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 40
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oses Erb, farmer, section 26, Chandler Township, was born Nov. 16, 1848, in Lambton Co., Ont. His father and mother, Abram and Wilhelmina (Clems) Erb, were natives of Ontario, of German de- scent. The mother died at Ovid, Mich., in January, 1881, while visiting a daughter there, and was 68 years old.
Mr. Erb was reared in Ontario to the age of his legal manhood, when he came to Michigan and en- tered the employ of Berkey & Gay, furniture manu- facturers of Grand Rapids, in whose employment he remained eight years. After leaving their service he passed two years in another manufacturing establish- ment at the same place. His health failed, and he came to Huron County and became a land-holder in Chandler Township, where he has since managed his agricultural operations. The location is one of the best in the township, and of the 80 acres comprised in his farm he has improved 35 acres.
Mr. Erb is a radical Republican, and has served as Supervisor of his township and in the several school offices.
He was married Jan. 3, 1870, at Lowell, Kent Co., Mich., to Adella Barber. They have two chil- dren,-Claud and Bertie. Mrs. Erb was born in Linden, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Dec. 14, 1854, and is the daughter of Alfred and Evaline (Snyder) Barber. They were natives of New York, of New
England origin, and English descent. The mother died at Lowell, in September, 1881. The father of Mrs. Erb is a resident there.
8 enjamin Cartwright, farmer on section 30, Dwight Township, was born Aug. 20, 1813, in Cheshire, England. His parents, Solomon and Hannah Cartwright, were both natives of England, where they passed their entire lives. Mr. Cartwright is the eldest of to children. He first came to the United States in 1842, and sought employment in New England, which he traversed for that purpose, but failed to receive anything satisfactory, and went thence to Canada, where he remained till the fall of 1843, when he re- turned to England. In the fall of 1845 he again came to the United States. He settled at first in New Jersey, where he remained two years, going thence to New York, where he entered the employment of the late Peter Cooper. He operated in his interest two years, and in 1848 went to Mineral Point, Wis., where he engaged for a short time in the lead mines. He went afterwards to Canada, and remained there nearly six years. *
He became a resident of Huron County in 1861, and within the same year he bought 80 acres of land in Dwight Township, where he has since resided. He has cleared and improved 30 acres of the tract of 40 acres of which he is the owner. He was among the first settlers of this portion of Huron County, and was the owner of the first wagon brought into the township, the first fanning-mill, and the first threshing-machine. He also built the first brick chimney in Dwight Township.
Mr. Cartwright is a Republican in politics. He has been Justice of the Peace and Township Treas- urer.
He was married Oct. 23, 1841, in Manchester, England, to Hannah Hague. Five of their eight children are living,-Hannah, Abel, Lydia, Jane and Charlotte. One son, Job, enlisted in the army of the Union during the Civil War, and yielded up his life in the cause of national unity. Another son,
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Major, died in New Jersey. Walter died at St. Thomas, Ont.
Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright are communicants in the Church of England.
ohn G. Puddock, of the Huron Dairy Salt Company, at Sand Beach, was born Oct. 20, 1843, in Oxford Co., Can., and is the son of Allen and Elizabeth (Goodwin) Pud- dock. His father was a farmer and died in Canada in 1850. The mother died there in 1867.
Mr. Puddock passed the first 20 years of his life on a farm and in 1863 came to Michigan. In the year following, he came to Sand Beach and became foreman in the saw-mill of Pack, Jenks & Co., con- tinuing to operate in that capacity until the re-con- struction of the firm in 1876. He accepted the position of foreman in the salt block and discharged the duties of the situation until Sept. 1, 1883, when he purchased an interest in the business. The salt block was built by Messrs. J. Jenks & Co. in 1876, it being constructed with pans. The establishment was converted into a steam block in 1883, and in the same year they established a department for the manufacture of dairy salt. The company belongs to the Michigan Salt Association. They manufacture about 150 barrels of common fine salt daily, and have facilities for converting the entire product into dairy salt. The bulk of their salt is prepared for dairy purposes, except what is demanded by the local trade in common fine salt. Their business requires an average force of 14 men and boys, and nine women.
In the fall of 1871, in company with John Ballen- tine, he purchased a saw-mill of Jeremiah Ludington at Verona Mills, which he conducted during the winter seasons until 1876, when he sold his interest to his associate.
Mr. Puddock is the owner of a considerable amount of village property, which includes several Vacant lots, four lots in the block where his residence is located and the Puddock Block, in which the post- office is located.
