USA > Michigan > Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens > Part 103
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On January 29, 1893, Father Zugelder was formally ordained to the priesthood by Rt. Rev. H. J. Richter, bishop of Grand Rapids, and immediately thereafter entered upon the duties of his holy office by taking charge of St. Ann's church at Cadillac, Michigan, where he labored with much zeal and acceptance for one and a half years, dur- ing which time he also attended the missions at Lake City, Jennings, Reed City, Evart and Marion, greatly building up these sev- eral congregations and strengthening them in their every line of work.
From Cadillac Father Zugelder was transferred to Provemont, Lelanaw county, about seventeen miles northwest of Traverse City, where he remained for a period of four years as pastor of St. Mary's church, in ad- dition to which he also ministered to St. Michael's parish at Suten's Bay, and St. Wencesla's church at Gill's Pier. As in his previous field of labor, his work with these parishes was eminently successful, resulting not only in great material advancement, but in a deeper and more profound spirituality among the people to whom he ministered in holy things. On July 4, 1899, Father Zu- gelder entered upon his duties as pastor of the Holy Cross church at St. James, Beaver island, since which time he has gone in and out among his parishioners sparing no ef- fort to improve their temporal and spiritual condition, and using every means at his com- mand to lead them to the higher life. A man of affable manners and pleasing address, thoroughly imbued with the spirit to under- take, and carry to completion large things for the master, the good father has endeared
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himself not only to his immediate flock, but to the people of the community, irrespective of church or creed, by all of whom he is held in the highest esteem.
Father Zugelder brought to his life work a mind well disciplined by scholastic train- ing and his ripe scholarship and indomitable labors have won for him a conspicuous place among the successful pastors of the diocese in which he now labors as well as a wide reputation as a true exemplar of Christian- ity and the Catholic faith. Thus far his ef- forts have been greatly blessed and, being in the prime of life with an enthusiasm for still greater achievements in the holy office to which his abilities and energies are being devoted, the future has in store for him a career bright and promising.
AUGUSTUS C. CARTON.
The subject of this sketch, who occupies the responsible position of agriculturist for the Tawas Sugar Company, at East Tawas, Iosco county, Michigan, was born in Gene- see county, this state, near Flint, and is the son of John and Ann (McGuire) Carton, na- tives of Ireland, who located on a farm near Flint. The subject was reared on the paternal farmstead until fourteen years of age and has always taken a deep interest in all matters pertaining to agriculture. After completing the common-school course, he at- tended the Flint high school and then took a course in the State Agricultural College at Lansing. He then engaged in teaching in Ogemaw county for three years, and then went to Greenwood, this state, and engaged in the manufacture of lumber and shingles,
buying a tract of land and erecting mills, the latter being destroyed by fire about six years later. Mr. Carton then went to Lansing and became a clerk in the office of the state land department, and was soon thereafter made a special representative of the depart- ment and put in charge of the survey of the St. Clair Flats. The courts had decided that these wet lands belonged to the state, and the survey was made necessary in order to give the squatters a title to their land and to be able to sell the unoccupied parts. The area was about nine by seven and one- half miles, required the services of a large staff of surveyors three and a half years, and cost $52,545.27, every detail of the transac- tion coming under the direct administration of the subject, who made his final report to the commissioner of the land department, Edwin A. Wilder, on November 15, 1902. Immediately upon the completion of this as- signment, Mr. Carton came to East Tawas and accepted the position with the sugar company which he now occupies. The com- pany had at that time been just organized and had invested nealy seven hundred thou- sand dollars in its plant and yards, having a capacity of five hundred tons of beets per · day. Mr. Carton advocated the colonization of this county with Russians and Germans in order to insure a proper supply of beets, and a colonization company was accordingly formed for the purpose of buying lands and selling them in small parcels to such set- tlers. The purchase contract was to run for ten years, at from twenty to twenty-five dol- lars per acre, to be paid in ten annual in- stallments in beets. About twenty-five thou- sand dollars has been invested in land near Augres, Twining and Prescott and nearly all has been resold, about eighteen families
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having been settled, and this plan will be having been born in the colony of New York followed until a sufficient number of con- in the year 1708, or twenty-four years before the birth of Washington, an exceptional per- iod of time to be covered by four generations, including our subject. tracts have been made to insure a sufficient supply of the product. The subject has un- der his charge all the details of this matter. He has contributed to the government a number of valuable articles on beet culture, which have been embodied in the annual re- ports: Mr. Carton stands high in the re- gard of his business associates and equally high in the esteem of all who have come in contact with him in any way.
