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 38
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Mr. Jenks was twice married. His first wife, Mary Jane was a daughter of Sylvanas and Eliza Miner, and was a native of the State of New York. Three children were born of this marriage, but one of whom survives-Bela W. (See sketch of B. W. Jenks.) Robert died at the age of three years; an infant died unnamed. The wife and mother died in Schroon Township, Essex Co., N. Y., in 1852.
Mrs. Mary B. (Martin) Jenks, the widow of Jesse L. Jenks, was born Dec. 5, 1817, in Jay Township, Essex Co., N. Y., and is the daughter of Thomas and Betsey (Bowman) Martin. She was married to Mr. Jenks April 5, 1853. Four children were born to them, two of whom are deceased. Helen A. died at Port Huron at the age of six years. Robert M. resides at Sand Beach and is a clerk on the dock. He was born in Crown Point, Aug. 18, 1859. Jennie M. was born Jan. 25, 1861, at St. Clair, Mich., and is the wife of N. P. Arnold, Station Agent at Sand Beach. (See sketch of N. P. Arnold.) William H. was born Aug. 2, 1864, at St. Clair, and died when 18 years of age, at Sand Beach.
iogness Perry, farmer, section 1, Caseville Township, was born in 1817, in Aberdeen, Scotland, and is the son of William and . Ann (Duncan) Perry. His father died in his infancy. The demise of his mother occurred when he was three years old, and when he was four years old he came to America with his uncle, Diogness Duncan. They landed at Quebec and pro- ceeded to Guelph, that province, where Mr. Duncan bought a farm. Mr. Perry worked on a farm, and also gave his attention to stone-cutting. He worked at the latter businesss until he was 18 years of age, when he proceeded to Akron, Ohio. He obtained employ- ment on the Wabash & Ohio Canal, and operated in cutting stone for locks about three years. He went thence to Maumee, where he found employment on the public works. He kept his purpose of finding a location for a home in view, and later went by way of Detroit to Canada, with a friend who had deter- mined to buy a farm in the Dominion and wished Mr. Perry to locate near him; but the latter did not comply with the desire. He became acquainted with an English farmer named Wm. Fletcher, at Bear Creek, who hired him as a farm assistant, and he continued in the same service nine consecutive years. He went at the end of that time to Guelph to visit his uncle, with whom he stayed a year. He accepted a propo- sition from his former employer, Mr. Fletcher, to again enter his service, and he worked for him two
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years, finally devoting his earnings to the purchase of a farm lying next to that of Mr. Fletcher. His next imperative business was the selection of a home partner, and he returned to Bear Creek, where he was married, in 1859, to Ann McCauley. They have had four sons and two daughters, William, Robert, John, Agnes, Eliza and Sherman. The parents of Mrs. Perry, Robert and Ann McCauley, died in Ontario.
After his marriage, Mr. Perry took possession of ghis farm; but on the breaking out of the civil war in Othe States and during its progress, the influx of ne- groes into that part of Canada conflicted with his tastes, and he sold his farm, in 1865. He came at once to Huron Co., Mich., and bought a quarter-sec- tion of Government land in Caseville Township, where he has since operated. He has now about 70 acres of land.
He is a Democrat in political persuasion, and has officiated as Constable of his township and in other official positions. With his wife, he belongs to the Presbyterian Church.
: hilip Kappler, farmer, section 24, Verona Township, is one of the substantial agri- culturists of the township where he resides, being the proprietor of 140 acres of land located on sections 24 and 25. He came to Huron County when he was 19 years old, in company with his brother, Daniel Kappler, reaching here in January, 1866. He engaged in lumbering for Jeremiah Ludington during the remainder of that winter, and in the spring he went to work with his brother, who was a carpenter and builder, re- maining with him until the beginning of the next lumbering season, when he was again employed by Mr. Ludington in his saw-mill. He remained in his last situation chiefly for five years. His brother set- tled meanwhile in Paris Township, where he has since resided.
Mr. Kappler was born April 10, 1847, in Waterloo Co., Ont., and is the son of Philip and Magdalena Kappler. He was brought up on a farm .. In the spring of 1871 he purchased 140 acres of land of
Mr. Ludington, which was covered with standing timber. He has now 90 acres cleared and in good cultivation. His place was in most prosperous con- dition, with excellent farm buildings, and the recent harvest of crops in winter quarters, when all the accumulated farm fixtures and supplies were de- stroyed by the fire of 1881, entailing a loss of $3,000, with no insurance.
Mr. Kappler was married Dec. 28, 1876, at Port Austin, to Mary A., daughter of Peter and Mary A. Murray. The children of this union are as follows: Charles, William, Mary E. and Thomas.
