was  a  native 
of  England,  and  on  coming  to  America  located  in 
Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
lumber  business.  Eater  he  removed  to  Willa 
Wana,  Pa.,  where  he  was  one  of  the  pioneer  lum- 
bermen. He  was  a  patriot  in  the  War  of  18 12.  and 
passed  his  last  days  at  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  dying  at  the 
age  of  ninety  years. 

George  Birchard  followed  the  same  occupation 
as  did  his  father,  to  which  he  added  blacksmithing. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


78!t 


He  resided  in  Pennsylvania  until  1873,  when  his 
sawmill    being  burned,  he  came  to  Michigan  and 

located  in  Clinton  County,  where  he  farmed  until 
1**1,  when  he  came  to  West  Kay  City  and  is  now 
living  a  retired  life.  He  is  an  influential  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  is  active 
in  all  good  works  which  have  for  their  object  the 
elevatinsj  of  society  and  the  community  in  general. 
Socially  he  was  a  prominent  .Mason.  His  wife,  the 
mother  of  our  subject,  was  Mrs.  Sarah  A.  (Seeley) 
Birchard,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  Seeley,  who  was  a  farmer  in  Massachu- 
setts. Mrs.  Birchard  could  trace  her  ancestry  back 
to  the  landing  of  the  "Mayflower."  She  died  when 
our  subject  was  but  four  and  one-half  years  old, 
after  having  become  the  parent,  of  three  children. 
Mr.  Birchard  of  this  sketch  being  the  only  one  liv- 
ing.    His  two  sisters  were  named  Dell  and  Ann. 

Seeley  R.  Birchard  of  whom  we  give  a  brief 
sketch,  was  reared  in  Willa  Wana,  Pa.,  where  he 
attended  the  common  schools,  and  when  fourteen 
was  sent  to  Chemung  Academy  at  Chemung,  N.  Y.. 
from  which  school  he  was  graduated  four  years 
later.  Then  determining  to  start  out  in  the  world 
for  himself,  oursubject  chose  Michigan  as  his  place 
of  future  operations  and  located  in  Reilev  Town- 
ship. Clinton  County,  where  he  remained  on  a 
farm  until  lie  was  twenty  years  of  age.  He  then 
went  to  DeWitt,  and  for  three  years  worked  as  an 
apprentice  at  the  painter's  trade.  Later  he  went 
to  Grand  Rapids,  where  he  remained  one  winter 
and  then  went  to  St.  John's,  Clinton  County,  and 
occupied  the  position  of  foreman  in  the  finishing 
department  of  the  St.  Jo'in's  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, when  having  been  industrious  and  economi- 
cal lie  had  saved  a  sufficient  sum  of  money  to  en- 
able him  to  start  in  business  for  himself.  He  con- 
tinued alone  i  short  time,  however,  when  in  the 
spring  of  1882  he  came  to  Saginaw  and  took  charge 
of  the  Munger  "Works,  until  July,  1882,  when  he 
Located  in  West  Bay  City.  His  place  of  business 
is  Located  on  the  corner  of  Midland  and  Walnut 
Streets,  and  he  is  engaged  in  doing  some  of  the 
finest  work  in  the  city,  the  large  contracts  which 
he  has  taken  giving  him  the  benefit  of  a  broad  ex- 
perience, lie  has  gradually  drifted  into  handling 
real  estate,  and  owns  the  Van  Alstine  Block,  where 


the  Peoples'  Bank  is  located.  He  also  possesses 
other  valuable  property  in  West  Bay  City,  and  has 
a  very  pleasant  residence  on  the  corner  of  Ohio 
and  Fremont  Streets. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  was  married 
in  St.  John's,  this  State,  May  1:5.  L883,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Miss  Mattie  Kipp.  Mrs.  Birchard 
was  born  in  Perrinsville,  Wayne  County,  this  State, 
and  by  her  union  with  our  subject,  lias  become  the 
mother  of  two  interesting  children,  Gleim  and 
Fred.  Mr.  Birchard 's  interest  in  educational  affairs 
lias  led  him  to  be  placed  on  the  School  Board, 
which  body  he  has  served  as  Secretary  for  four 
years.  Socially  he  is  a  Free  and  Accepted  Mason, 
belonging  to  Wenona  Lodge,  No.,  256.  He  is  also 
a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  being  identified  with  Blanch- 
ard  Chapter,  No.  ;"><>,  at  Bay  City;  the  Bay  City 
Council  of  the  Royal  and  Select  Masons;  the  Bay 
City  Commandry,  No.  26,  of  the  Knights  Templar; 
McCormick  Grand  Lodge  of  Perfection;  and  the 
Michigan  Sovereign  Consistory  at  Detroit.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  Nobles  Mystic  Shrine,  and  tin' 
Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  Mr.  Birchard  took  a 
trip  to  Europe  in  18'Jl  with  the  Bay  City  Crusa- 
ders, and  can  recount  many  an  interesting  tale  of 
that  journey.  In  politics  he  is  an  adherent  of  Re- 
publican principles,  having  represented  his  party 
in  both  county  and  State  conventions  as  a  dele- 
gate. He  is  serving  on  the  City  Republican  Com- 
mittee at  the  present  time,  and  has  been  a  member 
of  the  County  Committee. 


<S^> 


fc=  ••*  i.  m>~ 


•1©* 


EDGENE  FI FIELD.  We  have  here  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  firm  of  Merrill,  Fitield  & 
Co..  the  Largest  wholesale  house  in  Northern 
Michigan.  Mr.  Fitield  also  has  the  finest  stock 
farm  in  the  Saginaw  Valley  and  a  magnificent  herd 
of  imported  and  full-blooded  Herfords,  in  fact  the 
largest  herd  of  that  kind  in  the  State,  also  a  large 
flock  of  imported  Shropshire  sheep.  Besides  this 
stock  farm  lie  has  a  well-improved  and  highly  cul- 
tivated farm  in  Oakland  County.  But  more  than 
his  material  prosperity  the  people  of  Bay  City  take 
pride  in  Mr.  Fitield  on  account  of  his  character,  as 


Tin 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


tie  is  universally  conceded  to  be  a  man  of  stricl 
integrity,  whose  transactions  arc  governed  by  true 
and  honorable  business  principles. 

Our  subjecl  was  born  in  Waterford,  Oakland 
County,  this  State,  March  5,  1851,  and  bis  father 
was  the  Hon.  Francis  W.  Fifleld,  who  born  in  Og- 
den,  Monroe  County.  N.  Y..  and  removed  when  a 
boy  to  Centra]  New  York,  whence  he  came  to 
Michiganin  1838.  His  grand  father,  Samuel  Fifleld, 
was  born  in  Salsbury,  X.  II.,  August  23,  1793,  and 
took  part  in  the  War  of  IM2.  lie  located  in  Mon- 
roe County.  N.  Y.. where  he  had  a  farm  some  twelve 
miles  from  Rochester.  He  came  to  Michigan  in 
1838  but  did  not  live  long  after  his  settlement  in 
Waterford.  His  faithful  companion,  who  was  in 
maidenhood  Sarah  N.  Nonas,  of  New  Hampshire, 
(•tune  to  Kay  City  with  a  daughter  and  died  in  1884 
at  the  extreme  age  of  ninety-one  years. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  sixt'-en  years  old 
when  he  came  to  Michigan  and  soon  after  arriving 
here  he  began  teaching,  and  after  his  father's  death 
took  charge  of  the  farm  and  the  family,  as  he  was 
the  eldest  child.  He  cleared  two  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  and  farmed  it  all  until  18(12  when  he  engaged 
in  the  merchandise  and  milling  business  in  Water- 
ford, being  a  successful  merchant  there.  In  1883 
he  went  to  Van  liuicn  County  where  he  has  a  fine 
farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  and  he  is 
there  engaged  in  raising  full-blooded  Norman 
horses,  Shropshire  sheep  and  Holstein  cattle.  Ib- 
is a  Democrat,  politically,  and  has  served  not  only 
as  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Supervisor  in  Water- 
ford. but  was  in  1862  made  a  member  of  the  State 
Legislature  from  ( >  ikland  County.  1 1.'  is  prominent 
in  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  a  hard  worker  in 
everything  which  he  undertakes.  In  1858  he  was 
elected  Worthy  Master,  which   office    he    held   for 

twenty-one  SUC0ee3ive  years.  He  was  born  in  1821 
and  has  therefore  reached  tic  limit  of  threescore 
years  and  ten.  His  good  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Joan  .Morris,  was  burn  in  New  York  and  came 
to  Michigan  with  her  father,  who  died  shortly  after 
their  location  in  Oakland  County.  She  is  nowsev- 
entv-one  years  old  and  in  feeble  health,  as  she  has 
experienced  four  paralytic  strokes  within  the  last 
seven  years. 

Four  boys  and  three  uirls  constituted  the  family 


in  which  our  subject  grew  to  maturity,  and  three 
Of  this  number  slill  survive,  our  subject  and  two 
sisters,  namely:  Annettie,  who  is  Mrs.  Fanning,  of 
Decatur.  Van  Buren  County. and  llattie,  now  Mrs. 
Bradt,  of  Flint.  Our  subject- was  reared  upon  a 
farm  and  studied  in  the  common  district  schools, 
after  which  In-  took  three  years  in  Clarkson  Acad- 
emy and  received  a  certificate  to  teach.  During 
his  vacations  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  store  and 
in  1H71  and  1K72  he  took  charge  of  the  stave 
mill  at  Newport,  where  he  did  an  extensive  busi- 
ness both  in  milling  and  in  general  merchandise 
which  was  connected  therewith. 

On  the  9th  of  November,  1876,  Mr.  Fifleld  Game 
to  Bay  City  and  became  a  partner  first  in  the  firm 
of  (Justin  A-  Merrill,  which  afterward  became  (Jus- 
tin. Merrill  A-  Co..  and  finally  Merrill,  Fifleld  &  Co. 
The  business  was  located  in  the  Denison  Block  on 
Water  Street  and  occupies  three  floors,  with  a  fron- 
tage of  four  stores.  The  firm  also  owns  and  oper- 
ates an  elevator,  which  is  the  largest  in  the  valley, 
and  carries  on  a  business  in  wholesale  groceries  and 
lumbermen's  supplies  as  well  as  grain  and  produce. 
Their  grain  business  is  the  largest  in  Bay  City.  For 
eight  years  the\  ran  a  branch  store  at  West  Branch. 

Both  at  the  State  Fair  at  Grand  Rapids  and  at 
the  first  Detroit  Exposition  Mr.  Fifleld  received 
premiums  on  his  live  stock,  and  indeed  has  received 
more  premiums  for  excellence  in  this  line  than  any 
other  man  in  the  State.  At  the  head  of  his  herd 
stand  "Harold"  and  other  notable  Ilerefords  are 
"Greenhorn  Fifth."  an  imported  animal,  and '"Al- 
ger." a  three-year-old  of  his  own  raising.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1891,  he  took  first  premium  on  "Alger"  and 
second  on -Harold."  At  three  different  times  he 
has  imported  cattle  and  has  brought  about  two 
hundred  info  the  country  and  is  now  looked  to  as 
source  from  which  to  seek  the  finest  stock.  He  has 
also  been  successful  in  sheep  and  has  taken  prem- 
iums on  his  Shropshires  wherever  shown.  lie  is 
considered  the  largest  breeder  and  importer  in 
Michigan  especially  in  the  line  of  Ilerefords.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  State 
Agricultural  Society  and  was  re-elected  to  that 
position  in   189  1. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Fifleld  and  Miss  llattie  11. 
Hammond   took    place    February    1<>.   is7.">.     This 


PORTRAIT   AMI  BiOOKAI'll'CAL    RECORD. 


743 


lady  Was  born  in  Independence,  Oakland  County, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Joel  Hammond,  an  earlj  set- 
tler from  New  Jersey,  who  was  very  successful  in 
Michigan  and  upon  his  death  Left  an  estate  of 
$40,000.  One  child,  Nellie,  has  blessed  the  home 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fifield.  Mr.  Fifield  is  prominenl 
in  the  Masonic  order,  being  an  official  member  in  the 
Knights  Templar,  Scottish  Rite  and  the  Mystic 
Shrine. and  also  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Masonic 
Temple  Association.  lie  belongs  to  both  the  Amer- 
ican Hereford  Breeders  Association  and  the  Amer- 
ican Shropshire  Association  and  is  active  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Republican  party. 


ffiAMES  ('.  DANFORTH.  In  reviewing  the 
varied  interests  of  West  Bay  City,  with  a 
desire  to  convey  to  ourreadersa  knowledge 
of  its  resources  and  its  prominent  citizen-. 
we  are  called  upon  to  notice  the  life  of  this  gen- 
tleman, who  is  the  most  extensive  sewering  and 
paving  contractor  in  West  Bay  City.  As  a  soldier 
in  the  late  war  he  has  a  creditable  record,  and  as  a 
citizen  he  possesses  the  confidence  of  the  commun- 
ity. His  portrait  is  presented  in  connection  with 
the  following  biographical  notice. 

In  Java,  Wyoming  County,  X.  V..  our  subject 
was  born  August  2.">.  1843.  His  father.  John  Dan- 
forth,  was  born  in  Dungavin,  Ireland,  m  1798, and 
was  reared  on  a  farm,  learning  the  trade  ofastone 
cutter  and  mason  in  his  youth.  In  ls->7  he  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States.  locating  in  LeRoy, 
N.  Y.,  and  removing  thence  to  Java,  which  was  at 
that  time  but  sparsely  settled.  He  purchased  one. 
hundred  acres  in  the  Holland  Purchase  and  built 
thereon  a  log  house  containing  two  rooms  and 
roofed  with  hark.  After  placing  substantia]  im- 
provements on  the  place  he  sold  it  for $56  perac.re. 
In  1858  John  Danforth  removed  to  Mt.  Morris. 
where  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  and  also 
ran  a  canal  boat  with  the  assistance  of  his  sons.  In 
1867  he  came  to  Bay  City  where  he  bought  some 
real  estate  and  remained  until  his  death  in  1878.  ! 
A  prominent  Democrat,  he  held  various  township 
.-54 


Offices,    and     during     his     residence     in     New    York 

served  as  an  officer  in   the   militia.     His   religious 
belief  brought  him  into  sympathy  with  the  Catho- 
lic (lunch,  of  which  he  was  a  devout  member.  His 
wife,  whose    maiden    name    was    Mary    A.   Carroll, 
was  horn  in  Droheade,  County  Meath, Ireland,  and 
was  the  daughter   of  Michael  Carroll,  a  linen  man- 
ufacturer of   that    place,  who  came  to  the  United 
States  about    1830,  locating   in  Wyoming  County, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  died  when  more  than  eighty  years 
old.      Mrs.  Mary  A.  Danforth  passed  away  in   1862. 
Three   children  were    born  to  the  parents  of  our 
subject:    Catherine,  now  Mrs.  Keenan,  of  Midland 
County,  this    State;    our   subject,  and   Patrick  who 
enlisted  in    1863   in   the  One  Hundredth  Pennsyl- 
vania   Infantry  and   served   until   the  close  of  the 
Civil  War,  his  decease  taking  place  January  2.  1892, 
in  Cleveland.  (  Hiio.     <  >ur  subject  was  the  second  in 
order  of  birth  and  remained  upon  his  father's  farm 
in  Java  until  fifteen  years  of  age.     On  the  removal 
of  the  family  to  Mt.  Morris  he  assisted   his   father 
m  the  grocery  business   for  a  time,  and   afterward 
ran  a  boat  on    Erie  Canal  between  Olean  and  Al- 
bany, becoming  a  captain,  and  for  three  years  car- 
rying on  a  successful  business. 

In  November,  lKC'S.  Mr.  Danforth  entered  (he 
service  of  his  country  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion, 
enlisting  at  Rochester  in  Companj  II,  Fourteenth 
New  York  Heavy  Artillery.  The  regiment  was 
mustered  in  at  Klmira  and  sent  South  into  Vir- 
ginia. Mr.  Danforth  took  part  in  the  following 
engagements:  Battle  of  the  Wilderness,  Spottsyl- 
vania.  North  Anna  River,  Cold  Harbor;  the  siege 
of  Petersburg  June  16,  lit.  20,  and  July  30;  South 
>idc  Railroad  August  20,  and  Yellow  House.  He 
was  wounded  at  Petersburg  June  20,  receiving  a 
gunshot  wound  which  fractured  his  right  leg  above 
the  ankle. 

In  spite  of  his  injury  Mr.  Danforth  went  into 
battle  with  his  regiment  July  .30,  at  Petersburg, 
where  he  was  again  severely  wounded  by  a  bayo- 
net thrust  through  the  abdomen.  This  laid  him 
up  for  awhile,  but  with  indomitable  spirit  he  in- 
sisted on  getting  well  and  in  a  few  weeks  after- 
ward was  again  with  his  regiment.  I  fe  was  engaged 
with  hi-  company  in  tearing  down  and  destroying 
cum  crib- when  he  was  caughl  under  a  falling  crib 


744 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


and  badly  crushed.  This  incapacitated  him  for 
service  for  a  long  tunc  but  he  remained  with  his 
regiment  until  the  close  <>f  the  war  and  was  dis- 
charged .May  17.  I860,  at  Washington,  where  he 
took  pari  in  the  Grand  Review. 

Mr.  Danforth  returned  home  after  his  discharge 
from  the  army  and  in  the  spring  oi  the  same  year 
took  a  trip  bo  Ireland  where  he  remained  for  three 
months,  visiting  relatives.  Returning  home  in  the 
fall  he  went  to  the  Pennsylvania  oil  regions,  visit- 
ing Pithole  City  and  West  Hickney.  There  he  in- 
vested  in  land  and  bored  for  oil,  and  was  there 
during  the  gFeat  excitement  which  ensued  on  the 
discovery  in  thai  region.  However,  he  was  not 
successful  in  his  undertaking  and  soon  afterward 
went  to  Buffalo  where  he  engaged  in -the  black- 
smith and  wagon  business. 

In  the  spring  of  L867  Mr.  Danforth  sold  out  and 
came  to  .Midland  City  and  here  he  engaged  in  the 
lumbering  business  until  1869  when  he  removed  to 
Wenona,  now  West  Kay  City.  For  several  years 
he  acted  as  foreman  in  a  number  of  lumber  camps, 
among  them  those  of  Bailey  &  Co.,  on  the  Rifle 
River  where  he  remained  for  two  years  with  sixty 
or  eighty  men  under  him.  He  was  also  employed 
in  Sage's  mill  for  four  years.  For  five  years  he 
served  as  Street  Commissioner  of  West  Hay  City. 
during  which  time  he  did  much  hard  work  for  the 
city  in  the  way  of  improving  the  si  reel-. 

In  1882  Mr.  Danforth  resigned  his  ,  osition  to 
engage  in  the  construction  and  putting  in  of  the 
water-works,  taking  the  contract  to  layseven  miles 
of  mains,  which  took  over  a  year's  time  to  com- 
plete. He  also  took  subsequent  con  tracts  for  the 
.same  work,  and  in  fact  may  be  called  the  father  of 
the  water-works  system  of  the  city.  The  mains 
were  laid  in  188J  and  he  has  since  been  engaged 
in  sewer  contracting,  putting  down  $20,000  worth 
of  city  sewers  in  I  K8it.  His  contracts  with  the  « ■  i  1  \ 
this  year  (18i)2)  will  aggregate  U  1,000  for  sewer- 
age and  $32,000  for  pavements. 

Mr.  Danforth  was  married  October  10,  1870,  in 
Saginaw  City,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Abraham,  a  native 
of  County  Kilkenny.  Ireland,  who  was  reared  in 
Goderich,  Ontario.  They  have  two  children:  Etta, 
who  is  attending  St.  Mary's  School  at  .Monroe, 
Mich.,  and    Mary  A.,  at    home.      Of    late   years  Mr. 


Danforth  has  been  a  Republican  and  opposed  to 
adopting  free  trade.  He  served  as  Alderman  of  the 
Fourth  Ward  and  also  one  year  as  Constable.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  building  Committee  of  St. 
Mary's  Church,  and  also  belongs  to  the  Catholic 
Mutual  Benefit  Association,  the  West  Bay  City 
Building  and  Loan  Association,  and  the  West  Bay 
City  Business  Men's  Association,  lie  has  been  a 
delegate  to  both  county  and  State  conventions.  A 
genial  and  social  man,  of  fine  appearance,  he  is 
very  popular  wherever  known. 


=§>^r-<| 


G—  . 


ra>-> 


\  APOLEON    LA    FRANCE,   of   the    firm    of 

F.  La  Fn e  A-  Son,  is  an  enterprising  and 

progressive  young  man,  who,  with  his  fa- 
ther, is  carrying  on  a  large  livery  and  undertak- 
ing establishment  in  West  Bay  City.  Francis  La 
France  was  born  in  Canada  of  French  ancestry. 
and  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  residing  near  Mon- 
treal. In  1871  he  brought  his  family  to  Bay  City 
and  located  at  Banks,  then  South  Bay  City,  after- 
ward removing  to  West  Hay  City,  where  he  ran  a 
blacksmith  shop  for  awhile,  afterward  drifting  into 
the  livery  business,  from  which  his  present  large 
establishment  has  grown.  His  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  l'hilomena  Beaudoin,  was  born  in  Mon- 
treal. Fourteen  children  were  horn  to  this  couple, 
of  whom  ten  are  now  living,  and  of  whom  our 
subject   was  the  sixth  child. 

Napoleon  La  Franc'  was  reared  and  educated 
in  Hay  City,  assisting  his  father  in  his  livery  bu>i 
ness,  and  in  iss7  becami  a  partner  in  the  firm. 
They  built  their  'large  stable  in  November.  1889. 
It  is  18x90  feet  in  dimensions  with  twenty-five-foot 
posts.  The  upper  door  of  the  building  is  fur- 
nished as  a  large  public  hall  and  is  used  by  dif- 
ferent organizations  as  a  place  of  meeting.  The 
establishment  is  the  largesl  of  the  kind  in  West 
Hay  City,  and  is  amply  supplied  with  excellent 
teams  and  conveyances  of  all  descriptions.  In 
1*:»1  the  firm  added  undertaking  to  their  livery 
business,  of  which  our  subject  was  made  manager. 
He  is  also  interested  in  real  estate  and  in  farming. 
He  i- connected  with  the   Minneapolis   Building  & 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


74.". 


Loan  Association,  tin d  a  similar  Association  in  De- 
troit. He  belongs  to  a  number  of  social  orders, 
being  a  member  of  the  Iron  Hall,  the  Foresters, 
tin-  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and  the  Ancient 
Order  of  the  United  Workmen.  He  is  well  known 
in  business  circles  and  will  undoubtedly  malce  his 
mark   in  tin-  world  as  a   business  man. 


3.5**4-*,i 
-.****^ 


&****! 
***** 


RANK  B.  FLORENTINE,  M.  D.  This  well- 
known  professional  man.  of  Saginaw,  is  a 
native  of  Illinois,  having  been  born  in  the 
city  of  Chicago,  June  H'>.  L849.  His  parents,  Jo- 
seph and  Cecile  (Bergeron)  Florentine,  wen1  born 
in  Orleans,  France,  and  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  in  1849,  the  Doctor  being  born  soon  after 
the  arrival  of  the  family  in  Chicago. 

From  the  age  of  seven  to  twelve  our  subject 
attended  Iherommon  school,  and  then  the  High 
School.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  the  ser- 
vice of  his  country,  in  March,  1865,  and  served 
one  year  as  a  private  in  Company  II,  Fifty-eighth 
Illinois  Infantry,  and  was  mustered  out  in  March. 
1866,  at  Montgomery,  Ala. 

Upon  his  return  to  Chicago  the  young  man  de- 
cided to  attend  secular  schools  for  five  years 
longer,  at  the  same  time  keeping  up  the  study  of 
medicine  under  the  late  Prof.  Moses  Gunn,  of 
Chicago,  and  afterward  with  Dr.  D.  K.  Cornell, 
of  St.  Louis.  Mo.,  also  taking  special  studies  and 
pursuing  a  course  at  Bourbonnais  College  and 
Kankakee  (111.)  High  School.  Afterward  he  taught 
school  for  awhile  at  Kankakee,  Watseka,  Beaver 
and  Pleasant  Grove.  Later  he  spent  some  time 
m  the  College  at  Eureka,  111.,  where  he  attended 
to  his  classical  studies. 

In  1872  the  Doctor  went  to  Paris.  France,  in 
order  to  complete  his  classical  studies,  remaining 
there  eighteen  months.  Then,  upon  his  return 
home,  he  entered  Rush  Medical  College,  Medical 
Department  of  the  Northwestern  University  of 
Chicago,  being  graduated  therefrom  in  iS7<>.  (inly 
a  few  weeks  alter  he  graduated  from  the  latter  in- 
stitution he  located  in  Saginaw,  where  he  has  re- 
sided ever  since   in  the  pursuit    of  hi-  profession. 


In  1889  he  again  visited  Europe  and  took  special 
courses   in   gynecology  and   surgery,  and  after  his 

return  to  tins  country  Located  on  the  Fast  Side  of 

the  city,  where  he  has  since  conducted  his  profes- 
Si<  .n.-i I  work. 

Oursubjecl  is  a  member  of  the  American  .Medical 
Association,  the  Michigan  State  .Medical  Society 
and  the  Alumni  Association  of  Push  Medical  Col- 
lege. He  is  also  a  member  of  Gordon  Granger 
Post.  No.  38,  G.  A.  P.  lie  was  married,  in  1*77, 
to  Miss  Marie  Louise  Andre,  daughter  of  the 
Hon.  Alexander  Andre,  of  the  well-known  real 
estate  firm  of  Andre  Bros.,  of  Saginaw,  and  they 
have  been  Messed  by  the  gift  of  two  children, 
namely:  Edward  Alexander,  aged  thirteen,  and 
William  Herbert,  aged  seven,  with  whom  the\  re- 
side at  No.  507  South  Washington  Avenue. 

The  Doctor  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  id' 
Health  and  Health  Officer  for  a  number  of  year-. 
He  is  also  a  liberal  contributor  to  medical  journals 

and   has  translate d    s e  valuable    works  from  the 

French  and  German  languages  into  the  English 
vernacular. 


F=!    -^ 


^+£1 


<«  IVILLIS  Mil. LLP.  proprietor  of  the  Chesan- 
\  /  ing  Argus,  was  bom  in  Cayuga  County. 
W  \.  v..  March  6,  1858.  At  the  age  of  ten 
years  he  accompanied  his  parents,  William  II. 
and  Matilda  A.  Miller,  to  Steuben  County,  Ind.. 
and  four  years  later  to  Hersey,  Osceola  County, 
Mich.,  where  he  served  an  apprenticeship  of  three 
years  in  the  Osceola  Outline  office.  He  was  also 
employed  as  a  compositor  on  the  Lake  County 
Star  and  Reed  City  Clarion,  and  filled  the  posi- 
tion of  assistant  editor  on  the  last-named  journal. 
On  January  1.  1878,  Mr.  Miller  came  to  Chesan- 
i 1 1 lz  and  bought  a  half  interest  in  the  Chesaning 
Argus,  which  had  Keen  established  the  previous 
year.  The  following  .Inly  he  purchased  his  part- 
ner's interest,  and  since  then  has  conducted  the 
paper  alone.  He  was  married  February  II.  1879. 
to  Carrie  C.  Warren,  who  was  horn  in  Kalamazoo 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Joel  P.  and  Caroline  C. 
Warren,  natives  of  New  York.   Mrs.  Miller  belongs 


7-lfi 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


to  a  family  of  journalists,  and  three  of  her  uncles 
were  interested  in  the  newspaper  business,  one  of 
■whom  was  Volney  Hascall,  for  thirty  years  editor 
of  the  Kalamazoo  Gazette;  her  grandfather  and 
father  were  gifted  writers,  and  she  has  inherited 
a  taste  and  gift  for  the  work  that  has  been  of 
great  assistance  to  her  husband  in  their  married 
life. 

Two  children  have  been  horn  to  Mr.  .Miller  and 
his  wife — Olive  Hascall  and  Nellie  Warren.  The 
elder,  Olive,  was  transferred  to  the  heavenly  home 
November  2.  1879,  and  since  that  sad  event,  the 
whole  course  and  tenor  of  the  parents' lives  seemed 
to  change,  and  they  sought  to  learn  more  of  the 
mystery  called  death,  the  result  of  which  served 
to  turn  them  from  Materialism  to  Spiritualism. 
This  change  was  made  mosl  apparent  in  their 
newspaper  work.  Mr.  Miller  never  hesitating  to 
give  his  sentiments  on  any  question. 

Previous  to  the  advent  of  the  Argus  several  fu- 
tile attempts  had  been  made  to  start  a  paper  in 
Chesaning,  only  to  prove  a  disastrous  failure  after 
the  novelty  had  worn  oft'.  Therefore  it  was  with 
the  greatest  difficulty  that  the  Argus  won  the  con- 
fidence of  the  people  and  succeeded  in  placing  il- 
self  on  a  sound  basis.  This  is  owing  almost  en- 
tirely to  the  indomitable  will  and  courage  of  the 
editor,  whose  trials  in  the  beginning  would  have 
discouraged  many  an  older  head.  Upon  coming 
to  Chesaning  Mr.  Miller  put  all  his  earnings  into 
the  office,  and  whatever  he  has  of  this  world's 
goods  has  been  gained  by  hard  labor,  push  and 
enterprise.  At  the  beginning  of  his  newspaper 
work  here  lie  was  the  youngest  proprietor  and 
editor  in  the  State,  being  then  only  twenty  years 
of  age.  He  may  truly  be  said  to  be  a  self-made 
man,  and,  as  he  himself  aptly  remarks,  a  graduate 
of  the  "World's  College." 

Mr.  Miller  has  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the 
Argus  looked  upon  as  the  ••people's  paper."  it 
having  a  wide-spread  circulation,  and  its  influ- 
ence reaching  not  only  throughout  this  county 
but  into  the  surrounding  communities.  Besides 
its  home  circulation  il  is  a  welcome  visitor  to 
many  homes  in  all  parts  of  the  State,  and  in  al- 
most every  State  of  the  Union.  The  Argus,  al- 
ways independent   in   politics,  has  within  the  past 


four  years  been  aggressively  so.  but  ever  on  the 
side  of  the  people.  It  has  labored  zealously  in  the 
progressive  and  reform  movements  agitating  the 
country,  and  in  behalf  of  the  industrial  class  it 
has  taken  sides  with  the  Patrons  of  Industry  and 
the  Alliance  organization.  It  always  favors  re- 
ligious and  political  freedom,  and  any  move- 
ment that  will  benefit  humanity.  By  thus  uphold- 
ing what  he  believes  to  lie  principles"  of  justice 
and  right,  Mr.  Miller  has  many  times  brought 
down  upon  his  head  vials  of  wrath,  threats  and 
persecutions  from  those  who  differed  with  him. 
But  through  it  all  he  held  his  ground  and  stood 
firm  until  victory  has  crowned  his  efforts,  and  he 
now  has  the  support  of  almost  the  entire  com- 
munity. 


HARLES  G  LASER.  This  gentleman  is  the 
(' it y[('ompt roller  of  West  Kay  City. to  which 

—/  office  he  was  appointed  by  the  City  Council 
in  August,  1891,  and  which  he  holds  satisfactorily 
to  all  concerned.  He  was  born  in  Northern  Ger- 
many, November  I.  1839, and  received  a  thorough 
education  in  his  native  place,  going  through  the 
Latin  school  at  the  city  of  Magdeburg,  and  then 
attended  the  University  at  Halle,  taking  a  Civil 
Engineering  course,  graduating  with  the  degree  of 
Civil  Engineer,  lie  was  then  examined  by  the 
Government  examiners,  and  entering  the  service 
of  the  Prussian  Government  in  the  capacity  of  an 
engineer,  remained  in  that  office  until  coming  to 
the  United  States. 

On  December  21,  1K(>(>.  Mr.  Glaser  arrived  in  this 
country,  and  landing  in  New  York  State,  went  to 
Connecticut  and  remained  there  for  three  years. 
He  had  intended  staying  here  but  a  short  time 
only,  coming  on  a  visit  but  deciding  to  remain  here, 
in  1869  came  to  West  Lay  City,  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Jackson,  Lansing  A-  Saginaw  Railroad 
to  explore  the  lines  from  here  to  Mackinaw.  He 
worked  for  this  road  five  years  and  ten  months, 
and  until  the  line  was  built  to  Gaylord.  He  then 
entered  in  the  contracting  business,  doing  his  first 
work  in  West    Bay  City  paving  the  streets.     Sub- 


I 


m 


% 


<m™.,  ffl^ jte-zd&w 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOORAPHICAJ     RECORD. 


749 


seqnently  in  1881  this  gentleman  engaged  with  the 
Michigan  Centra]  Railroad  as  Chief  Clerk  in  the 
Locomotive  Department,  and  held  thai  position 
for  ten  years,  when  he  was  appointed  Comptroller 
of  West  Bay  City,  which  position  he  is  the  incum- 
bent of  to-day. 

Mr.  Glaser  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  KetekSOn, 
who  was  born  in  Denmark,  but  lived  in  Hamburg, 
Germany,  from  her  early  childhood.  This  evenl 
occurred  March  23,  1867.  Two  children  have  been 
the  result  Of  this  happy  union,  who  bear  the  names 
of  Nettie  and  Ella.  Our  subject  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  odd  Fellows,  the  Royal 
Arcanum.  National  Union,  and  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees.  The  pleasant  residence  in  which  he  re- 
sides was  erected  by  himself  and  is  located  at  No. 
209  North  Linn  Street,  where  he  has  resided  some 
time. 


<^j  APT.  JOHN  W.  JORDAN,  who  is  an  old 
(l(^-,  sailorof  thirty  years' experience,  was  born 
^±yJ  in  Cuyahoga  Falls,  Ohio,  November  26, 
1839.  His  father.  Mills  Jordan,  was  a  native  of 
Virginia  as  was  also  his  grandfather,  who  was  a 
soldier  in  the  War  of  1812  and  a  wealthy  planter, 
belonging  to  the  F.  F.  Vs.  He  became  disgusted 
with  slavery  and  gave  his  slaves  free  papers,  bring- 
ing them  with  him  on  his  removal  to  Ohio,  lie 
engaged  in  the  banking  business  in  the  Buckeye 
State  and  there  died. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  married  in  Ohio 
where  he  followed  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  and 
joiner,  dying  in  Akron,  that  State,  in  1817.  lie 
was  a  Whig  in  politics  and  in  religion  a  Congre- 
gationalism His  wife  whose  maiden  name  was 
Catherine  Bascomb,  was  born  in  County  Donegal, 
Ireland,  her  parents  being  natives  of  Scotland. 
After  her  parents'  death  which  occurred  when  she 
was  quite  young,  she  came  with  her  uncle  to  this 
country  and  resided  in  Albany  until  twelve  years 
of  age,  then  removing  to  Cuyahoga  Falls.  She 
died  in  1854,  leaving  five  children  of  whom  four 
are  living.  Of  this  family  our  subject  isthe  second 
child  and  only  son. 

John   W.Jordan  resided  in   Akron     until    fifteen 


years  of  age.  When  only  thirteen  years  old  he 
went  to  work  in  the  railroad  shops  of  the  Cleve- 
land, Zanesville  &  Cincinnati  Railroad,  at  Akron, 
where  he  remained  for  two  years,  a  part  of  the 
time  acting  as  fireman  on  a  passenger  train  between 
Akron  and  Millersburg.  lie  then  came  to  Cleve- 
land where  he  worked  for  a  time  as  a  mechanic, 
but  being  taken  ill  and  suffering  from  weak  fuiigs 
he  engaged  as  a  sailor,  hoping  to  regain  his  health 
in  that  way.  This  proving  to  be  the  ease  and  the 
life  proving  congenial  he  has  continued  thus  en- 
gaged ever  since.  He  first  sailed  in  the  "Charles 
Meares"  between  Chicago  and  the  east  shore  of 
Lake  Michigan, and  one  year  later  embarked  on  a 
vessel  in  the  lumber  trade  at,  North  Sandusky, 
serving  three  years  before  the  mast. 

When  twenty-two  years  old  Mr.  Jordan  was 
made  mate  of  the  schooner  "A.  Rust"  serving  in 
that  capacity  for  one  year.  Afterward  he  was 
mate  of  the  "William  Kelley,"  running  to  St.  Joe, 
for  a  season,  and  was  then  made  second  mate  of 
the  passenger  propel  lor  "Genesee  Chief,"  sailing 
between  Buffalo  and  Saginaw,  in  which  position  he 
remained  for  two  seasons.  For  one  season  he  was 
mate  of  the  steam  barge  "Salina,"  for  two  seasons 
master  of  the  tow  barge  "Oardner,"  master  of  the 
propellor "Trader"  two  seasons  and  master  of  the 
steam  barge  "Holland."  in  the  iron  and  lumber 
trade  for  three  seasons.  He  then  spent  one  season 
on  his  farm  in  Lucas  County,  where  he  owned 
forty  acres  of  improved  land. 

Returning  to  his  life  as  a  sailor  ('apt.  Jordan 
served  as  mate  of  the  "Prindeville"  for  two 
seasons,  mate  of  the  propeller  "Arizona"  three 
seasons,  made  one  trip  on  the  "Genesee"  and  the 
remainder  of  the  season  on  the  '  McBrier"  and  the 
next  spring  fitted  out  the  schooner  "Gallatia,"  of 
which  he  was  Captain  for  three  months.  He  after- 
ward sailed  on  different  vessels,  among  them  the 
"Maine,"  "Mineral  Rock,"  and  in  1891  made  one 
trip  on  the  "Maine"  spending  the  balance  of  the 
season  on  the  steamer  "Burlington,"  engaged  in 
the  lumber  trade,     lie  sailed  the  propellor   "S.   D. 

Caldwell"  season  and   part   of   a  second  season, 

until  the  arches  were  broken.  The  Captain  then 
rebuilt  it  and  during  the  remainder  of  the  season 
ran  it  as  a  barge,     since  he  was  sixteen    veal's    old 


750 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


he  ha>  been  :i  sailor,  and  during  tin'  thirty-six 
years  has  never  had  a  fatal  accident  on  any  of  his 
vessels. 

Capt.  Jordan  was  married  in  Bryan,  Ohio,  Janu- 
ary 30,  1865,  i"  Miss  Mar\  A.Smith,  who  was  born 
in  Huntington  County,  Ind.  Mrs.  Jordan  is  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  Smith,  a  uative  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  an  early  pioneer  of  Indiana,  who  later 
located  in  Lucas  County,  Ohio,  and  there  died. 
His  wife  whosemaiden  name  was  Amanda  Sterling, 
was  also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  died  in 
Ohio.  Among  six  children  .Mrs.  Jordan  was  the 
second  in  order  of  birth.  Two  of  her  brothers 
served  in  the  Civil  War.  George  being  a  member  of 
the  Fourth  Ohio  Regiment,  and  Jacob  a  Sergeanl 
in  the  Fourteenth  Ohio.  The  latter  died  in  a  few 
years  after  his  return  home,  from  disease  contracted 
at  Lookout  Mountain.  Mrs.  Jordan  was  reared  in 
Ohio,  to  which  State  her  father  removed  when  she 
was  fifteen  years  of  age. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  three  children 
namely:  John  W..  who  is  a  lumber  inspector  in 
the  employ  of  McCormick  Bros.,  of  Menominee; 
Jessie  M.  and  M.  Gertrude,  both  at  home.  Mr 
Jordan  is  f.  charter  member  of  the  Bay  City  Branch 
No.  5,  of  the  Excelsior  Marine  Benevolent  Society, 
and  also  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  sociable,  jovial 
man,  an  excellent  companion,  anil  has  been  vers 
successful  in  his  business  operations. 

In  connection  with  this  notice  appears  a  portrait 
of  Capt.  Jordan. 


eAPT.  IRA  F.  HOLT  owns  and  operates  the 
Detroit.  Bay  City  &■  Alpena  Line  of  steam- 
ers, that  ply  between  Saginaw,  Lav  City  and 
Alpena.  Although  his  home  is  in  Detroit,  he  car- 
ries on  his  business  in  Bay  City.  He  was  horn  in 
EnOSburg,  Yt..  -Inly  1  1.  1829.  His  father.  Nicholas 
M..  was  horn  in  Berkshire  County.  Ma-.-.,  while  his 
grandfather,  Abial,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut. 
and  took  part  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

The  father  was  engaged  in  the  leather  business, 


and  carried  on  a  tannery  and  the  manufacture  of 
boots  and  shoes,  conducting  a  prosperous  business 
at  Knoshuru  and  Burlington,  lie  was  a  Whig  m 
his  political  views,  anil  a  stanch  adherent  of  Henry 
Clay  and  Daniel  Webster.  In  1839  he  made  his 
home  at  (olden.  Eric  County.  N.  Y.,  and  in  1 8">4 
removed  to  Brecksville,  Ohio,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days  upon  a  farm,  dying  in  list;?. 
at  tin  age  of  sixty-six. 

Ann  Reynolds  was  the  maiden  name  of  the 
mother  of  our  subject,  and  her  father,  Joshua  Rey- 
nolds, of  Berkshire  County.  Mass.,  was  a  fainier. 
At  the  age  of  thirteen  years,  he  entered  service  in 
the  Revolutionary  War  as  a  drummer  boy,  and 
served  until  the  close  of  that  period  of  conflict. 
While  still  young  he  located  at  Enosburg, Vt., and 
there  carried  on  an  extensive  contracting  and 
building  business,  lie  spent  his  last  days  al  Colden, 

N.  Y..  and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years.  He 
wa-  of  Scotch  de-cent  and  a  man  of  sterling  and 
upright  character.  Mrs.  Ann  Holt  lived  to  be 
eighty-five  years  old,  and  died  at  Brecksville,  Ohio, 
in  1889.  She  was  an  earnest  Christian,  and  amem- 
ber  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

The  six  sons  of  this  mother  were  Arraberl,  F.. 
Ira  F.,  Edgar  A.,  human  S.,  JosiahM. and  Lorenzo. 
The  last  died  at  the  age  of  twenty  years;  Arra- 
bert  died  of  consumption  contracted  while  in  the 
army.  Edgar  and  Josiah  were  both  in  the  army 
for  a  short  time  and  Luinan  S.  served  through  the 
entire  war.  under  K  ilpatrick.  Cu-ter  and  Mead. 
Our  subject  was  brought  up  in  the  hilly  country 
of    Vermont,  and  attended   school   in   the  district 

scl Ihouse,  studying  Daboll's  Arithmetic  and  the 

■  •Id  English    Reader. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen,  this  youth  went  to  Buffalo, 
N.  Y..  and  obtained  a  position  in  a  whole-ale  gro- 
cery. Six  month-  later  his  employer  failed  in 
business,  leaving  the  boy  penniless  in  midwinter. 
He  soon  obtained  a  position  until  the  opening  of 
navigation,  when  he  went  on  a  steamer  as  clerk, 
and  later  traded  on  the  boat-.  He  was  highly  SUC- 
.  t  —  till  in  this  line  of  business,  and  was  able  to  se- 
cure good  credit,  trading  between  Buffalo  and  Chi- 
cago, and  following  this  business  until  he  was 
twenty-three  years  old. 

In    1853  Mr.  Holt   was  married  in  Buffalo  to  Miss 


PORTRAIT  AND  BT<  GRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


751 


Pearl  M..  daughter  of  Lorenzo  Ward  and  grand- 
daughter of  Judge  William  Ward,  of  Vermont,  who 
served  bis  country  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution, 
and  who  afterward,  during  a  long  life  of  nearly 
seventy  years,  served  with  integrity  and  honor  his 
town  and  State  in  various  official  capacities. 

After  1 1 is  marriage,  Mr.  Holt  removed  to  Lake 
Superior,  and  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Superior 
City,  where  he  engaged  in  speculating  in  real  estate 
and  was  fortunate  in  leaving  without  experiencing 
serious  losses  from  the  unlooked  for  depreciation 
in  lands.  While  there,  the  site  of  the  present  eit\ 
of  Duluth  was  laid  outdirectly  acrossthe  hay  from 
Superior  City. 

Going  from  there  to  Milwaukee.  Mr.  Holt  took 
charge  of  Scott's  .Milwaukee  &  Grand  Haven  Win- 
ter Line,  and  in  summer  the  boats  ran  between 
Cleveland  and  Lake  Superior  ports.  In  1867  he 
removed  to  Detroit  and  built  his  present  home  on 
(  a--  Avenue.     In  1869  he  established   an   express 

business  On   the  boat    line    between     Lay    City     and 

Alpena  in  connection  with  the  American  Express 
Company.  This  was  when  lumbering  on  the  Lake 
Huron  shore  was  at  it-  height,and  t  In-  largeamounts 
of  express  matter,  shipped  to  the  lumber  camps 
made  the  business  profitable,  .lust  previous  to  paj 
days  at  the  lumber  camps,  as  high  a-  $30,000 
would  be  sent  through  the  express  at  one  time. 

In  1*72  ('apt.  Holt  and  others  purchased  the 
line  of  boats  between  Lay  City  and  Alpena.  In 
1 880  he  established  a  line  of  steamers  from  Duluth 
down  the  ninth  shore  of  Lake  Superior  and  con- 
tinued this  line  until  1887,  when  he  placed  the 
boats  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Michigan.  In 
October,  1890,  he  purchased  his  partner's  interest 
in  the  Lay  City  and  Alpena  Line,  and  has  since 
concentrated  hi-  steamboat  interests  in  tin-  line. 
In  summer  his  boats  make  trips  to  Mackinaw,  and 
t  hey  constitute  the  only  important  line  of  passenger 
and  freighl  boats  out  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.  He 
is  interested  in  the  iron  lands  of  the  Vermillion 
Range  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  and 
has  had  interests  in  boat  lines  running  out  of  Du- 
luth, Green    Bay,  Mackinaw  and  other  point-   on 

the   lakes. 

The  two  children  of  our  subject  are  Marion  W .. 
who  is  now  Mrs.  S.  L.  Ilubcr.of  Detroit  and  Frank 


I.,  who  was   born  in    Detroit   and   was  graduated 

from  the  Detroit  HighSchool.  lie  ha- -teamboated 
for  the  pa-t  few  years,  and  is  now  in  charge  of  the 
office  ai  Bay  (  iiy  as  Secretary  and  Treasurerof  the 
Detroit.  Lay  City  &  Alpena  Line.  The  Captain  is 
a  true  blue  Republican  in  his  political  views,  and 
is  greatly  interested  in    the   welfare  of  his  party. 

The   first    I're-idenl    he    voted   for   was  (.en.  Scott,  of 

the  Whin  parly  in    1*.~>2. 


AMUEL  S.  (ARSON.  We  are  pleased  to 
"v^  be  able  to  give  here  a  sketch  of  this  gen- 
ff  J  tleman,  who  is  now  not  only  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  Notary  Public,  but  Pension 
and  Loan  Agenl  at  Chesaning.  He  was  bom  in 
Dorman  Township.  Harrison  County,  Ohio,  June 
2<l.  1834,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth 
(Willoughby)  Carson.  The  father,  a  fanner,  re- 
moved to  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  in  1836,  and 
bought  land,  and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
day-,  and  thus  our  subject  was  reared  upon  a 
farm  and  after  studying  in  the  common  schools 
took  one  term  at  an  academy  at  Republic,  Seneca 
County.  lie  began  to  teach  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two,  thus  disposing  of  his  time  during  the  win- 
ter-, while  lie  farmed  in  the  summer,  and  was  thus 
employed  for  five  winters  previous  to  the  War  of 
the  Rebellion. 

This  young  man  was    united    in    marriage   Feb- 
ruary   29,   I860,  to  .Miss  Sabra   E.   Miller,  of    Seneca 

County,  Ohio,  a  native  of  Tuscarawas  County, 
where  she  was  born  in  September,  1842.  The  do- 
mestic life  of  this  couple  was  interrupted  by  the 
enlistment  of  our  subject  under  his  nation's  ban- 
ner in  August,  1862,  in  Company  F,  One  Hundred 
and  Twenty-third  Ohio  Infantry.  This  regiment 
became  a  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  but 
the  service  of  the  young  man  was  not  prolonged, 
as  hi  fever  which  attacked  him  settled  in  his 
head,  causing  deafness,  on  account  of  which  he 
received  hi-  honorable  discharge  in  March.  1K63. 
Having  returned  to  Seneca  County,  .Mr.  Carson 
remained  there  until  1865,  when  he  sold  his  prop- 
erty and  removed   to  Chesaning,  where  he  bought 


752 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


land  and  engaged  in  fanning  and  stock-raising 
until  about  three  year-  ago,  when  lie  removed  to 
the  village  and  began  to  give  his  attention  inure 
closely  t<>  the  pension  business,  which  he  had  pre- 
viously taken  up.  lie  became  Notary  Public 
some  twelve  years  ago  and  was  elected  to  the  of- 
liee  of  Magistrate  during  this  current  year. 

Previous  to  attaining  his  majority  Samuel  Car- 
son had  hired  his  time  of  his  father  for  six  months. 
promising  to  pay  $8  per  month,  and  coming  to 
Michigan,  in  1854,  he  cul  Cordwood  at  twenty- 
five  cents  a  cord  in  order  to  cancel  this  obligation. 
After  spending  two  years  in  Michigan  and  one 
year  in  the  lumber  woods  of  Wisconsin,  he  re- 
turned to  Ohio,  and  there  began  the  teaching  of 
which  we  have  spoken. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  ■•  Pap"  Thomas  Post, 
No.  121,  G.  A.  1!..  in  which  he  is  Quartermaster- 
Sergeant.  His  children  arc:  (clia.  Mrs.  George 
Bennett;  William  S..  a  farmer  in  Chesaning  Town- 
ship, Saginaw  County;  Hattie,  the  wife  of  Sey- 
mour 0.  Sanford;  Etta,  who  married  Andrew  Zull; 
Samuel,  Ethel  and  Bethel.  The  three  last-named 
live  at  home. 

Robert  Carson,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject. 
served  under  Gen.  Washington  throughout  the 
seven  years  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  Samuel 
Carson,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  soldier 
under  Commodore  Perry  on  Lake  Erie  during  the 
War  of  1812,  and  took  part  in  the  celebrated  vic- 
tory, lie  was  the  father  of  five  sons,  four  of 
whom  were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  War.  and  being- 
each  in  a  different  division,  never  met  while  in 
the  army,  but  all  lived  to  conic  home,  and  three 
of  the  four  still  survive. 

One  of  these  sons.  II.  II.  Carson,  was  a  minister 
of  the  Gospel  for  thirty-six  years  and  Chaplain  of 
the  Grand  Army  Post  at  Owosso.  His  death  was 
caused  by  his  horse  getting  bewildered  in  a  storm 
and  walking  off  a  bridge,  so  that  Mr.  Carson  fell 
•  into  the  river  and  for  several  days  his  body  drifted 
under  the  ice  before  it  was  recovered.  'Parting- 
ton B.,  a  younger  brother  of  our  subject,  belonged 
to  the  Fourteenth  Ohio  Infantry,  ami  is  Post- 
master at  New  Washington.  Ohio,  and  George  W. 
belonged  to  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-fourth 
Ohio  Infantry,  and  is  now  :i  minister  of  the  Meth- 


odist Episcopal  Church,  at  Hemlock  City,  this 
county.  Our  subject,  who  receives  a  monthly 
pension  of  |22  from  the  Government,  is  so  afflicted 
with  deafness   that    he   is   obliged    to    use  artificial 

ear  drum.-  in  order  to  attend  to  business. 


/ 


=*:=* 


EROME  K.  STEVENS.  This  dealer  in  real 
estate  and  abstracts  has  the  best  set  of  ab- 
stracts of  titles  in  this  county.  His  place 
of  business  is  at  No.  211  North  Hamilton 
Street.  Saginaw.  lie  was  born  at  Cleveland.  Os- 
wego  County.  N.  V..  March  :S.  1836,  and  was  seven 
years  old  when  the  family  came  to  Michigan  in  the 
fall  of  L843.  They  came  to  Saginaw  in  the  fall  of 
1848.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  went  to  Detroit, 
and  wa-  employed  for  four  years  in  a  wholesale 
grocery,  going  thence  to  Racine.  Wis.,  where  he 
kept  books  for  a  lumber  firm  for  about  three  years. 
The  young  man  then  spent  four  years  at  Chi- 
cago, and  in  the  spring  of  1861  returned  to  Sagi- 
naw, and  was  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Stevens. 
Poole  &  Co.,  wholesale  and  retail  diy-goods  mer 
chants.  In  1870  he  severed  his  connection  with 
this  firm,  ami  was  elected  Register  of  Deeds  of 
Saginaw  County.  Our  subject  is  a  Republican  in 
politics,  and  is  popular  with  the  men  of  his  parly. 
He  was  re-elected  a-  Register  of  Deedsin  1872,  and 
again  in  1874  serving  in  all.  six  year.-. 

In  1*77  Mr.  Stevens  engaged  in  the  real  estate 
business  having  extensive  dealings  in  both  city 
and  farming  property  and  having  the  control  of 
over  one  hundred  thousand  acres  of  farming  land 
both  improved  and  wild,  located  in  Saginaw  and 
adjoining  counties.  He  has  also  a  great  deal  of 
.•it  \  property  which  he  sells  on  easy  terms  to  actual 
settlers,  and  it  is  well  worth  the  while  for  those 
who  wish  lo  secure  homes  to  see  what  he  has  to 
offer. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  October,  18(12,  to 
Miss  Mary  E.  Coy.  of  <  auandaigua.  N.  Y.,  and 
their  children  are  Charles  C.  Bessie  E.,  George  J. 
anil  Clara  E.  Charles  is  in  business  with  his  father 
and    ha-    had    the    advantages   of    the  High  School 


PORTRAIT   AND   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


i.i.i 


and  of  Orchard  Lake  Military  Academy.  George 
was  also  graduated  at  the  High  School,  and  is  at 
presenl  Deputy  ('(unity  Treasurer  of  Woodbury 
County,  Iowa,  and  makes  his  home  at  Sioux  City, 
lie  had  previously  served  for  some  years  as  corres- 
ponding clerk  in  the  Sioux  City  National  Bank, 
and  il  was  on  aCCOUnl  of  his  work  there  that  lie 
was  able  to  secure  the  splendid  position  which  lie 
now  tills.  The  daughters  also  are  graduates  of  the 
High  School. 


4-^? 


•N» 


[CHAEL  RIEGEL,  the  accommodating 
and  popular  Postmaster  of  Salzburg,  is 
also  engaged  as  a  general  merchant,  hav- 
ing his  place  of  business  on  the  corner  of 
State  and  Morton  Streets,  lie  was  horn  at  Gundel- 
fingen,  near  Augsburg,  Bavaria,  Germany,  Decem- 
ber 9,  1852,  and  is  a  son  of  Michael  Riegel,  Sr.. 
also  a  native  of  the  Fatherland.  The  paternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  John  K.  Riegel.  was  in 
the  German  army  and  went  to  Russia  under  Na- 
poleon, when  the  army  was  destroyed  and  each 
soldier  had  to  get  back  as  best  he  could.  Mr.  Riegel 
came  hone  on  foot  and  alone,  and  the  sufferings 
which  he  endured  it  would  be  impossible  to  nar- 
rate, lie  was  a  fancy  linen  weaver  by  occupation 
and  resided  near  Augsburg.  He  lived  to  the  good 
old  age  of  ninety-eight  years,  and  died,  beloved 
by  all  who  knew  him. 

Michael  Riegel,  Sr..  was  a  rope  manufacturer, 
and  carried  on  business  in  (Jim  for  a  number 
of  years.  He,  however,  returned  to  his  native 
Gundelflngen,  where  he  prosecuted  Ins  calling 
until  his  death,  in  1886.  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
sis  years.  Magdalene  Stahl,  the  mother  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  in 
1801).  and  was  the  daughter  of  J.  Carl  Stahl.  a  na- 
tive of  Wurtemburg,  and  a  manufacturer  of  toys, 
which  were  made  from  bone.  Mrs.  Riegel  died  tin- 
same  year  as  her  husband — 18H6,  when  seventy- 
seven  years  of  age.  In  church  relations  they  were 
conscientious  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

Seven  children  were  included  in  the  parental 
family,  of  whom  our   subject  was    the    youngesl   in 


order  of  birth.  Septimus  G.  served  seven  years  in 
the  German  army,  and  when  mustered  out  was  a 
Lieutenant;  he  now  carries  on  the  manufacturing 
business  established  by  his  father  in  Germany. 
John  K.  served  in  the  A ustro- Prussian  War,  in 
1  Mill,  in  which  he  was  a  Corporal;  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1867,  and  died  in  West  Lay  City.  Chris- 
tine is  now  Mrs.  Eggert,  and  resides  in  West  Bay 
City;  Jacob  also  served  in  the  Austin-Prussian 
War.  and  is  now  a  rope  and  sea-grass  manufacturer 
in  the  old  country;  George  served  three  years  in 
the  German  army  and  makes  his  home  in  West 
Bay  City;  Lizzie,  Mrs.  Fasnacht,  makes  her  home 
in  ( rcrmany. 

Our  subject  was  reared  in  the  village  of  Gundel- 
fingen,  which  numbered  live  thousand  inhabitants, 
and  attended  the  common  school  until  thirteen 
years  of  age,  when  he  spent  one  year  in  a  select 
school.  After  completing  his  studies  he  was  ap- 
prenticed for  three  years  to  a  locksmith,  and  then 
learned  the  trade  of  a  machinist  in  Augsburg  and 
traveled  through  different  parts  of  Bavaria,  .Aus- 
tria. Bohemia.  Wurtemburg,  Baden,  Hesse-Darm- 
stadt and  the  Rhine  Provinces,  occupying  in  all 
all  about  eight  months.  On  his  return  home  from 
his  travels  he  decided  to  come  to  America,  and  in 
June,  1871,  sailed  from  Antwerp.  Holland,  to 
Hull,  then  to  Liverpool,  and  on  the  steamer "Brit- 
tanic,"  came  to  Boston,  landing  on  American 
shores  July  2(1,  of  that,  year.  lie  worked  at  his 
trade  m  New  York  City,  and  in  February,  1 872, 
came  to  West  Bay  City,  then    Wenona. 

After  being  engaged  in  different  occupations  for 
several  years  Mr.  Riegel,  in  1K7M,  started  in  the 
grocery  business  on  Fitzhugh  Avenue,  in  Salzburg, 
where  he  remained  one  year  and  then  removed  to 
State  street.  In  1879  he  was  appointed  Postmaster 
under  President  Hayes,  and  has  been  retained  in 
that   Capacity    ever   since.       In     1885    he    purchased 

his  present  store  building,  and  is  engaged  in  doing 
a  fine  general  merchandise  business. 

Miss  Mary  B.  Smith  became  the  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject in  1878,  their  marriage  being  solemnized  in 
West  Lay  City.  Mrs.  Riegel  is  a  native  of  Franken- 
lust  Township.  Bay  County,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  John  Smith,  an  old  settler  in  that  place.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Riegel  have  become  the  parents  of   seven 


,  56 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


children,  viz:  Elinora,  John  M.,  Fred  W.,  Oscar, 
Minnie.  Freddie  and  Septimus  E. 

Our  subject  has  been  n  member  of  the  Board  of 
Education  for  the  past  six  years,  having  been 
Presidenl  of  that  body  in  1890-91.  Socially  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Independent  <  Irder  of  ( >dd  Fellows, 
of  which  he  is  Past  Grand;  he  also  served  as  Dis- 
trict Deputy,  and  has  been  a  delegate  several  times 
to  the  ( Hand  Lodge,  lie  is  President  of  the  Ar- 
beiter  Society  at  West  Bay  City,  which  order  he 
joined  in  1875;  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  and  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and 
is  Commander  of  Bavarian  Tent.  In  politics  he  is 
a  firm  Republican  and  has  been  a  delegate  to  State 
and  county  conventions. 

A  lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Riegel  accom- 
panies his  personal  sketch. 


■>  l.'ASTCS  LORD  DUNBAR,  who  has  been 
Superintendent  a::<i  Secretary  of  the  Bay 
«  City  Water  Works  since  they  were  organized 
in  January,  1872,  has  a  high  standing  as  a  civil 
engineer,  as  well  as  being  a  man  of  rare  social 
qualities.  He  was  born  in  Ellsworth,  Conn..  Au- 
gust 13,  1846,  and  remained  thereuntil  he  reached 
the  age  of  eighteen,  when  he  came  to  Bay  City. 
His  father,  the  Hon.  Horace  Dunbar,  was  horn  in 
Connecticut,  and  his  grandfather,  Aaron,  was  also 
a  Connecticut  farmer,  of  Scotch  descent,  of  an  old 
New  England  family,  originating  here  in  the  sev- 
enteenth century. 

The  father  had  a  line  farm  of  one  hundred  acres 
in  Litchfield  County,  Conn.,  and  was  prominent  in 
his  part  of  the  State,  lie  occupied  a  seat  in  the 
Connecticut  Legislature  during  one  term,  and  for 
years  was  Selectman  for  his  township.  His  politics 
wire  of  the  Republican  stripe,  and  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Congregational  Church.  His  death 
took  place  in  May,  and  he  was  then  seventy-four 
years  old. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Ann  Jeanette, 
daughter  of  Erastus  Lord,  who  was  a  Connecticut 
farmer,  of  English  descent.    She  died  in  May,  1891, 


only  three  weeks  from  the  date  of  her  husband's 
demise,  when  she  was  seventy-two  years  old.  Of 
her  live  children,  four  grew  to  maturity,  and  our 
subjeel  i-  the  youngest  of  the  number.  His  brother, 
Everett  S..  of  the  Thirteenth  Connecticut  Infantry 
held  the  rank  of  First  Lieutenant  and  served  for 
three  years.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  took 
his  education  in  I  he  common  district  schools,  but 
was  able  to  attend  winters  only,  after  reaching  the 
age  of  twelve.  He  was  the  only  one  left  at  home 
when  his  brother  went  into  the  war.  and  nothing 
but  his  parents'  wishes  restrained  him  from  accom- 
panying that  In-other. 

After  the  return  of  Lieutenant  Dunbar  from 
service  to  his  country,  our  subject  came  West  and 
studied  engineering  as  an  apprentice  under  Andrew 
Huggins,of  Bay  City.  The  young  man  had  pursued 
studies  in  this  line  for  some  time  at  home  by 
himself,  and  was  considerably  advanced  and  well 
prepared  foi  thorough  instruction.  He  became 
Engineer  Huggin's  assistant,  and  was  with  him 
nearly  a  year.  After  this  he  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  William  Mercer  in  the  civil  engineering 
and  surveying  office,  and  remained  with  him  until 
he  was  called  to  superintend  the  construction  of  the 
water  works,  at  which  t  inie  t  his  partnership  was  dis- 
solved. 

From  April.  1870,  to  April.  1872,  Mr.  Dunbar 
filled  the  office  of  City  Engineer,  which  he  finally 
resigned.  Our  subject  had  charge  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  buildings,  and  putting  in  all 
the  machinery;  he  laid  out  all  the  mains,  and  has 
added  to  them  from  time  to  time  since  January, 
1872.  The  Holley  system  has  been  thoroughly  in- 
corporated, and  the  works  have  forty  miles  of  pipe 
and  a  capacity  of  ten  million  gallons  a  day.  Not- 
withstanding that  the  duties  of  this  position  absorb 
nearly  the  entire  time  and  attention  of  Mr.  Dunbar 
he  has  been  made  Acting  Assistant  Chief  of  the  fire 
department. 

This  gentleman  was  married  in  Spring  Arbor, 
Ontario,  in  1870,  to  Miss  Jennie  McKay,  a  native 
Of  (ana  da.  whose  father,  James  McKay,  a  Scotch- 
man, is  a  farmer  at  Spring  Arbor,  Ontario.  She 
has  become  a  mother  of  three  children,  namely, 
Jessie  M..  who  graduated  at  the  High  School  in 
IS'.mi.  niid  is  now  a  member  of  the  Class   of    '95  in 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


757 


the  University  of  Michigan;  James  II..  who  is  a 
graduate  (if  the  High  School,  of  the  class  of  '91, 
and  has  joined  the  Civil  Engineering  Class  of  ':>."> 
in  the  Michigan  University;  and  the  youngesl  son, 
Everett  S.,  who  is  still  at  home. 

The  office  of  County  Surveyor  was  filled  for  four 
terms  by  Mr.  Dunbar  from  ixiiti  to  l*7o.  at  which 
time  he  was  re-elected,  but  failed  to  qualify.  He 
is  a  memder  of  the  American  Water  Works  Asso- 
ciation, and  attends  the  National  meetings;  he  is 
also  a  prominent  member  of  the  Michigan  Engi- 
neers' Society,  and  is  well  known  in  the  order 
of  Masonry.  His  political  sentiments  are  in  har- 
mony with  the  declarations  of  the  Republican 
party,  of  which  he  is  a  stanch  adherent. 


*>-*<I 


IQv— 


ill,  CHARLES  R.  HAWLEY,  who  is  the 
Colonel  of  the  Third  Regiment  of  the 
Michigan  State  Troops,  is  also  the  leading 
dry-goods  man  of  Saginaw  Valley.  He  owns  the 
finest  dry-goods  block  in  the  State,  and  in  size  it 
is  outdone  by  only  two  establishments  in  Detroit 
and  one  at  Grand  Rapids.  Col.  Ilawley  was  born 
in  Chenango  County.  N.  Y.,  and  is  a  son  of  Dr. 
B.  M.  Ilawley,  who  was  born  in  Delaware  County, 
and  was  a  son  of  William  Ilawley.  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  whose  ancestors  came  from  the  North 
of  Ireland. 

The  father  of  mil'  subject  was  a  physician  and 
surgeon  of  the  Eclectic  School  in  Chenango 
County.  N.  V..  and  later  he  practiced  at  Painted 
Post.  Steuben  County.  He  was  Captain  of  a  com- 
pany of  New  York  Slate  Militia,  and  in  polities 
was  a  "'Henry  Clay  man."  The  mother  bore  in 
maidenhood  the  name  of  Abigail  Hathaway,  and 
was  born  in  Delaware  County,  N.  V..  being  of  an 
old  Massachusetts  family,  which  traced  it-  an  ■<•>- 
try  back  to  Plymouth  Rock.  The  mother,  who  is 
an  earnest  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
still  resides  with  our  subject,  but  the  father  died 
in  1869. 

Our  subject  is  one  of  nine  children  and  had  his 
early  training  at  Painted  Post,  N.  Y.  He  left  the 
common    schools  al    the  age  of    fourteen  to  begin 


clerking  in  a  dry-goods  establishment  at  (dean. 
N.  Y.  lie  continued  with  his  employer.  N.  S. 
Butler,  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-two, 
when  he  was  taken  into  partnership  under  the 
linn  name  of  N.  S.  Butler  *  Co..  which  connection 
Lasted  until  the  fall  of  1865,  when  our  subject  .-old 
out  and  came   to  Bay  (  it  v. 

Here  Mr.  Hawlev  established  himself  in  tin1  dry- 
goods  business  with  his  former  partner.  Mr.  But- 
ler, having  the  linn  name  of  C.  R.  Ilawley  &  Co., 
and  started  on  a  small  scale  on  Water  Street  ad- 
joining the  Frazier  Block.  Later  he  removed  to 
the  corner  of  Center  and  Adam  Street-,  where  he 
continued  until  the  fall  of  1891,  when  he  located 
in  his  large,  new.  magnificent  store. 

In  1875  Mr.  Butler  retired  from  the  firm,  and 
since  that  time  Col.  Ilawley  has  been  virtually 
alone,  and  ha-  been  the  most  successful  dry-goods' 
man  in  Saginaw  Valley.  His  splendid  store  occu- 
pies a  space  75x100  feet  in  dimensions,  and  is  four 
stories  and  a  basement  in  height,  with  a  com- 
modious elevator  and  with  cut  stones  and  Tennes- 
see marble  front,  splendidly  lighted  with  plate 
glass.  The  plans  of  this  building  were  laid  by 
Col.  Ilawley  himself,  and  he  has  shown  himself 
a-  good  an  architect  as  merchant.  The  first  floor 
is  devoted  to  general  and  fancy  dry-goods,  the 
second  floor  to  cloaks,  shawls  and  dress-making, 
the  third  to  carpets  and  curtains,  and  the  fourth 
to  manufacturing. 

A  branch  store  was  opened  in  Alpena  in  1876, 
and  is  still  running  under  the  linn  name  of  Ilaw- 
ley a-  Eitzgerald,  and  i-  the  leading  and  largest 
dry-goods  house  in  Alpena.  The  Colonel  was  an 
organizer  and  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Bay  County 
Electric  Light  Company,  and  also  in  the  Bay 
County  .Mutual  Building  &  Loan  Association.  He 
is  also  a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  Commer- 
cial Bank  and  member  of  the  Bay  City  Business 
Meu*s  Association. 

Col.  Ilawley  is  a  charter  member  and  one  of  the 
organizers  of  Company  D.  Third  Regiment  Mich- 
igan State  Troops,  and  has  worked  his  way  up 
from  Sergeant  to  Colonel,  being  very  active  in 
matters  pertaining  to  the  militia,  and  was  on  duty 
during  the  riots  in  Saginaw  as  Major  command- 
ing two  companies.    His  residence  i-  on  the  corner 


58 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


of  Eighth  and  Sheridan  Streets.  lie  is  eminent 
Commander  of  the  Bay  City  Commandery  of 
Knights  Templar  and  is  connected  with  the  Mys- 
tic shrine  of  Detroit,  besides  being  one  of  the 
Masonic  Temple  Association,  and  Chairman  of  Fi- 
nance Committee  unci  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
tin-  Maccabees.  He  is  a  prominent  and  influential 
Republican  and  an  earnest  worker  in  the  church 
and  Sunday-school  of  the  Presbyterian  denomina- 
tion. 


J****  .jW'gg.  *-:-t-'f£ 


-^.AA.>J 


'■!— i-i"^- 


*^  AMUEL  CHURCH.  Theownerof  Church's 
^^4  planing  and  saw  mill  which  is  located  in 
\^J_Jl)  Chesaning,  was  born  in  Chenango  County, 
X.  Y..  November  13,  1831,  and  is  tin-  son 
of  Jehial  and  Amy  (Smith  )  Church,  natives  of  Con- 
necticut, where  they  were  married  but  afterward 
removed  to  New  York.  The  father  came  to  Jack- 
son, this  Stair,  early  in  the  year  1834.  lie  was  a 
carpenter  by  trade  and  purchased  land  near  Jack- 
son, where  our  subject  spent  the  first  thirteen  years 
of  his  life,  at  which  time  they  removed  to  Meridian, 
Ingham  County,  where  the  father  bought  land  on 
the  west  side  of  Pine  Lake.  Here  our  subject  made 
his  home  until  he  was  twenty-six  or  twenty-seven 
years  of  age.  meantime  in  his  boyhood,  receiving 
but  a  common-school  education.  His  father  died 
when  the  lad  was  but  eighteen  years  of  age.  so  that 
he  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources. 

From  eighteen  to  twenty-one  <  ur  subject  was 
helping  to  build  the  plank  road  from  Lansing  to 
Howell  and  was  then  engaged  in  building  bridges 
and  began  to  learn  the  carpenter's  and  joiner's 
trade.  He  was  at  that  work  for  about  four  years 
and  then  began  work  in  asawmill  in  Okemos,  Ing- 
ham County.  He  had  married  just  prior  to  enter- 
ing the  mill.  His  bride  was  Miss  .Mary  Hunt,  of 
Meridian  Township.  Their  nuptials  were  solemn- 
ized August  23,  1<S.">7. 

February  10,  1859,  .Mr.  Church  removed  to  Ches- 
aning and  was  employed  liy  R.H.  Nason,  in  a  saw- 
mill  and  remained  in  Chesaning  three  and  a  half 
year.-.  He  then  removed  to  It.  Dodge,  Iowa,  and 
in  the  year  spent  there  cleared  $1,000  ill  the  jew- 
elry business,  but  was  not  pleased   with   the   coun- 


try, and  returned  to  Chesaning.  lie  resumed  his 
mill  work  and  finally  rented  a  mill,  which  he  oper- 
ated for  six  years.  The  mill  was  burned,  however, 
and  our  subject  purchased  the  mill  site  and  put  up 
a  new  mill;  it  was  located  about  five  miles  from 
Chesaning.  lie  moved  that  mill  to  this  place  in 
IMS.").  He  has  added  to  it  and  now  employs  six- 
teen men  when  running  full  force. 

Mr.  Church  has  been  blessed  with  a  family  of 
eight  children.  He  lost  one  of  his  children  when 
only  six  weeks  old,  anotherat  the  age  of  live  years 
and  two  daughters,  one  aged  seventeen  and  the 
other  nineteen.  Four  still  survive.  They  art; 
Clarence.  Jesse,  Charles  ( ).  and  Clara.  The  eldest 
son  lives  at  West  Hay  City,  and  is  engaged  as  en- 
gineer for  the  West  Bay  City  Manufacturing  Coi.1- 
pany.  The  other  children  are  still  at  home.  Our 
subject  is  independent  in  his  political  views.  He 
was  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Township  Clerk  one 
term.  He  is  a  self-made  man,  and  avers  that  like 
others,  he  worked  by  the  day  too  long.  With  the 
aid  of  his  faithful  wife,  be  has  amassed  a  comfort- 
able fortune.  They  are  generous  and  kindly  to 
the  poor,  and  stand  high  in  the  estimation  of  the 
community. 


f^=> 


RAM  IS  W.  ALLEN.  This  well-known  and 
S)  very  popular  citizen  of  Saginaw  Township. 
Saginaw  County,  was  born  in  Syracuse.  N. 
Y..  September  15,  1K29,  and  is  a  son  of  Harvey 
Allen,  a  native  of  Vermont,  who  in  his  younger 
days  removed  to  New  York,  and  there  carried  on 
the  double  vocation  of  carpenter  and  farmer.  His 
migration  to  Michigan  was  in  1835,  and  he  then 
located  near  Pontiac,  where  for  some  eight  years 
he  woiked  at  his  trade,  and  afterward  farmed  on 
share-  for  a  time,  as  be  did  not  buy  property  until 
18(50,  when  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  at  Greenville,  Montcalm  County.  Mich. 

Through  most  of  his  career  Harvey  Allen  was  a 
local  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  did  good  pi er  service  in  this  line  in  Oak- 
land County,  and  was  active  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death  at   the  age  of  eighty-eight.      He  was  a  strong 


PORTRAIT  AM)   "!( IC.RAI'IIICAL    RECORD. 


7. V.l 


Abolitionist  before  t ho  war,  afterwarda  sturdy  Re- 
publican. His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Me- 
linda  Jackson,  was  <>f  German  descent  and  reared 
eleven  children,  living  to  the  age  of  eighty-four 
years. 

Our  subject  came  to  Michigan  at  the  age  of  six 
year.--,  when  Pontiac  was  a  village,  and  when  more 
Indians  than  whites  were  seen  throughout  this  por- 
tion of  the  State,  and  deer  and  bears  were  often 
met  during  the  walk  which  the  children  must  take 
to  the  log  schoolhouse.  He  began  fur  himself  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  in  a  sawmill  in  Montcalm 
County,  and  after  four  years'  experience  there  he 
went  into  the  lumber  woods  at  Port  Huron,  where 
he  labored  for  over  fifteen  years  working  in  trie 
Black  River  and  Klk  (reek  region,  having  charge 
of  the  Port  Huron  Boom  Company  two  years. 

Mr.  Allen  came  to  Saginaw  County  in  1866  as 
foreman  for  Rust  &  Hay,  working  for  them  four 
years  in  the  woods,  and  then  engaged  as  foreman 
for  Swift  A*  Lockwood,  and  for  twelve  years  was 
in  the  employ  of  that  firm,  during  most  of  that 
time  being  their  general  manager,  superintending 
the  mills  and  Inlying  logs.  He  then  began  jobbing 
with  Martin  Mannion  on  the  North  Branch  of  the 
Tobacco  River  and  on  Cedar  River,  and  remained 
with  them  for  nine  years,  but  in  L886  removed 
onto  the  farm  on  section  9,  which  he  had  purchased 
in  1874.  and  which  was  then  all  pine  stumps  and 
swamp  land. 

Miss  Amanda  Carpenter,  who  was  horn  at  Port 
Huron.  Mich..  June  1.  1840,  became  the  wife  of 
our  subject,  May  24,  1K.V7.  Her  parents.  Newton 
and  Sarah  (Smith)  Carpi  nter,  were  native-  of  Ver- 
mont and  Ohio' respectively,  and  both  became  early 
residents  of  Michigan.  To  her  have  been  born  three 
children — Fred,  George  and  Millie.  The  two  -nn. 
have  married  and  are  in  business.  The  elder  is  a 
fireman,  and  the  other  is  employed  in  the  mill. 

The  large  frame  house  occupied  by  our  subject 
was  built  by  him  in  187f>.  and  he  erected  his  com- 
modious barn  in  1876.  Mixed  farming  is  carried 
on  by  him  on  his  well-improved  area  of  ninety 
acres,  and  the  place  is  in  an  excellent  condition. 
A  productive  young  orchard  is  upon  the  place, and 
delightful  shade  trees  adorn  the  ground  about  the 
home.      Fifteen     hundred    bushels    of    grain    were 


raised  upon  this  place  durum  1890.  In  the  city  of 
Saginaw  .Mr.  Allen  owns  an  excellent  house  and 
lot  which  he  has  in  the  hands  of  a  tenant. 

The  principle-  of  the  Democratic  party  are  thor- 
oughly endorsed  by  our  subject,  and  he  has  held  a 
number  of  public  offices,  having  been  and  i-  now 
Township  Treasurer,  Supervisor, Overseer  of  High- 
ways and  Superintendent  of  the  Poor  Farm,  to 
which  he  has  just  been  elected  by  the  Board  of  Su- 
pervisors. He  wasalso  Alderman  for  four  years  in 
the  city  of  Saginaw.  For  over  thirty  years  lie  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  and  belongs 
to  Saginaw  Valley  Lodge  and  the  St.  Bernard  Com- 
mandery. 


•^Nl 


-•• 


1^ 


'    oHN    M.  HEMMETER.     In  this  good  man 

we  have  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed 
and  thoroughly  respected  of  the  elderly 
residents  of  Saginaw  County.  His  home, 
where  he  is  leading  a  retired  life,  is  situated  on 
the  cross  roads  in  Saginaw  Township,  just  outside 
the  city  limits  of  Saginaw,  and  it  is  notable  for  be- 
ing one  of  the  most  attractive  and  commodious 
hoincs  in  its  township.  He  was  bom  in  Germany, 
September  24,  (832,  and  there  his  boyhood  days 
were  spent  and  his  early  education  obtained,  after 
which  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  mason. 

The  migration  to  America  of  this  young  man 
took  place  in  1847,  and  when  Saginaw  was  only  a 
village,  he  settled  upon  his  present  place.  He  has 
watched  the  development  of  this  little  town,  which 
was  then  just  beginning  its  wonderful  industries 
in  the  lumbering  direction.  Scores  of  sawmills  are 
now  within  sight  where  then  only  one  stood.  Deei 
and  bears  abounded  throughout  all  that  region  and 
Indians  were  much  more  plentiful  than  whites  in 
what  might  well  be  called  a  wi Iderness, although  a 
grand  one  and  full  of  wonderful  possibilities. 

Besides  carrying  on  a  farm.  Mr.  Ileinmeter  did  a 
great  deal  of  contracting  and  building,  not  only 
in  Saginaw,  but  also  in  other  parts  of  the  State. 
His  skill  as  a  mason  gave  him  a  wide  reputation, 
and  to  him  were  awarded  such  large  contracts  as 
the  buildings  pul  up  by  Charles  Benjamin,  Michael 


160 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Kundingcr  and  Welsh,  Stum-  ,v  Co.  He  also  built 
the  large  and  handsome  courthouse  at  Mt.  Pleasant 
and  also  the  five-story  building  there. 

The  home  of  our  subjecl  is  situated  upon  a  beau- 
tiful tract  of  land  which  his  SOUS  have  cultivated 
ever  since  they  were  large  enough  to  take  charge 
of  that  work,  as  he  has  generally  devoted  himself 
to  the  pursuit  of  his  trade.  Before  dividing  his 
estate,  as  he  has  dune  among  his  children,  he  had 
one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  and  his  beautiful  brick 
mansion  was  erected  in  1868.  The  large  frame 
barn  and  outbuildings  are  a  credit  to  the  establish- 
ment and  well  lilted  for  the  purposes  for  which 
they  were  erected.  His  line  property  is  the  direct 
result  of  the  industry  and  enterprise  of  himself  and 
family,  as  he  had  nothing  to  start  with  and  has 
made  a  genuine  success  of  his  work.  Besides  his 
farm  he  also  ha-  city  property,and  he  has  been  lib- 
eral with  his  children. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Ilemmeter  took  place  June 
12.  1*47.  and  he  was  then  united  with  Mary  Leid- 
lein,  a  native  of  Germany,  to  whom  were  born  ten 
children,  seven  of  whom  arc  living,  viz:  Christ, 
Adam,  Michael,  Maggie,  John  P..  Lilly  and  Will- 
iam. The  members  of  his  family  are  earnest  and 
consistent  members  of  the  Lu therm  Church,  and 
the  father  is  in  his  political  views  attached  to  the 
Democratic  party,  lie  has  been  Overseer  of  High- 
ways and  School  Director,  and  is  now  filling  the 
office  of  Assessor  of  District  No.  2.  Our  subject 
was  the  organizer  of  the  building  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  a1  Saginaw,  and  built  the  Lutheran  Church 
at  Frankeiunuth. 


KELSON  NELLES.  Prominent  among  the 
business  men,  and  especially  the  lumber- 
men of  Lay  City,  is  the  gentleman  whom 
we  now  name,  who  is  lumber  inspector  and  ship- 
per, the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  N.  Nelles  & 
Co.,  in  which  his  son,  J.  Alexander  Nelles,  is  the 
junior  partner.  He  is  a  powerful,  finely  built  man 
having  a  splendid  physique,  and  a  good  constitu- 
tion, which  gives  him  a  great  advantage  in  busi- 
ness over  many  men  of  his  rears.     He  was  born  in 


York,  Canada.  March  2,  1830,  and  his  father.  Col. 
William  Nelles.  was  a  native  of  the  same  place, 
where  his  grandfather,  Warner  Nelles,  was  an  early 
settler,  aliout  the  year  1790,  having  come  from  his 
native  State.  New  York.  The  family  is  of  Eastern 
origin,  and  descended  from  English  and  German 
stock. 

Col.  William  Nelles  was  in  the  English  militia, 
and  fought  m  the  War  of  1812,  and  then  in  the 
Can-idian  Rebellion,  when  he  was  Captain  of  a 
Company  of  Horse,  and  later  was  promoted  to  be 
Colonel  of  a  Militia  Regiment.  He  Tilled  also  the 
office  of  magistrate.  He  belonged  to  an  honorable 
family,  and  some  of  his  uncles  were  members  of 
the  Upper  House  of  Parliament.  He  was  a  man  of 
conservative  views,  and  a  member  of  the  Episco- 
pal Church  and  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-five.  His 
wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Margaret  Sophia 
Clement,  and  was  born  at  Niagara,  Canada.  She 
died  in  that  province,  at  the  age  of  fifty  years, 
having  borne  eleven  children,  ten  of  whom  grew 
to  maturity. 

The  duties  of  farm  work  and  the  district  school 
filled  up  the  boyhood  of  our  subject,  and  he  re- 
mained at  home  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-two. when  he  started  out  for  himself,  working 
as  he  could  find  opportunity.  Two  years  later  he 
began  as  a  tally  boy  in  lumber  inspecting,  working 
his  way  up  until  four  years  later  he  took  charge 
of  the  business  as  agent  for  an  Albany.  N.  Y., 
house,  inspecting  ami  shipping  lumber  to  them 
from  Vienna.  Canada.  After  being  in  their  em- 
ploy for  live  years,  he  undertook  shipping  on  his 
own  account  and  carried  it  on  for  five  years,  and 
during  that  time  was  commissioned  as  Ensign  in 
the  Canadian  Militia. 

It  was  in  1870  that  this  young  man  came  to  Bay 
City  and  during  his  first  year  here,  acted  as  in- 
spector lor  George  B.  Whitman,  and  the  next  year 
began  business  for  himself  as  inspector  of  lumber 
and  now  ships  from  sixteen  to  thirty  million  feet 
of  lumber  per  year,  taking  his  son  in  partnership 
with  him  in   1KKK. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  .lane  E. 
Alexander  took  place  in  Shelby.  Ohio,  in  1K<;.">. 
This  lady  was  born  in  SI.  Thomas.  Canada,  and  she 
is  now  the  mother  of  five  children,  three  of  whom 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


761 


have  grown  to  man's  and  woman-  estate,  namely: 
Margaret  A.,  now  wife  of  II.  G.  <ote>.  who  is  an 
Ensign  in  the  United  States  Navy;  .1.  Alexander, 
who  is  his  father's  partner;  Helen  E.,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  a  High  School,  and  is  now  a  member 
of  the  Michigan  University;  while  Fred  N.  and 
Charles  A.  are  at  home.  The  political  views  of  our 
subject  are  of  the  Democratic  persuasion,  hut  he  is 
not  radical  in  the  expression  of  his  opinions.  His 
experience  of  more  than  thirty-five  years,  in  the  line 
of  lumber  inspecting,  gives  him  a  high  standing 
among  the  men  of  tin-  trade. 


^©ojjfcsi.^ 


-  .,■* 


-.    H 


U^EV.  JOHN  G.  SANSON  is  the  pastor  of  St. 
Mary's  Catholic  Church  at  West  Bay  City, 
which  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Walnut 
\£)  and  Clara  Streets.  The  parish  was  estab- 
lished in  187:5  by  the  Rev.  Father  Canters  and  was 
then  a  mission.  During  the  same  year  a  small 
church  was  erected  which  at  that  time  served  as  a 
house  of  worship  for  all  the  Catholics  living-  in  Bay 
County  west  of  the  river  and  was  a  branch  of  the 
Church  of  St.  Joseph  of  Bay  City.  As  the  work 
grew  a  larger  structure  was  needed  and  was  built 
in  the  latter  part  of  1H81,  and  was  consecrated 
November  30,  1881. 

This  structure  is  a  large  frame  church  capable  of 
seating  about  nine  hundred  and  was  built  by 
Father  Schutjes,  who  remained  in  charge  of  the 
parish  until  he  resigned,  October  22.  1888,  when 
Father  Sanson  was  appointed  with  Father  Scrembs 
as  assistant  and  these  two  able  Priests  were  sent  to 
this  parish  August  2-'!.  Ikis'.i.  The  church  now  has 
fully  one  thousand  families  within  its  hounds  and 
it  has  been  found  necessary  to  divide  it.  Thus 
there  will  he  in  a  short  time  two  congregations, 
one  French  the  other  English.  In  connection  with 
the  church  there  is  a  parochical  school  in  an  ad- 
joining building  and  the  Sisters  House  and  Con- 
vent of  the  Sisters  Of  Mercy  is  near  by.  The  Dew 
School  for  the  accomi lation  of  the  branch  par- 
ish winch  will  he  formed  soon  is  already  completed. 
It  is  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in   the  city.     The 


building  of  the  new  church  will  lie  begun  early 
this  spring. 

Father  Sanson  was  horn  in  department  Morbe- 
ham,  France,  province  of  Brittany,  June  26,  1851, 
and  received  his  education  in  his  native  home. 
Mi  came  to  Canada  in  1874  and  studied  theologj 
in  the  Grand  Seminary  of  Montreal.  His  ordina- 
tion as  Priest  took  place  March  lit.  1886,  and  he 
was  made  assistant  at  the  Cathedral  at  Grand 
Rapids  remaining  there  for  two  years,  lie  came 
to  this  city  as  assistant  to  Father  Schutjes  in 
March.  1888. 

The  charge  of  the  church  was  conferred  upon 
him,  October  22.  of  the  same  year,  and  in  this  ca- 
pacity he  has  served  ever  since.  He  has  been  very 
efficient  in  the  organization  of  the  new  parish  and 
in  the  building  of  the  new  school  and  church,  and 
is  doing  good  service  among  his  people. 


-^*E 


iN^ss. 


WILLIAM  M.SMITH.  One  of  the  prominent 
f     and    influential    agriculturists  of    Saginaw 

f/sfl  Township,  lives  two  and  a  half  miles  west 
of  the  city  of  Saginaw,  on  what  is  known  as  the 
"cross  road"  on  section  20.  He  was  horn  on  this 
same  farm,  December  8,  1840.  lie  is  a  son  of  John 
M.  Smith,  a  native  of  England,  who  was  horn  in 
1816.  He  was  orphaned  when  four  years  of  age 
ami  when  seventeen  years  old  came  to  America  to 
seek  his  fortune.  He  was  employed  first  at  Lock- 
port.  N.  Y.,  and  thence  went  to  Buffalo,  and    from 

that  place  proc led  to  Detroit  by  boat  and  thence 

walked  to  Genesee  County.  Although  so  young 
in  his  English  home  he  had  learned  the  advantage 
of  river  facilities,  and  made  up  his  mind  that 
Saginaw  was  destined  to  he  an  important  river 
port,  hence  he  walked  to  the  town,  reaching  it  Sept- 
ember 20,  1  836. 

On  coming  into  Saginaw  John  M.  Smith  came 
into  possession  of  acopy  of  the  Detroit  Daily  Free 
Press  and  this  our  subject  now  has  in  his  possess- 
ion. He  engaged  to  chop  n  tract  of  land  and  con- 
tinued to  work  by  the  month  for  two  years,  and 
then  took  a  contract  for  chopping  out  a  road  from 
Saginaw  to  Tittaha  wassee.  now  known  as  the  "cross 


762 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


road"  which  crosses  our  subject's  farm.  Having 
carefully  boarded  his  earnings,  in  1838  he  was  en- 
abled  to  purchase  forty  acres  of  his  present 
farm.  It  was  then  heavily  wooded.  He  set- 
tled upon  it  and  cleared  il  up.  The  Indians  were 
at  that  time  numerous  ami  hardships  were  many. 
lie  was  prospered  in  his  dealings  and,  notwith- 
standing the  disadvantages  against  which  he  la- 
bored, at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
September,  L875,  he  was  the  owner  of  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  land.  He  was  a  man  of 
Strong  character  and  sterling  integrity  and  had 
been  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
He  was  a  Democrat  in   politic-. 

January  4.  1840.  John  M.  Smith  married  Miss 
Margaret  Swarthout,  who  was  born  in  New  York  in 
18111.  and  came  to  this  township  in  1835.  They 
reared  five  children — William  M.,  <  ieorge  A.;  Mary 
II..  Mrs.  McLellan; Nellie,  Mrs.Dermont;  and  Hud- 
son K.  Her  decease  occurred  December  2.  1874. 
Our  subject  attended  school  in  the  lot;  schoolhouse 
when  the  rate  bill  system  was  in  vogue.  His  youth- 
ful days  werespent  on  the  farm, helping  his  father 
clear  the  land  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
when  he  went  to  Northern  Wisconsin,  thirty  miles 
north  of  Black  River  Kails,  and  worked  one  year  in 
the  lumber  woods. 

Going  to  Lawrence.  Kan.,  our  subject  was  en- 
gaged  for  one  year  at  bridge  building  on  the  Kansas 
&  Pacific  Railroad,  and  one  year  on  the  Northern 
Missouri  Railroad  then  building  to  Kansas  City. 
The  three  following  years  he  served  as  foreman  of 
the  bridge  and  building  department  on  the  Mis- 
souri, Ft.  Scott  &  Gulf  Railroad,  and  then  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  raw  land  in 
Crawford  County.  Kan.  Mr.  Smith  improved  this 
place,  planted  a  tine  orchard  and  a  grove  of  maples, 
erected  good  buildings  and  in  1878  sold  it  and 
then  returned  and  took  possession  of  the  old  home- 
stead farm  where  he  now  lives. 

William  M.  Smith  was  married  March  13,  1871, 
to  Julia  E.  Palmer,  who  was  born  in  Livingston 
County.  N.  Y..  April  22.  1840.  She  is  a  lady  whose 
presence  alone  will  commend  her  to  strangers  as 
well  as  friends.  Our  subject  and  his  wile  have 
never  been  blest  by  the  gift  of  children.  They 
have  in  their  family,  however,  one  adopted  daugh- 


ter, Bessie,  whom  they  took  at  one  and  one-half 
years  of  age,  and  who  is  now  six  years  old. 

Mr.  Smith  is  owner  of  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
land  on  the  home  place,  all  of  which  is  under  culti- 
vation, with  the  exception  of  a  small  timber  lot. 
The  farm  is  level  and  is  one  of  the  best  tracts  in 
Saginaw  County.  He  carries  on  mixed  farming 
and  makes  a  specialty  of  the  dairy  business,  fur- 
nishing customers  m  Saginaw,  Chicago  and  Bruns- 
wick, N.  . I. .with  butter.  He  also  ships  considerable 
butter  to  Philadelphia,  and  keeps  constantly  from 
ten  to  twenty  COWS. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are  active  members  of  the 
Michigan  Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of 
Saginaw,  and  he  belongs  to  the  Board  of  Directors. 
Formerly  he  was  a  Democrat,  but  after  the  election 
of  drover  Cleveland  cast  his  vote  with  the  Prohi- 
bition party.  In  1890  he  ran  for  Congress  on  the 
Prohibition  ticket  and  polled  twenty-one  hundred 
and  six  votes,  a  large  increase  over  any  previous  elec- 
tion on  that  ticket.  The  family  occupies  a  com- 
fortable and  attractive  residence  which  was  built 
in  1885.  Mr.  Smith  is  a  man  ofgreat  energy  and 
has  been  a  hard  worker  throughout  life. 


ENRY  GUNTERMANN.  As  the  most  im- 
portant town  in  Bay  County,  and  its 
county  scat,  most  of  the  officials  reside  in 
Bay  City.  Among  these  is  our  subject, 
who  is  Sheriff  of  the  county,  where  he  has  been  a 
resident  since  1864.  Mr.  Guntermann  was  born  in 
Germany,  March  20,  1849,  and  when  only  sixteen 
years  old  made  the  journey  alone  across  the  At- 
lantic. Well  educated  in  his  native  language,  and 
of  a  bright,  quick  turn  of  mind,  he  soon  familiar- 
ized himself,  not  only  with  American  manners  and 
customs  but  with  the  English  language,  and  made 
himself  of  great  service  to  a  baker  in  Bay  City,  but 
soon  branched  out  in  the  butchei  business  for  him- 
self, and  in  1870  opened  a  meat  market  in  Kaw- 
kawlin.  Later  he  opened  the  same  kind  of  a  mar- 
ket in  Salzburg,  and  afterward  returned  to  West 
Bay  City.  He  conducted  markets  in  both  places 
and  built   up  a  line  trade.      His  place  of  business  in 


tfflT 


^2yLA^> 


cT^*^^, 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


765 


West  Bay  City  was  located  on  Linn  Street,  where 
he  had  a  fine  brick  block,  and  continued  there  un- 
til November,  1890. 

When  in  Salzburg,  our  subject  was  tor  a  time 
interested  in  a  hotel  besides  his  meat  business.  The 
first  official  position  he  held  was  (hat  which  lie 
now  holds  as  Sheriff,  to  which  he  was  nominated 
on  the  Democratic  ticket.  He  was  elected  by  a 
majority  of  twenty-four  hundred. 

Our  subject  married  Miss  Hattie  DeTriver,  of 
Salzburg.  To  them  have  been  born  five  children, 
viz:  Nellie,  Carrie,  Maggie,  Fanny  and  George. 
Mr.  Guntermann  is  socially  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  ami  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  belongs  to  the  Ar- 
beiter  Society  and  in  his  chinch  relations  is  a  Pres- 
byterian. His  membership  is  with  the  church  at 
West. Bay  City,  although  he  attends  at  Bay  City. 
Our  Subject  is  one  of  the  German-American  citi- 
zens whose  industry  and  thrift  so  help  the  com- 
mercial interests  of  a  locality. 


~«—  *=&-$•$& 


HARLES  R.  HAMILTON,  M.  D.  This  w(  11- 
known  physician  anil  surgeon  is  one  of  the 
oldest  medical  men  of  the  Saginaw  Valley 
He  now  carries  on  a  medical  galvanic  and  electric 
sanitarium.  He  was  born  in  Windsor  County,  Vt., 
January  28,  DS27,  and  there  had  his  early  training. 
His  father,  Capt.  Waiter  Hamilton,  was  born  in 
Brookfield,  Mass..  and  was  a  grandson  of  the  Scotch 
Duke  of  Hamilton,  whose  son  came  to  Brookfield. 
Mass.,  generations  ago. 

The  Duke  owned  the  largest  part  of  the  North 
of  Ireland,  besides  having  large  possessions  in 
Scotland  and  was  heir  to  the  throne  of  Scot- 
land under  the  Stuarts,  being  next  after  Prince 
Charles  Edward.  He  was  obliged  to  leave  Scot- 
land on  account  of  a  conspiracy  against  English 
rule.  After  coming  to  America  he  gained  pos- 
session of  a  large  tract  of  land  and  was  suc- 
cessful as  an  agriculturist.  lie  had  nine  sons  who 
married  and  settled  here.  Our  subject  is  of  the 
same  family  as  Alexander  Hamilton,  and  the  de- 
35 


ceased  United  stales  Surgeon-General  F.  II.  Hamil- 
ton; also  the  present  United  States  Surgeon-Gen- 
eral Hamilton. 

Walter  Hamilton,  one  of  four  sons,  all  liv- 
ing to  be  near  ninety-five,  was  the  father  of 
Dr.  Hamilton,  and  was  left  an  orphan  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years  and  learning  the  hat- 
ter's trade,  located  at  Sharon,  Vt.,  and  there  en- 
tered upon  the  business  of  a  clothier  and  hatter 
and  became  a  successful  manufacturer.  Later  he 
removed  to  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived  retired 
until  his  death  at  the  age  of  near  ninety  years.  He 
was  captain  in  the  State  Militia  and  also  in  the  War 
of  1*12.  He  was  a  Whigin  his  politics  and  a  Pres- 
byterian in  religion,  being  a  member  of  the  Wash- 
ington Street  Church  in  Rochester. 

Mehitable,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  was  born 
at  Canterbury,  Conn.,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Eben- 
ezer  Dyer,a  Revolutionary  soldier  who  at  one  time 
acted  as  a  spy  for  Washington  at  the  siege  of  York- 
town.  He  came  home  a  pauper,  having  served 
seven  years  as  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  crippled 
for  life,  and  used  $400  for  army  purposes, 
never  repaid,  and  later  engaged,  in  farming 
and  hotel  keeping  in  Norwich,  Vt.  The  Dy- 
ers are  a  prominent  old  family  of  Massachu- 
setts. The  mother  of  our  subject  died  in  Rochester 
when  about  ninety  years  old.  through  an  accident 
in  falling  down  stairs.  Her  nine  children  grew  to 
maturity  and  established  families,  and  seven  of  her 
grandsons  were  active  in  the  Civil  War, all  serving 
through  the  five  years,  none  of  whom  were  mor- 
tally wounded,  each  holding  commissions,  least  of 
which  was  First  Lieutenant,  and  the  highest  Quar- 
termaster-General— thus  maintaining  the  family 
record  for  patriotism. 

Our  subject  was  reared  to  maturity  in  Sharon, 
Vt.,  and  early  picked  up  the  details  of  the  carpen- 
ter's trade.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  and  the  Royalton  Academy  and  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  went  to  Boston  and  became 
a  draftsman.  A  year  later  he  went  to  Roch- 
ester", N.  V.  where  he  studied  medicine  under 
Dr.  .Mathews.  He  had  begun  his  studies  under  Dr. 
J.  Dennison,  of  Royalton,  and  while  in  Rochester 
assisted  himself  by  taking  a  professorship  for  two 
years  in  Eastman's  Business  College.     At  Cinein- 


766 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


nati  he  completed  his  medical  studies  under  Drs- 
ftlussy  &  Wood,  and  then  located  at  St.  Mary,  \'a., 
where  for  six  months  he  carried  on  his  practice. 
On  account  of  ill  health  he  left  that  place  and  re- 
turned tn  Rochester. 

The  dental  business  now  attracted  the  attention 
of  our  subject  and  while  he  was  recuperating  in 
health  he  took  a  position  in  a  dentist's  office  ami 
gained  a  wide  reputation  in  the  manufacture  of  arti- 
tieial  teeth  on  gold  plates.  After  being  in  the  office 
of  another  for  several  years  he  opened  an  oilier  of 
his  own  and  was  successful,  but  a  severe  attack  of 
congestion  of  the  lungs  led  him  to  believe  that  he 
must  change  climates,  doing  to  Southern  New 
York  he  opened  an  office  near  Addison  and  there 
practiced  dentistry  and  medicine  for  twelve  years. 

In  1866  Dr.  Hamilton  came  to  Michigan  ami 
opened  a  dental  office  at  Saginaw  ami  lor  nine 
years  was  the  leading  dentist  there,  at  the  same 
time  practicing  medicine.  In  L869  he  \\ .- 1 -  burned 
out  but  he  continued  his  practice  until  he  lost  his 
health  and  then  removed  to  Harrisville  on  the 
lake  shore  anil  there  resumed    his  double  vocation. 

He  afterward  sojourned  temporarily  at  St.  Charles, 
Freeland  and  at  East  Tawas  and.  his  health  being 
quite  restored,  he  went  to  White  Rock,  Huron 
County,  Mich.,  where  three  years  later  he  lost  sev- 
eral thousand  dollars  in  the  great  Michigan  lire. 
Afterward,  he  removed  to  Ubly,  Huron  County, 
where  he  built  a  residence  and  practiced  medicine; 
later  he  went  to  Tyre  andbuill  an  hotel  which  was 
burned,  having  thus  been  a  third  time  burned  out. 
Thenee  he  proceeded  to  Port  Huron,  where  he 
remained  for  a  short  time. 

In  .Inly.  1891,  Dr.  Hamilton  came  to  West  Bay 
City  and  established  hiuself  herein  practice,  and 
also  opened  a  sanitarium.  lie  has  made  a  study  of 
electricity  since  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age.  and 
in  his  experimenting  has  made  main  discoveries, 
which  are  quite  unknown  to  most  electricians.  His 
sanitarium  is  located  at  No.913  Broadway  and  has 
all  necessary  conveniences  to  make  it  a  practical 
success. 

The  lady  who  became  the  wile  of  Dr.  Hamilton 
at  St.  Charles,  January  13,  1876,  was  Mrs.  Mary 
(Smith)  Short.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Maland 
Smith,  a  native  of  Manchester,  England,  and    for- 


merly a  prominent  citizen  of  Belmont  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  followed  farming  pursuits.  He  was 
made  Sheriff  of  that  county  and  afterward  Sheriff 
of  Putnam  County.  III.,  and  his  last  days  were 
spent  on  Apple  River  in  Wisconsin.  His  wife, 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  Parr,  was  born  in  the 
North  of  Ireland,  and  her  father,  who  was  of 
Scotch  birth,  brought  his  family  to  this  country 
and  settled  in  (  >hio,  where  many  of  the  family  now 
live. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Smith.  Mrs.  Smith,  in 
1847,  married  again,  and  in  1852  she  crossed  the 
plains  to  California,  and  at  Ma\  field,  where  she  and 
her  husband  were  known  as  "Uncle  Jim"  and  "Aunt 
Jim."  established  an  hotel  which  was  known  as 
■•I  nele  Jim's  Cabin"  and  became  one  of  the  most 
noted  in  the  State.  She  died  in  1871  and  her 
funeral  was  the  most  largely  attended  of  any  that 
had  taken  place  in  the  st.  (lair  Valley. 

Mrs.  Hamilton  was  one  of  seven  children;  her 
oldest  brother.  J.  I'.  Smith,  was  Chief  of  Police  for 
year.-  in  San  Francisco  and  two  brothers,  Nathan 
ami  Samuel,  were  in  the  army  during  the  Civil 
War.  She  was  bom  in  Belmont  (  ountv.  ( )hio.  and 
early  removed  to  Illinois,  where  she  lived  until 
1854.  She  was  educated  at  Granville  Academy 
and  married  <  apt.  William  II.  Short,  a  Kentuckian, 
who  wa-  a  Captain  in  the  .Mexican  War  and  a 
very  wealthy  farmer  and  speculator  in  Illinois,  lie 
made  his  first  trip  to  California  in  1850  and  then  re- 
turned for  his  family  ,taking  them  a  six  months"  jour- 
ney across  the  plains  with  oxen  and  horse  team. and 
passed  the  scene  of  the  Mt.  Meadow  Massacre  the 
next  da}' after  its  occurrence;  the  Indians  were  still 
there.  The  danger  was  so  great  that  had  it  not  been 
for  the  knowledge  (apt.  Short  possessed  of  the 
Indian  and  Spanish  languages  and  warfare,  the 
family  would  have  perished. 

The  first  home  of  the  Captain  and  his  wife  was 
in  the  St.  (lair  Valley  ami  afterward  they  were  in 
the  gold  mines  in  Placer  County,Mrs.  short  being 
the  first  white  woman  ever  in  the  place.  They  were 
successful  there  but  later  removed  to  Maytield 
where  (.apt.  Short  had  a  ranch  of  six  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War 
he  raised  a  company,  having  received  a  captain's 
commission,  ami  served  to  the  close  of  the  war.   Af- 


PORTRAIT  AN1)  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


7(57 


terward  he  located  in  Idaho,  where  he  sojourned 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  from  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  United  States  service.  Mrs.  Short's 
eldesl  son,  (  harles  11..  was  killed  in  the  United 
Slates  service  in  the  Northwest ;  William  H.,  her  sec- 
ond son.  resides  in  Idaho;  Elizabeth  was  Mrs.  Al- 
len, of  Sacramento;  Alice  is  -Mrs.  .1.  Otterson,  of 
Idaho:  Ella  (Mrs.  Mushett);  and  Sarah  (Mrs.  Ab-' 
bott  i  resides  in  California. 

On  account  of  ill  health  Mrs.  Short  came  East 
and  tried  the  effect  of  different  climates,  coming  to 
St.  Charles  in  1875.  She  found  great  improve- 
ment in  her  health  and  sojourned  there  until  her 
marriage  with  Dr.  Hamilton,  she  has  studied 
medicine  and  is  a  professional  nurse,  giving  elec- 
trical baths  and  treatment.  A  remarkable  woman, 
most  delightful  in  conversation  and  of  great  busi- 
ness capability,  she  lias  been  one  of  the  prominent 
pioneer  women  of  California,  and  is  still  interested 
in  Idaho  lands,  left  by  her  former  husband,  Capt. 
W.  II.  Short.  Her  first  -on  by  Dr.  Hamilton 
bore  the  name  of  Walter  G.,  and  after  his  death 
she  had  another  son  to  whom  she  gave  the  name-  of 
Walter  R.  The  Doctor  is  a  Past  (.rand  in  Odd- 
Fellowship,  and  was  the  original  and  lii.-t  organ- 
izer of  the  Patron-  of  Industry  in  the  State  of 
Michigan. 

The  attention  of  the  reader  i-  invited  to  a  litho- 
graphic portrait  of  the  Doctor  which  appears  in 
connection  with  this  biographical  notice. 


.MADISON  JOHNSTON, who  is  an  old  set- 
tler in  this  region  and  is  now  practicing 
surveyingand  civil  engineering  in  Bay  City, 

has  resided  here  since  the  fall  of  1853,  at 
which  time  this  place  was  known  as  Lower  Sa«  maw. 
He  was  horn  and  reared  on  the  frontier  of  Wiscon- 
sin, his  birthplace  in  Brown  County,  that  State. 
and  hi-  natal  day  February  18,  1833.  Hi-  father 
Capt.  Johnston  was  a  native  of  Oxford,  Va.,  and 
an  old  Indian  lighter,  who  saw  service  under  old 
Anthony  Wayne.  The  grandfather  who  took  part 
in  the  Revolutionary  War  wa-  of  Scotch  descent, 
and  •  of   the  1'.  1'.  Y  'a. 


Capt.  George  Johnston,  spent  his  early  life  upon 
a  Virginia  plantation,  and  served  in  the  United 
States  Army  through  the  War  of  1812,  after  which 
he  was  sent  with  his  regiment  to  old  Ft.  Mackinaw, 
where  they  were  stationed  for  several  years,  and 
later  at  Ft.  Howard,  where  the  Captain  was  in 
command  of  the  Fort.  When  the  Blackhawk  War 
broke  out,  he  took  his  old  company  and  a  squad  of 
volunteers  and  commanded  them  through  that 
period  of  warfare.  Subsequently  he  was  stationed 
again  at  Ft.  Howard,  where  he  remained  in  com- 
mand until  he  resigned,  after  which  he  engaged  as 
an  Indian  trader, buying  and  selling  furs,  and  died 
at  Green  Bay  in  1850,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two. 
He  was  a  man  of  powerful  frame,  measuring  six 
feet  and  two  inches,  and  weighing  two  hundred 
and  twenty  pounds.  He  feared  nothing,  and  was 
greatly  admired  by  the  Indian-,  and  had  many 
friends  among  the  Menominees,  Winnebagos,  and 
Pottowottamies.  His  real-estate  grew  in  value 
after  his  death,  and  this  left  his  family  in  com- 
fortable circumstances.  He  was  a  Jacksqnian  Dem- 
ocrat and  in  religious  preference  was  attached  to 
the  Episcopal  service. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  in  her  maiden- 
hood Phyllis  McFearson.  She  was  born  in  Montreal. 
Canada,  and  her  father  John  was  a  native  of  Mass- 
achusetts. He  wa-  a  sailor  on  the  high  seas  as 
well  as  on  the  lakes,  and  was  the  first  one  wdio 
drew  a  sailing  chart  of  the  upper  lakes.  He  was  a 
powerful  man  of  fine  person  and  active  habits,  and 
spent  his  la-t  day-  in  Detroit  after  giving  up  the 
captaincy  of  his  boat.  The  mother  was  reared  in 
that  i  ity,  and  died  there  at  the  age  of  seventy 
years.  She  was  of  Scotch  descent,  and  a  Roman 
Catholic  in  her  religious  belief. 

Our  subject  is  the  younge-t  of  a  family  of  eight 
sons  and  one  daughter.  One  of  his  brothers. 
Thomas  .1.  Johnston  was  a  General  in  the  Confed- 
erate Army,  and  after  the  war  became  a  Catholic 
Priest,  and  before  his  death,  Canon  of  the  Diocese 
of  San  Antonio.  Tex.  His  death  resulted  from  his 
being  thrown  from  a  carriage  while  riding  with 
Gen.  ( )rd.  at  San  Antonio. 

Madison  John-ton  was  brought  up  in  Green  Bay 
and  attended  the  log  schoolhouse  during  three 
months  of  each  yea/,  remaining  on  flic  farm   until 


70S 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


lie  reached  the  age  of  sixteen,  when  he  began  trad- 
ing with  the  Indians,  buying  their  furs,  and  carry- 
ing on  an  extensive  business  with  them.  Hespoke 
the  Menominee  language,  and  was  a  fine  shot,  ami 
his  courage,  and  the  Indian's  superstition  in  regard 
to  his  father  protected  him  from  many  dangers  to 
which  he  was  exposed.  In  1853  he  came  to  Detroit 
with  his  mother  who  died  three  years  later,  and 
after  that  he  came  to  Bay  City,  In  lie  with  his 
cousin  James  Watson,  in  whose  store  (which  was 
the  first  one  at  Lower  Saginaw.)  he  became  a  clerk. 

After  a  year  this  young  man  engaged  in  fishing, 
buying  a  vessel,  which  he  named  the  "King 
Fisher,"  and  having  some  boats  built  to  do  fishing 
in  Saginaw  Bay  and  Thunder  Bay.  This  business 
prospered  until  1861,  when  disaster  befell  him,  and 
he  was  obliged  to  sell  out  for  a  mere  song.  He  had 
studied  and  practiced  civil  engineering  in  Wiscon- 
sin, and  he  now  took  up  that  line  of  work.  He 
was  elected  County  Surveyor  in  1864,  and  served 
until  1868,  when  he  was  re-elected,  but  declined 
to  qualify,  as  his  local  practice  engaged  all  his 
time.  In  1873,  however,  he  accepted  the  office  of 
City  Surveyor,  and  held  it  until  1881,  when  he  laid 
aside  business  here.  Two  years  later  he  took  a 
journey  to  Honduras,  Central  America,  prospecting 
and  placer-mining  on  the  Polia  River.  Headed  as 
the  President  of  the  Bay  City  Mining  Company, 
but  although  he  found  some  signs  of  gold,  he  did 
not  have  the  appliances  for  working  it.  and  re- 
turned to  Bay  City  the  following  summer. 

Since  that  time  our  subject  has  devoted  himself 
to  civil  engineering,  and  is  the  oldest  man  in  that 
profession  here.  Previous  to  1853,  he  and  his 
brother  John  located  the  first  mail  route  from 
Escanaba  River  to  Marquette,  and  this  route 
marked  by  blazed  trees  was  used  for  many  years. 
His  marriage  with  Hannah  Reed,  a  native  of 
Paynesville,  Ohio,  took  place  in  1858,  and  she  died 
leaving  five  children,  two  of  whom  survive, 
namely,  Carrie  (Mrs.  Parker)  and  Belle. 

The  second  marriage  of  our  subject  was  solemn- 
ized on  Christmas  Day,  lH'.Hi.  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
the  bride  being  Miss  Mattie,  daughter  of  11  M. 
Starke,  an  early  settler  at  Eagles,  Clinton  Count}', 
where  this  lady  was  born.  Her  mother.  Rebecca 
Kilbourn,  was  a  native  of    New    York,   and    still 


lives,  making  her  home  in  Cincinnati.  Mrs.  John- 
ston was  the  third  of  a  family  of  nine  children  and 
had  her  education  here.  She  taught  the  first  school 
in  the  Pinconning  log  schoolhouse.  beginning  with 
thirty  Indian  and  four  white  pupils,  and  she  was 
then  only  seventeen  3rears  old.  The  Democratic 
party  commands  the  vote  and  influence  of  Mr. 
Johnston  and  he  has  been  influential  on  the  Ward 
and  City  Committees. 


L<pSHE  SAGE  LIBRARY,  of  West  Bay  City,  was 
//TV  first  established  in  the  fall  of  1883,  by  H. 
V_y  \Y.  Sage,  of  Ithaca.  N.  Y.,  who  has  exten- 
sive business  interests  here,  donating  a  handsome 
three-story  brick  building  erected  at  a  cost  of  $17,- 
iiiiii  ami  also  eight  thousand  volumes  of  books. 
Afterwrard  by  consent  of  the  city,  the  school  lib- 
rary was  merged  with  this,  which  made  a  fine  addi- 
tion to  its  collection  of  works.  In  1888  Mr.  Sage 
made  a  proposition  to  the  city,  that  if  it  would 
furnish  $1,000  per  year  he  would  also  give  the  same 
amount  for  ten  years  toward  the  support  of  the 
library.  The  offer  was  accepted,  thus  giving  the 
library  an  income  of  $2,000  each  year  besides  the 
school  library  tax. 

The  Directors  consist  of  five  members  from  the 
city,  the  Evangelical  clergymen  of  the  place,  and 
the  President  of  the  School  Board,  and  the  Mayor. 
The  number  of  volumes  at  present  in  the  library  is 
seventeen  thousand,  five  hundred,  and  two  thou- 
sand cards  are  in  constant  use.  During  the  past 
year  (1891),  twenty-eight  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  ninety-five  volumes  were  taken  out.  which  was 
hardly  an  average,  as  the  library  was  closed  for  a 
a  time  from  accident.  The  previous  year  there 
was  an  average  of  thirty  thousand,  seven  hundred 
and  thirty-four  books  drawn  out,  which  is  perhaps 
the  average  numbei  during  the  past  3'ears. 

New  cards  are  issued  to  any  resident  of  West 
Bay  City  on  the  guarantee  of  any  property  owner 
of  that  place,  and  besides  the  immense  number  of 
works  thus  placed  within  reach  of  the  people  of  the 
city,  there  is  also  a  reading  room,  containing  a  full 
line  of  papers  and  periodicals,  and  open  for  the  use 


u> 


a- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


771 


of  all.  The  present  corps  of  officials  at  the  library 
consists  of  J.  II.  Plum.  President;  J.  E.  Lemon, 
Secretary;  Mrs.  M.  F.  Ostrander,  Librarian,  and 
Miss  Emma  Ostrander,  Assistant  Librarian. 


^sf= 


Z*  ' 


OSEPH  VOITH.  For  its  present  wealth  and 
high  standing  Saginaw  County  is  greatly 
indebted  to  the  sturdy  and  enterprising 
tillers  of  the  soil,  who  have  been  instru- 
mental in  developing  its  vast  agricultural  re- 
sources. As  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  the  farm- 
ing community,  and  a  man  of  prominence  in  its 
civic  and  religious-  circles,  it  gives  us  pleasure  to 
present  the  portrait  and  biography  of  Mr.  Voith 
to  our  readers.  He  has  long  been  associated  with 
the  agricultural  interests  of  Maple  Grove  Town- 
ship and  has  built  up  a  comfortable  home  on  sec- 
tion 27,  where  he  settled  in  October,  1854. 

To  Mr.  Voith  belongs  the  distinction  of  having 
been  the  first  pioneer  settler  and  landholder  for 
farming  purposes  in  the  township  of  Maple  Grove, 
County  of  Saginaw.  At  the  time  of  his  settlement 
the  country  was  covered  with  dense  forests  of  ma- 
ple, beach,  bass  wood,  sycamore  and  various  other 
kinds  of  trees.  By  the  enterprise  and  muscle  of  the 
pioneer  these  forests  have  been  removed  and  now 
broad  fields  without  stump  or  tree  gladden  the  eyes 
of  the  old  settler,  who  is  reaping  the  rich  reward 
of  the  hardships  and  trials  of  earlier  years. 

Mr.  Voith  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  March 
10,  1832,  and  is  the  son  of  Antton  and  Walburga 
Voith.  His  parents  emigrated  to  the  1'nitcd 
States  in  1852,  landing  in  Baltimore,  anil  thence 
proceeding  to  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  where  the 
mother  and  a  portion  of  the  family  remained 
while  the  father  and  three  sons  went  to  the  Lake 
Superior  regions  and  worked  in  the  copper  mines. 
After  remaining  at  work  in  the  mines  about  six 
months,  the  father  joined  his  family  in  Ohio,  and 
in  1854  came  to  Saginaw  County  and  settled  in 
township  !),  north  of  range  4. 

The  parental  family  numbered  six  children,  viz: 
Hlalius,  Joseph,  Sefrinus,  Mary,  Barbara  and  Anna. 
Blalius  died  in  Maple  Grove  Township,  in    1871, 


leaving  four  children;  Safrinus  went  to  California 
soon  after  their  coming  to  the  United  States,  and 
has  not  been  heard  from;  Mary  is  the  wife  of  George 
M.  Henige;  Barbara  is  now  Mis.  Leibic;  Anna  mar- 
ried Mr.  Arttman  and  died  in  Maple  Grove  Town- 
ship in   1870. 

Our  subject  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth  of 
his  parents'  family,  and  after  coming  to  America 
worked  for  one  year  in  the  copper  mines  of  Lake 
Superior,  lie  then  came  to  the  "Wolverine  State 
and  located  in  Maple  Grove  Township,  where  he 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on 
section  27,  all  of  which  was  in  its  primeval  state. 
During  1855  he  raised  two  hundred  and  ten  bush- 
els of  corn  and  forty  bushels  of  potatoes.  In  the 
following  year  he  raised  one  hundred  and  fifty 
bushels  of  corn,  thirty  bushels  of  winter  wheat  and 
fifty  bushels  of  potatoes.  lie  continued  to  im- 
prove the  place  until  1863,  when  lie  sold 
one  hundred  and  forty  acres  on  section  27,  to 
George  M.  Henige  and  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  on  section  22,  which  he 
afterward  sold.  He  then  located  on  section  28, 
upon  the  tract  which  he  owns  at  the  present  time. 
In  1866  the  first  settlers  met  in  Mr.  Voith's 
shanty  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  and  naming 
the  township.  At  that  meeting  one  John  Smith 
was  selected  and  sent  to  Saginaw  for  the  purpose 
of  effecting  an  organization,  which,  however,  was 
not  completed  until  the  following  year,  when  the 
early  settlers  again  met  about  the  month  of  May. 
and  elected  B.  Turner  to  represent  their  interests 
in  Saginaw.  The  result  was  that  flic  township  was 
given  its  present  name — Maple  Grove. 

At  the  time  of  the  late  war  Mr.  Voith  was  the 
possessor  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land, 
and  from  time  to  time  he  paid  liberally  for  volun- 
teers to  be  credited  to  his  township.  In  1865  he 
enlisted  in  the  Union  army  and  served  six  months 
in  defense  of  the  stars  and  stripes,  joining  Com- 
pany D,  Sixth  Michigan  Infantry,  and  afterward 
being  transferred  to  the  Sixth  Michigan  Heavy 
Artillery.  With  his  regiment  lie  was  sent  to  Fts. 
Oaines  and  Morgan,  Ala.,  and  there  exposure  and 
privations  caused  him  to  lose  his  health,  which  he 
has  never  since  regained. 

After  returning  to  peaceful  pursuits,  Mr.  Voith 


772 


PORTRAIT  AM'  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


resumed  agricultural  life,  and  is  now  the  possessor 
of  eighty  acres  of  cultivated  land,  which  is  embel- 
lished with  commodious  and  substantial  buildings. 
However. 'he  rents  his  land  and  is  living  a  some- 
what retired  life,  fully  meriting  the  rest  which  he 
has  so  hardly  earned. 

In  politics  Mr.  Voith  has  always  been  indepen- 
dent and  thus  reserves  his  right  to  vote  for  the 
best  man  and  not  for  party  principles.  Although 
he  is  not  an  office-seeker,  he  has  been  honored  by 
many  of  the  local  offices  within  the  gift  of  the 
people  to  bestow,  lie  has  ever  been  earnestly  in- 
terested ill  his  adopted  township  and  has  sought. 
as  far  as  in  him  lay.  to  promote  its  prosperity.  In 
religious  matters  he  is  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  is 
one  ot  the  founders  of  that  church  in  Maple 
Grove  Township,  lie  assisted  in  building  the  first 
church  at  this  place  and  presented  the  bell  which 
is  now  used  on  the  new  church  building.  lie  has 
been  exceedingly  liberal  in  his  donations  to  the 
church  and  has  contributed  much  to  aid  in  the 
promotion  of  education. 


C=l-7 


•fy\  I.ONZO  Dl'XXIXC.  It  is  of  thrilling  in 
■©/lJI|  terest  to  one  whose  heart  is  loyal  to  our 
!  country's  honor  to  hear  an  old  soldier  re- 
count the  scenes  of  conflicts,  the  weari- 
some marches,  and  the  exciting  episodes  of  the 
Civil  War.  Among  those  who  can  interest  and 
instruct  is  the  gentleman  whose  name  appears  at 
the  head  of  this  sketch,  and  who  is  one  of  the  well- 
known  farmers  of  Buena  Vista  Township,  having 
his  tine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ten  acres  located 
on  section  32. 

Mr.  Dunning  was  born  in  Charleston,  Penobscot 
County,  Me..  July  28,  1832.  His  father  was  Col. 
John  Dunning,  also  a  native  of  the  Pine  Tree 
Slate.  His  mother  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Abi- 
gail Page,  and  was  a  native  of  the  same  State  as 
her  husband.  They  both  passed  their  last  days  in 
Maine,  dyingin  Charleston.  Our  subject  received 
a  good  education  in  his  native  place,  having  been 
enabled  to  enter  High  School,and  for  about  eleven 
years  was  a  teacher,    lie  made  Charleston  his  home 


until  1866,  when  he  started  out  to  see  something 
of  the  world  for  himself,  and  that  he  was  success- 
ful in  his  undertakings  will  be  seen  by  a  perusal 
of  this  sketch. 

Our  subject  was  married  January  20.  1854,  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Foss,  also  a  native  of  Charleston, 
Me.  After  his  marriage  he  located  on  a  portion 
of  his  father's  farm,  which  he  continued  to  make 
his  home  until  1866,  in  the  fall  of  which  year  he 
came  to  Saginaw  and  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness with  Roby  Ireland  as  his  partner.  They  oper- 
ated together  for  two  years,  when  Mr.  Dunning 
sold  out  his  interest  and  launched  out  in  the  lum- 
ber Imsiness  tor  himself, thus  for  some  time  being 
successfully  engaged, When  he  decided  to  relinquish 
all  claims  in  that  line  of  business,  lie  made  Sagi- 
naw City  his  home  until  1876,  when  he  removed 
to  Buena  Vista  Township,  where  he  had  purchased 
hi-  beautiful  faun,  upon  which  he  is  at  present  re- 
siding. 

August  1  I.  1863,  .Mi'.  Dunning  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany D,  First  Cavalry,  and  fought  bravely  for 
t  he  preservation  of  the  Union  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  While  on  a  cavalry  raid  near  Coalfield. 
Va.,  he  was  wounded  in  the  right  leg  but  with 
that  exception  passed  through  the  conflict  un- 
harmed, other  than  what  would  necessarily  follow 
the  privations  and  hardships  with  which  a  soldier's 
life  was  surrounded.  As  before  stated,  our  sub- 
ject is  the  proprietor  of  one  hundred  acres  of  ara- 
ble land,  and  besides  this  i-  interested  in  business 
with  his  two  sons  in   Menominee,  this  State. 

Mr.  Dunning  became  thefatherof  three  children 
by  his  first  marriage,  viz:  Frank  I...  Herbert  A., 
who  died  at  three  ami  a  half  years,  and  Melville 
A.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Dunning  died  in  Charleston. 
Me.,  in  1865,  previous  to  our  subject's  migration 
to  the  Wolverine  State.  October  2(1.  18611,  Mr. 
Dunning  was  again  married,  in  Saginaw,  to  Miss 
Alice  1..  Rollins,  a  native  of  Bangor,  Me.  By  this 
marriage  he  has  become  the  father  of  three  chil- 
dren, the  eldest  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  The 
others  are  :   Cliffe  A.,  and  Arlene  L. 

Our  subject  has  been  honored  by  his  townsmen 
with  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  is  iden- 
tified with  tin'  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he 
takes    much    interest.     His    patriotism    is    further 


PORTRAIT  AN  1;    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


773 


manifested  by  bis  alliance  with  the  Gordon  <  Granger 
Post,  G.  A.  i;..  of  Saginaw.  He  is  a  believer 
in  unci  an  adherent  t<>  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party,  believing  thai  partj  to  be  in  the 
right. 

The  family  of  Mr.  Dunning  have  a  host  of  warm 
friends  in  Saginaw  County,  and  are  universally 
esteemed  by  all  who  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  their 
acquaintance.  Mr.  Dunning  is  a  man  of  high  re- 
pute and  is  well  liked  by  all  who  know  him. 


<i\  felLLIAM  L.  PECK  occupies  the  responsible 
\  /  position  of  Train  Dispatcher  for  the 
V V  .Mackinaw  &  Saginaw  Division  of  the 
Michigan  Central  Railroad  at  Kay  City.  New 
York  i>  his  native  State,  his  birth  having  occurred 
there  October  24,  1864,  in  Manila  Township.  Erie 
County.  William  II.  Peek,  father  of  the  gentleman 
of  whom  we  write,  was  also  bom  in  Erie  County. 
N.  V..  while  his  father,  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  the  Green  Mountain  State, 
and  on  making  New  York  his  home  located  in 
Erie  County,  where  he  followed  the  combined 
Occupations  Of  a  farmer  and  carpenter.  He  spent 
his  later  years,  however,  in  sawmilling  and  died 
at    Alden  in  1872. 

William  II.  Peck  was  a  sawyer  in  New  York. 
and  when  coming  to  Michigan  at  an  early  day  ran 
a  sawmill  in  Muskegon.  He  later  removed  to  Illi- 
nois, where  he  farmed  for  a  time,  and  then  re- 
turned to  New  York  and  followed  his  old  occupa- 
tions of  farmer,  sawyer  and  carpenter.  On  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  enlisted  in  the 
Union  Army,  hut  was  not  accepted  on  account  of 
physical  disability.  He  again  decided  to  come 
West,  and  in  1877  made  Caledonia.  Kent  County, 
his  home,  where  he  was  employed  for  one  year  in 
the  manufacture  of  woodenware.  Feeling  a  de- 
sire to  once  more  try  farm  life.  Mr.  Peck  removed 
to  Minnesota,  and  locating  near  Rochester,  once 
more  engaged  in  cultivating  the  soil.  The  failure 
of  crops  that  year  so  discouraged  him  that  he  re- 
turned to  Caledonia,  Mich.. and  worked  once  more 


in  the  wooden-ware  factory  for  three  or  four 
years.  He  is  now  residing  at  Shelby,  Mich.,  en- 
gaged in  business  for  a  brother. 

Our  subject's  mother  was  horn  at  Alden,  ,\.  Y., 
and  was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Miss  Mary 
Edson.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and 
bore  tin'  name  of  Linas  Edson.  He  was  a  woolen 
manufacturer  at  Alden,  N.  Y.,  and  later  removed 
to  Iowa,  where  he  died:  the  mother's  decease  oc- 
curred in   1882,  at   Caledonia. 

William  1..  Peck  i>  the  oldest  of  the  three  chil- 
dren horn  to  his  parents,  only,  two  of  whom  are 
living  at  the  present  time,  lie  was  reared  in  New 
York  until  reaching  the  age  of  twelve  years,  when 
In-  spent  one  year  in  Minnesota.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Michigan,  and  when  sixteen  years  of  age 
began  to  learn  the  art  of  telegraphy  at  Caledonia, 
and  a  year  later  took  the  position  of  night  Opera- 
tor at  Grayling  on  the  Michigan  Central  Road. 
After  holding  that  position  a  short  time  he  was 
made  Station  Agent  at  Ogemaw,  where  he  re- 
mained for  six  months,  when  he  became  agent  at 
Beaver  Lake. 

In  1KX.1  our  subject  came  to  West  Hay  City  and 
took  the  position  as  general  clerk  in  the  Michigan 
Centra]  freight  office,  and  two  years  later  became 
operator  in  the  Traill  Dispatcher's  Office.  In  Jan- 
uary. 1887,  he  became  train  dispatcher,  and  is 
now  the  fourth  oldest  dispatcher  in  this  place. 
In  occupying  the  various  positions  which  we  have 
enumerated.  Mr.  Peck  has  done  an  incredible 
amount  of  hard  work.  Personally  he  is  a  very 
genial  gentleman  and  has  hosts  of  warm  friends 
throughout  M  ichigan. 

May  15,  1889,  was  the  dateof  our  subject's  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Nellie,  daughter  of  Joseph  1).  and 
Delia  (Pierce)  Huckins,  their  marriage  being  sol- 
emnized in  Bay  City.  .Airs.  Peek's  father  was  a 
farmer  and  lumberman,  and  came  to  Bay  City 
when  a  young  man.  lie  is  now  residing  on  a 
beautiful  farm  in  Kawkawlin  Township,  Bay 
Coufity.  Mrs.  Delia  Huckins  was  bom  in  New- 
York  state  and  is  the  daughter  of  Nathan  Pierce, 
of  New  York.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  1).  Huckins 
have  become  the  parents  of  three  children,  two 
of  whom  are  living.  The  wife  of  our  subject  was 
reared  in  West    Bay    City,   where    she  was   gradu- 


771 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ated  from  the  High  School  when  seventeen  years 
of  age,  :in(l  was  engaged  as  a  teacher  for  about 
four  years  after  finishing  her  education. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peek,  of  this  sketch,  have  two 
children — Ralph  and  Ward.  Our  subject  is  a 
Knight  of  the  Maccabees,  being  identified  with 
Valley  Tent.  In  politics  he  is  a  believer  in  Re- 
publican principles. 


ZRA  G.  GODDARD,  a  civil  engineer  of 
Saginaw,  who  came  here  in  1862,  was  born 
in  Worcester,  Mass.,  October  10,  1823.  He 
attended  school  until  he  reached  the  age  of  fifteen 
or  sixteen  years  and  made  good  advancement  in 
his  studies,  his  specialty  being  in  the  mathematical 
and  mechanical  line,  in  which  he  gained  much 
local  reputation  for  a  young  man.  He  was  also  a 
great  reader  in  his  boyhood  and  became  familial' 
with  Rollins'  Ancient  History  while  driving  an 
ox-team  in  the  field.  Later  he  had  the  advan- 
tage of  a  course  in  the  grammar  school  at  Worces- 
ter, and  on  the  Worcester  &  Nashua  Railroad 
commenced  the  profession  of  engineering,  and 
soon  became  familiar  with  the  use  of  engineering 
instruments.  During  his  last  year  there  he  was 
made  Supervising  Engineer  and  had  charge  of 
track  laying  and  supervision  of  a  division  of  a 
road  near  Worcester. 

After  this  Mr.  Goddard  assisted  in  locating  the 
Buffalo,  Coining  &  New  York  Railroad  and  the 
Richmond  &  Dansville  Railway,  in  Virginia,  hav- 
ing charge  of  the  mad  from  Richmond  to  Appo- 
mattox. He  then  assisted  in  locating  the  Virginia 
Central  line,  which  runs  across  three  ridges  of  the 
Alleghany  .Mountains;  he  also  located  the  New  Jer- 
sey Central  Railroad  and  had  charge  of  construct- 
ing the  western  end  of  the  North  Carolina  Central 
Railroad,  after  which  he  returned  to  New  York 
and  aided  in  the  construction  of  the  Buffalo,  Com- 
ing &  New  York  Road,  and  afterward  made  re- 
connoisance  of  the  Louisville  &  Covington  Rail- 
road. Returning  to  Buffalo,  he  was  lirst  assistant 
in  the  construction  of  the  road  from  Livonia  to 
Buffalo,  after  which  lie  was  appointed   Chief    En- 


gineer for  the  Cleveland  &  St.  Louis  Railroad  in 
Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  also  the  Terre  Haute  A  St. 
Louis  Road. 

Subsequent  to  the  completion  of  these  roads  Mr. 
Goddard  made  the  first  survey  of  the  Flint  <fe 
Pere  Marquette  Railroad,  which  was  carried  on  in 
the  winter  through  great  sufferings  and  privations 
through  a  dense  wilderness.  He  then  surveyed 
the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  Road  in  Minnesota,  and 
the  l'arkville  &  Grand  River  in  Missouri,  continu- 
ing there  until  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  At  that 
time  he  returned  to  Massachusetts,  and  by  the  re- 
quest  of  G-en.  Barnes  went  to  Fortress  Monroe  and 
for  two  years  had  charge  of  all  the  railway  work 
there  and  at  Annapolis,  Md..  being  in  the  Govern- 
ment employ  in  civil  capacity  as  engineer.  He 
was  on  railroads,  commencing  as  rodman,  for 
twenty-three  years,  and  was  Chief  Engineer  of 
eight  railroads,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-nine  was 
Chief  Engineer  of  three  roads  at  a  salary  of  $7,500. 
He  possessed  great  practical  ability  in  his  profes- 
sion, and  stood  high  in  every  work  in  which  lie  en- 
gaged, and  obtained  his  education  mostly  in  the 
field  and  private  study. 

In  1862  Mr.  Goddard  came  to  Saginaw,  desir- 
ing to  engage  in  such  business  as  would  enable 
him  to  be  at  home  with  his  family,  and  as  many  of 
his  friends  were  interested  here,  he  was  at  once 
appointed  City  Engineer  and  located  in  this  city, 
investing  extensively  in  lands,  and  has  lumbered 
more  or  less  nearly  every  year  since  in  Saginaw.  He 
became  interested  in  pine  lands  in  Mississippi  and 
bought  a  large  mill  at  the  mouth  of  the  Pearl 
River,  besides  handling  a  great  deal  of  pine  in 
this  section  of  Michigan,  especially  on  the  Sagi- 
naw River.  He  was  one  of  the  first  owners  of  the 
St.  Paul  waterworks. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Goddard  to  Miss  Rhoda 
Vincent  occurred  in  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  in  1854.  Mrs. 
Goddard  died  July  5.  1887,  leaving  two  children 
— Vincent  A.,  who  is  in  business  with  his  father, 
and  Lizzie,  who  is  also  at  home.  Mr.  Goddard  is 
a  philosopher  and  a  logical  reasoner  from  cause  to 
effect  and  his  mind  is  strongly  inventive  and  me- 
chanical in  its  line  of  thought.  He  is  a  spiritualist 
in  his  religious  belief  and  claims  to  have  had  many 
interesting  proofs  of  his  theory. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


777 


The  quick  perceptions  of  Mr.  Goddard  have 
been  worth  thousands  of  dollars  to  tlie  railroads 
which  he  has  surveyed,  as  he  sees  almost  instantly 
how  to  make  changes  that  will  straighten  the  road 
and  reduce  the  grade.  He  has  acted  in  a  limited 
capacity  for  various  lines  of  railroad  in  and  around 
Saginaw  since  coming  here,  and  in  every  line  of 
work  which  he  has  undertaken  has  achieved  a  ;e- 
markable  success. 

1]  ON.  TIMOTHY  E.  TARSNEY,  of  Saginaw, 
Y  J  ex-Representative  in  Congress  from  the 
Eighth  District  of  Michigan,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1849.  II is  parents,  Timothy  and 
Mary  A.  Tarsney,  were  born  in  Sligo  and  West- 
meath  Counties,  Ireland,  respectively,  and  immigra- 
ted to  this  country  in  1831.  They  first  located  in 
I!(  Chester,  N.  Y.,  and  thence  removed  to  Man  hat- 
ten,  now  known  as  Toledo.  In  1814  they  settled 
in  Medina,  Lenawee  County,  Mich.,  and  in  1848 
purchased  a  farm  in  Hansom,  Hillsdale  County, 
where  they  permanently  located,  the  father  en- 
gaging at  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith  in  connection 
with  his  agricultural  operations. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended  the  common 
schools  in  Hillsdale  County  until  twelve  years  of 
age.  Inclining  to  mechanics,  he  entered  a  machine- 
shop  at  Hudson,  Lenawee  County,  for  the  purpose 
of  learning  the  machinist's  trade.  In  February, 
1864,  he  wen  tin  to  the  Government  service  on  mili- 
tary railroads  in  Tennessee,and  served  to  the  close 
of  the  war.  Again  entering  a  machine-shop,  he 
worked  there  until  February,  1806,  when  he  went 
East  Saginaw,  and  there  ran  a  steam  engine. 

In  1867  the  United  States  Board  of  Steamboat 
Inspectors  gave  Mr.  Tarsney  a  certificate  as  marine 
engineer,  which  occupation  he  followed  upon  the 
Saginaw  River  and  the  lakes  up  to  and  including 
the  season  of  1872.  It  was  while  so  engaged  that 
he  conceived  the  idea  of  entering  the  legal  profes- 
sion, and  purchasing  a  copy  of  Blackstone's  Com- 
mentaries, read  law  while  sailing  during  the  summer 
months,  and  during  the  winter  months  attended 
school  and  the  law  department  of  the  University 


of  Michigan,  graduating  from    that    institution    in 
the  ( 'lass  of  '72. 

During  the  following  season  Mr.  Tarsney  was 
engaged  as  chief  engineer  on  the  lakes  and  on  the 
close  of  navigation  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law 
in  Saginaw.  In  the  spring  ol  1873  he  was  elected 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  being  the  only  candidate 
elected  upon  the  Democratic  ticket.  He  served  in 
that  capacity  until  1874,  when  he  resigned  that  po- 
sition to  engage  in  the  practice  of  law,  in  which 
occupation  he  has  been  engaged  ever  since.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Tarsney  A  Wicker,  one 
of  the  largest  and  most  successful  law  firms  in  the 
Saginaw  Valley. 

Mr.  Tarsney  served  as  City  Attorney  of  East 
Saginaw  from  1875  until  1877,  and  resigning  the 
position  on  account  of  increasing  private  business. 
In  1880  he  was  nominated  for  Congress  in  the 
Eighth  District  of  Michigan,  on  the  Democratic 
ticket,  against  Roswell  G.  Ilorr,  Republican,  run- 
ning over  two  thousand  ahead  of  the  electoral 
ticket,  but  was  defeated.  In  1882  he  was  nomina- 
ted Attorney-General  of  the  State,  but  was  defeated 
with  the  entire  ticket.  Two  years  later  he  was  un- 
animously chosen  by  the  State  Democratic  Conven- 
tion as  first  delegate-at-large  to  the  National  Dem- 
ocratic Convention  held  at  Chicago  and  represented 
the  State  at  that  convention  on  the  Committee  on 
Resolutions. 

Later  Mr.  Tarsney  was  nominated  for  Congress, 
and  was  elected  by  a  plurality  of  sixteen  hundred 
and  twenty-two  over  Roswell  (r.  Ilorr.  his  oppo- 
nent. I  n  1 886  he  was  re-elected  by  a  vote  of 
eighteen  thousand  three  hundred  and  one  to  sev- 
enteen thousand  six  hundred  and  fifteen  for  Ros- 
well G.  Ilorr,  Republican,  and  nineteen  hundred 
and  thirty  for  George  W.  Abbey,  Prohibitionist. 
At  no  time  has  he  sought  or  desired  public  office, 
in  every  instance  having  been  selected  without 
solicitation  on  his  part,  lie  is  a  member  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  from  his  youth  has 
been  an  ardent  Democrat. 

On  October  1.  187.'!.  Mr.  Tarsney  was  married  at 
Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  to  Catherine  O'Brien,  of  that 
place,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  six  children, 
four  of  whom  are  now  living.  In  the  Forty-ninth 
and  Fiftieth  Congress  .Mr.   Tarsney   rendered   etli- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


cient  service  as  n  membei  of  the  House  Commit- 
tees on  Laboi  and  Commerce.  He  was  especially 
active  in  promoting  the  interests  of  his  constitu- 
ents, and  his  determined  and  energetic  fight  to  se- 
cure Cor  East  Saginaw  the  location  of  n  United 
Stale-  Court,  and  the  passage  <>('  an  appropriation 
Mil  for  a  public  building  in  the  same  city,  gained 
him  considerable  distinction.  In  1888  he  was 
again  the  choice  of  his  party  for  Congress,  but  was 
defeated  on   the  tariff  issue  in  the  country,   not 

I  he  cities. 

A  lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Tarsney  accom- 
panies this  sketch.    In  personal  appearance  he  is  of 

rather  slender  build,  slightly  above  the  average 
height,  and  quick  in  action.  He  is  impetuous, and 
when  his  mind  is  made  up  on  any  subject  requir- 
ing his  attention,  moves  promptly.  In  debate  he 
is  courteous,  but  strikes  boldly  from  the  shoulder, 
and  never  quails  in  the  presence  of  an  enemy. 
Early  in  political  life  lie  acquired  the  sobriquel  of 
the  "Young  Lion  of  the  Saginaw  Democracy,"  and 
it  still  adheres  to  him. 

Socially  Mr.  Tarsney  has  few  equals,  his  ready 
Irish  wit  and  apt  repartee  winning  hosts  of  admir- 
ers. In  business  he  is  the  soul  of  honor,  always 
fulfilling  every  obligation  imposed  upon  him,  and 
in  a  business  as  well  as  social  sense  few  men  of  his 
years  have  achieved  greater  success,  lie  is  the 
soul  of  kindness  and  generosity.  While  in  Isabella 
Count}'  it  was  not  at  all  unusual  for  him  to  spend 
time  and  money  in  fighting  cases  for  poor  people 
where  there  was  no  prospect  of  remuneration. 

—4--    -^-       -*~- 


\»/„  ON.  ALEXANDER  ZAGELMEYER.  Not- 
withstanding his  name,  which  would  pro- 
claim him  a  Teuton,  our  subject  is  a  native  of 
((2))  not  only  America,  but  of  Michigan,  and  as 
such  the  State  may  well  be  proud  of  him.  for  he  isa 
manly  man  and  a  gentleman.  As  a  man  of  ability, 
he  has  occupied  various  positions  of  trust,  and  his 
county  has  taken  pleasure  in  exalting  him  to  one 
of  its  highest  positions,  having  elected  him  Repre- 
sentative of  the  State  Legislature  in  which  he 
served   during  the  term  of    1889-90.     In    his  pri- 


vate  interests  he   is  at  the  head  of  the   largest  ice 
business  in  Michigan. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Saginaw,  this  State, Oc- 
tober 28,  !8.r)K.  In  early  boyhood,  however,  he  re- 
moved to  West  Lay  City  with  his  family.  His 
father.  Louis  Zagelmeycr.  was  in  the  lime  business, 
but  has  now  retired  from  active  business  interests, 
lie  was  born  in  Germany,  but  came  to  America 
and  located  in  Saginaw  in  1849.  Our  subject's 
young  ideas  were  trained  in  the  public  schools  of 
West  Lay  City,  and  as  a  young  man  learned  of  his 
father  all  about  the  burning  of  lime,  lie  remained 
with  his  father  until  18711,  and  the  last  three  years 
of  that  partnership  saw  the  inauguration  of  their 
immense  ice  business,  lie  then  took  charge,  in 
partnership  with  his  brother  frank,  of  the  Marine 
Ice  Company,  and  in  the  spring  of  1HH7  this  was 
incorporated  with  the  Young  Bros.  Bay  County  Ice 
Company.  <  lur  subject  is  now  Secretary  and  Treas- 
urer of  this  body,  and  since  his  entrance  upon  the 
duties  of  the  business  he  has  revolutionized  the 
methods.  They  have  the  largest  ice  plant  in  the 
Slate,  and  are  the  only  dealers  in  lake  ice  in  the 
Saginaw  Valley,  and  handle  nothing  but  lake  ice. 
They  have  a  capacity  for  forty  thousand  tons,  which 
is  the  largest  amount  handled  in  Michigan  by  any- 
one firm. 

It  is  no  longer  a  subject  of  wonder  how  all  the 
ice  is  used,  for  both  summer  and  winter  finds  it  in 
demand  both  for  culinary  and  scientific  purposes. 
Mr.  Zagelmeyer  is  a  heavy  shipper  to  various  por- 
tions of  Michigan,  Indiana  and  Ohio.  He  has  now 
a  two  years'  supply,  and  owns  his  own  barges  and 
tugs.  Aside  from  the  interest  spoken  of  above,  our 
subject  owns  valuable  real  estate.  His  residence  is 
located  in  West  Bay  City,  on  the  corner  of  Main 
and  Water  Streets.  lie  is  the  owner  of  the  beauti- 
ful steam  pleasure  yacht,  "Zero,"  which  is  sixty 
eight  feet  in  length  and  twelve  feet  from  beam  to 
beam.  The  Bay  County  Ice  Company  occupies  an 
office,  barn  and  ice  depotat  the  footof  Centre  Ave- 
nue; they  are  finely  located,  and  central  to  all 
portions  of  the  city. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  West  Bay  City,  to 
Miss  Emma  Brenner,  of  Saginaw.  Their  nuptials 
■were  solemnized  April  :i.  1881.  Three  children 
have  come  to  gladden  their  home,  viz:   Alma,    Ed- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


'79 


die  and  Leona.  For  three  years  Mr.  Zagelmeyer 
was  Supervisor  of  the  Fifth  Ward.  He  was  Comp- 
troller of  West  Bay  City  for  two  years,  and  his 
election  to  the  State  Legislature  was  confirmed  in 
1888.  lie  served  most  satisfactorily,  representing 
the  people  of  this  locality  to  their  best  interests. 
He  served  on  the  Fishery  Committee  and  upon  oth- 
ers of  minoi  importance.  In  the  business  of  the 
company  one  of  the  noticeable  features  is  their 
splendid  horses  that  are  attached  to  their  ice  wag- 
ons, having  the  finest  draft  horses  in  the  State. 

Socially  our  subject  is  a  Knight  Templar,  and  in 
Masonry  he  has  attained  to  the  thirty-second  de-  i 
gree,  and  also  belongs  to  the  Mystie  Shrine  of  De- 
troit, lie  is  a  member  of  the  Salzburg  Arbeiter 
Society  and  of  the  Arion,  of  Bay  City.  He  also  be- 
longs to  the  Royal  Arcanum  and  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  In  a  political  way  he  is  a 
stanch  and  faithful  supporter  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  has  been  frequently  selected  by  his  fel- 
low-townsmen to  represent  them  as  a  delegate  to 
county  and  State  conventions.  He  has  now,  how- 
ever, retired  from  active  political  life. 


THOMAS  F.  RODWELL,  M.  I).  It  is  with 
Y/j/Sv  sincere  pleasure  that  the  biographer  takes 
up  his  pen  to  give  a  life  narrative  of  any 
worthy  member  of  that,  profession  which  ministers 
to  the  physical  comfort  and  well-being  of  the  com- 
munity by  means  of  the  healing  art,  and  this  grat- 
ilicatii  n  is  largely  augmented  when  one  can  feel 
that  the  subject  of  the  sketch  lias  attained  an  hon- 
orable position  in  his  profession  through  both 
ability  and  character.  This  physician,  of  whom  we 
now  speak,  residing  at  Carrollton  village,  on  the 
outskirts  ot  Saginaw,  may  thus  he  depicted. 

Dr.  Rodwell  was  born  in  Ancaster,  Wentworth 
County,  Ontario,  Canada,  December  1  I.  L858,  and 
his  father,  Alfred  Rodwell,  was  a  native  of  New- 
market. Cambridgeshire,  England,  where  he  was 
born  September  4,  L832.  His  grandfather, Thomas 
F.  Rodwell.  was  a  country  gentleman,  who  was  at 
one  time  Secretary  of  Foreign  Legations.  The 
father  came  to  Ontario,  Canada,  in    1853,  and  for 


some  four  years  took  charge  of   an   engine  in   the 

car-works  at  Hamilton,  after  which  he  farmed  un- 
til 1874,  and  now  lives  a  retired  life,  although  he 
still  carries  on  gardening  to  sonic  extent,  and  thus 
fills  up  his  days  with  usefulness.  In  his  religious 
belief  he  adheres  to  the  church  of  his  forefathers — 
the  Episcopal — and  in  political  matters  he  is  de- 
cidedly independent. 

Alfred  Rodwell  took  to  wife  Mary  -I.  Fulkerson, 
who  was  born  in  Ancaster.  Ontario.  .January  11. 
1833.  To  her  was  granted  but  one  child,  our  sub- 
ject, and  she  is  still  living  and  makes  her  home 
with  her  son  in  this  township.  She  also  is  attached 
to  the  Episcopal  Church.  Her  father  was  a  native 
of  New  Jersey,  and  removed  with  his  parents  to 
Ancaster  when  only  three  or  four  years  old.  There 
he  spent  his  life  upon  a  farm,  living  to  reach  the 
age  of  sixty-five  years.  Our  subject  had  his  early 
training  upon  his  father's  farm,  and  began  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  common  schools,  but  later  attended 
the  Collegiate  Institutes  at  Hamilton  and  Water- 
down,  Ontario,  graduating  from  the  latter  school 
in   1879. 

After  teaching  for  three  years  in  the  public 
schools  of  Ancaster,  Thomas  Rodwell  began,  in 
1882,  the  study  of  medicine  at  Detroit  College  of 
Medicine,  devoting  considerable  time  to  hospital 
work  in  Detroit  and  New  York  City.  He  was 
graduated  at  Detroit  in  1885,  and  the  following 
year  began  a  general  practice  here.  He  has  done 
considerable  work  in  the  line  of  minor  surgery, 
but  makes  a  specialty  of  diseases  of  the  throat, 
lungs  and  chest. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  Rodwell  took  place  March 
I,  18H1.  his  bride  being  Anna  McDonnell,  who  was 
born  in  Burlington,  Wentworth  County,  Ontario, 
March  9,  1858.  This  lady  is  a  devout  member  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  she  is  now  the 
mother  of  one  daughter.  Mary  J.,  born  September 
22.  1882. 

The  political  convictions  of  Dr.  Rodwell  have 
led  him  to  allilliate  with  the  Republican  party  and 
he  is  now  Township  Clerk  of  Carrollton  Town- 
ship. He  twice  ran  for  Coroner,  but  was  defeated, 
although  he  went  far  ahead  of  his  ticket.  He  is  a 
popular  and  prominent  member  of  several  of  the 
social  orders,  and  belongs  to  Seymour  Lodge  No. 


780 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


272.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  Canada,  and  to  the  Howard 
Lodge  No.  220,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  at  Carrollton,  as  well 
as  to  the  Knights   of    the    Maccabees,  Knights   of 

Honor,  and  Independent  Order  of  Foresters.  He 
is  active  .•mil  efficient  in  his  connection  with  the 
Carrollton  Fire  Department,  and  is  the  health  offi- 
cer of  the  village.  His  interest  in  education  lias 
brought  him  into  active  work  in  connection  with 
school  matters,  and  for  four  years  he  has  acted  as 
School  Inspector.  Besides  his  professional  duties. 
he  has  taken  an  interest  in  the  lumber  industry, 
and  is  a  junior  partner  in  the  firm  of  Cook  &  Hod- 
well,  at  Burt,  this  county,  where  they  have  'been 
running  a  mill  for  the  past  two  years. 


marriage  which  took  place  September  24,  1888, 
united  him  with  Miss  Elizabeth  Theiss,  of  Saginaw. 
Mr.  Denfeld  is  a  member  of  Ancient  Landmark 
Lodge.  Xo.  303,  F.  &  A.  M.,  also  of  Saginaw  Val- 
ley Chapter  No.  31,  R  .A.  M.  His  pleasant  and 
commodious  home  is  the  center  of  a  pleasant  social 
life. 


=*##• 


w 


0>ILLIAM   F.  DENFELD,  the   Secretary  and 
Treasurer    of    the   Board  of    Education  of 


Saginaw,  East  Side,  was  born  in  Natick, 
Mass.,  December  3,  1857,  and  is  a  son  of  Frank  and 
Margaret  (Weigard)  Denfeld,  both  of  whom  are 
natives  of  Germany.  His  father  emigrated  to  the 
United  State-;  in  18PJ;  his  mother  came  later,  in 
1852.  The  parents  had  been  married  previous  to 
leaving  their  native  land. 

Our  subject  passed  his  school  days  at  Westbor- 
ough,  Mass.,  and  began  his  course  in  Latin  in  the 
High  School.  He  then  entered  Amherst  College 
where  he  remained  two  years  and  then  went  to 
Brown  University,  Providence,  R.  L,and  was  grad- 
uated in  the  Class  of  '81,  after  which  he  taught 
for  one  year.  Later  he  became  a  student  in  the 
Law  Department  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Ann  Arbor,  Janu- 
ary 15,  188I1.  After  this  he  went  to  Lexington, 
Ky.,  where  he  was  for  a  year  in  the  oflice  of  Mor- 
ton cfc  Parker,  and  in  the  fall  of  1884  he  came  to 
Saginaw  and  here  taught  for  eighteen  months  and 
at  the  same  time  carried  on  his  law  studies.  He 
commenced  the  practice  of  law  alone. 

This  gentleman  was  appointed,  in  July,  1888, as 
Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  Board  of  Education 
for  East  Saginaw,  and  by  reappointment  each  year 
he  has  continued  in  that  office  for  four  years,  at 
the. same  time   continuing   his   law   practice.     His 


J 


AHA    B.  ARMSTRONG,  B.  S.,  A.  M.,M.  I). 

l'h is  leading  lady  physician  and  surgeon 
^/ll)  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  belongs  to  the  Hom- 
eopathic School  and  is  the  only  woman 
surgeon  of  any  note  in  Bay  City.  She  was  born  at 
Newtown,  near  Cincinnati,  (  Hiio,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Eliab  and  Mary  (Whittaker)  Armstrong.  The 
grandparents  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  that 
part  of  the  country,  and  the  family  calling  had 
been  that  of  milling  to  a  great  extent.  The  father 
of  this  lady  followed  that  business,  and  his  brother 
John  was  a  member  of  the  Ohio  Legislature. 

At  the  Normal  University  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  our 
subject  received  her  literary  and  part  of  her  med- 
ical education,  taking  the  degrees  there  of  Bachelor 
of  Science  in  the  Class  of  '80,  and  the  following 
year  being  made  Bachelor  of  Arts  while  the  degree 
of  Master  of  Arts  was  conferred  upon  her  later. 
Fir  some  years  she  taught  in  Hamilton  County, 
and  for  six  or  seven  years  had  charge  of  the  Art 
Department  of  the  Normal  University  of  Lebanon, 
Ohio.  During  that  time  she  studied  medicine  in 
the  department  of  regular  medicine  and  then  prac- 
ticed for  three  years,  after  which  she  attended  the 
Homeopathic  Department  of  the  University  of 
Michigan  at  Ann  ArbDr,  graduating  therefrom  in 
the  Class  of  '89.  When  she  entered  the  University 
she  went  in  as  assistant  to  the  Chair  of  Theory  and 
Practice  and  then  took  a  post-graduate  course. 

After  leaving  Ann  Arbor  Dr.  Armstrong  re- 
turned to  Lebanon,  Ohio,  and  practiced  there  for 
nearly  a  year  before  going  to  New  York,  where  she 
took  the  post-graduate  course  for  one  year  in  col- 
lege and  hospital,  paying  special  attention  to  sur- 
gery, and  then  returned  to  Michigan.  She  chose 
Bay  City  as  a  suitable  location  and  settled  here  in 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


7*1 


January,  1891.  Here  she  has  built  up  a  line  repu- 
tation and  has  a  desirable  practice.  Besides  her 
professional  career  she  is  looked  upon  as  a  leader  in 
matters  of  art  and  music,  as  she  is  very  proficient 
therein.  She  gives  much  attention  to  vocal  music 
and  is  the  soprano  in  the  First  Baptist  (lunch,  be- 
sides singing  before  many  of  the  societies  of  the 
city. 

In  August,  1X91,  Dr.  Armstrong  \v;is  elected  a 
member  of  the  School  Board  of  Bay  City  for  a  term 
of  two  years,  and  it  is  believed  that  her  intelli- 
gence, her  educational  experience  and  her  progres- 
sive ideas  wiil  be  of  vast  value  to  the  schools  of  the 
city.  He  genial  nature  and  thorough  accomplish- 
ments make  her  much  sought  in  the  social  circles 
of  the  place,  and  she  is  soon  to  become  a  member 
of  the  Michigan  State  Homeopathic  Medical  Asso- 
ciation, and  the  Saginaw  Valley  Homeopathic  Med- 
ical Association.  Dr.  Armstrong  is  a  member  of  the 
Equal  Suffrage  Association  with  which  she  became 
united  soon  after  locating  here. 


|F^EV.  ALEXANDER  DANSKIN,  M.  A.  The 
L^/  Grace  Presbyterian  Church  of  Saginaw  City, 
<i  'V  is  fortunate  in  having  for  its  pastor  a  gen- 
tleman of  blameless  character  and  upright 
life,  a  sympathizing  helper  to  the  needy,  and  a  prac- 
tical Christian  in  all  the  details  of  everyday  exist- 
ence. He  is  richly  endowed  with  all  those  gifts  of 
mind  and  heart  which  appeal  most  strongly  to  the 
deepest  affections  of  bis  parishioners.  His  pen  is 
that  of  a  ready  writer,  who  feels  keenly  every  truth 
which  he  records,  while  he  is  a  deep  thinker  and  a 
fluent  speaker. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  Alexander  and 
Anne  (  Preston  )  Danskin,  who  for  many  yens  re- 
sided in  Canada.  The  father,  who  has  always  fol- 
lowed agricultural  pursuits,  is  now  a  resident  of 
Marengo,  Iowa  County,  Iowa,  and  at  the  age  of 
seventy-seven  years,  is  still  hale  and  hearty,  bid- 
ding fair  to  retain  possession  of  his  mental  facul- 
ties for  many  years  to  come.  The  mother  died  in 
1880.  Eight  children  came  to  bless  the  parental 
home,   our  subject    being    the   fourth,  and    he   was 


born  in  Huntington,  Canada,  .Inly  31,  1849.  Ib- 
was  only  three  years  old  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  to  Iowa,  and  in  Marengo  he  passed  his 
youth  in  a  comparal  ively  uneventful  manner,  al- 
ternating attendance  in  the  public  school  with  work 
on  the  home  farm. 

After  completing  the  course  of  study  in  the 
grammar  school  of  Marengo.  Mr.  Danskin  became 
a  student  in  the  Presbyterian  Academy  at  Cedar 
Rapids,  Iowa,  where  he  fitted  for  college.  Later  he 
entered  Wabash  College,  at  Crawfordsville,  Ind., 
and  was  graduated  from  that  institution  in  1X74. 
He  spent  the  two  ensuing  years  in  Lane  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  at  Walnut  Hills,  Cincinnati,  and  in 
1 87(5  entered  the McCormick Theological  Seminary 
at  Chicago,  graduating  in  the  spring  of  1X77.  His 
first  charge  was  at  Cottage  Grove,  Wis.,  and  in  the 
spring  of  187X  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Keota,  Iowa,  where  he  remained 
as  pastor  for  three  andone-half  years.  In  October, 
1881,  he  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Warren,  111.,  and  in  1XX2  came  to  Michi- 
gan, having  charge  of  the  chinch  in  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  in  the  Upper  Peninsula  for  four  years.  The 
church  at  Vassar,  this  State,  extended  to  him  an 
invitation  to  become  pastor  m  188(5,  and  accepting 
that  call,  he  remained  with  them  until  he  came  to 
Saginaw  City  in  1890. 

The  church  of  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Danskin  is 
pastor,  is  located  on  the  corner  of  Fayette  and 
Dearborn  Streets,  and  is  a  handsome  brick  edifice, 
which,  when  completed  will  be  one  of  the  most  ele- 
gant in  the  city.  Its  cost  will  be  about  $10,000, 
and  it  will  be  an  ornament  to  this  portion  of  the 
city  in  its  finished  beauty.  In  all  his  ministerial 
labors  our  subject  has  been  heartily  assisted  by  his 
wife,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1877.  Mrs.  Dan- 
skin was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Miss  Helen 
J.  Lemon,  and  is  the  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Alexan- 
der Lemon,  a  Presbyterian  minister  of  Ripon,  Wis. 
Three  children  have  come  to  bless  the  union  of  our 
subject  and  his  estimable  wife — Mary  I..,  Helen 
Louisa  and  George  A. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Danskin  is  characterized  by  his  fear- 
less and  unflinching  devotion  to  the  truth,  and 
those  who  know  him  best  can  most  feelingly  testify 
to  his  earnest  piety.      In  his  life,    as    in    the    lot  of 


r82 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


everyone,  are  many  minor  chords,  but  through 
varying  modulations  they  will,  in  the  Providence 
of  God,  combine  at  last  in  the  harmonious  final 
chord,  whose  sweetness  and  purity  will  linger  long 
in  the  memory  of  those  to  whom  he  has  ever  been 
a  faithful  friend  ami  consecrated  teacher. 


!•=*=* J 


»  OHX  L.  JACKSON.  This  manufacturer  of 
-ham  engines,  salt  well  machinery,  saw  and 
shingle  mill  machinery,  and  castings  of  all 
kinds,  has  hi>  establishment  at  the  corner  of 
Water  and  Jefferson  Streets  in  Saginaw.  After 
carrying  on  his  business  for  eight  years  and  con- 
ducting it  successfully  he  met  a  great  loss  in  Au- 
gust, 1885,  by  the  works  being  destroyed  by  fire. 
He  was  not,  however,  to  be  daunted  by  this  mis- 
fortune, and  at  once  rebuilt  and  has  a  finer  outfit 
than  before. 

