USA > Michigan > Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens > Part 21
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1866, and shortly afterward he took up land in Antrim county, erecting a little log cabin in the depths of the virgin forest and then essaying the task of clearing his land and rendering it available for cultivation. Dur- ing the greater portion of the intervening years his attention has been given to agri- cultural pursuits and in this connection he has gained a success worthy.the name, while to him has ever been accorded the confidence and good will of the people of the county with whose history his name has been so long identified. His well improved farm is located in section 26, Banks township, and comprises one hundred and thirty-four acres, besides about seventeen acres of Intermedi- ate lake, an attractive little sheet of water. The major portion of the land is under a high state of cultivation and is devoted to the propagation of the various products best adapted to the soil and climate, while good buildings, fences, etc., indicate the energy and thrift of the owner. In the early days Mr. White found outside employment at in- tervals, having been for three years in the employ of the Dexter & Noble Lumber Com- pany, while he had charge of the burning of the first coal at the iron furnace in Elk Rapids. He cleared the greater portion of his original claim and made good improve- ments on the property, which he eventually sold, his present three acres having been pur- chased by him about 1902. He has always manifested a genuine concern in local af- fairs of a public nature and has lent his aid and influence in the promotion of enterprises for the general good. In politics he is a stal- wart advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and for seven years he was incumbent of the office of justice of the peace in Banks township, administering
the affairs of the office with much fidelity and discrimination, while for many years he was a valued member of the school board of his district. In 1902 he purchased his present attractive residence property in Ells- worth, where he has since maintained his home, though he still has the general super- vision of his farm, which is about two miles south of the town. Both he and his wife are consistent' members of the Presbyterian church, and in a fraternal way he is a Master Mason, being affiliated with the lodge in Ellsworth, and he was formerly identified with the Orangemen.
In the year 1868 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. White to Miss Mary Mitchell, daughter of John and Margaret Mitchell, well known pioneers of this sec- tion, Mrs. White having been born in An- trim county, Ireland. The subject and his estimable wife have two children : Margaret is the wife of Hiram Cramer, a railroad man, and they reside in Traverse City, and Anna is the wife of Frank Barnes, who is a com- mercial traveler, their home being in Min- nesota.
L. VAN SKIVER.
In the thriving little village of Ells- worth, Antrim county, is established a popu- lar hotel known as the Orient, the same being owned and conducted by the gentleman whose name introduces this article and who has proved a most popular host, gaining to his hotel an appreciative patronage both dur- ing the summer-resort season and also dur- ing the remainder of the year, when he caters particularly to the commercial trade.
Mr. Van Skiver is a native of the old
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Buckeye state and is a scion of stanch Hol- land Dutch stock. He was born in Defiance county, Ohio, on the 4th of May, 1861, and is a son of Isaac and Abbie Van Skiver, both of whom were born and reared in the state of New York, whence they early re- moved to Ohio, where the father devoted his attention to farming until the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in a regiment of Ohio volunteers and went to the front, sacrificing his life on the altar of his country, as he died while in service. His wife subsequently consummated a sec- ond marriage and continues to reside in Ohio. The subject passed his boyhood days in Wapakoneta, Auglaize county, Ohio. where he secured his education in the public schools and where he learned the trade of wheelwright, to which he devoted his at- tention for a period of fourteen years, after which he was for a time engaged in farm- ing in Ohio. On the 30th of August, 1898, he arrived in Antrim county, and shortly afterward he purchased his present fine little hotel, which is thoroughly modern in its equipment and facilities, having twenty guest rooms, while it secures a most repre- sentative patronage during the resort sea- son, having a high reputation for excellence of service and for its homelike attractions. In addition to the hotel property Mr. Van Skiver also owns eighty acres of unimproved land near Ellsworth, besides a good resi- dence property. In political matters he maintains an independent attitude and fra- ternally he is affiliated with the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in the latter of which he is identified with Ellsworth Lodge, No. 496. He is a man of genial and companionable nature, and both he and his wife enjoy unqualified
popularity in their home town and among those who avail themselves of the attractive accommodations of the hotel.
