History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume I, Part 89

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

USA > Michigan > Saginaw County > History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume I > Part 89

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Jacob Leoffler, sec 35, Sept 6, 1849 James Marsac, sec 36, Feb 13, 1837

PERSONAL SKETCHES.

In the following interesting sketches of the settlers of Kochville, the varied events connected with the township's growth are re- ferred to:

J. W. Allison, farmer, sec. 33, was born in Scotland, Dec. 25, 1823. His parents were Robert and Jeanette (Wilson) Allison; J. W. learned the tailor's trade in his native country, and in 1848 immigrated to America, where he worked several years as a ship- carpenter. He came to this county in 1850, and since 1860 has devoted his entire time to agricultural pursuits. He owns 50 acres of fertile land. He has been twice married; his first wife was Jane Barr, a native of Scotland, who died in 1868. His present wife was Caroline F. Wickham, a native of New York, of English parentage. They have 2 children, Clara Jeanette and Margaret Christiana. Mr. Allison is a member of the Presbyterian Church

857

KOCIIVILLE TOWNSHIP.

of Saginaw City, and his wife is a member of the Church of England.

John Arman, farmer on sec. 17, was born in New York, June 14, 1831. When six years of age he accompanied his parents to Saginaw Co., Mich., where he received the best education afforded by the district schools of that day. His parents were John and Nancy (Davis) Arman, both natives of Vermont; father of German, mother of English, descent. In 1864 Mr. Arman enlisted in Co. C, 29th Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf., under Capt. Saunders, and was honorably discharged Sept. 16, 1865. He owns a good farm, all the product of his own labor. He was married in 1851 to Margaret McGregor, a native of this county, and of Scotch ancestry. She was born Sept. 13, 1835. They have 2 sons, Frederick Riley and Edward Alexander. Mrs. Arman is an Adventist, and her husband is a Republican.

E. H. Bow, farmer, see. 25, was born in Maine, in 1827, and is a son of' E. B. and Elizabeth (Haskell) Bow. He came to Michi- gan in 1838, and in this county received his education. He was engaged in the lumber business for 15 years, but since then has followed farming, and now owns 600 acres of land. He is serving his second term as Director of Schools, and is a Democrat. He was married in 1866 to Sarah Wellington. They have 3 children.

Philip Bow, farmer, sec. 36, was born in Maine, Jan. 16, 1833. His parents were Edmond and Elizabeth Bow, natives of Maine, and of English descent. They came to this county at an early day, and kept a hotel at Saginaw City. Philip received his educational training in this county, and in 1839 settled on the Cass river, in what is now Bridgeport tp. He is Democratic in politics; was School Director three years, and owns 40 acres of good land. He was married Feb. 1, 1868, to Adelaide Davis. Of the 11 children born to them, 10 are living-Stephen D., Rosana, Wilbert, Charles, Orrin S., Marion, Ella, Clara E., Lillian and Sarah W. Benjamin died at the age of four months.

Cyrus Chase, farmer, sec. 36, was born in Upper Canada in 1820, and is a son of Benjamin and Sarah (Parker) Chase; father a native of Vermont, of English descent; mother native of Connecticut, of German ancestry; Cyrus was educated in the common and select schools of Canada, and first commenced in the lumber business. In 1850 he started for California, but stopped in Saginaw county, where he has since resided. He first worked at clearing land where Ziłwaukee is now located, and finally settled in Kochville tp., where he owns 362 acres of land, half of which is under cultivation. He is Republican in politics, and has served as School Commissioner and Justice of the Peace. He was married in 1854 to Mary Atheson, a native of Canada, and of Irish parentage. They have 5 children, 4 daughters and 1 son-Henry L .; Jane, wife of Theodore F. Casmer, Superintendent of Schools at Zillivak; Mary, Emma, Ella.

Lewis Duprats, farmer, sec. 25, was among the very first settlers in Kochville tp. He was born at Detroit, Mich., in 1807, and is a

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

son of L. and Julia (Pomville) Duprats, natives of Detroit, and of French descent. Lewis received an average education, and in 1837 settled in Kochville tp. He owns 152 acres of land, and was once Tp. Treasurer and Justice of the Peace of Zilwaukee tp. He was married in 1828 to Phillis Marsac, who bore him 4 children, 2 of whom are living -- Lewis and Jacque; and owns farms in this tp., Mrs. Duprats died and he married Islanda Houselander. They have 2 daughters, both married. Mr. D. is a Republican.

