USA > Michigan > Grand Traverse County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 51
USA > Michigan > Leelanau County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 51
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Eight children have been born unto them, namely: Alma J., who is now the wife of Frank Sherarts; Howard; Stella, the wife of Frank Gannett; Bina, Raphael, Willard, Dwight and Marjorie, all of whom are still with their parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Saxton began their do- mestic life upon a farm in Lorain county, Ohio, and there he continued to carry on ag- ricultural pursuits until September, 1900, when he brought his family to Grand Trav- erse county, Michigan. He took up his abode upon the farm on which he now lives in Green Lake township, and of his tract of land of six hundred and twenty acres, he now has one hundred and sixty acres under cultivation, planted to the cereals and fruits best adapted to the soil and climate. He has good farm animals, the latest improve- ments in the way of farm machinery and all modern equipments for facilitating his work. Fraternally he is connected with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.
ELVIN LYONS SPRAGUE.
Inasmuch as the author and compiler of this work was himself one of the pioneers of the Grand Traverse region, a short sketch of his life may not be considered out of place or uninteresting in the work. Elvin L. Sprague was born in Gill, Franklin county. Massachusetts, December 22, 1830. His parents were Joseph Wright and Mary Elvira (Lyons) Sprague, both natives of New England. Their children, who are still living, are Elvin L., Esther H. and Ada K. Esther H. is the wife of Reuben Hatch, of Grand Rapids, and Ada K. the wife of Ed-
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ELVIN L. SPRAGUE
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win S. Pratt, of Traverse City. In 1836 the parents of Mr. Sprague moved to Michigan with their family, and settled in Dexter, Washtenaw county. The years of the sub- ject's boyhood and youth were passed in that locality, where he availed himself of such opportunities as the neighboring schools afforded, afterwards attending' the Albion ( Michigan) College. In 1854, when in his twenty-fourth year, he came to north- ern Michigan, in the affairs of which he has since borne a somewhat active part. His first location was at Elk Rapids, where he assisted in the erection of a saw-mill. After the completion of the mill he was employed in running it during the summer months until 1860. Winters he was engaged in the woods in lumbering operations or in teaching the district school. In the meantime he was elected supervisor and justice of the peace of the township. While not a clergyman, he was as justice of the peace frequently called upon to unite young people in marriage, and we believe that it is a fact that he used the marriage ceremony of the Protestant Episco- pal church to unite a couple at Elk Rapids the first time it was ever used in the region. He also conducted a Sunday school for several years in Elk Rapids.
In the fall of 1860 he engaged with the firm of Hannah, Lay & Company as sales- man in their store, and came to Traverse City, where he remained until 1865. Dur- ing this time he held the office of super- visor of Traverse township for three years, and was superintendent of a union Sunday school, the only Sunday school in town, from 1860 to 1865. There being few clergyman in the region at the time, the peo- ple had little opportunity to enjoy religious services, and Mr. Sprague, first at Elk 25
Rapids and later at Traverse City, fre- quently held religious services, as lay reader and preacher, with some degree of success. .
Being physically incapacitated from in- fancy from the performance of military duty, Mr. Sprague was unable to enlist, but he took an active part in securing enlist- ments for the war of the Rebellion, both in the army and navy. These efforts, with' the aid of others, were so successful that Tra- verse secured its full quota of soldiers with- out having to resort to a draft.
