USA > Michigan > Huron County > Portrait and biographical album of Huron county Michigan, Containing biographical sketches of citizens also a complete history of the county, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 21
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Mark barrington
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exception of about 60 acres. He owns also 160 acres in Hand Co., Dak. He owned a store and hotel at Verona Mills, which were burned in the ruinous fire of 1871, involving a loss of $5,000, with an insurance of $400. The fire of 1881 destroyed his fences and some other property, but no buildings.
Mr. Martin is an agriculturist of more than ordi- nary standing. His farming operations are con- ducted with skillful and careful judgment, and he is of inestimable worth to the county in his efforts to raise the standard of stock. He owns one Durham thoroughbred, and a number of fine grades. He owns his residence and half an acre of land at Verona Mills, and is engaged in a prosperous trade in mer- chandise and farm produce.
He was married in the township of Uxbridge, Ontario Co., Can., May 23, 1864, to Elizabeth Brethour. Of this union six children have been born, four of whom are living: Phebe A., John T., George D. and Burtle A. Mrs. Martin was born Jan. 18, 1842, in Ontario County, Can., and is the daughter of James and Phebe A. Brethour,
illiam H. Parker, farmer, section 7, Lin- coln Township, was born Aug. 24, 1851, in Lexington, Mich., and has lived all his life, with the exception of one summer in Oakland County, in the two counties which constitute the bulk of the "little peninsula" of Michigan.
His parents, Thomas and Rosanna (Surbroox) Parker, were born respectively in England and Ger- many. On coming to Michigan they first settled in Macomb County, removing later to Lexington, Sani- lac County, where the mother died. The father is living in Sanilac County. Their family numbered seven children.
At the age of 15 years Mr. Parker entered the employment of Woods & Co., lumbermen in Huron County, for whom he worked seven years. In 1873 he bought 80 acres of land where he has since oper- ated as a farmer. He cleared and otherwise im- proved about 25 acres.
His marriage to Mrs. Sarah (Persons) Jewell oc-
curred Aug. 29, 1875, in Lake Township, Huron County. Her first husband, William Jewell, died by drowning at Huron City, in 1871. She is the daugh- ter of Simon and Catharine Persons. One child- Almira-was born July 12, 1877, to Mr. and Mrs. Parker. He is a Republican in political sentiment and action.
ark Carrington, whose name is insepar- able from the history of the development of the earliest lumber interests of the Huron peninsula, is a member of the busi- ness house of T. Winsor & Co., merchants and salt producers at Port Austin. He has been a resident of this section of Michigan since 1830, when his father, Joel Carrington, removed from St. Clair to Sanilac County.
The latter was of English parentage and a native of Connecticut. He settled later in the State of New York, whence he removed to Ohio in the win- ter of 1816-7. They passed through Rochester, N Y., at a period when the buildings of the now peer- less city of the Genesee Valley consisted of only two log structures of the humblest kind, one of them being utilized as a hotel. The transit was made . with an ox team and sled; the mother, being over- come by fatigue from the long journey, died on the way. The family located 16 miles south of Cleve- land, on a farm in the township of Hinckley, remov- ing thence in May, 1830, by the steamer "Superior" or "Lake Superior" to St. Clair Co., Mich., landing there June I, where they resided but a short time. The elder Carrington leased a water-power saw-mill on Black River, belonging to Thomas H. Knapp, of Detroit, and conducted it two years. He then came to Birchville and leased a saw-mill, which he con- tinued to manage the same length of time, removing thence to Lexington, where he bought 200 acres of Government land, opened a farm and made shingles and fished until 1840. In that year he went to one of the Fox Islands, belonging to the Manitou group, where he spent a year fishing. He went next to Bailey's Harbor, where he was occupied some time
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in farming and getting out cedar posts and timber, which he shipped to Chicago. In 1863 he moved to Sand Beach, where he died in 1865. He was three times married, Mr. Carrington of this sketch being the only child of the first marriage.