He is a prominent member of the Masonic fra- ternity, and is Master of Huron Lodge (Blue), No. 361, at Sand Beach. He is President of Sand Beach village and is serving his second term in that ca- pacity.
Mr. Puddock was married May 12, 1866, at Sand Beach, to Jane Grice. The four children born of this marriage are-Alice E., May B., Jennie M. and Nellie B. Mrs. Puddock was born in England, and is the daughter of James G. and Jane (Mason) Grice. (See sketch of J. G. Grice.)
obert A. Davidson, blacksmith, wagon and carriage manufacturer, located at Sand Beach, was born March 25, 1840, near Hamilton, Ont. His parents, James and Jane (Billingslay) Davidson, are both de- ceased, the death of the former occurring when the son was about 12 years of age, and that of the latter in 1869.
Mr. Davidson was instructed in the details of the blacksmith business in the shop of his brother An- drew, where he was employed at an early age, and he has pursued that business since without inter- mission. He established a shop at Thamesford, in Ontario, and subsequently at a place then known as Auleyville. In 1869 he came to Brockway Center, St. Clair Co., Mich., where he conducted his busi- ness five years. He went thence to Emmett, in the same county, and had a shop there some years. He has been in Sand Beach since April, 1879. On his arrival here he entered the employment of James Ross, with whom he continued three years. In 1882 he began his present enterprise in his own interest, his business requiring two assistants. He does all kinds of general blacksmithing, wagon and carriage making, and all the varieties of repairing common to his business. He owns his wagon and blacksmith shops and his residence at Sand Beach. He is a member of the Knights of Honor.
Mr. Davidson was married May 20, 1860, at Ingersoll, Oxford Co., Ont., to Margaret L., daughter of Colon McNee. She was born in the township of Nissuria, Oxford Co., Ont., May 5, 1843. Four
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children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, as follows : Linda, born May 18, 1864; James R., Aug. 18, 1869; and two others who died in infancy. The parents are members of the Baptist Church.
eter Murray, farmer, section 2, Bingham Township, was born in County Longford, Ireland, in 1824. His parents died in their native land previous to his emigration to the Dominion of Canada, in 1852. He located in Middlesex Co., Ont., and was a resident there until his removal to Michigan in May, 1873, when he purchased 80 acres of land, now constituting his homestead. The property was in a wholly wild and primitive condition, and one-half is now under fine and profitable cultivation, with a handsome residence and excellent accessory farm buildings.
Mr. Murray is independent in political opinion and connections.
He was married in 1854, in Middlesex Co., Ont., to Mary Noonan, and they have been the parents of 12 children. Of these, one son and six daughters have gone to the land of silent mystery, whither the sorrowing mother journeyed to join her little ones in 1869, when she was 39 years of age. Mr. Murray was again married in 1871, in Ontario, to Anna Mc- Donald. Two children born of the second marriage are deceased. Five children of the former union are living, and were born as follows: Mary A., Thomas, Peter, Michael and Catherine. Mrs. Murray was born in the State of New York, of Irish parentage. The family are Roman Catholics.
charles Davis, M. D., practicing physician and surgeon at Sand Beach, was born March 18, 1850, in the township of Turner, Androscoggin Co., Maine. He is the son of Thomas and Rachel (Soper) Davis, and his father was a farmer. The latter was born in Maine, and died in the village of Turner, in June, 1868. The mother was also born in the Pine-Tree
State, and resides at present in Sand Beach with her son.
Dr. Davis passed the first 20 years of his life on his father's farm, when he entered the Literary De- partment of Bates College, at Lewiston, Maine. He matriculated there in 1869, and was graduated in 1873. He engaged a short time in teaching, after which he entered the Medical Department of Bow- doin College at Brunswick, Maine, going thence, after one term of study, to the City Hospital at Boston, where he had all the advantages of the varied char- acter of the medical and surgical practice for one year. He then became a salesman in a drug store in Detroit, where he remained until 1878, meanwhile attending lectures in the Detroit Medical College where he was graduated in March, 1878. Within the same month in which he received his credentials, he came to Sand Beach, and, in company with Dr. Johnson, established a joint practice, which relation existed a few months. He opened an office alone, and has conducted his business with such skill and efficiency as to establish a popular and prominent practice. He ranks among the leading physicians and surgeons of the county. During the past two years he has officiated as village and township physi- cian. Dr. Davis has one brother, Frank by name.
