USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume II > Part 29
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Mr. and Mrs. Langdon are members of the Methodist Episcopal
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church of Lulu, Michigan, and he is a member of the board of trustees. They have been active in all the good works of the church for years and are among its most valued members. In his political persuasion, Mr. Langdon is a Democrat, and he has always taken an active part in town- ship and county politics. He has served his township as clerk and supervisor on various occasions, and his son, Stephen, was commissioner of schools of Monroe county for two terms. His life, on the whole, has been one whose influence has been of a distinctly progressive turn, and now that he has retired from actual farming operations, he is still reckoned among the leaders in his community.
JOSIAH M. ELDER. Among men everywhere there must always be leaders. Persons not naturally demonstrative to too great a degree, with a high regard for the rights of others, and possessing proper ideas as to the best means of advancing the interests of their communities, are doubtless best fitted for leadership. They do not always attain to that position, but when they do their very character serves as a guar- antee that the tasks intrusted to them will be well and faithfully per- formed, and that portion of the world which comes under their influ- ence will be bettered in its conditions because of their services. An acknowledged leader in the business, social and political life of Peters- burg, Monroe county, is Josiah M. Elder, retired merchant and farmer, veteran of the Civil war, president of the village board of trustees and self-made man, who was born in Wood county, Ohio, January 1. 1848, a son of John and Mary (Morehouse) Elder.
Joseph Elder, the grandfather of Josiah M., was of Scotch birth, and came to the United States at an early day, settling in Pennsylvania, where his son John was born in 1805. The latter removed to Perrys- burg, Ohio, in 1825, was there married and spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits in Wood county. He was a prominent and influential Republican, served in various minor township and county offices, and for some time was sheriff of Wood county. He was the father of seven children, four daughters and three sons, the latter all serving in the Union army during the Civil war, and one, Martin Elder, losing his life in battle. In 1912, five of the children were still living.
Josiah M. Elder was the youngest of the family, and was reared on his father's farm, attending the district schools until he was fifteen years of age, at which time he enlisted in Company E, 179th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war in the Twenty-third Army Corps, under the command of General Thomas, and participating in numerous engagements, including the battles of Nash- ville and Franklin. On his return to Wood county, Ohio, the young sol- dier resumed the occupation of a farmer, and remained in his native community until 1867, at which time he came to visit his sisters. who had preceded him to Monroe county, Michigan. A penniless youth, he possessed the far more valuable capital of brains, energy and perse- verance, and, seeing the opportunities offered him, settled down to make a place for himself among his new community's substantial men. For twenty years he was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Dundee township, but subsequently disposed of the farm which he had cleared
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there and moved to Petersburg, embarking in the clothing business under the firm name of J. M. Elder & Son. He also owns twenty acres of land in Summerfield township, and in 1902 erected what is known as the Elder Block, at the corner of Saline and Center streets in Petersburg. He has been prominent in Grand Army circles, at present serving his four- teenth year as commander of Morgan Parker Post No. 281, and was appointed by the board of supervisors to look after the Soldiers and Sailors Burial Fund. In politics a stalwart Republican, he has been justice of the peace for one term, and at present is acting in the capacity of president of the village board.
On July 4, 1868, Mr. Elder was united in marriage with Miss Emily Trumble, and five children were born to this union: Ada M., the wife of Robert Rowe, of Western Ohio; Alfred O., a prominent clothier of Petersburg, who was for many years his father's partner; Rev. Martin P., a Methodist Episcopal minister of the state of Washington, who enlisted as a private in Company D, Thirty-fifth Michigan Volunteers, during the Spanish-American war, and was promoted to the rank of quartermaster ; and Ellen and Edward E., who are single and reside at home. Mrs. Elder died March 2, 1889, and on September 25, 1890, Mr. Elder was married to Mary Lister, who was born and reared in Michi- gan. Two children have been born to them: Elma A., born in 1900; and George J., March 9, 1902.
Mr. Elder is conceded to be one of the foremost and most influential men of his community. From his long association with publie and business affairs in Monroe county, he has been familiar with the various stages of its development, and in no small measure is the present condition of the county due to his active interest and energetic manage- ment of matters within his own field of labor.