Until 1860 very few farmers had settled in the Grand Traverse region. It was not until after 1854 that it was possible to go from Traverse City to Elk Rapids on horse --- back except by following the beach. No road had been cut out through the wilderness be- tween the two places. From Traverse City south as late as 1858 no road had been opened through the woods further south. than Silver Lake. From there to the next settlement south was an unbroken forest: for a distance of ninety miles, traverse be- ing possible only on foot, a trip that was. seldom performed in less than six days. This seems like slow traveling, but when we reflect that the trip was seldom performed except in the short days of winter, when lake navigation was closed, and that a per- son setting out on a trip had to provide him- self with a blanket, a camp kettle, an axe with which to cut wood and build a camp to; stay in each night, and provisions enough to last him through, and snow shoes if the snow was deep, making a pack altogether of not less than from thirty-five to fifty pounds, which he must carry upon his back, it is not to be wondered at that his progress was slow, especially when it is remembered that he must stop each day early enough to build
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himself a camp of hemlock boughs to stay in over night, and cut wood enough to keep himself warm with, and do it all before dark, it is really surprising that the trip could be accomplished in the time named. The subject made this trip "over the trail," as it was termed, twice, and is said to have walked twenty miles over a good road in five hours with less labor and fatigue than he performed this journey at the rate of fifteen miles for a whole day's work. Mr. Sprague relates that his first trip through the woods was taken in February, 1855. The snow was very deep and snow shoes were required, but the trip was made very comfortably, al- though it took six full days to accomplish it. There were three in the party. The second day out, about ten o'clock in the morning, they met a party of three coming in from the south, who informed them that they were then on their ninth day from the settlement. They were illy prepared, how- ever, for the trip. They had neither snow shoes nor moccasins, but were traveling in boots, which were illy adapted for getting about in deep snow. They gave the in- formation that they had traveled hard all one day and only made across one township -six miles. When the subject met them they were entirely out of provisions, as was learned afterward, although they did not impart the fact at the time. With a good road broke out for them they felt sure of getting through to Traverse City that night, where they could get plenty to eat, while they thought that Sprague's party would need all the provisions they had before get- ting through to the other side. This inci- dent is given, not to show the hardships that were endured by the early settlers, for there was no especial hardship about it-at least
they did not think it so at the time. True it was hard work, but it was good, healthy, invigorating labor that probably did not tend to shorten the days of any of the pioneers. When the subject and his com- panions reached the settlement south they were still forty-five miles north of Grand Rapids, which required another day to reach by a lumberman's supply team. Thus it will be noticed that it then took seven full days to go from Traverse City to Grand Rapids, a trip that is now performed by the fast trains in five hours. This certainly shows an improvement in the mode of travel be- tween the two places within the last fifty years.
In the spring of 1865 Mr. Sprague re- turned to Elk Rapids and started the Eagle, with the publication of which he has ever since been connected, a more complete his- tory of which will be found in another chap- ter. In the fall of the same year he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Spencer, of Elk Rapids, a daughter of the late John B. Spencer, one of the early pio- neers. Their wedding tour consisted of a trip to Traverse City, where the marriage ceremony was performed, and the return to Elk Rapids, which remained their home un- til 1872. Mr. Sprague held the office of treasurer of Antrim county for six years, and was postmaster of Elk Rapids for seven years. In 1872 Mr. Sprague and family re- turned to Traverse City, which place has since been their home.
While it is perhaps a matter of minor importance, it may 'be well to state Mr. Sprague's political career. His first vote for President was cast for the candidate of the Free-Soil party, John P. Hale. His second was cast for the Republican candi-
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date, Fremont. He voted for Abraham Lin- coln both times he ran, and for U. S. Grant the first time he was elected. In the mean- time he supported the Republican candidates for state and county offices. In the Greeley campaign he supported Horace Greeley for President, and since that time has supported the Democratic candidates for both national and state offices. He was postmaster of Traverse City under President Cleveland's first administration. He has always taken an active part in the educational institutions of Traverse City, and was for many years a member of the board of education, and also of the board of library trustees, of which body he is still a member. He has one daughter, Gertrude M., who is doing literary and editorial work on the Eagle, and one son, Edward E., who is married and lives in Grand Rapids, working at his trade as a printer.
HON. PERRY HANNAH.
