USA > Michigan > A history of northern Michigan and its people, Volume II > Part 19
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On May 28, 1910, Howard W. Dunn and Miss Margaret Frances Albright, of Traverse City, Michigan, were united in marriage. Mrs. Dunn is a native of Kokomo, Indiana, and a daughter of Newton and Jessie (Butler) Albright.
Both the senior and junior Dunns are identified with the Baptist church, to which they contribute liberal support, and, politically, both father and son are Republicans. active and influential in local affairs. At this writing Howard Dunn is a member of the village council. At different times his father has served as school director, member of the village council and village treasurer. At the present time he is treas- urer of the school board of Kingsley, and also is a trustee of Kalamazoo College.
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ANDREW J. MERSCHEL .- As proprietor of an extensive hardware, plumbing and general repair business at East Tawas, Andrew J. Mer- schel is conspicuously concerned with the commercial prosperity of his home city, and also of Iosco county. Having begun his active career at the lower rung of the ladder of attainments, and having by means of sturdy industry, enterprising energy, and judicious management made steady and rapid progress along the highway of success, he is a fine rep- resentative of the self-made men of our times, and eminently deserving of the high regard and esteem so universally accorded him by his fellow- men. A native of Michigan, he was born, in 1871, in St. Clair county, coming from thrifty German stock.
His parents, Andrew and Margaret Merschel, were born and reared in Germany. Immigrating to the United States, they located in Detroit, Michigan, in 1852, but subsequently removed to St. Clair county, where they brought up their children, which were ten in number, and of whom seven are now living, Andrew J. being the seventh child of the household in order of birth.
Receiving his elementary education in the common schools, Andrew J. Merschel began working at the plumber's trade in his native county, from there going to Marine City and finally completing his apprentice- ship at Port Huron where, through his extensive and varied experience, he became thorough master of its every detail. Feeling then the need of a better education, he pursued his studies for awhile at Albion College. Subsequently resuming his trade, he has continued at it ever since, being now an expert in its numerous branches, as a practical plumber having built up a large business. Embarking in mercantile pursuits, Mr. Mer- schel opened his present hardware establishment at East Tawas, which he is managing successfully in connection with his plumbing and general repair business, his numerous patrons having implicit faith in his ability and honest work, his aim being to give full value for money received.
Although his business demands the greater part of his time and atten- tion Mr. Merschel has served as alderman and supervisor, and while a member of the City Council was president pro tem of the city. Frater- nally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past noble grand; and of the Modern Woodmen of America.
Mr. Merschel married, June 14, 1908, Miss Elsie Runke, and of their union two children have been born, namely : Marguerite and Norman.
GEORGE O. SWITZER, M. D .- In no profession have the mark of prog- ress and the discoveries of science effected greater changes of method and practical application than in that of medicine, and he who would be fully in accord with the spirit of the age must be a close student, possessed of a keen and discriminating mind, capable of determining what is best in the new theories and truths constantly advanced and of then applying them to the needs of the profession whose noble object is the alleviation of human suffering. In this regard Dr. Switzer is by no means lacking, and his knowledge, skill and ability have gained him high prestige among the citizens and practitioners of Ludington and Mason county. He was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1854, and is the son of George H. and Mary Jane ( Waldorff) Switzer,
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both natives of Allegany county, New York. The father, who was a millwright and lumberman, came to Barry county, Michigan, in 1860, when the subject was a young lad. In 1871 he located in Lake county, Michigan, where he built a large sawmill for the Forman Brothers, and there was passed the rest of his active life, his demise occurring in the year 1879. He was then in the prime of life and was engaged in lum- bering for the Danaher & Melendy Lumber Company when summoned to the other world. The mother survives, her years being seventy-seven and she makes her home in Pentwater, Oceana county. To this worthy couple five children were born, three of whom grew to maturity. Dr. Switzer was the third child in order of birth and is the only one living at the present time.
