HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY

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BAY COUNTY SAW MILLS.

FIRST MILL
The first saw mill, in what is now Bay County, was built on Pine River, in the year 1835, by the firm of Jones & Chapell. They operated the mill only a short time and then it passed into other hands. It was a water mill, and traces of it may still be seen. This mill does not appear in the preceding history, for the reason that it was located outside of what is known as the Saginaw River District. The coarse lumber of the Center House came from this mill, a fact that should have been stated in connection with the history of that building.

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BAY CITY MILLS

S.G.M.GATES owns the mill, formerly owned by the firm of Gates & Fay. The first saw mill built in what was then Lower Saginaw, was erected on this site, by Hopkins, Pomeroy & Fraser, in 1846-’47, with two uprights. In the Fall of 1851 it was blown up, killing the fireman and wrecking things generally. It was put in running order and sold to Hugh Dunlap, of Chicago and still later to Burns & Sheeler. In 1859 it became the property of Grant & Fay, and in 1863 was destroyed by fire. Mr. Gates then purchased Mr. Grant’s remaining interest – and the firm of Gates & Fay erected a new mill and operated it until the Spring of 1882, when Mr. Fay retired and Mr. Gates continues the business, employing about sixty men and cutting annually about 15,000,000 feet of lumber.

THE MCEWAN MILL was built by William and Alexander McEwan in 1850, with a capacity of about 2,500,000 feet of lumber a season. It was afterwards operated by John and William McEwan, and still later by John McEwan. Since his death, it has been operated by his sons, William, John and Alexander, under the firm name of McEwan Bros. The same building is still standing that was built over thirty years ago, though the mill has been improved and its capacity increased to 18,000,000 a season. The business employs about seventy-five men. The salt block was built in 1873-’74.
William A. McEwan, son of the late John McEwan, was born in New York City, January 1, 1849. He moved with his parents to Chicago, Ill., and in 1851 came to Bay City, where he has since resided. He was interested in the manufacture of lumber with his father, and after the death of the latter, in 1882, he carried on the business in company with his brothers. He was married September 2, 1872, to Miss Maria Cornell, of Bay City.
John McEwan, of the firm of McEwan Bros., was born in Bay City, April 10, 1852. After completing his education he engaged with his father, John McEwan, in the saw mill. He spent most of his time in the office, having the care of the books. Since the death of his father, which occurred January 26, 1882, he has carried on the business in company with his brothers William and Alexander, the name of the firm being McEwan Bros. The firm have been successful in their business operations. He was married January 28, 1880, to Flora Judson, of Cleveland, O., and has one son.
Alexander McEwan, son of the late John McEwan, was born in Bay County, Mich., December 2, 1856. Was married June 5, 1880, to Grace Suhr, of East Saginaw. Is living at the old McEwan estate in the First Ward. Mr. McEwan is one of the firm of McEwan Bros., lumber manufacturers and dealers, and conducts an extensive business.

MILLER & LEWIS.
The mill of this firm was originally built by the firm of Russell, Miller & Co., in 1851. In 1863 it was leased by Albert Miller, and the following year he purchased the property. He operated it alone until the Winter of 1866-’67, when Angus Miller purchased an interest, and the firm became A. & A. Miller. They rebuilt the mill that Winter, and made it the largest one in that vicinity, having a capacity of 12,000,000 a season, and representing an investment of $50,000. They operated the mill two years, and from that time until 1879, Albert Mille was alone. In 1879 Mr. George Lewis purchased a half interest, since which time the firm has been Miller & Lewis. The season cut of the mill is about 20,000,000 feet of lumber. The firm own a large amount of standing pine.
Albert Miller is an old resident of Bay City, having come here from St. Clair County, in 1855. For a time after coming her he worked in the mills and so laid the foundation of a successful business career. By 1863 he had reached a point when he considered it safe to do something on his own account, and leased a mill which he purchased the following year. Since that time has ranked as one of the leading lumber manufacturers of this region. He is also interested in other business concerns. Mr. Miller is one of the leading members of the Fremont Avenue Methodist Episcopal Society, and from the first has been one of its liberal supporters.
Mr. Lewis is mentioned in connection with the Bay City Bank, of which he is president.

