USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 51
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Mr. Gillett secured his primary education at Le Roy Academy, in his native county, and then entered Cornell University, Ithaca. New York, where he was graduated in 1874 with the degree of Bachelor, of Arts. Two years later he came to Bay City and entered upon the study of the law, with the firm of Hatch & Cooley. He was admitted to the bar of Michi- gan in 1877 and shortly afterward entered into partnership with J. E. Simonson, the firm of Simonson & Gillett being established on January I, 1879. Later, E. S. Clark was admitted to partnership and the firm style was Simonson, Gillett & Clark until September, 1904, when the present firm succeeded. This law partner- ship, dating from the time when Mr. Gillett
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became interested therein, is the oldest in Bay City and Bay County. Mr. Gillett has devoted particular attention to corporation and real es- tate law practice and for a considerable period has been counsel for many of the manufactur- ing corporations of the city, including the North American Chemical Company and the Bay City-Michigan Sugar Company. Since its organization, he has been on the board of direc- tors of the Bay County Savings Bank, of which he also is vice-president.
Mr. Gillett was first married to Helen M. Leconey, of New York City, in 1880. Mrs. Gillett died in 1885, being survived by one son, John. John Gillett recently accepted a position in the engineering department of a large manu- facturing company of Cleveland, Ohio, after a year spent in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
Mr. Gillett was again married, in 1887, to Minnie E. Orton, who was born and reared in Bay County and is the only daughter of the late Charles F. Orton, an early resident, who was extensively engaged in the lumber business. Mr. Orton died at Duluth, Minnesota, Febru- ary 14, 1898. He was a native of Steuben County, New York, where he was born in 1839. Mrs. Gillett inherited from her father great musical talent. The latter was organist at Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church for a long period. Mrs. Gillett is known to the mu- sical world through a number of choice musical compositions. One son and two daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gillett, viz : Gladys, Eleanor and Robert, who are students in the Bay City High School.
Mr. Gillett is a Mason, a member of Bay City Commandery, No. 26, Knights Templar. He also retains his college fraternity member- ship with the Theta Delta Chi society. For a number of years he has been a vestryman of Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church.
R EV. FRANCIS GRES, pastor of St. Joseph's Church, Bay City, Michi- gan, was born December 4, 1853, in the south of France. During his almost 50 years as student and faithful laborer. in the spiritual field, he has won the approba- tion of the church and the love of his people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Father Gres in boyhood attended the schools of Rodez, his native village, but his theological education was pursued in Brittany, where he was graduated in 1877 and in the same year was ordained to the priesthood, tak- ing his vows in 1878 in the Society of the Holy Ghost. His scholarship and zeal made him elig- ible to a responsible position and he was sent to be a professor in the Seminary College at St. Pierre, in the island of Martinique, West Indies, which city only a few years ago was destroyed by the terrible eruption of Mount Pelee. After six years of educational work here, Father Gres returned to France and served eight years as a missionary priest.
In 1892, Father Gres came to America and located at Detroit, Michigan, where he was assigned as assistant pastor of St. Joachim's Church, and remained in this connection until June, 1894, when he came to Bay City as assistant to Father J. Roth and later to Father F. J. M. Michael Dangelzer. In 1900 he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's parish and is now rounding out his IIth year in Bay City. Father Gres has taught himself the English language. His pastorate has been marked with large accessions to the church, with a great increase in the church school and with added enthusiasm among the people. A new church will soon be erected, the financial affairs of the parish being in a most prosperous condition.
Rev. Alphonsus Coignard, assistant priest, was born in Normandy, France, in 1874, was educated at Mortain, France, where he gradu-
P
HON. CHESTER L. COLLINS
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ated in 1892. He then joined the Society of the Holy Ghost in the same year. In 1897 he was ordained at Baltimore, Maryland, by His Emi- nence, Cardinal Gibbons, as subdeacon and as deacon. In February, 1898, he was ordained to the priesthood under Archbishop Ryan, at Philadelphia.
Father Coignard taught theology at several points for two years and then was sent as priest to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. In 1900 he came to Bay City as assistant to Father Gres, when the latter assumed full charge of this parish. Both these reverend gentlemen are learned, pious men, whose churchly zeal is only equaled by their manly, consecrated, unselfish, Christian individual lives.
