USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 57
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ILLIAM ELISHA CROSBY CAL- LENDER, one of Bay City's prominent, influential and esteemed citizens, was born at Fayette, Ohio, November 11, 1836, and is a son of James and Catherine (Maxwell) Callender.
The Callender family is of Scotch extrac- tion ; both William and Polly Callender, our subject's grandparents, were natives of the Highlands of Scotland. The grandfather came to America when a lad of 13 years and located first in Fayette County, Ohio, and in 1836 set- tled in Williams County, Ohio, taking up 1,380 acres of land after he had grown to manhood. He served in the War of 1812 and lived until 1851, being then more than 60 years old.
James Callender, the father of our subject, was born November 10, 1813, in Fayette County, Ohio, but he subsequently moved to Williams County, where he owned a large farm. Like his father, he was a loyal Ameri- can citizen and enlisted for service in the Mexi- can War. He was a great admirer of General Jackson and was an ardent supporter of the principles of the old-time Democratic party.
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His marriage with Catherine Maxwell, a daughter of Ephraim and Catherine (Moore) Maxwell, resulted in the establishing of a happy home and the birth of a family of nine children, seven of whom reached maturity, namely : William E. C., of this sketch; Isabella, a resi- dent of Newaygo County, Michigan, who first married Jeremiah Greene and is now the widow of Mr. Duffy ; Angeline, a resident of Defiance, Ohio, who is the widow of Samuel Jones; James, a resident of Newaygo County, Michi- gan ; John, who lives in Defiance County, Ohio; Rachel, who is the wife of Peter Camp, of De- Kalb County, Indiana ; and George, a resident of Edgerton, Ohio. The parents of this family were worthy members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
The boyhood and early youth of our subject were passed in a secluded part of Williams County, where he had absolutely no educa- tional advantages, and was 21 years of age before he left home to seek opportunities in some other section. After living for a time in Summit County, Ohio, and making rapid progress in an educational way, he decided to study law, and with this end in view he entered the law department of Hudson Seminary, at Hudson, Ohio, in January, 1861. The break- ing out of the Civil War, a few months later, changed the course of his life, in that it inter- rupted his education and entirely changed his point of view.
Mr. Callender enlisted in April, 1861, for a three-months service, under the name of Wil- liam C. Callender, as a relative, William E. Callender, was already in the service. Since the war, however, he has written his name "Wil- liam E." After the expiration of his first term, he reenlisted, entering Company B, Sixth Regt., United States Cavalry, in which he continued until 1863, when he was transferred to the Ninth Ohio Battery. During his long
term of service, which closed July 6, 1865, he won the esteem of both officers and comrades for all those qualities which go to make up a good soldier, and, when taken prisoner, he was a party to one of the most thrilling escapes that the long history of old Libby Prison has con- tributed to history. A natural mechanic, he had not endured much of his three weeks' im- prisonment, before he had formulated a plan for escape, which proved practical, and was one of that famous number of captives who so wonderfully dug their way in the direction of freedom, although he, as "Jim Haggerty," with Major Anderson and one other fortunate prisoner, were the only ones who succeeded in getting away.
After his return from the war and recupera- tion from its many hardships. Mr. Callender turned his attention to learning a trade, having as stated, a natural inclination toward mechan- ics. He became a good carpenter and very soon was able to command a journeyman's wages, although he had never served an ap- prenticeship. He worked on at Edgerton, Ohio, in this line until 1867, when he accepted a railroad position and until 1869 was a freight brakeman and later a conductor on the Michi- gan Central Railroad. This brought him into touch with Bay City, where in the latter year he saw a fair opening for work at his trade. The climate, however, proved too bracing for Mrs. Callender and they returned to Ohio. In 1870 he came back to Bay City and resumed carpenter work, for other parties, in which he continued until 1873, when he went into busi- ness for himself. He carried on a very satis- factory business for some years and then failing health warned him to give up so active a life. During his years of business success, he had made a specialty of millwright work and, out- side of other work, he built in the Saginaw Valley 152 drill-houses, some 10 salt-blocks
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and a number of mills. His skill and work- manship were highly valued and the results of his industry in this line may be seen in Bay and the adjoining counties.
