Not once, but twice the William Hawley family was devastated by fire. The logging industry was a primary industry in Northern Michigan in the late 1800s and early 1900s. William Hawley's family was no exception.
William moved his family from upstate New York to Long Rapids Township, Alpena County, Michigan in about 1867.
Although William classifies himself as a farmer on both the 1870 and 1880 US census, his family, being in the mostly unpopulated area of Long Rapids Township, was surrounded by the logging industry
In May of 1874, William was living in Long Rapids Township with his second wife Sara Ann Healy, and their five children; From William's first marriage Franklin Hawley, Charles Hawley, and Minnie Hawley, and from his marriage to Sarah were Ellen and William.
The great influence of people during the logging era, and the large areas of dry pine slash increased both the possibility of fire and the intensity of those which occurred. Many reached tremendous proportions, burning unchecked for weeks or months through slashings, standing timber, cities and settlements, causing human misery, death, and waste. There is evidence to show that these lumbering era fires destroyed more merchantable timber than was cut.[zref]HSRBI9B5[/zref]
On Saturday, May 12th, 1874 tragedy struck William's family in the form of a forest fire.
[zref]"The Fires in Alpena County," Article, Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, 14 May 1874, In the Township of Long Rapids, , p. 1, col. 8;; online images, Newspapers.com (www.Newspapers.com : Downloaded 9 January 2019); https://www.newspapers.com/image/118157662/?terms=The%2BFires%2Bin%2BAlpena%2BCounty%2BHawley.[/zref]
[zref]"Long Rapids," Article, Alpena Argus, Alpena County, Michigan, 13 May 1874, Details about fire at residence of William Hawley Family; online images, Newspapers.com (WWW.Newspapers.com : Viewed 19 April 2021). Page 3.[/zref]
From these two newspaper articles, one from the Detroit Free Press and the other from the Alpena Argus, we learn that William Hawley and his family suffered a catastrophic loss. The family lost two houses, all household goods, two barns, and all that was inside of them.
But even worse than the financial and structural loss was the personal loss. The Hawley family barely escaped with their lives. The children were all injured in some fashion. The heroine of the story is Mrs. Sarah Ann Hawley. While trying to save her son William Martin Hawley who was 10 months old, Sara's dress caught fire and she was only saved by tearing it off.
21 years later, the family was once again devastated by fire. on September 11th, 1898 fire once again destroyed their property. The family was living in Rust Township in the Village of Hillman, Montmorency County, Michigan.
[zref]"Forest Fires in Hillman," Article, Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, 13 September 1895, p. 3, col. 2, William Hawley; online images, Newspapers.com (www.Newspapers.com : downloaded 10 January 2019); https://www.newspapers.com/image/121684334.[/zref]
This time, the fire destroyed the Hawley barn and everything inside it. The total loss caused by the fire, including the Hawley property, was $3,000. That would be a value of $94,598.93 today.
The Hawley family continued living in the Hillman area until about 1909 when they moved back to Alpena County to live in Ossineke. To my knowledge, the eager enemy called fire did not strike the family again.
I typically research newspapers using the website Newspapers.com to find details about the lives of my ancestors that may not be available in other typical genealogical sources.
When searching for information about my second great grandmother Mary Anna (Annie) Faught, I found information not only about her but also some unexpected results. Annie Faught was born in 1870 and passed away in 1929. During her lifetime she was not the only one to go by the name of Annie Faught.
I found several articles about a boat named "Annie Faught". As far as I know, there is no connection between my second great grandmother Annie Faught and the schooner by the same name.
The schooner Annie Faught was built in the unincorporated community of Lakeport in Burtchville Township, St. Clair County, Michigan in 1872. The 10 ton schooner was owned by John Hoskins. Schooners were built primarily for cargo, passengers, and fishing.
The "Annie Faught", with a cargo capacity of only 10 tons, seems to be on the small end of the schooners typically built during this time.