THOMAS C. ALCOCK. The realty interests of any wide-awake, pro- gressive community are very valuable, and those engaged in the devel- opment and upbuilding of various sections are not only advaneing their own affairs, but are proving public benefactors. One of the live men of Monroe county who is engaged in this line of work is Thomas C. Alcock, of Petersburg, who is also carrying on farming and possesses the pecu- liar talents that are necessary to make up the successful auctioneer. Mr. Alcock was born on a farm in Bedford township, Monroe county, Michigan, August 9, 1864, and is a son of William and Ann (Midwinter) Alcock.
William Alcock was born February 2, 1828, in Gloustershire, Eng- land, and died August 30, 1878, while his wife, who was born Decem- ber 10, 1829, survived until November 3, 1904. They were the parents of a family of five children, of whom four are living, namely : Anna E., who is the wife of A. J. Shepherd; Eliza A., the wife of Arthur Bunst, of Temperance, Michigan; Mary A., the wife of Ed Sellick, of Toledo, Ohio; and Thomas C.
Thomas C. Alcock was reared to agricultural pursuits, his boyhood being spent on a farm in Bedford township, where he attended the dis- trict schools until he was about fourteen years of age. At that time the death of his father made it necessary that he assist in the support of the
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family, and he took charge of the home farm, continuing as its super- intendent until his mother's demise in 1904, when he began operating his own farm, a tract of sixty-five acres, located in section 8, Bedford township. In addition to carrying on general farming, he has dealt extensively in contracting, being well informed as to realty values in Monroe county, and is a popular auctioneer, having for many years car- ried on successful sales in various parts of the county. In political matters a Republican, he served one year as highway commissioner of Bedford township, and in various ways has helped to promote and carry to a successful conclusion movements calculated to be of benefit to his community. He holds a preacher's license in the Wesleyan Methodist church, is superintendent of the Bedford township Sunday school, and is known as an active and faithful church worker.
On August 30, 1885, Mr. Alcock was united in marriage with Miss Eva M. Sellick, who was born in Coldwater, Branch county, Michigan, October 20, 1861, the daughter of Joel Sellick. She received her edu- cation in the public and district schools of her native vicinity, and is a lady of culture and refinement. Mr. and Mrs. Alcock have a family of five children, namely : Mabel, who was born June 24, 1886; Susie, born September 11, 1888; Earl, born in Toledo, Ohio, July 3, 1893; Charley, born March 12, 1903, and Helen, born September 3, 1906. The children are being given good educational advantages, fitting them for whatever position awaits them in life, and are being well brought up to habits of in- dustry and integrity. The family is well known throughout this part of the county, where its members all have many warm personal friends.
EDWIN E. NOGAR, of the firm of R. H. Nogar & Son, blacksmiths and stone road contractors, of Temperance, Monroe county, Michigan, is classed among the representative citizens of his town.
Mr. Nogar is a native of the Empire State. He was born at Camp- belltown, Steuben county, New York, February 25, 1861, son of R. H. and Ruth (Reed) Nogar, both of New York birth. R. H. Nogar was born in Schoharie county, July 6, 1835; his wife, born in 1838, died in 1892. A few years after their marriage, which took place in Steuben county, they moved to Niagara county, New York, and from there, in March, 1875, came to Michigan, settling at Carlton, Monroe county, whence they subsequently moved to Dundee, Michigan, and still later came from there to Temperance. For a number of years he was engaged in lumbering and also worked at the trade of millwright, but for the past several years he has been associated with his son in the business above indicated. He is the father of six children-Mariah, wife of C. H. Bodine; Edwin E., the direct subject of this sketch; P. W., who married Miss Nina Hunkaford, and lives in Toledo, Ohio; Corey, who has been twice married, first to Amy Merritt, and, second, to Emma Gee; Mertie, wife of J. Abby, and Arthur, whose first wife, Peral (Thorm) Nogar, is deceased, and whose second wife is Florence Heckle.