Ifred Pagett, merchant at Ubly, Bingham Township, was born Jan. 27, 1841, in Lon- don, England. In his early childhood he ob- tained such education as he could from the public schools of the city of Bristol, and at the age of 15 went to work in the coal mines of that place, where he passed nine consecutive years of his life.
He came to the United States when he was 24 years of age, and, after a brief sojourn in the city of Philadelphia, he proceeded to Forestville, Sanilac County, this State, and entered the store of Alfred Gunning as salesman. He remained in his service seven years, and at the expiration of that time, in 1867, he started a branch store in the interests of his employer at Tyre, Sanilac County, which he managed from the month of March in the year named until April, 1870.
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.In that year he came to Ubly and established business for himself, and has since continued its prosecution. He invested $700 in stock at the out- set and proceeded with constantly extending relations and increasing business until 1881, when he suffered an entire loss of all he had accumulated. Not a vestige of his property remained on the sixth of Sep- tember. But discouragement with all the rest did not settle on his banners, and he proceeded to re- instate his business. He erected a new store, put in a stock of goods and has since operated prosperously. His stock in trade represents a cash value of $1,500, and his annual sales aggregate $4,000. He owns four acres of land within the village limits, and he has recently erected a tasteful cottage near his place of business.
Mr. Pagett is a believer in the principles of Re- publicanism and was seven years Postmaster at Ubly. He held the same position at Tyre and has officiated as Township Clerk of Bingham.
He was married in December, 1864, in the city of Bristol, Eng., to Anna Belcher. She was born Feb. 21, 1841, and reared to womanhood in the same city where her marriage occurred. She was a cotton- weaver previous to her marriage.
lexander Pierce, farmer, residing at Ubly, o of which he is the founder, was born March 28, 1823, in Prince Edward Co., Ont. He was reared to manhood by his parents, William and Anna (Winch) Pierce, and continued an in- mate of the paternal home until he was 23 years of age, when he established himself as the head of a household, by marriage.
Four years after that event, Mr. Pierce removed to Victoria Co., Ont., where he became a land-holder and pursued agriculture as a vocation four years. He then exchanged his property for 120 acres of land in Minden, Sanilac County. On this he oper- ated until he placed nearly one-half its entire acreage under improvement. In 1869 he came to Huron County and purchased 160 acres of land on sections 22 and 27, of Bingham Township. In 1882 he platted the village of Ubly, and has met with success
in his scheme of establishing the place, which he has pushed by offering substantial inducements to busi- ness men to make this a point for their operations.
In the fire of 1881 Mr. Pierce suffered heavily in the total loss of his perishable property, amounting to several thousands of dollars.
Politically, he is an adherent of the Republican party, and has officiated in several local offices.
His marriage to Lydia Grooms took place in Vic- toria Co., Ont., Sept. 26, 1846, and of their union seven children have been born,-David H., Thomas W., Anna E., Lydia J., Clara, William J. and Sarah E. The last mentioned was the second in order of birth, was married and is now deceased. Mrs. Pierce was born Sept. 14, 1828, in Prince Edward Co., Ont., and is the daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Mack- intosh) Grooms. Her parents were of Scotch origin, and died some years ago in Victoria Co., Ont. The daughter was To years old when her mother died, and she was reared by relatives.
navid E. Dues, Captain of the Life-Saving Station at Sand Beach, was born Feb. 27, 1856, in Kincardine, Bruce Co., Ont., and is the son of Peter and Mary A. (Ramage) Dues. His father is a native of Denmark, spent many years of his life as a sailor, and is now in charge of the light-house at Ludington, Mich. His mother is a native of Canada and is of Scotch descent.
The family removed about the year 1860 to De- troit, whence they proceeded to Wyandotte, Wayne County. When Mr. Dues was eight years of age they made another remove, to Port Huron, whence, in 1870, they came to Rock Falls in Huron County. At the age of 10 years he began the life of a sailor under the instructions of his father, who was a cap- tain, and he has since continued on the water in some capacity. At 17 he was second mate on the schooner " H. H. Brown," a merchant vessel of 1,500 tons burthen, and plying between Escanaba, Cleve- land and Erie. Two years later he was in command of the "Industry," a vessel of the same class, running on Lakes Huron and Erie.
He came to Sand Beach in 1878, where he was engaged in fishing three years. He received his ap-
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pointment in the Life-Saving service Oct. 24, 1881, from Capt. Kiah, the Superintendent of the district. He fitted up the station, and, together with a crew of eight men, discharges the duties of the post. They have afforded assistance to and visited at least 25 wrecks, have saved many lives, and rescued several persons who have fallen into the lake.
