USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
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Let the teacher of grammar understand that the "Pioneer" of this work is not necessarily of masculine gender; but on the con- trary, where the word is used in connections of greatest significance, it will be very safe to decide that the feminine gender is correct. Posterity should know that there were mothers as well as fathers in the early days, who helped to dig and plant and build, and in the award of credit, simple equity will demand that bearers of a cross should all alike be wearers of the crown. This is emphatically an instance wherein the head of the household should not be allowed to be the sole representative of the family.
HAMPTON TOWNSHIP.
This township was organized in the Winter of 1843, and the name of "Hampton," selected by James G. Birney, that being the name of his wife's country seat in New York State. The first town- ship meeting at Sidney S. Campbell's hotel, and incidents connected therewith have already been given. The whole history of the Lower Saginaw region, from 1843 to 1857, is the history of Hamp- ton township for that period. The territory of Hampton was first
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
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affected by the organization of Williams, in 1855, and again by the organization of Bay county in 1857.
It has parted with its territory from time to time, until it now comprises but twenty-three full sections and eleven fractional sec- tions.
The present boundaries of the township are as follows: north by Saginaw Bay, east by Saginaw Bay and county line, south by Merritt and Portsmouth, and west by Portsmouth, Bay City and Saginaw River.
In 1866 the valuation of real and personal estate was $90,200 and in 1882, $401,840.
The Bay City and Cass River state road traverses the township leading east from Bay City.
The population of the township in 1874 was 1,247, and in 1880, 2,016.
The first wheat raised in the county was by Cromwell Barney on his farm where that part of Bay City known as Dolsenville now is.
In passing over the present township of Hampton and look- ing upon handsome farms and farm buildings, soil rich and easily tilled, the visitor would scarcely realize the condition of this terri- tory twenty years ago. Then it was literally covered with water a good part of the year with no apparent possibility of drainage. The early settlers who paid two dollars and fifty cents an acre for land and water, never dared hope that within so short a time they would have farms thoroughly drained and worth from seventy-five to one hundred dollars an acre. This change, however, has taken place and within the space of a few years.
In 1849, Joseph Hudson, who was at that time sailing on the lakes, visited the lower Saginaw region on a prospecting tour, and being favorably impressed with the location, decided to settle in the vicinity. Mr. Hudson was a native of Ohio and in 1847 married Fidelia D. Essex, sister of the late Ransom P. Essex, of Essexville, but at that time living in Connecticut. Mr. Hudson reported the result of his observations to Mr. Essex, and in 1850 the two families arrived in the township of Hampton, then a part of Saginaw county. Mr. Essex was unmarried and was accompanied by his parents. Mr. Essex located eighty acres of land where the village of Essex- ville now stands, and Mr. Hudson located forty acres adjoining. Both built houses upon their land and lived there, but for several years were principally engaged in fishing and did but little in the way of farming. As before stated the land was water soaked and unfit for cultivation. For several years these two families were the sole occupants of that locality. About 1855 settlers began to come into the county and soon after that, a few settled in the present territory of Hampton.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The following personal sketches of some of the early settlers in Hampton will show the dates and order of their arrival.
NATHAN KNIGHT was born in Otisfield, Maine. His father came to Michigan in 1826 and settled in Avon, Oakland County. His son, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm in that place, and was educated at Austinburg Institute, Ohio. After concluding his studies he taught school at times and at others clerked it for ten years. He came to the township of Hampton in .1856, and since that time his principal business has been farming. He was a rep- resentative in the State Legislature from Bay County for four years: 1877-'80 inclusive. He held the office of justice of the peace for the period of ten years, and that of school commissioner for one term. He is now (1882) supervisor for the township of Hampton, an office he has held for twelve consecutive years, which may be taken as a fair indication of the esteem in which he is held by the voters
of the township. He was married to Harriet Stevens of Benning- ton, Vt., in 1850. They have had three children, but one of whom, a son, Birdsey Knight, is now living.
LOUIS GULLETTE was born at Mt. Clemens, Michigan, June 7, 1820, and came to Lower Saginaw in 1836, where he worked for the Saginaw Bay Land Co. about two years, and afterward for Fraser & Barney. In 1858 he went to live in Hampton, on land he had previously purchased, and where he now resides on a good farm cleared by his own hands. He has been twice married and has five children. His present wife was the widow of Leon Trombley, of pioneer fame.
