USA > Michigan > Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens > Part 20
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In 1892 Mr. Goldstick was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Warshofsky, daughter of Moses Warshofsky, a native of Russia and a traveling salesman. To the subject and his wife have been born four children, namely : Sadie, Bessie, Esther and Vera. In politics Mr. Goldstick is a Re- publican, but, though taking an active in- terest in public affairs, he has not been a seeker after office nor has he consented to accept any public office. His fraternal af- filiations are with the Knights of the Macca- bees and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. Starting out in the world without the aid of money or the influence of friends, Mr. Goldstick's subsequent success has indeed been very gratifying and evinces not only the possibilities of this free country of ours, but also shows what can be accomplished by a young man of energy and force of character
in the face of apparently insurmountable ob- jects. He has been remarkably fortunate in his every undertaking, and from his hun- ble beginning has gradually risen step by step in spite of discouragement until now he occupies an enviable position among Antrim county's men of affairs.
CHARLES S. GUILE.
The gentleman whose name introduces this review ranks with the leading lawyers of northern Michigan and enjoys worthy prestige at a bar noted throughout the state for the high order of its talent. He also takes precedence among the enterprising citizens of Bellaire and Antrim county, being energetic and enterprising in all the terms imply, and for a number of years his name has been intimately associated with every progressive measure for the material ad- vancement, social improvement and moral welfare of the community honored by his citizenship.
Charles S. Guile, member of the law firm of Leavitt & Guile, was born on a farm in Ingham county, Michigan, on Novem- ber 1, 1857, being the son of Benjamin and Ellen (Rathbun) Guile, natives of New York and Ohio, respectively. Benjamin Guile left the state of his nativity many years ago and came to Michigan during the pioneer period, settling in what is now Ing- ham county when that part of the state was an unbroken wilderness, in possession of the red men. At the time of his arrival Detroit was still the territorial capital and where the flourishing city of Lansing now stands was a dense woods, into the deep and gloomy re-
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cesses of which but few white men had ever penetrated. Mr. Guile was a typical repre- sentative of the sturdy, fearless, self-reliant pioneers of the period in which he lived, and acted his part, and to such men as he is the . commonwealth of Michigan largely in- debted for its material growth and pros- perity and for the proud position it occupies among its sister states of the Union. He was a man of great energy and industry, and labored long and incessantly to clear a farm and make a home for those depend- ent upon him, and after performing his life work in a manner becoming the true citizen of a great republic, still lives on the farm which he cleared and improved.
Charles S. Guile spent his childhood and youth on his father's farm and grew to the stature of well-rounded young manhood, with the fact ever before him of industry being a virtue and idleness a disgrace. He early took his place in the fields and under the rugged, but wholesome discipline of out- door life developed a strong and vigorous physique, at the same time learning the les- sons of industry and self reliance which had so much to do in forming his character and determining his future course of conduct. At the proper age he entered the district school near his home and after attending the same of winter months until finishing the common branches, became a student of the Mason high school, where in due time he was fitted for subsequent training in the Michi- gan Agricultural College, from which he was graduated in the year 1879. While prosecuting his studies in the latter institu- tion, Mr. Guile devoted some of his vaca- tions to teaching in the public schools of his native county and shortly after complet- ing his collegiate course, yielded to a desire
of long standing by taking up the study of law in the office of M. D. Challerton, one of the leading attorneys of Mason. Under the able instruction of Mr. Challerton, young Guile made rapid progress, the dis- cipline thus received being afterwards sup- plemented by a course of reading in the office of Huntington & Henderson, where he enjoyed exceptional advantages in his investigations, both of his preceptors being distinguished lawyers, the latter subse- quently United States judge for the territory of Utah. Mr. Guile availed himself of every opportunity to add to his knowledge and to lay a substantial foundation for the career which he had previously mapped out, and with this object in view he entered the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where in due season he finished his legal course, being graduated with an honorable record in 1882. After re- ceiving his degree and being admitted to the bar, he began the practice of his profession at Mason, but three years later left that place and came to the northern part of the state in search of a wider and more favorable field for the exercise of his talents. Dur- ing the winter of 1883 and the spring of 1884 he taught school at Alden and in the spring of the following year located at Bel- laire, where he soon became associated with a Mr. Leavitt in the practice of law, the firm thus constituted being still in existence and at this time one of the strongest and most successful legal partnerships in the county of Antrim. Mr. Guile spared neither effort nor expense in fitting himself for his profession and his career since engaging in the practice presents a series of continued successes, which demonstrate not only a thorough knowledge of the basic principles
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of jurisprudence, but the ability, tact and re- sourcefulness to apply the same to the cases in which he appears as counsel. As a lawyer he easily ranks with the leading members of the bar where he practices, being a safe and reliable counsellor, studious, careful and ju- dicious in the preparation of legal papers, painstaking and thorough in their presen- tation to the court, and he frequently secures verdicts at the hands of juries by skillful and elaborate arguments which are pre- sented with clearness, eloquence and great magic force. Eminently popular in his chosen calling, he is equally so as a man and citizen and there are few in Antrim county that stand as high in public esteem or enjoy as great a degree of confidence, all who come within the range of his influence speaking in glowing terms of his manly character and sterling worth in every relation of life.