In 1867, Mr. Callender was united in mar- riage with Martha Prentice, who is a daughter of John Prentice, a representative citizen of Williams County, Ohio, who had come origin- ally from the neighborhood of Syracuse, New York. Three children were born to them, the two who reached maturity being: Emma, now deceased, who married Charles Nicholas and had three children,-Pearl, Ada and Roy; and Russell, a resident of Bay City, who married Pearl Guly, and they have two children,- Theodore and Helen.
Politically, Mr. Callender has long been a power in Bay City. He is a Republican of the stamp known as "dyed in the wool," and he has been chairman of the ward committee of the Sixth Ward for the past 24 years. When he entered into this connection, the ward was largely Democratic, but it is now just as nota- bly Republican, and general credit is given our subject for this marked change in opinion. For a number of years past he has been a city magistrate and has been called upon to officiate in many very complicated and important cases. When his name for the position of justice of the peace was first advanced, it was in a conven- tion from which he was absent on account of illness. He happened into the convention hall just as his candidacy was announced. It was an unpleasant surprise to him as he knew the ward was of an opposite political complex- ion, and it was with some difficulty that his friends prevailed upon him to permit his name to be used. Just here is where his personal popularity came in, for, as he genially remarks, "with the expenditure of just five cents" he was elected to the honorable office by a major- ity of 348 votes. To this office he has been
twice reelected. He has served the people justly and well. On account of his excellent judgment and unswerving impartiality, he has won the approval of his fellow citizens of both parties. Few of his decisions have ever been reversed. His record is one in which to take a just amount of pride, and he appreciates the confidence and esteem in which he is univer- sally held.
For many years Mr. Callender has been a believer of Presbyterian doctrines, but is not a member of that church. His wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. His frater- nal connections include the U. S. Grant Post, No. 67, G. A. R., and Union Veteran Legion, and also the Ancient Order of United Work- men. He is in active membership with Bay City Lodge, No. 129, F .. & A. M. For the past 25 years has been a member of Eden Lodge, No. 260, I. O. O. F., and for 15 years has belonged to the Grand Lodge. In these various bodies he is known all over the State.
A LBERT ZUBE, the owner of a well- improved and valuable farm of 80 acres situated in section 4, township 13, range 6, in Portsmouth township, Bay County, Michigan, was born in Stettin, Germany, May 9, 1855, and is a son of John and Matilda (Erke) Zube.
The father of Mr. Zube was also born in Stettin and now resides in Bay City, aged 73 years. The mother was a native of Prussia and died at Bay City, in 1884, at the age of 45 years. They had 13 children, our subject being the eldest, and nine of the family still survive.
Albert Zube was 10 years old when his par- ents came to Bay City, in 1865, and he has re- mained a resident of Bay County ever since ..
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At the age of 13 years he left school and went to work and was employed for nine years in the sawmill of Gates & Fay, of Bay City, and for IO years was employed in the foundry of Smalley Brothers. In 1882, Mr. Zube came to to his present farm of 80 acres, in section 4, Portsmouth township, all of which property at that time was heavily timbered. Since then he has cleared off all but 20 acres and has all the cleared portion under a fine state of cultivation. In addition to conducting general farming oper- ations, he runs a feed-mill and a threshing- machine, a corn-husker and wood-sawing ma- chine, being one of the progressive men of his locality. He believes in modern methods and improved machinery and has the ability to carry on these various employments in connec- tion with his agricultural work, making his life a busy one all through the year.
In 1876, Mr. Zube was married to Alvina Martzinkey, who was born in Prussia, Ger- many, December 8, 1858, and is a daughter of Christian and Reika (Martzinkey) Martzin- key. She came to America in 1872 with her father and brother. Mr. and Mrs. Zube have had 12 children : Fred, who died aged three months; Tracey, who died aged eight years; Bernhardt, who died aged six years; Edelia, who died aged five weeks; and Mary, Martha, Laura, Arena, Emma, William, Freda and Lily, who are at home. Mr. Zube has given his children all the advantages in his power and they have grown up intelligent and useful.
Mr. Zube has always been a Republican in his political convictions and has held a number of the local offices. He is a leading member of the German Lutheran Church and one of the trustees of the Triple Alliance Church. He is a man who enjoys a large measure of respect in his neighborhood and has a wide circle of warm personal friends, who admire him for his honesty and his many fine qualities.
ENRY CLARK, one of the prosper- ous farmers of Merritt township, Bay County, Michigan, owning a well- developed farm of 80 acres, in sec- tion 34, was born in Frontenac County, near Kingston, Ontario, Canada, July 22, 1855, and is a son of John and Katie (Hogan) Clark.
