USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 58
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
The first practical experience of Mr. Woodworth was as an employee of the Second National Bank of Bay City, where he served in a clerical capacity for about four years. After leaving the bank, he went into the saw- mill and lumber business. This venture later developed into the firm of F. T. Woodworth & Company, under which style the affairs of the concern are still conducted. In 1902 the manuafcturing feature of the business was abandoned, the mills having been disposed of, and the firm now deals in lumber, etc.
In addition to his lumber interests, Mr. Woodworth is engaged in the coal trade with the Robert Gage Coal Company, of St. Charles,
482
HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY
Saginaw County, Michigan, and is also con- nected with the Auburn Coal Company. He occupies convenient offices in the Shearer Block.
Although not an aggressive politician, Mr. Woodworth is a stanch Republican and enjoys the full confidence of the local leaders of his party. His administration of municipal affairs is conceded by all to be honest and judicious.
Fraternally, Mr. Woodworth is affiliated with the B. P. O. E. His religious views are in harmony with the Presbyterian denomina- tion.
The subject of this sketch is happily mar- ried and in the home circle of his comfortable residence in Bay City the family's friends find agreeable entertainment. His portrait accom- panies this sketch.
ILLIAM J. WARD. One of the most noticeable farms of Merritt township, Bay County, Michigan, because of its many excellent im- provements, is the extensive estate owned by William J. Ward, consisting of 200 acres of finely cultivated land, in sections 31 and 32. The 40-acre tract in section 32, where Mr. Ward resides, is improved with fine buildings and most attractive surroundings that testify to the good taste of the residents. Mr. Ward was born at Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, January 17, 1858, and is a son of James S. and Ann ( Ritchie) Ward.
James S. Ward was born in Durham, Eng- land, December 26, 1818, and died at Munger, Michigan, June 30, 1901, aged 82 years. He emigrated from England to Ontario, with his wife and two children, in 1855, and two chil- dren were born in Ontario and one after he had removed to Bay City. Early in manhood
he had worked as a blacksmith and as a farmer and for a number of years he had been a clerk in a postoffice in England. In 1860 he removed with his family to Bay County, Michigan, and in 1862 he took up title from the government to 40 acres of the present farm of our subject.
The mother of our subject was born No- vember 27, 1820, in Montrose, Scotland, and has survived many of her kindred and old asso- ciates. It is difficult to think that this intelli- gent, active lady has really passed her 84th milestone. She has had many interesting ex- periences in life and her remarkable memory makes their recital very interesting. She was in Paris during the revolution of 1848 which dethroned Louis Philippe, and witnessed the burning of the palace and as mementoes has some bits of cloth from the king's furniture. Mrs. Ward not only was a careful mother of five children, but was also a capable house- keeper and carried on the first dressmaking establishment in Bay City. She was the envied owner of one of the first three sewing machines ever brought to the place. It is still kept by our subject and is an interesting object. It is a "Singer" and its last patented improvements bear the date of May 30, 1854. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Ward were: James R., editor, of the Green County Record, of Greensburg, Kentucky; Mary Ann (Histed), deceased; Robert W., editor of the Roscommon Nowes, of Roscommon, Michigan; Louisa L. (Blodgett), of Munger, with whom the venerable mother resides ; and William J., of this sketch.
William J. Ward devotes his large acreage- to grain, hay and stock and is an extensive farmer in all these lines. He has made the fine improvements here, which, as mentioned, make this one of the attractive homes of the town- ship. In 1900 he had the misfortune to have- his fine barn, 40 by 60 feet in dimensions, and large cattle sheds destroyed by fire, occasioned'
483:
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
by a stroke of lightning, with a total loss of $3,000. What made the loss total was that the Cooperative Insurance Company, which carried his risks, failed just at this inopportune time. In 1902 he completed his present great barn, which is 40 by 90 feet in dimensions with 20- foot posts,-one of the most substantial struct- ures in the locality.
Mr. Ward was married December 27, 1887, to Margaret Hodgson, who was born at Fort St. Henry, Canada, 50 miles below Montreal, June 1, 1860, and is a daughter of John and Mary (Ray) Hodgson. She came to Bay County in 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Ward have four children living, namely: Joseph H., Anna Bell, Marion Grace and Helen Beatrice. The first son and eldest child, James Ray, died aged two years.
