History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens, Part 74

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

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In 1870 Mr. Wagner was married to Hen- rietta N. Stenz, who was born May 4, 1848, at Monroe, Michigan, and is a daughter of Con- rad and Kunegunde (Seibert) Stenz, natives of Bavaria, Germany, who come to America in 1846. Mr. Stenz died in 1884. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wagner were: Minnie. wife of Herman Smith of Bay City, who has

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six children; Amelia, wife of Peter Smith, of Bangor township, Bay County, who has six children ; Mrs. Augusta Diehl, of Denmark township, Saginaw County, who has two chil- dren : and Philip and Henry, who live at home.

Mr. Wagner has always been affiliated with the Republican party, casting his first presiden- tial vote at the second election of Abraham Lin- coln. In 1895 Mr. Wagner was first elected supervisor of his township and has held this office continuously ever since, with the excep- tion of two terms. For eight years he served as highway commissioner ; was township treas- urer for seven terms and has almost continu- ously been a school director since 1870. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church, of which he has been treasurer for 13 years and a trustee for nine years.

E UGENE FIFIELD, secretary of the Bay City-Michigan Sugar Cumpany, one of the largest business enterprises in this section of the State, is also identified with other important business con- cerns of this locality, which have been furth- ered more or less by his influence and good management. Mr. Fifield was born in Water- ford township, Oakland County, Michigan, March 5, 1851, and is a son of Hon. Francis W. and Joan ( Morris) Fifield and a grandson of Samuel and Sarah (Norris) Fifield.

Samuel Fifield was born in New Hamp- shire, August 23, 1793, from which state he entered the patriot army during the Revolution. He died September 10, 1843. Until her death, his widow drew a pension on account of his services. She was born in New Hampshire January 21, 1794, and died in Bay City, May 26. 1884.

Hon. Francis W. Fifield, our subject's

father, was born April 10, 1821, and came with his parents to Michigan, where the older Fi- field took up land in Oakland County. In early manhood he bought a farm in Waterford township, Oakland County, which he operated successfully until 1865, when he embarked in a mercantile business in the town. He was a man of business enterprise and owned and operated at this time a flouring-mill, a plaster-mill and an old-time, upright sawmill. In 1877 he dis- posed of his mercantile and manufacturing in- terests and returned to farming, settling in De- catur township, VanBuren County, where he lived until his death, December 3, 1893. He was one of the representative men of his time in his locality, a strong Democrat and an able member of his party. In 1863 he was elected to the State Legislature and at various times filled local offices of trust and responsibility. His name is still recalled as that of a man who was noted for his ability and for his up- rightness of character. For many years he was a member of Waterford Lodge of Masons, of which he was worshipful master for 21 years, and he was also high priest of Decatur Chapter, Royal Arch Masons.

Francis W. Fifield married Joan Morris, who died in July, 1899, aged 80 years. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of their seven children, only three grew to maturity; Eugene, of this sketch; Ann Nettie, who married Cassius M. Lanning, of Decatur Michigan, and with her husband lives on the Fifield farm in Decatur township; and Hattie, who is the wife of Sam- uel S. Bradt, of Detroit.

Eugene Fifield was reared by a wise father and a pious mother. He grew to manhood in the family home, securing a good, common- school education and then becoming his father's chief clerk in the store and subsequently, in 1871, his partner, the firm style being Fifield

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& Son. This continued until 1876, when our subject came to Bay City and went into part- nership with Gustin & Merrill, the firm name becoming Gustin, Merrill & Company. This firm did a large grocery business and Mr. Fifield continued in this association of interests until 1884, when changes were made, our sub- ject and Mr. Merrill buying the Gustin interest. The firm then became Merrill, Fifield & Com- pany. This congenial business association was formed without any legal papers, simply the spoken agreement of two honorable and up- right men. Without a single jar or difference of opinion, the partnership continued until broken by the sudden death of Mr. Merrill on November 17, 1891. Mr. Fifield deeply felt the loss of his friend both in a personal and business way, but he continued the business alone until the partnership term expired in 1893, and then closed out its affairs, his other business interests pressing for more attention.

