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 64
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 64
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rain county, Ohio, October 25, 1843. His father was Harvey A. Curtis, a native of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, born in 1801. In 1817 the family moved to Ohio and located at Grafton, where the subject's father engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, in February, 1863. The mother of the subject was Eliza (Turner) Curtis, also a native of Massachusetts, born in 1805. Her parents moved to Grafton in 1816, and there she was reared and educated. In 1824 she was united in marriage to Harvey A. Curtis, and they established themselves on a farm near Grafton. She died in May, 1901. They were the parents of eight children, six of whom are still living, viz: William, a farmer, who resided in Sandusky, Ohio, but who is now in the Soldiers' Home at Day- . ton; Mary, wife of Robert Newton, resides at Grafton; Milo, a farmer, lives at Mason City, Iowa; Enos, a carpenter and joiner, is a resident of Findlay, Ohio; Harvey J., the subject of this review ; Amanda, wife of Al- bert Barnes, a resident of Northport, Mich- igan. The early years of Harvey J. Curtis were spent on his father's farm near Graf- ton. He attended school during the winter months and assisted his father with the cus- tomary farm work during the other seasons of the year. When the war of the Rebellion had been in progress a little more than a year he enlisted, September 10, 1862, in Company D, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served until the close of the war, the regiment being engaged doing garrison duty most of the time on Johnson's island. He was discharged June 4, 1865, and, returning to his home in Ohio, he worked by the month for farmers in the vicinity of Grafton until May 13, 1867, when he came to northern Michigan and located in
Traverse City. Here he engaged in teaming, following that vocation for nine years. The next five years of his life were spent in the employ of the proprietor of Morgan's livery stable, after which he worked for the Hannah & Lay Mercantile company for ten years, driving their delivery wagon. Later he was given the position of janitor of the Central building, and has been discharging the du- ties of that place for eleven years. May 23, 1868, at Traverse City, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Martha Cook, a native of New York, born in 1847. She was the daughter of John A. and Matilda (Bancroft) Cook, natives of New York state. They were the parents of a number of children, seven of whom are still living. Mrs. Cook departed this life in 1886, while her husband is still living and resides in Traverse City. To Mr. and Mrs. Curtis four children have been born, viz: Henry, now in his thirty-third year, has been afflicted from birth with spinal disease, never having walked a step in his life; he is intelligent and well educated, spends much of his time reading, and has a horse, buggy and cutter, and drives out at his pleasure; Jennie is a teacher in the public schools and has followed the calling for a number of years, having been for the past two years employed at Holland, Michigan, and is now employed for another year; Wini- fred M. is the wife of Edward Courthead, a machinist, and they are the parents of three children, Edith, Irene and Helen, all residing in Traverse City; Charles C., a teamster, married Lizzie Huffman, and they are resi- dents of Traverse City. In politics the sub- ject of this review is an active Republican. He was deputy sheriff of Grand Traverse county for two years, but never aspired to or held any political office. Mr. Curtis, wife
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and two daughters are members of the Con- gregational church. He belongs to no fra- ternal society except the Grand Army post at Traverse City. He is a kind, industrious, thrifty man, who by hard work and close ap- plication to his business has established for himself a character in the community of which he may well be proud.
FRED E. MOORE.
