History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 25

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : H. R. Page
Number of Pages: 380

USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 25

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described; and it is uncertain whether worship or wonder occupied the larger place in the thoughts of the congregation that assembled there that Sunday morning. But the secret was explained, the church got a bell, and harmony was restored to the household of the Captain.

THE UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY.

The First Universalist Society of Bay City, Mich., was organ- ized some time in the year 1864, under the labors of Rev. William Tompkins, who preached in Bay City every alternate Sabbath during six months of that year. He first called the Universalists of Bay City together and developed their strength. But at the close of his engagement, which was made for six months only, it was thought the interest was not sufficient to warrant the continuance of his labors. Thus matters rested until the Summer of 1865, when Rev. Z. Cook visited the city, and preached to the society every Sunday for one month, as a candidate for settlement. But the interest was not considered sufficient to warrant his engagement. Matters rested again until early in the Spring of 1866, when Rev. C. P. Nash, afterward pastor, having been brought into correspondence with Mr. N. Whittemore, was encouraged to visit the society. Mr. Nash had but recently returned from the army, in which, for about two years and three months, he had served as chaplain in the Seventh Michigan Cavalry, and was seeking a settlement. He came to Bay City, but with the assurance beforehand that circum- stances did not favor the settlement of any pastor over the society. It was thought that nothing could be accomplished by way of establishing permanent meetings until a church edifice could be erected. But so great and unexpected was the interest manifested upon his first visit that he was invited to renew it, and in the mean- time a subscription was started to secure his services. The necessary amount was pledged, and on the first Sunday in April he entered upon the discharge of his duties as pastor of the society.

The society, however, from having been so long destitute of regu- lar meetings, had well nigh dissolved; and hence a meeting was called on the evening of April 10, 1866, at which it was legally re- organized, and its organization entered upon the records of the county according to law. At this reorganization, C. Munger, N. Whittemore, T. C. Phillips, T. C. Grier, H. A. Chamberlin, and E. Smith were elected trustees; T. C. Grier, clerk; T. C. Phillips, treasurer, and J. C. Thomas, collector. In May a Sabbath-school was organized, which has been in operation ever since. The necessity of a church edifice being apparent to all, in June the pastor commenced agitating that subject, and to circulate a subscription for that object. The work of raising money was attended with great difficulty, and the work of building was not begun until Octo- ber. The building was dedicated the first Sunday in January, 1867. The ladies of the society managed to furnish the church with every- thing except the stoves. Owing to financial troubles meetings were suspended from January, 1868, to the following May, when an arrangement was entered into for preaching half the time. The Sabbath-school, however, did not suffer interruption. After a time the society recuperated and enjoyed a more prosperous condition. In 1877 the building was destroyed by fire, and the lot was then exchanged for one on the corner of Seventh and Madison Streets. The following year the present church edifice was built. The present membership is about 100, and the pastor is Rev. R. S. Crane. The trustees are J. F. Eddy, S. Eddy, J. R. Hall, I. A. Shannon, E. E. Spaulding, R. B. Taylor; clerk, A. L. Stewart; treasurer, George Carney.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

The first meeting in the interests of a Congregational Church in Bay City was held in Gool Templars Hall, June 13, 1875. Rev.

HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.

J. B. Dawson preached morning and evening. On the 29th of June a meeting was held at the residence of Mr. F. H. Blackman to consider the practicability of organizing a Congregational Church and Society. It was decided to effect such an organization and articles of association were adopted and officers elected.

Regular Sabbath services were held in Good Templars Hall for a month, after which the use of the court house was procured, where, on the 25th of July, 1875, the church was organized in due form.

Twenty-five members composed the new church, five of whom united on profession of faith, and twenty by letters from other churches. On the following Sabbath a Sunday-school was organ- ized under very encouraging auspices. Church prayer-meetings were also appointed, being held from house to house. In August, Rev. S. P. Barker, of Ionia, was engaged temporarily as pastor, and at the end of three months his resignation was accepted.

In October, the trustees of the German Lutheran Church kindly proffered the use of their house of worship on Sabbathis for one preaching service and also for Sunday-school. Shortly afterwards the Good Templars' Hall was secured, where the regular church services were held until the new house of worship on the corner of Sixth and Van Buren Streets was finished. From November, 1875, until February, 1876, the pulpit was supplied temporarily, much of the time by Dr. Joseph Hooper, whose ministrations were kindly given, and were received with much acceptability. His sudden illness and death, which occurred February 27, 1876, terminated a useful and devoted life.

