History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens, Part 65

Author: Gansser, Augustus H., 1872-
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond & Arnold
Number of Pages: 738

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The maternal grandfather of Mr. Porter was a resident of Western New York. He served in the War of 1812 and afterward came to Michigan. His wife was born and reared in Massachusetts ..

The parents of Edward W. Porter were early settlers of Lapeer County, Michigan. The

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father was a farmer by vocation, and served the public interests in various local offices. In 1852 the family moved to Oakland County, Michi- gan, where the subject of this sketch was reared, and where his primary mental training was obtained. In 1871 he entered Hillsdale College from which he was graduated in 1875. He also attended the law school of the Univer- sity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in 1876, the year after grad- uating in the literary course. He had read law in Saginaw, in the office of his brother, Samuel M., who is now located in Montgomery County, Kansas, and represents his county in the Kan- sas State Senate. After completing his prep- aration for the practice of the law, he settled in Bay City, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his profession.

Besides the brother in Kansas, Mr. Porter has another, John A., who is a farmer in Mont- calm County, Michigan. He has also a sister, Mrs. Sarah Chapman, who lives on the old home farm in Novi township, Oakland County, Michigan.

Edward W. Porter married Alma Welsh, of Northville, Michigan, a member of one of the oldest families of that vicinity and of the State. She was born in Novi township and re- ceived her education in the State Normal School at Ypsilanti.

Mr. and Mrs. Porter have five sons and two daughters, namely : Sidney W. and Angie L., who are attending the Bay City High School; Erwin E., Wendell J., Inez A. and M. Morse, pupils in the Dolsen Public School; and Frank B., aged three years. The family residence is at No. 1809 Fifth avenue, corner of Johnson street.

Politically, Mr. Porter has always been a Republican, having cast his first vote for Grant. He served two years as assistant prosecuting attorney of Bay County in 1883-84. Socially,

he is a member of the Delta Tau Delta fra- ternity. He belongs to the Baptist Church.

JOSEPH P. HAFFEY, of the law firm of Por- ter & Haffey, of Bay City, Michigan, was born near Toronto, Canada, August 24, 1853. He is a son of John and Margaret (Keenan) Haffey, who were natives of County Armagh, Ireland. They came to America in the early "thirties" and engaged in farming. The father died in 1884 and the mother, in 1898. They had 10 children, of whom one died in infancy. The others, exclusive of the subject of this sketch, are as follows: James, of Minnesota ; John, who lives on the home farm in Canada ; Thomas K. and Peter J., who are engaged in business in Toronto, Canada; Alice, who lives in Toronto; Mrs. Ellen Reilly ; and Mrs. Elizabeth Langby, of Niagara Falls, New York.

Mr. Haffey was reared in Canada until he reached early manhood. There he attended the public schools and afterward spent seven years at St. Michael's College, in Toronto, where he graduated in 1876. In that institution he sub- sequently taught for one year, and was also for two and a half years a teacher in the public schools.

On coming to Michigan, Mr. Haffey stud- ied law in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and was admitted to the bar of Michi- gan in 1884, after spending two years in the law office of Lindner & Porter.

Mr. Haffney was married at Port Huron, Michigan, to Mary Murphy, of Stratford, Can- ada. Their five children, all born at Bay City, are as follows : Joseph, Marie, Grace, Thomas J. and Isabel. The family residence is at No. 406 10th street. Politically, Mr. Haffey is a Democrat. Fraternally. he belongs to the A. O. H. He is a member of St. James Catholic Church.

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P ETER BEECKMAN, a well-known resident of Merritt township, who owns and resides on a fine farm of 80 acres situated in section 8, was born August 4, 1835, near Alost, Belgium, and is a son of Francis and Victoria (Van Hicht) Beeckman.