The academy in connection with St. Jo- seph's Church is managed by the Dominican Sisters, a body of holy women whose reputa- tion for piety and scholarship extends over the world. Nearly all grades are accommodated here, and careful and thorough instruction is afforded in all ordinary branches, in the clas- sics and in music. Accommodations are pro- vided in the class room for 350 day pupils.
ON. CHESTER L. COLLINS, one of the leading members of the Bay County bar, and president of the Michigan State Bar Association, re- cently elected judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit of Michigan, has been an honored resident of the Third Ward of Bay City since the fall of 1875. He was born at Newcastle, Coshocton County, Ohio, June 13, 1847, and is a son of Adgate W. and Susan (Olive) Collins. His father's parents removed to Ohio from Massa- chusetts, where the ancestors, coming from Ireland, had settled prior to the Revolution. His mother's parents were descended from
English ancestors, who settled in Maryland and Virginia at an early day.
Adgate W. Collins was born in 1821 in Richland County, Ohio, and his wife in the same year, in Muskingum County, Ohio. They removed from the latter county to Knoxville, Iowa, in May, 1852, where Mr. Collins has continued to reside, interested in farming, mer- chandising and banking. Both parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Chester L. Collins was educated in the common schools of Knoxville, Iowa, and in June, 1868, was graduated at the Iowa Wes- leyan University. He then studied law in the office of the well-known legal firm of Stone & Ayers. The senior member of this firm. Hon. William M. Stone, was one of Iowa's War Governors. He was admitted to practice in the "Hawkeye" State in 1869. Prior to enter- ing college, he had assisted on his father's farm and had clerked in the latter's store. In May, 1864, he entered the army, enlisting in Company A, 47th Reg., Iowa Vol. Inf., and served as its sergeant until the company was mustered out of the service, on September 28, I864.
From the date of his admission to the bar in Knoxville, he continued to practice his pro- fession there until 1875, engaging in much im- portant litigation, having many cases in the Cir- cuit and District courts and the Iowa Supreme Court. This condition continued after he came to Bay City in October, 1875, Judge Collins having a record from that until the present time in all the courts of the State of Michigan, in the Supreme courts of Florida and Louisiana, in the United States Circuit courts, the United States Courts of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court.
Judge Collins has been a member of the Michigan State Bar Association from the time of its organization, has been its vice-president
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and is now its president. For several years he was chairman of the committee on legislation and law reform and was largely instrumental in initiating and carrying on the movements, which finally resulted in the Revised Supreme Court Rules of Michigan for 1897.
He has been closely identified with all the public-spirited enterprises which have resulted so favorably for Bay City. When the Bay County Bridge Commission was organized, he was one of its first members, his co-workers being Joseph Turner of Bay City and the late John Welch and Ephraim Kelton. During the administration of this commission, the Third street bridge was built, that of 23rd street was rebuilt, and the South Center (now Cass ave- nue) one was taken from 23rd street and re- constructed at that point. For a term of five years he was a member of the Bay City Police Commission and has served for more than 20 years as a member of the board of trustees of the Bay City Public Library. When the bank- ruptcy law went into effect, Hon. Henry D. Swan, judge of the United States District Court, appointed Judge Collins referee in bankruptcy for the Northern Division of the Eastern District of Michigan, being the sole referee of that division, and he served as such until April, 1904, when he resigned the office.
On May 12, 1874, Judge Collins was mar- ried to Sarah Miller, who is a daughter of Judge Albert Miller of Bay City, one of the best known pioneers of the Saginaw Valley, and they have two daughters: Emily and Susan Mary.
Judge Collins' political affiliations have al- ways been with the Republican party. His first presidential vote was cast for Ulysses S. Grant, in 1868. On February 10, 1905, he received the Republican nomination for the office of judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit of Michigan, comprising the county of Bay. His
election followed in April. Since 1870 he has been in fraternal connection with the Masonic bodies, and he retains his college membership with the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. His interest in the Grand Army of the Republic has always been sincere and he has twice served as com- mander of U. S. Grant Post, No. 67. A por- trait of Judge Collins accompanies this sketch.
h ON. BIRDSEY KNIGHT, one of the leading men of Bay County, who owns and operates a fine farm of 240 acres and resides in section 17, town- ship 14, range 6, in Hampton township, was born in Avon township, Oakland County, Michigan, July 18, 1851, and is a son of Hon. Nathan and Harriet (Stephens) Knight and grandson of Ebenezer Knight, a native of Maine.