Dr. Switzer's residence in Michigan dates from the age of six years, for he was of such tender years when his father came to Barry county. It was within the borders of that county that he was reared and at- tended the public schools, his high school course being pursued at Hast- ings. It was Dr. Switzer's lot to know the various trials and recom- penses of the school master, for he served in that capacity for some years, and as a conscientious and enlightened young pedagogue gave general satisfaction in the communities which benefited by his teach- ing. He taught his first school at Hope, in Barry county, and his last one at Baldwin in Lake county, the latter including the term of 1875 and '76. Meantime he had arrived at a decision to become a physician and to this end he began the study of medicine, receiving a well-earned degree at the Bennett Medical College in Chicago, in the year 1881. His practice was inaugurated at Ludington, where for one year he min- istered to the woes of suffering and afflicted humanity in that section. He then transferred the scene of his activities to Pentwater and in that place was in practice for a period of eighteen years or until 1900. In the meantime he had not been content with letting well enough alone and he had taken a thorough post-graduate course in the medical de- partment of the Chicago College of Physicians and Surgeons, graduat- ing therefrom in 1897. In 1902 he returned to Ludington, the scene of his maiden endeavors as a practitioner, and has been in successful prac- tice here ever since that time. He believes in the expediency of pre- serving the unity of the profession and holds membership in the State and American Medical Associations.
Dr. Switzer joined the ranks of the Benedicts on the 25th day of August, 1876, by his marriage with Adaline Marthland, a daughter of Rev. M. Marthland. One daughter is the issue of this marriage, Alice . M., a nurse in the Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He was married a second time, on the 18th of April, 1900, Miss Anna B. Jansen of Chi- cago, a danghter of Lars Jansen, becoming his wife. He has two chil- dren by this marriage, namely : Lars Waldorff and Lois Olga.
Dr. Switzer is a life-long Republican and has efficiently held several offices, such as coroner and pension examiner. Were it not that he was esteemed one of the leading physicians of Northern Michigan he would still be well-known for his lodge relations alone, his membership ex- tending to the ancient and angust Masonic order, in which he has the
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Knights Templar degree, and also to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
L. D. SHIRTLIFF .- One of the representative citizens of Bear Lake, Manistee county, Michigan, is Mr. L. D. Shirtliff, who has done much to further the industrial progress and development of this section of the fine old Wolverine state. He was born at Novi, Oakland county, Michi- gan, on the 17th of April, 1841, and is a son of Sylvanus and Mary (Durfee) Shirtliff, both of whom were natives of the state of New York, whence they came to Michigan at an early day, the father engaging in carpentry and building. Mr. and Mrs. Shirtliff became the parents of five children, and they both died when L. D. was a mere infant. He was taken into the home of his maternal uncles. Addison and Seth Durfee, and there reared to maturity. He is indebted to the district schools of Novi for his preliminary educational training, which he later supplemented by a two-years' course in the Michigan State Normal School at Ypsilanti. In 1860 he began teaching, his first school being at Highland, Michigan, where he remained for one term, after which he taught for two years at New Hudson. After his marriage, in 1864, he and his wife resided at Novi and Lyons for a time, Mr. Shirtliff being engaged in farming. Later they went to Owosso where they remained for one year and in 1866 they removed to Pleasanton, in which vicinity he had located a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of wild timber land. He reclaimed one hundred acres of this tract to cultiva- tion and there built a home and continued to reside for a period of eighteen years, at the expiration of which, in 1880, they removed to Bear Lake, where they engaged in the hotel business. Mr. Shirtliff was identified with this line of enterprise for a few years and after dispos- ing of the same he became interested in the real-estate, loan and collec- tion business, in which he is engaged at the present time, in 1910. He Is a man of fine executive ability and broad experience and has done a great deal toward developing the natural resources of this section.
In politics Mr. Shirtliff accords a stalwart allegiance to the prin- ciples and policies for which the Democratic party stands sponsor and his contribution to good government and progress has been of the most insistent order. For sixteen years he gave most efficient service as jus- tice of the peace in Pleasanton and for the past twenty years he has been a justice at Bear Lake. In his rulings it is said that but few re- verses have been given by the higher courts. He has served two terms * as county coroner and for seven years has been town treasurer of Bear Lake. In all of his public offices he has acquitted himself with the greatest of honor and distinction. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the time-honored Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of the Tented Maccabees and the Grange. Al- though he does not hold membership in any church he and his wife at- tend and give their support to the Baptist church, in the various de- partments of whose work they have been most zealous.
