Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 26

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

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stances than when he entered it, moving his than described. In this wretched and hope- family to the county of Seneca.

On August 12, 1862, Mr. Oberholtzer enlisted in Company G, Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until August 27. 1864, during which time his regiment took part in all the battles in which the Army of the Potomac was en- gaged, including the bloody action at Chan- cellorsville, where he was twice wounded. On Saturday afternoon, in the heat of the engagement, he was struck in the head by a musket ball, which not only fractured the skull, but splintered a part of the bone into small pieces, and about the same time a similar missile pierced his leg, inflicting a painful though not a dangerous injury. The wound in the head rendered him uncon- scious and he lay in this condition on the open field until the following day, when he was discovered by three Confederates, who inquired of him as to the nature of his wound. On coming to himself he found he had been robbed of every article of cloth- ing except his drawers and one sock, all of which were saturated with blood, and in this helpless and almost naked and destitute con- dition he requested help of the men who found him, only to be refused. They passed by and left him to his fate and from the time of their departure until the following Mon- day night he lay in a semi-conscious state, weakened from hunger and exhaustion, racked with pains in nearly every muscle and joint, his mouth and throat parched with thirst, his entire body so benumbed and help- less that it was almost impossible for him to move or make a sound : scorched by the burn - ing sun during the day and chilled by the dews of the night, the condition of the wounded sufferer can better be imagined

less situation he remained until after sunset on Monday night, when three other rebels came across him as they were making their way to camp. Finding that he had been robbed and that he could not survive much more suffering and neglect, they agreed to report his condition to the Federals, which in due time was done. Another night of exposure and agony dragged slowly and wearily along, until the rising of Tuesday's sun, shortly after which he was located by four wounded Federals. With much labor and difficulty, these men carried as best they could the poor helpless sufferer to the near- est field hospital, where as soon as possible his injuries were examined and dressed, after which he was removed to his own command and placed under the care of his regimental surgeon. A critical examination of Mr. Oberholtzer's injuries revealed the fact that his skull had been fractured in several places and badly splintered and it was not until after quite a number of pieces of bone were removed that he could speak clearly enough to be understood. After re- maining a short time in the corps hospital at Alexandria, Virginia, he was removed to Philadelphia, where he received two months' treatment, being sent at the end of that time to Cincinnati where he remained until he recovered sufficiently to be ordered to Camp Dennison. When able, he was assigned to duty, and was sent to Indianapolis, thence to Evansville, Indiana, where he did guard duty until his discharge.

For more than a year after quitting the army Mr. Oberholtzer suffered severely from a chronic ailment contracted while in the service and for months at a time his life was despaired of by his physician and

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friends. Not until he came to Michigan did he begin permanently to improve and from that time on he gradually regained his strength and vigor until in the course of a few years he became, comparatively, a well man. On coming to this state Mr. Ober- holtzer settled in Ionia county, where he continued to reside until the death of his wife, immediately after which he changed his abode to Antrim county, where his daughter, Mrs. Sylvester Brown, had been living for some time. Two years later he went to the county of Ionia, where he fol- lowed farming and other pursuits until March, 1883, when he returned to Antrim county, and opened a boarding house at Torch Lake, which business led him in 1885 to erect the large hotel at that place, which he still owns and which under his ten years' management became a favorite resort for the traveling public. In connection with the duties as "mine host" he also carried on farming to some extent, but since quitting business nine years ago he has lived in easy retirement in a neat cosy little home adjoin- ing the hotel building, being in possession of sufficient means to enable him to spend the remainder of his life in the rest and quietude which he has so well earned and which he so greatly appreciates and enjoys.

