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 64

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 64

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Our Canadian friends at Port Sarnia and its vicinity will find the Observer a ready vehicle for the con- veyance of information respecting their village, harbor, railroad and other topics of general importance.

It is hoped the OBSERVER will be conducted in such a manner as to be sustained by the inhabitants of the county, and to merit the confidence and support of the public generally.

Huron City, Janu try 24, 1837.

Attached to this proposition was a space for subscribers' names. Copies of the prospectus were placed in the hands of many influential men, both in this county, at Detroit, and through- out York State, who became honorary canvassers for the journal. The names of the original subscribers are thus given :

E. B. Harrington, Cummings Sanborn, Amon Baker, A. & J. B. Comstock, G. F. Boynton, D. W. Powers, H. Harding, N. D. Horton, C. Thompson, E. C. Bancroft, E. Burch, E. P. John- ness, D. B. Harrington, F. C. White (Whitestone), A. S. Pratt, T. Crocker, John S. Heath, John Thorn, E. R. Moffatt (La Forge Village, N. Y.), J. F. Batcheller, John H. Westbrook. J. Hal- stead, Clift Comstock, Willard Orvis, Lucius Beach, Ashley L. Whitcomb, Hiram Marin, A. W. Campbell, H. Hamilton, Shepard & Bottsford, Joseph L. Kelsey, Z. W. Bunce, Jesse H. King, Lorenzo M. Mason, J. W. Campfield, Edward Petit, D. Babcock, H. Chamberlain, John Doran, Jared Miller, D. J. Rockwell, John Westbrook, James Beard, Joel Tucker, John Swart- hout, David Senter, Justin Rice, John Jackson, Michael Jackson, Benjamin Newhall, Chester Kimball, Jr., Henry Gill, Fr. Harsen, James Harsen, John Hughes, D. Churchill, John Smith, R. B. Dimond, Eben Westbrook, A. H. Westbrook, Jacob Peir, Oliver Westbrook, Jer. auld Miller, Jos. P. Mini, P. F. Brakeman, Lucius Beach, White & Harrington; with a num- ber of subscribers outside the county.

The stockholders, or owners of the Observer, whose names appear in an assignment of their interests in the paper, to Dan B. Harrington, Joshua S. Heath, and John Thorn, members of a committee appointed to arrange the affairs of the company, gave this committee power to dis- pose of the office. This resolution was passed July 14, 1837, and bears the signatures of G. T. Boynton, Edward Petit, A. & J. B. Comstock, Williard Orvis, Elijah Burch, J. S. Orvis, J. W. Campfield, William Robertson, Jr., B. A. Luce, Ira Porter, Hiram Whitcomb, Z. V. Thornton, and E. C. Bancroft. The Lake Huron Observer was, after a few years, merged into the Repre- sentative, again assumed its old name, which it held until, under the able management of W. L. Bancroft, it changed to the Port Huron Observer.

On August 4, 1849, the following notice appeared in the Observer :

The undersigned has disposed of the press, type and materials of the Observer office, to Mr. J. H. Hawes, and his connection therewith terminates from and after this date.

Subscribers who have paid in advance will be furnished with the paper, at the usual rate, for the term for which payment has been made; all legal and yearly advertisements, will be continued in publication for the time and on the terms agreed upon with the undersigned, who alone is authorized to settle and receipt for the same, and to whom only payment will be made. W. L. BANCROFT.

Subsequently changes occurred in the proprietary and editorship.

As a specimen of Mr. Bancroft's editorial work, let his article in reply to a letter of the Ann Arbor American, asking for an exchange of journals be quoted: "We shall be most happy to exchange, Mr. American; but we also most cordially detest the cause you have es- poused. It is not only anti-American in its very inception, but, we believe, if once established here and elsewhere. as the policy of the civilized world, it would do more than any other

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

one thing could do, to obstruct the onward march of progress and reform. which, sooner or later, are destined to unite the human family, for the achievement of universal, social and political amelioration." This is only one of the introductory paragraphs to a stirring editorial. It is one such as an American, bearing the same name as our American historian, should write, and such an one as the petit writers of the present would do well to copy from. George Ban- croft, speaking of Marquette, the foreigner, said, " the West will build his monument;" here at home W. L. Bancroft favors the peopling of the West by foreigners, and looks on migration as indispensable to human happiness.

