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Keweenaw County Michigan

MIGenWeb Project     USGenWeb Project

Villages
Eagle River and Delaware

Source: History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan: containing a full account of its early settlement, its growth, development, and resources, an extended description of its iron and copper mines : also, accurate sketches of its counties, cities, towns, and villages ... biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers. Publication Info: Chicago : Western Historical Co., 1883.

Statistical | Mines & Miners
Copper Harbor | Eagle Harbor  | Eagle River | Delaware | Copper Falls | Central | Phoenix | Allouez | Ahmeek (Ahmuk)

EAGLE RIVER.

Eagle River, the county seat of Keweenaw County, is some ten miles west of Eagle Harbor, at the mouth of the river of that name. Among the earliest mining operations, commenced in the Upper Peninsula contemporaneously with the opening of the Cliff vein by the Pittsburgh & Boston Company, were those of the old Lake Superior Copper Company, the progenitor of the present Phoenix Com­pany, who obtained seven leases in 1843, each embrac­ing nine square miles, in which was included the grounds afterward laid out by the Phoenix Company, and sold off in separate lots, forming the village of Eagle River. A sandy beach extends either way from the mouth of the river along the banks of Lake Superior, flanked on the south with a ridge of conglomerate, over which the river pours in a fall of some thirty-five feet. The court house stands on the top of the bluff to the east of the falls. It is a commodious wooden structure, two stories high, the county offices being on the first floor. The building used as a jail is a rented structure, and is not a very secure place to hold professional "cracksmen."

The dock was built at the mouth of Eagle River by the old Cliff (Pittsburgh & Boston) Company. It is formed by an extensive pier jutting out into the lake, with a rail track and hand cars for transferring freight between the vessels and warehouse. Both are now owned by M. H. Simpson, of Boston. On the west bank of Eagle River, nearly opposite the present excellent hotel, and partly buried in the drifting sand of the beach, can be seen two mementoes of former days. The one a small frame build­ing bearing still the inviting sign, "Sam'l Lloyd's Hotel;" the other an old-fashioned "thorough-brace," of the No. 9 pattern, built by J. C. Burbank & Co. It bears the inscription, "Calumet to Eagle River-J. Cronin, No. 2."

Religious services were held by the Episcopal Methodists in the schoolhouse, and by the Catholics at private houses, but they have there no church edifice.

The Masons and Odd Fellows have each an organization in the place, and both meet in a hall in the Phoenix Hotel.

Keweenaw Lodge, No. 242, F. & A. M., was chartered January 8, 1868; W. P. Spaulding, first Master; Samuel B. Harris, first Senior Warden; Godfrey Vivian, first Junior Warden. Present membership, 59.

Superior Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., No. 100, was chartered January 14, 1867. The charter was granted to Robert F. Gulick, William Van Orden, James Crawford, Joseph Retallack, W. B. Wright, William Retallack, and Charles Ham. Present membership, twenty-eight.

The mines working in the immediate vicinity in 1882 are the Phoenix, Cliff, St. Clair, Central and Conglomerate, on the west and south, and the Ash Bed (Petherick) and Cop­per Falls, nearer to Eagle Harbor on the east.

As most of the trading of the miners is done at stores at the mines, there are no very extensive mercantile opera­tions called for at the village.

Anton Siblisky carries an average stock of $10,000 in general merchandise, business established in 1867.

There is also a large trade in explosives by John Senter, in connection with a general insurance business. Mr. Senter is the agent for E. J. Dupont, Nemours & Co., of Nemours, France, and also of the Marquette Powder Com­pany. The French company was established in 1852; the Marquette in 1879.

Its manufacturing interests are centered in a fuse fac­tory, brewery and blacksmithery.

The Eagle River Fuse Company established business in December, 1862, under a patent bearing date December 2, 1862, the company being Richard Uren, Thomas Dunstone and Joseph Blight, manufacturing 25,000 feet of fuse a day. In 1874, Mr. Dunstone sold his interest to the other partners, who have continued the business and increased the capacity of the works to 50,000 feet a day, or at the rate of $10,000 worth a month. The works are operated by water power taken from the Eagle River at the falls, and are run all the year round. There is a home market for all their product. They employ five hands, and run ten hours a day.