Mr. Oberholtzer's first wife, to whom reference is made in a preceding paragraph, (lied while he was living in Ionia county, and later he was united in marriage to Miss Carrie \. Eckert, who departed this life after a few years of happy domestic ex- perience. His present wife, whom he mar- ried at Torch Lake, was, Mrs. Lucy Dean (nee Silverthron), widow of the late Datus Dean, of Jamestown, Ottawa county, Michi- gan, a lady of excellent character and good

social standing, as were also both of his for- mer companions. Mr. Oberholtzer's first marriage was blessed with nine children, six of whom survive, namely: Mrs. Sylvester Brown, Mrs. Charles Powell, Mrs. Theo- dore Gunn, Mrs. Agnes Blair, Mrs. Mar- garet Smith, Mrs. Deba Rogers, Amanda, the oldest child, Mrs. Mima Calwell.

In politics Mr. Oberholtzer is a Repub- lican, but his tastes and inclinations have never led him to seek office nor aspire to leadership. He is prominent in Grand Army circles and an influential member of the post at Elk Point, which he is now serv- ing in the highest office within the gift of the organization. He is also identified with the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the lodge at Torch Lake, in which he has held various official positions, and in his relations with his fellow men he aims to exemplify the sublime principles and precepts upon which the order is based and without which no man can live up to the high ideals of true Masonry.

GEORGE C. BARBER.

George C. Barber, one of the leading farmers and fruit growers of Antrim county, Michigan, and a representative and public spirited man of the community in which he resides, is of Ohio birth and first saw the light of day in the county of Cayuga county, that state, on March 10, 1836. On the father's side he is of New York ancestry. while on the mother's side his geneology is traceable to the early settlement of Connec- ticut and it was a number of years ago that his parents migrated to the Western Reserve and settled in Cayuga county, where he spent

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his youth and early manhood, remaining on the family homestead and assisting in its cultivation until about the year 1868. Mr. Barber received a good practical education in the public schools of his native county and shortly after the breaking out of the late Civil war made three attempts to enter the Union army, but for various reasons was refused each time, although exceedingly anxious to demonstrate his loyalty to the government by giving his life if need be to its service. In 1868 Mr. Barber disposed of his interests in Ohio, and moved his fam- ily to Allegan county, Michigan, where he lived and prospered as an enterprising tiller of the soil until 1882, when he sold his farm and, changing his abode to Antrim county, located on the shore of Torch lake, where he purchased the old Russell homestead, which he at once proceeded to improve and which under his continuous labor and judicious management has since become one of the finest and most profitable places of its size in the township of Central Lake. This was one of the finest settled farms in the county of Antrim and at the time of its purchase by the subject there were but ten or fifteen acres in cultivation, which area he has since enlarged until at this time there are about seventy acres in a high state of tillage, the greater part being devoted to fruit culture which he has found a very profitable source of income.

Mr. Barber has given much attention to fruit growing and his apple orchard is said to be one of the finest in the country ; he also raises fine varieties of peaches, besides dif- ferent kinds of small fruits, and is an au- thority on all matters pertaining to this fas- cinating branch of husbandry, which prom- ises ere long to become the leading industry

among the rural populace of northern Michigan. Mr. Barber's place is admirably situated for agricultural purposes and fruit- growing, lying as it does in one of the most fertile parts of the county, with a half mile of lake front, which adds greatly to its beauty and general appearance and also af- fords a pleasant and healthful means of recreation during the heated term, when rest, interspersed with labor, takes from the latter so many of its objectionable features, thus making rural life both profitable and desirable. Believing in using the blessings of this world to wise and useful ends, Mr. Barber has not been sparing in surrounding himself and those dependent upon him with material comforts, his improvements in the way of buildings being among the best in the county, while every acre of his carefully tended place bears witness to the interest with which he has prosecuted his favorite pursuit and to the liberal expenditures he has made in adding to the beauty and at- tractiveness of his home. Coming to Michi- gan with a capital of about one thousand dol- lars, but with an untiring energy and a de- termined purpose to succeed, he judiciously invested his means, looking carefully after his business interests and as population in- creased and real estate became more valuable he soon found himself on the high road to prosperity and permanent success. At the present time he is one of the substantial and well-to-do men of Antrim county, owning in addition to his home farm in Central Lake township, good property in Central Lake, and his business affairs of every kind have redounded greatly to his financial ad- vantage and solid standing as an enterpris- ing and progressive citizen. He is up to date and ready at all times to encourage

NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

movements for the material advancement of his township and county, gives his support to every worthy object whereby his fellow men may be benefited socially and educa- tionally and on moral questions and issues his influence is invariably on the side of right. He votes the Republican ticket and while zealous in upholding and defending the principles of his party, is not a politician nor has he ever been an aspirant for office, preferring the life he now lives to any honors within the gift of the public.