A movement was made immediately after the organization of the church and society towards the erection of a house of worship. Through the persevering efforts of the board of trustees and the liberality of members and friends, the building committee were enabled to begin the work December 1, 1875. The church edifice was completed and dedicated April 20, 1876.

About the 1st of February, 1876, the church and society ex- tended a call to Rev. J. Homer Parker to become their pastor. The call was accepted, and Mr. Parker entered upon his duties March 12, 1876. At the expiration of a year he was regularly installed.

On June 28, 1879, Mr. Parker was compelled to tender his resignation on account of ill-health.

A unanimous call was extended to Rev. J. G. Leavitt, of New Gloucester, Me., who accepted the same, and he commenced his pastorate under very favorable auspices December 7, 1879. Failing health, however, compelled him to tender his resignation in October, 1880, and the church was again without a pastor. . An invitation to the pastorate was given to Rev. W. W. Lyle, of Duxbury, Mass., which was accepted, and on January 2, 1881, he commenced his labors, which have been very successful. The present membership is 200.

The officers of the society are :-- Trustees, T. F. Langstaff, L. A. L. Gilbert, William Smalley, George F. Hood, M. M. Andrews, and George Ford: president, T. F. Langstaff; secretary, George F. Hood; financial secretary, L. P. Sperry; treasurer, M. M. Andrews.

The average attendance at the Sunday-school for 1882 was 101.

THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION

was organized in 1875 by some of the German citizens of Bay City. The association has a membership of about seventy-five, among whom are some of the leading Germans of the place. The church is on Monroe Street, between Tenth and Eleventh Streets. The present pastor is Rev. J. G. Haller. The trustees are W. F. Meisel, Herman Meisel, C. Lindner, Frederick Meier, George Hegar, E. Meisel, Henry Meisel, F. Koch, and F. Wiesenberg.

HEBREW SOCIETY.

ANSHEI CHESAD, HEBREW REFORM CONGREGATION, of Bay City, was organized in September, 1878. Services are now held in the I. O. B. B. Hall. The pastor is Rev. Wolf Landau. Officers, William Sempliner, president; S. Grabowsky, vice-president; I. Grabowsky, secretary; L. Freidman, treasurer; William Wolsky, trustee.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Roman Catholic missionaries had visited the Saginaw Valley as early as 1829-the first residents, after the Indians, being French people of that persuasion. Prior to about 1852, Lower Saginaw was visited from time to time by priests from different parts of the state, most frequently by those resident in Flint and Detroit. Mr. John Hyde, editor of the Catholic Chronicle, writing upon this sub- ject in 1875, says :- "Among those who most frequently came here, prior to 1848, were Fathers Kundig and Louis, and Father Peter Kindekens, the vicar general of the diocese. Between 1848 and 1852 priestly visits became more frequent. Father Monayhan, then the pastor of Flint, made frequent trips to Saginaw City, and on most occasions would get some good Frenchman or Indian to paddle him down the river to Lower Saginaw. Occasionally, too, Father Joseph Kindekens, brother of the Father Peter above mentioned, and Father Kilroy, now pastor of Emmett, St. Clair County, would be assigned to the duty of visiting the Catholics of the valley, and would be watched eagerly from the shore, as he approached in canoe or on the ice, carefully holding the pack containing his altar vest- ments and vessels. In 1848 there were eight Catholic families here, most of whom were French. By 1851 the number had increased to fourteen, besides a few young, unmarried men, who had ventured in to help prepare the lands for their future wealthy occupants. Among the 'old heads' there were the Trombles, the Trudells, the Longtains and the Marsacs, and among the men of the younger blood there were James L. Herbert, the brothers Cusson, William Ferris and others. I have said that most of the Catholics were Frenchmen, but what spot of earth can one look at without finding there an Irishman? Lower Saginaw at that time was no excep- tion. Here too there were Irishmen. Osmond A. Perrott, the father of our present fellow citizen, P. J. Perrott (who was then a 'broth of a boy') was then residing here, and had resided here since 1842. Also Mr. Bernard Cunningham, whose memory is re- vered by all the older residents of Bay City. About this time, too, our present wealthy and respected fellow citizen, Mr. James Watson, moved liere from Detroit, bringing with him, on his father's side, the spirit and traditions of the Kentucky riflemen, and on his mother's side the memory of the good Gabriel Richard, priest and member of Congress. In 1850-'51, the Catholics of Lower Sag- inaw considered themselves numerous enough to attempt building a church. The munificence and forethought of the men who laid out the village plat had provided building sites for the different Christian denominations whose members might settle here. The Catholics were the first to avail of the bounty, and as the most con- venient to the settled portion of the village, the site of the present St. Joseph's Church was selected. There were no architects here then, but there were many who had assisted at every 'raising' that had ever occurred here, and knew just what a building needed to make it last long. The men went into the woods to chop and square the timber, and each helped to put the pieces in their places in the edifice. The men were few, however; none of them were rich then (though many of them are now) and most of them had to support families besides building churches. The work conse- quently progressed but slowly, so much so, that when the Rev. H. J. H. Schutjes arrived here in 1852, not much of a church was to be seen. But they had now at least at their head one who could

HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.

encourage and direct them; and after some time, by his efforts and their own will, the building gradually assumed shape, and Father Schutjes was soon able to perform divine service in it. It was a long time, however, before a pastoral residence was built. During this time Father Schutjes resided sometimes in the family of Mr. Watson, and sometimes in the old pioneer hotel, the Wolverton House, and he now often speaks of the kindness and good nature of the worthy hostess Mrs. J. S. Barclay. Those were the good old primitive times of Bay City, when saw-mills were few and far between, and banks and newspapers were not even in the mind of the prophet. Besides Lower Saginaw, Father Schutjes was pastor of the entire Saginaw Valley. He had to divide his time between the people at this end of the river and those in the upper towns. Every alter- nate Sunday he spent in Saginaw City and East Saginaw, and in the Spring and Fall, when the ice was bad and there were no roads, he often had great difficulty and many hair-breadth escapes, in coming to and from those places. But the growth of commerce and manufactures brought increase in population. The number of Catholics kept pace with the general prosperity, and by the year 1863 they were numerous enough to require the appointment of pastors for each of the cities of Saginaw and East Saginaw. Father Schutjes was then enabled to devote his attention to the wants of his people in Bay City. Soon the little church of St. Joseph became too small for the increasing congregation. French- men came from Canada, and Irishmen came from everywhere. Besides those, there were many stalwart Hollanders and Germans, so that Father Schutjes had to speak many languages to 'get along' with his people. French and English being, however, the prevailing languages in the congregation, he preached alternately in those two tongues, until the year 1867. At this period it was discovered that not one-eighth part of the congrega- tion could get into St. Joseph's Church, so it was resolved at once to commence the building of a new church. Ground was selected on the present site of St. James Church, and before the close of September of that year, the new church was dedicated, under the patronage of St. James the Apostle. This Church continued under the charge of Father Schutjes until June of 1873, when he was called to Detroit to assist the Bishop in the affairs of the diocese. His place was filled by the appointment of Rev. Thomas Rafter, a native of Monroe County, in this state.

"Before the departure of Father Schutjes the Catholics on the west side of the river had increased so much in number that the Bishop had ordered the setting off of that territory as a separate parish, and had appointed the Rev. M. G. Cantors as pastor, with authority to at once commence the building of a church. Father Cantors at once commenced the erection of a building to serve as a chapel until it would be convenient to build a church, and which, when the church should be built, would serve as a schoolhouse. This chapel was completed in the early part of 1874, and is now too small for the congregation. Father Van Strahm was appointed to the charge of St. Joseph's Church, which has been, since the year 1867, devoted to the exclusive use of the French Catholics of the city. Those of all nationalities other than French, on the east side of the river, are under the charge of Father Rafter, and attend St. James Church.

"The Germans and Poles have, however, lately become so numer- ous that the Bishop has deemed it proper to set them off under pastors who speak their own languages. Accordingly, the Catholics of these nationalities have lately commenced the erection of new churches, the Poles on the corner of Twenty-second and Farragut Streets, and the Germans on Lincoln Avenue, between Eighth and Ninth Streets. As the seating capacity of the different churches is entirely disproportioned to the number of members-only a com-

paratively small proportion being able to get pews to rent-the pastors can give only an approximate estimate of the actual num- bers of their congregations. It is supposed that the numbers will be rather within the figures if those on the Bay City side are set down at from 5,000 to 6,000, and those on the Wenona side at from 1,500 to 2,000.

