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 39
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Mr. Martini was a pupil in the common schools until he was nine years of age, when he was sent to a school of higher grade to complete the time pre- scribed by the law of his native country. At the age of 14 years he entered a grocery, where he oper- ated chiefly for five years, studying meanwhile in the School of Commerce at Dresden. After serving his time he was employed 15 months in another mercan- tile establishment. His next employment was in a large hosiery factory, where he remained until his emigration to the United States, in October, 1866. On landing at the port of New York, he proceeded to Saginaw, but, being unable to obtain satisfactory employment, he learned the business of cigar-making, in which he was occupied until he came to Sebe- waing, in June, 1867. He was similarly occupied
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there about four months, when he became a sales- man for John Muellerweiss, and afterwards for Muellerweiss & Liken. His engagement with them was terminated by their dissolution three years later. In 1871, he entered into a silent partnership with Mr. Liken, which relation continued three years, and eventuated in his being received into full connection with the business relations of the firm.
Mr. Martini is a Republican in political principle. He has officiated 11 years as Township Clerk, and 13 years as Notary Public.
His marriage to Mary C. Liken occurred at Sebe- waing, July 31, 1876, and they are the parents of three children, born at Sebewaing, as follows: John C., April 4, 1879 ; Henry R., Oct., 23, 1880; Clara H., May 12, 1882. Mrs. Martini is the daughter of John C. and Walburga (Kunkel) Liken (see sketch), and was born Jan. 31, 1856, in Binghamton, N. Y. She is a member of the Lutheran Church, as is also her husband.
illiam Etzler, farmer, section 28, Hume Township, was born June 18, 1840, in Prussia, and is the son of Antoine and Joanna (Houckey) Etzler. He was 12 years of age when his parents and brothers came to this country. They resided a year in Buffalo, N. Y., and went thence to Geauga Co., Ohio. Three years later they removed to Port Austin, where the mother died soon after.
In the late fall of 1857 the father and three sons settled on 320 acres of land, situated on sections 28 and 29 in Hume Township, which they purchased under the Graduation Act. They lived together five years, and at the end of that time made a division of the land, William receiving 106 acres, the farms of his brothers lying on either side. He took posses- sion of the place and entered upon the work of improvement. Of the original acreage 70 acres have been placed in the best possible agricultural condi- tion, with two large barns, a granary and as fine a residence as there is in the township.
Mr. Etzler is a Republican in political faith.
He was married Sept. 16, 1863, to Sophia Empkie,
at Port Austin, and they have seven children, viz .: William, Frederick, Charles, Emma, Edward, Nellie and Libbie. Mrs. Etzler was born Dec. 18, 1846, in Prussia, and came to Michigan from her native country when she was II years old, settling at Port Austin.
Mr. and Mrs. Etzler are respectively members of the Catholic and Lutheran Churches.
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augustus Pittsley, proprietor of the Frank- lin House at Sand Beach, was born Sept. 26, 1833, in Chenango Co., N. Y. His par- ents, Jeremiah and Roxana (White) Pittsley, were farmers and are both deceased.
Mr. Pittsley was reared on a farm, and his life was passed in that occupation until the outbreak of the Southern Rebellion, in 1861, when he became a soldier in the Union service. The war had not been in progress very long before he became satis- fied that it was a matter of no trifling moment, and that the nation was at the mercy of foes at home unless their plans were thwarted, and he enlisted July 2, 1861, in Co. A, roth N. Y. Cav., Captain Loomis. He enrolled at Oxford, Chenango Co., N. Y., and his regiment was attached to the Army of the Potomac. Mr. Pittsley was in action at Bull Run (2d), at Gettysburg under Burnside, in the Stoneman raid, at Culpeper, and at Brandy Sta- tion under Kilpatrick. He was taken prisoner at Gettysburg, Pa., and was paroled. At Westchester, Pa., his left hand was split by a saber stroke. He was discharged at Utica, N. Y., at the close of the war. In 1863, while on a furlough, he came to Sand Beach, and on being released from the service of the United States, he came hither and was in the employment of Pack, Woods & Co. in the lumber woods.
In 1869 he built a hotel at Sand Beach, near the site of the Franklin House, which was destroyed in the great fire of 1871, with a loss of $4,000, and an insurance , of $500. In the spring of 1872 he erected the hotel which he has since managed, where he is doing a prosperous business. He can accommodate
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about 30 guests, and keeps a small livery. He owns 27 acres of land, lying contiguous to his hotel proper- ty, with a dwelling thereon. He is also associated with Charles Verd, in the proprietorship of a livery, which they established in the spring of 1884.