In the year 1864 Mr. Shirtliff was united in marriage to Miss Char- lotte Snyder, of New Hudson, Michigan, her parents having been resi- (lents of Groveland, this state, during most of their lives. They became
John bo. Viall
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the parents of one child, Leo S., who was born on the 8th of February, 1879, and who died when but three years of age. Mrs. Shirtliff is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, the Daughters of Rebekah and the Ladies of the Tented Maccabees, of Bear Lake, to all of which orders she has given a mnost loyal support, holding various offices and doing much to make them substantial. Mr. and Mrs. Shirtliff hold a secure vantage ground in popular confidence and esteem and it may be said of them that the list of their personal friends is coincident with that of their acquaintances.
JOHN C. VIALL .- As one of the valued contributors to the subject- matter of this historical work John C. Viall is consistently given special recognition in the work, and, further than this, the publishers find in his career many points of definite interest as indicating his value as one of the representative citizens of northern Michigan. He is a member of a family whose name has been worthily linked with the history of Michigan for more than sixty years, and within its gracious borders he has maintained his home from his boyhood days, besides which it was his to render valiant service as a member of a Michigan regiment in the Civil war. He may consistently be designated as one of the pioneers of the city of Alpena, where he has resided for forty years and where he was long and actively identified with newspaper work, as editor and publisher of the Alpena Argus. Through the medium of his paper as well as through his personal influence along other channels he has con- tributed much to the furtherance of the best interests of the community and has ever been the exponent of progressive policies and abiding pub- lic spirit. No citizen holds more secure vantage ground in popular con- fidence and esteem in Alpena county, and none is more familiar with the elements and agencies that have compassed the upbuilding of the thriv- ing and beautiful little city in which he has so long maintained his home.
John C. Viall was born in Pittsfield, Otsego county, New York, on the 9th of March, 1842, and is a son of John C. and Sarah A. (Ballou) Viall, both likewise natives of the old Empire state, where the former was born January 2, 1815, and the latter on the 20th of December, 1822. In 1850 the family moved to Michigan and settled in the village of Pontiac. Both he and his wife continued their residence in Michgan until their death, the father having passed away in 1883 and the mother having been summoned to the life eternal on the 8th of March, 1897. John C. Viall, Sr., likewise was a loyal and gallant soldier of the Union during the climaterie period of the war between the North and South, in which he was a member of the Eighth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry. He passed the closing years of his life in Michigan, and his wife was a resident of Alpena, this state, at the time of her death. Mrs. Viall was a woman of most gracious personality and of marked literary talent, in which connection she was the author of a number of poems that are chaste in diction and beautiful in sentiment. Among these productions may be mentioned those bearing the following titles: "Let Me Sleep," "My Brother," "The Other Shore," "Lines to Madge Moore," "My Childhood," "Carrier's Address," "The American Soldier," and lines written on the presentation of a ring to her son John C. Of the six Vol. II-10
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children born to John C. and Sarah A. (Ballou) Viall, all three sons and three daughters attained to years of maturity, and of the number two sons and one daughter are now living.
John C. Viall, whose name initiates this review, gained his rudi- mentary education in the schools of his native state and supplemented this by attendance in the schools of Pontiac, Michigan. However, he was but thirteen years of age at the time when he entered upon an apprenticeship to the printer's trade, at the office of the Pontiac Jack- sonian, and he became well versed in the intricacies and mysteries of the "art preservative of all arts," the discipline of which has been well designated as equivalent to a liberal education. When the dark cloud of Civil war cast its gruesome pall over the national horizon the intrinsic patriotism of Mr. Viall prompted him to tender forthwith his services in the defense of the Union. In 1861 he enlisted as a private in the Eighth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, but he was rejected, being un- able to pass the requisite examination. His patriotic ardor was not to be thus quenched, however, as is shown by the fact that he tried to enlist in turn in each the Second Michigan Cavalry, the Third Michigan Cavalry and the Seventeenth United States Infantry, but on the same score as before he was rejected on each occasion. In February, 1865, he finally realized his ambition, in that both he and his brother Frank M. enlisted as privates.in Company D, Twenty-second Michigan Volun- teer Infantry, which they joined at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Both were later transferred to Company D, Twenty-ninth Michigan Volun- teer Infantry, and in this command they continued to serve until the elose of the war, having been mustered out at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on the 6th of September, 1865, and having duly received honorable discharge after their return to Michigan. His continued interest in the "boys in blue" who followed the old flag to victory is shown hy his membership in Horace S. Roberts Post, No. 139, Grand Army of the Republic, in Alpena. of which he is a past commander.
