Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2015 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of the Lake Huron Shore H. R. Page & Co., - 1883 [268] ALCONA TOWNSHIP --------------- This township was erected by the board of supervisors of Alpena County, and the first township meeting was held at the residence of BRYANT S. LA GRANGE, the first Monday of April, 1867. BRYANT S. LA GRANGE, ELIJAH R. HAYNES and WILLIAM JOHNSON were inspectors of election. The territory organized into this township was described as follows: Township 27 north, of Range 9 and 10 east, and Township 28 north, of Ranges 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 east. The start at this point was made under the management of MR. E. R. HAYNES, who came to Alcona in 1866 as resident partner of JOHNSTON, HAYNES & Co., and the township of Alcona was organized. A sawmill and docks were built, and a store and postoffice were also added, - and thus the fishing station of the "Cove" became another point where capital and labor were employed in developing the lumber business, and a few farms were being cleared. The lumbering business of Alcona was first established in the year 1865, by the firm of JOHNSTON, HAYNES & Co., comprising JOHN JOHNSTON, ELIJAH HAYNES, JAMES BEARD and F. H. VANDERBURG, all of the city of Port Huron, Michigan. They having bought a large tract of land, concluded to build a sawmill and manufacture of timber. The building of this mill and starting the business, was managed under great difficulties. Men thinking it was too far out of civilization to go to work, had to be paid high wages and receive the best of attention. There being no way in which to land supplies, excepting in small boats from vessels, it was under difficulties that vessels could be obtained, as they were not anxious to take supplies up on to the lake shore, and have to un- load in this manner. MR. HAYNES had charge of this part of the business, and remained here as general manager till the time of his death, which was, no doubt, hastened by the exposure and hardship that he was compelled to go through. In addition to getting out logs and sawing them, they handled a large amount of long timber, which was rafted and towed away. In the spring of 1871, JOHN JOHNSTON and F. H. VANDERBURG sold out their interests, E. R. HAYNES and JAMES BEARD continuing the business, under the name of HAYNES & BEARD, a name well known in St. Clair County, where they started lumbering about the year 1848, and continued as partners until MR. HAYNES' death which occurred in 1875. MR. JAMES BEARD, of Port Huron, having bought the interest of MR. HAYNES, and F. E. BEARD being admitted into the firm, the name was changed to JAMES BEARD & Co. On account of the scarcity of snow in the Winter of 1877 and 1878 they were unable to get in a full stock of logs for their mill, so they concluded to build a railroad to handle the logs, and in May, 1878, they began cutting out and grading the road, and on the first day of July following, the locomotive was landed on the dock at Alcona, and on July third began drawing logs. They now have a three and one-half feet gauge of road, about ten miles in length, with one locomotive and thirty-six cars. In 1880 they built a shingle-mill, with a capacity of 70,000 per day, and rebuilt the sawmill. In April, 1882, JAMES BEARD died, and the business has since been carried on by F. E. BEARD and MRS. BEARD, under the same name, JAMES BEARD & Co. =========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more of our growing collection of FREE online information by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/ ===========================================================================