USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 51
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JOHN MILLER was born in 1827, and is a native of Germany. He emigrated to America in 1853, going to Alpena, where he spent thirteen months working in a saw mill, after which he removed to Marine City. He came to West Bay City in 1855, and worked in the Drake mill. In 1856 lie purchased a farm of forty acres which is now within the corporation of West Bay City, where he still re- sides. Mr. Miller has been highway commissioner three years, and road commissioner one year, for the Township of Bangor. Is mar- ried and has three children.
GEORGE HARRISON of the firm of George Harrison & Sons, contractors and builders, came to West Bay City in 1862. Was born in Prince Edward County, Canada, in 1838, and was married in 1857 to Miss Hannah P. Minaker, of the same place. They have three children-two sons and one daughter-all residing in West Bay City. Harrison & Sons do an extensive business, keeping in their employ from sixteen to twenty men. Mr. Harrison is one of the pioneers of the place, the wing of his present residence being the first dwelling erected in the place, the lumber for which, he brought from Frank & Lewis' mill, by a road he cut through for the purpose. Of the many buildings in West Bay City erected by Mr. Harrison are fifty-three of the first dwellings, the first stores, the first and present postoffices, and fifty dwellings for Sage, McGraw & Co., besides many others.
GEORGE WASHINGTON was born in 1850 in Roscommon County, Ireland, and was brought to Canada in 1852, living in Wentworth County, near Hamilton, Ontario, until 1867, when he removed to West Bay City, where he was in the employ of H. W. Sage & Co. for a time. In 1873 he engaged in the grocery trade, and is at present at the head of the firm of George Washington & Co., dealers in clothing, etc. Mr. Washington has held a number of public positions; was at one time a member of the Board of Trus- tees of the village of Wenona, and in 1876 was president of that body. In 1878 he was elected mayor of West Bay City, and in the Fall of that year was also elected sheriff of Bay County. In 1880 he was re-elected sheriff, holding the office until the close of 1882, when by law he could not again be elected. In all positions of
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trust in which he has been placed by the people, Mr. Washington has shown himself a thoroughly trustworthy official.
LOUIS ZAGELMEYER was born in Germany in 1825, and in 1850 emigrated to the United States, stopping first in New York two years, when he came to Saginaw and was employed as clerk in a store for a year and a half, after which he engaged in the manufacture of vinegar, and later cleared up a farm. In 1866 he came to West Bay City and opened a lime kiln, and in 1875 organized the Marine Ice Company which has now passed into the hands of his sous. Mr. Zagelmeyer was treasurer of the township of Bangor the year previous to its being merged in the corporation of West Bay City. He married Matilda Grahlow. They have had five children, four of whom are living.
MRS. REBECCA KING, wife of Eusebius King, of West Bay City, died at their family residence in November, 1882, at the age of seventy-eight years. Speaking of her death a local paper said:
"She had passed more than the allotted three score years and ten, having been born at Mount Clemens, Mich., on the 12th day of August in the year 1805. At sixteen years of age she was married to Eusebius King, who is still living in the enjoyment of reasonably good health, though eighty-two years old. For sixty-one years they trod life's path together, mingling alike its joys and sorrows. There were born to them twelve children, of whom there are now living Capt. George W. King, Capt. Frank King, Alexander King and Mrs. Sarah Haddock, of Chicago, all of whom with the vener- able father, gathered about the bedside to receive the parting bless- ing of a loving wife and kind mother. The aged couple had resided for twenty-seven years in West Bay City, where the subject of our notice was widely known and highly esteemed for her many social qualities and Christian virtues. A deep gloom has been cast over her wide circle of friends who feel the deepest sympathy for the family in their sad bereavement. Her taking away was not the result of any apparent disease, but she passed from earth and its cares in the ripeness of her years, the machinery of life seeming to have performed its alloted work and stopped.
GEORGE G. VAN ALSTINE was born at Adrian, Mich., in 1846, He lived there till sixteen years of age, attending school, when he enlisted in the service of the Union as a member of Company L, First Regiment, Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, serving until the close of the war. In the Fall of 1864 he was taken prisoner and taken to Andersonville, Ga., where he remained until the war closed. During the Winter of 1864-'65, half the inmates of the prison died, while he survived and reached home in June, 1865, where he had been long mourned as dead by his people and friends. When he was let loose from the Rebel prison he was but a skeleton, weighing only ninety-six pounds, but being possessed of a good pair of lungs and a strong will it brought him through. After his arrival home he gained one pound per day for seventy days, but, as the doctors say, it proved to be poor flesh and he again became a skeleton for three years when through the advice of a friend in April, 1869, he went on the lakes for his health, and in one of his voyages came to the Saginaw Valley, and saw thus early the advantages of the location.