The  works  of  Mr,  Jackson  comprise  a  two-stoiy 
brick  machine  shop  60x100  feet  in  dimensions  with 
an  ell  30x100  feet,  and  a  large  foundry  and  yards 
covering  half  a  block.  A  fifty  horse-power  engine, 
seven  lathes,  two  forty-two-inch  planers  and  four 
drills  are  part  of  the  plant  and  machinery  which 
are  well  adapted  to  the  successful  prosecution  of 
the  business  upon  a  large  scale,  the  whole  making 
up  a  machinery  equipment  which  hardly  has  a  su- 
perior in  the  State.  One  specialty  of  this  firm  is  a 
new  automatic  cut  off  engine,  the  recent  invention 
of  our  subject,  one  of  which  he  has  put  up  in  Ger- 
main's new  mill  and  another  is  in  the  new  Crescent 
Match  factory,  of  which  he  is  Vice-President.  Mr. 
Jackson  is  a  thoroughly  practical  man,  and  by 
strict  attention  to  details  secures  the  uniform  su- 
periority in  materials  and  workmanship  which 
marks  all  the  products  of  his  works. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Saginaw  County,  Au- 
gust 19,  1854,  and  is  the  only  son  now  living  of 
Thomas  L.  and  Veronica  (Blatz)  Jackson.  The 
father  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  Holland,  of  English 
parentage,  September  16,  1825,  his  parents  being 
Thomas  and  Hannah  (Leonard)  Jackson.  The  fa- 
ther of  our  subject  is  still  living  and  for   the    past 


twenty  year-  has  been  Superintendent  of  the  Poor 
in  Saginaw.  He  was  bereaved  by  the  death  of  his 
wife  in  L881. 

John  L.  Jackson  passed  his  boyhood  days  upon 
the  farm  up  to  the  age  of  nine  years,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Saginaw  with  his  parents  and  here  at- 
tended school.  Alter  leaving  the  public  schools, 
he  entered  Parsons'  Commercial  College,  and  there 
took  a  full  course,  graduating  in  1871.  After  that 
he  learned  the  trade  of  a  machinist  with  A.  F. 
Bartlett  &  Co.,  of  Saginaw,  with  whom  he  remained 
for  five  years,  and  then  traveled  as  a  journeyman 
to  different  cities  for  some  foui  years.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Saginaw  and  started  in  his  present  busi- 
ness on  a  small  scale.  The  boiler  works  which  are 
operated  under  the  firm  name  of  McGregor  cV  Jack- 
son, are  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  steam  boil- 
ers and  sheet-iron  ware  and  of  this  valuable  indus- 
try Mr.  Jackson  owns  a  half  interest. 

John  L.  Jackson  was  married  upon  New  Year's 
day.  1881,  to  Miss  Sadie  Smith,  of  St.  Louis,  Mich. 
Mrs.  Jackson  belongs  to  a  New  York  family,  and 
she  is  now  the  happy  mother  of  three  children,  one 
s:>n  and  two  daughters.  Mr.  Jackson,  who  is  a 
Democrat  in  his  political  views,  has  served  as  Ald- 
erman for  the  Thirteenth  Ward  for  one  term.  The 
pleasant  home  of  this  family  is  located  at  No.  :'>o| 
South  Granger  Street.  West  Side. 


-^H!l' 


H] 


3!*^* 


LFRED  D.TIVY.  This  gentleman,  who  held 
the  position  of  Secretary  of  the  West  Side 
Business  College  of  Saginaw,  and  was  also 
a  partner,  and  subsequently  establishing 
the  Cottage  Academy,  located  at  No.  801  South 
Washington  Avenue,  was  born  December  4,  1K.V2. 
in  Lewiston,  Niagara  County,  N.  Y.,  a  village  sit- 
uated near  the  foot  of  Queenstown  Heights,  from 
which  a  fine  view  is  had  of  the  monument  erected 
to  Gen.  Brock  of  Revolutionary  fame. 

Mr.  Tivy  is  next  to  the  youngest  son  of  Alfred 
and  Mary  Ann  ( Heaton )  Tivy,  the  father  a  na- 
tive of  Canada,  Of  Irish  and  Welsh  descent,  who 
was  born  near  Toronto,  and  died  in  18H6,  in  the 
seventy-ninth  year    of    his    age.     He  was  a  black- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


rs:; 


smith  and  fanner  by  trade.  The  mother  was  of 
English  descent  and  was  born  near  Lewiston  in 
181:5.  She  remembered  hearing  her  mother  tell 
bow,  during  the  War  of  1812,  she  was  forced  to 
tlee  with  her  babe  to  the  woods  for  safety,  spend- 
ing the  night  behind  a  log  in  the  snow,  hut  for- 
tunately being  found  and  rescued  the  next  day. 
In  the  fall  of  1853  this  worthy  couple  removed  to 
Michigan  and  located  in  Tuscola,  where  they  de- 
parted this  life,  leaving  a  family  of  nine  children. 
Of  these  six  are  living,  three  sons  and  three 
daughters,  all  residents  of  this  State. 

Alfred. I).  Tivy  attended  the  common  school  at 
Tuscola  until  eighteen  years  of  age.  lie  then 
taught  school  for  a  time  at  Williams,  Bay  County, 
afterward  attending  collegeal  Akron,  Ohio.  Com- 
pleting his  course  there,  lie  next  taught  in  the 
Union  School  at  Coieman,  this  State,  following 
which  he  became  Principal  of  the  Potter  School, 
in  K:ist  Saginaw,  which  position  he  filled  with 
en. lit  for  four  years  under  Superintendents  J.  C. 
Jones  and  C.  P>.  Thomas.  The  following  year 
was  given  to  work  in  temperance  reform,  in  which 
he  took  a  great  interest.  After  this  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  .1.  C.  Brown  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  West  Side  Business  College. 

Mr.  Tivy  has  been  associated  with  the  Prohi- 
bition party  for  the  past  two  years,  and  during 
that  time  has  been  Chairman  and  Secretary  of  the 
County  Committee.  He  has  also  been  Secretary 
of  the  Eighth  Congressional  Committee  and  a 
member  of  the  State  Committee,  of  which  Charles 
T.  Russell  is  now  Chairman.  While  a  teacher  Mr. 
Tivy  was  instrumental  in  furthering  the  interests 
of  the  County  Teachers'  Association  and  was  also 
a  member  for  several  years  of  the  State  Teachers' 
Association  at  Lansing.  As  a  Good  Templar  he 
was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  Grand  Lodge,  which 
met  at  Lansing  in  1890.  Mr.  Tivy  is  a  member 
of  the  rjniversalist Church  located  on  South  Wash- 
ington Avenue,  West  Saginaw.  In  1890  he  was 
elected  Stale  Secretary  of  the  Young  People's  So- 
ciety of  Christian  Endeavor. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  May 
liullard  took  place  June  19,  1891,  at  Saginaw. 
Mis.  Tivy  is  a  daughter  of  Peter  Billiard,  who  is 
now  a  resident  of  Kansas.    She  is  a  lady  of  culture 


and  has  charge  of  the  instrumental  music  depart- 
ment of  the  college.  The  family  reside  in  the 
college  building  and  entertain  their  many  friends 
in  a  most  hospitable   manner. 

ON.JOHN  NORTHWOOD,  Grand  Master 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
of  Michigan,  and  Past  Department  Corn- 
el mander  of  the  Department  of  Michigan 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  is  one  of  the  most 
prominent,  energetic  and  enterprising  pioneers  of 
Saginaw  County,  having  his  residence  in  Maple 
Grove  Township.  He  is  a  son  of  William  and  Mary 
Northwood,  natives  respectively  of  the  counties  of 
Shropshire  and  Norfolk,  England.  The  parents 
were  among  the  first  settlers  in  Maple  Grove 
Township  and  this  was  the  first  family  that  perma- 
nently settled  within  its  borders,  the  date  of  their 
location  being  in  November,  1854. 

Our  subject  was  born  at  Addle  Hill,  St.  Paul's 
Parish.  London,  England,  .Inly  17,  1838.  lie  at- 
tended the  parish  schools  of  the  city  of  London 
from  the  age  of  four  to  eleven  veins.  In  181'.)  he 
Came  with  his  parents  to  the  New  World,  where 
they  made  location  at  Wellington,  Lorain  County, 
Ohio.  They  remained  there  about  one  year  and 
then  removed  to  New  Hudson,  Oakland  County. 
Mich.,  but  not  being  satisfied  with  the  new  home 
in  about  one  year  they  went  to  Detroit.  There 
they  remained  until  1854,  the  date  of  their  coming 
to  Maple  Grove  Township.  During  all  that  time 
our  subject  had  been  attending  school  whenever 
opportunity  afforded,  but  soon  after  the  family's 
arrival  in  Detroit  he,  being  in  his  fourteenth  year, 
strong  and  hardy  for  his  age,  shipped  as  a  cabin 
boy  on  board  the  steamer  "Ruby."  running  between 
Detroit  and  Port  Huron.  He  followed  the  lakes 
for  three  years  and  then  came  with  his  father's 
family  to  Maple  Grove  Township. 

Mr.  Northwood  was  married  at  Flushing,  Oene- 
see  County,  Mich.,  January  27.  1864,  to  Miss 
Martha,  a  daughter  of  Origen  and  Savillah  (llart- 
soek)  Packard,  the  former  a  native  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, of  English  descent,  and  the   latter   of    Penn- 


784 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


sylvania,  descended  from  German  stock.  When 
nineteen  years  of  age  our  subject  had  full  charge 
of  the  parental  family,  enduring  all  the  hardships 
of  pioneer  life,  not  only  in  cutting  and  cleaning 
up  the  forest  but  in  a  hundred  other  ways. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  Mr.  North- 
wood  entered  the  Union  army  as  a  private  soldier 
in  Company  C,  sixteenth  Michigan  Infantry.  lie 
served  with  his  regiment  up  to  and  through  the 
Peninsula  campaign  and  participated  in  the  siege 
of  Yorktown.  Hanover  Courthouse,  and  the  seven 
days'  fight  before  Richmond,  lie  was  wounded  in 
the  battle  of  Gaines  Mills,  June  '27.  1K(>2.  minie 
balls  passing  through  both  arms,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  have  his  right  arm  amputated.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  at  Savage  Station,  Va., June  30, and 
for  twenty-six  days  was  confined  in  Libby  Prison 
when  he  was  exchanged.  He  then  repaired  to  Phil- 
adelphia and  entered  a  hospital,  where  lie  remained 
until  the  18th  of  August.  1862,  when  he  received 
an  honorable    discharge.     Upon    his   return   from 

the  army  Mr.    Northw 1     went  immediately    to 

Maple  Grove  Township  and  resumed  his  manage- 
ment of  the  farm. 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Northwood  has  always  voted  the 
Republican  ticket  and  has  served  his  township  in 
nearly  all  its  local  offices.  In  1863  he  was  elected 
Township  Clerk,  and  the  same  year  was  appointed 
enrolling  officer  of  the  Sixth  Congressional  District 
with  the  rank  of  Second  Lieutenant.  He  has  also 
been  Supervisor,  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  School 
Inspector.  He  also  acted  as  Notary  Public  for 
fourteen  years.  lie  has  always  taken  a  deep  inter- 
est in  the  cause  of  education,  using  his  means  and 
influence  in  promoting  the  same  and  has  acted  as 
School  Director  for  twenty-seven  years.  Although 
not  a  member  of  any   religious  orginization.  Mr. 

Northw 1  always  gives  liberally  of  his  means  to 

the  support  of  the  Gospel. 

After  holding  the  numerous  local  offices  referred 
to  above,  Mr.  Northwood  was  elected  in  1884  to 
represent  his  district  in  the  Legislature,  and  while 
there  was  instrumental  in  locating  the  Soldiers' 
Home  at  Grand  Rapids,  lie  thus  illustrated  him- 
self to  be  the  friend  of  the  old  soldiers,  and  Gov. 
Luce  appointed  him  upon  his  staff  as  Paymaster- 
General  of  Michigan  State  troops,  with  the  rank  of 


Colonel.  In  1886  he  was  elected  Department  Com- 
mander of  the  Department  of  Michigan  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  and  commanded  the  depart- 
ment at  the  National  Encampment  held  at  San 
Francisco,  Cal.,  in  1886. 

February  it.  1871.  the  lion.  Mr.  Northwood  was 
initiated  into  Chesaning  Lodge,  No.,  103,1.  O.  O.  F. 
and  subsequently  into  Chesaning  Encampment. 
No.  76.  That  encampment  being  defunct  he  united 
with  the  Encampment  at  Owosso.  No.  54,  and 
afterward  with  Flushing  Encampment,  No.  14, 
becoming  identified  with  the  latter  because  it  was 
nearer  his  home.  He  was  also  a  member  of  Semper 
Fidelis,  Canton  No.  9,  Patriarch's  Militant  at 
( )wosso  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  C.  E.  Rulison, 
Canton  No.  34,  Patriarch's  Militant  at  Flushing. 
He  at  once  became  an  active  worker  in  the  lodge 
and  soon  passed  all  the  chairs  in  both  the  Subor- 
dinate and  Encampment  lodges.and  became  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  in  which  he 
filled  appointed  offices, and  in  1889  was  elected  by 
the  Past  Grands  of  the  jurisdiction  as  their  Grand 
Warden,  which  office  he  filled  so  satisfactorily  that 
in  1891  he  was  elected  Grand  Master  of  Michigan 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

The  Hon.  John  Northwood  owns  a  farm  of  three 
hundred  and  forty-three  acres  which  is  highly  im- 
proved. He  has  several  large  barns  on  his  place, 
one  of  which  is  45x75  feet  in  dimensions  and  which 
is  used  exclusively  for  the  storage  of  his  farm  ma- 
chinery and  which  contains  everything  needful  for 
a  first-class  farmer  from  a  hoe  to  a  steam  thresher. 
He  has  a  mill  upon  his  farm  to  prepare  the  feed 
for  his  cattle,  of  which  he  has  some  very  fine 
specimens.  His  residence  is  beautiful  indeed  and 
bears  all  the  improvements  of  modern  life,  being 
heated  throughout  with  steam,  has  telephone  con- 
nections and  is  furnished  in  a  manner  which  illus- 
trates its  occupants  to  be  people  of  refinement  and 
means. 

Our  subject  deals  in  real  estate,  loans  and  col- 
lections, having  his  office  at  New  Lotkrop.  He  is  a 
keen  business  man  and  is  self  made  in  the  fullest 
sense  of  the  term.  His  school  advantages  were  very 
limited,  but  he  has  supplemented  the  knowledge 
which  he  thus  gained  in  early  life  by  systematic 
judicious   reading   and    is   one  of  the  most  intclli- 


-■'■■•  ■:—■*■•■  i 


/tX^ 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


7*7 


gent  and  cultured  men  of  his  township,  and  indeed 
<>t'  the  county.  He  has  figured  very  successfully  :is 
a  public  speaker  in  both  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic  and  in  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge.  He  is  a 
stanch  Republican. 

The  lion.  Mr.  Northwood  and  his  wife  are  the 
parents  of  one  daughter,  Mary  S.,  who  is  the  wife 
of  .1.  W.  Bullock;  they  make  their  home  with  our 
subject.  They  have  adopted  as  their  son  a  nephew 
of  Mr.  Northwood 's,  John  YV..  who  i-  a  -on  of  a 
deceased  9ister  of  our  subject. 


ON.  GEORGE  W.  WEADOCK.  The  por- 
trait on  the  opposite  page  represents  the 
first  Mayor  who  has  executed  the  wishes  of 

^)  the  people  over  the  consolidated  Saginaws. 
He  is  one  of  the  foremost  and  representative  citi- 
zens of  tins  enterprising  city,. and  his  election  to 
its  most  lion  oral  lie  office  was  fortunate,  for  although 
a  young  man  he  had  already  distinguished  himself 
as  a  lawyer.  Modest  and  evenly  balanced,  his 
judgment  is  excellent,  and  is  relied  upon  by  men 
of  greatest  experience,  influence  and  wealth.  He 
arrogates  to  himself  no  precedence  that  is  not  will- 
ingly accorded  him,  and  his  present  prominence  is 
the  result  wholly  of  merit. 

Our  subject  was  horn  in  St.  .Mary's.  Auglaize 
County,  Ohio,  November  6,  1853.  His  parent-. 
Lewis  and  Mary  (Cullen)  Weadock,  were  born, 
reared  and  married  in  Wexford  County,  Ireland, 
and  were  the  parents  of  tin ee  children  when  they 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1849.  Thefather 
died  December  8,  18G3;  the  mother  survived  her 
husband  until  October  11.  1876.  The  ashes  of  both 
resl  peacefully  in  the  cemetery  at  St.  Mary's. 

The  boyhood  days  of  our  subject  were  spent  on 
his  father's  farm  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of 
age.  lie  received  his  primary  education  in  the  pub- 
lic Schools  of  his  native  place  and  early  displayed 
the  qualities  of  an  earnest,  painstaking  student. 
He  taught  from  the  time  he  was  eighteen  years  of 
age  until  1874  in  older  to  enable  him  to  enter  col- 
lege for  the  study  of  law.  which  he  was  reading 
during  the  hours  free  from  scholastic  duties.  I'n- 
36 


dci  t  he  tutor-hip  of  Col.  S.  1\.  Molt,  of  SI.  Mary's, 
hi-  first  knowledge  of  Blackstone  was  acquired. 
In  1875  he  entered  the  University  of  Michigan, 
where  he  studied  law  for  one  year,  and  then  en- 
tered the  law  office  of  Wilson  &  Weadock  at  Hay 
City,  the  latter  being  his  In-other,  the  Hon.  T.  A.  K. 
Weadock, ex-Mayor  of  Bay  City,  and  present  Con- 
gressman from  that  district. 

After  passing  a  mosl  satisfactory  examination 
before  the  Examining  Hoard,  which  comprised 
Judge  George  1'.  Cobb,  the  Hon.  T.  F.  Shepherd, 
and  the  Hon.  II.  11.  Hatch,  Mr.  Weadock  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  at  Hay  Cit\ .  September  1 1.  1876, 
before  Judge  Sanford  M.  Green.  Coming-  to  East 
Saginaw  in  January.  1*77.  he  entered  the  office  of 
T.  E.  Tarsney,  and  August  1.  of  the  same  year. 
formed  a  partnership  with  that  gentleman  which 
existed  until  1891.  The  firm  ranked  as  one  of  the 
most  successful  in  the  Saginaw  Valley. 

Possessed  of  a  pure  moral  character,  kind  and 
courteous  to  old  and  young,  long  strides  having 
been  made  in  his  ambition  to  acquire  an  honorable 
eminence  at  the  bar  and  among  men,  it  surprised 
no  one  when  Mr.  Weadock  was  nominated  Mayor 
of  the  city  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  still  less  when 
his  rli-i  lion  was  announced,  March  3,  1890,  with  a 
majority  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty  over  Dr 
1..  \\".  niiss  He  was  re-elected  in  April.  1891,  with 
a  majority  of  two  thousand,  the  hundred  and 
eighty-one  votes.  During  his  term  of  Office  he  has 
given  the  city  a  successful  business  administration 
and  has  proved  himself  a  strong  and  well-balanced 
man. 

When  the  two  cities  "ere  consolidated  it  was 
tacitly  understood  between  the  representatives 
from  each  side,  that  whereas  the  county  buildings 
were  on  the  wot  side,  the  new  city  hall  should  be 
placed  nearly  midway  between  them,  and  that  the 
Government  building  should  lie  located  near  the 
business  center  of  the  east  side.  Subsequent  to  the 
consolidation  a  fight  was  made  to  change  the  site 
of  the  city  hall  and  have  il  brought  nearer  the 
business  center  of  the  easl  side. 

Mayor  Weadock  took  a  decided  stand  m  this 
matter  to  carry  out  in  good  laith  the  understand- 
ing had  with  the  committees  prior  to  the  consoli- 
dation.  The  result  was  that   the  present  convenient 


788 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


.site  was  selected  and  a  handsome  edifice  erected, 
costing  nearly  $175,000.  A  decided  stand  was 
necessary  regarding  the  site  of  the  Government 
building.  Parties  interested  in  real  estate  endea- 
vored, for  personal  advantage,  to  change  the  loca- 
tion. The  matter  of  bridges  over  the  Saginaw 
River, making  closer  and  more  intimate  connection 
between  the  parts  of  the  city,  is  another  subject 
upon  which  an  impartial  and  unbiased  decision  was 
made  by  Mr.  Weadock. 

Public  improvements  have  been  pushed  during 
Mayor  Weadock's  term  of  office,  and  many  inno- 
vations have  been  made  upon  old  methods.  Brick 
pavement  thai  hi-  proved  so  economical  and  satis- 
factory wherever  tried  has  been  introduced,  and 
several  blocks  already  laid.  Sewers  and  water  mains 
Lave  been  extended,  sidewalks  built  and  the  fire  , 
limits  more  closely  defined,  greater  efficiency  and 
skill  been  developed  in  the  police  force,  new  appa- 
ratus and  electric  appliances  introduced  into  the 
fire  department,  and  the  care  of  the  poor  more  ! 
economically  and  efficiently  administered. 

While  .Mayor.  Mr.  Weadock  found  it  necessary 
to  investigate  the  office  of  the  Police  Court  Clerk, 
and  when  the  investigation  was  completed,  the 
condition  of  the  office  was  such  that  Mayor  Wea- 
dock insisted  upon  the  resignation  of  the  Police 
Court  Clerk.  Mr.  Weadock  also  found  it  neces- 
sary to  prefer  charges  against  the  City  Clerk, which 
charges,  after  a  vigorous  defense,  were  sustained, 
aud  the  Clerk  removed  from  office.  After  his  re- 
moval, he  insisted  upon  retaining  the  office,  when 
he  was  removed  therefrom,  under  the  direction  of 
Mayor  Weadock,  by  the  Chief  of  Police.  Mr. 
Weadock  believes  that  a  public  office  is  a  public- 
trust,  and  that  no  man  should  accept  an  office  un- 
less he  intends  to  perform  its  duties  faithfully  and 
efficiently,  and  should  he  be  guilty  of  malfeasance 
or  misfeasance  in  office,  he  should  be  removed,  ir- 
respective of  persona]  or  party  considerations. 

In  all  these  various  features  of  municipal  ad- 
vancement and  government,  every  precaution  has 
been  exercised  that  it  may  not  prove  burdensome 
to  those  for  whom  the  municipal  government'ex- 
ists.  The  tax-payer  has  ever  been  in  mind,  and 
where  possible  and  the  best  interests  of  the  city 
conserved,  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to  defer 


making  improvements.  The  spirit  was  strikingly 
manifested  by  Mayor  Weadock  in  his  address  to 
the  Council,  recommending  that  paving  of  all  cross 
streets,  not  main  thoroughfares,  be  deferred  until 
a  majority  of  the  property-owners  affected  should 
petition  for  such  improvements.  In  all  these  va- 
ried interests  Mr.  Weadock  has  been  deeply  and 
directly  interested,  and  every  official  act  and  pri- 
vate utterance  has  but  shown  his  loyalty  to  Sagi- 
naw, and  without  fear  or  favor,  regardless  of  polit- 
cal  consequences,  he  has  done  in  every  instance 
what  his  judgment,  formed  only  after  thorough 
investigation,  approved,  and  what  the  best  minds 
of  the  city  itself  have  since  acknowledged  was  for 
the  city's  best  interest  and  well-being. 

In  his  home  life  our  subject  is  happy,  as  so  up- 
right and  honorable  man  deserves  to  lie.  He  was 
married  September  1(5,  1878.  at  Saginaw,  to  Miss 
Anne  E.  Tarsney,  sister  of  the  Hon.  T.  E.  Tarsney. 
The  lady  was  born  in  Hillsdale  County,  this  State, 
December  27,  185(3,  and  prior  to  her  marriage  she 
was  a  very  successful  teacher.  Eight  children  have 
brightened  and  gladdened  their  home,  viz:    Louis 

T.,  George    L< lohn    Vincent,  Bernard    Francis, 

Mary  Louisa.  Joseph  Jerome,  Catherine  Elizabeth 
and  Raymond  Isadore.  Mr.  Weadock  and  family 
are  identified  with  St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church. 


-\- 


^m>^<% 


W  YMAX  G.  WILLCOX,  Postmaster  of  Bay 
I  (TeS)  City,  gives  his  attention  wholly  to  his  offi- 
JlAv  cial  duties,  although  by  profession  he  is  a 
lawyer,  and  his  success  in  that  direction  is  already 
assured.  He  has  resided  in  this  place  since  1884. 
and  is  one  of  the  most  public-spirited  and  enter- 
prising of  (he  citizens  who  have  contributed  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.  A  native  of 
Oakland  County,  this  State,  he  is  the  son  of  L.  J. 
Willcox,  who  settled  in  Oakland  County  in  1824. 
At  that  time  the  surrounding  country  was  nothing 
more  than  a  wilderness,  and  it  required  years  of 
painstaking  effort  to  bring  the  soil  to  a  first-class 
condition. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Hopey  Green   and   was  the   daughter  of  James 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


7  SO 


Green,  an  early  pioneer  of  Oakland  County.  Mr. 
Willcox,  Si\,  came  hither  from  ( )neida  County ,N.Y., 
by  way  of  Canada,  on  foot,  carrying  his  rifle  in  his 
hand, and  made  settlement  in  Avon  Township,  Oak- 
land County,  where  for  many  years  he  was  one  of 
the  leading  business  men.  lie  was  a  mill  owner  and 
farmer  as  well  as  a  large  buyer  of  grain  in  ( Oakland 
and  adjoining  counties.  For  many  years  he  con- 
tinued in  the  milling  business,  but  sold  his  mill 
some  years  before  his  death  and  retired  to  his  farm. 
which  comprised  six  hundred  acres,  lie  was  not  a 
politician  in  the  sense  of  being  an  office-seeker,  al- 
though he  served  as  Supervisor  and  in  other  local 
offices.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1834,  hut  lie  sur- 
vived until  the  summer  of  1885. 

Lyman  G.  Willcox  is  of  patriot  blood,  his  ances- 
tors having  fought  in  the  Revolution  and  the  War 
of  1812.  He  was  educated  in  tin-  public  schools. 
and  at  the  academy  of  Romeo,  and  was  a  student 
in  Hamilton  College,  at  Clinton,  X.  Y.,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  with  the  degree  of  IX.  11.  Af- 
ter that  he  established  himself  for  the  practice  of 
his  profession  in  Detroit,  where  he  remained  until 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  He  then  raised  a 
company  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  of  which  he 
was  commissioned  Captain.  On  being  incorporated 
with  the  Third  Cavalry,  his  regiment  was  sent  into 
training  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  thence  to  New  Mad- 
rid (Mo.),  Island  No.  10,  from  which  place  they 
were  dispatched  to  Pittsburg  Landing  and   Shiloh. 

With  his  regiment  Capt.  Willcox  took  part  in 
the  siege  of  Corinth,  after  which  he  went  into  Ala- 
bama, and  at  Tuscumliia  was  put  in  command  of 
his  regiment,  taking  part  in  the  battles  of  Iukaand 
Corinth.  In  the  summer  of  1 862  he  was  promoted 
to  be  Major,  and  with  Gen.  Grant's  army  went 
down  through  Mississippi  to  Granada.  His  sol- 
diers occupied  Oxford,  where  he  w.-is  appointed 
Provost-Marshal.  At  the  close  of  that  campaign 
his  regiment  was  ordered  to  Tennessee,  and  spent 
the  winter  of  1862-63  in  that  State,  being  engaged 
in  frequent  skirmishes.  While  encamped  near  Jack- 
son, Tenn.,  in  March,  1863,  an  incident  occurred 
of  considerable  interest  to  the  parties  immediately 
concerned,  and  showed  the  bright  and  practical 
side  of  the  American  character, even  when  enffa^ed 
in  civil  strife. 


G.  D.  Penn,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harris.  .1.  Hall  and  Mr. 
Pinkston,  (the  last  two  were  subsequently  killed 
by  the  Confederates,)  residents  of  Lexington,  Hen- 
derson County,  Tenn., called  upon  Maj.  Willcox  at 
his  camp,  and  after  a  friendly  conversation  with 
him  on  general  topics,  relating  to  the  condition  of 
the  county,  one  of  them  remarked:  "Maj.  Willcox, 
could  our  people  he  made  to  sec  the  condition  of 
affairs  as  you  do.  we  think  it  would  lead  to  a  more 
friendly  feeling.  A  f <  w  days  afterward  the  fol- 
lowing correspondence  took  place: 

Lexington,  Tenn.,  March  2K,  1863. 
,\I  \.i.  Willcox: 

Dear  Sir: — After  consulting  several  citizens  in 
this  vicinity,  I  found  it  met  the  approbation  of 
all,  that  you  should  address  them,  and,  thereupon, 
Thursday,  April  2,  1863,  was  fixed  upon  for  you 
to  do  so,  and  was  s:o  published  throughout  the 
county.  I  would  be  much  pleased  to  have  you  call, 
and  make  my  house  your  home,  while  you  are 
among  us.  The  citizens  are  all  anxious  for  you  to 
be  here  on  that  day,  and  I  hope  you  will  make  it 
convenient  to  be  present. 

Very  Respectfully,  G.  D.  Penn. 

Camp  Near  Jackson,  Tenn., 

March  28,  1863.. 
<;.  1).  Penn,  Esq.,  and  others: 

Gentlemen: — It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to 
meet  the  citizens  of  Henderson  County.  1  accept 
your  invitation,  not  as  a  compliment  to  myself,  but 
as  an  indication  of  patriotism,  and  an  earnest  desire 
on  your  part,  to  mitigate  the  calamity  of  this  terri- 
ble war,  and  reconcile  citizens,  who  are  now  in 
open  conflict  with  each  other. 

I  will  lend  my  tongue  as  readily  as  my  sword  for 
the  good  of  the  cause;  and  I  desire  all, irrespective  of 
political  opinions,  to  he  present,  and  assure  you  no 
person  conducting  himself  peaceably  .'it  the  meet- 
ing, whatever  may  be  his  sentiments  or  position, 
whether  he  be  a  Confederate  soldier  or  a  Union 
man,  shall  be  molested,  but  will  be  permitted  to 
depart  as  freely  as  he  comes. 

Let  ns  have  a  good  old-fashioned  citizens'  meet- 
ing, without  an  element  of  war  about  it. 
Your  fellow-citizen. 

L.  G.  Willcox. 

Western  Tennessee  was  then  being  overrun  by 
both  Union  and  Confederate  soldiers,  and  a  novel 
expedition  of  the  kind  proposed  was  attended  with 
considerable  hazard.  Hut  after  getting  permission 
from  the  Department  Commander  the  invitation 
was  accepted,  and  although  Maj.  Willcox    was   ad- 


790 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


vised  by  Gen.  Kimball,  then  in  command,  to  take 
a  large  force  with  him.  he  went  to  Lexington,  a 
distance  of  twenty-eight  miles,  with  an  escort  of 
only  eight  men.  and  addressed  a  large  meeting 
composed  of  Southern  citizens,  some  of  whom  wore 
the  Confederate  uniform.  The  result  of  the  meet- 
ing was  the  development  of  an  earnest  Union  feel- 
ing in  that  section  and  the  organization  of  a  Union 
force  in  West  Tennessee.  Twenty-four  day-  later. 
April  26,  Lieut.  Bingham,  a  brother-in-law  of  the 
Major,  was  killed  on  the  same  road,  a  few  miles 
out  from  Lexington. 

From  Jackson  the  regiment  made  regular  cav- 
alry expeditions  through  Mississippi.  <>n  the  ex- 
piration of  their  term  they  came  home,  then  re-or- 
ganized and  returned  to  the  field  of  battle.  In 
the  fall  of  1864,  on  account  of  the  failure  of  his 
health,  our  subject  resigned  Ins  position,  ami  re- 
turned to  Detroit  to  resume  his  law  practice.  Soon 
afterward  he  was  appointed  Register  of  the  United 
States  Land  Office  at  Traverse  City,  which  position 
he  held  until  187o,  when  on  accountof  sickness  in 
his  family  they  made  a  trip  to  California.  In  l  In' 
meantime,  in  connection  with  I-'..  L.  Spragne,  he 
had  established  and  edited  the  Traverse  Hay  TSagle. 
He  served  one  term  as  prosecuting  attorney  and 
Circuit  Court  commissioner  for  Antrim  County. 
For  several  years  he  was  a  correspondent  for  the 
Western  Rural,  Chicago  Tribune,  and  other  publi- 
cations, and  has  always  been  a  strong,  forcible 
writer. 

After  the  return  of  the  family  from  California. 
Mr.  Willcox  practiced  for  a  time  at  Pontiac  until 
he  was  appointed  Receiver  of  public  moneys  at 
Detroit.  In  the  summer  of  1885,  he  assumed  the 
position  of  editor  of  the  Bay  City  Tribune,  and  lo- 
cated here  at  that  time.  For  one  year  he  contin- 
ued his  editorial  work,  and  was  soon  afterward  ap- 
pointed Assistant  Prosecuting  Attorney  for  Bay 
County,  in  which  position  he  served  for  two  years. 
Soon  after  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he 
was  appointed  Postmaster  of  Bay  City.  His  popu- 
larity is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  committee  ap- 
pointed by  the  member  of  Congress  from  this  dis- 
trict to  designate  the  choice  of  the  people,  voted 
unanimously  for  Maj.  Willcox  among  thirteen  ap- 
plicants.    He  assumed  charge  of  the  office  in  M:iv. 


1889,  with  a  commission  for  a  full  term,  dating 
from  January  8.  1890.  The  post-office  now  has  a 
force  of  twenty-one  sub-workers,  and  to  the  office 
he  devotes  his  whole  attention. 

Mrs.  Willcox.  whose  maiden  name  was  Azubah 
Bingham,  was  prior  to  her  marriage,  a  resident  of 
Detroit,  and  is  the  mother  of  two  children,  George 
B.,  who  assists  his  father  in  the  post-ollice.  and 
.Minnie  B.  The  various  members  of  the  family  are 
identified  with  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of 
Bay  City.  The  Major  has  been  Commander  of 
Dick  Richardson  Post,  No.  147,  G.  A.  R„  at  Pon- 
tiac, and  also  Adjutant  of  U.  S.  Grant  Post,  No. 
67,  in  this  city,  besides  serving  in  other  offi- 
cial capacities.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ray  City 
Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 


OIIN  JFNNINGS.  Our  subject  is  one  of 
the  younger  Canadian-American  farmers 
now  located  in  Brant  Township,  Saginaw 
County,  lie  was  born  in  Simcoe  County. 
Ontario,  May  12,  1849,  and  is  a  son  of  Thomas 
ami  Margaret  (Moore)  Jennings,  natives  of  Can- 
ada. His  paternal  grandsire  came  to  this  country 
from  Ireland,  and  he  has  transmitted  to  his  chil- 
dren ami  children's  children  much  of  the  fresh 
originality  for  which  his  countrymen  are  noted. 

Our  subject's  father  was  a  carpenter  by  trade 
and  convinced  that  he  could  better  himself  by 
locating  in  the  Slates,  about  1870  he  moved  to 
Duluth,  Minn.,  where  he  died  in  August,  1889.  at 
the  age  of  sixty-eight  years.  He  was  a  Roman 
Catholic  in  his  religious  inclinations.  His  wife 
still  survives;  she  has  been  the  mother  of  nine 
children,  whose  names  are  Elizabeth,  John,  Mar- 
garet, Thomas,  James.  Robert.  Peter,  Ellen  and 
Ann.  Our  subject's  father  for  a  number  of  years 
was  the  proprietor  of  an  hotel  and  John  Jennings 
was  there  reared.  In  this  way  he  met  with  many 
men  in  his  boyhood  that  have  had  their  influence 
upon  the  social  and  governmental  facts  of  the  na- 
tions. He  received  his  education  in  the  district 
schools  in  the  vicinity  of  his  home,  but  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  left  home  and  engaged  in  lumbering. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


793 


In  the  spring  of  18(57  our  subject  went  to  Bay 
City,  and  was  there  engaged  in  the  lumber  woods, 
and  ever  since  that  time  has  spent  Ins  winters  in 
getting  out  the  harvest  of  the  Northern  State.  His 
summers  were  spent  in  work  in  the  mill.  In  1874 
he  located  where  he  now  resides  on  one  hundred 
and  forty  acres  of  land  on  section  3,  Brant  Town- 
ship. This  he  has  cleared  and  improved  and  has 
made  of  it  a  line  farm.  Mr.  Jennings  has  served 
as  Commissioner  of  Highways  for  four  terms.  Al- 
though he  favors  the  policy  of  the  Democratic 
party,  he  is  not  so  strict  in  his  adherence  to  any 
line  of  political  work  that  he  cannot  see  good  as 
well  as  mistakes  in  both  sides,  and  tries  to  en- 
courage the  former  by  voting  for  the  best  in  all 
parties. 

Our  subject  was  married  March  28,  1870,  to  Miss 
Colvin,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Arabella 
(Hunt)  Colvin.  They  are  the  parents  of  five 
children:  Edna  A..  Benjamin  I'.,  Thomas  P.,  Robert 
R..  and  Ilancy  L.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jennings  arc  highly 
honored  among  the  people  of  the  township.  They 
came  to  this  locality  without  means,  but  have 
worked  hard  and  acquired  a  comfortable  com- 
petency. 


4€f 


■= — =sr^i* 


eAPF.  WILLIAM  E.  PIERCE,  who  has  spent 
almost  his  entire  life  upon  the  water,  is  at 
present  Captain  of  the  propeller  "Benton," 
in  which  he  also  has  a  pecuniary  interest.  He  is  an 
old  resident  of  West  Bay  City,  having  lived  here 
since  1851,  being  brought  hither  sooi.  after  his 
birth,  which  took  place  at  AuSable,  November  28, 
of  the  same  year.  His  father,  Charles  M.  Pierce, 
was  born  in  Jefferson  County.  X.  Y.,  near  Cherry 
Valley.  For  the  sketch  of  the  grandfather,  Nathan 
Pierce, mi-  t  hat  of  (  apt.  B.  !•'.  Pierce  in  this  volume. 
The  father  of  our  subject  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  New  York  and  came  to  the  Saginaw  Val- 
ley about  1843,  where  he  taught  one  of  the  first 
schools  in  Lower  Saginaw.  He  afterward  engaged 
in  fishing  and  sailing,  building  crafts  and  owning 
large  fishing  interests  at  AuSable  and  Beaver 
Island  where  he  employed  seven  boats  in  that  bus- 


iness. He  was  a  fine  mechanic  and  was  engaged 
in  building  and  dealing  in  real  estate.  In  1884 
he  began  trading  along  the  Huron  Post  and  at 
Sault  Ste.  Marie,  making  his  headquarters  at  Sail- 
er's Encampment.  From  1857  and  1870  he  re- 
sided in  Collingwood  and  Bruce  Mines,  Canada, 
returning  to  Bay  City  in  1870.  He  was  a  Demo- 
crat in  politics  and  an  industrious,  hardworking 
man. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Hannah  Perrott,  was  a  native  of  Cork,  Ireland. 
Her  father  removed  to  the  United  States  and 
bought  a  farm  in  Lower  Saginaw,  about  1844,  be- 
ing among  the  first  Irish  families  in  Bay  City.  He 
was  a  cooper  by  trade  and  ran  a  shop  on  Water 
Street  until  he  retired  from  business  in  1860.  His 
death  took  place  in  Canada.  Of  the  children  of 
this  couple  three  sons  and  two  daughters  are  living, 
of  whom  our  subject  is  the  eldest. 

William  E.  Pierce  was  a  babe  when  brought  to 
West  Hay  City  by  his  parents  and  here  gained  his 
education  in  the  common  and  graded  schools. 
since  the  age  of  thirteen  he  has  followed  the  life 
of  a  sailor,  starting  out  at  that  time  as  a  slack  boy 
on  the  schooner"  N.  B.  Lyon."  The  next  season  he 
shipped  before  the  mast  on  the  schooner  "Comet," 
one  hundred  and  fifty  tons,  before  the  season  was 
over  being  made  first  mate,  and  when  only  sixteen 
years  old  was  made  master  of  the  vessel.  The 
schooner  was  engaged  in  trading  up  the  Georgian 
Bay  and  carrying  supplies  to  Duck  Island  for  the 
firm  of  Marks  Bros. 

Capt.  Pierce  remained  with  the  "Comet"  two 
seasons,  then  came  to  Bay  City  and  worked  on  the 
river  on  tugs,  etc..  for  some  two  years.  Next  he 
went  on  the  steam  barge  "Alvin  A.  Turner,"which 
had  just  been  completed,  and  acted  as  wheelman 
for  two  years.  He  was  then  for  six  seasons  engaged 
as  watchman  and  second  mate  on  the"  B.  W.  Jen- 
ins-"  which  was  engaged  in  the  lumber,  grain  aud 
coal  trade.  The  first  season  he  was  made  second 
mate  and  for  four  seasons  acted  as  first  mate.  He 
was  for  four  years  with  Mitchell  ct  Boutelle  as 
master  on  the  "Emerald,"  and  for  the  succeeding 
three  years  acted  as  mate  on  the  steam  barge 
"Michigan-"  Afterward  he  bought  an  interest  in  a 
barge  with  E.  J.  Vance  on  the"Racious"and  sailed 


794 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


her  for  two  years,  carrying  lumber  to  Buffalo  and 
returning  to  Michigan  with  coal. 

After  selling  thai  vessel  the  Captain  in  1887 
bought  an  interest  in  the  steam  barge  "Benton" 
with  E.  J.  Vance  &  Co..  and  has  sailed  her  for 
four  seasons  in  the  lumber  and  coal  trade  to  Buf- 
falo. The  "Benton"  is  a  good  sized  vessel,  with  a 
capacity  of  300,000  feet  of  lumber  and  tows  for 
four  barges.  In  all  his  twenty-seven  years  of  stead  \ 
sailing  over  Lakes  Michigan,  Huron  and  Erie, 
Capt.  Pierce  has  been  remarkably  fortunate,  never 
having  met  with  an  accident  nor  having  a  single 
man  drowned  or  injured  while  in  his  employ.  He 
has  also  been  successful  financially  and  owns  some 
good  real  estate  in  West  Bay  City.  He  owns  and  rents 
a  drug-store  on  Washington  Street,  two  stories  in 
height,  and  40x42  feet.  His  pleasant  residence  is 
situated   on  the  corner  of  King  and  Clara  Streets. 

Capt.  Pierce  was  married  in  the  fall  of  187W  in 
Tonawanda,  N.  Y.,to  Miss  C.  L.  Homeyer,  a  native 
of  that  city.  To  them  have  been  born  a  family  of 
five  children,  of  whom  two,  Minnie  and  Freddie, 
died  at  the  age  of  one  year.  Those  living  are  Will- 
iam, Elbert  and  Bessie.  Capt.  Pierce  is  a  member 
of  social  societies,  among  them  being  the  Masonic 
order,  Masonic  Temple  Association,  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen,  Marine  Mutual  Benevolent 
Association  No.  5,  of  Bay  City;  the  Bay  County- 
Masonic  Mutual  Association.  He  is  a  Democrat  in 
politics,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Westminster  Presbyterian  Church.  He  has  a  pleas- 
ant home  and  a  charming  family  and  is  held  in 
high  esteem  in  the  community  where  he  has  so  long 
resided. 

On  an  accompanying  page  the  reader  will  notice 
a  portrait  of  Capt.  Pierce. 


'1£ N  ENRY    FEIGE.      Among    the    prominent 

citizens  of  Saginaw  who  claim  Germany  as 
their  Fatherland,  none  holds  a  higher  place 
in  the  esteem  of  the  community  or  has  been 
more  prosperous  than  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  In 
his    line   store,   which    occupies    a    building    three 


stories  high,  fronting  on  two  of  the  principal 
streets  of  the  city,  he  carries  a  large  and  varied 
stock  of  furniture  and  carpets,  and  his  establish- 
ment is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  largest  and 
besl  conducted  of  any  in  that  line  in  Northern 
Michigan.  His  large  experience  in  the  business 
and  his  reputation  as  an  honest  dealer  have  given 
him  a  high  standingin  commercial  circles  and  se- 
cured him  an  excellent  pateonage. 

.Mr.  Feige  was  born  in  Hesse-Cassel,  German^, 
January  1.  L838,  and  is  the  .son  of  Engelhardt 
Feige.  In  1K47  his  parents  with  their  family  emi- 
grated  to  the  United  States  landing  in  New  York 
City  where  they  remained  until  1853,  the  father 
being  engaged  in  the  furniture  business.  In  the 
latter  year  they  removed  to  Palmyra,  N.  Y,  where 
they  spent  one  year  ami  in  1854  came  to  Saginaw, 
where  Mr.  Feige,  Sr., started  in  the  furniture  busi- 
ness on  Water  siieet,  afterward  removing  to  Gene- 
sec  Street,  and  in   1861  sold  out  to  H.  C.  Silsbee. 

In  the  fall  of  1863  the  father  having  retired 
from  business,  it  was  carried  on  by  the  sons  under 
the  linn  name  of  Feige  Bros.  In  1865  they  bought 
out  II.  C.  Silsbee  and  continued  in  business  until 
1872,  when  their  trade  had  grown  to  such  pro- 
portions that  they  were  obliged  to  move  to  a  larger 
place.  They  rented  the  large  double  store  form- 
erly occupied  by  Berry  &  Sons,  and  remained  in 
that  place  until  1890  when  they  took  possession  of 
I  heir  present  quarters  in  the  Savings  Bank  build- 
ing on  the  corner  of  Oenesee  and  Cass  Streets  and 
which  was  erected  by  the  old  firm  of  Feige  Bros,  in 
L872.  From  1868  the  business  was  conducted  by 
the  three  brothers — Henry.  Ernest  and  George 
Feige. 

Henry  Feige.  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  passed 
his  school  days  in  New  York  City  and  on  leaving 
school  assisted  his  father  in  the  store  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  in  1M61.  when  he 
enlisted  in  Company  F,  First  Michigan  Infantry, 
Col.  Roberts  of  Detroit  commanding.  The  regi- 
ment was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
and  took  part  in  the  seven  day's  fight  before  Rich- 
mond, and  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run  and 
was  afterward  under  command  of  Gens.  Grant  and 
Sherman.  .Mr.  Feige  was  taken  ill  and  was  sent  to 
the    hospital   where    he   remained    until    January, 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


r95 


L863,  when  he  was  discharged  on  a  surgeon's  cer- 
tificate and  returned  home  to  Saginaw,  becoming 
book-keeper  for  Feuzelee  Bros. 

In  1863  Mr.  Feige  engaged  with  his  brother 
Ernest  in  the  furniture  business  under  the  name  of 
Feige  Bros.,  continuing  one  year  when  he  sold  out 
to  H.  C.  Silsbee.  In  1868  he  again  bought  into 
the  firm  with  his  two  brothers,  remaining  until 
1879  when  he  established  a  branch  store  at  Bay 
City.  He  conducted  that  business  until  1X85.  when 
he  returned  to  Saginaw  and  helped  to  organize  the 
Feige-Silsbee  Manufacturing  Company,  of  which 
he  was  made  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  holding  that 
position  until  1887.  He  then  bought  out  the  in- 
terest of  his  brother  George  in  the  retail  depart- 
ment and  has  since  carried  on  the  business  alone. 

Mr.  Feige  was  married  in  1877,  Miss  Christina 
Scherer,  of  Saginaw,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Scherer, 
becoming  his  wife.  They  are  the  parents  of  the 
following-named  children:  George,  Henry,  Clara, 
Olga  and  Meta.  In  politics  Mr.  Feige  is  a  Repub- 
lican and  socially  a  member  of  Bay  Lodge, 
I.  0.0.  F.  His  present  residence  issituated  on  the 
corner  of  Fourth  and  Genesee  Streets  and  here  he 
and  his  estimable  wife  entertain  a  large  circle  of 
friends. 


llMh  AT1I,AS  I!I'*'KER.  Among  the  enter- 
///  lit  terprising  ar>d  successful  German  citizens 
Hi  w  of  Saginaw  who  have  resided  so  long  in 
this  county  as  to  become  thoroughly 
Americanized,  may  be  classed  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  He  was  born  April  6,  18:!(i.  in  the  village 
of  Peterswald,  on  the  banks  of  that  river  famed 
in  song  and  story,  the  Rhine,  and  was  the  second 
son  of  Peter  and  Anna  (Hellen)  Becker.  His  father 
combined  the  various  callings  of  a  baker,  grocer, 
and  hotelkeeper,  which  he  carried  on  until  his 
death,  the  son  assisting  him.  On  the  death  of  the 
father  the  family  consisting  of  the  mother  and 
seven  children,  emigrated  to  America  in  1852,  lo- 
cating first  at  Olmstead  Falls,  Ohio,  where  they 
carried  on  farming  until  1854.  They  then  re- 
moved   to  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  where  they  lived 


for  a  time  on  Government  land   and    where  7the 
mother  died. 

The  school  days  of  our  subject  were  passed  in 
the  Fatherland  and  on  his  arrival  in  this  country 
he  at  once  began  to  assist  in  the  maintenance  of 
the  family.  After  coming  to  Grand  Rapids  he 
followed  the  trade  of  a  cooper,  at  which  he  worked 
for  a  time  at  Rock  River,  near  Columbus,  Ohio. 
While  in  Grand  Rapids  he  took  a  .contract  for 
piece  work  at  which  he  was  employed  from  1854 
until  1861. 

In  the  latter  year  the  call  to  arms  was  heard 
throughout  the  country,  and  full  of  the  patriotism 
which  is  a  part  of  every  German's  nature,  Mr. 
Becker  at  once  offered  his  services  to  his  adopted 
land,  and  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Third  Michigan 
Infantry,  Col.  Daniel  McConnell  commanding.  The 
regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, and  our  subject  took  part  in  the  engagements 
of  Black  River  and  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run,  at 
the  latter  of  which  he  was  unfortunately  disabled 
and  pronounced  unfit  for  duty,  and  subsequently 
discharged, thus  cutting  short  a  promising  military 
career.  Returning  home  he  went  to  Ionia  where 
he  opened  up  a  restaurant,  but  in  1865  again  took 
up  his  trade  as  a  cooper  and  worked  at  it  for  the 
succeeding  ten  years. 

In  1875  Mr.  Becker  decided  to  start  in  business 
in  a  small  way  on  his  own  account,  and  opened  up 
a  small  shop  in  Saginaw  on  Court  Street.  In  1884 
he  removed  to  his  present  location  on  the  corner 
of  Stevens  and  layette  Streets  where  he  now  car- 
ries on  quite  an  extesive  manufactory,  the  pro- 
ducts of  which  are  barrels  of  ail  descriptions,  flour, 
salt,  apple  barrels,  fish  kits,  and  kegs  of  various 
kinds.  He  supplies  the  three  flouring  mills  in 
Saginaw  and  also  ships  large  quantities  of  pork 
barrels  to  other  parts  of  the  State.  From  a  modest 
beginning  his  business  has  steadily  increased  until 
now  he  owns  an  excellent  plant  and  employs  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  workmen.  As  an  example  of  the 
successful  results  of  thrift  and  industry,  Mr.  Becker 
may  well  be  cited  to  the  young  men  who  begin 
life  dependent  on  themselves  for  advancement. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Becker  and  Miss  Theresia 
Lux  took  place  February  7,  1857,  at  Grand  Rap- 
ids.     Mrs.   Becker   is   a   native    of    Germany,   but 


796 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


came  to  this  country  when  quite  young.  To  this 
worthy  couple  seven  children  have  been  born:  Al- 
bert J.,  William  J.,  Edward  V.  M.,  Matilda,  Delia 
T.,  Frank  L..  Hiram  M. 

In  politics  Mr.  Becker  is  a  Republican  and  has 
served  one  term  as  Alderman  of  the  Fifth  Ward. 
He  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Teutonic  Lodge. 


V_ 


•i=fe 


r 


*=*2 


G 


GOTTLIEB  KIESEL.  This  German-Amer- 
ican farmer  (if  Bangor  Township,  Bay 
County,  owns  and  operates  a  line  farm 
located  on  section  lis.  He  is  a  son  of  John  G. 
Kiesel,  who  was  born  in  Wurlemburg,  Germany, 
in  the  year  1807,  and  came  to  America  in  1851, 
spending  one  year  in  Baltimore,  Md..  and  then 
removing  to  Seneca  County,  Ohio.  After  three 
years  there  which  he  spent  in  farming,  he  migrated 
in  May,  1855,  to  Michigan. 

The  family  settled  in  Saginaw  County,  in  that 
pari  which  afterward  was  made  into  Bay  County. 
Mr.  Kiesel  lived  for  four  years  on  the  Midland 
road  on  a  rented  place,  after  which  he  purchased 
forty  acres  of  land  and  later  took  up  another  forty 
acres  under  the  Homestead  law.  He  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  cut  away  the  forest  and  help  in  building 
up  the  new  country.  lie  was  married  in  1837  to 
Annie  Marie  Kiesel,  who  was.  however,  although 
of  the  same  name,  not  related  by  blood. 

This  worthy  couple  had  nine  children,  only 
three  of  whom  grew  to  man's  and  woman's  estate. 
They  are:  Mrs.  Christian  Nichols,  who  lives  in  Bay 
County;  Catherine,  who  married  C.  F.  Richie  and 
resides  in  Portsmouth  Township;  and  our  subject. 
who  was  born  September  L6,  1848,  in  Wittenberg. 
He  was  three  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  this 
country  and  his  education  was  received  in  the 
public  schools  of   Bay  County. 

Gottlieb  Kiesel  was  united  in  marriage,  October 
1.  1*70.  to  A.  M.  C.  Baumester,  whose  home  was 
in  Pine  River  Township,  Gratiot  County,  this 
State.      Mrs.   Kiesel    was   horn   .Inly   IK.    1859,  and 


received  her  education  in  Gratiot  County.  She 
u:i-  the  daughter  of  Henry  B.  and  Mary  E.  Baum- 
ester, who  came  to  this  country  from  Germany  in 
1862.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kiesel  have  been  granted 
six  children:  Frederick,  who  was  born  in  1*7*; 
Gottlieb  .Jacob,  September  17.  1880;  Minnie,  in 
1883;John,in  1885;Henry,  in  1888;  and  Gottlieb, 
the  youngest,  in  1890. 

Mi'.  Kiesel  has  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of 
land  all  of  which  is  improved  except  thirty  acres 
of  woodland  which  he  uses  foi  pasturage.  General 
farming  and  stock-raising  engage  bis  energies.  The 
house  which  he  occupies,  a  view  of  which  is  shown 
upon  another  page,  was  built  by  his  father  but  he 
erected  the  barn.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  odd  Fellows,  the  A.  U.  V.  of 
Salzburg,  and  is  now  filling  theoffice  of  Justice  of 
the  Peace.  He  has  been  Commissioner  of  Highways, 
Treasurer  of  the  Township  and  of  the  School  Hoard, 
lie  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  preferences  as  was 
also  his  father. 


^Mj 


|B> 


iE.c  ,    , 


9 


OHN  LARACEY,  who  represents  Kawkaw- 
lin  Township  on  the  Board  of  Supervisors, 
of  Bay  County,  is  numbered  among  the 
most  influential  citizens  of  the  community 
in  which  he  resides  and  is  the  owner  and  operator 
of  a  good  farm  of  ninety-live  acres  on  section  27. 
Upon  that  place  he  has  erected  a  comfortable  iesi- 
dence,  commodiously  and  conveniently  arranged, 
and  in  the  rear  of  the  dwelling  may  be  found  a 
line  barn,  where  stock  find  shelter  and  the  various 
cereals  are  stored  for  winter  use.  First-class  im- 
provements have  been  placed  upon  the  estate 
which  has  been  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion by  proper  rotation  of  crops  and  fertilization 
of  the  soil.  A  view  of  the  residence  with  the  at- 
tractive rural  surroundings  appears  elsewhere  in 
this  volume. 

The  parent-  of  our  subject  bore  the  names  of 
John  and  Mary  L.  (Laelair)  Laracey,  and  the 
former,  who  was  born  in  Canada  about  the  year 
1830,    remained  in    his  native    place  until   he  had 


-  ■■  -  . 


HA  HEi:    P® 


—. ~ 


5 


1 


X..-  '•  ^r^'f^^p 


•-•■:■■,;    ■;./^^^-sv;^;-ir,.v/:^;-.  ■.  ■.-..■ : __ .■■     -    -  ■■ 


RESIDENCE   OF  GOTTLI  EB   Kl  ESEL  .  SEC.  18..  BANGOR  TP,  BAY  CO.,  M  ICH  . 


RESIDENCE  OF  JOHN    L  ARACEY,  SEC.26,KAWKAWLI  N  TP,  BAY  CO., MICH. 


PORTRAIT    \N"   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


799 


attained  to  manhood.  In  1856  he  came  to  Mich- 
igan, settling  in  Bay  City  and  sojourned  there 
about  twenty  years.  He  found  steadj  employ- 
ment as  a  Captain  on  the  lakes  and  led  :i  stirring 
and  adventurous  life  for  many  years.  His  death 
occurred  while  lie  was  engaged  as  a  sailor;  his 
wife  still  survives  at  an  advanced  age.  Of  their 
eighl  children,  five  are  now  living,  John,  Jr., 
being  the  next  to  the  youngest  in  order  of  birth. 
He  is  a  native-born  citizen  of  this  county,  having 
firsl  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in  Bay  City,  and 
is  now  in  the  prime  of  life,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred .May  -.'ii.  1861. 

At  the  age  of  ten  years  Mr.  Laracey  started  oul 
for  himself  and  has  since  then  supported  himself 
unaided.  His  education  was  therefore  necessarily' 
limited  and  has  been  gained  principally  by  obser- 
vation and  experience  rather  than  l>\  study  from 
texl  honks.  By  working  during  the  summer  in 
the  mills  he  was  enabled  to  attend  school  during 
the  wintci  seasons  until  he  commenced  to  work  in 
tlir  lumber  woods.  His  beginning  was  humble 
and  what  he  has  acquired  is  the  result  of  unremit- 
ting toil  and  ceaseless  exertion.  With  his  indus- 
try he  has  combined  business  tad  and  good  judg- 
ment, qualities  which  always  characterize  the  suc- 
cessful man.  He  carefully  hoarded  bis  earnings 
until  in  the  year  1885  he  had  sufficient  capital  to 
purchase  the  land  upon  which  he  nowresides.  To 
the  cultivation  of  this  place  he  has  since  devoted 
his  attention,  introducing  :i  good  syste f  drain- 
age and  raising  graded  stock  in  connection  with 
general  farming. 

The  political  belief  of  Mr.  Laracey  has  brought 
him  into  affiliation  with  the  Democratic  parfrj  and 
so  high  is  the  opinion  in  which  he  is  held  by  his 
fellow-citizens  that  he  has  frequently  been  called 
upon  to  till  positions  of  trus.1  and  responsibility. 
He  served  one  term  as  Treasurer  of  Kawkawlin 
Township,  discharging  the  duties  of  thai  position 
efficiently  and  satisfactorily.  In  1890  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  and 
is  now  in  tin-  office  doing  all  in  his  power  to  ad- 
vance the  interests  of  the  people  whom  he  repre- 
sents. No  measure  has  been  presented  having  in 
view  the  promotion  of  the  welfare  of  the  township 
or  county,  which  has  not  received  tin-  hearty  sym- 


pathy and  Liberal  aid  of  Mr.  Laracey,  and  to  him 
may  be  attributed  to  no  small  extent  the  progress 
which  is  noticeable  in  the  farming  community  of 
Kawkawlin  Town-hip. 


™«H^ 


b_ 


e- 


„3 


ENRY  M.  LEACH,  M.  1).  This  prominent 
|  and  influential  physician  had  his  birth  in 
Yates  County,  N.  V..  July  10,  1853.  His 
parents,  Amos  C.  and  Louise  (Carpenter) 
Leach,  were  also  natives  of  the  Empire  state  and 
his  father  was  there  a  prominent  miller  as  he 
owned  and  operated  a  flouring  mill  for  many 
years.  He  lived  to  be  a  man  of  seventy  years  and 
passed  away  from  life  in  L885.  His  affectionate 
wife  and  faithful  companion,  who  was  the  daugh- 
ter oi  .lames  Carpenter  of  English  ancestry,  was 
called  from  his  side  by  death  in  1x70.  The  Leach 
family  traces  it-  descenl  from  the  land  of  Erin. 

In  the  household  of  which  our  subject  was  a 
member  there  were  five  children,  two  of  whom 
have  been  called  to  another  life  while  three  a  re 
still  living  and  of  this  number  the  Doctor  is  the 
youngest.  After  studying  in  the  common  schools 
of  his  native  home  and  taking  a  course  in  Penn 
Yan  Academy  he  entered  Hamilton  College  and 
pursued  his  studies  there  for  one  year.  He 
then  came  to  Michigan  and  commenced  his  profes- 
sional studies  with  Dr.  Stone,  of  Metamora,  and 
afterward     went     to    New    York    City    where    he 

entered  liellevne  Hospital  .Medical  College  and 
continued  his  studies  until    .March.    1879    when    he 

graduated  taking  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medi- 
cine. 

The  first  location  of  the  young  Doctor  was  at 
Vassal-.  Tuscola  (  ounty,  Mich.,  and  he  continued 
tin  re  for  eighl  year-  establishing  himself  well  and 
building  up  a  large  clientage.  About  that  time  he 
determined  to  give  himself  further  advantages  of 
study  by  visiting  Europe  and  he  sold  out  his 
practice  a1  Vassal*  and  crossing  the  ocean  -pent 
-ome  time  in  the  hospitals  of  London.  Edinburg 
and  Paris,  making  a  specialty  of  surgery  and 
e\  necologj . 

Returning    to    Michigan    Dr.    Leach   located   at 


800 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Saginaw  on  the  East  Side,  where  he  has  effected 
the  establishment  of  a  most  excellent  practice,  and 
now  lias  a  large  coterie  of  families  who  depend 
upon  him  for  their  medical  counsel.  His  tine  office 
at  No.  416  Genesee  Avenue,  is  handsomely 
furnished  and  well  equipped  with  professional  ap- 
pliances. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  Leach  and  Miss  Katie 
Wilder,  of  Kalamazoo,  took  place  in  I885.  This 
lady  was  horn  in  Michigan  and  is  a  daughter  of  a 
well-known  citizen  of  Kalamazoo,  .1.  .1.  Wilder. 
Our  subject  has  the  responsible  and  prominent 
official  position  of  surgeon  of  St.  Mary's  Hospital. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  .State  Medical  Society 
and  also  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  Medical  (lull.  His 
pleasant  residence  is  located  at  No.  826  Hoyt 
Street,  and  there  he  and  his  wife  dispense  a  cordial 
hospitality  to  their  friends  and  neighbors. 


*,-S"8"M'b 


'  •!"5"5"J-C 


j^lf  NTON  W.  ACHARD.  We  here  present  a 
("7  J  life  sketch  of  the  President  of  the  Saginaw 
Hardware  Company.  He  was  born  in  Prus- 
sia. Germany,  not  far  from  Berlin,  April 
13,  1825,  and  his  father  was  Felix  Achard.  The 
mother,  Kinitie  Miller,  like  her  husband,  never  came 
to  this  country  but  spent  her  life  in  the  Father- 
land. They  had  only  two  children,  a  son  and  a 
daughter,  our  subject's  sister  bearing  the  name  of 
Francisca. 

Anton  W.  passed  his  school  days  in  the  country 
up  to  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  and  afterward 
as  a  journeyman  visited  different  cities  for  two 
years,  lie  then  attended  for  one  year  the  College 
of  Architecture,  after  which  he  was  apprenticed  to 
to  the  carpenter's  trade  for  three  years.  He  also 
had  some  experience  as  a  gardener,  spending  his 
winters  in  the  Architectural  office  of  the  Govern- 
ment 

In  1848,  during  the  Revolution ;  Mr.  Achard  was 
in  Rathenow  and  took  part  in  military  affairs,  and 
this  led  him  to  decide  to  leave  his  native  home  and 
come  to  the  United  States.  He  landed  in  New  York 
in  August,  1849,  and  at  once  came  West  and  lo- 
cated   near   Saginaw,  where  he  carried  on  farming 


for  two  years  upon  forty  acres,  lie  then  went  to 
Saginaw  and  began  contracting  and  building,  fol- 
lowing that  business  until  1863,  and  putting  up 
many  important  buildings,  such  as  the  Burrows 
Bank  building,  besides  many  private  dwellings.  In 
1863  he  went  to  Toledo,  Ohio,  to  take  charge  of  a 
nursery  for  Peter  Lank.  After  remaining  there  one 
year  he  returned  to  Saginaw  and  engaged  in  erect- 
ing brick  houses,  and  for  eighteen  months  was  en- 
gaged in  superintending  the  Wayne  County  Salt 
Works. 

In  186.")  Mr.  Achard  formed  a  partnership  with 
William  Seyffardl  under  the  linn  name  of  Se\  llardt 
&  Achard  and  embarked  in  the  hardware  business 
and  continued  until  1871,  carrying  011  the  business 
in  Niagara  Street.  In  February  of  that  year  the 
firm  was  dissolved  by  mutual  consent  and  the 
stock  was  divided.  Mr.  Achard  stocking  a  store  on 
Hamilton  Street  and  continuing  alone  for  1  wo 
years  until  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Emil 
Sehoeneberg,  with  the  firm  name  of  Achard  & 
Sehoeneberg.  After  six  years  of  harmonious  co 
operation  the  partnership  was  dissolved,  our  sub 
ject  buying  out  the  interest  of  his  partner.  Lor 
two  years  he  carried  on  the  business  alone,  after 
which  he  took  his  eldest  son, Emil  F.,  into  the  con- 
cern, establishing  the  firm  of  Achard  &  Son.  In 
1882  he  erected  a  building  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  business,  covering  60x153  feet,  two  stories 
in  height  and  a  basement,  all  of  which  is  devoted 
to  the  hardware  business. 

The  business  of  our  subject  was  in  1881  made 
into  a  stock  company,  and  on  this  reorganization 
Mr.  Achard  was  made  President;  William  Seyffardt, 
Secretary,  and  Emil  F.  Achard,  Treasurer,  and  with 
this  official  management  the  business  is  growing 
in  enterprise  and  extent,  so  that  they  now  keep 
three  men  upon  the  road. 

Anton  W.  Achard  was  married  in  18.52  to  Miss 
Marie  Fittinger.  of  Saginaw",  a  native  of  Prussia. 
Their  five  children  are  Emil  F.;  Frank  ('.,  who  isa 
traveling  salesman  on  the  road:  Oscar,  who  is  ship- 
ping clerk;  William,  who  has  charge  of  a  branch 
store  in  the  First  Ward  and  Clara,  who  is  at  home. 
Mr.  Achard  served  for  two  terms  as  Supervisor  for 
the  Fourth  Ward,  now  the  Thirteenth.  For  four- 
teen years    he  was  a    member   of    the  Water    Board 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL    KKCORD. 


80] 


and  a  long  time  was  <>n  the  Cemetery  Board  and 
has  served  upon  the  School  Board  to  nil  vacancies. 
In  his  political  views  he  is  in  harmony  with  the 
Republican  party. 


—5- 


^m>^£-<w^ 


/-^i Dl.iiMON  MALT.  Among  the  English- 
^ssj?  American  citizens  of  Saginaw  Township 
il  none  are  more  prominently  and  favorably 
known  than  he  whose  name  appears  abovei 
and  who  is  the  proprietor  of  a  large  brick-yard  on 
the  hanks  of  the  Tittabawassee  River.  1  le  i.>  i-',t' 
owner  of  a  farm  on  section  18,  where  is  ' ,s  resi_ 
dence  and  place  of  business.  Mr.  M  a  was  born 
in  Cambridgeshire,  England,  Aup  ■■"•'  '  '■  1835.  He 
is  the  son  of  Christopher  an<*Mary  (Clark)  Malt, 
both  natives  of  England.  Our  subject's  fatherwas 
a  gardener.  He  died  <■  hi>  native  land  at  the  age 
of  seventy-six  year-  "''  ■""l  nis  "'»''  reared 
three  children,  w*°  were  named  respectively, 
Louisa  Solomon  nd  John-  Mri  MarJ'  Mall  died 
at  the  age  of  eh  'ty-three  years;  she  :i ml  her  hus- 
band reared  the1'  children  m  the  faith  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church. 

Solomon  Y''f  'ia'^  llUt  >in:1"  educational  advan- 
|.,,,,.s  being')lace^  '"  a  dry -goods  store  as  clerk  at 
the  age  of  1'ne  years  and  there  remained  until 
fifteen  veas  °^-  He  t'a""'  '"  America  in  18.50, 
making  tl2  vo.v:lS'e  alone,  having  one  sister  a1 
Lockport^'  ^'  "''  was  eighteen  weeks  ami  two 
days  on  r''  vovage  a°d  encountered  severe  storms, 
lie  win!''1  at  Lockport  for  one  year,  driving  a 
,,,.,,,,  ,,,,1  then  went  to  Buffalo.  N.  V..  where  he 
drove  a  v:l-""  for  the  American  Express  Company 
for  sevi?  .v,''"'s-  At  tne  end  of  that  time  he  re- 
turne(j to  England  and  remained  one  year,  when 
li(,  (.;m'  hack  and  spent  another  two  years  with 
the  exress  company  and  then  came  to  Michigan, 
lirill"1-  llis  Iamlly  via  the  lake.  He  had  made  a 
prog.JCting  tour  before  thai  time  and  purchased 
eight  acrea  "f  ':l1"'  ui  Thomas  Township. 

,.ir  subject  had  never  been  in  so  dense  a  fores! 

|,.orc  hut    settled  at  once  on  his  land  and  during 

die  year  that  he  spent  there,  cleared  ii   somewhat, 

and  then  sold  and  purchased  Thomas  Parker's  farm. 


That  he  also  sold  at  the  end  of  a  year  and  then 
launched  into  the  brickmaking  business.  June  1  I. 
1862,  our  subject  was  married  to  Ellen  Parker,  who 
was  horn  in  Scotland  and  came  to  this  count n 
with  an  aunt  when  quite  young.  From  this  mar- 
riage have  been  born  seven  children, of  whom  four 

have  been  reared,  Fanny  I...  Tl as  P..   Sarah    E., 

Solomon  ('.  They  also  have  ".i  adopted  daughter, 
Edna. 

The  original  of  ■  ur  sketch  began  brickmaking  in 
1865, common  ing  Oil  a  small  scale  and  with  horse- 
power 'I"  has  gradually  increased"  his  business 
lentil  hi'  now  make-  about  three  million  brick  per 
annum.  lie  owns  sixty  acres  of  land  here  which 
he  farms  to  some  extent.  His  brick-yard  furnishes 
much  of  the  building  material  for  Saginaw  and 
Bay  City  and  he  also  finds  a  ready  market  in  Buf- 
falo and  Syracuse.  N.Y.  In  his  religious  life  our  sub- 
ject is  associated  with  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
in  which  he  is  a  Trustee  and  has  been  such  for  four- 
teen years.  He  affiliates  with  the  Republicans  in 
politics  and  has  held  the  office  of  School  Treasurer. 
Last  siuiiig  he  started  his  son  with  a  farm  of  sev- 
en1  y  acres. 


_20 


■- 


i.^m^*£^-~- 


OL.  JOHN  C.  BOUGHTON,  a  successful 
grocer  of  West  Pay  City  whose  place  of 
business  is  on  the  corner  of  Jenney  and 
Keisel  Streets  has  been  a  resident,  of  this  place  for 
the  past  eight  years.  He  is  a  native  of  this  State, 
having  been  born  in  N'ovi  Township,  Oakland 
County.  November  1  I.  1836.  lie  isason  of  Darius 
G.  Boughton,  a  native  of  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.. 
and  was  born  in  1809.  The  grandfather,  Daniel 
Boughton.  died  in  Seneca  County,  N.  Y..  and  our 
subject  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  Germany  to  the 
time  of  King  Clovis,  then  to  Frame,  later  as  Hu- 
guenots, then  to  England  and  at  last  to  America. 
The  grandfather  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution- 
ary War  and  was  with  Washington  at  Valley  Forge. 
The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  farmer  in  New 
York  Stale  and  came  to  .Michigan  when  yet  a  sin- 
gle man  in  1832,  where  he  settled  in  Wayne  County 
and  later  bought  land  in  Novi  Township,  Oakland 


802 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


County.  On  this  estate  he  resided  for  over  fifty  years. 
He  now  resides  with  our  subject  in  Bay  City,  and 
was  politically,  first  an  old-line  W'hiu.  a  Free-oiler, 
Abolitionist,  and  lastly  a  Republican.  The  mother 
of  our  subject  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Catherine 
Conger— and  was  born  in  Ontario  County,  N.  Y., 
a  daughter  of  Jphn  and  Peggy  (Snover)  Conger, 
of  Dutch  descent  ami  natives  of  New  York. 

He  of  whom  we  write  "is l|"'  eldest  of  the  four 
children  born  to  his  parents  an.'  •  "  his  early  boy- 
hood attended  the  old  log  schoolhoiiSW>f  which  we 
so  often  have  spoken.  When  sixteen  years  '.'Id  lie 
attended  the  State  Normal  School  for  two  years  al 
Ypsilanti  and  taught  school  in  the  winters  and 
worked  on  the  farm  in  the  summers.  lie  remained 
at  home  until  nineteen  when  he  was  employed  in 
a  sawmill  for  awhile.  Going  on  a  steamboat  lie 
served  as  engineer  fora  time,  and  afterward  on  the 
••Old  Adelaide"  as  clerk,  and  ran  on  the  Muske- 
gon River  two  seasons.  Subsequently  lie  worked 
in  the  lumber  woods, scaling  logs  on  the  Muskegon 
River.  In  1!s7>k  he  returned  to  Oakland  County 
and  worked  on  his  father's  farm  for  three  year-. 

At  the  first  tap  of  tin-  drum  Col.  Boughton  en- 
listed in  his  country's  defense  in  the  Second  Mich- 
igan Infantry,  Company  G,  and  was  mustered  in 
at  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.,  and  -cut  South.  He  partici- 
pated in  the  following  battle-:  First  Bull  Run.  in 
which  he  was  badly  wounded;  Williamsburg,  Fair 
Oaks,  Glendale.  Malvern  Hill,  Second  Hull  Run. 
Grovetown,  Va.;  Chantilly,  Fredericksburg,  siege 
of  Vicksburg,  siege  of  Jackson,  Blue  Springs,  Lou- 
den. Lenair  (Fla.),  Campbell  Station,  siege  of 
Knoxvdle,  Strawberry  Plain.  Wilderness.  Spottsyl- 
vania,  Oxford,  North  Anna,  Tollapotomy  Creek, 
Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg,  Bethesda  Church,  the 
Crater.  Weldon  Railroad,  Beans  Station.  Poplar 
Springs,  Boydton  Road,  Hatchie's  Run.  and  many 
skirmishes.  He  was  promoted  from  the  rank-  to 
be  Sergeant.  Orderly  Sergeant  and  then  Commis- 
sary Sergeant.  On  the  6th  of  October,  1864,  he 
was  commissioned  Captain  of  Company  I.  Second 
Michigan  Infantry,  by  ex-Oov.  Austin  Blair.  He 
was  appointed  Brevet-Major  in  the  year  1865, 
by  President  Lincoln  and  commissioned  Major  by 
(  rOV.  Crapo.  In  the  same  year  he  was  commissioned 
Captain  at  Ft.  Steadnian  for  bravery  in   capturing 


four  hundred  prisoners  with  only  twenty-five  men. 
He  surprised  them  in  the  dark  and  marched  them 
away  from  their  guns.  In  1865,  April  17.  ('apt. 
Boughton  received  the  commission  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  and  was  mustered  out  as  Major,  July  25, 
1865. 

Upon  his  return  from  the  war  Col.  Boughton 
went  to  Traverse  City  and  entered  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land,  built  a  log  house  and 
cleared  one  hundred  acres  and  farmed  it  until 
1883.  lie  was  Supervisor  of  hi-  township  and  also 
served  as  School  Director.  About  that  time  he 
started  a  hardwood  mill  and  chair  factory  at  Tra- 
v,.|-e  City  under  the  name  of  Boughton  A-  West, 
but  was  taken  sick  and  could  not  attend  to  busi- 
ness. con-c.pV.'nt'y  he  failed.  In  I**.",  he  came  to 
Kay  City  with.'.111  anything  and  started  as 
a  huckster,  selling  '.'"  tlu'  streets.  He  secured 
some  money  ahead  and  v'11'  the  help  of  Maltby  & 
Brotherton  he  started  a  sh:l11  grocery  store.  In 
1887  he  built  his  store  at  J<o- 4<>2  Keisel  Sti'eet, 
where  he  keeps  groceries,  erockW  :ln('  produce. 

Tin's  hiehly  respected  gentleman  was  married 
al  I  (wosso.in  1865,  to  Mi-  Mai  \  K.Brooks,a  native 
of  New  York  State,  but  who  was  ii;m'<'  '"  Illinois 
and  Michigan.  They  became  the  parents  of  three 
children,  two  yet  surviving,  namely  Darius,  at 
home:  Ile-ie.wiio  died  at  the  age"  of  fourteen  year- 
in  1883;  and  Helen  who  i-  at  home.  ('ol.  Bough- 
ton served  as  Alderman  of  the  Fourth  Ward  one 
term  and  is  a  very  prominent  Grand  Army  man. 
He  is  a  true  blue  Republican  and  has  served  as 
delegate  to  the  State  conventions. 


r~"\  ERNARD  BERNARD,  of  West  Ha;  City, 
Y^\  was  born  in  Canton  Basel,  Switzerl3n^»  *n 
I  1847,  and  is  the  son  of  Bernard  and  *  !ltn- 
erine  Bernard,  native-  of  the  l)e]>ar,nent 
of  Doubs,  in  the  east  of  France.  His  father.  who 
was  born  in  1800,  was  a  fine  machinist  and  civ'' 
engineer. and  for  about  six  years  was  Superintend- 
ent of  a  railroad  in  Switzerland.  Thence  he  i  ' 
turned  to  his  native    province  where  he  pa— c" 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


803 


remaining  years,  highly  esteemed  by  the  people 
among'  whom  lie  dwelt.  For  some  years  lie  was 
Superintendent  of  the  Iron  Foundry  Company. 
having  about  four  thousand  men  under  him  and 
carrying  on  that  business  with  marked  ability.  A 
man  of  powerful  physique  and  strong  constitution, 
he  attained  to  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eighl 
years  and  his  death  in  1888  was  caused  by  the 
bursting  of  a  blood  vessel.  His  wife,  mother  of 
our  subject,  also  passed  away  in  her  native  land, 
having  reached  the  age  of  sixty-two  years. 

The  early  recollect  ions  of  Mr.  Bernard  are  of 
the  vine-clad  hills  of  France,  whither  he  was 
brought  by  his  parents  when  quite  small,  lie 
passed  his  childish  days  in  his  father's  native  home, 
where  he  received  a  splendid  education  in  the 
German, French,  Latin  and  English  languages  and 
became  fluent  ill  their  use.  When  he  was  about 
twelve  years  old  he  accompanied  his  father  to 
Egypt,  embarking  on  a  steamer  at  Marseilles  and 
landing  at  Alexandria,  from  which  place  he  pro- 
ceeded up  the  Nile.  lie  aided  his  father,  who  was 
Superintendent  of  the  first  railroad  built  in  Egypt 
about  1859-60,  and  when  the  job  was  completed, 
returned  with  him  to  France.  He  has  been  an  ex- 
tensive traveler  and  has  crossed  the  Alps  three 
times,  besides  visiting  many  other  portions  of  the 
Continent. 

Mr.  Bernard  is  the  only  son  reared  in  a  family 
of  seven  children,  four  of  whom  survived  to  ma- 
ture years  and  one  of  whom,  beside  himself,  still 
lives,  a  resident  of  Fiance.*  From  six  years  old 
our  subject  was  reared  in  France,  where  he  received 
his  education  in  the  National  School  and  during 
his  vacations  traveled  through  various  parts  of 
Europe.  When  he  was  seventeen  he  corresponded 
with  houses  in  Manchester,  England,  and  bet  ore 
he  crossed  the  ocean  learned  to  speak  the  English 
language  readily  and  with  ease.  It  was  during 
1866  that,  having  resolved  to  emigrate  to  America, 
he  embarked  on  a  steamer  at  Havre  and  after 
anchor  was  cast  in  the  harbor  of  N<  w  York,  pro 
ceeded  Westward  to  Detroit,  where  he  secured  a 
position  as  clerk. 

After  remaining  one  year  in  this  country,  Mr. 
Bernard  returned  to  Switzerland  and  enjoyed  a 
delightful   visit    with    his    relatives   on    the   Conti- 


nent. Returning  to  the  United  States,  he  continued 
as  clerk  for  A.  R.  Morgan,  a  prominent  shoe-dealer 
of  Detroit,  until  1M72,  when  he  came  to  Bay  (  itv 
as  clerk  for  Mr.  Kittridge.  lie  remained  with  that 
gentleman  for  a  time,  then  was  with  Mr.  Sclieur- 
man  live  years,  and  latei  in  the  dry-goods  business 
as  clerk  for  F.  A.  Bancroft  &  Co.  Practical  economy 
and  the  exercise  of  good  judgment  enabled  him  in 
1885  to  establish  himself  in  business,  the  store 
which  he  opened  being  located  on  the  corner  of 
Sixteenth  and  Bowery  Streets.  In  the  spring  of 
1888  he  brought  his  stock  to  West  Bay  City, where 
he  continues  his  business  on  an  enlarged  scale,  al- 
though he  still  owns  a  store  in  Bay  City.  Conve- 
niently located  in  the  Mosher  Block,  on  Midland 
Street,  the  establishment  of  which  hi'  is  proprietor 
is  conducted  on  strictly  business  principles  and  its 
extensive  space,  22x711,  two  floors,  is  stocked  with 
a  full  line  of  dry-goods. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Bernard  to  Mrs.  Louise 
Crackel.  was  solemnized  in  Detroit  in  1870.  Mrs. 
Bernard,  who  is  a  native  of  Switzerland,  was  the 
mother,  by  a  former  marriage,  of  two  children, 
viz.:  Carrie,  Mrs.  William  B.  Thomson,  of  Battle 
(reek:  and  Ida,  now  the  wife  of  II.  La  Fontaine, 
of  Montreal.  The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bernard 
has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  four  children,  name- 
ly: Anna,  the  wife  of  F.  C.  Ross,  of  West  Bay  City: 
Rosa,  Edward  and  Alexander,  who  are  at  home 
and  receiving  excellent  advantages  in  the  schools 
of  Bay  City.  Both  in  Bay  City  and  West  Bay 
City  Mr.  Bernard  has  served  as  School  Director, 
and  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views,  lie  be- 
longs to  the  Arbeiter  Society,  the  Royal  League, 
the  Independent  Order  of  odd  Fellows,  in  which 
he  is  Past  Grand,  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  Fnited 
Workmen,  of  which  he  is  Treasurer. 

Mr.  Bernard  possesses  an  excellent  tenor  voice 
and  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Arion  Musical 
Society,  of  which  he  was  Secretary  when  the  ele- 
gant hall  was  built  on  Fourth  and  Grant  Streets. 
and  afterward  served  as  President  two  terms.  In 
athletic  sports  he  has  always  maintained  peculiar 
interest, and  between  the  years  187.'?  and  1878  was 
President  and  Instructor  in  the  Bay  City  Gymna- 
sium, of  which  he  was  one  of  tin-  organizers.  In 
1878  he  was   compelled    to  give  up  his  connection 


Kill 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


with  the  gymnasium  on  accounl  <>f  having  broken 
his  limli  while  atti  nding  to  his  duties  there.  His 
business  engages  hisclosesl  attention  at  the  present 
lime,  and  the  practical  way  in  which  he  conducts 
his  affairs  is  conducive  id  success,  while  his  reliable 
methods  as  a  business  man  and  his  genial  courtesy 
to  all  have  brought  him  a  great  and  ever-growing' 
prosperity. 


yjfelLLIAM  L.  BENHAM.  Our  subject  is 
assistant  freight  agent  on  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad  and  is  stationed  at  Bay 
City,  having  charge  of  the  Third  Division  from 
Detroit  to  Mackinaw  and  from  Jackson  to  Bay 
City.  Mr.  Benham  was  born  in  Ft.  Atkinson,  Jef- 
ferson County.  Wis.,  and  is  a  son  of  William  H. 
and  Lucy  M.  (Wright)  Benham.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  Vermont  where  his  grandfather.  Silas. 
was  a  farmer  and  our  subject's  maternal  grandsire 
built  the  first  frame  house  in  that  part  of  Wiscon- 
sin where  William  1..  was  born. 

William  II.  Benham  came  West  when  twenty- 
one  years  old  and  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising  until  a  few  years  ago  when  he  removed  to 
Cedar  Rapids,  Neb.,  where  he  is  now  a  successful 
ranchman.  Our  subject's  mother  is  a  native  of 
Massachusetts  and  her  father.  William  Wright,  was 
a  pioneer  at  Ft.  Atkinson,  Wis.,  where  he  devoted 
himself  to  farming.  He  was  a  devoted  churchman 
of  the  Baptist  persuasion,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
decease  in  1861.  was  greatly  mourned  by  the  best 
people  of  the  community. 

Of  a  family  of  three  children,  our  subject 
is  the  eldest.  As  his  school  days  approached  he 
was  sent  to  the  primary  and  grammar  schools  and 
finally  finished  at  the  Ft.  Atkinson  High  School. 
He  remained  home  until  fourteen  years  of  aa;e. 
when  he  began  studying  telegraphy  at  Oshkosh, 
and  when  fifteen  years  old  was  appointed  operator 
at  Fond  du  Lac  in  the  Commercial  office.  Later  he 
was  with  the  Chicago  .V  Northwestern  Railroad  at 
Oshkosh,' spending  one  wintei  there  as  clerk  and 
operator,  and  was  promoted  to  chief  ticket  agent. 
In   1875  he  left  the  Northwestern  Road  and  located 


at  Detroit,  being  chief  clerk  in  the  Commercial 
agent's  office  of  the  Michigan  Central,  and  shortly 
afterward  was  made  freight  agent  of  the  Michigan 
Central. 

In  October.  1886,  Mr.  Benham  came  to  Bay  City 
a-  assistant  general  freight  agent  of  the  division 
above  mentioned,  and  he  has  now  the  charge  and 
responsibility  of  the  entire  business  as  conducted 
from  this  point.  lie  has  a  pleasant  residence,  which 
is  located  at  No.  1009  Ninth  Street  at  the  corner 
of  Farragut. 

The  domestic  life  of  our  subject  is  brightened  by 
his  wife,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  Jackson.  She 
was  a  Miss  Mary  I..  Root  and  was  born  in  Jackson. 
She  was  the  mother  of  two  children,  whose  names 
are  Robert  R.  and  Winwright.  The  family  have 
been  reared  in  the  beliet  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
of  which  they  are  consistent  members.  Politically 
Mr.  Benham  affiliates  with  the  Republicans,  believ- 
ing the  tenets  of  that  party  to  be  such  as  conduce 
most  to  the  good  of  the  general  government.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Michigan   Republican  Club. 


A  TRICK  KAIN.  In  any  city  the  Chief  of 
|  Police  has  an  opportunity  to  make  or  mar 
the  reputation  of  that  community  in  mat- 
ters of  health,  order,  crime,  and  indeed  all 
matters  of  municipal  repute,  and  the  city 
which  has  at  the  head  of  its  Police  department, 
one  who  is  imbued  with  conscientious  principles 
and  who  loves  and  honors  thecity  he  serves,  is  in- 
deed favored.  Such  an  advantage  has  the  city  of 
Saginaw  in  Inning  Mr.  Kain  as  its  Chief  of  Pol- 
ice. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Bedolf,  Canada,  Novem- 
ber 15,  1851,  and  his  parents,  William  and  Hannah 
(Flannery)  Kain  both  born  in  County  Tipperary. 
Ireland,  came  to  America  in  1848.  They  died  be- 
fore this  sou  was  ten  year--  old,  and  he  was  thus 
Lhrown  upon  the  world,  without  the  love  or  pro- 
tection o)  a  parent.  He  was  one  of  a  large  family 
being  next  to  the  youngest  in  a  household  of  nine 
and    all    but    two    of    these  are    still    living.      His 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


805 


brother  James  is  a  blacksmith  in  the  shops  of  the 
Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  Railroad  and  William  is  a 
traveling  sale-man.  while  one  sister,  Bridget,  is  the 
wife  of  Michael  Feeheley  of  Saginaw. 

Young  Kain  was  reared  upon  a  farm  and  at  the 
age  of  thirteen  came  to  Port  Austin,  Mich.  The 
parents  had  a  line  property  m  Canada,  but  the  ex- 
ecutors and  attorneys  absorbed  the  whole  estate 
and  by  the  time  the  boy  was  thirteen  years  old 
there  was  nothing  for  him  to  do  but  to  make  his 
own  way  in  the  world.  Having  served  two  years 
at  Port  Austin  on  a  farm  he  came  to  Saginaw  in 
1866  to  an  uncle,  Michael  Kain,  who  was  living 
here.  Work  was  obtained  in  the  East  Town  salt 
works  and  later  he  entered  the  shops  of  the  Flint 
A-  Pere  Marquette  Railroad  and  there  Learned  the 
blacksmith's  trade  and  worked  at  the  forge  for 
five  years. 

In  1873 at  the  solicitation  of  Sanford  Keeler  the 
master  mechanic  of  the  road  just  mentioned  and 
at  the  time  Alderman  for  the  first  Ward,  Mr.  Kane 
accepted  a  position  on  the  police  force,  and  was 
placed  on  the  Potter  Street  heat,  which  was  then 
the  worst  in  the  city,  and  where  his  success  was  so 
great  in  keeping  down  the  hoodlum  element  and 
making  necessary  arrests  as  to  avert  much  disorder 
and  disturbance.  After  ten  years  as  Patrolman, 
most  of  which  time  he  was  on  the  same  heat  he 
was  appointed  Firsl  Sergeant  in  L886,  and  he  there 
maintained  the  same  reputation  in  a  broader  field 
which  he  had  obtained  in  his  first  connection  with 
the  police  force. 

It  was  in  January,  1890,  that  Patrick  Kain  was 
appointed  Chief  of  the  Police  on  probation,  and 
the  appointment  was  confirmed  in  the  succeeding 
April  and  he  then  took  the  position  which  has  been 
occupied  by  T.  Daly  Moore  who  Las  been  Chief  from 
the  time  that  Mr.  Kain  was  firsl  put  upon  the  force. 
While  First  Sergeant  he  did  much  detail  work  and 
lias  had  many  experiences  of  a  most  interesting 
nature,  in  which  his  keenest  wits  have  been  taxed. 
Our  subject  was  a  candidate  for  Sheriff  in  1885, 
running  against  Mr.  Mclntire  upon  the  Republi- 
can ticket. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  May  21,  1874, 
brought  to  his  home  a  helpmate  in  the  person  of 
Miss  Anna,  daughter  of  P.  J.  Driscoll,  of  Saginaw, 


and  to  their  fireside  have  come  nine  children. 
Minnie  died  when  four  years  old  as  did  also  Han- 
nah, whose  life  was  ended  through  that  malignant 
disease  diphtheria,  and  the  children  who  are  still 
living  are  Katie,  William,  G-racie,  Laura,  Daniel 
Theresa  and  Planch  and  an  infant  son  yet  un- 
named. The  home  is  situated  at  No.  809  North 
Seventh  Street  and  the  residence  is  attractive  and 
homelike. 

Mr.  Kain  is  a  member  of  St.  Joseph's  Catholic 
Church,  and  is  a  companionable  and  popular  man, 
being  esteemed  both  on  the  force  and  among  the 
citizens  of  the  town.  While  he  is  a  strict  disciplina- 
rian and  demands  courteous  conduct  by  his  men 
on  all  occasions  he  has  the  warm  regard  of  every 
man  upon  the  force.  The  police  of  Saginaw  form 
a  fine  body  of  intelligent  men,  and  the  citizens 
feel  a  just  pride  in  this  part  of  the  city's  service, 
and  realize  that  the  safety  and  well-being  of  Sagi- 
naw is  in  the  right  hands.  No  little  of  the  effici- 
ency and  popularity  of  the  force  is  owing  to  Chief 
Kain,  whose  personal  influence  and  directing  hand 
are  felt  upon  every  street  in  the  city. 


*^4\ 


araCGfl 


AMPS  N.  SWARTHOUT.  It  is  not  how  a 
man  dies  that  makes  him  worthy  of  the 
honor  of  a  community  and  people,  but  the 
'  wa3'  in  which  he  lives.  We  scatter  immortelles 
over  the  last  resting  place  of  the  man,  who  living- 
least  for  himself,  has  lived  most  for  his  fellow-men. 
One  of  these,  now  numbered  with  the  endless  cara- 
van,is  he  whose  name  is  quoted  above.  He  was  during 
his  lifetime  a  prominent  man  of  Saginaw  Township 
and  one  of  its  earliest  residents,  having  come  here 
in  1835,  brought  when  but  four  years  old  by  his 
parents  from  Washtenaw  County  where  he  was  born 
March  6,  1831.  For  a  fuller  history  of  his  parents' 
lives  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  sketch  of  Lewis 
Swarlhout,  his  brother,  in  another  portion  of  this 
Record. 

He  of  whom  we  write  was  reared  to  manhood  on 
a  portion  of  the  same  farm  where  his  last  days  were 
spent.  He  was  educated  in  the  primitive  log 
schoolhouse  that  was  the   sole   educational    institu- 


806 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


tion  of  his  boyhood.  It-  wide  fireplace  and  un- 
comfortable slab  benches  were  more  conspicuous 
features  than  any  brilliancy  of  scholarship,  although 
some  of  the  brightest  men  of  the  present  genera- 
tion were  educated  in  these  same  schools.  His 
principal  associates  were  the  Indian  children  and 
with  them  and  Ins  father  he  was  laigely  engaged 
in  hunting,  and  has  a  record  of  having  killed  dur- 
ing one  fall  seventy  deer,  besides  bears  and  other 
name.  His  father  was  a  notorious  hunter  and  trap- 
per and  James  spent  more  I  hue  with  him  that  witli 
his  brothers.  He  also  helped  him  clear  the  farm 
and  lived  at  home  until  twenty-six  years  of  age, 
when  his  father  gave  him  thirty  acres  of  land,  on 
which  was  a  fine  sugar-bush.  To  this  he  added 
until  he  was  the  owner  of  eighty  acre.-. 

Our  subject  carried  on  mixed  farming,  making  a 
specialty  of  fruit-growing  and  market  gardening. 

He  brought  to  his  I le,  June    12.  1856,  his  bride, 

who  was  thereafter  his  able  counselor  and  helper. 
Before  her  marriage  she  was  Miss  .lane  3VI.  Hiesrodt, 
a  native  of  Monroe  County,  N.  Y..  and  burn  Jan- 
uary 31,  1840.  She  still  lives  on  the  homestead 
and  successfully  manages  her  farm.  She  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  M.  and  Elinor  Hiesrodt,  both  natives 
of  New  York',- though  of  German  descent.  They 
reared  six  children:  Peter  S..  William;  James  N., 
who  was  killed  at  Pittsburg  Landing  during  the 
Rebellion;  Jane.  Ellen  M.  and  Mary  E.  The  father 
wus  a  machinist  by  trade  and  a  fanner  by  calling. 
He  came  to  Saginaw  County  in  1854  and  died  De- 
cember 2t>,  1891,  aged  eighty-two  years. 

Mrs.  Swarthout  has  a  family  of  four  children, 
whose  names  are:  "William  J.,  who  is  a  farmer  of 
Gratiot  County;  Arthur  II.  is  a  lawyer  and  prac- 
ticing his  profession  in  Saginaw;  Cora  E.,Mrs.  Mc- 
Lelland,  and  Mary  Romola.  The  last  named  is  a 
graduate  of  Alma  College,  having  previously  been 
graduated  from  the  High  School  of  the  city.  She 
is  now  a  teacher  in  the  fifth-grade  school  of  the  city. 
The  beautiful  place  which  the  family  now  occupy 
is  the  result  of  the  efforts  of  our  subject,  who  prior 
to  his  death  had  thoroughly  impioved  his  farm 
and  where  he  had  erected  a  line  frame  house  that 
is  tastefully  and  comfortably  furnished.  The  house 
stands  in  the  midst  of  a  spacious  lawn  which  is 
beautiful    with    rare    trees    and     shrubbery.       His 


widow  feels  that  no  other  place  would  be  home  to 
her  as  this  is  so  closely  associated  with  her  hus- 
band's career. 

Mr.  Swarthout  was  a  man  to  whom  home  was 
paramount,  and  he  was  kind  and  affectionate  to  wife 
and  family  and  helpful  to  all  who  needed  word  of 
sympathy  or  encouragement.  In  his  church  rela- 
tions he  was  a  Methodist  and  had  held  the  office  of 
Steward  for  many  years.  His  widow  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  that  church.  He  was  a  Republican  in  pol- 
itics. For  a  year  previous  to  his  demise  Mr.  Swar- 
thout was  unable  to  do  active  work  and  that  was 
a  record  of  such  patience  and  suffering  as  only  a 
noble  and  good  man  could  endure.  He  died  Jan- 
uary 15,  1890,  and  received  the  highest  tributes 
from  the  press  of  the  day. 


V 


•:•      •:• 


RED  P.  COLE  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  the 
,  Wist  Bay  City  Manufacturing  Company, 
which  consists  of  S.  ( ).  Fisher,  A.  A.  Crane 
and  F.  P.  Cole,  and  which  does  a  general  lumber 
business  in  Wesl  Baj  City.  This  partnership  was 
formed  in  1883,  and  has  proved  to  be  a  very  suc- 
cessful  one.  doing  a  large  business  in  making  and 
shipping  their  lumber. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  native  of  Orleans 
County.  X.  Y..  where  he  was  born  August  Hi,  1849, 
being  a  son  of  Isaac  P.  and  Polly  (Ferris)  Cole. 
The  father  being  a  farmer,  it  is  most  natural  that 
our  subject  should  be  taught  the  same  pursuit*  in 
his  younger  days,  but  not  liking  it  for  his  life  vo- 
cation, decided  to  choose  something  else.  lie 
came  with  his  parents  to  Hillsdale  County,  this 
State,  where  he  obtained  his  education  in  the  Hills- 
dale High  Scl Land  also   the  Hillsdale  College, 

finishing  in  the  (  ommercial  College  ,when  he  became 
foreman  and  book-keeper  for  the  door,  sash  and 
blind  factory  of  E.G.  Campbell  &  Co.,  of  Hills- 
dale, for  thirteen  years,  and  the  following  two 
years  was  engaged  for  himself  in  the  postal  service 
and  one  year  in  the  furniture  business.  Selling 
this  out  he  came  to  this  city  ill  1883,  and  formed 
the   above  named  partnership,   which    is   doing  a 


^L^    <^Gt^cZ^ 


,    —      rr*.&klOiC*   M-&>&n» 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


MOO 


profitable  business  in  general  lumbering.  The 
shipping  is  done  on  the  Michigan  Central  tracks 
and  through  that  is  connected  with  all  other  roads. 
This  firm  also  does  a  very  large  retail  business  hav- 
ing in  thi'ir  employ  about  fifty  men  ami  even  more 
when  very  busy.  The  storage  yard  is  located  on 
the  Michigan  Central  docks  while  the  offices  are  to 
be  found  at  No.  408  Linn  Street. 

On  the  30th  of  May,  1871,  Mr.  Cole  was  united 
in  the  holy  bonds  of  wedlock  with  Miss  Phoebe  E. 
G-rcen,  of  Hillsdale,  Mich.,  who  presides  over  his 
household  with  much  grace  and  dignity.  She  has 
become  the  mother  of  one  child,  whom  they  call 
Mabel  E.  Mr.  Cole  is  a  member  of  the  We- 
111111.1  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M..  of  West  Bay  City,  Chap- 
ter No.  18,  of  Hillsdale,  and  also  of  the  Eureka 
Commandery  No.  •'>.  of  Hillsdale.  He  is  one  of 
the  leading  members  of  the  Board  of  the  Water 
Works  of  West  Bay  City,  and  is  highly  esteemed 
by  all  for  his  pluck,  push  and  perseverance. 


fr**+* 


5"^  •:-.••-.-*- 


♦•5"S"5*l§i£iss?'"S*"5,4"!"F 


y        oils  M.   PELLETIER,  M.  I)..  ('.  M.     This 
I     (J)    prominent     and     highly-esteemed     medical 

J \    practitioner  of  Wot  Bay  City,  was  born  in 

Quebec,  January  26,  1863.  His  father,  .lean  I'.art- 
helemey  Pelletier,  is  also  a  native  of  Quebec,  and 
the  son  of  French  parents,  who  came  from  their 
native  home  and  located  in  Quebec,  where  the 
father  carried  on  the  profession  of  a  Civil  Engin- 
eer. The  father  of  our  subject  has  always  followed 
the  calling  of  an  agriculturist  and  at  one  time 
managed  four  farms  near  Quebec.  A  prominent, 
influential  and  wealthy  man.  he  is  liberal  in  his 
views  and  life.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  .Marie 
Anna,  was  horn  in  Quebec  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Charles  Silvestre  Lesther  Pelletier,  a  native  of 
Canada  and  the  wealthiest  farmer  in  his  vicinty. 
His  parents  belonged  lo  the  royal  blood  of  France 
and  came  from  <  Means. 

Their  were  twelve  children  in  the  family  of 
which  our  subject  was  a  member,  and  one  brother 
has  become  prominent  as  a  priesl  in  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  Louis  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon-schools and  at  the  age  Of   twelve  took  a   coin- 


mercial  course  in  the  College  of   C'Islet,  and   then 

a  classical  course  in  the  College  of  St.  Anne,  from 
which  he  graduated  at  the  age  of  nineteen  with 
the  degrees  of  Bachelor  of  Sciences  and  Bachelor 
of  Arts. 

From  early  boyhood  the  desire  of  our  subject 
was  t<i  study  medicine.  In  pursuance  of  that 
earnest  wish  he  entered  the  University  of  Mon- 
treal in  1884,  and  after  studying  medicine  for  one 
3'ear,  in  May,  1885,  he  passed  his  examination  to 
enter  the  medical  department  of  the  same  institu- 
tion. After  a  four  years'  course  he  graduated  in 
1889  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  and 
Master  of  Surgery,  lie  had  been  an  exceptional 
student,  having  pursued  his  studies  with  great 
avidity  and  possessing  the  most  remarkable  mem- 
ory of  any  member  of  the  class,  lie  received  the 
well-deserved  encomiums  and  secured  the  esteem 
of  his  professors,  besides  carrying  off  the  class 
honor?.. 

The  young  practitioner  established  himself  for 
six  months  at  St.  Paschal,  but  as  his  health  gave 
way  he  took  a  vacation  for  some  four  months  and 
then  decided  to  come  to  the  States.  He  located 
first  in  AuSable,  Mich.,  where  he  built  up  the  best 
practice  of  any  physician,  but  on  account  of  finan- 
cial failures  and  tires  the  town  retrograded  and  lie 
determined  to  come  to  West  Bay  City,  being  influ- 
enced thereto  by  Father  Sampson.  Since  he  came 
here  in  October,  1891,  he  has  established  a  good 
practice  at  his  office  at  No.  209  Linn  Street  and  is 
growing  in  popularity.  He  is  a  devout  member 
of  the  St.  Mary's  Church,  in  the  work  of  which  he 
takes  an  active  part. 

A  lithographic  portrait  of  Dr.  Pelletier  accom- 
panies this  personal  sketch. 


VlitiX  G-.  CORYELL  is  the  sole  proprietor 
of  the  Chesaning  Bank.  He  was  born  in 
Steuben  County.  \.  Y..  May  12.  1K.">4,  and 
is  the  son  of  Richard  C.  aid  Hannah  G-. 
(Goodsell)  Coryell  both  natives  of  New  York,  and 
both  still  living  at  Lansing,  this  State.    The  father. 


810 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


who  is  a  farmer,  came  to  Lansing  when  our  subject 
was  about  ten  years  old.  He  purchased  land  and 
lived  upon  his  farm  until  1873,  when  he  removed 
to  the  city  of  Lansing.  He  of  whom  we  writeand 
who  is  the  youngest  of  three  children  born  of  his 
parents'  family,  was  reared  on  the  farm  until  about 
sixteen  years  old. 

Until  the  age  above  mentioned,  our  subject  had 
attended  the  country  schools  at  such  tunes  as  he 
could  be  spared  from  the  farm  work-,  lie  then  at- 
tended the  graded  school  at  Lansing,  and  lacked 
but  one  year  of  graduating  from  the  High  School, 
when  lie  entered  Hart  let  t's  Commercial  College, 
from  which  lie  was  graduated  in  1874.  After  that 
he  was  employed  as  a  book-keeper  for  Robson 
Bros.,  wholesale  grocers  for  sis  months;  he  then 
became  Collection  Clerk'  of  the  Second  National 
Bank  at  Lansing,  passing  through  the  line  of  pro- 
motion until  he  was  book-keeper  and  then  teller. 
His  connection  with  the  bank  continued  for  eight 
years. 

Our  subject  was  married  while  in  Lansing,  Jan- 
uary 22,  1878,  to  Minnie  Lemley.  By  this  union 
there  is  one  son.  Fred  G..  who  lives  in  Detroit.  In 
September,  1881,  Mr.  Coryell  came  to  Chesaning 
and  has  since  built  up  a  good  banking  business. 
Beginning  in  a  small  wooden  building,  he  did  a 
very  moderate  amount  of  business  at  first  and  did 
his  own  printing  on  a  hand  press;  he  also  carried 
a  line  of  insurance  companies,  and  slowh  worked 
up  a  business  which  now  amounts  to  the  handling 
of  $1,000,000  yearly.  The  Lank  of  Saginaw  and 
Hanover  National  Lank  in  New  York  have  been 
his  correspondents  from  the  first,  besides  which 
there  are  over  a  hundred  hanks  in  Europe,  on  any 
of  which  drafts  can  be  issued  payable  in  the  money 
Of  the  country  on  which  it   is  drawn. 

Mr.  Frank  T.  Sheldon  has  been  associated  with 
Mr.  Coryell  since  January  1.  1888,  as  Cashier,  and 
has  done  much  to  make  the  hank  popular  and  suc- 
cessful. In  1881  a  handsome  brick  bank  building 
was  erected,  having  large  French-plate  ii'lass  front, 
while  the  interior  wood  work  is  natural  pine  and 
oak  trimmed  with  black  walnut,  the  counter  hav- 
ing panels  of  curly  yellow  pine,  shipped  by  express 
direct  from  Texas  for  use  in  this  building.  Mr.  Cory- 
ell was  again  married  October  5, 1886,  to  Miss  Emma 


A.  Niver.  of  this  city,  his  present  wife,  a  daughter 
of  W.  II.  and  Myra  (  Parshall)  Niver.  She  was  here 
bom  July  .".o.  L861. 

Our  subject  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  having 
inherited  the  principles  from  his  father,  lie  has 
served  as  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Ches- 
aning Village.  He  has  no  taste  for  political  work, 
but  is  ever  willing  and  ready  to  help  a  friend.  In 
his  church  relations  he  is  an  attendant  and  worship- 
per with  the  First  Congregational  Church. 


_S 


£-*-£ 


e_ 


S" 


(HIS  P.  RACINE.  We  here  present  a  sketch 
of  the  Postmaster  of  Birch  Run,  who  is  a  lead- 
ing citizen  and  an  ex-Supervisor  of  Birch 
Run  Township.  Saginaw  County.  When  he  was 
nine  years  old  he  emigrated  with  his  parents  from 
France,  where  he  was  liorn  in  li">:i!t.  and  made  his 
home  in  America.  They  settled  in  Jefferson  County. 
X.  Y..  and  there  young  Louis  grew  to  the  years  of 
mat  mil  \ .  receiving  a  fair  common -school  education 
and  spending  his  youth  upon  a  farm.  After  leav- 
ing school  he  began  teaching,and  for  several  terms 
was  engaged  in  thai  vocation. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  the  young  man  began 
business  for  himself  and  for  a  number  of  years  fol- 
lowed the  lakes  as  a  sailor.  In  1863  he  was  in  the 
State  of  Kentucky,  and  assisted  in  getting  out  tim- 
ber for  fortifications  for  the  Government, and  four 
years  later  he  came  to  Saginaw  Countv,  and  for  a 
short  time  engaged  in  farming  in  Taymouth  Town- 
ship, where  he  also  served  as  Township  Clerk  for 
a  year. 

Our  subject  came  to  Birch  Run  in  1869,  and 
here  established  a  mercantile  business  which  he  car- 
ried on.  being  for  a  number  of  years  a  partner  of 
M.  J.  Colon,  under  the  firm  name  of  Colon  A'  Ra- 
cine, and  since  the  dissolution  of  that  linn  he  has 
been  in  business  for  himself.  He  was  married  in 
1866,  to  Mariette  Colon,  who  became  the  mother 
of  two  children,  one  of  whom  is  living,  a  son 
George,  and  the  other  child  and  the  mother  have 
both  passed  to  the  better  world. 

Mr.  Racim  was  married  in  1879,  to  Mrs.  Sarah 
Fangboner,  who  presides   with    hospitality   and   a 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


811 


gracious  dignity  over  his  pleasant  home,  lie  lias 
for  two  years  served  as  Supervisor  of  Birch  Hun 
Township,  also  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  four 
years,  and  was  .appointed  Postmaster  in  1889,  and 
in  both  these  offices  he  has  shown  himself  efficient, 
obliging  and  judicious.  His  political  convictions 
brine;  him  into  active  alliance  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  he  is  solicitous  for  its  success.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  has  served  as  Notary  Public, 
and  in  both  public  and  private  business  be  has  been 
eminently  successful.  The  Masonic  order  to  which 
he  belongs  counts  him  as  one  of  its  influential 
members,  and  in  all  social  circles  he  and  his  good 
wife  ami  his  son  are  looked  upon  as  of  value  to 
tin'  community. 


~f- 


^§>*<I 


L.w 


jffift  HARLKS  I!.  TEFFT.  Our  subject  was  horn 
fl  in   Smyrna.  Chenango  County,  N.  Y..   De- 

^^^  cember  11.  1839.  lie  is  a  son  of  Rowland 
and  Lucy  Bee  Tefft.  Rowland  Tefft  was  a  son  of 
Ezekiel  Tefft,  who  was  born  near  Providence,  R.  I. 
Ilis  parents  emigrated  from  Glasgow,  Scotland, 
where  they  were  engaged  in  a  cotton  manufactory 
and  made  settlement  in  tin1  United  States.  Kze- 
kiel married  Anna  Wilcox,  who  bore  him  a  family 
of  live  sons  and  two  daughters,  whose  names  arc 
as  follows:  Stephen,  Nathan,  Susan,  Huldah,  Kze- 
kiel. Samuel  and  Rowland.  Our  subject's  grand- 
parents died  m  New  York.  They  were  sturdy 
Scotch  people,  with  the  best  Of  principles  and  were 

of  the  stock  that  the  States  delight  in  welcoming 
to  the  best  that  they  possess.  They  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Their  advent 
into  New  York  was  made  in   1H22. 

Rowland  Tefft    was  born  in  the   town   of   Rich- 
mond, Washington    County,  R.  I.,   May  25,    lso7. 

When  only  Fifteen  years  of  age  he  left  home,  land- 
ing in  New  York  in  January,  1822.  He  followed 
the  Lumber  business  for  about  forty  years  and  in 
1*71  came  in  Michigan  ami  located  where  our  sub- 
ject now  resides,  pre-empting  eighty  acre-  of  land 
on  section  20.  Swan  Creek.  This  he  entered  in 
L853, and  about  the  same  time  entered  nearly  three 
thousand  four  hundred  acre-  m  Saginaw,  Tuscola, 


and  in  sections  17  and  is  north;  also  in  other  parts 
of  Michigan.  The! le  which  our  subject  now  occu- 
pies was  the  home  of  his  father  until  April  Hi, 
1891,  at  which  time  his  decease  occurred.  He 
Served  as  Deputy  Internal  Revenue  Assessor  dur- 
ing the  war  and  for  a  short  time  after,  and  also 
served  as  Supervisor  while  in  New  York  State.  In 
early  days  a  Whig,  he  later  became  a  Republican. 
He  reared  six  children,  whose  names  are  Arethusa, 
Charles  B.,  Rowland  D.,  Henry  C,  and  Emily  ( >., 
who  are  twins,  and  John  G. 

Our  subject's  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Lucy  (Dicks)  Hill,  natives  of  Massachusetts 
and  Bennington.  Yt..  respectively.  They  were  of 
English  ancestry  though  originally  descended 
from  the  French.  The  father  was  born  in  1776. 
He  removed  to  New  York  in  1800  and  there  died 
at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  Our  subject's 
early  training  was  received  in  the  district  school; 
he  later  attended  the  commercial  school  at  Albany, 
and  early  learned  the  work  incident  to  the  sawmill 
business. 

August  13,  1862,  Mr.  Tefft  enlisted  in  Company 
F,  One  Hundred  and  Fourteenth  New  York  In- 
fantry. He  participated  in  the  following  engage- 
ments: Biesland's  Plantation,  La.,  Port  Hudson, 
where  he  was  wounded,  June  1  1.  1863,  in  the  left 
shoulder,  head  and  right  hand,  lie  was  placed  in 
the  hospital  and  was  confined  at  Baton  Rouge  un- 
til September.  From  that  point  he  was  sent  to 
New  Orleans  and  was  there  detailed  to  duty  in  the 
Commissary  Department.  July.  1864,  he  came 
North  and  rejoined  his  regiment  at  Washington  in 
August.  He  took  part  in  the  engagements  atOpe- 
quaw  Creek,  Fisher's  Hill,  Cedar  Creek,  where  he 
was  wounded  in  the  right  leg  and  left  lung  and 
left  elbow.  He  was  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Phila- 
delphia, from  which  he  was  discharged  by  general 
order.  June  10,   1865. 

Our  subject  returned  to  his  home  October  17, 
1866,  going  to  St.  Charles,  Saginaw  County.  A 
year  later  he  came  to  where  he  now  resides  and 
for  fifteen  years  was  engaged  in  a  sawmill,  since 
then  he  has  devoted  himself  to  farming.  The 
homestead  which  he  owns  and  another  tract  of  one 
hundred   and  sixty  acre-  makes  two  hundred  and 

forty  acres  which  i-  the  tolal  of    what   he  possesses. 


812 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


This  he  has  greatly  improved  and  has  found  it  to 
be  very  productive.  His  attention  has  been  cen- 
tered chiefly  upon  his  stuck  which  is  very  fine.  lie 
has  served  as  Supervisor  of  the  township  and  also 
as  Township  Clerk  for  thirteen  years.  He  favors 
the  Republican  party  in  politics. 

Mr.  TeflEt  was  married  Augusl  15,  1862,  to  Imo- 
gene  M.,  a  daughter  of  Stephen  X.  and  Esther 
(Felt;)  Holley.  Mrs.  Tefft  is  a  native  of  the  same 
place  as  is  her  husband.  They  have  had  five  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  living  at  the  present  time. 
They  are:  Jenny  II..  wife  of  Mr.  S.  W.  Stout;  Bur- 
ton S.,  Susan  E.  and  Nellie  M.  Our  subjeel  is  a 
member  of  Post  No.  169  G.  A.  R.,  of  St.  Charles, 
and  belongs  to  (  amp  No.   1294,  M.  W.  of    A. 


-■: 


*?=5gEORGE  A.  WAI.I.VCE.  Our  subject  was 
II  <^i~  '"'i*"  in  the  town  of  Lennox,  Madison 
%2|'  Counts.  N.  Y.,  duly  29,  1828.  He  is  the 
son  of  George  and  Abigail  (Branch)  Wallace,  who 
were  horn  in  Townsend.  Mass.,  and  Benson.  Yl., 
respectively.  Our  subject's  grandfather  on  the 
paternal  side  was  George  F.  Wallace,  of  Massachu- 
setts, lie  was  of  Scotch  Origin  and  proud  of  the 
name  which  has  attained  such  fame  in  history.  He 
was  an  hotel  man  and  quite  successful  in  his  line. 
His  wife  was  prior  to  her  marriage  Miss  Lydia 
Farran.  an  Irish  lady;  she  was  the  mother  of  five 
sons  and  three  daughti  rs.  <  »n  her  decease  he  mar- 
ried again,  bul  the  second  union  was  childless. 
Our  subject's  grandfather  came  to  M  ichigan  aboul 
1850  and  settled  with  his  second  wife  in  Stock- 
bridge,  Ingham  County.  There  .Mrs.  Wallace  (lied 
and  soon  after  he  went  to  Shiawassee  County, 
where  he  also  died.  In  early  days  he  was  a  Whig 
but  later  an  adherent  of  the  Democratic  party. 

Our  subject's  father  was  reared  in  an  hotel;  lie 
early  learned  the  cooper's  trade  and  in  18:?7  came 
to  Michigan,  locating  in  Linden.  Washtenaw 
County.  He  there  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acresof  wild  land,  which  he  improved  and 
lived  upon  until  1856  when  he  removed  to  New 
Haven,  Shiawassee  County.  There  he  purchased 
one  hundred  and  sixty   acres    of  land  and    there 


died  September  24,  1878.  He  followed  the  example 
of  his  father  in  politics,  but  changed  his  Whig 
notions  to  suit  Republican  principles.  He  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Free  Will  Baptist  Church. 
The  latter  died  in  Shiawassee  County.  They  were 
the  parents  of  six  sons  and  five  daughters,  whose 
names  are  as  follows:  George  A.,  Samuel  15.,  Daniel 
S.,  Alonzo  and  Lorenzo  who  are  twins,  and  John 
M.  The  daughters  are,  Mary,  Frances  F..  Abigail 
and  Lydia.  Another  daughter,  Sarah  A.,  died  at 
the  age  of  thirteen  years. 

George  A.  Wallace  was  drilled  in  the  rules  of 
the  three  R's  in  the  district  school  in  the  vicinity 
of  his  home.  His  slender  advantages  in  this  di- 
rection were  supplemented  by  individual  effort  at 
home.  He  came  to  Michigan  with  'his  father  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty  began  the  coopering  business, 
working  at  that  for  two  years,  when  he  began 
farming  in  Waterloo,  Jackson  County,  where  he 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  land.  He  lived  there 
for  four  years  and  then  moved  to  Stockbridge, 
Ingham  County,  where  he  worked  at  blacksmith- 
ing.  Aboul  1856  Mr.  Wallace  removed  to  Shia- 
wassee County  and  in  the  fall  of  1858,  located  in 
Chesaning,  Saginaw  County,  where  he  continued 
his  business  in  blacksmithing  until  1864  when  he 
moved  to  a  farm  comprising  one  hundred  acres  on 
section  30,  St.  Charles  Township.  This  he  im- 
proved and  lived  upon  until  18(17  when  he  came 
to  the  village  of  st.  Charles,  and  has  since  then 
been  engaged  in  blacksmithing,  merchandising  and 
in  the  hotel  business,  lie  now  owns  one  hundred 
and  eighty  acre-  of  land  in  three  farms  which  he 
has  cleared  almost  entirely.  For  the  past  eight 
years  he  ha-  resumed  his  occupation  of  farming 
and  manages  his  village  property. 

Our  subject  has  slaved  as  Deputy  Sheriff  in 
Ingham  County  and  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
twelve  years.  He  also  served  as  Supervisor  for 
seven  years.  He  favors  the  policy  as  advanced  by 
the  Democratic  party.  Mr.  Wallace  was  married  to 
Nancy  Rose,  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Sarah  (Taylor) 
Rose,  who  came  here  from  Xew  York  at  an  early 
day.  Mis.  Wallace  was  the  mother  of  live  children. 
They  are.  Nancy  J.,  who  is  Mrs.  G.  Booth;  Marion 
R..  Mi's.  Raymond;  Cora  A.,  wife  of  W.  Earl;  Eva 
M..  wife  of    George  Howe,  and  Samuel  B.  of   Cali- 


'■**£ 


PORTRAIT  AM:   !■■  GRAPHICAL    i;K(()RD. 


815 


forma.  Mrs.  Wallace  who  is  a  devoted  member  of 
the  Baptist  Church  died  May  26,  1875.  October 
:>.  ls7.">  our  subject  was  again  married  to  Mrs. 
Cynthia  G.  Dorman,  widow  of  Aaron  Dorman,and 
daughter  of  Bradley  Adams.  Mr.  Wallace  i-  one 
of  thai  army    of  vigorous  and    self-assertive    men 

who  lias  conquered  the  c Htions  of    poverty  and 

a  comparatively  humble  sphere  of  life,  and  has 
risen  to  a  successful  and  assured  position. 


heh 


-<TEh.r  •••  ^hi 


f^Z  •••  C-^l*- 


^» 


I 


'  <  MIX  W.  CITPIT.  This  prominent  real-estate 
man  of  Hay  City  has  been  a  residenl  here 
since  1877,  and  has  his  oilier  in  an  elegant 
suite  of  rooms  in  the  Phoenix  Block.  He 
was  born  .Tune  24.  1850,  in  Nottinghamshire,  En- 
gland, and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Ann  (llopkin- 
son) Cupit.  He  received  bis  education  in  the  Na- 
tional Schools,  and  after  completing  a  course  in 
the  grammar  schools,  engaged  in  the  railway  busi- 
ness until  the  lime  of  his  coming  to  the  United 
States  in  1X71.  He  located  in  Detroit. and  became 
Cashier  in  the  Great  Western  Railway  of  Canada, 
continuing  in  that  capacity  for  nearly  four  years. 
Afterward  he  became  a  pnrsei  on  a  steamboat  of 
the  Saginaw  &  Cleveland  line,  remaining  thus  em- 
ployed until  the  fall  of  1877,  when  he  located  in 
Bay  City. 

I  pon  first  coming  to  this  city,  Mr.  (  upil  entered 
the  employ  of  J.  R.  Hail,  remaining  with  him  un- 
til the  summer  of  1890,  and  during  the  latter  part 
of  that  time  had  partial  management  of  hi-  busi- 
ness. At  the  expiration  of  that  business  engage- 
ment, Mr.  Cupit  and  his  family  visited  Europe, 
spending  five  months  in  traveling  through  En- 
land  and  the  Continent,  and  returning  in  the   fall 

of    I  SIM  I. 

Out  subject  then  established  his  present  business 
Consisting  Of  real  estate  and  loans.  lie  i-  also 
agent  for  a  number  of  the  principal  trans-Atlantic 
steamship  lines.  In  real  estate  he  handles  prop- 
erty for  others,  and  also  represents  capital  with 
which  he  effects  Loans  on  both  city  and  county 
property.  He  is  likewise  Vice-Presidenl  of  the 
Savings,   Building  and    Loan   Association  of  Bay 


County,  which  is  the  oldest  company  of  its  kind  in 
the  county.  It  was  organized  October  1.  I887,and 
has  now  a  membership  of  nearly  seven  thousand 
shares.  He  was  one  of  it-  organizers  and  since 
that  time  has  been  it-  Vice-President. 

For  several  years  Mr.  Cupit  was  a  Director  of 
the  Bay  City  Club  and  now  holds  the  same  posi- 
tion in  the  Bay  City  Knsine^s  .Men's  Association. 
He  is  connected  with  the  older  of  Masoniy,  hav- 
ing gained  the  thirty-second  degree,  and  has  held 
prominent  offices  in  Masonic  bodies.  He  had  charge 
of  the  commandry  on  it-  pilgrimage  to  Washing- 
ton in  October.  1889,  at  a  time  of  the  Triennial 
Conclave.  He  has  taken  an  active  part  a-  a  citi- 
zen in  Republican  politics,  but  is  not  an  officc- 
seeker.  lie  is  a  member  of  the  [Tniversalist  Church 
Society,  and  holds  the  offices  of  Treasurer  and 
Trustee  therein. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Alice 
L.,  a  daughter  of  . I.  1«\  Hall,  of  this  city,  was  sol- 
emnized December  21,  1«77.  and  to  them  have 
been  granted  two  sons,  Edwin  Roberts  and  Harry 
Hall.  Mr.  Cupit  was  formerly  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Education,  but  his  term  expired  while  he 
was  absent  in  Europe,  and  he  ha-  not  since  sought 
re-election.  The  leader'.-  attention  i.-  invited  to  a 
lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Cupit.  which  is  shown 
in  connection  with  this  sketch. 


WILLIAM  II.  II.  (HARM AN  is  a  repre- 
sentative of  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
highly  respected  families  of  Chesaning. 
He  is  a  son  of  George  W.  Chapman  and  was  born 
m  Berkshire  County,  Mass., November  9,  1841.  It 
was  soon  after  his  birth  that  the  family  came  to 
Michigan.  The  father  was  a  railroad  contractor, 
and  thus  the  family  at  different  times  resided  in 
New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  New  Jersey,  Pennsyl- 
vania, andin  1859  returned  to  Michigan  and  loca- 
ted at   ( ihesaning. 

Our  subject  attended  school  in  t  he  \  a  lion-  Sta  te- 
in  which  the  family  resided  and  received  a  first- 
class  education.  When  he  attained  hi-  majority 
he    engaged    in    railroad    work    in    Pennsylvania, 


816 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Ohio  and  Indiana,  which  he  followed  for  three 
years.  He  then  took  charge  of  a  sawmill  in  Albee 
Township,  Saginaw  County,  which  he  ran  for  three 
years.  At  the  expiiation  of  that  time  he  associated  j 
with  his  brother,  George  I...  under  the  arm  styh 
of  Chapman  Bros.,  carrying  on  a  thriving  mercan- 
tile businessat  Chesaning.  lie  disposed  of  his  in- 
terest in  the  store  and  next  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  his  brother  Oliver D.,  runnings  gristmill 
at  Chesaning,  which  they  changed  from  the  old 
stone  mill  to  the  improved  roller  process,  and 
operated  the  same  eight  years.  (Mir  subject  then 
sold  his  interest  in  the  linn  to  his  brother,  and  in 
March,  1890,  purchased  the  old  homestead,  which 
is  a  highly  improved  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  acres,  lying'  just  outside  the  corporate  limits 
of  the  village  of  Chesaning. 

Mr.  Chapman  was  married  April  11.  1871,  to 
Miss  Alice  E.  Bentley,  who  was  a  native  of  .Michi- 
gan, having  been  horn  in  Oakland  County, 
August  19,  1851.  Mrs.  Chapman  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  .1.  and  Jane  Bentley.  natives  of 
New  York.  She  died  September  2.  1874,  after 
having  become  the  mother  of  two  children — 
George  II.  and  Estella  M.  December  23,  1875,  our 
subject  was  a  second  time  married,  his  bride  on  this 
occasion  being  Miss  Helen  A.  Judd,  who  was  born 
in  September,  1850, in  Bloomfield,Oakland  County, 
this  State.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Harvey  ('.and 
Abigail  Judd,  resident-- of  Oakland  County.  Mr. 
and  .Mrs.  Chapman  have  become  the  parents  of 
two  children,  both  daughters — Alice  A.  and  Mabel 
II. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  always  been  an 
active  worker  in  all  political  movements, but  nevei 
an  office-seeker.  He  allies  himself  with  the  Repub- 
lican party,  believing  that  party  to  lie  in  the  right. 
Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  194,  A.  I'. 
&  A.  M.;  Chapter,  No.  67,  R.  A.  M.,  being  High 
Priest  in  the  Chapter,  and  a  member  of  Corunna 
Commandery  No.  21,  K.  T. 

George  W.  Chapman,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  without  doubt  descended  from  Ralph  Chap- 
man, born  in  England,  in  1615, and  whoemigrated 
to  America,  Christmas,  1635.  Ralph  had  a  daugh- 
ter, Mary,  who  married,  in  1666  William  Throop. 
Throop  Chapman  had  a  number  of   children    and 


a ng   them     William,   who  in    turn    had    among 

others  Daniel,  the  father  of  George  W.,  and  who 
was  born  December  28,  1782.  George  W.,  was 
born  at  Belchertown,  Hampshire  County,  Mass., 
November  15,  1S12.  He  married,  November  3, 
1836,  Miss  Abigail  J.  Whipple,  who  was  born  in 
I'elh.-ini.  Mass.,  January  2(1.  1815.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Joseph  Whipple,  a  relative  of  Commo- 
dore Abraham  Whipple,  of  Revolutionary  fame. 
Mr.  Chapman  came  to  Chesaning  Township  in 
1842;  he  died  suddenly  on  the  morning  of  Febru- 
ary 17.  1881,  in  the  sixty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 


O^ 


wr=x>RANK  MORRISON,  the  popular  Super- 
T^iS)  visor  of  Maple  Grove  Township.  Saginaw 
County,  i-  :it  present  residing  on  the  beau- 
tiful farm  located  on  section  '.),  and  which  he  has 
brought  to  an  excellent  state  of  cultivation.  Mr. 
Morrison  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  having  been  born 
in  County  Antrim.  June  II.  1845.  lie  is  the  son 
of  Robert  and  Catherine  (Wallace)  Morrison.  His 
parents  passed  their  declining  years  in  their  native 
hind.  They  reared  four  children,  namely:  Mathew, 
Mary  Jane.  Ellen  and  he  of  whom  we  write. 

Frank  Morrison  was  the  youngest  of  his  parents' 
family  and  was  the  only  one  who  came  to  the 
United  State-..  He  was  reared  on  the  home  farm 
and  at  tended  the  early  schools  of  his  district,  re- 
maining under  the  parental  roof  until  1865,  when 
he  embarked  on  a  steam  vessel  for  America,  and 
after  a  voyage  of  fourteen  days  landed  in  Quebec, 
and  came  thence  to  the  Stales.  He  was  first  em- 
ployed as  a  farm  hand  near  Troy.  N.  Y.,  remaining 

there,  however,  only  one  n th  when  he  went   to 

Erie  County,  that  State,  at  which  place  he  had  an 
uncle — John  Morrison.  He  there  resumed  his 
former  occupation  as  a  laborer  on  a  farm,  working 
summers  and  attending  school  in  the  winter. 

In  1872  our  subjeel  came  to  the  Wolverine  State, 
and,  associated  with  Edward  Long,  purchased  the 
southeast  quarter  of  section  9,  in  Maple  Grove 
Township,  but  the  partnership  lasted  only  a  short 
time,  when    they  divided    the    hind,    each    taking 


PORTRAIT  AM)  UK  ><  GRAPHICAL  RECOED. 


817 


eigliM  acres.  Ai  the  time  of  locating  on  histracl 
it  was  covered  with  heavy  timber,  bul  bj  hi-  char- 
acteristic energy  and  perseverance  he  has  broughl 
it  under  an  excellent  stateof  cultivation  and  it  is 
now  numbered  among  the  most  productive  in 
Maple  I  'i"\  c  Township. 

Mr.  Morrison  was  married  September  8,  1876, to 
Mi"  Emma  Flint.  She  was  born  March  17.  1851, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  William  ami  Catherine 
Flint.  Our  subject  and  his  wifehavebeen  granted 
four  children,  who  bear  the  respective  names  of 
Walter^  Catherine,  Edith  and  Elmar.  In  politics 
hr  uf  whom  we  write  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  al- 
ways been  interested  in  educational  matters  and 
has  served  on  tin'  School  Board  for  many  years. 
Hi-  ha-  also  been  honored  with  the  officesof  Town- 
ship Treasurer  and  Assessor  and  is  now  serving  his 
seventh  term  as  Supervisor.  Socially  he  is  a  Mason 
also  a  member  of  the  Knight  of  the  Maccabees, and 
Patrons  uf  Industry.  He  is  highly  esteemed  byhis 
neighbors  as  an  able  and  upright  man  and  an  hon- 
orable citizen. 


'H. 


!M^ 


j.OBERT  W.  BALLARD.  Many  of  our  best  cit. 


ff    izens  have  emigrated  from  England,  seeking 

I 


i  V     homes    in    the    New    World     and     locating 


throughout  the  various  State-  as  inclination 
or  opportunity  directed.  Englishmen  are  to-daj  oc- 
cupying prominent  positions  inevery  department 
uf  labor,  as  farmers,  tradesmen,  mechanics, and  pro- 
fessional men,  and  tn  whate ver business thej  devote 
their  energies,  their  enterprise  and  industry  win 
recognition  and  success.  Mr.  Ballard, whose  native 
home  isin  England,  is  conducting  a  large  business 
asa  veterinary  surgeon,  and  is  Located  in  Saginaw 
(  ity,  where  he  is  managing  his  extensive  interests 
with  marked  success. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  Dr.  William  Bal- 
lard,  also  a  veterinary  surgeon,  who  followed  his 
chosen  profession  during  the  entire  period  of  his 
active  life.  In  1853  he  emigrated  to  America  with 
his  family,  locating  in  Poughkeepsie,  X.  Y".,  and  en- 
gaging in  the  duties  of  his  profession.  In  I860  be 
removed  to  Michigan,  settling  in  Kalamazoo  and 


makingthat  his  home  until  1882,  the  date    of  his 

"\  al  to  Flint.      Hi-  death   in  the  lasl  named  . ■  i t  \ 

in  1884  removed  from  the  scene  of  life's  activities 
one  who  had  taken  a  great  interest  in  tin-  growth 
of  Michigan  and  had  contributed  his  quota  to  its 
development.  Although  mil  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  of  this  Mate,  he  witnessed  much  of  ii- 
growth  from  a  dense  wilderness  to  an  abode  of 
beauty. 

Two  years  before  the  death  of  Dr.  Ballard,  his 
wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Alice  Rodgers,  de- 
parted this  life,  she  was  horn  in  Englandand  was 
the  daughter  of  Robert  Rodgers.  of  the  four 
children    to    whom    she    was    a    wise   and    devoted 

mother.  Robert  W.  of  i  hi-  sketch,  wast] ily  -on. 

He  was  born  August  28, 1847,  and  when  only  six 
years  old  accompanied  his  parents  in  their  voyage 
across  the  broad  Atlantic.  His  primary  education 
was  received  in  theschoolsof  Poughkeepsie,  and  he 
later  followed  a  course  of  reading  which  developed 
his  mental  faculties  and  enlarged  his  field  of  know- 
ledge. Until  he  was  twenty-one  year-  old  he  as- 
sisted his  father  in  hi-  work,  hut  at  that  age  again 
crossed  the  ocean;  and  duringa  sojourn  in  London 
of  nine  years  studied  medicine  with  different  par- 
ties. 

Upon  his  return  to  the  United  States,  thoroughly 
equipped  with  a  broad  knowledge  of  hi-  profes- 
sion, he  located  in  Saginaw  city  and  -non  had  a 
thriving  business  as  a  veterinary  surgeon.  His 
entire  time  i-  devoted  to  his  profession  and  he 
possesses  a  deep  and  practical  knowledge  of  horses, 
cattle,  hogs  and  sheep,  thoroughly  understanding 
their  anatomy  and  possessing  the  -kill  and  judg- 
ment which  applies  the  ln-t  remedies  I'm  each  par- 
ticular case.  His  practice  is  by  no  mean-  confined 
to  the  city  but  extend-  throughout  the  Saginaw 
Valley  and  embraces  a  circuit  of  thirty  to  forty 
miles,  while  he  is  occasional!)  called  for  consulta- 
tion to  distant  portion-  of  the  State.-.  Hi-  stables 
are  located  on  the  corner  of  Harrison  and  Cleve- 
land Streets. 

Dr.  Ballard  was  married  in  England  to  Miss 
Louisa,  daughter  of  John  Sourbry,  and  at  her 
death  she  left  one  child,Robert,  who  is  now  deceased. 
Afterward  the  Doctor  was  married  to  Mrs.  Char- 
lotte Braley,  of  Saginaw  city  who  was    the   widow 


8-1  ,s 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


of  N.  Braley,  formerly  of  this  city.  Our  sub- 
ject and  wife  have  established  a  pleasant  home  in 
Saginaw  city,  and  its  quiet  elegance  proves  the 
cultured  tastes  of  the  inmates.  In  his  political 
affiliations  he  is  a  member  of  the  Democratic  party, 
and  socially  with  his  estimable  wife  occupies  a 
high  position  in  the  best  circles  of  the  city.  Mrs. 
Ballard  is  the  daughter  of  Ransom  and  Almira 
Rood,  natives  of  New  York  where  they  both  died. 
Mrs.  Ballard  is  a  native  of  New  York,  she  has  uni- 
son by  her  first  marriage,  Frank,  who  is  married  and 
resides  in  Pennsylvania. 


EWIS  SWARTHOUT.  The  owner  of  the 
fine  farm  located  on  section  L 6,  Saginaw 
^  Township,  and  one-half  mile  from  the  cor- 
porate limits  of  the  city,  is  numbered  among  the 
oldest  pioneers  of  this  locality,  his  father  having 
come  here  at  an  early  date.  .Mr.  Swarthout  was 
born  in  Ypsilanti,  Washtenaw  County.  November 
29,  1828.  lie  is  a  son  of  Anthony  R.  and  Hannah 
(Rose)  Swarthout,  both  natives  of  New  York.  Our 
subject's  father  was  born  near  Seneca  Lake  in  1796. 
The  Swarthout  family  are  of  Holland-Dutch  an- 
cestry and  their  advent  into  America  was  made  in 
Colonial  da\  s. 

Anthony  Swarthout  settled  in  Washtenaw  Coun- 
ty, this  State,  earl}-  in  the  '20s.  He  moved  his 
family  to  Saginaw  Township  in  1835,  making  the 
way  hither  by  wagon,  cutting  out  the  load  as  best 
he  could.  They  crossed  the  Saginaw  River,  where 
East  Saginaw  now  stands,  in  Indian  canoes,  care- 
fully transporting  the  wagon  in  sections  in  the 
same  way.  Capt.  Swarthout,  as  he  was  called  in 
honor  of  his  official  position  in  the  Black  Hawk 
War.  took  up  a  tract  of  Government  land,  which 
was  wild  indeed,  and  supplemented  his  efforts  in 
agriculture  by  the  victims  of  his  traps  and  guns. 
for  furs  then  brought  a  good  price,  and  he  was  a 
valiant  hunter.  On  one  occasion  he  discovered  in 
his  morning  rounds  a  wild-cat.  which  had  been 
caught  in  a  trap  and  which  he  supposed  killed.  He 
carried  the  animal  on  his  back,  holding  its  front 
feet  over  his  shoulders.  Just  as  he  arrived  at 
home  the  wild-cat.  which  was  still  alive,  took  a  linn 


hold  upon  his  coat  collar,  and  his  family  freed  him 
only  by  giving  it  a  vigorous  drubbing  over  the 
head,  which  he  shared  almost  equally  with  the 
cat.  Suffice  it-  to  say  that  the  animal  was  soon 
dispatched. 

Their  home  was  a  log  cabin  and  poverty  often 
Stared  them  in  the  lace.  Our  subject's  father  used 
to  go  to  mill  to  Flint  in  a  canoe,  the  trip  occupy- 
ing a  week.  He  killed  many  deer  and  bears  and 
found  many  a  bee-tree  to  supply  the  family  larder 
and  more  than  once  has  he  laboriously  ground 
corn  and  wheat  in  the  coffee-mill  in  order  to  make 
bread.  His  unceasing  efforts  were  prospered, how- 
ever,and  he  accumulated  quite  a  comfortable  prop- 
erty, lie  was  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  the  es- 
teem in  which  he  was  held  in  the  township  was 
evidenced  by  the  local  offices  to  which  he  was 
elected.  He  was  Township  Clerk  for  about  twenty 
years.  Al  the  tune  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1881,  he  was  eighty-four  years  of  age. 

Our  subject's  mother,  who  was  born  in  L798, 
presented  her  husband  with  thirteen  children,  ten 
of  whom  lived  to  In-  grown.  She  was  an  ideal 
pioneer  matron,  stout  of  heart,  generous,  open- 
hearted  and  tender,  ever  ready  to  be  called  upon 
in  sickness  or  trouble  and  a  devoted  adherent  of 
the  Methodist  Church.it  being  her  delight  to  cater 
to  the  comfort  of  the  itinerant  preachers.  She 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years,  and  with 
her  husband  was  interred  in  Pine  Hill  Cemetery, 
a  poition  of  their  original  farm. 

Our  subjectwas  in  his  seventh  year  when  broughl 
here  by  his  parents.  His  recollections  are  for  the 
most,  those  of  the  stirring  adventures  of  pioneer 
days.  Indians  were  many  and  the  papooses,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Davenport  hoys,  another 
family  of  early  settlers,  were  his  sole  play-fellows, 
and  he  used  to  speak  their  language  fluently.  He 
was  sent  to  the  district  school,  which  had  a  stick 
chimney  and  a  great,  open  Dutch  fireplace.  As 
soon  as  old  enough,  with  his  father  and  brothers, 
he  hunted  and  farmed  in  order  to  add  to  the  fam- 
ily support.  It  was  to  the  family  advantage  that 
they  remained  on  amiable  terms  with  the  Indians, 
although  sometimes  they  stood  in  fear  of  their 
treachery.  Many  are  the  deer  and  bears  he  has 
caught. 


iw^ 


7' 


'4 


tz^-v-^  //  ^-t  ^<^  ^  t  2) 


PORTRAIT  AND    BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


821 


At  the  age  of  twenty-two  Lewis  Swarthoul 
bought  hi-  present  farm  which  was  originally  a 
portion  of  the  school  land,  lie  cleared  off  a  spol 
and  built  a  log  bouse.  His  nearest  neighbor  lived 
at  a  distance  of  one  mile.  Soon  after  becoming  a 
resident  of  his  new  borne  our  subject  was  appointed 

District  Scl 1  Treasurer  and  as  a  new  school  was 

to  be  erected  near  by,  something  over  1500  was 
tinned  over  to  him  to  be  spent  on  the  schoolhouse. 
lie  put  the  money  in  a  bureau  drawer  and  that 
same  night  two  men  tried  to  effect  an  entrance, 
doubtless  to  steal  the  money.  He  was  on  guard. 
however,  and  succeeded  in  keeping  them  at  hay 
with  an  ax  until  morning,  when,  as  the  lighl  grew 
stronger  they  skulked  awaj  . 

Our  subject's  log  house  was  burned  and  a  frame 
house  was  erected  in  its  plan-.  This  was  later  re- 
placed by  a  good  frame  house,  in  which  he  lives  at 
present.  lie  cleared  eighty  acres  of  land,  but  sold 
a  small  amount,  so  that  he  now  owns  sixty-seven 
.ere.,  all  improved.  He  devotes  himself  to  mixed 
farming. 

The  original  of  our  sketch  was  married  Novem- 
ber 29,  1850,  to  Mariet  Jinks,  a  native  of  New- 
York.  They  have  been  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, seven  of  whom  are  living.  They  are:  Daniel, 
Fanny,  Anthony.  Ida.  Burt  and  George.  Our  sub- 
ject is  an  adherent  of  the  Republican  party  and  a 
loyal  and  honest  citizen,  but  one  who  has  never 
been  a  seeker  for  party  favor;  he  bas,  however, 
been  Constable  of  the  township. 


"cl^+^P 


• 


T.OKA  II.  RUCH,  M.  D.     Among  the  best- 

,    known  and  most  hiiihlv  esteemed  physicians 
1  of  Saginaw  is   the   ladj    whose  name  intro- 

duces this  sketch,  and  whose  portrait  appears  on 
the  opposite  page.  Her  successful  career  goes  far 
to  prove  that  a  woman  may  successfully  compete 
with  men  in  many  of  the  professions  formerly 
monopolized  by  the  sterner  sex. 

A  native  of  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  born  Febru- 
ary 2.  1851,  Mrs.  Ruch  comes  of  a  good  family. 
Her  mother,  Mrs.  Sarah  (Parsons)  Hubbard,  was 
the  cousin  of  N.  P.  Willis,  the  author,  whose  beau- 


tiful home  at  Idlewild,  was  the  resort  during  his 
lifetime  of  literary  people  from  every  portion  of 
the  Union.  Orlando  Parsons,  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  one  of  the  very  early  settlers  of  New 
York  State, and  purchased  large  tracts  of  land  at 
eight  cents  an  acre,  a  great  proportion  of  which 
land  is  now  the  site  of  large  cities  and  flourishing 
towns. 

Daniel  Hubbard,  who  is  the  Doctor's  paternal 
grandfather,  was  also  a  pioneer  of  New  York 
where  be  became  very  prominent  as  a  large  land 
owner  and  enterprising  citizen.  He  was  one  of  the 
surveyors  of  the  turnpike  from  Albany  to  Buffalo. 
'/..  1..  Hubbard,  the  father  of  Dr.  Ruch,  is  now  a 
resident  of  Florida,  where  he  owns  a  large  body  of 
land  comprising  sonic  five  thousand  acres.  His 
wife  died  during  their  residence  in  Williamsport, 
Pa. 

Dr.  Flora  Ruch  was  educated  at  Dickenson 
Seminary.  Williamsport.  Pa.,  and  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  began  teaching  school;  soon  afterward 
she  was  married  to  Charles  L.  Ruch  and  began 
housekeeping  at  Williamsport.  In  1878  she  com- 
menced the  study  of  medicine,  reading  under  Dr. 
Jean  Savior  Brown,  a  noted  and  learned  physician 
of  that  place,  who  commanded  a  large  practice. 
she  entered  the  medical  department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan  ill  1879,  and  was  graduated 
therefrom  in  1882.  During  the  senior  year  she 
assisted  Dr.  McLean,  who  was  Professor  of  Surgery, 
also  had  charge  of  the  clinical  department  and  as- 
sisted Dr.  Edward  Dunster,  Prof essor  of  obstetrics. 
In  that  way  she  gained  much  valuable  experience 
in  bo'spital  practice.  After  her  graduation  she 
located  at  Adrian,  this  State,  where  she  remained 
for  two  years,  going  from  there  to  Ypsilanti  to 
lake  charge  of  the  practice  of  an  acquaintance, 
and  residing  there  for  four  years. 

In  the  fall  of  1888,  Dr.  Ruch  came  to  Saginaw 
and  was  connected  for  one  year  with  the  Saginaw 
Hospital,  also  carrying  on  general  practice.  She  is 
now  a  member  of  the  staff  of  the  Woman's  Hospital 
in  this  city.  She  i-  identified  with  the  State  .Med- 
ical Association,  the  Saginaw  Valley  .Medical 
Society,  and  while  a  resident  of  Adrian  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Southern  Michigan  State  Association. 
She  commands  a  g 1   practice  and    is    highly    es- 


K22 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


teemed  as  an  active  and  Influential  member  of  the 
fraternity, as  well  a-  a  good  wife  and  mother. 

Charles  L.  Ruch,  the  husband  of  our  subject,  is 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  born  in  Colum- 
bia County  in  1846.  He  removed  to  Michigan  in 
1880  and  has  since  carried  on  his  business  as  a  car- 
riage  Bnisher  and  painter  in  which  lie  is  an  expert 
workman.  Two  children  complete  tin'  family  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ruch,  Fred  C.  and  Can-it'  M.,  aged 
nineteen  and  sixteen  respectively. 


^I>*<§ 


.@^- 


-$— 


a>~ 


1 — !  RAST1  s  CONFER.     The  simple  record  of 
I  |—i       an  honesl  lifeis  the  best  monument  that  can 

J •    be  reared  to  any  citizen,  and    we  therefore 

shall  not  attempt  to  enlarge  upon  the  history  of 
the  gentleman   above  named,  who  is  one    of  the 

st  reputable  citizens  in  Maple  Grove  Township, 

Saginaw  County.  At  this  writing  he  i-  residing 
on  section  35,  and  is  surrounded  by  all  the  com- 
forts of  life. 

Mr.  Confer  was  born  in  Erie  County.  X.  Y., 
September  3,  1848,  and  came  with  his  parents  to 
Michigan  in  1855,  they  locating  in  Genesee!  lounty, 
where  they  remained  until  1861,  at  which  date 
they  came  to  Saginaw  County,  lie  was  reared  on 
his  father's  farm  and  attended  school  in  the  primi- 
tive log  cabin  of  the  tunes  and  was  there  taught 
reading,  writing  and  spelling,  with  the  fundamen- 
tal rulesof  arithmetic.  Those  were  the  days  when 
the  teacher  "boarded  round"  and  free  schools 
were  not  yet. 

In  1865  fired  with  enthusiasm  for  his  country's 
honor,  our  subject  enlisted  in  Company  II.  sixth 
Michigan  Cavalry  and  was  mustered  into  service 
at  Washington.  After  the  war.  Mr.  Confer  made 
a  Western  tour  and  traveled  over  all  the  Western 
Territories  ami  Mexico,  returning  to  Michigan  in 
L872  and  engaged  in  farming,  in  which  calling  he 
has  been  eminently  successful,  being  the  owner  of 
a  beautiful  tract  of  land  under  the  highest  state  of 
cultivation  and  he  has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing 
that  it  has  all  been  brought  about  by  his  own  in- 
dustry and  good   management. 

Lucy  Judd  became  the  wife  of  our   subject,    in 


1873,    their    nuptials    being  celebrated   in    Flint, 
Mich.     Mrs.  Confer   i-    the   daughter  of  .lames   V. 
Judd,   an    early    settler    in     Maple   Grove   Town- 
hip.      Mrs.    Confer    was   b  >rn    in   the    Wolverine 

State  and  passed  fr this    life   in    December    18, 

1873,  after  having  become  the  mother  of  a  son, 
Louis.  Oursubject  was  a  second  time  married. 
November  28,  1874,  to  .Miss  Laura,  daughter  of 
Hiram  and  Harriet  Slocum,  residents  of  Maple 
Grove  Township.  Mrs.  Confer  was  born  in  Flint, 
this  State,  December  30,  1857.  To  this  union  have 
been  granted  three  children — Russell.  Edith  and 
Mabel. 

The  farm  of  Mr.  Confer  consists  of  one  hundred 
and  eightj  acres.  In  politics  he  is  a  believer  in 
Republican  principles  and  always  casts  his  vote  in 
favor  of  the  candidates  of  that  party.  He  has 
never  been  an  office-seeker,  preferring  to  give  his 
entire  time  and  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  his 
farm.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Hugh  McCurdy 
Lodge.  No.  381,  A.  F.&  A.  M. 

The  father  of  our  subject.  John  Confer,  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  Saginaw  County  of  1861.  He 
was  horn  in  August,  1806,  in  Lycoming  County, 
Pa.,  and  was  a  son  of  Peter  and  Catherine  Confer, 
natives  of  Germany.  The  parental  family  con- 
sisted of  fourteen  children,  all  of  whom  lived  to 
attain  majority.  The  father  of  our  subject  was 
the  youngest  of  the  family.  He  was  reared  to 
farming  pursuit-  and  upon  the  death  of  his  father, 
went  with  his  mother,  a  brother  and  sister  to  Erie 
County.  X.  V..  and  while  there  met  Mis-  Mary  ( '. 
Green.  That  lady  became  his  wife  February  2'J. 
l!s:5(i.  Mrs.  Confer  was  horn  in  Berkshire  County. 
Mass..  June  18,  1813,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Abel 
and  Achsah  Green,  natives  respectively  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Connecticut.  They  became  the  parents 
of  eight  children,  of  whom  Mrs.  Confer  was  the  fifth 
in  order  of  birth.  Mrs.  Mary  Confer's  parents  became 
residents  of  laic  County.  X.  Y.  as  early  as  1825. 
They  resided  in  New  York  until  reaching  an  ad- 
vanced age.  when  they  came  to  Michigan  to  visit 
their  children. and  while  here  were  taken  sick  and 
died,  the  father's  decease  occurring  when  he  was 
eighty-five  years  of  age.  and  the  mother  died  in 
her  eighty-fourth  year. 

After  his  marriage,  the  father  of  our  subject  con- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


823 


tinned  to  make  Erie  County,  N.  V..  hishome until 
1855,  when  he  came  to  Michigan  and  resided  in 
Genesee  County,  until  1861,  when  be  came  to 
Saginaw  County,  and  purchased  land  in  Maple 
Grove  Township,  which  with  the  assistance  of  his 
sons, he  expected  to  soon  clear  and  place  under 
cultivation,  but  the  Civil  War  breaking  out  [our 
of  his  sons  enlisted  in  the  Union  Army,  and  it  was 
thus  a  much  longer  time  before  his  farm  was  placed 
under  good  cultivation.  Mr.  ('(infer  has  since 
resided  upon  that  tract,  which  numbers  eighty 
acres. 

Our  subject  is  one  of  a  family  of  nine  children 
born  to  his  parents,  of  whom  seven  grew  to  mature 
years,  viz:  Nelson.  Abel,  Erastus,  Frank.  John 
Norman  and  Peries.  Nelson  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Tenth  Michigan  Infantry  and  makes  his  home  in 
Maple  Grove  Township:  Abel  is  an  oil  refiner  and 
lives  in  Venango  County.  Pa.;  Frank  is  a  farmer 
and  resides  in  Blushing,  this  State;  John  is  also  a 
farmer  and  makes  his  home  in  Hazelton  Township: 
Norman  is  at  home  with  his  parents.  The  eldest 
of  the  family.  Penes  was  a  soldier  in  the  Twenty- 
eighth  New  York,  serving  under  Gen.  Banks  and 
was  mortally  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Cedar 
.Mountain. 


JOHN  BUELL  WHITE,  M.  !>..  of  Saginaw, 
was  born  January  13,  1826,  in  the  town 
of  Pompey,  Onondaga  .County,  N.  V.  He 
was  reared  a  farmer  lad  and  remained  at 
home  on  the  farm  until  his  eighteenth  year,  re- 
ceiving such  education  as  could  !»■  obtained  at, 
the  country  school  and  the  village  academy.  lie 
then  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  II.  B. 
Moore,  of  Manlius,  N.  V..  who  was  then  the  lead- 
ing surgeon  of  that  part  of  the  country.  He  at- 
tended hi-  first  course  of  medical  lectures  at  Gen- 
eva, N.  V..  and  there  became  clinical  assistant  to 
the  Professor  of  Surgery. 

Thus  auspiciously  started  on  his  career,  the  fol- 
lowing year  our  subject  went  to  Philadelphia  and 
graduated  from  the  Philadelphia  (  ollege  of  .Medi- 


cine in  July,  \X.~>2.  In  the  spring  of  I860  he  re- 
ceived the  ml  eundem  degree  from  the  medical 
department  of  the  Pennsylvania  College.  Soon 
after  graduating  our  subjeel  returned  to  New  York 
and  practiced  Ins  profession  with  his  old  preceptor, 
remaining  with  him  for  about  two  years.  While 
there  he  received  the  appointment  of  Demonstrator 
of  Anatomy  in  the  New  York  College  of  Dental 
Surgery,  hut  on  the  earnest  solicitation  of  his  old 
friend  and  former  roommate  while  at  the  village 
academy,  now  the  lion.  J.  G.  Sutherland,  of  Salt 
Lake  City,  who  had  located  and  was  practicing 
law  at  Saginaw  City,  he  was  induced  to  remove  to 
this  city,  where  he  arrived  July    I.  1854. 

Our  subject  early  succeeded  in  acquiring  a  large 
and  extensive  practice,  but  on  account  of  ill  health 
was  compelled  to  partially  relinquish  it.  lie  now 
devotes  his  time  chiefly  to  the  practice  of  gyne- 
cology. Dr.  White  has  always  been  a  diligent 
student  and  takes  great  interest  in  his  profession, 
lie  is  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Michigan  Stale 
Medical  Society  and  a  member  of  the  American 
Medical  Association.  He  is  Gynecologist  to  Bliss 
Deaconess  Hospital  and  Home;  also  a  member  of 
its  Advisory  Board-,  and  was  for  several  years 
Physician  to  St.  Mary's  Hospital. 

As  a  practitioner  the  Doctor  has  taken  high 
rank,  and  by  steady  observance  of  professional 
amenities  has  ever  been  on  terms  of  g 1  fellow- 
ship with  the  members  of  his  profession.  He  is  a 
firm  upholder  of  the  dignity  of  the  profession  and 
charlatanism  of  whatever  form  is  confronted 
boldly.  He  is  convinced  that  whatever  there  is 
of  value  in  the  healing  art  is  mainly  due  to  the 
discovery  and  investigation  of  those  who  con- 
tinue to  walk  in  the  path  of  the  regular  and  legiti- 
mate school  of  medicine. 

Dr.  White  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  prefer- 
ence and  has  served  his  city  on  the  Board  of 
Health  and  as  Alderman,  Supervisor,  Coroner  and 
Sheriff.  He  is  a  member  of  St.  John's  Episcopal 
Church.  June  1.  1853,  he  was  married  to  Harriet  E. 
Twitched,  eldest  daughter  of  the  late  Curtis 
Twitchell   of    Manlius.  N.  Y. 

It  is  here  in  place  to  give  a  more  extended 
view  of  the  antecedents  of  our  subject.  Dr.  White 
i>  a   son    of   John   and    Clarinda    (Safford)    White. 


824 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


His  father  was  a  man  of  strong  character  and  de- 
cided convictions  always  sustaining  the  confidence 
of  his  neighbors,  lie  was  born  at  Blanford,  Mass., 
October  23,  L800.  His  father  John  White,  was  also 
a  native  of  the  old  Bay  State.  His  mother,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Rachel  Knox,  was  related  to 
Gen.  Knox  of  Revolutionary  fame.  Our  subject's 
father  in  later  life  lived  at  Man] ins,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  died  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-six. 

Our  subject's  mother,  Clarinda  Safford,  was  the 
daughter  of  Shube)  Safford  one  of  theearly  settlers 
of  Pompey.  lie  was  killed  by  the  falling  of  a 
scaffold  while  engaged  in  building  the  first  frame 
hotel  erected  in  what  is  now  Syracuse.  N.  Y.  Her 
mother.  Clarissa  (Buell)  Safford  was  the  fifth  gen- 
eration removed  from  William  Buell,  the  first 
common  ancestor  of  the  Buell  family  in  America, 
who  sailed  from  Plymouth,  England,  March  30, 
1630,  in  the  ship  •■.Mary  and  John."  He  landed  at 
Nantucket  on  the  30th  of  May  following  and  first 
settled  at  Dorchester.  Mass.  About  five  years  later 
he  removed  to  Windsor.  Conn.,  where  he  died  No- 
vember 2:i.  1681.  The  dired  line  of  descent  was 
through  Samuel  Buell.  David  Buell,  Jedediah  Buell, 
and  Jonathan  Buell.  The  name  is  one  which  has 
been  handed  down  through  a  long  line  in  the  fam- 
ily. 

The  township  of  Pompej  has  been  the  residence 
and  birthplace  of  many  interesting  men  and  women. 
It  has  furnished  thirteen  members  to  its  State  Leg- 
islature, seven  Representatives  in  Congress,  two 
United  States  Senators,  a  member  of  the  Joint 
High  Commission  to  settle  with  England  the 
Alabama  Claim,  two  Governors,  five  Mayors  of 
cities,  three  Supreme  Court  Judges,  an  done  Major- 
General  of  the  United  States  Army.  The  Hon. 
Daniel Gott, who  introduced  the  bill  into  Congress 
abolishing  slaven  in  the  District  of  Columbia; 
Mrs.  T.  B.  Lippincott,  1  etter  known  as  ( trace  Green- 
wood, the  poetess;  the  Fargo  Brothers,  founders  of 
the  Fargo  Express  Company;  .lames  Carhart,  the 
inventor  of  the  nielodeoii.  and  E.  1).  Palmer,  the 
greatest  of  American  sculptors,  were  all  born  and 
reared  in  Pompey.  Ex-Presid<mt  Cleveland  had 
the  misfortune  not  to  be  born  in  Pompey  but  just 
over  the  township  line  in  Manlius. 

At  a  reunion  held  at  Pompey  Hill, in  1875, many 


of  these  and  other  men  prominent  in  various  lines 
were  present  and  took  part  in  the  celebration.  At 
one  point  might  be  seen  the  tall  and  commanding 
form  of  Senator  Williams  of  Oregon,  receiving  the 
congratulations  of  friends  of  his  youth;  at  another 
Gov.  Horatio  Seymour  greeting  the  playmates  of 
his  youthful  days;  and  yet  again  at  various  points 
might  be  seen  the  Hon.  William  G.  Fargo,  ex- 
Mayor  of  Buffalo;  Hon.  Charles  Ilayden.  ex-Mayor 
of  Rochester;  Hon.  Daniel  (i.  Fort.  ex-Mayor  of 
Oswego;  Hon.  Charles  B.  Sedgwick  and  Hon. 
Horace  Wheaton,  ex-Representatives  in  Congress; 
Hon.  LeRoy  Morgan,  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court; 
Dr.  Charles  W.  Stevens  of  St.  Louis.  Mo.;  Hon. 
Luther  R.  Marsh,  of  New  York:  lion.  William 
Barnes,  of  Albany,  and  I  teorge  II.  Jerome  of  Mich- 
igan, and  many  others  surrounded  by  groups  of 
admiring  friends  relating  incidents  of  early  life  in 
I'ompey. 


^ 


NTHONY  GROHMANN  A-  SONS.  An 
industry  that  has  in  a  few  years  grown 
from  an  humble  beginning  until  at  the 
present  time  it  -tands  as  one  of  the  most 
lucrative  and  popular,  as  well  as  attractive,  is  thai 
of  floriculture.  In  Saginaw  a  love  for  Nature's 
beauties,  which  has  been  supplemented  on  the  part 
of  a  number  of  her  citizens  who  have  visited  some 
of  the  leading  gardens  of  (lowers  in  Europe,  has 
resulted  in  there  being  several  creditable  green- 
houses established  within  its  limits,  and  one  of  the 
most  enterprising  firms,  who  have  engaged  in  the 
culture  of  floral  beauties  is  the  one  whose  name 
stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch.  Their  gardens 
comprise  a  tract  of  thirty  acres  lying  near  Forest 
Lawn  Cemetery,  and  upon  that  land  they  have 
made  remarkable  developments. 

The  six  greenhouses  of  Mr.  Grohmann  and  his 
sons  include  nearly  ten  thousand  square  feet,  while 
at  their  store  ami  warerooms  on  Fitzhugh  Street 
are  found  three  more  greenhouses,  covering  an 
area  of  three  thousand  square  feet.  This  space  is 
all  well  ventilated  and  heated  bysteam.  The  busi- 
ness   was    established    in    1890,   by  Anthony  Groh- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


825 


niann  and  his  sons  Edward  and  Albert.     Thn I' 

their  greenhouses  are  20x100  feel  in  dimensions; 
two  60x20  feet  and  one  1(1x2(1  feet.  These  art'  at 
the  garden,  while  at  the  store  there  are  three,  whose 
dimensions  arc,  two  64x20  and  one  05x10 
feel.  They  carry  on  an  extensive  vegetable 
business,  but  give  the  most  of  their  time  and  at- 
tention to  floriculture,  making  a  specialty  of  cut 
roses  and  carnations.  They  also  take  many  orders 
for  wedding  and  funeral  designs  and  have  a  great 
variety  of  ornamental,  flower-bed,  and  potted 
plants  in  their  season. 

Edward  Grohmann,  the  youngest  member  of  the 
above  firm,  learned  flower  culture  in  Detroit,  whith- 
er he  had  gone  when  seventeen  years  of  age.  After 
remaining  in  that  city  one  year  he  spent  a  short 
time  in  New  Orleans  and  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  becoming 
identified  in  each  of  the  above-named  cities  with 
the  leading  florists,  lie  then  returned  to  Saginaw 
anil  embarked  in  the  business  with  his  father  and 
brother.  The  firm  have  invested  $16,000  in  the 
business. 

Anthony  Grohmann  is  a  native  of  Germany, 
having  been  born  in  that  country  in  October,  183  1. 
He  came  to  the  United  States  when  twenty  years 
of  age  and  has  been  identified  with  the  interests 
of  Saginaw  for  thirty  years,  lie  was  instrumental 
in  building  the  Central  House,  which  he  ran  for  a 
number  of  years  and  for  thirteen  years  he  engaged 
successfully  in  vegetable  gardening,  lie  has  been 
a  public-spirited  man  and  interested  in  every  move- 
ment which  would  benefit  the  city.  The  mother  of 
Edward  and  Albert  Grohmann  was  in  her  maiden- 
hood Miss  Margaret  Pouchner, also  a  native  of  the 
Fatherland.  Their  sons  were  born, Edward, March 
17.  1808  and  Albert.  June  30,  1862.  The  flrst- 
named  gentleman  gives  his  attention  strictly  to  the 
duties  in  the  office  of  the  greenhouses  and  does  the 
designing,  decorating,  etc. 