In 1864 Mr. Richards came to Michigan with his parents, locating at North Branch, Lapeer county, where he received a fair edu- cation in the schools of that locality. Since that time he has been actively identified with the growth and prosperity of the state ; first as a member of the great laboring class, on the farm, in the pine lumber woods, driving logs on the Flint and Thunder Bay rivers, then scaling logs, lumbering, and for many years a land-looker and estimator, and later as politician, investor and real estate dealer.
Coming to Cheboygan county in March, 1880, Mr. Richards took up a government homestead on section 30, township 34 north, range 3 west, now Mentor township. Dur- ing the first six months here Gaylord, about twenty-five miles distant by the "toat road," was his postoffice, to which place he made twelve round trips, walking the entire way each trip. On January 3, 1881, he succeed- ed in having a postoffice established at the forks of the Sturgeon river, then a dense for- est, and not an inhabitant within one and one-half miles. He had previously induced two of his friends to join him in buying forty acres at this point for one hundred and twenty dollars, Mr. Richards borrowing the required ten dollars of one of the friends to make his first payment. He named the place Wolverine, and was appointed its first post- master. The total cancellation of stamps the first year of establishment was twenty- three dollars and forty cents, of which amount forty per cent., or nine dollars and
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Mr. Carton married, at Lansing, this state, Miss Grace Hazelton, of that place, and the daughter of Elias Hazelton, of the Hazelton Furnace Company, of Lansing. The subject's brother, Hon. John J. Carton, was speaker of the lower house of the state legislature for two terms, 1901-3.
HON. GEORGE D. RICHARDS.
Starting out in the world without a dol- lar, or the assistance of influential friends, and now standing as one of the leading and influential citizens of his section of the state, Hon. George D. Richards, of Wolverine, Cheboygan county, Michigan, is certainly entitled to representation in a volume de- voted to the progressive men of northern Michigan. Mr. Richards was born Decem- ber 7, 1855, in Yarmouth, Elgin county, On- tario, and was a son of the late George W. and Margaret (Widner) Richards, of Cliff- ord, Lapeer county, Michigan. The former was also born in Ontario, of German-Amer- ican parents; and the latter in New Jersey, a descendant of the early settlers of the east- ern states, her grandfather, John Mitchell,
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thirty-six cents, was paid to "Uncle Sam," for the privilege of carrying the mail once a week from Littlefield, Emmet county, twelve and one-half miles distant. In ex- planation, the office was established as a special, and under this class the postmaster guaranteed to carry the mail to and from his office at least once a week, and the forty per cent. mentioned was set aside to pay the carrier. In case no one would do the work for the price named, the postmaster must perform the work without com- pensation, which Mr. Richards was obliged to do, or lose the office. No contributions from the patrons was ever asked for, or received, as is usually done in such cases. Mr. Richards held the postmas- tership for nearly six years, or until Cleve- land, during his first term, made such a clean sweep of Republicans from nearly all post- offices. ,
The J., L. & S. Railroad was construct- ed through Wolverine in November, 1881, and Mr. Richards found this a valued assist- ance in inducing settlers to locate. In 1887- 8 he had charge of the Guelph Patent Cask Company's lumbering operations at Wolver- ine. Since that he has devoted much time as a land-looker and estimator of timber, working by the day for the J., L. & S. Rail- road Company, Palm's estate, Allan Shel- don and various other parties. During the past twenty years he has sold an immense amount of timbered lands to mill men, lum- bermen and farmers, having in 1899 sold over thirty-three thousand acres. Of this amount over fifteen thousand acres of rail- road lands was sold to J. A. Haak & Sons (now the Haak Lumber Company). He also sold other large tracts to the Haak peo- ple the same year. During his many years
of land-looking, or cruising, he became very familiar with much of the country for many miles each side of the railroad between West Branch and Mackinaw City, a distance of one hundred and twenty-five miles. With his naturally good memory of locality, and accuracy of work, he became as it were a ready encyclopedia of a vast territory, and was always willing to impart to others this valuable knowledge, without remuneration, and many times not even thanks. His good judgment of timber values and unquestioned reliability caused his services to be in great demand in all parts of northern Michigan. As an instance of the confidence imposed in his right doing and honor, J. A. Haak & Sons and Heywood Bros. & Wakefield Com- pany, of Chicago, although total strangers to him in 1899, delegated to Mr. Richards almost the entire selection of the thousands of acres of land they purchased, knowing that he was the agent of the sellers, and ex- pected a commission from the sales. No compensation whatever was paid him by the purchasers, or desired from them by Mr. Richards for his valuable services.
