Biographies, land descriptions and other points of interest.
|
|
EMILY FAMILY
 |
Peter and Minnie Emily lived in Curtisville during the lumbering days. Peter was a cook at Gates camp. They first lived on a little lake west and north of here. The lake still bears their name, Emily Lake. Mrs. Emily's father, Mr. Montgomery gave them a piece of property across form the Swayze Gordon farm. The present Curtis Township hall [Curtisville School, now the Curtisville Civic Center] is situated on a corner of that property. The Emily log house was in back of the present hall, whre lilac bushes and apple trees may still be seen. After the lumbering was over, Emily's moved to Detroit. Mrs. Emily and Mrs. Orra Spencer Jr. (Clara) were sisters. The Montgomerys are buried in the Curtisville Cemetery. Emily's had noine children: Cordon - married mary McGary, George - married Hazel Stevens, Lloyd - never married, Annie - married O-Conner, Sadie, Alice, Minnie and Mary.
GOODFELLOW FAMILY
Note canary cages hanging from the eaves on the front porch.
Robert Goodfellow Sr. and Son Bill drove a pari of horses for the state of New York to Grayling and bought a farm there. The rest of the family came by train to join them. They next moved to Comins and later came down to Curtisville to lumber. They bought a piece of land along Wilbur Creek. Members of the family were, parents Robert and Agnes, sons Bill, Robert Jr., Janes and John; daughters Christina, Jane, Mary and Eva.
Bill drove a team of big grey horses to Minnesota to work in the woods in the fall, returning in the spring. When the horses became old, Bill broke a pair of oxen and farmed 80 acres of land with them.
Jim left here in 1900 for Minnesota then to the Black Hills of North Dakota till 1936. He then traveled to California whre he died.
John was also a raomer and died near Ann Arbor.
Bob remained on the moen place and died in Curtisville.
Jane married Justus Spencer of Oscoda, a commercial fisherman.
Mary married Riachard Curtis.
Eva married Peter Hielig. Peter first came to Oscoda form New York. He herdeed horses for Loud in the summr. In the winter he killed wild game for the lumber camps. In the 1880 census he stated his occupation as hunter.
Robert Sr., was a veteran of the Civil War.
Because the Goodfellow boys were all bachelors and left no heirs to carry on their mname, Pearl Spencer Brodie named a subdivision Goodfellow, in their honor.
Interview with James N. Hielig
GORDON FAMILY
Herbert and Alexander (Sandy) Gordon were sons of Jessie Grant and Alexander Gordon. They were of Scottish ancestry. Their birthpalce was in Glengary County, Ontario, Canada. Herbert was born November 7, 1862 and died at Curtisville, Michigan, February 22, 1953. Alexander was born in 1865 and died in 1906 at Gates Camp. He was loading a train load of logs and died of a heart attack.
The boys came to Tawas with their parents when they were t and 2 years of age respectively. They were both employed with Saginaw Salt and Lumber Company, in the Georgian Bay district. at one time they operated a boat, the "Merry Miller", transporting materials on Lake Huron. They were also Superintendents for the S. J. M. Gates Lumber Company whose head quarters was in Bay City. They worked at the Gates Camp west of Curtisville.
Herbert participated in the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898. He returned to Tawas afterward. He took over his brother's job as Superintendent of Gates Camp after Sandy's death and remained with Gates until 1909.
Mary Ellen Wilson was born on September 14, 1866 in Cumbermore, Ontario, Canada. She was married to Alexander Gordon in 1893. They had two sons and one daughter. Grant, orn May 3, 1895 and ided in the service in 1918. Cauis was born May 6, 1899 and died August 6, 1975. the daughter died at birth.
Herbert married Mary Ellen Gordon, widow of his brother, Alexander, in 1908.
Gordons purchased their farm from Thomas Phillips. The former owner, Eliza Wilbur purchased the land for the U.S. Government October 10, 1868. The farm was sold to Phillips in 1897.
Herbert was a civic leader in our township and held various township offices. He always had time to spin a tale or tow concerning his adventures in the gold rush.
Minnie was a special person. She was diplomatic in handling community problems. She took an active part in church activities. She taught the young peoples class and counciled with us long before and of us heard of psychiatry. She played the reed organ for church services for many years. We considered it a specail treat to be a recipient of a box of her homemade candy [see recipe below], each piece carefully decorated with nuts, cherries or raisins.
Historical dates supplied by Mrs. Cauis Gordon
MARY ELLEN GORDONS SOUR CANDY
6 Cups white sugar
1/2 Cup pure cream
Boil up - when boiling good add 1/4 Cup vinegar - large lump of butter.
Boil until it will form a hard ball in cold water. You may add shredded coconut or nut meats if you desire.
