Kawkawlin Township (part 2 of 2)

Nicholas Thayer, farmer, was born in New Haven, Ohio, July 21, 1837. He left Ohio when sixteen years of age, and spent about nine years in travelmg, visiting some twenty-seven different states. He then enhsted in the service of his country, in Company G. of the 20th Indiana Volunteers, on the 3d day of July, 1861. He accompanied General McClellan on through all his campaign, and afterward served imder General Pope, taking part in the battles of Fair Oaks, the Wilderness, White Oak Swamps, Gaines Hill, Malvern Hill, Fairfax Court House, an:l eleven others. After the second battle at Bull Run he was seized with pneumonia, from which, indeed, he had suffered on a previous occasion. He was sent to the hospital at Fortress Monroe, was removed from there to convalescent camp, thence to Philadelphia hospital, thence back to camp, where he received his discharge, because of ill health. He was married to Miss Sarah Jane Steele, of New Haven, April 26, 1863. Their children are Eva I., Ida I., Frederick D., Violette I., Mary I., Daniel D., and Jennie Ivie. They settled in Merritt, in June, 1863. They have now a pleasant home of fifty acres, on Section Twentyeight. Mr. Thayer has served as justice of the peace, and takes a wilhng part in the school interests and other useful enterprises in the community.

Henry F. Shuler, farmer, w^as born in Cohocton, N. Y., August 19, 1827. He spent his early manhood in his native state, and came to Saginaw Valley in the Spring of 1868. Arriving in Merritt at his brother's, he incidentally took an axe, stepped out a short distance, cut some wood from a dry tree, brought it up and came in, saying he had fjund a place, and had begun work on it. This eventually proved hterally true, as he has since purchased the identical place and made it his home. He was married to Miss Nancy McGlachlin, of Mohawk, N. Y., March 30, 1853. Gustavus H. is their only son. Mr. Shuler was the first supervisor of Merritt Township, and served three years. He has been justice of the peace eight years. They have in their farm, in Sections 32 and 33, sixty acres of beautiful farming land, on a fine elevation, with forty acres under good cultivation. They have a pleasant dwelling and enticing surroundings. Though Mr. and Mrs. Shuler were not the first settlers, yet they came in time to share largely in the difficulties of pioneer life, but are now well repaid for their toils and sacrifices by the comforts of their home, and the growth and progress of their community.

ber 16, 1839, came to Bay City, eTiuie 22, 1865. He wrought at bis trade in Bay City for ten years, and tben purcbased sixty acres of bind, where be now resides, on Section Nineteen, in Merritt. He w^as married to Miss Louisa Sobmalz, of Hampton, January 18, 1868. Tbey bave bad nine children, Wilbam, Ameba, Hermon, Albert, Theodore, Clara, Amiel, Eudolbe and Rosa; but little Amiel was snatched away by death in infancy. Mr. Treiber has been township treasurer two years, and is now serving in his fifth year as township clerk. He is an Odd Fellow in good standing, and takes pleasure in relieving tbe widow and educating the orphan.

B. ScHABEL, farmer, was born in Germany, January 6, 1829. He left his native country for America in 1854, came to New York, and remained there nearly a year, then went to Columbus, Ohio, was there three months, and then came to Pine River, now Stand - ish, but not liking the place, he, with four others, hired a skiff, and came by water to Bay City, nearly getting drowned in the adventure. There he found, not a city as now% but merely a few houses and soi'ne shanties. He was married to Barbara J. Haas, of Germany, in Utica, N. Y., in 1851, and has four children, John B., Rosa, Josephena and Catharine. They resided in Bay City three years. At first, times were pretty good, but in the second year lumber was down to five dohars per thousand, times became hard, and work very scarce, and Mr. S. w^orked for some time for thirty-eight cents a day to support his family. He also cut cord w^ood for three shillings a cord in store pay, but had to pay cash for both meat and flour. About twenty-five years ago he bought 160 acres of land on Section Nineteen, in Merritt, where he has now an elegant home, with beautiful improvements and inviting surroundings. He has been supervisor three years, and school officer several terms. Though Mr. Schabel is so comfortably situated, he feels very lonely in the loss of his companion, now over one year deceased, but still feels a hearty interest in the happiness and welfare of those around him.