The Knivel Brewery was established in 1855, by Frank Knivel, its present proprietor. It has a capacity of 1,200 barrels a year, two-thirds of which is bottled.

The Eagle River Blacksmith shop is owned and operat­ed by William Retallack, and is doing a good business.

The first hotel at Eagle River was known as the John­son House. It was built in 1846, and owned and kept by Lathrop Johnson. That year, Joseph Long's House, a German hotel, was also built at the River.

The Phoenix House is the only hotel in the place. It was built in 1853; is a commodious and well-kept house; has twenty-four rooms, and affords a fine home for travel­ers. Col. William B. Wright, its present proprietor, ope­rated it from 1855 to 1860 on lease. The Eagle River Post Office is kept at the hotel.

The Eagle River Light House is built on the bluff on the west side of the river. The light is on the keeper's dwelling; is of the sixth order, and elevated sixty-one feet above the lake. It was established in 1855 or 1856; was first kept by John Griswold until his death, and then by his widow until August 25, 1865, when Henry Feiser, the present keeper, was appointed.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

CHARLES H. T. ATWOOD, Principal of the Eagle River School and Grand Worthy Secretary of the I. O. G. T., was born in Boston, Mass., September 12, 1853. He moved to Maine in childhood and lived upon a farm. He began his career as a teacher in Maine when eighteen years of age; taught for $18 a month; had eighteen scholars. He came to Michigan in 1874, and in 1875 entered the State Normal School, at Ypsilanti, and graduated in 1876 in the first course, and the higher class of 1880. He came to L'Anse in the last-mentioned year, and taught school at that place one year, and then came to Eagle River to accept the position of Principal of this school. He was married in Maine March 29, 1874, to Miss Margaret McKinney. Mrs. Atwood was born in Solon, Maine. They have three children, two sons and one daughter. On the or­ganization of the Grand Lodge of I. O. G. T., of the Upper Penin­sula in 1881, Mr. Atwood was elected Grand Worthy Secretary. (See history of the order.)

JOSEPH BLIGHT, senior partner and manager of the Eagle River Fuse Company (for sketch of business see general history) was born in Cornwall, England, December 25, 1832; learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade, and emigrated to America in 1852. He spent one year in Northern New York, then went to North Carolina, where he remained another year, and then in 1854 came to Lake Superior. He located at Copper Harbor, and one year later moved to Eagle River; he was engaged as mining carpenter at the Copper Falls Mine until 1862, when he commenced his present business. He and his first partners, Mr. Richard Uren, Thomas Dunstone, patented their machinery and made their own machines. The business has since been improved and extended to its prosper­ous proportions. He was married in Cornwall, England, July 12, 1852, to Miss Mary A., daughter of Charles Terriell. They have two sons and a daughter. Mr. Blight's father, Richard Blight, was the inventor and builder of the first steam stamps built in the world.

ROLAND H. BRELSFORD, passenger conductor of the Min­eral Range Railroad. Mr. Brelsford was born in Philadelphia, Penn., May 11, 1830, was brought up in that city, and resided there till twenty-four years of age. He then spent three years in Ohio, and then came to Lake Superior; made his home in the Ontonagon District, in June, 1857. He was employed as clerk of the Ridge Mine, one year, and was subsequently engaged in warehouse and other business in that region till 1861, when he came to Hancock and clerked for Leopold & Austrian nearly a year. He served as Under Sheriff awhile; was nine years in charge of J. A. Close & Co's. Warehouse and Dock, and also steamboat agent for Leopold & Austrian, and served some time as Collector of United States Customs. From 1873 to 1877, he served as County Clerk of Houghton County. In June, 1877, he engaged with the Mineral Range Railroad, as Sta­tion Agent, and since March, 1881, has served as passenger con­ductor. Mr. Brelsford, through his long residence on Lake Superior, and his extended connection with the shipping and railway in­terests of this region, has become as widely and favorably known as any man on the lake. Although he runs a narrow-gauge road, there is nothing narrow about him, physically, mentally or otherwise. Any man whose heart is not in the right place, or who can't enjoy a good story or a good laugh, had better not tie to Conductor Brelsford.