He has platted several additions to Wol- verine in association with other gentlemen and individually, and still owns about one thousand six hundred acres of land in Che- boygan and Emmet counties, some of which he is now turning into fine fields and beauti- ful parks in the village limits. He had charge of the original plat survey of Wol- verine, and has been an eye witness to all the transformations from a virgin forest to this now thriving, progressive and beauti- ful little town.
Mr. Richards has taken a deep interest in public and political affairs, representing his town and county at many conventions, in-
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cluding county, representative, senatorial, law, from which he patterned. He was also county road commissioner for two terms, and in 1882 helped organize the Wolverine school district and was its first moderator, having also for fifteen years since then been a member of the school board, and its di- rector for eleven years. Fraternally, he is a Knight of Pythias, Woodman of .the World and a Gleaner, and takes an active interest in all worthy movements. judicial, congressional and National League conventions. He was elected to represent Cheboygan county in the state legislature of 1903-4 (his nomination coming to him un- asked and unlooked for), rendering therein a service thoroughly satisfactory to the great majority of his constituents regardless of party. As a member of the house he intro- duced several important bills, one being for the erection of a monument at Mackinaw City, on the site of old Fort Michilimack- inac in commemoration of the terrible mas- sacre of its entire garrison by the Indians in 1767. Another, a substitute bill to take the place of a soldiers' monument bill, and a capitol annex bill, the substitute providing for a memorial building to be erected in front of the capitol at Lansing, and south of the United States postoffice. These measures met with much favor generally, , only children and sons taken by the hostile but they were not pressed as a matter of state economy. Mr. Richards is a strong tem- perance man, and this good trait of charac- ter caused him to introduce a dispensary bill (not to try for its passage at present, but to get the idea before the people), wiping out every saloon and drinking place in Mich- igan, the license problem and the treating curse all at one blow; and throwing the en- tire business of dispensing intoxicants into the hands of the state, with all net profits to go directly back to the municipality and county where sold. Dispensaries to be run like a postoffice, pure liquors to be sold in sealed packages, with no drinking on the premises. No such measure had ever been introduced in Michigan, and probably not in any other northern state. South Caro- lina has a dispensary law, but Mr. Richards' measure made many improvements over this
On July II, 1881, Mr. Richards mar- ried Miss Susie Casler, of North Branch, Michigan, who was born in Ailsa Craig, " Ontario, July 10, 1860. Mrs. Richards' an- cestors were also from York state, and her great-great-grandparents on her father's side were residents there during the Revolu- tion. The battle of Schell's Bush was fought on their farm, and the old people were sur- prised, killed and scalped, and their two Indians and kept many years, until finally piloted back to near their old home by a friendly Indian. To Mr. and Mrs. Richards. have been born nine children. Eight are still living-five boys and three girls, the eldest two of whom, Floyd and Ella, are at- tending Olivet College. Their home in Wol- verine is a modest one, showing many signs of good housekeeping and a generous expen- diture for musical instruments, a well se- lected library, and current literature for all ages, and is characterized by a generous and gracious hospitality which has made it pop- ular for old and young. Mr. Richards' aim is to give his large and interesting family of children a good education, and training along the lines that they are seemingly best adapted to, let it be mechanical, literary, scientific or musical, he fully believing that to clothe their minds with these lasting and
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now so essential acquirements is far better than to leave for them, or place at their dis- posal, money or any other transitory inher- itance. Mr. Richards is not a member of any church, but is a church goer, and fully appreciates and believes in the great good they do. He is ever conscious of the gra- ciousness of the Supreme Ruler, to whom he is always thankful for life and its many blessings.