One of the first requisites of a town or city that would take pride in the beauty and syinmetry of its structures is a competent architect, possessed of both taste and talent. In this particular Traverse City is well supplied in the person of the subject of this review, Fred E. Moore, whose knowl- edge and experience in architectural work is the best guarantee of his qualifications. Fred E. Moore is a native of Michigan, born in Saginaw, October 31, 1864. His father was Edwin A. Moore, born in Keysville, New York, November 20, 1828. He was reared in the place of his nativity, and grew to man- hood there. At the age of twenty-two he left home and spent about three years travel- ing, visiting most of the principal cities of the east. In 1853 he visited Saginaw, Mich- igan, was favorably impressed with the place, located there, and since then has been one of its most respected residents. Early in 1854, at Saginaw, Edwin A. Moore was united in marriage to Ellen A. Fox, a na- tive of New York, born at Jamestown, June 10, 1833. She was but three years old when brought by her parents to Milford, Michi- gan, where she was reared, educated and grew to womanhood. Her father was .one
of the early physicans of Jamestown, New York. He died in 1838, when his daughter was but three years old, while her mother died at the home of her daughter in Holly, Michigan, in 1887. From Milford the fam- ily moved to Saginaw in 1851, and a year later Ellen A. Fox was united in marriage to Edwin A. Moore. They became the par- ents of ten children, viz: Edwin D., ad- vertising circulator, resides at Saginaw; Al- bert D, died at the age of one year; Hattie O .. wife of J. L. Baldwin, engaged in dairy business at Elbert, Colorado; F. Charles, as- sistant foreman in the Denver & Rio Grande car shops at Denver, Colorado; Willard H., station agent for the Wabash Railway at Sid- ney. Illinois; Fred E., the subject of this re- view; Harry P. is an iron worker and re- sides in eastern Ohio; Orin C., a painter at ·Saginaw ; Minnie C., wife of E. G. Hohisel, a carriagemaker of Flint, Michigan; Lucy M., wife of Charles Adams, a teacher in the public schools at Sidney, Illinois.
The early life of Fred E. Moore was spent in East Saginaw, and he was educated there. At the age of seventeen he left school and spent two years at Ivesdale, Illinois, where he was engaged in farming. Return- ing to Saginaw he entered the office of E. R. Prall, architect, and studied under his direc- tion for two years. A position in the office of D. K. Allington, architect and mechanical engineer, being offered him, he readily ac- cepted it and remained there seven years, pursuing his studies all the time. By this time he felt that he was sufficiently skillful in his chosen calling to open up in the busi- ness for himself. According he associated himself with E. Keith, an experienced archi- tect, and they jointly opened an architect- ural office in Saginaw under the firm name .
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of Keith & Moore. This partnership con- tinued for two years, being terminated No- vember 10, 1892, by the removal of the junior member of the firm to Traverse City. Here Mr. Moore opened an office, and his services have been in much demand from that time to the present. Since coming here the cost of the various buildings upon which he has done the architectural work would amount each year to not less than one hun- dred thousand dollars.
January 20, 1892, in Traverse City, Fred E. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Ada F. Howard, a native of Michigan, born in Detroit, June 10, 1871. Her parents were Daniel F. and Anna E. Howard, both na- tives of Maine. He was born at Brewer, May 22, 1829, and died in Traverse City in March, 1892. A mechanical genius, skill- ful at almost any calling to which he turned his hand, his services were much in demand in the mills and factories of Traverse City. He was a carpenter, a machinist, a mill fore- man and a sailor, besides being quite handy at a half a dozen other callings. He had been a resident of Traverse City since 1880. His wife was born in Elsworth, Maine, Au- gust 6, 1833, and there she was reared, edu- cated and married. She died at Traverse City January 31, 1902. They were the par- ents of two sons, both of whom are now de- ceased. Edward died at the age of seven- teen years and John W. lived to be forty years old, and died in 1893 at Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mrs. Fred E. Moore was their only daughter. In state and na- tional affairs the subject of this review is a consistent Republican, though in local af- fairs he chooses to be independent. How- ever, aside from casting his ballot, he de- votes very little time to politics, having no
time to spare from his business for extra- neous affairs of that nature. In religion neither he nor Mrs. Moore are members of any denomination, although they disclose a preference for the Congregational church by occasionally attending its services. The only fraternal order to which he belongs is the Knights of Pythias, having been a member of that lodge for eleven years. Mr. Moore is the owner of forty acres of productive, well improved land adjoining the city. It is well set in fruit, and most of the trees are bearing, there being an excellent variety of fruit of all kinds. His comfortable, well furnished home is nicely located upon this place and there its occupants enjoy the de- lights of rural life, though they are within sight and hearing of the busy city.
DAVID H. DAY.
Honored and respected by all, there is no man in Leelanaw county who occupies a more enviable position in commercial, indus- trial and financial circles than David H. Day, not alone on account of the brilliant success he has achieved, but also on account of the honorable, straightforward business policy he has ever followed. He possesses untiring energy, is quick of perception, forms his plans readily and is determined in their exe- cution, and his close application to business and his excellent management have brought to him the high degree of prosperity which is today his. He stands as one of the fore- most representatives of the lumber industry in this part of the state, and in other lines his business has assumed large proportions, but while laboring for his own success he
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has also promoted the general prosperity by pushing forward the wheels of progress and advancing commercial prosperity in Glen Haven and the portion of the county in which he makes his home.
