Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 101

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 966

USA > Michigan > Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens > Part 101

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The village of Alpena did not at that time give much promise of its future greatness, but in the winter of 1858-9 the place received an impetus through the inauguration of lum- bering operations by Archibald & Murray, who took a contract to put into the river one million feet of logs for Lockwood & Minor. The first log was scaled and the first cargo measured by E. K. Potter, the first log hav- ing been cut by Samuel Boggs. The first cargo left Alpena in the late summer of 1859. In the latter year a steam saw-mill was erected and put into operation here by Smith & Chamberlain, following which, among the earlier enterprises, may be men- tioned the Lockwood & Minor saw-mill, the Lester mill, the Oldfield mill, the Harring- ton steam saw-mill, the B. H. Campbell & Company steam mill, the H. Broadwell water mill, five miles up the river, while two miles above the latter was a water mill owned by J. Trowbridge & Brothers, who also had a

The first newspaper established in the county was the Thunder Bay Monitor, its name being afterwards changed to the Pio- neer, and was Republican in politics. In 1871 the Weekly Argus was started, being of the opposite political faith. Among other noteworthy happenings of that year may be mentioned the establishment of an Odd Fel- lows lodge, the arrival of the propeller "We- nona" on her maiden trip, and the erection of the first brick business block, that of Bol- ton & McRae.

On the 12th of July, 1872, occurred a disastrous fire, which burned over fifteen acres in the business part of the city, entail- ing a loss of one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. With characteristic en- ergy rebuilding was at once commenced, the new buildings being of more substantial ma- terial than those destroyed.

The first Baptist church was organized here on October 25, 1867, with Rev. F. N. Barlow as first pastor. St. Barnard's Cath- olic church was established May 11, 1869, though for the two years preceding it had been under the charge of Rev. P. B. Murray

778

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF

as a mission. The first Episcopal society was . Company, in the same state, and subse- organized February 1, 1865, and Rev. G. O. quently became assistant superintendent of Bachman officiated at the first service. The Congregationalists organized here in the summer of 1860 and the first pastor was Rev. C. G. Bisbee. The first Methodist so- ciety here organized April 7, 1867. Besides these mentioned there are a number of other religious denominations, all seemingly in a flourishing condition and a credit and bene- fit to the community.

The city of Alpena is finely situated on Thunder bay and is divided by the river, the latter fact affording unusually good dockage facilities. The city lies low, though there is sufficient raise to provide for good drainage, and easily impresses visitors with its desira- bility as a place of either residence or busi- ness investment.

J. P. HUGHES.

The subject of this sketch, who is the efficient and popular superintendent of the Alpena Portland Cement Works, at Alpena, this state, is a native of Greenwich, New York, and is the son of Henry and Ann (Rafferty) Hughes, both natives of county Down, Ireland, who removed to Glens Falls, New York, in 1848. . Mr. Hughes was reared in his native state and received there a good education in the public schools, re- siding in his native state for forty years. He early became identified with the Glens Falls Cement Company, with whom he re- mained for ten years, during which time he became familiar with every detail of the manufacture of cement. He then became engaged with the Cayuga Lake Cement

the Hecla Portland Cement Company, at Bay City, Michigan, remaining in this posi- tion for fifteen months, and during that time completing the construction of the plant. In 1904 Mr. Hughes came to Alpena and assumed the superintendency of the Alpena Portland Cement Company's plant, in which position he has evinced qualities of the high- est order tending to increase the efficiency and productive capacity of the plant. He possesses good business and executive ability and stands high in the regard of the stock- holders of the company with which he is connected. In subsequent paragraphs will be found a brief description of the plant, which is considered one of the best works of the kind in northern Michigan.

Mr. Hughes married Miss Bertha Allen, of Saratoga county, New York, and to them have been born two children, Dorothy and James Francis. Fraternally the subject is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of Hiber- nians and the Knights of Columbus, while his religious affiliation is with St. Bernard's Catholic church at Alpena. Though a resi- dent of Alpena but a comparatively short time, Mr. Hughes has already won a warm place in the hearts of his acquaintances, who have not been slow to recognize his sterling qualities and ability.