JOHN HOEFT, JR.
A very large proportion of the popula- tion of the United States are of German de-' scent, and wherever found they are charac- terized by the industry, patience, intelli- gence, morality and sturdiness for which the German nation is noted.
Among the enterprising and progressive citizens of Presque Isle county, Michigan, none stand higher in the public regard than does John. Hoeft, Jr., who is efficiently fill- ing the office of county treasurer. Mr. Hoeft was born at Detroit, this state, and was given the advantage of attendance at the public schools, including one year in the high school. He then entered the Detroit Business College, from which he was grad- uated, and thus started out into life well equipped for a business career. He came to Presque Isle county in 1892 and for sev- eral years was engaged in teaching school, giving also some attention to farming, in both of which callings he was reasonably successful. He then accepted the position of deputy register of deeds, for three years. He then engaged in the general abstract business, but two years later. he was placed
in nomination for the responsible position of county treasurer, and at the ensuing election carried the county by a large majority against a strong competitor and a fusion ticket. He entered the office with the good wishes of his many friends and has not in the least disappointed them in his method of handling the affairs of the office. He possesses marked business and executive ability and a courteous bearing toward all who have dealings with him, so that he has continually won friends in this position. A stanch Republican, he has frequently been a delegate to party conventions and stands high in the councils of his party. He was also at one time township clerk of Belknap township, serving three years, and has a wide acquaintance throughout the county. He owns a good farm in Belknap township, which he keeps in the best possible condition and which is a source of considerable income to him. Fraternally Mr. Hoeft is a member of the German Aid Society and the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Hoeft married Miss Carrie Jacobs, of Belknap township, Presque Isle county, and they reside in a comfortable and pleas- ant home in this city, which is the center of a large and appreciative social circle. Be- cause of his genuine worth Mr. Hoeft enjoys the high regard of all who know him.
TAWAS SUGAR COMPANY.
The Tawas Sugar Company, located at Fast Tawas, Iosco county, Michigan, was incorporated in 1902, with a capital of five hundred thousand dollars, which has since been increased to seven hundred and fifty
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thousand dollars. The officers and directors of the company are as follows: W. L. Churchill, president and general manager; C. W. Orton, assistant manager; C. W. Luce, vice-president ; C. Bewick, vice-presi- dent; C. B. Warren, treasurer; Eugene Fi- field, secretary; directors, W. L. Churchill, C. B. Warren, H. D. Churchill, Eugene Fi- field, C. W. Luce, C. Bewick, G. A. Prescott, E. F. Loud and J. H. Walsh.
The mammoth buildings making up the sugar plant are several in number, some very large ones, others smaller. They are made of brick and concrete, and the framework throughout is of steel. The Kilby Manufac- turing Company, of New York, had the con- tracts for putting in the entire plant, and W. J. Spear, of Toledo, Ohio, subcontracted with them for the brick work, etc. The buildings are said to be the most substantial, complete and up-to-date of any sugar fac- tory in the state and have a capacity of about five hundred tons of beets per day, the cost of the plant and yards being nearly seven hundred thousand dollars.
HON. JAMES E. HOLCOMB.