The latter was born July 11, 1815, in the village of Geneseo, Genesee Co., N. Y., and accompanied his parents in their various removals until his mar- riage, which took place in 1838, being a resident of Lexington, where he was engaged in the business of coopering. In 1850 he commenced locating pine 3 lands in the interest of non-residents, which branch of business he continued until 1854, when he began to operate in the same direction in his own behalf, and selected 1,200 acres of valuable territory. As- sociated with T. K. Adams and Geo. S. Lester, he built a steam saw-mill at Bay City, disposing of his claims there in the same fall. In 1855, in company with J. L. Woods, he built a mill in the township of Sanilac in the county of the same name; here they held about 1,600 acres of pine land, on which they cut timber until 1860. In that year they removed the mill to Sand Beach, and lumbered until 1870, having more than 5,000 acres in that portion of Huron Couny. In 1860 Geo. W. Pack was ad- mitted to membership in the firm at Sand Beach, which was called " Carrington, Pack & Co." They established an extensive mercantile enterprise, which they conducted in connection with their operations in other avenues, and they built a dock, which was burned in the fire of 1871. Their loss in that con- flagration was about $160,000, including mill, timber, shingles, pier, etc. In the previous year, 1870, the firm bought a saw-mill and pine lands of Learned & Ayres, of Port Crescent, Huron County, the consid- eration being $55,000. I'revious to this they bought 25,000 acres of pine land situated on the Pinnepog River as a field of operation.
Feb. 10, 1874, Mr. Carrington sold his claim to the remaining members of the firm and removed to Port Austin the following year, where he opened a store for traffic in general merchandise. He associ- ated his son-in-law, Thomas Winsor, with himself; and has since continued the prosecution of the en- terprise with satisfactory results. In 1879-80 they erected steam salt works on an extensive scale, at an expenditure of $14,000. It was in a state of completion and ready for operations, when it was
burned to the ground. The structure was immedi- ately rebuilt. They have two wells and manufac- ture 150 barrels per day, employing about 20 men. They also own a saw-mill and manufacture lumber, shingles and staves, and construct their own barrels. Mr. Carrington owns about 1,000 acres of land in Huron County. He was Postmaster at Lexington two years and at Sand Beach 12 years.
He was married Oct. 15, 1838, in Burchville, to Rhoda A. Butler, who was born in South Rutland, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Aug. 30, 1822, and is the daughter of Abijah and Clara Butler. Their eight children were born at Lexington. Erwin E. lives at Port Austin ; Julius M. is the secretary and treasurer of the People's Gas Company at Cleveland, Ohio ; Mariam A. is the wife of John T. Bostwick, a druggist of Alpena ; Nettie is the wife of W. V. Penoyar, who is extensively engaged in lumbering at Au Sable; Evelyn A. was married to P. H. Ketcham, of Saginaw City, in 1872, and died the following year, Oct. 20; Ida A. is the wife Thomas Winsor; Gertrude A. lives at home, and Roscoe is a mem- ber of the firm.
The portrait of Mr. Carrington is given on a pre- ceding page in this volume as that of a representa- tive citizen of Huron County, and as such will doubtless be regarded by the people generally, and the likeness welcomed in the collection selected for this ALBUM.
