FAMILIES OF THE PICKFORD AREA |
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Nellie Davis was born in Ireland of Scottish parents about 1778. Neilly in Donegal, Ireland. He was born in 1762-in Scotland. To them were born two sons and three daughters: William, Jane, Ann, Helen, and Andrew.Ann was born in 1803 in Donegal, Ireland.
She married John MacDonald, son of James MacDonald and Maria David MacDonald of Belleshanery, Ireland. John was a carpenter, as was his father. In those days it was popular to spin and Ann's spinning wheel is still owned by the MacDonald family. John was barn in 1809 and they were married in 1827 when she was 23 and he was 19. They had nine childten, five born in Ireland and four born in Canada. Only well-to-do people had shoes then, so John bought the maid a pair to wear when she took the children for a walk.
John MacDonald decided to come to Canada and sailed from Glasgow in 1844. He and his wife brought the two youngest children, leaving the three oldest with their Grandmother McNeilly. Grandfather McNeilly was very ill and they thought he would not live. So his wife said she would come to Canada after his death. But he recovered and she died. It was 13 years later that they came over to Canada.
It was 7 weeks on the voyage. They encountered fields of ice that nearly cut the vessel. They arrived in New Richmond, Bay Cheleur County, Bonaventure, Quebec on May 30, 1842. They moved 30 miles up the bay to Escuminac and settled on a farm. He also worked in a shipyard at Oak Point. Some of the rails he cut to build a fence are still on the farm, but the buildings are gone.
WILLIAM, the oldest son, received his educiation in the University of Belfast, Ireland, and came to Canada in 1855. After he was through school he worked for $1.00 per month to earn enough to come to Canada. He was 13 weeks coming across. He taught school after arriving in Canada, boarding a week in each home for part of the teaching salary. In 1856 he married Margaret Forbes in Dalhousie, New Brunswick. Her parents came from England and Scotland. He continued teaching after buying a farm which his wife lived on and cared for the children. Isaac, the second child, was born November 18, 1860 in the town of Escuminac, New Brunswick. He was named after his great grandfather, Isaac McNeilly. He had four sisters and three brothers.
William taught his children to read and write before they attended school. When Isaac was scarcely in his teens, he drove oxen and helped cultivate the land. The oxen's names were Buck and Bright. William still taught school at this time. Five of the children were born in New Brunswick and three in Upper Canada. John MacDonald died in Escuminac and Ann moved to Upper Canada with her son, William. He was a bookkeeper for his brother-in-law, who was a lumberman.
In 1879 they moved to Pickford, where they lived on a farm two and one-quarter miles south of Pickford. Ann MacDonald came with them. She died at the age of 93 and is buried in Bethel Cemetety. WILLIAM died in 1907 and Margaret in 1910. They are both buried in Bethel Cemetery.
Isaac took up a homestead at Rockview, located one mile west and one-half south of Rockview, which he partly cleared and farmed. Later he moved to a farm one and one-half miles south of Pickford. He married Eliza Rye of Pickford. They had four children and one adopted child. The four children were Sarah Elizabeth, a minister, who married Rev. James H. James; William Richard, who married Myrtle Mitchell; Hope Ethel, who married Simon Parker; James Albert who married Katie Galer, several years after Katie's death, Bert married Helen Nash; and Lucille Werve the adopted daughter.
Isaac MacDonald made maple syrup on the homestead at Rockview in an open kettle late 1880's. The Bert McDonalds still make syrup, but use an evaporator now. The syrup has gone to several places in Africa, Japan, Alaska, India, England, Germany, Philippines, Australia, Canada, and almost all of the states in the United States. Bert has the deed for the homestead that his father, Isaac, took up in the 80's signed by President Benjamin Harrison.
Isaac was Highway Commissioner of Marquette Township for several years. When they moved from the homestead to the farm south of Pickford in 1890, the Swamp Road 3/4 mile long was all corduroy built by Long John White and sons.
William married Myrtle Mitchell and they had four children. Davis*- was killed in service. Gloria* (Mrs. David Swick) lives in Waterloo, Iowa, and has three children. Dale* lives in California and has three children.
Bert has four children: Gertrude, Edwin, Marvin, and James*. Edwin* marriede Myrtle Crawford and they have five children. Richard** married Shelby Miller from Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and they have one son, Sean***. richard is still in the service in Fort Riley, Kansas. Frances** married James Wood and is teaching in Warren, Michigan. Brian, Beverly, and Robert** are at home. Marvin* married Virgene Cottle and they have three children: Carol Ann(Mrs.Larry Whitson), Wayne, and Steve**. Wayne recently married Ruth Waybrant.
Hope, Lucille and Sarah are deceased.
