Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 41

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

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THOMAS BARTHOLOMEW.

It is an agreeable task for the biog- rapher, and pleasant and profitable for the reader, to contemplate the life record of a person who has made a success of life and won the confidence and respect of his fel- low citizens. Such is the record of the well- known agriculturist of Antrim county, Mich- igan, whose name appears above, than whom a more highly respected or popular man it would be difficult to find within the limits of the township where he has his home. Mr. Bartholomew was born in Steuben county, New York, on December 15. 1865, and is the son of J. F. and Mary (Scott) Barthol- omew, also natives of the same locality in the Empire state. The father came to Mich- igan in 1870 and homesteaded a farm in Echo township, Antrim county, where he still resides. He was the father of six chil- dren, Thomas, the subject of this sketch, Scott, Carrie, and Ida, all of whom are liv- ing, while two are dead, William Orson and Katie R.

The subject of this sketch was but a mere child when brought by his parents to Michigan and was here given the advantage of attendance at the common schools. Dur- ing his youth he learned thoroughly the best methods of agriculture so that upon attain- ing mature years he was well equipped to

take up the work on his own account. He is now the owner of a splendid farm in Echo township, Antrim county, the place comprising one hundred and twenty acres, on which he carries on general farming and meeting with a success commensurate with the labor bestowed. He also devotes con- siderable attention to the raising of live stock, giving preference to Shorthorn cat- tle and Poland China hogs. He is the owner of a good, comfortable residence, a commodious barn and all the outbuildings necessary for the care and protection of his stock, crops and implements, while the gen- eral appearance of the place is a compliment to the owner.

In 1886 Mr. Bartholomew was married to Miss Ida King, the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Stott) King. Her father was a native of Iowa, and a successful farmer who came to Michigan in an early day, his death occurring in 1904. The mother is now mak- ing her home in South Arm township, Char- levoix county, this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Bartholomew has been born one child, Maud L., who still remains at home. The sub- ject is a man of sterling character and holds the unqualified esteem of the people of the community in which he resides. Politically he is a Republican.

FRANK HANEY.

Among those citizens of foreign birth who have emigrated to the United States and have not only found here what their hearts most ardently desired-liberty and opportunity for personal advancement-but have also proved themselves valuable ac- quisitions to the community of their resi-

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dence, is the gentleman whose name appears above. Mr. Haney is a native of far-away Bohemia, where he was born on the 12th day of July, 1854. He is the son of John and Fanny (Hiack) Haney, also natives of Bohemia and farming people. The subject and his parents came to America in 1874 and at once located in Wilson township, An- trim county, Michigan, where they took up eighty acres of raw land. They were among the very first settlers in this section and have not only been witnesses to the wonder- ful growth and advancement which has characterized this county, but have them- selves been large contributors to this pros- perity. The father is still living and is mak- ing his home with the subject. The latter now farms forty acres of his land, raising thereon all the crops common to this section of the country, and has been prospered in a financial way, due to his own industry, in- domitable energy and wise economy.

In 1883 Mr. Haney was united in mar- riage with Miss Stasha Divis, the daughter of Joseph Divis, who never left his home in the old world. To the subject and his wife have been born the following children : Frank. Joseph, Fred and Mary. The sub- ject has ever cast his influence on the right side of every movement looking to the moral, educational or material advancement of the community and is held in high esteem by all who know him.

JOSHUA F. BARTHOLOMEW.

The record of Mr. Bartholomew is that of a man who by his own unaided efforts has worked his way from a modest begin- ning to a position of influence and compara-

tive affluence in his community. His life has been of unceasing industry and perse- verance and the systematic and honorable methods which he has followed have won him the unbounded confidence of his fellow citizens of Antrim county, Michigan.

J. F. Bartholomew is a native of the old Empire state, having been born in Steuben county, New York, on April 9, 1835. He is the son of Jacob and Catherine (Talbert) Bartholomew, the former of whom was a farmer by vocation and was also born in New York state. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children and both died in their native state, the father at the age of sixty-five years and the mother at that of eighty. The subject of this sketch received a good education in the common schools of his native state and upon attaining ma- ture years he took up the tilling of the soil as his life work, having previously, under his father's wise direction, learned the secrets of successful agriculture. He remained in his native state until 1870, when he came to Michigan and homesteaded eighty acres of land of which a part is his present home- stead, he having subsequently sold forty acres of the original tract. When he took possession of this land it was in its primitive condition of wildness and much hard labor was entailed in the reclamation of it. To- day few farms in this section excel it in the high standard of its improvements and gen- eral condition. Mr. Bartholomew does not confine his attention to any special line of effort, but carries on and gives due atten- tion to all departments of farming, raising all the crops common to this latitude. He also raises some live stock and has on his place a nice orchard, which produces splendid fruit in season.

