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Remembering Our Ancestors Through
Genealogy |
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A History of Iron County Michigan by Jack Hill Published in 1955, "A History of Iron County Michgan" gives the history and other interesting facts about this Upper Peninsula county. The book was originally printed in two columns. In order to improve the readability of the pages on a web browser it was converted to single column by combining every two original lines. With this exception the transcription was done without changes or corrections. Chapter 17 - West Side Pioneers |
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HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 91 Chapter XVII WEST SIDE PIONEERS At this point it may be appropriate to recall some of the pioneers who entered the district prior to the entry of the railroad and who have made a contribution toward the progress of the west side communities. As the lives and activities of these people are of general interest, a brief biographical sketch of each individual is included. Donald Campbell MacKinnon, who may well be honored with the title of "the Grand Old Man of Iron River," was born on April 5, 1846 near Toronto, Province of Quebec, Canada, and was the first of the family of nine children to be born in the new world. In his early manhood he learned the rudiments of carpentry from his father who was a shipbuilder. At the age of twenty he entered the United States where he settled in Marquette Michigan where he became engaged in carpentry and later in building contracting. In 1877, he left the Marquette area to seek mineral lands in what later became the eastern half of Iron County. In the spring of the following year, he made his way into the valley of the Iron River and on August 1, came into possession of the Southwest quarter of the Southwest quarter and the Southeast quarter of the South- east quarter of Section 26, Town 43 Range 35. These lands were secured under assignment from Mandeville Marcigny in whose favor a certificate of Location Number L 93 had been issued by the General Land Office on January 20, 1875. 92 IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN The discovery of iron ore in merchantable quantities on the lands of Mr. MacKinnon and his brother Alexander and also on other adjacent lands to the southeast hastened the establishment of a village and in 1881, the brothers set apart a portion of their lands for this purpose and launched the Village of Iron River. Mr. MacKinnon took the leading part in early exploration and min- ing promotion and probably did more than any other person to develop the mining in the district. He was also very active in politi- cal and civic affairs. Mr. MacKinnon died in 1913. Alexander MacKinnon was born in the town of Mull, Argylshire, Scotland in the year 1844. As an infant he came to Canada with his parents where the family settled in Toronto. Leaving home at an early age, he made his way to the United States where he was en- gaged in various lines of employment. In 1878 we find him em- ployed as a mill-wright in the sawmills of Menominee. It was in the spring of that year that he made his first trip to the valley of the Iron river. On June 25, he filed a homestead claim to the North Half of the South Half of Section 26 which lands now embrace the cen- tral portion of the City of Iron River. The Patent to these lands was granted to Mr. MacKinnon on May 24, 1886. Consolidating his land holdings with the adjoining lands of his brother Donald in 1880, they proceeded to lay out the Village of Iron River during the following year. Mr. MacKinnon remained a bachelor throughout his lifetime and died in the Village in 1916. Richard L. Selden was born in the State of Connecticut in the year of 1824. There he received his early education and in the year 1856 was elected to the State Legislature. A surveyor by profes- sion, he followed the advance of the railroads to the west and in 1872, we find him engaged in the railroad surveys leading to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. While working on the extension of the Menominee River Railroad west of Powers, he became inter- ested in Iron lands and in 1878, he turned his energies to explor- ing and mining promotion. In 1879, he secured possession of a 160 acre homestead in Section 35 through an assignment of interest by Sarah A. Parkham, form- er widow of Private Thomas Kelsey, Captain Richardsons Com- pany, Mississippi Militia of November 1812. These lands proved to be rich in iron and upon his retirement, were passed on to his son, William H. Selden. The latter came to the Iron River valley with his father and was also active in timber and mineral land develop- ment. The early log homestead cabin of the Seldens was situated on the west side of the present Selden Road and on the site later oc- cupied by the office of the Brule Mining Company. James N. Porter came to the district in 1881 to take charge of the Iron River Mine workings for the Tod, Stambaugh Company. Mr. Porter was from Youngstown, Ohio where he had made the ac - quaintance of the officers of the Company. About the year 1885, the Company acquired the Florence Mine of the village and Mr. Porter's supervision was extended to this property. The Com- pany then became known as the Florence-Iron River Company. Mr. Porter also supervised the Youngstown Mine of the Company at Crystal Falls for some time. Mr. Porter left the district in 1891 in the interest of Mrs. Port- er's health, settling in the State of Colorado where Mrs. Porter died the following year. Frank Hammer, who probably was the first settler on the west side of the county, was a trapper of German descent. Very little is available regarding his early history. It is known however, that the early explorers of 1879 found him living with his mother in a cabin on the site of the present First Lutheran Church. The ob- servance of another cabin on his premises of earlier design and oc- cupancy with a roof made of elm HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 