In addition to his large and constantly growing legal business, Mr. Guile manifests an abiding interest in the public weal and his name is invariably associated with all laud- able enterprises and measures for the ad- vancement of the town of his residence and the good of the people. He has always been a friend and advocate of education and the public schools, served one term as secretary of the county school board, where his duties were about as responsible and exacting as those of the present school commissioners, and to his efforts the educational system of the county is largely indebted for the high reputation which it now enjoys.
Mr. Guile is devoted to his profession and makes every other consideration sub- ordinate thereto. He is also interested with his partner in agricultural pursuits, the two owning two hundred acres of beautiful and fertile land adjoining Bellaire, seventy
acres of which are in a high state of cultiva- tion, besides being otherwise improved.
In politics Mr. Guile is a Republican, but not a partisan nor has he ever aspired to public honors or sought office at the hands of his fellow citizens. Fraternally he is a . member of Bellaire Lodge, No. 398, Free and Accepted Masons, in which he now holds the office of secretary, and his name also adorn the records of Bellaire Chapter, No. 142, Royal Arch Masons. In addition to the Masonic brotherhood, he is a leading worker in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being at this time noble grand of Bellaire Lodge, No. 98, besides holding other offices in the organization at different times.
Mr. Guile is a married man, his wife having formerly been Miss Lena Morzen, of Ingham county, and the ceremony by which her name was changed to the one she now so worthily bears was solemnized in the year 1882.
HELENA TOWNSHIP, ANTRIM COUNTY.
The township of Helena, Antrim county, town 29 north, range 8 west, was originally organized at Elk Rapids by the supervisors of Grand Traverse county, in March, 1857. as a part of Milton township. In 1865 the township of Milton was divided. by the board of supervisors. All that portion lying on the west side of Torch lake was called Milton and all that portion lying on the east side of the lake was called Helena, so named in honor of Mrs. Helen M. Thayer, the first pioneer woman settler, her first name being
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used with the addition of the letter A. Helena township at this time embraced several of the present townships of the county, but was finally subdivided until now it contains about twenty-one sections of land. The township is bounded on the north by Forest Home township, on the east by Custer township, on the south by Kalkaska county and on the west by the east shore of Torch lake. Mr. and Mrs. Lucius A. Thayer, with two young daughters, Helen M. and Anna L., of Grand Rapids, Michi- gan, were the first setlers to locate in Helena, locating a homestead claim on section 4, on the south shore of Clam lake, in May, 1858. Their son, Frederick W. S. Thayer, was the first white boy born in Helena and their daughter, Mrs. Abby Thayer Patterson, was the first white girl born in the township. Mr. Thayer died in September, 1876, and February 1. 1882, Mrs. Thayer married Andrew F. Anderson, who conducts a gen- eral store at Clam River. Mrs. Anderson is still living and resides on the old original Thayer homestead. In the early sixties George Lyon, William Campbell, Simeon Andrews, George H. Lull and John Hast- ings located, with their families, near Clam lake. In May, 1864. Jason C. Angell and Peter S. Smalley, the first postmaster in the township, located one mile and a quarter east of the present village of Alden. In the fall of 1864 John B. Hartwell, ex-county treas- urer of Antrim county, located a farm an section 22. In 1865 William McBeath and Charles Kitchen, with their families, joined the handful of settlers in Helena. No settlers located in 1866. In 1867 five families lo- cated farms in the township, viz: Isaac B. Main, Benjamin Armstrong, Blackford Smalley, Michael Barrett and Charles Au-
