USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 78
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RANK P. YOUNG, a well-known citi- zen of Bay City, is a member of a family which has been prominently identified with successful business en- terprises here since his grandfather, George Young, came here in 1870. Frank P. Young was born at Albany, New York, October 21, 1869, and is a son of George H. and Mary (Phillips) Young.
George Young, the paternal grandfather,
was born in Scotland, January 12, 1820, and came to America in 1840. He located at Al- bany, New York, where he worked first as a grocery clerk and later went into business for himself, operating a wholesale and retail gro- cery at Albany until 1870, when he came to Bay City. He was a very successful business man and became interested in financial affairs in Bay City, which led to his organizing the Bay City Bank, of which he continued vice- president until his death on January 18, 1890. In 1845 he married Annie McCormick, who was a daughter of William McCormick, of Bethlehem, New York, and they had four chil- dren : George H., Charles E., William A. and Walter D. The mother of this family died January 12, 1905, aged 78 years. She was a woman of strong and beautiful character. Until advanced years caused her retirement from ac- tive church work, she was very prominent in the benevolent and social enterprises of the First Presbyterian Church, of which she was a devoted member.
Frank P. Young was but two and a half years old when his parents brought him to Bay City, where he was educated in the common and high schools. Later he became a clerk in the Bay City Bank, of which his father is president, and remained there six years and then entered into partnership with his uncles, Walter D. and C. E. Young, who were doing business under the firm name of Young Broth- ers. Upon the admission of our subject, the firm style became Young Brothers & Company, which continued until 1896, when he became sole proprietor. He now conducts the business under his own name. This business is one of the largest retail ones in the city. Coal, wood, sewer pipe and masons' building supplies are dealt in. It was established originally in 1880 by T. R. Dennison, who was succeeded in 1889 by Young Brothers. In addition to this busi-
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ness Mr. Young has other interests, being sec- retary, treasurer and general manager of the Michigan Coal Mining Company. He pos- sesses the necessary equipments for business success and enjoys the confidence of the public.
Mr. Young married Sarah Davidson, who is a daughter of James Davidson of Bay City and they have three children : Davidson, Miriam and Frank P., Jr. The family attend the Protestant Episcopal Church.
Mr. Young is prominent in Masonic cir- cles, being a member of Bay City Lodge No. 129, F. & A. M., and of higher Masonic bodies at Bay City, which go to the 18th degree. He has taken higher degrees, to the 32d inclusive, in Michigan Sovereign Consistory S. P. R. S., at Detroit, of which he is a member. He is also a member of Moslem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Detroit.
OHN W. EGBERT, who owns a first- class farm of 40 acres, situated in sec- tion 6, Portsmouth township, is a well-known and highly respected res- ident of the township. Mr. Egbert was born November 29, 1860, near Hamilton, Canada, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Newton) Egbert.
The family is of English extraction. The paternal grandfather, John Egbert, was born and died in Canada, his home being near St. Catharines, Ontario. There the father of our subject, also named John Egbert, was born in 1821; he died in Portsmouth township, Bay County, Michigan, December 12, 1901. He was a man of more than usual intelligence and possessed chemical knowledge and business faculties which enabled him to become a suc- cessful match manufacturer. He was one of the pioneers in this business and on several oc-
casions nearly lost his life in experimenting. He was a born mechanic and understood many lines of manufacture. He came to Bay County in 1863 and, with his other industries, opened up a boarding house near Essexville for labor- ers in the lumber camps. This he conducted for some 10 years and then removed to Portsmouth township and settled down to farming. He was a very moral man and in his earlier days was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but in his later years was affiliated with the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
The mother of our subject was born in On- tario, Canada, and died at Essexville, Bay County, on January 24, 1869, aged 33 years. She was the mother of three children, namely : Herman Augustus, who died aged one year ; John W., the subject of this sketch; and Flora Marinda, who was accidentally burned to death when four years old.
John W. Egbert was only three years of age when his parents came to Bay County, in which his home has been ever since, although his residence has not always been here. Mr. Egbert has not always been a farmer. When he was 18 years of age he became a sailor on the Great Lakes and for the past 25 years has spent every summer on the water. His present farm, now so well-cultivated, was totally unim- proved when his father bought it of Henry Brandt in 1869. The whole region was then covered with woods and no roads had been cut by which the new owners could reach their property. Mr. Egbert's father cleared this land and put it under cultivation and also built the present substantial house and barn. It is a valuable property and Mr. Egbert carries on general farming here, raises some stock and does a little dairying.