E. B. Harrington, editor and projector of the Port Huron Observer, was born in Ontario County, N. Y. He was a brother of D. B. Harrington, and son of Jeremiah and Mercy (Baker) Harrington, the former born October 29, 1774. In 1811, the family moved to Sandusky, Ohio, and thence to Fremont where a settlement was effected. E. B. Harrington was not only a pio- neer of Michigan Territory, but also one of that civilized class who had the courage and enter. prise to inaugurate a weekly journal in the backwoods of this State in 1837. To him must credit be given for bringing the Lake Huron Observer to light. Mr. H. traveled extensively through the Union; but his journalistic life began and ended at Port Huron.

William Lyman Bancroft, born at Martinsburg, Lewis Co., N. Y., August 12, 1825, moved to Michigan with his parents in 1832, and settled at Port Huron in 1844. He studied under D. B. Crane at Detroit, and completed his education at Amhurst Academy, Massachusetts. In 1842, he entered the office of the Milwaukee Courier, where he remained two years. In 1844, he came to Port Huron, purchased the Observer office here, and became editor of that journal. In 1848, he disposed of his interest in the journal,. and went to Oswego, N. Y., where he studied law under W. F. Allen, afterward State Judge of Appeals. Returning in 1851, he entered on the practice of law, and from time to time held the editorial chair of the Commer- cial. In his biography given in other pages, the services rendered by Mr. Bancroft to the press society, and commerce of St. Clair County, are noticed.

THE PORT HURON COMMERCIAL.

The Port Huron Commercial was first published June 7, 1851; with George F. Lewis, editor. A reference to the chronological or miscellaneous chapter, will show the varied changes in the editorial department of this journal. The Commercial had W. L. Bancroft for its editor, and was, as it is now, the leading Democratic journal of this portion of the State. December 29, 1855, the name of H. S. Potter & Co. appears upon the paper. In its earlier years the day of issue was Saturday, changed to Wednesday, and subsequently in 1873, to Sunday morning.

George F. Lewis, known as the Genial Saginawian, Fred Lewis, etc., etc., was born in Harvard, Worcester Co., Mass., June 7, 1828, came with parents to Mount Clemens in 1835, set first type in office of Macomb Statesman, then edited by John N. Ingersoll, subsequently held positions in the office of Mount Clemens Patriot, in 1838; the Detroit Daily Commercial Bulletin in 1848; the Macomb County Herald in 1849; the Port Huron Commercial in 1851; the Peninsular Advocate in 1855. In March, 1868, he inaugurated the Daily Courier of Saginaw; projected the Saginawrian in 1869; the Mount Pleasant Journal in 1880, and the Daily Morning Call at Bay City in 1881.

James Talbot was born at, West Flamborough, Can., December 16, 1816. His parents came from Ireland several years prior to that date, making a settlement on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. In the first American home of the Talbots, a few of James Talbot's broth- ers were born. About the year 1812, the family moved to London, Can., where a kinsman, Col. Talbot, resided as Land Commissioner for the British Government.

In 1835, James Talbot, accompanied by William Wheaton, arrived at Port Huron; and moved thence up Black River where Elder Beard was engaged in hewing down the pine forest. There also he became acquainted with the Brockways. After some time, he returned to his home on the Thames. There he married Miss Maria House, a descendant of the first Dutch settler of that name in New York State. This marriage took place in 1847. In 1851, Mr. Talbot came to Port Huron to reside permanently. Here all their children were born, with two exceptions;

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

one of them dying in infancy was buried in a Canadian cemetery. Two others died at Port Huron, while five children are living.

Mr. Talbot climbed slowly up the ladder of public esteem; he possessed many endearing qualities which won for him a large circle of friends and the confidence of the people. Dur- ing the war for the Union, he was Supervisor for the First Ward of this city, and upon bim de- volved the duty of furnishing aid to the families of the soldiers furnished from that district of the city. How he administered this department is even to-day referred to with pleasure.

In 1868, he became the principal owner of. the Sunday Commercial, which journal he con- ducted with marked ability. During the construction of the Great Western Railroad, he was engaged in assisting the surveyors and in other work of a similar character. Under the old city charter he was elected Street Commissioner three times successively. He had the contract for grading Pine Grove avenue and some other streets on the old Military Reserve, and lastly the paving of Military street.

His last days were devoted to a review of the condition of the land of his fathers. The interest which he evinced in the cause of Ireland. as expounded by Parnell and his associates, was such as would become the largest souled political economist in the Union. His advocacy of Ireland's cause brought to the minds of many the fact of the oppression of which they knew little, or from which they just escaped.

