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Pioniinen1t and epro$etteI}~ 1gitizel0 of t je gountiJ,


TOGETHER WIVIYhPORTR-IAIT'S AND BIOGRAPHIES OF ALI, THlE GO VERNORS OF MICHIGAN
AND OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNr~IT'ED STATES.,


ALSO CONTAINING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THlE COUNTrY, FROMI ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT


TO THlE PRESE'NT TIME.


CHICAGO:
C11AJ"MAN\ BROTHIERS.
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E HAVE completed our labors in writing and compiling the PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPH-. 9 r~/i,       x   AICAL ALBUM OF SANILAC COUNTY, and wish, in presenting it to its patrons, to speak
briefly of the importance of local works of this nature. It is certainly the duty
of the present to commemorate the past, to perpetuatethe names of the pioneers,
to furnish a record of their early settlement, and to relate the story of their progress.
The civilization of our day, the enlightenment of the age, and this solemn duty which
C ^  ' t  -men of the present time owe to their ancestors, to themselves and to their posterity
' demand that a record of their lives and deeds should be made. In local history is found a power
X   -, to instruct man by precedent, to enliven the mental faculties, and to waft down the river of time a safe,  vessel in which the names and actions of the people who contributed to raise this region from its
primitive state may be preserved. Surely and rapidly the noble men who in their prime entered
the wild forests of Sanilac and claimed the virgin soil as their heritage, are passing to
their graves. The number remaining who can relate the history of the first days of settlement is
becoming small indeed, so that an actual necessity exists for the collection and preservation of historical matter without delay, before the settlers of the wilderness are cut down by time. Not only
is it of the greatest importance to render history of pioneer times full and accurate, but it is also essential that the history of the county, from its settlement to the present day, should be treated through its various
phases, so that a record, complete and impartial, may be handed down to the future. The present the age
of progress, is reviewed, standing out in bold relief over the quiet, unostentatious olden times; it is abrilliant
record, which is destined to live in the future; the good works of men, their magnificent enterprises, their
lives, whether commercial or military, do not sink into oblivion, but, on the contrary, grow brighter with age,
and contribute to build up a record which carries with it precedents and principles that will be advanced and
observed when the acts of soulless men will be forgotten, and their very names hidden in obscurity.
In the preparation of the personal sketches contained in this volume, unusual care and pains were
taken to have them accurate, even in the smallest detail. Indeed, nothing was passed lightly over or treated
indifferently, ard we flatter ourselves that it is one of the most accurate works of its nature ever published.
As one of the most interesting features of this work, we present the portraits of numerous representative citizens. It has been our aim to have the prominent men of to-day, as well as the pioneers, represented
in this department; and we congratulate ourselves on the uniformly high character of the gentlemen whose
portraits we present. They are in the strictest sense representative men, and are selected from all the callings and professions worthy to be represented. There are others, it is true, who claim equal prominence with
those presented, but of course it was impossible for us to give portraits of all the leading men and pioneers
of the county. We are under great obligation to many of the noble and generous people of Sanilac
County for kindly and material assistance in the preparation of this ALBUM.


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HE Father of our Country was
|   born in Westmorland Co., Va.,
-t'~  I L     Feb. 22, I732. His parents!.CJ^ i( were Augustine and Mary
<  (Ball) Washington. The family
to which he belonged has not
~~"v~   ~been satisfactorily traced in
England.  His great-grandfather, John Washington, emigrated to Virginia about 1657,
and became    a  prosperous
planter.    He had two sons,. Q Z. Lawrence and  John.  The
former married Mildred Warner
and had three children, John,
Augustine and Mildred.  Augustine, the father of George, first
m    married Jane Butler, who bore
him four children, two of whom,
i [a t  Lawrence and Augustine, reached
maturity. Of six children by his
second marriage, George was the
eldest, the others being Betty,
Samuel, John Augustine, Charles
and Mildred.
Augustine Washington, the father of George, died
in I743, leaving a large landed property. To his
eldest son, Lawrence, he bequeathed an estate on
the Patomac, afterwards known as Mount Vernon,
and to George he left the parental residence. George
received only such education as the neighborhood
schools afforded, save for a short time after he left
school, when he received private instruction in
mathematics.  His spelling was rather defective.


Remarkable stories are told of his great physical
strength and development at an early age. He was
an acknowledged leader among his companions, and
was early noted for that nobleness of character, fairness and veracity which characterized his whole life.,
When George was 4 years old he had a desire to go to
sea, and a midshipman's warrant was secured for him,
but through the opposition of his mother the idea was
abandoned.  Two years later he was appointed
surveyor to the immense estate of Lord Fairfax. In
this business he spent three years in a rough frontier
life, gaining experience which afterwards proved very
essential to him. In 175T, though only 19 years of
age, he was appointed adjutant with the rank of
major in the Virginia militia, then being trained for
active service against the French and Indians. Soon
after this he sailed to the West Indies with his brother
Lawrence, who went there to restore his health. They
soon returned, and in the summer of I752 Lawrence
died, leaving a large fortune to an infant daughter
who did not long survive him. On her demise the
estate of Mount Vernon was given to George.
Upon the arrival of Robert Dinwiddie, as Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia, in 1752, the militia was
reorganized, and the province divided into four military districts, of which the northern was assigned to
Washington as adjutant general. Shortly after this
a very perilous mission was assigned himn and ac-.
cepted, which others had refused. This was to proceed to the French post near Lake Erie in Northwestern Pennsylvania. The distance to be traversed
was between 500 and 600 miles. Winter was at hand,
and the journey was to be made without military
escort, through a territory occupied by Indians. The


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trip was a perilous one, and several times he came near
losing his life, yet he returned in safety and furnished
a full and useful report of his expedition. A regiment
of 300 men was raised in Virginia and put in command of Col. Joshua Fry, and Major Washington was
commissioned lieutenant-colonel.  Active war was
then begun against the French and Indians, in which
Washington took a most important part. In the
memorable event of July 9, 1755, known as Braddock's defeat, Washington was almost the only officer
of distinction who escaped from the calamities of the
day with life and honor. The other aids of Braddock
were disabled early in the action, and Washington
alone was left in that capacity on the field. In a letter
to his brother he says: "I had four bullets through
my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet I escaped
unhurt, though death was leveling my companions
on every side." An Indian sharpshooter said he was
not born to be killed by a bullet, for he had taken
direct aim at him seventeen times, and failed to hit
him.
After having been five years in the military service,
and vainly sought promotion in the royal army, he
took advantage of the fall of Fort Duquesne and the
expulsion of the French from the valley of the Ohio,
to resign his commission. Soon after he entered the
Legislature, where, although not a leader, he took an
active and important part.  January I7, 1759, he
married Mrs. Martha (Dandridge) Custis, the wealthy
widow of John Parke Custis.
When the British Parliament had closed the port
of Boston, the cry went up throughout the provinces
that "The cause of Boston is the cause of us all."
It was then, at the suggestion of Virginia, that a Congress of all the colonies was called to meet at Philadelphia,Sept. 5, I774, to secure their common liberties,
peaceably if possible. To this Congress Col. Washington was sent as a delegate. On May IO, 1775, the
Congress re-assembled, when the hostile intentions of
England were plainly apparent. The battles of Concord and Lexington had been fought. Among the
first acts of this Congress was the election of a commander-in-chief of the colonial forces. This high and
responsible office was conferred upon Washington,
who was still a member of the Congress. He accepted
it on June i9, but upon the express condition that he
receive no salary. He would keep an exact account
of expenses and expect Congress to pay them and
nothing more. It is not the object of this sketch to
trace the military acts of Washington, to whom the
fortunes and liberties of the people of this country
were so long confided. The war was conducted by
him under every possible disadvantage, and while his
forces often met with reverses, yet he overcame every
obstacle, and after seven years of heroic devotion
and matchless skill he gained liberty for the greatest
nation of earth. On Dec. 23, 1783, Washington, in
a parting address of surpassing beauty, resigned his




commission as commander-in-chief of the army to
to the.Continental Congress sitting at Annapolis. He
retired immediately to Mount Vernon and resumed
his occupation as a farmer and planter, shunning all
connection with public life.
In February,1789, Washington was unanimously
elected President. In his presidential career he was
subject to the peculiar trials incidental to a new
government; trials from lack of confidence on the part
of other governments; trials from want of harmony
between the different sections of our own country;
trials from the impoverished condition of the country,
owing to the war and want of credit; trials from the
beginnings of party strife. He was no partisan. His
clear judgment could discern the golden mean; and
while perhaps this alone kept our government from
sinking at the very outset, it left him exposed to
attacks from both sides, which were often bitter and
very annoying.
At the expiration of his first term he was unanimously re-elected. At the end of this term many
were anxious that he be re-elected, but he absolutely
refused a third nomination. On the fourth of March,
1797, at the expiraton of his second term as President, he returned to his home, hoping to pass there
his few remaining years free from the annoyances of
public life. Later in the year, however, his repose
seemed likely to be interrupted by war with France.
At the prospect of such a war he was again urged to
take command of the armies. He chose his subordinate officers and left to them the charge of matters in the field, which he superintended from his
home. In accepting the command he made the
reservation that he was not to be in the field until
it was necessary. In the midst of these preparations
his life was suddenly cut off. December 12, he took
a severe cold from a ride in the rain, which, settling
in his throat, produced inflammation, and terminated
fatally on the night of the fourteenth. On the eighteenth his body was borne with military honors to its
final resting place, and interred in the family vault at
Mount Vernon.
Of the character of Washington it is impossible to
speak but in terms of the highest respect and admiration.  The more we see of the operations of
our government, and the more deeply we feel the
difficulty of uniting all opinions in a common interest,
the more highly we must estimate the force of his talent and character, which have been able to challenge
the reverence of all parties, and principles, and nations, and to win a fame as extended as the limits
of the globe, and which we cannot but believe will
be as lasting as the existence of man.
The person of Washington was unusally tall, erect
and well proportioned. His muscular strength was
great. His features were of a beautiful symmetry.
He commanded respect without any appearance of
haughtiness, and ever serious without being dull.


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" |   President and the first VicePI  g  resident of the United States,
was born in Braintree (now
r     4-  A) i' fQuincy),Mass., and about ten
miles from Boston, Oct. 19,
I735. His great-grandfather, Henry
> /)il Adams, emigrated from  England
1^|:>t about I640, with a family of eight
7J' i    sons, and settled at Braintree. The
){~   parents of John were John and,   Susannah (Boylston) Adams. His
father was a farmer of limited
'!|~   means, to which he added the busC0     iness of shoemaking.  He gave his
xiv   eldest son, John, a classical educaI    tion at Harvard College.  John
graduated in I755, and at once took charge of the
school in Worcester, Mass.  This he found but a
"school of affliction," from which he endeavored to
gain relief by devoting himself, in addition, to the
c4-ildir  of Inf lo o r t hic Tnilrnni^  he i  nlqrpsl  himcelf


tions he offered on the subject became very popular
throughout the Province, and were adopted word for
word by over forty different towns. He moved to Boston in 1768, and became one of the most courageous
and prominent advocatesof the popular cause, and
was chosen a member of the General Court (the Leglislature) in 1770.
Mr. Adams was chosen one of the first delegates
from Massachusetts to the first Continental Congress,
which met in 1774. Here he distinguished himself
by his capacity for business and for debate, and advocated the movement for independence against the
majority of the members. In May, I776, he moved
and carried a resolution in Congress that the Colonies
should assume the duties of self-government. He
was a prominent member of the committee of five
appointed June Ii, to prepare a declaration of independence. This article was drawn by Jefferson, but
on Adams devolved the task of battling it through
Congress in a three days debate.
On the day after the Declaration of Independence


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jLUU.Y V.... '..V LV  j... 1J 1"J...U.V 11  ^was passed, while his soul was yet warm with the
under the tuition of the only lawyer in the town. He  glow of excited feeling, he wrote a letter to his wife,
-,  had thought seriously of the clerical profession, had thought seriously of the clerical profession  which, as we read it now, seems to have been dictated
but seems to have been turned from this by what he  by the spirit of prophecy. "Yesterday," he says, "the
termed " the frightful engines of ecclesiastical coun-greatest question was decided that ever was debated
b                                  greatest question was decided that ever was debated
cils, of diabolical malice, and Calvanistic good nature,"  in America; and greater, perhaps, never was or will
of the operations of which he had been a witness in  be decided among men. A resolution was passed
his native town.  He was well fitted for the legal without one dissenting colony, 'that these United
profession, possessing a clear, sonorous voice, being  States are, and of right ought to be, free and inde-   ready and fluent of speech, and having quick percep-  pendent states.' The day is passed. The fourth of
tive powers. He gradually gained practice, and in uly, 776, will be a memorable epoch i the history
I'i 1764 married Abigail Smith, a daughter of a minister,  of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated
and a lady of superior intelligence. Shortly after his  by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary
/   marriage, (1765), the attempt of Parliamentary taxa-  festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of,i) tion turned him from law to politics. He took initial  deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to Almighty
7   steps toward holding a town meeting, and the resolu-  God. It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shows,
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24                                    JOHN ADLAMS.
^    games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations  French Revolution shook the continent of Europe,
fk  from one end of the continent to the other, from this  and it was upon this point which he was at issue with ^
time forward for ever. You will think me transported  the majority of his countrymen led by Mr. Jefferson.
with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of  Mr. Adams felt no sympathy with the French people  '
the toil, and blood and treasure, that it will cost to  in their struggle, for he had no confidence in their
i~   maintain this declaration, and support and defend  power of self-government, and he utterly abhored the
these States; yet, through all the gloom, I can see the  classof atheist philosophers who he claimed caused it.
rays of light and glory. I can see that the end is  On the other hand Jefferson's sympathies were strongly
worth more than all the means; and that posterity  enlisted in behalf of the French people. Hence orwill triumph, although you and I may rue, which I  iginated the alienation between these distinguished
hope we shall not."                            men, and two powerful parties were thus soon organIn November, I777, Mr. Adams was appointed a  ized, Adams at the head of the one whose sympathies
delegate to France and to co-operate with Bemjamin  were with England and Jefferson led the other in
Franklin and Arthur Lee, who were then in Paris, in  sympathy with France.
the endeavor to obtain assistance in arms and money  The world has seldom seen a spectacle of more
from the French Government. This was a severe trial  moral beauty and grandeur, than was presented by the
to his patriotism, as it separated him from his home,  old age of Mr. Adams. The violence of party feeling
compelled him to cross the ocean in winter, and ex-  had died away, and he had begun to receive that just
posed him to great peril of capture by the British cruis-  appreciation which, to most men, is not accorded till
ers, who were seeking him. He left France June 17,  after death. No one could look upon his venerable
1779. In September of the same year he was again  form, and think of what he had done and suffered,
chosen to go to Paris, and there hold himself in readi-  and how he had given up all the prime and strength
ness to negotiate a treaty of peace and of commerce of his life to the public good, without the deepest
with Great Britian, as soon as the' British Cabinet  emotion of gratitude and respect. It was his peculiar
might be found willing to listen to such proposels. He  good fortune to witness the complete success of the.   sailed for France in November, from there he went to  institution which he had been so active in creating and 7
3    Holland, where he negotiated important loans and  supporting. In 1824, his cup of happiness was filled =
formed important commercial treaties.              to the brim, by seeing his son elevated to the highest >
Finally a treaty of peace with England was signed  station in the gift of the people.
"    Jan. 21, 1783. The re-action from the excitement  The fourth of July, 1826, which completed the half
toil and anxiety through which Mr. Adams had passed century since the signing of the Declaration of Indecentury since the signing of the Declaration of Inde- '~
threw him into a fever. After suffering from a con-  pendence, arrived, and there were but three of the '
tinued fever and becoming feeble and emaciated he  pendence, arrived, and there were but three of the
ued fever and becoming feeble and emaciated he signers of that immortal instrument left upon the (
was advised to go to England to drink the waters of  earth to hail its moing lit.  And  as it is
Bath. While in England, stilldrooping anddespond-  well known, on that day two of these finished their
ing, he received dispatches from his own governmentearthly pilgrimge, a coincidence so remarkable as
urging the necessity of his going to Amsterdam to  to seem miraculous.  For a few days before Mr.
negotiate another loan. It was winter, his health was Adams had been rapidly failing, and on the morning
delicate, yet he immediately set out, and through  of the fourth he found himself too weak to rise from
storm, on sea, on horseback and foot,he made the trip  his bed. On being requested to name a toast for the
February 24, 1785, Congress appointed Mr. Adams  customary celebration of the day, he exclaimed " INenvoy to the Court of St. James. Here he met face  DEPENDENCE FOREVER." When the day was ushered
to face the King of England, who had so long re-  in, by the ringing of bells and the firing of cannons,
garded him  as a traitor.  As England did not  he was asked by one of his attendants if he knew
condescend to appoint a minister to the United  what day it was? He replied, "0 yes; it is the glorStates, and as Mr. Adams felt that he was accor-  ious fourth of Julv-God bless it-God bless you all."
plishing but little, he sought permission to return to  In the course of the day he said, " It is a great and
his own country, where he arrived in June, 1788.  glorious day."  The last words he uttered were,
When Washington was first chosen President, John  "Jefferson survives." But he had, at one o'clock, re<    Adams, rendered illustiious by his signal services at  signed his spirit into the hands of his God.?    home and abroad, was chosen Vice President. Again  The personal appearance and manners of Mr.
at the second election of Washington as President, Adams were not particularly prepossessing. His face,
Adams was chosen Vice President. In 1796, Wash-  as his portrait manifests,was intellectual and expres-..
ington retired from public life, and Mr. Adams was  sive, but his figure was low and ungraceful, and his (
elected President,though not without much opposition.  manners were frequently abrupt and uncourteous.
Serving in this office four years,he was succeeded by  He had neither the lofty dignity of Washington, nor
Mr. Jefferson, his opponent in politics.       the engaging elegance and gracefulness which marked )
)_     While Mr. Adams was Vice President the great  the manners and address of Jefferson.
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Jane (Randolph    ) Jeffe rson,  practice of hprofession he rose rapidly and distinAil Z and the latter born in Lon-  lawyer. But the times called for greater action. a >
who        Thoas was the elder.   views which Jefferson had ever entertained, son led
lYQ-f~ ~ ]   HOMAS JEFFERSON was         there was not to be found, perhaps, in allVirginia, a
% i Il  born Apr il 2, i743 at Shad- more pureminded, upright, gentlemanly young man.
wro     m he tme he wa  county, Va. o  U  Immediately upon leaving college he began the
age. I n 17 6o he entered William    a majestic swell of land, called Monticello,which
of the Colonal C,  and it was thwere Peter and  study of law. For the short time he continued in the
a-d spl        Jane (Randolph). Jefferson,  practice of his profession he rose rapidly and distinyears old, lived somthe former a native of ly, keeping finales guished himself by his energy and accuteness as a.horses, an    and the latter born in Lon-  lawyer.  But the times called for greater action.
don. To them were born six   The policy of England had awakened the spirit ofn
l i h  l   daughters and two sons, of    resistance of the American Colonies, and the enlarged s
such iwhomn Thomas was the elder.    views which efferson had ever entertained, soon led
ond year of his college ourse, moved by soe hishim into active political life. In 17mport69 he was chommitteesen
exp d i d  father dised. He received s  an member of the Virginia House of Burgesses.  In -, ad en h  ost liberal education, hav-   he married Mrs. Martha Skelton, a very beautiing been kept diligently at school ful, wealthy and highly accomplished young widow. (
fromprevious  thim ime he wa d fifve yeas of  miUpon Mr. Jefferson's large estate at Shadwell, there
1  age. In 1760 he entered William  was a majestic swell of land, called Monticello, which
hanMarsy Co hd s, ll ii sbu   was then the seat  commnanded Fa  prospect of wonderful extent and
of the Colonial Court, and it was the obode of fashion behoe  This hr hr Jreaed 1 selected for his new
aercise only a run in the evening twilight of a aile out  ivingston. Jefferson, as chairan, was appointen  7
of the ity andor back again. He thursons attained very to drawme and he pre he reared a manond Adams suggmodested
years old lived somewhate expensively, keeping finelo  a fe   architecture, which, next to   ount Vernon
horses, and  much caraessed by gay society, yet he ecae the ss.  On  n 2  a n he s ligt c anges were made
was earnestly devoted to his studies, and irreproacha- In  75 he was sent to the Colonial Congress,
able in his morals. It is strange, however, under,
writer and a reasoner soon become known, and he
such influencesthat he was not ruined. In the sec- n it         and   was assed and
scholar has seldomgone forth fmcolege hals and  was placed upon a number of important committees,
ond year of his college course, moved by some un-mshaebe the                      fe   g o tha
explained inward impulse, he discarded his horses,.....      "    '"-    '   'ic' *e h k  '^ Tn ing up of a declaration of independence. This cornsociety, and even his favorite violin, to which he hadc. I
previously given much time. Heoften devoted fifteen  ittee consisted ofhonas Jefferson, John Adams,.........,.,              ~.-.;^aif.^ ^  Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R.
hours a day to hard study, allowing himself for ex-..... ~,..,,T 4. _ ',.-,: ^^,4.  Livingston. Jefferson, as chairman, was appointed
ercise only a run in the evening twilight of a mile out.   J'er.Fakiand           as suggsted
of the city and back again. He thus attained very                      r          i      i        y
high intellectual culture, alike excellence in philoso-  a few verbal changes before it was submitted to Conphy and the languages. The most difficult Latin and  gress   On June 28, a few slight changes were made
Greek authors he read with facility. A more finished in it by Congress, and it was passed and signed July
scholar has seldom gone forth from college halls; and  4, 1776. What must have been the feelings of that'
— _                -"""b.,                                            --—. u a         o'.




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man-what the emotions that swelled his breastwho was charged with the preparation of that Declaration, which, while it made known the wrongs of
America, was also to publish her to the world, free,
soverign and independent. It is one of the most remarkable papers ever written; and did no other effort
of the mind of its author exist, that alone would be
sufficient to stamp his name with immortality.
In 1779 Mr. Jefferson was elected successor to
Patrick Henry, as Governor of Virginia. At one time
the British officer, Tarleton, sent a secret expedition to
Monticello, to capture the Governor. Scarcely five
minutes elapsed after the hurried escape of Mr. Jefferson and his family, ere his mansion was in possession of the British troops. His wife's health, never
very good, was tnuch injured by this excitement, and
in the summer of 1782 she died.
'Mr. Jefferson was elected to Congress in I783.
Two years later he was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to France. Returning to the United States
in September, I789, he became Secretary of State
in Washington's cabinet.  This position he resigned
Jan. r, 1794. In I797, he was chosen Vice President, and four years later was elected President over
Mr. Adams, with Aafon Burr as Vice President. In
I804 he was re-elected with wonderful unanimity,
and George Clinton, Vice President.
The early part of Mr. Jefferson's second adminstration was disturbed by an event which threatened the
tranquility and peace of the Union; this was the conspiracy of Aaron Burr. Defeated in the late election
to the Vice Presidency, and led on by an unprincipled
ambition, this extraordinary man formed the plan of a
military expedition into the Spanish territories on our
southwestern frontier, for the purpose of forming there
a new republic. This has been generally supposed
was a mere pretext; and although it has not been
generally known what his real plans were, there is no
doubt that they were of a far more dangerous
character.
In I809, at the expiration of the second term for
which Mr. Jefferson had been elected, he determined
to retire from political life. For a period of nearly
forty years, he had been continually before the pubtic, and all that time had been employed in offices of
the greatest trust and responsibility. Having thus devoted the best part of his life to the service of his
country, he now felt desirous of that rest which his
declining years required, and upon the organization of
the new administration, in March, I809, he bid farewell forever to public life, and retired to Monticello.
Mr. Jefferson was profuse in his hospitality. Whole
families came in their coaches with their horses,fathers and mothers, boys and girls, babies and
nurses,-and remained three and even six months.
Life at Monticello, for years, resembled that at a
fashionable watering-place.
The fourth of July, I826, being the fiftieth anniver



sary of the Declaration of American Independence,
great preparations were made in every part of the
Union for its celebration, as the nation's jubilee, and
the citizens of Washington, to add to the solemnity
of the occasion, invited Mr. Jefferson, as the framer,
and one of the few surviving signers of the Declaration, to participate in their festivities.  But an illness, which had been of several weeks duration, and
had been continually increasing, compelled him to
decline the invitation.
On the second of July, the disease under which
he was laboring left him, but in such a reduced
state that his medical attendants, entertained no
hope of his recovery. From this time he was perfectly
sensible that his last hour was at hand. On the next
day, which was Monday, he asked of those around
him, the day of the month, and on being told it was
the third of July, he expressed the earnest wish that
he might be permitted to breathe the air of the fiftieth
anniversary. His prayer was heard-that day, whose
dawn was hailed with such rapture through our land,
burst upon his eyes, and then they were closed forever. And what a noble consummation of a noble
life! To die on that day, —the birthday of a nation,- -
the day which his own name and his own act had
rendered glorious; to die amidst the rejoicings and
festivities of a whole nation, who looked up to him,
as the author, under God, of their greatest blessings,
was all that was wanting to fill up the record his life.
Almost at the same hour of his death, the kindred spirit of the venerable Adams, as if to bear
him company, left the scene of his earthly honors.
Hand in hand they had stood forth, the champions of
freedom; hand in hand, during the dark and desperate struggle of the Revolution, they had cheered and
animated their desponding countrymen; for half a
century they had labored together for the good of
the country; and now hand in hand they depart.
In their lives they had been united in the same great
cause of liberty, and in their deaths they were not
divided.
In person Mr. Jefferson was tall and thin, rather
above six feet in height, but well formed; his eyes
were light, his hair originally red, in after life became
white and silvery; his complexion was fair, his forehead broad, and his whole countenance intelligent and
thoughtful. He possessed great fortitude of mind as
well as personal courage; and his command of temper was such that his oldest and most intimate friends
never recollected to have seen him in a passion.
His manners, though dignified, were simple and unaffected, and his hospitality was so unbounded that
all found at his house a ready welcome. In conversation he was fluent, eloquent and enthusiastic; and
his language was remarkably pure and correct. He
was a finished classical scholar, and in his writings is
discernable the care with which he formed his style
upon the best models of antiquity.


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FOURTH PRESIDENT,                    31.       Alr AMES  'MADIISON, "Father [ prudent zeal; allowing himself for months, but three


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r-~,     A       A I A t -iof the Constitution, and fourth
was born March 6, 1757, and
died at his home in Virginia,
June 28, I836. The name of
eS,^ ^/, James Madison is inseparably con>[  jll  nected with most of the important
t[lji~t{ events in that heroic period of our
t1$,T, country during which the founda-;,   tions of this great republic were
/  laid. He was the last of the founders
of the Constitution of the United
States to be called to his eternal
reward.
The Madison family were among
^ l \  the early emigrants to the New World,
landing upon the shores of the Chesapeake but 15 years after the settle]  ent of Jamestown. The father of
James Madison    was an   opulent
planter, residing upon a very fine estate called "Montpelier," Orange Co.,
Va. The mansion was situated in
the midst of scenery highly picturj    esque and romantic, on the west side
of South-west Mountain, at the foot of
Blue Ridge. It was but 25 miles from the home of
Jefferson at Monticello. The closest personal and
political attachment existed between these illustrious
men, from their early youth until death.
The early education of Mr. Madison was conducted
mostly at home under a private tutor. At the age of
I8 he was sent to Princeton College, in New Jersey.
Here he applied himself to study with the most im

hours' sleep out of the 24. His health thus became so
seriously impaired that he never recovered any vigor
of constitution. He graduated in 177 1, with a feeble
body, with a character of utmost purity, and with a
mind highly disciplined and richly stored with learning
which embellished and gave proficiency to his subsequent career.
Returning to Virginia, he commenced the study of
law and a course of extensive and systematic reading.
This educational course, the spirit of the times in
which he lived, and the society with which he associated, all combined to inspire him with a strong
love of liberty, and to train himTfor his life-work of
a statesman. Being naturally of a religious turn of
mind, and his frail health leading him to think that
his life was not to be long, he directed especial attention to theological studies. Endowed with a mind
singularly free from passion and prejudice, and with
almost unequalled powers of reasoning, he weighed
all the arguments for and against revealed religion,
until his faith became so established as never to
be shaken.
In the spring of I776, when 26 years of age, he
was elected a member of the Virginia Convention, to
frame the constitution of the State.  The next year
(1777), he was a candidate for the General Assembly.
He refused to treat the whisky-loving voters, and
consequently lost his election; but those who had
witnessed the talent, energy and public spirit of the
modest young man, enlisted themselves in his behalf,
and he was appointed to the Executive Council.
Both Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson were
Governors of Virginia while Mr. Madison remained
member of the Council; and their appreciation of his


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32                                 JfAMES MADISON.
intellectual, social and moral worth, contributed not I British orders in council destroyed our commerce, and
i  a little to his subsequent eminence.  In the year  our flag was exposed to constant insult. Mr. Madison
1 780, he was elected a member of the Continental  was a man of peace. Scholarly in his taste, retiring  |
Congress. Here he met the most illustrious men in  in his disposition, war had no charms for him. But the
our land, and he was immediately assigned to one of  meekest spirit can be roused. It makes one's blood. the most conspicuous positions among them.     boil, even now, to think of an American ship brought
For three years Mr. Madison continued in Con-  to, upon the ocean, by the guns of an English cruiser.
gress, one of its most active and influential members.  A young lieutenant steps on board and orders the
In the year 1784, his term having expired, he was  crew to be paraded before him. With great nonchalelected a member of the Virginia Legislature.  ance he selects any number whom he may please to
No man felt more deeply than Mr. Madison the  designate as British subjects; orders them down the
utter inefficiency of the old confederacy, with no na-  ship's side into his boat; and places them on the guntional government, with no power to form treaties  deck of his man-of-war, to fight, by compulsion, the
which would be binding, or to enforce law. There  battles of England. This right of search and imwas not any State more prominent than Virginia in  pressment, no efforts of our Government could induce
the declaration, that an efficient national government  the British cabinet to relinquish.
nmust be formed. In January, 1786, Mr. Madison    On the I8th of June, 1812, President Madison gave
carried a resolution through the General Assembly of  his approval to an act of Congress declaring war
Virginia, inviting the other States to appoint commis-  against Great Britain.  Notwithstanding the bitter
sioners to meet in convention at Annapolis to discuss  hostility of the Federal party to the war, the country
this subject. Five States only were represented. The  in general approved; and Mr. Madison, on the 4th
convention, however, issued another call, drawn up  of March, 1813, was re-elected by a large majority,
by Mr. Madison, urging all the States to send their  and entered upon his second term of office. This is
) delegates to Philadelphia, in May, I787, to draft  not the place to describe the various adventures of
a Constitution for the United States, to take the place  this war on the land and on the water.  Our infant
of that Confederate League. The delegates met at  navy then laid the foundations of its renown in grap=   the time appointed. Every State but Rhode Island  pling with the most formidable power which ever __
3   was represented. George Washington was chosen  swept the seas. The contest commenced in earnest  '
t   president of the convention; and the present Consti-  by the appearance of a British fleet, early in February, (
=: tution of the United States was then and there formed.  1813, in Chesapeake Bay, declaring nearly the whole
There was, perhaps, no mind and no pen more ac- coast of the United States under blockade.
tive in framing this immortal document than the mind  The Emperor of Russia offered his services as me
and the pen of James Madison.                   ditator. America accepted; England refused. A Brit) The Constitution, adopted by a vote 8I to 79, was  ish force of five thousand men landed on the banks
to be presented to the several States for acceptance.  of the Patuxet River, near its entrance into ChesaBut grave solicitude was felt. Should it be rejected  peake Bay, and marched rapidly, by way of Bladenswe should be left but a conglomeration of independent  burg, upon Washington.
States, with but little power at home and little respect  The straggling little city of Washington was thrown
abroad. Mr. Madison was selected by the conven-  into consternation. The cannon of the brief conflict
tion to draw up an address to the people of the United  at Bladensburg echoed through the streets of the
States, expounding the principles of the Constitution,  metropolis. The whole population fled from the city'
\! and urging its adoption. There was great opposition  The President, leaving Mrs. Madison in the White
to it at first, but it at length triumphed over all, and  House, with her carriage drawn up at the door to
[ went into effect in 1789.                      await his speedy return, hurried to meet the officers
Mr. Madison was elected to the House of Repre-  in a council of war. He met our troops utterly routed,
sentatives in the first Congress, and soon became the  and he could not go back without danger of being
avowed leader of the Republican party.  While in  captured. But few hours elapsed ere the Presidential
New York attending Congress, he met Mrs. Todd, a  Mansion, the Capitol, and all the public buildings in
young widow of remarkable power of fascination,  Washington were in flames.
whom he married. She was in person and character  The war closed after two years of fighting, and on
queenly, and probably no lady has thus far occupied  Feb. 13, I8 5, the treaty of peace was signed at Ghent.
so prominent a position in the very peculiar society  On the 4th of March, I817, his second term of
which has constituted our republican court as Mrs.  office expired, and he resigned the Presidential chair
Madison.                                      to his friend, James Monroe. He retired tohis beauMr. Madison served as Secretary of State under  tiful home at Montpelier, and there passed the reJefferson, and at the close of his administration  mainder of his days. On June 2,8, 1836, then at the
was chosen President. At this time the encroach-  age of 85 years, he fell asleep in death. Mrs. Madiments of England had brought us to the verge of war.  son died July I2, I849.,:-; ---~~-'-tLa(_~_<__ '.:1,,_.7:,            -,:,  -~  - ~~M   --— M'~,
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w         A ',:,:~ AMES MONROE, the fifth; President of The United States,
I  ~td  I~  was born in WBestmoreland Co.,
5-~ /~I     f Va., April 28, 1758. His early
3r5 i -  life was passed at the place of
nativity. His ancestors had for
e~.~ many years resided in the province in which he was born. When,
l  at 17 years of age, in the process, of completing his education at
William and Mary College, the Colonial Congress assembled at Philadelphia to deliberate upon the unjust and manifold oppressions of
Great Britian, declared the separation of the Colonies, and promulgated the Declaration of Independence. Had he been born ten years before it is highly
probable that he would have been one of the signers
of that celebrated instrument. At this time he left
school and enlisted among the patriots.
He joined the army when everything looked hopeless and gloomy. The number of deserters increased
from day to day. The invading armies came pouring
in; and the tories not only favored the cause of the
mother country, but disheartened the new recruits,
who were sufficiently terrified at the prospect of contending with an enemy whom they had been taught
to deem invincible. To such brave spirits as James
Monroe, who went right onward, undismayed through
difficulty and danger, the United States owe their
political emancipation. The young cadet joined the
ranks, and.espoused the cause of his injured country,
with a firm determination to live or die with her strife


for liberty. Firmly yet sadly he shared in the melancholy retreat from Harleam Heights and White
Plains, and accompanied the dispirited army as it fled
before its foes through New Jersey.  In four months
after the Declaration of Independence, the patriots
had been beaten in seven battles. At the battle of
Trenton he led the vanguard, and, in the act of charging upon the enemy he received a wound in the left
shoulder.
As a reward for.his bravery, Mr. Monroe was promoted a captain of infantry; and, having recovered
from his wound, he rejoined the army. He, however,
receded from the line of promotion, by becoming an
officer in the staff of Lord Sterling. During the campaigns of I777 and 1778, in the actions of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth, he continued
aid-de-camp; but becoming desirous to regain his
position in the army, he exerted himself to collect a
regiment for the Virginia line. This scheme failed
owing to the exhausted condition of the State. Upon
this failure he entered the office of Mr. Jefferson, at
that period Governor, and pursued, with considerable
ardor, the study of common law. He did not, however,
entirely lay aside the knapsack for the green bag;
but on the invasions of the enemy, served as a volunteer; during the two years of his legal pursuits.
In 1782, he was elected from King Geolge county,
a member of the Leglislature of Virginia, and by that
body he was elevated to a seat in the Executive
Council. He was thus honored with the confidence
of his fellow citizens at 23 years of age; and having
at this early period displayed some of that ability
and aptitude for legislation, which were afterwards
employed with unremitting energy for the public good,.


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he was in the succeeding year chosen a member of
the Congress of the United' States.
Deeply as Mr. Monroe felt the imperfections of the old
Confederacy, he was opposed to the new Constitution,
thinking, with many others of the Republican party,
that it gave too much power to the Central Government,
and not enough to the individual States. Still he retained the esteem of his friends who were its warm
supporters, and who, notwithstanding his opposition
secured its adoption. In 1789, he became a member
of the United States Senate; which office he held for
four years. Every month the line of distinction between the two great parties which divided the nation,
the Federal and the Republican, was growing more
distinct. The two prominent ideas which now separated them were, that the Republican party was in
sympathy with France, and also in favor of such a
strict construction of the Constitution as to give the
Central Government as little power, and the State
Governments as much power, as the Constitution would
warrant. The Federalists sympathized with England,
and were in favor of a liberal construction of the Constitution, which would give as much power to the
Central Government as that document could possibly
authorize.
The leading Federalists' and Republicans were
alike noble men, consecrating all their energies to the
good of the nation. Two more honest men or more
pure patriots than John Adams the Federalist, and
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Shortly after his return to this country, Mr. Monroe was elected Governor of Virginia, and held the
office for three years. He was again sent to France to
co-operate with Chancellor Livingston in obtaining
the vast territory then known as the Province of
Louisiana, which France had but shortly before obtained from Spain. Their united efforts were successful. For the comparatively small sum of fifteen
millions of dollars, the entire territory of Orleans and
district of Louisiana were added to the United States.
This was probably the largest transfer of real estate
which was ever made in all the history of the world.
From France Mr. Monroe went to England to obtain from that country some recognition of our
rights as neutrals, and to remonstrate against those
odious impressments of our seamen.   But England was unrelenting. He again returned to England on the same mission, but could receive no
redress. He returned to his home and was again
chosen Governor of Virginia. This he soon resigned
to accept the position of Secretary of State under
Madison. While in this office war with England was
declared, the Secretary of War resigned, and during
these trying times, the duties of the War Department
were also put upon him. He was truly the armorbearer of President Madison, and the most efficient
business man in his cabinet. Upon the return of
peace he resigned the Department of War, but continued in the office of Secretary of State until the ex-,-,,'^4~-:  of  '\Nrr  l\/r-r   'nrl;en.cn"   ot;^  A + +1,,=,  1-1 -

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James Monroe the KepuDllcan, never Dreatneac. In  plailulU u i lvit. lviaulll  i s Utn tt LU. A -t tii t:iCC1c- ATt:: t  tC-:    building up this majestic nation, which is destined  tion held the previous autumn Mr. Monroe himself had:
to eclipse all Grecian and Assyrian greatness, the com-  been chosen President with but little opposition, and e
bination of their antagonism was needed to create the  upon March 4, 1817, was inaugurated. Four years
ight equilibrium. And yet each in his day was de-  later he was elected for a second term.
nounced as almost a demon.                        Among the important measures of his Presidency
Washington was then President. England had es-  were the cession of Florida to the United States; the
poused the cause of the Bourbons against the princi-  Missouri Compromise, and the "Monroe doctrine."
pies of the French Revolution. All Europe was drawn  This famous doctrine, since known as the " Monroe
into the conflict.  We were feeble and far away.  doctrine," was enunciated by him in 1823. At that
Washington issued a proclamation of neutrality be-  time the United States had recognized the independ-;   tween these contending powers. France had helped  ence of the South American states, and did not waish!l
us in the struggle for our liberties. All the despotisms  to have European powers longer attempting to sub- e
of Europe were now combined to prevent the French  due portions of the American Continent. The doctrine
from escaping from a tyranny a thousand-fold worse  is as follows: "That we should consider any attempt
than that which we had endured. Col. Monroe, more  on the part of European powers to extend their sysmagnanimous than prudent, was anxious that, at  tem to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous
whatever hazard, we should help our old allies in  to our peace and safety," and "that we could not
their extremity. It was the impulse of a generous  view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing
and noble nature. He violently opposed the Pres-  or controlling American governments or provinces in
ident's proclamation as ungrateful and wanting in  any other light than as a manifestation by European
magnanimity.                                      powers of an unfriendly disposition toward the United
Washington, who could appreciate such a character,  States." This doctrine immediately affected the course
developed his calm, serene, almost divine greatness,  of foreign governments, and has become the approved
by appointing that very James Monroe, who was de-  sentiment of the United States.
nouncing the policy of the Government, as the minister  At the end of his second term Mr. Monroe retired
of that Government to the Republic of France. Mr.  to his home in Virginia, where he lived until 1830,
Monroe was welcomed by the National Convention   when he went to New York to live with his son-inin France with the most enthusiastic demonstrations.  law  In that city he diedon the 4th of July, 831,
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I,l,  OHN QUINCY ADAMS, the
i     t,!  [i sixth President of the United
(<"~~I States, was born in the rural
d             i l ]&1 [) } home of his honored father,
l d,~  /~/  John Adams, in Quincy, Mass.,
~i~7  ion the I th cf July, 7 67. His
X    -) ' ~mother, a woman of exalted
eis.,/i    worth, watched over his childhood
Fr ~ll   during the almost constant ab/ 1 )    ~e sence of his father.  When but
>I~~- ~k  eight years of age, he stood with;^ Si    l his mother on an eminence, listen-.       ing to the booming of the great battle on Bunker's Hill, and gazing on
_ upon the smoke and flames billow()  ing up from  the conflagration of
Charlestown.
(i  When but eleven years old he
took a tearful adieu of his mother,
to sail with his father for Europe,
through a fleet of hostile British cruisers. The bright,
animated boy spent a year and a half in Paris, where
his father was associated with Franklin and Lee as
minister nleninntentiarv. His intellicence attrarted


in the spring of I782, he accompanied his father to
Paris, traveling leisurely, and forming acquaintance
with the most distinguished men on the Continent;
examining architectural remains, galleries of paintings,
and all renowned works of art. At Paris he again
became associated with the most illustrious men of
all lands in the contemplations of the loftiest temporal
themes which can engross the human mind.  After
a short visit to England he returned to Paris, and
consecrated all his energies to study until May, I785,
when he returned to America. To a brilliant young
man of eighteen, who had seen much of the world,
and who was familiar with the etiquette of courts, a
residence with his father in London, under such circumstances, must have been extremely attractive;
but with judgment very rare in one of his age, he preferred to return to America to complete his education
in an American college.  He wished then to study
law, that with an honorable profession, he might be
able to obtain an independent support.
Upon leaving Harvard College, at the age of twenty,
he studied law for three years. In June, 1794, beingthen but twenty-seven years of age, he was appointed by Washington, resident minister at the


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the notice of these distinguished men, and he received etherlads. Sailing from Boston in July, he reached!
9. from theml flattering marks of attention.       London in October, where he was immediately admit-  \
j   Mr. John Adams had scarcely returned to this |ted to the deliberations of Messrs. Jay and Pinckney,
Mr. John Adams had scarcely returned to this
country, in 1779, ere he was again sent abroad. Again ssstingem in negotiatingcomercial treaty with
John Quincy accompanied his father.  At Paris he  Great Britian.  After thus spending a fortnight in
applied himself with great diligence, for six months,  London, he proceeded to the Hague.
to study; then accompained his father to Holland,  In July, 1797, he left the Hague to go to Portugal as
where he entered, first a school in Amsterdam, then  minister plenipotentiary.  On his way to Portugal,
the University at Leyden. About a year from this  upon arriving in London, he met with despatches
time, in 178I, when the manly boy was but fourteen  directing him to the court of Berlin, but requesting.  years of age, he was selected by Mr. Dana, our min-  him to remain in London until he should receive his  P
ister to the Russian court, as his private secretary.  instructions.  While waiting he was married to an.,:1  In this school of incessant labor and of enobling American lady to whom he had been previously en
culture he spent fourteen months, and then returned  gaged,-Miss Louisa Catherine Johnson, daughter
Ad to Holland through Sweden, Denmark, Hamburg and  of Mr. Joshua Johnson, American consul in London;
At Bremen.    This long journey he took alone, in the  a lady endownd with that beauty and those accom- ^
) winter, when in his sixteenth year. Again he resumed  plishment which eminently fitted her to move in the  C
his studies, under a private tutor, at Hague. Thence,  elevated sphere for which she was destined.
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He reached Berlin with his wife in November, 1797;
where he remained until July, 1799, when, having fulfilled all the purposes of his mission, he solicited his
recall.
Soon after his return, in I802, he was chosen to
the Senate of Massachusetts, from Boston, and then
was elected Senator of the United States for six years,
from the 4th of March, I804.  His reputation, his
ability and his experience, placed him immediately
among the most prominent and influential members
of that body. Especially did he sustain the Government in its measures of resistance to the encroachments of England, destroying our commerce and insulting our flag. There was no man in America more
familiar with the arrogance of the British court upon
these points, and no one more resolved to present
a firm resistance.
In I809, Madison succeeded Jefferson in the Presidential chair, and he immediately nominated John
Quincy Adams minister to St. Petersburg. Resigning his professorship in Harvard College, he embarked
at Boston, in August, 1809.
While in Russia, Mr. Adams was an intense student. He devoted his attention to the language and
history of Russia; to the Chinese trade; to the
European system of weights, measures, and coins; to
the climate and astronomical observations; while he
kept up a familiar acquaintance with the Greek and
Latin classics. In all the universities of Europe, a
more accomplished scholar could scarcely be found.
All through life the Bible constituted an important
part of his studies. It was his rule to read five
chapters every day.
On the 4th of March, I817, Mr. Monroe took the
Presidential chair, and immediately appointed Mr.
Adams Secretary of State. Taking leave of his numerous friends in public and private life in Europe, he
sailed in June, 1819, for the United States. On the
I8th of August, he again crossed the threshold of his
home in Quincy. During the eight years of Mr. Monroe's administration, Mr. Adams continued Secretary
of State.
Some time before the close of Mr. Monroe's second
term of office, new candidates began to be presented
for the Presidency. The friends of Mr. Adams brought
forward his name. It was an exciting campaign.
Party spirit was never more bitter. Two hundred and
sixty electoral votes were cast. Andrew Jackson received ninety-nine; John Quincy Adams, eighty-four;
William H. Crawford, forty-one; Henry Clay, thirtyseven. As there was no choice by the people, the
question went to the House of Representatives. Mr.
Clay gave the vote of Kentucky to Mr. Adams, and
he was elected.
The friends of all the disappointed candidates now
combined in a venomous and persistent assault upon
Mr. Adams. There is nothing more disgraceful in
the past history of our country than the abuse which




was poured in one uninterrupted stream, upon this  J'
high-minded, upright, patriotic man. There never was
an administration more pure in principles, more conscientiously devoted to the best interests of the country, than that of John Quincy Adams; and never, perhaps, was there an administration more unscrupulously and outrageously assailed.
Mr. Adams was, to a very remarkable degree, abstemious and temperate in his habits; always rising
early, and taking much exercise. When at his home in
Quincy, he has been known to walk, before breakfast.
seven miles to Boston. In Washington, it was said
that he was the first man up in the city, lighting his
own fire and applying himself to work in his library
often long before dawn.
On the 4th of March, I829, Mr. Adams retired
from the Presidency, and was succeeded by Andrew
Jackson. John C. Calhoun was elected Vice President. The slavery question now began to assume
portentous magnitude.  Mr. Adams returned to
Quincy and to his studies, which he pursued with unabated zeal. But he was not long permitted to remain in retirement. In November, 1830, he was,
elected representative to Congress.  For seventeen
years, until his death, he occupied the post as representative, towering above all his peers, ever ready to
do brave battle'for freedom, and winning the title of
"the old man eloquent." Upon taking his seat in  D
the House, he announced that he should hold him- A
self bound to no party. Probably there never was a A
member more devoted to his duties. He was usually  (
the first in his place in the morning, and the last to
leave his seat in the evening. Not a measure could
be brought forward and escape his scrutiny.  The
battle which Mr. Adams fought, almost singly, against
the proslavery party in the Government, was sublime
in its moral daring and heroism. For persisting in
presenting petitions for the abolition of slavery, he
was threatened with indictment by the grand jury,
with expulsion from the House, with assassination;
but. no threats could intimidate him, and his final
triumph was complete.
It has been said of President Adams, that when his
body was bent and his hair silvered by the lapse of
fourscore years, yielding to the simple faith of a little
child, he was accustomed to repeat every night, before
he slept, the prayer which his mother taught him in
his infant years.
On the 2 st of February, 1848, he rose on the floor
of Congress, with a paper in his hand, to address the
speaker. Suddenly he fell, again stricken by paralysis, and was caught in the arms of those around him.
For a time he was senseless, as he was conveyed to  4
the sofa in the rotunda. With reviving consciousness, he opened his eyes, looked calmly around and
said " This is the endof earth;"then after a moment's o
pause he added, "I am content."  These were the
last words of the grand "Old Man Eloquent."    '




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*    NDREW     JACKSON, the
i i:~      g.l ~seventh President of the
5   g ' W United States, was born in
I  a       AdzJl^  Waxhaw settlement, N. C.,
March 15, 1767, a few days:~ '^ after his father's death. His.t, W parents were poor emigrants
from  Ireland, and took up
1 A.  their abode in Waxhaw settlement, where they lived in
deepest poverty.
(    Andrew, or Andy, as he was
universally called, grew up a very
V    rough, rude, turbulent boy.  His
features were coarse, his form ungainly; and there was but very
little in his character, made visible, which was attractive.
When only thirteen years old he joined the volunteers of Carolina against the British invasion.  In
1781, he and his brother Robert were captured and
imprisoned for a time at Camden.  A British officer
ordered him to brush his mud-spattered boots. " I am
a prisoner of war, not your servant," was the reply of
the dauntless boy.
The brute drew his sword, and aimed a desperate
blow at the head of the helpless young prisoner.
Andrew raised his hand, and thus received two fearful gashes,-one on the hand and the other upon the
head. The officer then turned to his brother Robert
with the same demand. He also refused, and received a blow from the keen-edged sabre, which quite
disabled him, and which probably soon after caused
his death. They suffered much other ill-treatment, and
were finally stricken with the small-pox.  Their
mother was successful in obtaining their exchange,


and took her sick boys home. After a long illness
Andrew recovered, and the death of his mother soon
left him entirely friendless.
Andrew supported himself in various ways, such as
working at the saddler's trade, teaching school and
clerking in a general store, until 1784, when he
entered a law office at Salisbury, N. C. He, however,
gave more attention to the wild amusements of the
times than to his studies. In 1788, he was appointed
solicitor for the western district of North Carolina, of
which Tennessee was then a part.  This involved
many long and tedious journeys amid dangers of
every kind, but Andrew Jackson never knew fear,
and the Indians had no desire to repeat a skirmish
with the Sharp Knife.
In I79I, Mr. Jackson was married to a woman who
supposed herself divorced from her former husband.
Great was the surprise of both parties, two years later,
to find that the conditions of the divorce had just been
definitely settled by the first husband. The marriage
ceremony was performed a second time, but the occurrence was often used by his enemies to bring Mr.
Jackson into disfavor.
During these years he worked hard at his profession, and frequently had one or more duels on hand,
one of which, when he killed Dickenson, was especially disgraceful.
In January, 1796, the Territory of Tennessee then
containing nearly eighty thousand inhabitants, the
people met in convention at Knoxville to frame a constitution. Five were sent from each of the eleven
counties. Andrew Jackson was one of the delegates.
The new State was entitled to but one member in
the National House of Representatives. Andrew Jackson was chosen that member. Mounting his horse he
rode to Philedelphia, where Congress then held its


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44                                  ANDREW JA sCKSON.
sessions,-a distance of about eight hundred miles.  of the river enclosed nearly one hundred acres of X
Jackson was an earnest advocate of the Demo-  tangled forest and wild ravine. Across the narrow
cratic party.  Jefferson was his idol.  He admired  neck the Indians had constructed a formidable breastt Bonaparte, loved France and hated England. As Mr.  work of logs and brush. Here nine hundred warriors,  '
Jackson took his seat, Gen. Washington, whose    with an ample suply of arms were assembled.
second term of office was then expiring, delivered his  The fort was stormed. The fight was utterly des-  ';
last speech to Congress. A committee drew up a   perate. Not an Indian would accept of quarter. When
complimentary address in reply. Andrew Jackson   bleeding and dying, they would fight those who endid not approve of the address, and was one of the  deavored to spare their lives. From ten in the morntwelve who voted against it. He was not willing to  ing until dark, the battle raged. The carnage was
say that Gen. Washington's adminstration had been  awful and revolting. Some threw themselves into the
( wise, firm and patriotic."                    river; but the unerring bullet struck their heads as
Mr. Jackson was elected to the United States  they swam. Nearly everyone of the nine hundred warSenate in 1797, but soon resigned and returned home.  rios were killed  A few probably, in the night, swam.'
Soon after he was chosen Judge of the Supreme Court  the river and escaped. This ended the war.  The
of his State, which position he held for six years.  power of the Creeks was broken forever. This bold J?
When the war of 1812 with Great Britian com-   plunge into the wilderness, with its terriffic slaughter,
menced, Madison occupied the Presidential chair.  so appalled.the savages, that the haggard remnants
Aaron Burr sent word to the President that there was  of the bands caine to the camp, begging for peace.
an unknown man in the West, Andrew Jackson, who    This closing of the Creek war enabled us to conwould do credit to a commission if one were con-  centrate all our militia upon the British, who were the
ferred upon him. Just at that time Gen. Jackson  allies of the Indians  No man of less resolute will
offered his services and those of twenty-five hundred  than Gen. Jackson could have conducted this Indian:
volunteers. His offer was accepted, and the troops  campaign to so successful an issue  Immediately he
were assembled at Nashville.                    was appointed major-general.
As the British were hourly expected to make an at-  Late in August, with an army of two thousand.
=   tack upon New Orleans, where Gen. Wilkinson was  men, on a rushing march, Gen. Jackson came to:
~  in command, he was ordered to descend the river  Mobile. A British fleet came from Pensacola, landed
with fifteen hundred troops to aid Wilkinson.  The  a force upon the beach, anchored near the little fort,
=: expedition reached Natchez; and after a delay of sev-  and from both ship and shore commenced a furious
"  eral weeks there, without accomplishing anything,  assault. The battle was long and doubtful. At length  %
the men were ordered back to their homes. But the  one of the ships was blown up and the rest retired.
energy Gen. Jackson had displayed, and his entire   Garrisoning Mobile, where he had taken his little
devotion to the comrfort of his soldiers, won him  army, he moved his troops to   New  Orleans,
golden opinions; and he became the most popular  And the battle of New Orleans which soon ensued,
man in the State. It was in this expedition that his  was in reality a very arduous campaign.  This won
toughness gave him the nickname of" Old Hickory."  for Gen. Jackson an imperishable name.  Here his
Soon after this, while attempting to horsewhip Col.  troops, which numbered about four thousand men,
Thomas H. Benton,. for a remark that gentleman  won a signal victory over the British army of about
made about his taking a part as second in a duel, in  nine thousand. His loss was but thirteen, while the
which a younger brother of Benton's was engaged,  loss of the British was two thousand six hundred.? he received two severe pistol wounds. While he was  The name of Gen. Jackson soon began to be menlingering upon a bed of suffering news came that the  tioned in connection with the Presidency, but, in T824, fj
Indians, who had combined under Tecumseh from   he was defeated by Mr. Adams. He was, however,
Florida to the Lakes, to exterminate the white set-  successful in the election of i828, and was re-elected
tlers, were committing the most awful ravages. De-  for a second term in 1832. In 1829, just before he
cisive action became necessary. Gen. Jackson, with  assumed the reins of the government, he met with
his fractured bone just beginning to heal, his arm in  the most terrible affliction of his life in the death of
a sling, and unable to mount his horse without assis-  his wife, whom he had loved with a devotion which has
tance, gave his amazing energies to the raising of an  perhaps never been surpassed. From the shock of
army to rendezvous at Fayettesville, Alabama.    her death he never recovered.
The Creek Indians had established a strong fort on  His administration was one of the most memorable
one of the bends of the Tallapoosa River, near the cen-  in the annals of our country; applauded by one party,  2,
ter of Alabama, about fifty miles below Fort Strother.  condemned by the other. No man had more bitter
With an army of two thousand men, Gen. Jackson    enemies or warmer friends. At the expiration of his  Uo
traversed the pathless wilderness in a march of eleven  two terms of office he retired to the Hermitage, where  -
days.   He reached their fort, called Tohopeka or  he died June 8, I845. The last years of Mr. Jack-  (Horse-shoe, on the 27th of March. I8I4. The bend  son's life were that of a devoted Christian man.
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/ r       Ar.:m, ARTIN VAN BUREN, the;  [ J'i'i^^l  t^ \ eighth  President of the
~'04%'         all ":s United States, was born at
e^~^  (@)-       Kinderhook, N. Y., Dec. 5,
'~-1 -'1782. He died at the same
place, July 24, 1862.  His
"'~~    Ibody rests in the cemetery
-T/,\l  at Kinderhook. Above it is,   a plain granite shaft fifteen feet
high, bearing a simple inscription
about half way up on one face.
The lot is unfenced, unbordered
or unbounded by shrub or flower.
There is but little in the life of Martin Van Buren
of romantic interest. He fought no battles, engaged
in no wild adventures. Though his life was stormy in
political and intellectual conflicts, and he gained many
signal victories, his days passed uneventful in those
incidents which give zest to biography. His ancestors, as his name indicates, were of Dutch origin,
and were among the earliest emigrants from Holland
to the banks of the Hudson. His father was a farmer,
residing in the old town of Kinderhook. His mother,
also of Dutch lineage, was a woman of superior intelligence and exemplary piety.
He was decidedly a precocious boy, developing unusual activity, vigor and strength of mind. At the
age of fourteen, he had finished his academic studies
in his native village, and commenced the study of
law. As he had not a collegiate education, seven
years of study in a law-office were required of him
before he could be admitted to the bar. Inspired with
a lofty ambition, and conscious of his powers, he pursued his studies with indefatigable industry. After
spending six years in an office in his native village,


he went to the city of New York, and prosecuted his
studies for the seventh year.
In 1803, Mr. Van Buren, then twenty-one years of
age, commenced the practice of law in his native village. The great conflict between the Federal and (
Republican party was then at its height.  Mr. Van
Buren was from the beginning a politician. He had, A
perhaps, imbibed that spirit while listening to the w
many discussions which had been carried on in his x
father's hotel.  He was in cordial sympathy with '
Jefferson, and earnestly and eloquently espoused the:
cause of State Rights; though at that time the Fed- ~
eral party held the supremacy both in his town
and State.                                    (
His success and increasing ruputation led him,
after six years of practice, to remove to Hudson, the
county seat of his county. Here he spent seven years,
constantly gaining strength by contending in the
courts with some of the ablest men who have adorned
the bar of his State.
Just before leaving Kinderhook for Hudson, Mr.,
Van Buren married a lady alike distinguished for j
beauty and accomplishments.  After twelve short
years she sank into the grave, the victim of consumption, leaving her husband and four sons to weep over
her loss. For twenty-five years, Mr. Van Buren was
an earnest, successful, assiduous lawyer. The record
of those years is barren in items of public interest. (
In T182, when thirty years of age, he was chosen to
the State Senate, and gave his strenuous support to,
Mr. Madison's adminstration. In I8I5, he was ap- (
pointed Attorney-General, and the next year moved
to Albany, the capital of the State.
While he was acknowledged as one of the most (
prominent leaders of the Democratic party, he had
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the moral courage to avow that true democracy did
not require that "universal suffrage" which admits
the vile, the degraded, the ignorant, to the right of
governing the State. In true consistency with his
democratic principles, he contended that, while the
path leading to the privilege of voting should be open
to every man without distinction, no one should be
invested with that sacred prerogative, unless he were
in some degree qualified for it by intelligence, virtue
and some property interests in the welfare of the
State.
In I82I he was elected a member of the United
States Senate; and in the same year, he took a seat
in the convention to revise the constitution of his
native State. His course in this convention secured
the approval of men of all parties. No one could
doubt the singleness of his endeavors to promote the
interests of all classes in the community.  In the
Senate of the United States, he rose at once to a
conspicuous position as an active and useful legislator.
In I827, John Quincy Adams being then in the
Presidential chair, Mr. Van Buren was re-elected to
the Senate. He had been from the beginning a determined opposer of the Administration, adopting the
"State Rights" view in opposition to what was
deemed the Federal proclivities of Mr. Adams.
Soon after this, in I828, he was chosen Governorof
the State of New York, and accordingly resigned his
seat in the Senate. Probably no one in the United
States contributed so much towards ejecting John Q.
Adams from the Presidential chair, and placing in it
Andrew Jackson, as did Martin Van Buren. Whether
entitled to the reputation or not, he certainly was regarded throughout the United States as one of the
most skillful, sagacious and cunning of politicians.
It was supposed that no one knew so well as he how
to touch the secret springs of action; how to pull all
the wires to put his machinery in motion; and how to
organize a political army which would, secretly and
stealthily accomplish the most gigantic results.  By
these powers it is said that he outwitted Mr. Adams,
Mr. Clay, Mr. Webster, and secured results which
few thought then could be accomplished.
When Andrew Jackson was elected President he
appointed Mr. Van Buren Secretary of State. This
position he resigned in I83I, and was immediately
appointed Minister to England, where he went the
same autumn. The Senate, however, when it met,
refused to ratify the nomination, and he returned




home, apparently untroubled; was nominated Vice
President in the place of Calhoun, at the re-election
of President Jackson; and with smiles for all and
frowns for none, he took his place at the head of that
Senate which had refused to confirm his nomination
as ambassador.
His rejection by the Senate roused all the zeal of
President Jackson in behalf of his repudiated favorite; and this, probably more than any other cause,
secured his elevation to the chair of the Chief Executive. On the 2oth of May, I836, Mr. Van Buren received the Democratic nomination to succeed Gen.
Jackson as President of the'United States. He was
elected by a handsome majority, to the delight of the
retiring President. "Leaving New York out of the
canvass," says Mr. Parton, "the election of Mr. Van
Buren to the Presidency was as much the act of Gen.
Jackson as though the Constitution had conferred
upon him the power to appoint a successor."
His administration was filled with exciting events.
The insurrection in Canada, which threatened to involve this country in war with England, the agitation
of the slavery question, and finally the great commercial panic which spread over the country, all were
trials to his wisdom. The financial distress was attributed to the management of the Democratic party,
and brought the President into such disfavor that he
failed of re-election.
With the exception of being nominated for the
Presidency by the "Free Soil" Democrats, in 1848,
Mr. Van Buren lived quietly upon his estate until
his death.
He had ever been a prudent man, of frugal habits,
and living within his income, had now fortunately a
competence for his declining years. His unblemished
character, his commanding abilities, his unquestioned
patriotism, and the distinguished positions which he
had occupied in the government of our country, secured to him not only the homage of his party, but
the respect ot the whole community. It was on the
4th of March, I841, that Mr. Van Buren retired from
the presidency. From his fine estate at Lindenwald,
he still exerted a powerful influence upon the politics
of the country. From this time until his death, on
the 24th of July, I862, at the age of eighty years, he
resided at Lindenwald, a gentleman of leisure, of
culture and of wealth; enjoying in a healthy old
age, probably far more happiness than he had before
experienced amid the stormy scenes of his active life.


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3^^TQ^Y^ ILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, the ninth President of
>   V^.M   I Xi  Wthe United States, was born
gat Berkeley, Va., Feb. 9, I773.
His father, Benjamin Harrison, was in comparatively opulent circumstances, and was
one of the most distinguished
men of his day. He was an
intimate friend of George
Washington, w as early elected
a member of the Continental
Congress, and was conspicuous
among the patriots of Virginia in
resisting the encroachments of the
British crown. In the celebrated! I y1  Congress of I775, Benjamin Hars  rison and John Hancock were!j ~  both candidates for the office of
a I1 i  speaker.
Mr Harrison was subsequently
chosen Governor of Virginia, and
was twice re-elected.  His son,
William Henry, of course enjoyed
in childhood all the advantages which wealth and
intellectual and cultivated society could give. Having received a thorough common-school education, he
entered Hampden Sidney College, where he graduated
with honor soon after the death of his father.  He
then repaired to Philadelphia to study medicine under
the instructions of Dr. Rush and the guardianship of
Robert Morris, both of whom were, with his father,
signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Upon the outbreak of the Indian troubles, and notwithstanding the remonstrances of his friends, he
abandoned his medical studies and entered the army,
having obtained a commission of Ensign from Presi

dent Washington. He was then but I9 years old.
From that time he passed gradually upward in rank
until he became aid to General Wayne, after whose
death he resigned his commission. He was then appointed Secretary of the North-western Territory. This
Territory was then entitled to but one member in
Congress and Capt. Harrison was chosen to fill that
position.
In the spring of i8oo the North-western Territory
was divided by Congress into two portions.  The
eastern portion, comprising the region now embraced
in the State of Ohio, was called " The Territory
north-west of the Ohio." The western portion, which
included what is now called Indiana, Illinois and
Wisconsin, was called the "Indiana Territory." William Henry Harrison, then 27 years of age, was appointed by John Adams, Governor of the Indiana
Territory, and immediately after, also Governor of
Upper Louisiana. He was thus ruler over almost as
extensive a realm as any sovereign upon the globe. He
was Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and was invested with powers nearly dictatorial over the now
rapidly increasing white population. The ability and
fidelity with which he discharged these responsible
duties may be inferred from the fact that he was four
times appointed to this office-first by John Adams,
twice by Thomas Jefferson and afterwards by President Madison.
Whenhe began his adminstration there were but
three white settlements in that almost boundless region,
now crowded with cities and resounding with all the
tumult of wealth and traffic. One of these settlements
was on the Ohio, nearly opposite Louisville; one at
Vincennes, on the Wabash, and the third a French
settlement.
The vast wilderness over which Gov. Harrison
reigned was filled with many tribes of Indians. About


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the year 1806, two extraordinary men, twin brothers,
of the Shawnese tribe, rose among them.  One of
these was called Tecumseh, or "The Crouching
Panther;" the other, Olliwacheca, or " The Prophet."
Tecumseh was not only an Indian warrior, but a man
of great sagacity, far-reaching foresight and indomitable perseverance in any enterprise in which he might
engage. He was inspired with the highest enthusiasm,
and had long regarded with dread and with hatred
the encroachment of the whites upon the huntinggrounds of his fathers. His brother, the Prophet, was
an orator, who could sway the feelings of the untutored
Indian as the gale tossed the tree-tops beneath which
they dwelt.
But the Prophet was not merely an orator: he was,
in the superstitious minds of the Indians, invested
with the superhuman dignity of a medicine-man or a
magician. With an enthusiasm unsurpassed by Peter
the Hermit rousing Europe to the crusades, he went
from tribe to tribe, assuming that he was specially sent
by the Great Spirit.
Gov. Harrison made many attempts to conciliate
the Indians, but at last the war came, and at Tippecanoe the Indians were routed with great slaughter.
October 28, I812, his army began its march. When
near the Prophet's town three Indlans of rank made
their appearance and inquired why Gov. Harrison was
approaching them in so hostile an attitude. After a
short conference, arrangements were made for a meeting the next day, to agree upon terms of peace.
But Gov. Harrison was too well acquainted with
the Indian character to be deceived by such protestations. Selecting a favorable spot for his night's encampment, he took every precaution against surprise.
His troops were posted in a hollow square, and slept
upon their arms.
The troops threw themselves upon the ground for
rest; but every man had his accourtrements on, his
loaded musket by his side, and his bayonet fixed. The
wakeful Governor, between three and four o'clock in
the morning, had risen, and was sitting in conversation with his aids by the embers of a waning fire. It
was a chill, cloudy morning with a drizzling rain. In
the darkness, the Indians had crept as near as possible, and just then, with a savage yell, rushed, with all
the desperation which superstition and passion most
highly inflamed could give, upon the left flank of the
little army. The savages had been amply provided
with guns and ammunition by the English. Their
war-whoop was accompained by a shower of bullets.
The camp-fires were instantly extinguished, as the
light aided the Indians in their aim. With hideous yells, the Indian bands rushed on, not doubting a
speedy and an entire victory.  But Gen. Harrison's
troops stood as immovable as the rocks around them
until day dawned: they then made a simultaneous
charge with the bayonet, and swept every thing before them, and completely routing the foe,




Gov. Harrison now had all his energies tasked
to the utmost. The British descending from the Canadas, were of themselves a very formidable force; but
with their savage allies, rushing like wolves from the
forest, searching out every remote farm-house, burning, plundering, scalping, torturing, the wide frontier
was plunged into a state of consternation which even
the most vivid imagination can but faintly conceive.
The war-whoop was resounding everywhere in the
forest. The horizon was illuminated with the conflagration of the cabins of the settlers. Gen Hull had made
the ignominious surrender of his forces at Detroit.
Under these despairing circumstances, Gov. Harrison
was appointed by President Madison commander-inchief of the North-western army, with orders to retake
Detroit, and to protect the frontiers.
It would be difficult to place a man in a situation
demanding more energy, sagacity and courage; but
General Harrison was found equal to the position,
and nobly and triumphantly did he meet all the responsibilities.
He won the love of his soldiers by always sharing
with them their fatigue. His whole baggage, while
pursuing the foe up the Thames, was carried in a
valise; and his bedding consisted of a single blanket
lashed over his saddle. Thirty-five British officers,
his prisoners of war, supped with him after the battle.
The only fare he could give them was beef roasted
before the fire, without bread or salt.
In i8I6, Gen. Harrison was chosen a member of
the National House of Representatives, to represent
the District of Ohio. In Congress he proved an
active member; and whenever he spoke, it was with
force of reason and power of eloquence, which arrested
the attention of all the members.
In I8I9, Harrison was elected to the Senate of
Ohio; and in 1824, as one of the presidential electors
of that State, he gave his vote for Henry Clay.  The
same year he was chosen to the United States Senate.
In I836, the friends of Gen. Harrison brought him
forward as a candidate for the Presidency against
Van Buren, but he was defeated. At the close of
Mr. Van Buren's term, he was re-nominated by his
party, and Mr. Harrison was unanimously nominated
by the Whigs, with John Tyler for the Vice Presidency.
The contest was very animated. Gen. Jackson gave
all his influence to prevent Harrison's election; but
his triumph was signal.
The cabinet which he formed, with Daniel Webster
at its head as Secretary of State, was one of the most
brilliant with which any President had ever been
surrounded. Never were the prospects of an administration more flattering, or the hopes of the country
more sanguine. In the midst of these bright and
joyous prospects, Gen. Harrison was seized by a
pleurisy-fever and after a few days of violent sickness, died on the 4th of April; just one month after
his inauguration as President of the Vnited States.


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L I^TpY       OHN    TYLER,   the tenth
|    0,X Presidentof the United States.
a LAjl^ l(^1'  He was born in Charles-city
r  /3v*   Co., Va., March 29, I790. He
was the favored child of affluence and high social position. At the early age of
twelve, John entered William
and Mary College and graduated with much honor when
but seventeen years old. After
graduating, he devoted him@;  self with great assiduity to the
study of law, partly with his
father and partly with Edmund
Randolph, one of the most distinl l  guished lawyers of Virginia.
1 1~  sAt nineteen years of age, le
commenced the practice of law.
His success was rapid and astonishing.   It is said that three
months had not elapsed ere there
was scarcely a case on the docket of the court in which he was
not retained. When but twenty-one years of age, he
was almost unanimously elected to a seat in the State
Legislature.  He connected himself with the Democratic party, and warmly advocated the measures of
Jefferson and Madison. For five successive years he
was elected to the Legislature, receiving nearly the
unanimous vote or his county.
When but twenty-six years of age, he was elected
a member of Congress. Here he acted earnestly and
ably with the Democratic party, opposing a national
bank, internal improvements by the General Govern

ment, a protective tariff, and advocating a strict construction of the Constitution, and the most careful
vigilance over State rights.  His labors in Congress
were so arduous that before the close of his second
term he found it necessary to resign and retire to his
estate in Charles-city Co., to recruit his health. He,
however, soon after consented to take his seat in the
State Legislature, where his influence was powerful
in promoting public works of great utility.  With a
reputation thus canstantly increasing, he was chosen
by a very large majority of votes, Governor of his
native State. His administration was signally a successful one. His popularity secured his re-election.
John Randolph, a brilliant, erratic, half-crazed
man, then represented Virginia in the Senate of the
United States. A portion of the Democratic party
was displeased with Mr. Randolph's wayward course,
and brought forward John Tyler as his opponent,
considering him the only man in Virginia of sufficient
popularity to succeed against the renowned orator of
Roanoke. Mr. Tyler was the victor.
In accordance with his professions, upon taking his
seat in the Senate, he joined the ranks of the opposition. He opposed the tariff; he spoke against and
voted against the bank as unconstitutional; he strenuously opposed all restrictions upon slavery, resisting all projects of internal improvements by the General Government, and avowed his sympathy with Mr.
Calhoun's view of nullification; he declared that Gen.
Jackson, by his opposition to the nullifiers, had
abandoned the principles of the Democratic party.
Such was Mr. Tyler's record in Congress,-a record
in perfect accordance with the principles which he
had always avowed.
Returning to Virginia, he resumed the practice of
his profession. There was a split in the Democratic


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party. His friends still regarded him as a true Jeffersonian, gave him a dinner, and showered compliments upon him. He had now attained the age of
forty-six. His career had been very brilliant. In consequence of his devotion to public business, -his private affairs had fallen into some disorder; and it was
not without satisfaction that he resumed the practice
of law, and devoted himself to the culture of his plantation. Soon after this he removed to Williamsburg,
for the better education of his children; and he again
took his seat in the Legislature of Virginia.
By the Southern Whigs, he was sent to the national
convention at Harrisburg to nominate a President in
1839. The majority of votes were given to Gen. Harrison, a genuine Whig, much to the disappointment of
the South, who wished for Henry Clay. To conciliate the Southern Whigs and to secure their vote, the
convention then nominated John Tyler for Vice President. It was well known that he was not in sympathy with the Whig party in the North: but the Vice
President has but very little power in the Government, his main and almost only duty being to preside over the meetings of the Senate. Thus it happened that a Whig President, and, in reality, a
Democratic Vice President were chosen.
In I84I, Mr. Tyler was inaugurated Vice President of the United States. In one short month from
that time, President Harrison died, and Mr. Tyler
thus found himself, to his own surprise and that of
the whole Nation, an occupant of the Presidential
chair. This was a new test of the stability of our
institutions, as it was the first time in the history of our
country that such an event had occured. Mr. Tyler
was at home in Williamsburg when he received the
unexpected tidings of the death of President Harrison. He hastened to Washington, and on the 6th of
April was inaugurated to the high and responsible
office. He was placed in a position of exceeding
delicacy and difficulty. All his long life he had been
opposed to the main principles of the party which had
brought him into power. He had ever been a consistent, honest man, with an unblemished record.
Gen. Harrison had selected a Whig cabinet. Should
he retain them, and thus surround himself with counsellors whose views were antagonistic to his own? or,
on the other hand, should he turn against the party
which had elected him and select a cabinet in harmony with himself, and which would oppose all those
views which the Whigs deemed essential to the public welfare? This was his fearful dilemma. He invited the cabinet which President Harrison had
selected to retain their seats. He reccommended a
day of fasting and prayer, that God would guide and
bless us.
The Whigs carried through Congress a bill for the
incorporation of a fiscal bank of the United States.
The President, after ten days' delay, returned it with
his veto.  He suggested, however, that he would




approve of a bill drawn up upon such a plan as he
proposed. Such a bill was accordingly prepared, and
privately submitted to him. He gave it his approval.
It was passed without alteration, and he sent it back
with his veto. Here commenced the open rupture.
It is said that Mr. Tyler was provoked to this measure by a published letter from the Hon. John M.
Botts, a distinguished Virginia Whig, who severely
touched the pride of the President.
The opposition now exultingly received the President into their arms. The party which elected him
denounced him bitterly.  All the members of his
cabinet, excepting Mr. Webster, resigned. The Whigs
of Congress, both the Senate and the House, held a
meeting and issued an address to the people of the
United States, proclaiming that all political alliance
between the Whigs and President Tyler were at
an end.
Still the President attempted to conciliate.  He
appointed a new cabinet of distinguished Whigs and
Conservatives, carefully leaving out all strong party
men. Mr. Webster soon found it necessary to resign,
forced out by the pressure of his Whig friends. Thus
the four years of Mr. Tyler's unfortunate administration passed sadly away. No one was satisfied. The
land was filled with murmurs and vituperation. Whigs
and Democrats alike assailed him. More and more,
however, he brought himself into sympathy with his
old friends, the Democrats, until at the close of his term,
he gave his whole influence to the support of Mr.
Polk, the Democratie candidate for his successor.
On the 4th of March, I845, he retired from the
harassments of office, to the regret of neither party, and
probably to his own unspeakable relief. His first wife,
Miss Letitia Christian, died in Washington, in I842;
and in June, I844, President Tyler was again married,
at New York, to Miss Julia Gardiner, a young lady of
many personal and intellectual accomplishments.
The remainder of his days Mr. Tyler passed mainly
in retirement at his beautiful home,-Sherwood Forest, Charles-city Co., Va. A polished gentleman in
his manners, richly furnished with information from
books and experience in the world, and possessing
brilliant powers of conversation, his family circle was
the scene of unusual attractions.  With sufficient
means for the exercise of a generous hospitality, he
might have enjoyed a serene old age with the few
friends who gathered around him, were it not for the
storms of civil war which his own principles and
policy had helped to introduce.
When the great Rebellion rose, which the Staterights and nullifying doctrines of Mr. John C. Calhoun had inaugurated, President Tyler renounced his
allegiance to the United States, and joined the Confederates. He was chosen a member of their Congress;
and while engaged in active measures to destroy, by
force of arms, the Government over which he had
once presided, he was taken sick and soon died.


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t ~~~~~ B WIR~~~~~~~PFI~~~~ ~~17~~~r ~~~~h  B  jt~~~~~~"~A!-J"t@ TX    AMES K. POLK, the eleventh; I'\a]_..bPresident of the United States,
was born in Mecklenburg Co.,
-.'~,    y') N. C., Nov. 2, 1795. His pari&.~.   -,ents were Samuel and Jane
i/   (Knox) Polk, the former a son
e [;7 3 of Col. Thomas Polk, who located
at the above place, as one of the
first pioneers, in I735.
7Withl    In the year Ioo6, with his wife
Jt~-/ )  and children, and soon after followed by most of the members of
the Polk farnly, Samuel Polk emigrated some two or three hundred
miles farther west, to the rich valley
\  of the Duck River.  Here in the
midst of the wilderness, in a region
which was subsequently called Maury Co., they reared their log huts,
and established their homes. In the
hard toil of a new farm in the wilderness, James K. Polk spent the
early years of his childhood and
youth. His father, adding the pursuit of a surveyor to that of a farmer,
I  gradually increased in wealth until
he became one of the leading men of the region. His
mother was a superior woman, of strong common
sense and earnest piety.
Very early in life, James developed a taste for
reading and expressed the strongest desire to obtain
a liberal education. His mother's training had made
him methodical in his habits, had taught him punctuality and industry, and had inspired him with lofty
principles of morality. His health was frail; and his
father, fearing that he might not be able to endure a


sedentary life, got a situation for him behind the
counter, hoping to fit him for commercial pursuits.
This was to James a bitter disappointment. He
had no taste for these duties, and his daily tasks
were irksome in the extreme. He remained in this
uncongenial occupation but a few weeks, when at his
earnest solicitation his father removed him, and made
arrangements for him to prosecute his studies. Soon
after he sent him to Murfreesboro Academy.  With
ardor which could scarcely be surpassed, he pressed
forward in his studies, and in less than two and a half
years, in the autumn of 1815, entered the sophomore
class in the University of North Carolina, at Chapel
Hill. Here he was one of the most exemplary of
scholars, punctual in every exercise, never allowing
himself to be absent from a recitation or a religious
service.
He graduated in i818, with the highest honors, being deemed the best scholar of his class, both in
mathematics and the classics. He was then twentythree years of age. Mr. Polk's health was at this
time much impaired by the assiduity with which he
had prosecuted his studies. After a short season of
relaxation he went to Nashville, and entered the
office of Felix Grundy, to study law. Here Mr. Polk
renewed his acquaintance with Andrew Jackson, who
resided on his plantation, the Hermitage, but a few
miles from Nashville.  They had probably been
slightly acquainted before.
Mr. Polk's father was a Jeffersonian Republican,
and James K. Polk ever adhered to the same political faith. He was a popular public speaker, and was
constantly called upon to address the meetings of his
party friends. His skill as a speaker was such that
he was popularly called the Napoleon of the stump.
He was a man of unblemished morals, genial and


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courteous in his bearing, and with that sympathetic
nature in the joys and griefs of others which ever gave
him troops of friends. In 1823, Mr. Polk was elected
to the Legislature of Tennessee. Here he gave his
strong influence towards the election of his friend,
Mr. Jackson, to the Presidency of the United States.
In January, 1824, Mr. Polk married Miss Sarah
Childress, of Rutherford Co., Tenn. His bride was
altogether worthy of him,-a lady of beauty and culture. In the fall of I825, Mr. Polk was chosen a
member of Congress. The satisfaction which he gave
to his constituents may be inferred from the fact, that
for fourteen successive years, until 1839, he was continued in that office. He then voluntarily withdrew,
only that he might accept the Gubernatorial chair
of Tennessee.  In Congress he was a laborious
member, a frequent and a popular speaker. He was
always in his seat, always courteous; and whenever
he spoke it was always to the point, and without any
ambitious rhetorical display.
During five sessions of Congress, Mr. Polk was
Speaker of the House. Strong passions were roused,
and stormy scenes were witnessed; but Mr. Polk performed his arduous duties to a very general satisfaction, and a unanimous vote of thanks to him was
passed by the House as he withdrew on the 4th of
March, 1839.
In accordance with Southern usage, Mr. Polk, as a
candidate for Governor, canvassed the State. He was
elected by a large majority, and on the i4th of October, I839, took the oath of office at Nashville. In I84I,
his term of office expired, and he was again the candidate of the Democratic party, but was defeated.
On the 4th of March, 1845, Mr. Polk was inaugurated President of the United States. The verdict of
the countryin favor of the annexation of Texas, exerted
its influence upon Congress; and the last act of the
administration of President Tyler was to affix his signature to a joint resolution of Congress, passed on the
3d of March, approving of the annexation of Texas to
the American Union. As Mexico still claimed Texas
as one of her provinces, the Mexican minister,
Almonte, immediately demanded his passports and
left the country, declaring the act of the annexation
to be an act hostile to Mexico.
In his first message, President Polk urged that
Texas should immediately, by act of Congress, be received into the Union on the same footing with the
other States. In the meantime, Gen. Taylor was sent




with an army into Texas to hold the country. He was
sent first to Nueces, which the Mexicans said was the
western boundary of Texas. Then he was sent nearly
two hundred miles further west, to the Rio Grande,
where he erected batteries which commanded the
Mexican city of Matamoras, which was situated on
the western banks.
The anticipated collision soon took place, and war
was declared against Mexico by President Polk. The
war was pushed forward by Mr. Polk's administration
with great vigor. Gen. Taylor, whose army was first
called one of "observation," then of "occupation,"
then of " invasion, "was sent forward to Monterey. The
feeble Mexicans, in every encounter, were hopelessly
and awfully slaughtered.  The day of judgement
alone can reveal the misery which this war caused.
It was by the ingenuity of Mr. Polk's administration
that the war was brought on.
'To the victors belong the spoils." Mexico was
prostrate before us. Her capital was in our hands.
We now consented to peace upon the condition that
Mexico should surrender to us, in addition to Texas,
all of New Mexico, and all of Upper and Lower California. This new demand embraced, exclusive of
Texas, eight hundred thousand square miles.  This
was an extent of territory equal to nine States of the
size of New York. Thus slavery was securing eighteen
majestic States to be added'to the Union. There were
some Americans who thought it all right: there were
others who thought it all wrong. In the prosecution
of this war, we expended twenty thousand lives and
more than a hundred million of dollars.  Of this
money fifteen millions were paid to Mexico.
On the 3d of March, 1849, Mr. Polk retired from
office, having served one term.  The next day was
Sunday. On the 5th, Gen. Taylor was inaugurated
as his successor. Mr. Polk rode to the Capitol in the
same carriage with Gen. Taylor; and the same evening, with Mrs. Polk, he commenced his return to
Tennessee. He was then but fifty-four years of age.
He had ever been strictly temperate in all his habits,
and his health was good.  With an ample fortune,
a choice library, a cultivated mind, and domestic ties
of the dearest nature, it seemed as though long years
of tranquility and happiness were before him. But the
cholera-that fearful scourge-was then sweeping up
the Valley of the Mississippi. This he contracted,
and died on the I5th of June, I849, in the fifty-fourth
year of his age, greatly mourned by his countrymen.


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i Prsi n        ACHARY TAYLOR, twelfth         company of infantry numbering fifty men, many of i: Be^  ^1 'lr ~     President of the United States,  whom were sick.
was born on the 24th of Nov.,      Early in the autumn of I812, the Indians, stealthily,
1784, in Orange Co., Va. His   and in large numbers, moved upon the fort.  Their
father, Colonel Taylor, was    approach was first indicated by the murder of two
a Virginian of note, and a dis-  soldiers just outside of the stockade.  Capt. Taylor
' tinguished patriot and soldier of  made every possible preparation to meet the anticithe Revolution. When Zachary      pated assault. On the 4th of September, a band of.M\tI J  was an infant, his father with his
7~?  ], wife and two children, emigrated
to Kentucky, where he settled in
(   the pathless wilderness, a few
miles from Louisville. In this fronti  ier home, away from civilization and
all its refinements, young Zachary
could enjoy but few social and educational advantages. When six years of age he attended a common
school, and was then regarded as a bright, active boy,
rather remarkable for bluntness and decision of char<- or  T-1T         f1rrna rvrt  nY1 mACC o~ ca Pfr1loint nnd


forty painted and plumed savages came to the fort,
waving a white flag, and informed Capt. Taylor that
in the morning their chief would come to have a talk
with him. It was evident that their object was merely
to ascertain the state of things at the fort, and Capt.
Taylor, well versed in the wiles of the savages, kept
them at a distance.
The sun went down; the savages disappeared, the
garrison slept upon their arms.  One hour before
midnight the war whoop burst from a thousand lips
in the forest around, followed by the discharge of
musketry, and the rush of the foe. Every man. sick


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manifested a strong desire to enter the army to fight  and well, sprang to his post. Every man knew that
the Indians who were ravaging the frontiers. There  defeat was not merely death, but in the case of capis little to be recorded of the uneventful years of his  ture, death by the most agonizing and prolonged torchildhood on his father's large but lonely planttion.  ture. No pen can describe, no immagination can
In I808, his father succeeded in obtaining for him  conceive the scenes which ensued. The savages sucthe commission of lieutenant in the United States  ceeded in setting fire to one of the block-houses.
army; and he joined the troops which were stationed| Until six o'clock in the morning, this awful conflict
at New Orleans under Gen. Wilkinson. Soon after  continued. The savages then, baffled at every point,
this he married Miss Margaret Smith, a young lady  and gnashing their teeth with rage, retired.  Capt.
from one of the first families of Maryland.     Taylor, for this gallant defence, was promoted to the
Immediately after the declaration of war with Eng-  rank of major by brevet.
(   land, in i812, Capt. Taylor (for he had then been  Until the close of the war, Major Taylor was placed (
promoted to that rank) was put in command of Fort  in such situations that he saw but little more of active  I
Harrison, on the Wabash, about fifty miles above  service. He was sent far away into the depths of the
W   Vincennes. This fort had been built in the wilder-  wilderness, to Fort Crawford, on Fox River, which
ness by Gen. Harrison,on his march to Tippecanoe.  empties into Green Bay. Here there was but little
(?   It was one of the first points of attack by the Indians,  to be done but to wear away the tedious hours as one
K   led by Tecumseh. Its garrison consisted of a broken  best could, There were no books, no society, no in,- <


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64                                  ZACHAR Y TA YLOR.
tellectual stimulus. Thus with him the uneventful  had never been heard of, save in connection with Palo
years rolled on  Gradually he rose to the rank of  Ato, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey and Buena
colonel. In the Black-Hawk war, which resulted in  Vista. It is said that Daniel Webster, in his haste reat the capture of that renowned chieftain, Col Taylor  marked, "It is a nomination not fit to be made."
took a subordinate but a brave and efficient part.  Gen. Taylor was not an eloquent speaker nor a fine
For twenty-four years Col. Taylor was engaged in  writer. His friends took possession of him, and prethe defence of the frontiers, in scenes so remote, and in  pared such few communications as it was needful
employments so obscure, that his name was unknown  should be presented to the public. The popularity of
beyond the limits of his own immediate acquaintance.  the successful warrior swept the land. He was triIn the year I836, he was sent to Florida to compel  umphantly elected over two opposing candidates,the Seminole Indians to vacate that region and re-  Gen. Cass and Ex-President Martin Van Buren.
tire beyond the Mississippi, as their chiefs by treaty,  Though he selected an excellent cabinet, the good
had promised they should do. The services rendered  old man found himself in a very uncongenial position,
here secured for Col. Taylor the high appreciation of  and was, at times, sorely perplexed and harassed.
the Government; and as a reward, he was elevated  His mental sufferings were very severe, and probably  K
to the rank of brigadier-general by brevet; and soon  tended to hasten his death.  The pro-slavery party
after, in May, 1838, was appointed to the chief com-  was pushing its claims with tireless energy, expedimand of the United States troops in Florida.    tions were fitting out to capture Cuba; California was
After two years of such wearisome employment  pleading for admission to the Union, while slavery
amidst the everglades of the peninsula, Gen. Taylor  stood at the door to bar her out. Gen. Taylor found
obtained, at his own request, a change of command,  the political conflicts in Washington to be far more
and was stationed over the Department of the South-  trying to the nerves than battles with Mexicans or
west. This field embraced Louisiana, Mississippi,  Indians.
Alabama and Georgia. Establishing his headquarters  In the midst of all these troubles, Gen. Taylor,
at Fort Jessup, in Louisiana, he removed his family  after he had occupied the Presidential chair but little
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Here he remained for five years, buried, as it were,
= from the world, but faithfully discharging every duty
J imposed upon him.
In 1846, Gen. Taylor was sent to guard the land
between the Nueces and Rio Grande, the latter river
being the boundary of Texas, which was then claimed
by the United States. Soon the war with Mexico
was brought on, and at Palo Alto and Resaca de la
Palma, Gen. Taylor won brilliant victories over the
Mexicans.  The rank of major-general by brevet
was then conferred upon Gen. Taylor, and his name
was received with enthusiasm almost everywhere in


over a year, took cold, and alter a brief sickness of
but little over five days, died on the 9th of July, 1850.
His last words were, " I am not afraid to die. I am
ready. I have endeavored to do my duty." He died
universally respected and beloved. An honest, unpretending man, he had been steadily growing in the
affections of the people; and the Nation bitterly lamented his death.
Gen. Scott, who was thoroughly acquainted with
Gen. Taylor, gave the following graphic and truthful
description of his character:-" With a good store of'
common sense, Gen. Taylor's mind had not been enlagred and refreshed by reading, or much converse


Of I NS
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the Nation. Then came the battles of Monterey and  with the world. Rigidity of ideas was the conseBuena Vista in which he won signal victories over  quence. The frontiers and small military posts had
forces much larger than he commanded.           been his home. Hence he was quite ignorant for his,
His careless habits of dress and his unaffected  rank, and quite bigoted in his ignorance.  His simI simplicity, secured for Gen. Taylor among his troops,  plicity was child-like, and with innumerable prejuthe sobriquet of "Old Rough and Ready.'         dices, amusing and incorrigible, well suited to the
The tidings of the brilliant victory of Buena Vista  tender age. Thus, if a man, however respectable,
spread the wildest enthusiasm over the country. The  chanced to wear a coat of an unusual color, or his hat
name of Gen. Taylor was on every one's lips. The  a little on one side of his head; or an officer to leave
Whig party decided to take advantage of this wonder-  a corner of his handkerchief dangling from an outful popularity in bringing forward the unpolished, un-  side pocket,-in any such case, this critic held the
lettered, honest soldier as their candidate for the  offender to be a coxcomb (perhaps something worse),
Presidency. Gen. Taylor was astonished at the an-  whom he would not, to use his oft repeated phrase,
nouncement, and for a time would not listen to it; de-  touch with a pair of tongs.'
claringthat he was not at all qualified for such an  "Any allusion to literature beyond good old Dil-  *
office. So little interest had he taken in politics that,  worth's spelling-book, on the part of one wearing a
for forty years, he had not cast a vote.  It was not  sword, was evidence, with the same judge, of utter
O   without chagrin that several distinguished statesmen  unfitness for heavy marchings and combats. In short,
(  who had been long years in the public service found  few men have ever had a more comfortable, labortheir claims set aside in behalf of one whose name  saving contempt for learning of every kind."




I




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>            ~THIRTEENTH PRESIDENT.    67 i
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X,JrX ILLARD FILLMORE, thirteenth President ofthe United.'-' 0States, was born at Summer
i'   ) gHill, Cayuga Co., N. Y., on
* '  H   the 7th of January, 800oo. His
~ \(I)~   father was a farmer, and ow'/  ing to misfortune, in humble circumstances. Of his mother, the
GiP D'daughter of Dr. Abiathar Millard,
of Pittsfield, Mass., it has been
said that she possessed an intellect
of very high order, united with much
personal loveliness, sweetness of disposition, graceful manners and 'exquisite sensibilities.  She died in
1831; having lived to see her son a
I   young man of distinguished promise, though she was not permitted to witness the high
A: _:A- -   — 1_ _   ' -   A- -   _

enterprising man had commenced the collection of a
village library. This proved an inestimable blessing
to young Fillmore. His evenings were spent in reading. Soon every leisure moment was occupied with
books. His thirst for knowledge became insatiate;
and the selections which he made were continually
more elevating and instructive. He read history,
biography, oratory; and thus gradually there was enkindled in his heart a desire to be something more
than a mere worker with his hands; and he was becoming, almost unknown to himself, a well-informed,
educated man.
The young clothier had now attained the age of
nineteen years, and was of fine personal appearance
and of gentlemanly demeanor. It so happened that
there was a gentleman in the neighborhood of ample
pecuniary means and of benevolence,-Judge Walter
Wood,-who was struck with the prepossessing ap_r -  -  --.......1.


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uignity wmcn ne nnaily attaine.                  pearance ot young F:illmore. He made his acquaintIn consequence of the secluded home and limited  ance, and was so much impressed with his ability and
means of his father, Millard enjoyed but slender ad-  attainments that he advised him to abandon his %
vantages for education in his early years. The com-  trade and devote himself to the study of the law. The i
mon schools, which he occasionally attended  were  young man replied, that he had no means of his own,
very imperfect institutions; and books were scarce  no friends to help him and that his previous educaand expensive. There was nothing then in his char-  tion had been very imperfect. But Judge Wood had
acter to indicate the brilliant career upon which he  so much confidence in him that he kindly offered to
was about to enter. He was a plain farmer's boy;  take him into his own office, and to loan him such
w influences of home had taught him to revere the Bible,  offer was accepted. h
and had laid the foundations of an upright character.  There is in many minds a strange delusion about
A) When fourteen years of age, his father sent him   a collegiate education. A young man is supposed to
some hundred miles from home, to the then wilds of  be liberally educated if he has graduated at some col(   Livingston County, to learn the trade of a clothier.  lege. But many a boy loiters through university halls
Near the mill there was a small villiage, where some  and then enters a law office, who is by no means as
9*0"S""@'9                                                         NEW               An4




k 68                    MILLARD FILLMORE.                    a


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well prepared to prosecute his legal studies as was
Millard Fillmore when he graduated at the clothingmill at the end of four years of manual labor, during
which every leisure moment had been devoted to intense mental culture.
In 1823, when twenty-three years of age, he was
admitted to the Court of Common Pleas. He then
went to the village of Aurora, and commenced the
practice of law. In this secluded, peaceful region,
his practice of course was limited, and there was no
opportunity for a sudden rise in fortune or in fame.
Here, in the year I826, he married a lady of great
moral worth, and one capable of adorning any station
she might be called to fill,-Miss Abigail Powers.
His elevation of character, his untiring industry,
his legal acquirements, and his skill as an advocate,
gradually attracted attention; and he was invited to
enter into partnership under highly advantageous
circumstances, with an elder member of the bar in
Buffalo. Just before removing to Buffalo, in 1829,
he took his seat in the House of Assembly, of the
State of New York, as a representative from Erie
County. Though he had never taken a very active
part in politics, his vote and his sympathies were with
the Whig party. The State was then Democratic,
and he found himself in a helpless minority in the
Legislature; still the testimony comes from all parties,
that his courtesy, ability and integrity, won, to a very
unusual degree the respect of his associates.
In the autumn of I832, he was elected to a seat in
the United States Congress. He entered that troubled
arena in some of the most tumultuous hours of our
national history. The great conflict respecting the
national bank and the removal of the deposits, was
then raging.
His term of two years closed; and he returned to
his profession, which he pursued with increasing reputation and success.  After a lapse of two years
he again became a candidate for Congress; was reelected, and took his seat in I837.  His past expe.
rience as a representative gave him strength and
confidence. The first term of service in Congress to
any man can be but little more than an introduction.
He was now prepared for active duty. All his energies were brought to bear upon the public good. Every
measure received his impress.
Mr. Fillmore was now a man of wide repute, and
his popularity filled the State, and in the year 1847,
he was elected Comptroller of the State.




Mr. Fillmore had attained the age of forty-seven
years. His labors at the bar, in the Legislature, in
Congress and as Comptroller, had given him very considerable fame. The Whigs were casting about to
find suitable candidates for President and Vice-President at the approaching election.  Far away, on the
waters of the Rio Grande, there was a rough old
soldier, who had fought one or two successful battles
with the Mexicans, which had caused his name to be
proclaimed in trumpet-tones all over the land.  But
it was necessary to associate with him on the same
ticket some man of reputation as a statesman.
Under the influence of these considerations, the
names of Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore became
the rallying-cry of the Whigs, as their candidates for
President and Vice-Peesident. The Whig ticket was
signally triumphant. On the 4th of March, I849,
Gen. Taylor was inaugurated President, and Millard
Fillmore Vice-President, of the United States.
On the 9th of July, 1850, President Taylor, but
about one year and four months after his inauguration, was suddenly taken sick and died. By the Constitution, Vice-President Fillmore thus became President.  He appointed a very able cabinet, of which
the illustrious Daniel Webster was Secretary of State.
Mr. Fillmore had very serious difficulties to contend
with, since the opposition had a majority in both
Houses. He did everything in his power to conciliate
the South; but the pro-slavery party in the South felt
the inadequacy of all measures of transient conciliation.
The population of the free States was so rapidly increasing over that of the slave States that it was inevitable that the power of the Government should
soon pass into the hands of the free States. The
famous compromise measures were adopted under Mr.
Fillmore's adminstration, and the Japan Expedition
was sent out. On the 4th of March, i853, Mr. Fillmore, having served one term, retired.
In 1856, Mr. Fillmore was nominated for the Presidency by the " Know Nothing " party, but was beaten
by Mr. Buchanan. After that Mr. Fillmore lived in
retirement. During the terrible conflict of civil war,
he was mostly silent. It was generally supposed that
his sympathies were rather with those who were endeavoring to overthrow our institutions.  President
Fillmore kept aloof from the conflict, without any
cordial words of cheer to the one party or the other.
He was thus forgotten by both. He lived to a ripe
old age, and died in Buffalo, N, Y., March 8, I874,




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RANKLIN     PIERCE, the
fourteenth President of the
United States, was born in
a: 'I~   D    Hillsborough, N. H., Nov.
23, I804. His father was a
Revolutionary soldier, who,
e~ ' '    with his own strong arm,
1r 1 ~hewed out a home in the
wilderness. He was a man
of inflexible integrity; of
strong, though uncultivated
mind, and an uncompromising Democrat.   The mother of
l  Franklin Pierce was all that a son
could desire,-an intelligent, prudent, affectionate, Christian woman. Franklin was the sixth of eight children.
Franklin was a very bright and handsome boy, generous, warm-hearted and brave. He won alike the
love of old and young. The boys on the play-ground
loved him. His teachers loved him. The neighbors
looked upon him with pride and affection.  He was
by instinct a gentleman; always speaking kind words,
doing kind deeds, with a peculiar unstudied tact
which taught him what was agreeable. Without developing any precocity of genius, or any unnatural
devotion to books, he was a good scholar; in body,
in mind, in affections, a finely-developed boy.
When sixteen years of age, in the year I820, he
entered Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Me. He was
one of the most popular young men in the college.
The purity of his moral character, the unvarying
courtesy of his demeanor, his rank as a scholar, and


genial nature, rendered him a universal favorite.
There was something very peculiarly winning in his
address, and it was evidently not in the slightest degree studied: it was the simple outgushing of his
own magnanimous and loving nature.
Upon graduating, in the year 1824, Franklin Pierce
commenced the study of law in the office of Judge
Woodbury, one of the most distinguished lawyers of
the State, and a man of great private worth.  The
eminent social qualities of the young lawyer, his
father's prominence as a public man, and the brilliant
political career into which Judge Woodbury was entering, all tended to entice Mr. Pierce into the facinating yet perilous path of political life.  With all
the ardor of his nature he espoused the cause of Gen.
Jackson for the Presidency.  He commenced the
practice of law in Hillsborough, and was soon elected
to represent the town in the State Legislature. Here
he served for four yeats. The last two years he was
chosen speaker of the house by a very large vote.
In I833, at the age of twenty-nine, he was elected
a member of Congress. Without taking an active
part in debates, he was faithful and laborious in duty,
and ever rising in the estimation of those with whom
he was associatad.
In i837, beingthen but thirty-three years of age,
he was elected to the Senate of the United States;
taking his seat just as Mr. Van Buren commenced
his administration. He was the youngest memberin
the Senate. In the year I834, he married Miss Jane
Means Appleton, a lady of rare beauty and accomplishments, and one admirably fitted to adorn every
station with which her husband was honored. Of the


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by  72.- FRANKL2N PIERCE.
three sons who were born to them, all now sleep with  His administration proved one of the most stormy our
their parents in the grave.                      country had ever experienced. The controversy beElse  In the year I838, Mr. Pierce, with growing fame  tween slavery and freedom was then approaching its,
X  and increasing business as a lawyer, took up his  culminating point. It became evident that there was
residence in Concord, the capital of New Hampshire.  an "irrepressible coriflict " between them, and that
President Polk, upon his accession to office, appointed  this Nation could not long exist " half slave and half
Mr. Pierce attorney-general of the United States; but  free." President Pierce, during the whole of his adthe offer was declined, in consequence of numnerous  ministration, did every thing he could to conciliate
professional engagements at home, and the precariuos  the South; but it was all in vain. The conflict every
state of Mrs. Pierce's health.  He also, about the  year grew more violent, and threats of the dissolution
same time declined the nomination for governor by the  of the Union were borne to the North on every SouthDemocratic party. The war with Mexico called Mr.  ern breeze.
Pierce in the army. Receiving the appointment of    Such was the condition of affairs when President
brigadier-general, he embarked, with a portion of his  Pierce approached the close of his four-years' term
troops, at Newport, R. I., on the 27th of May, I847.  of office. The North had become thoroughly alienHe took an important part in this war, proving him-  ated from him. The anti-slavery sentiment, goaded
self a brave and true soldier.                   by great outrages, had been rapidly increasing; all
When Gen. Pierce reached his home in his native  the intellectual ability and social worth of President
State, he was received enthusiastically by the advo-  Pierce were forgotten in deep reprehension of his ad") cates of the Mexican war, and coldly by his oppo-  ministrative acts. The slaveholders of the South, also, (r
nents. He resumed the practice of his profession,  unmindful of the fidelity with which he had advovery frequently taking an active part in political ques-  cated those measures of Government which they ap-.
-m  tions, giving his cordial support to the pro-slavery  proved, and perhaps, also, feeling that he had


wing of the Democratic party.  The compromise
measures met cordially with his approval; and he
strenuously advocated the enforcement of the infamous fugitive-slave law, which so shocked the religious
sensibilities of the North. He thus became distinguished as a "Northern man with Southern principles."
The strong partisans of slavery in the South consequently regarded him as a man whom they could
coofAlr trtct in rffrCeo tr r-o'rrvT \-li- -thi;r  ln-nc,


rendered himself so unpopular as no longer to be
able acceptably to serve them, ungratefully dropped
him, and nominated James Buchanan to succeed him.
On the 4th of March, I857, President Pierce retired to his home in Concord. Of three children, two
had died, and his only surviving child had been
killed before his eyes by a railroad accident; and his
wife, one of the most estimable and accomplished of
rle;pw  n exrernnirx;Allv,;rblnorwf   in   rninclin-i "  rT1 -

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I t3ij t-. I.1j VIJk.t   LV -ly J v..a, j, LL. I.  dLiL IcI;3, l,;^ Wili i..tltlJ  II;ltllll Al1.VI3UlllJIlUil. J. 11
On the I2th of June, I852, the Democratic conven-  hour of dreadful gloom soon came, and he was left
tion met in Baltimore to nominate a candidate for the  alone in the world, without wife or child.
A   Presidency. For four days they continued in session,  When the terrible Rebellion burst forth, which di-  "I
and in thirty-five ballotings no one had obtained a  vided our country into two parties, and two only, Mr.
two-thirds vote. Not a vote thus far had been thrown  Pierce remained steadfast in the principles which he
for Gen. Pierce.  Then the Virginia delegation  had always cherished, and gave his sympathies to
brought forward his name.  There were fourteen  that pro-slavery party with which he had ever been
more ballotings, during which Gen. Pierce constantly  allied. He declined to do anything, either by voice
gained strength, until, at the forty-ninth ballot, he  or pen, to strengthen the hand of the National Govreceived two hundred and eighty-two votes, and all  ernment. He continued to reside in Concord until
other candidates eleven. Gen. Winfield Scott was  the time of his death, which occurred in October,
i   the Whig candidate. Gen. Pierce was chosen with  1869. He was one of the most genial and social of k
'?   great unanimity. Only four States-Vermont, Mas-  men, an honored communicant of the Episcopal
>.  sachusetts, Kentucky and Tennessee-cast their   Church, and one of the kindest of neighbors.  Genelectoral votes against him. Gen. Franklin Pierce  erous to 4 fault, he contributed liberally for the al- 4
was therefore inaugurated President of the United  leviation of suffering and want, and many of his towns- (States on the 4th of March, 1853.              people were often gladened by his material bounty..S      tates o —^nthetho'-f              a 85la3. f                        -




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di        )*                        y-r            n: n n^^.-.% — ~- -                -- ah,. i,
FIFTEENTH PRESIDENT
teenth President of the United  facility.
tatcs was born in a small      In the year 18o9, he graduated with the highest
frontier town, at the foot of the  honors of his class. He was then eighteen years of
eastern ridge of the Allegha-  age; tall and graceful, vigorous in health, fond of  )
d^f  V^^^^j^    'nies, in Franklin Co., Penn., on  athletic sport, an unerring shot, and enlivened with
the 23d of April, 1791. The place  an exuberant flow of animal spirits. He immediately *.y
cM where the humble cabin of his  commenced the study of law in the city of Lancaster, C=
^      |^'~^| ~father stood was called    Stony   and was admitted to the bar in 182, when he was
c. ==t            Batter. It was a wild and ro-    but twenty-one years of age. Very rapidly he rose =
mantic spot in a gorge of the moun-  in his profession, and at once took undisputed stand,
tains with towering summits rising  with the ablest lawyers of the State.  When but
grandly all around.     His father  twenty-six years of age, unaided by counsel, he suc- (
wad h s yof the north of Ireland;     cessfullNy defended before the State Senate one of the
i  s    a  por man, who had  emigrateld  jges of the State, who was tried upon  articles of
ness, stake                            candid hat d emigr   in  impeachment. At the age of thirty it was generally
1783, with little property save his  a      t   he s    a t  h     o th  b     and
own strong arms. Five years afterwards he married  admtted tat he stond at the head of the bam   and
Elizabeth Spear, the daughter of a respectable farmer,  there was no lawyer in the tate who had a more luform his obscure part in the drama of life. In this se-  n  yrs he remained of  ngress, he LowerHous
cluded home, where Jams was born, he remained     aiUdg the aaons o       onress,         on
for eih y     enjoying but    a    or  thelleual  altogether from the toils of his profession, having ao!
for eight years, enjoying but few social or intellectual tned some abpls lawcaser of te.  Whe  buted
advantages. When James was eight years of age, his        from te to   o hi   o    on, ha
his son was placed at school, and commenced a        e. acson uon his eea         to the resi tden
course of study in English, Latin and Greek.  HisBuchanan minister to Russia.
~   ~  a poor~~~~~~~~duties ofo his mission he performed with abilitye hich
progress was rapid, and at the age of fourteen, he    oally
entered Dickinson College, at Carlisle.  Here he de.  gave satsfaction to all parties. Upon his return in
e rmraltaetantokhst-1n amC 1on.833, he was elected to a seat in the United States
el.ed remarkable talent, and took his stand among  Senate. He there met, as his associates, Webster,
thenfirstared hen Jame w as eignhut, Hs  opi  a, h                                          i
the first scholars in then His application  lay, Wright and Calhoun. He advocated the measto study was intense, and yet his native powers en-  ures proposed by President Jackson, of making repri|^<                                       auv^ ---   >3<89 -%




76                         JAIMES PIHZAiVN. AA..1


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sals against France, to enforce the payment of our
claims against that country; and defended the course
of the President in his unprecedented and wholesale
removal from office of those who were not the supporters of his administration. Upon this question he
was brought into direct collision with Henry Clay.
He also, with voice and vote, advocated expunging
from the journal of the Senate the vote of censure
against Gen. Jackson for removing the deposits.
Earnestly he opposed the abolition of slavery in the
District of Columbia, and urged the prohibition of the
circulation of anti-slavery documents by the United
States mails.
As to petitions on the subject of slavery, he advocated that they should be respectfully received; and
that the reply should be returned, that Congress had
no power to legislate upon the subject. " Congress,"
said he, " might as well undertake to interfere with
slavery under a foreign government as in any of the
States where it now exists."
Upon Mr. Polk's accession to the Presidency, Mr.
Buchanan became Secretary of State, ard as such,
took his share of the responsibility in the conduct of
the Mexican War. Mr. Polk assumed that crossing
the Nueces by the American troops into the disputed
territory was not wrong, but for the Mexicans to cross
the Rio Grande into that territory was a declaration
of war. No candid man can read with pleasure the
account of the course our Government pursued in that
movement.
Mr. Buchanan identified himself thoroughly with
the party devoted to the perpetuation and extension
of slavery, and brought all the energies of his mind
to bear against the Wilmot Proviso.  He gave his.. _ J' _.1  _  1.__...1  C        r'>_


I


ciples, consistently oppose the State-rights party in
their assumptions. As President of the United States,
bound by his oath faithfully to administer the laws,
he could not, without perjury of the grossest kind,
unite with those endeavoring to overthrow the republic. He therefore did nothing.
The opponents of Mr. Buchanan's administration
nominated Abraham Lincoln as their standard bearer
in the next Presidential canvass.  The pro-slavery
party declared, that if he were elected, and the control of the Government were thus taken from their
hands, they would secede from the Union, taking
with them, as they retired, the National Capitol at
Washington, and the lion's share of the territory of
the United States.
Mr. Buchanan's sympathy with the pro-slavery
party was such, that he had been willing to offer them
far more than they had ventured to claim. All the
South had professed to ask of the North was nonintervention upon the subject of slavery. Mr. Buchanan had been ready to offer them the active cooperation of the Government to defend and extend
the institution.
As the storm increased in violence, the slaveholders
claiming the right to secede, and Mr. Buchanan avowing that Congress had no power to prevent it, one of
the most pitiable exhibitions of governmental imbecility was exhibited the world has ever seen. He
declared that Congress had no power to enforce its
laws in any State which had withdrawn, or which
was attempting to withdraw from the Union. This
was not the doctrine of Andrew Jackson, when, with
his hand upon his sword-hilt, he exclaimed, " The
Union must and shall be preserved!"
-.1. 1' _  _  _.1   - l..;...1 _


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coruiai approval to me compromise measures oI 1050,  aoutn taroina seceueu in L^ecemner, I oo; neany
which included the fugitive-slave law.  Mr. Pierce,  three months before the inauguration of President
upon his election to the Presidency, honored Mr.  Lincoln. Mr. Buchanan looked on in listless despair.
Buchanan with the mission to England.           The rebel flag was raised in Charleston Fort Sumpter
In the year 1856, a national Democratic conven-  was besieged; our forts, navy-yards and arsenals
tion nominated Mr. Buchanan forthe Presidency. The  were seized; our depots of military stores were plunpolitical conflict was one of the most severe in which  dered; and our custom-houses and post-offices were.
our country has ever engaged. All the friends of  appropriated by the rebels.
slavery were on one side; all the advocates of its re- The energy of the rebels, and the imbecility of our
striction and final abolition, on the other.  Mr. Fre-  Executive, were alike marvelous. The Nation looked
mont, the candidate of the enemies of slavery, re-  on in agony, waiting for the slow weeks to glide away,
ceived 114 electoral votes.  Mr. Buchanan received  and close the administration, so terrible in its weak174, and was elected.  The popular vote stood   ness At length the long-looked-for hour of deliver1,340,6I8, for Fremont, 1,224,750 for Buchanan. On  ance came, when Abraham Lincoln was to receive the
March 4th, 1857, Mr. Buchanan was inaugurated.  scepter.                                        A?   Mr. Buchanan was far advanced in life. Only four  The administration of President Buchanan was
years were wanting to fill up his threescore years and  certainly the most calamitous our country has exten. His own friends, those with whom he had been  perienced. His best friends cannot recall it with  |
allied in political principles and action for years, were  pleasure. And still more deplorable it is for his fame, i
seeking the destruction of the Government, that they  that in that dreadful conflict which rolled its billows
might rear upon the ruins of our free institutions a  of flame and blood over our whole land, no word came
nation whose corner-stone should be human slavery,  from his lips to indicate his wish that our country's (,<
In this emergency, Mr. Buchanan was hopelessly be-  banner should triumph over the flag of the rebellion.
wildered. He could not, with his long-avowed prin-  He died at his Wheatland retreat, June I, I868.,
^^^)^^^ --- —c                                   ii(l — -— n-                            9T''




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SIXTEENzTH PRESIDENT.                                       79,,
4          ABRAHAM)                                              C LINCOLN.L
BRAHAM     LINCOLN, the     cabin and small farm, and moved to Indiana. Where. ^^li.%   ~sixteenth President of the  two years later his mother died.
e- t|,,,~ JBy: ~ | ~ United States, was born in  Abraham soon became the scribe of the uneducated
Hardin Co., Ky., Feb. 12,  community around him. He could not have had a
___- __'__'_i r7I809. Aboutthe year 780,a   better school than this to teach him to put thoughts
i_..       o man by the name of Abraha   into words. He also became an eager reader. The
Lincoln left Virginia with his  books he could obtain were few; but these he read
family and moved into the then  and re-read until they were almost committed to
wildsof Kentucky. Only two years  memory.
i)       Ill,')/ 1 after this emigration, still a young  As the years rolled on, the lot of this lowly family
man, while working one day in a  was the usual lot of humanity. There were joys and
v-p.^~            Afield, was stealthily approached by  griefs, weddings and funerals.  Abraham's sister
an Indian and shot dead. His widow   Sarah, to whom he was tenderly attached, was marA'c A^  was left in extreme poverty with five  ried when a child of but fourteen years of age, and:;;* \?, little children, three boys and two  soon died. The family was gradually scattered. Mr.
a=n           i{;) girls. Thomas, the youngest of the  Thomas Lincoln sold out his squatter's claim in i830,
boys, was four years of age at his  and emigrated to Macon Co., Ill.
father's death.   This Thomas was      Abraham Lincoln was then twenty-one years of age.
the father of Abraham Lincoln, the  With vigorous hands he aided his father in rearing
President of the United States   another log-cabin. Abraham worked diligently at this


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whose name must henceforth forever be enrolled
with the most prominent in the annals of our world.
Of course no record has been kept of the life
of one so lowly as Thomas Lincoln. He was among
the poorest of the poor. His home was a wretched
log-cabin; his food the coarsest and the meanest.
Education he had none; he could never either read
or write. As soon as he was able to do anything for
himself, he was compelled to leave the cabin of his
starving mother, and push out into the world, a friendless, wandering boy, seeking work.  He hired himself out, and thus spent the whole of his youth as a
laborer in the fields of others.
WVhIP. t+r.nPlter-ilcOt lvorc of nre he hilt a loo

until he saw the family comfortably settled, and their
small lot of enclosed prairie planted with corn, when
he announced to his father his intention to leave
home, and to go out into the world and seek his fortune. Little did he or his friends imagine how brilliant that fortune was to be.  He saw the value of
education, and was intensely earnest to improve his
mind to the utmost of his power. He saw the ruin
which ardent spirits were causing, and became
strictly temperate; refusing to allow a drop of intoxicating liquor to pass his lips. And he had read in
God's word, "Thou shalt not take the name of the
Lord thy God in vain;" and a profane expression he
was never heard to utter. Religion he revered. His


IV I PC* II L W KI   I It -,                   moral J             s he wwa   -
cabin of his own, and married Nancy Hanks, the    morals were pure, and he was uncontaminated by a
daughter of another family of poor Kentucky emi- single vice.
( grants, who had also come fromn Virginia.  Their  Young Abraham worked for a time as a hired laborer ~
second child was Abraham Lincoln, the subject of   among the farmers.  Then he went to Springfield,
I   this sketch. The mother of Abraham was a noble    where he was employed in building a large flat-boat.
woman, gentle, loving, pensive, created to adorn   In this he took a herd of swine, floated them  down
a palace, doomed to toil and pine, and die in a hovel.  the Sangamon to the Illinois, and thence by the Mis'"All that I am, or hope to be," exclaims the grate-  sissippi to New Orleans. Whatever Abraham Lini)  ful son "I owe to my angel-mother. "              coin undertook, he performed so faithfully as to give
$      When he was eight years of age, his father sold his  great satisfaction to his employers, In this advenBzts,,M.            ----—.iin




_                 B —RA LI-NCOVLaBD____  N.8o SoABRAHAM LINCOLN.
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ture his employers were so well pleased, that upon
his return they placed a store and mill under his care.
In I832, at the outbreak of the Black Hawk war, he
enlisted and was chosen captain of a company. He
returned to Sangamon County, and although only 23
years of age, was a candidate for the Legislature, but
was defeated. He soon after received from Andrew
Jackson the appointment of Postmaster of New Salem,
His only post-office was his hat. All the letters he
received he carried there ready to deliver to those
he chanced to meet. He studied surveying, and soon
made this his business. In I834 he again became a
candidate for the Legislature, and was elected. Mr.
Stuart, of Springfield, advised him to study law. He
walked from New Salem to Springfield, borrowed of
Mr. Stuart a load of bpoks, carried them back and
began his legal studies. When the Legislature assembled he trudged on foot with his pack on his back
one hundred miles to Vandalia, then the capital. In
I836 he was re-elected to the Legislature.  Here it
was he first met Stephen A. Douglas. In I839 he removed to Springfield and began the practice of law.
His success with the jury was so great that he was
soon engaged in almost every noted case in the circuit.
In I854 the great discussion began between Mr.
Lincoln and Mr. Douglas, on the slavery question.
In the organization of the Republican party in Illinois,
in I856, he took an active part, and at once became
one of the leaders in that party.  Mr. Lincoln's
speeches in opposition to Senator Douglas in the contest in 1858 for a seat in the Senate, form a most
notable part of his history. The issue was on the
slavery question, and he took the broad ground of
the Declaration of Independence, that all men are
created equal. Mr. Lincoln was defeated in this contest, but won a far higher prize.
The great Republican Convention met at Chicago
on the I6th of June, I860.  The delegates and
strangers who crowded the city amounted to twentyfive thousand. An immense building called "The
Wigwam," was reared to accommodate the Convention. There were eleven candidates for whom votes
were thrown. William H. Seward, a man whose fame
as a statesman had long filled the land, was the most
prominent. It was generally supposed he would be
the nominee. Abraham Lincoln, however, received
the nomination on the third ballot. Little did he then
dream of the weary years of toil and care, and the
bloody death, to which that nomination doomed him:
and aslittle did he dream that he was to renderservices
to his country} which would fix upon him the eyes of
the whole civilized world, and which would give him
a place in the affections of his countrymen, second
only, if second, to that of Washington.
Election day came and Mr. Lincoln received i80
electoral votes out of 203 cast, and was, therefore,
constitutionally elected President of the United States.
The tirade of abuse that was poured upon this good


I


and merciful man, especially by the slaveholders, was
greater than upon any other man ever elected to this
high position. In February, i86, Mr. Lincoln started
for Washington, stopping in all the large cities on his
way making speeches. The whole journey was frought
with much danger. Many of the Southern States had
already seceded, and several attempts at assassination
were afterwards brought to light. A gang in Baltimore had arranged, upon his arrival to" get up a row,"
and in the confusion to make sure of his death with
revolvers and hand-grenades. A detective unravelled
the plot. A secret and special train was provided to
take him from Harrisburg, through Baltimore, at an
unexpected hour of the night. The train started at
half-past ten; and to prevent any possible communication on the part of the Secessionists with their Confederate gang in Baltimore, as soon as the train had
started the telegraph-wires were cut.  Mr. Lincoln
reached Washington in safety and was inaugurated,
although great anxiety was felt by all loyal people.
In the selection of his cabinet Mr. Lincoln gave
to Mr. Seward the Department of State, and to other
prominent opponents before the convention he gave
important positions.
During no other administration have the duties
devolving upon the President been so manifold, and
the responsibilities so great, as those which fell to
the lot of President Lincoln.  Knowing this, and
feeling his own weakness and inability to meet, and in
his own strength to cope with, the difficulties, he
learned early to seek Divine wisdom and guidance in
determining his plans, and Divine comfort in all his
trials, both personal and national.  Contrary to his
own estimate of himself, Mr. Lincoln was one of the
most courageous of men. He went directly into the
rebel capital just as the retreating foe was leaving,
with no guard but a few sailors. From the time he
had left Springfield, in I86I, however, plans had been
made for his assassination,and he at last fell a victim
to one of them. April 14, 1865, he, with Gen. Grant,
was urgently invited to attend Fords' Theater.  It
was announced that they would Le present.  Gen.
Grant, however, left the city. President Lincoln, feeling, with his characteristic kindliness of heart, that
it would be a disappointment if he should fail them,
very reluctantly consented to go. While listening to
the play an actor by the name of John Wilkes Booth
entered the box where the President and family were
seated, and fired a bullet into his brains. He died the
next morning at seven o'clock.
Never before, in the history of the world was a nation
plunged into such deep grief by the death of its ruler.
Strong men met in the streets and wept in speechless
anguish. It is not too much to say that a nation was
in tears. His was a life which will fitly become a
model. His name as the savior of his country will
live with that of Washington's, its father; his countrymen being unable to decide which is the greater.


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~>    ~   SEVENTEENTII PRESIDENT.  83 <
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NDREW      JOHNSON, sevent   I-,(F'^  l fteenth President of the United
__ g MStates.    The early life of;  g  J    0^ ~ Andrew Johnson contains but
the record of poverty, destitu'    tion and friendlessness.  He
was born December 29, i8o8,
in Raleigh, N. C. His parents,
( belonging to the class of the
"poor whites " of the South, were
in such circumstances, that they
()  could not confer even the slightest advantages of education upon
'  their child. When Andrew was five
I   years of age, his father accidentally
lost his life while herorically endeavoring to save a
friend from drowning. Until ten years of age, Andrew
was a ragged boy about the streets, supported by the


pleased with his zeal, not only gave him the book,
but assisted him in learning to combine the letters
into words. Under such difficulties he pressed onward laboriously, spending usually ten or twelve hours
at work in the shop, and then robbing himself of rest
and recreation to devote such time as he could to
reading.
He went to Tennessee in 1826, and located at
Greenville, where he married a young lady who possessed some education. Under her instructions he
learned to write and cipher. He became prominent
in the village debating society, and a favorite with
the students of Greenville College. In I828, he organized a working man's party, which elected him
alderman, and in 1830 elected him mayor, which
position he held three years.
He now began to take a lively interest in political
affairs; identifying himself with the working-classes,


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labor of his mother, who obtained her living with  to which he belonged.  In 1835, he was elected a
her own hands.                                   member of the House of Representatives of TennesHe then, having never attended a school one day,  see. He was then just twenty-seven years of age.
and being unable either to read or write, was ap-  He became a very active member of the legislature,
prenticed to a tailor in his native town. A gentleman  gave his adhesion to the Democratic party, and in
was in the habit of going to the tailor's shop occasion-  1840 ' stumped the State," advocating Martin Van
ally, and reading to the boys at work there. He often  Buren's claims to the Presidency, in opposition to those
read from the speeches of distinguished British states-  of Gen. Harrison. In this campaign he acquired much
men. Andrew, who was endowed with a mind of more  readiness as a speaker, and extended and increased
than ordinary native ability, became much interested  his reputation.
in these speeches; his ambition was roused, and he  In I84I, he was elected State Senator; in 1843, he
was inspired with a strong desire to learn to read.  was elected a member of Congress, and by successive
He accordingly applied himself to the alphabet, and  elections, held that important post for ten years. In
with the assistance of some of his fellow-workmen,  I853, he was elected Governor of Tennessee, and i
(  learned his letters. He then called upon the gentle-  was re-elected in I855. In all these responsible posi- ()
man to borrow the book of speeches.  The owner,  tions, he discharged his duties with distinguished abilb                                 'ro the bokn if
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v ity, and proved himself the warm friend of the working classes.. In 1857, Mr. Johnson was elected
- United States Senator.
Years before, in 1845, he had warmly advocated
the annexation of Texas, stating however, as his
reason, that he thought this annexation would probably prove " to be the gateway out of which the sable
sons of Africa are to pass from bondage to freedom,
and become merged in a population congenial to
themselves." In 1850, he also supported the compromise measures, the two essential features of which
were, that the white people of the Territories should
be permitted to decide for themselves whether they
would enslave the colored people or not, and that
the free States of the North should return to the
South persons who attempted to escape from slavery.
Mr. Johnson was never ashamed of his lowly origin:
on the contrary, he often took pride in avowing that
he owed his distinction to his own exertions.  "Sir,"
said he on the floor of the Senate, " I do not forget
> that I am a mechanic; neither do I forget that Adam
was a tailor and sewed fig-leaves, and that our Sav5 ior was the son of a carpenter."
a    In the Charleston-Baltimore convention of 860, he
= was the choice of the Tennessee Democrats for the
- Presidency. In i86, when the purpose of the Southern Democracy became apparent, he took a decided
) stand in favor of the Union, and held that " slavery
must be held subordinate to the Union at whatever
cost." He returned to Tennessee, and repeatedly
imperiled his own life to protect the Unionists of
Tennesee.  Tennessee having seceded from  the
Union, President Lincoln, on March 4th, 1862, ap0 pointed him Military Governor of the State, and he
~ established the most stringent military rule.  His
numerous proclamations attracted wide attention. In
I864, he was elected Vice-President of the United
States, and upon the death of Mr. Lincoln, April I5,
1865, became President. In a speech two days later
he said, "The American people must be taught, if
they do not already feel, that treason is a crime and
% must be punished; that the Government will not
always bear with its enemies; that it is strong not, onlyto protect, but to punish. * * The people
must understand that it (treason) is the blackest of
crimes, and will surely be punished." Yet his whole
) administration, the history of which is so well known,, was in utter inconsistency with, and the most violent




opposition to, the principles laid down in that speech.
In his loose policy of reconstruction and general
amnesty, he was opposed by Congress; and he characterized Congress as a new rebellion, and lawlessly
defied it, in everything possible, to the utmost. In
the beginning of i868, on account of "high crimes
and misdemeanors," the principal of which was the
removal of Secretary Stanton, in violation of the Tenure of Office Act, articles of impeachment were preferred against him, and the trial began March 23.
It was very tedious, continuing for nearly three
months. A test article of the impeachment was at
length submitted to the court for its action.  It' was
certain that as the court voted upon that article so
would it vote upon all. Thirty-four voices pronounced
the President guilty. As a two-thirds vote was necessary to his condemnation, he was pronounced acquitted, notwithstanding the great majority against
him. The change of one vote from the not guilty
side would have sustained the impeachment.
The President, for the remainder of his term, was
but little regarded. He continued, though impotently,
his conflict with Congress. His own party did not
think it expedient to renominate him for the Presidency. The Nation rallied, with enthusiasm unparalleled since the days of Washington, around the name
of Gen. Grant.  Andrew Johnson was forgotten.
The bullet of the assassin introduced him to the
President's chair. Notwithstanding this, never was
there presented to a man a better opportunity to immortalize his name, and to win the gratitude of a
nation. He failed utterly. He retired to his home
in Greenville, Tenn., taking no very active part in
politics until 1875. On Jan. 26, after an exciting
struggle, he was chosen by the Legislature of Tennessee, United States Senator in the forty-fourth Congress, and took his seat in that body, at the special
session convened by President Grant, on the 5th of
March. On the 27th of July, i875, the ex-President
made a visit to his daughter's home, near Carter
Station, Tenn. When he started on his journey, he was
apparently in his usual vigorous health, but on reaching the residence of his child the following day, was
stricken with paralysis, rendering him unconscious.
He rallied occasionally, but finally passed away at
2 A. M., July 3I, aged sixty-seven years.  His funeral was attended at Geenville, on the 3d Qf August,
with every demonstration of respect,


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EIGHTEENTH PRESIDENT.                 87
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LYSSES    S. GRANT, the       From Monterey he was sent,with the fourth infantry,
':~ \      I l,    3eighteenth President of the  to aid Gen. Scott, at the siege of Vera Cruz.  In
tI I g  B^   United States, was born on  preparation for the march to the city of Mexico, he
N|AJ^!,^^   the 29th of April, 1822, of  was appointed quartermaster of his regiment. At the
Christian parents, in a humble  battle of Molino del Rey, he was promoted to a
- home, at Point Pleasant, on the  first lieutenancy, and was brevetted captain at Chabanks of the Ohio. Shortly after  pultepec.
~)      ft,-<r     his father moved to George-     At the close of the Mexican War, Capt. Grant re$t:~~.A   ttown, Brown Co.,. In this re-  turned with his regiment to New York, and was again
__           Ki*tt     mote frontier hamlet, Ulysses  sent to one of the military posts on the frontier. The.;
} I' &t received a common-school edu-  discovery of gold in California causing an immense  =.          t \(        cation.  At the age of seven- tide of emigration to flow to the Pacific shores, Capt.  C::n the year 1839, he en                             Grant was sent with a battalion to Fort Dallas, in  =
"  /,~  j lteen, in the year I839, he entered.
tthe Military Academy at Wet      Oregon, for the protection of the interests of the im-  /y
V              t \'iy the Military Academy at West
s  v.Militar  Academigrants. Life was wearisome in those wilds. Capt.
-   Point. Here he was regarded as a.
Point. Here hewasrGrant resigned his commission and returned to the        (
solid, sensible young man of fair abilities, and of
States; and having married, entered upon the cultivasturdy, honest character. He took respectable rank                r,.            e h ition of a small farm near St. Louis, Mo. He had but
as a scholar. In June, I843, he graduated, about the  little skill as a farmer.  Finding his toil not re-.'  -  ~  -.little skill as a farmer.           Finding his toil not remiddle in his class, and was sent as lieutenant of in-e t          d to m      e l, e,~ ~~.... ~..    munerative, he turned to mercantile life, entering into
fantry to one of the distant military posts in the Mis-  t            i
the leather business, with a younger brother, at Gasouri Territory. Two years he past in these dreary
souri Territory. Two years he, past in these dreary lena, Ill. This was in the year I860. As the tidings
solitudes, watching the vagabond and exasperating,.        a
solitudes.  the vag d ad eg         of the rebels firing on Fort Sumpter reached the ears
Indians.
4~~indians.~~~~ ~<.,of Capt. Grant in his counting-room, he said, —
The war with Mexico came.     Lieut. Grant was                                                   ~' 1.The war with Mexico came.  Lieu..Grant ws  "Uncle Sam has educated me for the army; though
sent with his regiment to Corpus Christi.  His first.,
t wh hs r t t C   C   H   f  I have served him through one war, I do not feel that
battle was at Palo Alto. There was no chance here...
battle was at Palo Alto. There was no chance here  I have yet repaid the debt. I am still ready to discharge
for the exhibition of either skill or heroism, nor at.
my obligations. I shall therefore buckle on my sword
Resaca de la Palma, his second battle. At the battle.
and see Uncle Sam through this war too."
of Monterey, his third engagement, it is said that. e. t
He went into the streets, raised a company of vol- Ad
he performed a signal service of daring and skillful                           c           i
', -.    _-.,., -,   -,.unteers, and led them as their captain to Springfield,
I  horsemanship. His brigade had exhausted its amhorsem.          His bri    ad exha    d is a-     the capital of the State, where their services were
*;  munition. A messenger must be sent for more, along  offered to Gov. Yates  The Governor, impressed by
a route exposed to the bullets of the foe.  Lieu     the zeal and straightforward executive ability of Capt.
X    Grant, adopting an expedient learned of the Indians,  Grant, gave him a desk in his office, to assist in the
grasped the mane of his horse, and hanging upon one  volunteer organization that was being formed in the
side of the animal, ran the gauntlet in entire safety.  State in behalf of the Government.  On the I5th of
flB\ -   2~C-a \                              q )  a --- s,^-^nauii^^1- -^-        -ngS411




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June, I86i, Capt. Grant received a commission as
Colonel of the Twenty-first Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. His merits as a West Point graduate, who
had served for 15 years in the regular army, were such
that he was soon promoted to the rank of BrigadierGeneral and was placed in command at Cairo. The
rebels raised their banner at Paducah, near the mouth
of the Tennessee River. Scarcely had its folds appeared in the breeze ere Gen. Grant was there. The
rebels fled. Their banner fell, and the star and
stripes were unfurled in its stead.
He entered the service with great determination
and immediately began active duty. This was the beginning, and until the surrender of Lee at Richmond
he was ever pushing the enemy with great vigor and
effectiveness. At Belmont, a few days later, he surprised and routed the rebels, then at Fort Henry
won another victory. Then came the brilliant fight
at Fort Donelson. The nation was electrified by the
victory, and the brave leader of the boys in blue was
immediately made a Major-General, and the military
district of Tennessee was assigned to him.
Like all great captains, Gen. Grant knew well how
to secure the results of victory.  He immediately
pushed on to the enemies' lines. Then came the
terrible battles of Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, and the
siege of Vicksburg, where Gen. Pemberton made an
unconditional surrender of the city with over thirty
thousand men and one-hundred and seventy-two cannon. The fall of Vicksburg was by far the most
severe blow which the rebels had thus far encountered,
and opened up the Mississippi from Cairo to the Gulf.
Gen. Grant was next ordered to co-operate with
Gen. Banks in a movement upon Texas, and proceeded to New Orleans, where he was thrown from
his horse, and received severe injuries, from which he
was laid up for months. He then rushed to the aid
of Gens. Rosecrans and Thomas at Chattanooga, and
by a wonderful series of strategic and tactical measures put the Union army in fighting condition. Then
followed the bloody battles at Chattanooga, Lookout
Mountain and Missionary Ridge, in which the rebels
were routed with great loss. This won for him unbounded praise in the North. On the 4th of February, I864, Congress revived the grade of lieutenantgeneral, and the rank was conferred on Gen. Grant.
He repaired to Washington to receive his credentials
and enter upon the duties of his new office.




Gen. Grant decided as soon as he took charge of
the army to concentrate the widely-dispersed National
troops for an attack 'upon Richmond, the nominal
capital of the Rebellion, and endeavor there to destroy the rebel armies which would be promptly assembled from all quarters -for its defence. The whole
continent seemed to tremble under the trampof these
majestic armies, rushing to the decisive battle field.
Steamers were crowded with troops. Railway trains
were burdened with closely packed thousands. His
plans were comprehensive and involved a series of
campaigns, which were executed with remarkable energy and ability, and were consummated at the surrender of Lee, April 9, i865.
The war was ended. The Union was saved. The
almost unanimous voice of the Nation declared Gen.
Grant to be the most prominent instrument in its salvation. The eminent services he had thus rendered
the country brought him conspicuously forward as the
Republican candidate for the Presidential chair.
At the Republican Convention held at Chicago,
May 2I, 1868, he was unanimously nominated for the
Presidency, and at the autumn election received a
majority of the popular vote, and 214 out of 2q4
electoral votes.
The National Convention of the Republican party
which met at Philadelphia on the 5th of June, I872,
placed Gen. Grant in nomination for a second term
by a unanimous vote. The selection was emphatically indorsed by the people five months later, 292
electoral votes being cast for him.
Soon after the close of his second term, Gen. Grant
started upon his famous trip around the world. 'He
visited almost every country of the civilized world,
and was everywhere received with such ovations
and demonstrations of respect and honor, private
as well as public and official, as were never before
bestowed upon any citizen of the United States.  It
is not too much to say that his modest, courteous, and
dignified demeanor in the presence of the most distinguished men in the different nations in the world,
reflected honor upon the Republic which he so long
and so faithfully served.  The country felt a great
pride in his reception. Upon his arrival in San Francisco, Sept. 20, 1879, the city authorities gave him a
fine reception. After lingering in the Golden State
for a while, he began his tour through the States,
which extended North and' Soutli, everywhere marked by great acclamation and splendid ovations.


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UTHERFORD B. HAYES,
the nineteenth President of.      the United States, was born in
Delaware, 0., Oct. 4, i822, almost three months after the
death of his father, Rutherford
7\\    Hayes.  His ancestry on both
the paternal and maternal sides,
was of the most honorable charJ,~-l 'acter. It can be traced, it is said,
as far back as 1280, when Hayes and
f   Rutherford were two Scottish chieftains, fighting side by side with
Baliol, William Wallace and Robert
Bruce. Both families belonged to the
W    nobility, owned extensive estates,
I    and had a large following. Misfortune overtaking the family, George Hayes left Scotland in 680, and settled in Windsor, Conn. His son
George was born in Windsor, and remained there
during his life. Daniel Hayes, son of the latter, married Sarah Lee, and lived from the time of his marriage until his death in Simsbury, Conn. Ezekiel,
son of Daniel, was born in I724, and was a manufacturer of scythes at Bradford, Conn. Rutherford Hayes,
son of Ezekiel and grandfather of President Hayes, was
born in New Haven, in August, 1756. He was a farmer,
blacksmith and tavern-keeper.  He emigrated to
Vermont at an unknown date, settling in Brattleboro,
where he established a hotel. Here his son Rutherford Hayes, the father of President Hayes, was


born. He was married, in September, 1813, to Sophia
Birchard, of Wilmington, Vt., whose ancestors emi- c
grated thither from Connecticut, they having been
among the wealthiest and best famlies of Norwich.
Her ancestry on the male side are traced back to 'I
I635, to John Birchard, one of the principal founders:
of Notwich. Both of her grandfathers were soldiers a
in the Revolutionary War.        ==
The father of President Hayes was an industrious " '
frugal and opened-hearted man. He was of a me.
chanical turn, and could mend a plow, knit a stocking, or do almost anything else that he choose to
undertake. He was a member of the Church, active
in all the benevolent enterprises of the town, ahd conducted his business on Christian principles. After
the close of the war of I812, for reasons inexplicable
to his neighbors, he resolved to emigrate to Ohio.
The journey from Vermont to Ohio in that day,
when there were no canals, steamers, nrr railways,
was a very serious affair. A tour of inspection was
first made, occupying four months. Mr. Hayes determined to move to Delaware, where the family arrived
in I817. He died July 22, 1822, a victim of malarial
fever, less than three months before the birth of the
son, of whom we now write. Mrs. Hayes, in her sore be-  )
reavement, found the support she so much needed in
her brother Sardis, who had been a member of the.
household from the day of its departure from Vermont, and in an orphan girl whom she had adopted
some time before as an act of charity.
Mrs. Hayes at this period was very weak, and the


I




T-~ -                          4zT
- - 4<                /         Y 9  V q




92                              RUTHERFORD B. HA YES.
subject of this sketch was so feeble at birth that he  Gen. John Pope, Gov. Edward F. Noyes, and many
was not expected to live beyond a month or two at  others hardly less distinguished in after life.  The
most. As the months went by he grew weaker and  marriage was a fortunate one in every respect, as
weaker, so that the neighbors were in the habit of in-  everybody knows. Not one of all the wives of our
quiring from time to time " if Mrs. Hayes' baby died  Presidents was more universally admired, reverenced
last night." On one occasion a neighbor, who was on  and beloved than was Mrs. Hayes, and no one did
familiar terms with the family, after alluding to the  more than she to reflect honor upon American womanboy's big head, and the rhother's assiduous care of  hood. The Literary Club brought Mr. Hayes into
him, said in a bantering way, " That's right! Stick to  constant association with young men of high charhim. You have got him along so far, and I shouldn't  acter and noble aims, and lured him to display the
wonder if he would really come to something yet."  qualities so long hidden by his bashfulness and
"You need not laugh," said Mrs. Hayes.. "You  modesty.
wait and see. You can't tell but I shall make him  In I856 he was nominated to the office of Judge of
President of the United States yet." The boy lived,  the Court of Common Pleas; but he declined to acin spite of the universal predictions of his speedy  cept the nomination. Two years later, the office of  W
death; and when, in I825,.his older brother was  city solicitor becoming vacant, the City Council  1
drowned, he became, if possible, still dearer to his  elected him for the unexpired term.
mother.                                           In i86I, when the Rebellion broke out, he was at
The boy was seven years old before he went to  the zenith of his professional life. His rank at the
school. His education, however, was not neglected.  bar was among the the first. But the news of the
He probably learned as much from his mother and  attack on Fort Sumpter found him eager to take up
sister as he would have done at school. His sports  arms for the defense of his country.
)were almost wholly within doors, his playmates being  His military record was bright and illustrious.  In  (
his sister and her associates. These circumstances  October, I86I, he was made Lieutenant-Colonel, and
tended, no doubt, to foster that gentleness of dispo- in August, 1862, promoted Colonel of the 79th Ohio
4. sition, and that delicate consideration for the feelings  regiment, but he refused to leave his old comrades.:
r of others, which are marked traits of his character.  and go among strangers. Subsequently, however, he
4}    His uncle Sardis Birchard took the deepestinterestwas made Colonel of his old regiment. At the battle  '
i=  n his education; and as the boy's health had im-  of South Mountain he received a wound, and while
== proved, and he was making good progress in his   faint and bleeding displayed courage and fortitude  =
studies, he proposed to send him to college. His pre-  that won admiration from all.             i
paration commenced with a tutor at home; but he   Col. Hayes was detached from his regiment, after
)was afterwards sent for one year to a professor in the  his recovery, to act as Brigadier-General, and placed
Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Conn. He en-  in command of the celebrated Kanawha division,
tered Kenyon College in I838, at the age of sixteen,  and for gallant and meritorious services in the battles
and was graduated at the head of his class in 1842.  of Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, he was
Immediately after his graduation he began the  promoted Brigadier-General. He was also brevetted
study of law in the office of Thomas Sparrow, Esq.,  Major-General, "for gallant and distinguished services
in Columbus. Finding his opportunities for study in  during the campaigns of I864, in West Virginia." In
Columbus somewhat limited, he determined to enter  the course of his arduous services, four horses were
the Law School at Cambridge, Mass., where he re-  shot from under him, and he was wounded four times.
mained two years.                                  In 1864, Gen. Hayes was elected to Congress, from
In 845, After graduating at the Law School, he was  the Second Ohio District, which had long been Dem- [
admitted to the bar at Marietta, Ohio, and shortly  ocratic. He was not present during the campaign,
afterward went into practice as an attorney-at-law  and after his election was importuned to resign his
with Ralph P. Buckland, of Fremont. Here he re-  commission in the army; but he finally declared, " I
mained three years, acquiring but a limited practice,  shall never come to Washington until I can come by
and apparently unambitious of distinction in his pro-  the way of Richmond." He was re-elected in i866.
fession.                                          In I867, Gen Hayes was elected Governor of Ohio,
In I849 he moved to Cincinnati, where his ambi-  over Hon. Allen G. Thurman, a popular Democrat.  >
tion found a new stimulus. For several years, how-  In I869 was re-elected over George H. Pendleton.
ever, his progress was slow. Two events, occurring at  He was elected Governor for the third term in I875.
this period, had a powerful influence upon his subse-  In I876 he was the standard bearer of the Repub-:
quent life. One of these was his marrage with Miss  lican Party in the Presidential contest, and after a
Lucy Ware Webb, daughter of Dr. James Webb, of   hard long contest was chosen President, and was in
Chilicothe; the other was his introduction to the Cin-  augurated Monday, March 5, I875. He served his
cinnati Literary Club, a body embracing among its  full term, not, hcwever, with satisfaction to his party,  )
members such men as Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase,  but his administration was an average one.
^^\^^|^ ----s                          '^ ---w^(irj"ntl<>A^ ---s-y —V.^^^~^tt;.




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4




r^"^li).,~r ou^t — ^s —4UI ti~aa -1   -   i    — ^-^(V
TWENTIETH PRESIDENTT.                95
Al, Arb)~~'
X Aiia
if~~~~~~~~O ~~.J     ^  g   y^~?'8%t^W '?W^?^  TW?^  'y?  W~?<W^'tW'yISW  ~i~W  S'^  rI  s'^ W^i?<,^   H ^.
f  4ta t aaiffiE)~ A. ~A~~~gl~&~.> I ^~ Tc


l ji)Tc^r    AMIES A. GARFIELD, twen-,^  17:E  ~ k~.|/dI %t~l tieth President of the United
States, was born Nov. 19,
~l ~ - I ' 831, in the woods of Orange,
_  Cuyahoga Co., 0   His parents were Abram and Eliza
e~t% ^ (Ballou) Garfield, both of New
I//(] [  England ancestry and from families well known in the early his^T^?i~ ~ tory of that section of our counI  try, but had moved to the Western
Reserve, in Ohio, early in its settlement.
The house in which James A. was
born was not unlike the houses of
t   poor Ohio farmers of that day. It
was about 20 x 30 feet, built of logs, with the spaces between the logs filled with clay. His father was a
hard working farmer, and he soon had his fields
cleared, an orchard planted, and a log barn built.


gether. Nor was Gen. Garfield ever ashamed of his
origin, and he never forgot the friends of his struggling childhood, youth and manhood, neither did they
ever forget him. When iinthe highest seats of honor,
the humblest fiiend of his boyhood was as kindly
greeted as ever. The poorest laborer was sure of the
sympathy of one who had known all the bitterness
of want and the sweetness of bread earned by the
sweat of the brow. He was ever the simple, plain,
modest gentleman.
The highest ambition of young Garfield until he
was about sixteen years old was to be a captain of
a vessel on Lake Erie. He was anxious to go aboard
a vessel, which his mother strongly opposed. She
finally consented to his going to Cleveland, with the
understanding, however, that he should try to obtain
some other kind of employment. He walked all the
way to Cleveland. This was his first visit to the city.
After making many applications for work, and trying
to get aboard a lake vessel, and not meeting with
success, he engaged as a driver for his cousin, Amos
Letcher, on the Ohio & Pennsylvania Canal. He remained at this work but a short time when he went
home, and attended the seminary at Chester for
^T^^,,4- +K^^/,,,,-%r-,,,nr x o   1,i   ^=," ^arr^   T-J n"_   nI'%   *


-ll
I ~ I ~
A,


Tl he household comprinea the lather ana mootner and  aDuuuL Licre Vyistl, w5nii ne eni teiiiru lir alll  in
their four children-Mehetabel, Thomas, Mary and  Eclectic Institute, teaching a few terms of school in
James. In May, 1823, the father, from a cold con-  the meantime, and doing other work. This school
tracted in helping to put out a forest fire, died. At  was started by the Disciples of Christ in 1850, of
this time James was about eighteen months old, and  which church he was then a member. He became
Thomas about ten years old. No one, perhaps, can  janitor and bell-ringer in order to help pay his way.
tell how much James was indebted to his brother's  He then became both teacher and pupil. He soon
toil and self-sacrifice during the twenty years suc-  " exhausted Hiram " and needed more; hence, in the.
ceeding his father's death, but undoubtedly very  fall of 1854, he entered Williams College, from which
much. He now lives in Michigan, and the two sis-  he graduated in 1856, taking one of the highest hon- ";
ters live in Solon, 0., near their birthplace.  ors of his class. He afterwards returned'to Hiram
The early educational advantages young Garfield  College as its President. As above stated, he early
'  enjoyed were very limited, yet he made the most of  united with the Christian or Diciples Church at
them. He labored at farm work for others, did car-  Hiram, and was ever after a devoted, zealous mempenter work, chopped wood, or did anything that  ber, often preaching in its pulpit and places where
would bring in a few dollars to aid his widowed  he happened to be. Dr. Noah Porter, President of
mother in her struggles to keep the little family to-  Yale College, says of him in reference to his religion;




96                               fJAMES A. GARFIELD.
"President Garfield was more than a man of   his brilliant services at Chickamauga, where he won
strong moral and religious convictions. His whole  the stars of the Major-General.
history, from boyhood to the last, shows that duty to  Without an effort on his part Gen. Garfield was
m mran and to God, and devotion to Christ and life and  elected to Congress in the fall of 1862 from the
faith and spiritual commission were controlling springs  Nineteenth District of Ohio. This section of Ohio
j of his being, and to a more than usual degree. In  had been represented in Congress for sixty years
my judgment there is no more interesting feature of  mainly by two men-Elisha Whittlesey and Joshua
his character than his loyal allegiance to the body of  R. Giddings. It was not without a struggle that he
Christians in which he was trained, and the fervent  resigned his place in the army. At the time he ensympathy which he ever showed in their Christian  tered Congress he was the youngest member in that
communion. Not many of the few 'wise and mighty  body.  There he  remained by successive reand noble who are called' show a similar loyalty to  elections until he was elected President in I880.
the less stately and cultured Christian comnunions  Of his labors in Congress Senator Hoar says: "Since
in which they have been reared. Too often itis true  the year I864 you cannot think of a question which
that as they step upward in social and political sig-  has been debated in Congress, or discussed before a
nificance they step upward from one degree to  tribunel of the American people, in regard to which
another in some of the many types of fashionable  you will not find, if you wish instruction, the arguChristianity.  President Garfield adhered to the  ment on one side stated, in almost every instance
church of his mother, the church in which he was  better than by anybody else, in some speech made in
trained, and in which he served as a pillar and an  the House of Representatives or on the. hustings by
evangelist, and yet with tHe largest and most unsec-  Mr. Garfield."
tarian charity for all 'who love our Lord in sincerity.'"  Upon Jan. 14, I880, Gen. Garfield was elected to
Mr. Garfield was united in marriage with Miss  the U. S. Senate, and on the eighth of June, of the
Lucretia Rudolph, Nov. i, I858, who proved herself  same year, was nominated as the candidate of his
worthy as the wife of one whom all the world loved and  party for President at the great Chicago Convention.. mourned. To them were born seven children, five of  He was elected in the following November, and on
whom are still living, four boys and one girl.  March 4, i88i, was inaugurated. Probably no ad1=    Mr. Garfield made his first politicalspeeches in 1856,  ministration ever opened its existence under brighter =:.   in Hiram and the neighboring villages, and three  auspices than that of President Garfield, and every  %
E:a years later he began to speak at county mass-meet-  day it grew in favor with the people, and by the first
ings, and became the favorite speaker wherever he  of July he had completed all the initiatory and pre-  '7
was. During this year he was elected to the Ohio  liminary work ofhis administration and was preparSenate. He also began to study law at Cleveland,  ing to leave the city to meet his friends at Williams
and in I86I was admitted to the bar. The great  College. j While on his way and at the depot, in com-.
Rebellion broke out in the early part of this year,  pany with Secretary Blaine, a man stepped behind
and Mr. Garfie'd at once resolved to fight as he had  him, drew a revolver, and fired directly at his back.
talked, and enlisted to defend the old flag. He re-  The President tottered and fell, and as he did so the
ceived his commission as Lieut,-Colonel of the Forty-  assassin fired a second shot, the bullet cutting the
second Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Aug.  left coat sleeve of his victim, but inflicting no further
I4, i86I. He was immediately put into active ser-  injury. It has been very truthfully said that this was
vice, and before he had ever seen a gun fired in action,  the shot that was heard round the world " Never
was placed in command-of four regiments of infantry  before in the history of the Nation had anything ocand eight companies of cavalry, charged with the  curredwhich so nearly froze the blood of the people
work of driving out of his native State the officer  for the moment, as this awful deed. He was smit(Humphrey Marshall) reputed to be the ablest of  ten on the brightest, gladdest day of all his life, and
those, not educated to war whom Kentucky had given  was at the summit of his power and hope. For eighty
to the Rebellion. This work was bravely and speed-  days, all during the. hot months of July and August,
ily accomplished, although against great odds. Pres-  he lingered and suffered. He, however, remained
ident Lincoln, on his success commissioned him  master of himself till the last, and by his magnificent
Brigadier-General, Jan. 10, 1862; and as "he had  bearing was teaching the country and the world the
been the youngest man in the Ohio Senate two years  noblest of human lessons-how to live grandly in the
before, so now he was the youngest General in the  very clutch of death. Great in life, he was surpassarmy." He was with Gen. Buell's army at Shiloh,  ingly great in death. He passed serenely away Sept.
in its operations around Corinth and its march through  19, 1883, at Elberon, N. J., on the very bank of the  i
Alabama. He was then detailed as a member of the  ocean, where he had been taken shortly previous. The  (
General Court-Martial for the trial of Gen. Fitz-John  world wept at his death, as it never had done on the
Porter. He was then ordered to report to Gen. Rose-  death of any other man who had ever lived upon it.
crans, and was assigned to the "Chief of Staff."  The murderer was duly tried, found guilty and exeThe military history of Gen, Garfield closed with  cuted, in one year after he committed the foul deed.
S"X"~-                                                                                               '  "?'*,'sasf~




I. so~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




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|FA':" )  So do  "- L — {v9-n ^  tooth b Hi  ^
/-s ~  ~    7 TWENTY -FIRST PRESIDENT.  99
^   '                                         f
f.P I
'~~U~~~*rVA~VV*~~~I;;~JY`v~~,~~rw~~~\Iiw~~,IY ~~2 -

I


a, ^         HESTER     A.   ARTHUR,
II,~  ~/(~twenty-first President of the
S X'  A.i|i 9United States, was born in
'^^ 2  A h  Franklin County, Vermont, on
thefifthof October, i830, and is
Am/~~    the oldest of a family of two
\,^.    sons and five daughters. His
I    father was the Rev. Dr. William
f S >   Arthur, a Baptist clergyman, who
emigrated to this country from
the county Antrim, Ireland, in
] I ' his 18th year, and died in I875, in
s. | Newtonville, near Albany, after a
[ long and successful ministry.
1i>   Young Arthur was educated at
i0 Q  Union College, Schenectady, where
[I    he excelled in all his studies. Af[ ~  ter his graduation he taught school
1 u  in V7frnAnt for t  wnr  v   nrcl qn t


Herndon, of the United States Navy; who was lost at
sea. Congress voted a gold medal to his widow in
recognition of the bravery he displayed on that occasion. Mrs. Arthur died shortly before Mr. Arthur's s
nomination to the Vice Presidency, leaving two
children.
Gen. Arthur obtained considerable legal celebrity i
in his first great case, the famous Lemmon suit, *
brought to recover possession of eight slaves who had
been declared free by Judge Paine, of the Superior,
Court of New York City. It was in I852 that Jon,
athan Lemmon, of Virginia, went to New York with b
his slaves, intending to ship them to Texas, when
they were discovered and freed. The Judge decided
that they could not be held by the owner under the
Fugitive Slave Law. A howl of rage went up from
the South, and the Virginia Legislature authorized the
Attorney General of that State to assist in an appeal.
Wm. M. Erarts and Chester A. Arthur were employed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_.


I


I


fillV               ~7MVs I   V  y cl:ine tol""  AsL to represent the People, and they won their case,  '
the expiration of that time came to
which then went to the Supreme Court of the United,   New York, with $500 in his pocket,
New York, with 500 in his pocketg States. Charles O'Conor here espoused the cause
and entered the office of x-Juge  of the slave-holders, but he too was beaten by Messrs.
E. D. Culver as student. After
beg E. D. Culver as studentb. After  Eva.ts and Arthur, and a long step was taken toward
I   being admitted to                the emancipation of the black race.
a partnership with his intimate friend androom-mate,  Another great service was rendered by General
Henry D. Gardiner, with the intention of practicing  Arthurin the same cause in 856. Lizzie Jennings,
in the West, and for three months they roamed about  a respectable colored woman, was put off a Fourth
-',  in the Western States in search of an eligible site,  Avenue car with violence after she had paid her fare. T
t    but in the end returned to New York, where they  General Arthur sued on her behalf, and secured a
hung out their shingle, and entered upon a success-  verdict of $500 damages. The next day the compa(V+)  ful career almost from the start. General Arthur  ny issued an order to admit colored persons to ride (~)
soon afterward married the daughter of Lieutenant  on their cars, and the other car companies quickly
K~                        ~~~~~~w- e         base < +;S^N..~~
g"g<~)N4i ---^<.ntj^(in<>^-^y                                                  — ^^^7te




1 00                              CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
S                           -                  —..                 @)
i  followed their example. Before that the Sixth Ave-  tions were throbbing in unison, longing for the re- X
nue Company ran a few special cars for colored per.  covery of the noble, the good President. The remark- (
sons and the other lines refused to let them ride at all.  able patience that he manifested during those hours
General Arthur was a delegate to the Convention  and weeks, and even months, of the most terrible suf-  '
at Saratoga that founded the Republican party.  fering man has often been called upon to endure, was
Previous to the war he was Judge-Advocate of the  seemingly more than human. It was certainly GodSecond Brigade of the State of New York, and Gov-  like. During all this period of deepest anxiety Mr.
ernor Morgan, of that State, appointed him Engineer-  Arthur's every move was watched, and be it said to his
in-Chief of his staff. In i86I, he was made Inspec-  credit that his every action displayed only an earnest
tor General, and soon afterward became Quartermas-  desire that the suffering Garfield might recover, to
ter-General. In each of these offices he rendered  serve the remainder of the term he had so auspigreat service to the Government during the war. At  ciously begun. Not a selfish feeling was manifested
the end of Governor Morgan's term he resumed the  in deed or look of this man, even though the most.
practice of the law, forming a partnership with Mr.  honored position in the world was at any moment
Ransom, and then Mr. Phelps, the District Attorney  likely to fall to him.
of New York, was added to the firm. The legal prac-  At last God in his mercy relieved President Gartice of this well-known firm was very large and lucra-  field from further suffering, and the world, as never
tive, each of the gentlemen composing it were able  before in its history over the death of any other
lawyers, and possessed a splendid local reputation, if  man, wept at his bier. Then it became the duty of
not indeed one of national extent.             the Vice President to assume the responsibilities of
He always took a leading part in State and city  the high office, and he took the oath in New York,
j    politics. He was appointed Collector of the Port of  Sept. 20, i881. The position was an embarrassing '!
3 New York by President Grant, Nov. 21, I872, to suc-  one to him, made doubly so from the facts that all a
X    ceed Thomas Murphy, and held the office until July,  eyes were on him, anxious to know what he would do,  i
c=   20, I878, when he was succeeded by Collector Merritt.  what policy he would pursue, and who he would se- I
Mr. Arthur was nominated on the Presidential  lect as advisers. The duties of the office had been v
ticket, with Gen. James A. Garfield, at the famous  greatly neglected during the President's long illness,
National Republican Convention held at Chicago in  and many important measures were to be immediately
June, o188. This was perhaps the greatest political  decided by him; and still farther to embarrass him he
convention that ever assembled on the continent. It  did not fail to realize under what circumstances he
was composed of the leading politicians of the Re- became President, and knew the feelings of many on
publican party, all able men, and each stood firm and  this point Under these trying circumstances President
fought vigorously and with signal tenacity for their  Arthur took the reins of the Government in his own
respective candidates that were before the conven- hands; and, as embarrassing as were the condition of
tion for the nomination. Finally Gen. Garfield re-  affairs, he has happily surprised the Nation, acting so
ceived the nomination for President and Gen. Arthur  stly, so wisely, so wel that but few have criticised
for Vice-President. The campaign which followed  his administration. Should he continue during the
was one of the most animated known in the history of  remainder of his term to pursue the wise policy he
our country. Gen. Hancock, the standard-bearer of has followed thus far, we believe President Arthur's
the Democratic party, was a popular man, and his  administration will go down in history as one of the
party made a valiant fight for his election.   wisest and most satisfactory our country has ever
Finally the election came and the country's choice  enjoyed. His highest ambition seems to be to do his
was Garfield and Arthur. They were inaugurated  duty to the whole Nation, even to the sacrifice of his
March 4, I88r, as President and Vice-President.  warmest personal friends.  With the good of the
A few months only had passed ere the newly chosen  people at heart, and guided by the wisdom already
President was the victim of the assassin's bullet. Then  displayed, he will surprise his opponents, gratify his
came terrible weeks of suffering,-those moments of  friends, and bless the American Republic, during  )
anxious suspense, when the hearts of all civilized na- the years he occupies the Presidential chair.
— @^ TH<>' —,...




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.       C- 60 VERNORS OF MICHIGAN.      105
f^^ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.-... K....
8      P.STENPHr. N  T. MiASOrNe             t
~:S~  A.. ^^ D o  TEPHEN T. MASON, the j other. Michigan, therefore, claimed it under the prior


first Governorof Michigan, was
-;^.Kk  1 F n*k' a son of Gen. John T. Mason,
of Kentucky, but was born in
Virginia, in 18I2. At the age
_j3   of 19 he was appointed Secre~~<_  tary of Michigan Territory, and
l.   served in that capacity during the
Jl?,9/'   administration of Gov. George B.
*Ja.twLQ Porter. Upon the death of Gov.
'[  Porter, which occurred on the 6th of
/  July, 1834, Mr. Mason became Acting Governor. In October, I835, he
was elected Governor under the State
organization, and immediately entered upon the performance of the
duties of the office, although the
State was not yet admitted into the Union. After
the State was admitted into the Union, Governor
Mason was re-elected to the position, and served with
credit to himself and to the advantage of the State.
He died Jan. 4, I843. The principal event during
Governor Mason's official career, was that arising from
the disputed southern boundary of the State.
Michigan claimed for her southern boundary a line
running east across the peninsula from the extreme
southern point of Lake Michigan, extending through
Lake Erie, to the Pennsylvania line.  This she
claimed as a vested right-a right accruing to her by
compact. This compact was the ordinance of I787,
the parties to which were the original 13 States, and
the territory northwest of the Ohio; and, by the succession of parties under statutory amendments to the
ordinance and laws of Congress-the United States on
the one part, and each Territory northwest of the
Ohio, as far as affected by their provisions, on the


grant, or assignation of boundary.
Ohio, on the other hand, claimed that the ordinance
had been superseded by the Constitution of the
United States, and that Congress had a right to regulate the boundary. It was also claimed that the
Constitution of the State of Ohio having described a
different line, and Congress having admitted the State
under that Constitution, without mentioning the subject of the line in dispute, Congress had thereby given
its consent to the line as laid down by the Constitution of Ohio.  This claim was urged by Ohio at
some periods of the controversy, but at others she appeared to regard the question unsettled, by the fact
that she insisted upon Congress taking action in regard to the boundary. Accordingly, we find that, in
1812, Congress authorized the Surveyor-General to
survey a line, agreeably to the act, to enable the people
of Ohio to form a Constitution and State government.
Owing to Indian hostilities, however, the line was not
run till I8I8.  In I820, the question in dispute
underwent a rigid examination by the Committee on
Public Lands. The claim of Ohio was strenuously
urged by her delegation, and as ably opposed by Mr.
Woodbridge, the then delegate from Michigan. The
result was that the committee decided unanimously
in favor of Michigan; but, in the hurry of business,
no action was taken by Congress, and the question
remained open till Michigan organized her State government.
The Territory in dispute is about five miles in
width at the west end, and about eight miles in width
at the east end, and extends along the whole northern line of Ohio, west of Lake Erie. The line claimed
by Michigan was known as the " Fulton line," and
that claimed by Ohio was known as the " Harris line,"


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I06                               STEPHEN      T. MASON.
from the names of the surveyors. The territory was  of their number, he found it convenient to content
valuable for its rich agricultural lands; but the chief  himself for a time with "watching over the border."
value consisted in the fact that the harbor on the  Several days were passed in this exhilarating employMaumee River, where now stands the flourishing city  ment, and just as Governor Lucas had made up his
of Toledo, was included within its limits  The town  mind to do something rash, two commissioners aroriginally bore the name of Swan Creek, afterwards  rived from Washington on a mission of peace. They
Port Lawrence, then Vestula, and then Toledo.   remonstrated with Gov. Lucus, and reminded him of
In February, 1835, the Legislature of Ohio passed  the consequences to himself and his State if he peran act extending the jurisdiction of the State over  sisted in his attempt to gain possession of the disputed
the territory in question; erected townships and  territory by force.  After several conferences with
directed them to hold elections in April following. It  both governors, the commissioners submitted proposialso directed Governor Lucus to appoint three com-  tions for their consideration.
missioners to survey and re-mark the Harris line; and  Governor Lucas at once accepted the propositions,
named the first of April as the day to commence the  and disbanded his forces. Governor Mason, on the
survey. Acting Governor Mason, however, anticipated  other hand, refused to accede to the arrangement, and
this action on the part of the Ohio Legislature, sent  declined to compromise the rights of his people by a
a special message to the Legislative Council, appris-  surrender of possession and jurisdiction. When Goving it of Governor Lucas' message, and advised imme-  ernor Lucus disbanded his forces, however, Governor
diate action by that body to anticipate and counteract  Mason partially followed suit, but still held himself
the proceedings of Ohio. Accordingly, on the I2th  in readiness to meet any emergency that might arise.
of February, the council passed an act making it a  Governor Lucus now supposed that his way was
~ criminal offence, punishable by a heavy fine, or im-  clear, and that he could re-mark the Harris line with==  prisonment, for any one to attempt to exercise any  out being molested, and ordered the commissioners =
X   official functions, or accept any office within the juris-  to proceed with their work.
=   diction of Michigan, under or by virture of any au-  In the meantime, Governor Mason kept a watchthority not derived from the Territory, or the United  ful eye upon the proceedings.  General Brown sent
States. On the 9th of March, Governor Mason wrote  scouts through the woods to watch their movements,
)General Brown, then in command of the Michigan  and report when operations were commenced. When
militia, directing him to hold himself in readiness to  the surveying party got within the county of Lenameet the enemy in the field in case any attempt was  wee, the under-sheriff of that county, armed with a
made on the part of Ohio to carry out the provisions  warrant, and accompanied by a posse, suddenly made
of that act of the Legislature. On the 3Ist of March,  his appearance, and succeeded in arresting a portion
Governor Lucus, with his commissioners, arrived at  of the party. The rest, including the commissioners,
Perrysburgh, on their way to commence re-surveying  took to their heels, and were soon beyond the dis|the Harris line. He was accompanied by General  puted territory. They reached Perrysburgh the folBell and staff, of the Ohio Militia, who proceeded to  lowing day in a highly demoralized condition, and
muster a volunteer force of about 600 men.  This  reported they had been attacked by an overwhelmwas soon accomplished, and the force fully armed and  ing force of Michigan malitia, under command of
equipped. The force then went into camp at Fort  General Brown.
Miami, to await the Governor's orders.            This summary breaking up of the surveying party
In the meantime, Governor Mason, with General  produced the most tremendous excitement throughout
Brown and staff, had raised a force 800 to 1200  Ohio. Governor Lucas called an extra session of the
strong, and were in possession of Toledo.  General  Legislature. But little remains to be said in reference
Brown's Staff consisted of Captain Henry Smith, of  to the "war." The question continued for some time
' Monroe, Inspector; Major J. J. Ullman, of Con-  to agitate the minds of the opposing parties; and the
stantine, Quartermaster; William E. Broadman, of  action of Congress was impatiently awaited. Michigan
Detroit, and Alpheus Felch, of Monroe, Aids-de-  was admitted into the Union on the condition that
camp. When Governor Lucas observed the deter-   she give to Ohio the disputed territory, and accept
mined bearing of the Michigan braves, and took note  in return the Northern Peninsula, which she did,
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SECOND GO VERNOR OF MICHIGAN.                              o09
11 ---IQWILLIAM                  5OODBIIDGB. — x
^ l    TNA1 iiILLIAM     WOODBRIDGE,   peom McFingal, which, during a dark period of the
_S >7is llse^cond Governor of Michigan.  Revolution, wrought such a magic change upon the,'


~ S l^    Io was born at Norwich, Conn.,
y Aug. 20, I780, and died at
<9 Detroit Oct. 20, I86I. He
was of a family of three brothers
and two    sisters. His father,
*F\     Dudley Woodbridge, removed to
Marietta, Ohio, about 1790. The
life of Wm. Woodbridge, by Chas.
Lauman, from which this sketch
is largely compiled, mentions nothing concerning his early education
beyond the fact that it was such as
was afforded by the average school
of the time, except a year with the
French   colonists at Gallipolis,
Q where he acquired a knowledge of
l the French language. It should
be borne in mind, however, that
home education at that time was
an indispensable feature in the
training of the young. To this and
and to a-few studies well mastered,
is due that strong mental discipline which has served
as a basis for many of the grand intellects that have
adorned and helped to make our National history.
Mr. Woodbridge studied law at Marietta, having
as a fellow student an intimate personal friend, a
young man subsequently distinguished, but known
at that time simply as Lewis Cass. He graduated at
the law school in Connecticut, after a course there of
nearly three years, and began to practice at Marietta
in 806. In June, I806, he married, at Hartford, Connecticut, Juleanna, daughter of John Trumbell, a
distinguished author, and judge; and author of the


spirits of the colonists. He was happy in his domesticrelations until the death of Mrs. W., Feb. 2, g9, I86o.
Our written biographies necessarily speak more
fully of men, because of their active participation in
public affairs, but human actions are stamped upon
the page of time and when the scroll shall be unrolled
the influence of good women upon the history of the
world will be read side by side with the deeds of men.
How much success and renown in life many men owe
to their wives is probably little known. Mrs. W. enjoyed the best means of early education that the
country afforded, and her intellectual genius enabled
her to improve her advantages. During her life, side
by side with the highest type of domestic and social
graces, she manifested a keen intellectuality that
formed the crown of a faultless character. She was
a natural poet, and wrote quite a large number of fine
verses, some of which are preserved in a printed
memorial essay written upon the occasion of her
death. In this essay, it is said of her "to contribute
even in matters of minor importance, to elevate the
reputation and add to the well being of her husband
in the various stations he was called upon to fill, gave
her the highest satisfaction." She was an invalid
during the latter portion of her life, but was patient
and cheerful to the end.
In I807, Mr. W. was chosen a representative to the
General Assembly of Ohio, and in i809 was elected to
the Senate, continuing a member by re-election until
his removal from the State. He also held, by appointment, during the time the office of Prosecuting
Attorney for his county. He took a leading part in
the Legislature, and in I 8 2 drew up a declaration and
resolutions, which passed the two houses unaminously...,
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and attracted great attention, endorsing, in strongest
and most emphatic terms, the war measures of President Madison. During the period from I804 to 1814
the two law students, Woodbridge and Cass, had become widely separated. The latter was Governor of
the Territory of Michigan under the historic "Governor
and Judges" plan, with the indispensable requisite of a
Secretary of the Territorry. This latter position was,
in I8 4, without solicitation on his part, tendered to
Mr. W. He accepted the position with some hesitation, and entered upon its duties as soon as he could
make the necessary arrangements for leaving Ohio.
The office of Secretary involved also the duties of
collectorof customs at the port of Detroit, and during
the frequent absences of the Governor, the dischargeof
of his duties, also including those of Superintendent
of Indian Affairs. Mr. W. officiated as Governor for
about two years out of the eight years that he held the
office of Secretary. Under the administration of"Governor and Judges," which the people of the Territory
preferred for economical reasons, to continue some time
after their numbers entitled them to a more popular
representative system, they were allowed no delegate
in Congress. Mr. W., as a sort of informal agent of
the people, by correspondence and also by a visit to,   the National capital, so clearly set forth the demand
for representation by a delegate, that an act was
passedin Congressin 1819 authorizingone tobechosen.
Under this act Mr. W. was elected by the concurrence
=   of all parties. His first action in Congress was to secure
'   the passage of a bill recognizing and confirming the
old French land titles in the Territory according to
the terms of the treaty of peace with Great Britain
at the close of the Revolution; and another for the
construction of a Government road through the "black
swamps" from the Miami River to Detroit, thus opening a means of land transit between Ohio and Michigan. He was influential in securing the passage of
bills for the construction of Government roads from
Detroit to Chicago, and Detroit to Fort Gratiot, and
for the improvement of La Plaisance Bay. The expedition for the exploration of the country around
Lake Superior and in the valley of the' Upper Mississippi, projected by Governor Cass, was set on foot
by means of representations made to the head of the
department by Mr. W. While in Congress he strenuously maintained the right of Michigan to the strip
of territory now forming the northern boundary of
Ohio, which formed the subject of such grave dispute
between Ohio and Michigan at the time of the admission of the latter into the Union. He served
but one term    as  delegate to  Congress, declining further service on account of personal and
family considerations. Mr. W. continued to discharge
the duties of Secretary of the Territory up to the time
its Government passed into the "second grade."
In 1824, he was appointed one of a board of
>  commissioners for adjusting private land claims in




the Territory, and was engaged also in the practice of ~
his profession, having the best law library in the Territory. In 1828, upon the recommendation of the  i
Governor, Judges and others, he was appointed by the
President, J. Q. Adams, to succeed Hon. James Witherell, who had resigned as a Judge of what is conven- %
tionally called the "Supreme Court" of the Territory.
This court was apparently a continuation of the Territorial Court, under the "first grade" or "Governor and
Judges" system. Although it was supreme in its judicial functions within the Territory, its powers and
duties were of a very general character.
In 1832, the term of his appointment as Judge ex-  i
piring, President Jackson appointed a successor, it is
supposed on political grounds, much to the disappointment of the public and the bar of the Territory. The  f
partisan feeling of the time extended into the Territory, and its people began to think of assuming the
dignity of a State government. Party lines becoming very sharply drawn, he identified himself with
the Whigs and was elected a member of the Convention of 1835, which formed the first State Constitution.  I
In I837 he was elected a member of the State Senate.
This sketch has purposely dealt somewhat in detail;
with what may be called Judge W's. earlier career,
because it is closely identified with the early history of the State, and the development of its political system. Since the organization of the State Government the history of Michigan is more familiar, and
hence no review of Judge W's career as Governor
and Senator will be attempted. He was elected Gov- E:V>
ernor in 1839, under a popular impression that the..
affairs of the State had not been prudently adminis-  |
tered by the Democrats. He served as Governor but
little more than a year, when he was elected to the
Senate of the United States.
His term in the Senate practically closed his political life, although he was strongly urged by many
prominent men for the Whig nomination for Vice
President in 1848.
Soon after his appointment as Judge in I828, Gov-,
ernor W. took up his residence on a tract of land ":
which he owned in the township of Spring Wells, a
short distance below what was then the corporate limits of Detroit, where he resided during the remainder
of his life. Both in his public papers and private
communications, Governor W. shows himself a master of language; he is fruitful in simile and illustration, logical in arrangement, happy in the choice and
treatment of topics, and terse and vigorous in expres- 6
sion. Judge W. was a Congregationalist. His opinions  d
on all subjects were decided; he was earnest and  i
energetic, courteous and dignified, and at times ex-  -
hibited a vein of fine humor that was the more at- 0;
tractive because not too often allowed to come to the
surface. His letters and addresses show a deep and
earnest affection not only for his ancestral home, but
the home of his adoption and for friends and family.:


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i  7JOHN I:3i S. -BARRYSF
m JOHN S. BARRY m
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Xt@Js'T       OHN STEWARD BARRY,
X ^^  ^       l  i oGovernor of Michigan from
Jan. 3, 1842, to Jan. 5, 1846,
mM Si^ ^//  and from Jan. 7, I850, to Jan.
i, 1852, was born at Amherst,
~  (N. H., Jan. 29, I802. His parents, John and Ellen (Steward)
(    Barry, early removed to Rocking|/'  4  ham, Vt., where he remained until
i    he became of age, working on his
'I father's farm, and    pursuing   his
E  studies at the same time. He marn ried Mary Kidder, of Grafton, Vt.,
and in 1824 went to Georgia, Vt.,
where he had charge of an academy
T    for two years, meanwhile studying
*.lIVxr -...,-,,,-,;-,, 1..


stantine and continued his mercantile pursuits. He
became Justice of the Peace at White Pigeon, Mich.,
in 1831, and held the office until the year I835.
Mr. Barry's first public office was that of a member
of the first constitutional convention, which assembled
and framed the constitution upon which Michigan
was admitted into the Union. He took an important
and prominent part in the proceedings of that body,
and showed himself to be a man of far more than
ordinary ability.
Upon Michigan being admitted into the Union,
Mr. Barry was chosen State Senator, and so favorably
were his associates impressed with his abilities at the
first session of the Legislature that they looked to him
as a party leader, and that he should head the State
ticket at the following election. Accordingly he received the nomination for Governor at the hands
of his party assembled in convention.  He was
elected, and so popular was his administration that, in
1842, he was again elected.  During these years
Michigan was embarrassed by great financial difficulties, and it was through his wisdom and sound judgment that the State was finally placed upon a solid
financial basis.
During the first year of Gov. Barry's first term, the
University at Ann Arbor was opened for the reception


ctw..aL. UCiVilLVVl IU. [lJ7L, UU  IdW   111
that State. While he was in Georgia he was for some
time a member of the Governor's staff, with Ehe title
of Governor's Aid, and at a somewhat earlief period:  was Captainof a company of State militia. In 1831
-   he removed to Michigan, and settled at White Pigeon,:,  where he engaged in mercantile business with I. W.
'f Willard.
i,     Four years after, i834, Mr. Barry removed to Conf; '4'' --- — ~~"~f9   - --            -^    m I


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114                           JOHN STE WARD BARRY.
of students. The Michigan Central and Michigan  of his clients, nor did the verdict of that jury and the
Southern railroads were being rapidly constructed, and  sentence of that judge remove his firm belief that his XI:   general progress was everywhere noticeable. In I842,  clients were the victims of purchased treachery, H
the number of pupils reported as attending the public  rather than so many sacrifices to justice.
T   schools was nearly fifty-eight thousand.  In I843, a  The verdict of "guilty " was rendered at 9 o'clock  t
i   State land office was established at Marshall, which  P. M., Sept. 25, I85 I. On the 26th the prisoners were
was invested with the charge and disposition of all  put forward to receive sentence, when many of them
the lands belonging to the State. In 1844, the tax-  protested their entire innocence, after which the preable property of the State was found to be over  siding judge condemned 12 of the number to the foltwenty-eight millions of dollars, the tax being at the  lowing terms of imprisonment, with hard labor, within
rate of two mills on the dollar. The expenses of the  the State's prison, situate in their county: Ammi
State were only seventy thousand dollars, while the  Filley, ten years; Orlando L. Williams, ten years;
income from the railroads was nearly three hundred  Aaron Mount, eight years; Andrew J. Freeland, eight,A   thousand dollars. At this time the University of  years; Eben Farnham, eight years; William Corvin,
I    Michigan had become so prosperous that its income  eight years; Richard Price, eight years; Evan Price,
was ample to pay the interest on the University debt;  eight years; Lyman Champlin, five years; Willard
and the amount of money which the State was able  W. Champlin, five years; Erastus Champlin, five
to loan the several progressing railroads was one  years; Erastus Smith, five years.
hundred and twenty thousand dollars. Efforts were  In i840, Gov. Barry became deeply interested in
made to increase the efficiency of the common schools  the cultivation of the sugar beet, and visited Europe
with good results  In I845, when Gov. Barry's sec-  to obtain information in reference to its culture.
ond term expired, the population of the State was  He was twice Presidential Elector, and his last
more than three hundred thousand.               public service was that of a delegate to the National
('     The constitution of the State forbade more than two  Democratic Convention held in Chicago in i864.
consecutive terms, but he was called upon to fill the  He was a man who, throughout life, maintained a
".   position again in I850-the only instance of the kind  high character for integrity and fidelity to the trusts
in the history of the State. He was a member of the  bestowed upon him, whether of a public or a private:=
Territorial Legislature, of the Constitutional Conven-  nature, and he is acknowledged by all to have been T>
tion, and afterward of the State House of Represent-  one of the most efficient and popular Governors the
=::  atives.                                         State has ever had.
During Mr. Barry's third term as Governor the Nor-  Gov. Barry was a man of incorruptible integrity. I
mal School was established at Ypsilanti, which was  His opinions, which he reached by the most thorough
endowed with lands and placed in charge of a board  investigation, he held tenaciously. His strong conof education consisting of six persons. A new con-  victions and outspoken honesty made it impossible for
stitution for the government of the State was also  him to take an undefined position when a principle
adopted and the " Great Railway Conspiracy Case "  was involved. His attachments and prejudices were
was tried. This grew out of a series of lawless acts  strong, yet he was never accused of favoritism in his
which had been committed upon the property of the  administration of public affairs. As a speaker he was
Michigan Central Railroad Company, along the line  not remarkable. Solidity, rather than brilliancy, charof their road, and finally the burning of the depot  acterized his oratory, which is described as argumentI    at Detroit, in I850.                            ative and instructive, but cold, hard, and entirely
4i   At a setting of the grand jury of Wayne County,  wanting in rhetorical ornament. He was never elol   April 24, 1851, 37 men of the 50 under arrest for this  quent, seldom humorous or sarcastic, and in manner
crime were indicted. May 20, following, the accused  rather awkward.
parties appeared at the Circuit Court of Wayne, of  Although Mr. Barry's educational advantages were
which Warner Wing was resident judge. The Rail-  so limited, he was a life-long student. He mastered
road Company employed ten eminent lawyers, in-  both ancient and modern languages, and acquired a
cluding David Stuart, John Van Arman, James A.  thorough knowledge of history. No man owed less
Van Dyke, Jacob M. Howard, Alex. D. Fraser, Dan-  to political intrigue as a means of gaining posiiel Goodwin and William Gray. The defendants were  tion. He was a true statesman, and gained public esS    represented by six members of the State bar, led by  teem by his solid worth. His political connections
William H. Seward, of New York. The trial occupied  were always with the Democratic party, and his opinfour months, during which time the plaintiffs exam-  ions were usually extreme.
ined 246 witnesses in 27 days, and the defendants  Mr. Barry retired to private life after the beginning
249 in 40 days. Mr. Van Dyke addressed the jury  of the ascendency of the Republican party, and carfor the prosecution; William  H. Seward for the   ried on his mercantile business at Constantine.  He
/(    defense.                                        died Jan. 14, I870, his wife's death having occurred a
The great lawyer was convinced of the innocence  year previous, March 30, 1869. They left no children.,
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GO VERNORS OF MICHIGAN.                       117;.i


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the mot heLPHEUS FELCH, the third
yearoltoth    e Governor of Michigan, was
-I^ iiJ^^mV;@ij"born in Limerick, Maine, Sephom wi          ths tember 28, I806.  Hisgrandmained ulfather; Abijah Felch, was a soldier in the Revolution; and
em.In   when a young man, having with
others obtained a grant of land beonel atween the Great and Little Ossipee
emJYk ^~ 1Rivers, in Maine, moved to that re2   gion when it was yet a wilderness.
paThe father of Mr. Felch embarked in
ah~- mercantile life at Limerick. He was
H4|^  the first to engage in that business in
h     that section, and continued it until
his death. The death of the father,
1   followed within a year by the death of
the mother, left the subject of this sketch, then three
years old, to the care of relatives, and he found a
home with his paternal grandfather, where he remained until his death. Mr Felch received his early
education in the district school and a neighboring
academy. In I82I he became a student at Phillips
Exter Academy, and, subsequently, entered Bowdoin
College, graduated with the class of 1827. He at
once began the study of law and was admitted to
practice at Bangor, Me., in I830.
He began the practice of his profession at Houlton,
Me., where he remained until r833. The severity
of the climate impaired his health, never very good,
and he found it necessary to seek a change of climate.
He disposed of his library and started to seek
a new home. His intention was to join his friend,


Sargent S. Prentiss, at Vicksburg, Miss., but on his
arrival at Cincinnati, Mr. Felch was attacked by
cholera, and when he had recovereoeed sufficiently to
permit of his traveling, found that the danger of the
disease was too gre to permit a journey down the
river. He therefore determined to come to Michigan. He first began to practice in this State at Mon.
roe, where he continued untitl I843, when he removed
to Ann Arbor. He was elected to the State Legisla,
ture in I835, and continued a member of that body
during the years i836 and I837. While he held this
office, the general banking law of the State was enacted, and went into operation. After mature delibera.
tion, he became convinced that the coproposed system
of banking could not prove beneficial to the public
interests; and that, instead of relieving the people
from the pecuniary difficulties under which they were
laboring, it would result in still further embarrassment. He, therefore, opposed the bill, and pointed
out to the House the e t disasters which, in his opinion,
were sure to follow its passage. The public mind,
however, was so favorably impressed by the measure
that no other member, in either branch of the Legislature, raised a dissenting voice, and but two voted with
him in opposition to the bill. Early in i838, he was
appointed one of the Bank Commissioners of the
State, and held that office for more than a year. During this time, the new banking law had given birth to
that numerous progeny known as "wild-cat" banks.
Almost every village had its bank. The country was
flooded with depressed "wild-cat" money. The examinations of the Bank Commissioners brought to
light frauds at every point, which were fearlessly re

p
R
IX


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\ag/^a —~-X@-.HaSSEi~iuS.) 118,H FELC..W..,,, ".,P.
I i I8          ALPIZIEUS FELICH.
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ported to the Legislature, and were followed by criminal prosecutions of the guilty parties, and the closing
of many of their institutions. The duties of the office were most laborious, and in I839 Mr. Felch resigned. The chartered right of almost every bank
had, in the meantime, been declared forfeited and
the law repealed. It was subsequently decided to
be constitutional by the Supreme Court of the State.
In the year 1842 Governor Felch was appointed
to the office of Auditor General of the State; but
after holding the office only a few weeks, was commissioned by the Governor as one of the Judges of the
Supreme Court, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Fletcher. In January, a843, he was
elected to the United States Senate for an unexpired
term. In I845 he was elected Governor of Michigan,
and entered upon his duties at the commencement of
the next year.  In I847 he was elected a Senator
in Congress for six years; and at once retired from
the office of Governor, by resignation, which took
effect March 4, 1847, when his Senatorial term commenced. While a member of the Senate he acted on
the Committee on Public Lands, and for four years
was its Chairman.  He filled the honorable position
of Senator with becoming dignity, and with great
credit to the State of Michigan.
During Governor Felch's administration the two
railroads belonging to the State were sold to private
corporations,-the Central for $2,000,000, and the
Southern for $500,000.  The exports of the State
amounted in i846 to $4,647,608. The total capacity
of vessels enrolled in the collection district at Detroit
was 26,928 tons, the steam vessels having 8,400 and
the sailing vessels I8,528 tons, the whole giving employment to I8,000 seamen. In I847, there were 39
counties in the State, containing 435 townships; and
275 of these townships were supplied with good libraries, containing an aggregate of 37,000 volumes.
At the close of his Senatorial term, in March, I853,
Mr. Felch was appointed, by President Pierce, one of
the Commissioners to adjust and settle the Spanish




and Mexican land claims in California, under the
treaty of Gaudalupe Hidalgo, and an act of Congress
passed for that purpose. He went to California in
May, I853, and was made President of the Commission. The duties of this office were of the most important and delicate character. The interest of the
new State, and the fortunes of many of its citizens,
both the native Mexican population and the recent
American immigration; the right of the Pueblos to
their common lands, and of the Catholic Church to
the lands of the Missions,-the most valuable of the
State,-wereinvolved in the adjudicationsof this Commission. In March, 1856, their labors were brought
to a close by the final disposition of all the claims
which were presented. The record of their proceedings,-the testimony which was given in each case,
and the decision of the Commissioners thereon,consisting of some forty large volumes, was deposited
in the Department of the Interior at Washington.
In June of that year, Governor Felch returned to
Ann Arbor, where he has since been engaged piincipally in legal business.  Since his return he has
been nominated for Governor and also for U. S. Senator, and twice for Judge of the Supreme Court. But
the Democratic party, to which he has always been
attached, being in the minority, he failed of an election. In 1873 he withdrew from the active practice
of law, and, with the exception of a tour in Europe,
in i875 has since led a life of retirement at his home
in Ann Arbor. In I877 the University of Michigan
conferred upon him the degree of LL. D. For
many years he was one of the Regents of Michigan
University, and in the spring of 1879 was appointed
Tappan Professor of Law in the same. Mr. Felch is
the oldest surviving member of the Legislature from
Monroe Co., the oldest and only surviving Bank Commissioner of the State, the oldest surviving Auditor
General of the State, the oldest surviving Governor of
the State, the oldest surviving Judge of the Supreme
Court of Michigan, and the oldest surviving United
States Senator from the State of Michigan.


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lMiJ   AILLIAM      L.   GREENLY. ~% l~%iB'A. ~   Governor of Michigan for the: year I847, was born at Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y., Sept.
1 8, 1813. He graduated at Un- ion    College, Schenectady, in.t      I 83I, studied law and was admitted to the bar in I834. In
I836, having removed to Michir l    gan, he settled in Adrian, where
7   he has since resided. The year
following his arrival in Michigan
he was elected State Senator and
2 l  served in that capacity until I839.
e1  In I845 he was elected Lieut. Governor and became acting Governor
by the resignation of Gov. Felch,
who was elected to the United
(  States Senate.
The war with Mexico was brought
to a successful termination during Gov. Greenly's
administration. We regret to say that there are only
few records extant of the action of Michigan troops
in the Mexican war. That many went there and
fought well are points conceded; but their names and
nativity are hidden away in United States archives


and where it is almost impossible to find them.
The soldiers of this State deserve much of the
credit of the memorable achievements of Co. K, 3d
Dragoons, and Cos. A, E, and G of the U. S. Inf.
The two former of these companies, recruited in this
State, were reduced to one-third their original number.
In May, I846,the Governor of Michigan was notified by the War Department of the United States to
enroll a regiment of volunteers, to be held in readiness for service whenever demanded. At his summons 13 independent volunteer companies, I of
infantry and two of cavalry, at once fell into line. Of
the infantry four companies were from Detroit, bearing the honored names of Montgomery, Lafayette,
Scott and Brady upon their banners. Of the remainder Monroe tendered two, Lenawee County three,
St. Clair, Berrien and Hillsdale each one, and Wayne
County an additional company. Of these alone the
veteran Bradys were accepted and ordered into service. In addition to them ten companies, making the
First Regiment of Michigan Volunteers, springing
from various parts of the State, but embodying to a
great degree the material of which the first volunteers
was formed, were not called for until &ctober following. This regiment was soon in readiness and proceeded by orders from Government to the seat of war.