JEREMIAH CRONIN, mail contractor on route 24,390, from Houghton to Eagle Harbor, Mich., first commission bearing date July 1, 1866. Was born in Ireland, April 25, 1829. He is the son of Michael Cronin. In 1848, he came to America; made his home in New York City two years. He came to Lake Superior in 1850, arriving at Copper River October 16 of that year, and has made the county of Keweenaw his home ever since. He was engaged in mining till 1866, when he entered upon his present business. In 1867, he moved to Hancock, where he resided till 1877. He was the first President of the village under the new charter, and served as a member of the Council several terms. He has also held the office of Deputy Sheriff for Houghton County twelve years. He moved from Hancock to Calumet in 1877, and from Calumet to Cliff Mine in 1881. Mr. Cronin was married, at Eagle River, September 11, 1862, to Miss Bridget Carey, daughter of Michael Carey. Mrs. Cronin was born in Ireland. They have seven children living-Michael, Anna, Frederick C., Jeremiah P., Mary A., Frank and William.

HENRY FIESER, keeper of the Eagle River Light since Au­gust 23, 1865 (see history of Light), was born in Germany January 26, 1838; came to America in 1852, and made his home in Pittsburgh, Penn., where he was employed in a glass house till 1855, when he came to Lake Superior, and engaged as engineer at the Cliff Mine. In the summer of 1862, he enlisted in Company C, Twenty-seventh Michigan Volunteers, under Capt. William B. Wright. He was appointed Second Sergeant, and promoted to First Sergeant of his company in 1863. While engaged before Petersburg, he received a gunshot wound in the left elbow joint, that caused the loss of his arm. He was discharged May 6, 1865, at the Judiciary Square Hospital, On his return to Lake Superior, he was appointed to his present position. He was married in October, 1865, in Eagle River, to Miss Dora Helf, by whom he had two sons. He lost his wife in 1869. He was married again, at Eagle River, to Mrs. Ann Betzing (widow). Two children were born to this marriage, a son and a daughter.

CAPT. JOHN H. GATISS, agent of the Caton Mine and agent, part owner and director of the Chicago Mine (see history of these mines), was born in Yorkshire, England, May 7, 1828, but was brought up in Durham County; his father being a mining agent or superintendent, he early imbibed a liking for that kind of business; he came to America in 1845, and was engaged in coal mining in Pennsylvania in what is known as the Barclay Estate Mines; he remained there till 1856, when he went to La Salle, Ill., and took charge of the Kentucky Shaft, which was the first coal shaft sunk in that place. In June, 1859, he came to Lake Superior to take charge of the Caton Mine for Judge Caton, of Illinois; he has remained here since, excepting a short time spent in traveling and prospecting. In 1881, he was prospecting in Newfoundland for an English company, and entered some large tracts of land. The Caton Mine has remained idle in consequence of its peculiar financial situation. (See sketch.)