The father of Mr. Beeckman was born in Belgium and died at Grosse Pointe, Wayne County, Michigan, at the age of 52 years. His widow survived until 1870, being 73 years old at death. They were quiet farming people and were much respected by all who knew them. Their children were: Francis, deceased; Adolph, of Wayne County ; George, deceased ; Emily (Mrs. Vanderbush), deceased; Antoin- ette (Mrs. Lasquire), deceased; Louisa (Mrs. Van Larberger), of Detroit; Grace, who died in Belgium; and Peter, of this sketch.

Our subject was only two and a half years old when his parents came to America. They came to purchase farming land and after reach- ing Detroit removed to Grosse Pointe, where both died. Peter remained on the home farm until 1875 and then came to Bay County and for about 20 years was engaged in farming in Hampton township. He then spent six years in Portsmouth township. He purchased his present excellent property in Merritt town- ship in 1900 but has resided on it for the past nine years. He carries on a general line of farming, raises some stock, does some dairy- ing and enjoys as much prosperity as any farmer in the township.

At Detroit, in 1870, Mr. Beeckman was married to Emily Vermeesch, who was born May 29, 1849, in Belgium, and is a daughter of Francis and Barbara (Maddelen) Ver- meesch. She came to Detroit with her widowed mother and two twin brothers in 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Beeckman have eight children : Frank, a farmer of Merritt township, married

Mary Wiedyke, and has six children; Charles, Peter and Arthur, all living at home assisting on the farm; Mary, who married Louis Gwiz- dale, of Merritt township, and has two chil- dren; Emily, wife of Joseph Schuler of Bay City ; and Rose and Annie, who live at home.

Politically, Mr. Beeckman has always been a supporter of the Democratic party. He is a member of St. John's Catholic Church at Es- sexville.

RANK H. MOHR, one of the prom- inent and enterprising business men handling the commercial interests of West Bay City, Michigan, president of the Phoenix Brewing Company, and secre- tary and treasurer of The Mohr Hardware Company, was born in Schney, Bavaria, Ger- many, March 10, 1867, and is a son of John G. and Elizabeth (Schramm) Mohr.

George Mohr, our subject's grandfather, was a native of Saxony, Germany, and spent the greater part of his life in Eisleben, engaged in farming and in conducting a pottery busi- ness. He married Katherine Roemer, who was a native of the same place as he.

John G. Mohr was born in Saxony in 1824 and died July 4, 1873. He learned the potter's trade and followed it through life and in addi- tion operated a small farm of his own. He married Elizabeth Schramm, who was a daugh- ter of Erhardt Schramm. She was born in 1822 in Staffelstein, Bavaria, but a few miles distant from Schney. Nine of their 10 children reached maturity, viz : Johanna, wife of Peter Pfrenger, of Merzbach, Bavaria; John G., pro- fessor of literature in the Minnesota State Uni- versity at Minneapolis; Christopher, of West Bay City, president of The Mohr Hardware Company and also in partnership with his brother Fred in a retail clothing business in

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West Bay City; Margaret, wife of Max Stoll, of Schney, Bavaria; Joseph and Andrew, both of Schney, Bavaria; Katherine; Fred, of West Bay City, vice-president of the People's Sav- ings Bank; and Frank H., our subject.

Our subject was the youngest in the family and was trained in the thorough-going schools of his native land until he was 14 years of age, when he joined his brother John G., of Minne- apolis, and Christopher and Fred, who were already established at West Bay City. He began to work at the tin and coppersmith's trade here and completed his apprenticeship at the Pullman car works in Chicago and worked subsequently as a journeyman. After six years in Chicago, in 1888 he went to Minneap- olis and started into business for himself, in- stalling furnaces and heating apparatus. Mr. Mohr continued in business there until 1903, when he returned to West Bay City and organ- ized The Mohr Hardware Company, of which he is to-day practically the sole owner, which deals in hardware, buggies and carriages and farm implements. It has grown into one of the largest concerns in those lines in Northern Michigan. Mr. Mohr was also one of the or- ganizers of the Phoenix Brewing Company, an- other successful enterprise, and has been its president ever since its founding.