93 bark as noted by later pioneers, lends support to the thought that he may have used this as his trapping base for several years prior to this time. The trapping area of Mr. Hammer extended along the Brule, Iron and Paint rivers and their tributaries and he was known to be very skilled and successful in his profession. In 1879, he filed a pre-emption claim to the lands he occupied, namely, the East Half of the West Half of Section 25 and upon set- tlement of the lands dispute, received his patent on same. Frederick Miller (Mueller) was born in Germany in 1845 and came to the United States at the age of thirty years. Following several years of employment in the logging camps and saw-mills of Es- canaba and Menominee, he made his way to the Iron river valley in the early months of 1879. Filing a pre-emption claim to the West Half of the West Half of Section 25, he built a homestead cabin on the East bank of the Iron river on the site now accupied by the Delta Mine shaft. Here, beside the first trail leading to Iron River which made the crossing of the stream near his cabin, Mr. Miller watched the procession of land buyers and settlers that treeked to the Vill- age and lands beyond. It is related by his surviving kin that upon arrival on his lands, Mr. Miller was presented with a young beaver by his neighbor, Frank Hammer the trapper. For want of a companion, Mr. Miller kept the beaver in his cabin and each morning it would make its way to the shore of the stream, wash its face thoroughly and that completed, return faithfully to its lair in the cabin. In 1893, Mr. Miller filed a homestead claim to lands on Little Hagerman Lake in Stambaugh Township. He died in the year 1910. The history of several of the very early settlers, namely, Nickolas Probeck, the Buckholtz brothers and the Stanleys is very obscure. It is known that they were settled on their lands in the year 1880 and the following limited information on these gentle- men has been gleaned from the land records. Nickolas Probeck filed a claim to the East half of the Southeast quarter of Section 2, Town 42 Range 35 in the year 1879. This parcel of land lies some two miles due south of the City of Iron River. Henry A. and John H. Stanley settled on lands along the east side of Stanley Lake, Henry filing on the Southwest quarter of Section 4 and John on the Northeast quarted of Section Eight. Nickolas and Matt Buckholtz filed on lands west of the City of Iron River and adjoining those of the MacKinnons. Their cabin was situated a short distance west of the Beta Mine. Upon receiving the patents to their lands, these gentlemen moved to new frontiers and no kin are known to remain in this area. Louis Dietmeyer, a native of Germany came to the United States about the year 1870 and settled in Menominee. In 1879, he made his way to Iron Mountain and in the summer of 1881, he moved to the newly platted Village of Iron River. In the fall of that year, Mr. Dietmeyer was joined by his wife and eight year old son Frank, the latter being one of the older surviving pioneers of the district at this time. Upon reaching the Village, Mr. Dietmeyer built a log house near the northeast corner of Maple and Fourth Streets and being a shoe- maker by trade, entered the shoemaking business. Meeting with success in his enterprise, he expanded the business by engaging others for the work, among them being Fred Hanold, an early settler of the Village of Stambaugh. On April 16, 1882, the first child was born in the Village when the Dietmeyers were presented with a boy whom they named Joseph. Joseph is now seventy-two years of age, enjoys good health and lives in retirement with his brother Frank at their home near Hagerman Lake. 94 HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN The brothers entered woodwork at an early age and have had the unique experience of working in the forests through the transition in logging from the days of skidding of the pine logs with oxen and river driving as a means of their transportation to the mills to the era of tractor skilling of the remaining hardwood stands and their long-distance transportation with trucks. Manville Waite was born in the State of Maine in the year 1852. As a young man he came to Wisconsin where he settled in the village of Blackcreek near Green Bay. In 1882 we find him engaged in railroad construction on the line leading from Stager to Iron River. Upon completion of the project, Mr. Waite made Iron River his home where he built one of the first dwellings of frame construction to be erected in the village. This home was situated on the site now accupied by the Haydon Oil and Equipment Company on the corner of Adams and River Streets. With the coming of railroad transportation in the fall of the latter year, Mr. Waite was joined by his wife and family. With the inauguration of timber removal from the area in 1883, Mr. Waite entered the logging business which he continued to follow for many years. He was also active in politics, serving both the Township and County in various offices. He died in the year 1928. LaFayette McQuown was born in Whiteville, Pennsylvania on October 22, 1854 and came from Scotch-Irish parentage. Upon his graduation from Cavode Academy in 1876, he worked his way to the midwest where in Youngstown Ohio, he made the acquaintance of James N. Porter. In 1881, the Tod, Stambaugh Company secured a lease on the early Iron River and Isabella mines and Mr. Porter, a school mate and close friend of the Tod and Stambaugh families of Youngstown was promoted to superintendent of the properties. The need of skilled men at this time was acute and Mr. Porter in- vited Mr. McQuown and John S. McLean to accompany him on his new assignment, the former being proficient in office work and the latter a skilled blacksmith. In 1882, Mr. McQuown was joined by his family. The lack of housing however, compelled the family to return temporarily to the East until the Company could complete their home. The same house has been the residence of the McQuown family uninterrupt- edly until this time. Mr. McQuown was one of the