USA > Michigan > St Clair County > St. Clair County, Michigan, its history and its people; a narrative account of its historical progress and its principal interests, Vol. II > Part 55
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ANGUS MCINTYRE. A prominent and successful agriculturist of Saint Clair county, Angus McIntyre owns land in different localities, and holds high rank among the active business men of Birchville town- ship, where he resides, and where he is now serving as supervisor. Com- ing from a long line of sturdy ancestry, he was born September 13, 1849. in Scotland, a son of Donald MeIntyre.
In 1851 Donald McIntyre immigrated with his wife and children to the United States, locating first in Wisconsin. A few years later he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Birchville (now Grant) township, Saint Clair county, Michigan, and was here engaged in tilling the soil until his death. He married. in Scotland. Jessie McNaughton, a bonnie lassie, and of the seven children born of their union five were living in 1912, as follows: Angus ; Daniel, of Grant township; John, of West Superior, Wisconsin; and James, of Orting, and David. of Cedarwood, Washington.
But three years old when he came with his parents across the broad Atlantic, Angus McIntyre received a practical education in the district schools of Michigan, which he attended until about sixteen years old He was early initiated into the different branches of agriculture, and after the death of his father had the management of the parental aeres for a number of years. Mr. MeIntyre now owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Birchville township, eighty acres in Grant township, and one hundred and twenty acres in Clyde township, and in addition to general farming is extensively engaged in cattle dealing, buying stock by the car load, feeding the cattle, and shipping them, a branch of agri- culture in which he has had great success. In 1879. when he left the
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home farm, Mr. MeIntyre started in business with a cash capital of $1,000.00, and by dint of persevering industry, wise thrift and systematic methods of conducting his affairs has made rapid progress along the pathway of prosperity. A sturdy Scotchman, honest, intelligent and well informed, he occupies an assured position among the leading farm- ers of his community, and is ably and faithfully performing his duties as a man and a citizen.
Mr. McIntyre married, December 25, 1879, Martha A. Duley, who was born on a farm in Grant township, Saint Clair county, Michigan, and prior to her marriage taught school several terms. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McIntyre namely : Nellie, wife of John McNaughton ; James, who married Georgie Mordon; Duncan; Margaret, who was graduated from the Port Huron high school in 1904; Fred; Angus W .; and Belle, who was graduated from the Port Huron high school with the class of 1912. Politically Mr. McIntyre is a sound Re- publican, and has filled various township offices, including justice of the peace and treasurer, and since 1905 has served as township supervisor. Religiously he is an active member of the Baptist church, and its treasurer.
BARNABAS D. SMITH. Saint Clair county, Michigan, has been and is signally favored in the class of men who have contributed to its devel- opment along commercial and agricultural lines, and in the latter con- nection he whose name initiates this review demands recognition as he has been actively engaged in farming operations during the greater part of his active career. He has long been known as a prosperous and enterprising agriculturist and as a man whose business methods demon- strate the power of activity and honesty in the business world. In con- nection with his son he is the owner of a fine landed estate of two hun- dred acres, the same being located in section 15, Clyde township.
Barnabas D. Smith was born in the Dominion of Canada, on the 20th of August, 1841, and he is a son of William W. and Mary (Austin) Smith. William W. Smith was a son of Isaac and Mariah (Lawsing) Smith, the former of whom was born in the state of New York and the latter in Pennsylvania and each of whom had been married previously. William W. Smith was born in New York, as was also his wife, Mary (Austin) Smith. They went to Canada and resided in the province of Ontario until 1864, in which year they came to St. Clair county, Michi- gan, where they passed the residue of their lives. They were the parents of ten children, as follows: Mary, who died in February, 1912, was the wife of C. Campbell; Alzina is the wife of George Stephens, and they reside in Oakland County, Michigan ; Barnabas D. is the immediate sub- ject of this review; Charles married Mary E. Burnham and resides at Avoca, Michigan; Adaline is the widow of Charles Haley, of Port Huron; Warren married Mary A. Herron and their home is at Avoca, Michigan ; Andrew wedded Hannalı Freeman and they live at Nampa, Idaho; Anna is the widow of Henry Bruch, of Yale; and Austin and Oran are deceased.