Hon. Nathan Knight was born at Otisville, near Portland, Maine, July 14, 1817, and accompanied his parents to Oakland County, Michigan, in 1826. He completed his educa- tion at Austinburg Institute, Ohio, where he taught school prior to coming to Bay City, in 1854. Securing a farm in Hampton township. he lived on it two years and then was a resi- cent of Bay City until 1860, when he returned to the farm, which continued to be his home through life. For four years he was engaged in the practice of the law at Bay City in part- nership with William Sherman, this being the only law firm at that time in the city. Nathan. Knight was a very superior man, both in edu- cation, mental attainments and in the sterling qualities needed in the early days of any com- munity. He was sent to the Legislature and worked for his section with success and filled almost all the offices which demanded a man of ability and tact. His death took place in Bay
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County, December 28, 1886. The mother of our subject was born in Vermont and died in Bay County, Michigan, February 14, 1892, aged 64 years, six months and six days. Our subject is the only survivor of their three chil- dren, one of whom died young and the other at the age of 16 years.
Our subject is the only survivor of this old pioneer family. He can recall the time when no road had been surveyed between his farm and Essexville. The present smiling fields of grain and rich meadow lands were nothing but wild, unbroken prairie, with here and there an oasis of timber.
His father, Nathan Knight, secured 160 acres from the government and that was the nucleus of the present large farm which is located in sections 17, 20 and 8. The first winter passed on the farm was one of many pri- vations, chief among these being a lack of that humble vegetable, the potato, which, perhaps,
is is only truly appreciated when it impossible to obtain. The grandfather sent a supply from Detroit by the first boat in the spring, that then being the only means of transportation. Our subject's father had brought several head of stock with him and entered into stock-raising with his brother-in-law, John V. Stephens, now of Vermontville, Eaton County. Enough hay was harvested the first season to winter the stock, but, unfortunately, 33 stacks of hay were burned by a prairie fire and two- year-old steers were sold for $10, while 300 head of sheep were given away to save them from starvation. He had already suffered from thieves and wolves and did not resume sheep growing.
In addition to being one of the leading agriculturists of Bay County, our subject has, like his father, been closely identified with public affairs. A stanch Democrat, he has been the choice of his party for almost every office
in its gift, being elected on many occasions and on others running ahead of his ticket when de- feated. He served for 18 consecutive terms as supervisor for Hampton township, an office. his father had filled for 16 terms previously. For two years, Mr. Knight held the office of superintendent of the poor, and in 1891 he was sent as Representative to the State Legislature and again in 1893, serving on very important committees during both terms. He was mainly instrumental in securing the State system of road-building. His career at Lansing was in every way honorable and his service was such as to preserve the esteem in which he was held by his constituents and to invite the regard of the public, outside his own district.
On November 21, 1876, Mr. Knight was married to Eren A. Hilker, who was born in Oakland County, Michigan, September 21, 1857, accompanied her parents to Clinton, then to Ingham and in 1875 to Bay County. She is a daughter of Andrew C. and Harriet Hil- ker, natives of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Knight have two daughters, namely: Bessie I., born June 30, 1878, and Mabel G., born February 26, 1880, both young ladies being at home. This home is a commodious dwelling full of comforts, which was erected by our subject's father to take the place of the small frame edifice, which was the pioneer residence. Mr. Knight belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Maccabees.
YLVESTER C. YOUNG, one of the. prominent citizens and well-known agriculturists of Portsmouth town- ship, Bay County, Michigan, residing on a well-cultivated farm of 76 acres and hav- ing his home in section 6, township 13, range 6, was born December 31, 1849, at Davison in
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Atlas township, Genesee County, Michigan, and is a son of Harvey B. and Elizabeth (Schanck) Young, pioneer settlers.
The father of our subject was born Novem- ber 16, 1821, at Oswego, New York, and died at Corunna, Shiawassee County, Michigan, De- cember 22, 1903. By trade he was a shoema- ker and in his native State owned a store for which he made all the shoes by hand, being a very rapid and expert workman. In 1847 he came to Genesee County, Michigan, where he followed his trade for 10 years and then moved to Corunna where he followed his trade and also engaged in farming. He was a man of educa- tion and intelligence and always was interested in public affairs and political movements. He was a stanch supporter of the Republican party and frequently made stump speeches during the campaigns. His father, Edwin Young, was born in Scotland and his mother, in Germany.
