USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 76
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
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road depot erected, a postoffice established, and a hotel under con- tract and in course of erection, by Mr. Kellogg, of Deep River, Conn., which is to cost between $3,000 and $4,000. Mr. Kellogg will take possession of his hotel in person as soon as it is complete, and from our knowledge of this gentleman, we think we can safely promise the public one of the best houses on the line of that road. After spending some time in looking over the improvements already made and in contemplation, our party were invited by Mr. Graham, a member of the firm, who has immediate charge of their operations here, to go to the camp and dine. To describe a lumber camp to the readers of the Journal would be like "bringing coals to Newcastle;" but to the writer the entire institution was a novelty. He had imagined it to be a counterpart of the roughest kind of soldier's barracks in time of war, and the rations to con- sist chiefly of the "hard tack" and "old hoss" species, (soldiers will understand my meaning.) You can hardly conceive of his surprise therefore, when the party were directed into a large, substantially built, shingle roof, window lighted, commodiously arranged, " neat as wax" log house that would make a comfortable residense for a large family anywhere, as the "boarding house" of the "camp." Really nothing was discoverable here to call for our sympathy for the "suffering lumberman," but then the rations perhaps, would tell the tale. Well, the "triangle" was struck, and together with some forty stalwart, jolly-looking fellows whose appearance would make a recruiting officer's mouth water, our party were ushered into the dining room. A single glance at the scene was sufficient, and the last life-giving sentiment of pity for the "hard used laborers in the pineries was gone. The tables were literally loaded, and the abundance, variety, quality and style of cooking testified not only to the liberality of the proprietors, but to the good taste and superior cul- inary of Mrs. S., the presiding genius of the establishment. If man's benedictions are of any value, the expression that fell from the lips of our hungry party must secure her happiness for the re- mainder of her life. She was the reigning sovereign of that realm, and no "woman's rights" philosophy or achievments could have added to her supremacy.
"Just as the party were taking their seats at the table, a valua- ble watch was put into the writer's hands, with the request of the "boys" of the camp, that he would present to Mr. Charles Cramp- ton, their foreman, as a testimonial of their high regard. Happy to be the organ of the fine looking fellows, in an act so honorable both to their heads and hearts, the writer endeavored to fulfill their wishes, and in a few words, presented their valuable gift. Mr. C. was taken entirely by surprise, and declared his utter inability to respond, but as he rose from his seat to receive the watch his quiv- ering lips and tear-bedimmed eyes made a far more touching and eloquent acknowledgment than the choicest words could have done. The incident was a pleasant one, and showed an excellent spirit to prevail in the camp. After dinner we were invited by our hosts to examine their logs (there are miles of them) and take a sleigh ride through their pine forests. Already they had from 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 ready for the "run," and are daily adding to them. The lumber judges of our party pronounced the great majority of these logs of the finest quality. This firm, by the expenditure of $600 to $800, during the last year have so improved this river by the erec- tion of dams and removal of obstructions, that they expect to be able to "run" their logs this Spring, whatever the season may be. Our ride of ten or twelve miles through the grand old woods was one of pleasure to all the party, and to the writer, was one of much instruction as to the vast wealth of Michigan in her forests. Hun- dreds of acres through which we passed, it was estimated, would produce from 15,000 to 18,000 feet of fine lumber, to the acre, and the land and remaining timber still left. What untold millions of
wealth there exist in the forests of Michigan! But all this is nothing new to our readers. The pleasure of the ride was greatly enhanced by a lively contest between one of our genial hosts, and a distin- guished lumber manufacturer of Bay City, in the way of story tell- ing. Greek met Greek, and we are sure the silence of these old solitudes was never broken by such peals of laughter before. The question of championship remained undecided between those fun- loving wrestlers."
The mill is now owned and operated by the firm of Cross & Dyer.
There is also a planing mill at Deep River, built by Stevens & Co., in 1874.
The firm of Norn & Kent have a mill at Sterling.
In 1875 Deep River Township came into prominence on ac- count of the discovery of coal. The full history of the operations at that time is given in connection with county matters.
Settlers are arriving in groups every week, and settling in Deep River Township, and still there is room for more. Many German settlers are expected to arrive this season, having been encouraged by their friends.