ohn Maywood, editor and proprietor of the Huron Tribune, published at Bad Axe, was born Dec. 13, 1846, in Perth, Canada. He is the son of Charles and Jane (Pinkborn) Maywood, and was brought up on a farm. When he was 19 years old. he came to Tawas, Mich., where he found employment in a saw-mill. During the winter following, taught school. He had become well-known through his efficiency and zeal- ous labors in religious matters, and in the summer of 1870 he was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Meth- odist Episcopal Church at Alpena and performed the labors of the position several months. He then joined the Methodist Conference, and remained in
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the ministry four years. In 1872 he located at Albion, Mich., and entered the college in that city, continuing to study there until he completed the junior year. He then resumed his ministerial con- nections, and in September, 1879, was assigned to Port Austin, where he officiated two years. In June, 1881, in company with his brother, George A. May- wood, he came to Bad Axe and purchased the Trib- une. It was founded in 1876 by Bell Irwin, under the style of the Bad Axe Back- Woodsman. After- ward the present style was substituted. In Decem- ber, 1883, he purchased the interest of his brother, and has since conducted the journal alone. The paper is printed on the only steam-power press in the county. The entire establishment, with its fix- tures, was destroyed Sept. 4, 1881, by fire, but the patrons of the paper did not lose an issue, as in three weeks the office was in complete running order.
In 1882, the Huron County Gazette was purchased by the brothers Maywood, and the two journals were consolidated. A prosperous jobbing department is connected with the office. Mr. Maywood is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, and is Justice of the Peace. He owns the premises where he conducts his business.
euben Rapson, wagon and carriage maker and general blacksmith at Bad Axe, was born March 11, 1850, in Blenheim Town- ship, Oxford Co., Ont. His parents, Thomas and Charlotte (Tribe) Rapson, were natives of England, whence they emigrated to the Do- minion of Canada and later in life settled in Oxford County. Mr. Rapson was reared on a farm to the age of 18 years, and then was apprenticed to acquire a knowledge of the business which he has followed all his life. He operated some years as a journey- man in his native province, and in the fall of 1874 he came to Bad Axe. (His father had removed to Huron County and was then located on a farm two miles and a half north of the village.) Im- mediately on his arrival, Mr. Rapson established his business, which he has conducted with success from the beginning. He has a good place of busi-
ness and employs several assistants. Besides the manufacture of wagons and carriages, he does a large amount of repairing. He owns his shop and one-fourth of an acre with it, at the corner of Heis- terman and Woodworth Streets, together with a nice residence on a half acre of ground, and eight acres of land in the northwest part of the village.
Mr. Rapson was married in Brant Co., Ont., Jan. 2, 1872, to Martha N. Griggs, who was born in Canada, Feb. 6, 1852, and is the daughter of Charles and Martha N. Griggs. Six children have been born to them, two of whom are deceased. Charles Richard, eldest son, is the second child, born Feb. 6, 1875, at Bad Axe, and the eldest living child who was born there. Lucy T., eldest child of the family, was born in Oxford Co., Ont., March 26, 1873 ; Arthur R., Oct. 17, 1876, at Bad Axe; Russell A., July 16, 1878, at Bad Axe ; Ellen and Clara, both deceased, were the youngest.
arry D. Ferris is the keeper of the United States Life-Saving Station at Point aux Barques. The post was established in 1876, and is situated on the point of the Huron Peninsula. The first keeper, Capt. William Crouch, remained in charge from its founding until the spring of 1877, and was succeeded by Capt. Charles McDonald. In the fall of 1878 Capt. J. G. Kiah assumed control and continued to manage the affairs of the station until June, 1880. On the 23d of April, during his administration, a crew of six men lost their lives while attempting the rescue 'of the "J. H. McGruder." Their boat capsized in the breakers and the crew perished from cold, Captain Kiah being the only one saved. Under his manage- ment it is claimed that 40 persons were rescued from the propeller "Bertschey." Captain Gill succeeded to the position and remained 15 months, vacating the post in the month of October. Captain Morgan succeeded Captain Gill, and he was succeeded, after conducting the affairs of the station two years, by the present keeper.