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g si        HE   HON. EPAPHRODIl Ib    TUS RANSOM, the Seventh;  I fJl^v r Governor of Michigan, was a
native of Massachusetts. In
that State he received a collegiate education, studied law,
and was admitted to the bar.
Removing to Michigan about
the time of its admission to the
Union, he took up his residence
at Kalamazoo.
Mr. Ransom served with marked
ability for a number of years in the
State Legislature, and in I837 he was appointed AsctznrifA TiaiCr-o of n th-a Cqtrinrmo Cnilrt  T " TR I -1 e,h


shone forth so prominently in his acts as Governor.
He held the office of Regent of the Michigan University several times, and ever advocated a liberal policy
in its management.
Subsequently he was appointed receiver of the
land office in one of the districts in Kansas, by President Buchanan, to which State he had removed, and
where he died before the expiration of his term of
office.
We sum up the events and affairs of the State under Gov. Ransom's administration as follows: The
Asylum for the Insane was establised, as also the
Asylum for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind. Both of
these institutes were liberally endowed with lands,
and each of them placed in charge of a board of five
trustees. The appropriation in I849 for the deaf and
dumb and blind amounted to $8I,5oo. On the first
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UIULCt Ja USIIA  LuIC OLPICIC. P..U..11 1043  c  of March, I848, the first telegraph line was comwas promoted to Chief Justice, which office he re-  pleted from New York to Detroit, and the first distained until 1845, when he resigned.             patch transmitted on that day. The following figures
Shortly afterwards he became deeply interested in  show the progress in agriculture: The land reported
the building of plank roads in the western portion of  as under cultivation in 1848 was I,437,460 acres; of
the State, and in this business lost the greater portion  wheat there were produced 4,749,300 bushels; other
of the property which he had accumulated by years  grains, 8,197,767 bushels; wool, I,645,756 pounds;
(  of toil and industry.                            maple sugar, I,774,369 pounds; horses, 52,305; catMr. Ransom   became Governor of the State of  tle, 210,268; swine, 152,541; sheep, 610,534; while
Michigan in the fall of I847, and served during one  the flour mills numbered 228, and the lumber mills
term, performing the duties of the office in a truly  amountedto 730. I847, an act waspassedremoving
statesmanlike manner. He subsequently became       the Legislature from Detroit to Lansing, and tempoPresident of the Michigan Agricultural Society, in  rary buildings for the use of the Legislature wereimwhich position he displayed the same ability that  mediately erected, at a cost of $12,450.
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< t  l AhOBERT          McCLELLAND,
' 1  i H tGovernor of Michigan from
a,  1^^   1 \Jan. I, 1852, to March 8,1853,
'S ~ '~ ^  ~/ was born at Greencastle, Frank> q 2   )lin Co., Penn., Aug. I, I807.
Among his ancestors were several
/NfQ   officers of rank in the Revolutionary war, and some of his family conJi!$$   nections were distinguished in the
war of 1812, and that with Mexico.
His father was an eminent physician
>  and surgeon who studied under Dr.
Benj. Rush, of Philadelphia, and
(i practiced his profession successfully
v   until six months before his death, at
I the age of 84 years. Although Mr.
McClelland's family had  been in good circumstances, when he was 17 years old he was thrown
upon his own resources. After taking the usual preliminary studies, and teaching school to obtain the
means, he entered Dickinson College, at Carlisle,
Penn., from which he graduated among the first in
his class, in 1829. He then resumed teaching, and
having completed the course of study for the legal
profession, was admitted to the bar at Chambersburg,
Penn., in 1831. Soon afterward he removed to the
city of Pittsburgh, where he practiced for almost a
year.
In 1833, Mr. McClelland removed to Monroe, in


the Territory of Michigan, where, after a severe examination, he became a member of the bar of Michigan, and engaged in practice with bright prospect of
success. In 1835, a convention was called to frame
a constitution for the proposed State of Michigan, of
which Mr. McClelland was elected a member. He
took a prominent part in its deliberations and ranked
among its ablest debaters.  He was appointed the
first Bank Commissioner of the State, by Gov. Mason,
and received an offer of the Attorney Generalship, but
declined both of these offices in order to attend to his
professional duties.
In 1838, Mr. McClelland was elected to the State
Legislature, in which he soon became distinguished
as the head of several important committees, Speaker
pro tempore, and as an active, zealous and efficient
member. In I840, Gen. Harrison, as a candidate for
the Presidency, swept the country with an overwhelming majority, and at the same time the State of Michigan was carried by the Whigs under the popular cry
of " Woodbridge and reform " against the Democratic
party. At this time Mr. McClelland stood among the
acknowledged leaders of the latter organization; was
elected a member of the State House of Representatives, and with others adopted a plan to regain a lost
authority and prestige.
This party soon came again into power in the State,
and having been returned to the State Legislature Mr.
McClelland's leadership was acknowledged by his
election as Speaker of the House of Representatives


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in I843. Down to this time Michigan had constituted one congressional district. The late Hon. Jacob
M. Howard had been elected against Hon. Alpheus
Felch by a strong majority; but, in 1843, so thoroughly
had the Democratic party recovered from its defeat
of 1840 that Mr. McClelland, as a candidate for Congress, carried Detroit district by a majority of about
2,500. Mr. McClelland soon took a prominent position in Congress among the veterans of that body.
During his first term he was placed on Committee on
Commerce, and organized and carried through what
were known as the " Harbor bills." The continued
confidence of his constituency was manifested in his
election to the 29th Congress. At the opening of this
session he had acquired a National reputation, and so
favorably was he known as a parlimentarian that his
name was mentioned for Speaker of the House of Representatives. He declined the offer in favor of J. W.
Davis, of Indiana, who was elected. During this term
he became Chairman of Committee on Commerce, in
which position his reports and advocacy of important
measures at once attracted public attention. The
members of this committee, as an evidence of the esteem in which they held his services and of their
personal regard for him, presented him with a cane
which he retains as a souvenir of the donors, and of
his labors in Congress.
In I847, Mr. McClelland was re-elected to Con.
gress, and at the opening of the 3oth Congress became a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations. While acting in this capacity, what was known
as the " French Spoliation Bill" came under his special charge, and his management of the same was such
as to command universal approbation.  While in
Congress, Mr. McClelland was an advocate of the
right of petition as maintained by John Q. Adams,
when the petition, was clothed in decorous language
and presented in the proper manner.  This he regarded as the citizens'constitutional right which should
not be impaired by any doctrines of temporary expediency. He also voted for the adoption of Mr. Giddings s bill for the abolishing of slavery in the District
of Columbia. Mr. McClelland was one of the few
Democrats associated with David Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, in bringing forward the celebrated "Wilmot
Proviso," with a view to prevent further extension of
slavery in new territory which might be acquired by
the United States. He and Mr. Wilmot were together at the time in Washington, and on intimate
and confidential terms. Mr. McClelland was in several National conventions and in.the Baltimore convention, which nominated Gen. Cass for President,
in 1848, doing valiant service that year for the election of that distinguished statesman. On leaving
Congress, in I848, Mr. McClelland returned to the
practice of his profession at Monroe. In 1850 a
convention of the State of Michigan was called to
revise the State constitution. He was elected a




member and was regarded therein as among the ablest
and most experienced leaders. His clear judgment
and wise moderation were conspicuous, both in the
committee room and on the floor, in debate. In 1850,
he was President of the Democratic State convention
which adopted resolutions in support of Henry Clay's
famous compromise measures, of which Mr. McClelland was a strong advocate. He was a member of
the Democratic National convention in I85 2 and in
that year, in company with Geno Cass and Governor
Felch, he made a thorough canvass of the State.
He continued earnestly to advocate the Clay compromise measures, and took an active part in the
canvass which resulted in the election of Geno Pierce
to the Presidency.
In I85r, the new State constitution took effect and
it was necessary that a Governor should be elected
for one year in order to prevent an interregnum, and
to bring the State Government into operation under
the new constitution, Mr. McClelland was elected
Governor, and in the fall of 1852 was re-elected for
a term of two years, from Jan. I, 1853. His administration was regarded as wise, prudent and conciliatory, and was as popular as could be expected at a
time when party spirit ran high. There was really
no opposition, and wllen he resigned, in March, 1853,
the State Treasury was well filled, and the State
otherwise prosperous. So widely and favorably had
Mr. McClelland become known as a statesman that on
the organization of thecabinet by President Pierce, in
March, I 85 3, he was made Secretary of the Interior, in
which capacity he served most creditably during four
years of the Pierce administration. He thoroughly
re-organized his department and reduced the expenditures. He adopted a course with the Indians which
relieved them from the impositions and annoyances
of the traders, and produced harmony and civilization
among them. During his administration there was
neither complaint from the tribes nor corruption among
agents, and he left the department in perfect order
and system, In 1867, Michigan again called a convention to revise the State constitution. Mr. McClelland was a member and here again his long experience made him conspicuous as a prudent adviser, a
sagacious parliamentary leader. As a lawyer he was
terse and pointed in argument, clear, candid and impressive in his addresses to the jury. His sincerity
and earnestness, with which was occasionally mingled
a pleasant humor, made him an able and effective
advocate. In speaking before the people on political
subjects he was especially forcible and happy. In
I870 he made the tour of Europe, which, through his
extensive personal acquaintance with European diplomates, he was enabled to enjoy much more than
most travelers.
Mr. McClelland married, in r837, Miss Sarah
E. Sabin, of Williamstown, Mass. They have had
six children, two of whom now survive.


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^.C'X     t NDREW     PARSONS, Gover/ A     ^W\ Mo nor of Michigan from   March
'   i g~t^8, r1853 to Jan. 3, r855, was
'      -.~.....~] J born in the town of Hoosick,.      jW~i g^l  County   of  Rensselaer, and
\C;~' State of New York, on the 22d
day of July, 1817, and died June
6, 1855, at the early age of 38
years.   He was the son of John,i -Parsons, born       at Newburyport,
{20 /Mass., Oct. 2, 1782, and who was the
son of Andrew Parsons, a Revolutionary
soldier, who was the son of Phineas
Parsons, the son of Samuel Parsons,
a descendant of Walter Parsons, born
i in Ireland in 1290.
Of this name and family, some one hundred and


and accompanied their father and others to New
England about I630. Samuel Parsons, born at Salisbury, Mass., in I707, graduated at Harvard College in
-I730, ordained at Rye, N. H., Nov. 3, 7 36, married
Mary Jones, daughter of Samuel Jones, of Boston,
Oct. 9, 1739, died Jan. 4, 1789, at the age of 82, in
the 53rd year of his ministry. The grandfather of Mary
Jones was Capt. John Adams, of Boston, grandson
of Henry, of Braintree, who was among the first settlers of Massachusetts, and from whom a numerous
race of the name are descended, including two Presidents of the United States. The Parsons have become very numerous and are found throughout New
England, and many of the descedants are scattered
in all parts of the United States, and especially in
the Middle and Western States. Governor Andrew
Parsons came to Michigan in 1835, at the age of 17
vrporc  nAn crPent tle fi-rcftl cl-n-impr,-t Tw r\,-r  Ann


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thirty years ago, Bishop (illson remarked in his edi-  Jy "."' i..... 111...L l AdU L.sJ\JU U I..111\. I
tion of Camden's Britannia: "The honorable family  Arbor, where for a few months he taught school which
of Parsons have been advanced to the dignity of  he was compelled to abandon from ill health.
Viscounts and more lately Earls of Ross."'         He was one of the large number of men of sterling
The following are descendants of these families:  worth, who came from the East to Michigan when it
Sir John Parsons, born I481, was Mayor of Hereford;  was an infant State, or, even prior to its assuming
Robert Parsons, born in 1546, lived near Bridgewater,  the dignity of a State, and who, by their wisdom,
England. He was educated at Ballial College, Ox-  enterprise and energy, have developed its wonderful
ford, and was a noted writer and defender of the  natural resources, until to-day it ranks with the proudRomish faith. He established an English College at  est States of the Union. These brave men came to
Rome and another at Valladolia. Frances Parsons,  Michigan with nothing to aid them in the conquest
born in I556, was Vicar of Rothwell, in Notingham;  of the wilderness save courageous hearts and strong s
Bartholomew  Parsons, born in i6i8, was another  and willing hands. They gloriously conquered, hownoted member of the family. In 1634,Thomas Parsons  ever, and to them is due all honor for the labors
was knighted by Charles i. Joseph and Benjamin,  so nobly performed, for the solid and sure foundation
brothers, were born in Great Torrington, England,  which they laid of a great Commonwealth.
S^V,/g)'M^-  — C.- TMM_-^_ —                                                 ^      ~^




134                               ANDRE1W PARSONS.                                         -
In the fall of I835, he explored the Grand River  by threats, and in a short letter to the people, after
Valley in a frail canoe, the whole length of the river,  giving overwhelming reasons that no sensible man
from Jackson to Lake Michigan, and spent the following  could dispute, showing the circumstances were not
winter as clerk in a store at Prairie Creek, in Ionia,  "extraordinary," he refused to call the extra session.
County, and in the spring went to Marshall, where he  This brought down the wrath of various parties upon
resided with his brother, the Hon. Luke H. Parsons,  his head, but they were soon forced to acknowledge
also now deceased, until fall, when he went to Shia-  the wisdom and the justice of his course. One of
wasse County, then with Clinton County, andan almost  his greatest enemies said, after a long acquaintance:
unbroken wilderness and constituting one organized  "though not always coinciding with his views I never
- township. In I837 this territory was organized into  doubted his honesty of purpose. He at all times
a county and, at the age of only I9 years, he (An-  sought to perform his duties in strict accordance,
drew) was elected County Clerk. In 1840, he was  with the dictates of his conscience, and the behests
elected Register of Deeds, re-elected in 1842, and  of his oath." The following eulogium from a politcalopalso in I844. In I846, he was elected to the State  ponent is just in its conception and creditable to its
Senate, was appointed Prosecuting Attorney in I848,  author: "Gov. Parsons was a politician of the Demand elected Regent of the University in 1851, and  ocratic school, a man of pure moral character, fixed
I  Lieutenant Governor, and became acting Governor,  and exemplary habits, and entirely blameless in every  ()
in 1853, elected again to the Legislature in I854, and,  public and private relation of life. As a politician he  H
=   overcome by debilitated health, hard labor and the  was candid, frank and free from bitterness, as an exxa responsibilities of his office and cares of his business,  ecutive officer firm, constant and reliable." The  A
= retired to his farm, where he died soon after.  highest commendations we can pay the deceased is
He was a fluent and persuasive speaker and well  to give his just record,-that of being an honest man.
calculated to make friends of his acquantances. He  In the spring of I854, during the administration of
was always true to his trust, and the whole world  Governor Parsons, the Republican party, at least (/
could not persuade nor drive him to do what he con-  as a State organization, was first formed in the United
ceived to be wrong. When Governor, a most power-  States " under the oaks" at Jackson, by anti-slavery
ful railroad influence was brought to bear upon him,  men of both the old parties. Great excitement preto induce him to call an extra session of the Legisla-  vailed at this time, occasioned by the settling of
ture. Meetings were held in all parts of the State  Kansas, and the issue thereby brought up, whether
for that purpose. In some sections the resolutions  slavery should exist there. For the purpose of permitwere of a laudatory nature, intending to make him do  ting slavery there, the " Missouri compromise " (which
their bidding by resort to friendly and flattering words.  limited slavery to the south of 36~ 30') was reIn other places the resolutions were of a demanding  repealed, under the leadership of Stephen A, Douglas.
nature, while in others they were threatening beyond  This was repealed by a bill admitting Kansas and
measure. Fearing that all these influences might  Nebraska into the Union, as Territories, and those who
fail to induce him to call the extra session, a large  were opposed to this repeal measure were in short
sum of money was sent him, and liberal offers ten-  called "anti-Nebraska" men.  The epithets, "Nedered him if he would gratify the railroad interest of  braska" and "anti-Nebraska," were temporally emthe State and call the extra session, but, immovable,  ployed to designate the slavery and anti-slavery.
he returned the money and refused to receive    parties, pending the desolution of the old Democratic
any favors, whether from any party who would at-  and Whig parties and the organization of the new
C   tempt to corrupt him by laudations, liberal offers, or  Democratic and Republican parties of the present. '
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GO VERNORS OF MICHIGAN.                 137
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KINSLEKY S. BINGHAM.
'Ilgr3~3F~3~~~,~-~3~3~3~^ "| '       f




INSLEY    S.   BINGHAM,.  1 I'    it Governor of Michigan from
1855 to I859, and United
v, aJ      States Senator, was born in
Camillus, Onondaga County,
N. Y., Dec. i6, I808. His,  father was a farmer, and his own
early life was consequently de-; voted to agricultural pursuits, but
notwithstanding the disadvan9 \     Q i  tages related to the acquisition, of knowledge in the life of a farmer
he managed to secure a good academic education in his native:State
and studied law in the office of
Gen. James R. Lawrence, now of
[ ]Syracuse, N. Y.  In the spring of
E o   8 1833, he married an estimable lady
who had recently arrived from Scotland, and obeying the impulse of a
naturally enterprising disposition,
he emigrated to   Michigan  and
purchased a new farm in company
I   with his brother-in-law, Mr. Robert
Worden, in Green Oak, Livingston County. Here, on
the border of civilization, buried in the primeval forest, our late student commenced the arduous task of
preparing a future home, clearing and fencing, putting up buildings, etc., at such a rate that the land


chosen was soon reduced to a high state of cultivation.
Becoming deservedly prominent, Mr. Bingham was
elected to the office of Justice of the Peace and Postmaster under the Territorial government, and was the
first Probate Judge in the county. In the year 1836,
when Michigan Lecame a State, he was elected to the
first Legislature. He was four times re-elected, and
Speaker of the House of Representatives three years.
In 1846 he was elected on the Democratic ticket, Representative to Congress, and was the only practical
farmer in that body. He was never forgetful of the
interest of agriculture, and was in particular opposed
to the introduction of "Wood's Patent Cast Iron
Plow " which he completely prevented. He was reelected to Congress in I848, during which time he
strongly opposed the extension of slavery in the
territory of the United States and was committed to
and voted for the Wilmot Proviso.
In I854, at the first organization of the Republican
party, in consequence of his record in Congress as a
Free Soil Democrat, Mr. Bingham was nominated
and elected Governor of the State, and re-elected in
1856. Still faithful to the memory of his own former
occupation, he did not forget the farmers during his
administration, and among other profits of his zeal in
their behalf, he became mainly instrumental in the
establishment of the Agricultural College at Lansing.
In 85 9, Governor Bingham was elected Senator in
Congress and took an active part in the stormy campaign in the election of Abraham Lincoln. He wit

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138                            KINSLE Y S. BIZGHAM.
nessed the commencement of the civil war while a  of Agriculture, which was created for that purpose.
member of the United States Senate. After a corn-  In its essential features, of combining study and
paratively short life of remarkable promise and pub-  labor, and of uniting general and professional studies
lic activity he was attacked with appoplexy and died  in its course, the college has remained virtually unsuddenly at his residence, in Green Oak, Oct. 5, i86 1.  changed from the first. It has a steady growth in
The most noticable event in Governor Bingham's  number of students, in means of illustration and
first term was the completion of the ship canal, at the  efficiency of instruction.
Falls of St. Mary. In 1852, Angust 26, an act of  The Agricultural College is three miles east of
Congress was approved, granting to the State of Micll-  Lansing, comprising several fine buildings; and there
igan seven hundred and fifty thousand acres of land  are also very beautiful, substantial residences for the
for the purpose of constructing a ship canal between  professors. There are also an extensive, well-filled
Lakes Huron and Superior. In I853, the Legislature  green-house, a very large and well-equipped chemical
accepted the grant, and provided for the appointment  laboratory, one of the most scientific apiaries in the
of commissioners to select the donated lands, and to  United States, a general museum, a meseum of mearrange for building the canal. A company of enter-  chanical inventions, another of vegetable products,
prising men was formed, and a contract was entered  extensive barns, piggeries, etc., etc., in fine trim for
into by which it was arranged that the canal should  the purposes designed. The farm consists of 676
be finished in two years, and the work was pushed  acres, of which about 300 are under cultivation in a
rapidly forward. Every article of consumption, ma-  systematic rotation of crops.
chinery, working implements and materials, timber  Adrian College was established by the Wesleyan
for the gates, stones for the locks, as well as men and  Methodists in 1859, now under the control of the
supplies, had to be transported to the site of the canal  Methodist Church. The grounds contain about 20
from Detroit, Cleveland, and other lake ports.  The  acres. There are four buildings, capable of accomrapids which had to be surmounted have a fall of  modating about 225 students. Attendance in i875
seventeen feet and are about one mile long. The  was 179; total number of graduates for previous year,
~   length of the canal is less than one mile, its width one  I21; ten professors and teachers are employed. Ex-,
a   hundred feet, depth twelve feet and it has two locks  clusive of the endowment fund ($80,ooo), the assets
of solid masonary. In May, 855, the work was com-  of the institution, including grounds, buildings, furnia   pleted, accepted by the commissioners, and formally  ture, apparatus, musical instruments, outlying lands,. delivered to the State authorities.               etc., amount to more than $I37,000.
The disbursements on account of the construction  Hillsdale College was established in i855 by the
of the canal and selecting the lands amounted to one  Free Baptists. The Michigan Central College, at
million of dollars; while the lands which were as-  Spring Arbor, was incorporated in 1845. It was kept
signed to the company, and selected through the  in operation until it was merged into the present
agency at the Sault, as well as certain lands in the  Hillsdale College.  The site comprises 25 acres,
Upper and Lower Peninsulas, filled to an acre the  beautifully situated on an eminence in the western
Government grant. The opening of the canal was  part of the city of Hillsdale. The large and imposan important event in the history of the improvement  ing building first erected was nearly destroyed by fire
of the State. It was a valuable link in the chain of  iln 874, and in its place five buildings of a more
lake commerce, and particularly important to the  modern style have been erected. They are of brick,
interests of the Upper Peninsula.              three stories with basement, arranged on three sides
There were several educational, charitable and re-  of a quadrangle. The size is, respectively, 80 by 80,
formatory institutions inaugurated and opened during  48 by 7 2, 48 by 7 2, 80 by 60, 5  2 by 7 2, and they conGov. Bingham's administrations. The Michigan Ag-  tain one-half more room than the original building.
ricultural College owes its establishment to a provision  The State Reform School. This was established
of the State Constitution of I85o. Article 13 says,  at Lansing in 85 5, in the northeastern portion of the
"The Legislature shall, as soon as practicable, pro-  city, as the House of Correction for Juvenile Ofvide for the establishment of an agricultural school."  fenders, having about it many of the features of a
For the purpose of carying into practice this provision,  prison. In i859 the name was changed to the State
legislation was commenced in i855, and the act re-  Reform School. The government and dicipline, have
quired that the school should be within ten miles of  undergone many and radical changes, until all the
Lansing, and that not more than $15 an acre should  prison features have been removed except those that
be paid for the farm and college grounds. The col-  remain in the walls of the original structure, and
lege was opened to students in May, I857, the first of  which remain only as monuments of instructive hisexisting argricultural colleges in the United States.  tory. No bolts, bars or guards are employed.  The  -
^ Until the spring of i86i, it was under the control  inmates are necessarily kept under the surveillance of
of the State Board of Education; since that time it  officers, but the attempts at escape are much fewer
has been under the management of the State Board  than under the more rigid regime of former days.
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GO VERNORS OF MICHIGAN.                                      141
OSES WISNER, Governor of     took little part in politics until after the election of
l. 4 ftMichigan from I859 to i86i,      Mr. Pierce to the Presidency in 1852, when he took an
/IBl:izli     was born in Springport, Cayu-  active part against slavery. As a lawyer he was a
f  ' By^^         ^ g~a ~Co., N Y., June 3, 1815.   man of great ability, but relied less upon mere book.,,^^^'~. ~.  His early education was only  learning than upon his native good sense. Liberal
sO B(        -?/,iQ ( )  what could be obtained at a  and courteous, was he yet devoted to the interest of:~rr   P. He~4n ~ common school. Agricultural labor  his client, and no facts escaped his attention or his  i
'~         ti[M~t~21 and frugality of his parents gave  memory which bore upon the case. He was no friend ~=
"~~c=r  [I~   ~  him a physical constitution of unus-  of trickery or artifice in conducting a case  As an ad|J:: df?S/,'~ hual strength and endurance, which  vocate he had few equals. When fully aroused by the:
sjiwas ever preserved by temperate hab-  merits of his subject his eloquence was at once graceits. In 1837 he emigrated to Michi-  ful and powerfill. His fancies supplied the most r
r.   gan and purchased a farm in Lapeer  original, the most pointed illustrations, and his logic
'g    County  It was new land and he at  became a battling giant under whose heavy blows the
once set to work to clear it and plant  adversary shrank and withered. Nature had becrops. He labored diligently at his  stowed upon him rare qualities, and his powers as a
task for two years, when he gave up  popular orator were of a high order.
the idea of being a farmer, and removed to Pontiac,  On the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of
Oakland Co. Here he commenced the study of law  1854, repealing the Missouri compromise and opening
in the office of his brother, George W. Wisner, and  the Territories to slavery, he was among the foremost
Rufus Hosmer. In I84I he was admitted to the bar  in Michigan to denounce the shamful scheme. He
and established himself in his new vocation at the  actively participated in organizing and consolidating
village of Lapeer. While there he was apppointed  the elements opposed to it in that State, and was a
by Gov. Woodbridge Prosecuting Attorney for that  member of the popular gathering at Jackson, in July,
county, in which capacity he acquitted himself well  1854, which was the first formal Republican Convenand gave promise of that eminence he afterward at-  tion held in the United States. At this meeting the
X    tained in the profession. He remained at Lapeer but  name "Republican " was adopted as a designation of
a short time, removing to Pontiac, where he became  the new party consisting of Anti-slavery, Whigs,
a member of a firm   and entered fully upon the  Liberty men, Free Soil Democrats and all others oppractice.                                        posed to the extension of slavery and favorable to its
In politics he was like his talented brother, a Whig  expulsion from the Territories and the District of
of the Henry Clay stamp, but with a decided anti-  Columbia. At this convention Mr. W. was urged to
~' slaverybias. His practice becoming extensive, he   accept the nomination for Attorney General of the^
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State, but declined. An entire State ticket was nominated and at the annual election in November was
elected by an average majority of nearly io,ooo.
Mr. W. was enthusiastic in the cause and brought to
its support all his personal influence and talents. In
his views he was bold and radical. He believed from
the beginning that the political power of the slaveholders would have to be overthrown before quiet
could be secured to the country. In the Presidential
canvass of I856 he supported the Fremont, or Republican, ticket. At the session of the Legislature of
I857 he was a candidate for United States Senator,
and as such received a very handsome support.
In I858, he was nominated for Governor of the
State by the Republican convention that met at Detroit, and at the subsequent November election was
chosen by a very large majority. Before the day of
the election he had addressed the people of almost
every county and his majority was greater even than
that of his popular predecessor, Hon. K. S. Bingham.
He served as Governor two years, from Jan. i, 1859,
to Jan. i, i86i. His first message to the Legislature
was an able and statesman-like production, and was
read with usual favor. It showed that he was awake
to all the interests of the State and set forth an enlightened State policy, that had its view of the rapid
settlement of our uncultivated lands and the development of our immense agricultural and mineral resources. It was a document that reflected the highest
credit upon the author.
His term having expired Jan. I, I86I, he returned
to his home in Pontiac, and to the practice of his
profession. There were those in the State who
counselled the sending of delegates to the peace conference at Washington, but Mr. W. was opposed to all
such temporizing expedients. His counsel was to
send no delegate, but to prepare to fight.
After Congress had met and passed the necessary
legislation he resol ed to take part in the war. In
the spring and summer of I862 he set to work to
raise a regiment of infantry, chiefly in Oakland
County, where he resided. His regiment, the 22d
Michigan, was armed and equipped and ready to
march in September, a regiment whose solid qualities were afterwards proven on many a bloody field.
Col. W's. commission bore the date of Sept. 8, 1862.
Before parting with his family he made his will. His
regiment was sent to Kentucky and quartered at




Camp Wallace. He had at the breaking out of the
war turned his attention to military studies and became proficient in the ordinary rules and discipline.
His entire attention was now devoted to his duties.
His treatment of his men was kind, though his discipline was rigid. He possessed in an eminent degree
the spirit of command, and had he lived he would
no doubt have distinguished himself as a good
officer. He was impatient of delay and chafed at
being kept in Kentucky where there was so little
prospect of getting at the enemy. But life in camp,
so different from the one he had been leading, and
his incessant labors, coupled with that impatience
which was so natural and so general among the volunteers in the early part of the war, soon made their
influence felt upon his health. He was seized with
typhoid fever and removed to a private house near
Lexington. Every care which medical skill or the
hand of friendship could bestow was rendered him.
In the delirious wanderings of his mind he was disciplining his men and urging them to be prepared for
an encounter with the enemy, enlarging upon the justice of their cause and the necessity of their crushing the Rebellion. But the source of his most poignant grief was the prospect of not being able to come
to a hand-to-hand encounter with the "chivalry."
He was proud of his regiment, and felt that if it could
find the enemy it would cover itself with glory,-a
distinction it afterward obtained, but not until Col. W.
was no more. The malady baffled all medical treatment, and on the 5th day of Jan., I863, he breathed
his last. His remains were removed to Michigan and
interred in the cemetery at Pontiac, where they rest
by the side of the brave Gen. Richardson, who received his mortal wound at the battle of Antietam.
Col. W. was no adventurer, although he was doubtless
ambitious of military renown and would have striven
for it with characteristic energy. He went to the war
to defend and uphold the principles he had so much
at heart. Few men were more familiar than he with
the causes and the underlying principles that led to
the contest. He left awife, who was a daughter of
Gen. C. C. Hascall, of Flint, and four children to
mourn his loss. Toward them he ever showed the


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tenderest regard.  Next to his duty their love and   >||
welfare engrossed his thoughts. He was kind, generous and brave, and like thousands of others he
sleeps the sleep of the martyr for his country.
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t.. ~.3      ~USTIN  BLAIR, Governor     ing in Jackson. During a temporary residence in
)l      lt/. i~'~^%kof Michigan from  Jan. 2,  Eaton Rapids, in I842, he was elected Clerk of Eaton
A         J -Nil ^^ ^ 86i, to Jan. 4, 1865, and  County. At the close of the official term he returned to,9^  << y~ a g   kown as the War Governor, is  Jackson, and as a Whig, zealously espoused the cause
':...~   and illustration of the benifi-  of Henry Clay in the campaign of 1844. He was chosen
-' Pr:B^   cent influence of republican in-  Representative to the Legislature.in 1845, at which  G:i
stitutions, having inherited neith- session, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, he =::m r^P^Dl         er fortune nor fame. He was born  rendered valuable service in the revision of the gen-.:    k)(G in a log cabin at Caroline, Tomp-  eral statutes; also made an able support in favor of  /.[:I ][ kins Co., N. Y., Feb. 8, I818.  abolishing the color distinction in relation to the elecl, 1 1  His ancestors came from Scot-  tive franchise, and at the same session was-active in
% )  land in the time of George I, and  securing the abolition of capital punishment. In I848
for many generations followed the  Mr. Blair refused longer to affiliate with the Whig
Vj  pursuit of agriculture.  His father,  party, because of its refusial to endorse in convention
i  George Blair, settled in Tompkins  any anti-slavery sentiment. He joined the Free-soil
County in I809, and felled the trees and erected the  movement, and was a delegate to their convention
first cabin in the county. The last 60 of the four-  which nominated Van Buren for President that year.
score years of his life were spent on that spot. He  Upon the birth of the Republican party at Jackson,
married Rhoda Beackman, who now sleeps with him  in 1854, by the coalition of the Whig and Free-soil
in the soil of the old homestead. The first 17 years  elements, Mr. Blair was in full sympathy with the
of Mr. Blair's life were spent there, rendering his  movement, and acted as a member of the Committee
father what aid he could upon the farm.  He then  on Platform. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney
spent ayear and a half in Cazenovia Seminary pre-  of Jackson County in I852; was chosen State Senator
paring for college; entered Hamilton College, in  two years later, taking his seat with the incoming ReClinton, prosecuted his studies until the middle of  publican administration of I855, and holding the
the junior year, when, attracted by the fame of Dr.  position of parliamentary leader in the Senate. He
Nott, he changed to Union College, from which he  was a delegate to the National Convention which
ia  graduated in the class of 1839.  Upon leaving col-  nominated Abraham  Lincoln in I860. Mr. Blair
lege Mr. Blair read law two years in the office of Sweet  was elected Governor of Michigan in i860, and re() & Davis, Oswego, N. Y., and was admitted to practice  elected in 1862, faithfully and honorably discharging
in 1841, and the same year moved to Michigan, locat-  the arduous duties of the office during that most ro-~is~~-> ___                                                                        fi



146                   A USTIN BLAIR.  '
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mentous and stormy period of the Nation's life. Gov.
Blair possessed a clear comprehension of the perilous
situation from the inception of the Rebellion, and his
inaugural address foreshadowed the prompt executive
policy and the administrative ability which characterized his gubernatorial career.
Never perhaps in the history of a nation has a
brighter example been laid down, or a greater sacrifice been made, than that which distinguished Michigan during the civil war. All, from the "War Governor," down to the poorest citizen of the State, were
animated with a patriotic ardor at once magnificiently
sublime and wisely directed.
Very early in i86I the coming struggle cast its
shadow over the Nation. Governor Blair, in his message to the Legislature in January of that year, dwelt
very forcibly upon the sad prospects of civil war; and
as forcibly pledged the State to support the principles
of the Republic. After a review of the conditions
of the State, he passed on to a consideration of the
relations between the free and slave States of the
Republic, saying: " While we are citizens of the State
of Michigan, and as such deeply devoted to her interests and honor, we have a still prouder title.  We
are also citizeas of the United States of America. By
this title we are known among the nations of the earth.
In remote quarters of the globe, where the names of
the States are unknown, the flag of the great Republic,
the banner of the stars and stripes, honor and protect
her citizens. In whatever concerns the honor, the
prosperity and the perpetuity of this great Government, we are deeply interested. The people of Michigan are loyal to that Government-faithful to its constitution and its laws. Under it they have had peace
and prosperity; and under it they mean to abide to
the end. Feeling a just pride in the glorious history
of the past, they will not renounce the equally glorious hopes of the future. But they will rally around
the standards of the Nation and defend its integrity
and its constitution, with fidelity." The final paragraph being:,
" I recommend you at an early day to make mani



fest to the gentlemen who represent this State in the
two Houses of Congress, and to the country, that
Michigan is loyal to the Union, the Constitution, and
the laws and will defend them to the uttermost; and
to proffer to the President of the United States, the
whole military power of the State for that purpose.
Oh, for the firm, steady hand of a Washington, or a
Jackson, to guide the ship of State in this perilous
storm! Let us hope that we will find him on the 4th
of March. Meantime, let us abide in the faith of our
fathers-'Liberty and Union, one and inseparable,
now and forever.'"
How this stirring appeal was responded to by the
people of Michigan will be seen by the statement
that the State furnished 88, I I men during the war.
Money, men, clothing and food were freely and abundantly supplied by this State during all these years of
darkness and blood shed. No State won a brighter
record for her devotion to our country than the Peninsula State, and to Gov. Blair, more than to any
other individual is die the credit for its untiring zeal
and labors in the Nation's behalf, and for the heroism
manifested in its defense.
Gov. Blair was elected Representative to the
Fortieth Congress, and twice re-elected, to the Fortyfirst and Forty-second Congress, from the Third Dis.
trict of Michigan. While a member of that body he
was a strong supporter of reconstruction measures,
and sternly opposed every form of repudiation. His
speech upon the national finances, delivered on the
floor of the House March 21, i868, was a clear and
convincing argument. Since his retirement from Congress, Mr. Blair has been busily occupied with his extensive law practice. Mr. Blair married Sarah L.
Ford, of Seneca County N. Y., in February, 1849.
Their family consists of 4 sons-George H., a law
partner of A. J. Gould; Charles A., a law partner with
hir father, and Fred. J. and Austin T. Blair, at home.
Governor Blair's religion is of the broad type, and
centers in the "Golden Rule." In 1883, Gov. Blair
was nominated for Justice of the Supreme Court
of the State by the Republican party, but was defeated.


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T:ENRY HOWLAND CRAPO,
Governor of Michigan from
'    865 to I869, was born May
"'X  2  eL  24, 1804, at Dartmouth, Bristol Co., Mass., and died at
^( ^j^  ~Flint, Mich., July 22, 1869.
E   He was the eldest son of Jesse
(1 /@j | and Phoebe (Howland) Crapo.
i' lHis father was of French descent
hi i Ah  and was very poor, sustaining his
family by the cultivation of a farm in
Dartmouth township, which yielded
J  nothing beyond a mere livelihood.
His early life was consequently one
of toil and devoid of advantages for
intellectual culture, but his desire for
an education seemed to know no bounds. The incessant toil for a mere subsistence upon a comparatively sterile farm, had no charm for him; and, longing
for greater usefulness and better things, he looked for
them in an education. His struggles to secure this
end necessitated sacrifices and hardships that would
have discouraged any but the most courageous and
persevering. He became an ardent student and
worker from his boyhood, though the means of carrying on his studies were exceedingly limited. He
sorely felt the need of a dictionary; and, neither having
money wherewith to purchase it, nor being able to
procure one in his neighborhood, he set out to compile
one for himself. In order to acquire a knowledge of
the English language, he copied into a book every
word whose meaning he did not comprehend, and
upon meeting the same word again in the newspapers
and books, which came into his hands, from the


context, would then record the definition. Whenever
unable otherwise to obtain the signification of a word
in which he had become interested he would walk
from Dartmouth to New Bedford for that purpose
alone, and after referring to the books at the library
and satisfying himself thoroughly as to its definition,
would walk back, a distance of about seven miles,
the same night. This was no unusual circumstance.
Under such difficulties and in this manner he compiled quite an extensive dictionary in manuscript
which is believed to be still in existence.
Ever in pursuit of knowledge, he obtained possession of a book upon surveying, and applying himself
diligently to its study became familiar with this art,
which he soon had an opportunity to practice. The
services of a land surveyor' were wanted, and he was
called upon, but had no compass and no money with
which to purchase one. A compass, however, he
must and would have, and going to a blacksmith shop
near at hand, upon the forge, with such tools as he
could find in the shop, while the smith was at dinner,
he constructed the compass and commenced life as a
surveyor. Still continuing his studies, he fitted himself for teaching, and took charge of the village school
at Dartmouth. When, in the course of time and under the pressure of law, a high school was to be
opened, he passed a successful examination for its
principalship and received the appointment. To do
this was no small task. The law required a rigid
examination in various subjects, which necessitated
days and nights of study. One evening, after concluding his day's labor of teaching, he traveled on foot
to New Bedford, some seven or eight miles, called
upon the preceptor of Friend's Academy and passed


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56 oHENRYRvx                           HO ffWLAL V CRAPO.
a severe examination. Receiving a certificate that  gaged largely in the manufacture and sale of lumber
he was qualified, he walked back to his home the  at Flint, Fentonville, Holly and Detroit, becoming  (
same night, highly elated in being possessed of the  one of the largest and most successful business men
acquirements and requirements of a master of the  of the State. He was mainly instrumental in the  '
)high school.                                   construction of the Flint & Holly R. R., and was
In 1832, at the age of 28 years, he left his native  President of that corporation until its consolidation
town and went to reside at New Bedford, where he  with the Flint & Pere Marquette R. R. Company.
followed the occupation of land surveyor, and oc-  He was elected Mayor of that city after he had been.
casionally acted as an auctioneer. Soon after becom-  a resident of the place only five or six years. In
ing a citizen of this place, he was elected Town Clerk,  T862 he was elected State Senator. In the fall of
Treasurer, and Collector of taxes, which office he held  I864 he received the nomination on the Republican
until the municipal government was changed,-about  ticket for Governor of the State, and was elected by a
fifteen years,-when, upon the inauguration of the city  large majority. He was re-elected in I866, holding?
government, he was elected Treasurer and Collector  the office two terms, and retiring in January, I869,
of taxes, a position which he held two or three years.  having given the greatest satisfaction to all parties.
He was also Justice of the Peace for many years.  While serving his last term he was attacked with a
He was elected Alderman of New Bedford; was     disease which terminated his life within one year
Chairman of Council Committee on Education, and  afterwards. During much of this time he was an inas such prepared a report upon which was based the  tense sufferer, yet often while in great pain gave his
order for the establishment of the free Public Library  attention to public matters. A few weeks previous
of New Bedford. On its organization, Mr. Crapo was  to his death a successful surgical operation was perchosen a member of the Board of Trustees. This  formed which seemed rapidly to restore him, but he
was the first free public library in Massachusetts, if  overestimated his strength, and by too much exertion
not in the world. The Boston Free Library was es-  in business matters and State affairs suffered arelapse:
f   tablished, however, soon afterwards. While a resident  from which there was no rebound, and he died July
i in New Bedford, he was much interested in horticul-  33, I869.
ture, and to obtain the land necessary for carrying out  In the early part of his life, Gov. Crapo affiliated  J,   his ideas he drained and reclaimed several acres of  with the Whig party in politics, but became an active
3 rocky and swampy land adjoining his garden. Here  member of the Republican party afterits organization. 2=
he started a nursery, which he filled with almost every He was a member of the Christian (sometimes called
description of fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs,  the Disciples') Church, and took great interest in its
flowers, etc. In this he was very successful and took  welfare and prosperity.
great pride. He was a regular contributorto the New
Mr. C. married, June 9, i825, Mary A. Slocum,
England Horticultural Journal, a position he filled  of Dartmouth. His marriage took pace soon after
as long as he lived in Massachusetts. As an indica-  he hadattained his  ajority, and before his struggles
tion of the wide reputation he acquired in that fiel with fortune had been rewarded with an great measof labor, it may be mentioned that after his death an  success. But his wife was a woman of great
affecting eulogy to his memory was pronounced by the
strength of character and possessed of courage, hopePresident of the National Horticultural Society at its  stenh of caaer and possesed o c e,  e
fulness and devotion, qualities which sustained and
' meeting in Philadelphia, in i869. During his resi-.meeting in Philadelphia, 1869. During his resi-. encouraged her husband in the various pursuits of
dence in New Bedford, Mr Crapo was also engaged   his early years. For several years after his marriage
in the whaling business. A fine barque built at Dart- he was engaged in teaching school, his wife living
mouth, of which he was part owner, was named the  with her parents at the time, at hose home his two
"H. H. Crapo" in compliment to him.             older children were born. While thus situated he
Mr. C. also took part in the State Militia, and for  was accustomed to walk home on Saturday to see
several years held a commission as Colonel of one of  his family, returning on Sunday in order to be ready
the regiments. He was President of the Bristol  for school Monday morning. - As the walk for a good
County Mutual Fire Insurance Co., and Secretary of  part of the time was 20 miles each way, it is evident
the Bedford Commercial Insurance Comipany in New  that at that period of his life no common obstacles
Bedford; and while an officer of the municipal gov- deterred him from  performing what he regarded
ernmenthecompiled and published, between the years  as a duty. His wife was none the less consci1836 and 1845, five numbers of the New Bedford  entious in her sphere, and with added responsibilities
Directory, the first work of the kind ever published  and increasing requirements se labored faithfully
there.                                          in the performance of all her duties. They had
Mr. C. removed to Michigan in I856, having been  ten children, one son and nine daughters. His son,
) induced to do so by investments made principally in Hon. Wm. W. Crapo, of New Bedford, is now an '
pine lands, first in I837 and subsequently in i856.  honored Representative to Congress from the First
^   THe took up his residence in the city of Flint, and en-  Congressional District of Massachusetts.
-Con_ Disric.o                                                            asauet




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GO VEkRNORS OF MICHIGAN.                                              153., Hi HEKBY P. BAIDWIN. |~                                                                      1
ENRY P. BALDWIN, Gov-         a large business, he has ever taken a deep interest in
g3                  A m1e~ ~{1 0 ||ernor of Michigan from Jan.  all things affecting the prosperity of the city and '
1 |;:AInI, I869, to Jan. I, I873, is a  State of his adoption. He was for several years a
lineal descendant of Nathan-  Director and President of the Detroit Young Men's
It: ielBaldwin, a Puritan, of Buck-  Society, an institution with a large library designed
inghamshire, England, who set-  for the benefit of young men and citizens generally.
tied at Milford, Conn., in I639.  An Episcopalian in religious belief, he has been
His father was John Baldwin,   prominent in home matters connected with that de)           I^^^C      a       6a graduate of Dartmouth Col-  nomination. The large and flourishing parish of St.
[^1)      lege. He died at North Provi-  John, Detroit, originated with Governor Baldwin, who
I ( H  dence. R. I.. in  1826. His    gave the lot on which the narish edifice stands. andl


v   PA   paternal grandfather was Rev.
/5 Moses Baldwin, a graduate of
Princeton College, in 1757, and the
I   first who received collegiate honors at that ancient and honored institution. He died
at Parma, Mass., in I813, where for more than 50
years he had been pastor of the Presbyterian Church.
On his mother's side Governor B. is descended from
Robert Williams, also a Puritan, who settled in Roxbury, Mass., about I638. Hismotherwas a daughter
of Rev. Nehemiah Williams, a graduate of Harvard
~11 _ n _   __ -   -i1  _ i _  ' _ — r_- *_ 1  I -- 1_  _  _4  -__1- _-_.- -'   - L ----.. —........r-.., "&"'  J
also contributed the larger share of the cost of their
erection. Governor B. was one of the foremost in
the establishment of St. Luke's Hospital, and has
always been a liberal contributor to moral and religious enterprises whether connected with his own
Church or not. There have been, in fact, but few
public and social improvements of Detroit during the
past 40 years with which Governor B.'s name is not
in some way connected. He was a director in the
Michigan State Bank until the expiration of its charter, and has been President of the Second National
TRnnk cinrp itc orarrni7tirnn


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o llege, wno ce ale a Drimneiu, iviass., in 79o, wnere       V1.8a  e..t  VCXI...
o lbr 21 years he was pastor of the Congregationalist  In I86o, Mr. Baldwin was elected
Church. The subject of this sketch was born at   Senate,ofMichigan;duringtheyears
Coventry, R. I., Feb. 22, 1814. He received a New  was made Chairman of the Finance
England common-school education until the age bf  member of Committee on Banks and Ii
12 years, when, both his parents having died, he be- Chairman of the Select Joint Committ
came a clerk in a mercantile establishment. He re- Houses for the investigation of the Tre;
mained there, employing his leisure hours in study,  ment and the official acts of the Trea
until 20 years of age.                           the letting of the contract for the im
At this early period Mr. B. engaged in business on  ault St Maie Ship Canal. He was
his own account. He made a visit to the West, in   Governor in I868 and was re-elected in
from i869 to I872, inclusive. It is nc
i 1837, which resulted in his removal to Detroit in the from  86 to      lusive. It is nc:i~^../.~~~~~~~~ -r^-  i,eulogy to say that Governor B.'s happy
spring of i838. Here he established a mercantile
spring of 1838. Here he establtimating the necessary means to an endhouse which has been successfully conducted until  of how much effort or attention to. best
the present tirte. Although he successfully conducted  thing in hand, has been the secret of
k,            ' — ~^#i --- — X


to the State
of i86i-'2 he
Committee, a
ncorporations,
ee of the two
asury Departsurer, and of
provement of
first elected
1870, serving
undeserved
faculty of es-the knowing
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the uniform


1




I54                             HENR Y P. BALDWIN.
success that has attended his efforts in all relations  of the State, a series of tables was prepared and subof life. The same industry and accuracy that dis-  mitted by him showing, in detail, estimates of receipts,
tinguished him prior to this term as Governor was  expenditures and appropriations for the years i872 to
manifest in his career as the chief magistrate of the  1878, inclusive. Memorable of Governor B.'s adminState, and while his influence appears in all things  istration were the devastating fires which swept over
with which he has had to do, it is more noticeable in  many portions of the Northwest in the fall of 87 I.
the most prominent position to which he was called.  A large part of the city of Chicago having been reWith rare exceptions the important commendations  duced to ashes, Governor B. promptly issued a procof Governor B. received the sanction of the Legislat-  lamation calling upon the people of Michigan for
ure.  During his administration marked improve-  liberal aid in behalf of the afflicted city. Scarcely had
ments were made in the charitable, penal and reforma-  this been issued when several counties in his State
tory institutions of the State. The State Public School  were laid waste by the same destroying element.
for dependent children was founded and a permanent  A second call was made asking assistance for the sufcommission for the supervision of the several State  fering people of Michigan. The contributions for
institutions. The initiatory steps toward building the  these objects were prompt and most liberal, more than
Eastern Asylum for the Insane, the State House of  $700,000 having been received in money and supplies
Correction, and the establishment of the State Board  for the relief of Michigan alone. So ample were
of Health were recommended by Governor B. in his  these contributions during the short period of about
message of I873. The new State Capitol also owes  3 months, that the Governor issued a proclamation
its origen to him. The appropriation for its erection  expressing in behalf of the people of the State gratewas made upon his recommendation, and the contract  ful acknowldgment, and announcing that further
~.   for the entire work let under this administration.  aid was unnecessary.                     do.
=    Governor B. also appointed the commissioners under  Governor B. has traveled extensively in his own a
whose faithful supervision the building was erected in  country and has also made several visits to Europe '
a manner most satisfactory to the people of the State.  and other portions of the Old World. He was a pas- ==
He advised and earnestly urged at different times  senger on the Steamer Arill, which was captured and
such amendments of the constitution as would per-  bonded in the Carribean Sea, in December, 1862, by
)mit a more equitable compensation to State officers  Capt. Semmes, and wrote a full and interesting acand judges. Thelaw of I869, and prior also, permitting  count of the transaction. The following estimate of
municipalities to vote aid toward the construc-  Governor B. on his retirement from office, by a leading
tion of railroads was, in I870, declared unconstitu-  newspaper, is not overdrawn: "The retiring message
tional by the Supreme Court. Many of the munici-  of Governor B., will be read with interest. It is
palities having in the meantime issued and sold their  a characteristic document and possesses the lucid
bonds in good faith, Governor B. felt that the honor  statement, strong, and clear practical sense, which
and credit of the State were in jeopardy. His sense  have been marked features of all preceding documents  x
of justice impelled him to call an extra session of the  from the same source. Governor B. retired to private
Legislature to propose the submission to the people a  life after four years of unusually successful adminisconstitutional amendment, authorizing the payment  tration amid plaudits that are universal throughout the
of such bonds as were already in the hands of bona-  State. For many years eminent and capable men
fide holders. In his special message he says: "The  have filled the executive chair of this State, but in
credit of no State stands higher than that of Michigan,  painstaking vigilance, in stern good sense, in genuine
and the people can not afford, and I trust will not  public spirit, in thorough integrity and in practical
consent, to have her good name tarnished by the repu-  capacity, Henry P. Baldwin has shown himself to be
diation of either legal or moral obligations.  A spe-  the peer of any or all of them. The State has been uncial session was called in March, 1872, principally for  usually prosperous during his two terms, and the State
the division of the State into congressional districts.  administration has fully kept pace with the needs of
A number of other important suggestions were made,  the times. The retiring Governor has fully earned
however, and as an evidence of the Governor's la-  the public gratitude and confidence which he to-day
borious and thoughtful care for the financial condition  possesses to such remarkable degree."
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GO VE'RNORS OF MICHIGAN.                  I57
~   ~4


l OHN   JUDSON     BAGLEY,
[^)^j. ~/ I [    Governor of Michigan from
l  873 to I877, was born in
'~~~  y  [ Medina, Orleans Co., N. Y.,
Jully 24, I832. His father, John
08 Aged_  c D Bagley, was a native of New
e <r'i    Hampshire, his mother, Mary M.
Bagley, of Connecticut. He atQiw      tended the district school of Lock*^ A     P ' port, N. Y., until he was eight years
j'. j   old, at which time his father moved
to Constantine, Mich., and he ate /i tended the common schools of that
village. His early experience was
like that of many country boys whose
parents removed from Eastern States
to the newer portion of the West.
His father being in very poor circum

one of the largest of the kind in the West. Mr. B.
has also been greatly interested in other manufacturing enterprises, as well as in mining, banking and insurance corporations. He was President of the
Detroit Safe Company for several years. He was one
of the organizers of the Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Company of Detroit, and was its President from
I867 to I872. He was a director of the American National Bank for many years, and a stockholder and director in various other corporations.
Mr. B. was a member of the Board of Education two
years, and of the Detroit Common Council the same
length of time. In I865 he was appointed by Governor Crapo one of the first commissioners of the
Metropolitian police force of the city of Detroit, serving six years. In November, 1872, he was elected
Governor of Michigan, and two years later was reelected to the same office, retiring in January, I877.
IT...... A t  _. I   ',1  _   1 1 1._


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dc ni,- _rtire was an active worker in tne Kepullican party, and
stances, Mr. B. was obliged to work   for many years was Chairman of the Republican
as soon as he was able to do so.     tate Central committee.
Ad%, Leaving school when 13 years of age  Governor Bagley was quite liberal in his religious
he entered a country store in Constan-  views and was an attendant of the Unitarian Church.
tine as clerk. His father then retine as clerk. His fatherHe aimed to be able to hear and consider any new
moved to Owosso, Mich., and he again  thought, from whatever source itmay come, but was not
engaged as clerk in a store. From    bound by any religious creed or formula. He held
early youth Mr. B. was extravagantly fond of reading  in respect all religious opinions, believing that no one
3  and devoted every leisure moment to the perusal of  can be injured by a firm adherence to a faith or desuch,books, papers and periodicals as came within nomination. Hewasmarriedat Dubuque,Iowa,Jan.
his reach. In 1847, he removed to Detroit, where he  6, I855, to Frances E. Newberry, daughter of Rev.
secured employment in a tobacco manufactory and  Samuel Newberry, a pioneer missionary of Michigan,
remained in this position for about five years.  who took an active part in the early educationalmatIn 1853, he began business for himself in the man-  ters of the State and in the establishment of its exufacturing of tobacco. His establishment has become  cellent system of education. It was principally
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I158           JOHN J. BAGLEY.
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through his exertions that the State University was
founded. Mr. B.'s family consists of seven children.
As Governor his administration was characterized by several important features, chief among
which were his efforts to improve and make popular
the educational agencies of the Slate by increasing
the faculty of the University for more thorough instruction in technical studies,by strengthening the hold
of the Agricultural College upon the public good will
and making the general change which has manifested
itself in many scattered primary districts. Among
others were an almost complete revolution in the
management of the penal and charitable institutions
of the State; the passage of the liquor-tax law, taking
the place of the dead letter of prohibition; the establishing of the system of dealing with juvenile offenders through county agents, which has proved of great
good in turning the young back from crime and placing the State in the attitude of a moral agent; in securing for the militia the first time in the history of
Michigan a systematized organization upon a serviceable footing. It was upon the suggestion of Gov. B.
in the earlier part of his administration that the law
creating the State Board of Health, and also the law
creating a fish commission in the inland waters of the
State, were passed, both of which have proved of great
benefit to the State. The successful representation
of Michigan at the Centennial Exhibition is also an
honorable part of the record of Gov. B.'s administration.
As Governor, he felt that he represented the State
-not in a narrow, egotistical way, but in the same
sense that a faithful, trusted, confidential agent represents his employer, and as the Executive of the
State he was her "attorney in fact." And his intelligent, thoughtful care will long continue the pride of
the people he so much loved. He was ambitiousambitious for place and power, as every noble mind
is ambitious, because these give opportunity. However strong the mind and powerful the will, if there
be no ambition, life is a failure. He was not blind to
the fact that the more we have the more is required
of us. He accepted it in its fullest meaning.  He
had great hopes for his State and his country. He had
his ideas of what they should be. With a heart as
broad as humanity itself; with an intelligent, able and
cultured brain, the will and the power to do, he
asked his fellow citizen to give him the opportunity to
labor for them. Self entered not into the calculation.




His whole life was a battle for others; and he entered
the iconflict eagerly and hopefully.
His State papers were models of compact, business-like statements, bold, original, and brimful of
practical suggestions, and his administrations will long
be considered as among the ablest in this or any
other State.
His noble, generous nature made his innumerable
benefactions a source of continuous pleasure. Literally, to him it was "more blessed to give than to
receive."
His greatest enjoyment was in witnessing the comfort and happiness of others. Not a tithe of his charities were known to his most intimate friends, or even
to his family. Many a needy one has been the recipient of aid at an opportune moment, who never knew
the hand that gave.
At one time a friend had witnessed his ready response to some charitable request, and said to him:
"Governor, you give away a large sum of money; about
how much does your charities amount to in a year?"
He turned at once and said: " I do not know, sir; I
do not allow myself to know. I hope I gave more
this year than I did last, and hope I shall give more
next year than I have this." This expressed his idea
of charity, that the giving should at all times be free
and spontaneous.
During his leasure hours from early life, and especially during the last few years, he devoted much time
to becoming acquainted with the best authors. Biography was his delight; the last he read was the "Life
and Work of John Adams," in ten volumes.
In all questions of business or public affairs he
seemed to have the power of getting at the kernel of
the nut in the least possible time.  In reading he
would spend scarcely more time with a volume than
most persons would devote to a chapter. After what
seemed a cursory glance, he would have all of value
the book contained. Rarely do we see a business
man so familiar with the best English authors. He
was a generous and intelligent patron of the arts, and
his elegant home was a study and a pleasure
to his many friends, who always found there a
hearty welcome. At Christmas time he would spend
days doing the work of Santa Claus. Every Christmas
eve he gathered his children about him and, taking
the youngest on his lap, told some Christmas story,
closing the entertainment with "The Night Before
Christmas," or Dickens's "Christmas Carol."


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GOVERNORS OF MICHIGAN.                    161
~..- w t}J HARLES M. CROSWELL, | of his father he went to live with an uncle, who, in:      -;    W2     22:/// Governor of Michigan from*
Jan. 3, I877 to Jan. I,' I88r,,- -w t.  ^'y^I9 was born at Newburg, Orange
County, N. Y., Oct. 3, I825 -He is the only son of John and
Sallie (Hicks) Croswell. His
'^^~~1   father, who was of Scotch-Irish
extraction, was a paper-maker,
and carried on business in New
York City. His ancestors on
his mother's side were of Knickerbocker descent.   The   Croswell,dd family may be found connected
i    with prominent events, in New York
and Connecticut, in the early exis~    tence of the Republic. Harry Cros2   well, during the administration of
[1   President Jefferson, published a paa   per called the Balance, and was
prosecuted for libeling the President
~    under the obnoxious Sedition Law.
He was defended by the celebrated
I   Alexander Hamilton, and the decision of the case establised the important ruling that
the truth might be shown in cases of libel. Another
member of the family was Edwin Croswell, the famous editor of the Albany Argus; also, Rev. William
Croswell, noted as a divine and poet.
When Charles M. Croswell was seven years of age,
his father was accidentally drowned in the Hudson
River, at Newburg; and, within three months preceding that event, his mother and only sister had died,thus leaving him the sole surviving member of the
family, without fortune or means. Upon the death


1837, emigrated with him to Adrain, Michigan. At
sixteen years of age, he commenced to learn the carpenter's trade, and worked at it very diligently for
four years, maintaining himself, and devoting his spare
time to reading and the acquirement of knowledge.
In I846, he began the study of law, and was appointed Deputy Clerk of Lenawee County. The duties of this office he performed four years, when he
was elected Register of Deeds, and was re-elected
in I852. In I854, he took part in the first movements
for the formation of the Republican party, and was a
member and Secretary of the convetion held at Jackson in that year, which put in the field the first Republican State ticket in Michigan. In I855, he
formed a law partnership with the present Chief-Justice Cooley, which continued until the removal of
Judge Cooley to Ann Arbor.
In 1862, Mr. Croswell was appointed City Attorney
of Adrian. He was also elected Mayor of the city
in the spring of the same year; and in the fall was
chosen to represent Lenawee County in the State
Senate. He was re-elected to the Senate in I864,
and again in I866, during each term filling the positions above mentioned. Among various reports made
by him, one adverse to the re-establishment of the
death penalty, and another against a proposition to
pay the salaries of State officers and judges in coin,
which then commanded a very large premium, may
be mentioned. He also drafted the act ratifying the
Thirteenth Amendment to the Federal Constitution,
for the abolishment of slavery, it being the first
amendment to the instrument ratified by Michigan.
In I863, from his seat in the State Senate, he delivered an elaborate speech in favor of the Proclama-.


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7. -                         _  _ _~,; _ _ _ _ _ _
162             CHARLES M. CROSWELL.
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tion of Emancipation issued by President Lincoln,
and of his general policy in the- prosecution of the
war. This, at the request of his Republican associates, was afterwards published. In I867, he was
elected a member of the Constitutional Convention,
and chosen its presiding officer. This convention
was composed of an able body of men; and though,
in the general distrust of constitutional changes
which for some years had been taking possession of
the people, their labors were not accepted by the popular vote, it was always conceded that the constitution they proposed had been prepared with great care
and skill.
In i868, Mr. Croswell was chosen an Elector on
the Republican Presidential ticket; in 1872, was
elected a Representative to the State Legislature
from Lenawee County, and was chosen Speaker of
the House of Representatives. At the close of the
session of that body his abilities as a parliamentarian,
and the fairness of his rulings were freely and formally acknowledged by his associates; and he was presented with a superb collection of their portraits
handsomely framed. He was, also, for several years,
Secretary of the State Board for the general supervision of the charitable and penal institutions of Michigan; in which position, his propositions for the amelioration of the condition of the unfortunate, and the
reformation of the criminal classes, signalize the benevolence of his nature, and the practical character
of his mind.
In 1876, the general voice of the Republicans of
the State indicted Mr. Croswell as their choice for
Governor; and, at the State Convention of the party
in August of the same year, he was put in nomination
by acclamation, without the formality of a ballot. At
the election in November following, he was chosen to
the high position for which he had been nominated,
by a very large majority over all opposing candidates.
His inaugural message was received with general
favor; and his career as Governor was marked with
the same qualities of head and heart that have ever
distinguished him, both as a citizen and statesman.




Governor Groswell has always prepared his addresses with care; and, as his diction is terse, clear,
and strong, without excess of ornament, and his delivery impressive, he is a popular speaker; and many
of his speeches have attracted favorable comment in
the public prints, and have a permanent value. He
has always manifested a deep interest in educational
matters, and was for years a member and Secretary of
the Board of Education of Adrain. At the formal
opening of the Central School building in that city,
on the 24th day of April, I869, he gave, in a public
address, an " Historical Sketch of the Adrian Public
Schools."
In his private life, Governor Croswell has been as
exemplary as in his public career he has been successful and useful. In February, I852, he was married to a daughter of Morton Eddy, Lucy M. Eddy,
a lady of many amiable and sunny qualities. She
suddenly died, March i9, i868, leaving two daughters and a son. Governor Croswell is not a member
of any religious body, but generally attends the Presbyterian Church. He pursues the profession of law,
but of late has been occupied mainly in the care of his
own interests, and the quiet duties of advice in
business difficulties, for which his unfailing prudence and sound judgment eminently fit him. Governor Croswell is truly popular, not only with those of
like political faith with himself, but with those who
differ from him in this regard.
During Gov. Croswell's administration the public
debt was greatly reduced; a policy adopted requiring
the State institutions to keep within the limit of appropriatlons; laws enacted to provide more effectually
for the punishment of corruption and bribrery in elections; the State House of Correction at Ionia and the
Eastern Asylum for the Insane at Pontiac were opened,
and the new capital at Lansing was completed and
occupied. The first act of his second term was to preside at the dedication of this building. The great riot
at Jackson occured during his administration, and it
was only by his promptness that great distruction of
both life and property was prevented at that time.


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1 TrV J  DAVID H. JEROME, Gover-     older brothers, Timothy and George,,
a 1~ 1:; ~!  nor of from Jan. I, i88, to  years of age David received his mother's
I J 1,iJan. I, I883, was born at De-  attend school at the St. Clair Academy.
r^   /itroit, Mich., Nov. 7, I829    ing there he lived with Marcus H. M
His parents  emigrated  to  ceased, doing chores for his board, and
Michigan frm    Trumansburg,   winter performed the same service for J
lI  ^q Aid, *Mlompkn Co.,Nm. in i8, Talso deceased. The next summer
Tompkins Co., N.Y., in 1828,   moved into the village of St. Clair, for t
]V4? i   locating at Detroit. His father  continuing her son in school. While at
S   died March 30, I83I, leaving   academy one of his associate students
[Hi C    H         nine children. He had been     tor Thomas W. Palmer, of Detroit, a riv
twice married, and four of the     before the gubernatorial convention ir
children living at the time of his  completed his education in the fall of h
J'7 death were grown up sons, the off-      and the following winter assisted his bro
I   spring of his first union. Of the  in hauling logs in the pine woods. The
five children by his second marriage, David H. was he rafted logs down the St. Clair River t
the youngest. Shortly after Mr. Jerome's death, his  In I847, M. H. Miles beingClerkin St
widow moved back to New York and settled in      t and Volney A. Ripley Register of I
Onondaga County near Syracuse, where they remained  H. Jerome was apointed Deputy to eac
until the fall of I834, the four sons by the first wife  as such during I848-49, and receiving
continuing their residence in Michigan. In the fall  from his employers and the people in ge
of 1834, Mrs. Jerome came once more to Michigan,  ability displayed in the discharge of his
locating on a farm in St. Clair County. Here the  spent his summer vacation at clerical we
Governor formed those habits of industry and ster-  the lake vessels.
ling integrity that have been so characteristic of the  In I849-'50,  he abandoned office work
man in the active duties of life. He was sent to the  proper development of his physical s
district school, and in the acquisition of the funda- several months hauling logs. In the spi
mental branches of learning he displayed a precocity his brother" Tiff" and himself chartered
"Chautauqla,' and "Younfg  ave" becan
and an application which won for him the admiration "Chautauqua, and "Young Dave" becan
ter. A portion of the season the boat
of his teachers, and always placed him at the head           n   the sean the bat
Ar^.~~..,?   -~.,.            ~in the passenger and freight traffic b
of his classes. In the meantime he did chores on  Huron and Detroit, but during the latt
the farm, and was always ready with a cheerful heart  used as a tow boat. At that time there
(  and willing hand to assist his widowed mother. The  obstruction to navigation, known as th
heavy labor of the farm was carried on by his two  Flats," between Lakes Huron and Erie,
F~-~~~- -— 4wc —                                       th"X,"".-F< -


and when 13
permission to
While attendiles, now dethe following
rames Ogden,
Mrs. Jerome
he purpose of;tending said
s was Senaval candidate
n 1880. He
is I6th year,
ther Timothy
next summer
to Algonac.:. Clair Coun)eeds, David:h, remaining
much praise
neral for the
duties. He
)rk on board:, and for the
ystem spent
ring of I850,
l the steamer
ne her maswas engaged
etween Port:er part was
was a serious
e "St. Clair
over which


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r66                                 DA VID H. JEROME.
vessels could carry only about Io,ooo bushels of grain.  six regiments apportioned to the State of Michigan.
Mr. Jerome conceived the idea of towing vessels  Mr. Jerome immediately went to work and held    i
from one lake to the other, and put his plan into  meetings at various points. The zeal and enthusiasm!
operation. Through the influence of practical men,-  displayed by this advocate of the Union awakened a
among them    the subject of this sketch,-Congress  feeling of patriotic interest in the breasts of many
removed the obstruction above referred to, and now  brave men, and in a short space of time the 23d
vessels can pass them laden with 60,ooo or 80,ooo  Regiment of Michigan Volunteer Infantry was placed
bushels of grain.                               in the field, and subsequently gained for itself a brilDuring the season, the two brothers succeeded  liant record.
in making a neat little sum of money by the sum-   In the fall of 1862, Mr. Jerome was nominated by
mer's work, but subsequently lost it all on a contract  the Republican party for State Senator from the 26th
a  to raise the "Gen. Scott," a vessel that had sunk in  district, Appleton Stevens, of Bay City, being his opLake St. Clair. David H. came out free from debt,  ponent. The contest'was very exciting, and resulted
but possessed of hardly a dollar of capital. In the  in the triumphant election of Mr. Jerome. He was
spring of I851, he was clerk and acting master of the  twice renominated and elected both times by insteamers "Franklin Moore" and "Ruby," plying be-  creased majorities, defeating George Lord, of Bay
tween Detroit and Port Huron and Goderich. The   City, and Dr. Cheseman, of Gratiot County. On takfollowing year he was clerk of the propeller "Prince-  ing his-seat in the Senate, he was appointed Chair) ton." running between Detroit and Buffalo.       man of the Committee on State Affairs, and was acw In January, 1853, Mr. Jerome went to California,  tive in raising means and troops to carry on the war. <
'   by way of the Isthmus, and enjoyed extraordinary  He held the same position during his three terms of /
success in selling goods in a new place of his selec- service and introduced the bill creating the Soldiers'
~   tion, among the mountains near Marysville  He re- Home at Harper Hospital, Detroit.
mained there during the summer, and located the     He was selected by Gov. Crapo as a military aid,
and in i865 was appointed a member of the State.=.
'.   Live Yankee Tunnel Mine, which has since yielded and n  86 was appointed a   ember of the State
millions to its owners, and is'still a paying investment. Military Board, and served as its President for eight
He planned and put a tunnel 600 feet into the mine,consecutive years. In 1873, he was appointed by B
but when the water supply began to fail with the dry  ov Bagley a member of the convention to prepare
season, sold out his interest. He left in the fall of  a new  tate Constitution, and was Chairman of the
i853, and in December sailed from San Francisco for  Committee on Finance.
New York, arriving at his home in St. Clair County, In 875 Mr Jerome was appointed a memberof
about a year after his departure. During his absence the Board of Indian Commissioners. In I876 he was
his brother "Tiff" had located at Saginaw, and in  Chairman of a commission to visit Chief Joseph, the
I 1854 Mr. Jerome joined him in his lumber operations  Nez Perce Indian, to arrange an amicable settlement
C  in the valley. In 1855 the brothers bought Black-  of all existing difficulties. The commission went to
mer & Eatons hardware and general supply stores,  Portland, Oregon, thence to the Blue Hills, in Idaho,
at Saginaw, and David H. assumed the management  a distance of 600 miles up the Columbia River.
of the business. From 1855 to 1873 he was also ex-  At the Republican State Convention, convened at
tensively engaged in lumbering operations.       Jackson in August, I880, Mr. Jerome was placed in
the field for nomination, and on the 5th day of the
Soon after locating at Saginaw he was nominated
month received the highest honor the convention
for Alderman against Stewart B. Williams, a rising         r
(G)"   /.  ^Q~~~~...,,,    could confer on any one. His opponent was Freder-..
young man, of strong Democratic principles. The
ick M. Holloway, of Hillsdale County, who was supward was largely Democratic, but Mr. Jerome was.9,,,,,,...  ~.,,, T~  i~ported by the Democratic and Greenback parties.
elected by a handsome majority. When the Repube te y wa   bn   on, M.,      -.  The State was thoroughly canvassed by both parties,
iican party was born at Jackson, Mich., David H.  and when the polls were closed on the evening of
Jerome was, though not a delegate to the convention,  election day, it was found that David H. Jerome had
one of its "charter members." In I862, he was com-  been selected by the voters of the Wolverine State to
missioned by Gov. Austin Blair to raise one of the  occupy the highest position within their gift.
a"))                  M          ""-D-^^^-sy- Ad                                               ~^




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GO VERNORS OF MICHIGAN                  I69
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d  )S0AOSIAH         W. BEGOLE, the
~  '  _  sopresent (1883), Governor of
Michigan was born in Livingston, County, N. Y., Jan. 20,
I8I5. His ancestors were of
French descent, and settled at
^x-\/   an early period in the State of
'\   1] Maryland. His grandfather, Capt.
t _  _' Bolles, of that State, was an officer in the American army during
i   the war of the Revolution. About
9 1  the beginning of the present cent-. iury both his grandparents, having.,   become dissatisfied with the instil    tution of slavery, although slaveI holders themselves, emigrated to
l O   Livingston County, N. Y., then
a new country, taking with them a
1   3 number of their former slaves, who
volunteered to accompany them.
His father was an officer in the
American army, and served during
the war of I8I2.
Mr. B. received his early education in a log schoolhouse, and subsequently attended the Temple Hill
Academy, at Geneseo, N. Y. Being the eldest of a
family of ten children, whose parents were in moderate though comfortable circumstances, he was early
taught habits of industry, and when 2 years of age,
being ambitious to better his condition in life, he resolved to seek his fortune in the far West, as it was


then called. In August, I836, he left the parental
roof to seek a home in the Territory of Michigan,
then an almost unbroken wilderness. He settled in
Genesee County, and aided with his own hands in
building some of the early residences in what is now
known as the city of Flint. There were but four or
five houses where this flourishing city now stands
when he selected it as his home.
In the spring of 1839 he married Miss Harriet A.
Miles. The marriage proved a most fortunate one,
and to the faithful wife of his youth, who lives to enjoy with him the comforts of an honestly earned competence, Mr. Begole ascribes largely his success in
life. Immediately after his marriage he commenced
work on an unimproved farm, where, by his perseverance and energy, he soon established a good home,
and at the end of eighteen years was the owner of a
well improved farm of five hundred acres.
Mr. Begole being an anti-slavery man, became a
member of the Republican party at its organization.
He served his townsmen in various offices, and was,
in 1856, elected County Treasurer, which office he
held for eight years.
At the breaking out of the Rebellion he did not
carry a musket to the front, but his many friends will
bear witness that he took an active part in recruiting
and furnishing supplies for the army, and in looking
after the interests of soldiers' families at home. The
death of his eldest son near Atlanta, Ga., by a Confedrate bullet, in 864, was the greatest sorrow of his life.
When a few years later he was a member in Congress


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7 170                           JOSIAH W. BEGOLE...


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Gov. Begole voted and worked for the soldiers'
bounty equalization bill, an act doing justice to the
soldier who bore the burden and heat of the day, and
who should fare equally with him who came in at the
eleventh hour. That bill was defeated in the House
on account of the large appropriation that would be
required to pay the same.
In I870, Gov. Begole was nominated by acclamation for the office of State Senator, and elected by a
large majority. In that body he served on the Committees of Finance and Railroads, and was Chairman
of the Committee on the Institute for the Deaf and
Dumb and Blind. He took a liberal and publicspirited view of the importance of a new capitol
building worthy of the State, and was an active member of the Committee that drafted the bill for the
same. He was a delegate to the National Republican Convention held at Philadelphia in 1872, and
was the chosen member of that delegation to go to
Washington and inform Gen. Grant and Senator
Wilson of their nominations. It was while at that
convention that, by the express wish of his many
friends, he was induced to offer himself a candidate for the nomination of member to the 43d Congress, in which he was successful, aftercompeting for
the nomination with several of the most worthy, able
and experienced men in the Sixth Congressional District, and was elected by a very large majority. In
Congress, he was a member of the Committee on
Agricultural and Public Expenditures. Being one of
the 17 farmers in that Congress, he took an active
part in the Committee of Agriculture, and was appointed by that committee to draft the most important report made by that committee, and upon the
only subject recommended by the President in his
message, which he did and the report was printed in
records of Congress; he took an efficient though an
unobtrusive part in all its proceedings.
He voted for the currency bill, remonetization of
silver, and other financial measures, many of which,
though defeated then, have since become the settled
policy of the country. Owing to the position which
Mr. Begole occupied on these questions, he became a
"Greenbacker."
In the Gubernatorial election of I882, Mr. Begole
was the candidate of both the Greenback and Democratic parties, and was elected by a vote of 154,269,
the Republican candidate, Hon. David H. Jerome,


i


receiving 149,697 votes. Mr. Begole, in entering
upon his duties as Governor, has manifested a spirit
that has already won him many friends, and bids fair
to make his administration both successful and popular.
The very best indications of what a man is, is what
his own townsmen think of him. We give the following extract from the Flint Globe, the leading Republican paper in Gov. Begole's own county, and it,
too, written during the heat of a political campaign,
which certainly is a flattering testimonial of his sterling worth:
" So far, however, as Mr. Begole, the head of the
ticket, is concerned, there is nothing detrimental to
his character that can be alleged against him. He
has sometimes changed his mind in politics, but for
sincerity of his beliefs and the earnestness of his purpose nobody who knows him entertains a doubt. He
is incapable of bearing malice, even against his bitterest political enemies. He has a warm, generous
nature, and a larger, kinder heart does not beat in
the bosom of any man in Michigan. He is not much
given to making speeches, but deeds are more significant of a man's character than words. There are
many scores of men in all parts of the State where
Mr. Begole is acquainted, who have had practical
demonstrations of these facts, and who are liable to
step outside of party lines to show that they do not
forget his kindness, and who, no doubt, wish that he
was a leader in what would not necessarily prove a
forlorn hope. But the Republican party in Michigan
is too strong to be beaten by a combination of Democrats and Greenbackers, even if it is marshaled by so
good a man as Mr. Begole."
This sketch would be imperfect without referring
to the actiorn of Mr. B. at the time of the great calamity
that in I88i overtook the people of Northeastern
Michigan, in a few hours desolating whole counties
by fire and destroying the results and accumulations
of such hard work as only falls to the lot of pioneers.
While the Port Huron and Detroit committees were
quarreling over the distribution of funds, Mr. Begole
wrote to an agent in the "]burnt district" a letter, from
which we make an extract of but a single sentence:
"Until the differences between the two committees
are adjusted and you receive your regular supplies
from them, draw on me. Let no man suffer while I
have money." This displays his true character.


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SA NI'LAC COUNTY.,:ir~~
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i.~ ~7~ SHE value of history lies, in a....a g! ],   great degree, in the biography of the personages concerned therein. The annals,        Y h2~ ~J I / of the settlers delineate the
pioneer period, while those
of the later residents exhibit
the progress of the country and the
~ I I '  status of the present generation.
Sanilac County gives a vivid illustration of these statements; but its
' 'lF   rwonderful pioneer era laps upon
it-C nrpcfnt ilerinA  i n q mqinnr cq


represented to the generations of the past and of the
present.
Succeeding ages sweep away the debris of human
errors and perpetuate the real greatness of a community. Character stands out statuesque, and events
cluster about individuals, forming the grandest and
truest historical structure of which any age is capable.
Only biography can fitly represent the foundation,
progress and ultimatum of local history, and portray
with perfect justice the precise attitude and relation
of men to events and conditions.
Sanilac County is justly proud of her pioneer record,, Fy. I
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y@/ I ^t jLea^- v      116 C1. -.-s1s> JV and, so tar as possible, the publishers have endeav-,:) S           gradual that there is really no dis-  ored to honor the representatives of that period as
ma 1              tinctive line of demarcation. Many  well as those of to-day. Labor and suffering, under^of thfe wvhose efforts gave the o gone in the light of hope and the earnestness of
-     country its earliest impetus may  honest effort and toil, established this county in perstill be seen upon its thoroughfares; many of the  manent prosperity, and is rounding up a period or
characters in the day of its first things are still on  glorious completeness. Her villages are creditable,
the stage, and watch with keen-eyed alertness the  her agricultural community is composed of the best
manipulations, successes and reverses of the present  classes, and her professional men are of marked inday, still jealous for the reputation of the county and  tegrity
eagerly solicitous for her substantial and permanent!B  progresss.                                     i   In collecting the following sketches the purpose
progress.
The compilers of these records strive to establish has been to collect the main points of personal
their claim for biographical integrity, preparing the  record, through which the enterprise of decades to,    matter from the stand-point of no man's prejudice.  follow may complete a perfect and continuous his(. The full scope of the personal record here is to  torical outline from the earliest settlement of the
$    demonstrate the exact relation of every individual  county to the present time.
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[,,,      l       /4? I I;3IE1JDMAN  MILLS, of Cros% g'Yp^      l ' 4 ' well, farmer and dealer
t~  ~   in real estate, was born
Sept. 17, 831, in the township of Portland, Erie Co.,
=1\,3J^EC. Ohio. He has been a resi9 /  ^, v   -       dent of Croswell since his reit ^   moval hither in I866, and has been and,   still is one of the most prominent factors in
i      the development of Sanilac County. The
characteristic traits of Mr. Mills are of the
type which have wrought out within the
past half century the most marvelous development known    to mankind   in the
)>  Xi   portion of the United   States territory
designated " The West."
He was born on the Western Reserve in Ohio, a
fact which in itself almost establishes his character,
when considered jointly with his descent. His ancestral lineage was purely Yankee, and in its origin
combined the sturdy traits of the English and Hollanders. His immediate progenitors were trained
under the uncompromising regime of New England
and were imbued with the calculating, practical
spirit of this inventive and enterprising age.
The course of Mr. Mills' business life may be
regarded as manifest destiny.   He inherited his
predominating traits of acumen, far-sightedness and
persistency, but the calm, dispassionate judgment


which marks all his movements, together with the
rare quality which gives instant recognition to opportunity, and another, still rarer, which grasps and
moulds it to his purpose, are the outgrowth of experience. Cool, practical, persistent, imperturbable
and alert, Mr. Mills is fearless to an extraordinary
degree in the exercise of his power to overcome
obstacles and achieve his purpose. He possesses
in no sense or degree the interested selfishness
which rests in complacent satisfaction in its own
small achievements. To him opportunity is but the
clue to far-reaching and wide-spread promise. His
predominating traits have been and are of inestimable value to Sanilac County.
He came here in the prime of his manhood. The
favorable location of the county, its proximity to the
main routes of travel, and its agricultural outlook
assured him that it held splendid possibilities, which
needed but the intelligent application of effort and
energy to develop results in every way equal to
those of the remoter sections, whither the tide of
immigration was flowing in frantic haste. At that
date the lumber interest of the Huron peninsula was
entering its decadence, a condition which was precipitated by the fire five years later. The speculative fraternity, the vitality of whose interest was


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spent where the lumbering resources were practi- cj
cally exhausted, had no concern in the agricultural (:
development or future well-being of this portion of u.gu             H,)l. tt-~


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180                     SANILAC COUNT Y.
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the State. They sought other worlds to conquer;
the farms, whose broad acres and fair fields speak
in such glowing language of the effects which have
brought them to their present fine condition and
bear a promise of further development in the immediate future, perpetuate neither their names nor their
deeds.
The achievements of Mr. Mills in Sanilac County
will be a lasting monument to his citizenship and
career therein. On coming to Croswell (then Davisville), he engaged in lumbering. He had a representative interest in the business of Moss Brothers,
the senior member of the firm being his father-in-law.
In I868 the firm became Moss & Mills, and continued its lumbering and mercantile operations.
Products found their way to market by the water
thoroughfare of the lakes, and supplies came hither
by the same route.  Lexington was the point of
shipment and the harbor of supply, merchandise and
provisions of all varieties being brought in here
chiefly from Ohio. (One year the lumber product
of Moss & Mills reached an aggregate of 6,ooo,ooo
feet, and it was all drawn to Lexington for shipment.) Meanwhile, the interior of Sanilac County
remained undeveloped. The remote, inaccessible
location of the county seat was a great hindrance to
the progress of the county, and retarded every variety of improvement. Mr. Mills moved actively
and vigorously in securing the transfer to the geographical center of thie township. That point was
exceptionally unfavorable, as common opinion went,
as it lay in a region of swamps; but the fact was
patent that many of the swamps in the eastern part
of the county had been reclaimed and constituted
farming land of the most valuable character. Nothing could be urged against the project on that score;
the proof was before the people.
Finally the ultimatum was reached and the necessary buildings constructed.  That point settled
beyond change, Mr. Mills gave his attention to securing through Croswell the main line of the Port
Huron & Northwestern Railroad, then under consideration; and as a result it threads its way from Port
Huron through Sanilac County, with the towns located along its line like beads on a thread, among
which Croswell stands prominent. The storm of
vilification and aspersion that assailed Mr. Mills
from the people of Sanilac County where local inter



ests were unavoidably affected by the changes in the
county through his instrumentality, was such as
might perhaps have been expected under the circumstances; but the future will determine the wisdom and forethought which secured an immense
advantage to the development of the county. The
benefit secured by the location of the line of railroad
was manifest after the fire of i88i, when the county
would have been practically depopulated had there
been no ready means of transit for relief supplies.
Mr. Mills is the most extensive agriculturist in
Sanilac County.  He has improved about 2,000
acres, and the immense farms lying on the western
borders of Lexington Township which have been
brought to a typical perfection under his management are leading attractions in Sanilac County.
They contain hundreds of acres in single fields,
level as a house floor; and at this writing the mammoth barns seem bursting with the wealth of the
garnered harvests. It seems hardly creditable that
many of these glowing acres were a few years ago
unsightly and noisome swamps.
Soon after Mr. Mills came to the county he determined to bring into practical application an idea he
had conceived while traveling in the State of New
York. On a previous journey ten years earlier his
attention was arrested by a tamarack swamp within
the line of vision from the cars. To his surprise it
had been converted into a seeming Paradise, and it
was an achievement which made a strong impression
on his practical nature, with its predominating, New
England trait of discovering opportunity close at
hand and utilizing whatever of resource it held. He
bought 73 acres, which he drained and "scratched
in " a seeding. The hay crop he harvested sold for
$I,560, and the initial agricultural development of
Sanilac County was an established fact. He has
reclaimed an immense acreage of swamp land, and
his barns cover nearly six acres.
The work he has accomplished for Sanilac County
can hardly be portrayed in the scope of a sketch. It
must suffice to say that he has rendered the most
effective service as a citizen and a property owner,
and has never been unmindful of the public interests.
He subscribed $20,000 to the railroad project, and he
raised by subscription a large sum for the same purpose. He gave the land on which the depot at Croswell is located, including about I2 acres, built the.i.


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>  SANILAC
'i  depot and furnished the material for the elevator,
Ii which was the first in the county; also gave the right
of way wherever the survey for the track passed
through his land. He has been largely instrumental
in building up Croswell, and several handsome buildings testify to his public interest.
The earliest recorded ancestor of Mr. Mills in the
paternal line is Sir Peter Vander Meulen, of Amsterdam, Holland, who distinguished himself in the
public works of that country and received his title
from his sovereign as a token of appreciation of his
services. His son Peter came with the refugees from
Leyden to America, and in later life he adopted the
Anglicized form of his name, its significance in English being, "of the mills." His adoption of the name
of Mills is registered in the Colonial Records of Connecticut. The line of descent is recorded to Judge
Isaac Mills, grandfather of Wildman Mills, who was
born March 7, I767, in Huntington, Fairfield Co.,
Conn.   He attained distinction at Yale College,
where he was graduated in 1786, studied law at New
Haven, where he opened the practice of his profession and identified himself with the advancement and?  prosperity of the City of Elms. His phenomenal:-  success as an advocate and expounder of law made
Vi him prominent, and he passed through the grades of
V  advancement to Chief Judge, to which he was
appointed in 1825. He married the daughter of
Judge Phelps, of Connecticut, Abigail Richardson
Phelps. In 1805 he went to Northern Ohio, in the
interests of the Connecticut Fire Lands Company, of
which he was secretary, to secure a treaty with the
Indians for the extinguishment of their claim, which
l he accomplished. Among other memorable things
which he did was the laying out of the city of Sani} dusky, in 1817, and he named its avenues and thoroughfares. His son, Isaac Augustus Mills, was born
in I802, in New Haven, Conn., and was educated at
Yale College. He married Sophia Lymlan, of Sandusky, Ohio, about 1828, and they had  i children.
Three died in infancy. Eight attained adult age and
are living at this writing (I884). The father died;   Aug. 9, 1852, of cholera, at Sandusky. The mother
died June 24, I88I, at the same place.
Mr. Mills grew to manhood in his native township.
He received a substantial elementary education,
i)  which was supplemented by a course of advanced
'~   study at the High School at Sandusky. His father
_.... -...


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intended that he should enter the regular army of the,
United States and an appointment at West Point was
secured for him. Every preparation had been made:
to that purpose when his health failed, and on the
declaration of his physicians that the plan could:
only be consummated at the cost of his life, it was
abandoned, and lie was placed in charge of his
father's farm. It was a large estate and he was but
i8 years old, but he continued in personal control of
the property until th2 death of his father, which
occurred about five weeks before he reached his legal
manhood. On attaining his majority he was appointed administrator of the estate, with his mother as
administratrix, and he passed five years in the adjustment of its extensive and complicated relations.
Meanwhile, he studied law with Homer Goodwin, an
eminent lawyer of Sandusky, who is still engaged in
the prosecution of his profession in that city. He
read law about two years, but his business relations
and ideas expanded while he was engaged in the
labors attendant upon the settlement of his father's
estate, and he adandoned his purpose, in order to
give undivided attention to real-estate transactions
and other avenues of business which enlisted his
interest.


I




The shipments of the products of the West to the
European markets attracted his notice, and he resolved upon an experiment, which is one of the best
possible exponents of his peculiar traits, and exemplify his strong predilection for experiment. In 1859,
associated with William S. Pierson, a lawyer and
capitalist of the Buckeye State, he built and equipped
a three-masted barque, named in honor of Mr. Pierson. She was of 460 tons burthen, and carried a
a cargo of oak staves and long oak ship planks. She
was built at Sandusky, and laden at the mouth of
Black River, Ohio. One name for the spirit which
instigated and developed the project is Yankee enterprise; the other is the blindness to exigencies which
grows out of inexperience and the natural belief a
man of energy possesses in himself to do what others
have done.                           a
The crew numbered 13 men, the captain was
skilled in the lake service, and the force of sailors
included btlt one "old salt." The " William S. Pierson " left her moorings June 20, I859, and made her
way to the sea. Mr. Mills accompanied as supercargo. It was expected to obtain a chronometer at


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Quebec, but the plan failed and the one experienced
ocean sailor became the fac-totum as to pilotage. The
voyage consumed 28 days, and was stormy and calculated to produce uneasiness and discomfort to the
inexperienced company aboard. The original destination was Liverpool, but on learning of the proximity of the English coast from unexpectedly entering
a bank of fog, to their dismay they found themselves
storm-tossed and in danger of stranding on the rocky
coasts which seemed to environ them.  At last
they found themselves in what seemed to them
to be a fleet of vessels, and, inexpressibly relieved,
they cast anchor, went ashore and found that they
were in Bristol Channel. On attempting to dispose
of the cargo, Mr. Mills found that the ship planks
were not marketable for the purpose designed. The
American oak lacked tenacity and the other qualities
which rendered the live oak of England peculiarly
valuable, and Mr. Mills sold the plank to the collieries for building purposes.
The staves found ready market, and the barque was
loaded with merchandise for Detroit and Cleveland,
and started on her return voyage, plus a chronometer and minus the personal attendance of Mr. Mills,
who was quite satisfied with his experience in Bristol
Channel. He proceeded to Liverpool by rail, where
he lingered two weeks, going thence to London and
two weeks later to Paris. After a week in the gayest
city in the world, he set out for America by steamer.
The "William S. Pierson " made a safe passage,
hiltt in   mrnL-n  tili-  th n nY rlC- t h anr f1   T,I"A: ^ any




erty in Ohio, for the purpose of going South in
charge of a plantation project of considerable extent,
the paid-up capital being $Ioo,ooo. But, instead,
he came to Croswell, in accordance with the wishes
and plans of Truman Moss, his father-in-law.
The unexpected nomination of Mr. Mills for Governor of Michigan by the Anti-Monopolists in 1884,
would imply in him an active interest in politics
which is entirely remote from the facts in the case.
He has never taken more than a passing interest in
politics, as they have been in no sense auxiliary to
his purposes in life. But he is a man of opinions
and has always possessed decided political bias.
He was originally a Democrat of the Jackson type,
and during the progress of the civil war was a Douglas Democrat. He voted with that party until the
nomination of Mr. Tilden, when he took a final
leave of the party. He voted for Mr. Hayes. On
the organization of the National Greenback party he
adopted what he considered its sole issue,-the right
of the United States to represent her possessions by
her promise to pay, and that such promises were
equivalent to any other representative of value.
The action of the Supreme Court of the United
States removed the obstacle in the way of the national greenback as money, and the necessity for
the party, as he comprehended it, expired. The
reasons of his prompt declination of the nomination
tendered him by the Anti-Monopolists are set forth
in his letter, which is here given:


I,Y,
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LUUL II 11gAclS U11C cLU11LL Ir oIUUgI1 e11; kI-,n1111iC aniU  CROSWELL, MICH., Sept. 6, 1884.
Beauharnois Canals, she experienced difficulties  HON. HORATIO PRATT,
from her lading, which necessitated a draught of I I  Secretary of the Ani-Aonopoly organization of
fia    c to   atasro h  of                          Secretary  of tite AAni-Monopoly  organizationa  of,r  feet of water. The unloading and reloading conse-  Michigan::m   quent upon existing condition of things, and the  DEAR SIR:-Your letter informing me that the
final catastrophe of becoming ice-locked in the Wel-  late Anti-Monopoly State Convention had named f
land Canal, wrought disaster to the expedition, and  me as their candidate for Governor was duly rethe owners found, on effecting a settlement of ac-  eived. Permit me through the committee to assure,,,,,,,. 1,11.i-  i  the Anti-Monopolists of Michigan that I appreciate
counts, that the debits exceeded the credits by  their confidence and good-will. I have, on all fitting
about $4,000.  But to Mr. Mills, the unique expe-  occasions, and by every appropriate means, disrience and the subsequent realization of the risks  couraged the use of my name in connection with
were events of some moment.                       any nomination whatever, and supposed I had made
He next interested himself in the well known     my position so clear that it could not be misunderstood; but learn from correspondents and otherwise
grape scheme on the islands of Lake Erie adjacent  that it is still in doubt. I am not and have never t
to Northern Ohio, and he planted 45 acres of the  been an aspirant for political honors. But even if (
vine at Sandusky.   He was connected with the    the nomination had been desired, I ought not to
',-/!X~>...1.j *  o^  ii iaccept it, as the present is no time for a division of!
)    enterprise three years, and in I866 sold his entire  effort. The Anti-Monopoly sentiment of Michigan,
r   interest therein and disposed of the bulk of his prop-  in whatever organization it may be found, should  2
-----                     — 477@ c




W*~, ~:.sWT r:i
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too:==-=- - = -e=SAN7ILA C COUNTY.:83,  i
SANILAC COUNTY.                    183 "


3   present an unbroken front to the common enemy,  Woodward Avenue, Detroit, where the family spend
->   and by unity and harmony of action lay well the  the winter seasons. Alternately, the old home at
foundation for the coming " People's Party," which  Croswell, which is always open and in readiness for
1   will "fuse" into one homogeneous, irresistible naj   tional organization all opponents of monopoly rule.  their occupancy, receives them.
j   Entertaining these views, I must respectfully decline  The family attend the Episcopal Church. Mrs.
the nomination so unanimously tendered me, believ-  Mills was one of the earliest to move effectively in
ing it my duty to do so for the promotion of the  the establishment of Christ's Church at Croswell,
present and future success of the people's cause.  and has continued to exercise a substantial and
With best wishes for the advancement of the.
principles we advocate, believe me, as ever, an earn-sustaining interest in its welfare. The family from
est worker in the cause of humanity and just gov-  which Mr. Mills is descended was prominent in its
ernment.                                         connection with Church affairs in the East and in
V.?,00^~                WILDMAN MILLS.      Ohio.
I~i  In 1882 he was nominated by the convention at    The portrait of Mr. Mills, presented on a precedPort Huron for Congress, but peremptorily declined.  ing page, is the likeness of an eminent man which
The political bias of Mr. Mills is based upon and  must give satisfaction to all readers of this volume.
guided by the interests of the laboring class.
Mrs. Julia H. (Moss) Mills was born Oct 2, I836,
at West Burlington, Otsego Co., N. Y. She is the
daughter and only surviving child of Truman Moss
(see sketch), and was married to Wildman Mills in
A   the village where she was born, Dec. 27, 1858. Five:  ni...                              i —' *  c:-r  *  ^i-  c-^ames Anderson, farmer, section 1o, Washchildren constitute the issue of this union, three of         A          f       s.-~  i   i.s  r^i_,  D,1 r  ington Township, has been a resident of
whom are deceased. They were born in the follow-           g,   ~U  Sanilac County since i864.  He was born
ing order: Elizabeth Moss was born Sept. 28, i86;         Sailac County since 864. He was born
(se it,^,r  i1. ~ _i. ^  A^.A- AXT    in Halton Co., Ont., Sept. 2I, I8o0, and is the
Truman Moss was born July 2, i866, and died Nov.  1.
7<X   of te se y; Ic A, born O.       fifth in order of birth of 12 children, of whom
Y  7 of the same year; Isaac Augustus, born Oct. 4,
1867, died Feb. io, i869; Wildman Ambler w            his father and mother were the parents. The
I867, died Feb. Io, i869; Wildman Ambler was
born July 2, 1872, and died on the first day of Sep- latter, Jon and Elizabeth (Campbell) Alderson,
tember following; Julia Harriet was born Nov. 7,  were natives of Scotland. They reached mature
I866. The daughters survive. The same fatality  life in their native country, were there married, and
which deprived Truman Moss of his sons seems to  at once set out to begin the world in America. They
have pursued the male children of his daughter, all  came to Canada, where they became land-holders,
of them dying in infancy.                        reared their family, and there their worthy, useful
Mrs. Mills is the lady Bountiful of Croswell. She lives were terminated. All their children are living:  has been a partaker and sharer in all the joys and save one: John died when he was eight years old
griefs of its people. She has rejoiced in their well- They were born in the following order: Duncan,
being and prosperity, and has sorrowed with them  John, Christy, Archibald, James, Jeannette, Eliza,
when affliction has laid upon them its merciless rod. Mary Catherine, John, Alexanderand Joseph. Each
She has been ever ready with her resources of kind-  received a fair common-school education, and the
ness, of sympathy, of counsel, to aid as occasion has  sons were reared to the calling of their father.
required. The sick and dying have been the grate-  In the summer of 1864 Mr. Anderson disposed of
'    ful recipients of her sympathetic ministrations, and  his interests in the Dominion, and removed to Lexshe has guided all her social relations with a solici- ington, in Sanilac County, where he remained one
tude and judgment which has created for her an    year, engaged in teaming and farming. The next
influence that cannot be portrayed with words. It is sixyears he passed in similar occupations in Cros-::   best understood in the regrets which her absence  well, then Davisville. He settled on 40 acres of land
/;x  from Croswell creates, and in the warmth of the wel.  in Washington Township, in the spring of 187 r. He
K_   come which greets her return.                    has since purchased 40 acres additional, and has.  n I883 Mr. Mills purchased a residence at 507  about 75 acres cleared and otherwise improved.,.i                            (."gg~usE:,                                           _,fEN?9T




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184                                  SA NILAC COUNTY.
sly   Mr. Anderson is a man of intelligence and ability.  the most ingenious cruelties of which human dia-  v
C  He is an adherent to the principles of the National  bolism is capable.::  Greenback party.  He has officiated two years as   Mr. Willits died March, 28, 1876. He was a mem-! Supervisor of his township, two years as Treasurer,  berof the M. E. Church, to which his widow now
and in the spring of I883 was elected Justice of the  belongs.
Peace, a position to which he was re-elected in the
spring of I884. He is a member of Charity Grange,
No. 417, P. of H., and belongs to the Knights of,.
Labor and Knights of Maccabees.
Mrs. Jane (Innis) Anderson, his wife, was born in
i Canada, and is the daughter of Alexander Innis..W                           \-.?                                                   o. 0> Y~vveorge W. Weston, farmer, located on sec.A Her parents were born in Scotland. The marriage, r,      d
tion 31, Fremont Township, was born -near
of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson occurred July 7, 1858, in         Champlai,    Vermont Townsh, ws  bn  near
Huron Co., Ont., and they have had five children-         Champlain, in Vermont, May 7, 1853. He
Euphemia C., Priscilla J., Elizabeth C., Marceliens the so        of           and  Ruth (Newand Herbert J. The latter died at the age of 14       ton) Weston. His mother died July 20, 852,
in Sarnia, Ont., of cholera.
years. Mrs. Anderson's demise occurred Jan. I1,        in Sarnia, nt., of cholera.
y884, at her home in this township.                Mr. Weston was brought up on a farm, in the details of which vocation he was instructed, as well as
)                                                  in brick-making and lumbering. On reaching his
r+> ~ ~  ~   ~   _kI 11 I1~ 9_majority, he engaged in carpentry, in which he passed


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1  braham   W. Willits, deceased, a former;fli{, resident of Worth Township, was born
March 17, X8o8, in Columbiana Co., Ohio. He
was a son of George and Rebecca Willits, who
died in the county where the son was born.
The latter attained his majority in his native place,
and before that period acquired the trade of cabinetmaking. He went to Akron, Ohio, where he remained until I832, and came thence to Sanilac
County. He purchased 80 acres of land in Worth
Township, to which he added 40 acres by later purchase. The entire estate is under cultivation.
He was married June 19, 1832, in Detroit, Mich.,
to Samantha Champin, who was born Oct. 17, 1809,
in Genesee Co., N. Y. Of this marriage eight children have been born: Melissa, Seymour, Maria, Ada,
Rebecca, Charles W., Stafford and Amanda. The
three last named are deceased. Stafford enlisted in
the 22d Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf. He was captured by
the rebels at Chattanooga, Tenn., and sent to the
stockade prison at Andersonville, Ga., where he died
a victim of horrors of the most contagious character, that have made the very name the synonym of


nearly two years. At the end of that time he inter-:
ested himself in the rearing of horses, which was his
occupation four years.
In 1859 he came to St. Clair Co., Mich., where he
went to work by the month as a lumberman. He    '
came thence to Fremont Township, in 186i, when  i
he bought the farm where he has since resided.
He was married in the spring of I862, to Margaret A., daughter of Roger and Jane A. (Taylor)
Miliken, who was born in Canada in I844. Her parents are both deceased. Eight children have been
born to Mr. and Mrs. Weston, as follows: Roger A.,
July 20, 863; May J., Dec. 23, i866; Carrie A.,  v
June26, 1869; Kittie, May 7, I872; Ada, Feb. 13,
1874; Gordon, June 20, I877; Thomas, Feb. f, 1881, I,
and Ruth, April 19, i884.                       L.-! --- —-^*~ --- —-CI4.fharles Whitaker, farmer, section 29, WashjJ,:  ington Township, was born Feb. 28, 1837,
in Port Hope, Ont. His parents, William '
and Ann (Weatman) Whitaker, were born in!V
\   England and emigrated to Canada, where   4
their death occurred. Mr. Whitaker received  Q
as good an education as the location where he grew e




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SANILAC COUNTY.                    185 5


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up admitted, and at the age of 14 years he came to
Michigan, and has been a resident of the Peninsular
State since that time with the exception of i8 months,
which he passed in the Dominion. He came to Sanilac County in I873, first settling in Buel Township.
A year later, he bought his present estate in Washington Township, consisting of 80 acres of land. Of
this tract, about 55 acres are now under the plow and
in a creditable condition. Mr. Whitaker is a Democrat in his political views. Mrs. Emmeline (Gooding) Whitaker was born April 18, 1839, in New York,
and was married in St. Clair Co., Mich., April 7,
1857. Ten children, which constitute the issue of
this union, are all living but one, who died in infancy.
They were born in the following order: Mary A.,
Jesse W., Frederick J., Ellen A., Franklin C., Sarah
A., George N., Emma A. and Eva J.
eorge Pack, deceased, a former resident of
i   Washington Township, Sanilac County,
was born in I8oo, in the State of New Jersey. He was the son of George and Rebecca
(Greene) Pack, the former of direct English
lineage, the latter a niece of Gen. Nathaniel
Greene, of Revolutionary fame.
Mr. Pack, the subject of this sketch, grew to manhood in New Jersey, and married Maria Lathrop,
daughter of Abram and Sarah Lathrop, born April 6,
i8Io. They became the parents of 13 children, o1
of whom are yet living. Louisa M is the wife of J.
J. Thornton (see sketch), of Washington Township.
George W. is a heavy dealer in lumber in Cleveland,
Ohio. Lorinda and Angeline reside in Lexington.
Helen is the wife of Robert Wilson, a lumberman of
Seattle, Washington Territory. Albert is a lumbernan at Alpena, Mich., is well known in political circles and has been a member of the Legislature of
Michigan. Green is a lumberman and salt manufacturer of Oscoda. Josephine resides at Lexington.
Arthur is a lumberman at Oscoda.    Herbert E.
resides at Durango, Col.
Mr. Pack exchanged his property in the State of
New York for pine land in Washington Township.
He bought 80 acres of land situated on the edge of


the village of Lexington, where his family resided
until i86i. Mr. Pack and his son George W. went
to Washington Township, where they personally
superintended their lumber and agricultural interests.
They continued to buy tracts of land until they held
an enormous acreage. They cut and prepared for
market the first lumber shipped from Washington
Township. A saw and a grist mill were erected on
the Black River, and a large amount of land was
placed under improvement, to which the family removed in i86r. Mr. Pack died there April 5. 1875;
the mother died in Lexington, Jan. 28, 1883. The
father was an important factor in the history of Sanilac County, and was active in local politics. He
was a man of more than ordinary ability and possessed inventive genius of no common order. He
was the inventor of a valuable stave-cutting machine.
He lived a life of usefulness, and is remembered as
-a trustworthy'and enterprising citizen.
Ju~!  |ianiel Hayward, farmer, section 36, Fre_"f tl, nmont Township, has been a resident of
il!r  l' Michigan since i856, his parents, Charles
and Margaret (Dougherty) Hayward, removing from Collingwood, Ont., to St. Clair County
when he was but one year old. On the advent
of civil war his father enlisted in the Union service,
and died of fever in the hospital in 1862. He was a
carpenter.  His widow afterward married Joseph
Nelson.
Mr. Hayward lived in St. Clair County until he
was ten years old. He was brought up on a farm
and has pursued the vocation of farmer all his life,
with the exception of five years, which he spent in
the lumber woods of Northern Michigan, with headquarters at Saginaw.  He has followed lumbering
during the winter seasons, and for many years has
engaged in threshing after the crops have been
harvested.  In I88i he became the owner of a
steam thresher. In 1879 he purchased 60 acres of
land on section 36, on which he has since resided
and labored. He is a Republican in political views
and action.
Mr. Hayward was married Feb, 2, I878, to Jane


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I86                                  SANILAC CO UNTY.
3   Sweetser. Of their union four children have been  lac County. He bought 560 acres of land in Worth  '
4  born, whose record is as follows: John, born June 8,  Township, and has placed 300 acres under cultiva-!   I879, in Fremont; Maggie, born June 8, I880, died  tion. He is a member of the Republican party.
]  Dec. 8, 1882; Ella was born Dec. 31, i88I; Charles  He was married in Canada, Nov. 7, t862, to
(   Edwin was born March 24, 1884. Mrs. Hayward is  Maria, daughter of John and Eleanor (Johnson).?
the daughter of John and Phebe (Dixon) Sweetser.  Canton. She was born Jan. 8, 1839, in Livingston
Her father died March 22, 1884, aged 85 years. Her  Co., N. Y. The ten children of which she has been
mother resides with her.                        the mother were named as follows: Alice, Joseph,
James I., Robert, Eleanor I., Wellington, David
W., Maria S., John W. and Franklin. The two last
Y              — A-o   +;-    -                   named are deceased. The parents of Mrs. Galbraith
were born in Ireland and emigrated to the United;     ^ -s^                                         States. In October, 1854, they went from the State
[~J..  avid Simmons, deceased, formerly a farmer  of New York to Canada, where the father died, in
1  11^ on section 26. Worth Township. was born  the fall of I865.


r  Sept. I5, I815, in the Dominion of Canada, and was there reared to manhood. His
parents, John and Jane Simmons, were natives
of the State of New York. Mr. Simmons came
to Sanilac County in 1854. He bought i60 acres of
\ land in the township of Worth, where he operated as
a farmer until his death, which took place July 22,
X   1879. His marriage to Emily Hicks occurred in
3=  Canada, Oct. 7, 1838. Her parents, Peter and Margaret Hicks, were of French origin. Mrs. Simmons
was born Oct. 4, I819, in Lower Canada. The chil-!   dren born to her and her husband were eight in
number, viz.: Martha, Mary and William W. are
the names of the survivors. Miles, Warner, Samuel,
William (2d) and Jane deceased.
Mrs. S. is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, as was also her husband.


rrin A. Munn, merchant at Anderson
l (Washington Township), has been a resie dent of Sanilac County and township from
infancy. He became master of his own fortunes at the age of 20 years, and passed the
o1 years succeeding in various pursuits.
In 1879 he located in the village of Anderson,and
in i880 he formed an association with George Madison in mercantile business. The building in which
they operated was destroyed by fire in I88I, and in
the fall of that year their relations were dissolved.
Mr. Munn rebuilt the store and again established
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r4[#~~~~~~~~~ nimselI In trade. in rne summer o01 102 ne asso-                         ~
5A                                                   ciated John S. Sherman with himself, and the busi-:
~i -— 5 — -.ml -~~  'mC-+ ---             ness has since been carried on by their joint efforts. K;
In July, 1880, Mr. Munn was appointed Postmaster,
IX and has since discharged the duties of the position.
oseph Galbraith, farmer, section 30, Worth  He has been active in the general affairs of his
Township, is the son of Robert and Alice  township, and has officiated four years as Township
( Denniston) Galbraith. The parents were  Clerk, three years as Notary Public and a number of
natives of Ireland, and emigrated thence to  terms in the different school offices. He belongs to
Canada, where they passed the remainder of      the Masonic fraternity, and is a Republican in polititheir lives.                               cal sentiment.
Mr. Galbraith, of this sketch, was born in Ireland,  Mr. Munn was born Nov. 19, I852, in Cook Co.,.|
Oct. I, 1836. He was nearly II years old when he  Ill., whence his parents,Otis and Cordelia (Sherman)
accompanied his parents to Canada, where he lived  Munn, removed to Sanilac County within the same
until the spring of I88i.  He was there engaged in  year. They are natives respectively of Massachuagriculture, and at the date named he came to Sani-  setts and Pennsylvania. They resided some years
~ * a u0n 3        Ad2a A




:WaP'dl;::*4J ig.)6,: i IP':CiS i a-bnU pIf~3~ -   i  x\ A'- 4 b   i-( A t.f                        SAINILA C CO UNTY.                  i87
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IIN,e "74


in Cook Co., Ill., and since the date named have
been and still are living in Sanilac County. Their
family includes five children, Mr. Munn of this
sketch being the eldest.
His marriage to Rhoda J. Mattison occurred
March 25, 1877, at Port Sanilac. Her father, James
Mattison, was born in the State of New York, and
married Emma Heritage, who was born in England.
Mrs. Munn was born Dec. 23, 1853, in Sanilac
County. Of this marriage three children have been
born,-Herbert M., Emma C. and Bessie. The second child died when she was about a year old.
iles Simmons, farmer, section 26, Worth
Township, is the son of David and Emily:   (Hicks) Simmons, natives of Canada,
where they were married and spent many
years of their lives. In the fall of 1853 they
settled in Worth Township, where Mr. S. died,
in July, I879. Their family included four sons and
three daughters.
Mr. Simmons is the eldest child of his parents,
and was born Aug. 28, I839, in Hastings Co., Ont.
He received a fair education in the schools of Canada and Michigan, whither he accompanied his parents. In December, 186i, he enlisted in the ioth
Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf., in which he served three
years and two months. He received an honorable
discharge at Detroit, and returned to his father's in
Worth Township. In I867 he bought 40 acres of
wild land, to which he added 60 acres by later purchase. On this he has expended his energies and
efforts, until he has placed the entire track under
cultivation. The place is supplied with good farm
buildings and improvements generally, and is a valuable possession. He is a Republican of decided
type, and has served his townsmen in several official
capacities. He has been Justice of the Peace, and
is present Township Treasurer. He is a member
of Post H.H. Nims, G. A. R.
Mr. Simmons, junior, was married June i6, I866,
in St. Clair Co., Mich., to Mary A., daughter of John
and Eleanor (Waite) Losie. The parents were natives


of Canada, where the daughter was born June 30,
j838. David E., Sarah E. and Warner Blaine are
the children now included in the family of Mr. Simmons.




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0lSl Aeldon A. Englehart, farmer, section 27,
Washington Township, has been a resident
al$?     of Michigan since he was a lad. He be0~. Acame a citizen of Buel Township, in Sanilac
A    County, in 1863, where he lived about o1, years, operating as a farmer. In 1873 he sold
his place there and bought 80 acres of land, where
he has since lived. Half of the farm is now cultiva-ted. He is independent in political views, and has
served his generation in the capacities of Justice of
the Peace, School Treasurer, and, while a resident of
Buel, was Township Treasurer one year.
Mr. Englehart was born Dec. 13, i835. His parents, Peter and Margaret Englehart, were born in
Germany. They emigrated to the United States and
settled in the State of New York, where Mrs. E.
died. The father came to Michigan, whence he enlisted, at Detroit, as a soldier in the Mexican War in
1847, and died at Cincinnati on his way home. The
subject of this sketch was married at Croswell
(Davisville), Jan. 4, 1864, to Margaret A. Gaffney.
She was born Feb. 14, I844, in Ontario. An only
child died in infancy.


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icholas Wolfel, of the firm of Wolfel &
Saety, proprietors of the Lexington Flouring Mills, was born June 21, 1832, in Bohemia. He is the son of John and Elizabeth
(Wunderlig) Wolfel, and his parents were also
natives of Bohemia. He learned the trade of mill-:
wright in his native country, and in I852 emigrated
thence to the United States. He first located in
St. Clair Co., Mich., where he remained six years,.
working at his trade. At the expiration of that time
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( o    k    -        -ok-              "^v1n          B iti-      -- 7i-             - so,'! I88                                     SANILAC COUNTY.
be he came to Lexington, and formed an association       Oldfield. She was born in Sanilac County? with Charles Decker, in company with whom he           i86i.  Herbert 0., born June 13, i88i, ai;   erected a flouring mill of limited capacity. They   M., born April i6, 1884, are the only cl
conducted its interests together about nine years,    Mr. and Mrs. Hosmer.
e<  when Mr. Wolfel became sole owner and managed
]   his milling business singly four years. In 1873 he
formed his present connection with Gustave Saety.                 -                        4
The old mill was torn down and replaced by their


y, June 2,  *
nd Bessie   o,
hildren of:?S


present establishment, which has a capacity of 80
barrels per day, and is chiefly devoted to custom
work. The mill is located on three-fourths of an acre
AK  of ground. Mr. Wolfel owns a considerable amount: of village real estate, and is a member of the Masonic Order. He has been a member of the Village
Board several years. and has officiated as its Presi

dent; he has also served as Assessor of real estate.
His marriage to Barbara Snapp occurred at Port
Huron, Oct. i6, I859. She was born Jan. I, I839,
in Bavaria. Eddy, born Sept. 29, I86o, and Emily
) Louisa, born Feb. 4, 1863, are the children that have
been born of this union. The parents are communicants of the Episcopal Church.


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ulius A. Hosmer, merchant at Carsonville,
7 is the son of L. B. and Asenath I. (Cummings) Hosmer, natives respectively of
' Connecticut and New York. After their marriage they settled in the northern part of Ohio,
where Mrs. H. died: Mr. H. is still living.
They had 12 children.
Mr. Hosmer, of this sketch, is the i Ith in order of
birth, and was born Jan. 22, 1859, in Cuyahoga Co.,
Ohio. He received a good education in the common
and high schools. His mother died when he was
eight years old, and since that time the responsibility of self-maintenance has been upon himself.
In the fall of 1878 he came from the Buckeye State
to Sanilac County, and passed the time until the
spring of 1883 in clerking and teaching. At the
time named he built a store, where he established
his hardware business, in which he has since been
successfully engaged, having the only trade in that
line at Carsonville. He is a Republican in political
principles.
He was married June 2, I88o, at Port Sanilac, to
Ellen F., daughter of Henry and Mary (Ferguson)


k4. arvey W. Smith, M. D., physician and
a  surgeon, located at Carsonville, was born
X  "   Oct. 24, 1855, in Wentworth Co., Ont.
His parents, George F. and Mary (Rathbone)
Smith, are natives of Canada, and are still
residents of the Dominion.  They had four
children.
Dr. Smith is the youngest. He obtained a good
practical common-school education, and later studied at the High School at Coburg. He determined
on the profession of medicine as a vocation, and
passed the preliminary examination necessary to
enter upon the course of study prescribed in the
Trinity Medical College of Ontario. He matriculated at the Kingston branch, entering Trinity Medical School of Toronto, where he studied three years,
leaving that institution with first-class credentials.
He was admitted to a Fellowship in the Medical
Department of Trinity Medical School at Toronto,
and graduated with the degrees of M. B. at Toronto
University, M. D. and C. M. at Trinity College.
He passed successful examinations before the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, and
opened his career as a medical practitioner at Caledonia, Ont., in company with J. M. Forbes, M. D.,
with whom he continued in business one year. In
the spring of i88I he came to Sanilac County,
and located at Carsonville, where he has since
resided and established his business as a medical
practitioner. Dr. Smith is neutral in political views.
He is a member of the Masonic Order and belongs
to the Knights of Maccabees.
He was married in Ontario, Feb. 22, 1879, to
Phebe A., daughter of David and Mary A. Smith.
The parents are natives of Ontario, where the
daughter was born, April 21, 1854. Mrs. Smith
is a graduate from the Wesleyan Female College
at Hamilton. She is the mother of two children,
Reginald G. and Alpha C. She and her husband
are members of the Methodist Church.:


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ohn Beckton, farmer, located on section
W@ S  26, Flynn Township, was born Feb. 28,
'185 I, in Dumfrieshire, Scotland. When he
was I8 years old his parents emigrated to
America and became residents of Middlesex
Co., Ont., where they have since resided.
The first event in the life of Mr. Beckton, out of
the common routine of his youth and early manhood,
was his marriage to Anna E. Lodge, which occurred
May 9, 1878, in Middlesex Co., Ont. She was born
Jan I7, 1859, in England. She was I6 when her
parents removed from their native land to America,
and she remained with them in Ontario until her
marriage. Mary E. and George H. are the names of
the children which have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Beckton. The year following their union in wedlock,
they came to Michigan and located on a tract of 80
acres of land which Mr. Beckton had purchased the
previous year. He has placed 25 acres in fine tillable condition. In political sentiment he is in sympathy with the Republican party, but is not yet a citizen
of his adopted country. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
J ohn W. Cook, farmer, located on section
I  I6, Marlette Township, was born in Whitby, Ontario Co., Ont., May 2, i858. His
mother died a few days after his birth, and he
was under the care of his father until he was
I years of age, when he found himself under
the necessity of making exertions, not only for himself, but for the maintenance of his father. He began to operate as a farm laborer, receiving $1o per
month for six months. He was once more occupied
at home at the expiration of that period, and a short
time afterward set about making his own way in the
world in good earnest, and since that time has earned
his living without assistance. In 1878 he came to
Sanilac County and became a farm laborer for
Alvero Collins (see sketch), of Buel Township. Two
years later, he returned to Ontario and was there
married Nov. I9, i880, to Sarah, daughter of James


and Adaline (Drinkwater) Mills. Her mother is still
living, in Ontario. Her father died when she was
nine years old, and a little before that event she was
adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Ensign, of Ontario Co.,
Ont., with whom she lived until her marriage. Justus, born Jan. 30, 1883, and Nora, born Jan. 30,
1884, are the children that have been born to Mr.
and Mrs, Cook.
Soon after their marriage they came to Michigan
and Mr. Cook returned to the service of his former
employer, where he continued nearly a year. He
went thence to Lexington and operated as a farm assistant for Peter Genette. In the month of October, 1883, he came into possession of the property
which he now occupies, by bequest from his aunt,
Mrs. Orilla Bennett. It consists of oo00 acres of
land, mostly under advanced improvements, having
go acres in a finely cultivated condition. Mr. Cook
is in sympathy with the principles and issues of the
Republican party.. amuel Moore, farmer and breeder of stock,
resident on section 32, Moore Township,
was born Oct. 22, I842, in Brant Co., Burford Tp., Can., and is the son of James and
i Sarah (Kinsey) Moore. The father was born
in Canada, Oct. 24, I80o, and died Sept. 29,
1879. The mother was also born in the Dominion,
Aug. 15, i8i0, and yet resides there.
Mr. Moore left home when he was 15 years of age
and engaged in lumbering, in which he was interested
about i8 years, after which he bought a saw and
grist mill, and continued the business of a lumberman about the same length of time, when he sold
his property in Canada and settled in Sanilac County.
He became the proprietor of 70 acres of land, to
which he has added by later purchases until he
owns about 90o acres.  The farm is in first-class
condition, with large and well constructed barns and
dwellings.
Mr. Moore was married Sept. 19, I869, to Elizabeth S., daughter of Peter and Jane (Chant) Fox.
Her mother was born in 1827, in England, and died
Sept. i, ki88. The father was born in I817, in Canada, and died in 1856. The children of Mr. and
Mrs. Moore are five in number and were born as


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190                                SANILAC COUNTY.
_ --                            - --                                                                 { _
follows: William J., Aug. 21, 1870; Sarah J., May  He received his appointment as Postmaster of Mar-?
9, I872, died Sept. I, 1873; John P., Sept. 26, 1874;  lette in I869, during the first administration of PresiWildman A., Oct. I, 1879; Andrew S., Sept. II,   dent Grant. He is the owner of considerable real  i;
I883.                                            estate in the township of Marlette, which comprises
~"    In political connection Mr. Moore is a Republican.  about 700 acres of land with 250 acres under good
He has been Supervisor of his township two terms  cultivation. He is the senior member of the banking
and School Superintendent five terms.           firm known as McGill & Co., which was established
in 1882, with a capital of $ro,ooo. Mr. McGill has
worked his way to competency by the sure route of
industry and frugality, combined with correct judgm ohin McGillp, merchant and Postmaster at |ment and the sort of perseverance which always wins!
Marlet, ws bn A., 8, i      in a newly settled region possessing the resources of
'^  Hlir- Marlette, was born Aug. 18, 1825, in Scotthis section of the Peninsular State. He came to
\                            *r.                            >\r land, of which country his parents, Quentin  (tnis.e in f rnnn   with h~ S rtlhr nt hca nnlt
C'l I  a i1 I uI lloaI qyn v wt1111  lUl  as  lc   sy


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%r and Jeanette (Wilson) McGill, were also natives. They passed the entire course of their
lives in their native land, where the mother
died in I848 and the father in I872. Their children
were six in number-four sons and two daughters.
Mr. McGill is the youngest son, and resided in
Scotland until July, I845. He received a commonschool education, and at the date named came to
Canada. He spent two years in the Dominion, in
various places and variously employed, coming thence
to Detroit, where he spent a winter working at his
trade of shoemaking, which he had learned in his
native land.  He went next to Mt. Clemens in
Macomb County, and after a stay there of six months
proceeded to Romeo, a village in the same county,
where he resided nearly I8 years, devoting his time
to the prosecution of the shoe business. In the fall
of I866 he located at Marlette, where he built the
first grist and saw mill in this section of the county,


sufficient means to ensure a comfortable journey
there, having only his manly strength and purpose
and a knowledge of shoe-making. He is a Republican in political connection, but has never been an
aspirant to official prominence. He belongs to the
Masonic fraternity. His residence, which he began to
erect in the fall of 1882 and completed in the spring
of 1884, is one of the finest and most substantial in
this part of the county and is an ornament to the
place where it is located.
Mr. McGill was married March 8, 1849, in Almont, Lapeer Co., Mich., to Caroline, daughter of
Joshua (Goldthorpe) Smith. The parents were natives of England and the daughter was born in the
State of Connecticut Nov. 14, 1829. Flora E. and
William B. are the children which have been born to
Mr. and Mrs. McGill.


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in which enterprise he was associated with George -I
H. Fenner. The saw-mill was in running order in   o
the summer of I867, and the grist mill was ready for    eter Banks, farmer, section 26, Flynn Townbusiness at Christmas following. In the spring of  Si  ship, was born June 29, I846, in Caithness-  '
i868 he removed his family hither, and has since  |f   shire, in the north of Scotland, and is the
been engaged in the active prosecution of his busi- |   son of James and Georgiana (Sinclair) Banks,
ness interests. The mills first alluded to were both  both natives of Scotland.  He grew to manburned the spring after being built; the grist-mill was  hood among the Scottish "braes and tarns"
never rebuilt, but the saw-mill was immediately re-  and remained in his native land two years after he
erected. In I869 he disposed of his mill property, and  obtained his majority. He then emigrated to Amerestablished himself in trade. In I87I he again be-  ica, and for a time was a resident of Middlesex Co.,
~    came the proprietor of the mill interest he had  Can., coming thence to Lapeer Co., Mich., where he  ~-"
previously sold and continued its management in  remained but a brief period. He went next to Toconnection with his other business until 1883, when  ronto, Ont., where he was married July 14, I873, to  4
he leased it to other parties to secure opportunity to  Annie Nicholson, a native of Scotland and daughter
prosecute more effectively hlis other business interests.  of William and Isabella (Nichols) Nicholson.  She
--— (!I                     B'B  1 <    -   --— t                  ^    @A




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_  _ _ _ _


SA IVLA C CO UNT Y.


I91




A   was 22 years of age when she came with her two
f:i sisters to Canada, where she was married soon after.;' Mr. and Mrs. Banks have seven children, born in the? order named: Georgiana, June 28, 1874; James A.,:) July 9, i875; Margaret E., Sept. 16, 1876; Minnie.  C., May 24, 1878; Jessie, Sept. i6, 1879; Annie,
June i, I88i; William John, Oct. 28, 1882.
Soon after marriage, Mr. Banks rented a farm in
the township of Eckfried, Middlesex Co., Ont., where
he operated until his removal to Michigan, in October,
I 879, when he located on 80 acres of land in Flynn
Township, of which he became the proprietor by pur- chase. This has since been the home of the family,
A and there is now 35 acres of the place under creditable cvltivation. In political belief Mr. Banks favors
the views of the Republican element.  In religious
sentiment he and his wife are Presbyterians.
*x7s;     0i^ ohn L. Fitch, lumberman and farmer on
e    {J~_l_ section 25, Marlette Township, was born
V~1 a   March o1, i853, in Canada. He is the
l; g%  fourth child of Thomas and Margaret (Beacorn) Fitch (see sketch), and accompanied his
And \   parents to Sanilac County when he was about
four years of age. He has grown to man's estate in the
county where he now resides, and has interested himself in the calling common to this section of Michigan.  He has spent 14 winters in the various
details of lumbering, and has devoted the remaining
seasons of the years to the improvement and cultivation of i6o acres of land which he owns in Mar

years. The mother is 68 years of age and is a resident of Ontario.
Mr. Kerr was reared to the vocation of farmer,
and obtained a good education in the district schools.
He remained with his parents until he was 24 years
of age, when he was married to Tabitha E. Ervin.
She was born June 21, 1851, in Oxford Co., Can.,
and remained with her parents until her marriage. Her father and mother, Alfred and Anna E.
(Carroll) Ervin, were born in Ontario and Germany,
and descended from German and Irish parentage.
The father died about 1873, in Marlette, Mich.,when
he was 47 years of age. The mother resides in Marlette and is 53 years of age.  Eight children have
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kerr, in the following
order: Mary J., James D., Alfred A., Anna E., Joseph,
William G. and Ogle V. C.  At the expiration of
the first year of their marriage the parents removed
to the village of Marlette, then in its incipiency, where
they resided 12 years, the father being engaged in
farming. In i880 he exchanged his property for i60
acres of land, on which some improvements had been
made, on sections 7, 12 and i8, in Flynn Township,
of which he at once took possession and entered vigorously into the work of putting the property in firstclass condition. He now has 60 acres under the
plow. Mr. Kerr is a Republican in political connection and has held the minor offices in his township.
He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.
)Jl~.~lrancis A. Scribner, proprietor of the Elmer House, Elmer village, Moore Town-, ship, is the son of Solomon L. and Ursula
(Tibbetts) Scribner. The former was born June
6, I820, in London, Can. He is a mechanic
and worked as such while a resident of the
Dominion. He removed to Elmer in i882. The
mother was born Dec. I, I826, in the city of Montreal.
Mr. Scribner was born Dec. 9, I849, in Macomb
Co., Mich. He received a common-school education
and was an inmate of the paternal home until he was
26 years of age. He was then engaged in farmingin
St. Clair Co., Mich., and in the year 1876 he was
married to Laura L., daughter of George. H. and
Jelaina (Putnam) Dingman. She was born May 6,
1859, in Imlay City, Lapeer Co, Mich. Her parents


II,Ill,13


lette Township.    He has placed 75 acres in a
profitable and creditable condition. In political;i affiliation he is a Democrat.
illiam    W. Kerr, farmer, section 7, Flynn,I Arol, rTownship, was born Oct. 7, I843, in " Old
X, I^    Cambridge," Mass. His parents, Joseph and
I  Ann (Campbell) Kerr, were born respectively
*i   D    in Ireland and Scotland. The father was a
farmer, and when the son was but a few
Aie  months old the family removed to Huron Co., Ont,
where the senior Kerr was again engaged in that
pursuit until his death, Dec. 7, I883, at the age of 80
4 \-)-( 7
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z92                               SSA NILA C
are natives of Delaware, Can., where her father engaged in farming and lumbering. They now reside
in St. Clair Co., Mich., whither they removed in I87 I.
Mr. Scribner remained in St. Clair County four
years after his marriage, when he moved to Elmer
and embarked in the business which he has since
prosecuted. Three children are now included in the
family household, who were born as follows: Adelia
J., May 30, I877; Townsend T., Dec. 19, i879;
George L., July 6, i88r. Mr. Scribner is a Republican in political sentiment and connection, and has
officiated as Constable of his township since his rej moval hither.
ii


CO UNVTY.                                  /


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m'a 'I ellington Parker, Treasurer of Lamotte. Township, was born May 22, 1819, in
the township of Yarmouth, Elgin   Co.,
Can. He is the son of William and Nancy
'   Parker, and is of mixed Irish and German
descent. His paternal grandfather, John Parker,
was born in Cork, and married Mary Watson, a native
of the city of Dublin. They emigrated to Nova Scotia,
and after a short residence there went to Pennsylvania and settled on the banks of the Susquehanna
River, where they secured a proprietary claim of 200
acres of land, and also a title to an island in the
river, where they had a residence. The occupancy
of the island was a source of much discomfort at the
season of the year when the stream was swollen, and
often of danger, as the river rises sometimes with
great rapidity, and on more than one occasion the
family were in imminent peril, barely escaping with
their lives to the main land.  John Parker was a
Tory, and, disgusted with the result of the Revolution,
he abandoned his property and went back to Nova
Scotia. He removed thence to Canada, and settled
in Welland County, on the Chippewa River, thirty
miles from its mouth, where he remained until 1816,
when he removed his family to Elgin Co., Can., into
a dense wilderness. The trials and privations they
encountered may be estimated from the fact that
they were obliged to go 70 miles to mill. They carried their grain on their backs to the water's edge,
about a mile from their home, and placed it in a small
canoe, which they rowed to Port Ryerse in Simcoe. In


extreme eases the journey consumed a month, and
always required a number of days, as the weather
was variable without exception.  They were fre(quently obliged to land and shelter themselves under
their inverted boat. Both grandparents resided in
Yarmouth, until their deaths.  William Parker was
born in New Brunswick, in November, 1797.  He
accompanied his parents to Canada, and was married
in Welland County. His wife was of German descent.
She was born in Welland County in i8oo, and died
in Yarmouth, in January, 1877. Her husband was
a farmer, and died in the same place in May, i875.
Mr. Parker, of this sketch, remained at home with
his parents some years after attaining his majority.
He learned the trade of a blacksmith, which he pursued in his native county, and he aided in the support of his parents while he remained at home. He
was married Feb. 22, 1842, to Thyrza Fisher.  She
was born in Baden, Germany, and died Sept. I4,
1850, in Yarmouth, leaving five children, all of whom
survive and are residents of the Dominion.  Mary
Catherine married Edward Bailey.  Nancy Ann is
the wife of Samuel Edgecomb.  Edward married
Melissa Ryckman. Frances is Mrs. William Millman. Nelson married Sophia Miner.  Mr. Parker
was a second time married in October, 1852,to Mary
Bloom. She was the daughter of Sebastian and
Cecilla Bloom. Her parents were Germans and
emigrated to Canada. The daughter was born in
i831, her birth taking place on the Atlantic Ocean.
She died in June, 1864, after becoming the mother of
four children. Henry married Ida Ryckman, and resides in Malahide, Ont. Thyrza is deceased.  Wellington, Jr., is next in order of birth. Franklin married Anna Doherty and resides in Lamotte with his
father. Ida is the name of his little daughter. Mr.
Parker was a third time married in June, i866, to
Hannah Merritt, a native of Canada. She died on
the third anniversary of her wedding, and left one
child-Merritt.  Mr. Parker married Phebe Ann
Dennis, Feb. 13, I870. She was born in Toronto,
Canada.
When Mr. Parker was I8 years old the Patriot
War broke out in Canada, and he was conscripted
four times, in each instance without being drawn into
actual military drill, and the rebellion was suppressed
with no loss of life save that caused by the execution
of Bedford and others, who were officers and incited
others to resist the authority of the government of,*1
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Great Britain. (See sketch of Dr. S. W. Bedford.)
Mr. Parker was wholly in sympathy with the reform:  party, but saw no possible chance for the success of
the movement. He remained a resident of the Do<   minion until i88, when he came to Sanilac County,
and settled on I6o acres of land situated on sections
29 and 30, Lamotte Township.  It is a valuable
piece of real estate, conveniently situated, and he
and his two sons, Wellington and Frank, have placed
80 acres under advanced cultivation.  They took
possession of the place with courage, and during the
spring and summer of i88i accomplished a wonderful change. They built a good house and had fair
prospects of speedy prosperity when the ill-fated fifth
of September arrived. The air was thick and dismal with the smoke of the fires in adjacent townships,
and on that day it became a certainty in Lamotte.
The cinder blew from a piece of woods about 3o rods
from the dwelling of Mr. Parker and the house was
soon in flames. There was no help or relief, only to
' save life. Everything was parched from the long
c   continued dry weather. Mr. Parker and the children
^ found safety from the flanmes at a point some rods
from their home protected by a piece of woods which
did not take fire. Mr. parker stayed with his conv  suming house and managed to make a slight saving.
s He obtained breath by throwing himself flat on the
ground, face downward, his clothing frequently taking
fire. The details are told in full in another part of
this book.  Mr. Parker's loss was about $1,200.
He and his sons again set to work to re-establish
their fortunes, and have put the farm in valuable and
promising condition.  A suitable and convenient
I  house has been built, at an expense of $1,500, and
at this writing the fair fields are like gold with the
waiting harvest. The first shock of the sharp and
sudden loss having passed, time and effort have
brought reward that sheds a softer remembrance
over the sore affliction of Sept. 5, i88i.
Wellington Parker, Jr., was born Feb. 8, I857, in
Elgin Co., Can.  He has always lived with his
father, and is one of the substantial young men upon
'   whom is placed the hope and reliance for the future
development and prosperity of Sanilac County. They
are well founded in this instance, Mr. Parker possess14 ing the sturdy traits of perseverance and wholesome
judgment which characterize the nationalities from
i)  which he is descended. He and his brother Frank
have all the characteristics which develop men under


CO UNTY.                                   193
the fostering influences of a republican form of
government. Industrious, honest, intelligent and considerate, they have an assured future and their town
and county is fortunate in the promise of their citizenship. Father and sons are Republicans of no un-  e
certain type. Wellington is a member of the M. E.
Church. He has an excellent education, and in the
spring of I884 was elected School Inspector.. ---^.3j.^^|.W. 4 —,  r. James A. Watson, physician and sur_ _    geon, resident at Brown City, was born
%C'y Aug. 2, I862, in Greenwood Township, St.
Clair Co., Mich. His parents, William and
Ellen (Crocker) Watson, were natives of Ontario
and were farmers all their lives. They became
residents of Michigan about i850, settling in St. Clair
County. The father became a soldier in the Union
Army and died of disease at Murfreesboro, Tenn.,
after a year's service. The mother is a resident of
the township of Grant, St. Clair County.
J. A. Watson was scarcely beyond infancy when
his father died. His mother cared for and reared
him to the age of I6 years.. He became skilled in
agriculture and obtained a fair education in the common schools. When he was 17 years old, he became
a district school teacher, and a year later he entered
the Medical Department of the University at Ann
Arbor. He was graduated there in I883, and not
long after receiving the authority of the institution
he established himself as a practitioner at Brown
City. His business is already satisfactory, and he is
steadily advancing in the confidence and esteem of
his patrons. He is an adherent and supporter of
the principles of the Republican party.


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lansing D. Pitcher, agriculturist, located
on section 33, Moore Township, is the son
of Archibald and Hannah (Rock) Pitcher.
Ji  The father was born Feb. 5, i820, in Queens-  i
}   bury, Warren Co., N. Y., and died Jan. 28,
1882; the mother was born in Welland Co.,
Can., Jan. i8, 1823, and died March 8, I856, in the
Dominion.
Mr. Pitcher was born March 2, 1846, in Oxford,1(tl^     — ^y             -- nngg


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~a I! Co., Can. When he was 24 years of age he engaged
in threshing and saw-milling, alternating in their
pursuits until 1879, when he came to Sanilac County
and settled on the farm he has since conducted,
} which includes 40 acres of land, with 23 acres improved, and supplied with good buildings. He is in
prosperous circumstances, notwithstanding the fact
that he sustained a loss of $i,8oo by the burning of
his saw-mill, a quantity of logs, his barn, stables and
grain in the fire of I881.
In 1878, he was married to Sarah J., daughter of
James and Sarah (Chambers) Rounds. The father
was born in Staffordshire, Eng., and died March 9,
1882. The mother resides in Sanilac County. Mrs.
Pitcher was born Oct. 3, 1858, in Canada. Ada A.
and Clarence A., born respectively Oct. 18, 1879, and
Sept. 22, 1883, are the children of Mr. and Mrs.
Pitcher. The parents are members of the Independent Order of Good Templars, in which work
they are ardently interested.
*-  orris Rockwell, farmer, section i9, Flynn
|1i; 3   Township, was born Nov. 13, 1830, in
J        0'*' Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Conn. His parents, Charles and Sarah A. (Brotherton)
Rockwell, were also natives of the same section
of the "land of steady habits," Yankees by birth
but of a line of descent which originated in the
"land of the shamrock." The father was a farmer in
his native State, and in 1849 removed with his family
to Oakland Co., Mich., where the parents resided the
remaining portion of their lives; the demise of the
father occurred June 9, 1851, that of the mother, Oct.
i, 1882. Their family comprised ten children, all of
whom are still living, and eight of them are residents
of the Peninsular State.
Mr. Rockwell is the eldest son and second child of
his parents. He was reared to the vocation of farming, and obtained a reasonably fair education in the
common school. He was 19 years of age when his parents became residents of Michigan, and he remained
under their control until the period of his majority.
He then entered upon the contest of life in his
own behalf, engaging at first as a common laborer on
a farm. He continued to operate in that manner until his marriage, Dec. io, 1862, in Washtenaw Co.,




Mich., to Eunice Eaton. She was born in that county,
and was the daughter of Hosea Eaton. She died in
her native county May 29, I865. Mr. Rockwell was
again married Jan. i., 1868, in Oakland Co., Mich.,
to Mary E. Beaumont, daughter of Francis and
Maria (Rosebone) Beaumont.   Her parents were
natives respectively of England and New York, and
of English and German descent. They are still living in Oakland County, and are actively engaged in
farming. They are aged 74 and 70 years.  Mrs.
Rockwell is the eldest daughter of her parents, whose
family included nine children. She is the fourth in
order of birth and was born in Highland, Oakland
County, Aug. 26, 1845. She was reared and educated
in her native county. Five children are now included
in the household of Mr. Rockwell, who were born as
follows: Charles G., April 7, r870; Walter L., Sept.
16, 1872; Elsie, June 28, 1874; Elmer A., Jan. 24,
I880; Harry H., June 25, 1883.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. R. remained two years
on a farm in Oakland County, and in December, 1875,
they removed to Sanilac County and entered a claim
of 142 acres of land on section 19 of Flynn Township. To this they have added 40 acres by later
purchase. The place is now in prosperous condition,
with 40 acres under the plow and a fine young
orchard. It is supplied with a good house and suitable farm buildings. In social standing the family
rank with the community of which they are members,
and they are an influential element in the local matters of the township. Mr. Rockwell is a Republican
and has been Justice of the Peace eight years.
-- *i @^^^i^^I^^^
allace B. Brooks, merchant at Novesta
Evergreen Township, was born Dec. 14,,      i8 1848, in Canada, and is the son of Henry
and Ann (Reynolds) Brooks, both of whom
were born in Troy, N. Y., the former in 1813,
the latter in 1821. The father is a farmer near
Memphis, Macomb Co., Mich.
At the age of 14 years, Mr. Brooks became an assistant in a bakery and confectionery establishment,
in which he was employed two years. He was 16
years old when he became steward on a boat which
plied on the river St. Lawrence, called the "Butcher
Boy," and he operated thereon five seasons. At the


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'Ef opening of the next he bought a half interest in the
schooner " John F. Warner," and engaged in shipping;  grain and lumber between the ports of Milwaukee
and Buffalo, and from Saginaw to Cleveland. In
1872 the schooner was sunk in the lake off Kelly's
Island, and Mr. Brooks lost his entire investment.
He next engaged in teaming in the city of Cleveland,
until he could better himself, when he embarked in
real-estate traffic, in which he was interested five
years. He then became interested in agriculture
t and engaged in farming on Mentor Avenue. A year
i later he sold the place and came to the section of
Sanilac County where he is now operating, and established his mercantile interests, which he has sirce
prosecuted with reasonably satisfactory results. He
is an adherent to the principles of the National
Greenback party, and has been School Officer of the
district in which he lives. He belongs to the Knights
of Pythias and to the Order of Orangemen.,.
bh nars D      ill,  erchant at Elmer, Moore
e in L       Township,was orn March 5, M   in
engagd twJackson Co. Mewich.   His father, Hiram
emb    d inlls, was born ins 809, and his mother,
longs to the Republican element in political connecHe Emmaeline (Burden) Mills, was born in 1827,
both natives of Delaware Co., N. Y.  They reside in Lynn Township, St. Clair Co., Mich.
Mr. Mills obtained a substantial and available education, and when he was 20 years old began his;  active career as a teacher, in which capacity he was
i   r engaged two years.  Meanwhile his parents had removed to St. Clair County, and he proceeded thither
ad iterested hisel f States of N   Yr and bee-cultue treo which he devoted five years.  In 1883 he
i embarked in mercantile business at Elmuer. He belongs to the Republican element in political connec-:   tion.
He was married in 1882 to Mary L. Lovejoy. She
was born Aug. 20, I859, in St. Clair Co., Mich., and
is the daughterof William P. and Emmeline (War< ren) Lovejoy. The parents of Mrs. Mills are natives
K   respectively of the States of New York and Vermont.
~   In the early days of their marriage they removed to


) UNTY.                                          95
Macomb Co., Mich., and afterwards to their present V
location in St. Clair County.
Leroy, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Mills, was born;is:
March 22, 1884.
I   t< Q  -i|i —        ^^^                 |




homas Welch, farmer, section 19, Flynn
Township, was born Feb. 24, 1819, on the
/     L, Grand River, in Chatham, Province of
Lower Canada, and is the son of William and
Mary Welch. His parents moved to Upper
Canada when he was 12 years old,'and at the
age of 17 he came to Chicago and Galena, Ill., where
he spent 12 years.  He was employed about I4
years in the lead mines at the latter place, afterwards
returning to Canada. He was married at Malahide,
Ont., Oct. 20, 1850, to Mary Brooks, a native of that
place, where she was born Jan. 6, 1829.  Eleven
children have been born of her marriage, four of whom
are deceased. They were named Mary G., Charles,
Daniel, Walter, Alma, Catherine E., Levi, Junius,
Andrew, Ellen and Laura. The four last named are
deceased. Mr. Welch was a resident of Elgin Co.,
Can., after his marriage about 20 years, and operated
as a farmer on o00 acres of land of which he was the
proprietor. He removed thence to Lambton County,
where he remained until 1882. He owned 70 acres
of land, and at the date named he disposed of his
property by sale and came to Flynn Township, where
he purchased 80 acres of land situated on sections
i8 and 19, and where he has since been vigorously
and successfully engaged in improving his farm. He
is a Republican in political sentiment.


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enjamin Gamble, "mine host" of the
g|ff l Brown City Hotel, was born Sept. 6, 1851,
JA.    in Dundas Co., Ont. His father was a
farmer, and died at the age of 47 years, when
the son was but three years old, and he continued to reside with his mother until he was
i8 years old. At that age he began life on his own
responsibility, and operated for a few years as a cornmon laborer. He had a brother in Montreal, whom
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196         SANILAC COUNTY..
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he joined there and assisted in his business by driving a team. He was employed five years. His marriage to Mary A. Morris occurred in Huron Co., Ont.,
June 28, I875. She was born June 3, I854, in Oxford Co., Ont. Her parents are in advanced years
and reside in this township. After their marriage"
Mr. and Mrs. Gamble located at Grand Bend, Ont.,
where they resided until December, 1879, when they
came to Michigan and engaged in agriculture two
years in Lapeer County. In January, I883, they
came to Brown City and purchased the hotel property
which they have since managed, belonging then to
Isaac Swan. They have been successfully engaged
and have more than doubled their hotel facilities.
The establishment is comfortably furnished and
equipped, with a capacity for accommodating 30
guests.  Mr. Gamble also owns an improved lot
within the village limits.
ames S. Denton, farmer, section o10, Moore
~.   K 'Township, is the son of Darius and Electa
1l     (Lynch) Denton, both of whom were na'/  tives of the State of New York.  The former


The children of Mr. and Mrs. Denton were born
as follows: Jennie E., Oct. 30, I871; May, Aug. I8,
i874; Cecil C., Oct. ii, I883.  The parents a:e
members of the Congregational Church.
ichard Pearson, farmer, section 4, Moore
Towniship, was born Oct. 6, I853, in Whit&^ >~~  by Township, Canada. He is the son of
'   Bartholomew and Emily J. (Hudson) Pearson.
The parents were born respectively in Yorkshire, England, and County Wexford, Ireland.
They now belong to the agricultural class of Sanilac
County.
When he was i8 years old, Mr. Pearson left home
to make his own way in the world, and spent six
years as a lumberman and saw-mill assistant.  In
the fall of 1860 he came to Sanilac County with his
parents, and in I875 he was married to Addie M.
Pope. She was born Oct. 17, 1857, in Oceana Co.
Mich., and is the daughter of Alfred and Nancy J.
(Brown) Pope. The former was born July I, I830,
in London, Eng. He was a sailor in early life and is
now a carpenter and joiner by trade.  The mother,,roc hnrn Tlinr T. Ta7 1i i rnfiltA NT V Cnp h1ilA


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'      s j  was bor n n 809, and died June 18, I882; the  VVd; uVIJI JU1   IV I /7 t11 LJiLUW114U 1..-  I 11..11. U a
latter was born in 1815, and resides in Memphis,  has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Pearson: Lillian, June
J  M aconib Co., Mich.                             6, 1879.  Mr. P. is a Republican, and has been
Macomb Co., Mich.
Mr. Denton was born Aug. 24, 1845, in  acomb ustice of the Peace and School Moderator.  Mrs.
Co., Mich. He passed the years of his minority in  Pearson is an artist in taste and practice and exhibits
Co.,, Mich. He passed the years of his minority in
the home of his parents, and on reaching the period fine results of her ski and genus
of his legal freedom he engaged in farming in his
own behalf and for his father also.  His marriage
occurred in I867, when Miss Celia Canfield became |
~   his wife. She was born Dec. 27, I845, in the town-.   homas H. Mahaffy, farmer, section 9, Flynn  -
ship of Columbus, St. Clair Co., Mich., and is the       Township, was born July 26, I85I, in
daughter of C. R. and Mary A. (Palmer) Canfield,         County Armagh, Ireland.  His parents,
natives of Connecticut. The mother was born in..   William and M. A. Mahaffy, were also natives
1817, the father in 1821. Mr. Canfield was a lawyer   of the " Green Isle," where they passed their
by profession and Was appointed Revenue officer by    entire lives. When he was 23 years of age he
President Johnson.                              came to America and at first located in Ontario,
c(-   Mr. Denton came to Sanilac County in I880 and  Dominion of Canada. He went thence to Romeo,
settled on 80 acres of land, on which he has since  Macomb Co., Mich., where he entered the employ  i
resided and which is in a well-improved condition.  of E. W. Giddings, a banker of that place. He came
He is a Republican in political faith and action. He  to Sanilac County in the fall of I879, and purchased,
has been School Inspector, and in 1884 was elected  the property where he has since resided and operated,
c. to his present office of Highway Commissioner. He  as a farmer, on i60 acres of land. He has cleared  ()
is a member of Memphis Lodge, No. 142, F. &A. M.  and improved about 20 acres.,,"_ *.....-..^:
\8                                                                         tPI.~~__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _












SANILA C CO U T;  < t Y.
SANILA C CO UNTY.


199... _


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Mr. Mahaffy was married May 17, 1882, in Marlette, to Rebecca Murphy.  She was born in Ireland, March 1 2, 1864, and came to this country when
she was i6 years old. Arthur is the name of the
only child of Mr. and Mrs. Mahaffy. The parents
are members of the M. E. Church, and Mr. M. is a
D)emocrat in political belief.
L^ ^Alrthur Carson, proprietor of the Carson
House at Sandusky, and merchant and
lumberman at Carsonville (of which he is the
founder), was born Oct. 24, 1820, in County
Down, Ireland. He belongs to the active,
hardy race known as Scotch-Irish, his parents, Samuel and Alice (Quinn) Carson, having both been
born in Ireland of parentage belonging to that class
in the north of that island. His father died in the
city of Belfast, in 1858, at the age of 62 years; and
his mother went to England subsequently to her husband's death, and in i880, when go years of age, set
out for America. She is now a resident of the home
of her son, and is 94 years old. She is in comparatively firm  health and remarkably active in her
habits.
Mr. Carson is the only child of his parents. He
remained at home until he was i6 years of age, and
was reared to the craft of a stone and brick mason.
In i850, he came to the United States and located
in Ravenna, Portage Co., Ohio, where he first obtained
employment in his calling, working on the railroad
bridges of the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad in that
State. He next became an assistant in the glass
factory at Franklin Mills (now Kent), in the same
county, and six months later he proceeded to Summit County, in the Buckeye State, where he worked
at his trade. Later he was similarly employed in the
city of Cleveland.
He made his first entry into Lexington Oct. 4,
i85I.  Sanilac County was then in its swaddling
clothes.  Lexington was conspicuous for its " unsettled" condition and contained but three places of
business, with its buildings all in the crudest condition. Port Sanilac rejoiced in the expressive cognomen of Bark Shanty. (The place was organized by
William Austin, vho conferred its present name.)
Mr. Carson pre-empted 40 acres of land in the


vicinity of Lexington, his first property in the Penin-;
sular State, and in 1853 he located 120 acres of land
at the head of Black River, 20 miles northwest of
Lexington, and nine miles from Bark Shanty, where
were the nearest inhabitants. Those on the west
were 40 miles distant. There were no highways,;
and hardly a trail, save for short routes. Indians
and wild beasts were abundant and Mr. Carson car-  i
ried on quite an extensive traffic in furs with his
copper-colored neighbors. He also managed a place
of public entertainment, which he established soon
after he located.  In I864, he built a hotel and
founded a general mercantile establishment at the
point now known as Carsonville, which name was;
conferred in i879, when the village was platted and
intersected by the Port Huron & Northwestern Rail-!
road. Mr. Carson is still the proprietor of a large
amount of property in the village, and owns 520 acres  i
of land, lying one mile from its limits. The present
Mrs. Carson holds a title to a considerable amount
of property at Sandusky, which includes a large hotel
and several village lots. She owns also 240 acres ofy
wood land in the immediate vicinity.
The first marriage of Mr. Carson occurred Dec. 5,
I848, to Martha Crorey, in County Down, Ireland.
She was a daughter of John and Jane (Harrison)
Crorey. Her mother died in Ireland, in 1845, and
her father died in Ohio. The first wife of Mr. Carson was born Jan. I, I832, in County Down, Ireland,
and died at Carsonville, Nov. i6, 1869. She was a
member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Carson's
second marriage, to Jane Cowen, occurred in the
city of Detroit. She was born in County Tipperary,  a
Ireland, in June, 1840, and is the daughter of Edwin  I
and Triphenia (Clark) Cowen, both of Irish birth.
The father died in Ontario, Can., aged 66 years; the
demise of her mother occurred in Sanilac County,
when she was 65 years old. The family came to
this country in I849, and settledin Ontario. In i856
they located in Michigan. Of seven children born
to Mr. and Mrs. Carson, two are deceased. Martha
J. was born July 24, I871; Alice, Feb. 6, 1875; Arthur, June 3, 1877; Mabel, March i6, 188I; Ezra
C., June 3, I883. The deceased children were sons
and died in early infancy. The parents are mem-:
bers of the Established Church of England.
Mr. Carson has been prominent in public life:
since he identified his fortunes with those of Sanilac (:7
County. He has officiated 22 years as Justice of
o~ii~~~V MmX '?
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*  ^  ^ ---




200                                  SAN[ILAC COUNTY.:
X   the Peace in Washington, Bridgehampton and Water-  Methodist Episcopal Church. He and Mr. Coon, a  v
town Townships, and is the incumbent of that posi-  neighbor, were the first to hold a prayer-meeting at
I   tion in the latter. He has been Supervisor in the  Elmer City.
I  two first-named, and has discharged the duties of   Mr. and Mrs. Legear have become the parents of.   numerous minor offices. He is a Democrat in polit-  i  children, ten of whom are yet living, namely:
'   ical connection, and a member of the Masonic     Mary J., Barbara, Jacob A., William N., John F.,
Order. He became connected with the fraternity in  Jeannette L., Walter R., Edwin, George E. and
his native country, and now belongs to the blue   Bertie F. Margaret is deceased. Barbara is now
lodge, No. 231, at Port Sanilac.  He is a member  the wife of Walter Hyslop, of Elmer (see sketch);
of the Commandery at Lexington, and is connected  Mary J. is the wife of the Rev. J. G. Falls, of the
with the Order of Knights Templars at that place.  London (Ontario) Conference.
The record of Mr. Carson in Sanilac County
entitles him to a position in the collection of portraits of prominent citizens in the COUNTY ALBUM.
He is widely known through his business interests,
and through the relations of his past active life will       J. Sloat merchant at Marlette, was
be remembered as a prominent factor in the history         born n Canada    He was in early youth
of the county.                                  Ilt m   N when his parents, Geo. W., and Sarah
Of\t (Best) Sloat, removed from Canada and settled in Sanilac Co., Mich. The father was a  fE.,,.:.,L: ',:t"E., "I L_,z-7 ~,  [ native of Canada, and died when his son was
ji ttz8't ^f/nilt                    n~17~~i~~1C nes iroorre zo1S  7rl~~~  ra thn4re ni   s;.r -- ri1   AA.R
dL)()tIC llllt: year olu.  one  otner was  native o


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obert Legear, farmer, section 9, Elmer
Township, was born in Limerick, Ireland,
and came to America with his parents
"   when he was 13 years of age. The family
settled at St. Mary's, Ontario. He was
brought up on his father's farm, where he remained until he was 25 years of age. He passed
the succeeding two years in varied occupations, and
was united in marriage, Aug. 29, 1854, to Jane
Stephens, of Ontario. She is of mixed Scotch and
English descent, and was under the care of her parents until her marriage.


atuuLLL, inne ycats uiu.  I 11n IULIIClL was a nIaLive oi
New York.
Soon after the death of his father, Mr. Sloat began
the warfare of life, working as he could for the first
few years to obtain a livelihood.  He was variously
occupied until he was i8 years of age. On the outbreak of the Southern Rebellion, he became deeply
interested in the issues which involved the nation,
and he resolved to enter the war.   He enlisted
Oct. 8, I86r, in the ioth Mich. Vol. Inf., and remained in active service until July 19, I865. In the
campaign of I864, he was in the field and under fire
PVPrv dln canv tepn fnr fnilr n-nl-tlhc ho hlincr nn the


-- --- -n~-_                         rrrl   _ OCLV%, LJLl)  L vu1  -IVIIL C UU- L U1 Cll; V1
Mr. and Mrs. Legear came to Niles, Mich., soon   skirmish line. He passed the entire period without  I
a  after their marriage, where they lived three years,  harm from the chances of war, but was injured near ~i:
A after which they went to Huron Co., Ont., and re-  Columbia, Tenn., by a wagon passing over his foot, Y'
mained there resident 15 years. At the end of that  the casualty causing a disability which laid him up
time they came to Elmer Township, in Sanilac     for four months. On receiving his discharge after
County. Mr. Legear purchased his homestead of 8o  the war closed he returned to the home of his mother
acres, which was then in a wholly wild state. He  in St. Clair County, where he became interested in
has improved 35 acres, and is still continuing his  lumbering, operating one year on the river and in the
efforts on the place. He was the possessor of little  woods. At the end of that time he engaged in mersave his manly vigor and determination to succeed  cantile affairs in Lapeer County, and continued to
'    in establishing his family in a comfortable and cred-  manage his business there two years.,
itable home.  In this he has achieved a success    Selling out his commercial interests, in the fall of
which reflects a large degree of credit on his manage-  1870, he came to Marlette, where he established him- ^
A    ment and judgment. In political connection he is a  self in similar pursuits, which he carried on until the(
Republican. He and his wife are members of the   spring of i871. He proceeded to Bay City, where
--—,-^^-my ----Xu0Dv~s~,    Jo~




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SANI7AC COUNTY.           201 t
2oz l,


he operated three years as a salesman in a store, returning in 874 to Marlette. He leased the Rush
il House, which he conducted one year, before selling
his interest therein. His next employment was in
t the saw-mill of John McGill.  For several years
he was variously occupied, until February, I884,
when he opened a store which he has since continued
to manage.
Mr. Sloat was married Aug. 13, i868, at Almont,
Lapeer Co., Mich, to Harriet C. Hewitt. She is a
native of Almont, and has become the mother of five
children, one of whom is deceased-Amos Grantwho died when he was eight months old.  Minnie
L., Grace H., Edith M. and Ollie are the names of
the surviving children.
Mr. Sloat is a man who has made his way in the
world despite adverse circumstances. The question
of self-maintenance absorbed his time and abilities
to the exclusion of all chances of obtaining an education in early life, but, being possessed of practical
habits of observation and reflection, he made ample
amends in the culture he was able to acquire at a
later period. In political faith he is a staunch Re( publican.
j     l1vin  P. Boughner, farmer, section 34,
J  M,>~ s Maple Valley Township, is of mixed Engb lish and German ancestry, and was born
April 29, I846, in Norfolk Co., Ont. He was
an inmate of the paternal home until he was
20 years old, when he came to St. Clair Co.,
Mich.. and engaged in the labors of a farm assistant
for a time, after which he worked at his trade of carpenter, to which he had been trained in his native
county.
He was married in St. Clair County, Sept. 13,
r87, to Phebe Brooks.  She was born Sept. I9,
I853, in the province of Ontario, and accompanied
her parents to Michigan when she was 13 years old.
Soon after marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Boughner settled
in Sanilac County, on a farm of 80 acres, which the
husband purchased the previous year. The wife and
mother died April 28, i880, on the homestead, leav~i  ing four children-Alberta L., Andrew A., William E.
and Floyd. The second marriage of Mr. Boughner:, occurred Oct. 5, I882, at Brockway Center, St. Clair


I   - - - -- -




Co., Mich., to Eleanor Bullock. She was born July
19, I855, in Elgin Co., Ont. Her parents became
residents of Michigan when she was 11 years old,
and she was under their guidance until her marriage.
Mr. Boughner is a Republican in political affiliation; has been Justice of the Peace four years and
officiated in the minor local offices. He has discharged the duties pertaining to the school offices of
his district. He is a progressive farmer and has
cleared and otherwise improved 50 acres of his farm.
t |'~ ~3harles J. French, Postmaster at Sandusky,
" F and Treasurer of Watertown Township,
'  was born Dec. I3, 1844, in the township of
Whitchurch, York Co., Ont., and is the son of
William J. and Mary (Johnson) French. The
parents were born in the Province of Ontario.
The father was a farmer, and in 1853 removed his
family and business interests to Worth Township,
Sanilac Co., Mich., where he pursued the same vocation about 17 years, then removed to Macomb County; he died in that county in I879. The mother
died there in I876. Their family included 13 children-seven sons and six daughters; four of the
former and four of the latter are now living.
Mr. French is the oldest child of his parents. He
first came to Michigan when he was eight years of
age, with his grandparents. A year later he joined
his parents. He spent the years of his minority in
obtaining a substantial education, and on attaining
his legal freedom he operated through two seasons
as a farm laborer in Macomb County. He resumed
his attendance at school, becoming a pupil in the
edacational institutions at Romeo. He next engaged
in teaching, and followed that vocation one year in
Lapeer County. He passed the ensuing three years
in the same calling in Sanilac County, and in 1873
went to the Business College of Bryant, Stratton &
Goldsmiths, at Detroit, to fit himself for active business life. He completed a full course of study there,
and in 1874 obtained employ in the Register's office
at Lexington, then the county seat of Sanilac County.
His next engagement was as book-keeper in the employ of Moss, Mills & Gaige, lumbermen and realestate dealers at Davisville, now Croswell.  The
name was changed at the instigation of Mr. French.


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SAIALAC COUNTY.


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j After operating in their employ four years, he entered;: that of C. W. Arnot, in the same capacity. A year
at later he came to Sandusky to manage the lumber interests of his former employers, Messrs. Moss, Mills
& Gaige. When the question of the location of the
county seat became prominent, Mr. French exerted
all his energies to secure its being fixed at the geographical center of Sanilac County. Soon after, he
was appointed Postmaster and has since retained the
position. He conducts the affairs of the office in
{  connection with a stationery store, and is also the
manager of the Telephone Exchange. Mr. French
is a Republican in political connection, and has always been active in public life in the different sections where he has resided. He was Superintendent
of Schools at Lexington, has been Treasurer of
Watertown Township four terms and officiated in
numerous minor offices. He belongs to the Knights
of Maccabees.
He was married June i, i875, at Lexington, to
' Arabella T. Miller. She was born Aug. rI, 1852, in
Ontario, Canada, and when one year old accompanied her parents, Bernhard and Sarah (Johnson)
Miller, to this county. Of this union, two children
have been born, as follows: Homer B., March 27,
I876, and Marion E., June 29, I877. Mrs. French
belongs to the Episcopal Church.
eorge Notley, farmer, section 34, Marlette
~ ^^^I eorge Notley, farmer, section 34, Marlette.I      Township, is a native of Ireland, which
was also the birth-place of his parents,
Phinneas and Phebe (Wilson) Notley, and where
they passed their entire lives. At the age of
25 he emigrated from the land of his nativity,
where he had been engaged in agriculture, to America, which seemed to his hopeful imagination to be
the land where the inherent ambitions common to
humanity could be attained. He spent three years
in the State of New York. In the fall of i859 he resolved to test the reputed agricultural possibilities of
the Lake State, and came to Sanilac County, where
he entered a claim of i60 acres of unimproved land,
which had been placed in market subject to the conditions of the Graduation Act. He -has since disposed of a considerable portion of this claim, and is
now the owner of 85 acres in Sanilac County, of


which ten acres are improved and under cultivation.
Mr. Notley has been a useful and active member
of the community to which he belongs, and has responded to the call of his fellow townsmen in the
conscientious discharge of the duties pertaining to
the offices of Township and School Treasurer, serving in the first capacity five years and in the last
three years. He is independent in political faith
and action.
His marriage to Jane Walker occurred in Lapeer
Co., Mich., Sept. 19, 1856.  Mrs. Notley is the
daughter of William and Ann (Keyes) Walker, and
was born in Canada, Feb. I, 1835. The family circle
includes two adopted children-Lavinia and Jeremiah.;5  avid Mitchell, farmer, section 16, Maple
dt1'l   Valley Township, was born in August,
tcl'   I837, in the county of Wentworth, Ont.
j t His parents, James and Elizabeth (Brown)
Ct    Mitchell, were born and married in Scotland,
and emigrated to Canada in 1853. The
father became a farmer in the county where the son
was born, and died there in November, 1868, aged
68 years. The mother, at the age of 85 years, is still
living on the family homestead. Eight of eleven
children, of which she has been the mother, are deceased.
Mr. Mitchell is the seventh in order of birth of the
children born to his parents, and he was a member
of the paternal household until he was 26 years of
age, when he was married, in Flamborough Township,
in his native county, to Janet Nicklin, eldest daughter of Richard and Helen (Caldwell) Nicklin. The
event took place Dec. 30, I863. The parents of
Mrs. Mitchell were natives, respectively, of England
and Scotland, and came to Canada in early youth.
They were married in Wellington County in the
Dominion, and removed to Wentworth County, where
the father is still actively engaged in farming and
lumbering; he is 74 years old. The mother died in
I859, at the age of 38 years. Mrs. Mitchell was born
Nov. 3, 1846, in Wentworth County.   She was
reared to womanhood in her native place and secured a fair education in the better class of schools,
to which she had access. She has become the


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mother of four children: Richard N. was born Oct.
29, i864; James E., Aug. 6, 1867; David R., Aug.:7, 1872; Lavinia 0., Dec. I3, 1875.
On the occurrence of his marriage, Mr. Mitchell
located on 103 acres of land, willed to hinm by his
father in the county where he was born. With the
exception of nine months, during which he was a
resident at Galt, Waterloo County, in the Dominion,
he lived on and managed this farm, until his removal to Michigan, in February, I879. He settled
upon his present estate, which comprised 160 acres,
with some improvements, of which he became the
proprietor by purchase. He is a thorough-going and,practical farmer, and has 75 acres of his farm in a
finely improved and cultivated condition, and supplied with a good stock and grain barn of recent construction. He is a Republican in political adherence.
Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are ardent members of the
Church of Christ or God. Mr. Mitchell has given
I up his farm to his sons and is now engaged in manufacturing wooden pumps. He takes the greatest
care to make a good pump, using only the best
material.
~.           ~k-,<. - - o<4()(((0a))) >o <-)-.)i    hilip H. Learn, farmer, section 7, Marlette
i  l Township (town 1 I), was born in Yarmouth,
'i v/  Elgin Co., Ont., May 8, 1836, and is the
i|'- son of John and Catherine (Collver) Learn.
|   His paternal grand-parents were natives of
Germany, and became residents of America a few
years previous to i8oo, as nearly as can be ascertained. His grandfather was an officer in the British
army in the war of 1812, and was killed at the battle
of Lundy's Lane, or Niagara, as it is more commonly
designated. Six officers were riding along and he
was shot from behind by a spy: some thought it was
by one of his own men. John Learn, born Jan. I8,
1797, was in the same service as a private, and
fought for the king of Great Britain during the entire
course of the war. After its close he bought a farm
in Malahide, Ontario, on which he resided four
years. He removed thence to Yarmouth, where he
became the proprietor of 240 acres of land by purchase. He remained a resident of Yarmouth until
'    I872, when his house and nearly all its contents were
destroyed by fire. He had purchased 550 acres of
\  land besides his original claim, which he had dis-.rI


tributed among his sons. They were all established i
in comfort and independence, and, on the occurrence
of the misfortune referred to, he removed to St.
Thomas. His death took place in that city in i882,
when he had attained the ripe age of 85 years.
Catherine (Collver) Learn, his wife, was born Aug. t
30, 1799, in Townsend, Norfolk Co., Ont. She was
and is a woman of sterling character, possessing the
traits most valuable in pioneer life. She and her
husband were among the first settlers of Yarmouth,
where they lived more than 50 years. That section
was infested by the Indians of the "Six Nations,"
and were at times troublesome to a degree that required the exercise of unusual bravery and deter- )
mination. She became the mother of nine children
-George, Andrew McF., Jane, Lyman W., John,
Edwin V., Philip H., Charles 0. and Catherine E.
Lyman, Jane and Catherine are deceased. Mrs.
Learn is still living at Port Stanley, Ont. Her parents, Jabez and Anna Collver, were born in New
York, whence the families of each removed to Can- '
ada. They were married in Townsend, settled there
on a farm, and after a residence there of some years =
went to Yarmouth, where they were members of the t
agricultural community. Mr. Collver died there. =
His wife became a member of the family of his;
daughter, Mrs. Learn, and died in Yarmouth at the
age of 83 years
Mr. Learn of this sketch is the seventh child of
his parents, and the sixth son. In early life he obtained a common-school education, and acquired a
thorough knowledge of practical farming, which has
been the business of his life. On attaining to the
period of his legal independence, he acceded to the
possession of 80 acres of land, by deed of gift from i
his father, and he afterwards increased his estate by:
the purchase of 30 acres additional. He applied
himself to the improvement and cultivation of his
property in Yarmouth until April, 1878, when.he
sold it and came to Michigan. He settled on his
present homestead, located as stated, which includes
160 acres. At the date of its purchase it was under
partial improvements, and at this writing II5 acres
are in a most creditable and valuable condition.
The industry, skill and judgment exercised by Mr.
Learn in the improvement and management of his '
farm place him among the leading and prominent,
agriculturists of Sanilac County. He is an earnest (
zealous Republican.


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204                                   SAA7nLAC COUNTY.                                            bt
~1t   He was married Feb. 19, 1856, in Elgin Co., Can.,  Sanilac County, where he began to operate as a lamV to Sarah Smith, the eldest daughter of Rev. Abram  berman. He went thence to Oakland County, where
S. Smith, a preacher of the Baptist denomination. He  he spent two years as a farm laborer. Meanwhile,
was born in 1819, in Charlotteville, Norfolk Co., Ont.,  he was married in Detroit, Jan. 8, 1861, to Bridget
(  and was married in 1836 to Jane, daughter of Hosea  Foley. She was born about the year 830 in County
and Rachel Ann (Stull) Baker.  Mrs. Smith was    Kerry, Ireland, and was 20 years of age when she left
born in Yarmouth in i8i8 and died in I875. Elhven  the Green Isle. She landed at New Orleans. Later on
children were born to her, are all living and in pros-  she went to Cincinnati, where she spent a year, going
perous circumstances, save one. They are named  thence to Columbus, Ohio. Two years later she
Hosea B., Joseph J., Sarah, Rachel A. (deceased),  went to Detroit, where, after a residence of eight
d Abram J., Julia, Salemma J., Naomi, Hannah E.,   years, she was married. After that event, she went
<?  Arthur A. and Minnie P. Abram Smith, Sr., pater-  with her husband to Oakland County, where they
'  nal grandsire of Mrs. Learn, was of American origin,  passed two years on a farm. In March, 1863, they
and died in i866, aged 82 years. Her grandmother,  came to Sanilac County and purchased at first 40  A;
Sarah (Baker) Smith, died in 1829. Mrs. Learn was  acres of wild land on section 25, in Maple Valley
born March 23, 1840, in Elgin Co., Ont. Following  Township. This has been the homestead ever since.
is the record of the children born of her marriage:  A later purchase has increased their acreage to 120
Mynetta J.-Mrs. Wm. G. Churchill-was born       acres, and the estate now includes 80 acres of well
April 8, I857, and resides in Groton, Dakota. John  improved and cultivated land.  Mr. Welch is a
H. was born Aug. 31, 1858, married Mary Newman,  Democrat in political connection and the family be- *
and resides in Maryland.   Viletta A. was born   long to the Catholic Church.
* s July 27, i860. She is the wife of A. J. Lynd,     The four children of Mr. and Mrs. Welch were
= graduate of Ypsilanti Normal School and a school-  born as follows: William T., Oct. i6, I86i; James:
teacher by profession-present Principal of the school  T., May 1, i863; Mary A., Aug. 29, i866; John
at Bad Axe, Huron County. William H. was born     H., May 9, I868.
/ Feb. 20, 1863; Kittie P., Oct. 14, I865; Claude A.
R., M ay 27, I876.
)  Mr. Learn, in character and position, is one of the  w                                       i
class of men who are fast redeeming Sanilac Countybel B. Suner is a merchant at Sandusk
from  the burden of disaster under which it has   iib
staggered since 187. Upright, straightforward, tire-    and a teacher by profession. He was born
less in energy and purpose, he is justly ranked among!  Feb. 27, 834, in Delaware, Middlesex Co.,
the representative men and citizens of his county and  Ont  His parents, Thomas H. and Margaret
township. He possesses the culture and training be-   (pringer) Sumner, were natives respectively
stowed by a life of earnest devotion to the worthy    of Addson Co., Vt., and New York. (The
as         e oed      eay yeas ad w           ae    father belongs to the same lineage as the late Senator  -:
A  plans he formed in early years and which have  S
Sumner of Massachusetts.) He was a farmer and
proved the merits of his character.
went to Ontario when he was 28 years old. He belonged to the British army and held the rank of
— ^'^^^^^^   - ^Corporal. His death occurred Oct. 4, i88o, when he
was 90 years old. The mother died in Ontario, in
J./    ohn IH. Welch, farmer, section 25, Maple  1867, at the age of 67 years. She was connected.:(^1 Valley Township, was born Dec. 25, 1832,       with the Springer family of Wilmington, Del., and
in Perth Co., Ont., and is of Irish extrac-  her father was a militia Captain in Canada. Their
tion. He became responsible for his own main-  family included ten children, all of whom reached  fl
tenance when he was 15 years old, and was a  mature age.
resident of his native county until May, i860,  Mr. Sumner is the second son and seventh in order
( operating as a common laborer. At that date he   of birth of his parents' children  He remained with
came to Michigan and settled in the eastern part of  them until he was 32 years of age, passing his youth
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ag  in obtaining his education in the common schools
He  and the later years in farming, In i865 he came to
if  Michigan, locating in Macomb County, where he began his career as a teacher. He was married in
Chesterfield, in that county, in December, I867, to:r  Mrs. Sarah Pratt, a native of Cotterville, St. Clair
Co., Mich. The second marriage of Mr. Sumner occurred Dec. 28, 1881, in London, Ont., to Mrs.
Amelia (Jenkins) Jackson. Her parents, Warren A.
and Margaret Jenkins, were natives of Ireland and. her father was a physician. He died in London,
Ont., where the mother is still living.
In 1874 Mr. Sumner came to Sanilac County, in
1 7878 made the first permanent settlement on the site
of Sandusky, where he built the first residence within
the limits of the present village. In 1879 he engaged in keeping a boarding-house. In 1884 he established his mercantile business at Sandusky. He
has been a teacher since i865, and taught the graded
schools in Fairhaven, St. Clair County, and Marys-,   i ville four years. He owns two improved lots in the:   village of Sandusky. He is a Republican in political: sentiment, has held the office of Justice of the Peace
5, two years, has been School Inspector three years and
is present Chairman of the Board of Inspectors. He
is a member of a temperance organization, and is a
zealous, outspoken advocate of the principles of the!i. Order.
-<< ~-( ---^<^(0fi>s^=))==^-34 o
K ~~{~-ames Keys, farmer, section 36, Marlette
Township, is a native of the Dominion of
Canada, where he was born Aug. 25, i851.
His parents, David and Jane (Beacon) Keys,
'    were born in Ireland, and emigrated thence to
i   Canada, afterwards becoming residents of Sanilac Co., Mich., where the mother died March 7, I869.
Mr. Keys obtained a fair degree of elementary
education, and removed with his father's family to
this county when he was seven years old. An inheritance of 80 acres of land in Marlette Township:   came into his possession in 1872. It was wholly
unimproved, and although comparatively few years:   have elapsed he has already placed 55 acres under
J   creditable cultivation. Mr. Keys is a Democrat in
political persuasion, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
He was first married in Marlette Township, April


15, 1872, to Sarah A. McGinnis, who was born in
Kentucky, and two children, Nancy J. and David T.,
constituted the issue of their union. The youngest
child died when he was seven months old; the
mother's decease occurred March 19, I874. The
second marriage of Mr. Keys took place Nov. 15,
1877, when he espoused Mary A. Curley, who was
born March 12, 1859, in Michigan, and is the daughter of Thomas and Susanna (Everson) Curley, natives of Ireland. Thomas J., Maud M. and Susan
A. are the names of the children born of this marriage.


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<    obert Bryce, farmer, located on section 6,
ju    Maple Valley Township, was born April
~~ 1(8-2 24, I840, in Lambton Co., Ont., and is the
" son of James and Elizabeth (Fenner) Bryce.
l   The former was a native of Scotland, the latter of Ireland.  They became residents of
Ontario when they were young, and were married in
Lambton County. They belonged to the agricultural
class in the Dominion, and in 1858 came to Michigan. They settled in Lynn Township, St. Clair
County, where the father engaged in farming until
his death, which occurred in 1875, when he was 63
years of age. The mother resides with two unmarried sons on the family homestead, and is 68 years
old. Of I children of whom she is the mother, two
are deceased.
Mr. Bryce is the second son and fourth child in
order of birth. He was 18 years of age when his
parents removed to Michigan. He remained on the
home farm until he was 27 years old, engaged in assisting his father in the work of clearing and improving his father's farm.  On reaching that age he
determined to change his course of life and was married Aug. i8, 1867, in the township of Brockway, St.
Clair County, to Elizabeth Stonehouse, a native of
Ontario, of English parentage. Her father, Isaac
Stonehouse, is a retired farmer residing at Toronto.
Her mother, Ann (Stonehouse) Stonehouse, died near
the city of Toronto, when her daughter was a young
girl. Mrs. Bryce was born Dec. 24, I836, and remained at home until she was 29 years old, at which
age she came to Michigan. She was married the
following year and is now the mother of three children, born as follows: James H., May i6, 1869


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SA4ZIA.C COUNTY.


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Annetta, March i6, 1876; Isaac N., Dec. 20, 1871.
The latter died Feb. 12, 1883.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Bryce came to
this.township and settled on 60 acres of land, which
was in a wholly wild condition and in the depths of
the wilderness. The work of improvement has progressed without intermission until 50 acres are under
creditable cultivation. The energetic proprietor has
recently completed a valuable and commodious
family residence and the place is supplied with other
creditable farm buildings. He also owns 40 acres of
improved land on section T, Burnside Township, Lapeer County. Mr. Bryce is a Republican in political
connection and has held various township offices.
He and his wife are prominent and influential members of the Methodist Church, of which Mr. Bryce is
a Trustee; he is also a Class-leader.
d     ohn Isles, farmer, section 24, Flynn Township, was born Feb. 7, 185, in the city of
Hamilton, Ontario.   His parents, James
/i' and Mary (Scott) Isles, were natives of Scotland, whence they came to Ontario in early
life, afterwards settling in Hamilton. They removed at a later date to Luther, Wellington County,
where they reside at present, and are respectively 70
and 69 years old.
Mr. Isles is the second son and child of a family of
12 children, eight of whom (five sons and three
daughters) are still living. He was but four years of
age when his father removed to Luther, where he
was brought up to the period of his majority under
the charge of his parents. A year later he became a
farmer on his own responsibility, and rented a place
which he continued to manage four years.  During
this time he was married, March 31, I875, in the
township of Luther, to Susan, daughter of George and
Elizabeth (Carson) Coe. (See sketch of George Coe.)
She was born May 24, 1857, near Paris, Oxford Co.,
Can. Mr. and Mrs. Isles have had four children, all
of whom are living save one. They were born as
follows: Mary E., Feb. 19, I876; John H., April22,
1877; Frederick J., Dec. 25, 1879, died March 7,
i880; James Scott, May i6, I884.
After his marriage Mr. Isles remained a resident
on the farm he had rented nearly four years, and in


the fall of 1877 he came with his family to Michigan,
and took-possession of a farm he had purchased a
short time previous. It comprised 80 acres of land
in an unbroken, unimproved state, and he has labored
and managed to such good purpdse that he has now
65 acres in most creditable agricultural condition,
with first-class arrangements for the successful prosecution of his chosen calling. He is a Republican in
political views and action, and has discharged the
duties of the minor official positions of his township.
ohn H. Beckett, farmer, section 26, Maple
Valley Township, was born Feb. 2, 1830,
in Middlesex Co., Ont. His father, Ed-  i
ward Beckett, was of English descent, and was X
born in New Jersey. His mother, Mary (Hill)
Beckett, was of mixed Irish and Welsh descent,
and was born in Ontario. They settled in early life
in the Dominion of Canada and belonged to the agricultural class of Middlesex County until their deaths,
which occurred respectively in 1876 and 1854. The
father was 89 years of age when he died, the mother
65 years old. Their family included seven sons aiid
two daughters. One of the former is deceased.
Mr. Beckett has passed his entire life as a practical farmer, obtaining in his boyhood a knowledge of
every detail of that business. He remained with his
parents until he was 24 years of age. He was first i
married Jan. I, 1854, in Middlesex County, to Sarah!
J. York. She was born Feb. 14, 1835, in Oxford Co.,
Ont. She was reared to pioneer life, and eminently
fitted for the life to which she was introduced in
Michigan by her removal to Sanilac County in 1854.
She died March 14, I868. Of four children of whom  it
she became the mother, one-Stephen-is deceased.  i
Peter M., Edward William (see sketch), and Mary  I
L. still survive. The latter is a teacher in Speaker
Township.   Mr. Beckett purchased   20 acres of
land, when he became a settler in Maple Valley
Township, on which he has since resided. He was
the third to make a permanent settlement within the
limits of the township, and his farm was located three ~
miles from any neighbor. They encountered all the
hardships incident to pioneer life, and enjoyed its;:
many pleasures. The management and good judg- (:
ment of Mr. Beckett is plainly manifest in the fine........


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SA NILAC CO UNTY.


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estate of which he is now the proprietor, and which
aggregates 640 acres, with 120 acres in a state of advanced cultivation. His property includes 160 acres
respectively on sections 15, 27 and 13, with 80 acres
on section 14 and 40 acres on section 26, all within
Maple Valley Township.   The place has a good
residence, fine farm buildings and a well-assorted
orchard of 200 trees.
Mr. Beckett was a second time married Feb. 3,
1869, in this township, to Naomi L. McMahon, who
was born Oct. 30, 1846, in Worth Township, and is
the daughter of John and Barbara (Wixon) McMahon,
and sister of Hon. Joel W. McMahon, Senator from
Sanilac County. Her parents were born respectively
in Ireland and Ontario, and were both of Irish extraction. Mrs. Beckett lost her father when she was
seven years old, and she was reared by her mother.
At the age of 19 years she began to teach, in Speaker
Township, and followed that calling three years, when
she was married. She has become the mother of
three children,-Charles W., Joel F. and Nora E.
The latter died of diphtheria when she was four
years old. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. Beckett is
Steward. He is a decided and ardent supporter of
the principles of the Republican party, and was the
first Supervisor of the Township after its organization.
He held the incumbency four years consecutively,
and has discharged the duties of the same position
14 years in the aggregate. He has been Treasurer
of the township three years, and Justice of the
Peace 14 years, besides having held the minor local
offices.


He became a salesman in a mercantile establishment,
where he remained until the advent of the Civil
War. He responded to the first call for three-years
volunteers, and enlisted in Co. D, 35th N. Y. Vol.
Inf. He enrolled as a private, but reached the position of Second Lieutenant for bravery in action. He
escaped capture and injury from the usual chances of
war, but never recovered from the effects of the hardships he endured. On receiving his honorable discharge, he was appointed sutler of the Soldiers' Rest
at Washington, a position he retained until the close
of the war. During the time he was married to
Mary E. Shear, who was born in Newfield Tp., Tompkins Co., N. Y., April 20, 1840, and is the daughter
of John and Mirah (VanTown) Shear. The parents
were natives of Tompkins County, in the Empire
State, where the father was a shoemaker by vocation.
They were of German descent and had nine children. The father died in Elk Township, Sept. 12,
1878; the mother died Sept. 14, 1880. Mrs. Doane
is the third child and third daughter.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Doane resided in the
city of Washington until I865, when they came to
Michigan. Mr. Doane located r60 acres of land on
section 26, after which he went to Ontario, and during the oil excitement there established a store in
Wyoming County. Three years later he returned to
Peck and established himself in mercantile business,
which he continued to manage in connection with
his farm until his death, which took place Sept. 22,
1882, and was the result of disease consequent upon
the injury he received in the army.  He was a
shrewd business man, possessed of sound judgment,
and was regarded as a valuable citizen and a man of
worth in his social and domestic relations. He accumulated an estate of $30,000. He was a Republican, and for years was in active political life, holding local offices and aiding in every way in the
advancement of the township and community where
he lived.
Mrs. Doane is a member of the Adventist Church.
She owns the farm, the store and two lots in the village, and an undivided interest in 200 acres of land
belonging to the estate. She has reared three adopted
children, two of whom reside with her. Guy B., who
was born Sept. 23, I875, died July 20, 1876; Ella is
married and resides at St. Ingnis; Mabel P. was.V   14?,


i


II
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M
-I.-( W^): l iemster Doane, deceased, whose portrait is
I  _li'l'  given on the preceding page, was formerly a
merchant at Peck and a farmer on section
j-)    )  26, Elk Township. He was born Aug. 1o,
i       1847, in Orleans Co., N. Y. His p'rents, R. L.
and Ann (Foote) Doane, were descended from
New England ancestry. His mother died in June,
1883, in the village of Peck, where his father is still
living.
S      Mr. Doane was reared to manhood by his parents.
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aniel A. Brooks, farmer, section i8, Flynn
Township, was born June 2, 1850, in Elgin
Co., Ont., and is the son of Daniel and
Mary (Chase) Brooks, both of whom-are still
living. He was an inmate of the paternal household until he was 22 years of age. On leaving
4 home to make his first effort toward independent existence, he engaged as a farm assistant, in which employ he remained until his marriage to Olive L. Bates,
May 25, I872. She was born in Ontario, Aug. 10,
I85I, and is the daughter of George A. and Rose
(Muncill) Bates. Her parents were natives respectively of New York and Ontario, and of New England
ancestry on both sides. They now reside in Elgin
County, and belong to the agricultural class. Their
respective ages are 67 and 62 years. The family of
Mr. and Mrs. Brooks includes three children-Benj.
L., Charlotte E. and Earl William. Ettie, third child
>   in order of birth, is deceased.
They remained in Ontario until November, i880,:  when they removed to Sanilac County and settled
on the place on which they have since resided. Mr.
Brooks purchased I60 acres of land and has improved
70 acres, built a large barn, 40 x 68 feet in dimensions, and supplied the place with other good and
suitable farm fixtures. He is a Republican in political sentiment.


regulations of the Graduation Act, and in I856 he
'took possession of the property.  He has resided
thereon ever since, excepting six years during which
time he resided in Lapeer County. His farm comprises 240 acres of land, which includes 130 acres
under cultivation. He is a Republican in political
connection, and has been active in the local matters
of his township, having officiated as Treasurer, Supervisor, Justice of the Peace and in the different
school offices.
He was. married Feb. 27, I850, in Oxford Co.,
Ont., to Emily Pierce, who was born Aug. I, 1828, in
New Brunswick, and is the daughter of Henry and
Sarah Pierce, who were natives of the same province.
Eight children have been born to them, in the following order: William, Sarah, Hugh, Benjamin,
Emma J., Robert, Charles and David. The latter
died when he was three years old. The parents are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ames Cook, farmer, section 24, Maple Valley Township, was born Sept. I3, I817, in
~III  ~ the vicinity of Napanee Mills, Province of, Ontario. When he was 15 years old, his parents removed with their family to the head of
Lake Ontario, where they passed the remaining years of their lives in the care of, and supported
by, their son. He devoted many years of his life to
the task of making them comfortable, and no better
manifestation of his character can be made than a
statement of the fact that he assumed the entire expense and responsibility of supporting, clothing and
educating four orphan children, rearing them from
infancy to a period when they could maintain themselves. At the age of 40 years, after the death of
his father and mother, he was married to Mary Bond,
at Hamilton, Ont. The event occurred Jan. 5, 1856.
Mrs. Cook was born March 29, I826, in Staffordshire,
Eng., where she was reared and obtained a commonschool education. Her parents passed their lives in
England. Her father died in 1872, aged 84 years;
her mother died at the same period of life, in I883.
When she was 23 years old, she began to work at
millinery and dress-making, and was thus employed
until the age of 29 years, when she came to America
and made her first stay at Hamilton, where she was;-  X..iugh  Dale, farmer, section 33, Marlette
Ji       Township, was born March i6, 1822, in
-   Scotland. His father, William Dale, was a
' native of Scotland and was there married to
Agnes Glover. She died in her native country,
and after that event, her father emigrated to
Canada, where he is now residing.
Mr. Dale is the third son of ten children, four of
whom are now living,-two daughters in Canada and
one son in Glasgow, Scotland. He was 20 years of
age when he came to Canada, and he resided there
ix years. In I853 he came to Lapeer Co., Mich.,
and bought a farm in the township of Dryden, on
which he operated three years. In I855 he bought
\. 320 acres of land in Marlette Township, under the
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i married. Four children have been born to her and
her husband- John, Ruth, Ella A. and Andrew J.
About five years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs.
Cook removed to Sanilac County and purchased 120
acres of wild land on section 23, in this township.
Five years later, after improving and putting in creditable condition a considerable part of the property,
Mr. Cook sold it and bought 80 acres where he has
since lived. He has improved 35 acres. He has
been an adherent of the principles and a supporter
of the issues of the Republican party since his removal to Michigan, and he has held several of the
local official positions in the township. He and his
wife are active and zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ames Lynd, farmer, section 3, Marlette
Township, was born Aug. io, 1852, in
Canada.   James Lynd, his father, was
born in the State of New York, and emigrated
to Canada, where he married Margaret Lynd,
a native of Ireland.
Mr. Lynd resided in the place of his nativity until
October, T869, when he came with his parents to
Sanilac County. His father died June 5, 1875, and
he purchased the family homestead, which included
i67 acres of land, on which he has since resided.
He has placed 65 acres under cultivation, and is engaged in successful and prosperous farming.  In
political connection, Mr. Lynd is a Republican. He
is a member of the Masonic Order.
His marriage to Margaret Duff occurred in Canada, Dec. 25, 1882. She is a daughter of James and
Nancy Duff, who were natives of Ontario. Edwin
L., only child, was born March 5, I884. Mr. and
Mrs. Lynd are members of the Presbyterian Church.




came to Michigan, and settled in this township sit
in the fall of I860, with their family.  Both parents ~i
died in Flynn Township.
Mr. Beals is the eldest son and fifth in order of:
birth of ten children. He was married Sept. i9, 1867,
in this township, to Sarah J., daughter of William
and Margaret (Pomeroy) Dimond. The former died
in 1853, in Pine River Mich. The latter is now a
resident of this township.  (See sketch of Amos
Babcock.) The daughter was born July 8, i850, in
Ontario, and came with her parents to Michigan
when she was four years old. They were among the
earliest settlers in the township. Nine children have
been born of her marriage,.as follows: Warren F.,  i
June 7, I869; Samuel H., Nov. I7, I870; Mercy J.,
Aug. 30, I872; Amos R., Sept. io, 1874; George
E., Sept. I4, 1876; William  W., Feb. 22, 1878;
Gracie, Feb. 2, i880; Maggie, July ii, i88I;.Robert, June io, 1883.
After marriage they settled on 80 acres of land
which Mr. Beals had purchased some years previous. al
It was wholly unimproved, and he has placed about
three-fourths of the tract in creditable cultivation,
besides having erected farm buildings of first-class
order. He is a Republican of decided type and has  rm
held the offices of Treasurer and Road Commissioner Ad
several years. Mrs. Beals is a member of the Meth- Ai
odist Episcopal Church.!
--—..+<-.^> —
illiam McLeod, farmer, section 27, Maple
Valley Township, was born in 1827, near
Kingston, Ont. He was reared to the
2 calling of a farmer and continued to assist I:
on the home place until he was 25 years of f
age, when he set out on an independent career,
following the same vocation. About 1853, he came
to Michigan, locating at Port Huron, where he was a
laborer in a saw-mill two years. Later he came to
Sanilac County, and purchased 80 acres of wild land,
where he has since expended his energies and labors
in making a home for his family. He has since
bought 40 acres more and has now I20 acres. He H
was married at Port Huron, Jan. i, i865, to Jane  f
Earls, a native of that place and born about I837.,
Soon after the marriage, Mr. and Mrs. McLeod lo- ~)
cated on the farm, which now comprises 80 acres,


L


I  lbert Beals, farmer, section 25, Flynn Town';: -   ship, was born Nov. 13, 1842, in Ontario,
Can.     His parents, Samuel and Sarah Beals,
*' "Jli    were natives of New Brunswick, of English
descent. They were members of the agricultural community all their lives. In May, I859, they
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L with 75 acres under first-class improvements, includj/ ing fine, large and commodious farm buildings. Mr.
McLeod is independent in political views and actions!  and has officiated in several local offices. The parents are Presbyterians. They have had six children;b: n H s-:)i Ac   — <
O UIVNTY.,
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') -John, Alexander, Archibald, William, Jane and
I Eliza A.


1


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'/ohn Scott, farmer, section 8, Maple Valley
>I  ~!~r~' Township, was born May I, 1847, in
A!  I " ~ Quebec, Ontario. His parents, Mark and
Margaret (Little) Scott, were natives of Ire- land, of Scotch-Irish origin.  They came to
Ontario early in life. The father was a tailor
by profession and followed that calling in the city of
Quebec for some years, afterwards removing to
) Megantic Co., Prov. of Quebec. There he became a
farmer and followed agriculture in connection with
N his trade until his death in I859, at the age of 69
years. The mother died in 1872, near Lawrence,
<3 Kansas, aged 60 years. Five sons and four daugh4 ters were born to them; one of the former and one of
the latter are deceased.
Mr. Scott is the eldest son and second child. He
was an infant but one year old when his father removed to the farm, and he was reared to the calling
of an agriculturist under the peculiar circumstances
incident to pioneer experience. At the age of I7 he
became his own master and engaged in lumbering.
Two years later he went to New England and passed
two summers as a farm laborer. In the spring of
1864 he set out for the mining district of Idaho, and
X  made the route thither across the plains. He spent
A  two years in the mines, returning thence to Ontario.
His marriage to Mary J. Morgan occurred Jan. 3,
I868, in Barry, Frontenac Co., in the Province of
Ontario. She was born Jan. I, I848, in Camden, in
that county, and is the daughter of Daniel and Mary
J. (Webb) Morgan.   Her parents are natives of
N Ontario, and descended from English and Irish
ancestors. They are yet living, in Frontenac County,
'  and are respectively 65 and 59 years of age. Mrs.?  Scott is the second daughter and second in order of
birth of 14 children born to her parents, iI of whom
) are still living. Nine children have been born to Mr.
and Mrs. Scott, two of whom are deceased. Mary


E. was born Nov. 6, I868; Walter M.,Dec. 27, T869;
Maggie J., May 17, I871; John W., May 26, I872;
Anna B., Sept. 26, 1875; Jessie E., May 6, I877;
Ella, Jan. 22, I879.  Robert and Ella died in
infancy.
In the year following their marriage Mr. and Mrs.
Scott came to Michigan and purchased 80 acres of
land on section 8, Maple Valley Township, on which
some slight improvements had been made. On this
they resided five years when, on account of failing
health, they went to Petoskey, Emmett Co., Mich.,
where they resided three years. At the end of that
time they returned to their farm. They have added
80 acres by later purchase, and placed 75 acres
under the plow. In political views and connections
Mr. Scott is a Republican; and is serving his second
term as Treasurer of his township.
f  saac Cragg, farmer, section i8, Evergreen
       Township, was born Dec. 24, 1849, in the
' town of Reach, Canada. He is the son of
' David and Christiana (Phoenix) Cragg, the
former of whom was born Sept. i6, I822, in
Lancashire, England, and now resides in Canada. The latter was born in Scarborough, Can.,
in 1824.
On attaining his majority, Mr. Cragg went to work
as a stone mason, in which business and as a carpenter he was occupied five years. At the end of that
time he bought a farm in Middlesex Co., Can., which
he managed three years. In I879 he came to Sanilac County and purchased 80 acres of land, which
has since been his field of operation, and in the few
years that have elapsed he has placed 24 acres
under good improvements. Politically, he is a Republican.  His first official position was that of
Supervisor of his township, to which he was elected
in I882. He has been twice re-elected, and is still
holding the same position.
Mr. Cragg was married in 1873 to Beatrice A.
Wells. She was born Sept. 5, 1853, in the town of
Reach, Canada, and is the daughter of John and
Susannah (Thompson) Wells. Her father was born
in 1822 in England; the mother is a native of Canada and was born May I3, 1827. The family resided
in Canada until i88i, when they removed to their


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SANLAC COUNTY.                                         213.   present location in Sanilac County. The children of  is also conducting a retail store for the sale of flour
J   Mr. and Mrs. Cragg were born as follows: Lottie M.,  and feed, in which he is doing a good business.
Dec. 20, I873; Edith C., July 23, r877; Flora S.,  Mr. McGill was married Dec. 23, i880, to Katie?
Nov. 25, 1882.                                   P., daughter of T. E. Hough. She was born at Almont, Lapeer Co., Mich., and is the mother of one
child, John Donald, born Aug. 6, I883.
Mr. McGill is a Republican in political belief.
Ma hay^?  freeto9F T.       He has officiated two years as Village Treasurer, and
wuagh Mar affy, farmer, section 9, Flynn Tp.  is a member of the Masonic Order. He also belongs
~"I l was born Aug. 29, 1852, in Ireland, and is
I  wason of Wl    aId852, in Ireland, and iS  to the Lexington Commandery, Knights Templars,
B      i! the son of William and Mary Ann Mahaffy.,
~: -yodge No. 27.                                                                     '
He emigrated to America when he was 23 years      N
a   of age. He made his first location at Romeo,
I    Macomb Co., Mich., where he lived some years. |      Qa-H-!  He was married there March 9, 1875, to Anna E.   l                                               F
Murphy. She was born May 31, 1854, in Ireland,           ohn Makelim, Supervisor of Maple Valley
and in I869 she went to England, where she lived          Township and merchant, grain broker and
until I875.  In that year she emigrated to the           station agent at Valley Center, was born in
United States and stopped in the city of Detroit,  |.i  Nassagaweya, Holton Co., Ont., June 3o, 1847., where she was soon after married. Three years after    John and Nancy (Anderson) Makelim, his parthat event, Mr. Mahaffy came to Sanilac County and    ents, were natives of Ireland. They emigrated  <,,: purchased 80 acres of land on sec. 18, this township.  to America in early life and settled in Ontario, resid-!
In I880 he sold that place and purchased I60 acres,  ing in Holton County both before and after their  =
where he has since operated with vigor and good   marriage. They became the parepts of ten children  C:;  management, until he has placed 40 acres under  -six sons and four daughters. Two of the former
creditable cultivation. Mr. Mahaffy is a Democrat  and one of the latter are deceased. The father died
V   and has held the minor local offices of the township.  in February, 1882, when he was 82 years old. The
He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church.  demise of the mother occurred in September, 1876, at (
They have three children-John A., Rebecca and    the age of 68.
William A. K., who at present is a Class-leader in his Mr. Makelim obtained a fair education, and when
Church.                                          he was i6 years old he began working as a common,i,, ~  i.~,,~_~x~' 'w ',~:~:,,,  laborer on a farm. A year later he went to Illinois,
where he passed 13 months as a farm assistant and? ai0~ ^~^2^1 ^# ~~also in working on a railroad. His health failed and
A     0   illiam B. McGill, lumberman, resident at  he returned home to Ontario and became a student?
Marlette, was born April I6, 1857, at      at the Rockwood Academy of Wellington County in
ii J^^)     Romeo, Macomb Co., Mich., and is the son  the Dominion. In January, 1867, he came to Mich' of John McGill, of Marlette. He received a  igan and located in Brockway Township, where he
a  common-school education, and in I869 came  engaged in teaching. He followed that vocation in
to Sanilac County, where he has passed the  Brockway, Speaker and this township until I881,
succeeding years of his life.  In August, 1882, he  when he took a final leave of the business. In the
entered into an association with Daniel Bolton, em-  meantime he purchased i60 acres of land on section
barking in lumbering and also in the management of 28 in the township where he now resides. Of this, 30
a grist-mill, in both which they successfully engaged.  acres are improved and the premises have a good
So  Mr. Bolton died May I9, I884. The saw-mill has a  house attached. He sold this property in I88I and
producing capacity of 30,000 feet of lumber daily,  erected the first building at Valley Center, where he
and 25,000 shingles. Mr. McGill, now sole proprie-  established the first mercantile enterprise at that.    tor, has facilities for the daily manufacture of 40  point. He is now the owner of the elevator formerly
barrels of flour, for which he finds ready market. He  owned by J. H. Beckett, and is doing considerable
4(:,,.,,; ~,




bee il^:-   tg ---                    6 *n           B Is -                          — *-~
(  214                                  SANILAC     COUNTY..S  business in buying grain. In October, i883, he be-  and has been Supervisor one year; he is now School, I came the station agent at this point in the interests of  Trustee.:! the Port Huron & Northwestern Railroad. He is also   His marriage to Catherine Murray took place in
f Postmaster, and has been either principal or deputy  Lapeer, Mich., June 22, 1865. She is a native of
official in that position since the office was established.  Scotland. The household includes four childrenHe also owns 40 acres on section 15 in this town-  Margaret A., Belle, Nettie and Catherine C. The
ship, and a house and lot where he resides.       parents are prominent members of the Presbyterian
He was first married March io, i868, in Brockway  Church, of which Mr. Donald has been Trustee
Township, St. Clair Co., to Helen Manning.  She   since the local body to which he belongs was organwas born Aug. 13, 1847, in Yates Co., N. Y., and  ized.
' came to Michigan in the fall of I867. She was a^Ap person of fine mental acquirements and liberal edu-~.
cation. She died Aug. 30, i88o. The only child    a    d
i born of this marriage is deceased. Mr. Makelim was |  john M. Brown, resident at Brown City,
again married April 7, i881, in Valley Center, to |       (which perpetuates his patronymic), is a repEmma, daughter of Alpheus and Ann Keyes. She              resentative pioneer settler of Sanilac Counis a native of Ontario, of English parentage, and came  ty. He was born March  7, 826, in Scotland.,.
O-tlai


to Michigan in 1879 with her parents, who are members of the agricultural community. She was born
March i8, i860, in Leeds Co., Ont. Arthur, only
issue of the second marriage, was born Nov. 12,
I882. Mr. Markelim is an adherent of the Republican party.  He is serving his second term  as
Supervisor and has been Justice of the Peace, and
Superintendent of the Public Schools three years.