The father of our subject was born in Ver- mont and the mother in Ontario. They spent their last years at Bay City, where the father died aged 80 years and the mother, aged 72 years. They had nine children: James, a physician, of Bay City; Mary (Mrs. Sleeth), who died in Ontario; Jane, a teacher, who died at Bay City ; Clara, of Bay City ; John Wesley, an attorney-at-law, living in Virginia ; Henry, of this sketch; Katie (Mrs. Smith), of Chi- cago; Bethuel, a farmer living in Ontario; Olive (Mrs. Balls), of Ontario, and one de- ceased.
Henry Clark was reared on his father's farm and was educated in the local schools. He carried on farming in Ontario until about 1888, when he came to Bay County. After spending one year at Bay City, he purchased his present farm of 80 acres, one-half of which had been cleared. The remainder has been cleared and all has been put under a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Clark has taken a great deal of interest in his property and has made it very attractive by improving and adorning it. He enjoys the comforts of a fine home and his surroundings are such as to indicate thrift and good management.
In July, 1895, Mr. Clark was married to Katie Whiteside, who was born September 15, 1873, in Merritt township, and is a daughter of Robert and Lovina (Maxson) Whiteside, the former of whom was born in Ireland and the latter in New York. They were early pio- neers, coming to the site of Bay City in 1848. Mr. Whiteside passed away at the age of 73
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years, but his widow still survives, a much esteemed resident of West Bay City. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have two children,-Henry and Fay. Mr. Clark is a supporter of the principles and candidates of the Republican party. He and his wife attend and take an active interest in the Presbyterian Church at Munger.
A UGUST BUBLITZ, one of the first- class citizens and good farmers of Portsmouth township, who owns 160 acres of well-improved land in section 5, township 13, range 6, was born May 30, 1849, in Moravia, West Prussia, Germany, and is a son of Charles and Louisa ( Redmond) Bublitz.
The parents of Mr. Bublitz were worthy, industrious Germans, who reared a family of six children in comfort on the home estate, which consisted of about 100 acres of land. Both died in Germany. Their three sons and three daughters were as follows : August, who is the eldest; Charles, of Merritt township; Louisa (Mrs. Schenck), of Merritt township; and Augusta, Frederick and Caroline, who live in Germany.
August Bublitz came to America in 1872, locating at Bay City where he worked as a laborer for about eight years. He then bought the tract of wild land which he has transformed into a valuable, productive farm. All these cultivated fields were then covered with a heavy growth of timber, which was speedily cleared off through Mr. Bublitz' own energy and in- dustry. He has made many improvements, the family home being a very comfortable resi- dence and three substantial barns testifying to the bountiful harvests yielded by his land. The changes made here are wonderful and reflect the greatest credit upon Mr. Bublitz.
In 1878, Mr. Bublitz married Anna Behm- lenter, who was born in 1859 in Bay County, and is a daughter of Paul and Kate (Siegler) Behmlenter, natives of Germany. When the parents of Mrs. Bublitz came to Bay City there were only three houses here. They located on the West Side and there reared a family of II children, the wife of our subject being the sixth in order of birth.
Mr. and Mrs. Bublitz have had 10 chil- dren, as follows : Charles, now in the State of Washington; William, engaged in the lumber business, who lives at home; Frederick, of Decatur, Illinois; and Clara, Albert, Hugo, Henry, Edward, John and Louis, who are living at home. The family belong to the German Lutheran Church. Mr. Bublitz never received any portion of the family estate in Germany, and he is entitled to much praise for what he has accomplished by his own efforts. He is one of the well-known and highly re- spected men of Portsmouth township.
ILLIAM M. ROSS, deceased, who was for many years a wholesale lumber dealer in Bay City, Michi- gan, was born in Rosshire, Scot- land, January 10, 1838, and was a son of Dun- can and Katherine (McPherson) Ross.
Duncan Ross was a hotel-keeper and a farmer and stock-raiser in Rosshire for a long period. He emigrated to Chatham, Ontario, with his family, and was there engaged in farm- ing until his death.
