USA > Michigan > Wexford County > History of Wexford County, Michigan, embracing a concise review of its early settlement, industrial development and present conditions > Part 51
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Church and Sunday school work absorbs much of his attention. He is a most worthy man, possessing the full confidence and es- teem of all of his neighbors.
The following newspaper notice regard- ing Mrs. Denike's father, Thomas Hender- son, as also his obituary notice, will no doubt prove of interest in this connection :
Uncle Tommy Henderson, of Henderson town- ship. Wexford county, made the Enterprise office his first visit last Saturday, and we were well en- tertained during his stay. Uncle Tommy is quite a character in his way. He was born in Ohio sev- enty-two years ago, of hardy Scotch parents. His father fought in the war of 1812 and his grandfa- ther in the Revolutionary war. He and his four brothers were in their younger days strong, muscu- lar six-footers and it took a good man to handle any of them. Uncle Tommy says he has seen the day he could out-run, out-walk, out-fight, out- dance ont-wrestle or ont-work any man in the state and can yet outdo any man of his age. He is now six feet in stature and as active of a man of forty. He has lived where he now lives for twenty years and is well known all over this part of the state. He knows a little law, a good deal of medicine and has lots of shrewd native sense. He claims to be able to cure headache, rheumatism, toothache and cancer by the simple laying on of his hands. He has been caught under a half dozen falling trees. but never had a bone broken. He says he has drank forty barrels of whisky and has'as steady nerves as any man in the county, which is true. He is noted for his generous nature, never refusing a man a meal or lodging whether he has money or not. He has no use for a Republican or an Indian, classing them about on a par. But he says the En- terprise is a mighty good paper, which shows that Uncle Tommy's head is level, if it is not gray.
U'nele Tommy Henderson, one of the early set- tlers and for whom his township was named. died of heart failure March 1, 1896, at his home, five miles south of Harrietta. He was about seventy- nine years of age. He was very peculiar in many ways, but was a good neighbor and generous to a fault. Many a weary traveler has found refresh- ment and shelter at his humble home, which became a landmark, never to be forgotten. He leaves a wife and a large family of children, all of whom,
with one exception, are married and away from the old home, and all of whom have the sympathy of a large circle of friends.
JOHN A. GUSTAFSON.
The little country of Sweden has long been noted for the industry, thrift and sa- gacity of her many sons who have invaded the borders of American soil. so in epito- mizing the review of the subject of this text. the following is offered in a brief and plain manner. shorn of any ostentation or lauda- tory remarks. Mr. Gustafson was born in the little province of Sodermanland. in the adjacent territory of the beautiful capital city of Stockholm. September 5. 1856, and his boyhood was spent until the age of sixteen in his native land. His education while not of a collegiate nature, was of a practical line, which has served him in the later years of his busy life. It was in the month of September. 1872, when he decided to cast his lot in America, and his objective point of location was the little village of Clam Lake, now the city of Cadillac. Wex- ford county. Michigan. While yet a young man Mr. Gustafson was amongst the early founders and settlers of Cadillac. One year after his arrival in Wexford county he en- tered the employ of Cloud & Ballou as an ap- prentice to the tinner's trade.
In 1879 he severed his connection with the above establishment and went to Big Rapids where he was employed for two years, then in 1881 he returned to Cadillac and was at once employed by John M. Cloud. with whom he remained till he embarked in business for himself. Eight years later. in 1889. he formed a partnership with .Andrew
JOHN GUSTAFSON.
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Olsen, and engaged in the grocery business under the style of Olsen & Gustafson. The hrm thus continued business until January 1. 1891. when it was dissolved by mutual consent, and Mr. Gustafson, the following March, became associated with John John- son in the hardware business. The latter business continued until 1901, Messrs. Gus- tafson & Johnson purchasing good business property in an excellent location in Cadillac. In1 1901 the partnership was dissolved, and since that date Mr. Gustafson has been con- ducting a heating and plumbing establish- ment and is now conducting a general hard- ware store.