Mr. Day is a native of the Empire state, his birth having occurred in Ogdensburg, New York, on the 10th of July, 1854. His parents were David and Jean (Houston) Day, the former a native of New York and the latter of Ireland. In the public schools of his native city the subject of this review was educated and there he remained until twenty-one years of age, when, attracted by the possibilities of the rapidly growing and developing west, he came to the Missis- sippi valley, first settling at Milton Junction, Wisconsin. There he was employed in the office of the American and United States Express Companies, where he remained for three years, after which he went to Milwau- kee, where he was employed as cashier by the American Express Company. He occupied that position, however, for only a short time, leaving Milwaukee to enter a more advanta- geous business position at Detroit, becoming passenger agent for the Northern Transpor- tation Company. He acted in that capacity for three or four years and came from De- troit to Glen Haven, Michigan, in 1878.
Mr. Day has since been a most im- portant factor in the substantial develop- ment of this portion of the country. When he had acted for four years as agent of the steamers of the Northern Transportation Company, owning a line of vessels plying on the lake between Chicago and Ogdensburg, he joined others in the purchase of the busi- ness of the company at Glen Haven and the firm of D. H. Day & Company was then organized. This company was engaged in
lumbering and in general merchandising and also in the transportation business, oper- ating the Northern Michigan line, with ves- sels running between Chicago and Mack- inack. They owned the steamers "Law- rence" and "Champlain," and controlled an extensive business in the various depart- ments. Afterward the "Champlain" was sold to the Seymour Brothers, of Manistee, Michigan, and P. J. Klein, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The boats continued to run to- gether, however, during the first season and the "Lawrence" was afterward disposed of to S. S. Burke. After the Northern Trans- portation Company disposed of its steamers, Mr. Day went to Traverse City, in the em- play of Hannah, Lay & Company, as a rep- resentative of their lumber department, hav- ing charge of that branch of their business. When the firm closed out their lumber busi- ness he returned to Glen Haven and pur- chased the Glen Haven plant, which he still operates. There are several divisions to his business, but he successfully controls all of them, and in their management shows marked enterprise and executive force. He has extensive lumber and mercantile inter- ests. His saw-mill, which is on Glen Lake, is a model plant, well appointed and is equal to any in this region in point of manufacture and excellence of work. Its capacity is twenty thousand feet of hardwood lumber and from thirty to thirty-five thousand feet of hemlock daily. A tramway connects the mill with the pier on Lake Michigan and from there the lumber is shipped to the city markets. The road is two and a fourth miles long. The mill is supplied with logs from his own lands and purchased from farmers in the vicinity of Glen Lake and for the purpose of transporting the logs to the
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mill Mr. Day has a tug, called "Alice J. Day." Mr. Day owns about five thousand acres of land in this vicinity, most of which is timber land, and his forest tracts are suffi- ciently extensive to keep his mill in opera- tion for twelve years.
As before stated, however, Mr. Day does not confine his attention alone to one line. · He is the owner of a good general store in Glen Haven, where he carries a large and well selected line of goods, and he has a large patronage, coming from the town and the outlying districts. He also owns a nicely improved farm of four hundred acres -in fact it is one of the best appointed in the county. It is free from stumps and the latest farm machinery is utilized in the cultivation of the land. On this he is exten- sively engaged in the production of fruit and has set out an ample orchard of over three thousand trees, which are now in ex- cellent bearing condition, and his sales from the orchard amount to a gratifying figure annually.
Mr. Day is also the postmaster of Glen Haven, and there is no man who has done as much for the development and improve- ment of this section of the county as he. He was one of the promoters of the North- ern Michigan Hardwood Lumber Manu- . facturers' Association and has been its pres- ident from its organization to the present time. When he came to Glen Haven he took an active part in building the tele- graph line from this place to Leland. He also secured the establishment of the life saving station, which is located on Sleep- ing Bear point. He was likewise instru- mental in securing the laying of the cable from Glen Haven to South Manitou island, by way of Sleeping Bear life saving station,
connecting with the life saving station on South Manitou island, at which point the display of signals is made by the United States government.
