USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 46
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William D. Fitzhugh was descended on his father's side from William Fitzhugh, of Bed- ford, England, who was born in 1570. The latter's son, Henry Fitzhugh, also of Bedford, was born in 1615. Col. William Fitzhugh, son of Henry and great-great-great-grandfather of the subject of this writing, was born in Bed- ford, England, in 1651, and was the first of the family to locate in this country, settling in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was mar- ried to Sarah Tucker on May 1, 1674, and died in Virginia, in 1701. His son, George Fitz- hugh, of Stafford County, Virginia, married Mary Mason. Col. William Fitzhugh, of Staf- ford County, Virginia, the son of George and great-grandfather of our subject, was born January II, 1721, and died February II, 1798. He married Mrs. Anne Rousby, nee Frisby, of Cecil County, Maryland, January 7, 1752. She was born September 15, 1727, and died March 26, 1793.
Col. William Fitzhugh, the grandfather of our subject and son of the Col. William Fitz- hugh just named, was born in Calvert County, Maryland, October 6, 1761, and died Decem- ber 29, 1839. His wife, Ann Hughes, to whom he was married October 18, 1789, was born April 1, 1771, and died March 28, 1828. Col. William Fitzhugh, with his friends and neigh- bors, Nathaniel Rochester and Charles Carroll, visited Western New York in 1815, after tak- ing part in the War of 1812; they purchased lands in Livingston County, including the site of the present city of Rochester, which was named in honor of one of the party. Colonel
Fitzhugh settled his family in Livingston County in the following year.
Dr. Daniel Hughes Fitzhugh, the father, of our subject and son of Col. William Fitz- hugh, of Livingston County, New York, was. was born April 20, 1794, in Washington Coun- ty, Maryland, near Hagerstown. He studied medicine and secured his degree but never fol- lowed the profession, having become interested in land values at an early date and continuing to be thus interested until his death, which occurred April 23, 1881, at the age of 87 years.
On April 1I, 1820, Dr. Daniel Hughes. Fitzhugh was married to Anne Frisby Dana, who was born at Geneva, New York, Decem- ber 22, 1803, and who died February 21, 1850. To Dr. Fitzhugh and wife were born 10 chil- dren, four of whom still survive. Mrs. Fitz- hugh was a daughter of Capt. William Pultney Dana, who was born in Shrewsbury, England, July 13, 1776, and who was married in April, 1802, to Anne Frisby Fitzhugh ; the last named. was born in Calvert County, Maryland, in 1782, and died in Geneva, New York, in January, 1804. Captain Dana died in Shrewsbury, Eng- land, June 29, 1861. He was a son of Rev. Edmund Dana, who was born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 18, 1739, graduated from Harvard in 1759, and was married about. 1765 to Helen Kinnaird. Rev. Edmund Dana lived during great portion of his life in England, where he died May 7, 1823. He was a son of Richard Dana, who was born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1699, gradu- ated from Harvard in 1718 and died in 1772. The wife of Richard Dana was Lydia Trow- bridge, of Boston, Massachusetts. His father was named Daniel Dana.
In the period just preceding the admission of Michigan to statehood, a great exodus from the East took place to a locality which was.
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justly represented to be one of the finest farm- ing districts of the Union, in addition to being rich in mineral wealth and transportation facil- ities. Among those who came to see this land of promise for themselves, were a little party of capitalists from Livingston County, New York, who made the trip in 1834. Satisfied as to the future of this country, then but a dense woodland wilderness, they invested in large tracts of land, Dr. Fitzhugh and Judge Charles H. Carroll buying many acres in the rich Sag- inaw Valley. After the admission of Michigan to the Union, in 1837, and the establishment of a stable government, Dr. Fitzhugh pur- chased more land, becoming possessed of all that tract along the river which is now the site of West Bay City, and later he became one of the proprietary owners of Lower Saginaw (now Bay City).
The late William D. Fitzhugh grew to manhood surrounded with every influence to develop his mental faculties and physical strength. He remained in Livingston County until his marriage in December, 1848, to Anne Carroll. This lady is a daughter of the late Hon. Charles H. and Alida (Van Rensselaer) Carroll. Mrs. Fitzhugh was born at Utica, New York, May 1, 1828. Judge Carroll came from a distinguished Maryland family, and was born at Bellevue and was educated at Georgetown. After his admission to the bar in 1820, he settled in Livingston County, New York, and there became prominent in law and politics. He was the first judge of Livingston County and served both as Representative and as Senator from that county in the State Leg- islature. He accompanied Dr. Fitzhugh in his prospecting trip to the Saginaw Valley and invested largely in land here. He had partici- pated in the War of 1812. For some years prior to his death, in 1865, he had given his
whole attention to caring for his real estate in- vestments.