JOHN BULLOCK, supervisor from Deep River, is one of the lead- ing men of Bay County. He was born in Otsego County, N. Y., July 3, 1826. In the year 1848 he came to Michigan, and settled in La- peer County. In 1856 he came to Bay County and worked one Winter in the Drake mill. He then located on the old Cass road, known now as the Bullock road. He engaged in farming, and re- mained there until 1867, when he moved into the village of Ports- mouth. He then spent about eighteen months South, and during 1871 he was marshal of the village of Portsmouth. In 1872 he moved to the village of Deep River, and was in the employ of A. Stevens & Co. until 1877, when he went to farming. He was mar- ried April 2, 1854, to Lucy J. Bennett, of Oakland County, Mich. They have ten children, eight of whom are now living. Mr. Bul- lock has been supervisor nine terms, and has held the office of justice of the peace since 1873.
EZRA B. MOREHOUSE, merchant, was born in Stanford, N. Y., September, 9, 1846. He went to Avon when about nine years old, and resided there twenty-two years engaged in farming. From there he removed to Fairport, thence to Batavia, and from there he came to East Saginaw, and settled in Sterling in the Spring of 1872.
He was married to Miss Harriet A. Adams, of Riga, December 18, 1865. They have had five children: Emma M., Gertrude A., Harry L. (now deceased), Royal and Lena P. Mr. Morehouse has served as township treasurer and as justice of the peace; has been postmaster ten or eleven years, and is now also serving as railroad ticket agent and agent for the Express Company, and has been con- ducting a prosperous mercantile business ever since he settled in Sterling.
STANDISH.
This township is situated on the Bay shore, and is bounded on the north by Arenac, Deep River and Lincoln, east by Saginaw Bay, south by Pinconning and Saginaw Bay, and west by Lincoln.
The Pine River, an important lumbering stream, flows across the northeast corner of the township and empties into the Saginaw Bay. The first saw mill in Bay County was built on this river by Jones & Chapell, in 1835.
The township is crossed by the state road and the Mackinaw division of the Michigan Central Railroad.
This township included the territory now in Lincoln Township - until the division in 1880.
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
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The earliest permanent settlement in the township was made by Mr. John Lentz, who built a mill at the mouth of Pine River in 1854, and has been in business there ever since. He has an ex- tensive boom at the mouth of the Pine and another at the mouth of the Saganing.
The first schoolhouse in the township was built in 1868. There are three at the present time.
There were formerly two postoffices in the township, Saganing and Horr, but both have been discontinued.
There is a Methodist Episcopal Church at Saganing, built in 1874.
Capt. J. P. Phillips has a saw mill and large real estate inter- ests on the Pine River.
Among the early settlers in the township, still remaining, are John Lentz, M. Mahoney, A. W. Williams and L. Jenny.
Saganing is a historic point, situated on the railroad in the southern portion of the township on Section Thirty-five. This was an Indian settlement until about 1871, when white families began to come. The Indians have gradually disappeared, until not more than fifty families remain.
The township is becoming rapidly settled up and highly improved. There are as fine farms in this town as anywhere in the state. Along the state road, in the vicinity of Pine River, around the mouth of the Pine, and in the neighborhood of the Arenac postoffice, there are splendid farms on which there is not a stump or stone to be met-the pine stumps having been all pulled out and converted into everlasting fences or burned. There are excellent roads in this region. The section lines are being cleared off, graded and ditched with a view to carrying off the surface water to the Bay or conducting it into the Pine. There is considerable good land for sale on very good terms in this region. The Sagan- ing region is especially desirable on account of the richness of its lands and its advantageous situation for communication with the outer world by either boat or rail.
The lumbering is about done. Most of the pine has been removed, and now lands are being settled up and improved. A few years will make a great change in the looks of the country between Au Gres and Standish. It is fast filling up with a hardy, industrious class of farmers who are making an attractive locality out of what, a few years ago, was considered a wild, rugged waste, a worthless tract of land.
The treasurer of the township is William Jennings; clerk, P. B. Cameron.
The population of the township in 1880 was 614. Total equal- ized valuation of real and personal estate in 1882, $73,470.
Number of school children in 1883, 197.
TAXES FOR 1882.
Contingent Fund $415 00
Highway Fund, 3 of 1 per cent, 1881. 457 97
Statute Labor, 66 1882 423 05
Bridge Fund . 50 00
To Pay Township Indebtedness 200 00
School District No. 1 180 00
School District No. 2
190 00
School District No. 3 ..
