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 29
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
8 yron W. Boyd, merchant at Soule, was born March II, 1847, in Leeds Co., Ont. His parents, Robert and Sarah (Brow) Boyd, were natives respectively of Ontario and the State of Vermont. They are now living in retirement in Forest, Ont. The father has been a leading agriculturist of Lambton Co., Ont.
Mr. Boyd was reared to manhood on his father's farm, and remained under the parental roof until he was 26 years of age. In 1874 he engaged in a gen- eral mercantile business at Jura, Lambton Co., Ont.,
which he conducted seven years. Closing out his interest there, he came to Michigan, in May, 1881, and soon after established the business he has since conducted. He carries a stock worth $3,500, and transacts an annual business which in the aggregate amounts to about $6,000. His mercantile affairs have been prosperous, and from the first have been increasing.
He is a Republican in political persuasion.
His marriage to Isabella M. Paine took place March 20, 1873. She was born in St. John's County, Quebec, and is the daughter of John and Ann K. (Milner) Paine. Her parents were of English and Scotch nationality, respectively, and early in life set- tled in the Province of Quebec. Her father died May 27, 1871; the demise of her mother occurred March 19, of the same year. The one was 78 years of age, the other 69 years old. The family went, in 1870, to Ontario, where her mother died, and where she was married two years later.
tephen A. Mosher, general merchant and dealer in agricultural implements at Soule village, was born June 25, 1832, in Os- wego, N. Y. In his paternal line of descent he is of traceable English lineage, his ancestral progenitors having come to New England from Manchester, England. Mr. Mosher, senior, came to Livingston Co., Mich., in 1853, and later in life to Huron County, arriving at the residence of his son in November, 1882, where he died three weeks after, aged 70 years. The mother, Eliza J. (Brock) Mosher, was a native of New York, of New England par- entage and English descent. She was the daughter of John D. and Anna Brock, the former belonging to the same line of descent with General Brock, com- mander of the loyalists in Mackenzie's War. She died in Shiawassee Co., Mich., in 1857.
The parents came in 1840 to Erie Co., Ohio, where the family located on a farm. The son assisted in the agricultural operations until he was 14 years of age, when he went to work on the Wabash Canal, remaining in that avenue of employ two years. He next went to Rochester, N. Y., where he became an
HURON COUNTY.
313
auctioneer and passed two years in that occupation, coming in 1852 to Hillsdale Co., Mich. He engaged as salesman in a store at Jonesville, where he con- tinued to operate one year. His health becoming seriously impaired, he returned to his parent's home in Livingston County, where he passed two years in his recovery.
His first occupation on convalescence was in the capacity of farm assistant and afterwards as a mill hand.
Mr. Mosher belongs in the vanguard of the pa- triots who responded to the first cry of the Nation for succor against rebellious insurgents, as he enlisted in the Ninth Reg. Mich. Inf., Co. I. The regiment was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland under the command of Generals Sherman and Grant. He was under fire in the battles of Mill Springs, Fort Donel- son, Murfreesboro, Lebanon and Chattanooga. He was captured (July 12, 1862) at the battle of Mur- fursboro. He was in the hands of the rebels for three days and contrived to make his escape through strategy, though at great risk. He was accompanied by a comrade and they made a successful effort to regain their liberty, joining the Union army at Nash- ville after six weeks slow, perilous and tedious travel through the "bush," which had to be done by night. They subsisted on berries and the hoe-cake of the negro cabins they passed on their way toward the north star. They traversed about 100 miles and were almost naked when they found themselves in safe quarters. Mr. Mosher was honorably discharged Oct. 15, 1863. He suffered no injury save from the exhaustion consequent upon his great fatigue, and probably experienced no greater hardships than fell to the fate of most of the soldiers of the gallant Ninth Michigan, celebrated in the annals of the war for its fighting qualities. (A fact not commonly recorded in the history of the Ninth is, that the clos- ing volley at the rebels just previous to the surrender of General Johnston was fired by a detachment from the "Ninth.")
After being released from the military service of the United States, his family removed to Genesee Co., Mich. In December, 1874, they came to Huron County and located at Bad Axe, removing a year later to Oliver Township, where Mr. Mosher entered a claim of 120 acres of land on sections 1 and 12, where he resided a few years, and on which he made many improvements.
In 1880 he exchanged his farm for two acres in the village plat of Soule, containing a building where he established the business interests named. He was appointed Postmaster at. Soule in 1880, and is also Justice of the Peace. In political connection he is an adherent of the National Greenback party. He was one of the principal agents in the organization of the township of Oliver, and was the first Justice after it became an independent municipality. He was a member of the Board which arranged its local affairs and afterward held successively most of the local. positions.