thorson. No arrivals in 1868. In 1869 George H. Drake and Thomas Leonard set- tled in Helena, Reuben W. Coy. of Elk Rapids, opened the first store at the mouth of the stream known as Spencer creek August 31, 1870. Prior to this event the settlers obtained all their supplies from Elk Rapids, which meant a long, hard, tedious journey on foot over Indian trails, there being no roads at this time. Mr. Coy founded the village of Spencer Creek, now the thriving town of Alden. A more ex- tended account of Mr. Coy's life appears elsewhere in this work. During the past thirty years the township has developed rapidly. Helena is a township of small farms and every section is under a high state of cultivation. The chief occupation is agri- culture and the main products are potatoes, corn, cattle, hogs and fruit. No finer apples are grown in the world than those raised in the fruit belt of which Helena forms a part. The apples from this section took the grand prize at the Pan-American Exposition held at Buffalo. Helena has become famous as a summer resort region. The principal re- sorts are Belden Heights, at Alden and Lone Tree Point and Washwagonik, near Clam lake. These resorts are all located on Torch lake and contain many beautiful cot- tages and have good hotel accommodations for tourists. Torch lake, which forms the western boundary of the township, is a very beautiful body of water, having an average width of two miles and is eighteen miles in length. The water in the lake is remark- able for its purity and clearness, it being possible to see a dime on the bottom through a depth of forty feet of water. The fishing in the lake is excellent, Mackinaw trout, white fish, land-locked salmon, black bass
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and perch are the main varieties caught. The facilities for boating and bathing are un- equalled by any lake in Michigan. On the shore of the lake is located the town of Alden (formerly Spencer Creek), which today is a thriving village of six hundred inhabitants, containing ten stores, a large sawmill, two smaller mills, several churches and an excel- lent graded school. The town affords a splendid market for the farm products raised in the township. It is located on the main line of the Pere Marquette Railroad and is the main distributing point for the summer tourists who visit the numerous lake resorts. The railroad officials state that more through tickets are sold from Chicago to Alden dur- ing the resort season than to any other point on their line in the resort region.
C. H. C.
THOMAS KING.
One of the progressive and prominent farmers of Antrim county, Michigan, was Thomas King, who was born in Yorkshire, England, January 3, 1842, son of William and Ann King, also natives of the "merrie isle." William and Ann King were mar- ried in England and lived there until the sub- ject, their second child, was a few months old, at which time they emigrated to Canada, residing for about four years near the city of Hamilton. In the spring of 1846 they located in Dereham township, Oxford county, where they remained until the father's death in 1886. They were the par- ents of six children, one having died in in- fancy.
Thomas King received the advantages of
a fair common-school education, attending the common schools at Dereham Center, Ox- ford county, Ontario. As he was of studious and regular habits he acquired a fair mental equipment for his future efforts. He has followed agricultural pursuits all his life. In the fall of 1866 he came to northern Michi- gan and settled on a homestead in Banks township, Antrim county, about one mile from where is now the little village of Essex. While living on that place he cleared much land of the timber, having chopped and burned about ninety acres and also cleared for cultivation about fifty acres of the same. He resided upon this place about ten years and then moved to a location two miles west, where he remained eight years. His last move was to his present farmstead near Torch Lake, in Central Lake township, An- trim county, on which place he became one of the pioneer peach growers of this part of the county. He has taken a deep interest in everything pertaining to the public welfare in his community, being always ready to ad- vance any interest looking to the upbuilding of the locality.