GEORGE C. MYERS.
In 1851, the firm of Watrous, Southworth & Co. built a mill on the site of the present Myers Mill, corner of Thirty-eighth and Water Streets. The old mill was torn down in 1878 and rebuilt by Mr. A. Chesbrough who sold it to its present proprietor in 1881. The mill employs about twenty men, and cut last year 6,250,000 feet of lumber.

F. E. BRADLEY & CO.
The saw mill of this firm is located at the foot of Tenth Street, and was originally built by Elijah Stanton in 1852. It was first run with a small engine, but was replaced with a larger one in 1863. In 1857 Beebe & Atwood bought the mill, and two years later Mr. Stanton resumed possession and disposed of it to H. M. Bradley & Co. Its capacity at this time was 2,000,000 feet of lumber annually. In the Spring of 1860, the mill was thoroughly repaired, and the capacity increased to 3,200,000. Improvements have been made from time to time until the present capacity is about 14,000,000 feet of lumber. In 1877 Mr. F. E. Bradley, a lumber merchant of Chicago, came into possession of the property, and ran it alone until 1880, when he associated with him Mr. Russell M. Bradley, and since that time the firm has been F. E. Bradley & Co.

HAMILTON & MCGREGOR
This mill was built in 1852 by the late James J. McCormick. At that time it had an upright and an edger, and cut during the season 1,000,000 feet of lumber. In 1859 it was enlarged and its capacity increased to about 5,000,000 feet. About 1872 the mill passed into the possession of Mr. S. H. Webster and was almost entirely rebuilt by him. In 1880 the present firm purchased it. Its present cut is about 15,000,000 for the season.

WILLIAM PETER.
The history of this mill begins in 1852. In the Spring of that year, its construction was begun by W.P. Doty. After his death it was purchased by the present proprietor, a prominent lumberman, and a resident of Toledo. The business is in charge of William A. Young, a son of Mr. George Young, of Bay City. The cut of the mill last season was 16,500,000 feet of lumber.

PITTS & CRANAGE.
The extensive mill property of this firm, situated at the foot of Washington Street, may be traced back to 1853, when Messrs. Baughman & Partridge built a mill with a siding mill, two uprights and an edger, having a daily capacity of 30,000 feet. In the Spring of 1855 Mr. Partridge withdrew from the firm, and the following Fall Mr. Baughman disposed of the property to Mr. Hubbard of Detroit, who soon afterward sold to the late Samuel Pitts, of Detroit. In 1857 the capacity of the mill was increased to 4,000,000 a season. In 1865, Samuel Pitts & Co. succeeded Samuel Pitts, and about that time the capacity of the mill was again increased. In April, 1868, Samuel Pitts died, and the firm be-

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came Thomas Pitts & Co., which was changed in 1870 to Pitts & Cranagae, Mr. Thomas Cranage Jr., having been a member of the firm since 1865. In February, 1874, the original mill was destroyed by fire and the present mill built immediately after. The old mill when burned had a capacity of 12,000,000 a season, and the new mill has been built for a capacity of 20,000,000 which has been increased to 28,000,000. There are some notable features of both the mill property and the history of its management. The mill site has a river frontage of 1,630 feet, with dock room for piling 9,000,000 feet of lumber. The F. & P. M. Railroad extends along one side of the property and the Michigan Central along the other side. There are twenty-six tenement houses upon the property built in 1863 for the convenience of employes. The amount of rent charged for these houses, fixed at a nominal sum in 1863, has never been increased. Many of the men in the employ of the firm have worked for them from their boyhood, several men having been in their employ for nearly twenty years. Mr. Alexander Culbert, their book-keeper, has been in that position since June, 1863, and has rendered twenty years of faithful and valuable service. There are about 150 men employed in the operation of the mill and salt works. The latter were built in 1863. The present firm is composed of Thomas Cranage, Jr., of Bay City, and Thomas Pitts, of Detroit.