The Alpena Portland Cement Company was organized in 1900 and the mammoth plant was erected the same year. The pres- ent officers of the company are Patrick Culli- gan, president; C. R. Reynolds, vice-presi- dent; John Monaghan, secretary; W. H. Johnson, treasurer, and J. P. Hughes, super- intendent. The plant as originally con-

779

NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

structed consisted of but six kilns, and was intended as a marl plant, but was subse- quently changed to stone, under the wet pro- cess. In 1903-4 it was changed to the dry · process and the capacity increased to thirty- eight thousand barrels per month. The buildings are substantially constructed and are complete in every particular for the pur- pose intended. The raw material building is two hundred by one hundred and five feet in size, built of stone; the finishing room, one hundred and seventy by one hundred and five feet; drying department, sixty by one hundred and ten feet; clay shed, three hun- dred by one hundred feet; stock house, two hundred and four by one hundred and two feet, besides which there are shops, round house, cooper shop, store house, laboratory and the office, all fitted with the most up-to- date machinery and conveniences for the successful manufacture and handling of the product. The company owns two hundred acres of land, and a railway seven miles long connects the works with a clay bed, where the company owns several sections of land, including marl beds, clay and natural cement rock. Altogether the plant gives employ- ment to about one hundred and sixty men. The stone and clay deposits are practically inexhaustible, while the mill is in charge of men of large experience, who know the im- portance of great care and vigilance in every part of the process of manufacture. The company's shipping facilities are unsur- passed, as, located as they are on Thunder bay, with a depth of water sufficient to ac- commodate large steamers, they can reach all the cities on the Great Lakes by water freights.

The raw materials for manufacturing Portland cement are nowhere found in the

correct proportions of lime, silica, alumina, iron and sulphate of lime, of which it is com- posed. It is only by careful selection and in- timate mixing of materials found in nature containing the necessary properties that the highest grade of Portland cement can be made. The pure coraline limestone and clay shales found in abundance in Alpena county are peculiarly adapted to the production of the highest grade of cement, and for this reason, as well as the guidance of a master hand in their manipulation, that the Alpena cement has attained the high reputation ac- corded it by all competent to judge.

ARTHUR E. DEVINE.

The subject of this sketch, who enjoys a good standing at the bar of Presque Isle county, Michigan, having his residence in the busy little city of Onaway, is a native of this state, having been born in Lexington, Sanilac county, where he was reared under the parental roof and where he received a good education in the public schools. His father, John Devine, was a prominent lawyer of Lexington, having located there in 1840. He was a delegate to the consti- tutional convention of 1867 to revise the constitution of the state of Michigan and was prosecuting attorney for many years of Sanilac county, and was a Republican in politics. His death occurred on June 6, 1892. Upon attaining mature years the sub- ject pursued a course in Albion College and then decided to make law his life study and to this end entered the office of his father and diligently studied Blackstone, Kent and other standard authorities, being admitted

780

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF

to the bar in 1893. He at once engaged ac- tively in the practice there and was so en- gaged until 1901, when he removed to Ona- way and has since then been among the ac- tive and successful attorneys of the city. He has been connected with many of the princi- pal cases tried here and has won a well-de- served reputation as a safe and reliable coun- selor, enjoying a large and representative clientage. While in Sanilac county he served two terms as circuit court commissioner and in 1905 he was elected circuit court commis- sioner in Presque Isle county. Application and intuitive wisdom and determination fully to utilize the means at hand, are the concomitants which have largely contributed to his success in his chosen profession and he is readily accorded by his professional confreres a high standing for his ability and uprightness of character. Fraternally Mr. Devine is a member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows and takes an active in- terest in the welfare of this beneficent order. By reason of his courteous manners, genial disposition and genuine worth, he has gained the warm friendship of all who know him.

CAPT. SAMUEL S. TOWER.