In general, ships grew larger as shipbuilding technology improved through the 19th century. The dimensions of Lakes vessels were always limited, however, by the shallow connecting channels and harbors. When the infamous shoals were dredged at the St. Clair Flats in the late 1860s, a whole fleet of large schooners was built for the grain and iron ore trades, including 200 big three-masters and a few four-masters. The new schooners, 200 feet in length and drawing 16 feet, were constructed between 1870 and 1874, until a financial panic ended the temporary boom. Only for a little while longer would the large capacities of the new schooners enable them to compete with the growing fleets of steam-powered freighters. [zref]U7BPDN95[/zref]
Below are some of the articles that I found on the schooner named Annie Faught. It appears that luck was not always in her favor.
On 13 May 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that someone had stolen the schooner ANNIE FAUGHT and that John Hoskins, the owner, was offering a reward for her recovery.[zref]Z74UDEQ5[/zref]
A Schooner, a sailing ship rigged with fore-and-aft sails on its two or more masts. To the foremast there may also be rigged one or more square topsails or, more commonly, one or more jib sails or Bermuda sails (triangular sails extending forward to the bowsprit or jibboom).[zref]PZF5E22D[/zref]
Research can take us in some odd directions. Although, I was not able to connect the little schooner name Annie Faught to my ancestor, the research that I did may come in handy someday. Lakeport, where the schooner was built, was only about 40 miles from Sanilac County, Michigan where Annie was born. Who knows....
The theme for week 9 of the 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge is multiples. I was struggling with this theme. Nothing jumped out at me that was interesting enough to write about.
But thanks to Valerie Hughes from the "Genealogy with Valerie" blog, my writers block was cured. Valerie wrote about finding several lines where she descended from two siblings in her blog post Multiple ~ 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks #28. This blog post is not about the same topic, but Valerie sparked an idea. You should check her post out when you get a chance.
My story for you this week is about my 3rd great grand uncle William Faught and his son Francis (Frank) Faught.
William Faught, the brother of my 3rd great grandfather George Faught, was the son of Irish immigrants born in New York in about 1835.
William married Sarah Ann Miller on January 13th, 1864 in Sanilac County, Michigan.
William and Sarah were blessed with their first child Frank Faught in October of 1865 and their second child Philip Faught in 1866. Based on census and death records, it appears that WIlliam and Sarah had two additional children that passed away during childbirth or at a very young age.
Sarah and William moved to Long Rapids Township, Alpena County, Michigan sometime between their marriage in 1864 and June 4th, 1870 when they were recorded in the 1870 census.
Based on an 1889 Alpena City directory, the 1900 US census and newspaper articles about Frank's death, William and Sarah's son Phillip Faught passed away sometime between 1889 and June 26th, 1900. I have not yet found a death certificate for Phillip.
William's wife Sarah passed away on November 16th, 1902. Leaving William widowed.
Based on the 1900 census and the newspaper article that I found, Frank was unmarried and living with his parents on their farm in Maple Ridge Township in Alpena County.
On September 6th, 1909, WIlliam died of heart disease and old age. His death certificate states that he died at the "County House". My assumption is that this was a poor house.
So you are probably wondering what this story has to do with the theme of multiples...
Well, Frank Faught passed away on September 10, 1909, only 4 days after his father. It appears, from the newspaper articles that I found, that Frank died of heart disease while walking down one of the main streets of Alpena.
The death certificates of both William and Phillip are below. You will notice that Frank is listed as the informer on William's death certificate.
I'm not sure that I would have made this connection, but the untimely death of both father and son in the same week from the same disease made the newspaper. Their deaths were reported in both the Detroit Free Press and the News-Palladium newspaper of Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Both articles can be found below.
Interesting enough, when I started this post I was focused on William and Frank Faught. However, while writing it I realized that all four Faught family members, William, Sarah, Frank and Phillip died between 1889 and 1909. So within a 10 year time period every member of the William Faught family had passed. That is definitely multiple deaths in a family in a short time period.
One of the many topics that I have fallen in love with as I have been researching my own family history is the history of my home town of Alpena, Michigan.
Although Alpena was and still is a small town, there is so much history to share. In this blog post I want to dig further into the history of Alpena and how electricity, specifically street lamps, came to this small town.
Anamicke (Native American name for Thunder) was settled around 1840 and in 1843 the small town was given the name Alpena, which is a native American word for partridge or bird. Alpena was officially incorporated in 1871.
Ten years later, in 1881, Alpena Power Company was formed. The first entry in their construction accounts is dated November 30, 1881.