In the year 1881 Mr. Van Skiver was united in marriage to Miss Clara Roher- baugh, who was born and reared in Ohio, being a daughter of Peter Roherbaugh, who was born in Germany, whence he came to America when young, locating in Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Van Skiver have no children.
WILLIAM E. MORRISON.
A successful and popular representative of the agricultural industry in Antrim county is Mr. Morrison, who is one of the sterling pioneers of this section of the state and who has here attained to popularity through his own efforts.
Mr. Morrison is a native of the province of Ontario, Canada, having been born in Elgin county, on the 22d of March, 1846, and being a son of Duncan and Margaret (Leach) Morrison, both of whom were born and reared in Scotland, whence they came to America when comparatively young, the father having been employed in quarries in his native land, while he identified himself with agricultural pursuits after locating in Canada, where he remained until 1868, when he came to Kalkaska county, Michi- gan, being summoned to his reward in the year 1900, his devoted wife having passed away in 1866. Of their ten children, eight are still living. The subject was reared on the old homestead farm and secured his edu- cational training in the common schools. He continued to reside in Canada until he
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had reached the age of twenty-two years, when he came to Michigan and located first in Grand Traverse county, where he re- mained but a short interval, removing thence to Kalkaska county and finally to Antrim county, where he took up his abode in 1868, having thus made this section his home for nearly two score of years. He found em- ployment in connection with the great lum- bering industry, which was then the prin- cipal field of activity in this portion of the state, having been for a number of years in the employ of the Dexter & Noble Company, and later being similarly engaged with the Elk Rapids Iron Company, with which he remained a long term of years, having been employed during the greater portion of the time as an operative in sawmills. In the meanwhile he secured a tract of land in Elk Rapids township, about two and a half miles south of the town of same name, and here he has resided since 1891. His farm com- prises eighty-two acres of most arable and productive land, practically all being under effective cultivation, while the permanent improvements are of substantial order, in- cluding an attractive residence, good barns, etc. Mr. Morrison gives his attention to diversified farming and has made his enter- prise a most successful one, while he is held in high regard in the community in which he has so long lived and labored. In politics he is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, and both he and his wife are attend- ants of the Presbyterian church.
In the year 1879 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Morrison to Miss Jennie Autherson, daughter of Charles and Mary (Gillen) Autherson, and the six children of this union still remain at the parental home at the time of this writing, their names, in
order of birth, being as follows : Charles G., Margaret I., Earl A., Glen L., Mary E. and William Scott.
ERNEST R. HARRIS.
Not a few of the representative citizens of the section to whose affairs this publica- tion is devoted are native sons of the old Wolverine state, whose resources and at- tractions have proved sufficient to retain their unqualified allegiance in the mature years of life. Such a one is the subject of this sketch, who is one of the highly es- teemed citizens and prominent and success- ful business men of Antrim county. He is conducting a prosperous general merchan- dise business in the village of Ellsworth, where he is also incumbent of the office of postmaster, having long been an influential factor in local affairs.
Mr. Harris was born in the city of Bat- tle Creek, Calhoun county, Michigan, on the 2Ist of June, 1861, and is a son of William and Marian (Angell) Harris, the former of whom is one of the honored pioneers of Charlevoix county, where he still maintains his home, his devoted wife having been sum- moned into eternal rest in 1877, at Nor- wood, that county. Of the three children the subject of this review is the eldest; Caro- line died at the age of fourteen years, and Bertha remains with her father at the old home in Charlevoix county.
William Harris was born in the state of New York, in the year 1832, and as a young man came to Michigan, settling finally in Battle Creek, where he was engaged in farming for several years. He there served
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as recruiting and enlisting officer during the war of the Rebellion, thus giving effective service in supporting the Union cause. In 1866, nearly two score of years ago, he came as a pioneer to Charlevoix county, taking up his abode in the midst of the virgin for- est of Norwood township, and there develop- ing a farm, while he has long been promi- nent and influential as a citizen of the county in which he has maintained his home for so many years. He resides on his attractive little farm of forty acres,-one of the model places of Charlevoix county. He served for a quarter of a century as supervisor of Nor- wood township and has been thrice chosen to represent his county in the state legisla- ture, being a stalwart Republican in his po- litical proclivities.