In 1882 Mr. Egbert was married to Lucy Neadow, who was born September 15, 1841, in Ontario, and is a daughter of Herman Has-
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kins and Elizabeth ( Amer) Neadow, both of whom were born in Canada. Mr. Egbert is a member of the Gleaners.
ON. COLUMBUS V. TYLER, M. D. Among the many men who have at- tained justifiable prominence in Bay City, none are remembered with more admiration and esteem than the late Dr. Colum- bus V. Tyler, who, as physician, surgeon and statesman, was a representative man in city, county and State for so many years. Dr. Tyler was born in 1825 at Auburn, New York, and was a son of Lewis S. and Martha ( Eldridge) Tyler.
The family is of New England origin. El- liott Tyler, the grandfather of Dr. Tyler, was born in Connecticut in 1781, and died in 1856. He accompanied his parents to New York, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life.
Lewis S. Tyler, father of Dr. Tyler, was born in the hamlet of Nuntz, Cayuga County, New York, in 1804, and died at Grand Blanc, Michigan, in 1871. Very early in its settle- ment, among the pioneer families from the East, the Tylers removed to Genesee County, Michigan, and located near Grand Blanc.
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In that county, with scanty educational ad- vantages, was Columbus V. Tyler, the future eminent physician, reared. Much of his youth until he was 21 years old, was spent in assisting to clear the farm. This life had no charms for him and when his uncle, Dr. N. B. Eldridge, gave Columbus an opportunity to study medi- cine with him, the offer was eagerly accepted. Dr. Eldridge was located at Lapeer and there the youth completed his medical studies and settled then at Flushing, Genesee County, to practice. This was in 1850 and he remained
there until 1869. In addition to attending to a large practice, he served as postmaster from 1856 to 1860. Although an old-line Democrat, he was fully in accord with the administration during the Civil War, and served at Flushing as a deputy United States marshal, and, as such. took the census of the northern district of Genesee County. While at Flushing he organ- ized the first Masonic lodge there, and through his efforts an effective medical society was or- ganized in Genesee County.
In July, 1869, Dr. Tyler came to Bay City and almost immediately took a leading position in public and professional life. He served as president of the Bay County Medical Society and was a member of the judicial council and the first vice-president of the Michigan State Medical Society and was also a member of the National Sanitary Association. In 1883 he was appointed a member of the State Board of Health by Governor Begole, and filled the office until October, 1888, when he resigned on ac- count of ill health. He had suffered from a fall which produced an abcess in his side which was subsequently the cause of his death. In 1885 Dr. Tyler was appointed one of the board of medical examiners for pension claimants and held the office until October, 1888.
Dr. Tyler was not only a man of command- ing presence and magnificent physique, being six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds, but he was also one of the brainiest men in public life in Bay County in his time. In 1877 he was elected to the State Senate and in 1878 he was a candidate for Congress and failed of receiving the nomination by but a few votes. In 1879 Dr. Tyler was returned to the Senate and again in 1889, receiving at the last election 5,892 votes, although the district was strongly Re- publican. John McKim, the Republican and Union Labor candidate, received 5,067 votes, and David A. Ross, Prohibitionist, received 148
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votes. During this last session of the Senate, he served on the following committees : Coun- ties and townships, saline interests, roads and bridges and religious and benevolent societies.
Dr. Tyler was married to Marie Antoinette Herrick, who was a daughter of Truman Her- rick. She was born in Connecticut, but at the time of her marriage resided in Genesee County. They had three children of whom the only survivor and the only one who reached maturity is Frank Elliott Tyler, of Bay City. Both Dr. Tyler and wife were consistent, worthy and valued members of the First Pres- byterian Church.
After the death of Dr. Tyler on June I, 1889, a special meeting of the Bay County Medical Society was held to take action in re- gard to his decease, and speeches were made by Drs. Landon, Newkirk, Baker, Erwin and Carron. They remarked upon the purity of Dr. Tyler's professional character, his wide- spread generosity and the general sorrow that was felt by the community at large. It was voted that the society attend the funeral in a body and the following resolutions were adopted, a copy of which was presented to his family :
Whereas, Our esteemed brother physician, Dr. C. V. Tyler, has been removed from our midst by death, and
Whereas, We would give expression to the sincere sorrow we feel in his loss and indicate by appropriate resolutions our esteem for him as a man and as a physician, be it
Resolved, That in our deceased brother, Dr. Tyler, we recognized one who was a gentleman, an able physi- cian and a sympathizing friend and neighbor, whose pure character and regular deportment through life commands respect and may well be emulated by all.