Edward  Grohmanti  was  married  April  21.  1891, 
to  Miss  Louisa  Kilmel,  of  Saginaw.  Albert  was 
married  November  22.  1887,  to  Mis-;  Maggie  Kil- 
mel, a  sister  of  Edward's  wife.  Both  ladies  assist 
in  the  office  and  decorating  work. 

A.  Grohmann  &  Sims  united  with  other  promi- 
nent florists  in  Saginaw,  gave  a  magnificent  chrys- 
anthemum   exhibit    in   Arbciter    Hall,    where    they 


had  several  thousand  plants,  including  roses,  on 
exhibition.  The  career  of  the  firm  of  A.  Groh- 
mann A'  Sons  has  up  to  the  present  time  been  :i 
most  successful  and  deserving  one  and  their  pros- 
pects for  the  future  are  bright  and  promising.  Thej 
are  prompt  in  filling  all  orders,  are  gentlemanly 
and  courteous  to  all  and  are  fill  I  \  appreciated  and 
highly  esteemed  by  the  entire  county. 


^L^O<£r2>|Q^   [:;;■ 


[HjJOBBINS   B.  TAYLOR,  one   of    the   leading 

^\{  Professional  and  business  men  of  Bay  City. 
V  has  been  residing  here  since  M:irch,  I860. 
He  combines  with  the  practice  of  law  the 
real-estate  and  loan  business.  He  enjoys  a  large 
and  lucrative  practice  as  an  attorney,  and  the  loan 
department  also  has  an  extensive  clientage  He 
was  born  in  Sodus,  Wayne  County.  X.  V..  May  11. 
1839,  and  when  Ave  years  of  age  removed  to  Ash- 
tabula County.  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until 
reaching  his  majority,  when  he  came  West,  and 
spent  three  years.  When  a  lad  our  subjeel  attended 
the  common  schools,  and  later  was  a  student  at 
Kingsville  Academy  for  four  winters,  keeping  up 
with  his  classes  admirably,  lie  wasearly  instructed 
in  the  duties  of  rural  life,  and  at  the  early  age  of 
eight  years  began  the  heavy  work  on  the  farm. 

Mr.  Taylor  is  a  son  of  the  Rev.  M.  Stephen  and 
Electa  B.  (Beckwith)  Taylor.  The  elder  Taylor 
was  born  in  Peru,  X.  V.,  May  31,  1813.  His  pater- 
nal grandsire  was  a  farmer  iii  New  York, but  when 
a  boy  removed  to  Connecticut  and  then  to  lloosic, 
X.  Y..  and  fiom  there  to  Peru.  Our  subject's  an- 
cestors were  from  England,  but  were  the  first  to 
come  across  the  Atlantic  and  locate  in  New  Eng- 
land, as  we  find  the  family  here  as  early  as  1650. 
The  Rev.  Stephen  Taylor  was  reared  in  New  York 
and  remained  at  home  until  he  was  nineteen  years 
of  age.  when  he  entered  Granville  College,  now 
Dennison  College,  al  Granville,  Ohio,  and  in  May. 
L835,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  in  the  Baptist 
Church  in  Knox  County,  Ohio.  After  holding  the 
pastorate  over  various  charges  in  Ohio  until  ls7:i. 
he  removed  to  Kansas  and  located  in  Montgomery 
County,   and    subsequently    removed    to  Jackson 


826 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


County.  During  his  residence  in  Kansas  Ik-  served 
as  a  home  missionary,  and  founded  four  congrega- 
tions. He  came  to  Michigan  in  1879  and  lived 
for  one  year  in  Unionville.  His  lasl  charge  was 
at  Clare.  While  laboring  there  lie  became  afflicted 
with  neuralgia  and  was  obliged  to  give  up  his  min- 
isterial work.  He  now  resides  in  Bay  City.  Politi- 
cally he  is  a  Democrat,  although  originally  he  was 
a  Republican  and  an  old-time  Abolitionist,  and 
while  in  Ohio  was  actively  interested  in  the  under- 
ground railroad. 

(  hir  subject 's  paren  ts  were  married  in  Plattsburg, 
X.  V.,  in  1836.  Mrs.  Tayloi  was  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont and  oneof  the  earliest  settlers  in  Plattsburg. 
Her  father  died  a  victim  of  yellow  fever  when  she 
was  very  young.  Stephen  Taylor  and  wife  are  the 
parents  of  six  children,  viz:  Ann  .1..  who  is  Mrs. 
E.  Spaulding,  lives  in  Pasadena,  Cal.;  our  subject, 
who  is  the  second  in  order  of  birth;  Harriet  A., 
died  iu  Ohio;  Celestis  K..  .Mrs.  Miller,  also  lives  in 
Pasadena.  Cal.;  Stephen  is  an  engineer  at  Denver, 
Col.;  and  Emma  died  while  her  parents  were  re- 
siding in  Kansas. 

Robbins  B.  Taylor  early  assumed  charge  of  the 
home  farm,  but  naturally  he  was  so  much  of  a 
student  that  he  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to 
carry  his  books  with  him  into  the  field.  During 
dull  seasons  lie  made  comfortable  little  sums  by 
acting  as  hook  agent.  In  I860  he  went  to  Mt. 
Auburn,  111.,  and  taught  school  until  the  spring  of 
1861.  At 'the  date  just  mentioned  Mr.  Taylor's 
health  being  poor,  he  started  for  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, going  out    with    a    <• pan y  of   friends   and 

taking  the  overland  route  to  Pike's  Peak.  They 
drove  to  St.  Louis  and  thence  by  boat  to  Atchison, 
Kan.,  and  thence  by  team  to  the  Platte  River,  and 
after  crossing  they  were  attacked  by  the  Sioux  and 
Arrapahoe  Indians.  There  were  twelve  in  the 
company  with  our  subject,  and  he,  with  others,  was 
wounded.  He  received  a  gun-shot  wound  in  the 
left  leg  below  the  knee.  The  ball  passed  through 
the  bone  and  he  fell  to  the  ground.  The  soldiers 
from  the  garrison  at  Kearney  came  to  the  rescue, 
and  taking  the  company  to  Dobytown,  eared  for 
them  for  five  weeks.  Our  subject  was  attendedby 
the  garrison  surgeon  At  the  end  of  his  convales- 
cence   two    stockmen    fitted  Out  the  company  with 


a  load  of  lead  and  sent  them  through  to  Denver. 
On  reaching  that  city  he  found  that  his  trunk, 
which  had  been  sent  on  ahead,  had  been  sold  to 
pa\  for  Storage.  Thus  he  was  left  without  a  dol- 
lar, no  clothes  other  than  those  he  wore,  and  was 
among  strangers.  He  walked  forty  miles  to  Cen- 
tra] City,  thence  to  Quartz  Hill,  going  for  thirty- 
six  hours  without  food,  but  secured  work  in  placer 
mining  on  Quartz  Hill,  giving  his  first  week's  la- 
bor, however,  for  his  hoard. 

Sixty  days  later  Mr.  Taylor  took  charge  of  a 
gang  of  men.  working  a  claim  in  the  placer  mines, 
and  for  this  lie  was  given  *.">  per  day  and  his  board. 
He  remained  with  that  company  for  six  months 
and  then  took  up  a  claim  for  which  he  gave  $200. 
He  worked  it  for  thirty  days  and  in  that  time 
cleared  83,000,  hut  lost  it  all  in  sixty  days  in  driv- 
ing a  shaft  and  in  prospecting  a  lead  he  had  dis- 
covered. After  abandoning  this  a  year  later 
another  party  put  in  one  more  blast  and  opened  a 
vein  of  mineral  which  netted  them  $135,000  in 
sixty  days,  and  that  mine,  whii  h  is  still  being 
worked,  is  known  as  the  "Roderick  Dim."  Our 
subject  continued  his  mining  in  Colorado  until  lie 
was  $1,000  ahead  and  then  turned  his  face  East- 
ward, coming  to  Ohio  and  assisting  his  father  in 
paying  off  a  mortgage  on  the  farm.  Mr.  Taylor 
relates  that  the  first  sight  he  saw  on  going  to  Den- 
ver was  three  gamblers  hanging  by  their  necks  to 
tree-,  having  been  strung  up  by  the  vigilant  com- 
mittee. 

When  twenty-six  years  of  age  our  subject  came 
to  lla\  City,  where   in  March,  1866,  he  began   the 

study  of  law,  ( imencing  with  <  trier  &  McDonald. 

In  1K(>(>  he  entered  the  law  department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan,  and  was  graduated  in  1868 
with  the  degree  of  LL.  D.  After  finishing  his 
college  life  he  returned  to  Crier  A  McDonald,  with 
whom  he  remained  for  one  year  and  then  went  into 
partnership  with  11.  II  Wheeler,  the  new  firm 
locating  its  office  in  West  Ray  City.  This  partner- 
ship was  dissolved  by  the  removal  of  Mr.  Wheeler 
from  the  city  and  our  subject  continued  to  prac- 
tice alone  until  1874.  On  the  completion  of  his 
fine  brick  block  in  Bay  City,  at  the  corner  of 
Washington  and  Third  Streets  he  located  his  office 
in  it  and  since  then  has  been  alone  in  practice. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


H2'i 


In  the  year  1880  by  an  amendment  of  the  char- 
ter of  Bay  City  a  board  of  public  works  was  j >i< >- 
vided  for,  Mr.  Taylor  was  appointed  a  member  and 
(haii-man  of  that  Hoard,  and  while  he  was  such 
chairman  a  comprehensive  system  of  draining  the 
city  and  paving  its  principal  streets  was  inaugur- 
ated by  the  Board.  Facilities  for  draining  base- 
ments and  cellars  being  thus  afforded  and  the  ••mud 
blockade"  being  removed  by  the  paving  of  the 
principal  street-,  the  effect  was  almost  immediately 
manifested  by  the  building  of  a  better  class  of  resi- 
dences and  business  houses  and  the  improvement  of 
old  ones.  The  healthiness  of  the  city  was  greatly 
promoted  and  in  fact  it  became,  and  now  is,  one 
Of  the  healthiest  and  most  pleasant  residence 
cities  in  the  State  and  having  perhaps  more  beau- 
tiful and  comfortable  homes  in  proportion  to  its 
population  than  any  other  city  in  the  State. 

Mr.  Taylor  resides  on  Fifth  Avenue,  where 
he  has  a  very  pleasant  home.  He  was  married  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  December,  1869,  to  Miss  Annie 
L.  Fling,  who  was  born  in  New  York  and  reared  in 
Geauga  County,  Ohio.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  are 
the  parents  of  one  son.  whose  name  is  Clayton  R. 
For  two  years  he  attended  the  college  at  Akron, 
Ohio,  and  is  now  a  student  in  the  law  department 
of  the  University  of  Michigan.  Our  subject  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  Bay 
City.  He  i-  a  member  of  the  Universalis  Church 
ami  is  a  Trustee  of  its  society.  Mr.  Taylor  was 
originally  a  Republican  but  became  dissatisfied 
with  the  financial  and  commercial  policy  of  the 
party  as  be  did  not  deem  its  protective  policy  con- 
ducive to  successful  enterprise.  He  is  now  inde- 
pendent and  votes  for  the  man  whom  he  believes 
to  be  best  fitted  for  the  office. 


■mt 


»  EORGE  WARD,  Sk.  To  a  Marylanderil  is 
a  sufficient  voucher  for  one'-  standing  to 
know  that  a  stranger  is  a  native  of  that 
State  which  was  founded  by  Lord  Baltimore,  and 
the  firsl  question  i-.  docs  one  < le  from  the  east- 
ern shore  or  the  western  shore?  Our  subject  was 
born  in  (  atonsville,  Md..  November  !>,  18:3:i.     He 


is  a  son  of  William  and  Henrietta  (Wardell)  Ward, 
who  were  both  liorn  in  Yorkshire.  England,  ill  the 
vllagc  of  East  Cepington.  Our  subject's  paternal 
grandfather,  George  Ward,  was  a  tailor  by  trade, 
which  he  plied  both  in  England  and  on  eom- 
Lngto  America.  On  crossing  the  ocean  helocated 
near  Toronto,  Canada,  in  1830,  and  purchased  a 
farm  which  he  ran  for  the  rest  of  bis  life,  lie  reared 
live  sons  and  three  daughters,  alt  of  whom  came  to 
this  country.  They  were  brought  up  in  the  faith 
of  the  Wesleyan   Methodist   Church. 

Our  subject's  father  was  married  just  prior  to  his 
emigration  to  the  United  States.  He  settled  first 
in  Baltimore,  where  he  was  employed  at  his  trade 
which  was  that  of  a  tailor,  but  later  removed  to  ;i 
distance  of  ten  miles  from  the  city.  In  1831  he 
removed  to  Toronto.  (  anada.  and  later  to  the  town 
of  Reach,  Ontario.  Canada,  where  he  died  about 
1885,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  He  had  been 
a  Class-Leader  in  the  Methodist  Church  for  forty 
pears  and  was  a  man  of  great  piety  and  sterling 
principle-.  lie  was  twice  married;  his  first  wife 
bore  him  seven  children,  of  whom  six  were  reared 
to  years  of  maturity.  They  are  Robert,  George, 
William,  Joseph,  John  and  Sarah  .1.  The.  second 
wife,  whose  name  was  Eliza  Phillips,  presented  her 
husband  with  two  children  —  Frank  and   Ann. 

George  Ward  wasreared  on  a  farm.  He  received 
a  limited  education  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-three 
years  began  for  himself,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
four  bought  his  first  farm,  which  comprised  one 
hundred  acres  which  he  cleared.  In  1858  he  came 
to  Lapeer  County  ami  settled  in  the  town  of  Dry- 
den,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  and 
where  be  resided  until  the  fall  of  1861,  when  he 
came  to  Saginaw  County,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1862  removed  to  section  22.  Brant  Township,  on 
eighty  acres  of  land.  This  he  has  cleared  and  im- 
proved, but  since  1887  he  ha-  lived  on  section  15, 
his  place  comprising  forty  acre- of  land,  having 
given  each  of  hi-  sons  eighty   acres. 

Our  subject  ha-  been  quite  largely  interested  in 
the  lumber  business  since  coming  to  the  State  and 
has  seen  all  phases  of  life  in  a  [umber  camp.  He 
has  been  Supervisor  of  Brant  Township  foi  nine 
years  and  has  also  served  in  other  township  offices. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  politic-  ami  during  the  time 


828 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


of  his  country's  need  he  responded  to  its  call  for 
volunteers.  In  August,  1864,  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany F,  Twenty-ninth  Michigan  Regiment.  The 
first  fight  in  which  lit-  took  part  was  at  Decatur, 
Ala.,  and  after  thai  he  was  in  numerous  skirmishes. 
He  was  discharged  at  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1865,  and  although  his  time  of  service  had 
been  comparatively  short  he  had  suffered  so  se- 
verely from  exposure  and  privation  that  for  eighl 
years  lie  was  incapacitated  for  work. 

January  27.  1845,  Mr.  Ward  was  married  to 
Phebe  Ann  Pine,  who  was  born  in  Blan ham  Town- 
ship, Ontario.  Canada.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  Pine,  the  former  a  hatterby  trade.  .Mis. 
Phebe  Ward  died  January  17.  1886.  She  was  the 
mother  of  seven  children,  of  whom  six  were  reared 
to  years  of  discretion;  they  are  William.  John, 
George,  Eliza  A.,  (Mrs.  Thompson)  Sarah  J.,  who 

died  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  and  Sadie.  For 
many  years  Mr.  and  Mis.  Ward  have  been  members 
of  the  Protestant  Methodist  Church.     Our  subject 

has  attained  a  gratifiying  degr< f  success  in  the 

faee  of  many  difficulties  and  unfavorable  condi- 
tions. 

—4--    -%£--       -*—- 

\ANIF.L  .1.  KENNEDY.  The  poet  ha-  said 
that  "a  thing  of  beauty  is  a  joy  forever," 
and  certainly  the  beautiful  home  recently 
erected  by  Mr.  Kennedy -may  not  only  briug  joy 
to  the  heart  of  its  owner  anil  occupant,  hut  will 
for  years  to  come  lie  one  of  the  most  elegant  resi- 
dences of  Bay  City.  It  occupies  an  attractive  site 
on  the  corner  of  South  Center  and  Stanton  streets. 
and  is  a  three-story  brick  structure  of  modern 
architecture,  heated  throughout  by  steam.  Within 
the  refined  tastes  of  the  inmates  are  indicated  by 
the  elegant  furnishings,  while  everything  that  can 
enhance  the  happiness  of  the  family  may  he  found 
here.  A  view  of  the  resilience  is  presented  else- 
where in  this  volume. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Kennedy  has  been  promi- 
nently known  as  a  contractor  of  Bay  City,  where 
he  docs  a  general  railroad  and  public  contracting 
business.  His  home  has  lii-eii  here  for  the  pasl 
twenty-two  years,   prior    to    which    time   he    led  a 


roving  life,  chiefly  employed  on  the  lakes,  lie 
was  horn  on  Prince  Fdward's  Island.  August  15, 
1845,  and  is  the  son  of  James  and  Ann  (Nichol- 
son) Kennedy.  The  father  being  a  farmer  on  the 
island,  our  subject  spent  his  early  life  on  a  farm 
and  alternated  work    in    the    field  with   attendance 

at  the  district    scl 1.      When  he  was  sixteen  years 

old  he  left  home  lo  engage  on  the  lakes  as  a  cabin 
hoy.  lie  gradually  rose  to  more  important  posi- 
tions and  remained  in  the  employ  of  the  steamboat 
company  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old. 

By  that  time,  having  carefully  saved  his  earn- 
ings on  the  lakes.  Mr.  Kennedy  was  prepared  to 
establish  himself  in  business.  Proceeding  to  Sagi- 
naw City,  he  embarked  in  the  hotel  business  and 
remained  thus  engaged  for  two  and  one-half 
years,  when  he  came  to  Ray  City  in  1870.  Here 
he  continued  as  an  hotel  keeper  and  erected  the 
present  Astor  House,  of  which  he  was  the  proprie- 
tor until  I.S77.  His  method  of  conducting  his 
business  was  such  that  the  hotel  proved  financially 
remunerative  as  well  as  popular,  lie  still  owns 
the  property  hut   has  rented  the  hotel. 

When  Mr.  Kennedy  took  up  contracting  lie  en- 
gaged first  at  paving,  and  gradually  entered  into 
railroad  work  on  the  Minneapolis  &  Sault  St.  Marie 
Railroad,  having  had  good  contracts  with  that 
company.  lie  was  also  employed  on  the  county 
roads  and  more  recently  on  street  paving.  Fre- 
quently he  employs  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
men.  and  has  had  as  many  as  five  hundred  men 
under  him.  Besides  his  line  residence,  which  he 
built  in  L891,  he  erected  the  Kennedy  Block,  a 
three-story  brick  block,  which  contains  the  Astor 
House  and   several  store-. 

The  lady  who  on  July  12,  1869,  became  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Kennedy  was  known  in  her  maiden- 
hood as  Miss  Marion  McDonald,  and  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Saginaw  prior  to  her  marriage.  The 
family  of  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Kennedy  comprises  eight 
children — Mary,  Anna.  James  li..  Grate,  Florence. 
Max.  Floyd  and  Russell.  In  his  social  connections 
Mr.  Kennedy  is  a  member  of  Portsmouth  Lodge. 
F.  &  A.  M.,  Blanchard  Chapter  and  Bay  (  ity  Com- 
mandery;  he  also  belongs  to  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Port-month,  and  is  an 
influential  member  of  that    lodge. 


RESIDENCE  OF    PETER    M£  GREGOR  ,  SEC.27.TITTAB  AWASSE  TR,  SAG  IN  AW  CO  .MICH 


RESIDENCE  OF  D.  J.   KENNEDY,  COR  .    STAUNTON   and  5. CENTER  5T.,S.E}AY  CITY.,  MICH. 


1 


PORTRAIT  AND   !',!(«  i  RAPIIICA  L    RKCORI). 


831 


In  Hie  public  life  of  the  citj  Mr.  Kennedy  has 
borne  his  share  of  responsibilities,  and  while  serv- 
ing :i>  Alderman  I'm  the  Seventh  Ward,  as  well  as 
while  on  the  School  Board  and  the  Board  of  Su- 
pervisors, he  did  ellieieni  service  iii  behalf  of  pub- 
lic interests.  He  owns  :i  large  amount  of  real 
estate  in  and  around  the  city  and  handles  con- 
siderable property  in  connection  with  his  business. 
He  is  the  owner  of  the  street  ear  line  in  Che- 
boygan, and  has  a  thiii\  years'  franchise  from  the 
city.  He  and  his  wife  are  attendants  and  sup- 
porters of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  also  con- 
tribute liberally  to  the  relief  of  the  needy  and 
distressed. 


UDSON  K.SMITH.  Our  subject  is  a  pros- 
perous young  gardener  and  fanner,  located 
on  section  20,  Saginaw  Township.     He  is  a 

son  of  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  county, 
and  was  born  on  section  20,  of  this  township,  Au- 
gust 9,  1863.  His  father.  John  M.  Smith,  who  was 
of  English  birth  and  ancestry,  was  born  in  1816, 
and  but  little  is  known  of  our  subject's  paternal 
grandsire.  His  father  came  to  America  when  sev- 
enteen year-  old.  having  but  little  to  help  himself 
on  in  the  world.  He  worked  for  one  season  at 
Lockport,N.  Y..  and  thence  went  to  Buffalo,  X.Y.. 
and  from  that  point  to  Detroit,  going  thither  by 
boat,  and  then  walked  to  Genesee  County,  this 
State.  Believing  that  Saginaw  was  destined  to  be 
a  river  port  of  importance,  he  determined  to  Id- 
eate at  that  place,  which  he  did  September  'Jo. 
1836.  lie  was  variously  engaged,  but  generally  in 
chopping  out  roads  or  clearing  land,  until   1838. 

At  the  date  above  mentioned,  John  Smith  pur- 
chased forty  acres  of  land  in  Saginaw  Township. 
He  settled  upon  it  with  a  determination  to  clear  it 
up,  and,  notwithstanding  the  fad  that  he  arrived 
in  Saginaw  penniless, he  was  prospered  in  his  busi- 
ness efforts,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  September  8,  1875,  he  was  the  owner 
of  three  hundred  and  forty  acres  Of  finely  culti- 
vated land.       lie  was   a     man     of    Strong    character 

38 


and  of  considerable  originality.  lie  was  a  Demo- 
crat in  politics.  He  married  Margaret  Swarthout, 
our  subject's  mother,  who  was  born  in  New  York 
in  1819,  and  who  came  with  her  parents  to  this 
township  in  1835.  She  was  the  mother  of  livechil- 
dren  :  William  .\I..  George  A.;  .Mary  II..  (Mrs.  Me- 
Lellan  i:  Nellie  A..  Mrs.  McDermott;  and  Hudson  K. 

Reared  on  the  home  farm,  Hudson  K.  was  edu- 
cated in  the  district  school,  and  began  for  himself 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  At  his  father's 
decease  he  received  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  the  home  farm,  about  thirty  acres  of  which  was 
improved.  This  hecultivated  until  .March  17,  1890, 
when  he  traded  it  for  his  present  twenty  acres  near 
the  city.  He  has  greatly  improved  his  place  by 
thoroughly  draining  it,  and  has  transformed  some 
low,  swampy  land  into  a  rich  garden  plat,  and  finds 
that  market  gardening  is  a  very  profitable  business. 

Our  subject  was  married  July  7,  L885,  to  Eleanor 
Iliesrodt.  who  was  born  in  Saginaw  Township, 
December  22,  1861.  She  is  a  daughter  of  William 
T.  and  Augusta  ('.  (Bachelor)  Iliesrodt,  who  set- 
tled here  in  1K;">4.  The  mother  is  deceased;  the  fa- 
ther lives  on  a  farm  in  this  township.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Smith  arc  the  parents  of  three  children  :  Mar- 
garet A.,  Kuth  A.,  ami  Ruth  M.  Our  subject  built 
his  present  attractive  frame  dwelling  iii  L890,  and 
all  tin-  appliances  for  carrying  on  market  garden- 
ing systematically  and  scientifically  are  at  hand. 
He  is  independent  in   politics. 

%^i  ICHAEL  RYAN'.  Master  Mechanic  of  the 
Mackinaw  branch  of  the  Michigan  Central 
Railroad,  has  his  headquarters  in  West 
Bay  City.  He  was  born  in  Ireland.  May 
1.  L852,  and  is  a  son  of  John  Ryan,  a  farmer  for- 
merly in  the  Emerald  Isle. 

Michael  Ryan  received  a  fair  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Paterson,  N.  J.,  and  when  six- 
teen years  of  age  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  ma- 
chinist's trade  in  the  Grant  Locomotive  Works,  rc- 
maining  with  them  for  seven  years,  lie  continued 
to  work  with  them  until  1875,  when  he  was  sent. 
with  two  assistants,  to   Russia,  to  superintend  the 


832 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


erection  of  some  loco  notives  which  had  been  built 
at  Paterson,  N.  J.,  and  were  shipped  in  pieces  for 
a  Russian  railroad.  They  left  New  York  in  De- 
cember, 187.3,  on  the  steamer  "  Celtic,"  and.  arriv- 
ing in  Liverpool,  went  to  Calais,  France,  thence  by 
rail  to  Odessa  via  Brussels  and  Cologne.  They 
were  until  May,  1*7(1.  finishing  the  contract,  and 
on  the  return  trip  passed  through  Vienna.  Munich 
and  Strausburg  to  Calais,  and  at  Liverpool  em- 
barked on  the  vessel  "Lord  Clive,"  arriving  at 
Philadelphia,  where  they  spent  one  week  at  the 
Centennial  Exposition.  On  his  return  to  Pater- 
son, he  severed  his  connection  with  the  Grant  Lo- 
comotive Works  and  came  west  to  Michigan,  be- 
ing employed  in  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad 
shops  at  Jackson.  Later  he  was  promoted  as  gang 
foreman,  and  in  May.  1885,  came  to  West  Lay 
City  in  the  capacity  of  Master  Mechanic  of  tin- 
Mackinaw  division. 

Socially.  Mr.  Ryan  is  .-i  memberof  the  Loyal  Ar- 
canum, and  religiously  is  a  conscientious  Catholic. 
being  a  member  of  St.  Mary's  Church.  He  is  a 
man  greatly  esteemed  by  his  fellow-men.  and  is 
greatly  interested  in  all  measures  tending  to  the 
uplifting  of  his  community  . 


^ 


WILLIAM  WALLACE  LYLE,  A.M., 
pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church 
of  Bay  City,  has  served  in  that  connection 
^f)  since  1880.  Not  only  i>  he  a  tine  speaker, 
able  alike  to  interest  and  instruct  his  congrega- 
tion; but  he  is  also  well  known  as  a  writer,  and  his 
'■Lights  andShadows  of  Army  Life"  portrays  ina 
forcible  manner  the  hardships  and  pleasures  of  the 
camp.  During  the  late  war  he  was  a  chaplain  in 
the  army  and  served  as  surgeon  on  the  battlefield, 
although  he  was  never  commissioned  in  that  ca- 
pacity, lie  corresponded  for  a  number  of  Eastern 
papers  during  those  dark  days  of  civil  warfare, 
and  has  evinced  on  all  occasions  his  deep  and  pa- 
triotic love  of  this  country,  hi.-  adopted  home. 

Mr.  Lyle  was  bom  in  Paisley.  Scotland.  Decem- 
ber 31,  1828,  and  is  a  -on  of  Alexander  Lyle  and 
his  wife  Margaret  Wallace.     lie  belongs  to  an  old 


Scotch  family,  the  members  of  which  trace  their 
lineage  to  the  Lord  Lyle-  of  Ducal  Castle  in  Ren- 
frewshire. Both  the  father  and  grandfather  of  our 
subject  bore  the  name  of  Alexander  and  were 
manufacturers  of  shawls  in  Paisley  during  the 
years  when  that  ancient  city  became  so  famous  for 
the  products  of  its  looms.  Although  belonging 
to  the  old  Covenanter  stock  and  holding  fondly 
and  sacredly  to  the  memory  and  traditions  of  their 
fore-fathers,  they    became    liberal  enough   to    join 

tin Id  Kirk."  and  at  the  disruption,  becamecon- 

nected  with  the  Free  Church.  Each  survived  to  a 
good  old  age. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
Alexander  Wallace,  of  Paisley,  who  was  a  man  of 
considerable  wealth  and  lor  man\  years  a  manu- 
facturer of  shawls.  It  is  one  of  the  traditions  of 
the  family  that  it  i-  descended  from  the  same  stock 
as  that  of  Sir  William  Wallace,  so  celebrated  in 
Scottish  history.  Our  subject  was  one  of  Unci 
children  who  grew  to  maturity,  the  others  being 
Margaret  and  Elizabeth,  the  latter  of  whom  mar- 
ried into  the  Coate-  family  and  reside-  in  Paisley. 
Young  Lyle  enjoyed  excellent  opportunities  for 
education  in  his  early  days,  having  begun  the 
Study  of  languages  when  ten  years  old  under 
private  tutors  as  well  as  in  the  academies  of  his 
native  town.  Removingto  Glasgow  he  continued 
his  classical  and  philosophical  studies  under  the 
professors   for  which  that  city  i>  SO  famous. 

When  Mr.  Lyle  came  to  America  in  is  Is  the 
anti-slavery  agitation  had  commenced  and  without 
much  thought  of  the  consequences,  socially  and 
financially,  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  then  well- 
hated  Abolitionists  and  became  identified  with  the 
American  Missionary  Association  which  had  pro- 
nounced against  human  slavery.  He  served  as  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel  in  Pennsylvania.  Ohio  anil 
New  York,  organizing  many  churches  and  doing 
genuine  pioneer  work  as  a  home  missionary.  At 
the  time  the  war  broke  out  he  was  the  pastor  of  a 
prominent  anti-slavery  church  in  Troy.  Ohio, 
which  was  made  up  of  different  denominations. 

In  January,  1862,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyle  received  the 
commission  of  Chaplain  in  the  Eleventh  Ohio  In- 
fantry from  Gov.  Todd,  an  honor  entirely  unso- 
licited, and  remained  with    that   regiment   until    it 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


833 


was  mustered  Out  at  the  close  of  its  three  years' 
service.  It  formed  a  pari  of  the  Kanawha  Di- 
vision under  Gen.  J.  D.  Cox.  seeing  bard  service 
in  Western  Virginiaand  was  afterward  transferred 
to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  Gens.  Popeand 
McClellan,  participating  in  the  second  battle  of 
Bull  Run  and  in  those  of  Frederick.  South  Moun- 
tain and  Antietam.  Having  studied  the  medical 
profession  for  his  own  pleasure  he  now  found  him- 
self doubly  useful  to  the  brave  boys  who  were 
under  Ids  spiritual  care,  and  was  an  effective  helper 
in  taking  care  of  the  wounded.  He  was  conse- 
quently recognized  officially  in  this  capacity  and* 
was  placed  on  held  hospital  work  through  the  re- 
mainder of  the  service  from  the  time  of  the  battle 
of  Bull  Run. 

Chaplain  Lyle  has  in  his  possession  the  copy  of 
a  special  field  order  issued  from  headquarters  and 
which  he  values  very  highly.  At  a  time  when  his 
regiment  was  in  ureal  peril,  holding  an  important 
position  far  from  any  base  of  supplies  or  rein- 
forcements, he  assumed  command  of  a  wagon  train 
of  hospital  supplies  which  lie  had  collected  during 
a  two  weeks'  absence  on  detached  service,  deter- 
mined if  possible  to  bring  succor  to  the  scores  of 
sick  and  wounded.  Not  a  man  could  he  spared  in 
the  emergency  as  a  guard,  bul  the  teamster-  were 
supplied  with  extra  arms  and  ammunition.  After 
receiving  the  necessary  orders  and  being  cautioned 
as  to  the  movements  of  the  rebel  cavalry,  the  Chap- 
lain with  his  precious  supplies  started  on  the 
perilous  journey.  After  passing  the  outer  lines  of 
pickets,  thirty  miles  lay  between  him  and  the 
mountain  side  on  which  his  regimenl  lay  en- 
trenched. 

Eluding  the  Confederate  cavalry,  after  crossing 
mountains,  penetrating  ravines  and  rocky  gorges 
the  expedition  reached  the  regimenl  safely  on  the 
evening  of  the  second  day.  The  wounded,  the 
sick  and  dying  were  soon  rendered  more  com- 
fortable and  there  was  general  rejoicing  in  canp. 
The  work  done  was  officially  recognized  at  head- 
quarters by  the  issuing  of  the  special  field  order 
complimenting  the  Chaplain,  which  was  ordered  to 
hi'  read  on  dress  parade. 

The  regiment  to  which  Mr.  Lyle  belonged,  to- 
gether with  others  of  the  same  divisions,  was  sub- 


sequently transferred  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumber- 
land under  Gen.  Rosecrans,  and  took  part  in  the 
battles  of  Hoover's  Cap.  Chickamauga  and  Mis- 
sion Ridge.  Although  in  several  of  the  most 
severe  battles  of  the  war  he  was  never  wounded. 
At  the  storming  of  the  heights  of  South  Moun- 
tain he  and  his  corps  of  a^si>tants  were  for  a 
time  in  deadly  peril  through  a  mistake  in  orders 
given  for  establishing  a  field  hospital.  He  was  re- 
ported killed  at  the  battle  of  Chickamauga.  having 
been  seen  in  a  position  where  escape  from  death 
seemed  impossible. 

After  the  Chickamauga  campaign,  however,  such 
had  been  the  privations  and  exposure  of  the  Chap- 
lain that  he  was  stricken  down  with  serious  illne>s, 
and  was  granted  leave  of  absence  for  some  two 
months  which  he  spent  at  home  under  the  care  of 
physicians.  On  rejoining  his  regiment  he  returned 
to  Chattanooga  and  took  part  in  the  conflicts  there, 
remaining  with  his  regiment  until  their  term  of 
service  expired  in  June.  1864,  when  he  was  mus- 
tered out.  Of  thirteen  hundred  and  fifty  who  en- 
listed in  his  regiment,  only  three  hundred  returned 
to  their  homes. 

During  the  service,  the  Chaplain's  horse  having 
been  killed,  the  officers  of  his  regiment  kindly  pre- 
sented him  with  another.  When  about  to  be  mus- 
tered out  the  regiment  made  arrangements  to 
present  him  with  a  dress  sword  hut  he  declined  the 
gift.  However,  he  accepted  a  Bible  on  the  cover 
of  which  is  a  silver  plate  on  which  is  engraved  a 
suitable  inscription  and  the  date  of  muster  out. 
The  Bible  and  a  silver  communion  service  he  used 
during  the  war — carrying  it  with  him  through  all 
the  sad  and  stirring  scenes  from  hull  Run  to  Ring- 
gold and  Rockyfaced  Ridge,  are  held  by  the  family 
are  the  most  precious  and  sacred  relics  of   the  war. 

On  his  return  to  civil  life  Chaplain  Lyle  became 
connected  with  Adrian  College  as  financial  agent. 
After  serving  a  few  months  in  this  capacity,  over- 
tures were  made  to  him  in  reference  to  a  professor- 
ship. Being  desirous  of  returning  to  the  pastorale 
he  declined  all  offers,  however  kindly  made,  and 
became  pastor  of  the  Memorial  Congregational 
Church  of  Seneca  Falls,  N.  V.  There  he  remained 
eight  years,  during  which  time  his  people  built  a 
magnificent  house  of  worship.     Being  afflicted  with 


834 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


sickness  he  was  advised  to  change  climates,  and  so 
accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  Pilgrim  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  Duxbury,  Mass.  [n  that  ancient 
town,  associated  with  the  memory  of  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers,  such  as  Miles  Standish,  John  Alden  and 
Gov.  Winslow,  he  remained  for  eight  years. 

In  1880  Mr.  Lyle  accepted  a  call  to  the  First 
Congregational  Church  of  Kay  City  and  here  he 
has  built  upa  prosperous  congregation.  He  is  Chap- 
lain of  the  U.  S.  Grant  Post,  No.  67,  G.  A.  R.,  and 
is  a  true-blue  Republican  in  his  political  belief. 
He  has  made  several  trips  to  Europe  and  came 
nearly  suffering  shipwreck  while  on  the  ocean  in 
the  famous  cyclone  of  1888.  It  was  about  1865 
that  he  wrote  and  published  his  book,  "Lights  and 
Shadows  of  Army  Life,"  of  which  three  editions 
have  been  brought  out.  but  the  last  edition  was 
destroyed  by  lire,  which  entailed  severe  loss  upon 
the  author,  so  that  the  few  copies  which  are  left 
are  now  held  very  precious. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Lyle  to  Miss  Margaret 
Adam,  a  native  of  Lanarkshire,  Scotland,  took 
place  in  Glasgow  in  1848.  They  are  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  namely:  Margaret,  now  Mi's.  E. 
M.  Bradley,  of  Rochester,  X.  Y.;  Kate  married  A. 
D.  Catlin,  of  Chattanooga,  Tenn.;  Eva,  who  is 
Mrs.  B.  S.  Stevens,  of  Bay  City;  James  M.,  Lane 
and  Alexander,  all  of  whom  reside  in  Chattanooga, 
Tenn.,  and  Edwin,  who  is  at  home.  Every  member 
of  the  family  has  received  an  excellent  education, 
having  graduated  from  Eastern  academies,  and  the 
three  sons  are  successful  manufacturers  in  the 
South. 


-ST^tT 


4m- 


HARLES  W.  ALDEN,  M.  IX,  a  son  of  Wel- 
lington and  Frances  Ann  Alden.  was  born 
at  Southampton,  England.  October  28,  1855. 
The  family  removed  to  New  Brunswick  when  the 
subject  of  our  notice  was  ten  years  of  age,  and  when 
barely  eighteen  he  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  Earle,  of 
St.  John,  New  Brunswick.  Here  hi'  read  quite  ex- 
tensively, and  acquired  a  good  knowledgeof  med- 
icine and   surgery   before  becoming  a  student    of 


Bellevue  College.  New  York,  from  which  famous 
institution  he  was  graduated  March  1,  1877.  and 
for  the  six  months  following  was  attached  to  the 
hospital  staff. 

Dr.  Alden  began  his  first  independent  practice 
at  St.  John,  and  remained  there  two  years.  Com- 
ing to  East  Saginaw  (now  Saginaw),  in  1881,  he 
at  once  devoted  himself  to  general  practice  with 
much  success,  being  appointed  as  one  of  the  staff 
of  St.  Mary's  Hospital  on  the  East  Side,  and  later, 
of   the  Bliss  Hospital  on  the  West  Side. 

Dr.  Alden  has  always  kept  abreast  with  the  latest 
d'scoveries.  not  only  in  his  own  school  of  medi- 
cine, but  in  every  field  from  which  useful  informa- 
tion might  be  gleaned.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Michigan  State  Medical  Society,  and  the  New 
Brunswick  Medical  Society.  For  four  and  one-half 
years  he  held  the  office  of  Coroner. retaining  it  un- 
til 1890. 

A  straight  Democrat  in  politics,  and  an  active 
worker  for  his  party,  Dr.  Alden  has  faithfully 
served  on  various  committees  in  furthering  the 
cause  of  the  Democracy  in  both  county  and  State, 
and  has  also  been  sent  as  a  delegate  to  several  con- 
ventions. This  energetic  young  man,  although 
coming  to  Saginaw  a  complete  stranger,  has  built 
up  a  very  satisfactory  practice,  and  stands  well 
among  the  physicians  of  the  city.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Fluted  Workmen,  of  the 
Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  as  well  as  belonging  to  the  Fraternal  Cir- 
cle, and.  being  always  active  in  society  work,  he 
has  many  warm  and  devoted  friends  in  all  of  these 
beneficent  organizations. 

October  28,  1884,  Dr.  Alden  married  Margaret 
Hamilton,  youngest  daughterof  William  Thomson, 
of  Saginaw,  granddaughter  of  the  late  Col.  E.  W. 
Thomson,  of  Toronto,  and  neice,  on  her  mother's 
side,  of  the  late  Judge  Foley,  and  Hon.  M.  H.  Foley, 
the  latter  having  twice  been  Postmaster  General  of 
Canada.  Two  especially  bright  little  boys,  John 
II.  S.  and  Richard  II.  0.,  have  come  to  bless  this 
union,  and  the  children  are  the  delight  of  their 
parents'  hearts. 

The  Doctor  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church,  and  Mrs.  Alden  is  an  en- 
thusiastic worker  in  all  social  affairs  connected  with 


I 


£ 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


837 


that  religious  body.  They  own  a  neat  home  on 
one  of  the  finesl  corner  lots  in  Saginaw,  their  resi- 
dence being  No.  703  Millard  Street. 


EMDEL  FURMAN.  Among  the  successful 
(e)  manufacturers  of  Hay  City  we  are  pleased 
to  mention  Mr.  Furman,  whose  works  have 
a  fine  out-put  of  force  pumps,  chain  pumps,  suc- 
tion pumps,  cisterns,  clothes  reels  and  lifting  jacks. 
The  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  L.  Furman  &  I  ■>.. 
is  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  energy  and 
enterprise  and  stands  high  in  the  business  and  so- 
cial circles  of  Bay  City.  It  is  therefore  with 
pleasure  that  we  present  his  portrait  and  the  fol- 
lowing brief  account  ot  his  life. 

Mr.  Furman  was  born  in  Simcoe,  Norfolk  Countj 
Ontario.  Canada.  March  1*.  1856.  His  father, 
Francis,  was  born  in  Glanford,  Wentworth  County, 
in  the  same  province,  on  the  1st  of  January.  lS2.'i. 
The  grandfather.  William  Furman,  was  born  in 
Prince  Edward  County  and  became  a  settler  in 
Wentworth  County  during  the  War  of  1*12.  He 
was  a  son  of  Col.  William  Furman,  a  native  of 
England  and  an  officer  in  the  British  army,  who 
after  the  war  settled  in  Prince  Edward  County,  but 
generations  back  of  him  the  family  was  of  German 

descent. 

The  father  of  our  subject  took  part  in  the  Cana- 
dian Rebellion,  being  an  enlisted  soldier  for  three 
years.  For  three  years  he  was  apprenticed  at  the 
blacksmith's  trade,  but  on  account  of  trouble  with 
his  eyes  spent  several  years  in  out-of-doors  voca- 
tions, driving  a  stage  team  between  Hamilton  and 
Port  Dover.  Later  he  took  up  the  blacksmith's 
trade  again,  remaining  al  Simcoe  until  1856  when 
he  came  to  Michigan  and  carried  on  work  as  a 
blacksmith,  first  in  Genesee  County,  then  on  the 
Tittabawassee  River,  afterward  at  Williamstown 
and  Monitor.  In  the  last-named  place  he  took  up 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  which  he  improved  and 
there  he  also  carried  on  lumbering.  In  1*7(1  he 
came  to  Hay  City  and  entered  into  partnership 
witli   his  son  Lemuel    under  the   firm    name    of   L. 


Furman  ,v-  Co.     The   ther,  Lydia  J.  Teeple,  was 

born  in  Oxford  County,  Canada,  where  her  father 
Lemuel  C.  Teeple  was  a  farmer,  she  was  one  of 
nine  children,  five  of  whom  are  living. 

Our  subject  came  to  Michigan  with  liis  parents 
and  in  Lay  County  attended  school  in  the  log 
school  house  and  remained  at  home  until  he  reached 
the  age  of  nineteen.  In  1*7 .">  he  came  to  Lay  ( 'it  v 
and  started  his  pump  works,  making  force  pumps 
and  cisterns  his  principal  business.  It  was  not 
Long  before  he  secured  the  site  where  he  is  now 
located  at  the  corner  of  Eleventh  and  Jackson 
Streets  and  built  there  his  shops,  which  now  have 
a  capacity  of  twelve  pumps  a  day  and  are  the 
largest  of  any  in  the  city.  He  makes  a  specialty 
Of  cisterns  and  tanks,  and  has  invented  a  handy 
swinging  gate  which  is  i  ot  patented  but  which  he 
i-  manufacturing.  He  also  invented  theChampion 
clothes  reel  which  he  is  making  in  large  quantities. 
The  Furman  lifting  jack,  which  is  his  invention 
and  patent,  is  considered  the  neatest  and  most 
convenient  jack  in  the  market  and  lias  a  large  sale 
throughout  tin-  Saginaw  Valley. 


lH=s  0N-  •',,IIN  M(  DERMOTT.  Thisgentleman 
k'  is  among  the  oldest  living  residents  of  Bay 
City,  and  was  born  in  County  Fermanagh, 
Ireland,  in  LH2(>,  and  came  with  his  parents 
to  New  York  when  a  mere  lad.  He  then  went  to 
St.  Catherines,  Canada,  where  heservedan  appren- 
ticeship as  a  ship  builder  with  a  noted  workman  in 
that  line.  He  then  came  to  Detroit.  Mich,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  same  business  on  bis  own  account, 
building  a  number  of  boats  there  and  carrying  on 
the  business  until  1861,  having  in  the  meantime 
employed  a  large  force  of  men.  numbering  from 
three  hundred  to  five  hundred  and  having  both 
ship-yard  and  dry-dock.  Selling  out  his  business 
at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  he  enlisted  in  the 
defence  of  his  country,  starting  out  as  Captain,' 
having  an  independent  company  of  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men.  lie  look  this  company 
and  went  to  Chicago,  but  in  May  previous  he  ten- 
dered his  services    to  the   President  of  the  United 


838 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


States,  but  the}'  not  being  able  to  accept  him  in 
Washington  lie  received  a  very  highly  complimen- 
tary letter  from  President  Lincoln  and  then  went 
to  Chicago,  and  was  mustered  in  June  1.  L861,  as 
Captain  of  Company  A.  Twenty-third  Illinois  In- 
fantry and  was  sent  to  the  Army  of  the  West. 
His  first  active  engagement  was  at  Lexington.  Mo., 
where  their  regiment  was  taken  prisoners. 

On  October  1.  1864,  this  gentleman  was  com- 
missioned by  (ten.  Fremont,  then  in  command  of 
the  Western  Department  to  return  to  Michigan 
and  recruit  a  regiment  to  be  attached  to  the  Irish 
Brigade  (the  Twenty-third  Illinois,  known  as  the 
Mulligan  Brigade).  He  made  Monroe  his  head- 
quarters, but  his  home  being  in  Detroit  he  recruited 
the  men  in  that  section  of  the  State.  On  account 
of  the  Fremont  and  Blair  misunderstanding,  the 
men  were  fearful  the  regiment  would  not  lie  ac- 
cepted by  the  War  Department,  lie  therefore 
sent  a  man  to  Washington  and  obtained  the  ac- 
ceptance of  President  Lincoln  and  Gov.  Blair,  who 
was  also  in  Washington  and  also  a  commission 
from  the  War  Department  recommended  by'the 
President,  for  him  to  raise  a  battery  of  light  artil- 
lery. This  he  did  and  the  battery  was  detached 
as  soon  as  the  regiment  was  raised  and  was  known 
as  the  Eighth  Michigan  Battery. 

A  commission  from  Gov.  Blair  was  received  by 
our  subject  on  January  1.  L862,  as  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  the  Thirteenth  Michigan  Infantry  which 
was  the  one  he  had  raised. and  lie  was  with  this  reg- 
iment until  he  received  his  honorable  discharge 
September  18,  1863,  on  account  of  disability.  Dur- 
ing his  service  in  the  army  he  was  a  very  efficient 
and  brave  officer  and  received  very  Mattering  rec- 
ommendations from  Gen. Todd  and  others,  for  pro- 
motion but  his  health  failing  lie  was  compelled  to 
leave  the  service. 

In  the  winter  of  1864,  Mr.  McDermott  came 
to  Bay  City  and  here  engaged  in  the  mer- 
cantile business.  Subsequently  selling  out  he  was 
appointed  Deputy  Collector  and  Inspector  of  Cus- 
toms at  the  Port  of  Bay  City  which  position  he 
held  for  eighteen  years.  His  health  still  being 
poorty  he  was  obliged  to  resign  his  position.  While 
in  Detroit  in  1858,  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Leg- 
islature on    the    Democratic    ticket,    which    met  at 


Lansing  the  following  term.  He  was  on  the  Milit- 
ary Committee  and  was  active  in  getting  the  first 
per  diem  for  the  militia  they  had. 

Hon.  John  McDermott  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Catherine  Twomey  March  18.  1848,  who  is  a 
native  of  May  Stone  Cross,  Canada,  to  whom  were 
born  ten  children,  four  still  surviving,  Ellen  M.,who 
is  at  home;  Mary  Louisa. wife  of  Thomas  Fitzpatrick 
of  Ashland,  Wis.;  Fannie  Josepliine  and  Emma 
Gertrude  who  are  at  home,  lie  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  St.  .lames  Catholic  Church,  in 
which  our  subject  has  been  very  active.  Socially 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Repub- 
lic. For  many  years  this  gentleman  lived  on  the 
corner  of  sixth  and  Adams  Streets,  but  now  resides 
:it  the  corner  of  Eighth  anil  Sheridan  Streets 
which  dwelling  he  erected  in  1890.  He  also  owns 
the  McDermott  Block  which  is  a  fine  and  conven- 
ient business  building.  He  has  been  an  invalid  for 
the  (iast  five  years.  While  Bay  City  was  yet  a  village 
our  subject  was  a  member  of  the  Milage  Council 
and  upon  its  incorporation  as  a  city  was  one  of 
the  first  councilmen  to  hold  office.  He  also  served 
on  the  Board  of  Supervisors. 


ARTIN  MANNION.  This  man  whose  bus- 
iness ability  and  push  entitled  hiin  to  the 
1  consideration  of  our  readers,  and  whose 
warm  hearted  and  cordial  neighborlines- 
liave  gained  for  him  t he  warm  esteem  of  all  who 
know  Mm, came  to  Saginaw  in  poverty  and  isnow 
one  of  the  most  extensive  and  prosperous  farmers 
of  Saginaw  Township.  He  was  born  November  9, 
is  HI.  in  Ireland,  and  his  father.  Martin  Mannion, 
Sr..  came  to  America  in  1850,  settling  in  Living- 
ston County.  X.  Y.  where  he  took  a  farm  on  shares 
and  there  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  He 
was  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  a  member  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church. 

Bridget  Welsh,  who  became  the  wife  of  Martin 
Mannion,  the  elder,  ami  the  mother  of  our  subject, 
came  with  her  children  to  America  in  1X52  and 
joined  her  husband  in  New  York.  She  reared 
the  following  family,  namely:  Ella,  Mary, Bridget, 


1'nRTR  \IT    \ND    'Iiiiil!  U'HIC  \l.    RE<  ORD. 


83!) 


Paul,  Frank,  Patrick,  Martin  and  Thomas.  She 
was  a  devout  member  of  tlie  Catholic  Church 
and  spent  her  later  years  in  Michigan  with  her 
mims — Frank  and  Martin. 

Our  subject  was  in  his  sixth  year  when  broughl 
i<>  America,  and  after  the  death  of  his  father 
lie  was  bound  out  to  a  carriage-maker  with 
whom  he  staid  a  year  and  a  half.  His  school- 
ing was  limited  and  he  was  grounded  only  in  the 
first  rudiments  of  an  education.  After  working 
at  odd  jobs  in  New  York  he  came  to  Saginaw  in 
the  fall  of  1862,  bringing  with  him  only  enough 
to  pay  for  his  lied  at  the  hotel,  lie  arose  early  the 
next  morning  and  after  paying  his  last  cent  for 
his  lodging  went  out  to  seek  work  without  break- 
fast. 

The  plucky  young  man  found  work,  first  on  the 
Cass  River  and  afterward  in  the  lumber  camp  of 
A.  W.  Wright  and  in  the  spring  began  rafting  logs 
on  the  river.  This  kind  of  work  he  continued  for 
a  number  of  ye  irs  and  also  fitted  himself  for  super- 
intending a  mill.  lie  finally  engaged  as  foreman 
of  a  large  bodv  of  men  who  were  working  in  the 
woods  and  on  the  river  al  a  salary  of  ¥1111  per 
month.  Whatever  he  undertook  was  assumed  with 
a  determination  to  succeed  and  to  do  what  he  had 
to  do  in  the  very  best  possible  way.  His  education 
was  limited  but  he  improved  his  spare  moments 
and  acquired  considerable  skill  at  figures. 

.Mr.  Mannion's  first  purchase  was  twenty  acres  of 
land,  which  he  afterward  sold  and  bought  forty 
acres  upon  which  he  finally  moved,  but  eventually 
sold  this  and  bought  what,  is  now  a  part  of  his 
present  estate.  In  IST'J  he  wenl  info  partnership 
with  his  neighbor,  Francis  Allen,  and  lumbered 
with  him  for  nine  years  on  the  North  Branch  of 
the  Tobacco  River  and  Cedar  River.  He  settled 
upon  the  farm  where  he  now  lives  in  lM«."i  and  he 
has  placed  upon  it  nearly  all  the  substantial  im- 
provements which  are  to  be  seen  there  to-day.  In 
order  to  make  it  tillable  he  had  to  remove  hun- 
dreds of  pine  stumps  and  do  much  hard  work 
thereon,  lie  now  has  one  hundred  and  seventy 
acres  here  in  one  body  and  over  one  hundred  acres 
in  .lames  Township  besides  forty  acres  in  Clare 
County.  He  has  sold  large  quantifies  of  lumber 
off     from     both    these    last-named    tracts.      lie     has 


traveled  over  many  of  the  Western  states,  nota- 
bly the  Dakotas,  and  has  traversed  most  of  the 
State  of  Michigan. 

Mr.  Mannion.  in  1868, married  Ellen  Eagen,ana- 
li  ve  of  Shiawassee  ( lounty,  this  State.and  their  eight 
children  are:  Ella.  Mary,  Fred, Martin,  John,  Frank, 
Walter  and  Willie,  the  last  two  being  twins.  Our 
subject  carries  on  mixed  farming  and  runs  a  dairy 
business,  keeping  Durham  and  Holstein  cows,  be- 
sides sheep  and  Clydesdale  horses.  His  beautiful 
residence,  large  barns  and  outbuildings  and  fine 
young  orchards  besides  a  steam  feed  mill,  make  a 
splendid  appearance  and  add  greatly  to  the  at- 
tractiveness of  the  township. 

The  religious  belief  of  Mrs.  Mannion  brings  her 
into  the  communion  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
but  her  husband  is  liberal  in  his  religious  views  as 
well  as  in  his  political  sentiments.  He  agrees  in 
general  with  the  doctrines  of  the  Democratic  party 
but  is  not  at  all  under  the  control  of  party  leaders, 
as  he  thinks  it  best  to  exercise  his  right  of  suffrage 
according  to  his  own  judgment  and  makes  it  a 
point  to  vote  always  for  the  best  man  for  the 
office. 


AMES  II.   BAKER,  proprietor   of   the  new 

Crescent  lunch  counter  and  dining  hall, 
was  born  in  Manchester,  the  port  of  Rich- 
'figzfJ  iiioiid,  Ya.,  December  17,  1847.  Both  his 
lather, .lames  II.  and  his  grandfather  Richard  Baker 
were  born  in  Ireland,  and  the  former  was  a  natural 
genius  in  regard  to  machinery  and  had  charge  of 
machine  shop-  on  Belle  Isle.  He  died  in  Richmond 
in  1854.  He  was  a  Baptist  in  his  religious  belief, 
and  a  man  of  good  education. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  Mary  Taylor,  was 
born  in  .Manchester,  Ya.,  and  still  makes  her  home 
in  Richmond,  and  is  now  sixty  years  of  age.  Her 
grandmother  was  born  in  bondage,  but  was  freed 
many  years  ago  and  given  a  portion  of  the  planta- 
tion upon  which  she  lived.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  had  white  blood  in  her  veins,  and  her  son 
is  ipiite  fair.      He  is  a  man  of  considerable  property 


840 


PORTRAIT  ANL  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


and  stands  well  in  his  community.  He  was  reared  in 
Richmond,  and  .-it  the  age  of  twelve  removed  with 
his  mother  to  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  on  accounl  of  the 
fugitive  slave  law.  In  Pennsylvania  he  attended 
school  until  18.">7.  when  lie  returned  to  Richmond 
and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  tobacco. 
He  afterward  took  up  the  dentist-'  profession,  and 
after  the  hanging  of  John  Brown  at  Harper's 
Ferry  he  went  to  Washington. 

At  the  National  Capital  he  found  employment 
and  afterwards  worked  at  the  Continental  Hotel  in 
Philadelphia,  remaining  there  until  1862,  when  he 
went  into  the  army  as  a  servant  for  Gen.  Whiting 
Geary  of  Pennsylvania.  When  the  call  for  ninety- 
days'  men  came  in  L863  he  enlisted  in  the  First 
Rhode  Island  Colored  Battery  and  saw  service  at 
Baton  Rouge.  Beaufort  Island. Hilton  Head,  and  was 
one  of  the  eleven  who  were  left  of  his  battery  after 
the  massacre  of  Port  Pillow.  He  was  then  trans- 
ferred to  the  One  Hundred  and  Second  Michigan 
(colored)  Regimentand  took  part  in  the  undermin- 
ing of  Petersburg,  where  he  came  near  losing  his  lite. 
When  he  came  out  of  the  hospital  his  regiment  had 
been  sent  to  another  part  of  the  country  and  he 
was  placed  in  a  white  regiment,  the  Second  Michi- 
gan Infantry  and  was  detailed  as  Orderly  to  (.en. 
Ely  with  rank  of  a  corporal,  remaining  with  him 
until  the  close  of  the  war, taking  part  in  the  Grand 
Review  and  accompanying  the  General  home  to 
Detroit. 

After  working  in  the  Michigan  Exchange  at 
Detroit  and  also  at  both  the  Russell  and  Riddle 
Houses  he  came  to  Saginaw  and  re-opened  the 
Bancroft  House  remaining  there  until  1865,  when 
he  came  to  Bay  City  with  the  purpose  of  opening 
theFrazer.  In  Saginaw  he  had  learned  the  barbers' 
trade  and  finally  opened  a  shop  in  South  Bay  City, 
which  he  carried  on  successfully  tor  some  twelve 
years. 

Later  Mr.  Baker  purchased  a  patent  right  investing 
$5,000  therein,and  traveled  with  it  for  some  time.  He 
has  engaged  to  some  extent  in  real-estate  and  loans 
and  for  a  few  months  was  depot  master  of  the  Michi- 
gan Central  Railroad,  but  finally  decided  to  open  the 
restaurant  which  he  is  now  carrying  on.  and  which 
boasts  the  finest  lunch  counter  in  the  city  and  has 
no  bar  in  connection  with  it. 


Mr.  Raker  was  married  in  Ray  City  in  1872  to 
Miss  Mary  F.  Fdwoods,  who  was  horn  in  Canada, 
and  they  have  two  children.  -Tames  S.  .Ir..and  <  >scar 
W.  Mr.  Baker  has  been  constable  of  the  Fourth 
Ward,  and  was  on  the  police  force  for  some  time, 
lie  i-  a  member  of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
the  Royal  Arch  Masons  and  Knights  Templar,  and 
belongs  to  U.  S.  Grant  Post  No.  67  in  connection 
with  which  he  has  attended  the  National  Encamp- 
ments at  Toledo,  Cleveland  and  Detroit.  He  is  a 
Republican  in  his  political  views,  but  not  a  radical 
one. 


i€>*<!= 


-5- 


OSEl'lI  PERO  is  the  leading  barber,  and  also 
the  oMest  in  the  business  in  West  Ray  City, 
where  he  is  now  doingan  excellent  business, 
v2/  running  a  bath  room  in  connection  with 
his  -hop.  He  was  horn  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  May  5, 
1862.  Hi-  father.  Charles  Pero,  was  horn  in 
Canada,  of  French  parents  and  was  a  shoemaker 
by  trade.  Heat  first  located  in  Toledo,  afterward 
going  to  Fremont.  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
boot  and  shoe  business,  and  is  now  representing 
the  Crystal  Knife  Works.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  was  also  a  native  of  Canada.  Of  their  fam- 
ily  of  eleven  children  all  grew  to  maturity  but 
only  one.  our  subject,  who  i-  the  seventh  in  order 
of  birth,  is  now  living. 

Joseph  Pero  was  reared  in  Fremont,  and  at  six- 
teen began  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  barber  in  that 
place,  being  apprenticed  for  one  year  at  the  expi- 
ration of  which  time,  he  went  to  Mt.  Vernon,  re- 
maining there  one  year.  In  1881  he  came  to  West 
Bay  <it\  and  worked  at  his  trade  for  six  months 
and  then  started  a  shop  in  the  Arlington  House 
which  he  conducted  for  three  years,  after  that  open- 
ing up  one  in  the  Fisher  Block.  In  1883  he  sold 
out  and  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  did  work  in 
the  Palmer  House  for  eight  months  after  which  he 
returned  to  West  Ray  City  and  opened  his  present 
shop  of  which  he  is  sole  proprietor.  He  assisted 
to  organize  the  Ray  City  Barbers'  Union  of  which 
he  was  made  President.     It  is.  however,  no  longer 

ill   existence. 

Mr.  Pero  has  been  twice  married,  his  first   wife 


^ffSt, 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


843 


being  Addie  Corbett,  who  is  a  native  of  Canada, 
their  union  taking  place  in  West  Bay  City,  where 
she  died.  Tin1  maiden  name  of  liis  second  wife  was 
Clemmay  Adams.  She  was  born  in  New  York  and 
died  in  West  Bay  City,  March  31,  1888,  leaving 
two  children,  Ray  and  May,  the  latter  of  whom 
died  when  two  months  old.  Mr.  Pero  is  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  is  a  communicant  of  St.  Mary's  Cath- 
olic Church.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  Delias 
built  up  an  excellent  business,  employing  the  besl 
of  workmen  and  running  four  chairs.  He  does 
twice  as  much  work  as  any  similar  establishment  in 
that  place  and  has  the  only  barber  shop  in  the  city 
which  has  bath  rooms  in  connection  with  it. 


♦=♦=♦ 


x^py  APT.  JOHN  ().  WOODSON,  a  prominent 
(| I  and    well-known    vesselman    of   Bay  City, 

^^^  where  he  has  resided  since  the  spring  of 
1864,  was  born  in  Tumbridge  Township,  Orange 
County,  Vt.,  April  15,  I H 2 (5 .  He  is  a  son  of  Asa 
and  Mary  (White)  Woolson,  both  of  whom  are  of 
English  descent,  their  ancestors  having  moved  into 
the  woods  of  New  Hampshire  seven  or  eight  gen- 
erations ago.  The  father  was  a  clothier,  hut  died 
when  our  subject  was  only  two  years  old.  and  four 
years  afterward  the  remaining  members  of  the  fam- 
ly  removed  to  Painesville,  Lake  County,  Ohio. 

The  educational  advantages  offered  our  subject, 
were  very  limited,  and  when  quite  young  he  be- 
came self-supporting,  and  for  many  years  was  mas- 
ter of  either  sailing  or  steam  vessels  on  the  lakes. 
In  1864  he  came  to  Bay  City  and  engaged  in  the 
steam  tug  business  with  X.  15.  Bradley  as  partner. 
In  1X68  he  added  the  grocery  business  on  Water 
Street.  In  l«7;"i  he  sold  his  tun'  interests  and 
bought  vessel  property  in  connection  with  the 
grocery  business  doing  both  a  boat  supply  and  gen- 
eral grocery  business,  until  about  1881,  when  he 
turned  his  whole  attention  to  vessel  property,  and 
has  since  owned  quite  a  Heel. 


The  Bradley  Transportation  ( lompany  was  incor- 
porated January,  1891,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $144.- 
iioo.  and  the  following  officers:  John  0.  Woolson, 
President;  F.  W.  Bradley, Vice-President; and C.  II. 
Bradley.  Secretary.  The  company  own  the  steamer 
••Charles  II.  Bradley,"  a  large  steam  barge  215 
feel  overall,  35  footbeain  and  I  ."i  foot  depth.  The 
consort,  the  "Brightie"  is  LSI)  feet  o  vera  II.  35  foot 
beam,  and  1.'!  footjhold, carries  thirty-five  thousand 
bushels  of  grain,  eight  hundred  thousand  feet  of 
lumber,  or  twelve  hundred  tons  of  ore.  Another 
vessel  which  they  own.  "Mary  Woolson,"  is  a 
schooaer  190  foot  overall,  .'36  foot  beam,  14  foot 
hold,  ami  carries  forty-eight  thousand  bushels  of 
wheat  or  fourteen  hundred  tons  of  ore.  . 

(apt.  Woolson  now  devotes  his  whole  attention 
to  the  vessel  business.  Previous  to  the  organization 
of  the  Bradley  Transportation  Company  he  owned 
several  large  lumber  vessels,  among  which  were  the 
schooners  "Gebhard"  and  "Yankee,"  and  in  1887 
he  built  the  schooner  "Mary  Woolson."  Mr.  Wool- 
son  is  one  of  the  stockholders  in  the  First  National 
Bank,  and  also  had  an  interest  in  it  when  incor- 
porated as  the  Bay  City  National  Bank.  He  erected 
his  residence  at  No.  302  Bowery  St  reel  .and  has  lived 
on  the  same  site  since  his  lirst  advent  in  Bay  City. 

He  has  served  his  fellow-citizens  in  the  capacity 
of  Supervisor  of  the  Fourth  Ward,  and  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Bay  City  Lodge,  No.  129,  F.  A'  A. 
M.  After  weighing  the  merits  of  political  ques- 
tions he  identified  himself  with  the  Republican 
party,  to  which  he  adheres. 

December  27,  1846,  Capt.  Woolson  was  married 
to  Miss  Lo visa  I-'.  Davis,  of  Painesville,  Ohio,  and 
they  had  one  child,  Francis,  who  died  in  1.S7K. 
The  Captain  was  afterward  married,  July  1:5.  18,")7, 
to  Miss  Betsej  M.  [ngraham,  and  of  that  union  two 
children  were  born:  Fred  II  .  now  of  Port  Huron; 
and  Mary,  who  is  at  home.  The  third  marriage  of 
Capt.  Woolson, was  with  Miss  Josephine  II.  Webster, 
Of  Painesville,  Ohio,  and  occurred  May  1,  1891. 
Francis  C.  Woolson.  the  only  child  of  the  first  mar- 
riage, married  Miss  Lovina  Wilson,  of  this  city, 
and  by  her  he  had  two  children.  Maude  and  Min- 
nie. 

Capt.  Woolson  has  been  active  in  the  vessel  busi- 
ness  for  a   longer   period   of  time  than  any  other 


SI  I 


PORTRAIT   AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


citizen  of  Bay  City.  He  has  established  his  posi- 
tion without  any  help  whatever,  starting  out  as  a 
poor  sailor  boy.  and  by  energy,  perseverance  and 
ability  has  worked  himself  to  the  front.  Such  a 
life,  so  full  of  success  and  happiness,  should  be 
honorably  mentioned  in  a  work  of  this  character, 
and  receive  the  respect  of  all  his  acquaintances. 

In  connection  with  this  sketch  will  be   found   a 
lithographic  portrait  of  ('apt.  Woolson. 


E*=* 


/" 


RS.  Di  LISLK  P.  HOLMES,  the  widow  of 
'/'  l\\  Judge  Sidney  T.  Holmes,  was  born  in 
I  Binghamton,  Broome  County,  X.Y..  and  is 
a  daughter  of  William  Wentz,  a  native  of 
New  York,  whose  father,  Peter,  was  born  in  Ger- 
many and  became  a  farmer  in  Broome  County. 
N.  Y.  He  took  pari  In  the  War  of  1812.  The  father 
was  a  teacher  from  the  time  he  was  seventeen  years 
old  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-six,  when 
he  became  Civil  Engineer,  having  a  position  on 
the  New  York  A-  Erie  Railroad,  for  live  years.  He 
afterwards  engaged  in  land  surveying  in  Broome 
County,  and  died  there  in  1KK7,  having  reached 
the  age  of  ninety-three.  He  was  wide  awake  to  all 
matters  of  public  interesl  and  was  recruiting  officer 
in  the  War  of  1812.  He  was  early  a  Whig  and 
Abolitionist,  and  became  a  most  ardent  Repub- 
lican. 

Sallie  Compton  was  the  maiden  name  of  the  lady 
who  became  the  mother  of  our  subject  and  she  was 
born  in  Conklin.  N.  Y.  and  was  of  English  descent. 
She  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years,  leaving  six 
children,  namely:  DeLisle  P.,  Erasmus  L.,  Phoebe 
C,  who  became  Mrs.  F.  T.  Newell  and  died  at  Ring 
ham  ton,  N.  Y.;  Margaret  R.,  who  married  Edwin 
Starr,  of  Brooklyn.  X.  Y.;  Permelia,  who  is  Mrs. 
A.  L.  Stewart,  of  Bay  City;  and  William  Wirt,  who 
is  a  locomotive  engineer. 

Erasmus  L.  Wentz.  the  brother  of  our  subject, 
early  oeeame  a  civil  engineer  under  his  father's  su- 
pervision. In  18.'37  he  came  to  the  Saginaw  Valley 
and  wras  engaged  upon  the  Saginaw  &  <  Srand  River 
Canal  for  three  years.     He  then  returned   to  New 


Y'ork  and  the  Erie  Railway  and  remained  there 
until  1853,  when  he  went  to  Missouri  and  for  four 
years  was  engaged  upon  the  North  Missouri  Rail- 
road, and  afterwards  contracted  to  build  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  miles  of  the  Texas  .V  New 
Orleans  Railroad.  He  completed  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four  miles  of  that  work.  The  war  broke 
out  and  the  rebels  took  the  road  from  him  and  he 
was  forced  to  leave  the  State,  losing  thereby 
$80,000. 

Mr.  Wentz  at  once  went  to  Washington,  I).  C, 
and  offered  his  services  to  the  Government.  He 
was  placed  in  the  position  of  Chief  Engineer  and 
Genera]  Superintendent  of  the  United  States  .Mil- 
itary Railroad  and  thus  served  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  His  headquarters  were  with  Gen.  Grant 
and  he  became  intimately  acquainted  with  Pres- 
ident Lincoln  and  all  of  the  prominent  generals, 
since  the  close  of  the  war  his  health  has  been  very 
I ■  and  he  suffers  greatly  from  the  effects  of  ex- 
posure then  incurred.  He  now  makes  his  home  in 
Bay  City. 

Mrs.  Holmes  was  born  in  New  York, January  IK, 
1816,  and  was  there  reared  and  educated.  She 
studied  for  two  years  at  Binghamton  Seminary  and 
for  two  years  in  the  Seminary  at  Hamilton,  and  at 
the  age  of  sevente<  n  began  teaching.  She  was 
married  on  the  28th  of  February.  1838,  to  Judge 
Sidney  T.  Holmes,  who  was  born  in  Skaneateles, 
X.  Y..  where  his  parents  were  prominent  citizens, 
and  his  father.  Judge  Epenetus  Holmes,  had  a  high 
reputation  as  an  attorney. 

Judge  Holmes  wa-  educated  at  a  seminary  near 
Waterville,  X.  Y.  and  engaged  in  teaching  for  a 
while  there  and  did  some  civil  engineering  with 
his  father.  After  studying  law  in  his  father's  office 
he  attended  lectures  at  Albany  and  opened  his 
practice  at  Morrisville,  where  he  remained  for 
fourteen  years  and  was  County  Judge  and  Surro- 
gate for  twelve  years.  The  Twenty-third  Congres- 
sional District  of  New  York  elected  him  to  Con- 
gress, where  he  was  efficient  upon  various  commit 
tees.  He  declined  a  re-election,  as  he  preferred  to 
practice  law  and  became  a  partner  with  Hon.  Roscoe 
Conkling  at  I'tica.  N.  Y. 

In   this   connection   Judge  Holmes  practiced  foi 
about  three  years,  but  on  account  of  failing  health 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


845 


he  had  to  leave  LFtica  and  in  I s 7 ^  came  to  Bay 
City  and  Located  here.  He  became  a  partner  in 
the  linn  of  Holmes.  Hayne3  &  Stoddard,  which 
later  was  changed  to  Holmes,  Collins  &  Stoddard. 
and  finally  toHolmes<&  Collins.  He  paid  all  his  at- 
tention to  his  professional  work,  although  the  firm 
handled  some  real  estate.  He  was  horn  in  August, 
1815.  and  died  January  16,  1889.  In  his  political 
views  lie  was  a  Republican  and  an  ardent  supporter 
of  Mr.  Conk  ling,  and  in  his  religious  connection 
was  n  Uriiversalist.  Few  men  have  reached  a 
higher  standing  in  Pay  City  in  the  Legal  profession 
than  Judge  Holmes.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Second  National  Bank,  and  remained  a  di- 
rector  until  his  death. 

Mrs.  Holmes  resides  at  No.  1111  sixth  Street, 
and  although  not  as  active  as  formerly  is  still  a 
worker  in  all  wood  causes.  For  three  years  she 
was  President  of  the  Charitable  Union  and  was 
Long  active  in  the  Associated  Charities.  She  is  a 
member  and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  in  Bay 
City  and  was  its  first  President.  She  has  been  a 
Delegate  to  the  State  meeting  and  is  still  a  District 
Director  and  a  pronounced  suffragist,  she  is  a 
stockholder  in  the  Second  National  Pank  and  also 
in  the  Morrisville  Bank  of  New  York. 


'((<=)  popula 
^yi    &  Loa 


^^EORGE  .1.  LITTLE.  This  gentleman,  the 
lar  Secretary  of  the  People's  Building 
jOan  Association,  at  Saginaw,  was  horn 
in  Alleghany  City,  Pa.,Oetober  25, 1855,theson  of 
David  Little,  of  Scotch  descent,  a  contractor,  who 
was  horn  in  Wilkinsburg,  Alleghany  County,  a  su- 
burb  of  Pittsburg,  and  died  there  January  1st, 
1889.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Elizabeth  Orr,  was  a  native  of  Washing- 
ton, Washington  County.  Pa.,  and  the  daughter  of 
David  Orr,  of  English  descent.  She  was  also  a 
descendant  of  one  of  the  "  Pilgrim  Fathers  "  by 
the  name  of  Hawkins. 

While  quite  young  his  parents  moved  from  Alle- 
ghany City  to  Wilkinsburg,  Pa.,  where  his  hoy- 
1 d  was  passed.     Until    lie  was  sixteen   years  of 


age  his  time  was  spent  at  school.  The  better  part 
of  his  education  was  secured  at  what  was  then 
known  as  the  Wilkinsburg  Academy,  a  private 
school  which  had  quite  a  local  reputation  as  a 
thorough  educational  institution,  as  il  gave  a 
classical  course  as  well  as  the  ordinary  English 
branches.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was.  liy  force  of 
circumstances,  compelled  to  give  up  ambitions  he 
had  held  of  a  professional  careei  and  enter  into  a 
commercial  life.  For  the  first  year  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  wholesale  drug  house,  that  of  Marcus 
A.  Jones,  which  is  now  a  tiling  of  the  past.  At 
the  end  of  that  time  he  became  connected  with  the 
wholesale  hardware  house  of  Lindsay,  Ster- 
rit  &  Company,  as  hook-keeper,  remaining  with 
them  for  twelve  years,  and  beingmanager  of  apart 
of  their  business  for  some  years.  He  then  came  to 
Saginaw  in  August,  L883,  and  accepted  a  position 
in  the  hardware  establishment  of  Morley  Bros.,hav- 
ingcliargeof  a  branch  of  the  correspondence  and  also 
acting  as  advertising  manager  until  in  May  1887, 
when  he  became  assistant  Business  Manager  for 
the  Saginaw  Courier  Company.  While  in  the  em- 
ploy of  this  firm,  he  was  made  Secretary  of  the 
People's  Building  A-  Loan  Association, which  he  had 
organized,  and.  in  18M,x.  he  resigned  his  former 
position  to  accept  the  one  he  now  holds,  the  asso- 
ciation having  grown  to  such  an  extent  that  if  re- 
quired'the  entire  attention  of  its  secretary. 

In  the  fall  of  tin'  year  previous,  Mr.  Little  had 
attempted  I ganize  a  Building  &  Loan  Associa- 
tion similar  to  those  of  Illinois  and  Pennsylvania, 
hut  in  the  absence  of  any  law  governing  such  an 
enterprise,  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  the  project. 
He  then,  through  the  Representative  in  the  Legis- 
lature from  Saginaw.  Hon.  William  S.  Linton,  was 
instrumental  in  having  a  law  passed,  known  as  the 
Building  and  Loan  Association  law  of  1887, 
covering  the  difficulty,  and  which  went  into 
operation  within  a  year.  This  association,  in 
common  with  others  of  a  similar  nature  through- 
out the  country,  has  for  its  object  the  assistance  of 
persons  desirous  of  purchasing  home-,  who  cannot 
pay  large  sums  of  money  at  any  one  time.  By  the 
payment  of  a  small  amount  weekly  or  montlilythe 
association  advances  the  necessary  capital  to  either 
liny  or  build,  and  in  this  waj   numbers  of  working 


846 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


people,  and  those  in  reduced  circumstances  are  en 
allied  to  become  the  owners  of  comfortable  homes 
of  their  own;  also  as  a  means  of  Investing  savings 

in  weekly  payments  al  a   g 1    rale  of  interest  it 

has  no  equal. 

In  1888  Mr.  Little  organized  what  is  known  as 
the  Michigan  Building  &  Loan  Association  League, 
which  is  now  in  successful  operation,  and  in  which 
he  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee for  the  past  few  years,  and  is  now  Vice- 
President.  During  that  time  he  has  taken  an  active 
part  in  receiving  and  giving  suggestions  for  the 
passage  of  certain  acts  by  the  Legislature  to  protect 
the  stockholders  and  further  the  interests  generally 
of  these  associations.  At  the  present  time  Mr.  Little 
is  still  further  engaged  in  a  new  feature  of  the 
Building  A*  Loan  Insurance  the  object  of  which  will 
be  more  apparent  at  a  later  date. 

For  the  last  four  years  Mr.  Little  has  written 
largely  for  Building  and  Loan  Association  papers. 
on  topics  that  engross  the  attention  of  all  inter- 
ested in  co-operative  home  building,  and  through 
a  local  publication  called  the  Home  Builder,  has 
been  enabled  to  educate  the  citizens  of  Saginaw  as 
to  the  benefit  of  these  associations,  to  the  extent 
that  his  association  is  the  largest  in  the  State  of 
Michigan. 

Mr.  Little  was  married  in  1884,  to  Miss  I. eon  L. 
Kemp,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  tin-  daughter  of  John  C. 
Kemp,  and  granddaughter  of  John  R.  Sankey,  now 
deceased,  who  was  an  uncle  of  Sankey  the  evan- 
gelist. They  haveason  and  daughter.  Politically 
he  is  a  Democrat,  but  takes  no  active  part  in  poli- 
tic.-, holding  independent  ideas. 


"S 


£+£i 


<.«!  felLLIAM  GAFFNEY.  Our  subject  has 
\  ;J  been  a  resident  of  Lay  County  since  1856. 
Vy  He  was  born  in  County  Meath,  Ireland. 
.May  29,  1845,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Mar\ 
(White)  Gaffney.  His  parents  came  to  thi>  country 
when  our  subject  was  but  a  small  child  and  located 
at  Brighton,  Livingston  County,  Mich.  In  1856 
they  went  to  Williams  Township,  where  the  father 
bought  a  farm  in  the  wilderness,  being  one  of    the 


first  settlers  in  that  section  of  the  country.  Will- 
iam Gaffney  has  since  cleared  up  this  place  and 
made  it  a  comfortable  home.  Oursubject  acquired 
hi-  education  in  the  district  schools  in  the  vicinity 
of  his  home  and  in  the  High  School  at  Flint  from 
which  he  graduated  in  1864,  and  after  that  he 
began  farming,  buying  a  tract  of  land  in  Monitor 
Township.  Lay  County.  This  he  cleared  up  and 
improved  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  It  has 
proved  to  lie  a  most  valuable  tract  of  land  and  is 
now  I  icated  only  three  and  one-half  miles  from 
Bay  City.  He  still  owns  it  and  takes  great  pride  in 
it-  excellent  condition. 

Aside  from  his  farming  interests  our  subject  was 
engaged  ill  the  insurance  business,  and  was  Super- 
intendent of  Schools  until  the  change  of  law 
creating  the  office  of  County  Commissioner,  lie 
was  also  Supervisor  for  twelve  years  in  the  town- 
ship  of  Monitor.  He  has  always  been  a  Demoi  rat 
and  in  1882  was  elected  County  Clerk.  He  held 
the  office  for  lour  terms,  or  until  the  fall  of  1890, 
and  during  his  tenure  gave  satisfaction  to  the 
county  anil  Idled  the  position  with  credit  to  him- 
self. On  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he  was 
engaged  in  looking  after  his  farm,  and  is  now 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Stone  Road  Commission- 
ers. The  following  statistical  report,  taken  from 
the  records  of  the  county  will  show  the  high  stand 
that  Mr.  Gaffney  has  taken  in  the  public  estima- 
tion. In  the  election  of  1882,  with  three  tickets 
in  the  field,  Mr.  Gaffney  won  by  a  plurality  of  three 
hundred  and  seventy-one  votes.  In  1884  with  four 
tickets  in  the  field  there  was  a  plurality  of  thirteen 
hundred  and  forty-one:  in  1886,  the  plurality  was 
thirteen  hundred  and  twenty-eight,  ami  in  1388  it 
was  fifteen  hundred  and  eighty -seven. 

Mr.  Gaffney's  beautiful  farm  is  further  made  in- 
teresting I  ecause  of  the  fine  stock  which  is  upon 
it.  lie  pays  particular  attention  to  the  raising  of 
Short-horn  cattle,  and  his  registered  stock  includes 
such  animal-  a-'-.Mos-  Rose,  4th,"  which  took  the 
sweep  stake  premium  for  dairy  stock  at  the  State 
Fair  at  Lansing  for  two  consecutive  years,  lie  has 
the  only  herd  of  Short-horn  cattle  in  the  county. 
and  is  justly  proud  of  the>e  fine  animals. 

Oursubject  was  married  to  Mis- Kate  Conroy  of 
Bay  City,  September  15,  1879.     They  are  the   par- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


SIT 


ciiis   of  live    boys,    whose  names  are   as   follows: 
Hubert,  William.  Jr.,  Theobald, Edwin  and  Frank. 

The  family  arc  membei'SOf  the  St.   .lames    Catholic 
Church. 


OPHIA  (SWARTHOUT)  McCARTY.  One 
of  the  matrons  of  Saginaw  Township,Sag- 
inaw  County,  whose  history  includes  much 
that  has  since  become  the  history  of  the 
State,  is  she  whose  name  is  to  be  found  above.  She 
now  lives  in  comfortable  retirement  in  her  com- 
modious and  elegant  home  on  the  Tittabawassee 
River  road  on  section  11,  Saginaw  Township.  She 
was  born  in  Steuben  County,  N.  V.,  September  1  1, 
1826,  and  belongs  to  a  family  whose  history  is  as 
intimately  connected  with  the  progress  of  this  lo- 
cality as  it  is  interesting.  Her  ancestry  and  the 
history  of  her  parents  will  be  found  more  fully 
traced  in  fchesketchof  Lewis  Swarthout, in  another 
portion  of  this  volume. 

Mrs.  McCarty  came  to  Michigan  with  her  parents 
when  six  months  old  and  settled  in  Washtenaw 
County,  where  the  family  lived  until  1835;  they 
then  removed  to  Saginaw  Township,  coming  here 
with  their  household  goods  with  a  four-horse  team 
and  wagon.  Our  subject  well  remembers  the  jour- 
ney and   how  they  cut    their  own  road  from  Flint 

on,  camping   nights   in    the    w Is    and    how   she 

crept  closer  to  her  parents  as  the  woods  resounded 
with  the  uncanny  noise  and  screech  of  wolves  and 
other  wild  animals.  They  crossed  the  Saginaw 
River  in  Indian  canoes  and  her  family  was  the  first 
to  settle  on  the  "crossroad"  which  her  father  (hop- 
ped out.  Her  father  was  a  r<  doubtable  hunter  and 
trapper  and  used  to  bring  in  loads  of  game  of  all 
kinds.      The    little   girl    used    to  attend  the  district 

school  in  the  primitive  log  scl Ihouse  with   open 

fireplace,  stick  chimney,  slab  benches,  puncheon 
floor,  etc.,  etc..  it  being  conducted  on  the  rate  hill 
system  and  the  teacher  hoarded  round. 

Miss  Swarthout  was  married  October  8,  184f>.  to 
.lames  McCarty.  a  native  of  Boston,  Mass.,  whose 
natal  day  was  November  8,  L815.     lie   had   been 


reared  in  the  city  and  had   there   attended    scl I. 

The  father  and  mother  had  come  with  their  fam- 
ily to  Michigan  in  the  fall  of  1833,  being  among 
the  first  settlers,  and  endured  all  the  hardships  of 
pioneer  life.  The  young  couple  settled  at  onceoll 
their  present  farm  It  was  then  a  dense  woods  and 
they  lived  in  an  old  blockhouse.  The  Indians 
were  frequent  callers  and  deer  were  plentiful  on 
the  farm.  The  unceasing  industry  and  good  man- 
agement of  her  husband  soon  left  its  mark  upon 
place,  which  began  to  take  on  the  neat  and  culti- 
vated aspect  of  more  Eastern  farms.  They  built 
the  present  neat  frame  house  in  18."i7  and  two 
frame  barns  at  other  times. 

Mrs.  McCarty  has  been  the  mother  of  nineehil- 
dren,eight  of  whom  lived  to  be  grown.  Her  family  is 
as  follows:  Edward,  Anthony. William;  Nelson  and 
John  deceased;  Clara,  .Mrs.  Moiles;  Mary;  Anna,also 
a  Mre.  Moiles,  and  Maggie.  The  father  of  these, 
children  died  February  13,  1878.  lie  was  a  Dem- 
ocrat in  his  political  views  and  for  eight  years 
served  as  Township  Treasurer.  He  was  also  Justice 
of  the  Peace  for  some  time.  In  his  religious  views 
he  inclined  to  the  Methodist  Church,  although  he 
was  not  formally  connected  with  any  body.  Since 
her  husband's  death  Mrs.  McCarty  has  Carried  on 
the  farm  herself,  and  the  place  shows  no  diminu- 
tion of  care  or  painstaking. 


i@r 


B0& 


ffi  IBORUS  W.  CURTIS.  Having  responded  to 
I  y|>)  the  last  bugle  call,  our  subject  will  in  the 
1__A.  future  report  to  the  Great  General  of  the 
armies  of  eternity,  and  yet  the  influence  that  he 
left  upon  this  human  life  will  long  be  felt  by  those 
who  have  mourned  him  most.  Mr.  Curtis  was  born 
in  Lansdown  County,  Ontario,  March  19,  184:5. 
He  is  a  son  of  William  and  Caroline  ( Milkes) 
Curtis.  He  was  reared  a  farmer,  although  part  of 
his  early  life  was  spent  in  a  hotel.      lie  received   a 

g 1  common-school  education  ami  at  the   age  of 

eighteen  came  to  Michigan,  this  State  presenting 
mines  of  wealth  that  were  opened  up  by  the  strong 
arm  of    the  woodman. 

For  live  years  our  subject    was  engaged  in    lum- 


SIS 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


bering  and  rafting  on  the  river.  Aboul  1875  he 
came  to  Brant  Township,  where  he  owned  eighty 
acres  of  land  on  section  15.  This  he  cleared  and 
to  it  he  added  eighty  acres  more,  which  was  all 
cleared  with  the  exception  of  about  twenty  acres. 
Mr.  Curtis  was  married  September  10,  1870,  to 
Eliza  Sheldon,  who  wasa  native  of  the  samecounty 
as  was  our  subject.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Alexander 
and  Sarah  (Robinson)  Sheldon,  natives  of  Ver- 
mont and  Ontario,  respectively.  They  were  fann- 
ers and  the  parents  of  five  children,  whose  names 
arc  Prospina,  Mary  A..  Eliza,  .Minerva  and  Alex- 
ander, all  of  whom  aii'  married  and  have  families 
of  their-own.  Mis.  Curtis'  father  was  a  son  of 
Harry  Sheldon,  who  removed  from  Vermont  to 
Canada,  was  there  married  and  became  the  parent 
of  four  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  mother  of 
Mrs.  Curtis  was  a  daughter  of  William  Robinson, 
who  emigrated  from  England  to  Ontario.  She 
was  twice  married;  she  presented  her  first  husband 
with  four  children  and  was  the  mother  of  two  sons 
by  her  second  marriage,  which  was  with  Thomas 
Nixon. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Curtis  were  the  parents  of  two 
children — Jenny  and  Willard.  Our  subject  wasa 
man  who  was  much  liked  by  all  the  community. 
Hisamiable  wile  was  to  him  a  real  helpmate  in  all 
his  undertakings  anil  since  his  decease  she  has 
shown  marked  ability  in  managing  the  business 
relating  to  the  farm  anil  property  which  he  left. 


H  *5*  •!•  •!•**•.  £f*r* 


ip^aAMUEL    N.   SHATTUCK.     Although   one 

V<^  naturally  expects  to  find  success  and  more 
marked  results  among  the  older  agricul- 
turists, it  is  a  noteworthy  sign  when  young 
blood  is  infusing  its  advanced  ideas  in  an  agricul- 
tural community.     Our  subject   is  one  of  the  most 

progressive   and    t sequently    prominent    young 

farmers  of  Saginaw  Township.  lie  is  a  son  of  one 
of  the  first  settlers  who  encountered  the  difficulties 
to  be  met  with  in  a  new  country,  and  especially  of 
this  latitude.  Mr.  Shattuck  lives  on  the  home- 
stead farm  on  section  12,  where  In-  was  born  June 
is,  1852.     lie  is  a  son  of  Samuel  Shattuck,  a  na- 


tive of  Lower  Canada,  there  born  September  27. 
1814.  Samuel  Shattuck,  Sr.,  settled  in  Vermont, 
where  he  resided  until  1836,  and  then  came  to 
Michigan  and  entered  a  tract  of  Government  land 
comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which 
was  heavily  wooded. 

Our  subject's  father  penetrated  to  his  claim  by 
chopping  his  way  through  the  forest.  He  settled 
among  the  Indians  and  built  a  log  cabin.  The 
family  larder  was  supplied,  to  a  large  degree,  by 
his  gun  and  traps.  He  soon  erected  one  of  the 
first  gristmills  that  was  raised  in  the  county  and 
had  the  patronage  of  all  the  residents  for  miles 
around.  This  mill  was  operated  until  1SS:5.  The 
village  of  Shattuckville  was  named  in  honor  of 
this  early  pioneer,  lie  wasa  hard-working,  clear- 
sighted and  ambitious  man.  He  cleared  ami  im- 
proved a  line  farm,  and  with  a  great  deal  of  enter- 
prise helped  to  lay  out  roads  and  in  other  ways 
added  to  the  improvements  Of  the  locality.  He 
held  at  various  time-  most  of  the  township  offices, 
being  an  ardent  Democrat  in  his  political  faith. 
His  decease  occurred  May  I,  1882,  the  mother's 
death    May  7,.  1881. 

Our  subject's  mother  was  prior  to  her  marriage 
Catherine  Beach,  a  native  of  New-  York.  She 
presented  her  husband  with  live  children,  only 
two  of  whom  lived  to  maturity — William,  who  is 
now  Deputy  County  Clerk,  and  Samuel,  oiir  sub- 
ject, lie  of  whom  we  write  attended  the  district 
school  in  hi-  boyhood  and  had  the  advantage  of 
three  month- at  the  Bryant  .V  Stratum's  Business 
College  at  Detroit.  He  has  always  lived  on  the 
same  place  and  at  hi-  marriage,  which  was  solemn- 
ized September  27,  1876,  he  brought  his  young 
bride,  Anna  Lowe,  to  the  old  home.  She  is  a  Can- 
adian and  was  born  October  27,  1854.  They  are 
the  parent-  of  four  children — Edna  S.,  Willard, 
Gertrude  and  Guy. 

Mr.  Shattuck  is  the  Owner  of  two  hundred  and 
seven  acres  of  tine  land.  It  is  all  under  cultiva- 
tion with  the  exception  of  twenty-five  acres.  He 
here  devotes  himself  to  mixed  farming.  The  do- 
mestic life  centers  in  the  farmhouse,  which  is  a 
fine  large  frame  dwelling  that  is  both  comfortable 
and  attractive.  It-  interior  arrangement  i-  made 
with    great   taste    and    convenience.      lie    owns  be- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RFX'ORD. 


849 


sides  two  barns.  Mrs.  Sbattuck  is  an  Episcopalian. 
Our  subject  i-  a  Democral  in  his  political  liking 
and  the  office  of  Township  Treasurer  bus  been 
conferred  upon  him.  lie  has  held  this  position 
fur  six  years  and  has  also  been  School  Director 
lor  seven  years.  Our  subject  had  chargeof  the 
mill  for  several  years  prior  to  his  father's  death 
up  to  L883. 


OHN  KIDNEY,  a  respected  farmer  and 
stock-raiser  of  Brady  Township.  Saginaw 
County.  »as  born  in  Rockport,  Cuyahoga 
'\g/  County,  Ohio.  May  •'!,  1830,  and  is  a  son  of 
John  and  Melinda  (Butler)  Kidney.  When  the 
boy  was  about  nine  years  old  the  father  died  and 
he  went  to  live  with  a  half  sister.  .Mrs.  Priacllla  S. 
Coon,  with  whom  he  remained  until  twenty-five 
years  old,  although  he  began  independent  work 
for  himself  upon"  reaching  his  majority  and  for 
several  years  took  jobs  at  making  staves. 

Our  subject  was  married  October  f>,  1855,  to 
Miss  Harriet  A.,  daughter  of  Prosser  and  Charilla 

(Coe)    ( This     lady    was    horn    in    Oswego 

County.  N.  V.,  November  15,  1836,  and  before 
her  marriage  had  been  a  resident  of  Lucas  Countj . 
Ohio.  Her  father  was  of  mixed  German  and 
Scotch  blood  and  her  mother  a  New  Englander. 
Erie  County.  Ohio,  became  the  first  home  of  the 
young  wedded  couple  and  there  the  young  man 
followed  farming  and  coopering  and  was  unusu- 
ally successful  in  any  work  in  which  tools  are  used, 
as  he  is  naturally  gifted  in  that  direction.  The 
removal  to  Michigan  was  in  1865,  when  the  pres- 
ent home  was  purchased  and  in  the  wilderness*  he 
began  to  clear  and  improve  his  land  and  put  up 
buildings. 

The  eldest  son  of  our  subject  is  Eugene  E.,  born 
in  Erie  County,  Ohio,  May  27,  1858,  who  began 
teaching  at  the  age  of  seventeen  and  is  now  a  suc- 
cessful and  enthusiastic  teacher  and  principal  of 
the  schools  at  Raymond,  Dak.  lie  is  a  graduate 
from  the  institutions  of  learning  at  both  Hillsdale 
and  Vpsilanti,  and  by  his  marriage  has  one  child — 
Alice    E.      The   second    child    of  our   subject,  who 


bears  the  name  of  Elmer  Ellsworth,  was  bom  July 

1.  1  siio,  in  Lucas  County.  Ohio.  He  was  given  a 
good  common-school  education  and  is  now  carry- 
ing on  a  farm  near  his  father;  Irving  A.,  who  was 
burn  January  1.  1865,  in  Erie  County,  Ohio,  was 
graduated  at  theChcsaning  High  School  and  began 
teaching  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  He  spent  two 
years  in  Dakota  in  teaching  and  is  now  a  partner 
in  a  hardware  store  at.  Brant  Center,  this  county. 
The  daughter.  Edith  ('..was  born  in  Brady  Town- 
ship, September  1.  1872,  and  has  received  a  good 
common-school  education. 

The  Republican  party  now  receives  the  allegiance 
of  our  subject,  and  his  lirst  ballot  was  cast  in  1851 
for  the  Free-Soil  party.  He  has  served  as  Town- 
ship Treasurer.  Highway  Commissioner  and  for 
many  years  as  School  Director.  His  religious  con- 
victions united  him  in  early  life  with  the  Free  Will 
Baptist  Church,  but  of  late  he  has  been  connected 
with  the  Congregational  body.  Mrs.  Kidney  had 
three  brothers  who  took  part  in  the  Civil  War  and 
one,  Oshea  W.  Coon,  saw  service  tor  three  years 
and  was  wounded  in  the  foot;  he  now  lives  in 
Oklahoma;  Henry  J.  Coon,  another  brother,  saw 
service  in  the  Union  army  ami  now  lives  in  this 
township,  but  John  D.  died  in  tin  army  and  was 
buried  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 


ILLIAM  ADQLPHUS  ARMSTRONG.  We 
have  here  one  of   the   most    popular  con- 

;  »  tractors  of  Saginaw,  whose  work  is  always 
done  in  the  most  substantial  and  thorough  manner 
and  whose  reputation  is  such,  that  no  charge  of 
••  jobbery"  or  of  any  wrong  dealing  has  ever  been 
substantiated  in  connection  with  his  work.  He  has 
hosts  of  warm  friends  who  are  willing  to  vouch  for 
his  standing  both  in  his  trade  and  as  a  gentleman. 

Mr.  Armstrong  has  completed  large  contracts  in 
regard  to  the  sewerage  and  water  mains  and  street 
improvements  of  Saginaw.  It  was  some  flfteen 
years  ago  when  he  began  the  contrad  on  the  public 
works  of  this  city  and  for  ten  \ears  he  has  given 
exclusive  attention  to  public  improvements.   From 


s;,ii 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ten  to  forty  men  are  given  regular  employment 
during  the  season  and  lie  sometimes  has  as  manyas 
one  hundred  working  under  aim.  He  also  does 
railroad  grading  and  the  laying  of  plank  roadsand 
on  his  Mist  contrail  in  laying  water  mains  he  lost 
$1,000. 

The  experience  which  Mr.  Armstrong  has  had 
enables  him  to  judge  very  accurately  at  the  start- 
as  to  the  cost  of  excavation  and  when  it  is  too 
expensive  for  him  to  compete  with  others  who  do 
not  so  easily  see  the  difficulties  in  the  way,  he  de- 
clines to  put  in  bids.  His  contracts  average  about 
$  1  0,000  pel'  annum.  He  gives  his  whole  attention 
to  the  business  and  allow-  nothing  to  be  done 
without  his  personal  supervision. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Ridgeway,  Macomb 
County,  Mich.,  April  19,1845.  where  Ins  father, 
I).  I).  Armstrong,  was  :i  millwright  and  subsequently 
worked  in  Saginaw  in  this  capacity  for  over  thirty- 
live  years.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  William  learned 
the  trade  of  a  machinist  at  Flint  and  followed  that 
lor  about  lour  years,  hut  gave  it  up  on  account  of 
his  lungs  being  in  a  delicate  condition.  He  en- 
listed in  the  Twenty-third  Michigan  Infantry,  was 
not  accepted  on  account  of   his  age. 

When  about  twenty-three  years  old  this  young 
man  came  to  Saginaw,  having  previously  spent  six 
months  in  Pennsylvania.  Previous  to  hi-  marriage 
he  did  general  work  but  alter  that  event  he  en- 
gaged in  teaming  and  during  winters  tilled  con- 
tracts in  this  city,  and  for  ten  year-  contracted 
exclusively.  His  political  views  bring  him  into 
alliance  with  the  Republican  party  and  he  was  Su- 
pervisor for  four  years  of  the  Sixth  Ward.  In 
campaigns  he  takes  an  active  part  and  has  been  on 
the  Ward  Committee  for  ten  years  but  is  not  a 
seeker  for  Office  and  has  frequently  declined  ex- 
cellent opportunities  of  this  kind.  He  is  a  member 
of  Saginaw  Lodge  No.  77,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  and  of 
Royal  Arcanum  No.  31. 

The  marriage  of  .Mr.  Armstrong  on  the  3d 
of  July,  lsilii.  took  place  in  this  city  and  he  was 
then  united  with  Miss  Helen  Newton,  a  native  of 
Vermont  whose  lather.  L.  F.  Newton,  had  for  years 
been  in  business  in  Saginaw,  where  this  daughter 
received  her  training  and  education.  The  eldest 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Armstrong  is  Elizabeth, 


now  the  wife  of  Charles  Moore.  The  second 
daughter,  Hattie,  is  giving  much  attention  to  the 
Study  of  music  and  the  youngest,  Maude,  is  a  stu- 
dent in  the  High  School  and  displays  talent  in  vo- 
cal Music  in  which  line  of  study  her  parents  intend 
to  give  her  suitable  advantages.  Our  subject  had 
his  early  religious  training  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal  Church  hut  is  now  an  attendant  upon  and 
supporter  of  the  services  of  the  Congregational 
(  lunch. 


~i-^€MM^ 


ARSLIN  .1.  COLON,  general  merchant  of 
Birch  Run,  and  formerly  Clerk  of  Birch 
Run  Township,  is  one  of  the  sons  of  New 
York  who  have  helped  to  build  up  the  al- 
most phenomenal  prosperity  of  Michigan.  None 
of  the  communities  that  have  thus  contributed  to 
building  up  the  Wolverine  State  have  sent  better 
materia]  than  New  York,  for  the  men  of  that  State 
have  been  notably  prominent  as  workers  and  think- 
ers, and  their  enterprise  and  integrity  have  helped 
to  lay  well  the  foundation-  of  business. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Jefferson  County.  N.Y.. 
May  10.  1837.  He  is  a  -on  of  Xavier  and  Julia 
<  olun.  both  natives  of  France.  His  early  training 
and  education  were  received  in  his  native  county, 
and  after  coming  to  young  manhood  he  learned 
the  practical  work  of  the  farm,  and  afterward  went 
upon  the  lakes  as  a  sailor  for  some  fifteen  years. 
He  had  received  a  fail- education  during  his  boy- 
hood days,  and  was  thus  enabled  to  enter  into  busi- 
ness with  intelligence  and  success. 

Mr.  Colon  came  to  Saginaw  County  in  1869,  and 
engaged  in  business  for  several  years  in  the  mer- 
cantile line,  being  in  partnership  with  L.  1'.  Racine, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Colon  &  Racine,  but  for  a 
number  of  years  he  has  been  carrying  on  his  af- 
fairs independently.  He  was  married  February 
17.  1870,  to  Phoebe  Johnson,  of  Orleans  County, 
N.  Y..  and  by  this  union  three  children  were  born: 
Alberl  J.,  the  eldest,  and  Edmund,  the  youngest, 
are  still  living,  but  Louis  has  passed  from  life. 

For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Colon  has  served  the 
community  about  Birch  Run  as  Postmaster,  and  he 


(J  oa*J,k     t/vr  w^-y^^-^^, 


w 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


855 


has  also  acted  as  Clerk  of  the  Township  for  some 
time,  and  was  express  agent  1'<>r  twenty-four  years. 
All  of  these  otliees  test  nut  only  the  ability 
but  the  obliging  characteristics  of  a  man.  and  our 
subject  has  proved  himself  thoughtful  and  accom- 
modating to  those  who  have  been  called  to  deal 
with  him.  and  at  the  same  time  he  has  established, 
in  these  otliees  and  in  his  general  business,  a  repu- 
tation for  strict  integrity  and  a  thorough  under- 
standing of  the  Deeds  of  the  people. 

The  politieal  views  which  commend  themselves 
to  the  mind  of  Mr.  Colon  are  embodied  in  the 
declarations  of  the  Republican  party,  ami  his  vote 
is  generally  east  for  the  men  represented  upon  that 
ticket.  At  the  same  time  he  is  ever  ready  to  join 
with  citizens  of  all  parties  in  efforts  to  build  up 
the  business  and  social  interests  of  the  neighbor- 
hood and  develop  the  resources  of  the  township 
and  county.  He  is  a  member  of  the  .Masonic  or- 
der, and  is  considered  one  of  the  leading  mer- 
chants of  Birch  Run. 


ELLINGTON  CHAPMAN  was  bornal  Bel- 

<     cher town,  Hampshire  County,  Mass..  Sep- 

VV       teml.er  2(1.  1X14.     The  Puritan  stock  from 

which  he  sprang  and  which  now  dominates  ail  that 
is  great  in  the  civilized  world,  gave  him  those 
qualities  which  made  him  a  leader  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  West,  lie  was  a  direct  descendant 
of  Ralph  Chapman,  who  was  born  in  the  County 
of  Surrey,  England,  in  1615.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  Ralph  fell  in  with   the  tide  of  emigration 

then  seeking  the  Western  Hemisphere,  destined  to 
play  such  an  important  part  in  the  history  of  the 
modern  world. 

In  the  Mother  Country  it  was  an  age  of  persecu- 
tion   and    thousands    of    England's    bravesl    souls 

were  driven   from  the  old  home  to  seek  one    iii   the 

wilderness,  broken  only  fifteen  years  before  by  the 
stalwarl  arms  of  the  Pilgrims.  On  the  New  Eng- 
land coast  ii  was  an  age  of  heroes,  of  saints  and  of 

the  founders  of  the   greatest    family    of    States    the 
world  has  ever  beheld.     The  descendants  of  Ralph 
Chapman    continued    to   re.-ide    in    Massachusetts 
39 


until  after  the  birth  of  Wellington.       He   received 
the  Usual  education   of   .Massachusetts    hoys    in    the 

early  days  of  the  century  and  grew  to  a   vigorous 

manhood. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  Daniel  and 
Nancy  (Smith)  Chapman,  who  were  married  in 
1809.  The  former  was  for  those  days  an  exten- 
sive manufacturer  of  wagons  and  farming  imple- 
ments, and  in  his  shop  Wellington  learned  the 
trade  of  a  wheelwright  and  became  a  skillful  work- 
man. On  completing  his  apprenticeship  he  found 
himself  face  to  face  with  the  battle  of  life.  About 
that  time  George  Stephenson's  locomotive  was 
revolutionizing  inland  traffic  and  the  nations  were 
awakening  to  a  new  life.  No  quarter  of  theglobe 
needed  the  railroad  more  than  the  United  States, 
and  no  people  accepted  the  boon  of  genius  more 
enthusiastically  than  the  sons  of  New  England. 

Here  was  a  field  for  the  young  mechanic;  he  de- 
cided to  enter  it  and  succeed.  His  first  venture 
was  in  car  building,  but  not  satisfied  with  the  nar- 
row sphere  of  the  car  shop  he  launched  out  into 
the  more  responsible  avocation  of  a  railroad 
builder,  together  with  his  elder  brother,  Oeorge, 
and  a  cousin,  Otis.  That  congenial  employment 
filled  a  large  share  of  his  subsequent  life,  and  the 
New  England,  Middle  and  Western  Slates  fnr- 
nished  an  extensive  field  for  his  operations.  The 
magnitude  of  his  contracts  and  the  range  of  his 
mind  can  be -estimated  by  the  work  entrusted  to 
his  skill,  and  it  was  not  uncommon  for  him  to  re- 
ceive from  $1,000,000  to  $2,000,000  at  one  time. 
In  the  autumn  of  1841,  our  subject  accompanied 
by  his  brother,  George,  took  a  trip  through  Ohio 
and  Michigan.  Traveling  along  the  banks  of  the 
Shiawassee  River  in  the  beautiful  fall,  their  eyes 
were  enchanted  by  the  cleared  fields,  covered  with 
golden  corn  and  the  orchards  loaded  with  Crimson 
apples,  all  of  which  represented  the  work  of  the 
red  man  who  as  yet  was  the  only  inhabitant  of 
the  land.  That  lovely  spot  was  near  where  the 
village  of  Chesaning  now  stands.  Wellington 
and  George    bought    land    for    homes    on    opposite 

sides  of  the  river,  the  former  on  section  1(1, 
and  the  latter  on  section  21.  He  remained  on  his 
original  homestead  two  years,  and  then  bought  the 
farm  where  he  ended   his  days,  on    sections  '.(   and 


856 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


10.  This  was  the  first  sale  of  land  made  by  the 
Government  in  the  township. 

A  house  was  soon  built  ou1  of  the  scanty  mate- 
ria] of  those  early  days.  A  part  of  the  first  fence 
still  stands  fastened  with  wooden  pins  made  at  the 
tire  in  the  evening  after  the  work  of  the  day  was 
done.  Nails  were  out  of  the  question,  the  nearest 
trading  place  being  at  Pontiac,  fifty  miles  distant 
through  the  woods.  In  1*12  settlers  began  to 
Hock  in.  Mr.  Chapman  threw  open  his  house  and 
for  weeks  every  board  above  and  below  was  a  bed. 
Afterward  he  returned  to  Worcester,  .Mass..  where 
lie  resided  for  twelve  years.  Coming  back  to  his 
farm  in  Chesaning  Township,  he  made  his  home 
then-  until  his  death.  .Inly  25,  1887. 

.Mr.  Chapman  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  char- 
acter, intelligent,  clear  in  his  mental  operations. 
kind  hearted  and  a  lover  of  progress,  in  hisearly 
days  he  was,  like  his  Puritan  kindred,  an  Aboli- 
tionist, and  throughout  life  was  a  stanch  Republi- 
can. In  1838  he  was  married  to  .Miss  Sarah  A. 
Gray,  of  Worcester,  Ma--.,  aid  thej  became  the 
parents  of  two  children — Sarah  Eliza,  born  April 
13,  L840,and  AUi.it  W.,  Augusl  28,  1842.  Mrs. 
Sarah  Chapman  died  July  22.  1847,  and  in  No- 
vember of  the  same  year  was  followed  to  the  grave 
by  her  daughter.  Albert  W.  was  married  Sep- 
tember 20,  L865,  to  Lucy  Case,  and  they  have  two 
children — Sarah  A.,  born  May  20,  1867,  and  Al- 
liert  W.,  born  November  I,  1870,  who  died  S  p- 
tember  1,  1877. 

In  1848  Mr.  Chapman  was  married  a  second 
time,  choosing  as  hi-  wife  Mis-  Sarah  Ann  Dickman, 
of  llopkinton.  Mas.-.,  who  survives  him  at  tin'  ripe 
age  of  seventy-three.  She  is  an  intelligent,  pious 
and  active  lady,  beloved  by  her  neighbors  and 
noted  for  her  bene  vole  nee.  She  became  the  mother 
of  two  children:  Julietta  Eliza,  who  was  born 
March  12.  1849,  a1  Bolton,  Conn.,  and  Charles  E., 
who  was  bom  April  20,  1864,  and  died  November 
20,  1866.  Julietta  E.  was  married  to  Edward  C. 
Waldron,  February  7.  1870,  and  three  children 
have  been  born  of  their  union,  namely:  Charles 
W.  C,  born  December  17.  1878;  Edward C,  March 
12.  1881;  and  .Mabel  Ann.  .Inly  28,  1888.  Mr. 
Waldron's  mother,  whose  maiden  name  wasHagan, 
was  born  in  Florida,  and  hi-   father    was    a    native 


of  New  Hampshire.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Waldron  reside 
on  the  old  homestead  and  tenderly  care  for  their 
mother  in  her  declining  years. 

On  another  page  of  this  volume  are  presented 
lithographic  portrait-  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wellington 
Chapman,  and  a  view  of  the  beautiful  homestead 
where  Mrs.  Chapman  resides.  This  is  an  attrac- 
tive place  overlooking  the  rippling  waters  of  the 
river  and  with  the  picturesque  surroundings  forms 
a  lovely  picture  in  the  landscape.  Mrs.  Waldron 
has  inherited  the  push  and  business  qualities  ol 
her  father.  Her  tastes  are  of  the  literary  and  ar- 
tistic order  with  elevated  opinions  of  morality, 
and  the  ample  means  in  her  possession  are  neither 
wa-ted  nor  hoarded.  The  estate  is  prudently  hus- 
banded, and  if  in  any  way  she  is  extravagant  it  is 
in  that  way  so  blessed  by  the  Lord — the  care  of 
the  poor  and  the  unfortunate  who  are  ever  re- 
ceiving her  bounty. 

The  reader  will  doubtless  be  interested  in  the 
follow  ini;  account  of  the  derivation  of  the  name 
"  Chesaning,"  which  is  appropriate  in  connection 
with  the  biography  of  one  of  it-  pioneer  settlers : 
Chesaning — "Lone  Rock." — It  i-  generally  known 
that  the  euphonius  name  of  "  Chesaning  "  was  de- 
rived from  the  Indian  expression  of  "  lone  rock." 
and  in  a  somewhat  recent  sketch  of  this  village,  its 
Cockney  author,  with  a  gravity  as  profound  as  an 
Owl,  asserted  thai  it  derived  its  title  from  a  large 
boulder  lying  in  the  woods  a  short  distance  east  of 
us.  This  is  about  on  a  par  with  the  general  intel- 
ligence of  that  distinguished  writer.  The  name 
was  actually  derived  from  an  immense  fossil  lime- 
rock  deposited  in  the  river,  about  opposite  the 
residence  of  Wellington  Chapman,  and  which  was 
Subsequently,  from  time  to  time,  blasted  in  piece- 
by  the  early  white  settlers,  and  burnt  into  lime. 
In  1838  this  locality  was  visited  by  Dr.  Douglass 
Houghton,  then  State  Geologist,  just  about  the 
time  he  located  Ihe  lir-t  -all  well  on  the  Tittaba- 
wassee,  and  from  an  examination  of  both  the  rocks 
mentioned,  he  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  rock 
in  the  river  had  been  brought  here  by  ice  from 
Thunder  Bay  when  this  section  of  the  lower  pen- 
insula wa-  submerged.  The  boulder  in  the  woods, 
he  was  equally  sure,  had  been  conveyed  in  the 
same  manner  from  the  Lake  Superior  group,  as  he 


PORTRAIT  AM     BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


857 


took  from  it  a  piece  in  which,  with  the  aid  of  a 
magnifying  glass,  particles  of  copper  could  dis- 
tinctly be  seen.  Thai  Chesaning  derived  its  name 
from  the  lime-rock,  we  had  the  personal  assurance 
of  ••  Totush,"  an  old  and  reliable  Indian  of  this 
locality,  who  died  about  1840— '41,  in  the  house 
now  used  by  K.  W.  Mason.  Esq.,  as  a  barn,  noi  far 
from  his  presenl  residence. 


^^\ 


\m 


Hi 


EVI  JOHNSON,  who  is  foreman    of   wood- 
(^)    work  in    the  ship-\  a  ids   of    F.  W.  Wheeler, 

jis    has  been  a  resident  of  the  Saginaw  Valley 

since  December  1.  1866.  lie  is  one  of  the  oldest 
ship  carpenters  in  the  State,  and  is  well  known  as 
a  line  mechanic  and  an  upright,  honorable  man. 
He  was  born  .May  1.  1846,  in  Clayton.  N.  Y.  His 
father,  Jewell  Johnson,  was  a  native  of  Canada. 
and  by  trade  a  baker.  He  served  three  years  in 
the  United  States  Regular  Army  just  before  the 
Florida  War.  in  which  lie  enlisted  as  a  soldier,  lint 
afterward  served  his  regiment  as  a  baker.  He  was 
of  French  descent.  His  death  took  place  in  Clay- 
ton in  1883.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Julia  St.  Thomas,  was  horn  in 
Brockville,  Canada.  I  lei  father,  Francis  St. 
Thomas,  was  also  a  native  of  Canada,  and  of 
French  descent,  she  was  a  resident  of  Clayton 
for  sixty-six  years,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church. 

Of  the  eight  children  in  the  parental  family  our 
subject  was  tin'  eldest,  and  at  fifteen  years  of  age 
he  was  apprenticed  to  a  ship-carpenter,  S.  G.  John- 
ston, in  Clayton,  and  served  for  three  years.  At 
the  end  of  this  time  he  went  to  Oswego,  remaining 
for  three  months;  thence  to  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
and  afterwards  to  Cincinnati,  and  then  for  a  time 
was  in  Cleveland  again, returning  to  Clayton,  and 

Coming  to  Detroit  in  lfSII,");  thence  to  .Marine  City 
until  the  fall  of  1866, when  he  came  to  Saginaw 
and  began  working  at  his  trade  in  the  ship-yards 
of  ( '.  Wheeler.  He  assisted  in  building  the  Flint 
&  I'ere  Marquette  Railroad  bridge,  and  .also  the 
barge  '* P.  G.  Lester  "  and  schooner  "II.  ('.  Pot- 
ter."    He  was  then   employed   by  I).    W.   Rust  & 


Co..  working  for  them  for  a  number  of  years  and 
becoming  foreman,  assisting  in  building  the  barges 
••  D.  K.  Flint,"  ••  L.  C.  Butts,"  '■  Buckeye  State," 
-  D.W.  Rust."  and  the  tug  "Charles  Lee."  In  1881 
Mr.  Johnson  came  to  Bay  City,  and  was  employed 
as  foreman  for  F.  Wheeler,  under  F.  W.  E. 
Young.  He  returned  again  to  Saginaw,  becoming 
foreman  for  L.  E.  Mason,  under  Tom  Arnold,  and 
assisted  in  building  a  large  number  of  vessels.  He 
then  became  superintendent  of  Mason's  whole 
fleet  at  Port  Huron,  overhauling  and  repairing 
them  for  six  months.  He  then  double-decked  the 
steamer  ••  C.  II.  Green  "  and  two  schooners.  Fol- 
lowing this  he  kept  a  sample-room  for  three  years. 
in  1885  he  came  to  Wot  Ray  City  and  became 
foreman  in  the  ship-yards,  where  he  is  at  present 
employed. and  in  which  he  was  foreman  at  the  build- 
ing of  a  large  number  of  vessels.  In  April,  1891, 
he  was  appointed  foreman  of  wood-work,  and  at 
present  has  live  vessels  on  hand. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  in  East  Saginaw,  Miss 
Maggie  Wilbur,  a  native  of  this  State,  becoming 
his  wife.  To  them  were  born  four  children,  Henry, 
Fannie.  Willie  and  Levi,  Jr.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and  is  a 
Republican  in  politics,  lie  is  very  popular  among 
his  associates,  anil   leads  an  active  business  life. 


dent  of    the    firm    of   Bousfield  &  Co.,  who 
ii  \\V    are  the  largest  wooden-ware  manufacturers 

in  the  United  States.  He  is  a  thorough 
gentleman  of  culture  and  breadth  of  thought,  and 
his  residence  in  the  community  is  a  benefit  to  it 
in  every  way.  Such  citizens  are  the  ones  who 
give  to  Ray  City  its  proud  pre-eminence  as  the 
scat  of   both   enterprise  and  culture. 

This  gentleman  was  bom  in  Cleveland,  March 
is.  1860,  and  his  education  was  obtained  in  the 
city  schools  and  the  High  School,  after  which  he 
attended  there  the  Speiiccnan  Business  College. 
At  theage  of  nineteen  became  to  Bay  City,  March 
18,  1879,  and   here  he   became  connected  with  his 

brother  Alfred    m     the     business    of     wooden-ware 


858 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


manufacture.  He  began  as  shipping  clerk  and  su- 
perintended of   outside   work,  and  s i  became  a 

partner. 

In  1881   this  young  man  became  Vice   President 

of  the  linn  .it'  Bousfleld  &  Co.,  but  in  1884  sold 
his  interest  in  the  business  and  started  a  new  linn 
under  the  title  of  the  Bousfield-Perrin  Company, 
which  was  located  mi  Harrison  Street,  and  en- 
gaged in   the  in: facture  of  wooden -ware.     This 

he  built  up  and  operated  successfully  until  1889, 
being'  its  Secretary.  Treasurer  and  manager,  hut 
at  that  date  he  consolidated  it  with  the  business  of 
his  brothers  and  became  Vice  President  again  of 
the  business  of  the  company  of  Bousfleld  &  Co. 
Robert  E.  Bousfleld  was  married  at  Cleveland, 
in  1881,  to  Miss  Jennie  Perrin,  who  was  born  in 
Norwalk,  Ohio,  and  had  her  training  and  educa- 
tion in  Cleveland.  She  is  a  daughtei  of  Oliver 
Perrin.  a  former  resident  of  Cleveland,  now  de- 
ceased. The  pleasant  home  of  this  faniilj  is  on 
Thirty-fourth  Street,  and  it  is  the  center  of  a  pleas- 
ant social  life.  Mr.  Bousfleld  is  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  thi'  Maccabees,  and  in  his  political 
views  is  an  adherent  of  the  principles  set  forth  by 
the  Republican  party. 


gDAM  LEINBERGER,  a  highly  respected 
farmer  residing  mi  section  33,  Monitor 
Township.  Ba\  County,  is  the  sun  of  John 
A.  and  Katherine  (Druslein)  Leinberger. 
A  native  of  this  county,  he  was  horn  in  Frankcn- 
lust  Township,  October  11.  1852,  and  amid  the 
pioneer  surroundings  of  forty  year-  ago.  passed  his 
boyhood  days.  Horn  to  humble  circumstances,  in 
which  prudence  and  frugality  took  an  important 
part,  his  early  life  was  characterized  by  simplicity 
and  fixedness  of  purpose.  As  he  passed  his  youth 
upon  a  farm,  he  involuntarily  grew  up  with  a  bet- 
ter knowledge  of  agricultural  affairs  than  one  who 
is  not  so  reared,  and  eaily  imbibed  the  ideas  of 
independence  as  well  as    mutual   responsibility     in 

the     life     to     which     he     was     reared.       As    he    grew 

toward  manhood  the  country  rapidly  settled    with 


a  good  class  of  residents  and  among  these  he  began 

to  feel  that  he  was  equally  responsible  for  law  and 
order.  His  firmness  and  decision  of  character  are 
the  result  of  the  eaily  training  which  lie  gained 
amid  the  primitive  conditions  that  environed  him, 
while  his  independent  position  is  due  to  good 
judgment  and  constant  exercise  of  sound  common 
sense. 

Prior  to  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  Adam 
Leinberger  found  his  home  beneath  his  father's 
roof,  but  he  then  established  home  ties  of  his  own. 
lie  was  married  to  Kate  Wupper.  who  was  born  in 
Frankenlust  Township,  this  county,  of  German 
parentage.  About  the  time  of  hi-  marriage  Mr. 
Leinberger  removed  to  Monitor  Township  and 
purchased  of  his  father  eighty  acres,  which  he  has 
since  cleared.  Later  lie  purchased  twenty  aires, 
and  now  owns  one  hundred  acres,  seventy-live  of 
which  have  been  cleared.  His  family  comprises  liis 
wife  and  their  eight  children,  whose  names  are  as 
follows:  George,  horn  in  1S78,  Henry,  1880; 
Katie,  1881;  Christina,  1884;  Lizzie,  1**1!;  Fred. 
1888;  Conrad  and  Clara  (twins)  1891. 

The  religious  belief  of  .Mr.  Leinberger  has 
brought  him  into  affiliation  with  the  Lutheran 
Church,  to  which  all  the  members  of  his  family 
belong.  He  is  by  no  means  a  partisan,  but  firmly 
adheres  to  the  platform  of  the  Democratic  party 
party  and  casts  his  ballot  for  the  candidates  who 
will  uphold  its  principles.  In  connection  with 
mixed  farming  he  is  engaged  in  stock-raising,  and 
a  fair  measure  of  success  has  rewarded  his  efforts  in 
that  line.  He  has  a  substantial  frame  residence,  a 
good  barn  and  granary,  as  well  as  other  necessary 
buildings,  and  carries  on  agriculture  according  to 
the  besl   methods. 


£+£{ 


tS" 


ERRY  CRANE.  One  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  Grant  Township.  Saginaw  County,  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  appears  above.  lie 
was  born  October  15,  1837, in  Elgin  Comity, 
Ontario,  Canada,  and  is  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Sarah 
K.  (  Merrick )  Crane,  natives  of  Canada  and  New 
York  respectively.     His  paternal  grandsire,  Jacob 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


s.V.l 


Crane,  was  born  at  Elizabethtown,  N.  .1..  and  was 
of  English  origin,  his  father  having  come  from  the 
Mother  Country  and  served  in  the  War  lor  inde- 
pendence. For  generations  back  they  have  been 
a  family  of  farmers.  Prior  to  the  War  of  1812, 
Jacob  Crane  removed  to  Canada,  but  participated 
in  the  struggle. 

Our  subject's  father  was  one  of  a  family  compris- 
ing five  suns  and  live  daughters.  He  was  horn  at 
Ft.  Erie.  Canada,  July  13,  1806,  and  after  making 
a  success  in  the  farming  line,  lie  died  at  Stratbroy, 
Canada.  His  wife  still  survives.  She  is  the  mother 
of  six  sons  and  five  daughters,  and  lias  reared  all, 
with  the  exception  of  One  son.  The  children  have 
been  brought  up  in  the  faith  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Crane  was  horn  in  Montgomery 
County.  X.  Y.,  and  although  thoroughly  Ameri- 
can in  her  rearing  and  education,  she  is  of  English 
parentage. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  and 
in  boyhood  received  a  common-school  education. 
At  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  began  in  life  for 
himself,  and  in  December,  1857  came  to  Michigan, 
lie  was  first  employed  in  the  lumber  woods  here, 
and  continued  in  that  business  until  he  went  to 
the  war.  On  first  coming  here  he  bought  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Brant  Township, Saginaw  County. 
This  he  had  properly  cleared  before  enlisting, 
which  occurred  July  16,  1861,  becoming  a 
member  of  Company  F,  First  Michigan  [nfantry. 
He  participated  in  the  seven  days'  fighl  before 
Richmond,  and  on  the  second  day  was  wounded  in 
the  left  ankle,  and  was  taken  prisoner.  Alter  be- 
ing confined  thirty  days  in  Libby  Prison,  he  was 
released  on  parole  and  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Phil- 
adelphia, from  which  he  was  discharged  January 
13,  1863. 

On  finishing  his  war  record,  our  subject  returned 
to  his  old  home  in  Canada,  where  In-  was  married, 
in  July,  18(53.  October  of  the  same  year  lie  brought 

his  bride  to  Brant  Township,  and  settled  dow i 

the  place  where  he  now  resides,     lie  now  owns< 

hundred  acres  of  land  which  he  lias  cleared  and 
improved.  He  has  given  each  of  his  sons  seventj 
acres.  For  fifteen  years  he  followed  lumbering 
during  the  winter,  being  in  the  employ  of  E. 
.1.  Ring,  of  Saginaw.     lie  i-.  now  engaged  in  hand- 


ling lumber,  and  also  in  dealingin  agricultural  im- 
plements. He  has  served  as  Supervisor  for  one 
term,  and  also  as  Clerk  and  Township  Treasurer. 
Mr.  Crane's  wife  was  before  her  marriage  a  Miss 
Elizabeth  Caughell,  who  was  bom  in  Elgin  County, 
Ontario.  Her  parents  were  farmers.  She  has  borne 
our  subject  live  children,  whose  names  are  Will- 
iam. Sherman,  May,  wife  of  Titus  Doane;  Minnie, 
wife  of  Hugh  Kernohan;  and  Jessie.  Mrs.  Crane 
died  February   19,  1891. 


,  ENRY  L.  ROOT.  This  well-known  jeweler 
j)  of  Oakley.  Saginaw  County,  .Mich.,  is  a  na- 
tive son  of  the  Wolverine  State,  as  he  was 
{£)  born  at  Manchester.  Washtenaw  County, 
January  29,  1849.  George  and  Eleanor  (Baldwin) 
Root  were  his  parents  and  both  were  born  in  New 
York,  and  there  grew  to  maturity  and  came  to 
Michigan  previous  to  their  marriage. 

The  father  devoted  his  life  to  agriculture,  and 
the  son  was  brought  up  on  a  farm,  but  did  not 
have  the  usual  hard  work  and  active  life  of  a  pio- 
neer boy,  as  sickness  at  the  age  of  eight  years  left 
his  lower  limbs  paralyzed,  and  he  was  not  only  pre- 
vented from  being  active  and  useful  about  the 
farm,  but  was  also  deprived  of  the  privilege  of  at- 
tending the  public  school.  All  the  education 
which  he  ever  received  was  obtained  at  home,  and 
he  had  help  in  this  matter  from  an  elder  brother. 
He  remained  at  home  and  accompanied  bis  parents 
when  they  removed  to  Saginaw  County,  and  here 
started  his  present  business. 

Mr.  Root  has  ever  cspousi  d  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  in  1883  he  was  chosen  as 
Deputy  Clerk  of  the  township  of  Brady,  in  which 
office  he  acted  for  two  years,  until    1885,  when   he 

received  the  election  as  Clerk  of  the  same  town- 
ship. This  Office  he  has  held  continuously  since 
that  time,  and  was  also  Clerk  of  thevillage  for  two 
years  and  Treasurer  for  two  years.  As  a  Notary 
Public  he  has  considerable  business,  and  also  as  a 
Pen-ion  Agent,  and  he  draws  up  deeds,  wills,  mort- 
gages, etc. 

Our    subject     may    "ell    be   called    a    mechanical 


860 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


genius  and  acquired  the  jewelry  trade  almost  with- 
out help.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal  Church,  in  which  lie  has  been  placed  in  the 
responsible  position  of  Trustee.  The  father  died 
June  2,  1886,  and  this  sun  being  unmarried  makes 
his  home  with  the  mother,  lie  is  the  third  in  a 
family  of  four  children.  The  eldest  brother,  Ed- 
ward P.  Root,  attended  the  college  at  Adrian  and 
has  been  a  teacher  for  eighteen  years.  Fur  twelve 
years  he  lived  in  Brady  Township,  where  he  both 
taught  and  farmed  and  was  elected  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  afterward  removing  to  Livingston  County. 
He  had  been  out  of  health  I'm'  several  years,  and 
passed  away  from  this  life  December  10.  1891.  He 
left  a  widow  and  five  children  who  mourn  his  loss. 
The  second  brother.  Er  win,  enlisted  in  August,  186  I. 
in  Company  D,  Thirteenth  Veteran  Michigan  In- 
fantry, and  took  part  in  the  famous  march  from 
Atlanta  to  the  sea.  This  was  hi-  last  work,  as  he 
died  at  Savannah.  December  19,  1864. 

Our  subject's  younger  brother,  Francis  Root, 
died  at  Manchester,  this  stale.  February  24,  1*12. 
when  he  was  only  twenty  years  of  age.  This  fam- 
ily is  descended  from  good  old  Revolutionary 
stock,  as  the  -grandfather  was  a  soldier  at  that 
period.  Our  subject's  father  was  born  in  1814, 
and  came  to  Michigan  at  the  age  of  twenty,  in 
1834,  settling'  in  Washtenaw  County,  having  his 
marriage  in  1837.  He  did  much  pioneer  work 
clearing  his  land  and  living  there  until  1881.  He 
was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  a  man  of  influence  and  standing. 


j-J-J-M-i 


^♦•j— !•- :*  * 


*  AMES  MASSEY,  the  owner  and  occupant  of 
a  well-improved  farm  in  Maple  ( trove  Town- 
ship, Saginaw  County,  is  numbered  among 
\^J  the  intelligent,  industrious  and  prosperous 
agriculturists  of  this  productive  county.  His  home 
comprises  one  hundred  acres  on  section  11.  on 
which  he  has  erected  all  the  buildings  which  go  to 
make  up  a  first-class  estate. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  England,  having  been 
bom  in  Bedfordshire,  March  30,  1*12.  He  is  the 
son  of  John    and    Hannah    (Savory)    Massey,   who 


passed  their  entire  lives  in  England.  The  father 
was  a  butcher  by  trade  and  died  in  1851.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  survived  her  husband  many 
year-,  her  decease  occurring  in  1875.  The  paren- 
tal family  consisted  of  two  children,  of  whom  our 
subject  was  the  elder.  The  Other  child  died  in  in- 
famy . 

.Mr.  Massey  received  good  school  advantages  and 
after  leaving  his  studies,  clerked  for  a  time  in  a 
dry-goods  store.     In    1863  he  determined   to  see 

something  of  the  New  World,  and  came  to  the 
I'nited  States  and  within  thirty  days  after  landing 
here,  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  and  was  mustered 
into  service  with  Company  D.  First  New  York 
Lincoln  Cavalry,  remaining  with  his  company  un- 
til September,  1865.  lie  participated  in  many  of 
the  importanl  and  hard  fought  battles  of  the  war. 
among  which  were  Xew  Market.  Monocaly,  Win- 
chester, Fisher's  Hill.  Jus1  before  the  battle  of 
Cedar  <  reek  be  was  thrown  from  his  horse  and  in- 
jured, and  was  thus  prevented  from  taking  part  in 
that  battle.  He  was  in  numerous  skirmishes  and 
scouting  expedition-,  and  shared  all  the  hardships 
of  his  comrade-.  In  February,  1865,  on  account 
of  inflammatory  rheumatism,  he  was  placed  in  the 
ho-pital  and  remained  there  until  his  discharge. 

On  being  mustered  out  of  service,  our  subject 
came  to  Michigan  in  November,  1865,  where  he 
purchased  the  eighty  acre- of  excellent  land  in  Ma- 
ple Grove  Township,  on  which  he  is  at  present  re- 
siding. At  the  lime  of  his  locating  upon  his  tract 
it  was  in  a  perfectly  wild  state,  it  being  covered 
with  limber  and  there  wa-  not  a  road  within  one 
mile  of  his  purchase,  but  with  his  characteristic  en- 
ergy he  -et  about  clearing  and  improving  his  land. 
and  now  has  one  of  the  most  beautiful  tracts  m  the 
township,  and  has  risen  to  a  position  in  agri- 
cultural affairs  which  many  might  envy. 

Mr.  Massey  established  a  home  of  his  own  in 
1866,  at  which  date  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ma- 
tilda, daughter  of  Thomas  and  Ann  (Armstrong) 
Huff,  natives  of  Cheshire,  England.  Mrs.  Massey 
was  also  horn  in  England,  hut  doe-  not  remember 
her  native  land  as  -he  was  only  one  year  old  when 
brought  by  her  parent-  to  the  I'nited  States.  Upon 
making  permanent  settlement  in  the  United  states 
her  parent-  located  in    Flushing,  Genesee  County, 


PORTRAIT  AN')  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


801 


this  State,  where  her  mother's  decease  occurred  m 
July,  1SII7,  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  her  age.  Her 
father  was  born  March  13,  1802,  and  died  January 

21,  1«:»2,  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Mas- 
sey. 

The  original  of  this  sketch  Ikis  made  his  home  on 
his  farm  since  locating  here  with  the  exception  of 
thirteen  months  which  lie  spent  in  Flushing.  His 
landed  estatenow  comprises  one  hundred  and  forty 
acres  and  is  embellished  with  good  and  substantial 
farm  buildings.  Mr.  and  Mis.  Massey  have  been 
granted  six  children,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 
Those  living  are:  John  W..  who  married  Sarah 
Scholler;  Annie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Hiram  Hoskins; 
Adelbert  J.,  Frederick  C.  and  Arthur  M. 

Our  subject  lias  been  honored  by  his  fellow- 
townsmen  with  the  otlicesof  Township  Supervisor, 
Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Township  Clerk,  in  all 
of  which  public  capacities  he  has  advanced  the  in- 
terest of  his  fellow-men.  Socially  he  i*  a  member 
of  II.  P.  Mies  Post,  No.  172.  O.  A.  B.;  also  the 
Hugh  McCurdy  Lodge,  No.  :ix.  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 
Long  after  he  shall  have  passed  to  that  "bourne 
from  which  no  traveler  returns,"  his  manly  char- 
acter and  useful  life  will  exert  an  influence  over 
all  who  knew  him  or  learned  the  record  of  his  life. 


. 


^IlIl^'-lS'll 


eHARLES  F.  BRENNER,  who  is  the  City 
Recorder  of  Saginaw,  was  born  in  Prussia, 
Germany,  January  1,1838.  He  is  the  sec- 
ond son  of  Charles  T.  and  Dora  (Fischer)  Bren- 
ner. His  father  emigrated  with  the  family  to  the 
'United  States  in  the  winter  of  1848,  landing  at 
New  York  City  in  the  spring  of  1849,  where  they 
remained  a  little  over  a  year,  when  they  went  to 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  Three  months  later  tiny  came 
to  Saginaw,  Mich.,  but  did  not  stay  here  then  but 
went  back  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  in  a  short  time 
returned  to  Saginaw.  .Mich.,  where  the  family  Set- 
tled  permanently.  The  mother  had  died  in  the 
Old  Country,  but  the  father  is  still  living  and  is 
now  in  his  eightieth  year.  For  a  number  of  pears 
he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  salt  and 
shingles  in  Saginaw,  and  continued    in    that  busi- 


ness until  his  works  binned,  when  he  removed  to 
Grand  Rapids,  where  he  is  custodian  of  the  Citj 
Hall. 

( Mir  subject  was    twelve    years  Of    age  when  his 

father  re ved  to  Saginaw,  and   he  here  attended 

the  city  schools,  thus  supplementing  hi>  educa- 
tion received  in  the  Old  Country.  After  leaving 
school  in  August.  1857,  he  took  a  trip  across  the 
plains,  driving  a  team  of  six  yoke  of  cattle  at- 
tached to  a  Government  freighl  wagon,  traveling 
by  way  of  Ft.  Laramie,  and  being  snowed  in  near 
Ash  Hollow  for  fifty-six  days,  their  supplies  gave 
out,  ami  llic\  had  to  live  on  corn,  which  they 
made  into  hominy,  lint,  finally  worked  their  way 
out  and  reached  Ft.  Laramie  on  the  loth  of  Janu- 
ary, 1858. 

The  Government  Agent  wanted  the  men  to 
stay  at  the  fort  until  spring,  but  Brenner  was  one 
of  the  party  who  determined  to  return  to  Ft. 
Leavenworth,  the  point  from  which  they  had 
started.  Seven  of  them  started  on  foot  to  walk  a 
distance  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  but 
having  neglected  to  draw  sufficient  rations  and 
being  overtaken  by  a  storm,  one  of  the  men  per- 
ished on  the  way.  and  our  subject  had  both  his 
feet  frosted.  On  his  return  he  again  drove  twelve 
oxen  through  to  Ft.  Laramie,  and  in  1859  went 
where  Denver  now  is,  but.  again  returned  to  Ft. 
Laramie. 

In  1860  Geoige  Brenner  went  with  Gen.  Christ- 
man  to  Julesburg,  and  there  entered  the  employ 
of  the  Overland  Express  Company,  his  business 
being  to  supply  the  stations  along  the  route  with 
hay  and  feed,  ami  having  charge  of  five  wagons. 
In  the  fall  he  went  into  the  mountains  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  there  worked  for  the  Tennessee  Min- 
ing Company  for  two  years,  lie  then  went  to 
Virginia  City,  and  from  there  tn  British  Columbia, 
remaining  for  four  months.  Returning  to  Helena, 
Mont.,  he  worked  for  a  short  time  in  the  mines 
and  concluded  to  try  his  fortune  at  farming.  He 
started  a  ranch  at  Silver  Creek,  but  it  was  an  un- 
fortunate year  and  the  grasshoppers  cleaned  out 
the  crops.  Flour  was  then  *  1  a  pound  and  pota- 
toes sixty  cents  a  pound.  lb'  had  cut  his  hay, 
which  he  sold  for  $100  a  ton.  and  thi.-.  enabled 
him  to  get  out  of  the  country,  riding  through  on 


862 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


horseback  to  Nebraska  City,  and  from  there  com- 
ing on  tij  Saginaw. 

It  was  in  December,  I860,  that  Mr.  Brenner  re- 
turned to  Saginaw,  and  soon  after  he  was  ap- 
pointed Marshal  of  the  city.  The  following  year 
he  was  employed  in  the  shingle  mill  of  Burnham 
&  Still,  and  in  the  fall  was  appointed  Turnkey 
under  Sheriff  Henry  .Miller.  A  year  later  he  was 
appointed  Deputy  Sheriff,  and  in  1869  was  elected 
Constable,  holding  that  office  continuously  until 
1876. 

In  April.  1*76,  our  subject  was  elected  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  and  was  re-elected  to  the  same  office 
in  1878  and  1882.  In  the  spring  of  1890  lie 
was  elected  City  Recorder  for  a  term  of  four  years. 

It  was  in  186K  that  Mr.  Brenner  was  married  to 
Miss  Emiline  Cook,  of  Birch  Run,  Saginaw  County. 
This  lady  is  a  native  of  New  York  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Cook.  They  have  five  children  living 
— Fred  A.,  Dora  B.,  Edith  M.,  Henry  and  George 
J.  This  gentleman  is  a  member  of  the  Germania 
Lodge,  No.  79,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  also  belongs  to 
the  Knights  of  Honor  and  the  Maccabees.  In  pol- 
itics he  is  a  stanch  Democrat  and  a  hearty  worker 
for  the  success  of  his  party. 


(jp^AMUEL   HENRY.     When    this   gentleman 
'^^    came  to  Bay  City  in  1854,  the  entire  Sagi- 

lv^l#  naw  ^  ;l"l'.v  W:1S  a  wild  and  unbroken 
forest,  and  the  site  of  the  present  nourish- 
ing city  was  unimproved.  While  en  route  hither 
Mr.  Henry  borrowed  $10  from  a  cousin  and  as  he 
arrived  here  with  ninety-nine  cents  in  Ins  posses- 
sion he  is  accustomed  to  say  that  he  was  worth 
$9.01  less  than  nothing.  In  all  the  enterprises 
which  were  afterward  undertaken  for  the  devel- 
opment of  the  resources  of  the  Valley  he  bore  a 
prominent  part  and  became  widely  known  as  one 
of  the  most  influential  and  energetic  of  the  early 
settlers. 

Among  other  improvements  in  which  Mr.  Henry 
aided  was  the  laying  out  and  grading  of  South 
Center  Street  and  he  had  great  difficulty  in  getting 


that  thoroughfare  opened  on  account  of  the  oppo- 
sition of  some  of  his  neighbors.  On  section  :>, 
Portsmouth  Township,  Hay  County,  lie  purchased 
:i  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  ami  upon  it 
built  ;i  barn  ."iOx7."i  feet  in  dimensions,  which 
brought  upon  him  the  ridicule  of  less  enterprising 
people,  who  told  him  that  his  land  would  never 
produce  enough  to  lill  it.  However,  time  proved 
the  wisdom  of  his  course,  for  not  only  was  that 
barn  filled  with  bountiful  crops  hut  he  was  obliged 
l.i  ereel   three  or  four  barns  in  addition. 

The  attention  of  the  reader  is  invited  to  a  view 
of  the  tine  farm  belonging  fT>  Mr.  Henry  and  by 
him  brought  to  its  present  high  cultivation.  Its 
fertility  may  hi'  inferred  from  the  fact  that  his  hay 
crop  averages  from  two  and  one-half  to  three 
ton-  per  acre,  and  during  1890  he  raised  fourteen 
hundred  bushels  of  wheat,  one  thousand  bushels 
of  oats,  and  five  hundred  Inishels  of  corn.  His 
hams  and  sheds  are  in  the  form  of  a  rectangle, 
providing  a  comfortable  place  of  shelter  in  the 
center.  His  grain  barn  is  50x110  feet,  with 
posts  twenty-two  feet  in  height,  and  there  is  no 
ham  in  the  Saginaw  Valley  which  excels  it  in  con- 
venience and  soliditv. 

Mr.  Henry  was  horn  in  Tyrone  County,  Ireland. 
October  22,  1828,  and  there  passed  his  youth, 
learning  to  operate  a  grist  mill  and  working  at 
that  trade  for  three  years.  His  father,  .lames,  was 
a  farmer,  and  his  mother,  who  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Martha  Larimer,  was  of  Scotch  descent. 
her  ancestors  having  settled  in  the  North  of  Ire- 
land during  the  persecutions  in. Scotland.  His 
maternal  grandfather,  Robert  Larimer,  was  a  well- 
to-do  farmer,  who  raised  the  best  stock  in  the 
county  where  hi'    Lived.      On    both    sides,    our    suh- 

jcci  is  descended  from  active  and  devoted  Presby- 
terians. 

The  family  to  which  our  subject  belonged  com- 
prised eight  children. namely :  BarbaraJ.;  Robert; 
Sarah  A.,  who  is  Mrs.  Milieu;  Mathilda,  now  Mrs. 
Larimer;  William.  Wilason.  Nancy  and  Samuel. 
They  had  the  ordinary  school  advantages  granted 
to  children  in  the  North  of  Ireland  and  received 
excellent  training  at  home. 

In  1850  our  subjed  lefl  home,  and  sailing  from 
Liverpool  came  to  this  country,   where  he  engaged 


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T  >RTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


865 


in  work  in  a  sawmill  in  Alleghany  County,  X.  Y., 
receiving  -s!>  a  month,  with  the  privilege  of  learn- 
ing the  business  of  an  engineer,  which  he  soon  ac- 
quired. During  the  second  year,  his  monthly  sti 
pend  was  increased  to  $30;  Inter,  he  went  to  Mc- 
fvean  County,  Pa.,  where  he  received  *40  :i  month. 
He  put  up  an  engine  and  built  a  mill  for  Judge 
Hull,  of  Angelica,  N.  Y..  and  there  remained  until 
1854,  when  he  came  to  Bay  City.  Upon  first 
coming  West  he  visited  various  points,  such  as  St. 
Paul  and  Chicago,  and  then  settled  in  Bay  City, 
where  he  found  employment  a>  an  engineer  in  a 
mill.  He  was  thus  engaged  for  thirteen  year.-,  and 
then  began  farming  operations. 

Mr.  Henry  began  buying  land  in  1858,  when  he 
was  able  to  secure  eighty  acres,  on  a  payment  of 
$5.50  per  acre.  He  added  to  his  estate  from  time 
to  time,  and  kept  men  cutting  down  trees,  and  dis- 
posing of  the  lumber,  until  he  had  converted  his 
property  into  the  finest  farm  in  the  whole  comity. 
receiving  for  it  the  first  prize  of  the  County  Fair. 
Here  lie  raises  Percherons, Norman  and  Clydesdale 
horses,  some  of  which  have  made  records  for  speed. 
He  owns  valuable  real-estate  in  the  city,  anil  re- 
sides at  the  corner  of  Thirty-fifth  and  Taylor 
Street-. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject,  at  Bay  City,  in 
1858,  brought  to  his  home  Miss  Jane  Spencer,  a 
native  of  New  York.  They  have  five  children. 
namely:  Martha  . I.,  now  Mrs.  1'otter;  Charlotte, 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Lehman,  of  St.  Louis;  .lames  L., 
Eliza,  and  Fred  Centennial.  For  twelve  years  Mr. 
Henry  acted  as  Justice  of   the  Peace,  and  was  then 

re-elected  to  the  office,  but  failed  to  qualify.  He 
believe.-  that  every  man  should  do  right,  and  it 
will  be  all  right  with  him. and  allows  to  other.-  the 
freedom  of  opinion  which  lie  claims  for  himself. 
His  political  convictions  bring  him  into  line  "with 
the  Democratic  party  and  he  is  on  the  City  Com- 
mittee, and  is  frequently  a  delegate  to  <■ ty  and 

State  convention-. 

When  the  writer  of  this  -ketch  visited  Mr. 
Henry,  he  took  him  in  his  buggj  out  to  the  farm 
and  showed  him  all  the  beauties  of   both    city    and 

country,  giving  him  a  clear  idea  of   the  w lerful 

changes  which  have  taken  place  here  since  the 
pioneer  days.      A  lane  extends   through    a    portion 


of  his  farm,  dividing  it  into  sections  of  forty  acres 
each,  and  the  whole  property  is  well  fenced  and 
in  a  most  excellent  condition. 

The  whole  Saginaw  Valley  has  nothing  in  a  farm 
or  farm  buildings  to  excel  this  estate  of  Mr. 
Henry's,  lie  is  a  practical  agriculturist,  full  of 
resources,  and  knows  just  what  to  do  in  every 
emergency.  He  worked  for  thirteen  years  without 
Losing  a  day  by  sickness  or  otherwise,  and  pos- 
sesses a  stalwart  frame  and  a  magnificent  constitu- 
tion. 


^  «    -,   il  1    <   ,<  111    ■!' 

J  OX.  DAN  1\  FOOTE,of  Saginaw,  is  a  native 
of  Xew  York  and  was  born  in  Deerfield, 
Oneida  County.  Augusl  18,  1831.  He 
traces  his  ancestry  to  Wales,  whence  his 
grandfather,  Eli  Foote,  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  about  1K12.  and  settled  with  his  family  in 
Oneida  County.  Dan  P.  Foote  is  the  oldest  in  a 
family  of  seven  children  born  to  Henry  and  Har- 
riet Foote,  all  but  one  of  whom  are  now  li  vine-.  Hi- 
brother,  Capt.  George  F.  Foote.  who  is  an  officer 
in  the  Eighth  United  States  Cavalry,  is  now  in 
Florida  on  an  indefinite  leave  of  absence  and  is 
engaged  in  cultivating  an  orange  grove. 

Probably  few  who  have  known  Mr.  Foote  in  late 
years  a-  a  hard  working  lawyer  would  suspect  that 
he  once  led  a  life  of  wild  adventure;  and  doubt  less 
few  who  knew  him  then  would  have  dreamed  of 
finding  him  in  middle  life  an  honored  member  of 
the  liar.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  lie  enlisted  in  the 
regular  army  of  the  United  States  to  serve  during 
the  war  with  .Mexico.  The  capture  of  Cllepull  cpec. 
September  13,  1847,  practically  ended  the  war  and 
the  unauthorized  treaty  of  Gaudalupe  Hidalgo, 
signed    by    Mr.    Trist   on   the  part  of    the  United 

State-.  February  2.    1848,    having    been    latiliedby 

our  senate  and  the  Mexican  Congress  in  May  of 
that  year,  finally  ter  ninated  hostilities.  Those 
who  had  enlisted  for  the  war  were  discharged  du- 
ring the  summer  and  among  ol hers  our  subject  was 

honorably  discharged  at    Gover ■'>  Island,  June 

27,  1848. 

During  the    same    year    Mr.   Foote  -ailed    ti 


86C 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


New  Bedford  aboard  the  bark  "Persia"  on  a  whal- 
ing voyge  around  Cape  Horn  and  while  on  the 
cruise  visited  the  Azores,  Hie  Madeira  Islands, 
and  Cape  Verdelslauds  in  the  Atlantic,  besides  nu- 
merous islands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  lie  was  fre- 
quently brought  into  close  quarters,  and  at  one 
time  a  wounded  whale  seized  the  boat,  crushing  it 
to  splinters.  The  crew  <>nl\  saved  their  lives  by 
jumping  into  the  water  where  they  were  picked  up 
by  men  in  the  other  boats. 

In  1849,  in  company  with  the  ship's  carpenter, 
Mr.  Footeleft  the  vessel  at  Callao  and  remained  in 
Peru  about  one  year.  When  he  left  the  ship  he 
had  only  the  clothing  he  wore  and  a  few  American 
half-dollars,  but  with  his  companion,  he  soon 
found  employment  in  building  a  mill,  and  in  1850 
joined  an  expedition  to  the  silver  mines  at  Cerro- 
pasco,  acting  as  part  of  the  guard  who  were  conduct- 
ing the  silver  output  of  the  year  to  the  seaport. 
Li  vine-  wholly  among  the  natives  he  soon  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  the  Spanish  language,  which  he  reads 
readily  ami  from  which  he  has  made  many  inter- 
esting translations  for  publication,  lie  shipped  on 
the  "Windsor  Castle"  for  the  Chincha  Islands, 
where  a  load  of  guano  was  secured. 

Returning  to  Callao,  .Mr.  Foote  took  passage  on 
the  "John  G.  Caster"  for  New  York,  and  upon  his 
arrival  in  this  country  shipped  in  I860  in  the 
United  State-  navy  and  became  Schoolmaster  of  the 
receiving  ship,  "North  Carolina",  lying  in  Brook- 
lyn navyyard.  His  teaching  there  was  confined  to 
lioys  between  the  ages  often  ami  eighteen  who 
were  to  make  the  future  seamen  of  the  navy.  He 
was  finally  assigned  to  tie'  sloop-of-war  "James- 
town" and  visited  the  coast  of  Africa,  as  well  as 
mosl  of  the  Atlantic  potts  of  South  America.  He 
was  left  at  Montevideo  on  account  of  ill-health, 
and  being  invalided  returned  to  New  York  on  the 
store  ship  ••Relief."  During  the  three  following 
years  he  visited  China  and  California,  a  part  of  the 
time  before  the  mast  and  later  as  an  officer. 

Mr.  Foote  suffered  shipwreck  once  on  the  (ape 
Verde  Islands  with  a  Philadelphia  brig.  In  1853 
he  was  on  the  brig  "Halcyon."  which  carried  pow- 
der from  New  York  to  supply  the  second  Lopez 
expedition  for  the  liberation  of  Cuba.  The  cargo 
was  discharged  at  San  Juan  de  los  Remedios,  on  the 


western  coast  of  Cuba,  before  the  eyes  of  the  cus- 
tom officers    themselves. 

In  1*.">2  Mr.  Foote  sailed  for  San  Francisco  and 
there  ie.iving  the  vessel,  engaged  in  various  occu- 
pations such  assailing  a  schooner  on  the  bay,  min- 
ing, driving  Stage,  clerking  in  warehouses  etc. 
There  he  became  acquainted  with  the  great  lilli- 
buster,  William  Walker,  and  his  second  in  command. 
Col.  Watkins,  who  were  then  about  to  set  out  upon 
the  unsuccessful  Senora  expedition.  Later  he 
shipped  on  the  ••  Sweepstakes"  for  China  and  at 
Wampoa  loaded  with  tea  and  returned  to  New 
York.  'I'll us  was  ended  his  eventful  ocean  exper- 
ience. 

Mr.  foote  came  to  Michigan  in  1854,  taking  up 
Government  land  in  Tittabawassee  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  and  cleared  up  a  farm.  He  also 
engaged  in  leaching  school  and  read  law  with  the 
lion.  Jahez  G.  Sutherland.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1863,  but  did  not  commence  to  practice 
in  Saginaw  until  1866.  lie  ha^  been  very  success- 
ful as  a  lawyer  and  has  gained  a  well-earned  rep- 
utation a.nd  not  a  little  pecuniary  reward.  In 
politics   he   is  an   active   Democrat  and   has   held 

the  officeSOf  Justiceof  the  Peace,  School  Inspector, 
Supervisor,  Prosecuting  Attorney.  State  Senator 
and  City  Attorney  of  Saginaw. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Foote  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Graham  took  place  in  October,  1854,  at  Fox  Lake, 
Wis.,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  three  children : 
Geoi'ge  G.,  who  is  a  stockman  in  Colorado;  Charles 
Edwin,  who  is  a  manufacturer  of  perfumery  at 
Jackson;  and  Langiev  Sutherland,  who  is  manager 
of  the  Saginaw  Buildingand  Loan  Association.  In 
physical  appearance  Mr.  foote  is  of  medium  height 
with  a  stalwart  frame,  manly  air  and  intellectual 
countenance;  and  at  the  time  of  his  admission  to 
the  bar  was  said  to  be  the  linest  looking  lawyer  in 
Saginaw.  His  strongly  marked  individuality, 
shrewd  judgment  and  thorough  knowledge  of  men 

account  for  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  his 
friends.  Socially  he  is  one  of  the  most  agreeable 
of  companions  and  his  ready  wit  brings  him  in 
demand  to  respond  to  toasts  at  social  banquets  as 
well  as  to  speak  at   celebrations. 

Mr.  Foote  has  done  more  or  less  editorial  work, 
•■'nd  is  a  strong  writer  upon  political  themes  and  a 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL   UKColM). 


867 


forcible  stamp  speaker.  He  is  an  ardenl  advocate 
of  the  old  Democratic  doctrines,  a  strong  helper  in 
campaign  work,  and  asa  practitioner  at  the  bar  his 
positions  have  usually  been  sustained  by  the  Su- 
preme Court.  While  he  has  nol  been  engaged  in 
any  cases  of  great  public  interest  he  has  participated 
in  settling  the  law  upon  many  important  points. 
In  "Silsbee  vs  Stockle.  I  I  Mich."  the  Court  had 
denounced  the  twenty- five  per  rent  interest  upon 
delinquent  taxes  as  a  penalty  and  used  language 
strongly  suggest  ing  that,  should  a  case  come  before 
the  court  presenting  the  question,  the  court  would 
hold  this  interest  a  penalty  and  a  sale  made  for  the 
tax  including  it    void. 

In  "Drennen  vs  Herzgog,  56  Mich."  the  point, 
was  squarely  presented.  Drennen.  the  owner  of  the 
original  title  brought  ejectment  against  Herzgog, 
who  was  in  possession  under  a  tax  title  for  1*72. 
All  the  taxes  were  paid   that  year  by  some  one, 

except    the  Slate    tax.    and    the    land    was   sold    for 

that  alone  amounting,  including  State  tax,  charges 
and  interest,  to  $1.94.  The  plaintiff  contended 
that  the  high  rate  of  in  teres  i  amounted  to  a  penalty 
and  made  the  sale  void,  and  rested  his  ease  with 
confidence  on  the  authority  of  Silsbee  vs  Stockle. 
Mr.  Foote  pointed  out  tirst.  that  the  question 
was  not  presented  by  the  record  in  the  Silsbee  ease; 
that  the  remarks  of  the  Court  in  that  case  were  not 
to  be  taken  as  a  statement  of  the  law;  second  that 
the  legislature  had  power  to  tix  the  interest  to  lie 
paid  upon  delinquent  taxes,  and  therefore,  to  fix 
it  at  any  rate  that  the  legislature  deemed  proper. 
and  that  the  court  had  no  power  to  set  aside  the  law 
because  tin'  judges  though  the  rate  unreasonable. 
This  contention  was  fulh  sustained  and  Herzgog 
held  the  land. 

'•Jerome  VS.  (  h'liiian  et  al..  66  .Mich,"  presented  an 

important  question.  Ortman  and  Rothschild  sold 
Jerome  land  on  a  contract,  for  which  Jerome  paid 
$10,000.  The  contract  was  in  the  usual  language 
of  a  contract  under  seal  lint  in  fact  bore  no  seal, 
scroll  or  device  in  place  of  a  seal.  A  deed  was 
not  demanded  by  Jerome  until  more  thansix years 

after  lie  was  entitled  to  it  by  the  terms  of  t  he  con- 
tract,     lie    then    found    that    his    vendors     had    no 

title,  and  broughl  an  action  of  covenant  declaring 
upon  the  contract  as  a  scaled  instrument. 


The  defendants  plead  the  statute  of  limitation, 
averring  that  the  contract  was  nol  under  seal,  and 
that  more  than  six  years  had  elapsed  since  Jerome 's 
right  of  action  accrued,  and  that  therefore  no  ac- 
tion could  lie  maintained  upon  it.  Many  lawyers 
held  the  defendants  right  in  their  position;  bul  \l  i . 

Foote  contended  that  the  question  whether  it  was 
a  sealed  Or  unsealed  contract  did  not  depend  upon 
the  presence  of  an  actual  seal  upon  it,  hut  upon 
what  the  parties  actually  intended  it  In  he.  and 
that  that,  intention  was  to  he  ascertained  from  the 
contract  itself  and  the  subject  matter.  .Indue 
( 'ampbcll  closed  t  he  opinion  of  the  court  in  the  ease 
with  the  statement  that,  "the  parlies  intended 
this  instrument  to  'h-  a  deed  and  it  is  a  deed," 
and  Jerome  recovered  his  payments  with  interest 
and  collected  his  judgment  also. 

"McGregor  vs  Supervisors  of  Gladwin  County, 
:S7  Mich."  related  to  the  question  of  the  power  of 
the  board  to  remove  the  County  Treasurer.  Mc- 
Gregor, as  Treasurer,  had  given  the  bond  required 
by  the  hoard  hut  subsequently  the  board  required 
an  additional  bond  which  McGregor  failed  to  give. 
The  statute  authorized  the  board  to  require  an  ad- 
itional  bond  and  to  remove  the  Treasurer  if  he 
failed  to  comply  with  such  requirement.  McGregor 
having  failed  to  give  the  new  bond,  the  hoard  de- 
clared the  office  of  treasurer  vacant  and  appointed 
another  to  till  it. 

Having  first  secured  a  certified  copy  of  the  Su- 
pervisor's record,  Mr.  Foote  broughl  the  case  be- 
fore the  Supreme  Court,  contending  that  the  record 
failed  to  show  a  vacancy;  thai  a  cause  for  removal 
did  not  create  a  vacancy  without  action  on  the 
part  of  the  board  having  the  power  of  removal; 
(hat  it  did  not  show  any  finding  or  determination 
that  the  original  bond  was  insufficient;  it  did  not 
show  any  legal  notice  to  McGregor  that  he  was 
required  to  give  an  additional  bond;  and  il  did 
not  show  that  he  had  notice  of  the  pretended  pro- 
ceedings Of  his  removal,  and  contended  that  he 
could  not  he  removed  without  notice  and  an  op- 
portunity to  make  defense;  and  that  these  condi- 
tions must  appear  in  the  record  and  could  not  lie 
established  by  any  other  proof,  and  the  court  so 
held  and  (plashed  Hie  proceedings. 

•'William-   vs  City  of  Saginaw,  ."il    Mich.    120" 


868 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


was  an  action  broughl  again s1  the  city  to  recover 
the  amount  of  a  tax  upon  persona]  property  paid 
under  protest,  and  claimed  to  be  void  because  of  j 
an  over  valuation  of  the  property.  Mr.  Foote,  as 
attorney  for  the  city,  contended  that  the  plaintiff 
had  personal  property  within  the  jurisdiction  sub- 
ject to  assessment;  that  the  law  committed  the  val- 
uation of  it  for  the  purpose  of  taxation,  to  the  as- 
sessing officer  of  the  city,  subject  to  the  approval 
of  the  Board  of  Review;  that  their  action  on  it  was 
final  and  conclusive  in  the  absence  of  fraud:  that 
to  hold  otherwise  would  be  to  make  every  assess- 
ment the  subject  of  review  in  the  courts,  and  the 
judges  of  the  courts  the  final  assessing  officers. 
The  Supreme  Court  so  held. 

"Burl  vs  McBain,  29  Mich.  260"  settled  some 
important  point-.  Mr.  Foote  in  behalf  of  McBain, 
contended  that  the  settlement  of  an  action  by  the 
guardian  ad  litem,  and  it-  discontinuance  did  not 
liar  the  infant  plaintiff  bringing  another  action  for 
the  same  cause;  that  the  guardian  ad  litem  was 
appointed  only  to  conduct  the  litigation  in  court, 
and  could  not  compromise  awaj  the  rights  of  the 
infant  party. 

"Fletcher  vs  Lee  el  al.  71  Mich.  t93"settleda 
new  question  in  this  Slate.  Fletcher  brought  at- 
tachment against  Freese  and  the  sheriff,  executing 
the  writ  seized  a  pair  of  horses.  Freese  <  laimed 
the  property  exempt  ami  brought  replevin  against 
the  sheriff.  The  writ  was  executed  by  Dr.  X.  1). 
Lee,  as  Coroner.  The  usual  bond  was  given  to 
which  the  defendant  excepted.  The  bondman  did 
not  justify  and  Freese  gave  no  new  bond  and 
judgment  passed  against  him  upon  default.  The 
bond  taken  by  Lee  proved  to  be  worthless  and  the 
plaintiff  in  the  attachment  brought  an  action 
against  Lee  and  his  bondsman  for  the  damages  re- 
sulting from  his  negligence  in  taking  a  worthies- 
bond. 

