History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan, Part 114

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Michigan > St Clair County > History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan > Part 114

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CAPT. C. H. CHAMBERLAIN is a native of St. Clair County, and was born in Marine City December 29, 1841. He began sailing in 1860, on the Forest. In 1865, he sailed master of the St. Joe, then Belle of Osh- kosh: then sailed master of propeller Evergreen City, Concord, the Alpena, Alcona, Brunswick: then sailed master steamboat Kewenaw, and in 1882 was master of the Iron Chief: has been in the marine service twenty- two years. In 1867, Capt. Chamberlain married Miss Elizabeth St. Barnard, of this city, and daughter of Capt. St. Barnard, one of the oldest settlers on the river. They have four children-Calvin, Elizabeth, William and Jarvis.

JOHN CLARKE, deceased, son of Capt. George Clarke, and Mary, his wife. whose name before mar- riage was McDonald. was born at Bath, Maine, July 29, 1797. His father was of English, and his mother of Scotch descent. In 1800, his parents moved to Waterville, where he attended school until 1812, when he went as clerk in a store at Augusta, Maine. While there his health failed, and he was obliged to return to his home. In 1815, by the advice of his physicians, he went to Europe, making a tour of the continent, and was in Germany on the day of the battle of Waterloo. After a short stay in England, he started on his return to the United States. The vessel in which he was a passenger foundered in mid-ocean, and he, with the officers and crew, spent three days in the small boats, when they were picked up by some passing vessel Captain, and after severe hardships succeeded in reaching Philadelphia, where he found friends from whom he obtained money to defray his expenses to Hallowell, Maine, at which place he received a clerkship in a store. Here he united with the Baptist Church, and was always an active member in some church of that denomination until his death. In 1818, he went into business on his own account at Belfast, and in 1819 was married to Miss Mary Sherburn, of Hallowell. After several years' residence at the former place. he removed to Hallowell, which place he left in October, 1830, for Michigan, which was then a Territory. Having letters to Gov. Cass and Hon. John Biddle, he was advised by them to commence business in Detroit; he concluded to do so, and for this purpose rented a store on Woodward avenue, and went to New York for a stock of goods. This done, he proceeded to Hallowell for his family, consisting of his wife, three daughters and one son. On arriving at Buffalo, he found all the steamboats had gone into winter quarters, and he, with his family, was obliged to take passage on a small schooner, which arrived at Detroit December 6. Mr. Clarke procured rooms and board for himself and family at the Mansion House, kept by Andrew Mack. Mr. Clarke was engaged in business in Detroit three years. In 1833, he purchased land three miles south of St. Clair, on the St. Clair River, and in the spring moved to Desmond (now Port Huron), to take charge of a mill on Black River, and was Cap- tain of the steamboat General Gratiot for two seasons, running from Detroit to Port Huron. There were only three frame buildings in Port Huron at the time Mr. Clarke moved there, one of which he occupied. In 1835, he removed to China, St. Clair County, where he lived until his death. Mr. Clarke early manifested a great interest in politics, and as soon as he became a voter numbered himself with the Jeffersonian Republicans. He was an ardent supporter of Gen. Jackson, and among his personal friends. In 1835, he was elected to the Territorial convention, which framed the first constitution of the State. In the fall of the same year, Mr. Clarke received the unanimous nomination of the Whig and Democratic parties in the Senatorial District, at that time embracing one sixth of the State, and was elected without opposition. In the same year he was appointed Postmaster at China, which office he held for twenty-two years. He built a store and wharf, and did a general trading business, buying furs, etc. In "1836, was re-elected to the Senate. In 1837, was ap- pointed Indian Commissioner by Gen. Jackson, and in that capacity transacted a large amount of important business. Mr. Clarke was appointed by President Van Buren Receiver of the Land Office at Ionia, but de- clined the position. The next year he served on Committees on Internal Improvement, Militia and Expendi- tures, holding the chairmanship of the last named. In 1850, was a member of the convention which framed the State Constitution. In 1856; severed his connection with the Democratic party. In 1856, was elected to the Legislature of the State of Michigan as a Representative, and served as Chairman of the Committee on Internal Improvement. He was a zealous friend of Mr. Chandler, who was by that Legislature first elected to the United States Senate. Mr. Clarke was for fifty-six years a member of the Masonic order, occupying many positions of high rank therein. He died at his home in East China February 4, 1876, in his seventy- eighth year.