I n mis native lana ne was a snepnerc Dy vocation, which was also the calling of his father,
William Brown. His parents came to America in
1850, removing hither with their entire family.
They settled in Orleans Co., N. Y. where they became engaged in agriculture. Mr. Brown remained
with his father, rendering him every possible assistance in getting comfortably settled in life, until he
was 29 years of age, when, with three brothers, he
came to Michigan. In the fall of 1854 each of the
four entered a claim of 320 acres in this township


vt~,'~~3~,\~~;( ~ 11;1 15 435.*..... `P...i...~Y ~and in Burnsides Township in Lapeer County. That
belonging to Mr. Mrown of this sketch was all sitohn Donald, farmer, section 33, Marlette  uated on section 7, this township. It was located
Township, was born Aug. 9, I840, in Scot-  in the depths of the forest, no permanent settlers
land.  His father, James Donald, was   being within ten miles. Mr. Brown cut the road to
born in Scotland, and married Margaret Tun-  obtain access to his farm all that distance. A por9         h, nah, a native of England. She died in Scot-  tion of his land, designated by the title of the Indian
land, in 1846. The father and his two sons     Sugar Bush, was inhabited by the red-skins about
came to America in 1856 and went to Wisconsin.  three years after the tract became his property.
The father lived there two years and then came to  Native game was abundant and hunting was a comMichigan.                                      mon pastime, as well as employ, for many years. In
Mr. Donald was but i6 years of age when he   January, i88I, the Pt. H. & N. W. railroad (Saginaw
came to the United States, and he lived in the  Division), was run through his farm and Brown City
Badger State four years. In i860, in the month of  was platted on the estate. Mr. Brown owns r75
February, he came to Sanilac County and settled in  village lots located on his landed estate. He owns
c   the township of Marlette. He owns a fine farm of  besides, 260 acres of land, with 200 acres improved..i-  I60 acres, with Ioo acres in advanced cultivation.  He is a Republican in political connection and has,-:  He has proven a valuable acquisition to the county  been in active local official positions since he became  (t
of which he has been a resident nearly a quarter of  a resident of the township.
'I   a century, and is an influential member of the local  Mr. Brown was married Oct. II, 1859, in Speaker  i
g   political element. He is a Republican in sentiment,  Township, to Mary Bryce. She was born Aug. i8, >
~~~V'N ~~~~~~~~ie~




,    A.,,v     N     -I II
(#    I    0    -.9        l        -o8.....SA.ILAC CO U.TY.
SANILA C CO UNT~Y.


215


— ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


8 29, in Warwick, Lambton Co., Ont., and when she
was 19 years of age she came to Michigan with her
parents, who were among the pioneers of this township. Eight children have been born to Mr. and
Mrs. Brown, as follows: William C., James B., Walter
M., Robert G., John H., Margaret E., George E. and
Mary J. The mother is a member of the M. E.
Church.
' Samuel E. Herbert, wagon-maker, located
-  at Brown City, was born March 24, I856,
k ^"    i in Blenheim, Oxford County, Ont. His
i   parents, Joseph and Ann (Kerrison) Herbert,
are natives of England, who emigrated to
America in early life and settled in Oxford
Co., Ont., where they are now resident, aged respectively 72 and 50 years.
Mr. Herbert obtained his education in the common
schools of his native place, and assisted his father
until he was I6 years old. In 1872 he came to Old
Brockway, St. Clair County, and when he was 18
years of age he became an apprentice in the wagonshop of W. & J. Harris, of that place. After serving about three years he was employed as regular
workman. Four years later, he came to Brown City,
purchased two lots and erected his dwelling and
wagon-shop. He is a skillful and reliable workman
and is engaged in an extensive and profitable business.
His marriage to Anna Mason occurred Dec. 25,
1 879, at Old Brockway. She was born Dec. 25,
1 860, in St. Clair County.. Two children have been
born to her and her husband, Mabel and Edwin.
Mr. Herbert is a member of the Order of Maccabees.
C ---> '~'H( — ~)((( 0b))g --- -
3artin W. Moore, druggist at Sandusky,
l was born in Burford Co., Ont., Feb. 23,
I842. His parents, Martin and Mary A.
A     K  Moore, were natives of Ontario, and of
Canadian parentage. They had a family of
v~     six children. His father was a farmer, and in
1858 came to Michigan, locating in Sanilac County,
in a township which, upon its organization, was
named Moore, in his honor.
Mr. Moore was the fourth child of his parents in


order of birth, and remained with them until he was
26 years old. When he arrived at that age he came
to Speaker Township, Sanilac County, where he interested himself extensively in lumbering, and also
mercantile pursuits, in which he was occupied until
May, I88I, when he came to Sandusky and continued
his commercial business here for some time, finally
converting his establishment into a drug store. Mr.
Moore is a Republican in political connection. He
owns I37 acres of partly improved land on section
I4, Speaker Township, and 80 acres, respectively, in
the townships of Watertown, Custer, Elmer and
Moore, mostly unimproved land.
He was married in Port Huron, Aug. 31, r881, to
Rebecca M. Long, born in Haldimand Co., Ont.,
Dec. 7, 1856. She was brought up on a farm and
educated in the schools of her native province.
Her father died in Coburg, in i860. The mother
died in Haldimand County, in i88o. Mrs. Moore
is a communicant in the Episcopal Church.
|m i|lhomas Fitch'is a prominent and prosper2!I mh   f ous farmer of Sanilac County, and is resi-?   dent on section 25, of Marlette Township... K He was born in Ireland, where he resided
until he was 24 years old, when he accompanied his parents to America. His father, William Fitch, died on the ocean. His mother settled
in Canada, where she spent the remainder of her
life.
Mr. Fitch left the Dominion of Canada in the fall
of 1857, when he settled in Sanilac County, locating
on i60 acres of land in Marlette Township, which
he had purchased the previous year. He is now the
proprietor of 240 acres, having made a subsequent
purchase of 80 acres additional. His tillable estate
now includes Ioo acres. In political connection he
is a Republican, and has been active in the local
official positions of his township, having served in
the capacities of Justice of the Peace and School
Director.
He was married in February, I846, in Ireland, to
Margaret Beacom, a native of that country. Seven
children of nine born of this marriage survive. They.,
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216                                   SANILAC COU        T r Y.
are William M., Mary, Robert W., John L., Jennie  Sanilac County, and located on a tract of I60 acres!
E., Thomas R. and Edward W. The deceased were      of land, on which he has since resided. It was in:   named Rosanna and George. The parents belong      its original, natural condition, and now includes 65
to the Methodist Episcopal Church.                acres of first-class improvements after the best modern plan. His history is parallel with that of the
multitudes of citizens of the county, most of whom
-' —~~'j.  ^^^~ 7~encountered the fiery scourges which make the years
of i87 and r88i of historic interest. In the latter
S i ~~r~an.,.,,,..             year Mr. Wethy lost about $I,500.
rrison J. Wethy, farmer, section 29, Ever-.      y lt a    t
bon Fb  8, in     He is a Republican in political affinity and relagreen 'Tow wnas iborn 2eb. 2, 84, in t    tions. He has discharged his proportion of the
Dryden Township, Lapeer Co.,Mich.   His
<Dryden T        ownship, Laper Co., Mich. His  official obligations of his township, having held the
father, Rufus Wethy, married Sarah A. Howther,  Rufuws Wehy maredSr.H.ow -ina    I positions of Supervisor in 1874, 1880 and 188I,
ard, who was born in 1822, in Vermont, and...w  w. 8  Highway Comlmissioner and School Inspector several
died in 1849. He was born April 7, 1799, in
died in..i84. H wabo Api7      99      years each, and Justice of the Peace, which office
the State of New York, in the vicinity of the St..
S   o N.   he is still filling. He is a member of the Board of
Lawrence River. He was a resident of Canada
Review, a body constituted for the purpose of remany years, where he followed farming until I836,   viewig te actions        the.o  of  Supe rsors
I,, —7   i..t                  & U            viewing the actions of the Board of Supervisors.


pa.


1n wncll year nie rIUrvcu tu JolUlICU, Ivlacollu -II.,
) Mich. One year later he took his family to Lapeer, County, where his life terminated.
S   The son grew to mature life under the supervision
= of his parents. He acquired a good education in, the common schools of his native place, to which he
= added materially by a course of study in a select
school under the direction of Professor John A.
Tribe. He was married at the age of 22 years, to
Laura A. Tibbals, who was born in 1845, in Troy,
Oakland Co., Mich., and was the daughter of Brad.
ford K. and Julia A. (Babcock) Tibbals, both of
whom were natives of Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. The
father was heavily interested in lumbering. The
young wife died Jan. 9, 1864, a year after her marriage, leaving one child, Elmer, whose life was the
price of that of the mother. Mr. Wethy continued


I
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Pt1 'obert Herbert, blacksmith at Brown City,
^ e~ was born March 3T, 1853, in Blenheim,.i -' Oxford Co., Ont. He is the son of Joseph
if\  anid Ann (Kerrison) Herbert. (See sketch of
S. E. Herbert.) At the age of 14 years Mr.
Herbert was apprenticed to Christie Bordhammer at Wolverton, Oxford Co., Can., to learn his
trade. He engaged in the labors of that occupation
18 months, when he became a teamster and followed
that pursuit a year. He again engaged as a blacksmith for a man named John Watson, with whom he
remained two years. Shortly after the expiration of
that period, he located at Old Brockway, Mich., and
I..  I  I.      'Y\T.T TT


',I1


F!41


Yt to reside on his tarm tor six years, during wnicn  obtained employment ot W. &J J. Harris. Hie opertime he was married to Harriet A., daughter of Al-  ated under their management six years, when he  f
bert W. and Harriet D. (Wilcox) Spencer. Her par-  established an independent business, which he conents were natives respectively of Canada and    ducted i8 months. At the end of that time he
Vermont. Her father was born in 1823; her mother  re-entered the service of his former employers..A
in 1826, and died in 1849. Mrs. Wethy was born in  year later, he went to Emmett, St. Clair County, and
Attica, Lapeer Co., Mich., in 1846. Nine children  worked i8 months for James Cogley. In September,
2 have been born of the second marriage: Edwin E.,  r88, he came to Brown City. He purchased two
t May 23, i866; Nola J., Oct. 28, 1867; Harriet E.,  lots and erected thereon a house and shop for the
Nov. 24, 1870; Laura A., Jan. 24, 1872; Albert R.,  prosecution of his business, which combines his trade  (
May Io, 1874; Freddie, June 7, I877 (died soon   with the sale of agricultural implements.
after birth); Francis C., July o0, I878; Sarah A.,  He was married Aug. 6, 1874, at North Branch,
April I, I88o; Alice V., March 28, I882.         Lapeer County, to Ann Middleton. She was born at  ]
$'   In 1870 Mr. Wethy removed with his family to   Old Brockway, St. Clair Co., Mich., of English par'1'       ))(3a — -— Atn "..                   D<^^4 ---:^w                  ^    --  - 4-f




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a.                 ~~~~~~~~SAIVIL;AC COUNrlTY.


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entage. Her father and mother are still living on a
farm in Lapeer Co, Mich. Sarah J., Robert L.,
Daisy D. and Lizzie May, are the names of the chilbren of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert. The father is a Republican in political sentiment and is at present
Highway Commissioner.
| -    ugustus Davis, farmer, section 5, Elmer
I X;3ri  Township, was born Dec. 9, I831, in Brant
Co., Ont.  His parents, David and Delilah
(Sherwood) Davis, were natives of New England, and descended from ancestors who were
residents of the same section. After their
marriage they removed to Canada, where they reared
their children and passed the remaining years of
their lives. The father was a farmer and brought up
his sons to the same calling.
Mr. Davis commenced working as a carpenter
when he was 24 years of age. He pursued that
business, which he alternated with farming, in his
native county, until 1878, when he joined the agri-; cultural community of Michigan. On arriving in
Sanilac County he entered a claim of i60 acres of
land, where he has since resided and applied his
efforts and energies to the best purpose in the improvement of his land, which, at the time he became
resident, was in a natural condition. He has placed
50 acres already under first-class cultivation.
Mr. Davis was married in Elgin Co., Ont., to
Mary Moore, a native of Canada. Six children have
been born of their union,-George A., Almira J.,
( Joseph H., James D., Samuel W. and Phineas A.
Mr. Davis, in political matters, acts with the Republican party.
g dward W. Beckett, miller and farmer, resident at Valley Center, was born in Maple
^   Valley Township, May 31, 1858, and is the
son of John H. and Sarah (York) Beckett (see
sketch). Mr. Beckett entered upon his singlehanded contest with life when he was 19 years
'   old. He purchased 80 acres of land on section 2I in
)   this township, the entire tract being in an entirely
unimproved condition. After putting it into a some

what more valuable state, he exchanged the property  v
for 80 acres of land on section I6 having some im- #i
provements. He has since purchased an additional <i:
80 adjoining on section 15, and has greatly added to
to the improvements on the estate. In August, i883,
he entered into a partnership with his father in a
steam grist and shingle mill. The joint capacity is
about two tons of flour and 20,000 shingles daily.
He also owns an improved lot in the village limits.
He was married March I5, I880, at Brockway
Center, to Susan M. Makelim. She was born Feb. 9, I
I860, in Wellington Co., Ont. When she was I7
years old she accompanied her parents to Michigan.
William I., only child of Mr. and Mrs. Beckett, was  i
born Oct. 8, 1882. Mr. Beckett is a Republican in
political views and has been actively interested in
school affairs in the township since his residence
therein.
-_ —          ^-      -               ',:


i4.- enry W. Wilson, farmer and dealer in grain 2
_j,~~   and produce at Marlette, was born Feb. 8,
J 1850, in Durham Co., Ont. He is the son ot;:
Robert and Mary (Scott) Wilson, who were na-;
tives of Ireland. They grew to mature years
in the "Green Isle," and after their marriage in
I844 they came to Canada. In i860 they removed
to Michigan and settled in the township of Marlette.
The father died in June, 1876.
Mr. Wilson is the youngest of eight children born
to his parents, and he was ten years of age when his
parents came to this county. He obtained a good!
education in the common schools, and was a member of his father's household until he was 23 years of
age. The first important event in his life was his
marriage to Mary E. Haskins, which took place Aug.
7, I873. She was born in November, i85i, and is
the daughter of John and Betsey (Wilson) Haskins.
Two children, Wesley R. and Clarence H., have
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.             f
In 1878-9 Mr. Wilson was engaged in the milling
business at Chesaning, Saginaw County. He is the W
owner of a fine farm of 295 acres of land in Sanilac
County, which includes 80 acres cleared and im- zi
proved and under profitable cultivation. In i880he (
built a steam elevator near the depot at Marlette, s




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s  which has a capacity of 14,000 bushels. He was: also interested in building the steam saw-mill near
the same locality, which is now owned by Messrs.
t  Bolton & McGill.
I'    l alter Hyslop, farmer, section nI, Elmer
ot:_l Township, was born March 29, 1832, in
Dumfrieshire, Scotland, of which country his
' parents, John and Mary (Brownridge) Hys-:)  "   ~lop, were natives. The family of the senior
Hyslop included eight children, six of whom
were born of a prior marriage. Four yet survive.
Two brothers of Mr. Hyslop, William and Adam, reside respectively in England and Scotland. The sole
surviving sister, Mrs. Jane Moody, is living in Australia, in the near vicinity of Melbourne.
Mr. Hyslop is the seventh in order of birth of the
children born to his father and the first child of the
N second marriage. His mother died when he was
I five years old; his father died some years later. At:; the age of I7 years he went to Croydon, England,::  where he remained three years, returning thence to
Scotland, where he resided a year before coming to
the New World. He first located at Belleville, Can.,
where he learned the trade of a stone mason, and
there prosecuted his business until.the spring of
1864. At that date he came to Lexington, Sanilac
Co., Mich., where he worked a short time at his
trade. In the fall of the same year he came to Elmer
Township, having decided that a change of occupation was imperative to secure his restoration to
health. He sought a location where he could obI tain the full benefit of a life in the woods, and se-,{ lected the farm which is now his home. He entered
a homestead claim of r60 acres, five miles from other
settlers, in the dense forest so remote from civilization
as to afford secure retreat for wolves and deer, which
were very abundant. Mr. Hyslop was the first permanent settler in the township.  On making his:  location, he had but three months' provisions and no
money, which was soon exhausted. He returned to
%  Lexington, where he found employment, and it was
I  his custom, after Ilaboring six days, to expend his
< earnings in supplies for his family, and with a load
which usually averaged about 70 pounds in weight,
traversed the intervening 27 miles on foot, much of


the route lying through unbroken forest. This sort ~
of existence continued one year, when he hired a
team to convey his provisions. His native spirit in-,..
ured him to privation, and his thrift and industry
enabled him to retain proprietorship of his entire
acreage, which now constitutes the best farm in the
township, with 80 acres in an unusually fine state of
cultivation, and supplied with a good house and
creditable farrt buildings. The place has three acres
of orchard, of a wisely selected variety.
On the organization of the township, Mr. Hyslop?i
became first Supervisor, and continued in the position five years; he has held the office three years
subsequently, and has also officiated as Treasurer,
Clerk and Road Commissioner, besides having held
the minor official trusts. In political faith he is a
Republican, and holds the office of School Director.
The first marriage of Mr. Hyslop occurred May
24, I858, when he was joined in wedlock with Maria
Sillers, a native of Ontario, Can., and of Scotch descent and parentage.  She was born in October,?
i836, and died in Elmer Township, April 4, I879,
leaving ten children, who were born in the following
order: John, Susan, Mary, Elizabeth, Walter, Colin,
Joanna, Thomas, Ellen, and Maria. Mr. Hyslop
was a second time married, July 3, I886, at Lexington, to Barbara Legear, who was born at St. Mary's,
Ont., March 11, I856. Her parents were respectively of Scotch and Irish nativity. She came to Michigan the year previous to her marriage. Robert, Isabella and George are the names of the children born ot
this union. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mrs. Hyslop is a member.
John, the eldest son, is present Clerk of Elmer Town- V
ship. The two eldest daughters, Susan and Mary,
are teachers in Sanilac County, and have been engaged in that pursuit seven years.


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ohn A. McMahon, attorney at Marlette,
was born July 20, I853, in Worth, Sanilac  (
County.   He is the son of John and
~   Barbara (Wixson) McMahon, who were natives  i;
1   respectively of Ireland and Ontario. Mr. McMahon was educated in the common schools     -
and passed the first years of his life in study and work  (!
on the frmn He passed the remaining years of his
~~n —^e^ — -^^ I9
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SANILACICOUNTY.            219 >


minority in different occupations. On reaching the
period of his legal freedom, he entered the law office
of his brother, Hon. J. W. McMah6n, where he spent
i 8 months in the study of law, after which he entered
the Law Department of the University of Michigan
at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated two years
later, at the spring term of I877. He at once opened
his business as an attorney at Marlette, which he
prosecuted there until the fall of I88o, when impaired
I vision necessitated his temporary withdrawal from
active practice. His retirement continued until the
summer of 1883, when he resumed labor in the office
of George McKay, continuing there until May, 1884.
In April, 1882, he was elected Justice of the Peace,
and in April, i883, he was elected Township Clerk.
In the spring of 1884 he was re-elected to the position. In March, 1883, he was elected Village Clerk
and re-elected the year following. He is a member
of the Masonic fraternity.
Mr. McMahon was married in Marlette, Aug. 4,
1878, to Ella F. Oakes. She was born in Memphis,
Mich., and is the daughter of Charles H. and
Bathsheba (House) Oakes, natives of the State of
'  New York. Of three children born of this marriage,
but one-Hattie B.-survives. One child died in
early infancy; Zoe died when she was one month
old.
I   "          ark Turner, merchant, located at Shabt*, S    l Lbona Corners, Evergreen Township, is
the son of Richard and Catherine (Ballentine) Turner. The former is a native of
New Brunswick, the latter of Ireland. They
resided in Canada after their marriage until
1864, when they sought a residence in Michigan,
locating first in Port Huron, and later at Brockway,
where they now reside.
Mr. Turner was born Jan. I8, 1852, in Oxford Co.,
Can. He remained there under the paternal supervision until he was 24 years of age, when he engaged
as a hand in a saw-mill and was thus occupied seven
f   years. His next employ was on a farm in Brockway,:,   where he remained three years. In I884 he came
to his present field of operation and established the
'    business which he has since managed, and which


affords satisfactory returns for the capital and labor "
invested.
He is a Republican in political tendencies, and is '
present Township Clerk of Evergreen. He is a
memberof the Order of Masonry, Lodge No. 316,
Brockway, St. Clair Co., Mich.
He was married in 1878 to Catherine Pangborn,
who was born Aug. 7, i860, in Canada, and is the
daughter of John and Barbara (Shier) Pangborn.
Her father was born in Canada, her mother in Ireland. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Turner were i
born as follows: Mary E., Feb. 3, 1879; Burt,:
April 3, i882; Alton M., Sept. 7, I883.;
ens C. Jeuhl, farmer, section 28, Elmer
Township, was born April 26, 1826, in
Hadersleben, Denmark.   His parents,
Christian and Ann E. (Erchpen) Jeuhl, were
of German descent and born in Denmark. /
They belonged to the farming community and
were the parents of five children.
Mr. Jeuhl was the third child of his parents in A
order of birth, and received the excellent education K
prescribed by law in his native land. He remained e
with his parents until he was 25 years old, and from
that age until that of 32 years he passed his time as
a common laborer; he was then married to Mary
Jeuhl, the date of the event being June I9, I858.
Mrs. Jeuhl was born Jan. i, 1838, in Stenderup,
Denmark, and received a good education. Of eleven
children born of this union, three are deceased.
They were born as here named: Christian, Hans, i
Peter, Anthony, Anna, John, Jens and Mary. Those
deceased were named Lena, Jens and Joanna. The
children were all born before their parents left the
old country and are well educated. The two eldest
sons speak and write Danish, German, French and
English, and have a thorough knowledge of Latin.
The entire family are most accomplished linguists. r
They lived in Denmark until April, i882, when they
emigrated to America. They remained six months I
in the city of Detroit, and in the fall of that year i
came to Sanilac County. They purchased 360 acres
of land in this township, all of which was in its
primeval condition. Their thrift and energy have
already been applied to such good advantage that "


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220                               SANILAC COUNTY.                                             i
hi they have placed 30 acres in fair tillable condition,  shoemaking until 1844, when he went to Montreal.,
<   and the farm presents a creditable appearance, with  He resided there until his death in i856.,
J   good house and other farm buildings.             Mr. Webb remained with his parents until he was
f    Mr. Jeuhl is a Republican in political belief. His  I6 years old, when he went to Charlotte, Vt., for the
wife died April 25, I883, of consumption, about one  purpose of learning the trade of tanner and currier.
year after her arrival in America.  She had won  He was a resident there until he was 21 years old.
many friends during the brief months she passed in  In view of the plan he had marked out to go to Inher new home, and in her death she was mourned  dia, he became a student at the academy of Kingsas if she had been a friend of many long years. She  bury, N. Y., and spent two years in study at that
and her husband belonged to the Lutheran Church.  institution. He returned to his father's house, where
Uit~~~~~ A:@~~~~he passed a year, engaging six months in teaching at, al  itilliam P. Webb, farmer, section 22, Maple
i   Valley Township, has been a resident of
"t  A   Sanilac County since I858. He settled in
2 k   the township of Worth in March of that
')      ~~  year, where he rented a farm of 200 acres,
which he continued to manage 14 years. In
i 1872 he came to Maple Valley Township, where he
{ rented a farm of 120 acres for a term of seven years.
At the expiration of that period, he purchased the: property of which he is still the owner, consisting of
80 acres of land. It is now in fine condition, with a
good house and farm buildings. In addition to his
general farming, he is making a specialty of raising
blooded stock. He is a member of the Republican
party. While in Worth Township, Mr. Webb officiated as Justice of the Peace four years, and has
acted in the same capacity in Maple Valley Townoh,%; "..v;^ th anon ""   f. - -r- -4   TT, w n A-t 1'   ---   I


Odeltown. He went thence to Mooers, N. Y., where
he managed a saw-mill about one year, selling out to
go to Champlain, where he interested himself in
farming. He was there engaged until the spring of
1838, and was meanwhile married to Jane Spearman,
of Champlain, She was born March 2, I8I2, in Ireland, and is the daughter of Simon and Margaret
(Napier) Spearman. Her father removed his family
to America in I830. To Mr. and Mrs. Webb the
following children have been born, whose record of
birth is also given: Titus J., born Jan. 6, I839;
Margaret L., May 22, I840; Elizabeth M., Feb. I7,
1842; Charlotte A., Aug. 29, 1843 (died Dec. 2,
I870); Susannah L., July 13, I845; Jane L., Oct.
25, 1846; Lavinia W., Sept. 6, 1850; Mary M., June
30, I852; Martha V., July 5, 1857 (died March 30,
I860). The parents belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.


jsnip uIIIJg eil pat 11i years.  ie nas also ais-  'I
X  charged the duties of several school offices.            homas Walker, farmer, resident on section
Mr. Webb is a man of energetic and sterling               2, Marlette Township, is the son of William
->  character. In early life he designed to devote his     '( and Ann (Keyes) Walker, natives of County
}  life to the labors of a missionary in India, but was   Fermanagh, Ireland. They emigrated to Can-  i
diverted from his purpose by the entreaties of his     ada respectively in 1828 and 1830. They were
friends. At this writing (current year, I884) he is    married in the Dominion and continued to re73 years of age, and looks back to the change of his  side there until February, I856, when they came to
life purpose with regret.                        Michigan. The father bought 320 acres of land on
He was born Dec. 15, i8i I, in the city of London,  sections 23, 24 and 26, Marlette Township, where the
England, and is the son of Titus J. and Mary (Bau-  family settled and where the parents resided during
den) Webb. In I8I8 the family came to America,    the remainder of their lives. Their family included?    landing at Quebec June 5. They resided in that   seven children, all of whom attained maturity. Their!i:
city seven years, the father working as a shoemaker  births occurred in the following order: Jane (see
a portion of the time. He removed thence to Odel-  sketch of Geo. Notley), Thomas, John and Rebecca  -
(@  town, in close proximity to the line of New York,  (twins), William, James and Samuel. Rebecca is (9.
where he was occupied alternately at faiming and  the wife of William Nash.
1||<~.?    _y ---~                     sn anA —.)_ -—. -~:1


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frfso-i7Vr C:
(a                       SANILAC
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at>   Mr. Walker of this sketch is the eldest son of his
parents, and was born Sept. 15, I837, in Dundas Co.,:.  Ont. He obtained his education in the common
schools and was reared to the calling of the class to
which his parents belonged. He assisted in the
labors of the farm in Canada until he was 19 years
old, when his parents settled in Sanilac County. He
continued to reside with them until he was 38 years
old, when he settled upon 280 acres of land in the
same township, which he purchased in 1855. He has
since sold I20 acres, and has placed ioo acres of the, remainder in a finely cultivated condition.
Three years previous to his removal to his estate,
he was married to Elizabeth Nash. The event took
place July 17, I87r. Mrs. Walker is the daughter of
James and Nora (Grenen) Nash, natives respectively
of England and New Brunswick. She was born
April 23, I834. Nora J. and William E. are the
names of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Walker.
Mr. W. is an adherent to the tenets of the Democratic party in his political views. He has spent
many consecutive years in the discharge of the duties:: incumbent upon him as the official in positions of
trust and responsibility in his township. He served
two years as Supervisor, one year as Clerk and I3
years as Highway Commissioner. He officiated three
terms as Justice of the Peace and School Inspector,
and in I880 was appointed Deputy County Surveyor,
which position he still holds. He is one of the oldest
members of the Masonic Order in the township.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Walker are members of the
United Presbyterian Church.!:   ~I odward Hilborn, farmer, section 5, Elmer
Township, was born in March, I850, in. Elgin Co., Ont., and is the son of Mordecai Hilborn. He remained in the Dominion of
Canada with his parents until he was I6 years
of age, when he came to Sanilac County. He
)   first located in Speaker Township, where he pursued
agriculture until 1882, operating on 40 acres of land.
In the year named, he removed to Elmer Township
and purchased the estate which now constitutes his
homestead. It comprises 127 acres, and at the date
of purchase was in a wholly unimproved condition.
>   In the brief period in which he has been resident, he


COUNTY.                                     221
has cleared and improved 20 acres and erected suitable and necessary farm buildings. Mr. Hilborn is a
Republican in political sentiment and action.
He was married Sept. 22, I879, in Worth Township, to Josephine Wixson. She was born in the
township where she was married, June 2.5, I857.
Herbert, only child, was born July I3, i882. The
parents are members of the Baptist Church.
e ED ---- ff^eM --- d.  CaJalvin Davis, farmer, section 15, Elmer
Township, was born March 14, 1837, in.t B  Kingston, Canada. His parents, James S.
and Nancy (Barrett) Davis, were of New
England extraction, born respectively in New
York and Vermont. They belonged to the
agricultural class, and the father died in Chatham,
Ontario, in I88r. The mother still resides there,
aged 70 years.
Mr. Davis became a sailor boy on the "Great
Lakes"when he was 14 years of age. From this
position, the most humble in his chosen calling, he
gradually advanced by promotion until he became
captain. Following are the names of the boats
which he managed during the last seven years of his
life on the lakes: The " Free Trader," of Montreal;
the " Elizabeth," of Kingston, and the "Cambria," of
Hamilton; also the "Shannon," of Kingston, and
the "Wave Crest," of Montreal. In I873 he abandoned the career of a sailor and spent the ensuing
two years in the shipyard of Chatham. His next
remove was to this State, when he located at Brockway Center, St. Clair County, and managed a tannery one year.  In 1877 he settled in Sanilac
County. He purchased the farm which has since
been his homestead, and which comprises I20 acres
of excellent land. Of this he has improved and
cultivated 30 acres. Mr. Davis subscribes to the
tenets of the Democratic party, and has officiated
four years as Superintendent of Schools.
He was married March 24, I874, at Chatham,
Ont., to Clarinda, daughter of William and Permelia
(Harris) Walker. The parents were born respectively in Scotland and Nova Scotia and were of
Scotch descent. The father was a mason by trade,
and lost his life in the late Rebellion while in action,
from a bayonet wound. The mother resides with


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222                                     SANILAC
her daughter, and is 75 years of age. Mrs. Davis
was born June I8, I849, in Ingersoll, Ont. The
*   family of Mr. Davis now includes four children:
f  George W., Charles L., James H. and Lloyd B..f'.


COUNTY.


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J R    oren Cady, liveryman, established at Mar' '~~   lette,.was born in the State of Pennsylvania, June 2, 1860. His parents were also
-' (   natives of the Key-stone State, and came to
Michigan in 1884, and now reside in the city of
Saginaw.
Mr. Cady became a resident of Sanilac County in
1882, and engaged about one year in teaming, after
which he went to Saginaw and was variously employed for a short time. In the spring of I884 he
- came to Marlette and after a brief time purchased
the livery business of F. E. Talmadge. His horses,
\ carriages and other fixtures are of a quantity and
a quality adapted to the extent and character of his
= patronage, and he is engaged in a satisfactory business.
*')  I i obert G. Brown, farmer on section I8,
53;1~ D.lls RAMnra V9zi-ir Tnvvnchir rpzci ont of Rrn-rxn


without settlers save the nomadic red men, who roved
at their own will wherever wild game most abounded,
or their simple desires led them. Markets and supplies were 30 miles distant, at Almont and Romeo, a
distance rendered doubly tedious by the fact that
locomotive facilities were confined to their ox teams.
On first settling, they brought in a horse with them,
but the following spring it wandered into the woods
and was never traced.
The existing condition of things involved much
hardship for the first few years. Four grown sons
made a respectable pioneer working force who accomplished much necessary improvement of the tract of
land within their supervision; and under the judicious
guidance of their father, their labors proved of much
value to the location, their improvements and establishment of general interests rendering the surrounding counitry attractive to other new comers. Their
parents resided on section 12, Burnsides Township,
during the remainder of their lives. Their father
died June 21, 1883, at the age of 97 years.  He
adopted and supported the principles of the Republican party, and was the first Treasurer of his
township after the establishment of its municipal
regulations. The mother died Nov. i8, I865.
Mr. Brown was a member of the paternal household until his marriage, Feb. 20, i86r, in Maple
Valley Township, to Margaret M. Bryce. Her parents, James and Elizabeth (Fenner) Bryce, were


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Ildi V clIly I JVVl1li, ICMUCL1L ai.ULVWII
3i2N' City, was born in Scotland near the Che-  natives of Scotland and the Province of Ontario,
viot Hills, April 28, 1834. His parents, Wil  respectively, and were of Scotch and Irish descent.
iam and Margaret (Murray) Brown, were born  They were among the pioneer settlers of Sanilac  I
X  respectively in the Lowlands and Highlands  County and identified with its early history and deof Scotland, and represent long lines of ancestry who  velopent. The father died Dec. 26, 1871, in St.
were shepherds from dates going back to remote  Clair County. The mother is a resident still on the
periods. They were in the same avenue of business homestead ln Brockway Township in that county  i
until their removal to the United States in I850, Mrs Brown was born in Warwick, Hampden Co.,
whither they.came with their family of four sons and  Ont., and is one of 11 children born to her parents.
two daughters. They first located in Yates Town- They removed to this township when she was II
ship, Orleans Co., N. Y., where they remained four years of ag and she was a member of her father's
years. In I854 they came to Michigan and pur-    household until her marriage. Three children, of
' chased large tracts of land in Lapeer and Sanilac  whom she is the mother, are all living. They were
Counties, including in all 1,200 acres, situated on born follows: Martha   uly     862   arried
sections 12 and 13 in Burnsides Township, that coun-  April i8, I88, Geo. W. Smith, a merchant at Clare,:
in the county of the same name); Mary J., Sept. 5,
ty, and on sections 7 and i8 in what is now Maple in the county of the same name); Mary J., Sept,
Valley Township. Comparative data will manifest  I864 (married April I9, 1883, Frank Snyder, Deputy  x
the primitive condition of the estate, which was ac-  Postmaster at Brown City and dealer in musical in-,.
7   cessible only by means of Indian trails and entirely  struments, sewing-machines, and is an insurance
sell                                                r%~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"




bell -.:4R


223 t......,  I,


SANILAC CO UNT Y.,  agent); Rebecca E., Nov. 29, i868, who is still with
her parents.
Mr. Brown removed his family to Imlay City, Lapeer County, where he located March 27, 1873. He
engaged in grain traffic, in which he was interested
two years, after which he embarked in business as a
dealer in general merchandise, which pursuit he followed until July, 1879, at which date he returned to
the life of an agriculturist and took possession of his
estate lying on sections i8 and 8 of this township,
comprising 520 acres, with 150 acres under advanced
culture, with fine farm buildings, and including one: of the best assorted and producing orchards in the
county. The village which perpetuates the family
$  name and fitly represents its influence, was half
platted by Mr. Brown, and he owns loo lots within
its limits. He was the first Township Clerk and remained the incumbent of the position some years; he!  was also Treasurer for a few terms. During the war
he served three years as enrolling officer of three townships of Sanilac County. He has been Postmaster at:'i Brown City since its organization. He is a Republican of most decided principles.
'      ~ athaniel S. Fancher, marketman at Marf  X! lette, is the son of Richard and Betsey
(Smith) Fancher. They were natives of
the State of New York, where they were married, and later removed to Michigan, settling in
Macomb County in the pioneer days of the
I   Peninsular State. They afterwards removed to Lapeer County, where the father died July 9, 1849.
Their family included four sons and five daughters.
Mr. Fancher is the youngest son of his parents,
and was born July 28, I843, in Lapeer Co., Mich.
He passed the first 18 years of his life in the parental household, in acquiring his education in the
common schools and as an assistant on his father's
farm. He spent the next 12 years in the varied occupations of farmer and lumberman, and in i869
opened a market at Attica in his native county.
5 After managing his interests in that line three years,
he sold out and embarked in the livery business,,   which he carried on two years. He passed a year at
Almont, Lapeer County, and in February, I879, he
came to Marlette, where he opened a meat market,


which he has since continued to manage. Mr.
Fancher is a Democrat in political faith, and is one
of the charter members of Marlette Lodge, No.
1,775, K. of H. He belongs also to the Masonic
Order.
His marriage to Mary Sanderson occurred Oct. 14,
1863, in Genesee Co., Mich. She was born in 1843,
in Canada, and is the daughter of Nelson and Fanny
Sanderson. Two of the three children born of this
marriage are deceased. Their names were Dora and
Nelson. Clara M. was born Sept. 24, 1872.
ohn J. Robinson, farmer, section 31, Evergreen Township, was born Feb. 28, 1842,
in the Township of Bruce, Macomb Co.,
Mich. His father, Robert Robinson, was born
in 1806, and when he was i8 years old came
to America, settling on Long Island. He married Betsey A. Dunn, who was born in 1822, in the
State of New York: she died in i856. The family
removed to Macomb County in 1836 and settled in
Bruce Township. A few years later they came to
Lapeer County, where the father remained until 1875
when he came to Sanilac County to reside with his
son. He died May 24, I877.
Mr. Robinson was 19 years of age when the civil
war engulfed the land, and he enlisted in Co. G,
roth Mich. Vol. Inf. He received his discharge for
disability before his regiment left the State, and returned to Lapeer County, where he engaged in farming. In I872 he came to Sanilac County and located
an estate of 240 acres of wild land, which he still
retains, with the exception of 80 acres which he sold.
The place now includes 74 acres under good improvements.
In political sentiment Mr. Robinson adheres to the
principles of the Republican party. He has been
Township Treasurer two terms, and Highway Commissioner one term. He has served three terms as
School Director, and as Assessor for the same length
of time.
Mr. Robinson was married in 1863, to Betsey A.
Wilcox. She was born Oct. iI, I841, in Lapeer
Co., Mich., and is the daughter of Harvey and Susan
(Burton) Wilcox. The former was born July 5, I815,


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P: 224                                   SA7NILAAC CO UNTY. Y
the latter Nov. 6, i8io, both natives of the State of  to Michigan to enjoy the privilege of a republican -a,
New York. The family of Mr. Robinson includes      form of government, and to avail himself of the ad-:.   one adopted son, Harvey Wilcox, who was born May  vantages offered by the resources of the Peninsular
9, 875,                                              State. In February, I879, he purchased the estate
of 80 acres he now owns, and whereon he has established his home. He has improved 22 acres and:
placed it under good cultivation.
~t..o      His marriage to Henrietta Riake occurred Sept. 2,
illiam T. Dodge, M. D., physician at Marilliam T. odge, M- D2, p  8ys6can a ar-   I845,in Prussia. She was born in Prussia, June 21,
W  lette, was born April 2, 86o, in Barry  825. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Co., Mich.  He is the son of Winchester
Co.,. He is te s   o Wr            Smackart, four of whom are deceased. They were
4  '~) T and Ann (Craig) Dodge, natives respectAn (Cig)         Dodge, natives respect-  named Levi, Rebecca, August and Almateria. Those
ively of Ontario and Scotland.  They lo-.. n.,
ivey o O o ad S.   Ty l-      who survive are Christopher, William, Andrew, Mincated in Michigan after their marriage, and are  nie, Barbara and Elizabeth. The family are memat present residents of Lapeer County.            bers of the religious society known as "Dunkards."
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Dr. Dodge is the eldest of five children born to his
parents, and passed the first 18 years of his life in obtaining an education in the common and high schools
of his native county. In the fall of 1878, he entered
) the Medical Department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated two
l years later, having fulfilled the prescribed course of
z study at that institution. He received his creden-:  tials in July, I880, and came soon afterward to Mar= lette, where he practiced a year. In i88I he went
to the city of New York, where he spent six months
in clinic practice. He resumed his business at Marlette, where he has since pursued his calling with
satisfactory results.
Dr. Dodge is independent in political connections
and views, and in the spring of I884 was appointed
Health Officer of Marlette.  He is a member of
Lodge No. 343, F. & A. M.


Stuart McClure, attorney at Marlette,
__  was born Sept. 27, 1857, in Madoc, Hastings Co., Ont. His parents, Donald and
Flora (Stuart) McClure, were natives of
the Isle of Skye. They were born in Sleat,
and emigrated to Hastings Co., Can., where the
intimacy which  began  in their earliest years
culminated in marriage. Later on, they removed to
Middlesex Co., Ont., where they were a number of
years resident, going thence to Lambton Co., Ont.,
where they have since lived. Their family included
six children,-three sons and three daughters. One
of the latter is deceased. The father of Mr. McClure has been actively interested in business life,
having been successfully engaged in merchant tailor

3^i~~ 3^flinn>llA  |S ^ing, lumbering and in manufacture and traffic in oil. %
Mr. McClure is the second in order of birth of the 5~'
children of his father's family. Previous to the age,enry Smackart, farmer, section i, Elmer  of i6 years he acquired a substantial education in
i Township, was born in Prussia, June 16,    the public schools of Middlesex County, accomplish1823. His father died when he was a child  ing the entire curriculum of study therein. At the
of four years, and he was reared by his mother,  age named he commenced teaching, which vocation
with whom he remained until his departure from  he pursued two years.  He then attended the
his native country in 1853. He was 30 years of  Georgetown Academy, where he took one course of t
age when he set out to seek his fortune in the New  study. He resumed teaching, and two years later
4  World. He first settled at Belmont, Waterloo Co.,  became a student at Gait Collegiate Institute, enter-  i
E   Can., where he passed nine years in farming. He  ing the last year of the four years' course prescribed  (
went thence to Huron Co., Ont., and engaged in    by that institution, and devoting his attention partic-  /
agriculture. The next 17 years of his life he passed  ularly tothe classics. He again became a teacher,,
in the labors of the farm there, and then he came  and devoted the proceeds of his labors to the educaSB<~))^^ -    -— ^-^nx ~                                          _____l  n 1J;- --  e
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SANILAC CO UNTY.


227 2


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I  tion of his brother, who studied medicine at Ann Arbor, graduated, and is now engaged in the successful
practice of his profession at Sherman, Texas. The
prosecution and accomplishment of this purpose was
the cause of the postponement of his own plans for
professional study. He had fixed upon the United
States as a suitable and feasible field for the development of his life purposes, and he accordingly determined upon pursuing the course of study preparatory to his entrance upon a professional life, at an
American institution. In the fall of 1878 he left his
native country, and entered the Law Department of
the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he
was graduated in the spring of i88o. He was
elected Poet of his class.
In the spring of i881 he established himself in
business at Marlette, in company with the Hon. J. W.
i  McMahon, and has since been engaged in the prosecution of his profession. He has already won his
i  way to a prominent position as an attorney, through
his industry, integrity and application to his business
engagements. In political sentiment and connection
he is independent. He was elected Circuit Court
Commissioner on the Republican ticket, in the fall
of I882.
eter C. Phillips, farmer, section 27, Evergreen Township, was born Nov. i8, 1838,
i  J. ~ in Elgin Co, Can., and is the son of Nich1  olas and Effie (Alward) Phillips. The former
was born in 1776, in Schoharie Co., N. Y., was
a farmer all his life, and died in I862. The mother
was born in 1793, in Canada. She is still living in
the Dominion, at the advanced age of 91 years.
Mr. Phillips atfained his majority under the supervision of his father, after which he managed the
home farm for five years. He remained in Canada
until 1864, when he came to Michigan. He located
in Brockway Tp., St. Clair County, where he interested himself in farming and rearing stock. In the
fall of i88i he came to Sanilac County and settled
on i60 acres located on sections 27, 28 and 33. He
also owns 80 acres of land on section 35. Politically, he is a Republican, and in the year I883 was
I. s s ~~~~~~~~~~3


elected Township Treasurer, to which office he was
re-elected in 1884.
Mr. Phillips was married in I860, to Experience
A. McGregor. She was born May 24, I843, and is
the daughter of Philander and Phebe McGregor.
The former was born June 9, I8II, and died June
i6, 1876; the latter was born Feb. 28, 1823, and
died Sept. 17, i863. Both were natives of Wellington Co., Can. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips are the parents
of ten children, recorded as follows: Albert N.,
born Feb. 9, i86i; Francis H., May 22, I863; Alma
A., March 8, 1867; Philander, March 29, i869;
Cyrus M., Dec. 23, 1872; Fidelia E., June 9, 1874;
Carlton, May 17, 1876; Sheriff C., June 24, I878;
Charley, July 31, i880; Peter L., Aug. i, 1883.
~ii  ames Minard, farmer, resident on section
32, Moore Township, is the son of Samuel
and Rebecca (Moore) Minard. The for'    mer was born in Ulster Co., N. Y., and removed in I813 to Canada, where he engaged
in the two-fold occupation of farmer and
blacksmith. The parents are both deceased.
Mr. Minard was born July 3r, 1830, in Elgin Co.,
Can. On reaching his majority he married Hannah
Johnson, who was born April i, I836, in Canada,
and is the daughter of Job and Mary (Scott) Johnson. Her father was a farmer, and died in I842.
Her mother is living in Sanilac County. In i860
Mr. Minard became a resident of Moore township.
He located on 50 acres of land, where he has since
resided, and is one of the heaviest land-owners in
the township, owning 680 acres additional to his first
purchase. He was the first permanent white settler
in Moore Township, where he resided four years before another white man made a location. The nearest neighbor was 12 miles distant in one direction,
and fifteen miles away in another. The farm now
comprises 140 acres of improved and finely cultivated land. Mr. Minard is a member of the Masonic
Lodge, No. 6,, at Lexington. He has been a Republican since the founding of the party, and was
Sheriff of the county in 1874. He has been Supervisor 12 terms, Treasurer and Justice of the Peace
12 years, and has held the position of Notary Public


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V^: six years, receiving his appointment from Gov. Bag-  trust and responsibility. In 1873 he was appointed  B$ ley. Mr. Minard is now in the position of local    Commissioner of the Elmer State Road by the Legis-  ';:  State Commissioner for the Port Sanilac & Tuscola  lature of Michigan, and he is also Township Drain:  State Road.                                       Commissioner. He is an Episcopalian in religious:-,   The children of Mr. and Mrs. Minard are nine in  connection.
number, and were born as follows:   Charles L.,
Nov. 28, 1855; Phillip, May 5, 1858; Samuel C.,
March I9, i860; James W., Aug. 21, 1862; Enos,
March i6. i864; Mary, Nov. 30, I867; Jacob D.,           on W. C      ci, h     we m         t,f.",,* vJ.       SSI! ohn W. Councilor, hardware merchant at
Feb. 27, 1870; Hannah, Sept. 5, 1872; Job, April 3,     i Marlette, was born May 28, 852, in Dela1 I878'." ware, of which State his parents, Elisha
Mr. Minard's portrait is presented with those of                          Concil, wre aso     a-,  and Rebecca (Dean) Councilor, were also fiaother leading citizens of Sanilac County.                     Theycameto Michiganin     854   His
ir es. They came to Michigan in i854. His
eminently fitting from the position he occupies as a   father dying when he was nine years of age,
pioneer, a developer of the resources of his county e was thrown upon his own exertions for self-mainand township, and a public-spirited man, possessing                             following, until he
tenance, and he passed the years following, until he
a desire to aid in every possible way in the progress    ym l                       H  t
of the generation to which he belongs, and to con-  to Pewmars onias a   farm laborer. He tt en went
of the generation to which he belongs, and to con

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tribute all effort needed to secure its permanent wellbeing.
XMd~  homas Kirkbride, farmer, section 10, Elmer
Township, was born June 5, I830, in Cumberland County, England.  His parents,
Thomas and Ann (Hall) Kirkbride, were also
natives of England and are now deceased. In
1831 they emigrated with their family to this
country and settled in Quebec, Canada.
Mr. Kirkbride remained at home with his parents
in the Dominion until he was 28 years of age. He
acquired the trade of a carpenter, which calling he
has pursued many years. He came to Michigan in
December, i858, and located in the township of


three years. He was then on the threshold of manhood and became a traveling salesman in the interests of Messrs. Wessell & Wheeler, of St. Louis,
Gratiot Co., Mich. After a year of effort in their service he engaged in selling patent rights, in which he
passed a similar length of time, when he engaged
with the National Copying Company of Kalamazoo,
and operated in their behalf two years.
Mr. Councilor became a resident of Sanilac County in December, [876, when he opened a tinshop at
Marlette. He entered into a partnership with
Thomas Aldrich, and the relation existed until I883,
when he bought the interest of his partner, and has
since managed his business interests with success.
He owns his place of business and other village
property.
He was married May 29, 1883, in Saginaw Co.,


Flynn, in this county, where he purchased 240 acres  Mich., to Ella Gates. She is a native of Michigan.,
of land on section 15, and in addition to his interests
as a pioneer farmer he engaged quite extensively in       --   -^.?\/o,~v. ---
lumbering. A variety of causes precipitated disaster
to his business in that direction, and in 1867 he sur- 1  reeman A. Kyes, salesman for John Makerendered his property. He came to this township in         lim, at Valley Center, was born July 13,
i867 and entered a claim of 80 acres under the 1| G         862, in Leeds Co., Ont. His father and
regulations of the Homestead Act. He has placed        mother, Alpheus and Minerva (Shipman) Kyes,
20 acres under creditable cultivation, and is again    are residents of this township. (See sketch of
becoming one of the solid citizens of Sanilac County.    John Makelim.) Mr. Kyes became his own
He is a Republican in political faith and action, and  master when he was 13 years of age and engaged as
j    has served his generation ten years as Justice of the  a general farm laborer until he was 17 years of age,
Peace; he has also officiated in other positions of  when he set out for Michigan by himself and located
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SA VIL -C CO UN — Y.SA.-VILAC CO U,,VTY.


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f at Valley Center. He engaged in farming in this
t vicinity, afterwards going to Port Huron, Michigan,;:~ in -I883. He operated for a time as clerk in the
f Commercial House at that place, and after the ex-! piration of his engagement there, he came to this
place and entered the employ of his brother-in-law.
He has attended school winters until he has obtained
a good education. In politics he is a Republican.
In disposition Mr. Kyes is liberal and enthusiastic, and
his natural traits of character and habits give promise
f of a successful and useful career in life.
~      - William Craig, proprietor of the woolen-mill
at Marlette, was born Oct. i6, I837, in
Scotland. His parents, John and Mary
i    2 (Stirret) Craig, were natives of Scotland,
and emigrated from their native land to
Canada. The father died there, and the mother
is now a resident of Sanilac County.
Mr. Craig was ten years of age when he came to
Canada, where he remained until the fall of I872,
when he came to Sanilac County. He bought 80
I  acres of land in Marlette Township, of which he
took possession, and on which he resided until I879,
when he removed to the village of Marlette and
built the woolen-mill which he has since operated.
His working corps includes an average number of
six men. In political faith and connection he is a
Republican, and he also belongs to the Masonic
fraternity.


17, i88i. Five children survive her. Eliza, only
child of her first marriage, resides in Ontario and is
the wife of Patrick Duffey. William and Stephen
are residents of Maple Valley Township. Elizabeth
(Mrs. John Cann) lives in Ontario.
Mr. Etherington passed the first I6 years of his
life under the care of his parents. He attended the
public schools of the Dominion and assisted in the
labors of the farm until the age named, when he was
apprenticed to learn the trade which he has since
pursued. He served three years at Elora, Wellington Co., Ont., and came thence to Lynn Township,
St. Clair Co., Mich., where he followed the business
for which he had fitted himself until the fall of 1883.
At that date he established his shop and business at
Valley Center. He is a thorough and efficient craftsman and is doing a substantial and prosperous business.
He is a Republican in political opinion and action,
and is a reliable and respected citizen of his township. He is a Methodist in religious conviction and
connection.
illiam    Thomas, farmer, section 25, Elk
Township, was born Feb. 25, I837, in the
city of Toronto. Soon after his birth, he
was sent to Northumberland Co., Ont., where
he remained with his grandparents until he, attained to man's estate. He spent a number
of years as a common laborer and in I86I he came
to Michigan. In I869 be bought I60 acres of land,
and in April, 1874, he settled on the place. It was
in a wholly wild condition when he took possession,
and he has now Ioo acres in first-class farming condition. His supplies at the time he moved into the
township were worth about $25. He has applied
his time and efforts to the best possible advantage,
and is justly considered one of the substantial citizens
of this township. He has recently begun to deal in
Durham stock, and has a fine herd of graded cattle,
besides a valuable flock of blooded sheep. He is a
decided Democrat in his political views.
Mr. Thomas was married April o1, 1878, in Elk
Township, to Cordelia, daughter of William and
Esther (Stryker) Eastman.  Her mother died in
Ontario, in 1856, and her father resides in Port


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eorge Etherington, blacksmith at Valley
I;k'  Center, Maple Valley Township, was born
in Vaughan Township, York Co., Ont., May
o, 1856. His parents, William and Martha
(Keyworth) Etherington, were both natives of.   Lincolnshire, England.  Their parents emigrated
with their families to Canada, where their children
ic  grew to mature years, married, settled and died in
the Dominion.   The mother of Mr. Etherington
was the widow of John Clayton at the time of her
)    marriage to his father. The latter was a farmer all
'    his life and died abput i858. The mother died Dec.
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Huron. She was born Oct. 12, 1851, in Ontario.
Mary E., born Feb. 25, I879, and William A., born
June 18, i880, are the children now included in the
family of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. The parents are?}  members of the Baptist Church.
atthew Umphrey, farmer on section 15,
Elk Township, was born in York (now.^ Je     Toronto), Canada, Nov. I, 1822. His
parents, Samuel and Lucinda Umphrey,
were natives of New York, of New England ancestry, who were of Scotch and German descent.
They died in Ontario County, in the Dominion, and
were both about 73 years of age.
Mr. Umphrey was bred a farmer and remained
upon the home place until he was 23 years old. He
) then made a purchase of 1oo acres of land on concession ninth, in Ontario County, and became
v   actively interested in agriculture. He retained the
ownership of this a few years, when he sold out and
secured 200 acres on concession seventh, in the same
-   county. He lived on the latter until he had reclaimed go acres from its natural condition. In 1855
he came to Michigan and purchased 320 acres of
wild land in Delaware Township, Sanilac County,
where he was one of the earliest settlers. The tract
was situated in the vicinity of Forestville, in the
township of Delaware, where he remained about 15
years. Meanwhile he was an actual resident of Lexington Township four years, where he improved
nearly 80 acres of land, and then returned to his;a farm in Delaware Township. He established a saw-:   mill on his place and engaged extensively in the
manufacture of lumber. In the fall of I87I the fire
which devastated the county of Sanilac destroyed a
large amount of lumber which he had in stock, his
horses, cattle, stock generally, farm buildings, including everything on the place in the shape of a struct
ure,-fences, fixtures and every vestige of property of
which he was the owner, save the ground it occupied,-the loss aggregating $12,000.  One of his
sons was burned nearly to death, and the lives of his
f  family were saved only by seeking refuge on the lake,
which was 80 rods distant. They were practically
unclothed, and stood waist deep in the water eight
-hours, waiting for the heat to abate, before it was safe


to venture to the shore. The loss was severe, but
his determination to re-establish once more his
fortunes was intact. He had a little property in
Lexington Township, of which he took possession,
and there remained until the fall of 1877, when he
removed to Elk Township. He settled on section
I5 and now owns 240 acres located on sections 14,
15 and 22. He has 50o acres cleared and otherwise
improved, and is fast resuming his former position as
a leading agriculturist of Sanilac County. He is a
Democrat in political connections and action.
Mr. Umphrey was first married in October, 1845,
in Ontario Co., Can., to Mary Noble. She was born
in the same county, of American parentage, in 1828,
and became the mother of nine children, all of whom
survive her save one. They are named Samuel,
Catherine, Elizabeth, Mary, Ellen, Angeline, John
and Lucinda. Martha is deceased. The mother
died in 1867, in Lexington Township, universally
lamented. The husband was a second time married in 1870, in Lexington, to Catherine Flynn, who
was born in Ontario in 1853 and died in February,
1875, leaving two children,-Emma and Margaret
Mr. Umphrey was a third time married Aug. 8, 1875,
to Mrs. Mary Keefe, daughter of Fred and Elizabeth
(Post) Keller. Mrs. U. is a native of Ontario, where
she was born, in Colburn County, Nov. 5, I840. By
her first marriage she is the mother of eight children, two of whom are deceased. Their names are
Fred, John, Mary, Jennie, Ellen and James. Richard
and Catherine are deceased. Anna is the only child
of her second marriage.
i     _ ][enjamin Collins, farmer, resident on sec|    tion 30, Buel Township, was born in 1819,
in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. His parents,
~~G, Israel and Lavinia Collins, were of American
birth, and died in Durham, Oxford Co., Can.
Mr. Collins is the fifth of ten children born
to his parents. His brothers and sisters were Margaret, Richard, Betsey, Abel, Josiah, Jerome, Lavinia,
Arminia and Russell. The latter is deceased. His
parents removed to Canada when he was 12 years
of age, and on reaching his majority he bought a farm
in the Dominion, and entered vigorously upon the
work of improving. The place included Ioo acres,




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&^-.i~<~~ ~SANILAC COUNTY.                                                            231,.
and was in a wholly wild condition. He made an    Co., Mich., to Susie P., daughter of Michael Doyle.:
exchange with a younger brother for a similar acre-  She was born in New Brunswick, and her parents
age, on which he resided until 1857. During the  were natives of that province.  Dora. A., Ray D.,
latter part of September in that year, he came to San-  Lulu B. and Harry S. are the names of the survivilac County and bought 200 acres of land in Buel  ing children. Mary died when she was two years '
Township. In the year following he removed his    old.
family hither. The entire tract of land was in an
unimproved condition, and is now all under cultiva-                           i
tion. He has sold a part of it and the remainder is
in the possession of different members of the family. |  l  obert Acheson, farmer, section 32, LexingMr. Collins was married July i6, 1841, in Dun-ton Township, was born Sept. I, 1813,
ham, Can., to Asenath, daughter of Peter and Eliza-.    near Enniskillen, County Armagh, Irebeth (Woodward) Walker. Her parents were natives       land, and is the son of John and Sarah E.
(Ad ams) Acheson. His father was   born in
of the State of New York, and died respectively in     (Adams) Acheson    His father was born in
i758, of English parentage, was a farmer in
Clayton Co., Iowa, and Copetown, Can. Their fain-       1758 of English parentage, was a farm
is also deceased. Their family of children, includily included two sons and six daughters. Mrs. north of Ireland, and died in 1831. Robert's mother
Collins was born July 7, I8T8, in Chatham, N.     s also deceased. Their family of children,  clud
X                r s 1   1   r 1         r       Qing six sons and seven daughters, all reached matu-  I
She was three years old when her father removed to    six sons and seven        a  reached mat
Canada. Of 12 children of whom she has become      rity, but are all deceased except four. Mr. Acheson
I   the mother, ten are living. They were born in the has one brother and two sisters living. The family
following order; Wesley, July 19, 1842; Alvaro (see  came to New Brunswick in Augus    825  The
senior Acheson purchased a farmf 2    acres in the in
sketch), Sept. 26, 1843; Betsey, Feb. I, 1845; Israel,
May2, 1846; Fr, S7  18   Z, Mr     province, and at the time of his death was the owner
-  May 2, I846; Frank, Sept. 5, 1847; Zenas, March
25, 1849; Peter, Sept. o1, 1850; George, May Io,  of 450 acres.
25- o: Sa   ra, No.XT85  Jo  m Tv In oMr. Acheson was married Oct. 22, i838, to Mary
1853; Sarah, Nov. 1, 1855; Jerome, Nov. i, 1857;.m y N.,1.              ST~ o1i86i.- T  o ~Rodgers. She died soon after her marriage, leaving
William Henry, Nov. I, 1859; Jane, Nov. I, I86I.;!  ^ IT  *  -n  I.T  *  T4 — i      a daughter, Mary R., who is now the wife of George
Mr. Collins is a Republican in political sentiment.
jf;~~~~~~ ~~~Carson, of Humboldt Bay, Cal. The mother was                              i
born in I821, in County Down, Ireland, and died
f ~j  c-w               3             | -oc5~4(((o-o ~ c-Oct. 6, 1840. The daughter was born Sept. i8,
X Xi                                                Byo1840. The second marriage of Mr. Acheson, to
alias J. Warner, merchant at Marlette, is  Barbara A. McFarland, occurred Oct. 2, I843. She
f f~_I  the son of Zimri and Sarah A. (Walker)   was born Sept. i, 1815, in New Brunswick. The
/  Warner (see sketch of S. H. Warner), and  children of this marriage were born as follows: [
was born Dec. 5, I847, at Coldwater, Branch  Wellesley, July 29, I844 (died Feb. 22, 1873, of liver
Co., Mich. He acquired his education chiefly in  disease and dyspepsia); Lucy, Feb. 6, 1846; Eliza- I!
the common schools, and supplemented his ele-  beth, Nov. 24, i847; Cephas, Oct. 27, i850; John
mentary studies by a course at the Commercial Col- M., July 29, 1852.  Lucy was married Sept. 25,
lege at Flint. In December, I873, he came to Mar-  1874, to William Allington, and resides six miles
i   lette. He entered the mercantile house of Robert  west of St. Clair. Elizabeth was married June 17,
Hoag as general manager, where he operated about  I874, to William E. Walker, and lives in Haldimand
one year. In 1874 he bought a village lot, on which  Co., Can. Cephas was married May i, 1883, to
he erected the building where he established his   Helen Woodcock, in San Francisco, and lives at
business. His transactions amount yearly to about  Humboldt Bay, Cal. John was married in I867 to
$60,000. In political connections he affiliates with  Eva Harman, and is a farmer in Buel Township.
i   the Democrats. He held the position of President of  Mr. Acheson remained on his father's farm until:
ki   Marlette Village the second year after its organi-  1857, when he removed his family to Haldimand )A
zation.                                          Co., Can.   He purchased  oo00 acres of land of
Mr. Warner was married Aug. 13, 1872, in Lapeer  which he was the proprietor and manager three
|i |~A —)^ ^". —:f, —w h<e g                                      th pIopri nd magr -- athre s[ i,[a.?l^ a.,,i,~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~tfiiEk~ A..,Z~~~




a 232                       SANILAC COUNTY.
232


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years, when he sold out and came to Sanilac Co.,
Mich., reaching here in November. He bought 80
acres of land, from which the lumber had been removed, and not long after bought 200 acres in its
primitive state, with the exception of one acre, on
which had been erected a small log house. The
place has since been his homestead. He has cleared
and brought into good farming condition 155 acres.
In addition to his agricultural pursuits, he has
engaged extensively in lumbering, in his own interests
and in behalf of others, among whom may be named
Truman Moss.
The memorable fire of 1871 brought a severe experience to the family of Mr. Acheson. His buildings were so located as to constitute the key to the
village, whose destruction was inevitable if they
burned. On the 9th of October he had been on the
lookout all the early part of the day, and had exercised every possible precaution against disaster. All
combustible matter had been carefully removed
from the premises, and water had been drawn from
the river, that in case of emergency a supply might
be accessible, as everything was dry as tinder. The
different members of the family were variously disposed, with pails and dippers, extinguishing stray
sparks, and Mr. Acheson and his son were in the
fields with spades burying the fire as it advanced.
Finally the flames burst through the woods, which
flanked three sides of the place, and Mr. Acheson,
his wife and four children fought the fire until midnight before it was sufficiently under control to leave
unguarded.
Mr. Acheson is a Republican, and has been Justice
of the Peace 15 years, and Notary Public two years.
He and his wife are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.




/.N, -.41.


months. He is a Republican in political connections,
and is a member of the Knights of Maccabees.
Mr. Rudd was married March 28, I88o, in Marlette Township, to Mary J. White, a native of Canada. One daughter, Myra E., is the sole issue of
this marriage.
'olomon M. Tice, farmer, section 27, Elk
f1l.I. Township, was born July 30, 1839, in
JVjtT   Chemung Co., N. Y. When he was two
\    years of age, his parents, Philip and Amanda
(Joslin) Tice, removed with their family to
Tioga Co., Penn., where his father died, in
January, I871. His mother still resides there, and
is 65 years of age. Both were of New England origin and descended from Scotch and German ancestors.
Mr. Tice remained with his father and mother
until he was 24 years of age, and received a fair
common-school education. He was instructed in the
labors of the farm and trained to manage all the
branches of employment pertaining to a saw-mill.
When about 20 years of age he went to Ontario,
Can., where he remained four years, variously
engaged. He passed the succeeding five years in
the States of Pennsylvania and New York, employed
in a tannery. At the expiration of that time he decided on casting his fortunes with the tide that was
pouring westward, and came to Michigan, locating
in Worth Tp., Sanilac County. He purchased 57
acres of partly improved land, but was its owner and
occupant only a brief period. He left his family
there and came to Elk Township, where he operated
as a professional sawyer in the mills which were then
the chief avenue of business. In July, 1877, he removed his family here and took possession of about
80 acres of land he had purchased shortly before,
and which he has continued to manage. He has
placed 70 acres under first-class improvements, and
is considered in every respect a model farmer. His
success is marked in all his undertakings. In political connection he is a Democrat.
He was married Nov. 26, I86I, in Simcoe, Can., to
Mary, daughter of James and Jean (Hood) Jack.
She was born Jan. 9, 1838, in Ontario, Can., of Scotch


ii11


I



'   eorge G. Rudd, merchant at Marlette, was
^.)  I       born March 24, 1854, in Hamilton, Ont.,
and is the son of Gordon A. and Mary A.
(Jones) Rudd. The parents were natives respectively of Ireland and Canada, and in I864
became residents of Sanilac County. In April,
i  88i, he established the business in which he has
since been engaged, with the exception of three
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A%                                     S ANILA C
descent, and remained with her parents until her
i marriage. She is the mother of seven children, one
of whom is deceased. They are named Jane, Philip,
John, Jessie, Elizabeth and Fanny. Thomas is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Tice belong tc the Methodist
and Baptist Churches.
& ~~~~~~~~~~'Nlo ~vvvv~ha~i~~


COUNTY.;                                   233QE~  I if- ----
COUNTY.                                          233
233,di




"i 9'~i pencer H. Warner, druggist at Marlette,
i1,   was born April 12, I831, in Canada. He
^.  ''-t is the son of Zinri and Sarah A. (Walker)
1  Warner, who were born respectively in the
i       States of New York and Vermont. They removed to the former with their family, and in
the summer of I842 made another transfer to Coldwater, Mich.
Mr. Warner remained with his parents most of the
I  time until he was 29 years old, when he rented a
farm of 400 acres in Genesee County, which he
go, operated five years. At the end of that time he removed to a farm of i60 acres he had previously pur-:it chased in Tuscola County, where he resided 15 years.
He cleared and improved 120 acres and erected
necessary and suitable farm buildings. He found its
"profitable management involved more labor than his
health would permit, and in March, i880, he came
to Marlette and established himself in the mill busi1   ness as a half partner. This investment proved successful, and he continued milling operations about 18
months, when he sold out his interest. He proceeded to Brown City in Sanilac County, where he
built a grist-mill. He sold it soon after its completion, and in February, I88I, bought out the drug
5   stock of Dr. Weaver, at Marlette, and has since continued in that branch of business.
Mr. Warner is independent in political faith and
action, but his opinions in some particulars accord
with the principles of the Democratic party.
He was married Nov. io, I859, at Lapeer, to Mary
E. Ovoitt. She was born Nov. 0o, I842, in Niagara
A   Co., N. Y. Eight children were born to them, named
I   as follows: Alice C., Ada (deceased), Glenn (de'   ceased), Edward L., Mead J., Clarence B., Jennie E.
and Charles.
i, i  Mr. Warner has officiated two years as a member
of the Village Council.
2g,   A pioneer experience of Mr. Warner we append




here, as it could not without too great interruption be
incorporated above. On the first of February, I857,
he left Iapeer with his trusty rifle and knapsack of
provisions. Arriving at North Branch at noon, he
found two shanties, owned by Banker & Beach,
and was served with the best of elk steak. At
sunset he arrived at Bostwick's in the north of
Burlington.  At the head of the family was a
widow aged 50 years, who had a son aged 22, and
a daughter of 18. It was an interesting pioneer
family,-especially the daughter, and acquaintance
with tiem was readily formed. Finding Mr. Bostwick
skilled in woodcraft, Mr. Warner engaged him as a
guide to White Creek. Starting about 9 o'clock, they
arrived at the creek at sunset, built a fire and camped
for the night, but obtained very little rest on account
of the barking wolves. At daylight the men ate their
last morsel of food on hand. After looking about for
two hours thlly started for home, arriving at Bostwick's about 5 p. m., where the mother and daughter,
expecting their arrival, had in readiness a good warm
supper, of which good use was made by the hungry
and exhausted men. Next day Mr. Warner "located"
his land, including the well remembered camp-ground
above referred to, which has since proved to be a
good location.
athan Vliet, dentist at Marlette, was born
Nov. 28, 1842. ill Clarkston, Oakland Co.,
3   Mich.  His parents, William  V. and
l  Martha (Axford) Vliet, were natives of New
Jersey.  In 1832 they became residents of
Michigan and settled in the county of Oakland,
where they passed the remaining years of their lives.
The death of the father took place in March, I88i.
The mother died in January, 1882. They had seven
sons and seven daughters.
Mr. Vliet was the sixth son. He attended the
district schools of his native county and assisted on
his father's farm until he was 14 years of age, when
he was sent to school at the academy at Clarkston.
After finishing his elementary education, he learned
the carpenter's trade, at which he worked summers
until he was 19 years old, and spent the winters in
attendance at private or select schools. The first
shot at Fort Sumter awakened anew the spirit in him,


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234


SANILAC CO UN T Y.


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al which had been keenly alive to the momentous
|; events of the decade previous to the Civil War. He:) enlisted in April, i86I, in Battery A, First Mich.
f Light Artillery, and was in the military service of
the United States three years. He was in action
during the course of i8 principal engagements. At
the battle of Chickamauga he was taken prisoner
and confined six months in the prisons at Richmond
and Belle Isle. He was paroled and returned to his
regiment three days before his term of service expired.
|    On receiving his discharge, he returned to his:  home in Oakland County. He returned soon after
i' to Nashville, Tenn., where he operated eight months
x as an employe of the Government. He went thence
to Pennsylvania, and after spending a year in the oil
regions he came back to Oakland County. He entered a store as a salesman, where he remained three
years. In i868 he began to fit himself for his profession, and became a student in the office of P. R.
Hovey. He was under his instructions three years,
going thence to Midland City, where he established
f; his business, which he continued there eight years.
In I879 he came to Marlette, where he is the only
X:: representative of his branch of business. He is a
2 member of Sedgwick Post, No. i6, G. A. R. In polit/ ical views and action he is independent.
He was married Dec. 3I, I869, in Ortonville, Oakland Co., Mich., to Adelia M., daughter of F. P. and
Maria Drummond. She was born in the township
of Hartland, Livingston Co., Mich., March 23, I852.
I              — ^==^>,^^.<_=^


family removed to America when she was a year
old. Her father died soon after coming to this
country. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs.
West, as follows: Benjamin, March 15, i866; Mary
L., April 6, i868; Ella, Feb. 14, 1870; Elizabeth,
March 17, 1872; Alfred A., June 12, 1874; Rachel,
Aug. 21, 1876; Isadore, Feb. 13, 1878. The child
last named was born after the removal of the family
to Lexington. Mr. West died Jan. 1, 1882.
His farm included 240 acres at the time of his
death; 160 acres are still in the possession of the
family.
ddam English, farmer, section 22, Elk Township, was born Aug. II, I819, in County
3Armagh, Ireland. He was brought up in his
h   native country and reared to the pursuit of
farming. He remained in his native country
until he was 25 years of age, when he accompanied
his parents, Adam and Mary A. (Riggs) English, to
America. They settled in York County, Ontario,
four miles from the city of Toronto. He remained
with his father until his death ten years later. His
mother died two years previously. Two years after
the demise of his father he removed to Michigan and
rented a farm on section 27, Elk Township. He remained thereon three years, and in the spring of
1863 he purchased 8o acres on section 21 of this
township. He took possession of his property and
proceeded with agricultural operations for five years,
when he purchased i60 acres additional, one-half of
which was located respectively on sections 2i and 22,
by which purchase his estate aggregated 240 acres
He has since given 80 acres to his son. Of the remainder he has cleared and cultivated 70 acres, and
placed it in first-class agricultural condition. He has
a commodious and convenient residence, and his
place is supplied withbother creditable farm buildings.
Mr. English was married in December, 1847, in
Victoria Co., Ont., to Catherine, daughter of Alexander and Mary Riggs. The parents were of English
and Irish birth. The father was a coppersmith by
trade and died in England. The mother died in
Ireland. Mrs. English was born in the city of Manchester, England, and when she was I6 years old
came to Ontario. Mr. and Mrs. English have been


X'   tephen H. West, deceased, was formerly a
Jjlj 1 farmer on section 34, Lexington Township.
i He was born in Canada, Nov. 13, I834,
I\  and was the son of Benjamin and Mary H.
West. He spent his youth and early manhood in the Dominion, and owned a valuable
farm of 50o acres in Simcoe County. He was first
married there, to Rachel Spooner, by whom he had
three children-Julian, a farmer in Potter Co., Dak.;
Elma (deceased); Ida, the wife of Theodore Wixson,
of Worth Township. The mother died in May, I864,
in Canada, and Mr. West was a second time married, in Simcoe Co., Ont., Feb. I8, I865, to Jane,
daughter of James and Rebecca McCoy. She was
born in County Tyrone, Ireland, July 17, I847. Her


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A'PP,SA NILA C


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the parents of I I children, two of whom are deceased.
They are named Alexander, Mary A., James, John,
Thomas, Hannah, Charlotte, George, Sarah, Martha
and Joseph. The two latter are deceased. Mr.
-  English is a Republican in political faith and action
and has held the minor township offices. They are
members of the Presbyterian Church.
C;qa filliam H. Shrier, farmer, section 35, Flynn:5 ~.    Township, was born Aug. 6, 1848, in Mid$   2W dlesex Co., Ont. He is the son of Jacob and
Mary (Motter) Shrier, natives of Germany.
Mr. Shrier remained at home until he was
26 years old, during the last six years of which
he was engaged as a grist-mill assistant with his
brother-in-law. He was married Feb. II, I875, to
Sarah Foster, a native of Middlesex County, where
she was born Dec. 28, i856. After his marriage he
was employed for five years in a grist-mill in his
native county. In I879 he came to Michigan and
purchased 80 acres of land on section five, Flynn
-i: Township. The place was under partial improvement, and he has increased his estate by an additional purchase of 120 acres. Of this he has placed
70 acres under cultivation.  In political faith and
action he is a Republican. The children of Mr. and
Mrs. Shrier are named Delman, Cephas and Mary O.
eorge Coe, farmer, section 31, Elk Town0 P0! ship, was born in Suffolkshire, England,
|  d 3Feb 25, I823. His father was a gardener by
vocation, and he was under his charge and
instructions in that calling until he was 22
years old. In 1849 he came to America and
made a location at Brantford, Brant Co., Ont., where
he passed two years as a laborer on the railroad.
~h He went thence to Paris, Brant Co., Ont., where he
a   remained two years and operated as section foreman
on the railroad. Meanwhile he bought 30 acres of
land, on which he afterwards settled and pursued
farming and gardening. In 1873 he went to Wellington County in the Dominion, where he was a
farmer four years. In i877 he sold out his Cana

C'O UIV  Y.                                 235
dian property and came to Michigan. He purchased
125 acres of land on section 31, in Elk Township,
which was partly improved. The place now includes
go acres of cultivated land. He suffered the loss of
$2,000 worth of property in the fires of I88r, but is
again in a fair way to retrieve his losses, having rebuilt his barns and restored other facilities to his
pursuit of farming. He is a Republican in political
matters.
Mr. Coe was married at Paris, Brant Co., Ont.,
Sept. 25, 1857, to Mrs. Elizabeth (Curson) Rumsill. She was born in Norfolkshire, England, Nov.
I6, 1824, and when she was ii years old came to
this country with her parents.  She became the
motherof I I children, eight of whom are living. They
are named Sarah, Mary, Keturah, Rachel, John
Susan, Hannah and Alice. Those deceased were
Fred, Elizabeth and two infants.
I   enry D. Franklin, proprietor and manager
_ l"   of the Franklin House at Croswell, was
X   born March to, I833, in Chenango Co., N.
d   Y., when his parents, Smith and Louisa (Graham) Franklin, are still living, aged respectively
80 and 82 years. Their family included four
children,-two sons and two daughters. The youngest sister is deceased.
Mr. Franklin was reared to the calling which his
father made the business of his life, that of farming.
He commenced to learn his trade-that of carriagemaking-when he was 5I years old, and continued to
follow it in different portions of the States and in
Canada, until he was 45 years old. During the
early part of his pursuit of his trade, he operated as
a journeyman, and after passing io years in that
method, he went into business for himself, and spent
20 years in its successful prosecution. He came to
Davisville, now Croswell, in November, i865, where
he established his business and continued its management, at this point chiefly, for 14 years, with the
exception of nine months, when he was in Lexington, whither he went with the intention of establishing his business permanently. But he found the
place distasteful and returned to Croswell. He relinquished carriage-making in I878, and went to
Peck to manage the National Hotel, of which he had


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236
{ become the owner. He fitted ul
conducted it successfully two year: livery. After renting it a year,! property for a farm. Meanwhile 1
derson House at Croswell, which 1I
years. While he was conducting t
Anderson House, he purchased
now known as the Franklin Hou
has since conducted for the ben(
He has a livery in connection with
Mr. Franklin was married Dec.
Co., N. Y., to Emma D. Campbell,
and Maria Campbell. The father
sylvania; the mother died in Mic
Franklin was but ten years old.
born April 29, 1844, in Bradford C
dren of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin wer
Charles L., April 29, 1863; May
Henry D., Feb. 15, 1867 (who was
878, in the Black River); E.. 1869; George, Dec. 26, 1872; Pidc. 1874 (died Feb. 23, I88r); Kitti
1877; Henry L., Jan. i, i88o.
Ian v  Mr. Franklin is a D)emocrat in p(
has served one year as Deputy Shh
to organize the village of Croswell
P its first President.




+:r. 3 C?~.                   /
SA ANI/l C CO     'NV7 Y.
L the house and    Republican in political belief. He is active in the
s, also operating a  substantial interests of his township, and has held
he exchanged the   the office of Clerk nearly three years. He has served
he leased the An-  four years as Supervisor and two years as Justice of
ie managed three   the Peace..he interests of the  Mr. Rudd was married in his native country
the establishment  March 2, 1829, to Ann McLean. Fiva of nine chillse, and which he  dren born of this marriage survive,-Mary A., Robert
efit of the public.  Susan, Gordon W. and Eliza. Alice, Jane, William
his hotel.        and Catherine are deceased.
29, i86i, in Tioga
daughter of John
is living in Penn-:higan when Mrs.
T~he latter was  l   ohn J. Binks, lumberman and real-estate
o., Pa. The chil-  1,~t
o., Pa. Thell chil- |      broker at Croswell, was born April 21, 1830,
e born as follows:  (I|    in the town of Malton, Yorkshire, Eng.
7, May 26, i865;    ', His parents, William and Mary (Whitby) Binks,
drowned Junle 6,   i   W        gwere of English origin. His father was steward
Pearl, March 14,        on the estates of a nobleman, and died when
e Irene, Feb. 27,  he was about 40 years old. His mother was born in
ie E.n, March 23,  May, I805, and is now 79 years old. She lives in
e., M 3,  her native country. They have eight children, six of
olitical views, and  whom reached mature life, and of these, three are
still living.
eriff. He helped        living.
and was elected    Mr. Binks of this sketch was in early childhood
when his father died. He became a cabin boy when
he was about I4 years old, and was in the sailing
service until he came to this country in 1852. The
Adoll^     Baltic and Mediterranean Seas are familiar in his
memory, and the various ports on the bordering
countries, as well as those of North and South Amertion 29, Marlette  ica. On landing on this continent, he made his way
1. 7, 1810, in Ire-  to Toronto and resided some time in that city and at
cordon and Alice  Brantford, Ont. When the Russian war broke out,
tives of Ireland,  he volunteered in the British navy and went to the
itire lives.  Mr.  Crimea. He was under fire through two engagecountry until the  ments,-the last two bombardments of Sebastopol.:d to the United  Mr. Binks was in the naval service three years and
in the State of  two months. He was a volunteer, and on receiving
il the September  his discharge he returned to Canada and settled
Canada, where he  near Brantford, where he became an assistant in a
)ring of I856 he  saw-mill, which occupation he followed until 1861. g
acres of land in  In the spring of that year he came to Croswell (Daas been resident  visville), and passed two years in the employment of
280 acres of his  Truman Moss, operating as a sawyer in a mill. In
res. The tillable  February, i864, he enlisted in Co. G, 22d Mich. Vol.
30 acres under a  Inf., and remained in the military service of the UniMr. Rudd is a  ted States until the spring of 1865. He was mus- 0


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0;'iLtj  illiam Rudd, farmer, sec
Township, was born Oct
at';~   ' a  land, and is the son of C
<ii} ' i (Wellwood) Rudd, also na
~ K    ' j where they spent their en
Rudd resided in his native
winter of i850, when he emigrate
States. He took up his residence
New York, where he remained unt
ensuing. At that date he went to (: lived about four years. In the sl
came to this county and bought 32c?  Marlette Township, on which he h
ever since. He is the proprietor of, original property, having sold 40 aci
) land on the place now comprises i;, most creditable state of cultivation


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?fs,.%SA V/LA C CO UAT' '.                                  237  "
tered out of the volunteer service May 23, I865, at  ilac County, and went to work on the State Road,
Detroit, Mich., where he was mustered  into the   then in process of construction through the county.,::
regular army and served one year, doing duty chiefly  After working there a year he retraced his steps to.^
in the quartermaster's office.                    Elk Creek, in this township, now bearing the same
')   He is at present acting as agent in the interests of  name. He engaged in the manufacture of staves a
the estate of Truman Moss and for Wildman Mills   short time, when he went to Davisville (now Crosand J. M. Gage. He has been a resident of Cros-   well), where he spent a little more than a year-as an
well since i86I save one year.                    assistant in a mill. He had been industrious and
provident, and saved quite a sum, but while at
|I'i~,^^_j~~~                         |Davisville was seized with typhoid fever, which entirely consumed his little fortune. After recovering, y
he went to Worth Township, where he interested (!
aAmes Hands, farmer and breeder of stock,..
ai      ms lHand  fare an     ree     f s t ok  himself for the term of one year in the manufacture
' S  resident on section 31, Elk Township, of           r                        11
resident on section 31, Elk Township, of  of staves. He then returned to Croswell, where he
-;' which he is the present Treasurer, was
which he is the present Treasurer, was   engaged in clearing land for William T. Jennie.? born May i8, 1837, in Euphemia Township,
4I   May I8, 1837, in Euphemia  Township),   In i86r, he entered into a partnership with Patrick
J   Lambton Co., Ont. His parents, James and
r     rnbton Co.,i                'Fox, anHis parents, Jaes d, ad  rosecuted lumbering interests in his own
Charlotte (Webster) Hands), were natives of   ehlf on El     iver. He was t     engged fo
Ireland and Ontario, and were respectively of Irish                purchased 20 acres of land on
~,             -vyears. In i867 lie purchased 20 acres of land on
and English descent. The father came to Ontario    section  i Elk Township. Il 868 he purchased
-   from his native isle when he was 20 years of age.  another 30 acres on section 31  The year following
He settled in the county where his son was born, ac- e bougt a tract of 50 acres adjoining his estate on
cumulated a creditable property and resided there  section 31 which connected his acreage on the two
\\> untio                     3    e    a which occurred Dec 26a 1875g t hewo' secio
until his death, which occurred Dec. 26, i875, when  sections. In 1879 he bought 20 acres on section
he was 66 years old. He led an active life and won                  y               the owner by
32, and in the same year be became the owner by r=
for himself and family a leading position among his  uclase of 60 acres additional on the same section.
>   compeers. The mother died in Iambton County, in  I, 82 he bought 40 acres on section 28, when his 4
the spring of i858. Their family included six sons aggregated 220 acres. It ranks among
j   and four daughters, all of whom are living except  the  ost valuable land in the township, and I60
one son.                                             acres have been improved and placed in a most!{    Mr. Hands is the oldest living child of his parents. creditable agricultural condition.  Mr Hands has
The names of his brothers and sisters are as follows  accomplished all his improvements on his property
John (deceased), Mary A., William, Emma, Joseph,  through his own efforts. He makes a specialty of
Thomas, Richard, Catherine and Robert. Mr. Hands   raising Durham cattle.
worked on his father's farm  until he was 21 years   At the date of his settlement, the entire section
old. The place was in its pioneer days and educa-  was in a wholly wild state, and with roads and trails A
tional facilities were poor, but he obtained a fair de-  in an impassable condition. In the fires of 1881 he
j   gree of schooling. On attaining his majority, he set-  incurred the loss of his fences, and on the  7th of
tied in Michigan. He made his way from Detroit to   arch, I882, his house and its contents were wholly
Brockway Center in St. Clair County, then a me-  destroyed by thl same cause. The latter loss is estropolis containing one shanty, wherein "Vince"   timated at $r,ooo... Ferguson sold whisky. He proceeded thence, accom-     Mr. Hands is a decided Republican.   He has
panied by a man named John McLaren, to Peck,    filled the position of Drain Commissioner and held  r
which comprised one building, utilized as a hotel and  all the offices of his district; he has been Township
liquor saloon. He remained there but a brief period Treasurer four years and is the present incumbent of.    and proceeded to Cass River n the north of Sanilac the office.
a ik  County, tracing his route by the "blazes " on the   He was married Oct. 24, I864, in Oxford Co.,
trees. He made his way to the claim of Martin       Can., to Frances J. Burgers. She was born in Ox-;tI;,  Moore, one of the first of the pioneer settlers of San-  ford County, and is the daughter of Robert and Jane
A,   4  t  Ed                                                                                        ' *




1\?-,                     ^ e
238                                    SANILLAC C? (Innis) Burgers, natives of New Brunswick. Her
rt father died when Mrs. Hands was a child; the
3   mother resides in Toronto, and is 54 years of age.
I  The family of Mr. Hands includes four children-,-t William P., James 0., John H. and Leonard T. Two
are deceased-Charlotte J. and an infant child. Mr.
Hands was reared in the Episcopal belief. His wife
belongs to the Baptist Church.
IS —r~-    (l —o<((t)H(- -


'OUNZL'VTY.                        ~


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Ig'avid French, farnner on section 26, Lexg^gl ington Township, has been a resident of
~[ —   Sanilac County since 1853. He was born
June 30, 1845, in Canada.    His parents,
<     Matthew and Abigail (Patterson) French, removed to Lexington Township in 1853 and
settled on what was known as the " Lapeer Road."
The father bought 80 acres of land there, on which
he still resides.
The latter gave the son 40 acres of land when he
was 20 years old, and Jan. 5, i866, he was married
to Catherine Sprowl. She was born in Canada, and
was the daughter of John Sprowl. She died in Lexington, leaving three children, who were born as follows: Martha, June 5, I867; Margaret R., Feb. 23,
i87; William J., Nov. 9, i877. Mr. French took a
second wife Nov. 5, I883, when he married Amanda,
daughter of Henry and Aurissa Stoner.  She was
born March ii, i860, in Lexington.
Mr. French bought the farm were he now resides
April I, i870. It contained 80 acres, with 12 acres
cultivated. He has improved and placed in firstclass condition 60 acres, and the place is greatly increased in value by the character of its orchards and
buildings.


I


since resided.  He is now the proprietor of 280
acres of land, which includes Ioo acres under good
cultivation, with suitable and creditable farm fixtures
Mr. Sullivan was one of the earliest settlers of the
township and had the experiences and vicissitudes
common to that class of people. He is a Democrat
in political sentiment.
He was married in March, i853, in New Orleans
to Hannah Foley, born in County Kerry, Ireland,
about 1824. She was 25 years of age when she came
to the United States, landing at New Orleans, where
she was married. Timothy J., John M., Hannah and
Mary B. are the names of the children now included
in the household.  The family are Roman Catholics.
The results of the energetic efforts of Mr. Sullivan
are plainly manifest in his surroundings and prosperous circumstances, and he is a fine illustration of
the possibilities open to the nationalities of the Old
World under the regulations of the New.
(0i aitland D. Rass, farmer, section 6, Marlette Township, was born in Bradford Co.,
i~ Sc  Pa., May 20, i849. His father, Chas. D.
d.   Rass, is still a farmer of that county and is
60 years old. The marriage of Mr. Rass,
on attaining his majority, was the first event of
his life out of the ordinary course common to farmers'
sons of his class and condition  Mrs. Emma (McRoy) Rass was born Oct. 31, I848, in the State of
Connecticut. Her parents removed, when she was
three years old, to the Keystone State, where she
was married. In 1873 she accompanied her husband to this county and township, where she died
Feb. I5, 1883. Bessie, only child of this marriage,
was born Jan. 23, I883.  The departed wife and
mother is still remembered with loving warmth. Mr.
Rass was again married June I9, 1883, at Imlay,
Lapeer Co., Mich., to Mrs. Martha Hubbard, daughter
of Spencer and Diantha (Kimball) Smith.   The
mother died soon after the birth of her daughter; her
father is still living, at Imlay. Mrs. Rass was born
Sept. 20, I853, in Imlay Township, and was married
Sept. 20. I871, to Ebenezer Hubbard, who died May
29, i879, leaving two children-Claud, born Feb. i8,
I876, and Cassius, born Aug. 4, 1879.
Mr. Rass came to Marlette Township in the spring


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I, X          _-   --   -   -     9 -ohn Sullivan, farmer, section 26, Maple
Valley Township, was born in June, 1829,
in County Kerry, Ireland.    He came to.1  _   America when he was 20 years old, locating
first in the city of New Orleans.  Two years
'~"         s later he went to Indianapolis, returning to the
Crescent City at the expiration of one year.
j  Soon after he proceeded to Columbus, Ohio, where
he remained 14 months. In 1857 he came to Sanilac
County and purchased the property where he has,Sx_))^^ --- —- ^                                g a


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SANILAC COUNTY.


241


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i of 1873 and became the porprietor of his farm of 80
Pi: acres by purchase. It was wholly in a state of nature,:^j but by persevering energy and industry he has
placed 70 acres under the best order of improvements, with a superior stock and grain barn, and a
suitable residence. Mr. Rass is a Republican in
political views and connections.
i^      k [ H iram Udell, farmer, section 15, Moore Tp.,
I   is the son of George and Catherine (KenI -     nedy) Udell, natives of Canada and born
respectively in 1826 and 1824.  They are still
'  esidents of the Dominion. Mr. Udell was born
May 24, I847, in Canada. He has been an
agriculturist all his life, and in the year I877 located
in in Worth Township, where he remained five years,
removing thence to Moore Township.  He located;  on a farm of 60 acres, of vhich about 20 acres are;^! under good improvements. He is a Republican and
s'  a member of the Masonic Order, No. 259, Springfield,
Canada.!.The marriage of Mr. Udell to Sarah Colk occurred
Jan. 23, I866. She is the daughter of Thomas and
Caroline (Blakeslee) Colk, who were born respectively in England and the United States. Mary A., born
April 28, i868; Merton T., Jan. 28, 1873; Frank R.,
Dec. 9, i880; Oral E., Jan. lo, 1884, are the children
that have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Udell.


in i86F, he came to Michigan and entered a claim of
40 acres on section i of Speaker Township. A year
later he exchanged the property for 80 acres on sections 31 and 32 of Elk Township, where he has
since made his home, and has improved 45 acres.
The entire farm is in a very creditable condition, and
is supplied with fine farm buildings. In political
connection Mr. H. is a Republican.
Mr. Heberly was married Sept. 27, i86r, in Elk
Township, to Fanny Webber, who was born in
August, 1837, in Switzerland. She came to America
when she was about 15 years old, and located in
Ontario, and was 24 years of age when she came to
Sanilac County. Four children have been born of
this marriage-Louisa, Jacob, Samuel and Nettie J.
The eldest daughter is married. The family are
members of the Lutheran Church.
"~i, 1obert W. Fitch, a prominent farmer of
Marlette Township, residing on section 36
was born. Jan. 6, I85, in Canada. His
i    parents, Thomas and Margaret (Beacom)
Fitch. are natives of Ireland. They, however,
settled in Sanilac County, when their son was
five years of age (see sketch of Thomas Fitch).
Here Robert grew up, helping his father on the farm
and forming those habits of thrift and industry which
has made him a well-to-do farmer when still a young
man.   Mr. Fitch received a good common-school
education and thorough training in the calling to
which lie has devoted his life. In I870 he bought
his present estate, including at the date of purchase,
I60 acres of wild land. He went willingly and
energetically to work to subdue the forests and make
in its stead fertile fields. He now owns 120 acres,
70 acres of which are under a creditable aud profitable state of cultivation. In political connections
and actions he is a Democrat.
The marriage of Mr. Fitch to Mary Sullivan occurred at Almont, Lapeer Co., Mich., May 24, I875.
She was born March 28, I855, in Canada, and is the
daughter of Timothy and Catherine Sullivan. Of
six children born of this marriage two are deceasedMaggie and John.   Those surviving are Eva J.,


Or?sS..
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~': i|, hristian Heberly, farmer, section 31, Elk!i-   Township, was born Sept. 19, 1836, in
Wurtemberg, Germany. At the age of I4 he
( M  p   became an apprentice to learn the business
ki yE    of harness-making. Two years later, in I855,
-4;,:%      he enlisted in the Prussian War and served
-  one year as a private, when he was discharged and
A    came to the United States. He made his first stop
in Buffalo, and later went to Ontario, where he setK    tied in Port Barwell, on Lake Erie. Two years after,
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242
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SA  LA4 C CO UNTY.


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Mabel M., Thomas F. and Mary Charlotte. The
mother is a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
As a prominent and representative citizen of Sanilac
County, and a gentleman fitly representing the large
class of young and prosperous families living here,
we take pleasure in giving Mr. Fitch's portrait in
connection with this sketch.




l


~   a|amuel J. West, blacksmith, resident at
Peck, was born June I8, I855, in Middleg  sex Co., Ont. At the age of I6 he was
apprenticed to William Shoff, of Ailsa Craig,
in his native county, with whom  he spent
three years in the acquisition of his trade. On
completing his term of indenture he came to Port
Huron, Mich., and worked in the shop of Charles
Nelson, I8 months. At the end of that time he became an employe in the carriage factory of A. H.
Wright, of the same place, where he remained 14
months. In February, 1879, he came to Peck, and
three months later established ay independent business for himself. He continued its management
three years, and at the expiration of that period he
leased his shop. Three years later he resumed his
business, in which he has since been actively engaged.
He is a skillful and successful artisan, and has an
extensive patronage. He passed the three years of
his absence from Peck, in Northern Michigan, Colorado and Utah. While in Utah he was in the Government employ as a blacksmith.
In political connection he is a Republican.


By
I, X,..I   H..
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1854. The mother died at the same place in I858. 8
They were both 39 years of age and were the parents  X
of nine children, all of whom are deceased but three.
Mr. Tobin was i6 years old at the time of his
father's death, and has depended upon his own efforts
for maintenance since that date. His first employ was
as a brakeman on the New York Central Railroad,
where he was employed until I859.  He was employed the next two years as a sailor on the Lakes,
succeeding which he became a miner at Youngstown,
Ohio. In the autumn of I86I he returned to his
home and once more engaged in farming. In 1863,
he transferred his residence to Michigan, and in the
year following purchased 120 acres of unimproved;
land, which has been his homestead since I867, when
he took permanent possession of the property.
The marriage of Mr. Tobin to Celia Larabah occurred at Buffalo, N. Y., in August, I865. She is ot
German extraction, and is the mother of ten children
-Mary E., John B., Homer S., Richard P., Ellen,
Celia, Ann, Jacob, Andrew and James. Mr. Tobin
is a Democrat in political sentiment, and has officiated in several of the local positions in the township.
He is now Drain Commissioner and has held the
incumbency four years. He is a prosperous and
judicious agriculturist.,
lohn N. Zavitz, farmer, resident on section
J^   - 14, Speaker Township, was born Nov. 5,
r nI 84,        in Malahide, Canada. He is the son
Il  of Christian and Elizabeth (Bird) Zavitz, both
w of whom were natives of Germany. They left i:
their native land to settle in the New World,
and made their residence at Niagara, N. Y., where
they lived nearly 20 years. They removed thence to
Middlesex, Ontario, and after a short period proceeded to Michigan. The father died April 24, i88I,
the mother March I8, T882, in Speaker Township.
The former was born in I800, the latter in 80o6.:
Mr. Zavitz obtained a fair degree of education in
the public schools of the Dominion, and remained  'i
under the care of his parents until he was 21 years i?;
old. The first important event of his life was his As
marriage to Lydia Bradley in 1843. Her parents, (;
Levi and Sarah (House) Bradley, were natives of  '.
o ohn Tobin, farmer, section 26, Maple Val'    ley Township, was born Dec. 24, 1838, in:  ^   ^   Dundas Township, Halton Co., Ont. His
parents, Michael and Lucy (Murphy) Tobin,;?~ i   were born in Ireland, and shortly after their
marriage they emigrated to America and setA    tled in Halton County, where the father followed his
trade of stone mason.   Later on they removed to
_ Niagara Falls, where the father died of cholera in




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.."..                 ~SANIVILAC CO UNT ZY.


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243 *., ~


wa New York and Canada. Her father died when she?   was a child. Her mother remarried and died in St.:  Clair Co., Mich., in i866.
In the latter year Mr. Zavitz located on 40 acres of
land in Speaker Township. He now owns 52 acres,
all of which is in a state of advanced cultivation. He
is an able man, a judicious farmer, and a citizen of
reliable integrity, respected and trusted by his fellow
townsmen, and passing a life of merit and credit to
the community to which he belongs. He is an
earnest Repullican, and is Justice of the Peace,-an
incumbency he has held for the past nine years. He
and his wife are members of the Protestant Methodist Church. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge, No.
353, at Peck.
Five children are now included in the family circle,-Sarah, Willialm W., Cora A, Colburn J. and
Ethel V.:.t
*              -     'g.grac-^
_   was born March 23, 1832, in Middlesex
Co.. Can. He is of mixed national deI;5t gr^i  scent, his mother having been of Scotch, and
{   his father of English, origin. His parents,
Thomas and Laura (Brown) Uren, are both
deceased. His father was born in July, i8rr, in
Penzance, Cornwall, Eng., and his mother was born
in Vermont.
At the age of 13 years Mr. Uren entered upon
his single-handed struggle with the world, and from
that time until he was 2r years of age he was employed as a farm and saw-mill assistant. He then
spent some years in renting and buying farms, in
which he continued until I867, when he engaged exclusively ill buying and selling real estate. He came
to Sanilac County in i866, and has prosecuted his
business successfully.
He was married in April, 1852, to Christina Patterson, of Oxford Co., Ont. She was born July 27,
1832, in Whitchurch, Can.  Their children were
born as follows:  Richard W., Jan. 3, 1853, was.
married in i880 to Elizabeth Wheeler; Clarissa was
born July 3, 1854, and died in August, 1855, in Canada; John was born Feb. 21, i856, and died in
June, 1859, in the village of Croswell, Mich.; an in

fant, unnamed, was born April 3, I858, and died in
July, I859; Mattie, born May i, i86o, was married
Nov. 27, I883, to Walter L. Rogers; Allie was born
Feb. 9, 1862; John, June 25, I865; Arthur C., Jan.
18, 1873; and Mabel E., born Jan. I8, T877, died
May 9, I88i.;. '~"ohn Cameron, farmer, section 34, Buel
~i     Township, was born Aug. 11, I831, in the
~i&'  northwestern part of the Scottish High-,z lands. His parents, Donald and Anna (McDonald) Cameron, were natives of Scotland,
where they were born and married. Eight
children were born in their family, all of whom
reached mature years but one, who died in infancy.
Their names are Christie, James, Catherine, Peggy,
Angus (deceased), Mary, John and Marion. The
parents died in their native land, aged respectively
73 and 8o years.
When Mr. Cameron was 20 years of age ihe went
to Given oii the Clyde, and entered the employnent
of Smythe & Rodger, ship-lbuilders. He remained
in their service two years, when he went to England
and passed two years at Portsmouth and Plymouth.
In 1854 he calme to the United States and spent ten
months as a laborer on the Erie Railroad near the
Susquehanna River, in the southern part of the State
of New York. At the expiration of that time he went
to London, Can., where he worked on the gravel
road. He went thence to Chatham and passed between five and six months working on the railroad.
He decided upon seeking his fortune in Michigan,
and reached Sanilac County Jan. 22, I856. He
sought ilmmediate employment in the lumber woods
and engaged heartily in any occupation whereby he
could secure an honest livelihood. In October following, he bought 40 acres of land at 50 cents an
acre, under the regulations of the Graduation Act.
Not long afterward he pre-empted 80 acres of land
additional and has increased his landed estate by
later purchase, until he owns 320 acres. He was
married Feb. 9, T854, to Catherine McPherson. She
was born in 1833, in the Highlands of Scotland, and
came to this country with her father when she was


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i8 years old. She is the daughter of Donald and
Margaret (McDonald) McPherson.     Her mother
died in Scotland when she was a small child. The
family comprised six sons and two daughters, as follows: Nlil, John, Daniel, Lauchlin, Angus (deceased), Flora, Catherine and a child who died in
infancy.
Mr. McPherson settled in Canada, where he resided four years, removing then to Sanilac County.
Of nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Cameron,
two are deceased. They were born as follows:
Margaret, Dec. 30, I855; James, Sept. 14, i858;
Don, Sept. 9, i860; Anna, May 27, I862 (died June
I9, i88i); Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (triplets) were
born March 18, 1865. The last named died April
29, a month and i days after birth. John was born
April i9, 1867; Sophronia, Sept. 3, 1869.
Mr. Cameron is a zealous Republican, and has
been active in the local interests of the township,
where he has been a resident 30 years. He has
served three years as Treasurer, three years as Highway Commissioner, seven years as Supervisor and
was re-elected to the same position in the spring of
the current year, 1884. He has been School Director nine years. The family attend the Presbyterian
Church.
On leaving his native land for America Mr. Cameron engaged passage on a sailing vessel with about
900 passengers on board. Fourteen miles off the
coast of Ireland, the ship struck a sand-bar, where she
lay all night. The passengers were in the greatest
consternation and danger, but were all removed in
safety the next morning by a fishing vessel. They
suffered heavy losses, and nine persons died from
fright after reaching land. Mr. Cameron lost his
provisions and money, except three pounds and ninepence, English money, which he had in a pocket.




in i833 and resided nine years in the city of Oswego.
In 1842 the son returned to Canada, where he
remained until his permanent removal to Sanilac
County, Mich., which took place in the spring of
1856. In the fall of the same year he went to Lexington, coming thence a year later to Marlette Township. He became resident on 80 acres of land he
had purchased two years before, and on this he has
labored to most effective purpose, having cleared and
placed in creditable cultivation about 50 acres. He
is a member of the Democratic party and has been
Highway Commissioner six years and School Inspector one year.
Mr. Nash was married in Halton Co., Ont., Jan. 24,
1864, to Anna Knight, a native of that province.
Three children have been born to them,- Jeannette
R., Mary E. and James D. The mother is an earnest
member of the Presbyterian Church..l ohVenry Devlin, farmer, section 29, Elk Town-.'.  8  ship, was born in County Fermanagh, Ire'Z>x,; land, Aug. 15, 1827. His parents came to
America when he was seven years old, and settled in Peterborough Co., Ont., where they passed
the remainder of their lives.
Mr. Devlin passed the first 23 years of his life under the care of his parents, and at that period of his
life went to Ohio, where he settled in Stark County.
After spending two years there in farming, he came
to Michigan and located for a time in Port Huron.
He came to Sanilac County in 1855, and purchased
80 acres in what is now Elk Township. Later he
returned to Huron County and engaged in the manufacture of grindstones, which business he followed
until I859. In that year he took possession of his
estate and made a permanent settlement upon it.
The entire county was in a wild and unbroken state,
and Mr. Devlin was the first to enter upon the improvement of the land in his possession. He has
Since increased his land to I20 acres, 70 acres of
which a're now improved and under creditable cultivation.
He was married July Io, i864, in this township, to
Wealthy Vannest, daughter of Nathaniel and Matilda


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(:.^  B     aames Nash, farmer, section 15, Marlette!." Township, was born April 19, I831, in the.    1': e' ~ county of Leeds, Ont. His father, James
Nash, was a native of England and was mar-!^ I[ iried after his removal to Canada, to Honora
(      Greenough, a native of Nova Scotia, of Irish
parentage. They removed to the State of New York
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(Van Camp) Vannest. She is descended from German ancestors, and her parents were natives of Canada. Mrs. Devlin was born in Ontario, March 12,
1846. The family came to Michigan in I847. Five
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Devlin, one
of whom died in infancy. Those yet surviving are
James, Thomas H., John and Stephen. The family
are Catholics, and Mr. Devlin is a member of the
Democratic party.


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I;.  ohn Dawson, liveryman at Marlette, was
born Dec. 26, I850, in Durham, Eng. His
parents, Joseph and Ann (James) Dawson,
were natives of the same country, and later in
life removed to Canada with their family, and
are still residing in the Dominion.
Mr. Dawson was about four years of age when his
j parents left England, and he remained in Canada
until 1877, engaged in farming. In March of that
year he came to Marlette, and during the first year:  of his stay there was variously occupied. In May,
I878, he began the business which he has since::: prosecuted and is now conducting. His first opera-;  tions were on a small scale, but perseverance and
attention has increased his business to its present
') dimensions. In political connections, Mr. Dawson
is a Republican, and in I88I he was appointed
Deputy Sheriff of Sanilac County. Previous to this
he officiated two years as Constable. He is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows. His marriage to
Belle Craig occurred July 12, I881, in Marlette.
( They have one child-Ralph-born Nov. 27, 1882.. Ha
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Treasurer of the village and township of Windsor, in
which double position he operated six years. He
also officiated as Clerk of the school municipality,
and as Clerk of the Commissioners' Court. He came
to Port Huron, where he was engaged a short time as
baggageman at the Port Huron station, after which
he acted as freight agent at the same point. In
i88r he came to Croswell, and he entered upon the
duties of his present position, for which he was amply
qualified, having learned telegraphy in the village of
Windsor.
He was married Jan. o1, I880, in Windsor Mills,
to Catherine E. Henderson. She was born Nov. 29,
I863, and is the daughter of John and Catherine
(Manson) Henderson. Both the parents of Mrs.
McCree are living at Windsor Mills. Two children
have been born of this marriage: Edith Marion,
Dec. 25, i880, and Jessie Manson, May 7, 1884, at
Croswell. Mr. McCree adopts the creed of the antimonopoly element in politics. He and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.;   eter McCarroll, farmer, section r, Elk
Township, was born in Ireland, Sept. 8,
1821.  His father, Matthew McCarroll,
(1 ) was a sailor by profession and owned a small
sail vessel, on which he was reared to the age
of 14 years. His father died, and Peter, in company
with his mother, came to America. They settled in
Penobscot Co., Me., where Mr. McCarroll was married, July 4, I847, to Bridget Davis. She was born
about 1827, in Ireland, and came to America in
early life. Her parents located in Maine, where she
grew to maturity. Six children constitute the issue
of her marriage. They are named John, Sarah,
Mary, Elizabeth and Peter. Matthew is deceased.
Subsequent to marriage, Mr. and Mrs. McCarroll
went to Leavenworth, Kan., where he operated 18
months as an employe of the U. S. Government. At
the expiration of that service, in March, I852, he
came to Michigan and located in Speaker Township,
in Sanilac County.  In company with John R.
Davis, a brother-in-law, he was the first permanent
settler in the township. That portion of the county
was in its primeval condition; the nearest point


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3J(S     A. McCree, station agent and telegraph
operator at Croswell, was born July 14,
858, in Durham, Province of Quebec,
where his parents, James and Jessie (Brown\F    -, A'  lee) McCree, are still living, at Actinvale.
His father was formerly a merchant, but is now:* living in retirement.
Mr. McCree was reared at Windsor Mills in his: native province, and remained at home until he be-; i: came of age. He was carefully educated, and when
he was 17 years old he was appointed Secretary and
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SAVILAC COUNTY.                        <




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where supplies could be obtained was at Port Huron,
30 miles distant. Indians were as common as forest
trees, and wolves contested territory with the struggling settlers. The history of the family during the
first few years of their residence in Sanilac County,
was marked by all the incidents and events so frequently related of pioneers, and which have in so
many instances formed the basis of the development
of men and the county where they come face to face
with toil and privation.
Mr. McCarroll bought i60 acres of land on sections 27 and 28. He disposed of 40 acres afterward, and improved ioo acres of the remainder. In
the spring of I878 he sold the property and purchased 360 acres on sections i8 and   I9. He
selected a site on the latter for his home, on which
he now resides. His farm now comprises 200 acres
of land in first-class agricultural condition, the proprietor being ranked as one of the most skillful and
progressive farmers in the township. The family belong to the Catholic Church. Mr. McCarroll is an
independent in political views.
obert Attridge, teacher and farmer, section 20, Flynn Township, was born Nov. 6,!  P  I854, in Perth Co., Can., and is the son of
T   Michael and Catherine (Dunklin) Attridge.
His parents were natives of Ireland. In I844
they emigrated to America and located in the
Province of Ontario. They engaged in farming in
Perth County, where the mother is still living. The
father died there in October, I876.
Mr. Attridge obtained a good common-school education, and when he was 19 years of age he began
to teach, and pursued that vocation most of the time
until he reached the age of 2I years, when he set his
face westward. He arrived in California in I874,
where he remained until I877, chiefly engaged in
mining. He returned to Ontario in the fall of the
year named, and established himself in the business
of hotel-keeper at Milford, Perth County, where he
operated two years. He came to Sanilac County in
the spring of I88o, and located 80 acres of land
where he has since resided. He has placed 40 acres


of the tract in good cultivation, and has the repute
of being one of the most skillful and successful farmers
of the township. He devotes the agricultural season
to his farming interests and follows his profession of
teaching, in which he ranks among the leaders, during the winters.
He was married Dec. i, 1878, in Clinton, Huron
Co., Mich., to Anna Ramsey, a native of Perth Co.,
Can?, and descended from Canadian parentage. Her
mother, Elizabeth A. (Clendenning) Ramsey, died
March 31, I88I, in Lapeer Co., Mich. Her father,
James Ramsey, is living in Flynn Township, aged
54 years. Mr. Attridge is in sympathy with the
Republican party in political sentiment.
(ll pexander Clapsaddle, farmer, section 4,
Moore Township, is a son of George and
Elizabeth (Quaid) Clapsaddle.  His parents
i  were natives of the State of New York, his
father having been born in I804, in Herkimer
County. They moved to Ontario, Can., in
I836 and now reside there. Mr. C. was born May
13, 1828, in Niagara Co., N. Y., and at i9 years of
age he decided to learn the business of a tanner and
currier, in which he was engaged three years. At the
expiration of that time he became a farmer, and later
on he became an assistant in a saw-mill, which pursuit he followed some years. In I871 he came to
Sanilac County and located on the farm on which he
now resides. It comprised about I30 acres of land,
with 60 acres under fine improvements. He passed
through the scourge of flame that devastated the
county in I881, losing all his buildings and loose
farm property, amounting in the aggregate to $3,300.
He is an adherent to and supporter of the Republican party.
His marriage to Celicia Snell occurred Dec. I2,
I859. She is a daughter of Jacob and Philonia
(Wares) Snell, and was born March 5, I832.  Her
parents were born in the State of New York. Seven
children have been born of this marriage, as follows:
Elizabeth P., June 5, I86 (died in I87 ); Francis
A., Oct. I5, 1862; Ida M., Sept. i i, I864; William,


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A                      SANILAC COUNTY.                247 i


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a   May 30, 866; Harvey, July 7, 1868; Carrie B., April
14, 1870 (died in August following); Alexander B.,:; May Io, 1875 (died the same year).
~ij n  ndrew Jackson, farmer, resident on section
'I;, i — 22, Speaker Township, is the son of James.g' W. and Martha (Jones) Jackson. The parents
{'   were natives of Canada, where they belonged
to the agricultural community. In I853 they
removed to Michigan, and located in Sanilac County
on the farm now owned by their son. The county
was in its pioneer days, and they experienced the
trials and privations common to the early settlers of
this portion of Michigan.
Mr. Jackson was born March io, I86o, in Speaker
i Township. His father became a soldier in the Union army, and enlisted in Co. K, 22d Mich. Inf. The: regiment was assigned to the Army of the Cumber^: land, but Mr. Jackson, senior, was a participant in no
battle. He fell ill from hardship and exposure, and
=? died at Lexington, Ky., March 7, I863. His widow
afterwards became the wife of Neil Hays, and resides
in Speaker Township.
After his father's death Mr. Jackson was brought
up by his mother, and is now the manager of the
estate. He is a Republican in political principle,
and cast his first Presidential vote for James G.
Blaine, an act of which he will be proud to his dy

tered upon the study of law. In January, I882, he
was admitted to practice in the State courts of Michigan, and since that date has devoted his whole time
to the prosecution of his profession. Mr. Babcock is
yet young, but he is active and influential in political
circles. He is a republican and has recently been
appointed Census Enumerator. He is industrious
and reliable and is sure to rise in his profession.
He was married Nov. 27, I882, at Rockway Center, to Hannah English. She was born March 4,
I863, in Elk Township, and is the daughter of Adam
and Catherine (Riggs) English (see sketch). She
obtained a good education, and when she was I6
years old became a teacher, which profession she followed until her marriage. In September, 1883, she
established a milliner's shop at Peck, and is managing an increasing and prosperous business.
Pifred Straffon, farmer, section 31, Lexing-,7  e r ton Township, was born April 28, 1829,
near London, Eng., and is the son of George
and Fannie E. (Simms) Straffon. His father
was an auctioneer by vocation and died in
London. In I839 his grandfather Simms came to
Canada with the family of his daughter, and settled
in Osborn Township, Huron District, Can., where his
mother died. Mr. Straffon was ten years old when
he came to the American continent, and he remained
on his grandfather's farm until he was i6, aiding, in
common with his brothers, in clearing and improving
the place, which at the date of their settlement was
in an entirely wild state. In 1845 he went to Hamilton and engaged to work in a saw-mill. He pursued that business I8 years, working six years in one
calling. His employer failed in business and Mr.
Straffon lost nearly the entire amount of his earnings.
On the termination of his career as a saw-mill assistant, he came to Davisville (now Croswell) and
commenced to drive a team for William Jenny. This
engagement continued seven months, when he entered the employment of Mr. McCredy as agent in
the purchase of hoops. He operated in that capacity
four years, and removed to the farm on which he is


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ing day. His father was a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
i  1      "enry 0. Babcock, attorney and Notary PubJ lic at Peck, was born in Richmond TownS   A@ -"*  ship, Macomb Co., Mich., Dec. 22, I857.
He is a son of Henry A. and Betsey (Stryker)
Babcock (see sketch), and came to the county
*: |   of Sanilac when he was five years old, whither
f. his parents removed. When he was 13 years old he
J   went to live with his brother in Watertown Township, and remained with him  until he attained his
majority. In I879 he came to Peck, where he enl    WgXi^    ^    --    ---                 -^<-n c  1


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248                                  SANILAC COUNTY.
f now located, of which he became the proprietor in  three children, only one of whom survives-Urbani'd
1861, buying the property of J. L. Woods, of Lexing-  E. One child died in infancy. Rena L. died when
ton. He settled in Lexington Township Jan. 24,    she was seven months old. The parents are mem- r
j   i866. Mr. Straffon is a Republicnn.              bers of the Baptist Church.
He was married May 8, 1858, to Melissa Misiner.  Mr. Winterstein is a Republican, and has been
She was born March 21, 1832, in Wentworth,Ancas-  four years Township Superintendent of Schools. He
ter Co., Can., and is the daughter of William and  is at present one of the Councilmen of the village
Catherine (Megelias) Misiner. Six children have  of Marlette. Mrs. W. was also a teacher in Sanilac
been born of this marriage, as follows: William R.,  County three years previous to her marriage.
Feb. 4, 1859; George A., May 21, i86i: Fannie E.,!  Sept. 7, 863; John A., March 27, i868; Ruth, March
5, 870; Henry M., June 4, 1872. The three first                        W
named were born in Canada, the three last in Sani8  lac County. Mr. and Mrs. Straffon have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for 20 years.
|:   omer Hall, farmer, resident on section 15,
4-"<T~   $-.' _;~ '~                        Buel Township, was born Jan. 3, I843,in
I   Gouverneur, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. His
~g  i; 3/                                          father, George Clinton Hall, was born in Mas-,:%  t^S    arren Winterstein, senior partner of the      sachusetts, brought up in Hartland, Niagara: ~ 9'      mercantile firm of W. Winterstein & Co.,i    Co., N. Y., and married Jane E. Swan. He
7  jj/(I    at Marlette, was born April 22, 1853, in  died in Gouverneur, Oct. 30, 1864, when he was 44
\ I4 TT_ *^ 1-1- -~ --  U rr T ^ -. -. year -.;1  IJ:T IlII  U-IU  4 )A Y1 20,  1003, 111A)UCI


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ho   YorK Co., Untr. ne is tne s  uui uI enry alu
~)' Margaret (Johnson) Winterstein, both of
whom   were natives of Canada, where the
mother died Dec. 9, i880.
The son obtained a good common-school education, and also attended the High School in his native
place. Afterward he took a partial course of study
in the Commercial College of Bryant & Stratton, in
Detroit. At the age of 19 he came to Sanilac
County, where he was engaged three years in teaching school in Croswell and vicinity, after which he
'...  1   -. -.. -  -......  -  -  1- -  -.:1


yCari U1U. I 11: 111ULiCl UIC:U /-.pi1 20 10:u, i0, 111.LUi
Township, aged 64 years.
When he attained his majority, Mr. Hall bought a
farm of 75 acres in his native county, which he continued to manage three years. At the end of that
time he took possession of a rented farm, which he
conducted two years and moved to his father's place,
on which he resided two years, and at the end of
that time, he came to Michigan. He bought a farm
which comprised 40 acres, all in an unimproved condition; of this he took possession March 31, 1876.
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<*:-F  enterea into an engagement as salesman 1in te vil-  ic.1i,~ 1I)lpiuVcu z5 atilCb, UtI ii I1ic 11uu. Ltust, ui1ll
i   lage of Peck, where he was employed five years. He  and other creditable farm buildings, and is in pros-;^
came to Marlette in the fall of 1882, and spent a  perous circumstances. He has added 40 acres to
year as assistant in the store of J. McGill. In  his original acreage by a later purchase. Mr. Hall is
August, 1883, he embarked in the mercantile busi-  a Republican in political sentiment, and has held
ness in his own interest, and with his associate, Mr.  several local official positions. He has served two
A. A. Talmadge, he is engaged in a prosperous and  terms as Supervisor and one year as Superintendent."   satisfactory business. The aggregate sales represent  of Schools.
annually about $35,00.                              He was married March 5, 1867, to Asenath, daugh-  i
}   Mr. Winterstein was married Dec. 29, '873, in  ter of John and Desire (Cross) McCombs. Five chilSanilac County, to Annie, daughter of Robert and  dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hall, one of (!;
Laura Graham. She was born in Sanilac County,     whom is deceased. Their births occurred in the fol- j,
April 21, I853. Her parents were natives respect-  lowing order: Irving W., April 7, i868; Ada J., Jan. (<;)
ively of England and Canada. They have had      29, I870 (died May 7, 1875); Willie E., June 23, )
/e5~  -— >;>-(igir --- —0 —f --- —-                                               --




7r              — *                              d         -         -----     -
L^~                                    SANILAC COUNTY.                                         249
1873; Hubert Eugene, March 4, 1875; Nellie Agnes,  Mich., to Loretta Beardslee. She was born in the
Jan. 1, 1883.                                     county where she was married, April o1, i838. Her:(
Mr. Hall came of a line of descent on the mater-  parents, Lewis and Mary Beardslee, were natives of:   nal side very remarkable for tenacity of life. His  New Jersey.  Frank H. and Hattie M. are the  l
grandmother, Mrs. Betsey Bean, is still living, aged  names of the two children who have been born to
91 years. qShe was born March, 1793, in Heath,   Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth. The parents belong to the
Franklin Co., Mass. Her first husband, Abel Swan,  Presbyterian Church.
died in 1841, and about five years afterward she
married Dr. John Bean. Her married life with both
included about ten years. She resides with her grand- |
sons in Buel Township, and is in good health, save
that she is unable to walk from the results of a severe
attack of rheumatism which deprived her of the use  |   mhearst Eastman, farmer, section 9, Elk
t of her limbs.                                             Township, was born in Tapeen, Ont., Oct.
2, I827. He is the son of Nadab and Sarah.. <i>+.sm,  — (Gordon) Eastman.                His father descended
from New England ancestry and was a farmer.
He died in the province of Ontario July 12,' i868,
ti1V~~ '~'~^^~ "'~  ~aged about 60 years. His mother was born in Iref is;dward W. Ellsworth, manufacturer, resi-  land and came to Ontario when very young, where  7
i  m   dent at Marlette, was born May 17, 1837,  she died, in 86, aged 8 years.
ln London, Out.      His father, William |   He was reared to manhood on his father's farm, s:7:?  ~J  Ellsworth, was a native of Middlebury, Addi-  where he passed the  ears o his minority in farm
son Co, Vt., and married Lydia Bentley, who       abor and in acquiring a fair common-school educa- =:: f   was a native of the State of New York, and by  tion. On reaching the period of his legal freedom, S
~    whom he had eight children. The family came to  he became a farmer in the full sense of the term.
Sanilac County in i837, where the mother died, Jan. He purchased Ioo acres of land in his native county,
15, i85 1. The father died June 15, 1865.       in the township of Warwick.  On this he resided
Mr. Ellsworth was the fourth son and next to the  four years and expended his time and energies in its
youngest of the children born to his parents. He partial improvement. In 1852 he sold the place and
was an infant but three months old when his parents  came to Michigan, where he bought 50 acres of land,
came to Sanilac County. Here he obtained his edu-  in Berlin Township, St. Clair County. It had been
cation and business habits and grew to maturity. He  improved to some extent by its previous owner, and
commenced life on his own account when he was 13  he remained in its possession one year, when he
>    years old, and passed two years on a farm. He   again sold out and bought 8  acres in the same
spent seven successive seasons as a sailor on the  county, in the township of Brockway. In the spring
lakes, after which he learned the trade of carpenter.  of 1876 he sold that property. He came to Sanilac
He had worked during the winters succeeding the  County and purchased the estate of which he has
seasons he had passed on the lakes, in cabinet-mak-  since been the proprietor, and which includes i60
ing. He pursued his trade until September, 1872,  acres. He has improved Ioo acres, and the place is
when he started his present business enterprise, the  ranked as among the most valuable ic the township. -
&    manufacture of sash, doors, etc., and also does all  Mr. Eastman was first married in Elgin Co., Ont.,
the kinds of work common to planing-mills.          Nov. 21, 1848, to Mary Hagle. She was born May
Mr. Ellsworth is a Republican in political princi-  i, 1829, in Ontario. She grew to womanhood in
ples and connections. He owns considerable village  her native county. Three of the children born of
property, besides some valuable property in the vicin-  her marriage are deceased. The births and deaths
ity of Marlette.                                 were as follows: John H., May 19, I85I, died Oct.
He was married Dec. 27, i865, in Oakland Co.,    23, i856; Mary E., born Feb. 2, 1862, died Jan. 22,
`Q t*..ge~.atzu"Ow                                              4A




< 250                                 SANILAC CO UNTY.                                           i
1882; John H., born April 9, I864, died Oct. 23,  of his township since his removal hither; he has been  'A, 1856. The first and last named died on the same  Highway Commissioner eight years, School Inspector  #,: day. The mother died Oct. 9, 1869, in Brockway  two years and School Treasurer three years.
t Township. She was a member of the Methodist       He was married Dec. 25, 187r, in the township of
j Episcopal Church. Mr. Eastman was a second time  Marlette, to Ida A. Jones, who was born in Michimarried, Jan. 9, 1870, in Brockway, to Mrs. Constance  gan. The eldest-born child, Robert J., died when he
(Bond) Bennetts, daughter of John and Mary (Bray)  was 14 months old. Four children born subseBond. The parents were natives of England, and  quently still survive and  are married,-John A.,
came after their marriage to Ontario, where the father  David N., George W. and Joseph F. Mr. and Mrs.
died, March 20, 1882, aged 79 years. The mother  Boyne are connected with the Presbyterian Church., is still living, in Canada, and is in the 8ist year of
her age. Mrs. Eastman was born Seot. 6, 1843, near                                             e
Land's End, England. She was brought up by her                       I
parents and was first married Aug. 7, 1858, to Thomas
Bennetts. He was born in England, Aug. 14, 1832.
At the age of i8 years he came to Ontario. He was      ri M
a blacksmith and followed that trade as a vocation.    chibald No,     farmer, section, E
9L,_  T owns hip, is a native of the north of IreAfter marriage he came to Brockway, where he died  t1                       ^ h       o,
land, having been born Feb. i5, i845, in
July o, i868. The children of this marriage were      and h    g     been born Feb  I     I
born as follows: Mary A., April 3, 186o; Robert,      County Tyrone. His parents came to Amer- l
Feb. 22, 1862; Thomas, Feb. r, I864; James, Feb.      ica with their family and settled in Darlington,:
27 i868. John was born July 27, i866, and died   Durham Co., Ont. Mr. Noble remained under the  /
Feb. 3, 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Eastman have five      guidance of his parents until he was.14 years old,;^ children, born as follows: William A., Nov. i8, I870;  when he began life on his own responsibility. His
Anna C., Dec. I8, 1873; Margaret J., Dec. 27, 1874;  first independent action was as a farm assistant. He
S EJoseph P., Feb. 25, 1877; Katie M, March 22 1879.  operated in the Dominion about one year, and came:
The parents attend the Baptist Church. Mr. East-  to Michigan in 1863. He settled on Sanilac County
action. He has held several minor offices in the  ing employment in Elk and Buel Townships with
township.                                      the farmers. He was thus engaged until his mar

I
a


eorge Boyne, farmer, section 28, Marlette
i   Township, was born in Scotland, May 24,
7    2 i 839.  His parents, Robert and Jeannette
(Spencer) Boyne, were natives of the same
country and emigrated to the New World in
I843. They settled in Canada.
Mr. Boyne grew to manhood in the Dominion, and
was there educated and reared to the calling which
has been the pursuit of his life. In December, i868,
he came to Sanilac County and bought i60 acres of
land. He afterwards sold one-half his original purchase, and of the 80 acres of which he still retains
possession, 60 acres is in a fair state of cultivation.
Mr. Boyne has been connected with the public affairs




riage, and in the year succeeding that event he
purchased 40 acres of land on section 33 in Elk
Township. He passed ten years in securing the improvement of one-half his property, and at the end
of that time he sold it and purchased the same
acreage on section 21, in Elk Township. He retained his ownership of the latter place two years,
and improved ten acres. In the fall of 1876 he
bought the farm where he is now located, comprising
80 acres of land in an entirely natural state, with no
improvements and heavily timbered. He has placed
40 acres in creditable agricultural condition and
erected good farm buildings. He is a Democrat in
political principles and has officiated in the minor
local offices of his township.
He was married Oct. 28, 1867, to Sarah, daughter
of Edwin and Hannah (Harris) Apsey. The parents were pioneer settlers of this township. They
are natives of England and came to America in 1847.


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,<                                      S4SA ATILAC CO UNVTY.                                  251
vA  They made their first location in the province of On-  1864, at Lexington, this county. She was born at
tario, which was their home for i years. In I858  London, Ont. Three children have been born of this
they came to St. Clair Co., Mich. Eight years later  marriage. Lester M. and Esther A. (twins) and
{  they settled in Elk Township. Mrs. Noble was born  Katie M. The first named died when he was II
in England, April i6, 1846. She was brought up in  years of age.
the home of her parents, with whom she resided until
her marriage. Seven children have been born to
Mr. and Mrs. Noble, one of whom   is deceased.,,2
Those surviving are Alice A., Alma J., Alfaretta,
John S., Archibald and Minnie E. Matilda died in
infancy.
iinfanyohn Sheldon, farmer on section 33, Lexing-?
_ ton Townshil, was born Nov. 2, i817, in
';,,^~~  --— ^^ ^ 'v^    farm,          ' ~in Canada, and is the son of James and t
X  Mary (Shenick) Sheldon. He was reared on a
|c L| farm, and in the spring of I837 he came to
yron W. Smith, merchant at Marlette,         Lexington Township with his father and brother
~, was born May I8, 1845, in Warren Co.,  Henrv. After a brief stay he went to Port Huron.


7r       m Ind. He is a son of Asa and Mary. X:' (Bentley) Smith, who were born respectively
in New York and Canada. His father died
when he was but nine years of age, when he
was thrown upon his own resources. Two years;  later he became a sailor on the lakes, and was thus
occupied six successive seasons.;:7!{  In I862 he enlisted in the Stanton Guards, and
was stationed at Fort Mackinaw. He was discharged
after six months' service, when, in September of the
same year, he again enlisted, in the Eighth Mich.
Inf., and served until the war closed. He received
j   an honorable discharge in July, i865, and soon after
came to Lexington, this county. After a brief stay
there he again became a sailor, and at the close of
the season he engaged in the shoe business with his
brother at Lexington and learned the trade. Toward;! the close of the year 1868 he removed to Ionia
County, where he was interested in the shoe business
about seven years. At the expiration of that time
he returned to Lexington and entered into a partnership with his brother. This connection was dissolved a year later, and in the spring of I876 he
came to Marlette and established the business inter'   ests in which he has since been engaged continuously, with the exception of two years, which he
a devoted to farming.   In political connection Mr.;  Smith is a Republican. He has officiated as Village
( Treasurer, and is at present a member of the Council
of Marlette.,.     His marriage to Anna Shenick occurred Aug. 2I,


and two weeks later went to Detroit. In July following he returned to Canada,,hlere he remained
until winter. He went the next summer to Detroit
and proceeded thence to Rock Island, Ill., where he
was engaged in ferrying two summers. In July,
1840, he came to Lexington and engaged in farming
and lumbering. In i841 he bought 80 acres of land
one mile south of his present farm, where he resided
a few years. He was the owner successively of several farms in the township, and in i880 settled on
the place he now occupies, which consists of I20
acres under good cultivation. He has been in public
life nearly all the time he has been a resident of the
township. In 1841 he was made an Assessor, has
been Treasurer three years, Clerk three years, Supervisor one year, and in I862-3 was Sheriff of the
county, being elected on the Union ticket. He is a
member of the Order of Masonry, belonging to Damascus Chapter.
Mr. Sheldon was married in Lexington, Sept. 15,
1832, to Hannah Huckins, a cousin of Capt. Israel
Huckins. She survived her marriage but one year,
and Mr. Sheldon was a second time married in Lexington, Jan. 14, 1846, to Sophronia A., daughter of
Jesse and Rebecca Wixson. Eleven children were
born to Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon in Lexington, whose
record is as follows: Franklin J., born Dec. 17,
1846, died Aug. i8, 1869; Martin W. was born Oct.
24, I848, and is a farmer in Dakota; Watson H. was
born Feb. 7, 1851, and resides in the village of Lexington; Elmer W., a farmer in this township, was


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a  252                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
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born Feb. 20, 1853; Loella, born June I, 1855, is a
teacherin Sanliac County; Jefferson was born Aug.
II, I857, and is a farmer in Dakota; William, born
Dec. 2 r, I859, is a druggist in Altona, Dak.; Charles
A. is a farmerin Dakota, and was born April 6, 1862;
Richard H. was born May 20, 1864; Minnie M.,
June 28, i868; May, July 12, 1872. Nine children
are living and are in prosperous, promising circumstances.
'd    obert McClure, farmer, resident on section
~~  P 29, Buel Township, was born March i,
^X'' i1816, in County Kerry, Ireland. He is the
S"  son of Robert and Deborah (Hickson) McClure, both of whom died in their native land.
Mr. McClure landed at Quebec, Can., in I846,
where he remained two years in the family of his
sister. In 1848, he went to the State of New York,
where he was foreman of a corps of men engaged in
the construction of the New York & Erie Railroad.
A year later he came back to Canada and entered
the employment of the corporation engaged in building the Great Western Railroad. He worked three
years on that route, and two years on the Fort
Stanley Railroad, when he went to Sarnia Branch
and bought Ioo acres of wild land, on which he
worked a year. At the expiration of that time he
found he had an insecure title, and he was obliged to
relinquish all he had invested in the place. He went
to Sarnia and passed a winter with his son-in-law.
He had but little taste for a life of idleness or dependence, and availed himself of the first offer of
work that presented, which was in a gravel pit. He
met Mr. Odell, the head engineer of the road, who
recognized him and inquired into the causes of his
changed fortunes, and received the reply that "men
are frequently overtaken by misfortune." On relating
the incident to his wife, she urged him to show his
papers to Mr. Odell, which he did, and a few days
after he received an appointment to a position by
which he was enabled to accumulate nearly $400 in
about three months.
With his small savings he came to Michigan in the
fall of 1859, and bought 40 acres of land, for which




he paid at the rate of 50 cents an acre. The land
was in the roughest portion of the county, and the
30 acres he has cleared has been leveled and graded
until it is as smooth as other land which was level
in its original state. He met Mr. Odell some years
after he settled in Buel Township, and thanked him
as the author of his mended fortunes. Mr. McClure
is a Republican and held himself in readiness to respond to the draft during the late war.
In the family of Mr. McClure's father there were
12 children, the issue of two marriages. He was the
eldest child of the second wife and had five brothers
and sisters. He was married Jan. 26, 1837, in Ireland, to Mary Ann, daughter of Edward and Fannie
(King) Archer. The parents are deceased. She was
born in August, 1823, and died May 29, 1882. She
was the mother of 11 children, five of whom are yet
living. They were born in the order here named:
Fannie, Robert, Edward, Deborah, Mary Ann, John,
Theresa, Thomas (deceased), William and James.
Two children were born previous to the last named,
who 'died in early infancy. Edward died in I846,
during the passage to America, and was buried in the
sea. Robert died on shipboard, just previous to arrival at quarantine below Quebec, where he was
buried. Mr. McClure and his wife were both members of the established Church of England. His
grandfather was a Scotchman and was born on the
Isle of Wight.,*I2
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'.
yron Briggs, practicing physician and
'  w   surgeon, located at Melvin village, was. l ' born April 8, 1824, in Randolph, Portage
'',\, Co., Ohio. His father, Andreas Briggs, was
born Dec. 29, I795, in Massachusetts. He was
a soldier of the war of I8I2, and is still living,
near Cleveland, Ohio. The mother, Betsey (Moore)
Briggs, was born in I802, in Salisbury, Conn., and
died April 3, I878.
Dr. Briggs passed his early years acquiring a good
primary education, and at the age of 17 years began
teaching. He pursued his medical studies at Ackley  (X)
College, in the city of Cleveland. In I847 he came
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SA-"- NILA C L  U <  O k NTY.
5ANS ILA C CO UNT Y.


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A(  to Allegan County, Mich., where he practiced his
profession until i860, when he went to Shelby Co.,
Ohio. He operated there as a medical practitioner
21 years, pursuing his business with success and
profit. In I88i, he disposed of his property in the
Buckeye State, and removed to Sanilac County, locating where he now resides. Dr. 'Briggs is a Republican in political affiliation.
He was married July 7, i86i, to Sarah E. Pelton,
daughter of John and Susannah (Gilman) Pelton.
The former was born in Connecticut and died in? Allegan Co., Mich. He was a soldier in the second
war with Great Britain. Her mother was born in
1800, in the State of New York, and resides at Oregon City. Three children have been born to Dr. and
Mrs. Briggs, as follows: Alexis O., Nov. 3, i86 -(died July 13, 1865); Ida M. (Mrs. William Ross, of
Speaker Township), Aug. 30, 1863; Marion E., May
6, 1867.  Mrs. Briggs is a member of the Methodist
*   Episcopal Church.
i/^;2 '. ' ugh McKenzie, Treasurer of Sanilac County,
j  was born in Scotland, in July, 1839. His
S   (^te^ parents, Robert and Catherine (Munson)
McKenzie, belonged to the class known as
Highlanders, and were born in Scourie, Suther-!  landshire, where they were farmers until their
emigration to the New World. In the year 1847 they
sailed from Loch Laxford, Sutherlandshire, en route:   for Quebec, whence they proceeded by water to
Hamilton, Ont. The Dominion was then mostly in a
primitive condition, untraversed by railroads, and the
family made their way to Missouri, Oxford Co., Ont.,
by the aid of teams. They purchased a tract of land
in the unbroken forest of Missouri, upon which they
brought to bear the industrious energies and apply
the persevering toil to which they had been bred
in their native land, and where they founded a home.
The father died there when he was 85 years old. The
mother is now (1884) 90 years of age, and resides at
iJ  Cass City, Mich.
Mr. McKenzie assumed the responsibilities and
burdens of his own maintenance and career when he
>    was i6 years old, and as he possessed a desire to ex

plore and test for himself the mysterious West, he.
set forth on a prospecting tour, visiting 13 Western  I
and Southern States, experiencing meanwhile the,
vicissitudes and trials of a rolling stone.
He returned to his home in I859, and in I86o came  -
to Michigan. He at once located I6o acres of land  '
in Austin Township, Sanilac County, and spent a
year thereon engaged in improving the place; but the
inconvenience of a location 26 miles distant from
civilization without other outlet than Indian trails
and the blazed routes of pioneer settlers, grew so dis- X
tasteful that he abandoned his project and again
started westward. After traveling to some extent in:?
Illinois and Iowa, he returned in 1864 to Michigan, A|
and engaged in rafting lumber on the Grand River,
from Grand Rapids and vicinity to Grand Haven.
In I866 he returned to his former location in Austin
Township, with a resolution to overcome all obstacles
and content himself with the career of a pioneer
settler. His first abode was built from logs hewn by {
his own hands, and finished with lumber prepared by
himself and neighbors by the aid of the process ti
known as "whip-sawing."  The first wheat he raised
was threshed by a flail, cleaned by the wind and
milled at Wahjamega, Tuscola County, 35 miles
distant. The grain was transported thither by ox  ^
teams, the trip requiring five days.  The first eight -,
miles of the route was constructed by Mr. McKenzie,  I
with the aid of his neighbors and associates, Joseph
Brown and William Jordan.
Mr. McKenzie is a Republican, and his first
official service was as Commissioner of Highways, in
which he officiated three years. He was elected in
1870 to the position of Supervisor and discharged the
duties of the office seven consecutive years. He was:;
elected Sheriff in I876, gaining a re-election in I878. 'i
After serving in the office to the limit prescribed by
law, he was, in the fall of 1880, nominated for Treasurer and elected by a triumphant majority. He was
re-elected in 1882, and is now serving his second
term.
The portrait of Mr. McKenzie appears on another.
page. It represents a man whose traits of character
are such as to command the respect and confidence J.
of his generation, and whose official career has been 2,
marked by a faithful and wise administration of its  i
duties.
Mr. McKenzie was married Oct. 5, 1868, in Austin >


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<" 256                                  SANILAC
' Township, to Ann Robinson. They are the parents
of the following children: Kate, born July i, 1869;.   George, May 30, I87I; Robert W., Jan. 13, I873;
I Margaret Ann, Jan. 23, 1875; Kennett H., Dec. 4,
() I876.   Mrs. McKenzie was born in Scotland and
came to America in early childhood. She acquired
a good education and was one of the pioneer teachers
of Sanilac County, beginning the exercise of her vocation when she was i6 years old, and she continued
her labors until her marriage at the age of 20 years.
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eorge W. Hicks, farmer, section r6, Buel!.}~1$  Township, was born March 3, 1838, in
Brownville, Jefferson Co., N. Y.    His
father, Daniel Hicks, was born May i8, 1794,
in Saratoga Co., N. Y., and was of mixed English and Scotch descent. He died in 1879,
in Charlevoix Co., Mich., where the mother, Elizabeth Ann (Reynolds) Hicks, is still living. She is of
Holland Dutch and Danish descent.
Mr. Hicks was bred to the occupation of a farmer,
and was under the direction of his father during his
minority. On becoming " his own man" he bought
a farm of 260 acres, in company with his brother, in
St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. Two years later the association was dissolved, and he came to Calhoun Co.,
Mich., where he passed two years working a farm on
shares. In I869 he went to Woodland, Barry Co.,
Mich., and rented a farm on which he lived two
years. He went thence to Nashville, where be remained two years, engaged in blacksmithing. The
following year he went upon a farm in Olivet. His
next remove was to Sanilac County, and he settled
in Buel Township, March 28, 1874, where he bought
40 acres of land. He has since purchased 40 acres
more, and has cleared 25 acres. He enlisted Aug.
28, I86I, in Co. D, I6th N. Y. Inf., and his regiment
was assigned to Brooks' Division of Bartlett's Brigade,
Sixth Army Corps, under Gen. Sedgwick. Among
other engagements, he participated in the fight of
Gaines' Mill, the Seven Days' Fight before Richmond, at Antietam, Fredericksburg (first and second),
under Burnside, and at Chancellorsville under Gen.
Hooker. His regiment.was mustered out just after




the last named battle, in 1864. He re-enlisted in
the First N. Y. Light Artillery, Battery C, and served
until the close of the war. He was mustered out
the second time June 22, 1865.
The first marriage of Mr. Hicks occurred Aug. 24,
I860, when Amanda M. Downing became his wife.
She was born April 25, I840, and died Jan. 5, I866,
leaving two children,-George A., born March 13,
1862, in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., and
Alfonso Lamartine, born March 1, 1864, in the same
place. Mr. Hicks was a second time married, Dec.
28, 1867, to Julia A., daughter of William and Laura
(Ellis) Kinne. The father was born Jan. 26, i8oi,
and died March 25, I875, in St. Lawrence County.
The mother was born Sept. 25, I805, and died Dec.
17, 187 I. One child, Charles Augustus, was born of
the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hicks, Aug. 31, 1873,
in Woodland, Barry Co., Mich. The parents are
members of the Christian Church at Nashville. Mr.
Hicks is a member of the National Greenback party,
and has been School Inspector. He has served four
years as Justice of the Peace.
t1~ ohn G. Hamilton, farmer, section 5, Mar-!   L lette Township, is the son of William and
2 Wilhelmina (Gibb) Hamilton. His parents
WI   were born, lived and died in Scotland, where
he was born, Oct. 24, 1824. He was reared
to maturity in his native country and emigrated
thence to America when he was 22 years of age.
He settled in Canada and worked as a tailor until
the spring of I856, when he determined on joining
the throng who found in Michigan a desirable point
for the furtherance of their ambitions and purposes
in life. He bought 320 acres in Marlette Township,
which was all in a state of nature, and on which he
located and operated about I8 months, when he returned to the Dominion. He passed 12 years in the
Province of Ontario, and in I870 re-occupied his
farm in Sanilac County. He has since resided
thereon and has redeemed Ioo acres from its original
state and placed it in fair tillable condition, thus


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>'.                                            vSAN/LAC LCOUNTY.                                               257
f                                                                    >,  _  _  _ _ _ _ _ _ t~~~~~~~~~2 7  "


adding substantially to the material benefit and pros-;  perity of Sanilac County.
He was married Nov. 2, 1849, in Canada, to Margaret Ramsey, who was born Aug. 12, 1826, in the
city of Dublin, Ireland, and is the daughter of William and Agnes (Wallace) Ramsey, natives of Scotland. Of seven. children born of their marriage five
survive. They are Jessie, Maggie, William, Jennie
and Gavin. Those deceased are Agnes and Maggie.
Mr. Hamilton is a Republican in political faith. He
and his wife were both brought up in the Presbyterian
Church.
ohn S. Bagley, farmer, section 28, Buel
f Township, was born Aug. 3, 1820, in
be  ii g  County Kildare, Ireland.  His parents,::S  lI  Isaac and Hannah (Sale) Bagley, were natives
i-     of the " Emerald Isle," and had nine children,
who were born in the following order: Sarah
(deceased), Richard, John S., Maria, Hannah, William and three others who died in infancy.
Mr. Bagley passed his boyhood and youth in his
native land, where he obtained such education as
that country affords, though he had no advantages of
J   free schools. At the age of i8 years he came to
j   America, landing at Quebec, Can. He proceeded to
a place 45 miles from that city, where an uncle resided, and passed the first winter there. He decided
to become a landholder and became the proprietor of
2oo acres of land, entering a claim under the regulations of the laws of the Dominion relating to early
settlers. He built a log house, in which he lived
alone one winter and devoted his attention to clearing away the heavy timber on the place. The severity of the climate caused him to change his opinion
of the feasibility of farming in that bleak section, and
in the spring he abandoned his claim and went to
Q    Montreal, where he entered upon an apprenticeship
to learn the trade of a bricklayer and plasterer.
After serving the stipulated time of three years, he
proceeded to East Minden, New York, where he reY   mained one year working at his trade. He returned
to Canada at the expiration of that time, where he
\<   remained two years, and about at the expiration of


that time he changed his condition of single blessedness.
He was married Oct. 19, 1849, to Emma Ann
Humphries. She was born July 15, 1833, in Percy,
Northumberland. Co., Can., was the daughter of
Israel and Amanda (Stone) Humphries, and died
June 30, 1884, in Buel Township, aged 51 years.
Both her parents died in Percy Township, Canada,
the demise of the father occurring Dec. 19, I855,
that of the mother, March 2, 1844. The former was
born in England, and the latter in Canada, of parents
who were of New York State origin. Mr. and Mrs.
Bagley have had 13 children, io of whom survive.
Following is the record of their birth: John S., born
May io, 1854; William Henry, July 24, I857; Israel,
June 3, 1859; George W., Aug. 23, 1862; Emma A.,
Oct. 8, I867; Elena, Oct. 19, 1869; Isaac, Oct. 22,
1871; Richard, Dec. I6, I874; Harvey, Aug. i8,
I876. Three children died in early infancy unnamed.
Mr. Bagley came to Sanilac County, April I5,
I879, and bought 80 acres of wild land. He has reclaimed 35 acres, and built a substantial and good
frame house and a barn. In political sentiment he
is a Democrat, and holds the views of anti-monopoly.
He has served his township as Supervisor three
years, and at the spring election of the current.year
he was elected Justice of the Peace.  He is a member of the Church of England, as was also his wife.


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xi ~lexander Donaldson, druggist and dealer ~
in agricultural implements in the village of
i\ S Melvin, was born July 7, I836, in Lower Can1e  ada. His parents, William and Ellen (Premo)
Donaldson, were of Scotch and French origin.
When Mr. Donaldson reached the period of his
majority, he engaged in the manufacture of brick, in
which he operated to a considerable extent for a.
period of ten years, in his native province. In the
autumn of 1869 he came to the township of Speaker
and located on section 7, on I40 acres of land, on
which he resided some years. He finally sold the
place and proceeded to Kansas with the intention of (,
settling there permanently but he remained there
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258ISNILA COU-Y


~, only one year, when he returned to Speaker Town1 ship. He became proprietor by purchase of I20
acres of land on sections 5 and 8. The place now
f includes 80 acres of improved and cultivated land.
He is a progressive and prosperous farmer, and is
considered able authority on agricultural matters.
He has been President and is now Director of the
Brockway District Agricultural Society, in which he
has taken much interest and advanced its welfare.
In the year i856 he was married to Catherine,
r daughter of Henry and Margaret Cable, natives of
England. Mrs. Donaldson was born in I836, and is
the mother of six promising sons,-Henry M., William G., Charles A., James B., John and Frederick F.


I


oseph Neu.mann, farmer, section 20, Marlette Township, was born April 17, 1837,
in Austria.  His parents, Francis and
Catherine (Huffmer) Neumann, were also natives of Austria. He was about 17 years old
when he emigrated to America. He came
direct to Marlette Township, where he entered a
claim of 320 acres of land. On this he has since
expended his strength and energies, and now has
130 acres of his original tract, with 70 acres under
cultivation.
The first marriage of Mr. Neumann occurred in
Detroit, in December, i860, to Augusta Shrine, a
native of Germany. From this union the issue was
eight children, named Adaline, Rosa, Caroline, Mary
L., Frank J., Edmund, Frona and Anna J. The
mother died May I6, I875. Mr. Neumann was a
second time married, April 25, 1883, in the township
of Marlette, to Euphemia (McKenzie) Ronald,
widow of William Ronald, who lost his life in the
great fire which devastated Sanilac County on the
5th of September, i88i. His body was recovered
four days after he met his death. His clothing was
nearly all destroyed in the flames. Mrs. Neumann is
a native of Canada, where she was born Dec. 7,
I844. She is the mother of ten children by her first
marriage, whose names are Jane, Daniel (deceased),
John J., Mary A. (deceased), Euphemia, William,


Maggie, Elijah A., Etta E. (deceased), and Roland
(deceased). By the last marriage she has one child
-Wensel A., born March 22, 1884.
Mr. Neumann is a Democrat in his political belief
and connections. He has officiated in the local and
school offices. In addition to the farm he owns in
Marlette, he owns 170 acres of land in Talbot
Co., Md.
-7 --- —r-y —7-   7 -ohn Erskine,farmer, section 2, Buel Township, was born in Bawny Parish, Lancaster@   shire, Scotland, June 7, i8o6. His pareaZ  ents, John and Jeannette (Young) Erskine,
were also natives of Scotland. They were
married in their native land and came with
their family to America in June, I831. There were
four persons, and their entire financial resources
comprised three half-crowns, English money, and the
father lent one of these to a man who was a neighbor in the "old country," who accompanied thein to
America. The elder Erskine and his son John obtained employment as farm laborers at $6 per month,
board included. The son continued in that avenue
of labor a twelvemonth, when he became a fireman
on a St. Lawrence River steamer, plying between
Montreal and Quebec. The next year his father
rented a farm in the State of New York, where he
worked through the season. The father and second
son remained on the place a second year, and John
again "fired" on a river steamer. They bought too
acres of land 70 miles south of Montreal, where the
father died, May ii, I845. He was born in 1770.
The mother was born in the same year and died
three months after her husband, her demise occurring Aug. 12, 1845.
John and Alexander retained the farm while their
parents lived, but sold out and severed their business
connection soon after their decease. John bought a
farm which comprised 50 acres, and his sister became
his housekeeper. He lived on this place eight years,
sold out, and in September, I853, he again became a
sailor. He operated from that time until December,
i855, in the lake service between Buffalo and Chicago. During this period he pre-empted 340 acres


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SANILA C COUNTY.                                  259
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of land in the Dominion, and his sister resided on
the property until he paid for it. He then sold out,
and in October, 1856, he removed to Sanilac County,
where he has since resided. He is a Democrat in
political sentiment, and was brought up under the
regime of the Presbyterian Church. Two sisters of
Mr. Erskine died in Scotland, one at the age of i
years, the other in September, 1845. Alexander and
Jeannette came with John and the parents to America. The remaining sister died Dec. 9, 1857, in
Buel Township.
l[   iram C. Wooley farmer, section i, MarJ  lette Township, was born Feb. 28, 1845, in
~~-, Elgin Co., Can., and is a son of Henry and
Eliza (Brooks) Wooley, both of whom were
born in the Dominion. He was educated and
grew to manhood in his native province, and on
reaching the period of his independent life he
engaged in farming. In February, 1882. he came to
Sanilac County, where he identified himself with the
agricultural community, settling on 200 acres of land
which had been entered as a claim by his father in
1859. Of this he has already cleared 28 acres and
placed it in creditable condition. In his political
views he is independent.
His marriage to Marilla Dean occurred in Canada,
Nov. 25, I869. She is a native of Elgin County,
anc hIa four children horn of her lieion with Mr.


of New Nork and made their way to the Grand
River country of Canada, settling in Haldimand
County, where they passed the remainder of their
lives, engaged in farming.
Mr. Murray engaged in active labor in his native
country when he was 16 years old, and after coming
to Canada he engaged in farming. He became aland-holder of Michigan in i86i, when he camne to
Sanilac County and purchased i60 acres of wild land.
He returned to Canada and remained two years;
and in I863 removed his family and interests to the
township of Speaker and settled himself for life on
the tract of land he had purchased, and which has
since been his field of labor, and where he has made
successful application of his abilities and efforts.
His farm is one of the most valuable in the township,
and includes I20 acres of land under first-class improvement, with two excellent barns and an elegant
farm residence.
Mrs. Elizabeth (Clark) Murray, his wife, was born
Aug. 8, I838, in Paisley, Scotland. She is the
daughter of William and Margaret (Easton) Clark,
also of Scottish birth. They emigrated with their
family to Canada, where the mother died in I874.
The father is 80 years of age. Thomas, Margaret,
William, Agnes, Mary E. and Jennie are the children that have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Murray.
In their family is an adopted son, Frederick. They
are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Murray accepts the principles and issues of the
Republican party.,-i,
I'l


Wooley. They are Lovilla E., William E., Ernest
A. and Nina M.
eorge H. Banks, farmer, section 21, Elmer
__ A A_________  ^;s_  k  Township, was born Aug. 7, 1819, in York— *,- -7-'T                          1 ~  R   shire, England. His parents, George and
Ann (Henderson) Banks, were born, lived and
Xi2:C~^| aA~,r,~                           ^( died in England.  They had eight children.
i  illiam Murray, one of the leading agri-       The father was a farmer and miller and died:
] r jS-,,  culturists of Sanilac County, resident on  in I829. Mr. Banks is the youngest child of his par-  i
*.  a:section 20, Speaker Township, was born     ents, and before the death of his father, was appren-:."  Jl     in I834, in Scotland, and is the son of  ticed to learn the trade of a tailor, which he followed
/ ~,5.'     Thomas and Margaret Murray. The par-    in his native country until he was 26 years of age.
)  ents were natives of the " land of cakes," and  In I845 he left England and came to Ontario, Can.,
came to America in 1849.. They landed at the port  where he engaged in agricultural pursuits until I868,
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260                                  SANILAC COUNTY.                                              T
@   when he came to Michigan, hoping to find better  United States Army in 1862. The mother died in  s
p   advantages in the calling to which he desired to de-  Fremont about IS years ago. The following children pi. vote the remaining years of his life. His was one of  have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Collins: Samuel,,
the earliest permanent settlers in the township of  Oct. 6, 1878, died in August, 1879; Esther Maud,
Elmer, where he entered a claim of I6o acres under  Sept. 7, 1881; John Wellington, October, 1883.
the provisions of the Homestead Act. The country   Mr. Collins is an adherent of the Republican k
~was in an almost unsettled condition; there were no  party, and has served his township six years as
general thoroughfares of travel and the point of sup-  Justice of the Peace, and two years as Drain Cornplies was 16 miles away, necessitating the carrying of  missioner.
of the necessities of life all that distance on men's
backs. He has succeeded in his farm and business
management, notwithstanding severe losses from the     ---                         e, recent fires which have devastated Sanilac County.
In that of I88I he lost heavily in fencing material  Ps...


and other property, and later his house and its contents were destroyed. He has improved and cultivated Ioo acres of his farm, and put it in the best
possible agricultural condition. He belongs to the
Democratic element in politics, and has held the
local offices of Justice of the Peace, Highway Commissioner and Township Clerk, and is now School
Inspector. He was married Aug. 2, 1852, in Victoria
Co., Can., to Lordy Marks, who was born June 17,
J826, in Cornwall, Eng., and came with her parents
to Canada when she was 20 years of age. Mr. and
Mrs. Banks have had ten children, two of whom are
deceased,-Henry and Betsey.  Those who survive
are Ann, Frederick, John, Caroline, William, Alice,
George and Charles. The parents are members of
the Free Methodist Church.


)  3harles Fletcher is one of the substantial,   and enterprising farmers of Speaker Township, and is. operating in the business of
farming and stock-breeding. He is the son
of Edward and Mary (Hurd) Fletcher, of
English nativity, and was born June I2, I826,
in Langton, England. His mother died when he
was three years old, and he was in the care of his
father until he reached the age of I2 years. On the =
I5th of May, the customary day in England for the
hiring of servants, he engaged to serve one year for:r
the sum of 30 shillings, English money. For his.
second year of service lie received double the wages,
and in the year following he engaged with a brother
of his first employer, for four and one-half pounds
per year. He remained in this last employ two
years, obtaining increased pay. In I85 t he came to. -   T  '..I, - I I...........


the United States, landing at the port ot New York.
"-    -      ^-a -^ —~  -He proceeded to the city of Rochester, and obtained
farm work in that vicinity. He spent two years there;
<I~~~,?  ^~~j                          | f~~~and went thence to Wisconsin, where he was en- (I
l varo Collins, farmer, section 3, Buel      gaged four years in farming. During three and a
Township, was born Sept. 19, 1848, in Dur-  half years succeeding, he was engaged in the same
1 ham, Oxford Co., Can., and is the son of  vocation in Indiana, going thence to Canada. He
Benjamin and Asenath (Walker) Collins. (See    was there engaged as a farm laborer between five
sketch of Benjamin Collins.) Mr. Collins was  and six years, when he removed to Iowa. Ten
married Jan. 28, I876, to Margaret Todd, who  months later he made a permanent settlement on 80
was born Jan. 7, I849, near Bear Creek, Canada,    acres of landin Speaker Township. He added 240 (
'    and was one of ten children born to her parents, nine  acres by later purchase, and is now in possession ot
i    of whom were sons. (She is the fourth in order of  that amount of real estate, having deeded 80 acres
birth.) They were named Samuel, James, John,     to his son. In 1878 he erected one of the finest res-  '
William, Thomas, Reuben, Joseph, Alexander and     idences in Speaker Township, and his farm is also
Robert. The latter lost his life by an accident in the  supplied with large and convenient barns and other  i
lumber woods. John Todd, the father, died in the   fixtures necessary to successful agriculture.  Mr.
jgjj^^^ ---[1^^  — ^<^0ii$Xiin<^ —^.4X@




i >        -e: —r-air —7(- nll oW n-( X/                                      SSANIILAC COUNTY.                                       261: Fletcher is a Republican in political sentiment, and  members of their generation in the community to
i has served his township as Justice of the Peace six  which they belong. They possess literary abilities  W
<  years.                                          beyond the common order and are both connected  e<
He was married in 185 to Dinah P. Goy. She is   with the local press in the capacity of correspondents.  i
the daughter of William and Margaret Goy, who                                                    \
were natives of England. Mrs. Fletcher was born
Sept. 7, I829. Her ten sons and daughters were
born as follows: Margaret E., April 4, 1852; William H., Oct. 23, 1854 (died Feb. I3, 1862); Ann
E., July Io, I856; George E, Aug. 29, 1858; Fred-       ohn Nicolson, farmer, resident on section
t erick C., Jan. 13, i860; Fanny E., Dec. 6, I862;          i6 Marlette Township, was born Dec. 22
William H., June 6, I865; Robert S., Nov. 24, 1867;    g I849, in Scotland, of which country his; Webster F., March 14, I870; Mary P., Feb. 24,      I  parents, William  and  Catherine (Davison)  i
I874 (died Sept. I, I876). Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher      Nicolson, were natives. He emigrated from
belong to the Baptist Church.                         the land of his birth to Canada when he was


-,, dward M. Denton, farmer, section 9, Moore
Township, was born May 14, I850, in
1  Memphis, Macomb Co., Mich., and is the.; f son of Darius and Aletia (Lynch) Denton, both
of whom were natives of the State of New York.
The father was born in I809, and died June i8,
882. The mother was born in I815, and resides in
Memphis.
Mr. Denton obtained a substantial education in a
graded school at Memphis, and afterwards studied
medicine two years in the Medical College at Detroit.
jI,  In i88i he came to Sanilac County and located.~ I60 acres of land on sections 3, 4 and 9 of Moore
Township. He was married Nov. 21, 1883, to Ida
Nunn.   She was born Nov. 14, 1864, in Elmer, Elgin Co., Can., and is a daughter of Rev. Isaac B. and
Mary A. (Hanstead) Nunn. Her father was born in
Canada, in I837; her mother in England, in 1840.
They reside in Argyle Township, Sanilac County. Mr.
Denton is a Republican, and in the spring of I884
was elected Drain Commissioner. Mrs. Denton is a
lady of exceptional intellectual attainments and has
been a teacher since she was 15 years of age. She
is now engaged in the same occupation, in the district where she resides. She is a Baptist in religious
belief.
Mr. and Mrs. Denton are regarded as leading


15 years of age, and remained a resident of the Dominion until 1879. In the spring of that year he
came to Sanilac County, and bought 80 acres of land
in the township of which he has since been a citizen. To his original acreage he has added 50 acres,
and has placed 70 acres under cultivation. He is an
adherent to the tenets of no political organization,
being entirely independent in his views and connections. He has held the offices of School Moderator
and Drain Commissioner.
He was married March 5, I879, in Halton Co.,
Ont., to Nancy Whitley. She is a native of the Dominion, and a daughter of Thomas and Ellen (McMillin) Whitley. Ellen J., Catherine H. and Thomas
W. are the names of the children born to Mr. and
Mrs. Nicolson.
7Slexander Arnot, farmer, section 28, Lexington Township, was born April 8, I843,
1C~    in Darlington, Can. His father, John B.
'' Arnot, removed with his family to Texas in
1852, where they remained one year.  In
1854 they located in the township of Lexington, where the father bought I20 acres of land. On
this he lived and labored, and at the date
of his death had cleared more than 80 acres.
He died June I6, 1865. The subject's mother, Janet
McDougal Arnot, died in Canada, Nov. I, 1847.
Her parents were natives of the Highlands of Scot

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77 -SAW LAC COUNrTY.


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land, and had five children, two of whom died in infancy. James, the eldest, is a farmer of Croswell
Township.
Mr. Arnot of this sketch is the second in order of
birth. Mr. Arnot is the proprietor of the homestead
of his parents, which he obtained by paying the
claims of the other heirs. He owns Ioo acres of
land.
Mr. Arnot was married in Bournanville, Can.,
March 26, i868, to Agnes, daughter of James and
Ellen (Montgomery) Heal. She was born in the
same place, May 8, I849. The children in Mr. A.'s
family are: Ellen, who was born Aug. 19, I869;
John B., June II, I873; and Edgar J., April 4, i88o.
— F>2-~-o<-Mt>^sEo-~>-~<.( (
t! g]  avid M. Langan, M. D., physician and surgeon, resident at Peck, was born in Lenawee Co., Mich., Jan. 5, I847. His parents,
j1"   John and Catherine (Camburn) Langan, were
natives of New Jersey, and descended from
Scotch ancestors, who were Quakers, His father
was a boot and shoe maker by trade, and after his
marriage removed to Michigan. He settled in Macon, Lenawee County, in 1831, where he was one of
the earliest of the permanent pioneer settlers. He
there pursued his vocation until his death, which occurred March 4, 1874, when he was 74 years of age.
The mother is 69 years old and resides on the old
homestead. Their family comprised eight children,
all of whom are living.  Lavinia is a resident of
Lenawee County; George is a citizen of Ludington;
Sarah J. resides with the mother, as does William,
the second son; Hebron lives in Allegan; Susan
lives at home.
Mr. Langan is the seventh child and fourth son.
He remained at home until he was 17 years old, and
up to that time attended the common schools. In
I864 he went to Adrian, where he entered upon a
course of preparatory study.  He went thence to
Milwaukee, Wis., where he studied practical dentistry
under the supervision of Drs. D. W. Perkins and G.
B. Cady. He remained there two years, and, owing
to impaired health, spent the next two years in outdoor vocations. At the expiration of that time he
began the study of medicine in the office and under


the direction of Dr. S. Catlin, of Tecumseh, Lenawee
Co., Mich. He read diligently two years, and in
1873 entered the Medical Department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He finished a
complete course of study at that institution, and in
June, 1875, ca.ne to Peck, where he entered at once
upon the practice of his profession, which he has
since prosecuted with satisfactory results. In the
winter of 1883-4 he attended a course of lectures at
the Medical College of Detroit. The business of Dr.
Langan has steadily increased in success and popularity until he has risen to competence. He has
acquired a well-deserved repute for skill and attention to the duties of his practice, and is warmly
esteemed for his genial nature and fine social qualities.
He was married Dec. 19, 1878, in Shannonville,
Hastings Co., Ont., to Myra Howell, who was born in
Tyendinaga Township, Hastings County, May 6, 185 2,
and is the daughter of Richard and Janet (Bedford)
Howell. They were of Welch descent, and their
ancestors were of New England origin. In early
youth they went to Prince Edward Co., Ont., when
that county was new. There the father was a farmer
by calling, and later in life removed his family to
Hastings Co., Ont., where he resided until his death
in 187, at the age of 60 years. The mother is 65
years old, and resides on the homestead in Ontario.
Their family consisted of nine children, all of whom
are living. Mrs. Langan is the seventh child and
fourth daughter. She was carefully educated under
the care of her parents in her native county. One
child has been born to Dr. and Mrs. Langan, who
died in early infancy. Dr. Langan is a Democrat in
political views and actions. He and his wife are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church...,%I


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evi Sawtell, farmer, section 32, Lamotte.
Township, is the son of Gaius and Phila
(Kellogg) Sawtell. His father was born in
794, in the State of New York; his mother (
was a native of Pennsylvania.  Both are de- X
ceased. Mr. Sawtell was born Aug. IO, 1828, in ()
Erie Co., N. Y. He was but six years old when his e


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SA IILAC CO UNT Y.:~"a~;-t::~  ~:  -fAa"IA,
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father died, and he remained with his mother but one
year after that event. When he was 27 years of age
he came to Lapeer Co., Mich., where he became interested in the pursuit of agriculture, and continued
to operate there until the spring of 1870, when he
became a resident of Sanilac County. He located
in I,amotte Township, where he lought 80 acres of
land. The place is now in fine condition, with good
farm buildings. Mr. Sawtell is an adherent of the
Republican party, and has been identified with the
local official interests of the township since be became a resident. He has held the office of Supervisor four terms, Justice of the Peace and Treasurer
three terms and Highway Commissioner. He is
present Postmlaster, and has received two appointments to the position,-in i87 and i881. He is a
Baptist in religious belief.
He was married in 1848, to Mary Underhill, who
was born in New York, and is the daughter of Frederick and Sarah Underhill, both of whom were natives of New York. The wife died in September of
the same year of her marriage The second marriage
of Mr. Sawtell was to Lydia A., daughter of David
and Mary (Waterman) Fisher, natives of New York.
Four children have been born of the second marriage,
-Iavid E., Nov. 14, 1854; Mary E., Oct. i, 1856;
Cassius L., Oct. 3, i863; Nettie, May 4, i868.


cessively re-elected since to the same position. He
is a member of the Masonic Order.
His marriage to Mary J. Goheen occurred in December, 1878. She was born in I859, in Canada,
and is the daughter of Robert and Ann Goheen, who
were born in Canada. Ella A., born June 13, i88o,
and Hugh, born April 2, 1882, are the children of the
household of Mr. and Mrs. McLeod.
liver B. Jacobs, druggist at Peck, was born
Nov. 17, 1847, in Whitby, Ont. His father,
B  Charles Jacobs, was born in the State of
y   Pennsylvania, of English parentage. He was
a blacksmith by trade and married Elizabeth
Warner, a native of Ontario and descended
from American ancestors. The family came to Michigan in 1863, and the father resided in Sanilac
County until his death, in November, r88i. The
mother died in Ontario, when her son was i8 months
old. He was placed in charge of his grandmother,
Mrs. Jane Warner, who cared for him with all the
kindness and interest of a mother. In July, i866, he
came to M\ichigan and located at Lexington, where
he engaged as a salesman in the mercantile establishment of J. N. (lark.  He began to teach when
he was 2I years old in the district schools, which occupation he followed for some time. He then entered
a drug store in Lexington, where he was employed a
short time, and later, in company with Charles Partridge, embarked in the stave business. The enterprise continued two years, and on its termination he
went to Brockway Center, where he became foreman
in the saw-mill of John Stillson. He passed six
years in that position. His next business was as
agent for a nursery firm in New York, in which he remnained one year. In December, i881, he came to
Peck and established himself in his present business,
which he has since continued with prosperous results.
He owns his stock, a desirable village lot and 40
acres of land on section 35, Elk Township, all of
which is improved.
Mr. Jacobs is a subscriber to the tenets of the Republican party. He has served two terms as Township Clerk, and is now discharging the duties of his


ii!' i   fiilliam McLeod, general merchant at Mel-. f    is.c vin and Town Clerk of Speaker Townshii),
1 i- 71 ' vwas born April i, 1859, in Canada. He is
|  (, the son of Kenneth and Isalella (Mchllee)
')1l McLeod, who were also natives of Canada.
In 1863, they became residents of Michigan
and now live on 80 acres of land on section 20,
Speaker Township.
Mr. McLeod became a clerk in the employment of
Charles Dewey, of Melvin, when he was but 14 years
of age, and operated in that capacity eight years. He
d obtained a good practical education, and has taught
>  three terms of school. He has no particular political
) bias.  His first election to the incumbency of Town-?  ship Clerk occurred in I88i, and he has been suc

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SANIL AC CO UNTY.


third term in that incumbency. He has been for
four years the Under-Sheriff of Sanilac County. He
was married May 5, 1874, at Lexington, to Mary
Ryan. She is of Irish descent, and her father is living in Ontario. Her motler died in that province.
Mrs. Jacobs was l)orn in the city of Buffalo. She
was reared by her relatives and on reaching mature
age came to Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs have
three children, namely, Charles \W., Lillie 0. and
Elizabeth M.
"l'^ t amuel J. Welch, l)roprietor of the Elk Saw
and Grist Mills, in Elk Township, was
born SePt. 22,:1843, in Washington Co.,
) ) ttN. Y. He is a son of S. 0. and Betsey Ann
5   l\  (Barrett) WTelch, both of whom were born in
the State of New York, of New England lineage. His father is a farmer, miller and lumberman,.a  and is now a resident of Brockway Center, where lhe
is a 1promninent agriculturist and is 65 years of age.
The mother of Samuel J. died at Brockway Center
J  in 85 1. Their family included six children.
\Vhen Mr. Welch was 12 years old, he came with
his l)arents to Sanilac Co., Mich. Two years later
they transferred their family and interests to Brockway, St. Clair Co., Mich., where they engaged in
farming. 'There the son remained until he was 19
years old, when he set out alone in his struggle with
the world. He had no difficulty in obtaining elmployment in the lumber woods and on the river, and
in alternate seasons on farns. At the age of 24 he
was married, at Brockway Center, to Rachel A.
Wedge. She was born in l)ereham, Ont., Nov. 9,
1847, and is the daughter of John and Mary (Moore)
Wedge, natives of Canada and born respectively of
Irish-German and English parentage. Her father
is a farmer by occupation and resides at Brockway,   Center, aged about 76 years, and her mother died
there Sept. 10, 1882, aged 73 years. They caine to
j   St. Clair County in 1855, and the daughter was a
resident with her parents until her marriage. The
four children of Mr. and Mrs. Welch were born as
s   follows: Betty A., Jan. 28, I867; Mary L., Dec. 29,


i868; Jennie E., June 5, 1876; Lillian L., July 2,
1878.
After marriage Mr. Welch settled in the township
where he was married. He followed farming and
improved So acres of land on which he lived until
April, r88i. His father deeded him 40 acres, including 20 acres of improved land, which made him
owner of a choice, well improved farm of 120 acres.
In the month and year named he came to Elk Corners, where he established, in company with S. O.
Welch, the milling interests in which he has since
been engaged. The products of his saw and grist
mills are already extensive and increasing.  His
property includes a residence and lot in the village
and a half interest in the old Ayers Mill.
Mr. Welch is a I)emocrat of a radical kind.
-d |   'obert Boyne, farmer, section 20, Marlette
T 'ownship, is the son of Robert and JeanI    nette (Spencer) Boyne, and was born April 5,
'  1841, in Scotland, which was also the native
country of his parents, who became residents
of Canada before their son Robert was two
years old.
He was sent to the conmmon schools of the I)ominiion, where he obtained a fair education. He was
reared to the calling of farmer, and in the fall of
1868 he came to Michigan, where he believed he
should be able to find a wider scope for his energies
and secure better advantages for his children.  He
bought 80 acres of land in Marlette Township, on
which he settled and devoted his time and strength
to its improvement. Later, he exchanged the property
for the farm, which now constitutes his homestead.
It then included o0 acres. By subsequent purchase,
he increased his estate to 120 acres, 70 of which is
now under cultivation, and present a fine evidence of
the Lquality of his agricultural skill and tle wisdom
of his management. In political faith he is a Repub.
lican.
He was united in wedlock to Frances E. White
McLeod, in Canada, April 15, 1867, and the band of
olive branches that now brighten and bless the
household number seven, and are named as follows:."i
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SA NILA C CO UN7'Y.


George A., Robert J., Mary E., Francis J., William
S., Nellie M. and Walter A. The family attend the
Presbyterian Church, of which the parents are devoted members.
a atthew French is a farmer of 30 years'
~{1~-s-~   standing in Lexington Township, located
lon section 28; was born Nov. 24,1812, in
\a (aC.anada. He is the son of Charles alnd:' Jane French, and was reared to the vocatiol
to which he"has devoted his life in the l)ominion. I e came to Lexington Townshilp in T854, and
bought 80 acres of land. 'The property comprised
70 acres of improved land, and is now all under cultivation except about TO acres. The farm residence
is a substantial brick building, and the orchards a're
valuable.
Mrs. Abigail (Patterson) French, deceased, was a
native of Canada, and was married to Matthew
French in Whitchurch, Oct. I, i838. Six children
were born of this union,-WVilliam, now a farmer of
Lexington Township; Thyrza J., I)avid, Mahala,
Mary A. and Margaret. The mother died in Lexington, Oct. 13, 1862. Mr. French was a second
time married, June T3, T866, to Janet Arnot, a native


glowing accounts of the Peninsular State and determined to avail himself of its prospective agricultural
advantages. He came to Sanilac County and purchased tile farm which has since been his field of
active operation. His original plurchase includ(ed 80
acres of land in MAarlette Township. To this he
added 40 acres by later purchcse, and his tillable
land now includes 6o acres, which lie llas placed in
credital)le condition. In political faith lie is a. Repl)ll)licall, and has served his generation in various
calacities, among which are the offices of School
I)irector and Highway (Comlmissioner. Iln 1879 he
was appointed Postmaster at (ertmania and held the
position five years.
His marriage to l)a.rlbara Schnell took l)lace April
5, 1864, in Canada. Of this marriage three children
lhave been born —Henry J., Selinda S. and John W.
Mrs. Planz is a native of Gernmany. She and her
lhusland are members of the Reformed Lutheran
Church../  K. Gardner, grain dealer at Croswell, was
iC ~ I born Feb. 17, 1847, in Westminster, Middlesex Co., Can. A. K. and Hannah E.
^ t  (Sloat) Gardnier, his l)arelnts, removed from the
i Dominion to Sanilac County in 185S, and pur' chased a farm in Worth Township, where they
have since resided. The son was four years old at
that time, and was reared to manhood on his father's
farm, living at home two years after attaining his
majority. He acquired a good commion-school education, and afterward attended one term of school
respectively at Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. His laternal grandfather was a good mechanic, and of him
he learned the trade of a carpenter. He worked at
joiner work as a business until the stringencies of the
times affected building so mtch that he decided to
devote himself to some other employment. He
entered upon that in which he is at present engaged
in 1879, as an employe of P. B. Sanborn, of Port
Huron. He assisted in the construction of the elevator at Croswell, and on its completion took entire
charge of it.
He was married Jan. 21, 1875, to Francis M


I


of Scotland.  The family attend the Christian
Church.
1 J   henry Planz, one of the substantial farmers
(,. g of Marlette Township, located on section
r, is a native of (Cermnany, where he^was born
*.    July 12, 1835.  His entire ancestral lineage
was native to the " Faderland," including his
parents, Peter and Catherine Planz.
The son received the solid education which is the
legal heritage of the children of German parents,,,  and at the age of 21 years he came to America. He
was a resident of the Dominion of Canada until the
'~ spring of I866, when he became interested in the
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>   266                                 SA NILA C
^f Streeter. She was born Jan. 22, 1851, in St. Law/  rence Co., N. Y., and is the daughter of Alonzo and: Maria (Johnson) Streeter. I-er mother died when
T  she was a child; her father is a cheese manufacturer
) in Aultsville, Can. Three children are now included
in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Gardner, born as fol.
lows: Winthrop A,, Jan. 9, 1876; Bruce B., Aug.
31, i880, and Harold, Aug. 8, 1882. The parents
are members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Gardner belongs to the National Greenback party.
/


O UH  -  - -Y.
CO UYTY.


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-'    l ansford Scholz, farmer, section TO, Marlette
)   Township (Town io), was born April 5,
859, in Canada, and is the son of August
9   and Christiana Sclholz.  The parents were
natives of Germany, and emigrated thence to
Canada.   In I86i they came to Sanilac
County, where the father died, Dec. 25, i88o.
Mr. Scholz was but two years of age when his
parents became residents of Michigan. He received
a common-school education and was reared to manhood on the home farm, which was the property of
his father, and to which he succeeded on the death
of the latter. Nearly the entire acreage is under
fine cultivation. Mr. Scholz is a Republican in
political connection.
He was married in the township of Marlette, May
22, 1882, to Ella Gifford, who was born July 9, 1863,
at Burnside, Lapeer Co., Mich.


in teaming, in farming and as a carl)enter and joiner,
which trade lie had learned at home in his youth.
He was thus variously engaged until 88T, when lie
came to this place and embarked in the business
which he has since prosecuted, with satisfactory results. Mr. Taylor owns his place of lbusiness and
his residence and 40 acres of well-improved land on
section 34, Elk Township.
He was married Dec. 31, r86i, to Jane Collier, a
native of Ontario. She came to this county with her
parents, who were among its earliest settlers, and
who are both deceased. She died Jan. 13, 1866, in
Elk Township, leaving one surviving child,-George
M,-born May 2, 1863. Mary E. died in infancy.
Mr. Taylor was married to Harriet C. Gould, in Elk
Townshil), May 18, 1866. She was born March 12,
8T47, in Watertown, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. She
is the.mother of nine children, four of whom are
deceased. Those yet living are named Louisa, John,
Minnie, Mary aod Maud. The deceased are John
C., William, Claude and William W.
Mr. Taylor is a Repullican in political plrinciple,
and has held the offices of Justice of the Peace and
Highway Commissioner.
til joseph Kerr, farmer, section I6, Speaker,i  "l Tlownship, was born in April, 1843, i1 Can-:S'    ada, and is the son of Robert and Mary
K,,  Kerr, both of whom were natives of Ireland.
They died in I847, when their son was but
i  four years of age, and he has lost all but the
faintest remembrance of them. He was reared to the
age of 14 years by an uncle, and since that time has
relied on his own exertions for his maintenance. He
left the Dominion in 187 1 and came to St. Clair Co.,
Mich., where he was a farmer 12 years. In 1883 he
sold his property prior to his removal to Sanilac
County. On coming here he located on 160 acres
of fine farming land, which included r ro acres witl
good improvements and suitalle farm fixtures. In
political persuasion Mr. Keir is a Republican.
He was married March 20, 1867, to Mary J. Woolner. She was born in Canada in 1846, and is the
daughter of Isaac and Ann Woolner, who were


~      quire C. Taylor, merchant at Peck, was
born April 25, 1832, in Franklin Co., Vt.
R 7 1  Mr. Taylor was the second son and third
(  child of 12 born to his parents. He was
reared on the farm in his native county, and
g!   |   when he was 20 years old he came to Michigan. He engaged in farming in Macomb County,,}   where he remained eight years. In April, i860, he
came to Elk Township and operated three years in
traffic in staves. After that period he was occupied,


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respectively of English and Irish descent. Followi   ing is the record of the children of Mr. and Mrs.
Kerr: James, bora I)ec. r3, i867; George, Oct. 26,
i   1869; Sarah A., I)ec. 5, i87r; Melvin, March 25,
1874; Joseph L,., Nov. 12, 1877.  l'he parents are
members of the Baptist Churcll.
otan C. Read, M. D., physician and surgeon,
practicing at Sandusky, was l)orn Oct. 20,
1,  T844, at Kingsville, Ashtal)ila Co., Ohio.
i  (t  He is the eldest surviving son of 0. B. and
/   Susan (Allen) Read. His father is the son of,Lotan Read, and was born in Vermont. 'he
family removed to Canada when 0. B.  Read was
ablout four years of age, where his father became a
land-holder and accumulated a fair estate. He was,! required to take the oath of allegiance to the British
government, which he refused to do, and he was del prived of everything he possessed, the law providing
in cases like his for the entire [confiscation of the
property belonging to rebellious subjects.  Lotan
Read removed his family to Crawford Co., Pa., where
he secured a claim of r6o acres of wild land and
carved out another success under the protection of
the Republic of the United States. His sons were
made of similar material, and the father and Dr.
Read engaged to cut 400 cords of cypress timler at
25 cents a cord. He next engaged in rafting cypress
timlber down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and
'if afterwards "boated " wood on Lake Erie, in company
with a man named John Allen.   On one occasion
they were wrecked in a gale in Conneaut Harbor.
Read and Allen tied their clothes about their bodies
and swam ashore. The father of Allen climbed to the
mast-head and spent the night, whence he was removed by rescuers in the morning.
0. B. Read next turned his attention to farming,
)   which he pursued a short timhe in Ashtabula Co.,
Ohio, going thence to Crawford Co., Pa. In i870 he
became a resident of Benzie Co., Mich. lTle mother
of Dr. Read was born in the Province of Quebec,
near Montreal. Her father, Elijah Allen, was a native of Vermont and a great-nephew of Ethan Allen,
S   the hero of Ticonderoga. Her mother was blind for


a long term of years before her death. Her parents
removed to Canada, and thence to Crawford Co., Pa.,
where they passed the closing years of their lives.
She is living in San Francisco, Cal. She became the
mother of five sons and a daughter. Her oldest son,
Winfield S. Read, was drowned in r873, while bathing in San Francisco Bay. Eva, the daughter, is the
wife of Alfred Parshall, and resides in Texas. Clyde,
youngest child, lives in 'l'exas.
Dr. Read was brought up on a farm, obtaining a
fair common-school education. At tlhe age of i6 lie
determined upon the career of a physican and began
his reading, which he lpursted as he could, reciting
once a fortnight to l)r. Will)urn Whitley, Examiniing
Surgeon of the State of Pennsylvania, during tlle
war. Dr. Read l)ursued his studies in this manner
two years, when lie entered the military service of
the United States as a private soldier. He enlisted
in Conneautsville, Crawford Co., Ia., Marclh 23, 1863,
in the iogth Pa. Vol. Inf., Co. C, Capt. Walter
Dunn, senior Captain and in command of the regiment, which had suffered serious decimation in action, and was below the numerical standard for
organization. It was attached to the Second Brigade, Second Division and 2oth Army Corps. I)r.
Read was detailed immediately after his enrollment
for field hospital service, in which he remained until
his discharge, which occurred in June, i865, under
General Order No. 77  On being tmustered out he
returned to Pierpont, Ohio, where he read medicine
six months, with Dr. O. S. Trimmer. He then attended the Medical College at Cleveland, Ohio, six
months, when he began his career as a practitioner at
Crossingville, Crawford Co., Pa:
Two years later he went to Venango County, in
the oil regions. where he became interested in the
leading business there and also practiced medicine
at Shamburg. He operated there seven )ears, going
thence to Bradford, McKean County, in the same
State, where he continued his business four years.
At the expiration of that time he went to St. Catherine's, Ont., for the purpose of studying dentistry with
Dr. James Jones, President of the Dental Association of Lincoln Co., Ont. He remained there a year,
coming thence to Sandusky. He is the only regular
medical practioner at the county seat of Sanilac, and
has established a permanent and popular business.
In I883 he matriculated at the Medical College at
Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was graduated Feb. 26,


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SA*NILA C CO, UNITY.
SA A:: A C CO UT:Y.


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1 1884. Dr. Read's qualifications for his profession
are of a superior order. His army practice gave him.' peculiar advantages, and his later courses of study
i have been of universally advantageous character., He received from John Bolander, A. M., M. I).,
Prof. of Chemistry in the College at Cincinnati, a
diploma in Pharmacy and Chemistry, certifying to
his qualifications as an expert in analysis of poisons,
and in other avenues belonging to that branch of
professional duty.
v   He was married March     21, I880, to Jennie,: Bradish, daughter of Richard Bradish, of Crawford:?: Co., Pa. Lotan C., only child, was born Fel). 4,
88r, at Sandusky.
The portrait of Dr. Read is presented on a preceding page. His qualifications for his profession
are such as to give the value of the likeness a wider
scope than usual, and it affords the publishers satisfaction to be the means of calling attention to the
claims of I)r. Read as a medical practitioner of tested
reliability and broad experience.


Mary A., born May 25, 187 r, and Eleanor A., born
Aug. 5, 1873, are the names of the children which
constitute the issue of this marriage. Neil McKeith,
adopted son, was born Feb. 26, T871. The family
are attendants on the worship at the Baptist Church.
S i    illiam Walker, farmer, section 23, Marlette Township, was born July 19, 1842,
in the I)ominion of Canada. His parents,
William and Ann (Keyes) Walker, were natives of Ireland, who came to the New World
soon after their marriage. They removed to
Sanilac County when William was 13 years of age,
and settled in Marlette Township, where they reared
their sons to manhood.
Mr. Walker is now the owner of T o acres of land.
Of this he has placed 90 acres in improved and cultivated condition. He is a meimber of the Democratic
party in political connection, and has served his township three years in the capacity of Highway Overseer. He was married June 17, 1877, in Marlette,


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to Maria, daughter of John and Margaret Armstrong.;, =~J _/-|  >,,"[ SShe was born in the State of New York. The family
ohn Tenniswood, farier, sections 8 and 17,  now includes two children, —George N. and Maggie  4
' Speaker Townshipl, was born March i,    E
'  835, in England. His parents emigrated
to America in 1854, landing at the port of New
York.  They went thence to London, Ont., —__                     g
where they remained but a short time, removing to Middlesex County. In r864 they located in..  Michigan, on 80 acres of land on section 15, of:
p Speaker Township, where they have since resided.  S      fed A. West, M. D. physician and surOn coming to this township, Mr. T. purchased 40        eo at Peck, was born i Silcoe Co., Ont.
acres of land, but in three years returned to Canada.!  in the township of Gwillimbury, June 8, 1838
In 1876 he took possession of 80 acres of land        In I86I he began to read for his profession,
in said township, to which he had entered a claim     with Dr. Schofield, of the village of Bond
previous to his return to the Dominion. He has  Head, in Simcoe County, remaining under his direcpushed his interests with energy and judgment, and  tion until 1864, when he entered Victoria Medical
is now the proprietor of 200 acres of land, with  50o  College at Toronto. He completed the severe curric-!   acres under improvement. Politically, Mr. T. is a  ulum of the medical course prescribed by that inRepublican.                                      stitution, where he was graduated in i868.  On  i
He was married in I866 to Elizabeth, daughter of  receiving his degree, he began his practice at Bond,
Charles and Mary Ann (Ransom) Weston. She was    Head. where he remained ten years. While residing  (:
b, born June Io, 1849, in Simcoe, Norfolk Co., Can.  there his first marriage took place. The event oc-:-j




-sr,[:,

271


SA' LA,4C COUNT Y.


I~ ~ ~ -


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curred in March, 1873, when Miss Elizabeth Priest
became his wife. She was born near Milwaukee,
Wis., in r847, and died at Bond Head, April 5, 1874,
of puerperal fever following the birth of her first
child. The infant was named Edna and survived
its mother but six months.
In 1878 I)r. West came to Lexington, Sanilac
County, where he entered upon the career of a medical practitioner. He was a second time married while
here, to Cynthia Farwell. The marriage took place
Nov. 5, 1883, near Lexington. Mis. West was l)orn
in 1854, in Worth Township. Farwell A. is the only
child of this marriage. Soon after that event they
removed to this village, where I)r. West is engaged
in a thriving and popular business. He is a Republican in political views and action.
ohn J. Wixson, a farmer on section 33,
i_- Iexington Township, was born Feb. 5
~     ( 1846, in Schuyler Co., N. Y. HIis parents,
S Joseph and Cornelia (Salisbury) Wixson, removed to Sanilac County in 1850, and settled
on the same section where the son now resides.
His father bought i6o acres on the southeast quarter
of the section, all in its original, natural condition.
He lived to clear and otherwise improve about So
acres, and at the time of his death, Aug. 8, 1857, the
farm was in a very prosperous condition.
Mr. Wixson was married when he was 26 years of
age, I)revious to which time he was an inmate of the
Ipaternal home. Mrs. I,ucy Wixson is the daughter
of Kenyon and Jane (Reynolds) Stevens, and was
born Feb. 11, 184 1, in the township of Worth, where
she was married to J. J. Wixson, Oct. 6, 1861. Her
parenits were among the first l)ermianent settlers of
Worth Townshilp, where they are still living. One
son-Otis M.-was born Jan. I6, 1869.
Mr. Wixson became the owner by purchase of the
farm on which he has since operated, in i86r, when
he bought 80 acres of land. The clearing and improving are the work of his own hands, and he has
placed 60 acres in a highly creditable condition, with


buildings of a satisfactory character, fine orchards and
other farm belongings, calculated to increase thvalue of the property.  He is a prohibitionist in
principle.
eJill, red E. Tallmadge, speculator, resident at
Marlette, is the son of Jerome and Ellen
'C. (Spencer) Tallmadge. They were natives of New York, and after their marriage
settled in Otsego County, where they have
passed the successive years of their lives, save
two, which they spent in Williamsplort, Pa. They
had three children besides Mr. Tallmadge of this
sketch, named respectively Frank W., Charles H.
and Minnie L.
Mr. Tallmadge is the third child and youngest
son. He was born Nov. 17, 1857, in the city of Otsego. He was a pupil in the common school until
he was 12 years of age, after which he attended the
High School of his native place three years. He
then engaged about two years in the sale of milk in
the city of New York, associated with his oldest
brother. Through the years I876-7 he assumed
management of the agricultural interests of his
father, after which he spent a year at the academy
at Amsterdam, N. Y. 'The year following, he acted
as his father's assistant in the dairy business at
Williamsport, Pa. In January, 188i, he came to
Michigan, where his second brother is a minister of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and where he remained for a brief period. He came later to St.
Charles, Saginaw County, where he obtained a situation as salesman in a store. After a service of eight
months he returned to Amsterdalm, where he was
married, Nov. io, i881, to Alice A. Hutton. She
was born at Carlisle, N. Y. J. Floyd is the only
issue of this marrirge, who was born Aug. 19, 1882.
After his marriage, Mr. Tallmadge returned to
Michigan, and after spending some time in prospecting, in January, I882, he settled at Marlette. He
established himself in the hardware business, and
conducted his interests in that avenue until 1883,
when he sold out and bought out a stock of dry
goods, in company with his eldest brother, under the


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(  272                                  SANILA C CO UNTY.                                               Q
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firm style of Tallmadge Bros. In September, 1883,    His marriage to Sarah A. Hall occurred May;J!) he formed a partnership with Warren Winterstein,  10, I837, in Canada. She is the daughter of Wil*  establishing the firm of W. Winterstein & Co. They  liam and Elizabeth (Norton) Hall, natives of Engare engaged in the prosecution of an extensive and  land. William J., only surviving child of Mr. and
U increasing business.  Associated with A. E. Vail,  Mrs. McPhee, was born March 19, i868. Duncan,
Mr. Tallmadge is largely interested in blooded stock.  born Dec. 25, 1878, died in 188[. The parents are
Among their herds is one of the celebrated Holstein  memlbers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
cattle, and he owns some valuable horses, justly
rated as among the finest in the county. Mr. Tallmadge is one of the most active business men in                      n    m
( Marlette, and besides the lines of traffic named he
| has extensive interests in other directions. He be[ longs to the Masonic fraternity, and himself and   th      r     D. M  Srr          S      Cont,
it * - * " r...'        r.1 Aq 1; iuther D. Mills, Surveyor of Sanilac County, A


wife, in religious belief, accept the tenets of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Republican
of decided type, and a staunch sulpporter of good
morals and a high social standard. He has never
tasted strong drink of any kind, and has never used
) tolacco in any of its forms.


g__    and farmer on section 34, Lexingtoln TowvnI!      ship, is tile son of Clark and Lucy (Olds)
f - Mills. He was born in Vermont, about 24
miles from the city of Burlington. His parents
removed, when he was six years old, to St.
Lawrence Co., N. Y. He was 17 years of age when
they made a second removal to Ohio. In the summer of I841 they came to Lexington and settled oi
the present site of the Cadillac House.
Mr. Mills was married Aug. 22, 1842, in Erie (o.,.'.^*
txr-.C3:i.,~,~,stf                                      O., to Emily, daug.iter ot Joseph and Philena Clark.
77                                                 S J  ugh J. McPhee, farnier and dealer in grain,  She was born in Vermont, June i6, 1823. Follow-:,
b  rW   operating on section 30, Speaker Townshil,  ing is the record of the children of Mr. and Mrs.?
' ()    was born Nov. 25, 1844, in Canada, and lie  Mills: Emmeline, born June 24, 1843; Fernando,
is the son of DIugald and Margaret (McMullen)  June 29, 1845; I)elia, July Io, 1847; Laura, Oct.
MIcPhee. The parents were natives of Scotland  15, 1849; Solon, Oct. 26, 1852; Clark, June [o,
and emigrated to Canada, afterward removing  1854 (died Oct. 6, i856); Walter, June 12, 1855
to Sanilac County. They located in Speaker Town-  (died Oct. I6, 1856, ten days later than his brother);
ship, where they passed the remainder of their lives.  Martin, Sept. 4, 1857; Daniel July 24, r 860; Ida L.,
T1he father died March 7, 1865, the mother Feb. 14,  Dec. 19, 1863; Carrie M., March 4, t865.  *
1868.                                            Mr. Mills aclquired the details of the carpenters'
N)~?  Mr. McPhee commenced his contest with tle     and millwrights' trades, and also learned surveying,  '
world when he was only 14 years of age.    He   in Ohio. In 1847 he came to Lexington and settled
operated as a laborer and farm assistant until 1863,  on the farm on which he now resides. It comprises
when he came to Sanilac County with his larents.  36 acres, and at the date of purchase was covered
They settled on 80 acres in the midst of the dense  with timl)er. It is all cleared and improved, and is
woods, with no access to civilization save by Indian  supplied with fine lbuildings and all the accessories
trails, and supplies i8 miles distant. The place is  of a judiciously managed place. Mr. Mills is one of
now all under iml)rovement, and in the spring of  the earliest permanent settlers in Lexington Town-:
*  1884 he erected a fine dwelling-house at a cost of  shilp, and has held the position to which he is justly
$2,ooo. He has been handling grain to a considera-  entitled by his character and allities. He cast the  '
ble extent since 1881, and is managing his operations  first Republican vote in the county for State officers
in that avenue at Melvin village. He is a member  in 1856; the second was deposited by his brother, 4
of the Republican party and belongs to Lodge No. William Mills. Ile has been )eputy Sheriff of the.316, F. & A. M., Brockway Cener.                 county six years, In 1856 he was appointed County
<)N^I ---,-                                   mF 5s.H11tS'1 —^C           - -             ^Si
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273


SANILA C CO UNTY.


Surveyor, and has discharged the duties of the position 14 years.
The first wife died March i6, 1872, and Mr.
Mills married Julia Clark, her sister, Feb. 14, 1877.
-  She was born Sept. Io, I834, in Ohio. Edna, only
issue of the second marriage, was born Nov. 28,
I877.
Y l;|;     illiam  Duff, farmer, section 27, Marlette
Township, was born April 20, 1826, in;i   * Scotland. His parents, James and ChrisJ tina Duff, were also born in Scotland, and
emigrated late in life to Canada, where they, passed their remaining years.
Mr. Duff was in early youth when his parents emigrated to the New World, and he resided in Canada.. until I859. In the autumn of that year he bought
the property he now owns, consisting of 160 acres of
land in its primeval condition. He has a fine farm,:- with 13o acres under tillage. The political views
and opinions of Mr. Duff coincide with those of the
Republican party.  He was married in Halton Co.,
i   Ont., April I4, 1854, to Jeannette Campbell, a native of Canada and born of Scotch l1arents. Christian, John, Jeannette and William are the names of
four children that have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
I) Lff. The two latter are deceased. Mr. Duff and
his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
i j   ll illiam Smafield, retired farmer, and Jus5,k-  3 ~8 tice of the Peace at Peck, was born Nov.
23, 1820, at Sheffield, England. He was ed-., }      t ucated in the common schools and was in-:::i   ' structed in the details of the cooper's trade..^.. When he was 20 yeats old he came to America and
settled at first in Quebec.  Later, he went to ToNi  ronto, whence he proceeded to the city of Buffalo.
At all these places he spent some time working
t   at his trade, and in 1843 went from the last named


to St Catherine's, Ontario. He established a cooper
shop seven miles from  St. Catherine's, which he
operated two years.  Meanwhile he was married,
June 23, 1845, in Niagara Co., N. Y., near the city
of Lockport, to Marietta Kinney.  She was born
March 28, 1838, in Newstead Township in that
county.  The family of Mr. and Mrs. Smafield
includes five children, all of whom are living. They
were born as follows: Annie M., Oct. i6, I847;
Walter B., Nov. 2, I849; John E., Feb. 3, I851;
Franklin, Feb. 14, 1853, and Alfred, Sept. 27, 1857.
Two years after marriage they went to Elgin Co.,
Ont., where they resided until i86i, and were engaged in agriculture. In that year they came to
Michigan. Mr. Smafield purchased 56 acres of land
on section 31, of Elk Township. He now owns 210
acres, which includes 140 acres of improved land.
He also owns four village lots, with residences. In
1882 he rented his farm and took up his residence
where he now lives. He is a Republican in political
principle, and since 1870 has been Treasurer and
Justice of the Peace.
WV<IMiMf          -.


I ' '




%.,.
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-.t:: ^hapSharles H. Moore, farmer in Lexington
j-    village, has been a resident of Sanilac
County since 1854. He was born Dec. 30,
1824, in Bath, N. H., and is the son of Isaac
and Mary (Brown) Moore. His father was a:ll
native of the same place and was a cabinet-maker )y
and millwright. In 1830 the family removed to
Lancaster, N. H., where they resided four years.
They spent about the same period in Barnet, Vt.
In 1838 Mr. Moore went to Richmond, Chitfenden
Co., Vt., to reside with an uncle. He was there engaged as a farm assistant and also worked as a carpenter.
He was married March 21, 1848, to Sophia, i
daughter of George and Mary Hodges.   She was
born in Williston, Chittendon County, in 1824.   _
Three children were born of this marriage: Ella E. #
is the wife of Dennison Hicks, of Lexington (and is ~
the mother of one child,-Lala M.); Emily W. is __




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the wife of Henry Meyers, and Mary C. is living
with her parents.
In I852 Mr. Moore came West and settled in
Harrison Township, Licking Co., Ohio, where he
continued two years, engaged in the management
of an extensive dairy. At the end of that time he
came to this township and engaged in farming.
He found his ability as a carpenter in demand,
and he aided in the construction of the first pier on
the lake. He was in the employ of J. S. Woods
for a long term of years, and has been engaged in
his interests 30 years. In 1855 he bought lots 12
and 13, and has since sold them. Later, he purchased lots 9, io and ii, and has erected a handsome residence. He also owns 26 acres of farming
land in Lexington village, and a lot in Sandusky.
He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and has
served several years on the Town Board of Trustees.
He has been a member of the Fire Department at
Lexington since he became resident there, and has
been Steward of the Company several years. He has
been, and still is, deeply interested in this direction.
1 ' acob Grimes, farmer, section 15, Speaker
X |l,? Township, was born March i8, 1830, in
the county of Norfolk, Eng. His parents,
}'/  Thomas and Ann (Sexton) Grimes, were also
natives of England, where they passed their
entire lives.
Mr. Grimes became a resident of America in 1852,
in which year he landed at New York, proceeding
thence to Canada. Eight years afterward he came to
Sanilac County, and in I86o located on 40 acres,
where he now lives and at present owns I20 acres.
He has followed agricultural pursuits all his life; has
been prosperous, and has placed his farm in fine
condition, having recently erected thereon three fine
barns, one of which is 50 by 36 feet, one 30 by 70
feet, and the third 52 by 48 feet. The place has also
a fine house.
Mr. Grimes is a Republican in political preference,
and has held the office of School Director.
He was married in 1855, to Johanna Smith, the
daughter of Alexander and Nancy Sheldon (Vincent)






VT...
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-   X
COUNTY.
Smith.  She died in October, 1878, having become    o
the mother of seven children. Mr. Grimes was mar.
ried a second time Nov. 8, 1879, to Emily Cork
daughter of Robert and Fannie Cork, all of whom
are natives of England. Herbert, Arthur and Fannie
are the names of the children born of the second
marriage.
g        g         7                   $.
^                                      A.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:~


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evi B. Robinson, farmer, section 34, Fremont Township, has been a resident of
t   Sanilac County since June, I865, when he
became connected with the agricultural element therein, by the purchase of 80 acres
of land, where he established his homestead.
He has sold 40 acres of his original purchase.
Mr. Robinson has been active and efficient in
the local affairs of his township since he became
a resident. He has served four years as Justice
of the Peace, and has officiated during the last
eight years as Notary Public.  He has also discharged the duties of the several school offices.
He was born April 19, I812, in Albany Co., N. Y.,
and is the son of James B. and Anna (James) Robinson. The father was a farmer and died at the
home of his son in Fremont at the age of 95
years, three months and 24 days.   The mother
died in Livingston Co., Mich., aged 77 years.
The first I8 years of Mr. Robinson's life were
passed upon a farm, and at that age he began an
apprenticeship for the tailor's trade, which was his
business from 1835 to I863, the year in which he
entered the military service of the United States.
He learned his trade at West Bloomfield, Ontario
Co., N. Y., and worked as a journeyman in various
places in the States of New York, Minnesota and
Michigan.
He enlisted in Macomb County, in the Eighth
Mich. Cav., Co. G. His regiment was brigaded
at Stanford, Ky., under General Burnside.  He
received an honorable discharge, and was mustered
out May 23, I865, at the United States Hospital at
Camp Nelson, Ky., on account of disability consequent upon camp exposure, privation and hardship.  On returning to Michigan he visited his


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SANILAC COUNTY.                  2


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brother in Sanilac County, and, yielding to his solici-: tation, he decided on making Fremont Township
his home..i    He was married Jan. 12, 1838, to Catherine
Hunt.   Two children were born of this unionMary J. and John G.-both of whom are married.
i The son resides in Westfield, Pa.; the daughter
in Steuben Co., N. Y. Mrs. Robinson is the daughter of Aaron J. and Lucy (Garfield) Hunt. They
died in Livingston Co., N. Y.
f#   l lhhomas Norman, farmer, section 28, Lex-.j   ington Township, was born June r3, I85 1,
n in Canada. He is the son of John and
' Ann Norman, and was bred to the vocation of
i?
a farmer. His parents located in Lexington.p.. I,  Township, in 1864. His father at first bought
40 acres of land, and later he increased his estate to
80 acres. It is all under cultivation. The father
died Sept. 29, 1876, and the son succeeded to the
ownership of the property.


homestead until he reached the age of 28 years. He
then settled on a farm in the county where he was
born, which had been bequeathed to him, where he
remained until the spring of I874, when he came to
Sanilac County and bought the property of which he
is present proprietor, comprising i60 acres of land.
It was in its original state of wildness, and by the
thrift and industry of the owner go acres have been
converted into a finely cultivated tract, constituting
a valuable farm with fine buildings. Mr. Ronald is
an adherent to the principles of the Republican party,
and has held the local and school offices.
He was married Dec. 31, I873, in Waterloo Co.,
Ont., to Margaret, daughter of John and Jane
(Adams) Gillespie, natives of Scotland.  She was
born in the county where she was married, June r6,
1845, and has become the mother of two childrenHugh N. and James C. S. The parents are prominent members of the Presbyterian Church, and Mr.
Ronald has officiated as Elder and Trustee of the
local organization to which he belongs.


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*.F.....  He was married Oct. 6, I877, to Charlotte E. McGarvey, who was born Nov. 19, I851, and is the                                                  I
daughter of Israel and Luretta McGarvey. Mary| 9         arshal Woodard, resident o  section  7, (
'arshal Woodard, resident on section 27,
Blanche, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Norman was              Elk   wnshi, was born June 12, 1850,
born Sept. I7, I879.1                                    in the province of Ontario. He was reared
j |'v, in the village of Tilsonbury, and after reachj                                                     ji in g man's estated he engaged in farm labor.
He located in Speaker Township, in 1876,
"1 — ~~~~~-~' -where he married Zeruah Locke, a native of Worth i
Township. She died in this township in the sumames Ronald, farmer, section 18, Marlette  riage, died when she was a year old. Mr. Woodard
( M Township, is the son of Hugh and Jane    was again married, in Speaker Township, Oct. 22,
I  ak  ( IMcKie) Ronald, who were born in Scot-  1881, to Mrs. Amanda (Simcho) Woodard. She was
j.  g2l land, but who emigrated in early life to Can-  born in the township of Durham, Oxford Co., Ont.,
ada, where they married, settled and passed     Jan. 9, I840. Her father died when she was eight
their remaining years. Their family included  years old and she was reared to womanhood by her ')
five sons and four daughters.                    mother and maternal relatives, among whom she reMr. Ronald was born in Brant Co., Ont., Oct. i6,  sided until her first marriage. That event took place!
1 I842. Until the age of 17 years he was engaged in  March ri, i856, when she became the wife of WilAle   the acquisition of a common-school education. On  liam Woodard, who was born Feb. 22, 1828, in the
learning his studies he became a farmer under his  State of New York. He was brought up on a farm,
father's guidance and remained an assistant on the  and after reaching manhood became a carpenter.!C-.^                     ).0              *   - ' -  ^K^,6A~~~~~~~~:
I~:f..-~h.~ll-LV                     ilg~a~aai:; ~map"_






276                                  SANILA C
~  He came to this township, where he became the
proprietor of i6o acres of land near the village of,:t Peck, on which he made extensive improvements? and where he died, March 2, 188i. He left seven
children.   They were born as follows: Andy L.,
Oct. I9, i86r; Myron T., Feb. 23, 1853; Florence
A., Oct. 30, i866; William A., Oct. 6, 1870; President G., Sept. 6, 1872; Daisy A., Oct. 25, 1874;
Minnie T., June 27, 1877. One child, Warren, was
born of a former marriage, Oct. 29, 1859. The last
i named child is cousin and step-brother to the six
) first named, his mother having been the sister of the
second wife. She was married March 7, 1848, and
died Dec. 31, 1854.
Mr. Woodard was universally esteemed as a neighbor and citizen, and was pre-eminent in his domestic
relations. He was a Republican in political connection. Mrs. Woodard is a member of the religious
body known as Second Adventists... S    illiam Cameron, farmer, section 9, Mar)__     Uilette (Town io), was born March 7, 1844,
in Scotland, of which country his parents,
John and Ellen (McDonald) Cameron, were
also natives. They emigrated to Canada in
1853, and soon after, in I859, removed to Sanilac Co., Mich., where they settled, in Marlette Township.,  Mr. Cameron was but nine years of age when his
v  feet last pressed the "bonnie heather bells" on his
I  native soil, and he grew to man's estate in Michigan.
The family were among the permanent pioneer settlers of the township, and the father and son were
among the most active and prominent in the developing interests of the new country. In addition to the
farm labors, they were interested in lumbering for
local necessities, and turned their abilities to use and
profit for the benefit of themselves and neighbors.
The son learned the trade of carpenter and joiner,
and shingled the first house in the village of Marlette,   with shaved shingles, which were manufactured by
(   his father and himself. He also aided in the finishV ing of the first saw-mill erected in the village of


-sa~ --- —-- i —sl,~:~.
COUNTY.,: -----------------------—.1.........;'*.~i


Marlette, by John McGill. Mr. Cameron is a Republican in political principle, and has held the position
of Highway Commissioner I years. He is a member of Marlette Lodge, No. 1,775, K. of H., and has
been Dictator three years.
He was married March 26, I864, in Marlette, to
Alice Hagar, a native of Canada, where she was born
June 17, 1844. William J., Anna E., Phebe and
George are the names of the children born to Mr.
and Mrs. Cameron.    They are members of the
Protestant Methodist Church.
r. Seth W. Bedford, physician and surgeon,!   druggist and dealer in sundries, resides at
'  Peck, where he is Postmaster. He was
born June 19, 1831, in Oxford Co., Ont. He
is a son of Captain David and Lydia (Weston)
Bedford, who were natives of New England.
His father was a man of radical views, and when the
civil conflict of I837 known to history as the "Patriot
or McKenzie's War" broke out, he enlisted and became a leader in the rebellion against British rule.
The fate of the insurgents is well-known, and its
worst results overtook Captain Bedford, who was
taken prisoner and executed at London, Ont., for
the crime of taking up arms against the government.
No ignominy is attached to his memory; he died for
freedom, as John Brown died. Had victory crowned
the effort, his name would have ranked with that of
Washington and Lincoln. In the place where he
lived he is remembered as a martyr to liberty; and
the time is not far distant when the cause for which
he died will again be tested, with a result that will
reflect glory on the few names who strove so vainly
to secure it for the period to which they belonged.
The mother is still living and resides in Dakota
Territory. At the date of her husband's death she
had four young children.
Dr. Bedford is the oldest of the four children-two
sons and two daughters-born to his parents. He
was seven years old when his father was executed,
and he remained with his mother two years after that
terrible event. He developed rapidly in understanding, through the circumstances that surrounded his


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SANILA C


i/

# youth, and was early impressed with the necessity of
self-maintenance. He was only nine years old when!, he went into the world to seek a livelihood. He was
taken charge of by a neighboring farmer, and worked
three years for his clothes and board. After that, he
spent the summers in farm labor and the winters in
study until he was 20 years old. At that age he
turned his attention to the acquisition of a substantial education, which he succeeded in securing. In
1853 he went to California. He passed 13 years in
traversing the States and Territories of the Pacific: slope, and extended his travels through British Co' lumbia and the peninsula of Alaska. Eight years of
this period he devoted to mining. During the gold
excitement of Frazer River in I858-9, he was at
Puget Sound and in Washington Territory, where
he had many adventures incident to those remote
regions, then inhabited by Indians and abounding
i n v m ni


COUNTY.                                     277
present wife was Hannah Allen, a daughter of
Chauncey and Lavinia (Fox) Allen. She was born
and reared in Elk Township, where her parents were
pioneer settlers. Her father died in i88I. Her
mother is living in this township. James C., only  i;
child of Dr. and Mrs. Bedford, was born Dec. I5,
I877. The first wife of Dr. Bedford, who died in
Ontario in I869, became the mother of one child,
Lydia E., born Aug. 14, i868, and died in January,
1882.  Tie second wife died at North Branch,
Mich., in 1871, leaving one child, John C., born
Aug. 17, i871.
/


hn arlp~cq   -P.-  Rtpvpnqn fiq n-n or            '7Arl~  r


In i866 he returned to the Dominion of Canada,  -1R — Fremont Township, was born in Con> but the same blood flowed in his veins that impelled    necticut, Feb. 2, I842. He is the son of   >
his father to struggle for manly independence, andomas A. and Maria L. (Crane) Stevens.:i  he found it impossible to abide long under the         The ormer died in Prt      ro,    ich., in
~,'~                                                       The former died in Port Huron, Mich., in
British flag. Even in his boyhood, he had rebelled                                          T
~~~~~~~:::;51;~ 1857, when he was about 43 years of age. The
against the royal standard of England, and it was
against the royal standard of England, and it was mother is still living in Gratiot Township, St. Clair
his custom on each succeeding Fourth of July to   ounty. She was born about    8.
County. She was born about i8i8.
hoist the Stars and Stripes and hurrah for the
The father of Mr. Stevens was a wheelwright,.
banner of equal rights and human liberty. For this.                    ir
1 0y. -and worked at that business a number of years,
he was once arrested, but was soon released on   a                                  r     r
also operating to some extent as a farmer.  The
account of his youth. But he ever afterwards per-  faily lived in town until te son was  2 years.,  l  family lived in town until the son was i2 years
sisted in observing the "day we celebrate."  He       e    e    e   e    e               e
of age, when they removed to a farm.        HTe was
was proprietor of a hotel at Otterville until I870,   years old wen his fther died, and he and a
I   5 years old when his father died, and he and a
and while there incurred a loss of about $2,     brother supported the family by their labors as
as..                ^         brother supported the family by their labors as v
X by fire. On coming to Michigan in the year named,       s,,         a  i.;^~ i,~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~,,, Tfarmers, lumbermen and sportsmenll, game and fish            A:  he located at North Branch, Lapeer County, where
^' he located at North Branch, Lapeer County, where  being plenty at that early date. This was the duty
he engaged in the study of medicine. He remained             n   his li   ti.'      ~ ~            -                  ^ a   ^   and occupation of his life until 1869, when he came
there three years and entered upon the practice of  to anilac   ount  eachin       which was to..'...to Sanilac County, reaching the place which was to
his profession. At the expiration of that period, he  be his ftre ho  Aril      e had pchased
Lp~~ Libe his future home April 5. He had purchased
removed to Marlette, where he passed a year in the
removed to Marlette, where he passed a year in the  80 acres the fall previous, and to this he added 80
same vocation. In the spring of I874 he came to  acres later on  The place had a clearing of about
Peck and established himself in a substantial and  eight acres and a small frame house. The farm
i...eight acres and a small frame                         house. The farm
prosperous practice. He is independent in political  o  r.      i i       i    t
^^,';,! l  1. ^  v~~v- i ti pui of Mr. Stevens is in a condition that stamps him as:
views and connections. In I876 he received his
(fib    *.   /a man of industry, thrift and good judgment, Ioo
appointment as Postmaster. He has also occupied                       and unr e        n     i*;,: A..u                                p      acres being improved and under excellent cultiva-,  the position of Township Clerk, and is a member of  ti
~;:^~~~~~~~~~' ~~~~~~tion.
4    the Masonic Order, belonging to Elk Lodge, No.     Mr. Stevens has discharged the duties of his D
)     353-                                          citizenship in the offices of Township Clerk, two
Dr. Bedford has been married three times. His    years, Justice of the Peace, four years, and as
~:t.3;~c^-,         - -:,~, ----&.`:                                           -,~10n.  7' t  '.