He was married Oct. 25, 1856, at Howell, Living- ston Co., Mich., to Mary A. Garlock. Two children born to them are deceased-Julia L. and Martha J. Mary C., Francis D., Richard L., William H. and Susan A. are living. Mrs. Mosher was born Sept. 15, 1838, in Wayne Co., N. Y. Her parents removed to Livingston Co., Mich., when she was five years old and she continued to reside there and in Genesee County until her marriage. Her father, Rev. Richard Garlock, became a minister when 18 years of age and died June 22, 1876, in Genesee County, dying, as nearly as could be determined, by the hand of violence. He was a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was 64 years of age at the time of his demise. Her mother, Martha (Curtis) Garlock, was also a native of Wayne Co., N. Y., and died in Gen- esee Co., Mich., in 1854, aged 42 years.
6
-d
?
103
b-
P
oah B. Sweet, furniture dealer at Bad Axe, was born in London, Can., June 12, 1849, and is the son of Sheldon and Martha (Berch) Sweet, natives of Vermont. Mr. Sweet is the third child in line of birth of a family of seven children. He was reared to his present occupation of cabinet-maker. He came to the United States in 1869 and settled in St. Clair Co., Mich., re- maining there 15 years, when he removed his family and interests to Bad Axe, Huron Co., Mich. He purchased the furniture store of F. H. Krause, which he is carrying on with good success. He has a large stock of furniture and also a good supply of under- takers' goods.
314
HURON COUNTY.
Mr. Sweet was married April 25, 1870, to Eliza Holt, daughter of John and Eliza (Sparrow) Holt. She was born April 1, 1852, near Toronto, Can. They have three children born of their union: Irwin E., Lilla and Myrta. Mr. Sweet is a " Liberal " in religious views.
illiam H. Cooper, Sr., of the mercantile firm of Cooper & Creevy at Port Austin, has been prominent in the business history and the development of the resources of Hu- County for the past 20 years. He has been a resident of the county since the fall of 1857, when he came to Huron City and entered the em- ployment of R. B. Hubbard & Co. as book-keeper.
He operated in that capacity until 1865, when he went to Grindstone City, and in company with Wil- liam Creevy and George Whitney, of Sandusky, Ohio, bought the grindstone quarry now owned by Worth- ington & Sons, to whom the property was sold in 1870.
Within that year, the present firm of Cooper & Creevy was formed, and their mercantile business established at Port Austin. They carry a stock of general merchandise adapted to the requirements of their patrons and representing about $7,000. They handle dry goods, groceries, mill products and hard- ware, and require two assistants.
The firm is engaged in the transaction of business in several other avenues, among which is the manu- facture of lumber in Lincoln Township, in Huron County, where they have timber lands. They ship their lumber to Sandusky, Ohio. The lumber firm includes Orange Noble, of Erie, Pa., and their landed possessions in Huron County embrace about 7,000 acres. The same association are also the proprietors of the interest known as the New River Company, in Huron Township. They have two salt wells and manufacture salt by the pan method, having facilities for the production of about 150 barrels daily. They employ 25 assistants and ship their salt to Detroit, Toledo and St. Louis. Their works include a saw- mill and they make the barrels used in their busi- ness.
Mr. Cooper was born Jan. 8, 1838, in County Wex-
ford, Ireland. His parents, Dr. W. W. and Ellen (Heath) Cooper, are also natives of Ireland, and his father was a prominent physician there. He died in Ireland, in 1878. The mother and two sisters now reside in Sandusky, Ohio.
Mr. Cooper came to the United States when he was 19 years of age. He was in the city of New York five months and came thence to Sandusky, Ohio, where he remained three months, or until the fall of 1857, when he came to Huron City, Huron County.
He was married in Huron City, July 16, 1864, to Charlotte E. Peer. Their three children were born as follows : William H., Jr., May 5, 1865; Euphemia A., Jan. 30, 1867, at Grindstone City; Charles Ar- thur, March 20, 1869. Mrs. Cooper is the daughter of Capt. Aaron G. and Euphemia (Westbrook) Peer, of Grindstone City. (See sketch of Capt. A. G. Peer.) She was born on St. Clair River, on the 28th day of February, 1846.