Mr. Mohr was married to Lena Kohler, who is a daughter of John and Agatha Kohler, of West Bay City, and they have one son, John Kohler Mohr. They are members of the Ger- man Lutheran Church. Mr. Mohr has taken several trips to Europe, visiting Germany, Switzerland, France, England and Holland.

Mr. Mohr's fraternal and social associa- tions include membership in Wenona Lodge, No. 296, F. & A. M .; Blanchard Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M., and Scottish Rite bodies up to the 18th degree at Bay City, while his connec- tions at Detroit are with the Michigan Sov-

ereign Consistory, S. P. R. S., and Moslem Temple, A. A. O. U. M. S. He belongs also to Lodge, No. 88, B. P. O. E. and to the Ar- beiter Unterstuetzung Verein.

Mr. Mohr usually takes an active interest in all public affairs, affecting the welfare of his home city and county. Although urged re- peatedly to accept nominations on his party ticket, he has declined to do so, devoting his entire time to his private business affairs.

B ETHUEL BORTON is one of the suc- cessful fruit-growers and well-known and highly respected citizens of Bay County, Michigan. From 1902 to 1905 he resided on his 12-acre farm in section 18, Hampton township. He has recently pur- chased 30 acres in section 14, Portsmouth township, to which he will soon remove. He was born October 10, 1830, in Burlington County, New Jersey, and is a son of Captain Samuel and Mary Borton.

The Borton family is an old Quaker one of English extraction and it was founded in Phil- adelphia in the days when William Penn's friends and associates first gathered there and named it the "City of Brotherly Love." The grandfather and four of his brothers were mar- iners, captains of seagoing vessels and that calling was also adopted by the father of our subject. Capt. Samuel Borton was born in Burlington County, New Jersey, and died there in 1855, aged 60 years. He was thrice mar- ried, the mother of our subject being his sec- ond wife. She was a daughter of Bethuel and Rebecca (Clifton) Borton, of New Jersey, and died when her child was but two weeks old. Three daughters were born to the first mar- riage and one to the third.

On account of the early death of his mother

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and his father's absence on the water, our sub- ject was reared by his grandfather, with whom he remained until he was 15 years of age. Dur- ing these years he learned much concerning the details of fruit-growing as the grandfather operated a large fruit farm. When he had reached the above mentioned age he concluded to try his father's business and went on board a trading vessel on the Delaware River which carried ship timber and supplies for the navy yards, and continued a sailor for four years. Then he worked variously as a farmer and thresher in Burlington County until 1856, when he went to Williams County, Ohio, and worked for his uncle Benjamin on a farm located some 55 miles from Toledo, later taking charge of the farm of 240 acres and operating it for nine years.

The opening of the Civil War made neces- sary the employment of men to go to the front, while it was just as essential that equally brave and reliable men should attend to the further- ing of the cause at home. Mr. Borton was chosen one of the latter and his services were duly valued and doubtless the records of the secret service in Washington, D. C., could tell of many occasions when his courage and brav- ery clipped rebellion in the bud, in the rear of the fighting army. For these services he never charged the government, although he spent something like $3,000 of his own money. He was busy all through the war and assisted many a man in securing a substitute after the drafts were made.

After the close of the war. Mr. Borton went to Toledo and bought a small tract of land near the city, where he engaged in gardening for about 15 years. He owned that tract of very valuable land which is now known as "Point Place." In 1879 he came to Bay County and bought 20 acres of land. He sold a part of this and then added five acres, so that he had

16 acres, which he subsequently sold for $7,000. He then moved to Millington, where he spent three years, also engaged in farming. In 1902 he came back to Bay County and purchased his present place. This farm he sold early in 1905 and purchased 30 acres in section 14, Ports- mouth township, of which he will take posses- sion in a short time. His knowledge and ex- perience have made him wonderfully success- ful in all his gardening and agricultural oper- ations. In one year the returns from II acres of garden produce and small fruits were $2,385. He paid $100 an acre for his farm in section 18, Hampton township, on which he made many improvements, erecting substantial buildings, making it one of the rich garden spots of the county. On this farm he has 1,000 peach trees and all kinds of berries and the yield is something enormous. His trees and vines seem to recognize his experienced hand- ling and reward his care and attention with generous fruitage from every limb and branch. He is an authority on fruit-growing in this section.