>   278                                 SANILAC COUNT Y.
#   School Director, 12 years. He is a Democrat in   Savannah. He was one of the hapless Unionists   ^f
political conviction.                              who were sent to Blackshire to secure them from relief::?   His marriage to Mary S. Swan occurred June     from Sherman, then on his march to the sea, and  I'
t   15, I865. She was the widow of Horatio Swan,   traversing that portion of Georgia for the express
who died in the year 1863, leaving four children-  purpose of relieving them. That period of suffering  '
Kirk H., John E., William S. and Josephine M.   eclipsed all others they had passed.  Henry M.
Of her second marriage five children have been  Martin, of the 72d Ohio Volunteers, also a prisoner
born, as follows: Jennie M. was born May 5, 1866,  in the hands of the Confederates, relates of this
in Oakland Co., Mich., and was married Aug. io,  period, that only those survived who had determined
1884, to Sarah C. Scott. George E. was born in  to outlast the whole Southern Confederacy, as the
i Port Huron, June 13, I868; Charles F., Aug. 22,  sufferings were so much increased by the exposure in hi
(<'? 1872; Annie E., Feb. 21, 1874; Esther M., Jan. 29,  addition to other privations. They were driven thence
1" i877.   Mrs. Stevens is the daughter of Harley    to Thomasville, and afterwards on foot to Albany, a:
and Diantha Olmsted.   Her father was the first  distance of 66 miles, at the mercy of drivers who
white settler in Oakland County, and her brother  impelled them forward like a herdof animals. They
was the first white child born there.            were sent from the last named place back to Ander

AN
/'.
i?gg~ijaf ohn Fitzgerald, farmer, section 2, Speaker Township, is the son of John and Mary
(Berningham) Fitzgerald. The parents are
natives of Ireland, and the father died in 1835,
in the city of New York. The mother is a resident of Canada.
Mr. Fitzgerald was born May 7, 1830, in Limerick,
Ireland. His parents came to America when he was
in early youth; his father dying soon after, his
mother returned to Ireland with her children to place
thonly in the, rare of their or:inl]nqlrentl- wit-ih w1i-n

sonville, where they arrived Dec. 24, 1864.  Mr.
Fitzgerald was paroled April 28 following, after a
period of suffering protracted through i  months.
In June following he was discharged and returned to
Lexington, where he remained until 1871. In that "
year he removed to his present location. Mr. Fitzgerald is a Democrat in political connection, and a s
member of Lodge No. 6i, F. & A. M., at Lexington.:
He was married, in 1854, to Catherine Cornwell. S
She was born in 1832, and died in I86i.  In I865 <
he was again married, to the widow of Alexander ar
Stacy, a Union soldier who was killed in action July IC
20, T864, at Peach-Tree Creek, Ga. Three children,
Catherine A., John F. and Mary, were born of the
the first marriage. Of the second, two have been
born-Paul and James.


j


I




1.11.t 111 ilUlC,a, tVIt. l 81tCtul.J1tlt.lllt., vtvtL  a l~l~.111j
they remained until the death of the grandfather.
M    They then returned to America, and the son, who is:
the subject of this sketch, acquired the details of the
painter's trade, which was his occupation until 1862.
In that year he enlisted in Co. C, Sixth Mich. Cav.,.
Capt. Wesley Armstrong, of Lapeer, Mich.  The           a Bullock, farmer, sec. 6, Marlette Townregiment joined the Army of the Potomac and was |l       ship, was born July 24, 1835, in Canada.
assigned to the command of Kilpatrick.  It was in        He is a son of William and Nancy (Heaton)
action at Gettysburg, Falling Water and through the  Bullock, who were born respectively in the
engagements of the Richmond raid. Mr. Fitzgerald     States of New York and New Jersey. Mr. Bul- (
was made prisoner of war June i, 1864, at Trevilian's  lock received his education and training in the
v7   Station, Va., and confined at the notorious Libby Dominion, where he lived until November, I86I.
~    prison at Richmond until his removal to that climax  At that date he came to St. Clair Co., Mich., where (i.,~   of horror-the stockade pen at Andersonville, Ga.,  he purchased 40 acres of land, on which he resided  i
where he arrived June 28, I864. He was sent later  ten years. At the end of that time he sold the place (;
to Camp Lawton, Ga., and a month after he went to  and removed to Almont. He was a resident there
|||||<~^^ —:a~~K: —^W~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~y^ --- -^^(^|1|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I




s/                                      SANILA C COUNTY.                                       279, Yf nearly two years, and in the spring of I874 came to  war, enlisting in Co. K, i6th Mich. Inf. The corSanilac County. He bought 240 acres of land in   mand was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, in:Marlette Township, on which he settled and where  the corps of Gen. Meade. On receiving honorable.;'
he has since rigorously prosecuted his agricultural  discharge at Alexandria, Mr. Gray returned to his
g interests. He has placed nearly Ioo acres in good  home in Speaker Township. He and his wife are
farming condition. He is a Republican in political  members of the Protestant Methodist Church.
faith and action and has been Justice of the Peace
one year.
His first marriage occurred in Elgin Co., Can., Feb. ---
f 25, 1857, to Marion A. Moore, a native of the Dominion. His wife died Oct. I, 186, in Canada, leaving  i
two children: George H. and Minor.  Mr. Bullock | I     lbert E. Vail, merchant at Marlette, is the
was a second time married June I, 1863, in Elgin           of George W. and Hannah C. (Gunn)
I County, to Maria J. Ensign, who was born in Canada..  Vai    After their marriae, the parents setFour children have been born of this marriage- Nina,        M    esex Co., O. whe thy rdd
C,  1 We  tied in Middlesex (Co., Ont., where they resided
James W., Ira R. and Henry S.  The parents are        until their removal to Sanilac County, which.                       lr;i r~  * ^i  i ~until their removal to Sanilac County, which
members of the Baptist Church.
mebrf           Baptist.took place in i877. Their family consisted of five
j ~em~rs  of he Bapist Churchsons and one daughter.
X $^-                 ^^^^Mr. Vail is the second son, and was born March
1.'                     y10 IO, 1853, in Middlesex Co., Ont. He obtained a:;J<3 g>2r-c 2 ^S~common-school education, and when he was 14 years
'-.   it lfonzo Gray, an early settler and prominent  of age he found himself his own master, with the  ^
&:. (      farmer of Sanilac County, resides on sec-  world before him. He learned the trade of carpenter:      tion 1o, Speaker Township, and is the son of  and builder in his native province, at which he worked
tO =ipX  Nathan and Eunice Gray, natives of the State  chiefly until he was 22 years of age. He was for a
a1 t, of New York. After marriage, they removed to  short time engaged in clerking, and later accepted a
Canada, where the mother died in 1850, and    position as foreman in a machine shop in Ontario,  f
the father in 1857.                              operating in that capacity between two and three
Mr. Gray was born April 6, 1825, in the State of  years. The engagement terminated with the burni  New York. On becoming his own master, he engaged  ing of the shop. In the spring of 1877 he came to
as a farm laborer in Canada until 1859. In that year  Marlette, and in company with two brothers bought
he removed to Speaker Township. The county was   out the grist-mill of R. Wilson & Son. After prosAf in its earliest pioneer days, roads being only Indian  ecuting the business about ten months, he sold his
trails or otherwise of a poor order, and the place of  interest to his brothers and continued to manage the  >
supplies being 18 miles distant, at Lexington. They  affairs of the mill as foreman, a relation which exi located on 40 acres of wild land, and the farm now  isted three and a half years. In the fall of I88o he
includes an additional "40," with two comfortable  went to Minnesota, where he remained six months
dwellings.                                       and afterwards made an extended trip through the
t TThe marriage of Mr. Gray to Sarah L. Watson oc-  States of Kansas and Iowa. He returned to Marcurred in 1852. She was born Oct. 2, 1836, in    lette, where he established a drug trade, which he
Kingston, Can., and is the daughter of William W.  conducted until February, 1882, when he sold out.  and Ruth Ellen Watson. Her father was born on    and bought the hardware stock of F. E. Tallmadge.
the Mississippi River. Her mother was born in    He has since continued to transact a satisfactory and!:  Canada in 1814, and died in 1883. Of this marriage  prosperous business in that line of traffic. Mr. Vail;
one child, Charles A., was born April 3, 1853, in  has no political bias, and is considered as neutral in
a    the portion of Canada known as " Eden."         his opinions.
Mr. Gray is a Republican in politics. He became  His marriage to Mary E. Donaldson occurred in (i )
a soldier for the Union during the course of the civil  Marlette, April 14, I88o. She was born in Iowa,  _
g<jN \; _ _                            -7-   ' )^ X%  <i




. 280                     SAIZLAC COUNTY.


-- --- --- --


z


i,)
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Feb. 21, I86r, and is the daughter of David and
Anna Donaldson, the former a native of Scotland,
and the latter of Michigan. George D., only child,
was born March ii, i882.
iames Rutherford, farmer, section 7, Mar-.    lette Township, is the son of George and
11^; - Agnes (Meichel) Rutherford, natives of, Scotland, of which country he is also a native.
-  He was born Oct. 6, 1820, and came to the
New World in 1848. He located in Canada,
where he lived until 1856. In that year he decided
to test the promise and reputed resources of the Peninsular State. He came to Sanilac County and became the proprietor, by purchase, of 160 acres of
land in the township of Marlette. He took possession of the place the year following and has continued to reside there. He has pushed his agricultural
interests until he owns 360 acres of land in Sanilac
County, and has placed nearly one-half of his acreage in tillable condition. He is a man of strong
good sense and native ability; is a Republican in
political connection, and has been Township Treasurer four years.
He was married before he left his native country,
to Ann Donald, who was also born in "Auld Scotia."
They have had eight children, named as follows:
Isabella, George, Margaret, James, John, Agnes,
It   - i-!_.  1,         ~     J"I-I,  ~-:


- -- — I 
I - -- --  ---

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tl:=


His education was necessarily meager, owing to the
remoteness of his home from schools, as he passed
the first I8 years of his life in assisting on his father's
farm. In 1838 he went to the State of New York,
returning thence 12 years later to Canada, where he
remained three years. In the fall of i86I he came
to Michigan. He was satisfied that the county of
Sanilac presented facilities for the application of his
efforts and was a fit field for his ambitious plans;
and he located on a tract of 220 acres of land in
Marlette Township, which he had entered in the
land office two years previous. He has retained i60
acres of his purchase, and has cleared, improved and
cultivated 80 acres. He is a Republican in political
sentiment and connection.
He was married in Canada, Nov. 6, 186I, to Isabella Dougherty, who was born in Canada. Three of
five children born of this union survive,-David,
Catherine and Elizabeth A. The deceased children
died in infancy. The parents belong to the United
Presbyterian Church.
"' amuel Van Camp, deceased, former proprietor of the Globe Hotel at Peck, was
i1 9   )born in the Province of Ontario, in I826.
His parents, Jacob and Mary (Burke) Van
t  Camp, were both natives of Canada and belonged to the agricultural class. The father
died in Ontario, the mother in 1883, in Grand Traverse, Mich.
Mr. Van (amp was brought up to the vocation of
his father. He was married in Darlington, Durham
Co., Ont. (where he was born and reared), Dec. 15,
1851, to Jane, daughter of Charles and Mary (Miles)
Nobles. She is a native of Ontario, of Irish descent.
Her father was a farmer and resides with his son
Andrew in Elk Township. Her mother died about
1864, in Canada, aged 43 years. He came to this
township in I880, and retains to a remarkable degree
the activity of his prime. His family includes three
sons and two daughters, all of whom are living and
settled in life. John, Archibald and Mary are residents of Canada. Mrs. Van Camp was born May (
I, 1843, in Darlington, Durham. Co., Ont. She be

Anna, Kobert. the parents are menmers ot the
Presbyterian Church.
\          K it ii,, 1ames Knight, farmer, section 22, Marlette.sh  4S~ Township, is a substantial member of the
~ 491?  agricultural community to which he be*     /  longs. He is the son of David and Catherine
J::i    (Moore) Knight. His father was a native of
I   Scotland and his mother was born in Barnard,
Vermont. They emigrated to Canada, where their
son was born Aug. I4, I820, in the county of Halton.,.      i.,_   _v _'no,__
'7'ON


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SANILAC COUNTY.


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came the mother of ten children, seven of whom are
deceased. Maggie, Sarah and Minnie reside with
their mother and afford effective assistance in the
labors and duties pertaining to the hotel, which Mrs.
Van Camp is still managing. Samuel died at the
age of 13 years; the others died in infancy.
Two years after the marriage of Mr. and Mrs.
Van Camp, they were engaged in farming, in Ontario. In 1853 they came to this county and located
at first in Lexington,then inhabited by a few pioneer
settlers. Mr. Van Camp built a hotel, which he: called the Franklin House. He conducted it as a
house of public entertainment two years, when he removed to Buel and there engaged in the same capacity for some time. About 1864 he came to Peck
and took possession of the Globe Hotel, whose management he continued until his death, which occurred Feb. 3, i88I. He owned the hotel and considerable real estate besides. He was a Democrat and
held a prominent place in the party he represented
in the township.
oseph Moss Gaige, banker and dealer in:i~.  c    real estate, resident at Croswell, was born
|:  ^ll^' June 13, 1848, at West Burlington, Otsego
Co., N. Y. His father, Henry W. Gaige, was
ij~ i^   c born Dec. 7, 1821, and is the son of Sherburn
and Christine Gaige. He was reared to manhood in the Empire State, and married Harriet N.
Cornell, daughter of Daniel and Martha (Russell)
Cornell, at West Burlington. The mother of Mr.
Gaige, of this sketch, was a member of the Cornell
family of University fame, though belonging to a
different branch from that of Ezra Cornell, whose
interest in the cause of education in the Empire
State has created permanent recognition of the
name. She was born July Io, I821, and died Nov., i856, at the age of 34 years, leaving two children
-Mary Christine, wife of J. H. Richardson, merchant at Croswell and Mr. Gaige, of this sketch.
The father contracted a second matrimonial alliance,
with Mrs. Sarah (Davis) Waldo. The senior Gaige
is still living, at West Burlington.
Mr. Gaige obtained his elementary education at
the common schools of his native county, and at the


I


age of 14 years became the protege of Truman Moss,
the founder of Croswell, to whom he was allied by
birth. He had received the name of a deceased son
of Mr. Moss, who hoped to realize in him so far as
might be the hopes that had set in the grave of
his son. Mr. Gaige as a boy possessed the active,
restless temperament which has characterized his
life. His predominating trait, even in childhood,
was a persistent energy, which, being free from
mischievous tendency, promised a manhood of usefulness and achievement-outlining a future of far
more value to the work of the world than the unwholesome cravings of natures wholly surrendered
to the ambitions which thwart the career of a large
proportion of the rising young men of the period.
In study, and as an assistant in the mercantile
establishment of Mr. Moss, young Gaige passed the
years of his life previous to the age of 15 years. In
I863 he was placed at the Oneida Conference Seminary at Cazenovia, where he entered upon a preparatory collegiate course of study, which he supplemented by a year at Cooperstown Institute. He was
a diligent, persistent student and accomplished a
large amount of study to the close of his preparatory
course, but he chafed under the confinement and
application necessary to the accomplishment of the
purpose of Mr. Moss, who had charge of his education and training, and it was decided to compromise
the matter by giving the young gentleman a thorough
education in law. He was accordingly placed under
the instructions of Messrs. E. C. Walker&C. A. Kent,
an eminent legal firm of Detroit, under whose guidance he prosecuted his legal studies one year (I866).
E. C. Walker is still an attorney of prominence in the
City of the Straits, and is a brother of Judge Walker.
C. A. Kent is a member of the faculty of the Law
Department of the University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor, where Mr. Gaige entered in 1867. He was
graduated at the latter place in the spring of 1869,
receiving the authority of the institution to practice
in the State Courts of Michigan. He was admitted
to the Bar in Detroit, and gave some attention to the
details of professional life, but his natural predilection
for an active business career came to the surface
with such force of frequency that the scheme of a
professional course was abandoned. He prepared to
enter vigorously into the lake service, and on the
opening of the business season of I870 he was thoroughly equipped to participate in its opportunities.


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He held the proprietary ownership of the " Truman
Moss," and of the " J. 0. Moss," two schooners which
plied among the several lake ports, and he also established himself in a branch of business known to the
craft as " ship brokerage."
After the close of the navigation season on the
lake he sold the two vessels and his entire interest as
a ship broker in order to enter the business firm of
Moss & Mills, merchants and lumbermen at Croswell (then Davisville), becoming junior member with
them in the spring of i 87 I. The style became "Moss,
Mills & Gaige," the firm having an invested capital
of $i65,ooo, and being heavily interested in the
avenues of business named. They owned immense
tracts of pine land in Sanilac County, and their office
for the transaction of local business was established
in a building connected with the residence of Mr.
Moss near the right bank of the Black River, which
flows between the old and new portions of Croswell.
The business relations of Messrs. Moss, Mills &
Gaige ended with the termination, by natural limitation, of their lumbering interests.
The next business enterprise of Mr. Gaige was the
establishment of his private banking house known as
the "Sanilac County Bank," in September, 1882,
where he has since conducted a general banking
business, embracing all the operations common to
such institutions. He owns a considerable acreage
of land in Sanilac County, and is engaged in the sale
of real estate to a considerable extent.
Mr. Gaige has been a resident at Croswell since
I87 i, and has taken an unmistakable and disinterested interest in all projects referring to the advancement and progress of the place and people. In all
his movements he never fails to consider the welfare
of Croswell, and he makes it a point to operate with
direct advantage, not only to the location of his home
but to the advantage of this portion of the Peninsular
State. The act for the incorporation of Croswell was
passed by the Legislature of I882-3, and he was
elected President of the village in the spring of
1883, to which position he was re-elected in the
spring of I884 (current year).
He identified himself with the Republican party on
the attainment of his majority, and continued to act
in accordance with its principles until the organization of the National Greenback element, when he
became an adherent of its fundamental creed. He


based his position on his unqualified trust in the
United States as a nation, and that the Government
possessed the power to create representative issue of
its resources whenever the condition of the country
demanded such action, as well as in case of emergency, the relative force of each being inherently a
matter of opinion. The issue being met by the Republicans, he resumed his former relation with that
element, the action convincing him that a party
which had accomplished so much held within itself
the elements to achieve other needed reforms. In
1878 he was nominated for Representative to the
Legislature of Michigan from the district which then
included Sanilac, Huron and Tuscola Counties, his
name being placed before the people by the local
Fusionists of the district. His defeat was a virtual
triumph, as the opposition candidate, who had carried a previous election by an overwhelming majority
of 1,500 votes, secured the position this time by a
majority reduced to 58 votes. At the Republican
Senatorial Convention held at Minden, Friday, Sept.
6, 1884, Mr. Gaige was nominated for the position of
Senator. The honor came to him unsolicited during
his temporary absence in the East. The result is
well-nigh foregone, owing to the political status of
the district and the general estimate of the character
of the nominee, and his well-known devotion to local
interests, as well as his widely understood and popular traits, presenting a strong claim of fitness and
expediency.
One of the most noted acts of Mr. Gaige was the
naming, in 1879, of the county seat of Sanilac County, which he called Sandusky, with eminent good
judgment, as it does not repeat the designation of
any other place in Michigan; it serves as a reminder
that the city of that name in Ohio was founded by
the families to which he belongs by consanguinity.
Within the first year of his residence at Croswell,
came the first general ordeal of devastation and ruin
in Sanilac County by the fire fiend. Messengers
brought tidings of the havoc at different points
during the closing days of September and the opening ones of October, I871; and as tales of losses of
life swelled the dread recitals of destruction of
property, the people at Croswell, who were almost
wholly without means of extricating themselves, became seasonably alarmed - nd organized to arrange
means of safety. Creeping tongues of flame ap

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SANILAC COUNTY.                                                                     287 >
____________________________^           ^ ^ ^ ^ ^  ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^  ^ ^  ^~~~~~~~~~~?;  ',
----------------------                                                                               _




1* proached the lumber yards of Moss, Mills & Gaige,: and on two occasions the fire department of Lexing-:~ ton was summoned to subdue the fires. The losses
of the firm in standing timber at points where it was
impossible to check the course of the destroying element were already heavy, and the several members
were of the opinion that prompt organized action
could save (roswell, as the event proved. The
people of the village made common cause of the! work of averting the catastrophe which had been so
terrible in other portions of the county.  Men,
women and children were stationed at various
points, and a working force went to meet the approaching monster whose lurid glare environed the
town and whose smoke filled the atmosphere and
pressed into the dwellings to an extent that made
vision of little avail. Mr. Gaige was in the saddle
five days, directing the operations of 60 men, who
j were fighting the progress of the fire in every conceivable manner, with plows, spades and other devices which could be of any possible use. Business:f was suspended, domestic routine was wholly aban-: doned, and only the unremitting superhuman exertions of the people saved the place.  The fires
crawled close to the residences, and the wind hurled
burning chunks and cinders upon the roofs of the
buildings, necessitating constant watchfulness; and
a large proportion of the women stood on the roofs
of their houses with water to extinguish the embers
which fell in showers all around. Every household
had its effects packed, and the horses were kept
harnessed and the wagons in readiness for instant
flight when effort to fight the fire should be no longer
effective.




ing, cat-like manner against the persons of men, as if
soliciting protection.
The approach and progress of the second visitation
of the scarlet demon in i88i was an event of much
less moment to Croswell. Improvements had made
such strides that open fields protected the village,
and although the fire came near enough to create
some uneasiness and unusual effort, it was altogether
shorn of its terrors in a comparative sense.
Mr. Gaige is prominent in Masonic affairs, and has
advanced in the order to the extreme limit afforded
in America, having passed to the 33d degree. He
made his first connection with Blue Lodge No. 6i,
at Lexington, in 1871, and subsequently took the
degree of Damascus Chapter, No. 41, and of Lexington Commandery, No. 27, of which body he holds the
position of Past Eminent. Dec. Io, I878, he became
a member of Michigan Sovereign Consistory at Detroit. He and Mrs. Gaige are communicants in
Christ's Church (Episcopal) at Croswell, in whose
interests they are active and efficient.
Mrs. Mary Ella (Jones) Gaige was born in Fishkill, Dutchess Co., N. Y., Sept. 12, 1843. She is the
daughter of M. V. K. Jones, Postmaster at Croswell
(see sketch).  Her mother, Elizabeth A. (White)
Jones, is the daughter of Nicholas White, who was
for 30 years an itinerant minister of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. He was Presiding Elder in
Brooklyn and vicinity nine years.  Mr. and Mrs.
Gaige were married Sept. 20, I869, at Ann Arbor.
Mrs. Gaige occupies a social position, in which she
does credit to her womanhood, and by her genial
affability and unaffected manners throws a grace
about her influence which renders her an acquisition
to society of no ordinary stamp. The home and
surroundings of the family are characterized by quiet
elegance with no attempt at ostentation.
Mr. Gaige is a representative of the men of this
generation, upon whom rest the hopes of the Republic. Reared in affluence, trained under social influences of an elevated character, one of the heirs of
his patron and relative, Truman Moss, he preserves
his character of independent, spotless manhood, and
holds the unwavering esteem of all who know him.
The addition of the portraits of Mr. and Mrs.
Gaige give an attraction to the ALBUM OF SANILAC
COUNTY of no common type. They may be found on
pages just preceding the beginning of this sketch.


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But hope and labor prevailed and the end came.
The sun set on the evening of Oct. 9, and when it rose
the following day only the sullen gray of the smoke
from smouldering fires in the surrounding district
could be seen in the atmosphere, which gradually
broke away, the people experiencing a sensation as if
their aggregate possessions had been suddenly and
mysteriously transplanted to a new realm, wholly
strange and desolate with the marks of a mighty
struggle. One feature of the fire was that numbers
of bears and deer came from the woods into the
v>>  streets of the village, so dazed by terror of fire that
their shyness of human contact was entirely overcome, bears in several instances pressing in a coax*K^4'iw~i- >-Ai                                 n 1  u


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l  obert Tenniswood, farmer, section  15,
J_    iP Speaker Township, was born May 24,
i     'IJ — I 837, in England, and is the son of Robert
'lo\ and Mary (Gaul) Tenniswood. Both parents
were born in Cumberland, England, the
mother Nov. 23, i809, the father May 27,
I803. In 1842 they left the Old World for America, and landed at New York. They proceeded
thence to Canada, where they resided i6 years, engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1860 they located
on 80 acres of unimproved land in Speaker Township, where they were among the earliest settlers.
Their estate now includes I6o acres, with ioo acres
under creditable improvements.
In I863, Mr. Tenniswood was married to Edith A.
Billings. She was born Aug. i8, 1845, in the Province of Quebec, and is the daughter of Chester and
Eunice (Smith) Billings. The parents are natives of
Salem, Mass., where the mother was born Aug. 27,
I8o8; the father, Sept. I, I809.  They are descendants of the original Puritan settlers of the Bay
State, and reside in the township of Speaker. Five
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. T., in the
following order: J. Frank, Sept. 21, 1864; Arthur R.,
June io, i868; Mary E., Dec. I, I871; Lyman R.,
Oct. 27, 1876; Everett W., Sept. 10, I879.  The
parents are zealous and influential members of the
Baptist Church. Mr. T. is a Republican in political
faith and action.


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was I5 years old. In January, i855, he came to
Sanilac County, and is now the proprietor of 120
acres of valuable farming land, of which he has
placed 65 acres under first-class cultivation. He is
a Democrat in political sentiment and action, and
has been Highway Commissioner about three years.
He was married Nov. 12, I867, in Lapeer Co.,
Mich., to Catherine A. Rawson. She was born Nov.
12, 1851, in the State of Illinois, and is the daughter
of Rev. W. T. Rawson. Three of four children born
to Mr. and Mrs. Walker survive. They are: William R., Anna L. and Herbert R. One child died in
infancy.
g  eorge A. Willard, farmer, section 6, Buel!~j]   Township, was born March 26, I850, in
4?id K Gouverneur, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. His
/*   parents, George and Lucy D. (Woodward)
Willard, are both living with an unmarried
son in this township. They are both natives
of the State of New York, and the father is of English descent. Their family includes three children,Frank E., Laura E. and the son who is the subject of
this sketch. The sister is the wife of A. B. Hall, of
Buel Township.
Mr. Willard grew to the age of manhood under
the supervision of his parents, and in the spring of
1874 made his first visit to Michigan. He returned
to Sanilac County in the fall of I875, and in the
spring of 1876 bought 40 acres of land in Buel Township. His acreage was increased later by a gift of a
similar amount from his father. The entire tract was
in a wild state, without buildings or improvements of
any character. He has placed 50 acres under firstclass tillage, erected a good house and a barn of
more than ordinary pretentions. Mr. Willard has
been active in school matters ever since he became a
citizen of the county.
His marriage to Mary Wilson took place May 6,
1878. She was born Feb. 14, I858, in Mitchell,
Perth Co., Can., and is the daughter of John and
Margaret (Findley) Wilson. His parents were natives of Ireland, but came to America in early childhood. The father died in Mitchell, April 7, I871,


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john Walker, farmer, sections 24 and 25,
Marlette Township,was born May 17, I840,
in the county of Dundas, Ont., and is the
son of William and Ann (Keyes) Walker. The
parents were natives of Ireland, and after the
event of their marriage came to Ontario, Can.,
where they reared their children.
Mr. Walker remained in his native place until he
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and was 57 years of age at the time of his decease.?  The mother is still living in the same place. Their
children were born in the order named: Edward,
i John, Richard, William, Sarah, Mary, Margaret J.,
Elizabeth L., Susannah P. E. and James Wesley.
Mr. and Mrs. Willard have had four children, the
oldest of whom died at birth. Harold A. was born
March i6, 1882; Ethel M. and Percy C. (twins) were
born May I9, 1884. Politically, Mr. Willard affiliates
with the Anti-Monopolist party, and was a delegate
|  in 1884 to the Anti-Monopolist State Convention.. i    Township, was born Jan. 29, 1828, in
[S;* ^lTheresa Township, Jefferson Co., N. Y.
(^  j  He is the son of Benjamin and Mary (Sheley)
Barnes, both of whom are deceased. His father
was born in Vermont, was a mason by trade, and:one of the most active and energetic men in Jefferson County, where he was a local Methodist preacher.
He probably preached more funeral sermons than
any other clergyman in that county. He was also a
practical farmer, and burned brick and lime. He
also operated as a jobber and builder, and superintended the construction of numerous houses in his
native township, supplying the material from his own
products. He was a soldier in the war of I812, and
fought in the action at Sackett's Harbor. He died
at the age of 72 years. The mother of the subject of
this sketch was born at Danube, in the State of New
York, and died when she was 70 years old.
On the failure of his father's health, Mr. Barnes
assumed the management of his business. He was
only 16 years old, but he continued to conduct its
various branches after the death of his father for a
period of six years. He then sold out and removed
to Port Huron, Mich., where he was interested in
lumbering seven years, in company with Messrs.
Skinner & Ames. He went thence to the township
of Worth, where he managed a farm of 850 acres of
land, in connection with the same gentlemen. It
was under his personal superintendence about nine
years. In I880 he took possession of the place,
where he has since pursued agriculture with rapidly


increasing resources. It comprises 357 acres. At
the date of his purchase the good lumber trees had
been cut out and a small clearing made. The place
now includes i60 acres of well improved and creditably cultivated land, and supplied with a good frame
house and a barn second to none in the county.
Mr. Barnes has been twice married. His present
wife, Mary H. (Gates) Barnes, is the daughter of
Asia and Dolly (Kingsbury) Gates. Her father was
born in Antwerp, Jefferson Co., N. Y., and died suddenly of heart disease when he was 56 years old.
Her mother was a native of New Hampshire and was
72 years old when she died. The marriage of Mr.
and Mrs. Barnes occurred April 25, 1848, in Antwerp, Jefferson Co., N. Y. Mr. Barnes has been the
father of 13 children, nine of whom are living-Mary
A, Sarah A., Gates (deceased), Florence E., Ada
A. (died when she was I years old), Benjamin (deceased), Charles A., Arthur, Lewis (died in infancy),
Lewis F. and Jessie (twins; Jessie died when three
months old), Perlie H., John K., Frank L. and Dolly
A. 0. Their father and mother are members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Barnes is a Republican in his political views.
~ —. 0tax.t)mg<; -o'
lmore Putney, one of the substantial and
influential farmers of Sanilac County, rel2    sides on section  o0, Speaker Township.
l He was born Jan. 12, I839, in Lisbon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. His father, Obadiah Putney,
was born June II, I804, in St. Lawrence Co.,
N. Y., and died Nov. i8, 1870, in Hillsborough, N.
H. The mother was born in Johnson, Franklin Co.,
Vt., Aug. 22, 1798, and died April I, 883, in Speaker
Township.
Mr. Putney left the parental roof when he was I5
years of age, and was engaged in farming and lumbering until the civil war awakened him to the emergency of actual fighting. Accordingly he enlisted,
in July, 1862, in Co. B, io6th N. Y. Vol. Inf. The
regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac,
and Mr. Putney was a participant in I6 general
engagements, among which were Fairmont, Va., the
Wilderness, Gettysburg and others, until the collapse
of the rebellion. He was wounded at Cold Harbor,


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290o                                  SAANILAC
f and at Winchester in 1864. The latter was a severe! injury, the bullet passing between the trachea and.> jugular vein, quite through his throat. He receives
a pension in consequence. He was honorably dis-.,4 charged June 22, 1865, at Washington, D. C., returning to the State of New York. Two years later,
in i867, he came to Sanilac County, where he located
a claim of o8 acres in Speaker Township. He now
owns 120 acres of land, with iOO acres under firstclass improvements, with immense barns, a large, and excellent house, and all other farm  appurte-: nances of a fine type. Mr. Putney is a member of
>A the Republican party in political preference, and belongs to the Order of Masonry, Elk Lodge, No. 353.
He was married in 1866 to Harriet D. Portus.
She was born Jan. 2, 1846, in St. Lawrence Co., N.
Y., and is the daughter of M. L. and Eliza (Davis)
Portus. Her father was born in 1783, in Ireland,
and resides in Waddington, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y.
Her mother was born in 1805, in Pennsylvania, of
to  German ancestors, and died April i, 1870. Charles
G., Wallace L., Franklin O., Rollin E., Herbert S.
=   and Mabel A. are the names of the six children of
}: Mr. and Mrs. Putney. The latter are communicants
i= in the Methodist Episcopal Church.


CO UNAT Y.


Mr. Babcock was the first voter in the township, and
the first man who took unto himself a wife within the
town limits; lie acted as pilot for the first United
States mail-carrier who ever crossed the county. He
was married in Elk Township, in January, 1854, to
Mrs. Margaret (Pomeroy) Iimon, a native of Canada, where she was born Feb. 26, 1828. She was
the mother of two children by her first marriage,George F. and Sarah J.,-both of whom are married.
Mr. Babcock is a Democrat in political connection,
and has held the office of Highway Commissioner.
r eorge Henry, proprietor of the Henry
House, at Lexington, was born Aug. i9,
'   't'_   I842, near the village of Ancaster, Ont.,
and is the son of Joseph and Anna (Aikens)
Henry. His father was a farmer, to which
vocation he was reared. In 1856 he came to
Sanilac County, and became an inmate of the family
of his uncle, who owned a farm in the northwestern
part of Lexington township. He worked on the farm
alternate summers and attended school winters for
two years for his uncle, and passed three years suc

d_"-"aaliiB'1'-  _        ceeding, with Wvllllaim Lawrence. Hte was then 19
years old, and became a soldier in the Union service.
He enlisted Nov. 7, i86i, in Co. I, Tenth Mich.
| ff |mos Babcock, farmer, section 29, Elk Town-  Vol. Inf., under Captain Huckins, of Lexington. The
ship, was born July 4, 18I8, in Monroe Co.,  company was assigned to the Army of the West,
N. Y    His parents transferred their family  under Gen. Sherman. It was one of the first corn-.-  - ^  and interests to Ashtabula Co., Ohio, when  panies filled under the call for three-years men. Mr.
TrP  1   he was eight years old.  His father was a  Henry was discharged from service at Roseville, Ga.,
farmer and reared his sons to the same calling.  April I, I863, and veteranized, re-enlisting in the
Mr. Babcock was 22 years of age when he left  same company in which he served, until the close of
home. He became agent for a stave manufacturing  the war. He was finally discharged at Jackson,
company in Ohio, and some time later came to Mt.  Mich., Aug. I9, 1865. Following are the names of
Clemens, Macomb Co., Mich., where he remained   some of the battles in which he was a participant:
three years, going thence to Bay City. There he en-  Farmington, Corinth, Nashville, Stone River, Chatta-.   gaged in a mill, in which capacity he operated 18  nooga, Ringgold, Buzzard's Roost, etc. His regiment;   months. His next remove was to Sanilac County,  was involved in all the heavy engagements throughwhen he settled in this township and was one of its  out the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta. It *'
i   earliest pioneers. During the first year he engaged  was the first command detailed to special service at
in lumbering for Myron Williams. In the fall of  Jonesboro, and captured 500 prisoners, the regiment
) i854 he purchased the farm on which he has since   losing about 65 men. It was also in a part of the  (.
'   resided, and has placed 70 acres under cultivation.  active campaign to Savannah, Black River and Ben`;'k..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~f~ *4 M




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SA NILA C CO UNTY.,i tonville, N. C., where its members were present at:  the surrender of the rebel general, Johnston. It was
"', mustered out of the service of the United States July
19, 1865, at Louisville, Ky.,  Mr. Henry returned to Lexington and was variously employed until the fall of i866, when he bought
80 acres of land situated about three miles west and
four miles north of the village of Lexington. He
placed 62 acres under cultivation, and the place became, under improvement, most valuable and desirI able. In December, 187r, he exchanged the property, for the hotel which he now owns, and which was
built by E. B. Parsons. He has contiuned its man^ agement since he became proprietor. The establishment has accommodaticns for 25 guests, and has a
livery attached. Besides his business as landlord,
Mr. Henry is dealing extensively in lath and shingles,
operating from a yard on thebeach of Lake Huron,
near the pier. He owns two village lots attached to
the hotel, and five acres on Main Street in the south
l part of the village of Lexington. He is also the proprietor of two farms of 2oo acres each, situated re-:   spectively in Elk and Watertown Townships. Mr.
Henry is a member of the Order of Masonry and
belongs to Post H. H. Nims, No. i18, G. A. R., of? Lexington. He is also a foreman of Fire Company,
Huron No. i, and has served on the Board of Village
Trustees. He was Township Treasurer in 1882-3.
He was married in Lexington, May 5, 1867, to
Martha, daughter of John and Eliza (Reynolds)
Riley. She was born July 18, I849, in Canada. The
children of Mr. and Mrs. Henry were born as follows:
A     1i. A i ril n T6hn' Rone E. M:tv 2T TI 87 I


to. Sanilac County, where he grew to man's estate.
He has become the prosperous proprietor of a fine
farm of 120 acres of land in the township of Marlette, and has placed the greater portion of his acreage under cultivation. He is identified in political
principle and action with the Democratic party.
He was married Jan. 5, I867, at Marlette, to Mary
A. Fitch. She was born in Canada, and is the
daughter of Tlhomas and Margaret (Beacom) Fitch.
(See sketch).  Margaret, Mary E., Emma J. and
Ada M. are the names of the four children born of
this marriage.


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t^t illiam  P. Wallace, farmer, section  13
t  Fremont Township, was born Aug. i,
J,     J 1846, in Racine Co., Wis. John Wallace,
/    his father, was a native of Amsterdam, New
J  York, and was of Scotch descent. In early
life he was a farmer, and later became a hotelkeeper at Milton, Halton Co., Can., where he died,
March 27, 1882, aged 74 years. He married Susan
Beckwith, who survives him and is still resident at
Milton.
Mr. Wallace is the oldest child of his parents and
accoanpanied them from Wisconsin to Canada when
he was but five years old. He passed the time until
he was 22 years old in the Dominion, with the exception of two years, during which he was employed


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alrlgLa  S., Ilec, 18; Gi -V -,-  J -  y- 3   1 78 7   in and about Elgin, Ill. He returned to Canada, and
fMargaret S., Dec. 7, 1872; George W., July 13, 1875.
iia,,     was there connected with a Government surveying
yMartha C., June 22, 88o0; John R, Aug. 6, 1883.
M'arta c., Jue 22, '88o; John R, A. 6, 1883.  '  'party about six months. After passing about 18 8,ii~~~~~~~~ l~months at home, he came to Sanilac County, and,,,.;CI-                                      |O Nov. 12, 1867, he took possession of the farm on
which he has since resided. It was conveyed to him
by a deed of gift from his father, and comprised I6o
^"^i^^2~~~~,snkacres of land, heavily timbered with maple, beech,
|  ~l a^mes Walker, i tii er, section 23, Marlette  oak, hemlock and basswood. He has reduced nearly
Towns:ip, is the son of William and Ann   tle entire tract to cultivation, leaving only the portion
i  P    (Keyes) Walker, xwho were natives of Ire-  lhe desires to reserve unimproved. He has erected  i
land. He was born in the Dominion of Can-     good and comfortable farm buildings. Mr. Wallace e
|ada, whlither his parents emligrated, Aug. io,  is a Republican in political principles and connection.
1844. He passed the earlier years of his life  He is present Supervisor and has held the various
in attending the common schools of his native county,  school offices.                           )'=
"   and when ten years of age (in January, 1855) came  He was married Sept. 13, 871, to Maggie Ander- <
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P   292                                 SANILAC (
'! son. She was born Aug. 27, i849, in Kalamazoo,
A) Mich., and is the daughter of Hiram and Ann (Cum- mings) Anderson. The former was born in Canada,; of Scotch parentage, and came thence to Lexington,
f where he was a farmer for a numberof years. He is
now resident at Port Huron. The mother died at
Lexington, in I864, from the effects of an accident.
Mrs. Wallace is one of six children,-four daughters
and two sons. One of the latter is deceased. Three
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, as
4 follows: Edith M., Oct. 22, I872; Maud A., Dec. 6,
i 1874; Elizabeth A., March 28, 1876.


'1 0              _   _ —
COUNVTY.                              "
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and erected some of the most prominent of the buildings (at that time), comprising residences, stores and
churches. In I867 he managed the construction of
the Methodist Episcopal Church at Jackson and in
Parma in i868.   In I869 he superintended the
building of the dormitory and dining hall on the
State Agricultural farm at Lansing. In the spring of
1870 he went to the city of Lawrence, Kan., where
he passed four months working at his trade. He returned to Ann Arbor and again engaged as a journeyman, and afterwards operated as a builder. In 1872
he built the Methodist Episcopal Church at Waterloo, in Jackson County, and in I873 aided in the
construction of the shops of the Michigan Central
Railroad Company at the "Junction," three miles
from Detroit.
-.-   -. I   —.  A   A,   I-  ~,   -1,

ka
t- I....,:     a    s         -~~~~lHe lived in Ann Arbor in 1874 and 1875, engaged
arvin V. K. Jones, Postmaster at Cros-  in journey work, and in the fall of the latter year he
we l lnd Jsvt           ice, ofth  Peace,  at br ns  came to Sanilac County, where he was employed by
f. 1         well, and Justice of the Peace, was born,. N      o v., 1820  i  iskl  Duchs  Co.  Moss, Mills & Gaige in their dock and lumber yard
a  ^li  'Nov. 7, I820, in  Fishkill, Dutchess Co.,.
/'.~x   N. Y., the son of Stephlle  ad Mary (Weeks)  at Lexington.  In 1876 they sold out, and he again    a
N. Y., the son of Stephen and Mary (Weeks)
Jone.!Hi i        fthe      r a  ary ta            endreturned to his trade. In the spring of 1877 he
Jones. His father was a carpenter by trade and                        In i88r he removed to Crosuit  i^ -,.,. -r-,-1  ^  ^r ^r * ^visited his birth-place. In i881 he removed to Crosdied in Ulster Co., N. Y., in October, i853, aged               W
aboul ste Co. N..i    tor85       a      well, where he has since resided. He received his    t
G   about 83 years.  His mother died Feb. Ii, i846, in.
appointment as Postmaster Sept. 8, 188i, and took    ~:
/ Dutchess County, and was about 66 years of age.       possession of his charge on the 2oth of the same
Mr. Jones came to this State in 1835, and spent    m,  month.
) 14 months working at the cooper's trade in Ann           r.
Mr. Jallies was married Aug. 17, 1842, to ElizaArbor, returning at the end of that time to Dutchess.
/, 5 ~~ ~   ~~ TT., *.     beth A. White. She was born June I5, I827, at the
County. He at once gave his attention to acquiring        A          e   a     r
parsonage of the Duane Street Methodist Episcopal
a knowledge of the mason's trade, which he did in
fthe moh asn'sr, which l  didien   Church in the city of New York. She is the daughthe most thorough manner, becoming fully proficient                     A         (        W      Her
ter of Nicholas and Artemisia (Cooley) White. Her
in the art of laying brick and stone.  He passed five.
t.,.  ' &..       1parents died in the city of Brooklyn, the demise of
a years in his apprenticeship, and a year later worked                          Ap, w  n se!  as a journeyman. He went then to Poughkeepsie
asajurneman.He went then to Poughkeepsie,       about 60 years of age. Following is the record of the
N. Y., and formed a brief partnership with John.
~:...          lchildren of whom Mr. and Mrs. Jones have become                   f
Longfield. On its termination he resumed journey
the parents:  Mary Ella was born in Fishkill, Sept.
work in that city and in New York. Two years later
~.. ~..      }1~~I2, 1843, and was married in I869, to J. M. Gaige.
he returned to his instructors, with whom he was en-. gaged. six yas He wea(See sketch.)              Julia Alida was born in Brooklyn,
gaged six years. He owned a residence and other
Nov. I, 1845. She was married to Eben S. Saunders,
property in that place (Fishkill), which he sold and   A      A     w
went to B  rookl. of Ann Arbor, who died, and she was a second time
w went to Brooklyn. He operated in the "City of
eCnt toBrk, ly          - n.. t   in h   i          married, to Henry Janes, a nephew of Bishop E. S. (. Churches  two years and returned to Fishkill, where
Janes of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Cora A.
I he entered into partnership with one of his former  J     o  t  M         E.^w                        * ~,,  - -.                was born in Fishkill March J6, i848, and was mar- HIS
masters, and followed his trade two summers. In      was bo  in is    ill 1878, Jse        A   Prins.
nried in Kansas City in i873, to Joseph A. Perkins.
October, 1854, he removed with his family to Ann      She is now a widow. Junius Lyndon was born March
Arbor, Mich., where he worked one year as a journey-  4,850,at ishkill, and died in Brooklyn, Nov. 1o,
man in the construction of the Union School build-    1851.  Viola R. was born April 3, 853, in Fishkill, N
ing. He then established his business independently   and is now the wife of W. B. Smithett, of Brighton,.
P<)~13j         -       — ltt-           --        n n u s  n ";   -^              -    -HnH1|




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SA VILAC COUNT Y.


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Ontario. Their marriage occurred in 1875, at Waterloo, Iowa. Jessie B., born Nov. 3, I856, at Ann:: Arbor, was married in I874 to George H. Buscey.
Marion C., born in Ann Arbor, Jan. 5, 1859, enlisted
in the regular service of the United States in 1878.
His fate is unknown, as all trace of him has been lost
since December, i880. Le Jeune, born at Ann Arbor,
Jan. 21, 86r, is an undergraduate at the University
of Michigan in his native city. Winthrop Custer,
born Jan. 23, 1863, in Ann Arbor, is a student at
Goldsmith's Commercial College, Detroit.  Julius
Arnot, born Jan. 5, 1867, in Ann Arbor, is in the
regular army. He enlisted in the ioth United States
Infantry, and his company is stationed at Fort Lyon.
His parents procured his discharge on account of
non-age.
In i868 Mr. Jones was elected Tax Collector for
the Third Supervisor's District, comprising the fifth
and sixth wards of Ann Arbor. He was elected Supervisor of the same district in the following year.
if His election to the position of Justice of the Peace
occurred in the spring of I884. He is a Republican:3: and was a delegate to the first Representative Convention of Washtenaw Co., Mich., after the formation
of the party to which he belongs.
~j    I W illiam  Shier, farmer, section 5, Marlette
Township, is the son of Philip and Mary
(Dawson) Shier, natives of Ireland. They.,_:- emigrated to Canada, where the father died
i    and the mother is still living. Mr. Shier was
born April 8, I840, in the Province of Ontario. He received a common-school education, and
being the eldest of a family of I3 children, seven
sons and six daughters,-all of whom are living but
one,-his services were early in requisition for the
support of the family, in which he assisted until he
>    was 25 years of age. The death of his father left,   him in possession of a farm of 50 acres, on which he
expended his efforts for about nine years. At the
end of that time he removed to Huron Co., Ont.,
tj    where he was a resident six years. In the spring of
i) 1880 he came to Sanilac County and bought 320 acres
$    of land in Mirlette Township. He still retains 240


acres of his original purchase, having disposed of 80
acres in 1882. He has cleared and creditably improved 60 acres. Mr. Shier is in affiliation with the
Republican party.
His marriage to Nancy Till occurred Dec. 29,
1864, in the county and Province of Ontario. She
was born July 8, I840, in Ireland, and is the daughter of John and Jane (Ritchie) Till, also natives of
the " Green Isle." Mary J., Margaret A. D., Carroll
I. and Richard 0. are the names of the children
born to Mr. and Mrs. Shier. The parents belong to
the Methodist Church.
l     t-James T. Waterman, general merchant and
farmer, resident at Peck, was born Dec.
X   7, 1840, at Port Sarnia, Ontario. His father,
t. James D. Waterman, is a native of the State of
t   New York, of Scotch extraction. His parents
located in New England. He is a shoemaker
by vocation and married Eliza Talbot, a native of
Ontario, of Irish descent. She died in Worth Township, Sanilac County, in i88I, aged 74 years.  The
father is a resident of Peck and is 79 years old.
Four of their seven children are now living.
Mr. Waterman is the eldest son and fourth in order
of birth, of the children born to his parents.  Soon
after his birth they removed to Middlesex Co., Ont.
In 1865, they removed their family to Sanilac County,
locating in Speaker Township. Two years later they
settled in the Township of Worth, where he resided
with them until of age.  He had been employed
during the years of his minority in farm labor and in
the lumber woods. During the last three years of
that time he was engaged in job lumbering, which
method of business he pursued until he was 25 years
old. In 1865, he established himself in the grocery
business at a point then known as Switzer's Mill in
Worth Township, and entered into a partnership with
his brother-in-law. This enterprise continued a year,
when they removed their business to Speaker Township, where they prosecuted their joint interests three
years, when they dissolved their partnership.  On
that event transpiring, Mr. Waterman went into business singly in the township of Worth, where he


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<  294                              SANILA C
i pursued his mercantile interests six years. In Octo-?l ber, 1874, he established himself where he has since
(? operated. His interests are extensive and prospero ous, and he carries a stock representing $8,ooo and
transacts an annual business of $28,oo0. He is also
the practical manager of a farm of i60 acres in the
township of Elk, and 212 acres of land in Worth
Township. He owns two lots, on which his store and
residence are located. He is a Republican in political faith and action and has filled the positions of
Clerk and Treasurer of his township.
He was married Sept. 29, 1875, in Worth Township, to Jeannette Smith. Three children have been
born of this marriage,-Helen E., Harry and Mabel.
Mrs. Waterman is a lady of cultivation and intellectual acquirements. She began teaching when young
and continued that vocation until her marriage. She
is generally esteemed for her geniality and fine
social qualities.. r
k ^j^~  udolph Papst. of the firm of Tewksbury,
1  1  Papst & Co., one of the most prominent
0                   I-\)  Amtw~~t) lwsar;|aorr 1n~rbro  ]Ad(rlar{alraa ee A


COUNTY.                       A






came Adjutant of the regiment. He received his
commission as Captain May 8, 1865, and was discharged from the military service of the United
States July 31, I865.  During the months of his
military career he was in action in most of the important engagements in which his regiment participated, among which were the siege of Corinth,
Nashville, Stone River, Chattanooga, Ringgold, Buzzard's Roost, through the Atlanta campaign, at
Savannah, and at the surrender of Gen. Johnston,
when the Ioth Michigan was attached to Sherman's
command.
After Mr. Papst returned to Sanilac County he
entered Goldsmith's Business College at Detroit,
where he completed a full course of commercial
study and was graduated in December, 1865. Returning thence he again became a salesman in the
samle employment, and also officiated in the capacity
of book-keeper, until April i, 1873.
At that date he succeeded to the position of Register of Deeds and County Clerk, to which he had
been elected in the fall previous, on the Republican
ticket, defeating the nominee of the opposition element by a majority of 600 votes. He served four
successive terms as Register of Deeds, and discharged the duties of County Clerk two terms.
On the expiration of his last official term, March
31, 1880, he returned to the commercial house with
which he had formerly been connected as assistant,
and was made a partner in its business relations.
In April, 1884, Mr. Woods withdrew, and the succeeding firm of Tewksbury, Papst & Co. has since
prosecuted its interests. Their connections are extensive, and include three branches of mercantile
transactions, in which they carry full lines of the
various sorts of merchandise in which they deal,
representing an annual aggregate of about $200,000.
Their establishment is the leading one of its kind in
Sanilac County. Their dock on the lake was built
in i866, by the former firm, and rebuilt in 1883, by
the present association.
The firm of Papst & Wixson is engaged in realestate brokerage and in the abstract business, having
the only set of abstracts in the County. They buy
and sell real estate, do a considerable business in
lending money, and traffic to some extent in paper
Mr. Papst owns 240 acres of land in Worth Township, situated on sections 17 and i8, the tract embracing more than 200 acres under cultivation. The


j      us DUSLlISleS S  nOllSeS  O1 3aillniiac, UIIlly, ali;  Ut l1
connected with the history of Lexington since
i858, when he came there, just previous to
attaining his majority, and began his conflict with
fortune. He first obtained employment as a teamster and passed his fist winter on the Huron
peninsula, in the manufacture of shingles.
In the spring of 1859 he entered upon the initiatory
to his future business career lby becoming a clerk in
the mercantile establishment of John L. Woods &
Co. at Lexington, in which capacity he operated
until the climax of Southern frenzy had involved the
nation in civil conflict. He enlisted Oct. 25, i86i,
from Sand Beach, Huron Co., Mich., in Co. D. Ioth
Regt. Mich. Vol. Inf., Capt. Israel Huckins, and
was mustered unto service as a private. In January,
R862, he was made Second Sergeant of his Company,
and at a later date was promoted to the position of
Sergeant Major. He was made Second Lieutenant
)  March 31, 1863, and Aug. 26, 1864, acceded to the
position of First Lieutenant. Feb. 24, I865, he be

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farm is beautifully situated on the lake side and is
proportionately valuable.
Mr. Papst is a member of the Masonic fraternity,
and belongs to the several bodies of that order at
Lexington,-the Blue Lodge and Damascus Chapter,
No. 4i, and has officiated i8 years as Secretary of
the last named. He also belongs to Lexington Commandery, No. 27. He is a member of Post No. 118,
G. A. R., at Lexington, and of Huron Fire Co., No.
i, at that place.
His marriage to Emily Banghart occurred April 3,
1864, at Berlin, St. Clair Co., Mich.  Their two
children were born as follows: Edwin Tecumseh, at
Berlin, St. Clair Co., June 9, I865, and Rudolph,
April 17, I878, at Lexington. Mrs. Papst was born
April 17, 1842, at Lexington, and is the daughter of
James and Lucy (Burch) Banghart.  Her parents
were among the early settlers of Sanilac County.,     " Tohn McKellar, farmer, section 25, Flynn
11 E, Township, was born April 13, 1823, in
Elgin Co., Ont. When he was four years
f age, his parents removed to Middlesex Co., in
the Dominion, where he was reared to the proI fession of farming.  He remained with them
until their deaths-that of the father occurring in
July, I854, when he was 77 years old. The mother
died in May, 1854, aged 73 years. After they died
the son became the owner of the homestead, and he
continued its management until April, I879, when
he came to Michigan and purchased 280 acres of
land on sections 24 and 25, which was under partial
improvement. He has purchased i60 acres additional since and has 60 acres improved.  A considerable portion of his estate is divided among his
sons. He has erected a good faim house and other
farm buildings.
He was married April 5, 1855, in Middlesex Co.,
Ont., to Catherine McNiel, who was born in 1833, in
that county. The children of Mr. and Mrs. McKellar
are named Dugald, Christie, Henrietta, Peter, Alexander, Anna, Kate, John, Maggie, Mary, Flora and
Donald.
Mr. Kellar is a farmer of more than ordinary


abilities, and ranks fairly among the agriculturists of Ifk
Sanilac County. He is a Democrat in political views. /i
He and his wife are members of the Disciples' e:
Church. His parents were natives of Scotland.
illiam E. Scribner, resident at Elmer village, Moore Township, is the son of Sol- V
t   omon and Ursula (Tibbetts) Scribner. The
J^  former was born June 12, 1822; the latter
'-   Dec. I, 1826, in Canada, and both are now
living in the village of Elmer.
Mr. Scribner was born Nov. 30, 1845, in Macomb
Co., Mich. He obtained a common-school education, and when he was 15 years of age he went to
learn the business of a carpenter, which pursuit he.
followed in Macomb and St. Clair Counties until  {
I880, when he came to Sanilac County and estab- /.
lished himself as a wagon-maker at Elmer. He was
married in i88I, to Mary Johnson.  She was born;July 17, 1864, in Elgin Co., Can., and is the eldest
daughter of John and Elizabeth (Groh) Johnson, who
are now residents of Sanilac County. One child, John  '
W., was born to Mr. and Mrs. Scribner, May 19, 1882.
The former is a Republican, and in the spring of
i88I was elected Justice of the Peace and Town
Clerk. He is now the incumbent of the latter position, and in 1884 was appointed Enumerator to take
the census of 1884 in his township.


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}     vavid  Markham, brick manufacturer at
J  Croswell, has been engaged in that business here since 1872. He is the original
founder of the enterprise, and his products
rank among the best, on account of the superior  >
quality of the clay. This is substantiated by,
the fact of his securing the contract to manufacture *'
I,ooo,ooo brick for the Upton Manufacturing Com- ii
pany at Port Huron. He bid against 22 competitors g
and obtained the contract at an advance of 50 cents (E
per thousand, on account of the quality of the matetntsb-                            -4.^(^|^


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X   rial. His clay bed is estimated as practically inexj: haustible, and is I2 feet in depth. A force of about.; 20 men are employed at present, who turn out an
average of 1,500 brick each daily. The capacity of
9  the works is about double the present production.
The mixing and pressing is accomplished -by a
25-horse-power steam engine.
Mr. Markham was born in Waterloo Township,
Waterloo Co., Can., Nov. 22, i846, and is the son of
James and Sarah (Pipe) Markham. His mother
died on the family homestead in Canada.   His
father is living in Traverse Co., Mich., where he is
still engaged in farming, the pursuit of his life.
Mr. Markham came to Sanilac Co. in I870. His
marriage to Jane Smurfit occurred Sept. 5, i875. She
is the daughter of Thomas and Lavinia (McClellan)
Smurfit, and is a native of Canada. William Herbert, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Markham, was born, May 3, I877. Mr. M. has been Clerk of Croswell
one term.
Abraham Markham, brother of Mr. M. of this:: sketch, resides with him. His wife's maiden name
was Emma Davis.,.  X. 3harles F. Mavis, wagon-maker and foun- v. dryman, was born May 29, 1846, in Germany, and is the son of Charles and Carlotta
(Karvitz) Mavis. The parents were natives
of Germany, where the mother died Jan. 5,
I865.  In  I869, the father came to the
United States, and settled in Macomb Co., Mich.
i  He afterwards went to Lapeer County, where he
died Sept. 24, 1873.
Mr. Mavis is the fifth of six children born to his
parents. He received a good common school education, according to the custom of his native country,
before he was 14 years of age, and in the year following he was apprenticed to a blacksmith.  He
completed his term of service and acquired a thorough knowledge of the business, at which he worked
until he was 22 years of age in the " Fatherland."
He came to this country with his father in 1869. In:)  September, i876, he came to Sanilac County and? formed a partnership with R. A. Kilgore, under the




style of Kilgore & Mavis, for the purpose of manufacturing wagons. In June, I879, they added the
foundry business, and till 1884 have been engaged in
the prosecution of their two-fold interest. June I5,
I884, Mr. Mavis dissolved his connection with Mr.
Kilgore and formed a new partnership with Ferdinand Z. Luedke in the manufacture of wagons and selling agricultural implements, under the firm name of
Mavis & Luedke.
Mr. Mavis was married Nov. 21, 1869, to Minnie
Ladebuhr, at Almont, Lapeer Co, Mich.  She was
born April 4, I844, in Germany. Six children have
been born of this marriage-August H., Frank C.,
Ida M., Martha, Charley L., and Lao C. The second
child died at the age of i8 months. The father is a
Republican of most decided type. Both parents are
members of the religious organization known as the
Evangelical Association.
lexander McAlpine, farmer, section 27,
~i '  Flynn Township, was born April 15, 1857,, in Ekford, Middlesex Co., Ont.  His parents,
Donald and Mary (McLoughlin) McAlpine,
were natives of Scotland. The father sought
a home in the New World about 1842. The parents
of the mother came to Ontario in 1833. Mr. McAlpine, senior, was a farmer by profession. He married
in the Dominion and there resided until the spring of
i880, when he disposed of his interests there and located on 300 acres of land on section 27 of this township, a part of which was improved. He died Dec.
2, I88o, when he was 65 years of age. The mother
is a member of the household of her son. The family included eight children, two of whom are
deceased.
Mr. McAlpine is the oldest child of his parents.
He was reared to manhood under his father's care
and remained at home until the death of the latter.
He owns 200 acres of land, with 60 acres improved.
The place gives the best evidence of the character
and quality of his skill and judgment in his agricultural management, being in first-class condition. Mr.
McAlpine is a Democrat in political connection and
views. In i883 he was elected Treasurer of his


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SA 7NILAC C
V   township. In 1884, he was re-elected. His mother
i   is a member of the Presbyterian Church, to which
' his father also belonged. Following is the record of
the brothers and sisters of Mr. McAlpine: Eliza
was born Aug. I8, I859, in Middlesex Co., Ont. She
is engaged in the business of dress-making in Detroit.
Archibald was born Dec. 27, 1863, and is a farmer.
Margaret was born Dec.I7, 1865; Mary B., Jan. 4,
1867; Flora J., March 4, I869; Catherine was born
Aug. 7, i855, and died Oct. 9, I879; Flora was born
Dec. 21, 1866, and died Dec. 23, following.. ~,  a'


70UNTY.                             299


-; ruman Moss, deceased, was a resident of
fS  Croswell for more than a score of years preAt < ceding his demise. His name is an in'    separable part of the history of this portion of
Sanilac County, with whose relations he identified himself in a manner which incorporated
therewith the bulk of his own private interests, and
left his memory a personal legacy to the inhabitants
of the place where he established a permanent business and where he came to the ultimatum of a long
and useful life.
He was born July 28, I80o, in New Berlin, Chenango Co., N. Y. His father, Joseph Moss, was
born Sept. 8, 1775, and was a descendant from a,
prominent family of Connecticut, of English lineage.
He married Rhoda Griffith, who was born July 28,
1783. Their family included several children, and
all the sons pursued active and successful business
careers. Joseph Moss died Oct. 28, 1856, at Marshall, Mich., where he was spending a short time.
His wife died at Sandusky, Ohio, some years before,
under similar circumstances, the demise of both
occurring while temporarily absent froin home.
Mr. Moss received from his father a thorough business training, and was brought up under the influence
of the commercial and financial interests in which
the senior Moss was engaged. At the very early age
of I5 years or, at most, within a year or two afterward,
he was qualified for the management and supervision


of extensive business relations, and he went to West
Burlington, Otsego Co., N. Y., to take charge of mercantile affairs which his father had established there.
He conducted the relations of the enterprise with
sagacity and the success which characterized the
operations of his whole life, and subsequently became
connected with a banking enterprise with his brothers
at Sandusky, Ohio, which is still in existence, and in
its style perpetuates the patronymic, being now known
as the "Moss National Bank." The house at Sandusky lent money for the purchase of lands in Michigan, taking security on the property purchased. The
management proved inefficient, and in I860 Mr.
Moss came hither to protect the property and to
secure Moss Brothers against loss by giving his personal attention to affairs. He assumed control of the
business, and succeeded in a short time in placing
everything on a substantial and permanent basis.
His interests became so extensive and involved so
many complications that he continued the personal
management of his affairs at Croswell until the close
of his life.
He engaged heavily in lumbering, and in a mercantile enterprise which had its outcome and growth
in his other business connections. The store of Moss
Brothers was the headquarters of the lumber camps
of this section. He owned vessels which were devoted to the transportation of lumber products to the
Eastern markets, and which brought back all needed
supplies. The saw-mill at Croswell (then known by
the name of Davisville) had a producing capacity
of about 40,000 feet of lumber daily. The time-worn
structure is still standing, adjacent to the premises
now owned by Mrs. Mills, the only surviving child of
Mr. Moss. In connection with the saw-mill was a
lath and shingle mill. Mr. Moss continued in the lumber business about 20 years. The estate owned and
controlled by the Moss Brothers included about
40,000 acres, half of the acreage lying within Sanilac
County. Mr. Moss continued the management in the
interest of Moss Brothers until I868, when that firm


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and style terminated and he continued the prosecution of his individual interests a short time, when he  '
formed an association with his son-in-law, Wildman (
Mills (see sketch of Wildman Mills), their business c
being conducted under the style of "Moss & Mills."
The relation existed two years, when it was recon

~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4 -k, fll! -,I fN,44




300                                 SANILAC
t   structed and extended by the admission of Joseph
i   M. Gaige, the nephew of Mr. Moss, after which the
~:  transactions of the firm were carried on under the
name of Moss, Mills & Gaige. The latter relation
continued until Jan. i6, 1882, when it was dissolved
by mutual consent.
Mr. Moss died at Croswell, March 28, 1883. He
left an estate variously estimated at from one-half to
two millions, and which includes a large amount of
property of various kinds, among which are 30,000
acres of land in Michigan, 20,000 acres lying inSanx:  ilac County.


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During 35 years of active business life, in which
Mr. Moss was engaged previous to his coming to
Croswell, his home was in West Burlington, Otsego
Co., N. Y., where he established himself in business
while yet a boy.
He married Elizabeth Gaige, of West Burlington,
who was born in 1802, and died in the same place,
March 29, 1846. She was the mother of five children: Joseph, eldest child, died from accident when
he was i   years old. Ambler T., born Sept. 25,
1829, died Dec. i, I849, of typhoid fever, just at the
threshold of a promising manhood. Truman died in
early infancy. Mary Elizabeth died at the age of
four years. Julia H. (Mrs. Wildman Mills), was
born Oct. 2, 1836, at West Burlington.
Mr. Moss was a man of marked traits of character.  His domestic tastes and home instincts
ruled his life. He was a resident of West Burlington from 18I6 to i860, and his loyalty to the
place where the hopes of his life sprung unto being,
and where they went out in the hopeless gloom of
the grave, never wavered or knew shadow of turning. In the business relations of his later life, which
almost seemed a second existence, so shorn was it of
the associations of that earlier period, he belonged
essentially to Croswell. But to that first home and
the graves of his wife and children his heart clung
with a tenacity that manifested the fine nature he
possessed. Every year, until his life ended, his
feet pressed the accustomed streets and ways, and he
continually renewed and strengthened the wonted associations. In the house his family occupied, the room
of his deceased wife was preserved as she left it as
long as he lived, and he felt in recalling the memory
of her gracious presence that was so precious to him,
as a royal husband of France said of his dead con



sort,-  She never caused me a sorrow, but in dying." When the end caine to him, he was borne    '
back to the home he had cherished, and after a brief.
rest within its walls was laid beside his loved ones.
He was buried at West Burlington, N. Y., April i,
1883.
In his intercourse with the world at large the
ruling trait of the character of Mr. Moss was sympathetic kindness. He turned with coldness or apathetic indifference from no case of need which came
to his knowledge. He felt himself his "brother's
keeper," and he responded substantially to all appeals of the distressed without distinction, save that
of merit. Tle bulk of his business transactions in ri
Michigan were with the laboring people, and they
felt that in him they had a sympathetic, considerate
friend, a reliable adviser, and a firm coadjutor in
their business plans. On his death they mourned
his loss as a personal affliction. In all his busy,
hurried life, he had time and opportunity to consider the happiness and well-being of others, and his '
charity and hospitality were unlimited.
He was a communicant in the Protestant Episcopal Church from early life, and was Senior Warden of:
Christ Church at West Burlington, N. Y., more than.
20 years. He held the same position in Christ
Church at Croswell 12 years previous to his decease. 'J
The society remains a monument to his religious /!
character, its establishment and the church at Croswell being largely the result of his efforts.
In his early manhood he was deeply interested in
the State militia, and was Major in the organization
at West Burlington, a position which gave him a
peculiar satisfaction in the fact that it afforded him
another opportunity to serve his fellow men. While
a constant resident of West Burlington he was also
active in local affairs and gave his attention to
whatever promised the advancement of the general
interests. IHe was Supervisor of that township,
holding the position about 1857.
No reproduction of features in the ALBUM OF
SANILAC COUNTY will be more heartily welcomed
than that of Mr. Moss, which appears on another
page. "The good he did lives after him." It is a
well that the lineaments of the well remembered face  i
be made imperishable as his memory will be trans-  i
mitted to the future generations of Sanilac County (:;
and vicinity.                                    J


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Fa~tk S____fSANILAC COUNTY.                          301
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Ki|    oshua Bettis, a leading agriculturist of Sani-.   lac County, resident in Bridgehampton
i   Township, has lived in this county since
X  846. He was born April 12, 1834, in Ontario
Co., Can., and is the son of Moses and Rachel
(Wixson) Bettis, who are now residents of Lexington Township.  They are natives of Canada,
where they were married and lived until 1846, when
i{ they removed their fam-ily and interests to Sanilac
County. Their family included nine children.
Mr. Bettis was 12 years old when he accompanied
his parents to Sanilac Couity. He has led a life of
activity and industry, and is now the owner of 200
acres of land, upwards of half of which is under cultivation. He is a member of the Republican party,
and has been Clerk of his township one year and
School Treasurer four years.
He was married in Grant, St. Clair County, July:13 13, 1856, to Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Ann
(Graves) Ellerthorpe. She was born May 21, 1836,
> in Ontario Co., Can. Her parents were natives of
=^ England, where they lived for 30 years, emigrating
thence to Canada. In i856 they settled in St. Clair
' County, where the mother died. Five children have
been born to Mr. and Mrs Bettis, three of whom
survive: John, William E. and Levi M. Joseph and
Cyrus C. are deceased. The parents are members of
the Baptist Church.
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S  &  i William  V. McIntyre, farmer, section 28,
Fremont Township, was born Nov. 14,
18i6, in Lanark, Scotland, and is the son
of Hugh and Henrietta (Burns) McIntyre.:ib    H S His father was an educated man, and spent
many years as a teacher.  He was also a;   preacher of the denomination known as the Independent Methodists. He emigrated with his family
to America in 1834, landing at Quebec, and buying a


farm in the vicinity of that city. The parents died
in Darling Township, near Prescott, Ont.
Mr. McIntyre resided with his parents until he was
of age, and fitted himself for the business of a cooper;
but he became satisfied that he should win neither
wealth nor glory in that pursuit, and bought a farm.
This was his field of labor seven years, when he sold
the place and removed to Worth Township, Sanilac
County. He became the proprietor there of 80 acres
of land, on which he labored 30 years. At the end
of that time, he sold the place and bought the farm
on which he has since resided, in the Township of
Fremont.
His marriage to Margaret Donahue occurred Dec.
24, 1841. She is the daughter of Patrick and Ann
Donahue, both of whom are deceased. Her father
was 30 years old at the time of his death, and she
had been in America but six weeks when it occurred.
Her mother died in Canada, aged 62 years.
Mr. and Mrs. McIntyre have been the parents of
I children, six of them now living. Hugh was born
Nov. 23, 1842; Ann, born Dec. I5, 1844, died Sept.
13, 1849; George was born April 15, 1846, and died
July 4, 1859; Patrick was born Sept. 8, I847, and
died in the service of the United States July 6, I864;
Henrietta was born Oct. 3, 1849; William, Oct. 13,
185; Margaret, Aug. 7, 1853; Norman, April 20,
i85 6 David, born Oct. i6, 1859, died Jan. 27, 1865;
Mary J., March 8, 1865. The family are Adventists
in religious opinion.
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j    } obert J. Arnot, farmer on section 32, adjoining the village of Lexington, was born
it in Florida, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1811, and is the
son of James and Sarah (McMichael) Arnot.
His father owned a farm  near the city of
Toronto, Can., of which the family took possession
in 1825. When he was 23 years old his father gave
him 50 acres of unimproved land. He cleared a
small portion, built a house suited to his circumstances, and, preparatory to settling in life, was married to Sarah Hall, the event occurring March 30,
I836. The fruits of this marriage were ii children,
born in the following order: James (deceased), Eliza

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beth (wife of Barney Vanest, a farmer of Lexington
Township), Ira (a farmer in this township), William
(deceased), Cephas (a farmer and merchant at Croswell), Silas (a farmer in Grant Township, St. Clair
Co.), George (living on the homnstead), Phebe J.
(wife of N. 0. Randall, of Marysville, St. Clair Co.),
and three children who died in infancy.
Mr. Arnot remained on his small farm in the Dominion until 1851, when he came to this township
and bought 80 acres where he now lives. He added
to his real estate by subsequent purchase, until he
owned 700 acres of land. He has distributed the
bulk of his acreage among his children, and holds
120 acres as a homestead. His fine home was built
in i88I. His first wife died March 15, 1862, and
he was again married to Mrs. Elizabeth Livingston,
widow of Andrew Livingston.   She was born in
Canada, Feb. 13, 1817.  Arnot and his wife are
Adventists in religious belief. He has been Superintendent of the Poor about 25 years, and still discharges the duties of the position.
ohn H. Fox, Treasurer of Moore Township,
}    resident at Elmer, was born Dec. 22, 1855,
] 5^" in Brant Co., Burford Tp, Can., and is the
son of Peter and Jane Fox. The mother was:   born in England; the father was born in Canada and died there in i858. The mother died
in Elmer in 188o.
Mr. Fox was employed in a cheese-factory when
he was 13 years old. He spent two seasons in that
business, when he came to Sanilac County and settled in Lamotte Township. Three years later he
came to the township of Moore, where he lived two
years, coming thence to Elmer, where he spent three
years operating as a general merchant. He then became interested in a saw-mill and also in selling
farming implements.
He was married in 1879 to Carrie Banks, daughter
of George H. and Looday Banks, both of whom
are natives of England. Joseph H., only child of Mr.
and Mrs. Fox, was born April 17, 1880.  Mr. Fox
acts with the Republican party in political matters.
In I879, he was elected Township Treasurer, and




after serving one year vacated the office.  He was
re-elected to the next term and has held the position
since. He has also served as Justice of the Peace,
Constable and School Inspector, and is a member of
of the Order of Maccabees, at Sandusky, Sanilac
County.
~   " oshua Wixson, a leading and influential.,lE.I   agriculturist of Sanilac County, located on
A   section io, Worth Township, was born:, Jan. 9, I827, in York Co., Can. He is the
third son of Amos and Elizabeth (Long) Wixson. The former was a native of Steuben Co.,
N. Y., and was of mixed English and German descent. He settled in Canada after his marriage, and
in I841 transferred his interests to Sanilac County.
He settled in what was then the township of Lexington, which was afterwards divided and the township
of Worth constructed. They afterwards removed to
St. Clair County, where the wife and mother died
about Aug. i, I868. Two years afterward the father
removed to Lexington Township and died there, in
January, 1882. His family included six children.
Mr. Wixson obtained a fair education, considering
the adverse circumstances which surrounded him.
In 1841 he came to Sanilac County, since which time
he has been continuously a resident of Michigan,
having never been out of the State.  When he
reached his majority he became the owner of i60
acres of land, which has been his field of labor. To
this he has added by purchase 40 acres additional,
and has now a valuable farm of 200 acres, with 120
acres in highly creditable cultivation, supplied with
fine farm buildings. He has been identified with the
Republican party since its organization, has been
prominent in local public affairs, and has held the
various township offices, having served as Supervisor
six years, Justice of the Peace I6 years, Clerk two
years, and School Inspector i8 years. In the fall of
I882 he was elected to the Legislature of Michigan
and discharged the duties of the position in a manner every way creditable and satisfactory.
His marriage to Nancy Macklem occurred Nov. i 6,
1853, in Worth Township. Her parents, James and


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Ann (Lundy) Macklem, were natives respectively of
Pennsylvania and Canada. Her father was born of;:,Irish parents. The name of her mother before marriage was the same as that of the celebrated battle of
Lundy's Lane, or Niagara, which was fought on her
grandfather's farm. Three children of eight that
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wixson died in infancy. Melissa J. was born June 9, 1856, and died
Oct. ii, 1859; Mary M. was born April 27, i858;
Philip T., April 6, i860, and died July 2, I884;. Waldo E., Oct. 23, 1863, and Ada Z., Nov. i6, I869.
ames Sharp, Sr., farmer, section 21, Fret,,  X    i A  mont Township, was born in 18I9, in
Perthshire, Scotland. His parents, James
and Ann (Thompson) Sharp, were both natives of that country, where they married and
passed the entire period of their lives. Their
family included six children,-John, William, James
Robert, Ann and Ellen.
Mr. Sharp was married in the parish of Comroy,.Scotland, in 1848, to Anna, daughter of Alexander
and Anna (McEwen) Drummond. Both her parents
are deceased. Her mother died in February, I855,
and her father in r868. Mrs. Sharp is the fifth of a
family of nine children, born in the following order:
Jeannette, Catherine, Peter (deceased), Elizabeth
(deceased), Anna, Elizabeth (2d), Mary, Bell and
Alexander.
Mr. Sharp came to America in 1854, with his wife
and three children. They reached Quebec, Canada,
May 21, and the father obtained employment on the
Grand Trunk Railroad and afterwards on the Coburg
& Petersburg road, operating in that capacity two
years. In May, i856, he came to Sanilac County.
He bought I20 acres of Government land under the
regulations of the Graduation Act, paying 50 cents
an acre threfor. He belonged to the pioneers of the
county and experienced all the vicissitudes and
novelty of the existence of the early settler. Breadstuff was attainable only by going to Worth Township. On one occasion Mr. Sharp, in company with
three neighbors, proceeded thither for flour and
started on their return home, each with a sack of the


necessaries of life on his back. They arrived at
Black Creek at dark, the rain pouring down and the
prospect of achieving a transit across the jam of logs
in the stream rather dismal. An uncertain step on
an unsteady log sent Mr. Sharp into the water up to
his neck. As he fell he adroitly deposited his sack
of flour on a log and his companions assisted him in
once more obtaining foothold. There were no roads
in the township when Mr. Sharp became a resident,
only a slight clearing of underbrush constituting anything like a thoroughfare. He brought with him a steer
calf, for which he bought a mate in Worth Township.
He and the calf made a procession across Black
Creek, which entirely outrivaled his former exploits
with the flour sack. The calf refused to experiment
in traveling across the revolving logs, and his owner
shouldered the refractory beast and marched across
the "jam," the four legs of the calf flying in the air
at all points of the compass during the transit.
The children of Mr. and Mr. Sharp were born as
follows: James, July lI, 1849; Anna, Jan. 14, 1851;
Elizabeth, Nov. 14, I853; Mary E., April 12, I858;
Bell, Sept. 14, i86o. The two last named were born
in Fremont Township. Mr. Sharp is an adherent of
the Republican party, and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
~!! flndrew Macklem, farmer, section i6, Worth
Township, is the son of Thomas and Cath_,J,erine (Wideman) Macklem.    The parents
=i  were born and reared in Pennsylvania, where
they were married. They settled in the Dominion of Canada and resided there until their
deaths. Their family included five sons and six
daughters.
Mr. Macklelm is the second son of his parents, and
was born Oct. 27, 1821. On attaining his majority,
he spent a year in the capacity of farm laborer, and
at the expiration of that time he took possession of a
farm which was transferred to him by his father. In
February, I852, he came to Sanilac County and purchased 80 acres of land, in Worth Township, most of
which Was in an unimproved condition., His home

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i' stead now includes 220 acres of fine farming land,
ii and nearly the entire acreage is in a finely cultivated: condition. In political connection, Mr. Macklem is
a Republican. He has been active and prominent
"  in town matters since he became a citizen, and has
been Supervisor one year, Treasurer ten years (seven
successively), Clerk two years, Road Commissioner
three years and has held the different school offices.
He was married Nov. o1, I846, in York Co., Can.,
to Jane, daughter of Dan P. and Elizabeth (Robin-! son) Hunter. Her father was born in Ireland. her
a  mother in Scotland. After their marriage they settled in Canada, where the former died, in April 1879.
Mrs. Macklem was born Feb. 21, 1828, in Canada.
Of ten children born of her marriage, eight survive,
namely: Joseph H., Elizabeth A.. Margaret K.,
Wilfred J., Hamilton A., Cynthia E., Ida J. and
Bertha M. Paden and Thomas A. are deceased.
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34 mB      1 ndrew  W. Monro, grocer at Lexington,
U:.     }:  was born Aug. 3, i837, in Canada. His
i              S.i~ parents, S. W. and Nellie (Banghart) Monro,
removed to Michigan in 1838. They settled
in Lexington Township, and not long after the
father bought 26 acres of land on the present site of
the village, including a portion of the most important
part of the same. He was a tanner and currier, and
erected a building for the prosecution of his business,., which he continued to manage up to the time of his
death in I88i. The demise of the wife and mother
occurred three days previous.
On attaining a suitable age, Mr. Monro went to
London, Can, to learn the tanner's trade. He returned to Lexington in I859 and spent two years at
his trade. He then opened a saloon, and at times
managed a bakery and engaged in the sale of groceries. He is still operating his saloon and grocery
business. He is also extensively interested in fish@ ing, which enterprise he instituted as a business in
1874. He owns a fine boat and ITo gill-nets. His
fishing-ground is at Grindstone City, and he employs three men. He finds market for the product, of this industry chiefly at Port Huron. His heaviest


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aniel Lawson, farmer, resident on section
n^Yi^t 2, Fremont Township, was born May 23,
Ir  I82I, in Perthshire, Scotland. His par'jt3  ents, Graham  and Ann (Wright) Lawson,
were of Scotch origin and were married in
their native land. In I83I they emigrated
to America with their family of ten children, who
were born in the order which they are here named:
Margaret, William, Ann, Amelia, Lilly, Mary, John,
Daniel, Louisa and Ellen.  They settled in Halton
Co., Can., where the parents passed the remainder
of their lives. Each was nearly four score years of
age at the date of death.
Mr. Lawson grew to man's estate under his
father's supervision, and, after attaining his majority,
remained at home until he was 35 years of age,
working on the home place as he had previously
done. In October, 1855, he came to Fremont, with
Mark Gray (see sketch), and located 280 acres of
Government land, for which he paid $1.25 per acre.
To this he has added I60 acres by later purchase,
and now owns the entire tract of 440 acres. It was
all in a wild state, entirely without improvements.
About one-fourth has been placed in first-class tillable condition. His family removed to the place
which has since constituted their honestead, Sept.
i5, I857.
He was married Jan. 12, 1846, to Janet, daughter
of Andrew and Elizabeth (Douglass) Aiken. She
was born in Selkirk, Scotland, and accompanied her
parents to Halton Co., Can., about the year I825.
The family settled on a farm where the parents died.
Andrew, Elizabeth, Matilda, William, Margaret,


COUNTY. Y
catch was taken opposite Lexington, with one gang
of 25 nets, and comprised 3,500 pounds of fish. Mr.
Monro is a member of the Masonic Order, Lexington Lodge. No. 6.
He was married at Lexington, in October, I864, to
Anna M., daughter of Benoni and Mary A. Hayes.
She was born in Canada. Of this marriage two
children have been born,-Nellie, wife of Albion
Wixson, a salesman in a wholesale and retail hardware establishment in Detroit, and William, who is
deceased.
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' Agnes, Jeannette, Thomas and John are the names
of their children. The mother died in i86I, and
was 85 years of age. The father was 84 years of
age, and died in 1864. Mrs. Lawson was born April
5 15, 8i9. The four children born to himself and
her husband are all living. Following is their record: Daniel, born March o1, I847; Elizabeth D.,
born Dec. 29, I848, was married April 19, 1871, to
Thomas Aiken; Graham, born Feb. 26, I85I, was
married Dec. II, I877, to Fannie Teed; Ann W.,
' born March 17, 1856, was married to Thomas Todd,
i of Fremont.
Sanilac County was in its infancy when Mr. Lawson removed his family hither. He paid a man $18
to bring his household effects from Croswell (then
Davisville). They made but two small "jags," and
accomplished their removal with the aid of a twohorse wagon. Mrs. Lawson walked all the distance
from Croswell, carrying her youngest child in arms,
over a route which she selected for herself, making
K the way over logs and through brush, there being no
regular road.
Mr. Lawson is a Republican in political senti-:  ment. He has been active in local official positions,." having served 16 years as Justice of the Peace, nine,V years as School Director, and six years as Supervisor.
' The family attend the Presbyterian Church.
I
illiam D. James, proprietor of the Cadillac
House, Lexington, was born April Ii,
843, at Port Huron, Mich., and is the son
of Amos and Angeline (Spaulding) James.
His father was an owner and captain of vessels
on the lakes, and at the age of 15 years Mr. James
became a "look-out" in his father's employment.
He operated as a sailor until he was 22 years of age,
and in i865 he came to Lexington, where his father
owned the Cadillac House. He became a clerk in
the establishment, and has been in the hotel busil   ness ever since. In I868 he bought the livery stable
of Peter Janette, which he still manages. He keeps
5   six horses, and equipments suited to the demands of


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his business. He manages a sale, board and feed
stable. The hotel is the largest at Lexington, and
has accommodations for about Ioo guests, with billiard and pool rooms, bar and fixtures. Mr. James is
a member of the Order of Masonry and of the Royal
Arcanum, in which fraternity he is Regent.
He was married July 9, i866, at Port Huron, to
Emma H., daughter of David and Mary A. Bryce,
a native of St. Clair County. Their eldest child died
in infancy. Dollie B. was born June 14, i868; Frank
A., Sept. 30, I870; Irene E., March 24, 1883.
Mr. Bryce is a prominent business man of Port
Huron, and has been an essential factor in the progress and development of that city.  He is the
builder of the Bryce Block.
n   ndrew Moore, merchant, Postmaster, No-, Fl r  tary Public and Conveyancer, proprietor ol
>f-C.  the Speaker Creamery, etc., located at the
i  village of Speaker, Mich., was born Sept. 22,
I843, in Canada, and is the son of Martin and
Mary A. (Fluellen) Moore. His father was born in
Canada, his mother in the State of New York. They
removed to Michigan and settled in St. Clair County,
where they resided over three years; returned to the
old homestead in Canada, where his mother died, in
I85. The father returned to Michigan and died in
June, I868.
Mr. Moore was seven years old when his mother
died. He remained under the management of his
father until he was 21 years of age, when shortly he
became a soldier in the services of the Union, enlistingin Co. F, 24th Mich. Inf. Vols., under Capt.
George A. Ross, of Detroit. The command was assigned to the Army of the West, and was discharged
July 8, i865, at Detroit. He is now receiving $8
per month pension for disabilities contracted while in
the service. He attended the Medical College at
Ann Arbor during the winters of 1868-9 and I869 -70. In the fall of i871 he fixed his residence in
Speaker village, where he has since resided, with the
exception of five months at Port Sanilac.
He has been a citizen of Sanilac County since


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J March, 1858, and is one of. the oldest permanent
I) settlers. He has been Drain Commissioner, Health
Physician, School Inspector, etc. In the year 1883 he
i was elected Supervisor, and in 1884 was re-elected;. to the same position.
His marriage to Augusta Hart occurred in 1872.
She was born in I847, in the State of New York, and
is the daughter of John H. and Sarah (Hogg) Hart,
both of whom were natives of England.
Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Moore, as follows: Darwin, March 14, I873 (died:| Nov. 6, r877); Wilfred E., Nov. 27, 1874; Allan K.,
April 23, I878; Martin A., Oct. 8, I88o, and John
X H., Sept. i, 1882.  Mr. Moore is an earnest believer in the truths of modern spiritualism, as he
believes they are taught by the "gentle Nazarene,"
and is a member of the order of Odd Fellows and
of the Masonic fraternity.,f~,     ~ P      ~ohn S. Robb, farmer, section 30, Lexington
E:  G, (, Township, was born June 26, 1830, in
J' M jr^J Lanarkshire, Scotland, and is the son of!  Rig John and Marion (Stuart) Robb. John Robb
was born Jan 9, 1804, at Stonebyers, in the
parish of Leshmahagon, Lanarkshire, Scotland,
and is the son of John Robb, who was born in the
same place in 1761, and died in the parish of Carluke, Lanarkshire. The father of the first John
Robb was named Thomas, and died in 18Io, aged 95
<f years.  The grandmother of J. S. Robb, Mary
'  (Thompson) Robb, was born at Killbank, Lanark~' shire, in 1759, and died in I846. (This account
traces the lineage of J. S. Robb through three generations to the records in Scotland.) Marion (Stuart)
Robb was born at Borland, Lanarkshire, May 5,
1802, and died July 9, I879, at Croswell, aged 77
years. She was the daughter of John Stuart, a native of Lanarkshire. Her mother was born in the
same place.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm in
his native land and learned the trade of a builder.
In October, 1855, he came to America, landing at
New York. The ocean passage was very stormy
and lasted six weeks. He paid his passage in
'   money before sailing, but the ship sprang a leak and


he found it expedient to assist in bringing the vessel
safely to port by working at the pumps. He came
direct from New York to Hamilton, Can., where he
worked six months as a farm assistant and in a sawmill, spending some time also in freighting. In the
spring of I856 he started for the copper mines of the
Upper Peninsula, but stopped at Black River, where
Croswell is now located, then comprising less than
half a dozen houses. An ice-drive from the north
detained the steamer, on which he expected to journey to his destination, and he went to work as a carpenter, engaging with Messrs. Davis & Stevenson to
assist in the construction of a steam saw-mill. In
November following he went to Potts, to engage in
lumbering. He passed two winters in the woods.
His parents came to America several years after he
had found a home here. His mother died in Lexington, in I878, aged 79 years; the father resides
near his son and is 80 years old. Mr. Robb owns
120 acres located on the northeast quarter of the
section above named.
He was married June 13, 1857, to Mary Hart.
daughter of John and Sarah (Hogg) Hart. Her
father died in I88r, aged 68 years. Her mother is
living in Croswell, and is 78 years old. Mrs. Robb
was born April 26, 1837, at Stratford-on-Avon, England, the birthplace of Shakspeare. The children
of Mr. and Mrs. Robb were born as follows: Marion H., April 6, i858; Genevieve, Jan. 26, 186o,
Martha, July I9, 1862; William J., March 27, 1865;
Elizabeth, Jan. 29, 1868, died July 17, 1873; Nellie
C., July 22, 1871; Jessie, April 14, 1873; Lena,
Nov. 2, 1875; Mabel, April I8, 1877; Winnifred,
Oct. I5, I881.
Mr. Robb is a Republican, has been Justice of the
Peace, and served in the various school offices.


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oses Foster, farmer, section i6, Flynn  '.
d      Township, was born Jan. 8, 1824, in. "P' Tompkins Co., N. Y., and is the son of  ^:   John and Lucinda (Treadwell) Foster. His  1
parents removed, when he was nine years of 4
age, to Ontario, Can., where they engaged in,:
farming. The mother died there at the age of 64
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years, and the father removed later to Lapeer Co.,
Mich., where he died, in May, I856.
Mr. Foster remained in Elgin Co., Can., until he
was i8 years old, when he went to his native State
and engaged in farm labor. Four years later he returned to Canada, and purchased 125 acres of land
in Elgin County, where he pursued agriculture for
27 years. At the ehd of that time he sold his property in the Dominion and came to Michigan.  He
purchased 80 acres of land in Attica Tp., Lapeer
County. He afterwards sold this and removed to a
farm in Burnsides Tp., Lapeer County, which he
owned and managed three years, when he again sold
out and bought 160 acres of unbroken land situated
on sections i6 and 2t in Flynn Township. He has
placed 40 acres under cultivation and is making
rapid progress in the work of improving and placing
the property in good arable condition.
He was married Jan. I, 1845, in Tompkins Co.,
N. Y., to Susan Strong. She was born Nov. I, i826,
in that county, of parents who were natives of
Pennsylvania, of German extraction.  She died in
Elgin Co., Ont., May 4, I875. Five of 12 children
of whom she became the mother are deceased. They
were named Lydia, Eunice A., Adaline, Anna, David,
Lorinda, Mary E., Lovica, Benjamin F., James V.,
John S. and Moses E. Mr. Foster was a second
time married, in Elgin Co., Ont., in September, i876,
to Alice Abel. She was born in St. Catherine's, Ont.,
and died in October, I877. One child, of whom she
was the mother, died at the same time. The third marriage of Mr. Foster occurred in Attica, Lapeer County,
in February, 1878, to Marcia Dunham, a native of
the Empire State.  Mr. Foster is a Republican in
political sentiment.
ndrew Graham, blacksmith at Carsonville,
established his business there in 1876. He
~]p bought the shop and interest of James Ross,
and has since been engaged in a prosperous,   and increasing business. He was born in
Scotland, Feb. 9, 1853, and is the eldest son
of his parents, William and Mary A. (Dalrymple)
Graham. They.were natives of Scotland, and still


reside there. Mr. Graham learned his trade in his
native land, spending five years in his apprenticeship. In 1873, when he was 20 years of age, he
came to the New World and settled at first in Canada. In the spring of 1876 he came to his present
location. Mr. Graham belongs to the Order of Masonry and the Knights of Maccabees.
He was married May I, 1877, in Croswell, to
Olivia Kimball, a native of the province of Quebec.
They have three children,-Walter  V., Roy and
Myrtle.
MI    arcus Fields, farmer, section 25, Maple
Valley Township, was born July 30, 1832,
l'   %^ in Erie Co., N. Y. His parents, Paul and
~ ^\ Nancy (Price) Fields, were natives of Wind-: sor, Vt., and descended from New England
ancestors, who traced their origin to the earliest
settlers of that section of the United States. Mr.
Paul Fields was a farmer in the Empire State, where
Mrs. F. died, in December, 1833, leaving three
children. The former went, later in life, to Wisconsin, where he died a few years after. At the
death of the mother, the children-Hiram, Melinda
and Marcus -were taken in charge by several kindly
disposed families, who reared them as their own,
Marcus being cared for in the family of a Quaker
named Hosea Eddy. The separation of the children proved a lasting one. They were too young to
know the necessity of perpetuating the clues to each
other's whereabouts and circumstances, and 14 years
elapsed before the brothers met. The sister was
adopted by a family who removed to Ontario, where
she grew to womanhood and married a man named
Franklin Lacass, who in all probability was the first
permanent settler in the township of Maple Valley.
Mr. Lacass became a soldier, enlisting in Co. K,
Third Mich. Vol. Inf., and was killed near Atlanta,
Ga., in 1864. His widow is an inmate of the home
of her brother. On her removal to Canada, all traces
of her were lost for 32 years, when through persistent
advertising she was discovered and was reunited to
her brothers.
The death of Mr. Eddy, the protector of Marcus


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Fields, occurred when the latter was nine years old.
He remained with the widow of his foster father,
caring for her and supplying the place of a son, until
the advent of civil war. He was among the first to
enlist, and enrolled as a soldier, June 4, i86i, in Co.
K, 2ist Reg. N. Y. Vol. Inf., under Capt. Layton.
The regiment was assigned to the Army of the
Potomac. Mr. Fields re-enlisted after the expiration
of his first period of enrollment (which continued two
years), in the i45th N. Y. Reg. Vol., Co. A. He was
in the service a year longer, and during the entire
period participated in 22 battles and skirmishes. He
possessed singular caution and other qualities, which
made him valuable as a scout, and he performed
much effective service in that capacity, for which he
was specially detailed many times. He was honorably discharged in the fall of I864, and, on succeeding in obtaining knowledge of his sister, he made her
interests and those of her four children his own, and
has since devoted his time and energies to their well
being.
Mr. Field is a believer in the essential claims of
Spiritualism and is independent in political views.
Art rthur Avery, farmer, located on section 29,
~-. J Fremont Township, is a pioneer settler in
the town where he lives and where he located
in i862. He arrived in April and bought his
farm, and soon afterward sent for his family.
The place had 50 acres cleared and a good log house.
There were few settlers, and at first it was difficult to
obtain supplies, which involved hardship and privation of no common character, and necessitated arduous effort and the exercise of all the endurance of
which mankind is capable.
Mr. Avery was born Feb. 3, 1819, in Mere, Wiltshire, Eng. His parents, John and Amelia (Mills)
Avery, have been dead many years. The demise of
the former occurred when he was 86 years old; the
mother died at the age of 65 years. His father was
a stone-mason and brick-layer, and he instructed his
son in the same business. The latter was under the
guidance of his father until he was 25 years of age.




I           --


He went then to Bristol, Eng., where he operated
eight years. At the end of that time, in I852, he
emigrated to America, landing at the port of New
York, where he found employment at once and
worked at his trade several weeks. He went thence
to Jo Daviess Co., I11., and erected the first stone
building in that county. It was the residence of a
man named Dimick, who had returned from California. On completing the job, Mr. Avery proceeded
to St. Louis, and, after a delay there of a few days, to
New Orleans.
This was in the fall of 1852, and he passed the
winter months in the Crescent City, working as a
mason. In the spring he returned to St. Louis,
where he lingered two weeks, working at his trade.
He then proceeded to La Salle Co., Ill., where he
aided in the construction of the railroad bridge that
crosses the Illinois River at that place. He worked
there three months, acting as foreman of the building corps on one side of the bridge. He started for
Niagara City, now Niagara Falls, going thence by the
way of Chicago, stopping in the (then) embryo city
but a few days. He worked at Niagara about a year,
and obtained the job of putting up the first house at
Elgin, now Clifton. The work of progress at the
latter place made rapid strides, and in a few years
the town was incorporated. A man named Samuel
Zimmerman was the founder of the place, and
pushed all projects for its advancement with energy.
He obtained the charter of the Canada Southern
Railroad, and it was in his possession when he was
suddenly snatched from life in the disaster on the
Des Jardines Canal at Hamilton. Mr. Avery remained at Clifton eight years, coming from there to
Fremont Township. The family made their way
hither by Port Huron, which they reached by railroad, and drove through from there with a horse
team. Mr. Avery pushed his agricultural operations as rapidly as possible, but in the third year of
his residence provisions were scarce and want seemed
close at hand.
The husband and father resolved on greater effort,
and he walked 25 miles to Port Huron, and from
there to Fort Wayne, near Detroit, where he obtained
work to provide for his family. After a few weeks he
found that a strike among the employees was imminent, and by collusion with the foreman he obtained
his pay.  A strike would preclude the laborers
from obtaining their wages, and the foreman de

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SA ILA C CO UNTY.                   309,                       d):~%.


vised a pretext for discharging him before the crisis
came. The foreman, who was a former acquaintance,
told him to go to Detroit and apply for the building
of a brick house that was projected there, which he
did with success. He remained in the city about
five weeks, and returned to his farm.
Mr. Avery was married May 12, 1845, in St. Michael's Church, in Bristol, Eng., to Jane Moger. Her
parents, Thomas and Ann (Matthews) Moger, were
both natives of.England and both died there, aged
about 65 years.
Mr. Avery sailed for the United States in the
spring of 1852 and in the fall of 1853 he sent for his
wife and four children, whom he met in the city of
New York. They first began domestic life at Niagara City. Of ten children born to Mr. and Mrs.
Avery, eight are living: Arthur M. was born Feb. 3,
I846; Alfred, born Feb. I9, 1848, died Aug. 12,
1864; Agnes was born Nov. 12, I850; James O.
was born Aug. 19, 1852. These four were born in
the city of Bristol. Charles R. was born June  o,
I854; Catherine, May 28, i856; Jane, Feb. 27,
1858; William, Nov. 17, I86o; John, Jan. 3, 1862,
died Aug, 8, 1879; Emily, Aug. 23, 1864. The last
named child was born in Fremont Township. Five
children were born in Clifton, Ont.
Mr. Avery is a Democrat in political connections,
and has officiated two terms as Township Clerk at
Fremont.




acres in finely improved and cultivated condition,
with orchards, fine buildings and valuable stock, including six cows.
He was married the first time Feb. 28, 1852, in
Lexington Township, to Emmeline, daughter of Martin and Sophia Law. She was a native of Canada
and died Oct. 9, I857, leaving one child,-Charles
R.,-now a farmer in Isabella Co., Mich.  Mrs.
Rachel J. French was born Nov. 22, 1827, in London, Can., and is the daughter of Levi and Anna
Lewis. She was married March 28, i858, to Mr.
French, and of this union five children have been
born, as follows: Jennie, Emma, Katie, William J.
and Sarah. The two oldest and the youngest daughters are now popular teachers in Sanilac County.
S liver Lane, farmer, section 17, Flynll 'ownWB| ship, was born May 6, I834, in York Co.
" Ont., and is the son of Cyrus and Sarah
* (Todd) Lane.  The father was born in Newbury, Vt., in the year 1796. He died June 20,
1876, and is buried in Tobo, Middlesex Co.,
Ont. The mother was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in I809, and died Dec. 20, I853, and was buried
on lot seven in the sixth concession in Markham
Township, York Co., Ont.
The subject of this sketch attained his age under
the supervision and instructions of his father and received a good education. When he arrived at man's
estate, he became a teacher in the public schools of
the section where he was reared, and passed three
years in that employ. He then became interested
in farming, to which he devoted two years previous
to his marriage. That event occurred Jan. 3, 186o,
in Middlesex Co., Ont., where he was married to
Amanda Brooks. She was born Dec. 23, 1846, in
Elgin Co., Ont. Of eleven children born to Mr. and
Mrs. Lane four are deceased- Mary E., Alonzo,
Minnie and Polly M. Those who survive are named
Alberta A., Eliza J., John M., Sarah E., Ernest C.,
Oliver A. and Levi. After the event of his marriage,
Mr. Lane located on o00 acres of land in Oxford
Co., Ont. In the spring of I865 he started on a
western trip for the benefit of his health and to ob

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i \   -jitoseph W. French, farmer, Lexington Township, located on section 28, was born near
Toronto, Can., April 16, i829. His parents, Charles and Jane (Macklem) French, belonged to the agricultural class in the Dominion,
and the son was reared to that calling. In I85
he came to Sanilac County, and not long afterward
i   purchased 50 acres of land on section 9, Worth Township, on which he resided ten years. He cleared 40
acres and put the farm in a very valuable condition.; He sold it in I869 and purchased his present homestead property. He labored on this alone until he
$ cleared 24 acres, and now has the entire tract of 80
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If tain an idea of the West, then becoming famous for
I: its resources of scenery and profit, and traveled
_: through Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio,
returning to his farm in the fall of the same year. He
thence removed to Kent Co., Ont., and purchased
280o-acres of land, where he labored ten years.  In
1876 he traveled in the East, visiting the Centennial Exposition and the cities of Baltimore, Washington and New York. In the spring of I88i, he came
to Sanilac County and purchased 280 acres of land
on sections 17 and 20 in Flynn Township. He has
improved 70 acres, and has erected a comfortable
' house and good farm buildings. He is a Republican
p in political connection, and is now serving a term as
Justice of the Peace.
i
1
\arles Scott, farmer, section 34, Fremont:^ i  it Township, was born Nov. 21, i8i8, in
Niagara District, Canada. His father, Amos
Scott, was of English descent, and died in
xford Co., Can., in April, I864, aged 84
years. His mother, Rachel (Ward) Scott, was
X a native of the State of New York, born of Holland
Dutch parentage.  She died March 14, 1854, in
Norwich, Can., aged 64 years.
| Mr. Scott was reared a farmer, and when he was
20 years old he was married to Marion Smith. Their
wedding took place Nov. 21, I838. She was the
daughter of Isaac and Mary (McCleisk) Smith, both
of whom are deceased. She died March I4, I850,:/ and left six children living of seven of whom she
became the mother. They were born as follows:
Isaac A., Dec. 4, I839; George W., Nov. i8, 1840
(died March i, 1884); Charles T., January, 1842;
Mary J., March 20, T844 (died Oct. 24, 1882); Amos
L., Sept. 15, I846 (died in September, i850); Minerva A., Jan. i8, 1848; Marvin, March 14, 1850;: (died March 14, I854).
Mr. Scott was again married March 29, 1855, to.:):: Amy Johnson, eldest daughter of Ezra and Ruth
Johnson. She was born of German parentage, in Can3  ada, in 1802, and died in Norfolk, March 22, I851.
2; Mrs. Scott has three sisters,-Mary J., Hannah and
\   Maloya. She has been the mother of ten children,


seven of whom are living. They were born as follows:
Emma R., March i6, 1856 (died Dec. 3, 1856);
Amos E., Sept. 12, 1857; Edward V., Feb. to, 1859;
Francis C., March 26, I861; Joseph T., May 30,
1863; Agnes G., July 20, i865; Charlie A., March
29, i867 (died July 20, 1869); Amy R., July 30,
1870; Hannah M., Feb. 25, i873.
While a resident of Canada Mr. Scott was engaged
in lumbering, and prosecuting all the business pertaining to his saw-mill there. He has pursued the
same calling to a considerable extent since coming
to Michigan. He took possession of his farm in Fremont Township Sept. 15, I860. It was in a primitive condition, with no improvements, and in a
situation so entirely unknown to the presence of
humanity that wild game was most abundant,
especially deer, which could be seen in every direction from the door of the house, and were so tame
that they would remain where the cattle were herded.
The subject of game was one of peculiar interest to
Mr. Scott, his father and grandfather having been
hunters of considerable celebrity in the Dominion of
Canada. The house which he built for his family
was the first frame house erected in the township,
and was constructed in six days. It has served as a
residence for his family ever since.
Mr. Scott is a Republican in political principles,
and has held several local official positions in the
township. Mrs. Scott is a member of the Baptist
Church.


W   athan McClure, farmer, resident on section
I6, Fremont Township, was born Sept. 8,
i841, in Worth Township, Sanilac Co.,
l.. Mich. He is the son of Robert and Margaret
J  Ann (Taylor) McClure, and both his parents are
deceased.  His mother died when he was a
babe; his father's death occurred when he was a lad
of ten years. After the latter event, he lived with his
brother John several years, after which he maintained
himself. He became a farm assistant and continued
in that capacity until he was old enough to learn the
trade of a carpenter, at which he worked until he
yielded to the increasing influence of the war spirit,


A


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SANILA C CO UNTY.


--


which inflamed the North during the progress of the
Rebellion. In September, 1862, he enlisted in Co.
C, Sixth Mich. Cav., under Capt. Armstrong and
Col. Gray. The regiment was assigned to the Michigan Brigade, and was under both Kilpatrick and
Custer. It was mustered out of the United States
service at Jackson, Mich., in the fall of 1865. It was
actively engaged at Gettysburg, Falling Waters, and
through the campaign in the Shenandoah Valley,
with Custer and Sheridan. Mr. McClure was continuously with his regiment after his enrollment, save
two weeks, when he was ill with measles, during the
time when the regiment was at Washington, before
proceeding to the field. On receiving his discharge
he returned to his native township and again became
a farm assistant, working'by the month, and also obe1,i;i'.r..lt.1.A..L.L..i.-, -i-iort rt tlh.- irul.-a;i t,.-rnrip


(died from the results of hardship in the army); Peter  f
(died while in the army); Lemuel; Jeremiah (died in
the army); Chauncey, John (died at the age of six *:,
years); Maria (deceased); Nancy, Rebecca, and Almira (deceased). The family came to Sanilac County, Feb. i, 1862, where Mr. House located I60 acres
of land in Buel Township.  He sold this to his
brother Lemuel and bought 80 acres, where he has
since resided. He is a Republican in political principle and a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. He is unmarried.,,




Licnl ng llll R llJlpiuy 11t1.1t   a  HaUL u1  ai, L 11 llC  au  11l1 a LcL..  WI,  *             J
He bought his farm of 40 acres Dec. '5, I880. On          illiam Dawson, Register of Deeds of Santhis he has operated successfully and has improvedac County, whose portrait appears on the
ilac County, whose portrait appears on the
and placed 20 acres under cultivation.   He is a                                iv.
X  (., i\ preceding page of this volume, was born: Democrat and has served as School Officer and     -        pre  ng page of this volume, was born;"!~  -at.. S And ~~~~Dec. 2I, I845, in Markham Township,   On- a i
Highway Commissioner.                                   tario. Thomas Dawson, his father, was a
He was married Oct. 6, 1874, to Lucena C., daugll-             England and passed his life in the
-a.?                               i' i                   wnative of England and passed his life in the.
(  ter of Aaron K. and Hannah A. (Sloat) Gardner.
ter.. K.. and HanahA.Slatwo-fold occupation of farmer and teacher. He came
Her parents are both living in Worth Township and                          ar    a   ad
to Ontario when he was 2i years of age, and married,
have always been on a farnm. They are natives of
have  alway  been on a fr.  Tf       Mary  Brooks, a  native  of  Canada,  whose  parents  *i
Canada, and are aged respectively 57 and 59 years.  w   b   r     i     i         i    a
IR~                        ~   ~   ~   ~ '   ~  F   *..J ~ - were born respectively in Pennsylvania and New
Mrs. McClure was born July i, I847,in Westminster r. S        clr      r   r  o
rS~                            ~       ~~ EJ~~~~~~~ "York. Seven children were born to them. In i857
Can. Three children have been born of her mar-                       Michigan and settled in St.
riage.~ ron A., Oct. io, 187.5 (died gan. 29, r877);  the family removed to Michigan and settled in St.
riage: Aaron A., Oct. o10, 1875 (died Jan. 29, 1877);  Clair County. Later they  ent to Memphis, MaClair County.  Later they went to Memphis,  MaAlbert M., Sept. 4, 1879, and an unnamed child,
llber M. Sept.,       9, nd an unaed chil        comb County, where the father is yet living and ocMarch 29, i884.                                  cupies a prominent position in social and political
-:.i *^~~~~~~~~~circles. The mother died in 1878, while on a visit
to Ontario.:aE:" - - -~'~_ __4' - - -     -_ 'Mr. Dawson is the oldest child of his parents. He
was 12 years of age when they located in St. Clair:
j!~g  -~<~a:,-~'Ji-^~                  |County, and he spent the following seven years with
j,      linley House, farmler, section  25, Buel  them, obtaining his education under the supervision
S.I   Township, was born Aug. i, 1839, in Ox-  of his father. He came to Sanilac County in his 9Ith
" t.3  ford Co., Can., and is the son, of James J.  year, and found employment in thektown of Elk, where
and Triphena (Malcolm) House. The former     he engaged as a salesman for Alexander Farwell, and
was born in the State of New York, of Penn-  continued to operate in that capacity two years. He!    l;. sylvania Dutch descent, and is now a resident  was married meanwhile, in 1866, to Lorania, daugh- a
of Buel Township. He is 83 years of age. The      ter of Chauncey and Lavinia (Fox) Allen, pioneer
mother died Jan. 28, 1884, and at the time of her  settlers of Sanilac County. Mrs. Dawson was born:    death was 73 years old. She was born in Canada, of  in Indiana, in 1847. Three of nine children born of 4
Scotch parentage. Their family included eight sons  her marriage are deceased. They were named (i
and four daughters, as follows: Daniel, Joseph     Emma I., Arthur F. and William H. Thomas E.,
g- j 1                                    pl WS(




~                S,,AN9 ---IL- aC -COUNY." -' "
P3 1 4          SA4NVILA C CO UNT Y.




" —


I ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -, Mary L., Delmer H., Eva M., Lela B. and Lilith are,t, the children still living.
Mr. Dawson passed the decade subsequent to his
f marriage in mercantile pursuits, agriculture and the
fii manufacture of hoops. In addition to his business
operations, he was prominent in public life, holding
successively the local offices of his township. He was
the Postmaster at Peck from 1865 to I87I1. In 1876
he was elected  County Clerk, which position he
filled two terms. He was next elected Register of
Deeds, and was for a time acting Probate Judge.:  He has since held his present position continuously,
and is now serving his second term. He is a Republican of a decided stamp, and wields a strong influence within his sphere, which he has won by the
fearless mode of his political activity and holds by his
consistent integrity. He owns 65 acres of land in the
village and vicinity of Peck, and I 15 acres of land
adjacent to the village of Sandusky. In 1869 he
drafted the first resolution to fix the location of the
' county seat at Sandusky, which, though it was not the.. immediate cause of the ultimate action which se-?=  cured that end, was one of the earliest preliminary:':, movements to effect the final result. Mr. Dawson is
=: prominent in his Masonic connections; is a member
of Elk (Blue) Lodge, No. 353, at Peck, of Damascus
Royal Arch Chapter, No. 41, and of the Lexington
)Commandery, No. 27.
'       ^ —~~a


ural state, on which he lived and labored until 1884,
when he exchanged the farm for the hotel property,
which he still owns at Carsonville. His establishment is the leading hotel in town, and he is engaged
in a good business. Mr. Crorey is a Democrat in
political faith and belongs to the Order of Maccabees.
He was married June 8, 1875, in Bridgehampton,
to Huldah, daughter of James and Harriet (Bennett)
Lee. Her parents were natives of Canada. Henry,
William J., Matilda A. and May M. are the children
of Mr. and Mrs. Crorey.
famuel Tuschingham, farmer, located on
k*i|   section 14, Fremont Township, was born
March 17, 826, in Lancashire, England. His
parents, Samuel and Lucy (Woods) Tuschingham, were both natives of the same country,
where they died, at nearly 70 years of age. In his
later youth and early manhood Mr. T. was employed
in a foundry in his native country.
In 1862 he came to America, landing at New
York. He did not remain in the States, but went to
Halton Co., Can., where he worked a short period as
a quarryman. Sept. i, 1865, he landed at Lexington,
in this county. He proceeded to Fremont Township
and bought i6o acres of land, to which lie has added
8o acres more by later purchase of John Lawson.
This entire acreage was in its original condition. He
has about I50 acres improved, and it ranks as one of
the finest farms in the township, with excellent brick
house and other good farm buildings. The place is
well stocked with cattle, sheep and horses, and the
proprietor is justly considered one of the leading
agriculturists in the county of Sanilac. He is a decided Republican in his political views.
Mr. T. was married June 20, I850, in Lancastershire, Eng., to Elizabeth, daughter of Peter and
Sybil (Daniels) Dutton. Her parents died in England, her father being about 70 years old at date of
death, and her mother was about 85 years of age at
the time of her demise. Their family included ten
children,-five sons and five daughters. Mrs. T. is the


S I    illiam J. Crorey, proprietor of the Ex-. change Hotel at Carsonville, Washington,    Township, has been a resident of Sanilac
County from infancy. He was born June T,
1854, in Ohio, and soon after that event his
parents, John an4 Mary (Stewart) Crorey, settled in
Sanilac County.  They were natives of Ireland,
/   whence they emigrated to the Buckeye State. On
removal to this county they settled in Washington
r.'  Township, where the father died, in I 88o. Their
(   family included three children.
Mr. Crorey is the oldest of the children born to
his parents, and received a common-school education. In 1876 he bought 80 acres of land in its natcn-school eca-.
i.,*...
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SA NILA C CO UN V' Y.                 315
_3:                   _~ =_c" = _?    third in order of birth. She was born Dec. 8, 1817,
in the same place where she lived until her mar'5:* riage. Following is the record of the children born to
Mr. and Mrs. T.: Mary Ann, Aug. 29, I851; William H., April 7, 1853; Samuel, Aug. 6, I857; Peter,
April 9, I855, died of scarlet fever in March, 1863,
in Canada. The children were all born in Lancashire, Eng..      F r...?I el@Mloratio J. Emery, physician and surgeon at
~  ~'H   Croswell, was born Dec. 27, 1857, in the
township of Portland, Lennox Co., Ont. He is
the son of James and Mary (Empey) Emery,
I  both of whom are Canadians by birth. His
1A  father is of Irish descent, was born March i8, 1827,
in Lennox Co., Ont., and is the son of Andrew Emery, who was a Captain in the British service in the
second struggle of Great Britain with the American
colonies. He was married in September, 1858, in
M T>..,~-, ca E n \/r,.T. l7c.,.,r  ~.,  41-  Ac-,  --- n a


i880 he matriculated at Queen's University, in the
Art Department, entering the Royal College of Physi-!
cians and Surgeons, where he fulfilled the prescribed %.
curriculum, covering a period of four sessions of six  j
months each. April 27, I884, he took the degrees of
M. D. and C. M., and in the first week of May following he passed successfully the Medical Council
of Ontario. In the intervals of the college terms of
1882-3, he walked the Kingston hospitals and read
one summer with a preceptor, C. B. Lake, M. D., at
Ridgetown.
He came to Croswell May 14, 1884, where he at is-:
once established his office and began a permanent a;
career as a medical lractitioner.
His thorough qualification for his professional duties, his earnest, conscientious character, and his devotion to his business, have given him a substantial
position as a physician, and won for him the respectful consideration of the community where he has
entered upon his chosen occupation.,; -iNai ppcanc, Ltu viLay -iiip1y, aniu tLy are ce1 parents  vcc
of five sons,-Frank, Horatio, John, Fred and Rufus.erick L. W           ther, of Lexington, was
1rederick L. Walther, of Lexington, was;  Their mother was born Sept. IS, 1837, in Addington      born Jan. 5, 1836, in the Province of SaxCo., Ont., of New England parentage. The family    Ml ony, Prussia. His parents, Conrad and
resided in Nappanee until 1868, whein they removed    Elizabeth (Wise) Walther, came to America
I   to Decorah, Winneshiek Co., Iowa, where they re-     with their family in 1852. The remained for a
mained I8 months, returning to Kent Co., Ont., the  short time in the city of Detroit and proceeded
climate of the Hawkeye State proving too severe for  thence to Sandusky, Ohio. They returned to Detroit,!   the health of the mother. They located at Dresden,  and a year later made their way to Lexington Townwhere the father is engaged in traffic in stock, his sons  ship, where the father became the owner of 40 acres!
managing the farm.                                of land situated one and a half miles northwest of i
Dr. Emery obtained a fair elementary education  the village. He died in 1868, and his wife May 6,
at the public schools of Kent County, studying there  1870.
until he was I5 years of age, when he went to To-  Mr. Walther accompanied his parents in their
ronto, where he entered the Normal School and took  various removals, and in I860 he built a brewery at
the prescribed course of study. After six months he  Lexington, in company with John L. Feed. In i865
'   went to Sydenham, Frontenac Co., Ont., and spent  he purchased the interest of his partner and coni 8 months in the grammar school, receiving a certif-  tinued the successful prosecution of the enterprise -
icate in the second grade A, authorizing him to  alone until the spring of 1884. At that date he sold
teach in the public schools of the Dominion, an oc-  the business to Purkiss Brothers. Mr. Walther owns
cupation he pursued two years, with growing dis-  a fine residence on Boynton Street,which is occupied f
J?   taste.                                          by his family. He also owns five lots with houses,
In 1879 he went to the Collegiate Institute at  all of which he built but one. He has served several (!    Kingston, to prepare for college, and in the fall of  terms as Village Trustee and Assessor of real estate. +.^...




f3 i6                                 SANIL AC,...             -... ---
>rj  He was married in the city of Detroit, July 2, I863,
to Mary Faltz, a native of Mecklenburg, Germany.:i She died in Lexington, Sept. 2, i868, and left three
f young children, who were born as follows: Minnie,,June 22, 1864; Emma L., March 28, i866; Francis
W., Oct. 28, I867. Mr. Walther was a second time
married, Nov. 13, I869, to Louisa Grounstedt. She
was born Sept. 12, 1850, in Hungary. Of this union
six children have been born, in the following order:
Frederick, Herbert, Augusta, William, Florence and: Henry. William is deceased.. i%
ohn Grice, farmer, section 24, Fremont
' Township, was born June 6, 1823, in the
). a  }' village of Carlby, Lincolnshire, Eng., and
>;, is the son of James and Charlotte (Sesson)
1         II Grice. His father was born Nov. 5, I787, in:E:  '[   " Suffolkshire, Eng., and died in Rutlandshire.
": He was buried in the celebrated Ryhall church-: yard. The mother was born in April, 1796, and
t  died July 3, I884, in Cowthorpe, Lincolnshire, and
was buried in Rutland beside her husband. The
> father of Mr. Grice was a man of honorable and dignified character, and was much respected in his generation.
Mr. John Grice was in the service of a farmer
until he was 17 years old. He became incapacitated
for active manual labor by the kick of a horse, sus-, taining a serious injury to his left leg, and in conse-:: quence he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a;  miller. As he received no money while serving the
x term of his indenture, he went into debt for clothes,
and in order to pay it he went to work for a mason,
with whom he remained three years, thoroughly
learning the business.  He spent the next three
years on a farm, in the employment of a man named
Clement Bland, who abandoned agriculture to be) come a miller, Mr. Grice continued in his service, subsequent to the transfer about a year, when he:? engaged as a farm laborer for Thomas Pinder, with
whom he continued ten years. He left his employment to come to the United States, and landed at
f  the port of New York in x856, accompanied by a
$ brother. He proceeded to Hamilton, Can., where


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he worked for a, man named Dodd, running an engine in a saw-mill. His employer failed and he lost
8100.
His next enterprise was the purchase of a piece of
land in company with his brother, which they were
obliged to surrender on account of a defective title.
He then engaged in the management of a farm,
owned by John Morden, and he operated in this
capacity four years. While in this employment his
abilities as a mechanic were in requisition, as he was
able to perform the duties of a first-class mason.
The year after leaving Mr. Morden he worked for
William Campbell as a farm laborer. He then engaged as a miller and continued in that pursuit seven
years.
In 1873 he came to Michigan and bought the farm
on which he has since lived and labored. It comprised 80 acres, with but slight improvement. Mr.
Grice has now 45 acres in fair tillable condition.
Mr. Grice was married the first time May 13,
1846, to Mary Ann Shortliff. She was born in Rutlandshire, Eng., in 1828, and died May 5, I853.
She is buried in Ryhall churchyard. She became
the mother of four children, three sons and a daughter,-James, John T. (deceased), Elizabeth Ann snd
John. The present wife of Mr. Grice, Elizabeth
(Monney) Grice, 'was born April 12, 1822, in Barrowby, Lincolnshire, Enig.
The record of the children of Mr. Grice is as follows: James, born Feb. 23, 1847; Elizabeth Ann,
March 23, 1849; John Thomas, born Sept. 17, I85,
died when six months old. John was born Sept.
i6, 1852. William G. Monney, adopted son, was born
March 26, 1870.
In his political creed, Mr. G. is independent. He
and his wife are members of the Free-Will Baptist
Church.
Ao —, (-^^^<^<(((((~0 ^<^-i))<
a-'muel Todd, farmer, section 2, Fremont
~I T~   Township, is a native of South Gore,
[jiCi Greenville Co., Can., and is the son of John
t,  and Esther M. (Main) Todd. His father was
born in County Tyrone, Ireland, about the
year i805. He came to the American continent in T825, landing at Quebec. He passed a


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LSAIVILA C CO UN T TY.


317


SANILAC COUNTY.                    317


few years as a day laborer and finally bought a farm,
married and settled. Ten years later he sold out his
property in Greenville County and removed to Haldimand County, where he bought 200 acres of land,
but the title proved insecure, and he was obliged to
surrender his claim. He came to this county April
I, I855, accompanied by his family, which included
nine sons and one daughter. He bought i60 acres
of land for 50 cents per acre, under the provision of
the Graduation Act.  Two years later he purchased
140 acres for the same price, and he operated upon
his place until the outbreak of the civil war, when he
enlisted in the i5th Mich. Vol. Inf. He died of
disease at Corinth, Miss., before the expiration of his
period of enlistment, aged 60 years.
Mr. Todd learned the trade of carpenter, at which
he worked summers, and engaged winters in hewing
timber. At the date of his father's death he was in
Canada, where he had charge of a lumber camp. On
the occurrence of that event, he came to Sanilac
County, where he has since resided, with the exception of a short time, which he spent in Alpena. He
owns 80 acres of land, in his own right, which is
mostly improved. He is a Republican in political
sentiment, has been Supervisor of his township two
years and three years Commissioner of Highways.
Following are the names of the brothers and sisters
of Mr. Todd-James M., William H., John, Thomas
H., Robert (deceased), Margaret, Reuben, Josiah
and Alexander. All reside in Sanilac County save
two, namely, James, who is a resident of Alpena, and
Reuben, who lives in WTyan, Mich.


120 acres of land in Worth Township, on which he
has since resided and labored until he has improved ioo acres of his land.  After settling on
his land he made rapid strides towards a competency, and in 1864 he built a frame house,
which cost $I,8oo. In April, 1878, the building was
entirely destroyed by fire, and he at once erected a
farm house near the same site, in which his family
reside. Mr. Cline is a Democrat in political faith,
and belongs to the Order of Masonry.
He was married Sept. I5, 1845, to Jane Finney,
who is a native of Scotland, and was about three
years old when her parents emigrated to Canada.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Cline includes six children, five of whom survive. Their names are John,
William M., Tena, Lillie and Sewall. One child
died in infancy.
fleQQH4^t^^^          ^  ^^9


1'11. ---  — I -— I)


J..llis B. Clarke, of the well-known mercantile firm at Lexington designated as
Ei>'    ' "Clarkes," is a native of Peacham, Vt.,
where he was born June I6, 1841. He is the
son of Dr. Ira M. Clarke (see sketch), and was
reared to manhood in the old Granite State, of
which his more immediate progenitors were natives.
He received a goad common-school education, and
on reaching his majority he became a salesman in
the mercantile establishment of Tillotson & Castleman, of Orford, N. H., where he operated two years
before embarking in business in his own behalf at
Orforville, N. H., establishing commercial relations
under the style of E. B. Clarke & Co., which existed
two years.
In 1869, Mr. Clarke came to Lexington, and in
October of that year he formed an association with
his uncle, A. M. Clarke (see sketch) for the prosecution of mercantile affairs. This relation continued
until purchase of the interest of the latter by the
senior Clarke in I87 i. The commercial house of
" Clarkes " has been in continuous operation since its
establishment at Lexington. A. W. Merrill was an
associate partner nearly four years, when the business was conducted under the firm name of Clarkes
& Merrill. On the death of I. M. Clarke, his younger


llacob Cline, farmer, section 15, Worth Town-, 1     ship, is the son of John and Delilah (Shell)
Cline, both of whom were natives of PennJ.,j sylvania. His father was married and settled:1:7  iin Canada, where he resided until about the
year I86i, when he came to Sanilac County
-  and spent the remaining days. His mother died in
Canada.
Mr. Cline was born April 30, 1817, in Canada. He; was there engaged in farming, and in i86i accoms  panied his parents to Sanilac County. He bought


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son succeeded to his father's interest. Their stock
represents about $7,000, and comprises all lines of
goods common to general merchandise, including
dry goods, groceries, crockery, glassware, hardware,
boots, shoes, hats, caps, flower, feed and all other
articles suited to the local demand. Mr. Clarke is
the proprietor of considerable property at Lexington,
and farms 40 acres of land located one and a half
miles south of the village, where he makes a specialty
of breeding fine grades of poultry, and is somewhat
interested in raising fine horses.
Mr. Clarke was married, Jan. 2, i865, at oath, N.
H., to Mary E. Johnson. She was born in Whitefield, N. H., where her parents, Samuel R. and Eliza
A. Johnson, resided for many years. Her father was
a prominent farmer and lumberman, being engaged
in the latter business 40 winters in succession. Mrs.
Clarke was born Nov. 12, I843. Three children
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, as follows:
Ira M., Jr., Nov. 12, i865; George Driggs, Aug. 5,
1867; Helen M., Oct. 26, I877. The two eldest
were born in Orford, N. {H., the last in Lexington.
ohn Galbraith, farmer, dealer in grain, and
'  one of the leading business men in Sanilac
"'County, residing on section  21, Worth
Township, is the son of John and Nancy
(Humphrey) Galbraith, natives respectively of
the State of New York and Canada. They settled in the Dominion and resided there until i838.
In that year they came to Sanilac Co., Mich. Mrs.
G. died April 17, I878; the demise of Mr. G. took
place Feb. 6, 1883.
Mr. Galbraith is the eldest of eight children, and
was born Jan. 4, 1826. When he was 12 years old
he came to Sanilac County, where he has grown to
manhood. He is the owner of 320 acres of land in
the townships of Worth and Fremont, and has 300
acres under good cultivation. In addition to his extensive agricultural interests, Mr. Galbraith is in
charge of the depot at Amadore, to which position he
was appointed Dec. 25, 1883. He is one of the
oldest settlers in the county. In political connection
he is a Republican, and he has held the offices of


CO UNT Y.
Treasurer, Clerk, Road Commissioner, and for many
years was County Surveyor.
He was married Aug. 17, 1855, in Worth Township, to Amanda Willets, daughter of Abraham W.
and Samantha Willets. Her parents were early settiers in Sanilac County, and her father is deceased.
Three children survive, of four that have been born
to Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith. William is deceased.
Those yet living are Ulysses S., Angeline and Emma.
The mother died in May, I865. Mr. Galbraith was
again married Aug. 28, i865, to Margaret Vondry, a
a native of the Isle of Man. Two children born of S:
this marriage died in infancy. Olive and Alexander
still survive.




lmond Hyde, dealer in agricultural implements, machinery, wagons and carriages, /
U ^~  portable saw-mills, etc., located at Lexington,
was born in this township, March 5, I843, on.
[   the farm where his parents located a few years I
before. He is the son of John D. and Catherine (Robinson) Hyde, both of whom were born in  )
England, where they were married. After that event
they came to America and settled for a time in Canada, afterwards removing to Port Huron, Mich., and
thence to Lexington Township, where the father
died; the mother is yet living, nearly go years old.
Mr. Hyde received a common-school education
and was reared in the pursuit of farming. In I864
he purchased 80 acres of land on section io, Lexington Township, which was in a wholly unimproved
condition. He is still the owner of the place, which
has been reclaimed from its primitive condition, and
is a fine and valuable farm. He also owns considerable real estate, located in various parts of the county.
In 1875 Mr. Hyde began to operate as agent for
mowers and reapers; his business relations enlarged
and extended in a satisfactory manner, and in I879
he opened his present establishment in the village of
Lexington, on Main Street. In the following year he,,
located his residence in that village. In I881 he l
transferred his business to the quarters he has since,
occupied, and where he has continued to operate (.
successfully. His establishment is the largest of the <


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~:'^Jt~~ 4SANILAC COUNTY.                                                           319.,  kind in the county, and his annual transactions rech  achcustomed to the weight of responsibility, with all
f\' an aggregate of about $75,ooo. He owns his resi-  the ambition of a keen intellect and a laudable,: dence at Lexington, and is intimately connected with  desire to get on in the world, he realized in its  $
public local interests. He is a member of the Village  fullest and truest sense the fact, that there is no
Board of Trustees, and belongs to the Knights of  royal road to any achievement which is worthy the.
v Pythias, the Knights Templars, the Knights of Mac-  devotion of the course of a human life. He formed
cabees, and is connected with the Northwestern In-  habits of reflection in his youth, and he set himself
surance Company. The brother-in-law of Mr. Hyde,  deliberately to the accomplishment of plans and
John A. Wright, built the first frame residence in the  purposes that reflect the utmost credit upon the
village of Lexington. (He died in Saginaw, in Sep-  maturity of his judgment even in his boyhood, and
tember, 1882.)                                  the traits of character which have distinguished his
Mrs. Mary E. (Lakim) Hyde is a native of Lex-  whole business career. The circumstances which  "
ington; she was married to Mr. Hyde in August, 1865,  surrounded hiim, precluded his attaining a great de-? at Port Sanilac. Their seven children were born in  gree of elementary education, and he worked cheerthe following order, on the farm in Lexington Town-  fully and manfully on his father's farm until he was
ship: Otho, F., Frank D., Charles L., Bertram, El-  19 years old. T'wo years previous his parents made
mer, Anna and Norman.                            a transfer of their interests to Elk Township, Sanilac
County, and in I864 he went to Strykersville, Wyoming Co., N. Y. (This place was named fiom the pat-.__-7, ~_._'_^              >_  _ronylmic of his mother.) He oltained excellent educa-:                                                  t'tional advantages at Somerville Academy and at:%>^~ c|Arcade Academy, his aggregate of attendance at;:Eii~.:~,                          l9 -*  I) O tboth institutillns being I9 months. He was gradu- =l
dward C. Babcock, lawyer, practicing at.
a:d Cy Bab,laye  p r  ii     ated in the conmmercial course of study in the last  ^
'   Sandusky, was born Feb. 17, 1845, ill                                                   =3::^~ rg1"7                          1 845.,    named, and engaged for a short time thereafter as a
/B N  elds SI ot Hr      A      I                salesmlan ill Strykersville. T lhe failure of Iis eraeldest son of Henry A. and Betsey (Stryker)                r  i      i      _,
J      al ock, of Elk,~ Towllslil,  (See sketcl- of H' |j - 'ployer shortly after released him, and he returned to  j
e Babcock, of Elk Townshitp. (Se               e sketch of H.i                           e
ICT,,"~~~~~~~~~~ E -                      lk T- wns hl,, '1-.  He interested  himself in  the  1hoo1  1


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j   A. Babcock.)   He is the second in order of
birth of 15 children lorn to his p)arents, all of whom
are yet living.
He has been a resident of Michigan since tile age
of seven years, his parents having removed fronm the.^,; \;A  l a  A\ R ITSI o tn 1\  I  1r\ II 1 1 t v t;   QI  C -, T 1  ).I