Mr. Pittsley was married May 26, 1865, at Sand Beach, to Ellen J. Holder. Four children have been born to them : Effie, May 6, 1866; and Ed- ward, Sept. 6, 1873; these two, the eldest and youngest, are living; Verbie and Alverda are de- ceased.
acob Miller, farmer, section 11, Bingham Township, was born Dec. 28, 1850, in Wa- terloo Co., Ont. He is the son of Nicolas and Margaret (Habner) Miller, and his parents were among the earliest settlers in the township, having made a transfer of their family and in- terests to the county in 1856. He was a member of his father's household until his settlement in life as the head of a family.
He was married June 20, 1881, in Paris Township, to Catherine Kelley. She was born Oct. 18, 1855, in Strathroy, Ont., and is the daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Brennen) Kelley. Her parents are now residents on a farm in Bingham Township.
In August, 1878, Mr. Miller purchased 80 acres of wild land, and when he was married he fixed his res- idence therein. There are now 60 acres of finely im- proved land with farm buildings of excellent charac- ter. Mr. Miller is a Democrat in political principle, and is the present Township Treasurer. The family are Catholics.
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Jonathan B. Hellems, farmer, section 19, Dwight Township, was born June 26, 1840, in Welland Co., Ont. He is the son of Henry and Harriet F. (Clark) Hellems, whose sketch may be found in another part of this volume. When he was 17 years of age, Mr. Hellems found himself with the structure of his own
fortunes under his control, and engaged in a saw- mill at Port Austin, where he operated six months. After passing about eight years in various occupations, he devoted his attention exclusively to farming, and has since pursued that avenue of business as a voca- tion. In 1866 he entered a claim of 120 acres of Government land in section 19, but deferred taking possession of his property until two years later. Since that date he has been continuously resident and retains possession of 80 acres of his original purchase. He has cleared and improved about 45 acres.
Mr. Hellems is a Republican in political connec- tions and issues, and is of decided opinions relating to national issues where development depends on the predominancy of that element.
He was married Oct. 11, 1868, in a portion of Hu- ron County now included within Chandler Township, to Hannah E. Melick. Only one child has been born of this union, Obed H., who died when he was three years of age. Mrs. Hellems was born Jan. 25, 1851, in Brant County, Ont., and is the daughter of Obed and Mary A. (O'Brien) Melick, the parents be- ing respectively of Irish and German extraction and natives of Canada. They became residents of Hu- ron County in the spring of 1863, settling in what was then Lake Township. The mother died Aug. 6, 1878. They had eight children, of whom Mrs. Hellems is the youngest.
eorge W. Carr, general merchant at Sand Beach, was born Sept. 1, 1850, near Gene- va, Seneca Co., N. Y. He was six years old when his parents, Thomas and Mary (Christler) Carr, came to Michigan, settling near Romeo, Macomb County, where they now reside, on the farm of 80 acres on which they originally settled.
Mr. Carr was reared on his father's farm to the age of 22 years, and in 1872 he engaged as traveling salesman in the interests of a nursery company, for whom he operated four years continuously. He came to Sand Beach in August, 1877, and became a salesman in the mercantile establishment of J. Jenks & Co. After operating in their interests about four
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years, he embarked in business independently, and has since conducted his mercantile affairs, carrying a stock valued at an estimate of $5,000.
Mr. Carr owns 40 acres of farming land on sec- tion 16, in the township of Sand Beach, a part of which is improved and cultivated. He is also the owner of his residence and place of business.
His marriage to Miss E. A. Gibson occurred Jan. I, 1876, at Lenox, Macomb County. Ethelyn M., only issue of this union, was born in Lenox, Jan. 8, 1877. Mrs. Carr was born Aug. 13, 1854, in Lenox, and is the daughter of Matthew B. and Ann (Beard) Gib- son.' Her parents were among the early pioneer set- tlers of Macomb County, settling therein about the year 1850, when the portion where they located was innocent of even traces of civilization.
Mr. Carr is a member of the Village Council, and belongs to the Knights of Honor. The family attend the Baptist Church.
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Christian F. Bach, of the firm of Liken & Bach, manufacturers of staves and head- ing, saw and grist miller at Sebewaing, is a native of the place where he is now transacting business. He was born March 18, 1854. His parents, Christian and Christiana Bach, were born in Germany and emigrated in early life to America. They made their first location in Washte- naw Co., Mich., proceeding thence, in 1853, to Sebewaing. His father died and his mother is still living. Five of their eight children survive,- Reuben, Christian F., Theodore, Alfred and Eliza- beth. Those deceased were named Edward, Ferdi- nand and Christiana.