In 1892 Mr. Fifield, with others, operating under the firm name of Mundy & Fifield, bought a tract of 1,200 acres of land in Buena Vista and Zilwaukee townships, Saginaw County, Michigan. At that time this land was submerged during the greater part of the year, but when the new owners took charge a dredge was put in, dykes constructed and three cen- trifugal pumps installed, each having a capacity of 10,000 gallons of water per minute. A large part of this land is devoted to the grow- ing of sugar beets, but general farming is also carried on, grain and hay being harvested and stock raised. Mr. Fifield also owns a farm of 240 acres in Monitor township, Bay County. This was formerly owned by Gustin & Merrill and later came into the possession of Merrill, Fifield & Company. Mr. Fifield operates both farms in the same way. Before he became so thoroughly identified with the beet sugar in- dustry, he made a specialty of Shropshire sheep

and Hereford cattle, but he found that in order to make them profitable he would have to de- vote too much time to them, which was more valuable to him in other pursuits. On this farm, therefore, he now raises high grade cattle only for market purposes. In 1903 the F. M. B. Live Stock Company, of which Mr. Fifield is a member, purchased 2,100 acres of land in Iosco County for a sheep and cattle ranch. The sheep and cattle are wintered on the 1,200 acre farm in Saginaw County, and the 240-acre farm in Monitor township, Bay County, and in the spring are driven back to this ranch, in Iosco County, where they are summered.

In 1897 the Michigan Sugar Company was incorporated at Bay City, with Thomas Cran- age, president; Nathan B. Bradley, vice-presi- dent ; Henry S. Raymond, secretary ; and E. T. Carrington, treasurer. In June, 1903, this or- ganization was consolidated with the Bay City Sugar Company, and the new concern was called the Bay City-Michigan Sugar Company. The new officers consisted of : W. L. Churchill, president, treasurer and general manager; and Eugene Fifield, secretary. On December 2, 1898, the Bay City Sugar Company had been incorporated, the officers being : W. L. Church- ill, president and manager; Benjamin Boutell, vice-president ; Baptist Benton, treasurer; and Lorenzo S. Boutell, secretary. On February 7, 1901, Mr. Churchill became secretary upon the resignation of Mr. Boutell and continued until May 28. 1901, when these officers were elected : W. L. Churchill, president and treas- urer; Benjamin Boutell, vice-president : and Eugene Fifield, secretary. The officers of this company remained the same until the consoli- dation above-mentioned.

The company with which Mr. Fifield is so prominently identified has become one of the largest employers. operators and producers of any in this section. It has sliced more beets

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than any other company. One year this com- pany sliced 63,000 tons of beets and made nearly 15,000,000 pounds of sugar. What this means to this section, where the money is dis- tributed for the beets and the operation of the plant, may easily be estimated. It is interest- ing to note the prosperity this industry has brought into the agricultural districts. It costs a farmer from $30 to $35 an acre to raise beets, for which he gets from $50 to $75 an acre.

In addition to his duties with the above company, Mr. Fifield is interested in the Tawas Sugar Company, of which he is secretary and a director. In 1886 he was elected director of the Michigan State Agricultural Society and has been a director ever since, and for the past eight years he has been general superintendent. When he became superintendent, the associa- tion was $25,600 in debt and his administration has been marked by the payment of all debts, with a balance in the treasury of $20,000.

In 1875 Mr. Fifield was married to Hattie B. Hammond, who is a daughter of Joel Ham- mond, of Oakland County. One beautiful daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Fifield, a child who became the idol of her parents and one beloved by all who knew her. Her death occurred February 23, 1893, when but 13 years of age. Mrs. Fifield is a member of the Baptist Church. They occupy a beautiful residence on Fifth avenue, Bay City.

In political sympathy Mr. Fifield is a Re- publican, but his business interests have always been of so much importance that he has had no time to give to politics. For many years he has been one of the leading members of the Ma- sonic fraternity in Michigan. He is a 33d degree Mason and has taken all the York Rite degrees, receiving this highest honor at Buffalo in 1896. He belongs to Bay City Lodge, No. 129. F. & A. M., and Blanchard Chapter. No. 59. R. A. M .: is past eminent commander of

Bay City Commandery, No. 26, K. T .; is past thrice potent grand master of McCormick Grand Lodge of Perfection; is high priest of Bay City Council, Princes of Jerusalem ; is past most wise and perfect master of Saginaw Val- ley Chapter, Rose Croix; is a member of the Michigan Sovereign Consistory of Detroit; and of Moslem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is president of the Bay City Masonic Temple Association, has been on the finance committee for years and is a trustee, and has long been identified with the Bay County Masonic Mu- tual Benefit Association.