business in tile interests of parties at the East, and
operated with satisfactory results in tlhat and other
branches of business until 187 1.
On the event of his nmarriage he secured a claim
of r 6o acres of land on section i 8, Watertown Town-.           LLY                                      shilp, under the regulatiolns of the Homestead Law. }: remained at Romeo about one year, going thence to,              *.~                           '-    & r               The tract was in its natural state, and Mr. Babcock,  i.:; Richmond, where the father took up) lanid on the..
in taking possession of his property in 187 I, moved
-. school sectioi- of Macollb CoLnty, under the proschool..  of. Macom'. Cot.       ten miles into the wilderness, whence the only guides
visions of the Q(uarter-Pay Act, then il operation,
~~~. <~. J~,'~ lto thle routes of travel and to neighbors were "lblazed"
whose regulations required the payment of one-fourth  t      the l   o
"   i   ~~..    trees. This was in the fall of I87 I; and he applied
of the market value on taking possession, and afo. mre vt ot phis physical powers vigorously to the work of clearforded optional limit as to the remainder in case the   I                                   c
forded. otna lii asth   eandriaete            ing his land, availing himself of the resources afforded
interest (legal rate) did not fall into arrears.
- early he \yhoe  of tie life f illl~ 1l'abcock  r  lby the abundance of ganle, and turnin(g his mental::::  Nearly tlhe whole of the life of MII. Balcock from '...,
Nearly the whole of tie life of Mr. Ba c fo     a      bil)ity into practical channels toward the developi   the age of eight years until 1879, was passed in the
e ae of ei               y, wment of the ulterior purpose of his life, by devoting
changeful, eventful, practical career of a l)ioneer.                                            His.,u.l'.                            every avilable monlo ent to the study of law. His:.) Representing, as ie lid, the best element to be            frthered all hirojects, is circmstances
solationi fttrthered  all. II -; l)rojects, his circumT1stances
found in Northern Michigan, lie is, prc se, imesel)ara-  fllislhig tle oplortulity for the reflection necesb lle from its hlistory, and is an important factor in tle  sary to his full preparation for the business of his,    progress and developmient of Sanilac County. Early  later life. Ie supported his family for five years
|||<~L>~J-        --   ^   ^    -   ^^^NNW-               ----
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SJZ.z/l,4 CO UNT Y..


320


32                SAZC COUTY..   _...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~,, chiefly with his rifle. Deer were plentiful and mar* ketable, and his expertness proved an available
accessory.
a.s  IIn the fall of I871 fires and rumors of fires disquieted the people of Sanilac County. Reports of
serious disaster to property and even human life flew
with the velocity of the wind current, that followed
the sweep of the flames which made that year historic in the annals of the world. In the deliberate
and successful preparation of Mr. Babcock to with-,, stand the encroachments of the fiend which he felt
to be al)proaching, stands prominent one of his leading characteristics. He built what he called a "cave,"
for want of a better name, the structure consisting of
timbers inclined in a V-shape, closing at the top, and
banked with earth to a depth which perfectly protected the " tumule " and its contents from the fire
and smoke, and to it Mr. Babcock attributes the
preservation of his children's lives. The space inc luded was 8 by 24 feet. Into this he moved his
family and all his household effects, and lived therein
during the terrible i4th, I5th and i6th of October,
1 871. The fire raged on every side, but the little
household passed intact through its terrors.
Words fail to convey any adequate idea of the
horrors of the night which followed the last day of
conflagration. A wind of incalculable velocity and.j  power raged throughout the entire night, hurling to
the ground the blackened, smoking trees whose roots
had been loosened by the burning of the turf and dried
matter in which tiey were buried. The swift suc-.
cession of crashes from the falling timber caused an
uproar which, to the tense and overstrained senses of!? the inhabitants, was indiscribably horrible.  The
revelations of day-dawn defied comprehension. Every
i1 landmark was destroyed where the fire had been;
the ground was covered with a net-work of fallen
timbers, and the people experienced a sensation as
of homesickness, akin to that of having been suddenly transported to new and strange lands. Mr.
Babcock relates that it was unsafe for a man to leave
his locality. He made the experiment himself, with
the result of losing his way within 40 rods of his own
i  house. But sad and heavy as was the loss of life
and property in Sanilac County, the fire was of ines-.  timable value to the general territory, and advanced
its improvement as years of toil could not have done.
Mr. Babcock remained upon his farn until 1879.


He had cleared about 30 acres, and was fitted to
enter his profession as he had designed. He sold
his estate, and having been admitted to practice in
the State Courts of Michigan he removed to Sandusky, the geographical center of Sanilac County and
whither the county seat had been in the same year
removed from Lexington. He entered at once upon
the practice of his profession, which he has pursued
with satisfactory results. He is a Democrat in political connections and sentiment, and while a resident
of Watertown Township served seven consecutive
years as Supervisor. He is interested to some extent
in local insurance.
Mr. Babcock was married Oct. 26, 1867, to Cynthia A. Woodward, in Elk Township. She was born
Dec. 29, 1852, in Dereham, Oxford Co., Ont., and is
the daughter of Emory and Charlotte (Foote) Woodward. Mr. and Mrs. Bal)cock have had six children,
born as follows: Henry A., May 2, 1869, in Burnside,
Lapeer County; William D., June r, 187; Noel A.,
April 13, 1873; Amy E., Aug. 15, 1878; Nettie B.,
Nov. 15, r88i; CecileA., March 26, I884. The five
last named were born in Sanilac County.


-f   [ lathan N. Bradley has resided in Michigan
since i85o. In January of that year, he
~J1}?; came to Worth Township, Sanilac County,
[ and purchased 80 acres of land, which he
cleared and otherwise improved until the entire
tract was in a valuable agricultural conditionr.
On this he resided for 26 years, when he sold it and
came to Speaker Township. He bought a farm con-:
taining 120 acres, which he occupied three years, at
the end of that time again selling, after which he
bought 120 acres in Fremont Township. The place
comprised  15 acres of improved land, and he has
continued its occupancy since he first bought it.
Mr. Bradley is a native of the Newcastle District, '::
Province of Quebec, where he was born Jan. 28,
i819. His parents, Oliver and Dorcas (Abbey) ft
Bradley, were natives of Connecticut and are both:
deceased.  His mother died in Hope Township,;
Province of Quebec. His father died in Canada, (?
where the family settled, his demise occurring when:;


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[~                       S./ SANI LAC CO UIV TY.                                3221
x   his son was in early youth. The latter was reared to  Mr. Smith is a Democrat in political faith and;
manhood in the Dominion and was bred to the call-  action. He has been Township Clerk two years, and:   ing which he has pursued all his life.           has also officiated as Overseer of Highways. He is
He was married Oct. T, 1842, to Melinda Briggs.  a member of the Masonic fraternity.
Of this union nine children have been born, who are
yet living. Two others are deceased. Philinda was
born Dec. 23, I844, and was married July 4, i86i, |-              _..,,1  levq
to Charles W. Locke; Diana, born June 10, 1849,
was married June 25, 1870, to Joseph Sischo; David
was born Nov. 30, 1851; Louisa,born Aug. 13, 1854,                             a                 I
i     i ~. o S  Ai     A                 eorge McKay, attorney at Marlette, was tj
was married Feb. 19, I874, to Andrew Allward;                                      Z   r;f:...,)~~~ -).                    I|i    born Oct. 20, i856, in West Zorra, Oxford i
I  Melvina was born Jan. 25, 1857, and was married          Co., Ont. His father, John McKay,is a.<
~- June i6, 1875, to Francis Hill; Reuben was born         atve of Rosshire, Scotland. His mother,
June 20, 1859, and was married June 5, 1883, to       Mary(Matheson) McKay, was born in DarPolly Locke; Delina was born Oct. 4, I863, and was    nach Stherlandsire, in te "land o' cakes."
married Sept. 9, i88o, to William Spencer; Francis  M    Mcay i  unmixed Celtic origin, his grandMr. McKav is of unmixed Celtic origin, his grandEdwin was born April 13, i866; Henry, April 7,
Edn ws bn A l 1,, Al,  parents being of old country stock, pure and simple,
i868; Susannah, born June 3, 847, died Sept. 6,g                    ves the Gaelic speech. His
and using all their lives the Gaelic speech. His  i
1848; William, born Jl11y 7, i843, died June  9..,
1848; William, born July 7, 1843, died June 19,  parents emigrated to Canada in early life, grew to:, I870. The mother is the daughter of William and  adult age in Ontario, and were married in West Zorra,  X
Susan (Hinkson) Briggs. Her father was born June
Susan (Hikson) Bggs. Her fby Rev. Alexander McKenzie, pastor of the Presby5, I 800, and died in August, 188. Her mother was  terian Church and well-known in ecclesiastical circles. -:
born Sept. 12, 1799, and died July 9, 1845. They86 Mr. McKay accompanied his parents to
I. I86o Mr. McKay accompanied    his parents to
both died in Whitby Township, Province of Quebec.  the  icinit of Mayville, Tuscola Co., Mich. He
':;;LT;X                                            the vicinity of Mayville, Tuscola Co., Mich  He
was a pupil in the public schools until he was 5 '
|:-,             | years of age, and he then passed one winter in lum- V{
1  - 2-w^-|-^^ ^' -e~- bering in the woods. He attended the.High School 5
at Caro one year and subsequently taught school two
~~_..@@-if~ ~^~~years. He had formed a plan to pursue a literary
(0 E    illiam Smith, farmer, section 22, Worth  course of study and prepared to take the Latin scien_l____  Township, is the son of George and Isa-  tific course in the University at Ann Arbor; but he
bella (Peat) Smith, who were natives of   changed his purposes and entered the Law Depart'  fI> Scotland. (See sketch of George Smith.)  ment of the University of Michigan, where he studied:i. J'  Mr. Smith is the only son of his parents, and  one term. He returned to Caro and entered the.
twas born July 9, I848, in Worth Township. He  office of Black, Edson & Quinn, attorneys of that fj
has obtained his education and training for his busi-  place, and read for the profession of law under their
ness in his native township, and on the occasion of  instructions one year. He passed his examination at
his marriage, when he was 25 years of age, he settled  Caro, Hon. Josiah Turner presiding, and was admiton the farm on which he has since operated, and  ted to paactice in the State Courts in October, 1878.
placed himself in independent comfort.  He was  In the spring of the following year he formed a
A.  married Oct. I6, 1873, in St. Clair Co., Mich., to  partnership with E. H. Taylor, at Vassar, Tuscola.
Philanda Leonhard. Her parents, Ferdinand and   County, under the style of Taylor & McKay. This;   Augusta Leonhard, were natives of Germany and   relation continued to exist about 13 months.
belonged to the pioneer element of Sanilac County,  In the spring of i880, Mr. McKay came to Mari  where they were among the earliest permanent set-  lette and established his business, in which he has  I
'.. tlers. Mrs. Smith was born Oct. i6, 1854, in Worth  operated with satisfactory results. He was nominated '". - Township. One child, Jennie A., has been born of |in the fall of the same year of his removal hither on  k
her marriage.                                   the Democratic ticket for Prosecuting Attorney, en- '
A ge-"^.:)-'."..:.x;'y"  -                C




32 2NXyo'                          SAuvIS RAc  C C  U.k
322                                 SAANILAC COUNTY.
countering defeat from the fact that the county of  to read at intervals for the period of one year, during:!   Sanilac was strongly Republican.                 which he taught the village school. The average  ^!
While Mr. McKay resided in Tuscola County he    number of pupils under his instructions was 80, and i?
T   was elected Township Superintendent of Schools,  he had no assistants. Oct. T, 1873, he entered the
2   despite the fact that he was still a minor.      Medical Department of the University of Michigan  -
He was married Jan. 25, I882, in Almont, Lapeer  at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated June 30,
Co., Mich., to Ida, daughter of Matthew Warner, and  I875. He passed the ensuing vacation in the office
was born in the county where she was married.    of his former preceptor, and in the fall went to New
Jean A., only child of Mr. and Mrs. McKay, was  York and entered Bellevue Medical College, where
born Dec. I, 1882.                               he completed a full course and received his creAJ^~~~~~~~~  ~~~dentials as a graduate at that institution, March i,
-Y)   r —^-~ —o~ —o9-M ^c- -I876.
He spent a short time in prospecting for a satisfac- ii
~i,sAi^..tory location, and in July following settled at Mar

Z,,
I  Ir
'.
A._
~_-1z*
/V 0
bad.
e X,.*
~T'.,.,
Xr.X. ').


C. enry McCrea, M. D., physician and surg geon, resident at Marlette, was born Oct.
12, 1844, in Lansdowne, Leeds Co., Ont.
His father, John McCrea, was of Scotch parentage and married Eliza Acton, who was of
English descent.  After their marriage they
settled in Leeds County, on the banks of the river
St. Lawrence, locating opposite that part of the
stream now made famous by tourists in search of
summer recreation among the "Thousand Isles."
The father died in Lansdowne, June 20, I846. The
demise of the mother occurred Sept. 19, i88o.
Dr. McCrea is the youngest of eight children born
to his parents, and he remained under their care
until he was about 20 years of age. He obtained a
substantial elementary education in the district
schools of his native town, and later attended a few
terms at the High School in the village of Gananogue. On completing his studies there he returned
home and passed several years as an assistant on his
father's farm, after which he taught school two years
in his native county. In I870 he went to Middlesex,
Ontario, where he entered the seminary and was
graduated in the English and mathematical department. He was advanced in his course of study at
the time he began it in the seminary at Middlesex,
and alternated his attendance there by teaching
several terms in the village school. Besides discharging his duties in these he prepared the matriculation work preliminary to entering the College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. He succeeded
in passing the severe examination required by the
authorities of that institution, and in the fall of 1872
he began the study of medicine in the office of A.
L. McLaren, of Komoka, Ont., where he continued


lette. He at once entered upon the career of a
medical practitioner, in which he has attained success
beyond his expectations. Hie is a leading member of
his profession and has a wide and enviable repute as
an able, skillful and reliable physician and surgeon.
Dr. McCrea is a Republican in political views, but
pursues an independent course in his actions. During the years I878-9 he acted as Coroner of Sanilac
County, and he has been Health Officer of Marlette
for several years. He has also officiated as School
Superintendent one year. He is a member of the
Masonic fraternity, and belongs to the Presbyterian
Church. At the meeting of the Presbytery in 1884,
in Flint, he was elected to represent that body at the
meeting of the General Assembly at Saratoga.
The marriage of Dr. McCrea to Eudora McLean
occurred May i6, 1877, in the village of Mount
Bridges, Ont. She was born Nov. 25, 1853, in Canada, and was the daughter of the Rev. John and
Evalina (Mitchell) McLean. Her father was formerly Presiding Elder of St. Clair District, Ontario.
Mr M(Mr'ra rlp A   C npr T r TRt7 lPt 1PiIx;1nrr  rh;ill


2;??a
if


Edna L., born Dec. 5, i879, five days preceding the J
death of the mother.. l#g  ryant Stewart, farmer, section 5, Wash-,Sicl ington Township, has resided in Sanilac
County since the spring of I872. He is a Ai
prosperous agriculturist and owns a fine farm  /
of I 15 acres, all of which is in first-class cul- )
tivation except 15 acres, which is still in tim- )
ber.  He belongs to the Democratic element in   >
t7!         ~ ia
rll ati:,   aa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/ \O~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




<:;c~
&-.:  ~6-. 4 p


d --; —.a^^^               i
SANILAC COUNTY.                   323 a
________________________3_ 2? politics, and is one of the Justices of his township, in
/ which position he has served six years. In July,., I883, he was appointed Supervisor to fill the vacancy,
f and in the spring of I884 he was elected to the same
office. He has also been active in school affairs. He
is a member of the Order of Maccabees, and, with
his wife, belongs to Charity Grange, No. 417, P. of HMr. Stewart's parents, Spencer and Elizabeth (Hurley) Stewart, were natives of North Carolina, where
they married and settled. They removed to Hardin
Co., Pa., where they passed the last ten years of their: lives. Mr. Stewart is the oldest of their five children,
and was born Dec. 30, 1828, in Montgomery Co.,
I( North Carolina. He was ten years old when his
parents removed to Pennsylvania, whither he also
went and passed the remainder of his minority. On
attaining to manhood's estate, he went to Arkansas,
where he remained until the close of the Civil War.
He went thence to the State of Mississippi and resided there until his removal to Sanilac County. His
chief employment in the South was in the wood business. The farm he purchased in Washington Township was partly improved, and he has expended upon; - it the best energies and efforts of which he is capable,
i: and has a homestead which is an honor to his effi-.   ciency and judgment, and will be a comfort all his
I'  life.
He was married April 4, i86i, in Arkansas, to


and was five years old when he accompanied his
parents to Canada. He spent his youthful years in
study, and afterwards assisted his father, who was a
brick-layer and stone mason by vocation, until he was
20 years old. He then engaged in the buying and
selling of real estate and was successively the owner
of many tracts of land. In January, 1876, he came
to Sanilac County and bought 280 acres of land in
Worth Township. Of this he now owns 120 acres,
having sold the remainder. His farm is all improved
and cultivated. Mr. Dorward is a Republican in
political affiliation, and has been active in official
life both in Canada and Michigan.
He was married Nov. 27, i878, in Worth Township, to Alice M., daughter of Gordon A. Rudd. She
was born March 3, 1859, in Canada. Margaret A.,
Lydia and Mabel are the children of Mr. and Mrs.
Dorward.
ak      akefield West, proprietor of the Anderson
House at Croswll, was born Oct. 21,
\\.H.-  I843, in Simcoe Co., Can., and is the son
'    of Benjamin F. and Mary (Howard) West.
J  \  His mother was born and died in Canada.
SOT  T  /   r. i   -  _-   _-   -  -   -   -- -:  - -.c   -   a: -   A3 - -:.


I:.,.     -}.,                    ).,,  /.,   fHis father was a native o01 UlO, ana aie in11
Harriet, daughter of Elias and Phebe Ceas, and            t      ownship  t,    n      a
7,0       )                                           -.' Worth Township, Oct. 8, i874, when he was
widow of James H. Vaughn. Her first husband died
-I'1.~.....      63  years of age.
in Illinois, Oct. 9, I859. Two children, Benjamin F.  r  es   a rere    o a
and Theresa M., were born to them. The first died
was trained to the business of agriculture, the calling
when he was five months old. Mrs. Stewart was
whn he ws fe m s od. Ms. S   t       of his father and grandfather before him. On reaclhI   born June 2, 1838, in Venango Co., Pa. By her secing his majority, he commenced his life independent-i ond marriage, she is the mother of seven children,ly, leasing a farm for personal management, as a
Ellen Emily E., Susan A., Mary A., Harriet I.,     p     w     h  o
' '       '         X,             place which he owned was remote from where he
Clarence S. and Clement B. She is a member of the
i:~~~~~~~~.                            ~~lived. In I878 he sold his farm and came to SaniMethodist Church.
lac County. In October of that year he bought 126
acres of land in Worth Township. It was in good
j-<>:. L -'-~'X<~)))H=  "-'' *arable condition, and he continued its management:;'"?f-ivS, ^five years, when he again sold his agricultural inter% -;'  a.ames Dorward, farmer, section 22, Worth   ests and purchased the Anderson House. The hotel  y
Township, is the son of James and Mar-  is the largest in Croswell and enjoys a good reputagaret (Livingston) Dorward. They were     tion, which secures for it a fair share of the public
i; born in Scotland, and in I849 emigrated to   patronage. The proprietor is as genial, affable and
',+,   Canada. The father died in 1873, in the Do-  popular as his calling demands.
tminion.                                         Mr. West was married Feb. 22, 1871, to Matilda,
Mr. Dorward was born in Scotland, Aug. 17, 1844,  Vance. She was born March 27, 1853, in Middlesex
X * ^^-..-God-reay.                              a l W^-e — i:0-^ —(^




34 34SANIL                                   C (,l (now Simcoe) County, and is the daughter of William
fb and Mary (Coburn) Vance. Her mother died Jan.
10, 1884, in Canada, at about the age of 63 years.
| Her father was born in Ireland, and is also deceased; The children of Mr. and Mrs. West, four in number,; were born in Simcoe Co., Can., in Ihe following
order: William, Aug. 28, I872; Benjamin F.. Jan. ii
1875; Alfred Edgar, Oct. 29, i876; Mary Ada, Sept'
13, 1878.
Mr. West is a Republican in his views of national,policy.


I' i? oUNY 'Y.-^^    -— * —*^iM^ 11
':OUNTy.,                   A,PI

i   iBr ichard Olmstead, farmer, section 22, Fre'_   mont Township, has been a resident in
1    Y i-" this part of Sanilac County since  860,
i n<~   when he purchased his farm of a man named
Schell, in Canada, and came from the Dominion to test the possibilities of the Peninsular state. The country was still new and settlers
S were few.
The civil war broke out soon after Mr. Olmstead
f fixed his residence in Fremont, and he partook of
the general interest in the progress of the struggle.
He finally determined on enlistment, and enrolled
Feb. 22, 1864, in Co. K, 22d Mich. Vol. Inf. His
regiment was assigned to the i5th Army Corps,
under Gens. Sherman and Thomas. He was in:no
regular battles, but participated in several minor
engagements. He became disabled from illness and
went to Hospital No. i, at Chattanooga. He was
i afterwards transferred from his regiment to the 29th
X Michigan, and was soon afterward detailed for duty
at the headquarters of General Thomas, where he
was occupied until he was mustered out in August,
1865, at Murfreesboro, Tenn. His health was hopelessly impaired, and five years of the time since his
return to his home he has been unable to labor.
'   Mr. Olmstead was born March 30, 83I, in Oxford
Township, Ont., and is the son of Hiram and Orilla
* (Olmstead) Olmstead. The former died in Fulton,
N. Y.; the latter in Oxford, Ont. Their family
included 13 children, ten of whom are now living.
/ Mr. Olmstead is the fourth in order of birth. At
the age of I6 years he found himself at liberty to


make his own way in the world, and he has since
been independent of assistance.
He was married June 13, I854, in Canada, to
Elizabeth Wilson. She was born June 23, I838, and
died Sept. 5, I874, having become the mother of ten
-children, five of whom were deceased at the time of
her death. Hiram was born Sept. I8, i857; Mary
J., July 28, 1862; Richard, Oct. 27, 1864; George,
May i6, 1867; Almira, April 13, 1873. These are
still living. The two eldest born died in infancy.
Those deceased were named Abraham, John and
Horace.
Mr. Olmstead was married the second time June
4, 1875, to Mrs. Sarah (Merrick) Fifer. She was
born May 5, 1845, and is the daughter of Robert
and Esther (Crawford) Merrick. Her parents are
living in Dakota, whither they removed in September, 1883. Their family comprised 12 children, of
whom Mrs. Olmstead is the eldest. She was born
near Londonderry, Ireland, and was brought by her
parents to the United States when she was 15 months
old. They settled in Kingston, Ont., removing thence
to Oxford, in the Dominion. Her father removed
his family to Sanilac County in I855. She married
John Fifer, and by this marriage had three children,
namely: Robert, born Feb. 23, 1862; Anna J., April
21, 1864, and George H., Aug. 30, i866. She is a
member of the Advent Church. Mr. Olmstead is a
Republican, and has been an official in the various
school offices of his township.
J9C    C. L. L. Sly, furniture dealer and manufacturer at Lexington, was born Nov. 6, 1841,
in Livingston Co., Mich. He is the son
of Solomon C. and Huldah (Wilson) Sly. His
father was a farmer by proxy, as he owned a
farm, and hired laborers to do the necessary
work thereon, while he applied himself to his trade
of carpenter and joiner, and also to some extent to
the busines of cabinet-making, in which he instructed
his son. In 1857 his father removed to Worth Township, Sanilac County, where the subject of this sketch
attended school for a time. He returned to Livingston County, where he was attacked by a disease of


* 'I
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el I
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/


"TV                                   SANI'LAC C.   the eyes. He spent a few months at Fowlerville in
i the same county, undergoing treatment, but, as it
did not prove effective, he went to Detroit and spent
' 5 months in the care of Dr. J. C. Gorton. He returned to Worth Township, where he engaged for a
I: time in weaving. Since that time he has followed
his trade.  He came to Lexington in 1864, and
entered upon the same business. He opened his
present establishment in 1878, and, with the assistance of his sons, is managing a prosperous business.
He carries a stock suited to the local demand,
manufactures all varieties of furniture and combines
therewith repairing and upholstering.  He also has
f considerable patronage in undertaking.
Mr. Sly was married March i6, I865, in Lexington, to Clara M., daughter of Jerauld and Ruth
Miller. Five children have been born to Mr. and
Mrs. Sly, two of whom are deceased. The record is:
Jerauld M. was born Oct. 13, i866; Carlton L., Feb.
24, 1868; Florence L. was born Dec. 22, 1869, and
j died March i6, I872; Walter T. was born May 9,
i 1874, and died May 30, I874; Edward S. was born
Jan. 25, 1876.
^  The parents are communicants in the Episcopal
Cllhurch.


O UNT Y.
office of Ju
Moderater
Mrs. Jar
July 4, I85
Thomlas E
the names


stice of the Pe
three years.
ie (Robinson)
57, and was m
lliott, May 4, 1
of the childrer


327
ace three years and School  t
Elliott was born in Canada,,
arried in the Dominion to
881. Jessie and Maud are
i born of this union.
(((()))) o — -— <

X 'Ji~ rank T. Smith, merchant at Forester,
senior member of the mercantile firm of
~%'a FF. T. Smith & Co., has been connected
with the business history of Sanilac County
since i867, when he came to Forester and became a salesman in the mercantile establishment of Smith, Kelly & Co. He has made steady
and sure strides of progress until he is now at the
bead of one of the oldest and most influential business houses of the Huron peninsula, and is one of
most prominent leaders in the later development of
the resources of Sanilac County.
The original senior member of the firm was his
uncle. He remained in his capacity of salesman
until 1872, the firm having become Geo. H. Tanner
& Co. At the date named he became a member of
the firm which, in addition to its mercantile relations,
owned a grist-mill and saw-mill, and trafficked largely


i
e...*.t
Err
"SA,
f*4/
e,
^' t
t'I'


in mill and lumber products. In i876 he succeeded.?AxoG~  -,d                                  to his present position; and the house is managing a
M X    /homas Elliott, Jr., farmer, section  24,  trade of $5o,ooo annually, with an invested capital of
Washington Township, was born April 4,    $io,ooo. Their annual transactions when their lum1857, in England. His parents, Thomas   ber traffic was at its height amounted to $i50,ooo..( and Margaret (Mooney) Elliott, were also born   Mr. Smith is the owner of the extensive business:      in that country, where they were married and  block where he operates, besides other property at
settled. They emigrated to Canada in I864,  this point. He is an active and zealous supporter of
where they were residents until 1867, in which year  the current issues and tenets of the Republican party,
they came to this county, and located in Sanilac  and has served his township six years as Treasurer.
Township. Later, they removed to a farm in Wash-  He was born in New London Co., Conn., March
ington Township.   Their children were four in  21, I850, and is the son of Nathan G. and Lucy A.
number.                                         (Pendleton) Smith.  The father was a native of
Mr. Elliott is the youngest child of his parents,  Connecticut, and passed the greater portion of his
i  and was but seven years old when they came to the  active life in speculating. His wife is a native of i:a New World. He has lived in Sanilac County since  New Jersey, and they are living in retirement at t
he was a lad of 10 years. He is now the proprietor  Stonington, Conn., in ease and comfort.
S,  of 80 acres of land, 55 acres of which are under cul-  Mr. Smith received a good business education and,:) tivation. In political views he holds to the princi-  entered upon his career of activity in Sanilac County,  _
l ples of the Anti-Monopolist party. He has held the  as has been stated.                          ", 4,,?,),., _ '(,8 J400                    <- fl




k 328                                 SANILAC COUNTY. I/
*3   He was married Oct. I7, I882, at Detroit, to Mary  autumn following. He rebuilt the structure in the
Demont. They have one child, Edward T., born     summer of the following year, since which time: March 29, 1884. Mrs. Smith was born Nov. 26,     he has operated continuously and with satisfactory  *
T I860, in the city of Detroit. Her father, Capt. Gilbert  results.
Demont, was an experienced and practical navigator,  He was married in Richmond, Macomb County,
having passed a series of years successively in the  Jan. i, 1879, to Jane Dennison, who was born in
lake service. In I872 he assumed command of the  Canada. Lillian M., first-born child, died at the
propeller, R. G. Coburn, a large and comparatively  age of nine months. Benjamin H. is still living.
new steamer. In the fall of the same year, while en  The parents are members of the Methodist Episcorou/e from Duluth, the vessel, with all on board, was  pal Church.
1 lost in Saginaw Bay. A heavy sea was running, and
the wind was blowing with great velocity, when the                                              AZ
propeller was discovered by other lake craft in the,      <,,               a;
bay, and was evidently in distress, as she was flying
a red flag. While the observers were endeavoring to
determine her identity and condition, with the purpose of rendering aid, she suddenly went down. Two  i  ames McClure, farmer and stockman, reof her boats were picked up, with several persons,      siding on section 29, Watertown Township,
but Captain Demont and his eldest son Charles were      was born in July, I832, in Oxford Co., Ont.; lost. The mother of Mrs. Smith died in Detroit, in   His parents, Samuel and Nancy (Hunter) Mc-? the spring of i872. The daughter was educated in     Clure, were natives of Ireland and of Scotch-.J. her native city, and at the age of I6 years became a  Irish lineage. He was a mechanic by occupateacher. She followed teaching as a vocation until  tion, and after marriage came to Canada, where he
X her marriage. She is a communicant of the Episco-  died,in i835. James' mother is still living, in Ox~  pal Church.
S   pal Church.                                    ford County, aged 75 years.
' The portrait of Mr. Smith accompanies this sketch,  The loss of his father in early life necessitated an..
t. and may be found on a preceding page.          early struggle with the world, and when but a boy;~~i Hi,~~~~~~~)                     gMr. McClure came to Michigan, first obtaining employment n       -                              '~ /i




ployment in the city of Port Huron, and subse-,, g S(,` G)quently in the woods as a lumberman in the county
V    Y"^'?^~1^^'""       of St. Clair. He went thence to Huron County and
spent some time in lumbering on the rivers there. In
I849 he came to Sanilac County, making his way, i 'enjamin E. Bond, foundryman and ma-   into the township in which he has since resided,,<: chlinist, at Anderson, Washington Town-   by the way of Elk River, then the only means of
'   ship, was born Nov. 28, 1853, in Canada.  ingress into the unbroken forest and the most direct  I
is parents, Benjamin and Eliza (Eden)       route from Lexington. The entire township lay in
Bond, were natives of England, where they  its primitive condition, its forests intact, and travwere married. They enigrated to Canada,   ersed by the wild animals common to this section.
where they died. Mr. Bond passed his early years  In December, 1851, he entered a homestead claim of
in farm duties and in obtaining a fair degree of  I60 acres, one of the earliest in the township. He,  education, and at the age of t9 years he entered  was the first permanent settler in that part and
into an apprenticeship to learn the business which  probably the third in the township. He was instruhe has since pursued. He served three years. In  mental in the organization and naming of Watertown
'   February, 1878, he came to Macomb Co., Mich., and  Township, and obtained its separation from Washafter remaining there more than three years, he  ington. At its first election he became Supervisor,  (
came to his present location, in the spring of I88I.  a position he held three years. He is a Democrat
He put up a building suitable for the prosecution  in political connection, and has been one of the
'  of his bsiness, which was destroyed by fire in the  most important actors in the progress of Sanilac e
Or, _ --        n              i Xorrst~7X < — IJ'6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




4~f~l i                                                          --,f~^                                    SIASANI/LAC COUNTY.                                    329 i
^:.  1   ------ -    ------                        --    ----— =                                    (..,
>   County. He is suffering from a pulmonary disease,  in Canada. In the fall of i839 he removed to
the result of hard labor and exposure.           Worth Township, where he died. Mrs. Benedict
The marriage of Mr. McClure to Elizabeth Collins  was born Jan. 26, 1821, in Scotland.  She has si
occurred May 24, 1862, at Lexington.  She was    become the mother of six children,-William H., |:  born Feb. i6, 1844, in Dereham, Oxford Co., Ont.,  George F., Nina, John A., Frederick J. and James.
and is the daughter of Benjamin     and  Celia  L. Nina died when she was about 30 years of age.
(Weaver) Collins, natives of Ontario, and now residents of Buel Township, whither they removed in
1854. James W., Susan, Melinda and Benjamin                i.<<
are the names of the children born to Mr. and Mrs.
i McClure. The original acreage of the farm has
* been decreased by the sale of 40 acres, and of the |:i remainder there are 75 acres in first-class farming      r George Wever, formerly of Marlette,
condition, with commodious barns and a comfortable,was born Oct. 3, 1838, in Elgin County,
b convenient residence.|,-%.                              Ont. His father, Daniel Wever, went to
Fj   Lapeer Co., Mich., in the fall of 1854, with
his family, which included eight children. Dr.
Wever had made the best use of the advantages
- S-CF  A.^^:g i|-^^ -of the common schools he had attended, and in the
winter of 185 4-5 he began teaching in Mayfield Town- (
_~'^| ____ship, then connected with Lapeer Townshil. He:
eter H. Benedict, farmer, section 2I,Worth  taught successive terms of winter school in Lapeer.
io Township, is the son of Michael and Clar-  and Oakland Counties, operating through the alterX. *g  pissa (Hurlburt) Benedict.  The parents   nate summer seasons as an assistant on his father's s,
-  C1: were natives of Connecticut, but removed  farm, studying opportunely with reference to the A
later to the State of New York, and afterwards  ever recurring autumn examinations. In the fall of  /!i~   1   to Pennsylania, where they died.            85 8 and the spring of 1859 he attended the Academy o
Mr. Benedict was born in the Empire State, Nov.  at Oxford, Mich. In the spring of i860 he went to ( i
25, 811i. He received a common-school education,  Missouri and taught a term of school in Jackson
and at the age of i8 years was apprenticed to learn  County, in that State. The winter following he was
the trade of carpenter and joiner, which he has since  engaged in teaching in Lapeer Co., Mich. He atthat time combined with the calling of agriculture.  tended school in I86i and 1862 at Utica, Macomb
In 1842 he came to Sanilac County and bought 80   Co., Mich.?    acres of land, on which he settled two years later,  He enlisted in August, 1862, in the 22d Mich.
and where he has since resided. He has placed the  Vol. Inf., for three years or during the war, and was,
entire acreage under cultivation.               discharged with his regiment in July, 1865. During
M r. Benedict is a Democrat in political faith and  a part of the period of his military service he was
action. He has been prominent in the local interests  detailed as Brigade Hospital Steward, and while actof Sanilac County and Worth Township, and is re-  ing in that capacity he began the study of medicine.
garded as a solid and substantial citizen. He has  He attended medical lectures at the University of
X been Supervisor several terms and held other posi-  Michigan during the winter of I865-6,and after that
tions. In the fall of I852 he was elected to repre-  read for 18 months for his profession with Dr. J. S.
sent his district in the Legislature of Michigan, and  Caulkins, of Thornville, Lapeer Co., Mich., and,
served one term.                                  acting in accordance with the advice of his instructor, i
He was married Jan. 26, 1844, in Worth Town-     he opened his career as a practitioner at Attica, Laship, to Jeannette, daughter of William and Jean-  peer County. In the early part of I869 he settled in
ova>  nette (Luke) Smith. Her parents were natives of  the village of Marlette, then in its incipiency, where
Scotland, where her mother died. Her father after  he prosecuted the duties of his practice with vigor
it  -that event came to America and resided seven years  and conscientiousness, and reaped the reward of a
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fair success and a general popularity. In the winter
of I877-8 he attended lectures at the Medical College of Detroit, where he was graduated and received
the credentials of that institution. He resumed his
practice at Marlette, which he contifiued until his
removal to Olivet, Eaton Co., Mich., whither he went
to secure educational advantages for his children.
Dr. Wever married Cynthia Dewolfe, of Dryden,
Mich. They are the parents of six children. Dr.
Wever united with the Methodist Church when he
was 19 years old; Mrs. Wever joined the same connection when she was 14 years of age, and they continued that relation until their removal to Olivet, and
are now identified with the Congregational body of
that place.
In political connection Dr. Wever is an inflexible
Republican, and is also tolerant of those who entertain diverse opinions.
At the date of this writing (1884), he is still largely
interested in Marlette, where he owns his former
home and where his worldly accumulations still
remain.


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attached to the Army of the Cumberland. Mr.
Beach was an active participant in all the engagements in which his regiment was involved, went
through the campaign from Chattanooga to the siege
of Atlanta and to Savannah. He was in the culminating battle at Jonesboro, where the regiment suffered severely. He was discharged March 5, I865,
at Savannah, as First Lieutenant, and returned to
Lexington, where he resumed his professional career
in company with Chas. S. Nims.
In May, 1865, they bought the Jeffersonian, which
they put in fine condition and rendered attractive and
popular, its circulation steadily increasing and its
influence widening under their management. It is
and has since been the leading and largest publication in Sanilac County. The business relations of
Messrs. Beach & Nims was dissolved in 1882, after
17 years of successful and harmonious co-operation.
Since the date of their dissolution, Mr. Beach has
managed his journalistic enterprise without assistance. In January, 1883, he entered into a partnership with Wilford Macklem,a prominent and efficient
attorney, and the firm has since been engaged in the
transaction of a prosperous and popular business.
They are authorized agents for several insurance
companies, among which are the AEtna, the London,
Liverpool and Globe, the North American, and
others of equal reliability.
Mr. Beach has been prominent in political circles,
as in business and journalism. He has served the
county one term as Prosecuting Attorney, and is
filling his second term as Judge of Probate. He is a
Republican of decided type, and was elected to his
present position in 1876 and I880, by triumphant
majorities, that left the question of his fitness and
the confidence of his constituency beyond cavil. He
has acted as President of the village, Trustee, Village Attorney and in other positions of trust. In
1880 he was elected Presidential Elector, and satisfied the best ambition of his political career in helping to place James A. Garfield at the head as the
National Executive.
Mr. Beach was married in Lexington, March I7,
1864, to Frances S. Waterbury. She was born in St.
Clair, and is the daughter of John C. and Lory P.
Waterbury. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Beach
were born in the following order: Wilbur J., John W.,
George E. and Frederick P.


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t atson Beach, editor and proprietor of the
ji4~  1~ Sanilac Jeffersonian, and member of the
'ii- \\_  legal firm of Beach & Macklem, has been!  a resident of Lexington since I859  He
was born Jan. 3, I840, in Litchfield Co.,
Conn. His parents, Eben and Lucy (Walling)
Beach, removed while he was an infant with their
three children to Port Huron, where the father engaged in the business of manufacturing harness and
saddles. He attended school there until he was 18
years old, when he began to read for his profession
in the law office of Messrs. Conger & Harris, of Port
Huron. In 1859 he came to Lexington and continued to read under the directions of A. E. Chadwick. In April, i861, he was admitted to practice
in the State Courts of Michigan, and entered into a
business relation with his tutor, which existed until
December of the same year, when he yielded to the
influences that pervaded the entire North, and became a soldier for the Union. He enlisted at Lexington, in Co. D, Ioth Mich. Vol. Inf., and on the
organization of the company was made fifth Sergeant.
He served until March, i865, the command being


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* T...... Ad oel Hurley, of Washington Township, one
of the prominent agriculturists of Sanilac
ir 3  Counity, has been a resident therein nearly
3 0 30 years, the beginning of his life within its
limits dating from the winter of I856. He was
then 23 years of age, and on coming hither he
bought 160 acres of land in Marion Township, of
which he was the owner and manager eight years.
At the end of that period he removed to Washington
Township, where he is now the owner of 240 acres of
land, on section 24. Nearly the entire acreage is
under cultivation, and the property is considered to
be among the best farms in Sanilac County.
Mr. Hurley is a Democrat in political sentiment,
but takes no aggressive part in public affairs. He
refuses office with persistency, preferring the quiet
and freedom from turmoil of the life of a private


Sept. I3, 1874. Their family included seven chil- V?
dren...
Mr. Bigger was reared to the calling of a farmer.:
and remained at home until he was of age. In the
spring of I876 he came to Sanilac County in company with his father. He bought the farm of 60o
acres on which he has since resided, and of which
he took possession May 2oth of the same year. He
has improved about 50 acres. Mr. Bigger is independent in political views.
He was married Oct. o0, i883, to Esther, daughter i
of William  and Matilda (Plunket). Willis.  Her
parents are natives of Ireland and are on a farm in:
Marion Township, Sanilac County. Their family;
comprises ten children, and Mrs. Bigger is the
youngest child. She was born May 2, 1862, in Sanilac County.


l


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citizen.
''f",:+)i                    + -z                            l ndrew  J. McCardle, farmer, section 20, it
He was born March 17, 1833, in Steuben Co., N.            r          iM    i    sn            0,
Worth Township, is the son of John and::i:  Y., and is the son of John and I)orcas (Wixson)            atherine  (uckey) McCardle.     Parents
%~/                                                    ~:0.~,  _,  ~,.1 0  - - ^'N^ Catherine (Luckey) McCardle.  Parents!:
Hurley. The former was born in the State of New:.      >
I,,,     -,.-fij\^~N.\are natives of Ireland, and came to America
p   York, the latter in Canada. After their marriage they  areie       e               to A me r., '  and resided nearly two years in the State of
settled in the Empire State, afterwards removing to                               o.  New York, removing thence to Canada. In the
Sanilac County. They settled in the township of                    e      e o     i._,,..   ~~~~.-,.     l      spring of I854 they came to Sanilac County and
Worth, which is still their home.
Wrth, which iser) stillws theirv home.86       located in Worth Township. The mother died Feb.
Mrs. Sarah (Avery) Hurley was born Nov. 18, 1836,
Mrs. Sarah (Avery) H. i, 8,     28, 1871; the death of the father occurred June 21,
in Canada. She married Joel Hurley July I, i857,   88   Teir family included o children
in Lexington Township. Jennie and Dorcas A. are
in Lexingo  T i.  JMr. McCardle was born Oct. 13, I840, in Ontario.. the names of her two children.
th nae        fhertoi:d rn                          Co., Can. He was 13 years old when he came with.:>0v~~ ~:;~ 5+J~~~his parents to Sanilac County, and he has since re- E<:} isided in Worth Township. In i870 he succeeded to:f
_-._ --- -  -—..j --- -----               the ownership of the homestead, consisting of 210
acres of land, to which he has added 40 acres by later
purchase. About 140 acres are now under good culth   Biger famer setion 12tivation, and the remainder is still in heavy timber as
b3 ahlon Bigger, farmer, section 12, Fre- |it was when in its original condition. Mr. McCardle:~   ~,, mont lTownship, was born July 2, 1856,  is a Republican of decided views, and has held the I
TIu in Elgin Co., Can., and is the son of John           office of Township Treasurer five years, Highway  f
Ais1      and Alice (Hall) Bigger. Her father was   Commissioner one year and School Director two
at)    born in Canada and died Feb. 17, 1879, in    years.
Sanilac County. He was 64 years old. The      He was married Jan. 22, 870, in Worth Town- J
mother was a native of Ireland, and was about 46    ship, to Mary J., daughter of Ira and Elizabeth
i\    years old at the time of her death, which occurred  (Mathews) Lount. Her parents were natives of Canf~~31 ~   ~~~ii                           ~"I~~s~~d~~. %f                     -~~7 77   4
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B ada, and in the fall of 1850 settled in Worth Town) ship, where they have since resided. Mrs. McCardle
) was born Jan. 29, I850, in the county of Ontario,
Can. Five children have been born in this family,
) two of whom are deceased. The names of the living
are: Lottie C., John O. D. and Olive E. Those deceased are Jennie L. and Edith M. Mr. McCardle
is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and his wife
belongs to the Methodist Church.
8."  -(H      s~-^-<
{S ~  14ev. Christian Denissen, Pastor of St.
Denis' Church, Lexington, was born April
' /-  " 24, I847, in Rozendaal, Holland. His
parents, Cornelius Denissen and Mary Cornelia (Konings) Denissen, sent young Chris>)       tian to school at the age of six years. The:  boy went through his different lessons and readers
with the usual ups and downs of school-boys, having
his mind on play and mischief as much as on the
austere discipline of the old-fashioned school-master.
At the age of 12 his parents sent him to college in
the city of Oudenbosch. He studied in the prepara-, tory classes of languages for two years, passing satis) factory examinations, then began his classical course,
which at that college is a six-years course, it including poetry and rhetoric. In October, I867, he commenced his philosophical studies at the Seminary in
Hoeven, Holland, and afterwards the theological
course, under Profs. Gabriels and Loos.
On June 1o, I870, he was ordained to the four
minor orders, and on the following day to Sub-deaconship.  He received his ordination as Deacon
June 3, 1871, and May 25, i872, was ordained
Priest, by Rt. Rev. John Van Genk, Bishop of
Breda.
Father Denissen, with that heroic courage so typical of his character, decided to spend the remainder
of his life in America. The Diocese of Detroit was
his choice. He received his dimissorial letters from
his bishop, and, sacrificing home, friends and all that
were near and dear to him, left his native land June
I, I872. He presented himself to the authorities of
his adopted diocese on June 17. On the 29th of
that month he was sent to Anchorville, St. Clair
County, as assistant to Rev. John Elsen. On July




12 he was recalled to Detroit to do service in Trinity
Church as assistant. His further career has been as
Pastor of the Catholic Church of Lexington, Sanilac
County, where he arrived Dec. 19, 1872. He entered
with intrepid zeal upon the work assigned him. Of
all the struggles which he was called upon to undergo, little is known, save what is self-evident, owing
to his uncomplaining endurance and perseverance.
In the performance of his ministerial duties, he
proved himself a true priest of his Church. Exact
and punctual for himself, he makes great allowances
for the shortcomings of others; not interfering with
the religious views of his fellow-citizens, he is uncompromising in his own belief and in the doctrine
of his Church. That he has worked with indefatigable patience for the welfare of his congregation,
can readily be seen by comparing the condition of
his parish i i years ago with its present flourishing
state.
As a citizen he has a reputation of high standing
in this vicinity, by his cautious enterprise having
contributed in no small degree to the development
of this village. In his business transactions, he is
known for his clear judgment and his unswerving
integrity. Father Denissen is possessed of the attributes tending to make the character of a gentleman.
Combining with charity a kind and unostentatious
manner, he has won in a marked degree the affection and esteem of his own flock, as well as of all
with whom he has come in contact. His peculiar
traits of character are national to the Dutch. Freedom and independence they have maintained against
all odds.  Their industry and economy are proverbial. We might add, that the true Dutchman
is self-possessed and liberal. During the best part
of his public career, it is evident that he is shaped
truthfully after the pattern of his gallant forefathers.


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eorge R. McNinch, merchant at Ander| _ii^[  son, Washington Township, was born Aug.!
2, I848, in Livingston Co., N. Y.   The::
'  Empire State was also the birth-place of his)'/
parents, Samuel and Harriet (Taylor) McNinch.:
He received a common-school education in his
native State, and in I865 he became, a resident of:
okV~UlfA.;           0crQ.arsden


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SA NILAC CO UNTY.
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~   Michigan, settling in Tuscola County, where he remained until the spring of 1882, when he removed to, Sanilac County. He bought 80 acres of land in the
township of Sanilac, and has now a fine farm, with
about 72 acres in tillage. In the winter of i882 he
rented his farm and came to Anderson, where he
erected a building for the purpose of establishing the
business in which he is now engaged and to which
he has since given his entire attention. Mr. McNinch
is a Republican in political connection, and belongs
to the Masonic Order.
He was married the first time in Tuscola County, to
Victoria Young, a native of Canada, who is deceased.
' Three children were born of this union,-Asa, Jennie
and Joseph. Mr. McNinch was a second time married June 5, 1879, to Annie Evoy, who was born in
Canada, Nov. 6, I849.  Two children, born of this
second marriage, died in infancy.
- harles Corbishley, merchant at Sandusky,;;'   -j^[ j was born Aug. i, t848, in London, Ont
I  [Y He was a resident of St. Clair, Mich., from the
j   age of six months to 16 years, and there re\   ceived a common-school education. He followed the lakes as a sailor from  the age
mentioned until the fall of 1871, when he relinquished sailing and went to Smithville, St. Clair
County, where he embarked in a general mercantile
enterprise as a clerk, remaining in the position about
five years. In 1876, he opened the same line of
business in his own behalf. He continued its management until the spring of t879, when he transferred his interests to Sandusky, Sanilac County.  He
met with a satisfactory degree of success, and in the
spring of 1882 erected and took possession of the
building where he has since prosecuted his business.;   His location, opposite the recently constructed courthouse, is regarded as one of the most desirable, from: a business point of view, in the village. His stock is
estimated at $4,ooo, and his annual transactions
<   average $17,ooo. His possessions include three improved viilage lots and 120 acres of choice land,
finely located on the north side of Sandusky village.


Mr. C. is a Republican in political faith and connection, is a member of the Order of Masonry, belonging to Blue Lodge, No. 142, and to St. Clair
Commandery, No. 12.
He was married July 2, 1876, to Mary E. Vincent, who was bornat Burchville, St. Clair Co., Mich.,
in January, I859, and is the daughter of John and
Catherine Vincent. Of this union three children
have been born, as follows: Fred A., Nov. 9, I878;
Lee J,. Nov. 15, 1880; and May, Dec. 15, 1883.
t En- j^illiam Grant, farmer, section 3o, Fremont
Township, was born July 8, 1835, in Aberdeen, Scotland. He is the son of Alex'@   ander and Isabella Grant. The former died
J   in Granton, Can. The mother is living with
one of her sons at Point Edward. The family
emigrated to the American continent in 1843, landing
at Quebec. The father bought a farm in the township of Riddulph, where he passed the remainder of
his life. Mr. Grant was reared to the age of I8 years
on his father's farm, coming in 1853 to Michigan,
where he was engaged during the winter season in
the lumber woods, and returned for the labors of the
summers to Canada until the fall of I856, when he
bought i60 acres of land. The entire tract was in a
wholly wild state, it having probably never been
crossed by a white man previous to his ownership,
and not a stick of timber had been removed from it.
He spent two years on the place in solitude and
isolation, lumbering winters and chopping and clearing summers.
His marriage to Miranda Beal occurred March 17,
r86i. She was the daughter of Ezekiel and Tabitha
(Fitzgerald) Beal. Her father died when he was
about 53 years old, in Speaker Township. Her
mother is living. The wife was born Nov. 22, 1840,
near York, Maine, and died July 4, I873, leaving five
children. They were born as follows: Leslie C.,
Dec. 8, i86i; William A., Nov. 5, I863; Lowell E.,
April 7, I866; Mary J., May 23, I868; and Clara A.,
Sept. 30, I870. Mr. Grant was a second time married April I9, 1875, to Margaret A. Schram. She


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~   was born and bred a farmer's daughter, and her par%  ents, Peter G. and Catherine Ann (Flake) Schram,,   are living on a farm in Greenwood Township, St.
T Clair Co., Mich. Mrs. Grant was born Feb. 7, I852,
in Nisouri, Canada. Of four children born of the
second marriage three are living. Alice was born
April 5, i876; John H. was born Aug. 8, I878, and
died Jan. 24, 1882; Catherine was born June 20,
i880; Isabella, March i6, I884.
Mr. Grant has served several terms as Township
Clerk, and has officiated as School Inspector since
the organization of the township.
~ 51   ohn Ireland, proprietor of the Everett
X) XWEv~li- House at Marlette, was born July 5, I848)
i  and is the son of John and Mary (Craig), Sid, Ireland. His father was born in the capital
I L city of the "Green Isle," and was educated there;
i  ' he was the eldest of four sons and two daughters:. born to his parents-John and Esther (Hawthorn)
x. Ireland. He began his career as a teacher in Dublin,! and in 1844 emigrated to Canada and engaged in his
chosen vocation in the Niagara District, going thence
to Bertie, where he met and married Mary Craig, an
estimable young lady, and daughter of David and
Ann Craig. The marriage occurred Sept. 12, I846.
Of their union three children were born, in the following order: John, as stated; Lavinia, March Io,
850, who married David Adair and resides at Adelaide, Ont.; Newton, Aug. 2, I85I, since deceased;
and Hugh, March 29, I854, who married Elizabeth
Adair and resides at Marlette. Their mother died
June 13, 855. Mr. Ireland, senior, pursued his profession 30 years and won a wide reputation as a
mathematician. He is now retired on a pension.
The first recorded ancestors of the Ireland family
emigrated from Scotland to Ireland in the reign of
)  James II. Some of them were farmers and others
engaged in the white-lime trade. There was a tradition current that the Hawthorns and Aikens
J owned and controlled the town of Cluntaug, parish of
Killileagh, County Down, Ireland.  The ancestors
i3 in the maternal line (Hawthorn) were very wealthy,
> possessing estates yielding an income so large that




the loss of 30,000 pounds sterling, by the collapse of
a bank in which that amount was dsposited, made no
perceptible difference in their affairs.
Mr. Ireland of this sketch was born in Bertie,
Welland Co., Ont. He passed some years as a farmer,
and was also a hotel proprietor at Strathroy three
years. He obtained a fair education in the common
schools in his youth. In the spring of 1878, he came
to Sanilac County and bought I60 acres of land in
Marlette Township. Of this he took possession and
remained upon it four months, when he rented the
place and removed to Attica, Lapeer County.  He
rented the Williams House there, which he managed
about two years, returning at the end of that time
to his farm. After a few months he went to North
Branch, Lapeer County, and rented the Exchange
Hotel for two years. In September, 1883, he came
to Marlette and bought the hotel which he now owns
and manages.  It is the leading place of public
entertainment in Marlette, and is known as the
Everett House. Mr. Ireland is a Republican in political principles and views.
He was married in 1874, in Strathroy, Ont., to
Hannah, daughter of Paul and Elizabeth (Graham)
Kingston, and the following children have been born
to them: Isaac Newton, June 10, I875, at Strathroy;
John Walter, June 27, 1878, at Attica, Lapeer Co.,
Mich.; Edith May, May 7, i88i. Mrs. Ireland was
born Oct. I4, 185 I, at Enniskillen, Kent Co., Ont. Her
parents removed when she was an infant to Adelaide,
Middlesex Co., Ont., where her father died, Feb. 14,
1864. Her mother still lives in Adelaide.
The family are communicants in the English
Church. Mr. Ireland's father was baptized into that
communion in Ontario, by the Rev. Edward Hinks,
brother of Sir Francis Hinks, the celebrated financier
of the Dominion.


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l  -acob Cumming, merchant at Carsonville,     y
Washington Township, came to Sanilac
County in I882. He is one of the sub-UL  stantial citizens of the county and is the proprietor of a fine farm of 268 acres in Washing-  [
ton Township, which he bought soon after he  (
became a resident here. He also bought real estate?
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A in Carsonville, where he built his home. In May,
I1883, in company with Thomas W. Preston. he en^   gaged in lumbering and mercantile business, which
they have since prosecuted with success. Mr. Cum/ ming is a Republican in political connection, and a
member of Charity Grange, No. 417, P. of H. He
also belongs to the I. O. of G. T.
Mr. Cumming was born May 9, 1837, in Canada,
and is the third son of his parents, William and Margaret (Bell) Cuimming. The former was born in
Scotland, the latter in Ireland. Both came to the
I)ominion in early life, where they married, settled, and spent the remainder of their lives. Their family
' included i i children.  Mr. Cumming received a
common-school education and remained at home
until he was 24 years of age, when he became possessor of a farm and pursued agriculture in the Dominion until i880, when he went to Pennsylvania.  In
the fall of i880 he came to Michigan and resided at
various points until he settled at Carsonville.
He was married in Canada, June 25, I869, to
Eleanor M. Jarvis, who was born in Halton Co., Ont.,
=   Aug. 17, I847. William J. is their only child. Mr.
'  and Mrs. Cunrming are members of the Presbyterian
Church. Mrs. Cumming is a niece of John White,
ex-member of the Canadian Parliament.
(I:i}~f
~ fl       ~t orton Hollister, farmer, section 31 (frac'     X  ttional), Worth Township, is the son of
X   J.  Samuel L. and Sybil (Norton) Hollister.
They were natives respectively of the State of
J  New York and Canada, and after marriage settled in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. The father died
there, in the summer of 1849. Their family included
nine sons and a daughter.
Mr. Hollister was born July 8, 815, in Cattaraugus
' Co., N. Y., and is the second in order of birth of his
parents' children. In the fall of i837 he came to St.,  Clair County, and until 1841 was engaged in lumberi  ing. In the winter of that year he came to Sanilac
County and settled on 120 acres of land in the township of Worth, which he purchased from the Government. The entire county was then in a state of


wildness and the first house built in the county was
erected by him on his farm. He now owns IIo
acres, and has 60o acres under good cultivation. In
the summer of I874, the primitive log house gave
place to a fine frame dwelling of modern style. In
political connection, Mr. Hollister is a Democrat, and
has officiated in several local official positions, among
them Supervisor and Justice of the Peace.
He was married July 8, I841, in St. Clair Co.,
Mich., to Matilda, daughter of Jonathan and Maria
(Gale) Burtch. She was born in Guilford, Chenango
Co., N. Y., March i, 1823. Mr. and Mrs. Hollister
have two surviving children, namely. Ella M., now
Mrs. William Dunning, and Arthur W. Chauncey
A. and Allison E. are deceased. The parents are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
-jlexander Weston, farmer, section 35, Fre-.   mont Township, has been a resident of
Sanilac County since 1855, and of Michj  igan since 1840, in which year he came to Port
Huron. In the year named he located on his
I    farm containing 80 acres, which was then in a
perfectly wild and unimproved condition, and the
home of deer, bears and wolves, the animals abundant in the woods. The township was unorganized,
and Mr. Watson has been a participant in all its progress and advancement. At its first election there
were 12 voters. Mr. Weston has officiated one term
as Justice of the Peace, and has served four years as
Constable.
He was born in the town of Barrack on the river
Tweed, England, April 24, I806, and is the son of
William and Jane (Badgeley) Weston. Both parents
died in England. His father was a brick and tile
maker, and reared his son to the same calling, according to the English custom. He left his native
land in i832, and on reaching the United States he
went to Mooretown, Clinton Co., N. Y., where he
passed eight years engaged chiefly in brick-making.
He has made very little tile since coming to this
country. He came to Port Huron in 1840 and worked
at his trade there about four years, making the brick
for the court-house and jail in that city. He then,.
T


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336                                   SAILA,4 C CO UNT Y.
') engaged in lumbering in St. Clair County, getting out  died in Worth Township. Seven children have been  x>
4 staves and round and square timber. He lived some  born to Mr. and Mrs. Burns, six sons and a daugh-  lr: years at Gray's Corners, St. Clair County, and Rose-  ter, viz.: William E., born Nov. 3, 1857; John B.,;:
T burg, Sanilac County.                          April i, i86o; Anna S., Aug. 25, 1862; Moses, April
(~j   Mr. Weston was first married in 1825 in England,  6, 864; Thomas, July 21, 1868; Lawrence, Jan. 15,
to Ruth Newton. She died of cholera, in Sarnia, Ont.,  1872; James, May 6, 1874. All were born in Fre-  '
in 1835, leaving six children, all of whom but one  mont Township but the eldest.
still survive her. Eliza is the wife of Edward Morris,  Mr. Burns is a Republican in his principles of
of Lexington; Mary is Mrs. Conrad Gordon; Alex-  national government.
ander died in the spring of 1884, in Ohio, leaving a
widow, nee Margaret Baker; Alice married Edward
(  Jones, of Port Huron, and removed to Minnesota,
where her husband died; Thomas and George are
residents of Fremont Township. Mr. Weston was a
second time married in i86o, to Eliza Huntley, and
by this union there have been five children, viz.:     eorge Ervin, blacksmith, resident at MarWilliam W.; Ida May, who married Allen Stevens; I       lette is the son of James and Rebecca
Effie Jane, the wife of Joseph Duffy, and living with  e    (Walker) Ervin. The parents were born
her parents; Caphtoly and Ira Ambrose. The last     respectively i Canada and New York. After
their marriage they settled in the Dominion,
two mentioned are aged respectively 15 and 12n,,   he
~   where they resided until June, 1881, when. years..,                                                   A.-.


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^ |RS% ~i~oses Burns, farmer, resident on section I i,
- Fremont Township, was born in Septem7' ber, 1834, in Chapel, County Wexford,
Ireland. He emigrated to America when
he was I8 years of age, landing at Quebec. He
made his way to Toronto, where he obtained
employment on a farm. He labored on a farm six
months, after which he was occupied as a teamster.
He remained about three years in the Dominion. At
the end of that time he came to Detroit and went to
the land office in that city, where he effected a purchase of i60 acres of land, at 50 cents per acre, under
the Graduation Act. He made another purchase,
which increased his claim to 240 acres. He and a
brother took possession of the tract, built a shanty
and chopped a small " slashing." He has engaged
in lumbering, and has lived on his farm since he first
commenced the work of clearing and improving.
Mr. Burns was married in St. Clair, in i856, to
Bridget O'Conner. She was born about 1839, in the
city of Tamond, County Wexford, Ireland. Her father
died in Canada when she was young; her mother


they came to viarlette to enjoy the care and, companionship of their son. The father died in Marlette Oct. 15, i881. Three sons and three daughters
constituted their family.
Mr. Ervin is the eldest son and second in order of
birth. He was born March 31, 1836, in Canada
West, and was a member of his father's household
until he was 19 years of age, when he entered upon
his struggle in the world.  In 1855, he came to
Michigan and entered a claim of i6o acres in Lapeer
County. He held his proprietary right therein 14
years, but occupied the property but a short time.
He had learned the business of a blacksmith in Canada of his father, and on coming to Marlette he
opened a shop in the village, which was the third
building erected on its present site, the other two being dwellings. He operated as a blacksmith there
four years, when he bought 80 acres of land in Marlette Township, on which he resided about seven
years. At the end of that period he sold out and
embarked in a mercantile enterprise in Marlette, in
company with Warren Manning, the firm style becoming Manning & Co.  Two years later he sold,
out his interest and bought in the same township another tract of 80 acres, of which he is still the owner,
but has continued a resident of the village of Marlette. He has 50 acres of his farm in a finely cultivated condition. He is also the owner of considerable:i
Fi` il,-\,1,


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-..\.,>       SANILAC CO UNTY.
SA IVz AC CO UN TY.


33 7-. *.4
337


I


village property, and is altogether in circumstances
which reflect credit on his management and mode
of life.
Mr. Ervin was married in Feburary, 186I, in Oxford Co., Canada, to Amanda Vosburg, a native of
the State of New York. The family circle now includes six children,-Emma R., Rebecca, Libby,
Ida and Lilly (twins), and George W.
Mr. Ervin is a Republican of no uncertain type.
He has made the interests of his township and village his own, and he has aided in the furtherance of
every enterprise that has promised aught of substantial benefit or advantage to the generation to which
he belongs. He has served Sanilac County four
years as Deputy Sheriff; has been constable six years,
and Highway Commissioner four years.   He has
acted in the capacity of Township Treasuret one year,
and three years as Village Marshal. He is a memher nf the Order of Mncrnrvr Mr  rvirn h1ioc h...n n


age of 21 years, he went to Lexington and there
established himself in the mercantile business, remaining five years. His business was destroyed by
the burning of his building in I869, and he returned
to Worth Township, where he disposed of the residue
of his stock. He bought 50 acres of land on Black
River, spent two years in clearing it, after which
he began the study of surveying, and in 1876 he was
elected County Surveyor. He held the position six
years. In the spring of i88i he exchanged his land
on Black River for property at Amadore, and once
more embarked in mercantile pursuits, in which he is
successfully engaged. In the spring of I880 he took
charge of the postoffice at Amadore. He is a Republican in political matters.


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t          V1% L Do-%%, A -   V- VL1JVLJy X....VL....t.. UI.11 aU,.
personal witness of the growth and prosperity of Mar-,   lette from its infancy.
In addition to his discharge of his duties as a citi-on      Tornon f          seon, W   -
ington Township, was born June i7, i820,
z: en of his town and county, he responded affirma-non                ons     was     n   e, 820,;
in Yorkshire, England. His parents, John
tively to the call of the United States Government           Yor         gan. Hs parentson
in its hour of peril at the hands of the misguided,  and Frances (Bowler) Thornton, were also
i   and rebellious South.  He enlisted in February,       natives of Yorkshire, and in I829 emigrated  e
1863, in Battery A, First Mich. Light Artillery, and  thence to Canada, where they passed the re- e
served until the close of the war. (This battery was  maing years of their lives. They had 13 children,
eigh    t sons and five daughters.
that known as the famous Loomis Battery, and was  eight sons and five daughters.
equipped by the late H. C. Lewis, of Coldwater,    Mr Tornton of this sketch is the third son. He
Mich.) Among the engagements in which Mr. Ervin  was a lad of nine years when he came with the famtook part were the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary ily to  anada, ad there received such education as
Ridge and Lookout Mountain, besides having been  the facilities of the place afforded  In 1860 he left
f:  a participant in numerous skirmishes. He received  the Dominion to come to Sanilac County. He set-:   an honorable discharge, at Jackson, Mich., and re- tled in the township of the same name, removing
turned to his hoe in Sanilac County.  thence four years later to Washington Township, X
turned to his home in Sanilac County.
|'                                                   where he has since resided.
jt                                | ~~~~~~~~~~The first marriage of Mr. Thornton took place in
Canada, Feb. 22, 1843, to Eliza Powers, who was a
native of the Dominion. She died Dec. 27, I843,
j                                                     after the birth of a son,-Richard B.,-who still survives. Mr. Thornton was a second time married, in
f IJefferson W. Galbraith, merchant and   Canada, Nov. 7, I844, to Nancy Coulter. She was.:  ttJ   Postmaster at Amadore, Worth Township,  a native of County Down, Ireland. The issue of this
^is the son of John and Nancy Galbraith.  marriage were seven children, namely: Ann E.,?:,,     (See sketch of John Galbraith.) He was born  William B., John W., Charles P., Sarah E., Almeda!
Ja^s      April 25, 843, in Worth Township, obtained a  and Nancy. The second wife died April 7, 1863,
"vc,      fair education in common schools and attended  and Mr. Thornton contracted a third marriage, in (
the High School at Port Huron one summer. At the     Sanilac County, May 8, i864, with Mary J. (Miller),
p<,,i —            ---                         rZ "n   ti —                          -— 9I4.
^^*                                                                                   "~~N4




338                                    SANILAC COUNT Y.                                           ':e
widow of Frederick Carter. Her death occurred in  some vacant lots.   Mr. Nims has discharged a    -,
6i  the year 1872, and Mr. Thornton married his pres-  citizen's obligations several times in the offices of;:?  ent wife, Louisa M. Pack, May 7, I874. She was   Alderman and President of the Board of Trustees of
born in Madison Co., N. Y., April i8, I830.      Lexington. In the fall of 1864 he was elected to
A.;-  Mr. Thornton is a Republican in political views.  represent his district in the Senate of Michigan on1
He has held the office of Township Treasurer two  the Republican ticket, securing a victory over the
years and Clerk several years; also has officiated  opposition candidate by a large majority. He served
four years as Justice of the Peace.  The family at-  on Committees of Finance and other subjects, with
tend the Methodist Episcopal Church.             fidelity.
He was first married June o0, I856, in Richmond,
Vt., to Miss S. B. Greene. She was the daughter of  j
7MA~~~~~ J  sajsi^,Ezra B. and Jane P. (Bucklin) Greene, and was born                  B:2n^ e QQii^^ —^^^^^^-      ^            |May 8, 1833, in Richmond, Vt. She died in Detroit (
AR^~~~~~~~ ~~~June IO, 1862. Mr. Nims was again married in Lex-                         as
ington, Jan. 15, 1872, to Catherine H., daughter of
es rt      farmer andi. Robert A. and Catherine (Fitzgerald) Schell. She
illiam 1t. Nims, retired farmer and merllna    ridms, retired farmte r and mer-    b was born Sept. 8, t848, in Canada. The children
11   [Lo chant, resident at Lexington, was born
e 7  8      at Richmod, Vt   His   who constitute the issue of this marriage were born
June 7, 1829, at Richmond, Vt.    His
June 7, ' 8,.          His ~,as follows: William R., Dec. 15, 1874; Mary A.,
father, Reuben Nims, M. D., was born Nov.
May 24, i880; Robert J., Sept. 23, 1883.
10, 17 94, in the State of Massachusetts. He    ':


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came in i854 to Lexington, Sanilac County and: remained a year. In 1855 he went to Romeo, Ma3  comb Co., Mich., where he retired upon a farm of
120o acres, which he purchased in the vicinity of that
3  village. He died there in February, I869. The
mother, Sophia (Whiton) Nims, was born in Lee,
Mass., March 15, 1799, and is yet living, at Romeo,
in comparative health and vigor.
Mr. Nims received a good education in the Green
Mountain State, and after leaving school he entered
a store, where he operated some time as a salesman.
He was acquainted with John Wood, a merchant and
lumberman of Lexington, and he came hither in
1853 and entered his employment as a clerk in his
store. After a service of three years he was admitted
as a partner in the business, under the firm style of
J. L. Wood & Co., which afterward became Wood,
Nims & Co. He withdrew from the connection in
1880, after a business career of 24 years. He owns
a very fine farm of I70 acres, situated north of Lexington, and since his withdrawal from commercial
' transactions he has been engaged in the management of his agricultural interests. He is making a
specialty of thoroughbred Guernsey cattle, and purchased two head of a Massachusetts importer. His
herd at present includes a dozen fine samples of
stock. His residence il the village was built in 1874
of brick, and has six acres of land attached, besides


eV stKa


raham J. Lawson, farmer, section 13, FreS f mont Township, was born Nov. 26, I847,
a   in Esquessing, Halton (o., Can.   His
(hE father, John Lawson, was born Sept. 29, i818,
in Perthshire, Scotland, and married Mary A.
Clark, who was born May 12, I821, in the
county of Inverness, Scotland. They emigrated to
America previous to their marriage and settled in i
Canada, where they reared their family.
Mr. Lawson remained at home until he was 29 j
years old, working for his father as he had done
during his minority.  In the spring of I876 he
came to Sanilac County and bought 40 acres, in the
vicinity of a tract of i60 acres purchased by his
father in I855, and which the son now owns by deed
of gift. About 40 acres are now under improve- (
ments. Mr. L. is an adherent of the Republican  i
party..


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He was married Oct. 17, i88o, to Margaret Ken-?
nedy, who is the daughter of John and Isabella (Mc-:
Donald) Kennedy. Her father is now living in (^
Esquessing, Can. Her mother died there July 29,
F     Itl (j>^ -sC —                -4a,-,- 'I-iNIL~j  4,t  I          HH








67#~~~~~t~~~k?  3~&VxL~~~~~~I




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SANI LAC CO UNVTY......;'': —...?'':'xi!;~ V
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_. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -








I 186I, and was 45 years old at the time of her death.
Mrs. Lawson is one of five daughters born to her
~ parents. She had four brothers, all of whom are deceased. She is the mother of two children: Mary
A., born Oct. 21, I88I; and Isabella, born Aug. 26,
1883. The parents are members of the Presbyterian
Church.
~-:    f         'rthur M. Clark, a prominent citizen of Sani   ilac County, and a former merchant and
business man in the village of Lexington, resides on a farm  of 20 acres three-fourths
of a mile north of that place, on section 24.
The location overlooks the lake and is one of the
i finest and most desirable in the county. It was purchased by Mr. Clark in i868, on his retirement from
%   commercial life. The property is finely improved,:  and is increased in value by an elegant residence., Mr. Clark is a native of Landaff, Grafton Co., N.
I H., where he was born Aug. 4, 1833. His father,
I Daniel Clark, was born March 19, 1789, in Landaff,
N. H. He was a prominent citizen in his county
and State and was influential in the place where he
spent most of his life. He possessed extensive farming interests, and was a merchant and Postmaster at
Landaff for a period of 30 years. He was active in
local and public political life, and represented his
district several terms in the Legislature of the "Old
1  Granite State." He died Sept. i8, T852, on the Isle
of Shoals, near Portsmouth, whither he had gone for.: the benefit of his health. Mr. Clark's mother, Mary
OA (Merrill) Clark, was born March 28, 1792, il Warren,
N. H., and died Feb. 4, 1874, in Landaff, aged 82
years. Following is the record of the children of
Daniel Clark and his wife: Ira M. (deceased) was a
merchant at Lexington (see sketch of Dr. I. M.
Clark); Ebenezer V. (deceased) was a clerk in the
Revere House in Boston at the time of his death.
EUen N. became the wife of Clark Haywood, a lumberman of Cleveland, Ohio; Benjamin M. is a farmer
in Monroe, N. H.; Mary M., wife of Rev. O. D. Easti man, for some years a clergyman in the Congrega-!) tional Church, is the owner of the homestead at
r   Landaff, N. H.; Tamar M. (deceased) married Hon.




John G. Sinclair, who served six terms in the Legislature of New Hampshire, four as Representative and
two as Senator, and was twice nominated on the
Democratic ticket as candidate for Governor. Mr.
Clark of this sketch was next in order of birth; Samuel P. died when he was 15 years of age.
Mr. Clark attended the common schools of his native State until he was i6 years of age, when he was
sent to the Seminary and Collegiate Institute at Newbury, Vt., an institution under the management of
the Methodist Church, where he was graduated four
years later. On attaining his majority and the completion of his education, he came to Lexington, and
in September of the same year (1854) he became
Principal of the High School at that place, which
position he retained four years. He then built a
store on the corner of Main Street and Huron Avenue, where he prosecuted mercantile affairs singly for
12 years. At the end of that time he admitted his
brother, Dr. Ira M. Clark, to whom he sold his business in I873.
Mr. Clark is one of the most prominent Masons in
Michigan, and the occasion of his surrender of his
business was his election as Grand Visitor and
Lecturer of Michigan, a position he filled eight years.
He has been a member of the order since 1855,
when he was made sucl at Lexington Lodge, No. 6r.
In i884 he was elected Grand Master of Michigan.
He is one of the Regents of the University of
Michigan, and received his nomination for the position on the Democratic ticket at Lansing, in the
spring of 1883. He was elected by 8,ooo majority,
the mnost decided victory of the entire ticket. He led
his own county by a majority of I,500 votes. C. J.
Willett, his colleague, was elected by a majority of
3,000 votes. The opposition candidates were Harry
B. Hutchins, of Mt. Clemnens, and R. L. Jones, of
East Saginaw.
Mr. Clark owns 120 acres of land on section 26,
Lexington Township, 40 acres in Austin and a farm
of 120 acres in Page Co, Iowa.
He was married Aug. i6, 1855, in Stowe, Vt.. to
Mary E. Robinson. She was born June 14, 1835, in
Stowe, and is the daughter of Nathan and Rutlh
(Thompson) Robinson. Of four children born of tills
marriage, two are living: Ellen H., born June 12,
1856, is the wife of George A. Merrill, who is superintending the farm of Mr. Clark on section 26. (Mr.
and Mrs. Merrill have three children-Arthur, Grace


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Wet  as;::: 5..........
(   342                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
i   and Timothy.) Arthur N., born May 28, 858, died  D., with all their furniture, jewels, charter, etc., were: Oct. 26, following. Charles S. was born June 29,  swept out of existence. I have obtained, mostly by:. I860, and is managing a stock ranch in Wyoming   sworn statements, the losses of the several Lodges
in the "Burnt District," and they are as follows:
f  Territory, in the interests of Mr. Patrick, of Omaha.  Lexington No. 6, 5 members and $27,600; Port
Howard R., born May 16, 1862, died Aug. 8 of the  Hope No. 138, 27 members and $6i,ooo; Cato No.
same year. The mother died July 27, 1862. Mr.   215, 28 members and $54,0oo; Cass No. 219, five
Clark was a second time married in Littleton, N. H.,  members and $9,ooo; Sanilac No. 237, six members
and $II,I70; Tyler No. 315, nine members and
Sept. 8, i863, to Martha H. Hale. She is the daugh-  $I1,500;  arle r No. 354, fnin members and,-r, \x7                      $I,5Ti,5  /T,oo;00  Marlette No. 343, four members and
ter of Joseph W. and Isabella M. Hale, and was born  $3,ooo; Elk No. 351, three members and $6,ooo;
in Haverhill, Mass., Sept. 27, 1833. Of this marriage  Verona U. 1)., i6 members and $86,500oo. In addi.
two children have been born,-Winthrop W., Jan. 28,  tion to the above are 15 members and $28,o00, be-.   1865, and Arthur H., April 26, 873. The latter  longing to various Lodges throughout the State and
a  ^- j KT rr;   11 *  i.  *          in the Province of Ontario, making a total of 128
died Nov. 29 following hisiMasons in the "Burnt District" who lost nearly
The subjoined extract is taken from the report of  $300,000, and on whom relief has been bestowed.
the transactions of the Grand Lodge, F. & A. M., of  As soon as this terrible calamity became known,
the State of Michigan for T882. It is reproduced as  relief began to be sent, and before any appeal was
being the best possible manifest of the private char- made in their behalf. I want to mention two instances of charitv to those sufferers that will never be
acter of Mr. Clark, and also as a memorial to the  forgotten. The Masons of Detroit sent more than
citizens of Sanilac County of the work he accoln-  $400 worth of provision and supplies to Cato Lodge
plished in the capacity of representative of his order  at once on hearing of their calamity, and the other
for the relief of the fire sufferers belonging to the fra-  is that of Washington Lodge No. 7, of Tekonsha,
ternity. It is also a defined statement of the loss who forwarded to me for distribution among the sufferers 39 bags of wheat, two bags of corn, one bag of
and sufferings of the members of the order, and is a our and nine boxes of mercandise, containing
fitting supplement to the biographical sketch of Mr.  clothing, bedding, etc. I have received from Most:::  Clark, and a valuable historical addition to the  Worthy Brother 0. L. Spaulding, Grand Master, for
/    annals of the Huron peninsula.  The "Communi-  distribution, the following cash contributions genercation " states that the report of Mr. Clark was ac-  ously donated. Michigan $4,919.77, Maine $804.51,
Connecticut $1,229.16, Delaware $55, Illinois $I,I80,
j  cepted and adopted amildst the cheers of the    California $i,io8.5g, W. Virginia $Ioo, Mississippi
brethren.                                       $840.65, Iowa $500, Indiana $137, Pennsylvania
To the Most WVorshipful Grand Lodge Free an      $4,086.47, Wisconsin $500, LIouisiana $I,86. TenAccepted Masons of the S/ate of Michigan:    nessee $1,09o.o6, South Carolina $349.15, Texas
$1,356.56, Kansas $300, Kentucky $10oo, Arkansas
Having been directed by our Most Worshipful   $869.50, Ohio $65, New Jersey $5o, New York $125,
Grand Master to distribute the Masonic relief to our  Missouri $250, Maryland $636, Georgia $295.50.
'f  distressed brethren of the burnt district, I submit  I have distributed this relief among the distressed
the following report: On the 5th day of September,  brethren as follows: Lexington No. 6i, 19 members,
i88I, a terrible fire swept over that portion of our  $2,639.42; Port Hope No. I38, 31 members, $3,1^  State embracing the counties of Sanilac, Huron and  267.50; Cato No. 215, 34 members, $4,785.86; Cass
Tuscola, and in a few short hours at least 15,ooo  No. 219, seven members, $925; Tyler No. 317, o1
people were left without a home or a shelter, and  members, $2,300: Sanilac No. 237, nine members,
some 300 human beings perished by the all-devour-  $1,144.04; Marlette No. 343, four members, $225;
ing element. By order of the Most Worthy Grand   Elk No. 353, four members,$545; Memphis No. 142,
Master, I visited the "Burnt District,' in order to  two members, $125; Flint No. 21, one member, $25;
learn to what extent the fraternity had suffered, and  Lapeer No. 54, one member, $300; Morenci No. 95,
(  I there found distress and suffering among our  one member, $200; Ortonville, No. 339, one member,
brethren that I hope and pray I may never witness  $25: Ely No. 424 (Ohio), one member, $150; vari-:    again.  I found more than one hundred of our   ous Lodges, Ontario, nine members, $,320; Brethren
2-,  brethren and their families homeless and houseless,  dimitted, seven, $800; Verona U. I)., 15 members,
and all their worldly goods consumed, and where, but  $4,16I; Davage Lodge No. 374 (Penn.), one member,
a^    a few hours previously they were opulent and in  $50; sundries, $65r.
)   comfortable circumstances, and were now reduced to  Union Lodge, No. 3, Ashlar No. 9I, and Oriental
beggary and want.                                 No. 240, all of Detroit, have donated and sent to the
(a;s   Two Lodges, viz.: Cato No. 219, and Verona, U.  two Lodges burned out the following goods: Nine
VA *t                                           [A                                      -.    e
4A~;~"~t~




SAIVILA CA CO UNT Y.


343.~~~~~~~AIA CONY         343


sofas, one secretary's large desk, one small desk, one
circular table, one oblong table, two dozen chairs,
two master's columns with globes and small table,
six station columns with marble tops, one wardrobe,
one set lesser lights, one set steps, etc., for M. C.
work, one altar with cushions, and one set officers'
collars; and Zion No. i, of Detroit, contributed one
set lesser lights.
I can assure you, my dear brethren, that their
noble contributions have sent joy and gladness to
their stricken families, and their kind and generous
donors will ever be remembered with truly thankful
hearts, and the prayer of every one is that God will
bless all who have contributed to this fund that has
truly sent relief to them in this their time of great
distress and suffering.
Reading Lodge, No. I 17, claims to have forwarded
$25 in currency through the mails, but the same has
never been received.
Donations forwarded through Grand Lodge officers
have been credited to the several Grand Lodges, as
the donors were not individually mentioned. It has
been our aim in all cases to give credit to individual
Lodges where we could do so.
Fraternally submitted,
ARTHUR M. CLARK,
Grand Visi/or and Lecturer.
The portrait of Mr. Clark, which appears on another page, is a three-fold acquisition to this volume
from his character as a citizen, his position as Regent
of the University of Michigan and as the sympathetic and judicious dispenser of the noble charity of
the order of which he is the chief official, and in
which he has officiated in the most responsible positions.
i  eorge McIntyre,    retired  farmer, resii:s!    dent on section 33, Worth Township, is
the son of Hugh and Henrietta (Burns)
~ McIntyre, and was born Nov. 22, I806, in
Scotland. His parents were also. natives of
Scotland, married and lived there until their
removal from the " land of cakes " to Canada in I834.
Mr. McIntyre is the eldest of a family of nine children. In I829 he left his native country and emigrated to Canada. In I845 he made another removal
and settled in Sanilac County, then attached for
municipal purposes to St. Clair County. He obtained a claim of 155 acres, a part of which was


situated in both counties. He afterwards disposed
of 80 acres in St. Clair County, and holds a life lease
of the farm in the township of Worth. He followed
the calling of cotton spinning in Scotland, and after
coming to the Dominion, engaged some time in
teaching; after that he devoted his time exclusively
to agriculture, in which he has since been engaged.
In political matters Mr. Mclntyre is a Republican,
and has been Township Supervisor three years,
Treasurer three years, Justice of the Peace 19 years,
and has held the position of Notary Public two years.
He was married in Scotland Nov. ii, I825, to
Helen Condon, a native of that country, born May
10, i806. She came to Canada with her two children in i832, her husband having preceded her and
established a home for his family. Ten children
have been born since her removal to America, and of
the 12, six only survive. They are named James,
Hugh, Mrs. Helen Foster, Mrs. Grace Noble, George
and Mrs. Barbara A. Welton. The deceased were
Henrietta, John, Norman, William and William Scott.
One child died in infancy. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.


' ~ iilliam  B. Laidlaw, farmer, section 30,
Speaker Township, was born March 2,
1838, in Delaware Co., N. Y., and is the
son of William and Isabella (Liddell) Laidlaw. They were natives of the Lowlands of
Scotland, where they belonged to the agricultural class. They emigrated thence to the State of
New York, where they were residents nearly half a
century, and where their lives terminated.
Mr. Laidlaw acquired a substantial and available
education in the common schools of his native
county, and at Delaware Institute, which he attended
some time. He turned his acquisitions to a good
and worthy purpose, and passed some time in teaching. He next fitted for a blacksmith, which vocation he pursued three years.  The issues and
progress of the civil war exerted a powerful influence
over him as the many years rolled on, and he abandoned his business to aid in relieving the country in
its hour of distress. In i864 he enlisted in Co. H,


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<   344                                 SANIZAC COUNTY.,   3d N. Y. Cav., and, being a musician, he was as-  belongs to the Elk Lodge, No. 353, Masonic Order.
X signed to band duty, and operated in that capacity   He was married in i88i, to Elvira E. McKeith.  i:  during the entire period of his service. He received  She was born Feb. 22, T863, in Loho, Ont., and is the  *:
honorable discharge May i8, 1865, at Hart Island,  daughter of John D. and Susan (Carmichael) Mc) when he returned to Middletown, Delaware Co., N.   Keith. Her parents are natives of Canada. Her
Y. In September following he came to Sanilac Co.,  father was born June 6, 1837, her mother, Oct. 2,
Mich., and located a claim of ioo acres of land.  1839. In 1873 they came to Michigan and became
His aggregate average is now about 340 acres,which  residents of Speaker Township. Leo N., born Aug.
he has acquired by later purchase. He is independ-  15, 1882, and Loretta Elvira, born June 1, 1884, are
ent in political views and action, and has officiated  the children of Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson.
in the local offices of his township. He has been                                                 *


Supervisor one term, and School Director nine years.
He was married in 1867 to Sarah Dewey. She
was born July 4, 1847, in Ohio, and is the daughter
of Amos and Martha (Spencer) Dewey. The parents of Mrs. Laidlaw were both born in the State of
New York. Her father died in Ohio, and her mother
resides in Speaker Township, this county. Seven
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw,
namely: William J., Charles E., David E., Andrew
G., Lillian, Belle, Alexander and Augusta. The two
last named are deceased.


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^J:  mos James, proprietor of the Cadillac
- House at Lexington, was born in Ludlow,
i2 Mass., July 9, I818, and is the son of Horatio
"r and Dolly B. (Bissell) James, who removed in
'    his infancy to East Windsor, Conn., going
thence in 1823 to Buffalo, N. Y. Five years later
they removed to the village of St. Clair, St. Clair Co.,
Mich., then having five families as a nucleus. The.A..^r, T..p..n It^n1 —lt o1n InHirivl trd mn-hla  f onf: Ac.-. of.*                                                   S C111U1 J >lllC3 ~ufjlu~lls ell >llilWC L   I v H V ll sng-limil V1   ULA.  I-I
tion of land now included in St. Clair. He paid  l
therefor $5 per acre, buying the tract from Thomas
illiam M. Tomlinson, farmer, section 2,     Palmer, of Detroit, father of Thomas Palmer, present, Speaker Township, is one of the prominent  U.S. Senator. It was platted by Mr. James, and a,     agriculturists of the township where he re-  large proportion sold in lots. He removed his family
-7   sides. He was born Sept. 13, 1854, in St.  and interests to Port Huron, where he died, in 1841.
)'  Lawrence Co., N. Y., and is the son of W. M  His wife died the very next day after his death took
and Elizabeth (Portus) Tomlinson.  The par-  place.
ents were natives of the State of New York, where  Mr. James of this sketch became a cabin boy on
the father was born June 5, 1833, and the mother  the steamer "Oliver Newberry," when he was 14:
Sept. 23, 1832. The former died June II, 1854.  years old, and h= followed the life of a sailor on the
The latter resides in Lisbon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y.,  lakes chiefly until he was 40 years of age.
and is now Mrs. Robert Gray.                       During the period of his service as cabin boy, the
Mr. Tomlinson obtained his education at the corn-  boat caught fire, and he saved his life by climbing to
mon schools, and was an inmate of his mother's  a cabin window and dropping thence into the water.
house until he was i8 years of age. In I872 he en-  On reaching his majority he bought the "Mariner,'
gaged as a farm laborer and followed that employ  a schooner in the lake transportation service, and:
until i879. In that year he came to Michigan and  four years later the vessel was wrecked at St. Joe, on
located on 80 acres of land in Speaker Township,  Lake Michigan, involving a total loss.  His next:
on which he has since lived and prosecuted agri-   engagement was on the steamboat " Oregon," and!
cultural operations. He has placed 60 acres of his  after its termination he was Marshal and Constable  j
farm under good improvements. In political con-   at Port Huron, and also Deputy U. S. Marshal. He (t
nection he is a member of the Republican party. He  was frugal and cautious in his management, and
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soon saved sufficient to establish himself again in his:~i favorite calling. He bought a half interest in the
schooner "Traveller," but retained his proprietorship
only a short time. After making a profitable sale of
that interest, he became half owner of the schooner
"Sacramento," selling again soon after and buying
the propeller "Mohawk Chief," in which he continued
his ownership two years, and bought the propeller
"Stockman."  He again sold out and bought the
schooner "L. D. Cornan." The boat was wrecked on
Lake Huron, and Mr. James was once more stranded
in a business sense, and returned to a career on the;  land in order to re-establish himself. He was ap.
pointed Deputy Sheriff of St. Clair County, and discharged the duties of the position four years, after
which he was appointed Deputy United States Marshal and also City Marshal. He was elected Sheriff
of St. Clair County in 1857 and served in that
capacity from 1858 to I860.
i  In 864 he came to Lexington and rented the hotel
where he is now operating, and continued its management two years, when he disposed of his interest
and returned to Port Huron. A few months later;   he returned to Lexington and became proprietor of
=. the Cadillac House, and has since continued its
t    management. The hotel is admirably constructed
and fitted for its purpose, and is faithfully and creditably conducted. The accommodations are ample
for the comfort of 95 guests, and it is the largest
hotel in Lexington. A good livery is attached.
Since establishing himself permanently at Lexington, Mr. James has lost five barns with their contents
by incendiary fire. On one of these occasions he
lost five horses, one of them a stallion worth $2,000.
The loss also included carriages, harnesses, cutters,
A1 and other valuable livery property, and Mr. James
nearly perished while striving to save his stock.
He was married Dec. 3I, 1841, to Angeline
Spaulding, and two children were born of their
union-William D. (see sketch) and Irene E. (See
also sketch of Henry Adams.)  Mrs. James is the:   daughter of Jedediah and Sallie (Tolman) Spaulding,
and was born in Williamstown, N. Y., on an island
in the St. Lawrence River, June 29, 1824. Her
father died June I8, 1865; her mother died in August,
(    1835, at Tonawanda, N. Y.
While Mr. James was a resident at Port Huron, he
conducted the Albion House one year, and also the




Huron House of that city, which he managed two
years.
He is a member of the Masonic Order, and belongs to the Lexington Commandery, No. 21, and
Damascus Chapter, No. 41.
athan Shell, farmer, sec. 22, Worth Tp., is a
- son of Geo. A. and Jane (Cox) Shell. (See
sketch of G. A. Shell.) He is the second
son, and was born March 20, r856, in Worth
Township. He is well educated and a competent, practical agriculturist.  He has taught
nine terms of district school. In I880 he bought
the farm of which he is now the proprietor, and
which consists of 80 acres of land, placed in a
highly creditable condition entirely by his own efforts.
He belongs to the Republican party.
He was married Aug. 3, i881, in Canada, to Jessie
Mitchell; who was born March io, 1862, in the Dominion.  She is a member of the Congregational
Church.
S     -a amuel Umphrey, farmer, section 23, Fremont Township, was born Dec. 14, 1822, in
71 l2 5 the township of Brock, Ontario. His pariA ents, Samuel and Lucinda (Woolery) Umphrey,
both died in that township. His father was
born Jan. 3I, 1788, at Prescott, of Scotch-Irish
parentage, and died at the age of 75 years. His
mother descended from Dutch ancestors, and was
born March 16, 1788, in Canada.
Mr. Umphrey was reared on a farm in the Dominion and obtained his education in a select school,
there being no public schools at that period where
he lived. On setting out to become responsible for
his own fortunes, he bought a small farm, on which
he lived alone one summer, and in the ensuing fall
determined on securing companionship.  He was.M


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married Nov. 5, 1844, to Rachel Kester. She was
A Dec. 24, 1824, in the township of Markham, Can.
' Her father, Philip Kester, died in that township June
22, I88r, aged about go years. Her mother, Mary, (Brown) Kester, died about i867. They belonged to
the agricultural class.
Mr. Umphrey lived two years on the farm referred
to, when he sold it and purchased another, which
comprised 170 acres. A year later he again sold out
and embarked in a commercial enterprise, in the
f township of Reach. Soon afterward he transferred
i his stock of goods to a small village named Borilla,
where he operated one year. He exchanged his
mercantile interests and possessions for a farm soon
afterward, of which he retained the ownership hut a
short time. On selling the place, he built a saw-mill,
which he managed three years, and exchanged for a
hotel situated i6 miles northeast of Toronto, at a
point called Milliken's Corners.
He ran the hotel three years, and made another
exchange for a farm, which he operated three years,
and then he made another trade for a farm in Worth
Township, in Sanilac County. It contained 80 acres,
and the next year he cleared 46 acres, which he
thinks the heaviest clearing up to that date ever done
in one year in Sanilac County. After a residence on
it of two years he made an exchange for a farm of
160 acres in another part of the same township, lying
on the Wild-Cat Road. He lived and labored thereon
three years, when he rented it for a year and went to
Iowa with his family, $I,800 in cash, two span of
horses and a wagon. Mrs. Umphrey carried 35
pounds of feathers. One year later they retraced
their steps to Sanilac County, bringing back $600 in
money, but minus horses, harness, wagon and feathers.
This loss was all entailed by the financial panic which
caused the low price of all farm produce.
They returned in the fall and rented a hotel at
Amadore, where they remained until spring, when
they once more re-possessed their farm. Three years
later the place was sold, and the family removed to
Chillicothe, Mo., and bought a hotel, paying therefor
$8,000. Six months afterward, Mr. Umphrey exchanged the house for 476 acres of land in Carroll
Co., Mo., which was the home of the family for two
years. At the end of that time, the proprietor exchanged the property for another hotel at Chillicothe,
valued at $13,000, which included livery with stables


and all other fixtures. Six months later, Mr. Umphrey exchanged the hotel for a farm, and not long
afterward the former was burned, entailing upon him
a loss of $5,000. He collected his remaining means
and went to Jackson Co., Minn., where he pre-empted
160 acres of land, on which he remained until the
grasshoppers "jumped his claim " and destroyed his
crops.  This occurred the second year after his
arrival. They placed a family in charge of the house
on the place, and returned to Worth Township, to
care for a sick daughter.
Mr. Umphrey went to work as a carpenter. He
bought 40 acres of State lands in the township of
Fremont near Roseburg, and began improvements,
erecting needed farm buildings, etc. After a stay
thereon of three years, he sold out and bought a
store. He continued his mercantile enterprise one
year, meanwhile exchanging his farm in Minnesota
for the one he now owns and occupies in Fremont.
He soon exchanged his store and trade for another
farm, and moved where he now resides. The title
to the place he had traded for proving defective, he
was obliged to take the store back into his possession,
which he did, leaving one of his sons to manage his
agricultural interests. In six months he sold the
building and removed his stock of goods to Port
Huron, where he transacted commercial business
about ten months. He sold his stock, and, being in
poor health, he suffered serious financial loss from
being unable to give proper attention to his accounts.
He then settled on the farm where he has since resided. It comprises 80 acres, and he has improved
50 acres and built a good house and barn.
Mr. Umphrey has had a life full of eventful
cRange. In addition to his hand-to-hand struggle
with the chances of fortune, he has discharged the
duties of his citizenship and borne the vicissitudes of
his changeful career with equanimity. He has been
Justice of the Peace, Overseei of the Poor and while
in Minnesota was Postmaster of Hersey, a position
he also filled at Roseburg. This county was in its
pioneer days when he first made it his home, and
he has a fair record as a sportsman in the days when
civilization was far enough in the rear to admit of
the delights of the hunter's life. He has killed deer
and bear within three miles of Lexington village, and
also along the Wild-Cat road. He is a Republican
in political connection and views; both he and his


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SANILAC COUNTY,




wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
Nine children have been born to -them, whose
records are given as follows: Adam was born Aug.
27, 1845, and was married Sept. 23, 1870, to Vina
Wixson; Henry was born Sept. 3, 1847; George was
born Sept. 4, 1849, and was married Dec. o, 1870, to
Elizabeth Scott; Amarillis was born Aug. 1I, i85I,
and died June II, i879. Nelson was born Sept. 28,
1855, and was married in May, I880, to Anna Cook;
Wellington, born Nov. 6, I857, was married June 30,
1878, to Elinor Soule; Sarah Alice was born Sept. 8,
i860, and died April 22, 1869. John Franklin was
born Nov. 15, I86I, and James Wesley, Nov. 8, 1863.
l[-ttlt t ervin B. Cody, farmer and stockman, resr1~    ident on section 6, Marlette Township, is
q][~.":r the son of Charles G. and Abigail E.
-\(Bodwell) Cody. The former was born Feb.
14, i8ii, in the State of New York. The
mother was born in i815, in Canada, where the
family resided until her death in 1879. The father
still lives in the Dominion, and is engaged in the
employment of the well-known Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Canada.
Mr. Cody was born June 9, I843, in Oxford Co.,
Can., and remained on the family homestead until he
was 38 years of age. He was married meanwhile,
to Mary F., daughter of Gilbert and Eliza (Burnett)
Harris. She was born April 13, 1842, ill Oxford Co.,
Can., and died Oct. 29, 1879,leaving two children,Annette C., born July 29, I866, and Arthur B., born
Jan. 30, 1869. Two years after the death of his
first wife, Mr. Cody was married to Helen B. Smart.
She was born April r, 1852, in Dover, Kent Co.,
England, and is the daughter of James B. and Sarah
E. (Chatte) Smart. The latter was a native of the
same shire, and the father was born in the capital
city of Scotland, Edinburgh, Feb. 6, 1804. They
came to Canada in i858 or 1589, and the mother
died in Whitley Township, Can., in I865. The father
resides in Dixon Co., Kan. Following is the record
of four children born of the second marriage of Mr.
CoAly: Roy, born Nov. 12, 1873; Jennie L., April


i6, 1877; Mabel E., Jan. 6, I880; Abbie W., July
9, i88i.
Mr. Cody removed to Michigan in i88i, and
located on 120 acres of land in Marlette Township.  It comprises 40   acres of cleared  and
improved land with good farm buildings. He is a
Republican in political views, and he and his wife
are members of the Baptist Church.


r.,as'$ r, 4


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icholas E. Rector, farmer, section 31, Fre4:Bu   - mont Township, claims priority of settle'i-4 ment in the part of Sanilac County of
ll)  which he became a resident in 1852. He (
tG settled in Fremont Township, which he reached K
Dec. 3, and was the first permanent settler within /\
what is now the limits of the township. It was then tE
a part of Worth Township, to which it was attached;
for municipal purposes. The settlers of the east:
half of Worth Township became dissatisfied with the Y
apportionment of funds, and although they were few  i
in number they petitioned for, and were successful i
in obtaining, their charter. Mr. Rector aided in the
organization of Fremont, and every citizen was made
an office-holder at its first town meeting. The first
residents who settled after he located were Abraham
Spring, Silas Harris and John Spring, who secured
the farms on which they lived and died, in the spring
of 1883.
The first visit of Mr. Rector to Sanilac County:?
was made in the spring of I838. He was in the lake
service and came to Birchville, St. Clair County,
where he procured a load of tan-bark for Kirby's
tannery at Detroit. He continued to operate along
the Michigan shore five years, bringing provisions
and other supplies to the lumbermen and carrying
away shingles, lumber, tan-bark and cordwood, which?
he delivered in Detroit. He was in Lexington for
the first time in the fall of 1839, and that metropolis *?
then consisted of one log shanty, inhabited by a man?
named Simons. He shipped shingles throughout &
the summer of I840 from that point to Detroit in his 1?4
father's vessel. In the fall of the same year he!






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brought to Lexington the first frame house erected
there. It was framed at Port Huron. On taking
possession of his farm. he erected a log house, the
first built in Fremont Township, and the frame house
he built was the second of the kind in the county of
Sanilac. He has been active in the local affairs of
the township, and has officiated 21 years as Justice
of the Peace. He has been School Director 13 years,
and in the spring of 1862 was the only legal official
in the township, the. several individuals who held the
position at various other points being aliens. Mr.
Rector is a Democrat.
He was born July 17, 1824, in Onondaga Co., N.
Y. His parents, John and Sally (Howard) Rector,
were natives of the Empire State, his father being
born in Albany, Jan. I, I800. His mother was born
Jan. 27, 1800, and died at Red Run Corners, Macomb Co., Mich., in 1872. The father died in 1879.
Five of their children grew to maturity.
Mr. Rector is the eldest of the children born to
his parents, and when he was 15 years old he left
home to connect himself with the canal service in
his native State, his parents receiving his pay until
he was 22 years of age. He sailed on the lakes for
some years after quitting the canal. During that
time he had a fall, from the top-gallant yard of a
vessel, a distance of 76 feet, striking on his back on
a plank in a yawl-boat lying alongside. He was disabled a year, and for months his recovery was thought
impossible.
His marriage to Mary A. T'hompson occurred
Dec. 6, 1844. Their children have been born as
follows: Lorenzo M., Nov. 3, 1848, in Algonac, St.
Clair County; Nicholas A., born Feb. i6, 1851, at
Clyde Mills, St. Clair County, died Aug. 13, I874;
Homer A., March 31, I853, at Port Huron; Sally S.,
Aug. 13, I855; Eliza J., Jan. 23, I857; Louisa C.,
July 23, I859; Henry, Oct. 23, I86i; Nathaniel H.,
Sept. I5, I864 (died Aug. 1o, I865); Marion J., Sept.
5, 1866; an unnamed infant died when three days
old; Willis Eli, June 3, I874. All but the three first
named was born in Fremont Township.
Mrs. Rector was born Dec. 22, I829, in London,
Eng. Her father, James S. Thompson, a Scotchman, died in May, 1845, aged about 40 years. Her
mother, Mary (Stanton) Thompson, a native of England, died in Detroit Jan. 17, 1843, at the age of 35
years. Mrs. Rector was the eldest of the children


'CO UNTY.
of her father's family, of whom five grew to maturity.  *e
She was a child when they came to Canada, and remained there until she was 13 years old, when she
came to Detroit, Mich.                            i


jsl     am illiam C. Sherman, editor of the "Mar'  lette Leader," was born May 22, 1862, in.  Caro, Tuscola Co., Mich. His parents,
-   William E. and Sarah E. (McGlone) Sher'  man, were born respectively in New York and
' Ohio.   After their marriage they settled in
Tuscola County, where Mr. Sherman, senior, engaged
in lumbering, in which pursuit he secured a competency. Later, he engaged in mercantile business, which
he pursued with moderate success, and, after some
years, retired from active life. Orra F., William C.
and Maud M. are the names of the three children
belonging to the family.
Mr. Sherman is the second son. He was educated
in the common schools of his native place, which he
attended up to the age of 15 years. On arriving at
that period he found himself the custodian of his
own fortunes. He was variously engaged for three
years, and when i8 years old he apprenticed himself
to acquire the details of the "Black Art." He found
it congenial and made such rapid progress in the
craft that at the end of three years he was foreman of
the establishment where he served his term of indenture, with a corps of six men under his supervision. On quitting that position, he was for a time
inclined to embark in mercantile interests, but by
some chance failed to pursue that business. He was
employed about a year in a printing house at Cass
City, Mich., and in October, 1883, he came to Marlette, where, a few months later, he assumed his
present position as editor of the Leader. The paper
is Republican in its purposes and is a popular and
well-sustained journal under the present management. Mr. Sherman is a member of Marlette Lodge
No. 1775, K. of H.
His marriage to Mattie E. Scott occurred at East
Saginaw, July 6, 1883. She was born Oct. 6, 1862,
in Washington Co., N. Y., and is the daughter of
Darius 0. and Mary A. (Ward) Scott.


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SANILAC CO UNTY.


349.... I  illiam  H. Ennest, teacher and farmer
resident on section 36, Washington Township, was born Jan. 28, 1851, in Oxford
>f  Co., Ont. He is the eldest child in his
father's family, and has been a resident of
Sanilac County since he was 15 years of age.
ie attended the common schools until the age of 13
years, when he was sent to the academy at Wood-;  stock, Can., and was a student there two years. He
adopted the lrofession of teaching, which he has followed since i869. He is the proprietor of 44 acres
of cleared and cultivated land, which is his homestead.
His parents, George and Amanda (Mitchelson)
Ennest, were natives of the State of New York. After
|  their marriage they settled in Canada, where the wife... and mother died. After that loss, the father removed:: to Sanilac County (in I866), and settled where he
still resides, in Washington Township. He married;:  again, and the issue of his second union included
five children. William H. and Minnie J. are the
children of his first wife.
Mr. Ennest of this sketch was married in Sarnia,
Ont., March 17, 1874, to Laura C. Potts. She was
born in Lexington Township, Dec. I9, i85. Their
children were born as follows:  Ralph H., July 7,
1876; Carrie, Oct. 30, i878; Mary, Sept. 8, 1883.
Mr. Ennest's political opinions are in accord with
r   those of the Republican party. He has been active
in official school positions. His wife belongs to the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
$ KI  ' ranklin P. Philo, farmer and mechanic,
-?fi^  resident on section 20, Watertown Town'i  j  slhip, was born in Lapeer Township, in the
county of the same name, Sept. I8, 1854, and
is the son of Jared L and Catherine R. (Graves)
Philo. They were natives of the State of New
York, and the father is yet living, in Lapeer County.
The mother died about I875.


Mr. Philo was reared on his father's farm, and obtained his education in the common schools. At the
age of 20, he abandoned the farm and devoted his
attention to the acquisition of the details of the trade
of carpenter and joiner. He completed his knowledge of the business and spent some years in its
prosecution at various points in Michigan. In 1878,
he came to Sanilac County, and purchased the farm
which is now his homestead. It comprised 40 acres,
and at the date of purchase was wholly wild and unimproved. At present nearly the entire tract is under
cultivation, and in addition to his labors as an agricultural pioneer, he has devoted much time to his
trade. He is a Democrat in political faith and
action, and has held the positions of Highway Commissioner and the various school offices. He belongs
to the K. 0. T. M. 0. T. W., Lodge No. 272, located
at Sandusky, and holds its official trusts. In 1883
he was delegate to the annual meeting of the Maccabees at Detroit; was Census Enumerator of his
township for 1884.
His marriage occurred Oct. 9, I876, in Elba, Lapeer County, to Alice Brookins, who was born in that
township Feb. 21, 1857. Two children have been
born of this union, as follows: Herbert, Aug. 12,
1879, and Archie, July 7, T88r.
eorge Hinkson, Jr., farmer, section 28,:,l _l  Worth Township, is the son of George and
Margaret (McGill) Hinkson. His father
was born in Vermont, the mother in Scotland.
After their marriage they settled in Canada,
I  where they engaged in farming, and there remained until December, 1845. At that date they
came to Sanilac County, and purchased i6o acres of
land in Worth Township. In the spring of I867
they sold the property and removed to Oakland Co.,
Mich. After a residence there of T i years they went
to Detroit, removing two years later to Lexington,
their present residence. Their family included four
sons and two daughters. Two of the former survive.
Mr. Hinkson was born July 22, r830, in Canada.
He obtained a fair common-school education, and
attained his majority in Sanilac County, whither he
accompanied his parents when he was 15 years of


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age. He was bred to the vocation of farmer, and in
i866 bought the farm on which his father located on
coming to Sanilac County. It comprised I60 acres,
and he has since added 80 acres. He retains the
entire tract except two acres, which he sold to the
railroad company. The remainder is all under cultivation except 38 acres. The proprietor is one of the
pioneer settlers of Worth Township, and has been
identified with its best interests since he has lived
here. He has been Supervisor five years, School
Inspector a long period, and Township Clerk a number of years. He is a Republican in politics.
His first marriage occurred in May, I852, when
Phebe Strevel became his wife. She died in March,
I853, leaving one child, George H. Mr. Hinkson
was again married in Worth Township, May 8, I856,
to Jane McCardle. Six children have been born of
this union, namely: Maria L., Maggie, William,
John, Bertha and Irving C. The last named child
died when he was three years old. Mr. Hinkson
has been a teacher for 12 years, three of which were
passed in that occupation in his own district.
osiah Reynolds, merchant at Amadore
'   and farmer on section 27, Worth Township, is the son of Arnold and Mary
(Thomas) Reynolds. The parents were natives
of the State of New York, where they married
and passed a number of years of their lives
after that event. They removed to Canada, and in
I848 came to Sanilac County, where they terminated
their earthly career. Their family comprised eight
children.
Mr. Reynolds is the youngest child of his parents,
and was born Dec. 15, I833, in Canada. He was
14 years of age when he came to Michigan, and
attained to man's estate in the Peninsular State.
He enlisted Sept. 9, 1862, in the Sixth Michigan
Cavalry, and served as a soldier a little more than a
year. In the engagement at Falling Waters, Md.,
July I4, 1863, his right leg was shot off below the
knee, and consequently received his discharge from
the service of the United States, and returned to his
home in Sanilac County.   In I866 he came to


I


Amadore and established " Reynolds' Hotel," which
he continued to conduct seven years. In 1874 he
embarked in trade, and has since been engaged in
successful business in that line. He is also extensively interested in agriculture, owning 427 acres of
land situated in the townships of Worth and Fremont, and of this 300 acres are under cultivation.
He is a Democrat in political connection, and has
held the office of School Director. He belongs to
Post H. H. Nims, No. 118, G. A. R., Dept. of Mich.
He was married April i, I858, in St. Clair Co.,
Mich., to E'iza Foe. She was born Aug. 28, 1839,
in Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have had nine
children, five of whom yet survive. They are named
Caroline, Charles J., Nellie, Wallace and Clifford.
Mary and Wallace are deceased; also two unnamed
infants.
I$ 1t  illiam Thompson, retired merchant, and
farmer on section 35, Bridgehampton
%  t     Township, has been a citizen of Sanilac
>   County since I865, and has been closely
_ connected with the business interests and
' prosperity of this part of the county for nearly
20 years. On removal to Michigan, he was variously
occupied for a short time. His first business venture
of much importance was his embarkation in trade
with W. Raymond & Co., in I870, at "Farmer's."
The relation existed about six years, when Mr.
Thompson became owner of the entire commercial
interests of the firm. He continued its management
until September, 1882, when he sold out and took
possession of his fine and valuable farm, which contains 370 acres, with 50o acres in a state of good
cultivation.  Mr. Thompson was Postmaster at
"Farmer's" about 12 years, receiving his appointment to the position in 1870. In i880 he built an
elavator at the depot, which has a capacity of 24 carloads of grain. In political connection he is a Republican, and is a member of the Masonic Order.
He was born Jan. o1, 1827, in Manchester, England, and is the eldest son of Archibald and Jane
(Collins) Thompson. The former was a native of
Scotland, the latter of England. They married and


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a'  settled in the city of Manchester, removing subsequently to Scotland, whence they again transferred
their residence to the Isle of Man. Mrs. T. died in
England, and Mr. T. came to the United States and
" settled in Texas.  He died in Indianapolis, Ind.,
albout the year r854.
Mr. Thompson is the eldest of five sons born to
his parents.  At ten years of age he became an
assistant in a dry-goods store, where he remained five
years. He came to the United States when he was
16 years old, and went to Cincinnati, Olio, where he
served an apprenticeship of eight years, learning the
business of a ship carpenter. He passed 21 years in
j Cincinnati and Madison, Ind., pursuing his trade of
ship-builder and engaged in steam-boating. I)uring
the war, he was foreman of the Dry Dock Company
at Madison. His marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of
Anthony and Ellen Oldfield, took place Sept. 15,
1849, at Cincinnati, Ohio. She was born June 16,
i  826. in England, which was the native country of
her parents.  Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have an. adopted daughter, Fanny G. They are members of:   the Methodist Episcopal Church.
l hillip L. Wixson, real-estate and loan
i agent at Lexington, was born in Pickering,
York Co., Can., Can., Dec. 10, 824. His parents,?i) Amos and Elizabeth (Long) Wixson, were
JIi   i  among the earliest permanent settlers of the
township of Worth, where they settled in 1841. The
father bought 320 acres of land of the U. S. Govi  ernment, which was his home and field of effort for
many years. He died Jan. 30, 1882, in Lexington
Township, aged 82 years and six months. The
mother died in Grant Township, St. Clair County, in
1871, aged 69 years. Of their six children five are
still living.
On attaining his majority, Mr. Wixson became an
independent agriculturist, settling on 16o acres of
land which his father had purchased of the general
Government at $1.25 per acre. He cleared 100oo
acres and put the place in valuable condition, with
improvements and modern farm fixtures. He resided
on the place until i862, when he sold it and removed


to Lexington. In the fall of I862 he was elected
County Treasurer on the Republican ticket, and was
re-elected to the same position five times, holding
the office six terms, or 12 years. From 1875 to I880
he acted as Deputy Register of Deeds and discharged the duties of the office five years. In i880
he established the business relations in which he has
since been engaged. He has also been one of the
village officials since his present residence therein,
and is the President of the Board, in which capacity
he has served a number of terms.
While living in Worth Township he held the office
of Township Treasurer seven years in succession,
that of Supervisor three years.
The first marriage of Mr. Wixson occurred June 2,
i847, in Worth Township, to Ellinor, daughter of
John and Ann Castor. She was born June 10, 1826,
in Canada, and died in Worth Township, April i,
1859, leaving two children. Elizabeth A., wife of J.
W. Selden, editor of the Huron Times; and Elmer
A., a resident of La Plata Co., Col. Mr. Wixson
was married a second time in Worth Township, Oct.
26, 1862, to Helen, daughter of George and Isabella
Smith. She was born in the same township where
she was married, 'Jan. 27, I844. Walter S., Isabella,
George B. and Roscoe are the names of the four
children born of the second union. The eldest son
is an attorney, having graduated in the Law Department of the University of Michigan in I883. Only
the eldest and youngest children are living.
The father and grandfather of Mr. Wixson were
both clergymen of the Baptist denomination. The
former sometimes officiated in that capacity after his
removal to Worth Township, and continued to do so
occasionally up to the time of his death. Joshua
Wixson, the grandfather, was a farmer and minister,
and was a man of honorable and just character, with
which was combined generosity and sympathy for
otiers' troubles to an uncommon degree. He once
aided a man to leave the State of New York, where
he was a resident, only knowing that he was in difficulties of some kind, without understanding their
character, or the penalty of the law in the case. It
was afterwards proven that the man was a delinquent debtor, escaring from the legitimate consequences of his acts, and his aider and abettor thereby
incurred the burden of his liabilities. He devoted
what property he possessed to the discharge of the
indebtedness to which his. good nature had made,7:ro
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352                                 SA NILAC COUN         TY.
him liable, and afterwards went to Canada, where he  War, and in 1842 came to Medina Co., Ohio, where,   cleared a farm and became wealthy, when he paid  he died, at the age of 47 years. The mother died,,, the balance, principal and interest. The maternal  in July, 1876, in Sandusky, Ohio, aged 67 years. <~'
grandmother of Mr. Wixson, Rachel Eggleston, was  Their family included seven children, as follows:
'   born July 4, 1776, on the identical day the American  Christopher, William H., Israel A., Elizabeth, Zelmer:
colonies declared their "Independence."          (deceased), Constantine (deceased), and Edla. All
the sons were soldiers in the War of the Rebellion.
The youngest reached the rank of First Lieutenant,
a _- (@>-S~^- o^^- I )- ^  ~and died after he returned home, from the effects of
a wound received while in action.
*jfiQ~ ok?,~~~ ~.~ ~Mr. Beal was six years old when his parents came;.    X Ta illiam T. Wilson, farmer, section 8, Mar- to Medina Co., Ohio. His father died when he was
to Medina Co., Ohio. His father died when he was.t  11    lette Township, is the son of William and
I3 years old, since which date he has been engaged
Mary (Thistleton) Wilson. The parents  in his single-handed contest with the world. He
a  were born in Lincolnshire, England, where
began earning his livelihood as a farm laborer anct
they passed their entire lives. Their eldest
h lthey passed their entire lives. Theirwas thus occupied in Medina County until he was
child, Mary, died in infancy.                            s
rchild, Mar,                               19b n in a e r  years old. He went then to White House in
Mr. Wilson was born in the same shire as his par-  Lucas County, where he engaged as a salesman in


ents, Dec. I, 1828. He was reared to mature years
in his native country, and was brought up a farmer.
When he was 23 years of age he came to America
and settled in Canada, where he lived between five
and six years, working as a farm assistant.  In the
fall of i856, he came to Michigan, where he bought
I6o acres of land belonging to the Government, on
which he settled the following year and commenced
his active life as an independent land-holder.  His
real estate now includes 240 acres and 150 of this
are in finely cultivated condition. In political sentiment, Mr. Wilson adopts the principles of the Republican party, and has officiated as Highway Commissioner.
His marriage to Mary E. Burnett took place at


the general store of Alexander Walt, and remained
in that employment until he was 21 years old.
He was married in December, 1857, at Hull Prairie, in Wood Co., Ohio, to Maria E., daughter of
Abraham and Maria E. (Rennard) Yount. Her
parents were natives of Pennsylvania, of German
descent, who removed from the Keystone State to
Wood County, where they passed the remaining
years of their lives. The father died May 14, 1857;
the demise of the mother occurred April Ii, 1882.
Mr. Beal is the eighth of nine children born to her
parents. She was born Oct. 30, 1839, in Wood Co.,
Ohio. She is the mother of seven children, born as
follows: Inez, Aug. 26, 1858; Zelma, Dec. 20, i86o;
George. Se)t. 2x. I862: Maria G., Julv 1, i866;


X   Alton, Canada, Nov. 23, 1857. She is a native ofr..
Amber J., Oct. 20, 1869; Sophronia, Feb. 3, [872;:  Scotland and has become the mother of two children.
0::'...., -Constantine, Feb. 23, 1876.                                                        ~ >
-William and Mary.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Beal located on a
farm in Wood County, where he operated until he
^ —.=  — <- - — ^-O<*!t-~(O))~__ -. |t felt it his duty to respond to the call of his imperiled
country, as, within the first days after the rebel guns
fired on Fort Sumter and awoke the latent patriotism
] jX aptain William H. Beal, farmer, section  in the breast of every loyal son of the United States,
(11     28, Watertown Township, was born Sept.  he enlisted April 22, I86r, as a private in the 14th
I8, I836, in Canandaigua, Seneca Co., N. Y.  Ohio Militia, Co. I. He enrolled as a three-lnonths;
   l;   He is a son of Israel and Temperance       man and received an honorable discharge July 25,:;
(Howell) Beal, natives of Connecticut and  following. On his return home he aided in the u:
descendants of English   parentage.  His   organization of Co. B, I Ith Ohio Vol. Inf., and,
grandfather was a General of the War of the Revo-  secured the enlistment of 56 men. He was corm-;:
lution. Israel Beal was a soldier in the Mexican  missioned First Lieutenant of the company.  The
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regiment was assigned to the Western Division of the
Army, and its first encounter with the enemy took
place at Perryville, Ky., where the rebels were
under the command of Gen. Bragg.    They proceeded to Bowling Green in Kentucky, where Mr.
Beal was commissioned Captain for bravery at Gallatin, Ky., in conflict with the guerrilla hordes of
Morgan. He was placed at the head of Co. A,
of the same regiment, and continued its chief officer
until the close of the war. He received an honorable discharge at Salisbury, N. C., July 23, I865.:; He was in action during 23 prominent engagements
and numerous skirmishes. Save the wear and tear
of active military service and consequent hardships,
he escaped uninjured.
On his return to Ohio, he resumed his business as
a carpenter, at which he worked until September,
1875, when he came to Michigan. He purchased 80
acres of land on which his family have since resided.
At the date of their settlement, the whole section
was in its primitive state, its forests unbroken and
practically no thoroughfares of travel. The woods
have given way before the hand of improvement,
and the farm now includes 40 acres of land in creditable agricultural condition, with fine farm buildings.
In political views and connections he is an adherent
of the National Greenback party, and has held the
office of Township Clerk. He is now Justice of the
Peace. Mrs. Beal is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
J?        K t illiam M. Grice, machinist, dealer in saw-:f <;!l~   mill supplies, steam and gas fittings, guns!!di   ~ % 'and revolvers, cartridges, pocket cutlery
sewing-machines, needles, oils and attach4 A', ments, at Lexington, was born Dec. II, I840,
in Lancashire, England. He is the son of
James and Jane (Mason) Grice. His father was a
machinist and blacksmith, and in I851 came to this
country with his family, settling in Windsor, Conn.,
where they resided until I854, the date of their removal to Forester, Sanilac County, where the father
was an engineer in the mill of Smith, Kelley & Co.
(He is now proprietor of the Verona Mills in Huron
County.)
+^ a   Mr. Grice was employed by the same company in


COUNTY.                                    353
Forester, and was engaged in operating a small engine
for grinding feed. He was occupied summers in
filing saws, and alternated these two occupations  '"
until he was 20 years of age, when he returned to?
Windsor, Conn., where he learned the trade of a
machinist, in which he has since been occupied. He
remained in Connecticut ne:lrly three years and returned to Lexington. Soon afterward he was employed a short time in a jeweler's store at Port Huron.
He next yielded to an inclination to investigate the
West, and traveled until his money was spent, when
he again returned to Lexington. He has since been:
engaged in his trade, and in selling and repairing i
sewing-machines. He handles the Domestic and
Davis machines, and also deals in fire-arms, ammunition, steam fitting, etc. In 1877 he bought the
property known as the Jason Wilde's place, and reconstructed the barn to serve as a planing mill. He
is a member of the Order of Masonry.
The marriage of Mr. Grice to Jane Stevens
occurred in Worth Township.  She was born in /\
Canada, and is the daughter of Webster and Sarah  =
Stevens. Three children are now included in the
household of Mr. and Mrs. Grice, who were born as
follows: Flora, Clara and Mary.                1.


t


TO —4.             _  _


alvin Fenton, farmer, section 33, Lexington Township, was born Nov. 14, 1829.
His father, Lukins Fenton, was a blacksmith


Ik


by vocation and married Margaret Hender-,
son. The son learned the trade of his father,
and in early manhood determined on seeking
a broader field of labor, and one which promised
more satisfactory results. In accordance with his
resolution he came to Sanilac Co., Mich., in cop.lpany
with Joseph French, who is yet a resident of Lexington Township. Mr. Fenton began his labors in the
Peninsular State by working a short time at his trade
in Lexington. He removed thence to Armadore, in f
Worth Township, and followed the same pursuit there
for a time, when he opened a blacksmith shop at a
point on the " Wildcat " road, three mniles west of
Lexington and known as Huckins' Corners.  He
bought an acre of ground and built a shop, where he (
operated several years. In 1862 he went back to
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% 354                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
v*  Amadore, where he bought a hotel. Three years later  education was acquired in the common schools, and,
' he sold out and went to Pennsylvania, where he  on reaching the period of his legal freedom, he en-;- spent a year in the oil regions. He returned at the  tered courageously upon the prosecution of his own
expiration of that time to the township of Lexington,  interests. In I842 he came to that portion of Mich- and bought 80 acres of land one mile east of Amadore.  igan which is, now Sanilac County, and was then
He continued its management but a short time, when  attached to the county of St. Clair. In 1848 he
he returned to the village of Lexington and bought a  bought 80 acres of land on what is now section r6,
house of public entertainment opposite the Henry  Worth Township, and entered at once upon its imHouse. He conducted its affairs about two years,  provement and built a barn. He sold the place in
ness at Lexington. Three years later he again as-  which was his field of operation until the fall of i870,
hi. sumed proprietorship of the hotel, selling out once  at which date he became proprietor, by purchase, of.; more at the end of a year. He bought a residence  the property which he now owns and holds as a
and was variously engaged until the spring of 1882,  homestead. It comprises 70 acres of improved land,
when he purchased the farm on which he has estab-  and io acres which are yet in their primitive state,
lished his homestead, including go acres of valuable  for manifest reasons.
land.                                            Mr. Shell is a Republican in political views and
Mrs. Mary A. Fenton is the daughter of Joseph  action.  He has served as Constable two years,
and Cornelia (Salsbury) Wixson, and is a native of  Justice of the Peace eight years, Commissioner of
the State of New York. She was married to Calvin  Highways eight years and he has also officiated as: Fenton in Lexington Township, March 13, I853.  School Assessor.                                j
' Of this marriage six children have been born, as fol-  His marriage to Jane Cox occurred Dec. 30, I850, /
A lows:    Almeda, Effie, Ella, Minnie and Emma.   at Port Huron, Mich. She is the daughter of Thomas:   Eveline is deceased.                           and Elizabeth Cox, natives of Ireland, where she was
also born, Jan. 15, 1833. Of nine children born to
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m I- -   -  m- -  %- t,- i i *.,-, -   " r  i,ri "   y  i   ir~iiin


s ^j~~~~/  1~ ~IvtMr. ana ivirs. olnc1, live: are nw living. talu                    e llC
S.rr*L s                                       and Anabel are deceased, and two unnamed infants.
r )*-3            T<+1_ --   |>~                 Lafayette, Nathan, John R., Elizabeth A. and Mary
H. are the names of the survivors. Biographical
sketches of Lafayette and Nathan are given. The
eorge A. Shell, a prominent agriculturist  parents are members of the Christian Church.
i  eorge A. Shell, a prominent agriculturist
and citizen of Worth Township, resides on
section 23. His parents, Peter and Mary
(Heebner) Shell, were natives of Canada and         -i?3^
remained residents of the Dominion until i842.              '                                   -
I  A     In that year they removed with their family to
St. Clair Co, Mich., settling in the northern part,  j " 'W
which five years afterward was detached from Sanilac |  |ichard  D. Sherrick, manufacturer, has
County. After ten years' residence here they moved  A     been a resident of Lexington since 1838.
to Grant Township, St. Clair County, where they re-  j iad He left home at the age of 12 years and
sided another ten years, and then removed to Lapeer |  came to the village of Lexington, which then
County, where the father now lives, engaged in farm-    included but three buildings. One was owned,   ing. The mother died there in August, I874. Their      by John Smith, a second by Samuel Munroe,
-I   family included I children, eight of whom grew to  and one by a trader on the lake shore named Z.
mature age.                                       Wright. (The latter was known as "Big Z," and
Mr. Shell of this sketch is the eldest of the children  owned a large vessel which was named after him- K
of his father's family and was born Jan. 31, I827,  self.) Another building was in process of erection
about 24 miles from the city of Toronto, Can. His  by C. M. Mills. At the time of his arrival Mr. Sher- >
^~~~~~~~~o%. X\
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m~~~~~s;^^i~ ~~~           ~!nl:O~                                            '   &*.':'




SANILA C COUNTY.                                      355
rick had a capital of six cents! He was chiefly in  teacher in addition to rendering assistance on the G'
need of employ, which he obtained with little delay,  home farm.
'and he was variously occupied until he was 20 years  He was married Dec. 24, I883, in Fremont, Sanilac 4
old, in the avenues open to laborers in this section  County, to Fanny A. Fletcher. She was born in  l
in its early days. In 1846 he established the foun-  Wisconsin, and belongs to the Baptist Church. Mr. k
dation of his present business, beginning to manu-  Shell is a Republican in political faith.
facture wooden articles by the aid of a foot lathe,
which he built himself. He had been a practical
carpenter from necessity, and he gradually extended   ee       t       ga
his operations until he was largely engaged in the
manufacture of furniture, sash, doors, blinds, and
many other articles in wood. He is also a contractor | i,
and builder, and commonly employs a working force i     ark Gray, deceased, formerly a farmer on
of from 5 to 20 men. His establishment was de-section 2, Fremont Township, was born
stroyed by fire in 1879, involving a loss of between|1   Nov. 5, i808, in Northumberlandshire,
England. He was there married to Marten and fifteen thousand dollars. He immediately       Englad. He was there married to Marrebuilt on Washington Street, on the site of the     garet Davidson, a native of the same county,
former building and where he originally commenced     and came to Canada within the same year and
operations. He has a fine brick residence on the  bought ioo acres of land in Halton County. A few
J;, corner of Washington and Simons Streets, and a |years later he sold the place and rented a farm near  i
fX7 furniture store on Main Street. He also owns the  a school, in order to secure as good educational advillage property located both sides of and adjoining  vantages as possible for his growing sons and daugh- ^
^ that where he resides, and 80 acres of land in the  ters. He resided there between five and six years,
I..  township of Worth, 40 acres of which is under  and in i86i he removed to Fremont Township, with:;
culture. Mr. Sherrick has served in the official  six children, four sons and two daughters. They re- =
positions of the village, and discharged the duties  moved from Canada in the year 1861, making their
pertaining to the school offices. He is a prominent wa to Lexington by boat from Port Huron.  They
member of the Order of Masonry, and belongs to   brought with them an ox team, which the father
Lexington Commandery and Chapter.    He is a   drove to Croswell (then Davisville) and transported
charter member of the former body.              their household goods on a "jumper."  Mr. Gray
c Mr. Sherrick was born July 16, 1826, in L ondon,
2   Mr.- Slherrick was born July I6, 1826, in London, |had owned his farm several years previous to his reMr. Sherrick was born July i6, i826, in London,  moval with his family, and they took possession of
Can., and is the son of Solomon and Phebe (Sails)  oval with hs fatily, and they took possession of
Sherrick. He was married in the township of Lex-  lace on the 2Istof November  The tract of land: ington, in 1846, to Harriet Ellsworth. She was born comprised 240 acres, which he bought for $1.25 per
in Canada, and is a daughter of William and Lydia  acre. On this he lived and labored until about 70 i
Ellsworth. Adaline, wife of George Mason, a mer-  acres were reduced to a state of creditable cultiva- j
chant at Lexington, is the only child of Mr. and  tion. His death from paralysis occurred Jan. 2,
Mrs. Sherrick.                                  I875. His sons have continued the work of reclam-:!S'gi~~~~~,>~ ~ation on the place and have improved 20 acres adI 14 L_ _  _-1,I    ditional.
Mr. Gray lived an honorable and useful life.  He
--    It._                                         |brought to the New World the habits of industry and (
g   afayette Shell, son of George A. and Jane  thrift which characterize the class to which he be(Cox) Shell, is a farmer on section I4, Worth  longed in England, which was coupled with his ambig| 'Townsiip. (See sketch of George A. Shell.)  tion to secure comfort for his family and the inde- t?./ 6 H0 e was born July 28, 1854, in the township of  pendence to which he had all the right conferred by y
i whic he has been all his life a resident. He  nature on any man, and which could never be his.
'     received the advantages of education and train-  or his children's in his native country. He lived to
i ng common to the sons of farmers, and became a   accomplish all he desired and left to his family a
---— I:~~X49




by 356                                SANILAC COUNZY.
a   large estate and an honored name. He is held in  equal to the demands of active agricultural life, and,
loving remembrance by his children and a large cir-  in 1882, removed to Lexington, where he has since  t'
cle of friends. He was a Republican in political  given his personal attention exclusively to his buyj connection.                                     ing and shipping interests, which he had formerly
-~   The surviving wife was born Aug. 6, 1812.  The  combined with his farming operations. He occupies
children of Mr. and Mrs. Gray were born as fol-  the residence owned by J. L. Wood, and owns a fine
lows: Andrew, Oct. 25, 1840; George, Feb. 7, 1843,  house with one-fourth of an acre attached in another
died April 21, 873; Robert, March 6, 1845; Mark,  part of the village.
May 23, 1847; an infant, who died at seven months  Mr. Mason was married Feb. 24, 1862, in Avon,
old; Mary, Jan. 27, 1852; Margaret, Jan. 28, 1856.  Rochester Tp., Oakland Co., Mich., to Albina E.
rhe parents were both members of the Presbyterian.  Parker. She was born March 29, 1844, in Pontiac
A   Church.                                        Tp., Oakland Co., Mich.  Her father, Abner C.
Ad' '~ ^~~~~~~~~Parker, was born in the State of New York, Jan. 29,:
I1814. He married Elinor C. Paine, of Palmyra, N.


ohn M. Mason, dealer in stock and farmer,
resident at Lexington, was born Jan. 26,
834, in the immediate vicinity of the village of Castleton, Rutland Co., Vt. He is the
son of Geo. W. and Adaline (Eaton) Mason.
His father was born in the same place and his
mother in the vicinity. Both are deceased.  Mr.
Mason accompanied his uncle, Lorenzo M. Mason,
to Port Huron when he was ten years old.  He remained there three years attending school, after
which he returned to his home in Vermont. When
he was 20 years old, he went to Troy, N. Y., and
served two years in acquiring a knowledge of the
silver-finishing trade, and after that proceeded
to Hartford, Conn., to perfect his understanding of
the IhliinCess in the estnablisihment of the celebrated


Y., Aug. 29, I836.  She was born in the Empire
State Dec. 21, I818, and died in Avon  Sept. 19,
1864. The father resides in Avon. The children
of Mr. and Mrs. Mason, five in number, were born as
follows: Frederick L., Feb. 4, i863[; Julia F., Dec.
27, 1864; Lucy A., March 4, i865; Mary D., Aug.
6, 1868; Georgie, Feb. 15, 1872. Miss Julia, eldest
daughter, is a graduate from the celebrated Ft. Edward Institute, on the Hudson River, in Washington
Co., N. Y., under the management of Rev. J. E.
King.
Mir. Mason is a member of the Order of Masonry,
Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery.    He has
been Treasurer of Sanilac County three years, and
held the minor local offices.


I


Rogers Bros. of that city. His health failed while..
^  there and he abandoned his purpose.  He came to            eorge Smith, farmer, section 22, Worth
i  New River, Huron Co., Mich., and engaged as fore-;       Township, is the son of William and Jean-:
man in the store of Thomas S. Donahue. He then              nette (Luke) Smith. The parents were
engaged, in company with William Moore and others,      natives of Scotland, where the mother died, ill
as a scaler on Black River.  In the spring of 1864,     October, i828. The father came to America
he came to Lexington and rented 120 acres of land,      in 1832, settling in Canada, where he resided
belonging to the uncle above mentioned, and man-  seven years. In 1839 he came to Sanilac County,, aged the property four years.   In I868, he bought   then connected with St. Clair County for municipal
40 acres in Sanilac Township, chiefly covered with  lpurposes. He located in a section now included in?   heavy timber, and took possession. It is located on  the township of Worth, where he died April 4, 186I.  f
section 33, and the farm now includes 6o acres with  His family included four daughters and four sons.
J 4o acres improved, constituting one of the most  George, the third son, was born Sept. 7, 1814, in
valuable places in the county, with excellent build-  Scotland. In I829 he went to London, where he ()
\  ings and three good orchards. He found himself un-  remained two years. In 183I he became a sailor
c)~-)- i)-|-a  ---- — l(<0D.ia1,              * —             s^             — 4 —:d"SC?
^fb^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"l~"a~ '   ' *^








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SANALA C COUNTY.             359 >5
___________________.__.'),, i




I "before the mast," and operated in that capacity
i three years. In I834 he came to Canada and continned his life as a sailor in the lake service, devotf ing two seasons to that occupation. He passed the
next year on his father's farm in Canada. In October, 1838, he came to Michigan and bought 80 acres
of land, located in what is now Worth Township,
where he has since resided. His real-estate property
now comprises 240 acres, all of which is improved
and under first class cultivation. His farm buildings
are a credit to his taste and judgment, and ornamental to the township. He is now the oldest living
settler in Sanilac County.
Mr. Smith was married in Canada, May i6, I8.12,
to Isabella Peat. She was born Oct. i8, I8I8, in
Scotland, and emigrated from her native country to
Canada with her parents, Thomas and Helen
(Mitchell) Peat, when she was i6 years of age. The
former died May 31, I858; the latter's demise occurred in March, i866. Helen, Jeannette, William,
Mary and Maggie are the names of the children of! Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
a  Mr. Smith is connected with the Democratic party
in political views. He has been Supervisor, Clerk,
Highway Commissioner and Overseer, and has held
/ the position of School Director many years, besides
> discharging the obligations of the minor school and
local offices. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
4j  ~liram Hayward, practicing physician, resiZi D:?' dent on section 14, Worth Township, is the
son of Joshua and Lydia (Barker) Hayward. The former was a native of Massachusetts, the latter of the State of New Yoik.
After their marriage they settled in Saratoga,
N. Y., and in i808 they removed to Canada, where
' they lived four years. Joshua Hayward was pressed
into the British service during the contest of Great
Britain with the United States, but he deserted at the
end of a month and returned to his native State. He; at once enlisted in the army of the United States
and remained in the Federal service until the close
of the war. He afterwards became a preacher and




pursued that vocation 20 years. He died May 17,
I840, near Richfield Springs, N. Y., aged 58 years.
His widow died Dec. 5, i88i, in Ontario, at the advanced age of 93 years.
Dr. Hayward is the eldest son of his parents, and
was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., Dec. 25, I8I5. At
the early age of nine years he became master of his
own maintenance, which he secured entirely without
assistance. He obtained a good education in the
common schools, and by study at home under the
directions of his mother.
He began to read medicine when he was I7 years
old, under the care of his uncle, Isaac Hayward,
continuing with him three years, when he lost his instructor by death. He spent a year in teaching,
when he associated himself with another physician,
and after three years' practice he made an attempt
to enter the Medical College at Albany, N. Y.; but,
having adopted eclectic principles in the practice
and theory of medicine, his application was rejected.
He continued his professional career in the State of
New York until 1849, when he removed to Canada.
He there combined the practice of medicine with the
ministry until I866.
In the summer of that year he went to Wisconsin,
with the purpose of making a permanent settlement,
but found the selected locality distasteful, and in
September following he came to Michigan. He purchased 80 acres of land in Worth Township, which
was under practical improvements, where he located
and erected good farm buildings. He added I50
acres to his original purchase, but afterward sold I Io
acres of this. Seventy acres are now under cultivation.
Dr. Hayward has had a large and successful
practice, but declining health has compelled the
abandonment of the larger part of it to others. He
has declined all official promotion, though he has
been an ardent Republican since the organization of
that party. In I85 I he came to Sanilac County and
organized the Christian Church at Amadore. In
1867 he organized the Worth Christian Church, and
was its Pastor II years. (See historical portion of
this volume.)
His first marriage, to Martha Druse, occurred
Sept. 20, I837, in Otsego Co., N. Y., of which she
was a native. Amanda M., eldest 'child of this
union, became the wife of Benjamin Stone, and died


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36-                SA-NIL aC CUNTY. ---. 360.SANILAC COUNTY.                 i
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in I878, at the age of 37 years. Eliza J. and Hiram
S. are the names of two children, also born of this
marriage. Their mother died Oct. 20, i86o. Dr.
Hayward was again married in I86I, to Frances
Vernon. She was born in Canada, and has been the
mother of two children-Lillia and Lettie. The
latter died Oct. 5, I879.
Dr. Hayward's portrait appears on a preceding
page, and is especially valuable to this work from
the relations he has long sustained to the people of
the southern part of Sanilac County, in the capacities
of physician and Pastor.
( W    illiam F. Green, farmer, section 19, Fremont Township, was born March i5,
'   ' I833, in County Cork, Ireland. His parents, John and Eliza (Barron) Green, were
natives of Ireland, and emigrated to the New
World in I84I. Theylanded at Quebec, and
proceeded successively to the cities of Montreal,
Kingston and Toronto, stopping two weeks at each
to perfect and thoroughly test their inclinations for
life in America. The meeting with a brother Mason
in Hamilton gave them a fealing as of home, and
there they pitched their tent. The father became a
hardware merchant and dealt in the merchandise
common to that business, including cutlery and fishingtackle. They remained in Hamilton six years,
when the senior Green secured a position under the
Government in the custom-house at Toronto. Both
his parents died there and are buried in that city.
Mr. Green learned the business of gunsmith and
also of machinist, working at each several years. He
came to Detroit in 859, where he remained twenty
months, and at the end of that time came to Port
Huron and spent five years there employed as a gunsmith. In i866 he bought his farm of Fish & Co.,
who had removed the lumber from the place. Since
becoming interested in agriculture Mr. Green has
abandoned his trades.
He was married Jan. 4, 1854, to Nanno Falvey.
She is the daughter of Dennis and Mary Falvey,
both of whom died in Ireland. Mrs. Green was born




May 20, 1831, in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Green, as follows: Lizzie A., in Brunswick, N. J.,
Oct. 26, 1854, and married June 9, r880, William
McNeill; John F., at Hamilton, Ont., July 13, 1856,
and died March 27, I874; Mary L., born in Hamilton, Aug. 6, 1858, died Jan. 5, i880; Harriet S., born
at Detroit, Feb. 3, I86I, has been engaged in teaching several years.
ewis W. Brown, farmer, section 34, Worth
Township, is the son of Clark M. and
Catherine (White) Brown.  The parents
were natives and life-long residents of the State
of New York. The former died Sept. 5, I839,
the latter Oct. 17, i88.
Mr. Brown is the third in order of birth of five
children of his father's family, and is the eldest son.
He was born July 23, i833, in Jefferson Co., N. Y.
He obtained a fair common-school education, and at
the age of 16 years was apprenticed to acquire the
art of carriage-making. He served three years, and
has since combined that business with his agricultural pursuits.
The progress and issues of the Civil War awakened
his sense of duty as a citizen of the Republic, and
he became a soldier. He enlisted Aug. 7, I862, in
the i42d N. Y. Vol. Inf., and continued in the service
until the close of the conflict, receiving his discharge
June 17, i865.  He sustained a severe gunshot
wound in the siege of Petersburg, which resulted in
a serious injury to his right arm, in consequence of
which he receives a pension. He enlisted as a private, and passed through several grades of promotion to that of Second Lieutenant, in which capacity
he was serving at the time he received his wound.
He came to Sanilac County in the fall of I865,
and bought 40 acres of land in Worth Township,
where he has since resided. He is now owner of I60
acres, and has go acres cleared, improved and cultivated in accordance with the best principles of farming. He is a Democrat in political views. He was
married Oct. 24, i855, in Jefferson Co., N. Y., to
Candace, daughter of Amos and Anna (Foster)


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ij-^       ^       Da; z  -  -  g — -        -^i (j n |^          ---                -— a
a>)~~~' =SANILAC COUNTY.                                                                 36i
Streeter. The former was born in Vermont, the lat-  and he reclaimed the entire tract and increased his
ter in New Hampshire.   Mrs. Brown was born April   estate by the purchase of 40 acres additional. The
2i''  2, 1836, in Jefferson Co., N. Y. Arthur C. and  place was in creditable condition, and remained the  c
Wood A. are the names of the two children that have  homestead until the death of Mrs. Mills July io,   >
j   been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown.                   i872. Mr. Mills died June 6, 1864. Of seven k
children born to them  five survive,-Luther D. (see
sketch); William, resident in Nevada; Mrs. Nancy
— *f~n ^ -^ ~*~ ---   ~     (Mills) Buel; Mary (Mrs. Henry Hopkins, of Caro,
Tuscola County); Almeda, wife of Stiles Nettleton,
~ ag                    Aan editor at Northfield, Minn.; Solon and Orromel,
/.I     l!iichard Maher, farmer, section 7, Sanilac  second and fifth respectively in order of birth, are,;  * i   Township, was born June i, 1853, in On-   deceased.
'i:* i ( tario Can. He is one of the few who have    Jacob Buel, resident in the village of Lexington, t
I    TV Lwlv^y  -r     1-.      -1 o the.... -      _: A-1_  _0o_  ~.. a.-.  -.f  X.... xr VT... rl


y\\  grown from earliest youth to manhood in Sanilac Township, whither his parents, Michael
and Margaret (Keith) Maher, removed in
1854, about the time the son had attained to the age
of one year. They were among the first permanent
pioneer settlers and located on section 6, where they
now reside.
es     Mr. Maher was married June 23, 1879, in Sanilac
X   Township, to Catherine O'Meara, by whom he has
three children-Maggie, Martin and Mary. Mrs. M.
was born in Ireland and emigrated to America when
she was i6 years of age.
After marriage Mr. Maher located on 80 acres,
which is his homestead property, and which his
father procured for him several years previous. He
has improved 50 acres and erected excellent and
suitable farm buildings.
Mr. Maher is a Democrat in political connection.
The family are Roman Catholics.


Wid UULIn April 2l, 1OZ2I, I1I LInC i OLtL U V IICW YUVK.
He was married May 22, 1842, to Nancy Mills.
Seven children have been born of this union, as follows: Caroline, Aug. i, 1845; Francis, March I7,
I847; Leonora, Feb. 3, 1849; Ruth, June 12, I851
(died July 2, i88i); Mary, Sept. 9, I853 (died Aug.
13, 1854); Clark, Jan. 21, 1856; Lucy, May 3, 1859;
Minnie, Jan. 25, 1862, and David, March 15, I865,
and died July 22, 1884.
The site of the residence of the Buel family at
Lexington came into their possession in I847. The
house which was then erected has been removed and
the present abode constructed. It is a fine type of
country residence, and the grounds accessory include two acres. Mr. Buel also owns three acres in
the northwest part of the village.


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<:;,         ~i|; B  ohn Utley, farmer, section o, Worth Towna;  ---  ga-     —,-     '.~ g o.l        ship, is the son of Samuel and Betsey
K-i   r  (Finch) Utley.  They were born respecthi,   ively in Connecticut and Vermont, and after
lark M. Mills, deceased, a pioneer of San-  '  their marriage they settled in Canada, where
ilac County, was a native of Vermont.       they passed the remainder of their lives. Mr.
He married Lucy Olds, and later in life  Utley of this sketch is the youngest of eight children... '    removed to Erie Co., Ohio, whence, in I840,  born to his parents. His birth occurred Aug. I9,
he came to what is now Lexington Township,   1822, in Canada, where he remained until i860. In
and bought a tract of land, a part of which is  that year he came to Sanilac County and bought 60o
*-~  now included in the site of Lexington. His resi-  acres of land in Worth Township, where he settled
dence was located where the Cadillac House stands.  and at once entered upon the work of improvement.
i!   His family joined him in 1841. Three years later he  He has since sold 80 acres of his original purchase
k    exchanged his property for 40 acres two miles west  and has 70 acres of the remainder cleared and imof Lexington. It was covered with heavy timber,  proved. In political persuasion he is a Republican,
1-4E




> 362                   SANILAC COUNTY.


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and he has discharged the duties of the various school  May, I884, he was appointed Census Enumerator of
i offices.                                          Worth Township.
X:    His first marriage occurred in Canada, in March,  He was married in Lexington, Mich., Aug. 6, 1865,  t
843, to Samantha Bray. She was born in Canada  to Mary M. Mathews. She was born May 31, I845,
and died four years after her marriage. Two chil-  in Canada. Albee W. is the only surviving child of
dren, of which she was the mother, have since died.  three that have been born of this union. Herbert M.
Mr. Utley was a second time married March io,   and Albert L. are deceased.
1847, to Hannah Reese. She was born in Canada,
July 26, 1827. A fine family of 13 children have
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Utley, named Hiram,,                               i
a Eliza A., Henry, Hamilton, Samantha, Annis, Mary,
/.) Elizabeth, Emily, Miranda, James and John. One                                                  ~
child died in infancy. The parents are members of
the Christian Church.                                   homas F. Purkis, of the firm of Purkis
Brothers, proprietors of the Lexington
Brewery, was born Oct. i, 1846, in England. He is the son of James and Harriet,-,,t     ||",,~;~!,,,,-"" "  I G8   (Bloomfield) Purkis; the mother died in England, and father and sons removed from their
f~~)~~~ Q                               ~~~~~native country to the United States in 1854. They
IdSt:^~~~ | ^IINcame to Lexington, where the father established
~        h:l liverYates, farmer, section I, WorthTown-  himself in the brewing business. A short time;: —   ship, is the son of Daniel and Eleanor C.  afterward the family went to Worth Township,
^,3y  ^ (Hall) Yates. The parents are natives of  where, in company with his sons, Thomas, Samuel,::: Go    CCanada and New York, and when they were   Alfred and Arthur, he bought 720 acres of land.
ma6 arried they became residents of Canada. In  The association established a trade in merchandise:
1854 they transferred their interests to Sanilac  and managed a wood-yard and dock on the lake
County and located in Worth Township. The mother  shore. The senior Purkis died in December, I870,
died Nov. 7, 1878.                               about eight years after the establishment of their
Mr. Yates is the eldest son of nine children in-  business. Two years after his death the partnercluded in the family of his parents, and was born  ship was dissolved. In 1876 Mr. Purkis came to
Nov. 17, I843. He was i years old when he came  the village of Lexington, and, associated with his
to Michigan, and has since been a citizen of Worth  brother Samuel, opened a meat market. They conTownship. He enlisted Aug. 9, 1862, in the 22d   tinued its management seven years.  In March,:5  Mich. Vol. Inf. The regiment was assigned to the  1884, Mr. Purkis and his brother Alfred became
Army of the West, and was discharged July 13, i865,  proprietors of the Lexington Brewery, by purchase.
at Detroit. During his period of military service he  The property includes five and one-half village lots.
lost his left eye, and the sense of visionof the remain-  Since their purchase the Messrs. Purkis have been
ing organ is seriously impaired. On his return to  engaged in a good business, manufacturing about I2
Worth Township, Mr. Yates engaged in farming, and  barrels of beer daily. They have a saloon for their
in the fall of i866 he bought 40 acres of partly im-  retail trade in the village of Lexington. Mr. Purkis
proved land on section 12, which he afterwards sold  belongs to the Masonic fraternity.
and bought 80 acres of wholly unimproved land on   He was married Sept. 6, 1867, in Worth Townsection 14. This he exchanged for 43 acres, which  ship, to Sarah Sheldon. She was born in the same
/ is now his home and of which he has improved 34    township, and is the daughter of Ebenezer and  5~
acres, and has them under culture. He is a Demo-  Almira Sheldon. Carrie, Arthur, Thomas Frederick
crat in political connection, and has been Township  and Walter are the names of the children of Mr.  4
Clerk two years, Highway Commissioner the same    and Mrs. Purkis.
length of time and School Assessor many years. In  Mr. Purkis became a soldier in the service of the
RA~'YJ              ---                                                                               4:ln".; ---  -— '(^




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s -k SAN XiL a  C         1 UN-Y. _'6   ' ~,
SANIZAC COUNTY.                  363
s,
I. _             X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




I   United States when he was but 15 years old. He:  enlisted Oct. 25, I86I, in Co. D, Ioth Mich. Vol..:/ Inf., under Capt. I. Huckins, and was in active
participation in most of the engagements in which
his regiment was involved. He received an honorable discharge at the end of three years and three
months.
5I   3I'  illiam  F. Chipman, farmer, section 2,
-li.0l Washington Township, has been a resident of Sanilac County since the fall of:  Y  1867, when he bought a large tract of land,
'"5' i containing 1,520 acres, in Custer Township.
I In 1879 he purchased 20 acres of land in Washington Township, for a homestead, which is now the
site of a considerable portion of the village of Carsone   ville. He has disposed of most of his land in Sanilac
County, and now owns but 215 acres, of which 175
4 acres are cleared and cultivated.
Since his first settlement in Sanilac County, Mr.
Chipman has been prominent and active in general
affairs. While a resident of Marine City, St. Clair
County, he officiated as Deputy United States Collector four years; he was also Supervisor several
terms and served as Township Treasurer.   The
quota of men to be secured by draft, or otherwise,
from his township was 47, and he aided materially in
accomplishing the work.  He has acted in the
capacity of Supervisor of Washington Township four
years, Justice of the Peace three terms, and has been:  a member of the Board of Trustees most of the time
since the organization of Carsonville. He is a Republican in political views.
Mr. Chipman is the son of Lemuel and Laura
(Mead) Chipman, who were natives of New York.
After their marriage they settled in the State of New
York, where the father died April 28, 1844. The
mother came to Michigan in I851, and died at the
home of her son, Feb. I, I864.,,~   Mr. Chipman was born in what is now Wyoming
Co., N. Y., and is the oldest son of his parents. He
is the third in order of birth in a family of ten children. His birth occurred Dec. 27, I8I6, and he remained an inmate of his parents' home until a year




after he reached his majority. In i851 he went to
Iowa, where he continued six months. He became
a land-holder there, but becoming restless he sold
out and within the same year came to St. Clair Co.,
Mich, where he bought a farm on which he resided
until the autumn of 1867, when he established his
interests permanently in Sanilac County, as stated.
He was first married in Wyoming Co., N. Y., Jan.
I, I841, to Mary Tripp, a native of Rhode Island.
Two only of nine children born to them survive,Alice and Lucius. William F., Julius C., Lina F.,
Lemuel, Ada M., William H., and William S. are
deceased. The mother joined her children in the
land of the hereafter Sept. 24, I862. Mr. Chipman
was a second time married May I4, I863, at Marine
City, St. Clair County, to Martha M. Hatch. She was
born Nov. i6, 1834, in Veimont. Mattie J., Frank
L. and Marshall N. are the names of the three children who have been born to them.
avid Crorey, merchant at Carsonville,
Bridgehampton Township, has been a resident of Sanilac County since the fall of
I855. His first employ in the county was at
his trade of carpenter, at which he worked about
seven years. In 1862 he bought 80 acres of
land in the township where he now resides, to which
he added I20 acres by later purchase. He still holds
the latter amount of real estate, having sold 80 acres
of land. About 60 acres of his farm is under advanced cultivation. In 1882 he built the store he
now occupies at Carsonville, and where he has since
managed his commercial interests. He is doing a
successful business, and has an excellent stock of
goods, adapted to the demands of the local trade.
Mr. Crorey is a believer in the principles of the National Greenback party. He has been prominent and
active in local affairs, having served seven years as
Supervisor, two years as County Treasurer, to which
office he was elected in 875, and has filled the offices
of School Inspector and Superintendent, Justice of
the Peace and Notary Public, which position he has
held many years. He belongs to the Order of Knights
of Maccabees.


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Mr. Crorey was born Feb. 7, 1834, in Ireland. His  25, I882, and bequeathed his home and the care of
) parents, John and Jane (Harrison) Crorey, were also  the wife and mother to the son, who is discharging
s natives of the Green Isle, where they married and   his filial duty in a creditable manner.
where their 12 children were born. The mother died   Mr. Massman was married Sept. i8, 1862, in
(  in I847. The father married again and emigrated to  Sanilac Township, to Hannah Schliting, and they
Ohio. where he died in 1850. Mr. Crorey is the third  are the parents of seven children-Charles, Archie,
son of his parents; he was about 16 years of age  Louisa, Henry, Augustus, Sophia and Anna. Mrs.
when he came with his father to Ohio, and he re-   Massman was born in Germany, and emigrated to
mained in the Buckeye State until the end of his   Michigan with her parents when she was 13 years of
minority. He was married at Sand Beach, Huron     age.
i Co., Mich., Oct. 8, 1865, to Jane Israel, a native of  After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Massman took
a  Pennsylvania.  Eight children have been born to  up their residence on 40 acres of land on section 27, t
J  them, as follows: David, July I5, i865; Ellen, March  of which he had become the possessor a few years
i8, I868; Martha, Jan. 18, I871; Mary, April i8,  previous. He has added by later purchase to his
1873; Rosalie, Oct. 20, I875; John, Dec. 20, I877;  estate, and is now the owner of i60 acres of land on
Jane, June i8, I880; and Frank C., March io, 1884.  sections 34 and 27, all of which is under tillage except o1 acres. The place is in excellent condition,
and is very materially increased in value by the ad\   ^ ^ s.-I-,"~ |g. ydition of a residence, recently erected, and three
capacious barns.
Mr. Massman is an adherent of the Republican   <
r^  {Z;sl'Av         G      O      *             *             *.,*.        *       w    e   S,1970
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-  oseph M. Loop, born at Elmira, N. Y., in
1 814; remained in the State, following the
occupation of store clerk (after arriving at
suitable age) until I833; went to New Orleans,
La., in 1834, to Wisconsin; in I836, to Illinois;
in 1843, to Oakland Co., Mich.; in 1846, married Miss Jane M. Gardner, of Hancock, Berkshire,
Mass., daughter of James and Laura (Hazard) Gardner; in I854, removed to Port Sanilac, Mich.; in
I855, gaaduated at the University of Michigan, at
Ann Arbor. He has one daughter, Ada Estella


party and a sustainer of its issues.
illiam     L. Benedict, farmer, section 28,
Washington Township, has been a citizen
of Sanilac County since 1862. He came
hither from Canada in December of that
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Loop, now marn
Tuscola Co., Mic
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hood in the
nied his pa
They settle,acres of land on


ed to J. H. Harrson, ot luscola,          year, anc in septemoer, 16o3, ne gave suh. Dr. Loop has followed the prac-     stantial evidence of the spirit in which he  i
since coming to Michigan.         adopted the interests of his new home, by becoming
a soldier for the Union.  He enlisted in the IIth
Mich. Cav., and was in active service until the termination of the war. He received an honorable discharge, July 17, 1865, at Pulaski, Tenn. On being
mustered out he returned to Sanilac County and
bought 40 acres of land in the township of the same  A.ssman, farmer, section 27, Sanilac  name, where he pursued and developed his agricullip, was born March 5, I83T, in   tural purposes about ten years.  In February, 1875,
'nburg, Germany. He grew to man-  he sold the place and removed his interests to Wash-  '; land of his nativity, and accompa-  ington Township, where he bought 60 acres of land.
rents to the New World in 1855.   He is now the owner of 80 acres, about half of
d in Sanilac County, purchasing 40  which is improved and cultivated. Mr. Benedict has  K
section 27. The father died July  officiated two yeats as Justice of the Peace, and the  <
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i   same length of time as Township Treasurer. He
K   belongs to the Masonic fraternity and is a Republican in political faith and action.
His first marriage took place Sept. 3, I868, at Port
Sanilac, when Maria A. Maskell became his wife.
She was born in Sanilac County and died April 27,
1875. Of two children of which she became the
mother, one is living, Samuel H. William H., the
younger, died in infancy.  Mr. Benedict was a second time married March I9, 1877, to Mary A. Whitaker, who was born in St. Clair County, Jan. 5, I859,
and is the daughter of Charles and Emmeline Whitaker, who are now residents of this county. (See
sketch of Charles Whitaker.) Grace G., Jennie B.
and Garfield are the names of the three children born
of the second union.
Mr. Benedict was born Oct. 19, I837, in Canada.
His parents, Smith and Dorcas Benedict, were natives of the State of New York. They became residents of Canada after their marriage, where they
continued to live until their removal to Sanilac
> County in 1882. They are yet living.
|   eneca Baker, farmer, section 13, Worth
/     fl^  'Township, is the son of Aaron and Candace (Church) Baker.   His parents were, natives respectively of the United States and
Canada. They were married in Vermont, and
in i840 came to Sanilac County, where they
remained until death. Mr. Baker is the third son,
and was born June 30, i8i6, in Vermont. His
6 father removed in 1826 to the Dominion of Canada,
and in 1842 made another removal, this time to
Sani!ac County, whither the subject of this sketch
had come three years previously. In the fall of
I856 he bought his present estate of 80 acres of
unimproved land in Worth Township, on which he
has since lived and established himself in fine con\ dition. Nearly all his land is under the plow, and
the farm is supplied with good buildings and other
fixtures accessory to successful agriculture. He is
an adherent of the Republican party, and has held
the local positions of Commissioner, Director and
Assessor.
He was married in Worth Township, in March,




amuel Coppernoll, Postmaster and druggist at Port Sanilac, was born Sept. 5, I822,
in Herkimer Co., N. Y.   His parents,
George A. and Mary (Lancing) Coppernoll,
both descended from families who were among
the original settlers of the Mohawk valley,families who were prominent in county, town and
Church, and in the agricultural community. Both
father and mother died in Herkimer, each aged about
70 years. The senior Coppernoll was a Deacon in
the Presbyterian Church.
At the age of 14 years Samuel Coppernoll engaged
on one of the dairy farms of his native county as a
laborer, continuing two years with his first employer.
The year following he labored for his brother-in-law,
also a dairyman of Herkimer County. He was 17
years old when he commenced working for a man
named Latham Gray, to learn the trade of carpenter
and joiner, receiving for the labors of the first year,
$roo in money. After completing his apprenticeship
he went to work for his brother, also a mechanic,
with whom he operated two years. He remained in
the State of New York, working as a journeyman
until I847, in which year he located in St. Clair Co.,
Mich., where a brother-in-law resided, remaining one
winter. In the spring following he went to Macomb
Co., Mich., where he worked at his trade until the
spring of I852.
He came thence to Lexington, in Sanilac County,
where another brother-in-law resided, remaining there
until the fall, when he established himself in the
mercantile business at Port Sanilac, then containing
two stores and a saw-mill, and flanked on all sides by
a dense forest. Primitive nature still reigned, and
the chief feature of the section was the abundance of
wild game-elk and deer predominating. He continued his commercial pursuits until I867, when his
health failed and he withdrew from active business


6


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v COUNTY.                                        365   I
I843, to Mary Avery, a native of the Dominion, and
of this union three children have been born,-Louis,  I
Candace and William.     Only the eldest survives.:
(See sketch of Lewis Baker.)  Mrs. Baker is a member of the Baptise Church.
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> 366                    SANILAC COUNTY.
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life, his malady causing an almost total loss of voice.
After a rest of two years he regained his health to
e some extent, and resumed business. He secured a
stock of drugs and established himself once more in
the trade, in which he has since operated continuously. He received his appointment as Postmaster
during the administration of President Pierce, and
has discharged the duties of the office without intermission since his first appointment to the position.
He is also local agent in the interests of the Detroit
Fire and Marine Insurance Company.
Mr. Coppernoll has been a decided Republican
since the organization of the party. He has officiated as Township Clerk.
His marriage to Susan Waterbury occurred Nov.
26, 1847, at Watervliet, Albany Co., N. Y. The
father of Mrs. Coppernoll, Rev. Talmadge Waterbury, was a native of New Hampshire. He was of
mixed Welsh and English ancestry, who were among
the earliest settlers of New England. His progenitors, like those of his wife, Rachel (Earl) Waterbury,
also a native of the " Granite State," were soldiers of
the Revolution. All their children, ten in number,
lived to adult age and became heads of families.
Mrs. Coppernoll was born Aug. I3, I822, in Delaware Co., N. Y. Her mother fell a victim to the
cholera when she was ten years old, and she resided
with a sister some years. Seven children have been
born of her marriage, three of whom are deceased.
They died in infancy. George T., May I., Eva H.,and Emnia T., are the names of those who survive.
The parents reside at Port Sanilac and are prominent and active members of the Congregational
Church, in which society their father has been a
Deacon for 25 years. They have been members
since I843.


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t.4.:,


I


in the Granite State. They went thence to Olean,
N. Y., and in 1862 to Orford, Grafton Co., N. H.
While they resided there Mr. Clark'was a student at
the academy eight years. In 1870 he came to Lexington, where he became a salesman in the mercantile establishment of which he is now a proprietor,
then under the management of his father and uncle.
He came into possession of his interest therein in
1875.
He was married in Lexington, Aug. 28, 1876, to
Mary Niggeman. She was born June 3, I854, in
Port Huron, and is the daughter of John P. and
Elizabeth (Lueker) Niggeman.
eorge C. Fraser is one of the leading and;id   prominent agriculturists of Sanilac County
and has been a resident of the township of
that name (No. I2) since March, 1868, when
he became the owner of 320 acres of land on
section 32. The township was in an unsettled
condition, particularly -in the location where Mr.
Fraser secured his claim, and the method of his
operations, coupled with his energetic and persevering character, have added materially to the development of the county. He retains the ownership of
I90 acres, I60 acres of which are in an admirable
state of improvement and cultivation, and the remainder will be in an equally advanced state within
a few months. His farm is stocked with Durham
cattle, Cotswold sheep and Berkshire hogs, and he is
reaping the satisfaction of intelligent and skillful
management of his agricultural affairs.
Politically, Mr. Fraser is still a supporter of the
original principles upon which the National Greenback party was founded in Michigan. He was the
first and only representative of that element in Sanilac Township in I876. In i882 he was the Greenback candidate for Register of Deeds.
Mr. Fraser was born Jan. I, 1832, in Northumberland Co., Ont., and is the son of Joseph and Jane
(Fletcher) Fraser. His father was a farmer and
possessed extensive agricultural interests, and the
son was carefully educated and trained in the knowledge of practical farming.


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(S;  ~I S  aniel Clark, of the mercantile firm  at
i1 qF~I ~  Lexington known as "Clarks," was born, 3 ]j-~     May 31, I853, in Bradford, Orange Co.,
"i|'  Vt. He is the son of Ira M. and Susan A.
^     i  (Bliss) Clark.  (See sketch of E. B. and Ira
9    M. Clark).  His parents removed, in I857, to
Newport, N. H., and two years later to Claremont,
at.


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SANILAC COUNTY.


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s    He was married Jan. o1, 1858, in Ontario Co.,
7;  Ont., to Mary Ann Hodgson. Four children born to. them are living, viz.: Norman P., Anna L., Byron J.
f  and Sarah J. Edwin and Pearson are deceased., Mrs. Fraser is the eldest daughter of Thomas P. and
Sarah (Drummond) Hodgson, and was born Dec. 28,
I838. Her parents were of Dutch lineage, and were
born in the Dominion of Canada. The father died
in the winter of 1882, the mother yet resides in Ontario.
a   After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Fraser lived upon a
i. rented farm in Canada two years.  In i860 he
abandoned agriculture and traveled in Michigan a
year as an agent. He went next to the oil regions
of Pennsylvania, where he remained 26 months, and
at the end of that time settled in Michigan, as stated.
Mrs. Fraser is a member of the Church of SeventhDay Adventists.:ss:: ] e]l~ ohn 1H. Murdaugh, cheese manufacturer
wet,1 1    at Croswell, was born in Dorchester, Ont.,
X'  _I [     PSept. 5, I852, and is the son of John and
f  Elizabeth (Walker) Murdaugh.  The father
was born of French parentage Feb. 6, i8i8, in
Ontario. He owned a farm in the township of
Dorchester, but owing to a cancer on his thigh was
unable to work his place, and he established a general store on the farm which was conducted as long
as he lived. His death occurred in I859. Mrs. M.;:  was of Canadian lineage, and was born Aug. I8,
1' [829. She joined the Free-Will Baptist Church in
her early years and remained a member while she
lived. She became the mother of three children by
her first husband,-Eliza C., John H. and Lillie.
The elder daughter, born June 20, I849, is the wife
of Simon Spears, a brick-mason at Grand Ledge,
Mjich., and they have two children: Lizzie May, born
Nov. i6, 1872, and Gertrude Stella, Jan. I, I876.
Lillie was born June 12, 1857, and is a member of
her brother's family.
The widow of John Murdaugh married Miles Van;   Wicklin, a carriage-maker at Lansing, where he pur)   sued his business during the last ten years of his life.
After his death Mr. Murdaugh of this sketch bought


a home for his mother in Springfield, Ont., where
they lived until her death April 18, 1879.
Mr. Murdaugh had the sole responsibility of his
own education after his father's death, when he was
seven years of age. He went to work for his board
while he went to school, laboring at night and morning. When he grew older he saved his earnings in
the summer seasons and paid for his board and
schooling until he obtained a good business education.
When he was I2 years old he was employed in a
mercantile establishment at Ingersoll, and passed I8
months in that avenue of business, after which he
spent five years in a woollen factory at Aylmer, Ont.
He was about 20 years of age when he began the
work of fitting himself for the business in which he
has since been engaged at Harrietsville, Ont., and
which he followed in Ontario until his removal to
Croswell, in February, I884.
He purchased the lease of the cheese factory at
Croswell, owned by the estate of Moss, Mills & Gaige,
together with the fixtures, and has since been engaged in the transaction of a prosperous business.
The daily product averages 600 pounds, and Mr.
Murdaugh conducts his operations as a cheese-maker
after the method common to such establishments,
where the producers of milk constitute one factor in
the business.
He was married July I6, I879, to Sarah Eliza
Olds, at Simcoe. She was born Jan. 29, I86I, at
Simcoe, and is the daughter of Walter and Frances
(Purcell) Olds.  Her father has been dead some
years: her mother is still living.
While in Canada, Mr. Murdaugh belonged to the
"Reform " party, and he held an appointment there
as County Constable, in the district including Lambton, Elgin and Middlesex Counties.


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ustin Wright, farmer, section 23, Worth f
-Township, is the son of George and Electa  t
(Scott) Wright. The parents were both born,
|   in the State of New York, and, after their mar- (
riage, they located in Canada. In I843 they  _
became residents of Worth Township, where they (C4
passed the remainder of their lives. The death of e
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< 368                                   SANILAC COUNTY.                                             \, the father occurred Dec. 8, I872, that of the mother  his death about the year 1834, aged 39 years. The:j Aug. 12, i882.                                 mother died in 1836.:
Mr. Wright is the oldest of I4 children, and was   Mr. Cash was 17 years old when his father died.,'
f  born in the Dominion of Canada, Oct. 29, I830. He  He had learned the builder's trade in his native.i> was 13 years of age when he came with his parents  country, and on the death of his father he found emto Michigan, where they settled in the month of July,  ployment in that avenue. He worked two years
and he has been a resident of Sanilac County since  in that capacity in Ontario, and in I841 came to
that date, with the exception of four years, during  Michigan. He settled at Port Huron, where he
which he was a soldier in the service of the United  engaged in the lumber business, operating at the
States. In i850, he purchased 80 acres of unim-  point where Brockway Center, St. Clair Co., Mich.,,  proved land on section 23,on which he erected good  is now located, and where he has been instrumental L
buildings and proceeded to make the necessary im-  in clearing many acres of primitive forest. He oper-  i
i  provements to put the place in first-class agricultural  ated as a lumberman on Black River, two years,,:
condition. He became interested in the issues of the  and came thence to this part of Sanilac County,
Civil War early in its course, and enlisted Nov. 5,  in I851.  He purchased 240 acres, located on
I86i, in the Ioth Mich. Vol. Inf. He received an  sections 26 and 35.
honorable discharge July Ig, I865, at Louisville, Ky.  At that time there were no settlers in the adjoinHe was in action at Stone River, Mission Ridge,  ing townships; the county was not named, but
Roseview  (Ga.), Marietta (Ga.), and numerous    was attached to S1. Clair County. There were no
others of varying importance. He was present at  thoroughfares, and Mr. Cash opened roads in every
the fight and capture of Atlanta, and at Jonesboro,  direction in the county. Elk and deer abounded,
where his father was killed.                      which he shot for food. He frequently killed three
He was married Aug. I8, i850, to Elizabeth,   animals before his early, six o'clock breakfast.:';A   daughter of Joseph and Lydia Van Camp. They     Bears were very plenty and furnished much sport. I:
were born in Canada, which was also the native place  On taking possession of his claim  he cleared a
of Mrs. Wright. She was born Dec. 8, I830. No     "patch" of land and built a shanty, which he '?
children being born to them, Mr. and Mrs. Wright  occupied 12 years. He began to make improvehave been the foster-parents of six belonging to more  ments on his farm and pursued his lumber interests!
fortunate wedlock. Of these, three survive. John  with vigorous energy.  He has owned extensive
Sly is a resident of Muskegon; Margaret is the wife  tracts of land and has dealt largely in real estate.
of Henry Lewis; and Lillie E. Sly resides at the  His possessions in Sanilac County amounted at one
home in which she has been adopted.             time to 1,400 acres of land. He has presented each
Mr. Wright is a Republican. He and his wife are  of his four sons with 80 acres of land, and has
members of the Christian Church.                 caused the advanced improvement of 200 acres of t1.'":}1                                               his homestead farm. Some years ago he built a ~?.ii:~^~~~~~~~~~~ fine residence, which was then one of the largest C?
in Sanilac County. The farm is supplied with con^^e ^'a^^ ^ |^^ a*       modious accessory buildings. It forms a decided
contrast to the condition of things at the time of
settlement, a part of which have been here and
war C             a   s   h,^farmer andstockelsewhere outlined. Among other annoyances which
dward Cash, farmer and stock-breeder, on                                                J
dard Cas, farmer and stock.                     on   the early settlers encountered, was the overflowing
section 35, Watertown Township, was born
I 1 section 35 Watertown Townshipwas born,of Elk River and the danger from the wolves which
in Shropshire, England, Dec. 30, 18hi.
n Shropsire, England, Dec.,.30, I8I         were continually on the alert to seize and devour
<? X^     >He remained there with his parents until    I5.     F,
He remained there with his parents until i  every living creature on the farms.  Two years '
years of age, when the family came to America.    elapsed after the removal of Mr. Cash hither before i; \        They located in Kingston, Ontario, and after- his wife saw the face of another white woman.
wards removed to Markham in Home District, where     Mr. Cash was married Aug. io, I850, at Port
~9   the father operated as a contractor and builder until  Huron, Mich., to Mary Clifford. She is a daughter >
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of Richard and Sophia (Davis) Clifford, natives
respectively of England and France. The mother
of Mrs. Cash was born on board the British man-ofwar "Victory," during the progress of the battle of
Trafalgar. Her father was purser of Lord Nelson's
flag-ship. The daughter was born in County Wexford, Ireland, Dec. 30, I834. When she was three
months old, her parents went to England and a
year later came to Ontario, where they passed the
remainder of their lives. When Mrs. Cash was i
years old, she came to Port Huron, where she
remained until her marriage. The record of   i
children born to Mr. and Mrs. Cash is as follows:
Edward, born Oct. o1, 1851, died Jan. 24, I852;
Fred was born May 4, I853; Martha, March 9,
I855; Sarah, March 6, 1857; Thomas, Feb. 25,
I859; Edward, Jan. 28, I86i; George, Dec. 3,
I862; Gustavus, April 8, i865; Eleanor, Feb. Io,
1867; Arthur, Jan. 2, I869; Abby, Aug. 2, I871-.
I     Mrs. Cash is a member of the Methodist Episco-!   pal Church. Mr. Cash is a Democrat and has been
active in the local management of the township
s- cinrc itsc ArVoani7!atinn


Jane McDonald.    The event transpired July 3,
i866. A son was born of this union, Ulysses R.,
March I5, I869, and died Oct. 3, same year. Mrs.
Derby was a native of Ontario, born April 27, 1838,
of Scotch parentage, and died Sept. 25, 1869. Mr.
Derby was a second time married Dec. 21, 1872, to
Matilda Ennest. Three children have been born
to Mr. and Mrs. Derby, as follows: Lewis M., Oct.
24, I876; Frank E., March 12, 1878; John A.,
Dec. 27, I882. Mrs. Derby was born Dec. 27, 1850,
in Oxford Co., Ont., and is the daughter of Hiram
and Mary (McNames) Ennest. Both parents were
of New England origin, and settled in the Dominion,
where they remained until their removal with their
family in 1865 to Michigan.
Mr. Derby is a Republican in political connection.
His parents have long been zealous adherents of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.


I'


-::  iohn Blower, merchant and furniture dealer,..  -L |_Deckerville, was born July I3, 1838, in the t:~                                  e1'-F'i  }   8 1      ''^^^'/^  town of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Eng.,
*?tfnrX  ',~             He emigrated from his native country to Canada, in 1862, and came a year later to the
United States, locating at Port Huron, where
| masa Derby, farmer, section 32, Sanilac  he established himself in the same business in which
Township, was born July 27, I845, in    he is at present engaged, and conducted his affairs
l      cK.  Jefferson Co., N. Y. His parents, Lewis R.  in that line as a traveling salesman.  His first
l:,     and Alzina (Farr) Derby, were born respect-  beginning was on the smallest possible scale, and
ively in Franklin and Jefferson Counties.   he sold a stove for eight dollars, half of which he
They were both of New England parentage   invested in goods as a starter. After he ceased to
and English descent.  The father was a farmer   sell goods on the road, he took his stock and came ~
and removed to Michigan in October, I866, and   to Deckerville. He rented an old log building in
purchased 80 acres of land on section 32. He is  the best location in the village, and entered vigorousstill living on the homestead, which is managed  ly into the work of establishing his business as a merby his son. The mother died Dec. 12, 1883, aged  chant. After six years of effort he purchased three
*   74 years.                                        corners of the main thoroughfares of Deckerville and
Mr. Derby was 21 years of age when he came to    on one he caused the erection of the Commercial  )
Michigan, where he has since resided continuously.  Hotel. On another corner he erected a building::'?  He succeeded to the control of his father's farm  which is utilized as a drug store, his own business!
in I869, and since that tinme has pushed his interests  establishment occupying the third corner. His store:'
#,    with vigorous energy and success, and has a well  building is 38 x 50 feet, and that where he conducts X
improved farm.                                  his furniture business is 40 x 42 feet in dimensions, b
He was first married in Jefferson Co., N. Y., to  the two costing $5,00o. The combined stocks are
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valued at $9,000 and his annual transactions are
estimated at $30,000. He was the first to establish
a grain market in this section, and he built an
elevator near the railroad station having a capacity
of 25,000 bushels. He is the owner of a house and
two lots at Port Huron.
Politically, Mr. Blower is a Democrat.
He was narried in his native county in England,
in June, i860, to Charlotte Armson, who was born
in the same shire, May 29, I842. Her parents
came to the United States with her, and settled at
Port Huron, where her father died, in May, I872.
Of eight children born of her marriage, two-Bisby
and David R. Brown-are deceased. Priscilla, Isabella, Anna, Jessie, Rosa and Sarah are the names
of those who are living.
Mr. and Mrs. Blower are communicants in the
Church of England.
=M: ~  enry A. Babcock, Supervisor of Elk Township, resident on section 23, was born April
2, 1822, in Rome Township, Oneida Co.,
N. Y. He is the son of Job and Sarah (Williams) Babcock, who were natives of Vermont,
and were respectively descended from English
and Irish parentage. In the paternal line, Mr. Babcock's ancestors belonged to the Puritans, and were
among the earliest settlers in America. His grandsires were both soldiers of the Revolution and served
through the entire course of the Colonial War. The
father, Job Babcock, was a farmer by occupation, and
died, of quick consumption, in October, 1834, at the
age of 49 years  The mother died July 4, I85I,
aged 69 years.
Mr. Babcock is the ninth child of 15 born to his
parents, and the fifth son. They removed to Lewis
Co., N. Y., when he was two years old. Nine years
later, they made another removal, to the St. Lawrence River, where the father died the year following.
That event threw upon the son the burden and responsibility of his own support, and he became a
farm laborer, in which capacity he was employed
until he was 18 years old. He went then to Ontario.
Two years afterward he was married, in Lambton




County, to Betsey Stryker, a native of New York, of
German ancestors. She was born March 17, I824.
The record of Mr. Babcock's family is unique in
number, and in the fact that no death has reduced
the number. Fifteen children born to him and his
wife are all living, and all married but three. The
descendants now number 60, there being 45 grandchildren. Following are the names and dates of
birth of the children: Sarah M., Jan. 22, 1844;
Edward C., Feb. 17, I845; Thirza J., Aug. I3, I846;
Joseph J., in 1847; Jonathan W.. April I9, I849;
Rosetta S., Oct. I4, i850; Rufus S., Feb. 9, 1852;
Harriet A., Dec. 14, i85-; Emma J., March 29,
1856; Henry 0., Dec. 22, 1857; Orland H., June ii,
I859; Betsey J., Dec. 2, I860; Julia G., May 31,
i862; Charles E., Sept. I3, I863; Alvin W., Dec.
20, 864.
Ten years after his marriage, Mr. Babcock removed
his family to Macomb Co., Mich., where he engaged
in farming until 1863. In that year he came to Sanilac County and purchased the farm on which he has
since resided. He embarked in the manufacture of
hoops, in which business he was for some time interested, in connection with his agricultural pursuits.
His farm is in prosperous condition, and comprises
o1 acres of small fruits. He is a Democrat in political views, and has been Supervisor of the township
five years. He has held various minor offices, and
is one of the building committee of the county jail
now in process of erection.


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':arrison Cooper, farmer, section 5, Forester
am      Township, was born Dec. I7, I847, in the
city of London, Ont. He is the son of George
and Phebe Cooper, and his father died in Ontario when about 40 years of age. The mother
is still living. Their family included five children.
Mr. Cooper entered upon an unaided struggle for z
existence when he was 12 years of age, and worked i
for i6 months in one engagement as a farm laborer.,
He went thence to Strathroy, Ont., where he entered ('j
the service of a liveryman and continued to operate '
Ca~:   ~


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~.,.            ~SANILAC COUNTY.                                                     371
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r in that avenue of business three years. In 1864 he  marriage to Elizabeth A., daughter of Andrew Mackcame to Michigan and engaged in lumbering in this  lem, occurred Nov. 27, of that year. She is a native
7::'/ township near the lake shore, where he operated  of Sanilac County, and is the mother of three chil'   some time. He returned again to Ontario in 1865  dren, one of whom died when an infant. Nina and  (
and engaged in the pursuit of agriculture, in Middle-  Candace are the names of the survivors.
sex County. He went later to Strathroy, Ont., where  Mr. Baker is identified with the Republican party
he engaged in a hotel enterprise and also conducted  and its interests. He has been School Superintenda saw-mill.                                      ent a number of years.
In r876 he returned to Michigan and bought 56
acres of land, which is his present homestead. It is
all cleared and under a good state of cultivation.               e -.,l 9    '..
His first marriage to Mrs. Elizabeth Jane (Philo)
Buck, occurred April 5, 1876; and they had two
children,-Emma J. and Harry R. The latter died
in infancy. The decease of their mother took place      ames L. Shults, publisher of the Sanilac
at her home in Forester Township, Sept. 12, i88i,        County Reporter, was born Jan. 25, 1822,
when she was 26 years of age. She was the widow          i G    eseo  Ne   York. His father, a
of E. Buck, and was the mother of three children      hatter  trade, removed his family from Genby her first marriage,-Charles J., William F. and     esee County to Chautauqua County, in the
Lillie. Mr. Cooper was again married, in Port Hope,Empire State. In       833 another removal was
to Mrs. Mary A. (Philo) Taylor, widow of John L.   effected, to Toledo, Ohio. One year later they set- A
Taylor, who was killed by a falling tree Dec. I7, 879.  ted on a farm in Lenawee Co. Mich. where they  ',,      X Mrs. Cooper was bom in Washington Co., N. Y., resided until 1837 the date of his father's purchase  =
z  Mrs. Cooper was born in Washington Co., N. Y.,:    March 20, I847. She is the daughter of Charles and  of a farm in Washtenaw Co., Mich.
Sophronia (Smith) Philo, who were natives of New      Mr. Shults was under the care of his parents durEngland and removed in I855 to Ontario. She was   ing his minority. When he reached independent
married at St. Thomas, and removed with her us-    manhood he became a traveling agent and operated
band to Ionia Co., Mich., and went thence to Lapeer in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. He passed
a period of six years in that occupation, when he
County, where her husband met his death by accident. a period of sx years in that occupation, when he
engaged in farming in Livingston Co., Mich. Six
Mr. Cooper is a Democrat in political faith, and  engaged in farmng  Lvingston Co., Mich  Six
has discharged the duties of several local official    later he bought I60 acres of land in Sevi!le
positions.                                      Township, Gratiot County. He was one of the
earliest of the permanent settlers there, and remained
a resident of the farm until December, 1883. He.,Ci ~t q Q _              | ^^^^^lfithen removed to Port Sanilac, to secure the benefitof::'t'::;?.                               the location for his wife, who was in failing health.
i;) ~~^~  Ammo:_~t~  l                In January, I884, associated with his son, he enewis Baker, farmer, section  14, Worth   gaged in the journalistic enterprise, in which he is
Township, is the son of Seneca and Mary   still interested. The paper is growing in popularity
Baker. (See sketch of S. Baker.) He was  and influence, and is conducted on independent
born May 18, 1846, in the Township of Lexing-  principles.
ton, Sanilac County, obtained a fair degree of  The first marriage of Mr. Shults took place in
education at the common schools and finished    Jackson Co., Mich, May 6, 1846, when he became!    his studies at the Agricultural College at Lansing,  the husband of Minerva J. Pierce. She was born in
j?;5  where he pursued them one year. At the age of I7  1828, in Jackson County, and died July 25, 1848, in
years he became a teacher. In 1873 he came into  Livingston County. Antoinette, only child of this
Jt;   possession of 80 acres of land, which he has since  union, is the wife of John Korting, and resides at
A)  conducted, and has 70 acres under culture. He was  Denver, Col. Mr. Shults was a second time married
an inmate of his paternal home until 1878, and his  March 2, I849, near Howell, Livingston County, to
v~~e'(su g:Xw 1103 za4it




111^              -— ^^ —~-~i~:^^-g^-.4                                                        ^
372                                   SANILAC CO UNTY.
l. e          -.           p      a     re a.  o
>+ Betsey E. Rounds. They have been the parents of  tenance, but also of the care of his widowed mother \.-  nine children, namely: Mary, James, Flora, Minnie,  and four younger children, a duty which he fully X|:   Chester and Edith, who are living, and Lillian, Eva  discharged for seven years.
i  and Rosa, who are deceased. Mrs. Shults was born   He was married when he came to the age of man) May 3, I831, in Allegany Co., N. Y., and descended  hood, to Rachel Wixson, of Lexington. She was
from New England ancestors. She lived in Livings-  born in I828, in the State of New York. They have
ton County from the age of five years until her mar-  been the parents of eight childrlen, three of whom
riage.                                           are deceased-Daniel, John and Elmer.     Alice,
Velma, Octavia, Lavinia and Sarah have attained
adult age and settled in life.
X               -0s6-  ^   --  A~  k- o-              At.the date of Mr. Bleake's removal to Sanilac
County there were but three houses at Lexington,
-,.    -ztc                                       |and he belongs to the earliest pioneer element of the
'  El jj  illiam  Kelly, deceased, formerly a farmer  Huron peninsula. After his marriage he located on
on section 9, Mailette Township, was        a farm in Lexington Township, where he operated
o  born Aug. 29, 1817, in Ireland.   His   until his removal to the farm of which he is the profj 1   parents, William  and Margaret (Fallas)  prietor, and which he bought several years previous
D  Kelly, were also natives of that county,  to his removal here. It contains I20 acres, and is


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V who emigrated to America and settled in Canada, where they spent their last years.
Mr. Kelly was about 23 years of age when he
became a resident of the Dominion. He remained
there until I86i, when he' came to Sanilac County
and bought a claim of 80 acres of Government land,
on which he settled and resided until his death,
in the fall of I884, of that lingering and painful
disease, cancer. He was a Republican in his political faith and practice.
He was married Jan. i, 1854, to Jeannette Sproul,
in Canada, where she was born. Twelve children
were born of this marriage, nine of whom survive.
Their names are David, John, Archibald, Maggie,
William, Hiram, George, Mary and Catherine. Those
deceased are William, Susanna, and a child who
died in infancy.
Caj:alvin H. Bleake, farmer, section 31, Sani$- m- lac Township, was born April 5, 1828, in
Darlington Township, Ont.   His parents,
John and Sarah (Connor) Bleake, removed
to Michigan when he was 12 years of age,
locating in the township of Lexington, Sanilac
County. His father died two years later, when he
was left, not only with the. burden of his own main

wholly improved, including excellent and valuable
farm buildings. At the time he took possession it
was in primitive wildness.  In the fire of I881,
Mr. Bleake was a heavy loser, fences and timber,
and all personal property, save a small amount,
being burned.
Mr. Bleake is independent in politics, and in religious opinion adopts the tenets of the.Latter-Day
Saints.
j   ohn S. Thomson is one of the substantial
and prominent business men of Port Sanilac. His business includes merchandise,
real estate, money-lending and salt manufacture. He has been a resident of Sanilac since
85o, and is one of the earliest of the permanent pioneer settlers of Huron County. His father's
family was the second to fix their location in Sanilac
Township.
Mr. Thomson was I6 years of age when he first
came to the Huron peninsula. He had served an
apprenticeship in engineering previous to removal
hither, and he operated in that position in a mill
erected by his father and Anthony Oldfield. After
following that occupation two years he abandoned it
and resolved on turning the evident resources of the
country to his own advantage..A{


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SA NILA C CO UNT Y.


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x!l*~  He arose one morning at four o'clock to make his
way to Detroit, the nearest point where he could ob-;, tain a supply of fishing tackle. He walked all the
way to the City of the Straits to procure the necessary articles to establish his contemplated business
of fishing.  He continued the prosecution of that
enterprise eight years, its labors demanding at frequent periods his attention nights as well as days.
He succeeded in saving sufficient funds to establish
himself in trade, and he started the sale of meri chandise in a log house of ancient date on the lake
side at " Bark Shanty," then the significant cognomen
of Port Sanilac. He invested $500 in merchandise
-  at the outset, and he continued his operations in that
line singly for six years, when he extended his connections and began lumbering in company with his
brother. He purchased 2,000 acres of timbered land
in Huron County and pushed his business in that
line with vigorous energy. His relations continued
to extend, and he erected a large salt-block with
barns, tenements, etc., and his prospects were in the
most promising condition when the disastrous fires of
September, I871, swept away everything. The scene
of Mr. Thomson's operations were in a location now
included in the township of White Rock, and of all
that his enterprise and energy had built up but one
structure remained standing. The aggregate loss
was $1 IO,oo0, partially covered by $4,500 insurance.
Mr. Thomson settled his affairs on the basis of the
strictest integrity, paying all claims against him in
full, without asking compromise. This straightforward
method secured a wide-spread confidence, which
soon enabled him to place his affairs once more in a
profitable and promising condition. A prominent
business firm of Detroit proffered unlimited credit,
J  and their relations were soon re-established and
moved on prosperously until they decided on a
change of location. In 1883 the brothers Thomson
sold their interests at White Rock, and John S. removed to Port Sanilac, where he established a mercantile enterprise with $ro,ooo worth of goods.
A  The salt interests of Mr. Thomson are located at
St. Clair, where his brother is superintending the erection of an extensive salt-block.  He is the owner of
1,500 acres of land in the Huron peninsula, and
deals largely in real estate, in which he is operating
l    in the interests of the general public, selling to actual
settlers on terms that conduce to the development of
Huron and Sanilac Counties. He owns nine im

proved lots at Port Sanilac, and a residence that
ranks with the best in Northern Michigan. It is built
of brick, at an expense of $1o,ooo, with inside architecture and ornamentation of the finest type, the
finishing being done in valuable varieties of hard
wood, the expense of the interior amounting to
$4,000.
Mr. Thomson is a Republican of decided principles, and he has served his generation in the political
arena with the same energy and integrity with which
he has built up and sustained his business standing.
He was elected to represent, his district in the Legislature of Michigan in 1876, and re-elected in 1878.
He discharged his duty to his constituency in securing legislative action in directions where they were
immediately interested, and procured the passage of
bills calculated to restrict the nefarious operations of
the land-grabbers and other vampires with selfish
designs. He was prominent in the movement to
obtain a reduction in the State oil test, having for a
formidable antagonist the State chemist, Dr. R. C.
Kedzie. After the fire of 187I he was appointed
distributing agent in a district including I6 townships, and performed the same duty subsequent to
the fire of i88i.
The marriage of Mr. Thomson to Mary W. Joiner
occurred Dec. 25, i865. Of four children born to
them, Herbert and an infant unnamed are deceased,
and Harriet and Charles are living. Mrs. Thomson
is the daughterof Charles W. and Harriet (Waterbury) Joiner, who were natives of Polo, Ogle Co.,
Illinois, and of New England ancestry. Her father
was heavily engaged in lumbering in Michigan for a
period of i6 years. He suffered immense losses in
the fire of I871, seven large saw-mills and an inestimable quantity of lumber being consumed in September of that year. But he retrieved his fortunes
and retired with a competency. Mrs. Thomson was
born June 23, 1842. She was educated at Rensse.
laerville, N. Y.
Mr. Thomson is a native of Manchester, Eng.,
where he was born Aug. 28, I833. His father, William Thomson, was born in 1802, in the city of Girvan, Scotland, of unmixed Scottish parentage. At the
age of 14 years he became a member of the Presbyterian Church, accepting the tenets of that denomination with all the strength and fervor that characterize his race. He served seven years in acquiring
a knowledge of the blacksmith's trade, and when he


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374                       SANILAC COUNTY..
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was 23 years of age went to Manchester, Eng.,
where he operated two years as an engineer for the
firm of Sharp & Roberts.
He sailed thence for the port of New York, where
he remained but six weeks, and returned to Manchester, Eng., where he obtained a position in the
machine shop of William & J. Crighton. He was
married in the old cathedral of that city, in I830, to
Ann Stelfax. He remained in England thenceforward until I850, when he set sail with his family
from Liverpool in the ship " Blake " for New Orleans.
The passage consumed nine weeks, and after landing at the destined port the family proceeded to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Mr. T. resumed his business in
the machine shop of Lyons & Co. In I85 he came
to the present site of Port Sanilac, to engage in the
lumber business with Anthony Oldfield and others,
the firm style being, Thomson, Oldfield & Co. He
expended years of effort with small reward, and
eventually resumed his trade of blacksmith in the
employment of J. L. Woods & Co., and other mill
firms along the side of Lake Huron. He conducted
his business until his death in 1872. His widow
lives at Port Sanilac, and is 74 years of age. They
hecamel the Darents of eight children.




was a builder by vocation, and emigrated to the Dominion of Canada in I846, whence he came to Michigan, being among the earliest settlers of St. Clair
County. The vicinity where the family located was
in an entirely unimproved state. Mr. McDonald
purchased 80 acres at first, and later, four tracts of a
a similar acreage, and has distributed the five " 8o's"
among four sons-every acre of the original several
purchases still remaining within the family.  The
parents were married in 1831, and in December,
I88i, celebrated their golden wedding. At that date
there were six children and nine grandchildren, and
there had been no death in the family since the commencement of its existence as such. Jeannette,
Alexander, Anna and George are residents of Michigan; James resides in Tacoma, Washington Territory, and Duncan is in San Francisco, Cal. All are
married except one daughter, Anna.
Mr. McDonald was reared in a careful manner, as
is the custom with people of the class to which his
parents belong. He was under his father's guidance
and instruction until he attained his majority, and
was taught farming and sent to the district schools
during the winter seasons. When he was 19 years
of ne- he went to Alhinn. (Clhiln (C.. Michi ton at


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2 if t^_ rC~igV -- -C-~r,- A Ace, VVV.,, I-U Ad1  a  L     am       wAs CLI,.^    Mr. Thomson of this sketch is the second in order  tend the Mayhew Business College then located
of birth and the oldest now living. He was well  there, where he completed a course of commercial
educated in his native city, and served an appren-  study. After he was graduated at that institution, he
ticeship of four years as engineer. He comes of  went into business at Lakeport, St. Clair County,
stock, on both sides of his descent, distinguished for  where he established a mercantile interest under the
tenacity of life, the generations preceding his parents  style of " McDonald, Cadwell & Co." This relation
having attained to remarkable ages.              was in successful operation eight years. In I870 he
went to California and attended the State University
4g^~~~~~~~~  ~~~at " Frisco," returning to Lakeport, Michigan, after
He  _-:6wt —~kCI        {completing his course of study. He was married ^
there Oct. 20, 1875, to Martha A. Wade. She was:!
born Nov. 26, 1854, at Lakeport, St. Clair County,
and is the daughter of George and Theresa (Giles)
eorge McDonald, merchant and Post-       Wade. Her parents were born respectively in Onta-.I   mnaster, farmer, dealer in grain and real  rio and England, and are of English descent. They
estate at Minden City, was born April 22,  are aged 54 and 52 years respectively, and her father
1844, in Hastings o., Ont. In s850 his par-  is engaged in business with Mr. McDonald.
ents, James and Agnes E. (Ferguson) Mc-       The latter removed to Grass Lake, Jackson Co.,
Donald, removed with their family to Michigan,  Mich., after his marriage, where he was a merchant,,
and located in St. Clair County. They are still living,  miller and dealer in stock. He came to Minden
in the vicinity of Jeddo in that county, and are aged  City, where he arrived Aug. 9, 1880, on the first pasrespectively 86 and 83 years. They are natives of  senger train that made a regular trip to Minden City,?
) Scotland, and belonged to well-to do and respectable  and at once established the business which he has!
families of the yeomanry. Mr. James McDonald       since pursued. He was the first shipper of grain by  i
familsf        t      h   e,        y      m. r. Ja                                       m   e.*nal
V%'O~~~~~~~~




SANILAC CO UNIVY,


375


I  _             __3


rail from this place, and his traffic in that branch of
business is very large. His annual transactions in
the other avenues in which he is interested aggregate
50o,ooo. He owns 120 acres of land in Minden
Township, and considerable improved village property.
He is a zealous and earnest Republican, and is
present Postmaster at Minden City. He is President
of the village (1884). While a resident of Lakeport
he officiated several years as Postmaster, and also as
Treasurer of the Township.
*   'ohn Collins, merchant at Peck, was born
'     July 28, i836, in Esquessing, Halton Co.,
Or nt.    His parents, James and Isabella
N17  (Smith) Collins, were born in Scotland, of
mixed Scotch and Irish parentage. Both came
to this country before marriage.  They settled
in Ontario, where they belonged to the agricultural
community. They passed the remainder of their
lives in the Dominion, and there reared their family
of i children, six of whom are still living.
Mr. Collins was the seventh child of his parents,
who removed when he was eight years old to Strathroy, Middlesex Co., Ont., where he spent the time
until he was 20 years of age as a farm laborer, and
in attendance at the common schools. He then began business for himself and spent some months in
various occupations, after which he engaged in the
manufacture of hoops and staves. On reaching the
period of his legal freedom he set out for the "West,"
and passed two years in prospecting. He returned
to the land of his nativity, and in 1861 decided to
settle in Michigan. He located in St. Clair County,
and began to make hoops and staves at Memphis,
where he operated one year, returning at the end of
that time to Ontario, where he was similarly employed until January, 1866. He came to Peck and
established himself in the same branch of manufacturing. In I868 he embarked in general trade, in
which he has since been occupied and pursued with
increasing prosperity.
Mr. Collins is a staunch advocate of and adherent
to the principles of the National Greenback party.




He has served his township four terms as Treasurer,
and has discharged the duties of the minor official
positions.
Mr. Collins has been three times married. His
first wife, Lida A. Jeffrey, was a native of Canada.
She died at Strathroy, Middlesex Co., Ont. He was
married a second time, at Port Huron, to Minnie
Leonhard.  She was born at Amadore, Sanilac
County. Of three children born of this union one,
John S., survives. Augusta B. is deceased, and an
infant died soon after birth. The mother died in
Elk Township. Mr. Collins was again married at
Lakeport, to Vera M. Leonhard, a sister of the
second wife and daughter of Ferdinand and Augusta
Leonhard. The parents were Germans, and were
pioneer settlers of Sanilac County, where the father
died in the fall of 1883, aged 83 years. The mother
is still living at Amadore, and is 67 years of age.
Mrs. Collins was born in the township of Worth.
One child, Jennie M., was born to Mr. and Mrs.
Collins, May 8, 1883.
Mr. Collins is the owner of a fine farm in Elk
Township, whose management he superintends personally.,_,        m..= --- '




2~ ebastian Erbe, farmer, section 22, Sanilac
Township, was born Sept. 21, 1822, in
f  Prussia. At the age of 15 years he began
to learn the trade of a needle-maker-that
'   work then   being  accomplished by  hand
manufacture-and pursued that branch of
industry until he was 19, when he learned the
brewer's business, which he followed chiefly for a
period of IO years. In I85 he came to the United
States, locating at Detroit, where he readily obtained
employment as a brewer. He remained in the "City
of the Straits " 18 months, coming thence in 1864 to
the county and township of Sanilac. The section
where he made the purchase of 40 acres of land was
in nature's wildness. He afterward made purchases
of land until he had increased his real estate to I20
acres, The location of the place and its quality are
among the best in the township, and the owner has
placed ioo acres in fine agricultural condition, with


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excellent buildings and creditable herds of cattle and
sheep.
Mr. Erbe endorses the principles and sustains the
issues of the Democratic party.
His first marriage took place June i6, I852, When
he became the husband of Elizabeth Hollenbeck.
She was born Sept. 9, 1829, in Prussia, and came to
America with her parents when she was 23 years of
age. She died in Sanilac Township, Dec. 23, i868.
Six of eight children of whom she was the mother
still survive-Charles, Minnie, Bertha, Bernhard,
August and Henry. Christina and Emma are deceased. Mr. Erbe was a second time married, in
September, 1869, to Caroline Cain, a native of Prussia and a resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., for some
years previous to her marriage.  She died at her
home, July 29, 1879, leaving five children-Herman,
John, Odes, Fred and Ida. The father was a third
time married, Sept. 2, 1878, at Detroit, to Mrs Lucy
A. (Kinder) Hahn. She was born Dec. 4, 1827, in
Wurtemburg, Germany. She was first married in her
native land and came to Detroit in I864.
The family are Lutherans.
i1 | - andall E. Davis, deceased, formerly a resident of Croswell, which was named DavisS^^S^' \ville in I856,in his honor, and retained the
cognomen until I879, was born Aug. 28, i8i6,
in Venango Co., N. Y. His parents, Solomon
and Nancy (Randall) Davis, were born respectively in Connecticut and Vermont, and died at
the residence of their son at Davisville. They were
each 75 years of age at the time of their decease.
Mr. Davis left home at I8 years of age to acquire
a knowledge of the ship carpenter's business, and
spent four years in his preparation. He soon after
began to work as a millwright, and after pursuing that
business a short time in the State of New York, he
went to Canada, where he remained four years, engaged in the same occupation. He came thence to
Belle River, St. Clair Co., Mich., and was occupied
there four years in ship-building.
In November, I846, he first came to Sanilac
County and assisted Ephraim Pierce to build a saw

mill on Black Creek, where now is the site of Cros-?
well. In 1847 he bought a half interest in the mill
and the two owners operated conjointly three years, -
meanwhile building a grist-mill. Both mills were
operated by water power. After managing the grist- t
mill a year, Mr. Pierce sold his interest in it to
Matthew W. Stevenson, and a year later the latter
became proprietor of his claim  in the saw-mill,
Messrs. Davis & Stevenson continuing to operate
the mills several years. In the spring of I857 the
dam of the saw-mill was forced away, and as the
water lowered every year, it was determined to reconstruct the mills to run by steam, which was done
in I858, and the two establishments were operated by
one engine. Three years later they were set on fire
by a stroke of lightning and burned to the ground.
They had previously built a steam saw-mill on a
small creek in Marion Township, which they managed together until Mr. Davis sold his claim to his
partner. Then he and his brother-in-law, 0. W.
King, built a saw and grist mill at White Rock, X
which they continued to operate nearly three years.
After this Mr. Davis returned to his farm, now:
owned by E. R. McCredy. His return was made ';:
memorable by being the day of President Lincoln's
assassination,-April 14, i865. Mr. Davis continued  S
to reside upon the place from that time to the date at
of his death,-Sept. 30, I878.
He owned a half interest in the first store building
erected on the west side of the river, the other half
being the property of William Jenny. This was also
destroyed by fire.
Davisville was named in his honor, and the first
postoffice was established there in 1857, of which he
was appointed Postmaster. Mr. Davis was a Dem- *:
ocrat in his political preferences.
He was married Nov. 17, I846, to Melvina King, i
and they had five children, all of whom are now
living: Orson C., born Sept. 5, 1849, is engaged in
mining in Colorado. George A., born March 7, 185,
resides in California. Florence E., born Oct. I,
1856, is the wife of C. W. Arnott, and resides at (
Lexington. Jennie, born Selt. 7, I859, married  j
George Arnott, and resides at Lexington village.,:
Newton E. was born Oct. 17, I86I, and resides in  I
California. The children were all born in Lexington Ac
Township.                                       i i
Mr. Davis was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., Dec.


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SANILAC COUN1Y.                  377 '


26, 1821, and is the daughter of John and Polly
(Wright) King. Her mother was born in Vermont
and her father in Massachusetts. Their parents
removed with their families to New York, where they
were married; and in July, I845, they came to
Michigan, landing at Port Huron, whence they came
to Lexington and bought a farm of I6o acres, which
afterwards became the property of their son, with
whom they lived some years. They died at the
home of Mr. Davis.: l            Gazleton Graves, farmer, section 13, Bridge-.  hampton Township, is the son of Daniel
' and Mary (Ferguson) Graves. His father
was born in New Hampshire, his mother in Vermont. After their marriage they settled in Canada, where they resided during the remainder of
their lives.
Mr. Graves was born in Ontario, April 17, 1830,
and resided in his native country until the fall of
r86I, the date of his removal to Sanilac County. He
is a prominent farmer of his township, where he owns
120 acres of land, most of which is under culture.
He was married Dec. 23, I854, in London, Ont., to
Lavilla Green, a native of the Dominion. They have
had six children, only two of whom survive. John,
Mary, Ella and Ida are deceased. Percy and Emma
are living. Mr. Graves is a Democrat in political
connection, and has held several of the minor local
offices. Mrs. Graves is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.


On becoming his "own man" he came to Michigan
and located in Tecumseh, Lenawee County, where
he worked four years at his trade. At the expiration
of that time he returned to Ontario, coming back to
Michigan within the year, and to Sanilac County,
where he purchased 80 acres of land in Sanilac
Township. He has brought the entire tract from
nature's wildness to the best condition  for the
prosecution of his agricultural purposes; and he has
also worked to some extent as a blacksmith.
Mr. Benedict is a Republican of a radical type,
and has held the different local offices of his township from first to last.
He was married in Sanilac Township, Sept. 25,
1858, to Phebe J. Blakely, and their household has
included the following children:  Smith, George,
Edgar, John H., Frances 0., Emma M., Luella, Orilla and Melissa J. (deceased). Mrs. Benedict was
born in Kent Co., Ont., Nov. 6, i839. She came,
when she was 19 years of age, to this township on a
visit, and soon afterward was married. Her parents
were Scotch and Irish by descent-all Canadians by
birth. The father is still living, in Ontario.
The family belong to the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
eorge L. Hurley, farmer, section 20, Mar|      ion Township, was born May 31, I84I, in
E   Schuyler Co., N. Y., and is the son of
^   John and Dorcas (Wixson) Hurley.   (See
sketch of Joel Hurley.) He acquired a fair
E   common-school education in his native State,
and became a resident of Michigan when he was I9
years of age, his parents removing to this State in
I86o.
He commenced in life by assuming the management of his father's farm when he was 22 years of
age. In 1864 he came from Lexington to Marion
Township, where during the next year he purchased
80 acres of land, now his homestead. He purchased
later 80 acres on section 21, lying adjoining, of which
he sold 20 acres. The remaining 140 acres are chiefly
improved and supplied with good and suitable farm
fixtures of all varieties. He is an agriculturist of


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ndrew B. Benedict, farmer and blacksmith,
i        m   resident on section 28, Sanilac Township,
-  113:: was born Jan. 21, 1832, in Prince Edward
Co., Ont.      His mother died when he was 15
i>    i    months old, and he lived with his father until
Y he was 21 years of age, meanwhile acquiring the
trade of blacksmith, which he learned of his uncle.
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I" 378


SANIILA C CO UVTY.


Ld acknowledged skill, and ranks among the leading
farmers of this section of Sanilac County.
In political faith Mr. Hurley is a Democrat. He
has officiated two years as Township Treasurer,
A also as School Inspector and in the minor township
offices.
He was married Feb. 8, 1863, in Worth Township,
to Delia Welch. They are the parents of several
children,-Enmma A., Levi L., Walter Z., Velma A.,
Charles H., William J. and Clara M. Laura A. is
deceased. Mrs. Hurley was born in Ontario, Can.,
and came in early life with her parents to Michigan.
With her husband, she is a member of theL United
Brethren Church.
j     ohn C. Benaway,' dealer in dry goods,
-a ~-  groceries and boots and shoes, at Downington, was born July Io, 1854, at Grand
Rapids, Mich. His father, Peter Benaway,
was born in the State of New York and married Catherine Stockel, a native of Ohio, of
German and Irish descent.  Their marriage took
place in Grand Rapids, where they lived, the
father pursuing his business as a carpenter until
I86i, when he removed his family and interests to
Sanilac County, settling in May of that year in
Worth Township. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. K,
22d Mich. Vol. Inf., and was in the military service
of the United States until his death in February,
- 864, at Chattanooga, Tenn., of camp diarrhea.
The mother is again married and resides in Worth
Township.
Mr. Benaway is the second of seven children born
to his parents, and he was six years of age when
they became residents of Sanilac County. He remained under the guardianship of his mother until
he was 17 years old, when he was apprenticed to
learn the business of a shoemaker, at Jeddo, St.
Clair County. He went thence a year later to Lexington, to complete his knowledge of his trade, and
returned to Jeddo, where he established himself in
mu   business. After making several changes in his loca(    tion he came in March, 1878, to Downington. In
I880 he went to Minden and pursued the same
%~   A               -    --   ~^~AMk
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business there four years. In December, I883, he
erected a building for his business at Downington
and established himself permanently. Politically,
Mr. Benaway is a Republican.
He was married Dec. 8, 1874, at Jeddo, St. Clair
County, to Phebe Strovel, and they have two children-Lillie and Ethel. Mrs. Benaway was born
Jan. 19, 1855, at Jeddo. Her parents are farmers of
St. Clair County.
J —   ~ a amuel B. Dickinson, farmer, section 29,
Sanilac Township, was born July., 1832,, in Sophiasburg, Ont. In 1849 his parents,,  Hiram and Abigail Dickinson, settled in Sanilac County, locating i6o acres of land on
section 27, in Sanilac Township. They were
among the earliest pernanent pioneer settlers, and
nearly the entire township was in its original condition. Where Port Sanilac is now situated there
stood one shanty, and the senior Dickinson found
it necessary to cut a road two miles from the main
thoroughfare to his land. Wild game was abundant,
and was utilized to supply need, as all provisions
must be procured from a distance.
Mr. Dickinson engaged in lumbering soon after
the removal of his father's family here, and operated
for several years in various parts of the Huron peninsula. In 1853 he bought 80 acres on sections 20
and 29, and subsequently purchased an additional
80 acres. This was his residence for some years
afterward, and he continued his lumbering meanwhile for other parties.
In 1869 he began to operate as an agriculturist,
and proceeded to improve his farm. He has placed
0oo acres in creditable cultivation, with suitable and
valuable farm accessories.
Mr. Dickinson is a Republican of decided type,
and has held several local offices of his township.
His marriage to Amy Smith occurred Jan. i,
1857, in Sanilac Township, and they are the parents
of eight children, namely: Amy, Samuel B., Eugene,
Edmond, Franklin, Herbert, Amos and Melissa.
Mrs. Dickinson was born Aug. 15, 1831, near Hamilton, Ont.  Her parents, Amos and Christianna




SANILA C CO UNT Y.


379


Smith, settled in Sanilac County when she was I7
years of age. She is of the type of women who
seem constructed for the wives of pioneers, possessing traits of character to contend successfully with
constantly arising and repeated obstacles.
The family are members of the Methodist Episcocal Church, in which Mr. Dickinson is Steward and
Trustee.! oseph Diem, farmer, section Ir, Custer
X   Township, was born May 19, 1848, in St.
"  Clair Co., Mich. His parents, Godfried, and Magdalen Diem, were natives of Germany, and came to America in I839, settling
in St. Clair County.
Mr. Diem was married in Macomb County, April