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B ela W. Jenks, of the firm of J. Jenks & Co., at Sand Beach, was born July 18, 1849, at Schroon Lake, Essex Co., N. Y., and is the only surviving child of Jesse L. and Mary Jane (Miner) Jenks. (See sketch of J. L. Jenks.)
When he was HI years old, his father re- moved with his family to St. Clair, Mich., and en- gaged there in the hotel and livery business. In 1870 they made another transfer, to Sand Beach Township, where his father died, March 16, 1876.
Mr. Jenks' mother died when he was about three years old. When he was in his 16th year he obtained a clerkship in the post-office at St. Clair, where he operated a year, coming thence to Rock Falls to en- ter upon the duties of clerk and book-keeper in the interests of Pack, Jenks & Co. On the extinction of the business relations of the firm and the formation of the partnership of J. Jenks & Co., he was received therein and is still a member of the firm and inter- ested in their varied and extensive departments of business. (See sketch of J. Jenks.)
Mr. Jenks is a member of the Knights of Honor, and of the Western Union Mutual Life Insurance Company. He has served seven years in the capac- ity of Treasurer of Sand Beach Township. He owns his residence and three lots connected therewith, and has an interest in 200 acres of land within the corpo- ration of Sand Beach, owned by the firm of which he is a member.
His marriage to Allie E. Stafford occurred at Mem- phis, Macomb Co., Mich., July 18, 1871. Of this
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union four children constitute the issue, the two old- est of whom were born at Rock Falls: Howard S., May 2, 1872; Allie May, Nov. 24, 1873. Minnie Blanch was born at Sand Beach, Sept. 4, 1876, and also Bela Walton, Aug. 8, 1882. Mrs. Jenks is the daughter of Henry B. and Abbie R. Stafford, and was o rn Aug. 8, 1848.
A lonzo Hunter, proprietor and manager of the Huron House, Sand Beach, was born Nov. 3, 1845, in Ameliasburg, Prince Ed- ward Co., Ont. His parents, David and Phil- ean (Taft) Hunter, removed to the township of Sanilac, in the county of the same name, in 1863, where they are still living, on a farm of 110 acres. The mother was born Nov. 3, 1825, her son's birthday occurring on the same day of the month, 20 years later.
In the year following the settlement of his parents in Sanilac County, Mr. Hunter came to Rock Falls in the township of Sand Beach. He became an assistant in the saw-mill of Pack, Jenks & Co., re- maining in their employ about 15 years. His next engagement was as sawyer for Woods & Co., at Port Crescent, in whose interests he operated one year. He afterward bought the Exchange Hotel at Port Sanilac, which he sold after a management of one year. He was in the employment of the United States Government through three years following, and, meanwhile, in the summer of 1882, he built the hotel which he is now conducting. The structure is 28 x 60 feet in size, with two wings. Although small, the house is a good one, and is generously patronized by the traveling public. Mr. Hunter is a member of Port Hope Lodge, No. 138, Order of Masonry.
His marriage occurred April 5, 1875, at Rock Falls, to Edna C. Priest. Hattie, only child, was born at Sand Beach, Dec. 13, 1879. The parents of Mrs. Hunter, David N. and Harriet Priest, reside at Sand Beach.
Socrates Hunter, the paternal grandsire of Mr. Alonzo Hunter, died at the age of 103 years, in New Salem, London District, Ont.
During the period of his active life as a lumber-
man, Mr. Hunter experienced a narrow escape from a terrible death. He had occasion to break a roll- way of logs, and before he could extricate himself he was thrown and four large logs passed over his body, crushing him into the earth. The bystanders be- lieved him dead, but he only sustained slight injuries comparatively, no bones being broken. His nose was fractured and mutilated, and one eye was in- jured; the skin was also abraded from various parts of his body. At another time he and a companion were passing the night at the Tyson House at Man- istee, when it burned. He, with a number of others, were on the third floor of the building and he was the only one who escaped uninjured. He made a rope of the bed-clothes and lowered himself a part of the distance, when he was rescued by those be- low. He saved only his hat and trowsers, leaving the rest of his clothing, including his watch and money. His companion leaped from the window and was hopelessly crippled.
oseph Deachim, farmer, section 30, Bing- ham Township, was born in Alsace, then in France, Sept. 25, 1835. His parents were of German-French origin. When he was 16 years old he came to America with his cousin, Joseph Frantz (see sketch). They re- mained together in Ontario three years, when they came to Michigan, proceeding to the land office at Detroit, where they each secured a tract of land on the strength of the representations of a citizen of Huron County.