On his return trip the vessel encountered a severe storm and was reported lost with all on board, but she nobly rode out the gale and on the fourth day of the storm entered the Detroit River.
In May, 1869, he was married to Miss Christina Revenaugh, of Detroit, and soon took up his residence in West Bay City. He has been thoroughly identified with its rise and progress.
In 1873 he was a member of the village council. In 1874 he was treasurer of the township of Bangor. He has mainly been employed as contractor and stevedore on the Saginaw River, em- ploying a large number of men, the management of whom seems
to be his especial forte. Since 1881 he has been employed by the the United States Government in the internal revenue service, where he has shown good judgment and skill, wherein he has received the commendation of his brother officers, and Gen. Green B. Raum who had charge of this department of the govern- ment service, he having many letters testifying to his rare skill and courage in hunting moonshiners where they make so much illicit whiskey.
GEORGE L. MOSHER was born in West Troy, N. Y., became a citizen of Wenona, now a part of West Bay City, in 1871, and engaged in the hardware trade in 1875. He built his present place of business in 1881. It stands on the northwest corner of Midland and Linn Streets; is three stories high, 100x25 feet in size, with a wing 30x35 feet, used as a tin shop. It is one of the handsomest business blocks on the city. Mr. M. occupies the first story and the wing for his extensive hardware, stove and tin trade. The second is cut up into offices, and in the third are the rooms of Wenona Lodge, No. 256, F. & A. M. He has also an extension on the West Side, facing Midland Street, 45x75 feet, two stories high. The facing of the buildings is of red brick with stone window caps and dressings. Mr. Mosher was married in 1865 to Miss Sarah J. Locke, of West Troy, N. Y., and their family consists of two boys. In public life Mr. Mosher was, during the years 1878-'79, chief engineer of the fire department.
THEODORE F. SHEPARD was born in Livingston County, N. Y., in 1844, He was educated at Alfred University, Allegany County, N. Y. He then read law with Marshall B. Champlin, attorney general of the state of New York, at Cuba, N. Y. He also attended a course of law lectures at the Albany Law Univer- sity. He afterward practiced his profession with Mr. Champlin, having been admitted to the bar in 1866. In 1867 he left Alle- gany County and came to Michigan, locating in what is now West Bay City, since which time he has been known as one of the most successful members of the bar in Bay County. The following are among some of the public positions he has held :- city attorney for Wenona and West Bay City several terms; member of the School Board for the Second Ward of West Bay City and Wenona for ten years; chairman of the School Board for seven or eight years; prosecuting attorney for Bay County in 1873-'74, and president of the Board of Water Works for the past three years, 1879-'82. He is also a member of the law firm of Shepard, Lyon & Clark. Mr. S. is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a leader in its Sunday school affairs. He was married to Mary M. Randolph, of Cuba, N. Y., in 1868. They have two children living-a boy and a girl.
WILLIAM M. GREEN was born in Norfolk County, Canada, in 1840, and came to the Saginaw Valley in 1862, where he engaged in "scowing" till 1868, when he engaged in the livery business in Wenona, now known as West Bay City, where he still continues and is doing a good business. In 1877 he was married to Miss Jane McKee, of Dunville, Canada. He has held several important offices, including alderman two terms, recorder to fill vacancy, village treasurer in 1875 and 1876, and city treasurer from 1877 to 1882.
JOHN S. McMULLAN was born in Kingston, Ont., of Irish parent- age. He remained at Kingston until twenty, at which time he left the parental roof and came to Detroit. He married Miss Margaret Holland, of Irish descent, then living in Detroit. He settled at Sault St. Marie. He remained two years, employed as engineer on the steamer "Baltimore," plying between the Sault and Ontonagon. From thence he went to London, Ont., and engaged in keeping a hotel for five years. The ensuing three years he farmed at Strat- ford, Ont., thence to Saginaw and engaged in jobbing at the lumber
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
business. In 1869 he came to Wenona, continued in the same business, and in 1873 bought property on the Litchfield addition, and erected a dwelling, which is still his place of residence. He has recently added to and improved the same, making it one of the most pleasant locations in the neighborhood. He has had six chil- dren, four sons and two daughters, all living. The oldest son is a mechanic, second a physician, and the other two are in partnership with their father in the lumber business. The oldest daughter is a graduate of West Bay City school, and since, teacher therein, and the second daughter is a pupil in the same school.