J. T. EssEx was born in Connecticut in 1818 and at eighteen years of age moved to Ohio where he remained till 1850, when he removed to Portsmouth and built a shingle cutting mill, worked at salt manufacturing, running small engine and watching in mills till 1857, when he purchased his present farm in Hampton, where he has since resided. He married Rachel Cooper, formerly of Mt. Morris, N. Y., in 1853. They have had four children, of whom three are now living, including Geo. E. Essex, who is nineteen years of age. Mr. Essex once owned twenty acres of land where the village of Essexville now stands and where his father resided for many years and finally died.
GERARDUS VENNIX is a native of Holland where he was born in 1830, and in August, 1855, emigrated to the United States, coming directly to Lower Saginaw, and in 1856 worked on the public roads under Michael Daily, the then overseer of highways. He first pur- chased twenty acres of land in Hampton Township and in 1858 his present farm. Mr. Vennix has been overseer of highways and is the present township treasurer. He has been three times married, once in Holland and twice in Bay City, and has now living, eight children.
HENRY ROOIAKERS was born in Holland in 1830 and emigrated to America in 1855, coming direct to Bay City, then Lower Saginaw, where he resided two years when he removed to the township of Hampton and purchased his present farm, three-fourths of a mile east of Essexville. He has been highway commissioner one year and path master three years. He married, in Bay City, Theresa Lescohier. They have five children.
WILLIAM ROECKER was born in Germany in 1830 and is a turner by trade. In 1852 he came to this country and worked in Phila- delphia at his trade nearly three years. In 1855 he moved to Bay City where he remained about two years and a half working in the mills and on the docks. He then bought a farm of forty acres, a few miles from the city. There being no roads at that date he was obliged to cut his way from Essexville to his land. He held the office of township treasurer seven years. He married Rosina Kurc, also of Germany.
MICHAEL ENGELHARDT, one of the oldest settlers in Hampton, was born in Germany, in 1826. He married Sabina Katrina Wiss- peintnerin, also of Germany, in 1858, four years after his arrival in this country. He has a fine farm of forty acres, nearly all cleared. Their family consists of three boys and one daughter, who was mar- ried in 1878 to Philip Frederick Pfennegar.
THE EDDY FAMILY .- Joseph Eddy, the father of the Eddy fam- ily, was born in Providence, R. I., in 1801. In 1826 he was mar- ried to Susan Salsbury. In 1836 they moved to the State of New York, and in 1855 came to Bay City, Mich. In 1858 he bought a farm in Hampton and has been a farmer ever since. They have had seven children -six boys and one girl, all of whom are living excepting the youngest son. Of the sons, George P., Edward A., and Albert Henry enlisted in the army in the early part of the war, serving until its close. George P. and Edward A. were members of Co. F., 23d Michigan infantry, and were promoted to be lieutenants.
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Albert Henry was in the 10th cavalry, and was promoted to be a sergeant.
CARL WAGNER was born in Germany in 1819. In 1840 he mar- ried Eliza Herbert. In 1856 he emigrated to America, bringing with him his family of eight children. The same year they started for Bay City by boat from Detroit. But on their arrival at Saginaw Bay they found it frozen and were obliged to go to Port Huron, where they spent the Winter. In 1857 they again started for Bay City and on their arrival rented a farm a few miles from the city. Soon after, he purchased a farm. He now resides in the township of Hampton, his son Philip living with him. His children are all married and settled around him. He has held the office of school director and justice of the peace for sixteen years.
PATRICK BERGAN was born in Ireland, March, 1823, remaining there twenty-eight years, when he came to America and settled in Connecticut and engaged in farming, remaining there five years.
He came to Bay City and engaged with the late Jas. Fraser. In 1858 he purchased a farm in the town of Hampton, where he moved with his family. He was married in 1850 to Hannah Dowe, of Ireland, and has two children.
ESSEXVILLE.