John Fegert, farmer, born Oct. 28, 1828, was a native of Germany, came to America in 1854, and lived in New Jersey about two years, then near Albany over a year, tben five years, in Liverpool, near Syracuse, and thence he came to Bay City, in 1862. He resided there about fifteen years, and then settled on Section Nineteen in Merritt, w^iere he now resides. In 1857 he married Miss M. Keiser, of Germany. They have had seven children: Laura, John, William, Sophia, Helena, Maggie and Rutherford; but Sophia, Helie and Maggie are now deceased. John Fegert, Jr., the family patron of the County History, also owns forty acres of land in the same section, which he intends for his home in the future.

Andrew Lovejoy, house carpenter, farmer and postmaster, was born in New Hampshire, Feb. 5, 1829. He went to the state of New York in early youth, and came to Tuscola County in this state in 1856. He was married to Miss Harriet E. Miller, of Tuscola, July 2, 1855. She was born in Troy, Oakland Co. Dec. 28, 1829. Tbey came to Merritt in 1857 and located on lands given them on Section Thirty-five, by Mrs. Lovejoy's father, Mr. John Miller, who was the first resident of that part of the township. He was one of the veteran soldiers in the w^ar of 1812, and has three times courageously faced the difficulties and privations of pioneer life for the benefit of his loved ones. When Mr. and Mrs. Lovejoy came to Merritt they brought with them one year's provisions, but when these were exhausted they found it very difficult to obtain more. At one time they could get no flour except Illinois Spring wheat flour, which was so dark and bitter with weeds that the children could not eat it, but quite refused it. Mrs. Lovejoy obtained and cooked for them sometimes, young birds, at other times the bind quarters of common frogs from the swales, and one occasion, to prevent them from suffering, she cooked and gave them some young hawks which had been brought in from the nest. Their crops were many times quite destroyed by the water, which they could not drain off until tbe railroad was constructed, and an outlet was thus afforded them. They have now forty or fifty acres of their lands improved, have a thriving orchard and pleasant home surroundings, secured by earnest and persevering effort. Mr. Miller, the veteran father and soldier, stih survives, and has bis home with them, but feels deeply the pressure of the w^eight of years.

DeWitt Burr, farmer, was born in New York State, May 4, 1887, and reared in Rose, Michigan. He was married to Miss Ehza Tracy, of Highland, August 22, 1864. Their children are Deha, Chambers 0. and Elmer DeWitt. He came to South Bay City in 1880 and to Merritt over a year ago. Deha, the eldest daughter, was married to Benjamin Westerby, July 16, 1881, but still resides in the parental home.

Josephus B. Hazen, farmer, was born in Canada, Feb. 5, 1833. He came to Saginaw Valley twenty- seven years ago. He was married to Miss Louisa Sutton, of New York State, some twenty-four years ago. Their children are Rachel, Jared, Arthur, Ida and Ehzxbeth. They have lived in their present home on Section Eleven in Merritt, since June, 1878. Tbey have 120 acres of land, partly prairie and partly timbered, with ten acres improved. When they moved to their land they had no prepared road, and got mired on the prairie, and had to unload and draw out their wagon. Now the lands and roads are drained and greatly improved, making them pleasant and desirable.

Frederick Beyer, farmer, was born in Germany, Sept. 6, 1844. He came to America in 1855. His parents and sister had preceded him one year. Frederick left Germany when eleven years old, with his brother Adam, who was then thirteen. They had a lady guardian who brought them to Detroit, then by mistake, misled them to Buffalo and left them to seek out their parents alone. They went first to Chicago and then to Aurora, 111. Here they found a relative who assisted them in writing to their father, at Lower Saginaw, now Bay City. He came at once and took them hom^, Dec. 9, 1855.