E. C. Moss was born in Perth County, Ont., in 1857, and is a carriage-builder by trade. He came first to West Bay City in 1864, but in 1870 came to reside permanently. He was connected with Mr. Phelps in livery and carriage shops, but having purchased Mr. Phelps interest, is now conducting the business alone. Mr. Moss is doing a good business and merits the patronage of the public.
E. JACOB PFEIFER Was born in Lima, Allen Co., Ohio, in 1846. He remained there until twenty, then came to Lansing, Mich., where he stayed a few months, then came to West Bay City in 1869. He bought lots in 1870 on Blend's addition, where he now resides. He has followed the business of carpenter and joiner, and for the past four years contractor and jobber at that business. He married Miss Harriet L. Tolfree, of Bay City, in 1873, a native of Ithaca, N. Y. He has one child, a daughter, eight years old.
He has passed a life thus far upright and industrious, and at the charter election, 1883, under the re-division of the wards of West Bay City, was elected alderman of the Second Ward without opposition, being nominated by each party.
THOMAS P. HAWKINS was born in May, 1839, in Hume, Allegany Co., N. Y., where he lived until 1866, though serving a part of the time as clerk in a dry goods store in Buffalo. In 1866 he married Miss Mary A. Bennett, of Hume, a native of Dryden, Tompkins County, and removed to Wenona, Mich., now West Bay City, and en- gaged as clerk for Sage & McGraw. He remained in their employ about one year, and soon after started in the grocery business for himself. He continued in the business until 1877, when he was appointed resident agent for a portion of the late John McGraw estate in West Bay City and vicinity, at the same time engaged for himself in lumber and timber business. Mr. Hawkins was obliged to give up active business in consequence of declining health, resulting from a complication of diseases, dropsy and consumption, which termin- ated fatally in April, 1881. He was a member of the village coun- cil three years, recorder one year, and member of the city council one year. He took a lively interest in all matters for the general good of the village, and afterward of the city. He left a family of four children, two sons and two daughters, all living. Mrs. Hawk- ins is well and pleasantly situated in a good home, corner of John and Crapo Streets.
CARLOS E. Roor was born in Lewis County, N. Y., in 1839. He lived with his father until 1862, when he married Miss Charlotte J. Williston, of the same place. After the usual course at the com- mon school, Mr. Root attended the academy at Lowville, and after- ward followed teaching for a number of years. In 1863 he engaged in a retail grocery business at his native place, which he followed until the time of his coming to Wenona in 1865. He soon bought an interest in some lighters and gave his attention to that business, the boat's plying from Saginaw and other points on the river to the bay, making up vessel loads. He followed that business until 1870, when he engaged in scaling logs for J. W. Babcock, Winters for three years, after which he gave his entire attention to putting up ice, principally for retailing, but wholesaled some to the South. In 1882 he established the manufacture of Root beer, ginger ale, pop, etc., for wholesale trade, which business he still carries on. Mr.
Root was for some years a member of the village council, being one of the first under the village charter, and for the past two years alderman from the Second Ward in this city. He has a fine resi- dence on Midland Street.
WEST BAY CITY INCORPORATED.
We come now to an event in which the three villages disap- peared from the map to be succeeded by a city well equipped for a race with any rival. The consolidation was a forcible illustration of the oft-repeated maxim :-- "In union there is strength." In con- nection with this change there is a very natural tendency on the part of curious minded people to inquire why the musical and beau- tiful name of Wenona was dropped and the present name adopted in its stead.
The organic history of West Bay City is substantially as fol- lows :- The Legislature of 1877 passed an act entitled "An Act to consolidate Wenona, Banks and Salzburgh, to be known as the city of West Bay City," which provided that so much of the township of Bangor, in the County of Bay, in the State of Michigan, being formerly the incorporated villages of Banks and Wenona, and such other territory as is included in the following limits, to-wit :- Beginning at a point in the middle of the Saginaw River, where the north line of Section Fourteen, Town Fourteen north, of Range five east, crosses said river; thence southwesterly along the middle of said Saginaw River, to a point where the south line of Section Thirty-two, Town Fourteen aforesaid crosses said Saginaw River; thence west on the south line of said Section Thirty-two, to the southwest corner thereof; thence north along the west side of Sec- tions Thirty-two, Twenty-nine and Twenty, Town Fourteen afore- said, to the northwest corner of said Section Twenty; thence east along the north line of said Section Twenty, to the quarter post (f said Section Twenty; thence north along the quarter line of Section Seventeen, Town Fourteen aforesaid, to the north line of said Sec- tion Seventeen; thence east along the north side of the east half of said Section Seventeen, and north line of Sections Sixteen, Fifteen and Fourteen, to place of beginning, be and the same is hereby set off from the aforesaid Township of Bangor, and declared to be a city by the name of West Bay City.