Politically, Mr. Ward affiliates with the Republican party. He is one of the township's leading men and at present is filling the office of school treasurer, and for many years has aided in directing public-spirited movements here and in lending his influence to every move- ment calculated to benefit his section. Person- ally he is a man of business integrity and is held in great esteem by those who have known him all his life.
OSIAH LITTLE AMBROSE, M. D., who has a substantial medical prac- tice in Bay City, and holds the office of county physician, was born in Lee County, Illinois, September 16, 1857. He is a son of George H. and Elizabeth M. T. (Lit- tle) Ambrose, pioneer settlers at Amboy, Lee County, when that district was a wilderness. The father died in 1884, and the mother passed away at the home of her son, Josiah, in 1904. They were the parents of five children, namely :
Mary, of Chicago, Illinois, deceased; George, of Bay City, ex-city comptroller, deceased; Charles, of Bay City; Mrs. Walter D. Young, of Bay City ; and Josiah Little.
The subject of this article received his pri- mary mental instruction at Evanston, Illinois, and graduated from the University of Michi- gan in the class of 1880, with the degree of Ph. B. He afterwards entered Rush Medical Col- lege, in Chicago, from which he graduated in the class of 1883, with the degree of M. D. While in Chicago, he took a special course of study in eye, ear, nose and throat diseases.
In 1883, Dr. Ambrose located in Bay City, where he has practiced continuously ever since. Soon after his arrival, the old Bay County Medical Society was reorganized, Dr. Ambrose being one of eight young physicians who were instrumental in reviving it. They formed what was known as a "Quiz & Quest Club," which re- sulted in the reorganization of the medical society. The subject of this sketch has always taken an active part in the affairs of this body, as well as in those of the Michigan State Medi- cal Society.
Aside from his extended practice, Dr. Am- brose has been closely identified with the im- provement of the city, having erected about 20 houses here, and Ambrose street in the First Ward is named in his honor. He is the medical examiner for nearly all the old-line insurance companies, and for all the fraternal orders except the A. O. U. W. He has served as county physician for eight consecutive terms.
The entrance to the office of Dr. Ambrose is a picture gallery, representing almost every play on the American stage. His main office is filled with a collection of pictures, calendars, portraits of actors and reproductions from some of our great artists. The Doctor has saved many cuts from the Chicago papers, and takes delight in ornamenting his rooms with every
484
HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY
nice picture that he can procure. Advertise- ments of all kinds are to be found hung on the walls. This seems to be the Doctor's hobby. Another peculiarity is that he always wears a silk hat, which he utilizes to carry memoranda of his daily work, keeping a regular diary.
Dr. Ambrose was married to Grace S. Wil- kins, a native of Bay City and a graduate of the Bay City High School. She is a daughter of John H. Wilkins, a native of Philadelphia, who came to Bay City about 1870 and served as mayor of Bay City two terms and is now serving as chief city assessor. He formerly engaged in the abstract and real estate business, but finally disposed of those interests. The Doctor and his wife have one son, Charles Wil- kins Ambrose, who is a student in the engineer- ing department of the University of Michigan, in the second year of the course.
Dr. Ambrose is a member of the Masonic order, Modern Woodmen of America, Royal Arcanum, Maccabees, Royal Archers, Royal Neighbors, Foresters and several other frater- nal organizations-
HARLES HORN, one of the well- known farmers of Williams town- ship, Bay County, Michigan, who owns a fine farm of 50 acres in sec- tion 15, was born July 6, 1848, in Prussia, and accompanied his brother William to America in 1853, when but five years old. The family came in sections : The father came first; when he had earned enough to meet the expenses of the journey, the mother and infant daughter came; later William and Charles made the trip and finally Augustus, Hiram and Louise joined the family in the New World.
The parents of Mr. Horn settled first in Canada, where the father purchased a farm,
but in 1863 they removed to St. Clair County, Michigan, where they again purchased farming land and still later they removed to Bay County. Here the mother died in the fall of 1885, in her. 70th year, and the father in 1889, aged 80 years. They were industrious, worthy people, who were respected and esteemed by their neigh- bors. They had II children, five of whom sur- vived them and four of whom are still living, viz : Augustus; Charles ; Rosa, wife of Nelson Houston, of St. Clair, Michigan ; and John.