Mr. Borton was married first, in 1850, to Caroline Stockton, of New Jersey, and they had three children: Edmond L., of Toledo; Mary E., wife of Jacob Carr of Chippewa Lake, Michigan : and Benjamin F., of Essexville. He was married second, in 1878, to Sarah M. d'Isay, who was born August 8, 1844. at Lun- teren, the Netherlands, and came to the United States with her parents when a child of four years. She is a daughter of Capt. Joseph and Aegidia Jacoba (Hansen) d'Isay, the father a native of Belgium and the mother of Amster- dam, the Netherlands. Captain d'Isay was an officer in the army of the Netherlands. His death took place at Essexville, and that of his wife at Toledo, Ohio, where they lived for some years. Captain d'Isay spent 13 years in Arnhem, the Netherlands,-from 1873 to 1886,

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-and had only been 17 days with his daughter in Essexville when he died. The children of Mr. Borton's second marriage were: Barbara Helena, wife of Henry Koth, of Bay City ; and Charlotte M. and John C. Fremont, both at home.

Mr. Borton has always been a stanch Re- publican. In 1856 he recalls with pride that he carried a Fremont flag and that he had a chance to shake the honest hand of the great "Path- finder" when he visited Saginaw, 20 years ago. During his residence in Toledo he served on various civic boards and was a member of the school committee, which secured the erec- tion of five school houses in that city. He served also in similar offices in Bay County and has been active in working for good roads through Hampton township. Mr. Borton is one of the real representative citizens of this section and enjoys a large measure of public esteem.

He then moved to Millington, where he spent three years, also engaging in farming. In 1902 he came back to Bay County and pur- chased his present place. This farm he sold early in 1905 and purchased 30 acres in section 14, Portsmouth township, of which he will take possession in a short time.

OHN B. LAING, one of the most prom- inent citizens of Bay City, holds the office of county commissioner of schools. He was born in Norfolk District, Ontario, Canada, in 1856, and is a son of John and Sarah E. (Youmans) Laing, and a grandson of George and Elizabeth (Laing) Laing.

John Laing was a native of Scotland, born in Aberdeen, on Christmas Day, 1800. He re- moved to Ontario, Canada, in 1832, when Nor-

folk District was a barren wilderness, and by indomitable resolution and unremitting toil cleared three different farms in succession. He remained there until 1879, engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, and then moved to Bay County, Michigan, where he farmed a few years. He lived in Bay City until 1892. He was married in Norfolk District, Ontario, to Sarah E. You- mans, who was born in Nova Scotia, in 1819, and was taken by her parents to Norfolk Dis- trict, Ontario, when she was six months old. It was a matter of frequent comment with her that her birth and marriage occurred in the same years as did similar events in the life of Queen Victoria. She died in 1891.

John Laing became a Mason in Scotland at the age of 21 years, and was buried with Ma- sonic ceremonies at Bay City, Michigan. He passed away January 6, 1901, at Chicago, Illi- nois in the home of his daughter Mrs. Lewis Berger, when more than 100 years old, having lived in three centuries. He retained his facul- ties until a few months before his death. Al- though possessing but a common-school edu- cation, he was well-read and well-informed and kept abreast of the times. He had lived in Chi- cago since 1892.