Mr. Dues was married May 23, 1877, at Sand Beach, Mich., to Nancy, daughter of Nathan and Diana Gager. Three children have been born to them at Sand Beach, viz .: Eva D., April 28, 1878; Annie A., June 20, 1880; and Cecil C., March 23, I 883. Annie was drowned in Lake Huron, May 4, 1882. Mrs. Dues was born in Canada, Nov. 20, 1860.
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ames Campbell, farmer, section 22, Hume Township, was born in December, 1831, in County Antrim, Ireland. His parents, William and Jane (Kerr) Campbell, were of Irish birth and Scotch descent, belonging to the sturdy race known in the history of the world as the Scotch-Irish. They passed their entire lives in their native country, and died when the son was nine years old.
He is the youngest of six children, and when he was 14 years of age he came to America, in com- pany with an elder brother. They made their first stop in the Province of Ontario, where Mr. Campbell operated as a common laborer 16 years. In 1860, he came to Michigan, and settled at once where he has since resided. He secured 80 acres of land under the provisions of the Graduation Act, and has been the sole force in the improvement of his land, all of which is cultivated, and manifests the charac- ter of the owner and his persistent efforts in a praiseworthy direction. The place is in one of the best parts of Hume Township, has a good home and a large stock and grain barn.
Mr. Campbell is a member of the Republican element in politics, and is one of the Justices of his township, in which position he has been officiating two years. He has also held the minor local offices. He was married April 20, 1859, in Dumfries Co., Ont., to Elizabeth (Parke) Williams. Mary, Isabella,
George, Margaret, Celia and John are the names of the living children of Mr. and Mrs. Campbell; James is deceased. The mother is the daughter of William and Margaret (Houston) Parke, natives of Ireland, where she was also born, Dec. 25, 1840. Her father died in 1849; the demise of her mother occurred in 1858, four years after her daughter, with her sister, had come to Ontario. The family are communicants in the Episcopal Church.
Kenry Neuman, Supervisor of Sebewaing Township, and farmer on section 21, was born in Prussia, Aug. 7, 1839. Gottlob and Rosana (Weisbrod) Neuman, his parents, were natives of Prussia and emigrated to the United States in 1855, and located in Sebewaing Town- ship. Mr. Neuman, Sr., died Aug. 22, 1883. Mrs. Neuman died July 15, 1876, in Sebewaing Township.
Mr. Henry Neuman learned the trade of a cooper in his native country, and he was occupied in that business until he came to the United States. His father pre-empted 80 acres of land in Sebewaing Township, on which he assisted until he was 19 years of age. At that age he became a sailor on Saginaw Bay, and passed the sailing seasons of four years in that vocation, spending the winters in the woods. He was then employed on his father's farm until 1863, when he was drafted into the military service of the United States. He was assigned to the Sec- ond Mich. Cav., and served until the close of the war, when he returned to Sebewaing.
In 1860 he entered a claim of 40 acres of swamp land and brought 40 acres additional at $1.25 per acre. He cleared 15 acres, sold out and bought 80 acres on which he settled permanently in the fall of 1869. He now owns 133 acres in Sebewaing and Brookfield Townships, and has 45 acres in good cul- tivation.
In political belief and connection Mr. Neuman is a Republican. He has held the offices of Drain and Highway Commissioner and Treasurer, and in the spring of 1883 was elected Supervisor, receiving a re- election to the latter position in 1884.
He was married Nov. 26, 1868, to Mary D. Beck,
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and they have had six children,-Louisa M., Fred- erick, Adolph, Lina M., Ida S., Bruno H. and Bertha. The first-born child died before she was two years old. Mrs. Neuman was born Oct. 20, 1845, at Ann Arbor, Mich. Her parents, Gotfried and Mary Beck, were born respectively in Germany and Maryland, and settled in Sebewaing Township in 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Neuman are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
2
ohn R. Poss, farmer, sections 2 and 5, of Caseville Towhship, was born Feb. 17, 1846, in Lapeer Co., Mich. He is the son of Nicholas and Adeline (White) Poss. The latter died in 1849, when her son was but three years of age. His father died June 6, 1881, aged 72 years. Mr. Poss has two sisters and a half brother.