The family resided there about five years and then removed to a farm in the township of Portsmouth, now Merritt. Frederick remained there and worked in the mills some ten years. He went from there to Portsmouth and was married to Miss Rosina Armbruster, of Sebewaing, April 28, 1869. They have had six children: Frederick, Mary, Wilhelm, Anna, Adam (now deceased) and Maggie. From Portsmouth they removed to Section Eight, in Merritt, where they have eighty acres of excellent land, with forty under cultivation, all of wiiicb he has cleared since he settled thereon. He has also a thriving orchard of some two hundred trees, several of which are already in bearing. They have a pleasant dwelling, an excellent barn and inviting home comforts around them, and Mr. Beyer is now serving his second term as highway commissioner. When Mr. Beyer's friends settled on Section Eight, they had to go five miles out of the way to get to Bay City. In October, 1871, the fire destroyed crops and square timber, etc., for Mr. Beyer, worth some $500. His father lost all his fences and buildings and tw^enty tons of hay, and a large quantity of wood; and also his house on the the plank road. In spite, however, of all these obstacles, they are now prospering, and their pro]3erty is steadily rising in value.

John M. Lefebvre, farmer and gardener, was born of French parents in the Province of Quebec, Dec. 17, 1833. He left there when about seventeen years of age, and spent some four years in lumbering on the Trent River, in Ontario. The modes of lumbering were then very rude and unpleasant. The men w^ould frequently go fifty miles from the settlements and build a shanty of rough logs with roof made of troughs or bark, making a caboose or large fixture filled, with sand in the middle of the shanty, for cooking and heating purposes; the smoke from the fire on the caboose going out through an opening at the top of the shanty. Two persons always bunked together. Their bed and its outfit was formed of blankets spread upon pine boughs, with other blankets for a covering. Their fare consisted of pork and bread. The loaves of bread were baked in laige round kettles on the caboose or fireplace, and each had the form of a cheese. The meat was boiled in huge kettles holding nearly half a barrel, and tlie food was served in a kind of troughs attached to the walls of the shanty. Leaving the Trent he came farther west ar.d spent about fifteen years in lumbering in Walsingham, Norfolk County. While here, Mr. Lefebvre educated himself in both French and English. For a while he served as foreman, butlater engaged in the business for himself. Here, also, he was married to Miss Lizzie Fick, who was born in Port Eoyal, Jan. 25, 1841, and held an unhmited certificate as a school teacher. They were married, Feb. 16, 1802. The have had six children: Henry D., Walter H., John A., Jennie Meda, Giva E. and Edith May, but httle Johnnie was severed from the parental embrace by death when but nineteen months old. Li the Spring of 1870, they came to Bay City, Michigan, and Mr. Lefebvre spent two years in the hghtering of lumber. They went thence to Tawas City. Here for three years Mr. Lefebvre acted as overseer for a large lumbering company. From there they removed to Merritt, near Bay City, and Mr. Lefebvre is now engaged in the work of farming affd gardening. He has, on Section Eighteen, forty acres of very fertile soil, and finds excellent success in the culture of both his fields and his garden. The eldest son, Henry D., has, at the early age of sixteen years, invented a most ingenious potato planter for laying out and drilling the rows, and covering the seed after it has been dropped.

Deep River, Standish And Pinconning

''That Township Nineteen north, of Range Four east, in Bay County, be and the same is hereby organized into a township by the name of Deep River, and the first township meeting therein shall be held on the first Monday of April next, at the schoolhouse in the village of Deep River, in said township, and John Bullock, Geerge H. Childs and Thomas White are hereby authorized to act as inspectors.

"Township Seventeen north, of Range Three east. Seventeen north, of Range Four east, and Seventeen north, of Range Five east, in Bay County, be and the same are hereby organized into a township by the name of Pinconning, and the first township meeting therein shall be held on the first Monday of April next, at the warehouse of Van Eten & Keiser, in said' township, and E. B. Knight, Louis Pelkey and H. Packard are hereby authorized to act as inspectors of said first township meeting.