When the Nogar family came to Michigan, Edwin E. was fourteen years of age. He had attended school in New York, and after their re- moval to this state he went to school for a time at Carlton. His educa- tional advantages, however, were limited, for at an early age he began
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to assist his father in the mill. Returning east, he worked for a time in the oil fields. Then he came back to Michigan and learned the black- smith trade at Detroit, subsequently working at his trade at Dundee and other places. Finally, in 1902, he took up his abode at Temperance, where he is associated with his father.
In August, 1888, Mr. Nogar and Miss Mary E. Newsome were united in marriage. Mrs. Nogar is a native of Detroit, Michigan, born Janu- ary 16, 1862, and, like her husband, is quiet and unassuming. Having no children of their own, they adopted a child, June 12, 1902,-Clayton A., son of Mr. Nogar's brother Arthur.
Mr. Nogar is a member in good standing of Samaria Lodge, No. 438, A. F. & A. M., and his vote at the polls is straight Republican. He has never been active in politics nor has he aspired to public office.
DAVID H. HOOVER, who operates a farm of 220 acres in Bed- ford township, Monroe county, Michigan, is well known through- out the county as a breeder of fine stock. As a prosperous farmer and stock man and as one of the leading citizens of his community, personal mention of him fits naturally into the biographical record of the men and women of his day and place.
David H. Hoover was born in Erie township, Monroe county, Michi- gan, May 20, 1867, son of Isaac and Sarah (Rauch) Hoover, the former a native of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, the latter of Erie township, Monroe county, Michigan. Mrs. Sarah Hoover is still living, a resident of this county. In their family are five children: Allen, David H., Franklin, Samuel and Jacob.
Mr. Hoover's father being a farmer, he early became familiar with all kinds of farm work, and on reaching man's estate chose this line of occupation for his life work. While carrying on general farming and stock raising, he specializes on the breeding of Holstein cattle, keeping high grade stock, all registered, his herd at this time numbering forty- six head.
Mr. Hoover has been twice married. His first wife, who before her marriage was Minnie Pickard, died in February, 1905, leaving five children, all still living: Keith, Burr, Irma, Letha and Coy. For his second wife he married Miss Catharine Roe, by whom he has two chil- dren, Dorothy and Carlisle.
Upright and honorable in his dealings and withal possessing a pleas- ing personality, Mr. Hoover enjoys high standing in the estimation of his fellow citizens. He is aligned with the principles of the Republican party, and cast his first presidential vote for Pres. Benj. Harrison.
EDWARD H. HUBBARD. Mr. Hubbard's forefathers have been among the makers of Michigan, his paternal grandfather, Joel Hubbard having come to Michigan from Canada at a very early date, at which time he kept a hotel at Erie in this state; and his maternal grandfather, Levi Lewis, had settled near Erie in 1832, later buying two hundred acres of land in Bedford township at $3.00 per acre. Anna Lewis, daughter of the latter, was married to Joel Hubbard, father of the subject of this narrative, and three children were born to them, of whom two-
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Charles and Edward-are still living. The natal day of Edward HI. Hubbard was November 17, 1862, and his birthplace was the farm which he now owns and on which he resides. As he grew from childhood to man's estate he mingled a filial apprenticeship to agricultural pur- suits with an attitude of interest toward educational matters. After completing his attendance at the district school, he pursued further study in Toledo, Ohio.
Believing that no life work could be so congenial to him as that time honored vocation which lies in God's out-of-doors, he began farming, winning as his companion Miss Blanche Weeks, to whom he was united on January 4, 1884. She was the daughter of Elisha and Elizabeth (Kirkland) Weeks, both originally of New York state; they were the parents of eight children, of whom six are living at the time of the compilation of this volume. Like her husband, Mrs. Hubbard was brought up amid the surroundings of a farm home and her education was pursued in the Monroe county schools.
The children of this family were four in number, of whom three- all sons-are still living. Joel, who was born on August 28, 1889, is a graduate of the district school and is now engaged as a laborer; Roy E., born May 6, 1893, after passing from the eighth grade of the common schools, spent three years in the high school of Monroe; Winfred, born November 30, 1894, is also a graduate from the eighth grade of the dis- trict school, and now a student in the third year, Monroe high school. Sammie, the second son, died aged 9 years.