277 00
JOHN LENTZ was born in Bavaria, Germany; emigrated to the United States in 1846. He lived in Cleveland, Ohio, for a number of years, and in 1854 came to Arenac, Bay County, where he built a saw mill. In 1882 he built a new mill of about 3,000,000 feet capacity per season, and which he is now running. He held the office of treasurer of Arenac for two years, and was also a school inspector. The township having been divided, the part in which he was living was called Standish. He was elected super-
visor in 1881, and re-elected in 1882. He was married to Miss Mary Hager, of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1853, and they have a family of seven children.
SILAS JENNINGS, boarding house keeper, was born in England, and came with his parents to Canada, in 1832, being then about fourteen years old. He lived there until the rebellion of 1837-38, when he enlisted and served in the suppression of the outbreak until the close of the war. He was married to Miss C. Husted, October 17, 1842. She was born in England, December 9, 1819. Their children are James H., Robert T., Edward and Edwin (twins), Georgiana (now deceased) and William George. They came from Port Dover, Ontario, to Pinconning nine years ago, and to their present home in Standish, in the Fall of 1879. They have since then been conducting a commodious boarding house, in which they can lodge some twenty persons and feed all who may patronize them.
WILLIAM GEORGE JENNINGS, merchant, was born in Port Dover, Canada, August 10, 1858. He came to Pinconning, April 28, 1874. On January 13, 1878, he came to Saganing with Mr. Rhodes, of the firm of Rhodes & Jennings, of Pinconning, selected an old house for a store, and opened business for them the next day. In May, 1879, he and his brother J. H. Jennings bought the stock, and during that Summer his father built a large building on the state road for a store and boarding house, and the business was conducted by Jennings Bros. until 1880, when William purchased his brother's interest, and since then has conducted an increasingly prosperous business in general merchandise.
PINCONNING.
This is the largest township in the county. It is bounded: north, by Lincoln and Standish; east, by Saginaw Bay; south, by Fraser; and west, by county line.
The township takes its name from the Pinconning River, which was named "O-pin-nic-con-ing," meaning potato place, so named from the fact of wild potatoes being abundant in this vicinity.
EARLY MATTERS.
The oldest resident of the township is Mr. L. A. Pelkey, now proprietor of the Michigan House, in the village of Pinconning. Mr. Pelkey was born in Sebewaing, Huron Co., Mich., in 1840. He came to the mouth of the Pinconning River about 1853, and was engaged in fishing on the bay for several years. He was also at Banks, Kawkawlin and Pine River, at an early day. In 1873 he built the Michigan Hotel, which he still keeps. He was supervisor in 1876, '77, '78 and 1882, and again elected for 1883. He was treasurer of the township in 1873, and has been justice of the peace since 1874. He is one of the leading men of the township.
When Mr. Pelkey came here in 1853 there was an old water- mill near the mouth of the river which had then been operated several years. He thinks a man named Chapell owned the mill
About 1868 a man named Gulliver lumbered on the White- feather Stream. In 1869 Mr. James Lomas came there and lum- bered.
At the mouth of the Pinconning River was an Indian settle- ment. In 1869 Mr. F. G. Stark was fishing at the mouth of the river, and at that time there was the old log mission church at the Indian settlement. Mr. Stark now has a blacksmith shop in Pin- conning village, and a farm in the township.
PINCONNING VILLAGE.
The development of the township began at Pinconning village, which is situated in the southwest one-quarter of Section Twenty-
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
three, Town Seventeen north, of Range Three east. Prior to 1872 this entire region was covered with standing pine, and was swept by forest fires in the Fall of 1871. In February, 1872, George H. Van Etten and others formed a company and built a mill which was finished the following Fall. This company was organized under the name of Van Etten, Kaiser & Co., afterward changed to Van Etten, Campbell & Co., and still later to George Campbell & Co.
The firm of Van Etten, Kaiser & Co., platted about 100 acres lying upon the east and west sides of the railroad, and laid it out into village lots. The names of the streets running north and south were Waters, Warren, Kaiser, Manitou and Van Etten; and those running east and west, were numbered from one to six. These names have not been changed.
A large store was started, a postoffice established and prepara- tions made for extensive business operations.
PINCONNING AND KAISERVILLE RAILROAD.