William D. Fitzhugh and his bride came to Michigan in 1849 and were among the earliest settlers to found homes in this locality. Mr. Fitzhugh was led to select this section in order to look after his father's and his father-in- law's landed interests, but he later became per- sonally identified with the locality and the peo- ple and to such an extent that Bay City has always numbered him with her own representa- tive men. In point of fact, Mr. Fitzhugh lived in Bay County but four years, but continued his identification with her interests as long as he lived and testified, during his numerous visits, to his devotion to her welfare and to his pleasure in commingling with her people.
Shortly after coming here, Mr. Fitzhugh, in company with a Mr. Alberta, made a complete survey of all that portion of Michigan, includ- ing Tuscola and the other counties adjacent to Bay. He was quick to note public improve- ments needed and the great enterprise of drain- ing Bay County was accomplished by following his example of extensive ditching. While Mr. Fitzhugh resided at Bay City, the great cholera epidemic swept the country and it is still re- called how he accompanied and assisted his friend, the noble Dr. August Nabert, in caring for the sick and in burying the dead. Mr. Fitz- hugh survived his humanitarian labors, but his friend was a victim. During one season, in order to ensure the carrying of the mail from Saginaw to Bay City, Mr. Fitzhugh attended to this public duty himself. He was supervi- sor of his township and many of the early im- provements were inaugurated by and through his personal efforts.
Mr. and Mrs. Fitzhugh's first residence in Bay City was located on the corner of Third and Water streets, the seventh dwelling erected
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within the corporation limits. It was built by his brother, Daniel Fitzhugh, Jr., and was destroyed by fire in 1850. In the following year he built a new home on the corner of 10th street and Washington avenue, the present site of the City Hall, a spot then surrounded by a dense forest. After Mr. Fitzhugh decided to return to his native surroundings, his brother purchased this house and subsequently sold it to the city.
In those early days, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzhugh were not only the center of social life here, but were also leading factors in the organiza- tion of religious affairs and educational oppor- tunities. They were the founders of Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church and Mrs. Fitz- hugh was one of five communicants who at- tended the first service held in Saginaw, and still holds her membership with Trinity Church here. For some years she has resided in Bay City with her daughter, Mrs. Richard F. Con- over, Mr. Fitzhugh having died in Livingston County, New York, in 1889. Of their eight children, six grew to maturity and three still survive, viz: Anne Dana, who is the wife of Judge Hamilton Mercer Wright, of Bay City ; Cornelia, who is the wife of Richard Field Con- over, a prominent business man of Bay City; and Edward F., who is a resident of Idaho.
Mrs. Fitzhugh's recollections of a half- cen- tury ago are clear and her relation of them gives a vivid picture of times and conditions which it would take pages of this history to record. The time is not so long, measuring by years, but in the light of achievements, how remote it seems! When she and her husband came to this section, it was very close to the be- ginning of the history of Bay City. She has in her possession a number of legal papers with the signatures of Presidents Jackson and Van Buren, relative to the lands purchased by her father and the Fitzhughs.
In 1878, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzhugh deeded to the city a valuable tract of land to be used for a public park. This land was formerly owned by Judge Carroll, her father, and was pre- sented to her by him. In turn she gave it to Bay City, under the name of Carroll Park, and this public improvement will continue for all time to recall not only her honored father, but a lady whose beautiful life and character have endeared her, greatly to those in the midst of whom she has chosen to spend the evening of life.
ARTIN M. ANDREWS, cashier and manager of the Old Second National Bank of Bay City, Mich- igan, is a citizen whose business. ability, civic usefulness and social qualities have brought him into justifiable prominence in Bay City. Mr. Andrews was born near Flint, Michigan, April 12, 1839, and is a son of Capt. Bushnell and Mary (Mason) An- drews.
Capt. Bushnell Andrews was born and reared in New York, where his military title was obtained as a commander of State militia. He was a very early settler in Genesee County, Michigan, becoming an extensive and success- ful farmer in the vicinity of Flint. Both he and his wife died there, the latter surviving until the age of 90 years. Their children em- braced two sons and one daughter.