To the public schools of his native place in Canada Barnabas D. Smith is indebted for his preliminary educational training. In 1864, at the age of twenty-three years, he accompanied his parents to Saint Clair county, Michigan, where he has since resided. At the time of his advent
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here he was the owner of a team of horses and with that outfit he went to work to haul timber in the lumber woods. Subsequently he was em- ployed on a farm in the summer time and in the lumber woods in the winter, at one time being foreman of a camp. In 1866 he purchased a tract of eighty acres of uncleared land in Clyde township, on what is now section 15. With the passage of time he got his land under culti- vation and gradually added to the original tract until he now owns a splendid estate of two hundred acres. He and his son, Allen W., are engaged in general farming and stock raising and in both those lines have achieved most gratifying success.
At Atkins, on the 29th of March, 1869, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Mrs. Margaret McCardle, widow of James MeCardle, by whom she had one daughter, Frances, now the wife of R. S. Campbell, of Port Huron. Mrs. Smith's maiden name was Margaret Atkins and she was born in Clyde township, in 1843. She was a woman of most gracious personality and was beloved by all who came within the sphere of her gentle influence. She died in 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Smith became the parents of one son, Allen W., whose birth ocenrred February 11. 1876, and who was educated in the Yale high school and in the Ypsilanti Business College. After completing his education Allen W. Smith was engaged in teaching school for a number of years but since 1901 he has been associated with his father in the ownership and management of the old home farm. He married Miss Maude Kinney, the ceremony having been performed June 26, 1902. This union has been prolific of one child, Marion A., born May 10, 1906.
Mr. Smith, of this notice, is a devout member of Zion Methodist Epis- copal chureh, being a member of its board of trustees and an active worker in all its charities. In a fraternal way he is connected with the Knights of the Tented Maccabees and his political affiliation is with the Republican party. Mr. Smith is a quiet, unassuming man, a good neighbor and a highly respected eitizen in ('lyde township, where he has passed so many years of his life.
FRED A. BEARD. The Beard family is one that has for three genera- tions been prominently identified with the history of this section of Michigan and its present representatives are worthy descendants of the sturdy founders of the line in this state. Fred A. Beard, the popular supervisor of Clyde township, is of the third generation of his branch of the family. His grandfather. Ai Beard, was one of the earliest settlers of Clyde township. coming here from Chenango conty. New York, in 1830, and was a pioneer millman here, building the first mill in the township, in 1831, and being assisted in the project by his son John. This mill was known as Beard's Mill and constituted one of the land- marks of this section for many years. John Beard, who later became the father of Fred A. Beard, was born in Chenango county, New York, May 11. 1811, and came with his father to Clyde township, St. Clair county. Michigan, arriving here on May 14. 1830. They remained here for several years. operating the mill which they built upon their arrival. then father and son went to Long Point, Canada, and during their resi- denee there John met and married Hannah Fick, who was a native of that place. The Beard family later returned to Michigan. the father settling in Port Huron township, where he died in 1852. John Beard
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and his wife first located on a farm in Clyde township, and it was there that the son Fred A. was born July 28, 1841. The elder Beard was a very extensive property holder here and at one time owned seven thou- sand acres of land in Clyde and adjoining townships. His first home was a little log cabin, but as he prospered he erected fine improvements on his place and before he died built a model home. Mr. Beard was a man of progressive instincts and a natural leader among his fellows and his interests and activities included all those departments of effort which invariably mark the well rounded life and character. He was an advo- cate of Democratic principles and an influential factor in political affairs of his time. In religious affairs also he took an active part and was a member of the Methodist church, which he supported liberally with gifts of both time and money. In public life his progressiveness was repeat- edly shown in his support of measures designed to forward public im- provements of the best class, and this section owes to his enterprise a special debt of gratitude for the good roads which he was largely instru- mental in building. He was organizer of the project for the building of the gravel road in Clyde township, started in 1874, also that for the Port Huron and Lapeer plank road, begun in 1849. A quarter of the shares in the Clyde Plank & Macadamized Road Company belonged to him, and the concern, which was organized by him and his son Frederick, built roads to the extent of thirty-two thousand dollars in value. John Beard died in June, 1879, survived by his wife, whose demise occurred Febru- ary 13, 1889, and four children namely : David, Frederick A., Jennie, wife of Fred Nichols of Oakland, California, and Horace E.