JOHN C. CLARKE, Cashier of the First National Bank, St. Clair City, was born at Chester, Rocking- ham Co., N. H., March 3, 1822, and is the third son of John and Elizabeth Clarke. The founder of the fam- ily in this country was Nathaniel Clarke, born in 1644. Mr. Clarke's maternal grandfather was a Scotch emi- grant, who came to this country just prior to the war of the Revolution. Both of his grandfathers, David Clarke and David Currier, were soldiers in the Revolution, and fought in the battle of Bennington and other engagements. Our subject graduated from the Wesleyan University at Middleton, Conn., in 1848. He

Henry Whiting

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

engaged in teaching a few years, and in 1852 engaged in the lumber business in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1854, he formed a partnership with Reuben Moore, of St. Clair, in the same business, and went to Detroit, where they owned a lumber yard. He removed to St. Clair in 1858, where he still resides. Upon the organization of the First National Bank in St. Clair in 1871, he was chosen its first Vice President, and four years later became cashier. For four years he held the office of County Superintendent of Schools. In November, 1854, he married Miss C. P. Edson, of Yarmouthport, Mass. They had two children, one living. This one graduated from the Wesleyan University of Middleton, Conn., in 1877, and is now an attorney in Detroit.

PETER CLEPPEL, farmer, Section 21, P. O. St. Clair, is a native of Germany, and was born in Prussia February 19, 1823; upon reaching manhood, he emigrated to the United States in 1852; he came to Detroit, where he remained two years; then went up on the Sault Ste. Marie Canal and was foreman of a gang of forty-two men, on the construction of that work; in December, 1854, he bought the land where he now lives; it was all timber; he cleared and made his farm, which contains eighty acres well improved, and there are no better farm buildings in this county-all the result of the industry and good management of himself and wife. He has held the office of Commissioner of Highways. He married Miss Ann Mary Dey August 30, 1855. She was born in Prussia, Germany.

WILLIAM COLEMAN, farmer, Section 3, P. O Smith Creek, was born in Somersetshire. England, in 1807, and came to Canada in 1856, and lived there six years, and then came to this county and engaged in farming, and since then has lived here. He owns a good farm of eighty acres. In 1833, he married Miss Rebecca Wilkins, a native of Somersetshire, England. They have eight children-Charles, Maria, George, Jane, Stephen, Charlotte, Walter, William O. They lost one daughter-Ellen, who died August 20, 1879. The children are all married. William O., the youngest son. who manages the farm, was born in Canada, and came here with his parents. He married Miss Mamie Mallory, a native of this town, November 14, 1880. They have one son-Clarence A.

HENRY O. COX. farmer, Section 26. P. O. St. Clair, is a native of New Hampshire, and was born in the town of Haverhill, Grafton County, October 18, 1844: his parents came to this county in 1850, and located in this town, and he was brought up here. He has lived on this place since 1856, and since reaching man- hood, has been engaged in farming; owns a farm of fifty acres. He has held the offices of Constable and Postmaster. His father died January 1, 1856, and his mother lives with him.

JOHN COX. farmer, Vine street, P. O. St. Clair, was born in Cambridgeshire, England, March 1, 1825. He emigrated to America in the spring of 1850; lived in Ohio until the fall of of 1851; then came to this coun- ty, and the following year came to the place where he now lives, built a shanty and began clearing the land. He bought a barrel of flour in St. Clair, and could only bring it part way to his cabin, then had to open the barrel and carry the flour home in a pillow-case. He has been engaged in farming most of the time for the past thirty years, and owns his farm, which is in the village corporation. In 1871, he married Miss Eliza A. Breakenberry, of London. She died in February, 1876. His present wife was Miss Naomi Ann Fox, a na- tive of England.

DR. EDWARD II. CONWAY. dentist, St. Clair, was born in Hamilton, Canada, March 7, 1854, and is a son of Edward Conway, a native of Ireland, who came to America when a young man. Our subject came to Detroit in 1866, and in 1867 he went to Pontiac, Mich., where in 1869 he began the study of dentistry with Dr. J. A. Harris. He remained with him about two years, when he returned to Detroit, and was with Dr. Joseph Lathrom, a leading dentist of that city, for three years. In 1874, he went to Chicago. Then for four years he had charge of the artificial department in the office of Dr. W. B. McChesney, the largest dental office in the United States. Then, in 1878, he came to St. Clair, where he now resides and has a good practice. His work speaks for itself, and is first-class in every particular. His wife, Minnie J. Conway, is a daughter of Charles H. Waterloo, of St. Clair.