most public spirited of the pioneers and took a very active part in political and civic matters. He died on December 8, 1940 at the age of eighty-six years. Arthur W. Quirt was born in the village of Arthur, Province of Ontario, Canada on May 26, 1860, and was of Scotch-Irish des- cent. While still in his teens, he made his way to the new ore dis- coveries on the lower Menominee Range. In August 1880, he hired out to Donald MacKinnon to dig test pits for iron ore along the Brule and Iron rivers. With him came two companions, Malcolm McLish and John McAuley. In the course of their work, the party came to the new explorations at Nanaimo (Iron River) where they made their base while searching more distant points. This work continued for about six months when the party withdrew, Mr. Quirt going to Florence while the others mov- ed to more distant points. The great need for means of trans- portation to the new frontier then induced Mr. Quirt to enter the draying and hauling business which he carried on for a time. In the month of February 1882, he was joined by his brothor Alexander Quirt and together they decided to cast their lots in Iron River. Thus in midwinter they hauled their belongings to the new village sites and immediately bought a lot and began the con- struction of a hewed log home. This was one of the first and also the most complete dwelling thus far built in the village. HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 95 Mr. Quirt the subject of our sketch became restless however, and at the turn of the century, he returned to the village and became interested in logging and sawmilling operations. Mr. Quirt died in Holley, Minnesota in 1946. Mr. and Mrs. James Harrington came to the Iron River Mine in 1881 at the solicitation of the Tod, Stambaugh Mining Company which currently needed a boarding house operator to accommo- date the miners of the mine. Moving their household goods by rail from their Keel Ridge (now suburb of Iron Mountain) home to Florence where they were transferred to the four-mule team of Elisha Morgan, the little family duly arrived at their new home. The boarding house was situated north of the Chicago & North- western Railway station of the Stambaugh and on a site near the present Dan Finnucan home. When adequate housing facilities were provided in the Village of Iron River and Stambaugh, the family moved to Atkinson and later to Iron River where Mr. Harrington constructed the large hotel that later became known as the Piper House. James V. Piper was born in Armstrong County Pennsylvania on March 2, 1857. He came to Iron River in 1882 where he followed sawmill and woods work. In his later years he operated the well- known Piper House. Charles A. Otto a native of Milwaukee was one of the foremost permanent settlers to come to Iron River. Following a years duration of employment at exploration along the Brule River, he arrived in the village in December 1881. The town had been platted the preced- ing summer and only one large log building adorned the timber- lined main street. This was the lodging house of James Innes, a bachelor, and was situated on the northeast corner of Second and Genesee Streets. Here Mr. Otto hired out as cook to serve the increasing numbers of prospectors, miners, timber cruisers and lands seekers. Tiers of bunks lined the walls and meals were often served in three settings for lack of dishes. In January 1882, Mrs. Otto arrived from Quinnesec to assist her husband in the work. Mr. Otto died on February 19, 1925. Dr. D. M. Bond was born in Clarksburg, Harrison county, Vir- ginia on March 22, 1828. Following his early schooling in his home town he made his way to the midwest where we find him graduating from the Chicago Medical College in 1863. Following a medical practice in Janesville for some years, he moved his offices to the frontier town of Florence, Wisconsin in 1880. Dr. Bond was one of the pioneers of this community for cen- sus figures show an increase in population from 267 to 800 dur- ing that year. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Bond was interested in mining promotion and was responsible for the de- velopment of the early Paint River mine at Crystal Falls with D. C. MacKinnon and also the original Calidonia mine at Mans- field with Adolph Guensburg of Florence. About the year 1882, he moved his family and practice to Iron River where be built a large store building with dwelling quarters on the second floor and office rooms at the rear. This structure was situated on the corner now occupied by Krom's Department store. Here he set up his offices and established a drug store while the family made their home on the second floor. The family consisted of Mrs. Bond, Frank Lewis, a son who was twenty-three at the time and who later was united in marriage to Carrie Jacobs, the composer, and a daughter, Lily. Frank Lewis, the son, was active in early village affairs and also took over the bulk of his aging father's medical practice. Frank Lewis Bond died of injuries received in an unguarded fall from the high plank sidewalk of the village at the age of thirty- six and was buried in the Jacobs family lot in Oak Hill cemetery at Janesville, Wisconsin in De- 96 HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN cember, 1895. The father, Dr. D. M. Bond also died about 1895 and was followed in death by his daughter Lily about the year 1900. With the sale of the building to Mr. Barney Krom in December, 1902, the widow, Mrs. Jane Bond moved to the East. Carrie Jacobs Bond, the beloved composer, although not one of our earliest pioneers, is nevertheless worthy of mention. Mrs. Bond was born in Janesville, Wis. on August 11, 1862. As Carrie Jacobs, she was the daughter of moderately well-to-do parents, Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs and was fully encouraged in her musical and lit- erary talents for which she had shown an aptitude at an early age. Adding inspiration to her early musical endeavors was the success of a distant relative, John Howard Payne who became so favorably known through his immortal song, "Home