Empire, Michigan 49630
November 1993
GREETINGS ISLAND FRIENDS:
In July at the Annual Business Meeting of the Society, NEW Officers were voted into Office. I am including their names and addresses - for an introduction and a contact.
| President: | Paul Rocheleau 5437 S. Crawford Rd. Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 |
| Vice—President: | Margaret Kelly Braden 9815 Trevina Ct. Fort Wayne, IN 46804 |
| Secretary: | Sandra Black 6135 Bittersweet Dr. NE Belmont, MI 49306 |
| Treasurer: | Zella Morris 330 S. Dunn's Farm Rd. Maple City, MI 49664 |
Please feel free to contact these Officers with your ideas, questions, concerns, etc.
I hope you all enjoy reading this issues "I Remember.. ." story. It's a great slice of island history. Each of you have stories much like this one to share. We all look forward to hearing each others stories. Please consider recording your memories this coming winter!!!!!
Enjoy the Newsletter!
Kathy Bietau, Editor
Greetings,
I would like to thank everyone who supported me for President at the Annual Meeting in July. I know I can't fill the shoes of my predecessor, however I will try to make progress.
Speaking of progress, I would like to ask for the opinions of Society Members as to which area of concern should become a priority.
1) Should we seek better access to the rural farms?
2) Should we concentrate our efforts on the stabilization of some of the structures?
OR... What are YOUR ideas/concerns?
I ask these questions because we have made tremendous progress towards accomplishing the first goal of the Society. That being the restoration of the Cemetery and the fence surrounding it. The second goal is the restoration of the Lighthouse. It looks like a while before an architectural study can be completed on the Lighthouse. Ray Kimpel of the National Park Service said that this study is necessary before any restoration can take place. Funding for this study is the hold-up. The Society does not have the financial resources at this time to do this study. So I pose the question: In which direction should we expend our energies? The concerns I expressed are NOT the only ideas, but rather, an example of what we might want to focus on in the near future.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Paul Rocheleau
President
SOCIETY ISLAND OUTING
What a great day! Forty members set sail from Leland August 1, 1993 for an island adventure. Overcast skies followed the MISHE MOKWA over to the island, but by early afternoon we had sun-shiny skies. "The Spirit of the Manitous" was looking to show us a good time.
We packed as much activity as we could into our 4 hour layover. Descendants and former inhabitants visited their family farms they remembered and loved. Everyone shared their tales of island life.
Anna beck Savoie walked the schoolyard she played in as a child growing up on the island. She remembered vividly, her grandparents, August and Elizabeth Beck's farmstead in the islands interior. Her son, Charles Gum, relived the stories surrounding his great—grandparents farm with his mother.
Joe Orbeck "bushwhacked" his way to the Henry and Maggie Haas farm on the west side on Florence Lake. It was such a well built island house!
Paul Rocheleau hiked to the theodore Beck farmstead on the south shore of the island where he identified with his family heritage.
Folks also visited the George Johann Hutzler homestead north of the cemetery. All were delighted to see the vegetation trimmed around the buildings, yet were dismayed at the poor condition of the home, guest house/garage and the sheds west of the house.
We toured the Post Office/Visitor Center and some climbed to the top of the Lighthouse. A highlight of the day was the presentation of the last Coast Guard flag to fly at the Grand Haven Station to Glenn Furst for his 80th birthday.
Our thanks to Linda Henry, Ken "Tree" Bausch and Kim Mann of the National Park Service and to Molly Grosvenor for her kind assistance to our group.
It provided great spiritual peace to gather our group at the island cemetery where our Society was born of thought. Our "ace-photographer", Don Morris captured the moment on film. A fun time was had by all!!!!! Should we make this an annual event??
Kathy Bietau.
Captain Floyd S. Thompson, 85, of Ohio died July 6, 1993.
He was born on May 2, 1908, on South Manitou Island. His parents were Theodore and Matilda (Beck) Thompson. He had a 45 year career with the carferry service. He was hired Oct. 2, 1923, at the age of 15 as a second porter on the Ann Arbor No. 4 out of Frankfort. In 1946, he moved his family to Ludington where he began working for the Pere Marquette Carferry Service. He began as a watchman and worked his way up to captain. He retired from the C & 0 Carferry Service in 1968.
Floyd will be missed by his family and many friends.
MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOUTH MANITOU MEMORIAL SOCIETY
July 31, 1993 — EMPIRE METHODIST CHURCH, EMPIRE, MI — 9:30 a.m.
31 people present
Meeting called to order by Brian T. Hazlett, President, at 10:00 a.m.