BENJAMIN F. CRAMPTON, leading grocer and provision dealer of St. Clair, was born at Fremont, Ohio, January 27, 1847, and is a son of William C. and Catharine (Drulliard) Crampton. The former was born near Hartford, Conn., and the latter at Sandwich, Ontario. The father is of English descent and the mother of English and French extraction. William C. Crampton was educated at Hartford, Conn., and Mrs. Crampton in Canada. Mr. Crampton came to St. Clair about 1850. He was married in December, 1879, to Miss Emma Jenks, by whom he has two children-Ralph Owen and Abbie Pierce. Mr. Crampton engaged in the grocery and provision business in St. Clair in April, 1877. He has been very successful, and is now doing a business of $35,000 annually. He also does some farming. Few men have been as fortunate as Mr. Crampton, for he began life with no capital. He has held the office of Supervisor for two years.

ANDREW J. CUMMINGS was born in Grafton County, N. H., April 28, 1829, and is a son of Jonathan Cummings, also a native of Grafton County. Jonathan Cummings was a carpenter, and our subject early learned the use of tools. In 1850, he went to Boston, and worked at his trade one year. Then, in 1851, he came West to seek his fortune, and located in St. Clair. The first winter he taught school, having taught several terms in New Hampshire. He clerked one year in a grocery store in Port Huron, and then formed a partnership with J. M. Coyle in the grocery business in Port Huron. They remained there until 1853, and then removed their stock of goods to St. Clair. Mr. Cummings sold to his partner in 1855, and engaged in the manufacture of brick and tile in St. Clair. He continued in this business until about the year 1870. He run the City Hotel in St. Clair for four and one-half years, and for twelve years Mr. Cummings was Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff of St. Clair County. In June, 1880. he engaged in the livery business, in which he is now engaged. He was married August 15, 1853, to Miss Frances E. Woodworth, daughter of Benjamin Woodworth, a pio- neer of Detroit, and known far and near through the Northern States as " Uncle Ben." " Uncle Ben " settled in Detroit in 1804, and built the first brick house in that place after it had been burnt by the Indians, and run the first line of stages in the Territory of Michigan. He died about 1875, in St. Clair, at the age of ninety-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Cummings had five children, three of whom are living. viz .: Ida M. (Oster- house), Louise H. (Stanley) and Mary R. Mr. C. is a Knight of Honor. He was also Deputy Provost Mar- shal during the war for the Seventh District. 43

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

ANDREW A. CURRIE, City Clerk of St. Clair, is a native of St. Clair, and was born October 23, 1849. His father, Malcolm Currie, deceased, was a native of Scotland, and came to Canada when a young man, and to St. Clair about the year 1845. The family removed to a farm near St. Clair when our subject was quite small. At the age of seventeen years, he returned to this place and began clerking in a drug store. He has been in a drug store ever since, except about six months, which time he spent as a reporter on a newspaper in Cleveland. He is dealing in drugs and medicines and books and stationery. He was Supervisor to the Second Ward two years, and at present is Director of the City School Board.

S. W. DELANO, Section 24, St. Clair, is a native of New York State, and was born March 11, 1824; he was brought up in that State and engaged in railroading there until 1859, when he came to Michigan, and that year laid the first iron rails that were laid in East Saginaw; he has had a large experience in contracting and building railroads, and continued in the business until 1878, a period of thirty years; he kept the St. James Hotel in St. Clair three years, and was manager of the Oakland Hotel one year, and is now manager of the Oakland House Livery. A few years ago he bought the small farm with fine improvements, where he now lives. In April, 1845, Mr. DeLano married Miss Lucretia Madison, a native of Fredonia, Chautauqua Co., N. Y. They have one son-Orrin W., in business in Detroit. Mr. DeLano is a son of Safford S. and Clarissa Cook DeLano; he was a native of Vermont, born in 1800, and died in 1852; she is a native of Berkshire County, Mass., born in 1800, and is now eighty-three years of age, and is as active and well preserved in ap- pearance and manner as most who are twenty years younger.

REV. M. J. P. DEMPSEY, Pastor of St. Mary's Church, is a native of Madison, Wis., and was born March 1, 1853; he attended school there taking his classical course at the State University; he entered St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee, where he pursued his theological and philosophical studies, and was ordained June 29, 1878, in the city of Detroit; he has labored at Stony Creek, Ionia and Ludington. At the latter place he remained three years. In January, 1883, he was assigned to his present pastorate and has a flourish- ing church.