Andrew Goetz. farmer, sec. 1, was born in Germany in 1813. His parents were Michael and Barbara (Wartlıschreck) Goetz. An- drew received his education in Germany, and in 1848 came to America. The same year he came to Kochville tp., with $300 in money, $120 of which he had borrowed. He bought 23 acres of land on sec. 1, bnilta shanty 16x16 feet in size, and in company with five others, purchased an ox-team. At the end of five years he owned 52 acres of improved land, with a good house thereon, and was ont of debt. He now owns 213 acres, has given some to each of his children, and $9,000 worth to one son. He was the first white set- tler in this part of the county, and was instrumental in the erection of the Lutheran Church (in 1848), in which he has since filled the office of Trustee. He was married in this county June 25, 1848, to Margaret Mowery, a member of the Lutheran Church. Of the 10 children sent them, only 2 are living-Anna, wife of John G. Helm- reich, and John Leonard, a prominent farmer of this tp. Mrs. Goetz died Nov. 27. 1880.

Abner Hubbard, farmer on sec. 33, was born in Greene Co., N. Y., June 29, 1813. He is a son of Samuel and Margaret ( Arnold ) Hubbard, natives of Connecticut, of English ancestry. Abner learned the ship-carpenter and calker's trade. He assisted in build- ing the first boat ever built on the banks of the Saginaw river. He first came to this county in 1842, and two years later made a permanent settlement in Saginaw City till 1850, when he settled on his land in this tp. He was married in Oakland Co., Mich., Sept. 22, 1835, to Amanda Hayes, a native of Grafton Co., N. H. Of their 7 children, only 1 is living, Mary Jane, wife of David Nichols. One son, Samuel Eugene, enlisted in Co. G, 23d Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf., as 4th Corporal, and was discharged as Or- derly Sergeant. Mr. Hubbard and wife have been faithful mem- bers of the M. E. Church for many years.

Oscar Jewett, farmer, sec. 27, was born at Saginaw City, Mich., Nov. 3. 1837. He is a son of Eleazer and Aznbalı L. ( Miller) Jewett, honored and respected pioneers of this county, the former a native of New Hampshire, of Welsh descent, and the latter of Vermont, of English ancestry. Eleazer Jewett died suddenly in 1875; his widow still survives, and is the oldest living settler in Saginaw county. Mr. Jewett received his literary education in the Saginaw City high school, and spent the first 10 years of his business career in the lumber trade. In 1858 he went to Califor- nia, and remained in the West for seven years. While in California, lie was attacked with the Panama fever, which deprived him from

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KOCHVILLE TOWNSHIP.

working for 11 long, weary months. In 1863, while in the mining region, he received the news of the death of his brother Wallace, at the battle of Gettysburg, Pa., and immediately offered himself to the Governor of Nevada, to serve in any military capac- ity. He was assigned First Lient. of Co. C. 1st Nev. Cav., and after a year's service, was promoted as Aide-de-camp on Gen. Con- nor's staff. He was finally commissioned Captain of Co. "F," serving as such till the close of the war. The regiment was en- gaged in figliting Indians, and Mr. Jewett participated in that memorable battle of Tongue river, on Aug. 29, 1865. . After the war, he located at Salt Lake City, where, in connection with Capt. Brown, he was engaged in corraling stock. When Dr. Robinson was brutally murdered by the Mormon, Mr. Jewett and partner, with their wives, were forced to flee for their lives. The journey from Salt Lake City to St. Louis, Mo., cost Mr. J., for himself and wife, ex- actly $1,020. Since returning to Michigan, he has engaged in farming on the old homestead, comprising 120 acres of land, part of which is under a high state of cultivation. He was married in 1866 to Fanny Tomlinson, who proved a faithful and loving wife to him until 1868, when she "passed over to the other side." He was again married, July 16, 1874, to Alice Wells, a native of New York, of English ancestry. Mr. Jewett was Marshall of Saginaw ity from 1874 to 1878. His remark, "A dead Mormon is the best Momnon," is worthy of record.