One of the enterprises carried out by the company was the building of a tram railway from the Jackson, Lansing & Saginaw Railroad westward to the county line. This was done in 1873, and the enterprise was described at the time as follows:
"Among the various important enterprises for the development of the country which have been inaugurated and carried to com- pletion during the past year, is that of the building of the Pincon- ning and Kaiserville Railroad, from Pinconning, on the J. L. & S. Railroad, to a point on the head waters of the Kawkawlin River, in Town Sixteen north, Range Three east, Bay County, has been least talked of, and yet, most successfully completed. This road has been built by Van Etten, Kaiser & Co., of Pinconning, and has been built upon the tram road principle, although operated by locomotive power. The road is eleven miles in length, running the entire length through the lands of the firm, and is intended to bring the timber on its line to the mills at Pinconning, as well as to convey the lum- ber from the new mill recently erected by the company at the vil- lage of Kaiser, the western termination of the road; contiguous to which, and to the line of the road the company have 16,000 acres of pine land, estimated to cut 100,000,000 of timber, in addition to which, it is thought that 50,000,000 of timber belonging to other parties, will, by necessity, become tributary to the road. The road has been built by "gaining flatted" timber into heavy ties or logs, by this means gaining a level grade. To these timbers, which form the track bed, 3x5 hard maple rails have been pinned, forming a cheap and excellent road, over which the locomotive draws from three to six loaded cars, at a speed of from eight to twelve miles per hour. Running light, the engine with two cars has made twenty miles per hour over the track, which proves to be all that its projectors claim or expect of it. The cost of the road has been about $2,000 per mile. It is the intention of the proprietors to continue the eastern end of the track to the Bay, three miles from Pinconning, where docks will be constructed for the shipment of the large amounts of lumber which their own two extensive mills, and others projected-one, the Harbeck mill, now running-near the line of the road, will require facilities for shipment. Proposi- tions have been made to extend the road to Midland, which is about eleven miles south of the village of Kaiserville, by which means connection will be made with the F. & P. M. Ry., and the advan- tages secured of shipping facilities and competition rates with two railroads and the lake.
"The effect of the building of the Pinconning & Kaiserville Rail- road, is already seen in the growth of the new village of Kaiserville, and the development of the hitherto wild country surrounding it. Supplies are being taken over the road for lumber camps on the head waters of the Tittabawassee and other Rivers, and we may
safely close our remarks on this subject by saying that the new road will prove of as great advantage in the development of the new country on the west side of Bay and east side of Midland Counties, as have any of the more pretentious roads hitherto constructed."
In 1875 the road was extended to the Bay, and the name changed to the "Glencoe, Pinconning & Lake Shore" Railroad.
In 1877 the direction of the road was changed so that it extended into Towns Seventeen, Eighteen and Nineteen north, of Range Three east. The name was also changed to the "Pinconning Railroad."
In 1880 the road was purchased by other parties, and the name again changed to the "Saginaw Bay & Northwestern Railroad."
In 1883 it was bought by the Michigan Central Company, and is now operated as one of their branches.
Extensive lumbering operations have been carried on along the line of this road, and there is still remaining a large amount of standing pine in the region traversed by it. There are, at the pres- ent time, five shingle mills on its line in Town Seventeen north, of Range Three east.
PINCONNING MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
This company was organized in January, 1883. The officers are as follows: President, William Mercer; Vice President, E. A. Cooley; Secretary and Treasurer, C. V. Plummer. This company is practically successor of the original founders of Pinconning. Two saw mills were built at different times, both of which burned. Geo. Campbell & Co. built a planing mill, and in 1877 that firm was succeeded by J. H. Plummer, who turned the saw mill into a saw and shingle mill, and operated them until the present company was organized, in which Mr. Plummer is interested. In the Win- ter of 1883 the company built a planing mill, which is now in opera - tion. They manufacture about 6,000,000 feet of lumber, and about 4,000,000 shingles a season, and employ about fifty men. The affairs of the company are in the hands of enterprising men who are infusing new life into the growth of the village.
WILLIAM MERCER, President of the company. has been identi- fied with the interests of Bay County since 1863. He was born in Scotland in 1833, and emigrated to Canada in 1849. In 1863 he located in Bay City, where he still resides. He was city surveyor of Bay City for some time, and most of the early improvements were made under his direction. He was also engaged in lumbering. He first came to Pinconning to lay out the work of the first mill built in 1872. In 1877 he had charge of the rebuilding of the railroad, and was Superintendent of the road until 1879. From that time until the Fall of 1882 he was chief engineer of the Quincy, Vandalia & Eastern Railway in Illinois. In the Winter of 1883 the organization of the present company was effected, as before stated. Mr. Mercer has a wife and eight children, and his residence is still in Bay City. He is a man of great energy and enterprise, and is doing much to build up the village of Pinconning.