Ten children resulted from the union of John Laing and Sarah E. Youmans, namely : Matilda (Wayne), who died at the age of 29 years; Catherine L., widow of Lewis Berger, of Chicago; Mary, wife of Edward Wilkinson, of Chicago; Rachel, wife of William I. Gel- naw, of Bay City, Michigan; Jennie, widow of Henry Schafer, of Chicago; John B .; George W., of Chicago; Garrie C., city editor of the Bay City Times; Louis N., deceased; and Mahlon D., of Chicago.

John B. Laing came with his parents to Bay City in 1879. He was reared on a farm and attended the public and high schools of Simcoe, Norfolk District, Ontario, Canada,

HOLY ROSARY ACADEMY

ST. BONIFACE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND PAROCHIAL BUILDINGS

REV. JOHN G. WYSS

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after which he taught school for some time. He then pursued a course of study in Fenton Col- lege, at Fentonville, Michigan, where he grad- uated with the class of 1894. Among the schools which he subsequently taught were ones at North Williams, Linwood and Amelith and in Merritt township, all in Bay County. He has pursued the profession of teaching for more than 20 years. He served nine years as a mem- ber of the School Board, where he gained an experience which has proved useful to him in his present office. He was elected county com- missioner of schools in April, 1903, and his term of service began on July Ist, following. His office is in the Phoenix Block.

Mr. Laing married Jessie Sprague, a na- tive of New York, and they have a son, John Harold, who lives with his aunt in Chicago.

In politics, Mr. Laing is a strong Repub- lican, and has served his party as a delegate to county, State and congressional conventions. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of the Modern Maccabees and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

R EV. JOHN G. WYSS, pastor of St. Boniface Catholic Church, at Bay, City, Michigan, one of the most zeal- ous and faithful priests of the Catho- lic Church in all Michigan, is compar- atively a young man, although he has accom- plished what might well be regarded as the fruits of a lifetime.

Father Wyss was born June 24, 1860, at Reiden, Canton of Luzern, Switzerland. His preliminary education was obtained at Sarnen, in the Canton of Unter-Walden, and his class- ical course was completed at Engelberg, where excellent advantages were offered. With this

sound foundation, the young man came to seek an education in American schools, knowing that his life work would probably be in this field. He arrived in the United States in Octo- ber, 1882, and entered the Provincial Seminary at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the study of phil- osophy and theology. At this institution he was graduated June 24, 1887, and on the 29th of the month he was ordained priest by Rt. Rev. Henry Joseph Richter, D. D., Bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids.

The young priest was sent first to St. James parish, at Montague, Muskegon County, Mich- igan, where he remained eight months and was then assigned to his present charge, coming to St. Boniface parish in 1888, when he was but 28 years of age. His assuming charge of this parish brought new life to it and ere long his work began to show the effects of the masterly hand which had taken the helm here. Giving his attention first to the rebuilding and im- provement of the parish school-house and the Sisters' home, he arranged for the purchase of a lot at Lincoln and Mckinley avenues as an addition to the school grounds, and subse- quently he bought still another lot, on Lincoln avenue.

The crowded condition of the old church gave him serious thoughts for a time, as the building of a new one would require a greater outlay than the parish seemed able to afford, but he was agreeably surprised to see how will- ingly his parishioners came forward as soon as they had learned to trust and reverence him. Hence the building of a new church was com- menced in October, 1896, and on June 4, 1899, the church was solemnly consecrated, Father Wyss and his congregation being able to rejoice not only in its completion but also in the fact that it was free from debt. St. Boniface has the distinction of being the first Catholic

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Church in the Diocese of Grand Rapids that has been consecrated.

This beautiful building, in its external ap- pearance, is in every way a credit to the city, while within its decorations are not only seemly but artistic and inspiring. A number of ex- quisite memorial windows have been placed, and some of the religious paintings equal those which adorn the churches of older countries.

