USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 75
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company employs about 25 experienced men, and the product is sold mainly through Michi- gan.
Mr. Moritz was married to Marie Gavord, of Bay City, and they have two sons,-Adolph and Louis. Mr. Moritz is an enterprising and public spirited man. He has a wide acquaint- ance through the State and is personally very popular in Bay City. He is a member of Lodge No. 88, B. P. O. E., and other social organi- zations.
ENRY TURNER, postmaster at La- redo, and one of the leading general merchants of Williams township, and also the owner of a fine farm of 40 acres in section 16, was born in Pennsylvania, February 22, 1860, and is a son of John and Mary (Higgins) Turner.
The father of Mr. Turner was born in the State of New York, but later moved to Ohio, where he bought a farm and operated it until he came to Michigan, about the time of the opening of the Civil War. He was a loyal supporter of the government and enlisted in its service, and for two years was a member of a Michigan regiment. In 1865 he located in Midland County, but subsequently went pros- pecting in British Columbia, whence came the news of his death. He was then 55 years old.
Our subject attended the local schools and grew up on his father's farm. He continued to pursue farming as an occupation until 1901, when he bought the village store and was ap- pointed postmaster by the late President Mc- Kinley. He continues to operate his farm which promises to be a very valuable piece of property. Experts are testing for coal, indica- tions of its presence having been found. Mr. Turner is one of the leading men of his locality. He carries a large stock of goods, including
everything likely to be needed throughout the surrounding country.
Mr. Turner was married February 3, 1884, to Belle Snyder, at Flushing, Michigan. She is a daughter of John and Maria (Eaton) Snyder, of Holly, Oakland County, where Mr. Snyder was a merchant and man of promi- nence. Mr. Snyder died June 12, 1902, aged 82 years. His widow still lives, making her home in New Lothrop, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Turner have one daughter, Laura, an attractive and accomplished young lady of 20 years, the sunshine of the home. Mr. Turner is one of the stanch Republicans of Williams township.
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E LDER WALTER SIMS. It is often said that man proposes but God dis- poses, and the truth of this has been many times exemplified in the life of Elder Walter Sims. Nothing was farther from the ideals of his youth or the aspirations of his early manhood than the thought of becoming a preacher. By circumstances which he could not avoid he was led into the work and, though seeking many times in the beginning to escape from the path in which his footsteps were be- ing directed, God has shown him, by unmis- takable manifestations of divine power, that only in the path of obedience is there rest and joy. Elder Sims was born at Brantford, On- tario, August 19, 1849, and is a son of Edwin and Mary (Duckworth) Sims.
The father of our esteemed subject was born in 1823, at Cheltenham, England, where his father was the owner of larges estates. He was carefully reared in a home of wealth, re- ceived a college education and was trained in music for which he had great talent. He be- came an accomplished pipe organist and before
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leaving England was organist in a large cathe- dral. The panic of 1837 greatly depleted his father's resources and caused the emigration of the whole family to Canada. There Solo- mon Sims, the paternal grandfather of our sub- ject and head of the family, secured a large tract of land and conducted agricultural opera- tions for his remaining years. He was a local preacher in the Methodist Church for many years and a worthy, Christian man in every walk of life.
The family grew and prospered in Canada and the father of Elder Sims was appointed, shortly after his marriage, crown commis- sioner, an office he still holds, at the advanced age of 82 years. The mother of Elder Sims was Mary Duckworth, who was a daughter of Stephen and Alice ( Baraclough ) Duckworth. Stephen Duckworth was a merchant in En- gland, but emigrated also to Canada and settled at Brantford. The children born to Edwin Sims and wife were: Walter, of this sketch; Edmund and Robert (twins), the latter of whom is deceased; John J., who is engaged in evangelistic work in Ireland; Stephen H., who is a teacher in Bay county, Michigan ; Elizabeth E .. the widow of Merion Whitney, of Hamil- ton, Ontario; Annie M., the wife of George Mitchell, of Detroit; Mary, deceased, who was the wife of the late Herbert George, of Chi- cago; and Martha, who is the wife of Robert Charles, of Adrian, Michigan. The religious connections on the maternal side had been with the Protestant Episcopal Church, but they later became connected with the Wesleyan Metho- dist Church. The father was a Methodist in his earlier years, but later became identified with the Plymouth Brethren.