Sweet Home". On Christmas Day in the year 1880 she became the bride of E. J. Smith in a ceremony performed in Racine, Wis. To this union was born a son who was named Fred. The marriage met with failure, however, and on June 10, 1888, she was married to Frank Lewis Bond with whom she had attended the public schools of Janes- ville. This ceremony was also held in Racine where she was cur- rently making her home. Mrs. Bond and her son came to Iron River with Mr. Bond and for a time made their home with the Bond family on the second floor of their building. While living here, Mrs. Bond enjoyed the association of Miss Lily Bond, her sister-in-law who was also a talented mu- sician. Upon leaving the parental home, the little family moved to a house on Adams street on a site now occupied by the Angeli Supermar- ket structure. The panic of the nineties was now setting in and to help out on the family budget Mrs. Bond began the painting of china which she baked in an oven constructed for the purpose on the north end of the lot. Mr. Aaron Kinney of Spring Valley who was staying with the family at this time while he attended the vil- lage school had the responsibility of firing and keeping these ovens at the proper temperatures as one of his chores. The next home to be occupied by Mrs. Bond in her eight year stay in the village was on the northeast corner of Adams and Sixth streets adjacent to the palatial home of D. C. MacKinnon, the grounds of the latter now being occupied by the High school. Mr. Bond had assumed a role of leadership in political affairs when in the spring of 1886 he was elected to the presidency of the village, the duties of which he fulfilled intermittently until his untimely death nine and one-half years later. Throughout these years Mrs. Bond had quietly continued her musical work and at the height of the panic she made a journey to Chicago in the hope of selling some of her compositions. Her name, being totally unknown, she met with considerable encourage- ment but no sales. Following the death of her husband in December, 1895, Mrs. Bond moved to Chicago where she kept a rooming house for medical students near the Cook County Hospital while she continued to work on her songs and took advantage of every opportunity to popularize them by personally playing and singing them. Dur- ing this period of her life she produced two of her most famous songs, "I Love You Truly" and "Just A 'Wearyin' For You," the words for the latter being produced by her valued companion in music, Frank Stanton. "A Perfect Day" which is probably her most popular composi- tion was written in Riverside, California in the year 1909 where she had recently arrived with her son to make her home and engage in the publication of her songs. Among the compositions produced by Mrs. Bond during her stay in Iron River are "The Cradle Song" and "Is My Molly Dead". She died in Hollywood, California on December 28, 1946 and was preceded in death by her son. HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 97 Andrew J. Boyington was born on September 3, 1842 in Allegany County, New York and was one of nine children in the family. He came from a long line of early Americans of English descent. As a youth he moved with the family to farm lands in southern Wiscon- sin where he grew to manhood. At the outbreak of the Civil War he joined his five brothers in the service and became a member of Company H, 13th Wiscon- sin Infantry Volunteers where he served some four years. While guarding a rail line at Huntsville, Alabama during the later stages of the war, he ws wounded and suffered the loss of his left arm. In the year 1876 he made his way to Menominee and in the lat- ter months of 1879 we find him in the newly platted village of Iron Mountain where he was established in business. In 1881 he came to Iron River where he constructed a small cabin on Maple Street to serve as temporary quarters while he built the first Boyington Hotel structure. Here he was joined by his family in the spring of 1882, The Hotel was opened to business on the first day of November in 1822 and the venture proved wholly successful from the start. A livery service was later introduced in conjunction with the hotel. Setbacks lay ahead for Mr. Boyington however, for on June 27, 1885, the hotel was completely destroyed in the first serious fire in the village. Undaunted by this reverse, he immediately undertook to build on even a larger scale with the result that the present Boying- ton House was completed early in the ensuing year. In the year 1906, Mr. Boyington went into retirement and his in- terests were taken over by his own son Philip. He died in the year 1923. Alexander Quirt was born in Ontario, Canada in 1855 and made his way to Iron River in the month of February 1882. Upon his arrival he joined his brother Arthur in the construction of one of the first dwelling houses in the new village. This building was situated on Fourth Street and east of the Montgomery Ward store. About the year 1885, Mr. Quirt established a hardware business that was to become one of the longest family-held enterprises in Iron River history. Upon the death of Mr. Quirt on May 21, 1904, the business was operated by the family for a number of years when it passed to a son Ben L. Quirt who conducted the store for the quarter century preceding 1953. Both Mr. Quirt and his son Ben took a very active part in political and civic affairs. Mrs. Alexander Quirt is one of the few surviving pioneer ladies that came to Iron River as an adult. She was born in Ontario Canada in August 23, 1860 and came to the village from Florence in a horse drawn vehicle before railroad transportation was avail- able. Frank Camins, the Village Blacksmith was born in Habelton, Pennsylvania in the year 1858. While still in his early twenties, he made his way to the Menominee Range where he found various types of employment. In the autumn of 1881, we find him en- gaged as blacksmith for the the Menominee River Railroad contractors at the railroad camp and halfway house operated by John Singler west of Stager on Armstrong