SAMUEL W. HILL, P. O. Marshall, Mich., one of the most experienced and respected of the few remaining pioneer mining men of the copper region of Lake Superior. At this writing he is prospecting on the scenes of his early explorations and surveys of nearly forty years ago. Mr. Hill was born November 6, 1815, in Starksboro, Vt.; was educated for a civil engineer and survey­or. He started out to seek his fortune in the spring of 1839, sup­plied with limited means, but with a good set of instruments, and plenty of energy and pluck. His first work was done in Albion, N. Y., where he secured the job of surveying a township. From New York he came to Milwaukee in 1840, with the expectation of getting land surveying to do. Failing to find any opening for work in his profession, he went to Racine and engaged as school teacher. The following year, he secured a place with a party of Government Surveyors, under Capt. Cram, who were starting from Milwaukee on an expedition to make a survey of the boundary line between Michigan and Wisconsin. He assisted in this survey, and for the first time beheld Lake Superior (in the year 1841). For some reasons (not known to the writer) he meandered the Ontonagon River at that time. He was soon afterward employed on the Government surveys of the Upper Peninsula, and in discharge of his duties ran the section lines of a large portion of what is now Keweenaw County. About 1845, he was associated with Dr. Douglass Houghton in the geological surveys of that region, and it was from his camp that the Doctor departed on his last cruise, on that fatal October 13, 1845. Mr. Hill was subsequently associated with Foster & Whitney in their geological surveys of the copper region of Michigan, and received very flattering mention in their reports. He was among the first to make discoveries of value in the copper region; helped to organize mining companies, and was employed as Superintendent at the opening and developing of several of the richest mines on the Peninsula. He was agent of the Quincy Mine at its inception, and was in charge of it for some years. He platted and laid out the village of Hancock, and was prominently identified with the early growth and development of the mining region. As an experienced explorer, no man stands higher in general report than S. W. Hill. A long, practical experience, and a thorough scientific knowledge of the subject of copper mining on Lake Superior, entitles Mr. Hill's opinion to respect and confidence. For many years past he has made his home at Marshall, Mich. These meager details of the life of one of the most prominent historic characters of Lake Superior have been obtained without the assistance or consent of the gentleman himself, in fact against his express wishes. The excuse the writer can offer is that it is impossible to give the history of this region without some slight mention at least of one who has borne so conspicuous a part in the scenes described.

FRANK KNIVEL, proprietor of Knivel Brewery, established in 1855. The brewery has a capacity for the manufacture of 1,200 barrels per year, two-thirds of which is bottled. Mr. Knivel was born in Prussia; came to America in 1850, and directly to Lake Superior; spent four years in the employ of various mining companies, and in 1854 located at Eagle River, and the following year he com­pleted his brewery and put it in operation, and has continued the business to this date (1882), making his one of the oldest established breweries on the lake; he was married in Detroit, July, 1856, to Miss Sophia Noeck, who is also a native of Prussia. They have two sons and three daughters.

JOHN SENTER, insurance and powder agent. (See sketch of business in Eagle River History.) Since 1852, has been agent for E. J. Dupont & Co., powder manufacturers, of Nemours, France, and of the Marquette Powder Company since 1879; also does a general fire insurance business; he was born at Peterboro, N. H.; received a common school education, and in 1842 went to Iowa, where he served as clerk in the Surveyor General's office; he remained in Iowa until 1845, and then returned to New Hampshire. In 1846, he came to Lake Superior, and located at Eagle River; he was connected with the Phoenix Mine for some time; was appointed Postmaster at Eagle River in 1847, and held the office ten years; was also extensively engaged in merchandising; he established a large general store at Eagle River in 1847, and carried it on until  1856; he also established the second store at Houghton, and had others at Eagle Harbor and at Copper Harbor; he also built and operated the pier and warehouse at Eagle River. For many years he has done the exchange business for this region. Of late years the powder and insurance business has occupied his attention. Mr. Senter has served as County Treasurer of Houghton County eight years, while that county embraced the present Keweenaw County, as well as others; he is now largely interested in real estate and mining property. As one of the early pioneers, Mr. Senter is well and favorably known; his superior intelligence and business enterprise has made him a prominent factor in the growth and development of inter­ests of this section of the State.

ANTON SIBILSKY, merchant, business established in 1867, was born in Germany; he came to America in 1849; located at Sheboygan, Wis., where he resided till 1852, when he came to Lake Su­perior and located near Eagle River; he worked at getting out wood and timber and farming; also worked in the mines. In 1867, he be­gan business as a merchant at Eagle River; he carried a stock of general merchandise of about $10,000, having the only store in the place; he is also interested in mining stocks.