This village was founded by Ransom P. Essex, whose early settlement in Hampton has already been mentioned. In 1867 he had a tract of eight acres surveyed and laid out into village lots. The territory platted was the west half of the northeast quarter of the southeast fractional quarter of fractional Section Fourteen, Town Fourteen north, of Range Five east. The name he gave to the place was "Essex," but people drifted into the habit of attaching a "ville," and the village became known as Essexville. Mr. Essex afterward platted an addition to the village.
Mr. Essex was for many years the leading man of Hampton Township, and held the office of supervisor during the war. He died October 31, 1874, at the age of forty-three years. He never married, and lived with his parents in the house which he built when he first came to the place. He left considerable property. His father, John T. Essex, died February 25, 1877, and his mother died January 1, 1878. The Essex homestead is now standing in the center of the village.
Joseph Hudson lives upon the land he first purchased. His house is now at the edge of the village. Aside from his farm he owns considerable village property. He has held all the township offices, excepting that of supervisor, and is a trustee of the village of Essexville for the year 1883.
The first store in the village was kept by Ames Bros in 1872. They kept a store only a short time, and then Mr. Essex opened a store.
The postoffice was established in 1872, and William Ames was postmaster a short time. He was succeeded by Ransom P. Essex, who held the office until his death. Since then the postmasters have been John J. Jack, A. J. Harris, J. F. Emery and Thomas Headford, who still retains the office. Mr. Headford settled in Essexville in 1870.
SCHOOLS.
The first school in this vicinity was taught by a Miss Corbin, in a log building situated about a mile and a half below the village. The first schoolhouse in the village was built in 1870 and was burned in 1879. The present school building is a substantial and commodious two-story structure, pleasantly situated and built in 1879. The schools are under the charge of Mr. F. N. Turner, a very successful teacher, who has been in his present position two
years. His assistants are Miss Jennie Fry and Miss Mary Felker. The number of pupils enrolled in 1883 is 271; number belonging, 175; average attendance, 140.
The School Board is composed of William Felker, director; William Leighton, moderator; J. R. Hall, assessor.
CHURCHES.
Essexville was formerly a field for missionary work by the churches of Bay City. About 1870 the M. E. Society held services here, and in 1872 Trinity Church established a mission, and after- ward built a chapel. In 1879, Rev. J. B. Dawson came here as a Congregational missionary, and organized a society. The first meeting was held May 1, 1879. Good Templars' Hall was used for holding service. In May, 1881, a church edifice was begun, which is expected to be dedicated in June, 1883. The society has thirty-three members, and is in a flourishing condition. Rev. Mr. Dawson still remains pastor. The trustees are Warren Eddy, Joseph Leighton, Thomas Watt, A. C. Hall, J. B. Garber, F. M. Turner and A. J. Harris.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
The Odd Fellows and Good Templars orders are represented in the village by two flourishing lodges.
As early as 1871 a Good Templars Lodge was organized, but it had only a brief existence. During the Red Ribbon movement in 1877, a society of that name was organized, which existed until 1881, when it was re-organized into a Good Templars lodge, under the title of Prosperity Lodge, No. 350. There are about thirty active members. P. B. Root is W. C. T .; F. N. Turner, Sec'y, and Mary Felker, Treas. The lodge room is in Bartlett Hall.
Light House Lodge, No. 235, I. O. O. F., was instituted, July 1, 1874, with nine members. As early as 1872 the subject of or- ganizing a lodge was agitated, but not more than five or six Odd Fellows could be got together. In April, 1874, a meeting was held in a vacant house in the outskirts of the village and it was there determined to organize. Among those who were instrumental in starting the lodge were James Burgess, G. Parker, J. H. Stokoe, William Elliott, D. C. Fisk, John Jack, J. Hudson, C. C. West pinter. The first officers of the lodge were James Burgess, N. G .; George Parker, V. G,; C, C. Westpinter, R. C .; J. W. Jack, Treas. At the expiration of the first term there were thirty-three members. The lodge has now a good membership, among whom are some of the leading men of the place. Officers, J. Anderson, N. G .; William Warren, V. G .; William Leighton, R. S .; William Felker, P. S .; George L. Fisk, Treas.
The principal business done in the village during the first few years was by saloons. In 1875, A. J. Harris came from the state of Kansas and opened a drug store; the first one in the village. Since that time the growth of the place has been gradual but con- tinuous. There are several neat residences, the most extensive being that of Mr. J. R. Hall, a view of which appears in this work.