In 1861 Mr. Bartholomew was united

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in marriage with Miss Mary Scott, the daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Dingy) Scott, and to them have been born six chil- dren, namely: William Orson (deceased) ; Thomas, whose personal sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Scott, Katie R. (deceased), Carrie and Ida, four of whom are living. In politics Mr. Bar- tholomew renders support to the Re- publican party and takes a keen interest in public affairs, though he has no ambition for the honors or emoluments of public of- fice, preferring to give his attention to his own business affairs. A man of sterling character, he is popular with all who know him.

LEON CHICHESTER.

The able and popular president of the First State Bank of Petoskey is most con- sistently accorded recognition in a publica- tion of the province assigned to the one at hand, since it has to do with the representa- tive citizens of the various counties grouped together for such consideration.

Mr. Chichester is a native son of the state of Michigan and has here passed prac- tically his entire life, while he has advanced to a position of independence and business prestige through his well directed efforts. He was born in Otsego, Allegan county, Michigan, on the 15th of January, 1863, and is a son of Ira and Ann M. (Ives) Chi- chester, the former of whom was born in the state of New York and the latter in that of Ohio. The father of our subject fol- lowed various occupations during the major portion of his active business career, and he died in the village of Allegan, this state, on

the 2d of August, 1903, at the venerable age of eighty years, having been one of the old and honored citizens of that section. His devoted wife met her death in July, 1880, as the result of an accident, having been instantly killed by the overturning of a coach in which she was making a trip in the White Mountains. Mr. and Mrs. Chi- chester became the parents of four children, two of whom died in infancy. Leon, the immediate subject of this sketch, is the elder of the two surviving, and Fred I. is a resi- dent of Allegan, Michigan.

Leon Chichester remained in his native town until he had attained the age of four years, when his parents removed to the vil- lage of Allegan, county seat of the same county, where he was reared to maturity. His educational discipline as a youth was secured in the public schools of that city. where he was graduated in the high schools as a member of the class of 1879, having completed the high school course. At the age of eighteen years Mr. Chichester se- cured the position of bookkeeper in the First National Bank of Allegan, so that it may be said most consistently that he has prac- tically grown up in the banking business, while . his discrimination and intimate knowledge of details and methods have made him a most valuable executive officer. In the institution mentioned he soon made his worth manifest, and he served as book- keeper until 1882, when he was promoted to the office of cashier, which incumbency he retained until 1890. In 1891 Mr. Chichester came to Petoskey, Emmet county, and be- came associated with others in the organiza- tion and incorporation of the First State Bank, of which he has been chashier from the time of inception, excepting a short term

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when he was vice-president of same, while it is largely due to his efforts that the insti- tution has gained so distinctive a prestige and success, its support being of a repre- sentative order.

In his political allegiance Mr. Chiches- ter is stanchly aligned with the Republican party, and he has been a member of the board of aldermen of Petoskey, and while a resident of Allegan was village treasurer one term. He and his wife are prominent and zealous members of the First Presby- terian church in Petoskey, in whose work they take an active part.

In December, 1892, in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, Mr. Chichester was united in marriage to Miss Nannie Blair, who died in Aiken, South Carolina, on the 3d of Janu- ary, 1895. having gone to the south for the benefit of her health. On the 24th of Octo- ber, 1900, Mr. Chichester consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Jeanne A. Caskey, who was born in Allegan, Michigan, being a daughter of Charles W. Caskey. Mr. and Mrs. Chichester have one child, Edith Hunt.

WILLIAM J. MAY.

This honored citizen of Antrim county is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of the Wolverine state, and has here passed the major portion of his long and useful life, while he came to Antrim county as an early settler, having developed a good farm from the virgin wilds and hav- ing done his share in furthering the upbuild- ing and civic advancement of this attractive section of the Wolverine state.