JOHN TWOHY, JR,. County Clerk and Register of Deeds of Keweenaw County, was elected to this office in the fall of 1878, and reelected in 1880, first term beginning January 1, 1879; he is a native of the Upper Peninsula, and was born at Copper Harbor February 21, 1854; he received a common school education, and took a regular course at Bryant & Stratton's Business College of Detroit; he spent some years in teaching school. In addition to his official duties while Register of Deeds and County Clerk, he has had charge of the dock and warehouse business at Eagle River for G. Kloeckner & Co., merchants, of the Phoenix Mine; he has proven himself an efficient officer and good business man, whose uniform courtesy makes him a good type of the better class of the Lake Superior people.

COL. WILLIAM B. WRIGHT, Sheriff of Keweenaw County and proprietor of the Phoenix House, was born at Middletown Point, Monmouth Co., N. J., June 28, 1814. When in his eighteenth year, he enlisted as a private in the United States Fourth Artillery November 21, 1831, at Baltimore, Md.; served in the Black Hawk war of 1832 and in the Creek war of 1836, and was discharged in Florida at the expiration of his term of service, November 25, 1836. He enlisted in Company K, Fourth United States Artillery, July 23, 1838, and the following day, July 24, was appointed First Sergeant, and served in the Indian war of Florida of 1838-39; he was discharged at the expiration of the term of service, June 24, 1843; he re-enlisted the same date in the same company, and was reappointed First Sergeant. August 8, 1846, he was appointed Ordnance Ser­geant, and stationed at Fort Wilkins, Copper Harbor, Lake Supe­rior, Mich., in charge of the fort and Government property. He served at this fort until October 11, 1855, when he was discharged from the service at his own request. He was married at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., in November, 1840, to Miss Mary A. Sackett; they had one child, a daughter, lost at Eagle Harbor. After retiring from the army, in 1855, he leased the Phoenix House, a large hotel, which he kept until November, 1860; he was commissioned Second Lieutenant August 4, 1862, by Gov. Blair, of Michigan, with au­thority to recruit a company for the Eighteenth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, to serve in the late war. The company was raised and assigned to the Twenty-seventh Michigan Volunteers December 22, 1862; he was commissioned Major of the Twenty-seventh Regiment, and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel December 17, 1863, and to Colonel October 3, 1864; he participated with his regiment in twelve engagements and skirmishes, and was wounded July 30, 1864, at the charge of Petersburg; he was twice wounded the same day-first by a gunshot wound in the right shoulder, and again by a shell wound in the left hip; he was discharged for disability in October, 1864. On his return from the army, he engaged in hotel keeping at Eagle River, having purchased the Phoenix House during the last year of his service; he has held various public offices, having served eight years as Superintendent of the Poor of Keweenaw County, six years as School Director, and at this writing is serving as Sheriff, having been elected in the fall of 1880.

DELAWARE.

Delaware is strictly a mining town, It is the post office for the Conglomerate Mine, Amygdaloid, and for Wyoming. It is kept at the office of the Conglomerate Company. In 1847, the Northwest Copper Mining Association was formed, with 4,320 acres of land on which to operate under a special charter, obtained March 9, 1849. The Northwest Mining Company was organized on the 15th of May thereafter, which in 1861 was merged into the Penn­sylvania Mining Company. The estate at this time had swollen to 8,880 acres of mineral and timber land.

In 1863, the Delaware Mining Company was organized, and 720 acres from the west side of the estate were set off to it, for which the Delaware paid $100,000 in stock; in other words, 4,000 shares of Delaware stock were divided among the stockholders of the Pennsylvania Company.

At one time, Horace Greeley was President of the com­pany, and spent two or three weeks on the ground, occupying an old log house, now standing near the barns of the Conglomerate Company. He was instrumental in getting a post office established there, then called the Penn Post Office-now Delaware.