"Township Eighteen north, of Range Three east, Eighteen north, of Range Four east, and Eighteen north, of Range Five east, in Bay County, be and the same are hereby organized into a township by the name of Sfcandish, and the first township meeting therein shall be held on the first Monday of April next, at the schoolhouse in the village of Standish, in said township, and A. D. Walker, James S. Gailey and George Shillinger are hereby authorized to act as inspectors of said first township meeting.

Deep Kiver

comprises two full towns, and is bounded north by Moffat and Clayton, east by Arenac, south by Lincoln and Standish, and west by county line.

Deep River and Sterling are the two business centers of the township, each having a mill, store, postoffice, etc., and both are stations on the railroad.

Like all the north part of the country, the first business, in Deep River was lumbering and there are still 7,000 or 8,000 acres of standing pine in the township.

Deep Bivek In 1872

"By the pohteness of A. Stevens, Esq., of the firm of A. Stevens & Co., several gentlemen were invited a few days since to take a trip with him to Deep River. Some of your readers possibly, are not aware that a village bearing this name is springing into a vigorous existence within some thirty miles pi Bay City. For the information of such, let me say that Deep River is on the J., L. & S. R. R., about thirty miles northwest of Wenona, and at a point where that road crosses Pine River. The writer was^among the invited, and was so highly gratified with the excursion, that wdth your permission he proposes to make a brief record of some of its incidents and the impression received by the excursionists. We left Wenona on the 8 o'clock train. To our surprise we found two cars well filled with passengeis and learned that the number was no greater than usual, both on their morning and evening trains, showing clearly that as facilities for travel and means of transportation are extended into the unsettled portions of our state, population and business are ready to take immediate possession. Although this railroad, north of Wenona, was put into operation only a few months since, and runs for the most part through a region which was entirely unsettled until the engine's whistle awakened the echoes of the forest, yet already the evidences of enterprise and thrift are apparent in many points along its line, saw mills, shingle mills, planing mills, hotels, stores, machine shops, the inevitable saloon, and dwellings from the humblest cabin to spacious and commodious residences are seen, either already complete or in various stages of progress toward completion. We reached Deep River between 10 and 11 o'clock a. m., where we left the train. . Located at this point is the lumber camp of A. Stevens & Co., w4io own some ten or twelve thousand acres of very valuable pine lands, extending four miles along both banks of the river. The liberality and enterprise of these gentlemen have laid the foundations of their village, and from present indications its future growth will justify this wisdom and foresight. Already a shingle mil] is in full operation, a large and substantial saw mill nearly completed by Capt. A. C. Rorison, a small store opened, a rail- road depot erected, a postoffice established, and a hotel under contract and in course of erection, by Mr. Kellogg, of Deep Eiver, Conn., which is to cost between |3,000 and $4,000. Mr. Kellogg will take possession of his hotel in person as soon as it is complete, and from our knowledge of this gentleman, we think we can safely promise the public one of the best houses on the line of that road. After spending some time in looking over the improvements already made and in contemplation, our party were invited by Mr. Graham, a member of the firm, who has immediate charge of their operations here, to go to the camp and dine. To describe a lumber camp to the readers of the Journal would be like "bringing coals to Newcastle;" but to the writer the entire institution was a novelty. He had imagined it to be a counterpart of the roughest kind of soldier's barracks in time of war, and the rations to consist chiefly of the "hard tack" and "old boss" species, (soldiers will understand my meaning.) You can hardly conceive of his surprise therefore, when the party were directed into a large, substantially built, shingle roof, window lighted, commodiously arranged, " neat as wax" log house that would make a comfortible residence for a large family anywhere, as the "boarding house" of the "camp." Eeally nothing was discoverable here to call for our sympathy for the "suffering lumberman," but then the rations perhaps, would tell the tale. Well, the "triangle" was struck, and together with some forty stalwart, jolly-looking fellows whose appearance would make a recruiting officer's mouth water, our party were ushered into the dining room. A single glance at the scene was sufficient, and the last life-giving sentiment of pity for the "hard used laborers in the pineries was gone. The tables were literally loaded, and the abundance, variety, quality and style of cooking testified not only to the liberality of the proprietors, but to the good taste and superior culinary of Mrs. S., the presiding genius of the establishment. If man's benedictions are of any value, the expression that fell from the lips of our hungry party must secure her happiness for the remainder of her life. She was the reigning sovereign of that realm, and no "woman's rights" philosophy or achievments could have added to her supremacy.