By November 29th, 1882, a special committee on Electric light had been formed and after inquiries into the cost per street lamp in both Bay City and Saginaw, the committee members recommended that the city of Alpena pay $95 per light. This payment was for not less than fourteen lights to be lit throughout the night.
The next article that I found in the "Alpena Argus" newspaper talks about 14 - 16 street lamps to be erected throughout the city of Alpena.
The article below does not only speak to the number and locations of the new street lamps but the author goes into quite of detail about the cost involved in setting up and maintaining the lamps.
In summary, the new street lamps will cost the City of Alpena between $80 and $90 a year. The actual amount is dependent on the number of carbons used by each street lamp
An arc lamp or arc light is a lamp that produces light by an electric arc (also called a voltaic arc).
The carbon arc light, which consists of an arc between carbon electrodes in air, invented by Humphry Davy in the first decade of the 1800s, was the first practical electric light.[1] It was widely used starting in the 1870s for street and large building lighting until it was superseded by the incandescent light in the early 20th century.[1] It continued in use in more specialized applications where a high intensity point light source was needed, such as searchlights and movie projectors until after World War II. The carbon arc lamp is now obsolete for most of these purposes, but it is still used as a source of high intensity ultraviolet light.
In popular use, the term arc lamp means carbon arc lamp only. In a carbon arc lamp, the electrodes are carbon rods in free air. To ignite the lamp, the rods are touched together, thus allowing a relatively low voltage to strike the arc.[1] The rods are then slowly drawn apart, and electric current heats and maintains an arc across the gap. The tips of the carbon rods are heated and the carbon vaporizes. The carbon vapor in the arc is highly luminous, which is what produces the bright light.[1] The rods are slowly burnt away in use, and the distance between them needs to be regularly adjusted in order to maintain the arc.[1]
The location of the new street lamps are as follows:
- One at the corner of Dock (Dock street is now 2nd Ave) and Miller Streets, in the vicinity of the M.E. Church (St. Mary's)
- One at the corner of Dock and Fletcher Streets, in the vicinity of Bolton & McRae's
- One at the corner of Commercial and Oldfield Streets
- One at the corner of Fletcher and Pine Streets, just above the Sherman house
- One at the corner of Water and First Streets, near the brick block of Fletcher Pack & Co,, and will serve to ight up the campus martius, the approach the Fletcher house, the entrance to the steamboat landing and other needed places
- One at the corner of Water and Second Streets, in the vicinity of the bridge
- One at the corner of River and Third Streets, in the vicinity of Engine house No.1
- One at the corner of Chisholm and Second Streets, in the vicinity of the Alpine Block
- One at the corner of Washington Avenue and Second Street, near the Congregational Church
- One at the corner of First and Hitchcock Streets
- One at the corner of Dunbar and State Streets, for the sole purpose of the genius of the organ, to light his weary steps home, after he has had a novel and difficult struggle with an idea - an undertaking not frequent with him
- One at the corner of Dunbar and Second Streets, which will try to abolish darkness in the vicinity of the Central school house
- One at the corner of Washington Avenue and Forth Street, adjacent to the residence of W.H. Potter, and for which our reporter intends to return his thanks if it should do what is expected of it
- One at the corner of Fourth and Lockwood Streets
- One at the corner of Fifth and Chisholm Streets.
- It is also thought that a lamp will be erected for the purpose of demolishing the darkness in the vicinity of the house formally occupied by Mr. Hitchcock.
The map below highlights each of the proposed locations for the new streetlamps in Alpena.
This was an interesting exercise for me. Because I used to live on Hitchcock street between 1st and 2nd street. So one of these new street lamps that the article is referring to was less than one block from my home.
By 1886, the number of street lamps in Alpena grew from under 20 to 67.
I haven't been able to find how many street lamps are located in Alpena today, at least not through my online research. However, we can be sure that it is more than 67.
Thanks for joining me on the journey through the beginning of street lamps in my hometown. I have found several very interesting things during my research for this blog post. I expect you will be hearing more about the history of Alpena, Michigan in the near future.
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Alpena Argus (Alpena, Michigan) 14 May 1879, Wed • First Edition • Page 3
Take note: that Mr. Glover from the article above received a sentence of 9 months in the house of correction, while Ms. Hoy only received 30 days in county jail. I guess it helps to be a woman if you are keeping a house of ill fame.