The mother of our subject was born De- cember 5, 1823, in Skaneateles, New York, and died at Corunna, Michigan, August 18, 1891. She was the mother of these children : Eugene D., of Owosso, Michigan; Maria (Mrs. Neff), of Owosso, Michigan; Pieria L., of Saginaw County, Michigan ; Sylvester C., of this sketch; Dora (Mrs. Byerly), of Owosso, Michigan ; Loella, deceased at the age of 18 years; Julia (Mrs. Heggerman), of Council Bluffs, Califor- nia ; and Glenn D., of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Sylvester C. Young was six years old when his parents moved to Corunna, Shiawassee County, where he went to school and lived until August, 1879, when he came to Bay City. Ever since he has been a resident of Bay County. Shortly after coming here, he secured a farm of 36 acres in section 6 and, later, an- other tract of 40 acres in section 6, Portsmouth township. But a small portion had been cleared and Mr. Young undertook quite a task when he started in to clear his property and
put it under cultivation. That he has admira- bly succeeded, his fertile fields show as do his handsome residence in the midst of shade trees and his well-built, commodious barns. Until within the last few months, he has operated a dairy farm, keeping 20 cows, but now devotes all his land and attention, aside from that given to public duties, to general farming.
In 1878, Mr. Young was married at Bay City to Maggie Weber, who died June 20, 1899, aged 41 years. Their children were: Charles F., who is in the United States Army ; Anna (Mrs. Bercot), of Portsmouth township; William S. and Raymond, both attending school; and Letia, who died aged one year.
Mr. Young has always taken an intelligent interest in politics, voting with the Republicans, and he has served in a number of the local offices, four years as school inspector and four years as justice of the peace. He is a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church at Bay City. He belongs to the Odd Fellows and also to the Maccabees. He is a man of sterling character and is justly considered one of the representative men of Portsmouth township.
EORGE R. FOX, one of the well- known and popular citizens of Bay City, Michigan, and Circuit Court Commissioner, was born in Feb- ruary, 1877, in Jackson, Michigan, and is a son of Charles H. Fox.
The parents of Mr. Fox removed from Jackson to Bay City, Michigan, when our sub- ject was six months old. His father is the junior member of the well-known cigar manu- facturing firm of Bateman & Fox, which has been in existence for the past 20 years. Form- erly he was chairman of the Board of Police Commissioners, a position from which he re-
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tired about six months ago. He has always been a stanch supporter of the Republican party.
Our subject was reared to advanced youth in his native city and attended school here until prepared for college and then entered Notre Dame University and one year later to Albion College, at Albion, Michigan. There he re- mained three years, completing the full course, and after graduation entered the law school at Ann Arbor. His graduation followed there in 1898, when he was admitted to the bar and immediately entered into practice at Bay City. He has secured his fair share of the legal prac- tice of this section, has been retained on many important cases and has held a number of local offices. In the fall of 1902 he was elected to his present position as Circuit Court Commis- sioner, to which he was reelected in the fall of 1904, a very sufficient proof of his efficiency. He is admirably located in the Shearer Block, Bay City.
Mr. Fox was married at Bay City to Anna M. Nichols, of Saginaw, Michigan, and they have one daughter,-Mary N. Politically, Mr. Fox is identified with the Republican party. He belongs to the Masons and the Elks and to a number of athletic organizations.
Since boyhood and early college days, Mr. Fox has been much interested in all kinds of athletic sports. He has not altogether given up his fondness for the game of baseball and, as his Bay City antagonists can testify, has by no means lost his skill. During the "nineties" he came into State prominence as a bicycle rider and was classed with the best outside of the professionals. He is very popular in the social circles of his own city and with his old college comrades with whom he continues in touch by keeping up his membership with some of his fraternities, notably the Kappa Sigma, of Ann Arbor. Mr. Fox belongs to that ever-increas-
ing class of young men, whose education, train- ing and natural fitness bring them early into. public life.
