History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume I, Part 68

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 962

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Emil A. Herrig, M. D., one of the leading physicians of Saginaw City, was born in Germany in 1840, where lie received his educa- tion, attending several colleges and universities, finally graduating at the Royal Medical University at Berlin, in March, 1866. After practicing for a short time he entered the Prussian army during their war with Austria, and was after some time promoted to rank as Surgeon. At the close of the war he returned to Berlin, where he continued his practice. The succeeding two years he was act- ing assistant to some of the leading professors in the great hos- pitals. He emigrated to the United States in the summer of 1869, and settled at Fond du Lac, Wis., where he remained until he came to Saginaw, in May, 1871. Heis now one of the most successful men in his profession, and has been connected with different enterprises of the city for years. He has been a member of the Board of Health for nearly three years, and its President and Health Officer for about two years, declining the office December, 1880. For one year he acted as city physician, and is a member of the Teutonia Society, founded in August, 1858. He was President of that society for three years, and has been one of the Board of Directors for nine years. In several of the best secret societies lie holds high positions.

Bernhard Herrig, wholesale and retail grocer, on Water street, between Court and Adams, is a native of Germany. He came to Saginaw in 1849, on the steamer " Huron," and was one week on the way from Detroit to Saginaw. There was but one house in Bay

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City at that time, and there was no East Saginaw. Saginaw had but one street, which was Water street. Mr. Herrig established a grocery store in 1859, with $500 capital. His sales amount to $45,000 annually. Mr. H. is the father of 5 children, of whom 4 are living, 2 boys and 2 girls.

Peter Herrig, manufacturer of lath, staves and heading (by cou- tract), in Hardin, Phunmer & Co.'s mill, was born in Germany, Oct. 22, 1848, but was brought by his parents to Saginaw the same year. His father, Nicholas Herrig, was a farmer and merchant here for many years, and died Aug. 14, 1880. They resided on a farm in the early days, where wild game was abundant. Some of of the family have stood in the door of their dwelling and shot deer. Mr. Herrig was married May 1, 1874, to Miss Anna Gan- shaw, by whom he has 1 child, Bertha, born May 28, 1875. Mr. Herrig is master of the Germania Masonic Lodge, in Saginaw.

Christian Hessler was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, July 23, 1837, where he was brought up until he was 18 years of age, when he went to Canada, July 23, 1855. He was there nearly three years, and then went to Lake Superior, remaining there three years. At the breaking out of the war in 1861 he entered the army in July, and served until its close, in 1865. He participated in the battles of the Wilderness, Gettysburg, Fredricksburg, Cold Harbor and other smaller engagements. At the battle of Cold Harbor, June 2, 1864, he was wounded and taken to the hospital, where he was confined for eight months. He was at Appomattox Court-House at the surrender of Lee, and was discharged at Jef- fersonville, Ind., July 8, 1865. The same year he came to Sagi- naw county, and was three years in Bridgeport, where he worked in a saw-mill. He then went to Buffalo, N. Y., and was married Jan. 12, 1868, to Christina Riedt, a native of Germany. He re- turned to Saginaw with his wife and opened a restaurant and saloon, in the old Lutheran church, where three years afterward, in 1871, he bought his present property on the corner of Fayette and Adams streets. He is the father of 7 children, 5 daughters and 2 sons, residing at home. Mr. Hessler was one of the first organizers of the Arbeiter society, and has been a member of the Teutonia society since 1868.

H. L. Hildreth, general dealer in mill supplies and salt-work fittings, and manufacturer's agent for W. C. Allison, Philadelphia, Pa., and R. Hoe & Co., New York, was born in Lockport, N. Y., March 11, 1841. Mr. Hildreth came to Saginaw in 1864, and started a small machine shop. This soon becoming inadequate, in 1866 he built the Saginaw Iron Works. Sold out in 1868 and returned to Lockport and kept agricultural implements for two years. He then returned to Saginaw as traveling agent for D. H. Jerome & Co., which position he held for six years. Mr. Hildreth is a mechanical engineer of rare ability. He has received patents on several machines which he has invented. During the agitation of the Detroit river tunnel question, he devised a plan which he

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submitted to one of the committee, who pronounced it the best he had seen. He was instrumental in having a test salt well bored at St. Louis, Mich., which was most successful. In 1866 he married Miss Emily A. Schaeffer, also of Lockport. They have 2 sons.