Mr. Bach attended the common schools until he was 16 years of age, when he assumed the manage- ment of his father's farm, continuing in that occupa- tion until he was 22 years of age. In 1876 he formed a partnership with John C. Liken for the purpose of prosecuting the business in which they are at present engaged. Mr. Bach is a Republican in political sentiment.
He was married Oct. 1, 1878, in Sebewaing, to
Hannah, daughter of John C. Liken. (See sketch.) They have had four children, namely: Charles, Franklin A., Emma and Heinrich. Charles is de- ceased. The family members of the Lutheran Church.
8 ennett Haskell, salt and lumber manufact- urer and general merchant at Port Cres- cent, was born May 22, 1850, in Penobscot Co., Maine. His father, N. B. Haskell, was one of a long line of descendants from a family prominent in the Pine-Tree State for many years, was a lumberman in Maine, and is now a res- ident of Bad Axe, Mich. He married Hannah Sho- rey, and both were natives of Maine, of English extraction. They removed in 1858 to Steuben Co., N. Y., and seven years later came to Whitehall, Muskegon Co., Mich., where the father engaged two years in lumbering, after which, in the spring of 1868, they came to Port Crescent.
Mr. Haskell's father, associated with Henry C. Spaulding, of Elmira, N. Y., established an extensive lumber business. They secured a large tract of land situated on the course of the Pinnebog River, which empties into the Saganaw Bay at this point, and con- ducted operations largely in rafting. They controlled an extensive trade on the river, which traversed a county noted for its valuable pine, and which affords at its outlet a fine harbor. Since they came hither they have cut from one to three million feet of logs every winter, and of this large interest Mr. Haskell was general manager until 1880, when he became sole proprietor. In the same year he established the salt block, which has a daily capacity of 200 barrels of salt when operated to its full extent. He is at present engaged in the erection of a store for the prosecution of his mercantile operations, built in L form, 48 x 72 feet in dimensions, designed to be one of the finest structures for the purpose intended in Huron County. He owns within the county about 4,000 acres of land, some of it still in fine timber, but chiefly in course of preparation for agricultural pur- poses. He owns all village lots in Port Crescent lying north of Pinnebog Street. Mr. Haskell is a Republican in political opinion.
He was married April 9, 1875, at Port Crescent,
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to Josephine Earl. She was born in 1854, at Buck- ville, Ont., where her parents now reside. She was carefully educated in music, and was a teacher of the art for some time previous to her marriage. She is the daughter of Thomas Earl, and her parents are natives of Canada and of English extraction.
genry B. Hellems, farmer, section 17, Dwight Township, is the son of Henry and Harriet F. (Clark) Hellems. (See sketch of H. Hellems.) He was born April 29, 1838, in Welland Co., Ont. He obtained a good com- mon-school education, and was bred to the vo- cation of farmer, remaining on his father's farm until he was 31 years of age, when he took possession of 80 acres of land, which became his property by deed of gift from his father. On this he has since resided, has cleared about 35 acres, and placed it under fair cultivation.
Mr. Hellems is a decided Republican, and has been Constable three years, School Assessor seven years and has held other official positions. He was drafted March 18, 1865, and was assigned to service in the 15th Reg. Mich. Inf. He was in the military service of the United States six months, receiving his discharge at Little Rock, Ark. On being released he returned to Dwight Township.
He was married March 20, 187 1, in Dwight Town- ship, to Augusta A. Hoover. One child, Henry C., was born to them. Mrs. Hellems was born in Jeffer- son Co., N. Y., and is the daughter of Captain John Hoover, an officer in the War of 1812.
dward C. Soule, civil engineer, resident at Soule village, was born Jan. 7, 1855, in Wyoming Co., N. Y., and is the son of Charles and Clarissa F. (Rowley) Soule. (See sketch.) He was nine years of age when his parents removed to Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., and he acquired a substantial education in the public
schools of the county, which he supplemented by a solid course of study in the grammar school of Franklinville in the same county. He began teach- ing at the age of 20 years, opening his career in Michigan, and afterwards prosecuting the same busi- ness in the State of New York. He then returned to Michigan and again became a teacher, and combined that vocation with surveying.
In 1883, associated with his father and brothers, he engaged in the management of a mill, in which business they continued to operate some years.
He is a Republican in political connection, and in 1880 was elected County Surveyor, serving in the position two years.