Resolved, That we extend to his family our heart- felt sympathy in their great bereavement.
Resolved, That a copy of the foregoing be pre- sented to the family of the deceased and printed in the Bay City Tribune.
Dr. Tyler may well be said to have been one of the best citizens of the State in the sense of always furthering her interests. His public life was as sincere and honest as was his private career and his repeated elections and appoint- ments to positions of trust showed that he con- tinued to have the esteem and confidence of the county. On all subjects pertaining to the pub- lic health, sanitation, water supply, epidemics, etc., he was an authority, keeping in close touch with the most advanced thought on these sub- jects, and his position as such was acknowl- edged by the most eminent of Michigan's pro- fessional men.
€ USTACHE MASSON, JR., an indus- trious and worthy farmer, whose homestead is situated in section 9, Fraser township, was born in Mont- real, Province of Quebec, October 4, 1849. He is a son of Eustache and Mary (De Lorne) Masson. Both of his parents died in Montreal, -his father in his 75th year, and his mother, when she was 45 years old.
The subject of this sketch attended school near Montreal, and came to Bay City, Michi- gan, in 1865. He cooked in the lumber camps during the winter months for 22 years, and in summer worked in sawmills. In 1891 he bought his farm of 40 acres in Fraser town- ship, and has built a fine dwelling and a con- venient barn. He is engaged in general farm- ing and raising stock.
Mr. Masson has been twice married. In 1882, he married Oxile Sharkey, a daughter of Calias Sharkey, who lives near Bay City. Six children resulted from this union, namely : Louis, Melvina, William, Henry. Amendine and Oxile. Louis keeps a hotel in Beaver town-
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ship. He married Ida Bennett, and has one child,-Norien. Melvina married Thomas Parry, and lives in Massachusetts. She has three children,-Henry, Charabelle and an in- fant. Oxile married Amos Foche, and has three children,-Clara, Glendolia and Lulu. William, Henry and Amendine are deceased. The mother of these children died March 27, 1884.
For his second wife, Mr. Masson married Elsere Turmell, a daughter of Thomas and Amy (Belodo) Turmell. Mr. Masson is a Republican in his political opinions, and in re- ligious belief is a Catholic.
P HILLIP MARTENS, one of the lead- ing citizens of Frankenlust township, and its present township clerk, was born in Phenish, Prussia, Germany, March 1, 1849. He is a son of John and Mary Anna (Schmidt ) Martens.
Our subject has no memory of his mother, as she died when he was a babe only three days old, nor has he many recollections of his father, for he passed away when Phillip was but 10 years of age. There were seven chil- dren in the family, four of whom came to America, our subject being the youngest. The others were: John, who died in Detroit; Will- iam, a resident of Lansing, Michigan; and Mary, who lives in Detroit.
From the age of ten years until he was 17, our subject lived in the home of his brother-in- law, John Stangier in the city of Betzdorf, where he had excellent educational opportun- ities. Two of his brothers emigrated to Amer- ica and as both of them had prospered the youth grew anxious to join them. In 1867 he reached Detroit, joined his brother John on his farm and while he worked on the farm also
learned the trade of carpenter from this brother. This excellent trade Mr. Martens has followed more or less in the subsequent years, when other interests and public duties have permitted. After a winter spent with his brother William, at Lansing, he moved to Saginaw in 1870 and in the following spring came to Bay City. In 1876 he located in Frankenlust township where he first bought 10 acres of stump land, for which he paid $7.50 per acre, and later added 15 acres more. He resided on this farm, which he improved with excellent build- ings, until the spring of 1904, when he sold it. At the present time he owns a one-acre corner lot in section 9, Frankenlust township. Here he erected a handsome home in 1904.
Mr. Martens has always been one of the useful men of his township, a leader in its affairs and a man of such substantial character that his fellow-citizens have found it not only to their best interests to consult his judgment, but to also elect him to responsible public po- sitions. In politics he is a stanch Democrat. He was elected township clerk and served con- tinuously for eight years, from 1885 to 1893. In 1900 he was reelected to this office and is still serving. While Frankenlust township was still a portion of Saginaw County, he was elected justice of the peace. He efficiently ad- ministered the duties of this office for a period of 10 years.