In 1876, the Pennsylvania and Delaware were organized as one company, under the title of the Delaware Copper Mining Company, and were operated as such up to January, 1881, at which time the Conglomerate Mining Company took possession under a sale to them of the entire property for 50,000 shares in the new organization, it being one-half of the stock of the new company. They now own 20,000 acres of land, including the lands around Lac La Belle formerly owned by the Mendota Company. It is now the largest estate held by any company in the copper region.

The Catholic Church in Delaware was built by Rev. Patrick Fanagan. The Methodists also hold regular services at this place.

Delaware Lodge, I. 0. of G. T., was instituted January 11, 1882, by Rev. John Russell; M. Benton, first Worthy Chief; has a membership at present of fifty; William H. Clark, present W. C.; Mrs. A. H. Taylor, V. W. C.; Henry Masters, Secretary.

The other mining towns in Keweenaw County are Copper Falls, Central, Phoenix, Clifton and Allouez, although there are mining settlements at all the mines not wholly abandoned.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

THOMAS J. BICE, second copper-dresser at the stamp-mill of the Conglomerate Mining Company, was born in Iowa County, Wis., October 28, 1856; he came to Lake Superior in September, 1864, and while only a boy began working at the Franklin Stamp Mill as copper-dresser; he also worked at the Concord, Isle Royal, Tribute Company, Huron and Atlantic Stamp Mills. While at the Huron, he held the position of second copper-washer. In August, 1880, he accepted his present position.

THOMAS D. BRADFIELD, M. D., physician and surgeon to the Conglomerate Mining Company, has been connected with this mine for the past fourteen years. He was born in Cass County, Ind., January 12, 1843; he received his literary education at the local high schools at home. He then took a two years' medical course at the State University of Michigan, and a course of lectures at the Detroit Medical Hospital, from whence he graduated on June 1, 1869. He was then appointed physician and surgeon to the Copper Falls Mine, Lake Superior, and began the practice of his profession at that place on the 16th of June of that year. In 1871, there being some work carried on at the Delaware location, he became the physician to this mine also. In fact, during several years his practice extended over the entire upper section of Keweenaw Point. The large increase of force at the Delaware, now called the Conglomerate, under Capt. A. P. Thomas' management, has given him an exclusive practice.

MARSHALL BRINTON, contractor with the Conglomerate Mining Company, was born in Delaware County, Penn., February, 1839, where he obtained a liberal education, making that his home until September, 1872, when he emigrated to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He engaged at the Delaware Mine, now the Conglomerate, as a teacher and clerk. He taught the school three win­ters in addition to keeping the mine books during the same years. From 1876 to 1879, he was in charge of the surface work and doing duty as supply clerk. In 1879, he went to the Black Hills, where he spent nine months, returning to Lake Superior in February, 1880, and resumed -work at the old mine as clerk. In July of that year, he was appointed surface foreman, and acted in that capacity until May, 1881, since which time he has been engaged in contract work. Mr. Brinton has been prominently identified with the temperance movement in this region.

JOHN DOUGHERTY, foreman copper-washer at the stamp-mills of the Conglomerate Mine, was born in Pennsylvania July 27, 1852. When only one year old, he came with his parents to Ontonagon County, Mich., and located at the Ridge Mine. When old enough to work, he was employed at the Evergreen Bluff Mine, 1864. He was at that mine only a short time, and then was at the Caledonia one year; with the Logan one and a half years. In 1867, he engaged at the stamp-mills of the Pennsylvania Mine as copper-washer; was next employed in the stamp-mill of the Isle Royal Mine three years. He was employed at the Huron Stamp Mill one year as second dresser, and one year as first dresser; was there four years altogether. He next spent four years as second dresser of the Franklin Stamp Mill. He was next in charge of the Allouez tail house several months; spent another year at the Franklin, and, in 1876, accepted his present position.