EDDY, AVERY & EDDY.
The mill of this firm is situated at the foot of Eleventh Street, and dates back to 1854, when the firm of Rodgers & Bros. laid the foundation of this large business concern. The mill then had one upright saw, employed ten men, and cut about 7,000 feet of lumber a day. In 1856, Miller & Butterfield became its proprietors, and increased its capacity, by the introduction of the circular saw, to 26,000 feet a day. This firm continued about four years, and was then succeeded by the firm of Miller, Barnard & Co. They put in another circular saw, a new and larger engine, new boilers, and increased the capaity to 36,000 a day. In 1864 the firm of Eddy, Avery & Co. purchased the property and made still further improvements, so that in 1868 it cut about 8,000000 feet in the season of seven months, and employed forty men. January 1, 1879, this firm was succeeded by the present firm of Eddy, Avery & Eddy. The present cut of the mill is about 26,000,000 feet a season. The salt block was built in 1868, and the annual product is about 75,000 barrels. The present firm is composed of Edwin Eddy, of East Saginaw, John F. Eddy, of Bay City, and the heirs of Newell Avery, represented in the business by John H. Avery, a son of the late Newell Avery.
John F. Eddy, who resides in Bay City, is a son of the late Jonathan Eddy, who was a lumberman in the state of Maine, and came West at an early day, and became extensively engaged in lumbering in Michigan, and was one of the firm of Eddy, Avery & Co., at this point. In 1866 Mr. John F. Eddy came here from Maine, and since that time has been actively engaged in lumbering and other interests. In addition to the manufacture of lumber he is interested in a number of mercantile concerns. He is a thorough and enterprising business man.
John H. Avery is a son of the late Newell Avery, a prominent lumberman who died in 1877. Since his death the heirs have been represented here by John H. Avery, who now resides in Bay City and gives his personal attention to the business. He is also a partner in the hardware firm of Gedney & Avery.

N. B. BRADLEY& SONS.
The mill now owned by this firm was begun and partially built the firm of Hester, Carrington & Co., in 1854, and completed by Frost & Bradley, in 1855. Its capacity then was 4,000,000 feet for the season. In 1858 Mr. N. B. Bradley took charge of the mill, doing sawing by the thousand. In January, 1861, he in company with F. E. and Charles Bradley purchased the mill, the firm being N. B. Bradley & Co. In 1874, the style of the firm was changed to N. B. Bradley, trustee for the benefit of the partners. In December, 1880, Mr. Charles Bradley died, and Mr. N. B. Bradley purchased the remaining interests. In January, 1881, his two sons Elmer E., and Fred. W. Bradley, purchased an interest and the firm became N. B. Bradley & Sons. Various changes and improvements have been made, increasing the cut of the mill from 4,000,000 to about 20,000,000 at present. The firm has a large lumber yard at Toledo, and is heavily interested in pine lands in this and other states. They also manufacture about 75,000 barrels of salt a year.

S. MCLEAN, SON & CO.
This mill property dates back to 1854, when the first mill upon the site was built by B. F. Partridge, and operated by him about two years. Then James Fraser came into possession of it, and leased it to H. A. Braddock & Co. for several years. In 1863 it was purchased by Peter & Lewis, and operated by them until it burned, which was about 1868. In 1874 the present firm purchased the site, and rebuilt the mill. Last season the mill was in operation 140 days, and cut 14,000,000 feet of lumber with a force of thirty-nine men.