Our subject obtained his education in Can- ada and remained with his father on the St. Clair County farm until 1865, when he came to Bay County. He was employed in the mills of Bay City until 1873, and then purchased the 40-acre farm on which he resides. It formerly belonged to his older brother, Augustus, who had built a log house and had cleared up some four acres of the timber. Mr. Horn completed the clearing and made many improvements which have resulted in the development of a first-class farm. He now has 50 acres in one body.
In 1875, Mr. Horn was married to Eliza- beth Moore, who is a daughter of Joseph and Eleanor (Adkin) Moore, who were born and married in England. When they came to America, these three children then composed their family: Catherine, who died in New York; James, who died in New York; and Sarah M., who is the wife of Charles Vliet, of Oakland County. They spent two years in New York, during which time Mrs. Horn was born; but as two of the children died there, Mr. Moore decided to remove to a different climate, and accordingly located at Clarkson, Oakland County, Michigan, where seven more children were born. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Moore en- gaged in farming in Bay County. Mr. Moore, now in his 90th year, resides with Mr. and Mrs. Horn, but Mrs. Moore died in September,
485
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
1900, when lacking but three months of being 85 years of age.
Mr. and Mrs. Horn have nine children : Grace, who married Layton Keeler and resides in Houghton County, Michigan; Eleanor, who married Adolph Kiehn; Earl, a school teacher at Bentley, who married Effie Kendall, of Ohio; Gladys, who is a stenographer in an abstract office in Bay City ; Hattie, who is fitting herself for the position of teacher ; Rosa, who is attend- ing school in Bay City ; and Bernice, Georgiana and Effie, who are at home. This is a family of more than usual intelligence and ability.
Mr. Horn belongs to neither of the old political parties, being in entire sympathy with the Prohibitionists. His influence is always given in the direction of temperance and moral- ity. He is one of the leading members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Auburn, and a man who is thoroughly respected by all who know him.
SCAR W. BAKER, a well-known attorney-at-law, of Bay City, Michi- gan, with well-appointed offices con- veniently located in the Shearer Brothers' Block, was born in this city on Au- gust 30, 1879, and is a son of James H. and Mary Frances ( Edwards) Baker.
James H. Baker and wife still reside in Bay City, having come here in 1868. Mr. Baker has always been a prominent factor in politics and has served as deputy sheriff and in a number of minor city offices and is well- known in the city and throughout the county. His two sons are Oscar W., of this sketch, and James H., a business man of Chicago, Illinois.
Oscar W. Baker attended school in Bay City, was graduated from the High School in 1898 and then took a commercial course in the Bay City Business College. During the legisla-
tive session of 1899-1900 he was employed by Lieutenant-Governor Robinson. Following this he spent three years at the University of Mich- igan, at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated in June, 1902, and was admitted to the bar by diploma. Every dollar spent in acquiring this education had been earned by his own hands. Later he was admitted to practice in the United States District Court and has since practiced at Bay City, in association with Lee E. Joslyn. He has taken part in a number of important cases and has shown marked ability and thor- ough comprehension of the technicalities of law and jurisprudence.
Mr. Baker is very loyal to the University of Michigan and is an active member of the Alumni organization, known as the Bay City Alumnus Association of the University of Michigan, and belongs also to the Pro and Con Debating Society. He has many pleasant social ties in the city and possesses a personality which wins many friends. He was reared in the Baptist Church.
Mr. Baker recently was the successful liti- gant in a suit brought by him in the Circuit Court of Bay County against the Pere Mar- quette Railroad Company, securing a judgment of upwards of $5,000. The case was a peculiar one and practically without parallel, and at- tracted wide attention. It had its beginning in a suit brought by his father, James H. Baker, as next friend, because of the minority of our subject, against the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad Company to recover about $6,000 damages for the loss of a limb by our subject in 1887, at the IIth street crossing in Bay City. The jury verdict in the original case in the Circuit Court was appealed and judgment was later affirmed in the Supreme Court. Later, suit was brought against the Pere Marquette Railroad Company by our subject, who claimed that he never received any part of the money
486
HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY
secured on the original verdict, one-half having gone to attorneys for plaintiff as the fee agreed upon in the case, and the other half having gone to the plaintiff's father, without legal authority, for the reason that the latter had never been made a legal guardian of his son and therefore was not entitled to funds paid into his hands. This latter suit was intended to recover one- half of the total amount. Our subject was ably represented by Lee E. Joslyn.