The subject of this review was a lad of about five years at the time of his parents' removal to the wilds of Charlevoix county, and thus his youthful years were passed on the pioneer farm, while he early became in- ured to the strenuous toil involved in the re- claiming of the land to cultivation. He was accorded the advantages of the public schools and made the best use of the oppor- tunities thus afforded him, though he was but a boy at the time when he began actively preparing himself for an independent career. At the age of fourteen he entered upon an apprenticeship to learn the art of telegraphy in the office of the Western Union Telegraph Company at Norwood, Charlevoix county, becoming an expert in the line and follow- ing the vocation for some time. For eleven years he was employed as a salesman in a general store at Norwood, and he there con- tinued to make his home until 1899, when he engaged in the general merchandise busi- ness on his own responsibility, in Ellsworth,
where he had previously been secretary and treasurer of the Ellsworth Lumber Com- pany for a period of four years. In January, 1901, Mr. Harris' store was destroyed by fire, entailing almost a total loss, as the in- surance indemnity was comparatively small, but he forthwith erected a new building and installed a larger and more complete stock, while he has secured a representative patron- age, his enterprise being one of the leading ones of the sort in this section of Antrim county. He is a thorough, reliable and prac- tical business man and has so ordered his course as to fully merit the unequivocal con- fidence and esteem in which he is held in the community. As a progressive and public- spirited citizen he has taken a lively interest in local affairs, while in politics he gives an unqualified allegiance to the Republican party. For the past six years he has served as postmaster at Ellsworth, and for thirteen years he has been manager of the telephone exchange here, while for about twelve years he has been a valued member of the local board of education. Mr. Harris is the owner of six acres of land within the corporate limits of Ellsworth and his residence is one of the most attractive in the village, having ever been a center of social activity and generous hospitality. In Banks township. this county, Mr. Harris has a remarkably fine peach orchard of thirty-five acres, and it may be said without fear of contradiction that he was the one to whose efforts and enterprise was due the introduction of peach culture in this section, since he proved a number of years ago the eligibility of the soil and climate for the raising of this kind of fruit, initiating an industry which is now one of marked importance and constantly in- creasing scope. He harvested one thou-
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sand four hundred bushels in 1903 and the products are of the most . superior order, both in points of size and flavor. In a fra- ternal way Mr. Harris is affiliated with Charlevoix Lodge, No. 282, Free and Ac- cepted Masons; is a charter member of the lodge of Knights of Pythias in Charlevoix and of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows in Ellsworth, while he is also identified with the Knights of the Maccabees and the Grange.
In the year 1884 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Harris to Miss Isabel Meech, daughter of Frederick J. and Polly (White) Meech, of Charlevoix, where they located in 1871, having come to Michigan from Vermont. Mr. Meech was postmaster of Charlevoix for a number of years, being the present incumbent of the office, and is one of the influential citizens of that county. Mrs. Harris entered into the life eternal on the 29th of July, 1902, and is survived by two children, Marion and Katherine.
PAULUS HALLER.
Among those who have aided in dem- onstrating the marked eligibility of An- trim county for successful prosecution of agricultural pursuits is Mr. Haller, who is one of the representative farmers of Milton township. He was born in the kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, on the 16th of June, 1867, and is a son of Paulus and Wal- burga (Herb) Haller, representatives of stanch German stock. They emigrated from the fatherland to America in 1877 and made the state of Michigan their destination, arriving in Antrim county on the 24th of
August of the year mentioned and being numbered among the early settlers of Milton township, with whose material and civic progress the name has since been identified. The honored father became one of the suc- cessful farmers of this section and held the unqualified esteem of all who knew him, as his life was one marked by unwavering in- tegrity and probity. He was a miller by trade and followed this vocation up to the time of coming to this county, after which he gave his entire attention to the reclama- tion and cultivation of the land which he purchased shortly after his arrival. His death occurred in April, 1903, and his de- voted wife died in 1891. Mr. Haller was a member of the German Reformed church and his wife of the Roman Catholic.