Isaac D. MacDonald, the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. James MacDonald, was born in Tiega, Ontario, June 3, 1880. The family moved to Michigan, arriving in the Soo on Sunday, August 18, 1886, on the steamer Campana. They brought all of their household goods, one team of horses, some cows, and a complete sawmill with them. This was the first circular sawmill in the Upper Peninsula. They settled on a farm five miles north of Pickford where they ran the saw mill and also farmed.
I.D. MacDonald was married December 24, 1895, to Augusta Mae Rowse, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Rowse, who were also early pioneer settlers in Chippewa County. Mr. Rowse carried mail to the Soo in those early days by horseback, making one trip a week. Of this marriage there were six children: COLETTE (Mrs.Henry A. Hermann, now living in Detroit); HOWARD, who is married to the former Lois Armstrong and living in the Soo; IRENE, now living in Detroit; ETTA
Mrs. Norman J. Love, living in the Soo); BURNETT (BUD), who is married to Jo Donnelly and living in Rudyard. One child, WILLIAM ALFRED, died in infancy.
Mr. MacDonald worked with his father in the mill north of Pickford, and when his father retired, he bought the mill and moved it to Pickford. This was in 1907. in 1909 fire completely destroyed the mill, but Mr. MacDonald rebuilt it, adding a planing mill to the original plant. Then in 1914, the mill was again destroyed by fire. With only $300 insurance available, because of lack of protection from fire at th0at time, he again rebuilt and climbed to the top. In 1932 a branch lumber yard was est0ablished at Rudyard under the management of his son, Bud. That same year M. MacDonald built a shingle mill 4 miles north of Pickford and continued to operate both mills until he retired. He sold the Pickford mill to his son, Howard, who owned and operated it until 1949, when he sold it to Howard Beacom. Howard retained the retail lumber yard which he moved to a location on M-129 in 1947. He sold it to Babcock in 1964, who later sold to Taylor and it is now called the Cashway Lumber.
The lumber yard in Rudyard burned to the ground April 1, 1940, and was immediately rebuilt by Bud MacDonald. It was destroyed by fire April, 1947, and again rebuilt. It burned again in 1970 and was not rebuilt.
Mr. MacDonald died December 25, 1949, and was preceded in death by his wife who died on October 13 of the same year.
Records show that Mr. Neil MacInnis, Sr., lumbered in this area before 1885. He later farmed on M-129 across from what is now the Don Rye farm. It was on this farm that Bob Beacom was threshing when the machine caught fire, destroying the threshing machine, barn, and all its contents.
Mr. and Mrs. Neil MacInnis had the followihg children: NEIL, JR., GEORGE, JACK, DAN, CHARLES, BARBARA, CARRIE, and JENNIE.
NEIL MAC INNIS, JR., lived at Stirlingville on the farm now owned by Beatrice Brown. JACK married Edna Gough and their children were Willard and James. After his mother's death, when he was quite young, Willard lived with his Grandparents MacInnis. Jack remarried and had one son, John. Willard operates an advertising business at Rudyard. James, operates the Farm and Garden Center in Sault Ste. Marie. He married June Sweeny and they have two children, Charles and Barbara.
In the year 1066, during the Norman Conquest, a man left France and went with other Huguenets to Yorkshire, England, where he settled. His name was Maltas, and for the next 850 years, the small parishes around Yorkshire were never without a Maltas family on their records.
In 1841 a male member of the Maltas family moved ta Toronto, Canada, where he married another recent immigrant from England. To this couple in 1850 was born a son, William.
At the age of 18 in 1868 William Maltas was converted and after serving as a blacksmith's apprentice for several years, he married in 1871. He worked in the lumber business and operated a store before coming to Sault Ste. Marie in 1889 with six children, the youngest only 6 months old and a wife in poor health. Mrs. Maltas died shortly after. After that William peddled groceries and dry goods throughout the country-side and in many places was asked to preach.
In 1891, over the bitter protests of his children, they moved to a farm near Stalwart where he preached to the people in several localities nearby. He remained on the farm until 1925 when he moved to Pickford.
In November, 1802, William married again. Annie, his wife, was a tremendous help to him in the difficult task of being an itinerant preacher. After 1925 he spent some time in the far West trying to regain his health, but most of his time was spent in Pickford with the people he loved.
John and Susanna (Cox) McCarthy came to Michigan from Allison, Ontario, 1897. They brought with them 10 children: Mary(Doyle), Sarah (Duggan), Elizabeth (Armstrong), John (Julia Hassett), Mike (Mildred Follis), Margaret (Harrington), Bill (Effie Rutledge), Lulu (Johnson), Frances (Wykes), and Izeta. lzeta died of the flu when she was 21.
When they first came they lived in Sault Ste. Marie on Magazine Street near the railroad depot. Shortly after, they bought a farm located 5 miles north of Pickford at Tone. They purchased it from Jim McDonald.