In politics he was always a loyal Re- publican, having several times been a dele- gate in county conventions of his party. He has been honored by election to several offices of public responsibilities, having served four years as justice of the peace, three years as highway commissioner in Banks township and also as commissioner of the board of review in Center township and filling the office of school director a number of terms. It may be noted in passing that while a resident in Canada during the Fenian trouble, in 1866, Mr. King joined the volun- teers, but did not see any active service. Fra- ternally Mr. King was a member of the
THOMAS KING AND FAMILY.
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Grange for about twenty-three years, having been sent in 1900 as delegate to the state Grange and there received the sixth degree of the order. At the age of twenty-six years, while residing in Canada, Mr. King joined the Wesleyan Methodist church, but on coming to Michigan he allied himself with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was an active and consistent mem- ber until the time of his death, June 29, 1902. He was always an active worker in the Sab- bath school and other religious meetings and was strong in his support of the temperance cause.
On May 6, 1868, Thomas King was united in marriage to Miss Olive (Nancy) Hadcock, who was born in Oxford county, Ontario, Canada, on the I Ith of April, 1850. the daughter of Moses and Olive (Cornelia ) Hadcock. To Mr. and Mrs. King were born six children: Earnest W., born March 22, 1869; Anson J., June 29, 1873; Walter E., born March 27, 1877; Moses, born May 5, 1880; George E., born February 3, 1883, and William, born June 2, 1885.
WILLIAM OSBORNE.
Among the citizens of Bellaire, Antrim county, Michigan, who have gained the re- spect and esteem of their associates are Mr. and Mrs. William Osborne, now pro- prietors of the Home Bakery and Restaur- ant, at Bellaire. Mr. Osborne is a native of Montreal, Canada, where he was born March 26, 1850, and is the son of Isaac and Catherine (Cole) Osborne. The subject's father was a shoemaker and still follows that vocation, though in his eighty-fourth year.
The subject spent his early life in Canada and has visited nearly every portion of the dominion. He learned the trade of shoe- making under his father's instruction and in 1858 came to Michigan and settled in North Brownsville, Kent county, where he followed his trade. Four years later they moved to Big Rapids, this state, where they remained a few years and about the time of the close of the Civil war they moved to Traverse City, remaining there about three years. At that time they came to Old Mis- sion, but three years later moved to Antrim county, where they have since resided. For a while after coming to Bellaire Mr. and Mrs. Osborne were engaged in keeping boarders in the house formerly known as the Murb property and at the same time Mr. Osborne opened a fruit and confectionery store, which stock he subsequently changed to groceries. A year or two later he moved to Milton township and relinquished the mer- chandise business. Returning to Bellaire they assumed control of the Forest Home House and later of the Waldmere Hotel. After one summer there, however, they re- turned to the Forest Home House and later moved to Mancelona, where for a year and a half they conducted the Owens House. Mr. Osborne's health was poor, consequently they returned to Bellaire and bought the Murb property, heretofore referred to. Mrs. Osborne kept boarders for a time and was also for a while in charge of the culinary department at the Bellaire Hotel. But in November, 1903, they started the Home Bakery in the Flewelling building. The fol- lowing May they moved into the Waldmere building, again buying out the restaurant which was then conducted there. The Home Bakery and Restaurant has achieved a
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notable success and has gained for itself a high reputation, being one of the best con- ducted enterprises of its kind in this vicinity.
On the 3d of January, 1872, Mr. Osborne was united in marriage to Miss Susan McVicar, the daughter of Alex and Charlotte (Frazer) McVicar, her birth having occurred in Whitewater, this state, on New Year's day, 1857. Her parents lived there until near the close of the Civil war when they moved to South Milton. where her father bought a farm. She at- tended school until about fourteen years of age and her marriage occurred when she was but sixteen years old. Her father was a native of Detroit, although of Scotch de- scent, and was a farmer and spent the latter part of his life in Antrim county. Mrs. Osborne's mother was of English origin.