Mr. May is a native of the old Empire state of the Union, having been born in Seneca Falls, Seneca county, New York, on the 24th of January, 1833, and having been reared to maturity in that beautiful lake dis- trict of the great state, his ancestors having settled in that locality in a very early day. His paternal grandfather was Sylvester May. and was of English lineage, while on the maternal side our subject's ancestry is of Holland Dutch origin. He is a son of Eldad and Elsie (Gilbert) May, both of whom were born in the state of New York in the year 1803, the place of the father's nativity having been in Madison county, near Caz- enovia, where he passed the days of his youth. Of the nine children of Eldad and Elsie May five are living at the time of this writing, the subject of this sketch having been the third in order of birth. Eldad May was a blacksmith by trade, and followed this vocation for many years, while after coming to Michigan he also engaged in farming, with which industry he continued to be identified during the remainder of his life. He came to Michigan in 1855 and settled in Livingston county, where both he and his devoted wife passed the remainder of their lives, secure in the high regard of all who knew them. His death occurred in 1878, while his wife passed away in 1875.

In 1857, the year after the removal of the family to Michigan, the subject as- sumed the responsibilities of a man of fam- ily, being then united in marriage to Miss Lydia A. Durkee, who was likewise born in the state of New York, being a daughter of James and Mary A. (Lyon) Durkee, there being now only one of their five children living. To Mr. and Mrs. May have been born eight children, namely: Carrie, who is

Carttiniest

WILLIAM J. MAY.

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deceased ; George R., who married Miss Nel- of Vicksburg, the engagements at Raymond lie Forbes and who is now engaged in the and Champion Hill, the Atlanta campaign, the battle of Kenesaw Mountain and many others. After the close of the war Mr. May returned to his home in Livingston county, where he continued to follow his trade for many years, his identification with active work in this sturdy vocation continuing for more than a score of years, during the ma- jor portion of which he conducted business for himself. drug and grocery business in the city of Jackson, this state; Frederick E., who mar- ried May Howard and who died at the age of thirty-four years; Ethel A. ; Dora E., who is the wife of Byron Nixon, a successful business man of Hillsdale, Michigan; Wil- liam B., who is a member of the class of 1904 in the State University, at Ann Arbor, where he is fitting himself for the profession of civil engineering; John O., who died in childhood, and Fannie B., who was married on the 27th of January, 1904, to Charles Eaton, a successful young contractor and builder of Antrim county. Mrs. May died November 7, 1900.

William J. May, to whom this sketch is dedicated, was reared to manhood in his na- tive county, where he secured a common- school education and where he learned the blacksmith's trade under the effective direc- tion of his honored father. He came with his parents to Michigan in 1854, as has been noted, and was engaged in the work of his trade in Livingston county at the time of the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion. when he gave evidence of his fervid loyalty and patriotism by enlisting, in 1861, as a member of Company H, First Michigan Light Artillery, with which he continued in active service until practically the close of the war, having received his honorable dis- charge on the 28th of January, 1865, and having made the record of a faithful and valiant soldier. His command was on duty in the West for a considerable portion of its term of service, but participated in many of the more important engagements of the great conflict. Thus it may be noted that Mr. May took part in the protracted battles

In 1883 Mr. May came to Antrim county, where he has ever since maintained his home. Here he followed his trade for some time, while he also secured a tract of wild land, in 'Kearney township, reclaiming about sixty-five acres of the same from the native timber and laboring strenuously to develop a farm and make a good home for his family. He now has a farm of one hun- dred acres, a considerable portion of the place being yet covered with timber, and here he has erected a good house and other farm buildings of excellent type, and has gained prosperity through his efforts in con- nection with the great art of agriculture, being one of the substantial and highly honored citizens of the county and one who is ever loyal to all the duties of citizenship. In politics Mr. May is an uncompromising advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and while he has never sought of- ficial preferment he has been called upon to serve as justice of the peace and as incum- bent of other local offices. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the lodge and chap- ter of the Masonic order at Bellaire, and both he and his wife are prominent and zeal- ous members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served in practically all of the lay offices.

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EARLY HISTORY OF NORWOOD, Norwood. To induce people to settle he MICHIGAN.