HENRY M. CAMPBELL of the firm of Seth McLean, Son & Co., was born in New York State. At the age of five years he moved with his parents to Genesee County, and remained about six years. They then went to Birch River, and while there his father helped to build a mill for Jesse Hoyt, afterwards working in the mill and keeping the boarding house. They were in the wilderness, their house being the only one in that portion of the country. Here they remained some four years and then moved to Pine River. There Henry M. engaged with Seth McLean, in 1857, and has continued with him ever since as foreman of the mill. In 1874 he came to Bay City and has remained in the some mill until the present time. In 1882 he became a partner, the firm being now Seth McLean, Son & Co. Mr. Campbell is a thorough mill man, his whole life having been spent in the business; is a genial, ; pleasant gentleman and highly respected. He deserves the success he has attained. He was married March 26, 1865, to Miss Mary Galigan, of Michigan, and has one child.

J. R. HITCHCOCK
This mill is situated on Water Street, at the foot of Thirty-fifth street. The first mill on this site was built in 1856 by the firm of H. D. Braddock & Co. Its capacity then was 1,500,000 per season, and employed ten men; it had two upright saws That firm run it until 1865, and then sold it to H. C. Young, who continued the business for two seasons, and then sold it to its present owner. In 1868 the capacity of the mill was increased, by putting in a circular saw, to 3,500,000 per season, and employing eighteen men. On the 22d day of August, 1868, this mill cut for A. Stevens & Co. 1,130 ¾ feet of lumber out of one log, all perfectly clear, without sap, rot or knot, leaving still a balance. The cut was as follows:
The first plank was 38 inches wide, 10 inches thick………………………………………….. 506 ¾ feet.
“ second “ “ 36 “ “ 8 “ “ 384
“ third “ “ 36 “ “ 5 “ “ 240
_________________

Total…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1,130 ¾ feet.
In 1877 the mill burned, and was rebuilt the following season. The present cut of the mill is about 9,000,000 feet of lumber a season, and employs thirty-six men. For the season of 1882 the cut was 4,000,000 feet of hardwood, and 3,500,000 of pine.
J. R. Hitchcock, the owner of the mill is a native of the state

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of Connecticut. In 1866 he settled in Bay City, and following year purchased the mill property as above stated. Mr. Hitchcock is one of the substantial lumbermen of Bay City, and has always done a careful but successful business.

A. RUST & BROS.
The mill of this firm is located at the foot of Twentieth Street, and was built in 1861 by John F. Rust & Co. In 1865 the firm was changed to A. Rust & Co The original capacity of the mill was about 4,000,000 feet of lumber a season. Its present capacity is 17,000,000 besides lath and barrels. Seventy-five men are employed about the mill. The present firm succeeded A. Rust & Col. The gentlemen composing this firm are residents of Saginaw.

Oscar B. Smith, superintendent of the mill, came to Bay City from Canada in 1868, and has been in the employ of this firm ever since, and since 1880 has filled the position of superintendent. He is thoroughly competent, and attends to the business intrusted to him with fidelity.

HAY, BUTMAN & CO.
The mill now owned by this firm was built by Mr. James Watson in the Fall of 1868, and commenced operations the following season with a circular saw. Cutting capacity 3,000,000 for the season. In 1866 Mr. Watson was joined by Mr. O’Brien of Chicago, when the mill was enlarged, and its capacity doubled. In 1871 the property was purchased by Hay, Butman & Co., the present owners The present capacity of the mill is about 14,000,000 feet of lumber a season, and employment is given to about sixty-five men.
James M. Laing is superintendent of the mill, as there is no resident member of the firm. Mr. Laing is a native of Scotland, and emigrated to Canada in 1850, and from there to the States, in 1854. In 1866 he went into the employ of Hay, Butman & Co., in charge of their business at Zilwaukee. In 1871, when they purchased the mill at Bay City, Mr. Laing came here, and has been superintendent of the business ever since. Continuous service in the employ of one firm is a testimonial that any man any man may justly feel proud of.