Mr. Deachim bought 160 acres on section 30, in Bingham Township. On attempting to make their way to their property they found they had every obstacle nearly that imagination could invent or fact make real to contend with. The township was actu- ally without settlers ; there were no roads for miles, and the entire country seemed one tract of swamp. They cut their route of progress to their land eight miles. All supplies were procured at Forestville, 24 miles away, and the hardships of the case were only equalled by the strength and perseverance which the
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hardy French peasantry brought from beyond the sea, and applied to the purpose of developing homes for themselves under a free flag and the privileges of a republic. Later, Mr. Deachim doubled his acre- age, and has 100 acres under good improvements. In 1881 the fire consumed every dollar's worth of combustible property on the farm, but he has pro- ceeded with his agricultural labors undaunted and is again in a prosperous condition.
Mr. Deachim is independent in political opinion and action.
He was married Jan. 4, 1865, in Tyre, Huron County, to Christine Schegcue. Seven children have been born to them, as follows: Joseph, William, Josephine, Mary, Hattie, Lizzie and Robert. Mrs. Deachim was born in Waterloo Co., Can., Oct. 29, 1850, and is the daughter of Joseph and Agnes Deatry, natives of the north of France, and of Ger- man descent. They came to Michigan from Canada in 1861, and settled in Argyle Township, Sanilac County, where the mother died. The father still resides there, aged 70 years. The family are Roman Catholics.
ames Philp, farmer, section 36, Verona Township, was born in Hope Township, Waterloo Co., Ont., Aug. 10, 1851. He is the son of Thomas and Ann (Moon) Philp, of Bingham Township. (See sketch.)
At the age of 2 1 years he became a lumber- man and spent some time in that employment. He afterwards bought a farm in Verona Township, which he sold a few years later and received 80 acres of the original family homestead. On this he has since oper- ated and has placed the entire tract under the best quality of improvements. He is deserving of his good reputation as a skillful farmer.
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In political faith and action Mr. Philp is a Repub- lican. He has been interested in school matters, and has officiated in the offices of his district.
He was married May, 1875, to Anna O'Neal. Of four children born to them, Norman and Nettie are deceased; Rebecca and Albert are living. Mrs. Philp was born in Ontario, in 1857, and is the daugh- ter of John and Rebecca O'Neal, natives respectively
of Ireland and Scotland. The family reside in Vero- na Township, where the father is a farmer and car penter. They are members of the Baptist Church. Mrs. Philp is permanently lame from the effects of illness in 1881.
Kenry Goebel, proprietor of the Goebel House, Sebewaing, was born April 30, 1837, in Prussia. His parents, Carl and Christine Goebel, were natives of the same country, and came thence in the summer of 1856 to Sebe- waing Township. His father died there, in the fall of 1881; his mother survives, and is still a resi- dent of the place where she was among the earliest settlers. Their children are three in number,-Henry, Carl and William.
'Mr. Goebel was 19 years of age when he accom- panied his parents to the United States. He at- tended the common schools of his native country during the period prescribed by law, and assisted his father in farm labor until their removal to this coun- try. He was an inmate of the paternal home until he was 25 years of age, when he left home to become a farm laborer by the month, spending four years in that variety of occupation in Bay and Washtenaw Counties. In 1867 he rented the Forest City House at Bay City, associated with his brother-in-law. In 1869 he came to Sebewaing and assumed the man- agement of the Sert House, which he conducted three years. At the expiration of that time he opened a saloon and was engaged in its management three years. In 1872 he bought the site of the hotel he is now managing, on which he erected the Union House. The business of the hotel has been uniformly successful. He is the proprietor of 80 acres of land in the township of Fair Haven, of which about 7 acres are improved. He belongs to the Democratic element in politics, and in the spring of 1884 was elected President of the village of Sebe- waing. He has been Highway Commissioner three years and Township Treasurer two years. He be- longs to the Arbeiter Association, and is a member of the Knights of Maccabees.
Mr. Goebel was married Jan. 1I, 1862, at Bay
Williams A Merrick
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City, to Mary Bauer, and they have had nine chil- dren, William, Henry, Mary, Otto and Oscar are living, and Anna M., Julius C., Emma and George are deceased. Mrs. Goebel was born Jan. 27, 1840, in Wurtemburg, Germany. Her parents, Charles and Barbara Bauer, were natives also of Germany, and emigrated thence in 1858, to the United States, when Mrs. Goebel was 18 years old.
ohn J. F. Auch, physician and farmer, Seb- waing, was born Aug. 21, 1817, in Wurtem- burg, Germany, the son of Christian and Margaret (Beck) Auch, also natives of Ger- many. They emigrated to the United States in 1836, first locating in Washtenaw Co., Mich. In 1830 they came to what is now the village of Sebewaing, where the father died in 1869, and the demise of the mother occurred Sept. 3, 1884. Their family included eight children, John J. F., Chris- tiana, Andrew, Dorothy, Godfried, Margaret, Gotlieb and Louisa.