Creek. Continuing this work to its completion, he came to Iron River where he opened a blacksmith, horse-shoeing and carriage repair service which he conducted for many years. Mr. Camine died in the village in 1818. Andrew Stromberg was born in Sweden in the year 1852. At the age of twenty-eight years, Mr. Stromberg came to the New World and in 1881 we find him engaged in the mines of Florence, Wiscon- sin. Florence at the moment was one of the most promising outposts on the range. The stories of the densely wooded homesteads available in the Iron river valley were irresistible and in the spring of 1882, he made HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 99 river north of the Chicago & Northwestern railway station. As the new home neared completion, Mr. Kinney sent for his family in Canada and after a month spent in Menominee, the family entrain- ed for Stager from where they proceeded by horse and wagon and arrived in Iron River in the month of June. Mr. Kinney died in Longbeach Calif. in 1918. At this time came the Kenneth Campbell family also who were kin to Mr. Kinney. Mr. Campbell followed carpentry as a vocation and worked his way up the Menominee iron range where he stop- ped to work for brief periods at Keel Ridge and Florence. Arriv- ing in Iron River with his family, he built a home on the northwest corner of Cayuga and Fifth streets opposite that of Mr. Kinney. Mr. Campbell died in 1885. August Krans was one of the first settlers of Bates Township and one of those who filed on homestead lands in this area while it was still a part of Ely Township. Mr. Krans was born in Sweden in the year 1858. He came to America in his early twenties where he sought employment in the mines of the Menominee iron range. While engaged in the mines at Quinnesec in the year 1881, he decided to join a party consisting of Charles Gustafson, Gotthard Nordine and Olaf Benson in a journey to the frontiers at Iron River for the purpose of inspect- ing the homestead lands. The quartet immediately selected Sec- tion 23, Town 43 Range 34 which they divided equally and proceed- ed to make the necessary improvements required of all homestead- ers to maintain their claim. In the ensuing year, Mr. Krans was joined by his wife and two children. To the family was subsequently born eleven additional children, most of whom continue to reside in Iron County. Mr. Krans died in the year 1943. John Colberg was a native of Sweden where he was born in the year 1851. Mr. Colberg was one of the many young scandinavians who entered the Menominee Range in the early eighties. Following a brief period of employment in the mines of Quinnesec and Florence, he moved to the newly opened mines at Iron River about the year 1882. In later years, Mr. Colberg settled on lands in the Baumgart- ner district of Stambaugh Township where his descendants con- tinued to reside at this time. Mr. Colberg died at the farm home in the year 1897. Carl A. Nelson was one of the pioneers of Stambaugh and also one of the benefactors of that City. Mr. Nelson made his way to the village in July 1882 from the Florence - Commonwealth area where he had arrived several months earlier from Sweden. Securing employment in the Iron River Mine, he continued to fol- low that vocation until forced to retire by serious injuries in the year 1899. Mr. Nelson was joined by the members of his family from Swe- den in 1884. The first home of the family was constructed on the corner of Washington and Second Streets on the site now occupied by the offices of Dr. C. A. Cooper. During the panic years following 1890, the family purchased a twenty acre tract of land along the southern border of the village and entered into light farming. These lands lie in the central part of the present city and are occupied at this time by many fine homes, the General Hospital and the Nelson Athletic Field. Mr. Nelson was born in 1855 and died in Stambaugh in November 1901. The youngest member of the family of Mr. Nelson to join him in his new home in 1884 was Charles A. Nelson who was born in Sweden in 1881. Charles attended the public schools of the village and as a young man he entered the employ of the mining companies where he followed mechanical work and steam shovel operation. Upon the incorporation of the City of Stambaugh in the year 1924, he became the first City Manager and served most capably 100 HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN in that capacity until his death in 1949. Mr. Nelson took a very active part in civic and political affairs, held many offices of trust and was highly esteemed by the people of the west side of the county and others who knew him. Rudolph Ende, a native of Germany came to the district in the early months of 1882. Mr. Ende was joined by his wife during the summer of that year, Mrs. Ende being one of the Pioneer ladies to make their way into the area on foot. Accompanied by Mrs. Henry Yackel, she walked from Stager along the railroad grade and was welcomed to the village of Stambaugh by Max Jaeger who had ventured forth to meet them. On December 6th of that year, Mr. and Mrs. Ende were presented with a son whom they named Robert. Robert was the first child born in the village of Stambaugh. He made his home on the family homestead lands in the Baumgartner district of Stambaugh Township until his death on Oct. 23, 1954. Charles Olson, the first Supervisor of Bates Township was born in Sweden in the year 1858. As a young man of twenty-three, he emigrated to the United States where he was engaged in the mines of Commonwealth for a short time. In 1882, he made his way to the Iron River area with his brother Gustave where they settled on adjoining homestead lands on Sec- tion 1, Town 43, Range 34. Mr. Olson was very active in Bates Township politics and in ad- dition to serving many years as Supervisor of the Township, he took an active interest in early educational matters. Mr. Olson died on June 22, 1942. John Williams was a native of Holland and came to the United States with his parents at the age of one and one-half years. The family settled in