In Empire township, Leelanaw county, on the 20th of December, 1889, Mr. Day was united in marriage to Miss Eva E. Far- rant, a native of Kasson township, this county, born May 3, 1870, and a daughter of William and Ezilda Farrant. They now have five children, Alice Jean, Eva Houston, Margaret Thompson, David Henry, Jr., and Henry Houston.
Mr. Day has held the office of overseer of highways during the greater part of his residence in Glen Haven. He is a very prominent Mason, having attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish rite, and he is also a member of the Mystic shrine. He is also one of the oldest mem- bers of the Detroit Light Infantry, and is popular and honored in the social circles to which he belongs. His life has been a very busy and useful one. He has been a most important factor in developing the resources of the state and carrying on the work of progress along lines leading to the perma- nent improvement of the locality. Through his business interests he has brought this section into active and close connection with outlying districts and with the great cities which are the centers of American com- merce, thus affording a market for the prod- ucts of the locality. His efforts, therefore, have proven of the greatest value to his fel- low citizens of Leelanaw county, as well as to himself. His efforts have been so dis- cerningly directed along well defined lines of labor that he seems to have realized at any one point of progress the full measure of his possibilities for accomplishment at
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this point. He is a man of distinct and forceful individuality, of marked sagacity, of undaunted enterprise, and in manner he is genial, courteous and easily approachable. His career has ever been such as to warrant the trust and confidence of the business world and his activity in industrial, commer- cial and financial circles forms no unim- portant chapter in the history of Leelanaw county.
BYRON WOOLSEY.
Plowing, planting and harvesting seem to the superficial observer to constitute the life of the farmer, but to the initiated agri- cultured pursuits mean much more than this. Today the farmer who succeeds pos- sesses much scientific knowledge concerning the best methods of producing crops, the needs of different cereals and of the elements which should be found in the soil. Rotation of crops is practiced, and in carrying on the work today improved farm machinery is util- ized, which several decades ago was totally unknown. Such machinery so facilitates the labor that the individual is capable of doing much more work in a given time than for- merly. Mr. Woolsey is a representative of the agricultural class of Leelanaw county, and in all that he does indicates his enterpris- ing and practical spirit. He resides on sec- tion 24, Leelanaw township, where he has a comfortable home, built in modern style of architecture.
Chauncey Woolsey, the father of the sub- ject, was a native of New York, his birth having there occurred in 1813. He wedded Caroline Johnson, likewise a native of the
Empire state, and in 1858 they sought a home in the west, coming to Leelanaw coun- ty. He secured a tract of land in Leelanaw township and there engaged in general farm- ing until aroused by a spirit of patriotism, when he offered his services to the govern- ment, enlisting in defense of the Union in January, 1864, as a member of the Twenty- sixth Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He had been at the front for but a brief period when he was killed in the engagement near Cold Harbor, Virginia, on the 30th of May, being at that time forty-eight years of age. Thus . he laid down his life on the altar of his coun- try, his being one of the many sacrifices re- quired to preserve intact the nation. The Grand Army post at Northport has been named in his honor, and his memory is yet cherished by his old army comrades. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Woolsey were born six chil- dren, of whom the subject of this review was the third. Mrs. Woolsey long survived her husband, and died at her home in Leelanaw township on the 6th of February, 1890.
Byron Woolsey, whose name forms the caption of this review, was born at Hamburg, Erie county, New York, on the 21st of May, 1850, and was, therefore, but eight years of age when he accompanied his parents to Michigan and took up his abode in Leelanaw county. He has always been a resident of Leelanaw township, and farming has been his chief occupation in life. He today owns two hundred acres of land, and of his farm one hundred and fifty acres has been culti- vated and improved. There is no equipment of the model farming of the twentieth cen- tury that is here lacking. He has erected a good and attractive home, which stands in the midst of a well-kept lawn, adorned by flowering shrubs and shade trees.