DOLSEN, CHAPIN & CO.
The mill of this firm was built by Messrs. Dolsen & Walker, in 1864, with a capacity of 4,000,000 a season, a employed fifteen hands. That mill was destroyed by fire , but was immediately rebuilt The present firm dates from 1874, when it succeeded Dolsen, Chapin & Bro. The business employs about 130 hands. Last season the mill cut 22,000,000 feet of lumber. Mr. J. L. Dolsen resides in Bay City, and Arthur B. Chapin at Saginaw.

FOLSOM & ARNOLD
purchased their mill site in 1867 of W. L. Fay. The mill was built by the late John Fraser, in 1865-66, and at his death the following Fall was purchased by Mr. Fay. In 1869-’70 the old mill was taken away, and a new one built. Messrs. Folsom & Arnold have been in the lumber business since 1853, and until 1867 were in business at Albany, N. Y. Mr. Arnold is still a resident of that city, but Mr. Folsom has resided here since 1867. The old mill used to cut about 3,000,000 feet of lumber, but the present mill cut last season 19,000,000. About ninety men are employed. The mill is situated at the foot of Belinda Street.

CARRIER & COMPANY.
This mill is located on the east side of the river, about two miles below the Third Street Bridge. It was built by its present owners, in the Fall of 1867, and commenced operations in the Spring of 1868. Its capacity when built was about 8,000,000 feet of lumber a season, but improvements have been made until the present cut of the mill is about double what it was at first.

Edwin G. Carrier, of the firm of Carrier & Co., was born in Jefferson County, Pa., February 14, 1839, where he remained until 1877, engaged in lumbering. He then removed to Bay City, where he again engaged in the lumber business, having a large mill at Essexville. He is also building a pulp mill in Wisconsin, which will be managed by his eldest son. Mr. Carrier is one of the most enterprising lumbermen of the Valley. He was married May 15, 1861, to Catherine E. Robinson, of Jefferson County, Pa., and has a family of four sons and three daughters. His residence is corner of Fourth and Farragut Streets, Bay City.

BIRDSALL & BARKER
This firm are the present proprietors of the McGraw Mill, one of the most noted mills in all the lumbering regions. The late John McGraw, who was so widely known in connection with Cornell University, and as one of the most extensive lumbermen of his time, was first engaged in the manufacture of lumber with Mr. H. W. Sage
, at Wenona, where in 1863-’64 they built a mill of monster proportions. IN 1868 Mr. McGraw sold his interest in that mill, and built one at Portsmouth, which was destroyed by fire in 1872. The mill was immediately rebuilt on a much larger scale. It was said to be the largest mill in the world. It cut one season 55,260,000 feet of lumber. The mill site covered about one hundred acres, which has been thickly dotted with buildings of various kinds, until quite a village is gathered there. The cut of the mill last season was about 40,000,000 feet of lumber. The product of the two salt blocks is about 125,000 barrels. After the death of John McGraw, Mr. Thomas McGraw, a nephew living at Poughkeepsie, New York, was interested in the settlement of the estate, and in 1878 the firm of T. H. McGraw & Co. succeeded that of John McGraw & Co., and continued until the Summer of 1882, when the firm of Birdsall & Barker became proprietors. Mr. T. H. McGraw is still concerned in the property, and does an extensive business in pine lands, logs and lumber. His residence is at Poughkeepsie, and a portion of his time is spent in Bay City, as his interests demand. The firm of Birdsall & Barker is composed of Benjamin Birdsall and C. C. Barker, both of whom had been connected with the mill for several years. Mr. Barker has been connected with the mill since the first one was built in 1869.

THE DETROIT MILL
was built in 1878 by the firm of John Campbell & Co., and operated by them until 1879, when it was purchased by Edmund Hall, of Detroit, and R. J. Briscoe. The mill has been greatly enlarged and improved since it came into the possession of the present proprietors. Its capacity is about 25,000,000 feet of lumber, 5,000,000 lath and 2,000,000 shingles a season. About 150 men are employed by the firm. The salt block was built in 1880, and its capacity is 50,000 barrels a year.

