USA > Michigan > Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens > Part 40
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modious barns and other necessary farm buildings for the protection of his crops, stock and machinery. In politics Mr. Lilak is a Democrat and takes a deep interest in the success of that party, his ability and in- telligence being recognized by his fellow citizens in his election to the office of county commissioner, and he filled for two years the office of township treasurer. In religion he is a member of the Catholic church, render- ing earnest support to every worthy move- ment having for its object the advancement of the community. Mr. Lilak has never ta- ken upon himself the responsibilities of a family man, but is nonetheless an ardent ad- vocate of all things which go to make the American homes happier, more comfort- able and more intelligent.
HENRY C. COOPER.
From its organization to the present time Charlevoix county has been fortunate in the personnel of its corps of executive offi- cials, and among those who have given most able and faithful service as treasurer of the county is Mr. Cooper, who is incum- bent of the office at the time of this writing and who is one of the popular and repre- sentative citizens of the county.
Mr. Cooper has the distinction of hav- ing been born on Beaver island, lying in Lake Michigan off the coast from Mack- inaw county, and the date of his nativity was June 12, 1858. He is a son of Richard and Marietta (Geer) Cooper, the former of whom was born in the state of New York
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and the latter in Michigan, while they were numbered among the prominent and popu- lar pioneers of northern Michigan, the fa- ther having been identified with the fishing industry and also having been a sailor on the lakes, while finally he engaged in mer- cantile business at Harbor Springs, the fam- ily residing on Beaver island a portion of the time. Richard Cooper took up his resi- dence in Charlevoix county at an early pe- riod in its history, having located here in the year 1867 and having been chosen the first sheriff of the county, remaining incumbent of the office for several terms, while he also served for a number of years as judge of probate for this county, in whose organiza- tion he took a prominent part. He con- ducted for many years the Fountain City House, which was long the leading hotel of Charlevoix. and with the subject of this sketch was still associated in the ownership of the hotel at the time of his death, which occurred in 1897, at which time he was sixty- four years of age. He was a man of ex- alted integrity and his name is placed high on the roll of honored pioneers of Charle- voix county. He was a stalwart Republican in his political proclivities and for many years was a prominent and influential figure in public affairs of a local nature. His widow still survives and, venerable in years, finds a home with her only son, the subject of this sketch, while she is the object of the most unqualified filial solicitude and is held in affectionate regard by the wide circle of friends gathered about her during the many years of her residence in this county. Of the four children three are living, Annie, wife of Ezra Meech, of Charlevoix; Henry C., the subject of this sketch; Ella, the widow of James Smith, who lost her life in
the memorable "Champlain" disaster; this vessel, which plied between Chicago and Charlevoix, caught fire about six miles south of Charlevoix harbor, twenty-three lives being lost ; Minnie, the wife of Harri- son Bedford, of this place.
Henry C. Cooper was about nine years of age at the time of the family removal to Charlevoix county, and here he has ever since made his home, growing up with the county and aiding in its development and material and civic progress. He attended the first school established in the county, the same having been taught by E. H. Green, while the little school house, located in the center of what is now the business district of Charlevoix, was a small and primitive building and the first utilized for purely educational purposes in the county. After duly availing himself of the privileges afforded in the public schools of the locality he began the practical duties of life and soon proved his value. For one year he clerked in the general store conducted by Amos Fox, a pioneer merchant, and in 1882 he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business on his own responsibility, establishing the first exclusive enterprise of the sort in the county and conducting the same success- fully for a period of five years, at the expi- ration of which he sold out to S. M. See & Sons, whom he assisted in the management of the enterprise during the ensuing year. He then served one year as village marshal, after which he became associated with his father in the management of the hotel busi- ness, with which he continued to be identi- fied after his election to the office of county sheriff. in 1896. He gave a most able and discriminating administration and the pop- ular appreciation of his services in the
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shrievalty was shown in his election as his own successor in 1898, so that he remained Clinton, who was born on the 21st of July,
in tenure of the office four successive years, retiring at the opening of the year 1901 and immediately entering upon the discharge of his functions as county treasurer, to which office he had been elected in the preceding November. He was chosen as his own suc- cessor in the election of 1902, and at the time of this writing closing his eighth year of service as a public official of the county in which practically his entire life has been passed. He now holds the office of town clerk. He is one of the stalwarts in the local ranks of the Republican party and takes an active part in furthering the party cause, while he has served in various village and township offices in addition to the county offices of which mention has just been made. Mr. Cooper is an appreciative member of the Masonic fraternity, being af- filiated with Charlevoix Lodge, No. 282, Free and Accepted Masons; and with Char- levoix Chapter, No. 141, Royal Arch Ma- sons, of which latter he is high priest at the time of this writing, while he has also represented the body in the grand chapter of the state. He and his wife are members of the local chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, of which she is worthy matron, while she has represented the chapter in the grand chapter of the state. Mr. Cooper is also an active member of the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of the Maccabees.