ILLIAM ORRIN CLIFT, senior member of the well-known firm of W. O. Clift & Company, of Bay City, Michigan, who carry on a general insurance, real estate, loan and invest- ment business, is one of the city's progressive and public-spirited men. Mr. Clift was born near Syracuse, New York, March 20, 1852, and is a son of Myron and Elizabeth (Hutch- inson ) Clift.
The Clift family originated in New Eng- land. The great-grandfather, William Clift, was born in Vermont and moved at an early day to Onondaga County, New York, where his son William was born, near Skaneateles.
Myron Clift, father of our subject, was born in 1821 at Skaneateales. In 1865 he. went to Illinois where he bought property and resided upon it until 1880, when he removed to Kansas. He married Elizabeth Hutchinson, who was born near Syracuse, New York, and is a daughter of Orrin Hutchinson. They had eight children, five of whom reached maturity, namely : Martha E., who resides with her par- ents at Burlington, Kansas; William O., of this sketch; Lodema H., wife of Marshall Mitchell, of Ottawa, Illinois; Leonora, wife of O. A. Smith, of Burlington, Kansas; and Emma (Mrs. Cruser), of Burlington, Kansas. The family belong to the Universalist Church.
William Orrin Clift enjoyed common- school advantages both in New York and in Illinois, and completed his education in the Columbus (Ohio) High School. Soon after this, he entered the office of Superintendent G. A. Doran, of the Ohio State Asylum for Fee- ble-Minded Youth, and continued to be em-
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ployed there about 10 years. After coming to Michigan, Mr. Clift became superintendent of the Western Plaster Works, at Alabaster; one year later, in the fall of 1880, he became a res- ident of Bay City. He accepted a position as bookkeeper in the First National Bank and continued there until the summer of 1887, when he assisted in organizing the Commercial Bank of Bay City, of which he was cashier until 1895. For the past 10 years Mr. Clift has given all his attention to insurance, investment and loans.
The insurance agency now conducted by W. O. Clift & Company was established in 1878, when the late C. B. Cottrell embarked in the insurance business, which he conducted until 1885, being succeeded by James B. Cor- win, who carried it on until his death, in April, 1895. His firm was succeeded by Bush & Clift, a partnership which continued until July, 1898, when each partner started an agency separately. Mr. Clift represents some of the oldest and most reliable insurance companies of the world, his list including the Hartford Fire Insurance of Hartford, Connecticut ; Home Insurance Company, of New York; Mutual Benefit Fire Insurance Company, of Newark, New Jersey ; and the Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Company, Commercial Union Assurance Company and the Phoenix Assur- ance Company, of England.
Although politically a stanch Republican, Mr. Clift prefers that others should hold the public offices, as he has no political aspirations. He has long been very prominently identified with Masonic affairs and is known all over the State in fraternal circles. He is past master of Joppa Lodge, No. 315, F. & A. M., and past high priest of Blanchard Chapter, No. 50, R. A. M .; has been thrice illustrious master of Bay City Council, No. 53, R. & S. M., for a
number of years, and is eminent commander of Bay City Commandery, No. 26, K. T .; is grand master of ceremonies of McCormick Grand Lodge of Perfection and is most eminent sov- ereign grand master of Bay City Council, Princes of Jerusalem; is a member of Saginaw Valley Chapter of Rose Croix at Bay City, of the Michigan Sovereign Consistory, S. P. R. S., at Detroit, and of Saladin Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Grand Rapids. His social connection is with the Bay City Club, of which he was one of the organizers.
Mr. Clift has a very pleasant home at Bay City. He married Ella Gertrude Stocking, who is a daughter of A. W. Stocking, of Painesville, Ohio, and they have two sons: Myron W., who is a member of the class of 1905 of the University of Michigan Medical School; and Lyle M. The family attend the Congregational Church, of which Mr. Clift is trustee and treasurer.
HOMAS ATWILL, deceased, was for many years a well-known resident of Bay County, Michigan, living a part of the time at Bay City and the re- mainder at Essexville. He was born in Ire- land, March 29, 1844, and was a son of Thomas Atwill.
The father of our subject, who was a native of Ireland, came to America with his family in 1848, locating in the Province of Ontario, Can- ada. He cleared a piece of land and followed farming extensively, and in connection with this work conducted a hotel. Both he and his wife lived to an old age and died at Bothwell, Ontario, within two weeks of each other. They were parents of seven children-three daugh- ters and four sons-all of whom grew to ma-
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