Mr. Cooper is a member of the Masonic fraternity."
ames McAllister, farmer, section 1, Bingham Township, was born June 17, 1831, in Glasgow, Scotland. His parents, James and Jane (Paul) McAllister, emigrated from Scotland to Peel Co., Ont., in 1842, where he was bred to the occupation in which he has passed his life. He remained on the home farm until he was 27 years old, coming to Michigan in 1859. He became proprietor by purchase of 400 acres of Government land, on which he was actively engaged for several years in lumbering. He still re- tains ownership of his original acreage, and has im- proved 140 acres. He suffered materially in the fires of 1871 and 1881.
Mr. McAllister is a Republican in political faith. He has officiated as Supervisor and Treasurer of his township, and is the present Justice of the Peace (1884), which office he has held many years.
He was married Dec. 25, 1862, in Verona Town- ship, Huron County, to Margaret Scott. The follow ing children constitute the issue of this union : James, Jane, John, William, Robert, Flosso M. and Jessie A.
....
Thomas Sinclair
HURON COUNTY.
317
(twins), Walter, Grace and Margaret. The last named child is not living. Mrs. McAllister was born in Peebleshire, Scotland, Sept. 27, 1841. Her mother died when she was small, and when she was 19 years , of age she came to Ontario with her father, where they remained only a brief time, coming thence to Verona, where her father still resides.
.
homas Sinclair, stock farmer, on section II, Hume Township, is a native of the Shet- land Islands on the coast of Scotland, and was born June 20, 1828. His father, John Sinclair, was of Scotch origin and a sailor by vocation from his youth until 1869, when he abandoned the water and now resides at Port Huron, aged 80 years. He married Agnes Sinclair, and became a resident of Port Huron about 1854. The mother was also of Scotch extraction, and died at Port Huron, Dec. 7, 1880, aged 74 years. The elder Sinclair was keeper of the light-house at Port Huron during II years previous to the spring of 1881, when he yielded the position.
811811949
Mr. Sinclair is the oldest of nine children born to his parents, and emigrated with them to the United States when he was 12 years old. The family first settled in Lockport, N. Y., going thence to Buffalo, and two years after to the Province of Ontario. In 1852 they came to Port Huron. He was an inmate of his father's home until his marriage to Mary Soule, in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., which event occurred June 10, 1853. Four children have been born to them: Frank T., the eldest, was married June 8, 1881, and resides at Port Austin, where he is a dealer in real estate. Emma A., Clara M. and James E. are the names of the others. Clara is the wife of W. C. Williamson. (See sketch.) Mrs. Sinclair is the daughter of Gardner and Abigail (Curtis) Soule, whose ancestral line is traceable to the Mayflower and the Colonial period in the events of which the Soule family was conspicuous. She was born April 10, 1823, in Rutland Co., Vt., and went with her parents to Genesee Co., N. Y., when she was 10 years of age, but she was reared in both
States, being frequently a member of the families of her uncles in Vermont.
After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair came to Forester, Sanilac Co., Mich., where they remained about two years, encountering all the worst experi- ences of a new and wholly unsettled section. They went thence in 1854 to Port Austin, where they re- mained a short time, coming afterwards to Hume Township, where Mr. Sinclair purchased a farm on section 12. He is now residing on another farm, where he lived until 1883, the date of removal to their present home. Mr. Sinclair is the manager of 320 acres of land, which is under good improve- ments.
He is a Republican and the oldest, by priority of official date, Justice of the Peace in the county, having held the office continually since he- removed to the county, and is still the incumbent.
The reader will be pleased to find a portrait of Mr. Sinclair in this volume, and the publishers accordingly take pleasure in presenting it. It is given on the page preceding the commencement of this sketch.
Korace Smith, senior member of the firm of Smith & Webb, proprietors of the busi- ness known as the "Model Lime Kiln," located near the dock at Sand Beach, was born in Durham Co., Ont., Feb. 28, 1834. He is the son of Isaac and Vesta (Moulton) Smith. His father was a native of Vermont, in April, 1879, in Lexington, Sanilac Co., Mich. The mother was born in Lower Canada, where she died in 1859. Their family included six children.
Mr. Smith is the second in order of birth of the children of his father's family. He was reared to manhood in his native province, where he engaged some time in agriculture, and owned 100 acres of land in Clark Township, Durham Co., Ont. In the spring of 1865 he came to Lexington, where he was a farmer until his removal to Sand Beach, in April, 1881. He formed a partnership with Robert Webb, of Port Hope, for the purpose of manufacturing lime, and built the lime kiln. Their works have a pro-
HURON COUNTY.