The mills of the place are mentioned elsewhere.
The principal hotel of the place is the Essexville House, built in 1870.
The Essexville Cornet Band, H. T. Hudson, leader, was organized in 1880.
THE ESSEXVILLE MYSTERY.
A locality that cannot boast of at least one mystery, has reason for life long lament. About 1871, Essexville had its mystery, the particulars of which were narrated at the time about as follows:
"A couple of boys went, early one evening, to hunt some milch cows, and as the swamps were drying up rapidly, they were
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RESIDENCE OF J. R. HALL _ ESSEXVILLE_
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
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able to walk dry shod over a swampy tract of land just below Essexville, owned by Capt. Smith. In this marshy tract is, what is locally called, an island-an elevated piece of ground, high and dry, covered with willow and underbrush. While leisurely walk- ing over this island the boys' attention was drawn to some decaying logs by the fetid and unbearable smell that came from them. One of them stepped on a log, and peering over, shouted to the other boy. Both looked over and were petrified for the instant at the sight of a bloated, swollen human body, with upturned face. An old horse blanket, which had probably been wrapt round the body when it was carried to where it was found, was by it, and had been either pulled away by hogs or the elements. The body lay partly on this blanket. The boys, noting nothing of what they saw further than that it was a human body, hurried to the village and made known their discovery. The magistrates at that time were Capt. Smith and Ransom Essex. As it was then a late hour of the day, and darkness was coming on, it was deemed prudent to defer an examination to confirm the boys' story till the next day. At an early hour the whole unemployed population of the neighbor- hood turned out and went to the place indicated by the boys, but no body was there. There was the same fetid smell, and the exact position where it had lain was shown by a huge mass of crawling worms. Where the body had lain the worms lay in a mass, inches deep, but they were beginning to crawl away. On examination it was discovered that two men had that night come and taken away their loathsome burden. Their footprints were distinctly visible in the oozy ground of the partly dried up marsh, but as soon as the dry timber ground was reached all trace was lost, although it was stated in the newspapers at the time, that the body was taken to a mill dock in a sack and thrown into the river. The men searched the neighboring woods thoroughly, but all trace was lost and every sign failed to yield a clue to work upon. The magistrates put forth every effort, and many surmises were afloat, but the difficulty was that the body having been hid, no one dared make a complaint with no evidence to stand upon. Therefore after much talk for over a month, the matter quieted down. This is all of the subject ever given to the public ear. We will now follow it up in a general way, and state what was the opinion at that time of those who were observant of the event, and how after circumstances went to corroborate that opinion.
Soon after the great facilities for making salt in the valley be- came noised abroad, a great number of adventurers flocked hither, and saloons sprang up in every hole and corner. Most of them were classed as boarding houses, and were in fact saloons and board- ing houses combined. As the rush to the valley was so great, the then established hotels could not accommodate all that came. To better understand what is to be said, it would be well to state that many of these saloon boarding houses were well conducted and or- derly. With some it was otherwise, and it is the few black sheep that bring a bad reputation to the whole flock. The saloons of the last mentioned class, so it is stated, were in the habit of employing men of affable demeanor to "spot" strangers, to keep in their com- pany, and chat and talk to them, if of that disposition. In the larger cities, without coming nearer home, they are said to have their board and lodging, and the run of the bar free, and get their income and living by plunder in the way of gambling, etc. The proceeds of these nefarious transactions are divided between the stool and the man he works for. After the finding of the body, as we have stated, and the worst of the excitement had lulled down, Mr. Essex had a circumstance brought to his mind, from which in some way or other he could not divert his attention, thinking that it was in some way connected with this tragedy. About two months before the body was found in the woods, a stranger
came to Essexville and had several times stayed over night at one of the saloon boarding houses. Twice he had called upon Mr. Essex to negotiate for some eligible village lots, and was to have called again, but he never came. Mr. Essex thought he would make in- quiries, and knowing where the man put up, called on the proprie- tor and asked him at once and off-hand where such a person, naming him, could be found. The dogged manner of utterance and florid tinge of countenance of the man spoke volumes to a man like Ransom Essex, who was gifted with a keen penetration of human character. Mr. Essex has been heard to state that he was well aware he had a secret enemy in this man, whom it was well to guard against. Subsequently he made inquiries in Bay City, and learned the place where he had frequently put up, but no hotel reg- ister was kept to give a clue to where he came from, nor could any one tell his name. He was a man perhaps thirty-five years of age, had the air and bearing of a store keeper, of light build and genteel appearance generally. The taking away of his body at night, after the report of the boys, was conclusive evidence that the murderers were in Essexville at that time. During the same year (1870) several persons were missed. One was a man from Bay City with over $400 that he had collected for his employer on his person, and was never heard of again. There was a man over the river missed after receiving money from the office of Sage & McGraw, but his body was found in the river. At each of these times the public would rest on the idea, and remain satisfied, that the missing man was identical with the man whose body was seen by the boys in the Essexville woods. Ransom Essex is now dead. The man on whom strong suspicion had ever rested, left the place. And so the affair remains a mystery.