Fred A. Beard spent two years at Albion College to finish his educa- tion, then took up his independent eareer on the farm, becoming a stock raiser, lumberman and one of the first men to turn his attention to the raising of blooded stock. He now has a fine heard of pure bred Hol- steins, which he maintains at Clyde Valley Stock Farm, containing six- teen hundred and sixty acres of land, and of which he is sole proprietor. In addition to this fine farm property Mr. Beard also owns a half inter- est in the thirty-two thousand dollar road previously mentioned in this sketch. He is a man of keen business ability, careful and conservative in his enterprises, and is recognized as one of the most substantial and dependable citizens of this county.
The marriage of Mr. Beard to Miss Anna Conlan occurred August 5, 1874. Mrs. Beard was born February 14, 1842, at Barnhart Islands, Canada, the daughter of Ed and Mercy (Barnhart) Conlan, and in point of age was ninth member of a family of thirteen children. She came with her parents to Grant township in 1851, and after attending the common schools of the community entered the high school at Port Huron and there finished her education. She is a woman of superior talents and for eight years was one of the most efficient teachers in the public schools of St. Clair county. Mrs. Beard finds scope for her talent for leadership in church activities and is at present the efficient presi- dent of the Ladies' Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal church. she being a member of that denomination at Ruby.
Mr. Beard takes enthusiastic interest in all departments of township public life and has filled various township offices at different times. In political affairs he is an advocate of Democratic principles. He has many fine personal qualities, which endear him to his friends, and is
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held in high esteem by the entire community where he has spent his life and to the advancement of the interests of which he devotes so much of his time and energy.
WILLIAM II. Nurr. Prominent among the prosperous farmers of Clyde who have made enviable records for themselves in the agricultural world of St. Clair county and who have come to be regarded with the really dependable citizens of Clyde township is William H. Nutt, a resi- dent of the county of St. Clair since his birth.
William II. Nutt was born in Grant township. on December 30, 1861. and he is the son of Lorenzo and Jane (Stevens) Nutt, both natives of the old New York commonwealth, and now deceased. When they first came to Michigan they located in Clyde township, in St. Clair county, but later moved to Grant township, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Lorenzo Nutt became the owner of a farm of eighty acres of fertile land, the same being now the property of James (. Mitchell. He was the father of nine children, seven of that number living at this writing (1912). They are Richard, Ivan, Lewis, Donald, Emma, Mary and William H.
William H. Nutt was an attendant of the village school in Grant until he was about seventeen years of age, at which time he launched out in the world for himself, finding various summer employments and in the winters working in the lumber camps of the district. Later he took charge of the Henry Kingsley farm, consisting of 235 acres, and he is busily engaged in the multiplicity of duties attendant upon the sne- eessful operation of a farm such as he is the proprietor of.
On February 10, 1884, when he was twenty-three years of age, Mr. Nutt married Miss Eliza II. Scott. She was born in Canada, on October 26, 1863, and is the daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Snyder) Scott. The father was born in England, on February 1, 1824. and died January 22, 1901, at the venerable age of seventy-seven years. The mother was born on February 15, 1825, and passed away March 15, 1876. They were the parents of eight children, four of whom are living. They are: Elias. a farmer who lives in Sanilac county, Michigan; Mary J., the wife of William Eagles. of North Dakota; Levi, married and living in Clair township; and Mrs. Nutt. The latter named was educated in the com- mon schools of Sanilac county, where she passed the early years of her single life. Two children have come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Nutt. Lorenzo and Lewis. The older son married Emmy Vineent and they have one child, Mary E., born August 6, 1906.