Walter Sims was reared in a home where virtue and industry were taught. His educa- tion was secured at the Collegiate Institute at Brantford. from which he was graduated with
a life teacher's certificate of the Ist class, and he immediately engaged in teaching, officiating at several places, one of these being the Burlington School near Hamilton. He then became the Hamilton correspondent and repre- sentative of the Toronto Globc. After several years of work in this capacity he was sent as the representative of this great journal to Eng- land, having letters of introduction to many members of Parliament. After some time spent in London, during which he fulfilled the wishes of his employers entirely to their satis- faction, he returned to Canada and was ap- pointed cashier of the company that published the paper. This position he retained but a short time, removing in 1877 to Detroit where he became superintendent of a railroad news agency and continued connected with that work until he came to Bay City in 1880.
Although from this date Elder Sims be- came more prominently identified with public religious work, for many years prior to this time he had been an earnest Christian laborer, preaching at various times as opportunities offered. Matters of business importance brought him to Bay City just at a time when a somewhat noted rabid temperance agitator had secured Rouech Hall in this city, where he was nightly pouring forth torrents of vitupera- tion against all who countenanced the liquor traffic. One evening our subject went up to the hall to hear this speaker, but for some reason the agitator did not appear and as an audience was assembled Mr. Sims consented to address them. His lecture was not what they had ex- pected, for it was a stirring Gospel appeal, but it was so well received that he consented to speak on the following and subsequent nights. The results of his work were astonishing and when he returned to Detroit the people were loath to let him go. Thus he was led to give up his interests in Detroit and to return to Bay
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City where a field seemed ripe for his garner- ing. Upon his return to Bay City he founded the Christian Assembly, a sketch of which will be found in the historical part of this volume which is devoted to the churches of Bay City.
Elder Sims was married at Guelph, On- tario, to Elizabeth Knowles, who is a daughter of Robert and Jane (Poole) Knowles. The latter was born at Bandon, near Cork, Ireland, her people being originally English. They went to Ireland with Cromwell, from whom they received large estates. The children born to this marriage are: Edwin Walter, who is solicitor of the Department of Labor and Com- merce at Washington; Robert Henry Hewitt Poole, who is field manager for the Bobbs-Mer- rill Publishing Company, of Indianapolis; George Reginald, of New York City, who is one of the managers for the University So- ciety ; Herbert, who is one of the assistant man- agers of the Bobbs-Merrill Publishing Com- pany ; and William S., of Chicago, who is man- ager of the claim department of the Western Electric Company.
Elder Walter Sims is a man of strong per- sonality, possessing all the qualities of a leader. He has no creed but the Bible, believing that all denominational divisions are unscriptural. He has proven himself a man among men and Bay City honors and loves him.
He is a member of the Bay City Yacht Club and takes much pleasure in sailing on the waters of the river and bay.
Elder Sims became a national character during the campaign of the American Protec- tive Association as a champion of the principles of separation of church and state and the American public schools. The following is from the Chicago Inter-Ocean of July 16, 1894 :
Prof. Walter Sims, the lecturer of the American Protective Association, is one of the men who are
destined to play a conspicuous part in public affairs during the next few years. Even to those who differ from him, his personality must have an interest.
During his visit to Chicago two weeks ago, when he delivered an address at Central Music Hall, Pro- fessor Sims made a favorable impression. He is a man of fine appearance and of undoubted eloquence, and has a faculty of winning friends. He is never scurri- lous nor bigoted, and in his lectures endeavors to make plain the elements he condemns as un-American, always carefully distinguishing between what is re- ligious and what is political.
Professor Sims was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada in August, 1849. He was educated at the schools of his native place, graduating from the Brant- ford Institute. After teaching school for a few years in Hamilton, Ontario, he became connected with the Toronto Globe. In 1874 he moved to Detroit, Michi- gan, and later to Bay City, in the same State, where he still resides.
He was principal of the West Side Academy, Bay City, for II years, and for three years was editor and proprietor of the West Bay City Daily Post.
R OBERT MONRO, one of the most ex- tensive farmers and stock-raisers of Bay County, was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, September 10, 1834. He is a son of Samuel and Margaret (Young) Monro, both natives of Canada.