In politics Mr. Osborne is a staunch Democrat, but has never held any public office except that of constable, which posi- tion he filled one term. His fraternal af- filiations are with the Knights of the Macca- bees and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, while Mrs. Osborne is a Lady of the Maccabees and a Daughter of Rebekah. Mr. Osborne is a man of much intelligence and force of character and has achieved an enviable standing among his fellow citizens. Mrs. Osborne has for many years held the reputation of being one of the best cooks in northern Michigan, a reputation which she still ably sustains. If the way to a man's heart be through his stomach, Mrs. Osborne most certainly has won many friends during her career as a caterer. She is a lady pos- sessed of qualities which have retained her the love and esteem of her husband and many loyal friends, while her social instinct is strong, yet society is secondary and she
has been faithful in her devotion to her hus- band and their business enterprises and to- day few residents of Bellaire are more highly esteemed than Mr. and Mrs. William Osborne.
DODATUS O. PARKS.
A somewhat varied and eventful career has been that of this well-known and highly esteemed farmer of Antrim county, where he has resided for nearly a quarter of a cen- tury, his well improved farm being located in Banks township, while a portion of the same is within the corporate limits of the village of Ellsworth, the family residence being located on this portion of the farm.
Mr. Parks claims the old Empire state as the place of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Homer, Courtland county, New York, on the 10th of December, 1842, while he is a scion of families established in America in the colonial epoch of our na- tional history. He is a son of Daniel and Polly (Smith) Parks, both of whom were likewise born and reared in the state of New York, the father having been a native of Cherry Valley, Otsego county. He devoted his entire life to agricultural pursuits and continued to reside in Courtland county, New York, until his death, which occurred on May 30, 1902, his devoted wife having been summoned into eternal rest in 1884. They became the parents of nine children, and of the number five are deceased.
The subject of this sketch passed his boy- hood days on the home farm, and his time was divided between assisting in its work and attending the district schools, while he initiated his independent career when but a
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lad. When thirteen years of age he se- cured employment on one of the vessels ply- ing the Great Lakes, and he continued to follow a seafaring life for seven years, while at a later period he was for three years en- gaged as an able sailor on ocean vessels, in which connection he made visits to various foreign ports. About the year 1865 Mr. Parks purchased a farm in Cayuga county, New York, and there he continued to be en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until 1881, when he disposed of his property there and came to Michigan. In 1880 he located on his present farm, which had been partially improved before he purchased the property, and he has ever since been a resident of the village of Ellsworth, as before stated, while he gives his attention to the management of his farm, which comprises forty-six acres, all being available for cultivation, while six acres of the property are within the limits of the village of Ellsworth, making the place an exceptionally valuable one. In political matters the subject exercises his franchise in support of the men and measures meeting the approval of his judgment, and he has ever shown a loyal interest in local affairs of a public nature, though never aspiring to office.
In 1891 Mr. Parks was united in mar- riage to Miss Anna Atwood, a native of the state of New York, and she died in 1886, being survived by two children, Frederick M. and Myrtle P., both of whom remain residents of Antrim county. In 1891 Mr. Parks wedded Miss Alvira Van Orman, who was born and reared in Pennsylvania, and they have an adopted daughter, Grace, who is a student in the village schools at the time of this writing.
ROBERT WHITE.
In the development of Antrim county, Michigan, Robert White has borne an im- portant part. He has been identified with the agricultural interests of this section of the state for many years and while promot- ing individual prosperity through his earn- est efforts he has also been mindful of the duties of citizenship and has given an active and liberal support to those measures which advance the civic and material welfare and prosperity. He is the owner of a well im- proved farm in Banks township and for the past five years has maintained his residence in the attractive village of Ellsworth, where he has a pleasant home.
Mr. White is a native of the Emerald Isle and a scion of stanch old Irish stock. He was born in county Antrim, Ireland, in January, 1841, and is a son of Thomas and Jane (McNeill) White, who passed their entire lives in the land of their birth, where the father followed various occupations, having been for the major portion of his active career employed in manufacturing establishments. He and his wife were of the Protestant faith and were folk of sterling character. The subject of this review was reared and educated in his native land, where he continued to reside until he attained the age of about twenty-three years, when he set forth to seek his fortunes in America, landing in the city of New York in the spring of 1864. He remained there about one year and then came to Michigan and soon afterward arrived in Northport, Lee- lanau county, thus becoming a pioneer of the section in which he now resides; he landed in Northport on the 8th of May,
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