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In Leelanaw township, on the 27th of November, 1879, was celebrated the mar- riage of Mr. Woolsey and Miss Sarah L. Hall, who was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, on the 20th of May, 1860, and is a daughter of Anson W. and Amorette E. (Fisk) Hall, who were likewise natives of St. Lawrence county. With the tide of emi- gration which was steadily flowing westward they came to Michigan in the year 1866, ar- riving in Leelanaw county in the month of November. Making a choice of a tract of land which he wished to farm and develop into a home, Mr. Hall took up his abode on section 25, Leelanaw township, and there he resided throughout his remaining days. He reached the psalmist's span of three score years and ten, but his wife departed this life when fifty-two years of age. Mrs. Woolsey is the elder of their two children, and by her marriage she has become the mother of eight children-Amorette, Frances E., Hattie L., Kathrina B., Lois A., Edith M., Mary H. and Clinton F. Both Mr. and Mrs. Woolsey are devoted and consistent members of the Northport Methodist Episcopal church; in fact, Mr. Woolsey is its eldest living member, and is honored by his brethren of the church because of his unfaltering fidelity to its teach- ings. In his life he has exemplified his Chris- tian faith, and his example is indeed worthy of emulation.
ALMON E. PULVER.
Alvon E. Pulver, the genial and accom- modating postmaster of Summit City, Mich- igan, is a native of Lenawee county, this state, and was born August 27, 1850. His
father, Benjamin Pulver, was a man of in- dustrious habits and a mechanic of no mean ability. He was one of the pioneer saw-mill operators of Lenawee county and was widely known. He went to California dur- ing the gold excitement and died there in April, 1853, aged thirty-five years. He married Miss Sarah Peck, by whom he had four children, the youngest being the sub- ject.
Almon E. Pulver remained in Lenawee county until his fifteenth year, when his mother moved to Grand Traverse county, which has since been his home. He spent six years at a later period in Allegan county, where he engaged in farming, but returned to Grand Traverse county, as this locality suited him better. Mr. Pulver purchased a tract of one hundred acres of wild land, which he has placed in cultivation during his residence in Summit City, and has shown himself to be a shrewd and thrifty farmer, but agriculture does not appeal to him strongly. He has been engaged in Summit City in the mercantile life since 1885. He has been eminently successful in business, almost eighteen years as manager, eleven years for A. Hyde, of Grand Rapids, and some two years ago opened a store of his own and has conducted it in such a way as to win a wide patronage and gain the respect and esteem of all who have had dealings with him.
Mr. Pulver has affiliated with the Re- publican party and takes an active interest in politics, working earnestly in the best inter- ests of good government and the public weal. For many years he has been one of the county superintendents of the poor and his wisdom and prudence while in this posi- tion saved to the county many dollars. In
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MR. AND MRS. A. E. PULVER.
PULVER CHILDREN
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October, 1897, he was appointed postmaster of Summit City and the efficiency and cheer- fulness with which he has discharged the duties encumbent upon him have won for him the unqualified approval of all the pat- rons. Mr. Pulver stands high among his acquaintances and is deservedly popular. He is a prominent member of the Masonic fra- ternity, Lodge No. 222, of Traverse City; and also of the Knights of Pythias, Castle No. 73, at Traverse City, of the Uniformed Rank No. 56, of the last named order.
On the 2d of January, 1872, Mr. Pulver wedded Miss Kate Rickard, a native of Hillsdale county, but reared and educated in Grand Traverse county. To this union have been born four children, viz: Ben- jamin, J., a sailor on the lakes, wedded Miss Ida Woodward; Maude L. lives at Traverse City; Claude, of Traverse City, is a clerk in the postoffice; Ed is in the business col- lege at Traverse City, and Mary married John Wyckoff, a farmer of Summit City.
CALVIN S. VADER, SR.
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This gentleman, who holds the responsi- ble position of cashier with the Hannah & Lay Mercantile Company, of Traverse City, is well entitled to distinction as one of the accomplished and enterprising men of Grand Traverse county, and his brief life story here- with presented may be read with profit by the young man whose career and destiny are yet to be achieved. From the most reliable in- formation obtainable, the paternal ancestors of Calvin S. Vader came either from Ger- many or Holland, presumably from the lat- ter country, as the name is evidently indica-
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