Hon. Perry Hannah, who is known as the "father of Traverse City," is justly en- titled to that cognomen as he has lived here over half a century and in the early 'fifties invested, with his associates, A. T. Lay and James Morgan, the money which opened up this region and gave employment to nearly every pioneer who came here in those early days. The opening of the lumber business here by the firm was the foundation upon which the city was laid, and how firm a. foundation it was is shown today by the thriving city of over eleven thousand in- habitants and the surrounding country, which is dotted with magnificent farms, vil-
lages and hamlets. When Mr. Hannah came here in the whole region there was no trace of civilization and the entire country was in a state of primitive beauty just as nature with her magic hand created it. The only sounds to awaken the stillness of the dense pine forests were the songs of birds, the tinkle of the Indian ponies' bells or the splashing of the waves along the pebbly beach of the beautiful bay. All this mystic beauty in the heart of nature awakened a responsive chord in Mr. Hannah's nature and he looked at the wide spreading pano- rama before him with a feeling of adoration for the Maker of it all. Mr. Hannah has indelibly impressed upon his memory the first glimpse he caught of these shores, de- stined to become his lifelong hope and pride. He enjoys reminiscing and often describes his entrance into the harbor in this manner : "The voyage was tempestuous. After riding out a gale of three days' duration on Lake Michigan, we finally entered the bay and made Old Mission harbor in pleasant weath- er. The scene before us, as the vessel rounded into the harbor, appeared to us tempest-tossed voyagers the loveliest ever beheld by mortal eyes. The sun was just sinking behind the western hills, the white- washed houses of the Indian village gleam- ing brightly in his parting rays, while the tops of the forest trees seemed bathed in a floating mist of gold. On the bank sat a picturesque group of Indians, enjoying the fragrant fumes of their pipes.
"The women were seen engaged in feminine avocations pertaining to their sim- ple mode of life. The shouting of a com- pany of children in gleeful play, mingled. with the sound of tinkling bells from a herd of ponies feeding on the hillside beyond,
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made music in harmony with the quiet beauty of the scene.
"After remaining two hours at Old Mission, the 'Venus' set sail for her destina- tion, the head of the west arm of the bay. The night was beautiful, with the glorious moon shining brightly in the heavens. The only opening in the forest visible to the party as it landed was the narrow clearing opening the road to Captain Boardman's water-power saw-mill.
While Mr. Hannah was deeply impressed with the scene which he so beautifully de- scribes, it was not alone the artistic side of his nature that was moved, but he saw with keen foresight, which has characterized the business transactions of his lifetime, the pos- sibilities of a fortune in the millions of feet of' pine which were only waiting the in- vasion of the woodman's axe and the hum of the mill to convert the material into valua- ble lumber. With an energy and stead- fastness of purpose which has ever marked the transactions of the firm, the work was prosecuted with the result which is familiar to all, every member of the firm a million- aire and Mr. Hannah -the wealthiest man in the region.
In all matters of local importance, Mr. Hannah's council has been considered in- valuable, owing to his cautious judgment and his readiness to further the communi- ty's interest. Many of the successful men of the city obtained their first knowledge of business methods and mercantile pursuits through the kind teaching and advice of Mr. Hannah, who was ever ready to give lessons from the pages of his experience.
. As a financier Mr. Hannah has few peers, ' though many have accumulated greater wealth. His money has been earned
honestly and none have suffered at the ex- pense of his coffers being filled; it is the slow accumulation of years of concentrated energy. He never places temptation in the way of any whose moral nature might be too weak to resist temptation, but keeps careful watch daily of the various depart- ments of the work of the concern, thus eliminating the possibility of trickery or de- ception on the part of employes which not infrequently work havoc in large business concerns.
Though Mr. Hannah has nearly reached his four score years, he still takes an active part in all that pertains to the welfare of the city which he practically founded. Here is the realization of the fondest hopes of his young manhood and the fruition of a life with the high regard of the pioneers and the old settlers who have so many years been his companions in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.
Politically Mr. Hannah is a strong Re- publican. He was a member of the state legislature in 1856-7, served twenty-eight years as moderator of the school board, was supervisor several years, president of the village of Traverse City from its incorpora- ยท tion and later the first mayor of the city.
Mr. Hannah has not affiliated himself with any church organization, but gives liberally when occasion demands, having given sites for nearly all the church build- ings in the town besides subscribing large sums to the support of many at various times. He thinks the hereafter is a mystery of which no man knows anything definitely, but feels that he has lived respectably and honestly and is therefore ready to meet the uncertainty with the rest of humanity. He lives in an elegant home on Sixth street,
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one of the prettiest residences of the city, overlooking the bay which has such a charm for him and which he never tires looking upon in all its varying changes and moods.