ILLIS D. FOX, one of the well- known business men of West Bay City, retail dealer in lumber, shingles, lath and interior finish- ings, was born at Genesee, Michigan, July 21, 1857, and is a son of Jackson and Melissa (Bush) Fox.

The Fox family is an old settled one in the "Empire" State, the grandfather of our sub- ject, Daniel D. Fox having been born at Sodus, Wayne County, New York. About 1831 he moved with his family to Michigan.

Jackson Fox, father of Willis D., was born at Sodus, February 23, 1833, and died in Mich- igan, September 18, 1898, aged 65 years. He was nine years old when his parents came to Genesse County Michigan, where he continued to live all his life. He carried on general farm- ing and stock-raising and was a man of consid- erable local prominence. He was a strong sup- porter of the principles of the Republican party and held many township offices, and was elected treasurer and highway commissioner on a number of occasions. He married Melissa A. Bush, who is a daughter of Henry Bush, of Canandaigua. New York. She still resides on

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the old homestead in Genesse County, aged 67 years, and her venerable mother lives at Howell, Livingston County, Michigan.

Jackson Fox and wife had 10 children, viz : Willis D., of this sketch; Addie, widow of Daniel D. Tompkins, a resident of Quincy, Michigan; Lewis H., a resident of Richfield, Michigan ; Elma E., wife of Edward C. Moss, of Genesee, Michigan; Charles M., of Flint, Michigan; Arthur, of Genesee, Michigan; Frank J., of Flint, Michigan; Myrtle, of Chi- cago; and Irving J. and Clare, both of Flint, Michigan.

Willis D. Fox was educated in the schools of Genesee County and remained on the home farm until he was 25 years of age. In 1882 he came to West Bay City and entered the employ of the lumber firm of Switzer & Eastwood, with which he remained about five years and then took charge of the retail department of the West Bay City Manufacturing Company, for some II years. On February 1, 1899, Mr. Fox embarked in business for himself and has con- tinued to meet with satisfactory success. In 1891 he bought his present desirable location on the corner of Michigan and Williams streets. His energy and enterprise have en- abled him to build up a fine trade.

Mr. Fox married Ida A. Le Baron, who was a daughter of Erastus Le Baron, of Fenton township, Genesee County, Michigan. Mrs. Fox died February 22, 1901, leaving four chil- dren motherless : Caroline M., Erma A., Lewis Curtis and Erastus J. She was an attendant of the Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Fox is identified with the Republican party, and he has been chosen twice as alder- man from the Sixth Ward. His disinterested interest in public affairs has made him a very valuable city father. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of Wenona Lodge, No. 296, F. & A. M., of which he is past master and present secretary ;

Blanchard Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M., of which he is past high priest; and Bay City Comman- dery, No. 26, K. T. He belongs also to the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a man who stands very high in public esteem and well represents the honorable type of business men of West Bay City.

RED E. SHEARER, one of the lead- ing business men of Bay City, gen- eral insurance agent and dealer in rubber stamps, steel dies and stencils, was born in this city, December 16, 1874, and is a son of John W. and Marie E. (Larned) Shearer.

The Shearer family originated in Scotland, where for 14 generations they occupied and cultivated the same estates. Until within the past two generations, the family has always been an agricultural one.

George Shearer, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Scotland in 1817 and married Agnes Buchanan, who was born in 1820. He accumulated an ample fortune, but, being a man of sympathetic nature, he was led to endorse paper for friends and thereby suf- fered great losses which were increased by a disastrous fire that swept away the old home. This led the family to remove to America. They settled at Albany, New York, where John W. Shearer was born August 19, 1833.

In 1850 John W. Shearer went to Detroit where he learned the carpenter and joiner's trade with his brother, James Shearer, and in 1856 he went South and spent four years in various car shops, filling the position of master mechanic. In 1860 he returned to Detroit and formed a partnership with his brother, James Shearer, and they continued in business until the Civil War broke out. John W. Shearer

BRAKIE J. ORR

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enlisted in the Second Regiment, Michigan Vol. Inf., as a private and was honorably dis- charged at Yorktown with the rank of lieu- tenant. In 1865 he came to Bay City and took the contract to install machinery in D. G. Ar- nold's sash and blind factory, subsequently en- gaging with his brother, James Shearer, in mill construction. His last business partnership was with H. Watkins. On June 30, 1866, he married Mary E. Larned, who was born in Ohio, and they had three children. John W. Shearer died May 15, 1903.