Mr.  Foote  contended  for  Dr.  Lee  that  the  prop- 
erty was  exempt  from  seizure  on  attachment,  and 
therefore  wrongfully  in  possession  of  the  sher- 
iff, who  acquired  no  interest  in.  or  lien  by  his  seiz- 
ure; that  Freese  had  a  righl  to  retake  his  property; 
and  that  Lee  was  not  a  wrong  doer  in  aiding  him, 
that  the  seizure  being  illegal  no  bond  could  be  re- 
quired of  Freese,  and  therefore   it    was  of  no  legal 


consequence  'hat  the  coroner  took  a  worthless 
bond;  and  that  Lee  had  a  right  to  show  in  his  de- 
fense that  the  property  was  exempt  and  to  have 
the  benefit  of  that  fact.  The  court  fully  sustained 
this  contention.  Whether  the  horses  were  exempt 
from  seizure  for  debt  presented  another  legal  ques- 
tion. The  case  showed  that  Freese  was  raised  a 
farmer,  but  some  three  or  four  years  before  the 
attachment  suit  had  engaged  in  a  small  hardware 
business;  that  about  two  months  before  that  suit 
was  commenced  he  sold  out  his  stock  in  trade  and 
took  the  team  in  question  in  part  payment. 

Freese  testified  thai  he  intended  to  resume  farm- 
ing and  had  been  looking  for  a  farm  to  liny  or 
rent:  that  about  the  time  the  horses  were  seized  he 
had  bargained  for  a  farm  in  Ohio,  and  intended  to 
remove  his  family  there  and  engage  m  farming. 
Mr.  Foote  argued  that  under  the  law-  the  team  was 
exempt  and  the  court  so  held.  The  foregoing  is 
but  the  briefest  reference  to  the  legal  labor- of 
Mr.  Foote  but  indicate-  the  varied  character  there- 
of. ILs  cases,  both  at  the  Circuit  and  in  the  Su- 
preme Court  have  always  been  thoroughly  prepared 
and  while  he  ha-  met  with  his  full  share  of  failures 
he  has  never  been  taken  by  surprise. 


~^m 


11AKLFS  IJIMMFI.F.  who  is  proprietor  of 
a  large  grocery  store  in  Saginaw,  has  been 
a  resident  of  thai  city  for  over  twenty-five 

years.      Ill-    parent-,    [gnatz    and  Cp'-eiitia   (I.aur) 

Rimmele,  were  natives  of  Germany  and  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  in  1851,  locating  in  Milwau- 
kee, Wis.,  where  they  resided  until  1865,  when  they 
removed  to  Saginaw.  When  the  Civil  War  broke 
out.  Mr.  Rimmele,  Sr.,  opened  a  recruiting  office 
and  having  secured  the  necessary  number, 
was.  on  the  organization  of  Company  F.  Forty- 
fifth  Wisconsin.  made  First  Lieutenant  and 
afterward  promoted  to  be  Captain  of  the  same. 
being  stationed  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  After 
his  discharge  he  settled  in  Saginaw,  in  1865.  Here 
he  died  in  1885,  the  mother  having  departed  this 
life  in  1881.  Of  their  eleven  children  only  four 
are  living,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the  third  son. 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


869 


Charles  Rimmele  was  born  in  Milwaukee,  Wis., 
February  28,  1856,  and  was  eleven  years  old  when 
he  accompanied  his  parents,  to  Saginaw,  where  he 
attended  school  until  fifteen  years  of  age.  At  thai 
time  he  began  Ins  mercantile  experience,  being  em- 
ployed in  the  store  of  William  Moye,  with  whom 
he  remained  for  fifteen  years.  He  then  purchased 
the  stock  of  his  employer  and  began  business  for 
himself  at  the  same  stand.  No.  122  N.  Hamilton 
Street.  Here  lie  has  a  large  ami  complete  assort- 
ment i if  general  groceries,  in  connection  with  which 
he  also  handles  flour  ami  feed  ami  is  doing  a  good 
business. 

Mr.  Rimmele  was  married  in  L890  to  Mrs.  Maggie 
Archer,  daughter  of  Isidor  Sonner,  of  Saginaw,  in 
which  place  she  was  born.  Mr.  Rimmele  belongs 
to  a  number  of  social  orders,  being  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Royal  Area  mini  ami  Knights 
of  Honor  ami  also  of  the  Arbeiter  and  Teuton  in 
Societies. 


^S|E 


EiN^* 


EV.  WILLIAM  II.  MILLAR,  of  Chesaning, 
was  horn  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  March 
27.  1833.  He  is  a  son  of  John  and  Euphe- 
mia  (Clark)  Millar,  his  father  being  a 
brewer  by  trade.  He  died  when  our  subject  was 
about  two  ami  a  half  years  old.  Up  to  twelve  and 
a  half  years  of  age  our  subject  had  enjoyed  very 
good  educational  advantages,  and  then  he  shipped 
as  a  sailor,  that  being  the  occupation  of  many  of 
his  relatives.  He  followed  the  sea  for  aboul  three 
years,  crossing  the  Atlantic,  to  and  from  America 
and  alone'  the  British  coast. 

The  Lev.  Mr.  Millar  came  to  America  in  1846, 
and  located  in  Ashland  County.  Ohio,  where  he 
worked  on  a  farm  and  in  a  blacksmith  shop  and  at- 
tended school.  lie  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade 
pretty  thoroughly,  and  at  the  same  time  learned  a 
good  many  other  things,  for  the  man  under  whom 
he  worked.  Adam  [nnis,  had  been  educated  for  the 
ministry.  He  was  a  scholarly  man,  but  was  pecu- 
liar in  his  belief,  his  influence  over  our  subject, 
however,  being  for  good.  After  leaving  him  young 

Millar  attended  SchOOi  for  two  years.     He  was  con- 


verted and  joined  the  United  Brethren  Church,  in 
which  he  became  a  minister  about  a  year  afterward, 
lie  took  a  four  years' course  of  study,  preparing  for 
his  ministerial  work,  carrying  his  work  on  in  part 
with  a  ministei  and  in  part  at  Westerville,  Ohio. 
lie  was  connected  with  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
but    frequently    preached    iii    the   Congregational 

Church. 

Our  subject  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  Company  C, 
One  Hundred  and  Thirty-third  <  >hio  Infantry. and 
in  the  organization  of  the  regiment  he  was  made 
Hospital  Steward,  and  was  given  charge  of  a  Meld 
hospital.  He  at  the  same  time  did  much  Chaplain 
work.  Prior  to  going  into  the  war.  March  8,  1  *.">*. 
Our  subject  was  married  to  M  iss  l'ermelia  Kennedy, 
of  Bazetta,  Trumbull  County,  Ohio.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Phebe  (Casterline)  Ken- 
nedy. After  his  return  from  the  army  he  resumed 
his  ministry,  continuing  m  the  United  Brethren 
Church  until  he  removed  to  Michigan,  in  1883. 
He  came  to  OtsegO  County  ami  purchased  land 
which  he  farmed,  at  the  same  time  preaching  in  a 
Congregational  Church.  He  came  to  Chesaning 
from  Gaylord  in  1**7.  lie  has  ever  been  an  ad- 
vocate of  freedom  to  all  human  beings. 

Mr.  Millar  has  five  children — Addison  1'..  Clar- 
ence T..  A.  Belle,  Phelps  and  Grace.  Theeldesl  is 
a  portrait  and  landscape  painter  in  New  York. 
Clarence  is  a  printer  by  trade,  residing  in  Chesan- 
ing. Belle  is  a  music  teacher.  Mr.  Millar  is  some- 
thing of  a  political  speaker,  and  is  opposed  to  all 
forms  of  oppression  in  whatever  shape  it  may  ap- 
pear. He  is  a  member  of  and  a  speaker  for  the 
Knights  of  Labor  and  also  for  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic. 


LEXANDER    VI  LI. A  ILK.  the  genial  and 

popular  proprietor  of  t  hi'  Line  River  House. 

I  i    at  West  Bay  City, also  owns  tine,'  storerooms 

adjoining  his  hotel  on  Washington  Street. 

lie  is  an  old  settlei  and  one  of  the  oldest  hotel  men 
in  the  city,  and  can  relate  many  an  interesting  talc- 
ed' pioneer  experience.  Our  subject  was  born  in 
Like  Creek,  near  Windsor.  Canada.  June  22.  1848. 


870 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


His  father  was  Alex  Villaire,  also  a  native  of  Pike 
(  reek,  as  was  also  .John  Villaire,  the  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  who  was  a  fanner  by  calling  and  an 
old  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  UN  lather  came 
from  France. 

Alex  Villaire  was  a  Lumberman  in  Pike  Creek, 
Canada,  and  was  the  first  man  to  cut  a  tree  in  that 
region.  He  carried  on  an  extensive  business,  and 
remained  there  until  his  removal  to  the  States  in 
1865,  when  he  located  in  Detroit  and  engaged  as 
■'mine  host;"  he  died  in  the  City  of  the  Straits  in 
1873.  Our  subject's  mother  was  in  her  maiden- 
hood Miss  Christine  Peter,  and  her  birth  place,  Pike 
Creek.  Canada.  She  was  the  daughter  of  John 
Peter,  also  a  native  of  the  Dominion.  Mrs.  Chris- 
tine Villaire  is  still  living,  making  her  home  in 
Banks. 

Our  subject  was  the  oldest  but  one  in  a  family 
of  two  sons  and  six  daughters  horn  to  his  parents, 
lie  was  reared  in  Pike  Creek,  where  lie  attended 
the  common  schools,  and  when  seventeen  years  of 
age  came  to  Detroit,  [n  the  spring  of  1864  he  came 
lo  Bay  City  and  was  engaged  in  the  wood-  lor  the 
Keystone  Company  for  seven  years,  driving  teams. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  married  May  22. 
1872,  in  Detroit,  to  Miss  Argett  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Josephine  Pilon,  natives  of  Canada. 
The  mother  make-  her  home  with  Mrs.  Villaire. 
After  his  marriage,  our  subject  purchased  tin1  Pine 
River  House,  located  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and 
Saginaw  Streets,  and  ran  it  for  two  years  with  more 
than  ordinary  success.  In  1871  he  came  to  Wesl 
Bay  City,  erected  his  presenl  commodious  hotel. 
and  m  July  29  of  that  year  moved  into  it.  It  is  a 
two-story  structure,  28x60  feet  in  dimensions, con 
taining  twenty-seven  room.-.  Mr.  Villaire  is  one 
of  the  oldest  hotel  men  in  Wot  Bay  City,  and  the 
thriftiness  which  he  has  demonstrated  mighl  well 
he  imitated  by  many  less  prosperous.  He  com- 
menced at  tin-  very  bottom  of  the  ladder,  and  by 
his  industry  has  accumulated  a  comfortable  com- 
petency which  will  enable  him  topass  his  declining 
years  in  peace  and  quiet. 

The  seven  children  which  have  come  to  our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  are  named  respectively,  Thomas 
Alex.  William.  Frankie.  Henry.  Bennie,  Dave, 
Ernest.     The  family  are  n  embers  of  the  St.  Mary's 


Catholic  Church  and  the  St.  John 's  Society.  In 
politic-  Mr.  Villaire  i-  a  believer  in  Democratic 
principles,  and  has  represented  his  party  as  a  dele- 
gate to  State  and  county  conventions.  He  has  also 
served  on  the  petit  and  grand  juries,  and  indeed 
has  been  active  in  all  good  works  which  would 
tend  to  elevate  society  and  benefit  the  community. 


'  OHN  I).  BARRY,  who  is  the  highly  honored 
Police  .Indue  of  Saginaw.  i>  a  native  of  the 
Wolverine  State,  a-  he  was  born  in  Lansing. 
{i^J  October  It.  1862.  IIi>  father.  Philip  1  >. 
Barry,  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  emigrated  to  the 
United  Slates  as  the  age  of  twenty-five.  The 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Bridget  Corcoran. 
i-  also  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United 
Males  before  her  marriage,  which  took  place  in 
Jackson,  Mich.  They  are  farmers  by  occupation, 
and  now  reside  in  Ingham  County,  this  State. 

Our  subject  attended  the  district  school  in  his 
native  county  and  worked  upon  a  farm  until  1871',. 
after  which  he  entered  the  Normal  School  at  Val- 
paraiso. Ind..  and  after  graduating  therefrom  in 
1882,  he  taught  for  a  year.  His  law  studies  were 
begun  with  Messrs.  Cahill  A-  Ostrander, al  Lansing, 
and  in  1885  he  entered  the  University  of  Michi- 
gan, taking  a  literary  course,  which  he  completed 
in  1886,  and  finishing  his  law  course  the  following 
year. 

Having  been  admitted  to  the  bar,  Mi-.  Barry  came 
at  once  to  Saginaw,  and  entered  the  office  of  the 
law  firm  of  Tarsney  A-  Weadock.  After  one  year's 
experience  he  opened  a  law  office  alone  in  the  Hoyt 
Block,  and  continued  his  practice  until  March. 
1890,  when  he  was  elected  Police  Judge.  He  as- 
sumed the  duties  of  his  office  March  2(>,  1891,  for 
a  term  of  three  years.  The  cases  on  hi-  docket 
average  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  a  month  in 
number. 

Judge  Barry  was  married  in  February.  1891,  to 
Mi>s  Jennie  daughter  of  Joseph  Mck'clvey.  of 
Wallaceburg, Ontario,  Canada.  This  gentleman  i- a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and  in 
his  political  connection    he  is  a  Democrat,  and  was 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


871 


elected  to  his  position  upon  thai  ticket.  The  sal- 
ary which  this  office  affords  is  the  not  excessive  one 
of  $1,500  per  year  with  an  allowance  of  $600  per 
year  for  clerk  hire. 

We  have  in  Judge  Barry  another  instance  of  the 
vigor  and  ability  of  those  men  who.  being  of  Eu- 
ropean parentage  have  united  the  solid  finalities  of 
the  world  with  the  push  and  determination  of  the 
new.  and  have  helped  in  establishing  the  reputa- 
tion of  the  Michigan-born  men  as  thoroughly  pro- 
gressive, and  able  in  the  discharge  of  any  and  all 
lino  of  business  and  public  service. 


eHARLES  II.  POMEROY.  The  Pomeroy 
Cracker  Company,  of  which  this  gentleman 
is  a  member,  was  established  in  March. 
1887,  in  Saginaw,  and  manufactures  all  kinds  of 
crackers  and  tine  biscuits.  Mr.  Pomeroy  is  a 
native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Parkman,  Geauga  County. 
September  13,  1844.  His  parents.  William  and 
Charlotte  Pomeroy.  were  natives  of  New  England, 
the  father  being  born  in  Brandon,  Rutland  County, 
Vt.,  and  the  mother  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  and 
were  early  settlers  of  Ohio.  In  1846  the  family 
removed  to  Lower  Saginaw,  now  Hay  City,  the 
father  dying  in  Ann  Arbor  in  1869.  The  mother 
is  still   living  and  resides  at  .loliet.  III. 

William  Pomeroy,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
of  French  extraction.  After  coming  hen',  he.  in 
company  with  .lames  Frazier  and  Mark  Hopkins, 
buill  the  first  saw-mill  in  Lower  Saginaw  and 
manufactured  lumber  there  for  a  number  of  years. 
Late  in  life  he  removed  to  Ann  Arbor.  Mich.,  to 
educate  his  children,  at  which  place  his  decease 
occurred.  His  wife  is  of  English  descent  and  is 
living,  in  her  seventy-eighth  Near. 

Charles  II.  is  the  eldest  of  the  sons  in  a  family  of 
eight  children,  six  now  living.  His  boyhood  and 
early  school  days  were  passed  in  Bay  City,  where 
he  attended  the  common  school  and  afterward  the 
Slate  Normal.  In  1880  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  Charles  C.  Whitney,  of  Bay  City,  under  the 
linn  name  of  Pomeroy  &  Whitney,  ami  engaged 
in    the   manufacture   of    crackers,    the    partnership 


continuing  until  July.  1886,  when  he  sold  out  to 
Mr.  Whitney,  and  coming  to  Saginaw  built  his 
presenl  factory,  a  brick  50x100  feet  and  two  Sto- 
ries in  height.  He  ship.-,  his  products  to  different 
towns  and  cities  in  Michigan  and  occasionally  to 
different  States  in  the  Last  anil  West.  Steam 
power  is  used  and  they  have  a  capacity  of  fifty 
barrels  of  Hour  every  ten  hours,  machinery  being 
used  in  all  departments.  He  employs  from  fifteen 
lo  twenty  men  and  his  business  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

Mr.  Pomeroy  was  married  in  1869  to  Miss  Mary 
L.  Yale,  a  daughter  of  Noah  Yale,  her  family 
having  come  from  New  York  State  and  settled  in 
Michigan.  Mr.  Pomeroy  is  a  member  of' Bay  Citj 
Lodge.,  No.  129,  F.  &  A.M.,  Blanchard  Chapter.. 
No.  59;  Bay  City  Commandery  No.  26,  Iv.  T.; 
Michigan  Consistory  at  Detroit;  and  is  also  a 
member  of  Supreme  Council,  being  a  thirty-third 
degree  Mason.  At  present  he  is  Grand  Captain- 
General  of  the  (Irand  Commandery  of  Knights 
Templar  of  Michigan.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican. 


-S< 


:>+•$-! 


lT3 


bYMAN  W.  BLISS,  M.  D„  of  Saginaw  City, 
i  was  burn  in  Smithfield,  Madison  County 
N.  V.,  .Inly  1-2.  1836.  lie  is  one  of  seven 
sons  born  Lo  Lyman  and  Anna  (Chaffee)  Bliss,  and 
was  reared  in  his  native  place,  where  he  received 
his  primary  education.  I  [is school  advantages  were 
exceptionally  good  for  that  day.  when  the  typical 
schoolhouse  was  a  log  cabin  with  a  puncheon 
floor  and  clapboard  roof,  and  the  teacher  was  usu- 
ally a  dictatorial  ruler  possessing  meager  resources 
of  learning.  Very  different  arc  the  facilities  that 
now  obtain  all  over  our  country  to  meet  the  edu- 
cational want--  of  our  youth.  To  state  that  Lyman 
W.  Bliss  availed  himself  to  the  utmost  of  his  ad- 
vantages, is  but  to  record  whal  actually  occurred. 
He  possessed  a  desirefor  knowledge  which  achieves 
scholarship  in  spile  of  adverse  circumstances,  and 
without  which  no  high  order  of  learning  is  attain- 
able, however  complete  tin  educational  machinery 
may  be. 

Having  resolved  upon  becominga  physician,  our 


872 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


subject  entered  upon  the  study  of  medicine  in 
Madison  County,  under  the  preceptorship  of  Drs. 
Milton,  Barnettand  F.  T.  Mayberry,  and  later  took 
a  course  of  lectures  in  Albany  Medical  College 
and  also  at  the  Geneva  Medical  College,  where 
he  graduated  in  1856.  His  scholarship  was 
of  so  high  an  order  that  in  his  early  man- 
hood he  was  offered  aud  accepted  a  professionship  in 
Hobart  College,  at  Gevena,  X.  Y.  The  breaking 
out  of  the  Civil  War  was  the  immediate  cause  of 
his  resignation  of  that  lucrative  position,  in  order 
that  he  mighl  serve  his  country  on  the  battle  field. 
In  due  Lime  he  was  commissioned  frrsl  assistant 
surgeon  of  the  Tenth  New  York  Cavalry  and  was 
assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  As  the  re- 
ward of  faithful  discharge  of  duties,  he  was  pro- 
moted to  besurgeon  of  the  Fifty- first  New  York  In- 
fantry, alsi  serving  as  Brigade  Surgeon  and  acting 
Medical   Director. 

Close  attention  to  his  professional  labors  and 
exposure  brought  on  an  attack  of  typhoid  fever 
in  1 804  and  it  was  three  months  before  Dr.  Kliss 
was  able  to  resume  to  work.  At  the  close  of  the 
war  he  was  in  charge  of  the  field  hospital  of  the 
Ninth  Army  Corps,  after  which  he  was  placed  in 
charge  of  a  hospital  at  Alexandria.  Ya..  where  he 
remained  until  he  was  mustered  out  of  service  in 
August,  1865.  From  the  field  of  battle  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Michigan,  locating  in  Saginaw  City  in 
September-,  1866,  and  commencing  the  practice  "of 
medicine  which  he  still  continues.  As  a  physi- 
cian he  enjoys  a  lucrative  practice  and  is  foremosl 
among  the  practioners  of  the  Saginaw  Valley, 
while  as  a  business  man  he  possesses  abilities  of  no 
ordinary  character. 

Forseeing  the  vast  importance  of  lumbering  in- 
terests in  this  State  and  the  great  future  of  pine, 
the  Doctor  established  the  firm  of  A.  T.  Bliss  & 
Bro.,  purchasing  the  old  Jerome  mill  in  1868, 
which  they  rebuilt.  From  a  small  beginning  their 
business  grew  to  an  enormous  magnitude  until  a 
few  years  ago  when  the  property  was  placed  in 
hands  of  the  Doctor's  sons.  .1.  W.  and  E.  S.  The 
lumber  operations  of  the  firm  of  A.T.  Bliss  &.  Bro. 
are  chiefly  carried  on  in  Gladwin  and  Clare  Count- 
ies, where  they  run  two  camps  of  about  fifty  men 
each,    and    also    lumber    through    several    jobbers. 


They  still  own  and  operate  the  fine  mill  at  Carroll- 
ton,  which  gives  employment  to  a  force  of  more 
than  one  hundred  men  and  finds  a  ready  market 
in  the  principal  cities  of  the  East.  Their  sawmill, 
which  is  one  of  the  largest  on  the  river,  is  equip- 
ped with  a  five  hundred  horse-power  engine  a 
battery  of  five  large  boilers,  and  a  smaller  one  of 
two  boilers  for  the  salt  works.  The  products  of 
the  mill  amount  to  nearly  thirty  million  feet  of 
lumber,  which  he  banked  each  season,  and  the  mill 
and  salt  works  cover  an  area  of  about  twenty-five 
acres  of  ground. 

Another  enterprise  which  engages  Dr.  Bliss's  at- 
tention  is  the  .lames  Stewart  Company,  of  which 
he  is  President.  That  business  was  originally  started 
by  James  Stewart  in  1872  and  continued  by  him 
until  1882,  when  the  present  corporation  was 
formed.  Tin'  office  and  salesroom  of  the  company 
consist  of  a  large  two-story  building,  200x100 
feet  in  dimensions,  with  first-class  shipping  facili- 
ties, in  addition  to  which  the  firm  has  a  feed  mill 
Iti0x2.~>  feet,  on  North  Water  Street;  a  feed  ware- 
house 200x20  feel,  and  other  warehouses  for  pork, 
flour,  tobacco  and  general  merchandise,  covering 
60x100  and  60x75  feet  respectively.  They  carry 
an  enormous  stock  and  are  especially  known  as  im- 
porters of  teas,  which  comprise  the  finest  qualities 
ever  brought  to  the  Valley.  Their  extensive  bus- 
iness throughout  the  county  as  well  as  in  various 
portions  of  the  State,  requires  a  large  force  of 
clerks  besides  several  traveling  men.  The  stand- 
ing of  the  company  is  of  the  highest  and  their  re- 
liable dealings  secure  for  them  an  immense  pat- 
ronage. 

The  Doctor  is  also  a  stockholder  in  several  en- 
terprises besides  the  .lames  Stewart  Company.  His 
abilities  have  been  called  into  requisition  by  his  fel- 
low citizens  who  bestowed  upon  him  the  highest  gift 
within  their  power,  the  Mayoralty.  In  that  office 
he  served  three  years,  and  his  efforts  were  directed 
with  success  toward  checking  all  useless  expedi- 
ture  of  public  moneys  as  well  as  introducing  into 
the  city  every  improvement  calculated  to  advance 
its  growth.  Dr.  Bliss  was  married  July  1.  1858, to 
Miss  Mary  Jerome  of  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.. 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  three 
living,  namely:  Anna  M.,  now  Mrs.  .1.  M.  Bittman, 


->'-ZSX' 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


875 


James  W.  and  E.Stanton.  The  Doctor  isa  system- 
atic reader  and  keeps  well  posted  upon  the  gr-eal 
issues  of  the  day.  A  man  of  Qrm  conviction,  liis 
cheerful  disposition  of  heart  and  mind  disarms 
those  who  might  otherwise  lie  his  opponents,  and 
causes  :ill  who  know  him  to  hold  him  in  high  es- 
teem. The  Doctor  was  President  of  the  State 
Medical  Society  for  the  year  1891. 


TpVICHARD  JOHN  BROWN,  conductor  on 
Lv  the  .Mackinaw  Division  of  the  Michigan 
*  \  Centra]  Railroad,  was  born  in  Clinton. 
\£>  Canada.  May  29,  1853.  He  is  of  English 
parentage,  Ids  father  Richard  being  a  native  of 
County  Durham.  England,  when'  his  mother,  Isa- 
belle  (Newton)  Brown  was  likewise  horn.  Soon 
after  his  marriage  Richard  Brown  emigrated  from 
from  his  native  shire,  where  he  had  been  engaged 
as  a  blacksmith,  to  Canada,  locating  at  Clinton  and 
working  a1  his  trade.  From  there  he  removed  to 
Exeter,  and  operated  as  a  blacksmith  and  manu- 
facturer until  1865  when  hecame  to  Michigan  and 
settled  in  Minden  City,  Sanilac  County.  His  trade 
of  a  blacksmith  occupied  Ins  attention  until  he 
retired  from  business  in  the  spring  of  1890.  Now 
sixty-seven  years  old.  he  is  making  his  home  with 
our  subject.     The  mother  died  in  October,  1890. 

In  tin'  family  of  eight  children,  our  subject  is 
the  fourth  in  order  of  birth  ami  was  reared  in 
Canada  until  he  was  twelve  years  old.  He  then 
act  om pained  his  parents  to  this  state  and  rema  ined 
with  them  until  he  was  fifteen,  when  he  seemed 
employment  in  a  store  at  Forestville.  After  re- 
maining there  during  one  winter,  he  removed  to 
Ft.  Hope  and  thence  to  Alpena,  where  he  was  en- 
gineer in  the  planing  mill  for  two  years.  In  1*7  1 
hecame  to  West  Bay  City,  and  became  engineer  in 
a  salt  block,  having  charge  of  one  well.  His  rail- 
road career  commenced  in  1881  with  his  accept- 
ance of  the  position  of  brake  man  on  the  Saginaw 
&  Mackinaw  Division  of  the  Michigan  Central 
Railroad.  He  served  in  that  capacity  for  two  years, 
then  as  baggageman  six  months,  afterward  was 
III 


promoted  to  conductor  on  the  line  between  Bay 
(  il\  and  Grayling,  and  later  accepted  the  position 
of  passenger  conductor,  his  run  being  between  Bay 
City  and  Mackinaw,  which  position  he  now  fills 
with  marked  ability.  He  makes  two  trips  per  week, 
ami  ha-  hecoine  widely  known  as  one  of  the  most 
efficient  and  genial  conductors  on  the  road. 

Although  no  fatal  accident  has  occurred  on  the 
road  since  Mr.  Brown  has  been  conductor,  yet  sev- 
eral serious  catastrophes  have  happened.  In  1885, 
near  Pinconning,  the  freight  ear  tipped  over,  strik- 
ing an  engine  hut  fortunately  no  one  was  injured; 
again  in  1891  our  subject  left  Alger  with  twenty- 
four  cars,  which  through  a  trilling  accident  were 
detained  on  the  top  of  a  hill.  The  conductor  asked 
the  brakeman  to  flag  a  train  which  he  knew  was 
ilue  about  that  time,  hut  the  brakeman  pulled  the 
coupling  pins  too  soon  and  twelve  cars  immedi- 
ately plunged  down  the  incline,  colliding  with  the 
oncoming  train.  After  trying  to  set  the  brakes 
hut  finding  he  could  not  stop  the  cars,  Mr.  Brown 
jumped  to  save  his  life.  The  way  car  and  engine 
were  both  smashed  to  pieces,  besides  ten  other  cars, 
hut  no  one  was  hurt. 

The  comfortable  home  in  which,  when  relieved 
from  his  business  cares,  Mr.  Brown  finds  rest  and 
happiness,  is  pleasantly  located  at  No.  505  Cath- 
erine Street.  It  is  presided  over  by  his  amiable 
wife,  with  whom  he  was  united  in  marriage  at 
Alpena.  May  30,  1871.  Miss  Louisa  Oirkh  ,  as  sin- 
was  known  prior  to  her  maniage,  was  born  in 
Mecklenburg,  Germany,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
Charles  and  I.ueinda  (  Lid  it  waldl )  <  lirkie,  who  were 
likewise  natives  of  Mecklenburg.  Mr.  Girkie,  who 
was  a  miller  by  trade,  emigrated  to  America  after 
his  marriage,  and  was  engaged  as  a  farmer,  miller, 
contractor  and  builder  at  Joffersonville,  Detroit 
and  Alpena.  He  died  in  1886  in  the  last-named 
place,  where  his  wife  slill  re, ides.  Mrs.  Brown 
was  the  eldest  among  seven  children  and  was  six 
years  old  when  brought  by  her  parents  to  this 
country.  One  child  his  blest  her  marriage — 
Reuben  F.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  are  also  rearinga 
nephew,  Charles  \{.  I'.rown,  who  has  made  his  home 
with  them  since  he  was  thirteen  year-  old. 

The  Independent  Order  of  odd  Fellows,  Royal 
Arcanum  and  Ancient  Order  of   United    Workmen 


878 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


mittee  on  Salt,  as  well  as  others.  His  friends  are 
proud  to  say  that  he  introduced  the  bill  (which  be- 
came a  law)  for  dredging  the  Shiawassee  River, 
and  this  has  resulted  in  untold  benefit  to  that  par! 
of  the  country  through  which  that  river  passes,  us 
it  opened  up  vast  areas  of  land  which  had  pre- 
viously been  flooded  and  made  lit    fur  cultivation. 


<m\-' 


JOSHUA  BLACKMORE.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  England.  March  25,  1811, 
and  was  a  mason  by  trade,  following  that 
calling  for  some  years  during  his  residence 
in  Saginaw,  at  which  point  lie  located  early  in  L836. 
He  superintended  the  erection  of  the  first  brick 
buildingin  this  city,  which  was  the  residence  of 
the  late  George  W.  Bullock. 

Mr.  Blackmore,  who  was  a  lifelong  Democrat, 
was  a  candidate  for  Sheriff  in  184  I,  coming  within 
fifteen  votes  of  election.  He  was  elected  Coronet 
in  1845  and  in  1854  was  made  County  Treasurer 
by  a  majority  of  live  hundred  sixty-four,  lie  was 
re-elected  in  L856,  also  in  1858  and  again  in  I860. 
At  the  close  of  the  latter  term  he  retired  from 
office.  In  1852  he  was  elected  Treasurer  and 
served  one  year.  He  also  served  his  Ward  one 
term  as  Supervisor  and  was  re-elected  several  years 
later, but  declined  to  qualify. 

Mr.  Blackmore  was  married  three  times,  being 
united  to  his  present  wife.  December  12,  1865. 
Her  maiden  name  was  Margaret  .1.  McFarland,  the 
eldest  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  McFarland.  In 
early  years  and  even  as  late  as  the  commencement 
of  the  last  decade,  lie  was  companionable  and  so- 
cial, hut  latterly,  through  the  burden  of  years  and 
pressure  of  infirmities,  he  found  it  necessary  to  re- 
tire in  a  great  measure  from  social  intercourse, save 
in  the  case  of  his  most  intimate  friends,  yet  he  did 
not  forget  in  all  those  years  to  contribute  gener- 
ously to  the  relief  of  such  of  his  old  time  associates, 
many  of  whom  were  among  the  early  pioneers,  as 
he  knew  were  in  need  of  assistance. 

Mr.  Blackmore  was  the  warm  and  steadfast 
friend  and  confidant  of  the  late  .lame-  Frazier,  of 
Bay  City,   and    probably    no   man  was   more    fully 


and  freely  consulted  in  regard  t<>  the  management 
of  the  immense  business  .Mr.  Frazier  had  in  hand 
than  was  Mr.  Blackmore,  whose  views  evinced  cor- 
rect judgment.  In  those  early  days  ail  that  has 
since  transpired  to  make  Saginaw  Valley  rich  and 
prosperous  was  scarcely  yet  attempted,  and  it  re- 
quired shrewd  foresight  and  great  discrimination 
in  regard  to  existing  facts  to  determine  which  was 
the  better  thing  to  do  in  many  of  the  schemes  pre- 
sented. The  value  of  Mr.  Blackmore 's  judgment 
has  ever  been  recognized  by  the  relatives  of  Mr. 
Frazier  as  lhe\    were  bj   himself,  when  living. 

Mr.  Blackmore,  though  not  a  practical  operator 
in  that  direction,  had  the  most  complete  confidence 
in  the  agricultural  resources  of  Saginaw  Valley  as 
valuable  landed  investments,  and  it  was  a  common 
remark  with  him  that  no  man  could  go  materially 
astray  in  this  section  who  invested  judiciously  in 
lands.  He  possessed  many  excellent  traits  as  a 
business  man.  his  integrity  being  unquestioned,  his 
dealing-  in  general  prompt  and  honorable,  and  his 
fidelity  to    his    fellow-men    such    as    no    trial    could 

shake.  His  death  occurred  December  1st,  L881, 
and  was  universally  mourned  by  the  community  in 
which  he  had  so  long  been  an   influential  member. 


HILIP  PLOOF,  an  enterprising  and  well- 
educated  young  man.  is  the  proprietor  of 
the  sample  room  at  No.  105  Washington 
Street.  West  Bay  City.  He  is  a  native 
ot  Hay  City,  his  natal  day  having  been  February 
•>.  1866.  His  father,  Charles  Ploof ,  was  a  native 
of  Hull.  Canada,  as  was  the  grandfather,  also 
named  Charles.  The  latter  was  of  French  descent, 
and  resided  in  Hull  for  a  number  of  years,  after 
which  he  came  to  Bay  City,  where  he  died. 

The  father  of  our  subject  made  this  city  his 
home  in  1 8.">  1,  where  he  opened  a  sample  room  on 
Adam-  Street,  between  First  and  Woodside.  His 
wife,  our  subject's  mother,  was  known  in  her 
maidenhood  as  Miss  Julia  Whiting.  She  was  horn 
in  Flint,  Genesee  County,  this  State,  about  1X12. 
and  was  the  daughter  of  John  W.  Whiting,  a  na- 
tive of  England.      Her   father  was    a    merchant    in 


L  iPT^&Lt-ct^S^^ /'  <5&/^s  a- 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


ssi 


Flint.  but  removed  to  Bay  City,  where  Ik-  remained 
for  some  years,  when  he  returned  to  Flint  and 
passed  his  lust  days. 

Our  subject  was  the  oldesl  bul  one  in  a  family 
of  twelve  children,  six  of  whom  arc  living  at  the 
present  time.  Philip  was  given  the  ver\  besl  ed- 
ucational advantages,  having  attended  the  Wood- 
side  school,  then  the  High  School,  and  later  passed 
nine  months  at  Devline's  Business  College.  He 
then  attended  the  West  Side  Academy  for  two 
years,  and  .lime  14,  1890,  started  in  his  present 
business.  He  is  engaged  to  some  extent  in  real 
estate,  and  is  a  young  man  of  such  push  and  en- 
ergy that  he  is  hound  to  succeed,  lie  resides  with 
his  parents,  their  residence  being  located  at  the 
corner  of  Florence  and  Dean  Streets. 

Politically,  he  is  a  believer  in  and  a  supporterof 
the  principles  advocated  by  the  Democratic  party, 
and  in  religious  matters  is  a  Catholic. 


y^g  OKNFI.ll  S  WATSON,  M.  D.  This  valued 
(l(^-  physician  and  surgeon, who  for  main  years 

V^y  occupied  a  high  position  in  Saginaw,  was 
born  May  28,    1842,    near   Toro'nto,  Canada.     His 

father.  Thomas,  was  a  native  of  England,  and  came 
with  his  wife  whose  maiden  name  was  Clarissa 
White,  to  this  country  soon  after  their  marriage. 
He  died  when   his  SOU  Cornelius   was  only   fourteen 

years  old,  leaving  four  children,  all  of  whom  grew 
to  maturity  and  all  are  still  living  except  the  Doc- 
tor. The  aged  mother  also  survives.  The  pater- 
nal grandfather  of  Dr.  Watson  was  a  manufacturer 
of  woolen  goods  and  suffered  numerous  misfortunes 
his  factory  being  burned  three  times. 

The  brother  and  sisters  of  our  subject  are  George 
II..  who  is  a  barrister  and  prominent  citizen  of 
Toronto;  Flinira.  now  Mrs.  Powell,  living  al  Win- 
nepeg,  and  Emma,  who  married  Edward  Widdi- 
fteld  of  New  .Market  near  Toronto.  Our  subject 
began  to  read  medicine  at  Buffalo  and  carried  on 
his  first  practice  at  Nappanee.  Canada,  in  1865. 
He  graduated  in  pharmacy  at  the  University  of 
Michigan  the  following  year,  then  entered  the 
medical    department    <>!'    the    University    at    Ann 


Al'bor  and    afterward    passed    six    months   therein 
practice,  and  six  months  at  .Midland. 

Dr.  Watson  took  his  degree  Of  Doctor  of  Medi- 
cine at  the  St.  Louis  Medical  College  in  March. 
1868,  and  then  located  at  Grand  Rapids,  Wis. 
December  18,  1870,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Julia 
A.  Seeley,  a  native  Of  Wisconsin.  Her  parents 
were  Charles  and  Cornelia  (Johnson)  Seeley.  of 
Connecticut,  who  had  sett-led  in  Wisconsin  many 
years  ago.  The  daughter  was  reared  partly  in 
Baraboo,  Wis.  Her  father  died  when  about  forty- 
five  years  old. 

In  1871  Dr.  Watson  started  with  a  party  to  lo- 
cate at  Dallas.  Tex.,  but  being  interrupted  in  his 
plans  practiced  for  two  years  at  Appleton  City, 
Mo.,  and  returned  to  Saginaw  at  the  end  of  that 
time,  succeeding  Dr.  L.  W.  Bliss,  and  building  up 
an  extensive  practice.  0 1  native  ability,  sup- 
plemented by  severe  study  and  experience  made 
him  one  of  the  foremost  in  his  profession  in  this 
part  of  the  State.  He  was  a  lover  of  medical  studies 
and  kept  abreast  of  advancing  thought.  In  1882 
he  lost  his  eldest  son  Roy,  a  hoy  of  eight  who  died 
of  diphtheria  and  the  blow  was  one  from  which  he 
never  recovered.  That  grief  coupled  with  years 
of  overwork  did  much  to  undermine  his  strong 
constitution  and  after  eleven  years  of  service  at 
Saginaw  he  gave  up  his  work  in  1884  and  retired 
from  active  life. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  Quaker  by 
training  and  education,  and  for  this  reason  never 
took  a  "bad  debt"  into  the  courts  ami  was  a  poor 
collector.  In  consequence  he  always  had  a  large 
amount  outstanding  in  small  hills  which  he  would 
not  press  for  collection.  His  large  practice  was 
considered  worth  from  *  I  1,000  to  $12,000  a  year. 
One  son  is  living,  Charles  Seeley,  a  hoy  of  sixteen 
years  and  a  student  in  tin-  High  School.  The 
family  attends  the  Episcopal  Service. 

The  opinion  of  the  profession  throughout  all 
Michigan  forms  a  high  testimonial  to  the  value  of 
both  the  professional  ami  personal  character  of  this 
departed  man.  lb'  had  a  line  physiqueand  was 
tall  and  well  built;  his  face  bore  a  kindly  yd  firm 
expression  as  may  he  noli  d  from  the  accompany- 
ing portrait.  His  greatest  enjoymenl  was  in  the 
domestic  circle   and  he   spent   what   little  leisure  he 


882 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


could  command  at  home  in  the  company  of  his 
wife  and  child.  His  death  occurred  July  13,  1886 
and  the  whole  community  united  in  expressions  of 
respect  and  esteem  and  of  the  hiss  which  had  been 
sustained  by  those  who  looked  to  him  as  their 
counselor  in  time  of  sickness.  Resolutions  of  res- 
pect were  passed  by  theSaginaw  Valley  Lodge  No. 
154  F.  &  A.  M.  deploring  the  loss  of  their 
brother  and  tendering  their  sympathy  to  the  be- 
reaved. 


J£fr 


ffiOHN  A.  FORDON.  This  old  settler  of  Bay 
City  is  now  the  proprietor  of  the  Fordon 
House,  and  is  also  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture and  repair  of  wagons,  lie  has  exper- 
ienced many  reverses  since  coming  to  l'>a\  City, 
but  is  now  independent  and  prosperous  in  his  cir- 
cumstances. He  is  a  mechanical  genius  and  has 
made  several  inventions  which  are  patented,  and 
have  netted  him  ,i  handsome  profit.  During  the 
great  fire  of  Bay  City  he  suffered  heavily  and 
lost  all  he  had,  but  through  Mr.  Frasier's  help  he 
made  a  new  start  and  achieved  success. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Montreal,  Canada,  April 
14.  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  Allen  Fordon.  a  Yorkshire 
man  who  was  a  shepherd  near  Hull,  England,  but 
came  to  Canada  when  a  young  man.  He  took 
part  in  the  Canadian  Rebellion. and  afterward  car- 
ried on  a  farm  near  Montreal  until  1856,  when  he 
removed  to  Whitby,  Ontario,  and  the  following 
spring  on.  his  return  to  Montreal  was  lost  on  the 
steamer  "Ocean  Wave"  which  was  burned  ou  Lake 
Ontario.  His  sun  afterward  learned  that  his  father 
was  washed  ashore  and  that  he  was  buried  on 
Wolf  Island. 

Mary  Brewett  was  the  maiden  name  of  the 
mother  of  our  subject,  and  she  spent  her  last  days 
with  him  in  Bay  City.  She  was  a  native  of  Not- 
tinghamshire, England,  and  a  member  of  the  estab- 
lished church  of  her  native  leiine.  She  had  only 
one  child.  John,  and  his  education  was  re- 
ceived in  the  schools  at  Montreal.  At  the  age 
of  twenty  he  removed  to  Upper  Canada  and 
after   the    death  of    his  father   took   charge  of    the 


farm  for  one  year.  Later  he  sold  this  property 
and  located  in  Hamilton,  but  in  1856  removed  to 
Willoughby,  Ohio,  remaining  there  for  four  years, 
and  spending  one  season  in  the  South  on  account 
i  if  his  health. 

While  living  in  Willoughby  John  Fordon  was 
married  at  Kirtland.  to  Mi."  Margaret  Robinson, 
bom  at  Belfast,  Ireland,  who  had  come  to  America. 

with  her  relatives  in  girl  I d.     In  the  fall  of  1861 

he  came  to  Bay  City  and  established  himself  as 
foreman  for  John  A.  Weed  in  the  manufacture  of 
wagons,  in  the  days  when  there  was  not  a  brick 
building  in  this  city.  A  year  later  he  located  on 
Water  Street,  where  he  carried  on  a  blacksmith 
and  wagon  business,  and  had  a  fine  business  estab- 
lished when  all  was  destroyed  by  the  great  lire. 
In  that  he  lost  everything  and  it  "swamped"  him. 
but  heat  once  went  to  work  again,  stimulated  to 
action  by  the  generosity  of  Messrs.  Fraser  and 
X.  B.  Bradley,  who  offered  him  all  the  lumber  he 
needed  with  which  to  build  and  money  to  purchase 
tools  and  material.  He  was  soon  able  to  repay 
these  kind  friends  and  before  long  entered  upon 
the  manufacture  of  wagons  and  carriages,  continu- 
ing thus  until  1865,  when  he  sold  out  his  business. 
During  his  most  prosperous  days  he  had  employed 
from  ten  to  fifteen  men. 

When  prosperity  came  again  to  .Air.  Fordon  he 
-aw  the  opportunity  of  doing  well  in  buying  lots 
and  erecting  buildings  thereon,  and  he  did  much 
in  building  up  that  part  of  the  town.  In  1871  he 
built  the  Fordon  House,  and  has  carried  it  on  as  a 
hotel  ever  since.  After  selling  out  his  factory  he 
engaged  largely  in  the  line  of  patent-,  and  has 
himself  invented  a  sawmill  dog  which  he  patented 
and  ha-  found  quite  profitable,  and  afterward  he 
invented  a  combined  lathe  and  bolter  and  a  boiler 
cleaner.  All  of  these  he  has  patented  both  in  this 
country  and  Canada.  For  eight  years  he  traveled 
selling  these  patents  and  did  well  in  this  line,  go- 
ing through  Illinois,  Michigan.  Canada.  Arkansas, 
and  the  South. 

This  enterprising  man  has  now  resumed  the 
wagon  business  in  connection  with  hi>  management 
of  the  Fordon  House,  which  is  considered  the  finest 
*1  house  in  thi>  region,  and  is  managed  on 
strictly    temperance    principles.     His    one    child. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL -RECORD. 


883 


Maud  H..  is  married  and  resides  in  Bay  City,  lie 
is  independent  in  his  political  views  and  chooses 
tn  use  his  own  judgment  rather  than  to  be  controlled 

by  part\  leaders. 


V_ 


r 


ULIUS  C.  McCORMICK,  M.  I).  Fame  does 
not  often  come  to  the  country  doctor,  but 
if  a  man  cherishes  a  high  ambition  to  be 
useful  in  the  community  where  he  makes 
his  home  and  to  establish  a  warm  and  cordial 
place  for  himself  in  the  hearts  of  the  men,  women 
and  children  of  his  home  community,  let  him 
choose  such  a  career,  for  he  will  find  the  reward 
sought  if  he  is  conscientious  and  capable,  and  will- 
ing to  sacrifice  his  own  comfort  on  the  altar  of 
his  profession.  Such  a  life  is  before  any  man  who 
settles  down  in  the  center  of  such  a  population  as 
is  to  be  found  in  Birch  Run  Township.  Saginaw 
County,  and  the  useful  and  skillful  physician  and 
surgeon  whose  name  we  present  at  the  head  of  this 
sketch  has  made  for  himself  such   a  place. 

Dr.  McCormick  is  a  native  of  Genesee  County, 
Mich.,  and  was  born  June  1'.'.  1  <h 4 7 .  His  father 
Mathew.  has  now  passed  away,  but  his  mother, 
Mrs.  Margaret  McCormick.  resides  in  Genesee 
County.  Tin'  family  removed  to  Oakland  County 
when  this  son  was  only  two  years  old,  and  he 
therefore  remembers  almost    nothing  of  his  native 

home  as  it     was    in     those    days,  lint    when     he  was 

fourteen  years  old  they  returned  to  that  county. 
and  there  he  remained  until  he  gained  years  of 
maturity  and  received  his  preliminary  education 
in  the  public  schools  and  in  the  High  School  at 
Otisville. 

The  next  Step  in  the  education  of  the  coming 
Doctor  was  his  entrance  in  October,  1*77.  into  the 
University  of  Michigan,  al  Ann  Arbor,  where  he 
studied  fin-  something  over  two  years  and  was 
graduated  therefrom  in  June,  1879,  from  the 
Medical  Department.  When  a  young  man  he  had 
taught  for  Mime  three  yen-,  and  had  thus  helped 
himself  to  pass  through  his  university  course.  In 
the  summer  of   1H7'.i  he   located  professionally  in 


Birch  Run,  and  has  wisely  remained  lure  from  that 
daj  to  this.     He  has  established  himself  tirmh  in 

the  community  and  has  built  up  a  large  and  pros- 
perous practice. 

A  very  important  event  in  the  life  of  Dr.  Mc- 
(  ormick  was  his  marriage  with  Ella,  daughter  of 
John  Taylor,  which  took  place  January  2.  1872. 
The  father  of  Mrs.  McCormick  formerly  resided  in 
Genesee  County,  but  is  now  deceased.  One 
daughter  lias  come  to  cheer  the  home  ot  the  Doc- 
tor and  his  worthy  wife,  little  Jessie,  who  "as 
born  October  20,  1885,  and    is  now  six  years  old. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  cf  the  Michigan  State 
Medical  Society,  in  which  he  i>  recognized  as  one 
of  the  leading  physicians  of  Saginaw  County.  lie 
is  also  identified  with  the  Knights  of  the  Macca- 
bee,  and  he  and  Mrs.  McCormick  have  for  years 
been  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  and  are  active  in  all  social  movements. 


^  \ TIIANIEL  TRAVIS,  who  is  a  manufac- 
turer of  carriages  and  wagons,  and  a  gen- 
eral blacksmith,  carries  on  a  large  establish- 
ment in  West  Ray  City,  and  has  a  wide  reputation 
as  an  excellent  mechanic.  He  was  born  November 
'.I,  1855,  in  East  Killenberg,  Canada.  His  father, 
Whitney  Travis,  who  was  probably  a  native  of 
Canada,  was  of  Welsh  descent  and  a  millwright 
i'\  trade.  In  his  later  years  he  settled  on  a  farm 
in  Huron  County,  where  he  died  in  October,  1864. 
I  lis  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Bridget  Maher, 
was  born  in  County  Kilkenny.  Ireland,  and  died 
in  Canada   in   1885. 

Our  .subject  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of 
four  children  and  the  only  one  living  in  the 
United  States.  He  was  brought  upon  the  farm  in 
Gray  Township,  Canada,  until  past  thirteen  years 
of  age,  when  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  black- 
smith's trade  for  three  and  one-half  years.  He 
worked  at  journey  work  until  1879,  when  he 
came  to  the  United  Slate-,  locating  in  Lapeer 
County,  Mich.. going  to  work  in  the  lumber  woods 
at  Summit  in  the  employ  of  Carpenter  Bros.,  with 
whom    he  remained  t  wo  and  oik -half    years.      Sue- 


884 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


ceeding  this,  he  worked  at  Flint  for  Mr.  King-  a*  a 
practical  horseshoer  for  six  or  seven  months,  and 
then  in  the  North  Woods,  ami  again  on  the  An 
Sable  River  as  a  horseshoer  for  eight  months.  He 
then  came  to  Bay  City,  procuring  wink  in  the 
woods  in  Clare  County  with  Carpenter  Bros.,  re- 
maining with  them  one  year  and  five  months,  and 
in  1883  located  in  West  Hay  City,  being  in  the 
employ  of  Moss  &  Phelps  for  eighteen  months, 
and  then  for  II.  ('.  Remhart  for  four  years.  In 
October,  1887.  he  started  in  business  for  himself  in 
partnership  with  II.  Van  Egmond,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Travis  ,v-  Van  Egmond,  carrying  on  the 
business  tor  three  years,  when  our  subject  bought 
out  his  partner.  In  July,  1891,  he  located  on  his 
present  site  on  the  corner  of  Henry  and  John 
Streets,  where  he  manufactures  carriages  and 
wagons  to  order,  and  pays  particular  attention  to 
horseshoeing,  in  which  lie  is  an  expert,  also  carry- 
ing on  the  business  of  a  farrier  and  blacksmith. 
His  pleasant  residence,  which  he  built  and  owns, 
is  situated  on  the  corner  of  Dean  and  South  Union 
Streets.  Mr.  Travis  was  married  September  21, 
1882,  in  Jackson.  Mich.,  to  Miss  Mercy  L.  Carpen- 
ter, a  daughter  of  George  Carpenter,  an  old  settler 
of  Lapeer  County.  She  is  a  sister  of  the  Carpen- 
ter Bros.,  the  large  lumber  firm  of  Lapeer  County. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Travis  are  the  parents  of  three 
children — Chester  ('..  George  W.  and  Goldie  Lee. 
Mr.  Travis  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  socially 
is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen.  He  is  financially  well-to-do,  and  is 
very  popular  in  business  circles,  where  he  is  known 
as  an  industrious  and  honest    man. 


r^JHE  CRUMPS  MANUFACTURING  COM- 
PANY'S New  Planing  Mill  and  Box  Fac- 
tory, one  of  the  substantial  industries  of 
the  Saginaw  Valley,  gives  employment  to  from  one 
hundred  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  men 
the  veai  around,  and  doe-  a  wholesale  ear 
trade  business  in  the  manufacture  of  fancy 
and  dovetail  boxes,  crating,  box  shooks,  siding, 
flooring,  molding,  etc.  The  company  located 
in  West  Kay  City  in  L881,  and  from  a  small 
beginning     has     grown    to   lie    one    of     the     lead- 


ing manufactories  of  its  kind  in  the  coun- 
try. In  the  spring  of  1888  their  first  mill  was  de- 
stroyed by  tire.  Nothing  daunted,  the  owners 
immediately  began  the  construction  of  a  new  mill 
im  the  site  of  the  old  one  and  had  it  running 
within  thirty  days  from  thetimeof  the  lire. 

The  new  mill  was  equipped  with  entirely  new 
machinery  of  the  latest  patterns,  and  the  company 
has  continued  in  its  onward  stride  towards  pros- 
perity ever  since  that  time.  When  they  came  to 
West   BayCit'S    they  made  a  ten  years'  lease  of  the 

land  upon  which  the  mill  was  erected;  that  Lease 
expired  May  I.  1891,  and  being  unable  to  obtain  a 
renewal,  the  company  determined  to  purchase  hind 
for  themselves,  and  erect  thereon  a  mill  that 
would  be  a  model  of  its  kind,  and  one  that  would 
■— i  - 1 1 i  •  1  —  years  of  business.  They  therefore  purchased 
of  the  Fitzhugh  estate,  six  lots  of  block  47.  and  all 
of  block  38  lying  between  tin-  Michigan  Central 
and  Grand  Trunk  Railroad  tracks,  also  two  lots  of 
block  '■'>!.  making  :i  total  frontage  on  the  Michigan 
(  entral  Railroad  of  nine  hundred  and  six  feet  ly- 
ing between  Tenth  and  Main  Streets. 

Upon  this  site  work  was  commenced  January  1. 
1891.  and  stone  foundations  were  built  for  the 
mam  mill,  also  engine  and  boiler  house.  On  these 
foundations  were  erected,  first  the  three-story  mill 
building,  161x60  feet,  built  with  solid  walls,  the 
only  building  of  its  kind  in  the  country,  being 
made  of  2x6  strips  dressed  four  side-  and  nailed 
together  -olid,  floors  and  partitions  ail  made  in  the 
same  way  so  that  any  lire  startingin  the  building 
would  have  to  work  on  the  outside  of  wall-  or 
Horn-,  there  being  no  hollow  places  for  it  to  work 
in;  this  makes  it  almost  equal  to  a  brick  and  stone 
building. 

The  engine  and  boiler  house  is  a  solid  brick 
structure  50x50  and  forty-two  feet  high,  all  cov- 
ered m  with  thebesl  lire  proof  gravel  rooting,  and 
doors  and  windows  protected  from  iron  shutters. 
Connecting  the  main  building  to  boiler  house  is  a 
iron  roofed  storage  shed  60x20  feet,  then  along 
the  east  side  is  a  railroad  car  shed,  rooting  in  two 
side  track-  265x30  feet  with  storage  capacity  for 
fourteen  car-:  along  the  west  side  is  another  car 
shed  215x34  feet  with  two  side  tracks  capable  of 
storing  twelve  cat  -■ 


RESIDENCE  OF  B.  S.  BADGLEY,  SEC.  20.,CHESANI  NG  TPy5AGINAW    CO.,  MICH. 


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CRUMPS   MANUFACTURING   COMPAI 1Y.(WH0LESALE  MANUFACTURERS  OF  BOX  5H00KS, 


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RESIDENCE   OF    CALEB  W.    KIM  B  ALL,  SEC.^BUENA  VISTA  TR,  SAGINAW   CO.  MICH 


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GN   AND    BOX  PRINTERS.  PRINTED  AND  DOVETAILED   BOXES   A  SPECI  ALTYJWEST  BAY  CITY..MICH. 


PORTRAIT  AM)   I'.lOl  IRAIMIICAL    RECORD. 


S.V.I 


<  )n  the  north  is  an  iron  roofed  and  iron  clad 
conveyor  power  house  and  oil  room  11x21  feet, 
two  stories  high;  all  of  these  buildings  stand  on 
stone  foundations.  The  unhide  walls  are  covered 
with  German  siding  and  all  painted  with  fire 
proof  paint.  On  the  south  end  of  the  property  is 
a  two-story  dry  kiln.  34x70  feet,  using  the  second 

Story  as  a  paint  shop  and  connected  to  second 
story  of  main  mill  with  a  tram-ear  bridge  across 
Ninth  Street.  Across  the  Michigan  Central  Rail- 
road on  block  .'IT.  frontingon  Ninth  Street  are  the 
old  iron  roofed  mill  buildings,  moved  from  the  old 
site  onto  their  own  land,  fully  repaired  and  now 
used  for  storage  purposes.  These  being  good  build- 
ings 54x66  feet  each  two  stories  high,  and  having 
side  tracks  between  them,  the  company  expect 
soon  to  convert  them  into  some  manufacturing  en- 
terprise. 

Entering  the  main  mill  building  at  the  Ninth 
Street  entrance,  one  will  first  come  into  the  ele- 
gant hardwood  finished  offices,  fitted  up  with  all 
of  the  modern  conveniences  for  office  work.  The 
public  office  is  20x20  feel  square  with  nigh  paneled 
ceiling,  wire  screen  work  with  doors  to  bookkeeper 
and  private  office.  In  this  room  is  also  built  a  lire 
proof  brick  and  iron  vault  10x10  feet.  Going  into 
the  private  office  we  find  a  room  sixteen  feetsquare 
beautifully  finished  and  furnished  throughout.  Off 
from  this  are  the  closets  and  private  stairway  to 
drafting  and  sample  rooms  on  the  second  floor. 
The  offices  and  whole  plant  are  lighted  by  elec- 
tricity and  heated  by  steam,  so  that  in  the  coldest 
of  weather  all  employes  are  comfortable  while  at 
their  duties. 

Under  the  offices  is  a  stone  cellai  in  which  nail.-. 
lath, yarn, etc., are  stored,  16x36  feet.  The  lirst  floor 
of  the  mill  is  used  for  the  heavy  planing  mill  work 
and  preparing  the  lumber  to  be  cut  up  into  boxes, 
etc..  on  this  lloor  there  are  three  new  styles  S.  A. 
Woods  planers  and  matchers  and  two  large  double 
surfacing  machines  of  the  same  make,  one  II.  IS. 
Smith  molding  machine,  and  one  thirty-six  inch 
resaw  of  the  same  make. 

Also  one  large  segment  resawing  machine,  fifty- 
four  inch  saw,  Holmes  A'  Co's.  make,  and  One  of 
Benjamin  forty-four  inch  machines;  also  M.  Gar- 
land's box  board  resawing,  -lab  saw,rip  saw's  edger, 


and  power  feed  rip  saws,  etc.,  and  to  remove  all  of 
the  shavings  and  saw  dust  one  of  SI  nrleva  nl 's 
largest  sized  fans  i.-  used  and  all  fitted  up  with 
iron   piping,  thai  conveys  all  of  the  refuse  through 

an  Allington  a-  Curtis  dust  arrester,  direct  to  shav- 
ing bin-,  and  to  the  fnrance  under  boilers. 

The  planing  mill  or  lirst  lloor  power  is  furnished 
by  a  16x24  engine  anil  conveyed  to  the  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  foot  shaft  by  a  twenty-four  inch 
double  thick  belt,  and  all  machine-  are  dri  yen  from 
patent  -tccl  rimmed  Meda'rt  pulleys,  with  the 
same  company's  patent  clutch  pulley.-  to  all  the 
resav\  ing  machines. 

Leaving  this  lloor  with  its  ponderous  machinery, 
and  taking  either  of  the  three  elevators  we  ascend 
to  the  upper  stories.  Here  we  find  that  power  is 
furnished  to  the  different  and  many  kinds  of  ma- 
chines by  two  line  shafts  each  one  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  long,  driven  by  a  14x20  engine  inde- 
pendent of  the  planing  mill  department.  These 
elevator-  arc  something  new  and  a  novelty  in 
planing  mill  construction,  the  two  large  ones  are 
in  the  north  end  of  the  mill  and  have  each  a  11x20 
fool  platform  with  a  capacity  for  raising  live 
thou.-and  pounds  each.  They  are  used  for  convey- 
ing the  lumber  from  planers  and  resaws  to  the 
second  and  third  floors,  it  being  loaded  from  the 
machine- on  lumber  trucks  aud  these  run  on  the 
platforms  and  when  elevated  are  run  to  the  dif- 
ferent -aw-  and  unloaded.  The.-e  trucks  loaded 
with  box  shooks  are  sent  down  in  the  same  manner 
where  they  are  unloaded  into  the  different  car-  and 
shipped  all  over  the  United  Stale-,  from  Maine  to 
California  and  even  Mexico  comes  in  for  a  small 
-hare,  the  company  having  shipped  several  cars 
there  this   season. 

Taking  the  smaller  elevator  in  the  south  end    of 

the  mill  one  first  arrives  at  the  s( nd  floor  "Inn 

will  be  found  a  room  30x40  feet,  fitted  up  with  a 
full  set  of  cabinet  machinery,  such  as  shaper, 
mortictrs,  tenanters,  scroll  saw,  etc.  Off  from  this 
i-  another  room  30x40  used  for  putting  together 
cabinets  and  fanej  box  novelties.  Hack  of  this  is  the 
dovetail  department  60x85  feet  Idled  with  new 
machinery  for  turning  out  this  kind  of  work,  hav- 
ing a  double  end  dovetail  machine  capable  of 
making  two  thousand  boxes  per  day;  we  also  lind 


890 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


saws  of  all  kinds,  pony  planer,  box  matching  ma- 
cbines  and  polishing  wheels,  with  glue  room  16x16 
feet  usino-  all  this  space  and  is  the  only  complete 
dovetailed  box  factory  in  the  State. 

Back  of  that  room  and  between  the  two  large 
elevators  is  a  room  20x40  feet  equipped  with  us 
complete  an  outfit  for  printing  boxes,  sign  boards, 
engravings  on  wood,  etc.,  as  can  be  found  in  the 
country,  they  having  one  of  the  largest  size  Con  el] 
&  Dengler  cylinder  printers  made,  and  with  the 
present  rush  of  work  ii  is  kept  running  almost 
continually.  Upon  looking  over  the  brass  types 
and  plates  you  will  find  them  of  endless  variety, 
and  for  fine  wood-printing  this  firm  cannot  l>r  ex- 
celled. 

Goinn  across  the  bridge  from  tins  Boor  we  c e 

into  a  large  paint  and  varnish  room  34x70  Tret 
being  the  second  story  lo  the  dry  kiln.  This  is  all 
heated  by  si  nun  and  ha-  all  of  the  required  apparatus 
tor  mixing  paints  and  varnish  for  their  cabinet 
work.  All  of  this  work  is  loaded  direct  into  cars 
from  platform  and  box  slide  at  the  rear  of  the  dry 
kiln  and  is  very  complete  for  such  work.  Ascend- 
ing the  broad  stairway  from  the  second  to  tin-  third 
floor,  here  we  find  the  busiesl  room  in  the  whole 
mill  with  six  full  sets  of  l»>x  saws  running,  and 
two  power  feed  box  matchers,  the  only  machines 
of  the  kind  in  the  Saginaw  Valley.  It  has  entirely 
superceded  the  old  hand  feed  box  matchers  for 
each  machine  is  capable  of  doing  five  times  the 
work  of  the  old  st)  le  machines. 

On  this  Boor  when  running  to  its  full  capacity 
are  employed  fifty-four  men  and  boys.  The  room 
is  125x60  all  in  one,  and  on  the  north  end  is  a  box 
cleating  room  20x10  feet,  and  the  south  end  is  a 
carpenter  and  repair  shop  16x36  feel  just  over  the 
drafting  and  sample  rooms  in  front  over  the  offices. 
All  of  these  Boors,  rooms  etc..  arc  heated  by  steam, 
exhaust  steam  being  used  in  the  day  time  and 
live  steam  at  night,  and  are  so  comfortable  and 
warm  in  the  winter,  that  men  can  do  their  work 
without  beating  their  hands  to  keep  warm. 

The  whole  mill  and  offices  including  engine  and 
boiler  bouse  are  lighted  by  electricity  taken  from  the 
works  that  the  linn  are  stockholders  in.  and  sup- 
plied with  steam  from  their  engines  just  north  of 
the  boiler  house  which  is  Bttcd  up  with  four  large 


.">xl(>  feet  steel  lioileis.  The  boilers  are  all  connected 
so  that  they  can  be  run  in  a  battery  or  separate,  and 
running  them  as  they  do  night  and  day  the  im- 
mense piles  of  waste  shavings  etc..  are  kept  used 
up.  and  converted  into  electricity. 

The  electric  light  plant  is  one  of  the  best  in  the 
state,  being  titled  up  with  two  large  engines,  four 
Thomson  A-  Houston  arc  mat  hines,  and  a  large 
Westmghousc  incandesent  machine.  R.  O.  Crump 
is  a  Director  in  the  company  and  now  that  they 
arc  consolidated  with  the  Bay  City  company  it  is 
one  of  the  strongest  companies  in  the  Stale,  and  is 
known  as  the  Hay  County  Electric  Company. 
They  furnish  West  l!a\  City  and  the  bridge  with 
its  street  electric  lights,  and  all  of  the  stores  and 
dwellings;  also  the  commercial  lighting  for  both 
cit  ies. 

The  lire  protection  of  lioth  plants  is  worthy  of 
mention.  The  city  water  works  supply  the  water 
for  boilers  and  hydrants,  and  a  full  sized  six  inch 
pipe  connecting  with  the  Tenth  Street  water  main 
is  run  through  and  around  the  buildings.  The  three 
floors  of  the  main  mill  are  supplied  with  a  four 
inch  stand  pipe  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of 
hose  for  each  floor  audit  Is  always  attached  SO  that 
it  is  ready  at  a  moment's  notice.  The  two  large 
city  hydrants  arc  all  connected  up  in  the  same 
way  with  three  hundred  feet  of  standard  city  hose, 
at  each  hydrant  always  ready  for  an  emergency. 
In  the  boiler  room  there  is  hose  always  connected 
and  ready  for  use.  The  four  boilers  are  fed  from 
the  same  pipe  so  that  every  precaution  is  taken 
and  all  of  the  apparatus  for  fighting  tire  is  on  the 
ground  ready  al  a  moment's  notice. 

In  conclusion  we  will  say  that  this  plant  with  its 
modern  machinery  and  many  new  and  novel  ideas 
of  construction  and  application  of  machinery  is  a 
credit  to  the  city  where  it  is  situated.  Its  officers 
arc.  S.  <;.  Crump  of  I'ittsford,  X.  Y..  as  President, 
and  his  brother  R.  <  >.  Crump  of  West  Bay  City, 
as  Secretary  and  General  Manager,  with  the  able 
assistance  of  his  son,  S.  C.  Crump  as  Treasurer  and 
bookkeeper. 

It  is  an  incorporated  company  doing  business 
under  the  laws  of  the  Slate  with  an  organized  cap- 
ital sioek  of  $10,000  which  is  all  held  by  the  above 
officers  and  as  their  investment   now  in   the   busi- 


PORTRAIT  AND  HI'  MilJ  V.'IIICA!     RECORD. 


89  I 


aess  is  lulls  $100,000  it  makes  the  slock  valued  at 
a  high  premium.  The  new  plant  and  factory  was 
all  planned  and  the  drawings  made  by  tin'  Secre- 
tary and  resident  Manager  R.  ().  Crump,  who  is  a 
native  of  Pittsford,  Monroe  County,  N.  Y. 

The  attention  of  the  reader  is  invited  to  a  view 
of  the  Crump  Planing  Mill  and  Box  factory  pre- 
sented in  connection  with  this  sketch. 


^+^1 


&- 


jOSSEAl'  <).  CRUMP,  the  Secretary  and 
General  Manager  of  the  Crump's  Manu- 
'Jl±  \\\  facturing  Company,  of  Wot  Hay  City,  was 
!jjp)  born  in  Pittsford,  Monroe  County.  N.  Y  , 
May  20,  1843.  His  parents.  Samuel  and  Sarah 
(Cutting)  Crump,  were  born  respectively  in  Kent 
and  Suffolk  Counties,  England,  where  they  were 
reared  and  soon  after  their  marriage  m  1841  came 
to  the  United  States,  settling  in  Pittsford,  N.  Y., 
in  April,  1842.  where  his  father  carried  on  the 
business  he  had  learned  in  old  England,  that  of 
builder  and  contractor,  and  conducted  it  success- 
fully until  his  death  in  1  ss;>.  He  left  behind  him 
an  honored  name,  that  his  oldest  son,  the  subject 
of  our  sketch,  may  well  feel  proud  of. 

After  receiving  his  education  in  the  schools  of 
Pittsford  and  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  working  with  his 
father  in  the  summer  and  going  to  school  during  the 
winter  until  he  was  nineteen  years  old, Mr.  (rump 
then  looked  Westward  for  an  opening  in  some 
business  and  coming  as  far  as  Western  Ontario  he 
visited  for  a  time  with  relatives,  then  worked 
nearly  two  years  at  wagon  work.  He  also  helped 
build  one  of  the  largest  barges  on  the  lakes  and 
after  it  was  finished  in  the  fall  of  1864  took  a  trip 
on  her  as  ship  carpenter, going  the  whole  length  of 
Lakes  Erie,  Huron  and  Michigan,  stopping  at  De- 
troit, Port  Huron.  Mackinaw,  Milwaukee  and  Chi- 
cago. 

After  taking  that  trip  Mr.  (rump  followed  the 
lumber  business  and  in  June,  1865,  we  find  him 
located  as  salesman  in  Col.  A.  1).  Streight's  (of 
Hbby  Prison  fame)  lumber  yards  in  Indianapolis. 
Ind.  lie  was  engaged  there  for  nearly  a  year  when 
ill  health  compelled  him  to  go  back  to  his  friends 
in  the   East.     After   recruiting  his  health    he    en- 


gaged with  Dart  Brothers  of  Buffalo,  and  boughl 
lumber  for  them  throughout  Ontario,  then  a  greal 
lumber  market,  shipping  il  on  small  vessels  to 
Buffalo.    This  he  followed  until  the  winter  of   1868. 

In  .March,  1868  Mr.  Crump  married  .Miss  Phebe 
A.  Tucker,  of  Craigsville,  N.  Y,  and  again  looking 
Westward  for  a  place  to  settle  we  find  him  in  Wi- 
nona. Minn-,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  planing 
mill  and  lumberyard  of  Laird.  Norton  A-  Co.  Not 
liking  the  extreme  cold  weather  of  Minnesota  he 
located  in  Hie  spring  of  1869  at  Plainwell,  Mich., 
where  he  built  his  first  home.  There  until  the 
winter  of  1873  he  was  engaged  in  the  planing 
mill  and  lumber  business,  when  ill  health  again 
compelled  him  to  go  East  to  his  native  town  of 
old  Pittsford.  Sending  for  hisfamily  hewentinto 
business,  building  a  planing  mill  in  connection 
with  a  lumber  yard;  also  doing  general  building 
and  contract  work. 

Mr.  Crump  followed  that  successfully  until  the 
dull  times  of  ISTSiin  the  East  compelled  him  to 
again  look  Westward  and  closing  out  his  interests 
in  Pittsford.  he  moved  a  portion  of  his  machinery 
to  Simcoe,  Ontario.  Forming  a  partnership  with 
his  uncle,  .lames  Cutting,  he  carried  on  the  plan- 
ing mill.  sash,  door  and  blinds,  stave  and  heading 
business  for  two  years.  In  June,  1881,  he  with  his 
wife  was  making  a  tourof  the  Lakes  and  Northern 
Michigan,  and  stopped  to  visit  with  relatives  in 
Hay  City.  Being  impressed  with  the  push  and 
business  energ3  ol  the  two  Bay  Cities,  he.  after  re- 
turning home  opened  up  a  correspondence  and 
aegotiated  with  A.  C.  Haven,  of  West  Bay  City, 
which  finally  resulted  in  their  moving  their  entire 
plant  to  this  city.  He  brought  a  crew  of  men  with 
him.  and  they  built  their  first  mill,  commencing  it 
September  1,  1881,  and  starting  up  the  whole 
establishment  in  the  following  November. 

In  the  fall  of  IMS:!  Mr.  Crump  purchased  his 
uncle's  interest  in  the  business  and  in  February, 
1884.  the  corporation  of  the  Crump  Manufacturing 
Company  was  formed  by  him.  Dropping  the  retail 
lumber,  sash,  door  and  blind  business  they  em- 
barked in  the  box  business,  aiming  to  do  a  stricth 
wholesale  business,  selling  boxes  and  box  shooks  in 
carload  lots  throughout  our  whole  country.  His 
success  as  manager  of   the  business  is  shown  in    the 


892 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


growth  from  :i  small  beginning  to  its  presenl  size. 
Their  new  factory  planned  by  him  and  built  under 
his  personal  supervision,  is  acknowledged  by  good 
judges  as  being  the  best  built  and  arranged  factory 
of  its  kind,  also  one  of  the  largest  in  the  country, 
and  his  pleasant  quarters  in  their  elegant  offices  is 
a  just  reward  for  his  untiring  energy  with  business 

push  and  industry.     It  is  also  a   g 1  illustration 

of  what  can  be  accomplished  in  this  great  country 
of  ours  by  any  young  man  if  he  steadily  pursues  a 
course  of  industry,  economy  and  honest  dealing. 
The  union  of  Mr.  and  .Mis.  (rump  has  been 
blessed  with  a  family  of  one  son  and  four  daugh- 
ters. The  two  eldest,  Shelley  C.  and  Millie  were 
born  in  Plainwell,  Mich.;  Mabel  A.  was  born  in 
Pittsford,  N.  V..  and  the  two  youngest,  Enid  and 
Susie  were  both  born  in  West  Bay  City.  In  poli- 
tics Mr.  Crump  is  a  Republican  of  the  stalwart  type. 
He  served  his  adopted  city  as  Alderman  for  four 
years,  and  in  the  failed'  1890  allowed  hisfriendsto 
run  him  for  the  Stale  Legislature  and  in  a  district 
with  a  Democratic  majoritj  of  some  four  hundred 
ran  ahead  of  his  ticket  carrying  his  own  city,  and 
his  opponent   Only  beating  him  by  one  hundred  and 

thirteen  votes. 

The  religious  views  of  Mr.  Crump  are  of  the 
Liberal  order,  believing  in  free  thought,  but  he 
attends  the  church  of  his  forefathers,  the  Episcopal 
Church  of  England.  He  is  also  an  active  .Mason. 
havingbeen  one  of  the  first  Trustees  of  the  Masonic 
Temple  Association.  He  isa  member  of  the  Wenona 
Lodge,  Blanchard  Chapter,  the  Hay  City  Com- 
roandry,  the  Michigan  Sovereign  Consistory  of  De- 
troit and  Moslem  Temple,  and  the  Ancient  ( (rder  of 
United  Workmen,  fully  believing  in  its  teachings 
of  charity  and  good  fellowship  to  all  mankind. 


-— i- 


'-<&) 


;>*<§ 


(&*- . 


ENJAMINS.  BADGLEY  is  a  farmer  and 
stock-raiser  on  section  20,  Chesaning  Town- 
ship, Saginaw  County,  where  he  has  eighty 
acres  Of  fertile  and  well-tilled  land.  Mr. 
Badgley  was  born  in  Springfield,  Essex  County, 
N.  J.,  February  7.  1821,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Phebe  (Sturgis)  Badgley,  both  natives  of  New  Jer- 


sey. The  father  was  a  millwright  by  trade,  and 
during  the  War  of  1812  was  drafted  into  the  army. 
but  being  unable  to  go  <>n  account  of  the  pressure 
of  other  duties,  hired  a  substitute.  The  maternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  Benjamin  Sturgis,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War  under  Gen. 
Washington,  and  endured  the  terribh  hardships  of 
the  winter  at   Valley  Eorge. 

Benjamin  S.,  who  is  the  fourth  in  a  family  of 
seven  children,  worked  on  the  farm  until  about 
seventeen  years  of  age.  lie  received  a  common- 
school  education  and  learned  the  trade  of  a  mill- 
wright,  which  he  followed  for  about  five  years. 

At  least  one  incident  of  his  childhood  made  a 
lastiug  impression  upon  our  subject.  About  March, 
1835,  on  looking  out  of  the  window  one  night,  he 
saw  a  great  light,  and  at  first  thought  the  house 
was  on  tire.  On  going  to  the  window  he  saw  that 
the  sky  was  full  of  shooting  meteors,  which  would 
dart  from  north  to  south  and  from  south  to  north, 
swaying  back  and  forth  as  two  armies  in  mortal 
combat,  and  presenting  the  most  sublime  sight  he 
had  ever  witnessed.      In   March,  1841,  in  company 

with   his  brothels,  our  subject  was  employed   by   the 

firm  of  Scranton,  Grant  &  Co.,  togo  to  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  where  now  stands  the  city  of  Scran- 
ton   (then    called    Harrison).      They    built   a    wheel 

and  bellows  house  and  started  the  first  blast  furnace 
in  that  place. 

Our  subject  was  married  -Inly  1.  LSI."),  to  Miss 
Ellen  H.  Brown,  a  daughter  of  Mathias  and  Cather- 
ine (Emmons)  Brown.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
Ireland,  and  the  mother  of  New  Jersey,  where  Mrs. 
Badgley  was  born,  -May  1,  1*27.  Prior  to  their 
marriage  Mr.  Badgley  had  been  engaged  on  the 
Morris  Canal,  and  alter  their  marriage  he  tended 
the  inclined  plane  on  the  canal  f  Or  five  years.  Con- 
nected with  the  plane,  he  had  a  Collector's  office. 
The  most  of  the  toll  collected  was  from  iron  Ore, 
the  largest  part  of  which  was  shipped  to  Pennsyl- 
vania to  furnaces  along  the  Lehigh  Canal  between 
Easton  and  Mauch  Chunk.  The  loll  on  the  ore 
amounted  to  18,000  or  $16,000  per  year,  and  Mr. 
Badgley  received  two  percent,  for  collect  inn',  and 
$25  per  month  for  attending  to  the  plane  house. 
He  came  to  Michigan  in  1854,  and  purchased  land 
from   the  Government,  beginning  a1   once  to  im- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


893 


prove  it.  In  two  years  he  traded  it  for  his  present 
home,  which  nv:i<.  al  the  time  of  his  coming  hither, 
.-ill  woods. 

The  firsl  home  of  the  family  on  locating  where 
they  now  are  was  a  log  shanty  in  which  they  lived 
until  Mr.  Badgleycame  out  of  the  army,  in  which 
he  had  enlisted  December  l.  1861,  joining  Com- 
pany E,  Fourteenth  Michigan  Infantry.  He  was 
sent  forward  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
and  saw  some  hard  and  interesting  skirmishing. 
Becoming  sick,  he  was  discharged  November  1. 
1862.  To  his  credil  be  it  said,  Mr.  Badgley  aever 
applied  for  a  pension  as  long  as  he  was  able  to 
work.  On  returning  from  the  war  he  continued 
the  work  of  impro\  ing  his  farm,  as  soon  as  he  was 
able  tn  do  anything. 

Seven  children  have  increased  the  home  circle 
over  which  our  subject  and  his  wife  preside: 
l'helie  A.  was  born  February  I.  1846,  and  is  now 
Mrs.  Jacob  Mahafer;  Dean  O.,  bora  June  8,  1848, 
now  iives  in  this  vicinity:  .  Henrietta,  who  was 
born  here  June  30,  1855,  ris  Mrs.  Duane  Fall; 
Eugene  If.  was  born  October  9,  I*."i7;  Alice  .1. 
was  born  February  II.  1859,  and  is  the  wife  of 
Alfred  Coleman;  Jacob  F.was  born  March  17. 
I86t;  Gertrude,  born  .March  4.  1871,  married  Ed- 
win Howell,  who  keeps  an  hotel  in  Lysander,N.  V. 
A  Democrat  in  his  political  theory,  our  subjecl  is 
at  the  same  time  liberal,  and  voted  for  Mr.  Harri- 
son. 

Elsewhere  in  this  volume  may  be  found  a  litho- 
graphic view  of  the  homestead  of  .Mr.  Badgley, 
which  with  its  substantial  buildings  and  well 
tilled  fields  comprises  one  of  the  finest  estates  of 
the  township. 


AMES  CREEN,    the    County    Treasurer    of 
Saginaw  County  and  one  of  the  best-known 
citizen-    of  Saginaw,    was    born    in    Seneca 
Township,  Lenawee  County,  this  state  Jan- 
nary  11,  1844,  and  is  the -on  of  Richard  and  Ann 

(Turner)  (  reen.  both   Datives  Of  Ireland,  who  came 

from  County  Down   al t  the   year  1831,  crossing 


in  the  same  vessel  and  afterward  marrying  in  New 
York,  where  they  lived  for  some  year-.  The  father 
was  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  also  worked  on  tin- 
lock-  of  the  Eric  (anal,  and  came  to  Michigan  in 
1*42  to  open  up  a  new  farm  and  look  after  the 
timbei  interests  of  .lame-  Matthews,  of  Lockport, 
whoowned  large  tract- of  land  in  Lenawee  County. 
lie  acted  for  him  for  about  twelve  years,  selling 
land  and  cultivating  his  farm  and  finally  bough  1 
property  in  Medina  Township,  Lenawee  County. 
where  he  died  in  November,  1890,  al  the  age  of 
eighty-two  year-  leaving  his  widow  and  several  of 
his  children  to  mourn  hi-  loss. 

Five  of  the  eighf  children  of  thi-  familyare  now 

living,  and  one  of  them.  John  (  lien,  died  at  Sag- 
inaw, January  22.  1891.  Our  subjecl  attended 
school  in  Medina  Academy  and  taught  for  three 
terms,  in  1866-67-68.  He  had  enlisted  in  1862, 
when  only  aboul  seventeen  years  old,  bul  was  no1 
accepted.  In  l«t;:i  he  and  his  I  not  her  came  to  Sag- 
inaw, wheie  the  latter  had  boughl  a  grocery  and 
provision  business,  and  they  entered  into  a  part- 
nership which  continued  until  the  death  of  the 
brother,  during  which  time  they  had  secured  con- 
siderable land.  In  1878  our  subject  removed  to  a 
tract  of  raw  land  four  miles  from  Saginaw  and 
cleared  a  farm  of  considerable  value,  a  portion  of 
which  they  now  own. 

.lame- (  rcen  served  sis  years  as  Supervisor  in 
the  Township  of  Buena  Vista,  one  year  as  Clerk 
and  two  year-  as  Drainage  Commissioner,  which 
was  there  the  most  important  office,  as  the  pros- 
perity of  that  level  country  depended  largely  upon 

that   work.      (  hi   the  -tone-road  question,  which   has 

been  before  the  people  for  seven  years.  Mr.  (  reen 
was  a  strong  advocate.  While  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Finance  Committee  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors they  refused  to  make  the  hack  payments 
demanded  by  the  Mate  on  the  live  years'  list,  and 
fought   the    mandamus    successfully,    thus    saving 

about  $68, »  to  the  county. 

Our  subject  resided  upon  his  present  farm  until 
elected  to  hi-  presenl  office  on  the  Democratic 
ticket.  He  received  a  majority  of  eighteen  hun- 
dred votes  againsl  A.  I).  Agnew.  lie  took 
possession  of  his  office  January  12,  with  Peter 
Ross  (the   former   deputy)  and   John  Creen  as  hi- 


S!)  I 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


Deputies.  Besides  this  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres,  he  lias  had  property  in  East  Saginaw, 
of  which  he  lias  sold  a  large  number  of  lots  and 
where  they  have  elected  a  number  of  buildings, 
one  of  which  is  the  Reed  lintel.  He  has  traded  a 
good  deal  in  lands  both  in  city  and  country,  and 
has  gained  much  in  that  way. 

John  Creen  was  exactly  three  older  than  his 
brother  .lames,  our  subject,  and  was  a  New  Yorker 
by  birth,  lie  entered  Company  I,  Eighteenth 
Michigan  Infantry  and  did  service  under  Gens. 
Granger  ami  Rosecrans  in  Kentucky  and  Tennes- 
see. He  was  wounded  at  Decatur.  Ala.,  and  for 
two    years    was    obliged    to  walk  on    crutches    and 

this  serious  wound  always  affected  his  health  and 
hastened  hisdeath.  His  widow,  who  was  in  maiden- 
hood Sarah  McCullough,  of  Saginaw,  survives  and 
has  two  children.  Nettie  and  John. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Lenawee  County. 
April  15,  1872,  to  Miss  Mary  Fitzpatrick,  a  native 
of  Lenawee  County,  who  was  horn  August  2<i, 
1851.  Their  children  are:  Rose,  James.  John  and 
Frank,  who  are  living  and  the  eldest, Samuel  Rich- 
ard, died  in  infancy,  while  Anna  died  at  the  age 
of  three  years. 

In  politics  Mr.  Creen  is  a  stanch  Democral  ami 
during  the  last  live  years  not  a  vote  was  cast 
againsl  him  by  the  adherent-  of  either  party  in  the 
Township  where  he  resided  when  running  for  Su 
pervisor.  As  Drainage  Commissioner,  he  at  first 
met  with  stringent  opposition,  but  those  very  men 
finally  realized  the  wisdom  of  his  measures  and 
were  his  best  friends.  As  Supervisor  he  assessed 
the  lumber  mills  which  had  before  escaped  and  this 
lightened  the  taxation  of  the  farmers,  while  he  ex- 
empted Indians  and  other  poor  people.  Mr.  Creen 
is  a  man  of  firm  convictions  and  when  once  his 
mind  is  made  up  it  is  difficult  to  change  his 
opinions. 

The  family  are  connected  with  the  St.  Andrew's 
Catholic  Church,  of  which  they  are  prominent 
members.  The  loss  of  the  daughter  so  affected 
Mrs.  Creen  that  it  has  since  been  deemed  advisable 
to  place  her  under  treatment  at  the  Dearborn  lie- 
treat,  where  she  has  been  for  five  years,  and  this 
affliction  is  a  terrible  blow  to  Mr.  Creen,  detracting 
greatly  from  the  domestic  happiness  of  the  family. 


In  social  life  this  gentleman  stands  high  in  the 
county  among  all  classes,  and  he  is  especially  pop- 
ular with  the  farming  community  and  those  of  the 
people  who  .■ire  in  moderate  circumstances. 

ISAAC  !.  HUCKINS,  one  of  the  oldest  settlers 
of  West  Bay  City,  came  here  in  US(i7  and  es- 
/|\  tablished  a  jewelry  business.  Five  years  later 
he  removed  to  Cheboygan,  this  State,  where  he 
was  successfully  engaged  in  the  same  business  for 
six  years,  returning  from  thai  place  to  Lay  City, 
and  finally  retiring  after  a  busy  life  of  twenty 
years.  He  now  gives  his  attention  to  scientific  bee 
culture,  and  in  his  apiary  at  his  home,  No.  'J<)7 
Litchfield  Street.  West  Lay  City,  are  reared  several 

Of  the  finest  races  of  honey   bees  known. 

Mr.  Iluckins  was  born  in  Plymouth,  N.  II..  May 
26,  lull.  His  parents  were  of  sturdy  New  Eng- 
land stock,  and  were  Methodists  in  religion,  while 
the  father  adhered  to  the  principles  of  the  Repub- 
lican politics.  In  his  school  days  our  subject  was 
a  neighbor  of  ex-Senator  Henry  W.  Blair.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Maggie  M.  Preston,  a  native  of 
Buffalo,  N.  V..  and  the  daughter  of  Isaac  Preston, 
a  ship  carpenter,  whose  native  home  was  in  Con- 
necticut.     Politically,  he    was   a    firm    Republican. 

The  mother  of  Mis.  Iluckins  was  born  in  Ire- 
land, and  was  reared  to  become  a  strict  Roman 
Catholic,  but  in  later  years  she  was  a  faithful 
membei  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Loth 
.Mr.  and  Mis.  Preston  died  in  West  Lay  City. 

The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Iluckins.  which  took 
place  in  1*7:5.  has  broughl  to  them  six  children, 
namely:  Blanche  T.,  Annie  L.,  Lillie  M.,  Martha 
G.,  Julia  E.  and  Frank  0.  They  are  active  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  be- 
long to  various  benevolent  and  temperance  socie- 
ties. Mr.  Iluckins  believes  that  nothing  but  the 
prohibition  of  the  manufacture,  sale  and  importa- 
tion of  intoxicating  liquors  by  the  Government 
will  ever  free  us  from  the  blighting  curse  of  in- 
temperance. 

Mrs.  Iluckins  has  been  engaged  in  the  millinery 
business  for  more   than    twenty  years,  and   is  now 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


895 


located  in  the  Van  Alstine  Block,  comer  of  Mid- 
land and  Walnut  Streets.  Her  stuck  comprises 
the  most  stylish  assortment  in  millinery  and  hair 
g Is  tu  be  found  in  the  valley,  and   her  motto  is 

■•  the  finest  work    at    lowest    prices."       Her   success 

lias  been  remarkable,  and  she  is  one  of  the  few  who 
have  never  failed  in  business. 


i'  *%*\*  *»-•■.*-- 


i  *;«^.^.^,p 


OH  Is'  URE.  Our  subject  is  numbered  among 
the  prominent  and  older  residents  of  Sagi- 
naw  Township.  Saginaw  County.  He  be- 
i\gy  longs  to  a  family  that  is  of  Scottish  ancestry, 
his  father,  Andrew  Ire,  having  been  born  in  Ster- 
lingshire,  Scotland,  in  October,  1 77H.  and  his 
grandsire,  Roberl  Ire.  was  likewise  a  native  of 
Scotland.  The  family  is  probably  of  English  ori- 
gin, having  emigrated  to  the  Scottish  border  after 
some  period  of  conquest  in  which  awards  of  con- 
fiscated lands  wei'c  made  to  the  English  soldiers. 
Our  subject 's  grandfather  was  a  large  farmer  in  his 
native  place,  where  his  life  terminated.  The  fam- 
ily  are  all  noted  for  their  longevity. 

Andrew  lie  was  a  tradesman  in  Glasgow  for  a 
short  time  and  then  became  a  seafaring  man.  Dur- 
ing  the  French  and  Indian  War,  by  some  mischance 
his  ship  was  Bred  upon  by  an  American  vesseland 
his  cargo  was  utterly  destroyed  anil  as  most  of  his 
means  was  invested  in  this  way  he  was  crippled 
financially; and  in  order  to  retrieve  his  lost  fortunes 
he  sailed  for  America  about  1  *  1  !-i  and  located  at 
Halifax,  where  he  was  engaged  in  sinking  wells 
and  it  was  he  who  sank  the  famous  Sam  Slick  well. 
Later  he  came  to  Boston  and  was  there  married 
and  was  engaged  in  labor  for  the  city,  and  to  him 
are  some  of  the  beautiful  features  of  Boston  <  '(mi- 
lium owing.  He  also  held  the  position  of  Assistant 

Master  of  the  House  of  Correction  keeping  it  foi- 
ten  years.  About  1833  he  set  out  with  his  wife 
:ind  four  children  for  (  Ihio. 

The  journey  into  the  far  West,  as  it  was  then  so 
considered,  was  tedious  and  even  dangerous.  They 
crossed  tin-  lake  by  packets  and  went  down  the 
Ohio  River,  landing  near  Chillicothe.  Thence  they 
went   lo  Cincinnati,  and  after  traveling    over    por- 


tions Of  Kentucky.  Ohio,  and  Illinois,  he  was  at- 
tracted to  this  portion  of  Michigan  by  the  glowing 
reports  of  the  wealth  that  was  to  lie  found  in  its 
timber  resources,  lie  left  his  family  and  came  to 
this  place,  purchasing  the  farm  upon  which  his  son 
now  lives  and  settled  upon  it  with  his  family  in 
the  fall  of    IS.'!.".. 

On  coming  to  this  portion  of  the  State  our 
subject's  family  comprised,  besides  hi-  wife, 
four  children,  of  whom  John  was  hist  in  order 
of  birth.  lie  was  horn  on  the  same  section  on 
which  he  now  lives — section  ll.  November  18, 
1837,  and  was  reared  as  much  among  the  Indians 
as  among  the  whiles,  and  as  m  child  playing  among 
the  pappooses,  he  early  learned  their  language  as 
well  as  their  manners  and  customs.  When  six 
years  of  age  he  was  sent  to  school  in  the  old- 
fashioned  log  schoolhouse.  which  was  conducted 
on  the  rate  bill  system,  and  which  was  lilted  out 
with  slab  benches  and  other  pi  imitive  features.  He 
early  began  to  give  his  assistance  on  the  farm  and 
it  was  his  business  when  a  boy  to  stand  gun  in 
hand  and  guard  the  growing  corps  from  attacks  of 
birds  and  animals. 

As  a  lad  our  subject  was  a  great  hunter  and 
found  much  pleasure  from  the  drudgery  of  early 
farm  life  with  his  gun,  and  at  one  time  he  with 
some  other  men  killed  fourteen  bears,  during  the 
fall  of  18(57.  He  began  for  himself  at  the  age  of 
twenty-two  years.  In  the  fall  of  1860  he  was 
married  to  Cynthia  E.  Palmer,  who  was  born  at  St. 
Albans,  \'t.  To  them  were  born  a  family  of  five 
children,  whose  names  are  Mary  P..  Sirs.  Thomp- 
son; Helen  M..  Andrew.  William  Robert  and  John 
E.  He  settled  on  the  present  farm  in  1861  and 
there  was  only  about  twenty  acres  of  the  eighty- 
five  cleared  at  that  time.  He  has  added  to  his  tract, 
from  time  to  time  until  he  now  Owns  One  hundred 
and  fifty-five  acres  and  devotes  himself  to  mixed 
farming.  Their  home  is  a  good  farmhouse  that  is 
more  for  comforl  than  for  show.  He  has  a  large 
frame  barn  Unit  is  capacious  enough  for  his  gar- 
nered crops. 

Liberal  in  his  own  religious  views,  our  subject's 
wife  is  an  adherent  of  the  .Methodist  Church.  In 
his  political  life  he  is  a  Republican.  He  ha-  been 
Supervisor  of  I  he  township,  and  also  -lust ice  of  the 


s:m; 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Peace,  and  lias  served  as  Secretary  of  the  Farmers' 
Mutual  Insurance  Company  and  lias  also  been  its 
Treasurer.  He  is  a  man  who  has  a  great  deal  of 
native  ability  and  his  inclination  for  literature  is 
shown  by  Ins  large  and  well-selected  library  in 
which  he  is  a  ureal  and  discriminate  reader. 


\EORGE  F.  IK  )<)!>.  Among  the  insurance 
men  of  Bay  City  who  arc  doing  a  large  Io* 
V — A  cal  businessand  enjoy  a  well-merited  repu- 
tation for  enterprise  and  honorable  dealing  we  are 
pleased  In  present  the  name  of  .Mr.  Hood,  who  was 
at  one  time  Deputy  County  Treasurer,  and  also 
County  Register  of  Deeds,  of  Genesee  County. 
during  the  Civil  War.  lie  stands  high,  not  alone 
in  business  circles,  hut  in  social  life  as  well,  and  i.s 
loeated  in  the-  Commercial  Hank  Block,  where  he 
carries  on  a  business  in  re:d  estate  and  loans,  as 
well  as  in  insurance. 

Mr.  Hood  was  horn  in  Orleans  County,  N.  Y.. 
near  Albion,  and  his  father.  Josiah,  was  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a  farmer,  lie  died  in 
1K.">7.  at  the  age  of  forty  years,  lie  was  a  son  of 
a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812.  His  wife,  who  bore 
the  name  in  maidenhood  of  Tryphena  Frisbie,  was 
horn  in  Connecticut, and  was  of  English  descent. 
She  died  in  1831,  and  our  subject,  who  was  horn 
August  12.  1830,  was  doubly  orphaned  at  the  age 
of  seven  years.  He  remained  near  Albion  and  was 
educated  in  the  common  school  and  the  Millville 
Academy,  and  afterwards  in  the  Academy  at 
Vales  Centre,  from  which  he  graduated  at  the  age 
of  sixteen. 

The  youth  then  entered  a  dry-goods  store  as 
clerk  for  two  years,  and  came  to  Flint,  this  State, 
in  1858,  when  that  city  had  about  eight  hundred 
inhabitants.  After  clerking  one  year  lie  went  into 
partnership  with  Mr.  Hazelton  in  the  hardware 
business,  under  the  firm  name  of  E.  II.  Hazelton 
&  Co.  After  two  years  he  sold  out  his  interest  in 
this  concern,  and  in  18.V>  received  an  appointment 
as  corresponding  clerk,  under  Whitney  Jones,  in 
Lansing,  for  two  years,  during  which  time  he  re- 
sided in  Lansing,     lie  then  resigned   his  position, 


and  returning  to  Flint,  engaged  in   the   real-estate 
business. 

In  1857  Mr.  Hood  was  elected  City  Treasurer, 
and  served  for  three  terms,  and  in  the  fall  of  1860 
he  was  made  Register  of  Deeds  of  Genesee  County, 
to  which  office  he  was  re-elected  in  1862,  and 
served  until  1865.  After  this  he  spent  eighteen 
months  in  California,  travelling  by  way  of  New 
York  and  Panama  to  San  Francisco.  He  mined 
some  and  speculated  at  various  points  in  Califor- 
nia, and  returned  home  by  the  same  route  which 
he  took  in  going.  After  returning  to  Flint  he 
made  a  visit  to  Bay  City,  then  known  as  Lower 
Saginaw,  and  there  entering  partnership  with  Will- 
iam S.  Patrick,  of  Flint,  spent  some  two  years 
locating  pine  lands. 

In  July.  1869,  our  subject  engaged  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  wooden  ware  in  Bay  City,  in  the  linn 
of  Braddock,  II 1  A-  Co.,  but  as  that  was  not  a  suc- 
cess, he  soon  entered  the  employ  of  Smith  A' 
Wheeler  as  bookkeeper,  where  he  remained  three 
years,  and  then  entered  the  real  estate  and  land 
business.  In  1881  he  became  Deputy  County 
Treasurer,  and  two  years  later  entered  the  employ 
of  the  State  as  an  examiner  of  State  hinds,  travel- 
ling throughout  the  States  and  estimating  values 
of  thousands  of  acres.  He  again  took  the  office  of 
Deputy  County  Treasurer  for  two  years,  and  in 
1887  engaged  in  the  insurance  business,  devoting 
himself  to  it  most  thoroughly.  Previous  to  that 
he  went  into  partnership  with  Mr.  McDermott  and 
Mr.  Kelley,  hut  since  1888  he  has  carried  on  busi- 
ness alone.  The  four  companies  which  he  repre- 
sents are  those  of  Westchester.  Grand  Rapids,  the 
Dwelling  House  Insurance  Company,  of  Boston, 
and  the  Hecla,  and  he  is  also  dealing  in  loans  and 
real  estate. 

In  1852  Mr.  Hood  was  married  in  New  York 
State,  at  Fonda,  to  .Miss  Mary  L.  Wilson,  a  native 
of  Bethany,  Genesee  County,  that  State.  Their 
children  are.  George  W..  wdio  is  in  the  employ  of 
the  Michigan  Railroad;  Harriet,  who  is  now  Mrs. 
R.  S.  Watson;  Charles  J.,  who  is  in  the  employ  of 
C.  H.  Bradley,  the  lumber  inspector;  John  L.,  who 
is  bookkeeper  in  the  freight  office  of  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad;  Chauncey,  a  printer;  Winifred 
ami  Harry. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


899 


Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, and  belongs  to  the  orders  of  Knights  Temp- 
lar, Masonry,Odd  Fellows. and  the  United  Grands. 
In  the  Congregational  Church,  to  which  he  be- 
longs, he  ha-  been  a  trustee  since  1*71;,  and  wasal 
one  time  Secretary  of  that  Board  and  a  member  of 
the  Building  Committee.  His  influence  is  strong 
anion?  men  of  the  Republican  party,  and  he  is  a 
frequent  delegate  t<>  county  conventions. 


\[ ON.  WILLIAM  J.  MARTIN,  Mayor  of  West 

f  Bay  City,  possesses  the  sound  business  and 
genial  social  qualifications  which  make  him 
j)J  an  especially  serviceable  civic  official.  lie 
is  a  man  of  great  firmness  of  disposition,  well  dow- 
ered by  nature  with  talents  of  no  common  order. 
and  his  conduct  in  the  various  relations  of  life  is 
such  as  to  inspire  the  confidence  of  Ins  fellow-citi- 
zens. In  his  official  position  he  is  noted  for  his 
unblemished  integrity  of  character,  his  careful  ex- 
amination of  all  matters  which  come  before  him, 
and  his  con  Stan  1  effort  to  economize  in  the  expen- 
diture of  city  funds. 

Biographies  of  those  who  have  arisen  from  an 
humble  position  to  one  of  affluence,  are  most  use- 
ful as  guides  and  incentives  to  the  young,and  it  is 
therefore  with  more  than  ordinary  pleasure  that 
we  chronicle  the  important  events  in  the  life  of 
Mr.  Martin  and  portray,  as  accurately  as  possible, 
those  trail-  of  character  which  have  contributed  to 
his  success  in  life.  He  was  born  iu  Rochester,  X. 
Y.,  May  9,  184  1.  and  is  a  son  of  X.  C.  and  Mary  J. 
(Gilford)  Martin.  The  father  was  an  engineer  for 
the  Xew  Yoik  Central  Railroad,  and  was  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire,  while  tin'  mother  was  bora  in 
Vermont. 

His  father  being  poor,  Mr.  Martin  received  few 
educational  advantages  in  his  youth,  although  he 
took  a  course  in  the  High  School  m  Rochester. 
When  quite  young  he  started  out  to  make  his  own 
way  in  the  world  and  the  first  employment  which 
he  secured  was  with  the  Xew  York  Central  Rail- 
road Company,  his  work  being  to  carry  wafer  to 
41 


the  employes.  From  that  humble  bejfiniiini;  he 
arose  to  a  clerkship  in  a  dry-goods  store  which  po- 
sition he  filled  from  1861  until  1865.  In  Aprilof 
the  above  mentioned  year  he  came  to  Michigan, 
and  locating  in  Detroit,  accepted  the  position  of 
time-keeper  in  the  locomotive  department  of  the 
Michigan  Central  Railway  Company.  The  duties 
which  this  position  brought  to  him  were  discharged 
with  (he  same  fidelity  to  his  employers'  interests 
which  ever  characterized  him,  and  his  ability  and 
faithfulness  were  recognized  by  his  promotion,  in 
1872,  to  chief  clerk  of  the  same  department,  with 
headquarters  ai  Jackson. 

In  1875  Mr.  Martin  received  a  second  promo- 
tion, being  appointed  clerk  in  the  office  of  Division 
Superintendent,  C.  1!.  Bush,  and  the  following  j-ear 
was  transferred  to  Bay  City,  where  he  was  train- 
master of  the  Saginaw  and  Mackinaw  and  Bay  City 
Divisions  until  September,  18<s.~).  Xext  he  was  ap- 
pointed Assistant  Superintendent,  tilling  the  posi- 
tion creditably  until  July,  1890,  when  still  another 
promotion  made  him  Superintendent  of  the  Sagi- 
naw and  Mackinaw  and  North  Midland  Divisions. 
Uthough  this  responsible  position  entails  many 
duties  upon  him,  he  yet  finds  time  to  devote  to 
public  affahs,  and  brings  to  bear  his  highest  quali- 
fications and  keenest  powers  of  intellect  in  the 
mayoralty. 

The  death  of  Mrs.  Bettie  (Boorman)  Martin  in 
1874,  bereaved  Mi'.  Martin  of  a  faithful  helpmate, 
to  whom  he  had  been  married  at  Rochester,  X.  Y.. 
in  January,  1866.  She  left  two  children:  Burr, 
who  died  at  the  age  id'  thirteen  years;  and  Maud, 
who  is  the  wife  of  C.  McConnele.  of  West  Bay 
City,  and  the  mother  of  one  child,  Bettie.  Mr. 
Martin  was  married,  April  3,  187!),  to  Miss  Martha 
the  daughter  of  the  Rev.  L.  W.  Chapman,  for  a 
long  time  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
Init  for  the  past  ten  years  retired  from  active  labor. 
Mr.  Chapman  was  born  and  educated  in  Massachu- 
setts, and  was  married  lo  Miss  Martha  A.  Cunning- 
ham, of  Indiana  County,  Pa. 

Iii  that  county  Mrs.  Martin  was  bora  May  3, 
1857,  and  when  a  child  accompanied  her  parents  to 
Richmond,  Ind..  where  she  spent  her  early  school- 
days. Her  father,  who  had  charge  of  the  church 
in    Itichmond,    removed   thence  to    Lansing,  this 


900 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


State,  and  from  there  to  West  Bay  City,  then 
known  as  Wenona.  Here  he  was  pastor  of  what  is 
now  Westminster  Church.  He  and  his  estimable 
wife  still  survive.  Mrs.  Martin  received  a  good 
education  in  the  schools  of  Wesl  Bay  City,  and 
was  carefully  instructed  beneath  her  fathers 's roof, 
which  she  left  to  enter  her  husband's  home.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Martin  have  two  children,  Anna  and 
Freddie,  and  at  their  beautiful  residence  at  No. 
203  Washington  Street,  they  have  established  a 
happy  home,  replete  with  the  comforts  and  many 
of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

In  connection  with  this  brief  sketch  of  his  life, 
we  are  pleased  to  present  the  portrait  of  Mr.  Mar- 
tin. 


lT7      ore: 

JliA  four 


ORENZO    BURROWS,    M.  1).     Among  the 

miinent  physicians  of  Saginaw  may  be 
found  this  gentleman,  who  has  made  the 
study  of  the  eye  his  specialty  and  now  devotes  his 
whole  attention  to  the  cause  and  cure  of  the  di-s- 
eases  affecting  that  most  sensitive  and  delicate  or- 
gan of  the  human  body. 

Dr.  Burrows  was  born  in  Albion,  ( )rleans  County, 
X.  Y.,  January  10.  1867,  and  is  the  son  of  Lorenzo 
and  Louise  (Moore)  Burrows.  The  father  was  of 
English  descent,  the  family  tracing  their  genealogy 
in  this  country  back  to  Kill.  He  was  born  in 
Albion,  N.  Y.  The  mother  is  a  native  of  Allegheny, 
Pa.,  the  daughter  of  Charles  H.  Moore,  and  is  also 
of  English  extraction.  When  our  subject  was  six 
months  old  his  parents  removed  to  Saginaw,  where 
the}'  still  reside  and  where  the  father  carried  on 
banking  for  a  number  of  years. 

Dr.  Burrows  gained  his  early  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Saginaw,  and  commenced  the 
study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  0.  P.  Barber.  He  then 
went  to  New  York  City,  where  he  entered  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  medical  de- 
partment of  the  Columbia  College,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1889.  Returning  to  Michigan,  he 
went  to  Ann  Arbor  as  assistant  to  Dr.  Fleming 
Carrow,  Professor  of  diseases  of  the  eye  and  ear  in 
the  University  of  Michigan,  which  position  he  re- 
tained for  one  year.     At  the  end  of  that  time   he 


returned  to  Saginaw  and  opened  an  office  at  the 
coiner  of  South  Michigan  Avenue  and  Cass  Street 
where  he  gives  special  attention  to  the  diseases  of 
the  eye. 

Dr.  Burrows  was  married  in  December,  1889,  to 
Mtss  Nellie  L.Saunders,a  daughter  of  Edwin  Saun- 
ders, of  East  Saginaw.  They  are  the  parents  of  two 
children,  both  daughters.  Dr.  Burrow.-  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Michigan  Stale  Medical  Society  and  also 
of  the  Saginaw  Valley  Medical  Club,  and  although 
young  in  years  has  already  made  his  mark  in  his 
chosen  profession  and  has  a  bright  future  In  fore 
him. 


USUI  — 


YRON  T.  DODGE.  We  have  here  the 
able  and  efficient  County  Commissioner  of 
Schools,  who  has  made  his  home  in  Sag- 
inaw since  he  moved  here  with  his  parents, 
Leonard  1'.  and  Mary  (Coleman)  Dodge,  in  1866. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  the 
mother  of  Canada,  and  after  they  settled  perman- 
ently in  Saginaw  the  lather  continued  his  work  as 
a  millwright  and  bridge  builder  until  his  death,  in 
1883.  This  able  mechanic  superintended  the  build- 
ing of  the  first  suspension  bridge  spanning  the  Ni- 
agara River,  and  also  built  the  trestles  for  the 
Great  Western  Railroad  bridge  at  Paris,  Canada. 
He  was  also  the  builder  of  Gov.  Crapo's  mill,  at 
Flint,  as  well  as  numerous  other  mills  in  this  part 
of  the  State.  His  good  wife  still  lives,  and  makes 
her  home  at  Chesaning,  S.iginaw  County,  she  is 
the  mother  of  eleven  children,  of  whom  our  sub- 
jecl   i-  next  to  the  youngest. 

Myron  T.Dodge  passed  his  boyhood  days  at 
Chesaning,  attending  the  schools  of  that  place. 
Leaving  school  at  sixteen  years,  hi-  went  to  Ham- 
ilton. Canada,  and  thence  to  Quebec  and  Ft.  Will- 
iams, and  afterward  to  Duluth,  and  in  his  travels 
he  rode  on  the  first  train  drawn  over  the  Canadian 
Pacific  Railroad.  He  made  up  his  mind  to  go  on 
the  water  at,  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  had  ac- 
quired some  knowledge  of  boating,  so  that  he  ob- 
tained a  position  as  first  officer  on  the  steamship 
"  Canada"  when  about  twenty  years  of  age. 

Upon    reaching   the  age   of   twenty-one    he    had 


PORTRAIT  AND   UK  )( HiAPIIICAL   RI-X'OKI). 


'.Mil 


gained  so  thorough  a  knowledge  of  the  hike-  as  to 
obtain  from  the  United  States  Government  a  first- 
class  master's  license  to  ad  as  pilot  on  nil  the  Great 
Lakes  and  connecting  bays  and  rivers.  While  thus 
engaged  lie  spent  one  winter  on  tin-  Atlantic 
Ocean,  and  during  :ill  this  period  of  roving  In1 
steadfastly  kept  up  his  studies  and  a  course  of  in- 
structive  reading, and  in  1885 resigned  his  position 
as  master  of  the  steel  steamship  "  Ivanhoe,"  and 
returned  to  Saginaw. 

Mr.  Dodge  then  determined  to  take  a  special 
course  of  study  to  prepare  himself  lor  teaching, 
and  taught  three  years  in  Carrollton  ami  one  year 
in  East  Saginaw.  In  1887  he  was  elected  a  mem- 
berof  the  County  Board  of  School  Examiners,  and 
was  made  its  chairman.  In  1889  lie  resinned  this 
position,  but  was  soon  after  elected  Secretary  of 
the  same  hoard,  and  in  1891  was  made  County 
Commissioner  of  Schools  by  the  unanimous  vote  of 
the  Board  of  Supervisors,  a  hoard  fifty-one  in  num- 
ber and  the  largest  one  of  the  kind  in  the  state. 
lie  assumed  the  duties  of  his  present  office  Augusl 
25,  1891.  In  that  year  he  was  also  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Education  of  East  Saginaw,and 

appointed  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Schools. 
and  in  all  his  various  connections  with  the  educa- 
tional interests  of  this  section  he  has  been  a  pro- 
moter of  progressive  movements  and   a    thorough 

worker  for  the  success  of  the  scl Is.     .Mr.   Dodge 

was  married  in  1891,  to  Alis-  Alary  A., daughter  of 
William  II.  (rain,  of  Saginaw,  a  teacher  of 
rare  ability  and  suecc-s.and  a  graduate  of  the  Sag- 
inaw  1  Hull  School. 


*£ 


I. YIN    L.    BAILEY,    M.  I).,    is    a    physician 
and  surgeon  located  at  ( 'hesaning,  Saginaw 
County.      Dr.     Bailey    was   horn    in    Deca- 
(*J  tur   County.  Ind.,    August     12.    1859.      He 

is  a  son  of  Peter  J.  and  Phebe  A.  (  Feaster)  Bailey, 
hoth  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Our  subject's  father 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  the  son  was  reared 
in  the  village  of  St.  Paul,  Ind.  He  leceived  a  com- 
mon-school education,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
entered  Butler  University,  and  pursued  his  student 


course  there  for  four  years.  lie  then  taught  about 
four  years,  two  years  of  which  were  spent  in  the 
graded  school  of  Franklin.  Ind. 

<)ur  subject  had  begun  reading  medicine  when 
only  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  attended  the 
Medical  College  of  Ohio,  at  Cincinnati.  He  en- 
tered  that  institution  in  1881,  and  after  pursuing 
there  the  regular  course,  he  entered  the  Cincinnati 
Hospital,  being  appointed  resident  physician. which 
appointment  he  won  in  a  competitive  examination. 
At  I  he  close  of  two  years  there  he  received  a  di- 
ploma and  then  located  in  St.  Paul,  Ind..  where  he 
practiced  for  one  year  and  then  went  to  Cincin- 
nati, and  practiced  until  January  1.  1891. 

Dr.  Bailey  was  married  April  8,  1880,  to  Miss 
Alary  Avery,  lie  was  married  a  second  time,  in 
Indianapolis.  Ind..  .lime  10,  1890,  to  Miss  AnnaM. 
Davison,  and  in  January.  1  891 .  removed  to  Chesan- 
ing,  where  he  has  already  acquired  a  good  practice, 
his  ability  in  a  professional  way  being  recognized 
thus  soon.  Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat.  In  his 
church  relations  he  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church. 


fLBERT  CANTWELL.  This  well-known 
*JU\\  business  man  of  C hesaning,  who  is  carry- 
Is  illg'  on  here  a  grocery  and  bazaar,  was 
b  >rn  in  (  Intario.  (  auada.  (  Ictober  24,  1859. 
His  parents,  John  and  Sarah  (Scrivener)  Canlwell, 
had  their  birth  and  parentage  in  England,  and 
after  their  marriage  and  the  birth  of  three  of  their 
children,  came  to  Canada,  in  IK.">2.  There  they 
carried  on  a  farm  upon  which  our  subject  had  his 
early  training  and  education  and  to  him  was  given 
the  opportunity  of  study  in  the  common  schools. 
When  Albert  Canlwell  was  about  sixteen  years 
old  he  came  to  ('hesaning  and  began  working  in 
the  wood.-,  thus  spending  the  first  winter.  After 
that  he  purchased  stave3  for  a  dealer  for  some  three 
or  four  year.-,  and  then  began  clerking  in  a  grocery 
Store,  which  line  of  work  he  followed  for  a  few 
year- and  thus  gained  a  thorough  understanding 
of  tin.  business  and  an  excellent  insight  into 
trade. 


902 


PORTRAIT  AND  lllOOUAPIIICAL   RECORD. 


Having  thus   prepared    himself    for    taking    an 

independent  position,  lliis  young  man  began  busi- 
ness for  himself,  in  18M5.  using  as  his  capital  the 
savings  which  he  accumulated  during  the  years 
in  which  he  had  been  working  for  others.  To  his 
stock  he  has  added  from  time  to  time  as  lie  could, 
until  he  now  carries  a  complete  line,  both  in  gro- 
ceries and  fancy  articles,  and  commands  a  good  de- 
gree of  favor  from  the  community. 

Mr.  Cantwell  was  married  in  Chesaning  to  Miss 
Mary  J.  Shuttler,  daughter  of  George  Shuttler,  of 
whom  our  readers  will  find  a  sketch  in  the  pages 
of  this  K  ■:  ■  ird.  Since  coming  to  this  country  Mr. 
Cantwell  has  familiarized  himself  with  the  politi- 
cal institutions  and  methods  of  the  United  States 
and  has  attached  himself  to  the  Republican  party, 
yet  he  is  in  no  sense  a  political!  and  does  not  care 
for  official  distinction. 


-{, 


(41        IjfclLLIAM  C.  KETTLER.     A  resident   upon 
\/\Jf!    sec*i°n  34,  Chesaning  Township,  Saginaw 

wty  County,  our  subject  is  n  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  and  a  well-known  breeder  of  Berkshire  and 
Poland-China  bogs  and  ( lotswold  and  Leicestershire 
sheep.  He  has  forty  acres  of  land  on  this  section 
which  is  under  the  best  cultivation.  Mr.  Kettler 
was  born  at  Hanover,  Germany,  November  20, 
1843,  and  is  a  son  of  Cord  Henry  and  Sophia  Chris- 
tina (Koneg)  Kettler.  Our  subject's  parents  came 
to  America  when  he  was  but  nine  years  old  and 
located  at  Mt.  Clemens.  Mich. 

While  in  his  native  land  our  subject's  father 
who  was  a  soldier,  had  been  selected  because  he 
was  the  tallest  man  in  the  army,  to  serve  with  the 
persona]  body  guard  of  King  Ernest  of  Hanover. 
He  was  in  that  si  rvice  not  less  than  twelve  years. 
He  was  six  feet,  eight  inches  in  height  and  his  son 
treasures  the  papers  recommending  him  for  honor- 
able and  faithful  service  and  which  are  now  in  the 
possession  of  Henry  Ahrens,  our  subject's  stepfather. 
Our  subject's  mother  died  in  Germany  when  he 
was  but  a  small  boy.  She  was  related  to  the  Royal 
House  of  Hanover,  but  how  nearly  the  original  of 


this  sketch  does  not  know.  The  father  married 
again  in  Germany  and  on  coming  to  America,  in 
1852,  he  purchased  land  in  Macomb  County,  Mich., 
and  there  died  April  14,  1855.  He  was  then  about 
forty-four  years  old.  He  was  the  father  of  seven 
children  four  by  the  first  marriage  and  three  by  the 
second. 

Of  the  first  family  Mr.  Kettler  is  the  only  one 
surviving.  He  was  well  educated  before  leaving 
his  native  land  ami  reads  and  speaks  a  pure  high 
German.  After  coming  to  Michigan  his  educa- 
tional advantages  were  small,  but  he  assimilated  a 
greal  deal  and  is  well  informed  on  the  current 
topics  of  the  day,  taking  both  German  and  English 
papers.  Young  William  lived  with  his  father 
until  he  enlisted  in  the  army.  He  made  two  efforts 
to  enlist,  but  his  stepfather  to  whom   he  was  bound 

prevented  his  going.  He  finally,  however,  ran 
away  and  September  2'.t.  1864,  became  a  member  of 
Company  O,  Third  .Michigan  Infantry,  and  was 
assigned  to  duty  with  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
taking  part  in  the  battle  of  Decatur.  Ala.  He  was 
attacked  with  typhoid  fever  while  on  the  retreat 
from  that  battle  and  was  convalescing  at  Nashville 
when  a  call  was  made  for  all  who  were  able  to  do 
light  duty  to  report,  lie  was  one  of  those  to  of- 
fer his  services  and  the  regiment  was  pushed  vig- 
orously to  the  front.  He  received  a  slight  flesh 
wound  and  acquired  lung  trouble,  in  considera- 
tion of  which  he  received  a  pension.  His  honor- 
able discharge  was  received  May  29,  1865. 

Mr.  Kettler  was  married  October  19,  1866.  to 
Mis>  Fredricka  Alliens  of  Macomb  County,  this 
State.  She  was  born  at  Mecklenburg.  Germany, 
December  19,  1850.  They  made  their  home  at 
once  on  a  forty-acre  tract  of  land  in  Macomb 
County.  This  they  cleared  and  improved,  remain- 
ing until  1*77,  when  our  subject  sold  out  and 
bought  one  hundred  acres  in  Shiawassee  County, 
living  there  until  1880  when  he  sold  that  place  and 
purchased  the  place  where  he  now  resides.  He  has 
put  up  good  buildings  since  coming  here  and  is 
comfortably  situated. 

Our  subject  ami  Ins  wife  have  been  the  parents  of 
eleven  children:  Wilhelmina  died  in  infancy; 
Sophia  was  married, but  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen; 
Joseph  and  Josephine  were  twins;  the  latter  died  in 


PORTRAIT  AM     BI( 'GRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


903 


infancy.  Theothersare  William, Myrtle,  Frederick, 
Mary,  Charles,  Edwin  and  George.  Mr.  Kettler  be- 
longs to  the  pemoeratic  party.  He  has  served  in  var- 
ious local  offices.  In  their  religious  views  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  ( rerman  Lutheran  Church, 
but  he  is  liberal  in  this  as  in  his  politic-. 


ENS  HARTWIO.C.F.  We  are  gratified  to  be 

able  to  give  our  readers  the  life  nar- 
rative of  the  city  engineer  and  surveyor 
of  Bay  City,  who  is  also  the  ex-County  Sur- 
veyor. This  highly  educated  and  agreeable  gentle- 
man has  a  high  standing  professionally  and  in 
social  life.  lie  has  born  in  Schleswig,  Germany, 
where  his  father.  Jacob,  and  grandfather,  .lens. were 
also  horn.  The  latter  was  a  landed  proprietor  of 
a  tine  old  German  family. 

The  father  took  part  in  the  War  of  1848,  being 
a  First  Lieutenant  in  the  German  Cavalry,  and 
for  four  years  was  in  the  army  in  active  service, 
receiving  some  severe  wounds.  I  ater  he  engaged 
in  farming  and  stockdealing,  and  >till  has  a  line 
property.  With  a  partner  he  owns  two  boats, 
which  are  used  for  shipping  cattle  to  London,  and 
also  entered  into  transactions  between  America 
and  Germany.  He  raises  line  stock,  making  a 
specialty  of  English  sheep,  and  Jutland  cattle.  He 
has  heen  the  Superintendent  and  Collector  of  his 
district  many  years,  and  is  a  strong  Lutheran.  lie  is 
now  sixty-seven  years  of  age,  and  still  active  in 
business.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Louisa 
Hinrechs.  was  a  native  of  the  same  place,  and  died 
in  1868. 

The  five  children  of  this  worthy  couple  are, 
Louisa,  who  >till  reside-  in  Germany;  our  subject; 
Claus  S..  who  is  a  butcher  a1  Manistee,  Mich.;  Jacob 
who  follows  the  same  business  at  Lay  City,  and 
Christine,  who  remains  in  Germany.  The  son 
.lens  was  born  June  13,  1856,  and  remained  on 
the  farm  until  he  was  thirteen,  at  which  time  he 
entered  Husum,  College  or  Gymnasia,  where  he 
studied  the  classic.-,  and  graduated  in  1875,  at  the 
age  of  eighteen.  After  this  he  took  a  three  years 
course    in    civil    engineering    in    the    University   al 


Hanover. and  in  the  fall  of  1878  entered  the  Civil 
Engineering  School  at  Munich.  Bavaria,  whence  he 
was  graduated  in   1880. 

With  hi>  liiothcr  ClauS  our  subject  concluded 
to  migrate  to  the  New  World,  and  sailed  from 
Hamburg  June  16.  1880.  FromNew  York  he  came 
directly  to  Bay  City  where  he  became  a  draughts- 
man under  Matthew  Johnson,  then  city  engineer, 
and  afterwards  occupied  the  position  of  assistant 
to  George  Turner.  In  the  fall  of  1883,  he  went  to 
Manistee,  and  was  there  elected  city  engineer,  and 
during  the  two  years  of  his  service  in  that  capacity 
carried  through  the  sewering  and  paving   the  city. 

I  pon  his  return  to  Bay  City  Mr.  Hartwig  was 
elected  County  Surveyor  on  the  Democratic  ticket 
in  1886  and  was  re-elected  in  1888  and  1890.  In 
1891  he  was  elected  city  engineer,  after  which  he 
resigned  his  position  as  county  surveyor,  devoting 
all  his  time  to  hi*  city  work.  He  speaks  German, 
French  and  English  and  is  thus  able  to  do  business 
with  various  classes  of  citizen-. 

Mr.  Hartwig  was  married  in  Bay  City  in  1KK1, 
to  Miss  Rosa  Romar,  a  native  of  Denmark,  who 
came  tii  this  country  with  her  father  Adolph  Ro- 
inar  who  is  a  veterinary  surgeon  in  Bay  City. 
Their  two  children  are  Rosa  and  Emma.  The  pol- 
itical views  of  our  subject  bring  him  into  affiliation 
with  the  Democratic  party,  and  he  has  frequently 
been  a  delegate  to  county  and  State  conven- 
tions, and  is  chairman  of  the  Eleventh  Ward  Com- 
mittee, over  which  he  has  presided  since  it  was 
organized,  lie  is  also  a  member  of  the  Arbeiter 
Society,  and  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees. 


-#$+£i 


/^  APT.  THOMAS  G.  LESTER  has  been  a  resi- 
I  '.  dent  of  West  Bay  City  since  1866,  and  was 
Vy  born  in  Yorkshire,  England.  July  18,  1831. 
lie  i-  the  son  of  William  Lester,  who  was  also  a 
native  of  Yorkshire,  and  followed  -ailing  from  his 
early  boyhood  up.  Iii  1833  he  came  to  America 
with  his  family,  and  after  a  nine  weeks'  voyage, 
landed  in  Quebec,  thence  to  Fort  Hope.  Upper  Can- 
ada, where  he  located.  He  there  engaged  as  aship 
carpenter.      Some   years    later   he    went  to  Buffalo, 


'.Mil 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


N.  Y..  and  engaged  in  the  same  business,  and  then 
to  Clayton  on  the  St.  Lawrence  River.  He  died 
in  Canada  at  the  age  of  fifty-four  years.  His  wife 
was  Mary  Goundrill,  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, and  a  daughterof  William  Goundrill,  a  grain 
dealer  and  shipper  in  England.  The  mother  died 
in  Clayton  in   1*04. 

(apt.  Lester  is  the  oldesl  of  >ix  children  born  to 
his  parents,  and  the  only  one  born  in  the  Mother 
Country.  Two  sister-  arc  remaining — Mrs.  Homer 
Chase,  and  Mrs.  E.  .1.  Chambers,  of  West  Bay  City. 
He  was  reared  principally  at  Buffalo  and  Clayton. 
and  but  a  common-school  education  was  afforded 
him.  but  being  around  the  ship  yards  a  good  deal, 
when  sixteen  years  old  he  began  ship  carpentering. 
In  February  of  1853,  he  went  to  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama  by  steamer  from  New  York, and  employed 
himself  with  the  Panama  Railroad  Company  at 
boat  building  and  building  docks  in  which  he  en- 
gaged four  months.  He  did  not  like  it  there,  and 
returned  to  Clayton  in  the  same  summer.  In  the 
spring  of  1854  he  went  to  California  by  steam  ship 
'•Ohio,'"  from  New  York  to  Aspenwall.  crossing  to 
Panama  City  by  rail  and  mules,  and  the  re-t  of 
the  way  by  water.  He  got  a  job  at  San  Francisco 
at  ship  building  and  was  employed  at  the  navy 
yard  at  Mare  Island  for  the  Government,  and  sub- 
sequently went  to  the  mines  where  he  remained 
four  years  and  a  half  in  Plumas  and  Shasta  Coun- 
ties, being leasonablv  success lul.  In  1858. he  went 
to  Vancouver's  Island  on  an  exploring  expedition 
and  camped  there  three  or  four  weeks,  but  subsi  - 
(juently  came  back  to  San  Francisco  and  engaged 
at  his  trade. 

Returning  home  by  the  same  route  in  I860,  he 
came  to  Shiawassee  County,  this  State,  and  bought 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  which  he  carried  on  for  two 
years  and  in  1864'  was  in  the  Government  employ 
for  four  months,  building  boats  on  the  Tennessee 
River.  Returning  to  his  farm  he  sold  it  and  re- 
turned to  New  York  and  on  to  Philadelphia,  and 
again  returning  to  Clayton  in  1866.  He  then  de- 
cided to  come  to  Wenona.  now  known  as  West  Bay- 
City,  and  engaged  in  building  houses.  Buying  a 
block,  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  Ballentine  &  Co.  In 
the  spring  of  1867,  he  and  his  brother  went  on  the 
Cass  River  and  began  getting  out  timber   for  tlieii 


vessel,  which  they  commenced  on  the  river,  but  in 
1868  took  it  to  East  Saginaw  and  finished,  whence 
the\  launched  it  and  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade 
between  Saginaw  and  Toledo.  Two  years  later  the 
brother  William  died,  and  our  subject  continued 
alone.  In  1883  he  rebuilt  and  enlarged  the  vessel 
and  it  now  has  a  capacity  of  four  hundred  thou- 
sand  feet  of  lumber,  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
tons,  and  one  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  overall, 
and  sails  under  the  name  of  "T.  <;.  Lester." 

Mr.  Lester  has  at  different  times  been  interested 
in  steam  crafts  and  the  boat  he  now  runs  is  one  of 
the  strongest  boats  on  the  lake,  and  has  never  lost 
any  cargo  in  storms.  This  gentleman  owns  quite 
a  good  deal  of  real  estate  in  lots  and  residences, 
and  the  large  residence  in  which  he  resides  was 
elected  in  L883.  He  was  married  in  Clayton  in 
1861,  to  MissAugusta  Wetherbee,  a  native  of  Clay- 
ton, and  a  daughter  of  Stephen  Wetherbee.  a  pio- 
neer lumberman  of  Clayton,  N.  Y.;  she  died  in  the 
year  1875,  and  he  was  married  again  in  the  year 
1*77.  to  her  sister  Electa.  They  have  no  children 
of  their  own,  but  have  adopted  a  boy  whom  they 
call  William.  Mr.  Lester  is  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  is  a  valued 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in 
which  he  holds  the  offlceof  Trustee.  He  isa  stanch 
Republics  n  politically. 


s^\  ASTLE   SUTHERLAND,  who  is  one  of  the 

I  prominent    and    successful  citizens  of  Sagi- 

5^^:'  naw  County,  is  a  native  of  Geneva,  X.  Y.. 
and  was  born  September  10.  \S2'2.  His  father  was 
Col.  Castle  Sutherland,  and  his  mother  was  Nancy 
Gardner,  whose  parents  were  riativesof  New  York. 
The  father  was  of  Scotch  descent. and  a  Colonel  in 
the  War  of  L812,  who  migrated  in  1  s 2 '. )  to  Wash- 
tenaw County,  Mich.,  and  for  many  years  was  a 
well-known  gunsmith  at  Ann  Arbor,  where  he  died 
in  1863. 

The  family  in  which  our  subject  was  reared 
numbered  eleven  children,  and  five  of  them  now 
survive:  Sarah  is  the  widow  of  William  Ilatt; 
Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  Hiram  Blackburn;   Castle. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


905 


our  subject;  George  lives  in  Argentine,  Genesee 
County;  :in<l  Mary  is  the  wife  oi  Dr.  George  Sad- 
dler, of  Ravenna,  Ohio,  who  lived  in  Ann   Arbor 

until  ls:S7.  when  they  removed  to  Livingston 
County  .-iikI  after  several  years'  residence  there,  re- 
turned to  Ann  Arbor.  The  early  scl Is  of  Mich- 
igan supplied  the  educational  advantages  which 
were  given  to  Our  subject,  and  from  the  time  he 
was  fourteen  until  he  was  nineteen  he  worked  upon 
his  father's  farm,  and  subsequently  followed  the 
trade  of  gunsmith  and  blacksmith  for  a  number  of 
years. 

Mr.  Sutherland  be^an  dealing  in  lumber  in  South 
Saginaw  in  1862,  and  at  one  time  operated  two 
sawmills,  and  at  the  same  time  was  engaged  in  dril- 
ling for  salt.  For  six  years  he  was  one  of  six  part- 
ners who  formed  the  Ann  Arbor  Salt  and  Lumber 
Company,  and  he  was  the  originator  of  the  busi- 
ness, and  also  managed  the  business.  In  the  fall  of 
1866  he  removed  to  Ann  Arbor  and  engaged  in  the 
wholesale  and  retail  Iumbei  business  for  a  number 
of  years  under  the  firm  name  of  C.  Sutherland  <fe 
Co.,  and  during  that  time  his  >ale>  averaged  $100,- 
000  per  annum,  and  at  the  same  time  he  was  for  a 
number  of  years  proprietor  of  a  lumber-yard  in 
Ravenna.  Ohio,  where  he  sold  annually  about  #60,- 
000  worth  of  lumber. 

In  the  spring  of  1874  Mi'.  Sutherland  removed 
his  family  to  Youngstown,  Ohio,  where  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  did  a  wholesale  and  retail  lumber 
business  and  had  yards  in  other  towns.  He  con- 
tinued in  this  line  in  Ohio  until  Inho,  pushing 
business  not  only  in  Youngstown.  but  also  in  Fair- 
port,  Chariton  and  Girard.  In  1K7K  he  returned 
to  East  Saginaw  and  purchased  a  mill  and  salt  block 
and  in  1885  settled  upon  his  farm  in  Bridgeport 
Township.  During  his  active  business  career  he 
was  one  of  the  most  enterprising,  extensive  and 
successful  lumbermen  and  salt  manufacturers  of 
the  State,  and  at  one  time  he  eon  trolled  three  shin- 
gle-mills. He  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
twenty  years. 

New  Year's  Day.  1846,  marked  an  important 
epoch  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Sutherland,  as  he  was  then 
united  in  marriage  with  Adeline  A.,  daughter  of 
Stephen  Wand  l'hilura  (  Mason  )  Allen.  Mrs.  Suth- 
erland was  born   in  Vermont   in    1  S 2 7 .  and  came  to 


Washtenaw  County,  with  her  parents,  at  the  age 
of  live  years  and  from  that  time  made  her  home 
there  until  her  marriage.  Two  of  her  three  chil- 
dren are  still  living,  namely:  Ada.  wife  of  Elmer 
Bradley,  of  Bay  City;  and  Castle  A.,  who  is  at  home 
with  his  parents.  The  daughter,  who  has  passed 
on  to  the  higher  life  is  Rhoda  E. 

Our  subject  owns  two  large  farms  comprising 
live  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land.  In  1878  he 
took  a  ( rovernment contract  to  dredge  the  Saginaw 
River  and  build  pier  works  so  as  to  make  the  river 
navigable.  For  a  number  of  years  he  held  contracts 
under  the  Government,  the  largest  one  being  for 
work  valued  at  170,000,  and  he  has  done  in  all,  in 
this  way,  $200,000  worth  of  work,  all  this  being 
carried  on  under  the  firm  name  of  Sutherland  & 
Allen.  At  one  time  he  had  as  many  as  nine  differ- 
ent branches  of  business  which  he  was  carrying  on 
at  once,  and  having  a  different  partner  in  each 
concern. 

This  gentleman  is  in  politics  a  Democrat  with 
Greenback  proclivities.  He  is  identified  with  the 
orders  of  Masonry  and  Odd  Fellows,  and  has  or- 
ganized many  lodges  of  the  Good  Templars.  lie 
at  one  time  owned  and  ran  a  steamboat  line  from 
Bay  City  to  Sebewaing,  carrying  both  passengers 
and  freight,  and  which  was  quite  successful.  He 
is  an  able  financier  and  a  man  of  extraordinary 
organizing  abilities  and  general  business  faculties. 


ilOBERT  URE.  The  oldest  settler  now  resi- 
dent in  Saginaw  Township  and  living  on  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  1 1.  was  born  in 
Boston,  February  7,  1823.  He  is  a  son  of 
Andrew  and  Agnes  Ure,  the  former  having  been 
born  in  Sterlingshire,  Scotland,  in  October,  177m. 
His  grandfather,  Robert  Ire.  was  also  a  native  of 
the  land  whosesymbol  is  the  thistle.  There  is  a  tra- 
dition to  the  effect  that  the  Ure  family  at  one  time 
lived  in  England;  they  were  also  said  to  have 
fought  bravely  in  the  wars  during  Charles  Stuart's 
reign.  Our  subject's  grandfather  was  a  large  farmer 
and  died  in  Sterlingshire  at  an  advanced  age. 


906 


PORTRAIT  AM)  BIOGR  \P11K AL    RL<  ORD 


Andrew  I'rc  was  a  grocer  in  Glasgow  in  his 
youth  and  then  embarked  as  a  seafaring  man.  He 
made  several  voyages  to  the  Madeira  islands,  hold- 
ing the  office  oi  Supercargo  Master.  On  his  last 
voyage,  which  was  during  the  French  and  Indian 
war,  his  ship  was  heavily  loaded  with  wine.  It 
was  tired  upon  by  a  pirate  vessel  and  their  cargo 
was  taken  and  destroyed,  their  vessel  disabled,  and 
the  crew,  with  two  Spanish  crews,  was  left  on  it 
without  provisions.  In  a  very  short  time  the  crew 
mutinied,  the  Captain  and  our  subject's  father, 
with  cutlasses  drove  the  men  below  and  stood 
guard  over  them  for  three  days  until  they  were 
picked  up  by  a  passing  vessel.  The  work  of  a  life- 
time thus  gone,  about  the  year  1X18  Andrew  Ire 
sailed  for  America  and  located  at  Halifax,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  sinking  wells.  Later  he  went 
to  Boston  and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Agnes 
Gardner.  He  worked  for  the  city  on  the  Boston 
Common  and  was  appointed  by  the  mayor  as  one 
of  the  foremen^  It  was  at  his  suggestion  that  the 
artificial  lake  in  the  center  of  the  common,  known 
as  the  "frog  pond"  was  made.  He  was  appointed 
as  Assistant  Master  of  the  House  of  Correction  on 
Governor's  Island  and  held  the  position  for  ten 
years. 

Andrew  Ure  was  industrious  and  provident  and 
succeeded  in  accumulating  considerable  money. 
In  April,  1833,  he  set  out  with  his  wife  and  four 
children  for  Ohio,  expecting  to  there  purchase  a 
farm.  They  made  the  journey  by  boat  across  the 
lake  and  down  the  Ohio  River,  landing  near  Chil- 
licothe.  Thence  they  went  toCincinnati  and  after 
traversing  portions  of  Kentucky.  Illinois  and  Ohio, 
he  was  attracted  to  Saginaw  County,  this  state,  by 
the  glowing  reports  thai  other  settlers  made  of  the 
place.  He  came  to  Detroit  and  leaving  his  family 
there  three  months,  proceeded  to  Saginaw  Town- 
ship, and  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  our  sub- 
ject now  lives,  settling  upon  it  in  the  fall  of  1833. 

The  country  was  at  the  time  above  mentioned 
very  wild  and  inhabited  mostly  by  Indians  and 
beasts  of  the  forests.  So  able  a  man  early  took  a 
prominent  position  among  the  settlers.  In  1834 
he  was  appointed  one  of  the  Associate  Judges  by 
Stephen  T.  Mason,  Territorial  Governor,  ami  held 
that  office    several    years.     He    was   also    County 


Commissioner,  Township  Supervisor  and  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  helped  negotiate  the  tii>t  loan  made 
to  build  the  first  courthouse  in  the  county.  He 
was  :i  man  of  marked  characteristics  and  a  great 
reader,  having  for  that  time  quite  an  extensive 
library. 

(  onsistent  with  his  Scottish  rearing,  our  subject's 
father  was  in  his  religious  belief  a  Presbyterian. 
Originally  in  politics  he  was  a  Democrat,  of  the 
type  known  as  a  free  Soiler  and  being  a  strong 
Abolitionist.  Later  he  joined  the  Republican 
party,  just  previous  to  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1857,  when  he  was  in  his  seventieth  year.  His 
wife,  who  was  a  Scotch  lady,  became  the  mother  of 
five  children,  whose  names  are:  Robert,  Agnes, 
Margaret,  Mrs.  Banks;  .Mary.  Mrs.  McCarthy;  and 
John.  She.  like  hei  husband,  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty 
\  ears 

Our  subject  was  lirsl  sent  to  school  in  Boston 
when  only  three  years  old  and  later,  at  Ft.  Warren, 
Governor's  Island,  until  ten  years  old.  He  came 
to  Michigan  with  his  parents  in  1833,  walking  from 
Detroit  to  Saginaw  Township  and  helping  his  father 
drive  the  cattle  along  the  Indian  trail  through  the 
woods,  and  many  times  during  the  journey  was  he 
frightened  by  the  Strange  and  dusky  faces  of  the 
Indians.  He  attended  school  in  the  old  log  school- 
house  to  some  extent,  but  his  studies  were  mostly 
carried  on  at  home. 

At  the  time  of  his  settlement  here  there  were 
eight  hundred  warriors  stationed  on  the  Tittaba- 
wassee  River. which  tlows  by  his  farm,  and  his  play- 
mates were  most  frequently  the  Indian  children. 
Not  infrequently  nighl  was  made  hideous  with  the 
howl  of  wolves  and  he  has  killed  many  deer.  He 
spent  his  boyhood  on  the  farm  and  at  his  father's 
decease  received  two  hundred  acres  of  the  home 
place.  lie  has  since  added  to  this  eightyacres  and 
has  improved  half  of  his  earnings.  He  raises  con- 
siderable stuck  of  the  better  grade,  and  owns  a 
good  frame  dwelling,  which  was  erected  in  I860. 
His  barns  are  large  and  capacious  and  are  a  feature 
of  the  neighborhood.  Mr.  CJre  has  never  married. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He  has  been  Super- 
visor of  the  township  twice,  notwithstanding  the 
fact   that    this  locality  is   largely  Democratic.     He 


W£Tv. 


| 


PORTRAIT  AND  I'.I. .( H.'AI'HICAL    RECORD. 


909 


was  Chairman  of  the  Republican  County  Commit- 
tee in  I860  and  during  the  war  was  a  candidate  as 
Representative  to  the  Legislature,  bul  was  defeated. 
He  has  recently  been  appointed  County  Agent  for 
the  State  Board  of  Correction  and  Charities.  In 
his  religious  belief  he  is  as  his  father  was  before 
him,  a  Presbyterian,  lie  is  an  intelligent  and  well- 
read  man  and  owns  a  large  and  well-selected  library. 
His  home  is  made  particularly  attractive  by  the 
large  trees  that,  sentinel-like,  stand  guarding  the 
house. 

Since  the  above  was  written  our  subjed  lias  been 
called  hence,  his  death  occurring  December  1  1.  1891, 


ERRY  R.  HALL,  shingle  and  salt  manufac- 
turer of  Bay  City,  was  horn  January  2. 
1830,  in  the  province  of  New  Brunswick, 
where  his  parents  were  temporarily  residing 
while  his  father  was  engaged  in  lumbering.  Neal 
Hall,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  horn  in  Bruns- 
wick, Me.,  and  was  descended  from  John  Hall,  one 
earlier  pioneers  of  Massachusetts,  who  emigrated 
from  England  early  in  the  eighteenth  century. 
Alice  (Stone)  Hall,  the  mother  of  our  subject  was 
bern  in  Calais.  Me.,  and  was  descended  from  one 
of  the  pioneer  families  of  that  State. 

The  early  tastes  of  Mr.  Hall  were  decidedly  for 
mechanical  pursuits  and  invention-,  and  these  in- 
clinations he  has  retained  through  life.  His  first 
years,  from  the  age  of  two  and  one-half  until  lie 
was  thirty,  were  spent  in  Brunswick.  Me.,  and  his 
business  was  lumbering  from  very  early  manhood 
until  the  last  named  age.  In  I860  he  removed  to 
Salem.  Ohio, and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  a 
patent  shingle  machine  of  his  own  invention  which 
is  said  to  be  the  best  in  use.  Jn  1871  he  established 
a  mill  for  the  manufacture  of  shingles  and  in  1*7(1 
began  the  production  of  salt  in  Bay  City,  or  rather 
In  Essexville,  an  adjoining  village.  His  family 
was  removed  to  his  new  scene  of  operation  in 
lHTt;. 

Here  for  over  twenty  years  Mr.  Hall  has  carried 
on  a  flourishing  business.  I  lis  shingle  mill  is  prob- 
ably the  largest  and  best    equipped  for   the  purpose 


in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and  his  salt  works  produce 
forty  thousand  barrels  of  salt  yearly.  The  following 
is  taken  from  "The  Industries  of  the  Bay  Cities": 
•'Within  an  area  of  ten  acres  in  extent,  about  one 
mile  in  an  easterly  direction  from  Lay  City,  is  lo- 
cated the  shingle  and  salt  manufactory  of  .1.  K. 
Hall,  which  is  the  largest  shingle  industry  in  the 
valley,  and  in  every  particular  one  of  the  most 
complete  and  attractive  of  buildings,  modern  in 
construction  and  equipment,  handsomely  located 
with  a  splendid  river  frontage,  line  docks  and 
superior  shipping  facilities.  The  entire  establish- 
ment is  a  model  of  its  kind. 

"Mr.  Hall  began  the  shingle  business  in  1871, 
and  has  since  progressed  and  prospered.  The 
shingle  mill  proper  is  a  commodious  two-story 
structure  112x18.  with  a.  wing  24x(!5  feet 
in  dimensions,  supplied  with  all  the  latest  pat- 
terns of  machinery,  including  two  drag-saws 
for  cutting  logs  into  blocks  of  the  required 
length,  one  bolting  saw,  two  sappers  for  sapping 
blocks  and  six  Hall  shingle  machines  of  the  largest 
capacity,  with  other  accessory  tools  and  implements 
required  in  the  manufacture  of  his  products.  The 
shingle  machines  are  the  invention  of  Mr.  Hall  and 
for  the  perfection  of  the  work  accomplished  are  the 
best  in  use. 

■•The  mill  machinery  is  run  by  a  powerful  engine 
of  20x21  inch  cylinder,  fed  from  a  battery  of  five 
large  tubular  boilers  which  make  steam  for  salt 
manufacture,  and  the  annual  output  aggregates 
from  forty-five  to  fifty  million  shingles  and  fifty 
thousand  sets  , if  heading.  Air.  Hall  also  operates 
three  sail  wells,  each  supplied  with  drill  house  and 
pony  engine  equipments,  an  extensive  salt  block 
or  evaporating  house,  packing  and  storage  depart- 
ment, with  other  appurtenances  and  conveniences, 
and  manfactures  forty  thousand  barrels  of  salt 
yearly  which  are  disposed  of  through  the  Michigan 
Salt  Association,  in  which  he  enjoys  the  privilege 
of  membership.  He  employs  about  one  hundred 
hands  in  his  business  and  the  annual  returns  repre- 
sent a  large  valuation." 

In  politics.  Mr.  Hall  is  a  Republican,  but  has  not 
been  an  aspirant  for  office,  although  for  three  years 
after  the  incorporation  of  Essexville,  in  1884,  he 
held   the    office    of     President  of    that     village.       He 


1)111 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


was  married  November  2.  L853,  to  Judith  L.  Gilbert, 
nf  South  Leeds,  Me.,  by  whom  he  bad  three  chil- 
dren, of  whom  two  are  now  living — Fred  E.  and 
Alice  L.,  (Mrs.  Cupit.)  Mrs.  Hall  dying  in  1*78,  he 
was  married  again  January  20,  1ST'.),  to  Susan  C, 
Macomber,  of  West  Union,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Hall  has  recently  invented  a  superior  recipro- 
cating knife  shingle  jointer  which  he  finds  advan- 
tageous in  the  class  of  work  dune,  in  the  Saving  Of 
material  and  in  many  other  ways.  He  has  also  in- 
vented a  band  saw  lor  sawing  shingles  which  he  is 
now  completing;  and  tests  already  made  indicate 
that  it  will  be  the  coming  shingle  machine  and 
largely  increase  the  product  from  a  given  amount 
of  timber.  A  man  of  cordial  and  genial  disposi- 
tion, be  stands  very  high  in  the  esteem  of  bis  fel- 
low-citizens. 

In  all  business  transactions  tbo  word  of  Mr. 
Hall  is  as  good  as  his  bond,  lie  is  honest. 
candid  and  very  straightforward,  and  all  busi- 
ness men  think  well  of  him.  His  employes 
are  attached  to  him  also,  and  dining  the  great 
strike  in  the  Saginaw  Valley  a  few  years  ago.  no 
disturbance  occurred  on  his  premises  through  the 
action  of  his  own  employes.  It  does  not  detract 
at  all  from  bis  good  qualities  but  enhances  bis 
merits  to  say  that  be  i-  a  very  modes!  man.  and 
while  doubtless  enjoying  his  success  in  life  is 
heartily  averse  to  all  ostentation  and  notoriety. 
He  is  a  man,  in  short,  whom  to  know  thoroughly  is 
to  be  made  better  by  that  knowledge. 

Accompanying  this  brief  sketch  of  bis  life  is 
presented  a  lithographic    portrait  of    Mr.   Hall. 


JOSEPH  W.  FORDNEY.  This  prosperous 
citi7.cn  of  Saginaw  came  to  this  city  with 
limited  means,  but  has  now  made  a  hand- 
some property,  having  acquired  the  most  of 
it  during  the  last  twelve  years,  lie  is  a  dealer  in 
lumber,  logs  and  pine  lands,  and  bis  elegant  borne 
is  one  of  the  handsomest  on  the  west  side  of  the 
city.  He  was  born  in  Hartford  City.  Ind..  Nov.  .">. 
1853,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Achsab  (Cotton) 
Fordney,  both  of  whom  were   natives  of    Pennsyl- 


vania, and  early  settlers  of  Indiana,  to  which 
State  they  came  in  1833.  The  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  and  continued  to  reside  in  Indiana 
until  1869,  when  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
.Michigan,  locating  in  Saginaw,  where  his  good 
wife  died  in  1870.  He  survived  until  1875,  when 
he  passed  away  in  bis  sixty-seventh  year.  His 
wife,  who  was  in  her  fifty-fifth  year  at  the  time  of 
her  death, was  a  daughterof  .lames  Cotton,  and  was 
Of  English  and  Irish  extraction.  On  the  Fordney 
side  the  family  is  of  German  and  French  blood. 

John  Fordney  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  six  daughters  and  five  sons,  of 
whom  six  acre  still  living.  Our  subject  passed  his 
boyhood  and  early  school-days  in  his  native  place, 
and  worked  upon  the  farm  during  the  summer 
months  until  he  reached  his  sixteenth  year,  at 
which  time  be  removed  with  his  parents  to  Sagi- 
naw, and  soon  took  a  position  as  clerk  in  a  grocery 
store  for  M.  G.  Martin.  He  there  remained  for 
two  years,  and  after  that  was  employed  for  a 
time  in  the  logging  district  of  the  North, where  he 
obtained  a  good  knowledge  of  timber  and  land. 
and  afterward  was  in  the  employ  of  a  Mi'.  Qninn, 
who  was  a  land-looker  in  the  service  of  the  Jack- 
son.  Lansing  A-  Saginaw  Railroad,  which  is  now  a 
branch  of  the  Michigan  Central.  He  spent  his 
summers  for  several  years  in  this  way  and  during 
the  winters  worked  in  the  logging  camps. 

In  1879  Mr.  Fordney  entered  theemploy  of  Will- 
iam Boeing,  of  Detroit,  who  was  an  extensive 
owner  of  pine  lands,  and  continued  in  bis  service, 
being  engaged  on  a  salary  to  locate  lands  and  do 
estimating,  until  1883,  when  Mr.  Boeing  gave  Mm 
an  interest  in  his  business  and  lands.  This  part- 
nership with  a  man  of  large  means  and  ability  con- 
tinued until  the  death  of  Mr.  Boeing',  January  12, 
181)0,  during  which  time  the  firm  dealt  largely  in 
lumber,  logs  and  lands,  upon  which  handsome 
profits  were  realized.  Mr.  Boeing  left  at  his  death 
an  estate  valued  at  $2,000,000.  lie  had  had  large 
dealings  in  lands  in  the  States  of  Washington  and 
California,  in  which  Mr.  Fordney  was  interested, 
in  what  is  known  as  the  great  timber  belts. 

Since  the  death  of  his  partner  Mr.  Fordney  has 
been  interested  in  logs  and  lumber  lands,  and  is 
now  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Ring,  Merrill  A-  Ford- 


I'OIM'WAIT   AM)   liloci; AI'llICAL   RECORD. 


!M  1 


ney,  a  firm  which  during  the  pasl  year  cut  twenty- 
One  million  feel  of  logs  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
State  of  Michigan.  Our  subject  was  married  in  IKT.'i 
to  Miss  Catherine  Harren,of  Saginaw,  and  they  have 
six  children.  Their  beautiful  residence, which  was 
erected  in  1890,  is  of  modern  architecture,  and  is 
situated  delightfully  in  extensive  grounds.  Mr. 
Fordney  is  one  of  those  men  who  began  on  the 
lowest  round  of  the  ladder,  bul  has  now  attained 
a  high  position  in  financial  affairs. 


=^>-^-<§= 


OHN  M.  HELMREICH  is  Principal  of  the 
German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Emmanuel 
School  of  Bay  City,  and  is  a  man  of  broad 
intelligence,  tine  education  and  a  compre- 
hensive mind,  lie  was  born  in  Frankenlust,  Sagi- 
naw County,  now  belonging  to  Hay  County.  Jan- 
uary 11.  1858,  and  his  father,' John  G.,  was  bora 
near  Nurnberg,  Bavaria,  Germany.  The  family 
traces  its  lineage  back  for  generations  to  men  who 
made  helmets  and  shields  for  the  German  army, 
and  thus  received  their  name,  which  means  ■•  rich 
in  helmets." 

The  father  of  our  subjeel  came  to  America  in 
1848,  and  soon  made  his  way  to  Saginaw  County, 
ami  afterward  to  Frankenlust,  being  one  of  the 
first  live  persons  who  came  anil  settled  there,  lie 
at  once  proceeded  to  hew  a  farm  out  of  the  wilder- 
ness, and  reduced  acre  after  acre  of  forest  to  pro- 
ductive fields,      lie  is  esteemed  as   of   the  most 

prosperous  and  influential  German  citizensof  l!a\ 
County,  and  still  resides  in  Frankenlust,  which  he 
helped  to  found,  lie  is  a  Democrat  in  his  politi- 
cal views,  and  a  man  of  broad  intelligence.  His 
wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  .Maria  Barbara 
Ilccht.  was  horn  in  Bavaria,  where  her  father  was 
a  prominent  agriculturist,  and  she  died  in  Novem- 
ber, ixxfcl. 

Our  subjeel  had  his  early  education  in  the  Ger- 
man and  English  schools  at  Frankenlust, and  from 
his  ninth  year  had  private  lessons  on  the  violin, 
beginning  one  year  later  his  piano  and  harmony 
studies,  as  well  as  private  lessons  in  other  branches. 
He  was  confirmed  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and   in 


1872  entered  the  Teachers' Seminary  at  Addison, 
On  Page  County,  111.,  and  was  graduated  in  1*77. 
becoming  a  teacher  at  Vorkville,  III. 

The  school  of  which  our  subjeel  has  charge  was 
started  b\  the  minister  of  Bay  City  in  a  small  way. 
In  September,   1878,  Mr.  Helmreich   was  called   to 

take  charge  Of  it.  and  here  he  has  labored  so  clli- 
ciently  that   lie  has  now  one  of  the  largest  German 

schools  in  the  valley,  having  a  membership  of  one 
hundred  and  seventy-three.  Thesehool  is  located 
at  the  corner  of  Sheridan  and  Tenth  Streets,  and 
all  branches  which  are  taught  in  the  grammar 
schools  are  here  provided  for  the  children,  both  in 
English  and  German;  ami,  in  addition,  they  have 
training  in  the  religion  of  their  fathers.  Music  is 
made  a  specialty  by  this  instructor.  lie  not  only 
teaches  it  in  school,  and  plays  theorgan  in  church, 
hut  has  also  two  choirs,  a  male  choir  and  a  mixed 
one.  Mr.  Helmreich  has  earned  an  enviable  repu- 
tation as  an  accomplished  and  painstaking  teacher. 
and  as  .such  possesses  in  a  remarkable  degree  the 
esteem  of  the  community  in  which   he  resides. 

Mr.  Helmreich  is  agent  for  the  publications  of 
the  Missouri  Synod  for  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and 
handles  all  their  school-books  and  periodicals. 

His  marriage  in  Saginaw,  in  1881,  united  him 
to  Miss  Sophie  Deindorfer,  who  is  now  the  mother 
of  four  children,  namely:  Adolph,  Sophie.  Kl  ise 
and  Clara.  Although  a  Democrat  in  his  political 
faith.  Mr.  Helmreich  is  not  radical,  but  can  under- 
stand how  others  can  differ  from  him  in  matters  of 
public  importance. 


ANK  II.  DAVIS.  The  gentleman  of 
whom  we  shall  attempt  to  give  a  brief 
sketch  in  outline  is  Alderman  of  the 
Fourth  Ward  in  West  Kay  City,  and  is  also  Yard- 
master  for  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad.  He  is 
a  native  of  this  city,  consequently  his  interests 
center  more  naturally  here  than  they  would  other- 
wise. 

frank  II.  Davis  is  a   son    of  William    Davis,  and 
was    born    August    'J.    1865,  hence    is    one    of    |]H. 


912 


PORTRAIT  AM)  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


youug  business  men  of  the  city  on  whose  shoul- 
ders the  future  prosperity  of  this  section  must 
rest,  and  were  they  all  as  intelligent  and  upright 
as  our  subject,  there  would  be  no  doubting  what 
wmild  be  the  rank  of  West  Bay  City  compared 
with  her  sister  cities  in  this  and  other  States. 

William  Davis  was  a  native  of  Canada,  having 
been  horn  in  Port  Dover,  Norfolk  County.  The 
grandfather,  Joel  Davis,  is  also  a  native  of  the 
Dominion,  where  he  carried  on  farming,  but  is 
now  living  a  retired  life,  free  from  active  duties, 
aged  eighty-five  years. 

The  father  of  our  subject  became  a  sailor  in 
early  life,  and  al  one  time  was  mate  on  a  vessel, 
and  did  an  extensive  grain  trade,  carrying  that 
product  from  the  upper  lake  regions  to  Buffalo. 
He,  however,  came  to  Bay  City  May  1.  1S(I2,  and 
built  and  ran  an  hotel  tor  twelve  years,  which  was 
called  the  Railroad  House.  He  then  disposed  of 
that  property,  and  tor  four  years  retired  from 
business  of  any  kind,  lint  at  the  end  of  that  time 
he  again  became  connected  with  the  interests  of  Salz- 
burg, now  West- Bay  City,  and  purchased  the  Phelps 
House  and  operated  it  as  "mine  host"  for  three 
years.  During  his  life  he  was  actively  interested 
in  public  affairs  in  his  community,  and  served  as 
Alderman  for  twelve  years  alter  the  incorporation 
of  the  city,  being  one  of  the  men  who  drew  up  the 
charter.  He  wa  a  Democrat  in  his  political  way 
of  thinking,  and  died  August  22,  1891,  greatly 
mourned  by  his  community. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  .Miss  .lane 
Adams,  and  claimed  Rochester,  X.  V.,  as  her  native 
place.  She  is  of  Scotch  Irish  ancestry,  and  is  still 
living,  making  her  home  with  our  subject.  She  is 
the  mother  of  three  children,  one  of  whom  is  de- 
ceased, and  our  suhjecl  is  the  oldest  hut  one.  He 
was  reared  to  a  life  of  us<  fulness,  being  allowed  to 
attend  school  but  very  little,  as  when  thirteen 
years  of  age,  he  went  to  work  in  a  mill  as  shingle 
[lacker,  and  was  in  the  employ  of  R.  M.  Bradlev 
for  five  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he 
occupied  tin  responsible  position  of  switchman  for 
the  Michigan  Central  Road,  and  in  [886  was  pro- 
moted to  he  yardmaster,  being  on  duty  at  nights. 
Three  years  later  he  became  head  yardmaster,  and 
to  this  he  o'ives  his  entire  time  and  attention,  hav- 


ing charge  of  the  largest  yards  outside  of  Detroit, 
and  has  under  his  supervision  from  thirty-five  to 
fifty  men. 

Octolier  15,  1891,  Mr.  Davis  contracted  a  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Lena  Geise,  a  native  of  Monitor 
Township,  and  the  daughter  of  John  Oeise.  They 
have  a  pleasant  and  comfortable  home  at  No.  309 
Fisher  Avenue,  and  besides  that  property  our  sub- 
ject owns  several  other  lots  and  houses  in  the  city, 
lie  has  been  exceedingly  successful  thus  far  in  life, 
and  although  still  a  young  man,  has  accumulated 
t  he  wherewithal  to  live  comfortably.  Instead  of 
being  satisfied  with  things  as  they  are,  and  resting 
upon  his  oars,  ambition  is  strong  within  him.  and 
he  is  destined  to  make  his  mark  in  the  world,  and 
in  all  his  undertakings  he  has  the  best  wishes  of 
his  acquaintances. 

In  September,  1891,  Mr.  Davis  was  elected 
Alderman  of  the  Fourth  Ward  to  fill  a  vacancy 
caused  by  his  father's  death,  and  is  serving  on 
several  important  committees  in  the  Council. 
being  Chairman  of  the  Electric  Light  Committee. 
Socially,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Arcanum, 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  the 
United  Friends.  Politically,  he.  is  an  active 
worker  in  the  ranks  of  the  Democratic  party,  and 
is  a  firm  believer  in  its  principles. 


\  APT.  WILLIAM  II.  RFID.  of  the  firm  of 
(apt.  .lames  Reid  A-  Son,  of  Bay  City,  was 
V_/  born  in  Alpena,  this  State.  December  14, 
1869.  His  father,  .lames,  was  born  in  Canada, 
where  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of  a 
shipbuilder,  as  well  as  that  of  a  carpenter  and 
joiner.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  he  came  to 
Alpena,  where  he  first  worked  at  his  trade  and 
later  built  and  operated  a  sawmill.  In  1K7II  he  re- 
moved from  Alpena  to  St.  Ignaee  and  in  1884 
came  to  Lay  City,  engaging  in  the  towing  and 
wrecking  business  from  that  date  to  the  present 
i  1892.) 

One  in  a  family  of  seven  children,  our  subject 
was  reared  in  Alpena  until  he  was  ten  years  old 
and  afterward  resided   in    st.    Ignaee    until    I.n.hj. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


913 


He  was  a  student  in  the  common  schools  until  he 
was  twelve,  when  he  began  in  the  office  as  a  clerk 
and  two  years  later  took  entire  charge  of  the 
books.  He  has  always  been  a  valuable  assistant  to 
his  father  and  together  they  have  established  and 
are  conducting  a  flourishing  business.  In  I.shis 
the  Reid  Towing  and  Wrecking  Association  was 
incorporated  with  Capt.  James  Reid  as  President 
and  our  subject  as  Secretary.  In  the  fall  of  1890 
the  company  was  dissolved  and  the  linn  of  .lames 
Reid  &  Son  was  organized.  They  own  the  ••Sea 
Gull"  and  a  tow  of  barges,  as  well  as  smaller  tugs. 
In  1890  the  lirm  raised  the  steamer  "Phil  I). 
Armour"  which  sunk  in  the  St.  Clair  River  loaded 
with  corn.  Her  how  was  seventy-two  feet  in  water 
and  stern  ninety  feet,  and  the  undertaking  was  the 
largest  of  the  kind  at  that  time.  During  the  fol- 
lowing year  they  raised  the  "Pon tiac,"  which  was 
sunk  in  the  Sun  River  by  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Steamer,  "Athabaska."  It  was  loaded  with  two 
thousand  four  hundred  and  sixty-four  tons  of  iron 
ore  and  was  raised  after  working  twelve  days. 
Our  subject  has  sailed  all  over  the  lakes  anil  owns 
an  interest  in  different  vessels.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat  and  socially  is  identified  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Order  of  Maccabees. 


eHARLES  F.  VERNEY.  Prominent  among 
the  respected  resident-  of  Pay  City  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  sketch, 
and  who  is  the  largest  building  mover  but  one,  in 
the  city.  He  also  operates  a  steam  thresher  in  the 
summer,  which  business  has  proved  to  be  very 
profitable,  and  presses  hay  for  the  market.  IIe*was 
born  near  Detroit,  this  State,  five  miles  north  of 
that  city,  at  Grosse  Point,  September  8,  1859,  and  is 
the  son  of  Antoine  and  Delia  (St.  Aubin)  Verney. 
The  father  was  also  a  native  of  Detroit,  and  died 
in  list!:}.  He  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer 
and  was  of  French  descent.  Mrs.  Verney  was  born 
in  Mt.  Clemens,  Macomb  County,  in  1840.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  Frank  St.  Aubin.  who  followed 
farming  near  Mt.  Clemens,  where  he  died  in  1868. 
Ilis   father,  the  grandfather  of   Mis.   Verney,  was 


one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Detroit,  owning  a  farm 
in  what  i-  now  the  city  proper.  St.  Aubins  Ave- 
nue was  named  ill  honor  of  1 1 ■  tit. 