John had a sawmill which he moved around to different places. His last sawmill was located in the Rockview area where he was killed in an accident.
MIKE, JOHN, and BILL spent all their lives in the Tone area where they were engaged in lumbering. Now deceased, they have many descendants in Michigan. JOHN had two children, both of whom live in Sault Ste. Marie: Geraldine (Mrs. Donald McDonald) and John, Jr. BILL had four children, the only surviving one being Thelma (Mrs. Glen Smith) of Lansing. MIKE had 10 children, 8 of whom are still living: Reta (Mrs. Clayton Graham) of Flint; John T. (Verona Garrett) of Pickford; Frances (Mrs. Morris Donnelly) of Marquette; Gladys (Mrs. Durwood Carmean) of St. Ignace; Roberta (Mrs. Bernard LaDuke) of Detroit; Irene;(Mrs. Norbert Denker) of Carson City; Audrey (Mrs. Alex Handziak) of Dafter; and Howard of Flint.
John and Verona have four children and four grandchildren. Michael of Rapid River has three children; Jacqueline (Mrs. R. Fineberg) of California has one son, Stephen*; Richard lives in Grand Rapids;and Barbara is a student nurse at L.S.S.C.
There are no survivors ofthe original mcCarhty family remaining. However, BILL's wife, Effie, lives with her daughter, Mrs. Glen Smith, in Lansing. John and Susanna have about 200 living descendants.
Richard H. McConkey was born in Wellesley, Ontario, in 1870. When he was eight years old he came with his parents, Richard and Elizabeth Smith McConkey, his brother, and seven sisters to find a new home in Michigan. They came by boat, sailing up the Munuscong River and settling along its banks in the Keldon area. After living there for about a year, they took up a homestead of 160 acres 4 miles east of Pickford. Their first home was a log shanty. Later they built a frame house which is still standing, but vacant, now owned by a grandson, Lynn Aldrich.
Richard's only brother, Charlie, married Susan Duncan of Stalwart and lived in the Pickford area for a few years before going West. He was living in the state of Washington at the time of his death. His wife, Susan, is now deceased also.
Susan McConkey was the oldest of the seven sisters. She married Robert Yuill and lived in Washington. Nellie (Ellen) married Robert Campbell and lived in Fairview, where the Clark Skinners now live. After her husband's death, she married his brother, Walter Campbell, and moved to his home in Stirlingville. Elizabeth was married to Robert Crawford and lived in Pickford, where they operated a boarding house. Jemima (Mina) was married to Dudley P. Aldrich, who was a photographer and retail merchant in Pickford for a number of years. Their later years were spent at the old family home where their son, Lynn, still resides. Margaret (Maggie) married James O'Neil. They moved from Pickford to Marysville, Washington, and later to Seattle, where she died in 1940. Ida, the youngest member of the family, married William J. Clegg. They lived in Saskatchewan for several years and then returned to Pickford where they made their home. After his death she lived in the Sault and Pickford until her sudden death in January, 1960. Her son, Roy, and his family own and occupy the former family home in Pickford.
Richard McConkey married Mae O'Brien of Stalwart on July 12, 1900, in Sault Ste. Marie. They lived in the family home in Fairview until December, 1909, when they moved to the new frame house which they had built on their new clay farm. This is where their son, Clifford, and his family lived before moving to town. The Richard McConkey family consisted of nine children. There were five girls: MARY (Mrs. Ray Dodds), deceased, November, 1971; PEARL (Mrs. Mervin Nixon); NELLIE (Mrs. Roy Craig) who lives in the Sault; VIOLET (Mrs. Forrest Smith); and MARGUERITE who died at birth. The boys were: HARRY (deceased, December, 1970) who married the former Anne Zwolinski; EVERETT (deceased, February, 1963) who married the former Jennie Peffers; CLIFFORD (deceased, June, 1972) who married Bertha Clow; and FRED who was killed in action in Germany in March of 1945.
In the fall of 1944, due to failing health, the McConkeys sold their livestock and moved to an apartment at the home of their son, Everett. A few weeks later, on October 23, Mr. McConkey passed away. Mrs. McConkey lived in the village of Pickford and enjoyed fairly good health until death in December, 1961. Richard and Mae McConkey have quite a long list of descendants.
MARY and Ray Dodds have two sons. Marvin married Idena Harrison and they have five children: Roger, a graduate of L.S.S.C., married to the former Patricia Regley; Marilyn, working in Bay City;Sherri, Cindy, and Danny at home. Raymond, Jr, married Delores Walker and they have two daughters Kerry Kathleen is attending Northern Michigan University and is married to Gary Hipps. Donna is married to Jack Donnelly and they have a daughter, Jennifer*.