Mr. Gustafson's tastes runs mostly to mechanics and in this line of business he has been remarkably successful and his standing and business reputation is such as is recog- nized by the better class of the commercial world. Mr. Gustafson, while deeply en- grossed in his work, has also found time to give his support to those measures and enter- prises which tend to elevate and advance the usefulness of the municipal government of the city of Cadillac. In the spring of 1895 he modestly accepted the office of alderman, to which he was chosen by the elective vote of the citizens on the Democratic ticket. He, like many other of his countrymen, has taken a positive and emphatic stand on the excel- lence of the city schools and has served on the board of education. He is of the opin- ion that the universal education of the masses is the keynote of stability of the great republic.
Mr. Gustafson is a believer in true Chris- tianity, and for years has been an earnest ad- vocate of the teachings of the Swedish Luth- eran church, and the Sunday school, which is
the great aid to the church, has found in him a worthy devotee.
On the 23d day of September, 1881, the subject wedded Miss Amanda F. Monson, and three children have graced their mar- riage, viz : Mabel O., Carl .\. S. and Harold J. G. By his industry and his integrity of character, Mr. Gustafson has gained the es- teem and confidence of the citizens of Cad- illac and it is a pleasure to print the above re- sume, brief as it may be, of this worthy Swedish-American citizen.
NELSON McBRIAN.
Luxury and longevity on this earth rare- ly fall to the lot of the same individual. Hard work, rough fare and exposure to the ele- ments are more frequently followed by a good old age than are downy couches, soft rugs and dainty food. The average hod car- rier has more years to his score when he comes to face the grim destroyer than has the average banker. All of the years of Nel- son McBrian, of Cedar Creek township. more than half a century, have been years of almost incessant toil. Yet he is physically and mentally well preserved. The hard work and exposure and the rough fare inci- dent to the lumber camps, where he worked for many years, have left none of their traces upon a constitution that seems equal to the ravages of another half century.
Nelson MeBrian was born in Northum- berland county, Ontario, Canada, August 17, 1850. His parents were Robert and Mary (Collins) McBrian, whose entire lives were spent in Canada, both having died there a
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number of years ago. He was reared upon his father's farm in his native county until he arrived at the age of nineteen years, hav- ing had plenty of hard work to do and little opportunity of securing an education. In 1869, blessed with good health and an abun- (lance of physical strength, he came to Mich- igan and secured employment on the river, logging. This he followed during the sum- mer and in the winter went into the woods and worked in the lumber camps. For twelve years he followed this business and, although the work was hard and the expos- ure great, so far from suffering physically by what he endured, he gained strength and a sturdy physique as a result of his la- bors. Unlike many of those employed with him, he was prudent with his earnings and as soon as he had means enough to enable him to purchase a tract of land he gladly re- tired from the calling. In 1881 he bought a tract of forty acres of land, a part of sec- tion 8, Cedar Creek township, and located thereon a year later. From that time until the present he has been a resident of the township. Farming has been exclui- sively his occupation since he ceased lum- bering and he has made it satisfactorily re- munerative. He is now the owner of an eighty-acre farm, seventy of which is im- proved and under cultivation.
August 2, 1885. Nelson McBrian was united in marriage to Miss Linnie Priest, a native of Orange, Ionia county, Michigan, born August 22. 1867. Her parents were Eliphalet and Cornelia ( Dunsmore ) Priest, natives of New York, who were among the early pioneers of the state of Michigan. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Priest. Mrs. McBrian was the third. The subject and his wife are the parents of two
children, Nellie M. and Ralph. The family attend divine service at the Free Methodist church and Mr. and Mrs. McBrian are men- bers of that religious denomination. The only public position which the subject has ever filled was that of school director, in which capacity he served a number of years. With limited opportunities, the life of Nel- son McBrian has been a far more success- ful. exemplary and worthy one than that of many a man born to riches and influence.
SAMUEL CARNAHAN.
On section 4, Antioch township, lives Samuel Carnahan, whose attention is given to agricultural pursuits in the operation of his valuable farm of eighty acres, of which seventy-two acres is under a very high state of cultivation. He was born upon a farm in LaGrange county, Indiana, March 19. 1844. His father. Samuel Carnahan, was also a farmer by occupation, carrying on that pur- suit until his death, which occurred in La- Grange county in the fifty-fifth year of his age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Ann Mashon, also died in La- Grange county, her death occurring in her sixty-fifth year. They were the parents of nine children, of whom Samuel was the fourth in order of birth.