Fred E. Shearer was educated in the Bay City public schools and began his business ca- reer in the employ of E. B. Foss & Company, tallying, a few months later accepting the same position on the river for different parties, and during his third and last season working for George Jackson. When cold weather inter- rupted lumber transportation, he took advan- tage of the opportunity to acquire a good knowledge of business in Devlin's Business College, in Bay City, and on October 24, 1902, he entered the Bay City Bank as collector, from which position he was later advanced to be bookkeeper. In 1901 Mr. Shearer bought the G. W. McCormick insurance agency and has continued in this business ever since, repre- senting the leading insurance companies of the world: Travelers' Life, Accident & Liability ; American Central; Home Fire & Marine; Royal Exchange Assurance, of London; Liver- pool & London & Globe; London Assurance ; Federal; Granite State; Mercantile Fire & Ma- rine, Indianapolis; and British-American As- surance, of Toronto; and also represents the American Surety Company of New York; the Maryland Casualty Company of Baltimore and the New Jersey Plate Glass Insurance Com- pany.

On April 15, 1903, Mr. Shearer married

Roxanna Peter, who is a daughter of William A. Young, of Bay City, Michigan.

Politically Mr. Shearer is active in Repub- lican politics. He is a very prominent member of numerous fraternal orders, belonging to Bay City Lodge, No. 129, F. & A. M .; Blanch- ard Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M. ; Bay City Coun- cil, No. 53. R. & S. M .; and all the Scottish Rite bodies in Bay City and the Michigan Sov- ereign Consistory, S. P. R. S., and Moslem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Detroit. He is also a member of Lodge No. 88, B. P. O. E .; of the Knights of the Loyal Guard; and of the Bay City Club. He is an attendant of the Pres- byterian Church.

B RAKIE J. ORR, city attorney of Bay City and prosecuting attorney of Bay County, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, was born in 1860 at Sagi- naw, Michigan. His parents, Alexander and Lovina (Goheen) Orr, who are both living, are highly respected residents of Saginaw. Alexander Orr is of Scotch-Irish descent, his father having come to America during the early part of the 19th century and engaged in contracting and building and also in dealing in real estate. He was killed in 1837 while en- gaged in the construction of the first church erected in the then village of Chicago. Alex- ander Orr was born in New York City about 67 years ago and there learned the trade of a cooper. However, he worked at this business very little and after removing to Saginaw in 1857 he accepted a position as shipping clerk in a large hardware company of that city and remained in the employ of the concern in that capacity for many years. Later he engaged in contracting and building in a small way and

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has continued to make his home in Saginaw. His wife, Lovina Goheen, was of Dutch parent- age and is a native of Pennsylvania. They have nine sons and a daughter living. Our subject's brother William formerly resided in Bay City.

Brakie J. Orr, the subject of this sketch, attended the Saginaw High School and for a time took up the study of medicine, which was afterwards discontinued. He learned the stone- cutter's trade and for 17 years worked at it, in the meantime taking up the study of the law in Bay City with such good success that he was admitted to the bar in 1894. He has been engaged in the constant practice of his profes- sion ever since. Almost immediately after his admission to the bar, he was elected to the office of justice of the peace and a little more than two years later resigned from this office to accept that of assistant prosecuting attorney under Mr. Gilbert. After serving in that capac- ity during 1897 and 1898, he was appointed city attorney and he has but lately been chosen by the voters of Bay County to look after their interests as prosecuting attorney of the county.

Mr. Orr was joined in marriage to Euphe- mia A. Calvin, of Bay City, and their pleasant home on Garfield avenue is made more cheerful by the presence of a happy family of children. The eldest son, Herbert S., who is at present in the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, was born at Saginaw. The other children,-Queenie, Sadie, James, Norman, Ruth, Frederick M. (or "Teddie" as he has been lovingly termed) and Hilda,-are all natives of Bay City and live at home. Mr. Orr was brought up in a Methodist home and still favors that denomination. In politics he is a Republican. He is prominent in fraternal orders, being a member of Joppa Lodge, No. 315, F. & A. M .; Columbia Camp, No. 1328, M. W. of A .; Bay Lodge, No. 104, I. O. O. F .; Kanonda Encampment, No. 36, I. O. O. F .;

Grace Lodge, No. 8, Rebekah Degree of the I. O. O. F., of which Mrs. Orr is also a mem- ber; and he is the present deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Michigan, I. O. O. F.