Mervin and PEARL Nixon had three children. Phyllis Jeanne is deceased. Barbara married Bert McKiddie and they have three children, Tammy, Vicki, and David. Frank married Judith Lockhart and they have three children, Richard,Lori, and Randall.
HARRY and Anne had four children. Dale married Connie Sweeney and they have four children: Beth, Robert, Brian and Carol. Raymond married Marian Schmitigal of Goetzville and they have three children, Denise, Gloria and Scott. Beverly married Clarence Nayback and they have three children, Patsy, David, and Wayne. Donald married Winnie Visnaw and lived in Cedarville. Pats
EVERETT and Jennie had six children. Arla Mae married Russell McDowell and they have four children: Larry(deceased 1968): Betty Lou, Alan, and Evan. Betty Lous died in 1954. Everett, jr. married Arlene Black and they have four children: Perry, Lori, Joseph, and Judy. they live in Escanaba. Evelyn married Perter Bush of Sault Ste. maried and they have five children: Terri, Pamela, Susan, Peter, and Diana. Frank married Sandra riley of Sault Ste. Marie and they had four children: David, Danny, Doreen (deceased), and Christopher. Janette married James Hames of Cedarville. They have three daughters, Rhonda, Robin, and Raya, and one son James.
Roy and NELLIE Craig have two children. Violet married William Leisher and they have four sons: Robby, Craig, Reid, and Eric. The Leishers live in Chicago. Robert is with the Fireand Ambulance Service in Fairbanks, Alaska.
CLIFFORD and Bertha have five children. Richard married Kathy Riley of Sault Ste. Marie and they have three children, Diane, Darren, and Paul. Sandra married James Stain. Brenda married Edward Stain of Sault Ste. Marie. Steve and Timmy are at home.
Forrest and VIOLET Smith have three sons. James, is studying law at the University of Detroit. He is married to the former Mary Foster who teaches at Delta Community College. Fred a graduate of L.S.S.C., has completed his tour of duty in Vietnam and is in the insurance and real estate business in Sault Ste. Marie. Robert is at home.
The living descendants of Richard and Mae McConkey add up to a total of 23 grandchildren and 50 great grandchildren.
William and Margaret McDonald landed in the Soo in 1882 with eight children, two cows, a team of horses, and all their earthly goods loaded in a wagon. The Taylor family landed the same day from another part of Ontario on a different boat. The families settled on farms two miles south of Pickford opposite each other. The McDonald farm was bought from the railroad for $4 per acre. The family of eight children were Mary (Mrs. Tom Robinson) who lived in Pickford until 1911, then moved to Calgary and had 10 children; Isaac, who farmed here and had four children; Marie (Mrs. William Denny) who had four daughters and lived here until her death in 1948; William P. who was Forbes' father; James D. who was a Presbyterian minister in Detroit all his life; Stewart, who was a mechanic and mill man and built many farm buildings in the area, and the two youngest daughters, Hope and Margaret. William P. McDonald worked in the woods for 10 years with his father's team in the winter and cleared land and farmed in the summer. He also worked on the Soo Line Railroad one summer and worked on the Water Power Canal in the Soo with a team and scraper. In 1893 he married Mary Kennedy of Ripley, Ontario, who was the sister of Mrs. Robert Walker. William P. and Mary had five children. CECIL born 1894 and died in Bradenton, Flotida in 1960. MARGARET was born in 1896 and lived a long time in Grand Rapids and died in 1961. PARKER lived in Grand Rapids and died in 1950. STEWART lived in Lake Wales, Florida. FORBES married Wilma Crawford in 1924 and they had three children. William, John and Maty. Fotbes died on October 9, 1972. FORBES finished the lOth grade in Pickford and completed a two year short course at Michigan State in 1921 before returning home to take over the family farm in partnetship with his father. Mrs. McDonald died in 1944. The McDonald family had been active in the community life of Pickford since its beginning. William P. was Supervisor and Justice of the Peace for many years and a member of the Methodist Church Board. Forbes was on the Church Board and served as Sunday School teacher for many years, as well as on other church boards and committees. He was a member of the Board of Education from 1932 to 1950. In 1945 Forbes formed a partnership with his son, William, and in 1950, John joined the partnership to operate a livestock business and farm. In 1946 Forbes organized the Pickford Meat Company and served as president until 1956 when he sold his interest to Clifford Harrison and Wayne Storey. He also organized the Cloverland Livestock Auction, Inc., in 1945. In 1957 William purchased a half-interest in the Auction and served as auctioneer. In 1947 Forbes helped organize the Future Farmers Livestock Sale and donated the livestock auction facilities until they united with the 4-H to form the Chippewa 4-H and F. F. A. Fair in 1957. Forbes was made an honorary member of the F. F. A. in 1952 by the Rudyard Chapter. In 1960 William purchased his father's interest in the Livestock Auction. He was also made an honorary member of the Rudyard F. F. A. Chapter in 1968. William sold his interest in the Livestock Auction in September, 1971. He opened the Old McDonald Auction Barn in 1965 in Pickford, holding auctions every week April through December. In 1971 he added a furniture store in connection with the auction barn. In 1964 John opened a real estate office and he lives on the old home farm where his grandfather lived in 1900 and also owns the original Henry Gough, Henry Raynard, and William Miller homesteads. William married Verva Lawson of Sault Ste. Marie in 1947 and had three children; Irwin, Linda, and Cynthia. Irwin is at home. Linda graduated from Asbury College and is a missionary teacher and Cynthia is a senior at Michigan State University. John married Audrey Armstrong in 1952 and they have four children: Forbes, a student at L.S.S.C., Mark, Alison, and an adopted daughter, Glenda. Mary (Mrs. Robert Massongill) of California. Their children are Jennifer and David.