Mr. Hannah was born on a farm known as "Beech Woods," twelve miles from Erie, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1824. His
parents were of Scotch ancestry and were very estimable people, his father being major in the' army. When Mr. Hannah was but three years old his mother died, leaving one other son and two daughters. The subject of this sketch was taken to his grandmother's home where a great deal of affection was lavished on him by a dear old lady, who was a strong Methodist. Until he was fourteen years of age Mr. Hannah attended district school, which was in ses- sion two or three months in the winter and the same length of time in summer.
In 1828 Mr. Hannah's father emigrated to Michigan, where he remained for twelve years, at the end of which time he returned to Erie for his family. Mr. Hannah was then living with William B. Weed, an own cousin of William B. Ogden, the railroad magnate of Chicago. They too were Meth- odists and one of the enjoyments for young Perry was attending camp meeting with them. When Mr. Hannah's father had vis- ited the family for awhile, he gave him the privilege of coming back to Michigan with him or of remaining with Mr. Weed. The latter gentleman was very much attached to Perry and tried to persuade him to re- main with him, offering as an inducement that when he should become of age he would give him a bran new suit of clothes, a yoke of oxen and a new logging chain. At that time Mr. Weed's offer would have been con- sidered an extremely liberal one, but the
young lad, filled with the spirit of adventure, chose to accompany his father to Michigan. Mr. Hannah's sister, the late Mrs. Sarah Maynard, was also one of the party. They took a carriage to Erie and there took pass- age on the old steamer "Madison" for De- troit, going on second class fare. When they awoke the following morning they were pretty hungry, but had to wait until the first-class passengers had eaten. They arrived at Detroit the next morning and were taken up to Port Huron. Here Mr. Hannah was engaged for some time rafting logs. The work was often extremely tedi- ous, especially when unfavorable winds kept them out many days. Mr. Hannah had other ambitions and he secured a posi- tion with John Wells, a merchant of Port Huron, for whom he worked three years, but he longed for still greater things and in looking about made the acquaintance of a lumberman and made arrangements to ship his stock to Chicago for him while the owner went in advance and opened up an office and a yard there. After Mr. Hannah had shipped all the lumber he was to go forward to Chicago. He had just enough money to pay his fare and the day before he reached Chicago he asked the barber to shave him, promising to pay him the fol- lowing day. Upon arriving at Chicago he went immediately to his employer's office and was set to work. At the close of the day he walked two miles to the boat to pay the barber six and one-fourth cents. Mr. Hannah remained with Mr. Mead until he had sold all his stock of lumber and then hired out to Jacob Beidler, one of the rich- est lumbermen in the city, at four hundred dollars a year. He thought it was an enor- mous salary and pitched in to work to earn
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his money. He used to come back to Port Huron to buy logs and have lumber sawed and cut into very fine stock. His employer was very much pleased, for he made a good deal of money out of the excellent lumber that Mr. Hannah bought for him.
After this practice for two or three years, Mr. Hannah was quite familiar with the lum- ber business and prepared to branch out into business for himself. "There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune." Mr. Hannah knew the secret of this adage. He met two young men, A. Tracy Lay and James Morgan, and the three formed a partnership under the name of Hannah, Lay & Company and started in business on a borrowed capital of six thousand dollars. They opened a lumber office in Chicago. They heard of the fine land in northern Michigan and Mr. Hannah was delegated to come up here and inspect the place. The year following the formation of the partnership valuable lands were acquired here and a saw-mill built here. For two or three years Mr. Hannah and Mr. Lay alternated in the management, but in 1854 Mr. Hananh decided to locate here.