R. J. Briscoe resides in Bay City, and carries on the business of the firm. He came he in 1877 from Flint where he had been lumbering for eight years. Upon coming here he rebuilt the Stone Island Mill, and operated it until 1879, when the purchase of the Detroit Mill was made. He is also one of the firm of B. H. Briscoe & Co., proprietors of the Bay City Planing Mill, which he removed from Flint in 1877. The Saginaw River Boom Company, of which he is president, was organized through his efforts, and is one of the most important organizations on the river. During last season it picked up logs at the mouth of the river and on the bay amounting in value to over $40,000. Mr. Briscoe is one of the most enterprising and energetic lumbermen of the valley.

EDDY BROS. & CO.
This mill was built by S. H. Webster, and was purchased by the present firm in the Spring of 1881, of Chapin & Barber. The salt block was rebuilt in the Winter of 1882. The cut of the mill is

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about 18,000,000 of lumber a season, and the business employs about ninety men. The members of the firm are S. Eddy and John F., C. A. and C. F. Eddy.
S. Eddy the principal manager of the business, was a lumber inspector for several years, and for five years was located at Alpena. He first came to Saginaw in 1864 and to Bay City in 1869. Since the Spring of 1881 he has given his entire attention to the manufacture of lumber and the business interests of the firm.

GREEN & STEVENS.
The mill of this firm is located on Stone Island, and was built in 1865 by John Appold. In 1880 it was purchased by the present proprietors. The mill employs about forty-five hands, and cut last year 13,000,000 feet of lumber.

JAMES A. GREEN, of the firm of Green & Stevens, was born in Washington County, N. Y., January 4, 1836. Went with his partents to Chenango County, N. Y. Was there ten years in the lumber trade. In 1859 he moved to Minnesota, where he remained until 1861. He then joined the engineer corps and was employed in the manufacture of lumber for the army, in which he continued until the close of the war. He then went to Cattaraugus County, N. Y., and was three years. From Bay City he went to Kansas and remained one year. In 1871 he returned to Bay City and engaged in the lumber trade. In 1881, in company with A. J. Stevens, son of the late Appleton Stevens he purchased the Stone Island Mill property under the firm name of Green & Stevens. Their mill has a capacity of 15,000,000 feet of lumber yearly. Mr. Green was married May 31, 1857, to Miss Mary E. Kelly, of Connecticut, and has three children. His residence is on South Centre Street.
A. J. Stevens, son of the late Appleton Stevens, was born at Deep River, state of Connecticut. He came with his parents to Bay City, and after receiving his education he was employed by Chauncey Gibson in the First National Bank, (the first in the city,) as errand boy. He was gradually promoted to the position of book-keeper in the same institution. He was afterwards employed in the same capacity by A. Stevens & Co., where he remained until the death of his father, the senior partner of that concern. He then engaged in the lumber business, and in 1879 purchased a half-interest in the Stone Island Mill, since known as the Green & Stevens ill, which he still owns and operates. The capacity of the concern is about 11,000,000 feet per annum. Mr. Stevens was married to Flora Hamilton, of Ohio, in 1875, and has two children.

MILLER & BROTHERS.
This firm is composed of three brother Albert, James and Andrew Miller the first named being of the fir of Miller & Lewis. Miller & Brothers’ mill is situated on the Middle Ground, and was built in the Winter of 1880-81. The mill employs about sixty hands, and cuts about 14,000,000 feet of lumber a season.

MURPHY & DORR.
This mill is located on the Middle Ground and was built in 1873 by Whipple, Palmer & Co. In the Spring of 1877 it was purchased by the present proprietors. About forty-five men are employed, and the mill cut last year nearly 20,000,000 feet of lumber.

E. J. HARGRAVE & SON.
This mill is located on the Middle Ground, and was built in 1866 by the firm of Miller Bros. In the Winter of 1879 the mill property was purchased by the present firm. About fifty men are employed, and the cut of the mill last year was 14,000,000.
E. J. HARGRAVE, of the firm of E. J. Hargrave &Son, is a native of England.