J. A. Himmelspach, manufacturer of fine cigars and dealer iu tobaccos and smoking articles of all kinds. The factory was opened in June, 1878, and is now located on Water street. Mr. Himmel- spach employs froin three to four inen, and gives the business his entire personal attention. During the year 1880 he turned ont 177,000 cigars. He is a native of Waterloo Co., Canada, where he was born in 1853, and is a son of George and Mary Himmel- spach. He was brought up in Canada, and learned his trade there. In 1872 he came to Saginaw City, where he is now doing a pros- perous business.

Geo. Hogan, born in Ireland in 1834, and came to America in 1851. He settled at Albany, N. Y., and learned the trade of saw- making, remaining there until 1863, when he went to Pennsylvania and was engaged in the works at Pittsburg, for Lippincott & Co., and Henry Disson, of Philadelphia, large manufacturers of saws. He came to Saginaw June 2, 1866, where he has been engaged in business ever since. He was Chaplain of the Home Relief Lodge, No. 836, Knights of Honor, up to August, 1881, and is representa- tive to the Grand Lodge of the State. Also, Financial Secretary of the Knights and Ladies of Honor, which society was organized May 7, 1880. Mr. Hogan was married Dec. 31, 1862, at Troy, N. Y., to Miss Mary McCreary, a native of Cohoes, that State, and they have 2 children living and 2 deceased.

J. W. Houston, M. D., was born in Calhoun county, Mich ., Aug. 4, 1855, son of John aud Hannah (Whitney) Houston. His father was a native of Hanover, N. H., and his mother of Stillwater, N. Y. He was brought up in Calhoun county on a farm, and received his early education in district schools, and at the age of 16 years entered the high school at Marshall, where he graduated in 1875. While attending to his literary course he began the study of medicine with J. H. Montgomery, M. D., of Marshall, and entered the Michigan University at Ann Arbor in the fall of 1875 and graduated in June, 1877. Dr. Houston is well liked by all that know him, and as a physician is meeting with good success. He was married Dec. 25, 1878, to Minnie G. Ingersoll, a native of Marshall, Mich. They have 1 son, Earle. Dr. Houston makes a specialty of catarrhial, throat and lung diseases, in which he has more than ordinary success.

William Hudson, lumberman, Saginaw City, was born at Kings- tou, Canada, Jan. 8, 1844, and is a son of John Hudson. He came to this city in 1865, and the first year was employed by A. W. Wright; two years for Newton & Nobels, and the same length of time for Hill Bros. He then engaged in business for himself, and, in com- pany with Robert Louden, has driven logs on the Chippewa during the springs of 1879, '80 and '81. He was married in 1871 to

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Elizabeth Green. The fruit of this union is 3 ehildren-Charlotte M., Fanny L., and William R.

John L. Jackson, manufacturer of steam-engines, salt-well and mill machinery, eastings, brass and composition boxes, Saginaw City. This well-known foundry is situated on the corner of Water and Jefferson streets, and was erected in 1880, and $5,000 has been subsequently expended in added improvements. The cost of the machinery was $8,000 making a total cost of$13,000. Employment is given to 22 men-two in the blacksmith shop, seven in the foundry, two in the pattern rooms, and 11 in the machine shop. Mr. Jackson was born in Saginaw county, Aug. 19, 1855, and is a son of Thomas L. and Veroniea (Blatz) Jackson. residing in Sag- inaw City. He received his edueation in this eounty, and at the age of 19 years learned the trade to which he has so sueeessfully applied himself. On Jan. 1, 1881, at St. Louis, Mich., he was united in marriage to Sadie Sınith, a native of Michigan.

Thomas L. Jackson, grocery and provision dealer, Flat-Iron bloek, Saginaw, was born in Amsterdam, Holland, of English parents, Sept. 16, 1825. At the age of 13 he became a eabin boy on a vessel that sailed to the East Indies. He came to Ameriea as seeond mate of the "Angelique" under the noted Captain Samuel Samuels; and in 1852, beeame Captain of the brig, "Henry Nason."

His last voyage was from New York to the Gulf of Mexico. In 1853 he came to this eounty, purchased a farin about five miles west of Saginaw, and farmed until 1864, when he was elected Treasurer of Saginaw county. This offiee he held for two years, when he engaged in the grocery business on Water street. In 1869 he purchased the ground, and ereeted part of the Flat-Iron bloek, at the junetion of Cross Road and Washington street, where he keeps a full line of everything usually kept in a first-elass gro- eery and provision store.

Ile was married in 1853, to Miss Veroniea Blatz, by whom he has had 3 children; of these but 1 is living; viz .: Jolin L., of Saginaw, and a patron of this work.

Mr. Jackson has an adopted daughter, Mary. He was Superin- tendent of the County Poor for 10 years, and was chairman of the Board of Water Works for six years.