Frederic Charles Louis Koch was the son of Charles Ernestus Augustus Koch, who was foreman and manager of the Govern- mental mine at Gittelde, in the Lower Hartz mountains of Bruns- wick, in Germany, and his wife, Jane Elizabeth, nee Hellring. He was born in the mining village, Rothe-Huette, Feb. 15, 1799; re- ceived a good education at home, also at the mining school of Clausthal, and at the University of Gottingen, Hanover; taught school for a time at the Latin College of Hanover, and returned to practical work, but spent his leisure hours endeavoring to recall a lost invention, of enameling iron pots and vessels, finally with suc- cess; he gave his invention to the world, not patenting it. In 1825 lie married Miss Augusta, the daughter of John Henry Bippart, in whose glass factory he had been working; he then quit his mining office at Rothe-Huette, and took a position as comptroller and administrator of the smelting houses of one of his father-in-law's glass factories at Gruenenplan. Mr. Bippart died in 1842, and all the glass works of Gruenenplan fell into Mr. Koch's possession, and thus the latter had increased facilities for his genial experi- ments, and also to push the inannfacture of looking-glasses, nine- tenths of which were sold in the United States at good prices. The Government soon honored him with the title of "Counselor of Mines," and bought a farm for him. Mr. Koch thenceforward prospered materially. He also enjoyed domestic duties, having. before leaving the old country, a family of wife, 3 sons and 4 daughters; he had also two family teachers and a gardener. Mr. Koch had a very fine garden and ornamental grounds, with parks

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

and cages of wild animals. On the highest point on these para- disiacal grounds he erected a beautiful church. He continued to take a prominent part in literature and science, being a member of learned societies, and he owned a large cabinet of minerals and shells, considered the best private collection in Germany at that time.

Two of Mr. Koch's children met with serious accidents, injuring the reason of one, and ultimately destroying the life of the other; and the Revolution of 1848 came on, but Mr. Koch came through unscathed. Then he emigrated to America with his danghter Caroline, who was betrothed to Rev. F. Sievers, a Lutheran minis- ter in the Saginaw Valley; he went to the Lake Superior region to examine the resources and conditions of mineral interest there, with a view of bringing over his old employes and friends front Germany; and although he found the resources surprisingly abun- dant, the art of mining was so crude, and American institutions so republican, that he decided not to bring on the immigrants immediately; he then visited the lead mines of Wisconsin and Illinois; still his decision was that it would not do to bring miners over from the old country to work in America under European control. Mr. Koch died March 12, 1862, greatly respected by all the community. The tp. of Kochville was named after him. Mrs. Koch died April 5, 1875. She was a very estimable lady, full of Christian faith and good works.

John A. Leinberger, farmer, sec. 1, was born in Germany, July 19, 1830, and is a son of Frederick and Catlerine (Schenter) Leiti- berger. Jolin received a common-school education in his native land, and in 1847 emigrated to the United States. In 1848 he lo- cated land on sec. 1, Kochville tp., where he now possesses 180 acres. He is Republican in politics, and served as Tp. Treasurer 14 years, Clerk 7 years, School Director 14 years, and Assessor. He is an enterprising citizen, and was prominently identified in the movement attaching half of Kochville tp. to Bay county. He was married in 1849 to Mary Katherine Drulein. Eight children have been given them, all living. Mrs. Leinberger died March 3, 1880. She was a member of the Lutheran Church, as is also her husband.

Rev. J. F. Miller, Pastor of the German Reformed Church at Kochville, was born in Washtenaw Co., Mich., May 11, 1844, a son of Charles and Rosena (Stueter) Miller, natives of Germany, who emigrated to this country in 1830, settling in that county. The subject of this sketch received his education partly at Fort Wayne, Ind., and at St. Louis, Mo. He entered the ministry in 1862, at Terre Haute, Ind., and since 1868 has occupied his present position. He was married in Lenawee Co., Mich., in 1864, to Anna M., daughter of George and Dorothy Miller, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1844. They have 9 children, 8 of whom are living : Charles A., Angust H., Caroline, Carl, George, Adolph, Edward and Emil F. The deceased is Emma. Rev. Miller is at present Superintendent of Schools of Kochville tp.

861

KOCHVILLE TOWNSHIP.

Erastus Purchase, farmer, sec. 19, was born in Ontario Co., N. Y., in 1838, and is a son of E. and Lura (Griffin) Purchase, father a native of Ontario county, mother native of Wayne Co., N. Y. Erastus received the greater part of his education in Michigan, and in 1856 located in Saginaw county. He was engaged in the lumber business in 1863-'5, but since then has followed agricultural pursuits. By his own exertions and perseverance he has accnmit- lated a good farm of 170 acres, one of the best farms in Kochville tp. He was married in 1864 to Emma M. Soper. They have 4 children, 3 daughters and 1 son. Their names are Mary A., Einma A., Jennie L. and Alonzo M. Mr. Purchase believes in the principles of the Republican party.

. John Riegel, proprietor of the Michigan Hotel, Frankenlnst, was born in Germany in 1838, and is a son of Michael and Maggie (Stahl) Riegel. He received his education in the " faderland," and subsequently entered the Bavarian army, where he remained seven years, during this period participating in three battles. He came to this county in 1867, and operated a saw-mill for seven seasons. He is a mason by trade, but is now proprietor of the Michigan Hotel. He is a Republican in politics, owns 12 acres of land, and has officiated as Justice of the Peace. Mr. Riegel was married July 16, 1871, to Theresa Fisher. Both are members of the Lutheran Church. She was born in Bavaria, Germany, Oct. 15, 1845.