An accident, which must be considered the direct cause of Mr. Talbot's death, occurred May 14, 1881. It appears that he and Mrs. Talbot visited some friends at Sombra, Can., on that day. During the return journey a sovere hail-storm set in, which urged the travelers to seek shelter in the house of Mrs. Brown, three miles east of the St. Clair River. Here, after entering, Mr. Talbot passed the rope halter or strap through the window, so that he could hold the horse without exposing himself to the terrific storm. The down-pour of hail and the light- ning flashes made the horse fractious, and during the lunging of the animal, the finger of his master became entangled in the rope. This finger was jerked off above the middle joint, and with it a sinew, thirteen inches long, was extracted. On Saturday following, May 21, 1881, the sufferer received an apoplectic stroke, which resulted in his death early on Sunday, May 22. The funeral of this estimable old resident took place May 24, 1881. The pall-bearers were Dr. S. D. Pace, Dr. Kibbee, S. D. Clark, William Dwyer, Lewis Atkins and S. H. Robin- son.

John Atkinson, formerly of the St. Clair County bar. now a leading lawyer of Detroit, was born at Warwick, C. W., May 24, 1841. His parents, James and Elizabeth (Shinners) Atkin- son were natives of Ireland, who came to the Canadas some years previous to 1841, and made a settlement at Warwick. The family moved to Port Huron at an early day in the history of the city, and there Mr. Atkinson received that practical education which fitted him in later years to take a leading place in war and law. His studies at the Michigan University resulted in a most successful graduation from the Law Department of that institution in March, 1862. Re- turning to Port Huron, he entered a law partnership with Judge William T. Mitchell. In July, 1862, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant Twenty-second Infantry, and by his military tact won all those positions credited to him in the Military Chapter of this book, serving with distinction until February, 1866. In May, 1866, he re-entered on the practice of law with John S. Crellin and O'Brien J. Atkinson. He was Collector of Customs at Port Huron in 1866-67. In 1870, In the fall of 1870, he removed to Detroit, which city he has since made his home. he was nominated for Attorney General on the Democratic ticket; and in 1872 for State Sena- tur on the same ticket. The party met with defeat, and with the party Mr. Atkinson was beaten politically. He was owner of the Port Huron Commercial for some time, during which his edi- torials claimed a high order of merit. He married Miss Lida Lyons, of San Antonio, Tex., February 1, 1866; the family belong to the Catholic Church. Mr. Atkinson is politically a Republican, and must be considered one of the most important accessions to the ranks of that party during the last two decades. As a lawyer of the State his talents and energy are well known, and win for him a daily increasing public confidence.

William F. Atkinson was born in Canada January 8, 1846. His parents, James and Elizabeth (Shinners) Atkinson, natives of Ireland, settled in Canada about 1841, and moved

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

with their family to Port Huron in May, 1854. In January, 1860, William F. entered the office of the Port Huron Commercial. August 13, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, Twenty- second Michigan Infantry. Within the subsequent year, he rose to the rank of First Sergeant. September 20, 1863, he was wounded and made prisoner at Chickamauga. From that time un- til his escape from prison, January 19, 1864, he was subjected to all the trials incidental to life in the prisons of Richmond and Danville. Following his escape came the troublous journey of 300 miles through the fastnesses of West Virginia, which ended February 10, when he reached the lines of the Union army. In March, he rejoined his regiment at Chattanooga, June 7, was commissioned Second Lieutenant and appointed Signal Officer on the staff of Gen. Sherman. November 7 following, he resigned, to accept the Captaincy of Company K, Third Michigan Infantry, and served with the command until its muster out, May 25, 1866. On his return to Port Huron in June, 1866, he received an appointment in the Customs Department. In January, 1867, he traveled South and worked as a printer at Nashville, St. Louis and Indian- apolis during that year. In the fall of 1867, he returned to Port Huron, accepted an editorial position on the Commercial, which he held until the close of 1869. Subsequently, he was en- gaged in the insurance business with Cyrus Miles; was admitted to the bar June 1, 1870, and practiced at Port Huron until May 1, 1873, when he moved to Alpena. He returned to Port Huron a year later, was City Attorney in 1875-76, continuing to practice there until November 23, 1880, when he moved to Detroit to become a member of the law firm of Atkinson & Atkin- son. William Atkinson was married to Miss Kate M. Donnelly February 28, 1870, daughter of William Donnelly, of Plympton

John F. Talbot, son of James and Maria (House) Talbot, was born at Otterville, C. W., January 19, 1850. He came with his parents to Port Huron, Mich., in 1851. In the schools of this city he received his education, studying until 1869, when he entered the Commercial office, just then purchased from Col. John Atkinson by his father. Mr. Talbot has been closely connected with this journal from 1869 to the present, with, perhaps, the exception of one year, which he devoted to the editorship of the Detroit Daily Union.