Thos. M. James was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 27, 1837, and is a son of Charles W. James. He was educated in Kenyon College, at Gambier, Knox Co., Ohio. He then read law in Cin- einnati with Hon. Henry Stanberry. Entered the firm of Stallo & Tafel, forming a partnership with them under the firm name of Stallo, Tafel & James. He remained in this firm for three years, when, in 1864, he eame to East Saginaw and practiced law there until 1881. He, however, removed his family to Saginaw in 1870. He has filled the offices of Cireuit Court Commissioner for Saginaw eounty for two terms; Register in Bankruptey since 1873, and is now City Attorney for Saginaw City; was married in 1862 to Miss Catharine Brown, of Mount Vernon, Ohio. They have 3 children- Catharine, Benjamin S. and Sarah P.

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

Mrs. C. Jasperson, dealer in embroidery and embroidered ma- terials, stamping and designing, worsteds, etc. The house was opened in December, 1879. She handles the best class of goods, which she buys exclusively from New York and Philadelphia. The store has a neat appearance and is the only one in Saginaw carrying goods in that line. Mrs. Jasperson is a daughter of George F. and Caroline Veenfleit, old pioneers of Saginaw county, who came here in 1848, and are residents of Blumnfield tp. She is a widow of Wm. Jasperson, a foriner resident of Saginaw, who was engaged in archi- tecture and real-estate business,'and died Nov. 5, 1878.

David Howell Jerome, Governor of Michigan, residence Saginaw, was born at Detroit, Mich., Nov. 17, 1829. His parents emigrated to Michigan from Trnmansburg, Tompkins Co., N. Y., in 1828, lo- cating at Detroit. His father died March 30, 1831, leaving 9 chil- dren. He had been twice married and 4 of the children living at the time of his death were grown np sons, the offspring of his first union. Of the 5 children by his second inarriage, David H. was the youngest. Shortly after Mr. Jerome's death, his widow inoved back to New York, and settled in Onondaga county near Syracuse, where they remained until the fall of 1834, the 4 sons by the first wife continuing their residence in Michigan. In the fall of 1834 Mrs. Jerome came once more to Michigan, locating on a farm in St. Clair connty. Here the Governor formed those habits of in- dustry and sterling integrity that have been so characteristic of the inan in the active duties of life. He was sent to the district school, and in the acquisition of the fundamental branches of learning he displayed a precocity and an application which won for him the admiration of his teachers, and always placed him at the head of his classes. In the meantime he did chores on the farm, and was al- ways ready with a cheerful heart and willing hand to assist his widowed mother. The heavy labor of the farmn was carried on by his two older brothers, Timothy and George, and when 13 years of age David received his mother's permission to attend school at the St. Clair Academy. While attending there he lived with Marcus H. Miles, now deceased, doing chores for his board, and the follow- ing winter performed the same service for James Ogden, also de- ceased. The next summer Mrs. Jerome moved into the village of St. Clair, for the purpose of continning her son in school. While attending said academy one of his associate students was ex-Sena- tor Thomas W. Palmer, of Detroit, a rival candidate before the gubernatorial convention in 1880. He completed his education in the fall of his 16th year, and the following winter assisted his brother Timothy in hanling logs in the pine woods, The next sum- mer he rafted logs down the St. Clair river to Algonac. In 1847 M. H. Miles being Clerk in St. Clair county, and Volney A. Ripley Register of Deeds, David H. Jerome was appointed Deputy to each, remaining as such during 1848-'49, and receiving much praise from his employers and the people in general for the ability displayed in

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the discharge of his duties. He spent his summer vacation a clerical work on board the lake vessels.

In 1849-'50 he abandoned office work, and for the proper develop- ment of his physical system spent several months hauling logs. In the spring of 1850 his brother "Tiff" and himself chartered the steamer " Chautauqua," and " Young Dave" became her master. A portion of the season the boat was engaged in the passenger and freight traffic between Port Huron and Detroit, but during the lat- ter part was used as a tow boat. At that time there was a serious obstruction to navigation, known as the "St. Clair Flats," between Lakes Huron and Erie, over which vessels could carry only about 10,000 bushels of grain. Mr. Jerome conceived the idea of towing vessels from one lake to the other, and put his plan into operation. Through the influence of practical men,-among them the subject of this sketeli,-Congress, under a Republican administration, re- moved the obstruction above referred to, and now vessels can pass them laden with 60,000 or 80,000 bushels of grain.