Mr. Nutt is a Democrat and has taken his place in the political activ- ities of the life of Clyde township, although he has not been a politieian in any sense of the word. He has always been active in any good work for the advancement of the best good of the community. and is in the front ranks of the publie-spirited citizens of his township.
JOHN W. GARDNER, ex-supervisor of Clyde township, and one of the best known farmers in his district, has been a resident of Clyde town- ship all his life. Ile was born on the identieal farm home of which he is now the owner and proprietor. on November 18, 1847. and is the son of James and Barbara (Young) Gardner, both native to the fine old isle of Scotland. They were reared, educated and married in their home-
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land, coming to Quebec after their marriage and later to St. Clair county, Michigan. They were young and ambitious, possessing traits of thrift and determination which rendered them potential landowners in the land of their adoption. James Gardner entered claim on a tract of homestead land from the government in that portion of the state which is now Clyde township in St. Clair county, and there he with his family lived in prosperity, despite the fact that he took up the struggle for existence in a line of work entirely foreign to his every instinct. He was by trade a weaver of the famous Paisley shawls of Scotland, which in his day were not more or less than handsome shawls, with a fair valuation, but which today, by reason of their extreme rarity, are almost priceless. However, James Gardner was made of the stuff which does not admit defeat readily, and in a few years the homestead farm began to assume proportions of advancement and prosperity that established the sturdy Scotch pioneer among the most solid men of his community. With the passing of years children came to the wilderness home, eight in number, of whom four are living at this writing (1912). They are: William, a farmer in Grant township; Millie, the wife of H. J. Parker, of Cali- fornia; John W., who lives on the old homestead and continues the work begun by his pioneer father; and Margaret, the wife of Dr. J. K. Gard- ner, of New Hampton, Iowa, a physician and surgeon of some note in his section of the state. James Gardner and his good wife were both devout and valued members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in their lifetime did what they could for the advancement of the cause in their community.
John W. Gardner was educated in the district schools of Clyde town- ship and was later a graduate of the Port Huron high school, following which he took charge of the farm, his parents being then in the decline of life, and he cared for them with all filial devotion throughout the re- mainder of their lives. Eventually the home place came into his sole possession, and there he has lived continuously, improving, widening out, building up and in every way conducting the farm along lines of progressive and modern agriculture, until his place has been for years one of the finest in his vicinity.
In 1868 Mr. Gardner married Emma Kingsley, the daughter of Solo- .mon and Parnell (Beard) Kingsley, the former a native of Vermont. She was born in Clyde township, on June 3, 1846, and was educated in the schools of the locality and in the Port Huron high school. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Gardner, but one of whom is now living. One daughter died at the tender age of two years; a son, Fred- erick E., was taken from them by death when he was twenty-four years old; and the remaining son, John D. Gardner, is unmarried and shares the parental home.
Mr. Gardner is a man of considerable standing and influence in the communal life of his township, as befitting a life-time of residence there, and has been supervisor of his township while he is now justice of the peace. He served as receiver of the St. Clair and Macomb Mutual Insur- ance Company, being appointed by Henry S. Raymond, and performed the duties of his office in a manner wholly creditable to himself. as he has done in every other official position of which his fellow-townsmen have made him the incumbent. He is an adherent to Republican principles. and has done good work for the cause of the party. He is a member of
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the Maccabees and is finance keeper of the local lodge at this time. Ile was record keeper for seven years, and has also served in the office of commander.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardner are generous minded and affable people, and are held in the high esteem of their many friends and neighbors in Clyde township, where both were born and reared and where they have reached years of maturity and attained a degree of prosperity highly consistent with their admirable efforts.