The conductors of the life-saving stations are sub jected to careful examination and must be qualified
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in common educational branches. The duties of the patrolmen of the various districts are uniform and identical. Two men are always on the patrol from each station, one moving to the right and one to the left, proceeding to the extremity of their routes. Each man carries a lime detector on his shoulder like a soldier's haversack. The instrument has a dial of paper similar to that of a watch, which is pierced by a key at the end of his beat, and also a signal light to show that aid is at hand. The sta- tion is equipped with a life and surf boat, and a mortar and cannon. The latter are for the purpose of firing ropes over the wrecks when needed, or in saving life. The life-boat is so constructed that it will bail and adjust itself if capsized and filled with water. The force includes eight men. The most perilous time of the year is in the month of Novem- ber, because of the cold, the gales not being the chief danger.
Mr. Ferris was born Aug. 1, 1855, at Lockport, N. Y., and is the son of Rensselaer and Maria C. (Wheeler) Ferris, both of whom are living at Lock- port. He began life as a sailor in 18-, in which he continued until 1874, when he went to Alpena and engaged in fishing. He went thence in 1878 to District No. 9, on Thunder Bay Island, and entered the life- saving service. His next transfer was to Sand Beach, and spent nearly two seasons, coming thence in September, 1883, to District No. 10, Life- Saving Service, at Point aux Barques,
Mr. Ferris was married Dec. 18, 1883, to Mary Frank, daughter of William and Catherine (Doerr) Frank. The parents reside in Ubly, Huron County.
Charles McAvoy, blacksmith at Bad Axe, was born in April, 1848, in Glengarry, Ont. He is the son of John and Elizabeth (Ryan) McAvoy. He was reared on a farm and when he was 14 years of age he entered upon his apprenticeship to prepare for his business. He served three years, and on completing his term of indenture he went to Keeseville, Essex Co., N. Y., where he was variously employed three years. He then established himself independently,
and continued the prosecution of his business two years. He next became an employee in a nail factory there, where he operated 10 years.
While he resided at Keeseville, he was married to Mary McAuliffe, a native of New York. The wed- ding occurred June 20, 1867. Hattie E., born Sept. 20, 1868, and Catherine, born Aug. 16, 1874, are the names of the children of Mr. and Mrs. McAvoy.
They removed to Tawas City, Mich., in August, 1879, coming thence to Bad Axe, in June, 1880. Mr. McAvoy opened his shop where he has since been successfully engaged in all the avenues common to his trade. The family are members of the Roman Catholic Church.
elix Filion, farmer on section 25, Meade Township, was born Nov. 20, 1841, in Canada. His parents, Moses and Ange- line (Desjardines) Filion, were also natives of =
the Dominion In 1859, Mr. Filion came to Huron County on a prospecting tour, accom- panied by his father. They purchased land in the township of Caseville, but were prevented from locat- ing on account of the ague, and in the fall he returned to Canada. In the spring of 1860 he again came to Huron County, and settled in Hume Township. In 1862, he enlisted in the 23d Mich. Vol. Inf., and served until the end of the war.
On receiving his discharge he returned to the township of Hume. He continued to remain there until the fall of 1869, when he again returned to Canada, residing there until 1875. In the fall of that year he came to Huron County once more, residing a year at Port Austin. In the year 1876, he came to Meade Township and purchased the estate where he has since lived. It contains 80 acres of land and was in a wholly unimproved condition. He has cleared about 20 acres.
In politics Mr. Filion is identified with the Prohi- bition party. He was Superintendent of Schools in the township of Lincoln five successive years, and Supervisor for five pears. In the spring of 1884 he was elected Supervisor of Meade Township. He is also Health Officer, and has officiated seven years as School Director.
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His marriage to Aurora Parent occurred Oct. 21, 1869, in Canada. Four children have been born of their union-Alma A., Homer A. Charles A. and Ella R. Mrs. Filion was born April 3, 1846, in Canada. The parents are members of Protestant Methodist Church.