Dr. Auch was a student in the excellent schools of his native country until he came to the United States. He assisted on his father's farm until the age of 22 years, when he became interested in agri- culture on his own behalf, in which pursuit he passed 18 months. He then determined to become a min- ister and began the study of theology, which he con- tinued three years.
In 1845 he came to Sebewaing as a missionary among the Indians, among whom he labored seven years. In 1852 he received a call to settle as Pastor over the German Lutheran Church at Sebewaing, and discharged the duties of the position until 1867, when he resigned. He went to Unionville, Tuscola County, where he embarked in the saw and grist mill business, which he continued 10 years. In 1873 he returned to the family homestead in Sebewaing to watch over the declining years of his mother, and he is still resident on the farm, which contains 80 acres, with 36 acres under cultivation. He owns an undivided half of the place.
While officiating as Pastor over the Church at Sebewaing, he engaged in the study of medicine
under the directions of Dr. Kock, of Frankenmuth, Saginaw Co., Mich. Sebewaing was at that date without a physician, and he fully realized the neces- sity of a resident medical practitioner. He studied alone chiefly, and in his practice has met with good success. At present his business in that line is lim- ited.
He is a Republican in political faith.
His marriage to Marcia D. Streiter took place April 3, 1840, at Ann Arbor, Mich. The only child born of this union died in infancy.
Mrs. Auch was born April 28, 1818, in Germany. Her parents, Jacob and - Streiter, were natives of the same county. Dr. Auch has officiated 10 years as Justice of the Peace, and many years as a school officer. With his wife, he is a member of the Lutheran Church.
illiam H. Merrick, Sheriff of Huron Coun- ty and residing at Bad Axe, was born in Huron Co., Ont., Feb. 19, 1842, and is the com son of Robert' K. and Mary (Graves) Mer- rick. He was reared on his father's farm in the Dominion to the age of 21 years, and spent the four years succeeding his majority in the States of Michigan and Illinois, and in 1867 he returned to Huron County, and worked as a carpenter and joiner. Two years subsequent to his return he engaged in the manufacture and sale of boots and shoes at Port Austin, in which he was engaged about six years. In the fall of 1874 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for the office of Sheriff, and was elected by a majority of 276 over the nominee of the Republican party. He received a second nomination in 1876, and a flattering re-election by a majority of 179 votes. In 1880 he was again placed in nomination and again elected, receiving a majori- ty of 41 votes. He was re-elected in the fall of 1882, scoring a majority of 217 votes. He was elected Probate Judge in 1884 by 611 votes over the Republican nominee. He has been an efficient officer, and his repeated elections to the same posi- tion manifest his popularity. He has been a resi- dent of Bad Axe since the spring of 1883. He owns
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80 acres of land in Dwight Township and several lots besides his residence at Bad Axe, and also a residence in Port Austin. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity.
Mr. Merrick was married July 4, 1870, at Port Austin, Huron County, to Allie Hayes, a native of Rochester, N. Y. She was born Dec. 29, 1852. Their children were born as follows: Frank W., May 27, 1872; A. R., Dec. 9, 1874; and Gale G., Dec. 29, 1879.
The publishers of the HURON COUNTY ALBUM take special pleasure in presenting to its readers a lithographic portrait of Mr. Merrick on a preceding page, as that of a worthy and prominent citizen. His friends will doubtless be pleased to see that the characteristic features of the man are hereby more permanently preserved to future generations and to the public generally.
homas Sullivan, farmer, resident on sec- tion 23, Dwight Township, was born March II, 1855, in Haldimand Co., Ont., and is a son of Francis and Mary (Callaghan) Sullivan. His parents were natives of Ireland, and emi- grated to the Dominion. They remained there until the fall of 1871, the date of their removal to Huron Co., Mich. The mother died in the autumn of 1875.
Mr. Sullivan is the eldest son of his parents, and came with them to Dwight Township. He attended the common schools of this county and obtained a fair degree of education. He was but 18 years of age when he became the proprieior of 80 acres of land, which was in its primeval condition at the time he entered his claim, under the regulations of the Homestead Act. He has improved the whole property, with the exception of ten acres, which are still in timber.