Peter McDonald was botn in Belgrade Ontatio, Canada. He married Hannah Cook. They came to this area in the 1880's and settled on the P. Line about 1/2 mile from M-48. They had 12 children: Sarah born in 1868, Jack in 1864, Dave in 1870,Peter in 1873,Fred in 1881, Herb in 1884, William in 1886, Hannah, Eva, Mary, Louise and Elizabeth. All are deceased except Herb, and William.
Sarah married Alfred Curtis of Dafter. They had 6 children: Roy Earl, born June 1, 1895, Cora Eliz, Oct. 15, 1896. Wilbert, June 28, 1898, Louise Pearl born Sept. 9, 1903. Herbert Wm. born November 10, 1904, Russel Floyd March 3, 1906.
Roy married Beatrice Christie. They have 8 children Robert, Raymond, Violet, Betty, Margaret, Roy Jr., Frances and Jacqualine and 30 grandchildren.
Cora married David Wilson (deceased). They had 3 daughters: Opal, (Mrs. Calomino),Ruby (Mrs.Huntly), Doris (Mrs. Mackie) and 11 grandchildren.
Wilbert married Ethel Pearce. They have 5 children: Margery(Mrs. Lampiris), Harold, Dorothy (Mts. Wilson), Coralie (Mrs. Jacobson), Lorne (deceased), and eight grandchildren.
Louise Pearl married James Larty and they have 2 children, a boy and a girl.
Herbert is a retired County Road Employee is married to Iva Suggitt, a retired teacher.
Russell married Gertrude Fegan and has two children, I)arlene and Russel.
Jack married Annie Cowell. They had seven children, Maxine never married. She lives in Paama. Angus, Bryon, Clarence (deceased), Laurence, Kenneth, Dougal, and 10 grandchildren.
David married Sraah Cockerline and had 2 children Herbert and Dorthy. Herbert married Bernice Potter. They had 2 children: Raya(Mrs. John Grivin) and Herbert, Jr., and 2 grandchildren. They all live in Midland, Michigan. Dorthy (Mrs. Wm. McCabe) had one son, Gary McCabe. She later married Arvie Hakola. She has six grandchildren.
Peter (see Stewart History),
Fred married Eveline Baines. They had 9 children, Chester, Melbourne, Leslie, Mary, Jack, Herman, Loretta and Tressa (twins), and Vern died at the age of one year.
Chester (Deceased) married Venita Kastner. They had two boys and 3 grandchildren.
Melbourne (deceased) see Batho History
Leslie (deceased) married Gladys Sterns. They had 3 children Fred, Jack and Beverly and six grandchildren.
Mary (Mrs. Ernest Hembroff), She had 3 stepchildren, Max, Milton, Wilhelmina (Mrs. Arthur and 9 step-grandchildren.
Jack married Ruby Smith. They have no children.
Herman never married.
Loretta (Mrs. Russel Tinkis). They have 2 children, Robert and Donelda. She has 3 grandchildren.
Tressa has no family.
Herb married Hazel Druding and they have no family.
William married Mable Druding after Mable's death he remarried and had 2 children and one stepson.
Hannah married Bill Hearn. They had 2 children, Eva and Illa Mae. Eva married John Roe. They had an adopted daughter, Pearl. All are deceased.
Mary married Dan Donaldson and they had 2 boys, Floyd and Earnest.
Louise married James McLarty and they had 2 children.
Elizabeth (Mrs. Adam Houghton) and they had seven children.
Hiram McDowell was born August 22, 1854, in New Stead, New York, and came to Michigan in 1888. Hiram married Martha Brundson July 13, 1892. They had four children: Mildred, Norman, William Harold, Esther, and Robert.
MILDRED married George Leach. They had eight children: Dorothy Esther, Mildred, Ruby, Elwin, Ivan, Vern, and Howard. Mrs. Leach lives in Pickford.