Mr. Barber is quite a sportsman and spends a considerable portion of his leisure time on the lake in quest of its finny in- habitants, being an expert fisherman, and during the hunting season he frequently makes excursions to the north woods, where many deer, bear and other wild animals of all kinds fall before his unerring aim. At one time he shot a very large bear near his own home, the skin of which he had dressed and still preserves as a trophy of his skill with the rifle.

Mr. Barber was married in Cayuga county, Ohio, to Miss Esther L. Baker, who died in the month of August, 1900, after a happy wedded life of forty-three years, being sixty-two years of age when called to the other world. Nine children were born to this union, namely : Ida, deceased ; N -- , wife of Edward Clark; Orion, a contractor living at Central Lake; Ellen, wife of Lute DeForrest; Elmer, a farmer of Antrim county ; May, who married William Wash- burn, of Canada; Maud, now Mrs. Frank Stevens, of Assiniboia, Canada; Clifford, also a resident of that country, his home being in the Northwest territory, and Ethel, who lives with her father, keeps house for him and otherwise looks after his interest

and ministers to his comforts, the widow of Horace C. Sanborn, and has two children, Violet and Dorothy.

JOHN O. MCEWAN.

It matters much less geographically where a man is born, than how he comes into the world as a living force or what he does and becomes among his fellow men. Heredity and environment may condition his character and to a certain extent affect and control his actions, but after all it is his innate powers of intellect and will, sup- plemented by proper discipline and training that fixes his status and makes him a power for good in whatever vocation he may en- gage. Among the self-made men of Antrim county, whose efforts have been influential in promoting the welfare of the community in which he lives, is John O. McEwan, whose birth occurred at Little Falls, Herki- mer county, New York, on the 8th of Sep- tember, 1841. His father. John McEwan, who was a native of the highlands of Scot- land, came to the United States a number of years ago and settled in Herkimer county, New York, where he lived until about 1855, when he moved his family to Kent county, Michigan, where his death occurred six months after his arrival. The subject's mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Peak, was a native of Vermont, and a de- scendant of one of the old English families of that commonwealth.

John O. McEwan was reared to agri- cultural pursuits and at the age of thirteen came to Michigan with his parents, who settled on a farm about four miles below

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Grand Rapids, in Wyoming township, Kent county. The death of his father threw much of the labor of the farm upon the shoulders of the lad, but he accepted the trust in good faith, labored diligently to provide for his widowed mother and other members of the family and as opportunities afforded at- tended to the matter of his education. The better to prosecute his studies, he spent some time in the schools of Grand Rapids, living while there with a married sister, but later he returned to the farm and continued to cultivate the same until January, 1863, when he entered the army, enlisting in Company E, Thirtieth Michigan Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war.

Mr. McEwan's military experience was confined almost entirely to guarding the Canadian frontier and during his period of service the regiment was seldom outside the state of Michigan. After his discharge he engaged in farming near Jamestown, but disposed of his interest in that part of the state and changed his abode to the county of Antrim, purchasing a farm at the head of Torch Lake, on which he lived and pros- pered during the thirteen years following. He made a number of improvements on his place, besides clearing the greater part of the land and fitting it for tillage, and was succeeding well and laying up money when his comfortable and commodious dwelling caught fire and burned to the ground, entail- ing quite a heavy loss. He at once rebuilt, but shortly after finishing his second resi- dence, left the farm and moved to his pres- ent home in Torch Lake, where he has since been engaged in driving stage and carrying the mails, the first four years between Torch Lake and Central Lake, a distance of nine and a half miles, at the expiration of which

time he took charge of the longer and more important route between the former place and Elk Rapids, a distance of fifteen miles. Mr. McEwan's line is well patronized by the traveling public and in addition to the income from this source he does a profitable livery business, keeping on hand a number of good horses and vehicles, which he hires at liberal prices. He still owns his farm, which returns him handsome profits, and is succeeding admirably in his business, being at this time one of the well-to-do men of the town, also one of its most enterprising and public spirited citizens.