The township of Norwood, Charlevoix county. was formerly a part of the town- ship of Charlevoix and later of the township of Marion. Marion township was set off from the township of Charlevoix by act of the legislature in March, 1867, and Nor- wood was set off from Marion by the board of supervisors in October. 1869. The first township meeting after the organization of Marion was held at Barnard in April, 1867. William Harris was elected supervisor, John Pearl, clerk, and William Clark, treasurer. In 1868 the same ticket was elected. At the October meeting of the board of supervisors in 1868 the town of Marion was divided and the town of Norwood was formed from the territory stated. At the first town meet- ing held in Norwood in April, 1869, William Harris was elected supervisor, T. S. Carter, clerk, and George Olney, treasurer. Will- iam Harris continued supervisor until 1873; then F. J. Meech, for two years, O. D. Wood, five years ; F. J: Meech, one year. In 1880 William Harris was elected and served continuously to 1902, at which time Henry Wagner, the present supervisor, was elected.

The village of Norwood was platted by Orwin Adams in 1867. Town 33 north. range 9 west, was classed as swamp land. The swamp land was given to the state by the United States government on the condi- tion that the proceeds should be used in the construction of state roads. Orwin Adams, who was living at Battle Creek from 1858 to 1866, together with Cassius Pearl, was engaged in building state roads, and took in pay swamp land scrip, several thousand acres of which was in the present town of

sold the land cheap to settlers. The scrip was sold at fifty cents to one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. Adams, in con- nection with Cassius Pearl, had built the dock at Antrim City in 1864. In 1866 Ad- ams formed a partnership with O. D. Wood, under the name of Wood, Pearl & Company. The dock was built at Norwood in 1866, and the same year the sawmill was built. It was originally intended for a stave and heading mill, but was never used for that purpose. It was the first steam mill on the west shore north of Traverse City and was built at about the same time as the first one in Alpena, which was built by the same party. In 1867 C. H. Pearl sold out his in- terest and built the Eagle House, the present summer home of George H. Van Pelt. Orwin Adams was a large hearted, generous man, but rather loose in business methods. He lost all his property and in 1869 it went into the hands of Barber & Bal- lard, who operated it for a year or two when it went into the hands of Morse & Meech. F. J. Meech acquired the property in 1872. In 1872-3 Mr. Meech put up the building always occupied as a store. It was the finest store building at that time north of Grand Rapids, with the exception of the company store at Elk Rapids. The inside work was all in hard wood, birdseye maple, red birch and ash, the counters of solid black walnut, two and one-half inches thick. Meech ran the business until 1878 or 1879, when it went on a mortgage to Blossom Gooderich. He did nothing with it, but in 1882 sold it to Guyles & Nash. After Mr. Guyles' death the plant was operated by G. V. Nash, for himself or others, until the mill was destroyed by fire in 1901. It was not rebuilt. Valentine Brothers bought the

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store and are doing a mercantile business village of Norwood, was organized in 1867. here. About 1886 a Mr. Smithson, of Charlevoix, bought about one thousand five hundred acres of land near Little island, about six miles north of Norwood, obtain- ing it for Sir Edward Hutchinson, of Eng- land. He built a dock and put up a sawmill, which was in operation four or five years. The mill was destroyed by fire about 1891 and never was rebuilt. The dock went out in a short time and the property was aban- doned and sold for taxes.

About the first hard wood lumber in Charlevoix county was cut by the mill at Norwood and for the last twenty years about three million feet a year have been cut and a large quantity of ties, posts and shin- gles were made. From 1867 to 1872 not much- lumber was made, the main product being shipping and propeller wood, many thousand cords being cut each year. During the summer months both passenger and freight boats stopped here regularly three or four times a week.