The firm of Hannah, Lay & Company, established in 1850, has continued up to the present time, the only change being made in the personnel being the addition of William Morgan, brother of James Morgan. Some years ago they retired from the lumber busi- ness, each having made a fortune, but their interests have been kept together in the cor- poration known as Hannah, Lay & Com- pany, consisting of interests here and in Chicago. The company's buildings consist of a three-story brick block used for a general department store, and the Traverse City State Bank, which is a new four-story
home on the corner of Union and Front streets, at a cost of two hundred thousand dollars. Hannah, Lay & Company own the Chamber of Commerce building in Chicago. The site was purchased for six hundred thousand dollars and the building cost one million dollars. All of these concerns today are under the direct . management of Mr. Hannah and Mr. Lay. William Morgan, the fourth member of the firm; lives in Cali- fornia.
James Morgan, the only member of the firm who has passed away, died in 1900. The remaining three members have lived past the ordinary age of man, but are still doing their daily work because, as Mr. Han- nah says, they are mere machines, so accus- tomed to work that they would not be happy if unemployed.
Mr. Hannah was married January I, 1852, to Miss Anna Amelia Flint, of New York, who died February 24, 1898. Three children blessed the union. They are J. T. Hannah, of this city, cashier of the State Bank, Mrs. J. F. Keeney, of Chicago, and Mrs. George W. Gardner, of St. Paul, Min- nesota.
HENRY S. HULL.
The enterprising business man and pop- ular citizen whose name heads this article needs no formal introduction to the people of Grand Traverse county. For some years past he has been quite prominently identi- fied with the financial and industrial inter- ests of the city in which he lives and always manifesting an active interest in the public welfare, he has risen to a high place in busi- ness and social circles and earned an honor-
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able reputation among the leading men of affairs in northwestern Michigan.
Henry S. Hull, manufacturer and finan- cier, is a native of Franklin county, Penn- sylvania, and the son of George and Eliza- beth Hull. The father, a farmer by occu- pation, followed his chosen calling in the above state until 1847, when he moved his family consisting of his wife and seven chil- dren, the subject being the youngest of the number, to Seneca county, Ohio, making the trip in one of the old Pennsylvania dry land schooners, or Conestoga wagons, and settling on a farm. He spent the remainder of his days there, always followed agricul- tural pursuits and departed this life in 1892, at the remarkable age of ninety-one years. Henry S. was born November 8, 1845, on the family homestead in Pennsylvania and, as already stated, accompanied his parents to Ohio in 1847 and remained at home until a youth of sixteen, meanwhile assisting his father with the labors of the farm and con- tributing his share to the common fund. His educational training was supplied by the common schools and later, 1864, he took a full course in the Iron City Commercial College, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, thus fitting himself for the business career upon which he had already entered, having accepted when but sixteen years of age a clerkship in a general store at Chatfield, Ohio. After serving two years in this capacity he pur- chased an interest in the business and the partnership thus constituted continued dur- ing the ensuing four years, at the expiration of which time he sold out and became asso- ciated with his brother in general merchan- dising at Wauseon, Ohio.
Mr. Hull's business experience at the latter place covered a period of twenty-three
years, very active and in the main success- ful, during which he was a member of the Hull Brothers firm, a house that became widely and favorably Known in commercial circles and earned for the proprietors the reputation of safe and reliable business men. Disposing of his interest to his brother, Mr. Hull, in 1883, became identified with the Oval Wood Dish Company at Mancelona, Michigan, over which he had partial charge from the time of locating the plant in that place until its removal, nine years later, to Traverse City, continuing to make his home in the meantime in Wauseon. The better to give personal attention to the growing inter- ests of the enterprise, he removed in 1893 to Traverse City. He was president of the company and general manager of the manu- facturing department from its inception. The Oval Wood Dish Company is one of the leading enterprises of the kind in the Union, having, in addition to the main plant at Traverse City, a branch factory at Essex Centre, Canada, and agencies in nearly every state in the Union, besides consigning large quantities of their goods to other countries. The proprietors are business men of wide experience, scrupulous integrity and high standing and the solid basis upon which the affairs of the company are now conducted augurs well for the continued growth and prosperity.
In addition to his connection with the above enterprise, Mr. Hull, in 1895, became a stockholder in the First National Bank of Traverse City and the same year was elected president of the institution, which position he held until July 1, 1902, when he resigned to accept the presidency of the People's Savings Bank at the same place, having been one of the leading spirits in the
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