"Just as the party were taking their seats at the table, a valuable watch was put into the writer's hands, with the request of the "boys" of the camp, that he would present to Mr. Charles Crampton, their foreman, as a testimonial of their high regard. Happy to be the organ of the fine looking fellows, in an act so honorable both to their heads and hearts, the writer endeavored to fulfill their wishes, and in a few words, presented their valuable gift. Mr. C. was- taken entirely by surprise, and declared his utter inability to respond, but as he rose from his seat to receive the watch his quivering lips and tear-bedimmed eyes made a far more touching and eloquent acknowledgment than the choicest words could have done. The incident was a pleasant one, and showed an excellent spirit to prevail in the camp. After dinner we were invited by our hosts to examine their logs (there are miles of them) and take a sleigh ride through their pine forests. Already tJiey had from 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 ready for the "run," and are daily adding to them. The lumber judges of our party pronounced the great majority of these logs of the finest quality. This firm, by the expenditure of f 600 to f 800, during the last year have so improved this river by the erection of dams and removal of obstructions, that they expect to be able to "run" their logs this Spring, whatever the season may be. Our ride of ten or twelve miles through the grand old woods was one of pleasure to all the party, and to the writer, was one of much instruction as to the vast wealth of Michigan in her forests. Hundreds of acres through which we passed, it was estimated, would produce from 15,000 to 18,000 feet of fine lumber, to the acre, and the land and remaining timber still left. "What untold milhons of wealth there exist in the forests of Michigan ! But all this is nothing new to our readers. The pleasure of the ride was greatly enhanced by a lively contest between one of our genial hosts, and a distinguished lumber manufacturer of Bay City, in the way of story telling. Greek met Greek, and we are sure the silence of these old solitudes was never broken by such peals of laughter before. The question of championship remained undecided between those funloving wrestlers."

In 1875 Deep River Township came into prominence on account of the discovery of coal. The full history of the operations at that time is given in connection with county matters.

Settlers are arriving in groups every week, and settling in Deep River Township, and still there is room for more. Many German settlers are expected to arrive this season, having been encouraged by their friends.

John Bullock, supervisor from Deep River, is one of the leading men of Bay County. He was born in Otsego County, N. Y., July 3, 1826. In the year 1848 he came to Michigan, and settled in Lapeer County. In 1856 he came to Bay County and worked one Winter in the Drake mill. He then located on the old Cass road, known now as the Bullock road. He engaged in farming, and remained there until 1867, when he moved into the village of Portsmouth. He then spent about eighteen months South, and during 1871 he was marshal of the village of Portsmouth. In 1872 he moved to the village of Deep River, and was in the employ of A. Stevens & Co. until 1877, when he went to farming. He^was married April 2, 1854, to Lucy J. Bennett, of Oakland County, Mich. They have ten children, eight of whom are now living. Mr. Bullock has been supervisor nine terms, and has held the office of justice of the peace since 1873.

Ezra B. Morehouse, merchant, was born in Stanford, N. Y., September, 9, 1846. He went to Avon when about nine years old, and resided there twenty-two years engaged in farming. From there he removed to Fairport, thence to Batavia, and from there he came to East Saginaw, and settled in Sterling in the Spring of 1872.