The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Verney,  Frank  St.  Au- 
bin, was  a  pioneer  of  Macomb  County,  and  made 
many  friends  among  the  Indian-  there,  who  were 
more  numerous  than  the  whites,  learning  to  speak 
their  language  well.  He  died  aged  seventy-two 
years.  The  grandmother  of  our  subject.  Mary  (Min- 
nie) Aubin,  is  still  living  and  is  ninety-two  years 
of  age.  They  were  both  linn  adheient-  of  the 
(  at  holic  faith. 

The  mother  of  our  subjecl  was  a  second  time 
married,  her  husband  being  Capt.  Robert  Barlow. 
a  native  of  Leeds.  England.  He  was  reared  in  that 
country  and  followed  the  sea  froma  boy  up,  being 
for  many  year-  on  a  man-of-war  in  the  English 
service.  He  finally  left  her  and  engaged  on  a  mer- 
chant vessel  sailing  between  New  York  City.  China 

and  Japan.      In   1867  he  c rmenced  sailing  on  the 

lakes,  which  occupation  he  has  followed  ever  since, 
making  his  home  in  Bay  City.  He  isau  old.  trusted 
lake  captain,  and  one  to  whom  all  respect  is  due. 
Mrs.  Barlow  is  about  lif'ty-two  years  of  age.  and  is 
greatly   esteemed  by  all  who  know   her. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Antoine  Verney  became  the  parents 
of  six  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  living — 
Mary,  Mrs.  Cates.  of  Bay  City,  our  subject  and 
Rose,  Mrs.  II.  [.  Smith,  also  of  Bay  City.  Our  sub- 
ject remained  at  home  until  four  years  of  age, 
when  he  went  to  live  with  his  grandfather  St.  Au- 
bin, remaining  with  him  for  four  years  more,  at- 
tending the  common  schools.  He  spent  one  win- 
ter in   Detroit  with  his  ther  and  stepfather,  and 

in  the  spring  of  1869  Came  to  Pay  City,  and  [earned 
boating  under  his  stepfather,  working  with  him 
summers  and  attending  school  winter-  until  he  was 
fifteen  years  of  age,  when  he  engaged  in  sailing 
under  ('apt.  Barlow  for  two  seasons  in  lumber 
barges,  lie  then  quit  the  barge-  and  engaged  as 
wheelman  on  various  steamers  foi  a  few  seasons, 
and  in  1*7!)  went  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean  at  New 
York  City,  sailing  on  the  "William  II.  Keeney"  to 
the  Southern  State-,  returning  to  New  York.  He 
then  went  on  the  "T.  Morris  Perotf"  to  Vir- 
ginia and  back  to  New  York. then  on  the  schooner 
"Addie   Bird"  to   Huston,   from  thai  city  on  the 


914 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


'•Thomas  M.  Perott"  went  to  .Manic  for  a  cargo  of 
ice  for  Baltimore.  Md.,  returned  by  l lie  way  of 
Washington,  1).  C,  remaining"  there  one  week;  he 
then  and  there  hid  sailing  good  bye. 

In  1880  our  subject  quit  the  water,  and  his  first 
occupation  was  as  assistant  store-keeper  at  the 
Michigan  Central  depot,  which  position  he  held 
for  one  year,  when  he  engaged  in  his  present  hiisi- 
ness  in  partnership  with  his  stepfather,  which  re- 
lationship lasted  for  one  year.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  Gus  Cate3  bought  out  Mr.  Barlow's  interest, 
and  the  business  was  conducted  under  the'  style  of 
Cates  tV  Verney.  That  partnership  lasted  eight 
months  when  Mr.  Harlow  again  came  into  the  linn 
as  Harlow  A-  Verney.  Two  year,-  later,  however, 
Mr.  Verney  bought  out  his  partner's  interest,  and 
has  since  continued  alone.  .Mr.  Verney  carries  on 
his  steam  threshing  business  in  the  summer,  and 
when  the  threshing  season  is  over,  engages  in  h.-iv 
pressing,  doing-  the  work  on  contract. 

Mr.  Verney  was  married  in  l>a\  City  in  ins;!,  to 
Miss  Eliza  Mansfield,  who  was  horn  in  London, 
England.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Ellen 
Mansfield,  the  father,  a  native  of  Leicestershire, 
England,  and  the  mother  of  Clare.  Ireland.  Mr. 
Mansfield  came  to  the  United  States  in  1882,  and 
was  killed  in  a  railroad  accident  at  Otsego  Lake. 
Three  children  have  been  granted  our  subject  and 
his  wife:  Lucy;  John,  who  was  burned  to  death. 
April  9,  1891,  when  live  years  of  age;  and  Charles 
P.,  Jr.  Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
the  Maccabees,  being  Past  Commander  of  Royal 
Tent.  No.  129.  lie  is  a  member  of  st.  Joseph's 
Catholic  Church,  and  in  politics  is  a  stanch  Demo- 
crat, and  can  do  business  in  English.  French  and 
<  ierman. 


EN.IAMIN  COLYIN.  Our  subject  is  a  na- 
tive of  Cayuga  County.  N.  V.,  and  was 
Ij  born  August  .'i.  1*27.  He  is  a  son  of  Levi 
and  Elizabeth  1!.  (Stilwell)  Colvin.  Our 
subject's  paternal  grandsire,  Levi  Colvin,  was 
horn  in  Scotland,  as  was  also  his  wife.  They 
were   married   in    Scotland    and     were   engaged   as 


farmers,  coining  to  America  in  Colonial  days  and 
settling  on  Long  Island.  Later  they  removed  to 
Rutland,  Vt.,  where  they  died.  They  were  ad- 
herents of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  ( )f  the  live  hoys 
and  six  girls  they  reared,  our  subject's  father  was 
horn  on  Long  Island.  He  removed  to  Vermont 
with  his  parents  and  served  in  the  War  of  1812, 
afterward  removing  to  Cayuga  County.  X.  V., 
where  he  resided  for  nineteen  years  prior  to  his 
death,  which  occurred  August  6,  1828,  when  at 
the  age  of  sixty-eight  years. 

Our  subject's  father  was  thrice  married.  I  lis 
first  wife  bore  him  thirteen  children.  His  second 
wife  was  the  mother  of  seven  children,  and  our 
subject  was  the  only  outcome  of  the  third  mar- 
riage. Our  subject's  mother  was  a  daughter  of 
Levi  St i  11  well,  a  Vermont  farmer,  although  of 
Swiss  origin.  He  died  in  Albany  County,  N.  Y., 
and  his  daughter,  our  subject's  mother,  died  in 
St.  Charles.  Mich.,  in  1869,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
one  years. 

When  a  child  of  seven  years  our  subject  was 
hound  out.  The  little  fellow  was  ambitious,  how 
ever,  to  equal  others  of  his  age  in  knowledge  of 
hooks  and  facts,  and  studied  hard  by  himself  to 
keep  abreast  with  them.  At  Hie  age  of  fourteen 
he  went  on  Hie  Eric  Canal,  where  he  worked  for 
seven  years.  His  first  earnings  were  |(i  per  month. 
In  1849  the  young  man  went  across  the  plains  to 
Salt  Lake  City.  After  a  short  stay  there  he  re- 
turned and  located  in  Lorain  County,  Ohio,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  work  on  the  railroad  and  also 
in  farming.  In  September,  1853,  he  entered  and 
located  on  forty  acres  of  land  on  section  5,  Brant 
Township.  His  nearest  neighbor  at  that  time 
lived  at  Chesaning,  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles. 
lie  has  ever  since  made  this  his  home  and  now 
owns  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  all  of  which 
lie  lias  cleared  and  improved.  lie  has  erected  tine 
buildings  upon  the  place  and  in  all  respects  has 
made  it  a  thoroughly  attractive  as  well  as  pro- 
ductive tract. 

It  being  necessary  for  him  to  lie  employed  din- 
ing the  day  in  other  directions,  our  subject  cleared 
his  first  forty  acre-  by  night.  He  has  ever  been  a 
most  energetic  and  enterprising  man,  and  has  been 
one  of    the   organizers  of    the    township.      He   has 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


915 


served  as  Highway  Commissioner  and  also  as  Jus- 
tice nf  the  Peace.  In  November,  1861,  lie  enlisted 
while  in  Kansas  and  on  the  way  to  the  West.  He 
was  s i  transferred  to  the  secret  service  depart- 
ment and  operated  in  Missouri,  Arkansas.  Mi>sis- 
sippi,  Alabama  and  Tennessee,  being  chief  of  his 
squad.     He  was  discharged    at    Little   Rock,  Ark., 

in    April,    lK<i.">,  and    then    retnr 1    to    Michigan, 

since  which  time  nc  has  been  engaged  in  farming 
and  lumbering. 

Our  subject  belongs  to  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows.  He  has  represented  his  lodge  in 
the  Grand  Lodge.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Labor,  the  Fanners'  Alliance  and  Knights  of  Hus- 
bandry. Mr.  Colvin  has  been  twice  married. 
March  :i,  1850,  he  was  united  to  Orvilla,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Susan  (Bixby)  limit,  of  Cayuga 
County,  X.  V.  Four  children  came  to  grace 
that  union,  viz:  Charles,  who  died  in  the  army. 
November  14,1863;  Alice,  wife  of  I).  J.Webb; 
llancv.  wife  of  J.  Jennings,  and  Mary,  Alls.  Col- 
vin. who  died  in  November,  1873. 

By  his  second  marriage  our  subjeel  was  united 
with  Miss  Adelia  Churchill,  who  was  born  in 
County  Mayo.  Ireland.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
.John  and  Mary  (Joyce)  Horane.  Mr.  Horane  was 
a  linen  weaver  in  his  native  land  and  there 
died.  He  and  his  wife  weie  the  parents  of 
nine  children.  They  reared  of  that  number  only 
two  daughters.  Mrs.  Colvin's  mother  again  mar- 
ried, her  second  husband  being  William  Churchill, 
of  Cayuga  County.  N.  V.,  she  having  come  to  the 
United  States  with  a  brother  in  1850,  and  located 
in  Sterling,  Cayuga  County;  she  died  in  Oswego. 
Mrs.  Colvin  came  to  this  country,  in  1854,  with 
her  grandmother,  Margarel  Joyce,  the  widow  of 
John  Joyce,  who  had  been  to  the  United  States 
and  was  for  seven  years  engaged  as  a  railroad 
contractor.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  they 
returned  to  Ireland,  where  the  husband  died  one 
week  after  landing  there.  Mrs.  Colvin's  family 
an- adherents  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Ch urc h. 

Our  subject,  who  is  one  of  the  prominent  mem- 
bers of  society  in  Brant  Township,  is  a  Democrat 
in  his  political  predeliction.  lie  was  finally  a 
Greenbacker,  but  now  is  particularly  interested  in 
the  Union  Labor  party.     He  is  actively  interested 


in  political  work  and  i>  a  member  of  the  National 
Silver    party.      lie     has    twice     made    the    race    for 

Congress  on  the  Greenback  ticket,  and  for  the 
past  eighl  years  has  been  engaged  in  speaking  for 
that  party  throngh  different  States. 


*M$+^i 


fiB" 


EDWIN  F.  BURROUGHS.  This  popular  and 
Successful  business  man  is  the  proprietor  of 
the  livery  and  boarding  stable  at  the  corner 
of  Fifth  and  Saginaw  Streets.  Bay  City.  He  began 
business  in  1883,  and  his  splendid  two-story  brick 
building  attests  the  success  which  has  attended  his 
efforts.  It  is  well  lighted  and  ventilated,  with  ac- 
commodations for  the  care  of  twenty-live  head  of 
horses.  The  main  Moor  is  divided  into  offices  and 
apartments  for  carriages  and  stable-,  and  well 
equipped  with  all  conveniences. 

Mr.  Burroughs  was  born  in  Ml.  Morris,  Living- 
ston County.  N.  Y.,  August  29,  1846,  and  his 
father  and  grandfather,  Jonathan  and  Philip 
Burroughs,  were  also  New  Yorkers, the  latter  being 
a  pioneer  of  Livingst  m  County,  where  he  carried 
on  a  farm  and  a  hotel  near  the  Portage  deep-cut 
canal.  The  father  finally  sold  out.  his  property  at 
Ml.  Morris  and  engaged  in  the  insurance  business 
at  Nunda.  N.  V.;  the  mother,  Rebecca  ('..  was 
the  d.iughter  of  Nathaniel  Olney,  an  early  settler 
in  Portage.  She  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-one,  and 
her  husband  hid  passed  away  at  forty-seven. 

Our  subject  was  the  only  child  of  his  parents 
and  hid  hi-  training  in  Mt.  Morris,  but  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  rem  >ved  to  Nunda  where  he  had  the 
advantage's  of  a  High  School  and  also  attended 
the  academy  at  Dansville.  Upon  the  death  of  his 
father,  which  took  place  when  the  son  was  twenty- 
one  years  old.  the  latter  took  up  the  insurance 
business,  bul  after  two  years  sold  out  his  inteiv.l 
in  it.  and  located  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres 
near  Portage,  hut  in  1878  left  that  point  and  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  cheese  at  Tuscarora 
for  some  five  summers.  In  I .ss;j  he  sold  his  farm 
and  decided  to  come  West.  He  located  in  Bay 
City,  and  bought  out  the  livery  business  of  Will- 
iam Peck  and  has  liuill  up  one  of  the  largest  estah- 
I tshments  of  this  kind  in  the  city. 


916 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Anna  M.  Sharp  was  the  maiden  nam<  of  her  who 
became  the  wifeof  oursubjecl  at  Mi.  Morris,  N.  V., 
in  1807.  Mr.  Burroughs  is  an  honored  member  of 
the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Royal  Arch 
Masons,  the  Knights  Templar,  the  Consistory,  the 
Mystic  Shrine  of  Detroit,  and  the  Masonic  Temple 
Association.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
the  Maccabees,  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen. 


^p^RAN  M  RFLFRY,M.D.  Among  the  physi- 
cians of  Saginaw  we  add  another  to  those 
who  are  here  represented  as  worthy  of  the 
notice  of  our  readers,  tie  is  a  native  of  Canada. 
being  born  in  Ontario.  April  3,  1856,  and  is  a  son 
of  Philo  and  Mary  Ann  (Graham)  Belfry.  The 
father  was  liorn  in  the  Empire  State  and  the  mother 
was  horn  in  Niagara, Ontario,  Canada.  Thefather 
was  a  lumber  merchant  for  many  years,  carrying 
on  his  business  in  Ontario  and  died  in  1885,  being 
then  in  his  eighty  second  year.  The  mother,  who 
passed  away  in  1877,  in  her  seventy-sixth  year,was 
a  daughter  of  Barton  Graham,  of  Scotch  descent. 
The  Belfrys,  who  came  of  French  stock,  are  de- 
scended from  Jacob  Belfry,  the  grandfather  of  our 

Subject  who  was  bom  in  .Montreal  and  was  educated 

as  a  priest,  but  changed  his  occupation  to  farming 
and  lumbering. 

Dr.  Belfry  is  one  of  a  family  of  <  ight  sons  and 
two  daughters,  nine  of  whom  survive.  His  boy 
hood  was  passed  in  Ontario,  and  he  attended  first 
the  common  schools  and  afterward  Bradford  High 
School  and  Cobourg  College  and  later  the  Normal 
School  at  Ottawa.  He  taught  in  the  High  School 
in  Ottawa  for  a  term  and  then  commenced  the 
study  of  medicine,  entering  Trinity  Medical  Col- 
lege where  he  pursued  his  studies  for  four  years 
and  graduated  in  1883. 

The  young  Doctor  then  took  a  course  in  the 
Hospitals  in  London.  England  and  Edinboro, Scot 
land,  taking  what  is  called  "qualification"  in  sur- 
ge^ ami  medicine.  After  that  he  returned  to  this 
country  and  located  at  London.  Ontario,  where  he 
continued  for  some  two  years.      In    the   spring   of 


1*88  Dr.  Belfry  came  to  Saginaw  where  he  has  been 
most  favorably  received  and  has  been  able  to  build 
up  a  growing  and  solid  practice  among  the  best 
people  here. 

Oursubjecl  was  married  in  1888  to  Mrs.  Clara 
B.  Sutherland.  Her  maiden  name  was  McLean  and 
she  was  horn  in  St.  Thomas.  Ontario.  The  Doctor 
is  a  member  of  the  Michigan  State  Medical  Society, 
is  on  the  staff  of  the  Bliss  Hospital,  and  until  quite 
recently  belonged  to  the  Ontario  Medical  Society 
and  was  on  the  medical  staff  of  the  London  Gen- 
eral Hospital,  and  also  surgeon  of  the  Grand  Trunk 
Railroad  at  London.  Ontario.  He  is  a  man  social 
in  his  instincts  and  belongs  to  a  number  of  the 
popular  orders,  being  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He 
also  belongs  to  the  Royal  Templars  of  Temper- 
ance, the  Royal  League,  the  Independent  Order  of 
Foresters,  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and  the 
Star  of  Bethlehem. 


\   RYILLF  A.    KENT,    one    of   the    prominent 
citizens  of   Birch    Run    Township,   who    has 

ty  served  as  Supervisor  and  now  makes  his  home 
on  section  36,  is  a  native  of  Portage  County,  Ohio, 
and  was  bom  August  11.  1834.  He  is  a  son  of 
Gurden  and  Ilulda  (Granger)  Kent,  both  natives 
of  New  England,  and  in  his  native  home  this  son 
was  reared  to  man's  estate,  and  from  early  youth 
engaged  in  farm  work.  The  district  schoolsof  Ohio 
supplied  his  schooling,  and  he  is  mainly  self  edu- 
cated. 

About  the  year  1854  young  Kent  removed  from 
Ohio  to  Tuscola  County,  Mich.,  and  resided  there 
until  1870,  when  he  came  to  Saginaw  County,  and 
located  where  he  now  makes  his  home,  which  was 
then  a  new  and  unbroken  estate.  He  has  put  upon 
it  a  vast  amount  of  hard  work  and  is  one  of  those 
who  can  tell  the  whole  story  of  the  development  of 
this  region  from  the  time  when  it  was  the  home  of 
Indians  ami  wild  licasts.  This  farm  consists  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  most  valuable 
land. 


■  •  -  ■/:...  | 


OLIVER   BERB  ER. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


919 


The  marriage  of  Oryille  A.  Kent  and  Sophia 
Curtis  occurred  June  28,  1857.  This  lady  was  bom 
in  Cattaragus  County,  X.  V..  Augusl  1  1.  1840, and 
is  a  daughter  of  Truman  and  Sophronia  (Gillet) 
Curtis,  both  of  whom  were  Datives  of  New  York. 
In  1856  she  came  with  her  father's  family  to  Mich- 
igan and  has  since  resided  here. 

To  Mr.  ami  Mrs.  Kcnl  have  been  born  seven 
children  and  four  of  them  arc  still  living,  namely: 
Fred  L.,  Berl  G,  Amelia  and  .Mary  A.  He  is  a 
Democrat  in  his  political  views  and  in  1871  heser- 
ved  as  Supervisor  of  Birch  Bun  Township.  His 
fine  property  has  been  a  nun  in  la  led  t  hrough  his  own 
efforts,  assisted  by  his  wise  counselor  and  helpmate. 
He  has  done  his  due  share  of  pioneer  work  lure 
and  has  been  helpful  in  all  public  enterprises. 

The  father  in  1854  also  came  to  Tuscola  County, 
which  he  made  his  home  for  the  remainder  of  his 
life,  being  engaged  for  a  number  of  years  in  the 
Lumber  business  there  and  dying  in  1869.  He  was 
the  father  of  a  large  family,  of  whom  the  following 
survive:  Orilla,  now  the  widow  of  Grovenor  Vin- 
ton; Ursula,  who  is  the  widow  of  Orson  Norton; 
Arinina.  who  married  Francis  Pettibone;  and  Or- 
ville  A. 


jKi  -!*-!•  *!•->- 


&*'>•$•  ^liSs?  -M-** 


LIVEB  BERBER,  M.  I).  It  would  be  dilli- 
nilt  to  find  within  the  limits  of  Bay  City  a 
<S  physician  and  surgeon  who  is  more  popular 
among  all  classes  than  the  gentleman  whose  por- 
trait appears  in  connection  with  this  brief  biograph- 
ical notice.  Besides  his  practice  he  manages  a  drug 
store,  which  is  cne  of  the  mosl  successful  business 
establishments  in  the  city.  A  man  of  no  ordinary 
ability  and  possessing  those  genial  qualities  which 
win  and  retain  friends,  it  is  not  strange  thai  Dr. 
Berber  has  as  many  friends  as  acquaintances,  and 
that  his  skill  as  a  practitioner  is  universally  con- 
ceded, lie  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  St.  Jo- 
seph Catholic  Church  in  Baj  City,  to  the  support 
of  which  he  contributes  liberally,  as  he  docs  to 
every  measure  which  he  believes  will  elevate  the 
moral  stal  us  of  the  communil  \ . 

Of  Canadian  birth  and    parentage,  Dr.  Berber   is 
12 


the  son  of  Joseph  Berber,  a  worthy  man  who  fol- 
lowed the  calling  of  a  farmer,  and  passed  his  entire 
life  in  Canada.  He  participated  in  the  Canadian 
Rebellion,  where  he  held  the  rank  of  sergeant. 
Tracing  the  ancestry  of  Dr.  Berber  hack  another 
generation,  we  find  that  Grandfather  Berber  was  a 
native  of  Canada,  born  of  French  forefathers. 
Mary  (  Breyno  i  Berber,  mother  oi  our  subject,  was 
horn  in  St.  Peter,  Canada,  and  died  when  in  the 
prime  of  « anl d.     Ten  children  were  born  to 

the  parents  Of  our  subject,  nine   Of  whom  arc    now 

living. 

After  the  death  of  his  parent-,  which  occurred 
when  he  was  a  small  child,  our  subject  was  taken 
into  the  home  of  an  uncle  on  his  father's  side, and 
lived  with  him  for  several  years.  At  an  early  age 
he  learned  to  perform  his  share  of  the  work  on  the 
farm,  and  during  the  winter  season  attended 
school,  learning  to  speak  French  with  the  same  fa- 
cility that  he  ie>\\  uses  tin'  Knglish  language. 
When  twelve  years  old  he  started  out  in  life  for 
himself,  and  found  employment  on  various  farms, 
working  by  the  month  and  hoarding  hi-  scanty 
earnings.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three  years  he  be- 
gan to  study  medicine  under  a  preceptor  in  Mon- 
treal, with  whom  he  later  engaged  in  practice.  He 
gained  an  extensiveand  lucrative  practice  in  Mon- 
treal and  became  connected  with  various  medical 
societies. 

In  1*77  the  Doctor  came  to  |',:i\  (  ity.  locating 
on  the  corner  of  Water  and  Twenty-third  Street-, 
and  embarking  in  business  as  a  druggist,  while  at 
the  same  time  he  bj  no  mean-  neglected  his  medi- 
cal practice.  Later  lie  Iniilt  his  present  store  and 
removed  his  establishment  to  this  place  of  busi- 
ness in  1881.  His  fine  drug  store  i-  located  on  the 
corner  of  Twenty-firsl  and  Bowery,  while  his 
pleasant  residence  adjoin-  the  store.  It  would 
seem  that  the  Doctor'-  time  would  he  entirely  oc- 
cupied with  his  extensive  practice  and  drug  busi- 
ness, bu1  not  so.  lie  owns  and  manages  a  livery 
and  sales  barn,  located  at  No.  7i>.">  Saginaw  street. 
and  ha-  a  number  of  fine  road  horses. 

The  success  of  Dr.  Berber  has  not  been  obtained 
by  chance,  for  the  one  -poke  truly  who  said,  that 
••  in  the  providence  of  God,  nothing  ever  happens 
by  chance."      But  his   prosperity  is    the    result    of 


920 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


unwearied  labor  and  excellent  judgment.  Hi*  ef- 
forts have  received  the  co-operation  of  his  excel- 
lent wife,  tn  win  mi  he  was  married  in  Bay  City, 
and  whose  maiden  name  was  Louisa  Borthoume. 
Mis.  Barber  was  horn  in  Detroit,  and  has  become 
the  mother  of  one  child — Arthur,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  two  years  and  ten  months.  In  his  political 
affiliations  tin'  Doctor  is  a  Democrat,  and  uses  his 
influence  for  the  success  of  that  party. 


-*-=^!>*<S 


<*       JjfclLLIAM  ROSS.      Our  subject  is  a  pioneer 

\  /  manufacturer  of  hard-wood  lumber,  pine 
V*  and  oak.  and  i-  an  extensive  wholesale 
dealer  in  Bay  City.  Mr.  Ross  was  born  in  Ros- 
shire,  Scotland,  January  10,  1839.  lb-  is  a  son  of 
Duncan  and  Christine  (McPherson)  Ross.  In 
1846  Duncan  Ross  brought  his  family,  which  com- 
prised a  wife  and  six  children,  to  America.  They 
left  Glasgow  on  the  sailing  vessel  "Quebec"  and 
settled  in  (  anada,  where  Duncan  Ross  bought  a 
large  tract  of  timber  laud  and  was  engaged  in  lum- 
bering and  in  manufacturing  his  products.  He 
improved  some  of  the  land  which  he  chared,  and 
died  in  Canada  in  1865  at  the  age  of  sixty-three 
years. 

Our  subject's  mother,  who  was  a  daughter  of 
Daniel  McPherson  and  who  was  a  native  of  the 
same  county  as  was  her  husband,  died  in  June, 
1887,  at  the  age  of  eighty- three  years;  she  was  a 
devoted  Presbyterian  and  an  ideal  Christian  wo- 
man. Of  the  family  of  six  children  born  to  his 
parents  William  was  the  third  m  order  of  birth. 
He  was  about  seven  years  old  when  brought  to 
America  and  after  a  residence  of  seven  years  in 
Canada  was  able  to  help  his  father  in  his  lumber 
interests.  He  remained  there  until  I860,  thence 
going  to  Detroit,  where  he  was  engaged  in  con- 
tracting in  the  ship-builder's  yard  until  December 
10.  1861. 

At  the  above-mentioned  date  our  subject  re- 
moved to  Saginaw  City  and  remained  for  six 
months  in  the  lower  Saginaw  hamlet.  He  was  en- 
gaged in  contracting  and  building  and  also  in  the 
real-estate  business  for  six  years.     Thence  he  went 


to  CaMville.  Huron  County,  and  built  a  mill  on 
the  Pigeon  River.  He  here  manufactured  (line  and 
hard  lumber  being  thus  engaged  for  four  year.-.  At 
the  end  of  the  time  above  mentioned  our  subject 
moved  his  mill  to  Pay  City  and  located  it  on  the 
Saginaw  River,  lint  soon  sold  it  to  a  Mr.  \V. 
Hitchcock  and  then  devoted  himself  to  hard-wood 
lumbering.  He  has  probably  handled  and  manu- 
factured more  of  that  than  any  other  man  in  this 
locality.  He  has  been  interested  in  this  industry 
now  for  nearly  twenty  years. 

Aside  from  his  manufacturing  business  Mr.  Ross 
deals  in  oak  and  ash  lands,  and  in  other  classes  of 
timber  lands,  and  although  wood  is  used  so  much 
less  than  formerly  in  the  building  of  houses,  the 
fast  disappearing  forests  of  the  North,  make  the 
annual  output  more  and  more  valuable,  so  that 
those  who  aie  fortunate  enough  to  po»e»  produc- 
tive timberlands  have  therein  assured  fortunes. 

Mr.  Ross  was  married  in  Cleveland.  Ohio,  Jan- 
uary 1.  1868.  His  bride  was  Miss  Abbie  Case,  who 
was  there  bom.  They  have  two  children — lohnand 
Abbie.  Their  pleasant  home  is  located  at  No.  "J  Hi 
Washington  Avenue,  and  our  subject's  office  is  to 
be  found  at  No.  lull,  in  the  Phoenix  Block.  Like 
most  of  hi-  countrymen,  he  i>  a  Presbyterian  and 
with  his  wife  and  family  i-  most  faithful  tochurch 
duties.  Politically,  he  is  a  Republican  and  be- 
lieves emphatically  in  the  tenets  of  that  party  and 
especially  in  the  protective  policy. 


ollN  McLURG,  M.  D.  Although  having 
come  to  Hay  City  within  a  comparatively 
recent  date,  our  subject  has  already  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  confidence  and  good 
graces  of  a  large  clientage,  and  among  his  patients 
are  represented  the  besl  citizens  of  the  town.  Dr. 
McLurg  has  also  acquired  an  enviable  reputation 
as  a  skilled  surgeon.  He  came  to  this  city  in  July, 
1887.  He  was  born  in  Ail-a  Craig.  Ontario.  July 
25,  I857,and  i-  a  -mi  of  John  and  Isabella!  Marshall) 
McLurg.  Hi*  family  were  farmers  in  Canada  and 
were  thrifty  and  intelligent  people. 

Our  subject    received  a   good   education    in  the 


P  >RTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


921 


Normal  at  Toronto  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  1877.  The  class  was  a  large  and  an  important 
one,  containing  many  bright  men  who  have  al- 
ready made  their  impress  upon  their  generation. 
For  five  years  after  finishing  his  Normal  course  he 
was  engaged  in  teaching  in  his  native  town  and 
then  went  to  Toronto  where  he  entered  the  Trinity 
Medical  College,  and  altera  course  of  four  years, 
graduated  in  1886,  taking  the  highest  honors  of 
his  class.  He  was  the  recipient  of  the  University 
gold  medal  and  a  College  gold  medal,  and  took-  a 
scholarship  every  year  as  a  prize. 

After  finishing  his  course  in  Toronto,  Dr.  Mc- 
Lurg  entered  the  Royal  College  of  Surgery  at 
London,  England,  and  was  graduated  in  L887.  He 
spent  the  following  year  in  various  hospitals,  after 
which  lie  located  in  Bay  City  in  t  he  month  of  duly. 
From  almost  the  first  he  has  enjoyed  a  line  prac- 
tice here,  and  is  now  without  doulit  one  of  the 
leading  practitioners  of  the  city,  lie  gives  his  at- 
tention wholly  to  his  professional  work,  ami  being 
a  man  of  broad  ideas  and  liberal  tendencies,  he  is 
not  only  a  successful  physician  but  an  equally  suc- 
cessful business  man. 

Our  subjecl  was  married  Augusl  26,  1884,  to 
Miss  Charlotte  Isabella  Stewart,  of  his  native  place. 
She  is  the  daughter  of  a  neighboring  farmer,  not  a 
ureal  distance  from  his  Canadian  home.  The 
Presbyterian  Church  is  the  center  of  the  social 
work  ami  life  of  our  subject  and  his  estimable 
wife. 


>-  ^f  ¥€RB**WB8^ 


HARLES  I'.  W.  WURTZEL,  who  is  the 
owner  of  a  farm  on  section  '-K  Thomastown 
Township,  is  a  Teuton  by  birth  and  rearing 
and  has  enthused  into  his  new  life  in  this  land  of 
freedom  and  large  possibilities,  the  thoroughness 
and  persistency  which  are  an  inherent  characteristic 
of  his  race,  lie  was  born  in  the  Province  of  Bran- 
denburg, Germany,  May  II.  1840,  and  is  a  son 
of  Frederick  ('.and  Wilhelmina  (Kampfert)  Wurt- 
zel.  The  father  was  horn  in  the  same  province  as 
was  the  son, September  '■'<.  1807.  His  father, Christ- 
ian !■'.  Wurtzel,  was  a  native  of  the  same    province 


and  lived  near  the  city  of  Xadcn  on  the  river 
Oder,  lie  was  a  cabinetmaker  by  trade  and  his 
father,  our  subject's  great-grandfather,  emigrated 

to  that  province  and  was  a  blacksmith.  lie  there 
died  at   the  age  of   seventy-!  hree  years. 

Frederick  Wurtzel  was  a  shepherd  and  made  it. 
a  life  business,  lie  moved  to  America  with  his 
family  of  four  children,  in  1854,  the  voyage  tak- 
ing over  eight  weeks.  He  came  directly  to  Thomas- 
town  Township  and  located  on  section  II. 
where  he  cleared  a  farm  that  comprised  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres.  He  early  took  a  promi- 
nent position  in  local  affairs.  His  decease  occurred 
at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  Our  subject's 
mother  was  horn  Augusl  "-'7.  1817.  She  was  the 
mother  of  the  following  children  :  William,  Au- 
gusta, MiHnie,  Bertha,  Louisa  ami  Charles.  She 
died  in  September,  1875,  and  like  her  husband  was 
a  devoted  Lutheran. 

Fourteen  years  of  age  when  brought  by  his  par- 
ents to  America,  our  subject  had  made  a  good 
foundation  for  his  education  while  in  his  native 
land.  After  coming  to  this  country  lie  studied  at 
home  quite  extensively  and  read  English  fluently. 
He  began  for  himself  at  the  age  of  twenty-four 
years  and  learned  the  butcher's  trade.  He  opened 
a  meat  market  in  Saginaw  and  ran  it  until  1870, 
when  he  became  foreman  on  the  river,  rafting  logs 
for  the  Tittabawassee  Loom  Company.  He  re- 
mained with  that  firm  until  IK77  and  then  located 
where  he  now  is. 

Mr.  Wurtzel  has  a  line  farm  and  excellent  build- 
ings and  he  has  made  all  1  he  improvements  himself. 
He  was  married  May  II.  1865,  to  Miss  Minnie 
Ganschow,  who  was  horn  in  the  Province  of  Pomer- 
ania,  Prussia,  October  9,  1843.  She  has  four  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  arc  living  and  whose  names  are 
Laura.  William.  Minnie  and  Amelia.  Mr.  Wurtzel 
devotes  himself  ti)  mixed  farming  and  raise-  stock 
of  all  kinds.  He  owns  two  hundred  and  two  acres 
of  land,  nf  which  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  arc 
cleared.  His  line  frame  residence  was  built  in 
LS7!».  and  his  barns  about  the  same  time,  lie  and 
his  wile  are    faithful    to    the    creed    in   which    they 

have  been  reared  and  give  their  assistance  to  the 
Lutheran  Church.  Mr.  Wurtzel  is  a  Republican 
in  principle  with  strong   Independent    proclivities. 


922 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


He  is  a  great  reader  and  an  intelligent  and  well- 
versed  man.  Mrs.  Minnie  AVurtzel  died  January 
30,  1879,  and  in  1881  our  subject  again  married, 
his  bride  being  Fiances  Skinner,  who  was  born  in 
Devonshire,  England,  January  30,  1849.  This 
marriage  lias  been  productive  of  three  children — 
Frank,  Alice  and  Edward.  Mrs.  Wurtzel  is  an  ad- 
herent of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Our  subject  has 
held  various  offices  in  the  township  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of   his  constituents. 


*Nsg£ 


N  i 


VfjOIIN  K.  NOLAN,  of  the  law  firm  of  Nolan 
&  Morse.  Saginaw,  was  horn  in  that  city 
-^.  May  (I.  1854.  His  parents  were  Thomas 
<{§£?  ami  Johanna  E.  (Doyle)  Nolan,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Ireland,  emigrating  to  the 
I  nited  States  when  young  and  becoming  early  set- 
tlers of  Saginaw,  in  which  city  the  mother  died, 
September  1  1.  1877, in  her  forty-seventh  year.  The 
father  is  still  living. 

John  E.  Nolan  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth  of 
five  children,  of  whom  he  is  the  only  one  living, 
the  others  having  died  in  infancy,  lie  passed  his 
school  days  in  the  High  School  at  Saginaw,  after- 
ward going  to  Ann  Arbor  where  he  entered  the 
law  department  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1876.  Returning  to 
Saginaw  he  at  once  began  practice,  entering  the 
office  of  Camp  &  Brooks  and  there  remaining  until 
February,  1*77.  when  he  opened  an  office  of  his 
own.  In  1*77  he  was  elected  Circuit  Court  Com- 
missioner for  a  term  of  two  years  and  was  re- 
elected in  1879, serving  in  all  four  years.  In  1881 
he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  a  term  of 
four  years  and  was  re-elected  in  1885, serving  eight 
years.  In  18X7  he  was  made  Police  Judge  for  a 
term  of  two  yearsand  was  re-elected  in  1889, serving 
until  the  consolidation  of  the  cities  of  Saginaw,  in 
1890,  when  he  returned  to  the  practice  of  law. 

In  1887  lie  formed  a  paitncrship  with  Jeliner  E. 
Morse  under  the  firm  name  of  Nolan  &  Morse,  do- 
ing a  general  law  business  and  practicing  in  all  the 
courts.  He  was  the  attorney  for  the  defense  in 
the    noted  Palmer   murder   case,  in   which    the    de- 


fendant was  tried  for  the  murder  of  his  brother, 
the  case  being  tried  three  times  before  a  verdict  of 
murder  in  the  second  degree  was  reached.  Mr. 
Nolan  served  as  School  Inspector  from  1**4  to 
1890,  when,  divesting  himself  of  his  official  robe 
he  settled  down  to  business,  since  which  lime  he 
has  devoted  liis  whole  attention  to  his  law 
practice. 

Mr.  Nolan  was  married  May  6,  1*79,  to  Miss 
Mary  J.  Redmond,  of  Saginaw.  In  polities  he  has 
taken  an  active  part  and  was  Chairman  of  the  Demo- 
cratic County  Committee  for  live  years,  from  1**3 
to  1***.  lie  was  also  Chairman  of  the  Democratic 
City  Committee  from  1**.")  to  1***.  lie  has  been 
a  delegate  frequently  to  State,  Congressional  and 
county  conventions  and  has  never  suffered  defeat 
from  the  hands  of  the  voters,  although  his  ward 
at  all  times  was  Republican  by  over  seventy 
majority . 


'  Wlf.s  B.  BARBER.  The  City  Recorder, 
whose  name  is  quoted  above,  is  now  serving 
his  third  term  in  this  position  in  Bay  City 
since  1886.  Mr.  Barber  is  a  native  of  the 
ipiaint  Quaker  C  it  \  founded  by  Pen n;  he  is  a  son  of 
Robert  Barber. of  Lancastershire,  England,who  came 
here  a  young  man  and  married  in  Philadelphia, 
lie  was  a  machinist  by  trade  and  in  1853  removed 
to  Danville,  Pa.,  where  he  was  foreman  in  charge 
of  the  machine  shop  and  foundry  for  about  live 
years.  He  then  removed  to  Milton.  Pa.,  where  he 
occupied  the  same  position  and  later  was  appointed 
superintendent  of  the  iron  and  engine  works  in 
Lock  Haven.  Penn.  He  finally  located  in  Williams- 
port,  Pa.,  where  he  had  charge  of  the  West  Branch 
Iron  Works,  which  he  superintended  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  December,  1873,  at  the 
age  of  fifty-seven  years. 

Our  subject's  mother  was  as  a  young  lady  Miss 
Jane  Fleming,  a  native  of  England.  Her  father 
was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  woolens.  Mrs. 
Barber  still  survives  and  resides  at  Lock  Haven, Pa. 
Of  twelve  children  horn  of  this  marriage  seven  are 
now  living,  and  of  these  our  subject  is  the  eldest.  He 


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PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


923 


was  horn  July  21.  1845,  and  was  educated  at  Phil- 
adelphia. Danville  and  Milton,  lie  remained  at 
home  until  past  fifteen  years  of  aye  and  then  was 
apprenticed  to  a  machinist  at  Lock  Haven.  He 
worked  under  his  father  for  about  six  months  and 
then  went  to  Philadelphia  where  he  worked  for 
I.  1'.  Morris  &  Co..  for  three  years  and  became  a 
practical  and  expert  machinist. 

Thus  equipped  for  any  emergency,  our  subject 
went  to  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  doing  journeyman's 'work 
for  a  short  time,  thence  removing  to  Lock  Haven 
and  for  four  years  was  employed  as  engineer  in  a 
mill.  In  the  spring  of  1870  he  came  to  Grand  Rap- 
ids ami  served  as  engineer  for  the  firm  of  Wonderly 
A-  Little,  a  Pennsylvania  lumber  linn,  serving  as 
their  chief  engineer  for  one  year.  He  then  came  to 
Saginaw  and  was  in  the  employ  of  Wickes  Bros,  as 
a  machinist  in  charge  of  trie  erecting  department. 
He  remained  with  them  until  1*72  and  (hen  went 
to  Brighton  where  he  engaged  in  the  brick  busi- 
ness.  manufacturing  in  partnership  with  Daniel 
15aile\ . 

After  two  years  engaged  as  above  mentioned 
our  subject  returned  to  Wickes  Bros,  and  remained 
with  them  until  they  were  involved  in  the  panic 
and  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  Flint  &  Pere 
Marquette  Machine  Shops.  When  Wickes  Bros,  re- 
sumed business  again  Mr.  Barber  returned  to  them 
and  remained  until  1876,  when  he  came  to  Bay 
City  as  engineer  for  the  S.  McLean  A-  Co..  and  re- 
mained with  them  for  about  three  years.  At.  the 
expiration  of  this  time  he  started  a  pin  factory  in 
partnership  with  Messrs.  McLean  A-  McKane.  The 
business  was  run  under  the  firm  name  of  the 
Northwestern  Pin  Manufactory,  and  their  business 
was  located  at  the  foot  of  Twenty-sixth  and  Water 
Streets.  After  continuing  this  one  year,  during 
which  Mr.  Barber  acted  as  manager  and  superintend- 
ent the  firm  sold  out,when  our  subject  was  engaged 
with  Rust  Pros,  in  their  sawmill  in  Pay  City.  He 
remained  with  them  until  1884  and  then  entered 
the  employ  of  Miller  Bros,  as  engineer. 

Meantime  our  subject  had  been  making  his  way 
in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  people  of  the 
city  and  in  the  spring  of  [886  was  elected  Cit\ 
Recorder  on  the  Greenback  ticket  and  has  been 
twice    elected    since    that     time,  and    the    last   two 


elections  have  been  placed  in  his  position  h\  the 
equal  votes  of  the  Republicans  and  Democrats, 
having  no  opponent.  He  serves  as  Clerk  of  the 
City  Council,  as  Secretary  of  the  Hoard  of  Educa- 
tion, Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Police  Commission- 
ers and  is  also  ex-officio  member  of  the  Board  of 
Health. 

Mr.  Barber  was  married  in  Last  Saginawin  May. 
1883,  to  Miss  .Mary  Smith,  who  was  hoi  n  in  St. 
Mary's,  Canada,  in  August  1845.  Socially,  our  sub- 
ject is  a  Free  and  Accepted  Mason  and  a  Royal 
Arch  Mason.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Odd  Fellows 
and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  lb- 
has  always  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Labor  party. 
His  pleasant  home  is  located  at  the  corner  of 
Twenty-sixth  Street  and  Broadway. 


^J\  LFRED  M.  KING.  For  the  past  twenty 
years  the  name  of  Mr  King  has  been  pro- 
I?  minent  among  the  members  of  the  Bay 
County  bar  as  he  has  been  practicing  in 
Bay  City  for  that  length  of  time,  lie  is  of  South- 
ern birth  as  at  the  time  of  his  birth,  December  23, 
1848,  his  parents,  McPherson  and  Claudia  (Beau- 
fort) King,  were  living  in  Chatham  County,- Ga. 
He  received  a  part  of  his  education  in  that  State, 
and  in  1862  was  sent  to  Toronto,  Ontario,  where 
he  attended  first  the  grammar  school  and  after- 
wards the  Lpper  Canada  College  and  the  Toronto 
University,  taking  the  Arts  Course. 

After  leaving  the  University  Mr.  King  entered 
the  law  office  of  Judge  Kennett  McKenzie,  with 
whom  he  had  been  reading  law  for  some  years.  He 
came  to  this  city  in  lstili  and  while  teaching  had 
the  use  of  the  office  of  A.  C.  Maxwell.  lie  passed 
his  examination  before  .Indue  Sutherland,  now  of 
Utah,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1871,  after 
which  he  at  once  began  practicing  law  in  Lay  (  it  \ . 
For  some  time  he  con  tin  tied  in  an  independent  prac- 
tice, but  finally  formed  a  partnership  with  Edward 
R.  Slawson  under  the  firm  name  of  Slawson  A-  King 
which  connection  continued  until  the  death  of  the 
former  gentleman.  Some  lime  latter  he  entered 
partnership  with    Hindis    M.    Ready,    who   is  now 


9  2  4 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Justice  of  the  Peace  and  who  continued  with  our 
.subject  until  the  former  was  elected  a  Circuit 
Court  Commissioner. 

After  practicing  atone  for  sonic  time  Mr.  King 
formed  a  partnership  with  John  Hargadon,  as  King 
&,  Hargadon,  the  connection  lasting  until  the  death 
of  the  junior  partner  since  when  he  has  been  alone. 
He  gives  his  whole  attention  to  his  legal  business 
and  practices  before  all  the  courts  of  the  State. 
He  is  well  known  throughout  the  county  and  has 
been  Circuit  Court  Commissioner,  lie  is  warmly 
and  actively  interested  here  in  the  success  of  the 
Democratic  party  but  does  nol  seek  for  office. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  King  to  Miss  Frances  M. 
Thompson  of  St.  Catherines,  Canada,  took  place 
January  15,  1868,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  the 
surviving  children:  William  II..  isnow  in  Bay  City 
in  a  box  factory:  Roberl  1...  who  is  reading  law 
preparatory  to  entering  the  legal  profession 
and  Margaret,  Henry  C.  and  John  C,  who  are  at 
home. 


-4- 


* 


-2- 


)ERNAR1)  B.  TRACY.  We  here  present  a 
sketch  of  one  of  the  hot  known  citizen-  of 
Birch  Run  Township.  Saginaw  County, 
whoso  tine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  five 
acres  is  located  on  section  19.  lie  was  born  May 
28,  1824,  in  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y..  and  is  a  son 
of  Benjamin  and  Sybil  (Fish)  Tracy,  who  were  na- 
tives of  Connecticut,  and  the  father  was  a  soldier 
of  the  War  of    L812. 

Our  subject  is  the  youngesl  son  in  his  father's 
family,  and  had  his  early  training  upon  a  farm, re- 
ceiving nothing  but  a  common-school  education, 
but  acquiring  during  that  eourseof  traininga  love 
for  reading  which  has  been  with  him  through  life. 
While  still  a  youth  he  began  his  career  upon  the 
lakes,  which  he  continued  for  thirty  years,  and 
during  twelve  years  of  that  time  he  has  been  cap- 
tain, serving  thus  upon  different  vessels. 

The  marriage  of  Bernard  Tracy  and  Juliet  Smith 
took  place  December  7.  1846.  This  lady  was  born 
December  22,  1828,  in  Oiwego  County.  N.  Y..  and 
She  was  :i  daughtet  of  Harry  and  Lucy  (Wash- 
burn) Smith.     The  forraei    parcnl  was  a  native  of 


England,  ami  the  latter  was  born  in  Connecticut. 
While  she  was  still  an  infant  her  father  died,  and 
when  she  was  one  year  old  she  removed  with  her 
mother  to  Jefferson  County.  N.  Y.,  and  there  met 
and  married  Mr.  Tracy.  Of  six.  children  born  to 
her  parents,  she  and  one  brother,  Ashley,  alone 
survive. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tracy  have  been  granted  seven 
children,  and  three  of  that  number  are  still  living, 
namely  :  Arthur,  Sybil,  wife  of  A.  W.  Marks,  and 
Daisy.  The  family  migrated  to  this  county  in 
1869,  and  at  that  time  established  themselves  upon 
the  farm  where  they  now  live.  When  they  took 
this  property  there  was  but  a  small  portion  of  it 
cleared,  but  under  their  efforts  it  has  Keen  made  a 
splendidly  productive  and  highly  cultivated  farm. 
Much  pioneer  work  was  necessary  in  order  to  ef- 
fect this  result,  and  it  ha-  been  carried  on  with  un- 
flinching petseverance  and  industry. 

Our  worthy  subject  and  his  estimable  wife  are 
devout  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  in 
political  matters  Mr.  Tracy  is  devoted  to  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Republican  party,  while  in  local  move- 
ments he  i-  reaily  to  join1  hands  with  men  of  any 
party  in  measures  which  will  improve  the  social 
and  industrial  aspect  of  affairs.  lie  has  served  as 
treasurer  of  Birch  Run  Township  for  one  year.and 
for  twelve  successive  years  has  been  treasurer  of 
the  School  Hoard  of  District  No.  •'!.  The  sterling 
integrity  and  genial  qualities  of  these  true-hearted 
people  make  them  general   favorites   in   the  social 

circle.-  of  the  township. 

An  own  aunt  of  Mr.  Tracy,  Mrs.  Dr.  Judd,  was 
an  early  missionary  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 


ffiOHN   C.   BROWN.     We  here  present  a  brief 
biography  of  the  President  of  the  Commer- 

dcial  College  of  Saginaw,  West  Side,who  has 
. i      ,-iie,  eeded   M  r.  Fred   A.  DeLude,  who  estar> 

li-hed  this  school  in  1885, and  continued  to  carry  it 
on  until  .March.  1891.  At  that  time  he  was  taken  sick 
and  died  during  the  following  month,  and  after  his 
demise  Mr.   Brown  and   A.   D.  Tivy  purchased  the 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


925 


college  from  the  administrators  of  the  estate,  con- 
snmating the  purchase  in  May,  1891. 

Mr.  Brown  became  Presidenl  and  Mr.  Tivy 
Secretary  of  the  college  and  under  this  manage- 
ment it  was  conducted  for  several  months.  Mr. 
Brown  then  purchased  the  [uteres!  of  Air.  Tivy, 
the  latter  retiring  from  the  management.  Mr. 
Brown  i-  now  carrying  it  on  with  greal  vigor  and 
enterprise.  The  institution  is  located  at  thecorner 
of  Court  and  Hamilton  Streets,  in  the  third  storj 
of  t lie  Moll  Building.  There  are  three  departments 
tn  the  school,  namely:  English,  business  training 
and  shorthand.  Both  sexes  are  admitted  to  the 
school  and  three  sessions  a  day  arc  curried  on.  A 
thorough  business  training  can  here  be  obtained 
and  youngmen  and  women  are  fitted  for  practical 
and  efficient  work. 

Mr.  Brown  was  born  in  Niagara  County.  N.  V., 
May  2:f.  1812.  and  is  a  son  of  J.  <i.  and  Lucy 
Brown,  the  former  being  a  native  of  New  Hamp- 
shire anil  the  latter  of  Connecticut.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Joseph  Brown  who  came  from  English 
stock  and  the  father  is  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry. 
He  still  resides  in  Tecumseh,  this  State  and  has 
now  retired  from  active  life.  In  his  active  days 
he  was  :i  woolen  manufacturer  in  New  York.  His 
wife  was  the  mother  of  eight  children,  of  whom 
our  subject  is  the  seventh  in  the  order  of  age,  and 
she  passed  from  this  life  in  1851.  The  family 
came  to  Michigan  in  1846,  and  first  located  in 
Dexter.  Washtenaw  County,- later  removing  to 
Kalamazoo,  and  after  that  to  Grandville. 

John  C,  Brown  attended  the  common  schools  in 
his  early  boyhood,  and  afterward  studied  for  two 
years  in  Grand  Rapids.  He  then  taught  for  a 
short  time  and  later  went  to  Jonesville,  Hillsdale 
(  ounty.  and  entered  the  employ  of  II.  R.  Gardner 
&  Co..  manufacturers  of  woolen  goods,  being  fore- 
man in  their  factory  for  two  and  one-half  years. 
He  then  returned  to  Wilson,  Niagara  County.  N.  V.. 
where  he  was  born  and  entered  upon  the  fruit  and 
commission  business,  continuing  thi-  for  six  years. 
In  187]  he  commenced  teachingin  Niagara  County, 
and  after  several  years  returned  to  .Michigan. 

Mr.  Brown  now  began  teaching  in  Hay  County 
and  .after  three  year-  connected  himself  with  the 
school- of   Saginaw,  and   later   with   the   Saginaw 


College  on  the  F.a-t  Side,  where  he  continued  until 
he  formed  the  connect  ion  in  which  he  is  now 
working.  He  was  married  in  October,  1873,  to 
Miss  Edith  Crosier,  of  Lockport,  V  Y..  who  was. 
however  a  native  of  Michigan,  as  she  was  born  in 
Monroe  County,  this  State.  Mr.  and  Mis.  Brown 
have  two  little  daughters,  Edith  and  Lulu,  for 
whom  they  have  true  parental  solicitude  and  for 
whose  education  they  are  planning  liberal  things. 
They  are  members  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church  of  Saginaw,  and  their  pleasant  home  is  at 
No.  1106  Hancock  Street,  where  they  exercise  a 
gracious  hospitality. 


i=l 


-H^ 


■•   . . 


II  AIM. I  >  FITZHUGH,  Jr.     We  are  gratified 

to  be  able  to  present  a  life  narrative  of  the 
/  gentleman  who  i-  the  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Charles  Fitzhugh,Jr.  &  Co..  which  is  carry- 
ing on  a  large  real -estate  and  pine  land  business. 
He  has  spent  his  whole  life  on  the  frontier  and  is 
a  practical  business  man.  having  a  thorough  under- 
standing of  lumber.  He  was  born  in  Midland 
County,  this  State,  at  the  forks  of  the  Tit  taba  wa.-see 
and  Chippewa  Rivers.  March  1:!,  1847,  and  his 
father,  Charles  C.  Fitzhugh,  was  born  in  Livingston 
County.  X.  V..  and  came  to  Midland  County  in 
the  '.-ills. 

In  1*12  the  father  came  to  Saginaw  City,  and 
soon  began  handling  real  estate  and  for  forty 
years  he  was  the  trustee  for  the  Saginaw  Bay  Com- 
pany, and  finally  located  in  Lav  City  m  account 
of  its  superior  educational  advantages.  From  that 
tune  he  was  very  active  in  building  up  Baj  Cite 
and  transacted  much  business  for  his  father,  who 
owned  a  great  deal  of  real  estate  here,  but  retained 
his  residence  in  Livingston  County,  N.  Y.  His 
wife,  whose  name  in  maidenhood  was  .lane  M. 
Jones,  was  born  in  Livingston  County,  X.  Y..  and 
her  father  was  interpreting  agent  for  the  Govern- 
ment among  the  Indians.  Hi-  paternal  grand- 
father wa-  a  Sergeanl  in  the  War  of  1812.  Of 
their  eight  children  our  subjeel  was  the  third  in 
the  order  of  age. 

After  studying   in   the  log    schoolhouse  at    the 


926 


PORTRAIT   AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


Forks,  our  subject  came  to  Bay  City  in  1855, 
and  here  received  his  further  education.  At  the 
age  of  sixteen  he  began  tallying  and  inspecting 
lumber  atthe  docks,and  in  1865  lit-  went  to  Kaw- 
kawlin  and  was  there  employed  in  the  lame  mills. 
Later  he  went  to  the  Wigwam  and  Rifle  Boom,  and 
then  to  Essexville,  and  was  connected  with  the 
lumber  business  all  this  time  in  all  its  phases. 

In  1882  Mr.  Fitzhugh  started  in  the  real-estate 
business,  taking  as  his  partner  Mr.  McDonald.  For 
two  years  they  manufactured  lumber  here,  towing 
it  from  St.  [gnace,  and  besides  selling  land-  in  the 
Upper  Peninsula  they  deal  largely  in  farms  and 
wild  lands  here,  being  agents  for  fully  twenty-live 
thousand  acres  of  land  in  Bay  County.  In  1882 
Mr.  Fitzhugh was  married  to  Miss  Anne  G.,  daugh- 
ter of  II.  M.  Fitzhugh,  of  Maryland,  and  the\  have 
three  children:  .lane.  Waller  I),  and  Charles  ('. 
They  belong  to  the  Trinity  Episcopal  Church.  Mr. 
Fitzhugh  is  independent  in  his  political  views. 


LLEN  G.  RUSSELL,  of  the  firm  of  Russell 
Bros.,  proprietors  of  the  planing  mill  and 
box   factory  at  West  Bay  City,  has  been  a 
Qj  resident    here    since    the    spring  of   1877. 

His  native  town  was  Ft.  Covington,  Franklin 
County.  N.  Y.,  his  birth  having  occurred  there  Feb- 
ruary 7.  !*.">:-'.  His  lather  was  Frank  Russell, a 
native  of  Cornwall,  Ontario,  Canada,  and  was  of 
French  descent.  The  grandfather,who  was  born  in 
Canada,  died  at  Ft.  Covington,  X.  Y.. after  having 
lived  to  be  over  one  hundred  years  old. 

Frank  Uussell  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812 
and  was  a  farmer  at  Ft.  Covington.  When  lea\  ing 
that  place  he  went  to  Oswego.  X.  Y,  and  worked 
asa  stave  manufacturer. 'passing  from  this  life-  when 
sixty-five  years  of  age.  Ilis  wife,  the  mother  of 
our  subject,  was  Caroline,  daughter  of  William 
Emlot,  a  native  of  France.  Upon  emigrating  to 
(  : i ii.-kIh  he  dee  inie  a  farmer  and  died  in  the  Do- 
minion at  the  age  of  eighty-eight.  The  mother 
of  Mr.  Russell    died    at     Ilis   home    when    forty-live 

years  of  age  after  having  become  the  mother   of 

nine  children,  of    whom    our   subject     Was    the  eld- 


est.    His  lirother.  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Russell 
Bros.,  is  written  of  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

Allen  G.  Russelj  passed  his  boyhood  days  on  the 
Salmon  River,  seven  miles  from  the  St.  Lawrence 
River,  attending  school  until  eleven  years  of  age, 
when  he  went  to  Oswego  and  worked  in  the  mills 
of  W.  W.  Pulver,  attending  school  evenings.  He 
remained  with  that  gentleman  for  a  number  of 
years  and  when  only  sixteen  had  charge  of  a  greater 
part  of  the  mill.  He  was  soon  promoted  to  lie  Su- 
perintendent and  did  much  of  the  contracting  for 
the  factory.  In  1877  he  came  to  Michigan  and  after 
Spending  one  month  in  Detroit  came  to  Lay  City, 
where  he  was  employed  on  contract  in  the  lath 
mill  of  J.  Taylor  &  Son.  remaining  with  them  for 
one  season.  He  stalled  a  shingle  mill  on  his  own 
account  in  West  Bay  City,  which  lie  managed  for 
eighteen  months  and  then  engaged  in  the  manu 
facture  of  boxes  for  a  twelvemonth. 

Later  Mr.  Russell  disposed  of  his  interests  and 
wasemployed  as  foreman  and  manager  Of  the  B.  II. 
Briscoe  mill  in  Bay  City  for  three  years,  then  once 
more  operated  a  box  factory  in  Salzburg.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Crump  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  which  he  was  Vice  President  for  two 
years.  He  then  resigned  his  position  to  engage  in 
the  box   factory  in   company  with    his  brother  in 

Handy'-  mill,  which    they  operated    I'm e   year. 

In  1855  they  built  a  mill,  located  on    Fifth  Street, 
near  the  Michigan  Central    Railroad. 

Xot  having  sufficient  room  in  which  to  carry  on 
their  extensive  operations,  the  firm  removed  to 
the  corner  of  Kelton  Street  and  the  Michigan  Cen- 
tral Railroad  in  the  Fifth  Ward  where  they  have 
a  planing  mill,  a  box  factory,  and  retail  dressed 
lumber  and  moldings.  The  mill  is  located  on  live 
acres  of  ground, and  besides  this  property  our  sub- 
jed has  a  comfortable  residence  on  the  corner  of 
Florence  and  Walnut  Street-,  and  is  interested  in 
other  real  estate  in  the  city.  He  is  a  stockholder 
in  the  Detroil  National  Loan  Association,  and  is 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  the  people  of  the 
community. 

.Mr.  Russell  was  united  in  marriage  in  Oswego 
County.  N.  V..  August  25,  1878,  i"  Miss  Frank  I., 
daughter  of  John  Allen,  a  native  of  St.  Lawrence. 
N.  Y.:  hi- was  a  well-to-do  merchant  and  passed  his 


^(T^t'Co^-  &  ; 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


929 


Last  days  in  Oswego  County.  The  mother  of  Mrs. 
Russell  was  Nancy  Skoulton,  also  a  native  of  si. 
Lawrence  County, who  died  in  Oswego,  N.  Y.,when 
sixty  years  of  age.  Miss  Frank  was  the  youngest 
of  live  children  of  the  parental  family  and  was 
born  in  Oswego,  X.  Y.  Of  her  union  with  our  sub- 
ject three  children  were  born — Claude,  (  layton 
and  Ray. 

A  lady  of  much  culture  and  refinement.  Mrs. 
Russell  was  a  helpmate  to  her  husband  in  the  tru- 
es1  sense  of  the  word,  and  was  beloved  by  all  who 
knew  her.  Her  death,  January  13,  1892,  wasa  deep 
bereavement  to  her  husband  and  little  children,  as 
well  as  to  her  host  of  warm  personal  friends.  Two 
lirothers  and  one  sister  survive  her:  E.  A.  Allen,  of 
this  city:  John  Allen,  ol  Syracuse.  X.  Y..  and  Mrs. 
M.  L.  Willcox,  of  Oswego  Falls,  X.  Y.  Socially, 
Mr.  Russell  is  a  Knight  of  the  Maccabees,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  [loyal  Arcanum  and  a  Knightof  Pythias. 
In  politics  he  isa  stanch  Republican. 


1  (MIX  (..  HUBINGER.  It  is  with  sincere 
pleasure  that  the  biographer  responds  to 
the  call  to  give  the  life  facts  of  so  many  of 
our  fellow-citizens  who  have  been  born  in 
Germany.  Our  subject  was  bom  in  Bavaria. 
August  21,  1823,  and  remained  in  that  country 
until  the  time  of  his  emigration  to  the  Xew  World, 
which  was  in  .May.  1X41).  In  the  meantime  he  had 
received  all  the  advantages  which  the  common 
schools  afforded,  and  at  the  time  of  coming  to 
America  was  thoroughly  fitted  to  battle  with  life 
for  himself.  As  the  result  of  his  labors,  he  is  now 
the  proud  possessor  of  two  hundred  acres  of  ex- 
cellent land  in  Frankenmuth  Township,  Saginaw 
County,  located  on  sections  27  and  35. 

On  landing  on  American  shores.  Mr.  Hubinger 
came  directly  to  Saginaw  County  and  located  on 
hi-  line  farm  in  Frankenmuth  Township,  which  has 
since  been  hi-  home,  and  which  he  has  made  to 
bloom  and  blossom.  While  clearing  and  improv- 
ing his  acre-  he  erected  a  sawmill  and  the  follow- 
ing year  a  gristmill,  hoth  of    which    he  continued 

to  operate  until    L881,  when     he  transferred   his    in- 


terests to  his  three  sons.  Since  that  date  he  has 
engaged  to  some  extent  in  lumbering,  together 
with  his  farming  interests.  In  L886  he  erected  a 
creamery,  in  company  with  Henry  Rau,  and  they 
have  since  managed  the  business  under  the  firm 
name  of  Hubinger  A-  Rau. 

Mr.  Hubinger  was  united  in  marriage,  in  1846, 
to  Mi--  Rosina  Keller,  also  a  native  of  Bavaria. 
They  have  become  the  parents  of  seven  children. 
viz:  John  L.,  John  M.,  John  A.,  George  M.,  Bar- 
bara, Maggie  and  Anna.  Mr.  Hubinger  ha-  been 
elected  to  (ill  the  office  of  Highway  Commissioner, 
also  that  of  Town-hip  Treasurer,  both  of  which 
positions  he  filled  with  greal  credit  to  himself  and 
satisfacl ion  to  all  concerned. 

During  the  Y,ii<  our  subject  was  a  candidate  for 
the  Legislature  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  but  ow- 
ing to  the  minority  of  his  parly  in  this  region 
was  defeated,  lie  ha-  taken  quite  an  active  part 
in  political  affairs,  and  may  always  be  found  in  the 
lead  of  every  good  movement.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man whose  character  and  abilities  give  him  the 
respect  of  the  community,  and  his  enterprise  and 
progressive  idea-  place  him  ill  the  front  rank 
anionic  his  fellow-townsmen.  In  addition  to  the 
interests  which  have  been  mentioned, he  own-  sev- 
eral thousand  acres  of  pine  land  in  Tuscola  and 
Sanilac  Counties.  Ibis  State. 

\  lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Hubinger  accom- 
panies this  sketch. 


f 


ILLIAM  II.  (LARK,  formerly  a  resident 
1/  ofSaginaw,  but  now  deceased,  was  born  in 
Buffalo,  X.  Y..  November  1*.  1839.  His 
father,  George  Newton  Clark,  was  born  in  Lon- 
don. England,  and  was  an  architect  by  occupation, 
lie  came  to  the  United  State-  with  his  family  and 
followed  his  chosen  calling  until  his  death.  Will- 
iam II.  was  only  four  years  old  when  he  was  or 
phaned  by  the  death  of  his  father  and  he  after- 
ward accompanied  his  mother  and  step-father  to 
Michigan,  locating  with  them  at  Howell. 

When  fourteen  years  old    our  subject  began    to 


930 


PORTRAIT  AND  BJOGEAIHICAL   RECORD. 


work  for  himself  and  by  frugality  and  economy 
accumulated  a  competency  while  still  quite  young. 
November  9,  L865,  he  was  married  ti>  Miss  Adda 
C.  Bush,  of  Howell,  and  in  March  of  the  following 
year  came  to  Saginaw,  where  he  made  his  home 
until  death.  His  firsf  enterprise  here  was  the 
building  of  the  Eagle  Block,  on  Genesee  street, 
which  stands  as  a  monument  to  his  good  judgmenl 
and  sagacity.  For  many  years  he  was  identified 
with  the  mercantile  interests  of  Saginaw,  first  as 
partner  of  W.  W.  Fisher:  later  as  senior  member  of 
the  firm  Of  Clark  <fe  Starker,  and  afterward  as  one 
of  the  firm  of  Clark  &  Ellis,  and  still  later  he  was 
alone  in  business. 

For  twenty-three  years  Mr. Clark  was  in  business 
at  one  plaee.  engaging  both  in  a  wholesale  and  re- 
tail trade,  and  carrying  on  a  business  of  about 
$20.0,000  per  year.  His  stock  was  the  largesl  and 
most  complete  in  the  Saginaw  Valley  and  his  deal- 
ings with  his  customers  were  such  as  to  gain  for 
hnnsi  If  their  full  confidence.  About  (888  he 
opened  a  branch  store  at  Mt.  Pleasant  in  charge  of 
John  Butler  and  since  his  decease,  the  firm  of  But- 
ler it  Co..  have  become  his  successors  in  Saginaw. 

His  health  failing  a  fe\i  years  ago,  .Mr.  Clark  ve- 
iled Washington  with  the  Knights  Templar,  in 
which  commandery  he  was  active  for  twenty-live 
years,  lie  also  was  prominently  connected  with 
the  .Masonic  fraternity  and  influential  in  the  ranks 
of  the  Democratic  party,  lie  was  a  regular  attend- 
ant at  the  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church,  in  which 
he  was  vestryman  for  many  years.  His  death. 
which  occurred  March  22.  1891,  was  the  direct  re- 
sult of  heart  disease  and  was  Midden,  he  having  at- 
tended to  his  business  affairs  up  to  one  week  lie- 
fore  his  demise,  although  lie  had  not  been  at  the 
store  for  six  months. 

The  block  re-built  by  Mr.  Clark  and  now  occu- 
pied by  the  firm  of  Butler  A-  Co..  is  still  owned  1 . \- 
his  heirs.  Ilis  residence  at  No.  1537  s.  Washing- 
ton street,  was  erected  in  I S 7 .">  at  a  C0S1  of 
$17,000,  anil  contains  twelve  or  more  rooms,  all 
handsomely  furnished.  Mrs.  Clark  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Richard  P.  and  Phebe  R.  (Olmstead)  Bush, 
and  became  the  mother  of  two  children,  Lillian 
E.  and  William  Henry.  Lillian  was  a  graduate  of 
the  High  Scl 1  of  Saginaw  and    attended     Vassal' 


Col lege't'or  two  \  ears.  She  is  an  accomplished  mu- 
sician, possessing  unusual  artistic  ability  and  prom- 
inent in  the  social  circles  of  the  city.  The  son. 
William  II.  is  at  present  in  the  Sophomore  Class  in 
Yale  College,  belonging  to  the  Class  of  'til  and 
possessing  talent  of    a  high  order. 


res- 


Reuben  mjlton  lewis,  m.  i>..  who  is 

well  known  as  a  professional  man  in  Sagi- 
naw, was  horn  in  County  Waterloo,  Canada. 
March  I.  1842.  His  parents,  Amasa  and 
Catherine  (Lock)  Lewis,  were  both  natives  of 
Ontario.  Canada,  and  the  father  lived  there 
upon  a  farm  until  1S7;>.  when  he  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty  years.  The  mother  of  our  subject  died 
when  only  forty-two  years  old  leaving  thirteen' 
children,  of  whom  the  Doctor  is  the  youngest  son. 
He  passed  his  boyhood  in  his  native  home,  attend- 
ing the  common  schools  and  faking  what  higher 
advantages  he  could  command. 

The  medical  studies  of  young  Lewis  began  with 
Dr.  S.  Joy.  of  (  Mtawa.  ( hit  alio,  and  later  he  entered 
Trinity  Medical  College,  from  which  he  graduated 
in  1*72.  lie  had  devoted  himself  thoroughly  to 
his  studies  and  had  achieved  a  creditable  standing 
in  his  class,  and  throughout  his  career  he  has  made 
the  study  of  his  profession  a  matter  not  only  of 
business  but  of  pleasure,  as  he  Muds  in  medical  re- 
searches great  satisfaction. 

The  first  attempt  which  the  young  Doctor  made 
toward  establishing  a  practice  was  at  Norwich, 
Canada,  which  had  formerly  been  his  home  and  he 
continued  to  pursue  his  profession  there  until  1877, 
when  he  decided  to  come  to  the  United  States. 
hoping  to  do  better  and  find  further  opportunities 
for  professional  success.  His  chosen  home  was  in 
Michigan  and  he  came  to  Saginaw  where  he  has 
been  able  to  establish  an  excellent  practice  in  gen- 
eral cases. 

The  Doctor  is  prominently  Identified  with  a 
number  of  social  orders,  being  a  Knight  of  Pythias 
and  alsoa  member  of  Star  Lodge.  No.  156, 1.O.  <  >•  F. 
lie  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  Saginaw  Valley 
Homeopathic   Association   and  stands  wi  11  among 


PORTRAIT  AM)   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


931 


the  men  of  Ins  profession.  His  early  professional 
career  had  been  in  the  practice  of  the  old  school, 
but  in  1S80  he  took  up  homeopathy,  feeling  that  ii 
more  nearly  met  his  views  of  the  philosophy  of 
remedial  agencies. 

The  domestic  life  of  Dr.  Lewis  began  September 
■1,  1866,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  in  Canada, 
with  .Miss  Harriet  Pettit,  who  was  born  in  the  city 
of  Hamilton,  Canada.  The  happy  home  of  the 
Doctor  and  his  wife  is  located  at  No.  1303  North 
Fayette  Street,  and  here  they  are  giving  most 
careful  attention  to  the  training  and  education  of 
their  daughter,  Edna  Alberta.  The  Saginaw  Val- 
ley Homeopathic  Society  has  honored  itself  and 
shown  its  regard  for  the  subject  Ol  this  sketch  by 
placing  him  in  the  position  of  the  Vice-President 
of  its  body. 


ETER  PETERSON,  sewer  and  paving  con- 
tractor in  West  Bay  City,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  the  Saginaw  Valley  .since  1873 
and  while  accumulating  a  competency  has 
also  aided  in  the  progress  of  the  city.  A  native  of 
Denmark,  he  was  born  in  Ero,  Eresjoping,  Septem- 
ber 25,  1851,  and  was  reared  to  a  vigorous  man- 
hood in  his  native  land.  His  grandfather,  Peter, 
was  a  farmer,  who  passed  his  entire  life  in  Den- 
mark, while  his.  father.  Nes  II..  who  was  born  in 
Ero,  is  a  jobber  and  contractor  on  a  small  scale  as 
well  as  a  mason,  brick-maker  and  carpenter,  lie 
still  resides  in  his  native  town,  as  docs  also  his 
wife,  Mrs.  Bertha  Marie  (Larson)  Peterson.  Thej 
are  worthy  people,  whose  consistent  lives  adorn 
their  profession  of  Christianity,  and  who  are  num- 
bered among  the  most  devoted  members  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  in  Ero. 

The  family  of  which  our  subject  is  a  member, 
comprises  six  children,  two  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, Peter  being  the  third.  He  was  reared  to  fann- 
ing pursuits  and  received  the  advantages  of  a 
common-school  education  in  Ero.  After  remain- 
ing at  home  until  he  attained  bis  majority,  he  re- 
solved to  ciime  to  America  and  seek  the  fortune 
which  he  believed  would    reward  his  efforts  here. 


In  the  spring  of  1873  he  left  Hamburg  on  a  steamer, 
taking  passage  for  New  York  City,  and  after  the 
ship  cast  anchor  in  the  New  World,  he  proceeded 

directly  westward  to   Saginaw,  this  State,  where  he 

obtained  employment  on  the  Detroit  &  Bay  City 
Railroad.  Afterward  he  was  employed  at  differ- 
ent place-  and  finally  drifted  to  Lay  City,  making 
it  his  headquarters  and  engaging  in  McGraw's  mill 

as  well  as  in  jobbing  on  a  small  scale. 

Later.  Mr.  Peterson  took  the  position  as  superin- 
tendent for  grading  a  railroad  for  Thomas  Too- 
hey  and  built  seven  miles  of  the  road  in  the 
North,  also  acting  as  superintendent  of  the  con- 
struction of  a  railroad  in  the  words  for  Mr.  Too- 
hey.  Next  he  was  employed  for  two  and  one-half 
year  in  the  chemical  works  of  West  Bay  City,  and 
when  the  firm  ceased  from  business  in  1883,  he 
began  sewer  and  paving  contracting.  He  has  done 
considerable  work  in  this  city  and  is  universally 
relied  upon  as  a  good  workman,  honorable  citizen 
and  upright  man.  He  recently  paved  Ohio  Street 
west  of  Center  and  holds  contracts  for  $25,000 
worth  of  jobs,  being  the  most  extensive  contractor 
here.  During  the  coming  season  he  expects  to 
pave  Henry  Street  from  Jane  to  Main;  also  Main 
Street;  Linn  between  .lane  and  John;  Linn 
from  Midland  to  Michigan;  Henry  from  Michigan 
to  South  Union;  Walnut  between  .Michigan  and 
South  Union;  and  Washington  Street  from  Sophia 
to  ( ireen. 

Besides  his  work  on  the  paving  of  the  streets, 
Mr.  Peterson  does  considerable  sewer  work  and  has 
laid  many  of  the  main  sewers  of  West  Bay  City. 
His  work  is  apparent  in  the  complete  sewerage  sys- 
tem on  South  Henry.  North  Dean.  West  Midland. 
North  Cornelia.  Chilson  and  Carey  Streets.  Dur- 
ing his  residence  here  he  has  accumulated  consid- 
erable property,  and  now  owns  some  real  estate 
and  several  houses  in  different  parts  of  the  city. 
He  resides  at  No.  70.7  Litchfield  street,  where  his 
many  warm  personal  friends  are  wont  to  partake 
of  the  hospitality  extended  by  himself  and  his  ex- 
cellent wife.  Mrs.  Peterson,  who  was  known  in 
maidenhood  as  Miss  Anna  Syenson,  was  born  in 
Halland.  Sweden,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Sven  and 
Susanna  Magnusen,  natives  of  Sweden. 

In   1879  Mrs.    Peterson    came    with    a    brother   to 


932 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


the  United  states,  making  her  home  first  in  Flint, 
this  State,  ami  coming  thence  to  Bay  City  in  1880. 
In  her  native  land  she  Mas  a  dressmaker  and  was 
thus  engaged  in  this  city.  Her  marriage  occurred 
here  October  30,  1881,  and  has  been  blesl  by  the 
birth  of  live  children,,  namely:  Bertha  A..  Alma 
('..  James  William.  F.  Arthur  and  Sadie  E.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Peterson  are  charter  members  of  the 
Zion  Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  in  which  he  serves 
as  Trustee.  He  i-  also  a  member  of  the  Swedish 
Benevolent  Society,  being  its  Treasurer  and  Col- 
lector. In  his  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican 
and  has  been  delegate  to  county  conventions. 

In  18711.  after  an  absence  Of  six  year-  from  his 
native  land.  Mr.  Peterson  returned  thither,  leaving 
Bay  City  January  16  and  proceeding  to  New 
York,  where  he  look  a  steamer  for  Hamburg. 
Thence  by  rail  he  journeyed  to  Fyn,  and  from 
there  to  Ero,  crossing  the  ice  fifteen  miles  on  a 
sled.  He  enjoyed  a  delightful  visit  at  home  un- 
til the  following  spring  and  returned  to  Bay  City 
in  May.  1880.  His  brother,  .lens  L.  accompanied 
him  and  remained  in  Bay  City  for  six  years,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Denmark  and  there  now 
makes  his  home. 


-i S- 


m>^<% 


C.C.SUTTON.  The  wonderful  develop- 
ment ofSaginawasa  business  center  which 
has  been  caused  by  its  grand  progress  in 
manufacturing  industries,  has  rendered  it 
an  attractive  point  tu  young  professional  men.  who 
realize  that  such  practical  industries  are  the  basis 
upon  which  all  business  rests,  asa  foundation,  and 
that  the  ambitious  and  able  young  man  who  has 
prepared  himself  for  professional  life  can  not  do 
better  than  to  locate  where  there  is  so  much  stir  and 
activity  in  all  lines,  bringing  together  a  popula- 
tion whose  business  push  and  enterprise  will  ev- 
entually develop  all  the  resourses  of  the  place. 
The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  is  one  of  the 
young  men,  who,  having  been  born  and  brought 
up  in  this  vicinity,  recognized  the  stirring  import- 
ance of  Saginaw  .  and  arc  thoroughly  determined  to 
casl  in  their  lot  and  to  achieve  their  success  in  this 


beautiful  and  progressive  city.  He  has  here  estab- 
lished himself  asattornevat  law  and  also  in  the  busi- 
ness Of  real  estate  and  collections,  and  has  his  office  in 
room  7.  McCormick   Block. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  West  Saginaw.  June 
23,  1X1)7.  and  his  father,  A.  R.  Sutton,  now  makes 
his  home  on  the  East  Side  and  is  pursuing  the 
business  of  a  commercial  salesman.  His  wife  and 
the  mother  of  our  subject  bore  in  maidenhood  the 
name  of  Sadie  Coates.  The  father  is  of  Eastern 
birth  and  had  his  nativity  in  New  Jersey.  Some 
Of  his  early  life  was  spent  in  Canada,  and  he  there 
met  and  married  Miss  Coates,  who  was  a  Canadian 
by  birth,  and  in  their  early  married  life  they  de- 
cided to  migrate  to  Michigan  and  make  this  their 
home,  coming  to  Pontiac,  where  they  made  their 
home  with  his  lather.  Johnson  Sutton. 

Upon  first  coming  to  Saginaw,  A.  R.  Sutton  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  and  continued  therein  for 
many  years,  achieving  a  good  degree  of  success. 
but  later  he  devoted  himself  to  the  lumber  trade, 
making  Cheboygan  his  business  location.  After 
leaving  the  lumber  business  he  came  to  Pontiac  and 
later  to  Saginaw.  In  1884  he  became  traveling 
>ale>maii  for  Warder,  Bushnell  >V-  Olessner's  ma- 
chinery company. 

M.  C.  C.  Sutton  studied  in  his  early  boyhood  in 
the  public  schools  Of  Pontiac  and  later  took  a  course 
in  the  High  School,  aftei  which  he  devoted  him- 
self to  the  study  of  law  with  the  firm  c>f  Wilber  & 
Brucke,  of  Saginaw.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
March  31,  189]  and  has  already  established  himself 
well  for  a  young  man  of  his  age  and  experience. 


OS 


*-^   EWELL  AVERY.     We  present  here  a  sketch 

^%£^    of  one  of   the  prominent  manufacturers  of 

L  ./    V  Saginaw,  who  is  in  the  lumber  trade  and  is 

also  Vice-President  of  the  Board  of  Trade. 

He  was  born  in  the  township1  of  Jefferson.  Lincoln 

County,  Me.,  not  far  from   Albany,  on   the  22d  of 

February.  1821.    His  parents  were  Enoch  and  Mary 

(Shephard)  Avery,  and  his  father,  who  was  born  in 

Scotland,  came  to  the  United  states  when  a  child. 

with  his  parents,  and  view  to  manhood  in  the  Stale 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


933 


of  Maine.  He  died  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  but  four  years  old.  His  wife  was  bora  in  the 
State  lit'  .Maim-,  and  it  was  there  thai  her  marriage 
occurred  with  Mr.  Avery.  Her  sun  Sewell  remained 
at  home  with  her  until  he  reached  his  thirteenth 
year,  when  her  death  took  place,  then  he  started 
out  to  make  his  home  among  strangers,  finding 
employment  where  he  could,  and  receiving  only 
very  ordinary  common-school  advantages. 

At  the  close  of  his  fourteenth  year,  he  had  an 
opportunity  to  come  West,  and  came  first  to  De- 
troit and  then  to  Port  Huron,  and  finally  to  Sagi- 
naw, about  1845.  For  a  time  lie  worked  in  the 
woods  in  the  logging  districts  and  there  became 
well  acquainted  with  the  timber  lands  of  .Michigan, 
mi  he  was  often  employed  by  Eastern  parties  to 
look  after  tracts  of  pine  land  and  the  cutting  ami 
handling  of  loos,  being  thus  employed  for  some 
five  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  Mr. 
Avery  formed  a  partnership  with  Edwin  Eddy,  un- 
der the  linn  name  of  Eddy,  Avery  .V-  Co.,  for  the 
prosecution  of  the  business  of  cutting  and  sawing 
lumber,  their  mills  being  located  at  Bay  City.  For 
a  number  of  years  they  were  successful  in  this 
work,  and  the  partnership  was  Anally  dissolved  m 
1887,  by  mutual  consent. 

Mr.  Avery  afterward  associated  himself  with 
other  parties  in  the  cutting  of  logs  for  the  manu- 
facture of  lumber.  After  selling  out  his  interest  in 
the  mill  at  Bay  City,  our  subject  bought  landsand 
has  operated  alone  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber 
since  18*7.  The  lands  which  had  thus  been  cleared 
of  timber. were  used  for  farming  purposes.being  well 
adapted  for  the  growth  of  wheat,  oats  and  grass. 
For  many  years  Mr.  Avery  has  been  recognized  as 
one  of  the  pioneer  lumbermen  of  Saginaw. 

lie  of  whom  we  write  married  Miss  Eliza  I  [^daugh- 
ter of  Ware  Eddy.  This  lady  is  a  native  of  Maine, 
and  came  with  her  parents  to  Michigan  when  a 
young  girl,  her  marriage  taking  place  in  Port  Huron, 
this  State.  The  children  of  this  household  are  one 
son  and  three  daughters,  namely:  Waldo  A.,  now 
a  prominent  business  man  of  Detroit;  Alia  mar- 
ried Herbert  Sanborn;  Lucy,  the  wife  of  George  C. 
Morley,  the  cashier  of  the  Second  National  Bank 
at  Saginaw;  and  Alma,  who  married  Frank  Ewing, 
who  is  a  coal  dealer. 


In  politics  .Mr.  Avery  is  a  stanch  Republican. 
He  commenced  the  struggle  lor  success  on  the  bot- 
tom round  of  the  ladder,  but  has  now  reached  a 
position  of  assured  comfort  and  prosperity.  His 
commodious  residence  is  at  No.  120  North  Jeffer- 
son Street,  and  both  its  exterior  and  interioi  speak 
of  comfort  and  good    taste. 


IHJC 


BOF.    (11  ABBES    E.    HORST. 


This 


|  ented  and  pi-ogressive  young  German 
ranks  high  among  the  violin  instructors 
of  the  State  and  his  general  intelligence 
and  culture  make  him  sought  in  the  best  social 
circles.  Few  teachers  arc  able  to  bring  their  pupils 
to  so  high  a  degree  of  advancement  as  he.  and  his 
reputation  is  "rowing  from  year  to  year.  He  was 
born  af'Bingen,  on  the  Rhine,"  in  ( Herman  y,  and  his 
father.  Bonis,  who  was  a  real-estate  dealer  then, 
was  also  born  in  that  province.  He  took  pari  as  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1870  and  1871,  and  was  a 
Catholic  in  his  religious  belief.  His  wife,  Carrie 
Becher,  was  born  anil  reared  in  Wiesbaden  in  the 
provjnee  of  the  Rhine,  Germany.  From  his  mother 
her  only  son  inherited  musical  talents,  which  have 
made  him  a  man  of  marked  ability. 

Our  subject  was  born  November  22.  1866,  and 
received  his  early  training  and  education  in  his  na- 
tive home,  attending  a  private  academy  there, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  the  classical  depart- 
ment at  the  age  of  fourteen.  At  the  same  time  he 
Bad  been  studying  music,  beginning  his  violin 
lessons  under  Prof;  Reviencheck,  with  whom  he 
continued  for  three  years.  He  then  went  to  Leip- 
sic,  where  he  studied  under  Prof.  Sarasate,  who  i-- 
esteemed  as  the  foremosl  violin  teacher  of  the 
present  time.  I  lis  attendance  at  the  Leipsic  con- 
servatory continued  from  1880  to  1885,  when  he 
was  taken  ill,  and  compelled  to  return  home.  He 
spent  the  next  two  \cars  in  recuperating  and  then 
returned  to  the  conservatory  to  finish  his  advanced 
course,  which  he  completed  in  1888,  afterward  on 
account  of  the  German  law  in  regard  to  military 
service,  he  came  to  America. 

In  August,  1KKK,  Prof.  Ilorst    sailed     from   Ham- 


934 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


burg,  and  aftera  voyage  of  ten  days  Landed  in  New 
York.  He  proceeded  to  prospect  through  the  East- 
ern States  and  in  Canada,  and  finally  located  here. 
At  once  he  commenced  as  an  instructor  on  the 
violin,  in  which  he  has  been  very  successful,  and  is 
widely  known  as  an  excellent  violinist.  Since 
coming  to  America  he  has  made  good  progress  in 
Che  study  of  the  English  language  to  which  he  de- 
vated  three  months  in  New  York  City  before  com- 
mencing his  professional  work. 


JOHN  F.  ANTISDEL.  Throughout  all  Mich- 
igan there  is  no  hotel-keeper  who  is  more 
favorably  known  than  Mr.  Antisdel,  the 
proprietor  of  the  Frazer  House  in  Bay  City. 
During  almost  the  entire  period  of  his  active  life, 
he  has  devoted  his  energies  to  the  business  in  which 
he  is  still  successfully  engaged,  and  has  secured  a 
prominent  place  in  the  favor  of  the  citizens  of  Bay 
City  as  well  as  the  traveling  public,  lie  carefully 
supervises  every  department  of  the  hotel  and  un- 
der his  superior  management  the  accommodations 
afforded  are  not  surpassed  by  any  hotel  in  the 
State.  The  latest  improvements  in  heating  and 
lighting  have  been  introduced,  and  nothing  which 
will  contribute  to  the  comfort  of  the  guests  is 
missing.  It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  the 
weary  traveler  who  has  visited  the  city  at  any  pre- 
vious time,  hails  with  delight  the  prospect  of  even 
a  brief  sojourn  with  "mine  host." 

New  York  claims  Mr.  Antisdel  as  one  of  her 
sons,  and  he  was  bom  in  Paris,  Oneida  County, 
June  13,  1  ,S 2 9 .  His  father,  also  named  John  F., 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  the  early  days  of 
our  subject  were  passed  upon  the  old  homestead, 
where  he  aided  his  father  in  tilling  the  soil.  At 
the  same  time  his  education  was  not  neglected  and 
for  several  years  he  was  a  student  in  the  common 
schools  of  the  district.  Upon  attaining  to  his  ma- 
jority, in  1850,  lie  came  to  the  West  and  in  Detroit. 
this  State,  obtained  employment  in  an  hotel.  In 
that  city  he  remained  until  1S74,  almost  a  quarter 
of  a  century.      He  became  familiar  with  even     de- 


tail of  the  hotel  business,  and  when  he  started  out 
for  himself  in  IN.">7.  he  was  equipped  with  the 
thorough  practical  knowledge  which  contributed 
largely  to  his  success. 

The  hotel  of  which  Mr.  Antisdel  first  became 
proprietor  was  "The  Finney."  and  later  he  had 
charge  of  another  located  on  the  present  site  of  the 
Opera  House,  known  as  the  railroad  hotel;  this  he 
operated  for  four  years,  and  then  J.  F.  and  his 
brother  William  W.  bought  the  property  of  J.  F., 
he  eventually  buying  out  his  brother,  and  lie  in 
time  sold  the  property  to  the  Opera  company.  His 
next  ventures,  successful  in  a  financial  way.  were 
as  proprietor  of  the  Antisdel  House,  the  Riddle 
Hotel,  the  l.'athbon  House  in  Grand  Rapids,  and 
the  Newhall  House  in  Milwaukee.  After  a  time 
he  sold  the  Antisdel  to  one  brother,  and  the  Rath- 
bo  n  to  another  brother,  and  it  was  in  1 S7I  when 
he  removed  to  Milwaukee  to  take  charge  of  the 
Newhall.  While  in  that  city  he  managed  a  hotel 
at  a  watering  place  called  Lakeside,  for  three  sea- 
sons, as  well  as  the  Townscnd  House  at  Ocononio- 
woe  for  one  season,  his  son  later  taking  charge  of 
the  same  for  one  season. 

On  June  I.  1884,  Mr.  Antisdel  removed  from 
Milwaukee  to  Bay  City  to  take  charge  of  the  Fra- 
zer House,  and  has  since  continued  thus  engaged. 
The  hotel  has  been  under  his  management  for 
eight  years,  a  longer  period  than  it  had  hitherto 
been  under  the  proprietorship  of  one  man.  Dur- 
ing his  long  experience  in  his  chosen  work  he  has 
made  a  name  that  is  broadly  known  through  the 
state  as  a  prominent  hotel-keeper, and  it  is  not  too 
much  to  say  that  there  is  no  one  in  Michigan  who 
is  SO  favorably  known  as  he.  The  secret  of  his 
great  success  and  the  prosperity  which  has  rewarded 
his  efforts,  may  be  found  in  the  fact  that  he  gives 
his  attention  unreservedly  to  his  business,  and  pos- 
sesses the  affable  nature  which  wins  and  retains 
friends. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Antisdel  to  Miss  Sarah  J. 
Parshall,  was  celebrated  in  Detroit.  June  (I.  1855, 
and  they  are  now  Hie  parents  of  four  children, 
namely:  James,  who  was  born  in  1856,  and  as>i>ts 
his  father  in  his  business;  Ella;  John  Parshall, 
who  is  also  engaged  in  business  with  his  father; 
and  Minnie.      During  his   residence  in    Milwaukee, 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


935 


Mr.  Antisdel    was  one  of  the  Commissioners  - •  i ■— 

I inin ted  by  li'iv.  Smith,  of  Wisconsin,  and  held  the 
position  for  five  years,  until  hi-  removal  from  the 
state,  when  In-  resigned. 


^-H^ 


.EU »_ 


4  AMUEL    KITCHEN,  M.  I).     Born   in  An- 
caster,  Wentwortb     County,  Ontario,    De- 


i-em I  ht  3,  1832,  our  subjecl  is  a  son  of 
Henry  and  Mary  (McNultj  i  Kitchen.  The 
father,  though  of  New  Jersey  parentage,  was  born 
in  Canada  about  1809;  he  etill  lives,  aged  eighty- 
three  years.  Our  subject's  mother  was  a  native,,!' 
New  York.     Samuel  is  the  eldest  of  four  children, 

The  aai f  the  others   are  as   follows:     Joseph, 

Mary  and  Morris.  Henry  Kitchen,  the  father 
of  Our  subject,  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  a  man  much  re- 
spected wherever  he  lived. 

Our  subjecl  was  reared  on  a  farm  until  twenty 
years  of  age.  He  attended  the  Normal  School  of 
Toronto  after  finishing  the  grammar  school  and 
when  twenty-two  years  of  aye  began  to  teach, con- 
tinuing for  twe  years.  He  then  entered  the  office 
of  Dr.  Frank  McLean,  at  Beamsville,  twenty-two 
miles  west  of  the  Falls,  having  read  medicine  with 
Dr.  Robert  Mullen,  of  Ancaster.  He  then  went  to 
Philadelphia  and  studied  at  two  other  institutions 
there  until  1  .sen.  then  cut -red  the  State  University 
at  Ann  Arbor,  and  was  graduated  with  the  Class 
of  '63. 

Dr.  Kitchen  enlisted  in  the  army  and  was  sent 
to  the  Department  of  the  Cumberland  as  Assistant 
Surgeon,  United  -state-  Volunteers.  He  was  sta- 
tioned for  One  year  on  Lookout  Mountain,  and 
was  treasurer  of  the  office  hospital  there.  In  I860 
he  handled  over  14,000  per  month.  He  was  then 
senl  to  the  Department  of  the  Tennessee,a1  Knox- 
ville,  under  Gen.  Stoneman.  In  1866  he  took  leave 
of  the  service  and  returned  North,  but  the  following 
year  he  re-enlisted,  acting  as  Assistanl  Surgeon  in 
Kansas  and  New  Mexico  until  the  fall  of  1870, 
spending  two  Or  three  year-  in  the  last-named  Ter- 
ritory, lie  had  intended  to  locale  in  Chicago  in 
1871,  hut  finally  decided  to  come  to  Saginaw,  and 


has  ever  since  Keen  ai  tively  engaged  in  practice 
here.  Dr.  Kitchen  was  married.  April  II.  1872, in 
Warren  County,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Mary  K.  Macy, 
daughter  of  William  Macy,whowas  born  in  North 
Carolina:  they  are  the  parents  of  one  daughter, 
who  is  at  home. 

Our  subjecl  was  connected  with  St.  Mary's  Hos- 
pital from  it-  organization  for  fourteen  years,  as 
one  of  the  -tai't  of  attending  surgeons  for  this  pio- 
neer hospital.  Tin-  Saginaw  Hospital  was  founded 
in  1889  by  the  ladies  of  the  city,  and  our  subject 
has  been  constantly  identified  with  this  beneficent 
and  benevolent  institution  since.  It  i-  one  of  the 
neatest  and  hc-t  arranged  hospitals  in  the  United 
state-.  In  iis«|  Dr.  Kitchen  was  appointed  Marine 
Hospital  Surgeon  at  the  establishment  of  the  port 
of  Saginaw,and  served  in  thai  capacity  until  1889. 
He  resigned  his  position  to  accept  the  office  of 
Examiner  of  Pensions,in  July,  1889, in  connection 
with  Dr.  O.  P.  Barber  and  Dr.  Harvey  Williams, 
constituting  the  Examining  Board.  Oursubjecl  is 
a  charter  member  of  Gordon  Granger  Post  No.  38, 
Department  of  Michigan,  <i.  A.  U..  which  wa- char- 
tered December  14,  1881.  He  has  been  officially 
connected  with  this  as  (  ommander  or  Surgeon  ever 
since.  Although  he  is  a  Republican  and  a  stanch 
supporter  of  the  party  under  all  circumstance-  he 
has  never  been  a  politician.  He  i-  associated  with 
the  various  medical  associations  of  the  vicinity  and 
i-   Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  state  Board  of 

Health. 


-': 


03  ■ 


0,1 


!P^ 


yi  LFRED  MAUCOTEL,  M.  D.  This  promi- 
&/  I  nent  physician  and  surgeon  of  Lay  City. 
/  •  has  a  very  large  practice  among  the  French 
speaking  people,  as  he  is  the  only  French 
doctor  on  this  side  of  the  river.  He  was  born  at 
Mont  L'Elroil  in  the  department  of  Meurthe, 
France.  February  9,  I  850,  and  ten  year- later  came 
with  his  parents  to  (  anada,  settling  near  Montreal. 
The  son  received  his  education  in  the  University 
Of  Victoria,  Montreal,  and  took  his  medical  educa- 
tion in  the  same  college,  taking  the  degree  of  Bache- 
lor of  Medicine  in  1875,  and  after  two  1 e  years 


936 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


nf  study,  receiving  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medi- 
cine, lit*  thus  had  a  thorough  education  iu  all 
directions.  He  located  in  St.  Louis  de  Gonzagues, 
in  the  Province  of  Quebec,  and  there  remained  for 
eighteen  months,  after  which  he  removed  to  St. 
Stanilas  de  Kostka  in  the  same  province. and  there 
lived  for  ten  years,  building  up  an  excellent  prac- 
tice. As  this  gave  him  an  extensive  country  ride 
he  decided  to  locate  in  a  more  populous  region, 
and  in  February,  1888,  came  to  Bay  City. 

This  alile  physician  soon  establisheda  good  prac- 
tice anion»  his  fellow-countrymen  here,  and  lie  at 
once  became  identified  with  their  interests,  lie  is 
one  of  the  owners  and  editors  of  a  French  paper 
LePalriot,  the  only  French  paper  in  Saginaw  Yal- 
ley.  This  sheet  which  is  published  weekly,  was 
established  by  II.  A.  Pacaud,  aboul  the  year  1880, 
and  has  a  large  circulation  throughout  the  Saginaw 
Valley.  The  Doctor  gives  hi-  whole  attention  to 
his  profession  and  to  writing. 

This  practitioner  was  married  in  1872,  to  Miss 
Caroline  Poissant,  of  Beauharnois,  Quebec,  Canada, 
and  they  have  four  children:  Evelina,  Adhemar, 
Athanase  and  Richard.  Theyareall  membersof  St. 
Joseph's  Catholic  Church,  and  the  Doctor  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  St.  Joseph,and  also  belongs 
to  the  St.  John  Baptisl  Sodality  of  West  Bay  City. 
Dr.  Maucotel  is  the  Commander  of  the  Lafayette 
Tent  of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and  is  an 
influential  man  in  that  order,  as  lie  is  indeed  wher- 
ever he  is  known. 


DOLPH    SEMPLINER.     Upon     the  com- 

'1U\\     pletion  of  the  fine  Commercial  Lank  Block 
s    in  Bay  City.  Mr.   Sempliner    removed    his 
(V  ladies  and  gents  merchant    tailoring  estab- 

lishment to  that  finely  finished  and  splendidly 
equipped  structure,  having  prior  to  that  time  been 
located  on  the  corner  of  Center  and  Saginaw  Streets. 
Here  he  enjoys  facilities  unsurpassed  for  producing 
garments  of  intrinsic  value,  in  accordance  with  the 
prevailing  style,  and  with  special  adaptation  to 
the  wearer,  employing  a  force  of  fourteen  highly 
skilled  workmen  and  enjoying  a    large    trade,  not 


only  in  Bay  City  hut  also  throughout  the  State. 
As  a  consequence  of  the  superior  character  of  the 
garments  produced  within  the  establishment,  Mr. 
Sempliner  has  a  steadily  growing  trade  and  enjoys 
the  patronage  of  the  leading  people    of    Bay  City. 

.Mr.  Sempliner  was  horn  in  Hungary,  April  15, 
1856,  and  there  passed  his  childhood  days  in 
acquiring  the  rudiments  of  his  education  and  aid- 
ing af  home  as  opportunity  offered.  In  1871, 
having  resolved  to  come  to  America,  he  left  his 
home  and  crossing  the  broad  Atlantic,  stopped  for 
a  time  alter  landing,  in  New  York  City,  where  he 
found  employment.  Thence  he  journeyed  to  Cleve- 
land, where  he  secured  a  position  as  a  clerk,  and 
later  came  to  Bay  City  in  the  fall  of  1871  to 
engage  as  cit\  agent  for  a  store  here.  After  con- 
tinuing in  that  way  two  years  he  returned  to  his 
former  employment  as  a  clerk,  which  he  followed 
for  sixteen  years  in  different  establishments  in  Bay 
City. 

At  the  end  of  that  period  Mr.  Sempliner  had 
saved  enough  from  his  earnings  to  establish  him- 
self in  business,  which  he  did  in  1H1S9,  opening  a 
small  store  on  the  corner  of  Center  and  Saginaw 
Streets.  1  lis  success  was  such  that  in  a  compara- 
tively short  time  he  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative 
business,  and  on    September  1,    1891,    removed    to 

his  present  < imodious    quarters.     In    connection 

with  his  other  duties  he  has   also   had   charge  of  a 

dancing  scl 1  in  this  city  for  the  past  fifteen  years 

and  is  the  fashionable  dancing  master  of  the  place. 
He  was  married  September  3,  18M9.  to  Miss  Sarah 
Rosenfield,  of  Detroit,  and  they  have  one  child. 
Adelaide.  Mr.  Sempliner  is  a  member  of  the 
Reformed  Temple,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Order 
of  the  Maccabees,  National  Union, and  Independent 
(  hder  of   L'nai   L'rith. 

As  a  citizen,  Mr.  Sempliner  is  public-spirited 
and  interested  in  every  measure  which  he  believes 
will  promote  the  welfare  of  the  city.  In  his  polit- 
ical relations  he  votes  the  Republican  ticket, 
although  he  is  by  no  means  a  partisan.  His  un- 
aided efforts  have  advanced  him  to  his  present  po- 
sition and  he  is  highly  esteemed  and  justly  re- 
garded as  a  representative  man  who  has  a  deep 
interest  iii  the  progress  of  Bay  City.  The  thor- 
oughly accurate    business  methods    upon    which    he 


■■• 


.1 


^ 1  ti^'^^-'^-irX: 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


989 


conducts  his  establishment  and  the  greal  care  fie 
uses  in  giving  satisfaction  t<>  his  customers,  have 
secured  for  him  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  business 
man. 

I        ON.  JOHN  s.  ESTABROOK,  of  East  Sag<- 
Y    J    naw   was  born   in    Alden,  Erie  County,   X. 

V.,  on  the  22d  of  January.  1829.  His  fa- 
ther. Seth  Estabrook,  a  man  interested  in 
many  affairs  of  importance  as  a  farmer,  merchant, 
and  lumberman,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  in  17'.».">. 
and  died  in  1840.  His  mother,  Hannah  (Alden) 
Hebard,  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  John  Alden 
and  Priscilla  Mullen,  and  many  were  the  tales  told 
him  in  his  youth,  of  the  days  of  the  Aldens.  She 
was  horn  in  Lebanon,  X.  11..  and  was  the  daughter 
of  Moses  Hebard,  a  farmer,  and  Deacon  of  his 
church,  whose  name  as  a  man  of  probity,  worth, 
and  ability,  is  remembered  to  this  day.  Mr.  Esta- 
brook's  paternal  grandfather,  Experience  Esta- 
brook, was  an  early  graduate  of  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege, and  a  famous  Presbyterian  clergyman  of  his 
time. 

In  1837,  through  the  failure,   forgeries,   etc..  of 
Benjamin  Rath  bun.,  of   Buffalo,   N.   V..  Seth   Esta- 

hl'ook  lost  his  fortune,  so  John  S.,  as  the  youngest 
of  a  family  of  five,  had  only  his  two  hands  and  his 
natural  ability  to  begin  life  with.  Until  fifteen 
years  of  age  he  attended  the  distrid  school  at  Al- 
den. spending  one  winter,  iu  his  fifteenth  year, 
at  the  select  school  of  Deacon  Haws,  a  man  remem- 
bered by  his  old  pupils  with  respeel  and  love. 
When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  found  employment 
a-  -ale-man  in  a  grocer)  -tore  in  Buffalo,  X.  Y. 
In  June.  1845,  .Mr.  Estabrook  came  to  Michigan, 

sailing  on  the  scl er  "Cambria,"  commanded  by 

his  brother,  Capt.  Moses  Hebard  Estabrook.  lie 
made  St.  Clair,  Mich.,  his  home.  In  1848  lie  was 
engaged  with  a  I'nited  State-  surveying  party  un- 
der the  command  of  Guy  Carle  ton,  in  the  Upper 
Peninsula  of  Michigan,  lie  was  next  engaged  h\ 
Willard  Parker, al  St.  Clair,  and  entered  upon  duties 
which  have  become  his  life-work.  Then'  he  gained 
a  practical  knowledge  of  the  lumber  business,  which 
13 


has  been  of  incalculable  benefit  to  him.  He  soon 
was  made  foreman  by  Mr.  Parker,  to  whose  sys- 
tem and  knowledge  of  business  modes  Mr.  Esta- 
brook gives  large  praise,  and  acknowledges  that  to 
him  he  owes  his  careful  and  judicial  business  traits. 
In  1852  he  weni  to  Saginaw  in  Mr.  Parker's  employ, 
and  an  interest  in  the  business  was  soon  formed, 
with  Mr.  Estabrook  as  resident  manager. 

In  IS.")  I  Mr.  Parker  retired  from  the  lumber 
business,  and  Mr.  Estabrook  engaged  as  manager 
for  Alexander  Gehhart.  of  Dayton, Ohio.  In  1856 
he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  S.  \V.  Yawkey 
&  Co..  commission  lumber   dealers.      From  18.">7  to 

1865  he  was   alone   in  the  lumber  business,   and  in 

1866  the  linn  of  Estabrook  &  Mason  was  formed. 
In  1871  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Alexan- 
der Gehhart,  under  the  firm  name  of  Gebhart  &  Es- 
stabrook,  and  the  firm  now  stands  as  one  of  the 
leading  lumber  and  salt  firms  in   Michigan. 

Mr.  Estabrook  is  a  Knight  Templar. and  has  held 
important  and  influential  positions  in  the  Masonic 
order  in  Michigan.  He  i-  an  attendant  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  and  his  life  shows  that  he  has 
been  a  close  follower  of  its  teaching's.  In  political 
faith  he  was,  until  1854,  a  Democrat,  but  at  that 
time  he  determined  to  cast  his  influence  with  the 
Republican  party,  as  its  principles  were  more  in 
accordance  with  his  own  views,  and  with  that  party- 
he  has  continued  to  affiliate  ever  since.  He  has 
never  sought  office,  but  some  of  the  most  important 
trusts  of  the  city  in  which  he  resides  have  been 
placed  on  his  shoulders. 

In  18.j4,  Mr.  Estabrook  was  married  to  Miss 
Ellen  I!.  Burt,  of  Ypsilanti,  Mich.,  and  one  daugh- 
ter was  born  to  them,  Wiunefred,  wife  of  William 
1'.  Powell,  of  Milwaukee.  Mis.  Ellen  Estabrook 
died  January  I.  1864.  In  1865  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Helen  C.  Norris,  of  Ypsilanti,  who  died  April 
17,1887.  leaving  two  children:  Justus  Xorris,  a 
graduate  Of  the  Michigan  Agricultural  College,  and 
now  in  bii-iness  with  his  father;  and  Mary  Eliza- 
beth, wife  of  Thomas  A.  Jacobs,  of  Youngstown, 
Ohio.  September3,  1889,  he  married  Miss  Harriet 
E.  Sharp,  of  Jack-on.  Mich.  Mr.  Estabrook  has  for 
many  years  occupied  a  prominent  business,  social 
and  political  standing  in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and 
his  assistance  and  resources  have  been  freely  drawn 


940 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


upon  in  pushing  forward  every  public  or  private 
enterprise  that  has  added  to  the  material  benefit  of 
the  community.  A  positive  man.  he  has  often 
made  enemies  by  reason  of  his  blunt,  outspoken 
manner  of  speech;  yet  he  possesses  a  tender  and 
kindly  nature  that  can  always  l>e  enlisted  in  the 
cause  of  every  good  project,  and  is  a  stanch  and 
faithful  friend. 

In  every  department  of  the  city  government  Mr. 
Estabrook  has  held  positions  of  trust,  having  served 
as  Mayor,  Alderman,  School  Inspector.  Water  Com- 
missioner, Police  Commissioner,  and  member  of  the 
Board  of  Public  Works.  He  has  also  twice  repre- 
sented liis  district  in  the  State  Legislature,  with 
credit  to  himself  and  honor  to  his  constituents,  lie 
is  President  of  the  Saginaw  Hoard  of  Trade,  an  or- 
ganization that  represents  more  than  $50,000,000 
of  material  wealth.  Commencing  life  without  any 
special  or  peculiar  advantages,  lie  lias  won  his  po- 
sition by  honesty,  integrity,  perseverance,  and  an 
untiring  devotion  to  duty  in  each  sphere  of  his 
career. 

The  attention  of  the  reader  is  invited  to  the 
lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Estabrook  on  another 
page  of  this  volume. 


V  -tes-KES* 


_y 


r         *==*=•{• 


fl  IMLLIAM  F.  IIOYKY,  M.  1).  This  promi- 
\/\jl  nent  physician  and  surgeon  who  has  Inch 
^py  in  practice  for  manyyears  and  standshigh 
in  his  profession,  was  born  in  Warsaw,  N.  Y.,  Jan- 
uary 9,  1825.  His  father,  Alwin,  and  his  grand- 
father, Josiah,  were  born  in  Connecticut  and  were 
of  Puritan  stock.  The  grandfather  reared  a  fam- 
ily of  five  sons  and  four  daughters,  all  of  whom 
came  to  New  York  eventually,  and  Alwin  Hovey 
was  the  youngest.  The  family  settled  upon  the 
Holland  Purchase  in  Genesee  County,  and  there 
they  improved  property  and  built  up  excellent 
farms. 

Alwin  Hovey  took  part  in  the  War  of  1N12  under 
his  In-other,  Josiah  who  was  a  Captain.  In  1835  he 
came  to  Michigan  with  his  wife  and  seven  children 
and   located    in    Saline,  Washtenaw  County;   here 


they  made  their  home  in  a  lot;'  house  in  the  woods 
and  five  years  later  removed  to  Romeo,  Macomb 
County,  and  later  to  Oakland  County,  where  the 
father  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  He  was 
a  Democrat,  politically,  and  an  earnest  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  which  he  was 
Class-Leader.  His  wife.  Calista,  daughter  of  Ebe- 
ne/.er  Roberts,  was  born  in  Chenango  County. 
N.  Y..  and  her  father  was  a  farmer  of  Connecticut 
and  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812.  She  still  resides 
in  their  old  home  in  Addison,  Inning  reached  her 
eighty-fifth  year,  and  has  been  the  mother  of  ten 
children. 

Our  subject  received  common-school  training 
and  was  early  set  to  work  upon  the  farm,  doing 
the  hard  work  of  a  pioneer  boy  and  learning  not 
only  to  drive  oxen,  but  also  to  shake  with  the 
ague.  While  living  in  Macomb  County  he  attended 
the  school  at  Romeo,  and  remained  at  home  until 
he  reached  the  age  of  twenty  years,  although  he 
had  taughl  during  the  winters  since  he  was  seven- 
teen years  old.  For  three  years  longer  he  con- 
tinued to  teach  during  the  winters  and  took  an 
academic  course  at  the  Romeo  Academy,  being 
graduated  therefrom  in  1*17. 

In  list?  the  young  man  took  up  the  study  of 
medicine  under  Dr.  Spaulding,  of  Oxford,  and  in 
1849  entered  the  Cleveland  Medical  College,  a 
branch  of  the  Hudson  College  of  Ohio.  At  the  end 
of  one  year  he  returned  to  Oxford  where  he  con- 
tinued his  study,  ami  a  year  later  at  Fenton,  Gen- 
esee County,  and  there  in  1851  began  the  practice 
of  medicine.  In  1852  he  entered  the  Department 
of  Medicine  in  the  University  of  Michigan,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  1853. 

The  young  Doctor  built  up  a  large  practice  and 
did  thorough  pioneer  service,  traveling  through 
unbroken  roads  and  carrying  his  old  saddle-bags  to 
many  an  unfrequented  spot.  In  1i-m;.~>  he  entered 
the  service  of  the  Government  as  acting  assistant 
surgeon,  and  spent  three  months  in  the  hospital  at 
Louisville.  Returning  to  Fenton  he  remained  there 
until  1867  when  he  located  in  Oakland  County 
and  built  a  brick  Mock  in  Milford,  and  there  es- 
tablished himself  in  practice,  remaining  at  that 
point  until  1871;  when  he  sold  his  interest  there 
and    came   to    Lay  City,  since  which    time    he   has 


PORTRAIT  AND   LIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


94  I 


been  located  :it  Nil  .Vii!  Curtiss  Street,  where  he 
has  built  up  an  extensive  city  practice. 

Dr..  Hovey  was  married  in  E'enton,  in  L855,  to 
Miss  Sarah  StinSOli,  a  native  Of  New  Jersey.  Of 
their  children  two  grew  to  womanhood,  namely, 
Carrie  M..  who  became  .Mrs.  E.  J.  Bissell  and  died 
in  Milford,  and  Luella,  who  is  Mrs.  H.  C.  Clements, 
of  Bay  City.  Dr.Hovey  lias  Keen  a  m'emberofthe 
School  Board  and  while  in  Milford  belonged  to 
both  the  City  Council  and  the  School  Board  and 
also  lilled  the  latter  office  a!  Fenton.  His  ability 
and  prominence  as  well  as  his  stanch  Democratic 
principles   make    him  a  delegate  to  all  the  county 

and    State    conventions   Of    that    party,  and  he  is  a 

member  of  the  Ward  Committee,  lie  is  a  charter 
memberof  the  Saginaw  Valley  Medical  Association 
as  well  as  other  medical  societies,  and  is  a  demltted 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
and  belongs  to  the  Masonic  order. 


-  AaE^hip  1  1 1  fc  9   fcw  p  ^ 


/-*  KoROK   I).  .JACKSON.     Merit  is  sure  to  be 

l||  ,— -,  recognized,  and  that  as  soon  as  it  makes 
'^^j|  itself  felt  to  the  advantage  of  one's  fellow- 
men  as  well  as  to  oneself.  Faithfulness  and  con- 
stancy are  so  rare  as  to  be  at  a  premium.  To  these 
qualities  our  subject,  in  addition  to  his  natural 
quickness  at  seizing  advantageous  points,  owes  his 
present  enviable  reputation  as  a  business  man  of 
high  standing.  For  some  time  known  a-  one  of 
the  nost  prominent  lumbermen  of  Bay  City,  he  is 
at  the  present  time  recognized  as  the  chief  execu- 
tive power  of  this  municipality. 

In  December,  1862,  in  the  little  village  of  Algo- 
uac,  on  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  St.  Clair  River, 
our  subjeel  was  born.  In  his  boyhood  his  educa- 
tional advantages  were  fair,  but  he  laid  the  foun- 
dation for  the  thoroughness  of  principle  that  now 
characterizes  his  business  career.  lie  is  a  son  of 
Charles  K.  Jackson,  and  a  grandson  of  Michael 
Jackson,  an  Englishman  by  birthand  the  first  light- 
house-keeper on  the  St.  (lair  Flats,  to  which  posi- 
tion he  was  appointed  in  1856  under  Buchanan's 
administration,  lie  came  to  America  as  a  boy  and 
settled   in    Seneca   County,  X.  V.      (in   coining  to 


Michigan  he  located  first  at  Ann  Arbor,  thence  go- 
ing  to  Alg(  nac, where  he  kept  the  Jackson  House  for 
thirty  years,  until  he  died  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
eighl  years.  His  wife  was  before  her  marriage 
Miss  Elizabeth  Kimball,  of  Aurora,  N.  Y. 

Our  subject's  father,  wdio  was  horn  in  1k:57  and 
reared  in  Algonac,  became  a  sailor  when  little 
more  than  a  lad.  In  the  spiring  of  1863  he  en- 
listed in  the  Twenty-second  Michigan  Regiment 
and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Since  thai 
time  he  has  made  his  livelihood  as  a  sailor  and 
since  1879  has  been  captain  of  a  stanch  craft;  his 
residence  is  at  Algonac.  His  wife,  our  subject's 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Nellie  Pangborn 
and  a  native  of  Algonac,  was  the  daughter  of  a 
shipbuilder,  who  came  to  Algonac,  where  he  made 
early  settlement.  Of  the  six  children  born  to  this 
couple  our  subject  is  the  eldest. 

In  11S77  Mr.  Jackson  came  to  Ray  City  and  en- 
tered the  employ  of  his  uncle,  O.  K.  Jackson,  who 
was  at  that  "ime  and  still  is,  a  heavy  dealer  and 
shipper  of  lumber.  The  first  year  the  lad's  work 
consisted  of  tallying  lumber,  and  his  pay  was  in 
proportion  to  the  humbleness  of  the  office.  How- 
ever, he  did  it  as  thoroughly  as  though  great  re- 
sponsibilities rested  upon  him. and  as  time  advanced 
his  salary  was  advanced  in  proportion.  In  1886 
he  started  in  business  for  himself  as  inspector  and 
shipper.  His  work  was  recognized  by  dealers 
abroad  and  at  the  close  of  1887  he  had  handled 
and  shipped  fifteen  million  feet  of  lumber. 

(lose  attention  to  business  brought  Mr.  Jackson 
custom,  and  his  rapidly  increasing  trade  soon 
placed  him  in  the  list  of  the  leading  shippers  Of 
this  locality,  and  his  shipments  have  constantly  in- 
creased. This  last  year  the  hooks  show  a  number 
of  million  feet  of  lumber  that  have  been  handled 
that,  is  probably  not  surpassed  by  any  other  lirm. 
He  has  a  number  of  inspectors  in  his  employ  and 
while  his  business  is  confined  largely  to  the  Sag- 
inaw River  he  has  this  year  also  handled  a  large 
quantity  of  lumber  from  the  Upper  Lake  region. 

Convinced  that  it  is  not  good  for  man  to  live 
alone  Mr.  Jackson  took  unto  himself  a  bride  in 
1885,  tin-  lady  being  .Airs.  Imogene  Anderson, 
daughter  of  James  Ramsdell,  an  old  settler  now 
deceased,  who  was  at  one  time  one  of  the  heaviest 


942 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


lumber  dealers  in  the  Saginaw  Valley.  Mrs.  Jack- 
son was  born  in  Clarence,  Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  in 
I860. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Jackson  is  a  Democrat 
and  early  in  life  began  to  manifest  quite  an  inter- 
est in  politics.  In  1887  at  a  Democratic  caucus 
held  in  the  Second  Ward  he  was  nominated  for 
Alderman,  and  although  lie  failed  in  getting  the 
election,  his  ambition  encouraged  him  to  strengthen 
himself,  and  lie  was  elected  in  1889.  He  showed 
himself  then  to  lie  a  worker  for  the  public's  inter- 
est a>  well  as  for  himself.  At  the  Democratic  city 
convention  held  last  spring, Mr.  Jackson  was  nom- 
inated for  Mayor  and  was  handsomely  elected 
Mayor  of  Bay  City,  an  honor  never  before  ac- 
corded to  a  man  of  his  age.  lie  belongs  to  the 
Royal  Arcanum,  Bay  City  Club,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Business  .Men's  Association. 


M  OHN  PRENDERGAST,  who  is  well  known 
as  the  Sheriff  of  Saginaw-  County,  was  born 
in  the  county  of  Kilkenny.  Ireland,  in 
IS  I  I.  His  father  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade 
and  followed  that  calling  through  most  of  his  ac- 
tive days,  dying  in  Ireland  as  did  also  his  wife. 
When  quite  young  their  son  John  crossed  the  ocean, 
coming  to  Quebec,  Canada,  where  he  spent  his 
schooldays   until    he   attained    his    majority. 

In  1865  our  subject  came  to  Saginaw  ami  went 
to  work  in  the  pine  woods  by  the  month,  working  in 
the  forest  during  the  winter  and  spending  his 
summers  in  the  sawmill  until  1K72.  when  he  be- 
came Superintendent  of  the  sawmill,  having  worked 
in  every  department  where  he  could  be  useful, 
thus  mastering  every  part  of  the  business.  In  the 
spring  of  1873  he  closed  his  connection  with  the 
milling  business  and  embarked  in  a  hotel  enter- 
prise in  Saginaw  and  from  1873  to  L885  he  carried 
on  the  Hotel  Madison  on  the  East  Side.  In  L886 
Mr.  Prendergasl  was  elected  Alderman  for  the 
Ninth  Ward  and  remained  an  incumbent  of  that 
office  for  two  yens. 

The  shrievalty    of  Saginaw  Count\    was   given 


Mr.  Prendergast  by  election  in  1887  and  he  tilled 
this  office  very  acceptably,  assuming  the  duties 
thereof  on  the  1st  of  January,  1888.  In  1890 
he  was  re-elected  to  the  same  office  on  the 
Democratic  ticket.  I  lis  marriage,  which  had  taken 
place  January  2.  1K72.  had  united  him  with  Miss 
Mary,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Ryan)  Riordan, 
Of  Saginaw,  and  they  have  ten  children.  Our 
subject  is  a  member  of  the  Hibernian  Society  and  is 
also  connected  with  the  order  of  Foresters  as  well 
as  that  of  the  Maccabees,  and  also  the  Catholic 
Mutual    Benefit  Association. 


•S*=^J'=='S* 


_s 


EUBEN  C.  TASKER.  This  well-known  and 
popular  business  man  of  Bay  City,  who  is 
a  member  of  the  insurance  firm  of  Brigham 
\£)  \  Tasker,  was  bom  at  New  Bedford,  Mass., 
and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  J.  Tasker,  who  was  born 
nearChelsea,  X.  II.  The  grandfather,  Joseph,  was 
of  Scotch  descent,  and  a  farmer  in  New  Hampshire, 
as  was  also  the  father,  who  removed  to  Massachu- 
setts when  a  young  man.  and  was  married  in  New 
Bedford.  He  lived  to  reach  the  age  of  eighty-one 
years,    but  has  now  passed  from   earth. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Falmouth, 
Mass.,  and  bore  the  name  of  Eliza  II.  Robinson. 
Her  father,  Seth  Robinson,  was  a  seafaring  man. 
and  for  many  years  a  Captain,  making  his  home  at 
Cape  Cod.  and  being  engaged  in  the  coasting  trade. 
Mi's.  Fli/.a  Tasker.  now  eighty-five  years  old  anil  a 
devout  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
resides  in  Dayton.  Ohio,  with  her  daughter, 
whose  husband,  Col.  Thomas,  is  the  Coventor  of 
the  Soldier's  Home.  Our  subject  is  in  the  thir- 
teenth generation  of  the  direct  descent  from  Dr. 
Robinson,  who  originated  and  organized  the  expe- 
dition of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  which  came  over  in 
the  Mayflower.  Although  so  great  a  leader  among 
them,  he  did  not  migrate  to  this  country,  as  death 
supervened,  but  his  wife  and  family  came  to  New 
England. 

The  parental  family  consisted  of  the  following 
children:     Eliza, Mrs.  Br'att;  Harriet;  Mrs.  Thomas; 


PORTRAIT  AM)   IiK  )( J I!  A  PIIICAL   RECORD. 


943 


all  being  residents  of  Daj  ton,  Ohio,and  our  subject. 
He  was  born  May  9,  1836,  and  after  receiving  com- 
mon scl 1  advantages  took  a  course  of  study  in  the 

New  Bedford  Academy.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
his  health  required  a  change  of  climate,  and  he 
taught  for  some  three  years  in  Savannah,  Ga.  In 
I857he  went  to  Wyoming,  stark  County,  111.,  and 
there  engaged  as  a  clerk,  and  later  worked  at  Ke- 
wanee.  111.,  and  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  was  in  a  railroad 
office  as  clerk.  Subsequently  lie  returned  home, 
butin  L866,  engaged  in  the  horticultural  business 
in  Lawrence,  Kan.,  and  eleven  years  later  sold  his 
property  there  and  moved  to  Colorado,  where  he 
located  at  Trinidad  with  Moore  &  Bennett,  with 
whom  he  afterward  went  tn  New  Mexico,  spending 
considerable  time  at  Las  Vegas  and  Albuquerque. 

It  was  in  January,  L881,  that  this  young  man 
came  to  Lay  City  and  located,  buying  Point  Look- 
out summer  resort,  of  which  he  was  the  proprietor 
for  three  years,  alter  which  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship under  the  lirm  name  of  Beard,  Brigham  &  Co., 
which  one  year  later  was  changed  to  Brigham  & 
Tasker.  This  linn  represents  eight  companies  of 
both  fire  and  life  insurance,  and  is  doing  a  flour- 
ishing business.  The  tirst  marriage  of  Mr.  Tasker 
tooh  place  in  1858  in  Falmouth,  Mass.,  and  his 
bride  was  Catherine  Hamlin,  a  native  of  that  city, 
who  died  in  Lawrence,  Kan.,  leaving  two  children. 
Lemuel,  a  railroad  man  at  Chicago,  and  Edward  S., 
of  New  Bedford,  Mass. 

The  second  marriage  of  our  subject  was  solemn- 
ized in  Lawrence,  Kan.,  and  lie  then  took  of  wife 
Miss  Sarah  Allen,  who  was  born  in  New  York, 
but  lias  spent  most  of  her  life  in  Kansas,  and 
whose  father.  Elmore  Allen,  was  a  pioneer  of  that 
State.  The  children  who  have  been  born  to  this 
marriage  are    Allen  T.,  Arthur  T.,  and  Harriet    E. 

While  residing  in  Lawrence.  Mr.  Tasker  was  Dep- 
uty Register  of  Deeds  for  two  years,  and  was  also 
a  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  County  Treasurer. 
He  is  now  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of 
\\ res<  Lay  City  and  was  its  Secretary  for  fouryears. 
In  the  .Methodist  Episcopal  Church  to  which  he 
belongs,  he  is  a  Trustee,  and  the  Secretary  of  the 
Sunday-school.  Ileiast  bis  firsl  ballot  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  and  has  been  a  consistent  Republi- 
can from  that  day  to  this.     His  character  and    his 


abilities  have  led  the  men  of  hi-  party  to  make 
him  a  delegate  to  county  conventions.  He  is 
prominently  identified  with  the  Free  and  Accepted 

Masons,  and  the  Royal  Arcanum. 


OIIX  II.  HOLMES.  The  highly  respected 
family  of  which  this  gentleman  is  a  repre- 
sentative, exerts    a    powerful   inlluence    for 

g 1  in  Lay  City,  and  indeed  wherever  its 

members  are  known.  Character  always  must  tell 
in  its  effect  upon  those  who  meet  it.  and  there  is 
no  such  argument  for  intelligence  and  uprightness 
as  an  intelligent  and  uprighl  life.  Mr.  Holmes  is 
a  man  of  line  education  and  is  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  throughout  the  county. 

The  son  of  Harry  Holmes,  our  subject  was  born 
January  21,  1864,  in  Goderich,  Ontario:  A  sketch 
of  the  parental  family  will  be  found  on  another 
page  in  this  volume.  Our  subject  was  brought  by 
his  parents  to  Lay  City  when  but  two  years  old, 
and  received  his  education  in  the  grammar  and 
High  School  of  this  place,  being  graduated  there- 
from when  sixteen  years  of  age.  In  1880,  he  en- 
tered the  literary  department  of  the  University  of 
Michigan,  pursuing  his  studies  in  that  institution 
for  a  twelvemonth  when  he  entered  the  office  of 
Judge  Webster  and  began  the  study  of  law.  He 
remained  there  for  one  year,  in  the  meantime  also 
serving  as  Clerk  of  the  Probate  Court.  In  the  fall 
of  1882  he  entered  the  law  department  of  the 
Michigan  University  and  two  years  later  received 
his  diploma  with  degree  of  LL.  B.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  Michi- 
gan at  Lansing  under  Judge  Cooley.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Phi  Delta  I'lii  Society,  Kent  Chap- 
ter. 

After  his  graduation  Mr.  Holmes  began  the 
practice  of  la  w  in  Bay  City  with  Judge  Webster, 
and  during  that  period  was  Clerk  of  the  Probate 
Court  until  lsssT.  when  he  went  South,  intending 
to  locate  and  carry  On  hi-  practice  in  Alabama,  but 
the  climate  did  not  agree  with  him  and  he  again 
made  Lay  City  his  home.  Believing  that  office 
work  was  too  confining   for   him.  he  gave   up    his 


944 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


practice  and  began  contracting,  having  gained 
good  ideas  of  the  business  from  his  father  in  his 
boyhood. 

Mr.  Holmes  has  contracted  for  and  erected  many 
of  the  finest  residences  in  Bay  City,  in  company 
with  his  father.  They  have  also  builded  many 
public  edifices,  amoug  them  the  Michigan  Central 
round  house  and  railroad,  shops  at  West  Bay  City. 
The  last  work  they  were  engaged  on  together  was 
the  erection  of  the  Michigan  Central  depot  in  Baj 
City.  They  had  just  stalled  the  structure  when 
the  father  died  and  our  subject  completed  the  con- 
tract. For  the  last  year  or  two  he  has  been  en- 
gaged by  the  Michigan  Central  and  Detroit,  Bay 
City  cV'  Alpena  Railroads  to  do  work  for  them 
outside  Bay  City. 

September  23.  IK'.H  is  the  dale  of  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  Holmes  to  Miss  Lucia  Eastwood.  Mrs. 
Holmes  was  born  in  St.  Paul  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Julia  (Dodge)  Eastwood,  of  whom  a 
sketch  may  be  found  on  another  page  in  this 
volume.  Mr.  Holmes  is  a  member  of  the  Bay 
County  Bar  Association,  the  Hoard  of  Building 
Inspectors  of  Bay  City,  the  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  He  has 
been  a  delegate  to  county  and  State  conventions  in 
behalf  of  the  Democratic  party.  In  religious  mat- 
ters he  is  an  active  and  influential  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  lie  is  one  of  the  ac- 
tive young  men  of  Bay  City  and  the  signs  of  the 
times  are  sadly  awry  if  his  future  success  does  not 
justify  his  friends  in  their  anticipation. 


bOUIS  KOSSUTH  CLARK,  who  is  a  drug- 
gist at  Oakley,  Saginaw  County,  was  born 
at  Akron,  Erie  County,  X.  Y.,  June  30, 
1855,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  S.  and  Ellen  (Flem- 
ming)  Clark.  The  father  was  a  native  of  New 
York  and  of  mixed  descent,  being  able  to  trace 
English.  Irish.  Scotch.  Dutch  and  French  blood  in 
his  veins.  The  mother  was  born  mTralee,  Ireland, 
in    1819,  and  came   to   America    with   her    parents 


in  1836,  being  then  seventeen  years  old.  The  fa- 
ther was  born  in  1820,  and  came  with  his  family 
tu  Michigan  in  1856,  when  this  son  was  iu.lv  a  year 
i  ild.  It  was  the  season  known  as  the '"smoky  fall" 
and  it  took  two  weeks  in  cross  Lake  Erie  on  ac- 
count of  the  smoke.  The  father  was  a  machinist 
and  made  his  home  in  Lansing  for  ten  years,  and 
then  lived  for  one  year  in  OwOSSO,  after  which  he 
removed    to  Mason,  where   he  spent   ten  years. 

lie  nl  whom  we  write  received  an  ordinary 
common-school  education  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
began  clerking  in  a  drug  Store  at  Mason,  and  after 
a  year  ami  a  half  in  that  service  entered  a  stave 
mill  in  Mason,  and  in  1*73  entered  a  drug  store 
in  Leslie,  where  he  worked  for  one  year,  after 
which  he  was  occupied  in  various  ways  until 
1876,  when  he  cauie  to  Oakley.  Here  for  about. a 
year  he  worked  in  a  sawmill  and  lumber  yard,  and 
then  put  in  a  Stock  of  drugs  with  Dr.  Drake  under 
the  linn  name  of  L.  K.  Clark  &  Co.,  a  partner- 
ship which  'lasted  only  a  year,  when  he  sold  out  to 
his  partner  and  went  to  Kawkawlin.  Bay  County, 
where  he  spent  a  year  in  a  stave  mill,  and  then 
returned  to  Oakley,  after  which  he  bought  forty 
acres  of  land  in  New  Haven  Township.  Shiawas- 
see County,  and  fanned  for  some  five  years. 

.Mr.  Clark  wa>  married.  December  11,  1*711.  to 
Miss  Ella  M.  Thomas,  of  Oakley.  She  was  born 
in  Iladley.  Lapeer  County.  Mich..  July  27.  1861, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Cyrenius  and  Charity  (Van 
Cleve)  Thomas.  In  1883  our  subject  sold  his  farm 
and  removed  to  Elsie,  Clinton  County,  where  for 
a  year  and  a  half  he  was  in  the  drug  business.  In 
June.  1885,  he  went  to  Colorado,  looking  for  a  lo- 
cation, but  returned  in  September,  and  began  busi- 
ness in  a  general  store  with  George  W.  Sackrider, 
and  a  year  later  took  entire  charge  of  the  busi- 
ness, which  he  carried  on  until  the  fall  of  1890,  at 
which  time  he  closed  out  all  except  his  drugs  and 
books. 

This  gentleman  is  a  solid  Democrat  and  has  been 
a  delegate  to  county  conventions  ever  since  1885, 
and  in  1888  he  wis  Chairman  of  the  county  con- 
vention; also  in  1890  was  a  delegate  to  the  State 
convention.  One  year  later  he  was  honored  with 
the  Democratic  nomination  for  the  State  Legisla- 
ture.     In    1  SK."»    he    received    the    appointment    of 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


945 


Postmaster  under  President  Cleveland,  and  bas 
also  acted  as  Notary  Public,  and  in  1890  became 
President  of  the  \  illage. 

Mr.  Clark  has  two  children  living:  Ellen  Fern, 
w  1 1 < ►  w .- 1 -  born  in  New  Haven,  Shiawassee  <  ounty, 
November  21,  1881,  ami  Don  Thomas,  bom  in 
Oakley  March  Hi.  L889.  This  well-known  gentle- 
man is  prominent  .-is  a  member  of  tin'  Masonic 
fraternitj  at  Chesaning,  and  of  the  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  at  Oakley,  and  in  this  latter  organization 
he  has  filled  all  of  the  offices,  having  been  Noble 
Grand  therefor  three  full  terms  and  delegate  to 
the  Grand  Lodge  in  1890. 


^>  :  '-  • 


NSON  II.  BAKER.     A  small  farmer,  a  me- 
chanic  ami  a  painter,  our   subject    finds 
'     plenty  to  occupy  his  time  ami  attention. 
qJ  lie  cultivates  ten  acres  of   land  on  section 

20,  just  outside  the  village  limits.  He  was  born 
in  Lera  Township,  Jefferson  County,  \.  5f.,Augus1 
II.  L 842,  and  is  a  son  of  Ransom  II.  and  Lucina 
(Winslow)  Baker,  both  natives  of  the  Empire  State. 
The  Winslows  are  lineal  descendants  of  the  fam- 
ily of  "Mayflower"  fame.  Our  subject's  father 
found  il  a  struggle  to  maintain  his  family  com- 
fortably in  New  York  and  determined  to  seek  better 
conditions  in  a  newer  State. 

The  family  came  to  Michigan  in  1854  and  young 
Anson  was  about  twelve  years  of  age  at  the  time. 
His  fathei  was  born  .lime  22.  1811, and  is  still  liv- 
ing at  Clare,  Clare  County, .where  he  has  a  com- 
foiialile  home  and  a  farm  of  eighty  acres.  His 
wife  died  when  our  subjeel  was  eighteen   months 

old.  The  hoy  had  hut  poor  educational  advan- 
tages, being  early  called  upon  to  help  his  father 
clear  the  farm  and  to  provide   for  the  family.      tin 

the  breaking  out  of  the  war  the  young  man  en- 
listed in  Company  II.  Fifth  Michigan  Infantry. 
•June  l.'i.  1861.  He  was  assigned  to  duty  with  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  and  was  in  the  siege  of 
Yoiktown.  Williamsburg,  Fair  Oaks  and  in  the 
seven  days'  Bght  in  the  Wilderness.  Harper's  Ferry, 
Fredericksburg,  the  second  battle  of  liull  Run, 
Warrenton,    Locust    Grove   and    Chaneellorsville. 


At    this    last-named     place   our    SUbjecl    was    taken 

prisoner,  but  was  released  on  parole  and  returned 
lo  his  regimenl  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle 
of  <  .ett  \  sburg. 

While  helping  to  get  the  wounded  into  the  am- 
bulances, he  injured  his  ankle  and  was  sent  to  the 
Third  Corps  Hospital,  where  he  was  exposed  to 
small-pox,  hut  had  the  varioloid,  which  kept  him 
from  his  regiment  about  four  months.  He  took 
part  in  the  battle  at  Brandy  Station,  Ya..and  from 
there  the  army  went  to  the  Wilderness,  where  he 
was  wounded  in  the  left  lee- and  right  foot.  An 
interesting  operation  was  necessary  to  give  him  the 
use  of  his  leg.  A  piece  of  his  shin  bone  was 
extracted  and  a  piece  of  silver  tubing  takes  its 
place.  This  catastrophe  put  an  end  to  his  army 
life,  for  after  being  wounded  he  lay  on  the  held 
fifteen  day.-  without  attention,  and  when  finally 
taken  to  the  hospital  at  Washington  he  was  in  a 
critical  state.  His  father  and  wife  came  to  take 
him  home  in  .Inly  anil  on  Thanksgiving  day  he  re- 
ported at  the  hospital  in  Detroit  and  remained 
there  until  his  discharge,  which  was  received  Janu- 
ary 19,  1865. 

While  at  the  hospital  our  subject  was  the  recip- 
ient of  a  tine  pair  of  crutches  and  $50  in  money, 
which  sum -was  made  up  by  the  citizens,  to  show 
their  admiration  for  such  a  loyal  Union  soldier. 
His  marriage  had  taken  place  January  12.  1864, 
while  at  home  on  a  veteran's  furlough,  Ins  bride 
being  Miss  Sarah  Pearsall,  of  Shelby,  McComb 
County,  who  was  horn  November  19,  1844.  For 
four  years  after  the  war.  being  incapacitated  for 
work  and  receiving  a  most  slender  pension,  he  had 
a  hard  struggle  to  make  ends  meet,  although  his 
wife  look  in  light  work  to  help  out.  His  Colonel, 
John  C.  Pulford,  finally  secured  him  a  place  in 
Detroit  as  watchman  in  a  factory,  and  from  that 
he  became  foreman  for  a  paving  company,  which 
position  he  held  for  three  years.  From  Detroit  he 
removed  to  Chesaning,  where  he  purchased  his 
present  home. 

Mr.  Baker  has  lately  employed  himself  at  what- 
ever he  has  been  able  to  do — sometimes  painting, 
sometimes  doing  stone-work  and  engaged  in  differ- 
ent things.  lie  is  a  member  of  Pap  Thomas  Post. 
Xo.  121,(1.  A.  R..  ami    is  now  Commander  in  the 


946 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


same.  He  and  his  wife  have  never  been  hirst  with 
children,  but  adopted  a  niece,  who  is  now  Mrs. 
Addie  Ellison,  of  Chesaning.  He  is  a  Republican 
in  politics  and  tries  in  his  daily  life  to  follow  the 
Divine  as  well  as  human  rule,  to  do  as  you  would 
be  done  by. 


ARRY    HOLMES,   deceased,    a    prominent 

contractor  and  buildei  of  Hay  City  was 
born  in  Fordham.  ( 'ambridgeshire,  England. 

I©)  He  there  learned  the  trade  of  a  mason  and 
when  eighteen  years  of  age  came  to  America  with 
four  of  his  brothers,  who  were  also  mechanics. 
They  worked  at  different  places  in  New  York  State 
from  whence  they  journeyed  to  Ontario,  where 
they  also  worked  at  various  places  putting  up  the 
first  buildings  in  Hamilton.  Paris,  Brantford,  Strat- 
ford and  vicinity. 

In  1857,  the  subject  of  this  notice  came  to  Mich- 
igan, settling  first,  in  Port  Huron,  and  seven  years 
later  came  to  Bay  City,  where  he  began  to  work  at 
his  trade  which  he  continued  until  his  death.  He 
worked  as  foreman  for  a  large  contracting  linn 
which  had  made  several  contraetsin  this  city,  put- 
ting up  the  Campbell  House  and  other  large  brick 
blocks.  They  soon  failed  and  of  course  gave  up 
their  contracts  which  Mr.  Holmes  took  and  com- 
pleted satisfactorily  and  from  that  time  became 
the  largest  contractor  and  building  most  ol  the 
first  brick  business  blocks  and  also  the  first  brick 
church  in  the  city.  Mr.  Holmes  served  as  Alder- 
man of  the  Second  Ward  of  the  city  for  twelve 
vears  and  was  very  influential,  in  educational 
matters  especially,  being  the  most  active  in  est:il>- 
lishing  the  present  school  system.  After  Mr. 
Holmes  retired  from  the  Board  of  Aldermen  he  was 
sought  by  them  for  his  advice  in  matters  pertain- 
ing to  the  city's  interest  and  they  accepted  it  as 
best  from  his  past  successful  experience,  lie  served 
as  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Building  Inspectors 
for  three  or  four  years  beginning  at  its  organiza- 
tion. In  polities  he  chose  to  cast  his  vote  with 
the  Democracy. 

Mr.  Holmes  was  very  fond  of  playing  chess  and 


stood  as  one  of  the  best,  players  in  the  United  states. 
During  the  International  Chess  Tournament  be- 
ween  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain.  Mr. 
Holmes  played  four  games  in  which  he  took  the 
laurels.  His  games  were  published  and  commented 
upon  throughout  the  States  and  the  universal  con-. 

elusion  was  that  they  could  not  be  improved  u| 

The  death  of  the  gentleman  of  whom  we  write 
occurred  in  August,  1889,  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven 
years,  lie  was  a  Trustee  in  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church  of  which  his  family  were  all  members. 
This  gentleman  was  united  in  the  bonds  of  mar- 
riage on  December  1.  1855,  at  Brantford,  Ontario, 
to  Emeline  Day,  a  native  of  Ontario,  and  a 
daughter  of  John  Day  also  a  native  of  the  same 
place.  There  were  born  to  this  couple  nine  child- 
ren who  are  named  as  follows:  Adeline,  a  graduate 
of  the  Bay  City  High  School  and  now  Principal 
of  the  Junior  Department  of  tha  same;  James  II.. 
who  died  at  Port  Huron  when  four  years  old; 
Susan  A.,  principal  of  the  Dolsen  School;  Victoria, 
who -married  E.  C.  Hargrave  of  Bay  City;  Emma, 
now  Mrs.  M.  I..  Courtwright;  John  II..  Lydia  D. 
professor  of  French  and  ( German  in  Oxford  ( lollege, 
Ohio;  Wendell  D.,  is  in  business  and  contracting 
with  John  II.  and  Frances,  at  home.  The  children 
were  all  educated  in  the  Bay  City  High  School  and 
graduates  thereof  and  have  more  or  less  literary 
inclinations.  The  widow  of  .Mr.  Holmes  resides  at 
her  beautiful  residence  at  No.  909  Monroe  Street 
and  is  a  lady  of  line  capabilities,  amiable  and  is 
respected  by  all   with  whom    she  conies  in  contact. 


^t 


:j=8=~=^ 


<Sp^)UGENE  WILLARD  DAVIS,  M.  D..  who  is 
M  well-known  as  a  physician  in  Saginaw,  was 
I  born    in   Windsor    County,  Vt.,  March    21. 

|,s.">2  and  is  a  son  of  Willard  and  Delia  (  Behind) 
Davis,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Vermont, 
when-  the  father  was  a  farmer.  The  family  was  of 
English  and  Welch  descent  on  the  mothers  side 
and  on  the  father's  side  of  English  and  Scotch 
stock.  ;is  the  grandfather, Park  Davis,  was  a  native 
of  England. 

The  boyhood  days  of  our  subject  were  spent  in 


/Pv^ 


PORTRAIT  AM)   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


949 


his  native  place,  attending  the  village  school  and 
afterward  taking  a  course  at  Barre  Academy.  Sub- 
sequenl  to  this  he  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  S. 
Putnam,  of  Montpelier,  Vt.,  and  l>r.  J.  II.  Mead, 
of  Rutland,  Vl.,  and  took  a  course  of  lectures  at 
Dartmouth  College,  after  which  he  attended  the 
University  of  Vermont.  After  this  he  studied  a< 
the  University  of  the  City  of  New  lroik,  taking 
his  diploma  in  1878  and  the  following  year  became 
assistant  physician  at  Kings  County  Hospital,  after 
which  he  commenced  his  practice  in  Springfield,  Vt. 

In  1883  the  young  doctor  came  to  Saginaw  and 
has  here  built  up  an  excellent  practice,  lie  stands 
well  in  his  profession  and  is  a  member  of  the  Mich- 
igan state  Medical  Society,  beside-  belonging  to 
the  American  Medical  Association,  lie  also  be- 
longs to  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  hcini:  a 
member  of  Saginaw  Valley  Lodge,  No.  154.  I  Ipon 
the  30th  of  June,  1885,  Dr.  Davis  was  appointed  bj 
Gov.  Alger,  Surgeon  of  the  State  Troops  for  the 
Third  Regiment,  which  position  he  resigned  in 
May,  1891. 

Dr.  Davis' marriage,  which  took  place  in  May. 
1879, brought  to  his  home  an  affectionate  compan- 
ion in  the  person  of  Miss  Anna  M.,  daughter  of 
J.  P.  Richardson,  Esq.,  of  Leavenworth.  Kan.  The 
two  children  who  have  blessed  this  home  are  Jason 
W.and  Marion  A.,  and  the  delightful  shelter  which 
forms  the  home  of  this  household  is  located  at  No. 
10].  N.  Fayette  Street. 


VILLI  AM  WILLIAMSON.  The  gentleman 
whose  portrait  appears  on  the  opposite 
page  was  born  in  Albion.  Ontario,  April 
30,  18  18.  He  is  a  sou  of  Edward  and  Sarah  ( ( look  ) 
Williamson,  natives  of  Leicestershire.  England, 
who  settled  in  Canada  about  18  1  I.  having  married 
in  their  native  country  previous  to  coming  to 
America.  Mr.  Williamson.  Sr.  was  employed  as  m 
gardener  in  England  and  a  farmer  in  Canada. 
Since  his  wife's  death,  which  occurred  in  1882, 
the  father  has  lived  with  our  subject. 

William   Williamson  is  the   seventh  in  order   of 
birth  of    eight  children,  all   of    whom   are    living. 


One   brother,  Henry,  is  a   machinist   at    Bay  City. 

When   the    subject  of    our    -ketch   was   aboul   se\  en 

years  of  age  he  went  to  make  his  home  with  an 
older  sister,  Mrs.  Philo<  Ihrystler,  and  in  1859,  when 
eleven  years  old  he  came  to  Saginaw  with  the 
family,  but  remained  with  them  only  two  years, 
and  at  thirteen  years  of  ag*s  began  to  be  self-sup- 
porting. His  first  work  was  in  the  Glasby  stave 
mill,  which  was  located  where  Lee's  planing  mill 
now  stands.     The   following  winter   he  cut  cord- 

w 1  al  fifty  (cuts  per  cord,  paying  $2.50  per  week 

for  his  board  and  cutting  six  cords  of  wood  in  the 
same  time,  lie  later  secured  a  position  as  lire- 
man  of  a  tug  on    the   river. 

In  the  blacksmith  -hop  of  his  brother  Henry 
onr  subject  in  his  fifteenth  yeai  began  to  learn 
the  trade,  and  worked  for  his  brother  six  and  a 
half  years.  The  value  of  his  labors  steadily  ad- 
vanced until  he  was  enabled  to  lay  enough  by 
to  make  a  payment  on  the  business.  His  labor 
was  at  first  heavy  blacksmithing  for  mills  and 
the  salt  works  and  ship  work,  lie  employed  two 
or  three  men.  The  purchase  was  made  in  July, 
1870,  and  two  years  later  he  built  his  present  two- 
Story  brick  shop.  In  1875  he  added  steam  power 
for  heavy  work,  and  some  four  years  later  put  in 
anoutfitof  machinists' tools.  About  188J  he  erected 
his  present  one story  building  for  a  blacksmith 
shop,  at  the  same  time  adding  an  adjoining  wagon 
shop,  lie  built  a  storehouse  upon  his  place  which 
is  30x74  feet  in  dimensions. 

In  1891  Mr.  Williamson  bought  the  exclusive 
right  to  manufacture  and  sell  the  Bonanza  Fan- 
nine  yii||  in  the  States  of  Ohio.  Indiana  and 
Michigan,  and  erected  suitable  buildings  and  put 
in  suitable  machinery  to  manufacture  them  on  an 
extensive  scale  'His  place  occupies  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty  five  feet  on  Mackinaw  Street 
and  one  hundred  and  ninety  feet  on  Williamson 
Street.  Hegives  the  business  hi-  undivided  atten- 
tion, although  In'  has  some  valuable  real  estate  in 
the  city. 

Our  subject  has  a.  very  desirable  residence  on 
the  corner  of  Cam  bray  and  Linton  Streets.  It  is 
built  in  the  latest  and  most  approved  style  of  arch- 
itecture, with  all  modern  conveniences  and  is 
tastefully  furnished.     He  is  numbered  among  the 


950 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


army  of  men  who  have  foughl  their  way  single- 
handed  with  adverse  Circumstances  and  have 
reached  the  head  of  the  column  with  success  in  a 
business  point.  His  busy  career,  however,  has 
not  taken  from  him  the  sympathy  with  and  appre- 
ciation of  the  less  fortunate,  to  whom  he  is  ever 
ready  to  stretch  forth  a  helpful  hand. 

In  politics  our  subject  is  a  Republican  and  has 
been  Alderman  for  the  Seventh  Ward  during  three 
terms.  Socially,  he  is  a  member  of  Salina  Lodge, 
No.  155,  F.  &  A.  M.;  Joppa  Chapter,  No.  63, 
R.  A.  M.;  Saginaw  Council,  No.  20,  1!.  &  S.  M.; 
St.  Bernard  Commandery  No.  16,  K.  T.;  Michigan 
Sovereign  Consistory,  No.  32,  and  Moslem  Tem- 
ple. Order  of  Mystic  Shrine. 

s~*>  EORGE    W.  BENTLEY,  one    of    the   best 
III  __    known  farmers  and  stock-raisers  of  Chesan- 

V A     ing    Township.  Saginaw  County,  resides  on 

section  6,  upon  a  line  farm  of  eight)  acre-,  lie 
was  born  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  October  18, 
1830,  and  is  a  son  of  Robert  and  Eliza  (Wharton) 
Bentley,  both  natives  of  New  York  and  descended, 
the  father  from  Yankee  slock  and  the  mother 
from  Dutch  and  English  blood. 

Our  subject  was  reared  upon  a  farm  in  New 
York,  remaining  there  until  he  reached  tie  age  of 
twenty-three  and  receiving  only  a  limited  educa- 
tion, lie  was  married  in  New  York,  October  27, 
L852,  to  Miss  Charlotte  Anthony.  lie  removed  to 
Michigan  three  years  after  his  marriage  and  lived 
in  Detroit  for  some  two  years,  following  teaming, 
and  after  that  removed  to  Clio,  Tuscola  County, 
where  he  lived  nine  years,  afterward  removing  to 
the  town  of  Hazelton,  Shiawassee  County,  where 
he  bought  forty  acres  of  woodland  which  he  pro- 
ceeded to  clear  and  improve  with  buildings. 

Fifteen  years  later  Mr.  Bentley  sold  thai  property 

and  bought  his  present  lion f  eighty  acres,  which 

was  partly  cleared  before  In1  took  it  and  which  he 
ami  hi-  son  put  in  splendid  condition  for  raising 
crops.  This  son,  George  W.  Bentley,  was  horn  in 
New  York  and  he.  with  his  little  son.  Ray,  makes 
his   home   with    the     father,    forming     one    happy 


household.  Ill  the  fall  of  1862  Mr.  Bentley  en- 
listed in  Company  I),  Twenty-third  Michigan  In- 
fantry, and  was  one  of  the  boys  in  blue  who  took 
part  in  the  famous  march  with  Sherman  from  At- 
lanta to  the  sea.  lie  was  in  many  battles  and  had 
many  aarrow  escapes,  and  was  once  wounded  in 
the  foot.  His  honorable  discharge  was  granted  m 
1865  and  before  returning  home  ho  took  part  in 
the  Grand  Review.  He  is  an  enthusiastic  member 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  anil  he  has 
served  as  Highway  Commissioner^  to  which  he  was 
elected  on  the  Republican  ticket.  Since  he  was 
twenty-three  years  of  age  he  has  been  a  devout 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of 
which  body  his  wife  is  also  a  member,  as  well  as 
his  son  and  daughter-in-law. 

Mrs.  Bentley  was  horn  in  the  town  of  Cazenovia, 
Madison  County,  N.  Y..  August  1,  1834,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Hiram  and  Lucy  L.(Beebe)  Anthony, 
both  native-  of  New  York,  who  came  to  Michigan 
in    1856.     Mr.  ami   Mrs.  Bentley  had  two  children 

bom  to  them,  bill  Eva,  their  eldest,  who  was  born 
in  Onondago  County,  N.  Y.,  February  7.  1854,  died 
August  •_'().  1890,  leaving  one  child — Glenn  M. 
Somers.  :i  son  by  her  lirst,  marriage,  who  was  born 
January  1  1.  1872, and  is  now  clerking  in  a  store  in 
Peringtoii.  Mich.  Their  second  child,  George  M.. 
was  born  April  1  1.  1856, and  was  married  Septem- 
ber 2.  1879,  to  Alice  L.  Potter.  Their  only  living- 
child — Raymond  ( )..  was  born  March  <>,  1833. 
Their  daughter.  Lotta  I...  died  in  infancy. 


*^a  ANFORD  S.  PERKINS.    One  of  thepiomi- 
v>i^tf      nent  and  highly-respected  gentlemen  resi- 
\J_llj    dent    in  Saginaw  Township,  on  section   17, 
is  he  whose  name   appears  above.      He  i^  a 
native  of   Erie  County.  Pa.,  and  was  born  October 
•">.  1820.      He   is  a  son    of  Sprague   and  Maria  Per- 
kins.    The   former  was  a  native  of   New  York  and 
was  born  in   1795.     The    American   branch    of   the 
Perkins    family    is   descended   from    one  of    three 
brothers   who    came   to    America    from  Wales    just 
previous  to  the  Revolutionary  War,  in  which  they 


PORTRAIT   AND   1U<><  HiAPlIK  A  I.   RECORD. 


951 


all  served  as  soldiers.  Our  subject's  grandfather 
is  the  only  one  of  the  three  of  whom  anything  is 
known.     He   was  a   farmer  and    died  al  Hatavia, 

N.  V. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  mason  by  trade. 
He  worked  on  the  Erie  (anal  during  its  construc- 
tion and  came  West  in  1846.  firsl  locating  inOwos- 
so,  Shiawassee  County, making  the  journey  by  boat 
to  Detroil  and  thence  by  wagon,  lie  there  super- 
intended the  building  of  a  dam  and  mill  and  there 
died  in  February,  1817.  lie  was  an  ardent  Bap- 
tist and  in  politics  a  Democrat.  His  wife  and  our 
subject's  mother,  was  prior  to  her  marriage  .Maria 
Matthews,  a  native  of  Ohio,  who  was  liorn  in  1799. 
Her  people  were  an g  the  first  settlers  at  Cleve- 
land. She  and  her  husband  reared  five  children, 
whose  names  are  Sanford  S..  Stephen,  Nettie,  Joseph 
and  Clara,  Mrs.  Buss. 

Sanford  Perkins  came  to  Michigan  when  a  mere 
boy  with  his  parents  and  here  he  attended  pioneer 
school.  There  were  many  Indians  in  this  vicinity 
and  his  father  used  to  act  as  judge  in  settling  their 
difficulties.  He  liked  no  better  spoil  as  a  boy  than 
to  hunt  the  deer  and  bears  that  were  so  plentiful. 
Oursubject  lived  at Owosso  until  his  father's  death 
and  then  went  East,  remaining  one  year.  On  his 
return  to  Owosso,  he  learned  the  wagon-maker's 
trade,  in  which  he  was  engaged  for  ten  years.  He 
came  to  Saginaw  in  .Inly.  1849,  and  opened  a 
wagon  shop.  The  town  was  then  only  an  Indian 
trading  post  with  a  few  small  hotels  and  other 
things  in  proportion. 

Mr.  Perkins  carried  on  the  wagon-making  busi- 
ness for  eight  years  and  many  of  the  lumber  wagons 
used  in  the  early  days  came  from  his  shop  and  were 
the  work  of  his  hands.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he 
spent  one  rear  in  charge  of  a  bridge  on  Mackinaw 
Street,  and  was  then  engaged  on  the  street  railroad 
for  thirteen  years.  He  superintended  that  enter- 
prise and  rebuilt  the  entire  track.  At  the  end  of 
his  connection  with  that  interest,  he  removed  upon 
his  farm,  where  he  now  lives,  coming  here  in  the 
spring  of  L880.  lie  has  made  nearly  all  the  im- 
provements upon  the  farm  and  built  his  present 
neat   farmhouse,  in   1878,   and    his    large    barn    the 

following  year.     He  carrie general   farming  in 

which  he  has  been  very  successful.     The  home  was 


presided  over  by  his  amiable  wife,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  June,  1853,  She  was  a  Miss  Maryett  Wy- 
raan,  and  a  native  of  Vermont, born  in  1833.  Our 
subject  has  reared  two  boys,  whose  names  are 
Stephen  D.  and  Winlield  S.  Another  son  horn  to 
them,  Jefferson,    their    eldest    child,  died    when    six 

years  of  age.     Mrs.  Perkins  died  in  October,  1863. 

sh<'  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church. 

Oursubject  is  identified  in  his  political  relations 
with  the  Democratic  party.  He  was  elected  Super- 
visor of  the  township  in  the  spring  of  1885  and 
served  for  three  successive  years,  was  Chairman  of 
the  Board  three  years.  He  still  holds  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  to  which  he  was  elected  in 

1889.       For  I  wo  years  he  served  as  Alderman  of  the 

Third  Ward  of  Saginaw  and  has  been  School  Di- 
rector for  six  years.  During  the  thireen  years  in 
which  .Mr.  Perkins  was  with  the  street  railway  com- 
pany he  built  a  tow  barge,  which  he  operated  on 

the  river  for  two  years.  He  also  owned  and  oper- 
ated a  tug  for  four  years. 


—5— 


^§>*<1 


fc-T^      . 


Qy~ 


EA.  Lh  BEL,  M.I).  Among  tin-  younger  mem- 
bers of  the  medical  fraternity  in  the  city  of 
Saginaw  may  be  found  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  wh  i  to  a  thorough  classical  education  has 
added  a  training  in  medical  schools,  and  is  thus 
more  than  ordinarily  well  equipped  to  enter  upon 
the  practice  of  a  profe33ion  which  requires  supe- 
rior mental  and  moral  attributes  to  make  the  work 
a  success. 

Dr.  Le  Bel  was  born  in  the  Dominion  of  Can- 
ada, Province  of  Quebec,  December  '2<!.  1865.  He 
was  the  youngest  of  twelve  children,  his  father 
being  Dr.  C.  0.  Le  Bel,  who  is  a  prominent  phys- 
ician engaged  in  practice  ai  Quebec.  The  mother 
of  our  subjed  was  Julia  Telemaire.  a  native  of 
Canada,  as  was  her  husband.  Oursubject  attended 
the  model  schools  of  his  native  place  until  eleven 
years  of  age,  when  he  entered  the  Seminary  of 
Quebec,    in    which    he    spent     f ■  year-.        He    was 

afterward  for  four  years  in    Levis  College,   where 
he  completed  his  classical  studies. 


952 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


In  1885  our  subject  became  a  private  soldier  in 
the  Ninth  Battalion  to  suppress  Indians  on  the 
frontier,  in  which   he  served  four  months  and  was 

]  in  minted  to  be  First  Lieutenant,  holding  that  rank 
when  lie  was  mustered  out.  In  1886  he  entered 
the  Laval  University  at  Quebec,  where  he  com- 
pleted his  medical    course   and    was    graduated  in 

1890.  He  came  directly  to  Saginaw  and  com- 
menced practice,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year 
attended  a  course  of  lectures  at  the  hospital  of 
New  York,  and  also  at  Montreal  and  Quebec,  Can- 
ada, at  which  place  he  took  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of    Medicine.      Returning    to     Saginaw    in    April. 

1891,  he  resumed  his  practice,  which  promises  to 
be  very  successful,  lie  has  a  neatly  fitted  up  of- 
fice at  No.  315  Genesee  Street,  and  is  popular 
among  the  young  people  of  the  city. 


.;..;..;..;.  ■, 


31 


fc"$"S"$"S»: 


***'§lSg'->*** 


^ 


AMES  .1.  FRASER,  The  pioneer  families 
of  Saginaw  County  occupy  a  high  place  in 
the  affection  of  the  people,  and  among  them 
the  Fraser  family  has  probably  contributed 
as  much  as  any  of  the  old  settlers  toward  the  devel- 
opment of  Saginaw  Valley.  A  worthy  representative 
of  this  family  is  the  gentleman  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  biographical  notice  and  who  was  horn  in 
the  township  of  Saginaw,  where  he  now  resides, 
March   11.  is  11. 

Murdoch  Fraser,  father  id'  our  subject,  was  horn 
in  Scotland,  whence  he  emigrated  to  America 
when  aboul  eighteen  years  old.  He  was  married 
to  Isabella  Goulding,  in  June,  1835,  at  Detroit, 
and  the  same  month  they  came  to  make  their 
home  in  Saginaw.  The  means  for  traveling  in 
that  early  day  were  limited,  for  Mr.  Fraser  fol- 
lowed the  Indian  trail  and  led  a  pony  which  Mis. 
Fraser  rode.  They  bought  land  on  the  west  side 
of  i  lie  Tittabawassee  River,  where  their  son,  Alex- 
ander, wa-  horn.  Afterward  they  purchased  what 
is  now  known  as  the  "Poor  Farm,"  and  in  that 
home  four  children  were  lioiu.  Later  they  re- 
moved  to  the  home  from  which  they  were  buried. 
Murdoch  Fraser  was  a  member  of  the  State 
Legislature  and  several  times  held  the  Supervisor- 


ship  of  Tittabawassee  Township.  He  died  March 
16,  IH77.  anil  his  wife  passed  away  April  3(1. 
1889,  leaving  a  family  of  nine  children.  The 
early  education  of  our  subject  was  acquired  in  the 
primitive  log  schoolhouse  of  the  vicinity,  anil  his 
time  was  devoted  to  attendance  at  school  and 
work  on  the  farm.  He  often  saw  Indians,  as  well 
a-  deer  and  other  wild  animals.  At  the  age  of 
nineteen  years  he  entered  the  Union  School  at 
V  psilanti,  this  State,  where  he  was  a  student  one 
and  one-half  years. 

When  twenty-four  years  old  our  subject  took 
charge  of  the  street  railway  in  Saginaw  upon  the 
death  of  an  uncle,  who  wa-  largely  interested  in 
it.  He  was  engaged  in  that  way  for  seven  years, 
and  was  successful  by  reason  of  his  faithful  .dis- 
charge of  duties  and  excellent  judgment.  lie  is 
now  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  thirteen  acres 
and  engages  in  mixed  farming  with  considerable 
success.  During  the  winter  season  he  cares  for 
horses  belonging  to  the  people  in  the  city,  and  one 

winter  had  sixty-nine  head  on  his  place.  His  po- 
litical affiliations  bring  him  into  sympathy  with 
the  Democratic  party,  the  principles  of  which  he 
believes  best  adapted  to  the  welfare  of  our  Gov- 
ernment. A  man  of  sound  common  sense  and  un- 
remitting industry,  he  enjoys  the  confidence  of  his 
acquaintances  and  is  adding  lustre  to  his  honored 
family  name. 