WILLIAM HAROLD married Belle Nettleton. They had three children: Marvin, Freida, and Dale. Marvin married Shirley Rye and they live west of Pickford. They have four children: Carol, Bill, Charles, and Myrna. Freida (Mrs. Jack Howard) has four children: Esther, Elizabeth, Barbara, and Donna. Dale married Alice Jeske and they live in Rudyard. Their children are: Cindy, Candy, Robbie, Connie, and Randy. HAROLD died suddenly in 1971.
NORMAN was born Sept. 27, 1894, and died in Oct., 1970. He married Mary Bawks and they had two daughters: Lorraine, a missionary in Chad, Africa; and Donna (Mrs. George Andrews) of Flint. A few years after Mary's death, Norman married Jennie Beckham.
ROBERT married Alvina Moore and lives in Sault Ste. Marie. They have three children: Vera (Mrs. Harold Barclay), Robert, and Harvey.
ESTHER (Mrs. Anderson) lives in Marquette.
Leonard McDowell came to Michigan in 1896 from Westfield, Ontario. He bought bush land: in the Pickford area and cleared enough land for some crops, garden, and a house which he built. He later returned to Canada and married Mary Jane Mitchell. They then returned to Michigan. Their four children were Gertrude, Elmer, Orton, and Della.
GERTRUDE married Lewis Harrison. They had seven sons: Elwood (deceased); Maitland; Lewis Jr., Howard, Carlvle, Gerald, and Clifford. Mr. Harrison died in 1919. In 1925 she married
Robert Thompson and they had one daughter, Audrey (Mrs. Roland Hill, Jr.). Robert Thompson died December 25, 1972.
ELMER married Edith Rye. They had six children: Glen, Leonard, Clayton,and Clvde (twins), Vern, and Phyllis (Mrs. Gerald Ehle) who all live in Rudyard.
ORTON married Gladys Wilson. They have a son, Russel, who married Arla McConkey. They had four children: Betty, Alan, Evan, and Larry (deceased).
DELLA married Orville Bawks and they have two children, Alvin and Mary (Mrs. Robert Howell).
Donald (Dan) McInnis was born in Derby Township, Canada on October 26, 1870 to Neil and Flora McInnis. He has four brothers and three sisters: John, Neil, Jr., George, Charles, Cassie, Jennie and Barbara.
This family moved from Canada to a farm two miles north and one half mile west of Pickford. Donald married Lydea Margaret Denny, a daughter of William and Maria Denny, on June 23, 1909. Their children Hector Donald, Elton Webster, Osborne Neil were born while this family lived on Lizzie Street in Pickford. They moved to their home near the Fair grounds where their three daughters Leola Marie, Bernice Flora and Ervadean Isabelle were born.
Donald owned a Confectionary and Ice Cream Store in the village for a while. After he sold this store he was a contractor and builder. He also was an auctioneer. Later he bought a Grocery Store. He built a church four miles east of Pickford where the family attended for four years. Later Donald was Superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School for nine years. He was Chaplain of the Loyal Orange Lodge for ten years.
The Donald McInnis family lived in Pickford for sixteen years. They moved to Gardenville where he went into farming. Two sons were born to them there: Neil, Jr. and James Davis.
Their son Osborne died from scarlet fever in June 1920. Donald died May 24, 1934, and Lydea died in June 1958.
Duncan McKenzie was born in Scotland, the son of Donald McKenzie. His brothers were Dan, James, John, and William. Duncan came alone to Canada and was a blacksmith by trade at Lauti, Ontario. He married Annie Daley who was born in Paikhill, Ontario. She had five brothets, Petet, George, Jud, John, and Alex, and three sisters, Catherine, Emily, and Ellen.
There were three children born in Canada to Duncan and Annie: Alex, Lillian, and Adelia. Then they moved to a homestead in Stirlingville about 1878. Duncan cleared the land, farmed, and did some blacksmithing. Two more children were born to them here, Judson and Alvin.
They sold their farm to their son, Alvin, and moved to Pickford in 1917, and lived there until about 1923, when they moved to Sault Ste. Marie. Duncan died in 1933 and Annie in 1938.
ALEX married Clara Nixon and had one son, Cyril, who died in 1934. Clara died when Cyril was a baby and Alex later married Sarah Parks and they had one daughter, Stella. ALEX died in 1938.
LILLIAN married Alfred Rowse and had three children, Velma, Glen and Opal. She died in 1948.
ADELIA married Newman Brundson and lived west of Pickford on what is now the Howard Leach farm. They had three children, Elgin, Elva, and Verna. They later moved to Sault Ste. Marie and ADELIA died in 1945.