The son Joel is a member of the Masonic lodge at Samaria. In politics, Mr. Hubbard claims allegiance to the Democratic party, though he is not strenuously active in political affairs. He and his wife are both affable and highly respected and the modern home which graces their farm is an attractive place. Their property of eighty acres lies in section 2 of Bedford township.
GEORGE R. KINNEY, the genial and obliging postmaster of Temper- ance, Michigan, was born on his father's farm in Bedford township, Monroe county, Michigan, September 10, 1866, son of Isaac and Elnor (Elliott) Kinney, and one of a family of five children, namely : Malissa, wife of Albert Collins of Bedford township; William of Temperance; Henry, deceased; Elizabeth, wife of William Elliott of Bedford town- ship, and George R.
George R. remained on the farm, working for his father until he reached his twenty-third year, his educational advantages being limited to the district schools of the neighborhood, which he attended till he was about sixteen. On leaving the farm, he came to Temperance and en- gaged in general merchandising, which he has continued up to the present time, and in connection with which he has also conducted a fire insurance business.
He has always been an active Republican, prominent in local affairs, and has filled several minor offices, including those of township clerk and treasurer. He was appointed to the position of postmaster of Tem- perance in 1890, and his long term of service, covering a period of twenty-two years, is evidence of faithfulness and efficiency.
WILLIAM F. SCHMIDT
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Mr. Kinney married, September 15, 1886, Miss Salina I. Cowell, a native of Lucas county, Ohio, born March 27, 1862; and they are the parents of four children : Myrtle M., clerk in the post office; and Opal F., Gladys R. and Irvin W.
Fraternally, Mr. Kinney is identified with Lambertville Lodge, No. 467, I. O. O. F., and also has membership in the Encampment of that place.
WILLIAM F. SCHMIDT. As one of the representative merchants of his native city of Monroe, where he is engaged in the dry-goods business, Mr. Schmidt is well entitled to consideration in this publication, in which is accorded specific recognition of a large number of the leading business men of Monroe county. Mr. Schmidt has won success through his own well ordered efforts and his entire business career has been one of close identification with mercantile interests in Monroe, while he has so directed his course as to merit and receive the unqualified confidence and esteem of the people of his native county, and has in various ways given evidence of his progressive and civic spirit and his loyal interest in public affairs of a local order.
Mr. Schmidt was born in the city of Monroe on the 26th of June, 1862. and is a son of Michael J. and Mary (Beck) Schmidt, of whose six children he was the second in order of birth. Of the other children, three sons and one daughter are now living. Michael J. Schmidt was born and reared in Germany, where he received good educational ad- vantages and where he also served an apprenticeship to the trade of carpenter. Soon after his emigration from Germany to America, he came to Michigan and established his home in Monroe, where he was engaged in the carpenter business for some time. He continued to be thus occupied until his death, which took place when he was but forty- nine years of age. His devoted wife, who survived him for some years and died at the age of sixty-one, was also a native of Germany, and a daughter of George Beek, who came from Germany in young manhood and became numbered among the pioneer farmers of Monroe county. He secured a farm three miles south of the city of Monroe, and there he died about a year after he had located, his wife surviving him by a number of years, and dying at the age of ninety years in Monroe. Joseph Schmidt, the paternal grandfather of the subject, died in Germany when he was sixty-five years of age, and the grandmother came to America with her son, Michael. She died in Monroe, after having reached the age of eighty-four years. Both were devout members of the German Lutheran church, as were also the parents of Mr. Schmidt of this review.