■  ©II 


AULAS'  PAGE  SMITH.  This  prominent 
business  man  is  successfully  engaged  in 
several  branches  of  business,  being  attorney 

£))  at  law.  carriage  manufacturer,  breeder  of 
tine  stock,  farmer,  and  extensively  interested  in 
real  estate.  He  was  born  at  Hartland.  Living-ton 
County,  this  Stale.  April  :i.  1843,  and  is  the  son 
of  Beriah  (..and  Betsey  (dale)  Smith,  natives  of 
New  York.  The  parents  came  to  Michigan  in 
1836  and  located  in  Livingston  County.  The 
father  had  been  a  farniei  all  his  life  and  passed  his 
last  days  near  Kenton,  where  the  mother  also  died. 

( If  the  eight  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Beriah  G.  Smith,  seven  are   living.     One   brother, 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


953 


Rufus  T.,  [s  engaged  in  the  real-estate  business  in 
Saginaw.  Our  subject  remained  al  home  uniil 
reaching  his  majority,  receiving  his  education  tirst 
in  the  common  and  then  the  High  School  of  Fen- 
ton,  which  latter  institution  he  entered  when 
eighteen  years  of  age.  In  1863  he  became  a  student 
of  the  Michigai  University,  entering  the  literary 
department  where  he  prosecuted  his  studies  for 
two  years  and  in  1865  took  up  the  study  of  law  in 
that  university,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
the  class  of  'ii7. 

On  commencing  the  practice  of  law,  lie  of  whom 
wc  write  formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother, 
Irving  M.  Smith,  who  had  located  in  Saginaw 
some  years  before  and  who  was  a  graduate  of  the 
State  Normal  al  Ypsilanti.  The  partnership  con- 
tinned  from  1870  to  1876,  al  which  date  the 
brother  died.  Our  subject  then  became  interested 
in  the  real  estate  business  and  handled  large  tracts 
of  timbered  land,  lie  also  kept  a  complete  ab- 
stract of  titles  of  the  county,  and  later  associated 
himself  with  Frank  Lawrence,  in  his  real-estate  in- 
terests. For  ten  years  they  continued  togethei 
and  during  thai  time  they  improved  a  trad  of  four 
hundred  acres  of  land  five  miles  southeast  of  the 
city,  and  engaged  in  breeding  tine  stock.  .Mr. 
Smith  became  interested  in  the  Prairie  farm  about 
1888  in  company  with  Mr.  (amp  and  Brooks. 
The  farm  is  located  in  Albee  Township,  and  con- 
tains eighty-six  hundred  twenty-five  acres,  and  is 
about  eight  miles  from  the  city  of  Saginaw.  They 
keep  about  one  hundred  head  of  thoroughbred 
animals  on  their  farm. 

Mr.  Smith  does  a  very  large  real  estate  business, 
handling  lands  throughout  Huron.  Tuscola,  Mid- 
land. Sanilac  and  Saginaw  Counties.  The  Aldine 
Block  was  erected  by  Mr.  Smith  in  1888.  The 
year  previous  he  became  associated  with  a  large 
firm  in  Grand  Rapids  manufacturing  carriages. 
Our  subject  also  has  stock  in  the  Reliance  Mills  at 
Vassar,  a  flouring  place,  which  has  been  quite  an 
important  factor  in  this  portion  of  the  state,  with 
a  capacity  of  one  hundred  barrels  daily. 

The  original  of  this  sketch  keeps  on  his  farm  a 
number  of  Holstein-Friesan  cattle,  his  entire  herd 
being  registered  animals.  lie  has  taken  many  of  the 
premiums  at  county  and  State  fairs.  He  also  breeds 


Clydesdale  horses,  of  which   he  lias   .-ome  very   line 

specimens.  Mr.  Smith  has  been  for  ten  years  Sec- 
retary of  the  East  Saginaw  Gas  Company,  in  which 
he  is  a  large  stockholder. 

October  12.  1870,  Mr.smith  and  Miss  Alice  E. 
[ngersoll  were  united  in  marriage.  They  have  one 
son.  Haflan,  who  is  in  his  nineteenth  year  and  is  a 
student  at  the  Michigan  University.  Mrs.  Smith 
is  a  member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  and  is 
very  active  in  all  good  works.  Our  subject  is  con- 
nected with  the  Royal  Arcanum  and  in  religious 
matters  is  an  active  member  of  the  Universalis) 
Church. 


"^] 


HHH^! 


&~ 


v  KAN  0.  BADGLEY.  Tins  prominent  farmer 
and  stock-raiser,  who  has  fort)  acres  of 
excellent  land  on  section  34,  Chesaning 
Township,  Saginaw  County,  was  bom  June  8, 
1848,  in  Morris  County,  N.  .1.  lie  is  a  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Eleanor  (Brown)  Badgley,  of  whom 
more  will  be  found  on  another  page  of  this  vol- 
ume. Our  subject  was  about  seven  years  old 
when  his  parents  removed  to  Michigan,  and  al- 
though he  had  many  duties  and  heavy  ones  in 
connection  with  the  farm  work,  he  was  given 
an  opportunity  to  acquire  a  fair  common-school 
education.  Besides  helping  his  father  upon  the 
farm  he  worked  for  neighbors,  receiving  $15  a 
month. 

At  the  age  of  twenty  this  young  man  began 
work  in  the  lumber  woods,  and  was  employed 
there  in  sawmills  for  some  six  months.  The  first 
sum  of  money  he  gained,  and  which  constituted 
his  capital,  was  earned  by  hauling  lumber  for  R. 
II.  Nason.  With  this  money  he  bought  an  eighty- 
acre  lot  and  lived  upon  it  for  two  years,  getting 
it  under  such  thorough  cultivation  and  pla<  ing 
upon  it  such  improvements  as  enabled  him  to  sell  it 
at  a  large  advance.  It  was  bought  by  I.'.  II.  Nason 
and  he  cleared  enough  on  it  to  nearly  pay  for  his 
present  home  of  fort\  acres,  which  he  bought 
about   t  he  year  1876. 

Since  settling  upon  the  farm  where  he  now  lives 
Mr.  Badgley    has  cleared    it    up,    put    it  under   cul- 


954 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


tivation  ami  placed  upon  it  excellent  buildings. 
(  toe  of  his  best  improvements  upon  this  place  con- 
sists in  thr  water  advantages,  as  be  has  <1  iiir  three 
deep  wells  and  has  almost  an  unlimited  supply  of 
that  element  so  necessary  to  farming  operations. 
The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  in  April, 
1880,  and  his  bride  was  Mary  Ann,  daughter  of 
C.  M.  and  Hannah  (  Baldwin  )  Carpenter,  of  ( >wi  >sso, 
Midi.  She  was  horn  November  3,  1858,  at  Am- 
hurstburg,  Canada,  and  her  father  was  of  English 
birth,  while  her  mother  was  a  Canadian.  Mr.  Car- 
penter was  horn  in  England.  April  8,  1837,  and 
he  now  lives  in  Owosso.  Mr.  Badgley  is  in  his 
political  views  an  adherent  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
Democratic  party,  and  he  is  deeply  interested  in 
the  movements  of  the  Pattons  of  Industry.  He 
has  been  School  Director  and  District  Assessor, 
and  in  both  capacities  has  done  good  work  for  the 
township  and  district. 


ylLLlAM  W.  BURGESS.  We  are  pleased 
to  here  present  a  life  sketch  of  the  efficient 
and  popular  Supervisor  of  Brady  Town- 
ship, Saginaw  County,  who  is  carrying  on  farming 
and  stock-raising  upon  section  23, and  is  devoting 
considerable  attention  to  the  breeding  of  blooded 
Merino  sheep.  He  was  horn  in  Oakland  County, 
this  state.  September  27.  1850, and  is  a  son  of  CO. 
and  Mary  Ann  (Placeway)  Burgess.  The  father  was 
a  New  Yorker  and  a  native  of  Alleghany  County, 
and  the  mother  was  horn  in  Shiawassee  County. 
this  State.  The  former  came  to  Michigan  when 
about  twelve  years  old  with  his  father,  Seth  Bur- 
gess, who  was  one  of  the  genuine  pioneers  of  Mich- 
igan and  who  still  survives  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
five,  making  his  home  near  Ilartland  (enter. 
Livingston  County. 

The  father  of  our  subjeel  became  a  cripple  by  an 
accident  when  a  little  hoy.  Hi-  parents  \\<  re  work- 
ing in  the  sugar  bush  whena  lire  broke  out  in  which 
his  feet  were  badly  burned  and  he  never  entirely 
recovered  from  the  results  of  that  disaster.  Our 
subject  had  his  early  training  and  i  ducation  upon 
his   father's    farm    and    in    the   district  school,  and 


later  took  up  a  High  School  course  at  Ann  Arbor 
and  also  a  teacher's  course  at  the  Normal  School 
at  Ypsilanti.  He  began  teaching  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  in  the  country  .schools  of  Livingston 
County,  and  has  taught  for  twenty  years,  meeting 
with  a  high  degree  of  success  throughout  his  ex- 
perience and  being  engaged  during  the  last  five 
years  of  that  period  in  the  schools  of  Oakley. 

One  of  the  most  important  events  of  Mr.  Bur- 
gess' life  was  his  union  in  marriage,  October 
30,  1*72,  with  Wealthy  Dunning,  of  Hamburg, 
Livingston  County.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Cephas 
and  Betsey  (  Brown)  Dunning,  and  the  father  is  a 
native  of  New  York  and  the  mother  of  Livingston 
County.  Two  children  have  been  granted  to  this 
union — Grace,  who  was  born  in  Washtenaw  County 
February  •">.  1875,  and  is  now  a  young  lady  of  six- 
teen years,  and  Harry,  who  was  born  in  Livingston 
County,  December  2.'i.  1878,  and  is  now  in  his 
thirteenth  \  ear. 

In  1*77  our  subject  bought  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  tine  land  in  Livingston  County  which 
he  put  under  cultivation  and  finally  sold  three 
years  later  and  bought,  his  present  home,  which  is 
situated  upon  a  tract  of  eighty  acres.  While  teach- 
ing at  Oakley  he  resided  upon  his  farm  and  at  that 
time  was  elected  Supervisor  in  the  3-ear  1886, since 
which  lime  he  has  served  continuously  in  that 
office,  his  majority  on  the  Republican  ticket  run- 
ning from  thirty  Ave  to  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
four.  In  1*771  and  1876  he  held  the  office  of  Super- 
intendent of  Schools  in  Dexter  Township,  Washte- 
naw County,  and  since  coming  to  Brady  Township 
he  has  served  as  School  Inspector.  Occupying  that 
Office  during  the  years  of  1881-82  and  giving 
oreat  satisfaction  therein  to  his  constituents. 


ON.  HENRY  M.  Yo[  MANS.  M.  ('..  was 
born  in  Otsego.  Otsego  County.  X.  Y..  May 
15,  1*32.  lie  is  a  son  of  William  and 
Margaret  (Homing)  Youmans,  natives  of 
New  York,  where  the  father  was  a  prosperous 
fanner.  Tin-  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
J.  .1.   Youmans,    emigrated    from    Holland   to  the 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


955 


United  States  in  an  earh  day  and  settled  on  a 
farm  near  Albany.  The  maternal  great-grand- 
father of  our  subject  emigrated  fiom  Germany  to 
the  United  States  and  settled  in  New  York  when 
it  was  sparsely  settled. 

The  parents  of  Our  subject  have  passed  away, 
the  lather  dying  in  his  eightieth  year  and  the 
mother  when  seventy-four.  Their  family  com- 
prised thirteen  children,  six  suns  and  seven 
daughters,  twelve  of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 
Henry  M  was  the  ninth  in  order  of  birth  and 
Spenl   his  boyhood  days  m   his    native  place,  where 

he  attended  the   common    school.     Ai    the  age  of 

twenty-two  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  York  & 
Erie  Railroad  Company,  and  remained  in  that  con- 
nection [our  years. 

In  April,  1863,  Mr.  Yo'umans  removed  to  Sagi- 
naw and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber 
and  salt  in  partnership  with  .1.  F.  Burdy,  under 
the  li rii!  name  of  Burdy  &  Youmans.  The  connec- 
tion continued  until  1*7h,  when  Mr.  Youmans 
sold  out  and  went  to  St.  (lair  County.  M  ieh..  there 
engaging  in  farming  and  lumbering,  lie  asso- 
ciated himself  with  Lewis  Van  Wenkle,  and  the 
linn  of  Youmans  &  Van  Wenkle  continued  in 
business  for  six  years  until  Mr.  Van  Wenkle  re- 
moved West.  Our  subject  soon  afterwai d  sold  out, 
and  returning  to  Saginaw  County,  purchased  a 
farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  which  he  carries  on  in 
connection  with  the  dairy  business  and  the  manu- 
facture of  brick. 

Although  Mr.  Youmans  resides  in  Saginaw,  he 
devotes  considerable  attention  to  the  interests  of 
his  farm  in  Bridgeport  Township.  Saginaw  ( bounty, 
and  keeps  forty  COWS,  selling  the  milk  to  the 
cheese  factory.      In    1857    he    was    married    to    .Miss 

Mary  .1.,  daughter  of  Edwin  Brown,  of  Andover, 
N.  Y.,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  four  children, 
namely:  Frank  E.,  Elmer  M..  Pearl  E.  (deceased), 
and   Harry. 

Mr.  Youmans  has  served  as  Alderman  for  four 
terms,  representing   the  Eighth    Ward:   he  has  also 

been     Scl I     Inspector     for     four    term.-:     Presi- 

dent  of  the  School  Hoard  for  two  terms,  and 
was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace,  but  refused 
to  qualify.  In  1886-87  he  served  efficiently 
as    Mayor    of    Saginaw,    to    which     position     he 


was   elected    on     the     Democratic    ticket.       lie    now 

represents  the  Eighth  District  in  Congress,  hav- 
ing been  elected  to  that  position  in  L890.  In 
whatever  position  he  is  called  by  the  choice  of  his 
fellow-citizens  he  discharges  the  duties  connected 
therewith  efficiently  ami  with   marked  ability. 


RTHUK  G.  BISSELL,  M.  D.  There  is  l.ut 
one  physician  now  living  in  Saginaw  Val- 
ley who  was  here  when  Dr.  Bisscil  located 
in  Saginaw.  A  pioneer  physician,  he  made 
long  trips  in  early  day-  and  had  considerable 
practice  among  the   Indians    as    well   as  the  white 

settlers.  When  he  came  to  Detroit,  in  1850,  the 
city  was  an  unimportant  hamlet  and  Woodward 
Avenue  was  the  only  street  which  was  graded. 
He  was  City  Physician  while  there;  and  was  closely 
identified  with  it s  progress. 

The  Doctor  is  the  possessor  of  a  line  medical 
and  general  library.  Among  Ins  possessions  he 
prizes  highly  the  surgical  case  belonging  to  Dr. 
Lord,  of  Custer's  Brigade.  It  was  the  only  article 
of  value  found  after  the  battle  of  Little  Big  Horn 
and  was  sent  to  a  nephew  of  our  subject,  and  after- 
ward given    to  the  Doctor.      Some  year-    after    the 

above-mentioned  battle  ii  was  learned  from  Sitting 
Bull  that    Dr.  Lord    had   shot    himself    in    order  to 

escape  being  taken   pris r.     Our    subjeel    is  an 

enterprising  citizen  and  has  held  various  official 
positions,  at  presenl  serving  as  Health  Officer  of 
West  Bay  City. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolutionary  War,  and  died  in  Ontario 
County,  X.  Y.  The  father,  Daniel  II. .  was  horn  in 
Vermont  and  was  a  graduate  of  the  medical  de- 
partment in  Yale  College.  For  sixty  years  he 
practiced  his  profession  at  Moscow,  X.  Y..  where 
our  subject  was  born  August  ~>2.  1S2i>.  He  was 
one  of  seven  children  and  was  reared  in  Living- 
ston County,  attending  the  Genesee  Academy.  He 
finished  his  literar)  c  lurs  ■  when  he  was  twenty. 
and  at  once  commenced  the  studj  of  medicine. 

In  1846  our  subject   entered   the   University  of 


:>.-,i; 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


New  York,  where  lie  was  a  student  for  one  term. 
In  1848-49  he  attended  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  in  New  York,  where  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  L849.  In  1850  he  came  to  Detroit,  and 
six  years  later  removed  to  Vassal-,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1859.  Then,  locating  in  East  Sagi- 
naw, lie  practiced  there  until  1K7G,  and  from  thai 
year  until  1881  was  a  resident  of  Detroit.  The 
eight  ensuing  years  he  was  following  his  profession 
in  Saginaw,  and  in  1889  located  in  West  Bay  City, 
where  he  now  reside-. 

The  Doctor  served  as  County  Coroner  of  Sagi- 
naw for  two  terms;  School    Inspector  two    terms; 

City  Physician  both  in  Detroit  and  Saginaw;  Health 
Officer  of  Saginaw,  and  is  now  President  of  the 
Board  of  Health  in  West  Day  City.  He  has  been 
identified  with  the  Wayne  and  Saginaw  Medical 
Societies,  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  Bay  County 
Medical  Society.  During  the  administration  of 
President  Cleveland  he  was  Examiner  of  Pensions. 
In  1855  Dr.  Bissell  was  married  to  Mis>  Corne- 
lia H.  Gibbs,  whose  father.  William,  was  a  mer- 
chant and  large  mill  owner  of  Skancateles,  N.  Y. 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bissell  have  one  child  living — Theo 
E.,  a  hardware  merchant  of  West  Bay  City.  Po- 
litically the  Doctor  is  a  Democrat,  and  socially  lie 
belongs  to  the  Royal  Arcanum  and  the  Order  of 
Maccabees. 


^Sl 


■ 


• 


Ils^- 


EORGE  II.  AZURE,  an   influential  membei 

the  farming  community  in  Bay  County, 
csided  in  Portsmouth  Township  since 
1884,  during  which  time  he  has  had  the  manage- 
ment of  the  McGraw  farm.  He  is  descended  from 
French  ancestors,  who  early  emigrated  to  this 
country.  His  grandfather.  Anthony  Azure,  was 
probably  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  hut  during  the 
most  of  his  active  life  resided  in  New  York, 
where  he  operated  as  a  farmer  anil  also  followed 
the  trade  of  a  carpenter  and    builder. 

The  parents  Of  our  subject,  Samuel  and  Sarah 
M.  (Drake)  Azure,  were  natives  respectively  of 
New  Jersey  and  New  York,  and  it  was  during 
their    residence     in     Lansing.     Tompkins    County. 


N.  Y..  that  their  son.  George  II..  was  born  in 
1838.  He  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native 
place,  whence  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  re- 
moved to  Minnesota,  remaining  for  two  years  in 
Rochester  and  for  nine  years  in  Austin,  and  en- 
gaging in  selling  groceries  and  agricultural  imple- 
ments. 

Returning  to  New  York.  Mr.  Azure  followed 
farming  pursuits  for  seven  out  of  ten  years  spent 
tin-re.  and  in  1884,  as  above  stated,  came  to  Bay 
County,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  I860,  to  Sarah  II..  daughter  of  .1.  W. 
Gibbs,  of  New  York,  and  they  are  the  parents  of 
one  child — Cora  C.  the  wife  of  Frank  E.  Webb, 
of  Portsmouth.  Socially  .Mr.  Azure  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  with  which  he  has  been 
identified  for  more  than  thirty  years.  He  and 
his  estimable  wife  occupy  a  prominent  place  in  the 
social  circle-  of  the  com m unity,  and  are  universally 
esteemed  for  their  noble  qualities  of  heart  and 
mind. 


@ 


a-^HHRlH*^ © 


~- 


W.  IRWIN.  The  leading  real  estate  and 
insurance  1  nisi nes- of  West  Bay  City  is  in 
charge  of  Mr.  Irwin,  who  handles  property 
\£)  both  for  himself  and  outside  parties,  and 
gives  his  whole  attention  to  the  details  of  his 
work.  He  is  agent  for  the  Niagara,  of  New  York: 
Liverpool,  London  and  Globe,  of  England; 
Pin  en  ix.  of  Hart  fori  Land  other  first -class  companies, 
numbering  eleven  altogether. 

The  most  of  his  life  prior  to  t.s,s7,  when  he  re- 
moved to  West  Bay  City,  was  passed  in  Huron 
County, -this  State,  where  for  eighteen  years  he 
held  county  offices.  For  four  years  he  was  Clerk 
of  the  County  and  County  Register  of  Deeds;  for 
two  years  he  was  County  Clerk,  after  which  he 
served  for  twelve  years  as  Judge  of  Probate.  Upon 
retiring  from  his  official  position,  be  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  and  real-estate  business,  and  was 
successful  in  his  enterprises. 

Since  coming  to  We-t  Bay  City.  Mr.  Irwin  has 
become  well  known  as  a  genial  gentleman  and  en- 
ergetic business  man.  He  occupies  a  handsome 
suite  of  otliees  and  engages  in    lmving  and   selling 


§&£  M 


PORTRAIT  AM     BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


959 


land,  houses,  etc.  ms  well  as  representing  first-class 
c*(»i-]ior:iti<nis  in  the  department  of  insurance.  So 
honorable  and  uprighl  has  been  his  life,  both  in 
business  and  social  intercourse,  as  to  win  for  him 
the  full  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


ERDINAND  HOPP.  We  here  present  the 
portrait  and  biographical  sketch  of  the 
proprietor  and  manager  of  the  European 
Hotel  at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Wain  Streets, 
in  Bay  City.  He  performs  to  perfection  the  du- 
ties of'Mine  Host"  and  is  an  ideal  Boniface,  being 
a  man  of  greal  popularity,  fine  physique  and  orig- 
inal character.  With  the  exception  of  sonic  losses 
by  endorsements  he  has  been  successful  in  every 
effort  which  he  has  put  forth. 

Mr.  Hopp  was  born  in  Hamburg,  Germany,  Jan- 
uary 30,  L854.  His  father,  William,  and  grand- 
father, Charles,  were  lioth  horn  in  Mechlenburg. 
The  latter  came  to  the  I  nited  states  and  located 
in  New  York  at  Walcottsvill'e,  where  he  carried  on 
farming.  He  finally  came  to  Bay  City,  and  died 
here  at  the  age  of  eighty-five.  He  took  part  in  the 
Napoleonic  wars,  and  was  a  sufferer  thereby. 

William  Hopp  resided  in  Hamburg  and  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade  and  a  —lii i >  iroucr.  In  1857 
he  came  to  America  with  his  wife  and  three  chil- 
dren, being  fourteen  week--  on  the  ocean.  Land- 
ing in  New  York  City,  hi-  made  his  way  to  Niagara 
County.  N.    V..  where    he    heated    on  a    farm.       In 

1865  he  came  io  New  Baltimore,  Macomb  County. 

Mich.,  where    he  took   up   eighty  acres  of  laud,  and 

devoted  his  energies  to  its  improvement  until  1870. 
He  then  came  to  Bay  City  and  engaged  in  the  saw- 
null  business  until  he  retired  to  a  farm  in  Hamp- 
ton Township,  six  miles  from  the  city,  lie  was  a 
Democrat  in  politics  and  a  member  of  the  Luth- 
eran  Church  as  was  also  his  good  wile.  Mary   Kulp, 

who  was  born  in  Bayaria,  Germany,  on  the  Rhine. 

Their  nine  children  all  grew  to  maturity  and  are 
still  living. 

The  earliesl  recollections  of  our  subject  carry 
him  hack  to  the  farm  and  the  district  school-  of 
New   York.      lie    was    eleven     years    old     when    the 

1 1 


family  came  to  Michigan,  and  here  he  studied  in 
a  log  schoolhouse  for  awhile,  although  his  advan- 
tages were  limited,  as  his  father  needed  his  help  in 
clearing  and  cultivating  the  new  farm.  lie  early 
learned  to  help  pull  the  crosscut  saw  and  thus  fell 
the  trees.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  went  to  Alpena 
lo  work  in  the  sawmills,  beginning  by  piling  lum- 
ber and  working  at  an  edger  table. 

In  1869  Mr.  Hopp  came  to  Bay  City  and  was 
employed  by  Dolson,  Walker  &  McCray  in  their 
mill  for  several  years.  In  the  fall  of  1874  he 
opened  a  restaurant  al  the  Third  Street  Bridge  and 
worked  up  a  line  business  there,  remaining  at  that 
point  until  the  building  in  which  he  was  located 
was  destroyed  by  fire.  This  block  was  rebuilt,  and 
in  1890  he  remodeled  and  opened  it  as  the  Euro- 
pean Hotel.  It  covers  an  area  of  50x150  feet,  is 
three  stories  in  height,  besides  a  basement,  and  is 
the  finest  and  largest  hotel  in  the  city,  containing 
some  fifty  room-  and  an  excellent    restaurant. 

Mr.  Hopp  was  married  in  Bay  City,  in  1875,  to 
Miss  Minnie  Bolzmann,  who  was  horn  in  Walcotts- 
ville,  N.  Y.,  and  they  have  two  children — Lena 
and  Alle.  The  Lutheran  Church  is  the  religious 
body  with  which  Mr.  Hopp  is  connected,  and  the 
social  orders  which  command  his  co-operation  are 
the  Foresters,  Maccabees,  odd  Fellows,  Arbeiter 
Society,  the  Knights  of  Malta  and  the  Order  of  the 
Iron  Hall.  He  is  a  frequent  delegate  to  Demo- 
cratic county  conventions  and  has  been  Chair- 
man of  the  Ward  Committee.  Although  lie  is  a 
prosperous  man  and  has  acquired  a  handsome 
competence,  including  some  valuable  real  estate, 
he  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  lose  some  $23,000  five 
years  ago  through  endorsing  for  friends. 


ERBERT  WELLINGTON  SAVAGE.  Every 
,  part  of  our  country  ha-  its  own  peculiari- 
ties and  its  frontier  men  and  pioneers  haw 
(G)  experiences  and  labors  which  are  quite  un- 
known in  other  section-  of  this  hroad  country. 
For  instance  the  life  of  a  "pineland  looker"  is 
something  of  which  prairie  farmer-  have  no  con- 
ception.     The    business    of    such    an     one    is     in     a 


960 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


great  measure  to  estimate  the  amount  of  lumber 
that  might  be  cut  from  a  given  tract  of  forest  land 
with  the  probable  cost  of  lumbering  and  getting 
to  mills.  This  estimate  he  makes  in  regard  to  lands 
which  the  company  for  whom  he  works  is  expect- 
ing to  buy.  It  takes  an  expert  to  make  such  com- 
putations with  any  degree  of  certainty,  and  such 
an  expert  is  found  in  Mr.  Savage.  He  is  a  typical 
woodsman  and  many  of  his  experiences  read  like 
a  veritable  tale  of  adventure  but  have  therewith 
the  wholesale  atmosphere  of  verity. 

Our  subject  was  born  at  St.  Francis,  Me.,  August 
11,  1861,  and  is  a  son  of  John  Wesley  and  Fannie 
(Hafey)  Savage.  The  mother  was  a  niece  of  the 
great  lumberman  of  the  St.  John  River,  Sir  John 
Glazier,  who  is  now  life  Senator  from  New  Bruns- 
wick in  the  Canadian  Parliament.  Herbert  W.  Sav- 
age was  the  youngest  son  in  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dren, nine  of  whom  are  still  living,and  his  father 
was  a  lumberman  on  the  Rivers  St.  John  and  St. 
Frances.  He  was  the  son  of  Robert  Savage,  who 
owned  a  large  mill  which  was  the  first  built  then. 
he  did  a  large  lumbering  business  of  which  Sir 
John  Glazier  was  the  largest  purchaser. 

When  our  subject  was  a  mere  child  the  family 
removed  to  Brock,  Ontario,  Canada,  as  the  father 
had  lost  ¥6S.0i»'l  hy  a  bank  failure  and  found  it 
necessary  to  make  a  new  start  in  order  to  retrieve 
his  fortunes.  About  the  year  1880  they  came  to 
Saginaw,  where  the  mother  died  in  1886  and  the 
father  in  May,  1890,  removed  to  Saulsbury,  Tex., 
wmere  his  son  Robert  is  a  ranchman,  and  wheie  the 
father  is  still  living.  The  boyhood  of  our  subject 
was  passed  at  various  points  in  Canada  and  he  in- 
sisted in  clearing  farms  there  and  in  the  lumber 
business  until  he  was  thirteen  years  old.  He  then 
went  to  live  with  his  brother,  the  Rev.  John  A. 
Savage,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  attended  public  and 
and  select  schools,  and  a  year  later  became  news 
agent  on  the  railway.  He  was  then  fourteen  years 
old.  In  a  short  time  he  engaged  in  the  lumber 
yards  and  in  getting  out  hemlock  barkand  making 
railway  ties.  In  this  work  he  continued  for  two 
years  and  accumulated  some  property.  About  this 
time  his  brother  Edwin  was  shotwhile  out  hunting 
and  lay  for  three  hours  before  help  came.  His  leg 
was  badly  shattered  from  knee  to  hip,  and  he  lay 


helpless  for  some  time;  he  now  lives  in  Saginaw. 
Our  subject  had  always  aided  his  parents  in  their 
support  and  they  r- till  needed  his  help. 

In  the  spring  of  1879  Mr.  Savage  came  to  s.t^i- 
naw.  He  spent  most  of  the  summer  at  the  Titta- 
bawassee  boom  and  went  with  a  cousin  toa  lumber 
camp,  where  he  served  as  cook  for  forty  men.  The 
two  young  men  next  found  work  at  Uii;  Rapids 
and  having  served  there  for  several  months  he  sent 
home  all  his  wages  he  could  spare,  and  then  had 
only  ten  cents  left.  Our  subject  then  left  Big 
Rapids  and  parted  with  his  cousin  whom  he  has 
DOl  since  seen,  lie  walked  for  sixty  miles  in  com- 
pany with  an  old  Lumberman  to  White  (loud  and 
there  secured  work  from  the  West  Michigan  Lum- 
ber Company,  loading  and  unloading  logs.  When 
he  left  there  he  returned  to  a  point  near  Big  Rap- 
ids and  was  made  foreman  over  a  number  of  men 
and  continued  there  until  bj  an  accident  he  was 
thrown  into  the  river  and  experienced  exposures 
which  resulted  in  typhoid  fever.  He  was  therefore 
removed  to  Mecosta,  when'  he  was  sick  at  the  home 
of  his  uncle  for  a  number  of  weeks. 

After  recovery  Mr.  Savage  returned  to  work  near 
junction  of  the  Chippewa  and  Muskegon  Rivers 
and  did  so  well  there  that  he  was  able  to  send 
money  home  that  fall  and  thus  assist  his  parents. 
The  next  winter  he  spent  on  the  Raisin  River  and 
thenext  season  he  spent  at  Bring  in  the  barrel  works, 
which  plr.ee  he  had  just  left  prior  to  a  disastrous 
explosion  which  resulted  in  the  death  of  three  men. 
Having  had  experience  in  looking  at  pine  lands 
with  his  father,  he  was  engaged  with  his  brother-in- 
law  in  exploring  such  lands,  working  all  winter  at 
heavy  work  and  in  the  following  spring  while 
forty  miles  from  Bad  River  he  was  taken  sick.  He 
had  a  terrible  time  in  making  the  trip  from  this 
point  to  a  railway  station  f.nd  finally  reached  Ste- 
vens l'oint  Hospital,  being  so  sick  on  the  way  that 
he  thought  lie  would  not  live  to  gain  shelter.  A 
doctor  who  was  upon  the  train  came  to  him  and 
cared  for  him  until  he  reached  Stevens  l'oint.  He 
lay  for  six  weeks  in  the  hospital,  receiving  excel- 
lent treatment  from  a  leading  physician,  who  was 
an  old  friend  of  his  brother,  the  minister. 

The  next  experience  of  our  subject  was  in  Min- 
nesota, where  he  spent  the  summer  of  1883  On   the 


PORTRAIT  AND   LKMMLU'IIICAL  RECORD. 


;m;i 


si.  Louis  River  for  the  Mississippi  Logging  Com- 
pany, and  since  that  time  he  bas  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  exploring  for  land  companies.  H<  was 
at  first  with  Merrill  &  Ring,  with  whom  he  has 
some    interest.      His    last     trip    resulted     in    a   sale 

a anting  to  1350,000.      His  attention  is  given  to 

Looking  up  land,  examining  deeds  and  papers  and 
making  sale--. and  he  has  explored  more  land  in  the 
last  two  years  than  an\  other  land  looker  in  Mich- 
igan. 1  lis  judgment  is  considered  accurate  and  he 
has  a  high  reputation  among  lumbermen  ami  land 
dealers.  New  York  capitalists  have  called  him 
Easl  at  various  times  to  counsel  with  them  in  re- 
gard to  .-ales  of  lands. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject,  April  I,  1888, 
brought  him  a  helpmate  in  the  person  of  Edith 
Ellen,  daughter  of  Henrv  Wallace,  whose  brief  bi- 
ography will  he  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume 
and  who  has  now  passed  from  this  life.  Air.  Sav- 
age has  some  handsome  property  of  his  own  and 
has  built  his  own  residence,  which  was  planned  by 
himself  and  wife  and  excels  in  its  interior  arrange- 
ment and  convenience  for  home  life.  They  have 
one  child — Wallace.  Mr.  Savage  is  a  Democrat  in 
his  political  convictions  but  in  no  sense  a  politi- 
cian, and  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Mac- 
cabees. 


■%■ 


HARLES  BAXMANN.  a  genial  and  success- 
ful farmer  residing  on  section  21.  Monitor 
'il  Township.  Hay  County,  was  horn  December 
!).  1X27.  in  Germany,  where  his  parents  passed  their 
entire  lives.  His  early  years  wen-  spent  in  his 
na1  ive  land,  whence  he  emigrated  to  this  countrj  in 
1852.  After  remaining  for  seven  months  in  New 
York  City,  where  he  was  employed  in  a  grocery 
store,  he  came  West  to  Oakland  County,  this  State, 

i impany    with    Henry    Bosanberk    and    Henry 

Rekenberk. 

After  sojourning  for  three  months  in  Oakland 
County,  Mr.  Baxmann  proceeded  to  Detroit,  where 
he  was  employed  during  the  summer  in  a  sawmill. 
Thence  he  came  to  Lay  City  October  11.  1855  and 


lor  live  years  was  engaged  in  lumbering.  In  1858 
he  bought  the  land  which  comprises  his  present 
farm,  and  two  years  later  was  married  and  located 
On  his  property.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Carolina  Moka,  was  also  a  native  of  (ierniany 
and  emigrated  to  America  at  the  age  of  fourteen. 
They  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  two  of  whom 
died  in  infancy.  The  survivors  are,  Fredericka, 
wife  of  Herman  Krucyer,  of  Bay  City,  and  Chris- 
tina, who  is  at  home  with  her  parents. 

When  Mr.  Baxmann  purchased  his  farm  it  was 
covered  with  forest  trees,  which  had  to  be  cut  down 
before  the  work  of  cultivation  could  begin.  After 
clearing  the  land,  he  built  fences  and  tilled  the 
soil  until  in  course  of  time  the  place  was  com- 
pletely transformed.  He  has  brought  the  entire 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  to  high  cultivation, 
and  in  1869  erected  a  commodious  residence  at  a 
cost  of  *2.0lt().  Besides,  he  has  built  suitable  and 
substantial  barns  and  other  necessary  outbuildings. 
In  connection  with  farming  and  stock-raising,  he 
devotes  considerable  time  to  the  raising  of  fruit,  in 
which  he  has  met  with  success. 

In  various  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility 
Mr.  Baxmann  has  served  his  fellow-citizens,  always 
with  credit  to  himself.  He  was  Commissioner  of 
the  township  for  three  years;  Director  of  the 
school  district  for  eight  years,  and  also  served  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  Socially  he  belongs  to  Wenona 
Lodge.  No.  121.  1.  ( ).  ( I.  F.  at  West  Lay  City,  in 
which  he  has  held  the  various  offices.  Success  has 
come  to  him  through  the  exercise  of  frugality  and 
energy,  and  his  upright  life  has  brought  to  him  the 
commendation  and  confidence  of  his  fellow-citi- 
zen-. 


(MIX  SCHWAB,  a  prominent  farmer  of  La.\ 
County,  is  engaged  in  genera]  agriculture 
and  stock-raising  on  section  12.  Franken- 
lust  Township.  His  father,  .Michael  Schwab, 
was  horn  in  Byrne,  Germany,  about  1806,  and  was 
there  married  to  Katrina  Mauer.  In  1852  they 
emigrated  to  America,  and  coming  direct  to  Mich- 
igan, settled  in  Frankenlust  Township.  Bay  County. 
where  they  bought  a  tract  of  eighty  acres.     They 


962 


PORTE  AIT  AXD  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


had  a  family  of  eight  children,  six  of  whom  are 
still  living,  our  subject  being  the  eldest. 

A  native  of  Germany,  Mr.  Schwab  was  born 
February  16,  l.si.'S,  and  spent  his  childhood  days 
in  his  native  land,  whence  he  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  this  country.  Here  he  grew  to  a  sturdy 
manhood  and  being  reared  on  a  farm,  acquired  a 
thorough  practical  knowledge  of  agricultural  pur- 
suits. January  21,  1867,  lie  was  married  to  Mary 
Wachter,  who  was  born  in  Germany  in  l!->47,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  as  follows: 
Maggie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one:  An- 
drew, Barbara  and  Annie. 

Through  the  exercise  of  good  judgment  and  un- 
flagging industry.  Mr.  Schwab  has  become  the 
owner  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-nine  acres  of 
good  land,  of  which  one  hundred  and  forty  acres 
have  been  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  improvement.  By  a  goodsystem  of  irrigation 
the  land  lias  been  redeemed  from  a  marsh  and  now 
yields  abundant  harvests  of  the  various  cereals. 
The  place  has  been  embellished  with  a  good  set  of 
farm  buildings,  including  a  commodious  residence, 
substantial  barns  and  outbuildings,  and  is  alto- 
gether one  of  the  besl  farms  in  the  township. 

In  public  affairs  Mr.  Schwab  maintains  consider- 
able interest  and  is  a  stanch  adherent  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Democratic  party,  lie  has  served  as 
Overseer  of  the  township  and  held  other  local 
offices.  He  is  greatly  interested  in  educational 
advantages  and  has  given  his  children  good  edu- 
cations, both  in  the  German  and  English  languagi  s. 
In  his  religious  belief  lie  is  identified  with  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  and  is  a  man  whose 
judgment  has  weight  in  the  community.  His  par- 
ents are  now  deceased,  his  father  passing  away  in 
1889  and  his  mother  in  1881. 


JEORGE  DICEY,  a  fine  boiler-maker  and 
iron  worker.  i>  one  of  the  owners  of  the 
^^S!  well-known  boiler  shop  m  West  Bay  City, 
but  resides  on  Eleventh  Street,  Bay  City.  He  was 
born  in  Bath,  N.  Y.,  July  29,   H-C56.  and  is  the  son 


of  John  and  .lane  (Dow)  Dicey,  natives  of  Canada 
and  Allegany  County.  X.  Y,  respectively. 
Grandfather  Dicey,  whose  given  name  was  Richard 
P.,  served  in  the  War  of  1 H 1 2  on  the  English  side, 
and  was  a  trader  in  Canada,  where  he  died.  John 
Dicey,  who  was  an  early  settler  in  Bath,  N.  Y., 
came  thither  from  Canada,  where  he  was  born  in 
1808.  From  the  Empire  state  in  18f>2  he  removed 
Westward  to  Michigan,  settling  in  Crass  Lake, 
Jackson  County,  and  there  purchased  a  farm, 
which  was  his  home  until  his  earthly  career  was 
ended  in   IKlifi. 

On  the  maternal  side,  our  subject  is  the  grandson 
of  1'elkert  Dow.  who  belonged  to  an  old  Eastern 
family,  and  was  born  in  New  York.  He  served  in 
the  War  of  1812, and  followed  his  trade  of  a  weaver 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Franklin,  l'a. 
Mrs.  Jane  Dicej  accompanied  her  husband  to 
Michigan,  where  at  a  good  age  she  passed  away. 
Of  her  six  children  three  still  survive,  our  subject 
bi  in-  the  second  in  older  of  birth.  His  older 
brother,  E.  C,  served  throughout  the  Civil  War  as 
(  aptain  of  Company  I>.  First  .Michigan  Sharp- 
shooters ami  was  taken  prisoner  at  Petersburgh. 
Va.,  and  was  confined  nine  months  at  Columbia, 
s.  c.  lie  now  resides  in  Chicago.  Joseph,  who 
was  a  member  of  the  Seventeenth  Michigan  Regi- 
ment, served  until  his  honorable  career  as  a  soldier 
was  terminated  by  bis  death  at  the  battle  of  South 
Mountain.  Levi  was  also  a  faithful  defender  of 
our  country,  and  served  in  the  Twenty-sixth  Mich- 
igan Infantry  during  the  last  days  of  the  Civil 
Mar. 

The  boyhood  days  of  our  subject  were  passed  in 
Hath.  N.  Y..  where  he  received  good  common-school 
advantages.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  came 
West  to  Michigan  in  company  with  the  other  mem- 
bers of  his  family  and  remained  with  his  father 
until  he  was  twenty  years  old;  then  going  to 
Grand  Haven,  he  worked  in  the  woods  in  lumber- 
ing Cor  one  year,  until  on  account  of  having  his 
leg  broken  he  was  compelled  to  seek  a  different 
occupation.  He  then  served  an  apprenticeship  at 
the  boiler  trade  for  two  years  under  Thomas 
Turnbull,  of  Ferrysburg,  hut  at  the  expiration  of 
his  apprenticeship  he  did  not  at  once  follow  his 
trade.      Instead,    he    followed    farming    operations 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


963 


for  a  few  years  ami  then  sped  a  shorl  time  in 
Fcrrysburg,  Wyandotte,  Muskegon,  and  Montague, 
successively. 

In  the  last  named  city  Mr.  Dicey  started  a  boiler 
shop  which  he  sold  in  July,  1872,  and  wenl  to 
Kansas  with  a  vie«-  of  locating  in  thai  State. 
However,  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the  prospects 
offered  him  their  and  after  a  short  sojourn  removed 
to  Missouri,  where  lie  worked  for  one  and  one-half 
years  in  Brookfield,  in  the  railroad  -hops  of  the 
Hannibal  Ar  St.  Joe  Railroad.  From  the  latter  eitj 
he  returned  to  Jackson,  this  Stale,  and  for  almost 
a  year  was    employed     in     the     boiler    shop    of    the 

Jackson  Foundry  &  Machine  Co.,  after  which  for 
three  years  he  was  in  the  Michigan  Central  Rail- 
road shops.  It  was  during  the  year  1878  that  he 
came  to  Bay  City,  and  was  I'm  ten  year-  connected 
with  the  boiler  .-hop- of  the  Industrial  Work- as 
foreman,  lie  afterwards,  in  company  with  John 
Carey,  established  the  shop  which  they  still  manage 
and  which  consists  of  a  main  building  30x60  feet 
in  dimensions,  with  an  I.  26x40  feet.  The  shop  is 
located  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Fitzhugh 
Streets,  West  Kay  City,  and  has  steam  power  and 
first-class  machinery. 

Mr.  Dicey  owns  a  dwelling  at  No.  11'.)  Monroe 
street  besides  the  residence  which  he  occupies  al 
No.  610  Eleventh  street.  He  was  married  Julj  I. 
1861,  in  Waterloo,  Jackson  County,  to  Miss  Sarah 
A.  Woodward,  win.)  was  born  in  the  same  town-hip 
where  she  was  afterwards  married.  The  father  of 
Mrs.  Dicey.  Daniel  Woodward,  was  born  and  reared 
in  New  York,  whence  he  removed  to  Canada  and 
later  came  to  Waterloo  in  1840,  settling  on  a  farm 
and  remaining  there  until  his  death  in  1876,  at  the 
age  of  seventy  two  years.  In  his  political  affilia- 
tions he  was  a  Democrat;  ami  religiously,  he  held 
membership  with  the  Methodisl  Episcopal  Church. 
Mr-.  Dicey's  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Sarah  Fraer,  was  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  and 
the  daughter  of  Michael  l'"raer.  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812, and  a  farmer  in  New  York  '-tale.  Her  grand- 
father served  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  Mrs. 
Woodward  still  survives  i  1892)  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years,  and  resides  in  Rives  Township, 
Jackson  County. 

In    a    family    numbering   eight    children.    Mrs. 


Dicey  was  next  to  the  youngest,  and  was  horn  at 
Waterloo,  Mich.,  November  29,  L843.  Her  union 
with  Mr.  Dicey  has  brought  them  eight  children, 
as  follows:  Sarah  . I.,  now  Mrs.  Campbell,  of  Bay 
City:  Charles  E.,  who  is  assisting  his  father  in  the 
boiler  shop;  Daniel  W.,  a  carpenter  of  West  Bay 
City;  Frank  L.,  who  is  Assi-tant  Cashier  of  the 
Barnet  Produce  Company. of  Chicago,  Angie,  Amy 
F.,  George  and  Anna  M.,  who  still  remain  athome. 
The  various  social  organizations  of  Bay  City  receive 
the  hearty  support  of  Mr.  Dicey,  and  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  Royal  Arch  Masons, 
the  Ancient  Order  United  Workmen,  and  the 
Order  of  Chosen  Friends.  In  the  two  latter  orders 
he  has  held  the  prominent  chair.-.  Since  the  Civil 
War  he  ha-  hern  a  stanch  Republican,  believing 
the  principles  of  that  party  conducive  to  the  best 
welfare  of  the  Government,  and  supports  its 
candidate-  l>\  In-  influence  and  ballot. 


^€MMi=^ 


AMFS  W.   McMEEKIN,   M.   I")..  C.   M.,  who 

has  his  office  at  the  corner  of  Jefferson  and 
Gennania  Avenues,  was  horn  in  Blantford, 
Oxford  County.  Ontario,  October '31,  1859. 
Hi-  parent-.  Samuel  D.  and  Elizabeth  (Mitchell) 
McMeekin,  were  of  British  origin,  the  former  be- 
ing born  in  Scotland  and  the  latter  in  England, 
their  marriage  having  taken  place  in  Canada.  The 
father  received  a  professional  education  hut  be- 
came a  farmer. 

James  W.  was  reared  upon  the  home  farm  until 
he  reached  the  age  of  ten  year-,  when  he  entered 
the  High  School  at  Woodstock.  In  1«7.")  lie  at- 
tended the  Collegiate  Institute  at  Brantford,  where 
he  graduated  in  1*77.  After  a  year's  sickness  he 
resumed  hi.-  studies  ami  in  1879  graduated  from 
the  Woodstock  Literary  Institute.  Then  he  en- 
tered the  Institute  at  St.  C;  tharin  s  fr.  m  which  he 
matriculate  i  into  Tori  nto  University  with  general 
proficiency  ad  first  honor-  in  mathe  .  atics,  Inch 
cut  tl   d     mi  to  a  scholar-hip. 

It  was  his  own  desire  and  thai  I  f  hi-  family  that 
our  subject  should  enter  the  ministry  Mid  while 
attendi   g  the  University  at  Toronto  he  i  a.-.-ed  tic 


964 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


honorary  examination  for  the  Knox  Presbyterian 
College  at  Toronto  but  on  account  of  failing 
health  was  obliged  to  make  a  change  of  climate 
and  calling.  He  therefore  entered  McGill  Univ- 
ersity at  Montreal  in  the  fall  of  L881,  taking  the 
medical  course  and  graduating  therefrom  in  the 
Class  of  '85.  He  passed  his  summers  at  St.  Cath- 
arines Hospital  where  he  was  House  Surgeon,  and 
received  at  McGill  University  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Medicine  and  Master  of  Surgery,  which 
gives  him  a  standing  in  the  Royal  College  of  Sur- 
geons in  London,  England  where  lie  purposes  to 
make  still  further  studies. 

St.   Catharines,    Ontario,  was   the  scene  of   the 

first  practice  of  the  Doctor,  but  in  1886  he  ci 

to  Michigan  and  located  at  Otter  Lake,  and  in 
1889  removed  to  Saginaw.  In  the  meantime  be 
had  spent  one  year  in  extensive  travels,  visiting 
various  colleges  and  hospitals  in  the  United  States. 
His  general  practice  in  Saginaw  has  grown  1"  large 
proportions  and  he  has  given  considerable  atten- 
tion to  surgery,  being  at  present  one  of  the  act- 
ing surgeons  to  Bliss  Hospital,  lie  performed 
what  was  probably  the  first  successful  cholecysto- 
tomy  operation  in  Michigan.  During  his  residence 
in  Canada  he  was  one  of  the  Directors  of  the 
McGill  University  Gazette  and  has  been  a  frequent 
contributor  to  some  of  the  leading  colle/.e  journals 
besides  doing  considerable  newspaper  work. 

Dr.  McMeekin  is  an  active  Democral  and  deeply 
interested  in  politics  and  while  at  Otter  Lake  was 
president  of  the  Council  there  for  sunn  tune.  Ib- 
is a  writer  of  force  on  political  matters  as  well  as 
an  effective  stump  speaker.  His  membership  in 
the  State  Medical  Society  shows  his  rank  in  the 
profession  and  he  is  closely  connected  with  all 
movements  of  the  Masons,  the  Maccabees  and  the 
Foresters. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  June.  1882,  at  St. 
Catharines  to  Miss  Sulta  Helena  Emmett,  who 
died  December  31,  1885  leaving  a  little  daughter, 
only  four  days  old.  This  little  Sulta  Helena  is 
now  six  years  of  age  and  a  beautiful  child.  The 
Doctor  was  united  in  marriage  at  Detroit.  July  3, 
1888,  with  Hattie  E.,  daughter  of  Squire  Lyman 
Felton,  of  Wayne  County.  Mich.  She  was  the 
widow  of  Jonas    MeAlpine  of  Otter  Lake  and  lias 


two  children  by  that  marriage,  Edith  M.  and  Lee. 
The  Doctor  and  his  wife  are  both  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  and  are  active  in  all  social 
movements.  He  is  a  close  student, a  careful  prac- 
titioner and  a  thorough  gentleman,  and  no  physi- 
cian of  Saginaw  has  brighter  prospects  for  the 
fut  lire. 


^+£0 


ZELL  N.  ROUE<  11.    The  genial  proprietor 

\l  I  of  the  Rouech  House,  which  was  Imilt  iii 
1868.  is  the  oldest  hotel  man  in  Lay  City, 
and  probably  the  oldest  in  the  Saginaw 
Vallev  now  in  the  business,  lie  Imilt  and  ownshis 
large  hotel,  which  is  located  on  the  corner  of 
Fifth  and  Water  Streets,  and  in  spite  of  the  fact 
thai  his  establishment  i-  a  strictly  temperance 
house,  he  ha-  been  eminently  successful.  A>  a 
pioneer,  the  beginning  of  his  career  in  his  special 
line  dale-  from  a  time  when  there  were  no  rail- 
roads and  not  many  houses  here,  and  he  enter- 
tained at  his  hotel  the  passengers  that  came  in  by 
stage. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Alsace,  France,  the 
cii\  of  Belford  being  that  of  his  nativity,  April 
1.  1820.  He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  Rouech,  who  was 
horn  iii  the  village  of  AngO,  "here  the  mother  was 
also  born;  he  was  engaged  in  real  estate  and  also 
in  teaming  and  freighting  in  his  native  land, 
lie  served  as  one  of  the  rear  guard  in  Bonaparte's 
army  in  the  Wattle  of  Waterloo.  The  wagon  loads 
were  at  that  time  immense,  requiring  sixteen 
horses  and  more,  and  frequently  our  subject's  fa- 
ther-pent  fifteen  days  on  a  journey,  some  of  the 
load-  being  twenty  feci  high.  In  1832  Joseph 
Rouech  sold  out  his  business  and  came  to  America 
B  1 1 1 1  his  wife  and  three  children.  They  left  Havre 
on  the  sailing-vessel  "Morango,"  and  were  sixty- 
three   day- on  the  voyage  to  New  York  City. 

Locating  in  Syracuse,  N.  V..  Joseph  Rouech  was 
engaged  in  manufacturing.  He  was  gratifyingly 
successful  in  his  business  ventures  ami  -old  an  in- 
to resl  in  a  -alt  Mock  so  that  it  netted  him  hand- 
somely. Later  he  engaged  in  the  hotel  business 
at    Salina.  now   the    Firsl   Ward    of  Syracuse.      In 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


965 


1849  he  removed  to  Beloit,  Wis.,  where  he 
resided  until  his  death,  which  took  place  at  the 
age  of  fifty-four  years.  He  was  a  strong  Demo- 
crat. Our  subject's  mother,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Mary  A.  Miller,  died  in  Bay  City  at  the  age 
of  eighty-eight  years. 

Of  the  three  children  thai  were  granted  to  Jo- 
seph and  Mary  Reouch  our  subjeel  is  the  oldest. 
He  attended  school  in  his  native  land  until  eleven 
year-  old.  At  that  early  age  he  was  at  the  head 
of  his  classes  in  grammar  and  arithmetic,  for  both 
of  which  studies  he  had  a  special  liking.  On  lo- 
cating  in  Syracuse  he  first  attended  the  private 
and  then  the  public  school,  and  when  fourteen 
vears  old  began  working  in  the  saltworks.  Be 
ginning  at  the  bottom  of  the  ladder,  his  faithful 
work  and  patient  following  of  directions  placed 
him  in  responsible  positions,  and  later  he  manufac- 
tured salt  (in  contract,  by  renting  a  salt  block, 
which  he  ran  for  many  years.  Finally  he  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade,  and  after  working  under  instruc- 
tion one  season,  began  contracting  and  building, 
and  from  1*17  to  1*111  \va.-  thu-  eiiua^nl  on  the 
New  York  A-  Erie  Railroad,  both  in  grading  and 
building  bridges. 

In  1859  our  subject  went  to  Liverpool,  X.  Y. 
There  lie  purchased  a  salt  'lock,  which  he  ran  for 
six  or  seven  year-,  and  at  the  same  time  pur- 
chased two  canal  boats  to  carry  his  salt.  He  then 
sold  out  hi-  -alt  interests  andbuilta  sawmill, stave 
and  barrel  factory,  having  in  the  shop  facili- 
ties for  cutting  over  twenty  thousand  staves  per 
day,  and  manufacturing  cooperage  for  eight  hun- 
dred barrels.  He  pursued  hi-  business  success- 
fully until  the  failure  of  the  Onondaga  Salt  Com- 
pany, and  then  he  became  Deputy  Superintendent 
and  Receiver  of  the  salt  spring  at  Liverpool, 
under  V.  Smith,  ami  held  the  post  until  coming 
to  Michigan  in  1861. 

Becoming  Superintendent  of  the  Chicago  & 
Milwaukee  Salt  Company,  Mr.  Rouech  held  the 
position  for  eleven  months.  In  1862  he  became 
the  owner  of  the  residence  of  the  Judge  Campbell 
estate,  lie  added  to  the  house  and  made  of  it 
the  Globe  Hotel,  which  he  ran  successfully  for 
seven  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  released 
it   and    made    In-  son-in-law    its    Superintendent, 


and  then  took  charge  of  his  present  place,  which 
was  buill  in  1868,  and  iii  1887  built  the  addition. 
It  is  .")ll\12(i  feet  in  dimensions  with  the  wing, 
fronting  on  Water  Street  fifty  feet  and  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  feet  on  Fifth  Street,  and 
extending  one  hundred  feet  to  the  rear.  It  com- 
prises three  stories  and  a  basement.  Mr.  Rouech 
owns  besides  two  store  buildings.  His  hotel  is  the 
second  largest  in  the  city  and  is  strictly  first-class. 
In  l*7!i  he  started  the  Rouech  Restaurant,  also  a 
temperance  place,  and  this  has  met  with  encour- 
aging success. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  to 
Miss  Mary  A.  Darick,  who  was  born  in  Alsace, 
France,  coming  with  her  parents  to  America,  and 
settled  in  Syracuse  the  same  year  as  our  subject. 
They  were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  twelve 
of  whom  lived  to  be  grown,  and  of  these  all  are 
living  but  one.  These  arc:  Charles  J.,  Chester  J., 
Josephine,  Elizabeth,  Azell  X..  Mary,  Henry,  Au- 
gust, Lottie,  Carrie  and  Ilattie.  Of  these  Chester 
died  in  Colorado.  Mr.  Rouech  is,  and  has  been 
for  many  years,  an  ardent  Republican.  While  in 
Liverpool  he  was  a  member  of  the  City  Council  for 
five  years. 


^8h 


TLS  BETTIS  is  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Bettis  <fe  Hotaling,  who  are  located  in  Ches- 
aning.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Clarkston, 
Oakland  County,  this  State,  April  25,  1854.  He 
is  a  son  of  Otis  C.  and  .Maria  (Hill)  Bettis,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  New  York  and  the  latter  of  Ire- 
land. Mr.  Bettis'  father  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade. 
lie  made  his  advent  into  the  township  of  Chesan- 
ing  in  1864,  when  he  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty 
acn-.  which  he  improved,  at  the  same  time  being 
engaged  at  his  trade  in  the  town.  He  went  to  Texas 
about  L 873  on  a  prospecting  tour,  with  a  view  to 
locating  in  that  State,  but  as  he  was  never  after 
heard  from,  it  is  Supposed  that  he  was  either  killed 
or  sickened  and  died. 

(Mir  subject's  mother  who  was  left  with  six 
children,  died  in  1875.  Young  Otis,  who  had  but 
a    common-school    education,    began   to  learn  the 


966 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


shoemaker's  trade  in  Chesaning.  He  served  an 
apprenticeship  of  three  years  and  followed  the 
trade  for  two  years.  He  was  married  November 
5,  1881,  to  Mrs.  Effle  Hayne  of  Chesaning;  she  was 
horn  in  Oakland  County,  this  State,  in  1849,  and 
and  is  a  daughter  of  II.  .T.  Bentley.  Their  union 
has  never  been  blest  by  children,  but  they  have  an 
adopted  daughter  who  bears  the  name  of  Emma 
Hayne,  she  having  been  adopted  prior  to  her  mar- 
riage with  our  subject. 

In  March,  L885,  Mr.  Bettis  secured  a  stock  of 
boots  and  shoes  and  then  bought  out  a  shoe 
store,  since  wb,ich  time  lie  has  laid  aside  the  awl 
and  last  and  now  carries  on  boat  and  shoe  dealing. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  sympathies  and 
has  served  in  the  Village  Council.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  order  ami  has  taken  the  Royal 
Arch  degree.  He  is  now  Senior  Warden  of  the 
Blue  Lodge  and  Royal  Arch  Captain  of  the  Chap- 
ter. He  is  a  self-made  man  financially,  having  by 
the  sheerest  perseverance  accumulated  what  he 
has. 


J,J,,5,,S,,8vi 


l^Hfr 


"^•♦♦^•^Siiis?  -i-*J**i"i*F 


eAPT.  BENJAMIN  BOUTELL.  This  influ- 
ential and  public-spirited  citizen  of  Bay 
City  is  the  most  prominent  ex-captain  in 
the  town,  being  the  manager  of  the  Saginaw  Bay 
Towing  Association,  and  having  an  interesl  in  a 
number  of  vessels.  He  built  and  owns  the  steamer 
"Hiram  W.  Sibley,"  and  the  sch er  "Twin  Sis- 
ter." It  was  a  growing  demand  for  towing  facil- 
ities which  induced  Capt.  Boutell  and  1'.  C.  Smith 
to  establish  the  Towing  Association,  and  no  two 
men  could  have  been  better  lilted  for  the  manage- 
ment of  such  a  business.  Both  arc  familiar  with 
the  requirements  of  navigation,  having  served  on 
the  lakes  in  the  capacity  of  masters  of  vessels,  and 
having  had  wide  experience  in  the  lines  in  which 
they  are  now  engaged.  They  own  a  fleet  of  pow- 
erful tugs,  commanded  by  experienced  officers,  and 
handle  an  average  of  three  hundred  million  feet 
of  logs  per  year. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Deerfleld,  Livingston 
County,  Mich.,  August  17.  is  It,  and  his  father, 
Daniel,  was  born  in  New  Hampshire  at  the  begin- 


ning  of  this  century.  He  became  a  miller  near 
Syracuse,  N.  Y..  and  later  a  farmer,  and  in  1830 
came  to    Michigan,   and    located  on  Government 

land  in   l)eerlield.  hi-    family  being  the  second  one 

there.  During  those  day.-  they  had  to  go  to  De- 
troit, a  journey  of  sixty  miles  in  order  to  buy 
provisions.  This  successful  pioneer  cleared  and 
cultivated  a  farm  of  five  hundred  acres,  and  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  Livingston  County, where 
he  held  prominent  offices. 

In  I!s."i7  Daniel  Boutell  sold  hi-  property  in  Liv- 
ing-ton County,  and  the  subsequent  spring  came 
to  Baj  City,  where  betook  charge  of  the  Boutell 
House,     which    he    carried    on    a-    a    hotel    until    it 

burned  in  1864.     Alter  that   his  health   failed  and 

he  died  in  1868,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years. 
He  was  a  stanch  Democrat,  and  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Betsy  Adam-  was 
the  maiden  name  of  the  young  woman  who  became 
the  mother  of  our  subject,  and  she  was  a  niece  of 
John  Quincy  Adams,  and  a  grand-child  of  John 
Adams.  She  was  bom  near  Syracuse.  X.  Y.,  and 
died  in  Ba  \    Citj   on  Thank-giving  Day.   L880.' 

Our  subject  was  born  and  reared  upon  the  farm 
and  bad  his  early  educational  training  in  the  log 
schoolhouse  al  Deerfleld,  after  which  he  attended 
the  public  schools  here.  He  was  the  seventh  of 
nine  children, and  this  numerous  family  had  many 
jolly  times   in    those    pioneer    day-.      After   be  was 

through  with  his  scl I    life  he  remained  with  his 

lather  until  he  began  -ailing  and  after  a  while  be 
came  captain  of  the  tug  "Ajax,"  and  afterward 
of  the  steamer  "Reynolds."  Later  he  bought  an 
interest  in  the  tug  ••!  nion,"  and  sailed  it  for  two 
years,  and  subsequently  bad  charge  of  the  tug 
'■Annie  Modes."  and  became  a  partner  with  Mr. 
Mitchell  in  1867,  buying  tugs,  boats,  barges,  and 
vessels  under  the  firm  name  of  Mitchell  &  Boutell. 

During  the  fifteen  years  that  he  spent  upon  the 
water  he  became  the  oldest  captain  on  the  river. 
He  sailed  all  o\  er  the  lakes  and  encountered  many 
stormy  seas.  .'111(1  at  one  lime  experienced  a  fire 
upon  Saginaw  Bay,  when  the  tug  "Union"  was 
burned.  His  connection  with  Mr.  Mitchell  con- 
tinued until  1886,  when  they  divided.  Mr.  Boutell 
taking  the  tugs  and  his  partner  the  barges,  after 
which  be  continued   in  independent  business  until 


PORTRAIT  AM)  BIOOR  VPIIICAL    RECORD. 


967 


be  joined  Capt.  Smith  ia  forming  the  Towing  Asso- 
ciation. They  have  thirteen  tugs  which  are  the 
largesl  ami  most  active  upon  the  lake,  and  of  that 
number  the  "Niagara"  and  "Traveler"  arc  consid- 
ercd  the  most  powerful.  They  tow  logs  from  Lake 
Superior,  Lake  Michigan,  Lake  Huron,  ami  from 
the  Canada  side,  and  arc  doing  more  business  than 
any  other  company  thai  is  formed  fortius  business. 

In    the  Boutell  Transportation  C pany  our  sub- 

ject's  partners  are,  II.  W.  Sibley,  of  Rochester,  and 
Isaac  Bearinger,  of  Saginaw. 

The  marriage  of  Capt.  Boutell  with  Miss  Emily 
C.  Duttinger  took  place  in  Pine  River  in  1869.  she 
is  a  native  of  Ohio,  but  came  t<>  this  state  when 
only  a  little  child  anil  here  had  her  training  and 
education.  They  have  two  -on-.  Frederick  ami 
William,  ami  their  pleasanl  home  i-  at  the  corner 
of  Fifth  and  Madison  Avenues. 

In  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  the 
Captain  is  a  member,  he  is  a  Trustee,  and  at  the 
time  of  the  erection  of  the  house  of  worship,  was 
on  the  building  committee,  lie  has  been  a  Direc- 
tor for  seat's  in  the  Young  .Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation,and  liis  wife  is  an  active  missionary  worker. 
For  fifteen  years  lie  has  been  a  member  of  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  and  he  is  a  Republican  in  his  political 
views.  The  family  is  one  of  the  best  in  Ray  City, 
as  the  Captain  is  influential  and  public-spirited,  ami 
always  willing  to  forward  the  best  interests  of  the 
town,  and  Mrs.  Boutell  is  true  gold,  being  highly 
prized  for  character,  ability  and  accomplishments. 


yf  ALTER  N.  FoWLKi;.  M.  I).,  a  leading 
homeopathic  physician  of  West  Bay  City, 
is  a  graduate  of  tie-  medical  department  of 
the  University  of  Michigan  in  the  Class  of  '89. 
lie  was  born  in  Saline.  Washtenaw  County,  this 
State,  October  1,  1866.  His  father,  John  R.  Fow- 
ler, was  a  native  of  the  same  county,  while  the 
grandfather,  Norman  < L.  was  horn  in  Cohocton,  X. 
Y.,  and  came  West  with  his  wife  and  family  in  the 
early  days,  making  a  beautiful  and  profitable  farm 


out  of  the  wilderness, and  beinga  successful  farmer 

until  his  retirement  from  active  work.  He  then 
removed  to  Saline,  "here  he  now  live-  at  the  age 
of  -e\  enty-eight. 

The   father  of    our    subject     was    early    trained   t0 

the  work  of  a  farmer,  ami  then  became  a  carpen- 
ter. During  the  Civil  War  he  served  in  the  array 
one  vear  as  a  member  of  a  Michigan  regiment,and 
afterward  engaged  in  the  general  merchandise  busi- 
ness in  Saline,  following  it  until  1875,  when  he  be- 
gan contracting  on  the  railroad  and  constructing 
new  road.-.      He  now  reside-  at  Teciimseh.  Lenawee 

(  ounty.  His  wife.  Nancy,  was  born  in  Rawson- 
ville,  Mich.,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Newcomb,  a 
pioneer  physician  and  surgeon   of   Michigan,  who 

is  now  passed  away.  John  R.  Fowler  and  hi^  good 
wife  are  both  devout  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  have  reared  tour  of  their 
five  children  to  years  of  maturity. 

The  only  -on  in  this  household  is  our  subject, 
who  removed  from  Saline  when  he  was  seven  years 
old,  spending  two  years  in  Deerfield,  and  thence 
going  to  Tecumseh.  He  there  attended  the  High 
School,  from  which  he  wa- graduated  at  the  age  of 
seventee  '.  Afterward  he  clerked  for  a  -hort  time 
in  a  drug  store,  and  then  took  up  the  study  of 
medicine  under  Dr.  R,  B.  House,  of  Tecumseh.  In 
the  fall  of  1886  lie  entered  the  Homeopathic  Medi- 
cal Department  of  the  University  of  Michigan, 
graduating  therefrom  in  1889.  He  took  a  special 
course  in  chemistry  in  which  he.  has  ever  mani- 
fested a  deep  interest. 

The  lust  location  of  the  young  Doctor  was  at 
Holly,  and  there  for  one  year  he  engaged  in  his 
practice.  In  August,  1890,  he  removed  to  Wes1 
Bay  City,  which  he  ha-  since  made  his  home.  He 
has  a  line  office  in  the  Lewis  Block,  at  the  corner 
of  Henry  and  Midland  Streets,  and  is  establishing 
himself  well  with  the  besl  people  of  this  city  and- 
adjoining  country,  lie  wa- married  in  Holly,  this 
state.  April  Hi.  1889,  to  a  lady  who  was  horn  in 
that  place.  .Miss  Lillian,  a  daughter  of  David  Jos- 
lyn.  one  of  the  pioneers  and  most  esteemed  among 

the  old  settlers  there.      The   Doctor  and  hi-  amiable 

wife  are  earnest  members  of  tin-  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  and  are  active  in  the  work  in  that 
body.      In  politics  he  i-  attached  to    the   principles 


968 


PORTRAIT  A:ND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


of  the  Republican  party,  and  in  his  professional 
standing  he  is  a  member  of  the  Saginaw  Valley 
Homeopathic  Medical  Society.  His  pleasant  home 
is  situated  at  No.  L»iu  Florence  si  reel. 


Yx  ominic  Mclaughlin,  of  the  firm   of 

J  Emery  &  McLaughlin,  dealers  in  coal, 
\/  lime,  cement,  gravel,  sand,  wood,  etc.,  was 
born  in  Castlebar, Ireland,  on  the  10th  of  November, 
1849.  He  is  a  son  of  Owen  and  Mary  (Cusick) 
McLaughlin,  and  was  about  five  years  old  when 
his  parents  emigrated  to  Canada. 

( lur  subject  received  a  good  common-school  edu- 
cation at  DundaS,  Ontario,  and  when  but  nine- 
teen years  old  engaged  with  a  Canadian  lumber 
company,  remaining  with  them  uDtil  April  .">, 
I870,when  he  came  to  Hay  City,  and  engaged  with 
(t.  &  E.  Washington,  dealers  in  general  merchan- 
dise at  West  Branch,about  two  years  later  engaged 

with  the  Rifle  B i  Company,  two  years  after  this 

he  took  charge  of  II.  A.  Emery's  lumbi  r  business  and 
worked  for  him  lor  a  period  of  eight  year-,  and 
then  engaged  with  Mr.  Emery  until  forming  the 
present  partnership,  this  being  with  .1.  T.  Emery  of 
whom  a  sketch  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  When  this. connection  was  formed  there 
the  docks  were  completely  covered  with  mud; 
since  Mr.  McLaughlin  bought  them  he  has 
greatly  improved  them,  having  now  two  hundred 
fifty  feet  on  the  river  and  four  hundred  fifty  feet  on 
the  strip  which  admit.-  three  of  the  largest  boats 
that  navigate  the  Saginaw  river,  at  one  time.  They 
also  have  switch  connections  with  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad  and  through  them  with  all  the 
othei   prominent  roads  of  the  State. 

Mr.  McLaughlin  has  been  interested  in  the  dry- 
goods  business  in  Lay  City  and  has  an  interest  in 
the  Electric  Street  Railway  and  the  Lay  City 
Electric  Light  Association  of  which  he  isat  present 
director:  he  is  a  director  in  the  People's  Lank  and 
deals  in  real  estate  in  West  Bay  City  having  built 
seven  or  eight  houses  there.  This  gentleman 
has  served  the  city  in  various  official  positions 
having  been  Supervisor  of  the    Fourth  and  Second 


Wards  of  this  city,  was  Treasurer  for  two  years 
and  is  now  President  of  the  Board  of  public  works 
Treasurer  of  the  West  Bay  City  Saving  and  Loan 
Association  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  organizers 
and  is  one  of  the  public-spirited  men  of  the  city. 
He  not  only  did  credit  to  the  city  in  the  conscien- 
tious discharge  of  these  public  duties  but  also 
great  credit  to  himself.  This  gentleman  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Catholic  Mutual  Benefit  Association, 
the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  and  a  meniberof 
the  St.  Mary's  Catholic  Chinch. 

Miss  Josephine  Donoghoe  of  West  Lay  City  be- 
came the  wife  of  Mr.  McLaughlin  .Line  .'in.  1880. 
This  estimable  lady  isanative  of  this  city  ami  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  Donoghoe.  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  this  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McLaughlin 
have  had  born  to  them  six  children,  who  are  named 
as  follows:  Thomas.  Hubert.  .Marie.  Katie,  .losie. 
and  Florence.  This  family  reside  in  a  beautiful 
home  on  the  corner  of  Faxon  and  Indiana  Streets 
i  he  residence  having  been  built  by  our  subject. 


■> 

< 


OO^vC' 


SRAEL  RI'LI.LK.  We  arc  pleased  toherepre- 
sent  the  life  sketch  of  one  of  the  prominent 
business  men  of  Lay  City,  who  is  engaged  in 
the  line  of  rial  estate  and  loans,  besides  being  a 
Notary  Public.  He  is  popular,  both  on  account  of 
his  business  capacity,  and  his  genial  good  nature, 
and  is  one  of  the  native  sons  of  the  Wolverine 
State.  He  was  born  in  Detroit.  January  '.).  1850, 
and  there  had  his  early  training  and  education. 
His  father.  Edward  Ruelle,  was  a  French-Canadian, 
born  in  Montreal,  and  while  still  a  young  man,  he 
located  in  Detroit  in  1836,  and  learned  the  painter's 
trade,  which  he  followed  until  his  death  in  1861. 
His  faithful  wife,  who  was  known  in  maidenhood 
as  Harriet  Bouchard,  wasalso  a  Canadian  b\  birth, 
and  a  daughter  of  Lewis  Bouchard,  who  came  in 
1836  to  "Wayne  County,  and  engaged  in  farming 
near  Detroit.  Mrs.  Harriet  Ruelle  died  in  Detroit 
in  ISC!). 

Our  subject  is  one  of  two  children;  his  sister 
being  Julia,  Mrs.  S.  Forcia,  of  South  Bay  City. 
The  boy  attended   the    public   schools    of    Detroit, 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


969 


and  at  the  age  of  eleven,  when  bis  father  died, be- 
came a  clerk  in  a  grocery  store.  When  seventeen 
years  old,  the  youth  started  in  the  lathing  busi- 
ness, taking  contracts  off  and  <>n  for  seventeen 
years.  In  1*71  he  went  to  Lincoln,  Neb.,  and 
took  up  a  homestead  in  Polk  Comity,  upon  which 
lie  remained  for  two  years,  living  in  a  soil  house, 
and  hiring  his  land  broken  and  improved  while  he 
worked  at  Ins  trade  in  Lincoln,  making  an  excel- 
lent income.  When  the  grasshoppers  came  to  lay 
waste  Nebraska,  he  left  that  region,  and  came  to 
Bay  City,  locating  here  in  November  1872,  with 
onlv  fifteen  cents  in  his  pocket. 

After  carrying  on  the  business  of  lathing  and 
contracting  tor  some  years  he  embarked  in  1884  in 
the  furniture  trade,  in  South  Hay  City,  under  the 
linn  name  of  I.  Ruelle  A  Co.  and  continued  therein 
until  March  1890,  when  he  disposed  of  hi-  inter- 
est on  account  of  his  health,  and  visited  Idaho. 
Washington, Montana, Oregon,  Colorado,  and  Ne- 
vada. Upon  his  return  to  this  city,  in  June,  1890, 
he  began  the  two  lines  of  business  of  Notarj  Pub- 
lic and  real-estate  in  which  he  is  now  engaged.  He 
owns  some  fine  property  in  this  city,  and  is  build- 
ing up  an  excellent  trade. 

It  was  upon  the  12th  of  December  1875,  that 
Mr.  Ruelle  was  united  in  marriage  in  l>a\  City 
with  Miss  Minnie  Bird,  a  native  of  this  city.  ( >ur 
subject  has  been  prominent  in  the  republican  ranks, 
hut  is  an  advocate  of  low  tariff,  lie  ha-  been  more 
than  once  a  delegate  to  county  and  Congressional 
conventions  of  that  party,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  Labor  Convention,  which  nominated  S.  <  >. 
Fisher  for  Congress,  lie  was  Supervisor  of  the  Sixth 
Ward  at  one  time. 


LFRED  E. BOUSFIELD.  Among  themosl 
prominent  business  men  of  Baj  City, 
whose  thorough  methods  of  conducting 
business  affairs  are  worthy  of  special  note, 
we  present  the  name  of  Mr.  Bousfield.  Few  men 
have  by  their  own  fine  qualities  of  enterprise  and 
system  organized  so  thoroughly  the  concerns  in 
which  they  are  engaged,  and  the  delightful    social 


qualities  which  distinguish  him  arc  most  kindly 
\  alucd  in  t  lie  com  in  unity,  lie  is  the  Presidenl  <>(  the 
firm  of  Bousfield  A-  Co.  and  their  establishment 
may  probably  he  cited  a-  tic  largest  in  the  United 
States  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  wooden-ware, 

and  it  is  als ic  id'  the  oldest      This  family  was  one 

of  the  first  to  engage  in  this  line  of  business  on 
an  extensive  scale,  as  they  began  operations  many 
years  ago  in  <  Cleveland,  <  )hio. 

The  members  of  the  presenl  firm  are  sons  of 
John  Bousfield,  the  founder  of  the  enterprise,  and 
the  works  iii  Hay  City  were  established  in  1869  by 
George  Hood,  but  came  info  the  possession  of  this 
firm  in  1875,  and  "a-  incorporated  into  a  stock 
company  in  1881.  The  territory  upon  which  the 
plant  is  located  occupies  five  blocks,  and  upon  that 
tract  is  situated  saw-mill,  dry-kilns,  turning  and 
paint  houses,  warehouse,  engine  house,  offices, 
and  stables,  booms  and  other  arrangements 
for  carrying  on  this  immense  concern.  The  fire 
protection  consists  of  pumping  station  in  center 
of  plant  which  supplies  au torn  i tic  sprinklers  in 
building  and  water  main-  through  yards  connect- 
ing with  hydrant-.  There  is  one  central  power 
station  with  a  Hamilton  Corliss  Engine  of  five  hun- 
dred horse- power  and  Bahcook  &  Wilcox  Boilers. 
The  power  is  transmitted  to  the  different  buildings 

by   what  is  known  as  rope-l  raii-mi-sion. 

The  product  of  thi-  manufactory  i-  chiefly   tubs, 

churn-,  and  pails,  and  in  their  manufacture  the  l<  igs 
arc  raised  from  the  boom  to  the  mill  where  the\ 
are  sawed  into  Mocks  of  the  required  length  and 
then  pa-s  through  various  kinds  of  new  and  im- 
proved machinery  by  which  they  are  cut  into 
staves,  ami  loaded  into  cars  which  carry  them  first 

to  the  kilns,  and  afterward  to    the   turning    i n, 

without  being  unloaded  from  these  cars. 

The  staves  thai  enter  this  part  of  the  establish- 
ment are  in  the  rough,  hut  come  oul  tubs,  pails  and 
churns,  the  bottom  of  each  article  being  fitted 
into  place  by  machinery.  From  this  part  of  the 
works  they  are  hurried  into  the  paint  house,  a 
building  three  stories  high  ami  six  ion  feet 
in  dimensions,  and  again  machinery  comes  into 
play  in  their  decoration,  and  they  are  then 
delivered  at  the  warehouse  where  they  are  ready 
for  shipment. 


970 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD 


The  sawmill  proper  is  60x90  feel  in  dimensions, 
and  supplied  with  four  circular  saws,  veneering, 
bottom  and  cover-making-machines,  steam  carriages 
for  raising  the  logs,  and  all  conveniences  I'm- saving 
labor.  The  turning  house  is  a  two-story  brick 
building  70x170  feet,  and  supplied  with  seventeen 
large  lathes,  while  the  warehouse  measures  70  x 
22(1  feet,  and  is  a  building  of  two  stories  brick, 
dry-kilns  10(>x22.">   feet. 

'The  business  requires  the  service-  of  three 
hundred  thoroughly  competent  and  skilled  me- 
chanics, ami  employs  four  engines  of  five  hundred 
and  fifty  horse  power.  The  yearly  pay  roll  is  over 
1100,000,  and  the  daily  capacity  is  live  thousand 
pails  and  two  thousand  live  hundred  tubs. 
James  Potter,  the  foreman,  has  been  connected 
with  the  factory  since  1870,  and  the  product  of 
the  works  is  in  demand  all  through  the  United 
Stales.  The  present  officers  arc  beside  our  subject, 
the  President.  Charles  .1.  Bousfield,  Vice-President, 
and  I>.  E.  Bousfield, Secretary. 

John  Bousfield,  father  of  our  subject,  was  horn 
in  England,  and  came  lo  America  when  a  young 
man, settling  in  Kirtland,  Ohio,  where  he  learned 
pail  making,  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
this  article  by  hand.  He  afterwards  pul  in  water- 
power  machinery,  ami  later  removed  toCleveland, 
and  was  the  first  manufacturer  of  pails  in  the  West. 
gradually  increasing  his  business,  lie  finally  had 
the  largest  manufactory  of  wooden-ware  in  the 
country  at  that  time,  and  his  sons  now  maintain 
the  same  reputation. 

The  father  associated  with  him  John  l'ool  under 
the  firm  name  of  Bousfield  &  Pool  Manufacturing 
Company,  but  in  1875  they  met  with  reverses  and 
dissolved  partnership.  Later  he  started  the  Ohio 
Wooden-ware  Manufactory  Company  in  Cleve- 
land, and  operated  there  until  1881,  when  the 
business  was  transferred  to  Bay  City,  the  fatherre- 
taining  an  interest  in  it  until  his  death  in  1888  at 
the  age  of  sixty-nine,  although  he  retained  his 
home  at  Cleveland. 

The  father  was  a  line  mechanical  genius  and  in- 
ventor of  many  patents  which  are  used  in  the 
factory  to-day,  besides  which  he  was  an  efficient 
business  man.  lie  was  one  of  the  first  to  form  the 
Gas  Company  in  Cleveland,  and  assisted  in  organ- 


izing two  banks,  and  was  President  of  the  People's 
Savings  and  Loan  Bank.  He  wasastrong  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  a  prominent  citizen,  and  a  pillar 
in  the  Congregational  Church.  His  wife  was  born 
in  England,  and  was  in  maidenhood,  Sarah  Eeath- 
erstoiie.  She  came  to  America  with  her  parents, 
who- were  farmers  at  Kirtland,  Ohio,  and   she    still 

resides  in  Cleveland,  at  the  age  6f  sixty -eight.  (  )f 
her  ten  children  six  are  living.  Charlotte  A.  resides 
in  Cleveland.  Emma  L.  is  Mrs.  Darby,  of  St.  Louis. 
Mo..  Edward  F.  was  formerly  with  the  Company 
ai  Bay  City,  bul  is  now  connected  with  the  Min- 
neapolis "W len-ware   Company,    and    the    three 

brothers  at  Bay  City  complete  the  family. 

Alfred  E.  Bousfield  was  bom  in  Eairport,  Ohio. 
January  28,  L855,  but  was  reared  and  educated  in 
Cleveland,  attending  the  city  school.  At  the  age 
of  fifteen  he  entered  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Militan 
Academy  at  Sing  Sing,  \.  V.  and  two  years  later- 
beeame  book-keeper  for  a  coal  company  in  Cleve- 
land. After  a  year  in  their  service  he  entered  his 
lather's  factory,  and  learned  the  business  in  every 
detai  I.  and  in  March  1875,  he  and  his  brother  Ed- 
ward came  to  Bay  City,  and  bought  the  factory 
belonging  to  the  Hay  City  Wooden-ware  Com- 
pany, which  was  then  run  on  a  small  scale,  and 
which  the\  have  increased  to  three  times  its  former 

size. 

In  April  1890,  the  whole  establishment  was  de- 
stroyed by  lire,  reducing  to  ashes  the  new  buildings 

and  all  the  stock  at  a  loss  of  160,000  above  insur- 
ance, but  this  enterprising  linn  immediately  began 
rebuilding  employing  two  hundred  mechanics  in 
the  work, and  quickly  completed  larger  and  more 
substantial  buildings,  and  had  the  business  run- 
ning again  in  October  the  same  year.  They  have 
side-tracks,  connecting  the  works  with  the  Michi- 
gan Central  and  the  Flint  A-  Pcre  Marquette  Pail- 
ways,  and  have  their  own  cars  for  shipment 
which  are  built  extra  large. 

Our  subject  wa-  married  in  Cleveland.  Ohio,  in 
1*77  to  Miss  Carrie  Lockwood,  who  was  born  in 
Dubuque,  Iowa,  but  reared  and  educated  in  Cleve- 
land, where  her  father.  Ira  II.  was  in  the  oil  busi- 
ness She  is  a  most  estimable  lady  and  possessed 
of  social  and  scholarly  attainments.  Their  two 
children  are  Charlotte  E.  and  Lottie  L.     Mr.  Pons- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


field  is  a  Knight  Templar  and  a  thirty-second  de- 
gree Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  of 
Detroit.  He  is  a  strong  Republican, but  not  active 
in  politics,  lie  built  for  the  pleasure  of  his  family 
the  steam  yacht  "Outing,"  which  is  furnished  in 
line  style  and  upon  which  they  make  most  de- 
lightful trips  on  the  Lakes  to  Mackinaw.  Cleve- 
land, and  other  points. 


y»  I  I.I.I  AM  JAISSLE.  The  gentleman  of  whom 
we  give  a  brief  biographical  sketch  is  the 
VV  proprietor  of  one  of  the  finest  meat  mar- 
kefs  in  West  Hay  City.  lie  is  a  native  of  Wurtem- 
burg,  Germany,  having  been  born  in  Poffenhofen, 
December  26,  1854.  He  is  the  son  of  Fred  Jaissle, 
also  a  native  of  the  Fatherland  and  who  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation;  he  died  in  Germany  in  1859. 
Our  subject's  mother  was  Golibe  Jaissle,  a  native 
of  the  same  place  as  was  her  son.  and  after  accom- 
panying our  subject  to  the  New  World  she  died  in 
Deii-oit  in  1885.  The  parents  were  active  Lutherans 
in  religion  and  wen  greatly  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  them. 

Five  children  comprised  the   family   of  Mr.  and 

Mrs.  Fred  Jaissle,  only  four  of  wl i  are  living, 

,  making  their  home  in  Detroit.  Our  subject  was 
the  youngest  but  one  in  order  of  birth  and  was 
reared  to  perform  all  the  duties  of  farm  life  when 
a  boy.  I  Ie  received  a  good  common-school  education 
and  passed  his  early  days  on  the  banks  of  the  Danube 
and  when  seventeen  years  of  age  embarked  for 
America.  November  111,  1871,  setting  sail  from 
Bremen  on  the  steamer  "Mein"  and  landed  in  New 
York  City.  About  three  weeks  later  he  came  to 
Detroit  where  he  learned  the  butcher's  trade  and 
continued  to  follow  that  occupation  until  1883, 
when  he  came  to  We.-l  Hay  Citj  . 

When  making  this  city  his  home  our  subject  en- 
gaged to  work  for  Henry  Gunteman,  remaining 
with  him  until  November  8,  1890.  Our  subject 
then  bought  out  his  employer,  who  had  received 
the  nomination  of  sheriff,  and  has  since  been  en- 
gaged   in    running   a    meat    market.      His    place   of 


business  IS  finely  located  al    No.  202  S.   I. inn  Street 

and  his  store  bears  all  the  modern  improvements 
of  a  first-class  market,  having  a  large  refrigerator, 
and  sausage  cutter  run  by  water  power.  Fleisin  a 
position  to  do  an  extensive  business  and  commands 
a  large  patronage  among  tin'  people  of  Wot  Hay 
City. 

Mr.  Jaissle  established  a  home  of  his  own.  in 
187(3,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lena  Schener, 
the  ceremony  being  performed  in  the  City  of  the 
Straits.  Mrs.  Jaissle  was  born  in  Detroit  and  by 
her  marriage  with  our  subject  has  become  the 
mother  of  four  children,  namely:  Fred,  Lillie,  ( lora 
and  Ilattie.  Mr.  Jaissle  i-  a  member  of  the  Arbe- 
iter  Society  and  in  politics  is  a  believer  in  Demo- 
cratic principles,  hence  he  always  casts  hi-  vote 
and  influence  in  favor  of  the  candidate-  of  that 
party.  Mr.  Jaissle  is  a  man  whose  character  and  abil- 
ities give  him  the  respect  of  the  community  and 
his  enterprise  and  progressive  ideas  place  him  in 
the  front  rank  among  business  men. 


i>*<§^ 


-5- 


1)1..  CHARLES  R.  HAWLEY.  This  gentle- 
man, who  is  Colonel  of  the  Third  Regiment, 
Michigan   State  Troops,  is  the  leading  dry- 

g Is  merchant  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.     He  owns 

the  finest  dry-goods  block  in  the  State  and  which 
is  only  equaled  in  size  by  one  in  Detroit  and  one 
in  ( Irand  Rapids. 

Col.  llawley  was  born  in  Chenango  County, 
N.  Y..  and  was  the  son  of  Dr.  1>.  M.  llawley.  who 
was  a  native  of  Delaware  County,  that  State.  The 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  William  llawley.  hailed 
from  Connecticut,  but  passed  his  last  days  in  New 
York  State.  The  Hawleys  are  of  Irish  de-cent. 
The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  physician  ami  sur- 
geon of  the  Eclectic  School  in  Chenango  County. 
He  later  removed  to  Painted  Post,  Steuben  County, 
where  he  was  successfully  engaged  in  his  profes- 
sion. He  was  Captain  of  a  company  of  New  York 
Militia  and  died  in  1869.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, Abigail  (Hathaway)  llawley.  was  also  born  in 
Delaware  County,  N.  V.  Her  parents  were  natives 
of  Massachusetts   and    traced    their   ancestry  to  the 


1172 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Plymouth  Rock  stock.  Mrs.  Hawley  is  a  Presby- 
terian in  her  religious  faith  and  is  :it  present  resid- 
ing with  our  subject. 

He  of  whom  we  write  wasthe  third  eldest  of  the 
parental  family  and  at  Painted  Post,  N.  V..  had  the 
advantages  of  the  common  schools  until  fourteen 
years  of  age  when  he  began  clerking  in  a  dry-goods 
house  in  Orleans,  his  employer  being  X.  S.  Butler, 
lie  remained  in  the  employ  of  that  gentleman  for 
twenty-two  yearswhen  he  was  taken  in  as  partner. 
the  firm  operating  under  the  style  of  X.  S.  Butler 
&  Co..  doing  the  largest  dry-goods  business  in 
Steuben  County.  They  continued  together  until 
the  fall  of  1865  when  Mr.  Hawley  disposed  of  his 
interest  in  the  store  and  came  West  to  Bay  City 
where  he  became  established  in  the  same  line  of 
business  with  his  former  partner,  the  firm  being 
known  as  C.  R.  Hawley  ,Vr  Co.  lie  started  on  a 
small  scale,  occupying  a  store  room  on  Water  Street, 
lie  later  lemoved  to  the  block  on  the  corner  of 
Center  and  Adams  Street.-  and  continued   to   carry 

on  his  business  there  until  the  spring  of  1891  when 
lie  located  in  hi-  magnificent  store. 

In  1882  Mr.  Butler  retired  from  the  dry-goods 
firm  of  B.  1!.  Hawley.  since  which  time  our  subject 
has  conducted  the  business  alone  and  has  been  the 
most  successful  dry-goods  merchant  in  the  Saginaw 
Valley.  In  1890-91  he  erected  the  Hawley  Block, 
which  is  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  the  State, 
the  plans  for  which  he  drew  himself.  It  is  75x100 
feel  in  dimensions  and  is  four  stories  high,  con- 
taining a  large  elevator,  plate  glass  windows,  and 
the  Iron i  of  the  building  is  ornamented  with  pillars 
of  Tennessee  marble.     The  first  tloor  is  devoted  to 

general  dry-goods  and  fancy  goods,  the  sec 1  floor 

to  cloaks,  shawls  and  dress-making;  the  third  floor 
to  carpets  and  curtains,  while  on  the  lit'th  floor  is 
the  manufacturing  department. 

Col.  Hawley  established  a  branch  store  in  Alpena 
in  1876,  which  he  is  still  conducting  in  partnership 
with  Mr.  Fitzgerald  and  which  i-  the  leading  house 
in  the  plan'.  Our  subject  was  one  of  the  organ- 
izers and  stockholder.-  of  the  Bay  County  Electric 
Light  Company.  He  is  at  the  present  time  a  large 
stockholder  in  the  Bay  County  Mutual  Building 
and  Loan  Association,  being  one  of  the  Board  of 
Directors,      lie    is    interested    as    stockholder    and 


Director  of  the  Commercial  Bank  and  is  an  active 
member  of  the  Bay  City  Business  Men's  Associa- 
tion. Col.  Hawley  is  active  and  prominent  in  all 
public  enterprises  that  tend  toward  the  develop- 
ment and  upbuilding  of  Bay  City. 

The  original  of  this  -ketch  was  organizer  and 
charter  member  of  Company  D,  Third  Regiment, 
Michigan  State  Troops,  holding  the  office  for  a 
time  of  Second  Sergeant.  It  was  later  made  Com- 
pany C.  and  our  subject  has  been  honored  with  all 
the  offices  in  the  regiment,  acting  now  as  Colonel. 
He  was  on  duty  during  the  riots  in  Saginaw  as 
Major,  commanding  two  companies. 

The  residence  of  Col.  Hawley  is  Located  on  the 
corner  of  Eighth  and  Sheridan  Streets,  fie  is  Em- 
inent Commander  of  the  Bay  City  Commandery, 
K.  T.,  is  a  Consistory  .Mason,  belonging  to  the 
Mystic  Shrine  at  Detroit  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Masonic  Temple  Associ- 
tion  and  Chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee.  He 
is  also  connected  with  the  Knights  of  the  Macca- 
bees and  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
He  i-  a  prominent  Republican  in  the  county  and 
stands  very  high  in  financial  and  social  circles. 


II  ((MAS  KINNEY.  Probably  the  eldest 
surviving  settler  of  Bay  County,  is  Mr.  Kin- 
O^  my.  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Merritt  Town- 
ship. When  he  Located  in  this  county  in  1847, 
there  was  not  a  bouse  on  the  sight  of  the  present 
flourishing  county-seat  and  Indians  were  in  full 
possession  of  the  surrounding  country.  He  has 
been  a  witness  of  the  growth  of  the  community 
and  has  contributed  not  a  little  to  its  present  de- 
velopment. He  located  on  his  present  farm  in 
1857  and  has  since  made  it  his  home,  occupying 
his  time  in  cultivating  the  soil  and  improving  the 
place. 

The  parents  of  our  subject.  Daniel  and  Mary 
Kinney,  resided  in  County  Limerick,  Ireland, 
where  they  reared  a  family  of  seven  children,  three 
of  whom  now  survive — Thomas,  Michael  and  John. 
Thomas  was  born  in  County  Limerick,  Ireland, 
September  25,  L825,  and   came   to  America  at  the 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


07:! 


age  of  sixteen,  locating  in  Buffalo,  where  he  re- 
mained until  he  came  West  to  Michigan  in  1847. 
During  his  residence  in  Buffalo  he  was  married  to 
Mary  Griffin  and  they  had  one  child  at  the  time 
Of  coming  to  Michigan.  Their  family  now  com- 
prises four  children,  viz:  Michael. a  hardware  mer- 
chant of  Bay  City;  Tl las,  who  resides  on  the  old 

homestead;  Henry,  a  resident  of  Dawsonville;  and 
Jennie,  wife  of    Maurice  Welch,  of  Bay  City. 

Ever  since  he  located  here  Mr.  Kinney  has  been 
identified  with  the  growth  of  the  county  and  is 
one  of  its  prominent  citizens.  He  began  the  mad 
now  know  as  the  Tuscola  road  and  was  one  of  the 
leading  men  in  building  it.  He  has  been  Road 
Overseer  for  thirty-two  consecutive  years,  except- 
ing one  year,  and  has  done  much  in  thai  line  to- 
ward improving  the  facilities  for  travel,  lie  has 
served  as  School  Inspector  for  two  terms.  School 
Director  eight  years.  Treasurer  three  years  and  has 
held  some  of  the  school  offices  for  twenty-two 
years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Democratic  party, 
and  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  a  faithful 
adherent  to  the  dnetrincs  of  both.  * 


^1 


"S 


£+£ 


[S_ 


THEODORE  E.BISSELL,  one  of  the  most  en- 
terprising young  business  men  of  West  Bay 
City,  .is  a  successful  hardware  merchant, 
and  conducts  a  large  and  lucrative  business  on  the 
cornel-  of   Henry   and    Midland    Streets   under    the 

lirm  name  of    Bissell   &  .Mather.      He    is    the  s f 

Dr.  A.  G.  Bissell,  who  is  represented  in  this  volume 
and  was  bora  in  Genesco,  Livingston  County. 
N.  Y.,  September  5,  1859.  He  was  reared  in  Sagi- 
naw and  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of 
that  city  until  he  was  sixteen,  when  he  left  school 
On  account  of  ill  health  and  spent  six  months  at 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  attendance  at  the  Centen- 
nial. 

Returning  to  Michigan,  he  became  clerk  in  the 
Office  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  flint  A-  Pere  Marquel  te 
Railroad,  in  the  meantime  learning  telegraphy. 
He  was  with  the  road  at  various  stations,  Holly, 
Freeland,  etc.,  then  was  in  their  employ  for  six 
years   as  relief  agent.     Later    he  was  local  freight 


agenl  and  train  dispatcher  for  the  Saginaw,  Tus- 
cola A-  Huron  Railway  Company  I'm  Bve  years, 
lie  came  to  West  Bay  City  in  April  1887,  and  in 
partnership  with  Ed  L.  .Mather  bought  nut  the 
hardware  establishment  of  II.  A'  II.  S.  Lewis. 
The  building  occupied   by  the  linn  of  r>is~cll  & 

Mather  is  25x90    feet   in     dimensions,    and  the  live 

floors  are  stocked  with  everything  in  the  hardware 
line,  besides  builders'  supplies,  paints,  oil  etc.  They 
are  numbered  among  the  most  successful  and  ener- 
getic business  men  of  the  city  and  in  connection 
with  then-  store,  have  engaged  in  real-estate  tran- 
sai  tions.  at  presenl  owning  twelve  lots  and  several 
residences. 

Mr.  Bissell  was  married  in  lvist  Saginaw,  October 
2t'i.  1887,  tu  Miss  Anna  E.  Wicker,  who  was  horn 
at  Vpsilanti  and  is  the  daughter  of  W.  W .  Wicker 
a  grocer  of  East  Saginaw.  Mi.  and  Mrs.  Bissell 
have  one  child  Harry  (i.  A  prominent  Democrat, 
Mr.  Bissell  has  served  as  chairman  of  the  city 
Democratic  Committee  and  as  delegate  to  county 
and  State  conventions.  In  1889  he  was  elected 
Treasurer  of  the  city  on  the  Democratic  ticket  and 
served  efficiently  for  two  years.  lie  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Saginaw  School  Board,  hut  resigned 
upon  removing  to  West  Bay  City.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Order  of  Maccabees,  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity, Knights  of  Pythias,  Order  of  Foresters,  and 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workman,  in  which 
he  has  been  Master  Workman  for  two  years.  In 
his  religious  belief  he  is  an  Episcopalian. 


ffi  AMES  EDDY.  Had  our  subject  lived  until 
the  present  time  he  would  have  numbered 
ninety  years,  for  he  was  horn  in  1801,  in 
l'ru\  idence,  Ix.  I.  His  life,  however,  was  an 
example  of  many  virtues  for  those  who  follow  him. 
lie  was  one  of  a  family  of  three,  having  two 
brothers — Charles  and  Edward.  The  former  died 
in  the  East,  while  the  latter  still  survives  and  is  a 
resident  of  Bridgeport,  Conn,  lie  is  by  occupation 
a  painter.  Our  subject  had  one  sister,  Ann.  who 
was  born  in  1806;  she  married  Smith  Brown;  they 
both  died  in  Lockport,  X.  V.  Their  parents,  Joseph 


974 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


:uid  Susan  (Salsbury)  Eddy,  the  latter  a  daughter 
of  Samuel  Salsbury,  a  native  of  Riverton,  R.  I., 
were  married  in  1779.  The  Eddy  family  are  of 
Welsh  ancestry,  and  the  Salsbury  family  have 
among  its  male  representatives  been  numbered 
among  the  seafaring  nun  for  many  generations 
past. 

Of  the  union  of  .lames  Eddy  and  wife  there  were 
born  the  following  children:  James  B., Samuel  L., 
George  P.,  all  of  whom  are  deceased;  those  who 
survive  are  Edward  A..  Sarah  E.,  Albert  I  Land  War- 
ren Hyde.  When  the  wai  between  the  sections  broke 
out  George  and  Edward  became  members  of  Com- 
pany F,  Twenty-third  Michigan  Infantry,  joining 
the  Army  of  the  Ohio  in  1862.  The  former  was 
transferred  and  made  Lieutenant  of  a  colored  reg- 
iment, which  position  lie  held  till  the  close  <>f  hos- 
tilities. Edward  A.  was  commissioned  Lieutenant 
in  1864,  which  position  In-  held  until  tin-  close  of 
the  war.  He  received  the  commission  of  First  Lieu- 
tenant in  1865,  but  was  nut  mustered  in.  Albert  II. 
married  Bridget  Crump  in  1874.  He.  together 
with  his  brother  Edward,  is  engaged  in  farm- 
ing ami  gardening.  Edward  is  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  belonging  to  a  post 
at  Bay  City. 


GEORGE  11.  ROBINSON,  a  prominent  lum- 
berman of  Bay  City,  is  President  of  the  Rob- 
inson Salt  and  Lumber  Company.  He  un- 
derstands everj  department  of  the  lumber  business 
and  could  turn  his  hand  to  any  part  of  the  work 
if  obliged  to  do  so.  Energj  ami  industry  have 
contributed  to  his  success  financially  while  his  gen- 
ial disposition  and  uniformly  courteous  dealings 
with  all.  have  won  the  confidence  of  his  fellow-cit- 
izens. The  family  of  which  lie  is  a  member  origi- 
nated in  Scotland  hut  removed  to  Ireland  many 
generations  ago,  thence  returned  to  Scotland  and 
from  there  went  back  to  the  Emerald    l«l<-. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subjeel  was  born  in  Scot- 
land and  removed  to  County  Antrim.  Ireland. 
where  Wilson  Robinson  was  horn.  Tin  latter  fol- 
lowed the  ocean  for  many    years,    commencing   as 


cabin  boy  and  working  his  way  up  to  a  prominent 
position.  He  emigrated  to  America  in  his  early 
manhood  and  engaged  as  a  lumber  dealer  in  Os- 
wego. X.  Y.  When  his  wife  died  in  1849,  he  went 
to  the  coast  and  buying  a  vessel  made  several  trips 
a-  Master.  The  vessel  was  finally  lost  and  he  was 
never  heard  from  afterward.  He  was  a  Presbyter- 
ian in  his  religious  convictions. 

Our  subject  was  the  only  child  of  Wilson  and 
.lane  (Archer)  Robinson,  and  was  born  in  Oswego, 
X.  Y.,  October  30,  1843.  At  the  age  of  six  years 
he  was  taken  to  Lewiston  where  he  remained  with 
an  uncle,  John  Holland,  until  1852.  Then  com- 
ing to  Michigan  by  boat  to  Detroit  and  Saginaw 
and  from  there  overland  to  Tuscola  County,  he 
located  in  Juniata  Township  in  the  woods  and  as- 
sisted Lis  uncle  in  improving  a  farm.  He  attended 
the  district  schools  and  afterward  was  a  pupil  in 
the  Vassal- High  School  from  which  he  graduated 
at  the  age  of  tweotj  years.  Ill  1864  he  entered 
the  University  of  .Michigan  where  he  studied  in 
tic  scientific  course  for  one  year. 

In  the  fall  of  I860  our  subject  came  to  Bay 
City  without  any  capital  whatever  and  entered  the 
shingle  mill  of  Watrous  Bros.,  working  through 
the  different  positions  by  a  series  of  promotions 
and  remaining  with  the  firm  for  nineteen  years. 
During  the  la-t  twelve  years  he  was  Superintend- 
ent of  their  shingle  and  lumber  business  and  was 
accustomed  to  lumber  in  the  woods  at  the  head  of 
a  force  of  lift  \  or  one  hundred  men.  In  1883  he 
engaged  with  Mr.  Hotchkiss  and  was  in  his  mills 
for  three  years,  afterward  going  to  the  Upper 
Peninsula  and  lumbering  for  one  year. 

Mr.  Robinson  next  located  on  his  farm  of  one 
hundred  acres  in  Juniata  Township.  Tuscola 
County,  where  In'  farmed  for  two  years.  He  still 
own-  the  place  and  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
on  the  Flint  River  in  Saginaw  County,  besides 
other  property.  In  1889  he  assisted  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Robinson  Salt  and  Lumber  Com- 
pany in  which  he  was  Secretary  and  Treasurer  for 
two  years,  and  is  now  President.  The  mill  site  i< 
nine  hundred  feet  long  and  occupies  two  blocks 
on  theSaginaw  River  between  Water  and  River  at 
the  foot  of  Thirty-seventh  Street.  The  sawmills 
have  a  capacity  of   eighty    thousand    per    day.  and 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


975 


manufacture  lath,  tub  bottoms,  barrel  staves  and 
headings.  Eight  barrels  of  salt  are  manufactured 
each  day  from  two  wells. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Robinson  to  Miss  Lucy, 
daughter  of  Capt.  Joseph  Marsac,  took  place  in 
Bay  City,  which  was  the  native  place  of  the  bride. 
Her  father  was  one  of  the  tirst  settlers  here,  com- 
ing as  interpreter  for  the  Government  under  Gen. 
Cass  at  Detroit.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robinson  are  the 
parents  of  five  children,  namely:  George,  John, 
Gustavus,  Lucy  and  Mary,  all  of  whom  reside  in 
the  parental  home  in  the  Seventh  Ward,  between 
Thirty-eighth  and  Thirty-ninth  on  Taylor  Street. 
Socially  Mr.  Robinson  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  lie  is  a  Republican  and  has  been  a 
delegate  to  county  conventions,  also  serving  on 
ward  and  city  committees. 


♦^ffl 


iS'*3l 


11*^ 


von    BOEMBLE. 


I    -1  ARoN    I'.   II. 

I  -*■      man    nobleman,   who   is  so    warm    an 


This  ( ter- 
:id- 
{^)  I.  mirer  of  America  and  American  institu- 
tions as  to  choose  this  country  for  his  home, 
is  known  in  the  social  circles  of  Hay  City  as -'The 
Count."  lie  speaks  English  and  French  with 
fluency,  as  well  as  having  complete  cemmand  of 
his  native  tongue,  and  is  one  of  the  most  popular 
young  men  of  the  city.  About  once  in  two  years 
he  makes  a  trip  hack  to  his  native  land  to  visit  his 
parents,  but  has  determined  to  establish  himself 
here.  He  belongs  to  the  lirm  of  E.  Von  Hermann 
&  Co., and  has  charge  of  their  store  in  Hay  City, 
but  expect-  in  aboul  a  year  to  go  into  the  whole- 
sale drug  business,  in  Chicago,  with  his  presenl 
partner. 

Baron  von  Boemble  was  horn  in  Baden  Baden, 
Germany,  on  New  Year's  Day.  1861.  His  early 
education  was  conducted  in  his  native  home  un- 
der tin  can-  ot  a  tutor  until  he  reached  the  age  of 
eighteen,  when  he  entered  the  University  of  Heid- 
elburg, taking  the  Philoisopical  course,  and  gradu- 
ating therefrom  in  1882.  He  then  took  a  course 
of  travel  through  different  countries  in  Europe, 
and  in  1884  came  to  America  on  the  "Waesland" 
landing  in  New  York  City,  and  at  once  coming 
15 


Wes1  to  Chicago,  since  his  last  return  from  Ger- 
many, in   1889,  he   has  c ccted  himself  with  the 

li  i-i 1 1  of  E.  Von  Hermann  &  Co.,  and  is  now  estab- 
lishing a  business  in  wholesale  drugs  in  Chicago. 
lie  is  an  honored  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  a  favorite  in  all  social  circles. 


— <t; 


~iP. 


»^<m=^ 


-J— 


OHN  E.  KINNANE,  A.  15.,  a  prominent 
young  attorney  at  Bay  City,  whose  office  is 
in  the  Phoenix  Block,  has  practiced  in  this 
city  for  three  years,  and  is  now  County 
Commissioner  of  Schools  for  Bay  County,  to  which 
responsible  position  he  was  elected  in  June,  1891, 
and  in  which  his  term  of  otliee  will  continue  until 
July  1.  1893.  Mr.  Kinnane's  tine  education,  ex- 
perience, and  interest  in  educational  matters  have 
abundantly  fitted  him  for  this  responsible  position 
in  which  he  has  shown  rare  ability  and  energy  as 
an  organizer  and  an  educational  worker,  and  it  is 
believed  by  his  many  friends  that  he  will  effect 
many  valuable  improvements  in  the  schools  of  Bay 
County  during  the  term  of  his  incumbency. 

Mr.  Kinnane  was  born  in  Kalamazoo  County,  in 
the  township  of  Cooper,  .Ian nary  10,  1862,  and  is  a 
son  of  Patrick  and  .Mary  (Sullivan)  Kinnane.  As 
the  father  was  a  farmer,  the  boy  received  early 
training  in  the  practical  work  of  agriculture  and 
took  his  schooling  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
township,  profiting  so  well  thereby  as  to  fit  him 
for  entrance  into  the  preparatory  department  of 
Kalamazoo  College,  which  he  entered  in  1879.  In 
1881,  he  completed  the  preparatory  course  and 
entered  college  where  he  made  a  good  record 
graduating  therefrom  with  honors  in  the  Class  of 
'85,    receiving    the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts. 

Upon  completing  U[s  course  of  education,  our 
subject  undertook  the  work  of  a  teacher  and  for 
one  year  taught   in  .Monroe  County,  after  which  he 

C! to  I  la  \   County  in  the  fall   of    1886,   and    was 

made  Principal  of  the  schools  in  the  village  of 
Essexville,  continuing  in  that  position  for  two 
years  and  m  the  meantime  pursuing  the  study  of 
law  with  T.  A.  E.  and  .1.  C.  Weadock.  In 
the  fall  of  1888  he  was  elected  County  Secretary  o 


976 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


Schools  for  Bay  County,  and  held  that  office  until 
the  summer  of  1891,  at  which  time  he  was  elected 
County  Commissioner  of  Schools,  an  office  which 
he  is  still  holding. 

Mr.  Kinnane  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by  exam- 
ination in  1889  and  has  been  practicing  for  three 
years  in  Bay  City,  carrying  on  his  work  independ- 
ently, as  he  has  not  seen  fit  to  associate  himself 
with  a  partner,  lie  gives  his  whole  attention  to 
the  schools  and  his  profession  as  a  lawyer,  and  is 
building  up  a  fine  practice.  lie  has  also  gained 
the  esteem  of  the  best  class  of  the  membership  of 
the  Bay  County  Bar,  as  his  character  and  abilities 
have  given  him  a  strong  hold  upon  their  regard. 
He  is  also  the  Village  Attorney  for  Essexville,  to 
which  position  he  was  appointed  in  May.  1890, 
and  which  he  has  since  ably  filled. 


.■:■ 


kEANDER  SIMONEAU,  who  is  now  .hist  ice 
of  the  Peace  at  Saginaw,  located  here  in 
December,  1864,  and  engaged  in  the  drug 
business  when  there  were  only  five  drug  stores  in 
the  city.  In  this  he  continued  until  1883, at  which 
time  he  sold  out  the  business.  In  1869  he  was 
made  a  member  of  the  School  Board  and  in  1871 
was  elected  Mayor  on  the  Democratic  ticket.  Since 
that  time  he  has  served  seven  years  as  Alderman 
and  has  twice  been  made  candidate  for  the  mayor- 
alty, in  1882  being  considered  the  strongest  man 
who  could  be  put  up  by  his  party.  He  was  suc- 
cessful in  the  second  campaign  and  in  the  same 
year  was  elected  Register  of  Deeds  and  re-elected 
to  his  second  term  in  1884,  and  tilled  both  offices 
with  satisfaction  to  the  people.  He  was  re-elected 
to  the  office  of  mayor  with  a  largely  increased  ma- 
jority, and  in  1888  became  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
Besides  his  official  duties  he  has  done  a  general 
real  estate  business  and  has  handled  much  property 
besides  building  the  block  at  the  corner  of  Genesee 
and  Jefferson  Streets  and  other  business  buildings. 
Mr.  Simoneau  was  born  at  St.  Nicholas,  Quebec, 
February  5,  1834,  and  is  a  son  of  Leon  and  Celeste 
(Demers)  Simoneau,  natives  of  Canada  and  of 
French  parentage.     The    father    and    our   subject 


came  to  Detroit  in  1836.  The  former  was  a  black- 
smith, and  died  in  Detroit  in  1840,  after  which  our 
subject  remained  with  his  mother  until  be  reached 
the  age  of  thirteen,  when  he  engaged  as  a  cabin 
boy  on  a  sailing  vessel,  continuing  upon  the  lakes 
for  many  years.  In  1853  he  bought  an  interest  in 
a  small  vessel,  of  which  he  became  Master,  but  in 
1854  sold  that  vessel,  and  in  company  with  Dr. 
» reorge  P..  Russell,  built  a  schooner,  the  -Hercules," 
e(.-tin-  some  $10,000.  Upon  this  he  became 
Master,  and  for  three  years  carried  on  a  trade  upon 
the  lake  mostly  in  lumber  and  coal.  In  1857  he 
sold  his  vessels  and  became  a  partner  with  his 
brother,  Henry  Simoneau,  m  the  drug  business  at 
Detroit,  remaining  »iih  him  for  live  years. 

Mr.  Simoneau  had  become  so  much  of  a  lover 
of  the  water  that  he  was  not  content  in  so  quiet  a 
field  as  the  drug  business,  and  he  finally  bought 
the  schooner  "Enterprise,"  and  engaged  in  sailing 
that  and  the  "Darien,"  and  in  1864  sold  them  and 
bought  the  brig  "Blaif "  and  the  schooner  "Poland." 
but  in  the  fall  decided  to  leave  the  lake,  and. 
selling  these  vessels,  came  to  Saginaw.  He  looks 
back  with  pleasure  to  those  days,  and  can  recount 
many  thrilljng  incidents  of  adventure.  His  mar- 
riage in  January.  1855,  at  Detroit,  united  with 
him  Miss  Zoe  Tourangeau,  of  Sandwich,  Canada, 
who  died  in  1866,  after  coming  to  Saginaw,  and 
he  was  again  married  January  11.  1*7!>,  to  Miss 
Victorine  Ducharme,  of   Lancaster.  Canada. 

The  children  of  the  lirst  marriage  are:  Matilda, 
Mrs.  W.  C.  Genn,  of  Saginaw;  Louise,  who  married 
William  Thompson,  of  Saginaw;  Laura,  who  is 
the  wife  of  Arthur  D.  Eddy,  of  the  same  city; 
Richard  F.,  who  is  in  the  drug  trade,  and  three 
children  who  died  in  infancy.  The  children  of 
the  second  marriage  are:  Hortense,  Alice  and 
Estella,  all  of  whom  are  still  school  children,  and 
are  being  trained  in  the  principles  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  1"  which  their  parent-  belong. 

During  the  first  term  of  Mr.  Simoneau 's  in- 
cumbency of  the  office  of  Mayor,  the  water  works 
of  the  city  were  established.  A  committee  of  citi- 
zens examined  the  various  plans  and  adopted  the 
Ilolley  system,  largely  through  his  influence,  as  he 
was  intelligent  on  the  subject  and  knew  its  value. 
Mr.  Simoneau  met  with  financial  reverses  in   1  s 7 7 . 


PORTRAIT  AND  B10<    RAPHTCAL    RK('ORI). 


977 


and  as  his  credit  was  impaired,  he  found  it  nec- 
essary t<>  make  an  assignment,  no)  being  able  at  that 
time  to  carry  real  estate,  which  has  since  sold  for 
more  than  double  what  it  was  then  rated.  Like 
all  cities,  Saginaw  has  had  its  periods  of  depres- 
sions, which  have  worked  to  the  disadvantage  of 
such  of  its  citizens  as  had  invested  too  largely  on 
their  faith  iii  its  possibilities,  but  it  is  now  again 
at  the  front. 


B3+^ 


9 


ILTON  HADSALL.  This  enterprising 
farmer  of  Birch  Run  Township,  Saginaw 
County,  is  a  native  of  Luzerne  County, 
Pa.,  and  was  born  May  L9,  1833.  He  is  a 
son  of  Edward  and  Jane  (Dymond)  Hadsall,  both 
native- of  the  Keystone  state,  and  new  residents 
of  Livingston  County,  Mich.  In  his  native  Stati 
he  received  his  early   training   and   there  he  grew 

to  manhood.   Nothing  mure  than  a  common  scl I 

education  was  within  the  reach  of  his  parents  but 
they  gave  i<>  this  son  the  besl  opportunities  which 
they  could  secure,  from  his  early  youth  hefound 
it  necessary  to  assist  in  the  conduct  of  farm  affairs 
and  he  early  learned  all  the  practical  detail-  of 
farm  work.  His  love  for  learning  has  made  him  a 
lifelong  reader  and  he  has  thus  gained  much  which 
he  necessarily  sacrificed  when  a  hoy  on  account  of 
lack  of  advantages. 

It  was  in  1857  thai  our  subjeel  migrated  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Michigan  and  settled  in  Livings- 
ton County.  He  had  been  preceded  hither  by 
by  his  parents  the  previous  year  and  came  upon 
theii  recommendation- of  the  new  country  in  which 
they  thought  they  saw  great  possibilities  ahead 
for  their  son.  In  the  fall  of  1859  he  came  to 
Saginaw  County  and  made  his  home  here  until  he 
left   home  to  enter  the  army. 

The  young  man  enlisted  August  8,  \xi\2  in 
Company  R.  Twenty-third  Michigan  Infantry 
which  was  attached  to  the  army  of  the  Cumber 
land.  He  foughl  in  the  battle  of  Buzzard's  Koosl 
and  took  part  in  the  siege  of  Knoxville,  and  went 
a-  far  as  Atlanta  with  Sherman'-  army,  being  a 
participant  in  that  campaign,  and  beingunder  fire 


through  all  that  terrible  period  of  more  than  one 
hundred  days  while  the  army  moved  down  the 
State  Road,  lie  also  took  part  in  the  siege  at 
Nashville,  the  battle  of  Franklin  ami  that  of  Spi  ing 
Hill.  In  the  division  to  which  he  belonged  hewas 
-cut  to  North  Carolina,  and  was  there  taken  sick  so 
that  he  had  to  lie  -cut  to  the  hospital  and  anally 
received  his  honorable  discharge  in  May,  1865, 
after  which  he  returned  to  Michigan.  lie  now  re- 
ceive- a  pension  of  $8  per  month  from  a  grateful 
country. 

The  tir-t  marriage  of  Mr.  Hadsall  which  took 
place  November  7,  1858,  united  him  with  Leora 
Gray.  One  of  her  sons  has  died  and  the  other, 
Miles,  is  still  living,  and  is  now  a  young  man  of 
thirty-two  years.  By  his  second  marriage. which  oc- 
curred April  11.  1875,  he  look  to  wife  Mrs.  Helen 
Dimmick.  She  was  the  widow  of  li.  Franklin 
Dimmick  who  was  killed,  in  a  mill  in  Luzerne 
t  ounty.  Pa.. where  they  resided  on  the  2d  of  Decem- 
ber, 1861.  His  political  convictions  have  brought 
him  into  active  co-operation  with  the  Republican 
party  and  his  enterprise  and  spirit  make  him  active 
in  promoting  all  movements  designed  to  build  up 
the  township  and  county.  He  has  served  as  School 
Treasurer  of  his  district  and  is  well  known  for  his 
stanch  integrity  and  thorough  reliability. 


--^♦•J* . 


WW; 


'-:-:->->  %&  &g  **♦*? 


|         ORA<  E   A.    PACAUD,  of  Ray  City,  is  one 

Y  J  of  the  most  prominent,  enterprising  and 
successful  business  men  of  the  Saginaw  Val- 
ley, lie  was  bom  in  Three  Rivers,  a  Prov- 
ince of  Quebec,  August  7.  1852,  and  was  educated 
at  Nicolet's  College  in  Nicolet,  Province  of  Que- 
bec. When  he  had  scarcely  attained  the  age  Of 
twenty  he  wa-  at  the  head  of  a  large  and  prosper- 
ous whole-ale  and  retail  Hour  establishment  in 
Arthabaska.  Rut  the  spirit  of  activity  within  him 
made  him  seek  for  a  broader  field.  Although  a 
(  anadian  by  birth,  he  was  an  American  in  the  pos- 
session of  keenest  enterprise  and  most  stirring  fac- 
ult  ies  of  mind,  and  it  wa-  t  herefi  ire  natural  that  he 
should  seek  this  great  country  of  ours,  to  give  full 
-way  to  hi-  energies  and  business  abilities. 


978 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Bay  City  was,  at  that  time  (1872),  enjoying  the 
full  glory  of  its  bright  future  and  its  fame  brought 
this  wide-awake  Canadian  in  its  midst.  Mr. 
Paeaud  was  not  long  in  perceiving  that  a  broad 
field  was  open  here  for  the  successful  career  of  a 
French  newspaper  and  accordingly  he  at  once 
started  the  publication  of  Le  Patriote,  which 
soon  became  the  powerful  standard  bearer  of  the 
public  opinions  of  his  compatriots  throughout 
Michigan  and  one  of  the  most  successful  financial 
newspapers  on  the  Continent.  But  the  many  du- 
ties of  an  editor  and  business  manager  of  a  news- 
paper were  powerless  to  satisfy  the  burning  ac- 
tivity of  our  subject  and  he  soon  started  a  personal 
security  bank  and  a  real-estate  office  in  conjunc- 
tion with  his  newspaper. 

Such  an  active,  intelligent  and  successful  bus'i- 
ness  man  was  necessarily  an  important  factor  in  • 
politics,  and  after  having  been  honored  by  the 
popular  vote  with  different  offices  of  public  trust,he 
received  in  1886  the  unanimous  vote  (if  the  Demo- 
cratic convention  for  the  State  Legislature.  Hu- 
man nature  could  not  sustain  such  an  active  life, 
and  in  1890  Mr.  Paeaud  was  compelled  to  sell  his 
newspaper,  suspend  his  other  business  temporarily 
and  seek  recreation  from  business  cares.  With  his 
family  he  made  a  tour  of  the  United  States  .'111(1 
enjoyed  a  pleasant  release  from  former  cares.  In 
1891  he  returned  home,  reopening  his  personal 
security  bank  and  real-estate  business  with  more 
activity  than  ever,  and  to-day  is  considered,  finan- 
cially speaking,  one   of  the  solid  men  of  Kay  ( 'ity. 

Mr.  Paeaud  belongs  to  one  of  the  leading  and 
most  highly  connected  families  in  Canada.  He  is 
the  son  of  Philippe  Napoleon  Paeaud,  whoso  power- 
fully seconded  Papineau  in  1837-38  by  putting 
his  life  and  immense  wealth  at  the  service  of  the 
great  cause  of  his  countrymen.  His  distinguished 
life  was  eloquently  written  by  that  crowned  littera- 
teur of  the  French  Academy,  Louis  Frechette.  <  >ur 
subject  is  one  of  five  brothers — Aurele,  publisher 
of  Le  Progres,  of  Windsor.  ( Intario  and  attache  of 
the  Seventh  Division  Court;  Ernest,  attorney- 
at-law  and  political  director  of  L'  Elecleur,  organ- 
in-chief  of   the  Liberal    party   in  the  Provim 1' 

Quebec;  Auguste,  Revising  Barrister  for  the  Do- 
minion Government;   and    Gaspaid,    editor  of  Le 


Progres,  of  Windsor.  Ontario,  and  who  at  the  age 
of  twenty-seven  years,  was  representing  the  lar|,e 
and  important  constituency  of  North  Essex  in  the 
Parliament  of  the  Province  of  Ontario. 

The  marriage  of  Horace  Paeaud  and  Miss  Aggie, 
daughter  of  .1.  Trombley,  an  old  settler  and 
esteemed  citizen  of  Bay  City,  took  place  in  1883J 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  four  children — Ed- 
ward, Blanche,  August  and  Corrine.   Their  elegant 

and  cozy  home  at  No.  1822  W Iside  Avenue  is 

the  center  of  a  gracious  and  hospitable  life  and  the 
scene  of  line  culture  and  refinement.  The  family 
is  connected    with   the  St.  Joseph  Catholic  Church. 


SAAC  E.  RANDALL.  M.  D..  is  one  of  the  old- 
est among  the  leading  medical  practitioners 
in  West  Bay  City.  He  was  born  in  Luzerne, 
Warren  County,  X.  V.,  July  7,  1845.  His  father, 
Orson  Randall,  was  a  native  of  the  same  place. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  [sane,  was  of  English  de- 
scent but  was  born  in  .Massachusetts  and  removed 
to  Luzerne  when  a  young  man.  He  was  many 
j^ears  associated  with  Ins  son  Orson  in  extensive 
lumbering  operations  and  emploj ed  large  numbers 
of  men.  They  were  both  strong  Democrats  and 
took  an  active  interest  in  the  political  questions  of 
the  day. 

Sophronia  F..  the  wife  of  Orson  Randall,  and 
mother  of  Isaac  E.,wns  the  daughter  of  Ira  Kstv.and 
was  born  in  Lsscx  County,  X.  Y.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Vermont  and  belonged  to  an  old  New 
England  family  which  is  well  known  throughout 
the  Green  Mountain  State.  Isaac  E.  spent  his 
early  years  in  the  home  of  his  father  in  Warren 
and  Saratoga  Counties  and  received  his  preliminary 
education  in  the  schools  of  those  counties  from  pri- 
vate tutors  and  at  the  McLaren  Mathematical  and 
(  lassical  School  at  Sandy  Hill.  Washington  County. 
X.  Y. 

In  1802  our  subject  commenced  the  study  of 
medicine  in  the  otlice  of  Dr.  Darius  Scofield  al 
Corinth,  Saratoga  County.  X.  Y.,  and  attended  his 
first  course  of  medical  lectures  at  the  Albany  Med- 
ical College  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  1863,  after  which 


PORTRAIT  AND   I'dOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


979 


he  continued  his  studies  for  another  year  in  the 
office  of  Dr.  T.  I!.  Reynolds,  of  Saratoga  Springs, 
N.  Y.,  bis  former  preceptor,  Dr.  Scoiield,  having 
entered  the  army.  In  the  .'11111111111  of  1864  he  en- 
tered the  United  States  General  Hospital,  No.  •">.  :it 
Vicksburg,  Miss.,  of  which  Dr.  Scofield  was  surgeon 
in  charge.  He  was  assigned  to  duty  as  acting  as- 
sistant surgeon  and  was  thus  engaged  for  several 
mouths  at  the  same  time  keeping  up  his  studies  in 
medicine. 

The  clinical  advantages  which  our  subject  en- 
joyed, with  the  unlimited  opportunities  for  autop- 
sies and  dissections,  were  very  valuable  to  him  in 
fitting  him  for  his  chosen  profession.  Not  being  h 
graduate  in  medicine  he  could  not  be  commissioned 
but  was  appointed  Hospital  Steward  by  Adjutant- 
General  Thomas,  and  assigned  to  the  Forty-sixth 
Qnited  States  Colored  Infantry  where  he  was  on 
duty  much  of  his  time  as  assistant  surgeon  as  well 
as  iiospital  steward.  lie  joined  the  Forty-sixth  at 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  a  few  weeks  later  acccom  pan  - 
ied  the  regiment  to  New  Orleans,  where  it  was 
stationed  when  Ft.  Blakesly,  near  Mobile,  was 
taken  by  the  Union  forces.  After  that  battle 
many  of  the  wounded  were  sent  to  the  New  Or- 
leans hospitals. 

When  the  news  arrived  that  President  Lincoln 
had  been  assassinated,  Dr.  Randall  was  in  New  Or- 
leans and  witnessed  many  of  the  exciting  inci- 
dents of  that  day.  Several  hot-headed  individuals 
were    shot     down    by     excited     Union     soldiers    for 

openly  expressing  their  pleasure  at  the  death  of  the 
President.  In  May,  1865,  the  Forty-sixth  was  or- 
dered to  Texas  where  it   was    stationed    for  a  few 

months  at  Brazos  Island  at    the   11th    of    the  Rio 

Grande  River.  The  only  drinking  water  available 
a1  that  place  was  condensed  steam  from  sea  water, 
which  was  quite  brackish  and 'disagreeable  to  taste. 
This  with  a  scarcity  of  vegetables  soon  produced 
scurvy  among  the  troops. 

The  lasl  engagement  of  the  war  took  place  May 
13,  1865,  at  Palmetto  Ranch,  near  Brownsville, 
Tex.,  which  is  about  thirty  miles  from  Brazos  I>1- 
and  up  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite  the  old  Mexican 
town  of  Matamoras.  Col.  Barrett,  an  inexper- 
ienced officer,  who  was  in  command  of  the  troops 
on  Brazos  Island.    learning   that    Brownsville  was 


occupied  by  a  small  force   of    Confederate    troops, 
decided  to  drive  them  out.     He   started    with  the 
Forty-sixth  and  Fifty-seventh    United    States   Col- 
ored  Infantry  and  the    Thirty-fourth    Indiana    In- 
fantry on  the  morning  of  May  13,  with  that  lauda- 
ble purpose  in    view.      When    he   had   advanced  as 
Palmetto  Ranch  lie  was  met  by  about  two  hundred 
Confederates,    who,    learning    of    his     approach, 
marched  out  to    meet    him    with    an    old    cannon. 
They  opened  Ore  with  their  old    held   piece  which 
so  shattered  the  nerves  of  Col.  Barrett    that  he   at 
once  ordered  a  retreat.     He    was    afterward  court- 
martialed  for  ordering  two    thousand    men   tore- 
treat  before  less  than  two  hundred    of    the  enemy. 
Dr.  Randall  remained  on    duty    with    the  Forty- 
sixth  United  States  Colored    Infantry    during  the 
summer  of  1865    and    the   following   autumn  and 
early  winter.     Having  bul    little    to    do    in    those 
lasl  days  of  the  war  when    troops  were  waiting  in 
camp  for  negotiations    to  terminate,  he  improved 
the  time  by  keeping  up    his    medical    studies.     In 
January,  1866,    he    accompanied    the    regiment  to 
Little  Rock,  Ark.,  where  all  were  mustered  out  and 
discharged  from  service.     Soon  after  his  return  to 
his  native  State    he    entered    the    Albany  Medical 
College  to    complete    his    medical    course  and  was 
graduated    from    that    institution    in     December, 
1866. 

In  January,  1867,  the  Doctor  came  to  Bay 
County  and  located  in  Wenona,  now  West  Bay 
(  it  v.  where  be  has  remained  continuously  in  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession  up  to  the  present 
time  (1892),  except  one  year  when  he  attended 
Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  in  New  York, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  the  Class  of  '73. 
In  October  1869,  the  Doctor  was  married  to  Miss 
Elizabeth,  youngest  daughter  of  Rev.  Donald  B. 
Campbell,  a  Presbyterian  clergyman.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell and  his  wife  were  native-,  of  Scotland,  both 
having  been  born  in  Inverness.  Mrs.  Randall  was 
horn  in  Michigan  and  is  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren— three  sons  and  one  daughter,  all  of  whom 
are  living-. 

Politically  Dr.  Randall  is  in  sympathy  with  the 
Republican  party  bu1  he  has  always  insisted  in 
voting  for  the  candidate  whom  he  believed  would 
most  efficiently    and    creditably    serve    the  public. 


980 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


He  has  never  consented  to  hold  public  office  ex- 
cept that  of  Health  Officer  on  three  or  four  deci- 
sions, his  time  and  attention  being'  devoted  en- 
tirely to  his  profession.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
County,  State  and  American  Medical  Associations. 
He  has  invested  successfully  in  real  estate  and 
some  local  enterprises  and  is  one  of  the  most  relia- 
ble and  respected  citizens  of  West  Bay  City. 


AVID  B.  ALGER,  who  is  the  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  a  well-known  citizen  of 
Birch  Run  Township,  makes  his  home  on 
section  22.  He  is  a  native  son  of  Michi- 
gan, and  was  born  in  Genesee  County.  October  2. 
1845,  but  has  made  his  home  in  Saginaw  County 
since  1853.  His  parents,  George  W.  and  Arzina 
(Allen)  Alger,  were  natives  of  the  Empire  State, 
and  the  father  came  to  Michigan  in  1831,  being 
then  only  ten  years  old,  and  when  he  grew  to 
manhood  he  made  his  permanent  home  in  Genesee 
County,  in  what  is  now  Burton  Township. 

Our  subject  is  the  eldest  son  in  his  father's 
family,  and  was  only  eight  years  old  when  his 
parents,  in  1853,  removed  to  Saginaw  County, 
where  they  made  their  home  in  the  woods  on  sec- 
tion 23,  of  Birch  Run  Township.  His  father  died 
in  the  service  of  his  country  during  the  Civil  War. 
having  been  a  member  of  the  Twenty-third  Michi- 
gan Infantry.  The  son  received  his  education  in 
the  primitive  schools  of  his  native  county,  and  of 
this  county  after  coming  here,  and  although  the 
course  was  limited  and  he  was  not  given  as  pro- 
longed a  time  of  study  as  he  desired,  he  availed 
himself  heartily  of  such  opportunities  as  were  Ins. 
and  laid  a  good  foundation  for  future  study  and 
research. 

This  young  man,  like  his  father,  felt  the  call  of 
patriotic  duty,  and  enlisted  in  the  service  of  his 
country.  In  August,  1861,  he  joined  Company 
('..Fifth  Michigan  Infantry,  which  became  a  part 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  lie  was  not  yet  six- 
teen years  old  when  he  took  this  important  step. 
but  he  was  as  determined  in   his  purpose   to  help 


maintain  the  honor  of  the  old  flag  as  though  he 
were  a  man  of  mature  years.  He  was  in  active 
duty  through  most  of  his  term  of  service,  and  was 
at  the  front  during  a  gi eater  portion  of  the  time. 
He  received  Ids  honorable  discharge  in  June,  l«(i2. 
after  which  he  returned  to  this  county  and  re- 
sumed his  life-long  occupation  as  a  farmer. 

Immediately  after  the  son's  return  the  father 
joined  the  army,  leaving  the  family  in  charge  of 
young  David,  and  as  according  to  our  previous 
statement,  the  father  never  returned  to  resume  his 
home  responsibilities,  this  young  man  was  consid- 
ered as  the  head  of  the  family  as  long  as  it  held 
together. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Carrie  E., 
daughter  of  Lavorius  and  Mary  (Barrett)  Gray, 
took  place  March  31,  1867,  and  by  their  union 
then'  were  bora  two  sons,  George  L.  and  Francis 
R.  In  1869  he  settled  on  his  present  farm,  where 
be  has  resided  mosl  of  the  time  since  that  date. 
He  owns  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land, 
which  he  has  gained  by  his  own  efforts  and  enter- 
prise. 

The  doctrines  of  the  Republican  party  are 
heartily  endorsed  by  Mr.  Alger,  and  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Wallace  Bowns  Post,  No.  190,  G.  A.  R. 
He  has  served  as  Drainage  Commissioner,  also 
as    Justice     of    the    Peace,    in     which    office     he     is 

still  officiating.  In  the  fall  of  1890  Mr.  Alger  was 
nominated  for  state  .senator  by  the  Republican 
party,  and  ran  against  Chauncy  Wisner,  of  Sag- 
inaw. The  district  is  largely  Democratic,  and 
although  Mr.  Alger  was  not  elected,  he  has  the  sat- 
isfaction of  knowing  lie  very  much  reduced  the 
usual  Democratic  majority. 


WALTER  T.  FISH.  We  have  here  one  of 
the  prominent  contractors  and  builders 
of  l!;i.\  City,  who  is  engaged  also  in  the 
manufacture  of  screens,  doors,  blinds,  cisterns  and 
clothes  reels.  He  was  born  in  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
i. lent  Britain.  May  15.  1858,  and  his  father, 
George  W.  Fish,  was  born  and  reared  in  London. 
England,  where  he  was  a  painter   and  .sign-writer. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


981 


l>ut  later  be  located  on  the  Isle  of  Wight  After- 
ward be  returned  to  London,  and  in  I860  became 
t<>  America  with  bis  wife  and  five  children,  locat- 
ing firsl  in  Hamilton,  Canada,  where  he  engaged 
in  carrying  on  his  trade.  He  subsequently  went 
to  Norfolk  County,  where  be  spent  most  of  his 
time  in  working  at  his  trade.  Feu  men  cuuld 
compete  with  him  in  the  painting  of  signs,  which 
was  his  specialty,  and  in  originality  of  design  and 
execution  be  was  an  expert. 

While  residing  in  Simcoe  the  elder  Mr.  Fish  fin 
ished  the  painting  of  the  large  and  niagnitieent 
carriage  in  which  Queen  Victoria  rode  when  on 
her  vi-it  to  that  point.  It  was  the  most  magnifi- 
eeni  vehicle  ever  seen  there,  and  the  work  he  put 
upon  it  occupied  him  for  three  months.  His  later 
days  were  passed  at  Rouiideau.  Esses  County, 
Canada,  where  he  died  in  November,  1890.  In 
his  political  views  he  was  a  Reformer,  and  in  his 
church  connection  an  Episcopalian.  His  good 
wife.  Eliza,  was  born  in  London.  England,  and 
they  were  married  in  Stepney  Church,  the  oldest 
church  in  London.  She  died  in  1X77.  She  was 
the  mother  of  thirteen  children,  all  of  whom 
reached  years  of  maturity,  and  all  are  living  lml 
one. 

The  earliest  recollections  of  our  subjecl  are  of 
Hamilton,  Canada,  where  he  lived  until  they  re- 
moved to  the  farm  in  Norfolk  County,  and  there 
he  attended  the  district  school.  Later  be  studied 
at  the  Port  Rowan  Academy  for  one  year,  and  in 
1873,  when  he  was  fifteen  years  old,  be  came  to 
Michigan  and  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  cabinet 
maker's  trade.  He  was  in  a  shop  there  for  a  year. 
and  then  removed  to  Detroit,  where  he  worked  at 
the  same  trade. 

It  was  in  1876  that  Walter  T.  Fish  came  to  Bay 
City,  and  he  here  engaged  in  the  cabinet-maker's 
trade,  w. nking  for  Mr.  Buckingham.  Eighteen 
months  later  be  returned  to  Canada,  where  be 
worked  at  his  trade  at  St.  Williams  for  a  year  and 
a  half,  after  which  he  returned  to  I'.a\  City,  which 
has  since  been  his  home.  He  was  in  theemploj  of 
Mr.  Buckingham  all  the  time  after  hi-  return  until 
1884,  when  he  opened  up  a  business  of  his  own. 

Mr.  Fish  purchased  the  place  which  he  now  oc- 
cupies   (Buckingham's    old    stand),   ami    there  he 


continued  what  is  now  the  oldest  cabinet  business 
in  the  city.  He  is  the  most  extensive  manufac- 
turer of  screens  in  the  Valley,  and  he  takes  many 
contract-  tor  putting  up  buildings  and  transacting 
jobbing.  His  place  of  business  is  at  No.  414 
Washington  Avenue,  and  his  home  at  No.  417 
North  Monroe  Street. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Fish  took  place  in  Bay 
City  November  •">.  1884,  and  his  bride  was  Allie  S. 
Green,  a  native  of  Saginaw.  One  child  has  blessed 
this  union,  to  whom  they  have  given  the  name  of 
Margretta. 

This  gentleman  belongs  to  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen,  and  in  his  political  preferences 
is  a  pronounced  Republican. 


_J 


UILLIAM  MOLL.  This  representative  of 
the  higher  class  of  German  citizens  had 
WW  the  educational  training  and  development 
afforded  by  the  liberal  German  Universities.  His 
parents  were  people  of  wealth  and  lavished  upon 
his  education — both  literary  and  musical — every 
advantage  possible.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  sensibili- 
ties, the  soul  of  honor,  and  in  his  dealings  with 
his  fellow-men  used  no  deception  but  "wore  his 
heart  in  his  sleeve." 

Mr.  Moll  loved  home  and  was  never  so  happy  as 
when  in  the  bosom  of  his  family.  His  daughter 
was  idolized  and  to  her  he  gave  much  of  his  personal 
attention.  She  inherited  his  own  high  musical 
talent  and  he  devoted  his  energies  to  cultivating 
that  talent  with  marked  success.  His  was  a  master 
touch  at  the  key  board  and  his  soul  was  wrapped 
up  in  the  fine  compositions  of  Liszt,  Strauss,  Mozart, 
and  his  rendition  of  their  masterpieces  was  conspic- 
uous with  delicacy  and  feeling.  His  was  a  fine 
nature  and  took  no  pride  in  outward  display,  but 
-ought  the  companion-hip  of  those  minds  that 
could,  like  his,  appreciate  the  beauty  of  nature  and 
comprehend  the  grandeur  and  mercy  of  the  Most 
High. 

A  native  of  Germany,  Mr.  Moll  was  born  in 
Bavaria,    October  11,    1829,   and    died   March    12, 


982 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


1883.  He  accompanied  his  parents.  Andreas  and 
Christiana  Moll,  to  Detroit  when  he  was  seventeen, 
and  from  that  city  came  to  Frankenlust  as  soon  as 
the  father  recovered  from  a  severe  illness.  Soon 
afterward  he  came  to  Flint  and  engaged  as  book- 
keeper in  a  dry-goods  house,  continuing  in  that 
way  until  he  came  to  Saginaw  in  1853.  Here  he 
rilled  the  position  of  book-keeper  for  a  prominent 
firm  until  1858,  when  lie  was  elected  on  the  Re- 
publican ticket  to  the  office  of  County  Clerk.  He 
was  a  fine  penman  and  an  expert  accountant  and 
filled  his  position  so  satisfactorily  that  he  was  re- 
elected the  following  term. 

In  1863,  Mr.  Moll  was  appointed  Postmaster  to 
succeed  Jay  Smith,  with  whom  he  became  connected 
in  the  mercantile  business.  When  Andrew  John- 
son became  President,  our  subject  resigned  his 
position  as  Postmaster,  but  remained  in  business 
for  some  years  thereafter.  He  erected  the  Moll 
Block  on  the  corner  of  Court  and  Hamilton  Ave- 
nues, at  a  cost  of  $20,000,  and  was  remarkably 
successful  both  as  a  wholesale  and  retail  merchant, 
carrying  a  stock  valued  at  $20,000  and  remaining 
in  the  business  until  his  death.  He  was  by  far  the 
most  prominent  merchant  in  the  Saginaw  Valley. 
and  carried  the  largest  and  most  complete  stock  of 
goods  of  any  dealer  in  this  section  of  county. 

Mr.  Moll  was  a  member  of  the  Teutonic  Society 
and  was  for  fifteen  years  organist  in  St.  John's 
Episcopal  Church,  being  well  known  as  a  musician 
and  composer,  lie  was  a  life-long  member  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  and  a  consistent  Christian.  He 
was  married  June  15,  L 854,  in  Pontine,  to  Hester 
A.  Rogers,  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  daughter  of 
II.  T.  and  Sarah  Rogers,  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
Their  family  comprised  the  following  children  — 
Hattie  C,  Charles  Alfred,  William  Conrad,  Jane, 
who  died  in  infancy  and  Ethie,  who  died  when  two 
years  old. 

The  funeral  services  of  Mr.  Moll  were  held  at 
St.  John's  Chapel  and  were  attended  in  a  body  by 
the  Teutonic  Society  of  which  he  was  a  member. 
Many  tributes  of  respect  and  love  were  paid  to  his 
memory,  and  among  others  was  a  beautiful  verse 
written  by  John  D.  Williams  and  attached  to  a 
wreath  of  immortelles.  Mr.  Moll  was  a  man  of  ro- 
bust form,  medium  height,  and  his  kind  eyes  ever 


beamed  with  love  and  sympathy.  A  beautiful  life 
size  portrait  of  him  graces  the  parlor  of  the  Moll 
homestead,  the  work  of  one  of  the  best  artists  and 
highly  prized  by  the  family. 


— i- 


_^35l 


"<3) 


$>^<m^ 


v,  HARLES  S.  RUTTLE,  the  popular  and  ac- 
commodating agent  lor  i lie  Cincinnati,  Sag- 
inaw ,y  Mackinaw  Railroad  at  West  Bay 
City,  is  a  gentleman  who  is  greatly  respected  by 
all  who  know  him.  He  is  well  informed  on  all 
questions  of  the  day  and  is  particularly  intelligent 
in  regard  nil  railroad  matters,  being  familiar  with 
every  city  and  village  in  Michigan,  and  thus  is  of 
greal  value  to  the  company. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  was  horn  at 
I  tananoque,  Thousand  Isles.  <  >ntario,  July  26,  1  857. 
He  isason  of  John  Ruttle.  whose  place  of  nativity 
was  Ireland.  The  father  was  brought  to  America 
by  his  parents  when  fourteen  years  of  age  and  lo- 
cated in  Canada  where  he  grew  to  manhood  and 
became  a  successful  farmer.  He  was  Magistrate 
in  1*7(>  and  passed  from  this  life  in  August,  1883, 
when  seventy-three  years  of  age.  Politically  he 
was  very  conservative  and  in  religious  matters  was 
an  active  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  a  native  of  Ire- 
land nml  \\ .- 1 -  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Miss 
Mary  Kilpatrick.  She  was  brought  by  her  parents 
when  a  child  to  Canada  where  she  now  resides  with 
tin-  youngest  son  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years. 
She  became  the  mother  of  six  children,  all  of  whom 
with  one  exception  are  now  living.  CharlesS.was 
given  good  school  advantages,  his  common-school 
education  being  supplemented  by  attendance  at  the 
High  School  in  Gananoque,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  when  sixteen  years  of  age. 

When  deciding  to  take  up  a  life  work  for  him- 
self Mi-.  Ruttle  learned  the  art  of  telegraphy,  work- 
ing for  three  months  in  Gananoque  when  he  was 
offered  the  position  of  operator  and  assistant  ticket 
agent  at  thai  place,  receiving  as  remuneration  for 
his  services  ninety-five  cents  per  day  and  where  he 
remained  for  one  and  one-half  years.  In  1H79  he 
came  to  the  Wolverine  State  and  engaged  as  night 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    UKCOKD. 


983 


operator  at  Wayne  Junction  for  the  Flint  &  Fere 
Marquette  Railroad.  He  soon  after  took  a  position 
with  the  Grand  Haven  &  Millwaukee  Railroad  a( 
Pontiac  a^  operator,  only  remaining  six  months 
when  he  took  charge  of  the  freight  office  al  thai 
place.  In  1  ss:i  he  was  called  home  by  the  death 
of  his  father,  hut  after  remaining  there  n  short 
time  he  was  given  charge  of  the  station  at  Royal 
Oak,  Oakland  County,  this  Mate,  and  from  that 
place  went  to  Detroit  where  for  two  years  lie  was 
assistant  ticket  agent,  then  he  went  to  Greenville 
for  three  3  ears. 

September  10,  1891,  Charles  S.  Ruttle  came  to 
Ray  City  and  accepted  his  present  position  as  agent, 
lie  is  engaged  to  some  extent  in  the  real-estate 
business,  owning  some  line  property  in  Highland 
Park,  Detroit,  lie  took  unto  himself  a  wife  and 
helpmate  in  the  person  of  Miss  Ella  Hickey,  their 
marriage  being  solemnized  at  Royal  Oak,  this  State, 
in  August.  1884.  .Mrs.  Ruttle  was  horn  in  Royal 
Oak,  in  September,  1868,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
Humphrey  and  Harriet  Hickey,  the  father  being  a 
retired  farmer  and  well-to-do  in  this  world's  goods. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ruttle  have  been  born  one  child, 
a  son,  Charles  H.,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Au- 
gust, 1886. 

( )ur  subject  has  taken  a  prominent  placein  social 
orders  and  is  identified  with  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  is  a  Free  and  Accepted  Mason,  a 
Royal  Arch  Mason  and  a  Knight  of  Pythias.  lie 
is  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Saginaw  Valley 
Railroad  Agent's  Association.  Religiously,  he  is 
an  Episcopalian.  Personally,  Mr.  Tuttle  is  a  very 
genial  gentleman  and  has  hosts  of  warm  friends 
throughout  Michigan. 


V 


-. 


[LLIAM  E.  LARKIN,  who  is  the  manager 
1  and  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Stock  ( lompany  of  Stover,  Larkin  &  ( 'o.,  is 
one  of  the  most  prominenl  business  men  of  South 
Ray  City,  full  of  enterprise  and  energy,  and  active 
in  piomoting  all  movement-  looking  to  the  pro- 
gress of  the  city.  His  father,  John  C.  Larkin.  was 
horn  m  Detroit.  May  13,  1838, and  his  grandfather, 


William,  an  Irishman  by  birth,  came  to  America 
alone  ai  the  age  of  twelve,  and  in  time  established 
himself  in  the  grocery  business  in  Detroit.  Inter 
becoming  a  vessel    owner  and  afterward  a  farmer 

just   outside  the  City  limits.    The  lather  learned  the 

trade  ofa  machinist  and  served  the  .Michigan  (  en- 
tral  at  different  times.  In  1864  he  located  in  Sag- 
inaw and  afterward  built  up  a  grocery  business  al 
Zilwaukie. 

In  1886  the  father  of  our  subject  located  in  Bay 
City  where  he  cairied  on  the  work  ofa  machinist 
until  1890,  since  which  he  has  engaged  in  the  side 
of  confectionery,  cigars  and  tobacco  in  the  rotunda 
of  the  Phoenix  Block.  His  wife,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  Detroit,  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Mary 
Countess,  and  was  horn  in  England,  she  came  to 
Detroit  with  her  parents  at  the  age  ot  fifteen,  and 
is  a  devout  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Of 
her  eight  children  five  are  sons  and  three  are 
daughters. 

Detroit  i-  the  native  home  of  our  subject,  who 
was  hum  December  Hi.  1859,  and  was  educated  in 

the  East  Saginaw  High  School,  after  which  he  be- 
gan a  i  the  age  of  sixteen  to  "paddle  his  own  canoe." 
He  picked  up  the  details  of  the  lumber  business 
and  began  sealing  logs  at  a  salary  of  $100  a  month. 
lie  remained  with  Hamilton.  McClure  &  Co..  in 
Saginaw  for  five  years,  and  became  general  man- 
ager of  their  work,  after  which  he  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  T.  II.  Mcioau  &  Co.,  of  Bay  (  ity,  remain- 
ing with  them  for  four  years,  in  1885  becoming  a 
partner  with  Rose,  Lewis  &  Co.  which  firm  en- 
gaged in  general  merchandise. 

One  year  later  Mr.  Larkin  sold  his  interest  in 
this  concern  and  started  in  the  hardware  business 
and  the  manufacture  of  copper,  tin  and  sheet-iron 
ware  under  the  linn  name  of  W.  E.  Larkin  .V  Co. 
He  also  handled  mill  supplies,  and  with  his  part- 
ner. D.  Atkins,  carried  on  a  successful  business 
until  the  spring  of  1888. 

At  that  time  this  firm  and  that  of  Johnson  &  Co. 
decided  to  consolidate  their  interests,  and  in  con- 
junction with  Mr.  W.  II.  Miller  and  li.  V.  Mundav 
organized  a  stock  company  to  carr>  on  the  same 
line  of  business  with  increased  facilities,  intending 
to  build  up  an  extensive  trade  and    procure  stock 

at     the  lowest   market   rate-.      This  Company,  which 


1184 


PORTRAIT   AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


lias  thus  far  had  a  career  of  success  and  prosperity, 
lias  for  its  executive  officers,  R.  V.  Munday,  Pres- 
ident: F.  H.  Stover, Vice  President,  unci  our  subject 
as  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  and  business  is  done 
under  the  firm  name  of  Stover,  Larkin  &  Co.  In 
their  large  double  store,  which  measures  50x100 
feet,  they  are  carrying  on  an  extensive  wholesale 
and  retail  trade.  The  store  and  its  furnishings  are 
complete  and  commodious, affording  ample  accom- 
modations for  the  display,  sale  andstorage  of  stock 
and  the  transaction  of  business.  Large  invoices 
of  tin,  copper  and  sheet-iron  ware  are  manufac- 
tured by  them  for  the  trade,  and  their  stock  in- 
cludes even  description  of  bardwareand  cutlery, 
stoves,  tin-ware,  paints,  oils,  glass,  putty,  agricul- 
tural implements,  builders'  hardware,  etc.  They  are 
also  the  agents  of  prominent  manufactories  for  mill 
supplies  and  in  this  department,  as  in  every  one. 
they  are  making  a  gnat  success  of  their  work. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Baj  City  in  1884  to 
Miss  C.  A.Swimm.  a  native  of  Chesauing.  Saginaw 
County,  and  she  is  the  mother  of  one  child — Ray. 
The  political  views  of  Mr.  Larkin  bring  him  into 
hearty  co -operation  with  the  Republican  patty  and 
he  is  frequently  a  delegate  l<>  county  and  State 
conventions.  He  is  connected  with  the  Masonic 
Temple  Association  and  is  Past  Master  of  the  Ma- 
sonic Lodge.  He  belongs  to  the  ( >dd  Fellows  and 
also    to   the   Council    and  the  Royal  Arch    Mason-. 


|^-xORMAN  R.  SWARTHOUT.  He  whose  name 
is  quoted  above  is  one  of  the  eldest  resi- 
dents of  Saginaw  County.  He  was  horn 
on  section  20,  Saginaw  Township.  November  15, 
lx:i7.  and  has  been  an  eye  witness  of  the  phenom- 
enal growth  of  this  locality  during  the  years  that 
have  since  elapsed.  1 1  is  father.  Anthony  R.  S  war- 
lh  out,  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  heralds  of  the 
prosperous  period  which  has  come  to  this  locality. 
for  he  was  one  of  the  first  men  to  penetrate  the 
wood-,  and  here  make  a  settlement.  He  was  born 
near  Seneca  Lake.  Steuben  County,  N.  Y..  in   IT'.IH. 


and  was  a  son  of  Ralph  Swarthout.  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  Swarthout  family  came  to 
America  from  Holland  in  Colonial  times. 

Our  subject's  father  was  a  fanner  by  calling  and 
early  in  the  '20s  he  made  settlement  in  Washtenaw 
County,  Mich.. and  cleared  up  a  farm.  He  moved 
his  family  to  Saginaw  County.  Saginaw  Township, 
in  1835,  coming  hither  by  wagon  and  consuming 
two  days  in  traversing  the  distance  from  Flint  to 
Saginaw,  for  he  had  to  chop  out  a  road  in  some 
place-.  They  camped  out  in  the  woods  over  night 
keeping  a  blazing  fire  to  frighten  away  the  wolves 
and  other  denizens  of  the  forest.  On  reaching  1  he 
Saginaw  Rivei  where  East  Saginaw  now  stands  he 
had  to  transport  the  family  in  light  canoes  and  the 
wagon  in  like  manner  after  taking  it  to  piece-. 

\fter  taking  up  a  tract  of  Govemmenl  land 
in  Saginaw  Township  our  subject's  father,  (apt. 
Swarthout  as  he  was  called,  for  he  had  been  a 
Captain  in  the  Black  Hawk  War,  set  himself 
vigorously  to  improving  the  same.  They  erected 
a  log  cabin  and  trapped  during  the  winters  and 
farmed  during  the  summer.  He  made  consid- 
erable money  h\  trapping  and  hunting  and  used 
a  dead-fall  trap  ol  his  own  invention,  lie  caught 
considerable  mink,  marten,  hear,  etc..  and  at  one 
time  caught  twenty-five  wolves  by  using  the  bait 
of  the  carcass  of  a  cow.  He  used  every  opportunity 
in  increasing  the  family  exchequer  and  made  many 
shift-  in  those  days  of  early  settlement,  frequently 
grinding  corn  and  wheat  for  baking  in  a  coffee  mill. 
He  has  prospered,  however,  and  at  his  decease 
owned  a  comfortable  farm.  He  was  a  Democrat  in 
polities  and  was  honored  by  being  elected  to  sev- 
eral township  offices.  He  held  the  office  of  Town- 
ship Clerk  for  twenty  year.-. 

Capt.  Swarthout  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-four 
veil's.  Our  subject's  mother,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Hannah  Rose,  was  a  native  of  New  York  and 
born  in  1798;  she  bore  her  husband  thirteen  chil- 
dren, ten  of  whom  lived  to  he  grown.  She  was  a 
brave-hearted,  true  and  kind  woman,  and  was  much 
loved  throughout  the  locality.  She  was  a  Meth- 
odistof  the  old-fashioned  type,  and  her  home  was 
ever  open  to  the  itinerant  preacher  and  her  hoard 
spread  with  the  best  that  the  house  afforded.  She 
died  at    the   age    of    seventy-nine    years,  and    both 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    UE<  <)RI>. 


985 


she  and  her  husband  were  tenderly  laid  away  in 
what  is  known  as  Pine  Hill  Cemetery,  but  which 
was  a  part  of  their  original  farm. 

As  a  chilil  our  subject's  playmates  outside  of  his 
own  family  were  the  Indian  children,  from  whom 
he  learned  many  a  secret  of  woodcraft,  besides  their 
language.  Il  was  an  Indian  custom  that  a  stick 
leaned  against  a  door  meant  thai  there  was  no  ad- 
mittance for  the  stranger,  and  our  subject's  mother, 
who  was  often  afraid  of  her  dusky  visitors,  on  see- 
ing a  drunken  buck  come  toward  the  house  would 
hasten  to  set  up  that  signal  which  their  crude  sense 
of  courtesy  would  nut  allow  them  to  violate.  The 
lad  attended  school  under  the  rate-hill  system.  It 
was  then  difficult  to  procure  a  teacher  who  would 
give  her  services  for  the  small  sum  they  could  af- 
ford. The  school  was  usually  held  not  more  than 
three  months  of  the  year.  Aside  from  the  neces- 
sary work  of  the  farm  Norman  was  engaged  in 
hunting  and  added  considerable  to  the  family  sup- 
port in  this  way.  It  was  the  boy's  duty  to  skin  the 
the  game  that  their  father  trapped",  which  was  very 
unpleasant  to  our  subject  and  against  which  he 
protested. 

Our  subject's  father  gave  him  thirty  acres  of  land 
in  consideration  of  his  remaining  at  home  until 
twenty-five  years  of  age.  September  25,  1862, 
Norman  Nwarthout  was  married  to  Elizabeth  (lay- 
ton — an  English  lady.  This  marriage  resulted  in 
the  birth  of  two  children — Fletcher  -I.  and  Eliza- 
heth  II.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Swarthout  died  three  years 
later,  and  in  l.stl.s  our  subject  was  again  married 
to  Hattie  Benson,  a  native  of  Tbomastown  Town- 
ship, Saginaw  County,  and  born  in  1837.  Herfather, 
John  Benson,  an  old  pioneer  of  tins  locality,  still 
survives  at  the  age  of  four-score  years,  and  appar- 
rently  with  the  vigor  of  youth.  By  his  present 
marriage  our  subject  is  the  father  of  three  children, 
two  of  whom  are  living — Gertie  and  Clara.  Eva 
is  deceased;  she  was  the  wife  of  .1.  Robison  ami 
the  mother  of  three  children,  two  sons  anil  a  daugh- 
ter. The  latter  was  taken  when  only  five  days  old, 
at  the  death  of  its  mother,  by  our  subject  and  his 
wife;  it  is  now  thirteen  months  old  and  is  named 
Hazel  IJohison.  Gertie  is  the  wife  of  Edward 
Bishop. 

Mr.  Swarthout  is  the  owner  of  sixty  acres  of  land 


on  section  20,  all  of  which  is  under  cultivation. 
He  here  devotes  himself  to  mixed  farming.  The 
home  is  a  pleasant  frame  dwelling  which  was 
elected  in  1888.  He  has  also  excellent  barns.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  Presbyterians.  Out  subject  has 
witnessed  the  growth  of  the  city  of  Saginaw  from 
an  Indian  trading  post  of  only  two  houses  to  its 
present  magnificent  state  of  civilization,  with  its 
scores  of  mills  and  factories  and  many  miles  of 
electric  street  railroad. 


:  .-SseNM^ 


prrRANK  JEFFREY,  foreman  of   the  joiners' 

—is\  department  of  F.  W.  Wheeler's  ship  yards, 
is  an  enterprising  and  sagacious  mechanic. 
He  is  one  of  eight  children  horn  to  William  and 
Ann  ( Brown)  Jeffrey,  opening  his  eyes  to  the  light 
in  Aberdeen,  Scotland, October  28,  I860.  The  par- 
ents wei-e  both  natives  of  Scotland  and  spent  their 
last  days  there  He  received  but  a  meager  educa- 
tion and  at  the  early  age  of  fourteen  was  appren- 
ticed to  learn  tin1  cabinet-maker's  trade  in  an  ex- 
tensive establishment,  remaining  for  four  years. 
In  1879  he  worked  at  his  trade  ill  London,  Eng- 
land, in  several  different  establishments  ami  two 
years  later  sailed  for  America. 

In  the  fall  of  1881, Frank  Jeffrey  landed  in  New- 
York  City.  He  worked  at  his  trade  there  until 
1883,  when  he  came  to  Bay  City  and  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  trade  for  different  contractors. 

In  1885,  Mr.  Jeffrey  entered  the  employ  of  Mr. 
Wheeler,  as  a  joinerand  boat-maker  and  two  years 
later  took  charge  of  the  joiners' department  and 
now  oversees  everything  connected  with  that  de- 
partment from  the  beginning  to  the  finishing  of  the 
vessels.  In  1891  he  introduced  into  the  shop  line 
fixtures    for    the    manufacture    of    show    cases    and 

store  fixtures.-    He  superintends  thai  business  also 

anil  will  run  the  shop  the  year  round.  He  will 
manufacture  also  a  tine  line  of  tables,  making  this 
a  complete  plant.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  manufac- 
tories of  the  kind  in  thc\'alle\  and  employs  a  large 
force  of  men,  he  having  under  his  supervision 
from  sixty  to  one  hundred  and  lift  \  . 

The   gentleman,   of   whom    this    is  a    life-record. 


986 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


was  united  in  marriage  January  15,  1888,  with  Miss 
Aggie  ( lorngan,  a  native  of  this  city,  the  ceremony 
taking  place  at  the  liome  of  the  bride's  parents. 
One  child  lias  been  born  unto  them  who  bears  the 
name  of  Lillie.  Mr.  Jeffrey  is  one  of  the  leading 
members  of  the  Ancienl  Order  of  United  Work- 
men, and  in  his  polities  stands  by  the  Republican 
party  unflinchingly.  This  gentleman  and  his  esti- 
mable wife  are  attendants  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  In  1882  he  visited  his  old  home  in  Scot- 
land, spending  about  six  months. 

^+»— I 

ARTIN  MANNION.  Among  the  citizens 
of  Saginaw  Count}'  who  came  here  in 
poverty  and  have  now  attained  to  pros- 
perity is  the  subject  of  this  biographical 
notice,  a  successful  farmer  residing  on  section  9, 
Saginaw  Township,  lie  was  horn  March  t».  1846, 
in  Ireland.  His  father,  who  bore  the  same  name 
as  himself,  was  a  native  of  the  Emerald  Isle, 
whence  at  an  early  day  he  emigrated  to  America. 
settling  in  Livingston  County,  X.  Y..  and  there 
operating  a -farm  on  the  shares.  He  was  a  Demo- 
crat, ami  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  in  the 
faith  of  which  he  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-two 
year-  and  six  monl  hs. 

The  family  of  which  our  subject  is  a  member 
comprised  the  following  children:  Ella,  Mary, 
Bridget,  Paul,  Frank.  Patrick.  .Martin  and  Thomas. 
The  mother,  Bridget  (Welch)  Mannion,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Ireland,  and  came  to  America  in  1849, 
joining  the  husband  and  father,  who  had  located 
in  Livingston  County.  N.  V.  In  later  life  she 
came  to  Michigan  and  lived  near  her  sons.  Frank 
and  Martin,  dying  here  when  sixty-five  years  old. 
Her  religious  belief  connected  her  with  the  Cath- 
olic Church. 