Invocation by Brian who asked for a moment of silence in memory of Violet Hutzler
Robinette, Myron Vent, Beatrice Thompson Holmes, Shirley Grosvenor Swartz
and Floyd Thompson.
Those present introduced themselves and their relationship to the island.
Motion made by Fred Burdick to dispense with reading of the minutes of the
July 25, 1992 meeting since they were published in the newsletter. Motion
seconded and approved unanimously.
Connie Phillips, Treasurer, was unable to attend the complete meeting and asked
that Brian report the following: $ 4,426.51 Savings
$ 5,000.00 Perpetual Fund
$ 528.12 income from securities
donated anonymously
$ 1,349.93 J. Phillips Fund
$ 625.00 Lighthouse Fund (initiated
by Shirley Swartz family)
Society's Net Worth July 30, 1993 $ 11,929.56
Society's New Worth July 30, 1992 8,997.21
Net Growth for 1992/93 $ 2,932.35 (includes donations,
memorials and new memberships, less expenses)
Brian also reported that mail which had accumulated for the past month
included checks for memberships, donations and memorials totalling $330.
It was moved and seconded that the Treasurer's Report be accepted. Motion
unanimously approved by voice vote.
Ray Kimpel of the National Park Service (NPS) explained two options the Society
has in the development of a Memorandum of Understanding.
1. Development of a "Friends" group to solicit large sums of money in
the name of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and would
require strict oversight by the NPS.
2. Remain focused on smaller projects as hands—on work group to
physically help with projects and possibly provide some funds to
help pay for supplies and materials.
It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved that the Society follow
the second option in the development of a Memorandum of Understanding with
the NPS. Those interested in the development of a "Friends" group should
contact the local NPS office.
MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOUTH MANITOU MEMORIAL SOCIETY Page 2
July 31, 1993
The nominating committee presented the following slate to be elected for the next
two years:
President: Paul Rocheleau
Vice President: Margaret Braden
Secretary: Sandra Black
Treasurer: Zella Morris
Motion made by Fred Burdick that the nominations be closed and the slate
presented be elected unanimously. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
Cynthia Heisler proposed the Society adopt substitute by—laws as published in the
July 1993 newsletter which include the following changes to the by—laws
now in effect:
(anyone wishing a copy of the Society's By-laws please contact our
Secretary - Sandra Black)
Motion made by Zella Morris that the changes be accepted as presented. Seconded.
Approved unanimously.
Brian asked for volunteers to work as a publicity committee.
Margaret Braden and Judy Fogle
9815 Trevina Ct. 2595 Qkemos Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 56804 Mason, MI 48854
volunteered to be contact persons for the committee. Kathy Bietau and
Linda Henry also volunteered to serve on the committee.
Glenn Furst raised the question of how and where archival materials (both
historical information and business records) should be stored. It was
suggested that the new board talk to Neal Bullington of the NPS, the
Empire Museum and the Leland Museum.
Meeting adjourned 12:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Joanna B. Smith
Secretary
Those we love must someday pass beyond our present slight ... must leave us and the world we know without their radiant light. But we know that like a candle their lovely light will shine to brighten up another place more perfect ... more divine. And in the realm of Heaven where they shine so warm and bright, our loved ones live forevermore in God's eternal light.1
June 7, 1883 MRS. ANDERSON, a Danish woman while burning brush on North Manitou Island last Saturday, somehow ignited her clothing and burned to death. Her husband found her about 9 o'clock in the morning, dead.2
August 16, 1917 The four year old child of MR & MRS JOHN PAETSCHOW of North Manitou Island died last Friday after an illness of a short duration. The funeral services took place last Sunday. Mr. & Mrs. John Paetschow have the heartfelt sympathy of their many friends.2
December 9, 1927 Without benefit of clergy and while neighbors stood in the deep snow and sang into the blizzard her favorite hymn, "Nearer My God To Thee," the body of MRS AUGUST BECK was lowered to rest on South Manitou Island her home for most of her 72 years, on Dec. 9. The island was stormbound and a minister and undertaker were waiting on the mainland at Glen Haven, nine miles away for the lake to calm enough for them to cross.
MRS BECK (ELIZABETH HAAS) died at the home of her daughter in Benzie county on December 5, 1927. A party of relatives left Dec. 6 to take the body to the island for a funeral the next day, but as they were about to put out in the storm in Capt. August Warner's mail boat all but the widower turned back.