9, I878, to Victoria M. Harvey, who was born in
Michigan. Lillie and Carrie are the names of their
children. In January, 883, they removed to Sanilac
County and bought 80 acres of wild land in Custer
Township. Politically, Mr. D. is a Republican.?l' ~ ' hubal D. Runnels, manufacturer of and
dealer in the Patent Rubber Bucket Chain
Pump, has been a resident of Sanilac
/l  County since 1855, his family having removed
to Worth Township when he was but five
years old. He was born April 20, I850, in
Somerset Co., Maine, and is the son of Isaac and
Elizabeth (Dickson) Runnels. His father had a
farm in Worth Township, and also carried on a small'
trade in merchandise, being thus occupied four years.
He lost his life by drowning while trying to save a
boy from the same fate.
The family remained in the Township of Worth,
but Mr. Runnels returned to Maine, where he resided
with his uncle, Adoniram Milett, three years. He
returned to Worth Township and entered the employ


He was variously employed in their saw and grist a
mills until he learned the business of each in all
details. In i868 his mother removed to the village
of Lexington, and he went there to attend school
winters. He was engaged at Port Huron during the
remainder of the year, rafting and in other employment.  Soon afterward he began the manufacture
of pumps and fanning-mills, in which he has been
successful, and has gradually confined his labors to  i
the first named enterprise. He is present Treasurer
of the township of Lexington; is a member of the
Order of Masonry, and belongs to the Blue Lodge,
Damascus Chapter, No. 41, and Lexington Commandery, No. 27. He is Past Master of the Blue Lodge,
and has held various offices in the several bodies to
which he belongs. He owns his house (which was;
built in i88I) and grounds, including three acres.
Mr. Runnels was married June 26, 1878, at Lexington, to Libbie Brown. She was born in November,
1855, in London, Can., and is the daughter of Ery
and Mary A. Brown. Mamie, only child of Mr. and
Mrs. Runnels, was born May 21, 1879. The parents
are members of the Congregational Church.
i(   i illiam Murray, farmer, section 31, Sanilac
Township, was born in Sutherlandshire,
Scotland, in r18o. He belongs to the
Highlanders, and in I831 came from his native land with his parents to the Dominion:
of Canada, locating in Oxford Co., Ont. A year
later Mr. Murray engaged as a laborer and farm
hand, and when he was 24 years of age he became
the proprietor of Ioo acres of land in Oxford County,
contracting to pay for it in labor at $16 per month,
providing meanwhile for his own maintenance, and
he fullfilled the terms of the agreement to the letter.
He resided on the place ten years, and went thence
to Nashville, Tenn., in I860, where he was occupied
as a laborer in a grist-mill two years. On leaving
there he came to Michigan and purchased 80 acres.
of land in Sanilac Township, afterwards increasing
his estate by the purchase of more land. Later he
deeded a homestead of 48 acres to his father and
mother, and also gave 8o acres to his oldest son. He:


of his uncles, William Sweetser and T. L. Runnels.




< 380                                 SAN~LAC COU7NTY.
has improved 120 acres of the remainder. The prem-  assistance, besides lameness from collision with an  If
A) ises are in fine agricultural condition, with capacious  artillery wagon the day previous to being wounded.  t
{ barns and two dwellings.                        He was discharged Sept. 12, 1864. He served his.:
Mr. Murray is a staunch Republican.         entire period of enlistment, spending 18 months in
(i   His marriage to Catherine Murray took place in  the hospital and one year on detailed duty. He
October, I855, in Oxford Co., Ont., and they have. returned from the seat of war to Marion Township,
been the parents of 1i children, all living but three.  and has since lived in the vicinity of Downington,
Those deceased are Catherine, James and Maggie.  with the exception of three years, when he resided
The others are Jeannette, Robert, Ellen, David,  at the mineral springs of Alpena.
Elspie, William, Donald and Neal. Their mother | Mr. Read is a Republican, and has officiated some
was born of Scotch parentage, in Ontario, and was  time as Highway Commissioner. He owns 80 acres  y
$ married when she was 26 years of age. She and her  of farming land, and three village lots.
husband are members of the Presbyterian Church.  His marriage to Eliza Denison occurred Sept. io,
1857, at Forester, which was then called Cherry
Creek. They have had two children, one of whom
-8^ ss vs^. ^-.    -James A.-is deceased. Roderick was married in
March, i88o, to Mary Plunkett, and now resides on
her father's farm in Bridgehampton Township. Mrs.


Ij~~~~) '^^^^t~~ ARead was born in Akron, Ohio, Sept. 24, 1844, and
jI  '    1 Ahomras Read, retired farmer, resident at  is the daughter of Avery and Betsey (Bolster) DeniDc.wnington, was born May 3, 1828, in | son. Her parents were of Yankee and German
Yorkshire, Eng. His parents, James and
Y ir, E. Ynoris parents, James and  igin, and were born respectively in Vermont and.   Nancy (Harland) Read, were natives of the  Pennsylvania. They located in Akron, Ohio, where:
same shire and came to St. Mary's, Ont., in   the mother died, in 1846. The daughter was then  *:;
r 1842. (See sketch of R. McLeod.) In 1854       two years of age, and she was adopted by Rev. John  s
they came to Marion Township, where they passed  Pettit, of Crawford Co., Ohio, a clergyman of the  \
X their remaining years on a farm, and died at the  Congregational Church, by whom she was carefully
ages of 77 and 79 years.                         reared to womanhood, receiving a fair education.
On coming to Sanilac County with his parents,
'Mr. Read began to labor as a lumberman, which
pursuit he followed some time. The present site of
Downington was a complete wilderness, with all the...,
accompaniments of primeval forest. In 1855 he
X cleared 16 acres of land now included within the    _village corporation.                           |    hihristopher M. Oldfield, merchant at Port:
Mr. Read was one of the first to respond to the? Sanilac, is a representative of one of the
call for troops to aid in subduing the rebellion after  Ci  very first pioneer families of Sanilac Townthe battle of Bull Run, and he enlisted Aug. 28, |    ship, his father, Anthony Oldfield, having re1861, in the Fifth Mich. Vol. Inf., Co. E, cor-!\  moved here in I85o. The latter was a native
manded by Capt. Traverse, of Port Huron.  His        of England, and while a resident of that country
command was assigned to the Army of the Poto- "was engaged in trade. On removal to the United
l mac. He was in all the early actions where his  States he settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a farregiment was involved, and at the 'battle of Charles  mer in the vicinity of that city eight years. At the  -
City Cross Roads, June 30, 1862, he was shot     date of his making a permanent location in Sanilac  i
J  through the neck. The day following he was taken  Township, the "Port" rejoiced in the significant.@
- /  prisoner and conveyed to Richmond, Va., where he  cognomen of Bark Shanty, the place then consisting  A
was incarcerated in the notorious Libby prison. He  of about three shanties, one of which was construct-  ~1
endured all the common horrors of that place and  ed of bark. Civilization and its concomitants were
the added sufferings of a wound without medical  at a decided discount, wild game and wilder Indians
~<"d^"\~^^|.~-2ain wid and ilennJ,C o   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ W~~~^ ^ ^ "






..                            SAN/LA A C CO UTY.


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abounding in the forests. Mr. Oldfield, senior, i
terested himself and invested his resources in lui
bering and merchandise, in which he was active
occupied until his death in the winter of 1876. F
w as born about I80o. His widow, Ellen (Mille
Oldfield, resides at Port Sanilac with her daught,
and is more than 80 yeais of age.
Mr. Oldfield of this sketch was born June 12, 184
at Cincinnati, and was about five years of age whi
his parents settled at Port Sanil a  His earliest re
ollections of the home of his childhood's years, si
uated at this point, are of living in a cabin, with
roof so dilapidated that he could lie in his bed ai
watch the stars of heaven peeping in upon his smi
figure through the cracks and between the "shakes
(Let not the generations of the future suppose th
this term refers to ague, which will be perpetuated
the minds of men to the end of the world, but u
derstand that " shakes " were a species of long shi
gle used to cover the roofs of pioneer homes, ar
constructed with the aid of such tools as early se
tiers might possess.):  Mr. Oldfield assisted his father in his store and (
the farm until he was 17 years of age, when he w.::  sent to school at Ypsilanti, Mich., where he was
student one year.  When he was 20 years old 1
entered the Law  Department of the University
Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he prosecuted tl
prescribed studies of that branch one term.
Instead of pursuing his original plan of fitting hil
self for the practice of law, he returned to Port Sai
ilac, and was married, Oct. 5, 1871, to Helen M
Gregor. Willie, Elwyn, Harry and Walter are tl
names of the four promising sons of Mr. and Mr.  Oldfield. The mother is the daughter of Archibal
and Margaret McGregor. The parents are nativ(
of Scotland. They emigrated from their native lan
to Detroit, where they resided a few years, and whei
Mrs. Oldfield was born, Oct. 5, I849. Her pareni
removed to Sanilac Township during the next yea
and were among its earliest pioneers.  They ai
residents and farmers on section 2 of tllis townshil
Subsequent to the event of his marriage, Mr. O1(
field was occupied as a salesman in his brother's sto:
three years. In 1874 he went to Carsonville an
entered the employ of William Thompson, at tl
same time trafficking in grain.
>a     In 1876 he established his present business rel;..


tions at Port Sanilac. He operated three years in a
building which he rented and where he transacted his
operations with a capital of $4,000. In I879 he
purchased a brick building erected for mercantile
purposes, and is now conducting a double store with
an invested capital of $ 2,000, and transacting business estimated at $25,ooo0per anumm. He is sole
proprietor of the dock at Port Sanilac, and conducts
all shipments of merchandise from this place.
In political connection he was formerly a Republican. He is a member of the Village Council, but
has persistently refused other offices proffered him.
artin Decker, Postmaster and nerchant
at Deckerville, was born April I8, 18 6,
}[   '% in London, Middlesex Co., Ont. He is
h: the son of Charles and Diadama Decker.
His parents located in Michigan in I851, settling in Lexington Township, Sanilac County,
when the work of progressive civilization was then
in its infancy. In i865 he came to Marion Township and began his lumber business on section 32,
where, in 1870, the village which bears the family
name vas platted. Mr. Decker, senior, built a saw
and grist mill there, which was destroyed in'the fire
of I88I, and he erected another grist-mill, where he
was actively engaged in the prosecution of his business interests until the winter of I882. On the
sixth day of December of that year his coat became
entangled in the main shaft while attending to his
duties, the swiftly-revolving machinery whirled him
from his feet and threw him violently to the floor,
causing his instant death. He was 62 years of age.
His widow resides on the homestead near the village
of Lexington.  His father, David Decker, is still
living, in the vicinity of London, Ont., and is
nearly Ioo years old.
Mr. Decker was a member of the paternal household until his marriage, which occurred Sept. 21, 1875,
to Elizabeth A. Russell. Two children born of
this union died in infancy. Elizabeth P., adopted
daughter, was born March 19, 1874. Mrs. Decker
was born Feb. 13, I853, in Ontario. Her parents
were French by descent and natives of the Dominion.


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382


SANILAC COUNT Y.


They settled in Sanilac Co., Mich., in I866, where
the mother died within the year. The daughter came
to the State with her uncle, William Russell, when
she was 14 years of age, and when she was 2i years
old she came with his family to Sanilac County. He
is a resident of Marion Township.
Mr. Decker located in the village of Deckerville
after his marriage, and managed a farm outside the
corporation. His worldly assets at the date of his
marriage were $5, on the wrong side of the ledger;
but activity and perseverance in judicious operations have proven in his case what a man is worth
to the world when in adverse circumstances. He is
now the owner of 80 acres of land, one-half of which
he has improved. He established a small grocery
enterprise with a stock representing $50, which has
increased to a trading basis of $r,ooo. He owns two
village lots where his store and residence are situated, and he is now erecting a business building. He
has been Postmaster since 870.
In political connection he is a Republican, and
has discharged the duties of a Notary Public since
his appointment in I88i.
In October, 1884, Mr. Decker established a trade
in hardware at Deckerville, associating with himself
in the enterprise James V. Pennel, a young man of
education and ability, who has had a successful career as a teacher in Marion Township.
#j'    illiam Phillips, farmer and carpenter, resident on section 6, Bridgehampton Township, has lived in the county of Sanilac
since I86o. He became a landholder in the
same year, by the purchase of 80 acres of
land, which he made his homestead, and of
which he has since continued in possession. His
farm now includes 120 acres, with 40 acres of improved land. He is an adherent of the Republican
party, and has held various township and school
offices.
Mrs. Mary (McLellan) Phillips, his wife, was born
in Canada, of Scotch descent. She was married May
24, 1859, and has been the mother of 15 children, all
living but two,-Elizabeth M. and Warren D. Those


surviving are named Alonzo, William J., Melissa,
Wellington, George, Robert, Mary, Priscilla, Fred,
Edgar, Emerson, Elmer and Flora. Long may this
household be protected from the afflictions common
to mankind.
Mr. Phillips was born in Canada May 23, 1836.
His father, Peter Phillips, was born in New Jersey,
whence he went to Canada and married Elizabeth
Nevels, a native of the Dominion. Mr. Phillips remained there until I860, and followed the pursuits of
farmer and carpenter.
K'.red S. Viets, attorney at law, and insuK    rance, real-estate, collection and loan agent
-,\ at Downington, was born Oct. 3. I854,
at Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn. His parents,, Samuel W. and Caroline (Terry) Viets, were natives of Connecticut, of straight Yankee lineage, the father tracing his ancestry to the time of the
Pilgrims, who sailed from Holland for this country in
i620. They were of Holland Dutch descent. Samuel
W. Viets removed his family and interests to Michigan in 1856, settling at Forester, Sanilac County, at
the date of the establishment of the lumber business of Imley, Merriman & Co. He was a skilled
architect, and he superintended the construction of
all their buildings. The date was previous to that of
the organization of the township, and after that was
effected he served 14 years as Treasurer, also as
Township Clerk and other positions. He is the patentee of Viets' Edging Cutter, of established reputation. His claims as a millwright have a general
notoriety, as he has constructed seven large mills in
this State and remodeled many others. He led a
busy, active life until Oct. 23, 1882, when he had a
stroke of paralysis, causing the loss of his speech and
depriving him of the use of his limbs. He resides
at Oscoda, losco Co., Mich.
Mr. Viets of this sketch was two years of age
when his parents came to Forester. He spent the
time previous to the age of 17 years in obtaining his
elementary education at the common school, and in
I871 began to operate as agent for the American
sewing-machines. A year later he became clerk in


I a








Caterpillar,."
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SANILAC COUNTY.                                        385
the mercantile establishment of Mr. O'Toole at Os-  He was married March 19, 1873, to Ella, daughter;i
coda. He returned thence to Forester, where lie   of Harvey and Lucy Wheeler, of Macomb County.
again attended school. When he was 20 years of  The parents are natives respectively of the State of
age he became a teacher in the district scoools of  New York and of Michigan. Mrs. Stuart was born
Sanilac County, and spent some years in that voca-  March 29, r855, in Richmond, Macomb County. Vi
tion.                                            Bertha and Nellie V. are the names of the children
He began the study of law when he was 24 years  of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart.
old, with Hon. 0. E. McCutcheon, of Oscoda, and
in NoveMiber, I879, he was admitted to practice in
all the State Courts of Michigan.                             _c —^-o_
He engaged in a mercantile enterprise at Deckeri ville in I880, and three years later sold out to enter, upon the prosecution of the various duties pertaining
to his present business relations. In February he re-               Keefe,  lerk of Sailac Con
moved to Downington and established his office.  |       ty, was born Aug. 7, 1845, in Lanark Co.,
He was married July 17, 1879, to Mittie Hills.  l| cj  Ont. John and Bridget (Walsh) O'Keefe, his
(See sketch of E. Hills.) She was born May 6, I861,  i  parents, were born respectively in Cork CounI  at Lexington, and has been a resident of Sanilac      ty, Ireland, and in the Province of Ontario.
County all her life. One child, Maud, was born to      The father came to America in 1827, when he
Mr. and Mrs. Viets, Aug. 22, I88I. The mother is  was but ten years of age, settling in Ontario on a
I' a communicant of the Episcopal Church.          farm. He afterwards removed to Sanilac County,,
Mr. Viets is a Democrat in political views and  and died Nov. 22, 883, in the township of Bridge-  f
connections. He has held the office of Superintend-  hampton, aged 67 years. The mother still resides
ent of Schools.                                there, aged 5 2 years. Eight of nine children born to:::t D~~~~..~S>X:.~ ~the                   parents are  still living.
-Frye,? ^~~~~~~~~~Mr. O'Keefe is the oldest born of his parents' chil^~I!f-~ m a   A SS^^.dren. Those younger are named and situated as ai
follows: Michael resides at Galveston, Texas; Hannah lives at Alpena, Mich.; Ellen is a resident of
'~i^S ',~3~> ^Harrisville, Alcona Co., Mich.; Richard D. is a citi|  Jj,^}avid Stuart, farmer, section 25, Wheatland  zen of Sanilac County. He is a station agent and
j t   _  Township, was born June 9, 1847, in St.  telegraph operator on the Port Huron & Northwestern
J  g ^^  Clair Co., Mich. His father, William Stu-  Railroad at Minden City. In the fall of 1884 he was
At })~   art, was of Scotch origin, and a native of the  elected Representative from the second district of,,  Z  State of New York. His mother, Ann (Victory)  Sanilac County on the Republican ticket. Mary B.
Stuart, was born in Vermont. Both died when  lives in this county, and is a school-teacher by '
their son was still young, and he was an inmate of  profession; James P. is Principal of the school at
the family of his uncle, Daniel J. Stuart, until he was  Minden  City; John D. lives in Bridgehampton
i6 years old. He then became responsible for his  Township, and is a telegraph operator by occupation.
own maintenance.                                   Mr. O'Keefe went to Oxford Co., Ont., in 1852,
He was variously occupied until the spring of   with his parents, where they remained until the date
1878, and in March of that year he came to Sanilac  of his removal to Sanilac County,-1867. He loca-  a
i   County and bought I20 acres of land in the township  ted in Lexington, where he engaged in teaching, and  I
|   of Wheatland. The place now includes 65 acres of  later went to Huron County, where he again taught::  arable land, and is in creditable condition. Mr.  school and kept books in a saw-mill from March, (
Stuart is a Republican in political connection, and on  I868, until April, I869. At the latter date he came  y:   the organization of the township in 1882, was elected  to Forestville, Sanilac County, and engaged in the  i
its first Supervisor, to which position he has since  capacity of salesman and book-keeper in the mercan"a been successively re-elected.                    tile establishment of Isaac Green. This relation ex-,:  4.,"- Zz,^s^                                                          4tve           f~




386^~... ---... —
z, 386
I__  4._
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SANIL AC COUNTY.




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isted until the fire of 1871, when the whole town was
destroyed by fire. He had become the owner of several lots, on which he erected a hotel. It was in
running order in 1872, and Mr. O'Keefe continued
its management until i880, acting also as Postmaster. He had become identified with the official
business of the township of Delaware, having held
the offices of Clerk and Supervisor; and in the fall of
i880, wlile yet a resident of that township, he was
made a candidate for County Clerk. His election
was a decided triumph, and on the termination of his
first term of office he was re-nominated, in 1882, by
acclamation, and again made a successful run, scoring nearly I,ooo majority. In I884 he was re-elected.
Mr. O'Keefe is a staunch Republican. He owns a
a house and three lots in Sandusky and also holds an
interest in other property. He also owns 80 acres of
land in Austin Township, and another tract of the
same dimensions in the township of Custer. He is
also a part proprietor in an extensive hotel property
in Forestville.
He was married June 10, 1872, at Minden, to
Agnes Towel, a native of Ontario, of Irish parentage.
She was born Dec. 3I, 1852, in Oxford Co., Ont., and
came to Michigan in 1867. She secured a good education and became a teacher, following that vocation
some years before her marriage. Six children form
the issue of this marriage, one of whom, Loretta,
died in 1876, in early infancy. Those who survive
are named Estella, Nina 0., Eva C., William P. and
t-,v.




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acres, which now includes 60 acres of land under
tillage. Mr. McAfee has.officiated as Justice of the
Peace in his township.
He was married in Sanilac County, April 2, 1875,
to Margaret Gray, a native of Ireland. Mary Ann is
the name of their only child. The parents accept
the tenets of the Presbyterian Church.
Ml ~   -ohn H. London, Supervisor of Sanilac
J 1    I Township (1884), general farmer and
&i 'B stockman on section 32, was born Oct.
i 17, 1831, in Middlesex Co., Ont. His parents,
I   Jeremiah and Phebe (Cutler) London, were
both born in Ontario, the former being of pure
English descent, the latter of German parentage.
The father was a farmer in Middlesex County until
his death in the fall of I883. (He was born in 800o.)
The mother is 77 years old, and is still a resident of
the county where she was born.
Mr. London was bred to the occupation of a
farmer under his father's instruction. He obtained
such education as was possible in the schools of that
place and period, which were of the character of the
times when necessity urged to effort, and settlers
were few and unable to sustain educational institutions of the type now prevalent. When he was 22
years of age he began his life independently, and he
engaged at first in lumbering, going afterwards to a
point in Ontario, on Lake Erie, near Port Burrell,
where he obtained employment in a saw-mill. He
continued in that occupation there several years,
when he began to operate as a millwright, in which
business he was engaged three years, during which
time he traversed nearly the entire territory of Ontario.
In the fall of 1859 he came to Sanilac County,
Mich., and was an inmate of the family of his brother-in-law, Nicholas Hartt, two years.
He was married at Port Sanilac, Oct. 9, I859, to
Laura Houck, and they have had seven children:
John W., Phebe L., Lottie and Jesse are now living;
Sydney and Hartman are deceased. Mrs. London
was born in Brookline, Whitby Co., Ont., Oct. 27,
i837, and is the daughter of Christopher and Loretta: ^^    --   — _ gyc       ---,,,* I   1,
r:;!  hltl~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.:


u sneien.
The portrait of Mr. O'Keefe is presented on another page.
~~homas McAfee, farmer, section 14, Bridgehampton Township, is one of the early set-      tiers of Sanilac County, having made his
location here in 1857. He was born in 1832,
in Ireland, and is the son of John and Martha
"9~?    (McComb) McAfee, also natives of that coun-!    try. He came to America in 1853, and in the fallof
1857 to Sanilac County. He made a purchase of 40
)  acres of land, and subsequently added 40 acres more
to his estate. He still holds the ownership of 89
S    \^      ^  t' i --- w;;'J a    -   Ane  C
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SA NVLA C CO UNTY.


387
--


(Winter) Houck. The parents were natives of Ontario, born of Canadian parentage and Dutch lineage.
The father died in February, 1883, in Saginaw Co.,
Mich., aged 73 years. The mother is now living in
that county, and is 74 years old (1884).
After marriage,Mr. and Mrs. London located on a
farm on section 35, Sanilac Township. In addition
to his agricultural pursuits Mr. L. established a
wood dock on the lake-side. In the fall cf 1877 he
purchased 20oo acres of partly improved land on
section 32. The place is very valuable, with I20
acres improved, splendid farm buildings, and a fine
residence, recently erected, of brick, at a cost of
$3,000.
Mr. London is a "dyed-in-the-wool "Republican.
He is an honored and trusted citizen of his township,
and has been prominent and active in local affairs.
He is serving his fourth term as Supervisor.
_,( —( ---- 0<^((~)))-E~c ---^-~<. —


thence to the place of his nativity, where he operated
as a journeyman about six months. Later, he came
to Port Huron and entered the employment of his
former instructor, Mr. Foster, and operated eight
months as foreman of his shoe factory. At the end
of that time he went to Lexington, where he managed a shop in the interests of Simons & Nichols,
continuing there two years. He then established a
shop there in his own behalf, which he conducted
two years. In 1858 he made another remove, to
Forester, where he managed a boot, shoe and harness
shop for Smith, Kelly & Co., five years, and then
purchased the business and operated in his own interests. He disposed of his stock and relations in
that avenue April I, 1878, and established a general
mercantile enterprise, which he urged on until he
had a business of greater proportions than he desired,
and he decreased its extent somewhat, and engaged
in keeping a house of public entertainment connected
therewith, at the same time managing a farm of 80
acres on section 5 of Forester Township.
In political views Mr. Hartshorn is independent.


I':?!;J:,,


I
4..


%,J.\- em                                       He has held the offices of Treasurer and Highway
"ames H. Hartshorn, merchant at Forester  Commissioner, besides the minor positions. He is a  <.
M    and owner of the Lakewiew House at that  member of the Order of Maccabees.
>  place, was born Feb. 6, 1833, in London,  His marriage to Maria A. Bisbee occurred at Lake-  "/
Middlesex Co., Ont. His parents were natives  port, St. Clair Co., Mich., May 9, 1854, and they be-  f
of Vermont, and went to Ontario in 1823,     came the parents of nine children-George S., Arwhen Middlesex County, where they located,.thur, Calvin, Fred, Ida E., Pearl, Henry and Erna.
was in its pioneer period, and the city of London had  The two last named and an infant child are deceased.
j  not even a beginning. He became a land-holder   Mrs. Hartshorn was born Nov. 6, 1829, in London,
there and owned ioo acres, which is now traversed  Ont. Her parents, Elijah and Sarah (Foster) Bisbee,
by one of the principal streets of the city. He sold  were born in Vermont. They removed to Ontario,
the property just previous to the laying out and plat-  where they settled on a farm. In 1835 they came to
ting of London. He died on a farm in the same   Lexington, where they were among the very earliest
township, Feb. 6, I847.                         of the pioneer settlers. Both are deceased.
Mr. Hartshorn's mother died when he was ten
years old, and two years later he engaged in the lake
service with Amos James, now the proprietor of the                        __
Cadillac House at Lexington. (See sketch). He
was in the transportation service two years, running
between Port Huron and Cleveland.
At the age of 14 years he quit the life of a sailor  jSames Reid, farmer, section 23, Bridgeand entered into a voluntary apprenticeship with H.      hampton Township, has been a resident of
Foster, of Port Huron, to acquire a knowledge of '|       Sanilac County since 1863. He has been:   shoemaking. After serving two years he paid Mr.      a landholder since 1874, when he bought 80
Foster $Ioo to release him from his indenture, and    acres of land on which he has resided and
went to Detroit, whence, after a brief stay, he pro-  followed agriculture until the present time. At
ceeded to Saginaw City and East Saginaw. He went  the date of purchase the entire tract was in a wild
01"-^                                                   "                         "      "    *^js^




300^  ^.1- intoS          ~   COn 7Y.388                    SANILAC COUNZ Y.
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state, and he has devoted his energies and efforts to
such good purpose that he now has o7 acres under
cultivation. Mr. Reid has been prominent in general affairs, and has discharged the duties of several
local township offices, with satisfaction to the public
and credit to his abilities and integrity. He has been
Supervisor nine years, Treasurer four years, and
Justice of the Peace four years. He is independent
in political sentiment.
Mrs. Mary Ann (McFee) Reid, was born in the
north of Ireland, whence she came to Philadelphia,
removing thence to Sanilac County, where she was
married to Mr. Reid May 28, I870. She and her
husband are communicants of the Church of England.
Mr. Reid was born in Ireland, April 20, I833, and
is the son of John and Elizabeth (Crozier) Reid, also
natives of Ireland, where they spent their entire lives.
Mr. Reid was 22 years of age when he emigrated to
this country. He spent eight years in Canada, before
settling in the county of Sanilac.
lanson Goodrich, retired lumberman, residing at Forester, has been identified with
the history and development of Sanilac; Js[  County since 1848. Coming hither before its
organization, he has seen the steps of its progress and been able to note the effects of the
operations of the various elements that have come
hither,-some with only selfish purposes, some with
honest, eager desires to achieve all that was possible
through judicious application of energies and strength
to develop the Huron peninsula and place it, as
speedily as possible, on a footing with other sections
of the Peninsular State, its resources being in no degree secondary. He came to this point from Calhoun County to prosecute the lumber business, and
he engaged in the construction and management of a
saw-mill on the lake shore in Forester Township, in
the interests of Jarvis Hurd and Ingersol & Co.
After devoting three years to their business he established himself in the lumber trade, and after the
season closed passed the summer in gill-net fishing.
He passed four years in this manner, and in 1852
abandoned lumbering altogether, devoting himself




wholly to fishing and farming. He combined the
two pursuits three years, and in 1855 turned his attention exclusively to his agricultural pursuits. At
one time he was the proprietor of about I,oo0 acres
of farming land, and he sold about four-fifths of his
acreage. He still holds 200 acres, which is nearly
all under improvement ard cultivation, and supplied
with farm buildings of excellent character.
When Mr. Goodrich became a resident of Sanilac
County it was included within the municipality of
St. Clair County, and the Township of Forester belonged to Austin, which comprised about one-third
of the county. He was a prime mover in the organization of Forester, was its first Clerk and its
second Supervisor, which position he has occupied
22 years,-consecutively with the exception of two
years,-and he officiated as Chairman of the Board
two years. He has also been Justice of the Peace
a long term of years. In political faith he is a
Democrat.
Mr. Goodrich was born Feb. 9, 1814, in Fairhaven, Rutland Co., Vermont, and is the oldest son of
six children born to his father, Chauncey Goodrich,
who was twice married. The mother of the four
oldest children, Polly (Narramore) Goodrich, died
Aug. 24, 1824. Her children were named Alanson,
Lois, Mary A. and Chauncey. Polly and William
are the children of the second marriage. The father
died about the year 1859, the demise of both parents
occurring in their native county in Vermont.
Mr. Goodrich was educated in the substantial manner common to the county where he was born, and
was trained to the business of a lumberman by his
father, who was engaged in that calling. He remained at home until he was 22 years of age, when,
in 1836, he set out for the West.  He made his first
stay at Marshall, Calhoun Co., Mich. The place
then was but a small village, and located in a dense
forest. He operated there as a lumberman and established a saw-mill, which he operated until his removal to Forester in 1848.
His marriage to Martha Ainsworth took place at
Marshall, Nov. 9, I843, and they became the parents
of five children. George married Josephine Sharp
and resides on a farm in Deckerville. Ella M. married Albert Clark, and lives in Deckerville. Frank
married Phebe West, and is also a resident of Deckerville. Ira married Esther Griggs, and lives at
Sand Beach, Huron County. Chauncey was married,\
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SA NILAC COUNTY.? Nov. 2, I879, at Forester, to Ida Hartshorn  (see
sketch of James Hartshorn), and resides on the
homestead.
Mrs. Goodrich was born Dec. i, I816, in Pennsylvania, and is the daughter of Thomas and Rhoda
(Crouch) Ainsworth, who were natives of Massachusetts and descended from  ancestors of pure New
England origin. Her father was a farmer and removed after marriage to the Keystone State, whence
he went with his family, in 1846, to Ogle Co., Ill.,
where the father died, in 1854, at the age of 50
years. The mother died in i874, aged 74 years.
Mr. Goodrich is a Yankee pure and solid, and possesses the intelligence, shrewdness and acumen that
have been the accorded birthright of his ancestors
I  from the days of the Puritans. He is very nearly
three-score years and ten, but his physical vigor is
unbroken, and he retains all the traits of his prime
of manhood.
~ ':'?___C==^=@-^^~S^S==^=_
ifred Williams, farmer, section 32, Water-? j^:^^ town Township, was born Oct. 25, 1852, in
Middlesex Co., Ont. His parents, John and
Sarah Williams, are both deceased. He was
I    reared to the calling of a farmer, and at the
age of 15 years he began his active life as a
farm laborer, and also obtained employment in a
brick-yard.
He was married April 28, 1874, in Strathroy, Middlesex Co., Out., to Nancy Rowe, a native of that:: place, where she was born June i6, 185o. Four. children constitute the issue of this marriage:
Walter A., Oliver S., Ernest A. and Rosannah M.
After his marriage, Mr. Williams rented a farm in
his native county and spent three years in the prosecution of his business after that method. He came
to Michigan in the spring of 1877 and purchased 80;:  acres of land in this township. He went vigorously
to work in the improvement of his farm and placed
40 acres in first-class condition. The fires of 1879
and 1881 swept away not only all his fences and
^ farm buildings but also the material for replacing
them. His loss from fire in the fall of i88i was
$900. He sold his devastated estate and purchased


80 acres of partly improy
resided and expended hi
exhibits 30 acres cleared
aged with skill and judgn
character.
Mr. Williams is a ze
filling his second term as


389
led land where he has since
is energies. His farm now
and cultivated land, man-::;
nent of the most creditable  i
2alous Republican, and is
Drain Commissioner.
3^c-EW -- I_

_-I                         *


i~ A  nilliam A. Sweet, farmer, section 12, Bridghampton Township, is a native of the
E   Dominion of Canada, where he was born,
i  in August, 1833. He is the son of Jared L.
f   and Martha (Purdy) Sweet, the former a
native of Vermont, the latter of New York.
After their marriage they settled in Canada, where
they were residents during the remainder of their
lives.
Mr. Sweet received a common-school education in
his native province, and in the winter of i856 came
to Sanilac County, where he has since continuously
resided. He is a prominent land-holder of Bridgehampton Township, where he owns Ioo acres of improved and creditably cultivated land. He is a member
of the Masonic Order, and has been Supervisor of
his township four years, and Justice of the Peace i6
years. He has a war record that places his name in
honorable connection with those of the native born
citizens of the State. He enlisted Sept. 8, i86i, in
the Sixth Mich. Cav. and was in the service in common with the other members of the regiment until
April 5, 1863, on which day he was discharged, having received a gunshot wound in his left foot at the
battle of Falling Waters, Md. He was actively
engaged in the battle of Gettysburg, and was constantly under fire from June 30 to July 14. His
command was attached to the Cavalry Corps of Gen.
Kilpatrick. After his discharge he returned to Sanilac County, whence he enlisted.
The marriage of Mr. Sweet to Margaret Hicks occurred Jan. I6, I855, in Canada. She is a native of
the Dominion. The household now includes ten
children; three others have passed to the better land.
The names of the deceased were Viola and Warren,
and a child who died in early infancy. Those sur

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SA ANIA C COUNTY.


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viving are William B., David H., Lewis, Mary E.,
Martha E., Lydia M., Belinda S., Alberta L., David
* G. and Emery A. Mr. and Mrs. Sweet are members
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. S. belongs
j to the Order of Masonry, Sanilac Lodge, No. T36.
'o    } elos Churchill, farmer and builder, resi3]:! ~Be dent on section 36, Wheatland Township,
-%^~ 1 was born Oct. 14, 1834, in Cattaraugus
Co., N. Y. His parents, Silas and Minerva
4'   (Wadsworth) Churchill, were born respectively in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
After their marriage they settled in the State of New
York, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
At the age of 15 years, Mr. Churchill was apprenticed to learn the carpenter's trade, and served seven
years.  He obtained a common-school education,
and was a resident of the city of New York from the
age of 16 years until he was 29 years old. He
remained in his native State until the spring of 1882,
and combined his trade with the calling of a farmer.
In the season named he came to Sanilac County and
bought I6o acres of land in the township where he
has since resided. He has reclaimed and improved
about 30 acres. In politics Mr. Churchill is a Republican. He belongs to the Order of the Knights
of Maccabees.
He was married in Chenango, N. Y., in August,
1857, to Percepta Nogar.  She was born Aug. I,
1840, in the place where she was married. Irving
1), De Forest, Wallace and Orlando are the names
of the children now included in the household of
Mr. and Mrs. Churchill. One child was lost in
infancy.
M-c-c    ~.~((a(0)),C —.>
~   iram Cudney, farmer, section 30, Sanilac
ig   ' Township, is a native of the Empire State,
and was born Nov. 22, i8io, in Dutchess
County. He comes by descent from some of
the hardiest stock of Wales and Germany, his
ancestral line on both sides being noted for
tenacity of life. He is 74 years of age at this writ

ing (1884), and exhibits but few of the traces of the
course of time, or the effects of a life of unusual
activity and vicissitude. His dark hair is but slightly
gray; he is athletic and strong as in the prime of
life, and is as able to perform a day's labor as when in
his meridian of years. He has had no illness of any
account in his life.
Joshua Cudney, his father, emigrated from Wales
about 1756. He was of pure Welsh ancestry, and
married Margaret Franz, who came from Germany
about the same time. The progenitors of both were
engaged in the War of the Revolution. They went
to Canada in i8 I6, where they were residents during
the remainder of their lives. The father died at 63
years of age; the mother when she was 98 years
old,-almost a centenarian.
When he was 22 years of age, the father of Mr.
Cudney gave him o00 acres of land, all of which
was improved, and on which lie labored 14 years.
He sold the place and went to McHenry Co., Ills.,
where he purchased 160 acres of land and operated
thereon as a farmer four years, when he again sold
his home and came to the city of Monroe, Mich.
He enlisted from that place in 1847, in the Second
Mich. Inf., Co. C, under Gen. Buel, to serve in the
Mexican War. He was in action at Buena Vista,
the most brilliant victory of the contest, and at the
siege of the city of Mexico, being present at the
surrender of the latter. He was discharged in 1848
and returned to Michigan.
He made a location near Grand Rapids, where he
resided four years, and where he was married. He
purchased 80 acres of land in the vicinity of the city
on which he expended the labors of the time mentioned. He went thence to Oxford Co., Ont., and in
1855 came to Lexington Township, in Sanilac County.
He rented land for the next 14 years, and in I869
purchased 240 acres of unimproved land, where he
has since carried on his efforts to develop the place
to the best purpose, the entire acreage being under
improvements and supplied with farm buildings of
excellent quality, among which is a fine barn erected
to replace a similar structure which was destroyed in
the fire of 1881. That disaster took away all his
farming implements and the entire hay and grain
crop of i6o acres of land, involving a loss of $2,000.
Politically, Mr. Cudney is a zealous Republican.
He was married Nov. 13, 1852, while living near
Grand Rapids, to Anna Eastman. She was born


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Aug. 5, 1837, in Oxford Co., Ont., and is the daughter
of Simon and Nancy Eastman. Her father died at
Knoxville, Tenn., from a wound received while in
action in the service of the United States during the
Civil War. Her mother died at Muskegon, Mich.
Of her marriage to Mr. Cudney 13 children have
been born, all of whom are living save one sonMarshall-who was drowned in April, 1884, in Black
River, near Anderson, in Sanilac Township, while
working on the drive. He fell from a log, and, not being
able to swim, he was drowned before assistance could
be obtained. The others were born in the following
order: Simon D., Charles, Elizabeth A., Justin W.,
Henry, Sanford, Ida, Ada, Adella, Effie, John and
James. Mr. C. is a communicant in the Church of
England, and Mrs. C. is a Baptist in religious belief.
esley R. Reinelt, farmer, section    i8,
\Vheatland Township, was born Aug. 28,
i85 3, in Bohemia. His parents, John and
Barbara (Sostek) Reinelt, were also natives
of that country. Mr. Reinelt left his native
land when he was eight years old, and since
that age has resided in Sanilac County. He owns
about 400 acres of land in the township of Wheatland and Argyle, and has about 60 acres under improvement.  He is a Catholic in religion and a
Democrat in politics.
6i.  ory McLeod, a resident of Downington, was
born June i8, 1834, on the Atlantic Ocean,
('     while his parents were en route from Scot-land to the Dominion of Canada. He is the
son of Norman and Sarah (Dewer) McLeod.
The fainily settled in the forest wilds of the
township of Caledonia, Ontario.
Mr. McLeod had few educational advantages in
the home of his early childhood, and he attended
school very little until he was I2 years old, when he
was sent to one two miles distant from his home.


When he was 15 years of age he went to work as a
farm laborer at $3 a month, and two years later went
to the vicinity of the city of Ottawa, where he spent
two years in the lumber woods.
In 1854 he came to Port Sarnia and operated from
that point as a lumberlman until the spring of the
year following, when he came to Michigan. He
located at Forester, where he was employed by the
firm of Smith & Dwight, of Detroit, who were extensively engaged in lumbering on the Huron peninsula.
After their business collapse, Mr. McLeod entered
the employment of W. H. Kelly & Co., in the same
capacity. The last named business house became
Smith, Kelly & Co., in the spring of i857, and he remained in their service until the exhaustion of the
lumber resources and the consequent suspension of
their operations in that direction.
In 1869 he went to Oscoda, Iosco Co., Mich.,
where he established a hotel and conducted its affairs
15 years. In the spring of 1884 he returned with his
family to Sanilac County and established his sons in
the grocery business at Downington, where they have
been and still are prosecuting their interests with
satisfactory results. Mr. McLeod owns 640 acres of
land in Dawson Co., Texas.
In character Mr. McLeod is of the right composition for a pioneer settler. Active, energetic and
shrewd, with his business faculties thoroughly trained,
he has been a useful member of the community
wherein he has operated. In his capacity of landlord, he won a substantial reputation for his genial
and kindly temperament. His acquaintance with
the earliest social element of Sanilac County dates as
far back as that of most men now living within its
limits. Mr. Willis, probably the first settler in Marion
Township, was well known to him.
His marriage to Maria Read occurred at Forester,
Oct. 29, 1857. Six children were born to them, four
of whom are living. Norman J. was married July I9,
i881, in Oscoda, to Nettie Ively, who died within a
year. The other childrei are named Reuben A.,
Katie and Henry. They reside with their parents at
Downington. Mrs. McLeod is the daughter of James
and Nancy (Hartland) Read, who were born in Yorkshire, England, and emigrated thence to Ontario in
i842. They settled in the county of Perth, where the
father operated as a carpenter some years, and in
the fall of i855 they located on a farm in Marion


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Township. The father died there Aug. 5, i865; the
death of the mother occurred at the same place Nov.
10, i88o. Mrs. McLeod is the sixth of seven children born to them. She was born Aug. 19, I839, and
was a mere child when they removed to America.
When they removed to Marion Township, the village
of Downington had no existence, even in imagination, and she cooked the first meal for settlers where
the place is now located. She is now managing a
millinery establishment at Downington.
Mr. McLeod is a prominent member of the fraternity of Odd Fellows, and has passed all the degrees of the order and held all the official positions
in the local Lodge of which he is a member. He
belongs to the A. O. U. W., and is a zealous, ardent
Republican.:j 1Q| badiah W. Lewis, farmer, resident on secli     tion 8, Sanilac Township, was born July 13,.(e- I825, in London, Ont. His parents, Levi
and Anna (King) Lewis, were also natives of
Ontario, of New England origin and descended
respectively from Scotch and English parents.
They were farmers, and in I855 removed from the
Dominion to Michigan, settling in the township of
Lexington in this county, where they passed their
remaining years. The father died in 1870, aged 73
years; the mother's decease took place in 1877, when
she was 80 years of age.
Mr. Lewis was educated in the public schools of
Ontario, and, when of suitable age, acquired a knowledge of the builder's trade, in which he was occupied
until he was 27 years old, when he was married and
removed to Michigan. He purchased 160 acres of
land in the depths of the forest, which in 853 covered all parts of the township. There were no roads,
and if there had been teams, they could have availed
nothing, for want of roads. His farm includes I60
acres, situated on sections 8 and 17, with 120 acres
under improvement.
Mr. Lewis is a Republican of the most decided
and inflexible type. He was one of the foremost and
most active assistants in the organization of the town



ship of which he was the first Supervisor, and he
held the office in i866, '68, '69, '70, '71,, 72, 3, 74,
'78, '79 and '8o. He held the position of Treasurer
three years, and has served several years as Justice
of the Peace.
His first marriage took place in March, 1853, to
Maria Hartshorn. She was born about 1832, in Ontario, and was of Irish lineage. She died in Sanilac
Township, in February, i855, leaving a daughter,
Maria L. Mr. Lewis was a second time married
Aug. 27, 1857, at Lexington, to Mary Law. They
have had five children, born as follows: Mary S.,
Nov. 3, i860; Florence E., March 3, 1863; Ulysses
E.,Aug. 2, 1869; James A., born March 8, 1867,
died Oct. 21, i88i. Cynthia E., born July 27, i858,
died June 17, 1878. The latter was the wife of Sylvester Hubbell, of Sanilac Township. Mrs. Lewis is
the daughter of Mark and Sophia (Caster) Law, natives of Ontario, and of German and Irish descent.
They came to Lexington Township when the daughter was seven years of age, and the father died there
in I856. The mother is still living, and is 67 years
of age. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis are members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, of which the former is
Steward and Trustee.
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eorge Mater, farmer, section o1, Custer
Township, is the son of George and Anna
Mater, natives of Germany. They emi.
grated to the United States in i830, and the
father died in the city of Buffalo. The mother
died in Barry Co., Mich. Mr. Mater was born
Feb. I5, I826, in Germany. He was four years old
when his parents came to this country, and he passed
the greater part of his life in the State of New York
and Canada, until the spring of 1882, the date of his
removal to the place where he now resides. He
bought i60 acres of land, which now includes 30
acres cleared and cultivated.
Mr. Mater was married in Canada, to Mary A.
Wintemute. She is of Canadian birth and German
ancestry. Nine children have been born to them

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SANILAC COUNTY.                                       393  >
William B., Anna I., George F., John M., Thomas  tion of a wonderful fund of knowledge. He possessed
J., Margaret E., Clara S., Samuel J. and Walter P.  by nature the gift of easy speech; and his conversa-,|
l: The father is a member of the Free-Will Baptist  tional powers, supported by the wealth of knowledge  *
f Church.                                         at his command, made him a most desirable and
profitable companion. He spent many winters in....i)^-~-^ - <Washington at a period when the most brilliant
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geniuses of the nation kept the capital in effulgent.:     *.glory with the splendors of their eloquence, and he:igz ~ r. Ira M. Clark, deceased, formerly a resi-  appreciated keenly the privileges of those historic days.
dent and prominent business man at Lex-  He was known in the local and State politics of
I'3  |    ington, was a native of Landaff, Grafton  Michigan, as he attended the conventions of his party  (
Co., N. H., and was the eldest son of Col.  and lent his influence and support to the principles
Daniel Clark.  He early developed decided   which he maitainied all his life. Under the old
I   t intellectual traits of a superior order, and at the  New Hampshire State militia organization, Dr. Clark
age of 20 years began the study of medicine with  was appointed and commissioned Adjutant with the
Dr. Poole, of Bradford, Vt. After a thorough course  rank of Captain, and he discharged the duties of the
of preparation he commenced his practice at Peach-  position with an efficiency that reflected the greatest
am, Vt., but found it uncongenial and abandoned  credit upon his abilities.
his professional plans, engaging in the business of  Dr. (lark married Susan Bliss, and they became
J hotel-keeping. He operated in that avenue about 20  the parents of five children: Helen Mar, the eldest,
i years-from i850 to i870 and managed success-  married T. A. Gilmore, who officiated about 17 years
ively the "Vermont House," at Bradford, in the  as a clerk in the lower branch of the Treasury De-:S "Green Mountain "State, the "Newport House," at  partment at Washington. She is deceased. (Her -:
Newport, N. H., the "Tremont," at Claremont, N.  husband was the son of T. W. Gilmore, of Newport,
H., the " Olean," at Olean, N. Y., and the "Globe  N. H., who was for many years President of the Sugar,I  Hotel," at Saratoga Springs.                   River Bank.) Ellis B. was the next in orderof birth. %In I87 i he became the proprietor by purchase of  Mary E. is the wife of A. W. Merrill, traveling reprei the commercial firm known as "Clarks" (A. M. &  sentative of the American Eagle Tobacco firm of
E. B. Clark), and during the remainder of his life,  Detroit. Harry Hibbard was born in I848, and died
in connection with his sons E. B. and Daniel, con-  in I857. Daniel lives at Lexington, and is a junior
tinued the prosecution of its affairs. (See sketches  member of the firm of " Clarks."  Mrs. Clark was
of E. B. and D. Clark).                        born Dec. 27, 1821, in Bradford, Vt., and is the
Dr. Clark was a Democrat of the Jackson school,  daughter of Capt. Ellis Bliss, son of Lieut. Ellis Bliss,: but was never an aggressive politician. He was  who acquired distinction in the Revolutionary War,:i thoroughly versed in political history, and the leaders  and at that time a resident of Hebron, Conn. She is
in political movements in his time were personally  still living, at Lexington.
known to him; but his good sense deterred him from  Dr. Clark died Nov. 27, I882, at Lexington.
demagogism, and he pursued a comparatively quiet
career, contenting himself with observing the course
of events, and storing the lessons of the period in his-*.          -;        -
capacious memory. At the age of 30 he officiated  ___:- for a time as Clerk of the New Hampshire Legis-  '|. h   ristopher Derges, farmer, section 27,
lature, when her districts were represented by such | j||  Sanilac Township, was born Aug. 5, 1816,
men as Frank Pierce, John H. Riding, Levi Wood-          in Germany. He learned the business of:;*i* bury, Harry Hibbard, James H. Johnson, Atherton,    weaver when he was 6 years of age, accord-!  and a host of others equally famous. He was an       ing to the law of the country, which decides
eager student of human nature, a voracious reader,   that young men shallbe taught a trade, and he
"  and possessed a rare faculty for assimilating all va-  followed weaving as an occupation until I853, when
~( rieties of information, which resulted in the accumula-  he came to the United States. He settled in Sanilac
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County in the same year, where one of his uncles
was a resident. He was surprised on his arrival here
to find the country a mass of forest trees, but he soon
became satisfied of the promise of the place and
purchased 40 acres, made a clearing, built a house
and proceeded with the work of improvement in
earnest. He has also owned another "40," which
he transferred to a friend, and his remaining original
acreage is all under improvement.
Mr. Derges is a Democrat in political connection.
He was married in March, 1844, to Christina Homan. She was a native of the same province as her
husband, where she was born Oct. 5, 1822. They
have been the parents of ten children, two of whom
are deceased. The survivors are named Ferdinand,
Martin, Oduff, Christina, Anna, Reaka, Bethele and
Marion. Henry and Fritz are deceased. The parents are members of the Lutheran Church.
eorge A. Parker, Principal of the Union
I~Jr     Schools of Lexington (1884), was born
~~     -  Feb. 5, 1845, in the Dominion of Canada.
His father died when the son was five years of
age, leaving the latter the only representative


C COUNTY.
County Superintendent of Schools, as Township
Superintendent of Schools, and, under the existing law
creating a County Board of School Examiners, was
the first member elected for the full term of three
years in Sanilac County. In the fall of 1884 he was
re-elected to the same position.
Mr. Parker has been the Principal of the Schools
at Port Sanilac, and has been more intimately connected with the educational interests of Sanilac
County than any other resident within its limits. He
has been a well known and effective instructor in
institute and normal class work.,, w
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J 2 F scar Wetmore, proprietor of the Exchange,   Hotel at Port Sanilac, was born May 3,
1836, at Akron, Ohio. He is also engaged a
in farming on section 33, Sanilac Township.
Wetmore is a representative of one of the most
extensive families of New England, of trace- '
able Puritan lineage, having branches in every 1r:
one of the Eastern States. Both his grandfathers;
were soldiers of the Revolution, and his father, Buel 'i
Wetmore, served in the Civil War, being a Sergeant
in Co. K, Ohio Vol. Inf., and died in I863, after two


of the family name, several sons and daughters  years' active service, in the hospital at Nashville,
having died in infancy. His mother married a sec-  Tenn. He contracted a pulmonary disease from exond time and removed from Canada to the State of  posure, from which he died, at the age of 52 years.
New York, residing successively in Orleans and  His occupation previous to his career as a soldier was
Monroe Counties. Later, the parents removed to   that of a merchant and speculator. He married,:.    Sanilac County, where they passed the remainder of  Catherine Barden, and they had six children. Mrs.
their lives.                                    W. died at Toledo, Ohio, in the fall of 1881, aged 64
Mr. Parker acquired his education in the Empire  years.
State, and, subsequently to his completing an     Mr. Wetmore was the third in order of birth of his
academic course of study, obtained a thorough busi-  parents' children, and the third son. He was 13
ness training in the Commercial College at Toronto,  years old when they went to Toledo, remaining under
Ont.                                            their control until the death of his father. He began j
In I868 he came to Sanilac County and engaged  to work at the business of making sash, doors and
in teaching. He threw all his abilities and energies  blinds when he was 18 years of age, which he pur- (:
vigorously into the work and won for himself an  sued as an occupation until his removal to Michigan
'Go  enduring reputation in the vocation which he has  in 1864. On coming to Sanilac County he located
made a profession. His interest in his duties as an  on section 33, where he purchased a hotel structure 0
r,    educator attracted favorable notice, and he has been  and two acres of ground therewith. Later he pur- 3;
long and closely identified  with the educational  chased I60 acres of land on the same section, and;j
affairs of the county. He served several years as  combined agriculture with his hotel enterprise, until f




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SANIrLAC CO UNTY.


395


I


/. July, I883, when he exchanged 80 acres of land for
the hotel property of which he is now the proprietor.
Politically, Mr. Wetmore is a Democrat, and he has
been active in the discharge of several official positions to which he has been elected.
His marriage to Mary A. Hart took place July 4,
I862, in Verona, Mich. They have had seven children, one of whom, Oscar, Jr., is deceased. Those
living are named James, Catherine, Buel, Oscar and
I Ida Carrie. Mrs. Wetmore was born in 1838, in
Ireland. Her parents emigrated to the United
States when she was 12 years of age, locating first in
the State of New York, and coming later to Sanilac
i County. They live four miles from Port Sanilac.
i    Mr. Wetmore belongs to the Masonic fraternity,
Lodge No. 237, at Port Sanilac. The family are
Roman Catholics.
J   oel W. McMahon, attorney at law, Mar'~?'le a lette, and State Senator 1882-3, has risen
to greater eminence, probably, than any
I    i  other native of Sanilac County. He was born
j     in this county, June 29, 1848. His father,
i         iJohn McMahon, was born in County Clare,
Ireland, and came to America as a British soldier in
1837, at the time of the trouble with Canada. He
was discharged from military service in the Dominion,
J and when war was declared between the United
States and Mexico, he enlisted in behalf of the Republic, his adopted country, and served faithfully two
years. He finally located in this county, where he
cleared a piece of land and engaged in farming, until
his death in 1853. In 1843 he married Miss Barbara Wixson, a native of Canada but of New England parentage. To them were born six children,
two sons and four daughters.
Mr. McMahon, the oldest son and third child in
the above family, spent his early boyhood upon his
father's farm in this county, attending the district
school and laboring for his widowed mother. At the
age of 14 years he left home and went out into the
A    world alone, to battle with its difficulties and trials,
determined to conquer. He continued in farm labor,
attending school during the winter months, until he


was 17 years of age, when he entered a store as a
clerk for one year, and then. for a few years he followed agriculture and worked in the lumber camps,
according to the season. At the age of 23 he
entered the Law Department of the Michigan University at Ann Arbor, defraying his expenses with his
own earnings. On completing one course of lectures
he returned to this county and entered the office of
Divine & Wixson, at Lexington, and after reading
law there for eight months he was admitted to the
Bar and began the practice of his chosen profession,
which he has since followed, with commendable success. Since his admission to the Bar he has resided
at Marlette, where he enjoys a large share of the
local patronage.
For some years Mr. McMahon has been extensively engaged in the lumber business, both in the
Upper and Lower Peninsulas. He also owns a half
interest in the private banking house of McGill &
Co., of Marlette. He resides upon his farm adjoining the village, where he is also engaged to some extent in agricultural pursuits.
In politics Mr. McMahon has always been a Republican.  He has ever taken an active part in the
political affairs of his own place, and has held many
local offices. Upon locating in Marlette he was
elected Prosecuting Attorney, which position he held
for two years. In I870 he was elected Supervisor,
which office he held three years.  During every
political campaign, even only of local interest, he
has given from two to four weeks of his time to the
canvass of his county in the interest of his party,
and in these labors he has been eminently successful.
In the fall of 1882 he was elected to the State Senate
of Michigan, on the Republican ticket, his opponent
in the campaign being John Tenant, on the Fusion
ticket. As a Senator he acquitted himself nobly in
the interests of his constituency, and also of the
entire State. He was Chairman of the Committee
on Insurance, and a member of the Committees on
Liquor Traffc, Railroads, Immigration and State
Normal School.
The foregoing account is one well calculated to inspire all young men, no matter how poor, with an
ambition to fix their aim singly and proceed to energetic work with a patient determination to succeed.
There is a "plenty of room in the upper story" of this
republic for all such young men.


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Senator McMahon was united in marriage July 27,
i871, with Miss Minerva Wheeler, a native of this
State, and a daughter of John B. Wheeler, who was
a native of the Empire State. Her mother was born
in Canada.
-- [ -


homas Barr, farmer, section 7, Forester
<  i|   Township, was born Feb. 21, I849, in
@ 5I    Lanark Co., Ont., and is the son of Thomas
and Elizabeth Barr. When he attained his
majority he came to Michigan and settled in
Forester Township. He was married there
Nov. 11, 1873, to Margaret Emily Rushton, and they
have four children,-Thomas, Calvin, Robert and
Ruth M. Mrs. Barr was born in Branford, Ontario,
and came to Michigan in I867 with her parents.
N     After marriage Mr. Barr took possession of 80
acres of land on section 31, Forester Township,
"  where he resided two years, and sold out at the end
of that time. Ini I877 he bought 80 acres, which
now constitutes his homestead, and of which he has
improved 60 acres. He was in prosperous condition,
when the fire of Sept. 5, I88I, destroyed his house,
barns and the entire farm appurtenances, leaving the
ground alone where he had expended his labors and
energies. Even his stock perished, as was so commonly the case in the county.
Mr. Barr is a Democrat, and has held the position
of Supervisor since 1878. He has also discharged
the duties of other offices, and has been Justice of
the Peace eight years.


mother of seven children. They are named Fred,
Caroline, Henry, Minnie, Mary, Bertha and Emma.
Mr. and Mrs. Kasdorfwere a part of the agricultural
class in their native land until i872, when they came
to the United States. They settled in Marine, St.
Clair Co., Mich., where the father became a sawmill assistant, in which capacity he operated four
years. He then engaged in farming four years in
Columbus Township in that county, where he became
the proprietor of 40 acres of land. In the spring of
I88i he came to Sanilac County, where he purchased 80 acres of unimproved land in the township,
where he has since resided. He has improved 40
acres, and erected good farm buildings. He is a
Republican in political connection, and himself and
his wife belong to the Baptist Church.
ichael N. Mugan, banker, attorney, real' a     estate and insurance agent, at Port SanLf.. ~ilac, was born Aug. i9, 1848, in Oxford
p   Co., Ont. His parents, Patrick and Mary
(O'Connor) Mugan, were natives of the south
of Ireland. They emigrated to America previous to their marriage, the respective families to
which they belonged locating in Oxford Co., Ont.
After their marriage they settled on a farm in that
county, where they are living in retired affluence,
having accumulated $30,000, in the enjoyment of
which they are moving down the sunset walks of
life, a situation which affords them satisfaction in
view of the fact that they set out in life in actual
poverty. They became the parents of I2 children,
four of whom are deceased. Mr. Mugan of this
sketch is the eldest. Martin B., James G., Sarah
Allen, Katie and John are the names of the others
who are living, all of whom reside in Ontario except
Martin, who is a citizen of St. Louis, Mo.
Mr. Mugan was reared on his father's farm, obtaining a fair elementary education in the public
schools of his native county, until he was 17 years
old, when he entered the Commercial College at
London, Ont., where he completed a full business
course of study, and studied classics to some extent. Afterward he came to Sanilac County and




I


o-ohn Kasdorf, farmer, section 32, Water5h  & Attown Township, was born April 2, 842,in
i       a11"" A Prussia. He was under the management
of his parents until he was 14 years of age,
J      1kt  when he became a farm laborer, in which employ he was occupied until he was married, Oct.
22, I866, to Rachel Gabbett, a native of Prussia.
>    She was born March 13, 1839, and has become the
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taught school one winter. He returned to Ontario
and entered the grammar school at Ingersol, where;  he studied six months. At the end of that time he
went to London, Ont., and he obtained employment
as a salesman in a provision store, where he was occupied some time.
Coming thence to Michigan once more, he taught
school in Sanilac County, at Forest. He remained
in the Huron peninsula two years, returning again
to Ontario, where he became a student in the C. L. I.
College and remained a student there nearly two
years. In the fall of 1872 he came to White Rock,
Huron County, where he engaged once more in
teaching. While thus engaged he was appointed
County Superintendent of Schools, and was the incumbent of that position until the office was abolished. He was again placed in nomination by all
the political parties, when the position was annulled.
In I875 Mr. Mugan established a mercantile enteri   prise at Forestville in Sanilac County, in which he
was engaged two years. On closing his affairs in
that line he went to Port Huron for the purpose of
reading law, and he entered the office of O'Brien &
Atkinson. He remained under their guidance two
years, and in March, 1879, was admitted to practice:   in the State Courts of Michigan.
In May, i880, he opened his professional career
at Port Sanilac. His mercantile venture had left
him in financial delinquency, amounting to $500, but
the influx of business in his calling of attorney soon
enabled him to set himself right with the world, and
in 1882 he instituted a private banking house, with a
cash capital of $2o,ooo, to which he soon added the
several enterprises now constituting the list of his
business relations.
Mr. Mugan is in sympathy with the Republican
element in politics.
He was married at White Rock, Dec. 25, I874, to
Mary A. McKee, and they are the parents of three
children,-James P., Mary W. and Allen V. Mrs.
Mugan was born at Port Huron, and is the daughter
of Charles S. and Mary (Stock) McKee. Her parents are natives of England. They emigrated to
Ontario, and after some years' residence in the Dominion they removed to Huron County, where the
M father was occupied as a merchant, and later as the
i)  proprietorof a hotel, which he pursued until 1882.
He is now retired, and is about 65 years of age. His
K K.,,~~~~~~~~


wife is of the same
careful education in
Rock and under the
she was I8 years old
cessful career as a te
gence and fine social
The family are Rc


397
age. Mrs. Mugan received a
the common schools of White:
care of a private teacher until Ad', when she commenced a suc-   i
-acher. She is a lady of intelli- ad
l qualities.
)man Catholics.
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_   | Edward Cowan, farmer, section 2, BridgeIl  hampton Township, is a native of Ireland,
where he was born in September, I849.
~ He was but three years old when he was
brought to Canada, where he remained until
he came to Sanilac County in i86r, which has
since been his home. He owns 80 acres of land, 60
acres of which are improved. Mr. Cowan is a Democrat in political faith. He has been the holder of
several township offices.
His marriage to Mary E. Nelson took place in
Bridgehampton Township, Oct. i, I873. She is a
native of Ohio. Following are the names of the six
children who have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Cowan: Rosa P., Edward J., William A., Arthur J.,
Thomas R. and Frederick A. The latter is not
living. The parents are members of the Church of
England.
J ohn O'Connell, farmer and lumberman,
resident on section 14, Custer Township,
has lived in Sanilac County, since I859.
1  He was born Oct. I2, 1849, in Ontario, and is
the son of William  and Grizelda (Wright)
O'Connell. His parents were natives of Ontario and settled in the townshipof Brideghampton, in
1859, and are yet living on their farm.
Mr. O'Connell is the oldest of 1 children born to
his parents. He was io years old when he came to
this township and county, where he has grown to


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manhood and established his citizenship. He is a
i^ Democrat in political sentiment.
i  His wife, Mrs. Mary (Spiker) O'Connell, is a native: of Ontario. Their marriage occurred Jan. I, I874,
F in Bridgehampton Township. Three children have
been born to them,-William, Agnes and Nora. Mr.
O'Connell has held several local township offices.,m~

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- onathan W. Babcock is a leading attorney
' -  of Sanilac County and resides at Lexing"1    ton. He is the junior member of the law
firm of Divine & Babcock, and is prominent in
the general interests of the locality where he
lives. The business house to which he belongs
is one of the most important and influential in this
section of the Peninsular State, and his official record? is one that does eminent credit to his abilities and
3 testifies conclusively to his popularity and the quality
t of the services he renders in behalf of the trusts
- reposed in him by his friends.
Mr. Babcock was born April I9, I849, in Williams
Township, Middlesex Co., Ont, and is the son of
Henry A. and Betsey (Stryker) Babcock. (See sketch
of H. A. Babcock.) His father was born in Oneida
Co., N. Y., and his mother belonged to the German
element which peopled the Mohawk Valley in the
State of New York. She was born March I7, 1825,
in Wyoming Co., N. Y. Her mother was born in
800 in the Empire State, and passed her last years:> in the family of her daughter in Elk Township, where
she died, in 1879. In 1852 the senior Babcock removed his family to Romeo, Macomb Co., Mich., and
a year later went thence to Richmond in the same
county. Jonathan was 14 years of age when a third
and last change was made in locality. In I863 the
family settled on a farm in Elk Township, in this
g county, where his parents yet reside, on.the old
homestead. Mr. Babcock obtained a limited common-school education in Macomb County, and after
removal to Sanilac County he was an efficient aid to
f his father in the manufacture of hoops. He became, skilled in all the departments pertaining to the business, and in I869, when he was 20 years of age, he
l obtained a position as agent for the purchase of


hoops for the Salt Company of Onondaga, N. Y.,
under the management of B. M. Dutcher. He continued to act in that capacity two years, operating
chiefly at Clio, Genesee County, Birch Run, Saginaw County, and Midland, Midland County. He
had other ambitions and plans, and while accomplishing the labors of the "thing that was nearest," he
prosecuted a general course of study in whatever
branch seemed most feasible, meanwhile acquiring a
knowledge of men and affairs that affords tangible
proof of the value of experience in disciplining and
fitting the mind for the work which the world demands of every man. In 1871 he came to the village
of Peck, in Elk Township, and became a salesman in
the store of Dutcher & Collins. On the dissolution
of the firm in the spring of i872, he engaged as agent
for Charles Partridge in the purchase of staves and
hoops in Sanilac County. In August of the same
year he was nominated on the Republican ticket for
the office of Sheriff and was elected in November following. He discharged the duties of the position one
term and removed to the township of Elmer in 1875,
where he resumed the manufacture of hoops. He
commenced the study of law, reading nights and
laboring to support his family. In January, 1877,
after two years of hard work and study, he removed
to Peck and engaged in the store of D. Doane as
assistant, meanwhile continuing his studies, and was
finally admitted to the practice of his profession in
July of the same year, passing his examination before
Hon. E. W. Harris. To the question as to his course
of instruction and the school where he had studied,
he replied that he had prosecuted his legal course
chiefly in the woods. The results show that a man
may achieve any purpose through determination and
judicious effort, independent of schools and boards
of instruction, as Mr. Babcock received his credentials authorizing him to practice law in the State
Courts of Michigan. He opened an office in the village of Peck immediately after his admission to the
Bar, where he prosecuted the business of an attorney
until Jan. i, 1882. At that date he formed a business association with John Divine. The relation still
exists, and the firm is engaged in the transaction of
heavy business interests. In addition to their labor
as attorneys, they are operating extensively in collecting.
Mr. Babcock is a Republican of a decided radical
stamp, and has been active and prominent in local


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SANILAC COUNTY.


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political connections. He was elected Supervisor of  the children born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs.  #
Elmer Township in I876, and was one of the Com-  Shirley. The two last died in infancy. Mi. Shirley;
mittee who drafted the resolution to remove the  is an adherent of the National Greenback party. He:-+
county seat to the geographical center of the county.  has held the office of Overseer of Highways three
In i880 he was elected to the position of Prosecuting  years, and School Director three years, been Secretary
Attorney, and scored a decided triumph over the op-  of his Church (Episcopal) and Sabbath-school teacher
position candidate. He was re-elected in 1882, with-  the past two years. Mrs. S. is also a member of the
out opposition, and again in 1884. While resident  same Church.
at Peck, he officiated in several. official positions in
the village and township, and has been actively interested in school matters. He has been a member
of the Republican County Committee six years, and       -    -,l~~       ~   m,~               %'
Chairman of that body four years.
Mr. Babcock has been married twice. His first                                                X
wife was Nancy J., daughter of Chauncey and Lavi- |h
nia Allen. She died in Lexington, Sept. 1, I882,   i    ttia P. Rass, farmer, section 6, Watertown
i   ~~*.  * *  n~,  r i '*      ' Tp., was bornin Fowler, Trumbull Co., Ohio
leaving two surviving children, of three, of which she   T     w
1  -  I7June 9, 1848. His parents, Andiew W. and
was the mother. Willard was born Sept. 4, I87I,
A  Sarah A. (Reams),[Rass, were natives of
Alice was born in April, 1873, and died in August,
r    Pennsylvania, and were respectively of Scotch
following. Linda was born April II, I876. Mr.
ni miaried St 2, 183,to Anna Aand German descent. His father is a blackBabcock was again married Sept. 24, I883, to Anna..
Babcock was ai   marrie Sep. 24             msmith and wagon-maker by trade, and was a resident,.
Farr. She was born in Sanilac County on the farm
of Trumbull County 26 years. He removed with his
on which her father resides in Elk Township. She is.                   -e
family to Michigan in I872, after passing three sum-  f
the daughter of John and Mary A. Farr, pioneer set-g t                                     sus of te tow   of      ers in Iowa. He first located in Midland County,
tlers of the township of Elk.
and went afterwards to Wayne County, where the 7
Mr. Babcock is a member of the Masonic frafamily continued to reside two years. They removed X
ternity, and was a leading actor in the organization
thence to Sanilac County and settled in Elmer
of Elk Lodge, No. 353, of which he was frst Master,
n..1 *,.*11-   i ^ T  *  Township, where they now reside, and are aged <
holding the position until his removal to Lexington.  T nshi,  here ty no    r, ad ae
respectively 66 and 59 years. In their household
was one daughter-Layura, now a resident at Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Rass became the arbitrator of his own fortunes at 14 years of age. He engaged in his native
'~-~ 34 ~ ^^~~~~county in farm labor for a time, and next entered the
mm    1 W illiam  K. Shirley, farmer, section  II,  employment of the Lake Shore Railroad Company,
Bridgehampton Township, was born in    where he operated three years between the cities of?
Lanark Co., Ont., Aug. 20, 1838. John  Cleveland, Ohio, and Erie, Pa. He went next to
1  and Jane Shirley, his father and mother, were  Iowa, where he engaged as a farm laborer during
natives respectively of England and Ireland.  two seasons. In the autumn of 1871 he located at
Mr. Shirley resided in his native province  Midland, where he spent two years in the manufacintil i868, the date of his coming to Sanilac County  ture of doors and window sash in the employ of
ind also of his purchase of 120 acres of land. He is  Reams & Ross, and at the end of that time em-  )
low the proprietor of i60 acres, and has 115 acres  barked in the same business in his own behalf. He!
inder first-class cultivation.                  did not succeed as he had planned, and at last sold e;*!
He was married in Lambton Co., Ont., Feb. 26,  his interest. He then entered the furniture estab- ()
[868, to Jane Larrett. She was born in that county,  lishment of his father, with whom he remained some
March I9, I844. George A., Mary A. V., John W.,  time as clerk. He then engaged in the saw-mill?'
Robert W., Amanda J. and an unnamed infant are  business, and went after a short time to Wayne >::t  S ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   ~~~       Aa




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400                SANILAC COUNTY.
400                      I________ _____________ __:7.~~
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County, where he remained two years. At the end
of that time he came to the township of Elmer,
where he purchased 40 acres on section i. To this
he added by subsequent purchase a tract of 40 acres
in Watertown. The entire property was in a wholly
unimproved state, andhe has since that date cleared
and creditably improved 30 acres. Mr. Rass is a
zealous Republican, and has held the position of
Supervisor since 88.
His marriage to Permelia Sigler occurred Dec. 25,
1872, in Fowler, Ohio. She was born March 9, 851,
in that place, and is the daughter of Austin and Melissa (Lamberton) Sigier, natives respectively of Ohio
and Connecticut. The former is now a merchant at
Cortland, and is 64 years of age. The mother died
in Ohio in I858. Mr. and Mrs. Rass have onechild,
-Guy A., born Jan. 27, I874.
~. 'l ittmon A. Wilton, farmer, section five,
1    Bridgehampton Township, has been a resiIIjJ    dent of Sanilac County since i863.  In
- August of that year, he bought 40 acres of unimproved land in the township where he now
resides. He has bought and sold various tracts
of land in the township, and is now the proprietor of
50 acres, nearly all of which is under cultivation.
He has discharged his duties as a citizen by serving
in the local offices, having been Justice of the Peace
15 years, Township Clerk, Highway Commissioner,
and filled the different school offices. He was
formerly a Republican, but at present is identified
with the Anti-Monopolist element.
Mr. Wilton was born in Canada, May 28, 1836,
and is the second son of his parents, William and
Jane (Benzie) Wilton. They were natives of England, whence they emigrated to the Dominion of
Canada in 1834. The father died there, Dec. 17,
I844. Their family included seven children. Mr.
Wilton obtained only a limited education in his youth,
but later in life he realized the necessity of mental
cultivation; and, by application and taking advantage
of all opportunities which presented, he acquired a
air share of learning. After attaining his majority,




he followed the trade of a carpenter and joiner in
Canada, until his removal to Michigan, since which
he has been a farmer.
lHe was married Dec. 26, 1864, in Forester Township, to Jane, daughter of James and Esther Aldred.
She was born Aug. i, I845, in England. Of seven
children born of this union two are deceased,-Esther and Pittmon. Those who survive are William
S., Ida J., Mary A., Eliza E. and Joseph H.:   ills Beech, farmer, section i, Bridgehampton Township, was born Sept. 6, 1836, in
J     'li   Prince Edward Co., Ont. His parents,
/:l"^  Harlow I. and Phebe (Harrington) Beech,
':>; were born respectively in the State of New York
and Canada. His father died in the Dominion,
in I879; his mother still survives, and resides in
Canada.
Mr. Beech came to Sanilac County in the winter
of I877. He bought the property he now owns,
which consists of 80 acres of land with nearly 60
acres under cultivation. He is independent in political connection, and has held various offices in his
township.
He was married in Prince Edward Co., Ont., Sept.
I2, 1855, to Nancy Gerow. She was born in Canada,
and is the daughter of Benjamin and Martha (Wiggins) Gerow, who were natives of New Brunswick.
Both her parents are deceased. Al Fretta is the name
of the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Beech, born Sept.
I3, I857.


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|harles Reinelt, farmer and lumberman,
i|  ^ m residing on section 7, Wheatland Town-.  1 ship, is a Bohemian by birth, and has resided
in Sanilac County since I863. He was born       4
\   Oct. 8, I842, and is the son of John and     '
Barbara (Sastek) Reinelt. His parents were
also born in Bohemia. He emigrated to this country,:.1     n


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SANVILA C CO UNTY..6D
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when he became 21 years old, and proceeded at once
to Michigan. The township of Wheatland was then
included in the municipality of Marion, and he homesteaded I6o acres. As he entered somewhat extensively into the business of lumbering, he increased
his real estate to 320 acres. His arable land comprises about 80 acres. In political belief he is a
Democrat and he was the first Highway Commissioner and the first Constable of Wheatland, being
elected when the township was organized.
He was married Nov. 12, 1865, in the township of
Forester, to Mary J. Loub. She was born Oct. 28,
I849, in Ontario, Can. The following are the names
of their nine children: John, Agnes, Albert, George,
Mary, Charles, Ida, Arthur and Maggie. The family
belongs to the Catholic Church.


Port Huron, with a disgust for lake travel which time
has not obliterated.
Miss James was married in 1864, to Henry L.
Adams, a salesman in the mercantile establishment
of William Allen at Port Huron. After continuing
in that avenue of business one year, Mr. Adams
yielded to the solicitation of his father-in-law and
removed to Lexington, where he became interested in
the management of the "Cadillac," associated with
Mr. James. In 1867, the hotel changed owners,
Messrs. James and Adams returning to Port Huron,
where the latter embarked in the livery business.
A year later he exchanged his interests in that line
of business for the hotel property at Forestville,
owned by Charles Smith. Under the new management, the " Forest House " continued the most commodious and comfortable refuge for the traveling
public on the lake-side between Lexington and Port
Austin until the fire of I87, when it shared the
common fate and vanished in smoke and flame with
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X,.s1 its enure coluILuILS.                                   i lie succeeuLig uays were iUll
^':53         rs Irene E. Adams, only daughter of      of trial and suffering to Mr. and Mrs. Adams, and a.
";*  r/ Amos James, proprietor of the CadJohn                  illiam, who had been born to them     *
Or   fit 7'`im  House at Lexington, with whom she re- |May 22, i866, and was a little more than five years
): jv5     s~ides, was born  at Port Huron, Mich.,   of age. The family pushed out on the lake in a
sides, was born at Port Huron, MV~ich.                      y
ac  14. 8T4.i Sh  p e  te esmall fishing-boat, a terrific gale and a heavy sea    %/
March I4, i845. She passed the early years
making their chances of safety exceedingly small:  j
of her life in her native place, where she
a, wbut they preferred death by drowning, and they sat (
attended the graded school and completed the High  i ther frl, seeg   the destruction of their
in their frail boat, seeing the destruction of their
School course of study in her i8th year. She was
School. of.study  in her 8th ear. She home, ill clad, burning  bits  falling  upon  them  incessubsequently a pupil under the instructions of Miss,                            them       in
santly, making it necessary for them  to keep in a
Hattia Hyde, now Mrs. F. S. Wells. She began the,
Httdy. nocwhe  Ms.h F w s  We lls  Sea so d b ndte  drenched  condition  to  avoid  burning  to  death  on  the
study of music when she was seven years old, under  water. The latter was war  with te intense heat
water. The latter was warm with the intense heat
a private teacher, Miss Sarah Howard, who was her  t,        ad w
of\4~~~.X~~~~,that pervaded the atmosphere, and was converted
instructress until she was ten years old. Her next.      tre d       and t   ni
':9                 '                                into alkali. For three days and two nights theyv
teacher, Louis Atkins, gave her two terms of lessons,                       r          t   o
A|.      &were afloat without water or food, save two or three S
and she studied music under Mrs. Maria Gough,        cabbages picked up on the beach. Mr. Adams'loss
cabbages picked up on the beach. Mr. Adams loss
seven years. She became very proficient, and after                        a     in      a b.-~                        ~     ~,J~~~~ iaggregated about $5,ooo, and included a barn and
ceasing her lessons she became a teacher herself.  l       e        w       $       t
When  she  was13yearsof, hlivery       equipments  worth  $2,000,  the  hotel  fixtures
When she was i3 years of age, her aunt, Mrs. H.
and supplies. The large coach-dog, "Billy," was
N. Howard, of Port Huron, took her by boat to Chi-..                     severely burned.
cago. The party took passage in the latter days of     e     i.X*h   &        '  -..   ~.Incidents abounded, and one that seemed the t'
September, 1848 in the   Storm-King, a misnomer.
{r.iptember. *48. ) '&) ' L..   '.ing,".a ~isnomer  result of premonition must be mentioned, as it con-  f
r in this instance, as in making port at Chicago during               p                  Lexington and
P,!                                                    cerns "Polly," a part of the history of Lexington and
a heavy storm the boat " reefed" on a sand-bar and  well-kown on the Huron lake-side.    Polly  is a
the passengers were taken ashore in a small boat at  parrot, which is at this writing (I884) 35 years old,
three o'clock in the morning, after a disagreeable     and has been a member of the James family 30      N
season of storm and sea-sickness.  It is perhaps  years. She is a remarkable sample of her remark- ~, needless to state that the party returned by rail to  able genus, and wants the regulation "cracker," does
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A^"~             7,.-   - 40  S  OUTY
402              SANILAC COUNTY.


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not " have to " talk when she is not disposed, and is
apt with her "good bye" when her capricious taste
is offended. For some reason, not understood by
herself, Mrs. Adams sent the bird to the " Cadillac "
two weeks before the fire. Her piano had never
been removed to Forestville, and about the time
Polly was sent to what proved to be safe quarters,
she ordered the instrument shipped from Port
Huron; but, feeling a curious premonition, she sent
instructions to have it landed at Lexington, which
was done, to her great satisfaction when they were
overtaken by catastrophe.
Mr. Adams did not remain to accept the relief
which came promptly to the fire-sufferers, but joined
his father-in-law, and soon after became again associated with him in the mananrreent of the " Cadil

has been Justice of the Peace since 1865, has officiated as Township Treasurer seven years, and has
discharged the duties of all the school offices successfully.
He was married Feb. 3, i86I, in Bridgehampton L
Township, to Sarah Tucker, a native of the State of
New York. Eight children, named as follows, have
been born of this marriage: Roxie A., William F.,
Mary J., Robert, Elizabeth, John, Thomas, Theodore and Ellsworth.  The two last were twins, and
Ellsworth is deceased.                          }


lac " at Lexington, of which Mr. James had become      i
the proprietor. In I875 he removed to Port Huron,  [am Murray, farmer, section 3 Forester
where, associated with Will. James, his brother-in-Township, was born Sept. Io, 1841, in.r,_ eMiddlesexCo., Ont. His parents, Wil-!
law, he again embarked in the livery business, where                 Co, Ot. His parents,:as '~~.,      J,     X   N      1:~,liam and Jane (Murray) Murray, were naN   he remained two years. His health had become
ask>....                  / JO  tives of Scotland, and came to Ontario about
'   broken and his disease developed into dropsy, from                      a   c.::-=.'..............................-.............. i838.   The   father  was a  farmer  by  profession,bu
f   which he died Aug. If, 1879, at Lexington, whither    1838   The father wasa farmer y profession,
^  he had returned in I877and followed that business in the Dominion until
Mrs. Adams and her son are members of her     1852, when they came to Forester Township and
father's family at the Cadillac. (See sketch of Amos  passed the remaining years of their lives. The
J James.)                                      | mother belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church '
')~g~~~ ~                                ~~~~~~and died in 1882, aged 62 years. The demise of the
father occurred in I863, at the age of 44 years. He
was a member of the Congregational Church: was
{e~s —i-~^^3~c^^ -^-        |Township Clerk at the time of his death.
Mr. Murray was I years of age when he came to
Michigan. His father died soon after he attained his!4     Aohomas T. Nichol, farmer, section       I8,  majority, and he assumed the management of the!: 7i  T   Bridgehampton Township, is the son of   homestead and the care of the family. His mother.
i   1     1John and Elizabeth (Coulter) Nichol. The  was his especial charge to the time of her death. To
parents were natives of Ireland and became  the area of the farm of his father, he has added!
residents of the Dominion of Canada, where  104 acres, and of the entire tract of I60 acres he has
the son was born, March 24, i838. He came   placed IOO acres in a condition suitable for agriculto Sanilac County in May, I855, his parents remov-  ture. It was originally covered with heavy timber,
|   ing hither at the same time. He has lived here ever  but has now excellent barns and a good family resi-  l
since with the exception of one year, when he was  dence.
in the service of the United States. He enlisted    Mr. Murray belongs to the Republican element in
A    Oct. 3, 1864, in the 22d Mich. Vol. Inf., and was  political affairs. He has been Township Clerk for
afterwards transferred to the 29th Mich. Vol. Inf.  four years, and has held other official positions.,      He is the owner of i6o acres, which includes 85  He was married Aug. 7, I871, in Sanilac Town-;
)i   acres of cleared and improved land. He is a Dem-  ship, to Emmeline Mattison, and they have three
crat in political faith, and has been a faithful servant  children, namely: Arthur H., born June 4, 1872
in most of the official positions in his township. He  Alice, Dec. 24, 1873; James, July I9, I875. Mrs.
L::<'~A 10il                  *    **~o?":r>-".<
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s.,9R   I,,,A{- NIA C M  I' CO  UNTY
SA 1ZILA C CO U-ZT Y.


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s' Murray is the daughter of James and Emma (Heritage) Mattison. Her parents were among the earliest:i of the pioneers of the county of Sanilac, and are still
living, in the township of the same name. She was
born July 2, 1842, in Monroe, Mich., and was six
years old when she was brought to Sanilac. She was
educated in the city of Monroe, and at 16 became a
teacher in the public schools. She followed her
vocation 14 years and won a reputation for ability
and skill in the calling of teacher.
i,:        i ~'pi~ illiam Cowan, farmer, section 2, Bridge-: i    o ~hampton Township, was born in 1834, in
I  J3?   County Tipperary, Ireland. He was i6; 1 Q'v years old when he bade farewell to his native
J. x/:  land to come to America. He went first to
' t    Canada, where he remained until i861, the
r^: year in which he removed to Sanilac County, where,  he has since lived. He is the owner of 80 acres of
land, and has 50 acres under creditable and profitable cultivation.
The first marriage of Mr. Cowan occurred in the
township of Worth, when he became the husband of
Lottie Webb. One child was born to them, William
by name. The mother died in 1873. Mr. Cowan
was again married in Carsonville, June 12, i88o, to
Elmina Dixon. One child, born of this marriage,
died in infancy. Arthur is living.
Mr. Cowan is a Democrat in political connection.


Mr. Deadman remained in the Dominion until he
was 19 years old, and received a common-school
education. In 1874 he came to Sanilac County, and
engaged in clerking for a period of seven years. In
1882 he entered the employment of C. M. Oldfield,
merchant at Carsonville, as manager of the business,
and has since operated in that capacity. In October,
1882, he was appointed Postmaster at "Farmer's."
He is a Republican and a member of the Order of
Maccabees.
Mr. Deadman was married at Port Huron, May
27, 1879, to Mary McMuldroch, daughter of William
and Hannah McMuldroch. She was born Nov. I9,
1862, at Port Sanilac. Three children have been
born to them,-Elizabeth, Carrie and Christina.
'nthony Leins, a farmer in Sanilac Town5 ship and engaged in the busines of a marlm m ketman at Port Sanilac, was born June ir,
1838, in Wurtemburg, Germany. When he
w: reached the age of i6 years he left his native
country and came alone to the United States.
He landed at the port of New York, where he made
a brief stay, proceeding thence up the Hudson River
to Albany, where he obtained employment in a
brick-yard. He went next to Onondaga County,
coming, i8 months later, to Michigan, where he arrived in 1 856.
Within that year he enlisted in the regular army
of the United States, and was first stationed at Newport, Ky. His command was next sent to Texas,
and later to Florida. He was in the service 18
months, and at the end of that time he was discharged on account of minority (being under age),
before the expiration of his period of enlistment. He
remained in Florida, in the employment of the Government, nearly two years, and then went to Arkansas, where he first began to operate as a butcher, and
continued there in that occupation two years.
He proceeded thence to the "plains" of the Indian
Territory, where he was similarly occupied in the interest of a Government contractor. He was there
employed six months, coming thence to Michigan,


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acqb I. Deadman, Carsonville, Postmaster.   1 A  at Farmer's and manager of the mercantile
A5'  ~  P establishment of C. M. Oldfield, was born
j,   Sept. 22, 1855, in Canada. His parents, Wil* [~ liam and Christina (McKay) Deadman, were
born respectively in England and Scotland.
They emigrated to Ontario in early life, married and
settled there, and afterward came to Alpena, Mich.,
9    where they now reside.
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Ill^       ^  i-eit*.Z!. i                 < — > ---   fi.i XB>              X.X s — -
*404                                  SANILA C CO UNTY.
wj where his stay was brief. He returned to the South,  Mary A. Wade. She is a native of Michigan, and
(! and when that section of the United States seceded  has been the mother of five children,-Nettie C.,
l' he was compelled to enter the Confederate service,  Frankie, Cora, Ida and Kitty. The second child is.
~ and enlisted at Mobile, Ala. Twenty-one months    deceased.
/ elapsed before he had an opportunity to make his.
escape. He had had enough of war, and he again
made his way to Michigan, going soon after to New
York. In 1865 he returned to Michigan for a permanent abode, coming to Huron County. In the
following year he located at Port Sanilac. He at once                  e
established a meat market, and has since continued                                       agricul{f. *etural property of Edward Smith at Fori- the prosecution of that business, together with           tural property of Edward Smith at For~: farming.;')                               ester, has been resident at this point since  -
fa l ng.                                          oo
~}   farm ing..z..................         A   I865, when lie came hither from  Hampden
Mr. Leins is a Democrat in political belief and      86   when   e came hither fro   Hampde
connection, and has served two terms as Township      County, Mass. and engaged wth Messrs.
I Treasurer. He is a member of tevlae rSmith, Kelley & Co. as foreman of their lumTreasurer. He is a member of the village Board of,Trustees (1884).             hber interests. He operated in that capacity seven
Trustees (i884).
He was married June 5, 1866, at Port Huron, to  years, having control of 200 men. On the suspension of their lumber business he succeeded to the
Mary E. Flynn. They have been the parents of five    of ther lumber business he succeeded to the
children, two of whom-Thomas C. and Augusta-   Imanagement of the extensive farm of the firm, which
children, two of whorn.-Thomas C. and Augusta-.
are deceased. A. Elizabeth, Ida A. ad Willia  A.  includes 500 acres of improved land. Under the
deceased. A. Elizabeth, Ida A. and William A.    supervision of Mr. Barrett the place has proved a  /%,. are those who are living. Mrs. Leins was born Dec....
ar= e t...   financial success. He has improved the stock on
=: 25, 834, in Emily, Victoria Co., Can. The family:
2' are   oma8 n Caolic,                              the place and made a specialty of breeding horses.
'  are Roman Catholics.


~:r


(v~l


He owns a fine Percheron stallion, worth $2,000.
The principal barn on the estate was planned by
Edward Smith, and constructed under Mr. Barrett's
supervision, and is perhaps the best in the state. It
is 66 by 150 feet in size, with stone basement, with
facilities for the shelter of 1oo head of stock and 250


s.
x~'


tons of feed. Only an extended description would
ulius Bisbee, farmer, section 23, Bridge-  convey an adequate idea of its style and conhampton Tp., was born Oct. ii, i829, in  venience. Its finish renders it a prominent addition
\4   -i,     Vermont,of which State his parents, Elijah  to the appearance of the place., and Saria (Foster) Bisbee, were also natives.   Mr. Barrett was born Nov. 7, I836, in Hampden
m ^           i). They removed to Canada in 1832. The son  Co., Mass. His parents, Butler and Polly (Cowes):
remained there until 1845.  In February of  Barrett, were natives of New England and belonged
that year he came to Sanilac County, and was a resi-  to the agricultural class of society. His mother died
dent here until 1862, in'which year he went to Ma-  in 1863, aged 54 years. His father is 83 years of
comb County. He remained there until April, i880,  age, and is still living in the Bay State.
when he returned to Sanilac County, and bought the  Mr. Barrett was married Oct. 27, i860, to Mary J.
farm on which he has since resided. It comprises  McRae, and they have two children: Edward S. is
) 140 acres of land, 75 acres of the place being under  the elder. Jennie married Geo. P. Brown, of Port
culture. He is a Republican in political views and  Huron, Dec. 25, i88i, and resides at St. Ignace,
connection.                                       Mich. Mrs. Barrett was born in June, 1847, in '
Mr. Bisbee was first married at Port Huron, July  Somersville, Conn., and is the daughter of Lathrop
4, 1852, to Clarissa Warren. She was born in Can-  and Delia (Owens) McRae.:
ada and died in Sanilac County, in 85 6, leaving one  After marriage Mr. Barrett resided in Hampden (')
child,-Ira W. The present wife of Mr. Bisbee was  County until the advent of civil war.  He was   '
|,,Z'  i —;                      -— Llflu-____ --- —.       @.
VS^ J>*                   ''...  j^




SANILAC COUNTY.!. —


t   among the earliest to respond to the call for the first
ti 300,000 men, and he enlisted June 27, I86I, in Co.: C, Tenth Mass. Vol. Inf. His command was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, under Gen.. McClellan, and he participated in 1 of the hardest
fought battles of the early campaign under that
General. Mr. Barrett served exactly three years
and received an honorable discharge June 27, I864.
He escaped wholly unhurt, and returned to Hampden County.
Politically, he is a member of the Republican
party, and with his wife belongs to the Methodist
Episcopal Church, of which he is one of the Trustees. He owns a house and lot in the village of
Forester.


Politically he affiliates
and has been active in lo
He is a member of the I
also his wife.


_____ ---; ~+       Y      g
405
with the Republican party,
cal affairs in the township.?resbyterian Church, as was  iG,,i
^^^4-^^Q~w^           |


ohn McGregor, farmer, section I8, Bridge
t ~    I hampton Township, was born Dec. 15,."1' I835, in Scotland.   John and Christian
l   (McEachran) McGregor, his parents, were
also natives of " Auld Scotia." Mr. McGregor
came to America in 1852 and settled at first
in Canada, where he lived until the winter of i860,
when he came to Sanilac County. He made a small
beginning as a proprietary land-holder, purchasing
nt Firzt  An f-rld   IrI L  ji iiczP  i c La: Pt   i;n(<I.L{P   e AN


I


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at 111-L  C, a.l.UL3. 11;3 II-L 3UL C;3LdL;a  llllUUC3 /4V.,
X-'<:~* -I.                                    acres, and he has 300 acres improved and under the
lexander Miller, farmer on section 19,        plow. He is independent in political belief and
FI:b Sanilac Township, has been a resident of     action and has discharged the duties of several local?
Sanla  Twnhiaseeareidnt     official positions.                                 =
s  Michigan since i850, amd has lived in Sanilac official positions.
Y<>   Count  s               w        r M          His marriage to Lydia Sampson occurred Dec. 25, _
14  t! KCounty since I863. He was born May i,.:
o    uint     iyn  sicot la. He was br TT1i858, in Canada. She is the daughter of Nelson and          =
T e '   1813, in Roxburghshire, Scotland. He was...,
i 83               Ro      hshire,                     Elizabeth (Wilton) Sampson, natives respectively of NL
/   married there in i837, to Rachel Scott, a hiative of
Scotland, born May, t8o. R She died at her home  Canada and England. Mrs. McGregor was born
iScotland, born May 30, i8i.,She died at her h e    ay 29, I843, in Canada. Eleven children have   (
in Sanilac, Jan. 2, 1883, leaving seven children to       r       i       i     J     M       ii. '.. -................... ~been born of this marriage: John, Mary, Lillie,
mourn the loss of a wise, judicious and well beloved  Ad, Gor, Chistian     Gibert, Lydia, Freie,
Adam, George, Christian, Gilbert, Lydia, Freddie,
mother. She is sincerely missed and lamented by a  James and Elizab.    e latter is deeaed
large circle of friends, to whom she had become
endeared by the tests of 20 years of continuous acquaintance.  The children   are  named   Robert.
Adam, Alexander, James, Margaret, Barbara and —                              ';p  Rachel. William is deceased
' Three years after his marriage, Mr. Miller re-     'A-c.
moved from " Auld Scotia " to Ontario, where he was  X    Im rank Murray, merchant and Postmaster,
interested in farming seven years. In 1847 he trans-        and farmer at Richmondville (Forester
ferred his family to St. Clair Co., Mich., and settled  i. F   Township), was born April 27, I849, in
on the river of the same name, whence he came in   )    Ontario, and is the son of William  and Jane
1850 to Sanilac County. He at once purchased 80         (Murray) Murray. He was still in childhood
acres of land in the southern part of Sanilac Town-      when his parents removed to Michigan and
ship, which he sold afterward and bought 80 acres  located at Forester, where his father died, in March,
14,; on which he established his present home. The      I862, and his mother in March, 1882.
nature of the energy and perseverance which char-    Mr. Murray became the independent master of his
acterize Mr. Miller are manifest from the fact that  own fortunes when he reached his majority, and
)    in 20 years he has developed i60 acres of farming  engaged in the manufacture of shingles. Jan. 3, (i
land in this county through his own efforts.        I872, he engaged as a salesman at Richmondville,
~<~^^ ---^y                            -ePn             ti n^-^-^y                 -




..... ~.... —..
* 406                                 SANILA C COUNTY.
with E. B. Harrington, now of Port Huron. He    building by his father. In May, 1883, he bought 120
(  afterward attended the Commercial College at De-  acres of wild land in Wheatland Township, which he,  troit, and again entered a mercantile establishment,  intends reclaiming and placing in profitable condii engaging as salesman for Thomas Canham, at For-  tion. He is active in the general interests of his
estville. He then purchased the business formerly  township, and is present Township Clerk, to which
owned by E. B. Harrington, at Richmondville. Two  position he was elected in the spring of 1884 (current
years later, he became the owner of oo00 acres of  year). He is already identified with the cause of
valuable farming land under partial improvement,  morality, and is zealously engaged in active tempersituated on section i6, Forester Township. He has  ance work. In May, 1882, he organized the Marion
since conducted his two-fold business, with satisfac-  Temperance Union, and has also been instrumental
i tory results, and has improved the entire acreage of  in establishing several other branches of the same. Ahis farm.                                    order, whose aggregate membership is about 500. He
'    Politically, Mr. Murray is a Republican, and is  is a member of the United Brethren Church, and is
active and zealous in his support of the principles  Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He has held
of his party.                                   the same position in the Methodist Church at DeckHe was married July 20, 1873, at Forester, to  erville, where he was formerly a member.  His
Lizzie Allen, and they have two children,-Maud,  political views are in accordance with those of the
born May i, 1874, and Hermon F., June 29, 1884.  Republican party, and he is known as an advocate
Mrs. Murray was born Jan. 6, 1856, and is the   and promoter of reform in every needed avenue, and
daughter of William and Mary Allen, natives respect.  the friend of morality and good order.; ively of Ireland and Scotland. They came to On'i tario, whence they removed to Sanilac Co., Mich.,                                                 i
w whlre they now reside.__;\    The fire of Sept. 5, i881, was the cause of loss to     |OW                - i
Mr. Murray, of unusually aggravated character, as it
swept away the entire village of Richmondville with                                             T: the exception of one residence. He lost 12 dwell-       6nry Oldfield, resident at Carsonville, was
) ing-houses, a blacksmith shop and his business build-   born Feb. 24 1833, in Preston, Lancashire,
ing, including a stock of $7,000 value. His aggre-      Eng. Hs parents, Anthony and Ellen
gate loss.vas about $15,ooo. The sceneof the ruins  (Miller) Oldfield, emigrated  to the  United
can be better imagined than described; at night not  States in I842, and located at Cincinnati, O.,
a vestige of the appearance of the place in the     where they spent eight years, and where Mr.
morning was to be found.                        Oldfield obtained a fair degree of education in the
/~,                                   C~~~n~~l~~~common schools. In i8o5 the family removed to




Sanilac County and settled at Bark Shanty, now Port
Sanilac. The significant name of the place suffi-  I
tA ~23Add ~ss25 -|"          ~ ciently outlines the existent state of affairs at the
time, everything being in a primitive condition, and
| R ~~~~~~~ ~~~the only traces of civilization being the rude temporving D. Churchill, farmer and carpenter,  rary shelter constructed by those who had come
resident on section 36, Wheatland Town-  hither to avail themselves of the undeveloped reship, is one of the prominent and ambitious  sources of lumber and fishing afforded at this point.
oung men of Sanilac County. He is a son of    (See sketch of C. M. Oldfield.) His father and John (
i   /    Delos and Percepter (Nogar) Cnurchill (see  S. Thomson's father, of Port Sanilac (see sketch), en'/a?    sketch), and was born May 2, 1859, in Che-  gaged in lumbering and he worked for them until: nango Co., N. Y. He accompanied his parents from  the suspension of the lumber interest, when he intertheir native State to Sanilac County, in 1882. He  ested himself in a mercantile enterprise at Port Sanilac. (
(    has received a good common-school education, and  He continued to conduct his interests in that avenue
has been instructed in the details of agriculture and  until 1876, when he sold his business to his brother,
n:'.E <.,"               g       S,"                H           Y,_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~f^*;;.




S SAN1LA C COUNTY.                                     407,t  C. M. Oldfield. He took possession of his farm in  poses, 22 x40 feet and two stories in height. It is
the vicinity of Port Sanilac, where he continued to  the first brick edifice in Minden City.
operate as a farmer for five years. His place in-  He was married Jan. i6, i866, at Boonton, Morris t
cluded 40 acres, and he considers it one of the most  Co., N. J., to Julia A. Speer. She was born Nov. 20,  [
t valuable pieces of land in the county, its worth be-  I849, at Montville, Morris Co., N. J., and died there
ing materially increased by a brick residence of supe-  May 15, i88i.
rior character for a farm house, which cost $3,000.  Mr. Badeau is a Democrat in political principle,
In 1883 he removed to Carsonville, and has since  and held the position of member of the Village
been connected with his son-in-law, J. A. Hosemer,  Council two years.
I   in business.
Mr. Oldfield was married June 12, i860, at White
Rock, Huron County, to Mary S. Ferguson, and they  -      -. —.
became the parents of seven children, viz.: Ellen
A., Thomas, Anna W., Emma, Frank L. and Elizabeth T. One child died unnamed in early infancy.
Mrs. Oldfield is the daughter of Laban and Amandaeor           Mahoon, Supervisor of Delaware
(Waterbury) Ferguson. Her parents were natives of        Township (I884) and farmer on section 9,
New York, and in 1850 came to Michigan. They             was born June 27, I839, in Kings Co,
Ireland. His parents, James and Mary (Kidsettled at first at St. Clair, and came afterward to   Ireland  Hs           mes and      (K
I   White Rock, where her mother still resides. Her       by)   ahoon, were both of Irish birth, and
father died there in I878. Mr. Oldfield was born       while residing in Ireland his father operated
~  July 30, 1838, in Herkimer Co. N. Y.   las farmer and land agent for an English gentleman.
July 30, 1838, in Herkimer Co. N. Y.
1 —  Mr. Oldfield is a zealous and earnest Republican,  In I848 he emigrated with his family to Oxford Co., -
and has held all the local offices of the township of  Ont., and he engaged as a teacher in the schools of
Sanilac                                            the province. He became deaf later ia life, and at =
the age of 63 years retired from labor. He died 'y/
|i~"7^~~~~ ~                         ) ~~~May 24, 1874, in Oxford County, aged 73 years. The.other survives.                                )
7J-             7^"T ^-           |   Mr. Mahoon is the third, in order of birth, of his
parents' 12 children, and was under the control of
S -\11t  g a$~QsQ~^~his father until the age of 17 years, when he was apG 6X i illiam A. Badeau, merchant at Miinden   prenticed to a resident of Oxford County, to acquire
aI   i      City, was born March I5, 1832, in the   a knowledge of the builders' trade. One year of
\ 1     t   city of New York. He was broughlt up   that business sufficed, and in the year following he
'   and educated in his native city, and when  came to Sanilac Co., Mich. He entered the emji    but a youth he became an accountant in the  ployment of a Mr. McKenzie, of Lexington, and
mammoth business house of L. N. Bates &          operated as a farm assistant two years. He then
Co. He operated in their interests i8 years in the  went to work for Jacob Buhl, as a carpenter, and was
aggregate, becoming   accountant soon  after he   occupied in that capacity five years.!   engaged in their service, and fulfilled the trust im-  In i870 he located on 8o acres of land, of which he
posed in him with the utmost credit to himself and  had been the owner since a few weeks before the
satisfaction to those most intimately concerned. He  fire. It is situated in Delaware Township. He had
went thence to Boonton, N. J., the seat of the famous  made preparations to take possession of the place at
iron works, where he conducted the United States  the time of his purchase, had made a clearing, '
Hotel for two years. He continued that business  erected a shanty and other indispensable buildings, F
until i88i, when he established an extensive furni-  but their destruction by the fire necessitated a change
ture establishment at Minden City, and later con-  of plans, and he returned to his trade, which he
nected therewith a mercantile enterprise. He has  followed nine years, until he had once more placed i)
recently erected a brick structure for business pur-  his affairs in suitable condition to enter upon the im- ",f-<), —^ ^.     ---— =H! ^lu         l   J'       s >^    --— f              -^o<~^




e 408                SANILAC CO UNTY.. Y
~f/.7  4 o 8-    _-                                      -. —  %


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provement of his farm, which he did in I877. He
added ten acres to his original tract, and now has 50
acres in excellent condition for successful farming.
He is among the solid citizens of the township, and
enjoys a fair reputation as an agriculturist.
Mr. Mahoon is a decided Democrat. He has been
Supervisor continuously since 1880, and has served
as Treasurer of the township, besides having discharged the duties of most of the other local offices.
He was married Sept. 5, 1869, at Port Sanilac, to
Isabella M. Papst, and they have five children,Edward, Anna, James, Herbert and Mary.    Mrs.
Mahoon is the daughter of John I. and Sarah R.
(French) Papst. Her father was born in Canada,
and her mother in the State of New York. She was
born Dec. 8, 1843, near Toronto, and was 15 years of
age when her father came with his family to Michigan.
They located at Lexington, where Mrs. P. died, in
i880. Mr. Papst lives in California. Mrs. Mahoon
is a member of the Episcopal Church. She was a
teacher in the schools of Sanilac County seven years..lt4.aptain Israel Hllckins, farmer, proprietor
o4 Llf~ of 70 acres of land within the incorporated limits of the village of Lexington, is
~   a pioneer resident of Sanilac County, whither
l he accompanied his parents in 1839. His
father, Rev. Thomas Huckins, entered a claim
of i60 acres of land from the U. S. Government,
situated three miles west of Lexington village, on
section 34, in the same township. He was a Baptist
minister, and probably preached the first sermon in
Sanilac County, where he labored as a minister of
the gospel until his death. He and his wife, Polly
(Randall) Huckins, were both natives of New
Hampshire. Their family consisted of four daughters and a son.
Captain Huckins was born in London, Can., July
II, 1822. He was 17 years of age when his family
removed from the Dominion to Sanilac County. He
was reared a farmer, and on the death of his father
succeeded to the ownership of the family homestead,
by purchasing the interests of the other heirs. He
was deeply interested in the progress of events in
the affairs of this nation, and watched earnestly the
development of the issues created by the infatuated


and infuriated South. In the fall of I86I he abandoned his agricultural affairs, to render all possible
aid in the service of his country. He enlisted at
Lexington, and was chiefly instrumental in raising
Co. D, of the Tenth Mich. Vol. Inf., and, on its
organization, was made its commanding officer,
which position he held until he received his discharge at Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 2, 1864, after three
years of arduous service.  His company was attached to the Army of the West, First Brigade, Second Division, Gen. Pope, Corps Commander. On
being relieved from military duty, he returned to his
farmll.
Capt. Huckins is a prominent and zealous Republican, and has been for many years the incumbent of
important public offices. In I856 he was elected
County Treasurer, and received a re-election in
i858. He has also served two terms as Supervisor
of his township. In I866 he received the nomination for Representative, and was elected by a large
majority over the opposition candidate.  He accomplished effective service in the Legislature of Michigan, serving on Committees on Military Affairs, on
Printing and on the Legislative Manual. In 1873 he
purchased his present property in the village of Lexington. The acreage is all in a highly creditable
state of cultivation, and supplied with a fine brisk
residence and suitable farm buildings. The value of
the place is largely increased by good orchards and
other acquisitions.
Capt. Huckins was married Sept. 12, I843, in
London, Can., to Melinda Pierce. She was born in
London, of parents who were born in Vermont. Of
three children born of this union but one survive,Fanny, wife of John W. Norman a dentist at Lexington. She was born in 1848.:o
I,: Edi


I


t




F\,~1


ii illiam      H. Hacking, proprietor of the
Hurd House at Minden City, is a native     f
of Sanilac County and was born at Lex- T
ington, Feb. II, I854. His parents, William t
and Agnes (Harneaux) Hacking, were mar- j
ried in the Province of Ontario. They were
natives respectively of England and Pennsylvania, (i)
and were born of German parentage. They were
"4^ A -4
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SANILAC COUNT'Y.                                      411
A    farmers, and removed to Michigan, whence, after a  was a participant. His grandfather, William South- /,:    short residence, they returned to Ontario, where the  worth, was born Oct. 3, 1773, and married Sarah ji
father died, in Markham Township, in i860, aged 35  Finton, who was born June 2, 1784. The date of;,:   years. The mother is a resident of Macomb Co.,  their union was June 21, I803. William Southworth
Mich., and is 58 years of age.                  died March I4, 1833; his wife died March 15, I808.
Mr. Hacking is the third child of five born to his  Their records are taken from the fly-leaf of a copy
parents, the list being John N., Anna, William H.,  of "The New Testament of our Lord and Savior,
George and Joseph. William was but eight years of  Jesus Christ, newly translated out of the original
age when his father died, and he came to Macomb  Greek, and with the former translations diligently
County with his grandmother. He was there brought  compared and revised." The book was printed by
uip, and after obtaining a fair education at the com-  Benjamin Johnson in 1792, in Philadelphia, and was A,
mon schools, he operated as a laborer in various  originally the property of a relative of Mr. Southcapacities.                                     worth-William Brown-whose ownership is dated ad
In 1883 he came to Minden City and established  April 29, 1794.
himself in the saloon business. He managed his    Ezra Southworth was born Jan. 31, I8o6, in Steuoperations in that line about i8 months, at the end  ben Co., N. Y. He removed thence in early life to
of that time entering upon the enterprise he is now  Seneca County in the Empire State, where he was
prosecuting. The Hurd House, under the manage-  married in I833. Previous to that event he came i
ment of Mr. Hacking, is one of the most attractive  the " 20 " to Michigan, and was a passenger on the
and comfortable houses for public entertainment in  steam sailing vessel " Niagara," in her famous trip
i  the county of Sanilac.                         from Buffalo to Detroit, which consumed but 48  1
In political connection Mr. Hacking is a Republi-  hours, an unparalleled feat, being the quickest trip
can. He is the owner of 240 acres of land in Huron  on record at that date. Ypsilanti, where he passed  V
County, of which ioo acres are in a state of ad-  one summer, consisted of a log store and a log '.::  vanced cultivation.                            tavern, and Ann Arbor included less than half a;
He was married July 24, 1872, at Croswell, to   dozen shanties, built of logs. No buildings marked:/
Rachel Schoettle, and they have two children,-Nora  the present site of Saline, in Washtenaw County. 4
i   and Burt. Mrs. Hacking was born Jan. 28, I855, at  He returned to New York the same fall, where he
Utica, N. Y., and is the daughter of Daniel and  remained until 1840, when he settled in Augusta,
Christina (Schoetile) Schoettle.  Her parents are  Washtenaw Co., Mich. In I857 he made another
natives of Germany, and on their emigration to the  transfer of his interests, to Newport, Monroe Co.,
United States they located at Ann 'Arbor, going  Mich., where he is still a resident. His family comthence to Jackson County, in this State. They came  prised seven children,-Hannah, William, Mary,
to Sanilac County in 1868, and are engaged in    John, Benj. F., Ezra and Sarah E. Mary died Jan.;
farming.                                        17, I876; Benjamin died Sept. I7, 1882. Their
mother died March 29, i86i, at Newport. Her '
I                        >parents were of German birth, were married in their
i  _^..__^j^^ -- e.native country and emigrated to the United States
with two children. They located in Steuben Co., N.
Y., where Mrs. Southworth was born, June 20, i8o6.... JHer surviving children, with one exception, reside in
ohn Southworth, of the business firm of    Michigan.
D~    D owning & Southworth, at Downington, |  In the paternal line of descent, Mr. Southworth
w w as born Feb. 28, 1841, in the township of |comes of a race which from its earliest traceable gen- $
~,?       iZg Augusta, Washtenaw Co., Mich., and is the  erations has been remarkable for stalwart proportions.
son of Ezra and Letitia (Dansingburg) Southson of Ezra and Letitia (Dansingburg) South-  His grandfather was one of four children all more:/..^i   worth. His paternal great-grandfather was of| than six feet in height, ranging from that stature to,
English extraction and was a resident of America at  six feet, nine inches. The deceased brother of Mr.?    the period of the Revolutionary War, in which he  Southworth was about six feet in height. The family _
r~kQN                       VT




412                             SA4ILAC,               ---


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belongs also to a race in the maternal line remarkable for tenacity of life. The father of Sarah Finton
died at the age of Io years. His preservation of
faculties and ambition may be determined from
the fact that he died from the effects of a broken leg,
the result of a fall while on his way to woo a bride.
Mr. Southworth was early made acquainted with a
life of labor, commencing to work by the month when
he was a lad of ten years on the neighboring farms.
He lived at home winters and attended school. He
continued this method of operation until he was I6
years of age, and at the age of 20 years, became his
own man wholly. He engaged as a farm assistant in
his native county until I867, when he came to Washington Township and associated with Alonzo Downing, his brother-in-law, in the manufacture of hoops.
In June, I870, they established a mercantile enterprise at Downington, the first permanent institution
of the kind at that point. All previous attempts had
been abandoned after a limited trial.
The relations of the original association still exist
and its factors have been largely the instruments in
accomplishing the permanency of Downington, securing for it the passage of the railroad and other advantages. Their business has been satisfactory from
its commencement.
Mr. Southworth is independent in political opinion
and action. He is the owner of an undivided share
in 120 acres of land in Marion Township and is the
proprietor of other property at this point.  Mrs.
Southworth owns 80 acres of farming land.
His marriage to Susie E. Watt, daughter of Archibald and Sarah (Crawford) McAlister, occurred April
17, 1873, in Marion Township, at the residence of
Hon. John Leitch.   Her parents are natives of
Kentyre, Argyleshire, Scotland. They are of unmixed
Scottish descent, as indicated by the family names,
both belonging to clans that have been recorded for
hundreds of years. They were married in Scotland
in I83 and emigrated soon after to America, settling
in Queenstown, Ontario, whence they went a year
later to Lobo, Middlesex Co., Ont., where they are
yet living. Their children are nine in numberMargaret, Mary, Catherine, Sarah, Ellen, Sarah (2d),
Susie, Elizabeth and Flora. Margaret and Sarah are
deceased. Mrs. Southworth became a teacher at I5
years of age and pursued her vocation in Ontario
until she was 20 years old, when she came to Mich

I


Mr. Southworth belongs to the Order of Masonry
and is a Knight Templar. He attended the Triennial Conclave held at San Francisco in I883 and at
the same time made a point of visiting the Western
States and Territories, extending his route of travel
to Mexico. He also made a profitable and protracted
journey during the centennial year, visiting the Exposition and several States. In character he is of
reliable integrity, clear, rational judgment, and progressive in ideas. He is a careful business man and
alert to discover opportunity and mould it to his
own advantage and that of the community to which
he belongs.
The family relations of Mr. and Mrs. Southworth
present to the observer one of the liveliest pictures
of home life conceivable. It manifests the quality
of the culture and genuine refinement which render
it a model. Unbroken harmony of purpose, tasteful
surroundings and acquisitions which interest, instruct and instigate the younger members to activity
in learning are the predominating features. Books,
music, rare and curious mementoes of travel, periodical literature of the best type and a numerous list
of other attractions form the highest order of elements in the training of the family of children.
Their elementary education is received wholly at
home, under the cultivated supervision of their
mother, resulting in physical and moral wholesomeness of the present type. In the years to come, the
ALBUM of Sanilac County will be among the most
highly prized treasures of one of the fairest homes
on the Huron peninsula, containing, as it does on
another page, the features of the considerate, judicious father, who has established their enduring
comfort and well-being. As the permanent portrait
of an honored, consistent citizen, the patrons of this
work will esteem the likeness of Mr. Southworth an
eminent addition to its merits.


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igan and was similarly employed. She completed
her education at Flint. She is especially interested
in the intellectual cultivation of her children and
devotes much time to their mental progress. They
were born as follows: Nora B., Feb. 22, 1874; Ezra k
K., April 4, 1876; Friend P., Sept. i6, 1877. The
mother was born Aug. i8, i845, in Middlesex Co.,
Ont.


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eorge Whitehouse, merchant at Minden
City, was born in Dudley, Worcestershire,
Eng., Aug. 21, 18I8. His parents, George
and Mary A. Whitehouse, emigrated to Canada in 1832, locating in the vicinity of London,,   Ont. They were educated, cultivated people,
and maintained an excellent standing in the community where they passed the closing years of their
lives.
Mr. Whitehouse was but 14 years of age when he
came to Ontario. He had received a good education
in his native place, and on coming to a new and unsettled condition of things in the Dominion, he found
his qualifications available in many ways. Meanwhile he purchased 70 acres of land, to which he
devoted his time for some years. He was married in
j   Middlesex Co., Ont., in I835, to Mary A. Irwin. She
was born in 1820, in Cumberlandshire, Eng., and. came in early youth with her parents to Ontario.
Her parents were well-to-do, cultivated people, and
much care was exercised in her education and train{   ing. Her father and mother are deceased.
Mr. Whitehouse lived several years on his farm in
Ontario after his marriage, and in 1859 he sold the
place. He removed to Michigan and settled in the
unorganized portion of Sanilac County, included within Austin Township. Everything was in its original,
natural condition, and he purchased 200 acres of unimproved land, where he entered into the work of
reducing his property to a condition of civilization
and progress. He was one of the first to make a
clearing in that section of the county. He persevered
in his efforts until he cleared 80 acres, and was in
fairly prosperous condition in all respects when the
fire of I871 made a clean sweep of all his visible
property on the surface of his farm. Produce, build-;   ings, stock,-all went, and in an hour's time his possessions had vanished, all but the bare acres on
I   which they stood. Within the same year he came to
Minden and purchased the stock of merchandise of
Albert Jones, now of Forestville. Mr. Whitehouse
has erected a larger and more convenient building
)   for the purpose of transacting his business, and is
t_ engaged in the prosecution of an increasing and


profitable trade. His place of business and residence
are located on improved lots, of which he is the proprietor.
Mr. and Mrs. Whitehouse attend the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and take a deep interest in its progress and welfare. He is a Republican and prohibitionist in political bias, and is the Treasurer of
Minden City. While a resident of Austin he was
connected with its official affairs, and was prominent
in promoting the well-being of the township.. --->-2-~ -~O((((0))) )))so->-$<'
dwin Bostwick, farmer, section 8, Delaware Township, was born Dec. 25, 1829,
in London, Middlesex Co., Ont., and he is
the son of Gideon and Henrietta Bostwick.
His father died when he was 17 years of age,
and he continued the companion of his mother
until he reached his majority. After that period
arrived, he engaged in lumbering, in which he was
occupied five years. In 1853 he engaged in clerking
in Strong's Hotel in his native place, where he officiated effectively five years. After a respite of one
year, he engaged in the same capacity in the Tecumseh House, a new hotel in London, and one of the
largest in the Province of Ontario. After a service of
six years he became the manager of the hotel and
continued to officiate in that capacity until September, i865, when he assumed charge of the City
Hotel of London, and conducted its affairs one year.
He then converted its facilities into those of a restaurant, which he managed with success three years.
He spent some time after that as the representative
of a mercantile house in his native city, and in the
spring of 1872 he came to Michigan. He conducted
a house of public entertainment at Cato, in Delaware
Township, about two years, and then rented a farm
which he managed five years. At the expiration of
that time he purchased 80 acres of land, and applied his efforts and energies to its improvement.
He has placed 70 acres under cultivation, and has a
fine residence in process of erection.
Mr. Bostwick is a Republican in political principle, and has served three terms as Township
Clerk.
His marriage to Lucy Netherclift took place at


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N414            SANILAC COUNT'Y.
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Port Stanley, Ont., Aug. 6, 1855, and they are the
parents of five children,-William, Charles, Ella,
James and Alexander. James is a teacher by profession, and possesses the qualifications necessary to
fit him for positions of a high grade. Mrs. Bostwick
was born Aug. 12, 1833, in Sussexshire, England,
and was three years of age when she emigrated to
Ontario with her parents. She is a member of the
Congregational Church.


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*lf   lexander Stephens, M. D., retired physician, and senior member of the real-estate
and colonization firm of Stephens & Gernt, at
"^ j  Forestville (Delaware Township), was born
Dec. 28, I842, in Wellington Co., Ont. His
parents, John and Jane Stephens, were farmers in
the Dominion and are now deceased.
Dr. Stephens remained on the family homestead
until he was 20 years of age, and acted as assistant
on a farm. He then became interested in the drug
business, in which he acquired a complete knowledge
of the qualities of drugs and a taste for the profession of medicine. In I864 he came from his Canadian home to Ann Arbor, where he entered the
University of Michigan in October of the same year.
He was graduated in the Medical Department of
that institution in the spring of 1867.
He went to Rochester, N. Y., to enter upon his
career as a practitioner, but remained there only a
year, his health having become seriously impaired as
a result of assiduous application to study. He returned to Ontario and resided in his native place for
a time.
In i869 he accepted an appointment under the
Canadian Government as Immigration Agent at Parry Sound, Ont. He discharged the duties of the position until I873, when he resigned.  In I874 he
located at White Rock, Huron County, and entered
again upon the practice of medicine.  He came
thence to Forestville, reaching this place July 15,
I875, and resumed his work as physician and surgeon.
In 1882, associated with Mr. B. Gernt, he embarked in traffic in real-estate, combining their busi

ness in buying and selling lands, with a colonization
project in which they have realized substantial and
satisfactory results. In the fall of 1882 they purchased under contract 300,000 acres of land in
Tennessee, included in the counties of Fentress,
Morgan, Pickett and Overton.   They propose to
colonize with English and German emigrants. They
have already sold more than I2,000 acres of land,
and aided nearly 200 settlers to secure homes and
locate permanently. They have in process of construction the Tennessee & Pacific Railroad, Ioo miles
of which is surveyed through the counties named. A
mining scheme is already instituted and will soon be
in operation, which will rapidly develop the counties
and give an impetus to settlement.
Dr. Stephens owns a valuable village property, and
is a member of the Ward Dock Company at Forestville. Politically, he endorses and sustains the Republican party, and he has officiated several years
as Health Officer of the Township of Delaware.
His marriage to Charlotte Wakefield took place
July 15, I869, in Ontario. John Alexander, only
child of this union, was born March 6, I870. Mrs.
Stephens was born Dec. 25, 1840, in Warwickshire,
Eng. She was but six years of age when her parents
emigrated to Canada, and settled in Oxford Co.,
Ont. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Dr. Stephens was trained under the tenets
of the Presbyterian Church.
aptain      Hannibal Hodges    Nims, de-|' B  ceased, a former resident of Lexington,
g,   ' was born Aug. 23, I834. in Richmond,
~}~  Chittenden Co., Vt. The family of which he
P    was a representative is of New England origin,
and its records, dating back to I665, are still
in existence. His earliest American ancestors are
inseparably associated with the history of the development of this country. They were located at
Deerfield, Mass., a fact which in itself contains a
significance as to their identification with the historic early days of the Colonists. They were active
in the early Indian wars, and suffered the fate common to those who were participants in them, yielding


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SANILAC COUNTY.                 415
_ _ _ --- _ _ 4     ---


their lives in their struggles to protect their homes
from the vengeful sons of the forest. One was
killed at Bunker Hill, and in the death of Capt.
Nimns, in the course of the struggle against the disruption of the United States, he manifested how the
best traits of noble ancestors im ly be transmitted to
their posterity. He died nobly, and is fitly remembered and characterized as the hero of the village of
Lexington.  His comrades attest their remembrance
and appreciation of the character of his services in
the naming of the local Post of the Grand Army of
the Republic, at Lexington, which perpetuates his
namle.
Capt. Nims was the third son of 1)r. Reuben and
Sophia (Whiton) Nims. He obtained his education
in the common schools and academies of his native
State, and began his active business life in a mercantile establishment at Winooski Falls, Vt. He went
thence to engage in the same variety of employment
at Burlington in the same county, and resigned his
situation there to come to Lexington, Sanilac Co.,
Mich., where he arrived May 20, 1854. He entered
the service of J. L. Woods, with whom he continued
as salesman, and later as partner, until his withdrawal from the life of a civilian to become a defender of the Union standard, with the single exception of one season, which he passed in Kansas.
He was appointed Postmaster of Lexington in
June, I86r, the appointment continuing operative as
long as he lived. During the summer and fall of
that historic year he performed noble service for his
country and for Lexington, by acting as recruiting
officer. On the first day of October of the same
year he received his commission as First Lieutenant
of Co. D, ioth Mich. Vol. Inf., that regiment then
being in process of organization at Camp Thompson, at Flint. His command left Lexington Nov. I9,
I86I, and the winter was passed in recruiting and
organizing. The regiment received marching orders
April 22, 1862, and reached Pittsburg Landing, Tenn.,
eight days later. Lieut. Nims participated in the
active service in which his regiment was involved
until July following its taking the field, when he was
detailed for recruiting service in Michigan, and he
arrived at Lexington July I5, receiving a few days
thereafter official notice of his promotion to a Captaincy, his commission dating from July 5, 1862. He
was assigned to Co. K of the same regiment, vice




Captain Judd, resigned. His record of recruiting
service was the same as in his earlier efforts in the
same direction, and in the summer and fall he enlisted and forwarded nearly loo men. The " ioth
Michigan " was ill Nashville during the late fall and
winter, and all communication being cut off, it became impossible for Captain Nims to rejoin his command, and he spent the winter at Lexington.
He was married Jan. 28, 1863, to Miss H. N.
Waterbury, eldest daughter of Hon. J. C. Waterbury, of Lexington, and April 9th following he left
Michigan to rejoin his regiment, communication being re-established. He was a participant in all the
military service in which his command was involved
during the year. Among the arduous events in
which he was an active sharer, was the march to
Knoxville to relieve Gen. Burnside. One of its hardships, which were of so severe a character as to render the occasion conspicuous, was the scarcity of
food, which caused much suffering among the troops.
The command made but a brief halt before Knoxville, retracing its steps in season to take part in the
fights at Mission Ridge, Nov. 24, Chickamauga, Nov.
26, and at Ringgold, Nov. 27.
In February, I864, the regiment veteranized, reenlisting for three years, and the members were
awaiting their furloughs of a month and confidently
expectant of soon seeing their homes, when, Feb. 23,
they received orders to advance. Two days later
they reached their position, and were in action at
Buzzard's Roost, where the regiment lost 75 men in
an engagement which continued but a few minutes.
Shortly after the battle the men received their furloughs.
Capt. Nims arrived at Detroit, March II, I864.
The regiment left the State April 20 following, and
arrived at Chattanooga May II. On the next day
they started to join Sherman's army on its march to
Atlanta and the sea, arriving five days later at Rome,
Ga., participating in the capture of that place on the
I8th of May. Capt. Nims was engaged in the fights
and skirmishes which followed the action at Rome
through that memorable campaign, until the attack
on Jonesboro, which resulted in the fall of Atlanta.
In the course of the battle his regiment made an assault on the rebel works, which resulted in their
capture, after a severe conflict. After gaining the
inside of the fortification, Capt. Nims received the.4 -41


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wound from which he died the day after the action —
Sept. 2, I864. His death took place in the hospital,
and he was buried at Jonesboro. After the war was
closed his remains were disinterred and brought to
his old home. His final resting place is among his
kindred and friends, and over his grave the soft summer breeze from the restless Huron chants its melody, and the snows of winter wrap the spot in a
mantle as stainless as the record of his brave young
life. Crowned as he was with hope and ambition,
his death was the peerless gem of his career, and
his laureled name floats down the ages with those of
the world's heroes who have died that liberty might
live. Sanilac County treasures the memory and the
fame of Capt. H. H. Nims.
eorge Thompson, farmer, section I, Dela'i~J  l ware Township, was born Nov. 6, 1846, in
'~ _J '  the township of Lancaster, Glengarry Co.,
Ont. His father and mother, William B. and
Joanna (McGillis) Thompson, were natives
respectively of England and Ontario.  The
former died in Lexington May I, I883; the latter
still resides there and is 55 years of age.
After arriving at his majority Mr. Thompson took
possession of a farm of which he has become owner,
and where he has made his home from the time he
cut the first tree and turned the first furrow, until the
present time. He has improved and placed under a
good state of cultivation 60 acres. He suffered heavy
losses by fire in I868 and I871, that entailed by the
latter amounting to $I,ooo.
Mr. Thompson is a Republican in political sentiment and connection, and is present Treasurer of
Delaware Township (1884).
He was first married April 8, 1868, at Lexington,
to Mary Hillburn. One child-Grant-was born to
them. Mrs. T. was born in 1848 and died from the
effect of injuries received at the burning of the house
Feb. ii, I872. Mr. Thompson was again married
Nov. 30, 1874, at Lexington, to Barbara Hillburn,
sister of his first wife. Three children have been
born to them, one of whom —Walter-is deceased.




^  _harles L. Messmore, banker and dealer
i S:  in real estate at Minden City, is one of
$ 9     the leading and prominent citizens of the
t    Huron peninsula. He is a native born citi-:
zen of the State of Michigan, his parents,
James and Charlotte (Ferguson) Messmore,
having become residents of Wayne County when
the city of Detroit was in its incipiency. They were
located in the vicinity of the City of the Straits, and
the father became prominent in general and public
affairs, his education and position bringing him in
contact with the best class of people, among whom
were Zachariah Chandler and C. C. Trowbridge.
The senior Messmore and his wife were born in
New England, of English and German extraction,
and came to Wayne County in I8I8. The father
was a man of genuine claims to a superior position,
and the mother was a lady of attainments and influence. Their deaths occurred about the same date
in 1854, of cholera. They were aged respectively 47
and 40 years.
They left seven children, of whom Mr. Messmore
of this sketch was the youngest. He was little more
than three years of age at the death of his parents,
and he was cared for by his eldest sister, Mrs. Elizabeth H. Whiting, until he was 15 years old, when he
obtained a position in a drug store, where he operated
two years. He received the education to be obtained
in the common schools, and he set himself to the
work of preparing himself thoroughly for a business
career. He had a taste for knowledge and an ambition to rank with a high order of humanity in point
of fitness and qualifications, and at 17 he was
enabled to attend Mayhew's Business College, where
he obtained a thorough course of instruction. He
secured, through the influence of the president of
the institution, a situation as book-keeper in one of
the most extensive wholesale houses in Detroit, re

COUNTY..
The others are named Mary S. and Joanna T. Mrs.    If
Thompson was born in Ontario, March 9, 1857, and  i
removed thence with her parents to Michigan, when
she was nine years old.!
The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. Thompson is Steward.,?     -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~AIA CoUNTY.                           417i




maining in the position some time. He had a fair
1     salary, but another firm, becoming apprised of his
*  abilities and integrity, offered him a considerable advance in the matter of remuneration, which he accepted, his late employers asserting their willingness
to have retained control of his services at a similar
rate if they had been seasonably notified of his
wishes. The latter relation into which he entered
existed until I874, when Mr. Messmore went to St.
Clair, Mich., engaged as a commission merchant,
trafficking in produce.
In the spring of 1875 he came to Lexington, San-* ilac County, to enter upon the duties of book-keeper
t with Nims, Tewksbury & Co., merchants at that
place. The extensive interests and business relations of the firm required a person of the highest
grade of ability and integrity, and Mr. Messmore
was furnished with a recommendation of the strongest
character by Col. Wm. Barron, of St. Clair, as being
in all respects eligible to the place. He discharged
the duties of the position five years. Being in poor.. health at that time, he purchased a farm near the
village of Lexington, on which he resided a short
i:( tine; returning to his former employers, he acted as
book-keeper for Messrs. N., T. & Co. until i88i,
when he dissolved his relations with them and went
to Marlette. He erected the first brick edifice at
that place and established the first bank. While a
resident there he was appointed, conjointly with Mr.
D. Donaldson, as distributing Relief Agent among
the sufferers in the 'burnt district" in the eastern
part of Sanilac County.
He sold his banking interest there to the present
banker, Mr. McGill. While a resident there he offi-;<  ciated, without interim, in the Village Council.
"'<   Mr. Messmore came to Minden City in the
summer of 1883, and instituted the first bank. The
financial ability, the inflexible integrity and the personal worth of Mr. Messmore have built for his business a wonderful success, and he has acquired a
surprising degree of confidence among the citizens of
the county, with whom he has widely extended and
increasing business relations. He has interested and
identified himself with the progress and prosperity of:   the northern portion of Sanilac County, and gives intelligent consideration and support to every scheme
g    that extends a reasonable promise of advantage to
the general welfare.
9~     Mr. Messmore is a Republican of a most decided


I~~~~~~~~~~~~~



kind, and has been active and prominent in the party
interests since his removal to Sanilac County. Among
other duties to which he has been called are those
of delegate to the various conventions, from the
State and Congressional down to the smallest.
The family belong to the First Congregational
Church. The village property of Mr. M. includes a
valuable and handsome house on a lot situated in a
most desirable part of Minden City.
Mr. Messmore was married June io, I874, to
Clara W. Barron, and they are the parents of three
children: Clara W., Byron S. and Fanny F. Mrs.
Messmore was born Dec. i6, 1854, in St. Clair,
Mich., and is the daughter of Emery and Mary B.
(Sanborn) Barron.  Her parents were natives of
New Hampshire and reside with her at Minden City.
She was a teacher for some time previous to her marriage, and is a lady of pre-eminent domestic traits
and fine social abilities.
J  oseph H. Brown, miller and member of
the firm Harvey & Brown, proprietors of
the Eureka Mills at Downington, was born
April 26, I839, in Knox Co., Ohio, and is the
son of Samuel and Nancy (Carter) Brown. The
parents were natives of Virginia and belonged
by descent to the long established Quaker families of
that State. The father was a miller during the major
portion of his active life, which calling he followed
until his death in May, i850, in Knox Co., Ohio.
The mother lives in Clinton Co., Mich., and is 72
years of age.
Mr. Brown is the sixth of nine children born to his
parents, and during his minority he resided with them
and obtained a good education at the common
schools.
In October, i86I, he became a soldier in the war
of the Rebellion, enlisting in Co. E, 36th Ohio Inf.,
Capt. Warren Hollister. His regiment was assigned
to the Army of the Potomac, and he was a participant
in the battles of Lewisburg, Cross Keys, Bull Run
(2d), South Mountain, Antietam and Winchester, taking part also in the numberless skirmishes and minor


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>  48                                   SANILAC COUNTY.
actions which are the every-day occurrences of war.  possession in May, I883. He has improved 45 acres.,Y5;   He was honorably discharged in February, 1864, at  Mr. Nye is an adherent to the principles and issues #.'i  Marietta, Ohio.                                of the Republican element in politics.
After being relieved from military service he went  He was married July 2, i873, at Port Huron, to
to Cleveland, Ohio, where he spent a year, and pro-  Monia Case, and they have three children,-Mary
ceeded thence to Ontario, where he was married, in  E., Horace E. and Chester A. Her parents, ChristNorfolk County, in r866, to Margaret Maybee. One  opher and Mary A. (Hatlidge) Case, were natives of
child-Samuel A.-was born to them May 19, 1870.  Germany. In 1839 they emigrated from the fatherShe was born Sept. 22, 1841, in Norfolk Co., Ont.,  land to the United States and located at Mt.
and is the daughter of Thlomas P. and Deborah   Clemens, Macomb Co., Mich., afterward removing to
/ (Culp) Maybee. Her parents are natives of Ontario  St. Clair County, where Mrs. Nye was born, Feb. 24,
and are of Dutch descent. They were residents of  I848. She was a small child when her father died,
Ontario during their entire lives.                that event occurring in 1849, in her native place.t
1    After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Brown resided in  Her mother still resides there.:
Ontario one year, when they removed to Houston
Co., Minn., where Mr. Brown pursued his trade as a
miller, in which he had operated more or less' since
he was eight years of age. He came thence to.Cl-nwn.-C.Q.P.   (CA  /I'n-,  -xr- c cnnrlrl' /w  r i nrrv rrno AI


J Ilvvia c c  kD U o.,  v -LTi11., ctjU z Wc  a oxltiictly t  dii.cx u
two years. He made his first settlement in Sanilac
County in Forester, in September, I874, where he
remained until his removal to Downington, July 5,
1883, where he purchased his milling interest of
Alonzo Downing.
In political connection Mr. Brown is a Demoerat.
(   81 \-, Tinhard T NTo  fn.rnier curt^in T A -nae


-J X ljillis P. Morse, farmer, section 18, Water1   town Township, was born Oct. 19, I849, in
C ax[-   Livingston Co., Mich. He is of New England ancestry, his parents, Orrin and Celinda
(Hendrick) Morse, having been born respectively
in Connecticut and New York, of Yankee parentage. Their respective.ages are 67 and 57 years
(I884). The father came to Livingston Co., Mich.,
in the year 1835, where after his marriage he became
a successful farmer, and in the year i880 retired
from active service.
The son spent the years of his non-age in farm labor
and attending school at Flint, whither he went after
lenvino the cormmnn schrlnnl. nof hic native nLrace. H


C 12ttl~p~dlll~ IUINQJU  V. " l I xal rl;73  LL1 q~U.  Vl.                 IJdrL.[ rFL".-.,. wXa al^SP ware Township, was born June ii, 1848,  completed an entire course of commercial study in
i' n Kent Co., Eng., and is the son of Rich-  the business college of William F. Thomas, at Flint,
ard and Mary (Dulcet) Nye. (See sketch.)   and was graduated.
He emigrated to the United States when he    He was married about the time ot attaining his
was five years of age, and resided with his  majority, to Sophia Hall. The date of the marriage
parents in Wayne Co., Mich., near Detroit, about  was Jan. I, I871. Mrs. Morse is the daughter of
seven years. He was 12 years of age when they re-  John Hall, of Genesee County, a prominent specumoved to Sanilac County. He was a member of the  lator and business nan, who came to Michigan about
paternal household until he reached his majority,  1836, and died in 1848. He married Juliette Hill, a A
being brought up to the calling of a farmer, which  native of Pennsylvania, who is now living with her
~ was the occupation of his father.                  daughter and is 74 years of age. Mrs. Morse was,:?})    On reaching manhood he became a laborer in the  born March 17, I845, in the vicinity of Flint, Mich.:X
lumber woods and followed that occupation until the  She received her education in the schools of that
spring of I873. At that date he purchased 80 acres  city, and began teaching when she was 20 years of
'?   of land in Delaware Township, of which he took  age. She pursued that calling until her marriage,.-,g-"' -.fcB< 5 —0




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and secured the reputation of having unusual skill
and success in the profession. Of this marriage four
children have been born, as follows: H. Beach, Dec.
31, 1871; Ol ney R., Aug. 7, 1875; Elba L. and Eva
E., (twins), May 13, 1882.
After marriage Mr. Morse purchased 60 acres of
his father's homestead, where he made a pursuit of
agriculture, until August, 1879, at which date he
came to Sanilac County and bought I60 acres of
land, most of which was in a wholly unimproved
state, where he made a permanent location. The
rapidity and efficiency of his agricultural operations
may be inferred from the fact that 41e has already
placed 45 acres in first-class farming condition. He
has won a sulstantial reputation as a progressive
and skillful farmer, and is now engaged in the construction of a creditable farm-house, which will cost
$1,500. The place is supplied with a large stock
and grain barn. Mr. Morse is a Republican of most
decided views. He has held several local offices,
and is now Justice of the Peace. He and his wife
are members of the Free Methodist Church, of which
he is a Trustee. He has been Superintendent of the
Stunday-school four years.
<   oseph Parkinson, freight agent at the dock
-. at Forestville, Delaware Township, was
' b1 orn Nov. TO, 1825, in Dublin, the capital
city of Ireland. His father, John Parkinson,
was a soldier in the British service and came
I  ith his family in 1827 to Quelec, and was
subject to the course of life common to the English
soldiery,-constant change,-which afforded large
opportunities for sight-seeing and observation, and
served to develop kindred traits in his children.
Mr. Parkinson came to the extended section of
Michigan known as the Saginaw Valley, in 1844.
He knew, literally, every white family within the
limits named. He engaged as a cook with a trading
company, who had business connections with all the
early settlements on the Huron and Saginaw coasts,
which was his first regular employment. He was
familiar with all the lakes and principal river courses
of the United States, and has seen as much adven

COUNT Y.                                     419
ture as any man to be found in the Peninsular State.
He has been through several disasters on the lakes,
and has been instrumental in saving many lives. He?
lived for a time on Beaver Island, when it was in  T
possession of a branch of the Mormons under "King'
Strang.
Mr. Parkinson came to Forestville some years
since and obtained the position he now holds, and in
which he has officiated continuously, that is, the
management of the dock. His two daughters are
now  engaged in teaching school in I)elaware
Township.                                '


i


ohn W. Chute, jeweler and dealer ii:
watches, clocks, silverware, musical mnrchandise, sewing-machines, books and notions, at Deckerville, was born July 28, I843,
in Elgin Co., Ont. He is the son of Andrew
and Olivia (Woodworth) Chute, and was educated in the I)ominion. He left home in I866 to
accept a position as book-keeper for Wisdom & Son,
in Chicago, remaining in the same employ until
I87 r.  While in Chicago he attended Bryant &
Stratton's Commercial College, where he was graduated on completing a full course of study. In the
summer of that year he went to Missouri, partly for
the purpose of restoring his health, and explored the
State on horseback, teaching music to pay expenses.
He returned to the Garden City in 1872, and engaged as shipping clerk with Hepp & Schoenthaler,
operating in their interests two years. In 1873 he
became book-keeper for Smith Bros. in the same
city. Late in that year he went to Middlesex Co.,
Ont., and opened an establishment in London for
the sale of musical instruments, making a specialty
of the Mason & Hamlin organ.  In 1877 he converted his relations into the subscription book business, which he prosecuted two years with success.
In 1879 he came thence to Oakland Co., Mich, and
taught music there and in St. Clair County. He
came to Deckerville in the fall of i88o and spent i8
months as a teacher in the public schools. In the
last months of I881 he opened the business which
he has since prosecuted, and in which he is operating successfully.


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<420                                 SANIZLAC C
)    Politically he is in affiliation with the Republican
4, party.:*.  He was married Oct. 8,'867, in Middlesex Co.,! Ont., to Lucy Warren, and they are the parents of
four children,-Minnie G., Augustus, Andrew E.
and Frederick. Mrs. Chute was born in Middlesex
Co., Ont., Aug. 27, I839. Her parents were born in
New England, and died in Middlesex County. Her
father's demise jccurred May 3, I867, when he was
69 years of age. That of her mother took place
Feb. 27, I88I, at the same age.
Mr. and Mrs. Chute attend the United Brethren
':~ Church.,V  V1V  1   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~, ft
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homas L. Ward, merchant, miller and
farmer, resident at Charleston, Delaware
Township, has been the Postmaster at that
(  place since the office was established there.
He was born July 8, 1842, at Green Bay, Wis.
His father, Dr. David Ward, was a physician,
who married Phebe Smith about the year 1835.
Mr. Ward enlisted, when he was 19 years of age,
in the military service of the United States in the
suppression of the Rebellion. He enrolled in February, i862, in the 17th Wis. Vol. Inf., Co. K, Capt.
Welcome Hyde. The regiment joined the Army of
the Cumberland under Gen. Grant, and was in the
service during the remainder of the war. Mr. Ward
was discharged April 4, 1865, at Galesboro, N. C.
He was under fire at Corinth, Vicksburg, and in the
Georgia campaign. He fought at the siege of Atlanta on the memorable July 22, i864. At the battle
of Vicksburg he received a gunshot wound on the
top of his head. Only the scalp was injured, but
the suffering in his head from the concussion and
flesh wound was quite sufficient to satisfy him of the
discomfort of the chances of war, and he is at times
even now reminded of the complimentary notice of
a rebel bullet. This would suffice to keep his political faith in the right channel, even if there were
no new question of principle involved. He obeyed
the injunction of one of the standard-bearers of the
Republican party in 1884, and "voted as he shot."
On obtaining his discharge from the service he set
out for his home in Wisconsin, and in the fall of the


same year he proceeded to Detroit, where he took a
course of study at the Bryant & Stratton Business
College. He was on-the lake one season, and went
next to Forestville, where he operated as a clerk in
the store of Jacob Buel. The next year he returned
to Wisconsin and resumed the same occupation, in
which he continued two years.
In 1869 he returned to Forestville and engaged
again for Mr. Buel. He went next to Dodge Co.,
Wis., and established himself in a mercantile enterprise there. He sold his interest and returned to
Michigan, reaching this place May 12, 1872, and
instituted the several branches of business in which
he has since been engaged, excepting his agricultural
relations, which he set in operation in 1877, when he
purchased 400 acres of land and commenced farming. His farm now contains 340 acres of excellent
land, and includes 200 acres in fine agricultural condition. His grist-mill has a producing capacity of
80 barrels per day.
In the fire of Sept. 5, i881, the village of Charleston was entirely destroyed, the loss of property
to Mr. Ward amounting to $25,000 in value.
Mr. Ward was married in November, 1875, in Delaware Township, to Elizabeth Geck, and they have
three children,-Lizzie M., Irving L. and Nellie.
Mrs. Ward was born June 20, i856, in Detroit. Her
parents, Henry and Elizabeth Geck, were natives of
Germany, and were married in Rochester, N. Y.. in
185i. After a short residence in the city of Detroit
they came to Sanilac County and are now residents
and farmers of Delaware Township.. —q --->2-o ~(((0))))~o ----+-s~-* —'|!jF  nt ndrew Chute (dec.) was born Sept. 15, 17 89,
in Nova Scotia. His ancestral descent is
S.-     traceable to the period of William the Conqueror, and it is supposed on that basis that
the family name is Norman French in its origin. He was a farmer by occupation, and
about 1842 removed to Elgin Co., Ont., where he
purchased 200 acres of land in the township of Bayham. On this he spent his life, redeeming almost
the entire acreage from the unbroken forest. He
married Alvira Woodworth, and they became the
parents of 12 children, as follows:




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Edmund was bori Dec. 31, 1815;Sarah Ann, May
i) 18,I88; Harriet, July i6, 1820; Alfred, July 29,
1822; Sidney, Nov. 20, I824; Ezekiel, Feb. 20, 1827;
E. Freeman, May 30, 1829; Win. Edward, April 24,
)  832; Aaron (deceased), Aug. 6, I834; Lovenia (deceased), Sept. 15, 1836; Cynthia, April 7, 1839;
John Milton, July 28, 1843. The mother was born
July 24, 1796, and died Jan. 18, i864. Alfred, eldest son, is a minister, and Edward is a Deacon in
the Baptist Church, to which their parents belonged,
and in which their father was a Deacon for 50 years.
He was a man of stainless character, and a zealous,
| outspoken Christian, never failing to discharge what
he believed to be his duty to his fellow men, with
deed and voice exemplifying the faith he professed.
He died in Ontario, Feb. 17, 1862, aged 72 years....... %l illiam Merckel, merchant at Forestville,
4:    ' e mu  (Delaware Townshi)), was born March
'S } s. E   1 I7, 1846, in Bavaria. He emigrated in
2::    1I868 to America, and for a time found em-.   '/~    P ~ploy in the city of New York, where he
landed. He went thence to California, and
after a brief stay at San Francisco he proceeded to
Placerville, in the interior, and obtained a situation
as clerk in a hotel. (He there made the acquaintance of Mr. Marshall, the original discoverer of gold
near Placerville, and who before his death fell into
reduced circumstances.)
|:>   Mr. Merckel had received a good education in his
native country, and was fitted to discharge the duties
of any position in business. He continued to operate
as a hotel clerk for some time. In 1872 he returned
to Germany to close his business affairs. While
there he was married, April 6, 1873, to Franziska
Platz. She was a native of Nuremberg, and was born
May 29, 1852. She was brought up and educated
in her native place, and was employed in its shops
as a saleswoman. Four children have been born to
*   Mr. and Mrs. Merckel,-John William, Charles,
Sophia C. and Selma C.
After his marriage Mr. Merckel came again to the
United States and located at East Saginaw, Mich.,
' establishing a grocery and provision trade. In 1878


he came to Forestville an
whose successful prosec
engaged. He is the own
village property, and is cc
reliable citizen. He is
Church, and his family ai
Mr. Merckel is a Repu
is present Township Cle
time as Justice of the Pe,


421I
Id founded the business in;ution he has since been 4j
erof considerable improved:;*
onsidered a substantial and
a member of the Lutheran
re Catholics.
blican in political faith and
rk. He has served some
ace.
K^


i    avid Oughton, farmer, section 25, Delai___    ware Township, was born Nov. 21, 1826,
in County Wexford, Ireland. His parents
emigrated to the New World in i830 and
located in Perth Co., Ont. The son remained
an inmate of the paternal household until
the age of 24 years, when the most important event /
of his life occurred, his marriage to Mary Ann Page.
Five children have been born to them-William,
Margaret, Maria, Emily and David E. Mrs. Oughton,
was born in 1834, in County Wexford, Ireland. She 7
was a resident of Perth Co., Ont., from early child- ^
hood.
After his marriage Mr. Oughton located on 150
acres of land in Perth County, where he operated as
a farmer until 1879, the date of removal with his
family to Michigan. Settling in the township of
Delaware, he secured a claim of 240 acres of land,
of which two-thirds is improved and cultivated.
Mr. and Mrs. Oughton are communicants in the;
Episcopal Church.


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}avid A. West, M. D., modern allopathist
__1 and eclectic physician, located at Lexing- (
Jl. — % ton, was born Jan. I6, 1847, near Bradford, jj  Ont. He is the son of Benjamin and Mary  4
(Howard) West, and was reared by his father to A?
the calling of agriculturist. (The father of Dr. '
West was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a
descendant from an old English family, which emi-<. J an-a ----
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422                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
grated to America during the reign of George III.)  tied in the vicinity of Bunker Hill. He was connected
Young David attended the winter terms of the corn-  with one of the earliest schools of Boston as a member;
mon schools until 1862, when he became a student  of the Examining Board of a graduating class. His %:at the Bradford High School, remaining until 1864,  family included his wife, Deborah Freeman, and five
(   when he began teaching. He continued this occu-  children, Freeman, Deborah, Thomas, Samuel and t
pation about I8 months, when he matriculated at  Eunice. All are deceased. Freeman died from the
the Victoria Medical Branch College at Toronto. He  results of exposure at Valley Forge in the war of the
passed the severe ordeals of examination required by  Revolution. Eunice married a Dr. Vincent, of Verthe regulations of that institution, and was graduated  mont. Their mother died in Massachusetts, and
in the fall of I868. Before receiving his credentials,  their father went to Vermont and afterwards to Ohio,
he established himself as a medical practitioner at  where he died.
Raymond, Wis., but abandoned the place in the fall  Thomas West, grandfather of Dr. West, was born
following, and returned to his home in the Dominion  July i I, i874, near Charlton, Mass., and removed to y
to receive his diploma. He then taught the home  Vermont in 1786, where he married Polly, daughter
school for three months and commenced the practice  af Colonel Jacob Davis, of Revolutionary fame. June
of medicine in connection therewith, but soon re-  19, 1799, he was appointed Captain of the Ninth
ceived a call to Lexington, Mich., which he answered  Company, Third Regiment, Second Brigade of the
in March, 1869. At that date, he came to Lex-    Vermont State Militia, by Governor Tichenor. He
ington and opened an office in company with Dr.  went to Ohio about i808, when he took up land now,..
Hiraln Hayward. The association continued until  included in the site of Cincinnati. In 1813 he went
Dec. i, 1872. Shortly afterward he became a resi-  to Harmony, near Springfield, Ohio, being troubled  X
=   dent of Sanilac County. Dr. West made a purchase  by the uncertainty of the water level of the fickle =
=    of 40 acres of land in Worth Township, situated three  river, and there engaged in agricultural and mercan- =
miles from the village. He increased his acreage by  tile pursuits. The latter venture involved him in '#
=:   a second purchase of a like amount. He continued  disaster, as he purchased goods in the city of Pittsthe practice of his profession in Worth Township  burg on the half-credit system. The depreciation of \;?
until December, 1882, when he removed to the vil-  paper money under the old State banking arrangelage of Lexington. He bought the fine residence  ments caused his failure.                      i
where he has since lived, and where his office is  In 1820 or I821 he removed to Canada and setestablished. His farm is under an excellent order of  tled at Youngstreet, near Newmarket, York Co., Ont.,
cultivation; he also owns 200 acres of land in Buel  in a settlement of Friends, of which body his wife
Township, chiefly in a wild state. Dr. West is a  was a member. He taught school two years and
member of the Order-of Masonry and belongs to the  took up 200 acres of the Clergy Reserve or Glebe
1. I. G. T. He received an appointment from the    lands, situated near Bondhead, Simcoe Co., Ont. He K
>K|  Government in September, 875, as United States Ex-  afterwards gave it to his son Thomas, and in 1845  '
amining Surgeon for Pensioners, for Sanilac and part  went to Franklin, near Milwaukee, Wis., where he es- i
of Huron Counties, Mich., and still holds this office.  tablished a home. He died there, at the age of 95
Mrs. Isadore (Farwell) West, wife of Dr. West, was  years. His wife died when she was 88 years of age.
born June 20, I848, in Oshawa, Ont. She is the   The homestead then passed into the hands of his
daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Farwell, and  daughter Deborah, and is now held by his son
was married Dec. 25, I871. The children which    Quincy P., both of whom reside there. He was the
~(^  constitute the issue of this marriage were born as fol-  father of o1 children who attained adult age, and
lows: Mary E., Dec. 5, 1872; Ruth E., Aug. 28,   were born in the following order: Julia (deceased), f
1874; Alfred Albert, Nov. 26, I875 (died Oct. 4,  Deborah, Thomas, Eliza (deceased), Benjamin F.:
1876); Fannie A., Feb. i, i877; Raymond A., Aug.   (deceased), George W., Quincy P., Alfred A (de-,
i, 1878; Lena, Oct. 8, i88r.                      ceased), Derrick and David M. (deceased.)
Thomas West, the earliest ancestor traceable, and  Benjamin F. West was born April i6, I8IO, near b
great-grandfather of Dr. West, was a Dissenter and  Cincinnati, Ohio, and married March 14, 1834. His is
came to America as a missionary in 1760. He set-  wife was the daughter of Stephen and Tamma (Fos-.
C. 0.-                  b     tl~   ll^   -    ---                -~^       (^




li  -':x5 S ---crr                            n es nu n    s;, —(                               8
'~';'~>^~        ~SANVILAC COU.NTY.                                                  423
ter) Howard, born March io, i813, near Holland     ship, to Frederica C. Binder.  Their children are
i    anding, Ont. They had i children-Stephen H.,   eight in number,-Emma, Ida, Mary, Louisa, Albert,  ).* Olive H., Alfred A., Mary E., Derrick, Thomas W.,  Olive, Lizzie and Martha, and William (deceased). *
Esther, David A. and Tamma Amelia. A pair of     Their mother is a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, t
twins died unnamed. Their mother died Aug. 19,   and was born Oct. i6, 1839. She came to the United
1853, near Bondhead. Mr. West was a second time  States with her parents when she was 14 years of age.
married, Dec. 20, 1855, to Mrs. Sarah (Baker) Hay-  They located in Hancock Co., O., and later came to
ward, of Saratoga Co., N. Y. One child, William B.,  Delaware Township, where she has since resided.
was born to them, Aug. 7, I857, and died Oct. 22,  She is a member of the Evangelical Association.
i867. She died Nov. 6, 1857. The father died
Oct. 8, I873, at Lexington, Mich., while on a visit
to his so1n, Dr. West. He was a man of sterling |       _g                       i,
qualities, a professed and consistent Christian.
i    dgar Hills, proprietor of the Howard House
~r~ at Downington, was born May 28, 1842, in
-   | O  Westminster, Essex Co., Ont., and is the
l,I;son of Ensign C. and Diana (Carney) Hills.
otlieb Schubel, farmer, resident on section  The father was born July 26, i8r0, in Char)1F   II, I)elaware Township, was born April      lotte, Chittenden Co., Vt.  He was early
26, I829, in Prussia. He emigrated to the  orphaned, and was reared to manhood in his native.:=  X   United States on arriving at the period of his  place in the family of a man named Palmer. He
~   "   ' majority, and went to Sandusky, Ohio, where  spent a brief time after attaining his majority, at '
lI he operated as a farm laborer for a time, after  various points, prospecting for a location, finally =
which he worked as a carpenter, having acquired a  settling in Westminster, Essex Co., Ont. He en- '
knowledge of that business while in his native  gaged primarily as a clerk in a hotel, became the
county. He was also a practical brewer.          proprietor of a considerable tract of wild land, of
In 1853 he came to Sanilac County. He stayed  which he retained ownership until his removal to the
a brief time at Forestville, and in company with his  States. He was married to Diana Carney, who was
brother and a man named Matthew Schwab, lie pro-  born in the State of New York, Oct. 23, i8i6. They
ceeded a few miles from the lake shore, where they  became the parents of 13 children. Eight years
pre-empted 400 acres of land. This was during the  after marriage, Mr. Hills came to Michigan with his
administration of Franklin Pierce, and was the first  family, locating at first at Fort Gratiot, St. Clair
I     ) permanent settlement in the township of Delaware.  County. He pre-empted 30 acres of land situated:}   Everything was in the most primitive condition, and  adjoining the Government grounds, where the barthe experiences of Mr. Schubel were the same oft-  racks were placed. He built a structure which he
repeated account of the pioneer, but just as severe  utilized as a hotel and remained there resident three
as though no other had encountered them. He     years. He sold his land and removed to what is
owned 80 acres of the tract located by the three,  now Pine Hill, Sanilac County. At that date (I847)
and has since purchased 80 acres. His homestead  Sanilac and Huron Counties were included within
now comprises 140 acres, under excellent tillage.  the municipality of St. Clair County. He came to
His residence is one of the finest farm dwellings in  that point in the interests of Cole & Leutz, lumberthe township, and was erected at a cost of $3,000.  men, managing a boarding-house, and also operating
He has two large, convenient barns, and is consid-  in lumber. Later on he purchased 157 acres of land
ered one of the most substantial and skillful farmers  partly improved and known as the Hitchcock farm,
A     in Sanilac County.                              situated two miles south of Bark Shanty (Port SaniMr. Schubel is a Republican of no uncertain kind.  lac). It lies on the lake shore, and on the termina<      He was married May 8, 1858, in Delaware Town-  tion of Mr. Hills' engagement with Messrs. Cole & _
7..,. ---...aJnni..1~~~~~~>                            _~~~~~,




kx. 42SN —iLAC U
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Leutz, he took possession of the property, which he
managed 12 years, clearing and improving a large
proportion of the acreage. At that date the main
thoroughfare was the beach on the lake-side, and Mr.
Hills was instrumental in building the lake shore
road from Potts' Landing through Sanilac Township
to the boundary of Forester. His house was the
only place of public entertainment on the lake-side
for the limits named. During the period of his residence there the county was organized, in which work
Mr. Hills was a prime mover and actor.  He was
elected first Sheriff of the county and discharged the
duties of the position in a manner that reflected
credit on his abilities and energies, and relieved the
county of many of the difficulties with which it had
struggled at the hands of the unscrupulous lumber
thieves and land-grabbers. The hardships and exposures he encountered in all seasons were such as
can readily be estimated from the location and
period.
In 1865 Mr. Hills sold his farm on the lake-side
and removed to Lexington. He passed two years
there engaged in various occupations, and in 1867
went to Croswell, then Davisville, and became the
proprietor of the Union Hotel. (This building is
still standing.) Later he occupied a hotel situated
in the village proper, which was recently burned. In
the fall of 1876 he came to Deckerville, and in the
summer of i882 removed to Downington, and here
he entered upon the management of the Howard
House, where he was operating at the tin.e of his
death. He died of apoplexy, April 2, i884.
Mr. Hills, of this sketch, is the third son of his
parents. He was reared under their guidance, and
acted as his father's assistant in his various enterprises until the removal of the family to Lexington,
where he became a salesman for Andrew Monroe.
He was a resident of Lexington until March, I88i,
when he entered into a partnership with his father
in the conduct of the Union Hotel at Deckerville, a
relation which continued to exist after their removal
to the Howard House at Downington.
Mr. Hills was married July 17, I862, in Sanilac
Township, to Jerusha Hatton, and they have three
children: Alma, born Dec. 21, 1863, was married
Dec. 26, i880, to Andrew Conrad, resident at Downington; Nora, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad, was
born Oct. 29, I882; Nettie, second daughter of Mr.


Y_.__^1 —,_
Wlb  ibert Wickware, merchant, residing on sec-,!if^  tion 35, Greenleaf Township, was born in:j   Leeds Co., Can., May o1, 1845. His father,
Libeus P. Wickware, was born in the same
j   county, Nov. i8, 1817, and died March 4, 1877,
in Cass City, Tuscola Co., Mich. The mother, Catherine (Mallory) Wickware, was also a native of:
Leeds County, and was born in I815. She resides
in Ellington, Tuscola Co., Mich.
Mr. Wickware left home at the age of i6 years
and interested himself in lumbering, in which he was
engaged continuously about 14 years. In i868 he
located at Caro, Tuscola County, where he operated
until i875. In that year he opened his business as
a blacksmith at Ellington, which he pursued there
two and a half years. In 1878 he removed to Cass
City, and formed a partnership with a man named!
Lutes, which relation existed one year. At the end  k
of that time, Mr. Wickware met with an accident?
which disabled him for two years, after which he was
variously occupied until August, 1882, when he established the mercantile enterprise in which he has
since been engaged. The postoffice at this point is
under his management, and the post station is distinguished by his name. In political connection he
adheres to the National Greenback party. In I883
he was elected Justice of the Peace, and is now dis- '
charging the duties of the position. He is a member;
of the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 203, at Cass City..
The marriage of Mr. Wickware to Agnes Higgins (
took place in 1875. She was born April 4, 1855, in A


B 19b. ) k'A ---'i;''''= st -4t
COUNTVY.
and Mrs. Hills, was born May 6, i866; Ensign, only  >i
son, was born May 8, 1868. Mrs. Hills is the daughter of Thomas and Matilda (Carney) Hatton, and.:
was born July II, 1845, at Port Huron.
Mr. Hills is a Democrat in political views and s.
action. The Howard House, which he has managed
singly since the death of his father, is one of the
best country hotels on the Huron Peninsula. It is
conveniently constructed, and its accommodations
are of a character which successfully recommends it
as a place of public entertainment, and it is deserv-;
edly popular.


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SAN1~ILAC COUNTY.                                        425.., Canada, and is the daughter of George and Mary A.  was employed as a laborer on the Central Railroad
/i (Watson) Higgins, now resident at Elmwood, Tus-    of that State. He returned to Ontario, and in i86o
cola Co., Mich. Morley C., born Aug. 22, I877;    came to Michigan, obtaining employment in the lum- J
Etta M., born March 29, I879, and Myrtie B., born  ber woods of the Huron peninsula, where he was
April 29, i88i, are the names of the children of Mr.  occupied two years. In 1865 he purchased 40 acres
and Mrs. Wickware.                                of land where he has since resided and prosecuted
his agricultural operations. He made a later purchase of 40 acres, and has improved the entire tract,
__8?qg-NF  |^ ^      nhis homestead including 80 acres of valuable land.
1E41V 9  g^^    ^^^Mr. Fotheringham                      is a Republican in political
opinion, and he has officiated in the various school.,;00~ 34~^~~~ -                        o'offices.:  J-"^lohn McPhail, farmer, section 34, Greenleaf  He was married Sept. 13, i865, at Lexington, to  W?
j   Township, was born in 1844, in Scotland.  Mrs. Jane (Richmond) Lapp. One child-William l
His parents, John and Flora (Thompson)   -has been born to them. Mrs. F. is a native of
McPhail, were natives of the Parish of Kil-  Northumberland Co., Ont., where she was born Nov.
colmonell, Ayrshire, Scotland.   After their   4, 1828, and where she resided until her marriage to
marriage they emigrated to America and lo-  George Lapp. Smith and Marilla are the names of
cated in Dunwich, Elgin Co., Ont., where they     the children born of her first marriage. The family
i  became members of the agricultural community and  attend the Methodist Church.                     ( i
spent the remainder of their lives.
At the age of 25 he left his paternal home and
became a farm laborer. When his father and mother
came to Canada, he accompanied them and was a |          <    _-;
resident of the Dominion until i866. In that year                                                   s? 'he came to Sanilac County and located where he                                                       /
i~ now lives. He entered a claim of I60 acres of land,
i and has applied his energies and efforts to such good,illim  M       l,       fn,1,1                                     'N1 f,,.HWB~illl1am  McLaughlin, farmer, section  28, (
purpose that he has 60 acres under good improve-            l    r       li,
i\/r TVTT>  i  c 3  rCuster Township, was born Nov. 25, 1831,
ments. Mr. McPhail suffered heavy losses from the      Custer    Town shi,   as born Nova 2, O 3Hi
fire of I881, but has rebuilt his house and barn. He   2       parets Tof Eastd Jae (McGill),. Mcis a Republican in political faith and action.           parents, Twe or an    Jelad. The fatill
)Tx  Laughli n, were born in Ireland. The father
His marriage to Mary I. Hunter took place Jan.n.I 28, I884. She is the daughter of Hugh and Matilda  w,   s a carpenter by profession and brought up
28, 1884. She is the daughter of Hugh andMatilda  his son to the same calling. The latter followed that
(Brown) Hunter, natives of Canada, where she was      son to the sae ca      Te latter ollowed tat
t2 born April 15, 1866.                             as a business in Canada, in connection with farming,
~5:~ born   April  15, [866....t',.                -,..  t,:af~~~~~~~.         ~unti tce aate ot Ills coming to Sanilac County,?
which occurred in the fall of i88s. He purchased
80 acres of land in Custer Township in its primal,
"~< 3~' ~~t^ ^natural condition, and has already placed 30 acres in
creditably improved and cultured condition. He is
I'^~;9hS      a Republican in political sentiment, and in the spring
l  ohn Fotheringham, farmer, section 27,  of I884 was elected to the office of Township  f,      '~- Delaware Township, was born Oct. 20,   Treasurer.
1  828 in Lincolnshire, Eng. He emigrated  Mr. McLaughlin was married in Canada, Dec. 24,
to Ontario when he was 23 years of age, com-     1854, to Mary J. McDonald. She was born July 25.,, i<    ing alone from all his friends and home asso-  835, in West Durham, Ont., and has been the
ciations. He went from the Dominion to Ohio,  mother of 16 children, 14 of whom are still living.
and went thence four years later to Illinois, where he  They are named Thomas, James, Jane, William
-— ii.;?i                      >.==>7 —0o 1 — 7S77




' 426                                 SANILAC CO UNI Y.
Mary, Robert G., Jemima, Maggie, Elizabeth,       I829, in Chippewa village, Ontario. She is descen-?
Freddie, Albert, John, Sarah and Ella. Two children  ded from English and New York State parentage.
died in early infancy. The parents are members of  Two years after his marriage, Mr. Haviland went
' the Methodist Church.                           to Wisconsin, and not long after proceeded to Chi-:
cago, whence, after a brief stay, he went to Lake Co.,
Ind. Since that date he has resided at various points. ~s —i-.~c. 91 ^_in Michigan, and has spert eight years in Ontario.
He came to St. Clair Co., Mich., in I875, where he
was engaged in farming about six years. He arrived
r ese          a                             in Minden June 14, i88r, and purchased i60 acres
ames M. Haviland, farmer and stockman,   of land within the village limits. The chief portion
x     - resident at Minden, was born in Norfolk  of the acreage is in advanced cultivation.     )
Co., Ont., May 20, i834.   His father,
j g~i~iCo., Ont., May 20, 1834.     His father, |  In June, 1862, Mr. Haviland, true to the instincts
X Benjamlin Haviland, came about 1812 to the  ^which he inherited, enlisted in the military service of  i
Province of Ontario and was one of the earliest  the United States, enrolling in the 20th Mich. Vol.
settlers in the part of Canada where he located. nf., Co. A, his command being assigned to the Army
He was a commissioned officer in the second struggle  of the Cumberland, Gen. Burnside, corps commander.
of the Americans with Great Britian, and held a  He was in many actions, and in 1863, at FredericksCrt,;s inrr  nfi-;l li<;,,-tl  T,,,r  1;U-Pn,r 11,.Ar  cP A....r.l   -  -, l~  - r,1.1,i  -


T.
v A
L=1,La.lllCY LILJL11 I   l. UCatLll. Xli  VX  llll,)  I llly uL.t! ll.UCJL.
from George III of England. (Mr. Haviland is the
possessor of a parchment crown deed which granted
to his grandfather, in 1803, a tract of land, a direct
deed of gift from the British Government, and issued
by George III. It is a curious document, and has
attached to it by a string the royal seal of England,
a piece of round leather four inches in diameter and
three-fourths of an inch in thickness, and has upon
it the English coat of arms.) His paternal grandfather was a commissioned officer of the Revolution,
and was at one time one of the wealthiest men in
Canada. He was related to the famous Fairchild
r.:.f no;1 TA.rarnnrn


burg, was attacked with paralysis o0 the right side.
Through its instrumentality he was consigned to the
hospital at Baltimore, where he was on the sick list
four months, and was discharged for disability to do
military duty. He has never quite recovered. The
political colors of Mr. Haviland are of the correct
hue, and he certified to the character of his appreciation of his adopted nationality by voting as he shot
in the election of I884. He is Justice of the Peace
and member of the Village Board. Mrs. Haviland
is a member of the Baptist Church.


I
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iamllllty Ui LIIC: I-UIllUmII.
The father of Mr. Haviland was born at Quaker              ':-=_Hill, N. Y., and married Lucy Craw, of Niagara Co.,
N. Y. She died in 1844, and her children were
placed within a year under the care of a stepmother.  4; ohn A. Charltonfarer, section 33, GreenMr. Haviland found home affairs inharmonious, and      leaf Township, was born Feb. at, 1845,in  f
left his claims and all his rights as an heir of his  |  Frontenac Co., Can. His parents, Dennis
father's estate to seek his own fortune. He was a;  and Mary A. (Van Eseltine) Charlton, were
lithe, agile boy, with a taste for adventure, and he  natives of Canada and are now resident in the
connected himself with a circus which traveled      township of Evergreen in this county.
through Canada and the United States, and remained  Mr. Charlton was an inmate of the paternal home
in the employment of its managers seven years, in  until he was 22 years of age, when he went to the
the capacity of acrobat and equestrian, in both of  State of New York. In 1862 ie came thence to
which capacities he wasskillful to an unusual degree.  Michigan, and Jan. 23, 1878, located at Greenleaf,
Mr. Haviland was married Dec. 17, i852, in On-  Sanilac County, where he has since operated as a
(   tario, to Jane Caroline Ainslie, and they have three  carpenter and farmer. He has since purchased 80 o
(   children, all of whom are married,-David B., John  acres additional on section 33.             (il, C. and James M. Mrs. Haviland was born Nov. 21,  In political faith and connection Mr. Charlton is a
__             C           sM      r             s,,




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SANILAC COUNTY.


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y Republican. He has been School Superintendent
six years, and has officiated two terms as Assessor.
During the fire of I88r, the farm builings and most
of their contents were consumed, including a fine set
of joiner's tools. The dog and cat were also burned.
The house has been rebuilt, and Mr. Charlton is
energetically engaged in the re-establishment of the
former condition of things.
He was married Feb. 20, 1867, to Emmeline,
daughter of John and Phebe (McConnell) Hartwick.
She was born Sept. 12, 1846, in Canada. Clara B.,
i; born Aug. 24, I868; Acher, born June 22, 1870,
and Birdsall, born Aug. 29, 1872, are the children of
Mr. and Mrs. Charlton.
lexander McDonald, farmer, section 12,
r ^   a < Minden Township, was born about I820,
in Scotland. He emigrated to America when
he was 14 years of age, with his parents, who
settled in the Province of Ontario and are
still living there, in greatly advanced age. They
had seven children, of whom the subject of this
sketch is the eldest.
Mr. McDonald became the proprietor of ioo acres
of land before his majority, and when he became
his " own man " he took possession of the place and
resided upon it until his removal to Michigan. He
came to this township Dec. 25, I857, and purchased
16o acres of land in a wholly wild and unimproved
condition. The route thence to Forestville, where
all supplies were obtained, was traversed by means
of Indian trails, there being no roads of any other
character. His entire acreage is now under improvement, with good buildings, orchards and other farm
accompaniments of excellent and valuable type.
Mr. McDonald is a Republican of decided principles.
He was married July 29, 1844, in the State of
New York, to Fanny Coredale, and they have been
the parents of 15 children, five of whom are deceased,-John and James are not living and three
children died in early infancy before they were
named. Those living are John (2d), James (2d),
William, Henry, Sarah, Maxwell, Alexander, Mary,


Elizabeth and Robert. Mrs. McDonald was born
in Dublin, in 1824, and is the daughter of John and
Sarah (McGill) Coredale, both of whom were natives
of Scotland. After their marriage they went to Ireland, whence two daughters came when grown to
womanhood to Ontario. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald
are members of the Presbyterian Church.
~      rra P. Wilson, retired farmer, section 3,
Minden Township, was born May II, I806,
in the State of New York. He was six
years of age when his parents removed to Ontario, and he lived at home with them until
their demise. As he was the youngest child, he
took charge of the homestead, which is located in
Newcastle District, Durham Co., Ont. He sold the
place later, and purchased another farm, containing
200 acres, in the same county. On this he spent 45
of the best years of his life and effected a work of
improvement which greatly increased the value of
the estate. In 1871 he sold the place and went to
London, Ont., whence he came to Michigan in I875.
He fixed upon Minden Township, in Sanilac County,
for a location, and not long afterward purchased 140
acres of land, now constituting his homestead. Of
this he has cleared and otherwise improved 75 acres.
The place is a very fine one and is under the management of the youngest son of the family, Wellington
J. Wilson.
Mr. Wilson was married Nov. 13, i828, at Bowmanville, Durham Co., Ont., to Henrietta Morley.
She was born Aug. 6, I8Io, in Watertown, N. Y., and
removed with her parents to Ontario when in early
youth. She grew to womanhood and was educated
in the province and died Sept. I3, I850, in Downington, Durham Co., Ont. She became the mother of
seven children, two of whom are deceased. They
were named as follows: Sophia, Sarah, Harrison,
Esther, George, Frederick and Wellington.
She was a communicant of the Episcopal Church,
to which the other members of the family belong.
Wellington J. Wilson was born in Darlington, Durham Co., Ont., Dec. i6, 185o. He was married Sept.
13, I 875, in Perth Co., to Georgie M. Rice, and they


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428                                     SANILAC
i   have been the parents of three children. Nellie H.
was born Oct. 23, I879. Charles B. and Mabel died
in infancy. Mrs. Wilson was born Feb. 19, I856, in
Durham Co., Ont., and is the daughter of John H.
(J and Elizabeth (Brown) Rice, of English descent, and


CO UTNTY.


are now residents of the township of Minden. Mr.
Wilson and his father are Republicans of zealous
and earnest principles.
em --- —- ~1!!14^ ----*4


- e.:on. John Leitch, Representative from the
Second District of Sanilac County in the
'^n~3   Legislature of Michigan in I882-3, and
resident in Marion Township, was born Nov.
io, i832, in the parish of Knappdale, Argyleshire, Scotland. His ancestors for six generations were born in the same shire and are traced
through tradition to the first settlement of western
Scotland. His father, Neil Leitch, married Mary
McLaughlin of the same shire, whose family belonged
also to the same clan-the " McDonald." In I841
Neil Leitch emigrated to America with his family.
They settled in Canada, in a then uninhabited and
unorganized portion of the Dominion, which is now
included within the township of Dunwich, Elgin Co.,
Ont.  The family maintained a residence there
about six years, holding their claim by virtue of possession, and improving the land to some extent. In
I847 the senior Leitch settled in Ekfrid Township,
Middlesex Co., Ont., and purchased too acres of
land, where the family resided until 1857, clearing
and improving one-half the tract. In April of that
year they made another transfer, to the township of
Austin, Sanilac Co., Mich., where the father purchased I20 acres of land in town I3, range 15, now
section 34 of the township of Marion. In the depth
of the wilderness, remote from neighbors, with no
thoroughfares save the rude trails which served to
connect the forest homes with civilization, the family
settled and entered upon a struggle with the forces
of Nature. The fair fields and fruitful acres of to-day
attest the quality and merits of the efforts brought to
bear upon the untamed wilds of this portion of the
Huron peninsula. Neil Leitch died Sept. 17, 1875.
His widow is now living (I884) on the homestead.


John Leitch brought his wife with him from Canada when his parents removed hither. He was at
that time a husband of only a week's duration, having married Mary McAlister April 7, I857, in Lobo
Township, Middlesex County. She was born Nov.
I, I833, and is the daughter of Archibald and Sarah
(Crawford) McAlister, natives of Argyleshire, Scotland. The family of Mr. Leitch includes one son
and three daughters. Mary was born Feb. 24, i858,
in Lobo Township, Ont., and is the wife of Allen M.
Kay, M. D., of Tyre, Sanilac Co., Mich. (See sketch
of A. M. Kay.) They have one child, John L., born
May 17, i883. Sarah was born March 26, i86o, and
married Andrew J. Emrey, lumberman at Manistee,
Mich. One child, George, was born to them March
2, 1882. Archibald was born July 20, I864. Isabella was born June 2, i866. The three children
last named were born on the homestead in Marion
Township.
On coming to Michigan with his parents, Mr.
Leitch bought 280 acres near the location of his
father. Two acres had been slashed and contained
a small shanty. The remainder of the acreage was
dense forest, and here Mr. Leitch and his wife encountered the vicissitudes of the pioneer. Elk and
deer abounded, particularly the latter animal; and so
unaccustomed were they to the presence of man and
the crack of the murderous rifle, that they seemed
filled with an innocent wonder on encountering the
new comers to their sylvan retreats. Mr. Leitch increased his landed estate by later purchases, and has
recently reduced the responsibilities and cares of extensive proprietorship by sale. His homestead farm
contains I60 acres, and is all under cultivation.
In political opinion Mr. Leitch is a Democrat, and
trusts in a development of the fundamental principles on which the element was originally based to
re-establish the harmony of practice and precepts
according to the significance of the distinctive term.
He cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. He is a man who has inherited and exemplified the sterling traits of the race from which he
sprung, and his unswerving integrity and business
capacity and executive ability are fully recognized by
his fellow citizens, who have repeatedly availed
themselves of the benefits of his character and confided the public trusts to his management. He has
served eight years successively as Township Treas

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X-;;  "'  ~- -— ^g — suu>a j|Ba    i ---------— 'ii-,>8       ~SANILAC COUNTY.                        429
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urer, has been School Director almost without intermission since the establishment of schools in his;, township (nearly 20 years), and in 1882 was elected?  Supervisor. In 1884 he was elected Justice of the
a   Peace.
In the fall of I882 he was the candidate of the
Union Convention held at Deckerville, for Representative, and after a most gratifying campaign scored a
triumph, running in advance of his ticket and receiving a majority of 58 votes. His district comprises 14
of the 27 towns of Sanilac County. He served his
constituency in a manner which proved the quality
of the judgment which had elected him to the posi' tion, and in the Legislature acted on Committees on
Education and on the Public School at Coldwater.
He introduced the bill to provide more inexpensive
and uniform text-books for primary departments of
schools of all grades in Michigan. He has been
active in the Democratic State and County Conventiois, and was a delegate at East Saginaw June io,
rN i880, for the purpose of electing delegates to the
National Convention at Cincinnati. He was a member of the Congressional Convention at Port Huron
in September, I882, representing the Seventh District, and of the Convention at Lansing, March 7,
i/ 883, to nominate a Supreme Judge and Regents of: the University of Michigan.
ndrew Wilson, farmer, section 30, Green*. ~__1 leaf Township, was born Sept. o1, 1846, in
X   Scotland, and is the son of William and Elizabeth (Fairburn) Wilson. His parents were
natives of Scotland and born respectively in
I805 and 1804. On emigrating to America in i86i
they located on 80 acres of land, on section 33,
Evergreen Township, and were the first settlers on
the section. The mother died in I874.
On arriving at man's estate Mr. Wilson located
1 14 acres of land, which is still in his possession,
and of which he has cleared 28 acres. He was
v married in i866 to Susan Neil, who was-born in
September, 1852. She died Sept. i6, i88I, and left
four children, born as follows: Emily, July i6, I867;


i


William, Feb. I6, 1869; Jeanette, Nov. 4, 1873;
Robert, July I3, I875.
Mr. Wilson is a Republican in political principles.
In 1882 he was elected Township Treasurer and
held the position two terms. In 1884 he was elected
Highway Commissioner, and has been one of the
officers of his school district I2 years.
ohn Getty, farmer, section i, Austin Township, was born April 4, I831, in Upper
' Canada. His father, Robert Getty, was a
native of the State of New York and removed
to Canada, where he died. Harriet (Bigford)
Getty, his mother, died in I836, in Michigan.
Since the age of I4 years, Mr. Getty has sustained himself He came to Sanilac County in I847
and settled at Lexington. In 1855 he came to
Austin Township and located I20 acres of land, and
also r60 acres in Minden Township. Mr. Getty is
a Republican in political connection. He was married in 1858 to Rebecca, daughter of Eli and Mary
A. (Brown) Seaman. She was born Dec. 8, I840, in
Nova Scotia, of which province her mother was also
a native. Her father was born in the State of New
York. Mr. and Mrs. Getty have had 12 children, all
of whom are living except a pair of twins, who died
in infancy. Those surviving were born as follows:
Ada, Jan. 3, i860; Ida, Jan. 9, 1862; Morris, Feb.
15, I864; Eli, Oct. I6, 1867; Effie, March 27, i869;
Herbert, Sept. 5, I871; Cora, Nov. 20, I874; Maud,
May 28, 1878; Minnie, Dec. 28, i880; Ethel, Aug.
7, I883. The parents belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ames F. Wilson, farmer, section 30, Greenleaf Township, was born May 9, I849, in
At Scotland. His father, William Wilson, was
born in i805, and married Elizabeth Fairburn,
also a native of Scotland, born in 1804. In
I86i the family, consisting of father and
mother and six children, came to America, settling


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i  430                                  SAVILA    CCOUNTY.. in the township of Evergreen, on section 3o, where   He was married in I846, to Mary Kalar, daughter
the father located 80 acres of unimproved land.  of James and Susanna (Whiting) Kalar, natives of, They were the first permanent settlers on the sec- Vermont, and both deceased. The demise of thei
tion, where they were called to encounter most of  father occurred in I866; that of the mother in 1872.
the hardships and severities of pioneer life. The  Mrs. Seder was born Nov. 22, 1826, in Canada West, "
mother died in 1874.                             and is the mother of I2 living sons and daughters.
Mr. Wilson is still residing on the farm on which  They were born as follows: Nelson, Jan. 15, 1847;
his parents settled about a quarter of a century ago.  Susanna, Sept. 15, 1848; Rosa, April 8, 1850; MatHe is a Republican in political faith. In the spring  thew, Feb. 17, 1852; Mary J., Oct. 3, 1854; Wesley
of 1884 he was elected Township Treasurer of    I., June 4, 1856; Jane H., July 18, 1858; Sarah D.,
i Greenleaf. His marriage to Sarah M. Wright occur-  Sept. 15, i86o; Isaac A., July 4, 1863; Harriet, May  a
red in February, I869. His wife was born in August,  22, 1865; Emily, May 12, I867; Ida. March I9, I868.
I854, in Canada, and is the daughter of William H.
X and Margaret (Smith) Wright. Her father was born                                                  i
in England, and was a soldier in this country in the
Civil War. Her mother was born in Canada, and
the family came to Michigan in i86i. Following is                      d       a
the record of the three children born to Mr. andiam Mulloy
illiam Mulloy, druggist at Minden, Mich.,
Mrs. Wilson: Elizabeth, born May 12, 1870; Mar-           was born April 8, 1836, in the Province of
garet L., June i, I872, and Walter W., April 25,  '      Ontario.  His parents went to London,   i
l?  874.4 x  '                                       POnt., about 1839, and after a residence
J Adi_ there of ten years they removed with their
%^~~~~~~,A,";3 > t.       a     n      l~, ae family to Sanilac County, Mich.


l      'a- acob  Seder, farmer, section  io, Argyle
T I ownship, was born Aug. 22, 1827, in
' France, which was the native country of
his parents, Nicholas and Barbara (Phillips)
Seder. The family came to America in I836
and landed at New York, proceeding thence to
Canada, where the parents passed the remainder of. their lives, tlse father dying in 1845, the mother.>  in 1883.
i Mr Se.rler wra a reirldnt of th1i TDrrminirln,intil


Mr. Mulloy was 13 years of age when he came to
Michigan, and within the subsequent year he went to
Wisconsin. Four years later he returned to Sanilac
County and entered upon the vocation of a fisherman in Lake Huron, which calling he pursued 25
years. His process was the variety known as gillnet fishing, and he had an excellent reputation for
skill and ability in his calling. Mr. Mulloy talks
interestingly of the knowledge of the piscatorial tribe
he has collected within the period of his experience
among them. He claims that the ages and habits of
fish must ever remain an unsolved problem, from
''n  o tII  f lf l ars Lil n anik 1k a1LLr Havan 11  a L1n LrnupJ' tit 1


a^\     I.-,Jt VX.   e Uv-isI  V al  * iC Il  \ u_  LI 11LVI L 11  t et L-V  I11  11Vt   M LL L 1 wl UVIVl ~UlaL  tUCCI   JIC L W LO  1VC   L1 1
I860, spending his time as a farmer and lumberman.  a fish died from natural causes. Their remains are
In that year he came to Sanilac County and located  not found, nor do they come to the surface after
320 acres of land in Argyle Township under the     death. His nets have sometimes captured other
regulations of the Graduation Act.  He was the first  treasures of the water besides their legitimate prey,
permanent settler in the township, and his memory  and sometimes they have brought to light the eviof those days is full of reminiscences that would   dences of atrocious crime. His "catch" or "lift"
make an interesting volume if related in detail. His  with gill-nets has been at times as heavy as 30 bar4   farm lay four miles from any traveled thoroughfare,  rels at a single "lift," and he has caught about 300
(9   and he cut a road to his place. He has improved    barrels of fish in a season.                      I;
i    and placed 60 acres under cultivation.               After the termination of his business as a fisher-,
Mr. Seder has officiated several terms in various  man, he embarked in the drug trade, coming to:;
local offices, and has always been a Republican.     Minden in 1879, where he erected a building for his
(WM,<vv\ v=c~, oX_(;UqfSU;X>\_r                     4,,,<




SANILAC COUNTY.                                       431
(f business. He carries a stock worth $2,500and is  try, good management and indomitable purpose
managing a successful and popular enterprise. His  have again put him in a fairway to restore all he has  (:%  fixtures and equipments are of the best and most  lost; and he has refitted his place with two fine *
creditable character. Besides his store he owns a  barns and a suitable dwelling.
considerable amount of village property.           Mr. Murphy is a firm adherent to the principles of  f
Mr. Mulloy is a Democrat. He has officiated as  the Republican party. He has been the trustee of
Village Trustee, and has been School Director one  the local offices of his township since his settlement
year.                                            here, in various capacities. In I867 he was elected
He was married Dec. 20, 1862, at Port Sanilac, to  Highway Commissioner, and was elected to the same
Ellen Shipley, and they have two children,-Mary  position eight times successively.  He has been
and William. Mrs. Mulloy was born Aug. 19, I846,  Supervisor continuously since 1875, and has served
in Ontario. Her parents became residents of Sanilac  as Chairman of the Board. In i88I he was a Mem- X/>
County in her early childhood. She is a member of  ber of the State Board of Equalization from Sanilac
the Methodist Episcopal Church.                  County. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge,
|d0~~~~~~~~  ~~~No. 203, at Cass City, and in 1882 was a Delegate to
the Grand Lodge, held at Lansing.
|i             t       H"~-w-;g~ )-w -        |  He was married in 1863 to Eliza, daughter of


George and Margaret (Oram) Nelin. Her parents


t    \lr^~f,..,,Mrh,                of te    were natives of Ireland, and she was born April 23,
~ -y     l' hristopher Murphy, Supervisor of the
j  ^K! ow ship of Greenleaf, and resident on | ^  I839- She was orphaned in early childhood, and all  j.....section 34*,     i3son                         record of the births and deaths of her father and
/'\  ~   > section 34, is the son of James and Han-. of
townissheip of Jraesne           and H'dn  an  n mother are lost. The family includes three children,.. i  nah (Walker) Murphy. His father was a
born as follows: Viola O., Oct. 24, 1867; Francis  T
f\   native of Dublin, Ireland, where he was born  E,     2, [, a   J
T                                               E.,  Sept. 29, A869, and John H., May 2I, I873.   3 —
in 1794. In 1830 he was married, in Eng-        ree c  ren he been removed by death.
Three children have been removed by death.       f"3
land, and in 1854 came to Canada, with his family,    r     r     i          rearer ee, having
as~..  ~~.,...,.,~ ',~ _      Mr. Murphy is County Treasurer elect, having %
consisting of himself, his wife and four children. He
i      i:.  i..^,1              *  o            been elected Nov. 4th, current year (1884), by a
died in London Tovnship, Canada, in i865. Tlhe       dsome    ao
handsome majority..
mother of the subject of this sketch was born in
1799, in England, and died in 1873, in Greenleaf
Township, at the residence of her son.
The latter was born July 26, 1842, in England. ---< —
He grew to man's estate in the Dominion of Canada,
and obtained such education as the common schools   ' '
afforded. At the age of i8 years he entered upon         ames Wright, farmer, section 16,Greenan apprenticeship to acquire the trade of a black-         leaf Township, is the son of William and
smith, in which he served six years in Canada. In          Margaret (Smith) Wright. The father is a
i866 he came to Michigan, and spent the following      native of England and has passed his life in
winter working at his trade. In 1867 he located the    the pursuit of farming. In 1859 he came with
property on which he has since lived and labored,       his family to Sanilac County and located in
entering his claim under the provisions of the Home-  Minden Township, where he was a resident until
stead Act. It comprised   160 acres of valuable   1879, when he settled in the township of Greenleaf
'   wooded land, and he has 80 acres of well improved  on section I6. He bought 320 acres of land, where
real estate. His career was one of uninterrupted  he now lives. The mother was born in Canada.,    prosperity until I88I, when the historic fires which  Mr. Wright is a native of Canada, where he was:   devastated this section of the Peninsular State   born June i8, 1856. He remained an inmate of his
A    destroyed his dwelling and household goods and all  father's house until he attained his majority, when he
)    his barns and farming implements. The loss in     was married to Jessie McAlpine. She was born Aug.
\    round numbers was $5,ooo. His persevering indus-  7, 855, in Canada, and is the daughter of Archibald
li    Ii — I "d- nt(-                                     i^T-~-IC




tv,4-                   — M                  n4      n           — t^^
432                                 SANILAC COUNTY.                                             R,~ and Harriet (Mackenzie) McAlpine, born respectively  them to send all relief possible to the Port Huron
in Canada and Scotland. Her parents came to Huron  committee. They answered by sending him a check  I
9 County, where they lived until I873, in which year  for $r,ooo, with instructions to distribute it according
1 they came to Greenleaf Township and located on  to his best judgment. This was followed by some
section 17.                                     $1,3oo more, all of which was distributed among
In 1877 Mr. Wright settled on 80 acres of land,  the people of the burnt district, receipts obtained
where he has since resided, and has about 30o acres  and almost every cent accounted for. In distributing
with good improvements. The property was fortu-  this Mr. Shults endeavored to relieve actual distress
nate in escaping the ruinous fires of i88i. Politically  rather than attempt to replace losses, and hence
Mr. Wright is a Republican.                     sought out those whose property was not insured
and were otherwise unable to provide for present
needs. He was also appointed a member of the    I A
-<^lc~~.-" *~~~~ —  ~Minden Relief Committee, but resigned.               i;
~?:~ ^^\.'~'-~-";~~ ~Finding the people too poor to support the Post
1    ames Henry Shults, editor and proprietor  for a time, he removed to Port Huron, and estabof the Minden City Post, was born at    lished the Saturday Tribune. This venture proved
g'g    Howell, Mich., March I8, i855, and when  successful, and  in February, 1883, he sold the. iX two years of age his parents moved to Seville,  Tribune to its present owner, Mr. A. H. Finn. He
Gratiot Co., Mich., where all the hardships of  then devoted his attention to the job-printing busi[    pioneer life were endured and a home gradu-  ness in Port Huron, and  to publishing the Post,
' ally hewn out of the forest.                    which he revived a short time after the fire. In Oc-,
When 18 years of age the subject of this sketch  tober, 1883, hepurchased theSanilac CountyReporter,.:
=   had obtained a good common-school education and  which he still owns. April 7, 1884, he moved to a
X   began life as a school-teacher. After teaching one  Minden City, equipped the Post office with a steam
__ term he secured a position as apprentice in the office  press and necessary material, enlarged the paper to a
of the St. Louis Herald, where he remained until  six-column quarto, and has succeeded in placing it
April, 1877, when he took charge of the Isabella in the front rank of local journals. It is strictly in() Times, at Mt. Pleasant, Mich. In October of the  dependent in politics, and has a wide circulation
same year he moved to Chicago and accepted a posi-  among all classes. Being the only newspaper in the
tion with Donnelly, Lloyd & Co., a large book-print-  entire northern portion of Sanilac County, it enjoys a
ing establishment, where he remained for some time,  field particularly its own, and as the county is develfinally resigning to accept a position on the Chicago  oping rapidly, its influence and circulation is conTelegraph, now defunct. He afterwards was em-   stantly increasing. The office is equipped with a
4  ployed on the Chicago Hotel World for two years.  fine assortment of new job-printing material. Local
Nov. 3, 1879, he was married to Miss Kate Dow,  departments for the surrounding towns of Decker- A
of St. Louis, Mich., who died on the gth of April  ville, Downington, Tyre and Ubly make it especially  j
following.                                      interesting to the people of those places and vicinity.
In November, i880, he purchased the St. Louis
(Mich.) Herald, and sold it in February, 88. He.
then returned to Detroit, and April 26th to Minden
City, where he founded The Post, meeting with fair.
success until the great forest fires swept over the  |  loseph Brown, farmer, section 30, Austin
Huron Peninsula, rendering many of his patrons      l   Township, wai born 0 ct. 10, 1832, in
homeless and destitute. On the day following the   f     Louisville, N. Y. His parents, John and
fire he was appointed a committee with W. A. Mills  gJane (McPherson) Brown, were natives of Ire-!
to draft and send to the press resolutions urging the  land. The father was born in 1795, and died
necessity of relief for the people. On the same day  in 1854, in Canada. The mother was born in. he wrote several letters to his Chicago friends    I797, and died in I837. They removed to Canada
describing the terrible condition of affairs and asking  in I835, when their son was but three years old.
_Nq I                    gII:~ z




SANILAC COUNTY.                                           433
As,,                                    -    I,,*.                                                          -)


1
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'!   TThe latter remained under the care of his parents
until he was I2 years of age, when he began to work
i; in an edge-tool factory. Two years later he was
i employed in a blacksniith shop. Later, he engaged
in lumbering in the winter seasons, and passed the
summers in working as a carpenter, until 1859, when
he came to Michigan. He was married in i85- to
Ann Fisher. She was born July 20, 1836, and is the
daughter of Alexander and Sarah (Graham) Fisher,
natives of Scotland. Her mother was born in i8o6
f  and died April 6, i88; and her father was born in
1794 and died May 6, I855.
On coming to Sanilac County, Mr. Brown located
i6c acres of land on sections 19 and 30. The fires
of I87 r and i88I visited his farm in common with
others and in the latter he lost a large barn, together
with crops, the whole representing $3,00o.
He has been extensively engaged in real-estate
transactions, and at one time owned upward of a thousand acres of land.  His estate now includes 500
acres of land situated in the most desirable portion
of the township. He was among the first of the permanent settlers in Austin, and Mrs. Brown relates
her experiences hunting the cows with a gun on her
shoulder and guiding her labors by a compass.
Mr. Brown is a Democrat in political faith. He has
been Treasurer of Austin, and has officiated i8 successive years as Justice of the Peace and school
officer.
The births of ten children are recorded, as follows:
John, Dec, 30, i854; Alex. L., March I3, I857;
Joseph, Jan. I[, I859; Sarah J.,Aug. 21, I86I (died
Aug. 26, I88i); Fanny E., Sept. I5, 1863; Lilly,
Nov. 25, I865; William T., March 12, 1869; Robert,
May 9, 1871 (died Feb. 2, 1872); Stanley A., April
a, 1873; Frank, March 3, i878.


employ as a farm assistant, which he followed at
various points as opportunity served until his marriage, which occurred Jan. 4, I848, Miss Caroline
Wright being the bride. She was born Feb. 22,
1828, in Simcoe, Can. and is the daughter of John
and Ann (Barrister) Wright.  Her parents were
natives of England, and her father was a butcher by
trade, in the old country; but on coming to Canada
he became a farmer.   Both are deceased. The
record of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs.
Hill is thus given: Charles was born Aug. 6, I849;
Amanda, June 28, I85I; Alonzo, Sept. I8, i856:
Barney, Oct. 27, i866. Three children have been
removed by death.
In 1871 Mr. Hill came to Sanilac County and
bought i60 acres of land. He has given his sons
each 40 acres of land, and has 80 acres in the home
place.  His loss in the fire of I88I was heavy.
His political sympathies are with the Republican
party, and he has officiated six years as Assessor of
his district. Mr. Hill is a member of the Baptist
Church.
wen F. Teeple, farmer, section I3, Elmer
Township, was born in the village of Vittoria, Charlotteville Township, Norfolk Co.,
Ont., and is the son of Captain Alexander and
Mary A. (Winter) Teeple. His paternal grandfather was a pioneer preacher of the Baptist
denomination, and was the sixth settler in the township where he located. His father, Alexander Teeple, was a tanner by vocation and the son was
instructed in the same calling. The father met his
death by being caught under a stone while digging a
hole to bury it, according to the custom of some
sections in disposing of boulders which are too large
to roll away. He was about 50 years of age. The
mother lives in Ontario, and is 62 years of age.
Mr. Teeple resided with his mother two years
after the death of his father, when he became a
sailor on the lakes. He passed five summers as a
common seaman, working as a tanner during the
intervening winters.  After that he was variously


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':.!~'    iHilliam Hill, farmer, section I3, Greenleaf!.1~, | Township, is a son of William    and
*,:?   X   '? Asenath (Turner) Hill. His parents were
ij~,.    natives of the State of New York, and after
X.i         their marriage removed to Canada. He was
i*.  (  born July 30, I825, in Oxford Co., Can. He
left his paternal home in 1844 and first obtained
g/ ^^ —^y —AO


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S   434                               SANILAC C
3 employed in Norfolk County and in the State of
( New York for some time, when he again spent a
season on the lakes.
He was married Feb. i8, 1875, in Forestville,
Norfolk Co., Ont., to Sarah J. Severance. They
have six children, namely: Sewell E., born Nov. 24,
1875; Mary E., June 4, 1877; Francis A., March
23, I879; Rosamond C., Jan. 6, i88I; Owen V.,
April 3, i883; Helen E., May 2, 1884. Mrs. Teeple
was born Nov. 24, 1854, in Rockport, on Cape Ann,
on the coast of Massachusetts, and is the daughter.  of Sewell and Mary J. (Tait) Severance. Her father
X   traced his lineage to the earliest settlement of this
country. She lived at home until she was 16 years


'0 UNTY.


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of age, when she went to Lowell, Mass., and spent
three years, occupied as a cloth-folder in a cotton
factory.
In I878 Mr. Teeple removed his family to Michigan and located on r60 acres of land, wholly unimproved, where he has since operated and cleared
and placed in profitable agricultural condition 50
acres. His barn-40 x 86 feet-is the largest in
Elmer Township.
The family are Baptists in religious connection.
Mr. Teeple is a Republican in political views, and a
member of the Order of Masonry.,H<H


complished by foreigners, who bring the old-country
thrift, industry and economy into full operation
under the fostering influences and liberal possibilities
of a republican land with unequalled resources.
Mr. McEachin is now the proprietor of 800 acres of
land. He is a Democrat in political principle, and
has served a number of years as Highway Commissioner.
He was married in February, I857, to Flora McIsaac, daughter of O'Neil and Mary (McEachin)
Mclsaac. Her parents were natives of Scotland.
She was born in 1837, and is the mother of four sons
and two daughters, born as follows. Norman E.,
Feb. 8, 1858; Angus, Feb. 27, i860; Sarah, April
17, 1862; Malcolm, March I6, I864; Neil, June I6,
i868; Mary J., Dec. i, i874.   The family are
Roman Catholics.
J     avid Murdock, farmer, section I2, Minden
Township, was born   July 9, 1838, in
County Tyrone, Ireland. His parents,
David and Jane Murdock, were also natives
of Ireland, and emigrated with their family to
Ontario, in 1847. They settled near Stratford.
In 1852 they transferred their family and interests to
Sanilac County, where the father died, when he was
70 years of age. His mother is now an inmate of
her son's home. She is 70 years of age, and is in
fine, robust health.
Mr. Murdock was a lad of nine years when his
parents became residents of Canada, and he came
with them to Michigan. He assisted on the home
place a year after he attained his majority. He
passed the next two years in various occupations,
and in the fall of 1864 yielded to the pressure of the
times and became a soldier in the Union army. He
enrolled in Company E, i3th Ind. Vol. Inf., Capt.
Stepp. The regiment was first attached to the Army
of the Cumberland, and later to that of the Potomac.
Mr. Murdock was in hot action at Fort Fisher, N. C.,
and in several minor skirmishes. He received an
honorable discharge Sept. 5, I865, after the war was
closed.
He returned to the Huron peninsula and became


- eil McEachin, farmer, section 6, Green-!  I    tleaf Township, was born in Scotland,
X  1Io    March i6, 1833, and is the son of Neil
and Sarah (Campbell) McEachin, now deceased, both of whom were natives of the land
wherein "on either hand the knolls and swells
are crimsoned by the heather bells."
Mr. McEachin grew to mature years in his native
land, and in i850 came to America. He made his
(   first stop at Quebec, Can., where he continued to rek  side until 187, when he removed to his present loca-.IS tion in Sanilac County. He settled on 200 acres of
'   land on which he has since resided and expended
his energies to the best possible advantage. He is
) one of the substantial land-holders of Sanilac
County, and has creditably achievedwhat may beac^x' )        Q^ ----^J                          ' m


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&~":i - ~~ —~O:-i~~ i:,Ma'                                             ~i    "~



api'.i ie.'%:
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Plli.~~-i
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SA NI —  LA. 0sUNT.               435 ---
SANILAC COUNTY.                    435 y


I


interested in fishing along the lake-side, employing
the gill.net and other methods. He continued in
this avenue of business nine years. In 1876 he took
possession of a farm he had purchased previously,
where he has since expended his time and energies.
He now owns o00 acres of land, and nine-tenths of
the farm is in a good state of improvement and cultivation. In political faith and action Mr. Murdock is
independent.
His marriage to Mrs. Anna (Hunter) Tyler occurred Sept. i6, I876, and they are the parents of three
children-Margery E., Anna M. and James D. Mrs.
Murdock was born in Blackburn, Lancastershire,
Eng., and is the daughter of John and Mary (Burton)
Hunter. She received a common-school education
in her native country, and came with her parents to
Au Sable, Iosco Co., Mich., when she was I6 years
of age.  Her first husband, Squire Monroe Tyler,
was a native of the State of New York, and became
a resident of Michigan when he was I6 years of age.
He married when he was 24 years old, and died Dec.
29, I876, in Iosco County, aged nearly 36 years. Six
children were born of the first marriage of Mr. Murdock, one of whom is deceased. The others are
named John, Henry, Charles, Mary A. and Thomas
J. Mrs. Murdock is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.


Rivers. In I867 he made a permanent settlement
where he has since resided.
He was married Feb. 15, i 86 I, to Jane McEachin,
the daughter of John and Jane (Black) McEachin.
The parents were natives of Scotland, whence they
emigrated to Canada, where they still reside. They
were born respectively in 1794 and I807. Mrs.
Gillis was born March 3, I84r, in Canada. The I2
children of whom she is the mother are all living,
and were born as follows: John, Sept. 6, 1862; Jane,
March i8, 1864; Mary, Oct. 24, 1865; Archibald,
July 31, 1867; Ann, Nov. 4, I869; Catherine, Sept.
i8, i871; Duncan, Aug. i8, 1873; Sarah, July 6,
1875; Jessie, May 13, I877; Maggie B., May 5,
1879; Dugald A., Dec. 21, i88i; Violet E., May 6,
1884  Their parents are members of the Presbyterian Church.


I
i~:;
IcI1


-A~  rchibald McPhail, farmer, section 33, Aus-!
fiI tin Township, was born in I831, in Scot-   ~
a  land. In I854 he left his native land and  i
came to America.   He went to Dunwich,
i   Canada, where he passed the summers in
farming and the winter seasons as a lumberman, until I859, when he came to Sanilac County.
He pre-empted i60 acres of land in Austin Township, and in the year following he bought the claim
fJinr  i-r  I r 4n1 1 nn CIn - Ir TT   11bOd  cint1''  4 S  hr U n jurlr


* ~~f f^^.'^^4~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~              u A5 t  Ul-l all dal G. EIC lla 5111C aUUCU Uy puI- I;~  ill^,m.,...      ^        chase I27 acres to his estate.
lexandbr Gillis, farmer, section 4, Green3^gjg         X                           Aeade llfre,        re-He was married to Nancy Gillis, who was born in, leaf Township, was born in Kilmora, Ar-   November, 1841, in Scotland. (Both of her parents
y w   gyleshire, Scotland, June  io, I83I.   His   were natives of Scotland.) Six sons and six daughters
parents, John and Mary (McNaughton) Gillis,  were born to them, and of the 12 only five are living.
were natives of Scotland, and were born re-  The record is as follows: John, born March 31,
spectively in 1798 and 1804. They belonged to the  I867; Flora, Sept. 4, i868 (died sixteen days later);
agricultural class in their native land. At the age  Betsey, Dec. 8, 1869; Archie, born Jan. 18, I87I,
i   of 26 years, Mr. Gillis became a seaman and ship-  died March 24, following; Dugald, born Jan. 18,
ped as such on the "Champion of Greenock," where   I872, died Aug. 8, in the same year; Florrie A.,
he remained i8 months, and later served under Cap-  born April 22, 1874; twins, born in July, 1875, died
tain Cochrane. He followed the sea 15 years, and   Sept. 29 and 30, following; May, born March 3,
a,   in 1862 settled on a farm in Canada. Subsequently  I877; Thompson, May io, I878; Maggie J., June
he became a sailor on the five Great Lakes, and was  12, 1879 (died Oct. 6, same year); Ferguson, born
also in the service on the Ohio and the Mississippi  Sept. 27, I880, died Jan. 14, 1881.
KX,,:. ----__                                                             CI>-  - --- D -4




436                                   SANILAC C
ij    Mr. McPhail is a Democrat in political connection, and has discharged the duties of several local
j" official positions. The family attend the Presbyterian Church.,.-<~


'OUNTY.


A":)zQ
>pa.


eorge C. Vincent, M. D., practicing phys-!i~l[.~ ician and surgeon, at Deckerville, was
~j  C  born Dec. 25, 1842, in Ontario Co., Ont.
"    His parents, Stephen and Dorothy (Truax)
Vincent, were natives respectively of New
York and Quebec. His father is of New
England parentage; his mother descended from
Dutch ancestors. They were married in the Province of Quebec, and in 1847 located in Lexington
Township, Sanilac County, where the father died,
April 8, I873. Mrs. V. resides with a son in Lexington, and is 80 years of age.
Dr. Vincent is the seventh son and tenth child of
13 born to his parents. He was five years old when
the family removed to Michigan, and he resided
with them until he was 17 years of age. At that
period he obtained his father's consent to enter upon
a combat with fortune in his own behalf, and he
went to Dane Co., Wis., with the family of John
Wilson, an old friend of his father. They remained
in the Badger State but a short time, going thence to
Iowa, but Dr. Vincent proceeded no farther west.
He obtained employment as a farm laborer during
the agricultural season, and attended the academy
at Albion in the same county, in the winter. He
returned to Sanilac County in I862 and began
teaching before he was 20 years old, alternating his
task in that avenue by attending college. Later, he
taught music during his vacations and also taught
winter terms of school. He passed 12 years in this
manner, meanwhile reading for his profession as he
found opportunity.
March 3, I874, he came to Deckerville and commenced the practice of his profession. His abilities
and attention to his business soon established his
reputation as a practitioner. He continued his course
of study, and in 1875 was graduated at the Homeopathic School of Medicine at Detroit. His field of
practice was at first, for obvious reasons, full of difficulty, and he sacrificed comfort of all varieties to


meet the demand for his services. In seasons of
prevalent sickness he has passed three weeks at a
time without removing his clothing to sleep, and
could only obtain rest by seeking a place unknown
to his family for a few hours. Dr. Vincent realizes
and responds to the responsibilities of his profession.
He is a radical Republican, and is as active in the
maintenance of the principles and issues of his party
element as his business will permit. He is prominent in school matters, and was Township Superintendent during the entire period of the operation of
the law which created the office. He is present
School Inspector, and has been almost continuously
a member of the village School Board. He was appointed first Health Officer after the organization of
Marion Township, and has since held the position.
Dr. Vincent was married Nov. 3, 1862, in Dane
Co., Wis., to Evelyn L. Turner. She was born in
Vermont, Feb. 9, i843, and is the daughter of Solomon and Rhoda Turner. Her parents removed from
the Green Mountain State to Wisconsin in I856,
where she obtained her education. Two children
are now included in the family of Dr. Vincent,Elva J., born July 12, 1864, and Minnie, April Io,
I873.
The estate of Dr. Vincent includes 20 acres within the village plat, a residence worth $4,000, i6o
acres of land on section 6, Custer Township, and 40
acres in another county.
homas Nicol, Township Clerk of Greenleaf,
and farmer on section 35, was born Nov. i,
i 1840, in Scotland, and is the son of James
r  and Anne (Young) Nicol, both of whom were
born in I804 in Scotland. Her father was a
custom-house officer, and was drowned in 1838,
while engaged in the discharge of his duty. Her
mother is still living in Scotland.
Mr. Nicol came to America in I859. He landed
at Quebec, and went thence to London, Canada,
where he became a farm laborer. In I867 he came
to Sanilac County and located on i6o acres of land,
on which he has since resided. He has placed go
acres under good improvements. The place is in


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SA ILA C COUNTY.




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eminently creditable condition, notwithstanding the
i  fact that it has been twice devastated by fire, the
scourges of flame in 1871 and in i88I having both
swept over the place, the latter destroying all the
fences and buildings. The energy and industry of
the proprietor is plainly manifest in the rapid progress of the work of reclamation.
Mr. Nicol is a prominent member of the Republican party. He has been Township Treasurer 13