In 1870 Mr. Martens was united in mar- riage with Barbara Daeschlein, who was born in Germany August 20, 1850, and is a daugh- ter of Michael and Mary (Schmidt) Daesch- lein, who came to Bay County when she was only two years old. A family of 12 children have been born to this marriage, all of whom survive and are highly respected members of the sections in which they live, all of the sons, with one exception, adopting their father's trade. They are: William, of Frankenlust
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township; Lena (Mrs. Holiday), of Detroit; Margaret, wife of Charles Phippen, of De- troit ; Mary, a resident of Detroit; Herman, of Frankenlust township; George, a cheese-maker living in Detroit; Henry, of Bay City ; Emma, of Detroit ; and Phillip A., Jr., Edward, John and Albert, who live at home with their parents.
Mr. Martens is a consistent member of St. John's German Lutheran Church at Amelith and has been church treasurer for six years. He is a representative man of his section of the county and enjoys a full measure of public esteem as he commands the respect of all who know him, either in public or private life.
e LARENCE B. CHATFIELD, of the great milling and grain firm of Hine & Chatfield, of Bay City, has been identified very prominently with many of the important business enterprises of the Saginaw Valley for a number of years. Mr. Chatfield was born at Dryden, Tompkins County, New York, December 15, 1851, and is a son of David Asa and Elizabeth (Brown) Chatfield.
Mr. Chatfield comes of Revolutionary stock, his great-grandfather having served in the patriot army. The great-grandfather re- sided in the vicinity of Albany, New York. He was a good citizen and a faithful adherent of the Presbyterian Church.
David Asa Chatfield was born at Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, New York, in 1825, and when 10 years of age accompanied his pa- rents to Dryden, New York, and after becom- ing of age engaged in farming. He was a son of William Asa and Asenath (Warner) Chat- field. For 30 years he was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. He married Elizabeth Brown, a daughter of Conrad Brown, and they
had five children who reached maturity, viz : Clarence B., of Bay City; Estella, wife of Charles G. Fitts, of Dryden, New York; Anna, deceased, who was the wife of William Haire, now of East Jordan, Michigan; Aaron W., of Bay City ; and William, of Dryden, New York. Mr. Chatfield died in 1894. The mother died at the age of 32 years, about 1863.
Clarence B. Chatfield's boyhood and youth were spent on his father's farm and his educa- tion was secured in the district schools, in which he subsequently became a teacher for a few winters. After a course in Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1875, Mr. Chatfield came to Bay City, Mich- igan, in the capacity of bookkeeper for John McGraw & Company, with which firm he re- mained two years and then entered into the same relation with Carter & Maltby. In 1879 Mr. Chatfield formed a partnership with Eli A. Spear in a retail grocery business, under the firm name of Spear & Chatfield, which was continued for three years, when Mr. Chatfield gave up his grocery interests and bought a one- half interest in a milling business.
In 1877 the firm of Fray & Merrill estab- lished a grist-mill on North Water street, Bay City, between Seventh street and Mckinley avenue, the present site of the Phoenix Flouring Mills. Shortly after, a new firm succeeded (Fay & Gates), which made improvements here, installing new machinery and enlarging the business. In 1882 Mr. Gates purchased Mr. Fay's interest and in April of that year Mr. Chatfield purchased a one-half interest from Mr. Gates. The firm style now became Gates & Chatfield, later C. B. Chatfield & Company, and in 1898 took its present name of Hine & Chatfield. The original name of the business was the Central Mills which was con- tinued until the structures were burned in No- vember, 1886. After the present improved
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plant was completed on the old site, the name was adopted of the Phoenix Flouring Mills. With greatly increased capacity, the output be- coming 250 instead of 125 barrels of flour per day, and with elevator storage increased from 20,000 to 60,000 bushels, the business has con- tinued to steadily advance in volume until it now leads in its line in the Saginaw Valley. Its leading brand "Purity" is known to the trade all over the country, although the de- mand is so enormous in Michigan that almost all the output is sold at home. Use is made of Michigan wheat.
In addition to merchant milling, this firm engages in another entirely distinct line, being jobbers of grain, manufacturers and jobbers of feed and grain, jobbers of grain and field seeds and operators of a custom feed mill, doing an immense business in every line, leading both in milling and grain dealing, not only at Bay City but all through the valley. To hold this position in the face of competition indicates that the business is managed with great capacity.