The subject of this sketch, whose death occurred on the 4th day of September, 1901, will long be remembered by the citizens of Wolverine, Cheboygan county, Michigan, as one of her leading and representative citi- zens during his residence here, he having exerted a marked and salutary influence on the growth and prosperity of this now thriv- ing village. Mr. Holcomb was born near Johnstown, Fulton county, New York, on July 17, 1831, and early in life was deprived of the care and attention of parents, his fa-
ther dying when he was but seven years old and his mother four years later. He was thus early thrown upon his own resources, but succeeded in overcoming all obstacles in his pathway and eventually attained to a position not only of comparative wealth, but also of influence. His early school privi- leges were necessarily somewhat limited, but he diligently improved every opportunity to add to his fund of knowledge and during his active mature years was considered a man of ripe and accurate information on all gen- eral topics. Upon attaining mature years he was engaged in various occupations and at length went to Cleveland, Ohio, where for ten years he was engaged in the real estate business. In 1884 he came to Wolverine and at once engaged in the lumber business, buying and selling timber lands, and in many cases cutting the timber off and selling the cleared land to settlers. He was enthusias- tic as to the future prospects of this locality and did much to encourage and induce peo- ple to locate here, spending much time and money in advertising the resources and pos- sibilities of the region. He became pos- sessed of several fine farms and several val- uable pieces of town property, which he owned at the time of his death. An ardent Democrat in politics, he took an active in- terest in public affairs and represented the twenty-seventh senatorial district in the state senate in 1891-2. He had also been supervisor of his township for several years, giving at all times the same close and con- scientious attention to public interests that he did to his own, and thus earning the grateful appreciation of his fellow citizens. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, having joined that order when lie was twenty-one years old.
Mr. Holcomb married Miss Emma
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Beebe, who now resides at Wolverine. The children of the family are as follows, the first three named having been born to a pre- vious marriage : Anna B. died in 1902, at the age of forty-five years; Burton J., of Detroit, is a traveling salesman for the East- man Kodak Company; Carrie M. is the wife of H. J. Anthony, of Gloversville, New York; John K. (the only child born to this union) resides in Wolverine, where he was born. In all lines of endeavor Mr. Hol- comb's efforts were characterized by fidelity and the strictest honesty, and he gave an earnest and effective support to every move- ment that promised to benefit the commun- ity. He stood high in the regard of those who knew him and his memory will long be valued because of what he was and for what he accomplished.
WILLIAM READ.
One of the practical, progressive and enterprising agriculturists of Missaukee county, Michigan, is William Read, who owns a beautiful and highly cultivated farm in section 3, Caldwell township. He is a na- tive of the state of Michigan, having first seen the light of day near Grand Rapids, Kent county, on the 3d day of September, 1853. His parents were William and Mary (Marlow) Read, who were both natives of England. Their deaths occurred in Green Oak township, Livingston county, this state. Of their eleven children the subject of this sketch was the ninth in order of birth. When the latter was about ten years of age his parents removed from' Kent county to Livingston county and settled on a farm in
Green Oak township, where the subject con- tinued to make his home until 1880. In the meantime he had been given the benefit of at- tendance at the common schools and eagerly availed himself of the opportunity thus af- forded. His education did not stop with the close of his school days, as he has even been a close reader, a keen observer of men and events and is today considered a well-in- formed man. In January, 1880, Mr. Read came to Missaukee county and bought eighty acres of land in section 3, Caldwell township. He has since increased his hold- ings to one hundred and sixty acres and has cleared and put in cultivation about fifty acres, the place ranking with the best in the township in point of excellence of im- provements and quality of product. Mr. Read has excellent buildings on the place and gives attention to every detail of the enterprise, thus insuring a satisfactory re- turn for his labor. All the grains and vege- tables suitable to the soil and climate are raised here, and Mr. Read also keeps some excellent live stock and has on the place an excellent orchard. Mr. and Mrs. Read have been residents here continuously since 1880, with the exception of a period of eight years during which time Mr. Read was engaged in the mercantile business at McBain, this county. Aside from that, he has followed agricultural pursuits ever since attaining mature years.
On April 17, 1878, Mr. Read wedded Miss Sarah Hughston, who was born in Ly- ons township, Oakland county, Michigan, on November 21, 1859, the daughter of James and Jane (Case) Hughston. Her parents were natives of New York state and both died in Michigan, the father in Oakland county and the mother in McBain, Missau-
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kee county. Of their four children, Mrs. Read is the youngest. Mr. Read has occu- pied an influential position in local public affairs and has been honored with several official positions, having served as clerk of the township, highway commissioner, and was appointed supervisor of the township to fill a vacancy, serving in that capacity for several years. He also served as school in- spector of fractional district No. 2. In reli- gion Mr. and Mrs. Read are connected with the Methodist Episcopal church and render' a hearty support to all movements of a be- nevolent or charitable nature, being highly esteemed in the community for their sterling integrity and uprightness of character.
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