Samuel Monro followed farming through- out life and was 55 years old at the time of his death, which resulted from an accident while taking out timber. Mrs. Monro moved to Michigan with our subject and lived in this State until 1869, when she died at Unionville, aged 63 years. They had the following chil- dren : Mary, who died at the age of 10 years; William, who died in 1901, aged 80 years ; Jane (McComber), who lives in Florida; Emily. who is living at Unionville at the age of 78 years; Lucinda (Fuller), deceased; George. who went to British Columbia ; Robert ; Catlı- erine (Roe), who died in British Columbia in 1903; Sarah, who died in St. Clair County,
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Michigan ; Daniel, deceased; Lydia, who died near St. Mary's, Canada; and one that died in infancy.
Robert Monro was reared on a farm and was 17 years old at the time of his father's death, thereafter conducting the home farm for his mother. They later removed to Michigan and purchased a farm of 240 acres in Tuscola County, where he still owns 80 acres. He re- sided there for more than 36 years, then came to Bay County, Michigan, and purchased 800 acres of valuable land in sections 25, 26 and 36, Hampton township. He sold 241 acres of im- proved land and moved to his present farm, where he has erected a substantial dwelling, good barns and out-buildings. He now has 820 acres and conducts a stock farm, buying, sell- ing and shipping stock to distant points. He raises corn and about 100 tons of prairie and timothy hay each season and employs about five hands. While in Tuscola County, he was in the livery and butcher business for a period of seven years and met with deserved success at the same time conducting the affairs of his farm. He was a stanch Republican in politics for many years, but of late years has been inde- pendent. He has held numerous township offices such as highway commissioner and school trustee. Religiously, he is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
In 1869 Robert Monro was united in mar- riage with Johanna Ellis, who was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, in 1836, and is a daughter of John Ellis, who was a custom house officer at St. Catharines until he was retired on a pen- sion because of old age. Five children were born to bless this union, namely : Charles, who lives in Hampton township; Baney, wife of John Cline, of Hampton township; Jane, wife of Stephen Delling, of Tuscola County; Will- iam, of Unionville, who is residing on one of his father's farms; and Lena, who married
Robert Young, had one child and died at the age of 22 years. Mrs. Monro died January 22, 1905, and was laid to rest in the new cemetery at Bay City.
BRAM SIMPKINS, deputy postmas- ter at Linwood, Bay County, and one of the highly respected citizens of Fraser township, was born in Bruce township, Macomb County, Michigan, in 1840, and is a son of Samuel and Hepzibah ( Haines) Simpkins.
The father of Mr. Simpkins was born in 1793 in Albany County, New York, and died in Macomb County, Michigan, at the age of 62 years. The mother was born in 1808, in the Catskill Mountains, in Greene County, New York, and died at Linwood in 1886, aged 77 years. Our subject was the only child of his parents.
Mr. Simpkins was educated in the schools of Macomb County, to which his parents later removed, and became a practical farmer. From his 22d year to 1876, he followed farming in Shiawassee County, Michigan, and then came to Bay County, buying a farm in Kawkawlin township. This he operated until an accident made it impossible for him to continue an agri- cultural life. In 1886 he was appointed post- master at Linwood by President Cleveland, and he occupied the office for three years. In 1894 he was appointed deputy postmaster and still serves in this position. Mr. Simpkins has many friends, made during his long term in office.
In 1870 Mr. Simpkins was united in mar- riage to Carrie A. Muck, who is a daughter of Myron F. Muck, a prominent citizen and farmer of Shiawassee County, Michigan. They have two childcen living, viz: Edward H., born in 1872, a traveling salesman in the confectionery line: and Susan, born in 1886, who lives at
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home. Lizzie May and Willie A. are deceased.
Politically, Mr. Simpkins has always been identified with the Democratic party. Fra- ternally he is an Odd Fellow. In religious views he is independent but has always been a liberal supporter of all moral and educational movements.
D R. OTTO B. GATES, a practitioner of osteopathy at Bay City, was born in Barry County, Michigan, July 15, 1866, and is a son of Edwin M. and Delia Hannah ( Kellogg) Gates.
Both the Gates and Kellogg families are representative American. Many members of both fill the public eye at the present time, in various fields of activity. The paternal grand- father of Dr. Gates was an early pioneer in Michigan, bringing his family from Vermont, by way of the Erie Canal from Fort Edward to Buffalo, up the lake to Detroit and by team to Marshall, Michigan and thence to the ham- let in Eaton County, which he named Vermont- ville. He was a contractor and builder.