One of Mr. Chatfield's leading interests, aside from the enterprises mentioned, is his fine farm of 150 acres, situated in Portsmouth township. It has long since been cleared of forest growth, stumps and stones and is prob- ably as valuable as any land in the rich south- eastern section of Bay County. He has stocked it with Shorthorn and Durham cattle and Berk- shire swine, and owns many valuable animals. This farm it is his pleasure to operate as a dairy farm and he keeps some 40 head of the finest milch cows.
Although Mr. Chatfield has had such large personal interests to look after for so many years, his fellow-citizens have always found him ready to give time and financial assistance to encourage public enterprises tending to pro- mote the welfare of the people. He was one
of the organizers and active promoters of the Michigan Sugar Company, which was the in- itial company in the State, and was one of the directors. To Hon. Nathan B. Bradley and himself must be given the credit for the intro- duction of the industry, which through their urgent efforts has become an important and profitable one in this section. Mr. Chatfield was one of the organizers of the Mutual Build- ing & Loan Association of Bay County and served for 10 years as president of this body. He was also one of the organizers and directors of the Commercial National Bank and served as president of this institution for one year. Mr. Chatfield has never been an aspirant for political honors, although he has been offered many public offices. His feeling of civic duty caused him to accept one term as a member of the City Council.
Mr. Chatfield has one of the most tasteful homes in Bay City. He has a charming family of wife and four children. He married Char- lotte P. Russell, who is a daughter of Rev. William P. Russell, who was pastor of the Con- gregational Church at Memphis, Michigan, for 30 years. The four children are: Blanche Eliza- beth; William Russell, of Bay City; Ray Prall, a student at Alma College; and Frederic Stevens.
The family belong to the First Presbyterian Church, of Bay City. Mr. Chatfield has been an elder for the past 20 years and a trustee for the same length of time. He has always been interested in the work of the Sunday-school and has served as superintendent at various times. Fraternally he is a Mason and is at present worshipful master of Joppa Lodge, No. 315, F. & A. M., and is also a member of Bay City Chapter. No. 136, R. A. M., both of Bay City.
In Clarence B. Chatfield. Bay City has a representative citizen, in the sense that he
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comes from an old and honorable American family, the roots of which are entwined around the firm foundations upon which this great country has risen to its place among the nations of the world, and because of the material suc- cess he has obtained through the legitimate conduct of great business enterprises. Person- ally, Mr. Chatfield impresses a visitor favor- ably. While quiet determination is marked in manner and speech, he possesses the courtesy and consideration of gentle breeding and easily converts a business acquaintance into a per- sonal friend.
ENRY VAN POPPELEN, one of the highly respected citizens and substan- tial men of Hampton township, re- sides on his well-cultivated farm of nine acres, situated in section 19, which he de- votes to gardening and fruit-growing. Mr. Van Poppelen was born December 27, 1854, in the village of Niftrick, Province of Gelderland, the Netherlands, and is a son of Anthony and Anna Mary (De Haan) Van Poppelen.
The father of our subject was born April 26, 1821, in the province of North Brabant, the Netherlands, and died at Essexville, Bay County, Michigan, October 10, 1891. He was a gardener all his life and through his industry accumulated an ample fortune. Politically he was a Democrat. He belonged to the Catholic Church. He married Anna Mary De Haan, who was born June 26, 1826, in the Nether- lands, and who still survives, residing with her youngest son at Bay City. They had seven children : Theodore, who died aged 41 years; Henry, of this sketch; Alphonse, a resident of Hampton township; Mrs. Helena Finn, of Hampton township; Frank, of Superior; Al- bert, of Hampton township; and John, of Bay City.
Our subject was educated in Holland and came to America with his parents in 1872. They located at Bay City and he has continued to live in Bay County ever since. His work has been in sawmills and on farms. During seven years when he was engaged in sawmill work, he continued to live with his parents and then bought a tract of 20 acres of favorably situated land and inherited 10 acres from his father, which he devoted to market gardening. This, in addition to the growing of choice fruit, he has found very profitable and after his years of industry he finds himself ready to retire from hard work. He traded the 30 acres for his present place of nine acres receiving quite a sum in addition. He has a very comfortable home and excellent buildings.
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