age of six years, the only survivor being 1891.
ANTON JOZIFEK.
One of the leading foreign-born citizens and representative farmers of Antrim county, Michigan, is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this brief re- view. His has been an eminently active and useful life, but the limited space at the dis- posal of the biographer forbids more than a casual mention of the leading events in his career. Anton Jozifek is a native of Mora- via, Austria, and was born in 1865. His parents, Anton and Nettie (Ludwig) Jozi- fek, are also natives of the same kingdom and in 1873 brought their family to the United States, coming at once to Antrim county, Michigan. Here they took up eighty acres of land and erected a rude cabin or shanty, with an elm bark roof, which served as a home until they were enabled to build the more pretentious and comfortable home which now adorns the place. They set diligently to work to im- prove the tract and make it cultivable and have been rewarded with a satisfactory de- gree of success. The parents are still liv- ing and are making their home with the subject. Recently the subject has purchased forty acres more and is now maintaining personal supervision over eighty acres of land, of which he has sixty-two acres of the plow and in a high state of cultivation. He raises all the crops common to this lati- tude and is known as a hard-working, pains- taking and intelligent farmer, meeting with a success commensurate with his labors.
In 1882 Mr. Cooper was united in mar- riage to Miss Hattie Boak, who was born in New York state and reared and educated in Charlevoix county, being a daughter of Thomas Boak, one of the sterling pioneers of this section of Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper became the parents of four children, two of whom died in infancy, and one at the Their early years here witnessed much hard
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and continuous toil in order that the rough, wild land might be subdued and made to pay tribute to the demands of the laborer. but they have succeeded in their efforts and are now on a fair way to a comfortable com- petence.
In 1895 Mr. Jozifek was united in marriage with Miss Josie Divis, the daugh- ter of Joseph Divis, and to them have been born three children, Jennie. Ralph and Mag- gie. In politics the subject renders a stanch allegiance to the Republican party, while in religion he is a consistent member of the Catholic church. He takes a healthy inter- est in the welfare of the community and gives an earnest support to every move- ment for the public welfare. A man of ster- ling qualities, he is highly regarded by all who know him.
W. H. THOMPSON.
Among the highly respected residents of Jordan township, Antrim county, Michigan, who have achieved their success almost en- tirely since locating here is the gentleman whose name appears as the caption to this article. Though not born in the United States, he is no less loyal to his adopted country than are her native sons and has performed his full share in the upbuilding and development of this region. Mr. Thompson is a native of Canada, having been born in Gray county on the 8th of May, 1849. His parents. Robert and Martha (Thompson) Thompson, were natives of Ireland who emigrated to Canada and spent their remaining days there. The subject re- ceived a good education in his native land and was reared to the life of a farmer. In
1899 he came to Antrim county, Michigan, and purchased eighty acres of land in Jor- dan township which was formerly known as Barkerville. On this land were a number of houses, a part of which he sold, the pro- ceeds of the sale being sufficient to repay him the purchase price of the land. On this land Mr. Thompson is engaged in general farming, in connection with which he also conducts a boarding house, which in season is always well patronized. It may be stated that before coming to Michigan the subject and his wife and child spent some time in traveling through the western and southern states, remaining some time in Florida. His financial resources were reduced to so low an ebb that upon his arrival in East Jordan he found it necessary to borrow money with which to pay for his first meal. In view of this fact his subsequent success seems the more to his credit, as it shows him the pos- sessor of those qualities which are bound to win out in any line-a definite pur- pose and energy and persistence in the pursuit of his purpose. Mr. Thomp- son's property is well improved and very productive, lying as it does in one of the choice locations of the Jordan valley. and the owner has acquired a justly merited reputation as an enterprising and progres- sive agriculturist.