The subject of this sketch grew up in Can- ada, whence at an early age he went to Vir- ginia, where he was employed for. a short time in a shipyard. He subsequently moved to De- troit, Michigan, and there worked as a ship carpenter. Next he located at Bay City, where
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he was engaged in the real estate business for several years. In 1872 he moved to Caseville, where he resided four years and built a saw- mill. He moved the sawmill, in 1876, to Bay City and sold it in order to engage in the whole- sale lumber trade. In his business relations, as in the walks of private life, he bore an irre- proachable reputation and was widely re- spected.
Politically, he acted with the Republican party, and his religious views led him to attend the Presbyterian Church.
In 1868, Mr. Ross married Abbie Case, a daughter of Osborne Case, of Cleveland, Ohio. Four children were the result of this union, of whom John Case Ross, of Bay City, is the only one now living.
ON. ALEXANDER ZAGELMEYER, a prominent citizen of Bay City, Michigan, is at present county treas- urer of Bay County. He was born in Saginaw, Michigan, October 28, 1858, and is a son of Louis and Paulina (Grahlow) Zagel- meyer, natives of Germany.
Louis Zagelmeyer, who was born in Ger- many, January 31, 1825, was for many years engaged in the lime business. He came to America in 1850 and settled in Saginaw, Mich- igan, in 1852, having spent two years in New York City. On arriving at Saginaw, he was employed as clerk in a store, where he remained a year and a half. He then engaged in the manufacture of vinegar, and subsequently cleared a farm. In 1866 he located at West Bay City and opened a lime kiln, and in 1875 organized the Marine Ice Company, which afterward passed into the hands of his sons. He was treasurer of the town of Bangor the year previous to its being merged into the cor- poration of West Bay City. During his last
years he lived a retired life, dying June 15, 1898, at the age of 73 years.
Alexander Zagelmeyer received his early mental training in the public schools of West Bay City, and when a young man learned from his father all about the lime business. In this he was associated with his father until 1879, and during the last three years of the partner- ship the large ice concern before mentioned was organized. Of this he took charge, in connec- tion with his brother Frank. In the spring of 1887, the Bay County Ice Company was incor- porated, being a merger of the Marine Ice Company, the Bay City Ice Company and the Union Ice Company, and our subject as secre- tary and treasurer of the company proceeded to revolutionize the methods of operation then in vogue. It is the only concern dealing in lake ice in the Saginaw Valley, and has the largest ice plant in the State, having a capacity of 40,000 tons. Its product is in demand both winter and summer, and is shipped extensively to points in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. The Bay County Ice Company has its office, ice depot and barn at the foot of Center avenue, Bay City.
Alexander Zagelmeyer has been truly termed the father of the coal industry in Bay County. What the development of coal fields means to a community has been demonstrated in Bay City in recent years. Not only is the coal industry of great value by reason of the employment it gives to hundreds of men and the cheap fuel furnished the citizens, but also as an inducement to factories to locate in the vicinity and benefit by the decreased cost of production. Bay City for many years was dependent upon her forests for fuel and the sawmills were the basis of her prosperity, but as the pine in this section grew more scarce, it became apparent that the city would experience a set-back unless fuel could be procured more
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cheaply than by transportation from Ohio and Pennsylvania coal fields. As early as 1861 a vein of coal was discovered in the county while drilling a salt-well, and frequently after- ward various parties discovered veins, but owing to the plentiful supply of pine nothing in the way of mining was undertaken. It re- mained for Mr. Zagelmeyer, in August, 1894, to set in motion the wheels of what to-day is the most important of Bay County's industries. At his suggestion, four prominent citizens ac- companied him to the sawmill of Zill Brothers, five miles west of West Bay City, in Monitor township, where coal had been discovered in drilling a well. These gentlemen secured a lease, although others had failed in an attempt at leasing the property, and a company was organized for the purpose of testing the land. On June 18, 1895, they commenced sinking a shaft which was completed in October and has been in active operation ever since. They had many obstacles with which to contend, as oper- ations were begun at a time of panic and it was hard to interest capital. In fact public preju- dice was so great that the operators often met with ridicule and sometimes persecution. With greater hindrance than encouragement from the public, they persevered and had the satis- faction of seeing their efforts crowned with success. In the spring of 1895, the Monitor Coal Company was incorporated with a capital stock of $50,000 and the following officers : Alexander Zagelmeyer, president ; George Pen- niman, vice-president; E. L. Mather, secretary ; Frank Zagelmeyer, treasurer. These officers with Christ. Heinzmann form the board of directors. The company has a daily capacity of 300 tons, and is about to sink another shaft in the immediate vicinity. Thus was the Moni- tor coal mine started as the first in Bay County. In a review of the development of the coal fields of Michigan, a prominent writer has this
to say of our subject : "I wish to say in this connection that the people of Bay County owe Alexander Zagelmeyer a debt of gratitude that it is difficult to repay. He not only started the coal development, but it was also through his personal efforts that the North American Chemical Company decided to locate their American plant in Bay City."