318
ducing capacity of 100 barrels of lime every 24 hours, and their patronage compels them to operate day and night. They burn the Rock Bottom, Kelley Island stone, from Ohio, and employ seven men. A cooper shop for the manufacture of barrels is at- tached to the establishment. They ship their lime chiefly up the lakes.
Mr. Smith was married in Lockport, Niagara Co., N. Y., to Sarah Newton, Sept. 2.7, 1854, who was born Nov. 22, 1838, and they have been the parents of seven children. The two oldest were born in Ontario, the others at Lexington. George H. was born May 1, 1860, and is in the employ of his father. Albert was born Oct. 7, 1861, and died July 27, 1864; Herbert, June 13, 1865 ; Ida, Sept. 12, 1867 ; Ambrose, April 24, 1870, died Oct. 23, 1870; Al- wyn, Aug. 4, 1873 ; Frederick, Oct. 18, 1880.
ohn Linsen, farmer, section 3, Winsor Township, was born Feb. 8, 1824, in Wur- temberg, Germany, and is the son of Mat- thew and Mary (Houck) Linsen. His par- ents have been dead since about 1850.
In 1852 Mr. Linsen emigrated from his na- tive country to the United States and settled in St. Clair Co., Mich. He was a tanner by trade, and obtained employment in that line of business, in which he continued two years. In 1854 he com- menced with a farm, which he purchased, containing 60 acres. After retaining possession of it eight years, he sold it in 1862, with the intention of em- barking in the tanning business, which project he carried into effect at Marine City, St. Clair County, becoming associated with Moretz Menjel, with whom he continued to operate two and a half years, after which he became proprietor, by purchase, and afterwad he formed a partnership with James Hoebel. Six months after the establishment of the new firm, their tannery burned and he came to the German Colony at Ora Labor. He built a tannery, and in three years had lost his entire property. He next secured a claim of 160 acres of land on section 15, in Winsor Township, on which he operated six years. He sold the place in April, 1875, and took
possession of that which is now his homestead, and which he purchased before selling his property on section 15.
Mr. Linsen is a Republican in political faith. He has officiated five years as Supervisor, and as Justice of the Peace four years.
He was married in 1854 to Elizabeth, daughter of George and Elizabeth Stein. She was born March 29, 1829, in Saxony, Germany. Her mother died in 1877 ; her father lives on a farm located four miles from St. Clair.
-
osiah Black, M. D., practicing physician at Sebewaing, was born Jan. 8, 1854, in Can- y ada. His father, James Black, was a na- tive of Scotland and emigrated to Ontario, where he married Maria. Ainslie. They are and have been residents of the Dominion since their marriage. They became the parents of six sons and two daughters.
Dr. Black obtained his elementary education in the common schools, which he attended until the age of 15 years. At 18 he entered a dry-goods store in the employment of his brother as a salesman, and followed the mercantile business for about five years, when he resolved to carry into execution a newly-formed project of studying medicine. He proceeded to Detroit, where he attended the Detroit Medical College two terms. He went thence to the Michigan College of Medicine, Detroit, where, after two terms of study, he was graduated, in the spring of 1881. He first entered upon the practice of his profession at Lapeer, where he continued two years. He opened an office at Sebewaing in July, 1882, and has since been engaged in a satisfactory and increas- ing business. For all the success and progress Dr. Black has won, he is indebted solely to his own en- ergy and persevering efforts. He began his conflict with fortune with empty hands, and is under no obli- gations save those which belong to his own man- hood and which he has fully honored in his plans and their accomplishment. In political opinions and connections he is independent. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Knights of Maccabees and of Leamington Lodge, No. 140, I. O. O. F.
HURON COUNTY.
319
(Ontario.) In connection with his professional prac- tice, Dr. Black is conducting a drug store.
He was married in Canada, to Isabell Duncan, and they have two children,-Elmer L. and Beatrice I., born respectively Aug. 6, 1878, and Jan. 28, 1880. Robert and Mary (Glennee) Duncan, the parents of Mrs. Black, are natives of Scotland.
amuel T. Cantelon, farmer, section 10, Hume Township, was born in 1842, near Toronto, Canada. He became his own man at the early age of 16 years, and interested himself in acquiring a knowledge of the car- penter's trade, which he pursued in his native country as a vocation until 1862.
In October of that year he came to the States and enlisted in the military service of the Union, enrolling in the 23d Mich. Vol. Inf., Co. F, his regiment being assigned to the command of Gen. Sherman. He fought in the Army of the Cumberland, and was actively engaged in the battle of Resaca, siege of Knoxville, Bowling Green, Andersonville, Nashville and in many minor engagements. During the entire period of three years he did not lose a day of service, and finally received an honorable discharge at Salis- bury, N. C.