The wards were divided as follows :- The First Ward embraced all that portion of the city within the following-described limits :- Beginning at the center of the Saginaw River where the north line of Section Fourteen, Town Fourteen north, of Range Five east, crosses said river, running thence west on the north line of Sections Fourteen, Fifteen and Sixteen, to the northwest corner of Section Sixteen; thence south on the section line between Sections Sixteen and Seventeen, to the southwest corner of Section Sixteen; thence east on the section line, between Sections Sixteen and Twenty-one, to the point where said line crosses the south line of the property belonging to Ballentine, Moore & Co .; thence southeasterly along the south line of said Ballentine, Moore & Co's property, to the cen- ter of Saginaw River. The Second Ward shall embrace all that portion of the city contained in the east half of Section Seventeen, entire Section Twenty and that part of Section Twenty-one not in- cluded within the boundaries of the First Ward. The Third Ward shall embrace all that portion of the city contained in Sections Twenty-nine and Thirty-two.
The first election was ordered on the first Monday in May, 1877, at the village hall in said First Ward, and the inspectors of election were :- Patrick Lourim, Robert Leng, Alexander B. More, Thomas B. Raymond and Ephraim J. Kelton. In the Second Ward the election was ordered held at the common council room in said ward, and David G. Arnold, Thomas P. Hawkins, James A.
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McKnight, Spencer O. Fisher and George G. VanAlstine, inspectors. In the Third Ward the election was ordered held at the hotel of William Davis, and Frank Fitzhugh, John W. Babcock, Bartholo- mew Staudacher, Aaron Wellman and Robert Elliott, inspectors of election.
David G. Arnold, an old resident of the place, was the first mayor of the city. Officers of the city for the several years are given elsewhere.
A slight amendment was made to the charter in the Winter of 1880, affecting the matter of salaries of city officers, but making no other material change.
In the Winter of 1883 the charter was amended materially, by act of Legislature, and the number of wards increased from three to five, and their boundaries described as follows:
"The First Ward shall embrace all that portion of the city within the following-described limits, to-wit :- Beginning at the center of the Saginaw River, where the north line of Section Four- teen, Town Fourteen, north of Range Five east, crosses said river, running thence west on the north line of Sections Fourteen, Fifteen and Sixteen, to the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of said Section Sixteen; thence south on the sub- quarter line to the southeast corner of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section Sixteen; thence south forty-one degrees and twenty minutes east between the lands of John Bourn and the Keystone Lumber and Salt Manufacturing Company to the cen- ter of Saginaw River.
"The Second Ward shall embrace all that portion of the city contained in Section Sixteen not included in the First Ward, the east half of Section Seventeen, the north half of Section Twenty, and all of Section Twenty-one north of the center line of Dunbar Street, in Litchfield's addition to the village of Wenona, to said road track, and north of the north line of said Dunbar Street, if extended easterly from railroad track to the center of the Saginaw River.
"The Third Ward shall embrace all that portion of the city contained in Sections Twenty and Twenty-one north of the center line of Jane Street, extending in a direct line east through Fitzhugh and Kissell's sub-division of the west half of the southwest quarter of said Section Twenty and the plat of Lake City, to the center of the Saginaw River, and not included in Second Ward.
"The Fourth Ward shall embrace all that portion of the city contained in Section Twenty south of the center line of Jane Street as described for the Third Ward, the north half of the northwest quarter of Section Twenty-nine, and that part of the plat of Salz- burgh north of center line of Ninth Street, to the center of the Sag- inaw River.
"The Fifth Ward shall embrace all that portion of the city contained in Section Twenty-nine not included in the Fourth Ward. and all of Section Thirty-one."
The salaries of city officers are fixed in the new charter not to exceed the following sums :- "Recorder, $600, an increase of $200; comptroller, $800; city attorney, $600, an increase of $400; marshal, $600, an increase of $300 (the above providing for extra pay for police duty is stricken out); harbor master, $100, same as before; mayor and aldermen, $1 per session, an increase of 50 cents. It is also provided that any physician reporting diseases dangerous to the city's health shall receive remuneration for the service."