After the close of the war Mr. Viall returned to Pontiac, Michigan, and he continued to be employed as a journeyman at his trade until 1869, when he entered into partnership with William P. Nisbett and became one of the editors and publishers of the Pontiac Bill Poster, a weekly newspaper. In 1871 he sold his interest in the business and removed to Alpena, which was then a small village with interests con- tering principally in the lumber industry. Here he became the founder of the Alpena Argus, the first issue of which appeared on the 29th of June, 1871. In the disastrous fire that swept Alpena on July 12th of the following year his office and its entire contents were destroyed, en- tailing a total loss. He courageously and confidently faced the emer- gency and within six weeks, with an entire new equipment, had brought about the raising of the Argus from its ashes. He made the paper not only a most worthy exponent and advocate of local interests but also an effective force in connection with politieal affairs, its poliey being that of uncompromising support of the principles of the Demo- cratic party, under whose banner he has been aligned from the time of attaining to his legal majority. He retained the ownership of the Argus for nearly thirty-five years, and in 1905 sold the plant and business to
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James Collins, one of the present publishers. Mr. Viall gained reputa- tion as one of the able and successful representatives of country jour- nalism in Michigan, and his paper wielded much influence in promot- ing good governmental policies of local order and in forwarding all enterprises and measures tending to advance the general well-being of his home city and county. He is a forceful and vigorous writer and his editorial utterances have invariably bore the evidences of sincerity, civic loyalty and mature judgment. While never ambitious for public office, Mr. Viall served one year as a member of the board of aldermen of Alpena, representing in this body the old second ward, and for eleven years he was a member of the city board of education, in which connection he was the constant advocate of advanced policies and the best possible facilities.
Mr. Viall has been consistently termed the "father of Odd Fellow- ship in Alpena," and he has been an earnest and appreciative member of this fraternity, to the advancement of whose local interests he has contributed most generously. On the 3d of October, 1871, he effected the organization of Alpena Lodge, No. 170, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he was the first to be chosen its Noble Grand. The city now has two flourishing lodges, two lodges of the allied body, the Daughters of Rebekah, and also an encampment organization of the Patriarchs Militant. It was principally through Mr. Viall's zeal and determined effort that the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Alpena purchased their present fine three-story building, all of which is util- ized by the organization, whose local membership is now more than one thousand persons. He is also affiliated with Alpena Lodge, No. 199, Free and Accepted Masons; and Thunder Bay Chapter, No. 74, Royal Arch Masons. In religion Mr. and Mrs. Viall are of the Episcopalian faith.
In the city of Pontiac, Michigan, on the 7th of April, 1864, was sol- emnized the marriage of Mr. Viall to Martha M. Brown, who was born in the state of Ohio, as were also her parents, Sanford L. and Amelia C. (Moulton) Brown. The father served as a musician in the Twenty- second Michigan Volunteer Infantry in the Civil war, and remained with this command until victory had crowned the Union arms. Both he and his wife passed the closing years of their lives in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Viall became the parents of three children, namely: George W., Florence M., and Carrie M. George W. died in Alpena, February 9, 1876, aged eleven years. Florence was married to George M. Hanna in 1887, and of her four children, George V. and William E. Hanna are now living, while the mother passed away in 1904, aged thirty-six years. Carrie M., born March 2, 1876, married in 1894 Charles C. Cushman. and to them three children were born, Carryl C., Natalie C. and Gwynne, all residing in Alpena.