He was married to Miss Harriet A. Adams, of Riga, Decen^ber 18, 1865. They have had five children: Emma M., Gertrude A., Harry L. (now deceased), Royal and Lena P. Mr. Morehouse has served as township treasurer and as justice of the peace; has been postmaster ten or eleven years, and is now also serving as railroad ticket agent and agent for the Express Company, and has been conducting a prosperous mercantile business ever since he settled in Sterling.

This township is situated on the Bay shore, and is bounded on the north by Arenac, Deep River and Lincoln, east by Saginaw Bay, south by Pinconning and Saginaw Bay, and west by Lincoln.

The Pine River, an important lumbering stream, flows across the northeast corner of the township and empties into the Saginaw Bay. The first saw mill in Bay County was built on this river by Jones & Chapell, in 1835.

The earliest permanenfc settlement in the township was made by Mr. John Lentz, who built a mill at the mouth of Pine Eiver in 1854, and has been in business there ever since. He has an extensive boom at the mouth of the Pine and another at the mouth of the Saganing.

Saganing is a historic point, situated on the railroad in the southern portion of the township on Section Thirty-five. This was an Indian settlement until about 1871, when white families began to come. The Indians have gradually disappeared, until not more than fifty families remain.

The township is becoming rapidly settled up and highly improved. There are as fine farms in this town as anywhere in the state. Along the state road, in the vicinity of Pine River, around the mouth of the Pine, and in the neighborhood of the Arenac postoffice, there are splendid farms on which there is not a stump or stone to be met - the pine stumps having been all pulled out and converted into everlasting fences or burned. There are excellent roads in this region. The section lines are being cleared off, graded and ditched with a view to carrying off the surface water to the Bay or conducting it into the Pine. There is considerable good land for sale on very good terms in this region. The Saganing region is especially desirable on account of the richness of its lands and its advantageous situation for communication with the outer world by either boat or rail.

The lumbering is about done. Most of the pine has been removed, and now lands are being settled up and improved. A few years will make a great change in the looks of the country between Au Gres and Standish. It is fast filling up with a hardy, industrious class of farmers who are making an attractive locality out of what, a few years ago, was considered a wild, rugged waste, a worthless tract of land.

John Lentz w^as born in Bavaria, Germany; emigrated to the United States in 1846. He lived in Cleveland, Ohio, for a number of years, and in 1854 came to Arenac, Bay County, where he built a saw mill. In 1882 he built a new mill of about 3,000,000 feet capacity per season, and which he is now running. He held the office of treasurer of Arenac for two years, and was also a school inspector. The township having been divided, the part in which he ^vas living was called Standish. He was elected supervisor in 1881, and re-elected in 1882. He was married to Miss Mary Hager, of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1853, and they have a family of seven children.

Silas Jennings, boarding house keeper, was born in England, and came with his parents tg Canada, in 1832, being then about fourteen years old. He lived there until the rebellion of 1837-38, when he enlisted and served in the suppression of the outbreak until the close of the war. He was married to Miss C. Husted, October 17, 1842. She was born in England, December 9, 1819. Their children are James H., Robert T., Edward and Edwin (twins), Georgiana (now deceased) and William George. They came from Port Dover, Ontario, to Pinconning nine years ago, and to their present home in Standish, in the Fall of 1879. They have since then been conducting a commodious boarding house, in which they can lodge some twenty persons and feed all who may patronize them.

William George Jennings, merchant, was born in Port Dover, Canada, August 10, 1858. He came to Pinconning, April 28, 1874. On January 13, 1878, he came to Saganing with Mr. Rhodes, of the firm of Rhodes & Jennings, of Pinconning, selected an old house for a store, and opened business for them the next day. In May, 1879, he and his brother J. H. Jennings bought the stock, and during that Summer his father built a large building on the state road for a store and boarding house, and the business was conducted by Jennings Bros, until 1880, when William purchased his brother's interest, and since then has conducted an increasingly prosperous business in general merchandise.