When  about  four  years  old  our  subject  was 
brought  to  this  country,  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood iii  New  York.  After  the  death  of  his  father 
he  was  hound  out  to  a  cat riage-maker,  with  whom 
lie  remained  one  and  one-half  years.  IIi>  educa- 
tional advantages  were  very  meager,  and  consisted 
of  a    limited  knowledge   of    reading,  writing  and 


figuring.  After  leaving  his  place  with  the  car- 
riage-maker he  was  coachman  for  a  wealthy 
Scotchman  in  Livingston  County,  and  found  em- 
ployment at  odd  jobs  until  he  came  to  Michigan 
in  the  fall  of   IKI',2  and  located  at  Saginaw. 

So  pour  was  Mr.  Mannion  at  that  time  that  he 
had  only  money  enough  to  pay  for  his  lodging 
one  night  at  the  hotel,  anil  arising  early  in  the 
morning  he  paid  his  last  cent  for  his  lied  and  left 
without  breakfast  in  search  of  work,  lie  secured 
employment  on  a  salt  block  on  the  Cass  River, 
working  three  days  in  that  way,  but  as  the  labor 
was  too  arduous  for  a  boy  of  his  strength,  he  was 
obliged  to  leave,  receiving  a  compensation  of  $1 
for  his  services.  Next  he  worked  in  a  lumber 
camp  for  A.  \Y.  Wright  during  the  winter,  and  se- 
cured a  job  Of  raiting  logs  down  the  river  in  the 
spring.  He  continued  working  in  lumber  camps 
during  the  winter  and  rafting  logs  on  the  river  in 
the  summer  for  a  number  of  years. and  also  worked 
some  in  mills. 

Mr.  Mannion  was  Anally  hired  as  foreman  of  a 
large  gang  of  men  both  in  the  woods  and  on  the 
river,  at  a  salary  of  $104  per  month,  and  as  he 
never  undertook  anything  without  a  tirni  deter- 
mination to  siicceed.it  is  not  strange  that  pros- 
perity crowned  his  efforts.  Although  his  educa- 
tion was  limited,  he  improved  his  spare  moments 
and  acquired  considerable  skill  m  figures  as  well 
a-  a  broad  knowledge  of  men  and  things.  He  lirst 
bought  twenty  acres  of  land,  which  he  sold  and 
purchased'  forty  acres.  Afterward  he  sold  that 
place  ami  bought  the  piece  of  land  which  forms  a 
portion  of  his  present  farm,  settling  there  in   1885. 

In  1878  Mr.  Mannion  formed  a  partnership 
with  a  neighbor,  Francis  Allen,  with  whom  he 
lumbered  for  nine  years  on  the  North  Branch  of 
the  Tobacco  and  Cedar  Rivers.  Upon  locating  on 
bis  farm  be  removed  the  stumps  and  then  began 
to  improve  the  land,  until  it  now  ranks  among  the 
flnesl  places  in  the  township.  He  owns  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy  acres  in  one  body,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  three  and  one-half  acres  in  James  Town- 
ship, from  which  he  sold  the  timber,  and  could 
now  sell  the  land  for  as  much  as  he  gave  at  lirst. 
He  is  the  owner  of  forty  acres  in  St.  Clair  County, 
this  State,  from  which  he  has  sold  the  timber. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


987 


In  1868  Mr.  Mannion  was  married  to  Ellen 
Eagen,  a  native  of  Shiawassee  County,  this  State, 
and  they  an-  the  parents  of  eighl  children, namely  ; 
Ellen,  Mary  A..  Ered,  Martin,  John,  Frank.  Martin 
anil  Will,  tin-  last  named  being  twins. 

In  connection  with  general  farming,  Mr.  Man- 
nion conducts  a  dairy  business,  keeping  thirty  or 
forty  head  of  Durham  and  Holstein  cows.  He  also 
has  some  fine  Clydesdale  horses  and  sheep,  lie 
built  his  commodious  frame  residence  in  1885, and 
lias  also  a  first-class  set  of  farm  buildings,  includ- 
ing a  steam  feed  mill.  lie  carries  stuck  in  the 
Commercial  Savings  Bank  of  Saginaw,  and  is  in 
prosperous  circumstances.  His  wife  is  a  Catholic, 
but  he  is  liberal  in  his  religious  belief,  as  well  as 
his  political  affiliations,  lie  believes  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Democratic  party,  but  uniformly 
votes  for   the    candidate    whom     he    considers    best 

fitted  for  the  office  in  question. 


G^ 


.  EUBEN  W.  BEEMAN.  The  Empire  Sin, 
j  is  worthy  Of  its  name,  especially  in  sending 
>  \\\  out  from  its  boundary  lines  sons  who  have 
"  made  for  themselves  a  name  and  position 
and  have  been  working  members  of  society  in  the 
newer  states.  Our  subject  was  bom  in  Bradford, 
Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  duly  2:!.  1836.  lie  and 
his  brother  Sylvanus  A.  were  sons  of  George  W. 
and  Sarah  (WinJet)  Beeman. 

George  W.  Beeman  was  a  son  of  Sylvanus  Bee- 
man,  a  farmer  of  Litchfield, Conn.  His  wife. who  was 
prior  to  her  marriage  Miss  Rachel  Smith,  who  reared 
live  sons  and  four    daughters.     Sylvanus    Beeman 

was  a  Dei rat  in  polities  and  held  several  offices 

under  his  party.  After  his  marriage  in  Pennsyl- 
vania he  went  to  Tompkins  County.  X.  Y..  thence 
to  Steuben  County,  and  died  in  Erie,  Pa.,  in  1841, 
being  then  eighty-one  years  old.  Hewasason  of 
Tiinoiliv  Beeman,  who  was  of  g 1  old  Eng- 
lish stock,  but  who  made  a  record  as  a  loyal  Amer- 
ican citizen  by  his  service  in  the  Revolution. 

Our  subject's    father  was   bom    November  2'.». 
1809,  iii  Tompkins  <  ounty,  N.  V.     Aiter spending 


thirty  years  in  lumbering  in  that  State,  where  he 
was  the  owner  of  a  line  farm,  he  came  to  Michigan 
in  1857,  and  located  al  Saginaw.  The  following 
year  he  purchased  one  hundred  .•mil  sixtj  acres  of 
laud  which  he  cleared  and  improved  making  it   his 

home  until  the  death  of  his  wife  in  1878,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  living  with  his  son, Reuben 
W.  Beeman. 

Sylvanus  A.  Beeman  was  born  February  19, 
1834.  He  received  his  education  at  Allied  Col- 
lege and  was  in  the  United  State-  sen  ii  c  as  a  sol- 
dier thirteen  years.     He  died  June  23,  1871. 

Reuben  W.  Beeman  came  to  Saginaw  in  1856 
In  1858  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixtj 
acres  of  land  on  section  ■'!.  located  on  Swan  Creek. 
his  purchase  being  made  of  Osawabon,  chief  of  a 
band  of  Chippewa  Indians.  He  has  taken  ureal 
pride  in  Ins  farm.  For  the  past  fifteen  years  he 
has  made  a  specialty  of  raising  Spanish  Merino 
sheep  and  has  one  of  the  best  flocks  in  the  county. 
He  has  not  been  exempt  from  local  official  duty. 
having  served  as  Supervisor  for  fifteen  Or  sixlicn 
years.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and  socially  a 
Mason. 

Mr.  Beeman  was  married  March  2H.  I860,  to 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  George  and  Susannah 
(Miller)  Judson,  natives  of  Chemung  County,  X. 
Y.     Mrs.  Beeman    was    born     in    Mundy,  Genesee 

County,  this  State.  Her  family, who  were  farmers, 
came  to  Michigan  about  ls:>2.  .Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Beeman  are  the  parents  of  three  children — Carrie, 
wife  of  Fred  15.  Tyler:  Sarah  and  Susannah. 


(iOBERT    M.    PIERCE    is   a    real-estate    dealer 

disposblg  of  the  Keystone   lands  in  Arenac. 

*   \     Crawford,  Ogemaw,  and  Iosco  Counties  and 

gives  his  entire  alb  nt  ion  to  the  sale  of  these 
lands.  He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  having 
been  born  in  Philadelphia,  August  19,  1828.  His 
father.  Peter  Fierce,  was  bom  in  Boston, Mass., and 
the  grandfather,  Erasmus,  was  also  a  native  of 
Boston,  but  the  ureal -grandfather  was  a  native  of 
England.  The  last-named  came  to  this  country 
with   three  brothers  who  settled  in  Massachusetts 


988 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


and  Connecticut.  Erasmus  Pierce  was  a  manufac- 
turer of  candles  and  soap  and  died  in  Boston. 

The  father  of  our  subjecl  was  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812.  and  was  bj  trade  an  umbrella  and 
parasol-maker.  He  established  the  first  manufac- 
tory of  this  kind  in  the  United  Stale.-,  lie  began 
in  business  at  Baltimore  when  :it  the  age  of  nine- 
teen years  but  later  removed  to  Philadelphia  where 
he  continued  in  the  manufacturing  business  until 
he  retired  quite  well-to-do.  lie  was  a  believer  in 
the  Qniversalist  doctrines  but  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
five  he  connected  himself  with  the  Episcopal 
Church,  in  which  faith  he  died  at  the  venerable 
age  of  eighty-four  years.  He  was  a  stalwart  Re- 
publican politically.  Themother  bore  the  name  of 
Elizabeth  Lumbry  and  she  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  a  daughter  of  John  Lumbry,  a  native 
of  France.  This  lady  passed  awaj  at  the  age  of 
fifty-eight  years.  Mr.  Pierce  was  the  lather  of  seven 
children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living,  our  subject 
being  the  second  eldest. 

The  subject  of  this  notice  received  his  education 
in  the  private  schools  of  Philadelphia, and  remained 
at  home  until  he  reached  his  majority  when  he  be- 
gan tin'  paper  manufacture,  taking  as  a  partner  S. 
F.  Callan.  They  engaged  in  this  business  at 
New  Hope,  Pa.,  and  later  bought  a  mill  at 
New  London.  Pa.,  where  the  business  was  carried 
on  under  the  name  of  "Woodpulp  M  ili."  conducted 
by  Pierce  &  Holbrook.  They  had  put  $25,000  in 
I  his  enterprise  and  had  been  running  aboul  one  year 
when  a  new  process  was  put  on  the  market  which 
entirely  ruined  them.  This  took  place  in  1868. 
Our  subject  then  engaged  in  farming  in  the  same 
vicinity  which  he  carried  on  quite  extensively,  also 
dealing  to  some  extent  in  live  stock. 

Coming  to  Bay  City  in  1883,  Mr.. Pierce  en- 
gaged as  book-keeper  for  the  Keystone  Lumbcrand 
Salt  Manufacturing  Company  for  two  years,  at 
which  time  they  closed  out.  He  then  became  agent 
for  the  same  company  in  the  real-estate  business 
having  sold  over  three  thousand  acre-  and  has 
eleven  thousand  acres  on  hand.  This  calls  him  all 
over  the  counties  which  we  have  previously  named 
above. 

Mr.  Pierce  was  married  in  Chester  County,  Pa.. 
to   Miss  Elizabeth  G.  Hodgson,  a  daughter  of  the 


Hon.  James  Hodgson,  who  was  a  large  landowner, 
farmer  and  stockman  of  Chester  County.  He  died 
at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  Four  children 
have  been  the  result  of  this  union  who  are  named 
as  follows:  George,  who  resides  on  the  old  farm  in 
Chester  County;  James,  an  engineer  of  this  city; 
Sara,  a  teacher  in  the  schools  here;  and  Bessie, 
taking  a  course  in  the  University  of  Michigan  at 
Ann  Arbor.  These  children  have  all  had  the  best 
school  advantages  afforded  in  the  East.  This  gen- 
tleman and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Westmin- 
ster Presbyterian  Church  and  he  is  a  true  blue  Re- 
publican in  his  political  views. 


/■  *=-H 


yll.LIAM  E.  ROOT  owns  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  acres  of  land  in  Swan  Creek 
Township,  Saginaw  County,  which  is  un- 
der excellent  cultivation,  lie  was  born  August  2, 
1854,  m  Genesee  County,  this  State,  and  is  the 
son  of  Erastusand  Laura  (Beers)  Root.  The  par- 
ents were  horn  in  Cayuga  County.  N.  Y.,  the 
mother's  birth  occurring  in  1812. 

The  grandfather  Of  our  subject,  also  named 
Erastus  Boot,  was  a  native  of  England  and  on 
emigrating  to  the  United  States  located  in  Cayuga 
County.  N.  Y ..  where  he  died  firm  in  the  faith  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  His  family  of 
seven  sons  and  six  daughters  grew  to  maturity. 
Erastus  Boot  Jr.,  was  a  farmer  by  calling  and  in 
1840,  came  to  Michigan  and  located  in  Genesee 
County  where  he  improved  one  hundred  and  sixty. 
acres  of  land  which  he  had  entered  from  the  Gov- 
ernment, lie  died  April  'J,  1891.  He  was  con- 
nected with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and  a 
pioneer  member  of  the  Republican  party.     He  was 

twice  married,  lice [ng  the  father  of  two  children 

by  his  first  wif« — Eugene  W.  and  William  E.  Mrs. 
Boot  died  in  the  fall  of  1856  and  the  father  of  our 
subject  was  married  to  .Mis.  (  at  hemic  Winget,  who, 
by  her  former  marriage,  had  also  had  two  children. 

William  E.  Boot  was  reared  on  the  home  farm, 
being  given  a  district-school  education.  When 
twenty-one  years  old  he  began    in    life  on  his  own 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


98a 


account  by  working  out  for  others.  He  came  to 
Swan  Creek  Township,  in  the  spring  of  1876,  be- 
ing engaged  on  farms  in  the  neighborhood  during 
the  summer  and  worked  in  the  woods  in  the 
winter.  In  1877  he  purchased  eightj  acres  of 
land  on  section  3,  Swan  Creek  Township,  which 
he  paid  for  from  his  monthly  earnings  and  in 
April,  1882,  located  on  his  presenf  beautiful  es- 
tate. He  has  not  only  placed  his  own  property 
under  most  excellent  cultivation  but  lias  forty- 
live  acres  for  other  parties.  He  began  in  life  with 
1100  which  his  father  gave  him  when  attaining 
his  majority  and  feels  proud  to  know  that  his 
present  high  standing  in  the  farming  community 
is  the  result  of  his  industry  and  good  manage- 
ment. 

In  polities  Mr.  Root  is  a  Republican  and  has 
served  his  township  as  Treasurer  and  Supervisor. 
He  has  also  been  School  Assessor  for  nine  years. 
Our  subject  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife 
being  Mary  Wingate,  by  whom  he  became  the 
father  of  four  children,  only  one  of  whom.  Laura 
B.,  is  living.  Mrs.  .Alary  Root  died  December  11. 
1886,  and  September  21,  1887,  our  subject  was 
married  to  Minnie  M.  Cl'OSS,  who  was  horn  near 
Kingston,  Ontario.  Mrs.  Roo1  was  the  daughter 
of  Calvin  and  Caroline  (Shirtleff)  Cross,  natives 
of  Canada,  where  the  father  was  a  farmer.  They 
came  to  the  States  in  1*71  and  located  al  Carroll- 
ton,  Saginaw  County. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Root  have  one  child — William  .1. 
Our  subject  is  highly  esteemed  by  his  neighbors 
and  friends  and  we  are  pleased  to  l>e  able  to  pre- 
sent his  -ketch  to  our  readers. 


KSI! 


KTII  T.  GODDARD,  M.  D.,  of  Saginaw, 
^£  was  born  in  Flint,  this  State.  Februaiy  8, 
/J  1854.  His  father.  William,  a  native  of 
England,  came  to  America  in  1830,  and 
was  here  married  to  Mis-  Sarah  .1.  (  aldwell,  of 
Flint.  Genesee  County  remained  hi-  home  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  when  he  enlisted  in 
Company  (..Twenty-sixth  Michigan  [nfantry,and 
died    in    the  Jefferson ville  (Indiana)  Hospital,  in 


Decembei  1864.  The  mother  remained  on  the  old 
homestead  until  her  death  in  1882.  she  was  horn 
in  Vermont  of  Scottish  ancestry,  and  her  parents, 
Seth  s.  (  .  and  Jane  Caldwell,  were  among  the  first 
settlers  of  Michigan,  coming  hither  in  1830  or 
thereabouts. 

The  second  in  order  of  birth  among  four  chil- 
dren, our  subject  remained  at  home  until  he  was 
ten  years  old,  when   lie  was  hound  out   to  learn   the 

moulding  and  plastering  trade.  In  work  at  his 
trade  during  the  summer  and  attendance  at  school 
during  the  winter  season,  his  time  was  passed  until 
he  was  about  fifteen.  He  then  entered  tin  Chicago 
University,  paying  hi-  own  expenses  and  graduat- 
ing therefrom  in  1872.  Having  resolved  to  enter 
upon  the  medical  profession  he  commenced  to  study 
under  a  prominent   physician,  now  of  Detroit,  and 

in  1873  entered   the    Detroit    Medical  Scl I.     In 

1878  he  graduated  from  the  Hahnemann  Medical 
College  at  Chicago,  after  which  he  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  his  proles-ion  at  Minneapolis.  Minn. 

In  1882  Dr.  Goddard  returned  to  Michigan  and 
succeeded  Dr.  Smith  at  Owosso,  where  he  remained 
three  years  and  gained  a  good  practice.  After 
leaving  that  city  he  took  a  post-graduate  course  in 
a  medical  school  and  graduated  in  1886.  In  1888 
he  came  to  Saginaw,  w  here  he  has  since  resided  and 
ha-  become  widely  known  as  a  skillful  physician 
and  surgeon.  Though  a  graduate  of  tire  Homoe- 
pathic  School,  he  has  taken  up  the  regular  practice 
of  Allopathy  and  enjoys  an  enviable  reputation 
among  his  fellow-citizens  and  professional  brethren. 

The  Doctor  is  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Forest- 
ers, where  he  has  held  the  prominent  Chairs -and 
and  has  been  Physician  and  Surgeon  for  the  state 
of  Michigan  for  live  years,  lie  i-  al-o  identified 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen,  the  Order  of  Macca- 
bees, and  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having  been  made 
a  Mason  at  Flushing  when  twenty-one.  Though 
not  active  in  politics,  he  is  a  devoted  adherent  to 
the  principles  of  the  Republican  party. 

June  "21.  1884,  Dr.  Goddard  was  married,  in 
Owosso,  to  Miss  Jennie  May.  daughter  of  .1.  \\. 
Babcock.      She  was  horn  in  Paw  l'aw.  Mich,  reared 

in  Mentor,  Ohio,  and  was  a  graduate  of  a  scl 1  al 

Painesville,  that  state.  The  Doctor  and  his  wife 
have  a  pleasant  home  at  No.  1235  Genesee  Avenue, 


090 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


and  are  well  known  in  the  social  circles  of  the 
community.  Mrs.  Goddard,  who  prior  to  her  mar- 
riage was  a  teacherof  recognized  ability,  isa  mem- 
ber of  the  Congregational  (lunch  and  actively 
connected  with  the  organization  of  the  King's 
Daughters. 


y  II, 1. 1AM  CRAMPTON,  a  railroad  con- 
tractor of  l'>:i\  (  ity.  was  born  in  Carlton 
Place,  Upper  Canada,  September  1">, 
1842.  lie  isa  son  of  John  and  Susannah  (Griffith) 
Crampton,  and  was  reared  on  the  farm,  receiving 
a  good  practical  education,  and  also  attended  the 
common  and  High  Schools.  After  this  lie  engaged 
in  the  lumber  business  as  a  jobber  on  the  <  iass  River, 
having  come  here  in  1862,  before  the  place  had  a 
railroad  or  a  brick  house,  and  there  was  no  bridge 
across  the  Saginaw  River.  He  continued  in  job- 
bing for  several  years  on  the  Cass  River,  and  his 
first  work  for  a  railroad  was  to  build  :i  private 
road.  He  continued  in  this  work  for  some  time, 
when  he  began  contracting  on  regular  railroads. 
Among  some  of  his  more  important  jobs  was  or. eon 
the  Minneapolis,  St.  Marie  &  Atlantic  Railroad, 
and  of  late  he  has  been  on  the  Michigan  Central. 
Two  years  of  his  time  was  spent  in  California  in 
the  wheat  trade. 

Our  subject  now  gives  employment  to  aboul 
three  hundred  men.  and  has  a  contract  to  build 
the  Grayling  and  Twin  Lakes  branch  for  the 
Michigan  Central,  which  is  aboul  thirty  miles 
long. 

Mr.  Crampton  has  also  done  considerable  general 
contracting  in  the  city,  and  is  now  also  interested 
in  Bay  City  real  estate.  He  has  built  one  of  the 
most     elegant    homes    south    Of   Twelfth  Street,   on 

South  Center,  on  the  corner  of  Broadway.  It  is  a 
three-story  brick  with  a  basement,  and  of  the  most 
modern  architecture,  finely  finished  throughout. 
The  site  is  1:0x60  feet,  and  cost  $10,000.  Mr. 
Crampton  also  owns  a  farm  in  this  county,  which 
is  devoted  to  stock  raising.  lie  also  has  a  number 
of  house-  on  Fortieth  Street,  and  also  various 
other    residences    throughout    the   city,    which   he 


rents  out.  Mr.  Crampton 's  large  contracting  busi- 
ness requires  a  large  capital,  and  he  came  here 
without  any  means  whatever.  But  by  his  ability 
and  energy  he  has  made  for  himself  what  he  now 
has  to-day. 

Mr.  Crampton  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Cas- 
kill,  a  native  of  Canada.  The  ceremony  took 
place  February  17.  1873,  and  they  have  become 
the  parents  of  three  children,  Georgiana,  Belleand 
Roy.  Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Arca- 
num, and  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  of  the  Uni- 
formed Rank.  He  and  his  estimable  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  Mr.  Crampton 
has  been  Warden  in  the  same. 


ORK1M'      WIIITKSIDK. 


The  agricultural 


element  of  1  Say  Count\  finds  many  worthy 
representatives  in  those  natives  of  Ireland, 
who  have  brought  from  the  Emerald  Isle 
habits  of  thrift  and  perseverance  which  have  con- 
tributed to  their  success.  In  that  class  prominent 
mention  belongs  to  Mr.  Whiteside,  who  is  a  fanner 
in  Merritt  Township.  He  was  horn  in  Ireland  in 
1823,  and  is  the  son  of  Arthur  anil  Margarel 
(Whiteside)  Whiteside.  His  paternal  grandparents 
were  Benjamin  and  .lane  (Johnson)  Whiteside, 
while  on  his  mother's  side  he  is  the  grandson  of 
Arthur  and   Mary  (Walker)  Whiteside. 

Aboul  the  year  1833  Robert  Whiteside  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  America,  where  he  settled  in 
Virginia  and  remained  a  few  years.  Afterward  he 
resided  for  two  and  one-half  years  in  Essex 
County.  N.  Y..  and  then  located  in  Sandusky, 
Ohio,  where  he  remained  a  few  years  and  worked 
on  the  lakes.  January  1.  1848,  he  came  to  what  is 
now  Bay  County,  where  he  has  since  made  his 
In. me.  with  the  exception  of  a  few  years  spent  in 
(  :iss  (  ounty. 

The  first  wife  of  Mr.  Whiteside,  to  whom  he 
was  married  in  1853,  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Sophia  Smith,  and  died  shortly  after  their  mar- 
riage. Mr.  Whiteside  was  afterward  united  in 
marriage  with  Lovina,  the  daughter  of  Charles 
Maxon,  and  a  widow  at  the  time  of   her  marriage 


PORTRAIT   AM)  BIOGRAI'IIH  AL   VAX  ( >UI>. 


99] 


to  Mr.  Whiteside.  Our  subjecl  and  his  estimable 
w  iiv  are  the  parents  of  seven  children,  of  whom 
the  following  are  still  living,  namely:  Sophia, 
wife  of  William  Powell,  of  Bay  City;  Sarah,  who 
married  Jasper  Hidden;  Olive,  who  is  Mrs.  Harvey 
Spencer;   Margaret  and  Katii  . 

Mr.  Whiteside  commenced  farming  in  Baj 
County,  in  I860,  operating  the  place  where  Col. 
B.  1*'.  Partridge  now  resides.  By  the  exercise  ol 
industry  and  good  judgment  be  has  been  pros- 
pered in  lii-  undertakings,  and  now  owns  property 
in  Bay  City,  besides  a  farm  of  thirty  acres  in  Mer- 
lin Township.  In  his  political  belief  lie  was  for- 
merly a  Democrat,  bul  now  affiliates  with  no  party. 
Few  still  survive  who  resided  in  this  county  when 
he  came  hither,  and  a.-  an  honored  pioneer  his 
name  will  be  held  in  grateful  memory  long  after 
he  shall  have  passed  to  his  rest. 


H.  FREEMAN,  the  oldest  attorney  of  Bay- 
City,  now  devotes  his  attention  almost 
exclusively  to  real-estate  transactions,  and 
has  his  office  at  his  residence,  on  the  corner  of 
Madison  Avenue  and  Third  Street.  When  he 
came  to  Lower  Saginaw,  now  l!a\  City.  .Inly  1, 
1855,  he  op<  ued  a  law  office  at  the  foot  of  Center 
Street,  on  Water  Street,  which  was  then  sur- 
rounded by  a  forest.  Since  thai  date  lie  has  been 
identified  with  the  progress  of  the  city  and  has 
witnessed  its  growth  with  marked  interest.  A  man 
of  keen  intelligence  and  intuitive  perceptions,  a> 
well  as  large  heart  and  honorable  traits  of  char- 
acter, he  enjoys  the  confidence  of  his  fellow-i  iti- 

zeli-. 

In  Williamstown,  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  Mr. 
Freeman  was  born  February  22.  1822.  His  father, 
Samuel,  was  born  in  Novia  Scotia,  and  was  taken 
by  his  parents  to  New  York,  where  he  and  five 
other  children  were  orphaned.  He  educated  him- 
self and  became  a  physician,  locating  in  Williams- 
town,  and  serving  as  Circuit  Judge  for  twenty- 
four  years.  He  was  also  an  extensive  and  succi  ss- 
fnl  farmer. 

Our  subject  is  the  fifth  among  thirteen  children, 
16 


1 1 1 1 1  \  three  of  whom  are  now  living.  He  was 
reared  in  Williamstown,  where  he  studied a1  home, 
and  later  was  a  studenl  in  Cazenovia  Seminary, 
N.  ■)  .  He  then  entered  the  .Mexico  Academy, 
where  he  applied  himself  so  closelj  to  his  studio 
that  his  health  was  impaired,  and  he  was  forced. 
reluctantly,  to  give  up  his  studies  and  return 
home. 

While  regaining  his  strength  and  working  on 
the  farm,  Mr.  Freeman  began  the  study  of  law, 
which  he  read  at  night  after  his  day's  work  was 
done.  September  15,  1854,  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar,  and  practiced  his  profession  at  Durham- 
ville  until  1855,  when  he  came  to  East  Saginaw, 
ami  in  June  of  the  same  year  located  in  Bay  City. 
Here  he  has  since  remained,  engaged  in  the  legal 
and  real-estate  business.  In  1M56  he  was  elected 
Prosecuting  Attorney  of  the  county,  being  the 
lii-t  one  to  hold  that  position,  and  was  one  of  the 
principal  men  who  succeeded  in  setting  off  Bay 
from  Saginaw  County,  which  measure  he  fought 
through  the  court.  lie  also  seryed  one  term  as 
(  in  nil  Court    (  omuiissioner. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Freeman  to  Miss  Ellen  O. 
Davis  took  place  in  Williamstown,  X.  Y.,  in  1844, 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  five  children,  three  of 
whom  are  now  living — Helen  ( )..  who  is  at  home; 
[sabelle  R,  who  is  married  and  resides  in  Bay 
City;  and'Mav.  who  is  Mrs.  Smith,  of  Saginaw 

Mr.  Freeman  is  a  member  of  the  Reformed 
Episcopal  Church,  and  independent  in  his  political 
connections. 


I  LLEN  R.  BROWN.  Among  the  best  known 
-/J     citizens  of  Birch  Hun   Township.  Saginaw 
*    County,   is    Mr.    Brown,   one    of  the  ex- 
Supervisors  of  the  township,  who   has   his 

home  on   section  27.      He  is   a    native   of    .lefferson 
County,    X.    Y..    and    was    horn     December     I. 

1843.       His    father,  Allen,    was    a    native   of    Mass-    r 
achusettS  and  his  mother,  whose  maiden  name    was 
Betsej    Huntley,  was  horn    in    New     York,   and    was 

the  daughter  of  a   Revolutionary  soldier  who   he- 
came  a  pensioner  of  the  Government 


992 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Our  subject  received  common  school  advantages 
in  his  native  county  and  wasthere  reared  to  maturity 
and  from  early  boyhood  devoted  himself  to  fann- 
ing. His  education  has  been  largely  self  attained 
and  he  is  a  man  of  extensive  and  valuable  infor- 
mation. He  enlisted  February  8,  1802  in  Com- 
pany D,  Ninety-fourth  New  York  Infantry,  which 
body  of  troops  was  made  a  part  of  the  army  of 
the  Potomac.  After  a  year  and  a  half  of  service 
he  was  discharged  on  account  of  physical  disability 
and  now  receives  a  pension  of  $6  a  month. 

In  the  spring  of  1864  Ml.  Brown  came  to  Sagi- 
naw  County,  this  State  and  for  several  years  worked 
at  lumbering  and  in  a  sawmill,  and  in  1871  he  set- 
tled upon  his  present  farm  which  has  ever  since 
been  his  home.  It  consists  of  one  hundred  twenty 
acres  of  rich  and  arable  land  under  excellent  cul- 
tivation. When  he  first  came  here  that  property 
was  almost  an  unbroken  wilderness  and  lie  has 
developed  the  farm  and  made  it  one  of  the  best  in 
the  county.  It  attests  most  emphatically  his  industry 
and  is  one  of  the  •ornaments  of  the  township. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  in  1868  brought  to 
his  home  a  bride  in  the  person  of  Augusta  Treinper, 
by  whom  he  had  one  daughter  Edith.  After  her 
death  he  married  again  m  April,  1871.  The  pres- 
ent Mrs.  Brown  was  Sybil,  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Sybil  (Phelps)  Tremper  and  was  born  in  Jefferson 
County,  N.  Y.  She  has  been  the  mother  of  six 
children,  and  all  but  one  of  them  are  living, 
namely  Carrie,  Alice,  Sidney.  Anna.  Byron 
(deceased)  and  Bernard. 

Jacob  Tremper,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Brown,  was  a 
native  of  Canada  and  settled  in  tin-  wood  in  Birch 
Run  Township  in  a  log  cabin  which  he  built  for 
his  family.  Mrs.  Brown  was  then  ten  years  old  and 
remembers  coming  by  wa}T  of  Lake  Erie  to  Detroit, 
and  their  first  home  was  very  near  the  present  site 
of  the  village  of  Birch  Run.  The  father  died  here 
in  1888,  and  his  wife  survived  until  April  16,  1891. 
They  were  esteemed  as  among  the  best  of  the 
early  settlers  of  the  county  and  their  loss  was 
deeply  felt.  Of  their  nine  children,  eight  survived 
namely:  Daniel,  James.  Michael,  Harriet  (Mrs.  L. 
D.  Webster),  Mrs.  Brown,  Harvey,  Ilarlev,  and 
Alice  (Mrs.  F.  D.  .Strang).  Mr.  Tremper  had 
served  as    Postmaster    of    Birch    Run  and  also  as 


Drainage  Commissioner  and  was  a  Republican    in 
his  political  sentiments. 

Mr,  Brown  is  identified  with  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic  and  belongs  to  the  Post  at  Birch  Bun, 
and  is  also  identified  with  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows.  His  political  convictions  have 
made  him  a  life  long  Republican,  and  his  local 
pride  and  enterprise  have  caused  him  to  be  active 
in  all  movements  for  the  development  of  the  town- 
ship and  county.  For  four  years  he  was  Treasurer 
and  for  an  equal  length  of  time  Supervisor  of  the 
Township  and  for  a  long  term  served  on  the 
School  Board.  Mrs.  Brown  is  actively  identified 
with  the  Ladies'  Relief  Corps  ofBirch  Run. 


* 


GBERT  T.  LOEFFLER.     Although  a  young 

man,  Dr.  Loeffler  has  achieved  an  enviable 
•  reputation  in  his  profession,  that  of  a  den- 
tist, doing  a  prosperous  business  in  Saginaw  in 
which  city  he  located  in  1888.  A  native  of  Koch  - 
ville  Township, Saginaw  County,  Mr.  Loeffler  was 
born  December  3 1 ,  1861,  His  parents  John  and 
Barbary  (Martie)  Loeffler  are  natives  of  Germany, 
the  father  coming  to  America  in  1848,  and  the 
mother  the  following  year.  They  were  married 
in  this  Mate  and  settled  on  i  farm  where  they  car- 
ried on  general    farming.     Mr.  Loeffler  has  been  a 

member  of  the  Scl 1  Board  and  has  always  taken 

an  interest  in  the  cause  of  education. 

Dr.  E.  T.  Loeffler  is  the  second  child  in  the  par- 
ental family,  and  until  eighteen  year-  of  age  re- 
mained at  home,  assisting  his  father  in  the  duties 
of  the  farm  and  attending  the  district  school.  At 
the  age  mentioned  he  entered  the  Saginaw  High 
School  where  he  studied  for  three  and  a  half  years, 
after  which  lie  taught  for  one  year,  during  1881. 
He  then  went  to  Ann  Arbor, entering  the  Univer- 
sity where  he  completed  the  course  of  civil  engin- 
eering, but  deciding  to  follow  the  profession  of  a 
dentist  he  afterward  took  a  course  in  the  Dental 
Department  of  the  University,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  INKS,  and  returning  to  Saginaw  at 
once  entered  into  active  practice,  opening  up  the 
office  which  he  still  occupies  in  the  Barnard  Blocfc 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


998 


in  West   Saginaw.     Here  he  has  been    eminently 

successful,  his  superior  work  and  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  Ins  profession  together  with  his  neatly 
arranged  rooms,  furnished  with  the  latest  appli- 
ances known  to  science,  attracting  an  enviable  class 
of  patrons. 

Dr.  Loettlcr  was  married  in  1884  to  .Miss  Lillie 
L.  Milev.  daughter  of  George  \V.  Miley,  of  Ann 
Arbor.  They  have  one  son.  Harry  E.,  and  in  their 
pleasanl  home  they  entertain  their  many  friends 
with  true  hospitality. 


-$. — 


AN  COLE  HOLCOMB.  In  connection 
with  his  brother,  Emmet  T.,  our  subject 
has  built  up  a  targe  and  successful  hard- 
ware establishment  in  Bay  City,  and  is 
now  known  as  one  of  the  most  reliable  merchants 
of  the  place.  He  was  born  in  Peru,  Clinton 
County,  N.  Y.,  November  21,  1850.  His  father 
was  a  native  of  Vermont,  whither  his  grandfather 
removed  from  his  native  State — Connecticut,  and 
followed  his  profession  of  a  physician  and  surgeon 
until  his  death  when  seventy-nine. 

After  engaging  for  some  time  as  a  merchant  at 
Westport,  the  father  of  our  subject  removed  to 
Plattsburg,  N.  Y..  where  he  continued  in  business 
until  he  died  in  1*71  at  the  age  of  seventy.  He 
was  a  strong  Democrat  politically  and  a  Baptist  in 
his  religious  belief .  The  maternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  Dr.  Stephen  Cole,  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  who  early  settled  in  New  Hampshire. 
After  serving  as  a  surgeon  in  the  War  of  1*12  he 
located  in  what  is  now  Franklin,  Yt.,  and  later 
followed  his  profession  in  Westport  and  Peru,  X. 
Y.  His  death  occurred  on  his  eighty-ninth  birth- 
day. The  great-gran dfathei  of  our  subject,  Dan 
Cole,  was  a  prosperous  farmer  in  Plainfield,  X.  II. 
Our  subject  was  One  of  six  children  who  grew 
to  maturity,  namely:  Harvey,  who  wen  1  to  Cal- 
ifornia in  1849;  .lames  M..  deceased;  E.  T..  part- 
ner Of  Our  Sllhject;  l'».  P.,  a  physician  at  >\ 'hitehal  I ; 
Silas  W.  '  Dan  C.  The  last  named  was  reared 
in  Plattsburg,  X.  Y..  where  he  attended    the  com- 


mon schools.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  entered  an 
Episcopal  academy  in  Connecticut,  where  he  re- 
mained one  year,  and  then  went  to  Geneva,  X.  Y., 
becoming  a  student  in  the  Walnut  Hill  School, 
from  which  he  graduated  in   1870. 

I  pon  starting  out  in  business  Mr.  Holcomb  be- 
came an  employe  in  the  J.  J.  Rodgers  Iron  Com- 
pany .  of  Au  Sable  Forks,  X.  Y.,  where  he  remained 
twelve  years.     In  1874  he  came  to   Bay  City    and 

for  twelve  years  was  book-keeper  for  the  linn  of 
G.  Merrill  &  Co.  For  one  year  he  engaged  in  the 
wholesale  grocery  business  with  Maltby,  Page  & 
Co.,  then  was  a  member  of  the  hardware  firm  of 
Pearson.  Forsyth  A'  Holcomb  until  IKKII,  when  he 
and  his  brother  embarked  for  themselves  under  the 
firm  name  of  Holcomb  Bros.  They  transact  an  ex- 
tensive wholesale  and  retail  business  in  agricul- 
tural implements,  etc.,  and  have  met  with  flatter- 
ing success. 

The  pleasant  home  which  Mr.  Holcomb  has  es- 
tablished at  No.  (i(il  Wan  Buren  Street,  is  presided 
over  by  the  lady  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1872 
at  Troy.  X.  V.  She  was  Miss  Evelyn,  daughter  of 
F.  II.  Page,  a  wholesale  grocer  of  Troy.  N.  Y.  She 
is  a  lady  of  superior  culture  and  a  graduate  of 
Yassar  College.  They  have  one  child — F.  Page. 
In  1890  Mr.  Holcomb  was  elected  Alderman  and  is 
numbered  among  the  prominent  Republicans  of 
the  city.  A  man  of  genial  disposition,  he  is  one 
of  the  most  pleasant  of  companions  and  many  a 
delightful  hour  have  his  friends  passsd  in  his  com- 
pany, listening  to  his  entertaining  stories  and 
never-failing  witticisms. 


JMCTOR  B.  ROTTIERS,  the  present  popular 
\  /  and  efficient  Supervisor  of  Birch  Pun 
V  Township.  Saginaw  County,  is  recognized 
asag 1  financier  and  a  man  of  exceptional  busi- 
ness qualifications.  He  was  bom  in  Jefferson 
County.  X.  Y,  May  24,  1842,  and  is  the  son  of 
John  X.  and  Ruth  Rottiers.  The  father,  who  was 
born  in  the  Netherlands,  Of  French  descent,  emi- 
grated to  America  in  1819 and  located  in  Jefferson 
County,  X.  V..  where  he  remained  until   his  death. 


994 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


The  boyhood  days  of  our  subject  were  spent  on 
the  farm,  where.-  lie  was  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits.      He  was  mustered  into  the  United  States 

service  September  11,  1862,  as    Sec 1   Lieutenant 

in  the  Fifth  Battalion,  Black  River  Light  Artil- 
lery, which  was  raised  in  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y. 
It  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and 
later  was  incorporated  with  the  Army  of  tin' .lames. 
Mr.  Rot  tiers  participated  in  the  siege  of  Petersburg, 
the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor  and  other  engagements, 
and  was  commissioned  First  Lieutenant  .Inly  1,186:5. 
He  was  honorably  discharged    September  24,  1865. 

After  the  close  of  tin'  war  Mr.  Rottiers  returned 
to  New  York,  whence  in  the  tall  of  1865  be  came 
to  Saginaw  County  and  has  since  made  his  home 
here.  In  181!'.)  he  settled  upon  his  present  farm. 
comprising  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  and  now 
one  of  the  best  estates  in  the  county,  lb' married  Fni- 
ily  Schollenberg,  a  native  of  Germany,and  three  of 
their  children  survive:  John  X..  \  ictor  E.  and 
Bernard  E.  Mr.  Rottiers  is  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  has  served  for 
several  years  as  Commander  of  the  Post.  He  is 
also  connected  with  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellowsat  Birch  Run.  lie  is  at  present  (1892) 
serving  his  fourth  term  a-  Supervisor  of  Bridge- 
port Township  and  and  has  also  Idled  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Peace  a  number  of  years  as  well  as 
other  positions  of  local  importance. 


-S< 


"S 


£+£ 


m 


CS" 


\jf%ROF.  J.  M.  RESSLER,  Principal  of  the  lu- 
ll) ternational  Business  College  of  Bay  City,  is 

■^  one  of  the  most  prominent  arid  successful 
[\  business  educators  of  the  Saginaw  Valley. 
Standing  as  he  doc-  among  the  foremost  men  of 
sagacious  foresight,  large  enterprise  and  exceptional 
ability,  he  has  contributed  largely  to  raise  Bay 
City  to  its  present  importance  as  an  educational 
center.  Frank  and  genial,  his  views  are  liberal 
and  his  nature  whole-souled,  causing  him  to  win 
invariably  the  respect  alike  of  old  and  young. 

The  International  Business  College,  of  which 
Prof.  Ressler  became  Principal  in  1890,  occupies 
the  second  and  third   floors  of   the  Averell    Block 


and  maintains  a  thorough  curriculum  of  book- 
keeping, stenography  and  every  department  of 
actual  business  practice.  During  the  first  year  of 
its  existence  it  had  about  three  hundred  and  fifty 
students,  ami  its  patronage  has  steadily  increased 
a-  its  high  grade  of  instruction  has  become  more 
widely  known.  Under  the  able  supervision  of  Mr. 
Ressler,  with  an  efficient  corps  of  assistant  teachers, 
the  college  has  gained  an  enviable  reputation 
among  like  institutions   in    the  United  States. 

Prof.  Ressler  was  born  in  Ida,  Monroe  County, 
this  State  November  17.  1862,  anil  is  one  among 
nine  children  comprising  the  family  of  Joel  and 
Lovina  (Stitzel)  Ressler,  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  boyhood  days  of  our  subject  were  passed  in 
Ida,  where  he  gained  the  rudiments  of  his  educa- 
tion. Later  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Ypsil- 
anti.  where  he  was  a  student  in  the  seminary,  and 
acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  studies. 
I  lis  opportunities  for  obtaining  an  education  in 
this  great  educational  center  were  unexcelled,  and 
he  availed  himself  to  the  uttermost  of  his  priv- 
ileges. 

Feeling  the  need  of  a  more  thorough  knowledge 
of  business  methods,  be  decided  to  take  a  course 
in  the  business  college,  and  accordingly  entered 
the  institute  at  Y/psilanti,  from  which  he  was  grad- 
uated in  1886,  having  completed  the  course  in 
each  department.  During  his  last  year  in  the  col- 
lege he  taught  shorthand. 

In  tin' spring  of  1887  the  Professor  removed  to 
Decatur.  111.,  where  he  accepted  the  position  of 
Principal  of  the  shorthand  and  penmanship  de- 
partments in  the  Central  Business  College.  After 
spending  one  year  in  that  way  he  went  to  Mar- 
quette, this  State,  and  became  Secretary  of  the 
Upper  Peninsula  College  at  that  place,  retaining 
the  position  until  be  became  Principal  of  the  In- 
ternational Business  College.  He  possesses  in  a 
marked  degree  those  qualities  of  mind  and  heart 
which  fit  him  in  a  peculiar  way  for  the  instruction 
of  the  young,  and  brings  to  his  responsible  duties 
characteristic  energy  and   enthusiasm. 

The  marriage  of  Prof.  Ressler  to  Miss  Mahala 
Bishop,  a  native  of  Canada,  took  place  in  Allen, 
Hillsdale  County.*  (ctober  21,1887, and  they  are  now 
the  parents  of  two  children — Genevieve  and  Edessa. 


PORTRAIT  AMI   BI< (GRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


095 


Mrs.  Ressler,  :i  graduate  of  the  State  Normal  at 
Ypsilanti,  is  a  lady  of  superior  culture  and  occupies 
a  warm  place  in  the  affection  of  her  acquaintances. 
The  public  affairs  of  the  presenl  day  awaken  the 
warmesl  interest  on  the  part  of  Prof.  Ressler,  who 
believes  thai  the  principles  of  the  Prohibition 
party  will  solve  the  vital  questions  of  the  age.  He 
and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the  Presbyterian. 
Church  of  Ypsilanti. 


r 


*=5*=.5. 


ON.  JOHN  BRISKE.  Honorably  engaged 
in  an  extensive  business  in  general  mer- 
%#y  chandise  in  Bay  City,  the  location  of  his 
business  bcingat  the  corner  of  Thirty-third 
and  Polk  Streets.  Mr.  Briskeis  more  widely  known 
in  a  public  capacity  as  being  the  li is t  Polish-born 
citizen  whoever  served  in  the  State  Legislature  of 
Michigan.  Also  during  the  Saginaw  Valley  strike, 
he  commended  himself  to  all  normal-minded  men 
by  his  wholesome  influence  and  advice  to  his  fel- 
low-countrymen who  were  being  misled  by  radical 
agitators.  He,  with  his  friend.  Mr.  Prybeski,  by 
public  addresses  and  by  using  his  influence  in 
every   way,  succeeded    in    counteracting  the    other 

pernicious  influence,  so  that  the  Polanders  came 
oui  of  the  strike  most  honorably,  regaining  their 
positions  as  well  as  the  esteem  of  their  employers 
and  co-laborers. 

Our  subjeel  is  also  engaged  a-  agent  for  foreign 
collections  and  for  all  the  principal  steamship  lines, 
the  linn  with  which  he  is  being  known  as  Briske  <Sz 
Forcia.  For  the  convenience  of  his  patrons  he 
has  qualified  as  Notary  Public.  Mr.  Briskehasbeen 
located  in  the  county  since  Is?  I,  and  is  thor- 
oughly conversant  with  its  needs  and  require- 
ments, lie  "as  born  in  Pomerania, ancienl  Poland, 
now  Prussia  Province,  June  II.  L845,  and  is  a  son 
of  Mathias  and  Catherine  (Kropidlowski)  Briske; 
the  former  was  a  merchant  in  Poland  and  died 
thereabout  1850.  Our  subject's  mother  still  re- 
side- at  her  old  home;  -he  is  now  eighty-four  years 
of  age.  She  has  been  the  mother  of  seven  chil- 
dren, four  boys  and  three  girls,  our  subjeel    being 


the  fourth  child  in  order  of  birth.  Mathias  Briske 
was  a  man  of  wealth  and  influence  and  the -on  was 
given  the  he-t  educational  advantages.  On  the 
father'.-  death,  however,  the  mother  disposed  of 
hi-  business  ami  retired  to  a  farm,  so  that 
the  lad  was  early  instructed  in  bucolic  pur- 
suits, in  1869  he  determined  to  come  to  America 
in  order  to  escape  military  oppression,  and  May  IK, 
1869,  left  Bremen  and  escaped  on  a  sailing  vessel. 
After  a  pleasant  voyage  which  lasted  six  weeks  the 
hoy  landed  in  New  1'ork  about  July  Land  about 
the  first  news  that  he  learned  of  foreign  ports  was 
that  a  great  battle  had  just  been  fought  in  Prussia 
with  France'near  Sarbruechen. 

Proceeding  to  the  coa  I  and  iron  regions  of  Penn- 
sylvania, our  subject  worked  at  various  branches  in 
mining  and  iron  work  and  spent  some  three  years 
in  Cleveland,  Ohio.  In  1873  he  proceeded  West, 
visiting  Indiana.  Illinois  and  Michigan,  and 
throughout  his  travels  tried  to  keep  his  judgment 
clear  as  to  the  licsf  place  in  which  to  locate  for 
himself  and  brothers.  Ma\  26,  1874,  he  came  to 
Hay  City,  having  at  the  tune  hut  $5  in  money  in 
his  pocket.  He  engaged  a-  clerk-  for  (apt,  II. 
Richards,  a  grocer  and  crockery  ware  man.  and 
continued  in  the  same  place,  although  under  differ- 
ent employ  for  three  years. 

During  the  time  spent  in  this  country  our  sub- 
ject  had  been  studying  the  English  language  and 
had  made  great  progress  in  tin-  fluency  with 
which  he  could  use  it.  Once  established,  his  rise 
in  business  was  rapid.  Before  the  expiration  of 
the  first  year  he  was  head  clerk  and  remained  in 
that  position  until  1*77,  when  he  became  part- 
ner with  the  firm  which  was  run  under  the  linn 
name  of  Tooker  A'  Briske.  This  partnership, 
however,  proved  to  he  unsatisfactory  and  ten 
months  later  he  became  a  partnerof  John  Richert, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Briske  .V  Richert.  They 
carried  on  the  grocery  business  in  the  Fifth  Ward 
for  one  year,  and  in  1880  .Mr.  Briske  located  on  his 
presenl  site,  takinginas  partner  Peter  Forcia.  This 
partnership  continued  for  one  year  when  the  junior 
member  was  replaced  by  hi-  brother,  Silas  Forcia. 
They  are  the  pioneer  grocerymen  of  the  Sixth 
Ward,  and  carry  on  the  largest  business  of  this 
locality.     Beginning  with  hut,  x'.HlO,  they  have  en- 


996 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RFCORD. 


larged  their  stock  and  business  until  they  now  deal 
in  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  goods  annually. 
They  deal  in  dry-goods,  wall  paper  and  window- 
shades  besides  groceries  and  crockeryware.  Their 
fine  block  is  60x55  feet  in  dimensions  and  three 
stories  in  height.  This  is  all  occupied  by  the  firm  of 
Briske  &  Forcia. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Bay  City,  June  12, 
1877,  to  Miss  Rosa  M.  Forcia,  who  was  born  in 
Windsor,  Canada,  and  came  here  when  a  child  with 
her  parents.  This  union  has  been  blessed  by  the 
birth  of  five  children,  namely:  Stanley,  Louis, 
Mamie,  Exilda  and  Edgar.  The  election  of  our 
subject  to  the  State  Legislature  was  confirmed  in 
1888  by  a  majority  of  eight  hundred  and  nineteen 
over  Edward  .1.  Carey  his  Republican  opponent, 
and  served  during  the  session  of  1889.  He  was 
on  the  committee  of  Private  Corporation  and  Slate 
Prisons,  and  although  his  party  were  in  the  minor- 
ity, he  did  some  effective  work.  Our  subject  be- 
longs to  the  Polish  National  Alliance  of  North 
America  and  has  filled  the  office  of  Treasurer,  and 
is  a  charter  member  of  Branch  No.  12,  of  Bay  City. 
He  has  held  all  the  different  offices  and  is  at  the 
present  time  Corresponding  Secretary.  While  serv- 
ing in  the  Legislature,  Mr.  Briske  introduced  ten 
bills,  six  of  which  passed,  all  of  which  were  in  the 
interest  of  the  city  and  county.  Politically  Mr. 
Briske  affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party.  He 
served  three  years  as  Supervisor  of  the  Sixth  Ward. 


•5^1 


Bi 


• 


RS.  SARAH  A.  BARCLAY,  who  is  one  of 
the  oldest  residents  of  Bay  City,  and  was 
so  well  known  to  the  lake  captains  as 
being  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant hotels  in  this  city,  was  born  in  Sugar  Loaf, 
Luzerne  County,  Pa.,  and  is  a  daughter  of  David 
Sweuey,  a  native  of  Maryland.  Her  grandfather, 
Richard  Sweney,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  after  com- 
ing to  America,  located  in  Maryland  on  the  Dela- 
ware River,  where  he  established  a  chair  factory. 
The  father  learned  the  cabinet-making  trade,  but  la- 
ter engaged  in  lumbering  business  on  the  Susque- 
hanna River,  building  a  mill  on  the  Fishing  Creek, 


which  was  afterward  swept  away.  He  died  there  at 
the  age  of  seventy-seven.  His  good  wife,  whose  mai- 
den name  was  France.-  Bartelson,  was  born  in  Col- 
umbia County.  Pa.,  and  died  in  the  Keystone  State 
a1  ■•!  goodoldage.  They  were  members  of  the  Christ- 
ian Church,  and  were  the  parents  of  eleven  chil- 
dren. 

Our  subject  had  her  early  training  among  the 
mountain- of  Pennsylvania,  and  early  learned  to 
work,  so  that  from  a  child  she  could  do  all  that 
was  necessary  in  transforming  the  raw  tlax  into  a 
complete  garment.  At  the  age  of  twenty  she  left 
home,  ami  in  1834  came  to  Marshall  to  her  grand- 
mother Peterman,  who  had  married  a  second  lime, 
and  was  then  living  in  .Michigan.  ( )n  her  journey 
to  Marshall  she  had  to  travel  through  the  Dundee 
Swamp,  which  was  then  almost  impassable,  and 
passed  tin'  first  night  of  that  part  of  the  journey 
in  a  log  hotel,  where  -he  had  bread  and  milk  for 
supper  and  slept  on  the  lloor.  Seven  years  later 
she  returned  over  the  same  road,  which  was  then  a- 
solid  macadamized  roadway. 

This  lady  made  her  home  in  Marshall  until  her 
marriage,  which  took  place  at  Albion.  November  2, 
18  m.  and  she  was  then  united  with  Jonathan  Smith 
Barclay,  who  was  bun  in  Northumberland  County, 
Pa.,  and  there  had  his  education  and  training.  His 
father.  Richard,  wa-  burn  in  Philadelphia,  of  Scotch 
descent,  and  was  a  fanner  and  miller,  having  a  full- 
ing mill  and  a  carding  mill  in  Northumberland 
County  between  Milton  and  Danville.  lie  wa-  a 
prominent  man  in  that  region,  and  was  a  large 
landed  proprietor. 

Jonathan  Barclay  learned  the  trade  of  a  mill- 
wright which  he  followed  for  some  years,  and 
helped  to  build  one  of  the  first  railroad-  in  that 
Slate,  which  wa-  loc  ited  at  Mauch  Chunk.  He  had 
a  mill  and  carried  on  lumbering  at  Valley  Furnace, 
where  he  was  married  in  1*32  to  Lydia  Fisher,  who 
died  there  while  he  wasabsent  working  on  a  railroad 
in  the  Alleghany  Mountain-.  One  child  of  this 
marriage  grew  to  maturity.  Harriet,  who  is  now 
.Mrs.  Moorehead. 

After  spending  some  lime  as  a  millwright  at 
Rochester,  N.  V..  Mr.  Barclay  came  to  Michigan  in 
1834,  anil  located  lirst  at  Albion,  and  afterward  at 
Tekonsha,  where  he  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


997 


to  build  a  hotel.     Afterward  he  returned  to  Albion, 

and  began  work  in  the  firsl  mill  which  had  been 
put  up  there.  Later  he  repaired  and  took  charge 
of  this,  and  afterward  wasengagedin  railroad  con- 
tracting, and    became  paymaster  of  the    Michigan 

Central  Railroad,  and  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

In  1817  Mr.  Barclay  removed  to  Detroit,  and 
there  engaged  in  the  wholesale  grocery  business. 
In  l.si!)  he  brought  a  stock  of  dry-goods  and 
groceries  on  a  vessel  to  Bay  City,  and  opened 
a  store  with  Mr.  McKane  as  his  partner,  trading 
with  the  Indians  for  furs  and  fish.  The  necessities 
of  his  increasing  business  forced  him  to  seek  more 
commodious  quarters,  and  he  therefore  erected  a 
store  building  on  Water  Street,  where  lie  carried  on 
a  grocery  and  dry  goods  business  one  year  and 
then  sold  to  Messrs.  Parks  &  Mungerin  1853.  He 
then  built  the  Wolv'erton  Hotel,  which  was  com- 
pleted in  18."i2,  and  was  then  the  largest  one  in  the 
county. 

During  the  fourteen  years  that  he  carried  on 
this  hotel  Mr.  Barclay  was  also  prominent  in  vari- 
ous ways,  being  School  Director,  County  Sheriff, 
and  serving  for  one  year  in  the  Legislature.  He 
was  the  first  Representative  elected  in  Saginaw 
County,  and  was  prominent  in  all  political  move- 
ments, and.  in  fact,  Mrs.  Barclay  was  really  the  man- 
ager of  the  hotel  during  many  years  of  that  time, 
as  lie  was  greatly  absorbed  in  public  affairs.  She 
still  owns  much  valuable  city  property,  although 
she  has  disposed  by  sale  of  a  greal  deal  that  she  once 
had. 

Our  subject  was  mid 'a  widow  August  1,  1887, 
and  the  death  of  her  husband  was  deeply  felt,  not 
only  by  his  family,  but  the  whole  community.  He 
was  one  of  the  vestrymen  of  the  first  Episcopal 
Church  here,  and  was  prominent  m  the  Masonic 
order,  and  in  the  Democratic  party.  Their  three 
children  are:  Fred  W.,  Lyman  M.  and  Helen  F. 

The  oldest  son  enlisted  in  the  spring  of  1863  in 
the  United  States  Navy,  and  was  made  a  part  of 
the  West  Gulf  Blocking  Squadron,  and  did  service 
on  board  the  monitor  "Winnebago."  He  was  present 
at  the  taking  of  Ft.  Morgan  when  the  Rebel  rain, 
"Tennessee"  and  the  gun-boats  "Seliiia"  and 
"( rains,"  were  captured.  He  was  also  at  the  taking  i  >t 
Mobile, and  the  Spanish  Fort. and  was  mu-teredout 


of  service  in  .July,  1865.  From  ahoy  he  has  been  on 
tli,'  river  and  lake,  and  has  sailed  tugs  and  vessels 
for  thirty  years  as  master  and  owner,  but  has  now 
retired  from  that  work  and  is  carrying  on  a  small 
grocery  business.  His  brother,  Lyman  M.,  is  also 
Captain  of  a  tug,  and  the  (laughter,  Mrs.  Coman, 
is  now  a  widow. 

When  Mrs.  Barclay  came  to  Bay  City,  from  De- 
troit, she  was  a  week  on  the  way,  and  had  to  come  in 
the  brig  "William  Monteith,"  and  from  the  mouth 
of  the  river  in  a  small  boat.  She  is  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  helped  effect- 
ually in  its  building.  She  is  active  as  a  member 
of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society,  and  is  a  stanch  Democrat 
in  her  political  views.  She  has  not  onljT  seen  Bay 
(  it\  grow  from  a  hamlet  to  a  city,  but  has  also 
been  an  active  helper  in  every  moment  of  progress. 
She  is  still  hale  and  hearty,  enjoying  the  fruits  of 
her  successful  labors,  loved  and  respected  by  all 
who  know  her;  long  may  it  so  continue  is  the  wish 
of  all. 


,EV.  S.  EMANUEL  RYDBERG.B.  D.,  pastor 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Zion  Church  at 
4  \\\  West  Bay  City  is  a  very  popular  gentle- 
woman in  that  city.  lie  is  well  educated  and 
was  born  in  Sweden,  June  19,  1862.  His  father, 
Olaf  Rydberg,  was  also  a  native  of  Sweden,  where 
he  was  Notary  Public  and  a  very  prominent  man. 
He  emigrated  to  America  in  1869  with  his  family, 
coming  directly  to  Michigan  after  landing  in  New 
York.  He  at  once  located  in  Sparta,  Kent  County, 
where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  improved  land  and 
where  he  makes  his  home  at  the  present  time,  being 
in  his  seventy-seventh  year.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican. 

The  maiden  name  of  our  subject's  mother  was 
Maria  Nelson,  also  a  native  of  Sweden.  The  pa- 
rental  family  included  nine  children,  of  whom  S. 
Emanuel  was  the  youngest.  He  was  six  years  of 
age  when  his  parents  came  to  the  New  World  and 
was  reared  on  the  home  farm.  He  received  his 
primary  education  in  the    district  schools  and   in 


998 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1881  took  a  classical  course  at  the  Augustana  Col- 
lege in  Rock  Island.  111.  He  continued  his  studies 
in  that  institution  until  1889.  at  which  time  he  was 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  B.  D.  In  June  of 
that  year  Mr.  Rydberg  was  ordained  to  preach  and 
receiving  a  call  from  Irwin  and  Greensburg,  Pa., 
responded  and  made  his  home  in  the  former  place. 
March  6,  1891,  our  subjeel  came  to  West  Bay 
City,  taking  the  place  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lofgren.  In 
addition  to  his  duties  as  pastor  of  the  Zion  Church 
in  this  city  Mr.  Rydberg  serves  the  charges  at 
Big  Rapids,  Colfax  and  Morley.  In  politics  he  is 
a  stanch  Republican  and  greatly  respected  by  every- 
one with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 


NSf 


\\U^  0N-  GEORGE  F.  VEENFLIET,  a  promi- 
nent resident  of  Blumfield  Township.  Sagi- 
naw County,  was  horn  in  Wesel.  Prussia, 
April  2,  1813.  His  education  was  gamed 
in  the  city  of  Dortmund  and  in  Westphalia,  where 
he  graduated.  After  serving  one  year  in  the 
Prussian  Army,  he  entered  the  University  of  Bonn 
in  1835  and  graduated  four  years  later.  Being 
thoroughly  equipped  for  the  duties  of  life,  he  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  professor  of  languages. 
arts  and  sciences  in  the  High  School  of  the  city  of 

Aix-la-Chapelle  and  als ;cupied  the  same    Chair 

in  the  college  in  Rheydt. 

In  1848,  Mr.  Veenfliet  emigrated  to  America 
and  one  year  later  came  to  Michigan,  settling  in 
the  eastern  part  of  Saginaw  County  and  clearing  a 
farm  in  Blumfield  Township.  In  n  small  village 
near  his  birthplace  he  was  married  .luly  29.  1 K4 1 . 
to  A.  Carolina Kremer,  who  was  horn  in  Dinslaken, 
Germany,  February  25.  181  1.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Veen- 
fliet are  the  parents  of  eight  children,  namely: 
Fred  A.,  who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Nashville, 
December  16,  1864;  Richard,  who  is  an  artist;  Au- 
gusta, the  wife  of  Augusl  Vassold;  Caroline,  de- 
ceased; .lulia.  formerly  the  wife  of  Henry  Tody 
but  now  deceased;  William,  whose  home  is  in 
Florida;  Alma,  and  Ernest  M..  who  resides  in  Ohio. 

During  the  years  1859-60,  Mr.  Veenfliet  served 
as  Commissioner  of  Immigration  with  headquarters 


at  Detroit,  having  been  appointed  to  the  position 
l>\  Gov.  Wisner.  He  served  two  years  as  Register 
of  Deeds,  and  afterward,  in  the  fall  of  187H.  was 
elected  County  Treasurer,  serving  three  terms.  In 
the  fall  of  1878,  he  was  elected  on  the  Republican 
ticket  to  the  State  Legislatun  and  while  represent- 
ing the  people  in  thai  responsible  position,  endeav- 
ored to  advance  their  interests  whenever  possi- 
ble. He  has  filled  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  Blumfield  Township  for  four  years,  has  served 
as  School  Inspector  and  is  at  present  Postmaster  .-it 
Blumfield.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity and  liberal  in  his  religious  views.  Since  sell- 
ing his  farm  in  1885  he  has  Lived  retired  from  ac- 
tive agricultural  labors. 

July  29.  L891,  our  subject  . -in d  hi- estimable  wife 
celebrated  their  golden  wedding  day.  All  their 
living  children  and  grandchildren  gathered  to 
spend  the  day  with  them,  and  many  neighbors 
were  presenl  as  well  as  friends  from  Detroit  and 
other  distant  points.  They  brought  with  them 
many  tokens  of  the  esteem  in  which  they  were 
held  and  united  in  wishing  them  many  happy  days 
in  the  continued  enjoyment  of  health  and  fortune. 


ON.  W.  II.  P.  BENJAMIN,  M.  I).,  of  Bridge- 
port, is  a  native  of  Onondaga  County.  N. 
Y..  and  was  born  September  2.  1839,  his 
{^j  parents  being  Harvey  and  Sallie  Benjamin. 
lie  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native  State 
and  received  his  preliminary  education  in  the  par- 
ochial school  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  his  na- 
tive county.  Subsequently  he  took  a  course  of 
three  years  in  the  institute  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.. 
where  he  was  a  classmate  of  Maj.-Gen.  Henry  A. 
tiaruum  and    Brig.-Gen.  Henry  Avery. 

In  1859-60,  our  subject  attended  the  Albany 
Medical  College  and  graduated  in  the  Medical  De- 
partment of  the  University  of  Vermont  in  1861. 
In  the  latter  part  of  that  year  he  was  appointed  to 
a  position  as  medical  cadet  and  became  identified 
with  the  Medical  Department  of  the  army  of  the 
Potomac.  June  29.  1862,  he  was  taken  prisoner  bj 
the    Confederates  at    Savage  Station,    Va.,  and  in 


PORTRAIT  AM     BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


999 


the  latter  pari  of  the  following  month  was  duly 
exchanged.  He  continued  with  the  Ainu  of  the 
Potomac  until  after  the  second  battle  of  Fredei  icks- 
burg,  when  he  was  senl  to  the  Medical  Department 
of  the  East,  with  headquarters  at  Ft.  Schuyler 
in  New  York  Harbor  mil i I  he  resigned  in   1864. 

In  tin-  spring  of  1866,  the  Doctor  came  to  Saginaw 
County  and  located  al  Bridgeport,  where  he  has 
since  engaged  in   the    practice    of    his    profession. 

December  2k.  1876,  he  was  married  to  Miss  I. is 

Mane  and  they  ha<l  three  children — Arthur  W.. 
Florence  R.  and  William  H.  P.  He  had  hold  the 
various  offices  of  Bridgeport  Township,  including 
Supervisor.  In  the  session  of  1875-76,  he  repre- 
sented the  Third  District  of  Saginaw  County  in 
the  lower  House  of  the  State  Legislature  and  also 
represented  his  district  in  the  session  of  1879-80, 
in  the  State  Senate.  He  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  a 
charter  member  of  the  Bridgeport  Lodge.  No.  2.~>x. 
F.  A-  A.  M.  and  its  representative  for  twenty-one 
successive  years  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State 
as  well  a-  the  occupant  of  its  most  important 
(hairs. 

Dr.  Benjamin  was  also  one  of  the  organizers  and 
a  charter  member  of  the  Order  of  .Maccabees  of 
Bridgeport  and  has  served  as  it-  Commander.  At 
present  he  is  Chairman  of  the  Democratic  County 
Committee  and  is  well  known  as  an  ardent  ami 
enthusiastic  Democrat,  having  for  years  been  in- 
fluential in  the  party  in  Saginaw  County. 


H 


Q) 


V- 


tfs^  WAN  JOHNSON,  one  of  the  most  ableand 

^s^     eftieiont  business  men  of  Wot   Ray  City,  is 
'\l/\j   a    Swede  by  birth  and  parentage,  but   by 

""  x  training  and  sympathy  is  thoroughlj 
American.  lie  was  born  in  KroneburgLan,  Sweden, 
November  1,  184<>  and  is  the  sun  of  .John  Swenson, 
also  a  native  of  thai  country.  The  father  followed 
the  combined  occupations  of  builder  and  farmer 
and  after  coming  to  America  located  in  Ray  City 
where  he  made  his  home  for  several  years  and  then. 
went  to  Rockford.  III.,  where  he  is  now  living  a  n  - 
tired  life  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  having 


been  bom  in  IKll.  The  paternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  also  a  native  of  Sweden  and  a 
farmer  by  calling.  <*ur  subject's  mother  was 
Enger  Larson,  a  native  of  the  same  country  as  was 
her  husband  and  was  born  in  1813.  Both  parents 
were  Lutherans  in  religion  and  were  very  active  in 

all  church  affair- 
Tlic     parental     family    of    our    subject    numbers 
eleven  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living   at   the 

presenl  writing  and  all  but  one  make  their  home- 
in  America.  He  of  whom  this  sketch  is  written  was 
reartd  on  a  farm  and  his  opportunities  for  an  edu- 
cation were  limited,  a-  at  the  tally  age  of  twelve 
years  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  tailor's  trade, 
and  applied  himself  industriously  to  the  work 
thereof  for  six  years.  The  succeeding  live  years 
he  -pent  traveling  on  the  road  selling  dry-goods 
and  in  .July.  1870,  joined  his  father  in  America, 
landing  in  Quebec.  He  then  made  his  way  to  the 
States  and  in  New  York  was  employed  in  a  wire 
factory  for  five  years,  his  health  being  such  that 
he  could  not  follow  his  trade  of   a  tailor. 

August  3,  1875  Mr.  Johnson  came  to  Michigan 
and  in  Ray  City  was  employed  two  Summers  in  a 
mill.  The  difference  in  the  salary  and  working 
hours  in  Michigan,  compared  with  those  in  New 
York,  caused  him  to  wish  lie  had  not  come  West. 
as  in  the  East  he  worked  nine  hours  a  day.  receiv- 
ing therefor  $60  per  month,  while  in  the  Wolverine 
State  he  worked  twelve  hours  a  day  and  only  re- 
ceived *:il  per  month.  Advantages  to  be  derived 
in  other  directions  in  the  Wesl  decided  our  subject 
to  make  Michigan  his  home  and  after  being  vari- 
ouslj  engaged  for  a  number  of  yeais,  in  1882  he 
purchased  the  land  and  erected  his  present  store- 
building  in  which  he  put  a  large  stock  of  groceries 
and  in  which  business  he  has  since  been  engaged 
and  is  meeting  with  more  than  ordinary  success. 
When  ti is t  establishing  his  new  store  he  stocked 
it  with  groceries  and  dry-gOOds,  but  now  he  carries 
a  full  line  of  crockery  ware  with  his  grocery. 

Miss  Hanna  Jacobsen  became  the  wife  of  our 
subject  in  June,  1*72,  their  marriage  being  sol- 
emnized in  the  State  of  New  York.  .Mrs.  John- 
son was  bom  in  Gotland,  Sweden,  February  7. 
1849.  Of  this  union  live  children  have  been  born, 
Ida    and    Helena    in    New    York;     Jennie,    Emma 


1000 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


and  Gustav  in  Bay  City.  Ida  is  now  Mrs.  F.  Nel- 
son and  makes  ber  home  in  Wesl  Hay  City. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  identified  with  a  number  of  social 
order.-,  among  which  are  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmi  n,  the  Swedish  Benefit  Society,  of 
which  he  was  a  charter  member.  He  was  Chairman 
of  the  Building  Committee  of  the  Zion's  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  in  which  body  he  was  a  Trustee 
and  also  charter  member  for  about  six  years. 

In  polities  he  is  a  true-blue  Republican  and  has 
represented  his  party  a<  delegate  to  State  and 
count}-  conventions.  He  was  Supervisor  one  term 
of  the  Fourth  Ward  and  while  in  the  Council  was 
a  member  of  the  Committee-  on  Bridges, also  many 
other  important  committees.  Mr.  Johnson  is  one 
of  the  oldest  merchants  in  Wes1  Bay  City  and  is 
greatly  respected  by  the  entire  community. 


\WKENCE  HUBINGER,  proprietor  of  the 
Star  of  the  Wes1  Roller  .Mills,  is  one  of  the 
prominent  citizens  of  Frankenmuth.  His 
father,  John  M.,  and  mother,  Anna  B.  Walther, 
were  natives  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  and  emigrated 
to  America  in  1846,  coming  directly  to  Saginaw 
County  and  settling  in  Frankenmuth.  There  the 
wife  and  mother  died  in  the  summer  of  1889. 

The  third  in  a  large  family  of  children,  our  sub- 
ject was  born  in  Frankenmuth.  March  29,  1850, 
and  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native  place,  re- 
ceiving hi-  education  in  the  schools  of  the  village 
and  in  the  Lutheran  seminary  at  Addison,  Du 
Page  County.  111.  For  several  years  he  followed 
the  profession  of  a  teacher  in  Ohio,  after  which  he 
engaged  in  the  Souring-mill  business  in  Franken- 
muth. lie  is  the  sole  proprietor  of  the  Star  of  the 
West  Roller  Mills,  and  is  manager  and  salesman 
for  the  Frankenmuth  Cheese  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany. 

Mr.  Hubinger  has  filled  the  position  of  Town- 
ship Treasurer  and  received  the  nomination  for 
the  legislature  on  the  Democratic  ticket  hut  did 
not  accept.  lie  has  taken  an  active  part  in  all 
matters  of  public  interest  and  i-  closely  identified 
with  the  Lutheran  Church,  of   which   he  is  a  mem- 


ber. He  was  married  in  Frankenmuth,  February 
0.  1*70  to  Miss  Maria  A.  Fuerbringer.  who  was 
born  in  Illinois  Augusl  1.  1849.  They  have  live 
living  children — Agnes  !•'...  George  W.,  Lenchin 
M.,  Ludwig  (J.  and  Adolph  F.  A  son.  Otto  L. 
died  when  one  vear  old. 


m-. 


zi&^- 


ILLIAM   P.  DREDGE,  who  is  engaged    in 

the  real-e-tate.  loan  and  insurance  busi- 
ness at  Chesaning.  was  born  at  Simcoe, 
Norfolk  County.  Canada.  February  11.  1*11.  His 
father.  George  EL, was  born  in  Salisbury.  England, 
January  13,  1*11.  and  his  mother.  Fiances  Webb, 
\\a-  aNo  a  native  of  England,  After  their  mar- 
riage, which  occurred  about  1835,  they  emigrated 
to  America,  locating  in  Canada  about  1837.  The 
fat hei'  engaged  a-  proprietor  of  the  Mansion 
Hou-e  in  Simcoe  for  twenty-eight  years  and  was 
successful  in   his  business  enterprises. 

The  family  of  which  our  subject  is  a  member 
comprised  eleven  children,  all  of  whom  grew  to 
years  of  maturity.  Charles  II.  was  born  in  Salis- 
bury, England,  January  22,  1836;  John  F..  who 
was  born  May  2d.  1838,  is  married  and  lives  in 
Norfolk  County.  Canada,  where  he  is  farming; 
Mary  Ann.  who  was  born  December  22.  1839,  is 
the  widow  of  William  Henry  Ilealevand  resides  in 
Simcoe;  William  P..  our  subject,  -was  the  next  in 
order  ol  birth;  George  II..  who  was  born  Novem- 
ber 1.  1843,  died  in  infancy:  James  E.,  whose  birth 
occurred  October  30.  1845,  died  January  2,  1891, 
and  is  buried  in  Wildwood  Cemetery,  in  Chesan- 
ing County;  George  Francis,  who  was  born  De- 
cember 10,  1*1*.  resides  at  Woodstock,  Conn.; 
Samuel  M.,  who  was  born  December  20,  1849,  lives 
in  his  native  place;  Elizabeth  A.,  who  was  bom 
March  12.  1851,  married  James  S.  Dean,  proprie- 
tor of  an  hotel  in  Canada;  Albert  II..  whose  birth 
occurred  August  4,  1852,  lives  in  Detroit:  Frances 
L.,  who  wa-  burn  February  17.  1856,  married  Neal 
F.  Parker  and  make-  her  home  in  Simcoe.  where 
her  husband  is  engaged  a-  an  importer  of  blooded 
horses.  With  the  exception  of  the  eldest  born, 
the  children  were  native-  of  Simcoe.  Canada. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


KKil 


The  boyhood  days  of  our  subjecl  were  spenl  in 
the  hotel  and  he  received  cot -school  advan- 
tages for  about  four  years.  He  learned  the  trade 
<it':i  harness-maker  and  served  an  apprenticeship 
of  aboul  two  and  one-half  years,  after  which  he 
followed  his  track'  as  a  journeyman  until  June, 
I860.  <)n  the  1:1th  of  that  month  he  was  married 
tn  Anna  M.  Dodge,  who  was  born  in  Beverley, 
Canada,  June  12.  1840,  and  was  the  daughter  of 
Rufusand  Mary  Ann  (Jones)  Dodge. 

Locating  in  London,  Canada,  our  subjecl  made 
the  t "i i - — t  -et  of  harness  ever  made  in  the  township, 
and  sojourned  there  until  1865.  He  thru  re- 
moved to  Michigan,  working  lor  a  fen  months 
in  Owosso,and  coming  thence  toChesaning,  where 
he  made  the  first  harness  in  this  section  of  coun- 
try. He  continued  in  the  business  until  1878, 
when  lie  sold  out,  and  i-  now  devoting  his  atten- 
tion to  loans,  real  estate  ami  insurance. 

Politically  Mr.Dredge  is  a  Republican.  In  1872 
he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  served 
twelve  years,  in  the  meantime  reading  law.  Al- 
though he  frequently  attends  to  ease-  in  court, 
he  has  never  applied  for  admission  to  the  bar, 
but  is  amply  qualified  should  he  desire  to  follow 
the  legal  profession.  He  ha<  about  $4,000  invested 
in  real  estate  and  loans  money  for  himself  as 
well  as  other  parties.  When  he  came  to  ( Ihesaning 
he  was  not  more  than  $400,  his  present  success 
being  the  result  of  energy  and  good  judgment. 
He  has  served  a-  Chairman  of  the  Republican 
County  Committee,  delegate  to  county  and  State 
conventions,  and  was  appointed  delegate-at-largc 
to  tin'  State  convention  in  1890. 


<fl  fifolLLIAM  R.  WANDS.  It  is  with  pleasure 
\  /  that  we  incorporate  in  this  Rei  ord  a  brief 
V V  account  of  tin-  respected  citizen  of  Bay 
(  ity,  who  although  now  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness life,  still  maintains  the  greatesl  interesl  in  all 
enterprises  that  will  contribute  to  the  welfare  of 
tie'  city.  Careful  in  his  consideration  of  the  rights 
of  others,  honorable  in  .all  his  dealings  and  up- 
right in    private  character,  he   is    highly  respected 


far  and  near.  Immediately  after  he  arrived  here 
in  1872  he  embarked  in  the  sail  business  and  so 
extended  was  hi-  information  in  that  direction  and 
-i,  widely  recognized  was  hi-  ability  that  for  four- 
teen   years  he  was  Salt    Inspector  of  Bay  County. 

I'll  •  e  irlie-t  recollections  of  our  subjecl  are  con- 
nected with  the  Slate  of  New  York,  where  much  of 
his  active  existence  ha-  been  passed.  He  was  l nun 
mi]  Albany,  March  Ml.  1831,  and  i-  the  son  of 
.lame-  B.  and  Nellie  (Russell)  Wands,  natives  of 
New  York.  The  father  was  a  farmer  during  his 
entire  life  and  resided  on  the  place  which  his  fa- 
ther, also  named  James,  purchased  in  1795.  One 
of  the  fines!  estates  in  the  vicinity,  and  located 
only  live  mile-  from  Albany,  its  situation,  as  well 
a-  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  made  it  very  valuable. 
It  comprised  one  hundred  and  fifty  acre-  and  was 
sold  at  *27(i  per  acre  in  1871.  On  that  place  the 
father  of  our  subject  passed  the  entire  seventy- 
seven  year-  of  hi-   life. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Nellie  Russell,  was  born  in  Bethlehem  Center. 
Albany  County, N.  Y..and  bore  her  husbanda  fam- 
ily of  four  children:  our  subject;  Frank  I...  a  resi- 
dent of  Bay  City;  Catherine,  wife  of  C.  Lansing, 
who  lives  in  Seattle,  Wash.,  and  Anna,  wife  of 
•lame-  Hendrick, of  Albany.  The  rudiments  of  his 
education  our  subject  received  in  the  common 
schools  of  the  neighborhood,  and  the  fundamental 
principles  thus  obtained  were  afterward  enlarged 
and  made  valuable  through  the  systematic  reading 
of  the  best  literature.  He  was  reared  to  farming 
pursuits  and  remained  with  his  father  until  the 
death  of  the  latter  ill  1871.  Then  the  old  home- 
-tead  was  -old  and  the  e-tate  di  vided  among  the 
heilS.  after  which  our  subjecl  came  West,  and  set- 
tling iii  Bay  City  b  tught  the  corner  of  Ninth  and 
Johnson  Streets  and  built  a  line  residence.  This 
eleganl  home  he  still  own-  and  occupies. 

Soon  after  coming  to  Bay  City  Mr.  Wand-  was 
appointed  Salt  Inspector  and  served  efficiently  in 
that  office  for  four!  ien  years.  A  few  years  since 
he  retired  from  tin/  more  arduous  duties  of  busi- 
ness, although  he  still  finds  ample  scope  for  his 
energies  in  managing  his  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty-five  acres  in  Kawkawlin  Town-hip.  one-half 
mile   from    the   post-office    of    that    name.      He    has 


1002 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


$12,000  invested  in  the  farm,  which  he  has  cleared 
of  stumps,  improved  with  a  good  set  of  buildings 
and  expects  to  devote  to  stock  purposes.  In  his 
social  relations  he  is  a  member  of  Joppa  Lodge, 
P.  &  A.  M.,  and  the  Iron  Hall. while  lie  and  his  wife 
find  a  religious  home  in  the  First  Presbyterian 
( 'hureh. 

Mr.  Wands  was  married  to  Miss  Phoebe  Archer, 
of  Albany,  who  at  her  death  left  him  one 
child,  Nellie  R.,  now  living  at  Albany.  Afterward 
Mr.  Wands  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Elizabeth  Ward,  of  Schenectady.  X.  Y.  Mrs.  Wands 
is  the  daughter  of  James  and  Rebacca  (Swart) 
Ward.  Her  father  was  one  of  tl Idest  conduc- 
tors of  the  New  York  Central  Railroad.  As  a  mem- 
ber of  the  most  influential  social  circles  of  Bay  City, 
her  many  womanly  and  refined  qualities  of  mind 
and  heart  endear  her  to  those  whom  she  meets,  and 
her  benevolence  is  best  known  to  those  who  have 
received   her  eheerful  and  practical  aid  in  distress. 


Si- 


-ELLINGTON    R.   BURT,    the    suhjeel     of 

'  this  sketch,  is  known  throughout  the 
Slate  as  a  man  of  sterling  ability,  of  high 
and  noble  principles, and  unsullied  reputation.  He 
was  born  in  Genesee  County,  N.  Y..  on  the  2(>th 
of  August,  Is.'i'J.  Seven  years  later  his  parents 
moved  to  Michigan,  locating  iu  Jackson  County, 
and  began  the  work  of  clearing  and  making  a  new 
home.  Six  years  later  his  father  died,  and  being 
the  oldest,  the  subject  of  our  sketch  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  years,  became  the  general  manager  and 
provider  of  the  family.  He  attended  the  district 
scl 1  at  Jackson,  one  year  at  the  Albion  Acad- 
emy, and  one  year  al  the  Michigan  Central  Col- 
lege at  Spring  Arbor.  The  life  of  a  farmer  was  a 
vigorous  reality  to  him  all  through  his  youth  and 
early  manhood. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-two  Mr.  Hurt  left  the  farm 
and  set  out  to  see  something  of  the  world.  During 
his  travels  he  visited  Australia,  Van  Dieman's 
Laud.  New  Zealand,  the  Chincha  Islands  and 
South  America,  being  variously  employed  as  a 
sailor,  a  miner  and  a  contractor.    After  an  absence 


of  three  years  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Mich- 
igan, lie  was  then  twenty-five  years  of  age  and 
began  to  look  about  him  for  an  opportunity  to 
profitably  invest  the  small  sum  of  money  he  had 
acquired.  Starting  north  he  located  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  Government  land  in 
Gratiot  County,  and  began  the  work  of  clearing  a 
farm  in  what  was  then  a  wilderness.  In  1857  he 
went  into  the  lumber  camps  in  Gratiot  County 
with  a  promise  of  $13  a  month  for  his  work.  At 
the  end  of  the  first  month  he  was  made  foreman  of 
the  camp  with  a  promise  of  $26  per  month  and 
there  he  labored  five  months,  where  now  stands 
the  thriving  village  of  St.  Louis.  Unfortunately 
for  Mr.  Hurt's  first  venture  the  men  for  whom  he 
was  working,  failed  and  he  lost  his  five  month's 
wages,  together  with  a  small  sura  he  had  loaned 
them.  Thus,  once  more  hi'  had  taken  a  lesson  in 
the  school  of  experience. 

In  1858  he  came  to  Last  Saginaw,  and  engaged 
in  the  lumber  business  for  himself.  Gradually  by 
hard  and  continuous  labor,  he  acquired  a  little 
money;  investing  this  judicially  in  mill  property 
and  pine  timber,  and  by  fair  and  upright  dealings 
with  his  employes  and  all  others  with  whom  he 
had  business,  he  has  become  one  of  Michigan's 
wealthy  and  withal,  honored  ami  respected  citizens. 
His  interests  as  a  lumberman  led  him  into  the 
shipping  business  and  he  has  been  more  or  less  in- 
terested in  vessels.  He  became  a  salt  manufacturer 
and  when  the  development  of  that  interest  broughl 
about  the  formation  of  the  Michigan  Salt  Associa- 
tion. Mr.  Burt  was  elected  its  President,  which 
office  he  has  held  for  eleven  years  and  still  holds. 
The  assiduity  with  which  he  attends  to  his  own  bus- 
iness and  that  of  all  institutions  with  which  he  has 
been  connected,  has  prevented  him  from  accepting 
any  political  office,  although  repeatedly  urged  to 
do  so.  The  exception  to  his  long  continued  re- 
fusal to  run  for  office  was  when  having  received 
the  nomination  for  Mayor  of  the  city  of  East  Sag- 
inaw in  1867,  by  one  political  party,  the  other 
promptly  indorsed  the  nomination,  and  he  received 
the  compliment  of  the  entire  vote  of  the  city.  Yet 
while  he  has  felt  it  incumbent  upon  him  to  de- 
cline all  solicitations  to  accept  he  has  always  taken 
a  deep  interest  in  the    successful    development    of 


PORTRAIT  AM)  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1003 


all  the  industries,  not  only  of  the  Saginav  Valley, 
but  <>f  the  entire  State.  Il<'  is  a  man  whose  broad 
mind  comprehends  that  new  and  vital  questions 
are  to  be  discussed  and  settled  by  the  people  in 
honor  and  justice  to  all  members  of  the  common- 
wealth;  he  is  a  man  who  recognizes  the  rights  of 
the  wageworker  as  well  as  the  rights  of  the  em- 
ployer,  and  stood  as  a  mediator  between  the  par- 
ties in  the  great  Saginaw  Valley  strike  of  1885. 


>#®-"— ^^*— 


eHARLES  RACETTE.  The  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch  has  attained  consid- 
erable prominence  in  his  line  of  work,  be- 
ing the  oldest  blacksmith  in  West  Bay  City.  He 
now  makes  his  home  in  Bankswhere  he  lias  a  com- 
fortable residence  and  is  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his 
industry.  In  addition  to  his  blacksmith  shop  he 
also  manufactures  carriages  and  wagons,  for  which 
he  finds  a  ready  sale,  they  being  of  superior  make. 
The  gentleman  of  whom  this  sketch  is  written 
was  born  in  St.  Roche  de  1'  Achigan,  Quebec,  the 
date  thereof  beingDecember  21,  1H14.  His  father 
Charles  Racette,  was  born  in  St.  Jacques  del' 
Achigan.  The  grandfather  of  oursubject,  Augus- 
tine Racette  was  a  native  of  France,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  and  spent  his  last  days.  He  was  a 
soldier  ill  the  War  of  IS  1  2  when- lie  liraveh  fought 
in  his  country's  defense.  Our  subject's  mother 
was  .Miss  Aurilla  Beaudry,  a  native  ,,f  Canada: 
she  is  still  living  at  the  advanced  age  of  seven ty- 
live  year.-. 

Charles  Racette,  Jr.,  was  the  eldesl  of  nine  chil- 
dren, seven  of  whom  are  livingat  the  present  writ- 
ing. He  remained  at  home,  having  the  advantage 
of  attending  the  French  schools  until  ten  years  of 

age,  when  he  worked  Out  On  a  farm,  which  occupa- 
tion he  followed  until  he  reached  his  majority. 
lie  was  then  apprenticed  to  learn  the  blacksmith's 
trade,   having    to    pay    $25    to    learn    the  business, 

and   where  lie  worked  for  a   twelvemonth.      For  the 

two  succeeding  3  ear-  lie  was  engaged  at  L'Epiphame 
for  hi-  service  receiving  the  exorbitant  sum  of 
$2.50  per  month.  Later  he  went  to  Montreal  and 
during  his  residence  there  was  occupied  at  his  trade 


but  he  went  to  St.  Roche  where  he  continued  to 
W0rk  al  the  blacksmith's  trade.  St.  Jacques  lie- 
came  his  residence  for  the  next  live  year.-,  hut  not 
being  Successful  at   that   place,    in    1871,    he  cam.'  to 

Bay  City,  having  at   the  lime  o!    his  advent  here 
011I3  $2.50  with  which  to  commence  in  business. 
on  coming  to  this  citj    Mr.   Racette  was  in  the 

employ  Of  Charles  &  D.  Rivet  with  whom  he  re- 
mained for  one  year,  then  in  the  fall  of  1*72  he 
located  in  Banks  where  lie  worked  at  his  trade  in 
the  ship  yards  and  did  anything  else  he  could  lind 
to  do.  lie  was  economical  and  industrious  and 
two  years  later  he  was  enabled  to  start  a  shop  of 
his  own  and  chose  as  his  location  the  corner  of 
Sophia  and  Washington  Streets.  Alter  carrying  on 
a  successful  business  there   for  two  year.-  he  built 

his    present     shop.      Since    our    Subject    came    here 

there  have  been  started   eleven  blacksmith  shops 

hut  none  of  them  are    here    at     the  present   time,  as 

all  who  have  ever  had  work  done  by  Mr.  Racette 
are  content  with  the  satisfactory  work  which  he 
turns  out,  hence  he  has  the  hulk  of  work  to  do. 

Mr.  Racette  occupies  a  beautiful  residence  at  No. 
L409  Leng  Street  and  besides  this  property  owns 
eighty  acres  of  improved  land  in  Beaver  Township, 
Bay  County.  That  farm  bears  all  the  dern  con- 
veniences for  the  carrying  on  of  a  first-class  estate 
and  nets  our  subject  a  handsome  income.  He  al.-o 
own-'  twenty-live  lots  in  Banks  and  laid  out  De 
Rosie's  Addition  to  West  Bay  City  in  1890.  He 
possesses  two  and  one-half  acres  of  land  adjoining 
the  corporate  limits  of  the  city  and  in  addition 
has  several  houses  in  the  city.  He  has  Keen  more 
than  ordinarily  successful  in  all  his  undertakings 
and  most  truly  deserves  t  he  appellation  of  "self- 
made"  which  is  ofttimes  applied  to  him.  He  is 
very  quick  in  figures,  hut  seldom  usine;  a  pencil 
in  making  accounts. 

Mr.  Racette's  marriage  took  place  in  1867  at  St. 
Roche:  his  wife's  name  was  Mi--  Angelique  Rochon. 
She  was  born  at  St.  Roche,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
Ambrose  and  Catherine  (Beaudoin)  Rochon,  farmers 
in  the  above  named  place.  Three  children  have 
been  bom  of  this  union,  namely:  Leontine.  who 
died  when  twelve  year-  of  age,  Leontine  (second) 
and  Omer.  Mr.  Racette  was  connected  with  the 
city  lire  department  for  eight  years  in  the  capacity 


1(1(1-1 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    LECORD 


of  Treasurer.  Socially  lie  is  a  Knight  of  the  Macca- 
bees, is  a  member  of  the  LaFayette  Society,  having 
been  President,  and  held  the  same  position  in  the 
St.  John's  Society  and  is  now  Lieutenant  Com- 
mander of  the  Maccabees.  The  Visitation  Church 
of  West  Lay  City  claims  our  subject  as  one  of  its 
most  influential  members,  lie  having  served  on  the 
Building  Commitee  and  is  a  Trustee  at  the  present 
tune.  In  politics  he  is  a  true-blue  Republican  and 
has  been  a  delegate  to  State  and  county  conven- 
tions. 


£j  ^-i^  *!**!*  *■»■**** — 


.p^  OLOMON  C.  WILSON  is  a  journalist  and 
V^  one  of  the  older  residents  of  Lay  City, 
\\J  j  havingcome  hither  in  lsihi.  He  was  born 
•  in  Waddon,  Cambridgeshire,  England,  on 
New  Year's  Day.  1831,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and 
Ellen  (Smith)  Wilson,  who  tame  to  Ontario,  Can- 
ada, when  this  son  was  only  six  years  old,  and 
there  he  received  his  education,  studying  in  the 
Wellington  Grammar  School,  as  his  father'-  farm 
adjoined  the  corporation  of  that  town.  There  the 
father  redded  until  after  the  death  of  his  wife, 
when  he  went  to  reside  with  his  daughter  at  Peter- 
boro,  Canada. 

When  only  eleven  years  old  our  subject  entered 
the  printing  office  at  Picton,  serving  his  apprentice- 
ship of  six  and  one-half  years  on  the  Picton  Sun.  He 
there  earned  the  good  will  of  Ids  employer,  so  that 
upon  the  very  day  when  he  completed  his  trade 
he  was  offered  the  foremanship of  the  office,  which 
he  accepted  and  continued  in  that  capacity  for 
several  years. 

In  1851  Mr.  Wilson  went  to  work  in  the  Gov- 
ernment printing  office  at  Toronto,  and  a  year  la- 
ter became  foreman  of  the  Brantford  Courier,  re- 
maining there  until  he  went  to  New  York  City. 
where  he  worked  for  Harper  a-  Bros,  ami  also  for 
the  American  Tract  Society,  for  three  year-,  and 
tin  n  removed  to  Schenectady.  N.  Y..  where  he  took 
the  position  of  foreman,  and  began  work  a-  an 
editorial  writer,  having  charge  of  the  office  of  the 
Daily  Star  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war. 

Our  subject    was  active  in   raising  Company  B, 


of  the  (hie  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  New  York 
Infantry  and  was  mustered  out  as  First  Lieutenant 
of  that  company  in  LS(j3.  This  regiment  was 
made  a  pari  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  as- 
signed to  Sigel's  Corps,  and  Steinwehr's  Brigade. 
Lieut.  Wilson  was  in  the  Army  only  eight  months. 
as  ai  the  cue]  of  that  lime  he  was  discharged  on 
account  of  physical  disability,  and  during  most  of 
the  time  his  regiment  was  in  the  force  that  was 
defending  Washington.  They  were  in  engagements 
at  Thoroughfare  Gap  and  Snicker  Gap  and  after 
thai  they  were  placed  in  Lurnside's  command. 

After  being  discharged  from  military  service 
Mr.  Wilson  went  to  work  a-  foreman  of  the  stereo- 
typing  department  of  Weed.  Parsons  &  Co.,  in  the 
State  printing  office  at  Albany.  This  firm  com- 
prised those  distinguished  statesman.  Thurlow 
Weed  and  William  II.  Seward.  When  he  ceased 
his  connection  with  them  he  bought  a  job  office  at 
Troy,  going  into  partnership  with  Edward 
Green  under  the  linn  name  of  Wilson  A-  Green, 
but  three  years  later  decided  to  come  West  and 
here  bought  out  the  Hay  City  Journal,  which  he 
edited  .■mil  published  for  fourteen  months  when  il 
was  consolidated  with  the  paper  which  is  now  the 
Lav  City  Tribune,  which  became  the  first  daily  pa- 
per of  this  city. 

At  the  time  of  this  consolidation  our  subject  sold 
his  interest  in  this  paper  and  about  1*70  started  a 
weekly  Democratic  -licet  the  Leader,  which  he  car- 
ried on  for  a  year,  until  it  was  merged  with  the  Daily 
Observer,  when  he  sold  out  his  interest  and  entered 
the  lumber  business,  which  he  followed  for  three 
years  in  partnership  with  J.L.  McCormick  of  Sagi- 
naw, and  afterward  with  C.  E.  McCormick  of  Bay 
City.  He  also,  in  1871-72,  ran  a  grocery  house 
in  company  with  C.  E.  Young  of  Lay  City.  In 
1873  he  became  an  editorial  writer  on  the  Pvcm 
and  also  editor  of  the  Lumberman's  Gazette,  the 
first  lumberman's  paper  evei  issued  in  the  United 
Stall-,  and  he  worked  on  the  Press  and  Tribunt 
for  several  year-. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  appointed  Clerk  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Enrolled  Bills  in  the  House  of  Represent- 
ative- at  Washington  during  the  Cleveland  admin- 
istration, and  at  the  -am.'  time  acted  as  Private 
Secretary  to  Congressman  S.  0.  Fisher  during  his 


r  d.'TKAlT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


1005 


second  term.  His  clei'kship  in  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives was  one  of  the  most  important  in 
connection  with  the  business  of  Congress,  as  everj 
bill  passed  by  cither  the  House  or  Senate  had  to 
pass  through  his  hands  for  comparison  with  the 
original  and  for  correction. 

Our  subject  was.  in  L890,  appointed  one  of  the 
three  Soldiers'  Relief  Commissioners  for  l!a\ 
County,  to  distribute  funds  for  the  relief  of  indi- 
gent soidiers  and  their  families,  since  his  return 
from  Washington  he  has  been  engaged  upon  trade 
journals  in  Chicago  and  New  York,  and  has  also 
been  correspondent  for  tin1  Chicago  Times  for  some 
■  ten  years. 

This  gentleman  was  married  in  1864  to  Mrs. 
Susan  Ten  Eyck,  of  Albany,  X.  V..  who  was  form- 
erly Miss  Susan  McCormick.  No  children  have 
blessed  this  union,  but  Mrs.  Wilson  has  a  daughter 
by  her  previous  marriage,  who  is  now  Mrs.  C.  H. 
Bradley.  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  member  of  the  U.  S. 
Grant  Post,  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 
He  was  the  President  of  the  Red  Ribbon  movement 
at  the  time  of  its  inception  here,  and  during  his 
presidency  over  seven  thousand  people  signed  the 
pledge.  He  is  one  of  the  Stewards  of  the  Madison 
Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  is  active 
in  all  church  work. 


HAUNCY  CHATTERTON  MCCARTHY. 
This  brilliant  young  attorney -at-law  was 
born  in  Pine  River  Township.  Gratiot 
County,  this  State.  1'Yliruary  *.  1856,  and  is  the 
son  of  Daniel  and  Melissa  (Dexter)  McCarthy.  The 
father  was  a  native  of  Cork,  Ireland,  ami  came  to 
the  United  States  when  eighteen  years  old,  but 
after  spending  two  years  in  New  York,  migrated  to 
Michigan  and  settled  in  Oakland  County.  The 
mother  is  a  native  of  Vermont  who  many  years 
ago  settled  in  Michigan  with  her  parents  and  is 
still  living  with  a  son  in  Oscoda  County.  The  fa- 
ther died  about  seven  years  ago. 

The  family   settled   in   Gratiot    County,  a   short 
time  before  the  birth  of  our  subject  and  while    he 


was  Still  quite  young  thc\  removed  to  Oakland 
County,  which  they  made  their  home  until  he  was 
-i\  \  car-  old  then  they  returned  lo<  rratiot  County. 
At  the  age  of  liftccn  the  youth  entered  the  lumber 
woods  and  continued  in  that  kind  of  work  until 
he  was  twenty-four.     In  summer  he  worked  on  the 

log  boom  and  until  he  was  of  age  he-  assisted  in 
the'  suppoi  t  of  the  family. 

In  1880  the  young  man  who  had  long  realized 
the  necessity  for  a  higher  education  entered  the 
Normal  school  at  Valparaiso,  fnd.,  and  studied  for 
some  lime,  alternating  this  schooling  with  work  in 
the  lumber  woods. and  also  read  law  as  he  had  op- 
portunity until  he  was  able  to  pass  his  examination 
and  he  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Gratiot  County, 
which  was  in  .March.  1884  before  Judge  Hart. 

During  the  next  summer  Mr.  McCarthy  again 
worked  on  the  log  boom  at  Saginaw,  and  while  so 
operating  he  received  the  nomination  for  the  Dem- 
ocratic party  as  Circuit  Court  Commissioner,  and 
was  elected  during  the  Cleveland  campaign.  At 
that  time  he  made  a  canvass  of  the  county,  speak- 
ing frequently  and  on  New  Year's  Day.  1885  he 
assumed  the  duties  of  the  office,  opening  at  the 
same  time  a  law  office  and  bringing  to  this  city  his 
mother,  one  brother  and  a  sister,  namely:  Daniel 
Willard  and  Ellen  Lena,  both  of  whom  he  placed 
in  the  High  School.  He  was  re-elected  in  1886. 
remaining  in  that  position  until.  January.  1889  and 
refused  after  that  to  he  a  candidate. 

The  ensuing  fall  Mr.  McCarthy  entered  the 
Northern  Indian  Law  School  which  is  connected 
with  the  Normal  School  at  Valparaiso,  and  gradu- 
ated therefrom  in  the  Class  of  June,  1890,  receiv- 
ing a  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws  in  a  class  of 
thirty-seven  members.  During  the  same  time  he 
pursued  a  commercial  course  and  also  a  literary 
course,  giving  especial  attention  to  rhetoric.  He 
had  thorough  training  and  practical  work  in  speak- 
ing in  the  literary  societies  and   the  n t   courts 

of  the  institution.  I'pon  his  return  to  Saginaw  he 
resumed  his  law  pract ice  and  is  building  up  a  satis- 
factory connection.  During  the  fall  of  1890  lie 
stumped  the  county  in  the  interests  of  the  Demo- 
'cratic  party,  but  his  belief  is  that  a  protective  tariff 
is  needed  for  tin-  country  for  years  to  come,  also 
that  the  position  of    the  Republican  parly   on    the 


1000 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


silver  question  is  more  nearly  correct,  and  he  has 
therefore  decided  to  take  his  position  with  the 
Republican  party  and  lias  so  placed  himself  In-fore 
the  people  of  the  county. 

In  his  social  connections  Mr.  McCarthy  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in 
which  lie  is  very  active  and  he  is  now  serving  as 
Noble  Grand  of  Star  Lodge  No.  156.  lie  was  mar- 
ried November  18,  1886  to  Miss  K.  Belle  Cornell  of 
St.  Louis,  Mich...  who  was  born  in  Ionia  County. 
She  like  himself  is  a  graduate  of  Valparaiso  Nor- 
mal school.  She  is  a  teacher  of  some  years'  exper- 
ience in  Michigan  and  Illinois  and  was  for  two 
years  principal  of  the  High  School  at  Momence, 
111.  Mr.  McCarthy  is  of  the  Unitarian  faith  but 
both  he  and  his  wife  attend  the  Universalist 
Church. 


—5- 


^=€>*<i=^ 


-{— 


ANIKL  MI'NRO,  a  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser  residing  in  Chesaning  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  was  born  in  Bloomfleld 
Township.  Oakland  (  ountj  this  State,  Oc- 
tober 13,  1842.  His  mother  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Isabelle  Woods,  ami  the  father,  Bedent  Beard 
Munro.  was  a  fanner.  They  botb  were  New  York- 
ers by  birth  and  both  passed  from  life  in  Oakland 
County,  the  mother  being  called  from  her  family 
when  this  son  was  only  thirteen  days  old,  and  the 
father  dying  about  the  year    1867. 

After  receiving  the  benefits  of  a  common-school 
education,  Daniel  Munro  began  work  for  himself 
at  about  the  age  of  twenty  one.  saving  the  monej 
received  as  a  monthly  stipend  to  make  a  payment 
on  the  land  which  now  constitutes  his  beautiful 
farm.  This  property  upon  which  he  made  the  first 
payment  in  1867,  consisted  of  eighty  acres  of  fine 
soil,  and  he  at  once  began  to  clear  and  improve  it. 
Miss  Lois  Isabel  Babbidge  became  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Munro,  October  Id.  1869.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  William  and  Susan  (York)  Babbidge,  of  the 
State  of  Maine.  Mr.  Babbidge  served  three  years 
during  the  late  war:  he  was  sun-struck,  from  the 
effects  of  which  he  never  fully  recovered,  lie  was 
a  brave  soldier  and  received  an  I 'able  discharge. 


In  early  life  he  followed  the  sea.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Monro  were  born  two  children,  Ethel  Susan,  who  is 
a  teacher  in  this  county;  and  Maud  Isabel,  who  is 
fitting  for  teaching  in  Chesaning.  These  daugh- 
ters lost  their  mother  by  death  in  July,  1881.  Dur- 
ing their  girlhood  the  family  made  their  home  in 
Saginaw  in  order  to  secure  better  educational  ad- 
vantages, but  returned  to  the  farm  in  1890. 

The    present    Mrs.    Munro    was    known     in    her 

maidenl i  as  Miss  Nellie   M.   Van  Demark.     She 

was  born  April  4.  1864,  in  East  Saginaw,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Arad  G.  and  Sarah  A.  (Kirke)  Van 
Demark,  who  were  born  in  New  York  and  Ohio 
respectively.  The  children  of  this  marriage  are 
two  in  number:  Sarah  Leona,  born  September  8, 
1883;  and  Iva.  born  March  :( 1 ,  1888.  The  parents 
of  these  children  are  bringing  them  up  under  the 
influences  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  are  active 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  .Mr. 
Munro  is  a  stanch  Prohibitionist  and  a  stanch 
\\  orkcr  for  the  temperance  cause.  He  was  School 
Assessor  for  some  nine  years,  and  was  formerly  a 
member  of  the  Republican  party.  Solomon  .Mun- 
ro, the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  in  the  War 
of   1812. 

Mrs.  Munro's  father.  Air.  Van  Demark,  was  born 
al  Ithaca.  X.  V.,  January  1.'?,  1823,  and  was  the  son 
of  Jesse  and  Deborah  (Johnston)  Nan  Demark.  of 
New  England  origin.  Alter  taking  training  upon 
the  farm  and  in  the  districl  school,  he  learned  the 
trade  of  a  cabinet-maker,  and  then  began  to  prac- 
tice carpentry".  His  father  died  when  the  boy  was 
Only  six  years  old,  and  in  1K:53,  when  this  son  was 
ten  years  of  age  his  mother  married  again  and  mi- 
grated to  Michigan,  coming  to  this  county,  where 
the  youth  helped  to  build  the  second  block  that 
was  put  up  in  Saginaw. 

Mr.  Van  Demark  was  married  October  12,  1851, 
to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Kirke.  a  native  of  Fremont,  Ohio, 
who  was  born  September  29,  1 8. '5. '5.  The  young 
man  enlisted  February  2H,  lXCl.  in  Company  B, 
Third  Michigan  Cavalry,  ami  while  on  guard  duty 
at  San  Antonio,  Tin.,  he  received  a  severe  sun- 
stroke. This  affliction  resulted  in  permanent  in- 
jury to  both  sight  and  hearing,  so  that  he  has  been 
unable  to  carry  On  his  trade  since  his  return  from 
the    war.     His    honorable    discharge  was  granted 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


1007 


February   15,  1866.  and  after  liis   return   1 e  he 

in'cd  to  do  some  farming,  bul  has  found  ii  up-hill 
work  to  make  a  living.  This  family  has  a  grand 
record  for  patriotism,  as  the  fathers  of  both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Van  Demark  were  in  theWarof  1812,  and 
their  grandfathers  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  while 
Mrs.  Van  Demark  had  a  brother-in-law,  four  broth- 
era  and  three  nephews  in  the  Civil  War. 


'  OHN  CANTWELL,  the  head  of  one  of  the 
leading  families  in  Chesaning  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  and  the  father  of  Albert 
Cantwell,  whose  sketch  also  appears  in  this 
volume,  was  horn  near  Banbury,  Oxfordshire, 
England,  March  5,  I. si  7.  and  is  the  son  of  Charles 
and  Elizabeth  (Trunks)  Cantwell,  whose  circum- 
stances did  not  allow  them  to  give  their  son  very 
«ood  opportunities  for  an  education,  but  by  pa\  ing 
a  penny  a  night  they  sent  him  to  a  night  school, 
and  he  thus  gained  the  rudiments  of  learning,  and 
at  the  age  of  twelve  went  out  toservice  in  a  gentle- 
man's family. 

John  Cantwell  was  twenty-live  years  old.  when, 
in  June,  1843,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  Scribner,  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  (Slay- 
tci'i  Scribner.  For  six  years  previous  he  had 
served  on  the  police  force  in  London,  but  after 
marriage  he  resigned  that  position  and  again  en- 
tered the  service  of  a  gentleman.  In  1851  he  re- 
moved his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  three 
children,  to  Canada,  making  his  home  near  Chatham 
in  the  County  of  Kent.  There  he  and  his  sister, 
Ann  Elizabeth  (afterward  Mr.3.  Page),  bought  one 
hundred  acres  of  land  upon  which  the  family 
lived  for  twenty-three  years  and  there  his  four 
young  children  were  horn.  After  selling  out  this 
property  he  farmed  for  two  war-  before  coming 
to  .Michigan. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  removed  toCliesaning 
in  1*7(1  and  with  him  came  all  his  children,  six  in 
number.  His  eldest  son.  John  Henry,  who  was 
horn  November  11.  1845,  died  in  Canada  in  1X72. 
Sarah  Ann  was  bom  November  19,  1*17.  and  mar- 
47 


ried  George  D.  Smith  January  28,  187'.),  in  Ches- 
aning, and  after  going  to  Chatham,  Canada,  died 
there  I-'el  una  r\  I  ">,  1  89  1 .  leaving  two  children. 
Tbe  son,  George,  was  born  June  22,  1849,  and 
with  his  wife  and  five  children  lives  at  Custer,  Ma- 
son County,  where  he  has  a  sawmill.  Fanny 
.Maria  was  burn  December  I,  1852,  and  married 
John  Stevens,  by  whom  she  has  one  child ;Mary  was 
bom  at  Blenheim,  Canada.  February  2,  1865, and  is 
now  .Mrs.  li'inaldo  Crofoot.  Alice  at  the  same  place 
May  21,  l*.">7.  and  married  George  W.  Homer;  and 
Albert,  whose  sketch  appears  in  this  work,  was* born 
October  24,1869.  The  father  took  out  his  naturali- 
zation papers  soon  after  coming  to  this  State  and  is 
now  an  active  and  earnest  Democrat.  In  his  native 
home  he  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England, 
but  since  coming  to  this  country  he  has  not  iden- 
tified himself  with  any  religious  denomination. 


=J=^2^=KS'^>:*5M£"  '•••-  <5?=^£^— *—  •  ^ 


"~N 


EORGE  SHUTTLER,  one  of  the  best-known 
farmers  of  Chesaning  Township,  Saginaw 
County,  was  born  in  Germany,  January  19, 
1836,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  Shuttler. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  and  died  when  George 
was  about  ten  years  of  age  and  two  years  later  this 
son  with  an  elder  brother  came  to  America  and 
made  his  first  stop  in  Erie  County.  X.  Y..  where  he 
worked  by  the  month  on  a  farm  and  spent  one 
winter  in  school.  He  pursued  work  in  this  way 
until  his  marriage,  his  wages  increasing  each  year 
from  $5,  at  which  figure  he  first  started,  to  $25, 
which  he  was  receiving  just  before  the  breaking 
out  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. 

Our  subject  was  married  July  13,  1860,  to  Miss 
Jane  Janet  Nason,  of  Erie  County,  N.  Y.  She  was 
bom  in  Buffalo,  August  3,  1841,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Charles  and  Harriet  (Checkley)  Nason,  both  of 
whom  were  bom.  reared  anil  married  in  England. 
Aboul  a  year  after  their  marriage  the  young  couple 
emigrated  to  Michigan  and  Mr.  Shuttler  took  jobs 
in  getting  out  lumber  and  occasionally  bought 
standing  timber  and  got  it  out  and  sold  it,  thus 
continuing  to  work  in  the  lumber  woods  for  Nason 
>V  Gould  until  he  was   finallyable  to  buy    a    house 


1008 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


and  lot  and  sometime  after  purchased  forty  acres 
somewhat  north  of  Chesaning,  which  he  afterward 
traded  for  land  close  to  the  village. 

Three  children  have  blest  this  home, viz:  Mary 
Jane, -who  was  born  in  Erie  County,  X.  Y.,  April 
24,  1862;  Hattie  Eliza,  in  Chesaning  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  June  9,  1866,  and  Maude  Estella, 
February  4,  1879.  The  oldest  daughter  was  edu- 
cated in  the  Chesaning  schools  and  taught  for  one 
term  before  her  marriage  with  Albert  (ant- 
well.  Mr.  Shntller  has  until  quite  recently  voted 
and  worked  with  the  Democratic  party,  but  he 
now  calls  himself  a  Republican.  For  three  years 
he  served  as  Street  Commissioner  and  his  term  of 
service  was  beneficial  to  the  city. 


— 4_ 


RCHIBALD  BROWNLIE.     We  have  here 
a  life  sketch  of   one  of  the  sturdy  mhi-  of 
Scotland  who  have  helped  so  much  in  the 
<^j)  development  of  the   natural   resources  of 

the  Wolverine  State.  This  gentleman  is  a  pros- 
perous farmer  and  stock-raiser,  residing  on  section 
27,  Birch  Run  Township.  Saginaw  County,  ami 
was  born  in  Lanarkshire,  Scotland,  October  23. 
1832. 

In  1846  our  subject  emigrated  with  his  parents, 
John  and  Agnes  (Flemming)  Brownlie,  to  Canada, 
taking  passage  at  Glasgow  on  a  sailing-vessel  and 
spending  six  weeks  and  two  days  upon  the  ocean. 
Landing  at  Montreal,  they  proceeded  to  East 
Middlesex,  and  there  our  subject  was  reared  to 
man's  estate.  Training  upon  the  farm  and  in  the 
district  school,  with  the  usual  sports  of  a  farmer's 
lad,  filled  up  his  boyhood  days.  His  course  of 
study  was  far  from  being  as  rich  and  progressive 
as  that  now  offered  to  the  children  of  the  presenl 
generation,  but  through  its  aid  he  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  an  intelligent  manhood. 

In  1853  Mr.  Brownlie  came  to  St.  Clair  County, 
Mich.,  and  there  resided  for  two  years,  after 
which  he  removed  to  Sanilac  County,  which  he 
made  his  home  for  some  time,  following  lumber- 
ing and  farming.  During  the  days  of  the  Civil 
War  he  came  to  this  countv  and  undertook  lum- 


bering at  South  Saginaw,  remaining  there  for  sev- 
eral years,  after  which  he  removed  to  East  Sagi- 
naw, and  there  continued  in  the  same  line  of 
work. 

The  marriage  of  our  subjed  with  Emily,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Angeline  (Odell)  King,  took 
place  March  25,  1872.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  King  were 
natives  of  the  Empire  State,  who  had  come  to  this 
region  in  the  early  days.  Their  daughter  was 
born  in  New  York.  In  the  spring  of  1887  Mr. 
Brownlie  brought  his  family  to  the  farm  in  Birch 
Run  Township,  on  which  he  Still  resides,  and 
which  has  continued  to  be  their  home  since  that 
time. 

This  fine  tract  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
was  accumulated  by  our  subject  through  years  of 
hardship  and  unflinching  industry,  and  in  all  his 
endeavors  he  had  the  wise  and  affectionate  co- 
operation of  Mrs.  Brownlie.  That  lady  was  born 
August  12.  1833.  in -Monroe  County,  N.  Y.  Her 
paternal  grandfather,  Israel  M.  King,  was  a  soldier 
in  the  War  of  1*12.  Mr.  Brownlie  is  a  thorough 
Republican  in  his  political  sentiments  and  a  man 
of  public  spirit  and  enterprise,  who  is  ever  looking 
to  the  best  interests  of  the  county,  lie  and  his 
good  wife  are  now  enjoying  the  fruits  of  their 
many  years  of  effort,  and  delight  in  the  social  in 
tercourse  of  friends  and  neighbors. 


_car=_ 


ar^'- 


ON.    THOMAS    A.  E.    WEADOCK,    lepre- 

|    senting  the    Tenth    District     in  the   present 
congress,  is  one  of   Michigan's   most  gifted 
and  distinguished  citizens.     He    was    born 
in  Ballygarret,  County  Wexford,  Ireland,  January 

1.  1850,  and  was  the  third  son  of  Lewis  and  Mary 
(Cullen)  Weadock.  Both  family  names  have  been 
distinguished  by  those  who  bore  them  in  the  early 
day-  of  Ireland,  and  have  left  their  individuality 
upon  the  section  of  country  in  which  they  lived 
l'<  >r  so  many  years. 

Our  subject  was  brought  to  America  by  his  par- 
ents in  his  infancy,  they  coming  West  and  settling 
at  first  in  St.  Mary's,  Auglaize  County,  Ohio,  the 
removal  hither  being   made    in   September,    1850. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


101  111 


Later  the  parents  removed  to  a  small  farm  nearSt. 
Mary's,  where  they  resided  until  1863,  then  i li<* 
father  died  when  our  subject  was  a  lad  of  thirteen 
years.  The  latter  had  been  given  :i  good  educa- 
tion in  the  districts  of  hi-  ueighborhood  which  was 
supplemented  by  a  two  years'  course  in  Union 
School  at  St.  Man  's. 

( >n  the  return  of  an  elder  brother  from  the  army. 
Mr.  Weadock,  of  this  sketch,  who  was  then  only 
fifteen  years  of  age,  wenl  to  <  incinnali,  intending 
to  learn  the  printer's  trade.  After  engaging  in  it 
a  short  time  and  not  being  willing  to  make  of  it 
his  life  pursuit,  he  returned  homeand began  teach- 
ing in  Auglaize, Shelby  and  .Miami  Counties,  lie 
continued  his  studies  during  the  vacations,  and  as 
is  nearly  always  the  case  with  those  who  are  self- 
educated,  in  alter  life  attained  to  eminence  and 
distinction.  Another  peculiar  fact  recurs  to  the 
writer — that  nearly  every  successful,  educated  man 
of  the  present  day  was  a  school  teacher  in  his 
young  manh 1. 

The  ambitious  young  man, determining  to  equip 
himself  in  the  best  possible  manner  for  the  higher 
duties  of  life,  went  to  Ann  Arbor  ami  entered  the 
Law  Department  of  the  University  of  Michigan. 
He  was  unusually  studious  during  his  period  at 
college,  as  in  fact  lie  has  always  been,  and  while 
not  iii  the  lecture  hall-  of  the  University,  applied 
himself  diligently  to  his  work  and  during  vaca- 
tion- read  law  in  the  office  of  an  eminent  Detroit 
attorney.  <  )n  the  26th  of  March,  1873,  he  was 
graduated  as  Bachelor  of  Laws  and  on  the  8th  of 
the  following  month  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Michigan,  and  in  June,  ls7:i 
to  the  liar  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio,  the  Hon. 
George  Hoadley  being  one  of  the  examining  com- 
mittee. To  the  credit  of  the  young  man  it  is  pro- 
per to  state  that  he  accomplished  this  work  almost 
alone  and  unaided  at  tin-  early  age  of  Lwenty- 
three  years.  In  L884,  March  26,  he  was  admitted 
to  practice  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States. 

Immediately  after  being  admitted  to  the  bat 
Mr.  Weadocfc  began  to  look  for  a  location,  which 
would  be  both  a  desirable  place  to  live  and  also 
where  he  could  build  up  a  remunerative  practice. 
lie  came    to    Lay   City,    where   he    found  a  cordial 


welcome,  hung  oul  his  shingle  and  has  not  only 
become  one  of  the  best  known  men  of  bis  profes- 
sion in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  but  ranks  among  the 
foremost  lawyers  of  the  State.  On  locating  at  his 
new  home,  he  assisted  in  making  an  abstracl  of  the 
reab-estate  record-  of  Lay  County.  This  gave  him 
an  excellent  practical  education  along  that  parti- 
cular and  important  line  of  legal  work.  In  June, 
l*7."i.  Mr.  Weadock  formed  a  co-partnership  with 
Graeme  M.  Wilson,  who  was  at  the  time  Prosecut- 
ing Attorney  of  Hay  County.  That  relationship 
continued  until  1x77.  when  on  the  decease  of  Mr. 
Wilson,  Mr,  Weadock  was  appointed  to  fill  the 
vacancy  thus  occasioned,  bj  the  Hon.  Sanford  M. 
Green,  Circuit  Judge.  That  position  he  held  until 
January  1.  1878.  Mr.  Weadock  had  advanced 
rapidly  in  his  profession,  become  popular  in  the 
community  and  a  leader  of  his  party,  as  is  evid- 
enced by  hi-  nomination,  in  April,  1883,  as  Mayor 
of  the  city.  Although  the  political  party  which  he 
represented  had  been  defeated  at  three  preceding 
local  elections,  he  received  a  handsome  majority, 
lie  i-  a  clean,  clear  cut  man  and  he  gave  the  city. 
a-  was  expected  of  him,  a  pure  and  clean  admini- 
stration, lie  introduced  many  reforms  and  in 
various  ways  proved  a  public  benefactor.  Politi- 
cally, he  is  a  Democrat,  an  admirer  of  Jefferson, 
•  lack-on  and  Tilden,  and  the  writings  of  these 
eminent  men  have  very  largely  molded  his  poli- 
tical convictions.  He  presided  at  the  State  Con- 
vention of  his  party,  which  nominated  Judge 
Morse  and  is  regarded  asan  able  advocate  of  party 
measures  on  the  "stump." 

Mr.  Weadock  was  married  in  1874,  to  Mary  E. 
Tarsney,  a  lister  of  the  Hon.  'I'.  E.  Tarsney,  of 
East  Saginaw,  late  a  member  of  Congress  from  the 
Eighth  District  of  Michigan,  and  the  Hon.  John 
(  .  Tarsney,  who  represented  the  Kansas  City  (Mo.) 
District  in  the  Fifty-first  United  States  Congress, 
and  was  re-elected   to  the    Fifty-second    Congress. 

Ten  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and   .Air-.  Weadock. 

of  this  sketch,  six  of  whom  survive  but  the  mo- 
ther, who  had  gone  South  for  her  health,  died  in 
Manh.  1889,  a1  the  age  of  thirty-seven  years,  sur- 
rounded by  those  -he  loved. 

The  Hon.  T.  A.  E.  Weadock  i-  recognized  as  a 
lawyer  of  great  ability,  having  a  large  and  ever  in- 


1010 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


creasing  practice.  He  has  shown  himself  capable 
of  close  application  to  the  duties  which  lay  before 
him  and  his  judicious  decisions  and  wise  course 
when  attempting  to  bring  aboutany  worthy  object 
are  well-known  to  those  who  are  acquainted  with 
the  history  <>f  the  Slate.  He  is  a  man  who  fulh  ap- 
preciates the  value  of  a  knowledge  of  bouks  and 
has  accumulated  a  fine  library.  The  Hon.  Mr. 
Weadock  was  elected  a  member  of  Congress  in 
L890,  his  majority  in  Bay  County  being  the 
largest  ever  given  an\  (  ongressional  candidate  in 
that  county  viz:  twenty-one  hundred  and  forty- 
nine,  lie  is  associated  with  his  youngest  brother, 
John  ('.  Weadock,  in  the  practice  of  law. 


_=]< 


s<r 


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[=L 


(S~ 


APT.  GEORGE  TURNER,  one  of  the  oldest 
Civil  Engineers  in  the  State  of  Michigan,  is 
now  a  resident  of  Bay  City,  where  he  is 
iged  in  his  profession,  taking  large  contracts 
for  paving,  sewering  and  railroading,  lie  was  born 
in  Clinton,  Branch  County,  Mich..  January  29, 
1835,  and  was  reared  in  Detroit.  His  father  was 
James  Turner  a  native  of  Nottinghamshire,  Eng- 
land, and  a  miller  ami  baker  l>\  trade.  The  grand- 
father was  an  officer  in  the  English  army.  The 
father  was  a  young  man  when  he  came  to  America 
and  was  a  journeyman  miller  in  Maryland  and 
New  York.  About  the  year  1833 he  came  to  Clin- 
ton, Branch  County,  this  State. and  remained  there 
until  1839  when  lie  bought  the  Dearborn  Mills,  ten 
miles  wesl  of  Detroit,  and  operated  them  until 
1S17.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he  removed 
to  Detroit  and  engagi  d  in  the  merchandising  Imsi- 
ness  and  worked  a1  various  pursuits  until  his  death 
in  L850. 

The  mother  of  our  subjeel  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Emily  Knox,  a  native  of  England.  She  came 
to  America  with  a  brother  and  resided  in  Saginaw 
City,  seventy-sis  years.  Shebore  her  husband  «ix 
children.     Our  subjeel  was  educated  in    Detroit  in 

a    private'scl I.     When   fifteen  years  of  age  he 

became  attached  to  the  general  department  of  the 
United  State-  Survey  and  went  with  a  party  to  the 
Northern  Peninsula  in    I860  and  assisted    in    the 


survey  of  that  place  and  some  of  the  Lower  Pen- 
insula. This  was  all  Government  land  then  and 
deemed  worthless  by  them. 

In  the  year  18u(i  our  subjeel  became  Deputy 
United  States  Surveyor  and  held  that  office  for  two 
years  when  lie  located  in  Midland  County  and  was 
there  <  lounty  Surveyor  and  Registrar  of  Deeds  for 
two  years.  He  was  re-elected  to  both  offices  and 
held  them  until  1861,  when  in  duly  he  raised  part 
Of  Company  B.  Of  the  Eighteenth  Michigan  In- 
fantry and  enlisted  as  a  private.  In  October  he 
was  appointed  Second  Lieutenant  and  went  South 
in  the  winter  of  1861-62.  In  June.  1SII2  he  he- 
ir  ■    blrsl    Lieutenant;    in    November,   L863,  was 

made  Captain  of  Company  A,  and  in  August,  1864, 
received  the  commission  of  Captain  of  the  First 
United  states  Veteran  Engineers.  He  participated 
in  all  the  important  battles  with  his  regiment  and 
was  with  Mime  of  the  most  noted  Generals  of  the 
army.  He  was  bonorablj  mustered  out  at  Nash- 
ville, in  November,  1865,  having  served  over  four 
years  and  six  months.  He  was  slightly  wounded 
at  Stone  River  in  the  leg  l>\  a  spenl  ball.  After  the 
close  of  the  war  (apt.  Turner  remained  in  the 
South  and  did  surveying  for  a  numberof  different 
railroads.  In  1*71  he  went  to  Arkansas  and  bought 
a  tract  of  land  in  Veil  County,  and  while  there 
was  the  United  states  census  taker  of  that  county 
in  1879  and  also  served  on  the  state  Board  of 
Commissioners  which  he  held  until   1881. 

In  the  last-named  year  (apt.  Turner  returned  to 

l',:i\    City.     He  i tediatel^   went  north  to  build  a 

railroad  of  twenty  miles  for  his  brother  in  Arenac 
County.  In  1882  he  was  appointed  city  engineer 
for  nine  years  up  to  the  spring  of  1891  and  he  de- 
voted all  his  time  to  this  position.  He  then  located 
in  the  Phoenix  Block  with  his  son  George  E.  and 
is  now  engaged  in  contracting  and  constructing 
Sewers   and   pavements. 

Capt.  Tinner  was  married  in  Chattanooga,  Tenn., 
in  1866  to  Mi-s  Sophia  Thompson,  a  native  of 
Georgia.  Three  children  have  come  to  hless  their 
home;  George  Edwin,  who  is  associated  with  his 
father;  Edith,  Mrs.  Richardson  of  Midland;  and 
Fannie  who  died  in  youth.  Our  subject  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic;  the 
National  Union;   the  Independent  Order  of    Odd 


'ORTRAIT  ami   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


Mil  I 


Fellows  and  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  In 
his  political  views  he  is  a  Republican  and  never 
swerves  from  his  party's  principles.  He  i-  one  of 
the  leading  mernbersof  the  Loyal  Legion. 


i»t„  ORACK     l'.liCKER,   a   wholesale    dealer    in 
grain,  flour,  feed  and   groceries  has   been 
•    established  a1    Baj    City  since    1889,  and    a 

'§})  resident  line  since  1874.  He  was  born  near 
Detroit,  Mich.,  February  6,  1853.  His  father  was 
( tarrell  Becker, a  native  of  New  York  State  and  the 
grandfather,  Abraham,  was  also  a  native  of  New 
York.  The  father  of  our  subjecl  was  twenty  years 
old  when  he  came  to  Michigan  and  located  on  a 
farm  nine  ir  iles  west  of  Detroit,  il  consisting  of 
one  hundred  and  sixtj  acres  and  in  1888  removed 
t<>  the  city  of  Detroit.  He  was  an  Abolitionisl  and 
Republican  in  his  political  views.  The  mother, 
Sarah  Phillips,  was  born  in  New  York  and  died  on 
the  farm.     She  bore  her  husband  seven  children. 

Our  subjecl  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  received 
a  common  district-school  education,  lie  remained 
at  home  until  L874,  when  he  came  to  Bay  City  and 
was  employed  in  various  ways,  in  the  spring  ol 
1889,  he  started  in  business  on  his  own  account, 
engaging  in  the  flour  and  teed  business. 

.Mr.  Becker  was  married  in  Bay  City  to  Fmma 
Knnkil.  a  native  of  Tuscola  County.  N.  Y..  and 
their  home  has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  two 
children.  Ernest  and  Belle.  Mr.  Beckeris  a  stanch 
Republican  politically,  and  socially,  isa  memberof 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  His  line 
and  commodious  residence  issituated  on  the  corner 
of  Second  and  North  Sherman  Streets. 


•1^ 


H®  v 


'j 


olIN  PHILP,  a  retired  machinist  and  prom- 
inent citizen  of  Bay  City,  was  born  in  Scot- 
land. February  in.  1*27.     His  grandfather 

John,  was    a    weaver    in     the    lowland-     of 
Scotland,  and     his     father,    Andrew,    followed    the 

same    occupation,   manufacturing   damask    linen. 


woolen  goods,  and  Paislcj  shawls.  Mis.  Mais 
Philp,  mother  of  our  subject,  was  a  daughter  of  an 
overseer  in  coal  mines,  and  had  a  family  of  five 
children,  three  of  whom  are  living. 

In  the  common  schools  of  his  native  land  our 
subject  received  his  education,  and  at  the  age  of 
fifteen  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  ma- 
chinist, working  in  that  way  for  live  years.  When 
twenty  years  old,  he  commenced  to  work-  in  Edin- 
burgh, and  later  followed  his  trade  in  Glasgow. 
In  the  spring  of  L852  he  left  Liverpool  on  the 
sailing  vessel  •■Aaron."  and  after  a  voyage  of  four 
weeks  landed  in  New  York,  proceeding  thence  to 
Newark,  N.  J.,  and  working  as  a  machinist.  For 
a  time  he  was  employed  in  Schenectady,  X.  Y., 
and  from  there  returned  to  New  York  City,  where 
he  worked  in  the  shops  of  the  Hudson  River  Rail- 
road Company  for  eighteen  months. 

Afterward  Mr.  Philp  sojourned  in  Schenectady 
for  a  time  and  went  from  that  city"  in  1854  to 
Kingston,  Canada,  then   to  Hamilton,  and  in  1855 

Ci i  to  Detroit,  this  State.     After  working  there 

for  one  year  he  came  to  Bay  City,  where  lor  some 
time  he  was  in  the  employ  of  others.  Three  years 
aftl  i   coming  here  he  started  a    small  machine  shop 

in  partnership  with  a  brother,  bu1  was  compelled 
to  abandon  the  business  during  the  dull  time- of 
1859.  He  next  engaged  for  himself  in  a  black- 
smith shop  on  Water  Street  until  1866,  when  he 
organized  the  Bay  City  Iron  Company  Works, 
which  was  incorporated  ami  soon   became  one  of 

the  mosl   flourishing  institutions  of  the  city. 

Through  the  indefatigable  industry  of  our  sub- 
ject this  company  was  eminently  successful,  and 
he  continued  with  it  in  the  capacity  of  Superin- 
tendent of  the  forging  department  until  his  re- 
tirement fr business  in  L882.  lie  is  still  con- 
siderably interested  in  real  estate  and  owns  three 
houses  in  tin   city    besides   a  number   of    valuable 

I..I-.  In  all  his  labors  he  Ice  received  the  co- 
operation of  his  estimable  wife,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1849.  she  was  Miss  Catherine  Hage,  a 
native  Of  Scotland,  where  she  was  reared  to  woman- 
hood. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philp  arc  the  parents  of  SIX 
children,  namely:  Andrew,  who  was  drowned  in 
1871;  Margaret,  who  is  married  and  resides  in  Bay 
(  itv:   Mary,   Mrs,  Livingston,   also   a    resident  of 


1012 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Bay  City;  Alex,  who  is  machinist  foreman  in  the 
Bay  City  Iron  Company;  Catherine,  who  is  mar- 
ried and  lives  in  Bay  City;  and  John,  a  practical 
machinist. 

Mr.  Philp  has  served  four  years  as  Alderman  of 
the  First  Ward,  and  in  his  political  affiliations  is  a 
Democrat.  He  has  served  as  Chairman  and  mem- 
ber of  various  important  committees  and  as  dele- 
gate to  county  and  State  conventions.  He  is 
identified  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  St. 
Andrew's  Society  of  Bay  City,  and  has  endeavored 
by  every  means  in  his  power  to  advance  the  in- 
terests of  his  adopted  home. 


KdNAl.I)  MORRISON.  The  Sagina*  Bus- 
11)  iness  College,  at  No.  522  Genesee  Avenue, 
ti&Jgr  is  one  of  the  flourishing  institutions  of  the 
East  Side.  Its  general  plans  and  aims 
are  such  as  to  give  it  a  fair  name  and  an  honored 
position  among  other  institutions  of  learning.  The 
college  has  always  been  remarkable  for  its  pure 
tone  and  genial  spirit,  and  students  of  good  in- 
tentions, generous  aspirations  for  cultivated 
thoroughness,  have  been  attracted  to  this  seat  of 
Learning,  where  they  receive  every  possible  oppor- 
tunity for  the  highest  development  of  character 
and  intellect. 

The  proprietor  of  the  college,  Prof.  Morrison, 
was  born  in  Ontario,  Canada.  March  1  1.  1854.  His 
father,  John,  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  his 
mother.  Alary  McCloud,  was  a  Canadian.  He  was 
one  of  nine  children,  and  was  reared  in  his  native 
place.  In  1 8 7 : »  he  accompanied  his  father  to 
Michigan,  remaining  in  Shiawassee  County  until 
his  father's  death,  when  he  took  a  course  of  com- 
mercial studies.  Upon  coming  to  Saginaw  he  lie- 
came  connected  with  the  Parsons'  Business  College, 
and  upon  the  departure  of  Prof.  Parsons  for 
Duluth,  became  his  successor.  In  December,  1889, 
he  bought  the  institution,  which  he  is  now  con- 
ducting under  the  name  of  the  Saginaw  Business 
College. 

Believing   that   the  tendency    of    the    times    is 


toward  a  more  practical,  useful  education  for  our 
boys  and  young  men.  the  Professor  is  endeavoring 
in  every  possible  way  to  fit  the  students  under  his 
charge  for  some  profitable  industry.  His  college 
teaches  business  on  active  principles,  based  on 
actual  business  transactions,  the  student  taking  an 
active  part,  buying  and  selling  ami  engaging  in  all 
the  ramifications  of  commercial  life.  In  fact,  it 
may  be  termed  a  miniature  world  of  commerce. 

The  course  of  study  embraces  book-keeping. 
penmanship,  shorthand,  typewriting,  correspond- 
ence, language  courses,  accounts,  and  all  various 
departments  necessary  for  a  thorough  education. 
The  rates  of  tuition  are  reasonable,  and  every  con- 
venience has  been  brought  into  requisition  for  the 
comfort  of  the  students.  The  faculty  are  gentle- 
men and  ladies  of  progressive  intelligence,  who 
have  adopted  the  very  best  features  of  the  institu- 
tion and  who  thoroughly  understand  the  require- 
ment- of  students  designed  for  business  life. 


*•>♦♦*- 


'*-M"5-r 


s,  HESTER  W.  HOPKINS,  Justice  of  the 
Peace  at  Chesaning,  was  born  in  Spring- 
field, this  State.  November  2'.'.  is;,:;.  He  is 
the  son  of  Harvey  J.  and  Sylvia  (Taylor)  Hop- 
kins, whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  vol- 
ume. In  his  youth  he  received  a  common-school 
education,  after  which  lie  engaged  in  teaching 
grammar  and  menial  arithmetic  for  a  time  without 
receiving  an )  remuneration,  however,  for  his  ser- 
\  ices.  After  remaining  on  a  farm  until  he  was 
eighteen,  lie  began  m  1*72  to  clerk  in  a  general 
-tmc.  which  he  followed  for  about  three  years. 

Afterward  Mr.  Hopkins  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  his  father,  whom  he  later  bought  out 
and  managed  the  business  alone  about  two  year-. 
His  father  again  entered  the  firm,  and  Chester  W., 
after  continuing  with  him  a  short  time,  sold  out 
hi-  interest  and  went  to  Kansas,  where  he  was  in 
the  boot  and  -hoe  business  at  Wellington  for  one 
year.  Returning  to  Chesaning.  he  engaged  in  a 
saw-mill  with  Air.  Gould  for  two  year-,  and  was 
al-o  interested  with  him  in  the  hardware  business 
at  ( >wosso  foi  two  years. 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


1013 


Mr.  Hopkins  is  now  in  partnership  with  his 
father  in  the  creamery  business  a1  Chesaning,  and 
is  conducting  the  enterprisi  with  conspicuous  suc- 
cess. 

In  his  political  belief  he  is  a  Republican,  lie 
has  served  as  Clerk  for  some  time,  Township 
Treasurer  two  years,  Village  Clerk  a  number  of 
terms,  Village  Treasurer,  and  was  elected  Justice 
of  the  Peace  in  the  spring  of  1890.  He  is  popular 
and  ellieient  in  liis  otlieial  position. and  no  decision 
rendered  by  him  has  ever  been  appealed. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Hopkins  and  .Miss  Sophia. 
daughter  of  Robert  II.  and  Susan  Mason,  of 
Chesaning,  was  celebrated  there  November  30, 
1876.  and  they  are  the  parents  of  one  child, 
Maude,  who  was  born  in  Chesaning  September  8, 
1X77.  Mr.  Hopkins  is  a  prominent  Knight 
Templar,  has  been  Junior  Deacon,  ami  is  now 
serving  his  third  year  as  Master. 


v_ 


-*=*E=H 


c«l  »  II. MAM  M.  SMITH.  Anion-  the  most 
\  /  prominent  farmers  of  Saginaw  County  is 
Vv  this  gentleman,  who  lives  two  and  one- 
half  miles  west  of  Saginaw  on  what  is  known  as 
the  "cross-road,"  on  sect  ion  20,  Saginaw  Township. 
He  was  horn  on  the  farm  which  is  now  his  home, 
December  8,  1840.  His  grandfather  who  was  a. 
farmer,  died  in  1820,  when  John  M.,  father  of  our 
subject,  was  only  four  years  old.  The  latter,  who 
was  a  native  of  England,  came  to  America  when 
seventeen  years  old  and  remained  for  one  season 
at  Lockport,  X.  Y.  lie  then  journeyed  to  Buffalo, 
and  from  there  to  Detroit  by  boat,  walking  thence 
to  (ienesce  County,  where  he  slopped  for  a  short 
time. 

Learning  that  the  Saginaw  River  was  large 
enough  to  be  navigated  by  boats,  John  M.  Smith 
concluded  that  Saginaw  must  eventually  make  a 
town  of  some  consequence,  as  he  had  lived  along 
navigable  rivers  in  England.  He  walked  to  Sagi- 
naw, reaching  the  place  September  20,  1836,  and 
on  the  day  of  his  arrival  he  bougb.1  a  copj  of  the 
Detroit  Daily  Free  Press,  which  our  subject   now 


has  in  his  possession.  He  soon  hired  out  by  the 
in. .nth  to  clear  a  tract  of  land  and  continued  work- 
ing in  that  way  for  two  years,  when  he  took  a  job 
of  clearing  a  road  from  Saginaw  to  Tittabawassee. 
The  road  is  now  known  as  the  Cross  Road  and 
passes  through  our  subject's  farm. 

During  that  time  Mr.  Smith  boarded  himself  and 
endured  the  hardships  incident  to  settlement  in  a 
new  country.  In  1838  he  bought  forty  acres  of 
his  present  farm,  and  settling  upon  it,  commenced 
lo  clear  the  place.  Indians  were  very  numerous 
and  he  wihini  somewhat  intimate  terms  with  them. 
Deer  and  bears  were  also  plentiful.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  fact  that  he  arrived  in  Saginaw  penniless, 
he  prospered  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  Sep- 
tember, 1876,  owned  three  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  line  and  well-cultivated  land.  He  was  a 
man  of  strong  mind  and  character,  and  in  his  re- 
ligious views  inclined  to  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  while  politically  he  was  a  Democrat. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  Margaret  Swarthout, 
was  born  in  New  York  State  in  1819,  and  came 
with  her  parents  to  this  county  in  1835.  She 
reared  five  children,  namely:  William  M.,  George 
A.,  Mary  II.,  Mrs.  McLellan;  Xedie  A.,  Mrs.  Der- 
mont,  and  Hudson  K.  She  was  a  member  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  and  died  December  2,1864.  The 
boyhood  days  of  our  subject  were  passed  on  the 
old  homestead,  where  he  aided  his  father  in  clear- 
ing the  land  until  he  was  about  twenty-five  years 
old.  lie  then  went  to  Northern  Wisconsin,  thirty 
miles  north  of  Black  River  Falls,  and  worked  one 
year  in  the  lumber  woods.  From  there  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Lawrence.  Kan.,  and  worked  one  year  at 
bridge-building  on  the  Kansas  &   Pacific    Railroad. 

For  one  year  afterward  Mr.  Smith  was  employed 
on  the  North  Missouri  Railroad,  then  building  to 
Kansas  City,  and  for  three  years  was  foreman  of 
the  bridge  and  building  department  on  the  Mis- 
souri, Ft.  Scott,  and  Gulf  Railroad.  He  then 
bought  one  hundred  ami  sixty  acre-  of  raw  land 
in  Crawford  County,  Kan.,  and  improved  it  with 
good  buildings,  planting  a  line  orchard  and  groves 
of  maple  trees.      In   1878  he  sold  out  and  returning 

home,  took  possessi f   the   place   where   he    was 

born. 

.March   13.  1871,  Mr.  Smith  was  married  to  Julia 


1014 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


E.  Palmer,  who  was  born  in  Genesee  County,  this 
State,  April  22,  1840.  They  have  no-  children  of 
their  own  but  have  adopted  a  daughter — Bessie, 
who  is  now  (1892)  six  years  old.  Mr.  Smith  has 
one  hundred  acres  all  under  cultivation  except  a 
small  tract  of  timber.  His  land  is  level  and  the 
farm  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county.  His  resi- 
dence was  erected  in  188o,  while  his  two  barns 
were  built  in  1880  and  1882.  lie  makes  a  specialty 
of  the  dairy  business,  furnishing  special  customers 
with  butter  and  also  shipping  a  considerable  amount 
to  Philadelphia. 

In  their  religious  belief,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are 
members  of  the  Michigan  Avenue  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  and  lie  belongs  to  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors. Until  after  the  election  of  President 
Cleveland,  he  was  a  Democrat,  but  since  that  time 
has  been  a  Prohibitionist,  and  in  the  campaign  of 
1887  took  a  very  active  part.  In  1890  he  was 
nominated  for  Congress  in  the  Eighth  District  on 
the  Prohibition  ticket  and  polled  two  thousand  one 
hundred  and  six  votes,  a  large  increase  over  that 
of  any  previous  election  on  the  Prohibition  ticket. 
A  man  of  great  energy  and  indomitable  persever- 
ance, his  success  in  life  is  the  just  reward  of  his 
arduous  labors. 


=*§>*-<§*= 


1 


OHN  A.  GAVIT.  The  gentleman  whose 
name  is  above  is  an  attorn ey-at-law  of  ex- 
cellent reputation,  and  is  also  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  His  place  of  business,  as  well  as 
residence,  is  in  Saginaw.  He  was  born  in  Wal- 
singham,  Ontario,  August  19.  1861.  His  father, 
Albert  N.  Gavit,  is  now  a  resident  of  Spalding 
Township,  Saginaw  County  His  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Bridget  Highland.  She  was  a  native  of 
Ireland  and  was  married  to  our  subject's  father 
in  Canada,  where  he  was  born. 

When  our  subject  was  about  ten  years  old  the 
family  removed  to  Michigan,  locating  in  Oakland 
County,  and  four  years  later  moved  to  Saginaw, 
where  his  father  now  resides.  John  remained  at 
home  until  twenty  years  of  age,  and  meantime 
found   such  employmont  as  he  could.      He   worked 


upon  the  log  booms  along  the  river,  in  lumber 
camps  as  chopper,  and  engaged  in  similar  work 
until  finally  he  became  cook  for  the  lumber  camp, 
and  in  the  spring  assisted  in  running  logs.  From 
his  earnings  he  was  enabled  to  attend  school, 
which  he  did  during  the  winter  seasons.  At  Flint 
he  took  in  the  Normal  School  what  was  known 
as  the  teachers'  course,  working  his  way  through 
that  institution,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  his 
diploma  of  graduation  in  the  Class  of  '85. 

The  young  man  had  decided  to  become  a  law- 
yer and  had  read  Blackstone  and  a  few  other  legal 
standard  works  prior  to  graduation.  He  now  be- 
came a  devoted  student  of  law  in  the  office  of 
llicok   &    Russell, 'at    Flint,  and  was   admitted  to 

[jractice  at  the  bar  before  Judge  Newton  at  Flint 
in  1887.  Lawyer  Gavit  began  to  practice  at  Flint 
and  was  chosen  by  his  party  (the  Democratic)  :i> 
Circuit  Court  Commissioner,  but  after  the  election 
of  188K.  in  which  he  suffered  defeat,  he  came  to 
Saginaw. 

In  March.  1889,  our  subject  entered  a  home- 
Stead  in  Iron  County,  this  State,  on  the  line  of 
the  Ontonagon  A-  Brule  River  Railroad,  lie  re- 
mained there  for  eight  months,  proving  up  hi> 
claim,  and  then  returned  to  resume  his  practice 
in  this  city.  In  the  spring  of  1890  he  was  elected 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  This,  in  connection  with 
his  practice,  occupies  his  entire  time,  he  having 
the  majority  of  the  justice  cases  in  the  city.  Our 
subject's  brother,  F.  M.  Gavit,  is  also  an  attorney 
in  Saginaw  and  one  of  the  army  of  noble  and 
sell-made  men  who  have  made  their  way  to  a  pleas- 
ing degree  of  eminence  in  the  face  of  great  diffi- 
culties, lie  worked  his  way  through  the  Val- 
paraiso (Ind.)  Normal  School  and  is  regarded  as 
a  very  bright  light  of  the  legal  fraternity  of  the 
city. 

Our  subject  was  married  January  28,  1890,  to 
Miss  Emma  Campbell,  of  Flint.  Her  father  was 
County  Treasurer  of  Genesee  County.  She  was 
educated  in  the  Flint  Normal  School,  and  after 
graduating  taught  for  some  years.  She  is  the 
mother  of  one  bright  boy.  whose  name  is  Elwin  J. 
In  his  political  liking  Mr.  Gavit  is  a  Democrat, 
and  while  he  was  at  Flint  he  was  made  Secretary 
of  the  Dei sratic  Club,  and    as  such    organized 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


1015 


clubsat  almost  everj    scl Ihouse  in  that  county. 

He  is  of  quick  perception,  and  having  a  ready  wit 
and  fluent  speech,  he  soon  became  a  brillianl  cam- 
paign orator  and  did  mosl  effective  service  for 
his  party  in  that  and  subsequent  campaigns.  He 
is  considered  one  of  the  stanch  supporters  of  the 
Democracy  in  this  section  and  stands  high  in  his 
party  as  an  expounder  of  the  Jacksonian  doctrine. 
In  his  court  eases  Squire  Gavit's  decisions  are 
marked  by  common  sense  and  logical  conclusions 
drawn  from  able  reasoning.  His  rulings  are  -<-\- 
dom  reversed  by  superior  courts.  Socially  Mr. 
Gavit  is  a  stanch  friend  and  hi-  nature  possesses 
n<>. -park  of  jealousy  or  envy.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Maccabees  and  i-  prominenl  in  the  delibera- 
tion of  that  society's  councils. 


gH^AMUEL   L.   BRIGHAM.     It    is    frequently 

'>«s£  remarked  thai  Mr.  Brigham  is  better  known 
than  any  other  man  in  Bay  County.  His 
home  i-  in  Wesl  Bay  City,  where  he  i-  a 
practicing  attorney  and  also  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
his  office  being  located  in  the  Mosher  Block  on 
Midland  Street.  His  popularity  is  sufficiently  in- 
dicated by  the  fact  thai  he  has  served  as  Justice  of 
the  Peace  since  1880  and  lias  at  the  expiration  of 
every  term  of  office,  been  re-elected  on  the  Repub- 
lican ticket  by  large  majorities,  although  the  place 
is  Democratic.  lli>  legal  erudition  entitles  him  to 
a  position  among  the  mosl  prominent  lawyers  of 
this  section  of  country  and  his  opinions  on  mat- 
ters of  law  is  considered  authoritative. 

A  native  of  this  State,  Mr.  Brigham  was  born  in 
Hadley,  Lapeer  County,  December  2,  1850.  His 
ancestors  were  early  settlers  in  Massachusetts  and 
Connecticut,  and  were  people  of  sturdy  integrity 
and ''blue  Mood."  John  Brigham,  his  father,  was 
horn  in  Lowville,  Lewi-  County,  X.  V..  and  when 
a  young  man  accompanied  hi-  brother  Aaron  to 
Michigan,  settling  in  Grand  Blanc  Township, Gen- 
esee County,  in  1833  and  engaged  in  clearing  a 
farm  from  the  primeval  wilderness.  Later  here- 
moved  to  Atlas  Township  and  from  there  to  Had- 
lc\  Township,  where  he  purchased  and  improved  a 


farm.  A  man  of  powerful  physique,  he  was  pecu- 
liarly lilted  to  endure  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life 
and  aid  in  subduing  the  wild  forest  growth.  In 
hi-  religious  belief  In-  was  an  active  member  of  the 
(  onsrreffational  Church  ami  was  one  of  four  to  or- 
ganize  a  church  in  ( i-oodrich. 

(»n  the  maternal  side  Mr.  Brigham  is  descended 
from  pioneer  settlers  of  the  village  of  Goodrich, 
Genesee  County.  His  mother  bore  the  maiden 
of  Eliza  s.  Goodrich,  and  at  a  very  early  day  her 

: estors  came  to   Michigan,  locating  in  Genesee 

County  in  1836,  and  it  was  in  their  honor  that  the 
village  of  Goodrich  was  named.  Mis.  Eliza  S. 
Brigham,  who  was  horn  in  Clarence,  laic  County, 
X.  V..  died  on  the  old  homestead  in  HadleyTown- 
ship.  The  father  attained  to  the  ripe  old  age  of 
eighty  years  and  his  death  was  the  result  of  an  ac- 
cidental fall  from  a  load  of  hay.  he  dying  while 
visiting  In-  sons  in  West  Lay  City. 

The  youngest  of  five  children,  three  of  whom 
reached  maturity.  Mr.  Brigham  was  reared  on  the 
old  homestead  and  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a 
good  education.  During  a  portion  of  one  winter 
he  was  a  student  in  the  Flint  High  School,  and 
later  went  to  Ann  Arbor  and  for  two  years  was  a 
pupil  in  the  High  School  of  that  city.  Afterward 
he  entered  the  I'u i versify  of  Michigan  and  from 
the  law  department  was  graduated  in  1*71  with  the 
degree  of  l.L.  B.  After  completing  his  legal  stud- 
ies he  -pent  two  years  on  his  father's  farm,  and  in 
\X7(>  located  in  West  Lay  City,  where  he  has  since 
been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He 
is  connected  with  several  fraternal  insurance  com- 
panies of  flu-  city.  The  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellow-  counts  him  one  of  its  most  active 
members  and  he  is  also  identified  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias. 


mmm$*#wm® 


RICHARD    E.  GEDNEY",  senior    member    of 
the  firm  of  <  ledney  Bros.,  is  one  of  the  most 

prominent  hardware  merchants  of  Lay  City. 

The  linn  was  originally  known  asGedneyA 
Avery.  George  II.  Avery,  now  of  Detroit,  becom- 
ing a  partner  in  December,  1880.    That  connection 


1016 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


continued  for  three  years  when  it  was  changed  to 
the  present  firm.  After  occupying  a  store  in  the 
old  Westover  Block  for  four  years,  they  removed 
to  their  present  location,  where  they  have  a  large 
establishment,  fronting  on  Center  and  Washington 
Avenue  and  one  hundred  and  seventeen  feet  deep, 
with  a  basement  and  three  floors. 

Within  the  establishment  may  be  found  a  com- 
plete stuck  of  everything  in  the   line  of  hardware 

as  well  as  house-furnishing  g Is.  stoves,  furnaces 

and  sporting  goods.  Seven  men  besides  the  mem- 
bers of  the  firm  are  employed  in  the  store  and  it  is 
the  constant  aim  of  the  proprietors  to  serve  the 
best  interests  of  their  patrons  by  beeping  on  hand 
the  latest  styles  of  goods  at  reasonable  prices. 

Mr.  Gednej  was  born  in  Connecticut,  .Inly  21, 
1857,  and  is  the  son  of  Elisha  and  Nancy  (Smith) 
Gedney,  the  former  of  whom  died  when  his  son 
was  only  three  months  old.     After  receiving  his 

education  in  public  and  private  scl ls,our  subject 

Learned  telegraphy  and  afterward  entered  the  jew- 
elry business  at  Bridgeport,  Conn.  On  coming  to 
flint.  Mich.,  he  entered  the  hardware  store  of  II.  C. 
Spencer,  remaining  in  that  connection  for  three 
and  one-half  years.  After  he  acquired  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  business  he  came  to  Bay  City  and 
became  a  member  of  the  linn  of  Gedney  A:  Avery. 
Mr.  Siiencer  being  a  silent  partner  in  the  company. 

Match  21.  1881,  Mr.  Gedney  was  married  to 
Jessie  B.  Ames,  of  East  Saginaw,  and  they  are  the 
part  nts  of  two  children.  Alice  W.  and  Clarence  S. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gedney  are  members  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church,  and  socially  lie  is  identified  with 
Joppa  Lodge,  F.  iV-  A.  M.;  Blanchard  Chapter  and 
l'.a\  (  it v  Commanderv. 


l|^_     ENRY  ('.  REINHARDT.     This  gentleman, 

who  is  well  and  widely  known  throughout 
the  county,  is  engaged  as  a  blacksmith  ami 
carriage  and  wagon  manufacturer  in  West 
Bay  City,  his  place  of  business  being  located  on 
Henry  Street  near  Midland.  lie  was  born  in 
West  Bay  City, or  Lower  Saginaw    as   it    was  then 


called,  November  25,  1857,  and  was  the  son  of 
Henry  Reinhardt.  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he 
was  reared  and  followed  the  trade  of  a  mason. 
The  elder  Mr.  Reinhardt  came  to  America  when 
a  young  man  and  made  his  home  in  West  Bay 
City. 

Henry  Reinhardt  on  coming  to  this  count}  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land  which  now  adjoins 
West  Bay  City,  which  he  improved  and  operated 
and  upon  which  he  resides  at  present.  Atone 
time  he  was  the  possessor  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  aires  but  disposed  of  all  hut  eight  acres, 
which  is  the  home  farm.  Mr.  Reinhardt  is  a  very 
pleasant  gentleman  and*  in  religious  matters  is  a 
Lutheran.  In  politic-  he  votes  with  the  Demo- 
crat ic  party.  His  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject, 
was  in  her  maiden  days  Miss  Catherine  Armbruster, 
who  was  born  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  but  met 
and  married  her  husband  in  West  Hay  City.  She 
died  in  West  Hay  City  and  was  the  mother  of 
fourteen  children,  twelve  of  whom  are  yet  living 
and  of  whom  Henry  C.  of  this  sketch  was  the  old- 
esl  luit  one. 

He  of  whom  we  write   was   reared    on    the  home 

farm  and  was  given  a  g 1    education,    first  in  the 

district  and  later  ill  the  High  School  of  Bay  City. 
When  st  vcnteeii  he  was  apprenticed  for  three 
years  to  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Fi  ankeninutli, 
Saginaw  County,  and  after  mastering  that  business 
worked  a  twelvemonth  for  his  instructor.  In  187K 
Mr.  Reinhardt  came  to  West  Bay  City  and  for  five 
months  worked  for  Joe    Merrick.     At   the  end    of 

that  time  he  purchased  the  business  of  his  em- 
ployer and  has  since  been  successfully  engaged  in 
that  line  of  work.  In  1882  he  enlarged  his 
shop  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
carriages  and  wagons.  ilis  establishment  is 
now  25x70  feet  and  has  a  wing  Kix20  feet 
in  dimensions.  It  is  two  stories,  the  upper 
floor  being  used  as  the  painting  and  finishing  de- 
partment. He  is  the  oldest  manufacturer  in  his 
line  in  the  city  and  is  respected  as  an  honest  and 
upi'ight  gentleman. 

Mr.  Reinhardt  has  a  pleasant  home  located  al 
No.  306  Henry  Street,  and  with  his  father  owns 
property  in  the  Fifth  Ward.  He  was  married  De- 
cember 20,  1881,  to  Miss  Christine  Wirth,  who  was 


PORTRAIT  AND    BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1(117 


born  in  Frankenlust,  and  is  the  daughter  of  David 
Wirth,  an  old  settler  in  Frankenmuth  Township. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  Ave  children,  viz: 
Henry,  Mary,  Frederick.  Alma  and  Herman.  Mr. 
Reinhardt  was  Alderman  of  the  Third  Ward  from 
1887  to  L889,  at  which  time  he  served  as  Chairman 
of  the  Street  and  Sidewalk  Committees  and  also  on 
the  Fire  Department  Committee.  Socially  lie  i*  a 
member  of  the  Arbeiter  Society  and  in  politics  isa 

Democrat,  serving  his  parti  as  delegate  i unty 

conventions  several  times.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Emanuel  Lutheran  Church  at  Bay  City. 


^•f^HM^f-^ 


eHESBROUGH  BROS.  This  firm  consists  of 
F.  P.  of  Bay  City,  A.  M.  and  Aaron,  of 
Toledo,  ()hii>.  They  -nine  years  ago,  about 
1878-79  and  '80,  had  milling  and  lumber  inter- 
ests in  Kay  City,  established  by  the  father,  A. 
Chesbrough.  They  .sold  this  place  in  1881  and 
the  firm  went  to  the  Upper  Peninsulain  Chippewa 
County,  where  they  have  large  mills  and  a  tract  of 
pine  land. 

F:  P.  Chesbrough  resides  in  this  citj  with 
his  office  here  but  the  business  is  mainU  conducted 
in  the  north,  lie  came  here  with  his  parents  in 
1869,  and  in  1881  went  north  and  looked  after  the 
interests  of  the  Mini  and  there  remained  until 
1886,  when  he  came  to  this  city  again  and  has 
made  a  permanent  home  here.  He  was  married  to 
Mi--  Addie  McCorniick,  a  daughter  of  W.  I.'.  Mc- 
Cormick,  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  of  this  place 
and  whose  sketch  will  lie  found  in  another  part  of 
this  volume.  The  Chesbrough  Bros,  deserve  the 
credit  of  opening  up  the  lumber  business  at  Emer- 
son, Chippewa  County.  The\  had  to  clear  the 
timber  away  so  as  to  erect  their  mill,  the  first  one 
on  White  Fish  Bay.  There  was  not  even  a  settler 
there  on  their  locating  m  that  region  and  now 
quite  a  town  has  sprung  up.  The  firm  ha-  a  line 
mill  with  a  capacity  of  one  hundred  thousand  feet 
per  day.  They  also  conduct  good  store-  and  it  is 
on  account  of  the  milling  operations  that  the  town 
is  what  it  is  to-day.   The  mill  is  connected  with  the 


railroad    and  has     telephone    accommodation-    and 

the  prospects  are  that  their  beginning  will  make 
quite  a  settled  country.  They  own  a  trad  of  pine 
land  sufficient  to  la-t  for  eight  years  to  come. 


■  -    n   ^ 


\XIFI.  BAUMGARTEN.  For  many  years 
',  this  gentleman  was  prominently  con- 
nected with  the  mercantile  interests  of 
Hay  City,  but  is  now  living  retired.  lit- 
is a  native  of  New  York,  and  was  horn  ten  miles 
east  of  Buffalo,  Erie  County, October  2:5.  1839.  His 
father  was  horn  and  reared  in  Alsace,  France,  and 
served  as  an  officer  in  the  French  army  under  Na- 
poleon Bonaparte.  Emigrating  to  America  he  set- 
tled in  Erie  County,  X.  Y"., and  engaged  in  farming 
there  until  his  death  in  180;").  He  was  a  man  of 
greal  intelligence,  and  fluent  in  the  use  of  French 
and  Cerinan  lan^ua^es.  Politically  lie  was  a 
Whig. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  Rosellia  Gutter,  was 
horn  in  Alsace,  France  and  died  in  NewYork.  Our 
Subject,  who  was  one  of  the  seven  children  in  the 
family  circle,  was  reared  on  a  farm   and  attended 

the  primitive   scl Is  of  the  district.     In    1859  he 

sommenced  in  business  with  his  brother,  opening 
a  general  mercantile  establishment  in  Williamsville 
and  continuing  thus  engaged  until  1869^  when  he 
came  Wist.  His  first  visit  to  Kay  City  was  made 
ia  1868,  although  it  was  not  until  the  following 
year  that  he  located  heie  permanently. 

Upon  settling  in  Bay  City  .Mr.  Baumgarten 
erected  the  store  building  on  the  corner  of  Cutler 
and  Adams  Streets,  and  embarked  in  the  grocerj 
business.  Success  met  lus  effort- and  he  soon  be- 
came known  as  the  mo-t  prominent  and  popular 
merchant  in  the  city.  Through  the  superior  qual- 
ity of  his  stock,  a-  well  a-  hi-  genial  disposition 
and  fair  dealing  with  all.  he  established  an  envi- 
ble  reputation  as  a  business  man.  He  continued 
as  a  grocer  until  1890,  when  he  sold  the  establish- 
ment to  hi- two  -nil-  and  they  arc  now  conducting 
the  business  with  marked  ability. 

In  1863,  in  Buffalo,  Mr.  Baumgarten  and  Miss 
Man     Meyer,   a    native  of  Rochester,    X.    Y.    were 


mis 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


united  in  marriage,  and  they  are  the  parents  of 
two  children — Charles  M.  and  Edward,  who  are 
conducting  the  grocery  establishment  formerly 
owned  by  their  father.  In  his  political  affiliations, 
Mr.  Baumgarten  is  a  Democrat  and  has  aided, 
through  personal  labors  and  the  influence  of  his 
life,  in  the  progress  of  this  city. 


HARLES  BABO.  Bay  Countx  has  greatly 
honored  our  subject  by  reposing  such  con- 
/'  fldence  in  his  integrity  and  honor  as  to 
give  him  control  of  so  responsible  a  position 
as  Treasurer  of  the  county.  He  has  also  been 
the  city  Treasurer  of  Hay  City,  and  has  car 
tied  on  this  business  mosl  conscientiously  and 
thoroughly  in  connection  with  hi-  individual  in- 
terests which  center  about  the  grocery  business. 
Of  the  latter  interests  he  has  two  establishments, 
one  located  in  liny  City  and  one  in  West  Bay 
City.  These  are  carried  on  under  the  linn  name  of 
Charles  Babo  A-  Smis  his  partners  being  Charles 
A.  and  Augustus  Babo.  No  trait  is  more  marked 
in  the  character  of  our  subject  than  the  purity  of 
his  Republicanism. 