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C. Ogilvie, M. D., one of the prominent business men of Huron County, is a resi- dent at Port Hope, in Rubicon Township. He is the oldest medical practitioner at Port Hope, and in his professional- relations with the inhabitants of Huron County has a wide and substantial popularity. He is engaged in a gen- eral mercantile business, which includes the sale of drugs, and is the only dealer in that variety of mer- chandise from Sand Beach to Port Austin. His busi- ness operations embrace an extensive manufacture of salt, in which traffic he has about $15,000 in- vested. He is also engaged in lumbering and has a saw-mill. He owns about 800 acres of land, with 100 acres in good agricultural condition.
Dr. Ogilvie was born at Campbellford, Northum- berland Co., Ont., Canada, Oct. 1, 1849. He is the son of William and Martha (Heansy) Ogilvie, both of whom are deceased. They were each about 55 years of age at the time of their demise, and in their deaths were divided but ten days. The father was an energetic, enterprising business man, and reared his son in the methods which controlled his own act- ive career.
The latter received his elementary education at the public schools of the Dominion, and afterwards pursued a more extended course of study, first at the University of Victoria College and afterwards at Upper Canada College.
He matriculated in 1866, in the Medical Depart- ment of the University of Toronto, and after four years' attendance on lectures graduated with honors in 1870. He came to Port Hope in the fall of the same year, and at once established himself as a med- ical practitioner and heads his profession, being the oldest physician by priority of location at Port Hope. In 1880 he became interested in the other branches
of business which he is prosecuting. He built a dock for the convenience and furtherance of his bus- iness plans, which was destroyed in the fire of 1881, together with a large quantity of logs, lumber and wood, representing a loss in the aggregate of $8,000. He was seriously affected by the loss and the inter- ruption of his business plans, but as his latent "grit" equalized his lack of means, he pushed the work of reconstruction and soon replaced the dock and com- pleted the erection of his salt-block.
Dr. Ogilvie has made a success of all his business enterprises, and from the small beginning of $200, which was his entire capital on coming to Port Hu- ron, he has acquired the substantial reward of well- directed, persistent effort.
In political views Dr. Ogilvie is a Republican, and exhibits the same energy in the advocacy of those principles as he does in his business and professional pursuits, and has been Supervisor of Rubicon Town- ship during the last three years, during two of which he officiated as Chairman of the Board. He is a Presbyterian in religious sentiment and connection.
On the preceding page is presented a lithographic portrait of Dr. Ogilvie, which doubtless will be wel- comed by all his acquaintances.
homas Morrow, proprietor and manager of the Central House at Bad Axe, has been a resident of Huron County since 1854, a pe- riod when there was probably not 50 acres of cleared land in the county. His father was a lumberman, and the family located at Port Austin in May of the year named. The settlement was designated Bird's Creek, and comprised a small saw-mill, operated by water power, and a few shan- ties of limited dimensions. At that time no wheat had been grown in Huron County. His father en- gaged in lumbering for Smith & Dwight, and two years after coming hither he bought 40 acres of land near Port Austin. With his sons he turned his at- tention vigorously to the work of clearing, and later increased his acreage by additional purchase, which they also placed in finely improved and cultivated condition. The senior Morrow died on the homestead, in August, 1874.
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Mr. Morrow began business life on his own ac- count when he was 16 years of age. Later he became foreman in the woods, and in 1875 he took charge of the county poor-farm, which he continued to manage seven years.
In the spring of 1883 he entered upon the con- struction of the Central Hotel, pushing the work to such good purpose that in September following it was in operation. The building is three stories high, 36 x 62 feet in dimensions, with a wing 20 x 30 feet. It affords accommodations for 50 guests, has good sam- ple rooms, a good livery and free conveyance to and from trains.
Mr. Morrow was born Dec. 22, 1844, near Chat- ham, Ont., and is the son of Thomas and Mary A. (Doak) Morrow. He was married Nov. 23, 1870, in Huron City, to Eliza J., daughter of John and Cath- erine Kerr, a native of Canada. . Their five children were born in this county, namely: John, Nov. 10, 187 1 ; Charles J., March 11, 1874; William, Aug. 10, 1876 ; Mary C., Feb. 7, 1879; Thomas, May 27, 1881.