Mr. McEwan was married at the age of nineteen to Miss Mary A. Pelton, of Grand Rapids, who died in 1888, after bearing him the following children : Emma, wife of Wil- liam Dewey, of Clam Lake, Michigan; Net- tie, wife of Fred Sweet, of Chestonia; Dora, now Mrs. John Terrell, of Banks township, Antrim county ; John L., who is engaged in the lumber business at Lakewood, this state, and Anna, who married J. Dewey, of Clam Lake. On March 19, 1890, Mr. McEwan contracted a matrimonial alliance with Miss Martha Harvey, who was born in Richland county, Ohio, this union being without off- spring. Before her marriage Mrs. McEwan was a trained nurse and she also followed dressmaking for some years, having been self-supporting since her girlhood. She is an earnest and zealous Christian, a faithful and successful worker in the Sunday school, and for a number of years past she and her husband have been among the leading mem- bers of the Union church society at Torch Lake, although in belief both are Congre- gationalists. Fraternally they are identified with the Knights of the Maccabees at East- port ; Mrs. McEwan is also prominent in the

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work of the Ladies of the Maccabees society, and has been honored at different times by representing the local lodge to which she be- longs in, the state conventions and other im- portant public assemblages.

Mr. McEwan is an intelligent citizen, keenly interested in the leading topics of the day, and discharges his duties to the public and to his fellow men as becomes a true neighbor and a loyal friend. His has been a busy and, in the main, a successful life and at all times and under all circumstances he has tried to do as he would be done by, his daily walk and conversation being in harmony with the high ideals of which he has ever been actuated. He is still in the vigor of manhood and with sound physical and mental qualities it is safe to predict that many years of usefulness may yet be vouchsafed to him.

WALTER V. T. SWASEY.

As proprietor of the largest business house of the kind in Central Lake, the sub- ject of this review has achieved an honor- able reputation in commercial circles, both locally and throughout the state, and to him as much as to any one man is the flourish- ing town in which he lives indebted for its continuous growth and prosperity.

Walter V. T. Swasey, the leading hard- ware dealer in Central Lake, and one of the largest and most successful tradesmen in his line in the county of Antrim, is a native of Auburn, New York, but when quite young was taken by his parents from that city to Detroit, Michigan, where he grew to maturity and received his education. When

a mere lad he entered one of the largest hardware houses in Detroit and it can be truthfully stated that he literally grew up with this line of business, becoming familiar with every detail of the trade long before attaining his majority and acquiring such skill and efficiency as a salesman that from quite an early age he was one of the best known and most popular clerks in the pro- prietor's employ. The house in Detroit in which Mr. Swasey received his early busi- ness training and with which he continued to identify himself for so many years was conducted by the Standart Brothers. He remained in their employ until his removal to Central Lake, in 1900, arriving at the lat- ter place with a capital of thirty-five hun- dred dollars which he at once invested in a general stock of hardware and which under his able management has increased so greatly in magnitude with the steady growth of his business that he is now, as already indicated. the leader in his line of trade in this part of the state, also one of the town's financially strong and reliable men.