Upon the old homestead in the county of his nativity Samuel Carnahan was reared and when not engaged with the duties of the school-room his attention was largely given to farm work, with which he became famil- iar in its various departments. He continued to live in LaGrange county until he was thir- ty-eight years of age, or until the fall of
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1882, and at that time he came to Wexford county, where he has since made his home. In December following his arrival he pur- chased eighty acres of land on section 4. Antioch township, and the following March he settled upon this tract of land with his family. With characteristic energy he began its cultivation and improvement and has con- tinued his work here with the result that he now has seventy-two acres of land under cultivation. The fields have been divided by well-kept fences and the early tints of spring give promise of golden harvests in the au- tumm, while the sale of his crops return to him a good harvest.
On the 12th of January, 1871, Mr. Car- nahan was united in marriage, in LaGrange county, Indiana, to Miss Sarah Rathbun. who was born in Elkhart county, Indiana. May I. 1852, a daughter of Costain and An- dalusia (Gould ) Rathbun. Her father died in LaGrange in the fifty-third year of his age, and the mother afterward came to Mich- igan, spending her last days in Mesick, where she died in her seventy-fourth year. She was the mother of five children, of whom Mrs. Carnahan is the second. The home of the subject and his wife has been blessed with five children: Lester C .: Charles 11 .: Clara E., the wife of Samuel Jones ; Rachel A .. the wife of Edward Patterson; and Samuel Albert.
Mr. Carnahan has served as treasurer of Antioch township and has held different school positions. He was elected one of the county superintendents of the poor in the fall of 1800 and in these various offices he has ever been found reliable and trustworthy, discharging his duties in a prompt and capa- ble manner. His political support is given to the Republican party and he is a member
of the Grange. He is also a liberal contrib- utor to church work and co-operates in many measures for the general good. Dur- ing his residence in Wexford county he has so lived as to command the good will and confidence of all with whom he has come in contact and he has gained many friends. His life has been one of untiring industry and his farm has been cleared entirely through his own efforts.
Mr. Carnahan is erecting a residence. eighteen by twenty-six feet in size, on his farm, and will thus have one of the most comfortable and conveniently arranged homes in the township.
ISAAC STARKWEATHER.
Statistics show that the man who toils lives longer than the man of leisure. It is not the life of ease and comfort that is pro- ductive of longevity. The toiler is spared to his toil, while the money changer is sep- arated by death from his millions. Toil should have some reward more than the bare pittance it gets in the way of wages and there seems to be little doubt that nature has pro- vided it with longevity by way of additional compensation. The years of the life of Isaac Starkweather, the subject of this re- view, have been years of active labor. Throughout the greater part of them he has been blessed with the requisite health and strength to encounter and accomplish every task required of him. There is a homely old saying, that has far more truth than elo- quence in it. viz : "God fits the back for the burden." Those doomed to a life of toil are generally endowed by nature with the phys-
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real strength to sustain them in its accom- plishment. Nature is wise and generally just, if not always generous.
Isaac Starkweather, who resides on a part of section 6, Selma township, is a native of Canada. fle was born in Kent county, Ontario, January 11, 1846. His parents were . Asa and Betsey ( Ruble ) Starkweather. the father a native of New York and the mother of Canada, both now deceased.
The first twenty-two years of the life of the subject were spent in his native county. llis education was not neglected, though it was by no means as complete as he could de- sire. It included a fair knowledge of all of the common school branches and this he has since supplemented with a wide range of reading which has made him a well informed man. Naturally possessed of a taste for mechanics and an aptness and skill in the use of tools, he took very kindly to carpen- tering and was not obliged to serve at the business very long before becoming quite skilltul. In 1868 he came to Montcalm county, Michigan, secured employment in the woods and worked at logging and lum- bering for about a year, when he went to Defiunce county, Ohio, and followed his calling of a carpenter for a number of years. In the spring of 1883 he came to Wexford county, Michigan, purchased forty acres of land in section 6. Selma township, where he erected a residence and proceeded to estab- lish a home. This has been his place of abode from that time to the present. al- though for five years he was employed as a carpenter and builder in the city of Cadillac.