The Bay Coal Mining Company, of which Mr. Zagelmeyer is secretary and general man- ager, was organized March 16, 1896, with a capital of $50,000, and is now controlled by the North American Chemical Company. The mine is located across the road from the Moni- tor mine, on a branch of the Michigan Central Railroad, and has a producing capacity of 400 tons per day. The subject of this sketch is also president of the Zagelmeyer Coal Mining Company, with mines in Jackson County, Ohio.
Mr. Zagelmeyer was also instrumental in organizing the Michigan Vitrified Brick Com- pany, which was incorporated April 15, 1904, with a capital stock of $75,000. The officers of the organization were: Alexander Zagel- meyer, president ; Frank Zagelmeyer, vice-pres- ident; E. L. Mather, secretary; and C. W. Stiver, treasurer. In 1905 C. W. Stiver re- signed as treasurer, and E. L. Mather assumed the duties of the offices of secretary and treas- urer. This has been the only change in the personnel of the company. Immediately after the company was organized, it purchased the property known as the Dutch Creek coal mine, located about four miles southwest of Bay City, on the west side of the river, in' Frankenlust township. The Pierce Dry Pressed Brick Company was also acquired at this time. The company then constructed a plant for the manu- facture of vitrified paving brick, the only one of its kind in the county. It has a capacity of. from 50,000 to 70,000 brick a day, and can also produce daily, in addition, 25,000 dry
FRANK T. WOODWORTH
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pressed building brick. In 1905, Mr. Mather became treasurer of the company, and in addi- tion holds the office of secretary. The com- pany mines its own fire clay and shale, also the coal to burn clay, all from the same mine. About 50 men are employed.
Politically, Mr. Zagelmeyer has always been loyal to the Republican party and has served as delegate to its State and county con- ventions. In public life, he has served as alderman of West Bay City and was one of the five commissioners that built the present water- works plant of West Bay City on the bay shore, which cost upwards of $200,000. For three years he was supervisor of the Fifth Ward, and was comptroller of West Bay City two years. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1888, and served during 1889 and 1890, being a member of the committee on fisheries and others of minor importance. He is one of the directors of the Board of Trade of Bay City, and is interested in the German-Ameri- can Sugar Company, of which he was the first president. He was elected to his present office of county treasurer by the largest vote ever polled for this office,-an indication of the pop- ular estimation of his merits.
On April 3, 1881, Alexander Zagelmeyer was married in West Bay City to Emma Bren- ner, of Saginaw, Michigan. Four children re- sulted from their union, namely: Alma, wife of Charles F. Kuhlow, deputy county treasurer ; Eddie, Leona and Dorothy. The family resi- dence is an elegant home located on the corner of Ninth and Henry streets, West Bay City. Fraternally, our subject is a member of the Salzburg Arbeiter Society: the Arion Society of Bay City ; is a 32nd degree Mason, a Knight Templar, a member of Moslem Temple of the Mystic Shrine in Detroit ; the Royal Arcanum; the Knights of Pythias; and the Elks of Bay City.
RANK T. WOODWORTH, who at the present writing officiates as mayor of Bay City, Michigan, was elected to this office in the spring of 1903. Aside from his municipal functions, he is prominently identified with the lumber in- dustry, in which he has long been largely in- terested, having entered upon the manufacture of lumber in this vicinity in 1882.
Mr. Woodworth is a native of New York, where he was born on a farm in Seneca County in 1861. His father was a soldier during the Civil War, in which he served in the 44th Regiment, New York Vol. Inf., and was killed in the battle of the Wilderness. His mother still lives in the State of New York. There the son, deprived of a father's guidance in his in- fancy, grew up to boyhood, attending school, and at intervals making himself useful in vari- ous ways until he was 15 years old. At that period he left home to join an uncle, D. C. Smiley, a prominent business man of Bay City for many years. Arriving here in 1876, he became a member of Mr. Smiley's household and attended school for several years, complet- ing his educational training in the Bay City High School.
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