History of the St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources.., Part 113

Author: Western historical company, Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas & co.
Number of Pages: 814

USA > Michigan > St Clair County > History of the St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources.. > Part 113

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

JJOHN C. CLARKE, Cashier of the First National Bank, St. Clair City, was born at Chester, Rocking- ham Co., N. IL .. 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 sokliers in the Revolution, and fought in the battle of Bennington and other Our subject graduated from the Wesleyan University at Middleton, Conn., in 1848. IIe engagements

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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 1831, he formed a partnership with Reuben Moore, of St. Clair, in the same business, and went to Detroit, where they ownel 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 hell 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 1St. 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 I'nited 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. 1.54. 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 building in this county -all the result of the industry and good management of himself and wife Ile has helt the office of Commissioner of Highways. He married Miss un Mary Dey August 30, 1555. She. was born in Prussia, Germany.

WILLIAM COLEMAN. farmer, Section 3. P. O. Smith Creek, was born in Somersetshire, England. in 1.80% nd 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 1838, he married Aliss 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, 1599 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 11, ISSO. They live 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 anl Postmaster. His father died Jannary 1. 1856, and his mother lives with him.

JOHN CON. farmer. Vine street. P O St Clair, was born in Cumbridgeshire, England, March 1. 1825 Ile emigrated to America in the spring of 1850: lived in Ohio until the fall of of IS51; then came to this conn 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 four 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 .V. Breakenberry, of London. She died in February. 1876. Ilis present wife was Miss Naomi Von Fox, a na tive of England.

DR EDWARD H. 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 Detroi in 1866, and in 186; he went to Pontiac. Mich., where in 1869 he began the study of dentistry with Dr. AJ 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 ISit, he went to Chicago. Then for four years h . had charge of the artificial department in the office of Dr. W. B. McChesney, the largest dental office in the United States, Then, in 18is, 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 danzhter of C'h rles Il. Waterloo, of St Clair.

BENJAMIN F. CRAMPTON, leading grover and provision dealer of St. Clair, was born at Fremont. Ohb J. nuary 27. 1816, and is a son of William C. and Catharine (Drulhard 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 (. Crampton was educated at Hartford, Conn .. and Mrs. ( rampton in Canada. Mr. Crampton came to St. Clair about 1550. He was married in December, 1979. to Mi -- Emma Jenks, by whom he has two children-Ralph Owen and Abbie Pierce Mr. Crampton engaged " the grocery and provision business in St. Clair in April, 1877. He has been very snecessful, and is now doing a business of $35,000 annually. He also does some farming. Frw men have been as fortunate as Mr ('raimplo! . for he began life with no capital. He has held the office of Supervisor for two years.

ANDI EWA. CUMMINGS was born in Grafton County. N. I. April 25, 199, 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 kated 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 1553, 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. Hecontinued in this business until about the year ismo 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, 1550, he engaged in the livery business, in which he is now engaged He was married August 15. 1553. 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 " setiled in Detroit in 1504, 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 1575. in St Clair, at the age of ninely one years. Mr. and Mrs. Cummings had five children, three of whom are living. viz. : Ida M HOster- bons . Louise HI. 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. 13

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IIISTORY 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 continned 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. De Lano married Miss Lucretia Madison, a native of Fredonia, Chautauqua Co., N. Y. They have one son-Orrin W., in business in Detroit. Mr. De Lano is a son of Safford S. and Clarissa Cook DeLano; he was a native of Vermont, born in 1800, and died in 1853; 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 pursned 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.

JOSEPHI 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 Angust 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, Connty 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., Ilenry 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 Phobe J.

EMANUEL ELSWORTII, 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. Hle owns a good farm of 130 acres ; has served as High- way Commissioner, and hell 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. Il. 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. Ile sailed master of the steamer Detroit in 1854, then sailed master of the Forrester, Sam Ward, steamer Cleveland, Arctic, Traveller, Reindeer ; propellers Burlington and Quiney, 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 MeIntere, a native of Maine. They have four children-Florence, now Mrs. C. J. Rennick, Saginaw; Harry, now in Oscoda; Jessie and Mary.

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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 the re 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 farin, 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 O., 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 isa native of England.

ADAM GAAFFIELD, 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 farin 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 11., 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. Donglass's father was a General in the Revolutionary war. Our subject bad no other educational advantages than those furnished by the common schools. When you 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 Donglass, 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 1532, to Miss Sophia P. Wilson, a native of Massachusetts, by whom he had six children-Mary A., Electa S., Frederick S., Ofis 1 .. Charles C. and Solomon P .; all married except Solomon P. Mrs. Gilbert died December 10, 1864, and the Doctor again married JJanuary 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 waselected 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, Ile 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 1861, 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 staving 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. Hle 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 HI .. Benjamin, Elizabeth, William, Annie, Frank. Emma, Hattie.