"It would not be proper to close this sketch of the history of Roman Catholic matters in Bay City, without alluding to the ex- cellent parochial school of St. James Church. The erection of the building for this school was commenced by Father Schutjes, but completed by the present pastor, Father Rafter. It is built from designs by Porter & Watkins, architects of Bay City and Buffalo, and is a very handsome frame building, divided into two stories. It is 105 feet long by 36 wide. The lower story is divided into three large class rooms, the upper story being a hall with a movable partition in the centre so as to divide it into two class rooms. The school was opened in September, 1873, under the charge of the Sisters of Charity, from Cincinnati, with an attendance of 120 scholars. At the close of the first year the number in attendance was nearly 400."

The present pastor of St. Joseph Church is Rev. Mederic Ulric Thibodeau, and the membership about 500 families. The school is in a prosperous condition.

Rev. Thomas Rafter is still pastor of St. James Church, which has a membership of at least 2,500. The school has upwards of 600 pupils.

St. Bonifazius Church was built as above stated, in 1875-'76, and the society has grown to large dimensions. The present pastor is Rev. Joseph Ebert.

St. Stanislaus Kots-ka Church was built in 1874, and has a membership now of upwards of 600 families. The present pastor is Rev. Augustus Sklorzik. About 1872 an extensive Polish im- migration began, which was greatly aided by Mr. L. Daniels, now a merchant tailor in Bay City. In "Dows' History of Bay City," published in 1875, the organization of Poles is mentioned as fol- lows:

"The fact that the Polish language is spoken by none but Poles, and few of them having any knowledge of English, rend- ered it necessary that as soon as their numbers would justify the step, an attempt should be made to build a separate place of wor- ship for them. This design was fostered by Mr. Daniels, and to secure the organization necessary to accomplish the object, he in- duced his countrymen to form themselves into a society. This as- sociation was formed on the 8th of February, 1874, with Mr. Daniels as president, each member agreeing to pay a certain sum each month to form a fund for the building of the contemplated church. But this would have taken a long time to accomplish, while in the meanwhile their number was increasing. Accordingly Mr. Daniels set to work to build a church at once. He procured subscriptions from most of our prominent fellow-citizens; and Mr. William D. Fitzhugh, with the liberality in such matters for which he and his father and brothers are so noted, gave a site for the church consisting of eight lots on the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Twenty-second Street. A contract for the building of the church was let last July, to Mr. Neil Mahoney, after plans by L. A. Pratt, architect, botli of this city. The building is now com- pleted, and will be consecrated by Rt. Rev. Casper H. Borgess, bishop of Detroit, on Sunday, the 13th of December next, (1874.) The building will cost about $4,000, is a very neat and tasteful edifice, and is located on a very fine site, and convenient to those who will worship there. Mr. Daniels has had the entire control and responsibility of the work, and of providing the money for it, and his countrymen in Bay City owe him a very great debt of gratitude.

HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.

SCHOOLS OF BAY CITY.

The early settlers of Lower Saginaw and vicinity were for the most part people of education, who, in their earlier lives, had en- joyed liberal advantages. Among them were individuals of more than ordinary culture and refinement. It is, therefore, not surpris- ing that we find struggling attempts at schools among the earliest movements in this locality.

To trace with accuracy a minute history of the first schools in the Lower Saginaw and Portsmouth region is now a well nigh impossible task. The memories of the older ones who were here then have weakened with age and lost their grasp upon dates and the order of events. The pupils of those days are now the pioneers. The only one of the first three teachers now living is Capt. David Smith, a resident of Vassar, Tuscola County, and whose health during the preparation of this work has been so much impaired, as to prevent an interview. Among the pupils of the first schools there is some diversity of recollection as to details. P. L. Rogers, one of the early pupils, and now a prominent citizen of Deadwood, has taken pains to preserve facts and data connected with this subject, and has written an interesting and truthful sketch of the first schools of Bay County. Mr. Rogers writes as follows:

"In April, 1842, the first school district was organized in what is now known as Bay County. The school officers were, Thomas Rogers, moderator; S. S. Campbell, director; Cromwell Barney, assessor. They engaged a Miss Clark as teacher. She became the wife of our old townsman, Frederick Derr, Esq., in the Fall of that year, and died October, 1843. Miss Clark's school began on the 1st of June, 1842, ending September 1st. The schoolhouse was a small frame building, 14x20 feet, one story high, built in 1839 by one William Bonnel, who occupied it for nearly two years, when he became involved in a serious difficulty and left the country without bidding farewell to his acquaintances. The building stood about 300 feet south of the gas works, and about thirty feet from the east side of Water Street.