On the 18th day of November, 1874. in Defininee county, Ohio, Isaac Starkweather was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Duf- fey. a native of Paulding county, Ohio, born
October 27. 1853. the daughter of Mathew and Almira ( McGee ) Duffey. Hier father was a native of Ireland and her mother of New York, both being now deceased. Mrs. Starkweather was reared and educated in her native county. To Mr. and Mrs. Stark- weather three children were born. viz. : \]- mira. Asa and Hattie, the latter being now a successful teacher of Wexford county. The former became the wife of James Har- ris, but was called to her eternal rest when she had reached the age of twenty-one years.
In all public affairs of the township of his residence Mr. Starkweather has been quite prominent. Next to his individual welfare he prizes the welfare of Selma town- ship. Indeed, the one is so closely identified with the other that the neglect of the one must necessarily reflect injuriously upon the other. He has served the people of his town- ship as supervisor, treasurer and member of the school board. He is a member of Lodge No. 186, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Harrietta, and of the Selma township Grange. Patrons of Husbandry. In his own humble, honest, direct way, he has well per- formed all of the duties of life and has re. ceived the commendation and esteem of all who know him, as well as the sanction and approval of his own conscience.
ARIEL W. TWEEDIE.
Ariel W. Tweedie, proprietor of the Cadillac Greenhouse and one of the city's well-known and popular residents, was born in Three Rivers, St. Joseph county, Michi- gan. October 14. 1855. His father. Thom- as Tweedie, was a native of Ireland and a
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tailor by trade and his mother, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Jane Wellman, was horn and reared in the state of New York. When about twelve years of age Thomas Tweedie came to the U'nited States. and he grew to maturity in New York and there learned his trade and married. Later he moved to Michigan and settled at Three Rivers, thence went to Schoolcraft, Kala- mazoo county, where he followed his chosen vocation until 1882, when he took up his residence in Cadillac and here spent the re- mainder of his life, dying on the first day of January, 1884, his wife surviving him until February 23, 1899. Thomas and Sa- rah Jane Tweedic reared a family of seven children, the subject of this review being the fifth of the number.
Ariel W. was about two years old when his parents moved to Schoolcraft, and he spent his childhood and youth in that town, receiving his education in the public schools. and when a youth in his teens he entered a newspaper office to learn the printer's trade. lle soon became an efficient workman and at the age of eighteen left home and found employment at his trade, working for a number of years thereafter for different newspapers, rising to the position of fore- man in nearly all the offices in which he was engaged. AAmong the several places where Mr. Tweedic held the position of foreman was Mount Pleasant. this state, where he served for some time in the office of the Northwestern Michigan Tribune. Sever- ing his connection with that paper in De- cember, 1899, he came to Cadillac and took charge of the office of the Michigan State Democrat, for M. T. Woodruff, in whose employ he continued about two years, when the paper was sold to George S. Stanley.
After serving several years in the same ca- pacity with the latter gentleman, he resigned with the object in view of starting a green- house in Cadillac, seeing here a favorable opening for such an enterprise. Years be- fore he had acquired a taste for horticul- ture and floriculture, under his father, who, in addition to his trade, devoted a great deal of attention to the raising of fruits and flow- ers. The knowledge of plants thus derived was turned to practical use, while serving as foreman on the Democrat office, as he de- voted his leisure hours to floriculture and in due time found a ready sale at liberal prices for the products of his garden. In this con- nection it may be proper to state that the idea of engaging in this fascinating pursuit as a business appears to have originated in the mind of Mrs. Tweedie, who for some time had been raising flowers and supplying the popular demand. She began in a small way, but was soon obliged to give the matter more serious attention as the demand for flowers continued to increase until she was no longer able to gratify it whoily.
Convinced that a properly conducted greenhouse would soon be liberally patron- ized, M1. Tweedie at this juncture resigned his position and, with the able assistance of his wife, at once embarked in the business, beginning on a modest scale but gradually extending the scope of their operations until the matter passed beyond the experimental stage and became an assured financial snc- cess. By diligent attention and constant study of the tastes of his customers Mr. Tweedic succeeded far beyond his expecta- tions. Ile gradually built up a flourishing business, which has continued to grow in volume with each succeeding year, the me in- while enlarging the capacity of his establish-
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ment and introducing new features until he now has a large and well conducted green- house.