THOMAS CURRY .- Northern Michigan has been the home and the scene of the labors of many men who have not only led lives that should serve as an example to those who come after them but who have also been of important service to this section of the fine old Wolverine state in various avenues of public usefulness. A representative pioneer in Iosco
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county is Thomas Curry, of East Tawas, whose contribution to progress and development has ever been of the most insistent order and who was long a member of the well known firm of Curry Brothers, a prominent lumber and hotel concern in the early days. Thomas Curry was born in County Argenteuil, in the province of Quebec, Canada, on the 29th of October, 1842, and is a son of Isaiah and Abigail (Riley) Curry, both of whom are now deceased. The father was an agriculturist in Canada during the major portion of his active business career and he reared to maturity five children, namely,-John, Charles, Isaiah, Mary A. and Thomas, all of whom are deceased except Thomas, the immediate subject of this review.
Isaiah Curry, an elder brother of him to whom this sketch is dedi- cated, immigrated to Michigan in the year 1865, and Thomas joined him in the following year. They were extensive land owners, holding about eight hundred acres of splendid timber land. In 1867 they purchased a large tract of land in Tawas township, a portion of which is still owned by the subject of this sketch. Thomas Curry has already given to his children nearly five hundred acres of farm land in this section and he is still the owner of much valuable property in and adjoining East Tawas. In 1867 the Curry Brothers constructed a large hotel in Tawas City, the same being christened the "American House." In this popular hotel the traveling public found the best entertainment and the most hospitable of hosts. The American House was destroyed by fire in 1868 and in the same year they erected a hotel at Tawas City, which was much superior to the first one in every respect. Later they built the Tawas City Hotel, and this too was destroyed by the ravages of fire. During the years be- tween 1867 and 1882 the Curry Brothers lost four hotels and one dwell- ing through fire. This would be enough to dishearten any ordinary man but Isaiah and Thomas Curry plodded on and eventually success crowned their various ventures so that to-day Mr. Curry has attained a compe- tency and is now living in virtual retirement at East Tawas. In 1894 Mr. Thomas Curry, with his family, removed to one of his farms in Iosco county, where he continued to reside until 1905, in which year he established the family home in East Tawas. That Mr. Curry is eminently popular among his fellow citizens and business associates may well be seen when it is stated that for the past thirty-three years he has been incumbent of the office of director in the Michigan Agricultural Society. In politics he endorses the cause of the Republican party and while he has never had time or ambition for the honors and emoluments of public office his every effort has been exerted in behalf of good government and general prosperity. The Curry family has even been aligned as devout communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church, the established church of England, in whose faith Thomas Curry was reared and to which he continues to give a most zealous allegiance.
On the 5th of February, 1874, Mr. Curry was united in marriage to Miss Catherine J. Schneeberger, who was born at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and who is a daughter of John Schneeberger, long a representative and influential citizen of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Curry have six children, all of whom were born in Iosco county, Michigan, whose names are here entered in respective order of birth,-Charles W., Vina M., Lillie M.,
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Waldo I., Thomas V., and Johanna C. Lillie M. is now the wife of Mertal Barns, and they maintain their home at East Tawas.
The entire life of Thomas Curry has been one of industry and pro- priety. He has reared and educated a fine family and now, in his de- clining years, surrounded with plenty to supply every want and by a family of which he is justly proud, he may pass the residue of his life in comfort and contentment-a deserved reward for a most deserving man.
JOHN MARTIN WUGGAZER is one of the progressive business men of Tawas City, Iosco county, Michigan, where since 1903 he has maintained his residence, and by his straightforward line of conduct ingratiated him- self into the good favor of his fellow citizens. Mr. Wuggazer was born at Big Rapids, Michigan, on the 12th of January, 1875, and he is a son of Rev. C. L. Wuggazer, present pastor in the Lutheran church at Au- burn, Michigan. Rev. Wuggazer is a native son of Germany and he pursued his theological studies at St. Louis, Missouri, being ordained to the ministry in about the year 1870. His eloquence and sound Chris- tian teaching, as combined with inherent manliness and sterling integ- rity of character, have endeared him to the hearts of his congregation. He is possessed of a vigorous mentality and is liberal in thought and action, his every act being indicative of that broad human sympathy which is always fused in a noble personality. In 1870 was solemnized the marriage of Rev. Wuggazer, and he became the father of four sons and four daughters, of whom the following are living: Arthur, John and Martin and Lydia, who married Prof. Wendt.
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