JOHN GRIGG, master mechanic of the Conglomerate Mining Company, was born in Cornwall, England, December 25, 1844. He learned the machinist's trade in his native country, and emigrated to America in 1865. He came direct to Lake Superior, and worked as machinist with the Cliff Mining Company two years. He next worked with the Phoenix Mining Company six years in the same capacity. During his last year with this company, he was foreman of his department. He next spent one and a half years at the Cliff as foreman. He then had charge of the erecting of the machinery at the St. Clair Mill; next at the Osceola Mine as machinist two years. In 1875, he commenced with the Delaware Mining Company in his present capacity, and has held his present position under the new organization. Mr. Grigg has proven himself a competent man and one worthy of the responsible trusts confided to his care.

EDWIN HENWOOD, Superintendent of the company's store at the Conglomerate Mine, was born in Cornwall, England, September 12, 1845. He came to America in childhood (1846) with his parents. He spent his early youth in Pennsylvania, and, in 1852, came to Lake Superior with his parents. He lived first at Fort Wilkins, Copper Harbor. His father, Capt. William H. Henwood, was a mining agent in charge of the New York & Michigan Mine about four years. He was also stationed at the Central Mine awhile. In 1858, the family moved to Grant County, Wis. Two years later, Edwin returned to Lake Superior. In 1861, he entered the office of the Houghton County Gazette at Houghton, where he learned the print­er's trade. In 1863, he engaged with John Hoar & Bro., merchants at Houghton, as clerk, and remained in their employ till August, 1868. He then attended the Lawrence University one year at Apple­ton, Wis. He was clerk at Condon & Close' store at the Franklin Mine about a year. He next engaged with the Lake Superior Ship Canal Company as manager of their store, and shortly afterward was appointed Assistant Superintendent, and discharged the duties of engineer and Superintendent during 1870-71-72. He was next with S. D. North as head salesman at the store at the Quincy Mine two years. He next went to the island of Isle Royale; spent one year as manager of North & Kloeckner's store, in which he had an interest. He was next at Calumet in charge of North & Briggs' store five years, including both managements. In 1879, in company with William J. Light, he built the Sutter store at Lake Linden. Shortly after, he returned to Briggs & Cole, of Calumet, and then traveled for a Detroit firm from December 1, 1880, to October 1, 1881, when he accepted his present position. Mr. Henwood is an experienced business man, and is well qualified for the responsible position he holds.

CAPT. JAMES HOATSON, first mining captain at the Conglomerate Mine, was born in Scotland, August, 1846; he came to America, with his parents, in 1853; his father, Capt. Thomas Hoatson, being agent in charge of the Bruce Mine, on the north shore of Lake Huron; the family remained there until 1865, when they moved to the Quincy Mine near Portage Lake. Young Hoatson was an employee of the Quincy Mining Company one year; he was next employed at the Ridge Mine in Ontonagon County for four years as a miner; he next served two years at Calumet as assistant captain, and two years at the Hecla in the same capacity; he was next in charge of the underground work at the Isle Royale one and a half years. In 1876, he was appointed first captain at the Con­glomerate Mine, and, with the exception of the year 1879, he has been in charge to this date, August, 1882. Capt. Hoatson is a fair representative of the popular mining captain, and, were it not for fear of giving offense, the writer could speak in very flattering terms of his reputation in his business, and his courtesy to the casual visitor who desires to make the tour of the underground over which he rules .

JAMES B. ROBERT, chief clerk and paymaster of the Conglomerate Mining Company, was born at Yonkers, N. Y., September 11, 1850. In 1864, he entered the broker's office of Bach & Saltonstall of New York City as clerk, and subsequently was with Jay Cooke & Co; he operated for himself awhile. In the fall of 1880, he came to Lake Superior, and June 1, 1881, was appointed to his present position. Mr. Robert occupies a position of great responsibil­ity. The Conglomerate Mining Company is now engaged in making improvements that will aggregate over half a million of dollars, besides working the mine with a strong force.

A. H. TAYLOR, surface foreman of the Conglomerate Mining Company, was born in the province of New Brunswick, September 12, 1852; he was brought up in that country, and, in 1875, went to New Hampshire, where he worked as carpenter till 1878, when he came to Lake Superior. Here he was employed at the Phoenix Mine as foreman carpenter, till May, 1881; he then accepted his present position.

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