Mr. Morrow owns, besides his hotel property, 280 acres of land, with 80 acres cleared.
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enry Vahle, blacksmith and carriage-maker, Sebewaing, was born July 7, 1836, in Prus- sia, of which country his parents, Franz and Annie Vahle, were natives and where they passed their entire lives. They died in 1860. Of their family of 16 children, five attained to adult age,-Getta, Elizabeth, Frederick, Henry and Caspar.
At the age of 15 years Mr. Vahle was apprenticed to acquire a knowledge of the business in which he has since been engaged, and in which he served three years. He came to the United States in 1856 and passed seven years working as a blacksmith in the State of New York. He came to Vassar, Mich., in 1863, and in February, 1866, he opened his present business relations at Sebewaing. He is prosecuting his affairs with success, has a fine carriage repository and also manages a trade in coal. In political affinity he is a Republican and has been one of the
Councilmen of Sebewaing village since its incorpora- tion.
He was married May 20, 1858, at Lockport, N. Y., to Catherine Staeker, and they have had five chil- dren-Charles, Henry, Herman, Emma and Louisa, Henry died eight months old. Mrs. Vahle was born March 10, 1836, in Germany, and came to America in 1853.
illiam Dufty, farmer, section 32, Lake Township and present Supervisor (1884), was born July 2, 1847, in London, Ont. In 1848 his parents came to Michigan and first located in St. Clair County, afterwards removing to what is now Grindstone City, where the father quarried and made the first grindstone. Later they removed to Caseville, where the family still reside.
Mr. Dufty commenced to earn his own livelihood when he was 13 years of age, working some years as he could find employ. When he was 18 years old, he became head sawyer for Crawford & Co. at Case- ville, continuing in their employ some years, alter- nating the seasons in superintendence of the lumber camps.
He came to Lake Township in 1865, and pur- chased 160 acres of timbered land on section 32. Some years later he bought 80 acres situated on sec- tion 33, which was the original purchase of his father in the earliest history of the township. He made some indispensable improvements on the place and in 1868 took possession with his family and estab- lished a permanent home. The farm now includes 65 acres of cleared and improved land, which is amply fitted with creditable farm fixtures.
Mr. Dufty is a Republican in political opinion. He has held the position of Supervisor two years and is serving his third term in that capacity (1884). He has also officiated as Justice of the Peace and Treas- urer of the township and has held the minor local- offices.
His marriage to Mary A. Smith took place at Bay- port, Aug. 8, 1867, and they are the parents of four children-Matie, William, Thomas and Maud. Mrs.
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Dufty was born Dec. 9, 1851, in England, and is the daughter of Thomas and Dorothy (Elliott) Smith. The family emigrated to the United States in 1857, settling first in Pennsylvania, whence they came to Huron County, and now reside in Caseville Town- ship.
gorace G. Snover, of the firm of Winsor & Snover, attorneys, bankers and real-estate brokers at Port Austin, was born Sept. 21, 1847, at Romeo, Macomb Co., Mich. His parents, Edward S. and Ann (Cook) Snover, are natives of New Jersey. They were mar- ried in Hope, Warren Co., N. J., and became the parents of eight children, seven of whom are yet living. Charlotte E. is the wife of Franklin Scott and resides near Romeo; Josephine C. married J. E. Selden, one of the proprietors of the woolen mills at Vassar, Mich .; Cassius C. is a surveyor and civil engineer, and resides in Dakota ; Mr. Snover of this sketch is the next (fourth) in order of birth; Alice M. (deceased) was the wife of George Parmelee, a farmer of Macomb County; Harriet S. married Hartman Cornell, a farmer near Romeo; Edward J. is a civil engineer and resides at Romeo; Emma E. is the wife of Charles Tackles, Assistant Cashier in the First National Bank at Romeo. The parents still reside there and the senior Snover is a capitalist of that place.
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