Mr.  Babo.  who  has  been  a  residenl  of  Bay  City 
since  1863,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Rastadt,  Baden, 
.Germany,  October  15,  1822.  He  is  a  son  of  Charles 
and  Charlotte  (Olsen)  Babo.  His  father  was  a 
Government  official  in  the  customs  service.  He 
was  the  father  of  six  children;  of  these  our  subject 
was  tin  third  son.  Charles  attended  the  common 
schools  and  finished  at  the  High  School  in  Rastadt, 
and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  entered  the  Uni- 
versity of  Freiburg.  He  had  been  a  >t  udent  there 
I  nit  six  month-  when  he  was  persuaded  to  take  up 
the  study  of  pharmacy,  to  which  he  wasan  appren- 
tice lor  a  short  time,  but  was  unable  to  continue  in 
the  business  because  of  his  sensitiveness  to  the  odor 
of  the  drui;-. 

Dropping  pharmacy,  our  subject  took  up  the 
st in) \  of  law  in  Freiburg  and  became  a  Notary 
Public.  He  then  located  in  Baden,  but.  consider- 
ing that  lie  had  not  -ecu  enough  of  the  world,  he 
obtained  a  furlough   of    six   months,  and    in     is.",:', 


left  Havre,  France,  with  his  wife  and  two  children. 
After  a  voyage  of  four  weeks  he  landed  in  New 
York  and  becoming  proprii  tor  of  a  drug  store,  he 
remained  therefor  two  years,  thence  going  to  Bos- 
ton, where  he  was  in  the  drug  business  in  partner- 
ship with  hi.-  brother  for  three  year-.  In  1858  he 
came  to  Michigan  and  located  in  Lansing.  He  was 
in  business  there  for  about  five  years  and  in  the 
fall  of  1863  located  in  Bay  City,  since  which  time 
he  has  been  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  and 
since  is?(»  has  conducted  :i  thriving  business  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  being  the  oldest  grocer 
in  the  city. 

In  1880  Mr.  Babo  was  elected  County  Treasurer 
on  the  Republican  ticket.  He  held  the  office  for 
two  years,  and  in  April.  1883,  was  elected  city 
Treasurer  and  continued  in  that  office  until  the 
fall  of  1884  when  he  resigned  to  again  accept  the 
office  of  County  Treasurer,  of  which  position  he 
was  incumbent  until  January,  lss?.  since  that 
time  he  has  confined  hi.-  attention  strictly  to  his 
private  business.  Oursubject  i-  the  ownerof  a  fine 
brick  block  at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Grand 
Streets.  Hi-  residence,  which  adjoins  this  prop- 
er! \.i-  a  beautiful  place  and  attractive  and  modern 
in  every  feature.  Mr.  Babo  also  owns  a  tine  brick 
block  in  West  Bay  City,  in  which  his  -tore  there  i- 
located.  This  block  is  at  the  corner  of  Lynn  and 
Midland  Streets,  and  in  connection  with  the  grocery 
business  he  has  a  large  trade  in  crockery  and 
glassware.  Aside  from  these  properties  spoken 
of.  he  has  built  several  brick  stores  which 
he  has  sold.  He  erected  the  Frazier  Block,  at  the 
corner  of  Water  and  Fiftli  Streets,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Wilour  and  Reiser.  He  also  built  the 
1, rick  -tore  on  Water  Street    now    owned    by    John 

Welsh. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  in  Ger- 
many in  October,  1850,  his  bride  being  Miss  Ste- 
phania  Holzer,  who  was  born  in  Litchtenthal, 
Baden.  This  union  has  been  graced  by  the  coming 
Of  eight  children  into  the  family,  viz:  -Marie. 
Mrs.  I.  Moravitz.  who  resides  ill  Milwaukee.  \\  i-.: 
Alice,  who  .was  a  teacher  of  high  repute  and  who 
died  at  the  ageof  thirty-two:  Charles  A.,  is  hi-  fa- 
ther's partner;  Augustus,  also  in  partner-hip  with 
our  subject;  William    died    at   the  age  of  twenty- 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RFC'ORD. 


101!) 


seven;  Amy,  Ida  and  Clara.  Socially  Mr.  Babo  is 
a  Masmi  and  also  belongs  to  the  Royal  Arcanum. 
He  has  frequently  been  chosen  \>\  bis  part}  to 
represent  it  at  the  county  and  Stale  conventions. 
He  is  a  genial  and  wholesouled  man  and  the  effer- 
vescence of  his  wit  and  humor  is  oil  upon  the  trou- 
bled waters  of  social  or  political  life. 


.; 


ON.  ALBERT  MILLER,  a  prominent  pion- 
eer of  the  Saginaw  Valley,  settled  "ii  the 
east     side    of    the    Saginaw    River,    at   the 

0  junction  of  the  Shiawassee  and  Tittabawas- 
see  and  bought  the  land  near  where  Portsmouth 
now  stands,  laying  oul  the  town  and  commencing 
to  improve  it.  Thai  was  in  July,  1836.  During  the 
following  winter  he  built  the  second  steam  saw- 
mill ever  erected  in  the  Saginaw  Valley.  When 
Saginaw  County  was  organized  he  received  a 
commission  as  Probate  .Indue  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace  from  Governor  Mason,  and  held  the  position 
for  many  year.-. 

In  the  meantime  Judge  Miller  continued  in  the 
mercantile  business  until  the  panic  of  l.s:!7  caused 
temporary  embarrassment  and  forced  liim  to  re- 
tire. He  commenced  anew  in  1845  and  continued 
until  1852^  and  while  merchandising  also  conducted 
farming  operations  <m  the  Tittabawassee  River. 
He  exchanged  forty  acre,  now  in  Saginaw  for  a 
sixty-acre  farm  on  that  river.  In  1MI7  he  repre- 
sented the  county  in  the  Legislature  during  the 
la-t  session  in  Detroit,  and  was  a  strong  advocate 
for  the  removal  of  the  capital  to  Lansing,  his  idea 
being  that  in  all  probability  there  would  be  di- 
rect communication  Detween  the  two  cities  through 
the  wilderness. 

After  1852  Judge  Mille.r  was  principally  en- 
gaged in  improving  and  disposing  of  Portsmouth 
properly  until  1*7  1  when  he  removed  to  BayCity. 
He  served  as  Supervisor  of  Saginaw,  Hampton  and 
Portsmouth,  and  a>  President  of  the  Village  of 
Portsmouth.  He  was  Director  of  the  first  railroad 
company  that  buill  a  railroad  to  Bay  City  and  was 
one  of  its  active  promoters.     He  wasa  stockholder 


and  Director  of  the  first  salt  manufacturing  com- 
pany at  this  end  of  the  river,  and  the  second  in 
the  valley,  it  being  known  as  The  Portsmouth 
Salt  Manufacturing  Company.  lie  was  also  a 
Stockholder  and  Director  in  the  Second  National 
Bank  of  Bay  City. 

One  of  the  first  to  devote  bis  attention  to  re- 
claiming prairie  lands,  through  failing  health  lie 
was  compelled  to  relinquish  his  labors  before  they 
were  brought  to  perfection.  Before  the  formation 
of  the  Republican  party  he  was  a  Democrat,  but 
since  that  time  has  been  identified  with  the  Re- 
publicans. IK-  has  been  a  member  of  the  School 
Board.  Toward  the  organization  of  the  Slate 
Pioneer  and  Historical  Society  iii  1874,  he  con- 
tributed his  best  efforts,  was  its  first  President,  and 
ha-  been  a  member  of  its  Executive  Committee 
since  it-  formation.  I'p  to  the  present  time  (  1892) 
the  society  has  published  sixteen  volumes  of  pion- 
eer and  historical  collections,  many  of  which 
have  been  contributed  by  the  Judge. 

.Judge  Miller  i-  a  native  of  Vermont  and  was 
horn  in  llartland.  \\  indsor  County.  May  lit.  1810. 
For  twenty  years  he  continued  to  reside  in  his 
native  town,  and  then,  in  September,  1830,  started 
for  Michigan,  arriving  in  Detroit  on  the  22d  of 
that  month,  when  the  city  contained  a  population 
of  two  thousand  two  hundred  twenty.  lie  taught 
the  second  term  of  school  that  was  ever  taught 
north  of  Oakland  Countj  andalso  taught  the  first 
school  in  the  Saginaw  Valley  in  the  winter  of 
1834.  He  enjoy-  the  distinction  of  being  the  old- 
est resident  of  the  country  between  Flint  and  the 
Straits  of  .Mackinaw. 

The  winter  of  1831—32  Judge  .Miller  passed  in 
Flint,  which  then  contained  only  two  families. 
Later  he  bought  a  farm  in  Grand  Blanc  and  re- 
mained there  until  1833,  when  became  to  Saginaw. 
February  G,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Marx- 
Ann  Daglish,  a  native  of  England,  and  they  lie- 
came  the  parents  of  .-i\  children,  four  of  whom 
died  in  infancy;  Emily  married  William  Daglish, 
and  died  iii  1871.  Sarah  married  C.  L.Collins, 
and    became    the    mother    of    two  children. 

In  lx.'l'.l  oursubjeel  and  his  wife  united  with  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Saginaw,  which  was 
the    first     Protestant    organization    between  Flint 


1020 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


River  and  the  Straits.  When  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Bay  City  was  organized,  Judge  Miller 
and  a  man  in  his  employ  were  the  only  men 
among  the  eight  members  constituting  the  church. 
In  1858  he  was  elected  one  of  the  flrsl  Elders  of 
the  church,  which  position  he  has  since  held  and 
has  always  taken  a  very  active  part  in  the  support 
of  that  body. 


•^^1 


•: 


JUf       rifle 
J /    busi 


i— — >  MIL  F.  FLUES,  manufacturer  of  guns  and 
rifles,  carries  on  a  flourishing  and  lucrative 
isiness  ai  No.  823  Water  Street,  Baj  City. 
He  transacts  a  retail  business  of  considerable  mag- 
nitude and  has  in  stock  a  complete  line  of  sporting 
goods,  making  his  establishment  the  favorite  head- 
quarters for  sportsmen,  lie  is  a  Dative  of  this  state 
and  was  horn  in  lihnntield.  Saginaw  County. 
August  7,  1861.  His  father.  Francis,  was  horn  in 
Prussia,  where  Grandfather  Flues  was  engaged  in 
business  as  a  brewer  and  distiller,  being  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Government  tor  some  time. 

The  father  of  our  subject  took  part  in  the  Re- 
hellion  of  1848,  after  which,  being  compelled  to 
flee  for  his  life,  he  emigrated  to  America  and  pro- 
ceeded West  to  Saginaw  County.  lie  was  one  of 
the  first  settlers  in  Blumfield  Township,  where  lie 
hunted  for  three  years.  A  tine  shot,  he  killed 
ninety-six  deer  in  four  weeks  and  other  game  in 
large  quantities  fell  beneath  his  unerring  rifle. 
Alter  three  yi  ars  thus  spent  he  located  in  Saginaw 
and  fiir  ten  year-  worked  a-  a  contractor  and 
builder.  lie  then  bought  a  farm  in  Blumfield 
Township,  fourteen  miles  from  Saginaw,  and  there 
cleared  and  improved  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres.  At  present  his  home  is  on  that  place,  and 
at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  he  is  Mill  quite  active. 

Mary  (Shingler)  Flues,  mother  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Baden  Baden,  Germany,  and  emigrated 
to  America  when  a  young  lady.  Eight  of  her  ten 
children  are  now  living  and  she  also  survives  at 
the  age  of  fifty-two.  Emil  F.  Flues  received  a 
common-school  education  and  when  fourteen  was 
apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  gunsmith.     In 

1882   he    entered    the  employ  of   Messrs.  llibbard. 


Spencer,  Bartlett  &  Co..  Chicago,  where  he  was 
foreman  in  the  gunshop  for  one  year.  Afterward 
hi'  worked  for  a  short  time  in  Kansas  City,  Mo., 
from  which  place  he  proceeded  on  a  hunting  expe- 
dition through  Kansas,  Texas.  New  Mexico,  Indian 
Territory.  Colorado,  Dakota.  Montana,  Nebraska, 
and  Minnesota. 

In  June.  1886,  Mr.  Flues  located  in  Bay  City, 
where  he  i>  engaged  in  the  manufacture  and  re- 
pairing  of  guns.  At  present  his  trade  is  exclusively 
retail,  although  he  intends  soon  to  manufacture 
for  the  wholesale  trade  as  well.  He  was  married  in 
Saginaw,  October  2.  1888,  to  Miss  Maggie  Merritt, 
who  was  born  in  Hamilton,  Canada,  tint- reared  in 
Saginaw.  They  are  the  parents  of  one  child  and 
occupy  a  prominent  position  among  the  people  of 
Bay  City.  Socially,  Mr.  Flues  is  identified  with  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  tint  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  and  is  influential  in  the 
ranks  of  the  Republican  part  \ . 


i  *T*  *5*  *5*  *** ' — 


OSEPH  WHITING,  passenger  and  ticket 
agent  of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  for 
Bay  City,  was  horn  in  Chicago.  April  25, 
1854,  his  parents  being  Ezra  and  Sarah 
(Oardner)  Whiting.  His  father  was  one  of  the 
oldest  contractors  in  Chicago  and  erected  the  old 
Adams  House  and  many  of  the  prominent  build- 
ing.- of  the  city  before  the  tire.  He  was  a  native 
of  England  and  emigrated  to  this  country, settling 
in  Chicago  about  1845.  At  the  time  petroleum 
was  discovered  at  Bothwell,  Canada,  he  was  one  of 
i  he  first  Americans  to  engage  in  the  oil  business 
there  and  made  it  his  home  until  bis  death. 

( tin  subject  received  his  education  in  the  graded 
and  High  Schools  of  Chicago,  and  Bryant  A-  Strat- 
ton's  Business  College  at  Toronto.  Canada.  Soon 
after  completing  his  education  be  began  railroad- 
ing, and  having  learned  telegraphy  became  the  first 
agent  on  the  Great  Western  Railroad  in  Canada, 
lie  was  promoted  from  one  position  to  another 
until  he  entered  the  passenger  department  of  the 
Michigan  Central  Railway  Company,  locating  in 
Saginaw  and  after  residing  there  one  year  coming 


PORTRAIT  AND   BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


1021 


to  Bay  City  to  succeed  Mr.  Byron.  He  Las  held 
his  present  position  since  I884,and  as  it  is  the  lead- 
ing office  of  the  state  outside  of  Detroit,  hi-  effi- 
cient discharge  of  the  duties  connected  with  it  re- 
flects greaf  credit  upon  his  ability. 

Aside  from  his  official  duties  Mr.  Whiting  has 
been  considerably  interested  in  real  estate  and 
owns  Mime  valuable  property  in  Bay  City.  His  res- 
idence, which  he  erected,  is  pleasantly  located  on 
Center  Avenue  and  i.»  presided  over  by  his  estim- 
able and  refined  wife  to  whom  he  was  married 
October  25,  1875.  .Mrs.  Whiting  was  known  in 
maidenhood  as  Anna  Lunn  and  resided  in  Both- 
well,  Canada.  They  are  the  parent-  of'two  chil- 
dren— Mamie  and  Edna.  In  his  political  affilia- 
tions Mr.  Whiting  is  a  strong  adherent  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  RepubUcan  party  and  favors  every 
measure  calculated  to  advance  the  interests  of  the 
community. 


ATHAN  KNIGHT.  This  universally  es- 
teemed citizen  of  Bay  County  was  born  in 
^  Otisfield,  Me.,  July  I  l.  L818,  and  died  De- 
cember  28,  1886.  He  was  one  in  a  family  of  nine 
children,  all  of  whom  grew  to  mature  years.  The 
parents.  Ebenezer  and  Sarah  Knight,  wen'  natives 
of  .Maine  and  came  to  Michigan  about  1836,  be- 
coming  very  early  settlers  of  Oakland  County. 
There  our  subject  passed  his  childhood  years  and 
there  in  his  early  manhood  lie  was  married  to  Har- 
riet, daughter  of  Benjamin  Stevens,  a  pioneer  of 
Oakland  County. 

In  l«.")l  Mr.  Knight  came  to  Bay  County,  locat- 
ing east  of  Bay  City  and  remaining  there  two 
years.  He  then  removed  to  Kay  City  and  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  law  which  hi1  had  studied  in  Oak- 
land County,  lie  followed  his  profession  until 
1*1!  1  when  he  returned  to  hi-  farm  east  of  Bay 
City  and  resided  there  until  the  time  of  his  death. 
During  his  residence  in  this  county  he  served  as 
Supervisor  of  Hampton  Township  for  eighteen 
consecutive  year-,  retiring  from  the  office  during 
the  spring  previous  to  hi-  death.  Politically  he 
was  a  stanch  Democrat  ami  was  held  in  high  esteem 


not  only  in  political  circles  hut  by  all  with  whom 
business  Or  social  relation-  brought  him  in  contact. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knight  was  Messed 
by  the  birth  of  three  children,  only  one  of  whom. 
Birdsey,  grew  to  mature  years.  Birdsey  Knight 
was  horn  in  Avon  Township,  Oakland  County,  in 
1852,  but  grew  to  manhood  in  Bay  County,  where 
he  received  a  good  education.  He  has  ever  been 
actively  interested,  in  the  advancement  of  the 
county  and  closely  identified  with  it-  best  inter- 
ests. In  1887  he  was  elected  Su per v isor  of  Hamp- 
ton Township,  which  position  he  has  since  held, 
lie  was  elected  to  the  state  Legislature  in  the  fall 
of  1890  and  a- the  representative  of  the  people, 
has  ever  liccn  careful  of  their  best  interests  and 
devoted  to  their  welfare.  His  father,  our  subject, 
filled  the  same  position  with  great  efficiency  in 
1869-71,  and  as  an  active  and  useful  citizen  was 
highly  esteemed. 

Hon.  Birdsey  Knight  was  married  in  1S7K  to 
Miss  Eren  A.  Hilliker  and  thej  have  two  daugh- 
ters, Bessie  [.  and  Gale  II.  The  members  of  the 
family  are  widely  known  and  highly  esteemed  for 
social  qualities  of  a  high  order  as  well  a-  generosity 
of  heart  and  liberal  support  of  all  measures  which 
are  calculated  to  advance  the  public  is 1. 


4^ 


=^-^. 


ARDNER   K.  GROUT  was  born  at   Fairfax. 

Franklin    County.  Vt.,  September  30,    1837. 

He    i-   a    s f    Elijah     K.  and   Sophronia 

M.  (Meeker)  Grout,  both  born  in  our  subject's 
native  State.  Hi-  father  was  a  Baptist  min- 
ister, and  imbued  with  the  missionary  spirit  emi- 
grated to  Michigan  in  1838.  Our  subject's  pater- 
nal grandfather.  Josiah  Grout,  was  the  owner  of  a 
very  large  tract  of  land,  and  was  a  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral of  Vermont  .Militia,  and  took  part  in  the 
battle  of  Plattsburg  in  1812. 

Dr.  John  Grout  came  to  America  from  England 
in  1630;  he  located  in  Massachusetts,  and  was  in- 
timately identified  with  the  development  of  that 
colons  and  of  Vermont,  and  wa-  the  originator  of 
the  family  in  this  country.  The  Hon.  William 
Grout,  cousin  of  our  subject,  is  a  member  of  Con- 


1022 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


gress    from    the  Third   Vermont  District,  and  has 
held  that  position  for  several  terms. 

Our  subject's  father  was  ordained  to  the  Baptist 
ministry  of  Michigan,  and  located  at  Leslie. 
Ingham  County,  where  he  preached  for  seven 
years.  He  was  later  at  Marine  City  for  nine 
years,  thence  going  back  to  Leslie,  where  he  re- 
mained until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1878,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  His  widow  survived 
him  for  some  time,  passing  away  in  Saginaw, 
where  she  made  her  home  with  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Amasa  Rust,  March  18,  1891,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years. 

Gardner  K.  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth  of  a 
family  of  six  children,  there  being  three  hoys  and 
three  girls,  and  of  these  four  are  now  living,  two 
of  whom  reside  in  Saginaw.  Vallorous  II.  lives  at 
Leslie;  Ilenriettc.  wife  of  the  Rev. William  Taylor, 
a  Methodist  minister,  lives  at  Liberty,  Jackson 
County;  Ida,  who  became  Mrs.  Gurdon  Corning, 
died  at  Saginaw  about  1868;  Josiah  died  at  Marine 
City,  in  childhood. 

Our  subject  attended  the  district  school  at  Les- 
lie, and  at  the  academy  at  Marine  City.  At  the 
age  of  eighteen  years  he  began  to  teach,  and  de- 
voted himself  to  that  work  for  four  winters. 
When  nineteen  years  of  age  he  entered  Kalama/.oo 
College,  paying  his  own  way  along  until  the  close 
of  his  junior  year,  and  April.  1861,  enlisted  in  the 
Second  Michigan  Infantry.  After  being  in  camp 
thirty  days  at  Detroit,  and  no  more  thirty-day 
men  being  accepted,  he  re-enlisted  in  Company 
K.,  Second  Michigan  Infantry,  under  ••  Fighting 
Dick  "  Riehardson.  The  regiment  was  sent  to 
Washington  in  June,  soon  aftei  the  Baltimore  riot. 
Expecting  trouble  in  Baltimore,  the  regiment 
marched  from  one  station  to  the  other  in  a  solid 
body,  and  were  attacked  upon  the  train  as  1 1 1. ■  \ 
were  leaving  for  Washington,  and  those  standing 
on  the  rear  end  of  the  train  Bred  upon  the  mob, 
killing  two  of   the  men. 

After  this  initial  experience  our  subject  was  en- 
gaged in  much  of  the  serious  conflict  of  the  war. 
He  was  in  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  is. 
1861.  Although  he  escaped  the  heavy  fight,  he 
took  active  part  in  the  retreat.  The  rcgimenl  es- 
caped and  camped  at  Arlington,  Va.  That  summer 


our  subject  was  placed  on  picket  duty  at  Munson 
Hill,  and  wintered  at  Arlington.  During  the  re- 
organization the  next  spring  his  regiment  was  at 
Fortress  Monroe,  just  after  the  battle  between  the 
■■  Merriinac  "  and  "  Monitor,"  SO  that  he  there  saw 
the  wreck  of  the  boats.  The  regiment  was  then 
sent  up  the  Penninsula  to  Yorktown,  where  the 
rebels  were  entrenched,  and  on  their  retreating 
followed  them  to  Williamsburg,  where  an  engage- 
ment took  place  May  6,  1862,  the  regiment  losing 
a  large  number  of  men,  and  the  rebels  moving  on 
to  Richmond,  lie  was  also  in  the  battle  of  Fair 
Oaks,  and  retreated  to  the  James  River,  taking  part 
in  the  engagements  at  Charles  City  Cross  Roads, 
Malvern  Hill. 

Taken  sick,  our  subject  was  scut  to  the  Balti- 
more Hospital,  where  he  lay  from  July  to  October. 
1862.  Notbeing  fully  recovered  he  was  discharged, 
and  returning  to  his  home.  Leslie,  was  an  invalid 
for  some  time.  In  December,  18(12,  he  came  to 
Saginaw,  and  soon  after  he  entered  the  law  office 
of  Sutherland  &  Miller.  In  October.  1864,  he  was 
appointed  Assistant  Assessor  of  United  states 
Internal  Revenue,  which  position  he  held  for 
seven  years,  meantime  continuing  to  read  law.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1867,  before  Judge 
Sutherland,  anil  then  entered  into  partnership 
with  Mr.  William  Miller.  Mr.  Miller  two  years 
later  entered  the  banking  business,  and  Mr.  Grout 
was  associated  with  Hon.  Dan.  P.  Foote,  this  part- 
nership lasting  for  two  or  three  years,  since  which 
he  has  been  aione. 

Attorney  Grout's  practice  is  nearly  all  in  the 
civil  courts,  ami  he- gives  his  attention  fully  to  his 
practice.  He  is  a  standi  Republican,  and  has 
served  as  Chairman  upon  the  city  and  county 
committees. 

September  Is,  1867,  Mr.  Grout  was  married  to 
Miss  Mary  T.  Harrison,  of  Saginaw,  an  adopted 
daughter  of  Mr.  William  Miller,  whose  name  is 
before  referred  to.  She  was  educated  in  a  young 
ladies'  seminary  in  Chicago,  and  is  an  accom- 
plished lady  of  mosl  pleasing  address.  They  have 
a  family  of  four  children,  whose  names  are:  Ilattie 
E.,  Louise  E.,  Gerald  and  Mary.  The  eldest 
daughter  is  a  musician  of  pronounced  talent,  for 
two  years  having  made  it  a   special   study  in   Bos- 


#14^ 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1025 


ton.     Miss  Louise  is  attending  the  Harvard   Kin- 
dergarten School,  Chie 

Mrs.  Grout  i-  :i  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
in  which  she  is  an  active  worker,  and  in  the  Sun- 
day-school. She  is  identified  with  the  ladies  who 
organized  the  Saginaw  Hospital,  and  is  al  presenl 
one  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  The  home  of  this 
family  is  located  a1  No.  303  X.  Michigan  Street. 
Mrs.  Grout  is  connected  with  the  Ladies'  Library 
Society,  and  as  long  as  her  health  permitted  was 
one  of  its  must  active  workers. 


s~^  APT.   HARRY   HENRY    ERNEST   PHILD? 
I  DITZEL.     This  gentleman,   whose  portrait 

v./  a  J)  pears  on  the  opposite  pave,  is,  although 
young,  an  experienced  captain  on  the  lakes,  hav- 
ing followed  that  occupation  since  a  hoy.  His 
grandfather,  Samuel  Ditzel,  was  horn  in  Saxony 
and  was  a  man  of  great  wealth,  owning  many  mills 
and  large  landed  estates  in  his  native  country.  He 
determined  to  come  to  America  and  establish  a  saw 
and  grist  mill  in  Texas.  I  mt  before  embarking  he  died 
while  making  a  journey  in  a  stage  coach  in  Eng- 
land. His  family  carried  out  his  wishes  and  came 
to  the  United  States,  making  their  home  in  Buffalo 
where  the  older  children  supported  the  mother  and 
the  younger  members  of  the  family. 

(apt.  Ernest  II.  Ditzel.  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  a  native  of  Saxony,  Germany  and  was  the 
second  youngest  of  nine  children.  He  accompanied 
his  mother  to  America  when  a  lad  of  six 
years.  He  had  always  been  fond  of  the  water  and 
when  a  boy  went  on  board  a  sailing  vessel  as  engi- 
neer, lie  soon,  however,  purchased  the  "flattie 
Brown,"  a  pleasure  boat,  which  he  ran  two  years 
on  the  Niagara  River,  and  in  1869  brought  her  to 
Bay  City.  Two  years  later  the  family  also  came 
west  and  located  in  this  city. 

The  "Hattie  Brown"  was  run  as  a  passenger 
boat  between  Third  Street  and  Ranks  for  some 
years.  Mr.  Ditzel  Sr.  then  built  the  -J.  (i.  Hubbard" 
which  he  ran  between  Essexville  and  Bay  City 
Later  he  purchased  the  "Hubbard,"  but  disposed 
■48 


of  it  in  1KH1  anil  built  the  "Cora  K.  D."  which 
was  named  in  honor  of  his  daughter,  and  which  he 
ran  between  Bay  City  and  Banks  as  a  passenger 
boat.  During  the  same  year  he  also  bought  the 
tug  "Harley"  in  Buffalo,  which  he  brought  to  Bay 
City  and  gave  in  charge  of  our  subject.  Father 
and  sou  were  thus  engaged  in  business  together 
until  the  death  of  the  former,  which  occurred  in 
1885,  a1  Ranks,  aged  forty-five  years  and  six  months, 
lie  was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church  and  a 
Republican  in  politics. 

Our  subject's  mother  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Christina  Shepherd.  She  was  born  in  Hesse-Darm- 
stadt, Germany,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Jacob 
Shepherd,  also  a  native  of  the  Fatherland.  His 
father,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Ditzel  and  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject,  was  a  manufacturer  of 
all  kinds  of  nails  and  was  in  the  Russian  campaign 
under  Napoleon. 

('apt.  Ditzel  was  of  one  a  family  of  six  children, 
namely:  Anna  M..  who  resides  at  home;  James  W., 
who  is  employed  on  a  vessel  as  engineer  also  re- 
sides at  home;  John  G.  who  was  drowned  in  the 
Saginaw  River,  in  1875,  when  six  years  of  age; 
Cora  K.  D.  and  Arthur  L.  Our  subject  was  born 
in  Buffalo, N.Y., November  19,  1863.  llereeeived 
a  common-school  education  in  his  native  place  and 
in  1K7II  was  brought  on  a  pleasure  trip  by  his 
father  to  Banks,  this  State.  He  almost  always  ac- 
companied his  father  on  his  trips  during  the  sum- 
mer, but  attended  school  winters  until  reaching 
his  majority.  In  Ray  City  he  took  a  business 
course,  but  feeling  that  he  would  prefer  to  follow- 
in  his  father's  f  totsteps  as  regards  an  occupation 
he  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  a  mercantile  life  and 
engaged  in  the  lakes.  He  has  gradually  drifted 
into  his  present  business,  when  only  ten  years  of 
he  accompanied  his  father  on  a  trip  as  wheelman 
and  when  thirteen  made  several  trips  as  wheelman 

alone. 

In  1881  our  subject  became  captain  of  the  tug 
"Harley"  which  he  continued  to  run  after  the 
death  of  his  father  until  his  mother  sold  the  vessel 
in  1887.  The  "Cora"  had  been  sold  the  previous 
year  to  Gillingham  Bros.,  of  North  Island.  In 
1888  Capt.  Ditzel  sailed  the  -Witch  of  the  West" 
for  Gordon   &    Sharp.     The    following   year  they 


1026 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD, 


built  at  Buffalo  the  harbor  tug  "Arthur  D,"  named 
for  the  younger  brother  of  our  subject,  which 
they  sold  to  Churchill  <fe  Comstock  after  having 
run  her  one  year.  In  1891  he  became  master  of  the 
"Waldo  Avery"  in  the  employ  of  the  Michigan 
Towing  Company,  with  which  he  remained  but 
a  short  time  when  he  went  to  Duluth  and  in  the 
employ  of  the  Inman  Line  became  master  o!  the 
"Effie  L."  and  engaged  in  towing  until  the  close  of 
the  season. 

Miss  Minnie  Walrath  became  the  wife  of  Capt. 
Ditzel  in  1885.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Henry 
Walrath,  a  native  of  Seymour,  Wis.  and  was  born 
in  Banks,  April  2,  1869.  By  her  union  with  our 
subject  she  lias  become  the  mother  of  two  interest- 
ing children — Edward  and  Ilarley.  Socially  Capt. 
Ditzel  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  belonging  to  Bay  City 
Lodge;  lie  is  also  connected  with  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees,  and  the  Excelsior  Mai  ine  Benevolent 
Society,  Excelsior  Lodge,  No.  5.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  which  body  he  takes 
an  active  interest.  In  politics  he  is  a  true-blue 
Republican.  His  beautiful  home  is  located  at  No. 
1404  Washington  Street,  West  Bay  City,  where  a 
generous  hospitality  is  dispensed. 


JOHN  H.  BLOMSHIELD,  Engineer  of  West 
Bay  City,  is  one  of  tin-  finest  and  most  ex- 
pert surveyors  of  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and 
has  his  office  on  the  corner  of  Centre  and 
Michigan  Streets.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  trespass 
and  disputed  lines,  and  as  City  Engineer  devotes 
considerable  attention  to  sewerage  and  water  works 
while  he  is  also  engaged  to  a  certain  extent  in  rail- 
way engineering.  His  birthplace  was  in  that  beau- 
tiful valley  of  Norway  where  King  Guldbrand 
reigned  supreme  for  many  years  and  was  the  last 
of  all  the  Norwegian  Kings  to  surrender  to  Harold, 
the  Fair-haired,  when  he  conquered  Norway. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  Hans  and  Lena 
Blomshield,  were  worthy  people  of  Norway  and 
sincere  Christians,  identified  with  the  Lutheran 
Church.  The  father,  who  was  a  fanner,  died  in 
1879  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.     John  11.  was 


bom  December  20,  1856,  and  was  a  student  in  the 
district  school  until  he  was  fifteen,  when  for  three 
years  following  he  studied  under  private  teachers. 
He  then  entered  a  military  school  where  he  re- 
mained for  four  years,  graduating  in  1*7*.  He  after- 
ward began  the  practice  of  civil  engineering,  of 
which  he  had  made  a  special  study  while  in  school. 

Until  188(1  our  subject  was  employed  as  assistant 
engineer  of  the  Norwegian  Topographical  Associa- 
tion in  Christiana,  but  on  November  6th  of  that 
year  he  left  Norway,  taking  a  steamer  to  Hamburg 
and  spending  one  week  in  the  principal  cities  of 
Germany.  Taking  passage  at  Bremer  Haven  on  the 
steamer  "Oder"  he  landed  in  New  York  December 
:i,  from  which  place  he  proceeded  to  Bay  City.  He 
had  a  ticket  for  Chicago,  but  was  advised  l>\  some 
one  whom  he  met  in  Bremer  Haven  not  to  go  to 
thai  city,  but  to  locate  in  Northern  Wisconsin  or 
Michigan.  He  took  up  a  map  and  seeing  15a \ City 
marked  upon  it.  concluded  to  come  hither,  which 
he  did,  reai  aing  the  place  December  6,  1880. 

For  a  few  mouths  following  his  arrival  Mr. 
Blomshield  devoted  his  time  to  the  study  of  the 
English  language,  which  he  now  uses  fluently.  In 
the  spring  he  secured  employment  as  a  surveyor 
for  three  or  f our  months,  after  which  he  took  a  trip 
through  other  parts  of  the  State,  but  returned  to 
Bay  City,  satisfied  to  make  it  his  permanent  home. 
Foi-  two  year.-  he  was  in  the  employ  of  K.  S.  Van 
Liew,  after  which  he  commenced  in  business  for 
himself.  He  was  soon  elected  City  Engineer  which 
position  he  resigned  after  holding  it  three  years,  in 
order  that  he  might  devote  his  attention  exclusively 
to    his    railroad     practice.       In    April.   1891    he    was 

elected  City  Engineer  on  the  Democratic  ticket 
and  is  now  filling  the  position  with  commendable 
energy  and  sucee— . 

So  accurate  are  all  the  surveys  made  by  .Mr. 
Blomshield  that  they  arc  accepted  without  any 
changes  and  are  always  satisfactory.  He  has  had 
charge  of  many  important  and  responsible  surveys 
and  has  gained  the  reputation  of  being  painstaking 
and  reliable.  June  18.  1891,  he  was  appointed  by 
Gov.  Winans  local  stale  Drainage  Commissioner 
and  is  also  special  commissioner  for  the  extension 
of  the  Centre  Avenue  State  Road.  A  strong  Dem- 
ocrat in  his  political   belief,  he  has  served  as  dele- 


P  fRTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


1027 


gate  to  county  conventions  and  has  been  city  and 
ward  commissioner.  He  is  identified  witli  the 
Lutheran  Church,  and  is  (  hairman  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees. 

October  1.  1884,  Mr.  Blomshield  was  married  to 
Miss  Minnie  Carlson,  who  was  born  and  i  ared  in 
Sweden.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children: 
Hjalmar  I.,  and  Agnes  I...  and  their  position  in 
social  circles  is  the  highest. 


%  <m  »h  |  ft  t  1  p   *  I'  »  ha 


s-^  EORGE   BOARDM  \N.  who  is  al    the  head 
I  of  tin-   Saginaw  Conservatory  of    Music,  is 

V A    a  resident    of    Saginaw  and    was   born    in 

Sheffield,  Yorkshire,  England,  June  9,  1859.  His 
parents  wer<  George  and  Emma  (Hunter)  Board- 
man.  The  father  was  the  second  son  of  Charles 
Boardman  and  was  a  silk  manufacturer.  He  died 
in   1876  in  his  fiftieth  yen. 

Our  subject  is  the  seventh  of  eleven  children, 
all  of  whom  are  still  living.  George  attended 
school  in  Yorkshire,  England,  and  later  in  Lon- 
don. He  started  out  for  himself  and  spent  several 
years  working  in  shops.  On  the.  25th  of  February, 
1882,  In  sailed  [or  the  United  States  and  landed  at 
New  York  <  ity.  He  then  journeyed  to  Boston 
where  lif  entered  the  employ  of  George  Checker- 
ing, the  great  piano  manufacturer,  as  concerl  pian- 
ist, having  acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  music 
before  leaving  London.  He  remained  with  Chick- 
ering  a  few  months  and  was  then  employed  bythe 
New  England  Conservatory  of  Music  as  mus- 
ical director  and  was  senl  by  the  company  to 
St.  Clair.  Mich.,  taking  charge  of  the  school  at 
that  place  until  1884  and  remaining  one  year, 
lie  then  went  to  Port  Huron  where  he  established 

a  conservator}   Of  music  and     remained  there  three 

years.  In  1887  he  ca to  this  place  and  estab- 
lished the  Saginaw  Conservatory  of  Music  on  the 
Wes1  Side  in  what  is    known    a~    the    Boardman 's 

(  -ei  i  Hall.    To  this  hegives  his  whole  timeand 

attention  and  in  the  pas)  four  years  he  has  had  o\  er 
six  hundred  students.  He  is  the  author  and  com- 
poser of  several  popular  songs,  ballads  and  waltzes, 
among  which  is  the  popularsong"  Marguerite." 


Mr.  Boardman  was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  J.  Jenk- 
cuson  of  England,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  four 

children.     Their  line  and  comfortable    residence  is 
located  a1  No.  615  South  Jefferson  Street. 


\k¥& 


e_ 


f 


<>IIN  A.  FLAJOLE  is  proprietor  of  the 
extensive  boiler  works  in  Bay  City  and  do- 
ingan  immense  business.  He  was  born  in 
La  Crosse,  Wis.,  June  11.  1863,  and  is  the 
son  of  John  Flajole.  who  was  liorn  in  Montreal, 
(  .iiiMd.i.  The  father  was  left  an  orphan  when  an 
infant  and  spent  the  first  fourteen  yearsof  his  life 
in  Montreal.  He  then  came  to  United  States  and 
in  New  York  went  to  work  in  the  Syracuse  Salt 
Works.  Later  he  went  to  Troy  and  was  engaged 
as  driver  on  the  canal. 

Our  subject's  father  learned  the  trade  of  a 
blacksmith  and  after  coming  Wesl  acted  as  pilot  on 
raftsand  steamboats  on  the  Mississippi  River.  He 
made  his  home  in  La  Crosse.  Wis.,  where  he  was 
married,  lie  came  to  Lay  City  May  2."),  1866, and 
began  working  at  his  trade  of  a  blacksmith.  He 
later  learned  the  boilermakcr's  trade,  being  in  the 
employ  of  One  man  for  fifteen  years.  At  that 
time  oursubjeel  became  interested  in  the  National 
Boiler  Works,  but  is  now  the  proprietor  of  the 
Marine  Boiler  Works.  The  Elder  Mr.  Flajole  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics  and  a  Catholic  in  religion.  His 
father,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  horn  in 
France  and  died  after  coming  to  Montreal.  Can- 
ada. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  Mas  known  in  her 
maidenhood  a-  Ellen  Guertin  and  was  horn  in 
Burlington,  Vt.  she  was  the  daughter  of  David 
Guertin,  who  was  born  in  France  and  came  to 
Vermonl  where  he  passed  bis  last  days.  His  wife 
and  family  then  moved  to  La  Crosse,  Wis.,  going 
overland  with  ox-teams  and  locating  in  Sugar 
i  reek,  Bostwick's  Valley.  The  mother  of  our 
subjeel  was  bul  five  years  of  age  al  that  time.  Two 
of  her  brothers  were  members  of  a  Wisconsin  reg- 
iment during  the  late  war.  Samuel  was  wounded 
at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  Francis   G.,  after  the    war 

was  appointed     as     cadet     at     Annapolis.     Md..    liy 


1028 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Washburn.  He  was  in  the  navy  from  18G5  until 
1888  and  when  resigning  located  in  Alaska,  where 
lie  is  a  general  men  haul. 

The  parents  <>f  our  subject  are  respectively 
fifty- five  and  forty-five  years  of  age  and  became 
the  parents  of  a  large  family  of  fifteen  children, 
eleven  of  whom  are  yet  living,  and  of  whom  our 
subject  is  the  eldest.  John  A.  Flajole  was  reared 
in  Day  City  from  llie  age  of  two  years  and  was 
given  a  common  and  High  School  education.  At 
the  early  age  of  thirteen  he  went  to  work  during 
the  summer  on  a  farm  and  the  two  years  following 
clerked  in  a  grocery  store.  He  then  apprenticed 
himself  to  learn  the  boiler  maker's  trade  under 
John  McKennon,  and  was  so  employed  for  four 
years. 

In  liss'.l  our  subject  made  a  tour  through  the 
Southern  state-,  looking  for  a  good  location  for  his 
business  in  cither  Kentucky,  Louisiana,  Georgia, 
Mississippi,  Texas  or  Tennessee,  lie  also  visited 
Minnesota,  Iowa,  Wisconsin  and  New  York.  He 
concluded  however,  to  make  his  permanent  abid- 
ing place  in  Bay  City  and  returning,  engaged  in 
jobbing  until  the  spring  of  1891  when  he  built  the 
Marine  Boiler  Works,  which  are  located  on  the 
corner  of  Second  and  Saginaw  Streets,  lie  manu- 
factures all  kind-  of  boilers  and  will  manufacture 
the  improved  steam  heating  aparatus  in  the  near 
future. 

Mr.  Flajole  was  married  in  Bay  City  October  20, 
1891,  to  Miss  Emma  M.  Francis,  who  was  bora  in 
Marine  City  and  is  the  daughter  of  Capt.  <  ■. 
Francis.  Our  subject  i-  a  well-educated  gentle- 
man, speaking  both  the  French  and  the  English 
languages.  With  his  wife  he  is  a  member  of  St. 
James  Catholic  Church  and  in  politics  is  a  Demo- 
crat. 


SAHEL  C.  BRADDOCK,  who  is  one  of  two 
only  surviving  representatives  of  the 
Braddock    family,   which    was  among  the 

(j./  early    pioneers   of    Bay   City,    in    the   '50s, 

has  done  much  for  the  welfare  of  this  city  and  is 
now  Deputy  Salt  Inspector  for  Bay  County.  He 
was  born  in  Essex,  Conn.,  July,   1818,  and  his  fa- 


ther, Henry  Braddock,  was  a  native  of  Norwich, 
the  same  State,  and  died  in  his  native  State. 

The  Braddocks  are  of  English  descent,  and  the 
father  of  our  subject  was  a  sail  manufacturer  and 
located  in  the  old  town  of  Saybrook,  which  is  now 
Essex,  in  Connecticut.  In  th;  days  when  the 
British  burned  the  vessels  at  that  port  the  sails 
were  saved  and  secreted  in  his  house.  He  reached 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight  years,  as  did  also 
his  wile,  whose  maiden  name  was  Eunice  Tucker. 
Her  father  was  a  ship  carpenter  and  the  son  of  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,  and  the  Tucker  family  were 
early  settlers  of  Connecticut  and  of  English  origin. 
llem\  Braddock  was  an  Episcopalian  in  his  early 
days,  but  later  both  he  and  his  wife  were  members 
of  the  Baptist  Church. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  had  six  sons  and  one 
daughter:  Mary  A.  and  William  F.  died  in  Con- 
necticut: II.  I).,  who  followed  his  father's  business, 
came  to  Bay  City  about  1K.">7;  his  son.  II.  A.. 
came  with  him  and  engaged  in  business  with  his 
father  and  established  a  sawmill  and  built  the  brig 
"Bay  City"  and  the  schooner  "Essex",  both  of 
which  he  operated  on  the  lakes.  He  was  the  first 
Postmaster  of  Portsmouth,  and  was  an  active  citi- 
zen, but  before  his  death  returned  to  Essex.  His 
son.  II.  A.  Braddock  was  County  Clerk  of  Bay 
County  for  some  eight  years. 

Through  the  influence  of  II.  D.  and  J.  M.  Brad- 
dock the  First  Baptist  Church  was  organized  here, 
and  of  its  original  fourteen  members,  seven  were 
Braddock-.  Jesse  N.  Braddock  was  a  sail  manu- 
facturer and   sea  captain  for  many  years,  and  in 

1859  ci to  Bay  City,  and  joined  with  his  brother, 

II.  I).,  in  the  lumber  business  and  died  here  in 
1863;  John  M.  who  was  a  sail  maker,  removed  in 
1842  to  lie  Kalb  County,  111.,  where  he  farmed 
until  he  became  a  Baptist  missionary,  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  days  in  the  Prairie  State; 
Edward  E.  was  a  sail  manufacturer,  but  has  now 
retired  from  business  and  lives  at  the  age  of  eighty 
in  Denver.  Colo.,  and  is  the  only  brother  now  liv- 
ing except  our  subject. 

Asahel  C.  Braddock  received  in  Essex  a  common 
ami  High  School  education,  and  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen learned  the  sail-making  trade,  in  which  he 
continued  until  he  was  forty-two  years  old,  with 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1029 


the  exception  of  two  years.  During  1838  and  1839 
he  went  to  sea  to  complete  his  apprenticeship  as  a 
sail  manufacturer,  being  a  sailor  before  the  mast. 
In  1842  he  began  the  business  of  manufacturing 
sails  and  rigging  in  Esses  and  continued  there 
until  1861,  when  he  sold  oul  to  his  brother,  VV.  P., 
and  came  to  Ray  City,  where  he  entered  upon  the 
manufacture  of  salt.  He  had  been  herein  I860,and 
after  picking  out  a  location  returned  East,  and  in 
New  York  City  organized  a  company  under  the 
name  of  the  New  York  Salt  Works,  of  which  he 
became  Superintendent.  In  18(11  he  bored  a  well 
and  put  up  two  salt  kettle  blocks  and  built  up  an 
excellent  business,  manufacturing  from  eighty  to 
two  hundred  barrels  per  day.  He  spent  much 
money  in  bringing  the  salt  business  to  its  present 
prosperous  condition,  and  continued  for  fifteen 
years  in  the  management  of  these  works.  In  1876 
he  suspended  operations  and  the  company  was  dis- 
solved. 

The  manufacture  of  oars  and  sculls  next  engaged 
Mr.  Braddock's  attention  and  for  four  years  he 
carried  on  this  business  here  until  lumber  became 
too  scarce  to  allow  of  large  profits,  after  which  he 
went  to  Breckenridge,  Gratiot  County,  where  he 
undertook  the  same  business  for  a  short  time,  when 
his  mill  was  destroyed  by  fire.  After  this  he  en- 
gaged in  buying  pine  and  hardwood  lumber  and 
now  spends  his  winters  in  Femandino,  Fla..  where 
he  is  engaged  in  fishing  operations,  while  during 
the  summer  he  acts  as  Salt  [nspector  of  this  county, 
to  which  office  he  was  oppointed  in  1885. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Essex,  in  1840,  to 
Miss  Eliza  . I.  Tucker,  who  was  born  there  December 
24,  1818,  and  their  three  children  are:  Nile-  A.,  a 
lumberman  of  Manistee;  Newton  A.,  a  machinist 
at  Indianapolis;  and  Oscar  L.,  who  is  a  pharmacist 
in  Pasadena,  Cal.  One  little  son,  S.  I...  died  at  the 
age  of  two  and  one-half  years.  Mrs.  Braddock  is  a 
daughter  of  Capt.  Noah  Tucker,  who  was  engaged 
in  the  coasting  trade,  and  whose  father,  Philip 
Tucker,  was  a  Revolutionary  hero. 

Mr.  Braddock  has  been  a  member  both  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen  and  the  Board  of  Education, 
and  was  at  one  time  Supervisor  of  Portsmouth. 
"since  1846,  he  has  been  a  member  of  tin'  Masonic 
Order,  and    a    charter  member   of    the    Portsmouth 


Lodge.  In  the  Baptist  Church  he  has  been  both 
Trustee  and  Deacon  for  many  \  cars,  and  for  eight- 
een vears  has  superintended  their  Sunday-school. 
His  Democratic    tendencies   are  strong,    and  he  has 

been  a  delegate  to  county  and  stale  conventions 
of  that  party.  Every  movement  looking  toward 
the  welfare  and  progress  of  Bay  City  ha-  been  ever 

deal'  to  liis  heart,  and  of  each  of  such  efforts  he 
has  been  an  active  promoter. 


■&T 


HARLES  G.  FISCHER,  a  successful  farmer 
of  liay  County,  and  the  owner  and  occupant 
of  a  line  estate  on  section  11.  Monitor 
Township,  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  in 
1836.  He  passed  his  youthful  days  in  his  native 
land,  whence  at  tin'  age  of  twenty-three  years  he 
emigrated  to  the  country.  For  about  six  months 
he  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo,  and  from 
three  proceeded  to  Cincinnati  in  the  fall  of  1859, 
working  in  that  city  until  the  following  spring. 
He  then  went  on  the  river  in  the  capacity  of  lire- 
man  on  a  boat,  but  when  the  war  broke  out.  re- 
turned to  Buffalo,  where  he  winked  in  a  brewery. 
In  18(11.  Mr.  Fischer  enlisted  in  Company  B, 
Forty-ninth  New  York  Infantry,  which  became  a 
part  of  the  Army  of  -the  Potomac.  He  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Antietam,  where  he  was  severely 
wounded;  also  in  the  engagements  at  Williams- 
burg, South  Mountain,  Fair  Oaks,  Chickamauga, 
the  second  battle  of  Bull  Pun  and  the  Maryland 
campaign.  He  was  mustered  out  March  31,  1863 
as  Sergeant,  and  returned  to  Buffalo,  from  which 
place  he  came  to  Pay  City.  May  1.  1864.  For  two 
years  he  was  employed  on  the  docks  and  during 
the  ten  years  following  engaged  in  the  lumber 
yards. 

On  visiting  Monitor  Township  in  1877.  Mr. 
Fischer  purchased  the  farm,  where  he  now  lives.  It 
comprises  two  hundred  acres,  of  which  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  have  been  placed  under  good  cultiva- 
tion. He  cleared  the  land  and  embellished  it  with 
a  first-class  set  of  buildings,  electing  a  commodi- 
ous residence  in  1*77  and  building  the  necessary 
structures  for  the  accommodation   of  his  stock  and 


1030 


PORTRAIT  AXD  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


the  storage  of  grain.  As  a  genera]  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser  he  lias  met  with  more  than  ordinary  success 
and  occupies  a  place  among  the  most  prosperous 
farmers  of  the  community. 

During  a  furlough  from  the  army  in  1862,  Mr. 
Fisher  was  married  to  Annie  Steggle,  who  is  of 
German  parentage  and  came  to-  Bay  County  in 
1857.  They  are  the  parents  of  four  sons — Fred. 
Louis,  who  is  in  West  Bay  City;  Edward  and  Will- 
iam. 

Politically,  Mr.  Fisher  is  a  Democrat  and  for 
nine  years  served  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Supervisors.  He  was  also  Township  Clerk  four 
years  and  has  occupied  other  offices  of  local  im- 
portance. In  his  social  connections  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Order  of  Maccabees  and  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  having  held  all  the  offices 
in  regular  succession  in  the  last-named  organiza- 
tion. 


jjENJAMIN  FOX.  the    successful  wholesale 
&    oyster   dealer  of  Bay   City,  is  one  of  the 

I  |  really  enterprising  men  of  the  Saginaw 
Valley  and  does  the  largest  business  a-  a 
wholesaler  of  oysters,  game  and  ice  cream  of  any 
man  in  the  valley,  lie  was  limn  (in  the  Ft.  Gratiol 
road,  four  miles  out  of  Detroit, a  spol  now  included 
within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city.  February 
15,  1838.  and  lived  on  that  place  until  he  readied 
the  age  of  eighteen.  His  father,  Henry  Fox,  was 
a  native  of  London,  England,  and  his  grandfather, 
Alsa  Fox,  wasa  brick  manufacturer  there  who  never 
left  his  native  home. 

The  father  of  our  subjeel  came  to  America  at 
the  age  of  twenty-rive  and  wasmarried  in  Toronto, 
after  which  lie  came  to  Detroit  and  established  the 
Fox  brickyard,  lie  did  an  extensive  business  and 
became  wealthy  and  later  returned  to  Canada, 
where  he  carried  on  a  brick  business  in  Chatham. 
He  was  a  power  in  Detroit,  and  is  well  remembered 
by  the  men  of  his  day.  Three  years  previous  to 
his  death,  which  took  place  m  1871,  he  came  to 
l',:i\  City,  and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
days.     He  was  a  member  of  the    Episcopal  Church 


and  in    his  political    views   was   first  a  Whig,  and 
afterward  a  Republican. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Ann,  daughter  of 
William  Langham,  a  former  resilient  of  Toronto. 
She  was  born  in  Leicestershire. England,  and  died  in 
l!a\  (  it  \ .  Four  of  her  six  children  are  still  living. 
Our  subject  had  his  early  training  in  Detroit,  and 
attended  lirst  the  log  sehoolhouse  and  later  the 
more  progressive  district  schools.  From  his  boy- 
hood up  he  understood  the  brick  business  and  went 
ti  (  anada  with  hi-  father,  becoming  a  partner  in 
iln  i  oncern  and  continuing  thus  until  he  reached 
the  age  (>r  twenty-six.  The  lady  to  whom  he 
was  united  in  Chatham,  Canada,  was  .Miss  Emily 
/e  of  Kent,  England.  After  marriage 
they  came  In  Lay  City,  in  1864,  and  our  subjeel 
line  engaged  in  the  manufacture  (if  brick  on  the 
Tittabawassee  River  for  some  two  years,  being  lo- 
cated  above  Saginaw. 

In  1856  Mr.  Fox  located  his  brick  works  on  the 
Midland  road,  six  miles  Out  of  Lay  City,  and  he 
also  farmed  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land. 
He  carried  on  those  works  for  three  year-  and 
made  the  first  brick  which  was  used  in  Lay  City. 
During  the  time  lie  was  operating  it  his  brick  yard 
was  the  largest  and  most  successful  in  this  part  of 
the  country, bul  in  1869  he  sold  his  yard  and  farm 
and  removed  to  the  city. 

Our  subject  was  made  Chief  of  Police  and  Mar- 
shal of  the  city,  and  held  that  position  for  two 
years,  and  later  had  another  term  of  one  year.  He 
then  entered  into  the  fish  and  poultry  business  in 
1  .n 7 7 .  and  soon  took  up  the  oyster  trade,  shipping 
them  from  tin-  coast  in  bulk  and  canning  them. 
lie  is  building  up  an  extensive  trade  and  goes  on 
the  road  securing  custom  in  various  directions. 
His  business  occupies  two  floors  and  he  makes  a 
-pei  ialiu  of  game. 

The  residence  of  Mr.  Fox  is  on  Center  Avenue. 
Hi-  seven  children  are:  Rose,  now  Mrs.  ( rordon,  of 
Wallaceburg,  Ontario;  Hattie,  who  is  at  home; 
.lames  A.,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  Business  Col- 
lege and  i-  now  with  hi-  father;  and  May.  Al-a. 
Emily  and  Orrin.  To  all  of  his  children  he  has 
given  the  best  school  advantages  to  be  had  in  the 
city.  He  was  Alderman  of  the  Eleventh  Ward 
for  one    year,  and  is    independent  in  politics.     He 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


1031 


belongs  to  the  orders  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  the  Mac- 
cabes,  the  United  Workmen  and  Order  of  the  Iron 
Hall.  Hi*  religious  belief  inclines  him  to  the 
Episcopal  Church,  which  is  the  church  of  his  fore- 
fathers. 


'       ~~sr=?r 

^EORGE  BOUCHARD,  Uderman  from  the 
Second  Ward  in  Wesl  Bay  City,  is  also 
foreman  in  the  ship  yards  of  F.  W. 
Wheeler.  He  is  a  native  of  Canada,  having  been 
born  in  Quebec,  October  17.  L853,  and  while  yet 
a  young  man  has  carved  <>ui  Cox  himself  a  name 
which  is  well  known  throughout  this  section,  as  an 
intelligent  and  upright  gentleman  and  a  thorough 
business  man. 

Peter  Bouchard,  the  lather  of  our  subject,  was 
of  French  descent.  He  was  a  ship  carpenter. 
building  and  finishing  the  cabins,  lie  came  to 
West  Bay  City,  whereat  the  age  of  seventy-five 
years  he  is  living  retired  from  active  work  of  any 
kind  and  fully  enjoying  the  rest  which  his  busy 
and  industrious  life  so  well  merits.  His  wife,  the 
mother  of  George,  was  Adelaide  Allard,  a  native 
of  Quebec,  Canada,  where  she  died  in  1857,  when 
our  subject  was  a  lad  of  four  years.  Of  her  union 
with  Mi-.  Bouchard  a  large  family  were  born — thir- 
teen in  Dumber — only  live  of  whom  lived  to  ma- 
ture years  and  all  <if  whom  are  living. 

George  Bouchard  was  the  youngesl  of  the  par- 
ental household  and  remained  in  Quebec  until  six- 
teen  years  old,  receiving  a  thorough  eduaction  in 
the  Fiench  schools  of  that  locality.  He  then  be- 
gan work  witli  his  father  as  a,  ship  carpenter  and 
when  quite  young  came  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
remained  for  six  months  and  then  returned  to 
Ottawa,  Canada,  where  he  was'engaged  in  different 
lines  of  work  until  October.  1*77.  the  date  of  his 
coming  to  Wesl  Bay  City.  Upon  locating  here 
he  engaged  the  Mist  winter  in  the  lumber  camps 
and  returning  to  the  city  was  employed  as  a  ship 
carpenter  and  is  at  present  foreman  in  the  Wheeler 
Ship  Yards.  He  superintended  the  repairing  of 
the  steamer    --Metropolis"  in     1890-93   and  also  the 

rebuilding  of  the   "Lora"   the  next  year.     During 


summer  seasons  when  work  was  scarce  in  the  yards 
he  took  contracts  and  built  houses,  many  of  the 
pleasant  residences  in  the  city  being  the  work  of 
his  hands. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Ottawa  City,  in 
1874,  to  Miss  Kate  McGregory,  a  native  of  that 
city,  whose  birth  occurred  in  1848.  Their  union 
has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  four  children,  who 
bear  the  names  of  George,  Albert,  Louisa  and  an 
infant  not  yet  named.  In  1890,  Mr.  Bouchard  was 
elected  on  the  Democratic  ticket  as  Alderman  of 
the  Second  Ward  and  is  serving  his  constituents 
in  a  most  satisfactory  manner.  Since  being  a 
member  of  the  Council  he  has  been  on  the  Com- 
mittee on  Water  Works  and  Chairman,  of  the.Com- 
mittee  on  Streets  and  Sidewalks.  Socially  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 
and  religiously  is  connected  with  St.  Mary's  Catho- 
lic Church.  His  residence  is  at  the  corner  of  Hart 
and  Walnut  Streets,  where  he  has  been  located  for 
two  years. 


i — j  I!  \NK  II-  SHE  \KER.    The  sparkle  of  prec- 


tf  ious  metals  and  the  glitter  of  jewels  proves 
every  man  and  woman  to  be  a  child,  inso- 
much as  they  are  fascinated  by  the  gleam  and  glit- 
ter. One  of  the  most  attractive  windows  on  Centre 
Avenue  is  that  which  is  filled  with  the  jeweler's 
work,  and  which  belongs  to  the  firm  of  F.  II.  Shearer 
A-  Co..  of  Bay  City.  It  is  located  at  No.  205  Center 
Avenue,  and  admirably  placed  to  invite  the  at- 
tention of  purchasers.  Our  subject  is  a  native  of 
Bay  City,  having  been  born  here  March  13,  1868. 
He  is  a  son  of  George  II.  and  Laura  (Ilerbut) 
Shearer,  of  whom  a  more  extended  biographical 
sketch  may  be  found  in  another  portion  of  this 
book. 

The  young  man  received  his  education  in  this 
city  and  was  graduated  from  the  High  School  in 
1880.  After  that  he  devoted  himself  for  a  time 
learning  the  business  of  watchmaking  and  engrav- 
ing. After  having  become  proficient  in  these 
specialties,    he  established   himself  in   business   in 


1032 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


this  city  November  20,  1889,  at  the  same  place 
where  he  is  now  located.  His  stock  includes  the 
choicest  and  most  elegant  display  of  silverware, 
jewelry,  diamonds,  bric-a-brac  and  bronzes,  and  he 
has  by  far  the  finest  store  in  the  city  and,  indeed, 
in  Northern  Michigan. 

Commanding  the  best  trade  of  a  rich  country, 
it  is  necessary  that  our  subject  should  earn'  a  fine 
stock  of  goods,  and  he  has  constantly  on  hand  a 
stock  that  varies  in  value  from  $30,000  to  $50,000. 
Thus  far  he  has  done  a  very  successful  business, 
and  as  his  judgment  and  taste  are  perfect  in  his 
chosen  line  of  business,  he  cannot  but  continue  to 
grow  in  popularity.  He  has  much  business  abil- 
ity, and  although  still  a  young  man.  his  foresight 
and  acuteness  is  worthy  of  many  an  older  and 
more  experienced  business  man. 

Socially  Mr.  Shearer  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, being  a  member  of  Bay  City  Lodge.  No. 
129,  Blanchard  Chapter,  No.  59.  and  Bay  City 
Council,  No.  53,  R.  &  S.  M.  He  belongs  also  to 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  re- 
sides at  the  home  of  his  father,  No.  1101  Fifth 
Avenue. 


=^>*<*= 


w 


JOSEPH  TROMBLE.  The  name  and  mem- 
ory of  this  esteemed  pioneer  will  be  held  in 
fond  recollect  ion  as  Long  as  the  citizens  of 
West  Bay  City  shall  take  pride  in  it.- growth 
and  foster  its  leading  enterprise.  Mr.  Tromble 
was  one  of  the  very  first  settlers  who  located  per- 
manently in  Lower  Saginaw,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death  April  21.  1882.  lie  was  born  in 
1809  in  what  was  then  the  little  hamlet  of  Detroit 
and  as  school  advantages  were  meager,  his  educa- 
tion was  self-acquired,  entitling  him  to  the  honor 
of  the  title  "a  self-made  man." 

"While  still  very  young  Mr.  Tromble  went  out 
among  the  Indians  as  a  trader,  soon  acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  the  Indian  language  and  also  gain- 
ing the  confidence  of  the  red  men.  One  time  when 
he  went  to  Detroit  he  found  among  the  Indians 
assembled  two  chiefs,  with  whom  the  whites  were 
trying  to  negotiate   for   some  land  and  who  were 


crying  at  the  time  of  his  arrival.  Upon  seeing 
him,  however,  they  immediately  became  cheerful, 
for  they  relied  upon  him  to  advise  them  as  to  what 
was  right. 

When  Mr.  Tromble  firstcame  to  Saginaw  Valley 
in  1K2K  the  primeval  forests  had  remained  un- 
touched by  the  axe  of  the  advancing  civilization 
and  Indians  were  numerousas  well  as  wild  animals. 
Mr.  Tromble  was  in  the  employ  of  the  American 
Fur  Company,  buying  and  trading  in  furs  through 
Northern  Michigan  making  his  journeys  on  foot 
through  the  wilderness  with  furs  packed  on  his  back. 
During  the  early  part  of  his  connection  with  the 
company  he  bought  some  land  in  what  is  now  Bay 
City,  and  in  July.  ls:'>.">.  settled  upon  the  place. 

About  the  same  time  Mi-.  Tromble  purchased 
some  goods  in  Detroit,  which  were  shipped  on  the 
old ''Savage"  to  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and  about 
the  same  time  his  brother  brought  some  stock  from 
the  same  city.  The  brothers  built  a  log  store. 
24x30, and  engaged  in  trading  with  the  Indian-. 
In  1837  they  erected  the  first  frame  building  in  the 
county,  known  firsl  a-  the  "Big  House"  and  later 
as  the  ■■(  cnier  House"  and  located  near  the  corner 
of  Water  and  Twenty-fourth  Streets,  where  it  still 
stands. 

About  1847  Mr.  Tromble  purchased  a  tract  com- 
prising two  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Bangor 
Township,  a  portion  of  which  N  now  the  First  and 
Second  Ward-  of  We-t  Hay  City.  A  good  hunter 
and  trapper,  he  made  considerable  money  in  that 
way.  and  in  connection  with  farming  also  had 
the  first  -tore  in  what  is  now  West  Bay  City.  Some 
years  after  locating  here  he  platted  the  village  of 
Bangor,  which  he  named  after  the  township.  It 
has  later  received  the  name  of  Banks  from  the 
post-office  established  here.  Subsequently  he  laid 
out  Joseph  Tromble's  second  addition  to  Bangor 
or  We-t   Hay  City. 

Mr.  Tromble  improved  about  two  thousand 
acres  along  the  river  and  in  1*72  erected  the  large 
brick  residence  which  stand-  on  the  corner  of  Sophia 
and  Washington  Streets,  and  is  now  the  home  of 
hi-  son  David.  He  was  married  in  Detroit  to  Miss 
Sophia,  daughter  of  Eustace  Chapaton,  an  early 
settler  of  Detroit.  Mrs.  Tromble  died  in  1S7:l  at 
the  age  of  sixty-six  years.     Of  their  nine  children 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1033 


five  grew  to  maturity,  as  follows:  Joseph  M..  James 
M.,  Adeline,  (Mrs.  Beebe)  Theodore  and  David, 
all  of  whom  are  represented  elsewhere  in  tliis  vol- 
ume. 

Although  by  no  means  an  office  seeker,  Mr. 
Tromble  was  a  strong  Republican  and  religiously 
was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church.  The  Tromble 
family  is  undoubtedly  the  besl  known  of  any  in 
the  county  and  its  members  are  universally  es- 
teemed for  their  labors  in  the  development  of 
the  community. 


*^#J 


m- 


H 


/p^EORGE  K.  HAMMOND,  the  present  popii. 
iff  (=•  la r  and  efficient    Treasurer   of    Birch    Run 

N^JAI  Township,  whose  pleasant  home  is  situated 
On  section  2.  Saginaw  County,  is  a  native  son  of 
this  county,  and  was  liom  January  29,  1859.  His 
parents, Erastas  and  Clementine  (Allen  )  Hammond, 
are  natives  of  New  York.  The  father  who  is  now 
deceased,  brought  his  family  to  Michigan  in  1852 
and  that  time  settled  in  Birch  Run  Township. 
They  settled  right  down  in  the  woods  in  a  log 
shanty  and  later  built  a  better  edifice  of  the  same 
material  and  with  cheerfulness  and  courage  en- 
dured the  hardships  and  the  laborious  life  of  pio- 
neers. The  father's  death  occurred  July  12,  1887. 
and  the  mother  makes  her  home  with  our  subject. 
The  brothers  and  sisters  of  our  subject  are  Mary, 
wise  of  Charles  Bowns;  Clarissa.  Mrs.  Russell 
Bowns;  Caroline,  who  married  William  Baker; 
Charles  and  Lillie,  wife  of  Frank  Dean.  The 
father  was  a  public  spirited  and  enterprising  citi- 
zen and  a  Democrat  in  his  political  views.  1 1  is 
widow,  who  is  considered  in  the  light  of  a  repres- 
entative pioneer  woman,  is  enjoying  excellent 
health  and  activity  although  now  past  her  three- 
score and  ten  years. 

The  education,  which  was  given  to  our  subject 
in  his  boyhood,  was  such  as  could  be  secured  in  the 
common  schools  of  the  township.  His  firsl  mar- 
riage took  place,  August  22,  187*  and  he  was  then 
united  with  Susan  Rundlet.  After  her  death  he 
took  to  wife  Mary  E.  Servis,  who  became  the  mo- 
ther of  one  son,  Richard. 


Mr.  Hammond  is  now  serving  his  third  term  as 
Treasurer  of  the  township  and  his  re-election 
proved  Ihe  confidence    with   which  he  is  regarded 

by  the  community.  His  politiciai  affiliations  are 
with  the  Democratic  party  but  he  is  heartily  en- 
dorsed by  many  of  other  parties.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and  stands  high  m 
that  order.  His  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-six  acres  is  in  an  excellent  condition  and 
its  thrift  and  productiveness  attest  his  abilities  and 
thoroughness  as  a  farmer. 

Frederick  Servis,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Hammond, 
who  resides  on  section  12.  Birch  Run  Township, 
Saginaw  County,  is  a  native  of  New  York  and  was 
born  November  10,  1k:).->.  lie  is  a  son  of  Frederick 
and  Charlotte  Servis  and  after  receiving  a  com- 
mon-school education  was  reared  to  manhood  in 
his  native  home.  In  the  r50s  he  came  to  Michi- 
gan and  settled  in  the  woods  among  the  Indians 
and  wild  animals  in  Birch  Run  Township.  He 
married  Charlotte  Hammond  by  whom  he  had  six 
children,  namely:  Frederick,  Mary,  wife  of  G.  E. 
Hammond;  Lansing  11..  Charles  W.,  Adelbert  and 
Bertha  B.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  in 
June,  1888.  The  political  sentiments  of  Mr.  Servis 
bring  him  into  co-operation  with  the  Republican 
party. 


NDREW  .1.  MILLER.  This  gentleman  is 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Miller  Bros.,  his 
partners  being  Albert  and  James  Miller. 
These  prominent  lumbermen  have  their 
nulls  located  on  what  is  known  as  the  Middle 
Ground  at  Twenty-third  Street,  and  an-  there  car- 
rying on  a  prosperous  business.  ()nr  subject  was 
born  in  what  is  now  Bluomtield  Township,  Oak- 
land County,  this  State.  July  .'!.  182(>.  and  is  a  son 
of  si la<  Miller,  a  native  of  Onondaga  County. 
X.  V..  who  came  with  his  father,  .lames,  and  the 
other  members  of  the  family  to  Detroit  in  1809. 
The  grandfather  died  in  181.").  and  the  family  re- 
mained at  the  new  home.  Silas  Miller  grew  to 
maturity  at  Detroit  and  Grosse  Point,  and  subse- 
quently came  to  St.  Clair,  and    there  married  Miss 


1034 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Agnes  McDonald,  she  came  to  this  country  from 
Glasgow,  Scotland,  in  1803, being  then  three  years 
old. 

Silas  Miller  had  three  farms  on  the  St.  Clair 
River,  and  i  ne  of  them  is  still  in  the  family  and 
is  under  the  management  of  our  subject's  brother, 
Ubert.  The  father  also  engaged  in  farming  in 
Oakland  County  for  some  three  years,  bul  his 
home  was  in  St.  Clair,  where  the  McDonalds  made 
their  home,  and  he  remained  with  his  father-in- 
law  until  the  death  of  that  parent,  when  lie  re- 
ceived from  him  the  farm  on  Strumlas  Island,  now 
owned  by  Don  Dickenson,  of  Detroit,  as  a  sub- 
urban hiime  and  stmk  farm.  Silas  Miller  lived 
upon  his  own  farm  on  the  St.  Clair  River  until 
his  death  in  1853,  and  his  good  wife  died  in  1873. 

Eight  of  the  nine  children  of  this  worthy  couple 
grew  to  maturity  and  one.  Silas,  died  at  the  age 
of  six  years.  James,  Vndvew  and  Alberl  live  in 
this  city;  Angus  is  now  deceased;  Eliza  is  the  wife 
of  Charles  Owen;  Nancy  married  John  Webber; 
Abram.is  not  married.  Our  subjecl  received  his 
education  at  St.  Clair  and  Algonac,  St.  Clair 
County,  and  then  entered  the  employ  of  lumber- 
men until  the  lumber  was  all  gone  in  that  region. 

In  1863  Andrew  Miller  came  to  Bay  City  to 
make  his  permanent  residence  lure,  although  he 
had  visited  it  some  eleven  years  previous,  at  which 
time  he  could  have  bought  the  finest  logs  in  the 
creek  at  s'">  a  thousand.  He  built  a  mill,  of  which 
he  became  the  manager,  and  the  business  was  car- 
ried on  under  the  linn  name  of  Buroson  a-  Miller, 
the  firm  consisting  of  Albert  Miller  and  David 
Buroson.  The  latter  was  bought  out  by  our  sul>- 
jeet  after  two  years,  and  the  brothers  put  in  a 
gang  and  improved  the  mill  in  various  ways,  car- 
rying it  mi  until  1878,  when  they  sold  it.  In  1881 
the\  built  the  large  mill  on  the  Middle  Ground, 
and  put  in  gang  and  circular  saws  and  the  n 
sary  edgers,  lath  and  shingle  machinery',  thus 
making  it  a  [irst-class  mill  of  eighteen  million 
feet  per  year.  They  have  made  a  ureal  success  of 
this  business  as  they  have  devoted  themselves  in- 
cessantly to  building  it  up.  and  an-  thoroughly 
familiar  with  every  detail  of  the  business. 

Andrew  .1.  Miller  was  married  at  Detroit.  No- 
vember 11.  1854,  to  Jane,  daughter  of   Bobert  and 


Isabella  Smith.  She  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  April 
17,  1830,  and  when  a  small  child  went  to  Canada. 
The  parents  were  of  Scottish  birth  and  the  father 
while  in  Scotland  was  a  hanker,  hut  became  a 
tanner  afti  r  coming  here.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller 
have  been  horn  three  children — Silas.  Douglasand 
Jennie,  wife  of  George  L.  Dunning.  The  family 
attends  and  supports  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  of  which  Mrs.  Miller  is  a  member.  Their 
delightful  and  commodious  home  was  built  by 
them  in  1865,  and  it  is  located  at  the  corner  of 
Thirtieth  and  Taylor  Street-.  This  was  the  sec- 
ond handsome  residence  to  beerected  in  Bay  City, 
Albert  Miller's  being  the  first.  Our  subject  has 
taken  an  active  part  in  matters  of  municipal  inter- 
est, and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Water  Hoard  as 
well  as  being  placed  in  other  positions  of  trust 
and  responsibility. 


EORGE  TURNBULL.  Among  the  quiet, 
yet  successful  fanners  of  Tittabawassee 
Township.  Saginaw  County,  who  make  no 
stir  in  political  life  but  devote  themselves  with 
enterprise  and  industry  to  the  cultivation  of  their 
farms  and  to  the  prosperity  of  the  farming  com- 
munity we  may  numbei  Mr.  Turnbull.  lie  has 
eighty  acres  of  line  land  on  section  27.  and  forty 
Mi],- on  section  23.  lie  is  a  son  of  David  and 
Margaret  (Jeffrey)  Turnbull,  both  of  whom  were 
horn  in  Boxburyshire  Scotland,  where  their  sou. 
George,  also  first  saw  the  light  November  12,  1826. 
His  early  training  was  upon  a  farm,  hut  when  he 
was  only  ten  years  old  the  parents  left  their  native 
home  and  crossing  the  ocean  took  up  their  abode 
in  New  Brunswick  and  he  there  had  his  later  train- 
ing and  education,  remaining  with  his  father  until 
he  reached  the  age  or  twenty-two. 

Upon  leaving  home  this  young  man  went  to 
1  pper  Canada,  where  he  worked  for  three  years  at 
lumbering  and  teaming  and  in  the  fall  of  1850  he 
came  to  the  United  States  and  located  in  Saginaw 
County,  Mich.,  taking  employment  in  the  lumber 
i Is  with  a  Mr.  Drake.      During   that    period    he 


PORTRAIT   AMI  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


L035 


had  formed  the  acquaintance  of  the  estimable  lady 
who  later  became  hi<  wife.  Her  maiden  name  was 
Jane  Thomson,  and  her  parents,  like  his  own.  were 
natives  of  Scotland,  being  born  in  Perthshire, 
where  Mrs.  Turnbull  was  also  born,  March  17. 
1829,  about  ten  miles  from  Dundee.  When  she 
was  about  eight  years  old  her  parents,  John  and 
Jane  (Murray)  Thomson,  migrated  to  America, 
.•Hid  located  in  Saginaw  County,  making  their  set- 
tlement in  the  wilderness  on  Christmas  Day,  1837. 
The  Thomsons  traveled  from  Detroit  to  Saginaw 
County  by  the  aid  of  an  ox-team,  and  the  father 
hud  all  his  worldly  possessions,  including  his  wife 
and  I  wo  children — John  and  .lane  —on  the  carl 
which  rolled  over  those  rough  roads  behind  the 
slow  team.  Here  he  took  up  ninety-foui  aires  of 
Government  land  and  proceeded  to  clear  and  cul- 
tivate the  soil.  They  endured  greal  hardshipsand 
severe  privations  in    the    settlement    of    this    new 

country,  as  they  were  one  of  the  three  firsl  fami- 
lies iii  what  is  now  Tittabawassee  Township. 

Our  subject  and  his  worthj  wife  were  united  in 
marriage  September  8,  1852,  and  they  have  now 
passed  together  almost  forty  years  of  a  happy  and 
united  life.  Nine  children  have  blessed  their 
home,  namely:  David  S..  bom  November  3,  1853, 
and  now  married  to  Eva  Wilson:  John  Stewart. 
born  May  13,  1856,  and  now  united  in  marriage 
with  Annie  Buck;  George  W.,  who  was  born  May 
23,  1858,  and  took  to  wife  Mary  C.  Finnegan,  ami 
is  now  residing  in  Saginaw  City:  Susan  J.,  horn 
April  !».  I860,  now  Mrs.  David  T.  Arnold:  Almina 
L.,  born  April-".  1863,  who  married  Joseph  Med- 
calf  and  died  February  21,   1887;    Thomas,    horn 

Octobers,  1865,  who  resides  at   l e  and    assists 

his  father  in  conducting  the  farm:  Sarah  E.,  born 
September  23,  1867,  and  Theodore  II.,  born  De- 
cember 16,  1869,  both  making  their  home  with 
their  parents;  and  Annie  M..  born  November  8, 
1873,  who  died  November  I.  1878. 

The  forty  years  of  married  life  of  these  worthy 
parents  have  all  been  spent  upon  tin1  farm  where 
they  now  reside  and  in  this  neighborhood  they 
have  built  up  for  themselves  a  reputation  for  in- 
tegrity, genuine  neighborliness  and  true  Christian 
character  which  i>  worth  more  than  great  wealth. 
In  politic-  Mr.  Turnbull  is  a    Republican   but   eon- 


tent-  himself  with  the  discharge  of  his  duties  a-  a 
citizen  and  does  nol  aspire  to  office.  The  relig- 
ious sympathies  of  the  family  have  been  with  the 
Presbyterian  body  but  they  are  now  expecting  to 
connect  themselves  with  the  Congregational 
(  hureh. 


EORGE  A.  SCHAEFER.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  visit  our  large  cities  in  order  to  lind  ex- 
ample.- of  zeal  in  prosecution  of  business, 
faithful  performance  of  duty-,  or  honorable  conduct 
a-  a  citizen,  for  in  Frankenmuth,  Saginaw  County, 
are  many  who  answer  this  de  eription.  Our  sub- 
ject is  a  blacksmith,  residing  in  the  above-named 
village,  and  is  the  son  of  George  M.  Schaefer,  who 
was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  September  1.  1817. 
The  father  cime  to  America  in  1847,  and  after 
trying  his  fortunes  iii  various  places,  located  in 
Frankenmuth  in  1K.">2.  where  he  has  since   resided 

and  is  now  living  a  retired   life   his    sons    sin --- 

fully  carrying  on  his  business.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  was  Miss  Maggie  Hoffman,  also  a  native  of 
Bavaria.  For  a  fuller  history  of  the  parental  fam- 
ily the  reader  is  referred  to  the  sketch  of  George 
M.  Schaefer. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Frankenmuth,  May  1, 
1862,  where  ha  received  a  common -school  educa- 
tion, lie  learned  the  trade  which  he  i-  now  fol- 
lowing of  his  hrother  Charles,  who  was  residing  in 
Saginaw.  He  followed  that  occupation  for  three 
and  a  half  years,  when  he  came  to  Frankenmuth, 
where  he  ha-  -incc  remained  and  where  he  is  mak- 
ing a  success  of  hi-  c  tiling  a-  a  blacksmith. 

George  A.  Schaefer  was  married  in  Franken- 
muth, Ma\  Hi.  1885,  hi-  bride  being  Miss  Paulina 
Block.  They  have  become  the  parents  of  two 
children  —  Emma  and  Walter.  .Mr.  Schaefer  is  a 
thoroughly  honest  and  uprighl  man  and  his  esti- 
mable character  ha-  given  him  an  important  place 
among  the  civic  officials  of  his  township.  He  has 
represented  his  county  in  the  office  of  Constable, 
and  proved  himself  well  qualified  for  that  position 
by  the  able  way  in  which  he  discharged  the  duties 
of  his  office.     Politically  he  gives  his  vote  and  in- 


1036 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


fluence  in  behalf  of  the  Republican  party.  In  re- 
ligious matters  Mr.  Schaefer  is  an  attendant  at  the 
Lutheran  Church,  of  which  body  he  is  also  a  mem- 
ber. He  is  a  peaceable  and  law-abiding  citizen, 
intelligent  and  industrious  and  is  duly  respected 
by  those  by  whom  he  is  known. 


•^^1 


IhAu-M 


lfea= 


\F*= 


V  I1ARLKS  E.  JENNISON  is  one  of  the 
.  oldest  merchants  in  the  city,  being  the  sen- 
'  ior  member  of  the  hardware  firm  of  Jenni- 
son  &  Son,  besides  being  engaged  in  the  real  estate 
business.  He  was  born  in  Raton  Rouge,  La.,  July 
5,  1829,  and  his  father,  William  Jennison,  was  a 
native  of  Boston  and  a  merchant  of  New  York. 
The  grandfather,  William,  was  of  English  descent, 
and  belonged  to  an  old  New  England  family,  which 
was  founded  by  two  brothers,  Robert  and  William. 
who  came  together  from  England  on  the  ship  Ara- 
bella. The  grandfather  was  a  participant  in  the 
Revolutionary  War,  in  both  army  and  navy,  and 
was  wounded  at  Hunker  Hill.  He  was  a  literary 
man  who  compiled  a  number  of  educational 
works. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  who  is  a  member  of 
the  New  York  firm  of  Mackey, Oakley  &  Jennison, 
in  the  iron  business,  was  a  merchant  at  Danville, 
Pa.,  and  at  Baton  Rouge.  While  in  Pennsylvania 
he  operated  the  Monitor  Iron  Works,  and  after  re- 
tiring from  business  spent  the  last  five  years  of  his 
life  in  Philadelphia.  His  firm  started  in  Saginaw 
City  in  1837  as  a  speculation,  employing  Norman 
J.  Little  as  their  agent.  The  financial  crisis  of 
1837  put  a  stop  to  growth  here,  and  it  was  not  un- 
til 1843,  that  Saginaw  again  showed  signs  of  life. 
Tlie  father  was  a  Whig  in  his  political  views  and  a 
man  of  influence.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Maria  Antoinette  Fowler,  was  born  in  West 
Farms,  N.  Y.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  an  English 
officer.  She  died  in  Philadelphia  at  an  advanced 
age. 

Of  the  children  of  this  family,  Mary  is  deceased; 
William  was  Circuit  Judge  for  six  years  in  De- 
troit, and  is  now  an  attorney  there;  Henry 
W.  died  in  Bay  City;  Rev.  Joseph  F.  is  a  minister 


in  Baltimore;  Maria  A.,  is  the  widow  of  the  late 
Maj.-Gen.  David  B  Birney,  of  Philadelphia, 
and  resides  in  that  city;  and  J.  Morgan  lives 
at  Cape  May.  The  education  of  our  subject  was 
largely  received  in  the  Danville  High  School  and 
academy,  and  in  Dr.  Sheddon's  boarding  school  at 
Ewensficld.  Pa.  In  18."i(l  he  came  to  .Michigan 
when  Lower  Saginaw  was  then  only  a  few  shanties 
in  the  woods,  with  a  population  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-live  people,  and  he  here  entered  into 
partnership  with  James  Fraser  in  the  general  mer- 
chandise business.  The  firm  of  Jennison  A-  Fraser 
continued  for  eighteen  months,  when  our  subject 
bought  out  the  interestof  his  partner  and  ran  an 
independent  business  until  his  brother  came  West 
in  1854  and  joined  him  under  the  firm  name  of 
( '.  E.  Jennison  &  Bro.,  continuing  thus  for  ten 
years  until  the  death  of  Henry  W. 

In  1^71  the  brick  block  now  occupied  by  Mr. 
Jennison  A-  Son,  was  put  up  by  him  to  accommo- 
date his  extensive  hardware  business  which  he  had 
began  in  1865.  The  building  is  three  stores  and 
basement,  and  comprises  four  stories,  two  of  which 
are  used  for  hardware.  He  is  also  interested  with  Mr. 
Eastman  of  Saginaw,  in  the  barge  ■•Nirvana"  and 
the  steamer  "Wilhelm." 

Mr.  Jennison  married  Miss  Florence  Birney,  who 
was  a  daughter  of  James  G.  Birney,  the  first 
candidate  for  President  of  the  Liberty  party. 
This  distinguished  statesman  was  born  in  Danville, 
Ky.,  and  graduated  at  Princton  College  in  1810, 
and  after  studying  law  practiced  his  profession  at 
his  native  home,  and  afterward  at  Huntsville, Ala.. 
where  he  was  elected  Solicitor-General  of  the  State. 
In  1828  he  was  made  Presidential  Elector  of  the 
Whig  party  of  that  State  and  soon  after  this  had 
his  mind  awakened  to  the  enormities  of  human 
slavery;  and  after  manumitting  his  own  slaves  be- 
came one  of  the  foremost  advocates  of  human  free- 
dom. 

In  1840  James  G.  Birney  visited  England,  as 
one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  the  World's  Conven- 
tion and  in  May  of  that  year  was  nominated  for 
the  Presidency  of  the  United  States  by  the  Liberty 
parly  and  received  seven  thousand  votes.  His 
second  nomination  gave  him  sixty-two  thousand 
three   hundred    votes.      In    1841  he    removed    to 


PORTRAIT  AM     BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


103; 


Lower  Saginaw,  now  Bay  City,   and  there  resided 

for  many  years.     He  was  Trusti f  the   Saginaw 

Bay  Company,  and  was  pr Lnent  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  this  Valley,  where  his  son  .lames  became  a 
very  prominenl  man,  sewing  in  the  stale  Senate 
and  becoming Lieutenanl  Governor  of  the  stale. 
and  one  of  the  Circuil  Judges.  From  l*7(i  to 
1882,  he  was    United    States    Minister    to   Hague, 

Holland.      The  father   died  in   1K.~>7    at   Eagiew I. 

X.  .1..  and  the  son  passed  away  in  Hay  City  in 
1888. 

Six  children  have  blessed  the  home  of  our  sub- 
ject, namely:  Elizabeth,  who  is  Mrs.  F.  L, Gilbert; 
Charles  M.,  who  is  a  member  of  the  Medical  De- 
partment of  the  University  of  Michigan;  George 
If.,  who  is  a  commission  merchant  iii  Chicago; 
William  F.,  who  is  with  his  father  in  the  hardware 
business,  and  Secretary  of  the  Riverside  storage 
Company,  which  he  organized  in  1889;  Dudley, 
who  lives  in  Seattle,  Wash.;  and  Agatlia, who  at- 
tends school  in  Philadelphia.  To  all  of  these  the 
parents  have  given  excellent  advantages  in  every 
way,  and  they  have  ever  taken  an  active  interest 
in  educational  matters  and  all  public  movements. 
They  are  Episcopalians  and  arestanch  Republicans 
in  politics. 


_S< 


~=) 


-:H^P-= 


ENJAMIM  FRANKLIN  RAY.  Presidentof 
the  Bay  City  Iron  Co.,  and  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Water  Works,  is  a  very  prom- 


inent and  popular  man  in  the  city.  lie 
was  born  in  Bangor,  Me.,  and  is  the  son  of  Col. 
Matthew  Ray,  who  was  also  horn  in  the  Pine  Tree 
State.  He  wa  -  a  blacksmith  by  occupation,  and 
served  in  the  War  of  INI  2.  being  Colonel  of  the 
State  militia. 

The  maiden  name  of  the  mother  of  our  subject 
was  Harriet  Hinckley,  who  was  horn  in  Blue  Hill, 
Me.  'Mr.  Ray  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  while  his  wife  was  connected 
witli  the  Congregational.  In  politics  he  was  a 
Republican,  and  became  the  father  of  a  family  of 
eleven  children.  Benjamin  Franklin  Ray  was 
born  .January  ):">,  1833,  and  was  reared  in    Penob- 


scot, where  he  received  a  common  school  educa- 
tion. He  made  a  survey  of  the  Atlantic  coast 
when  a  boy  of  thirteen  or  fourteen.  He  was  appren- 
ticed for  three  years  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  ma- 
chinist. I Ie  later  engaged  as  engineer  in  a  saw- 
mill, and  continued  thus  occupied  until  July.  1865, 
when  he  came  to  Bay  City. 

.Mr.  Ray  ran  the  first  steam  fire  engine  in  Bay 
City,  and  in  1872,  when  the  waterworks  were  pul 
in.  assisted  greatly  in  the  ercctkn  of  the  ma- 
chinery. That  same  year  he  was  made  Chief 
Engineer  of  the  Fire  Department,  and  held  that 
responsible  position  for  eight  years.  In  1873  he 
became  a  partner  in  the  Bay  Citylron  Company,  and 
performed  his  duties  in  that  connection  at  the 
time  of  holding  the  above-named  position.  He 
has  been  President  of  the  company  since  joining 
it,  and  up  to  1883  was  Superintendent  of  the 
workshops.  They  manufacture  propeller  wheels 
and  machinery  for  steamboats,  etc.  The  firms  give 
employment  to  from  thirty-five  to  sixty  men,  and 
do  an  immense  business  in  their  line. 

The  original  of  this  sketch  was  married  in 
Bangor,  Me.,  in  1858,  to  Miss  Vesta  Burnett,  who 
was  born  in  Newport,  Me.  They  make  their  home 
in  the  Ninth  Ward,  at  No.  (5 HI  Madison  Avenue. 
He  is  now  serving  his  second  term  as  Water  Com- 
missioner. Socially,  he  is  a  Free  and  Accepted 
Mason,  and  a  Royal  Arch  Mason.  He  is  a  mem 
ber  of  the  National  Association  of  Fire  Engineers, 
and  in  politics  is  a  Democrat. 


V  ♦SES-i 


_y 


AVID  TROMBLEY  is  residing  in  West  Ba\ 
City  and  is  engaged  as  a  fisherman.  He  is 
the  son  of  Joseph  Trombley,one  of  the  early 
settlers  in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  whose  sketch  ap- 
pears elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Our  subject  was 
born  on  block  4,  of  Trombley's  Addition  to  West 
Ray  City,  or  Bangor,  February  29,  1848.  He  was 
reared  there  and  is  the  oldest  native-born  resident 
of  Banks,  or  the  First  Ward  of  West  Ba3'  City. 

Our  subject  in  early  boyhood  engaged  in  fishing 
with  his  father  and  brother  and  could  sail  a    boat, 


lO.'lS 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


swim.  etc..  with  the  best  of  them.  For  eight  or 
nine  years  lie  was  engaged  in  Ashing  in  the  sail- 
Imat  "Eagle"  with  |)i)nd  nets.  In  1873  Mr. 
Trombley  began  fishing  for  himself,  continuing 
thus  employed  until  1887  when  In-  disposed  of  his 
boats,  etc.,  to  his  brother  Joseph  M.  During  that 
time  he  had  used  about  three  miles  of  pond  nets. 
Since  L 887  he  has  been  engaged  in  fishing  in  the 
river  and  bay  with  small  sailboats. 

In  addition  to  the  above-named  occupation  our 
subject  is  interested  in  real  estate,  owning  ten 
houses  in  the  First  Ward,  lie  also  owns  n  farm  of 
twenty-five  acres  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the 
city  which  he  will  plat  next  summer.  Mr.  Trombley 
was  engaged  in  merchandise  l>usine-s  for  about 
four  years  in  \\'e>t  Bay  City  and  in  all  the  differ- 
ent occupations  in  winch  he  has  been  engaged  he 
has  been  successful. 

In  1873  our  subject  and  Miss  May.  daughter  of 
J.  R.  Pierce  of  Bay  City  wen  united  in  marriage. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  them:  Charles E. 
died  when  thirteen  years  of  age;  Ivy  M..  Nellie  I), 
and  David  \Y.  Mr.  Trombley  hasalways  refused  to 
serve  in  official  positions  until  accepting  the  office 
of  School  Director,  in  1890.  The  sahool  in  1891 
was  named  the  Tromblcv  School  in  honor  of  our 
subject.  Socially  he  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees  and  in  religious  matters  is  a  member  of 
St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church,  lie  casts  his  vote  with 
the  Republican  party  and  i^  greatly  respected  in 
bis  community. 


l — 7  HANK  ANTHONY  LINK.  This  enterpris- 
ers)} ing  farmer  devotes  his  attention  to  the 
1  cultivation    of    his     line  farm,    which  is  lo- 

cated on  section  16,  Monitor  Township.  Bay 
County.  He  was  born  in  Byrne,  Germany  in  1824, 
and  after  passing  his  youth  in  his  native  country, 
emigrated  to  the  United  states  in  Maw  1855.  He 
came  directly  West  to  Michigan,  settling  in  St. 
Clair  County,  where  he  remained  eight  years.  In 
ISM.  he  came  to  Bay  County  and  located  in  Kaw- 
kawlin  Township,  bul  two  years  later  came  to 
Monitor  Township  and  settled  on  one  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  school  land. 


In  1855,  Mr.  Link  was  married  to  Mrs.  Barbara 
Heart  and  they  are  the  parents  of  three  children. 
namely:  Caroline,  who  is  the  wife  of  L.  TrovOSt; 
Frank,  who  lives  on  the  old  homestead  and  oper- 
ates the  farm ;  Joseph,  who  also  remains  at  home. 
Our  subject  has  not  only  cleared  his  place  from  its 
primeval  surroundings  but  through  indefatigable 
labor,  has  brought  it  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
He  owns  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  on  section 
Hi  and  one  hundred  acres  on  section  15,  and  is 
interested  both  as  a  general  farmer  and  stock-raiser. 
His  commodious  residence  was  elected  under  his 
personal  supervision  about  1*77  and  other  build- 
ings have  been  added  as  they  seemed  necessary. 
He  has  made  a  specialty  of  drainage,  which  to  a 
great  extenl  accounts  for  his  success. 

In  his  religions  belief  Mr.  Link  is  a  member  of 
the  Catholic  (  'hurch  and  politically  casts  his  ballot 
for  the  principles  and  candidates  of  the  Republican 
party.  As  one  of  the  earliesl  settli  rs  of  the  town- 
ship, he  is  well  known  and  his  self-sacrificing 
efforts  for  the  advancements  of  the  interests  of  his 
fellow-citizens  have  won  lor  him  the  respect  of  all. 
When  he  came  here.  Indians  were  numerous  and 
were  the  best  friends  the  family  had  for  many 
years.  Wild  animals  also  were  plentiful  and  game 
abundant.  No  roads  had  been  opened,  and  to 
reach  his  land  Mr.  Link  found  it  necessary  to  open 
a  load  three-fourths  of  a  mile. 


3Sfe**++= 


'♦•j.*-:^ 


m 


1  OHN  W.  THOMPSON  is  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  successful  contractors  and  builders 
in  Bay  City.  He  is  very  progressive  and 
J  enterprising  and  is  rapidly  taking  the  lead 
in  his  line  of  work  in  this  locality.  He  was  born 
in  Westminster,  Canada,  near  New  London.  March 
21.  1846,  and  was  the  son  of  John  Thompson,  a 
native  of  Edinburg,  Scotland.  There  the  father 
was  reared  on  a  farm  and  when  thirty  years  of  age 
came  to  America,  and  locating  near  Westminster, 
Canada,  engaged  in  farming.  He  died  in  1855, 
firm  in  the  faith  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

The  maiden  name  of  our  subject's  mother  was 
Ellen  Muriloek.  who  was  horn  in  Scotland.  She 
now  makes  her  home  with  her  youngest  daughter 


PORTRAIT  AND   BlO<  i  RAPIIICAL  RECORD. 


K 13  ft 


in  Detroit  and  is  seventy-three  years  of  age.  John 
\Y.  lived  on  the  farm  in  Canada  until  1856  "hen 
he  came  to  < !  rosse  isle,  where  he  was  given  a  com- 
mon-school education.  In  1852  Mr.  Thompson 
enlisted  in  the  Union  army  as  a  teamster  and  was 
sent  South,  serving  until  Lee's  surrender.  lie  was 
discharged  at  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  as  a  part  of  the 
A  i  my  of  the  West . 

At  the  close  of  the  war, returning  to  G rosse  Isle, 
Mr.  Thompson  learned  the  trade  of  a  mason.  In 
1868  In-  came  to  I!a\  Citj  and  worked  at  that  bus- 
iness fur  a  number  of  years.  In  1879  he  went  to 
California  and  worked  at  his  trade  in  San  Fran- 
cisco for  a  twelvemonth,  and  returning  to  Michi- 
gan engaged  in  contracting  and  building  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Leighton,  the  firm  being  Leighton 
&  Thompson.  They  continued  thus  together  for 
live  yeais,  since  which  time  our  subject  has  oper- 
ated alone.  He  has  built  many  of  the  prominent 
business  houses  of  the  city,  and  also  some  of  the 
finest  residences  l < >  be  found  within  its  limits.  He 
is  engaged  in  real  estate  to  some  extent,  owning 
and  renting  about  ten  houses.  He  has  a  beautiful 
residence  which  hears  all  the  modem  comforts  and 
conveniences. 

.Miss  May,  daughter  of  Patrick  Carney,  became 
the  wife  of  our  subject,  their  marriage  being  cele- 
brated in  Hay  City.  Mrs.  Thompson  was  born  in 
England  and  by  her  marriage  with  our  subject  has 
become  the  mother  of  the  following-named  chil- 
dren: William,  who  died  in  1891,  aged  eighteen 
years,  Kate.  Nellie,  Walto,  Edward,  George  and 
Jessie.  He  of  whom  we  write  is  a  member  of  the 
Hay  City  Club  and  the  Kay  City  Bussiness  men's 
Association.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees  and  the  Catholic  Mutual  Benevolent 
Association,  lie  is  connected  with  the  St.  James 
Catholic  Church,  in  which  he  is  trustee  of  the 
building  committee.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican. 


eHADWICK  CURTIS.     Our  subject   is  a  na- 
tive of   Canada.      He    was    born  August   17. 
1843,  in  the  town  of  Lansdown,  County  of 
Leeds    and    Greenville,  Canada,     lie   is  a  sun    of 


William  and  Caroline  (Milks)  Curtis,  native-  of 
Vermont  and  Pennsylvania  respectively.  Our  sub- 
ject's paternal  grandsire,  David  Allen  Curtis,  who 
was  of  English    origin,   reared    four   sons,    whose 

names  are:  Clark.  Wi  Hard.  Lewis  and  William,  and 
three  daughters.  He  early  removed  to  Canada, 
where  he  was  oneof  the  first  settlers  in  the. locality 

which  he  chose  as  his  place  Of    residence. 

Our  subject's  father  was  a  farmer,  who  came  to 
Michigan  about  1*11*  and  settled,  on  Swan  Creek. 
where  he  entered  and  improved  fifty  acres  of  land. 

Iii  early  days  he  was  much  interested  in  the  lum- 
ber business.  He  afterward  went  to  Canada  and 
died  there  in  IKTli.  lie  was  a  devout  man  and  an 
able  worker  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
lie  was  the  father  of  five  children,  whose  names 
are:  Chad  wick,  Ti  heri  us  W..  Alvira.  Caroline  and 
Ruth  E.  Our  subject's  mother,  who  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  David  Milks,  still  survives. 

Chadwick Curtis  received  a  common-scl 1  edu 

cation.  On  reaching  his  majority,  like  many  of 
the  young  men  in  this  portion  of  the  country,  the 
quickest  road  to  fortune  seemed  to  him  to  he 
through  the  lumber  wood.-.  He  engaged  in  that 
business  in  Ontario  and  in  the  fall  of  1868  came 
to  Saginaw  and  at  once  commenced  work  in  the 
lumber  camps.  For  twenty-three  winter-  he  ,\  is 
employed  by  the  mouth  and  in  taking  contracts  for 
various  parties  in  the  lumber  woods.  In  1871  he 
purchased  forty  acres  of  laud  on  section  22,  lirant 
Township.  Latei  he  added  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  All  of  this  he  has  cleared  and  improved, 
but  from  if  he  has  presented  hi-  son  with  eighty 
acres. 

Outside  of  his  lumbering  interests  and  in  con- 
nection with  farming,  Mr.  Curtis  i-  particularly  in- 
terested in  breeding  thorough-bred  horses.,  Of 
leron  stock  he  has  "'Blue  Buil"  and  "Bonnj 
Scotland."  He  has  been  thus  interested  for  the 
pi-t  fifteen  year-,  being  the  first  to  introduce  the 
stock  into  the  community,  lie  takes  a  great  inter- 
est in  the  general  breeding  of  fine  stock  and  is  one 
of  the  be.-t  known  hoisemen  in  this  part  of  the 
county.  The  animals  to  lie  found  on  his  farm  are 
pre-eminently  of  the  highest  grade  of  stock  in  this 
region. 

Apiil  1.  1865.  our  subject    was  married   to  Miss 


1040 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Minerva,  a  (laughter  of  Alexander  and  Sarah  (Rob- 
inson) Sheldon.  They  are  the  parents  of  four 
children:  William;  Minnie,  Mrs.  Thomas  Sweeney; 
Sarah,  and  David  A.  While  our  subject  is  himself 
broad  in  his  religious  ideas,  he  greatly  respects  the 
various  denominations  and  especially  that  to  which 
his  wife  belongs,  whicli  is  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Farmers' Alliance. 
In  polities  he  is  a  Democrat. 


^AMES  FERDINAND  ADAMS.  This  pres- 
ent well-to-do  citizen  of  Saginaw, is  a  son 
of  Ephraim   Adams,  a   physician  who    was 

'if)  bora  in  Vermont  and  whose  parents  were 
natives  of  Massachusetts.  The  father  came  to 
Michigan  in  ]x2.'i  and  died  in  1871.  lie  practiced 
at  Monroe  for  fifty  years  and  was  one  of  the  early 
physicians  of  the  State.  His  good  wife  was  Mary 
Ann  Paddock  and  ten  of  her  thirteen  children 
grew  to  mature  years.  Of  these  three  sons  and  two 
daughters  are  living.  The  father  was'a  very  char- 
itable man  and  did  a  great  deal  to  help  the  poor 
and  unfortunate  along. 

Our  subject  had  his  birth  at  .Monroe.  Mich., 
April  5,  1836.  He  attended  the  common  schools 
and  began  to  teach  when  sixteen  and  after  four 
years  in  this  profession  only  taught  during  the 
winter  months,  working  on  the  farm  during  the 
summers.  The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  en- 
listed in  the  late  war  in  Company  F,  Fifteenth 
Michigan  Infantry  as  Second  Lieutenant  having 
assisted  in  organizing  the  company.  He  took  part 
in  many  prominent  engagements  and  received  a 
wound  at  the  battle  of  Corinth.  He  was  sent  home 
on  a  furlough  and  after  partially  regaining  his 
health,  joined  his  command  at  Grand  Junction  in 
the  spring  of  186.3.  Being  still  unfit  for  active  ser- 
vice he  decided  to  resign  his  command.  March  1. 
1863,  Mr.  Adams  returned  home  and  engaged  in 
running  an  hotel,  buying  the  old  Webster  House, 
lb-  acted  as  "mine  host"  for  six  months  and  later 
established  in  the  grocery  business  on  the  West 
Side.  He  continued  thus  employed  until  1*7(1. 
building  up  a  large  wholesale  and  retail  trade. 


In  1876  he  of  whom  we  write  was  elected  Sheriff 
on  the  Democratic  ticket,  and  his  term  expiring  he 
was  re-elected  to  that  responsible  position.  So  well 
did  he  fulfill  the  offices  of  public  trust  that  he  was 
appointed  on  the  Board  of  Water  Commissioners 
of  Saginaw  City.  He  instituted  many  improve- 
ments in  the  water  works  and  remained  a  member 
of  the  Board  until  engaging  in  business  on  the 
Easl  Side,  where  he  is  carrying  on  a  profitable 
business.  lie  has  a  pleasant  home  in  the  city  where 
he  is  held  in  high  esteem.  Mr.  Adams  was  a  mem- 
ber  of  the  East  Saginaw  Council  for  two  years  and 
appointed  Chief  of  Police  in  188*2,  serving  only 
about  six  months,  when  he  was  remembered  by  the 
force  by  being  presented  with  a  handsome  gold 
ring. 

November  1.  1855,  Mr.  Adams  was  married  in 
Monroe,  this  State  to  Miss  Susan  Caldwell.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Nancy  (  LaSalle) 
Caldwell,  the  father  being  a  Major  in  the  English 
army,  lie  was  a  very  wealthy  gentleman  and 
owned  about  three  thousand  acres  of  land  in  one 
body.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adams  are 
named  respectively:  .lames  A.,  Edwaid  F.  and 
Harry  G.  Socially  Mr.  Adams  is  a  Grand  Army 
man.  In  1889  he  was  made  Superintendent  of  the 
Saginaw  Union  Street  Railway  Company,  is  Vice- 
President  of  the  company  and  also  one  of  its  Di- 
rectors. 


~S) 


'JOHN  E.  HEATLFY  is  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Brigham.  Ames  A-  lleatley,  dealers 
in  real  estate  and  loans  and  also  perfectors 
^3/  of  abstracts,  having  their  place  of  business 
at  Xos.  302-307  Phoenix  Block,  Bay  City.  They 
have  a  perfct  title  of  history  and  record  of  files 
of  all  land  and  surveys  of  all  villages  and  city 
plats.  They  have  the  best  facilities  for  tracing 
and  perfecting  titles  through  deeds  of  any  abstract 
office  in  the  city  and  do  the  largest  business. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  County  Antrim,  Ire- 
land. August  17,  1854,  and  is  the  son  of  John  E. 
Heatley,  who  was  a  farmer  of  Scotch  descent.  The 
mother,  Margaret  Jenkins,  was  also  born  in  County 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


i  or  i 


Antrim.  They  were  Episcopalians  in  religion  and 
reared  ;i  family  of  seven  children,  of  whom  oui 
sabject  was  the  eldest.  He  wasgiven  an  excellent 
education,  entering  Trinity  College,  a(  Dublin, 
when  fifteen  years  of  age,  taking  a  four  years' 
course.  He  was  graduated  therefrom  with  the  de- 
gree Of  Doctor  Of    .Medicine. 

In  .Inly.  1872,  Mr.  Heatley  determined  to  come 
to  America  and  landed  in  Halifax.  He  s i  after- 
ward went  to  Canada  and  in  the  spring  of  1876 
came  to  Bay  City,  where  for  a  year  he  studied 
law.  He  later  left  Hay  City  and  engaged  in  the 
genera]  merchandise  business,  continuing  in  thai 
line  until  August.  1884,  when  he  returned  to  Bay 
City,  where  he  became  clerk  for  Heard.  Brigham 
&  Co.,  dealers  in  real  estate  and  perfectors  of  ab- 
stracts. .Mr.  Heard  disposing  of  his  interest  in  the 
firm  in  1887,  Mr.  Heatley  was  taken  in.  and  they 
now  operate  under  the  style  of  Brigham,  Ames 
&    Heatley. 

In  1884  Miss  Margaret  Bradley  became  the 
wife  of  Our  subject.  She  was  born  in  Prince  Ed- 
ward Island,  and  by  her  union  with  Mi-.  Heatley 
has  become  the  mother  of  two  children — George 
and  Mabel.  He  has  made  three  trips  to  his  native  i 
country,  where  he  spent  some  months  in  visiting 
friends  and  relatives.  In  church  matters  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Episcopal  Church  and  in  politics  is 
a  true-blue  Republican,  having  been  a  delegate  to 
different  conventions  of  that  body. 


* !- 


=^>*<i 


H£^_ 


fiy—     ' 


l\  ATHEW  LAMONT,  who  is  the  largestand 
most  extensive  contractor  and  builder  in 
Bay  City,  also  runs  the  largest  planing 
mill  and  sash  and  door  factory  in  the 
place.  He  is  a  business  man  from  the  word  '-go" 
and  he  also  owns  a  lumberyard.  He  is  prominent 
in  Masonic  circles  and  is  Alderman  of  the  Fourth 
Ward. 

Mr.  Lament  was  born  in  Ayreshire,  Scotland, 
October  1.  I«.'12,  and  is  the  son  of  William  La- 
mont,  a  native  of  the  same  shire  as  was  his  son. 
His  father  died  in  his  native  country  aged  eighty- 
seven  years.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  a  Miss 
49 


Murdock.  was  also  a  native  of  Scotland,  where  she 
dieil  in  1832.  Her  father  was  a  contractor  and 
builder  in  that  country,  and  passed  away  from  this 
life  when  seventy-ffve  years  of  age. 

Our  subject  was  the  youngest  of  the  parental 
family  of  five  children,  all  of  whom  arc  living, 
the  two  eldest  making  their  homes  in  Scotland. 
Robert  lives  in  Detroit  and  Janet  is  married  and 
makes  her  home  in  Nova  Scotia.  He.  of  whom  we 
write  wa.-  reared  in  his  native  country,  where  he 
attended  the  subscription  schools.  At,  an  early 
age  lie  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  carpenter's 
trade  under  his  uncle,  Robert  Murdock,  with  whom 
he  remained  five  years  and  then  went  to  Glasgow 
and  worked  in  large  shops  there. 

Determining  to  come  to  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Lamont  left  Glasgow  in  the  spring  of  1854  and 
after  a  rive  weeks'  voyage  landed  in  Boston.  He 
then  took  a  steamer  for  St.  Johns,  Nova  Scotia, 
then  to  St.  Marys,  where  he  was  employed  in  iron 
works  as  a  joiner  to  fix  up  machinery.  One  year 
later  he  went  to  Hamilton,  Canada,  where  he  re- 
mained a  twelvemonth  and  then  removed  to  Strat- 
ford, where  he  was  engaged  in  contracting  for  a 
time.  In  1857  he  went  to  Shakespere  and  was 
also  engaged  as  a  contractor  and  builder  there  for 
ten  years,  erecting  some  of  the  best  buildings  in 
that  place. 

In  1866  our  subject  went  to  Both  well  and  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  an  oil  well,  but  seem"'  bis 
mistake  he  sold  out  his  share  and  that  year  came 
to  Detroit;  where  he  remained  for  two  summers 
jobbing.  April  3,  1868  lie  came  to  Bay  City,  and 
has  been  engaged  in  contracting  and  building 
since  that  time.  In  1M76  he  erected  his  planing 
mill,  which  is  now  one  of  the  paying  industries  in 
the  manufacturing  portion  of  the  city.  Three  years 
later  he  suffered  a  great  loss  by  the  burning  of  his 
factory  which  was  not  insured.  He  soon  rebuilt, 
however,  and  in  three  months'  time  had  it  in  full 
operation.  He  does  an  immense  business,  furnish- 
ing the  factory  work  for  all  the  principal  build- 
ings and  blocks  iii  the  city,  having  on  hand  from 
fifteen  to  twenty  contracts,  amounting  to  over 
116,000.  His  building  is  56x185  feet  in  -dimen- 
sions and  three  stories.  He  will  soon  remove  to 
more     commodious    quarters     on    the    comer    of 


1042 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


Adams  aud  Twelfth  Streets.  His  mill  bears  all  the 
modern  improvements,  containing  fifty-six  differ- 
ent machines. 

Mr.  Lamont  of  this  sketch  owns  considerable 
real  estate  in  Bay  City  and  West  Bay  City.  He 
is  also  the  possessor  of  property  left  him  by  his 
mother.  Mr.  Lamont  occupies  a  fine. home  on  the 
corner  of  Eleventh  and  Washington  Streets,  lie 
was  married  in  Canada  to  Mary  Thompson,  who 
was  born  in  Lanarkshire,  Scotland,  and  came  to 
Canada  when  three  years  of  age.  The  five  children 
born  to  our  subject  and  his  wife  are  William.  .lane, 
Elizabeth,  Goven  and  John. 

In  1891  the  original  of  this  sketch  wenl  to 
Europe  with  the  Knights  Templar,  makinga  visit 
of  three  months.  He  left  the  company  in  Scot- 
land and  visited  his  old  home.  Our  subject  was 
Supervisor  one  year,  and  for  three  yearsserved  on 
the  Board  of  State  Building  Inspectors.  lie  is  Al- 
derman from  the  Fourth  Ward  andserving  hisscc- 
ond  term.  Socially,  lie  is  a  Free  and  Accepted 
Mason,  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  and  a  Knight  Tem- 
plar. He  is  connected  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church  and  in  politics  is  a  true-blue    Republican. 


Lh> 


0 


II* 


OLIVER  PHELPS  BARBER.  M.D.,  one  of 
the  prominent  and  influential  physicians  of 
Saginaw  City,  had  his  birth  in  Canandai- 
gua,  N.  Y.,  in  1849.  His  parents  were  Zacheusand 
Hannah  (Martin)  Barber,  natives  of  New  York. 
Our  subject  is  the  second  born  of  their  six  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  are  now  living.  He  was 
reared  in  the  city  and  entered  the  Normal  School 
at  Canandaigua  in  1860,  and  then  taught  in  the 
High  School  as  Assistant  Superintendent.  He  was 
his  father's  bookkeeper  for  three  years,  his  business 
being  shipping  fruit,  wool,  stock,  etc.  In  1865  he 
entered  the  University  of  Michigan,  and  took  a 
literary  course,  when  he  entered  the  office  of  Dr. 
Harvey  Jenett.  at  Canandaigua,  N.  Y.,  and  after- 
ward entered  the  Bellevue  Medical  College,  grad- 
uating in  the  Class  of  '70.  He  came  to  Saginaw 
with  an  uncle,  Spencer   Martin,  and   became  con- 


nected  with  Drs.  White  and  Bliss,  remaining  with 
them  five  years. 

Having  spent  many  months  in  a  quarantine  at 
New  York.  Dr.  Barber  had  a  great  deal  of  experi- 
ence with  smallpox,  and  in  1871,  when  the 
epidemic  broke  out  in  Saginaw,  he,  in  connection 
with  Byron  Hanchett,  established  a  quarantine  on 
the  site  of  Saginaw  Hospital,  and  at  one  time  there 
were  sixty-five  patient-  confined  in  it.  It  was 
something  dreadful  here,  and  one  of  the  most  ter- 
rible times  Saginaw  has  ever  known.  Our  subject 
lias  been  Health  Officer  and  on  the  Board  of  Health 
ever  since  that  time. 

After  remaining  with  White  &  Bliss  for  five 
years,  he  started  in  practice  for  himself,  and  has 
since  continued  to  do  so.  having  a  large  and  lucra- 
tive practice.  He  became  a  member  of  the  St. 
Mary'.-  Hospital  staff  as  surgeon.  The  institute 
attends  to  all  the  injured  lumbermen.  He  served 
for  fifteen  years  as  surgeon  for  the  Michigan  Cen- 
tral Railway,  and  alsofor  a  like  numberof  years  as 
President  of  the  Pension  Examining  Board,  which 
was  composed  of  Drs.  Kitchen,  Wilkie  and  Barber. 

When  Hie  Saginaw  Hospital  was  organized  by 
the  ladies  of  the  city.  Dr.  Barber  was  made  Presi- 
dent of  the  Staff  for  two  years.  He  is  at  present 
lecturing  in  the  Nurses'  Training  School. 

The  Saginaw  Valley  Medical  Club,  of  which  he 
is  an  influential  member,  have  their  meetings  each 
three  months,  and  i^  assisted  by  some  of  the  best 
men  in  the  State  Medical  Society.  Our  subject 
has  done  a  great  deal  of  journalistic  work,  and  ha- 
rt reputation  all  over  the  county  by  his  articles  on 
burns  and  scalds,  for  which  is  a  very  simple 
remedy  of  carbolic  acid  and  rubber  tissues.  He 
has  attended  the  National  Convention  as  a  dele- 
gate, and  is  also  a  member  of  the  National  Railway 
Surgeons'  Association. 

Dr.  Baiber  was  married  December  30,  1881.  in 
Saginaw,  to  Miss  Sarah  W.  Town-end.  daughtei  of 
Charles  and  Lucy  Townsend.  of  Saginaw. 

Politically,  the  Doctor  is  a  stanch  Republican, 
and  in  1881  ran  for  Mayor  against  Arthur  Hill, 
who  defeated  him  by  only  four  votes.  He  is  quite 
a  political  speaker,  and  constantly  receives,  invita- 
tions to  speak.  He  is  also  a  popular  singer.  Dr. 
Barber   and    his    estimible    wife    have    one    child. 


PORTRAIT  AM)  BIOGRAPHICAL   RECORD. 


1043 


Zacheus  Charles,  born  November  10,  1885.  He 
belongs  to  the  Saginaw  Valley  Masonic  Lodge, 
and  is  :i  charter  member  of  the  Apollo,  in  which 
he  has  passed  all  the  chairs.  He  also  belongs  to 
the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  resides  in  a 
beautiful  home  at  No.  402  North  Michigan  Ave- 
nue, which  was  erected  by  himself,  and  he  has  one 
of  the  m<»t  expensive  libraries  in  the  city.  Ai 
the  State  Press  Association  held  at  Saginaw,  Dr. 
Barber  was  made  toast-master,  the  duties  of  which 
he  performed  satisfactorily  and  pleasingly.  Mrs. 
Barber  is  a  conscientious  and  consistent  member  of 
the  Episcopal  Church. 


_0O\i/C 


-" 


.-.• 


REDERICK  ('.FINN,  of  the  firm  of  Finn  & 
Fischer ,of  Bay  City, who  do  plumbing, steam 
and  gas  fitting,  and  deal  in  all  kinds  of 
plumbers' supplies,  was  born  in  Oswego,  N.B.,  July 
3,  1852.  The  father,  Thomas,  was  horn  in  Ports- 
mouth, England,  and  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
and  was  a  soldier  in  the  English  army,  lie  came 
to  the  United  Mates  and  took  part  in  the  War  of 
1812.  He  then  located  in  Canada,  where  he  re- 
mained some  time  engaged  at  his  trade.  Some 
time  later  he  located  in  Oswego,  N.  V..  and  con- 
tinued contracting  and  building  and  became  well- 
to-do.  He  reared  a  family  of  fourteen  children 
and  died  in  IKI12.  He  was  a  stanch  Republican  in 
politics  and  quite  a  politician.  The  mother  was 
Sarah  Finn,  a  native  of  England,  and  she  passed 
away  in  INMX,  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine  years.  She 
and  her  honored  husband  were  members  of  the 
Baptist  Church. 

Our  subject  is  the  second  youngest  of  his  par- 
ents' large  family.  Two  of  his  brothers  fought  in 
the  late  war — Albert  and  Henry,  the  former  of 
whom  starved  to  death  in  Anderson ville  Prison. 
Frederick  Finn  was  reared  in  Oswego,  and  when 
eleven  years  old  began  making  his  own  way  in 
the  world.  When  fourteen  he  apprenticed  him- 
self to  the  plumber's  trade  and  served  four  years 
with  T.  EL  Garrity.  lie  was  then  alone  as  a  jour- 
neyman and  went  to  Lowell,  Mass.,  where  he 
worked   for  his  former  employer,  who  had  moved 


there.  After  a  lapse  of  three  years  he  returned 
to  his  native  home  and  in  1873  came  to  Bay  City 
and  remained  with  a  plumbing  firm  seven  years, 
lie  then  formed  a  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Sullivan, 
under  the  style  of  Sullivan  &  Finn,  which  lasted 
two  years.  After  this  he  returned  to  his  former 
employers  and  took  charge  of  their  business  four 
years. 

Mr.  Finn  has  engaged  in  partnership  with  dif- 
ferent persons  many  times  and  in  1889  formed  his 
present  connection  with  F.  Fred  Fischer.  Their 
business  is  located  at  No.  514  Washington  Avenue, 
and  they  carry  on  an  immense  trade,  being  the 
largest  in  the  city,  and  they  are  called  on  to  do 
work  nearly  all  over  the  State.  They  keep  in  their 
employ  from  ten  to  fifteen  men  and  have  done  the 
plumbing  for  some  of  the  finest  buildings  in  the 
city,  such  as  the  Polish  Catholic  Church,  the  Ma- 
sonic Temple  and  the  Crapo  Block. 

Mr.  Finn  was  married  in  this  city  in  1876  to 
Miss  Maggie  Doman,a  native  of  this  place.  They 
have  had  eight  children  born  to  them:  Robby, Annie, 
Jennie,  Jessie.  Margary,  Bessie,  Freddie  and  Will- 
iam. Their  residence  is  situated  at  No.  243  Adams 
Street,  and  they  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  In  politics  Mr.  Finn  is  a  Democrat  and 
is  always  a  delegate  to  county,  State  and  Congress- 
ional Conventions.  He  is  a  member  of  the  City 
Council  and  also  one  of  the  County  Commissioners. 

OL.  AARON  T  BLISS.  Among  the  prom- 
inent and  representative  men  of  the  Sagi- 
V^y  naw  Valley,  few,  if  any,  are  more  widely 
known  than  Col.  Bliss  in  both  business  and  polit- 
ical cirles.  He  was  born  in  Madison  County,  N. 
Y.,  May  22,  1837,  to  Lyman  and  Anna  M.  (Chaffee) 
Bliss.  His  father  was  a  native  of  New  York  and 
his  grandfather  of  Massachusetts,  and  they  are  de- 
scended from  a  lone:  line  of  English  ancestry. 

Born  on  a  farm  our  subject  was  early  inured  to 
the  hard  work  and  toil  incident  to  farm  life.  The 
rudiments  of  his  education  were  obtained  in  the 
district  schools,  and  with  the  industrious  traits 
characteristic  of  the  boy  and  man  his  leisure  hours 
have  been  spent  in  reading  and  research  until  now 


1044 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 


we  find  him  to  be   a    man    of    intelligence    and    a 
broad  grasp  of  the  questions  of  the  day. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  Rebellion  our 
subject  was  among  the  first  to  respond  to  the  call 
of  our  imperiled  country,  lie  enlisted  October  1. 
1861,  in  the  Tenth  New  York  Cavalry  Regiment 
as  a  private.  On  the  organization  of  the  regiment 
at  Elmira  he  was  elected  Lieutenant,  and  for  a 
time  the  regiment  formed  a  part  of  Kilpatrick's 
Brigade.  Ordered  to  the  front  and  joining  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  he  participated  in  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run, commanding  the  detailed  squad- 
ron from  Washington,  and  after  that  battle  he  was 
made  Captain.  He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Bull 
Run,  Fredricksburg,  the  Wilderness.  Petersburg, 
Ground-squirrel  Church,  Stony  Creek,  South 
Mountain,  Falls  Church,  Warrenton.  On  Gen.  Wil- 
son's raid  near  Richmond,  after  they  had  been 
out  eight  days,  he  was  captured  on  the  morning  of 
the  ninth  day  on  their  return,  and  incarcerated  in 
Saulsbury,  (N.  C.,)  prison,  thence  taken  to  Colum- 
bia, Andersonville.  Macon,  and  was  one  of  the  six 
hundred  officers  placed  under  the  Union  fire  at 
Charleston,  S.  C.  He  suffered  the  usual  discom- 
forts and  privations  of  prison  life,  and  was  subse- 
quently sent  to  Columbia.  From  there  he  made 
his  escape  and  after  eighteen  days  and  nights  on 
the  road  reached  Sherman's  army  at  the  time 
of  the  capture  of  Ft.  McAlister.  Soon  afterward 
he  joined  his  regiment,  via  New  York. 

The  war  ended  our  subject  received  an  honora- 
ble discharge,  having  served  three  years  and  six 
months,  six  months  of  the  time  a  prisoner  of  war. 
He  returned  to  his  home  and  in  1865,  removed  to 
Saginaw  City,  Mich.,  where  he  resided  with  his 
brother.  Dr.  Lyman  W.  Bliss,  a  Leading  physician 
of  the  city. 

The  principal  business  of  the  Saginaw  Valley 
was  the  lumber  interests.  The  two  brothers  be- 
gan then  to  lay  the  foundation  for  one  of  the 
'most  successful  industries  in  that  line  in  all  that 
region;  difficulties  were  bravely  met  and  overcome. 
Fire  would  destroy  their  sawmills,  but  with  their 
sturdy'  pluck  they  were  enabled  to  build  their  fu- 
ture mills  stronger  and  better. 

Col.  Bliss  is  regarded  by  his  associates  as  a  very 
level-headed  business  man.  capable  of  grasping 
•  large  enterprises  and  carrying  them  through  to  suc- 
cessful conclusions.  He  is  an  extensive  lumber- 
man, a  practical  farmer  and  strong  in  the  banking 
institutions  of  Saginaw. 

Politically,  our  subject  is  a  stani  h  Republican. 
lie  was  a  member  of  the  city  government  of  Sag- 
inaw for  four  years,  likewise  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Supervisors.  In  the  fall  of  1882  he  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate  of  Michigan,  and 
proved   to  be  a  practical  and   hard-working  mem- 


ber. He  was  largely  instrumental  in  getting  the 
bill  and  appropriation  through  the  Legislature  for 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  the  Sol- 
diers'  Home  at  Gtand  Rapids.  The  bill,  however, 
was  not  passed  during  the  session  of  which  he  was 
a  member,  but  Col.  Bliss  took  a  great  interest  m 
the  measure  and  helped  secure  it-  passage.  The 
Home  was  built  at  large  expense,  and  is  now  in 
successful  operation.  On  the  election  of  (Jen. 
Alger  Governor  of  Michigan,  he  appointed  Capt. 
Bliss  a  member  of  his  staff,  with  the  rank  of 
( 'olonel. 

In  INKS  our  subject  was  elected  a  member  of 
(  ongress,  and  proved  to  be  an  influential  and  use- 
ful member.  An  old  friend,  speaking  of  him, 
s:i\s  in  illustration  of  his  tact  and  determination: 
-  ile  offered  a  bill  in  Congress  asking  for  an  ap- 
propriation  of  8200,000  for  a  public  building  in 
Saginaw.  The  bill  passed  both  house-  the  last  day 
iH  the  afternoon,  was  sent  to  the  President,  who 
refused  to  sign  it,  :is  being  too  much,  but  inti- 
mated that  he    would    Sign    it     lor    $100,1 Col. 

Bliss  promptly  had  the  bill  remodeled,  and  in  the 
great  hurly-burly  of  the  last  day  of  the  session  he 
caught  the  Speaker's  eye.  was  recognized,  the  bill 
offered,  passed,  and  was  signed  the  same  day.  Col. 
Bliss  taking  the  bill  himself  to  the  President,  who 
laughingly  signed  and  presented  the  Colonel  the 
pen." 

So  to  the  energy  of  this  indefatigable  worker 
Saginaw  owes  her  new  public  building.  Mr. 
Speaker  Reed  has  said  that  probably  no  other  man 
in  the  house  could  have,  under  the  circumstances, 
engineered  the  bill  successfully  through. 

Col.  Bliss  also  caused  a  bill  to  be  passed  appro- 
priating $25,000  for  an  Indian  school  at  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, Mich.,  which  is  now  being  constructed.  He 
is  a  strong  political  worker,  and  lays  his  plans  on 
a  broad  scale,  and  carries  them  through  success- 
fully. He  has  always  had  the.  warm  political  and 
business  friendship  of  such  men  as  Gen.  Alger. 
His  influence  in  the  ranks  of  the  Republican  party 
in  Michigan  and  the  Northwest  has  for  years  been 
recognized  as  strong  and  potential. 

In  18HK  Col.  Bliss  was  married  to  Miss  Allaseba 
M.  Phelps,  of  Solsville.  Madi-on  County,  X.  Y.. 
daughter  of  Ambrose  Phelps.  Mrs.  Bliss  is  a 
lady  of  culture  and  refinement,  and  at  their  band- 
some  home  dispenses  an  elegant  and  graceful  hos- 
pitality. 

It  may  be  said  of  Col.  Bliss  that  he  is  recognized 
as  a  very  benevolent  man.  He  aided  in  the  build- 
ing of  the  Bliss  Hospital,  ami  i-  one  of  the  main 
support- of  the  Home  of  the  Friendless.  He  is 
liberal  with  the  schools  and  churches,  and  any  and 
all  enterprises  calculated  to  promote  the  public 
good. 


BIOGl^pl^Kg^Li. 


Achard.  A.  W foil 

Adams,  Gregory -   .264 

Adams..).  F nidi 

Adams,  John 23 

Adams,  John  Q 39 

AUlen,  c  W.,  M.  I' 834 

Alger,  D.  B '■-" 

Alger,  Russell  A 17:! 

Allen,  E.G 172 

Allen,  F.  W 758 

Allen,  G.  A I'll 

Allen, H.B 684 

Ames,  G.  W 277 

Andrus.  R.  W .521 

Anneke,  Hon.  E 561 

Antisdel,  J.  F 931 

Armstrong,  Jacob 672 

Armstrong,  John 702 

Armstrong.  S.  B„  M.  D 780 

Armstrong,  W.  A 819 

Arnold,  A.  J 366 

Arthur.  Chester  A 99 

Aselton.M 680 

Austin,  A.  V 689 

Austin  4  Gove 2'C, 

Avery.  Sewell 932 

Azure.  George  H 956 


B 


Babcoek,  E.  V 376 

Babo,  Charles 1018 

Badgley.  B.  S 892 

Badgley.D.  0 953 

Bagley,  John  J 157 

Bailey,  A.  L.,  M.  D 901 

Baird,  T.  A.,  M.  I) 662 

Baker,  Anson  II 945 

Baker,  J.  H 839 

Baldwin,  Henry  P 158 


Ballard,  R.  W 817 

Barber,  J.  B 922 

Barber,  O.  P 1042 

Barclay,  Sarah  A 936 

Barie,  Augustus 337 

Barie,  George 351 

Barker,  Harvey 312 

Barker,  Rev.  H.  A 627 

Barr,  John till 

Barry,  John  D 870 

Barry,  John  S 113 

Baskins.  Capt.  Zachariab    ..650 

Bate,  A 491 

Bateman.  F.  L 120 

Bauer,  George  C 363 

Baum,  William  B .851 

Baumgarten,  D I'll 7 

Baxmann,  Charles 961 

Beach,  Mrs.  C.  F 210 

Beach,  E.  L 291 

Beach,  M.  S 712 

Beaudette,  L.  B 672 

Becker,  H Kill 

Becker,  Mathias 795 

Becker.  J.  H 266 

Beebe,  Mrs.  A 727 

Beeman.R.  W 987 

Begole.  Josiah  W 169 

Behmlander,  J.  A 3111 

Belfry,  o.  M.,  M.  D 916 

Bell,  w.  H 596 

Benham.  W.  I. 801 

Bennett.  Capt .  H 657 

Bennett,  E.  T 296 

Bent  ley,  George  W 959 

Berber,  O.,  M.  D 919 

Bernard,  Bernard B02 

Bettis,  Otis '.905 

Beutel,  August  F 274 

Beutel, C.  F.  W 105 

Beutel,  Robert .387 

Bierd,  Joseph 211 

Bingham,  C.  1 468 

Bingham,  Kinsley  S 137 

Birchard.S.  R 73s 

Bissell,  A.  G.,M.  II 055 

Bissell.T.  E 973 

Blackmore,  Joshua 878 

Blair,  Austin 145 

Bliss,  F.  II 655 

Bliss.  Hon.  A.T 1013 

Bliss,  1,.  W..  M.D 871 


Blomshield,  John  II 1026 

Boardman.  George 1027 

Boston,  John 467 

Bouchard.  George 1031 

Boughton .  Col.  J.  C 801 

Bousfielil,  A.  E 969 

Bousfield.C.  J 6 '4 

Bousfield.  R.  E 857 

Boutell,  Capt.  B 966 

Bow,  Dennis .' 499 

Bowers,  Arthur 258 

Braddock.  A.  C 1028 

Brashaw,  Joseph .293 

Bremner,  James. 628 

Brenner.  C.  E s,;, 

Brigham.  S.  L 1015 

Brock,  M.  W 395 

Broughton.  A 251 

Brownlie,  A 1008 

Brown,  A.  R 991 

Brown,  JohnC 924 

Brown,  R  J 875 

Buchanan,  James 75 

Buchanan.  J.  G 69(1 

Buckley,  F.J (93 

Burgess,  William  W 951 

Burnham,  Capt.  !S.  E  383 

Burroughs,  E.  E 915 

Burrows,  L.,  M.  H 90(1 

Burton .  Baptiste 612 

Buzzard,  J.  L 345 


C 


Callam,  William 293 

Campbell,  H,  M 729 

Campbell,  R.J ?66 

Campbell,  T.  D" 559 

(ant  well.  A 9(11 

Cantwell,  John 1007 

Carney.  Thomas 475 

( 'arson.  Rev.  George  W 1131 

i 'arson,  K.  S 751 

Cauglilin.J,  W.,  M.  D 119 

Chapin,  O.  D 658 

Chapman,  «e\    L   W 259 

Chapman.  Wellington 855 

Chapman,  W    II    II 815 


Chatheld.C   B 256 

Chesbrough.  Bros 1017 

Church,  F.  8 234 

Church.  Samuel 758 

Clark.  J.  W •_>;;, 

Clark,  Louis  K 914 

Clark.  W.  A 455 

dark.  W.  B 5i:i 

Clark.  W.  H 929 

Cleveland,  S.  Grover 193 

( !obb,  Hon  Ge  irge  I' .261 

Cole.F.  P -,„ 

Cole,  William  D 157 

Cole,  W.  A 55:( 

Coleman.  H ($3 

Colon,  M.J 850 

Colvin,  Benjamin 91 1 

Confer.  E 822 

Connor,  Hon.  Rowland.    ...  .618 

Conroy,  William  E.,  M.  D 4«u 

Cook,  William  I lis 

Cooper,  L.  H.,M.  D 207 

Copeland.  B.  S.,  M.  D 409 

Cornwell,  George  A 514 

Coryell,  B.  G 809 

Coryeon,  John 51 1 

Crampton,  William 990 

Cranage.  Thomas 589 

(  fane.  Perry B59 

Cram-.  W.  A 171 

Crapo,  Henry  H 149 

Creen,  James 893 

Croswell.  Charles  M lid 

Crump,  R.  0 891 

Cubbage,  w.  R.,  M.D 507 

Cunningham.  W.,  M.D 108 

Cupit,  John  W 815 

Curtis,  (' 1039 

Curtis,  Lib  .ins  W ,.847 


D 


Danforth,  James  (' 743 

Ilanskin,  Rev.  Alexander.  ,  .  .7sl 

Davis,  E.  w.,  M.  1> 916 

Davis,  Frank  H 911 

I gan,  Mrs.  Ellen. 27s 

Defoe,  Joseph 31  7 


INDEX. 


Degraw,  Z.  W 353 

DeLand,  M.  B 625 

Dell,  Joseph 228 

Denfeld,  William  F 780 

l> y,  George 962 

Ditzel,  Capt.  H.  E 1025 

Doan.  Joseph 674 

Dodge,  M.T 900 

Dork,  J.  F 384 

Downing,  George  H 581 

Drake,  John 641 

Drake,  John  C,  M.  D 296 

Dunbar,  E.  L 756 

Dunham,  F.  W 321 

Dunk,  A.  A 239 

Dunnigan,  William  J 6S5 

Dunning,  Alonzo 772 

Durand,  Hon.  L.T 699 


East  man ,  L.  H 233 

Eastwood ,  .1  oseph 309 

Eberhardt,  Rev.  C.  1 244 

Eddy.C.K 205 

Eddy,  James 973 

Edelmann,  F.  W.;  M.  D 279 

Edelmann,  John  G 652 

Edinborough,  L.  B -417 

Ellis,  Daniel 413 

Emery,  J.  T 724 

English,  Frank 218 

Ernin,  Robert  \\\.  M.  D 217 

Essex,  John  T 386 

Estabrook.  Hon.  J.  S 939 


Kancher,  ('.  R 396 

Peige,  Henry 794 

Felch,  Alpheus 117 

Fenton,  Henry 299 

FilieUl,  Eugene 739 

Fillmore,  Millard 67 

Finauer,  John  M 236 

Finn.F.C 1043 

Fischer,  Charles  G 1029 

Fish,  W.  T 980 

Fisher,  Adam 532 

Fisk,  L.  H 324 

Fiting,  A.  C 671 

Fitzhugh,  Charles,  Jr 925 

Flajole,  John  A 1027 

Floeter,  P.  C 558 

Florentine,  F.  B.,  M.  D 715 

Flues,  E.  F 1020 

Foote,  Hon.  Dan  P 865 

Fordney,  J.  W 910 

Fordon,  John  A 882 

Forrest,  HA 595 

Forsyth,  O.  F 206 

Foss,  E.  B 583 

Fowler,  W.  N  ,  M.  D.  .  .  . .    ...967 


Fox,  Ben 1030 

Francis,  John  C 362 

Fraser,  Donald 145 

Fraser,  J.  J 952 

Frazee,  W 531 

Fuerbringer,  Rev.  L 549 

Furman,  L 837 


Gaffney,  William ?46 

Galamo,  William 262 

Sale,  H.  M.,M.  D 585 

Gallagher,  D 218 

Garner,  J.  B 316 

Garfield,  James  A 95 

Garland,  M 285 

Gavit,  John  A 1014 

Gedney.R.  E 1015 

Gilbert.  Harvey.  M.  D 552 

Gilbert,  N.  R.,  M.  D 437 

Glaser,  Charles 746 

Glazier,  William '114 

Goddard.  E.  G 774 

Goddard,  S.  T 989 

Goetz,  John  B 708 

Golden,  John 301 

Goodman,  T.  H.,  M.  D.  162 

Gould.  E.  F 192 

Graham,  James 0i»4 

Graham,  Hon.  J.  W 265 

Granger.  G.  H.  M.  D 513 

Grant,  Hon.  Charles  W 517 

Grant ,  Ulysses  S 87 

Green,  Hon.  S.  M 569 

Green,  William  M 197 

Greenly,  William L 121 

Griffin,  B (88 

Grohmann.  A 434 

Grohmann,  A.  A  Sons -Jt 

Grout,  G.  K 1021 

Gugel.J.  M 178 

Gunterniann.H 762 

Gustin,  S.E..M.  D 472 

Hyde,  E.  A 661 


H 


Hadsall,  Milton 977 

Hagarty,  M 2'  s 

Hall.  J.  R 909 

Hamilton,  C.  R.,  M.  D.. 765 

Hammond,  George  E. 1033 

Hankin.R.  W 506 

Harding,  Rev.  B 305 

Harding,  Thomas  K 582 

Harper,  Capt.  George. . . 417 

Harris,  A.  J..  M.  D 333 

Harris.  M.  M 73! 

Harrison,  Benjamin 107 

Harrison.  William  Henry ....  51 
Hartwig,  Jens 9*13 


Hawkins.  J.  W 415 

Hawley.  Col.C.  R 71)7 

Hay,  James 369 

Hayes,  Rutherford  B I)  I 

Heat  ley,  John  E II  III 

Heinzmann,  C 31  6 

Heitzig,  William 322 

Helliard.  James 427 

Helmrcich,  John  G..  Jr 334 

Helmreich,  J.  M 911 

Hemmeter,  J.  M • 759 

Helllsl  reet .  George  A 1 18 

Henry,  Samuel >-J 

Hess,  A.  H 128 

Hess,  Henry 346 

Hess.  Joseph 8X1 

Heuraann,  Charles  C 301 

Hill,  Seymour 51s 

Hine,  Gustavus 300 

Hodgman,  L 450 

Hoffman,  S.  F 6110 

Holcomb,  D.  C 993 

Holland,  L 723 

Holmes,  Mrs.  D.  P -II 

Holmes,  Hurry 910 

Holmes,  John  H.. .  .943 

Holt,  Capt.  1.  F 750 

Hood,  Francis 639 

Hood,  George  F 

Hopkins  C.  W 1012 

Hopkins,  Hon.  H  J S77 

Hopler,  Henry  W 

Hop]),  Ferdinand 959 

Hopper,  A.  B 876 

Hopper,  Edward 716 

Rorst,  Prof.C.  E 

Houghton.  W.  C 425 

Hovey,  W.  F..M   D 910 

Howell,  C.  A 355 

Hciyt,  Hon.  Jesse 197 

Hubbard,  T.  T. 600 

Iiuhinger,  J.G 929 

Huckins,  J.  D 364 

Huckins,  IS -'I 

Hudson.  Joseph 404 

Huff.S.  A 382 

Hugo,  Amand 172 

Humphrey,  John  C. . .    414 

Hutsehenreuther,  O 513 


Ippel,  J.  W.. 
Irwin,  R.  W. 


.704 
.956 


Jackson,  Andrew 43 

Jackson ,  George  D 94 1 

Jackson,  John  L 782 

Jaissle,  William 971 

Jelfersou,  Thomas 27 

Jeffrey,  Frank 985 


Jennings.  Edward 395 

Jennings,  John 790 

Jennison,  C.  E 1036 

Jerome,  David  H .165 

Jerome,  H 5S6 

Johnson,  Andrew 83 

Johnson,  Levi 357 

Johnson,  S 999 

Johnston.  .1.  M 76," 

Jordan,  Capt.  John  W 719 

Joslyn,  Lee  E 651 

Judd,  Hon.  E.  T 283 


K 


Kain,  P 804 

Keeler.E.  A 364 

Kelley,  William  M 262 

Kennedy.  D.  J B28 

Kent,  II.  A 916 

Kern,  Ant  bony  J 374 

Ketehum,  V 711 

Kettler,  William  C 902 

Kidney,  John -19 

Kiesel.  Gottlieb 796 

Kimball,  Caleb  W.        381 

Kim.-.  Alfred  M 923 

King,  Capt.  G.  W 433 

King,  William  W 138 

Kinnane,  J.  E 975 

Kinney,  F.  E 619 

Kinney,  M 421 

Kinney,  Thomas 972 

Kitchen.  M.  C.  I. ..  M,  D 169 

Kitchen,  Samuel.  M.  D 935 

Knapp,  E.  K    M  D 573 

Knickerbocker,  W 696 

Knight,  Nathan    U'21 

Knoblauch,  Jacob  598 

Kohler,  John 337 

Koll).  Allan, 570 

Kolb  Bros 152 

Kre.ner.  William 392 

Krupp,  Benjamin  S 272 


La  Croix,  J.  J 402 

La  France,  Napoleon 744 

Lamont,  Matthew It'll 

Landau,  Rev.  W 407 

Lang.G.  P 374 

Laracey,  John 796 

Larkin,  Edward  C 302 

Larkin,  W.  E 983 

Leach,  H.  M.,  M.  D. . . . , 799 

Leasia,  Peter 151 

LeBel,  E.  A..  M.  D 951 

Lee.  N.  D..  .11.  D 617 

Leidlein,  John MJ9 

Leidlein,  Capt.  John I   ' 

Leidlein   Michael 512 


INDEX. 


Lelnberger,  A 

Leinberger,  J.  A 208 

Leng,  Hon.  Robert  no 

Lennon,  W.H  553 

Le  Rous,  J.  P "'-- 

Lester,  Capt.  Thomas  *•        .80,1 

GriH 214 

Lewis,  Hon.  George H  '• 

Bei    -in 222 

Lewis,  R.  «.,  M.  D 930 

Like,  Capt.  .la -  E 705 

Lincoln,  Abraham 79 

Lindner,  Henry 203 

Link.F.A 1038 

Liskow,  Louis 273 

Little,  George  J slr' 

Lloyd, D.S.,  M.D 398 

I (Her.E.T 902 

Logan.. I.  E 218 

Loose,  William  ,\  Son.  -        -375 

Loveland.  VI  illianj  .1 700 

Luce,  Cyrus  Gray 177 

Lyli     Rev.  W.  W 832 


M 


i.,'   \ f, Rev. H 730 

Madison,  James * 

Malt,  Solomon Sl|l 

Siangan,  Daniel 57:; 

Maniiiuii.  Martin 888 

Manwell.  Hem-}  A 542 

Marlin.  B.  H 861 

Martin,  Jira  S 507 

Marl  in.  Hon.  W.J 899 

Mason,  Stephen T 105 

Massey,  James 860 

Mather,  E.  I J»; 

Mathewson,  .Joseph 71a 

Mi tel,  A  ,  M.  D 935 

Maurir,  John  B S3i 

Maxon.C.  W 1.18 

Ma  icson,  William 346 

Maxwell.  Hon.A.C 673 

McBratnle,  Rev.C 591 

McCarthy,  O.  C WOE 

rty,  Sophia 847 

McClelland,  Robert.... 129 

mick,  J.C.,  M.  D 883 

McDermott,  Hon.  John.     .    s::7 

m    Donell,  D   A 

m.  Do  rail  .1.  A  .  M.  1>..  139 

M,  t   iv:i,i',  .lames 288 

McGregor,  Peter 123 

liar,  Duncan 567 

McKinnon,  John  1) 

McLaughlin,  D 988 

McLean,  Capt.  \   C 219 

McLean,  John 006 

.1,-1..  i::it,   i  !hai  es  695 

1     -man,  John 289 

Mel, 111.-.  Jnlill.  M.D 920 

,..n.  William 

leM  inn,  F 227 

-Math,  Judge  J.  W.. 
Meekin.Ja -  W... 


McMillan.  A fi0' 

MeMnllen,  J.  S 485 

MeTavish.D.  A..M.D 403 

Medlor.  Capt.  K.  .1 728 

Meed.  George  A 393 

Meister,  Samuel 252 

Melze,  A.C 511 

.Men  ken  sen.  ( '.  A 318 

Mente,  Edward 550 

Merrill,  Capt.  11.  1' 574 

Merrill,  William 656 

Morrill.  N S33 

Miesel,  II MB 

Millar.  Rev.  W.II 869 

Miller.  Albert 1019 

Miller.  A.  J 1033 

Miller,  J.  J *'8 

Miller,  J.  M 1*1 

Miller,  Peter 433 

Miller,  Willis 745 

Moeller,  Henry 387 

Moeller,  Louis 360 

Moll.  F.  C 240 

Moll,  William 981 

Monosmith,  T.B ."''21 

Monroe.  James 35 

Moore,  B.  .V  Son Til 

Morgan, S   E.,  M.  D 485 

Morin.  William ."■  ,7 

Moritz.  J.  B 5">4 

Moritz,  Louis 611 

Morrison, D 1012 

Morrison,  Frank 816 

Morse   W.  F 679 

Monlthrop,  Clark 327 

Monlthrop.  II.  C 518 

Moulton,  George 560 

Mulholland,  John 610 

Munger,  James  A.,  M.  H 221 

Munger.J.  H 230 

Mi  inn,  Thomas 683 

Miini'o,  Daniel lour, 

Munshaw,  William  H. 170 

Mnnsie,  William ..579 

Mniison.  Lewis  L 691 

Murphy,  James 723 

X 


N-iiiiaiiii.  William  I. H99 

Nelles,  X 760 

Nesbitt,  John 37:1 

N'ennieyer,  John 370 

Neimieyer,  Martin 130 

Newkirk.C.T.,  M.  D... 716 

Niekless.  W.  H 71:! 

Nolan.  John  E 922 

Northwood,  Hon.  .1 7s:: 

Nottingham,  J.  f'..  M.  D 629 


0 


I  ibenauer,  H.  G 667 

' '  Donnell,  D.  .1 585 

Oeder,  John 393 

'I  Keele.. I.    K.  2MI 


Pacaud.H.  A 977 

Park,  Edwin 636 

Parker,  Thomas 7:10 

Partenfelder,  Rev.  J.  H.  P. .  .707 

Parsons.  Andrew 133 

Passmore,  James 711 

Pausch.O.  M 538 

Pearsall.J.  D 718 

Pease,  Capt.  E.  S 489 

Peek,  W.  L 773 

Peirson,  F.  D 649 

Pelkey,  Louis  A 356 

Pelletier.  L.  M..  M.  D 809 

Peltier.  Edwin 212 

Perkins.A.B 458 

Perkins,  S.  S 950 

Pero,  Joseph 840 

Peterson,  Peter 931 

Pfannas,  Joseph 310 

Pfund,  Henry 329 

Phillips.  A.  J all 

Pnillips.T.  C 359 

Phillips,  W,  H 450 

Philp  John 1011 

Pierce,  Capt.  B.  F 677 

Pierce,  Capt.  D.  M 925 

Pierce,  Franklin 7! 

Pierce,  K.  M 987 

Pierce,  Capt.  William  E 793 

Platte,  A.  W 6119 

Ploof,  Philip 878 

Plummer,  Hon ,  S.  A 701 

Polk,  James  K 59 

Pomeroy.C.  H 871 

Prendergast,  John 94*2 

Prienr,  Fred  H 686 

Prybeski ,  W.  V 528 

Piirtell.  James 371 


R 


Raeette,  Charles 1003 

Racine,  Louis  P 810 

Randall, I.  E.,  M.  D 978 

Randall,  S.  S 339 

Ransom,  Epaphroditus  125 

Ray.  B.  F 1037 

Reid.  Capt.  William  H 912 

Reilly,  George 457 

Reinhardt.H.C 1016 

Reis,  Rev.  Joseph 143 

Remington,  Thomas  A 354 

Ressler,  Prof.  J.  M 994 

Rentier,  Christof 822 

Rhodes,  S.  I)..  M.D 242 

Richardson,  J.  J 365 

Richardson,  R.J 316 

Riegel,  M 755 

Riker,  E 541 

Rimmele,  Charles 868 

Robinson,  George  H 971 


Robinson,  Hon.  H.  W 221 

Robinson,  P.  P 539 

Rodwell.T.  F.,M.  D 779 

Roeser,  William 694 

Rooiakers.  Henry 362 

Root.C.  E 244 

Root,  Henry  L 859 

Root,  William  E 988 

Ross.F.  C 607 

Ross,  William 920 

Rossman,  Frank 280 

Rouech,  A.  N 981 

Roundsville,  L 562 

Rouse,  J.  S.,  M.  I) 140 

Rueh,  Flora  H.,  M.D 821 

Ruelle.1 968 

Rundell.F.  D 663 

Rusling,  F.O 803 

Russell,  Alexander 477 

Russell,  A.  G 926 

Ruttle,  Charles  S 982 

Ryan,  Michael 831 

Rydberg,  Rev.  S.  E 997 


Sangle,  George 181 

Sanson,  Rev.  J.  G 761 

Sarle,  Charles  H 580 

Saunders,  James  E 284 

Savage,  H.  W 959 

Savior,  Col.  Thomas 54s 

See,  W.E... 222 

Seitz,  Otto  H 538 

Sempliner.  A 93(1 

Shaefer,  George  A    1935 

Schaefer,  George  M 476 

Schemm.  John  G 605 

Scheurmann.  R 620 

Schick,  M.  F.,  K.  D 267 

Schindehette,  G.  H 179 

Schlickum.  Charles 167 

Schmidt,  George 332 

Schmidt,  Rev.  Martin.! 487 

Schoeneberg.  E. . . : 452 

Schuett,  F.  J    J 692 

Schultz,  George  A 317 

Schwab, John 961 

Scott,  J.  A 49ii 

Shakes,  Henry 527 

Shannon,  I.  A 520 

Shattuck.S.  N *4s 

Shaw,  Humphrey 564 

Shearer,  C.  H 680 

Shearer,  F.  H 1031 

Shearer,  li.  H 271 

Shearer,  Hon.  G.  H 255 

Shearer,  Hon.  James 211 

Shepherd,  J 533 

Shook,  Harvey 343 

Shuler,  H.  F 330 

Shuttler,  George 1007 

Silvernale.  James  B 315 

Simoneau,  L 970 

Simons,  L.  M 459 

Simons.  William  A 466 

Smith,  Arthur  T 498 


INDEX. 


Smith,  Edward 706 

Smith,  H.K \'.\  .  .831 

Smith,  H.  P 952 

Smith,  James 678 

Smith,  Capt.  P.  C. . :!!)! 

Smith,  Peter 382 

Smith,  William  M 7'1 

Smith,  William,  Jr. . .884 

Snow,  Hon.  B.  A 008 

Southwick.  S.  W.,  M.  D 4% 

Squire,  Josiah 523 

Stacey,  Andrew. 508 

Starkweather,  E.  F 711 

Staudatiher,  B :'52 

Staudacher,  G.  A 351 

Stearns,  Charles  T 311 

Stephens,  Elias 328 

Stevens,  J.  K 752 

Stevens,  M.  C 311 

Stewart,  A.  L 456 

Stoddard,  George 486 

Stone,  IJ.F..M.D 461 

Stone. F.  W 634 

Stone,  S.  S.,  D.  S 602 

Stone,  William 517 

Sullivan,  W.  H 616 

Sutherland,  C 004 

Sutton,  M.  C.  C 932 

Swart,  Ira  E 32;: 

Swarthout ,  James  N 805 

Swarthout,  Lewis  — 818 

Swarthout,  N.  R 984 

Switzer,  A.  M 629 

Syring,  William KM 


Tacey,  Prosper 311 

Tapert,  William  E 662 

Tarsney,  Hon.  T.  E 777 

Taschner,  F.  A 618 

Tasker,  R.C 942 

Taylor,  Ft.  B 825 

Taylor,  Zachary 63 

Tefft,  Charles  B 811 

Tennant,  John 522 


Tennant,  John 310 

Terbush.  Mrs.  E.  O.  J 31!) 

Thatcher,  G.  A 500 

The  I  'lump's  Manu'fg  Co 884 

The  Sage  Library 768 

Thompson,  Daniel 735 

Thompson,  H.  C 263 

Thompson,  Miss  H.  L 532 

Thompson,  J.  W 1033 

Thomson,  And rew 576 

Thomson.  A.  1 650 

Thomson,  William  s 446 

Thorn,  Charles  U 529 

Thorne,  B.  F 420 

Tierney,  H.J 502 

Tierney,  Peter 482 

Tivy,  A.  L) 782 

Tracy,  B.  B 021 

Travis,  N 883 

Tremble.  T 476 

Tromble,  Joseph 1032 

Tromble,  M 540 

Trombley,  David 1037 

Trombley .  D.  H 723 

Trombley,  J.  1 397 

Trombley,  J.  M 243 

Trombley,  Joseph  M 521 

Trombley,  Theodore    617 

Turhbull,  George 1034 

Turner-,  ( 'a pi ,  George 1010 

Tyler,  John 55 


Ueberroth.  C.  H 537 

U re,  John 895 

Ure,  Robert 905 


Van  Buren,  Martin   47 

Vandusen,  Alonzo... 611 

Van  Emster.  F.  H.  J 21!) 


Van  Kleeek,  Hon.  James 501 

Van  Liew.  E.  S 505 

Verney,  Charles  F 913 

Villaire,  Alexander 869 

Voith,  Joseph .  ...771 

Volz,  Christian, 530 

Von  Boemble,  F.  H 975 

Voss,  Christian 331 


\v 


Waldbauer,  Mis.  George 223 

Wallace,  George  A 812 

Wallace,  H.  J 579 

Walther.  A 391 

Walton.  Hon.  A 419 

Walz,  Jacob  F 180 

Walz,  John 356 

Wands,  W.  R 1001 

Ward,  George,  Sr >J7 

Warner,  W.  H 557 

Warren,  Rev.  George  F 287 

Washer,  John 307 

Washington,  George 19 

Washington,  Hon.  George.  ..608 

Waste.  Lewis  S 388 

Watrous,  A.  w 4li; 

Watson,  Cornelius,  M.  D. .  .  .881 

\\  atz,  Const  an  tire 581 

Weadoek.  Hon.  G.  W 787 

Weadock,  Hon.  .J.  C 429 

Weadoek.  Hon.  T.  A.  E WS 

Weaver.  James  A 227 

Webb,  David  .1 ,.«23 

Webber.  Hon.  William  L 191 

Weber,  Fred ls> 

Webster,  B.  F 680 

Webster,  S.  H   693 

Wegener,  Henry. . .' 361 

WegSt,  A. lam 598 

Werntz,  Peter 668 

Westfall,  Elihu 308 

Whipple,  William   534 

Whitbeck,  A 518 

White,  John  B.,  M.  D 823 

Whitehouse,  J.  H.,  M.  D 421 


Whiteside,  Robert 990 

Whiting,  Joseph 1020 

Whitney,  Ira  H 646 

Wickes,  Bros 613 

Wiggins,  S.  L 645 

Wilder,  W.  A 328 

Wiley,  Robert,  S 286 

Willcox,  Ma].  L.  G 788 

Williams,  G.  A.,  M.  D 372 

Williams.  George  F 249 

Williams,  Hector  E 623 

Williamson,  William 949 

Wilson,  David 530 

Wilson,  James  D 670 

Wilson,  Robert 360 

Wilson,  S.  C 10114 

Wilton,  George  L 408 

Wilt.se,  John 597 

Winans,  Edwin  B 181 

Wisner,  Moses  Ill 

Wispeintner,  J 338 

\\  oodbridge,  William  109 

Woolson,  Capt.  J.  0 813 

Wurtzel.C.  F.  W 921 

Wyman ,  A.  D 220 

Wyss,  Rev.  John  G 115 


Y 


Youraans,  Hon.  H.  M 951 

Young.  W.  D 272 


Zabst,  E 562 

Zabst,  W.  E 195 

Zagelmeyer,  Hon.  A 778 

Zoeller,  Charles  F 721 

Zuckermandel,  George 428 


Badgley,  B.  S 886 

Bay  City  Brewing  Co 555 

Coryeon,  John 515 

Crump  Manufacturing  Co.  .  .886 

Goetz.John  B 709 

Helmreich,  J.  G 335 

Henry.  Samuel -. .  .  .:863 


Hudson,  Joseph 405 

Kennedy,  D.J 829 

Kiesel.  Gottlieb 797 

Kimball,  C.  W 886 

Knoblauch,  Jacob .599 

Kohler,  John 335 

Kolb  Bros 153 


Laracey ,  John 797 

McGregor,  Peter 829 

Miller.  Peter 431 

Neumeyer,  M 431 

Parker.  Thomas 731 

Passmore,  James 709 


Phillips,  A.  J 515 

Scheurmann,  R 621 

Syring,  WTilliam 405 

Ueberroth  &  Co 535 

Walrlron.E.  C 922 

Whipple.  Mi's.  William 535 


INDEX. 


A.lalns.  JOhu _''_' 

Ailams,  John  Q 38 

Alger,  Russell  A 172 

Mien,  George  A .kid 

Aim's.  <;.  W 276 

Arthur,  Chester  A '.is 

Austin,  A.  W 688 

Bagley,  John  J 150 

Baldwin,  Henrj  I' 152 

Barry,  John  S....' 112 

Beebe,  Mrs.  A 726 

Begole,  Josiah  W His 

Berber,  Oliver,  M.  I'  D18 

Beutel.  William U13 

Buutel  Mrs.  W nil 

Bingham,  Kinsley  S l:tu 

Blair,  Austin Ill 

Bliss,  Prof.  F.  H (154 

Brown,  R.  J s;t 

Buchanan,  James 74 

Callam,  William 292 

i  larney,  Thomas iti 

Chapman,  Wellington s.v> 

i  Ihapma  a,  Mi's.  ^ 852 

land,  S  Grover In-.' 

Cobb,  II. .m.  George  P 21.11 

I  .-I, -111:111,  H 632 

Cranage,  Thomas 

.  Irapo,  Henry  H lis 

Croswell.l  harles  M 160 

1  lupit,  John  W sii 

1  rn.es  (' 712 

1. ,i..  1   Capt.  H    1         ....     1621 


Dunham,  F.  W 320 

Hunk,  A.  A 238 

Durand,  Hon.  I..  T 698 

Eastman,  I..  H 2.12 

Eddy,  Charles  K 204 

Ellis,  Daniel 412 

Erwin.  R.  W.,  M.  I> .216 

Estabrook,  Hon.  J.  S 1138 

Felch,  Alpheus 111! 

F.-ntoii,  Henry 2:1s 

Fillmore,  Millard  I'S 

Forrest,  Herberl  A Ml 

Furnian,  L 886 

Garfield,  J.  A 91 

Grant,  H.m.r.  W ,',ii; 

Grant,  r.  s si; 

Green,  s.  M 568 

Greenly,  William  L 120 

Gyde,  E.  A (160 

Hall,  Jerry  1: 9c8 

Hamilton,  Dr.  C.  1; 761 

Harding,  Rev.  B 314 

on,  Benjamin  106 

Hai  1 1  ion,  «    11     ,...■: 50 

Hay,  James 3fis 

Hayes,  R.  B 110 

Hood,  Francis 638 

Ropp,  Ferdinand 958 

Hubinger,  J.  G 938 

Jackson,  Andrew 12 

Jefferson,  Tl s 211 

Jerome,  David  II 164 

Johnson,  Andrew 82 


Jordan,  Capt.  John  W 748 

Joslyn,  Lee  E 650 

Judd,  E.  T 282 

Kimball,  C.  W 370 

Kimball,  Mrs.  1 '    W 37s 

Lee,N.  D.,  M.  D 616 

Like,  James 7IM 

Lincoln,  Abraham 7s 

Luce,  <  \  rua  Gray 176 

Hadi  ion,  .lames 30 

Mangan .  Daniel... 572 

Marl  in,  Hon.  W.  .1 808 

Mason,  Stephen  T ini 

Mel  Helland,  Robert 12s 

McGregor,  Peter 121 

McGregor,  Mrs.  P 122 

McKellar,  Mrs.  Isabella 5G'i 

Melze,  A.  C 510 

Monroe,  James 30 

11  .rgan.S  E.,  M.  D  484 

Moulthrop.  Clark 326 

Munii.  Thomas 682 

Obenauer.  H.  (i 666 

Parsons,  \ndrew 132 

Pelletier,  L.  M  ,  M   l> -.  - 

Phillips,  T.  C :;,s 

Pierce, <  lapt   Benjamin  F.,     676 

Pierce,  Franklin 711 

Pierce,  William  E   792 

I'.. Ik.  J.  K 58 

Ransom,  Epaphroditus 121 

Reis,  Rev.  Joseph 112 

l.'i.  gel,  Michael 7.-.I 


Rucb,  Mrs.  Dr.  F.  H  B2I 

Shakes,  II  ;,-.., 

Shearer  Geoi  .11  254 

Shearer.  G.  Henry 270 

shearer,  Hon.  James 210 

Shook,  Harvey     342 

sih  ernale.  James  B 314 

Smith,  Capt.  P.  C 390 

Tarsney.T.  E 77c 

Taylor,  Zachary 6 

Terbush,  Mrs.  B.  O.  .1 ::is 

Tyler,  John ;,l 

Van  Karen.  Martin n: 

Van.hisen,  Alonzo 61(1 

Van  Liew.  E.  S ;,ni 

Voith,  Joseph 77a 

Wallace.  Henry  .1 ."7s 

Walton,  Hon   An. hew. us 

Washington,  George is 

Watson,  1  '..melius.  mi>        ,880 
W'ea.loek   George  W  >> 

W'.a  \  er,  James  A -j-2, 

w  ebber,  Hon.  William  L. . . .  Illfl 

Wiggins,  s.  1 iM  1 

Williams.  George  !■'       -.'is, 

Williamson,  Wi  Ilia  m  048 

Winans,  Edwin  B     isO 

WiSlier,   .Moses |.|1. 

Woodbridge,  William Ins 

Woolson,  Capt..  J.  <>..,  S42 

Zabst,  w.  E 194 

Zoeller,  C.  F 721 


^1>*W 


*r 


J1JN  9      1938 


X