His marriage to Maggie Taylor took place at Port Austin Jan. 1, 1883. They are the parents of one child, Daisy, born July 2, 1884. Mrs. Soule is the daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth (Mason) Taylor. After their marriage the parents went to Ontario, and afterwards came to Michigan and settled at Port Austin. Their daughter was born in York village, Ont., June 25, 1859. She was in early childhood when her father removed to Port Austin, where she obtained a good elementary education, and after- wards went to Le Sueur, Minn., where she completed her studies. She returned to Port Austin and be- came a teacher in Huron County, in which she was engaged six years previous to her marriage.
ugh M. Walker, farmer, section 9, Bloom- field Township, was born Jan. 18, 1849, near Dundas, London Co., Ont., and is the son of Josiah and Lydia Ann (Hitchcock) Walker. The former lives on a farm in Lapeer County. The latter died Aug. 5, 1865, in Lapeer County, and was 36 years of age at the time of her death.
Mr. Walker was reared on his father's farm, and remained at home until he was 18 years of age, when he engaged as a farm assistant, working sum- mers by the month and lumbering in the woods winters. His parents removed to Almont, Lapeer County, where he reached manhood, and where he obtained an education in the common schools. He was qualified to teach, and he followed that vocation
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for some time, teaching three terms in Lapeer Coun- ty and two terms in Huron County.
He came first to Huron County in December, 1878, in search of a location for a permanent abode, the trip resulting in the purchase of the farm of 120 acres, of which he has since been the owner and occupant. He made the purchase of Langdon Hub- bard, by whom it had been "lumbered over." He was in a promising condition when the fire of 1881 destroyed a new barn, quantities of fencing and a large orchard of young fruit-trees. The farm con- tains 40 acres of improved land, with a good frame house.
Mr. Walker is an adherent of the prohibition ele- ment; he has served the township five years as Supervisor and three years as School Superinten- dent.
He was married Aug. 5, 1872, to Susan V. Witt. Seven children have been born to them, as follows : I. Floyd, Sept. 1, 1873; Kittie E., Dec. 2, 1874; Jennie V., June 3, 1876; Mary A., April 17, 1878; Mabel S., Oct. 18, 1879; Lydia A., April 18, 1881; Roy, Nov. 21, 1882. The three first named chil- dren were born in Oakland Co., Mich. The others were born in Bloomfield Township.
Mrs. Walker was born June 3, 1854, in Dryden Township, Lapeer County, Mich. Her parents were Calvin and Adelia (Haines) Witt. The former died when the daughter was eight years old, leaving her fully orphaned, her mother having died when she was one year and a half old.
R euben G. Schluchter, blacksmith at Sebe- waing, was born Feb. 18, 1858, in Huron County, Ont. His father, Jacob G. Schluch- ter, was a German by birth and emigrated to Canada, where he married Ellen Gray. The wife was born in Canada. After their mar- riage they settled in Ontario, where she died, in 1869. They became the parents of to children.
The subject of this sketch is the fifth in order of birth of the children of his parents, and attended school until he was 16 years of age, when he was apprenticed to a blacksmith and served three years
in obtaining a knowledge of his trade. In the spring of 1880 he came to the township of Sebewaing, re- moving to the village of the same name in the spring of 1884. He at once entered upon a successful and steady business. He is a Democrat in political con- nection.
He was married Aug. 19, 1881, to Mary L. Ruchty, and they are the parents of three children,-Gen- evieve S., Edmund G. and Amelia A. Their mother was born in Canada. Her father, George Ruchty, is a native of Switzerland, and was born in 1821. Eva Ruchty, her mother, was born in Poland, in 1841. Mr. Schluchter is a member of the Arbeiter Associa- tion.
charles Verd, liveryman at Sand Beach, was born October 7, 1842, at West Hawks- bury, Ont. He 'is the son of Tussant and Electa (Wait) Verd. In 1851 the family came to St. Clair County, where the father bought a farm in a portion of the county now included within Grant Township.
Mr. Verd was raised on a farm and was employed in agricultural pursuits. In the fall of 1861 he went to Grand Traverse Bay, remaining there about one year, then going to Port Hope, Huron County, where he entered the employment of Fish & Co. In 1863 he went to the lumber woods in the interest of Staf- ford, Haywood & Janess, in whose employment he remained a number of years. He took jobs on the Pinnebog River in Huron County, in which avenue he operated two years. At the end of that time he was engaged in taking contracts from R. B. Hubbard & Co., of Huron City, operating on the West Branch of Willow Creek.
In 1865 he purchased 80 acres in the township of Rubicon, which he afterward sold, buying almost immediately a farm in Gore Township, of which he also disposed and bought 80 acres in Huron Town- ship. He cleared on the three places an aggregate of roo acres.