James H. Talbot, brother of John F. Talbot, is a native of Port Huron. He attended the city schools until 1869, when he entered the Commercial office. His interests have been closely identified with this paper from 1869 to the present day.

Harry L. Talbot, born at Port Huron in 1855, studied in the schools of this city until 1869, when he began work in the office of his father. He married Miss Blanche Dale, of Port Huron, July 3, 1878. He resides in the city and is a member of the Commercial staff.

Henry S. Potter, now of Detroit, was editor and publisher of the Commercial and Post- master of the village of Port Huron in early days. Mr. Potter is a native of Connecticut.

George Goodale, now city editor of the Detroit Free Press, was connected with the Com- mercial for a few years.

Nathan C. Kendall was editor of the paper from 1866 to 1868. He served throughout the war in one of the Michigan infantry regiments. T. J. Hudson and S. P. Purdy were publish- ers of the Commercial for a little over a year. W. F. Atkinson, Col. John Atkinson, Peter F. O'Sullivan and Baron Jasmund, an early settler on the St. Clair, were connected with the paper. Col. Atkinson's sketch is given in this chapter.

Eugene James Schoolcraft, son of James and Sarah (Ruddick) Schoolcraft, was born at Port Huron, April, 1855. His father was a native of Michigan, born at the Sault de St. Marie, and mother a daughter of William Reddick, of Ireland. Mr. Schoolcraft was educated in the schools of Port Huron, under Miss Blennerhassett and Miss Nancy Sanborn. In 1870, he entered the Commercial office. The years 1873 to 1876, were passed in the Times office. In May, 1878, he purchased a fourth interest in the Commercial, with which journal he is now con- nected, both in the business and journalistic departments. Mr. Schoolcraft was married, August 1, 1876, to Miss Emma Harder, daughter of Christian and Bertha Harder, natives of Germany. They are the parents of one child, Lulu B., born May 31, 1880. Mr. Schoolcraft was not, of age to serve in the war for the Union. He is not a member of any of the secret societies. Po- litically, he is a Democrat.

John Murray, son of Denis and Margaret (Rutledge) Murray, natives of Ulster and Con-

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

naught respectively, was born at St. Mary's, Perth County, C. W., May 26, 1849. The family moved to Tillsonburg, Oxford County, in 1852, where Mr. Murray attended the common schools until 1864. He was Principal of the Mt. Elgin Schools from 1872 to 1875, and of the Tillsonburg Schools from 1875 to 1881. In the latter year, he visited Michigan, and located at Port Huron in 1882, where he holds a position on the Commercial staff. He was married to Miss Nellie Worden July 23, 1381, daughter Mr. Worden and Melissa Worden, the former a native of Iowa and the latter of Michigan.

PORT HURON TIMES.

The Port Huron Press was established by J. Scarritt in September, 1858. This journal continued regular publication until merged into the Port Huron Times in 1870.

The Port Huron Times. The first number of this newspaper was issued June 25, 1869, with James H. Stone, managing editor, and the Port Huron Times Company owners. The company was organized early in 1869, and recorded articles of incorporation July 19, 1870. The capital stock was $6,000, or 240 shares of $25 each, which sum was actually paid in at date of organization. The shareholders were: James W. Sanborn and John P. Sanborn, twenty-two shares each; H. Howard, twenty shares; John Johnson, sixteen shares; W. B. Hibbard, four- teen shares; Frederick L. Wells, Edgar White and James H. White, twelve shares each: John S. Bottsford, ten shares; James H. Stone, eight shares; Alexander Crawford, G. Inslee, O. L. Jenks, William Hartsuff, J. M. Hubbard, H. A. Batchelor, James Beard, A. H. Fish, D. B. Harrington, four shares each; D. N. Runnells, W. Wastell, G. E. Brockway, three shares each; J. W. Thomson, M. Walker, J. Byron Hull, G. K. Nairn, C. F. Harrington, H. Hunt, J. P. Haynes and W. E. Preache, two shares each; Aaron Smith, H. Williams, E. M. Cady, W. R. Mulford, H. Traver, E. G. Spaulding, J. W. Thomson, Jr., G. E. Twiss, H. McMoran, W. W. Campfield, J. J. Hoyt, W. B. Morse, S. D. Pace, C. M. Stockwell, G. W. Howe, H. G. Barnum and John McNeil, one share each; and Edward W. Harris, six.

