Hendrie - Houghton
JOHN HENDRIE was born in Scotland, and came to Alcona county in 1855, and engaged himself and wife to Crosier Davison to work at fishing. Mr. Hendrie bought forty acres of land of the government, and afterward 120 adjoining his homestead. He built a cabin, made a garden and planted an orchard and struggled along working in the mill and on the farm until sufficient land
was cleared to make the farm sustaining. His wife, familiarly known as “Aunt Anna,” was born in Scotland, and shared in all his privations and labor, often carrying their flour and feed on her back. They had a family of three girls, who are married and reside in the county.
(Bibliography: “History of the Lake Huron Shore and Its People with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Pioneers”,1883, Chicago, Page 280)
WILLIAM HILL was born in Lockport, Niagara County, N.Y., 1823, and lived there to manhood. He was married at Lewiston, N.Y., to Lydia A. Horton in 1857, who died at Alcona in 1877 and was buried in Alcona County. Mr. Hill came to Presque Isle, Mich., in 1845, May 15, and to Alcona County the same year and worked for Goodwin Bros., at Thunder Bay Island, at $14 per month. He bought a gill net and commenced the business on his own hook. He afterward got more nets and the next year got a boat and increased his business. He came to the Cove in 1853 and had at one time five boats full rigged and did the largest fishing business on the Shore. In the Fall of 1855 Mr. Hill opened a store of supplies for fishermen, and Robert White acted as clerk. This store was also a hotel where men got food and lodging and did not pay anything. In 1857 Mr. Hill bought out Morrison McKinly, which included his fishing rig and shanties, and then secured Lots 2, 3, and 4 at the Cove, being in Section 1 and Section 11 in Alcona Township. Mr. Hill afterward owned land in Harrisville Township, where the principal part of that village now stands, which he sold to Harris Bros. Mr. Hill is engaged in farming and fishing now, and although sixty-one years of age, carries on his business with much of his accustomed energy. In 1857 and 1858 Mr. Hill was appointed deputy state land commissioner by James W. Sanborn, state land commissioner, and was, during that time, engaged in preventing and prosecuting trespassers on the public lands. Mr. Hill was elected highway commissioner of his township and held several successive terms of that office. He laid out and superintended the building of the Harrisville and Black River Turnpike Road of thirteen miles, the longest road of the kind in the county.
Mr. hill furnishes the following naration of wrecks and disasters: In 1847 the steamer “New Orleans” ran ashore and became a total wreck, on Sugar Island, with three hundred passengers and freighted with general merchandise. Mr. Hill landed the passengers with two boats without any loss to passengers or freight. The steamer “Ben Franklin,” ran ashore on the southeast point of Thunder Bay Island, and was a total wreck. Mr. Hill took off the cargo and a few passengers with his boats, with no loss.
The steamer “Albany” went ashore at Presque Isle, in 1856, and became a total wreck, and was also visited by Mr. Hill The propeller “Saint Joseph” ran ashore at North Point, and was got off by losing part of her cargo.
The U.S. revenue cutter ran on Thunder Bay Island and was saved by one of Mr. Hill’s boats carrying out an anchor to keep her off.
The well known side wheel steamer “Marine City” took fire at Alcona and was burned to the water’s edge. Mr. Hill sent out a boat with his two sons, Samuel and Barney, Jim Johnson and Charles Flick, and took many passengers out of the water and carried them using the tug “Vulcan.”
(Bibliography: “History of the Lake Huron Shore and Its People with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Pioneers”, 1883, Chicago, Page 278)
JOSEPH HOFFMAN was born at Rochester, New York, in 1852, and fired on the New York Central four years, his father being the oldest engineer on that road. He came to Michigan in 1873 and has run the “M.S. Smith” for Alger, Smith & Co. In 1882 he was married to Miss Mary Baker, at Black River, Alcona County, where they now reside.
(Bibliography: “History of the Lake Huron Shore and Its People with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Pioneers”, 1883, Chicago, Page 278)
A. HOUGHTON, proprietor of a meat market in Harrisville, is a native of Chenango County, N. Y., and came to Harrisville in December, 1878. He was engaged at work in the woods and mill for several years, and also for a time was employed in a meat market. In the Fall of 1882 he started in business for himself, in a building near the St. Lawrence Hotel. He has a wife and two children. He built his residence in 1879.
(Bibliography: “History of the Lake Huron Shore and Its People With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Pioneers”, 1883, Chicago, Page 274.)