Alpena Argus (Alpena, Michigan) 11 Dec 1889, Wed • First Edition • Page 3
This article tells the story of sailors from a logging camp getting into a brawl with some local boys. It appears that one gentleman, not sure from which side, was caught and paid a fine. However, all other men involved decided to come to an unwanted but necessary compromise to keep quiet. No other charges were pressed.
Alpena Argus - (Alpena, Michigan) - 25 Mar 1891, Wed • First Edition • Page 3
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The article below talks about a woman, who fled from Alpena County to Rogers City after some of her "associates" were arrested and prosecuted. She arrived in Rogers City and did not find work, so she decided to head back towards Alpena. On her way back, on a cold Northern Michigan December night, after drinking more than her fair share, she passed out and froze. She died shortly after. Her death seemed to make national news.
The interesting part to me is that the main concern of the writer was the reputation of the city of Alpena and not the young woman that died.  Alpena Argus (Alpena, Michigan) 15 Jan 1879, Wed • First Edition • Page 3
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It appears that a gentleman in town may not be being faithful to his wife, while she is away. The person writing this article for the Alpena Argus, published in Alpena, Michigan, is not shy about calling him out. And if this article is not blunt enough, keep reading, there was a follow-up article published in the next week's addition.
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In the 1840s, Eastern states were beginning to exhaust their timber resources, and news of Michigan pine began to spread. Lumbermen began flocking to the Great Lakes State. There were a couple of advantages that helped Alpena become a major lumber port. The first was the ease of access to Lake Huron through Thunderbay and the rivers that flow into it. The second was the abundance of white pine in Alpena and the surrounding counties.
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Typical Lumbering Camp Near Alpena
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Logging Operations Near Alpena
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The men pushing lumber down the Thunder Bay River.
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"I am lumbering this last 2 months putting in logs 27 miles from Alpena. Timber of my own that I just bought this summer and I today bought 2 million feet for a winters job."
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I was curious to know where William might have been putting the logs in. He said he was 27 miles from Alpena. So I did a little detective work. Using Google Maps, I created a circle with a range of 27 miles from the center of Alpena. You can see the white line in the image to the right. I also highlighted the path of the Thunderbay river in blue.
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If you follow the path of the river to where it intersects with the 27-mile radius circle, it seems likely that William was logging just outside of Hillman in Montmorency County.
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"I am home today for a load of supplys. I have got 10 men in the woods besides cook if a man wants to do anything in lumbering this is the place."
"I bought me a nice lot and new house for 8 hundred dollars and paid him in logs for it. I had a lawsuit in circuit court with a man that owed me on settlement 5 hundred and 29 dollars and beat him. There is 3 boats running here from there and I think you might all come up and pay us a visit now. Give our best respects to all inquiring friends. If you come up I will give you a great excursion on Thunderbay. I have got a new sail boat that I bought this summer used for a pleasure boat from Alpena to Thunderbay Island. I have her rented now."
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William tells his brother of his new home on a nice lot that he bought for $800 ($15,686.27 today). He also mentions that George and his family should come to visit for a "Great excursion" on Thunderbay with his new sailboat.
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Give our best to Henry Ann and all the children. I am going to make you a present of the picture fortegraph of our two sons Phillip to the right and Frank to the left.
Nomore from your affectionate brother William Faught.
I previously wrote a blog post called Mary Anna Faught: One Tough Lady, about my 2nd great grandmother Mary Anna (Faught) McKenzie. In that blog post, I outlined the life of Mary Anna. Since then I have come across more information that helps to tell the story of Mary Anna's mother Elizabeth (Miller) Faught.
In my previous post, I mentioned that I was under the assumption that Elizabeth (Miller) Faught passed away sometime between the date the 1870 census was taken, on July 7, 1870, and then when the 1880 census was taken on July 15, 1880. My assumption was based on the fact that she was included on the 1870 census, but not the 1880 census. In the same year, her daughter, Mary Anna was living with her grandparents in Long Rapids, Alpena, Michigan. However, at that time, I did not have definitive proof of Elizabeth's death.