In June, 1869, the first power printing press introduced into the county was placed in this office, and on it the first number of the Times was printed.

The Michigan Press Association awarded the Times the first premium as being the best made-up newspaper in the State, September, 1870. A month later, November 1, 1870, the editor, J. H. Stone, resigned his position to accept the editorship of the Kalamazoo Daily Tele- graph. L. A. Sherman, of the Detroit Daily Post, accepted the position of managing editor vice Mr. Stone resigned. Within a few months, a tri-weekly edition was issued (March 4, 1871), the weekly form was changed from folio to quarto, and a business boom seemed to strike the office. The Tri-Weekly Times was discontinued March 23, 1872, when the Daily Times was inangu- rated. In December, 1874, J. H. Stone accepted the editorial charge. The progress of the Times since 1872 is remarkable. To-day it is one of the newsiest, best edited, and profitable daily journals in the State.

Lorin Albert Sherman, son of Albert C. and Mary Ann Scotford, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Utica, N. Y., was born March 14, 1844, in Bennington Township, Wyoming Co., N. Y. Mr. Sherman, Sr., died September 10, 1844. The next year, Mrs. Sher- man, her son and two sisters moved to Alexander, Genesee County, and thence to Darien Town- ship, Genesee County. In 1851, the family came to Michigan, settling at De Witt Village, near Lansing. During the stay of the family in these places Mr. Sherman attended the district schools. In 1853, the family moved to Olivet. The year following, Mr. S. entered the Olivet Institute, under Prof. Bartlett, where he studied during six terms. In 1857, he entered Hills- dale College, where he studied for a few terms. The year following, he went to Jackson, where he was engaged in mercantile life until 1861, when he enlisted in the First Michigan Infantry, then organized under Gen. John C. Robinson. He served until July 1862, when he received his discharge for disability. Like other soldiers of the war he suffered from many of the diseases common in the army of that time. From March, 1862, to time of discharge, he served as Hospital Steward at Newport News. He served at Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill and other military affairs throughout Virginia, as referred to in the military chapter. Toward the close of 1862, he went to Adrian, where he was employed in a book store, then entered the Adrian Expositor as book-keeper and clerk, and became editor of that daily journal two years later. In

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the spring of 1866, he was appointed night editor of the Detroit Post under Gen. Carl Schurz, now editor of the New York Post. In the fall of 1866, Mr. Sherman was appointed managing editor of the Detroit Post, which position he held until the fall of 1867, when he resumed the dual position of night and State news editor. He remained in the office of the Post until 1870, when he accepted the position of Manager of the Port Huron Weekly Times in November of that year. In March, 1871, he inuagurated a tri-weekly edition, and the year following established the Daily Times, which journal he now manages. In the spring of 1878, James H. Stone re- signed his position on the Times to accept the managing editorship of the Post and Tribune, when Mr. Sherman again assumed the management of the paper.

Mr. Sherman was married, September 6, 1865, to Miss Estella C. Ward, daughter of Josiah Ward, a pioneer lawyer of Adrian, Mich., who died in Nevada, in 1864. They were the parents of four children, viz .: Fred. W., born February 3, 1867; Edith E., born March 20, 1873; Albert Ward, born January 20, 1875, died November 3, 1875, and William T., born December 18, 1881.

Mr. Sherman served for eight years as Chairman of the Republican City Committee; four years member and Secretary of the Republican County Committee, and three years member of the Board of Education, during which time he superintended the rebuilding of the high school. Through his efforts the Telephone Exchange was established at Port Huron. January 1, 1880, and also the line from Port Huron to Detroit in September, 1881. He manages the telephone business of the city and district, and is even now extending the lines.

The City Opera House, built by D. B. Harrington, has been under the management of Mr. Sherman since it was first completed. After its destruction by fire and rebuilding, he was again requested to assume the management. He was one of the first advocates of a system of water works for the city, and also a prime advocate for the construction of the P. H. & N. W. R. R. It may in truth be said that there has not been a more able or persistent supporter of local progress and improvement than Mr. Sherman. His position on the Times afforded him a rare opportunity, and how this opportunity has been availed of by him is evidenced in the suc- cess which waited upon his labors in this direction.

Among the principal members of the Times staff were Gill. R. Osmun, now State editor of Detroit Evening News; Del. T. Sutton, a favorably known editor of the Richmond Review; Hatheway, now of the Grand Rapids Democrat; A. B. Fraser, now of Chicago; George P. Brown, of Point St. Ignace, and the present editor, J. Bartle Parker.

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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 64

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