A man of refined tastes, he has done much through the medium of his business to promote an interest in floriculture, which all concede to be one of the most fascinating and, when properly conducted, one of the most remunerative pursuits in which a per- son of moderate capital can engage. Having studied very carefully every phase of plant life, he is familiar with every detail of flori- culture and possesses sound judgment in matters of business, and it is an easy proph- ecy to predict for his already flourishing enterprise a long lease of continued pros- perity.
Mr. Tweedie was married at Vicksburg. Michigan, October 30, 1878. to Miss Minnie S. Boynton, whose birth occurred in the city of Niles, this state, September 28. 1856. Mrs. Tweedie is the oklest of two children whose parents were Rev. Jeremy and Martha (Stilson ) Boynton, the father for many years a well-known Methodist divine, who preached in various parts of Michigan and who died some years ago at the town of Stanton. Six children have resulted from the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Tweedie, to- wit : Bertha K., wife of Clarence C. Beach ; Ilelena E .. Mattie J .. Ariel T., and two that died in infancy. Mrs. Tweedie has been her husband's able assistant in all of his endeav- ors and. as already indicated, much of the success of his present business enterprise is due to the interest she manifested during its inception and to her active co-operation since. She is an estimable lady, esteemed by a large circle of friends in Cadillac and oth - er places where she has lived, and makes her presence felt for good among those with
whom she mingles. Mr. Tweedie is also an active church worker. He possesses decided musical talent and is interested in that art. lis nature being peculiarly susceptible to all kinds of refining influences. An honora- ble, straightforward business man. an ex- cellent neighbor, a law-abiding, public- spirited citizen. his labors in Cadillac have been fruitful of beneficial results and he occupies no little place in the confidence and esteem of the public.
D. W. CURTIS, V. S.
The profession of which the subject of this review is a worthy representative has of recent years come prominently to the front and in its ranks today are found many learned and distinguished men whose ability and skill are being unselfishly devoted to man's most serviceable and faithful friend. the horse. Dr. D. W. Curtis, a leading veter- inary surgeon of Wexford county, and the only professionally educated man of his call- ing in this part of the state, is a native of Canada, born January 24, 1863. in western Ontario, near the town of Stratford. He was reared and educated in the land of his nativity and there followed various pursuits until 1890 when he entered the Ontario Vet- erinary College at Toronto, perhaps the most famous institution of the kind on the continent, and graduated from the same two years later. The same year in which he re- ceived his degree witnessed the Doctor's ar- rival at Cadillac. Michigan, where he at once engaged in the practice of his profession, and it was not long until his ability and skill were duly recognized by the people of the
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city and county, with the result that his repu- tation was soon permanently established. After practicing here until the fall of 1893 he returned to Canada and took a post- graduate course in the same institution from which he had formerly graduated, thus by a thorough course of training under the direc- tion of the best professional talent in Amer- ica fitting himself for a calling in which he has already achieved marked success and in which he is destined to fill out a still greater career of usefulness. Leaving college the second time, the Doctor located at Big Rap- ids, Michigan, where he practiced the ensu- ing fifteen months and at the end of that time returned to Cadillac, where he has since remained, the meanwhile building up a large and lucrative business which has been as successful financially as professionally. In connection with his professional business he operated a large horseshoeing establish- ment in which none but the most skillful workmen were employed, and his reputation in this line brought him a patronage much more liberal than that of any other establish- me.it of the kind in this city. However, this branch of business has been discontinued on account of his not having time to attend to it personally. Dr. Curtis has devoted much time and thought to the calling in which he is engaged and the rare skill he displays in the treatment of the various diseases peculiar to the horse, and the success with which the same has been crowned has given him a place in the front ranks of the profession. A close and critical student, he spares no pains to keep in touch with the latest discoveries and advancements in veterinary surgery and. possessing the ability to reduce his knowl- alge to practice, demonstrates his fitness to meet every requirement made upon him in
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