He was reared to the age of 16 years on a farm, and in 1862 enlisted in the military service of the United States. He was absent three years, and on his return to Lapeer County he engaged for a time by the month as a farm laborer, after which he worked his father's farm on shares. He made a success of the plan, and at the end of a year purchased a part of the place. He continued to buy portions of the homestead farm, until he became the owner of nearly the whole of it. In August, 1873, he sold out and came to Caseville, remaining two years. In 1875 he returned to Lapeer County, where he stayed a period of two years, coming back to Caseville, where he has since resided. In addition to his farming he is en- gaged in selling agricultural implements, and negoti- ates financial paper. Since May, 1876, he has man- aged his house as the Poss Hotel. It is a two-story structure, with 23 rooms, and has in connection with it a small livery. His farm contains 631/2 acres, lo- cated on section 2, and one on section 5 has 1681/2. His house is located in Caseville Township.
His marriage to Flora Adams took place Nov. 22, 1872, and they have two children,-Frank R., born March 17, 1874, and Adeline R., born Oct. 30, 1878. Mrs. Poss is the daughter of Daniel A. and Rachel (Hamilton) Adams. She was born July 16, 1852, in Lapeer Co., Mich., and had three brothers,-Edwin,
Arthur and Elmer. Her mother died July 5, 1861. Her father lives at Mt. Morris, Genesee Co., Mich., and is an attorney. Mr. Poss is a Democrat in his political views.
ames Ryan, proprietor of the Port Austin Hotel, and also of the White Ash Grove breeding farm, was born May 1, 1835, in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is the son of John and Mary Ryan. He was seven years old when his parents emigrated from the Green Isle to Canada, where the father bought a farm, near the city of Ottawa. Not long after they removed to a farm in Huron County, Ont.
Mr. Ryan was thoroughly trained in agricultural knowledge, and when he was 17 years old became the proprietor of 100 acres of land, which was in a natural state and covered with heavy timber. On this he operated until he had cleared 66 acres and erected thereon good buildings, set out orchards and put the farm in a promising condition.
He left Canada in the fall of 1861 and came to Port Austin, where he purchased the piece of ground now constituting the site of the hotel. He erected a small building for the purpose of hotel-keeping, in which he transacted business until 1868, the year of the construction of the Port Austin House. The former structure is still in existence and is occupied by a tenant.
Mr. Ryan was the proprietor of a stage route be- tween Port Huron and Bay City 11 years, and from Port Austin to Bad Axe four years. His hotel is ample for the accommodation of his patrons, and is supplied with all the appurtenances requisite for the welfare of its guests. A good livery is attached, and a free carriage runs to all trains and boats. He owns a considerable amount of village property, in- cluding a barn and granary and two lots situated opposite his stables, and a lot west of the hotel, containing a dwelling and a blacksmith shop. He owns, also, four lots in another direction, and a house and lot in Grindstone City, and he manages a meat market at Port Austin.
The White Ash Grove breeding farm includes 340 acres of land, all enclosed and cultivated, and it
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constitutes in every sense a model farm. Besides this, Mr. Ryan owns 560 acres in Huron and Tus- cola Counties. His herds and flocks comprise thoroughbreds and grades of the finest kind. He owns an average of 75 head of Durham cattle, and Southdown and Cotswold sheep. His horses are Hambletonians, Clydesdales and Mambrinos, and his hogs are pure Berkshires.
Mr. Ryan was married in Biddulph, Huron Co., Ont., Feb. 10, 1857, to Elizabeth McCormack, and they are the parents of 10 children. Mary A. is the wife of Eli Fuller, jeweller at Port Austin ; John, book-keeper for his father, is Supervisor of Port Aus- tin Township, and was elected Clerk of Huron County at the recent election (1884) on the Demo- cratic ticket ; was graduated at Goldsmith's Business College at Detroit, Sept. 14, 1883 ; Valentine, Jane, Julia, James W., Margaret, Susan, Ellen and Ger- trude.
R obert Winterbottom, proprietor of the hotel at Port Hope, was born May 30, 1828, in Lancashire, Eng. His parents, Robert and Elizabeth (Spencer) Winter- bottom, were born and passed their entire lives in the same shire. Their family num- bered 13 children, four of whom were twins and died in early life. All the others grew to maturity and married. The father died at the age of 74 years ; the mother was 72 years of age when her demise occurred.
The youngest in the above family, the subject of this sketch, came to the United States in 1848, landing in New York. He first obtained employment in a ship yard and engaged in whip-sawing, where he remained 14 months. At the end of that time he went to Brantford, Canada. He worked there three years as a carpenter, and in 1851 came to Port Huron. In 1855 he came to Willow Creek (now Huron), where he engaged as a sawyer in a saw-mill, and also worked at shingle-making, continuing in that em- ployment between six and seven years.
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