Mr. Swasey carries a full and complete stock of all articles demanded by the general trade, including roofing, building material and fixtures ; also a complete plumbing es- tablishment, in which the latest and most ap- proved work is done with neatness and de- spatch by the skillful artisans whom he em- ploys. During the fifteen consecutive years in which he has been identified with the hardware trade at Central Lake he has availed himself of every opportunity to build up his establishment and add to his high reputation as a business man, his efficient management, keen discrimination and su- perior execution being among the leading qualities that have contributed to the success

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which he has achieved and to the command- his home. Mr. Crampton was born in Lan- ing position which he now occupies in the ark county, Ontario, February 8, 1857, and is the youngest of a family of seventeen children whose parents, John and Susannah (Griffiths) Crampton, were natives of Ire- land, the father being by occupation a linen weaver. John Crampton emigrated to Canada in 1827, and settled in Lanark county, Ontario, where he purchased a tract of wild land and cleared a farm on which he spent the remainder of his days, dying when the subject of this review was a lad about twelve years of age. commercial world. While deeply interested in the business to which he makes every other consideration subordinate, Mr. Swasey is not unmindful of what is due the public from every enterprising citizen and progres- sive citizen, consequently he takes an active part in promoting the welfare of the town and every laudable movement for the social, intellectual and moral good of the people finds in him an earnest advocate and liberal patron. A gentleman of high character, genial temperament and kindly disposition, he holds an enviable place in the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens and by rea- son of these qualities, to which may be add- ed an irreproachable life and pronounced business ability and success, he stands today among the notable men of his generation in the county of his adoption.

Mr. Swasey was married in the city of Detroit, Michigan, to Miss Mary N. Nu- gent, of Bay City, Michigan, a most esti- mable and popular lady, who presides with dignity and grace over his pleasant and hos- pitable home in Central Lake.

SAMUEL CRAMPTON.

Among the enterprising, progressive men whose activity in business circles and public affairs have made Antrim one of the thriving counties of Michigan and the city in which he resides an important center of commerce and industry, is Samuel Cramp- ton, a native of Canada, but for a number of years an honored and public spirited citi- zen of the state in which he now makes

Samuel Crampton spent his early life on the family homestead, received a fair edu- cation in the public schools of his native county, and at the age of seventeen years went to Saginaw valley, Michigan, where he entered upon an apprenticeship to learn the trade of blacksmithing, working the first three years at Carlton and receiving the sum of four dollars per month and board. After becoming an efficient mechanic, he began working for himself and in the fall of 1878 went to Bay City, where he followed his trade until 1880, when he disposed of his interests at that place and changed his lo- cation to Elk Rapids. In the latter city Mr. Crampton became associated in black- smithing with a man whose dissipated habits made way with the greater part of the profits, consequently in March of the year following he dissolved the partnership and engaged with the Elk Rapids Iron Company to do the blacksmith work at their furnace, which position he held until 1884. Severing his connection with the company in the lat- ter year, he went to the north shore of Georgian Bay, on the Canadian side, but after spending a few months there returned to Elk Rapids and, opening a shop of his

SAMUEL CRAMPTON,

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own, operated the same with encouraging success for a period of one year. At the ex- piration of that time he disposed of his es- tablishment to H. H. Noble, general man- ager of the Elk Rapids Iron Company, after which he again accepted a position with the company and remained in its employ until the spring of 1891, when he discontinued blacksmithing temporarily to become a member of the Elk Rapids police force.

After serving in the latter capacity until April, 1892, Mr. Crampton severed his con- nection with the force and went to Central Lake where he resumed his trade, building a large shop and establishing a very lucrative business which he conducted with profitable results during the greater part of the ensu- ing three years. Meanwhile he contracted a marriage with Miss Anna Stewart, a na- tive of Canada, and of Irish descent and it was with the object in view of improving her failing health that he turned his shop over to other parties in 1895 and went to Canada, The trip, however, proved un- availing for after a short time in that coun- try she was taken worse and in August of the same year departed this life, leaving be- side her husband a son by the name of Vin- , cent, now an intelligent young man of seven- teen, who is making his second trip as ex- press messenger on the "Empress of Japan." a Pacific liner plying between the city of Vancouver and China. After the death of his wife Mr. Crampton spent several months in the West, during which he traveled quite extensively over Arizona, California, Ore .. gon, Washington and the intermediate states and territories, visiting many points of in- terest in each. Returning to Michigan at the expiration of his tour he located in 1896 at Central Lake, where he engaged in con-

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Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 26

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