The subject of this review secured his rudimentary educational training in the ex- cellent schools of his native land, and was about ten years of age at the time of the family immigration to the United States. He has thus passed the major portion of his life thus far in Antrim county, and his ef- forts have been effectively exerted in con- nection with the development of the indus- trial resources of this section, while he stands as a type of substantial and valuable citizenship. His finely improved farm com- prises one hundred and eleven acres and of this one hundred acres are available for cultivation and devoted to diversified agri- culture, while he also gives no little atten- tion to the raising of good grades of live stock. His farm is the old homestead se- cured by his father so many years ago, and while attending school during a portion of the year he assisted in clearing the land, which was covered with a dense growth of timber at the time of the family location
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-
here, and the improvements on the place in- clude a substantial and commodious dwelling and other well equipped farm buildings.
In his political adherency Mr. Haller is identified with the Democratic party, and he has manifested a marked interest in public affairs of a local nature, while he has been in tenure of offices of public trust, his prefer- ment in this respect indicating the confidence and esteem in which he is held in the com- munity which has figured as his home from his boyhood days. He served two terms as supervisor of Milton township and for four years as its treasurer, while for the past sixteen years he has been incumbent of the office of justice of the peace. He is fra- ternally affiliated with the Arbeiter Society in Elk Rapids and also with the organizations of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of the Maccabees in that vil- lage.
In the year 1887 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Haller to Miss May Hus- sey, daughter of William and Salina (Moore) Hussey, honored pioneers of this county, and of this union have been born eight children, namely: Paulus R., Salina IV., Carl W., Floyd T., Leonhard B., Anna M., Hilda A. and Dwight D.
RICHARD FOX.
Antrim county has a fine quota of rep- resentatives of the old Empire state of the Union and among the number is Mr. Fox, who is one of the honored pioneers of the county, where he has maintained his home for the past forty years, being one of the first settlers in the midst of the sylvan wilds
of Milton township, where he has reclaimed and developed one of the best farms in this section of the state and where he stands as a substantial and influential citizen, esteemed by all who know him.
Mr. Fox was born in Oneida county, New York, on the 24th of July, 1844, and is a son of Dennis and Mary (Durene) Fox, both of whom were born and reared in the Emerald Isle. The father of our subject emigrated from Ireland to America when a young man and located in Oneida county, New York, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, gained independence and definite prosperity and there continuing to reside until his death, which occurred in 1884, while his devoted wife was summoned into eternal rest in 1874. They became the par- ents of twelve children, of whom seven are living.
Richard Fox, the immediate subject of this review, was reared to the sturdy dis- cipline of the farm and secured his early educational training in the common schools of his native county. He continued to re- side in the state of New York until he had attained the age of twenty years, when he initiated his independent career by coming to Michigan and numbering himself among the pioneers of Antrim county. He located here in 1864 and was one of the first settlers in Milton township, where he purchased government land, the same being covered with the native timber and accessible only by means of the old Indian trail, there hav- ing been practically no highways in the county at the time, while the Indians far outnumbered the white settlers who were sturdily coming forward as the advance guard of civilization and progress. Wild game was plentiful and furnished the major
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portion of the meat utilized on the tables of the pioneers. Mr. Fox cleared a small spot on his land and there erected his primitive cabin, which continued to be his domicile for some time, and in the meanwhile he forcefully and energetically carried forward the strenuous work of reclaiming his land to cultivation, naturally becoming more or less concerned with the lumbering industry in the early days. He has a finely improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres, of which thirty acres are still covered with the native timber, the balance being under ef- fective cultivation. The appearance of the place today indicates in a measure the earnest efforts which he has put forth in its development and improvement, and he has not been denied the rewards of his en- deavors, for he is one of the representative farmers of his township and his farm is one of the model places of this section. He has made the best of permanent improvements, including the erection of a commodious and substantial residence, a large and well equip- ped bank barn, wind mill and other acces- sories. Mr. Fox has proved himself a most loyal and public-spirited citizen and has done his share in promoting the measures and en- terprises which have conserved progress and general prosperity. While he has never sought official preferment he is a stanch sup- porter of the principles of the Democratic party, in whose cause he takes an intelligent interest. In a fraternal way he is identified with the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Elk Rapids. Both he and his wife are members of the Catholic church.