Martin M. Andrews completed the public school course at Flint, and then entered Ober- lin College, Ohio, in 1859, where the outbreak of the Civil War found him a student. An- swering the first call for troops, Mr. Andrews enlisted on May 20, 1861, in a company com- posed entirely of college students, mustered into the United States service as Company C, Seventh Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. He was pro-
MAJ. L. G. WILCOX
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moted to Ist sergeant, and during the last year of their first term of enlistment was in com- mand of his company. He was then commis- sioned Ist lieutenant and appointed adjutant of the 185th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf .; for gallant conduct he was later commissioned cap- tain, and was honorably discharged in 1865. His service was one of much danger, hardship and varied experience, including the battles of Cedar Mountain, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Chattanooga and the Atlanta campaign. dur- ing which time he was a thousand times in im- minent danger and was thrice wounded, fortu- nately never seriously, as soldiers are accus- tomed to reckon injury. His military record is one to which he can refer with justifiable pride.
When the time had come to put aside the sword and resume peaceful pursuits, Captain Andrews repaired to St. Louis, Missouri, and accepted a position offered him by one of the large wholesale hardware firms of that city. In 1875 he came to Bay City, Michigan, and associated himself with the Second National Bank as bookkeeper, from which position he was promoted to that of assistant cashier. The bank's first charter expiring in 1894. it was reorganized under the title of The Old Second National Bank and Mr. Andrews became cashier.
Mr. Andrews' long and close association with banking interests here has not excluded him either from other business enterprises or from taking a prominent part in civic improve- ments. He has been of great service to the city where his business capacity and high per- sonal character made him representative. He has been treasurer of the Building & Loan As- sociation of Bay City since its organization. For several terms he consented to serve as a member of the board of education, but subse-
quently was obliged to resign on account of the press of personal business.
The home of Mr. Andrews is one of the beautiful and substantial ones of Bay City, and his domestic circle is one of culture and re- finement. He married Mary Plum, a native of Flint, Michigan, and they have two charm- ing, highly accomplished daughters,-Jessie I. and Lora A. Both young ladies completed the educational course offered by the Bay City schools and subsequently graduated at Ober- lin College, Ohio. They are highly gifted in music and are very prominent in the city's choice social life.
Mr. Andrews was one of the organizers of the First Congregational Church of Bay City and for years has taken a very active part in its work. Recently he has given over a great part of his Sunday-school work to his daugh- ters. He is a very prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic and has been commander of the post many times. He has served on the staff of the State commander and is identified at present with H. P. Morrill Post. His other fraternal connections are with the Royal League, the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of the Macabees.
m AJ. L. G. WILLCOX, a distin- guished member of the bar of Bay County, Michigan, residing in Bay City, is now retired from active practice. His career has been one of brilliancy both in the military service of his country and in the discharge of the duties of the various offices he has been called upon to fill. He is a native of Michigan, having been born in Avon township, Oakland County, in 1834. He is a son of L. J. and Hopey (Green) Willcox, and
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a scion of a family which has borne its part in the development of this country from the colo- nial period to the present date. His ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
L. J. Willcox, father of our subject, was born in Oneida County, New York, in 1803, and in 1824 moved to Oakland County, Michi- gan, traveling on foot. He settled in Avon township where he became a leading business man. He founded and for many years con- ducted a flouring mill, furnishing a market for the grain of the entire country from Lapeer County to Ann Arbor. Late in life he sold his mill and retired to his farm of 600 acres in Avon township, where he resided until his death in 1885, aged 82 years. He served as supervisor of Avon township, but never was a seeker for political preferment. His wife died in 1834, at an early age.