Rev. ( George Christian Ernestus) Ferdinand Sievers is the son of Henry (Sigismund Frederic) Sievers, and Eleanor Lisette Floren- tine, nee von Borries, and was born at Lunenburg, Germany, May 18, 1816. His mother died in 1822 and his father a year later, and the outlook for the poor orphan boy was very sad; but his uncle, Rev. Ph. Sievers, took good care of him. He was educated at the University of Goettingen, 1835-'38, where he studied theology some time, then tanght private school three and one-half years, studied theology again at the Universities of Berlin and Halle, and taught private school again three and one-half years; was ordained a min- ister in 1847, when he emigrated to this country to take charge of Lutheran congregations here, and bought several hundred acres of land from the Government at what is now South Bay City, with inis- sionary means from the old country. The next year a number of settlers came in from Germany and commenced to endure the priva- tions of pioneer life. May 5, 1850, Mr. S. married Caroline Koch, in New York city, while she was en route from her home in Germany to her new home in the wilds of Michigan. She was the danghter of Rev. Fr. Koch and Augusta, nee Bippart. Of the 11 children born to Mr. and Mrs. S., S are living.

The settlement of Frankenlust, established by Rev. Sievers. has grown to great proportions, and there is another flourishing settle- ment three miles southwest, also founded by Mr. S. in 1851. This highly revered old gentleman has now enjoyed a long life of use- fulness, and set an example of ministerial industry and faithfulne -; that will be difficult for his successors to follow.

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

Fred Wellington, farmer, sec. 25, is a life resident of this county. He was born in March, 1844. He is a son of Dr. Luke and Nancy M. (Freeman) Wellington, father a native of New Hampshire, and mother. of New York. Dr. Luke Wellington came to this State in 1836, locating at Flint, and in 1850 settling in Saginaw county, where he now owns 500 acres of land. Fred was educated in the public schools of Bay and Saginaw cities, and at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College, of Detroit. He was a bookkeeper for 8 years, and is Republican in politics ; has been School Inspector, Superin- tendent and Assessor. He was married in 1869 to Rosetta M. Lewis, who was born in Utica, N. Y., Feb. 11, 1849. Her parents were of English and Welsh descent. They formerly lived at Detroit, but now reside in Saginaw county. Two children have been given to bless this union -- Mary L. and James A. ; and 2 deceased, Fred L. and Martha R.

LAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP.

This section of the county may be said to be still in its primitive state. South of Beaver creek it is occupied with but a few settlers; while the road leading into the settled sections is so strangely rude that one who ventured to travel over it once, and succeeded in reach- ing a dwelling-house, is surprised at the courage and perseverance which enabled him to battle with and conquer the difficulties of travel in that western township.

The lead-waters of the northi branch of Bad river pertain properly to this township. This tributary of the river waters its southern sections; while the more important stream known as Beaver creek courses through sections 4, 9, 16, 15, 22, 23 and 24. The only manufacturing industry in Lakefield is the saw-mill on section 3.

In the summer of 1875 the settlers of Northern Lakefield met to consider the advisability of seeking local government. The result of that meeting was an application to the Supervisors' Board, signed by 21 freeholders of the township of Fremont, ask- ing the board to order the organization of fractional township 11 north, of range 3 east, into the township of Lakefield. The board ordered, under date Oct. 16, 1875, " that all that part of the town- ship of Fremont, as now heretofore last organized, to-wit: frac- tional township 11 north, of range 1 east, be, and the same is, hereby set off from the township of Fremont, and organized into a separate township by the name of Lakefield, and the first township meeting in the said township of Lakefield shall be held at the dwelling house of H. C. Fessenden; that the first township meet- ing of the said township of Lakefield shall be holden on the first Monday of April next, and that H. C. Fessenden, Thomas M. Gould and William C. Dickinson be, and they are, hereby appointed Inspectors of said township meeting, whose duty it shall be to preside at such meeting, appoint a clerk, open and keep the polls, and ex- ercise the same power as the inspectors of elections at any town- ship meeting; that Thomas Gould be and is hereby appointed to post up notices, according to law, of the time and place of holding the first township meeting in the said new township of Lakefield." This resolution to organize was opposed by one member of the board against forty supporters. The principal officers of the town, since its organization, are named as follows:

SUPERVISORS.