years, and was School Superintendent several terms.
i    J In i880 he was elected to the position he now
holds. He is also Superintendent of the Poor and
' has been in that office five years. He was appointed Census Enumerator in i880, and was reappointed for the same duty last spring (1884).
The marriage of Mr. Nicol to Elizabeth Ord
occurred in 1865. She was born in London, Ont., in
March, i832, and died Nov. 20, 1883. She was a
daughter of Ralph and Cecilia (Bettie) Ord. The
family belong to the Presbyterian Church.


was born Nov. 25, i866
is the daughter of Josept
natives of Canada and nc
(See sketch.) Orin, onl
Marr, was born Oct. 5, I8


_a._. _437           4 '
437,in Sanilac Co., Mich., and
h and Ann (Fisher) Brown, <
>w residents of this county. <i
y child of Mr. and Mrs..
383.                        '.1


_w0ap0lri_3-K-.4t


illiam Wright, farmer, section 17, Greenleaf Township, was born Aug. 3, 1827, in
England, of which country his parents
> were natives. His father, William  Wright,
was born in i8oo and married Mary A.
Howard, who was born in 1803 in Ireland. In
I833 they came to America with their family, consisting of the father, mother and children. They
settled in the State of New York, where they were
residents 14 years, going thence to Canada. The
father died there in 1877.
Mr. Wright was six years old when his parents removed to the New World. He remained with them
in the Empire State until he was 13 years of age,
when he began life for himself. He worked as a farm
assistant as opportunity presented, until he entered
his manhood. On the occasion of making a visit to
his parents in Canada he formed the acquaintance of


BP


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_ Imer F. Marr, merchant at Cumber, Ausl~H   tin Township, was born April 23, 1855, in
A    Crawford Co., Pa.   His father, E. A.
~ Marr, was born Aug. 21, I832, in Canada. The


latter went to Pennsylvania, where he lived  Margaret Smith, who became his wife in i85-. She
some i8 years, and then came to Michigan and  died in i86o, and three children survive her. They
married Mary Sherman, who was born May i, i835,  were born as follows: Mary R., Sept. 17, I849; Sarah
li in Southfield, Oakland County, this State. Their  M., Aug. 13, 1854; James, June i8, i856. The
marriage took place in Tuscola, whence they removed  mother was born in May, 1827, and was the daughter
to Pennsylvania. After a residence there of two  of William and Mary (Helerman) Smith. The presyears, they returned to Tuscola, where they now re-  ent wife was Sarah J. McGinnis, to whom he was
side; Mr. S. is engaged in agriculture.         married a year later. She was born Sept. 30, 1837,
Mr. Marr resided in Tuscola County until he  in Pennsylvania, and is the daughter of Zephaniah
reached his majority. From i866 until I877 he was  and Mabala (Archer) McGinnis. When she was five
a student at various schools, and also engaged in  years old her father died; her mother lives in Mar-: teaching. He was graduated in the year last named  shall Co., W. Va.                            a
from the Union School at Caro. He passed the years  Mr. Wright came in i858 to Minden Township,
intervening until 1880 in teaching, when he came to  Sanilac County, where he located a claim of 40 acres
t   Cumber, and with an invested capital of $300 en-  of land, and later on bought another tract of the  -
gaged in his present enterprise. He is an adherent  same acreage. In I86I he became a soldier in the
9    of the Republican party, and has been one year  war for the Union, enlisting in Co. K, Ioth Mich.
Township Clerk of Austin.                        Inf., which, on taking the field, was assigned to the
He was married in 1883, to Lillie Brown. She  First Brigade, Second Division and I4th Army Corps.! --- —                                       sXta.4                    --         -
(Ci~i.~- nDi b-l\~n,_c —~_                        _._*t~nnc;~i~~mAP
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ti,.').'~'.I.
438                              SAZILAC COUNTY. Tx
~:!/~  438~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`~~


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i


He received honorable discharge at Newark, N. J.,
July 13, 1865, after the close of the war, having
seen much actual service. Among the important
engagements in which he was an active participant
were those of Bentonville, Atlanta, Chickamauga,
Savannah and Lister's Ferry. After the death of
his wife he decided to change his location, and he
removed to Greenleaf Township, where he settled
upon the property which has since been his homestead, then comprising I60 acres of unimproved land.
Later, he bought I60 acres of State land, and retains
the ownership of 240 acres, with ioo acres in fine
tillage, and with first-class farm fixtures. Like other
estates in this portion of Sanilac County, that of Mr.
Wright was subjected to the fiery ordeal of the year
i88i, but his losses were comparatively small. In
political principle Mr. Wright is a Republican of decided type. He is a member of the G. A. R., Post
Milo Warner, No. 232, Cass City.
Following is the record of seven children born to
Mr. and Mrs. Wright: Cerilla A., born Oct. i6, I867;
Elmer Z., May 24, 1870; Ida C., June 21, 1872;
Melinda J., March 3, 1873; Vesta Deleta, Feb. I9,
1875; Pearlie M.; Levy H., July 28, i88i.
-i    110en M. Kay, physician, surgeon and den*".   4' tist at Tyre, Austin Township, was born
~l1 Dec. 17, I850, in Lanark County, Can. His!t  parents, John and Catherine (Miller) Kay,
were natives of Scotland. The father was
born in I790 in Argyleshire, the mother in
I8oo in Glasgow. In 1828 they came to Canada,
where they passed the remaining portions of their
lives, dying respectively in 1863 and I871.
Dr. Kay obtained his elementary education in the
common schools of his native province, and when he
was I3 years of age he entered upon a voluntary apprenticeship with a shoemaker, and followed the
business several years, when he began to fit himself
for his profession in the county of Huron.  He
continued his studies until, in I870, he completed a
regular course of medical instruction, both in Canada
and in the United States. In I874 he came to


Michigan and began his career as a practitioner in
Sanilac County, locating at Tyre, where he has since
been engaged in the prosecution of a lucrative and
successful business. Dr. Kay is an adherent of the.40GIMONO: 1taniel Sommerville, farmer, section I2,
Greenleaf Township, was born in Scotland, the native country of his parents,
'  John and Jeannette (Johnson) Sommerville..  They were born in Argyleshire, respectively in
1822 and i821. Mrs. S. died Nov. ii, 1882, in
Austin, Sanilac County. Their family included three
daughters and five sons. The senior Sommerville
left his native land in I855 and settled at first in
Middlesex Co., Can., where he engaged in farming
until the year I860, when he came to Sanilac County,
when the townships of the section where he located
were yet unorganized, that of Greenleaf being indicated as "town 14 north, of range 13." He purchased I60 acres of land on section i8, under the
provisions of the Graduation Act, and is still resident
thereon.
Daniel Sommerville was born in the Scottish capital, Glasgow, June 8, I847. He came to America
with his parents, and was a member of the paternal
household until he was 27 years of age, when he
married Charlotte, daughter of William and Eliza
(Smith) Wright. Her father was born Dec. 5, 1822,
in Birmingham, Eng. Her mother was born Sept. 6,
1826, in Canada. Mrs. Sommerville was born April
14, I855, in Canada, and is the eldest of eight children. In 1876 he took up his residence on the place
whereon he now lives, which includes 80 acres of
valuable land, with 40 acres under fine improve

Democratic party in political connection. He is a
member of the Masonic Order, and belongs to Cato
Lodge, No. 215, in Minden.
His marriage to Mary Leitch occurred Dec. 25,
I876. She was born Feb. 25, i858, and is the
daughter of John and Mary (McAlister) Leitch (see
sketch of J. Leitch), natives respectively of Canada
and Scotland. They are now residents of Marion
Township, Sanilac County. John L., only child of
Dr. and Mrs. Kay, was born May 17, i883.


1,
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SANILAC CCOUNTY.                                      439 "
'v ments. His place has fine farm buildings, among  1871 and I881. The loss in the latter, of crops,
which is the largest barn in the township. He is a  buildings, etc., aggregated $8,ooo. Mr. Soule has  t
radical and candid Republican, and has been offi-  erected two large barns and other out-buildings..
cially connected with the affairs of the school district
where he resides since he took his location. He is
a member of the Masonic Order at Cass City. Three
sons and two daughters have been included in the                      i 0164 -household, as follows: John W., born Sept. i, 1877;
James, March 15, I879 (died April 29, 1879); George
J B., March 26, I88o; Jeannette, Sept. II, I882: and
Eliza, Aug. i3, I884.
rS Eliza, Aug. 13, 1884.                             ) S"  obert M. Cleland, farmer, section 7, Austin
Township, was born Nov. 2, I841, in Scotr:;;^^^^0~~~~~~~~ Usland, and is the son of Alexander and                            '
1X;-  _r ~^ \^            Janet (Moore) Cleland, both of whom were
i- _ n-^  -p ---- 7 1?natives of the same place. The family came
to America in 1853, landing at New York.
|j?~~~~~~ ^_ti~~~They proceeded to Detroit, and after a residence
I    *I |Llexander Soule, farmer and breeder of   there of five years they came to Sanilac County,
stock, section 13, Austin Township, is the  where they located i60 acres of land on section 7.
j i  s   son of Samuel W. and Elizabeth Soule;   The mother died in 1873, on the homestead. The
j j  the latter was born in 1805, in the State of  father died in 1865, in Forester, Sanilac County,
1   Maine; the former was born in 1785, in the  whither he had gone to nurse his son, who had re-.
city of Boston, and died in i856.          turned from the prison pens of the South as far as to
Mr. Soule was born Dec. 8, 1834, in Avon, Somer-  that point, but was too ill to reach home.
set Co., Maine. He became an assistant in a cabinet  Mr. Cleland grew to man's estate on his father's
shop when he was 12 years of age, serving an ap-  farm, and in 1864 became a soldier for the Union.  /
prenticeship of two years, after which he worked as a  He enlisted in Co. H, Fifth Mich. Vol. Inf. He was
carpenter and bridge-builder. In 1857 he came to  captured Oct. 27, 1864, after the action at Boydton, (|!!!?.....              '~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I  Sanilac County and entered a claim of 80 acres of
land. He has since increased his estate until he
owns an aggregate of 524 acres, with Ioo acres in
fine arable condition. Mr. Soule is independent in
political belief and action. He was appointed the
XI.... -


Va., and taken to Richmond. A week later he was
transferred to Salisbury, N. C., and was held there
for four months. He was sent, March 22, 1865, to
Wilmington, and thence to Annapolis, Md., whence
a transfer was made to Camp Chase, Ohio.  He


l
I
I
|
E


first Clerk ot the township on its organization, and  received a furlough of 30 days, and before its exhas served a number of terms as a school officer.  piration was taken ill.  He did not recover until X
He was married in I857, to Susan Blake, who was  some time after his date of return had passed, but,
born Sept. i, I839, and is the daughter of William  received a final discharge at Triplar hospital, near
and Elizabeth (Darch) Blake, natives of England,   Columbus, Ohio, May 30, i865, when he returned
where the daughter was born. In 1838 her parents   home.
came to Canada, where they now reside. Twelve       He was married March 31, 1875, to Ellen Annis,
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Soule, as  who was born May 17, 1854, at St. Thomas, Canada,.   follows: James, Jan. 12, 1859; George R., Aug. 23,  and is the daughterof Matthew and Abigail (Gibbs)
1860; Bertha J., April 8, 1862: William A., Oct. 6,  Annis, both of whom were born in Canada. The: 1863; Lucy A., June 19, I865; Arthur J., Dec. 31,  father died in I880; her mother resides in Bingham,
1867; Susan M., April 17, 1869; Eleanor M., Nov.  Huron Co., Mich. Abby M., only child of Mr. and  ';f
27, 1871; Amy 0., Oct. 18, 1873; Samuel W., Aug.   Mrs. Cleland, was born June 2, 1881..a    17, 1875; Myrtie E., May 6, 1879; Ernest G., Aug.  Politically, Mr. Cleland is a Republican. He has
29, i88I.                                       been Supervisor of Greenleaf Township, and has (;
$      The family experienced the horrors of the fires of  held several official positions in Austin Township.
iW>j -at —                             <a: H< a  q>A, —
I-i:ilT^','~i^ r"a?i^11c




j^-  — ` —   ` -- -  7<^n
~ 440                  SANILAC
- Tll


CO UNI Y.


I-I
j'


i  rchibald McAlpine, farmer, section  8,
Greenleaf Township was born in 1822, in
Canada. His parents, Hugh and Jeannette
(Campbell) McAlpine, were natives of Scot-,   land, born near the city of Glasgow.  His
father was a weaver and came to the American
continent in 1820. His mother died in 1823, and in
I827 his father went to Ontario, and died soon after.
He then went to live with an aunt, who had the
care of him six years. He was but a lad when he
went to the State of New York, and shortly after to
Michigan, where he worked on the railroad. He has
been a resident of Michigan since 1838. In I860 he
came to Sanilac County and located 240 acres of
land in Speaker Township, where he spent three
years, in the manufacture of staves. He then removed to Sand Beach, Huron Co., Mich., where he
engaged in the construction of a State Road and
completed five miles. He went next to Port Hope,
where he was similarly occupied. In 1874 he located 480 acres of land, in Sanilac County. Of this he
retains 240 acres, and still retains the same area,
which includes 45 acres under good improvements.
His buildings were all destroyed in the fire of i881.
He was married in 1850 to Harriet McKenzie.
She was born in 1828, in Inverness, Scotland, and
died in August, 1865, at Huron City, Mich., leaving
six children, who were born as follows: Maggie, July
7, i851; Hugh, April 20, I853; Jessie, Aug. 8, I855;
Isabella, Jan. I, 1862; Julia, Oct. ii, 1863; Harriet
J., born in July, 1865, died in September following,
a month after the death of her mother.
Mr. McAlpine is a Republican in political affiliation, and is a member of the Presbyterian Church.




came to Michigan and located in Tuscola County,
where he remained two years, going thence to Caro,
where he operated as a carpenter and builder, and
remained until 1879. In that year he removed to
Sanilac County. He located 40 acres of land for a
homestead, on which he has since resided, and has
increased by later purchase to double its original
acreage. He contemplates a further purchase of 40
acres additional. Politically, Mr. Read is a Republican. He is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows,
and belongs also to the Orangemen.
He was married in I870 to Isabella Chrystal. She
was born Feb. 19, 1852, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland,
and is the daughter of William and Christina Chrystal. Her father was born in I8II; her mother in
1812. They came to this continent in 1853 and
landed at Woodstock, Oxford Co., Ont.
The death of the mother transpired in I877. Her
father resides in Seaforth, Ont. Following is the
record of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Read:
William M., born July i8, 187 I; Pericles G., Aug. 9,
I872; Walter J., March 21, 1875; Charlie, Nov. I9,
I877.
The loss of Mr. Read in the fire of i88i, which
disaster is given in detail elsewhere in this volume,
was about $7,000, including the injury to the timber
on the place. The house was burned, and the lives
of the children saved by the parents covering them
with quilts saturated with water. While doing this
they were obliged to keep their own clothing wet.
Y1t x lexander Nicol, farmer, section 25, Greenleaf Township, is the son of James and Ann
2 ir    (Young) Nicol, natives of the parish of
)jia  Barry, Scotland. His father was a farmer
i   during the earlier part of his life, and later
received an appointment as custom-house officer, which position he held until he lost his life by
drowning, while engaged in the discharge of his
duty.
Mr. Nicol was born Jan. 4, 826, in Scotland, where
he remained until he was I7 years of age. He passed
two years as a farm laborer, when he entered a
brewery, in which he was employed eight years.  In
I854 he came to Canada, where he obtained employ

VI~b
I-,'
i


5


r








ames G. Read, farmer, section 32, Greenleaf Township, is a native of England, and
and is a son of James and Sarah (Morray)
Read.     They were both born in England,
where the father died, in I853. In i856 the
mother and son came to America and first
settled in Ingersol, Oxford Co., Ontario. In I860 he
-— VNlul                       n


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`                                          'I"    "',~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Qa;
100?1 4.   4    (




..... ~.SANILAC COUITY.                                                              441
ment in a similar establishment. After a service  of Mr. and Mrs. Kivel were born as follows: Elize, there of six months he came to London, Ont., where  abeth, Oct. 6, I854; Henry, Aug. 28, 1856; William  r//!   i 1he was variously occupied until i860, when he came  J., Oct. 3, 1858; George, March 31, I862; Alfred E.,
to Sanilac County and entered a claim of i60 acres  Oct. 7, i866; Charles, Nov. II, I870. The parents
of Government land, his patent bearing the signa-  are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
t ture of James Buchanan. Politically, Mr. Nicol is a
Republican. He has officiated three terms as Clerk
of the township.


4;
41


He was married in I848, to Mary, daughter of
Charles and Ellen (Christian) Sontaer. Her parents
were natives of the parish of Carymilie, and she
was born in the same county, in i820. Five children
have been born of this union, as follows: Stewart,
May 25, 1849; James, Jan. 13, I851 (died in 1857);
Ellen, April 2, 1853 (died July 23, I866); Charles,
Jan. 4, 1855 (died July 23, i866); Agnes, April 25,
i860 (died Aug. i, i866). Four children are deceased-three of them dying within one week, two
of them on the same day. This affliction made that
of i88i, when the farm buildings and stock were
completely destroyed by fire, of comparatively trifling
importance.: m ldward Kivel, farmer, section I2, Green-:I      ^eJ leaf Township, was born in 1831, in EngA'^o    land, of English parentage. His parents
Gi belonged to the farming class in their native
country. The son bid a final farewell to the
land of his nativity when he was but 18 years
of age, and set out alone for the New World. He
landed at Quebec, but made only a short tarry there,
proceeding thence to London, Ont. He was a resident there 19 years, and in I870 came to this township in Sanilac County. He located 40 acres of land
and has 20 acres under good improvements. He
passed through the fire of the year following with
only the loss of one cow; but he sustained some
losses in the fire of I88i.
Mr. Kivel was married in I850, to Mary J. Morrish. She was born Jan. o1, I834, in England, and
is the daughter of George and Elizabeth (Boyans)
Morrish, natives of the same country. The children


I




_  V^ ddward Lazenby, farmer, section I, Green^ito0I leaf Township, was born July Io, 1842,
t    8' iin Lacole, Clinton Co., Lower Canada.
"   His parents, George S. and Elizabeth (Stockdale) Lazenby, were born in Yorkshire, Eng.
His father was head manager of the farming
interests on an English estate and came to Canada
in an early period, settling in Clinton County. In
1843 he came to Cape Vincent, Jefferson Co., N. Y.,
and five years later he settled at Brampton, Peel
Co., Upper Canada. In i858 he proceeded thence
to Goderich, where he was a resident until I869. In
that year he became a citizen of Sanilac County
and located on section i, Greenleaf Township.
He died there March 19, 1884, at the age of 86
years.
Mr. Lazenby set out from home at the age of i6
years, with his small earthly possessions tied up in
an insignificant bundle, which he carried in his hand.
He knew there was need of him where there was
work to be done, and he found employment as a
farm laborer, engaging one year. At the end of his
term of service he went to the State of New York
and passed the ensuing year in teaming. In I860,
the next year, he returned to the place where he was
born, where he passed between four and five years
in various occupations. In i865 he came to Bay
City, Mich., where he spent the summer. The
winter following he passed upon the farm he now
owns, of which he became the proprietor in I866, by
purchase. It includes 8o acres of valuable land,
and he has since added 40 acres to his farm. He
has placed 80 acres under the best improvements.
Mr. Lazenby is adherent to the tenets of the Republican party. He has been Justice of the Peace one
term, Overseer of Highways, and School Director
two terms. He is a member of the Order of Odd
Fellows, Lodge No. 104, Bay City.


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ik    He was married July 10, 187 r, at Bay City, Mich.,
(D to Ellen Ferguson. She was born Feb. 9, 1849, and,: is the daughter of William and Margaret (Fee) FerT guson. Her father was a native of Canada, and her
-  mother of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Lazenby have
had six children, born in the following order: Ida
A., Oct. 23, 1872; Hattie M., Jan. 26, 1874 (died
Sept. 30, following); Eddie B., Oct. I3, I876; Nellie
M., April 9, 1879; Carrie, Aug. 31, 1882; Oliver
F., Sept. I9, I884.
Mr. Lazenby has been called on to endure the
ordeal of fire and flame three times. In I87I his
buildings succumbed to the fire fiend; also in I88I,
in common with the inhabitants of Sanilac County;
and Jan. i6, 1884, his house and granary were again
destroyed. Notwithstanding, his affairs are in prosperous condition.
I   'KI1  Alexander McRae, farmer, section 15, Aus'.      X JE  tin Township, was born Jan. 21, i8i8, in.i"    Lower Canada. He is the son of ChristoA~+? God pher and Selinda (Phelps) McRae, who were
x1.r  S natives respectively of Scotland and Canada.
His father emigrated from his native land to
Canada, where he engaged in farming until his death
in I858. His mother resides in the State of Iowa.




When he was 21 years of age, Mr. McRae
engaged as an assistant in a saw-mill, and later was
employed on a farm, after which he became a soldier
in the regular army of the United States, whence he
was discharged, for disability, after a connection
therewith of two years and three months. He was
married in I844, to Caroline H. Rodgers. She was
born in I827, near London, Can., and is the daughter of Jonathan and Tamson (Wells) Rodgers. Her
parents were natives of Massachusetts, and after
their removal to Michigan were members of the agricultural community.
In I858 Mr. McRae went to Illinois and came
thence two years later to Sanilac County. The family settled on section 21, Austin Township, where
they resided four years, when they entered a claim
of 120 acres of land, under the provisions of the
Homestead Act. This place has since been their
home.
Mr. McRae is a Republican in political connection. He has been Supervisor of the township five
years and Clerk several terms. He has recently resigned the office of Justice of the Peace, to which he
was elected in I880. He has also held the office of
Notary Public, 20 years; was Census Enumerator
for I884. Mr. and Mrs. McRae belong to the Baptist
Church.


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INTRODUT (OR


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A  /::iNTLY a few years have passed
since any attempt has been
made to convert the unbroken
forests of Northern Michigan
_~1[t}}' ~    into an agricultural district
X~{ tll )  ~   and homes for civilized man.
l< — The early surveyors which Government
c)i2     sent out to make the survey of
'~ 4'  this part of the State reported that it
was an irreclaimable waste and not fit
for cultivation in any quarter, the soil
\   being of that character which precluded the propagation of cereals.
The rapidity of settlement and enormous crops of everything in the line of cereals
demonstrated conclusively their mistake, for no acreage surpasses Northern Michigan in productiveness.
Notwithstanding the oft-repeated tales of want and


seen the husbandman gathering the golden harvests;
where the Indian's wild war-whoop was heard, stands
the stately house of worship.  Transportation of
goods by ox teams has given way to the power of
steam, and a commerce has been opened up with all
parts of the civilized world. Prosperity in a high
degree has smiled upon her people, who are fortunate
in living in the most healthful, beautiful and productive States in the Union, taking age into consideration.
The history of this county is possessed of no small
degree of interest. While other counties were connected with the frontier by large bodies of excellent
lands, this seemed shut off from the gaze of shrewd
speculators by reason of its heavy growth of timber.
They were destined to become the heritage of an
honest, industrious people, and the income derived
from the timber and products of the soil has given


hardships told by their sires, men of energy, with  many of the first comers a handsome competency.
their families and all their earthly possessions loaded
upon wagons drawn by oxen, pushed their way step
by step, through the unbroken forests of Sanilac,          Value of Local History.
until they found suitable locations. With a spirit of
heroism have they toiled until the forests were laid    ERY few of the present generation realize
i   low, and their herculean labor is manifest in the       the great value of local history, living as
i?  broad acres of highly cultivated land, upon which       they do in an age of industry and thrift.
stand palatial residences and outbuildings of the    The opportunities for speculation and the o
J    most expensive character. Over the grounds where     haste to become wealthy take precedence of!
*   the red man chased the bounding deer, and the        everything else, and the fact is not taken into A
>    wild-cat and wolves held their nightly vigils, may be  consideration that the pioneers are rapidly passing
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446                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
from the scene of their labors, leaving but little time  The facts mentioned have been carefully culled X
for the compilation of biographical sketches which  from every source; neither pains nor expense has i.
constitute the heretofore unwritten history of Sanilac  been spared in the compilation of this work, which,
County. Their children have heard from the lips of  although not without error, is as correct as can be
their aged sires the story of privation and toil of  gathered from the pioneers themselves.
those who were first at the front in the settlement of  Upon local history depends the perpetuation ot
the county, but their children will lose sight of the  facts heretofore unwritten, as well as the biographical
facts unless they be recorded in such manner as to  sketches of every worthy pioneer in the county that
become intelligible and kept fresh in the -minds of  could be procured. Each sketch speaks volumes;
succeeding generations.                         and a history of one man's life, perhaps of an entire
Surrounded, as we are, with everything which  family, is now recorded where naught can efface or
wealth and taste can suggest, the fact is almost lost  destroy it. From this will all future volumes of like:;
~   sight of that here were the best years of the lives of  import take their data. Those who have volunteered  y. our ancestors devoted to the development of one of  the information from which this work is compiled, <'
the best agricultural counties in the State. As the  will live in the history of this county as long as time
virtues, privations, toil and hardships of the pio-  lasts. No manlier hands e'er drew a sword than they
neers of Sanilac are well worthy of a more fitting  who faced privation and danger while engaged in the
memorial than can be secured by a granite monu-  subjugation of the dense wilderness which once covment, the design of the publishers is to record a his-  ered this now beautiful land, and to them is this
() tory of inestimable value to every citizen.      volume dedicated.,;s                                                                                           '    1.


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t          /OF E CAV? AVING no literature, no per~    a         am manent records have ever
i|SK:^    112  been made by the Indians
1/ I  2       jrthemselves of their own
_, history.    Tradition alone
- has been the one uncer7d1^"^      ''.'~'  tain method of preserving
6"   )D) the fame of "the noble red man's"
'   achievements of the earlier ages;
~'*q5V   and, like the ancients of centuries
ago, their deeds of valor were remembered only by rehearsal to the
younger generation around their campfires, when it was not possible to make
war any longer with neighboring tribes,
and where hunting had become tiresome, and sports had lost their charm. Indeed, the
times were rare when this state of affairs existed in
the Indian village-in fact the story-telling era came
only when his majesty, the redskin, could do nothing
else. It is a lamentable fact that no great literary
genius ever sprang up from this race, however laughable the possibility may seem; hence, when the
modern historian attempts to construct anything
near a readable record of only a few tribes, he has
to. build a large edifice with a very little, very raw
material, which, if there were any "tariff" on it,
would indeed come high, and even now is generally
of questionable quality.
The first Indians mentioned in authentic records,
who possessed the present county of Sanilac and
adjacent territory, were the Sauks, who were far on


the decline when Columbus discovered America. A
few years later (about 1519-20), the Otchipwes, or
Chippewas, came from the East, probably from the
northern part of the New England States, struck the
Great Lakes on the north of Lake Ontario, and followed along Lake Erie, without having touched
Niagara Falls (since they make no mention of the
place in their traditions), thence up Lake St. Clair
and Lake Huron to Mackinaw, or Mee-she-mee-kenak, the "Great Turtle," as they called the island of
Mackinaw.   The Oh-dah-wa (Ottawa) family or
branch of the Otchipwe tribe took its course up Lake
Michigan (Mee-she-gane), the great lodge of the
great "Manitou;" while the main body lingered
many years around Georgian Bay and the shores of
Lake Huron, finally spreading to the Sault Ste.
Marie and the Saginaw Bay country, in a more or
less constant state of war. The scenes of their
principal traditions are about these places, and up to
the head of Lake Superior.
The name "Otchipwe " was very naturally transformed to "Chippewa." Nothing could be easier for
the speech organs of the English than to pronounce
Ot-chip-we, Od-jib-wa; and with their natural propensity for clipping words, the British soon made it
"'Jib-wa," which, when spoken lightly, becomes
"Chip-wa," hence "Chippewa." And here it may
be stated whence Lake Huron takes its name. The
derivation is originally French. When the Wyandot
Indians were dispersed by the Iroquois, a portion of
them settled around Detroit, and still retained their
old custom of dressing. their hair in the most fan

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tastic mode. The French explorers saw them and
were indeed out-Frenched, exclaiming "Quelles
hures!" (what heads!). From hures comes "Huron,"
and the lake was called for the tribe.
The reasons for believing the Atlantic coast to be
the original home of this tribe, is the reference in
their traditions to many Eastern landmarks, and
also a similarity between their speech and that of
the Algonquins.
When the great struggle for tribal supremacy took
place-in the first part of the i6th century-the
Chippewas gained possession of the district from
the mouth of the Kawkawlin River to the river called
by the French Riviere aux Hurons, now known as
the " Clinton." At this time the last Sauk warrior
fell, in the valley of the Saginaw. Throughout all
this district, particularly along its rivers and streams,
may be found mounds filled with human bones, scattered around in all directions, unmistakably showing
that they were cast together without regularity, and
telling of fierce and sanguinary battles. As late as
T834 a few aged Indians resided on the shores of
Lake Huron. During that year each of them was
questioned in regard to the ancient history of his
nation, and they were not slow to relate all they
remembered concerning the Chippewa conquest of
Northern Michigan. Finally the old chief, Puttasamine, was interviewed in the presence of Peter
Gruette, a half-breed, well-known from Detroit to
Mackinac. Gruette acted as interpreter, and as a
result the following valuable legendary history comes
down to us:
"The Sauks occupied the whole country from
Thunder Bay on the north to the head waters of the
Shiawassee, and from the mouth of Grand River to
the Huron River north of Detroit. The rest of the
country was occupied by the Pottawatomies, the
Lake Superior country by the Otchipwes (Chippewas) and Ottawas, the Menomonees around Green
Bay, and the Sioux west of the Messipi. The main
village of the Sauk nation stood on the west side of
the Saginaw River, near its mouth, and from that
place they were accustomed to rush out to war with
the Chippewas, on the north, the Pottawatomies on
the south, and the nations in Canada. At length a
council was called by the Chippewas, Pottawatomies,
Menomonees, Ottawas and the Six Nations of New
York, to meet on the Island of Mackinaw. Their


deliberations resulted in declaring a war of extermination on the Sauks. The chiefs summoned the
warriors, a large army was organized and embarked
in canoes down the west shore of Lake Huron. Arriving at Saginaw Bay, the warriors sailed over the
waters by night, lay concealed during the day, and
-so continued their advance until they arrived at a
place called "Petobegong," about ten miles above
the mouth of the Saginaw River. There they disembarked a portion of the army, while the main division crossed the bay and made a landing on the
east bank of the estuary of the Saginaw during the
night. Next morning both divisions started up the
river in order to attack both the eastern and western
towns at the same time. The warriors on the west
bank attacked the main village, surprised the inhabitants and massacred almost every man, woman and
child found there, a few survivors escaping across
the river to another village which occupied the site
of Portsmouth.
"While this was being done, the eastern division
of the allies came up to the village, where Bay City
now stands, and a desperate battle was fought. Notwithstanding the favorable position held by the
Sauks, they were defeated and great numbers of
them were slain, the survivors retreating, some into
the eastern wilderness, while others sought refuge on
Skull Island. For a time they considered themselves safe here, as the enemy did not appear to
possess any canoes; but the season offered the
invaders that which art denied, for on the next
night the ice was found sufficiently thick to warrant
a crossing, and the allies at once advanced on the
island. Here was nothing left of the Sauks save 12
women, and those who fled eastward to the river
country. The victory was as decisive as it was
bloody. After reviewing their forces the victorious
braves divided, some going up the Cass and Flint,
others up the Shiawassee and in various directions,
spreading over the whole land. The most important
battles were fought against other tribes in the neighborhood of. the Flint Bluffs and eastward to Detroit,
but the details have been forgotten by the keepers of
the traditions.
"However, before dispersing the allies, a council
decided the fate of the 12 women captured. Some
were for torturing them to death; some recommended mercy; while others were for sending them, I
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SANILAC COUNTY.                                    449
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west of the Mississippi.  The last proposition
seemed to meet the approval of the majority, and
an arrangement was made with the Sioux that they
should be the guardians of the women and be
responsible for their protection. These pledges were
faithfully kept by the Sioux until death took their
charge from them. The hunting grounds of the
Sauks were divided among their conquerors, but
many a brave gave up his life while on the chase,
at the instance of a Sauk rifle, and no tidings of him
ever reached his wigwam. A few of the conquered
tribe remained secreted here and there to pick off
their trespassers, and this led to the belief that the
spirits of the extinct tribe still haunted their fornfer
homes, and finally the territory was almost abandoned. But the Chippewas claimed it, and were
found there in 1640 by the French, who established
a mission for them at Sault Ste. Marie, under the
leadership of Fathers Joques and Paymbaut. At
that time they numbered about two thousand."
In physique the Chippewas are tall, well developed, good-looking, brave, expert hunters, little given
to agriculture, but fond of adventure.
After they became well established in Michigan
they were at war continually with the Foxes, Iroquois and Sioux, driving the last named from the
head-waters of the Mississippi and the Red River of
the North, always defeating them in the woods, but
being worsted on the plains. Their wars so reduced
their numbers that when the French missions were
restored in 1760 only four bands of the Chippewas,
numbering 550, were found on the Sault. They
always assisted the French in their expedition, and
were very devoted as long as the French ruled the
country. In Pontiac's war they surprised Mackinaw.
During the Revolution they aided the British, but
considered themselves bound by the treaties of Fort
McIntosh in i785 and Fort Harmar in 1789. Subsequently they joined the Miamis in their hostilities,
until General Wayne reduced them, when they again
made peace at Greenville in 1795. At this time
some of them had moved as far east as Lake Erie,
but they gave up their claims there in I805.
When the second war with Great Britain began,
the Chippewas (or Ojibways) again cast in their lots
with the foreigners, but submitted to the general
pacification of the tribes in 18i6. Six years later
there were 5,699 Chippewas at Saginaw, 8,335 along




the Lake Superior line from Mackinaw to the Mississippi, and 550 mixed with other tribes. The
limits of their territory were fixed in 1825; and in
1830, when all was peace elsewhere, they picked another war with the Sioux, which had to be stopped
by the interposition of the United States Government.
Gradually their lands were ceded to the Government, which, in I837 and in 1842, agreed to pay
them for 25 years $22,000 in money, $29,500 in
goods, $18,700 in other forms, $45,000 to the
half-breeds, besides off $145,000 in debts against
them.
After I850 but few bands remained east of the
Mississippi, the others having been removed. The
Lake Superior bands and those in Michigan were
generally peaceful, industrious and far advanced,
having been for years under the salutary influence of
the missionaries. The Red Lake band are still
chiefly hunters, while those farther west are restless
and lawless.
The early missions established by the Catholics
are, for the most part, still maintained. The work of
this Church can be found in the Church history of
this book. There are also Methodist, Presbyterian
and Episcopal missions, but most of the Indians are
still pagans. "Kitche Manitou" is their Great or
Good Spirit, and " Matchi Manitou" the evil one.
The Medas are a body acting as a priesthood, but
each has his own "Manitous" revealed to him in
dreams.  Their mythological ideal is "Menabojou,"
who aids the Great Spirit in creating the world.
Their industry reached its highest development in
making mats and canoes. To give a description of
their best civilization the following is quoted from a
Frenchman who visited this region about I81o:
" I remember one fine afternoon about ten years
ago accompanying an old Indian trader thither.
Seated in a light canoe and each armed with a paddle, we started from the mouth of the river for the
ostensible purpose of bartering with the Indians for
furs and trinkets. For my part I was perfectly delighted with the idea, as I never had an opportunity
hitherto of seeing the Indians at home, at least during the summer season.
"The river was sufficiently agitated to cause our
tiny boat to rock dreamily, and as we sped onward
the rich wavelets leaped and sported against our ca

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450                                 SAANILAC COUNTY.
j  noe's prow and sides like sportive kittens, ever and  strangers, clung to him, and followed him wherever  'f
4 anon greeting our faces with a damp paw that was  he went, not venturing to throw myself upon my own
*  by no means unpleasant. On we sped, now under  responsibility. I was therefore pleased when I saw
the shades of the green woods, now by the fringed,  him start toward the white tents, for I was curious to
) rich borders of the clearings, or by the grass-covered  know what they contained. Drawing aside the canmarsh. We could see from a bend in the river the  vass, he entered without ceremony, I, of course, folIndian village, and hear the wild, joyous shouts of  lowing him. Seated upon beautiful mats of colored
the dusky juveniles as they pursued their uncouth  rushes, which served as carpets and divans, were some
sports and games. As we approached their camp,  three or four good-looking squaws, very neatly and
what a busy and exhilarating scene was presented to  even richly attired in the fanciful style of the naour view! I clapped my hands in the exuberance  tive, busily engaged in embroidering and ornamenting; of my spirits, for never before had I witnessed ascene  moccasins, broad-cloth leggings, and blankets with
'- so full of real, unaffected, natural happiness as there  variegated beads and porcupine quills. Everything
greeted my senses. My companion did not appear  around evinced the utmost order, neatness and taste.  A
to share in my enthusiasm, owing, doubtless, to the  No bustling nichee or dirty urchin was allowed the
fact that he was accustomed to such scenes. Little  freedom of those consecrated tents; but all was quiet
Indian boys and girls could be seen prowling around  and calm within; and if conversation were carried
like little Cupids-some wrestling, some shooting  on, it was in that calm, soft, musical tone so peculiar
with tiny bows and arrows, some paddling their toy  to them. So, thought I, here we have a sort of ariscanoes, while others sported in the waters of the  tocracy-a setof exclusives, and a specimen of high? river, like so many amphibious creatures, each striv-  life among the natives; yet it was just the kind of.. ing to excel the other in the manner and demonstra-  high life, in many respects, after which their white
tion of its enjoyment.                         sisters might take pattern. No idle gossiping or  an
"Superannuated Indians and squaws sat by the   scandal was indulged in; they quietly plied their
tent doors, looking on with a quiet, demure pleasure,  needles, and kept their counsel to themselves. If
or arranging some toy or trinket for a favorite little  they had occasion to visit their neighbors' tents, it
toddler, while the more efficient were engaged in va-  was done quietly and pleasantly, after which business,
) rious occupations. Oh, how I longed for an artist's  was resumed."
skill, that I might sketch the wild and picturesque  The feasts and festivals of the Indians consisted
scene! Here, thought I, is human nature in its free,  chiefly of their celebrated "dances." Foremost of
untrammeled state. Care seemed to be a stranger to  all was the " war dance," when the " tom-tom" and
those children of nature; no thought of sorrow  home-made drums sent their monotonous noise
seemed to engross their minds; and the world, with  through the forest, while the "braves" would form
all its vexations, was allowed to pass along, unnoticed  various groups of from five to twenty, clasp hands
by them. Buoyancy of spirit was a striking feature  and circle around the drummer, who was generally a?
in their character. As we drew our canoe out upon  squaw-singing their "tah-dah-da-dah-da-dah" with-;
the beach, the Indians came forward to greet us, and  out any variation of the voice from the note on which
with a hearty shake of the hand wished us a cordial  the "tune " was begun. After that, were their feast
bon jour. The dusky urchins left their sport to take  and various performances, all done to incite the young
a full survey of their visitors, having done which  men to valorous deeds, after which the general initithey returned to their games with a yelp and a  ation of their youth into the army took place.
bound.                                           Then there was the " sugar dance " of the sugar (L
' Situated upon the greenest and most beautiful  season, and the " green-corn dance" and " harvest.   portion of the camp ground, were a number of white  dance " later. Some tribes had the "sun dance," but,.i
and neat-looking tents, which were closed, and iso-  it is not known that the Chippewas ever indulged in,;
lated from the dingy, smoky tepees of the village. The  this " sport." The Sioux " sun dance " is familiar to
4   trader, who seemed a sort of privileged character, was  all students of Indian history. It consisted of a fast,
entirely at home, while I, considering myself among  of several days, until the warriors became most fran-.
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7SANIAC COUNTY.                                  451rd  c.\j
SANILAC COUXNTY.                                 45I
I~~~~~~~~~~~~......._ e




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tic with hunger, then individual torture took place.
It is written that at one of these dances, one of the
bravest had himself suspended to the limb of a tree
by means of a willow run through a slot cut into the
skin of his back, and remained thus for several hours
before the flesh tore out and let him drop. This was
considered " heap much brave," as a sacrifice to the
sun. Another cut out a piece of his own liver, roasted
it over the fire, and then ate it, exclaiming, " Who is
braver than I? " After they became tamed a little
by civilization, some of these " amusements " were
abandoned.
Matrimonial customs among the Indians were very
accommodating and convenient. They had a sort
of probation; they could marry for a " moon" or for
life, and the men were permitted to have more than
one wife. The ceremony consisted in presenting the
bride a fine blanket, necklace, or any nice trinket.
If she accepted, the union was settled.
Nearly all of the Indians had left this county before the first settlers came in, and hence reniniscence of them is very limited. In Custer Township
a few remained after the general departure, and
Arthur Carson tells of their friendliness towards the
first settlers. His was the first cabin in that region,
and frequently on long journeys to the shore for provisions he was detained over night, so that Mrs.
Carson was often alone. Frequently some " locator"
of lands would pass in the evening and desire to
lodge at the Carson house. Two or three Indian
huts stood only a few rods north of the present Carson House in Sandusky, and when it was too late in
the evening to turn strangers away, Mrs. Carson was
accustomed to call over two or three squaws, who
would stay with her while the stranger stayed and
guarded the premises with jealous care.
In their later years (1835-40) many of the Indians from Canada came over to the township of
Worth in the sugar season to catch the "sap." They
had sugar-troughs and neat pails made of birch bark,
besides light brass kettles made in different sizes to
fit together so they could be easily carried. When




the sugar-making was over they traded with the settlers for various articles. Mrs. Randall Davis, of
Croswell, remembers that her husband's grist-mill
received quite a patronage from this source.
In the last days of their habitation here, the smallpox broke out among the Indians and its ravages
continued some time unchecked. Nothing could be
done to stay the plague. In the extremity of remedies, bathing was tried. A hole was dug in the
ground, filled with water, and then a hot stone was
thrown in, creating a vapor, over which the patient
was placed until he perspired profusely. Then he
was plunged into the river, and of course the result
was almost immediate death. The " medicine men "
pleaded most vigorously to the spirits, but all to no
avail. It was then considered that the Great Spirit
was angry with the tribe, and the only help was emigration, which took place almost like a stampede.
The sick and dying were left near the river without
help or comfort, only to be killed by the wild beasts
when they became to feeble to fight them off. None
that were left recovered, and thus ended the sad
story of the once powerful tribe!
Only a few of the once " noble " red men are left
in the State. Inter-marriage has done much to degenerate them, but the abridgement of their natural
habits has probably done more. The greatest part of
the Indian's make-up is hostility, and when this is
chained it dies. When the greatest part of anything
dies, the remainder swiftly follows. Peace is fatal.
One by one the red man drops away unmourned.
The boundaries of his hunting grounds are drawing
together nearer and nearer. Where once the smoke
of his wigwam curled above the pines and his yelp
was heard as he tracked the deer over the forest
snows,-now stands a modern village. Only the
brooks and meadows speak his name. When the
last grave is made, who will shed a tear? Will not
civilization feel remorse for its pretences to be powerful enough to convert the red savages? The answer
must be a humiliating one.


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SANI LAC COUNTY.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                >;i           XP,                               i~    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.




Look now abroad; another race has filled
These populous borders; wide the wood recedes,
And towns spring up, and fertile realms are tilled;
The land is full of harvests and green meads;
Streams numberless, that many a fountain feeds,
Shine, disembowered, and give to sun and breeze
Their virgin waters; the full region leads
New colonies forth, that toward the western seas
Spread, like a rapid flame among the autumnal trees.


I


$'-^ff ^'      'T~-;HAT blessing is too great for the
aged pioneer,-for him who,
s in the strength of youth,
~/ t~~~  ~i   Gat~'~ leaves childhood's playground and goes forth to
plant a people where nothmz)~ ~    ~"; aing but the wilds of nature
m  A,  ' ~  grow? Indeed, could all the
hardships be foreseen by those who venture
thither, our frontiers would recede slowly,
however well equipped the pioneer might
be. To those surrounded by the comfort


age wolves, or the bleat of a deer in distress, while
the wind whistles along its familiar path through the
pines as it has done for ages,-becomes monotonous
from long habitation. Yet, when the first crude
barriers were gone, those were happy days. Where
love is, that is home. After the winning of the daily
bread, peace was there. Neighbors were few, but
were friends, their friendship being sincere.  No
quarrels arose; there was little for dispute. Days
came and went like the brook that ebbs its careless
way through the woods. That was all.


X\ 7,of a cheerful home, with neighbors on                 -6
every hand, a relative here and a pleasant
privilege there, within the sound of the            The First Settlers.
school bell and under the shadow of the
church steeple, there comes no adequate       N I838 John B. Hyde brought a span of
conception uf what the world would be without all      horses into the county and settled north of
these. Yet the pioneer was without all these, and      Lexington, but there was no passage throughf: long lives were spent without what in civilization are  the timber, nor feed for them, and hence they: absolute necessities. "There is a pleasure in the     could not be used. Mr. Hyde traded them for
pathless woods, there is society where none intrudes,"  a team of oxen, which was the only yoke in!    may be well enough for the entertainment of those  this vicinity. This yoke of oxen was used by the
rocked in the cradle of affluence; but the spot where  neighborhood in general when any hauling was to be  (
the only evening hymn is the concerted howl of sav-  done. Of course no hay or corn was raised at that
_      _ _ _ _.



:.-.SANILAC COUNTY.                                                453
--       -                               -       _                                              _ Aj
J!- time, as the whole country was an unbroken forest.  The heavy growth of timber over all the land gave
X To keep the oxen from starvation, Mr. Hyde cut  opportunity for but one kind of occupation, that of C:
down huge maple trees each evening after returning  lumbering in some form; and there were many <;
from his work, and fed the buds and tops of these  incomers who took up their abode temporarily in this.  to the cattle. Often it was long after dark when he  county without any intention of remaining here after i
would return from his work, but he would take his  the lumber was cut off and the proceeds were in
ax, and while his children held a torch, would chop  their pockets. Quite a number of the laborers, howdown three or four large maple trees in order to get  ever, changed their opinions upon a closer exarinasufficient food for his oxen. This would be a good  ti6n of the soil when the forests had been cut away;
j  day's work for people of an easier mode of life, but  they took up claims, and became actual settlers.
was only an item in the pioneer's career of heroism.  This leads to much dispute as to who were the y
Unfortunately the country at large was but little  first actual settlers in any given locality; but this::i more than in a pioneer condition at that time, and  trivial point of history sinks into insignificance when i
its infantile experiences in establishing a currency  we behold the fine homes and farms made by men
are too plain upon the pages of history to need men-  who came here without money enough to buy
tion here. Suffice it to say, that just previous to the  scarcely a month's provisions, all of which attest the
settlement of Sanilac County the whole country had genuine worth of Sanilac County as an agricultural
undergone a panic. In the Huron Peninsula money  district.
j  was a curiosity. Shingles were the currency. A  The classes of settlers were Scotch, Irish and:i
thousand shingles were considered ample pay for a  English from Canada, with a number of New Eng- 8
St day's labor at anything; Io,ooo shingles bought a  landers and some from the Middle States. The /;... barrel of flour and 20,o000 were paid for a barrel of  county was settled from the shore and the southeast
pork. The market price of shingles was $1 per  part.  The following paper, from Captain Israel
thousand, but this was only the gauge of their value,  Huckins, deals with the individual settlement of the r
as they could not be exchanged for that sum at will,  county:                                5:
since the transportation of them was not practical for  "The completion of the survey of 1834 led to the o:   so much miscellaneous trade. Shingles were taken  discovery of large tracts of valuable pine lands, and -
at the bar for whisky and beer, and it behooved the  speculators and capitalists immediately followed up
dealer to care for them closely as they were brought  the discovery by purchasing all such lands, especially
in; otherwise his tricky customers would sell him the  along the shore, as were considered valuable on acsame bunch of shingles several times during the  count of the proximity to market or water carriage.
evening. During this period, Mrs. Buel, mother of  The same practice has prevailed throughout the
Jacob Buel, kept a hotel in Lexington and a thousand  settlement of the entire county; the speculator and! shingles were charged for five meals; but the men  lumberman have kept in advance of the settler. A
never tried to delude the good lady by stealing her  careful examination of the record shows that in the X
4   shingles and paying their board with the same  township of Lexington, 72 per cent. of the lands
shingles twice. The country abounded in pine of  were first purchased by speculators; in Sanilac townthe finest quality, hence money values and property  shi, 70 per cent.; in Buel, go per cent.; and in some
could be accumulated in the form of shingles, and  of the western and northern townships the percentwere far preferable thus than in the form of " wild-  age was greater still. Thus a very small portion was
cat" bank bills.  In the earliest days the long  left to the actual settler; and it may be added that
straight pines were cut into short block logs the  the timber take from this county-vast as it has
proper length for shingles, which were then split off  been in quantity and valuable in quality-has bene-,
the proper thickness, then shaved by hand. This  fitted the inhabitants but little. Scores of non-resi-  '
was quite a trade for several years, and many of the  dents have enriched themselves at our expense,
Ja!  beautiful farms in Sanilac to-day were purchased by  while most of the resident operators have gone else-  {
the original settlers with proceeds from the shingle-  where to enjoy the fortunes made here.
'   making of their own hands.                       "The character and circumstances of the settlers,
J. ~                                                                             ri|,_|Gd St c__ —e3<74(3111




S 454                                   SAN.ILAC COUNTY.
"l and the causes that led to the settlement are un- tifully to the cultivator; a climate salubrious and  f
usual. In 1837 a rebellion was inaugurated in the  healthy. Lake Huron afforded them a convenient (p,.,.1-       source of communication with the metropolis of the A:   British provinces, chiefly on account of the dissatis- source of communication with the metropolis of the
ifaction o rhe inhabitants who settled there immedi-  State, and in its waters an abundant supply of the
f  faction of the inhabitants who settled there immedi-, ately after the war of 1812-14, under what to them  best fish was found. Berries were found in the for>o  ately after the war of I812-1I4, under what to them
ests and there was plenty of wild game, as elk, deer,:
seemed the very liberal terms of the Canadian gov-  ear and,.,,,,bear and partridge.
ernment, which gave to each actual settler one            p
emnment t hichgv      oec       t          oner    " The first white man who settled with his family
hundred acres of land. A very large portion of the  in Sanilac County was Joel Carrington, who came...,- _.. i-ii  in Sanilac County was Joel Carrington, who came
Upper Province was thus colonized by emigrants
fro  New York Pennsylnia, Nw J y ad te     into what is now the township of Worth in 1834.
from New York, Pennsylvxnia, New Jersey and the:?from NT w Uork, r..         He engaged in the manufacture of deck planks for
New England States, whose sympathies and impulses..
'^.3. 1.. i... *. r       ship-building, engaging a considerable number of '5
had been so deeply imbued with the spirit of popular..   a
Ad?.. m,.,...m..................................en,  sawing   the   planks   with   whip-saw s.  f:
government that they became dissatisfied with British
1 ~i,~~~~.... ~" Reuben B. Dimond came next, and was the first
rule. Finally a number of inferiors who wished to
rl...ryl notie erevailedruon the Qu see  toat  Justice of the Peace, holding the first elective office
gain royal notice prevailed upon the Queen to atIgain. roa.oiepealduo         h  ue   to_ -  a  in the county. In I836 he also taught the first school,
tempt an establishment of the English Church there.  occupying a small log house a short distance south
r^,  ~~..,~.,~..*~ r occupying a small log house a short distance south
This, with other provocations, was the incentive for  o.
~.,..  1  * *...........of the    present village of Lexington.
organized insurrection; and, seizing upon what seemed.. 'r.11- 1 ~,r~" The first child born in the county was a son to
to be a favorable time when most of her majesty's
Mrs. Charles Anderson.
troops had been called home,-the new settlers. n  i
a,,., 4 -In 1836 Dr. Woodard built the first saw-mill in ~4
and their sympathizers made a general movement,.                               the county, on section 32 of Worth township, subse- /
j   throughout the provinces to make themselves free,                                              s-:   with an ultimate view of annexation to the United. quently selling it to N. B. Chase, who built a gristwith an ultimate view of annexation to the United.
'V, o       ri                 r*                     mill at the same place in 184r. R. B. Dimond *:
S* States. The scheme was a failure, and those who::"3, K,.....        11     -1  built the next saw-mill in i843, in the township of::A:=  had been in any way connected with it were declared.
r.ebl,         * a nn                     A n         Worth, and two years later Ephraim Pierce built one  s
rebels, arrested and thrown into prison. A number
s    *..                            in Iexington Township. In I846 the first steam vi
were banished to Van Dieman's Land, under sentence
saw-mill was built by Hubbard, Lester & Co., in Lexof penal servitude. All who reasonably could removed,
':',1,,.nited, e,,~. rington, on the present site of John Feed's woolen
to the United States. The early settlers of Sanilac
to the United States. The early setts of Snilc  mill. John Smith built a water mill some years before
were of this class and many had suffered severely on..~....  ~   ~.,,~. r  this on Mills' Creek, but the date is disputed.
account of their connection with the rebellion. Of  h                  the    t     s
these may be mentioned Lount and Matthews, wirn  "The second school in the county was taught in
these may be mentioned Lount and Matthews, who
ere e eued ton   anda ws, who  Worth, by F. C. Blood, in I841. The first school in
were executed at Toronto; Randall Wixson, who
X\A.v-ii~ ~,1 1~~ i  ithe township of Sanilac was taught by Uri Raywas banished to a penal colony, but who, on reach-.
~ITA~S~ -? -il~~.i  i    7mond in 1847; first in Forester by Miss Sarah /,    ing England, was released on a writ of habeas corpus;
X..,  Dewey in i85; first in Austin by C. H. McKay in -:;w:
A   Joel Wixson, also banished from the province without
i860; first in Moore by Miss Mary J. Moore in
the semblance of a trial, and many others, whose,
property wa confiscated., mn  ot I864.  The beginning of the schools in the other
property was confiscated. Thus, many of the first
proeryasoniu, m h  firt  townships is somewhat uncertain, but is given in the
settlers here had accumulated fortunes there, but  t   p   i,
r,   township history according to the memory of the
were compelled to leave empty-handed, and start
were. co e  to l e, ad    oldest settlers, since the records have been lost on
anew in a wild, strange land. But they were hardvy
anew in a wild, strange land. But they were hardy  account of the great fires or other causes. [For the
~    and industrious, if poor, and came as pioneers in a,                                      ( i
'< v..T TT  *  lilt -it  r i first churches, turn to the "Church Histoyr of this
twofold sense. Having subdued the wilds of the
p1~ and,. /strious.. oor,,nd.ame as pione   county.]
Canadian forests, they came here to repeat their  c.
"After Carrington, Dimond, and Woodard, the first i
experiences of removing the dense woods from     settlers for agricultural purposes only were John Ryan, C
homesteads, and by incessant toil and the most rigid  the Leoards, Doctor Galbraith, George Smith and
economy to provide subsistence for their families. others in 1837-8 around the present village of Ar- t
"But they found here a soil that responded boun-  adore in Worth township.
'. ' - --               -^     og:uD^ — < —_Y:




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k.-       ~SANILAC COUNTY.                    455
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"The first white family to settle in the town of! Lexington was that of John Smith. He came from
Canada in 1837 and built a small log house on the
lake shore, preferring to keep in advance of civilization. He had a family of 12 children, and their
livelihood was gained by hunting and fishing, which
was keptup until the neighbors became too thick,
when, like the Arab, he 'folded his tent and silently
stole away.' The first permanent settlers were Reuben Simons, Thomas and Miles Huckins, S. W. Munn
and the Sheldon family, in 1838-40.
" The first inhabitant of the township of Buel was
James L. McGrath, somewhat famous as a politician,
e  an advocate of temperance and a religious enthusiast, who settled in I850.
"The first permanent settler in the township of
Sanilac was William Austin, long and well known to
many of us as the Collector of Customs on the plank
road, and familiarly known among the poets by the
nom de flume of 'Toll Gate.' Henry Cooper and
John Kelly were his pioneer contemporaries in 1842..*. "In the township of Forester, Ingersoll, Hurd &
Co. commenced lumbering operations in 1848. The
<  first family that moved in was that of A. Goodrich,
i= in I849. Mr. Goodrich has been a Supervisor almost continually since that time. Jacob Sharp
came shortly after.
)   George Stroud and John Stroud were the first to
plant a colony in the town of Austin, settling 20
miles from the lake shore, in I857.
"The settlement in Speaker was inaugurated by
Messrs. - Davis and - Parker in I853-4. A melancholy event in commencing this settlement was
the accidental death of John McMahon, saddening
he  the hearts and making deeper impressions on the
few than a like calamity would at any other time.
He had bought his land and had taken a few men
with him to assist him in building a house. Arriving
on the land late at night, they built a fire beside a
large tree and lay down to sleep. The tree soon took
fire and, falling, killed Mr. McMahon and seriously:/   injured two or three others!
l      " "The first death in the county was that of a young
man named Perry, who was accidentally killed in the
building of Dr. Woodard's mill in I836."
The first marriage ceremony in the county was
performed by Rev. Thomas Huckins, on July I,
839, the contracting parties being James Hughes


I


and Miss Helen Ann Ellsworth. The event took y
place at the house of the bride's father, who was a,
farmer living about one mile and a half south of Lex- ~:
ington. Miss Ellsworth at that time was but little
more than 12 years of age. She soon moved with
her husband, who was a fisherman, to Green Bay,
where she died shortly afterward. Hughes then returned to this county. It is related of him that he
built the largest seine ever made along the Huron
shore. The seine was made in I838-9, and, with
its appendages, was over half a mile long. When he
had finished it he took a trip up to Northern Lake 4i>
Michigan, and from  the first haul 204 barrels of Pwhitefish were taken out; but not having sufficient
salt, most of the fish were lost.
The Fourth of July was not forgotten by the pioneers, but the first notable celebration that occurred
was at Lexington, in 1847. W. A. Mills, editor of
the Sandusky (O.) Democratic Mirror, was the (
speaker. A pole was raised on the corner where
Bell's drug store now stands, and the usual festivities
were enjoyed. From the very first the nation's birthday was observed, as the first settlers were all patriots  =
from the war in Canada; and their joy found vent in '
the music of the fife and drum, the firing of anvils, =
small arms, and such other inventions as could be \/
made with their limited facilities.  Saloons were
plenty, and of course the Bacchanalian idol received (
his portion of the popular worship.
The first frame building in the county was Dr.
Woodard's mill, erected in I836. The first brick
house was built by Thomas Huckins three miles west
of Lexington, with brick made on his own farm; but
no more brick were made from this yard.
The foregoing statements are probably accurate,
but the following letters are of interest, the first being J
by Mr. N. Hollister, and is without date, but was
written sometime in I883:
EDITOR JEFFERSONIAN:-I noticed in your paper
two or three weeks ago a request for some old settler
to give some dates in regard to the first settlers of
Lexington. Now, I think that I might probably pass c'
for an old settler. I came to Michigan in 1837, or
in other words, 47 years ago. My first stopping place
was Burtch's mills, seven miles south from Lexington, ^
at the time owned at operated by Jonathan Burtch, t
where I stopped the next four years, working mostly ^!
at the lumbering business; and I think I ought to
know something of the early history of Lexington and
Sanilac County in general.




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456                            SANILAC COUNTY. T Y
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r,   At this time, all the territory embraced in Sanilac
and Huron Counties belonged to St. Clair Co., and
~ was little less than a howling wilderness. In I837 I
don't think there were over 15 or 20 families in Sanilac and Huron Counties, all told. Between Burtchville and Lexington there were only three families,
consisting of a man by the name of Cummins, R. B.
Dimond and Mr. Carrington's people at this timle. I
think there was only one family living where Lexington now stands, by the name of John Smith; he lived
near the lake and I think not far fron where the
grist-mill now stands. Smith and boys had a boat
that consisted of two large pine logs dug out and? fitted together side by side which made considerable
of a boat in which they used to carry away shingles
A  and bring supplies.
The next settler in the village, I think, was Reuben Simons. I think he came in 1838. Among the
other old settlers was Mr. Hyde, father of A. Hyde,
of your village; Mr. Ellsworth, Mr. Monroe, father
of Andrew Monroe. Some of them came as early as
1838.
In the winter of I839-40, John Wright came to
Lexington with a small lot of groceries, and soon after
l he and Captain Darius Cole formed a partnership
N  and started a little grocery store. After this Capt.
Cole and Isaac Leuty formed a partnership and done
considerable business in dry goods and groceries.
About I840 settlers began to come in and scatter
over the township of Lexington and Worth.
Elder Huckins and Dr. Huckins, brothers, came in
1 839-40 and settled three miles west from Lexington. George Ward came in the spring of I841, and
Amos Wixson came in the fall of the same year. I
think the (late Webster Stevens came in was I839
or '40.
I think you were correct in regard to the barn
standing on Webster Stevens' farm one mile south of
the village, being the first barn built in the county,
but not correct in regard to date. The barn was
built in the summer of I838, by Mr. Carrington,
father of Mark Carrington, residing now in Port Austin. The barn when first built stood on the other
side of the road, not far from the lake. Mr. Stevens
moved it to its present location after he bought the
place.
Now, I don't know of but two men living that
helped raise that barn, except myself: one is Mark
Carrington, of Port Austin, and the other is David
Fowler, I believe, now living in Washington Township.                Respectfully,    N. H.
The author of the other is not known. The letter
was published Aug. 17, 1844, in the Lake Huron
Observer, of Port Huron, and is here given as a relic:




I,)"
iv,14
L=.  o.P ~I


relation to the agricultural prospects, the business
and lumber trade of our new and flourishing township. It is pleasantly situated, 20 miles from the
beautiful village of Port Huron and go miles from
Detroit, on the western shore of Lake Huron, on a
bluff or piece of elevated table-land, surrounded by
as rich and fertile farming lands as can be found in
the Western States. The timber is principally maple,
ash, oak, beech, birch and pine. A settlement was
commenced in the township in the years 1838-9,
principally by lumbermen. Within three years past,
it has been rapidly filling up with enterprising farmers from the Eastern States and Canada, the latter
of whom have been driven from their native shores
by the iron hand of despotism, to seek homes for
themselves and families in a land where equal rights
are extended to all.
The township contains at present about 400 inhabitants, two-thirds of whom are farmers. I recently
took a stroll about the country, and must say I was
actually surprised to see the large and beautiful
fields of grain and other produce, which the owners
were busily engaged in harvesting. One of our most
enterprising farmers, Mr. A. Wixson, will have produced from his farm this year seven or eight hundred bushels of wheat, besides large crops of other
produce. Mr. W. emigrated to this place some three
years since, and commenced in the forest with the
axe and grub-hoe. As near as I can ascertain there
will be produced in this township this season, four
thousand bushels of wheat, and large quantities of
barley, oats, hay, etc. I would say to those who wish
to procure farming lands to settle upon, that there are
several thousand acres of as fine farming lands in
this vicinity as can be found in Michigan, Indiana or
Illinois, for sale at Government prices.
R. B. Dimond, Esq., has recently erected a large
saw-mill about three miles from this village, and it
is now in successful operation. A gentleman from
Canada is now building a large flouring and saw-mill
on Black River, five miles from the lake. Our little
village now contains four trading establishments, a
large potashery, several mechanics' shops, etc. A
fine brig, the " Big Z," which has been built by our
enterprising townsman, Z. Wright, Esq., will be
launched next week, when we " Shingle-Weavers "
hope to have the pleasure of a visit from you, Mr.
Editor. The "Big Z " is to be full-rigged ere she
leaps into her destined element. She will "walk the
water like a thing of life." It has been generally admitted by all who have seen her that she is as fine a
vessel as can be produced on the lakes. Another
brig, of 250 tons, is to be placed upon the stocks immediately after the launching of this one.
Over three millions of shingles and large quantities
of lumber, bark, potash, etc., have already been
shipped from Lexington this season, which articles
are our principal exports at the present time. However, the time is not far distant when these will have


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X,5:-\~] LEXINGTON, Aug. io, I844.
~,    MR. EDITOR:-Permit me to say a few words
_ through the columns of your valuable journal, in
Di ~ ---'-^rn m~


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-SAI — C CO NTY.
SA NILAC CO UNT Y., ---- Ns5<^|||~~~~0,TT:.li
457
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^ to make room for wheat and other agricultural productions.
The steamer Huron pays us a visit every other
week. Our citizens are about building a pier into
the lake. The work is to be under charge of Mr. R.
Everett, under whose superintendence the pier at
Milwaukee was built. It is to be completed in June,
1845. The Buffalo and Chicago steamers can then
give us a call occasionally.
Yours,         CYRENUS.
The first newspaper established in the county was
I the Sanirac County Leader, which made its appearance in July, 854. The editor was Joseph C. Wyllis, who came here from Sturgis, where he had
[. published the Sturgis Journal. The Leader changed
hands several times and finally died a natural death,
without a funeral, in I86o. A relic of pioneer life is
the Bark Shanty Times. "Bark Shanty" was the
original name of Port Sanilac, and the 7imes was
almost the first institution for the public weal. No
X  presses or types were needed to conduct this enteri. prise; it was self-executing, and the editor was not, howling continually for the subscribers to " pay up."
The community in general took a hand in editing the
paper, but Mr.U. Raymond acted as janitor and prop-! erty man, though he disclaims any responsibility for


& He says kansus is a good place to keep sich kind
of animels for they git fat there he must be a darnd
fule to think as how niggars kin eat grass.
Further along, previous to the changing of the
name of the village, the following appears:
For the Bark Shanty Times.
Quis Says our place has a lop-eared name-the
first part he thinks has afinity to the canine race, or
a close resemblance to the rind of a certain treethe latter he thinks is significant and analagous to
the place But I dont respect his judgement-although the wise man has said a good name is a good
thing-which we admit, we think ours is a good one.
An instance of absent-mindedness is notable, as set
forth in the Times:
Not many years ago Mr. W. S. Allen, well known
by most of us, started one morning to get his horses
shod. He tramped down to Mr. Thomson's shop,
went in, and in his blunt way told Mr. Thomson to
shoe them. "Bring them in," replied the latter.
Then Allen looked around in surprise, and not until
then had he discovered that the horses had been
left at home.
The young men and women of to day have very
little conception of the mode of life among the early
settlers of Sanilac County. In but few respects are


f..
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its publications. He simply allowed blank writing     manners o the present te slar to tose ot
paper to remain on the counter of his store, and any  a quarter of a century ago. The clothing, the dwelland all were at liberty to write anything they chose, ngs, the diet, the social customs, etc., have underand the public were at equal liberty to go and read  gone a total revolution as though a new race had
without money and without price.  As the pages  taken possession of the land. Pioneer life in Sanwere written they were sewed together, and the entire  ilac County finds its parallel in almost every county
accumulation of this literature of years lies before in the State and throughout the entire Northwest.
the writer. It is of foolscap size, and numbers  The land was to be cleared of forests, and the skill
lablout 200 pages. It was begun about the time  of human art used to transplant to the fertile reaBuchanan was elected, and the following verbatim ion th civilization of the East. Cabins were to be
gion the civilization of the East. Cabins were to be?;selection from it exposes the character of the journal:  erected, wells dug, and the rivers and creeks made
" For the Bark Shanty times.                       to labor for the use of mankind.
"Whoever herd of sich a place as Kansus. They    As many living citizens can well remember, the
say the damakrats has split and one Buckcannon has pioneers had many diffculties to contend with, not
caried part of um off clean up salt river and mr
Duglis has got togher part of am & is goin to mak  the least of whch was the journey fro  civilization
squaters of um-                                  to their forest homes. The route lay through a wild
Well if them damakrats aint the tarnelest fules  and rough country; swamps and marshes were
you ever did see they say kansus is to squat-or  crossed with great exertion and fatigue; rivers were
the people must stick to squaterty or squaterness or!. something about squateringness-                   forded with difficulty and danger; nights were passed:
this Duglis they say is a smart feller but i kant in the dense forests, with mother earth for a couch
see what he meens by talken so much about squatin   and the trees and foliage for a shelter; long, weary
>in kansus and He says they must do everything:   they wantoo in their own way-                   days and weeks of travel were endured, but finally  3
$      that Buckcannon they say thinks niggars is horses  their eyes were gladdened and their hearts beat -
It"'*' X2,i,  -,E,,_(*000t0*)] t_>,<R                      @     t9




Bogdy no ----^&^ —A-r<. ba arm ---?s ----ai.,jc
*458             SANILAC COUNZY.
A........ i.


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3 faster when a vision of their future home burst upon,i them.
' i'  The first thing upon arrival was to set about buildJ ing a cabin. While this was being done the family
slept in their wagons or upon the grass, while the
horses or mules, tethered to prevent escape, grazed
on the grass around them. Trees of a suitable and
uniform size were selected, felled and prepared for
their places. The day for the raising was announced
and from far and near came other pioneers to assist
in the labor. The structure went up, a log at a time,
those engaged in the work stopping now and then to
"wet their whistles," and soon it was ready for the
clapboard roof, which was held on by huge weightpoles. A door and a window were cut where the
good wife directed, a chimney built, and the building
was ready for its occupants. The space between the
logs was filled in with split sticks of wood, called
"chinks," and then daubed over, both inside and out,
with mortar made of clay. The floor was some-, times nothing more than earth tramped hard and
3 smooth, but was commonly made of "puncheons," or
split logs, with the split side turned upwards. The
roof was made by gradually drawing in the top to
the ridge-pole and on cross-pieces laying the clapboards, or "shakes," as they are called in this section
of the country, which, being several feet in length,
instead of being nailed were held in place by weightpoles, reaching the entire length of the cabin.
Foi a fire-place, a space was cut out of the logs on
one side of the room, usually about six feet in length,
and three sides were built up of logs, making an offset in the wall. This was lined with stone, if convenient; if not, then earth was used. The flue, or
upper part of the chimney, was built of small split
sticks, two and a half or three feet in length, carried
a little space above the roof, and plastered over with
clay, and when finished was called a "cob and clay "
chimney. The door space was also made by cutting
an aperture in one side of the room of the required




size, the door itself being made of clapboards secured
by wooden pins to two cross-pieces.  The hinges
were also of wood, while the fastening consisted of a
wooden latch catching on a hook of the same material. To open the door from the outside, a strip of
buckskin was tied to the latch and drawn through a
hole a few inches above the latch bar, so that on
pulling the string the latch was lifted from the catch
or hook, and the door was opened without further
trouble. To lock the door it was only necessary to
pull the string through the hole on the inside. Here
the family lived and here the guest and wayfarer
were made welcome. The living-room was of good
size, but to a large extent it was also kitchen, bedroom, parlor and arsenal, with flitches of bacon and
rings of dried pumpkins suspended from the rafters.
The old cabins are rapidly being superseded by
modern frame and brick structures, yet with almost
tearful eyes we watch them disappear. Every log
and chink has a history; could they speak, they
would tell us of the days of toil and privation undergone by our fathers, of the days made sacred by the
birth or death of his children, of the religious services
which were held there when no church was yet built
in the neighborhood, or the merry-makings at which
the neighbors for miles around attended, when logs
were to be rolled, and a dance given in the evening;
the whole to conclude with a supper, the delicacies
of which consisted of venison, maple sugar and corn
bread. One by one the old log structures are being
removed, but it seems almost a sacrilege to tear them
down, so closely have they been connected with the
success of our pioneers, many of whom now state
that although they are now wealthy and have every
comfort and luxury that money can procure, yet the
days spent in their primeval home and the kindness
which everywhere prevailed among neighbors, brought
more happiness than is now enjoyed, although their
barns are filled with grain, their pockets with gold
and their lands dotted with herds of cattle and sheep.


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j.,SANIIAC COUNTY.                          459
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RANCE claimed this territory.s^   f   ljjj^ ~  with all the Northwest from
I67I to 1763, when it was
'~t  S..surrendered to the British,
'Zi 4 b_   and the "Quebec Act" of
1I774 placed it under the local
administration of Canada. But
this was only a despotic military
government, and benefitted the
country very little. After the
'7 L   Revolution, conflicting claims to
this territory, held by Virginia,
New York, Massachusetts and
Connecticut, were relinquished
I     in favor of the general Government, and when the British gave it up it was attached to Ohio, then to Indiana until i805, when it
was separated, William Hull becoming the first..........__.. _1_  I1 _  1-  - ~.


name is not known, but the county is supposed to be
named for a Frenchman who traversed it in the
latter part of the seventeenth century.
A special act of the Legislature in I848, in force
after Dec. 31, of that year, authorized the separate
organization of this county and fixed the county
seat at Lexington until I853. By the same act the
sheriff was authorized, under direction of the Board
of Supervisors, to furnish suitable offices for county
purposes and a place for holding court. The offices
were fourd in various places until i857, when a
building was erected in the west part of the village
for the purpose. The county at that time was too
poor to raise the necessary funds for the building,
and a subscription of $1,268 was taken to assist it,
with $600 additional for a jail. Geo. S. Lester submitted a plan for the building, to cost $2,750, taking
the subscription list at $I,I50, at his own risk of col-,,f
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X i overnor, ana noiaing tne omce tor eignt years, or  lection,-the county paying the balance.
until I813. Lewis Cass was the next Governor and      Te ti          w    a  e         i      i
The territory was all embraced in Lexington
remained so until I83r, when George B. Porter was
remained so until 831, when Geor. Porte   Township until the act setting off the county was
appointed and held it until his death, in 1834.
appointed and held it until his death, in I834.    passed, when the townships of Worth and Sanilac
Stevens T. Mason then became acting Governor.
Stevens T..Mason then became acting Governor.  were organized, the former including town 9 north,
For the remaining Governors and their administra-.
ranges 13, 14, I5, 6 and fractional 17 east. The
tions, see the first part of this book, commencing  town of Lexington included towns o of all these
town of Lexington included towns 1o of all these
wthe fi    o 5eto    aeo    aiaCut'no_..        ranges, with the north half of town 0o, range 12 east.
a     The first mention made of Sanilac County in offi-..
e ft m n m e of S c C    y in o      Sanilac Township was made up of all the remaining
cial records is in the old Territorial Laws of I827,  t.   ic a      H     C   i.
X~   i  i r  i            i~~~~~~.,    territory in Sanilac and Huron Counties.
several years before the survey was made. A special
act then attached it to St. Clair County for judicial   The first county officers were elected at the gen() purposes. At that time it extended to Saginaw Bay   eral election held in November, 1849, and were
and west to Tuscola County. The origin of the      installed Jan. I, I850, as follows:
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-— ^^- - e-r^, 460               SANILAC COUNTY.,
((?)..  _.....ir   -    -      -,


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County Judge-Reuben B. Dimond.
Judge of Probate-Clark M. Mills.
County Clerk-Benjamin F. Luce.
Register of Deeds-Benjamin F. Luce.
Treasurer-James L. Smith.
Sheriff-Silas Bardwell.
Prosecuting Attorney-John Divine.
The first Board of Supervisors was as follows:
Worth, Peter H. Benedict; Lexington, Clark M.
Mills; Sanilac, Charles McMillan. The Board met
4 in their first annual session Oct. 15, 1850, and pro)  ceeded to do the county business in a straight-forward and economical manner. Read the assessment rolls as they were equalized:
Worth...........................$54,795
Lexington.................    67,55
Sanilac........................ 47,05 9
Total...............$ 69,369
After transacting their usual business, the accounts
were audited:
C. M. Mills, Supervisor from Lexington...... $I.50
P. H. Benedict, Supervisor from Worth....... 2.04
Charles McMillan, Supervisor from Sanilac.... i.80
Hiram Bacon, Deputy Clerk................ 1.50
The County Judge received the enormous salary
of $5o, and the Prosecuting Attorney, $45!
Peter H. Benedict was the first Representative in
the State Legislature from this county, having been
elected in 1852. He was at that time, and is still, a
farmer in Worth, and is now about 70 years of age.
The political complexion of the county was from.- the first overwhelmingly Democratic until I854, and.:  even that year the Hon. John Divine was elected to
the Legislature on the ticket by a large majority over
two other candidates, one the regular nominee of the
Whigs, and the other of an independent ticket. About
this time Sanilac County became imbued with the
spirit of the whole country, and the Republican
party sprang into being as if by magic. It swallowed
up the entire Whig party with few exceptions, and so
drew from the Democratic party that in i856 the
county was found to be as strongly Republican as it
had previously been Democratic. Thus the popular
sentiment was almost entirely revolutionized. The
few Whigs who did not come into the Republican
party joined the Demqorats, and the Whig party
_ never held a caucus after that.




When the Sanilac County Leader appeared, in
1854, it was a strong advocate of Democracy, but
had Free-Soil tendencies, and after I8 months came
out as a Republican paper, no doubt.being largely
instrumental in causing the change. To offset this
the Democrats started the Sanilac Signal, but after
two years its inability to influence the public mind
was demonstrated, and it was discontinued for want
of patronage. After the death of the Leader Republicans purchased the equipments of the Signal and
began the publication of the Jefersonian.
From I856 to 1870 the Republicans continued far
in the majority. Owing to the removal of the books
when the county seat was changed, and on account
of fires and other causes, the election records have
been misplaced, so that they could not be obtained
previous to I870, but the following compilation of
the vote for Secretary of State is given since then:
I870-Daniel Striker, Rep., 966; Jonathan W.
Flanders, Dem, 459; John Evans, Gr., 58.
I872-Daniel Striker, Rep., 1,335; George H.
House, Dem., 407; Thomas C. Cutler, Gr., 22.
i874-E. G. D. Holden, Rep., 1,257; George H.
House, Dem., 544; Samuel W. Baker, Gr., ii.
r876-E. G. D. Holden, Rep., 1,915; George H.
House, Dern., 1,o06; Albert Stegeman, Gr., 64.
1878-William Jenney, Rep., 1,453; George H.
Murdock, Dem., 635; George H. Bruce, Gr., 701.
I88o-William Jenney, Rep., 2,239; Willard
Stearns, Dem., 1,294; Ira D. Crouse, Gr.,. 88.
I882-Henry A. Conant, Rep., I,69I; William
Shakespeare, 1,275; Martin V. Rork, Gr., 8.
The above does not include either the Prohibition
or Anti-Monopoly votes, as they have been very insignificant until the present year. The returns for
the election of I884 are not in when this is written,
but from a careful study of the situation the result
can nearly be estimated. There have been no less
than seven political parties soliciting the suffrage of
the Sanilac County voter this year (1884), namely:
Republican, Democrat, Fusion, Union, Greenback,
Anti-Monopoly and Prohibition, with possibly one or
two more without names. Though the Fusion and
Union parties were a combination of all but the Republican party, and could hardly be called homogeneous, yet that ticket received votes which would have
been given to no other one party under other cir

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SANILAC COUNTY.                              461I.


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cumstances. If disintegration continues, it must
soon come to pass that Sanilac County will have a
political party for each voter, who, it is hoped, will
then " scratch " his ticket at election, and leave room
for a more cogent organization. As it is, the Repub

sale. For 1884 the equalization by townships stands
as follows:


lican party is in a small majority.
The population of the county in
vote were as follows by townships:


i88o and total


Delaware.....$260,770
Minden....... I75,770
Austin........ 15,000
Greenleaf.... 100,285
Evergreen...0. I09,150
Argyle....... 103,950
Wheatland.... 70,505
Marion,....... 260,290
Forester...... 110,380
Sanilac...... 405,300
Bridgehampton. 220,000
Custer........  75,000
Moore........ 125,035


Lamotte.......$ 08,160
Marlette...... 500,000
Elmer........ 119,623
Watertown.... 121,015
Washington.   185,ooo
Lexington..... 655,890
Buel........ 140,000
Elk.......... 210,000
Flynn....... 115,000
Maple Valley.. 154,000
Speaker....... 240,000
Fremont.....   194,270
Worth........ 412,000


I 
11-1 


Townships.      Population,  School  Total
88Townships..  Population.  Vote.
Argyle................        6544
Ay.. 34I1 65      44
Austin...............    691      258      i00
Bridgehatnpton.......   I,634      5I I      68
Buel................      693      276      103
Custer..............      262       42       39
Delaware.........       2,131      735      213
Elk.................   1,332      530      189
Elmer.............       259       61       39
Evergreen...........      215       94       36
Flynn..............      526      I46       51
Forester...........       940      341      121
Fremont............,118      473      170
Greenleaf...........      62       248       82
Lamotte.............      301       99       51
Lexington.........      2,993      998      525
Maple Valley......         939      284      123
Marion..............    1,418      622      179
Marlette.............   1,700      590      285
Minden.......        871      224      137
Moore...............      359     3I         50
Sanilac...........      2,457      920      364
Speaker...........    1,473      531      213
Washington.........       952      462       99
Watertown...........      500      203       70
Worth............    1,554      579      272
Total...........   26,341    9,523    3,723


Total,........
While these figures I
financial history, they i
in county politics and
The cash transactions c
for 20 years ending Sep
1863.......$31,898.3,
1864........ 27,501.0................ $5,276,393
belong more properly to the
are the " bone of contention "
are given under this head.
mnly of the Treasurer's office
)t. 30, I884, are as follows:
4   I874........$22,158.99 /a
3   1875........ 24,458.15,
4    876........ 26,827.62
4   I877..... 28,255.53  s
o   i878.......  52,903-55  r=
I   I879........ 32,376.3I  t
4 1880....... 35,790.38 d


I865.......
I866........
I867........
T868........
1869........
I870.......
1871........
I872........
I873........


35,646.2,
35,I35.4.
23,747.6
30,723.3
2I.968.5,
26,628.7'
23,646.9
47,592.8
I9,4II.3!


6
1
2
9


I88I....    37,246.66
1882........ 44,372.63
1883...... 64,657.55
I884 (9 mos). 79,41r.80


The assessed valuation of property, both real and
personal, in the county from 1874 to date, is as follows:
1874-.....$3,122,584   1879.......$3,314,609
1875........ 3,139,402  88o......... 3,886,795
I876........ 3,121,891  i88........ 3,906,254
1877....... 3,117,121   1882........ 5,781,046
1878....... 3,79,307   1883........ 5,175,36i


The increase of business in 1872 was due to the
return of the taxes by the State; in 1878 it was due
to the loan of $20,000 with which to build the new
court-house, and in 1883 to the $7,000 loan for the
jail. It will be seen that the first nine months of
I884 has given the county more business than any
one year previous. This is on account of the increase of business in township improvements and
also the primary school fund.
As before stated, the election records previous to
1870 were misplaced, but the following is the list of
officers since that time:
SHERIFFS.


I


The State Board of Equalization raised the value          Peter D. Kenney,
in I882 to $5,ooo,ooo, and at this time a law was            Jonathan W. Babcock,
A*..1                                             James Minard,
passed requiring assessments to be badsed upon a             Hue McKenzie,:   cash value rather than the value at forced or auction       Andrew Gray,,, 6..ts,.,,     X;                (    *, U 1yI,; )             Ii


1870
1872
I874Tr
i876-8
1880-2




<  462                                 SANILAC
COUNTY TREASURERS.
~       Philip L. Wixson,            1870-2
David Crorey,                I874
John T. Faxon,                   J876-8
Hugh McKenzie,               1880-2
COUNTY CLERKS.
Samuel Burgess,              1870
Rudolph Papst,               1872-4
William Dawson,              I87 6-8
Andrew W. O'Keefe,           1880-2
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
John Divine,                 i870
Watson Beach,                i872
~4      Joel McMahon,                1874
Levi L. Wixson,                  i876-8
Jonathan W. Babcock.         1880-2


COUNTY.
AlpX~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~,,


J.. —.-... —.- - -- -
CIRCUIT COURT COM
Charles S. Nims,
Isaac C. Wheeler,
Wm. A. Mills,
William C. Moore,
Chas. E. Garner,
Edward H. Bentley,
Wilford Macklem,
D. Stuart McClure,


[MISSIONERS.
I870-2
I874
I876
i878
i88o;4=


COUNTY SURVEYORS.
Alex. Sinclair,
Jefferson W. Galbraith,
Luther D. Mills,
REGISTERS OF DEEDS.
Samuel Burgess,
Rudolph Papst,
William Dawson,
CORONERS.
Archibald N. Johnson and )
Luther D. Mills,
Anthony Oldfield, Jr., and
Archibald N. Johnson,
Geo. C. Vincent and
James Anderson,
Archibald N. Johnson and
George Weaver,
Henry McRae and
Henry Bridenbach,      i
Archibald N. Johnson and
William S. Moore,
Archibald N. Johnson and
Anthony M. Oldfield,


1882
I870
I872-8
I880-2
1870
1872-8
i880-2
I870
1872
1874
1876
1878
i88o
I882


The removal of the county seat from Lexington to
its present location in Sandusky was probably the
greatest political convulsion in the history of the
county. The fact that three attempts were made
before it was accomplished argues sufficiently that
the feeling in regard to it became deep-seated; and
the smallness of the majority by which the final triumph was made, is a protest against the law permitting a step of that kind to be taken by a bare majority. It is not the province of history to burden
itself with opinions, but only the facts are stated
when it is said that the people became so evenly divided, with each party so determined to have its
own way, that both sides were on the verge of desperation. No good could come from this state of affairs.
For convenience' sake the county seat of every
county ought to be most centrally located, as far as
geography is concerned; but for the same "sake "
the seat should not be there when it is inaccessible.
This was the case when the event took place, and a
more rational view expressed to the writer by many
of the friends of removal is that the whole
work, though proper, was premature, on account
of the undeveloped condition of the region into
which the county capital was to be moved. The
county at that time was new and unable to stand
sufficient taxation to raise funds for needed roads
and ditches, and other improvements becoming to a
county with such magnificent resources as this. On
the other hand the majority of the citizens of the
county expressed their will to endure a few years of
" corduroy" roads through an undrained section, in
order to have the question settled once for all; and
the choice was not entirely unwise, as the quickest
method of developing a country is to commence improving it at once. Those immediately benefitted by
the former location made a strenuous protest, but the
interests of a few should not be conserved at the expense of the entire county.
The first location of the county seat was made by
a committee from St. Clair county. The enabling
act authorized the Governor to appoint such committee, and the persons named were: John Clark,
James W. Sanborn and Marcus H. Miles. They
located it on section 25, town io north, range 16
east, within the present village of Lexington, where
it remained for thirty years, when (7879) it was
moved to its present site in the village of Sandusky,
Custer Township (section 35, town I2 north, range


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COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Geo. A. Parker,               I870
Paden Macklem,                I872
(This office was abolished in I875. Its duties now
devolve upon three County Examiners.)
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SAiILAC COUNTY.          463 i
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r    14 east.) The first resolution to remove it was
passed at the October session of the Board of Supervisors in I870, and the County Clerk was instructed
to post the required notices in the several townships
throughout the county, in order to have the matter
come before tne electors at the annual township
meetings held in April of the following year. But
the citizens of Lexington procured an injunction to
stop the clerk from posting the notices. The result
was that, although the notices were not posted,
nearly every town in the county voted upon the
question of removal, and the "removalists " maintained a majority of 47; but in consequence of the
great irregularity of the proceeding, the subject was
dropped.
Two years later the question was revived, and a
second attempt was made by the Board of Supervisors passing the required resolution in their October
session of I873. The resolution was again submitted to the electors for their rejection or approval, at
/N   the April election of 1874, and was carried by a
small majority. The Board of Supervisors met in
June following, and after canvassing the votes, decl dared the resolution carried, and the county seat
=    removed. It also authorized the loan of $I,o00 with
which to erect a temporary building for the offices.
This building was to be finished by September of
that year. At the same time the loan was authorized,
instructions were given to the county officers to repair to the new seat and take the records. When
the first of September came the building was not
completed, and the officers had no disposition to remove, even though the building were completed.
Hence it was not possible for the next Board to do
any business at the new seat; so they met again at
Lexington, with much chagrin. They audited the
accounts so far incurred by the removal, and then
refused to proceed further with the county business
until the orders were issued, signed and accepted by
the Treasurer for payment. When this was done,
the Chairnaan of the Board served notices on all the
county officers that the county seat had been removed, and ordered them   to go thither with the
records. The officers saw it in a different light.
(   'They concluded to remain where they were, for the
time being at least, since some of the notices lacked
K     date and others lacked signature. Not discouraged
at this, however, the majority of the Board concluded




- -      -                                                                                                          IIN


to remove at all hazards, and with 13 members
the Chairman departed for the new seat, taking with
them a Deputy County Clerk. The officers and the ~
other o members of the Board remained at Lexington.
Here the matter hung fire. The o1 met and ad- \
journed from day to day; so did the 13! The latter,
however, concluded to give several townships the
benefit of having the county seat, for.a short
time  at  least, and  after movirg  to  Custer
and Watertown, they halted the portable Board
at Carsonville to await some  final agreement. _
The matter was laid before O'Brien J. Atkinson, of!
Port Huron, who advised the meandering Board to I
return to Lexington and finish up their business.
This they did, and at the same time passed a resolution to borrow the sum of $16,000 with which to
build substantial county buildings. The notices were
properly posted this time and the matter came before
the voters in Apiil, 1875, but was defeated by a (
majority of 207.
Nothing daunted, those in favor of the removal S
succeeded in procuring the passage of the same reso- =
lution again in the following October. The question A
was submitted again in i876,.and carried by a ma- =
jority of 29 votes; but this time the legality of the
proceedings in submitting this vote, as well as the,
passage of the resolution of removal, was disputed,
and thus the movement to change the county seat
was again check-mated.
At the following June session the Board instructed
the Prosecuting Attorney to place the whole matter
before competent legal counsel and procure an opinion in writing. The opinion was submitted to the \
Board at the following October session, and was to
the effect that the original resolution for removing
the county seat had never been passed; that in the
various amendments the point of removal had been
changed to Carsonville; that upon the final passage,
if any point were designated, it was surely Carsonville; that, as the other resolutions which haid been
voted upon referred to some other point, the whole
proceedings were undoubtedly void, and would not,
in the opinion of the counsel, stand the test of the
courts; that the Board of Supervisors had better t
commence anew.
The opinion was accepted, and the Board did ~
commence anew, by passing the proper resolution at
that session, October, 1876. It was successful, and '


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464                                SANILAC COUNTY.
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( the several townships approved of it in April, I877,  equilibrium of the county may be considered assured.
9!, by the following total poll:                     That this struggle had its influence in the politics
2"?    For removal......................,314     of the county cannot be denied. In 1874 the "re-,/
Against removal |................1,201 omovalists " held a convention and nominated a full
4.1!         Majority.................... 113      county ticket, of which they elected the Sheriff,
At the October session of 1877 a resolution was  Prosecuting Attorney and Treasurer. The "nonpassed authorizing a loan of $20,000 for the purpose  removalists" elected the remainder of the ticket.
loan to be secured by the bonds of the county, and  licans, and the remainder were Democrats, all opildin aco os and cntye  he remmajori o r e t ehr ctonitd of Rputo be paid in five annual installments. This was  osed to the removal  The effect of this was to
a submitted to the voters in 1878 and carried by a  weaken the Republican party. Bad feelings were: majority of 655. John S. Thomson, of Port Sanilac,  created, "bolts," independent tickets and independ-, Wildman Mills, of Lexington, and Alonzo Downing,  ent candidates became more numerous, and from
of Marion, were appointed the building committee.  that time the Republican party in Sanilac County
They let the contracts in I878, the building was  has grown less until it has only a small plurality
done during 1879, and in January, i880, the great  when the other factions combine to overcome it.
task of removing the county seat was accomplished.  From 1856 to 1874 the proportion of Republicans to
The jail was then constructed, at a cost of $7,000,  other voters in the county was as 3 to I; but, since
)being completed in the fall of I884. The buildings  that time it has somewhat disintegrated, from various  i
are commodious, substantial and beautiful; and with  causes, though some years the vote has been higher
N the county seat in the exact center, the material  than others.
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Xr>       ~SANXILAC COUNTY.                                                     465  <
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~^Am          iI-IF..HE record of Sanilac County
I    Jll907,i in the history of the country
i  g rA^^^w~      is indeed confined almost
exclusively to the Civil War,
SX( A   owing to the fact that there
were no settlements in the
county until about the close,  ^IS  Bof the Black Hawk war. Southern
Michigan is dotted with a respect-:  E E  r ful number of battle-fields in the
War of I812, furnished a liberal
number of soldiers for the Black
0I  1? i      Hawk war, and was well represented in the War with Mexico;
A ^^ ^ X  but from the lonely forests of "the
thumb "no human voice responded
A ^ t     to any of these calls. Indeed, Sanilac possibly could have furnished a baker's dozen of
soldiers for the Mexican War, but the ease with
which our armies pushed the "greasers back into
their ancient capital left no demand for recruits even
from more thickly populated districts, and the inhabitants of this beautiful peninsula were lulled in the
cradle of peace, save their non-military conflicts with
wild game, until he horrors of the Civil War broke
upon them with awful suddenness. Even then, like
their sister counties and States, the pioneers were
unwilling to trust their senses, though they had had:years of boisterous warning; but once the unwelcome news of Sumter was vividly before them, and
)they stood up, heroes ready for the trial. When
Bull Run confirmed the uncertainty and magnitude


of the war, the spirit of Sanilac warmed into activity,
and the call for volunteers was answered with her
voice in the chorus,
"'We are coming, Father Abraham,
Three hundred thousand more!"
The "Sanilac Wolverines " was the first military
company to come together, though a few volunteers
from this county had joined the Second and Seventh
regiments. The name was soon afterward changed
to "Sanilac Pioneers," but the company was better
known as "Co. D, Ioth Michigan Infantry." Capt.
Israel Hucking made the first effort to raise the
company, and after a few days' canvassing, found a
ready response from about 60 of the best citizens.
The necessary preparations were made, and on
Tuesday, Nov. 19, I86I, the "Wolverines" were
ready to step at the tap of the drum into active
service.
The company took passage on the "Forester" for
Flint, the rendezvous for the regiment, and were
enrolled as Company D of the Ioth Michigan Infantry. The night was dark and windy,-ominous
of the stormy times through which the boys were to
pass,-yet there were very large numbers of citizens
from all parts of the county down to the dock in
Lexington to see the " Forester" swing off with her
load of brave men on a journey from which there
was such uncertain return, and to add a "God-blessyou," and perhaps a last "Good-bye!" As the last
rope was pulled in, three times three hearty cheers
were given to those on deck, who responded with a
prolonged hurrah for the flag. The boys left-in good


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f 466                                     SANILAC
spirits, and thus was the inauguration of the war in
Sanilac.
'    The company was finally filled up to its maximum
quota in January, 1862, with the following list of
officers:
i r?) I


COUVNTY.
iment might be permitted to remain as guards. The
petition was not granted, however, and the regiment
proceeded to Murfreesboro.
In September following they went to Stevenson,
Ala., thence to Sequachee Valley, thence over Waldron's Ridge to Smith's Ferry, on the Tennessee
River. Leaving there at the commencement of the
battle of Mission Ridge, the Ioth, with the Second
Division of the I4th Army Corps, about this time
placed under command of Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, was
temporarily assigned to the command of Sherman,
being held in reserve during the battle of Mission
Ridge, and driving the enemy out of Chickamauga
nn the morniny after. With Sherman's forces it pro

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Captain............ Israel Huckins,
First-Lieutenant............  H. Nims,
Second-Lieutenant..........G. W. Jenks,
First Sergeant............ Richard Teal,
Second Sergeant......... Rudolph Papst,
Third Sergeant............ C. R. Bunker,
Fourth Sergeant.......... Watson Beach,
Fifth Sergeant..........Henry Wideman,
First Corporal.........Watson F. Bisbee,
Secorfd Corporal......... Robert F. Lewis,
Third Corporal............ C. M. Cross,
Fourth Corporal........T. J. Springstein,
Fifth Corporal...........Lemuel House,
Sixth Corporal........ Stephen R. Moore,
Seventh Corporal........ Hugh McCaffery.
Many of these officers were afterward promoted,
and a few assigned to their companies. The company was mustered into service in February, 1862,
and left Flint for Pittsburg Landing with the regiment April 22, I862, having a full roster of 103 men
and officers. After participating in the movements
resulting in the evacuation of Corinth, it marched to
Tuscumbia, Ala., in July, where five companies, A,
B, E, G and K, were made Provost Guard under
Major Scarritt, four companies, C, F, H and I,
guarding the railroad, and Company D guarding the
landing at Florence, on the Tennessee River.
A month after this the regiment marched with its
division under Gen. Palmer to Nashville, where it
remained besieged until the arrival of the Army of
the Cumberland, under Rosecrans.
In April, I863, Companies E and H were engaged
while guarding trains on the railroad between Nashville and Murfreesboro, losing I8 killed, wounded
and missing.
The regiment remained in Nashville and vicinity
until July, I863, winning the respect and esteem of
the citizens of that place by the faithful discharge of
duty and the gentlemanly conduct of its members.
To such an extent did the people of Nashville appreciate the good manners of the regiment, that a
petition signed by a large number of citizens was
presented to General Rosecrans, asking that the reg

ceeded to Knoxville and back to Chattanooga,
marching 24 days upon five days' rations! About
the first of January, I864, the regiment went into
camp at Rossville, Ga., and on the 6th of February
was mustered as a veteran regiment. But before the
regiment had received its furlough, shortly after
muster, it was engaged at Buzzard's Roost, Ga.,
losing about 70 men killed, wounded and prisoners.
Out of some 15 prisoners, only two ever returned,
the remainder having been starved to death in rebel
prisons.
Of this engagement a correspondent of the Louisville Journal says that " with their furloughs in their
pockets, and preparations made to visit their dear
ones at home from whom they had been parted so
long, the bugles on the 25th of the month just passed
found the Ioth responsive, with flags unfurled, and
on the march for the battle field. Under Morgan at
Buzzard's Roost, they fought with the 6oth Illinois


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beneath the shadows of towering Rocky Face, carry-  I
ing their colors to the enemy's very works through a  ~
murderous fire of infantry and artillery, losing 25
killed and wounded, among whom was Lieutenant
Colonel Dickerson."
After the engagement at Buzzard's Roost the
regiment was furloughed as veterans, but returned
from home with a number of recruits to join its
brigade at Resaca, Ga., immediately marching to  )
Rome and participating in the capture of that place.
The regiment remained with    Sherman's army    i
through the long series of engagements which resulted in the capture of Atlanta. It was participated
in by the ioth, the boys bearing their burdens with
remarkable courage and endurance. At Peach-Tree


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7,:                                        'I,  I
SANVILAC COUNTY.


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467




Creek, July 20, I864, the regiment lost 21 men, six
i  of whom were from Company D. At Jonesboro, Sept.
I, 77 men were killed and a number mortally
wounded, among whom was Captain H. H. Nims.
He died the following day, universally mourned by
the regiment and at home. Maj. Burnett was in
command of the regiment at this time, Col. Lenn
having charge of the brigade.
The year I864 was the most disastrous, the regiment losing over 200 men in killed, wounded and
missing. After Jonesboro, it moved to Athens, Ga.,
by rail, thence to Florence, in pursuit of Forrest, and,
returning to Chattanooga, it joined the column in pursuit of Hood into Alabama. Again they were with
Sheiman, going to Savannah, and were at the battle of
Bentonville, where a number of men were lost; but
here a disaster was prevented by the determination
and bravery of their brigade.
On the 24th of May, I865, the Ioth participated
in the grand review at Washington, was mustered out
^  of service July I9 at Louisville, Ky., arrived at
Jackson, Mich., on the 22d, and was there paid off
and disbanded on the ist of August.
The regiment had on its rolls during its whole
service, 1,788 officers and men. Its losses were 299,
numbering four officers, and 55 men killed, three
j   officers and 26 men died of wounds, and two officers
and 209 men died of disease.
When the call for more volunteers was made in
July, i862, about $3,000 were raised by the citizens
of this county in addition to the bounty paid by the
State for enlistments. This, with the pressing need
for more soldiers at the front, was the cause of forming another company from this county for the 22d
Mich. Inf.
At the same time Lieut. H. H. Nims was
promoted to a Captaincy, and recruited for Company
K from Sanilac and Huron Counties for the X oth Mich.
Inf., returning to the regiment in April, I863.
The boys for the 22d were enrolled as Company
K, with Alexander G. Galbraith as Captain, Henry
Breidenback as First Lieutenant and John A. Simons
as Second Lieutenant. The recruiting commenced
July I5, 1862, was completed August 29, and on the
4th of September, numbering 997 strong, started for
Kentucky by way of Cincinnati, in command of Col.
Y   Moses Wisner, ex-Governor at that time.
TThe rendezvous was at Pontiac, and on the day of


departure a flag was given to the regiment by the 3
young ladies of that city. This flag was defended to,
the last at Chickamauga, where three color-bearers -
were severely wounded, with nearly the entire regiment, killed, wounded or taken prisoners.
Col. Wisner died of typhoid fever at Lexington,
Ky., in January, I863, and the regiment was then
placed under the command of Col. LeFavour, serving in the Third Brigade, Second Division, Army of
Central Kentucky. It remained in the State until
the 13th of April, i863, having been stationed at '
Danville, Lexington, Nicholasville, Stanford and /
other places.
On the 14th of April the regiment removed to
Nashville, where it remained, doing "interior " guard
duty, until Sept. 5, when it moved 122 miles by rail
to Bridgeport, Ala., arriving there on the 6th, crossed
on a pontoon bridge and encamped on the island in
the Tennessee River. On the I5th the regiment
moved to Rossville, thence to Ringgold, returning to
Rossville on the i8th.  On the 2oth they were:,
ordered to re-inforce Gen. Thomas at Chickamauga, t.
and at 2 p. m. of that day became engaged. In his
report of the conduct of the 22d Michigan at Chick-;
amauga, Col. Le Favour says, that "at the second
charge the rebels drove the brigade to the bottom of
the hill. It was re-formed, marched up, and again
took the crest. The regiment was out of ammunition and word was sent to Gen. Whittaker to that
effect. 'You must use your steel,' was the reply.
The regiment rushed forward with fixed bayonets
and emply muskets under a terrific fire of grape and
musketry, received the counter charge of the enemy,
repulsed and drove them at every point."
But their gallantry proved to be their disaster.!!
In their eagerness they had pressed far ahead of the f/
other regiments, and ere they were aware an order
came to fall back,-alas! too late! The enemy had
closed in on their flanks and darkness found all but
a few of the living prisoners and the dead on the
field in the rear! Those who escaped returned to
camp and on the following morning were ordered to
the rear. Two days afterward the regiment encamped  f
on "Moccasin Point," on the north bank of the
Tennessee River, seven miles from Rossville, and..
was engaged at this place in building fortifications  i
and doing picket duty until Oct. 28, when it was Ni
ordered to the south side of the Tennessee to sup- 3
port Gen. Hooker.


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Subsequently the regiment was attached to the
Engineer Brigade, under Gen. Wm. F. Smith, but at
this time it belonged to the Third Brigade, Second
Division of the 14th Army Corps, though it was acting with the Second Brigade, Second Division of the
4th Army Corps. A testimonial to the 22d applicable to all soldiers of the Huron Peninsula, as found
in the reports, is as follows:
"The marches of the regiment through Kentucky
were performed at a season of the year when the
roads were bad, and portions of the march were accomplished amid heavy falls of snow and rain; but
under these trying circumstances the men of the 22d,
as they have always done, discharged their duty faithfully!'
The 22d remained in the engineer brigade until
the ist of June, 1864, building roads, repairing railroads and bridges near Chattanooga, up and down
the Tennessee, sometimes rafting logs, and doing
various work.  After the ist of June they were
brigaded with the Ninth Mich., into what was known
as the "Reserve Brigade," Department of the Cumberland, and then detailed for provost duty. In this
capacity they went with Sherman to Atlanta, then
returned to Chattanooga as part of the escort to
the headquarters of Maj.-Gen. Thomas. The regiment then acted with various brigades until June
20, I865, when it was mustered out at Nashville,
arrived at Detroit, in command of Col. Le Favour,
on the 3oth, and was there paid off and discharged
July I.
From a roll of 1,586 men, 374, including three
officers, died of disease, one officer and 52 men were
killed in action and 27 men and two officers died of
wounds.
The 6th Mich. Cav also received a company from
Sanilac County. The captain of this company was
Wesley Armstrong, of Lapeer; First Lieutenant, Edward Potter, Burchville; Second Lieutenant,William
Creevy and George S. West, of Lexington. The regiment was organized at Grand Rapids under authority given to Hon. F. W. Kellogg, M. C., and was
mustered into service on the I3th of October, 1862,
with I,229 men and officers. Gen. James H. Kidd
gave this regiment a beautiful flag in i863, and this
was borne by the steeds through many a close battle.
After the close of the war the regiment was ordered
to Wyoming on an expedition against the Indians,




and theirs was the first flag that floated over Fort
Reno, on Powder River. In all its engagements the
6th lost 7 officers and 95 men killed, i8 men died of
wounds, and 266 of disease.
Sanilac County was also represented by a limited
number of men in the 24th Infantry, 27th, 8th and
14th, but their valor and steadfastness were none
the less, and this county can look upon these; as
upon all her other sons, with nothing but feelings of
honor and pride.
Companies were afterward formed at Davisville
(now Croswell), and also at Lexington, for the purpose of military drill, in order to be able to take the
field at a moment's notice. The Davisville company
met on Saturday afternoons in a field one and a half
miles east of that place, and the Lexington company
met every evening at Hyke's Hall. This was kept
up for some time, and had it been inaugurated at the
beginning of the war many lives and a large amount
of treasure might have been saved to the nation.
But who had any certain knowledge that the war
would be precipitated so suddenly? and even if he
had, he would not have been able to communicate it
to the masses with sufficient vividness and rapidity
to make them believe it. Only the cold facts that a
part of the country had rebelled, and hundreds of
lives had been lost without effect, could inform a
war-hating people that the monster was upon them,
for few of them knew anything of active service, and
civil hostilities indeed seemed to have no place on
the American continent. Yet the stranger knocked
at an unsuspected time, and the oil in Uncle Sam's
lamp was low.
But for all this Sanilac responded nobly to the call,
and if the cry for help was loud, the aid was plentiful and prompt; so that when the draft came it had little claim on this county. When that dread conscription was proclaimed, Wm. S. Mills was appointed Commissioner of this county, and Walter P. Brown Surgeon; but there were only about 40 men to be
drafted, as the quota for the 600,000 was 238, and
the number already furnished exceeded 200. The
required number was raised by volunteers before the
time appointed for the drawing. Hence the trouble
and embarrassment of all those who previously put
off for Canada or the woods, went for naught, only
incurring upon them the just odium of all who were
manly enough to remain at their rosts.,I~~
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This wholesome state of affairs left no motive for
t   opposition to the draft, and all passed peaceably;'" through those riotous times. However, this county
was somewhat stirred with just indignation at the
turn of affairs in Huron County at that time, and a
ripple of excitement vibrated along the lake shore
when a company of 75 uniformed and disciplined
soldiers, with ten days' rations, passed through to
quell what was thought would result in a serious
disturbance.
The immediate occasion of the broil was the tak-: ing out of two drafted Polanders, by Sheriff Mankin,  and County Treasurer Cottrell. This was the first
week in January, 1865. Hardly had the officers left
Paris Township, in Huron County, when an armed
band of about 30 men, chiefly Polanders, under the
leadership of one Francis Talaga, surrounded them,
and, with loaded rifles pointed at their heads, demanded the release of the drafted men. UInder the:i circumstances resistance was of course useless, and?  the officers surrounded the prisoners. But this did
a  not satisfy the enraged rioters, and they fired several
shots at the officers, one or two of the bullets passing
dangerously near to their heads. The foreigners,
ignorant of our laws and customs, had in all probability been incited to the attack by the pestilential
peace-makers who opposed the war.
Believing this to be the true state of affairs, and
that possibly there might be a general uprising, the
officers wisely concluded that prompt measures were
the most effective, and Mr. Cottrell at once proceeded to the headquarters for this district and ex< plained the circumstances.  The result was the
appearance of the military company mentioned. The
soldiers passed through this county on the I5th of
January, and the next day were upon the field of
duty; but instead of meeting a desperate and determined band of men, full of courage, thirsting for
blood, not a hostile soul was seen. Peace reigned
serenely upon every clearing, throughout every dell
of the woods, and upon all the wide border no hero
was seen.
The ladies were not slow to recognize the necessity
of their assistance, and soon there was formed a
V Soldiers' Relief Society at Lexington, and a Soldiers'
Aid Society at Port Sanilac. These societies were
very earnest and energetic in doing all that could be
'  done by woman's hands for soldiers in need, and


811fis0 ---j....a                            k
COUNVTY.                                     469
many were the boxes of clothing, comforters, sheets, I
blankets, shirts, socks, bandages, handkerchiefs, dried  4
and preserved fruits, knick-knacks, newspapers,,
magazines, etc., that were sent by these ladies to the  f
hospital and camp of the Michigan boys.
How much genuine benefit the work of these
societies was to the soldiers and how well it was appreciated can be seen from the following extract
from a letter written by a soldier under General
Rosecrans in West Virginia to a friend in this county:
"Perhaps no one informed you of my being a subject of sanitary attention. After being permitted to (dshare with my noble comrades the toils and dangers  r
of the summer and fall campaigns, my system finally
gave way to the fever which had been sapping its
strength for weeks. and an ambulance bore me to the


hospital. Under the care of our skillful regimental
surgeon, Dr. Salter, the fever was broken in a week;
but a month had elapsed, and I had not yet recovered the full measure of my strength. It was not
until I had been several days home on a furlough
that I felt my physical strength renewed to its former
standard.
"My hospital life was far more pleasant than I anticipated. Up among the mountains, entering a
hospital was equivalent to speaking for a coffin.
Hence all made an effort to keep on duty, in order
to keep out of the hospital. But it is not so bad at
the post hospital at Charleston. Large, commodious
buildings are used as an abode for the sick, and the
comforts of the Ladies' Aid Society do much to prepare the soldier again for duty. BLESS THEIR SOULS!
I well remember that, after lying with my knapsack
for a pillow, my head almost bursting with pain,
when I was removed to another ward and supplied
with quilts, coverlets, feather pillows, sheets and
pillow slips by their fair hands, and my head resting
upon the soft, soothing pillow,-I could not help itmy eyes closed and I thanked God that our country
has such women."
The verdict for all soldiers from Sanilac can be
only that of the most hearty approval. Well proportioned in stature, their courage and manhood were
no less magnificent.!I


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Men of half-told days,
Lift up your specter hands
And take our sweet bolluq
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470                         SANILAC COUNTY.
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-:~.~I-IiE'HE development of a county
m. f[-"    7is a work of time. Changing
i  i/ E[ | ~a region so covered with forests that rarely a ray of sun-..J2J '  K    shine  reaches earth, into
meadows, orchards and wav~I   ^.^^     ~ing fields of grain, dotted
with school-houses, churches, factories, crossed by railroads and set
with beautiful homes, is not the
lfi aI 3 work of a day. It is this transformation from savagery to civilization
11-  l  with which this chapter proposes to
_-r~11t tllk ^ deal, giving first an exposition of
rthe climate, soil and capacities of
M.! ~   ~the county and the cause for its
settlement.
No thought of remaining in the county permanently was held by those who first came in to profit
by its natural advantages. Only the knowledge that
the vast pineries here so accessible to market would
enable them to make and ship several thousand feet
of lumber daily, at a cost of $6 per thousand, and
sell it for $30 per thousand, possessed the first
comers. After the lumber was cut off, they considered
the land worthless.  Then the second era began.
How badly the lumbermen were mistaken, was
proven by a careful examination of the material resources of the county by the sharp-eyed speculators,
who soon secured not less than 75 per cent. of the
lands of the county. The other 25 per cent. was
taken up by workmen who came only for the purpose


of lumbering, but when patches were cleared they
took homesteads and became permanent residents.
Much obloquy has been cast upon the lumbermen
and speculators by the first actual settlers of this
county. In the case of the first the complaint is
probably justifiable, since the temporary sharks
stripped the land of its natural wealth; and when
their purses were filled retired to great cities to spend
their gains in luxury, leaving no improvement or
value behind them for what they had received; while
the indignation at the course of capitalists in purchasing and developing the land is somewhat misplaced. True, money invested in the "swamp"
lands of Sanilac County made a good return to the
investor, but at the same time it left a permanent
benefit to the region, when it was withdrawn, in the
way of internal improvements, which under the circumstances would have been impossible for the unendowed settler to construct. Ditches and roads
were sadly needed in the early development of the
county, and to make these capital was needed which
could be invested without any hope, much less
necessity for its return for several years. The State
regulation concerning this provided that certain sections should be set apart for the purpose of draining
the balance, and those who constructed ditches and
other improvements should receive these sections as
adequate pay. The work of making these improvements consumed a great deal of time and labor. No
one without outside means of subsistence could
undertake it; hence a large and immediate outlay of
cash capital was required. When the work was


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v, finished, the land given in remuneration required
/  half a generation to bring it into a state of profitable;v cultivation. This being done, those who originally
held land which is now drained by these ditches,
and benefited by the improvements, received as great
i- an increase to their fortunes as the capitalist who
invested the money and did the work. A drain
through three adjoining farms of low land, increases
the value of the central one just as much in proportion as the other two, and yet incumbers it nothing if
by statute the others are given in payment for the
work. In this way capital came into Sanilac County,
and there is nothing like hard cash to assist in developing a new county.
The wonderful immigration into this county is not
without a cause, and this, with many other facts, is
well set forth in " Michigan and its Resources,"
from which the following paragraphs are taken:: PHYSICAL FEATURES.
I   The State of Michigan is 9,745 square miles larger
i than the State of New York; 13,700 larger than
4^ Pennsylvania; 17,855 larger than Ohio; 22.565 larger
than Indiana; and 2,265 larger than Illinois. The
entire area of the six New England States is 7,550
square miles larger than that of Michigan. When
the State was admitted into the Union, less than 50
v. years ago, it ranked twenty-third among the States in
the order of population. It is now ninth. It has a
coast line of i,600 miles-more than half the distance between New York and Liverpool-around
which vessels of 2,000 tons may sail without losing
sight of its territory.
The largest body of fresh water in the world forms
its northern boundary; the second largest its western; except these two, there are no lakes in Europe,
Asia or America larger than that which washes its
eastern borders; and it has ports on two others.
Lying in the embrace of these immense seas, its climate has no equal in the moderation of ils temperature in any State or territory situated on the same
degrees of latitude east of the Rocky Mountains.
Most of the southern peninsula of the State lies
between the same lines of latitude as the State of
New York. The shore line of its upper peninsula on
Lake Superior is mostly south of the latitude of Quesh  bec. It has 4,332 miles of railroad. Fifty-one county
seats out of 67 in the lower peninsula have railroad
connections; nine others are lake ports; there are
> only seven which have no outlets either by rail or
water, and none of these is more than 20 miles from
a railroad. In the upper peninsula there is only one,
and in the lower peninsula there are only eight counties, which are not reached by railroad connections
already in operation or in process of construction.


The farmers of Michigan have also the assurance
of permanent competition in the rates of transportation to eastern and sea-board markets, not only by
various rival lines of railroad but by natural and artificial water-ways. Every dollar saved in reaching
consumers is added to the gains of the producer.
The reports of the United States Department of
Agriculture show that in a series of six years, previous to and including i880, the average cash value
per acre of eight leading productions of the farm,
taken together, in ten principal farming States of the
West was greater in Michigan than in any other
State.
In the order of production Michigan stands first
among the States in the growth and manufacture of
lumber, first in salt, first in copper, first in charcoal
pig iron, certainly second if not first in iron ore, first
in fresh-water fisheries, fourth in wheat, and fourth
in wool. It has the largest iron mine and the largest
copper mine in the world. Seven-tenths of all the
wheat raised in the country is grown in nine States,
and only three excel Michigan in the volume of this
crop. In the last census year it produced more wheat
to the acre than any State in the Union, except Colorado, whose total yield was less than a million and
a half of bushels. It is also one of the best fruitproducing States in the Union. All its principal
products are staples, for which there must be a constant and growing demand.
The State is practically free from debt. Its public
buildings are paid for. It is prohibited by its constitution from borrowing money in excess of $50,000,
except in time of war. The entire local indebtedness
of all its cities, villages, towns, counties, and school
districts is less than ten millions of dollars. Its taxes
are low, and one-third of them all is applied to educational purposes.
The school system of Michigan makes education
free to all. The primary schools, the Agricultural
College, and the University are open without charge
for tuition to rich and poor alike. Even in nominations tothe Government army and navy schools at
West Point and Annapolis, it has become an established custom to leave the periodical vacancies open
to competitive examination. Young men of every
nationality, creed, and condition have precisely the
same right to public benefits and equal chances in
the race for success.
With all the advantages of a healthful climate, a
fertile soil, easy access to home and foreign markets, extraordinary facilities of transportation, a settled society, a generous school system, established
institutions, freedom from debt, and a low rate of
taxation, there are in the State several millions of
acres of unoccupied farming lands, suitable to almost
every variety of husbandry, some of them open to
settlement under United States and State homestead laws, and all within reach of moderate means.


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<   472                                SAN I     ACCOUNTY.
Notwithstanding the enormous wealth of Michigan  stone, with untold subterranean reservoirs of salt,
j in other resources, it is in agriculture, in which at  and with a subsoil which for general purposes of fet
*   least half of its active population are employed, that  husbandry in ease of clearing and richness cannot
it develops its greatest eminence. This eminence,
I  of which ample proof will be given, has for its found- be surpassed. In brief the peninsula possesses all
(   ations natura ladvantages of which the State can-  the advantages of older sections-foremost in its
not be divested, and which ensure to its prosperity a  schools, educational facilities and churches; dotted
permanent and enduring character.               with live, rapidly growing villages; enjoying the most
I. The fertility and diversity of the soil.ith every advanample mercantile facilities, and with every advan[I. The geographical position of Michigan, altogether unique in its character, affecting both its tage n lines of railroad, steam and sailing vessels,
climate and its markets. Lake Superior, more than  and close proximity to the leading markets. The
400 miles long, and the largest fresh water sea in  peninsula is traversed by the Black River, which  A
a   the world, washes its northern shores; Lake Michi-  empties its waters into the St. Clair at Port Huron, rt
gan, 345 miles in length, second in size, and the    he Cass River, with its head waters in Huron
largest lying wholly within the United States, forms  a  t  C   R, w
the greater portion of its western boundary; and  County, which empties into the Saginaw River near
Lakes Huron, St. Clair and Erie, with their connect-  Saginaw. Indeed, the Huron Peninsula has a watering rivers, mark its limits on the east.        shed distinct from  that of the east of the State.
III. The accessibility and nearness to the great  The central portion of the peninsula is an elevated
markets of the world, taken in connection with the  plateau, rising some 400 feet in Sanilac and Tuscola
comparatively small capital needed, constitute an-  Counties, and extending into a range of hills in the
) other and very important reason for the profitable-                                             f
ness of farming in Michigan. Every hundred miles  othern portion of Huron County. No portion, howas  saved in transportation to the seaboard adds to the  ever, of this hilly country is so broken as to render it
value of the staple agricultural productions. No  undesirable for agricultural purposes. Indeed, this  H
=   State or Territory in the Union has so many cheap  is the quality of land sought by practical agricultur-.:   and fertile lands within so easy reach of the leading   arefamiliar with the hills of New York and
=:r                                                ists who are familiar with the hills of New York and  %1
markets.
marIV. Th     wodru diest ofntrlrsu                Pennsylvania, and which form a desirable contrast 3
'hip  IV. The wonderful diversity of natural resources                                             *
in Michigan, and the manufacturing interests to  to the more level and monotonous sections. From \H
which they contribute, create a constant and increas-  this plateau rise and flow a considerable number of
)  ing home market for the products of the soil. Vast  streams in all directions, some north into Lake  (
quantities of the yield of the farm and garden go to  Huron, some west into Saginaw Bay, others east into
the mills, lumber camps, furnaces and mines, and
the millslumber camps, furnacesand mines, ad  the St. Clair River, and yet others into the Cass on
finds ready and profitable sale.  There are few the t. lar River and y  others into the Cass
neighborhoods where some of these markets are not the south and thence west lnto Saginaw Bay.
found, and the wagons of the farmers of the vicinity  Huron County is the head of the Huron Peninbringing hay, oats, potatoes, butter, cheese, eggs,  sula, and Sanilac, with a part of Tuscola, forms the
poultry, fresh meat and fruit are always welcomed  base. Originally, Sanilac included all this territory,
and rewarded with good prices.                       *..             >?
and rewarded with good prices.                  after it was detached from St. Clair, in I849, until ~:
The Huron Peninsula is that fertile stretch of    n County was organized.    The permanent
Huron County was organized.    The permanent
land projecting into the waters of Lake Huron on county lines were then drawn, and the county is
the east and north, with Saginaw Bay upon its west-  now bounded on the north by Huron County, on the
ern boundary.  This peninsula is known as the   west by Tuscola and Lapeer, on the south by St.
"Thumb of the Michigan Mitten." This rich and   Clair, andon the east by Lke Huron. It is travbeautiful rural district, with its undulating surface,  ersed from southwest to the north central line by
its extensive coast line, its numerous safe harbors,  what is known as the "Huckleberry Marsh," which
beautiful rivers, gurgling springs and healthful cli-  has an average width of three and a half miles
mate, render it a section of growing interest to the  Within a few years this will no longer be known as a
d!   crowded denizens of the older States and neighboring  marsh, but must be called a garden, since the rich
<    provinces. Added to the advantages already enu-  soil after drainage brings forth "an hundred-fold."
merated, there are numberless others of materialOn either side of this marsh the land rises, and on
moment,-spanned by railroads, underlaid by ex-  the east toward the lake becomes rolling, even (
7   haustless quarries of li me rock, building and grind  bluffy in places along the shore. Its rivers have <t
e~*ll —"-X.u*-aq^s^^                                                               en^




— *v)t^         ~SANILAC (!   been traced, and the growth and history of its
P   villages will be found in the history of the several;  townships.
The Soil.


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- ~  | HE soil covering Sanilac County is almost
entirely formed of drift, or else of alluvial
material. That is to say, it is comminuted
and triturated fragmental rock masses and of
layer blocks of the various formations, transported from the north by moving glaciers and
floating icebergs, or washed to the spot by currents
of water. According to the best evidences, the entire
country under consideration was deeply submerged
at a time subsequent to the glacial period. This loose
material covers almost the entire face of the Huron
Peninsula, as it does in a grgat measure the entire
State, forming a layer of more than 200 feet in depth.
This drift soil is permnanently adapted to the growth
of plants. Its composition, of a great variety of mineral substances, furnishes an inexhaustible supply of
those constituents necessary for successful vegetable
life. Occasionally there is to be found on the shore,
especially on the west shore, a limited area covered
with a light, sterile, sandy drift. In other places occurs a heavy, fertile clay soil. Bnt in most instances
the drift soil upon the Huron Peninsula is composed
of a mixture of clay with sand and gravel, which
combines all the properties requisite to the production of a rich vegetation. It is easily tilled, sufficiently retentive of moisture during dry periods, and
amply porous in wet seasons to prevent the drowning
of crops. The actual experiments in agriculture for
several years demonstrate the most favorable theories
of the geologist to be well founded. In various portions of the county are found large beds of gravel,
highly valuable for road building.  On the shore is
sand which upon test is found to be of the best quality for the manufacture of glass. In several localities,
as well, is found a heavy clay, free from limestone,
and admirably adapted to the making of brick and
tile.
Twent-five years ago this county was an almost
unbroken, desolate wilderness, covered with a heavy
growth of timber, consisting of beech, maple and




other hard woods, and pine and hemlock of the softer
varieties. At that time there was an occasional farm.
Along the shore the lumber trade had stimulated the
formation and growth of several small villages, but
no general effort had been made looking to the cultivation of the soil. The opinion was prevalent, both
here and elsewhere, that pine lands were worthless
for agricultural purposes, and consequently the emigration to this county was entirely in the lumbering
interest. It was not until the great mass of the pine
had been exhausted that the attention of the people
became directed to its grand adaptability to agriculture. It took but little time for the practical agriculturists to discover that the preconceived ideas in
respect to the county and its capabilities were entirely erroneous, and that which had been deemed
thin and sterile soil possessed the strength and every
attribute for the prolific production of all farm products. In the earlier days, around the shanties of
the lumbermen, small garden spots were cleared, and
through the admirable growth of the garden products
was discovered the value of the soil. Whilst pine
was scattered over the county it was in no excess, but
was almost invariably intermingled with hemlock,
maple, elm, birch and a great variety of other
timber.  When the discovery was made that the
lands were not pine lands, emigration became attracted to the section solely upon the merits of the
soil, and without any stimulation by individuals or
interested associations, and to-day what was an almost unbroken wilderness contains twenty flourishing
villages and is dotted with thrifty-appearing farms.
Climate.
" ANILAC County is very favorably located.
It has thirty-six miles of shore line with a
magnificent harborage. This water stretch,
constantly in motion, coming in contact with
the surrounding atmosphere, modifies the climate both in summer and winter. For ten
years past, including the winter of i88o-r, which
was of extreme severity, the lowest point touched by
the thermometer at the Government works at Sand
Beach, in Huron County, was Io0 below zero, while
at the same time it reached i6Q below at Lansing.


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The winter of I883-4, which was exceptionally
severe, the lowest point reached at the Sand Beach
station was IcQ above that at Lansing. The summers are rarely accompanied by the excessive heat
experienced in the interior portions of the State. The
dense, muggy days, so oppressive alike to man and
beast, which accompany certain seasons in many
localities, are of rare occurrence in Sanilac County,
and fogs are infrequent. While but little cloudy
weather is witnessed, frequent, agreeable and essentially valuable rains occur. So clearly is the atmosphere happily affected by the peculiar location of the
county in regard to its water surroundings, that an
hour suffices after a rain fall for the appearance of
bright skies and healthful atmosphere. No spot is
more desirable and agreeable for summer residences
than is the Huron Peninsula. The same influences
which operate to cool the air of summer have the
peculiarity of operating equally happily, but exactly
contrary, during the winter season. During the
months of summer the vast bodies of surrounding
water, through their continual motion while under
exposure to the rays of the sun and warm atmosphere, becomes heightened in temperature; and as it
retains this temperature much longer than the surrounding atmosphere, as the change of the season begins, it tends to modify such surrounding atmosphere
and thereby considerably protracts the mildness of
the season. Indeed, it is a notable fact that the
Huron Peninsula enjoys the most delightful autumns
of any portion of the whole country. This gives all
kinds of fruit, cereals and vegetables ample opportunity to mature, and the farmer sufficient time to prepare for the approaching season. One of the most
beneficial effects of the atmosphere created by
these deep waters in tempering the severity of
the winter is in the preservation of the buds of the
less hardy fruit trees, this peculiarity of atmosphere of the Huron Peninsula partaking of the
temperature of the water, which, being materially
above the freezing point, mingles with the cooler
body, lessening the severity of the severer seasons.
This fact has been clearly demonstrated by a long
series of tests which leave no possible doubt upon
the subject. As was before mentioned, the fall season is greatly prolonged, and the early frosts, which
sometimes affects the interior of the State, are of extremely rare occurrence, and therefore the crops of, CO UNTY.
Sanilac County have the most advantageous opportunities for maturing.
Another favorable condition, and one worthy of
mention, is the freedom of the Huron Peninsula
from the prevalence of those high winds which are
so frequent in occurrence in the prairie sections of
the Great West. The devastating "blizzards," accompanied by blinding dust in summer, and paralyzing snow in winter, and which constitute one of the
great terrors of so many western sections from
whence emanate active exertions to attract emigration, are unknown to this county.
Crops.


7
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~     -t EADING, as it does, in the two great essentials for crop-raising-climate and soilSanilac County yields abundant returns for
the labor of her farmers. As is the case with
nearly the entire State of Michigan, wheat is
the staple product of this county, though other
products are raised at a good profit. To the cultivation
of wheat the farmer has given the greatest attention,
and the results have proven that the soil and climate
are favorable in the most satisfactory manner to its
successful cultivation, while the quality of the grain
is equal to the very best raised in the State. This
happy condition of the aptitude of the soil of Sanilac
County for the successful growth of the great American cereal product, the truth of which being substantiated by public official reports and by the testimony of the most experienced agriculturists, is of
the utmost interest to the farmers of sections less
favored in soil productiveness.
Although the farms of the county are new, and the
tillage consequently imperfect, the yield is considerably above the average of the growth throughout the
State. When the tillage is advanced to that degree
of perfection reached by the older portion of the
country, Sanilac county will stand, in quality as well
as quantity, by the side of the best wheat-bearing
counties of Michigan.  Indeed, in the south and
east portions of the county, which have been settled
longest, the average yield at the present time equals
that of the most productive fields of other parts of
the State. While wheat ranks first in order of pro-,., X,;
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475




an   duction, cereals which can be raised in any other
portion of the State grow equally well in Sanilac
';  County, and in many instances surpass all other sections. In illustration, we may cite in instance, peas.
This article, which mildews, becomes worm-eaten and
is almost a valueless crop in the southern portion of
the State to such an extent that attempts at their
cultivation has been almost wholly abandoned, are
raised bountifully in Sanilac County. While the
I  yield of oats is perhaps not equal to that of some
other counties of the State, yet they can be satisfac' torily cultivated in this county. Corn can be raised
easily and advantageously. In Sanilac County there
are large tracts of land which may practically be
termed " corn lands."  This land is to be found in
various portions of the county, and is to become of
the greatest value and aid to agricultural success in
the near future. While there are, as intimated before, large tracts of particular choice land, all of the
county is susceptible of prolific. yield. Barley, both
as to quality and quantity, is far above the average.
Three hundred bushels is not an infrequent yield of
potatoes, while in quality they excel those of nearly
i"'  any other section. In the line of agriculture, among
those articles which may be grown may be specified:
wheat, Indian corn, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat,
|i clover seed, peas, potatoes, hay, hops, honey, maple
sugar, tobacco, apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, grapes, strawberries, currants, gooseberries, etc.;
also wool, mutton, pork, beef, butter, cheese, cider
and wine.   The extraordinary growth of grass in
Sanilac County has stimulated farmers to give extra
attention to stock-raising. With such success has
4  stock-raising been attended, that appearances point
conclusively to the fact that in the near future this
profitable and agreeable branch of farming will become one of the great elements of prosperity of the
county.


life. In providing a home where one is to spend his
days, seeking to secure a competence which shall
render less irksome his declining days, the desire also
to so select a spot which shall be of endurance sufficient to form a home for his descendants forms part
and parcel of his desires, and it is well that the matter is taken into consideration. Again, the quality of
food eaten by individuals, the character of climate
and even the surrounding scenery have a direct influence in molding the character of the inhabitants
of a section. The mountaineer becomes, after a few
generations, a sinewy, bold, daring man, while the
dweller of the plains, dwelling amid scenes of refinement, partakes of the nature of his surroundings. In
its native wildness the Huron Peninsula, with its
running streams, broad lakes and bay and vast forests, spontaneously yielded the most delicious of wild
fruits.
When Father Marquette and his Jesuit brothers
paddled around our beautiful peninsula 200 years
ago, dropping here and there a few apple and pear
trees along with the seed of the word, they little
dreamed of the great future that was indicated for
Michigan in the thrifty growth of seedling fruit-trees
that were to spring up along their pathway. A few
of these old trees, and some that were planted a few
years later, are still found in various places on the
shores of Lakes Huron and Michigan, and are healthy
and strong, bearing regular crops of fruit, monuments
of the adaptability of the peninsula to the cultivation
of the apple and pear. Since the great fires which
destroyed the forest and assisted in clearing up the
county the wild fruit-trees have been replaced by
large orchards containing every variety of fruit known
to Michigan. While peaches are not cultivated on
the peninsula with as great success as is met upon
the western shore of the State, still they are cultivated
with far greater success than is found in the interior,
and in Sanilac County give a more than satisfactory
yield. Pears and plums are in every respect an extraordinary crop, and in no portion of the State can
be found a county excelling Sanilac either in the
quality or quantity of these fruits. Generally these
patches of trees have been spared, while the stately
pine and oak and hemlock have succumbed to the
blows of the woodman's ax, and their places are now
occupied by fertile fields. So popular have these
fruits become in the markets of the cities and in the
lumbering regions, that purchasing agents of the..


I






Fruit.
[ J HILE the luxuries of this life are not
i, x1V  j equally distributed over the surface of
et h~?    the whole country, some sections abound
V   a 42 in those delicacies which please the appetite, while others, through the actions of
t{    ' nature and the labors of the soil tiller, yield
alone the commoner essentials necessary to human
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476                           SAN4ILA4C COUNTY.


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larger produce houses pass through the section in
advance of the harvest, contracting the entire crop to
be delivered in its seasons at the highest market
figures. In this respect the Huron Peninsula has
greatly the advantage over all those western States
and Territories where no one of these choice fruits are
raised and all varieties of fruit are required to be
imported for consumption. While peaches, pears,
plums, cherries and grapes excel in Sanilac County, it
will readily be inferred that the apple production
must necessarily be of equal value in magnitude and
quality of production. Such is the case, and the
growing apple orchards of the peninsula give promise
of the greatest encouragement. In this culture of
fruit in this county not unfrequently a single acre
realizes several hundred dollars after the family
demand for fruit has been fully supplied. In addition to the excellence of yield and quality there must
be taken into consideration the contiguity of the
county to the markets and the ease of access. In
addition to its railroad facilities, steam or sailing
vessels ply daily from the shore towns of the county
to Port Huron and to Detroit.
Sanilac County Agricultural Society.
m ARLY in June, 1859, a public call was
made for the purpose of bringing together
the citizens of the county to form an agricultural society and county fair.  In pursuance, the meeting assembled at the courthouse in Lexington on the i8th of that month,
articles of association were adopted, and officers
elected who were to hold their office until the last
day of the first annual fair, when new officers were to
be selected. Twenty-five of the most interested were
present at the first meeting, all of whom signed the
articles of incorporation, paid into the treasury one
dollar each and became members.
The first fair was held on the 27th and 28th of the
following September, the number of memberships in
the meantime increasing to over a hundred. There
was a good attendance from all parts of Sanilac and
Huron Counties, and the result was a successful inauguration of these harvest festivals. To encourage
the enterprise, a large number of premiums awarded




The second annual fair was held in September of
the follwing year, and the number and amounts of
premiums were largely increased; but instead of
donating the premiums this year nearly all the
awards were nearly all drawn, thus depleting the surplus of the previous year, owing to the larger premiums offered. However, it was ascertained after
the first fair that the business of the society had been
sufficient to entitle it to assistance from the county.
Accordingly a report was made, as required by the
statute, to the Board of Supervisors, setting forth the
facts under oath of the society's President, John
Sheldon, and Secretary, Charles Waterbury. Thereupon the Board of Supervisors levied a tax of onetenth of a mill on the dollar of the valuation of
property in the county, and this tax was collected
according to provision. However, the money thus
raised had to be expended under the direction of the
Board, and no choice was left to the society. The
honorable body concluded to invest the money in
land. The society made considerable effort to secure
as suitable land as possible, still restraining themselves within the prescription of the Board, and it
was finally decided to purchase the land now held,
time being given for the greater part of the purchase
money.
The following year the Board cut down the appropriation to one-fortieth of a mill on the dollar, and
thus not more than half the sum required was raised
to meet the annual payment. This left the society
without any funds and in debt for its land, which was
very uneven, only partially fenced, with no buildings,
and things generally unfit for use.
This was the condition of affairs as the time drew
nigh for the third annual fair, while the general depression and closeness of money all over the country,
with the civil war just begun, tended to subdue much
of the ardor felt for the undertaking in the former
years.
But the Executive Board of the society was equal
to the emergency, and, calling a meeting, they decided to hold a fair at all hazards, trusting to its
merit and the liberality of the people for success.
Under this impulse the society decided to erect a
substantial exhibition hall, believing it unprofitable
to make any mistake, with their limited means, by


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were donated to the society, which, established it on  3
a firm financial basis.


14




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3   effecting any improvements which should not be
t. durable. A high post-and-board fence was also put
-% up this year on the south side of the grounds, and
T included two or three acres of land, which the society
proposed to purchase by voluntary subscription.
The improvements, as a matter of course, placed
the society deeply in debt; but be it said to the credit
of those who did the work, that nearly all the labor
needed was voluntary-nothing being charged for it.
The fair was held on the Ioth and T th of Octobl: ber, that year, and the efforts of the society were
abundantly fruitful, the receipts amounting to almost;j enough to pay all the premiums awarded; yet the
expenses of the year, including the late improvements, had been large, and these, with the payment
again due on the land, for which the annual tax from
the county was half enough, left a great deficiency
in the treasury, which must be filled in some way.
At this crisis, those who had donated most liberally before, both labor and money, came forward
v again and proposed not only to donate their premiums,
h many of which were the largest on the list, but also: to start a subscription and push it vigorously until
> sufficient funds were raised to lift the society from
all indebtedness and purchase the land east of the
r grounds belonging to the society. The list of subscriptions was started, with a contribution of $5 from


C COUNTY.                                     477 7
nearly all of the members, and the premium-holders
were not slow to adopt the suggestion of the leaders,
so that the accounts of the society were once more.
almost to a balance. By this method the grounds   T
were enlnrfrdl frr\n- vr.qr ifn vqr,n. i: r mnrvet entr\ n.t


Wadded as the society became able.U ILLlUlI   L
added as the society became able.


Salt.


/


"i~7RIOR     to the settlement of Michigan by
i.. white men the Indians supplied themselves
1,|     with salt from the saline springs of the
A)  Saginaw Valley and Huron Peninsula. In
i 1859 a well was sunk at East Saginaw to the,   depth of 650 feet, and was the first to obtain
brine in paying quantities. Of late the Michigan
product of salt has largely exceeded that of any other
State. Huron County is largely interested in the
manufacture of salt. The best quality sell promptly
for dairy and family use, and it is believed that the
same stratum underlies the eastern portion of Sanilac.
It is predicted that within a few years an attempt
will be made to test the matter, when, it is hoped,
Sanilac will be able to compete with her neighbor on
the north in this production.


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SANILAC COUNTY.,-`""2
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~.,?a C,y,        t tHE  total area of Sanilac
County in square miles is
j/S A"- about I,050, which, reduced
to acres, becomes 672,000,
and at an average value of
~   ~   e$io per acre, which is low,
the real estate of the county
can be said to be worth a round
$7,ooo,ooo. This is not more
than one-third of what the value
will be after the county is all
)  put into tillable shape. In its
wild state the value of this land
was but little over $I,ooo,ooo; but
I  its adaptability to agriculture purposes has raised this to its present value, which is
ar1 t-   i:  ~  ~  ~   A  ~.


the fisplacing of the various records when the great
fires occurred, and at other times, made it difficult
for the compiler to ascertain the exact dates in many
cases. The county now has 26 townships, the one
most recently organized being Wheatland, which
was created in I88i. They are all of the regulation
size except those made otherwise by the irregularity
of the lake shore, and Marlette, which has the addition of the half town south of it, in the same range.
A short sketch of each is appended, and a careful
perusal will repay the reader, as the development of
the county is there shown, step by step.
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Lexington, Township and Village.


A capaDie ot oeing pusned up to $40,000,000. All                   -
this vast latent wealth and territory, with all north  HIS being the town which fostered the
of it to Saginaw Bay, was formerly included within      growth of this section before it was a counthe boundaries of Lexington Township; but the           ty, its antiquity deserves the first considerLegislative act, in I848, organizing the county, also  ' ation. The township covers town Io (north),
organized the two additional townships of Worth      of ranges 16 and fractional Ig. The credit of
and Sanilac. The former included what is now the      being the first settler is generally given to John
southern tier of townships in the county. The next  Smith, who hunted and fished on the shore as early
4   strip of six miles wide, longitudinally extending from  as I835; but he made no permanent improvements,?   the lake back to Lapeer County, was set off as Lex-  and those who came later found nothing in this, ington Township, and Sanilac embraced all the ter- township to indicate that a permanent settler had,
(.) ritory north of that. The organization of the other  ever been here. The first actual settler in the vil>, townships is given under their proper headings, but  lage and one of the first, if not the first, in the town—, M --- ____- --;
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"Q-1,4ATIAC COUNITY.




*   ship, was John Beebe, who attempted to locate part
5 of the land south of Huron Avenue and east of:   Main Street, but, failing in this, sold to Reuben
i Simons, who settled on it in i838. He built a frame
house, and this is claimed by many to be the first
frame in the county. It was destroyed by fire a few
years afterward, one of Mr. Simon's children being
burned in it, and another son badly injured. This
house stood on the present site of the Methodist
Episcopal church. The settlers turned out to help
r him re-build, and a block house was erected on the
other side of the road, where Mr. Simons lived for
many years. The death of his son was probably the
first in the township.
Just after this a temporary fish dock was built by
Mr. —Wild. John A. Wright, about the same year,
built a small store near the dock and sold goods for
a year more, when he was succeeded by Zophar
Wright, who for a long time was called the first
merchant in Lexington. A little later Darius Cole
/J started a store. Then Mr. Cole and a Mr. Boynton
started an ashery on the creek near the brewery.
=7 Subsequently Isaac Leuty came to the village, succeeded Boynton in the partnership with Cole, and
the firm of Cole & Leuty continued many years.; The dates for all this are uncertain, but these
W  changes took place in 1839-41.
Up to this time the village was called Greenbush;
but in I842 Samuel W. Monroe and William Monroe
came here, and platted and owned that part of the
village which has since been known as Monrovia.
Jerauld Miller came here in I843, brought some
leather and made shoes, being the first shoemaker in
a the village, township and county. He subsequently
I bought land in the northern part of the village, built
him a house, and cleared the present Fair Ground.
The following year A. S. Pratt commenced building the scow " Pontiac," but failed to finish it; and
Hubbard & Grice, who were established in the meantime, completed and launched the boat. Another
scow, the " Henry Young," was built about the same
r   time by Cole & Leuty, but Lexington never attained
much greater notoriety in the ship-building line.
t'  These were only small crafts, fitted for trucking
alongshore. The first steam-boat came up in I846.
If It was the "Old Huron," and always came during
service on Sunday morning, as, indeed, has been the
custom of many boats since then. Goods and passengers were landed from a lighter and smaller boats


until I851, when the Hubbards built the first dock, to
accommodate the business of their saw-mill, which
was erected in I847. Much of the early history of
this village is given in the chapter on pioneer life.
The first hotel in the village, town and county was
built and kept by C. L. Mills, on the present site of
the Cadillac, in 1840. Mr. Mills kept the place but
a short time when he traded it to James Yakes for the
farm now owned in part by Luther D. Mills, two
miles west of the village. Shortly after this, Mr.
Yakes sold to J. W. Buel, whose mother, Mrs. Mary
Buel, kept the place until the house was removed or
torn down to make room for the present Cadillac,
which was opened July 4, i860. The Cadillac was
built by John L. Wood, and named for Gen. De La
Motte Cadillac, who founded Fort Ponchartrain at
Detroit in I70I. Jeremiah Jenks was the first proprietor and kept it until I863, when William Wilson
took it for a year. Amos James then rented and
kept it for two years, at the expiration of which time
Mr. Wood sold the property to John Cole, in I866.
After some other changes, occupying two years, Mr.
James returned from Port Huron, whither he had
gone after the last sale, purchased the property and
remained its owner, but finally turned over the proprietorship to his son, Will D. James. The Cadillac
has a livery in connection with the house. At present there is only one other hotel in Lexington, the
Henry House, which was formerly the Parsons
House. This house also has a livery in connection.
It was purchased by George Henry, in I87I, and in
1878 he added a lumber yard to his business.
The village of Lexington grew rapidly in numbers
and importance after I849, being the county seat at
that time, and in 1855 was incorporated. The removal of the county seat took with it the portion of
business pertaining thereto, but the commerce of the
village remained unimpaired, and to-day, with a population of I,200, it is one of the most prosperous
and substantial business centers on the lakeshore.
One of the oldest and most prosperous firms in
Lexington is Tewksbury, Papst & Co. This house
was established in 1849, by J. L. Wood, who conducted the business for nine years and then admitted
W. I. Nims as a partner, the style of the firm becoming J. L. Wood & Co., which continued until I863,
when Benjamin Farrington also became a partner,
and the firm was changed to Wood, Nims & Co.
After two years Mr. Farrington retired, and with him


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(4 8o                                 SSAN LAC COUNTY.                                         _
the "Co." of the firm name. No more changes were    Mrs. S. Goulding, millinery store, established
~~ made until 1873, when S. C. Tewksbury purchased  1877..an interest, and the name was changed to Nims,     Mrs. C. A. Vasey, notions, established 1883.
{ Tewksbury & Co. In i880 Rudolph Papst pur-        "Clarkes," dry goods, groceries, hardware, crock(  chased the interest of Mr. Nims and the present  ery, boots, shoes, hats, caps, ready-made clothing  K
firm name was adopted,-Tewksbury, Papst & Co.   and general merchandise; also dealers in grain and
Mr. Wood retired in 1884 and Mrs. L. A. Tewks-  country produce. The firm is composed of E. B.
bury became a partner. The business of the firm is  and Daniel Clark, and was established in 1869.
very extensive, embracing three large stores, which  Mrs. Daniel Clark has a fine stock of millinery and
display large stocks of dry goods, groceries, crockery,  fancy goods in the same store. She also keeps a
V hardware, school books, etc., etc. A large feed store  fine line of zephyrs, Saxony and Germantown yarns! and a lumber yard are kept in connection with the  and stamped goods. Mrs. Clark is the successor of
other business, and the firm also deals in grain and  Miss Martha Vasey, who established one of the first,
live stock. The other business of the village as it  if not the first, millinery store in the county.
appears to-day, with the date of establishment, is as  W. T. Lee, groceries, books and stationery, confollows:                                        fectionery and notions, in the postoffice building.
John L. Bell & Son, drugs, paints, oils, fine cigars  Mr. Lee purchased this business of Mr. S. Burgess,
and fancy groceries. The business was established  who established it in 1872.
about I848, and is the oldest of the kind in the  C. C. L. Sly, furniture, cabinet-ware, undertaker
county.                                         and builder, established 1878.
N     Bernard Miller, merchant tailoring, established Michael Meyers, blacksmith, established  869.
~~*:~         i*"~ W"nlTvL+Lrr^ical MeTntr, lr nikitnrnn1r,       sftlhblishd T89. -


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I851.
W. M. Grice, saw-mill supplies, steam and gas
fixtures, guns, revolvers, cutlery, sewing-machines
and supplies. Mr. Grice started in with a small gun
store in 1864, and by I875 he was able to add a
planing-mill to his business.
J. P. Niggeman, jewelry and books, established
I863.
M. Smith & Son, boots and shoes, tinware and
bakery, established in 1864.
F. Komoll, clothing and tailoring, established




VV II1. IVILILyLUI PllFLV LUJdP11C1  kL ZLdLZ11UU  U  J/ / 7.
Andrew Monroe, saloon, bakery and grocery, established I864.
Purkiss Brothers, brewery and saloon, established
in 1884. The brewery was formerly owned and run
by F. L. Walters. Its capacity is about 12 barrels
per day.
George Lord, bakery and confectionery, established I882.
George Oles, barber, established 1854.
Charles Miller, barber, established I875.
Tin-nntr^,   r   ('v..r;lC1-inl,-  ll  1rlz- rn;i-h,ot -hl;Hch-,-1


I 873l                                                J lllU1   LXs^.  ll.O t  OH./.I lHlIl   VO.UlOltU.J..
X f1873.                                           I868.
Jonathan Frostick, shoe shop, established 1873.    Pris & So     m       r        i
alaB,,  o,~~~.,,~.      ~~~~~,Purkiss & Son, meat market, established 1875.  A
John Schmidt, shoe shop, established I878...
Wni.. White, meat market, established I882.
F. Hicks & Son, only exclusive boot and shoe
F.  s & Sn, oy e e b   a   s        Lexington Bank of B. R. Noble, established in
store in Lexington, established 1873.               8
Bernard Fox, harness, saddles and horse hardware,  B   h & M     e  (      n B   h Wilord
established,, i854.                  Beach & Macklem (Watson Beach, Wilford Mackestablished 1854.
lem), attorneys, established in 1865. This firm was
R. D. Sherrick, furniture, cabinet-ware and under- formerly Nims & Beach, but Mr. C. S. Nims moved
taking. This was the first store of the kind started  from the county in 1882, and was succeed by Mr.
on the Huron Peninsula, being established in 1849.   Macklem. The original firm owned and contrlled
|  Mr. Sherrick has a large planing-mill and cabinet-  the fefersonian, but this is now the property of Mr.
shop, which were established at the same time as his  Beach alone.
store, and he is also an extensive architect.John Divine, the first attorney in the county,
G. H. Mason, 99-cent store, dry goods, notions,     opened an office in 1850. In 1859 W. S. Mills begroceries. Mr. Mason purchased this business of    came a partner, and the style of the firm   was
Mrs. Ida Allen in I882.                             Divine & Mills. Two years later Mr. Mills received,
-— ^^i<>~ti>                                 No —:;fi~~~~~~~~~" nk^A^




'!^^>SANI ---- C7-          lr    CnO iU  Y.               48 is  i-.. — ff.SANILAC COUNTY.                  48I
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t an appointment in the Treasury Department at
Washington, and Mr. Divine conducted the office
alone for a year or more, or until a partnership was
formed with L. L. Wixson. This partnership was
maintained for i8 years, when Mr. Wixson was
elected Judge of the i6th Judicial Circuit (composed
of Sanilac, Huron and Tuscola Counties), and Mr. J.
W. Babcock took his place in company with Mr.
Divine, the firm at present being styled Divine &
Babcock.
Bacok:SOCIETIES.
Lexington Lodge, No. 61, F. &' A. M., was instituted in 1853, and Hiram Bacon, now deceased, was
its first W. M. The membership is now I44. For
a number of years this was the only Masonic lodge
in the county; and at one time it had a membership
of more than 200, but at the present time there are
five lodges in the county, and all of them drew
members from Lexington Lodge in order to organize.
Damascus Chapter, No. p4, Royal Arch Masons,
was chartered in 1865, and Arthur M. Clark was the
first High Priest. The membership is now 92 members.
Lexington Commandery, No. 27, Knights Templars,
was chartered in I867, and George Smith was the
first Eminent Commander. The membership is now
60 members.
The Masonic Hall is one of the finest lodge rooms
in the State. The building cost more than $ I,o000,
and is elegantly furnished by the fraternity. It is
owned by the Masons and Village of Lexington
jointly.
H. H. Nims Post, No. II8, G. A. R., Department of
f' Michigan, was organized in March, 1883, at Lexington. The first officers were: Post Commander, R.
Papst; Senior Vice Commander, George Henry;
Junior Vice Commander, Josiah Reynolds; Quartermaster, John Wyllis; Officer of the Day, H. H. Huffman; Adjutant, 0. Yake; Surgeon, J. J. Bayed;
Chaplain, J. B. Lucas; Sergeant Major, Watson
Beach; Quartermaster Sergeant, I. Papst.   The
Post has increased in membership from  27 to 52,
in good standing.
Ad    Council No. 77, Royal Arcanum, was organized in
I878. The principal work of this fraternity is mutual life insurance.
Lexington Library Association.-In the autumn of
1870 very creditable steps were taken to form a




library association, with Charles S. Nims as President,
and Charles Partridge as Treasurer and Anthony
Brunk as Librarian. The rooms were located in
Fox's block, and about $I50 subscribed as the initiatory contribution. This sum, with that already received from the leoal appropriation, was expected to
purchase books and sufficient periodicals for a reading room in connection with it, and also defray the
current expenses for the ensuing year, the idea being
that the library should be free. No charge was to be
made for its use, but citizens were allowed the privilege of contributing to its support,-a fact in itself
disastrous to longevity. The library was kept up
on this plan for two years, or longer, but was never
a success, and was finally stored in the book-case of
the public schools. It is hoped that a movement
will soon be made to re-establish it on a permanent
basis.
The Ladies' Aid Society was organized in September, 1873, as a "Methodist society irrespective of
denomination," designed for the benefit and maintenance of religious worship. The first President was
Mrs. L. L. Wixson, and Mrs. W. Lee was the first
Vice-President. A fee of ten cents was to be paid
every member at every meeting, with an initiation fee
of 20 cents. The society is of an industrial nature,
and with occasional socials the ladies have accomplished great good.


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Croswell.


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HE name of this village was " Davisville"
until the general change which took place:~   in almost everything on the advent of the
Port Huron & Northwestern Railroad, when
the name was changed to " Croswell," in honor
of Gov. Croswell. Since that time the village
has experienced a new era, and is now noted for its
neatness, enterprise and general business thrift. Its
early history is similar to that of the surrounding
country in the early days.
Indians lingered around for five or six years after
the first settlements were made.  They traded
baskets of their own make to the pioneers for salt,
flour and pork. They were very friendly, and often 9
the citizens would haul their canoes from Davisville
ZflIE     —;


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to Lexington for them. Meetings were held in the
school-house, now known as the "District Schoolhouse." Rev. Clark King, of Kentucky, preached the
first sermons here, to a Methodist congregation, and
often the Indians would attend, enjoying the service
and claiming to be as good Methodists as anybody.
The first frame building erected in Davisville
stands now on the west bank of the river, just east
of the residence of Mrs. M. Davis. It was erected
in the summer of I849, and the following year the
present house of Mrs. Davis was built.
The school-house was built in the fall of I851.
Randall E. Davis donated the lots for it, and was
much interested in the erection of the building. The
first teacher was Miss Mary Hart (later Mrs. John
Robb). The pupils were the children of Mr. Davis,
Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Hart, numbering ten or
eleven in all.
Mr. Davis completed the erection of a water mill
commenced by Ephraim Pierce in I845, which was
the first mill in these parts. The mill was such a
success that when the final payments were to be
made, Mr. Pierce concluded to retain a half interest
in it. This partnership continued for about six
months, when Mr. Stevenson bought the interest of
Mr. Pierce, and a grist-mill was added to the sawmill. This was run night and day through the year,
except a few weeks in the summer when the water
was low, until 1854 or I855, when the water became
so low that the power failed and the mill was abandoned. A steam mill was then built, which was
operated until i861, when it was burned to the
ground during a severe storm. The fire was thought
to have been set by the lightning, though incendiarism was charged by many worthy witnesses.
The first house of worship in Davisville was the
United Presbyterian church, and the clergyman was
Rev. Mr. McClellan. The lots were donated by Mr.
Moffet, of Detroit, who at that time owned a large
tract of land in that vicinity. The history of the
other churches will be found in the chapter on that
subject.
The first Fourth-of-July celebration was held in
I855, on the island below the old mill. It was principally for the children, but people from miles around
attended, and a pleasant time was had.
The first wedding in Davisville was in 1852. The
happy pair were Miss Maria Hart and Mr. Brown.




The first death was that of Miss Helen Crommer,
a sister of Mrs. Stevenson, in I85o. The remains
were removed to Canada. The present cemetery was
laid out in I853, the ground having been donated by
Mr. Davis, and cleared by a logging bee.
The first store was a grocery and dry-goods store
started by W. T. Jenney. A blacksmith shop had
been put up in I854, and the postoffice was kept here
for a number of years. Randall E. Davis was the
first Postmaster, being appointed in 1857, and the
present Postmaster is M. V. K. Jones, since i88i.
How Croswell has grown can be seen from the
subjoined list of business houses as they are to-day:
Mills & Gaige (Wildman Mills, J. M. Gaige), general real-estate dealers. The firm was established
in I860 as Moss Bros.; then it became Moss &
Mills, then Moss, Mills & Gaige, and upon the
death of Truman Moss the firm was changed to its
present style. It has been largely instrumental in
the development and improvement of the raw lands
through the central part of the county, and at present owns several thousand acres of valuable lands in
the vicinity.
T. B. U'Ren, land office, established 1879.
Croswell Stock Brick and Tile Yard, David Markham, proprietor, established 1871. The vein of clay
at this yard is 40 rods wide, and over one mile long
and of unknown depth. It is first-class, and brick
from this yard are supplied for large buildings
throughout this and other States. The capacity is
about I5,ooo brick per day.
J. H. Richardson, dry goods, groceries and general
merchandise, established I883.
Sherk Bros., dry goods and general store, established I882.
Sanilac County Bank was established Sept. 28,
1882, by J. M. Gaige. It does a large general
banking and money-loaning business throughout the
county.
Horatio J. Emery, M. D., graduate of the Royal
College of Physicians and Surgeons, Kingston, Canada, opened an office in May, 1884.
G. A. Annand, M. D., graduate of Victoria University, Toronto, established himself at Croswell in
I87 I
Dr. J. Steele, drugs, millinery and fancy goods,
established 1882. Dr. Steele is a graduate of the
Detroit Homeopathic College, and Hahnemann Med

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~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~N0~ ~~~ ~~~~~?I j;\


SANILA C CO UNTY.                    483
4- I


ical College, Chicago, and came to Croswell in I879.
P. L. Graham, druggist, established 1882.
Brunk & Stevens, jewelers, established 1882.
E. Gribben, boots and shoes, established I88I.
J)siah Perry, blacksmith, established 1881.
Cephas Arnot, general store, established 1870.
Jenney & Stoner, meat market, established 1884.
H. H. Tyrrell, general store, established i881.
Anderson House, W. West proprietor, built 1879.
Franklin House and Livery Stable, H. D. Franklin, proprietor, established 1883.
James Harvey, carriage and blacksmith shop, es-. tablished 1883.
H. W. Wixson, general store, erected 1884.
Levi Mohorter, barber, established 1884.
Samuel Ward, shoe shop, established 1879.
C. A. Cowan, bakery, established 1883.
Kennedy & Clunas, meat market and stock dealers, established 1879.
The Croswell Cheese Factory was started in 1880,
and is the only cheese factory in the township. J.
H. Murdaugh is the proprietor,and the building was
i    erected by William Mills. In the present season,
i i  from  May i to Sept. i, 622,287 pounds of milk
received was made into 59,763 pounds of cheese on
c    commission, the farmers furnishing their own milk
l:  and receiving cheese, which is disposed of generally
j; in Liverpool and other ports of Europe at from 9 to
12 cents per pound.
A. R. Haist, furniture and undertaking, established
i 881.
N. P. Houghtalin, hardware, established i881.
W. S. Gibson, druggist, established 1879.
H. J. Heard, tinware, established 1884.
Chas. McCormick, saddles and harness, established i881.
Wixson & Pannell, hardware and groceries, established 1889.
W. J. Hannah, general store, established 1884.
C. E. Pettys, agricultural implements, established


paign of 1884. The paper has a job office in connection, and enjoys a growing prosperity.
A large Opera House was finished in the spring of
1883. The hall is 52 x 80 feet, with a 20-foot stage,
and a seating capacity of 1,200. There are two
large store rooms below, and the whole building cost
about $20,000.
The Croswell Cornet Band was organized in I878,
with 14 pieces. The organization is not chartered,
but the property is owned in company. The present
officers are:  President, Wm. Straffon; Secretary,
George Smith; Treasurer, Thomas Pomeroy; Leader,
Joseph Lee. Meeting nights are on Wednesdays
and Saturdays.
The Parochial Society is a social organization of
the ladies of the Episcopal Church for general beneficence and home mission work.  It was organized
about the same time as the establishment of the
Church (1870), with Mrs. Julia J. Mills as the first
President. The President now is Mrs. Horatio Pratt.
The church was moved to its present location in the
spring of 1883, and the Parochial Society purchased
the lots for this for $225. The society contributes to
the support of the pastor $1oo annually, which is
made by socials, sewing, etc. At a large Fourth-ofJuly celebration in 1871, the society raised $108 to
pay for the church bell, and the entertainments
given by the ladies have always been very popular.
The foregoing is a history of the settlement and
development of Lexington Township, except the
record of the schools and churches, which will be
found in the chapter on those subjects. Being one
of the first towns organized, Lexington has always
had a representation in the Board of Supervisors,
and the following is the list of her Supervisors from
the first:


i    ,




I.r I


C. M. Mills,                 i850
Mark Carrington,             I85
C. M. Mills,                 1852
W. A. Nichols,               1853


88.                                                    C. M. Mills,                  1854::    Thompson &     Stuart, flouring-mill, establishedHiram Bacon,                        855
Israel Huckins,               1856
188o. The capacity of this mill is 60 to 75 barrels       aniel Wixson,                857-606
Daniel Wixson,                1857-.I   per day, and the flour is of a superior quality.        Israel Huckins,               1861
X      Croswell Democrat, Horatio Pratt, editor and          Jaes Hunter,                   863 -proprietor. The Democrat was established in 1880          Henry W, o865-8
James G. Hunter,             1869
as a Democratic paper, but, espousing the cause of        John Sheldon,                  870
"    the laborer, it supported Gen. Butler in the cam —      James G. Hunter,              I871-3
En^A~iaa46g^I, lII                                                          r*




SANILAC CO UNTY.


484




I


Henry Weideman,
James G. Hunter,
Henry Weideman,
John Atkinson,


1874-7
1878-9
I88o-I
I882


Worth Township.


S|''[^ N the early times township-making had to
1Bi; be conducted on an economical scale as
T far as inhabitants were concerned, but great
latitude was allowed in measuring off the territory. When Worth was organized, in I849, it
embraced all of its present territory, with the
addition of the present townships of Fremont,
Speaker, and Maple Valley. It was reduced from
time to time, as the country settled, and there began
to be enough people on the west to make more townships, until now it is the regulation size of No. 9
north, range I6 east, with a fraction of the same
number of range 17, and is bounded on the west by
Fremont, north by Lexington Township, east by
Lake Huron, and south by St. Clair County.
The first permanent settlers were the father of Mr.
M. Carrington, with his family, and Mr. N. Hollister
and his family. (See the chapter on the pioneers.)
Mr. Carrington has the credit of putting up the
first frame building in the township-a barn on the
lake road, one and a half miles south of Lexington,
in I837-though this is disputed.
In I840 a school-house was built in the northeast
corner of the township, and called the " Red Schoolhouse," which was the first; and there was no church
until the Methodist Episcopals built one at Amadore
in I859.
Amadore is a small village in the center of the
township, where there are two stores, a blacksmith
shop, a church, a school and a postoffice.
There was a heavy forest fire in this township in.856, and one again in I864. No lives were lost,
but a vast amount of timber was burned, which made
way for the present beautiful farms, that equal, if
not surpass, those of any other part of the Huron
Peninsula. The fires 187I and i88i did not do
much damage, as the country was about cleared by
that time.
Bear, deer, elk and wolves were very numerous in
this township in the early years, and a moose was


killed here as late as i856. The entire township
was largely sprinkled with sugar trees, and the consequent abundance of herbivorous animals, which
fed on the succulent buds, was a standing invitation
to the Indians in Canada to indulge their sports.
The Indians also had extensive sugar camps here,
but after I838 the small-pox made such ravages
among them that they did not return. Many of their
remains are found now, in the cultivation of the fields,
as their dead were buried very shallow, and it was
only by the most careful efforts of Jonathan Hollister
that they were induced to return and bury their dead
at all.
Worth has the honor of furnishing the first Representative from this county to the Legislature, in the
person of Peter H. Benedict, who was also the first
Supervisor. The list of Supervisors has been as
follows:


ra1
^s~,,t:;
k,


Peter H. Benedict,
Norton Hollister,
Peter H. Benedict,
George Smith,
Alexander G. Galbraith,
Phillip L. Wixson,
Andrew Macklem,
Phillip L. Wixson,
George Huckins, Jr.,
Daniel Wixson,
George McIntyre,
N. Hollister,
Peter H. Benedict,
Joshua Wixson,
Geo. Hinkson, Jr.,


I850-2
1853
I854
I855
I856
1857-9
I860
I86I
I863-6
I867-9
1870-2
1873
1874-5
I876-81
1882.l1.


Sanilac Township and Village.     F


<7C)
tt
I
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X     ROM    the extreme northern point on the
Huron Peninsula to Lexington was a long
distance for men to travel who had any
township business; so a petition succeeded in
apportioning to Lexington  all of town  0o
through the ranges from 12 to 17 east, and
leaving the remainder of the country north as San-  F:
ilac Township. This was done in i849, when it was
found that there were a sufficient number of settlers  /
to fill the offices and effect a township organization. 2
There is considerable difference of memory among
the pioneers of the present day, as to who were the. j tU         --                 -i^      e


(   ' t0 >  -




, -  -.




SAATILAC COUNTY.                                             485
ir^}~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


he first actual settlers, as lumbering was carried on by
j a large number of men who at first did not intend to;tsettle here, but afterward took up claims. Among
the first comers into what is now Sanilac Township,,  were William Austin, Michael Joseph and Charles
Maskell, and Hill Carney, all coming about I844.
The Maskells settled in the south central part of the
township, and Mr. Austin took ip a claim on the site
of the present village of Port Sanilac, which was then
known as "Bark Shanty Point." The name came
from a small bark shanty, built several years before
'- (probably 1840) on the beach by some Detroit tanners who came up to make tan-bark. This was the
ii first building erected in the township, and the first
along the shore for several miles. After 1854 the
township began to settle rapidly.
The name of the village remained thus until 1857,
when the citizens petitioned the Post-Office Department to change it to the more enphonious name of
Port Sanilac.
- Anthony Oldfield, William Thomson, Hugh and
Quintin Thomson, under the name of Thomson, Oldfield & Co., built a saw-mill on the beach near the
bark shanty in I848, which was the first mill in these
E=  parts. This company also kept a stock of general
v merchandise for the accommodation of settlers, but the
first regular store was started by U. Raymond a year
later.




they were too late. The fatal words had just been
pronounced
John Oles fell under the wheel of a heavy logging
wagon in I850 and died from the effects of the injury,
which was the first death in the township. He was
buried in the present cemetery, which, however, was
not laid out until September, i856. The ground at
first comprised but one acre, but was enlarged in
1874 to two acres and again in I882 to nearly four
acres.
The first Postmaster was William VanCamp, who
was appointed by President Pierce in I854, holding
it but two weeks, when U. Raymond took it for two
years. James Yakes then held it until i860, when
the present Postmaster, S. Coppernoll, was appointed, and has held the office ever since, with the
exception of about four weeks in 1864. Thomas
Thompson was then the Postmaster. Previous to
the establishment of the postoffice here, the mail was
carried from Pine Hill, five miles south, once a week,
by some one volunteering. The postoffice at Pine
Hill was continued for several years after the one at
Bark Shanty was established, but was discontinued
in I88I.
After Thomson, Oldfield & Co's store, and U.
Raymond's, the next general store was started by S.
Coppernoll, in 1852. He continued this store for 17
years, and then made it a drug store exclusively.
The other business of Port Sanilac is as follows:
C. M Oldfield, double store, general merchandise, established 1876.
James Thomson, general merchandise, established
1872.
D. E. Mead, shoe store, established 1878.
J. Ogden, blacksmith, established I883.
William Riley, harness shop, established I875.
Frederick Plates, drugs, established I879.
George Katzenmeier, merchant tailor, established
I882.
Mills & Sullivan, millinery and fancy goods, established I880.
Joseph Coates, shoe shop, established 1864.
O. F. Raymond, established I883.
T. & J. S. Thomson, general merchandise, established 1856.
J. T. Daily, hardware, established i879.
William VanCamp, bakery, established I879.
M. N. Mugan, attorney, opened his office in I88o.


"j,
I


I,


I
1s


I


[a;


The first frame dwelling in the village and township was built by William Austin in I849, and is still
standing east of the Exchange Hotel.
Uriah Raymond taught the first school in the
township, in a small log house in the southwest part
of town II. He taught for $Io per month, which
was good salary at that time, and " boarded round."
One of his pupils in the first term was a married lady,
who came to school with her own children. The
following year the first school-house was built, on
section 6. The first school in the village was taught
by Miss Clara Finleyson, in i850.
The first wedding was that of Paul Shirley to Miss
Marshall, the ceremony being performed by Justice
Ensign Hill in I85o. The pioneers remember that
the bride's family were opposed to the match, but the
contracting parties slipped away, and before any one
was aware they had gone to the Justice. Hastening
to the office of the legal functionary, the enraged
relatives demanded the proceedings to stop; but


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486                                  SANILAC
1 He is also the proprietor of the Exchange Bank of
Port Sanilac.:7;  The Sanilac County Reporter was started in I876,
by John A. Hopkins, and was sold in 1883 to D. W.
f) Hammond, who conducted it for about three months,
and then it was purchased by the present proprietor,
J. H. Shults.
Dr. J. M. Loop opened an office in 1854. He is
a graduate of Ann Arbor, Department of Medicine
and Surgery.
[   Dr. F. M. Garlick, graduate of the Detroit College::  of Medicine, began practicing here in 1876.
Dr. J. G. Vining, graduate of Detroit Medical
College, came to Port Sanilac in 1884.
In 863 Wm. Van Camp built the Exchange Hotel,
and kept it for two years. Horatio Wright then purchased it, and was the jolly proprietor for 12 years.
During the year 1878, Finius [Phineas?] Godfrey was
the proprietor, and then Alonzo Hunter held it for
years, when Orson Whitmore purchased it, and is
N the present proprietor.:::m  A considerable industry was developed here in
t   ship-building before the timber became scarce. Wm.: T. Clarey built the first boat-a small sailer-in
1A I852-3, and he continued in the business until he
K  ~..........


CO UNTY.


I


onlots donated to the fraternity by C. M. Oldfield.
The lodge joined with the city to defray the cost of
the building, which will be about $5,000, and the
lower part is to be used as a city hall. The Masonic
hall is to be very elegantly furnished.
The Port Sanilac Cornet Band was organized in
1868, by A. B. Caswell. The band now has I8
pieces, and is led by Dr. G. M. Garlick. Wm.
Thomson is the President, and D. F. Raymond the
Secretary.
A Ladies' Aid Society, of the Congregational
Church, was organized in I876, and a notable entertainment in the history of the village, was the Centennial Tea Party, with a "fair" in connection, given
by this society in I876. The receipts of the whole
entertainment, which held two evenings, were $i20.
Benevolent societies generally expire when the necessity for their existence is removed. This is not
entirely the case with this society, but it has not been
very active since the church bell and other appurtenances have been paid for; and, though it is not
dead, it has been in a very precarious state of
"health " for some time. This is no reflection upon
the excellent work done by the members; the ladies
are 90. A large hall has been erected this year (I884),
A c rcf ra-  r an-t   rrar- tQ i




T   had built some 15 boats, each from 20 to 35 feet in  uc5,V~ g,,UL ICUIL.
length, with two sails. Two years later Harvey G.   The history of the churches of this township will
-Wheeler began the business, and has been engaged   be found in the chapter on that subject.          I
in it until the present time. The boats were mostly  Sanilac Township is of irregular shape, being nine
for fishing purposes, and have sailed all the fresh-  miles long, three and a half wide at the north end,
water lakes for years. The number of boats built by  and five miles wide at the south end. It embraces
Mr. Wheeler reaches about 75, including two schoon-  town  I, and the south half of town 12 north, range
ers, the " Hazard " and the " Charley," the former of  i6 east, and is bounded on the east by Lake Huron,
A which was foundered in the St. Clair River, and the  the north by Forester Township, the west by Bridge3 latter lost on Lake Superior several years ago. Sol-  hampton and Washington, and the south by Lexr omon Brown was also an extensive row-boat builder.  ington.
Port Sanilac has probably furnished more small crafts  Read the list of Supervisors:
than any other place in Michigan.                        C     s M,
Charles McMillan,              1850-2
Bark Shanty Tent, No. 265, Knights of the Mac-         Henry L. Hopkins,             1853
cabees, was organized in January, I88i. The first        William Austin,               1854
officers were: Sir Knight Commander, J. H. Hop-          John Kelly,                   I855
James Erskine,                 i856-7
kins; Record Keeper, G. M. Wheeler; Finance               Jse      p    p,                   -7
Joseph M. Loop,                1858
Keeper, A. G. Berney. The society now has 14             James Erskine,                1859-61
members.                                                  Henry Oldfield,                1864-7:t
XHr   lSanilac Lodge, No. 237, F. & A. M., held its first     Jame Erskine,                  868
W~~~~~ '  *  r\<-  o  -\/                    Obadeahld Lewis,               1869-75
communication Oct. o1, 1867. Mark Willis was the          O   dehld      s,               8   7
Rudolph Platts,               1876
first W. M., and E. F. Holmes the first Secretary.        O. W. Lewis,                   I877-80
At that time there were It members; in 1884 there        John H. Loudon,               I88I-82
XA ~ ~      ~       ~      ~     ~~)- >_,,; SO,?  _, _ (^  ~),~~J




">                                           SANILAC COUNTY.                                               487 '.^.,     _____   /^\}


I


Austin Township.
HE organization of this township has been
shifted from place to place more than that
x of any other in the county. It was first
organized in 1851, and included all the territory north of Sanilac to Saginaw Bay. It was
cut down from time to time on all sides until it
i-l reached its present size and location, Greenleaf, on
i the west, being the last taken off, in 1864. The
other boundaries are: north, Huron County; east,
| Minden Township; south, Argyle Township.
In 1854 a Mr. Watson settled in the township,
and is now credited with being the first. Soon after
I  this was Alex. McRae, Joseph Brown and the Merediths; and by 1864 there were enough settlers to
form an organization, after all the other territory had,  been cut off.
Mrs. Alex. McRae taught the first school, in her
t own house on section 21, receiving $r8 per month
therefor. Two years later the first school-house was
built, section 23 being the location.
The first church was erected by the Baptists on
section 28, in 1869. The land was donated by:  Abram Meredith. In 1871, after the fire, it was
blown down; money was then raised and more steps
taken towards its completion; but it was not finished
until after its removal, in I879, to its present location in the village of Cumber. The building was
sold before its removal to the United Presbyterian
Church, but the Baptists retained the privilege of
i i:  using it for their services.
A Presbyterian church was built on section 30, in
i880, but not finished before the '81 fire, which destroyed it, and it has not been re-built. There is
also a Methodist Episcopal church at Tyre.
In I868, on section 13, Mr. -- Joiner built a
steam saw-mill and afterward added a shingle-mill,
which was the first of the kind in this region. This
mill was burnt and rebuilt three times. After the
* first fire Mr. Joiner rebuilt it, and then sold it to
George Doroner, who added a grist-mill, and ran it
two years. Then the boiler of the engine exploded,
(i)  killing the fireman, A. Ray, and two strangers who
had just at that moment stepped into the engine


room to warm themselves, the weather being very
cold. No other serious damage was done, as only
the fire holes gave way. The engine was then repaired and run until the fire of '8r, when the mill
was burned to the ground again. It was replaced,
with only a saw-mill this time, which was operated
only two or three months, then moved to Cumber,
where it remained about one year. It was then
taken from the county. The question is, whether
this is the "same mill" that was first put up, after
being burnt, rebuilt, and changing hands so many
times. Another stationary mill was built at Tyre in
I883, which at present is the only mill in the township. There have been several portable mills at
various times.
The only murder ever committed in Austin was
that of Joseph Bradley, a young man of I7, who was
at the time, September, 1870, living with his widowed mother on section 6. The shooting was done
by young Kidd, a youth about the same age, who
expected to find considerable money. Kidd and
Bradley were companions, and while they were together one day, Mrs. Bradley bade her son go to
Tyre to change a bill. Kidd saw Mrs. Bradley have
a $0oo bill, and supposing this was to be changed,
followed young Bradley into the woods and shot him.
But he found only $5.  He immediately left the
country, but was arrested at Port Huron. His trial
resulted in a life sentence, but he was pardoned by
Governor Begole after i2 years.
TYRE.


I'
Hi
I
qls
4,.=4.
If
3=1
4




This is a village in the northeast corner of the
township on section i, on the Port Huron & Northwestern Railroad. The first store was a log building
put up in i865, by Richard Collins, who sold out to y
A. Gunning in 1868. Mr. Collins was the first Postmaster in the township, but resigned in favor of Mr.
Gunning when he bought the store. Mr. Gunning
kept it about seven years when 0. Sullivan bought it
and has it yet. The village was burned in the fires
of both '7I and '8I, but has been rebuilt. At present
there is a Methodist church, a large saw-mill, a gristmill, and a lath and shingle mill. There are four
general stores, kept by Sullivan & Ryne, Wm. White "
and McDonald Brothers. Dr. A. M. Kay keeps a
drug store here; Sanborn & Co., of Port Huron,
have a large elevator; McPhail & Co. have a furniture store near the depot. The Tyre House is kept.^QJQ ----


Al""~~X     c~.e1   I              %
\~rn~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~i ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Iq




AIIii —                       — v           HI
488                                 SANILAC
by A. Gunning, started in i882. There are several
r  other smaller business establishments.
E. @@'           CUMBER.
The postoffice here was established in 1876, with
William Jordan as the Postmaster, who is still the
incumbent of the postion. E. F. Marr keeps a general store. A. blacksmith shop was started here in
1869, by T. M. Bradshaw. There is also a shoe
shop at this point, and the school-house of District
No. 3.
g


COUNTY.           '


$V
"I


A )P.
'-1,,. 'O.,.


SUPERVISORS.
Following is a complete list of the Supervisors of
Austin Township, through all its changes of territory:
William E. Crowell,          185 1-7
Albert Jones,                I858
John Wells,                  1859
John Mudge,                  I86o0 -Stephen Greenman,            1862
George Whitehouse,            863
Richard Collins,              864
Alexander McRae,             1865
Edward Boddy,                1866
Edgar P. Wells,              1867
John White,                  i868
Alexander McRae,             I869
Thomas Pollard,              1870
Robert McEwing,              I87 1
Theodore M. Bradshaw,        1872
Edward Hunter,               187 4-5
Alexander McRae,             1874
Hugh McKenzie,               1875
James White,                 I876
Edward Hunt, Sr.,            i877
Alexander McRae,             1878
Hugh McKenzie,               i879
Theodore M. Bradshaw,        I880
Alexander McKenzie,          I881-2




John Saunders, Daniel Lawson, William Grant,
Abram Spring, Silas Harris and Edward Branagan
were the first settlers, all coming about the same
time,-in I854 and I855. ~
Fremont was organized in 1857 from Worth,
which now bounds it on the east. Buel Township is
north of it, Speaker west, and the southern boundary
is St. Clair County. Its number is 9 north, range 15
east. Peter Thibodeau was the first Supervisor and
John Saunders the first Clerk. The entire list of Supervisors could not be obtained, but here they are
from 1867:
John Saunders,            I867
Daniel Lawson,             868-73
James Saunders,           1874
John Galbraith,           1875-7
Andrew Gray,              1878-80
Samuel Todd,              1881-2
In the balmy days of the spring of I860, when
nothing but the Civil War was disturbing the country,
William Grant was married to Miss Miranda Beal,
which was the first wedding in Fremont. Preachers
were scarce then, and the ceremony was performed
by Andrew Paisly, J. P. This was a remarkable
pioneer wedding, since it was not an elopement, and
was attended with no extraordinary circumstances.
In 1858 a Christian Church society was established, which was the first, and met at the house of
Abram Spring.   It lasted about six years. The
ubiquitous Methodists began their meetings in 1862
in the log school-house of District No. i, and have
kept them up ever since. The United Presbyterians
established their society about the same time, and
are now building a church on section 32. On this
section a school-house was built in 1859, which was
the first in the township.
Roseburg is the name of the postoffice on section
19, and there is also a cheese factory here, with a
capacity of 600 to 700 pounds per day during the
summer season.
Game was very plentiful in this township during
the first years, and furnished the pioneers with meat.
There were large numbers of deer, wild-cats, pigeons,
bear, partridge, raccoons, badgers and wolves, but
not many elk.
A good story was told the writer by a resident of
Fremont, who desired his name withheld, the reason
for which will appear later. It occurred on the night
of July 22, I868. The bear was a monster. A number of hogs had disappeared during the spring, and


*1Iv
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-.,-S}J^-09B — <  --
Fremont Township.
many years before any permanent set-;ments were thought of, a large lumberg business was carried on in this towns the timber was very excellent; and
ihen the professional lumbermen had
ny of the farmers engaged in the busiinter and tilled their cleared lands in
uis continued until the '7 fire destroyed
eft of the valuable timber.
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SA NILAC COUNTY.


A ------ ^~489
489


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=?   it became necessary to search for the thief. Hence,!: one morning, after the usual quantity of live stock.;; had been taken during the night, two men named; Teats found his track, and came near to what they
concluded was his haunts. Here they built a fire in
the evening, and awaited for his majesty to appear.
A little before dawn one of the men saw the bear's
eye flash only a few feet from where they were lying.
Taking aim, he fired, and the bullet went straight to
the mark, putting out Bruin's eye and life at the same
I time. Certainly there was nothing remarkable about
this. The extraordinary part was yet to come.
When the bear was measured, he stood I2 feet high
a in his stocking-feet! Or, in technical terms, from the
zenith of his proboscis to the nadir of his posterior was
four yards. Surely this was a "whopper,"-not the
story, but the bear,-and another remarkable feature
of it is that the narrator even lived to tell it the second time! In the neighborhood where it occurred
the incident is bear-lie believed.
Speaker Township.


" logging bees" were the principal occupation for
both pleasure and profit. Jolly times were enjoyed.
Nearly every citizen of the township would turn out
to the premises where the " bee" was to be held,
and bring his ox team, the owner of the land having
first cut down the huge trees. The great logs then
lay scattered and crossed in every direction, over a
field of usually 20 acres. The neighbors would
assemble in the morning, and the field was staked
off into "throughs " of about four rods wide across
the field. This would give one strip of land or
"through" to each ox team, which was generally
assisted by six to ten men. Thus there were ten to
fifteen teams, and from 60 to o0o men at each bee.
The work to be done was to pile the logs into piles
three or four rods apart, ready to be burned. All
the teams would start even, and the first to finish the
"through " was to receive a prize. It required from
six to eight hours of heavy lifting and dragging to
remove all the logs, but with the excitement of nearly
a hundred stalwart workers in the field, the labor
seemed lighter than usual. Then it was the part of the
host to show his appreciation of the labor rendered.
This appreciation manifested itself in the evening in
various pleasant ways, concluding with a bountiful
supper and a dance. The "bees" form quite a
chapter in the social and industrial history of Speaker,
and as long as there is sufficient uncleared land
they will still be held. The last one was held in
September, 1884.
Melvin is a small village in the southwestern part
of the township, where the first building was put up
for a saloon in 1862. The Port Huron & Northwestern Railroad runs through it, and it now has one
hotel, two stores, a grist-mill and a saw-mill.
Speaker is what was formerly " Moore's Corners,"
a little north of the center of the township. Mr.
Andrew Moore keeps a store, is Postmaster, and has
just started a creamery, which is the only institution
of the kind in the county.
SUPERVISORS.


-T
C. ',/
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I

X  OWNSHIP 9 north, range 14 east, is the
figl II location of this division of the county. It
was a part of Worth until 1858, when a..sufficient number of settlers came in to make
an organization. Most of them came in I856-7,
Augustus Siche being the first, and Nehemiah
Stevens and son soon after. From that time the
numbers increased rapidly, and in the latter part of
I857 there were children enough to warrant the building of a school-house, which was put up one mile
north of the present village of Speaker.
The only and first church building in the township
is the Catholic, which was built in 187 1, on section
28. The Protestant Methodists established a Church
organization two or three years previous to this, but
held services in a school-house.
The history of this township has been a record of
the work attendant upon clearing the heavy timber
from its surface. There is but little timber left at
present, but the labor of preparing the land for tillage
has extended through many years; so that the principal events have been the famous " logging bees,"
for which Speaker has been noted. From 1857 to'67:"*,
%'**
(,
I.
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I'


Wm. S. Moore,
Mordecai Helborn,
Wm. S. Moore,
John Waek,
Wm. S. Moore,
Wm. B. Laidlow,
Wm. S. Moore,


I867
i868
I869-70
I87 1-4
1875-8
I879
188o-2


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k 490                      SANILAC
~.:,~Maple Valley Township.
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M   APLE VALLEY was first settled in I854.
/  AlB    The first settler was Frank LaCass, who
Jj Ad   was followed soon after by Hiram Stien-;, ' hoff. LaCass was killed in the late rebel-:   lion. His widow still lives on the old homestead, but is insane, and has been ever since
he was killed. Hiram Stienhoff died about four
years ago. His widow still lives in the town. He
has also several sons living in this township. John
H. Beckett was the third settler, and has been, and
is now, one of the most prominent citizens of the
township. He was the first Supervisor of the township, an office he held 14 years. He has also held
several other offices, and was Postmaster at Valley
Center till Jan. i, I884, when he resigned and John
Makelim was appointed. He owns a fine farm near
Valley Center, besides several other lots in the township.
Jackson Brink was the first Treasurer of the township. He now lives in Ingham County, Mich. R.
G. Brown was the first Town Clerk. He lives near
Brown City; in fact, part of the village is built on his
farm. He is a well-to-do farmer, and Postmaster of
Brown City.
Hiram Stienhoff, R. G. Brown, Wm. Martindale
and John H. Beckett, were the first Justices of the
Peace.
The town was organized in I857. The occupation
of the people was principally lumbering, stavemaking and hoop-making, till within the last io or
I2 years, since which time they have been engaged
in farming. The population in i870 was about 350;
in i880 was 939, and in June, 1884, was 1,289.
Some of the first settlers were engaged a good
part of their time in hunting. There was plenty of
game, such as bear, deer and elk; and there was one
moose killed in the township, but such animals were
rarely seen.
The first wedding was that of Stephen Rockwell
and Clarissa Bonney; R. G. Brown, Justice of the
Peace, married them. Ministers were few and far
between in those days. Mrs. Rockwell is dead, and
he is now living in New Brunswick.
Hannah Carter, wife of William  Carter, was the


J.I1....                   A....,  "  I I
John M. Brown,                87 3-4
John H. Beckett,              I875-8
Robert Jones,                 87 8-9
John Makelim,                   i880
John M. Brown,               I881-2


A!


'COUNTY.
first person who died in the township. He after- Go
wards married a daughter of Hiram Stienhoff.
The first and only railroad built through the town-..
ship, was the Port Huron & Northwestern Railroad,
which was built in the summer and fall of I880.
There are two stations in the township, Valley Center
and Brown City. They are both enterprising little
villages, each containing a saw and grist mill, wagon
and blacksmith shops, besides several stores, and
other places of business. Each village contains an
elevator, where farmers find a market for all kinds of
grain.
The Supervisors from the first are as follows:  if:
Tohn H_ Beckertt.         TI8r7 —7 2


I
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Buel Township.
N the eastern boundary of Buel is Lexing_X  ton; Washington is north of it, Elk west,
p   and Fremont south. About one-fourth of
j  the town is cleared, so that most of its history
6 is yet to be made.  The bottom lands are
very rich, and when drained and cleared Buel
will be one of the best agricultural towns in the
county.
Being in town o1 north, range 15 east, it was a
part of Lexington until I855, when there were settlers enough to form a township organization.
The first settler was probably Ezra Van Camp,
though an old gentleman by the name of Wills came
in very early. Mr. Van Camp came in I852, and
the next year James McGrath followed. Mr. McGrath was very enthusiastic in politics and religion,
so that he had a school and a church as soon as
there were people enough within its domain to support them. This was about the time of the organization, and a school-house was built that year on
section 35. When this was done, a Methodist church
was established, but the meetings were held in the
school-house until I88I, when a building was erected
for that purpose on section 28.
Thomas Delaney was the Supervisor for a number


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SA NILA C COUNTY.                      49I
_ -  _                                  --                    ~::..."


of years previous to i868, and since then the following gentlemen have held that office:
Thomna Rohhb_                86n- on


-      7'


John Cameron,                 187 -6
Artemus Hicks,                1877
Homer Hall,                   i878
John Cameron,                 1879
Homer Hall,                   i880
John S. Bagley,               1881-2


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ing ducks on Elk Creek. He shot one and swam
into the stream to get it, caught cold and died the
next morning. This was the first death in the township, but there was no funeral, and no gravestone
now marks the place of his remains on the bank of
the Elk.
From a dense wilderness Elk has been changed
into a beautiful farming country, which is a monument to the enterprise of her citizens.
The Supervisors have been as follows:
Patrick Fox,                 1867-8
William Dawson,              1869-70
John Ryan,                   1871-2
Frank J. Ryland,             1873
Byron M. Dutcher,            1874
Frank J. Ryland,             1875
N. Vannest,                  1876
Frank J. Ryland,             I877
Byron M. Dutcher,            1878
Orrin Gould,                 1879
H. A. Babcock,               1880-2


I
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Elk Township.


i:   LK Township shared the political fortunes?r ll  of Lexington until Buel was organized,
{Adlx~  when Buel held jurisdiction over its territory for two years, or until 1857. Then Elk
was set off by itself, but Flynn was attached to
it until 1869. The township is bounded on
> the north by Watertown, west by Flynn, south by
N  Speaker, and east by Buel.
Nathaniel Vannest settled on section 28 in I852.
He was the first settler, and has been largely identi-: fled with the growth and enterprise of Elk ever
since., In 1854 Chauncey Allen came fron the State of
Indiana, with two yoke of oxen, and settled on section 27. Mr. Allen started a store in r860 on his
farm, and about one-half mile east of the present
village of Peck, in 1862, Alexander Farwell started
a store. But the first store started in the village was
by Mr. Vannest, in 1868. Nine years before tiis,
1.- - _  't..  T. a- 1.'l.  4.1_ ~  I {1l,~  1_T- -.1 -


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Flynn Township.
APEER County and the south part of Marll^ lette Township form the western boundary,
eh!t    Elmer Township the northern, Elk the eastern, and Maple Valley the southern boundary
of Flynn Township. The exact location is range
13 east, town io north.
Before the organization, which took place in I869,
Flynn was attached to Elk Township. The townA,1,,..-..,, -.. r__-,T 1_.._.. T....1- -I- -_ _ __ _.r


nowever, ivir. v annlest IUIL tie n jciuOe  notet 1n s11ip was iiaimeu ior i nlOias r ynn, wno was one oI
-   Peck, which was the first building in the village.  the first settlers, and the first Supervisor. The other,K
^   The burg now has a population of nearly 300, with  Supervisors have been:
two hotels, a saw-mill and grist-mill combined, three  Richard Nicholl,              870-I
doctors and one lawyer. The village is nine miles      M. J. Kolts,                 1872-3
from a railroad, but has a stage to Croswell daily.    Purdy Jones,                 1874
There is also an Advent Christian church here, which   A. W. Payne,                 I875-6
was built in the summer of 1879, and was the first    James McGregor,               I877-81
James Baldwin,                1882
in the township.
The first school taught in the township was by the  William Fitch was the first settler, stopping on secI   daughter of Ransom R. Pearce, in her father's house.  tion 36 in 857. William Flynn came about one year
The next year (i860) the first school-house was   later, and soon after they were joined by William.
built, a mile east of Peck, by a logging bee.     McGregor and R. J. Nicholl.
David Wilson was married to Miss Sarah Vannest  The first school-house in the township was a frame
in the autumn of 1858, which was the first wedding.  built in I869, at Omard. The rest of this village 3
In the spring of I855, Richard Thomas was hunt-  consists of the postoffice.
/jjjjC.^^ig:t.' —^                  -'' -n- -
~ s~-s~~'~;s~S~~~;' i~"           4Ys~'_77,




8 492                              SANILAC COUNTY.
*N    About the time the township was organized a   appointment in 1855, and for some time carried all YF
Methodist Church was also established, but no     the mail around in his hat. In i86i Daniel Berney:j
m  building has ever been erected, the services having  became Postmaster, and after two or three years the
been held in the school-house at Omard.          office was moved into Bridgehampton Township.
Y    A large marsh runs across Flynn Township from  George Pack was appointed a Postmaster for the
southwest to northeast. This has been cleared of  southern part of the township in 1860, but upon his
the heavy timber, but is not yet in tillable shape.  death four years later it was moved to what is now
When it becomes so, and is properly drained, the  Anderson Station. This is a village on the Port
land will be very fertile; but at present a large part  Huron & Northwestern Railroad, where there are a
of the township is new.                         saw-mill, a hotel and three or four stores, but is of the
4                                                  smnall commercial importance, since the country.
-~| X      Washington Township.                 around it is not sufficiently cleared for agricultural
purposes.
i                   I ton Townsh- iThe following have been Supervisors of Washing3'~         ~ ^ton Township:


J     AcASHINGTON   Township was organized
from Sanilac in 1855. John Jones, on
section 12, was the first settler. He came
to his present home so long ago that he has
forgotten the date; but says that he was one
of the first, if not the first, white man in the
county, having hunted and trapped through Sanilac
County before Michigan was a State. Mr. Jones
relates many tales of adventure that are interesting
to hear, but are of slight use to the historian. Jona:
than Lee and George Mitchell came into the township in 1850, the former settling on section 13, and
the latter on 25.


John Jones
Alonzo Downing
J. Cleland
William F. Chipman
John Cleland
James Anderson
John Cleland
W. F. Chipman


1855-68
1869-7 I
I872-3
I874-5
1876-7
1878-9
i88o
1881-2


The township is bounded on the north by Bridgehampton, on the east by Sanilac, south by Buel, and
west by Watertown; and its number is range 15 east,
town 11 north.


lX~o tn^+nxrs Alle-n Qh i r


twing to the neavy timber, the settlement was               wa etlLVWu  L       J.:wuip.
slow, but when the trees were removed the land was
found to be valuable and was rapidly taken.         -    AMES McCLURE was elected the first
f     The first school was taught by Miss Harriet May-       Supervisor of Watertown, in  868, when
-:- bee in a log school-house on section 13, probably in      the town wasorganized; George Morris was
1852. The district then belonged to Sanilac Town-       also elected Town Clerk and Edward Cash
ship, and was District No. 6 of that township. About  Treasurer at the same meeting, which was held
two years later a frame school-house was built on     at the house of Mr. Cash. All these were resection 14, and this was also the first frame building  elected. There were only seven voters at the time,
in the township.                                 the remaining four being Thomas, Morris, and Hugh
The first saw-mill was built by George Pack, in  Codington and Hugh Johnson. All were elected to
o85 7,on section 14. A grist-mill was also built in  office and some held three or four offices. For
'  connection with the saw-mill.                    instance, Mr. Cash was at the same time Treasurer,
|     The first church in this township was built on sec-  Highway Commissioner, School Inspector and Justicc
-;  tion Io, in 1879, by the Methodists, and the organi-  of the Peace. What a happy condition of political:
A?   zation was effected about the same time as that of the  affairs that was,-when every office-seeker could
aN   township. In 1858 a United Brethren church was   "sleep, snore and forget," in the full knowledge of a
built, on section 14.                              contented ambition!
Silas Hall was the first Postmaster, receiving his  Mr. Cash was the first settler (on section 35), comfe\i'... h    e       _*                                                                                aI




K'io   i
~_~~ J~K

SANILAC




ing in I851; and for eight long years he was the nnly
i;  human master of the wilderness. Then came John
*  Doan, and three years later Mrs. Mary Doyle bought
40 acres of Mr. Cash and settled on it. The other
settlers have come in since the '81 fire.
The first school-house was built on the northeast
quarter of section 35, in 1867, and the first school
was taught that winter by Mrs. Sophia Wilson, at
that time 70 years old. She received $12 per month,
and her pupils were the children of Mr. Cash and
/ Mr. Codington.
John Gimmel built the first mill in the township,
in i882. It was a shingle mill and was operated
about one year, when it was moved to Sandusky. A
saw-mill and shingle-mill was built by David Fowles
in 1882, and is at present located in the village of
Cash. In 1883 William Tomelson started a general
merchandise store in the village, but sold to Frank
Agle a year later. The postoffice was established!  here at the same time as the store. The mail comes
e   twice a week, from Peck, eight miles south.
A large State ditch was finished in 1884. Commencing on section 35, it runs north, bearing a little
west, and comes out on section 3. The township is
now all cleared, and is settling rapidly, owing to the
fact that the county seat is on the north line.
There is a Methodist church, built in 1877; and a
Baptist church, erected in 1878.
Watertown is a little south of the center of the
county, being in range 14 east, town rI north. North
of it is Custer, east of it Washington, south of it Elk,
and west of it Elmer.
These are its Supervisors from the first:
James McClure                 I868-70
George Morris             187
E. C. Babcock                 1872-8
George Morris             187 9-80
E. C. Babcock             i88I
George Morris             1882.
Elmer Township.
^I~~E i ERHAPS not more than one-fifth of this
___ ~i  J township is cleared at present, though
J |r —^? nearly all the heavy timber has been rei:** A  moved by lumbering or by the great fires. The
first settler was Walter Hyslop, who came in
January, 1866. That year and the next there
was quite an immigration, and then there was a lull
in the settlement until after the '71 fire.


COUNTY.                                   493.
The township was organized in 1870, and the fol-b
lowing are the Supervisors since that time:
S. P. Davis,               187 0 -W. Hyslop,                 1872-5
J. W. Babcock,               1876
William F. Doering,       i877-80 o
W. Hyslop,                  i881
Atha P. Ross,                I882
Elmer Township is bounded on the north by
Moore, west by Marlette, south by Flynn, and east
by Watertown. Its number is i north, range 13
east.                                         I
The first school-house was built in 1869, and
there are four at present.
Marlette.
o~13,NTIL 1859 this was a part of Sanilac and
Buel Townships, being all of town IT and
the north half of town io north, in range 12,J    east.  The first settler was Robert Stinson, (i
v   who came in 1854 and settled on section 15, of
the half township. Timothy Smith came next, i:
and stopped on section io, and William Walker came  E
a little later, taking up land on section 2, town o1
in i855. Thomas Walker came with his father, and
Wm. Montgomery was but a little later. One year:f
from that time the Government land in Marlette was  |
all taken up.
In the fall of 1858, Miss Mary Ball taught the
first school, in Charles Cole's house on section 25,
and a little later that year a log school-house was
built on the same section, which was the first schoolhouse in the township.
The first frame building was a barn built by George
Hager, Sr., on section I6 of town o1, in 1859; and 4
the first dwelling was built by John Gilligan, on section 17, of the same town, in i86i.
The first death in this township was that of John
Medill.
Like other people, the affections of the human
kind in Marlette were as uncontrollable as ever, and
two young people could not wait until a Justice of
the Peace or minister came into the township, but;
repaired to Burnside Township, in Lapeer county,
where Justice Marsh performed the ceremony, at the;
house of John Fox. The names of the young folks
were George Notley and Miss Jane Walker.
Marlette Township is bounded on the west by Tuscola County, on the north by Lamotte, on the east by


\.,n.. a~
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494                                 SAN IAC C(
Elmer and Flynn Townships, and on the south by
L Iapeer County. Its number is range I2 east, town, iI, and the north half of town o1 north.
|[f ~    ~      SUPERVISORS.
Alex. Newman,                  1867
George H. Fenner,          1868-70
Alex. Newman,                 1871
W. Rudd,                     87 2-3
John Wilson,                  1874
Wm. Rudd,                     1875
John Donald,                  1876
Thomas Walker,                  1877-8
7i)        Wm. RuRdd,                    1879
<vt       James Ronald,                  1880
Wm. Nash,                       1881-2


il n.                                                --
9 UNTY.                                                       - Y
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MARLETTE VILLAGE.
The land on which the village of Marlette was
built was originally owned by Benjamin Hobson on
the north, John McGill on the northwest, Charles
Harwack on the west, and Robert Wilson on the
east. The first frame building in the village was
Robert Wilson's frame house, still standing on Wilson
street.
E. W. Ellsworth has the only planing-mill in Marlette. It was established in 1872, and supplies sash,
doors, blinds and similar work for Sanilac and
adjoining counties. For some years Mr. Ellsworth
had a furniture store in connection with his mill, but
sold out later.
E. J. Gillespie now operates the grist-mill built by
E. J. Warner in i880. Morton & Hood's grist-mill
was built by Robert and John Wilson, in 1866. In
I876, E. W. Vail purchased it and operated it for
two years, when it was sold to Bolton & McGill. It
was held two years by this firm, and then the present
proprietors took it.
H. W. Wilson, proprietor and manager of the Marlette Steam  Elevator, established his business in
i88I. The capacity is I4,000 bushels, and it is the
only elevator in Marlette.
The Marlette Plow Factory was started in I878,
by Kilgour & Mavis, who operated until the summer
of I884, when it was bought by the present owner,
H. Ward Bristol. All the plows manufactured here
are for general purposes, and are of a superior
make.
The first saw-mill in the township was built by
John McGill, in the winter of 1866-7. Before it
was completed, however, George H.. Fenner became


a partner in the enterprise, and before Christmas of
1867, a grist-mill was added, which was the first in
this part of the county. In April following, both
mills were burned. The saw-mill was soon rebuilt.
Mr. McGill subsequently sold his interest to Charles
Oakes.
The postoffice for the township was established in
i865, about one mile and a half south of the village.
Gordon W. Rudd was the first Postmaster, and held
the office until I869, when Mr. John McGill was
appointed on Mr. Rudd's recommendation, as Mr.
McGill's mill and its surroundings made a more central and convenient point for the office. Mr. McGill has held the office ever since his first appointment.
For the history of the churches in this village, see
the " Church History."
The other business of the village is as follows:
The first hotel in the village and  township
was the "Northern Hotel," and was built in the
spring of 1868, and was also the second frame building in the village. T. H. Sheppard was the proprietor, and kept it until 1872, when it was sold to
Edmund Rush, who sold it to John Durfee; Mr.
Durfee owned and kept it for two years, when Chas.
Furgeson purchased it and held it until the present
proprietor, J. Ireland, became the owner-in I883.
Mr. Turner erected a small building to keep lodgers. Wm. Roberts bought it from him, and enlarged
it, and kept it four years. Wm. Graves then became
the proprietor, for two years, again enlarging it, and
Abram Kitteridge bought the hotel from him, also
enlarged it, and rented it to Matthew Warner, who
kept it until the present proprietor took it.
W. B. McGill, grist-mill, lumber yard, flour and
feed store, established I882. He was a partner of
Daniel Bolton, but since Mr. Bolton's death, he has
conducted the business alone.
H. H. Pratt, barber, established I881.
Marlette Bank, of McGill & Co., was established
in I88I, by Charles L. Messrnore. It was purchased
by McGill & Co. in I882, and is a private bank.
Joseph Morris, general merchandise, was the first
store in the village, and though it was the universal
custom for stores to keep a bar at that time, Mr.
Morris kept a temperance store. He had to haul
goods 31 miles, from Alimont.
W. A. White & Co., dry goods, groceries, boots


ll imp
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161
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SANILAC COUNTY.                   495
4,5 '5


x   and shoes, and general merchandise, established  1884. They have a fine hearse. The business is a
1882. The store was formerly kept by J. McGill,  consolidation of that established by James Black in,   who started it in I869.                          in 1879, and that formerly owned by E. W. Ells- <s
Smith & King, general merchandise, established   worth.                                          T
a   1875. The business grew out of a boot and shoe     C. H. Reynolds, drugs, patent medicines, toilet ad
store started by Mr. Smith, who conducted his busi-  articles, etc., established in 1882.
ness alone, adding a stock of general merchandise,  S. H. Warner, drugs, established 1882.
etc., until 1884, when Mr. King became his partner.  S. B. Shaw, drugs, medicines, paints, oils and wallM. McLennan, dry goods, groceries, etc., estab-  paper, established i884.
lished i880.                                       Dr. W. T. Dodge, graduate of the University of
D. Donaldson, dry goods, groceries and general   Michigan, Department Medicine and Surgery, establ  merchandise, established 1879                   lished in Marlette, i880.
W. Winterstein & Co., dry goods, etc., established  Dr. G. W. Harris, graduate of the University of
A1 i883.                                           iMichigan, Department of Medicine and Surgery, esH. H. Doyle, dry goods and general merchandise,  tablished in Marlette 188I.
established 1884.                                  D. H. McCrea, same university, also Bellevue (N.
J. A. Medler, clothirg and furnishing goods, es-  Y.) Hospital Medical College, established himself
tablished I88i.                                  here in 1877.
L. Landan, clothing, established 1884.           Dr. F. P. Drummond, eclectic physician, graduate
Mrs. A. M. Vliet, millinery and dress making,  of Albany (N. Y.) Medical College, established 1875.
established I877.                                   Dr. N. Vliet, dentist, established 1877.
J. W. Councilor, hardware, tinware, stoves, etc.,  John A. McMahon, attorney, graduate at Ann
=   established I875.                                Arbor in i877, has practiced law in Marlette since  =, A. E. Vail, hardware, stoves, etc., established    that time.
2   i880. The business was purchased from   F. E.      George McKay, attorney, came to Marlette, took:=
Tallmadge.                                        a course of lectures at Ann Arbor, and has practiced,
G. G. Rudd, groceries, crockery, glassware and  five years.
bakery, established I88r.                          McMahon & McClure, attorneys. Joel W. Mc- (
C. G. Tompkins, groceries, dry goods and general  Mahon studied law in Divine & Wixson's office in
merchandise, established 1883.                   Lexington, spent one term at the Ann Arbor Law
H. C. Sloat & Co, groceries and provisions, estab-  School, and has been in Marlette 11 years. D.
lished 1884.                                     Stuart McClure graduated at Ann Arbor in I880,
N. S. Fancher, meat market, established 1878.  and entered into partnership with McMahon in
W. D. Ragan, bakery and restaurant, established  i88i.
i) 88i.                                               Doyle & McMahon, attorneys, Justices of the
G. H. Bullock, bakery, confectionery and home-  Peace, Notaries and insurance agents. This busimade candy, established 1884.                    ness was consolidated in the spring of I884, from
Charles M. Havens, shoe store, established I88i.  the same business previously carried on by the sepH. C. Burget, harness, established i88i.       arate members.
W. McKee, shoemaker, established 1883.
R. Powell, jewelry and music, established I879.             Forester Township.
J. H. Hayden carriage and blacksmith shop, es-:l?   ii^-:"
>   tablished 1882.                                  f   r ORESTER'S history is identical with that  i
6:     -.~[e -.. '. 1         1i^                             ~of Austin, until 1855, when it was set off
*9    Henry Wiggins, blacksmith, purchased the shop           o     As      t     when it was set o
-<   from James Chapman, who started it in i868. Thisk under a eprteoraao.                   ewnwas the first blacksmith in the village, and also in  s    s bounded on the east by Lake Huron,
the township. Since 1873 Mr. Wiggins has enlarged      011 the north by Delaware, west by Marion and
@    the shop and added a wagon-shop.                      Bridgehampton, and south by Sanilac. It was
i\     Rotz Bros., furniture and undertaking, established  originally town 12 north, range i6 east, but a little
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later the south half of this town was given to Sanilac,
and it was replaced with all of town 13 on the north
in the same range. The unevenness of the lake shore
makes Forester of irregular shape, the township
being nine miles long with an average width of three
and a half miles.
The first settler to cut the heavy forest from a
farm was Alanson Goodrich, who settled on section
4, in town 12, the spring of I849. There were no
other actual settlers for several years afterward,
except Jacob Sharp, who came in two years later on
section 9, though there were many lumbermen in
and out.
The first frame building in the township was a
barn erected on 33, town 13, in the spring of i849.
The first frame dwelling-house was built in 1852, by
Imlay & Merriman, but occupied by Jacob Sharp.
The first saw-mill was built by Hurd & Ingersoll,
about 1852, on Cherry Creek, section 33, town 13,
and was operated for 12 years, then torn down.
The first school-house was a frame house on section 34, town 13, in 1852.  The first school was
taught by Mrs. Thomas St. Clair, in her own house
on section 33, the previous year. She received $20
per month from the township for her services and
the use of her house.
F. T. Smith & Co's general merchandise store was
established in i851, at Forester Village, under the
name of Imlay, Smith, Kelley & Co. Upon the
death of Mr. Imlay, a year or two later, the firm
name became Smith, Kelley & Co., which remained
until 187 r. Then George H. Tanner purchased an
interest in the store and other business, and the firm
name was George H. Tanner & Co. Four years
later the present firm took it. This is the first store
in the township, and the firm has been very instrumental in building up the community.  When it
was Smith, Kelley & Co. the firm built and furnished
the Methodist church in the village, at a cost of
$io,ooo, including the ground, and donated it to the
Methodist Episcopal Society. It was dedicated in
187 1, and is the first church in the township. For its
size the church is not excelled by any outside of Detroit, and is a monument to the gentlemen who gave it.
It is also to the credit of this village that it has been
on the side of temperance from the first, no swoons
ever having been allowed.
The school-house was built in 1871, and cost


-A111l L, 1.
James Hartshorn has a general merchandise store,
which was started in I880.
Richmondville is a village in the north part of the
township. The first building was a store built by
Luce, Mason & Co. in I86o. Ten years later it was
sold to C. B. Harrington, who kept it six yeais, and
then sold it to Frank Murray. The store was burned
in i88i, but was soon rebuilt, in December of that
year.
A school-house was built in I873, burnt in I88I,
and rebuilt the following year. The dock here was
also burnt in i88I, and is being rebuilt in 1884.
There is a Methodist church about completed this
year.
SUPERVISORS.


^I go: 0     I                    -Q,^. X- -a --- --
CO UNTY.
about $4,oo000. The postoffice has always been in the Zj
store of F. T. Smith & Co., and its changes have  i
been that of the firm.
Imlay, Smith, Kelley & Co. built the first hotel,
soon after their store. This is the Adams House,
and is still standing. The other hotels in the village
at present are the Lake View House, established in
1884, and the Tanner House, established in 1871.
The Tanner House is owned by Edward Smith, and
the Lake View by its present manager, Janes
Hartshorn.
Soon after building the hotel, Smith, Kelley & Co.
built a shingle-mill, a planing-mill, a saw-mill, a
grist-mill, a blacksmith shop and a cooper shop.;
All these are at present the property of Edward
SrrM4i                                         I


James Hunter,
A. Goodrich,
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I855-7
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Louis Charbmneau,          1609
A. Goodrich,                1870-6
F. W. Templeton,           1877-8         S
Thomas Barr,                1879-82
-Ae — — =-  = (((0))~l...Delaware Township.
HIS township was organized in 1858, from
Austin. Isaac Green was the first Supervisor, and Alva Kelley the first settler, who
took up land on section 4 of town 15 in 1853. 3
The following year Michael Kelley came, and  0;
soon after were the Wolseys, Miners, Vartys,,
and McClearys.                                    i
The first school-house was built in the fall of,^na<^ ----+>~~~~~~~~  — ~-~^<@^(^o    X
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SA NILA C


COUNTY.                                     497   '
These have been its Supervisors from 1867, being
as far back as the list could be obtained:        )


I859, and is what is known as the "Kelley schoolhouse." It was a log house, but was torn down
several years later, and a frame built in its place.
The first school was taught in Capt. E. B. Ward's
'  house, in the present village of Forestville.
In 1854 Capt. Ward built a saw-mill in Forestville, which was the first frame building in the township. The mill was burnt with the rest of the village
in 187.
A Methodist church was built in I881 in the
-7 southwestern part of the fractional township, which
was the first.  An attempt was made earlier than
this to build a church in the village, but was always
i frustrated by Isaac Green, who was not a church
man, was opposed to churches in general, and had
great influence among all those able to give money
for the building; hence the church people kept up
their devotion by meeting in the school-house.
Forestville has seen better days than it does at
present. In early times the mills there put out
nearly a million feet of lumber every week, which
made business lively; but after the 1871 fire destroyed what pine there was, the guardian angel of.  the village has failed to find other employment for
s   the people as a substitute.
The stores of the village at present are: Thomas
" Canham's, established in I870; William Merckel's,
established in I874; D. W. Snowdy's drug store,
which he started in I879. There are also an agricultural ware-room and a shoe-shop, and several vacant
store buildings. The first hotel in the village was
built in 1858 by Isaac Green, who was also the first
Postmaster, having received his appointment in i855.
He held the postoffice until 1871, when A. W.
O'Keefe erected a large hotel and was appointed
Postmaster. Mr. O'Keefe kept the office for five
years, when his successor, Albert Jones, was appointed, and has held it since.
The first funeral in Delaware Township was that of
a child of Wm. Hill, which died in 1854. The next
year 0. B. Williams, one of the workmen in Ward's
mill, was married to Miss Granger, which was the
first wedding.
Delaware has more territory than the usual six
miles square. Besides all of town 14 north, range
1 5 east, it has a fraction of town T4 in range I6 east.
It is bounded on the east by Lake Huron, on the
south by Forester, on the west by Minden Township,
and on the north by Huron County.




H. Breidenbach,
A. N. Johnson,
I. Green,
Charles Kelley,
A. W. O'Keefe,
George Mahon,


I867-70
187I
I872-8
1879
880
1881-2


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Minden Township.
HIS Township was cut off from Austin in
j  L 1859.  Albert Jones was the first Supervisor after it became a separate organization.
Phillip Link was the first settler, and came in
and built a small log building on section 2, in
I855. Eli Seaman came the following year and
settled on section 12, building a log house on ground
which lately was incorporated into the village of
Minden.   This was the first building in the village,
and also in the township. John Mudge was the next
settler in the township, coming a little later in the
same year.   The Bradys, Dyers, Smiths, Waits,
Joneses and others came in later, and the town began
to settle thickly after 1859.
The first frame building erected in the township
was a barn built by Mr. Phillip Links in 1859. He
also built a dwelling soon after, which was the first
frame house in the township, and also in the village.
In I864 Smith & Canham built a saw-mill and
shingle-mill, which was the first steam mill in the
township.  The first mill of any kind was a gristmill, run by a horse-power. It was made by Norman
Wait, who did the whole work of dressing the stones,
making the hopper and everything but the horse.
power. It was quite a convenience for the pioneers,
who came for several miles to patronize it, though
the flour had to be bolted by a sieve. It was finished
in 1857.  In 1884 Ranson Brothers built a fine
steam roller flouring mill with a capacity of 75 barrels per day.
Miss Nancy Maybe taught the first school, in a log
school-house, which was built in the fall of 1858, in
the present village of Minden.  This was the first
school-house in the township.  The present schoolhouse in the village of Minden was built in 1883, at
a cost of $2,500.


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The first church in the village was a Methodist
Church, built in I88o. The ground was bought of
Michael O'Connor, and also ground for a parsonage,
which was built in I883. The first Church organization in the township was a Methodist society, and
Rev. E. Body, in 1856, was the minister. The other
churches in the township are the Congregational
church in the village, completed in 1884, and the
Catholic church two miles and a half south of the
village, but is not yet completed, though services
have been held in it for some time.
An old gentleman by the name of Bolan came
from Canada and settled in this township in i856,
and died two years later from old age. He was
buried in the private cemetery about half a mile south
of the present cemetery, on section 3. This was the
first death.  Ground for the present cemetery, being half an acre, was donated by Frederick Wraschey
in I86i.
The postoffice in the village was established in
1862. Wm. Downer was appointed Postmaster, and
Wm. Seaman Deputy. Mr. Downer kept it until his
death, when Alfred Jones was appointed and held it
until I872.  He resigned in favor of George Whitehouse, who soon turned it over to O. K. Kerr, the
present Postmaster.
The first store in Minden was established in the
fall of 1859, by Alfred Gunning, who kept it two
years and then sold to Wm. Downer. Mr. Gunning
then moved to Detroit, but returned three years later
and built the second store in Minden. The building
is now occupied by Oscar Hatfield, with a stock of
general mechandise.  These were the only stores
until after the fire of 1871. Afterthat the village began
to grow until now it has a population of 600. The
principal business houses at the present time are:
Michael Ryan, general merchandise; Union Hotel,
John Donlan, proprietor; Wm. Mulloy, drug store;
James Erskine & Co., dry goods; Fred. Benedict, dry
goods and groceries; Hurd House, Henry Huckings;
O. McKay, agricultural implements; George McDonald, hardware; Jacob Springer, general merchandise;
O. K. Kerr, general merchandise; Wellington
Lloyd, harness; Dr. R. G. Haley, drug store;
George Whitehouse, general merhandise; C. L.
Messmore, banker; August Ronisczick, shoemaker;
George Paff, notions and produce; W. Badeau,
furniture, grocery and provisions; George Lewis,


I


grocery, provisions and bakery; Richard La Motte,
hardware; E. Proctor, vegetables, meat market,
also livery stable; L. S. Wing, notions and millinery; Leo Kreitner, meat market; Mooney House,
A. Mooney, prop'r; John P. O'Connor, groceries and
provisions; George Steipps & Son, planing mill,
foundry and carriage shop; Wm. Glass, cabinetmaker; Richard Brown, blacksmith; James Ryan,
blacksmith; Minden Carriage Shop, Henry Pfaff
& Brother, proprietors; A. N Johnson, physician and
surgeon; R. G. Healy, physician and surgeon; Mills
& Bell, attorneys.
The Minden Post was established in i880, by J.
H. Shults, its present editor and proprietor.
After the '8i fire, the village was incorporated.
Mr. Martin Dimond was the president of the first
Board of Trustees, which was composed of George
McDonald, R. G. Healy, Wm. Badeau, Wm. Mulloy,
A. Mooney and James H. Haviland.
Minden Township is numbered town 14 north,
range 14 east, and its Supervisors have been:
A. Gunning,               1867
Alfred Jones,             I868
Alfred Gunning,           1869-70
Frank Pocha,              1871
A. Gunning,               1872
Thomas Bradley,           I873
Alfred Jones,             1874
Thomas Bradley,           I875-6
Thaddeus O'Hara,          I877-82


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Greenleaf Township


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REENLEAF Township was organized in           6!~   [ I864, from Austin. Thomas G. Thomp- f
A i      son was the first Supervisor, serving one
year. Win. Pollard then held the office for
two years, Robert Cleland three years, Wm.
W alker four years, when Christopher Murphy
was elected (i876) and holds the office at the present time.
The first permanent settler was Stephen Greenman,
who came into the township and settled on section
26, in 1858. Alexander Nicol followed in 1859, lo-  (
eating on section 25. About the same time Daniel
Merchant, Wm. Curwell and Thomas Nicol came in, (9
and shortly after came the Wilsons, the Gordons, the
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SANILAC COUNTY.


499   S:A'!,f Murphys and many others, taking up most of the
(i land in the southern part of the township.
The first school-house was built on section 31,? probably in the summer of 1865. Mrs. Wm. Mere< dith taught the first school there, the following winter,
for $14 per month. This was then considered a
good salary, and made a heavy tax on the property
then, which was at a low value in the woods.
The first saw-mill was built on section 35. in 1879,
by Hugh Jordan. This is the only mill in the town-: ship.
A store was erected by Benjamin Mankin in I871,
1 after the fire, on section 31, but was short-lived.
The goods were those sent to Mankin by the relief
committee for the benefit of the fire sufferers, but instead of distributing them to the proper persons he
sold them at enormously high prices, and then fled
the country! Another store was started on section 6,
in i878, by George Dan, who kept it for two years
and then sold to James McNeil.
The postoffice was started at Wickware in 1882,
N: when Albert Wickware was appointed Postmaster.
A blacksmith shop was started in I88i, on section?; 22, by George Cutting, who was the first blacksmith
%   in the township, but closed in September, 1884.
(   Another was started at Wickware in the spring of
1883.
The first and only church was built in I883 -Presbyterian church, on section 26. Mr. Greenman donated the lots.
Stephen Greenman was married to Miss Mary
Jordan in 1858, one year after coming, which was the
first wedding.
The first funeral was preached by Rev. Wm. Pol-.  lard, over the bodies of three of Mr. Alex. Nicol's chili dren, who died in 1876, of diphtheria. They were
buried in the center of the farm, back from what is
the main road on section 25, the present location of
the cemetery, which is about an acre in extent, and
was donated for the purpose by Mr. Nicol in I875.
A State ditch eight feet wide, commencing on sec-:   tion 32 and running north to section 28, into the low
I  grounds and on to Cass River, is in progress of ex-?  cavation.
The township has made rapid strides in clearing
since the '8i fire-more than all time before.
The township is the northeast town of the county
and is numbered 14 north, range 12 east. On its


north is Huron County, west is Tuscola County, east
is Austin Township, and south is Evergreen


*Ti
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Evergreen Township.
~ i~  ~UST   south of Greenleaf is Evergreen
G1   ll Township, which is numbered 13 north,
A   range 12 east; and on the other three sides
of this township are: East, Argyle Township;
south, Lamotte      Township; west, Tuscola
15  County.  Evergreen was a part of Argyle
until 187 2.
Robert Wilson was the first Supervisor after organ.
ization. He was also the first settler, coming in
I864, and for some time was Supervisor of Argyle,
when it covered Evergreen.
Patrick Walsh was the next, coming into the township in 1867, and taking up land on section 23;
about the same time Cyrenus Gould, a brother-inlaw of Mr. Wilson, settled also on section 2. Two
years later, during the winter, the following families
came in: Joseph Bond, section i, where he still
lives; George W. Gotham, on section 28, but moved
to section 23 in I883; Henry Motney stopped on
section 29, but left the county in the spring of 1872;
0. J. Wethy, on section 29, his present home; Franklin Beardsley, section 30, left county in 1873. All
these came in the winter of 1869.
The first school taught was by John B. Proctor, at
his own house on section 22, in the summer of 1872.
He taught five pupils three months for $40 per
month. The first school-house was erected by Patrick Walsh, on section 27, the same summer.
A saw-mill was built by Robinson and Reynolds
on section 29, in the winter of 1882-3, but was
burned down in June, I884; one now stands on the
ground, built by Mr. Parrott. There was a shinglemill also attached to the saw-mill, and owned by
Oscar Schulley, but burned with the mill. No insurance; total loss, about $2,500.
The first store was built by W. B. Brooks, on section 31, in I88I, at what is now known as Novesta,
which is on the county line of Tuscola, and takes
its name from the adjoining township in that county.
It is a general store, and supplies a large portion
of Evergreen with retail general merchandise. In
the fallof 1882, Sylvester Day put up the next store


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50"                    SA N'L C C UN Y
500                    SANILAC COUNTY.:
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on the southwest quarter ot section 22, which was
called Evergreen Center. In the fall of 1883, he
sold to Mark Turner, who, after a short partnership
with James McArthur, owns it by himself at the present time.
The first postoffice was established in May, 1884,
at Evergreen Center, and is known as Shabbona;
and George Jones was appointed Postmaster. Previous to this, however, for some years, the people of
the township have received their mail from the Novesta postoffice.
The first wedding was that of Enos Johnson, to
Diana Clendenning, in 1876, by John B. Proctor,
Justice, at Proctor's place, in the front yard. Mr.
Proctor was just ready to leave for Cass City when
Mr. Johnson and Miss Clendenning rode up. He
called Mrs. Proctor to the door. She appeared with
potato knife in hand, and was surprised by her husband saying the " magic words," "I pronounce you
man and wife."
The first person buried in the township was Jeremiah Clendenning, but with no regular funeral services. He was buried on section 35, on his own
land. He had lived by himself, and died of inflammation of the lungs, in 1872. The first funeral sermon was preached over the body of Mrs. Lois Boyle,
at the home of Mr. 0. J. Wethy, in the winter of
i872, by Rev. John Marion, an Advent minister who
was at that time lumbering in the township. She
was buried at Cass City. As yet there is no graveyard.
John B. Proctor was the first Justice of the Pease
elected in the township; Josiah R. Lewis the first
Clerk, and John J. Robinson the first Treasurer. The
following is the list of Supervisors, with their terms:




the children were so far convalescent that the disease
was not contagious.
There are two township ditches, one the Harrington drain, crossing sections 31 and 32, and emptying
into White Creek; and the other the Washburn drain,
from section 19, crossing the corner of section 30 to
section 29, and emptying into White Creek. The
township is about halt cleared, and is a very rich,
mixed soil, some parts being a clay loam, while the
high lands are sandy and a gravelly loam. It is considered a'great soil for hay in the low lands, while
the hills bring forth an average of 25 bushels of
wheat, 40 bushels of barley, corn from 75 to 80
bushels.
The rearing of cattle pays better than wheat. Corn
and barley will be the principal grain crop. Potatoes do well.  Albert Ryckman raised this year
(1884), 30 bushels of finest, large, Early Rose, from
one peck of tubers! This is remarkable.


I.TI
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Lamotte Township.
AMOTTE Township is on the west side of
the county, south of Evergreen Township,
west of Moore and north of Marlette Town(  ship, and is numbered 12 north, range 12
east. Its west boundary is Tuscola County. It
was a part of Moore Township until 1870, when
it took an organization of its own.
At the same time a postoffice was established,
and known as Newman's postoffice. Enos Johnson
was the first settler, about I866. James Moore came
shortly after Mr. Johnson or about the same time.
William and David H. Mosher, W. H. Lamb and
Levi Sawtell came soon after, in about the order
named. From that time the township began to set

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Robert Wilson
0. J. Wethy,
Ronhrt xWilcnn


1872
1873
T,g7 A-c


0. J. Wethy,              1876            tie pretty rapidly until the population in 1880 was
Robert Wilson,            i877-9          about 300.
0. J. Wethy,              i880-r             There is not a village in the township, owing to (
Isaac Cragg,              I882
X~?      saac Cragg,               1882its recent settlement. After Mr. Newman gave up.,
rThe first lawsuit in the township was School Dis-  the postoffice, Mr. Lamb was appointed, in 1870, and?    trict No. 4 vs. Robert Wilson, before Justice Proctor,  held it for one year, when he moved to Nebraska and -
in February, I875.   It was claimed that Mr.     Mr. Sawtell became Postmaster, keeping the office a (,
(    Wilson's children were infected with itch, and his  little over two years. N. R. Wells was then PostA)  refusal to lake them from school resulted in the suit.  master for two years, Silas Moore for two years, then c.
It was decided that there was no cause for action, as  H. B. Smith for three years, when Mr. Sawtell again:::!i    refual-C     to taetemfo col                                       rsle n h ut
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'>              -— m:trIv?-:                  a*                                      E.-^r-  X
SANIATLAC COUNTY.                                       501
took the office and is the present handler of the mails.  Some locations had been made previous to this, but
Alfred West established the first saw-mill, on sec-  no permanent settlements. Four years later Martin
me tion 33, in 879. Dennis Soles established one on  Moore came in, and one year after that, Julius  a
f section I2.                                      Oesterle came.
The first school taught in the township was in  The first funeral in the township e  was that of Mrs.
872,     a house owned by John Lamb on section 32  Benjamin Shingley, in 1869. John Riley, an Indian
The first school-house was a frame erected one year  preacher, conducted the services, and squaws furlater on section 3o, but burned in i88i. Another  nished the music, in their native tongue.
was erected in the following year on the same spot.  Samuel Moore built the first frame house in Moore
Nearly the whole township was entered as swamp   Township, in 1876; but the log houses of the old
land, but has been drained and makes the -ery best  settlers have been repaired and improved to such an
farming land. A ditch was made by the State in     extent that they are now preferable to frame build-.
874, commencing on the southt side of section 33,  igs. It is held that a substantial log house, plas-  i
and crossing that section and also sections 29,   tered and well finished in iside, with the outer covering
and  6.                                          of a frame house, is very desirable, and many of the
There are two Church societies in Lamotte,-    houses in Moore to-day are of this variety of archiMethodist Episcopal and Baptist. The former hold  tecture. They cannot be distinguished from frames
meetings in the school-house in District No. 3, and  in appearance, but are more comfortable.
the latter in that of No. 2.                       The first wedding in Moore Township took place
The first wedding was that of Josephus V. Mosher  at James Minard's house, in the winter 1862-3, in
to Melissa Tiff, the ceremony being performed by  the presence of four or five hunters and an Indian.
y   Spencer Warner, J. P., in I872.                  The happy pair were Charles Dace and Mary Jane
=     The first death was that of a babe in the family of  Scott, Justice Thomas Walker performing the cere1 W. H. Lamb, in I870. There was no regular funeral mony.
A: service at this time.                                              SUPERVISORS.
\ /   The cemetery is on section I7, the ground being      Martin Moore,              1865-8
donated by William Mosher, in I876, and is one         Wilmot Alman,              I869-70         1
acre in extent. The ground is in a splendid loca-      W. Hyslop,                 1871 2            i
tion. Several graves were made before the cemeterySaJ      e  Moore,              17-4
Samuel Moore,              I675-6
was laid out.                                          James Minard,              I877-81
Read the list of Supervisors:                        Samuel Stanbaugh,          I882
W. H. Lamb,                I870
L. Sawtell,               1871
Peter Fox,                    1872-8
Levi Sawtell               1 87 9-80
9-5     Peter Fox,                i88i                           Argyle Township.
Levi Sawtell,              1882
*  LRGYLE Township was a part of Marion
|       - ~-2 —a Township until 1868. Mr. Alexander McMoore Township.                         Lachlin was elected the first Supervisor. ArASHINGTONl Twsi ogaygyle embraced Evergreen Township until I872,
' f A |  SHINGTON Township originally covered | 8 when that town became a separate organizathis territory, but in 1865 the land included  tio- The other Supervisors are as follows:
3., in the present towns of Elmer, Lamotte andRobert Wilson,                    869-7
~!%  ^Jt'SS^ i^            * j     AT     ^                 T. Wilson,                1872
i '.  J     Moore, was organized as Moore Township.        A. A. Wheeler,             1873-6
i;8 J )'  At present, Moore is six miles square, being   Duncan McLean,             1877,town 12 north, range I3 east. East of it is          Dugald McIntyre,           1878-80
(    Custer; north, Argyle; west, Lamotte; south, Elmer.    Duncan McLean,             188i-2
James Minard was the first settler, coming in i860.  Jtcob Seder was the first settler in the township,
(C,.,z, --- —— ^^Q^Q^                                      ---       ----
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settling on section IO in February, I861. The Kinzleys were the next settlers, coming only a month or
two later. Alex. McLachlin came about this time,
and the next year there was quite' a number of settiers.
The first school was taught in a building owned
by A. McLachlin, in I863, by Miss Josephine Lamb
(now Mrs. Charles Reinett). The following year a
log school-house was erected on section 1o, but
burned in I87 1, and was replaced with a frame, on
section 4.
A church was built in i882, by the Lutherans, on
ground purchased by them on section 22. A Methodist Episcopal society had services for two or three
years, in the McIntyre school-house, District No. i,
and in I884 erected a church on section Io.
In the winter of I862, John M. Cole was married
to Susan Seder, by Alex. McRae, Justice of the
Peace for Austin. This was the first wedding.
The first death in the township was that of Allen
McLachlin, aged five years. No funeral sermon was
preached, as no minister could be found. The cemetery was laid out on section 27, in 1878, when it
was bought by the township, and is one acre in
extent.
The first stationary saw-mill was built by Ralph
Stevens, on section 28, in 1882. Several portable
mills had been put up previously, but none of them
remained for any great length of time.
Before the settling up of this township, deer and
elk were thicker than in any other part of the county.
There was a character here by the name of Charles
Draper, who used to trap large numbers of them by
a spring gate, at the elk lick, on the northwest part
of section 27. Their skin and horns were the principal parts of value. Draper was afterward sent to
the penitentiary for forgery.
There was not much clearing done until after the
71 fire, so that damage from that calamity was
largely the destruction of timber.
Alex. McLachlin was appointed the first Postmaster, serving until his death in 1879, when his son
Andrew was appointed, and holds the office at the
present time. Before that the Argyle mail was
received at Tyre.


Custer Township.                >
" -  l tUSTER Township is the centennial town1 -F    ~ship of Sanilac County, being " admitted
into the Union" in the last days of 1876. It
is only a little north of the center of the
county, and, from its inland situation, was
almost the last township to settle. Its exact
location is town 12 north, range 14 east; and it is I
bounded on the north by Wheatland, on the east by:
Bridgehampton, south by Watertown, and west by  ~
Moore. The fact that much of Custer Township is:
low, being crossed by the great "Huckleberry I
Swamp," kept many settlers from coming into this,0
town early, as it was necessary to spend money on  i
draining the land, before much could be done with
it. Hence speculators had a chance and improved
it. But Custer is partially cleared now, and when
properly drained will be one of the richest agricultural townships in the county. Its history is that of
Bridgehampton, of which it was a part until it was,
set off.
Arthur Carson was one of the first settters, if not -
the first, though for some time he divided his time Abetween Custer and Bridgehampton, in both of
which townships he has a large amount of land from  I
original entry.  Silas Doan and John O'Connell
were among the first settlers. The township did
not begin to develop rapidly until it was decided the
county seat would be located on the southern line
of it.
S. Doan was the first Supervisor, holding the l,
office four years, and John O'Connell was the next
Supervisor.
Sandusky is partly in this township. It was named (i
by Wildman Mills for Sandusky, Ohio, which was


CIOJ U1i Z. )  _    y'^             -~ A,,I Z)
COUNm TY..
kept respectively by David Ross & Joseph Barnum, ^|>
and a blacksmith shop, started in I882, by Peter r.
Beogle.                                         "
The surface is rolling, with some stone on the hills;
and a rich clay loam in the bottoms. There is a
great deal of timber in the township, not more than
one-fifth being cleared. A grist-mill and saw-mill
was erected by Henry Nye, in the fall of 1884, in
Argyle village.                                  I
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ARGYLE VILLAGE.
The village is located in the center of the township, and consists of the postoffice, two general stores,
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,""a> ~r:.~)*84~("SANILAC COUNTY.                                                          503 i
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founded by Mr. Mills' grandfather. Hubbard &;   King, real-estate dealers of Detroit, donated 20 acres
of ground for the county buildings, which stand in
k   the northern part of the village. The removal of
the county seat from Lexington to this place will be
found in the " Political History." The village has a
population of about 200, and its growth dates from
the location of the court-house, in 1879. There are
three large hotels, a Methodist church, and a good
school building, two resident physicians and one, lawyer. There is a daily stage to Carsonville, eight
i  miles distant. From  1880 to 1882 C. A. Bacon
published the Sandusky News here.
The only secret society in the village is Sandusky
Tent, No. 27 2 Knights of the Maccabees, which was
established in February, I88I. The officers are:
Post Commander-A. W. O'Keefe.
Sir Kt. Commander-Edgar Simpson.
I       Lt. Commander-C. G. Denio.
Record Keeper-C. J. French.
Finance Keeper-F. P. Philo.
Prelate-Charles Corbishley.
Sergeant-A. W. O'Keefe.
S   Master-at-Arms —John Wilson.
4   First Master of Guards-John Freer.
Second Master of Guards-R. Sofley.
Sentinel-Walter Freer.,v?      Picket-H. McKenzie.
The other members are William Smith and William Blackford.
Bridgehampton Township.:!:'  t  N 1854 this township was set off from For-: I S!  ester, and for some time comprised Custer
a    g     1,  and Marion. It is town 12 north, range 15
east. Its neighbors are Sanilac and Forester
on the east, Marion on the north, Custer on
the west and Washington on the south.
Bridgehampton's first settler was Theodore Laurel,
who came in the spring of 1853. The next settlers,
in about the order named, were James Aldred,
Orange Baker, E. M. Miller, Wm. Ellethorp, John
Graham, Joseph Stephens, Charles Wood, James
1   Lane, John Tucker.
<     A barn was built by James Lane in 1858, which
was the first frame building in the township.
Orange Baker donated land for school purposes,


on section 12 in 1855, and a school-house was built
that year, which was the first.
William Galloway built the first mill in the township, on section 6, in 1863. It was a shirigle mill.
The first store was built in what is now Downington, in 1861. In i881, John Pace started a store at
Wilber Station, and he was also appointed Postmaster at this time.
The first Church organization was the Methodist
Episcopal, who organized 1855, holding their meetings in school-houses. This was done for 20 years,
or until I875, when a movement was instituted to
build a union church, to be supported by all orthodox people.  The ground was donated by Mrs.
Mary Moore, on section 2. The deed was made
out specifying that it was a union church, but before
this deed was recorded the Methodists secured another deed, which was first recorded and took precedence against the other denominations. This is
what some of them call stealing a church. Another
church was built on section 14, in I88 r.
CARSONVILLE.
In July, I864,. the first store in Carsonville was
built by Arthur Carson, and is the hotel now kept by
John Connors. The next store was built in 1868, by
U. Raymond & Co., who sold to Wi. Thomson in
1874. He kept it until 1882, when it was purchased
by C. M. Oldfield and run as a branch store of general merchandise, in connection with his Port Sanilac
store. In 1872 Arthur Carson built a large store
and kept a large stock of general merchandise until
I882, when it was closed and is now vacant.
The Exchange Hotel was built by John Farley, in
I88o. He kept it for tw9i years, and Robert Griggs
purchased it. Two years later it was sold to Wm.
J. Crorey.
John Ryan built a store in i881. He-kept it until
the fall of 1882, when Preston & Cummings bought
it and now keep a general merchandise store. About
the same time Wm. Bowin built a small store and
now keeps a few notions.
The other stores are: Dr. J. W. Smith's drug
store, established in i851; J. A. Hosmer, hardware,
1882; John Farley, general store, 1883.
A large cheese-factory was built by a stock company in I88I, at a cost of $2,200; capacity, five tons
daily.
The Methodists organized themselves- into a class


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504                                 SA NILAC     0 UNTY.
in T874, and now, in 1884, are building a church,     Thomas Burgess,              1877-80;
ji which is the first in the village. The school-house   W. E. Stevenson,            188I
John Leitch,                 1882,. for the village is half a mile east.
In i88o William Thomson built a large elevator,                 DOWNINGTON.< arm Ai-fhs.r^ 'rlrn'c' k^ar-nr torr   PrPr^trpl hnillt tLhe


iIlU AtLrLIIUL LiL.,i3I3 glV~ctLkl V C1v 3 a:. I-V Clt,..,U U//  tL,,
same time.
SUPERVISORS.
William Sweet,                 867
David Crorey,                 1868-74
James Reid,                   I 875-7
David Crorey,                 1878
John H. Kinney,                879-80
James Reid,                      1881-2;e




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Marion and Wheatland Townships.
c     HESE were organized in I858, and were
under the organization of Marion Townr t;^  ship, and their history is identical, until: 88i. Wheatland was then cut off, and completed the full organization of the county into
townships.  It is west of Marion, and is
bounded on the north by Minden, on the west by
Argyle, and on the south by Custer. Its number is
I3 north, range I4 east. Marion is in the same
number north; but in range 15 east. North of
Marion is Delaware; east of it, Forester; south of
it, Bridgehampton.
The Raspburys, Wixsons, and Catalines were notable pioneers, but the first settlers were William Kurtz,
James Ogden, Nelson Ross and M. W. Stevenson,
who came in i849.
The first school was taught by Miss Mary Armstrong, in a log house which was previously a dwelling, and the same year (I859) a school-house was
built on section i.
An English church was built in Deckerville in
88i, and is the first church in the township. There
is now a United Brethren church in Deckerville,
erected in t884, and a Methodist church in Downington, built in 1883.


Is built on section 6, Bridgehampton Township, and
on sections 31 and 32, Marion Township, and is
therefore divided by the township line. The first
building erected on the present site of the village of
Downington was constructed by William Bancroft, ot
Port Huron, in I862, and was located on the northeast corner of section 6 in Bridgehampton Township,
on the farm of Morris Cocoman. Mr. Bancroft established a mercantile enterprise in the building, which
he entrusted to the management of Ezra C. Carleton,
Congressman elect from the Seventh District of Michigan, then a young man. The business was conducted one year, after which the building remained
vacant for a time. In the fall of I868 William
Thompson, of Carsonville, commenced the same
business in the building, which he prosecuted until
June, I870, when Messrs. Downing and Southworth
purchased his entire interest, and continued operations on the same site until their removal into the
building they have since occupied, in November,
I872. The structure was occupied by John Benaway, merchant, from March i, 1877, until June r,
i880.
In that year the place took its first important impetus from the construction of the railroad, which
passes through the extreme west of Bridgehampton
Township. In the year following, the grist-mill of
Harvey & Brown was erected, by A. Downing and
William Harvey; and the Howard House was built,
by Alonzo Downing, on the site of the first building,
which has been moved twice,-once to a position
south of its former location, and again, across the
road where it now stands, and is occupied as a
residence and millinery and fancy-goods store, by
Mrs. Sawyer. In 1883 the Methodist Episcopal
church was built, and from August of that year until
June, 1884, 2i buildings were erected. John Benaway established his trade, in boots and shoes, in
I877, and again in December, 1883, at Downington.
In June, I884, he commenced operations in a new
building.
The first drug store was built by Dr. Little in
i88o, was sold to J. A. Dunlap in I883, and recon.
structed. Dr. Little built his present drug store in


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A. J. W
Joel Me
A. J. W
A. Dow


SUPERVISORS.
right,     I 1867-8:Mahon,    1869-71
gright,    872
ning,      1873-6
a            m ---m- -


I.t4
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SANILAC COUNTY.                  505 i
V  ). I,(t-~)


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1884. C. B. Purdy started his shoe shop in i880.
George Murray, now of the firm of Murray & Bisbee,, i began the sale of agricultural machinery in I88I.
The blacksmith and wagon shop of W. H. Jones has
I been running since i868. In 1884, J. A. Dunlap
began the sale of groceries. Mrs. Sawyer opened her
place of business in the fall of 1882. Mrs. McLeod
has been conducting a trade in millinery and fancy
goods since 1883.
Downington contains 200 inhabitants, has resident
one lawyer, two physicians and one clergyman.
Downing & Southworth are managing a large
A business, including all the branches suited to the
demands of the locality. They conduct an extensive mercantile trade, are large buyers of all varieties of country produce, and have been active in the
permanent well-being of the place from its inception.
Their business reaches an aggregate of $40,000
annually.




The railroad station at this point is called " Downing." On the establishment of the postoffice in 1883
the village was registered " Downington."
The Howard House was in charge of J. R. Garlick from December, i88I, to June, 1883, when it
passed under the control of Messrs. E. C. and Edgar
Hills,-father and son. The latter has been sole
proprietor since the death of the former in April,
1884. Mr. Downing sold the property to A. R.
Conrad, who in turn sold it to R. McLeod.
In September, I87I, an accidental fire raged to a
considerable extent in the immediate vicinity of
Downington, which proved the means of safety to
the place in the great fire a month later. In the fire
of 1881, Downington was preserved from destruction
only by the strenuous efforts of its citizens, who
exerted every means and precaution to prevent its
taking fire, and fought the threatened invasion of
flame successfully, no property or buildings being
burned.


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% —tS  ~ ^,~;((B)))-;~-~-~ C~


^-IHE educational interests of  the same, that first schools were sometimes held in,/,* -~  -the county merit special           some family kitchen, slab shanty, or deserted log
mention, as they have fully  hut. Some of these buildings were without floors,
kept pace with other mat-     and destitute of furniture, except the benches made
*t-d  'i)CK~ ^  #  ters in the struggle for ex-  by splitting a log, sticking pegs into the round side,:, i::i:  ~       istence; and, like many    and hewing the slivers from  the split side. The (
other important interests,  only desks used were made by sticking pegs into the
I  ll*  have come through it all with   logs of which the walls were made, and placing on
marked success. If the history of  them a slab upon which the more advanced pupils
the first schools were all written, it  could do their writing. When school-houses were
iwould be a record of toil and zeal  built in the neighborhood of the saw-mills, of which
[ il^^ffl   upon the part of the pioneer teach-  there were many in the early history of the county,
ers, and of general manifestations  lumber was used and better buildings erected; but,:i  RTIs8E       '  ~^of sympathy and encouragement  as the population then was of a transient character,
' from    the hardy, toiling parents.  these schools were not more prosperous than those
In many instances the settlers'  which were less fortunate in the matter of building
" 4 e'    earnest desires for schools, where material.
a  their children might receive the rudiments of an  As the lumbering interest disappeared, transient,    education, so far exceeded their ability to support  residents moved  away; permanent settlers filled
* *^*^Blii^-,'                   0                                                                   l -  _




S 506                                SANILAC COUNTY.
~   their places; agricultural interests took the place of  district in which the school-house was burned, a
lumber; the county began to show a healthy devel-  new building was erected, and generally much bet-  ~i
X opment, and as a result of this change more school  ter than the old one.
I districts were organized every year; new and better  The second disaster referred to was the" Great
school-houses were built here and there, and town-  Fire" of 1881, in which this county lost 27 schoolship and district libraries were established. We re-  houses, distributed as follows: Austin, 4; Argyle, 2;
gret the fact, however, that many of these libraries  Delaware, 2; Elmer, i; Evergreen, 4; Foster, r;
have ceased to exist.                           Greenleaf, I; Lamotte, 3; Maple Valley, i; MarThe first schools were established in North Lex-  lette, I; Marion, I; Moore, I; Minden, I; Washington and Sanilac Townships. Others were soon in   ington, 2; Watertown, 3. Fourteen hundred school
operation in Buel, Delaware, Elk and Speaker. The  children were thus deprived of school privileges for
log shanties and cabins gradually gave place to larger  an indefinite time, $,ooo of school property deand more comfortable frame structures; and at the stroyed and the country devastated. The people   1C
present time there are schools supported in 127 dis-  were destitute; they had no means of supplying
tricts, 1 of which are graded and located as follows:  themselves with those things absolutely necessary,
2 in Lexington, 2 in Sanilac, i in Buel, i in Elk, I  so that this loss seemed irreparable, as these schoolin Marion, I in Delaware, i in Marlette, i in   houses were the places in which the children of
Bridgehampton, and i in Minden.                these stricken people were to receive the greater
The largest of these is the Lexington Union   part of their education. Many districts had been
) School, where a corps of experienced teachers are  bonded for the payment of the buildings burned.
| employed, presided over by Prof. Geo. A. Parker, a  Some had been too poor to build anything better  <
N teacher and educational worker of large ability and  than a log house, and in some instances the small  ':   experience, who has been identified with the school  amount of district funds, in hands of the treasurer
F   growth of the county from the beginning. Next are  was destroyed with the lest of the property.::': the Marlette and Sanilac schools, of excellent reputa-  After the more pressing demands and immediate;:?  tions.  In fact, all the graded schools mentioned  wants of the people had been supplied by a gener-,
above are doing good work.                      ous public, attention was turned toward the school
Twice have the school interests in the northern  districts. Mr. Geo. A. Parker, Secretary of the
and western townships been sadly interfered with.  County Board of School Examiners, had labored
First, during the great forest fires of 1871, when ten  many weeks in securing the required information
school-houses were burned, located as follows: Del-  from all the unfortunate districts, and at the proper
aware, 4; Marion, 2; Austin, 3; Greenleaf, I. The  time forwarded petitions to the State Relief Comnumber of children deprived of school privileges at  mittee and to the Legislature, which had been called
that time was 300, and the loss of school property  in special session by the Governor, to vote relief
nearly $4,000. To the casual reader, or to those  from the State treasury for the help of the fire sufferliving in wealthy communities, or in cities where  ers, asking for an appropriation to help rebuild the
school buildings are erected at a cost of many thou-  school-houses. This was granted, and new buildings
sands of dollars, this statement of valuation may  have been erected in all those districts. Since that
appear small and trifling, but when they consider  time there has been a steady advance in educational
that the little school-houses were, in many districts,  matters, and although the county can not boast of
the only places of resort for instruction, amusement  expensive structures, like older and more wealthy
and worship, their importance to these settlers may be  counties of the state, immigrants and settlers may  L
better understood. The devastation produced by the  locate in any township with the assurance of being
fire was so general and wide-spread that the people  within reasonable distance of a school-house. The
were unable to build school-houses, and the prospect  schools and teachers compare favorably with those of
for them was gloomy in the extreme. At this crisis  other counties, while the salaries are better than in C
the State Relief Committee made an appropriation  many older counties.
of several thousand dollars for the purpose of help-  Two or three incidents are mentioned connected
ing in rebuilding the school-houses, so that in every  with school supervision and visitation, as related by.~of severa thusnddolas o the purpos ofelp




SANILAC COUNTY.                                       507
>   the County Superintendent of Schools of that time:  "At another time I was compelled to walk several >
" On one occasion a gentleman drove 20 miles to  miles through the woods, on a very hot day, to visit a
school in a new township, where the roads were imr- '1::  see me, to make application for a legal certificate to school i a new townshp, where the roads were im~.-:    t.                   @....*        passable to horses. The heat was oppressive, the  X
permit a certain lady to teach school in his district.mosquitoes and flies terribly annoying, the track so
As I could not issue a certificate without a personal  obscure as to lead me several times into swamp holes,
examination of the qualifications of the candidate for  when I would have to retrace my steps for some dispedagogical honors, I made an appointment to visit  tance, and take another tack; and before reaching
pedagogical. honors,, I. made anppontmthe clearing a thunder shower came up, without
the school, inspect the lady's teaching, and remain  t  c   a        s
the school, in t the lady    teaching, and remain  much warning, giving variety to the tramp by wetting
over night at this gentleman's house. At the time  me thoroughly, twisting the trees in a mighty unagreed upon, I made my way as fast as I could  pleasant manner, and making me wish myself some
towards the district to be visited. Forest fires were  place else. However, the house of the director was l: burning in all directions at the time; the road for the  finally reached, the school visited, and good result
i:?&,  -.,., /.,,accomplished even here. The people had antici-.
last few miles was so obstructed by fallen trees as to  yi         although their condition wa
i;:dl~  2...        D~~~pated my coming, and although their condition was
be wholly impassable, and it was with great difficulty  one not to be envied, having no furniture in the
that I succeeded in reaching my destination, by  house except a rough table, of home manufacture,
driving along the course of the creek-sometimes in  and benches made from split logs in place of chairs,
the river-bed, and at others, up its steep banks; now  their kindness, and interest in having their school
visited by the Superintendent, were highly comlifting the buggy over logs, then down the banks  mendable.
again; unhitching horse to get him extricated from  "   one occasion I had stopped at a grocery inn
some difficulty, and so plodding on through the blind-  for dinner, intending to start on foot for a school disN   ing smoke and ashes with which the air was filled,  trict three or four miles distant, and which could only  I
till, just before dark, I arrived at the house of my  be reached at that time by a lumber road. Making
search. Here was a large clearing, but woods on all  inquiry about the direction to go, I found that a lady  -:>:->[!.                          *,,.,,.,.     also waiting dinner was going right there, and agreed:,:   sides and no other buildings except this gentleman's ts pilt me. I  remarked that ly trne was solimited
to pilot me. I remarked that my time was so limited
in sight.                                       that I would have to walk fast, and if she would direct
":i/  "After spending a pleasant evening, where I was  me she need not put herself to the inconvenience of
most hospitably entertained, sleeping soundly after  trying to keep up with me. She replied that she
thought she could 'keep up.' We started. After
my adventures, and eating a hearty breakfast, I pro-  we had pushed through underbrus, dodged limbs,
"~.'                                          we had pushed through underbrush, dodged limbs,
ceeded to the school-house, a log building, a half  walked logs and waded swamps for about two miles,
mile distant. The teacher was not young and pretty,  I was the one trying very hard to keep up. She had
though pretty in one sense she was, but an old lady  led me a worse tramp than any other woman had
70 years old; and as I looked at her sitting behind  ever succeeded in doing before.
her desk in her quiet dignity, white cap, spectacles " One of the most disagreeable incidents connected
nd old-fashioned neckerchief I felt very much  with this part of my work, was holding a trial over a,: and old-fashioned neckerchief, I felt very much  teacher, who had excited the ire of se of the resteacher, who had excited the ire of some of the resi-?
'   like the other urchins in the room, and as if I was  dents of the district where he was teaching. A peti-  i
A  just as likely as they to feel the effects of the long  tion, signed by several tax-payers and gotten up in;
birch switch within ready reach of her hand. Here  legal form, was presented me, requesting a hearing
was this old lady daily toiling in that log shanty  and trial of the teacher. Giving legal notice to
teacher and school officers, and appointing a day for
among her own grand-children and other youngsters, e trial, I in due ime repaired to the school-house
not for the money, but that they might not grow up  which I found filled with men, women and children.
in ignorance. I must not forget to mention that the  The principal charge brought against the teacher
'   old lady was the gentleman's mother.           was, 'Unbecoming and improper conduct.toward the
| " On another occasion I drove several miles over  young ladies of the school.' Upon investigating the  r
vist.. a..so  ia.ei ds.rt  matter I found that the substance of the complaint
a cordur  royad, to  t a school na certain district;  was that he had kissed some of the young ladies..
I) but, upon arriving at the place, I found the school-  Inasmuch as I was unmarried myself, the young   (,   room occupied by several cattle, school not being in  ladies were so handsome, very tempting, and made
session, one saucy animal standing in the door as  no complaint themselves, I could not for the life of
sentry and obstinately refusing to come out or to  me find him guiltyof the charge preferred against
admit me.                                      him; neither can I up to the present time!"
ig,4P,>,b a,.,  (;HH0S                             pU     N    )H        o4,       vA




508                                 SANILAC CO UNVTY.
ANILAC County religion began     represented in this county by Elder George Wright,
when the settlement began. The  in Lexington, in I869.
pioneers could not forego the solace of righteous paths, even                                                   (
though these led through the                         e, c^ Si    ~woods, 50 miles from civiliza=  [J]~~-     ttion. Godliness was a part of the pio-                Catholic.:4~  'cqapk   neer's daily life, and when that daily |;:  t [life was removed from some pleasant           REVIOUS to all thee te hd bn
~ ~-'~. -~lltll 1/~"C' ^'^^....            ' I i{!~/?, B.~ K!;EVIOUS to all these there had been =.,^?^ ~home far back beyond the borders,             ~o                  T   i....;'T '         home far back beyond the borders, |         Catholic ministers here laboring among the V
ri     ninto the early forests of Sanilac, godli-      Indians several years, and the following
ness came with it; so that as soon as                             -... c m wt i; so... sn                a 1  paper, by Rev. C. Denissen, will show the 0
c/   a    lc there were sufficient hearers, a sermon V.
there wer sfict h, a s o      K  development of that Church in this region.
l -Adc  was preached. That sermon was by Elder          *
was preached.  Ta sro wa bEle       "The history of the Catholic Church in America
Thomas Huckins, a Free-will Baptist min.
T       o a  H  c kins,~  Free-will,139.  Ba pts ma te r commences with  the  Indians, that is, with  the  first
ister, about July I, I839, and was the first......
rvisits of the early missionaries to the Indians. In
Protestant sermon preached in Sanilac County.
The first Methodist minister was Re. Mr. Nobl,  lke manner we have to look for traces of missionaries
Thefirst Methodist minister was Rev. Mr. Noble,:<*2  whose field was at Port Huron, but he came occa- among the Indians in Sanilac County.
sionally and preached, in 1841. After that sermons    "We find records of Indian encampments along
were delivered irregularly until 847, when a regular  the shore of Lake Huron, south of Stevens' Landing
appointment was established at Lexington. Elder  and in the vicinity of the present village of Amaappointment was established at Lexington. Elder [     Y                   -
Abram Sloat was the first regular Baptist minister,  dore. In 1838 the small-pox broke out amongst
settling in Worth, in I850. Rev. Talmadge Water-  them  and carried the most of them off. After burybury, of the Congregational Church, located in San- ing the dead and brning the camps, the survivors
ilac about the same time. Elder Hiram Hayward     left.
was the first Christian Baptist preacher organizing a  "As early as 1786, we find traces of Catholic mis- 'Church in Worth in 1847-8. The Rev. John Mc-       sionaries, who visited the Indians encamped on the
Leland, of the United Presbyterian Church, organized  banks of St. Clair and Black Rivers in St. Clair '<v:
'    a Church in Fremont in 1862, and one in Davisville County; we might, with a good deal of probability,
in 1863. Rev. A. B. Flower, an Episcopal minister,  suppose that some of these missionaries then and,
organized a Church in Lexington and one in Davis-  afterward visited the Indians in Sanilac County along
'    ville, in i868. The Advent Christians were first  the shore of Lake Huron and on the borders of x
Z ---                            -Aong       iin^A ---



i                                       SANILAC COUNTY.                                        509 I,? Black River, though this is a mere supposition,  made regular visits to Lexington, and put that cha-,) with more or less probability.                   otic mission in a regular running condition. He:::e  "In 1834 the Rev. Frederick Baraga came to    had the church building plastered and changed its ~Cottrellville with the intention of taking up his resi-  "shop-ish" appearance.  In I868 we find Father  ]
dence in St. Clair County, but, finding the missions  Van Lauwe still cultivating this barren soil with untoo small for his apostolic zeal, and desiring to  daunted courage and perseverance.
devote his life to the service of the Indians, he  "The year 1869 was another significant year for
moved up to Lake Superior in 1836, where he was  the Catholic Church in Lexington. In that year
consecrated Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie in I853. We  Bishop Lefevre sent Father Buyse here and to neighhave heard it mentioned by the late Nelson Roberts,  boring townships, to unite as it were the scattered
of Port Huron, the well-known lumberman, that    elements of a mission and to see what prospects
Go Father Baraga visited Sanilac County. He probably  there could be for establishing a permanent parish.
I was the last missionary to the Sanilac County    He visited these missions at regular appointed times, f
Indians.                                         and at the end of two years had the congregation
"The first 'white' settlers arrived here in 1833  ready for a resident priest.
or '34. The first white Catholic that settled in San-  "In the fall of 1870, Rev. P. J. De Smedt was
ilac County probably was Isaac Lemon, a French-  appointed as first resident Pastor of Lexington and
man, who took up land in Worth in 1837. It was   missions. His assigned duty was full of hardships.
between 1840 and 1850 that a few Catholics located  Some material being already collected by the en- (
here in this wilderness. John Ryan and Charles   deavors of former missionaries, he commenced to
/  Burnham, of Worth, were amongst the first. Their  build up a parish. In 1871 Bishop Borgess made  <.r  number increased between the years 1850 and I860.  his first confirmation tour through the missions. In
2   It was during that time that Catholic priests began  the beginning of the year 1872, the hard-working a
rm  to visit this place occasionally. Rev. L. Kilroy, of  Pastor, Father De Smedt, was stopped suddenly in a==
5 Port Huron, Rev. M. P. Wehrle, of Marine City, and his progressing labor and removed to St. Ann's
later, Rev. A. J. Lambert, of the same place, held  Church, Detroit. Rev. M. Canters was sent to sucservices for Catholics in private houses or in public  ceed him. Nevertheless, after a struggle of eight
'  alls. The baptism register of Lexington has its first  months, the Bishop removed him to other fields more
entry in 1863, when, July 12 and 13, Rev. Gustave  congenial to his character and talents."
Limpens, of Detroit, and Rev. A. Van Den Driessche,  Dec. I2, 872 Rev. Christian Denissen was apof Conner's Creek, gave a "mission " here.       pointed Pastor of Lexington and missions. His first
"The prospects of Catholicity must have seemed  welcome to his new parish he received from Mrs.
I  very promising to the missionaries: we find that they  Peter Janette at her residence, a standing welcome,,   looked for a solid foothold, as they immediately bar-  freshly and cordially given ever since. At that time
'    gained for an old wagon-shop and lot No. 4, R. B.  the church was not provided with all the necessary
X  Hubbard & Co.'s plat, village of Lexington. This  outfit for Catholic services. Many articles were purproperty was deeded by George McMillan, and his  chased at once. It was evident both to pastor and
wife, Isabella G. McMillan, and Robert McMillan,  congregation that the old shop should not be a
and Agnes McMillan his wife, of Detroit, to Peter  church building much longer, if the finances of the
Paul Lefevre, Bishop of Detroit, the deed bearing  parish would admit of a new church being built.
date Sept. 11, 1863. This shop became the meeting-  That time did not arrive until 1879, when a site for
place of the Catholics of Lexington.              a new church was donated by the Pastor. The new:;    "In 1864, '65 and '66, we find it recorded that  building was commenced in 188o, and in 1882 was
Q    Rev. S. Theophile Buyse, Gustave Limpens, L.    completed. The building was dedicated to Almighty:  Schneider and M. Train brought consolation to    God under the patronageof St. Denis, the Areopagite,
these forsaken Catholics. It was in 1867 that the  on the I2th of July, 1882. The church edifice is of
<    missions of Lexington made a giant step. Rev. Van  the Gothic style of architecture, and neatly designed
Lauwe having been appointed Pastor of Port Huron,  and finished. Ic being well proportioned and with a




51oo                                   SAAILAC C
lofty steeple, it makes quite an ornament to the
northern part of the village. The interior is com-;   modious for the congregation and sufficiently furf nished to give the worshiper a religious feeling of
mind. Service and Sunday-school is held at regular
appointed times, and on the first Sunday of every
month high mass is celebrated. On such occasions
Mrs. P. Janette, nee Mary E. Schell, presides at the
organ, and the choir is composed of Mrs. R. A. Schell,
nee Fitzgerald, Mrs. E. L. Nins, nee Theresa Rebecca
Schell, Mrs. W. R. Nims, nee Catharine Helen Schell,


9IUJ;)"                    J
70 UNTY.
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Miss Ailain Schell and Miss Carrie Seaty. Pastor
and congregation working for the same ends that
their religion teaches them, and the church not being
incumbered with any oppressive debts, it is safe to
predict that the future of the Catholic Church of
Lexington will be prosperous materially and spirit.
ually.
MISSIONS.
Besides the home parish, the Pastor of Lexington has charge of other missions and stations. The
reader is aware that in Catholic phraseology a
"mission " means a place where a church is built,
without having a resident pastor, and by " station " is
meant a place where there is neither church nor
resident pastor, but where divine service is held
occasionally in some convenient locality. The missions attended from Lexington are Sanilac, Speaker
and Marion, and the stations Fremont and Anderson.
SANILAC.


on the northwest quarter of section 5, township i
north, range i6 east. John Mullen will long be remembered as the leader of the new mission; always
trying to get a priest for holding divine services in
that settlement, presenting the mission with three
acres of land for church and cemetery, and always
having his hospitable shanty at the disposition of the
settlers for a meeting-place. He managed also that
every visiting priest should be the guest at his house.
When the church was being built, John left no stone
unturned to succeed in that undertaking; and ever
since he has been as it were the watchman from the
tower of his house to look after all the interests of
church and cemetery. He feels convinced that that
same cemetery will soon be the last resting-place for
his weary bones.
" In the same year, I853, Thomas Ford settled on
the east half of the southwest quarter of section 5,
Sanilac Township. James Kelly got ready for a home
on the west half of southwest quarter of section 32,
Forester Township. In the same year, I853, Terrence McCullogh settled on the northeast quarter of
section 6, Sanilac Township. John Dwan took the
northeast quarter of section i, Washington Township.
Hugh Manion secured the east half of the northwest
quarter of the same section. In I854 came James
Hart and Thomas O'Neil; both settled on the west
half of southeast quarter of section 3, Forester Township. In i855 Pierce Campfield made his residence
on the east half of the northwest quarter of section 6,
Sanilac Township. His brother, James Campfield,
settled beside him on the west half of the northwest
quarter. James afterwards moved to Detroit and
became an efficient member of the Police Department.
"In 856 came another settler of uncommon pluck,
Philippe McCormick; he settled on the east half of
the southwest quarter of section 6, Sanilac Township.
"From this time 54 new settlers came very fast.
J#I I860, amongst others, came from Detroit, Edward
Allen, and settled on the west half of northeast
quarter of section 3I, township I2 north, range i6
east. Mr. Allen, after a few years of pioneering,
managed to build himself a comfortable residence.
He made his house the hospitable stopping-place of
visiting priests, and on many occasions was delighted
with having the bishop for his guest. By his unostentatious generosity, he made his clerical visitors


9,


10
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"' The first Catholic settler in the township of Sanilac was William Griffith. He came from Bellport,
N. Y., in 1849 and settled on the south half of section 3, town ii north, range I6 east. Mr. Griffith
died after a short time of pioneering, in 1855, and
was buried in the Catholic cemetery of Grant, St.
Clair County. In i850 William Call settled on the
southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section
4, township ii north, range i6 east. In i851 three
new settlers cast their lot in this wilderness. Michael
Maher took up his residence on the east half of the
southwest quarter of section 6, township ii north,
range 16 east; Michael Logan selected the west half
-    of the southeast quarter of the same section, and his
cousin, another Michael Logan, settled beside him
on the east half of the southeast quarter. In 1853 we
find another increase to the settlement. John Mullen, with his large family of able-bodied sons, settled,C3,4i^:_I;n?


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^^~ ~SANILAC COUNTY.                 5Ir-^,/"===-                                   = =  (W


i, feel at home, and rendered their visits pleasant by? his original and witty Irish-isms. All who knew him
> learned with regret of his death, which occurred
Aug. r, I884.
"While the settlement was in a pioneer condition,
) May Io, 1854, Father Kilroy, of St. Clair, held Catholic services at the house of William Griffith. After
the death of Mr. Griffith, services were held at
Thomas Ford's house, Feb. 21 and 22, 1856. In
1857, after John Mullen presented the congregation
/ with three acres of land for church-yard and cemetery,
/, services were held at his place, until a church buildf ingwas fitted up for services. In the fall of the year
t857, Rev. M. P. Wehrle, from Marine City (then
Newport), visited this congregation. Old settlers tell
us that in June, I859, Rev. Francis Krutel celebrated mass at Mullen's. Father Cluck, of Sherman,
Huron County, offered his services to this congregation, in 1863.
"The year I863, was an important one for the
/ congregation of Sanilac. Bishop Lefevre appointed
the laborious Father Van Den Driessche as missionary of Sanilac. He paid his first visit July I3, I863,
and from that date commence the baptism records of
= Sanilac. He immediately commenced collecting for
/ the building of a church, and in I864 enough funds
' were on hand to venture the  letting of the job.'
On a reserved corner of the premises donated by
John Mullen, at the top of a gentle-sloping hill,
arose a handsome frame church, which was ready for
services the same year. Father Van Den Driessche
having led the way, this congregation soon became
known to other priests, who, braving the hardships
( of inconvenient travel and other discomforts, made
) an occasional visit to Sanilac. We find recorded in
x 864, Rev. Theoph. Buyse and Theodore Van Der
Bom; in i865 Rev. L. Schneider, in I866, Rev. T.
Buyse and Theodore Van Den Bom; in 1867, Rev. J.
Reichenbach. For the next two years Father Buyse
seems to have been the only visitor. We find that
in 1870 Rev. Joseph Kraemer made visits in September and October.
"In the autumn of I870, Rev. J. P. De Smedt,
having been appointed resident Pastor of Lexington,
began to make regular monthly visits to Sanilac,
until January, I872, when he was removed to Detroit.
Rev. M. Canters, being the succeeding Pastor of
Lexington and missions, gave his services to Sanilac,.  until autumn of the same year."


On Christmas morning, I872, Rev. C. Denissen,
being then Pastor of Lexington, made his first visit
to Sanilac. In his following visits he became aware
that many improvements were necessary to keep
pace with the increase of the congregation; he found
an old standing debt of about $350 on the church
building. His first care was to have that debt liquidated. The grave-yard had not been staked or laid
out in family lots. In order to make this possible,
the stumps of the "forest primeval" were removed,
a substantial fence was built around the grave-yard,
and the grounds were surveyed and staked in lots,
and have since become the resting place of many a
pioneer. Becoming apparent that the old church
building had become too small for the congregation,
an addition, the size of the old building, was commenced, in I883, and in I884 was completed.  This
church is at present the largest church edifice in
Sanilac County.
SPEAKER.
The first white settlers of the township of Speaker
were John Davis and Peter Carroll (the correct orthography, "McCardle"), who took up their residences on section 23, in the year I853.
The first white child born in Speaker was Sara
Davis, at present the wife of Frank Burnham, of
Worth; she was born in the latter part of October,
1853. In 1854, Michael Burns settled on the same
section.
Oct. 19, I854, Rev. L. Kilroy came on a sick call
to the house of John Davis.  This was perhaps the
first time that a Catholic priest set foot in the town
of Speaker.  Oct. 9, I856, was the first time that
Catholic service was held in Speaker. Father Kilroy
said mass in the house of John Davis, and on that
day Hugh Davis and his brother, James Davis, and
Elizabeth Carroll (McCardle) were baptized. These
were the first children baptized in that township. In
the same month Terrence Monaghan settled on the
same section. He carried his cook-stove on his back,
a distance of over a mile, the woods being too dense
to admit a yoke of oxen.
In 1857 Anthony O'Meally settled on section 2I.
In 1858 Richard Mullany and Michael Leonard took
up homes on section 28, and Stephen Mullany on
section 22.  In i86o the Catholic Baptism Records
of Speaker commence.  It is evident from them
that Father Kilroy attended this settlement regularly


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512                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
until I870, when Father De Smedt began his regu-  to operate. A few funerals and perhaps a marriage s
lar monthly visits. In the beginning of 1872 Father  or two had been solemnized by a clergyman of the  i, Canters succeeded him, and in 1873 on New-Year's  Church. Nothing more was undertaken until a Sun-:
y day, Rev. C. Denissen made his first visit to Speaker.  day-school was introduced by two young men, one,  i
C  At that time services were held in the house of Ter-  a trained Churchman, the other educated in a
rence Monaghan. The congregation growing to such  Christian body not in sympathy with the Church.
an extent that either Mr. Monaghan would have to  " The newly appointed missionary found only a few
build an addition to his house or the congregation a  communicants, but a strong Churchly element from
church, it was decided to erect the latter. The frame  which to form the congregation. Services were comwas erected in the fall of the same year, and the  menced in the lower part of Masonic Hall. After a
church was ready for service by Sept. 20, I874. Ter-  few years a handsome church edifice was erected
c        rence Monaghan having donated two acres for a  where the people now worship. e
church-yard, a survey was made and a grave-yard  "An earnest Church lady of Davisville (now Cros-:
staked off in family lots.  From that time Speaker  well), with her aged father and others of her house-  f
can be called a regular "mission." The congrega-  hold, regularly attended services at Lexington. At
tion kept increasing; the church, in the beginning too  the request of this lady (Mrs. Wildman Mills), the
large for the congregation, became better filled from  missionary began ministrations at Croswell, in the
year to year, and at present (1884) a large addition  school-house. From the first the services were well
to the church is absolutely necessary.          received, and soon a church building became necessary. Land was given by Messrs. Davis and Stevenv,s,MARION.                                 son upon which to erect the edifice. The firm of  <


It seems that most early French settlers selected
their homes near a river or a creek. So it was in
Marion, where Levi La Framboise (who Americanized his name to Raspberry) settled near Cherry
Creek on section 5 of the Township of Bridgehampton. Levi Raspberry has a large family of children,
who settled in the immediate neighborhood after their
marriages.  These Raspberrys and a few more
French Catholics constitute the mission of Marion.
FREMONT.
The first settlers of Fremont who professed the
Catholic religion are Moses Burns, Timothy McCarthy and his brother Dennis McCarthy, who came
in the summer of I855.  A few Catholics have settled in that vicinity since. For these settlers Catholic services are held in Fremont.
Episcopal.


Moss & Mills subscribed largely towards its erection,
and the citizens generally contributed generously of
money and labor to the enterprise. As the work
went on, Messrs. Truman Moss and Wildman Mills
urged the missionary to proceed, promising to make
up any deficiency that might ensue, and nobly did
they redeem that promise; for when the church was
completed and consecrated, by the name of 'Christ's
Church,' May 24, I87I, there was not a dollar of
debt. The building was removed in the spring of
I883 to the place where it now stands. The Rectors have been the Revs. A. B. Flower, W. H. Smythe,
and Mr. Carey.
" It is not out of place here to say that Mrs. Wildman Mills was the real founder of the Church, and
the originator of the building, who, with her father
and husband, with other helpers, faltered not until
the church was finished and entirely free from debt."


/




The Christian Church.,:';    IEoV. A. f. Flower says of the establishment|        HE Christian Church of Worth and Lexing- ).
1 ]$f    of the Episcopal Church:,               ton was organized June 24, 1867, by Rev.:,  6d".    < "In the summer of 1869 I became the            Hiram  Hayward, assisted by Rev. Jesse    4.
A>), t]~. missionary of Sanilac County, acting under |        Vancamp, of Bowmanville, Ont. Organization!
'~1  oJ the Bishop and Missionary Committee of the          services were held in Elder Hayward's barn,J
Ks  Diocese of Michigan. Lexington was chosen      the district school-house, where religious ser-  (, as the place of residence and the center from which   vices had been held, being too small to accommodate  x
><2w~ Q                   "Xua3                                ark




SALNILAC, -.


a
14


f the congregation. There were 13 charter members,
and the total number of members added to the
' Church since is 179.    The present membership
is 125.
Rev. Hiram Hayward served the Church as Pastor
from the time of organization, in 1867, until the
spring of 1878, when, on account of failing health, he
was obliged to quit preaching. November 21, 1878,
Rev. Geo. W. Sherman was chosen Pastor, and Rev.
J. S. Warren Associate Pastor. May o1, 1879, Rev.
Warren withdrew, and Rev. Sherman continued as
Pastor until October 22, 1881. January r, 1882, the
Church secured the services of Rev. Solomon Prosser,
who continued to act as Pastor until December 31,
1883. March 3, 1884, Rev. William Burch was engaged by the Church as Pastor, and holds that position now.
Edward Gordon, Henry Fockler and George A.
Shell were the first Deacons elected by the Church,
and have been re-elected from time to time, and
a  still serve the Church in that capacity. Francis Carmin was elected Clerk in 1867, and continued to
serve until Dec. 31, I870. In January, 1871, Hiram
S. Hayward was elected Clerk, and has been re=   elected each year up to this time (I884).
The church building was erected in 1868, on land
donated by Rev. H. Hayward, and is situated on the
)  southwest corner of section i, Town of Worth, Sanilac County. The lot consists of half an acre of land,
which contains church and sheds, and is fenced.
The value of church property is $1,200.
There is a flourishing Sabbath-school, under the
auspices of the Church, comprising about 75 scholars,


i~
COUNTY.                                      513
was organized in 1847, with H. N. Brown as Pastor.
Allan Atkins, Ebenezer Raymond, Darius Cole, Joseph Pety, Henry Young, James F. Buel and Isaac
Leuty were instrumental in starting it. The building
was erecedU II -0O5V,- a^n  Lne arsorUnage wasn U^vonhaL


Wiaby Mrs. Maria Pack.Io U, iaiu l alrlli: C   Wia UUIaitc
by Mrs. Maria Pack.


Be.  Ad.) ~,I


Congregational.:-ls
I
IIf; i


N organization of the Congregational Church
in Lexington took place Tuesday evening,
g   March 13, 1866. Israel Huckins and Sam[    uel Burgess were elected Trustees for one year;
Joseph T. Moss and Watson Beach for two
years, and E. Brown and Clark Hadley for
three years. For some time the societyoccupied the
Free-Will Baptist church.  Rev. Charles Spooner
officiated as Pastor for two years, and was succeeded
by Rev. Charles Spittigue, who remained one year.
The pulpit was afterward supplied by the Free-Will
Baptists, Rev. Dr. Buthrick being the minister.
Then there was a suspension of services until September, 1878, when the Free-Will Baptists and Congregational society united, re-organized the latter
society, and turned the Baptist church over to it.
Rev. William Woodmansee was called as Pastor,
and remained until September, 1883, when Rev. J.
T. Husted came, and is still in charge. The building was remodeled in 1879. The membership of the
Church at present is about 30., i
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with the usual complement of officers and teachers.
<~^;)>~~~?ir  ^  j~ A         ~Minor Notes.
HE first sermon preached in Port Sanilac
Methodist.                      J|I     was by Rev. Mr. Sealy, in I851. This was
for the Methodist society. The first church
HE Methodist Episcopal Church at Cros-. building in the village was the Congregational
well was organized in 1854, as the "Black     church, built in I866, on ground donated by.-A...A    River" appointment, with Rev. Mr. John-       Arthur Brock. This was also the first church g
f(~ g       son, of Lexington, in charge. There were but  in the township, and its minister was Rev. Talmadge:'*.!?    few members at that time, an3 they met at the  Waterbury. The Methodists commenced their build- '
house of John H. Hart, then in the school-  ing about the same time, but it was not completed
t,    house, until, in 1865, Mr. Hart donated an acre of  for some months later. Thomas Oldfield donated
(i  land, upon which the present church was afterward  the lots for 1his. The organization for the Congrega- ~):    built. In Lexington the Methodist Episcopal Church  tional Church took place in 1854.
~^-^         4'' "         *g                    suo                                      A      ndg




e  514                                SANILAC COUNTY.
The Adventist church in Port Sanilac was built in  village of Marlette was the United Presbyterian, s
1 871, on lots donated by Frederick Platts. The  built in i868, in the west part of the village, on
*   organization was effected only a month before the  ground donated by Jonathan Hobson. The logs
f  church building began, service in the meantime be-  were furnished by John Donald and Alexander Muring held in a tent.                           ray; and Rev. George H. Fenner, who at that time  i
)-wing       howned a saw-mill, as a partner with Mr. McGill,
In 1871 the first regular Baptist Church was organ-  sawed the logs free. The building has since been
ized, under the leadership of Rev. A. Curry. George  moved down upon one of the main streets, and is
H. Fenner was Deacon. Services were held on    now used as a carpenter shop. It was used as a
alternate Sabbaths in the Presbyterian church until  church until i882, but the congregation changed
I875,when the Advent church was purchased. Rev.  their creed to that of the American Presbyterian
4 George H. Fenner occupied the pulpit from 1877 to  Church and then built the present commodious:
May, 1882, when the church underwent a repairing  building, which consists of a large audience room
Then Rev. J. H. Girdnood was the Pastoror a year,  and a lecture room, at a cost of $3,500. It is on
and since then there has been no regular pastor.  Marlette and State Streets.
The first Methodist Episcopal church was built in  The first church in the township was built on secMarlette in 1871, and dedicated on New Year's.  tion 34, town i, in I859.  Logs were rolled toJohn Wilson donated the lots for the church, and  gether on three sides and crotch sticks were put up
Mr. H. W. Wilson the lots for the parsonage, which  with polls across for a pulpit. There was no roof....     It was Baptist and Methodist combined. At one of
was built two years later. Several vears before this,
these meetings, a German lady, Mrs. Fischer, "got
/  a Methodist Church was established and met in the  e, a      an     ay.        iser      t.pzab                                              religion," and began to pray. The minister thought. Montgomery school-house, three miles south of the  her broken English' was altogether German, and
^   village of Marlette, which was the first Church organ-  shouted "All right! Pray on, sister!  The Lord
i   ization in the township. The first church in the  understands Dutch."                         '. i.s,,,,. "
4                                                                   '    W~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~j —s
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SANIILA COUNTY.


515




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FTh~M  Mi iX.I
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Lrea r^\2  d tEROPERLY regarded, the press
may be considered the truest
evidence of civilized life. It
is the chief proposer of great
enterprises.  It is the expoGus) BI.e       '   nent of the American mind,
G;^-^^Yfi^           with very few exceptions, and,, } t these occur only where ignorance or
(  4)  viciousness leads the freeman of our
soil to become a convert to the savage
opinions of theoretical Europeans. Hap~'~ pily, the newspaper men of the country
do not claim many professors who in-;,Ci  dulge in nonsensical praise of the slave-,  holding monarchies of the world. Such
stuff takes root only in the minds of the
more imbecile of our citizens. The press and people
understand their duties to the Republic, and appreciate the blessings which a federal government
confers. So long as these indefatigable framers of


ready to co-operate with Justice and to applaud her
holy work.


Sanilac Jeffersonian.
M M rHIS is one of the oldest, best established
and most influential journals published in
i  this part of the State, and, indeed, we can. safely say, ranks among the leading newspapers of the State.  It has ever labored,
with zeal and ability, for the upbuilding and
welfare of the village, county and State, and the
nation as well.
The Sanilac Jeffersonian was established at Lexington in i858. The outfit of the office had been
used in publishing the Sanilac Signal. The Leader
had been established for some time as a Republican
paper, but the party was split into two factions, and


I


a opinion stand faithfully by the pen and press, just so  the Leader being owned and controlled by Joseph C.?
long will reason trample on all treason from within,  Wyllis, the leader of one of the factions, the other
all treachery from without.                     side bought the plant of the Signal, and started the
Proscribe the liberty of the press, and the nation  Jef, by which cognomen it soon became known.
suffers in just such proportion as the press suffers.  Charles Waterbury was established in the editorial
Proscribe the freedom of the press, and te cause of  chair, and by his genial manner, business qualificaProscribe the freedom of the press, and the cause of..
hua  freedomischee  fr a te  ta,     tions and vigorous handling of the local issues in the
'  human freedom is checked for a time; trade, the.
r~i~,t~~,.~~~party, and of the great issues between the great
health of nations, rolls languidly on; man looks
health of nations, rolls languidly on; man looks    parties then agitating the country, he soon put the
around him il alarm; the safeguard of progress i   new venture on the road to success. The local split
i   enchained.  Therefore, let us regard, cherish and  in the party was virtually disposed, after two or three,:   support the honest journalist, stigmatize what may  campaigns, in favor of the Jeff's side. The Leader  ~)
SI be really corrupt in the newspaper, and be always  was sold out in i86o to the Democratic managers,
F st      ^ —       —. a                  au:rlrs- ^ ^ y3w^: — _____ M
VI^^~g




~ ^@^^t~-  --— r^  ii.A             ii~ n  'T -- i
id,^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  516Ail~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SANILAC COUNTY.  -^fiv:):+>-*;J-si..3Ct~.....
5I6               SA NILAC CO UNT Y.
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and, after the Douglas campaign, went out of existence. In April, 1865, the Jeff passed into the hands
of Charles S. Nims and Watson Beach, Mr. Nims
having conducted the paper nearly a year for the
owners, after Mr. Waterbury's retirement in I864.
Mr. Waterbury went to Sandusky, Ohio, engaging
with A. B. Nettleton in the publication of the Sandusky Register. Afterward he removed to Glyndon,
Minn., where he died, of an acute attack of a brain
malady. The older residents of the county recall
him and the early days of the Jeff in the contests of
those days with affectionate remembrance.  The
Jeff was conducted by Messrs. Nims & Beach jointly
until October, I882, when Mr. Nims retired, taking
up his residence at Sand Beach, in Huron County.
Although partisan in politics, the paper continued to
win its way in the esteem and favor of the public,
and has become an institution in hundreds of households in the county. It has been the leading paper
in the county in influence and circulation, and so
continues to be under the management of Mr. Beach,
the present proprietor. Since the first number was
issued, its files are a complete history of the county.
Ignoring the usual custom of offering inducements
for new subscribers, Mr. Beach has adopted the plan
of rewarrding the faithfil old cllhcrrihprq hv nmainnr




March 5, 1880, the first number of the Croswell
Democrat was issued, from a small building which
then stood on the corner of Howard Avenue and
Wells Street, near where the Opera-House Block
now stands, and was the only building which could
be had. While the first issue was being printed, the
citizens fired a salute from a couple of anvils, and
the Croswell Cornet Band gave the office a serenade.
The paper started with a circulation of about 50
actual subscribers, which was rapidly increased, and
before the end of the first year, had reached nearly
400, and has steadily increased until it is now (Nov.
10, I884) nearly 800. During the summer of 1880,
Col. J. M. Anderson erected a building on Howard
Avenue, just north of the Anderson House, and in
the fall the Democrat found an office on the first
floor. On the 27th day of November, i88i, this
building was burned, with the entire contents, including the printing material and fixtures, and Mr.
Pratt's law and editorial library, with office furniture
and papers, and a stock of sewing-machines, the
aggregate value of which was about $I,500. It was
insured for only $465. As this was but about half
the value of the printing-office alone, the prospect
for a speedy resumption was not favorable but the
',^\ti Y, a  of,;1  I,,o no,n I:- I A, 1 ";  r l fft,av


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r:=, I._,,,V..V, "I..- v^ L.I. LeI  vL I.I... I],att IL LIi; I1  daildl iJ ta111tC  U aLib diUl, i llU tilLl UClL S DIIn
his rates $r to twenty-year-old patrons, and $1.25 to  printed at the Times office in Port Huron, for
)  all others. The writers of this history are indebted  four issues, the Democrat resumed its publication,
to the files of the Jeffersonian for many items of  with new material for a newspaper and job office.
historical value.                                Col. Anderson rebuilt the office, and in February,
For a personal sketch of Mr. Beach, see page 330.  i882, the Democrat was back in a new and improved
office. In the spring of 1884, the building was sold
---— ~->-~-_-~....        to the village, and the Democrat was removed to the
second story of N. P. Houghtalin's new brick store,
~-~^          Croswell Democrat.                  on Howard Avenue, where it is now located.
QaJ 1B xszIn politics, the Democrat has been a firm and
|  URING the month of July, 1879, the Port  uncompromising advocate of Democratic principles
__E m  Huron &   Northwestern  Railroad  was   and measures, as represented, and promulgated by
g  tcompleted to Croswell, and at once gave  the revenue-reform, anti-monoroly wing of the party,
j   the village an importance and impetus which  and supported Hancock for the Presidency in i88o,
c  attracted population and business. In Decem-  and the Union State ticket in the fall of 1882 and
ber, 1879, Horatio Pratt, who was then publish-  spring of 1883. When the Anti-monopoly organizaing a paper at Wayne, visited Sanilac County in  tion was effected at Chicago, the paper recognized
quest of a location for a newspaper, and among  its principles as true Democracy, and gave the organ-.
other places visited Croswell. The citizens inter-  ization aid and encouragement. In December, 1883, ()d
ested themselves in the project, and gave it so much  it hoisted the name of Benjamin F. Butler as its
encouragement and promised aid, that in February,   candidate for President, and urged his nomination (
188o0 Mr. Pratt removed his office to Croswell, and by the Democratic party; and when the Democratic
by te b  Democratic party;  and-:  wl~n the. Democratic.




SANIALAC


CO UNTY.                                517 -


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National Convention put in nomination Grover Cleveland, the Croswell Democrat, adhered to its choice,
and supported General Butler and the Union electoral State and county ticket.
The labors of the Democrat since its establishment
have been especially directed to the unification and
concentration of the opposition to the Republican
party, believing that the only way to weaken and
root out the undue and blighting influence of the
corporate monopolies of the country in the administration of the national and State governments, is to
remove from power the party that has fostered and
built up those monopolies, and in turn sustained and
controlled by them. That its labors have not been
fruitless, is shown by the returns which give the
People's party a vote of nearly or quite 800, in Sanilac County, and a Union vote of over I,8oo, nearly
wiping out the large Republican majority on electoral
and State tickets of i880.
Horatio Pratt, editor of the Croswell Democrat,
was born at Somerset, Niagara Co., N. Y., Dec. 10,
1830. In the spring of 1832, his parents removed
to the then Territory of Michigan, and settled in
Hillsdale County, in what was afterwards named the
township of Somerset; and here the subject of this
sketch lived until he came to the age of maturity.
Until he was 2 years of age, he attended the district
school, summer and winter. After that he spent his
summers on the farm, attending the school in the
winter only. When i6 he attended the Union School
at Jonesville, under the instruction of Prof. A. M.
Welch, afterwards Principal of the Normal at Ypsilanti. Two years later he attended the Michigan
Central College, at Spring Arbor, where he took an
academical course of instruction.
For several years afterward he taught school in the
winter, and worked on a farm in the summer, devoting a portion of his spare time to a study of the law.
In the spring of 1858, he went to Lansing, and
entered the law office of D. C. Wiley, where he completed his studies, and in December following was
admitted to practice, and soon after opened a law
office at Williamston, Mich., and built up a lucrative
practice. In I86o, he was elected Circuit Court Commissioner, and re-elected in I862, being the only one
elected on the Republican ticket that year. In I864,
he was elected Judge of Probate for Ingham County,
and the following summer removed to Mason, the
county seat.




In 1862 he became interested in a mercantile establishment at Williamston, and had acquired several
thousand dollars, and on removing to Mason, invested
itin real estate; and in 1865, with other parties, built
the first brick block in the place. In i868, he was reelected Judge of Probate, and in 1870, became half
owner, and sole editor, of the Ingham County News.
In I872 he sold his newspaper interests and engaged
largely in merchandise and real estate. The Jay
Cooke failure found him with business sails full
spread, and in the business depression and shrinkage
of values which followed, he was a heavy loser, and
became financially embarrassed, with the thousands
of other business men who were driven to the wall
during that period.
After an unsuccessful struggle to retrieve his
losses, in I876, he turned out his entire property to
his creditors, and removed to Wayne, and resumed
the practice of law. Soon after his location in Wayne
he became editor of the Wayne Pilot, and a year
later purchased the material, and established the
Wayne County Tidings. In I884, he removed the
office to Croswell, and commenced the publication
of the Croswell Democrat, in which he is still engaged.
In politics, Mr. Pratt was an ardent supporter of
the Republican party, until 1872, when, in the columns of the Ingham   County News, he opposed
President Grant's renomination. For the following
eight years he took no active part in politics. He
favored many of the principles of the National Labor
party but never acted with it. In I880, he supported Hancock for President, and labored for the
success of the Democratic party. When the Antimonopoly organization was effected, he took a deep
interest in the movement, and warmly espoused the
principles of that organization. He has been much
in favor of the union of all the elements opposed to
Republican rule, and has labored earnestly to bring
them into unity, and promote combined action.  In
this respect he has as coadjutors many who are eminent in statesmanship and in the various branches
of learning, both east and west, and north and south,
-many, too, who are honest and shrewd,'and desire
to uproot only the evil and establish the good.
Mr. Pratt has been twice married-in I852, at
Somerset, to Catharine Houghtalin, who died in 85 5,
and in I860, at Williamston, to Louise Simons, his
present wife. A daughter, and only child, is married, and resides at Ashland. Wis.


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V 518                                 SANI4LAC COUNTY.
'~I,~Ftv^~~~~~~ ~with him in this enterprise. The paper is independ-:Marlotte Leoader.
Marlette Leader.       | ent in politics, and is receiving a fair share of public
*s!2>a,~~ ^  ^B yf~ |favor and patronage.                   We refer the reader to page
t     1[  1NE  of the numerous papers of Sanilac   37I for a personal sketch of J. L. Shults.
County, and one ably conducted and worT  J,t  thy the patronage and sympathy of the
community in which it is published, is the             -
Marlette Leader, published at Marlette. Politically, the paper is Republican, and during
the last exciting and memorable Presidential cam-             The Minden Post.
paign it ably advocated and defended the principle3s | AmC..
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of the Republican party. In October, 1883, its present
editor, William C. Sherman, came to Marlette, and
shortly afterward assumed editorial charge and management of the paper, and has since continued in
charge of it. For a personal sketch of Mr. Sherman
we refer the reader to page 348.
--    ____.- r- T- ________ a


HE northern portion of Sanilac County is (
- [~ t represented in the newspaper line by a neat i
'.~ and well conducted sheet published at Minden.   The Post was established in i88, by
its present editor and proprietor, J. H. Shults.
During the hard times following the terrible forest
fires, which devastated that section of the State, the i
enterprise inaugurated by Mr. Shults suffered alike (
with all the business interests in the district. As of
soon as practicable he revived the paper, and it is /
now receiving the support and encouragement of the s
people in that section of the county, and is continually enlarging its sphere of usefulness and influence.
The Post is independent in politics, and its columns "^
deal ably with the important issues of the day in an fA
impartial manner. We refer to page 432 of this book
for a biographical sketch of Mr. Shults.


Sanilac County Reporter.
ff M:LIONG       the numerous journalistic enterIJX    A prises that have been inaugurated in this
~A/      county is the Sanilac County Reporter. In
October, 1883, it was purchased by Mr. J. H.
j t i   Shults, editor and proprietor of the Minden
) Post. His father, Mr. James L. Shults, is associated,
|


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SANILAC COUNTY.                     519 5
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~. "H  SKY  of flame, of smoke a
it^kl5\ i   heavenful, the earth a mass
of burning coals, the mighty
trees, all works of man between, and living things tremO'.,       bling as a child before a
'% Go demon in the gale!       Such is a
forest fire. To those who have
Iv.q (  seen, the picture needs no paintT7 r   ting.   A simple record of the
II, \C,  great ordeal is all that can be
(   given here.  Beneath the trees
1\   '.,1. 1-,      ~,.j..1...:-.


On Sunday night, Oct. 8, 87 1, the hurricane was
ripe and started on its wild career across the land,
blowing, burning, killing, devouring.  When aroused
to the danger, human beings could only stand aghast
in awe and wonder, until compelled to flee for refuge.
In some places little alarm was felt, and people went
to bed at night as usual, to be aroused at midnight
by the fearful cry of fire, that called some to see their
earthly treasures vanish into smoke and ashes, saving themselves almost by a miracle, while others,
choked with flame and smoke, left their charred
bones alone to tell their friends where and how they
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'< is,:-      twigs and leaves, had been gather-  The counties that suffered most from the fires were
tu;ne       t      ing for years, but had not yet re-  Sanilac, Huron and Tuscola.  The extent of the
turned to its original dust.  The autumn of i871  losses can never be known.  Thousands of acres of
was unusually favorable for ridding the ground of this,  valuable pine were burned or rendered worthless. It
together with logs and stumps that had stood in the  was fortunate at this time that the country over which
way of the plow.  The farmers fired the heaps of  the tornado passed was not so thickly settled, except
wood and brush over their premises. The fires burned  along the lake shore; otherwise the loss of human
on and for a long time there was no rain to quench  life would have been appalling. As it was, the greater
them.    The earth became drier, the fires gradually  loss was that of property and pine.  The extent of
ran together, the upward current of heat drew the dry  this can never be accurately known, and the record.
*I   air from the westward inland rather than the heavy  at best must be incomplete.              *
atmosphere from over the lakes, and thus the wind  At Forestville the people were engaged in fighting
K    was formed.  Chips and fragments carried thither  the fire on one side of the village, when it rushed in J
started new fires, and ultimately the whole surface  like a tornado from the other side, and almost "in
was ignited, ready for one general conflagration.  the twinkling of an eye" the village was in flames
X      t 1B.~".*^i        c     ei.K, ii ", Kui..xi\z:Z).




520                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
and the citizens were compelled to seek shelter on  ruins-every building but one small saloon, and both
the beach or in the water, or any place which of-  docks crowded with valuable goods, lumber and.I fered safety. The storm of fire swept over the bank,  shingles being in ashes. Everybody suffered. Most;
y grasping everything it could reach, to feeditself upon.  of the citizens lost their all. The following is a  t
(< Mrs. Green, who was an invalid, had to be carried  partial list of the sufferers, with the estimated loss of
out of the burning house and provided with shelter  each so far as could be learned: Isaac Green,
in a hole in the bank.  Henry L. Adams, who kept  $20,000; Jacob Buel, $15,ooo; William  Canham,
the Forest House, got his family into a boat on the  $5,ooo; Joseph Parkinson, $3,000; Dr. Johnson,
beach and covered them over with wet blankets; but  $2,000; J. Law, $1,ooo; H. L. Adams, $I,ooo;
even in this situation Mrs. Adams' shawl was burned  P. Riechrath, $I,ooo; and others probably to the
through until it looked as though it had been laid  amount of $75,000 and perhaps much more.
on a bed of coals.  The people sought a refuge in  The people of White Rock had apprehended some  H
boats or anything else they could reach, and man-  danger to their school-house and watched it part of
aged to save their lives by covering themselves with  the night. About midnight the storm came. The
wet blankets.                                   wind blew a perfect hurricane, unroofing buildings
Mrs. Jacob Buel, who at that time lived in Dela-  and enveloping the whole village in a sheet of flame.
ware, relates the following:                    Men, women and children jumped from their beds,
"Mrs. F. Buschkowski, my daughter, was at that  snatched what few valuables they could gather, and
time in Paris Township, Huron County. They were  rushed over the bank pell-mell down into the lake, living over the store, and were burned out, losing all  and out on the dock, while the flame and smoke
their property. Mrs. Buschkowski's clothes were   poured over their heads, scorching them so horribly: burned completely off. After the fire had raged  that the cold water of the lake was regarded as a  ra
some hours, Mr. Buschkowski saw the uselessness   welcome relief. The lake was so rough that women
a   of attempting further resistance, and, loading a num —  and children were thrown back upon the beach and '
b; her of woolen blankets into the wagon, he started for  obliged to risk death by drowning to be saved from
a mill race which had been begun about half a mile  death by fire. Part crowded on the dock and tore  \a
from the store, and by rapid driving succeeded in  up planks and fought the fire from there and thus
gaining the race before the wagon took fire. The  saved part of the dock and provisions in the warefamily were snugly placed in the race and blankets  house. Mr. Corbett and his wife rushed out to
thrown over them, and by keeping these wet pro-  save themselves, but became separated. She went
fusely they succeeded in escaping by the loss of  one way and was saved, but he went another and was
only the clothes they wore. A little farther up an  never heard from again!
old lady was found who had plunged headlong-      Dr. Johnson and his family at White Rock were
into the race, blinded by the fire. When she was  driven into the water with the rest, where they refound her feet were burned off! There had been but  mained for hours battling with the flames and water,
little clearing done as yet, and the fire swept along  Mrs. Johnson's shawl being burned off from her head!
over that portion of the country without any obstruc-  One family, consisting of an old father and mother
tion.                                           and two sons, started for the shore, which was some
Captain Bridenbach, living two miles below Forest-  distance. It became apparent that the old couple
ville, lost his barn and sheds, and the family saw  could never get through. So the sons dug a hole in
the flames around the house so close and threaten-  the ground and placed the father and mother careing that they fled to the lake to save their lives -  fully in, corgiving them a chance to breathe, and left
ing back to their homes the next morning to find the  them. It has since been ascertained that they were
house uninjured! It had taken fire at one corner,  all right. The gale was so fierce that before the fire
but the flames went out and the house stood. Nearly  reached the salt block at White Rock the roof was
all the buildings four miles south on the shore were  lifted bodily and carried some distance. One man
) burned, and how many in the woods westhas never  ran his wagon into the lake, covered his family with
been known. In half an hour Forestville was in   wet blankets and shawls, and the fire burned the
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>^~~~~~ ~~SANILAC COUNTY.                         521 i
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spokes of the wheels to the water's edge! One wo-:!) man, with a child only two day's old, was obliged to,- stand in the water for hours to save herself and her
t babe from the flames.
Mr. Martin Dumond, whose mill was destroyed,
was rescued from the flames by his workmen, having
endeavored to save something from the fire until he
sank down suffocated by the fire and smoke.
At Gunning's mill the people huddled together in a
hole in a sand-bank which had been excavated to obtain sand for building purposes. Two women whose
names are unknown were burned, and a family of
five persons named McDonald are supposed to have
perished, as nothing has been seen or heard of them
since the fire.
In the township of Paris the people were crowded
together at the Catholic Church, without food except
meat, and no bedding, and scantily clothed.
In Marion the fire was not so dreadful, owing to
the large clearings and cultivated fields, but some
families were entirely cleaned out, while all suffered
A,  more or less from the loss of barns and crops. Mr.
V Wright lost everything but his house. At Deckerville only three houses were burned, but all the lum3  ber, sleighs and much valuable loose property. How
anything was saved there, is indeed miraculous.
>    Minden was spared from the devouring element
)which raged on every side. The whole country
round about was burned: houses, horses and human
lives were not spared. Two women were burned in
Paris, Huron County, and one family of five persons.
There was not provision left in the whole country to
feed the people any length of time, and numbers
X4  suffered for the necessaries of life.:i:   The fires had traveled over a goodly portion of
Buel and Elk, burning the buildings and crops of the
settlers. The lumber shanties of Mr. B. Mills with
all their contents of hay, grain, horses and sleighs,
were totally destroyed. Numerous instances of poor
families losing all their crops were reported. One poor
woman, Mrs. Perkins, living a distance from other:   settlers in the northwest part of Elk, was alone with
her children for nearly two days, fighting the fire that
%   attacked her premises, and had not a drop of water
within a mile.. When visited by neighbors after the
(   fire, she was found blind and exhausted, her house
)   saved, but her outbuildings, which contained her hay
s   for her stock,a:id the little store of potatoes, in ashes,


I


John M. Lamb, of Lamotte, fought the fire so hard
that he lost his life from the effects of the exhaustion.
The fire took effect on his lungs. He was 64 years
old. The property damage was principally timber, as
the township was not settled at that time.  To give
a partial idea of the extent of the suffering, the following is taken from the report of Mr. J. W. Bartlett,
to the Detroit Relief Committee, Oct. I6, i87:
"I am on my way down, and will try to give an
account of my stewardship.  At White Rock we
loaded two teams and started inland, stopped over
night at Mr. Campbell's shingle-mill, eight and onehalf miles from the shore, and in the morning pushed
through to Joseph Buschkowski's mill, i8 miles from
the lake. The roads were terrible. We had three
ax-men to cut the way through. The bridge was
burned and we had to take the fields, going more
than 25 miles to make i8. We got a large box, six
bundles of clothing, six barrels of flour, two barrels of
pork, and a box of bread into the burnt districts; and
it was needed. As near as I could find out, not one
house in ten is standing. In some thickly settled
parts every house was burned for five miles. The
people are huddled into the houses that remain,sick and burned, with little children lying around on
the floors. I looked into but one house myself. On
the floor was a poor woman with both feet burned to
a crisp. She had a nursing babe by her. Her complaint was that she was sorry her child was so dirty,
as she had no change of clothes for it, and no soap
to wash it. She lay on a pile of pea-straw, with an
old bed-tick on her. Her clothing was burned, as
was also her baby's. There were a dozen or more
children there and several women. Near McGregor's
a man and seven children were living in their cellar,
on new turnips. Houses were pointed out to me
where they had 17 families.
"The suffering during the days of the fire was terrible. Children were buried in the ground, or put
into wells. One family of my acquaintance, men,
women and children, got into a dock, and lay without a drink of water for days. Many are blind for
life. We found a committee, consisting of Joseph
Buschkowski and a Polish man with an unpronounceable name. They will see to a proper disposition of


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Ad (-'u S u-. —I —.,z — TV PAX. 522                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
$9 whatever is sent. The best place to land is Rock  dirtiest people I ever saw, no one having a change of!
X Falls. White Rock is nearer, but the dock is bad  clothing or soap to wash with. I have been treated  ~i;  there. Things have to be taken off in boats. Mr.  with the utmost kindness by every one. No one  -
Thomson, sent up to take charge of the dock, and  would take pay. Teams were at my disposal everythe teamster, J. Stoner, worked like a buck driving  where, though I walked most all the way, the roads
the team out for me over the worst road I ever saw.  were so bad."
The people seem to try their best to help each other,  The Board of Supervisors was in session at Lexand one of the strangest cases of honesty I ever saw  ington, but hastily adjourned, and the members
happened here. An ox team followed us with 50  hastened away to their respective homes, expecting
blankets, six beds, clothing, flour, etc. Not a thing  to find nothing beit ashes of their firesides, and the
was pilfered or begged on the road, but all was  charred bodies of their loved ones. The experience.  brought to me, though the blankets were worth more  of Mr. Hugh McKenzie, in the following paragraphs,
than gold.                                     may well represent the trials of these men:
"One team, from Smith, at Forester, reached Paris  "On Saturday, before I left my home in Austin to:
before ours. We went ten miles further inland.  attend a regular session of the Board of Supervisors,
When we got out to the road, we met four teams  to be held at Lexington Oct. 9, 1871, I was somefrom Sand Beach who had been three days with about  what uneasy, as the probability that running fires
20 men cutting through, under the charge of Richard  would do some damage was fixed if the wind should
Criedson, of Port Austin, Chairman of the County  continue to blow. On Monday we organized the
Relief Committee. I then went through to Minden,  Board and did some work; but on Tuesday, soon
P where the fire had been very serious, but not to the  after the roll call, I said to Alison Goodrich, one of
extent farther north. I found there a representative  the oldest members, that I was so uneasy about:z of a Detroit house relieving the poor suffering people  home that I could not content myself to stay and;:: by buying up their stock at $3 or $4 per head, to drive  work. He replied that he himself was also afraid to  4'2
out. He was relieving want and making money at   stay any longer; and soon afterward he offered a:
i/ the same time. He gave his card and that of the  resolution to adjourn, which was carried about half  Q
' firm.                                           past ten A. M.
"I then went to Cato, to Jacob Buel's, whose peo-  "As we were walking toward the hotel, to prepare
ple had fought fire successfully, and saved the mill  for our return home, our attention, was called to a
and building. From there Mr. Buel took me to For-  crowd of people coming up from the dock, which did
estville, and my legs took me to Richmondville,  not fail to arouse still more the feeling of anxiety for
where I found T. Luce fighting fire, relieving the  friends at home. They were a portion of the homesuffering, and fighting sharks, who make a pretense  less people taken by a steamboat from White Rock,
of suffering to get money. He had been imposed   and many of the number were very destitute of
'  upon a little; but he says, when he gets his place safe  clothing. I remember of only one expression that:
for a day, those who imposed upon him will pay back,  was made by John S. Thomson. In answer to some
or be prosecuted for obtaining goods under false pre-  inquirer, he said that 'it looked as if hell had poured
tenses. I took the boat there and came up to White  its flames upon them!'
Rock, where we took on board one man dreadfully  " We were soon on our way homeward, a distance
burned and one or two sick people with destitute  of 58 miles to drive as best we could. I had my
families. At Rock Falls we received another con-  horses and lumber wagon. In company with me
q signment of unfortunates.                        was Robert Cleland, of Greenleaf, Frank Pacha, of
"I telegraphed you to send no more meat, as  Minden, and Robert Wilson, of Evergreen.  Mr.
' there is more than enough. They have plenty of  Wilson rode his mule until we reached the burnt <a
i cattle and hogs, and if they can get salt and barrels  district. Here he found it necessary, owing to the
before the cattle starve, they will save meat enough.  mulishness of the animal, to fall back and tie it with
Axes with helves are wanted, and working utensils,  a strong rope behind the wagon. The first 28 miles
needles, thread, soap and combs; for they are the  the roads were clear except one bridge. There we,,~)^^- - ^   y-^^. ______mlrV Is-ll-                            --  t|:




>'~                        SANILZAC COUNTY.523 53
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were forced to climb over logs and around burning
bridges and culverts as best we could. The night
seemed to me the darkest that could be, except when
we were lighted by the burning timber.
"Through the kindness of Mr. Decker, at Deckerville, I obtained an ax, which we freely used on.
many occasions before daylight. We arrived at Minden soon after midnight and called at John Donlan's
Hotel. He and Andrew W. O'Keefe were up. Mr.
O'Keefe said to me that all that he had left was on
his back, and many others of his Forestville friends
barely saved their lives.
"We could not gain any information about the
people further west, only the reports were that they
were all burnt out. We continued onward to Tyre,
and when we got there we found numbers of the
people of that neighborhood occupying the floor of
one log house that was saved. At this point Frank
Pacha left us and did not stop to say Good-by, boys.
When he got to his family he had no home left.
The only information that we could get was that the
people were all burnt out, and that the roads were
so blocked up with fallen timber that the people
could not come out. The truth of the last statement was soon after verified to us, as within the next
hundred rods south from there we had to begin cutting our way through. At this point our nerves were
fully put to the test, such as cannot be forgotten as
long as we are allowed to reflect upon it. It was
about three o'clock in the morning, and so dark that
we could scarcely see our way. The logs and treetops seemed to be piled up in the road to such an
extent that any further advance with team seemed
impossible.
"We then had to consult as to what could be done
with the team. We had driven them 48 miles, and
had still io miles to go. If we succeeded in bringing them through we could not find a place to leave
them. I said to Robert Cleland that I would begin
cutting a hole through, and that he had better go on
ahead and see about the extent of the jam, to which
he agreed; so I began to cut as best I could, and
must here say that the prospects were not in any
way flattering. Soon Cleland returned with brighter
hopes. He said that if we could get through the
first jam of timber, that the others, so far as he had
seen, would not be so bad, and thought that we
could reach Patton's clearing. There we could pos



sibly find some place free from fire, where we could
leave the team.
"So we continued to cut our way through for
about two hours, when we succeeded in reaching the
Patton clearing.  Here we found our way clear
through the field, but could not find any building or
people left; consequently we concluded to take the
team as far as we could. This clearing enabled us
to avoid the heaviest jams in the way, although at
the west end we were compelled to cut through
another jam. About that time daylight relieved us
to a certain extent, and our way was made easier.
Soon after we arrived at the old home of the Clelands, which was safe and out of danger. I alighted
from the wagon, told Robert to take the horses and
keep them until called for. Then I made the other
four and one-half miles as fast as I could. Wilson
mounted his mule, and the race began. He led me
some distance while the road was clear-for the first
mile and a half; then there was another mile of
timber to make, in which I passed him. There we
parted for that morning.
"On arriving at Mr. Jordon's (now Cumber), I
found that they had saved their house. Mr. Bradshaw's barn was burnt, and also John Weldon's
house and the school-house. From there I had a
mile and a half of bush road to travel to get home,
and the nearer I got the more anxious and uneasy I
became to find my wife and two children, they being
constantly on my mind. As I approached the clearing I took the shortest way for the house, which I
could not see on account of the smoke until I was so
near that I could have called to my family. I found
them safe, although very much overworked.  My
wife said to me, about the first words, 'Who told you
about us?' she not realizing that the fire was so
general."
The fires were somewhat slow in reaching Lexington, owing to the clearings and its removal from the
interior; but on Tuesday morning, Oct. io, the fierce
southwest wind blew the fire into the field of Mr.
Pack, where there were many stumps and old trees,
and it kept on toward the village with resistless
fury. The alarm was soon sounded, and the whole
population were at once on the spot, fighting the
demon with all the energy they possessed, but all to
no avail. No power seemed adequate to stay its
progress. The homes of the people were at its


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524                           SANILAC COUNTY.
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mercy, and in a few hours would soon be in ashes.
The village lay helpless, with her citizens in suspense, when it seemed that Providence interposed
and a bountiful rain came down in time to place the
fire under their control, causing all hearts to swell
with gratitude.
In the afternoon the steamer "Huron" arrived,
laden with helpless and ruined fugitives, and a
sadder sight is not often seen. The whole was one
mass of scorched and burned humanity. Hands
were burned, feet blistered, faces inflamed, with
swollen eyes reddened and half out from the smoke,
and the whole frame of those who were fortunate
enough to escape was in utter exhaustion.
This confirmed all rumors that had previously
reached the village, and set at naught all surmises
that it was "only a little smoke." Business was suspended and everything was thrown into anxious
suspense. The awful truth that nearly the whole
county had been swept over in a few hours, destroying everything before it, and burning people alive,
began to be realized.
A citizens' meeting was called by the President of
the village to take immediate action to aid the sufferers, and a committee was appointed to receive subscriptions of money and clothing to relieve immediate
necessities. The fair, which was to have been held
on Tuesday and Wednesday, was adjourned, as every
one who was able was needed at their homes to fight
the fire, and could not come forward and make the
entries in the books of the fair.
Lexington escaped the first sweep of the fire, but
her time of the calamity was soon to come-not from
the forest fires, but from the most despicable of all
sources, incendiarism.  It seems that the heroic
and successful efforts of her citizens the previous
week had not only been unappreciated, but had actually created an envy somewhere, as men had been
overheard to say that "Lexington would get a
scorching soon." It was hard to believe this; but all
doubt was dissipated when on Tuesday evening,
Oct. 17, I871, while the people were generally at
tea, the alarm was sounded and all rushed into the
streets to find that the warehouse of Messrs. Potter
& Wixson, in the rear of their store, was on fire, and
before anything could be done the combustible material within the building was so ignited as to make
vain all hope of saving the building or anything in it.




The engine was quickly on the spot, playing on the 3
rear of the store, not more than o2 feet distant, (
checking the progress of the fire in that direction ii
and giving rise to the hope that it might be confined
to the warehouse, when the water in the old well K
gave out, and by the time the engine could be
shifted to a cistern near by, the flames had made
such progress that the store could not be saved.
The light wind that was blowing carried the flames
and sparks directly against Wood's store and the
stables a few rods east of the ware-house. For some $
time the smoke and heat were intense, yet the citi-:
zens and firemen stood bravely at their posts, feeling
that the entire town would be in ashes before morning if the flames were not stopped. Those in the
heat of the fire were covered with cloths and
drenched with water by others while they fought the
fire. Notwithstanding the gigantic efforts of every
one, the fire seemed to go beyond all control. The
strength of the men was almost gone, and soon they
must stop from exhaustion. Hope was abandoning
all hearts, when the heavens opened and a bountiful..
shower of rain helped to quench the flames. With:
fresh courage the half-roasted and worn-out people:
bent their energies anew to their work, and soon F;
had the satisfaction of feeling that the great '
danger was past. The loss, including buildings and
goods, was about $20,000, partially covered by insurance.
There was but little doubt as to the incendiary
character of the fire, and the supply of water being
short, teams were put on to fill up the tanks and
watchmen stationed to prevent another attempt.
Next evening the excitement from the fire had  i
somewhat abated, except perhaps the discussion of it
when neighbors met, and people were wondering if E
that were the end, when the dread cries again rang
through the streets, and the livery barns attached to
the Cadillac House were seen to be in flames. The
fire spread rapidly to a stable west, and from there
to the large Cadillac barn, thence to Meyer's large
wagon-shop, and a little dwelling in the rear.
Meyer's blacksmith shop next took fire, but was
pulled to pieces, and by keeping the adjacent buildings well watered the fire was stayed. Thus, by iia
working the engine vigorously, the Cadillac was  J
saved. The buildings burned with fearful rapidity, (;
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525


SANILAC COUNTY.




V   pluck of the citizens and firemen again prevented
/i the spread. The loss by this fire was about $Io,ooo,
X  principally falling upon Mr. Meyers, whose hard-? earned savings had come by the hammer and anvil.
As soon as the fire was put out a meeting of the
citizens was held, and, though late in the evening,
was attended by nearly everybody. A strong watch
was organized and posted. Thursday morning the
streets were filled with teams drawing water, and
with people preparing for the prevention of fire.! The excitement began to abate toward noon, but the:  village was canvassed to ascertain the presence of
any suspicious parties.
About noon people had resumed their business
again, when another alarm was sounded. The building this time was Nicholas Wolfel's barn, and this
and Jesse Howey's barn were the only buildings destroyed. The excitement was now intense, and a
general suspension of business took place. The
wind was blowing strongly from the west, and a fire
( in the western part of the town could not be controlled. Everybody made a careful search of their
t  premises, and kept a strict watch day and night.
Finally a vicious-looking boy about 17 years of age: was found, who could not give a proper account of
v  himself, and he, with a man similarly conditioned,
was arrested, as they were seen in the vicinity of the
) three fires just previous to the discoveries. The
alarm then abated.
Thousands of people were homeless and stripped
of every description of personal property. Many
were entirely discouraged, and every day many
families could be seen passing out of the county,
/ with their cattle and what other things they had left:   from the fires. In the burned districts the former
h  resources of -the settler for making a little money
while improving his farm were gone. The pine was
burned, hemlock bark almost entirely destroyed, and
the wood gone, in many cases not enough being left
for fencing. The food for the stock had been consumed by the fire, and the mills giving employment
to hundreds of men were in ashes. Winter was
coming on, and the country was destitute..~    These were some of the difficulties that stared
h   the burned-out settler in the face. In order to go on
with the work of placing his fences and building, and
) prepare for the next crop, it was necessary for the
$ farmer to have a team; but it was hardly possible to


obtain sufficient feed. Many sold portions of their
stock at ruinous prices in order to obtain feed for the
rest. It is indeed difficult to comprehend the terrible reality in which these people were placed. Their
feelings and sufferings can best be set forth by some
of the incidents related by those who lost their all.
One illustration is the experience of Mr. W. B.
Thompson, living west of Forestville. He was an
Englishman of energetic character, and had been in
the settlement seven years. Said he, "I had my
farm in good shape with ioo acres cleared. Having
served some time as gardener and also as a farmer, I
took great pride in having everything neat about me,
and raised the best crops in the township. My crop
at that time was fully as good as any I had ever
raised, and I had made arrangements for the sale of
$750 worth from my farm, which would have paid
off a mortgage I gave to get me a team, and have
left me with money to spare. I had finished a barn
36 x 60, and had it in the best of shape for the accommodation of my stock and storing. My garden
was the best in the township. Trees were just beginning to bear. When the gale sprung up there
was no fire within a mile of me. I thought I could
save the building, but the storm was soon upon us.
The barn caught, and after fighting the fire for some
time, I abandoned it to save the house; but this,
too, caught, and in a few minutes the smoke and
flames were so thick that I began to look only for my
family, when, alas! the next to the youngest was
missing! I rushed into the house through the
smoke, which was suffocating, and groping around
found him on the floor by the crib, where he had
sunk down too frightened to cry or moan. We then
went out into the meadow, but the smoke and fire
were so bad that we could find no safe place; so we
wandered around through the fields to find the
creek, which we finally did. I placed the seven
children in a heap and fought the fire from them for
several hours, until the wind went down. I could
have courage to go ahead, though this is the third
time I have been cleaned out in the same way. If I
were the only one! but my neighbors are all in the
same condition."
When a man's entire premises were not burned,
the wind was so strong that all his loose possessions
were carried off, and many of them blown into the
woods and burned. To show the force of the wind,?i
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> 526                                   SANILAC COUNTY.                                             <
Captain Breidenbach, whose house was spared, tells  Stafford, Haywood & Co., mill, dock and tannery,
this of his wife: "She was most grieved over the  Port Hope.
supposed loss of the old clock, which we had since Irwins store, Sand Beach.
we ". commenced keeping house.Carrington, Pack & Co's. mill and dock, Sand  "
we commenced keeping house. She attmtemed to     Beach.,t  carry it away, but the fierce wind snatched it out of  Joiner's mill, Tyre.
her grasp. Next day, when we could get to our      Susalla's shingle mill, Paris.
house, she found parts of it here and there, and kept  Grobell's mill and several other shingle mills, proputting them together until everything was there prietors' names unknown.
but the pendulum. Finally she hit upon a door-     This is merely a list of mills and stores. Around
knob as a substitute, and the clock tolled off its  each were numerous dwellings which shared the
minutes with the old regularity, to the great satisfac-  same fate.
tion of the household. Next day a little neighbor   t is estimated that the dwellings, household
girl came in to show what a pretty thing she had  goods, clothing, winters provisions and supplies for
fund, mus with tpear,  and with  mills themerebu ns tosuplf
found, which proved to be the missing pendulum!"  stock of from four to five thousand people were de-.
The losses from this fire can never be known.    oyed, and with the mills the means to supply food
When the smoke had cleared away, and people had  for these.
recovered sufficiently to estimate their losses, an at-  But beyond all these, there were losses which
tempt was made to arrive at an approximate value almost beggar description. Human life  as lost;
of the destruction. It was found that the property  and when some trinket, cherished by a departed
(  destroyed would amount to $4,00o,oo, in very  friend, is brought to view, or when even the charred t
round numbers; but the various itemized records   stumps of the fields, ghostly relics of the past, are f
seen, the eye must fill with tears, and there burns of hi,
were so misplaced, and in many cases consumed by seen the    must   l with tears and there burns
the fire of i88I, that it is not possible to arrive at a afresh that fire of intolerable suffering within, which
b definite calculation of the extent of the calamity. will last while life lasts.
3    There were also many of the township records de-   Into a      character enters the labor of years
stroyed or lost on account of these fires, so that  for a home, a fortune, a position in society, a deposit
much of the early history in this book had to be in the bank, an education for his children, and that
taken from the memory of "the oldest inhabitant." sense of possession which induces a feeling of
While great care has been taken to verify the infor-  security and self-respect. All the accumulations of
mation thus obtained, it must necessarily be at vari- his life-time, gathered by means of his education, his
ance in some instances; but there are so few that  genius, or his manual labor and with economy and
the facts generally can be relied upon as accurate.  patience, laid by as a surplus beyond his daily wants,
The following is a summary of mills and stores   become a part of him. To take them from him is
burned by this fire in Sanilac and the southern part  like tearing from him a part of his physical body.
4    of Huron County:                                 Wherever there is a vacancy that needs filling, a.
P Gunning's mill and store at Tyre.want thus unsupplied, there will be severe mental
Buel's mill and dock at Forestville.
Green's dock and store at Forestville.         pain, prolonged and intensified according to temperF. Buschkowski's mill.                         ament. It may be alleviated by philosophy, stoicism,
Dumond's Inill.                               or Christian resignation, but the pain is there, hurtLudington's mill and store, Verona.           ing and wounding more keenly than the fire which
Pack, Jenk &  Co.'s mill, dock and store, Elm  burns the flesh.  When these accumulations are
R. B. Hubbard & Co.'s mill, store and dock, Hu-     grown into one's very nature, the tearing them away
ron City. Mill, dock and store, New River.         is still more painful. The habits of the household ~
Canham's store, Forestville.                     are more or less connected with the surroundings of
Thompson mill (flouring and shingle), salt block,  the household. Familiar books, pictures, articles of
storeand dock, White Rock.
store and dock, White Rock.                      daily use, and little ornaments organize themselves i
Munford's store, White Rock....
^     Thompson's store, White Rock.                minto the very life of the family, and their sudden loss A
Whitcomb's mill, Rock Falls.                      wrenches the soul.
Durant's store and dock, Center Harbor.          Out of doors the merchant weaves his goods into,
2\~^^t — - -c<.^g^Bti^  J-I},




III'S^3I — - — K                    ^ni  h X-i                     ---,rf~v
',..                                SANILAC COUNTY.                                       527
TI  the warp and woof of his daily experiences; the  number of settlers. The eastern part of the county '
farmer assimilates into his moral character his grow-  had become more generally free from fuel for run- I:i: ing herds and swelling farms. At home they and  ning fires, but the development of the central and /
their wives and children are daily feeding their minds  western townships, placed them in a better condition
and hearts on the little incidents and objects which  for the terror; and with the second growth of timber,
surround them. Every home has something that is  and the thicker settlement, the circumstances were
associated with the memory of a pleasant hour.  possible for a vastly greater destruction of property
There are mementoes of holidays, birthdays, family  and life. Though many of the inhabitants had had
anniversaries of the dead and absent, all dear and  the experience and skill gained by battling with the
beautiful, however tiny and rude. Money cannot  former fire, it availed them little, as the disaster of
replace them, any more than the whole world can    88i was so sudden and appalling, that none could
-^ pay for a lost soul. When multiplied by the many  withstand it, and all efforts to resist it were futile. It
beautiful experiences with which some lives are rich,  also came so much earlier in the season that the
they form a large part of it, and their separation  settlers most exposed were the least prepared.
begets an anguish of soul that cannot be healed.  The date of the last fire was Sept. 5, i881. On
" My wife," said one of the victims of the fires,  Wednesday of the previous week the fires swept over
"stood bravely by, and counted over our losses-the  much territory and destroyed many buildings, but it
house, the gardens, the library, the pictures, the  was left for the cyclone of Monday, the 5th, to corntrinkets, the albums, the mementoes; but when she  plete the wholesale destruction. It required but little
recalled the little shoes of our dead baby, which  more than four hours for the fire to travel across Sanwere in a heap of ashes like the rest, she burst into  ilac County. The wind blew a perfect gale, and
/    tears."                                         fanned every ember into a flame that consumed *
To lose in a single hour all these accumulations of  everything in its path, and only ceased when there
a life-time, in its many phases, is a severe shock, and  was nothing else to burn. In some townships in the 'A
calls into being a long abiding anguish which does  northern part of the county, every person was a sub- =
/   not lift when the smoke of the fires that made it jectof relief. In Northern Sanilac and the adjacent w
clears away. It means real misery and suffering, a  counties, I50 people were burned to death. The
misery that put in chains ambition, affection, and all record is a sickening tale. Hundreds received perthe well-spring of human happiness and satisfaction  sonal injuries from which they can never recover.
in an incalculable variety of ways. Every family who  The loss of property, though enormous, cannot be
passed through the fires suffered all this; and when  compared  with this.  Many are now  suffering
we count the numberless pangs and heartaches, and  from effects of the fire that will be constant and lifethe number of families, the result passes beyond the  long  Among cattle, horses, swine, sheep and every
X   domain of mere statistics, and leads to a realm of  living thing, the loss of life was frightening, and in;!:'  distress, wide-spread, unbearable, crushing the very  many cases poor beasts, half burned to death, had
life- a distress which no balm can soothe, no remedy o be shot to free them from their agony.
One writer describes the approach of the storm as.t^.1 — -~ +-^ ~  - -    follows:
"For several days the wind had arisen during the
The Fire of 1881.                 day sufficiently to fan the fires into relentless flames,
~,~0~'~v$~~ ~~~, —.                 ready at a moment's opportunity to leap forward in
(:    Ilj^ A l ITH all its magnitude and intensity, the  the work of destruction. That opportunity was preI         s fire of 187I did not consume all the tim-  sented.  Soon after noon on Monday, the 5th, the:^    jist? ' * ber, but in most places only deadened the  wind, which had been blowing steadily, began to in- Ci
"/  '^' green timber and prepared the way for a    crease in volume and force.  Darkness settled like
D A   more terrible calamity ten years later. By  a vast pall over the earth, not having the appearthe expiration of one decade, much of the  ance of being caused by smoke. It came on graduQ     country had been cleared, and since then was a larger  ally, like the darkness of an eclipse, and many!<~ ^iai-             -—.-^                     mm^ —^w^
i^H      ")r^       - "        "           ""       "        "*",_=.i^




H  528                                SANILAC COUNTY. Y
almanacs were consulted to see if that was not the  Amid the ruins here and there,
cause of the darkness.  In many places lamps were     Women and children might be seen
~ lighted at noon; a little later Egyptian darkness pre- Searching among the coals with care
For some remains of what had been.
-  vailed.  The wind became a gale, then a tornado,                        wh
"  and in the midst of the darkness the flames rushed I saw a  epng mother, who,                   I
Surrounded by her children dear,         kupon their victims with a rapidity that nothing could  Could not expose themselves to view,
Could not expose themselves to view,
withstand.  The gale seems to have raged with the    But hid as soon as we drew near.
greatest fury in the northern part of Sanilac and  And men were walking to and fro,. '   AAnd men were walking to and fro,
southern part of Huron County. In some places in     Conversing how they might contrive
these localities it seemed almost as though the scenes  What they should do, and where to go,
Jof Sodom and Gomorrah were re-enacted, and that        To keep their families alive.
the heavens rained fire.  Survivors from the burnt  Others were sauntering along,districts describe the scene as bordering upon the   Some with a trifling little pack
supernatural.  The fire did not move from building  Like beggars in an idle throng,
su pernatura.   The. fire,With scarce a shirt upon their back.
to building in the usual way, but while the people
were speculating as to the cause of the intense dark-  Oh! such distressing scenes as these
t...........,         l__Should move the heart of any man:?
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ness, they were suddenly overwnelmec Dy a illow
of fire that rushed upon them from out of the darkness, and enveloped whole towns in flames almost
in the twinkling of an eye.  Many had not even
time to commit the indiscretion of Lot's wife, by
looking back.  As one passes over the charred and
blackened earth where these scenes occurred, he can
form some idea of the intensity of the fire; but no
one, not even an eye witness of the terrible catastrophe, can conceive of the vast accumulation of heat
that could swallow up farms and villages at one
swoop of its fiery breath.  May a merciful Providence prevent the repetition of such a dire calamity!"
A letter purporting to be written to friends in Canada, by J. B. Morrison, contains the following lines
descriptive of the scene after the fire:
Now, to convince you, Ill relate
A little of what I have seen
In one day's travel o'er the State.
This is no wild romantic dream.
For fifteen miles along our way,
Ruins were thick on every hand;
And since the flames have died away
Grim desolation has command.




And yet they are not half the woes
That ail the poor of Michigan.
The next our tearful eyes beheld
Was a poor man upon the way:
His story he could hardly tell,
For he was weeping bitterly.
He had been twenty miles away
When this blast of affliction came,
And now to find his family
He had tried all day long in vain.
No track or tidings could be found
To rid him of suspense so great.
His building was burned to the ground,
And this no doubt had been their fate.
Hope and despair within his heart
Were striving which should have the lead;
Suspense came in to play her part,
That neither of them should succeed.
Ah! when affliction serves me so,
Then I'll have reason to complain;
Then I can talk of grief and woe,
And not lamert for worldly gain.
We rode along till we were shown
What chilled the warm blood in my veins;
A female corpse! for life had flown
Forever from her sad remains.


p1


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z lne signt was snocslng  to oenoii              She, with some others, tried to flee
No fence or building to be seen;                          say to a dh nr.       For when the wheels of fate had rolledBut fell alas! beside a tree,
The fields were black instead of green.          And there she was condemned to die!
)     And all along our dismal way,                    What anguish then she must have felt
Horses and cattle might be found,                To hear no answer to her cries,
(IBM    Sad victims to this dread affray,                In bitter agony, for help
Stretched out upon the blackened ground.         Before she roasted here alive!
^^'                                                                             ="" jAl -.



I:BsK  _ _ _ _ _


____39 EK  V*
529


SANILAC COUNTY.


----


Her daughter came while we were there;
Her age, I judge, about fifteen;
Her dreadful anguish and despair
So moved me that I left the scene.
Oh! where's the heart that throbs with life
Within the breast of mortal man,
That cannot in this dreadful plight
Feel for the poor of Michigan?


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The misfortune was so widespread and so disastrous that it became the subject for a special session
of the State Legislature, and Governor Jerome's
message contains a general summary of the fire.
Senators and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives.
The constitution of the State provides that "' the
Governor may convene the Legislature on extraordinary occasions." Such an occasion has been
reached. An emergency of pressing character has
caused me to exercise the power at an. earlier day
than would otherwise have been necessary.
A district covering portions of Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola, St. Clair, and Lapeer-Counties was widely devastated in September last by forest fires, the property
of 3,231 families destroyed, and 14,438 persons made
dependent upon public aid. In this calamity 1,52I
dwellings were consumed, together with 1,480 barns,
hundreds of miles of fences, domestic animals in great
numbers, and vast quantities of household furniture,
clothing, and agricultural implements, with accumulated stores of food. The losses of those who have
asked and received aid, as shown by sworn appraisals, amounted to $2,346,943, or an average of over
$726 for each family. To add to the terrible aspects
of these dreadful misfortunes, nearly 3co human
beings perished in consequence by suffocation and
by burning. No reference is made in this estimate to
the losses of those who have neither asked nor required assistance, which is known to have been of
great magnitude; nor to those of a public nature,
among which were 51 school-houses and a large number of churches and highway bridges.
The destruction thus wrought left men, women and
children destitute of either clothing, food or shelterall that was combustible has been swept away. It
covered a territory of over I,800 square miles, and in
the progress of its ravages swept the entire district
within from two to four hours after it began. No time
was given to save even household treasures. With a
furious wind came smoke and intense darkness, followed quickly by a fervent heat that nothing could
withstand. The wonder is not that so many perished,
but that so many escaped.
The urgent necessities created by this calamity
demanded instant relief. Before the fires were exhausted food and clothing were being administered
from neighboring communities. The people of this


State and of other States responded to appeals to
their humanity with a broad and kindly generosity
that can never be forgotten. Seldom within the
memory of this generation has the kinship of mankind been demonstrated by more marked and tangible manifestations. The thanks of the State are due
to every individual who came to the help of our suffering fellow-citizens at this trying juncture, and they
especially belong to the men and women of our sister
commonwealths and the neighboring British provinces. In addition to large amounts contributed for
this relief by churches, societies, and individuals directly to the sufferers, of which there is no attainable
record, but which is known to aggregate many thousands of dollars, there has been received by the State
Fire Relief Commission, the Detroit and Port Huron
Committees, and committees of other localities, as
reported to me, the sum of $623,436.89 in cash, together with donations in kind which when added to
the cash contribution would equal the sum of one
million dollars.
The country where the fires raged is purely agricultural, without other local industries to furnish
employment; consequently after" the first distresses
were relieved, the unfortunate people whose wants
we are now considering, being left with nothing but
bare land, were compelled to elect between seeking
new homes elsewhere or to depend upon being sustained by other than their own resources until they
could reach self support from the product of their
own farms. They chose the latter-course, with the
most encouraging results thus far, and have devoted
their energies and labor to rebuilding houses and
fences and to sowing fall grain, the returns from
which can only be realized at the coming harvest.
In order to succeed in the course adopted and to
continue in the occupancy of their lands as homes,
these people must be sustained until their crops mature. They must have food until harvest, and food
for their animals until the grass grows. They also
require seed for their spring crops. The contributed
funds will soon be spent and the harvest is months
in the future.
The exigencies of the case demand action, and to
afford relief is no longer a question of policy,-it is
an imperative duty. The State cannot permit its
people to want for food. In I859, under similar circumstances to a limited extent, citizens were aided
from the treasury of the State, and the act was in
harmony with the judgment and sentiment of the
people.
For more information you are respectfully referred
to the report of the State Fire Relief Commission,
which covers the transactions of committees at Detroit, East Saginaw, Bay City and Flint, and to the
statement of the Port Huron Committee, both of
which are hereto appended. I commend the wants
of these unfortunate citizens to your generous consideration.


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<530                                 SANILAC COUNTY.
The tax rolls for the townships of Forester and   Washington Township was similarly affected.
Evergreen, in the county of Sanilac, were destroyed  Twenty-seven families in Watertown saw their
in the general conflagration, and legislation is now  homes and all they possessed entirely burned. Every
'  asked to legalize the action of their authorities in
making subsequent provision for the collection of the  one suffered.
taxes in those townships. I recommend that the nec-  In Austin every person was a subject for relief for  ^
essary action be taken.    DAVID H. JEROME.     several months, and what few houses were left
Executive Office, Lansing, Feb. 23, 1882.       standing were converted into hospitals for the sick
The detailed account of the losses from this fire  and[the burned. The dead bodies of people, cattle,
would make volumes. Over 14,000 people were     horses, hogs, and every living thing, lay scattered
rendered destitute, and 300 lost their lives. The  over the township. Men were employed for several
record of the death of each of these is a book within  days in piling and burning the carcasses of the horses
<- itself. The awe, the effort to escape, the struggle,  and cattle.
) the exhaustion, the suffering, the suffocation, the  Forty families in Greenleaf were rendered homeless;
death agony, the burning of live bodies, the hopeless  and destitute, and Lamotte and Evergreen townships
cry for help of those who perished must ever remain  have similar records.
sealed! For those who survived there was little left  In Elk 15 buildings between Robert Coffron's and
to keep them from wishing that they too had per-  J. McClure's, a distance of two  iles, were burned,
ished! House was gone, barn was gone, stock roasted  and 45 families lost everything.
alive, harvests consumed! There was not much to   In Argyle, Flynn, Marlette, Speaker, Fremont,
make life desirable. For miles and miles no mark  Buel, Custer and Maple Valley Townships there was, of civilization could be seen, where but a few hours  but a repetition of the same sad story.
before all was green and flourishing, but now a     Huron County suffered fully as much as Sanilac.;: charred skeleton of the past, surrounded by ashes  John Herrick was caught with his rig near Bad Axe  |
X   blown far and wide, that told the sorry tale.and remained over night in a field. Next morning    a
=: IIn Richmondville the entire village was destroyed  between Bad Axe and Sand Beach, he overtook two
S          except R. W. Sherman's residence, which was the  women, each with a child, with not a single stitch of
only building for miles around, and was the only  clothing upon them 1 He had two grain sacks, which, ) refuge for over a hundred people for several days.  he tore up and gave to them.
In Delaware but few people escaped loss, and
Martin Dumlond, of Paris, was engaged the followwhole families lost their lives together in the terrible                         y
ordeal.  One illustration must suffice.  Sylvester  aid    n o te Catolic cemetey
earned seven to the Catholic cemetery!
Richmond's house, four miles west of Forestville,,, n  T.... n  4   The general discouragement wrought by the fires
caught fire. In an eight-foot well, nine rods from the
house, there was about two feet of water. Mr. RicTh-  is set forth in the case of Mr. Henry Rogers, of Washv~ (. i. T......r,, ington Township. A few weeks before the fire his
A   mond placed his wife and six children in this, then
farm was worth $3,ooo, but had a mortgage of $,5 oo
<   fought the fire until the heat could no longer be en-  farm was worth, but had a  ortgage of  500
i\ due, we h     ime to reug i th well. The        on it, and after the fire there was not a thing left
dured, when he himself took refuge in the well. The. ~-i   4.1 A \   4   ~.1 ~ r~ c  except the land.  There were I I persons in the
terrible force of the wind soon lifted the roof of the
e. c n  ih, o   wih i.   family, eight of whom were children, and the oldest
house, carrying it off toward the well, over which it
ra e.  r n  * *- * 4'    was but I3 years of age. Mr. Rogers was then in
was dropped. Suffocation followed, and in this condiio..    werep found twou da. folater a  ight-hseven  poor health, and said, after looking over the destrucdition they were found two days later! Eighty-seven.  in this township lost everything they had,  tion: "If I were all alone I could laugh at it! but I
and families in this township lost everything they had,.famis                                              wouldn't go back and go through it again."  Many
and every one lost much!
Minden was about the center of the burned dis-     people were entirely disheartened and left the count     Minden was about the center of the burned distrc t.  f     were rendered. de,  try, but the prompt measures of relief soon stopped
trict. Thirty-seven families were rendered destitute,  r
man y. livswre n ey oe sere.        the emigration, and those who left generally returned.
many lives were lost and every one suffered.
In Bridgehampton and Marion each, the entire     Deeds of heroism were without number. Fathers
property of from 25 to 30 families was consumed, and  and mothers stood in the breach battling for the  (
nearly everybody lost something.                lives of their little ones, and even children became
2   "i"~i                                    J~




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S —,IAC CO U TY
SAIVILAC COUNTY.


- — ^^~vS~~a'. _,) p ~
531
-— ~~~~~~~!*)


_.?    heroes in their efforts to save their younger brothers
and sisters. An instance in Sanilac Township is. typical. The family of John Armstrong consisted of
1 husband, wife and five children, the oldest being a
girl only 13 years of age, and the youngest a baby.
The fire reached the house late in the afternoon, and
great balls fell here and there, kindling everything at
once. The parents sent the children, under the care
of the oldest girl, to Mr. Cudney's, the nearest neighbor west, but when they reached there they found
Cudney's barns burning. They supposed everything:   else would go, and started north, wandering about,: driven here and there by the smoke, flame and
darkness. The girl carried one child in her arms,
wheeled another in the baby carriage, and the boy of
ten carried one on his back. When driven from her
home, the mother followed her children, but not
being able to find them at the neighbors,' supposed
them burned to death, and she fainted. After Mr.
Armstrong found it impossible to save his property,
l   he started to find his children. Learning that they?   went north he followed, but was driven back by the
fire, and traveled around all night in search of them.:~  Next morning he found them at James Farr's. They:    had traveled through four miles of smoke and darkX  ness, lighted only by the fires!
A remarkable escape was that of Matthew Tyson
)  and his family, who lived a little northwest of Croswell. In the previous spring Mr. Tyson had purchased 80 acres of land in Buel, built him a house
and cleared out a road. On all sides there where
heavy slashings, interwoven with huge fallen trees,
set with great stumps and the whole land covered
with everything that would burn readily and lead
A.  the fire with the swiftness of the wind.  About a
month before the fire he had moved his family in,
and there was just space enough cleared around his
house to make a way for a team. On all sides was
slashing, right up to the house. When the danger of
the fire became certain, and it was seen that his
house would be burned, he prepared to move his
family at once. But before he was ready to start he
left the team in charge of his boy and returned
hastily to the house for something. Before he could
reach the wagon again he heard the cries of his boy
calling him to help put out the fire from the wagon,
quench it also fiom the boy's own clothes. Before
this could be done, their path was cut off by the
$    huge flames. Providentially he had cleared a path


through the slashings a day or two previous, after X
some hay, and it was only by the most strenuous  i
efforts that he escaped through this.?
Ira Humphrey was a mail-carrier during the autumn of the fire, and his is a sad record of devotion
to duty. Along the route for several miles before
reaching the spot where he met his fate, Mr.
Humphrey was warned by the people not to proceed
further, as his road would lead him through terrible
danger. But to every one he made the same replyhe must go; he was carrying the U. S. mail, and i
must make connections. When within a short dis-:
tance of the fatal spot, he was halted by Mrs. Snell, j
who told him that the fire had blockaded the road
just ahead, and that it would be impossible to proceed. He only repeated his former declaration that
he must go. Yielding to her earnest importunities,
however, he turned about and drove back a few rods,
where a number of people were gathered, hitched
his horse and went forward to examine the road.
Returning, he said he thought he could get through,  j
and started, against the protests of all. For a few
rods two or three persons accompanied him, but an
awful wave of flame rolled toward them, and the
men separated. Mr. Humphrey ran forward a few  s
rods, turned one side into a field, and fell. When he \'
started to run his clothes were on fire. He pulled
off his vest, containing his watch, and threw it on
the ground. When found, the crystal of the watch
had melted. His horse was found by Mr. S. Moore,
who could not leave home on account of the fire, but
fixed a note to the horse's neck and started him
home to carry the sad news to the family.
Moore Township was also the scene of many a tragic k
occurrence, and one will be remembered as long I
as they live by at least 28   persons.  About
5 o'clock on Monday afternoon the 5th, they began
to realize their danger and started for Cass River;
distance, eighty rods. Among the rest, was a lady
by the name of Hall, who had a son, Willie, I I years
old, sick with typhoid fever. Mrs. Hall secured the
services of another lady, and the two carried the sick  L
boy until they were exhausted, when the flames were
so nearly upon them that they were obliged to aban- 4
don him. Mrs. Hall says her son was dead when they M
laid him down. Mr. Wells then carried the corpse a
few rods further; but at this time his wife became
crazed by the intense excitement, and started for the
fire! Mr. Wells dropped the body of the boy, and,0


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C'o-            li'm poll                                         777       -~




532                                SAVILA C CO UNTY.
f with great difficulty succeeded in securing his wife  erously to deal out the relief, neglectiug their own
*   from her fate. The next morning the corpse of the  interests.!
boy was found where it had been left! The whole   Yet the supplies had hardly arrived on the
party waded into the river and were obliged to keep  grounds before those near made a rush for them;  T
their clothes wet to keep from being burned by the  and though a sufficiency was given them to supply
flames which rolled over them from the shore. They  their immediate wants, many were disappointed and
were compelled to stay in the water most of the  grumbled because they did not receive an abundance.
night, and in the morning only two of the party  The worst cases were those who suffered the least.
could see, being temporarily blinded by the fire and  Instead of eating the bread and accepting the relief
smoke. The water became so hot that fish died by  with thankful hearts, their conduct was disgusting to
hundreds.                                       many sensible persons. How different were they
Mr. H. Story was away from home on the terrible  from  the people who gave the donations! While e
Monday, but hurried back to rescue his family. As  there were many of this class, of course there were
he approached the house, then enveloped in blinding  hundreds too timid to ask for necessaries.
smoke, he stumbled over an object which he thought  As illustrating the difference between people who
to be a hog. He seized it to throw it to one side,  applied for relief, and the manner in which they apwhen he made the awful discovery that it was one of  preciated the charity extended, a gentleman engaged
his children, suffocated and burned. A few feet  extensively in the distribution, related this: He met
from them lay his wife and another dead child!   a woman and man, representing two families, who
Two miles south of Ubley, in Huron County, lived  had suffered.  The man immediately demanded
Dennis O'Connell. As the fire approached, he, with  relief, when the committee man inquired:
/    his wife and eight children, went into the well I2  "Have you received anything since you were:
=   feet deep with three feet of water, and soon three of  burned out?"
3    a neighbor's family joined them there. Cramped in  "Noothin' to spake of, sor-r."
-^   this narrow space, in intense darkness, nearly suffo-  "What! nothing yet?":
cated by smoke, utterly helpless, these 13 per-    "Wale, noothin'except this ould hat, sor-r."
sons, including one infant in its mother's arms, re-  "Is that all?"
)  mained five hours before they dared venture into the  "Oh, yes, this coat, sor-r;" and so on through his
upper world again!                             entire outfit.
These are not isolated cases. The experience    "Has your house burned?"
was common, and can be multiplied a thousand      "Yes, sor-r!"
times! Every family within an area of three coun-  "Where do you live?"
ties suffered likewise.                           "Oh, in yon bit of a shanty!".i.-   The great fires were the occasion for the manifesta-  "How was that saved?"?    tion of some of the noblest,as well as some of the meShurean' it was not saved at all; the relafe give
est traits in the human character. What could be  us the nails and lumber and wid me own han's I put
more generous and noble than the response to the call  it up;" and so on until it appeared that he had refor relief that came from all parts of the world? There  ceived everything in abundance that the committee
was no occasion to ask for anything; just as soon as  could furnish, and in reality possessed much more
the cause became known, money, provisions and   now than before the fire.
clothing poured in from every city in the North, and  Further supplies were not ordered in this case.
by its abundance, many were replaced in comforta-   Standing near was a poorly-clad, bareheaded
ble, and some in affluent circumstances.          woman. The member of the committee inquired
The distribution of the supplies was confided to  what she had lost and if she had been supplied with.
men of well-known business character and integrity,  the necessities.;   who had a personal knowledge of most of the cases  "Oh, we lost everything, but I guess we can get
which came under their supervision. These men  along, only if we had one o' them buck-saws at the (
devoted their own time and means freely and gen-  store-house, so I could saw the wood while my hus||Ji^  ^ ----^W ----b^B II ^H- i*^(




1>e0      ---- '
SANILA C
b band builds fence; but I didn't like to ask for it,
we've had so much."
Upon a close examination it appeared that she
f   and her husband had asked and received very little.
S, She was bareheaded. Her bonnet had burned, and
she had not even asked for one, thinking she could
get along some how.
Producing a very nice hood, the gentleman said:
" There, my good woman, is a fine hood which a
lady in Detroit gave me to give to some deserving
woman, and I think I have found one;" and with it
he gave her an order for the buck-saw.
The Irishman thought it " moighty quare" that


COUNTY.                           533 '


some people got everything asked for, and he had
asked for everything and got nothing!"
Every class of relief was received from all parts of
the world, and from every class of people. The following sums of money were sent from the respective
Grand Lodges, immediately following the fires, to
Arthur M. Clark, at that time Grand Lecturer of
Masons, of Michigan, to be distributed among some
200 Masons, who lost their homes and were left des

( )
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titute by the fire:
Michigan....... $4,800


Maine.........
Connecticut......
Delaware.......
Illinois........
California......
West Virginia....
Mississippi......
Iowa............
Indiana.........
Pennsylvania.......   -


I,I00
1,200
50
1,200
1,I00
I00
800
8oo
500
I37
4,400
/4-.


Texas...........
Arkansas........
Alabama......
Missouri.......
Maryland....
Kentucky........
Kansas..........
Ohio............
New Jersey.......
New York........
Michigan Knights
rI~... 1__


1,400
900
goo
50
250
600
I00
300
65
50
125


sufferers by the disastrous fires in this State on the
fifth of September last, in compliance with a joint
request from the several committees already engaged
in the work, has the honor to submit the following
report of its labors to the present date:
The work of relieving the sufferers being still in
progress, and a portion of the funds entrusted to our
charge for that purpose yet unexpended, the report
of your Commission is necessarily incomplete.
The Commission has, from the date of its organization on the tenth of October last to the present
time, held regular meetings upon every lawful day,
and have devoted much time and careful thought to
the discharge of the important and onerous duties
assigned to it. While maintaining a watchful supervision over the contributions entrusted. to it by the
generous people throughout the land, and using its
best judgment to secure a faithful, impartial, and judicious distribution of the same to those who were
reported to it by proper authority as entitled to
receive aid,-not a single individual appeal has been
made (and the number of these has been very large),
but has received careful consideration and investigation by the Commission, so that the relief asked
for should, if practicable, be promptly given if the
applicant was found entitled to it.
Immediately upon the organization of your Commission, the Detroit Relief Committee turned over to
it the books and records of every kind belonging to
that committee, together with a condensed report of
the receipts and disbursements, and the remaining
cash and merchandise in the hands of the committee, as shown by the report.
Shortly thereafter the relief committees of East
Saginaw, Flint and Bay City made similar reports to
your Commission, that of the first two being accompanied by the remaining funds in their hands. Bay
City, by mutual agreenment, continued its work of relief in the Bad Axe district, reporting on the same
from time to time to the Commission.  On the 27th
of January a final report was sent by the Bay City
Committee, accompanied by a check for the remaining funds in their hands.
Upon careful consideration of the general condition of the sufferers, and of the system adopted and
in operation for their relief as shown by the reports
of the committees, your Commission, being pledged,
according to arrangement at the meeting requesting
its appointment, to carry out all existing contracts
made by the previous relief committees, resolved, as
the most judicious course under existing circumstances, to carry out in its general features the system adopted by the Detroit Relief Committee, which
appeared to have been most admirably planned, and
to have been carried out hitherto with great energy
and success.
The limits of such a report as the present will not
permit the Commission to present other than a gene

1 i
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f  ouisiana........ I,000  emplars...... I,ooo
Wisconsin......    500
N   Tennessee.        1,200     Total..... $23,877. South Carolina...   350
In addition to the above there was also sent a
large amount of clothing and provisions, which was
distributed among these suffering Masons.
The general relief, together with something of the
losses, can be seen from the report of the State Fire
9(    Relief Commission, which is appended:
AS,     REPORT IN REGARD TO FIRE RELIEF.
/   His Excellency, DAVID H. JEROME, Governor of
3(      Michigan:
The Fire Relief Commission of Michigan appointed by you to supervise the work of relief to the
(|        e; L~i ----                         0/fl


(1)


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X<5\e —       O_                 ^     ij n)iX;i~-                A   d -Hil a.^^ ^.^^^5 534                                  SANA7LAC COUNTY., ral and somewhat condensed review of the work of  time with the promise of a favorable result. A   Y
f   relief.  The section of country burned over was  quantity of grass seed was also furnished and sown.
1  promptly arranged into districts of from one to five  Plows, wagons, harness, and other farming imple-:*
*:   townships each, as was found to be most convenient;  ments were sent forward in liberal quantities as *^
one-half of some townships being in one district and  rapidly as practicable. The distribution of the most:'  the other half placed in another, the better to ac-  expensive of these articles was intrusted to the judgcommodate the sufferers. These districts were placed  ment of the agents, to be loaned or donated, as they
in charge of a responsible and prominent citizen re-  might deem advisable, it being impossible to supply
siding therein, through whom, as their relief agent,  all who applied. By the aid, however, of a liberal
assisted by voluntary local committees in the district,  expenditure for the repair of those only partially dethe general relief committees and the Commission  stroyed, most of the sufferers are now enabled to
have dispensed every form of relief, except in cash,  prosecute the work on their lands.
which has been distributed, with their assistance, by  The work of furnishing lumber and shingles to
in  special agents.                                replace, after a sort, the houses and barns destroyed,
Through these district agencies as originally or-  was entered upon immediately after the fires, but so:
ganized, with the exception of a few changes shown  large were the quantities required beyond the availto be necessary as the work developed, relief has  able stocks within reach, that some time was unbeen dispensed to the sufferers under the following  avoidably consumed before all the sufferers could be
general classification: Provisions and groceries;  furnished with sufficient for shelter. In order to
clothing and bedding; medicines and medical aid;  hasten and increase the supply, advances and donaseed wheat and grass; plows, wagons, harness, and  tions were made to owners of saw-mills destroyed in.  )
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agricultural implements and tools of all kinds; lumber and shingles; doors, windows, nails, etc., for
houses and barns; furniture, including stoves, bedsteads, chairs, tables, crockery, tin and wooden ware;
hay and other feed for such number of cattle as they
were advised to retain; donations and loans in money
to aid in rebuilding saw-mills, etc., destroyed; cash
distributions by special agents directly to the sufferers on as liberal a scale proportioned to the size and
wants of each family as the Commission deemed it
wise, with the means at its command, to allow.


the district, to be repaid in lumber or sawiug for the
benefit of the sufferers. The Detroit Relief Committee, by whom  such loans and donations were
chiefly made, was guided in its action by the recommendation of the district agents, that such aid would  '
not only increase the quantity of lumber for the use
of the sufferers, but by sawing logs for those who required, be of general benefit to the district. Some of
these loans have already been repaid in full or in part
in lumber and sawing. The sufferers are now all
under shelter, and temporary shelter for the stock is.


On the progress and results obtained in the distri-  also nearly furnished.
)  bution of the foregoing means of relief, the Commis-  As fast as places of shelter could be got ready, and
sion reports as follows:                        doors and windows sent forward to close them in, the
Provisions and groceries have been liberally sup-  Commission, who had meanwhile been forwarding
plied sufficient to subsist the sufferers upon an aver-  stoves as fast as they could be furnished by the
age to nearly the first of January, a cash distribution  manufacturers, purchased and sent forward a moderbeing made in the latter part of November and be-  ate quantity of furniture, consisting of bedsteads,
ginning of December, as a substitute from that date.  chairs, tables, tin and wooden ware, and crockery,
i   Clothing and bedding have been supplied to the suf-  useful and substantial in kind and character; and  V
'   ferers in abundance, the former, as well as large  although the supply to each family was necessarily  X
quanties of the latter, being furnished through the  limited, the requisitions of the district agents having
generous contributions of the public in these articles.  been filled, it is believed that sufficient has been disMany districts were supplied with more clothing of  tributed to supply the necessities of the sufferers,
certain kinds than was required, the greatest demand  and enable them to resume housekeeping.
being for warm  bedding, ticking, new boots and  The abundant rains during October, falling upon
shoes, and woolen wear for winter use. These the  the soil burned over and enriched by the fires, proCommission purchased and distributed wherever re-  duced an abundant crop of grass, which, with the
quired.                                        continued mild weather until late in the season,: The stocks of clothing now on hand we believe  proved of incalculable benefit and saved the lives of
to be sufficient for the requirements of the sufferers.  a large number of cattle. At the proper time a cirSeed wheat for fall sowing was furnished by  cular letter was sent to the several agents, request-:,
this Commission and other committees to all who  ing them to notify the sufferers that hay would be  ^
were reported as entitled to it, and ready to    furnished to each family so entitled at the rate of
sow.     Through the energy of the committees    one ton for each head of cattle, at the maximum
and their agents in the district, aided by the   number of one team and one cow, three head in all, (4
\   favorable season, a large area was sown in good  to those requiring so many, and to advise those who,A ll                         All _ _ _ _ __                             _ _ _ _'*4;};         i i




ir: V1~~~~~~~lli~~~~s - E I~~  I1* 1;!1!! ')c ~
~ AJVI4) ---               XVnLAC  CO UJVTY.
^3 SAILAC COUNTY., _




v   possessed more without having otherwise the means
|: to subsist them, to dispose of the surplus while in a!   fit condition for sale. The advice was generally fol-,i''  lowed, and one ton of hay issued. In this connection'it should be understood that the amount of hay
so furnished by this Commission and other committees was not considered sufficient to winter the
cattle so supplied, but rather as the maximum quantity which the funds then on hand would warrant.
The remarkably mild winter, however, while it has
prevented:luch valuable out-door work with teams,
has at the same time enabled the sufferers to practice
4 the closest economy in feeding, so that the allowance
has lasted for a longer time than was anticipated.:: The Commission is of the opinion that an addii4 tional half ton per head, which it is now engaged in
distributing, will, should the spring prove to be
favorable in proportion as the winter has hitherto
been, not only subsist the cattle until the first of
April as contemplated, but, with the aid of some
coarse grain to feed the teams during seeding time,
carry them through fill grass.
Upon a careful review of the position of the sufferers, and of the reports from.the agents in response to
N   a request for information thereon, it was resolved. early in November, to substitute, instead of supplying
=   provisions, payments in money to the sufferers, upon:V  a scale as nearly adequate and proportionate to the
size and wants of each family as practicable. The
'  first payment was made by special agents sent for; that purpose, in the latter part of November and
1i beginning of December, being for the months of
December and January. The change from supplies
to money payments appeared to give general satisfaction.
In January a second payment was made for the
month of February and part of March, 25 per cent
being added to the amount allowed in the previous
payment.
It is believed that when the hay now being pur1I) chased and distributed is paid for, also outstanding
contracts for lumber, freights and other expenditures,
that a sufficient amount will remain on hand to make
one more cash distribution, sufficient at least to subsist the sufferers until April first.
The following statement of cash receipts and disbursements under the different classifications of aid
given, including those of the Detroit Relief Committee, is respectfully submitted. Proper vouchers
l   for all disbursements will be found on file in the
office of the Commission. The receipts and disbursements, in condensed form, of the East Saginaw and
Bay City Relief Committees follow in the order
named. A statement of the actual receipts in cash
B    has not yet been received from the relief committee
)   of Flint; their total expenditures and balance remitted to your Commission is therefore given:


RECEIPT
By Detroit Relief Comm
By Fire Relief Commissi
Fronm 7Eat Saginaw Relic


535 i
'S OF CASH.
ittee......... $207,274  89.
on..........  98,284 56 5t6
ef Com-mittee.,68o 15............     i 63  44
ee..........       540............  $407,408  44
ZSEMENTS.


Flint Relief Committee..
Bay City Relief Committ
Total receipts......
DISBUF


Provisions and groceries............. $52,702 50
Seed wheat and grass seed...........  26,57 6o
Furniture, stoves, etc., etc.,..........  34,704 94
Agricultural implements, tools, etc.,...  10,497 25
Blankets, boots and shoes, etc.,.......  17,272 52
Lumber and shingles, doors, etc.,.....  21,144 02
Hay and feed for cattle.............  66,845 44
Hospital stores and physicians.......  2,803  9
Freights and teaming, etc.,..........  4,484 88
Distribution agencies, office, etc.....  9,664 o6
Advances to rebuild saw-mills, etc.,....  7,823 o
Distributed to the sufferers...........  69,583 66
Total disbursements...........  334,042 40
Balance on hand............... $73366 04
Contracts have been tlade for the full
amount of hay required to complete
the allowance of one-half ton per head
additional, which is now being distributed, on which there is unpaid about.. $35,000 oo
Estimated amount required to pay freight,
also amount still due for lumber to
complete shelter for stock, and for miscellaneous expenditures, about...... i8,oo0 oo
Making total estimated liabilities about. 53,000 oo
Leaving a balance on hand with which to
make one more cash distribution of
about...................0........       0o,o oo
Which will probably be distributed in March.
It will be seen therefore, that on payment of the
above liabilities, and one more cash distribution, the
entire fund in the hands of the Commission will be
exhausted.
REPORT OF EAST SAGINAW RELIEF^COMMITTEE.
Cash receipts.............$5,251 34
Distributions in money and supplies....  3,571 19
Balance remitted to the Fire Relief Commission, as per its report............ $1,680 15


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BAY CITY RELIEF COMMITTEE.
Cash receipts and donations of mdse... $23
Cash distributions in money and supplies 23
Balance on hand remitted to the Fire Relief Commission as per its report......K tjt --- —,o63 8,o58 41
$5 40






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536                                 SANILAC COUNTY.,,
FLINT RELIEF COMMITTEE               quired to be done for our unfortunate fellow citizens,  4
t  Cash receipts (no report) |.....            and the Commission deems it its duty to submit for
Distributions in money and supplies.'...' $2,457 91  consideration, without any specific recommendation!
as to the amount which may be required, a few of
Cash remitted to the Fire Relief Commis-        the principal wants of the people for which aid is yet  i
sion as per its report...............  $163 44  necessary, and for which no means are yet provided  '
to supply.
In the foregoing are presented only the receipts  It will be seen that only such needs are referred
from contributions in cash and in merchandise sold  to as have already either formed a part of the work
for cash, which, from its nature and the circumstances  of relief or have become connected therewith, as in
of the sufferers, it was deemed more advantageous to  the case of taxes, for the payment of which money
sell than to distribute in kind.                donated for the subsistence of the sufferAs has been
In addition to the above, large quantities of cloth- in many cases used.,:  ing, bedding, articles for domestic use, and other  The following comprise the principal heads under
j supplies, have been received from all parts of the  which aid will be required after April first, to supply S&
United States and Canada, which were forwarded to  part of which it is essential that operations should
the agents as rapidly as practicable, to be distributed  be commenced as early as practicable.
to the best of their judgment. The widely varied |. Provisions for teams during seeding time.
character and quality, and the quantity of these  2. Seed for spring sowing.
donations, their rapid accumulation, and the neces-  3. Money to pay taxes.


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sity of sending them forward without delay for the
use of the sufferers, precluded the possibility of
either the Detroit Relief Committee or this Commission appraising them at any satisfactory valuation,
and therefore no attempt to value them was made.
In presenting a statement of the number of pack
ages of all kinds received, we beg to add that properly prepared books were placed in the hands of the
agents on which to record the amounts distributed of
these, as well as of all other supplies, against the
name of each family receiving aid.
Donations of merchandise received by the Detroit
Relief Committee and the Fire Relief Commission,
part being sold and credited in cash donations, the
remainder distributed or now in store:
Clothing, bedding, and mixed merchandise,
packages............................  4,480
Hardware, tinware, crockery, packages......  161
Grain, flour, potatoes, and seeds, bags...... 3,423
Grain, flour, potatoes, and seeds, barrels.....  221
Furniture, stoves, and stove furniture, pieces.  678
Farming implements and harness, pieces....  428
Provisions, groceries, dried fruit, packages..  164
Sashes, doors, and blinds, packages........  I90
Books,  boxes...........................   o
Total number of packages and pieces... 9,755
Upon the basis of the relief which has been
already afforded by the different committees, it is
believed that the funds now on hand will be sufficient to subsist the suffererers until April first. It
would have been very gratifying to have been able
to state that the sufferers would from that date be
able to support themselves, or that the funds so
generously donated would prove sufficient to accomplish that end.
The fact remains, however, that much yet is re

4. Subsistence for the people until they can realize from their lands and labors.
Other losses occurred to a very considerable
amount, in school-houses, fences, bridges, culverts
and public edifices. For these the Commission did
not feel warranted in making appropriation from the
funds at its disposal. It will be obvious from the
character of the work itself, and the possibility of
contingencies arising in the future, which may to
some extent increase or diminish the necessity for
aid to the sufferers, that the Commission cannot
assume the responsibility of naming a specific sum
for that purpose, but instead thereof respectfully
submits some statistics in connection therewith,
which it trusts may be of service in determining the
amount yet necessary, and which will be found
attached to this report.  In accepting the trust
placed in our hand, we have so endeavored to discharge the duties incumbent upon us in furnishing
aid to our suffering fellow citizens as to enable them
to build up their homes again, and to become selfsupporting.
In closing this report we may be permitted to say
that we, as a people, are under the deepest obligations to our fellow citizens of other States for so generous a response to the appeal for aid to our suffering
people, and that we have endeavored to administer
their bounty for the best interests of those for whose
benefit it has been so freely bestowed.
All of which is respectfully submitted.


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H. P. BALDWIN, Chairman
A. H. DEY,
D. C. WHITWOOD,
GEO. C. CODD,
F. W. SWIFT,
C. T. GORHAM.
DETROIT, Feb. 22, 1882..


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.-,, —........ —r n a
SANILAC <
~f*^    ~     STATISTICS OF LOSSES.
The following statistics of the losses by the fires
'*i are prepared from reports made to the Fire Relief;   Commission:


COUNTY.                        537
53 ).an.~ Orgy


II.


No. of townships more or less burned over.......70
" of houses destroyed....................,5 2
"of barns destroyed...................,480
of families burned out and reported for aid. 3,231
" of persons burned out and reported for aid. I4,438
Total value of property reported destroyed.$2,346,943
Average loss of each family............. $726 40
Average loss per capita................. 62 55
The estimate made above of property destroyed
does not include that of individuals not requiring
and who did not apply for aid.
STATISTICS AND ESTIMATES IN RELATION TO FURTHER
AID FOR THE SUFFERING.
FEED FOR STOCK.


I


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of every class.  Deducting from this quantity the
proportion of those whose losses were slight, and
who should be able to supply themselves (about
one-fourth), and also the quantity believed, on a
comparison of the statistical returns of losses with
the amount asked for, to be in excess of the ability
to use for seeding purposes, will show that about
60 per cent of the quantity asked for will be sufficient to supply all that can be properly used by those
entitled to seed.
TAXES.
The taxes reported by the township treasurers as
assessed to the sufferers amount to $26,276.
The above amount includes the assessment
against every sufferer of all classes, one-fourth of
whom at least should be able to pay without aid.
SUBSISTENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.
The number of families reported who will
probably require aid for subsistence after
April  i..............................  2,000
Number of persons included in these families
who will probably require more or less subsistence from April i until harvest, say
about five months.....................  9,000
STATEMENT FROM PORT HURON.
PORT HURON, MICH., Feb. o, I8827
His Excellency, DAVID H. JEROME, Governor, Saginaw City, Mich.:
DEAR SIR:-In reply to your telegram of yesterday we would respectfully report that the total
amount of money received by our committee up to
date is $192,831.44, of which amount $175,oo8.62
has been expended and appropriated, leaving an
available balance of $r7,822.82 in our hands. We
have received and distributed donated goods valued
at $255,960.26. Respectfully submitted.
Yours very respectfully,
M. H. ALLARDT, Secretary.


*~~
1I


Total number of cattle at the maximum allowed of one team and one cow to each
family, that are receiving one and a half
tons of hay each, in round numbers, about.
Proportion of teams in the above requiring
additional feed during seeding time......


5,000
1,700


I,.
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=
1.


SEED.
Total amount asked for per returns collected as
follows:


fA


Bushels.
Oats........31,663
Peas........   23,361
Wheat........ 1,665
Corn......... 8,332


Bushels.
Barley.......... 6,814
Potatoes..........,665
Timothy seed.... 2,074
Clover seed..... 2,166


The above report from individual requests, includes returns and estimates from all the sufferers


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III^ ^N^-  -- ^~ Am7 BA UsQ-'A    -A-U-  ^ -- -^.\ 538        SANVILAC COUNTY.
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OR   this department of the
ALBUM, we reserve several
shorter sections of the his<^  ~ ILtory of Sanilac County, although they concern matters
of equal importance with the
foregoing. Such are those relating to the dependent poor of
the county, a murder, the great
insurance company case, the railL 9  \i  road, etc. Many smaller items
could be given, had we space,
which some might think should
v^     be incorporated into a volume of
this character, but lack of room
compels us to draw the line somewhere between
accepted and rejected matter, at the risk of criticism.


increasing numbers demanded a general place of
refuge.
Captain Israel Huckins was the first Chairman of
the Board of Superintendents of the Poor. He held
the office for a short time, when R. J. Arnot was appointed, and has held the office ever since, with the
exception of the year I875, when Captain Huckins
again had it.
The long term of service by Mr. Arnot, is the best
statement of the satisfactory manner in which the
farm has been managed. The building of the home
was committed to his care. It was finished in I868,
costing $3,300, and the first inmate was admitted
Nov. 24, of that year. Her name was Mrs. Green,
a woman partially insane, and who had fits.
George Kerslake kept the 'home for the first four
years; John Harris then took it for the same length
of time, at the expiration of which Mr. Kerslake was


/if~g  -^H~~3-i-^^^ ~^                |reinstated, and has kept the farm since. The keeper  -:H~,:^~~~~~~~ii ~                     jat first received $300 per year, with board for him- i
self and family; but his salary was gradually raised,
Poor Farm.                    ^until he now receives $400 per year. Mrs. Kerslake
is a most estimable woman for her position, and the
HE Board of Supervisors in 1867 appointed  outside work is carried on quite economically.
ri ffl i a committee, consisting of Phillip L. Wix-  In addition to the grain and produce raised on the
e   son, Alonzo Goodrich and George McIn-  farm, it requires about $1.50 per week from the
tyre, to provide a farm and home for the poor.
t yr, to provide a farm and home for the poor.     County Treasury, to sustain each inmate, though in  y
j    6 i    After careful examination of several pieces of                                          - *
After careful examination of several pieces of    good crop years a portion of this money is returned.
land, they found an acceptable spot in the            v
present farm of 120 acres, five miles northwest of  hevalue of the farm at      including buildLexington.                                      ings, live stock, farming implements, and all other C:
X(|    Previous to this the poor were hired out to differ-  property, has been carefully estimated at $7,995.
ent families, at the expense of the county, but    The average number of inmates is 12 to 14, the
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SANILAC COUNTY.                   539;; *  *r *


ok lowest number at any one time being 7, and the
highest 20.
In order to become an inmate, an application must
be made to the Supervisor of any township, or to the
Superintendent of the Poor, who has power to exJ amine and admit worthy candidates. A great deal
of temporary relief is afforded to persons outside of
the home. The number thus assisted in 1883 was
284, involving a total expenditure of $3,407.o8. The
total expenses for maintaining the Poor House and
Farm for 1884, ending Sept. 30, was $1,475.4I, exclusive of interest on capital invested, and value of
<N: pauper's labor.
Great Murder.
'Bc N      the year I88I, on Thanksgiving Day, a.; ~~ il f  man by the name of W. J. Philips, who re=5  1 ^  sided at Allerton, Iowa, came into this
county for the purpose of buying cattle. The.   last that was seen of him alive was on the
train between Port Huron and Amadore, which
i was on Thanksgiving day. About two weeks afterward a body was found on the east side of what is
known as the Wild-Cat road, and about two miles
north from Amadore. The body was identified as
the body of Mr. Philips by parties who had previously known him, he having bought cattle in this
county to a considerable extent. Suspicion at once
rested on one Dixon, who was known to have been
'  buying cattle with Mr. Philips. An inquest was: held over the remains, and there was every evidence
on the body of a most foul and brutal murder. The
skull was broken in apparently with a club or other
blunt instrument, the throat cut from ear to ear, and
other marks of violence. Mr. Dixon was sent for
as a witness at the inquest, and his action was so
\ strange as to confirm the already existing suspicions
against him; and on the evening following the in-:  quest, Mr. Dixon was, at the instance of Justice
McNair, who held the inquest, arrested. Inquiry
was made, and it was ascertained that Mr. Dixon
had then recently been seen to have large sums of
money. Subsequent inquiry developed the fact that


I




Philips brought with him about $1,5oo in money
After Dixon was arrested and taken to the jail, he
was searched and' a small bottle of medicine, as he
claimed, was, at his instance and earnest solicitation,
left with him in the cell. About Io o'clock of the
evening after he was arrested, he was discovered to
be very sick. A doctor was sent for, who at once
pronounced the patient to be laboring under difficulties brought on by poison. Suspicion at once rested
on the bottle of medicine. It was taken in charge
by the doctor, and actually found to be poison. Mr.
Dixon lingered aloi g for two days, and finally died
from the effects of poison, and with him died the
facts in relation to one of the most brutal murders
ever committed in any country.
After Dixon's death detectives were put on to ferret out the facts, but all the evidence discovered
pointed to Dixon as the only party to the murder.
An inquest was held over the body of Dixon. A
post-mortem examination was had, and there was
every evidence that he came to his death from
poisoning. Dixon's body was taken charge of by
relatives in Macomb County. Philip's body was forwarded to his wife at Allerton, Iowa.
__Ot2N[     fw   s


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A Crook-ed Case.
N the winter of 1883-4, David Pickard, a notorious crook in this county, was convicted
of the larceny of a horse. His conviction
was brought about to a considerable extent by
the effort of J. A. Nealy, another crook, who
gave information that led to Pickard's conviction. Pickard was sentenced to a term of five years
in the State Prison at Jackson, and after arriving at
his destination, sent word to the Prosecuting Attorney that himself, Mr. Nealy and Mr. Dixon bad perpetrated the murder of Philips. An investigation  C
followed, but Pickard's story was so inconsistent with  i
known facts, that after the examination, which lasted;
several days, Nealy, who had been arrested, was by
request of the Prosecuting Attorney discharged.
Pickard's story is not generally believed, although (G)
there are some who think it true.,
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>  540                           SANILAC C
A MutualInsurance Company.. A Mutual Insurance Company.
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*   I 0 COMPANY of this nature was attempted
to be organized in Sanilac, Tuscola and
Huron Counties. Their business office
was located at Minden, in Sanilac County.
They did a considerable business in Sanilac,
Huron and Tuscola Counties. There was a
clause in the insurance contract that purported to
limit the liability of the insured to the amount of the
" premium note," so-called, which was, on the ordinary risk, about II  per cent. for a period of three
years.
The great forest fires of i88I caused a great loss
to this comp'any, being about $8o,ooo, which was very
greatly in excess of the "premium note," so-called.
The company became insolvent and went into the
hands of a receiver, under the statute authorizing
the formation of such companies. The receiver
claimed that under the law'the company had no authority to limit liabilities of its members, and consequently made an assessment of an amount sufficient
to pay the total loss of the company, which was
about six times as much as the so-called premium
note, and insisted on payment.
A meeting of the policy-holders was held at Minden in the fall of i883, and a committee was appointed to contest the validity of the assessment.
Suits were begun by the receiver, and steps were
taken by the authorities to test the legality of the
organization of the company. An information in the
nature of a quo warranto was filed in the Circuit
Court for the County of Sanilac, and a bill in chancery was also filed to enjoin the receiver from collecting any amount beyond the so-called premium note.
The receiver was successful in both suits in the
Circuit Court, and both suits are now in the Supreme
Court.


I


Winsor, of Huron, are the attorneys in the quo warranto case, and Beach & Macklem are the attorneys
in the chancery case against the receiver. The receiver has Col. John Atkinson, of Detroit, as his attorney, and the cases promise a vast deal of interest
for some time to come.
Railroads.
THE PORT HURON & NORTHWESTERN,
HIS is the only road at present that travJI  erses Sanilac County, and the building of
5 it marked an era in the county's develop(   ment. In equipment and genuine merit it is
not behind the older, standard-gauge roads of
the State, and Sanilac County contributed
largely to this achievement.
Mr. Wildman Mills led off the subscription in this
county with $20,000 in cash and the right-of-way
through his lands.
Moss, Mills & Gaige contributed  2 acres of land,
built the depot at Croswell, and furnished 65,000
feet of lumber for the elevator.
In Washington Township the citizens contributed
$8,ooo,-a bond signed by E. R. McCreadie, Matthew French, M. W. Stevenson, C. W. Arnot and
others, guaranteeing payment. Marlette gave $15,000,
secured by John McGill, J. W. McMahon and others.
At Carsonville Wm. Thomson gave $300, Arthur
Carson $500, and several others from $Ioo down to
$5, making a total of $3,o00. Downington was not
behind the other stations along the prospective
route, and Minden guaranteed $5,ooo, J. Erskine
being the largest donor.
The first 25 miles of road was opened from Port
Huron to Croswell May 12, I879, and the other progressions were as follows:
Croswell to Carsonville, March 8, i88o.
Carsonville to Deckerville, July 5, I88o.
Deckerville to Minden, Aug. 9, i88o.
Minden to Sand Beach, Sept. I3, I88o.
Saginaw Junction to Marlette, Jan. 17, i88i.
Marlette to Mayville, Sept. 21, i88i.
Mayville to Vassar, Dec. i, I88I.


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These cases attract more attention than any other
I    cases of a civil nature ever begun in Sanilac County.
The reason for this is, that there are between two or
three thousand men interested in the result, residing in Sanilac, Huron and Tuscola Counties. E. F.
Bacon, of Sand Beach, Huron County, Mich., is the
receiver. Divine & Babcock, of Sanilac, and R..'~lr ---                               i~l5-A
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SANILAC COUNTY.                                        541
Vassar to East Saginaw, Feb. 21, 1882.      exclusive of tender, 80. There are 22 eight-wheel
Port Huron to Almont, Oct. 3, 1882.         passenger cars, 2 express and baggage cars, 4 combi~/}      Palms Junction to Port Austin, Dec. II, I882.  nation (smoking, mail and baggage) cars, I64 box
X   The greatest architectural achievement of the  freight cars, 11 stock cars, 84 platform cars, 28 pascompany was the Black River bridge, which is said  enger cars equipped with train brake, 259 freight
-   to be one of the largest and best built bridges in  cars with train brake, and 155with hand-power brake.
Michigan. It is 70 feet high, and 800 feet long.  The company owns also 183 miles of telegraph'line.
Officers of the Company: President, John P. San-  Their receipts for carrying the mail averaged $44.45
born; Vice-President, Chas. F. Harrington; Secre-  per mile in I882.
tary and Treasurer, F. L. Wells; General Manager,  The greatest accident that ever occurred on this
Henry McMorran; General Superintendent, J. R.   road was in May, I884, when, five miles south of
Wadsworth; Chief Engineer, A. L. Reed; Cashier,   Sand Beach, three panes of glass were broken in a
E. C. Chamberlin; General Passenger and Freight   passenger coach.                                 /
Agent, J. R. Wadsworth. All offices at Port Huron.  The road has now been running five years, making
Directors: Frank C. Beard, S. L. Ballentine, C. F.  an average of 30 miles per hour, and 500,000 miles
Hatrington, Henry McMorran, J. P. Sanborn, E. B.  per year. The best tie made was 59 miles per
Harrington, P. B. Sanborn and F. L. Wells,-all of  hour. A special on the i3th of September, I884,
Port Huron.                                     made six miles in seven minutes. This was Gen.
The road was chartered and articles of association Logan's train, and the engineer seemed to realize
filed on the 23d of March, i878. There are nine that the General was running for the Vice-Presidency!
> stockholders, and all the stock, which is fully paid,| The road-bed is in first-class condition, and passen/;   is held in Michigan.  The stockholders meet annu-  gers accustomed to riding on standard-gauge roads
ally on the first Wednesday in March, and the fiscal  a  surprised at the ease and rapidity with which
X    year of the company ends Dec. 3ist', general offices  they are conveyed over the Port Huron & Northare at Port Huron.   The amount of capital stock
are at Port Huron.     The amount of capital stock  western. It is believed to be the finest narrow-gauge:
authorized by the charter is $1,o9o,ooo, divided into       United States.
I1,090 shares of $1oo each.  The total cost of con-    n       t    ta
In I883, the total wreck expenses were less than
structing the road was $3,213,297.65, making an      c         a b        a   d
)... i      $t5O, covering all breakage and damage to cars. All
average of $14,739.89 per mile, not including sid-ri ri                 i         ir,     with
ings.& Te ct of e t ls sw        freight trains have the Westinghouse air-brakes, with
ings.  The cost of equipment, locomotives, snowg  Te ct of    bell ropes from engine to coach, which is the best
plows on wheels, passenger, mail and baggage cars,
plows o  wheels passenger ml  ae crs,  possible safe-guard against disasters and loss of life.
freight cars, machinery and tools was $303,213.78.
Total cost of construction and equipment, $3,516,-                        afterthe '8 fire, the
511.43. cTotal earnings for year 1882: pasisenger,  road carried everybody free of charge; and as long,
4   $142,268.58; total earnings for year i 882, freight,  as relief was needed for the unfortunate district, no  A
$142,268.58;   total earnings for year i882, freight,:    $99,998.54; total earnings from all sources, $245,- charge wa made fr the transportation of supplies
2I8.10.   The expenses were: For maintenance of  or agents in charge.
way and buildings, $I82,75.26; maintenance of mo-  The company at that time suffered a loss of $40,tive power and cars, $11,829.19; conducting trans-  ooo, in ties, rails, station-houses, etc.
portation, $64,858.96; general expenses, including  The road is 218 miles long, not including sidetaxes, $17,971.81; total, $II2,935.29.          tracks, and though, like all new enterprises, it had
Number of locomotives of more than 20 tons'   hard times to start, it is now beginning to pay good;    weight, exclusive of tender, 6; of more than Io tons,  dividends, and is a decided success.,1e                                                                                                 i
$
(~~)- a                                                    '        "




AN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




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91222                                     M

BIOGPI? 1FICr.


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RI


A
Acheson, Robert............23I
Adams, Mrs. Irene...........402
Adams, John............... 23
Adams, John Quincy......... 39
Andzrson, James...........83
Arnot, Alexander............261
Arnot, Robert J............. 30
'  Arthur, Chester A........... 99
-N    Attridge, Robert.............246::   Avery, Arthur..............308
B
Babcock, Amos...............290
8    Babcock, Edward C.........319
J    Babcock, Henry A.......... 370
Babcock, Henry 0........247
Babcock, J. W...............398
Badeau, W. A..............407
Bagley, John J...............I57
Bagley, John S..............257
Baker, Lewis.................37
Baker, Seneca............... 365
Baldwin, Henry P............53
Banks, George H...........259
Banks, Peter.................190
Barns, Dan.................. 289
Barr, Thomas...............396
Barrett, E. B...............404
Barry, John S...............1 13
Beach, Watsdn...............330
Beal, Wm. H............... 352
Beals, Albert.................21
Beckett, Edward W..........217
Beckett, John H............ 206
Beckton, John..............189
Bedford, Dr. S. W..........276
Beech, Mills.................400
Begole, Josiah W...........169
Benaway, John C............378
Benedict, Andrew B..........377
Benedict, Wm. L.............364,!     Benedict, Peter H............329
Bettis, Joshua...............301
Bigger, Mahlon..............33I
Bingham, Kinsley S..........37


Binks, John J............... 236
Bisbee, Julius...............404
Blair, Austin................. 45
Bleake, Calvin H............372
Blower, John................369
Bond, Benj. E................328
Bostwick, Edwin.............413
Boughner, A. P..............20
Boyne, George...............  250
Boyne, Robert...............264
Bradley, Nathan N..........320
Briggs, Myron................252
Brooks, D. A...............210
Brooks, W. B................. 94
Brown, John M.............. 24
Brown, Joseph.............432
Brown,Joseph H............417
Brown, Lewis W........... 360
Brown, R. G.................222
Bryce, Robert................ 205
Buchanan, James............. 75
Bullock, Ira.................278
Burns, Moses.................366
C
Cady, Loren................. 222
Cameron, John...............243
Cameron, William...........276
Carson, Arthur...............199
Cash, Edward................368
Charlton, John A.............426
Chipman, Wm. F.............363
Churchill, Delos.............390
Churchill, Irving D........406
Chute, Andrew..............420
Chute, John W..............419
Clapsaddle, Alexander.......246
Clark, Arthur M............341
Clark, Daniel................366
Clarke, E. B................317
Clarke, Dr. Ira M............393
Cleland, Robert M..........439
Cline, Jacob..................317
Cody, M. B..................  347
Coe, George.................. 235
Collins, Alvaro...............260
Collins, Benj............... 230
Collins, John................375
Cook, James................ 210
Cook, John W.............. 89


Cooper, H.................    370
Coppernoll, S................ 365
Corbishley, Charles..........333
Councilor, John W..........228
Cowan, Edward..............397
Cowan, William..............403
Cragg, Isaac.................212
Craig, William............. 229
Crapo, Henry H.............. 49
Crorey, David...............363
Crorey, Wm. J...............314
Croswell, Charles M..........I6I
Cudney, Hiram.............390
Cumming, Jacob............334
D
Dale, Hugh.................210
Davis, Augustus.............217
Davis, Calvin...............221
Davis, R. E..................376
Dawson, John................245
Dawson, William............ 313
Deadman, Jacob I...........403
Decker, Martin...............38r
Denissen, Rev. C............332
Denton, James S.............96
Denton, E. M............. 26


Ennest, Wm. H..............349
Erbe, Sebastian...............375
Erskine, John................258
Ervin, George..............336
Etherington, George........229
F
Fancher, N. S...............223
Felch, Alpheus.............. 17
Fenton, Calvin...............353
Fields, Marcus...............307
Fillmore, Millard............. 67
Fitch, John L................ 91
Fitch, Robert W..............241
Fitch, Thomas............215
Fitzgerald, John.............278
Fletcher, Charles.............260
Foster, Moses...............306
Fotheringham, John........425
Fox, John H.................302
Franklin, Henry D.......... 235
Fraser, G. C.................366
French, Charles J............20
French, David...............238
French, Joseph W..........309
French, Matthew............265


Derby, Amasa........
Derges, C............
Devlin, Henry.......
Dickinson, S. B.......
Diem, Joseph........
Doane, Demster.......
Dodge, W. T., M. D
Donald John.........
Donaldson, Alex.....
Dorward, James......
Duff, William................369
*... -  393                    (G........244                                         (5:....... 378
*... -*379  Gaige, J. M..................285
9   Galbraith, John..............318
224  Galbraith, Joseph......186.... 214        Galbraith, J. W..............337
257     Gamble, Benj................195
* ----323 \    Gardner, J. K................265
273     Garfield, James A............ 95
Getty, John................ 429
Gillis, Alex............... 435
Goodrich, Alanson..........388        '
Graham, Andrew........... 307
Grant, Ulysses S............... 87
Grant, William...............333    "........ 249    Graves, Hazleton............377
3.......327     Gray, Alfonzo.............279........249     Gray, Mark..................355.  3I15    Green, Wm. F............      360  (
8........8 7    Greenly, William L.......... 12.......234      Grice, John.................. 316.- {*4,


E


\




Eastman, A..........
Elliott, Thomas, Jr...
Ellsworth, E. W.....
Emery, H. J.........
Englehart, W. A.....
English, Adam.......


A I A. _N;.~~~~~:~ —":r:
<4~ ~ ~ ~~~'b r






544                                                               fINDEX.
Grice, Wm. M...............353                                               McMahon,J.W.............. 395        Parker, Geo. A..............394
Grimes, Jacob................274                                            McNinch, Geo. R............332        Parker, Wellington...........192
L                      McPhail, Archibald......... 435       Parkinson, Joseph........... 419
McPhail, John...............425       Parsons, Andrew............133
H                                                            McPhee, H. J...............272       Pearson, Richard............196
McRae, Alex.................442      Phillips, Peter C..............227     T
Hacking, Wm. H............408                                               Merckel, Wm................421         Phillips, William.............382
Laidlaw, Wm.. B............. 343      Messmore, Chas. L.......... 46        Philo. Franklin P.............349
Hall, Homn.er.................245  Lane, Oliver..................309  Miller, Alex..................405  Pierce, Franklin.............. 71
Hamilton, JohnG...........256
Hands, James..   237     Langan, D. M., M. D........262        Mills, Clark M...............361       Pitcher, Alansing D..........193
Harrisonds, JaWmeHs....2.......5I     Lawson, Daniel...............304     Mills, L. D................ 272        Planz, Henry................265
Hartshorn, J. H............387        Lawson, Graham J...........338         Mills, M. D..................Z95      Polk, J. K.................... 59
Haviland, James M.........426    Lazenby, Edward........... 441        Mills, Wildman..............79        Pratt, H....................57
Hayesn, Rutherford B......... 91     Learn, P. H..................203      Minard, James.............227        Purkis, T. F.................362
Hayes, Rutherford.........85      Legear, Robert...............200       Mitchell, David..............202      Putney, Elmore.............289
4 Hayward, DHiram.........359         Leins, Anthony..............403      Monro, Andrew W...........304
H rd, CHra...........       Leitch, Hon. John...........428       Monroe, James............. 35
Heberly, Christian..........242       Lewis, 0. W.392                        Moore,.Andrew.       305
Henry, George...............2        Lews.............  39     Moore, Andrew...............3054
Herbert, Robert.......2.       9....2x6 Lincoln, Abraham............ 79    Moore, Chas. H..............273                       R
Robert....        London, John H............ 386        M   r, n r......             3


(V
Z=a
1 ~


Herbert, Samuel E...........215
Hicks, Geo. W..............256
Hilborn, Edward............22I
Hill, William.................433
Hills, Edgar...............423
Hinkson, Geo., Jr...........349
Hollister, Norton.......... 335
Hosmer, J. A...............88
House, Finley................323
Huckins, Israel...............408
Hurley, Geo. L...............377
Hurley,Joel............ 3.....33
Hyde, Almond...............328
Ilyslop, Walter..............2I8
I
Ireland, John................334
Isles, John...................206
J
Jackson, Andrew.......... 43
Jackson, Andrew............ 247
Jacobs, 0. B.............263
James, Amos................ 344
James, Wm. D...............305
Jefferson, Thomas,......... 27
Jerome, David H............ 65


Loop, Joseph M., M. D......364
Lynd, James.................211
M
Mackleim, Andrew............303
Madison, James.............. 3
Mahaffy, Hugh...........2I3
Mahaffy, Thomas. H......... x96
Maher, Richard..............362
Mahoon, Geo................407
Makelim, John...............213
Markham, David.............295
M arr, E.  F..................437
Massman, John..............364
Mason, J. M.................356
Mason, Stevens T........... 105
Mater, George...............392
Mavis, Chas. F..............296
McAfee, Thos................386
McAlpine, Alex..............296
McAlpine, Archibald........440
McCardle, Andrew J.........331
McCarroll, Peter.............245
McClelland, Robert.......... 129
McClure D. S...............224
McClure, James.............. 328
McClure    Nathan............3o0


Moore, Samuel.............. 89
Morse, D. P.................428
Moss, Truman.............299
Mugan, M. N................396
Mulloy, Wm.................430
Munn, 0. A.................i86
Murdaugh, John H..........367
Murdock, David.............434
Murphy, Christopher........432
Murray, Frank...............405
Murray, Wm., Speaker Tp....259
Murray, Wm., Sanilac Tp...379
Murray, Wm., Forester Tp..402
N
Nash, James.................244
Neumann, Joseph............258
Nichol, Thomas T............402
Nicol, Alex...................440
Nicol, Thomas................436
Nicolson John................26x
Nims, Capt. H. H...........4x4
Nims, Wm. R................338
Noble, Archibald.............250
Norman, Thomas............275
Notley, George...............202
Nye, Richard J..............4x8


Ransom, Epaphroditus......125
Rass, A. P..................399
Rass, W. D..................238
Read, James G...............440
Read, Lotan C...............269
Read, Thomas...............380
Rector, N. E.................347
Reid, James.................. 387
Reinelt, Charles..............400
Reinelt, Wesley R............39I
Reynolds, J..................350
Robb, John S................. 306
Robinson, Levi B............274
Robinson, John J............223
Rockwell, Morris............ 394
Ronald, James...............275
Rudd, Geo. G...............232
Rudd, William...............236
Runnels, S. D...............379
Rutherford, James...........280
S


Sawtell, Levi................262
Scholtz,  R...................266
Schubel, Gotlieb.............423
Scott, Charles..............3x0
Scott, John...................2x2.1    1-:,....._-_


I
>1


A.5


Jeuhl, J. C................. 2I9      McClure, Robert.............252                                             Scriner, rrancis A..........29
Johnson, Andrew.':.83      McCrea, Henry, M. D.......322                                                Scribner, Wm. E............295
JonesM.V. KM............292    McCree, W. A..............45                                                 Seder, Jacob................430
Jones, M.aV.    o..............292
McDonald, Alex.............427                                               Sharp, James, Sr.............303
McDonald, George...........374                                              Sheldon, John...............25x
McEachin, Neil.............. 434        'Connell,John..                      Sherrick, R. D..............354
K v   ~          McGill, John.................3                                         Shell, Geo. A................354
McGill, Wm. B..............     3     Odfied C. M.........38          Shell, Lafayette..............355
Oldfield, C. M...............380
McGregor, John.............405       Oldfield, Henry..............406      Shell, Nathan................345
Kasdorf, John..............396       Mclntyre, George..........343       Olmstead, Richard...........324        Sherman, Wm. C......          348
Kasdorf, Joh                          Shierman, Wim.29......34
Kay, Alien M., M. D........438        McIntyre, Wm. V..........3ox          Oughton, David..............42         Shier, William...............293
Kelly, Wm...................372        McKay, George..............321                                              Shirley, Wm. K..............399
Kerr, Joseph................266        McKellar, John..............295                                             Shrier,Wm. H...............35
Kerr, Wm. W................x92        McKenzie, Hugh.............255                                               Shults, James H.............432
h/  Keys, James................205    McLaughlin, Wm...........425                          P                      Shults, James L.............371
Kirkbrde. Thos.............228       McLeod, Rory...............392                                               Simmons, David............. 186
Kivel, Edward....... 44 1   McLeod, Wm................21                                                Simmons, Miles............      17
Knight, James,............280         McLeod, Willliam...........263        Pack, George............8....x85       Sloat, Silas J................ 200
Kyes F, A................. 228         McMahon, John A...........28          Papst, Rudolph...............294      Sly, C. C. L.................324
Ilk   III~-. -




y^j~~ I~~iNDEX.                                                                                                                     545
Smackart, Henry.............224       Thomson, John S............372        Viets, F. S...................382     Whitehouse, Geo............413
Smafield, William...........273       Thompson, Geo.............416         Vincent, G. C., M. D.,......436        Wickware, Albert............424
Smith, F..................327      Thompson, Wm..............350         Vliet, Nathan................233      Willard, Geo. A..............288:   Smith, George...............356       Thornton, John J............337                                             Williams, Alfred............389
Smith, H. W., M. D.........188        Tice, S. M...................232                                             Willits, A. W................84
Smith, M. W................251       Tobin, John................ 242                      W                      Wilson, Andrew..............429
(C)   Smith, William..              321     Todd, Samuel................36                                              Wilson, Ira P.............427
Sommerville, Daniel.........438       Tomlinson, Wm. M..........344                                               Wilson, H. W................217
Soule, Alex.................439      Turner, Mark................29       Walker JamesWilson, Wm. T.............352
Southworth, John............ 411      Tuschingham, Samuel.......3           Walker, John................288        Wilson, James F.............429
Stephens, Alex., M. D......414        Tyler, John.................. 55      Walker, Thomas.............220         Wilton, P. A................400
Stevens, Chas. E............. 277                                           Walker, Wm.................270         Winterstein, W.............248
Stewart, Bryant..............W322                                             allace, Wm. P.............29I      Wisner, Moses...............141
Straffon, Alfred............... 247                                         Walther, F. L................315       Wixson, John J.............. 271
Stuart, IDavid................. 385                  U.                     -Ward, T. L.................  420    Wixson, Joshua..............302
1.4  Sullivan, John.............238                                      Warner, D. J..............23I    Wixson, Phillip L............35I
Sumner, A. B............. 204                                            Warner, Spencer H.             233    Wolfel, Nicholas.........       87
Sweet, Wm. A............. 380                                               Waterman, J............93             Woodard, Marshal...........275
Watson, Dr. James A........193        Woodbridge, Wm............Io
Udell, Hiram................. 24I
Umphrey, Matthew.......... 2304        Webb, W.P.................. 220     Wooley, Hiram C............259
Umphrey, Samuelw............2345      Welch, John H...............204      Wright, Austin............-367
Umhrey T  B Sme.............. 24l3    Welch, S. J..................264      Wright, James...............431
Welch, Thomas.............. 95        Wright, Wm........43    7
Utley, John................362       West, Alfred A., M. D.,......270
West, D. A., M. D..........421
West, Samuel J..............242                       Y
West, Stephen H.............234
)   Tallmadge, F. E............271                                               West, Wakefield..............323
Taylor, S. C-...............266                                            Westmore, Oscar..............394
Taylor, Zachary............. 63                                              Weston, Alex..............335
/.N    Teeple, Owen F..............433                                             Weston, Geo. W.............I84Z.,
'     Tenniswood, John.........     270     Vail, A. E..................279      Wethy, 0. J................26?     Tenniswood, Robert..........288        Van Buren, Martin.......... 47        Wever, Dr. Geo............329.
Wi)    Thomas, William.............229      Van Camp..................280         Whitaker, Charles.......... 184       Zavitz, John N............242
T1==
Adams, John.................22       Dawson, William.............312        Jefferson, Thos............... 26     Pierce, Franklin.............70
Adams, John Quincy.......... 38       Doan, Demster...............-o8      Jerome, David H............164        Polk, James K............. 58
Arthur, Chester A........... 98      Felch, Alpheus...........26      Johnson, Andrew............ 82        Ransom, Epaphroditus.......124
Bagley, John J............. 156       Fillmore, Millard............ 66      Lincoln, Abraham........... 78        Read, Lotan C., M. D........268
Baldwin, Henry P...........152       Fitch, Robert W.............240       Madison James............... 30      Smith, F. T.................326
[     Barry, John S................ I2     Gaige, J. M..................283     Mason, Stevens T............104        Southworth, John............410     j
j      Begole, Josiah W...........168       Gaige, Mrs. J. W...........282       McClelland, Robert..........128        Taylor, Zachary............. 62
Bingham, Kinsley S.........136        Garfield, James A............ 04       McKenzie, Hugh............254         Tyler, John................. 54
Blair, Austin.................244    Grant, Ulysses S...........86      Mills, Wildman...............178      VanBuren, Martin........... 46, Buchanan, James..............74       Greenly, William L...........120. Minard, James.............226         Washington, George.......... 18
Clark, Arthur M.............340        Harrison, Wm. H............ 50        Monroe, James.............. 34       Wisner, Moses..............140
Q       Carson, Arthur..............298      Hayes, Rutherford B......... 90       Moss, Truman...............298         Woodbridge, William.........io8
Crapo, Henry H..........2.148         Hayward, Hiram............358   O'Keefe, A. W.............384
Croswell, Charles M..........i6o      Jackson, Andrew............. 42        Parsons, Andrew.............132
'.It r7~;tT~                                                     T...




>fe@))(^t-       -— 3$~^- -   sr   ~il ---                 — ^^^Il
546                          INDEX.:.
AAI~:
INTRODUCTORY      445    Salt           477 EDUCATIONAL       505
Value of Local History  445  County Agricultural Society 476  Anecdotal  507
INDIAN HISTORY     47 TOWNSHIPS         47
447~i |tirgleK 447       g CCHURCH HISTORY  508
Origin of the name "Chip-  Argyle             Cath
ewa"                 Austin         487    Catholic       508


-,p
t
51%,
s=
1=
A_
4e
_!


Origin of the name " Huron"               448
Sauks, Pottawatomies, etc. 448
Early Catholic Missions 449
The Great Spirit      449
Indian Customs       450
What Civilization Has
Done for Them       451
PIONEERS                 452
First Settlers       452
First Things          453
Frontier Life and Events 453
POLITICAL                 459
First County Officers  459
First Board of Supervisors             460
Political Parties     460
Population and Vote  461
Valuation of Property  461
County Officers to Date 461
Removal of the County
Seat               462


Bridgehampton
Buel
Custer
Delaware
Elk
Elmer
Evergreen
Flynn
Forester
Fremont
Greenleaf
Lamotte
Lexington
Maple Valley
Marion
Marlette
Minden
Moore
Sanilac
Speaker
Washington
Watertown
Wheatland
Worth


503
490
502
496
491
493
499
491
495
488
498
500
478
490
504
493
497
501
484
489
492
492
504
484


Christian
Congregational
Episcopal
Methodist
THE PRESS
Croswell Democrat
Marlette Leader
Minden Post
Sanilac County Reporter
Sanilac Jeffersonian
FOREST FIRES


512
513
512
513
515
516
5I8
5i8
518
515
519


The Fire of 1871     519
Forestville        519
White Rock         520
Marion Township    521
Minden Township    521
Buel, Elk and Lamotte 52
J. W. Bartlett's Account 52 1
Lexington          523
W. B. Thompson's Experience         525
Principal Buildings Dectmrvel in the ollnntr v 26 <




MILITARY
First Compc
ilac
Its History
War
Other Coml
The Draft, (
The Polandc
MATERIAL It


Lumbering
Land Specu
Physical Fe
Huron Peni
Soil
Climate
Crops
Fruit


VILLAGES....~...... ~" ':
465   VILLAGES                                 Reflections          57    i"
any from San-             Amadore              484       The Fire of i88i        527
466         Anderson Station      492The Hurricane                  57 5
through theArgyle Village                    502          Fire Poem            528
466          Carsonville          503          Governor's Message   529
panies       468          Croswell             481          Richmondville        530
etc.         469          Cumber               488          Other Townships      530
erExcitement 469          Downington           504          Huron County         530
VTERESTS  4        Foreste: Village     496          Some Direful Events  530.I ERESTS 470             Forestville          497          Relief, and Incidents  532
470          Lexington Village    478          Report of Commission 533
lators       470         Marlette Village      494;atures      47I          Melvin               489   MISCELLANEOUS               338::
nsula        472         Minden City           497       A Crooked Case         339   i
473          Peck                 491        Great Murder           539
473          Richmondville        496       Insurance Company       540
474          Sandusky             502       'Poor Farm              538
475          Tyre                 487        Railroads              540
475                           487                               54




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Conservator's Report
Bentley Historical Library
Title: Portrait and Biographical Album of Sanilac County
Received: Book bound with tunnel-back style binding. Cover was full leather.
Leather was friable. Leather was abraded. Joints were intact. Headbands were intact.
Book was sewn all along over recessed cords. Sewing was shaken. Boards were of
laminated board.
Treatment: Disbound book. Paste washed spine. Reinforced or reconstructed
signature folds as needed. Flattened. Added new butterfly endsheets. Sewed all along
over cloth tapes. Rounded and backed. Added new machine-woven headbands. Lined
the spine. Rebound in new cover of 1/4 leather with cloth sides. Rebound in new casestyle binding.
Materials: Jade #834-403N PVA adhesive. Talas wheat paste. Ademco Cerex spun
nylon heatset tissue. Niddegan endsheet paper. Pyroxylin-impregnated cotton text
cloth. Cotton cambric. Linen tapes. Barbours linen thread. Machine-woven
headbands. Backing flannel. Davey "Red Label" binder's board. Niger goatskin.
B.S. glaire. 23K gold. Neat's foot oil/anhydrous lanolin, 60/40.
Date work completed: October 2002
Signed: Dianna R. Borel




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