INCORPORATED.
The village of Essexville was incorporated by act of the Legis- lature in the Winter of 1883. At the first election under the village charter the following persons were elected to the offices named:
For President-J. R. Hall.
Trustees-Philip Dargis, S. A. Hall, Joseph Hudson, Anthony Johnson, John Garber, John Widen.
Treasurer-George Hall.
Assessor-Louis Felker.
Clerk-William Felker.
Commissioner-William Leighton.
Constable-A. Van Wert.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
The following personal sketches are of some of the residents of the village not mentioned elsewhere.
JOHN SHARP was born May 11, 1812, in Claverack, Columbia Co., N. Y. From there his parents removed to Onondaga County. In 1842 he came to Michigan, locating at Flushing, Genesee County, where he was engaged in the blacksmith, grist and saw mill trades. About 1854 he removed to Saginaw City, and run a ferry across the Saginaw River to East Saginaw for the late Judge Davenport. He continued in that business until 1859, when he was appointed keeper of the light house at the mouth of the Saginaw River. This posi- tion he held for seven years, when he resigned on account of insuf- ficient salary and the impossibility of giving his children an educa- tion in that isolated locality. While he lived at the light house it used to be, in Winter time when the ice was good, a favorite drive for many a merry party from the Saginaws and Bay City. On his removal from there he came to Bay City, and for a number of years occupied the old "Longton House." After coming to Bay City he engaged in the fishing business, which he has followed more or less ever since. He was in partnership with the late Julius B. Hart in the fish trade for a couple of years. He now lives with his
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
son, Will P. Sharp, at Essexville, who is also a fisherman. He has been married twice, both wives being dead, however. He has had nine children, only three of whom survive. Mr. Sharp has always been an ardent sportsman, and a few years ago no hunting party was considered complete that did not number "John" in it.
HENRY F. EMERY was born in 1844, in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. When he was but a child, his parents removed to Genesee County, where he hved some twelve years. In January, 1860, he went to Wisconsin. He run an engine in a saw mill at Knowlton for a number of months, and also was over a year in a machine shop at Madison. In 1861 he enlisted in the Eleventh Wisconsin Infantry. He served until 1863 when he was honorably discharged on account of physical disability. He was wounded twice, once at Bayou Cache, Ark., and once at Bolivar, Miss. About the time of his discharge he was promoted to a second lieutenancy. He went back to the state of New York, when he left the army, and for a time was agent for the United States Petroleum Company, and also sold portable engines in the Pennsylvania oil regions. He then came West again and lived for a while at Keokuk, Iowa; run an engine on the Chica- go & Rock Island and the Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroads. He lived at Ligonier, Ind., for a year, and also had a machine shop at White Pigeon, Mich., for a time. He came to the Saginaw Valley in 1868. He lived at Salzburgh for some months, and then came to Essexville and was engineer in Carrier & Co's mill for six and a half years. In 1875 he built a shingle mill which was afterward burned, a few days previous to which he had one of his hands cut off. Since then he has been engaged in the agricultural implement trade. In 1875 he purchased what was known as the Smith & Hart portion of Essexville. He was postmaster two years, justice of the peace seven years, school director and other minor offices. He has also been a lumber jobber for a number of Winters. He was married, December 25, 1865, to Miss Polly J. Howard, of Wyoming County, N. Y. They have one child, a son, living.
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