SWAZYE GORDON FAMILY
Swayze Gordon
Swazye Gordon and his family were pioneers in the Curtisville area. They are recorded as living here on the 1880 Census. Swazye was born in Pennsylvania. He homesteaded a piece of land across the road , to the west, of the present Curtisville Civic Center.
This property has been owned by James Simons, Wm. Clarey, Daniel McDermott, Cliff Latter, Larry Du Bois, Rev. Earl Redmond and Harold Schultz. Catherine Clarey Latter has a record that her father paid $1,500 for the 80 acres in 1903 and paid 6% interest.
Pastor Curtis Carrol and his wife Jackie currently own and live in the original Gordon house. Gary and sandy Myers of Munger, Michigan, own the remainder of the property and use it as a hunting camp.
The 1900 Censu identified the following members of the Gordon faimily living in Curtisville: Swazye Gordon (head of household), Frank (son), Bertha D. (daughter) and Guy (son).
Swazye Gordon was the first director of the Curtis School.
Swazye's children were: Frank, married to Olive Simons; Bertha, married to Reuben Simmons and Guy. Bertha and Reuben Simmons children were: Lynnie, married to George Perreutt Russel; Alice, married Charles Curtis and Stella, married to Ted Redmond.
Guy was very talented. James Heilig, Sr. recalls that when Guy was a small boy living at Gates Camp, he invented a small engine that actually worked.
Guy invented a 3-dimension camera and made prisms during World War II. He had a photo studio in Natick, Massachusetts. He also taught the science of photography at a college in Massachusetts. Guy also repaired clocks and watches.
[NOTE: Much of the information on the Swazye Gordon family was supplied by: Stella Simons Redmond, Inez Byce Abbott, Catherine Clarey Latter and Arbutus Milholin.]
HAMILTON FAMILY
In 1920, the Hamilton family owned a 160 acre farm consisting of the E 1/2, SE 1/4, Section 17 and W 1/2, SW 1/4, Section 16, T. 25 E., - R. 5 E., Curtis Township.
HAMPTON FAMILY
Andrew, Jennie, John, George and Chistina Hampton attended Hillside School during the period 1915-1917.
In 1920, the Hamton family owned an 80 acre farm located in the SW 1/4, NE 1/4, and NW 1/4, SE 1/4, Section 29, T. 25 E., R. 5E., Curtis Township.
The 1920 Cenus identifies the following members of the Hampton family living in Curtisville: George Hampton (head of household), Christie (wife), John J. (son), Jennie E. (daughter), George (son), Christina (daughter), Anna J. (daughter) and Richard (son).
HAYES FAMILY
In 1920, the Hayes family owned two 80 acre farms in the Curtisville area. The first was owned by T. Hayes in N 1/2, SW 1/4, Section 21, T. 25 E., R., 5E., Curtis Township. The second was owned by L. Hayes in the S 1/2, SW 1/4, Section 21, T. 25E., R. 5E., Curtis Township.
The 1920 Census identifies the following members of the Hayes family living in Curtisville: Thomas Hayes (head of household), Joseph H. Hayes (head of household), Fannie (wife), Milton (son) and Wilma (daughter).
HOLLOWAY FAMILY
The 1910 Census identifies the following members of the Holloway family living in Curtisville: William Holloway (head of household) and Laura (wife). William Holloway was identified as being a Farmer.
LA CHAPELLE FAMILY
 |
Ernest and Edith La Chapelle were both employed as teachers at the Curtisville School. Edith La Chapelle was a member of the Ancient Order of Gleaners - Curtis Arbor in 1903.
LA FLUER FAMILY
|
LANDON FAMILY
William Landon served in France during World War I.
LINDAY FAMILY
In 1920, the Linday family owned a 120 acre farm consisting of the W 1/2, NW 1/4 and NW 1/4, SW 1/4, Section 20, T. 25 E.,R. 5E., Curtis Township.
LATTER FAMILY
Arthur and Harriet Hutchinson Latter brought their family to the Gates Ranch in September 1917. They formerly lived on the Cleveland Sheep and Ctock Company Ranch at Hale, Michigan. Mr. Latter desired more acreage and so moved to Curtisville. Arthur and Harriet had three children:
[1.] Clifford - now of Flint, married Catharine Clary.
[2.] Anne - of West Branch, married William Bamfield. Son of one of Curtisville's first pioneer families.
[3.] Bill - of West BRanch, a successful rancher.
A fouth child, a baby girl, was born and died in infancy in 1929. The three children attended Curtisville School. In 1950, Mr. Latter sold his property to Howard Beach of Bay City, Michigan. At present it is owned by the Harold Schultz family of Munger, Michigan. Mr. & Mrs. Latters last days were spent n West Branch, Michigan.
Arthurs parents, Edney and Lucy, were natives of England. Edney was a merchant and when free trade was abolished in England he moved his family to the new world, first to Canada and finally to Iosco County.
Interview - Anne Latter Bamfield
 |
Last updated on: Wednesday, December 27, 2000