The mail boat fought one of the heaviest seas on the Manitou channel in years to reach the island coast guard station late that night. For two days Capt. Warner waited for a break in the storm to go back to the mainland for the minister and the undertaker, but the intensity of the storm grew almost hourly. On the third day the people of the island held the service by themselves. Capt. William Fisher of the life saving station led the Lord's Prayer and gave a short sermon. Game Warden Mark Craw, on temporary duty at the island, read a chapter from the gospel of John, and a choir organized by Miss Minnie Carpenter, the island school teacher, sang.
Then a procession of sleighs moved on through the blizzard to the island cemetery two miles away. At the grave Capt. Fisher offered a prayer and the neighbors bared their heads to the storm while they sang "Nearer My God To Thee." Every one of the 55 residents of the island was among the mourners.
Surviving Mrs Beck, besides the widower, are three daughters, MARY of near Beulah; ALVINA of Grand Rapids, HATTIE of Charlevoix, two sons, IRWIN of Empire, and HARLEY of Michigan City, Ind.; two brothers, HENRY and WILLIAM of South Manitou Island, and several grand-children and great grandchildren.3
The funeral of AUGUST BECK was held Tuesday, May 6, 1941, at the Lutheran Church at Glen Arbor at 10:00 o'clock with Rev. R.R. Lather officiating. The service was held on the mainland and then the body was taken to the South Manitou Island. The body was accompanied by Mr. IRWIN BECK, HARLEY BECK, and MR BARNHART, the sons and son-in-law; C. Bennett and Rev. Lather. A short service was held at the coast guard station and then the body was taken to the cemetery where the committment service was read.
AUGUST BECK was born December 1, 1853, in Berlin, Germany. He came to the United States in 1868. He, with his parents, two brothers and one sister, left Germany in the month of May. They were six months on the ocean, arriving in New York the latter part of September. They arrived at the South Manitou Island in the month of October. The family stayed with Mr Beck's uncle. In the spring of the year they settled in the wilderness on a 160 acre homestead. He stayed with his father, mother, and two brothers for a number of years. Then he desolved partnership and bought a 160 acre homestead and this is where he carved his home out of the wilderness. He married Lizzie Haas in 1873. On his homestead he built a log house which stands today, and as the years went by he started building new farm houses and outer buildings which still stand today, and here is where he reared his family of nine children. He was a very successful farmer and gained many friends in Leelanau County. He died May 4, 1941 at his son's home in Empire, Michigan.
He leaves in his passing, three daughters, MRS MARY MORSE of Homestead, Mich., MRS ALVINA WEST of Grand Rapids, and MRS HATTIE BARNHART of Grand Haven, two sons, HARLEY BECK of Michigan City, Ind., and IRWIN BECK of Empire. Also 25 grandchildren 17 great grandchildren and a host of friends.4
Death Records - Glen Arbor Twp.
| GEORGE E. BECK DB: 12—22—1880 DD: 5—29—1900 Age: 20 — Sailor Cause: Consumption Parents: August Beck Lizzie Beck Burial: SMI |
MINNIE BERTHA BECK DB: 8—15—1892 DD: 9—12—1907 Age: 15 — Single Cause: Not given Parents: Theodore Beck Elvania Virgin Burial: SMI |
ALBERT BECK DB: 9—28—1845 DD: 10—7—1926 Age: 81 — Single Cause: Mitral Insuff. Parents: David Beck unknown Burial: SMI |
1. Hallmark 3. GR Herald
2. Leelanau Enterprise 4. S. Prehn
"I Remember..."
July 24—29, 1966
MY FIRST ISLAND VISIT
I remember my first South Manitou Island visit in 1966 at the age of 17. A love of the Great Lakes and Northern Michigan had already bloomed within me from family vacations across the "Straits" in the 1950's. There was no "Mighty Mac" bridge then and the carferries were a great wonder to my boyhood eyes. I loved the sand and stones at Grand Marais while camping in my Uncle "Bud's" borrowed canvas tent. So you can imagine my delight when asked by a friend from the Tecumseh, Michigan airport to join him and three others for a South Manitou excursion for a week.
It was July 23, 1966 as Bruce Winder, Fred Sweet, and myself left Tecumseh at 3:00 in the afternoon in Bruce's light blue 1964 Ford Galaxy convertible. We were pulling our soon-to-be "Island boat", a 16 foot wooden Thompson with a 35 horsepower Gale Sovereign outboard motor.
Above us, and in radio contact were Jim Merrilat and Ray Kushmaul flying Jim's old Piper Super Cruiser airplane. The plan was to meet them on the Island the next morning. Plans changed after they landed on the airstrip that Ed Riker maintained. Jim was concerned that the cattle that shared the airstrip might take a liking to the fabric covering the tail surfaces of his airplane. So rather than risking having his plane chewed on he and Ray decided to rendezvous with us in Northport after they landed at Woolsey airport on the mainland. We could then all take our boat across the next day.