He returned to Port Austin, whence he enlisted, and worked as a carpenter five years. In 1870 he came to Hume Township, bought 37 acres of land, and has since given his exclusive attention to his agricultural pursuits.
Politically he is a Republican, has held the official positions of Justice of the Peace and Highway Com- missioner, and is now School Trustee.
Mrs. Cantelon, formerly Jessie Hume, is the sister of the late Walter Hume, who came from Falkirk, Scotland, near Glasgow. He was born June 10, 1818, and came to New Glasgow when he was 14 months old, and then moved at the age of 19 to Lobo, Middlesex Co., Ont., and to the States at the age of 20. He was the first white man who settled per- manently in the township, coming to this section long before any other white man, lived with the In- dians and was de facto the Daniel Boone of Hume
Township, living by hunting, fishing and trapping, and at the same time was engaged in traffic in shingles. . He opened the first clearing in the town- ship and built the first house. The exact date of his coming to Huron County is lost, through the fact that he had no family ties at the time. He built a hotel at the mouth of the Pinnebog River, which was probably the first structure for the purpose in Huron County. He married Mary Shilling, of Sebewaing Township, in this county. Her father, Frederick Shilling, is now a resident of that place. Mr. Hume became an extensive landholder in the county, his possessions at one time including more than 1,000 acres of the best class of pine lands, but adverse cir- cumstances deprived him of his property previous to his death, which occurred about March 17, 1874. The name of " Hume" Township justly commemor- ates this early settler. His wife died May 5, 1867, at the time of the birth of Walter, the only surviving child of herself and her husband.
Mr. Cantelon was married to Jessie Hume, Sept. 15, 1866. She was born in Middlesex Co., Ont., and is the daughter of Thomas and Mery (Glenn) Hume. Her father is deceased. Her mother is a member of her household. Mrs. Cantelon taught school before there was any school-house built in .the township. She and her husband are members of the Baptist Church.
4
wood
arling Anderson, farmer, section 8, Chan- dler Township, was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, April 1, 1830. His father, George Anderson, was a farmer in Scotland and died in his native country, in 1840.
Mr. Anderson lived in Scotland until he was 22 years of age, when he emigrated with his mother, Jane (Young) Anderson, and four brothers to Can- ada, locating on a farm in the Province of Quebec, where they were engaged in agriculture eight years. In 1860, accompanied by three younger brothers, he came to Michigan and secured the entire acreage of section TI and half of section 4 in Caseville Town- ship, under the Graduation Act. They were the first permanent settlers in the township; and, being single men, in rugged health, and with hopeful
320
HURON COUNTY.
hearts, with dispositions to make the best of circum- stances, the privations of pioneers to which they were subjected made little permanent impression beyond mere momentary perplexity. They were the first to convey household fixtures and necessaries over the stage route hither through Caseville Town- ship. Wild game abounded, and of a variety suited to human needs and was depended on for a long time as a means of subsistence. The nearest mar- ket place was at Sebewaing, whither all farm prod- uce was conveyed. After the first year the land was divided, Mr. Anderson's portion being situated on the northeast quarter of section II. He im- proved a part of the place, but in 1867 he removed to Chandler Township, and at different periods since has secured lands amounting 320 acres, on sec- tions 5, 8, and 9, all being favorably situated. He has made considerable improvements single-handed, having no sons old enough to render much assist- ance.
The Township of Chandler was set off in 1867, and in 1869 he was made Treasurer, a position he held ten consecutive years. He has been Road Commissioner six years. In political sentiment, Mr. Anderson is a Republican.
He was married Oct. 6, 1870, in Durham village, in the Province of Quebec, to Janet Craik. They have been the parents of three children, one of whom is deceased. Dorothy J. was born Dec. 26, 1872; George D., May 12, 1874. Mrs. Anderson was born April 1, 1840, in the Province of Quebec, and is the daughter of Alexander and Dorothy (Gilchrist) Craik, both of whom were born in Scotland. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church.
illiam Martin, farmer, section 25, Verona Township, has been a resident of this town- ship since 1858, in which year his parents, George and Rebecca (Pangman) Martin, re- moved hither from Canada. His father bought the farm on which the son has lived nearly all his life, as he was but two years of age when the family took possession of the place. It included 320 acres of land in a wild state, but is now in
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.