EMAN HORTON, justice of the peace at Munger, is probably as prominent a man and as highly esteemed a citi- zen as may be numbered among the residents of Merritt township, Bay County, Michigan, where he owns a fine farm of 80 acres in section 29. He has devoted his ener- gies to the township's advancement since he became a resident in 1894. Mr. Horton was born in Oakland County, Michigan, September 16, 1848, and is a son of Joseph and Almira (Marks) Horton.
The father of Mr. Horton was born in 1808, at Lebanon, New York, and removed to Oakland County, Michigan, in 1835, accompa- nied by his wife and two children. He died on his farm, which he had cleared from the wilder- ness, at the age of 66 years. He was an intel- ligent, honorable and upright man, lived an exemplary life and left a fine property to his ·children, as well as an honorable name. He was a leading elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The mother of our subject came also from an old settled New York family ; she was born in that State in 1810, and died in Michi- gan at the age of 66 years. They had eight children: Jane Elizabeth, wife of Dr. N. L. Higbie, of Elsie, Michigan; Sarah Ann, widow of Benjamin Sage, of Ypsilanti, Michigan;
Hix, who died aged 40 years ; Mariette, wife of William T. Daines, of Farmington, Michigan; Jacob, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, who is now settled at Ypsilanti, Michi- gan; Caleb Wesley, who died aged 60 years; Harriet T., widow of Rev. J. A. McIlwain, of Romeo, Michigan ; and Heman, of this sketch.
Heman Horton remained on the home farm in Oakland County until he was 25 years of age and continued to attend school until he was 20 years old, enjoying first the advantages offered by the common schools and later by the Oakland Institute at Farmington. He contin- ued to farm during the summers and teach school during the winters for a number of years before he moved to Montcalm County, where he continued the same mode of life for about 14 years. Then he settled down to farm- ing near Troy, Oakland County, for five years, changing then to city life and engaging in a real estate business at Detroit for two years. Country life, however, pleased him best and in 1894 he came to his present farm in Merritt township. Here he carries on a general line of farming and operates a large dairy business, having a great herd of registered Jersey cattle. In the past he also handled draft horses.
In 1871, Mr. Horton was united in mar- riage with Susan A. Andrews, who was born at West Bloomfield, Oakland County, Michi- gan, October 4, 1848, and is a daughter of Samuel and Susan (Collier) Andrews. Mr. Andrews was born in Connecticut and his wife in Massachusetts. They came to Oakland County in 1833. The father died at the age of 90 years and six months on the farm he had taken up from the government and cleared, and the mother died there aged 69 years. Mrs. Horton is the youngest of their eight children, the record being as follows: Elizabeth ( Mrs. Rhodes), of Allegan County, Michigan ; Jane, widow of E. B. Frost, of Frankfort, Michigan;
487
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
George W., who died in Oakland County at the age of 33 years; Nathaniel, who died aged 60 years ; Samuel F., of Grand Rapids, Michigan ; Theodore H., of Minnesota; Charles, of Oak- land County ; and Susan A. (Mrs. Horton). Seven children have been born to our subject and wife, namely : Helen E., wife of Robert E. Forbush, of Oakland County ; Arthur S., of Tacoma, Washington; K. Charles, who lives at home; Mark Andrews; Clara M., wife of E. P. Tennant, of Merritt township; and Harry and Belva A., who live at home. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church at Munger, Mr. Horton being one of the trustees.
Mr. Horton has taken a prominent part in township affairs since settling here and has been active in political life. He has been chair- man of the Republican Township Committee and is a justice of the peace at present. His acquaintance is wide and both in public and private life he is universally respected. He is justly regarded as one of the representative men of his section of Bay County.
0 OHN CHATFIELD KERN, one of leaders in the great lumber interests of the Saginaw Valley, is president of the Kern Manufacturing Company, of West Bay City, Michigan, and a citizen of much prominence here. Mr. Kern was born at Oxford, Oakland County, Michigan, Novem- ber 30, 1853, and is a son of Rev. Joseph and Bethany Stewart (Woodhull) Kern.