After picking them up in Northport, we drove to Glen Arbor for the night. We slept on the beach under the stars. I never saw such a display of God's handiwork as that sparkling July night. The stars seemed to reach down the horizon and kiss the Islands barely 8 miles off shore. Passing freighters crept by looking like floating Christmas trees.
Sunday morning we had to make two runs across to get the five of us and our gear to the campsite. I was in the first load. My feet first touched South Manitou sand about 10:00 a.m., July 24, just opposite the shipwreck, Francisco Morizan. Such a pristine setting with the waves lapping the shore and gulls crying overhead. It's a memory photo I will never forget. I also saw and collected some little brown Suave bottles still washed up on shore as part of the Morazan's cargo when she ran aground in 1960.
It was July 23, 1966 as Bruce Winder, Fred Sweet, and myself left Tecumseh at 3:00 in the afternoon in Bruce's light blue 1964 Ford Galaxy convertible. We were pulling our soon-to-be "Island boat", a 16 foot wooden Thompson with a 35 horsepower Gale Sovereign outboard motor.
Above us, and in radio contact were Jim Merrilat and Ray Kushmaul flying Jim's old Piper Super Cruiser airplane. The plan was to meet them on the Island the next morning. Plans changed after they landed on the airstrip that Ed Riker maintained. Jim was concerned that the cattle that shared the airstrip might take a liking to the fabric covering the tail surfaces of his airplane. So rather than risking having his plane chewed on he and Ray decided to rendezvous with us in Northport after they landed at Woolsey airport on the mainland. We could then all take our boat across the next day.
After picking them up in Northport, we drove to Glen Arbor for the night. We slept on the beach under the stars. I never saw such a display of God's handiwork as that sparkling July night. The stars seemed to reach down the horizon and kiss the Islands barely 8 miles off shore. Passing freighters crept by looking like floating Christmas trees.
Sunday morning we had to make two runs across to get the five of us and our gear to the campsite. I was in the first load. My feet first touched South Manitou sand about 10:00 a.m., July 24, just opposite the shipwreck, Francisco Morizan. Such a pristine setting with the waves lapping the shore and gulls crying overhead. It's a memory photo I will never forget. I also saw and collected some little brown Suave bottles still washed up on shore as part of the Morazan's cargo when she ran aground in 1960.
We soon set up camp. A thunderstorm rumbled through that night, but we stayed dry. The next morning we headed down the beach to explore.
I noticed just east of our camp a stairway going up the bluff to a cottage. Later I would learn it was Ken and Judy Taylor's summer home. Then farther along we came across Joe and June Harrold's "Lodge." It was a beautiful large white farmhouse for rent. Still further on was the weather station, complete with building, rain gauge, and equipment.
Then suddenly around the last bend, there it was ... the lighthouse! She stood tall and proud, even though neglected since 1958 when the Coast Guard abandoned her. We marvelled at her stateliness, then headed down the old planks to the "village".
My attention was soon drawn to a lady perched high on a telephone pole working on some wires. Later I found it was Esther Riker making repairs after the storm the previous night. She later gave us a deluxe after-hours Island tour as she knew Jim from previous visits.
I'll close this shortened account of my first Island experience by mentioning the marina of "Uncle Joe" Harrold (Doris Shirk's uncle) and wife June, plus a little story of Burdick's village store.
My first sight of the marina in the bay lingers as its whiteness contrasted with the sand and dune grass around it. A little cupola on the roof was painted bright red and looked smart against the sparkling blue Lake Michigan expanse. From the ferry it was as visible several miles out as the lighthouse. Inside, June's bean soup was unsurpassed in warming a cold camper's tummy during a Nor'Easter. I soon became a regular on subsequent trips. While we ate soup, Uncle Joe's eyes would scan the eastern horizon for any new arrivals. His hand would slip down to fetch another cigar as he told us some more island lore.
Then, our appetites sated, we began the walk back to camp. We had to stop in Fred and Bea Burdick's store before leaving sandy point. The store was small but seemed to contain everything one would need on vacation! There was no one in so we rang the bell. In came Dick Hallet who sold us the pop and munchies we craved. He told us how he was staying on the Island for another two weeks before taking George Grosvenor's mail boat, the Manitou Isle, back to the mainland.
My first stay ended Friday, July 29. The next year I brought two high school friends. I was hooked. I continued an Islander for 20 years and am now a Sandhill Savage after having actually lived on "South" for two summers: 1975 and 1976.
Tom Cubberly
July 1973
Copyright 1993/1994 Vol.4, No.3