"The names of those who attended Miss Clark's school are as follows :- Daniel Marsac, Margaret Campbell (now Mrs. Witthauer), Emily Campbell, Philenda Olmstead, Perry Olmstead, Richard Trombley, P. L. Rogers, H. B. Rogers, Esther Rogers. (now Mrs. R. M. Burrington.) This makes the sum total of the regular atten- dance of Miss Clark's school.

" The year following, commencing January 1, 1843, the same school officers engaged Capt. David Smith, who taught the Winter term of three months in the same building. The names of those who attended Smith's school are as follows: - W. R. McCormick, Archibald McCormick, Andrew McCormick, Elizabeth McCormick (now Mrs. Orrin Kinney), Benjamin Trombley, Lewis Trombley, Richard Trombley, Miss Abby Trombley, John Cruchfield, Daniel Marsac, Margaret Campbell, Emily Campbell, James Barney, Israel Marsac, Richard Olmstead, Perry Olmstead, Gardner Olmstead, Sarah Olmstead, P. L. Rogers, H. B. Rogers, Esther Rogers, Phoebe Wil- son, Walter Wilson, several of whom were over twenty-one years old. Two of the Trombleys, Cruchfield, and W. R. McCormick, and I think Israel and Daniel Marsac were over twenty-one years old; the balance were all small. After the closing of this school matters be- came unsettled, or unsatisfactory to some of the district tax payers, and matters rested until November, 1844, when the same school officers, who had continued to hold their respective offices from the first, called a meeting, and reorganized a new district, or lopped off the south portion of the old one, which at that time included both sides of the river from McEwan's mill, or about there, to where Albert Miller's mill now stands on the south. The new district included both sides of the river from about where McEwan's mill

now stands (Cromwell Barney lived near there, and he being one of the school officers, it was important to extend it that far) on the north, and south to about Twenty-second Street, and at the same meeting voted the building of a schoolhouse, and for a wonder agreed upon the location, which was east of Pitts & Cranage's mill, and a few rods northeast from the D. & B. C. passenger depot. Nathan Pierce, the father of our old townsman Benjamin F. Pierce, and Cromwell Barney, were awarded the contract, which amounted to one hundred and odd dollars-I do not just remember the exact amount. They immediately commenced work on the schoolhouse, and had it ready for occupancy January 7, 1845; the size of the building was 20x26 feet, one-story. During the sound of the ham- mer on the schoolhouse the officers were losing no time in looking up a teacher, and by the time the structure was completed Harry Campbell, a brother of our old townsman S. S. Campbell, was armed with the proper documents to take charge of the shooting gallery where the young idea was to be trained. Harry, by the way, was a famous ox-driver, which was his business during the Summer as well as teaching during the Winter, and I have been fully convinced on more than one occasion that he believed or imagined himself driving oxen in school, as he always used the same persuasive argu- ments; yet he was a good teacher, and had considerable experience as such, that having been his principal business for many years. The names of those that attended Campbell's school were as fol- lows :- Margaret Campbell, Emily Campbell, Syrenus Pierce, Joshua Pierce, Cordelia Pierce, Daniel Pierce, John Defo, Kate Defo, Richard Olmstead, Perry Olmstead, John Perrott, P. L. Rogers, H. B. Rogers, Esther Rogers. I cannot remember the name of the teacher for 1846; the attendance was the same. In 1847 Miss A. E. Robinson taught the school during the Winter, without any change of names or additional attendance. During the Summer term Miss Kate Robinson taught the school with the addition of my two younger sisters, Bettie (now Mrs. C. B. Cottrell), Ellen (now Mrs. Lankenow.) During 1848 Miss Martha Buckingham taught the school without any particular change as regards numbers. A Mr. Clemens taught in 1849, and Mr. Woodroof in 1850, after which time I left the valley, and did not permanently return until 1864, and therefore lost all knowledge of the matters as regards school after 1850."

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History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 25

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : H. R. Page Number of Pages: 380

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : H. R. Page
Number of Pages: 380