A faithful soldier in his country's de- fense during her direst hour of need, subse- quently taking an equally deep interest in the country's welfare during the years of peace, and now standing high in the regard of all who know him, Capt. Samuel S. Tower, of Onaway, Presque Isle county, Michigan, is deserving of mention in this volume. Capt. Tower is a native of Michigan, having been born on a farm in Oakland county on the

6th day of May, 1841, and is the son of Samuel S. and Emily (Chapman) Tower. His maternal grandfather was William Chapman, who came to Michigan from Pennsylvania in an early day. The father, Samuel S. Tower, came to Michigan in 1825, being one of the pioneer settlers of Oakland county.

The subject spent his youthful years un- der the parental roof and received a good education in the common schools. At the age of seventeen years he went to Linden, Genesee county, this state, and apprenticed himself to learn the blacksmith and carriage- ironing trade, but his engagement there was abruptly terminated by President Lincoln's call for troops to suppress the southern re- bellion. On October 24, 1861, Mr. Tower enlisted as a private in Company A, Tenth Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, with which he served continuously until the close of the conflict, in August, 1865. He was in the Western Army and took part in the battles of Corinth, Stone River, Chatta- nooga, Mission Ridge, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and all the engagements incident to the march to the sea, marching through every rebel state east of the Mississippi excepting Florida. Going into the service as a private, he was promoted through all the grades un- til at the time of his discharge he was captain of his company. Upon returning to the pursuits of peace Capt. Tower settled at Lin- den, and for twenty-two years he followed his trade of blacksmith. Going then to Cole- man, Midland county, this state, he there en- gaged in the hardware business and con- tracting and building, at which he was suc- cessful, and in 1897 he came to Onaway and here engaged in the building and contract- ing, erecting a number of the most substan-

781

NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

tial structures here. He also bought and platted eighty acres into one-acre lots, sell- ing them all. In 1900, upon his election to the office of justice of the peace, he withdrew from his former business and has since that time given his undivided attention to his offi- cial duties. He proved an efficient and capa- ble official and in 1903 was re-elected and is still filling this position. He has also held other official positions, having been town- ship supervisor, a member of the common council for four years, and has been a mem- ber of the school board for six years, being now the president of that body. Fraternally the subject is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Knight of the Maccabees, also belonging to the Grand Army of the Republic.

Capt. Tower married Miss Sarah Bige- low, of Livingston county, Michigan, and to them were born the following children : El- len May was a graduate of Grace Hospital Training School at Detroit and at the incep- tion of the Spanish-American war, at the call of Governor Pingree, she offered her serv- ices as a nurse. She went to Montauk Point, New York, in September, 1898, and shortly afterward proceeded to Porto Rico, where she soon afterward contracted typhoid fe- ver, which resulted in her death at Ponce in. the following December. The remains were brought back to the United States, in- terment, with miltary honors, being made at Byron. The postoffice of Tower, on the Detroit & Mackinac Railroad, was subse- quently named in her honor. The other children by this union are Minnie C., Sabra S., Lura B. and Howard S. The last named enlisted in December, 1903, in Company K, Fourth United States Infantry, and is now serving in the Philippines. His first wife dying, Capt. Tower subsequently married

Miss Marion J. Lamoreaux and they have two children, Claude W., who is a bookkeep- er at Petoskey, and Nettie O., who gradu- ated at the Onaway high school and the Michigan Normal School and is now a teacher of mathematics in the Onaway schools.

EDGAR A. CRANDALL.

Among the best known and most popu- lar public officials of Iosco county, Michigan, is he whose name heads this brief article. Mr. Crandall, who has his home at Tawas City, is at present the efficient register of deeds of the county. He is a native of this city and is the son of Edward C. Crandall, who located here in 1870 and for many years operated a planing and shingle mill, and also ran a grocery and to some extent was engaged in the building business. The subject of this sketch received his educa- tion in the schools of this city, graduating at the high school. Upon attaining mature years he became connected with the Detroit & Mackinac Railroad, in the operating de- partment, with whom he remained until the fall of 1899. In 1900 he was elected to the office of register of deeds of Iosco county. So satisfactory were his services, that he has twice been elected to succeed himself, and is the present incumbent of this office. In 1901 Mr. Crandall was elected clerk of Tawas City, serving during the ensuing three years and giving a satisfactory admin- istration. He ever endeavors to give the patrons of his office the very best service possible and has constantly gained friends as a result. In politics Mr. Crandall is a stanch Republican and takes a keen interest in the

782

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF

success of his party ticket. His fraternal relations are with the Free and Accepted Masons.