Appleton where Mr. Williams received his early education and where he grew to manhood. In 1881 while in his early twenties, he made his first trip to Iron River, the journey from Florence being made with one of the many supply teams operating between this point and the frontiers at the moment. After a stay of several months, he returned to his home in Appleton and came back the the following year to make the Iron River district his permanent home. A short time later he filed on homestead lands in the Atkinson area. Mr. Williams followed land surveying and timber crusing as a vocation in his later years. He was born in 1859 and died on November 10, 1939. Eric Matson was born in Slattsberg Sweden on August 7, 1864. In the year 1882 while still in his teens, he left his native land to come to the United States where his first employment was in the mines of Florence, Wisconsin. His stay in that village was brief however, for in the summer of that year he made his way like so many others, along the railroad grade to the new community of Stambaugh. Upon his arrival he found some of the first houses under construction throughout the elevated sections of the forest covered village site. In recalling his entry to the area, Mr. Matson related how in the absence of a railroad bridge across the Iron river near the Isabella Mine, he made his way over the stream on the adjacent sawmill dam, of his encounter of Messrs. Lafayette McQuown and John McLean in a shack on the sidehill near the present North- western Railway roundhouse and of his stay during the first night in an abandoned logging camp on the south end of Madison Ave- nue. Finding employment in the Iron River Mine, he helped load the first railroad car of ore to be shipped from the district. Following the vocation of blacksmith Mr. Matson later operated a custom blacksmith shop in the village for some years. This shop was located near the present Roberg Bakery. Later he served as the head of the village water department for a period of Thirty- one years. Mr. Matson died in the HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 101 City on March 25, 1951 at the age of eighty-seven years. William J. Tully was born in Huron County, Province of On- tario, Canada on May 8, 1857. As a young man he had learned the blacksmith trade in his native land and coming to Iron River in February 1882 he continued to follow this vocation at the local mines for some years. About the year 1884 he secured lands north of the City of Caspian which are now a part of the City of Stambaugh. On these lands was later developed the Tully Mine. While operating a store in Iron River, Mr. Tully interested him- self in political affairs, serving as Supervisor of Iron River Township in the years 1888-89-90 and in the latter year moved to Crystal Falls upon his election to the office of Sheriff. John O. Westerberg was born in Vermland, Sweden in the year 1839. Coming to the United States in 1871 he made his way to the iron mines of the Marquette Range. In 1881 he moved to the Iron River district where he established a home in Stambaugh. As soon as temporary living quarters were provided, he was joined by his family which consisted of his wife and three sons. A man of considerable mining experience, Mr. Westerberg was promoted to the position of mining captain of the early mines of the Iron River Company. While engaged in this capacity at the Isa- bella Mine, he was caught beneath a fall of rock which resulted in his death on June 18, 1888. The youngest member to come to the village with the family was John F. Westerberg. John Farley John Farley was born in the State of New York in the year 1848. A contractor in road construction, he came to the Menomi- nee Range about the year 1880 where he was engaged in various railroad construction projects. Upon his completion of the last section of railroad into Iron River, he made Stambaugh his home. The family of Mr. Farley arrived from New York on one of the first trains to reach the area in the month of November 1882. Mr. Farley was active in local political affairs. He died in the year 1913. August Anderson was one of the many recent immigrants of Scan- dinavian descent who hired out at Florence, Wisconsin to Superin- tendent James N. Porter for work in the Iron River Mine in 1882. Mr. Anderson was born in Sweden in 1852 and came to Florence in 1881. Settling in Stambaugh, Mr. Anderson built a home on First Street to which the family came from Sweden in 1883. The family moved to a farm east of the village in 1900 where it continued to live for many years. Mr. Anderson died in the year 1921. James H. Nettell was one of the early transient laborers to visit Stambaugh who in later years returned to make it his permanent home. Though the home of his child and early youth were in the neighborhood of Rockland Michigan, Mr. Nettell was born at the home of his grandparents in Dodgeville, Wisconsin on Septem- ber 23, 1866. As a mere boy of fifteen years, he hired out to James N. Porter and made his way to the Iron River Mine during the early part of July 1881, the journey from Florence being made with one of the supply teams. In an interview with the writer, Mr. Nettell recalled that stripping operations were presently in progress at the Isabella Mine but no actual mining had begun. Horses and two-wheeled dump carts were used in this work. The temporary living quarters and office of Mr. Porter were situated on the south side of the highway from the pre- sent Cederna home near the mine. Stambaugh at the moment was a forest containing two log cabins, one located on the east end of Fourth Street near Lincoln Avenue and the other near the west end of First Street. On his return journey to Iron Mountain in late August, Mr. Nettell noted that active pine logging operations were in progress 102 HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN along the lower Brule River. Following a series of promotions in the iron mines of Minnesota, he returned to the district in 1906 when he became the Superinten- dent of the Baker and Tully Mines of the Corrigan, McKinney Iron