Edwin M. Gates accompanied the family to Michigan and remained here until he had fitted himself to be a teacher, when he went back to the East and followed teaching in Vermont un- til his health failed. Upon his return to Michi- gan he attempted farming, but that life was not to his taste, and as he had become a practical builder and contractor, under his father, he set up in the business for himself. He was one of the founders of Nashville, Barry County, where he lived until 1874, when he removed to Ionia County and engaged in lumbering until his death, March 11, 1894. During this time he also owned a farm and held the office of justice of the peace. He also was a useful member of various school boards, and he never lost his in- terest in educational matters. For many years
he was connected with the Masonic fraternity.
On June 22, 1853, he married Delia Han- nah Kellogg, and they had a family of five sons, three of whom grew to maturity : Archie D., of Sheridan, Michigan; Otto B., of this sketch; and Roy M., of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Archie D., the eldest, was a volunteer in Com- pany I, 31st Michigan Infantry, U. S. Volun- teers, in the Spanish-American War. At Chickamauga he fell a victim to typhoid fever and was brought home on a stretcher. He has never regained his health.
After completing the common-school course, our subject learned telegraphing and has filled every position in that branch of railroad work, from night operator to chief train de- spatcher, and has had under his care at one time 600 miles of railroad lines on one of the busiest Western roads, when he was obliged to have 25 office assistants. However successful he became in that line, his ambition was not quite satisfied, however, for he had always had a leaning toward the study of medicine. The desire became so strong at last that he gave up railroad work and entered upon the study of osteopathy, after considering the claims of all other schools. He was fortunate in securing as an instructor the founder of the system, A. T. Still, M. D., and he was graduated in the Amer- ican School of Osteopathy, in June, 1903. Dr. Gates is not alone in his enthusiasm concerning this new system of healing, for many have com- menced to repudiate the wholesale drugging of the old schools and to gladly seek relief through the scientific manipulations of the well-trained osteopath. After passing the examination of the State board, he began the practice of his profession in Hastings, Barry County. In Sep- tember, 1904, he removed to Bay City, where he has met with a very cordial reception, and numbers among his patrons many of the best people of the city.
CAPT. HIRAM B. BECKER
MRS. LUCY E. BECKER
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Dr. Gates married Pauline Newcomer, who is a daughter of Dr. Henry Newcomer, of Tou- lon, Illinois, and they have one son,-Henry Martin. They attend the Baptist Church.
Dr. Gates is a member of the Michigan State Osteopathic Association and the Ameri- can Osteopathic Association. His fraternal connections are the following: Joppa Lodge No. 315, F. & A. M .; Bay City Chapter, No. 136, R. A. M .; Bay City Council, No. 53, R. & S. M .; Bay City Commandery, No. 26, K. T., all of Bay City ; Queen Esther Chapter, No. 35, O. E. S., of Ionia, Michigan; Wabasis Tent, No. 144, K. O. T. M. M., of Ionia, Michigan, of which he was commander in 1892; Ionia Council, No. 623, Royal Arcanum; and Bay Lodge, No. 104, I. O. O. F., of Bay City.
APT. HIRAM B. BECKER, de- ceased, was a prominent resident of Merritt township, Bay County, Michigan, where he had resided and farmed for many years. He was well-known among his fellow-citizens in the county, and also among the lake men, with whom he worked in earlier life.
Captain Becker was born in Painesville, Ohio, July 6, 1840, and was a son of Barney and Hannah (Rose) Becker, natives of Lower Canada and New York State, respectively. He was next to the youngest of six sons and six daughters born to his parents. All of the sons became captains of vessels on the Great Lakes. Of these children, three now live, namely : John, of Missouri ; Albert, of Painesville, Ohio; and Mrs. Lucinda Pike.