Rev. Joseph Gardner Kern was a pioneer in Oakland County, Michigan. He was born at Belvidere, New Jersey, June 20, 1821, and died at Morris, Michigan, August 9, 1901. He came to Michigan in early manhood, a machinist by trade, and for some-years after his marriage, in Oxford, Oakland County, he
operated a foundry and machine shop. While living at Oxford his mind became impressed with the truths of religion to such a degree, that he entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, becoming a member of the Detroit Conference. He was an earnest Chris- tian man and continued in the ministry until his health failed, in 1868, when he located on a farm near Perry, Michigan. Some years prior to his death, he removed to Morris and there his life closed, at the age of 80 years. On November 17, 1849, he was married to Bethany Stewart Woodhull, who was born in Oakland County, Michigan, November 14, 1831, and was a daughter of John C. H. and Rachel (Bird) Woodhull, old pioneers of that section. Mrs. Kern died at Perry, Michigan, November 16, 1869. She was a member of one of the oldest American families, of English descent. Its records reach back one thousand years. The founder of the family in America was Richard Woodhull, who was born in Eng- land in 1620. Our subject is in the ninth gen- eration from this ancestor. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Kern both survive : John Chat- field, our subject ; and a sister, Sarah Elizabeth, who is the wife of Richard Place, of Lansing, Michigan.
Our subject's early years were spent in various localities in Michigan, as his father's different charges were filled. When three years of age, removal was made to Columbus, thence to Lake Port City, Perry and Williamson. Subsequently the father settled on his farm near Perry and there the son remained until he was 19 years of age. After his education was completed in the Corunna (Michigan) High School, he clerked for two years in a drug store at Perry, and then as collector went into the main office at Detroit of the C. F. Brooks Lumber Company, conducted by Mrs. C. F. Brooks, which company's mills were
488
HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY
located at Bay City. He remained there until the office was closed and then came to Bay City, in 1876, being employed by L. L. Hotch- kiss & Company, which succeeded the C. F. Brooks Lumber Company. He remained with the firm first as bookkeeper and then as general superintendent. In 1890, the firm of L. L. Hotchkiss & Company was succeeded by the Morton & Baccus Lumber Company.
In 1892 Mr. Kern went into the lumber business himself, buying the interests of the company, with which he had gained so much valuable experience. He purchased all the stock and in 1893 the Kern Manufacturing Company was incorporated,-a company that now owns and operates the largest lumber mills in the Saginaw Valley. As soon as he took charge, Mr. Kern commenced extensive additions and improvements. During 1892-93 he erected two band and one rip sawmill, with capacity of 30,000,000 feet. A salt-block is operated in connection, which has a capacity of 200 barrels a day. The mills turn out 20,000,000 feet of lumber annually and the company at present has 20,000,000 feet stored in their yards. This great industry is located in the Fifth Ward, in the south end of West Bay City, where the plant covers 120 acres, with a farm adjoining. Employment is given 85 men, and 22 horses are required. Many of the employees reside here, there being 19 houses and sufficient barns on the property, and its appearance is something like a small village.
Mr. Kern finds his time pretty well taken up in looking after these huge interests, but he has always been willing to further public- spirited movements of all kinds in this locality, and has been a generous contributor in aid of the various honorable enterprises which have been instrumental in building up the commer- cial prosperity and good name of this part of the State. He has, however, persistently de-
clined all political honors, merely casting his vote in favor of the candidates of the Republi- can party and feeling willing that others should enjoy political preferment.
Mr. Kern was married at Bay City, Jan- uary 14, 1885, to Gertrude L. Minnie, who was born at Marine City, Michigan, and is a daughter of. Dominick and Elizabeth (Dein) Minnie, natives of Michigan. They have two daughters, both at school, viz: Gladys Beth- any, who was born December 9, 1890; and Ruth Woodhull, who was born June 23, 1892. The handsome, comfortable home of Mr. Kern and family is situated in West Bay City, not far from the business section where Mr. Kern's presence is so constantly required. Its luxuri- ous furnishings and its extensive library testify to the intellectual tastes of the family.
For many years Mr. Kern has been identi- fied with the higher branches of Masonry, and is a Knight Templar and a Shriner. He is an attendant of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A man of quiet tastes and little show of osten- tation, he quietly fills a place among the cap- tains of industry in the Saginaw Valley, but his large interests have not been secured through the speculative operations which have given the name to many who pose as such.
RED TIMM, one of the first-class farmers and good citizens of Ports- mouth township, Bay County, Michi- gan, residing in section 31, township 14, range 6, and owning a well-improved farm of 80 acres, was born in Germany, December 18, 1842, and is a son of August and Mary (Kracht) Timm.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.