JOSEPH DOAK, was born in North of Ireland, May 4, 1820, and is a son of James Doak, a native of the same place. Mr. Doak came to New York City in 1848, to Sandusky, Ohio, in 1851, and to St. Clair in 1852, where he has since lived. In May, 1882, he buried his sister, Mrs. Eliza Bingham, of Lake Port, this county, who was seventy-two years old, and the funeral was attended by thirty-three of her children and grandchildren. Mr. Doak was married August 7, 1848, to Miss Isabella Patterson, by whom he had twelve children; seven living-Eliza M., William J., Isabella, Joseph S., John, Anna M. and Sarah G. One daugh- ter, Ellen (Green), died at Lake Port, September 16, 1879. For several years Mr. Doak engaged in the mer- cantile business in St. Clair. Since that time he has kept a boarding house; he now keeps at second door south of Pine River bridge, on Front street; he was City Marshal for fourteen months, and was elected Su- pervisor of the Second Ward in 1877, and again in 1879. Religiously Mr. Doak is an Episcopalian.

JAMES C. DONNELLY, carpenter and joiner, Section 4, Smith Creek, is a native of Canada, and was born in Toronto November 1, 1830; his parents came to this county in 1833 and settled at Fort Gratiot, and were among the early settlers there; he grew up and learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, and since reaching manhood has been engaged in building, and is one of the oldest builders here. In 1859, he married Miss Esther T. Norman, a native of Ireland, and since then they have lived in this town on his farm. They have six children-William J., Benjamin N., Ellen T., David M., Mary E. and Ida A.

HENRY DRULARD, lumber dealer of St. Clair, was born in township of Tilburyeast, County Kent, Ont., March 24, 1824, and is a son of Thomas Drulard, a native of New York. Our subject was reared on a farm, and farmed until thirty years of age. He came to this county near Algonac in 1851, and to St. Clair in 1854, which has been his home ever since; he was foreman in Eugene Smith's lumber mill at St. Clair for seventeen years. In 1878, he engaged in the lumber trade in St. Clair. He keeps a large stock of undressed lumber, laths, posts and shingles. He was married in 1844, to Miss Hannah A. Griggs, by whom he had nine children; only two of these are living-Mary J. (Kenedy) and James A. The deceased were Martha L., Pauline A., Henry W., Thomas W., Franklin C., all grown, and two that died in infancy.

FRANCIS M. DUNTON, farmer, Section 23, P. O. St. Clair, is a native of Painesville, Ohio, and was born August 6, 1845; he is a son of R. K. Dunton and Phebe Dunton, of that State ; he came with his par- ents to this county when only nine years of age. After reaching manhood, he engaged in lumbering and continued in that business at Saginaw until 1878, when he bought the farm of eighty acres where he now lives, and since then engaged in farming. It is the same land his father bought and cleared over a quarter of a century ago. His mother died in May, 1861 ; his father is still living in Ohio. In 1867, Mr. Dunton mar- ried Miss Lucille Chambers, of Saginaw : they have two children-Eva M. and Phebe J.

EMANUEL ELSWORTH, farmer, Section 26, P. O. St. Clair, is a native of Canada, and was born De- cember 1, 1836 ; his parents came to Michigan in 1837 and settled in Oakland, and lived there until 1845, when they came to St. Clair County and located in the town of China ; three years later, in 1848, they removed on the place where he now lives, and cleared the land and made his farm, and lived here until his death in 1855 ; his wife died in 1882. Emanuel served apprenticeship as engineer at St. Clair, but since reaching manhood has been engaged in framing buildings and farming. He owns a good farm of 130 acres ; has served as High- way Commissioner, and held office of Drain Commissioner three years. In 1856, he married Miss Mary Himes, of the city of Detroit : they have six children-Christopher, George, Francis, Charles, Nora and Lester.

CAPT. H. FISH is a native of Susquehanna County, Penn., and was born September 20, 1824. His par- ents came to this county when he was only ten years of age, and settled at Marine City. He began sailing in 1844 on the Steamer Huron. He sailed master of the steamer Detroit in 1854, then sailed master of the Forrester, Sam Ward, steamer Cleveland, Arctic, Traveller, Reindeer ; propellers Burlington and Quincy, steam barge Sanilac, the Oscoda and the Ogemaw. He has been in marine service thirty-eight years, and is one of the oldest on the lakes. In 1857, Capt. Fish married Miss Elizabeth McIntere, a native of Maine. They have four children-Florence, now Mrs. C. J. Rennick, Saginaw ; Harry, now in Oscoda; Jessie and Mary.