During the season, the two brothers had succeeded in making a neat little sum of money by the summer's work, but subsequently lost it all on a contract to raise the " Gen. Scott," a vessel that had sunk in Lake St. Clair. David H. came out free from debt, but possessed of hardly a dollar of capital. In the spring of 1851, he was clerk and acting master of the steamers " Franklin Moore " and " Ruby," plying between Detroit and Port Huron and Gode- rich. The following year he was clerk of the propeller " Princeton," running between Detroit and Buffalo.

In January, 1853, Mr. Jerome went to California, by way of tlie Isthmus, and enjoyed extraordinary success in selling goods in a new place of his selection, among the mountains near Marysville. He remained there during the summer, and located the Live Yankee Tunnel Mine, which has since yielded millions to its own- ers, and is still a paying investment. He planned and put a tunnel 600 feet into the mine, but when the water supply began to fail with the dry season, sold out lris interest. He left in the fall of 1853, and in December sailed from San Francisco for New York, arriving at his home in St. Clair county, about a year after his de- parture. During his absence his brother " Tiff " had located at Saginaw, and in 1854 Mr. Jerome joined him in his lumber operation in the Valley, spending considerable time in the northern part of the State locating and purchasing pine lands. In 1855 the brothers bought Blackmer & Eaton's hardware and general sup- ply stores, at Saginaw, and David H. assumed the manage- ment of the business. From 1855 to 1873 he was extensively en- gaged in lumbering operations.

Mr. Jerome's ancestors were always opposed to slavery in every form, and he imbibed the love of liberty and independence. Soon after locating at Saginaw he was nominated for Alderman against Stewart B. Williams, a rising young man, of strong Democratic principles. The ward was largely Democratic, but

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Mr. Jerome was elected by a handsome majority. When the Re- publican party was born at Jackson, Mich., David H. Jerome was, though not a delegate to the convention, one of its "charter members." In 1862 he was commissioned by Gov. Austin Blair to raise one of the six regiments apportioned to the State of Michi- gan. Mr. Jerome immediately went to work and held meetings at various points. The zeal and entliusiasm displayed by this ad- vocate of the Union awakened a feeling of patriotic interest in the breasts of many brave men, and in a short space of time the 23d Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf. was placed in the field, and subsequently gained for itself a brilliant record.

In the fall of 1862 Mr. Jerome was nominated by the Republican, party for State Senator from the 26th district, Appleton Stevens, of Bay City, being his opponent. The contest was very exciting, and resulted in the triumphant election of Mr. Jerome. He was twice renominated by acclamation and elected both timnes by in- creased majorities, defeating George Lord, of Bay City, and Dr. Cheseman, of Gratiot county. On taking his seat in the Senate, lie was appointed Chairman of the Committee on State Affairs, and was active in raising means and troops to carry on the war. He

held the same position during his three terms of service, and intro- dnced the bill creating the Soldier's Home at Harper Hospital, Detroit. He was opposed to the bill authorizing municipal aid to railroad corporations, and sustained Gov. Crapo in his veto. He was actively interested in preserving swamp lands for use in local improvements, and was Chairman of the Committee on Salt, which commission succeeded in passing the bill creating the Salt Associ- ation of Michigan.

He was selected by Gov. Crapo as a military aid, and in 1865 was appointed a member of the State Military Board, and served as its president for eight consecutive years. In 1873 he was appointed by Gov. Bagley a member of the convention to prepare a new State Constitution, and was Chairman of the Committee on Finance. Although having previously but little experience in such matters, and none of the diplomatic skill which had characterized the other members of the commission in their various official duties for several years, yet he bronght into view great force of character and an nnlimited amount of common sense and earnestness, and was recognized as one of the leading members of that body.

In 1875 Mr. Jerome was appointed a member of the Board of Indian Commissioners. In 1876 he was chairman of a commis- sion to visit Chief Joseph, the Nez Perce Indian, to arrange an amicable settlement of all existing difficulties. The commission went to Portland, Oregon, thence to tlie Blne Hills, in Idaho, a distance of 600 miles up the Columbia river. From his many interviews with the Indians, Mr. Jerome became satisfied that the trne policy was to enact such measures as would result in the In- dians selecting lands in severalty on their various reservations for their own use, and have the remainder sold for their benefit, thus

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opening up the country for settlement by the whites. This would soon civilize the red man, and also make him self-supporting.

At the Republican State Convention, convened at Jackson, in August, 1880, Mr. Jerome was placed in the field for nomination, and on the 5th day of the month received the highest honor the convention could confer on any one. His opponent was Frederick M. Holloway, of Hillsdale county, who was supported by the Democratic and Greenback parties. The State was thoroughly canvassed by both parties, and when the polls were closed on the evening of election day, it was found that David H. Jerome had been selected by the voters of the Wolverine State to occupy the highest seat within their gift.