At the early age of 12 years, Captain Becker, with a brother, commenced sailing on the vessel "Emory Fletcher," of Cleveland, Ohio, making the trip between Saginaw and
Cleveland. He became mate under his brother, and in 1863 became captain of the "J. C. Hill," running between the same ports for two seasons. He then sailed the "Colorado" two seasons, load- ing supplies at Cleveland and lumber. at Saginaw and Bay City. During the season of 1863, he brought the brick for the Thomas Watkins home, erected at the corner of Center and Washington avenues in Bay City, and in 1865 the stone for the Fraser House. During the same year he purchased a farm in section II, Williams township, and commenced exten- sive improvements immediately, erecting the first frame dwelling in the northern part of the township. Of this tract of 80 acres he cleared 40, which he devoted to general farming, and also set out an orchard and erected substantial buildings. In addition to farming, he engaged in lumbering and attained considerable success. The North Williams post office was located on this farm until abandoned because of the rural free delivery of mail. He sold this property in 1884 and moved to West Bay City, where he bought Paul Kusch's brick cottage, which he remodeled and enlarged into a hotel build- ing. He then conducted the Becker House, now known as the Wenona House, for eight and a half years, at the end of which time he exchanged it for 80 acres of land in section 13, Merritt township, where he spent the remainder of his days, dying May 13, 1904. Thirty-five acres of this land had previously been broken, and he cleared 40 acres more. He engaged in raising stock and grain, and always contended that his was one of the best grain farms in the county. He erected a comfortable home and good substantial outbuildings, and set out a fine orchard. He was a quiet home man, much devoted to his family, and was always found in their companionship except when away on business.
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In 1865, Captain Becker was united in marriage with Lucy E. Hardy, who was born in Painesville, Ohio, July 6, 1843, and is a daughter of Elisha and Lois (Bushnell) Hardy, the former a native of Painesville, Ohio, and the latter, of Connecticut. Mrs. Hardy was distantly related to Governor, Bushnell, of Ohio. Mrs. Becker is the oldest of three chil- dren ; her brothers,-Samuel and Ambrose,- live in Williams township. Three children were born to bless the union of Captain and Mrs. Becker, as follows: Ward, who died of diphtheria at the age of 15 years; Ellis, who is single and manages the home farm for his mother ; and Effie, who died at the age of three and a half months. Mrs. Becker is a woman of most lovable character, and is well liked by her many acquaintances, among whom she has lived so many years. Portraits of Captain and Mrs. Becker accompany this sketch.
ULIUS KAISER, vice-president and superintendent of the Phoenix Brew- ing Company, whose brewery is lo- cated in Bay City, West Side, is an exceptionally good business man, a practical brewer and is also one of the city's enterprising citizens. Mr. Kaiser is of German birth, born May 1, 1860, in Gommersdorf, Tauberbischof- sheim, Baden, and is a son of John Adam and Juliana ( Baier ) Kaiser.
The father of Mr. Kaiser was born in 1834 in the town in Baden, Germany, named above. He followed agricultural pursuits all his life, dying on his homestead, July 12, 1904. His seven children were: Charles, of Bay City; Florian, of Mount Pleasant, Michigan ; Joseph Peter, a brewer with the Champion Brewing Company, of Detroit; Julius, of the Phoenix Brewing Company; Ludwig, of Saxony, Aus-
tria; August, who is living on the homestead farm; and Mary, a Sister of Charity at Man- heim, Baden. Both the father and mother of this family were devout Roman Catholics.
Our subject completed the common-school course in his native locality and enjoyed two years instruction at the gymnasium. He then learned the brewing business and followed it at various points until 1882, when he came to West Bay City where his brother, Joseph Peter Kaiser, was already established. He went to work for the Bay City Brewing Company and in 1883 became foreman for the West Bay City Brewing Company and remained with that or- ganization until the Phoenix Brewing Company was formed.
The beginning of the business, which through many changes has developed into the great industry known as the Phoenix Brewing Company, was as far back as 1865, when John Rosa established a primitive brewery upon the establishment's present site, and operated it for about 10 years. He then took in Andrew Fink as a partner and the firm became the West Bay City Brewing Company. Mr. Fink remained four years and then John Kohler and Jacob Knoblach became proprietors and the business was continued under the same name. They con- ducted it from 1882 until 1896, when the brew- ery was destroyed by fire. In 1898 the Phoenix Brewing Company was organized and it bought the property. The plant consists of a four-story brick building, soot house, one racking room and one wash house 34 by 90 feet ; boiler room, with two boilers, each having 100 degrees high pressure ;and a bottling department with di- mensions of 80 by 32 feet. The capacity of the plant is 25,000 barrels a year. A large quan- tity of export and keg beer goes north. Six teams are in constant requisition. The busi- ness is one of the prospering ones of Bay City, West Side, and it is backed by plenty of capi-
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