On February 19, 1891, Mr. Thompson wedded Miss Ella Hatfield. the daughter of John A. and Dora (Lung) Hatfield. of Iowa, the former of whom was a mason and plas- terer by trade, but also to some extent fol- lowed farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomp- son have been born two children, a boy and a girl. John H. and Nina M., who died in Florida. In politics Mr. Thompson renders a stanch allegiance to the Republican party and has served his fellow citizens in the of-
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ficial capacities of road overseer and con- stable, serving in the latter position at the present time. His fraternal relations are with the Patrons of Husbandry and the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Thompson is highly esteemed in his town- ship as an honorable man and is known to be interested in matters of public moment, having always done his part to advance every worthy enterprise looking to the de- velopment of his section of the county.
FRANK KOTALIK.
The agricultural interests of Jordan township, Antrim county, Michigan, are well represented by the subject of this re- view, who is one of the practical and enter- prising farmers of his section. Like many other successful, self-made men of northern Michigan, he is an American by adoption only, being a native of Bohemia, from whence has come so much of the bone and sinew of this great republic. Wherever known the Bohemian type is noted for thrift and enterprise, the subject of this sketch being no exception to the rule.
Frank Kotalik was born in Bohemia in the month of August, 1869, and is the son of Joseph and Annie Kotalik, also natives of the same country who came to the United States with their family in 1876, and settled on the place now operated by the subject, homesteading eighty acres of raw land and entering at once upon the task of clearing it and rendering it fit for cultivation. At that time there was no scarcity here of wild game, so that the family larder was well sup- plied with but little effort. The subject's father died in 1904, at the age of sixty-
seven years, highly esteemed by all who had known him. Mr. Kotalik has added to the original tract and is now the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land, of which fifty acres were cleared by him and his fa- ther and which are now producing splendid crops of hay and grain. All the improve- ments on the place have been made since coming into the possession of this family and are of a solid and permanent character, the neat buildings, well-kept fences and carefully tilled fields bespeaking the owner to be a man of taste and good judgment.
In August, 1904, Mr. Kotalik was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Miss Lizzie Raback, the daughter of Michael and Annie Raback, and to them have been born three children, Frankie, James and Albert. In political matters the subject votes the Republican ticket, though not aspiring to public office. He does, however, take a deep interest in the welfare of the community and is always found on the right side of every question affecting the public interests. Because of his sterling worth of character and for what he has accomplished, Mr. Ko- talik has won and retains the high regard and esteem of all who know him.
EDWARD SVOBODA.
Another of the men who have done their full share in advancing the agricultural in- terests and the general welfare of their com- munity is Edward Svoboda, of Jordan town- ship, Antrim county, Michigan. Mr. Svo- boda is a native of this locality, having been born here on August 14, 1874, and is the son of Michael and Anna Svoboda. He has resided here all his life and upon attaining
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mature years took up the vocation of farm- ing, in which he has been fairly successful. He is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of good land, of which he has forty acres under the plow and in a fine state of cultivation, raising thereon all the crops common to this section. The place is im- proved with a good house, commodious barn and well-kept fences and the general appearance of the place indicates the owner to be a man of good judgment and taste.