EMERY W. GURNEY was born in St. Clair. June 26, 1457, and is the only child of Charles Gurney, of St. Clair. Our subject was brought up and educated in St Clair, and for the most part has made it his home until the present. For the past ten years he has been engaged in sealing logs and inspecting hunler: the last three years of this time, he was in the employ of N. B. Bradley, of Bay City, Mich.

REV. S. HENDRICK, pastor of the First Baptist Church, was born in Berkshire, Franklin County, Vt .. September 9, 1841, and is a son of Hiram T. Hendrick, a native of Enosburg, Vt. The family removed to. Ashtabula County, Ohio, in the spring of 1843, where they resided several years. Mr. Hendrick was a soldier for the Union in the late war. in Company C. First Ohio Light Artillery. Ile enlisted in September. 1561. and served until the close of the war. participating in the battles of Mill Spring. Chickamauga, all the battles connected with the seige of Adanta. Savannah and others; he was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga. In 1866, he came to Berrien County, Mich. Mr. Hendrick was educated in the Baptist Union Theological Seminary, of Chicago. Hle afterward became the pastor of the Baptist Church at Stoughton, Wis,, then at Hartford, Mich., Pewamo, Mich., and in 1580, was called to the pastorate of the St. Clair church, loeating here in October, of the same year. He was married January 22. 1868, to Miss Bessie Millard, by whom he has two children-Ralph and Edith,

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IHISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

ORIN K. HOPKINS was born in China Township, this county. July 7, 1836, and is a son of Samuel F. Hopkins, of whom we make further mention in this work. He received his carly edneation in St. Clair City. In 1858, he went to Wisconsin and worked at his trade, which is that of carpenter. In 1860. he returned to Detroit and worked in Charles Kellogg's pattern shop until 1861; he then went to Ann Arbor and worked a short time for MeGregor, at six shillings a day. He returned to Detroit that fall. and enlisted in Brady's Sharp Shooter Company in United States army, and was attached to the Sixteenth Michigan Infantry, under Col. Stockton. He served in this capacity until 1863, when he was discharged on account of disability. He was all through the Peninsula campaign and at Fortress Monroe. In 1864, he went to Muskegon, Mich., and worked at his trade during the summer, and in the fall went to Chicago. The following spring he returned to St. Clair and to Alpena, Mich . where he remained until 1868, and then went to Cheboygan. In 1869, he - went to California; he then spent one year on his uncle's ranche: and then entered into the employ of the railroad company, as station agent, which position he held until 1879, when he returned to his old home in St. Clair. He was married October 11, 1874, to Miss Josephine Smith, a native of Sacramento City. They have two children-William F. and Mabel. Mr. Hopkins left for California again, in June, 1882, where he, with his family, will make their future home at Oakland, California.

SAMUEL F. HOPKINS, was born in Berkshire County, Mass., September 15, 1803, and is a son of Mark Hopkins, also a native of Massachusetts, and a grindson of Moses Hopkins, a native of Massachusetts, and a great-grandson of the eminent divine, Dr. Samuel Hopkins, who settled in his first pastorate at Great Bar- rington, Mass., in 1813, taking charge of the Congregational Church at place. The Doctor died in December, 1803, at Newport. R. I. Our subjert was brought by his parents to Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1806, When he became old enough to attend school he was sent back to his native State, and there lived with his grand parents, and attended school until 1811, when he returned to his parents in Jefferson County, N. Y. In 1821. he again returned to Massachusetts, working there at various avocations until 1824, when he came with his parents to Detroit: the parents coming on to St. Clair the same fall. Mr. Hopkins remained in Detroit until November, 1828; then came to St. Clair, where he has since made his home. He was in the employ of Palmer & Gerome two years then engaged in business for himself. He began life with nothing and has accumulated a fortune. He was married in 1831, to Miss Mary A. Keeney, by whom he had seven children, four living- Mark, Orrin K., William S. and Edward W. The deceased were Charles HI., died in Wisconsin; Samuel A .. died on ship board, Oceanica en route from San Francisco to China; and Mary F., died at St. Clair. Mr. Hopkin's father, Mark Hopkins, was the first Postmaster in St. Clair.

STEPHEN SIBLEY HOPKINS, was born in Romeo, Mich., June 1, 1847, and is a son of Cyrus Hopkins. who came from Genesee County, N. Y., to Macomb County, Mich, in 1831 (for biography see Macomb County history). Our subject was brought up and educated in Romeo. At the age of fifteen years he went to the printing business, which he has followed until the present time. Came to St. Clair in Angust, 1881. While at Romeo he was foreman of the Observer for thirteen years, and published the same for two years. He is now in the employ of Franklin Moore in the post office, and the St. Clair Republican. He was married October 20, 1868, to Miss Gertrude Maynard, of Romeo, Mr. Hopkins is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church of St. Clair; was connected with the Knights of Honor in Romeo, and was the presiding officer of that society for eighteen months. Our subject's grand-father was a nephew of Stephen Hopkins, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

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History of the St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources.., Part 113

Author: Western historical company, Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas & co. Number of Pages: 814

Author: Western historical company, Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas & co.
Number of Pages: 814