Recently I attended a McKenzie Family reunion, and while I was there I was given two letters written by members of my Faught family. One of these letters was written by Elizabeth (Miller) Faught to her husband George Faught.
The letter was written on Tuesday, October 18th, 1870. The letter was sent from Lakeport, St. Clair, Michigan. The letter itself is very fragile and seems to have been unfolded, read and refolded many times over the years, as it is now held together with tape at the creases. The letter is beautifully written and definitely pulls at the heartstrings.
Scanned images of the letter written by Elizabeth (Miller) Faught to her husband George
Lakeport is an unincorporated community on the shore of Lake Huron. It appears as if Elizabeth and her daughter, Mary Anna Faught, who is now 9 months old are living with Elizabeth's parents Phillip and Sarah Miller. I was able to find Phillip and Sarah living in Burtchville, St. Clair, Michigan near the Lakeport post office. Elizabeth's husband George still seems to be living and working as a farmer in Bridgehampton, Sanilac, Michigan, about 50 miles north of Lakeport.
I am some better in strength but my mouth is not any better yet and I feel it never will. The doctor is quite discouraged with it.
It is affecting my head very much. For the past week I am most distracted with pain.
Also we received one from William in Alpena stating their sorrow of my illness. They say if I had went a year ago the mineral water would have cured me and they think it might help me yet as it is doing miracles in the shape of cures of all kinds. She says again that there is a doctor there his like is not known. The doctor provides and if he does not cure then he will not charge them anything.
"The curative power of its waters are unsurpassed by those of any other waters in the world. These waters flow out of the rock in an immense volume, clear and sparkling, from a depth of 900 feet below the surface."
It is claimed to have curative powers in cases of "Rheumatism, Paralysis, Dyspepsia, General Prostration resulting from overwork, too close application to business, want of exercise, etc. and other ills that demand rejuvenating effects."
There are several very interesting first-hand accounts of the "curative powers" of the Magnetic well in Alpena in this book, if you should find the time to explore.
The Doctor that Elizabeth heard about was most likely, one Dr. Wm. J. Roe, late of Chatham, Ontario. The book goes on to describe him and his medical practice in high regard.
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They want you to come and fetch me and they will spare no pains to make us comfortable. They say they has plenty of everything and their house is large so as we need not pay any rent. They say you can get lots of work. There is a great demand for men, they are going in the woods just as quick as he gets his logs down. They are twelve miles above the mill and he is waiting of rain. Father thinks the best thing you can do is to go up there. I feel quite encouraged since I got her letter. Thinking probably, you would go.
Oh, George if you knew my feelings for the past week you would do anything rather than have me so. I have been so melancholy that I could not bear as speak to anybody. This has cheered me up a little to think there is another hope of being cured is almost insufferable. Now dear husband make up your mind quickly for the sake of your suffering wife and your dear little babe who before long whilst undoubtedly be left an orphan. If I do not get help.
O, George if there is one hope why not grasp it there is nothing to keep us here when everything ?burnt?. So you can dispose of what livestock you have up there for something and if you can sell the safe for ten dollars take it but do not take any less . The stove if you could sell for fifteen or so might sell that but do not give them away for you cannot sell when for something worthwhile. I want you should bring it down. She might have something for the care of me. Bring the bedding and dishes and all the things you cannot sell. You can sell the cow here for thirty dollars and that with what you can sell up there will take us up comfortable.
Now George do not listen anything for it is hard for me to think of dying and leaving you. If you know I love you very dearly. I have no more to say. I leave all to your decision. Be quick dear husband for it is getting late in the season. Good bye dear George from your ever loving wife Lizzie.
Write as soon as you can.
There is 3 boats running here from there and I think you might all come up and pay us a visit now. Give our best respects to all inquiring friends. If you come up I will give you a great excursion on Thunderbay.
This letter that I found, written by my 3rd great grandmother, Elizabeth (Miller) Faught, filled in some gaps in the story of her life. However, most of all, it allowed me a glimpse into who she was and the heartbreaking events that she endured during the last few years of her life. I can't even imagine being a new wife, a new mom, with a baby less than a year old and having to face the fact that she wasn't going to live to see her grow up. I can understand why she was grasping at any chance she could for a cure. My heart goes out to her, as well as, my appreciation for her allowing me to share her story through the letter she left behind.