JUDSON married Mary Violet Graham and settled on the farm north of there homestead in Stirlingville. They had eight children: Minard married Hazel Greer and has two children, Wayne and Kay. Wayne has two sons, Michael and David.* Kay has two daughtets, Lisa and Julie. * Marion married Albert Walker and has one son, Lloyd. Lloyd has three sons, William, Robert, and Jack.* William has three children. Bernice married Robert Kerr and has four children, Betty, Elva, Gail, and Sonny. Betty married Floyd Bricker and has four children, Elva married Vern Tomkins ans has two children, Gail married Louie Mayer and has ten children, and Sonny has three children. merle married Edwin Harrison (deceased in 1955) and has three children, Theora, Patricia, and Lynn. Theora maried Arvid Hamilton and has three children, Joni, Kevin, and Kurtis.* Patricia married Don Stevenson and has two children, Chris and Sheldon.* Lynn married Vernon Dumbeck and has one child, Kristin.* Merle is now Mrs. Charles Wilson. Cora married Herb Dewitt and has two children, Fonda and Carol. Fronda has one child. Carol has four children. Cora is now Mrs. E.O. Hubbard. Violet married Robert McMurray and has five children. (Robert is deceased). Bonnie has two children, Deanna has three, James has two, Mary has two, and Cheryl has one. Violet is now Mrs. Don Flansburgh. Eva married Arnold McMurray and has two children, Don and Paul. Don has one child. Elda married Elliott Cottle and has three children, Richard, Dennis, and Marjorie. Richard married Marcie Hansen. Marjorie married Dale Williams, and they have one child, Chad.*
ALVIN married Jessie Hill and bought the homestead and lived there until a few years ago, when he built a house in Pickford and moved to town. He later built another house near Cedarville, but then returned to Pickford where he died in 1971. Alvin and Jessie had seven children. Leta (Mrs. Kinnee Ames) has three children. Fred married Charlene Nayback and they have a boy and a girl and they live in Flint. Joyce (Mrs. Hexey) also lives in Flint and has two children. Shelley is at their home east of Pickford. Alvina (Mrs. Frank Zqolinski) lives west of Pickford on what was the George Sterling farm. They have two children: Wayne, who lives on Mackinac Island and is married to the former Joann Sayers; and Karen (Mrs.Weedman) of Dallas, Texas. Verna and John Zwolinski have five children. Johnette (Mrs. Wayne Shoberg) has three sons, Russell, Tom, and John*. Bonnie is married to Randy Harrison and lives in Pickford. Marion (Mrs. Norman Avery) lives in gary, Indiana, where Alan is also working. Barbara is at home. Jean (Mrs. Wallace Beacom) lives southwest of Pickford and has six children. Ann (Mrs. Ed Sernes) jas rpir children. William married Rhonda Bennett had they have one girl. Darlene died in 1947. Nadinelives in Chicago with her husband, George Pollard, and has six children. Keith Wayne (Duncan) married Edith Kennedy and lives in California. They have three children, Patsy, Ricky, and Penny.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Miller came to this area October 9, 1884. Mr. Miller came in 1880 to build a house and stable for the stock. They came from Bayfield to the Soo, then to Jolly's Landing in Stirlingville on a boat called The Southern Bell. In the family was W. G. Miller, Annie Miller (Mis. William Maltas), and Mae Miller (Mrs.J. N. Latham) now of Vancouver, Washington.
W. G. MILLER was 14 years old when he came from Canada with his family. He went to wotk in lumber camps for Mr.John Beach at Cedarville and took lumber off the Pollard farm. He worked in various camps between DeTour and St. Ignace. He also worked for Mr. Hessel for whom the village of Hessel was named. At that time neither Cedarville nor Hessel had a name. When they landed at Stirlingville they had their household goods, five cows, seven sheep, and a team of horses. Mr. Miller always remembered that when they went past the Bob Beacom farm, little Hetb watched them as far as he could see, as strangers were scarce.
As time passed, William grew into manhood and went to the Soo and married his sister's girl friend, Mary Ester. To them were born five children which included Earl, Margaret, Beatrice, and Grace. Mrs. Miller was a very busy woman taking care of the children and making butter. She had a large number of butter customers in the Soo as well as the store.
As time marched on, sorrow came to the William Miller family. Death claimed little Grace, age 5, and later Mrs. Miller in 1916. Mr. Miller sold his farm to Millard Wise and he moved to town with his mother and father. The girls went to Stalwart and lived with Mrs. Maltas and Earl stayed with his father at the Henry Millers in Pickford. As time went on, Mr. Miller bought the Nate Tripp farm one-half mile north of Pickford and that is where Earl lives today. WILLIAM MlLLER was born September 5, 1870, and died at the age of 92 in April, 1963. Earl sold the farm in 1972 and moved to Cedarville.
Earl married Beulah Wilson and they had six children: James, Royce (deceased), Linda (Mrs.Lawlor), Willard, Ronald, Margaret (Mrs. Clark), and Robert.