Herbert C. Fessenden 1876-9 | William C. Galloway . ... 1880-1

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

CLERKS.

Howard Collins.

1876-7

Emil Hintermeister

1879-80.

Thomas M. Gould. 1878 - Wilson House. 1881

TREASURERS.

William Yule.

1876-7

Thomas M. Gould.

1880

Gilbert Bastido

1878

Charles C. Kane. 1881

William Yule. 1879

JUSTICES.

William Yule, T. M. Gould and

William Yule. 1879

Gilbert Bastido ....... 1876-7

W. C. Galloway, T. M. Gould. . 1878

T. M. Gould

1880

Up to the present time very little has been done toward the de- velopment of this section of the country. That it is capable of high cultivation cannot be doubted. It only awaits the labor of the husbandman to yield up its store of wealth. Within a few years this primeval land will be dotted with the homesteads of a prosper- ous people, and all the obstacles which the wild state of the town- ship now offers removed.

MAPLE GROVE TOWNSHIP

embraces within its borders 36 full sections, and is without doubt one of the best agricultural townships in the county; much of its territory is still covered with timber, mostly of hard wood; it has a variety of soil, gravelly, stony, sandy loam and clay. Its lands are drained by the Mistiguay creek or river, which passes through its eastern border, several branches of the same passing through the township in different directions. The township was first settled nearly 30 years ago, by a man by the name of John Hammer. He located in section 36, on land that was given him by a speculator, if he would remain upon it and make an improve- ment. John "hammered " away, and improved about three acres, on which he had built a shanty, when he became disgusted or dis- couraged, and returned to whence he came. The next to settle in the limits of the township was Joseph Voith.

The first town meeting was held in a log house, then the house of James V. Judd, in April, 1867; there were 17 votes polled, which resulted in Brunson Turner being chosen Supervisor; Simon E. Trumbull, Clerk; and Horatio W. Felt, Treasurer.

The first school-house was built in 1859, of basswood, slabs.

The first teacher to preside was a Miss Malvina Perry receiving for her labors 75 cents per week, and " boarding round."

The agricultural productions for the year 1880 were 30, 883 bush- els of wheat, 25,782 of corn, 13,052 of oats, 42,969 pounds of butter, 19,827 dozen of eggs, while the same year the assessment showed in the township 200 farms and a population of 1,378. Joseph Payne raised the first grain in the township. In harvesting the same, he and his wife cut two acres with butcher-knives.

The first church building erected in this township, was St. Michael's Catholic church, located on the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 28, and was completed in 1865. It is a neat frame building 26 feet wide by 36 feet long. The congre- gation consisted only of five families at that time; and they were " pioneers," and had very limited means. The Rev. Father Louis Vandriss, now of Lansing, was the first pastor. The congre- gation now numbers 75 families. The Rev. Father Reis, of East Saginaw, now has charge of the parish.

The first religious service held in the township was about 25 years ago, immediately after the bass-wood school-house had given way to one of logs. In this building Jolin White preached; lie belonged to a society called the " Denomination of God."

The citizens of this township are well provided with educational facilities, and quite a contrast is presented to the first bass-wood shanty erected for that purpose. There are now seven public-

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

school buildings, which during the year 1880 were attended by 300 scholars; each of the seven school districts average a session of eight months annnally. To pay the salaries of teachers, there was expended in 1880, $1,187.50.

Besides the above is a school kept in the Catholic church on section 28, under the auspices of that denomination. It has an at- tendance of 75 scholars. Here both English and German are taught. This school has been in successful operation for the past five years. The present teacher is Mr. Albert Klees.

There is but one store. It is located in the center of the town- ship, and kept by Keeler & Co. The place is named Layton's Corners. A blacksmith-shop is the only other business carried on there. In the store is kept the postoffice, Mr. Albert Klees being the present postmaster. There is another, named Elk Postoffice, located on the southeast quarter of section 25.

There are three saw-mills in this township, all run by steam, located as follows: on the northwest corner of seetion 19, the northi- west quarter of section 9, and the northwest quarter of section 6. Leavitt's shingle-mill is on the northeast quarter of section 24.

ORGANIC.

The township was organized under the following order, nnder date of Jan. 1, 1857:

WHEREAS, Application has been made to the Board of Supervisors of the county of Saginaw by petition, which said petition is signed by more than 12 free- holders of the unorganized territory of township number 9 north, of range 4 east, under the jurisdiction of the township of Chesaning, in the county of Saginaw, in the State of Michigan, and within the legal boundaries of said county of Sag- inaw, to organize the said territory into a township, to be known and designated by the name of Maple Grove; therefore be it

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History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume I, Part 89

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