675

HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

WILLIAM S. FLEURY, farmer, Section 23, P. O. St. Clair, is a native of Michigan, and was born on Mackinac Island January 7, 1817. He is a son of Francis and Mary Myers Fleury. His father was a soldier in the regular army in the war of 1812, and was taken prisoner by the Indians and British on a vessel in the Straits of Mackinac, and was taken to Halifax, and was imprisoned there three months and then exchanged and returned to the army. His father died at Marine City in 1846; his wife died in 1833 at Cottrellville. His father was Gen. Fleury who came to the United States with Gen. LaFayette, during the Revolutionary war. When William was five years old, he came with his parents to this county to Cottrellville, and was there until he reached manhood : followed sailing thirteen years until 1839, then came to St. Clair and was engineer in Moore's saw-mill fourteen seasons, and lumbered during winters. He bought the land where he now lives in 1850, cleared it and made his farm, and since then for one-third of a century has lived here. Has held the office of Commissioner of Highways, and has been Pathmaster for seventeen years. He married Mrs. Sophia M. Burgess December 8, 1839; she was born on Lake Superior ; they have seven children-Columbus, in Can- ada; Rebecca, now Mrs. Herren ; Francis, in Vicksburg ; Morgan C., in Harrisville ; Franklin, home : Ida, now Mrs. Davis ; James W., at home.

ISAAC FRENCH, farmer, Section 4, P. O. Smith Creek, is a native of England, and was born in 1824 on Christmas Day. He emigrated to America in 1852, and came to this county, and in 1863 came on this place, cleared the land, and made his farm of eighty acres. He married Miss Jane Rickles ; she is a native of England.

ADAM GAFFIELD, farmer, Section 6, P. O. Smith Creek, is a native of Canada, and was born August 8, 1811. He grew up and lived there until 1852, and then came to St. Clair County, and settled in this town on the place where he now lives ; it was all covered with timber ; he cleared it and made his farm, and since then for the past thirty years has resided here ; he owns a good farm of eighty acres. Has held the office of Justice of the Peace for ten years, and has held school offices. In 1835, he married Miss Irene Hubble, a na- tive of Canada ; they have five children-Nancy A., now Mrs. Hubble ; Martha M., now Mrs. Ketchum ; Hen- ry T., married ; Hiram E., married and living in Ohio ; George H., at home.

DR. SOLOMON GILBERT was born in Hampshire County, Mass., town of Amherst, July 13, 1809, and is a son of Joseph W. Douglass, a native of New England, and of Scotch descent. Joseph W. Douglass's father was a General in the Revolutionary war. Our subject had no other educational advantages than those furnished by the common schools. When yet a boy, he went to work in a carpenter tool shop, remain- ing in that capacity for twelve years. In 1826, he had his name changed, by order of the Massachusetts Legislature, from Caleb Smith Douglass, the name conferred on him by his parents, to Solomon Gil- bert. For two years he read medicine with Dr. King of Ware, Mass. He' practiced medicine in his native State for five years, when, in 1845, he came to St. Clair, where he still resides, and has ever since been a steady practitioner. The Doctor is the oldest practitioner in St. Clair, and has a large and lucrative practice. He was married in 1832, to Miss Sophia P. Wilson, a native of Massachusetts, by whom he had six children-Mary A., Electa S., Frederick S., Otis L., Charles C. and Solomon P .; all married except Solomon P. Mrs. Gilbert died December 10, 1864, and the Doctor again married January 2, 1866, this time to Miss Maria Wheeler, daughter of Brazilian Wheeler (deceased), one of the first settlers of St. Clair. Soon after locating in St. Clair, the Doctor was elected Constable, which office he held for seven years. He was also Alder- man for four years. His two sons-Otis and Charles, were soldiers for Uncle Sam in the late war; Charles participated in fifty-three battles and afterward hunted guerrillas for one year.

JAMES GRAHAM, farmer, Section 25, P. O. St. Clair, is a native of Ireland, and was born at Belfast, County Antrim, in 1834, He was brought up on a farm, emigrated to this country in 1855, and came to St. Clair in May, of the same year, and began working on farm. He worked for Wesley Truesdail and Eugene Smith over ten years; in 1866, he bought the land where he now lives, and since then has lived here and been engaged in farming. In 1864, he married Mrs. Lizzie Kelly, a native of Canada. They have six children- Mary Jane, James, Lizzie, Sarah, Nellie, David.

WILLIAM GREEN, farmer, Section 4, P. O. Smith's Creek, is a native of England, and was born April 21, 1830; he grew up to manhood there, and served five years' apprenticeship to the butchering business. He came to Canada in 1860, and in the fall of the same year, went to Buffalo, N. Y., and lived there two years; then came to Detroit, and after staying there six months, came to this county and settled on the place where he now lives; he cleared the land and made his farm of seventy acres, and has built excellent improvements. He butchers during winters; he has served on the School Board for nine years, and was Assessor and Treasurer three years. He married Miss Mary Ann Kisby, a native of England. They have eight children-John H., Benjamin, Elizabeth, William, Annie, Frank, Emma, Hattie.

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History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan, Part 114

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co. Number of Pages: 818

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co.
Number of Pages: 818