ELLSWORTH EDGAR WILKINSON. Some men seem to have gathered unto themselves the energy that other men whom we see lying by the roadside under the shade of a hay stack, with a battered hat pulled down over their forcheads to keep the rays of the hot July sun out of their eyes, seem to have lost. Among these men who are apparently so able to lead the life of strenuosity, as exemplified in the career of Colonel Roose- velt, is Ellsworth Edgar Wilkinson, manager of one of the best known insurance agencies in the state of Michigan. Success in the insurance busi- ness has come to be synonomous with modern progressive business meth- ods. for the competition is so keen that only such methods are successful and it takes a wide-awake man who is willing to work indefatigably to succeed. Mr. Wilkinson is not only well known in the business field but in other lines of work, and his influence on the public life of Port Huron has always been toward the betterment of conditions both socially and politically.
Rockford, Michigan, was the birthplace of Ellsworth E. Wilkinson, the date being the 8th of December, 1865. He was the son of Gary Wilkinson, who was of New England parentage and was born in New Hampshire in 1821. Gary Wilkinson lived in New Hampshire until his majority, and then determining to seck his fortune in the west he came to Michigan, the year being 1842. He settled in what is now Kent county, at that time being known as Lapinville. He was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church and was well educated, hay- ing had the advantage of an education in the Boston schools, which were perhaps the best in the country at that time. During these early days, when the inhabitants of the country were few and scattered, a man of education was called upon to fill many positions, and Mr. Wilkinson found the time from his ministerial duties to perform many services for his fellow citizens. He was sheriff. justice of the peace, tax collector, marshal and prosecuting attorney. Whenever there was an office that needed a particularly strong man, the people were pretty certain to call for Mr. Wilkinson. He ran the first lumber rafts down the Grand river, and established a trading post with the Indians at a very early day. He also established the first general store in Lapinville and was actively en- gaged in all of the different enterprises that aided the growth of his sec- tion of the country. Sarah Samantha Wilkinson, his wife, was born in Monroe county, in the state of New York, on the 18th of May, 1824. She was of Puritan aneestry, and came to Michigan with her parents in 1842.
Ellsworth Wilkinson was educated in the public schools and was grad- uated from the twelfth grade. Ile then attended the Grand Rapids College for two years, taking the commercial and law courses. After leaving college he went into the mercantile and hotel business, remaining thus engaged until 1894. The following year, 1895, he took up the in-
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surance business, and for the next two years worked in accident insurance. In 1897 he went into the employ of the Prudential Insurance Company and until 1899 sold industrial and ordinary insurance. He then went with the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada under John A. Tory, state manager at Detroit, Michigan. It is with this company that Mr. Wilkinson is today associated. For eight consecutive years he held the honor of writing the largest volume of paid insurance, this fact alone serving to show with how much energy Mr. Wilkinson handles business for his firm. He has resided in Port Huron for eleven years as manager of the Northeastern Michigan Agency of the Sun Life Assurance Com- pany of Canada. This agency comprises fourteen counties, with the head office in Port Huron, Michigan. The company has thirty men work- ing from this office and these agents produce over seventy-five thousand dollars a month in paid-for business. The offices of which Mr. Wilkinson is in charge are located in the White block and are splendidly equipped, Mr. Wilkinson holding a direct contract with the company.
In politics Mr. Wilkinson is a Republican, and he has been active in a number of local enterprises. He has been prominently connected with military affairs, having served as commissary sergeant of Companies H and K, of the Second Regiment in the Michigan National Guards. He was especially proficient both in target practice and in drills and has won medals a number of times for his skill in these two branches of mili- tary science. His religious affiliations are with the First Baptist church of Port Huron, and he is not only a regular attendant but a very active worker in different sides of church work. He is president of the Wright Bible class and is a member of the Foreign and Home Missionary Socie- ties. He is also one of the members of the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation, whose support both in time and money is necessary to sustain the institution.
On the 27th of February, 1903, Mr. Wilkinson was married to Emeline Elizabeth King, a native of Port Huron. She was the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth King, who were prominent farmers of this section. Her father was director of the State Fair Association and was connected with a number of important enterprises. Mrs. Wilkinson was reared in Port Huron and received her education in the Port Huron schools, being a graduate from the high school. One child, Elizabeth Hindman Wilkin- son, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson. This daughter was born on the 21st of March, 1908.
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