HOTELS.
The village is well supplied with accommodations for the trav- eling public, there being two excellent hotels and a restaurant.
The Michigan House is a large and substantial building, and was built by Mr. L. A. Pelkey, its present proprietor, in 1873. It is well furnished, and does a good business.
The Pinconning House was built by J. H. Whitney and James Powrie in 1876, and kept by them about a year. It was then con- verted into a store room, and used for that purpose a year. Then it was again fitted up as a hotel and kept by James Decker. He was succeeded by Henry Beeching, who kept it until May, 1883, when James Powrie returned to Pinconning, and is now keeping the house, and is doing a good business.
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HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.
Geo. Cain has a restaurant which is first class in every respect, and well patronized.
THE BIG STORE.
The pioneer mercantile establishment of the village is the store of Mr. C. H. Rhodes. The building was erected and the store started by the mill company of Van Etten, Kaiser & Co., in 1872. It was run by the mill company until 1875 when Mr. C. H. Rhodes bought out the store, and still continues the business. This is the largest mercantile establishment in the county outside of the two cities, and does a business aggregating upwards of $100,000 an- nually.
PINCONNING STAVE WORKS.
These works were built in 1882, by Mr. J. H. Plummer, and in October, of that year, purchased by W. H. Ford, of Chicago, and W. H. Malone, of Pinconning. They employ about twenty-five men, and do a large business. Mr. Malone, the resident partner, has charge of the business.
CHURCH SOCIETIES.
The first church established in the township was the Indian mission church at the mouth of the river. In the village are two societies at the present time, Methodist Episcopal and Presbyterian.
The M. E. society was organized in 1876, by Rev. R. L. Cope, with eighteen members. The pastors since Mr. Cope have been Revs. Evans, Thomas McGee, A. Crane, Tuttle, and C. L. Curch. The society has about ten members at the present time. The trustees are C. H. Rhodes, S. Clark, M. R. Hartwell, R. C. Bartlett, L. Smith, Z. Marquette and H. Randall. A new church building has just been commenced.
. The Presbyterian society was organized in 1881 with nineteen members. The pastor was Rev. D. Shoop. The membership is about the same at the present time. The trustees are William Mercer, S. R. Hoobler, J. Henderson; elders :- A. McLoud, Wil- liam Malone and J. Henderson. Pastor, Rev. J. DeVine. This society is also preparing to build a church building.
SOCIETIES.
Pinconning Lodge No. 477, I.O.G.T., was organized in August, 1882, with twelve charter members. Meetings are held at the schoolhouse every Tuesday evening. There are now sixty members, and the lodge is in a flourishing condition. The present officers are as follows :- W.C.T., M. R. Hartwell; W.V.T., Mrs. Humphrey; P.W.C.T., T. Drake; chaplain, Mrs. T. Drake; F.S., T. H. Cliff; treasurer, R. C. Bartlett; secretary, Walter Ferguson.
Mercer Council No. 54, Order of Chosen Friends, was organ- ized in the Spring of 1883, with forty-three members. The officers are as follows :- P.C.C., W. Mercer; C.C., D. McDougall; V.C.C., C. L. Bingham; secretary, M. R. Hartwell; treasurer, Edward Jennings; med. ex., W. B. Abbott; P., Mrs. Geo. Bond; marshal, Walter Ferguson; warden, Mrs. D. McDougall; guard, J. H. Whit- ney; sentry, F. G. Starks; trustees, T. H. Cliff, E. B. Chamber- lain, C. L. Bingham.
SCHOOL.
The village is in School District Number Two, and the school- house was built in 1875. Prior to that time there was a school kept in a small frame building, now used as a dwelling. The school is taught by Mr. M. R. Hartwell, an excellent instructor, who has taught in the township since 1875, and five years in this district. Mr. Hartwell is a native of Macomb County, Mich., and has been teaching since 1871. He is a member of the county board of exam- iners, and is recognized as one of the successful teachers of the county. The number of pupils enrolled in this district is ninety-six, and the average attendance is fifty-eight.
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