Mr. Crandall married Miss Mabel A. Murchison, the daughter of Norman Mur- chison, a successful farmer of-Tawas town- ship, this county, and to them have been born two children, Ebert D. and Harold W. In his business relations Mr. Crandall keeps in accord with the ethics of life and the correct- ness of his motives has never been ques- tioned by those with whom he has had any dealings.

RICHARD H. WOOD, M. D.

Among the successful and popular physi- cians of northern Michigan, Dr. Richard H. Wood, of Twining, Arenac county, is worthy of mention. Dr. Wood was born in Flint, Genesee county, Michigan, in 1853, and is the son of Thomas P. and Paulina (Hulbert) Wood, the former a native of Avon, New York, who settled in Genesee county, Michigan, in 1836, and the latter born in Bloomfield, New York. Besides the subject, these parents had the following chil- dren: W. H. S., who is a lawyer at How- ell, this state; A. G., a farmer at Goodrich, this state; Hon. E. O., a prominent business and Democratic politician of Flint, this state ; Mrs. M. A. Allen, a teacher at Flint. The Woods and Hulberts are both pioneer New England families, both names appearing in Revolutionary war annals. The subject of this sketch was educated in his native county, after which he studied medicine for four years. He began the practice in 1878, be- ing located at points in Iowa and South Da- kota, and was then for four years at Clio

and six years at Montrose, Genesee county, this state. He served for one year as chief clerk in the department of instruction at Lan- sing and for one year was assistant superin- tendent in the State Industrial School. He has always taken an active interest in his profession, and is a member of the Genesee County Medical Society, the State Medical Society and the American Medical Associa- tion. He has been more than ordinarily successful in practice and has a high stand- ing among his professional confreres, as well as the confidence of the public.

Aside from his profession, the Doctor also takes a deep interest in agricultural mat- ters, being special correspondent for several standard farm journals and has done experi- mental work for the government. As a writer upon both medical and agricultural topics he is widely known throughout the United States and Canada. In agricultural work his special department has been live stock, and he has backed up his theories by practical operations, having given special attention to Berkshire and Essex swine, Brit- tainy cattle and fancy poultry. He is the originator of the new strain of swine known as the Black Arenacs. In poultry he has the choicest collection of game fowls in the world.

The Doctor does not mix much in poli- tics, and yet is a close and careful student of political economy and sociological problems, holding decided views on all public issues. He was the first man in Genesee county to raise the Pingree banner and aims ever to stand for the right regardless of party lines. He belongs to a number of leading fraternal orders and is popular with all who come in contact with him.

In 1874 Dr. Wood married Miss Eleanor

783

NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

Riddle, of Genesee county, this state, and to them have been born two children, Nora Fern Wood, the well-known artist, and Thomas Carlyle Wood, who is connected with the Chicago Inter-Ocean. Mrs. Wood is the daughter of J. M. and Caroline (Hay- den) Riddle, both from the Western Re- serve, in Ohio, and who settled in Genesee county, this state, in 1837. The mother was born, however, at Plymouth, Massachusetts. In all things affecting the welfare of his com- munity, Dr. Wood takes a keen interest and because of his sturdy character and his right course of living, he is eminently deserving the high position he now occupies in popular esteem.

CEPHAS BUTTLES.

One of the leaders in agricultural and stock-raising circles in northern Michigan is Cephas Buttles, who, as president and gen- eral manager of the Michigan Home Colony Company, has also to a very large extent influenced the settlement of many of the now valuable farms in this county. Mr. Buttles is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was given the advantage of a good common- school education. Mr. Buttles was for many years engaged in traveling over a number of the western states,-including the Dakotas, Iowa and Nebraska, and during nearly. all his active career has handled real estate, at times in immense quantities. In Hancock county, Iowa, he established a large stock and grain ranch, which he operated for sev- enteen years with fair success, but becoming impressed with the luxuriant grasses and consequent wonderful advantages for stock,