The first families in the village and town of Norwood were Daniel Stafford, Harmon Stafford, Joseph Shores, John Olney, George Olney, Thomas Bryant, Stephen Moore, Harvey Wilson, Chester Hardy, El- more Clark, William Harris, Parker McIn- tyre, William Jaquays, Orwin Adams, Pal- mer Karns, Thomas Muirhead, Horace Van Ornum, Henry Van Ornum, George Foote, Jason Boulton, O. D. Hilton, James In-' wood, William J. McGeagah, Robert Trim- ble, A. N. Chase. A. D. Brady, Hosea Moore, A. S. Richardson, William Rich- ardson, D. F. Barber, Jacob Vandusen, Avery Van Dugen, E. L. Stafford, S. S. Spaulding and N. A. Shores. These came between 1864 and 1869 and all had fami- lies. School district No. I, located in the

In 1868 the frame school house was built but was destroyed by fire in 1884, when the present building was erected. Jasper Adams taught the first school in the first house the winter of 1868, and William Harris in 1869 and 1870. In 1871 Miss Emma Pearl, who, with her husband, Edmond Perry, are now teaching in the government Indian school at Hayward, Wisconsin. There are four frame school houses in the township, in districts Nos. 1, 2, 7 and 8.

The Norwood charge of the Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1868, being set off from the Antrim circuit. A. J. Sensebaugh was the first pastor, then came Revs. Gray, Williams, Robinson, McCallis- ton and Wesley Hunsberger, since cele- brated as the marrying parson in Milwau- kee, and who is now preaching at Ocean Grove; then came Darling, Blake, Blanch- ard, Keillor, Whitman, McCartney, Heath, Howe, Lent, Halliday, Eagle, Allen, Wynn, Tiney, Alesworth and J. P. Durham, the present pastor. The church building was erected in 1883 and cost about three thous- and dollars. There is one other small church building within the town limits. At one time, between 1870-1878, there was a Baptist church organization. The first birth in the village was Bertha Harris, 1867, and the first marriage was Jacob Vandugen and Annie Clark in 1868.

The postoffice was established in Nor- wood in 1867. The first postmaster was William Harris, from that time to 1872; then Fred Meech, until 1883; then George B. Guyles, until his death ; then G. V. Nash, until 1902; from that time to the present, William Harris. In 1866 the mail was car- ried on foot by an Indian from Traverse City to Mackinaw, making the trip once a

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week ; then the trip was shortened, only go- ing to Petoskey. Norwood was not directly on the mail route but had a short line from Antrim City. Then for a few years our mail came across the country from Boyne Falls three times a week. Then the Antrim City office and the Barnard office were dis- continued and the mail came by way of Nor- wood to Petoskey daily. At present we have a short route from Charlevoix to Nor- wood daily.

Norwood is a resort town on a small scale. George H. Van Pelt, of Chicago, manufacturer of dies and lasts, came to Norwood in 1883, bought the Eagle House property and has spent a large amount in improving it. It is on the bluff fronting the lake and is one of the finest homes in northern Michigan. His family occupy it during the summer months. Charles H. Ferguson, deceased, came here in 1878. He was the state agent of Illinois for the Mu- tual Insurance Company of New York. He bought about eighty acres of land adjoining the village and spent many thousands of dollars in one way and another in improv- ing it. His sons, George, Larmond and Charles, live in Chicago, but come up here during the resort season.

S. B. Chase, for many years supervisor of North town, Chicago, and four years register of deeds, and for many years a noted Democratic politician, came here about 1886 and bought the property owned by Fred J. Meech. Mr. Chase, with his wife and younger children, have been living here very quietly for the past two years.

While the fractional town of Norwood was entered as state swamp land, it does not follow that it was all swamp by any means. Near the shore, between here and Charle- voix. was a cedar swamp, in some places

one-half mile to a mile wide, but ad- joining that was a fine body of hard- wood timber and is as good land as can be found in northern Michigan. Fruit of all kinds is grown well here. The village of Norwood is beautifully situated on a bluff on the second terrace and is about seventy- five or one hundred feet above the lake. The first terrace is about forty rods wide and is fifteen or twenty feet above the lake. Norwood is at the mouth of Grand Traverse bay, and all of the shipping passes in sight. The good land comes clear down to the water at this point and we have no sand or mud in the village. It is the warmest point on Lake Michigan north of Benton Harbor, the mercury never going lower here than at that place. In clear, cold weather it will be ten to fifteen degrees warmer here than at Charlevoix and other places near here. It is very free from frost in the fall. In forty years there have only been three Septem- bers in which there was killing frosts. The lowest mercury has ever reached in that time was twenty-four degrees below, in 1872, and in 1898, twenty-four below. At the same time it was forty below all over the state. Last winter (1903-4) the coldest at this place was fourteen to sixteen degrees below zero. WILLIAM HARRIS.

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Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 41

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