He is a Democrat in political views, and has been active in the local affairs of his township. He has served three terms as Treasurer, and is now dis-
charging the duties of the position of Supervisor for the third term.
Mr. Sullivan is a Roman Catholic in religious con- nection.
ohn Soule, farmer, resident at Soule vil- lage, Chandler Township, was born Jan. 2, 1828, in the town of Danby, Rutland Co., Vt. He is the son of Gardner and Abigail Soule, and when he was 12 years of age went to serve an apprenticeship with his grand- father, David Curtis, to acquire a knowledge of the trade of blacksmith, and continued to devote his time and attention to his occupation until he was 21 years of age, with the exception of the time passed in the common schools in the shadow of the Green Mountains. After being released from his obliga- tions to his grandfather, he resumed blacksmithing and followed it as a business five successive years. He went then to Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., where he engaged extensively in lumbering, and built a saw- mill having a capacity of 39,000 feet of lumber daily. He continued to operate in that branch of business for 22 years at that place, and then sold out for the purpose of coming to Michigan.
Arriving in Huron County, he bought tvo acres of land in the village of Soule, and 40 acres on section 13, Chandler Township. The latter tract was unim- proved, and Mr. Soule has cleared and put under cultivation 10 acres.
He is a Republican in political views and connec- tions.
His first marriage occurred in the year 1849, in Genesee Co., N. Y., when Mary Gilbert became his wife. One child, Gilbert, was born to them, who is now residing in the State of New York. The mother was born in 1829, in Genesee Co., N. Y., and died in her native county in 1851. Mr. Soule was a second time married, in 1854, to Hannah Merril, born in Genesee Co., N. Y., and died in 1875, in Cat- taraugus County. They became the parents of one child, Jamie. Sept. 23, 1877, Mr. Soule was mar-
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ried again, to Mrs. Nancy Fee, who was born, bred and married twice in Cattaraugus County. Ida M. and Minnie M. are the names of the children by the last marriage.
ichael Bleicher, farmer, resident on sec- tion 20, Dwight Township, was born May I, 1840, in Germany. His parents, Paul and Magdalena Bleicher, were also born in Germany, and emigrated from "das Fader- land" to Michigan in 1852. They settled in Monroe County and are now deceased.
Mr. Bleicher first came to Huron County in 1858, and until 1867 resided at Port Austin, where he was engaged in fishing. He went in that year to Lake Superior, where he was similarly engaged 11 years. At the end of that time he returned to Huron County and purchased his farm in Dwight Township, com- prising 80 acres, on which he has expended his energies and managed his agricultural affairs, until he has 65 acres under excellent improvements. Mr. Bleicher is a decided Republican in political senti- ment.
His marriage to Johanna Baudaman occurred in April, 1861, at Port Austin. Seven children have been born to them, five of whom are now living. They are Felix, Leroy, Charles, Frank (2d) and Cora. Michael and Frank (Ist) are deceased. Mrs. Bleich- er is a native of Germany.
ames M. Jenks, of the firm of J. Jenks & Co., at Sand Beach, was born July 14, 1850, at Crown Point, N. Y. He is the son of Benjamin L. and Amanda (Messer) Jenks, and when he was five years old his parents re- moved from Crown Point to St. Clair, Mich. His father died at Port Sanilac in 1869. His mother is yet living, and is now the wife of Jeremiah Jenks, the senior member of the firm above mentioned.
Mr. Jenks was reared and educated at St. Clair, and just before attaining his majority, in January, 1871, he went to Port Crescent, Huron County, to operate as a clerk in the employment of Woods & Co. This relation continued until the formation of the firm of J. Jenks & Co. at Sand Beach, in 1876, when he was made a member of that partnership. The departments of their business comprise heavy transactions in general merchandise, in the manu- facture of salt, flour, and in real estate.
Mr. Jenks was married July 20, 1877, at Port Austin, to Nellie L. Neill. One child, Max, was born of this union June 3, 1878, at Port Austin. Mrs. Jenks was born Aug. 2, 1855, in Goderich, Can., and is the daughter of Capt. Thomas and Fanny Neill. Her father was a resident of Port Huron for some years.
The fine residence of Mr. Jenks was built in 1877.
ichard Martini, of the business firm of John C. Liken & Co., at Sebewaing, was born Aug. 1, 1845, in Waldenburg, Saxony. His parents, Carl R. and Valentine (Thieme) Martini, were natives of Germany, and passed their entire lives in that country. They were the parents of 10 children,-Richard, Herman, Clara, Johannes, Eliza, Clemens, Robert, Julia, Lina and Valentine.
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