The election of officers is provided for as follows :- "At the annual election for the year 1883 there shall be elected a mayor, treasurer and recorder for a term of one year and a comptroller for two years. The comptroller shall be elected at the annual election held each two years thereafter; at the annual election in 1884 there shall be elected a mayor and recorder for a term of two years and they shall be elected each two years thereafter, also a treasurer who
shall be elected annually thereafter, these shall also be elected annually thereafter; there shall also be elected at the annual election in 1883, two school inspectors, one for one year and one for two years, and each year thereafter there shall be elected one school inspector for two years. At such election there shall also be elected in each of the several wards, one alderman who shall hold his office for one year, and one alderman who shall hold his office for two years, one supervisor, one constable and three inspectors of election.
"In the year 1885 it is provided that four justices of the peace shall be elected for terms of one, two, three and four years respect- ively, to succeed the present incumbents."
The other amendments relate to the government of the city and seek to remedy some evils theretofore existing.
OFFICERS OF WEST BAY CITY.
For each year since it was incorporated:
1877.
Mayor, D. G. Arnold; Recorder, E. S. Van Liew; Treasurer, William M. Green; Aldermen, E. J. Kelton, C. E. Root, William Davis, William Marin, W. I. Tozer, Michael Hufnagel.
1878.
Mayor, George Washington; Recorder, E. S. Van Liew; Treas- urer, William M. Green; Aldermen, E. J. Kelton, J. A. Braman, W. I. Tozer, Frank Fitzhugh, J. G. Keisel, R. H. Chase.
1879.
Mayor, William I. Tozer; Recorder, E. S. Van Liew; Treasurer, William M. Green; Aldermen, J. A. Braman, T. P. Hawkins, Frank Fitzhugh, J. D. Beebe, John Brigham, Jr., R. Laderach.
1880.
Mayor, William I. Tozer; Recorder, E. S. Van Liew; Treas- urer, William M. Green; Aldermen, John Bourn, John Brigham, Jr., Frank Fitzhugh, D. W. Johnson, S. O. Fisher, R. Laderach.
1881.
Mayor, Wlliam E. Magill; Recorder, E. S. Van Liew; Treas- urer, William M. Green; Aldermen, John Bourn, S. O. Fisher, Frank Fitzhugh, F. X. Dubois, C. E. Root, R, Laderach.
1882.
Mayor, William E. Magill; Recorder, Henry C. Thompson; Treasurer, Andrew Weir; Aldermen, Bernard Lourim, S. O. Fisher, R. Laderach, F. X. Dubois, C. E. Root, Charles Anderson.
1883.
Mayor, Spencer O. Fisher; Recorder, William H. Phillips; Treasurer, Andrew Weir; Aldermen, First Ward, E. J. Kelton, George Portt; Second Ward, E. J. Pfeifer, George Boston; Third Ward, F. D. Pierson, M. Hagarty; Fourth Ward, L. Roundsville, J. A. Braman; Fifth Ward , George Hogan, Charles Anderson.
SPENCER O. FISHER,
Present Mayor of West Bay City, was born at Camden, Hills- dale Co., Mich., February 3, 1843. In his boyhood he received a common school education and worked upon a farm until eighteen years of age. From that time until twenty-one years of age he was in the employ of Sutton & Fisher, buying hard-wood lumber and shipping it East. From twenty-one to twenty-three years of age he was clerk in a general store at Hillsdale for the firm of Hall & Mar- vin. His salary for the first year was to be $200, but at the end of the year they paid him $600, and for the remaining two years $1,000 per year. He then engaged in the mercantile business for himself at Hillsdale, and remained there about six years when he sold out and removed to West Bay City, at that time the village of Wenona. June 26, 1867, he married Miss Kate H. Crane, of Hills-
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
dale, and they now have three daughters. Mr. Fisher was alder- man in the city of Hillsdale two consecutive terms of two years each. He arrived in Wenona in October, 1871, and engaged in the lumber and timber business. He was one of the charter members of West Bay City, formed by the consolidation of Banks, Wenona and Salzburgh, and gave the new city the name it now bears; has been an alderman two terms, run for mayor on the organization of the city, but was defeated by D. G. Arnold, the strongest man in the city, by eleven votes. He was the unanimous choice of the Democratic congressional convention for the tenth district last Fall, but his business arrangements were such that he could not accept.
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