fruit and grain offered in northern Michi- gan, he bought twelve hundred acres of stump land near Lewiston, Montmorency county, and at once entered upon its im- provement. He erected a fine modern house, containing the best of improvements, includ- ing furnace and bath, a fine barn and other necessary buildings for the protection of the farm stock and products. He has here the very highest pure-bred stock obtainable, in- cluding Aberdeen Angus cattle, Oxford Down sheep, Poland-China hogs, black tur- keys, Pekin ducks and Buff Leghorn chick- ens, and is a firm believer in the principle that it is a mistake to keep anything but the best. Owing to the splendid quality of the grasses here, the pure water and the absence of pests, the stock thrives here much better than in Iowa, and Mr. Buttles has no hesita- tion in saying that, with the exception of corn, this is a superior country in every re- spect for stock raising. He has also set out on his place a large number of fine fruit trees, including apples, pears, plums, cher- ries and peaches, and says he does not in- tend to stop until he has ten thousand apple trees alone. Such enterprise is certainly commendable and is an example worthy of emulation by others in this favored section of the state.

In the organization of the Michigan Home Colony Company Mr. Buttles was the prime mover and guiding spirit and through the instrumentality of this com- pany hundreds of settlers have been induced to locate in this community and are now numbered among the best and most pros- perous residents of the county. The com- pany was organized in 1901, with a capital stock of sixty thousand dollars, the present officers being Cephas Buttles, president ; C.

784

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF

W. Comstock, vice-president; C. A. A. Mc- tor and publisher of the Reed City Clarion. Gee, secretary, and Otto W. Kloehn, treas- He is a veteran of the Civil war, is one of the leaders in the ranks of the Republican party in Michigan and enjoys high prestige as a newspaper man and as a loyal and pub- lic-spirited citizen, while under the familiar sobriquet of "Ren." he is well known throughout the state, while it may well be said that he has gathered about him hosts of friends, though he never fails to show the courage of his convictions-and they are ever well fortified-and has the aggres- siveness of the distinct individuality which so clearly indicates the man. In this con- nection we can not, perhaps, do better than to incorporate, with slight metaphrase, a biographical sketch of our subject which has been previously published and which covers the more salient points in his inter- esting and prolific career : urer. The company owns or controls fifty thousand acres of choice land in Montmor- ency and Oscoda counties, located in the hardwood belt and only recently thrown open to settlers, the land having been de- nuded of timber by the land companies which formerly owned the land. The same conditions which have so favorably im- pressed Mr. Buttles regarding his own prop- erty likewise prevail on these lands and they are being rapidly developed into the choicest farms in this locality. The question of rais- ing clover seed for a profit cannot be put too strongly, as the threshers' records will show that in no instance did a farmer thresh less than six bushels to the acre, and from that to as high as thirteen bushels, and sells in the market from six dollars and fifty cents to_eight dollars and fifty cents per bushel. The proposition is so strong that the major- ity of the people in this locality are taking to it, and it is certainly proving very profitable. Besides this this is one of the few spots in the United States where field peas can be grown to a perfection. The settlers come largely from Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio, being as a rule a sturdy and intelli- gent class of farmers. Mr. Buttles is justi- fiably proud of his success in this line and sees a bright future in store for those who may yet locate here.

LORENZO A. BARKER.

One of the honored and unique figures of northern Michigan is he whose name initiates this paragraph and who is the edi-

"Lorenzo A. Barker, the present editor and proprietor of the Reed City Clarion, was born in Naples, Ontario county, New York, on the 16th day of August, 1839. Early in the 'forties he removed with his parents to the town of Italy, in Yates county, New York, where the nickname of 'Ren.' was given him,-a name which has since stuck to him 'closer than a brother.' In 1853 another transfer was made, to Bat- tle Creek, Michigan, and after a year de- voted to tilling the willing soil in that local- ity, he entered, in 1854, the office of the Battle Creek Journal, where he acquired a thorough knowledge of the art of printing and also of Whig doctrines, under the tui- tion and instruction of the late Walter W. Woolnough, who was a thorough printer and an uncompromising advocate of the principles of the Whig party. 'Ren.' was seventeen years old when the Republican

REN BARKER.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 101

Author: Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 966

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 966