Father Wyss has continued his efforts for the advancement of his parish, and another re- sult of his energy is shown in the handsome parochial residence of brick and concrete which adjoins the church property. Every modern convenience to add to the comfort of the resi- dent priest and for the requirements of the parish have been introduced, resulting in a much finer church home than many older and larger parishes enjoy. Adjoining Father Wyss' residence but independent of it is the fine new brick school building to be occupied by the Sisters of St. Dominic, as an academy, under the name of the Holy Rosary Academy, a select boarding school. It is under the super- vision of Mother Superioress Aquinata, O. S. D., who has a corps of able teachers. This is the largest academical institution in the Dio- cese of Grand Rapids. It will be ready for occupancy in September, 1905. The Sisters will find in their new quarters adequate room for carrying out many plans as to higher edu- cation and more extended scholarship, aims very dear to their hearts. The new building, when completed, will be a great structure 100 by 100 feet, extending to Birney street, and it will be strictly modern throughout, and will accommodate 200 pupils. The curriculum in- cludes all the higher branches with special at- tention paid to art and music.

As Father Wyss looks back over these fruitful years, he must feel, indeed, that his work has been blessed. He has been

able to work harmoniously with his con- gregation and stands in the position of priest, father and faithful friend to every one. Outside his own religious body, he has won admiration and respect, and turn where he will, in Bay City, finds all faces friendly and re- spectful. A portrait of Father Wyss and views of St. Bonifice Church, Holy Rosary Academy and the parochial buildings appear on fore- going pages.

USTIN WENTWORTH, senior mem- ber of the firm of J. & G. K. Went- worth, which is extensively engaged in lumbering, with offices at Bay City, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois, is one of the representative men of the former city. He was born near Hope, Knox County, Maine, March 7. 1834, and is a son of Leonard and Mary ( Arnold) Wentworth.

The ancestry of the Wentworth family is traceable back to the time of William the Con- queror, and includes many who have attained prominence in the annals of public and civic life. It has furnished New Hampshire with several governors, and "Long John" Went- worth, who was mayor of Chicago, a member of Congress and a man of national reputation. This family possesses one of the oldest gen- ealogies in the world, as is shown in a publica- tion of two volumes by "Long John" Went- worth of Chicago, for private circulation among his kinsmen.

The Wentworth family was established in America by William Wentworth who came from Lincoln County, England, where he had been baptized at Alford, March 15, 1615. The first indubitable evidence of his presence in this country is his signature, with that of Rev. John Wheelwright and 33 others, to a "combination for a government at Exeter, N. H.," on Oc-

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tober 4, 1639. This combination continued for three years. In 1642, he was a juror from the town of Wells, Maine, in the York County Court, and in 1648 he was constable of Wells. He was one of the jury at York County Court held at Kittery, Maine, in 1647 and 1649. As he did not receive a grant of land there, it is doubtful whether he ever intended to make that place his permanent home. He was first taxed at Dover, New Hampshire, in 1650, and he served five terms as selectman of that town. He was moderator of the Dover town meeting in 1661, and became elder in what is now known as the First Church of Dover. The records show him to have owned land in Wells, Maine, in 1657. He was one of the seven wealthiest men of the Dover tax list, and after his death on March 15, 1697. his estate was ap- praised at £97, 163., 4d. His wife's given name was Elizabeth. Among his oldest children was John, the first record of whom is his enrollment on the tax list of Dover, New Hampshire, in 1668. He took the oath of fidelity June 21, 1669, and as he must then have been 21 years old he was born some time prior to 1649. His name appears as plaintiff in a number of law suits, one in Dover, New Hampshire, and one in York, Maine. Dover suffered greatly at that time from depredations by the Indians, which probably was the cause of his removal to Dor- chester, Massachusetts. On October 20, 1680, he and his wife Martha conveyed to John Har- mon 100 acres of land in Wells, Maine, and the next known of him is at Punkapaug, now Canton, Massachusetts, where his name appears in a deed from Indians to Mehitable Eames.

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History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens, Part 65

Author: Gansser, Augustus H., 1872- Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond & Arnold Number of Pages: 738

Author: Gansser, Augustus H., 1872-
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond & Arnold
Number of Pages: 738