Company. Mr. Nettell died on August 5, 1953. Gust Djupe Gust Djupe was a native of Sweden who came to the United States in 1880 and settled in the village of Norway, Michigan. Nor- way at this time was the destination point of Scandinavian im- migrants to the Range and boasted a large number of nationals from these countries. In 1881, he made his first visit to the new mines of Stambaugh, the journey from Florence being made on foot. Mr. Djupe was a deeply religious man and before his return to Norway in the early months of 1882, he conducted the first Swedish services of the Mis- sion Covenant denomination to be held in the village of Stambaugh. These services were held in a boarding house situated on the southeast corner of Washington and Fourth Streets. In the year 1883, he returned to Stambaugh with his family to make it his per- manent home. Upon his return he took a leading role in the establish- ment and growth of the congregation, fulfilled the duties of the pastor for several years and was instrumental to a large degree in the erection of the present Mission Covenant Church. Mr. Djupe followed carpentry as a vocation and was also the local rope and cable splicer of the mines. He died in 1933 at the age of eighty years. John Corbett was one of the early miners that made their way to Stambaugh and remained to establish a permanent home there Mr. Corbett was a native of Ireland where he was born in 1850. About the year 1878, he left the land of his birth to come to the United States where he settled in Ishpeming and found employment in the Iron mines. Some two years later he moved to Norway and in the early months of 1882, he made his way to Stambaugh, the journey from Florence being made on foot. Upon his arrival in Stambaugh, he built one of the first private residences in the village and was joined by his family in 1883. In the year 1884, Mr. Corbett filed a claim to homestead lands in the Spring Valley area where he later made his home during the panic years. Mr. Corbett died in Stambaugh on June 20, 1920. Nels Holmes was born in Sweden in the year 1943. Coming to the United States in 1881, he made his way to Florence where he became engaged on the railroad construction projects. In the course of this work he came to Iron River and upon completion of the line to that village, he entered on the construction of log homes for the settlers of the district. In 1883, he settled on homestead land in Section 11 south of the village. Like many other early settlers Mr. Holmes soon discover- ed that the lands he had selected had previously been committed by the government to others through pre-emption and he was compelled to purchase same to retain his homesite. He subsequent- ly field a claim to adjoining lands upon which he secured a patent. Michael White In the year 1884 Mr Holmes was joined by his family from Sweden. Arriving also with the family was Fred Sackerson a kinsman, then twelve years of age and who currently makes his home on the former family homestead. Mr. Homes died at the farm home on Janaury 13, 1933. Michael White was born in Florient Point, Province of Quebec, Canada on June 24, 1861 and was of Canadian-French lineage. In 1880 while still in his teens, he left Canada to come to the United States where he found employment in the lumbering industry of Marinette, Wisconsin. In 1882, we find him driving one of the many supply teams that operated between Florence and Iron River before the advent of the HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 103 railroad. It is related that on one of his trips during the winter sea- son, he made his usual stop at the Indian Village at Chicagoan Lake to rest and refresh himself and his horses. On this occasion, he was overpowered by several braves who temporarily held him captive while they ransacked his load of supplies in a search for delicacies, mainly candies and tobacco. This action was directly contrary to the rules of Chief Edwards who severely reprimanded the involved braves for their conduct and forced the return of all the pilfer- ed contents. Other members of the White family including the father and mother of the subject of our sketch came to the village from Canada in the year 1888. Mr. White died in the city of Stambaugh where he made his home on October 24, 1937. Johannes Anderson was born in Sweden on October 11, 1853. Upon his arrival in the United States in the year 1881, he was engaged in various types of work on the lower Menominee Range and in 1882, we find him making his way afoot to Stambaugh where he made his permanent home. A carpenter by trade, Mr. Anderson was engaged in the con- struction of the early homes of the village and at the early sawmill of the Iron River Company near the Isabella Mine. While employ- ed at the latter he suffered the loss of the major part of his right hand which greatly handicapped him in his later life. In 1883, Mr. Anderson was joined by his wife and two children and the family subsequently moved to a farm on the eastern limits of the village. These lands are now a completely settled section of the city. Mr. Anderson died in 1939. Martin Bies was born in Berlin Germany in 1838 and upon enter- ing the United States, he made his home in Milwaukee for a time. In 1880 we find him settled in Peshtigo and in 1882, he came to Iron River where he entered the saloon business. The business building of Mr. Bies adjoined the early hotel of Mr. Boyington and was one of the buildings to be destroyed in the fire of 1885. Mr. Bies died in the year 1906. Andrew Erickson was one of the early homesteaders of Bates Township who came to the United States in his late teens from Sweden where he was born on October 6, 1864. Mr. Erickson worked the early Iron River Furnace in 1884 and 1885. Later he turned his attention to farming and at the turn of the century he became a partner in one of the first mobile threshing units that toured the county each autumn. Mr. Erick- son died March 1, 1954 at the age of 89. James Waldron James Waldron was native of Ireland where he was born in the year 1819. At the age of sixteen years