Mr. Verd embarked in his present business enter- prise in the spring of 1882. He keeps eight horses and livery fixtures suited to the demand. He owns his place of business and his residence. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
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He was married in Rubicon Township, Jan. 8, 1865, to Phebe, daughter of Henry and Lydia (Clark) Hoffman. Mrs. Verd was born in Burford, Canada West, Jan. 5, 1843. Six sons have been born to them, as follows : Edward T., Charles, William H., Homer T., Frank and Frederick.
ohn Wills, farmer, section 9, Hume Town- ship, was born Dec. 28, 1823, in County Mayo, Ireland. His parents removed to Canada in 1833, where they were farmers and passed the remainder of their lives. They have been dead about 35 years.
Mr. Wills remained under the roof of his parents until his first marriage in 1844, to Margery Wills. Four children were born of their union,-William, Elenor, Elizabeth (deceased) and James. Those who survive are married and settled in life. In the winter of 1852-3, while Mr. and Mrs. Wills were making a little trip on the ice, on Lake Ontario, Mr. Wills skating and drawing his wife on a hand-sled, they found themselves unexpectedly in an air-hole. They went under, and Mrs. Wills was drowned ! Help came, but too late to save her, and Mr. Wills was insensible and recovered only after the most strenuous efforts to recall his life. He was again married, in 1854, to Bessie Wills. She was born in Ontario, of Irish parentage, and died about one year after her marriage. Mr. Wills was married a third time, March 9, 1859, at Port Huron, to Rachel Wrisk, and of this union seven children have been born, one of whom is deceased. They are Elizabeth, Jennie, Robert J., Joseph, Maggie, Minnie (de- ceased) and James. Mrs. Wills is the eldest daughter, and one of nine children that were born to her parents, William and Lucinda (Smith) Wrisk. The latter were born respectively in Ireland and Ontario. They are now residents of Kent Co., Ont., the former being 80 and the latter 68 years of age at the present time. Mrs. Wills was born in Raleigh, Ont., Feb. 17, 1836.
In 1859 Mr. Wills came to Huron County and located on the lake-side in Hume Township. After
a residence three years, he entered a claim of 80 acres where he has since resided, and nearly all of which is now cleared and improved.
Mr. Wills enlisted in the military service of the United States Aug. 23, 1863, enrolling in Co. F, 23d Mich. Vol. Inf .. The regiment was attached to the Army of the Cumberland, and Mr. Wills while in the service did picket duty, chiefly on account of im- paired health. He is a Republican in political persuasion. He was brought up in the English Church, and his wife was reared in the tenets of the Methodist Church.
elson P. Arnold, station agent for the Port Huron & Northwestern Railroad Company at Sand Beach, was born Oct. 5, 1854, in Kent Co., Ont. His parents, Samuel E. and Margaret A. (Mills) Arnold, are both living in Kent County, Ont., where the father is the pro- prietor of 200 acres of fine farming land. The pa- ternal grandparents of Mr. Arnold were natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent. They removed to Ontario before the Rebellion. His great-grand- father, Louis P. Arnold, was a volunteer in the Civil War in the United States, and died in Kent County, Ont., aged 104 years. Louis S., his grand- father, is still living, in Ontario, and is 84 years of age.
Mr. Arnold was reared on his father's farm to the age of 15 years, when he began to learn the trade of carpenter and joiner, in which he spent' two years. In 1872 he came to St. Clair County, Mich., and be- came a clerk in the employ of his uncles, M. & B. Mills, lumber dealers at Marysville, with whom he remained seven years, meanwhile taking a complete course of study at Bryant & Stratton's Business Col- lege at Cleveland, Ohio. On leaving the employ of his uncles he went to Port Huron and there engaged in a grocery in the capacity of book-keeper. His next employ was with the Northern Transportation Company in that city, where he was a telegraph oper- ator one year. In the fall of 1879 he came to Sand Beach as telegraph operator for the Western Union Company, in whose service he remained until the completion of the railroad, when he was appointed
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to the position he has since held. With the aid of one assistant, he officiates as ticket agent, telegraph operator and baggage agent, and officiates as " dis- play-man " in the Government service, in which capacity he displays the flags in the United States Signal Service, at Sand Beach Station.
Mr. Arnold was married Oct. 5, 1882, at Sand Beach, to Jennie Jenks. One child, Mary B., was born to them, Aug. 20, 1883. Mrs. Arnold is the daughter of Jesse L. and Mary Jenks (see sketch of J. L. Jenks), and was born Jan. 25, 1861, in St. Clair, Mich.
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