Mr. Svoboda married Miss Mary Vea- nek, the daughter of Frank and Bertha Vea- nek, natives of Bohemia, but who reside in Jordan township and are successfully con- ducting a farm. To the subject and his wife has been born one child, Nettie. In politics Mr. Svoboda is a stanch Republican and takes a deep interest in the trend of passing events, lending his influence to all move- ments for the betterment of his commun- ity in any way. When Mr. Svoboda settled on his present place it was not a very invit- ing prospect, as the land was nearly all cov- ered with a dense growth of timber. The contrast between the condition then and that of today is a pronounced tribute to the sub- ject's energy, industry and perseverance. A man of sterling rectitude, he has won and retains a host of warm personal friends among those who know him best.
JAMES M. DAVIS.
One of the honored pioneers of this sec- tion of Michigan, and also a veteran of the great struggle between the North and the South, bearing visible evidence of the san- guinary nature of that great struggle, is J. M. Davis, who resides on a farm in Jor-
dan township, Antrim county. He is a na- tive of Little Falls, Herkimer county, New York, where he was born on the 20th of October, 1843. His parents, John H. and Evelyn (Spore) Davis, were also natives of New York and were farming people. They came to Rockford, Michigan, in an early day and followed farming there until their deaths. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom six are living. The sub- ject received his early education in the pub- lic schools of the Empire state and in 1861 he came to Michigan, with the expectation of making this his future home. However, at that time the fires of rebellion were burn- ing hotly in the Southland and in response to the President's call for volunteers for de- fense of the national integrity Mr. Davis en- listed in Company A, Sixth Regiment Mich- igan Volunteer Cavalry. Among the bat- tles in which he took part was that of Get- tysburg, where he was wounded while his command was making a charge on Hamp- ton's Confederate cavalry. Mr. Davis was struck by a bullet, the missile piercing his left arm and side and coming out in his back, thus making four external wounds. The wounds were severe and during his recovery Mr. Davis spent some months at home. In the following July he re-enlisted in the Third Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infan- try, with which he joined the Army of the Potomac and remained in the service until the close of the war, receiving an honorable discharge in September, 1865.
After his discharge from military service Mr. Davis returned to Michigan .and was variously engaged until 1893, when he came to Antrim county and bought eighty acres of land in Jordan township, of which he has about forty acres in cultivation. The tract has been greatly improved since coming
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into his possession and is now considered one of the fine small farms of the town- ship. Mr. Davis is a thoughtful and pains- taking man and in his operations follows twentieth-century methods and uses up-to- date appliances, so that he gets maximum results with minimum expense and labor. In 1904 Mr. Davis entered the United States mail service in the capacity of a rural route mail carrier, having charge of route No. 4, one of the hardest routes in this county, requiring the traveling of twen- ty-four miles daily, which, with its innumerable stops and annoyances, makes a very tiresome and tedious trip. In pol- itics Mr. Davis supports the Republican party and has been honored by election to all the township offices, having served as supervisor ten terms, justice of the peace twelve years and clerk three terms. Fra- ternally he belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and thus keeps alive his old army associations.
In 1864 Mr. Davis was united in mar- riage to Miss Emelia Stedman, of Kent county, this state, and the daughter of Jo- seph and Olive Stedman. Joseph Stedman was also a veteran of the Civil war, having served in the Twenty-first Regiment Michi- gan Volunteer Infantry. To the subject and his wife have been born nine children, namely : S. J., Ralph, Luther, Lena, James, Alva, Lucy, Frank and an infant that is de- ceased.
JOHN CRAIG.