he left his homeland to come to the United States, the voyage being made in a sailing ship that consumed the greater part of two months in crossing the At- lantic. In 1880 we find Mr. Waldron among the members of the iron ore exploration crews working their way up the Brule and Iron rivers. With the development of the mines he found employment therein and made Stambaugh his permanent home. Upon the establishment of railway service to the area, Mr. Wal- dron was joined by his family, the youngest member of said family being a son Theodore who was a member of the Stambaugh police force for some years until his recent retirement. About the year 1900, the family purchased farm lands near the south boundary of the village where they have continued to make their home. These lands are now a part of the city. Mr. Waldron, the subject of our sketch, died in the year 1891. Erick Renberg was born in Sweden on September 22, 1847. Leaving his native land with his family in 1882, he came to Crystal Falls where he worked in the mines for a period of two years. 104 HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN During the temporary lull in mining activity in 1884, the family moved to Stambaugh where it has continued to reside. The family subsequently made their home on a farm east of the village where Mr. Renberg died on July 7, 1929. Mr. Renberg was active in political affairs of the early village and Township of Stambaugh. William Young came to Iron River from Marquette where he had made his home since 1869 and found employment in the various iron furnaces. In the spring of 1882 we find Mr. Young, his elder brother Andrew and Elisha Mor- gan engaged in removing the trees and grading the streets of the newly platted village of Iron River. Mr. Young later made Stambaugh his home where he became the district distributor of petroleum products, mainly kerosene for lighting purposes. Gasoline was considered useless in these early days and too dangerous to handle. Later he became the representa- tive of the DuPont Powder Co. Mr. Young was born in 1842 and died on January 12, 1935. Jens P. Christensen was one of the many laborers who worked on the railroad extension into Iron River and remained to make it his permanent home. Upon his arrival Mr. Christensen settled on home- stead lands west of the village but soon discovered like many other settlers had done, that he was on contested lands and he was compelled to take up cash entry lands to secure a homesite in the area he desired. In the year 1884, Mr. Christensen was joined by his family which is represented by many descendants in the district at this time. Mr. Christensen was born in Denmark in 1852 and died at his farm home in 1926. John E. Greenlund was born in Sweden in 1844 and came to the United States in 1879. Following a brief stay in the State of Penn- sylvania, he came to Iron Mountain in 1880 where he was engaged in the mines. In the summer of 1882, he decided to move to avail- able lands at Iron River. Accompanied by his wife and John E. Nelson a close friend, the trio walked from the railroad at Stag- er. Upon the selection of suitable homestead lands in Bates Town- ship, the two families divided the quarter section between them for homesites. Mr. Greenlund died in 1917. August Peterson August Peterson was a native of Sweden where he was born in 1852. Upon his arrival in the United States in 1881, he came to Florence, Wisconsin where he was engaged in the mines for one year. In the autumn of 1882 he came to Iron River where he was periodi- cally employed in the mines while improving his homestead lands in the Wagner Lake district of Stambaugh Township. Mr. Peterson died at the farm home in 1918. Aldo Lindquist was born in Moshult, Smoland, Sweden in the month of August of the year 1857. As a young man of twenty-five years of age, he came to America and made his way directly to the new iron mines of Iron River. While proving up on a homestead claim along the old Beechwood road west of Iron River, he work- ed in the mines during the summer mining season. Later he se- cured lands along the east shore of Sunset Lake in Bates Township where he made his permanent home. Mr. Lindquist died in the year 1922. Peter J. Aronson was also born in Moshult, Smoland, Sweden on December 24, 1862. In 1882, he left Sweden and came direct to the end of the Railroad line at Florence, Wisconsin where he was met by his eldest brother, Aldo Lindquist who had made the trip from Iron River on foot for the meeting. Mr. Aronson was engaged in mining, railroad work and as a grocery clerk in the store of Mr. Hunter until 1887 when he joined John Lindwall and others in filing on newly opened homestead lands in Ontonagon County near the site of Ewen. Following the year 1890, he entered into the grocery busi- HISTORY OF IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 105 ness and acted also as the local timber buyer for the milling com- panies. Mr. Aronson died in Oakland, California in 1946. John Macdonald, the first Postmaster of Iron River village was born in Inverness, Scotland on November 9, 1845. While engaged in a Tea and Spice business in Marinette, Mr. Macdonald was induced to come to Quinnesec about the year 1878 when he started a gro- cery business. In the year 1881, the Iron River district looked more promising so he shipped his stock to Florence by rail and haul- ed it overland with teams to the new location, setting up his busi- ness in a log cabin situated immediately east of the present Post- office. Here he was selected as the first postmaster. It will be re- membered that the small structure that now stands west of Lindwalls garage was situated at that time on the corner lot now occupied by the garage and served as the Village and Township headquart- ers. The following year Mr. Macdonald moved his store into the Innes Block opposite the Boyington Hotel. This store building was destroyed in the fire of 1885. The log cabin postoffice structure was converted into a home for theMacdonald family which arrived in 1882. Mr. Macdonald died in Denver, Colorado on June 4, 1933. |