William and Mary Moore were born in Ireland and moved to Canada. William (their son) and Mary were born in Canada and William (their grandson) and Kassie were born in Canada also.
William Moore came to the Stalwart area when he was 33. He got a homestead, went back to Canada and married Kassie, and then returned to Stalwart. They raised a family of four: Joseph, William, Mary, and Sarah.
JOSEPH MOORE married Edna Waybrant and they had 12 children. WILLIAM MOORE married Adaline Waybrant and they had 5 children. MARY MOORE married Edward Hank and they had 5 children. SARAH MOORE married Forrest McCord and they had 4 children.
Darlene mcCord (Mrs. Horseman) has four children. Par (mrs. Ashby) has three children. Harold married Mable beckman and their children are Ronald, James, Kelvin, and Donna. Milton married Janet Fills and their five children are Mike, Michelle, Christopher, Clayton, and Amy.
Thomas Morrison came to Pickford in 1882 from Brantford, Ontario. on December 19, 1855, and was a second cousin of Andrew Carnegie. He was born in Scotland Mr. Morrison built and operated the flour mill in the area and was Marquette Township Supervisor from 1887 to 1933. In his later years he was Justice of the Peace.
In 1889 he married Martha Rye, daughter of Richard Rye. They had nine sons and daughters: Margaret, John, Ruth, Grace, Agnes, Sadie, Beatrice, Clayton T., and David.
MARGARET (Mrs. H. M. Hamilton, deceased) had three children. Leita married Floyd Clegg and has three daughters. Maxwell is Superintendent of Schools in Freemont, Michigan. John is Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Kalamazoo. Maxwell has four children and John has two.
JOHN and DAVID are deceased. GRACE and AGNES are retired teachers and live in Pickford.
RUTH married George Wilson (deceased) and had four children. Robert married Carolyn Cres. Their five children are David, Debbie (Mrs. Dan Strange), John, Marilyn, Donald and Kerri. Robert lives on the Morrison farm one mile south of Pickford. reginald married Arla jean rutledge and they live one mile south and one-half mile west, of town. Their children are Marsha (Mrs. Milton Sutton), joAnn, Tommy, Jummy, and Martin. Freida (Mrs. Otto Storey), a nurse, lives three miles east of town and has five children: Janus, Kathryn, Robert, Fran, and Steven. Paul is at home. Later Ruth married Charles White (deceased).
SADIE (Mrs. Percy Wallis) lives near Rudyard. She has three children: Delmis (Mrs. Moldenhauer), Helen (Mrs. Kersage), and Donald, Preicipal at Kincheloe School.
BEATRICE (Mrs. Dale Lampkin) has two sons, Keith and Burton.
CLAYTON T. married Jennie Taylor. He is the only son who lived in Pickford all his life. He graduated with the first class from Pickford High School in 1922. He lived on the home farm for a few years. He served on the Pickford School Board for many years, four of them as president. He wes a member of the Michigan House of Representatives for fourteen years. He has served as a county commissioner from this district. He and his wife have three daughters. Audrey married James Norton and they have lived in Japan for 14 years as missionaries. Their children are James, Kathleen, Tom, Bryce, and Joseph. Dorothea and her husband (Regan Calloway), are teaching in California. Their children are Kevin, Rayna, and Karen. June married Ernest Peffers and lives one and one-quarter miles north of Picford. Their children are Steve, Marcia, Neal, and Joel. Steve is a student at L.S.S.C.
Mr. Morrison was a farmer until 1926 and served as secretary of the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company for 40 years. He also served as a local preacher for the Methodist Church for over 54 years. He died on December 22, 1940.
James and William Murphy came to this country from Canada and settled in the Stirlingville area.
James settled on what is known as the Clarence Hill farm. He married Fannie Adams. They had seven children, Raymond, William, Edith, Steve, Leo, Annie and Etta. Later they moved to California.
A school was built on the southwestern corner. To the north of the school was the Presbyterian Church built in 1888. Across the road to the west from the school was the Sterlingville Store was named after Wm. Stirling.
James Hill had a store in Stirlingville in 1901 or 1902. Later Herb Lee operated it, then Mr. Rothwell opetated it until a smaller store was built to west on south side of the road next to the Methodist Church which was built about 1890. Joe Palmatier operated the last store in Stirlingville.
William Murphy married Mary Lynch and settled one-half mile east of James on what was later known as the Dave Hill, Sr. farm. William was the farmer's friend being called on day or night to doctor a sick animal.
The William Murphy's had three daughters and two sons. They were, Nellie (Mrs. Charles Bennett), Agnes (Mrs. Matthews), Rose (Mrs. Alex Goodson), William and James.
The family moved to Rudyard then to Sault Ste. Marie. James still lives in the Sault.