The subject of this sketch received his pre- liminary education in the public schools and in the academy at Romeo. He then took the law course at Hamilton College at Clinton, New York, from which he was graduated with the degree of L. L. B. He then practiced law in Detroit until the war broke out, when he orga- nized a company of 150 men. He was com- missioned captain and his company was en- listed at a part of the Third Regiment, Michi- gan Vol. Cav., being sent to St. Louis for train- ing. They then went to New Madrid, Mis- souri, then to Island No. 10, and thence to Pittsburg Landing and Shiloh. He partici- pated in the siege of Corinth and went with his regiment to Alabama, being placed in com- mand at Tuscumbia. He took part in the bat- tles of Iuka and Corinth, and in 1862 was ele- vated to the rank of major. His command accompanied Grant's army through Missis- sippi to Granada, and his soldiers occupied Oxford, where he served as provost-marshal at
the close of the campaign. They spent the win- ter of 1862-63 in Tennessee, where they en- gaged in frequent skirmishes. While encamped near the city of Jackson in March, 1863, oc- curred an incident which showed the diplomacy of Major Willcox, as well as his ability to view a subject broadly and without bias, and to pre- sent his views in a manner to win the regard even of his bitterest enemies. He was called upon by G. D. Penn, who at one time was a captain in the Confederate service; Rev. Mr. Harris, a brother of the Confederate Governor of Ten- nessee ; and J. Hall and Mr. Pinkerton, the two last named meeting their deaths later at the hands of Confederate sympathizers. All were residents of Lexington, Henderson County, Tennessee. After a friendly conversation on general topics relating to local affairs, one of the party remarked : "Major, could our people be made to see the condition of affairs as you do, we think it would lead to a more friendly feeling." The following corespondence soon took place :
LEXINGTON, TENN., March 28, 1863. MAJOR WILLCOX :
Dear Sir :- After consulting several citizens in this vicinity, I found it met the approbation of all that you should address them, and, thereupon, Thursday, April 2, 1863, was fixed upon for you to do so, and was so published throughout the county. I would be much pleased to have you call and make my house your home while you are among us. The citizens are all anxious for you to be here on that date, and I hope you will make it convenient to be present.
Very respectfully,
G. D. PENN.
CAMP NEAR JACKSON, TENN., March 28, 1863. G. D. PENN, EsQ., and others :
Gentlemen :- It will give me great pleasure to meet the citizens of Henderson County. I accept your invi- tation, not as a compliment to myself, but as an indi- cation of patriotism and an earnest desire on your part to mitigate the calamity of this terrible war and recon- cile citizens who are now in open conflict with each other. I will lend my tongue as readily as my sword for the good of the cause; and I desire all, irrespective
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of political opinions, to be present and assure you no person conducting himself peaceably at the meeting, whatever may be his sentiments or position, whether he be a Confederate soldier or a Union man, shall be molested, but will be permitted to depart as freely as he comes. Let us have a good old-fashioned citizens' meeting, without an element of war about it.
Your fellow-citizen,
L. G. WILLCOX.
Western Tennessee was at that time over- run by both Union and Confederate soldiers and such an undertaking as the one proposed involved no small risk. But after receiving permission from the department commander, Major Willcox accepted the invitation. Gen- eral Kimball then in command advised him to take a large force with him, but he went the distance of 28 miles escorted by only eight men, and addressed a large meeting composed of Southern citizens, some of whom wore the Confederate uniform. As a result of the meet- ing, an earnest Union feeling was developed in that section and a Union force was organized in Western Tennessee. Twenty-four days later, on April 26th, Lieutenant Bingham, brother-in-law of our subject, was killed on the road a few miles from Lexington. From Jackson the regiment made regular cavalry expeditions through Mississippi. When the term of service expired, the members returned home and reorganized and then returned to the field of battle. In the fall of 1864, Major Will- cox's health failed and he resigned his com- mission and returned to Detroit, where he re- sumed the practice of his profession. He was soon appointed register of the land office at Traverse City, Michigan, a position he filled until 1870. Then because of ill health in his family, they made a trip to California. In the meantime, in connection with E. L. Sprague, he had established and edited the Traverse Bay Eagle. He served one term as prosecuting at- torney and circuit court commissioner for An-
trim County, and later was appointed prosecut- ing attorney for Emmet County. For several years he was correspondent for the Western Rural and Chicago Tribune and other publica- tions, and has always been a strong, versatile and forceful writer. After his return from Cal- ifornia, he practiced at Pontiac until appointed receiver of public monies at Detroit. In the summer of 1885 he became editor of the Bay City Tribune, removing to this city at that time. After a little more than a year, he was appointed assistant prosecuting attorney for Bay County, in which position he served two years, and next became postmaster of Bay City. His popularity is shown by the fact that the committee appointed by the then Congressman from this district to designate the choice of the people, voted unanimously for him among 13 applicants. He assumed charge of the office in May, 1889, receiving a commission for a full term dating from January 8, 1890, and served five years in all.