EORGE A. HERBOLSHIMER, one of the well-known general farmers of Frankenlust township, resides on a farm of 80 acres in section 10, township 13, range 4, and was born in this sec- tion, in the old home in which his brother now lives, November 18, 1856. He is a son of John George and Mary (Hacht) Herbolshimer.

The father of our subject was one of the old pioneer settlers in Frankenlust township. He came here from Germany in 1852 and lived here until his death in 1872, at the age of 52 years. During his 20 years' residence in section IO he cleared up a farm of 53 acres and made it a valuable property with many improve- ments. The first home, a log cabin 20 by 26 feet in dimensions, was the birthplace of our subject and remained the family shelter until he was 12 years old. Mr. Herbolshimer was a Democrat in his political faith. He was a member of the German Lutheran Church and helped to build the first church structure of this denomination in Frankenlust township. In 1854 he married Mary Hacht, who was born in Germany in 1827, and who still survives, residing at Pontiac, Michigan. Their children were: George A., of this sketch; John, who lives on the homestead farm; Barbara, who re- sides with our subject; Mary (Mrs. Herman Timm), of Bay City : and Maggie (Mrs. War- ren Curley), of Bay City.

When our subject took charge of his pres- ent home farm, it was partially cleared, but the stumps remained and it took a long period of hard work to put the land under cultivation.

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He also owns 90 acres in section 6 and formerly owned another farm of 80 acres in section 8, all in township 13. range 4, which he gave to his son John. He carries on a general line of farming and has always been noted for the ex- cellence of his methods and the satisfying char- acter of their results. The place where Mr. Herbolshimer and family live is one of the most attractive rural homes in the township. The residence is large, convenient and comfortable, and the two substantial barns indicate the abundance of his crops. A prolific orchard also contributes to the family comfort and adds to the yearly income.

In 1880 Mr. Herbolshimer was married to Maggie Weiss, who was born in Frankenlust township, November 16. 1856, and is a daugh- ter of George and Christina ( Feinauer ) Weiss, natives of Germany. They have six children : John Gottlieb, John George, Christian, An- drew, Anna and Mary.

In politics our subject is a strong Democrat. He is a stockholder in the German-American Sugar Company whose factory is located at Salzburg, and was one of the first to invest in this stock. He is one of the leading members of St. John's German Lutheran Church at Amelith, Frankenlust township.

OHN B. MORITZ, secretary, treasurer and general manager of the Bay City Brewing Company, was born at Port Washington. Wisconsin, May 26, 1855, and has been a resident of Bay City since the early part of 1884.

Mr. Moritz was educated in the schools of Port Washington and Milwaukee. At the age of 16 years he accompanied his parents to Ger- many. and during the subsequent three years visited all the leading breweries of Europe in

order to acquaint himself with all the meth- ods and details of manufacture. Mr. Moritz was 19 years old when he returned to Mil- waukee, and he then entered the employ of the Philip Best Brewing Company as a brewer. Two years later he became foreman of the Ozaukee County Malting Company and re- mained with that organization for 31 months. His next business connection, prior to coming to Bay City, January 1, 1884, was with the Hansen Hop & Malt Company as superintend- ent of the malt house and as traveling salesman.

The Bay City Brewing Company is one of the old business concerns of this place, the pres- ent name having been adopted in 1884. It was established originally by Van Meter & Com- pany, who came to Bay City from Albany, New York. The product they manufactured was known as "Present Use" ale. About 1873 Charles E. Young interested himself with them and the business was carried on, first under his name, and later, as Charles E. Young & Com- pany. At this period the brewery began the manufacture of lager beer in a small way, and the business was conducted on these lines until 1884, when it was reorganized and incorpo- rated under the present firm style of Bay City Brewing Company. The officers at organiza- tion were: Charles E. Young, president ; John B. Moritz, vice-president ; Walter Young, sec- retary and president; and Louis Moritz, super- intendent. Both Mr. Young and Louis Moritz died in 1902. The present officers of the com- pany are: W. D. Young, president; W. A. Young, vice-president ; and John B. Moritz, secretary, treasurer and general manager.

In 1902 a brick brew house was erected, four stories high, 170 by 55 feet in ground di- mensions, but by 1905 the growth of the busi- ness had been such as to necessitate the building of a bottle house 108 by 86 feet. two stories high, which is also constructed of brick. The

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History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens, Part 74

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