The following tribute to Gov. Jerome, by an intimate acquaint- ance, is well worthy of record: "Mr. Jerome is a inan of great force of character, careful and deliberate in the formnation of his opinions, but steadfast in them when formed, and persevering in carrying them out in practice. He is kind and genial in his social nature, and well calculated to exercise a powerful and genial influ- ence over the popular mind. He is every day the same courteous and cultivated gentleman. IIe is ever keenly alive to every scheme aiming at the moral, intellectual, and material advancement of his fellows, and ever ready with labor and money to co-operate. He deserves and enjoys the distinction of being a pleasant, social gen- tleman, a model business man, and a public-spirited and exemplary citizen, who displays in his public capacity all the virtues that adorn and beautify his daily life." For portrait see page 131.

James Jerome, of the firm of T. Jerome & Co., was born in St. Clair Co., Mich., and is a son of Timothy Jerome, of Saginaw. He came with his parents to Saginaw in 1854. There were Indians here at that time, and he had Indian boys for playmates. Saginaw was all in woods back of Water st. Mr. Jerome graduated at the Commercial College at Detroit, and afterward sailed on the Saginaw river for his father, who then had a line of steamers running upon that river. For the last 15 years he has been engaged in lumbering. His wife was Miss Cora L. Sabine, and they have 2 sons and 1 daughter.

Keeler & Hogeboom, druggists, Saginaw City. This house was opened Nov. 15, 1879, in the Commercial block, on Court st., by William H. Keeler, and John G. Hogeboom. On the 25th of February, 1880, they were burned out by fire, meeting with a loss of $1,000, and in three months' time a new building was erected, in which they returned to their former location. Mr. Keeler is a practical druggist, and learned his business at Dover, England, where he was born Jan. 18, 1848. He practiced his profession there for 11 years and a half. He came to America in 1871, locat- ing at Monroe, Mich., one year, and then came to Saginaw City. His mother died in England, in 1860, and his father, Henry Keeler, is now living there, engaged in gardening and the cultiva- tion of flowers.

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Mr. Hogeboom, the junior member of the firm, was born at Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1855. He is a son of Barent Hogeboom, who died at Kalamazoo in 1867, and Marcia (Goodridge) Hogeboom, who also died there in 1863. Both members of this firm are young, energetic and enterprising, and are doing a prosperous business.

WVm. K. Kerby, a grandson of a Mrs. Smith who was a full- blooded Mohawk Indian, was born in Canada. In 1861 he came to Saginaw and in 1862 made a permanent settlement. In 1866 he returned to Canada and subsequently to Saginaw and built the Kerby House, of which he is still proprietor. Mr. Kerby is a strictly honest business man and is doing a good business. His hotel is a first-class house, and it can be safely said that no other house in Saginaw Valley of its size does as much business as the Kerby House.

Kinney & Camp, jewelers, Saginaw City. Mr. Kinney, the sen- ior member of the firm, was born in Otsego Co., N. Y., March 20, 1831; is a son of Samuel and Olive (Bagg) Kinney; father died in Chenango Co., N. Y., in 1856, and mother at Walworth, Wis., in 1877; subject of sketch received his education in New York; at the age of 17 years, he learned the carriage trade; when he was 20 years old, he learned the jeweler's trade, and finished it with J. & H. C. Walter, of Richfield Springs, Otsego Co., N. Y .; in 1862, enlisted in Co. G, 114th Reg., N. Y. Vol. Inf., and served till the close of the war; was wounded at battle of Opequon, Va .; after close of war, he went into business in Madison Co., N. Y .; came to Sag- inaw City in 1874, and since that time has been in business; was married in August, 1865, to Ann E. St. John, of Madison Co., N. Y., and a native of that State. This firm always have on hand a fine assortment of goods, and are having a good ciass of trade.

Jacob Knapp, Representative from the first district of Saginaw county, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Oct. 14, 1846. He received a common-school education in the schools of his native village, and came to this country in May, 1866, and settled first in Detroit, but in January, 1868, heremoved to Saginaw City, where he has since been engaged in the manufacture of cigars. He was first elected Alderman in April, 1877, and re-elected in 1879. He served on all the important committees in the council, and was chairman of the committee on finance during the last year of his second term. He was elected to the House of Representatives over his opponents by the following vote: Jacob Knapp (Dem.), 1,696; Robert J. Birney (Rep.), 1,511; Eli C. Andre (Nat.), 195.

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History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume I, Part 68

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co. Number of Pages: 962

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 962