Major Willcox married Azubah Bingham, who was born in Watertown, New York, and is a daughter of Roswell Bingham, a native of New Hampshire. They had three children : George, a mechancal engineer and patent at- torney of Bay City; Minnie B., deceased; and Mabel, who died in infancy. Religiously, the members of the Willcox family are Presbyte- rians. The Major is past commander of Dick Richardson Post, No. 147, G. A. R., of Pon- tiac, Michigan ; past commander of H. P. Mer- rill Post, No. 419, G. A. R., of Bay City ; adju- tant of U. S. Grant Post, No. 67, G. A. R., of Bay City ; and a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States; of the National League of Veterans and Sons ; and of Bay City Lodge No. 129, F. & A. M. He has been a member of the Board of Education some years, and was presidential elector-at-large when Mckinley was reelected in 1900. He is
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a fine orator and one of the best after-dinner speakers in the State. He is a Republican in politics, but believes in clean politics, and will support no candidate whose methods and char- acter are not above reproach. His portrait ac- companies this sketch.
€ RNST FRANK, one of the prominent citizens of Bay City, Michigan, senior, member of the firm of Ernst Frank & Son, general insurance agents, was born in Kuernbach, Baden, Germany, Sep- tember II, 1829, and is a son of Rev. Johann Heinrich and Auguste Dorothea Charlotte (Scholl) Frank.
The Francke family, as the name was spelled until the last generation, is one of great antiquity. There are not many individuals who can clearly trace an unbroken ancestry as far back as the early part of the 16th century, but Mr. Frank, our subject, enjoys this dis- tinction.
The family is pure German. Hans Francke, our. subject's great-great-great-great-great- grandfather, was born in Karlsdorf. He was a landowner and farmer in Tautendorf, Sax- on-Altenburg, and died August 31, 1590. On February 9, 1574, in Tautendorf, he was mar- ried to Katharina Mauers, a daughter of George Mauers, in Tautendorf; she died July 31, 16II.
Jakob Francke. the great-great-great-great- grandfather, died during a general epidemic, in 1641. It is recorded that he was twice mar- ried, our subject being a descendant of the second union, with Eva Pressler, who died December 8, 1665.
Johannes Francke, the great-great-great- grandfather, was born February 23, 1627, and died May 23, 1706. His first wife, Katharina,
died February 4, 1658. On June 20, 1659, in Lindenkreuz, he was married to Marie Krah- ner, daughter of Heinrich Krahner. She was the ancestress of our subject, and she died Au- gust 22, 1700.
Jakob Francke, the great-great-grandfather, was born July 15, 1677 and was buried July 8, 1755. He was a farmer and landowner. The name of his wife was Christine and she was buried July 22, 1739.
Gottfried Francke, the great-grandfather, was born May 21, 1714, and was buried Octo- ber 29, 1760. He was an extensive farmer in Tautendorf. On September, 13, 1747, in Lin- denkreuz, he was married to Rosine Beer, a daughter of Andreas Beer.
Hans George Francke, our subject's grand- father, was born November 30, 1750, in Tau- tendorf, and died February 14, 1812, in Roda, Saxon-Altenburg. On May 5, 1778, he was married to Susanne Marie Linde, who was born September 1, 1756, in Poessnen, Saxon- Altenburg, and died in Roda, December 12, 1799.
Rev. Johann Heinrich Frank, faher of our subject, was born December 6, 1794, in Roda, Saxon-Altenburg, and died October 8, 1864, in Dietlingen, Baden. He married Auguste Doro- thea Charlotte Scholl, who was born June 26. 1794, and died January 17, 1861, in Dietlingen, Baden. She was a daughter of a prominent preacher in Gochsheim, Baden. Rev. Johann H. Frank was a preacher in the German Luth- eran Church. He was a scholarly man, hav- ing been thoroughly educated at the University of Jena, and at Heidelberg.
Ernst Frank was 21 years of age when he came to America. He had been educated as an optician and was skilled in the manufactur- ing of mathematical and philosophical instru- ments, as well as those of his trade, all of these being almost entirely hand-made. He arrived.
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in New York City in April, 1851, and started for Saginaw, Michigan, to visit his brothers and sisters, who lived on a farm about six miles from the city of Saginaw. This year he de- clared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, as it was his intention to make this country his home. He helped on the farm until November, 1851, when he returned to New York City to work at his occupation. After reaching New York he was employed first by Benjamin Pike & Sons, opticians, with whom he continued for two years. In 1852 he went to Louisville, Kentucky, and followed his trade there for a short time, but in the fall of the year 1854 he removed to Milwaukee, Wis- consin, where he established a business. He continued there until the spring of 1863, and then came to Bay City. He opened here a cigar and tobacco store and also did something in the way of fire insurance, and continued this business until 1875, when he disposed of his store in order to give his whole attention to insurance.
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