In the year 1869 Mr. Fox secured the co-operation of a devoted companion on his pioneer farm, having in that year been united in marriage to Miss Emily B.
Sweeney, and this union has been blessed with five children, namely : Dennis E., Del- bert J., Henry T., Edwin J. and Mary A. All of the children still remain at the par- ental home, and Delbert J. is married, the maiden name of his wife having been Grace Wood. Henry T. is married and is a farmer in this township. The family is held in high regard in the community and the attractive home is one in which a generous and genial hospitality is ever in evidence.
ALVY GOODMAN.
One of the most beautiful rural domains in Antrim county is that owned and oc- cupied by Mr. Goodman, who is one of the representative farmers of Milton township, his fine farm being located on the shores of Elk lake, one of the most attractive little bodies of water in this section.
Mr. Goodman is a native of the old Em- pire state, having been born in Oswego, . New York, in June, 1834, and being a son of Howard and Elizabeth Goodman, both of whom were born and reared in the above named state. They removed to the province of Ontario, Canada, where they re- mained a short time and then took up their residence in the city of Albany, New York, in which locality the father of the subject was identified with the canal operations for many years, there meeting his death as the result of an accident, while his wife con- tinued to reside in that state until her death. The subject of this review passed his youth- ful days in his native state, in whose com- mon schools he secured the practical re- sponsibilities of life, having been dependent
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upon his own resources from the age of nine years. In the year 1842 he took up his residence in the province of Ontario, Canada, where he was identified with agri- cultural pursuits until 1880, in which year he took up his residence in Antrim county, Michigan, where he has ever since resided, while he has occupied his present farm since 1885. His attractive little farm com- prises twenty-eight acres, and practically all is under effective cultivation. The farm is most eligibly and picturesquely situated on the east shores of Elk lake, and from the residence of the owner is obtained a fine view of the village of Elk Rapids, which is located across the lake, about two miles dis- tant. Mr. Goodman has made the best of improvements on his place and is giving special attention to horticulture, raising large crops of potatoes, beans and corn, and also an excellent variety of fruit. He has greatly added to the value of his farm through the care he has given to its development and improvement, and he has all reason to be pleased with his attractive home in the midst of a progressive and loyal community in which he is held in high regard by all who know him. Mr. Goodman gives his support to the Republican party but has never been active in political affairs, nor has he been an aspirant for local office of any descrip- tion. Both he and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
In 1854 Mr. Goodman was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Hollenbeck, who was born and reared in the province of Ontario, Canada, being a daughter of An- drew and Harriet E. (Hubbell) Hollenbeck, the former of whom was born in Vermont, on the IIth of May, 1808, while the latter was born in Canada, on the 20th of April,
1817, both being now deceased. Mrs. Good- man is a sister of C. D. Hollenbeck, of whom individual mention is made on another page of this work. Of the five children of Mr. and Mrs. Goodman we enter brief record as follows: Emma is the wife of John Sheri- dan, a successful farmer of this county; Electa is the wife of Dr. H. D. Herbert ; Etta is the wife of Frank Dunton, who is identified with the hotel business; Effie, an artist by vocation, is located in the village of Pellston, Emmet county, and David, who married Miss Louise Winters, is a prosper- ous farmer of Antrim county.
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