William F. Schmidt gained his rudimentary education in the Luth- eran parochial schools of Monroe and later availed himself of the advan- tages of the public schools of Monroe. Thereafter he was identified with the work of the home farm for a year, at the expiration of which time he returned to Monroe and secured a position as clerk in the mercantile establishment of John M. Bulkley. in whose employ he continued for five years. During the ensuing eighteen years after his association with Mr. Bulkley, he was first a valued and popular salesman in the dry-goods
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store of Edward J. Lauer. Mr. Schmidt severed his connection with the firm in 1898 and entered into an association with Mr. I. S. Har- rington, under the firm name of Harrington & Schmidt. The firm conducted a prosperous business on Monroe street, dry-goods, carpets and ready to wear garments, etc., constituting their stock. They re- mained for five years in that location, then moved to their present loca- tion, and in 1910 Mr. Schmidt purchased the interest of his partner in the business, and he has since continued with his two eldest sons as his popular and efficient associates in the work. The well appointed store of the firm of W. D. Schmidt & Sons is situated at 11 Washington street, in a substantial three story brick building, 24 by 150 feet. in dimensions. The first floor and a portion of the second floor are util- ized for the accommodation of the stock and business of the firm of W. F. Schmidt & Sons, the remainder of the second floor being the quarters of the city library, while the third floor is devoted to lodge rooms of various fraternal organizations. The firm of which Mr. Schmidt is the executive head controls a large and substantial trade and caters to a representative and appreciative patronage. The stock in all lines is maintained at a high standard and the establishment has a high reputation for effective service and for fair and honorable deal- ings. The brief record here incorporated bears evidence that Mr. Schmidt has been one of the world's productive workers, and his sub- stantial success has been the direct result of his own efforts, as he began his business career with a merely nominal capital, and that earned by himself. Close application and careful business methods have marked his course, and his sterling attributes of character have given him secure place in popular confidence and esteem.
In politics Mr. Schmidt is found arrayed as a stanch supporter of the cause of the Republican party, and while he has never been ambitious for public office, he has often been approached with propositions of that nature, all of which he has declined. He and his family are communi- cants of Trinity Lutheran church and he is a liberal and zealous sup- porter of the various departments of church work, both general and local. He is treasurer of the Aid Association for Lutherans, which maintains its official headquarters at Appleton, Wisconsin, and for twelve years he has been a member of the board of trustees of the Altenheim.
On May 22, 1889, Mr. Schmidt was united in marriage with Miss Frederica Naegel, who was born and reared in Monroe county, and who is the adopted daughter of the late Karl Naegel, one of the highly honored citizens of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt have four'chil- dren : Harold F., Walter H., Clara W. and William H. All of the children have been given excellent educational advantages and the two elder sons are associated with their father in business, as already noted in a previous paragraph. The family home is located at No. 356 Wash- ington street, and is known for its generous and unostentatious hos- pitality.
DWIGHT W. SORTOR. Very rarely is a young man of the present generation gifted with the patience to undertake the task of winning
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a farm for his own solely through his unaided efforts and by means of his slowly gathering savings. The modern habit of rushing into sal- aried positions was fortunately less general at the time when Monroe county was settled. Among her faithful and persevering knights of the plow is Dwight W. Sortor, the owner of 140 acres of fine land, all of which has come into his possession through his own efforts, save a small amount left him by his father. Elisha Sortor was a native of New York state, who transferred his home to Dundee, Michigan, when a young man, and who married Elmira Taughton of Monroe county, Michigan. Their children are six in number, four of them having sur- vived their parents. One daughter, Martha, is the wife of John Lord; another, Emma, is Mrs. Ben Herington, of Sac, California; George, a son, is also married, and is a resident of New York; the details of the life of Dwight Sortor, who was born October 29, 1855, will be noted at length.
His juvenile years were spent in Dundee, where he doubtless knew all the joys and sorrows that are the universal experience of a free- hearted American boy's existence. His school years in the district insti- tutions of learning were extended to his eighteenth year. From then until he was twenty he worked as a farm assistant, with his father as his employer, thus enjoying the comforts of home, granting his parents the satisfaction of his society, and at the same time saving his earnings as well as gathering experience. When he began farming independently he founded a home, over which Miss Phoebe Grassley, a native of Lena- wee county, Michigan, consented to preside as Mrs. Sortor. Her birth and her education in the rural schools had taken place in the same locality.
Mr. and Mrs. Sortor are the parents of one son, Claude B., who in 1883, was married to Miss Pearl Clink of Logansport, Indiana.
The subject of our sketch is a Republican in theory and practice, although he disclaims any predilection for political arguments or for office-seeking. He is an esteemed member of the K. O. T. M., in which organization he carries insurance. Modest and retiring by nature, Mr. Sortor is marked by the valuable qualities of the quiet and intention- ally inconspicuous citizen, who wins and deserves universal respect.
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