The sturdy and reliable qualities so char- acteristic of the inhabitants of the land of hills and heather are found exemplified in him whose name appears at the head of this
ment of the commonwealth, Joseph Votruba has long occupied a leading position, and today he is considered one of the leading agriculturists of Antrim county. He is a native of Bohemia, where he was born in March, 1854, and is the son of John and Anna (Resac) Votruba. In 1866, when the subject was about twelve years of age, the family came to Michigan, coming first to Antrim City, then to Charlevoix and by sail boat down the Jordan river to East Jor- dan. They located in Jordan township, An- trim county, this being four years before the organization of the township, where the sub- ject's father homesteaded eighty acres of land. Some time later the subject home- steaded a like number of acres located near his father's tract, and here he erected a rude shanty and at once entered upon the task of clearing the land for cultivation. His financial condition was at almost the lowest possible ebb at this time and he found it necessary to go to Traverse City, walking the entire distance of seventy miles, and sought employment whereby he could earn money necessary for support. He was em- ployed at railroad work, loading boats and other occupations. until he was enabled to return and clear the farm and get out the spring crops, returning to Traverse City in June and resuming his former employment. The necessary winter supplies, which were purchased at the latter place, were brought to the home neighborhood by sailboat. The subject's faithful efforts were eventually re- warded and he was from time to time ena- bled to purchase additional land, until now he is the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of as good land as can be found in his township. One hundred and twenty acres of the land were cleared by the subject and are now in cultivation. The place is splend-
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sketch, than whom no resident of Jordan township, Antrim county, Michigan, is held in higher esteem by his fellow citizens. John Craig was born in Scotland on the 16th of August, 1845, and is the son of James and Janette (Campbell) Craig. The father was a teamster by vocation and both he and his wife died in their native land. The subject of this sketch received a good education in his native land and in 1884 came to the new world, stopping first at Mt. Forest, Canada, whence, six weeks later, he came to Michi- gan, locating in Jordan township, Antrim county. Here he first purchased forty acres of land, to which he later added another forty-acre tract, and of this he has sixty acres under the plow and in an excel- lent state of cultivation. He carries on gen- eral farming, raising all the crops common to this section of the country, and also gives much attention to the raising of live stock, sheep, cattle, hogs and horses, having raised and sold many of the latter.
On the 16th day of January, 1889, Mr. Craig was married to Miss Catherine Mc- Lain, the daughter of Angus and Flora (Brown) McLain, natives of Scotland also, their entire lives having been spent in their native land. To the subject and his wife have been born six children, three now living, John, Charles and George, the last two being still at home, while John owns and operates a farm of his own: those deceased are James, Flora and Angus. Politically Mr. Craig is an earnest Republican, performing much effective service for his party, and also serving his fellow citizens in the capacity of school director, which position he effectu- ally filled for thirteen years, being now re- elected for another term. Religiously he is affiliated with the Presbyterian church at East Jordan, and his entire life has been at
harmony with the Christian profession. The subject and his family are deservedly popu- lar in the community and their home is the center of a charming social circle.
JOSEPH VOTRUBA.
Among the citizens of foreign birth who have become a part of the population of the great Wolverine state and have had a large share in the upbuilding and develop- idly improved in every respect, one of the most noticeable features being a fine barn, eighty by eighty feet, which, with the well-kept fences and other marks of care, show the owner to be a man of taste and good judgment. On the place is an orchard of three hundred and eighty trees, compris- ing apple, plum, pear, cherry and other good staple varieties. While he conducts gen- eral farming operations, Mr. Votruba gives some special attention to the raising of hay and live stock, giving preference to Dur- ham cattle.
Mr. Votruba has been twice married. His first wife was Mary Kobeck, who gave birth to five children, Emma, Rossie, Nettie, Joseph and Bertha. After her death Mr. Votruba married Miss Annie Matelski, the daughter of Andrew and Lena (Grobuski) Matelski, natives of Poland and farming people, who came to this county at the same time as the subject. To the last union has been born one child, Leslie. In public af- fairs the subject takes a deep interest, though in casting his ballot he is independ- ent of party lines. He has efficiently served his fellow citizens in public capacity, having been county commissioner for eight years, justice of the peace for twelve years, and a
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member of the school board. In addition to his farm land, Mr. Votruba owns lots and houses in East Jordan and, all in all, is con- sidered fairly well-to-do. He possesses those qualities which typify the gentleman and because of his upright life he has won and retains the friendship of all who know him.
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