Arze MacIntosh

  One of six children, and the eldest son, of Milford Edward and Zylpha Catherine (Hartman) MacIntosh, was born May 22, 1891, in China Twp., St. Clair County, Michigan.

Following in their father's footsteps, Arze and his younger brother, Lee, began their careers on the lakes at an early age. By November, 1913, Arze was one of the wheelsmen aboard the freighter, Charles S. Price, which foundered with all hands on lower Lake Huron during the great storm of November 9th, 1913.

Arze's body washed ashore at Grand Bend, Ontario, and was identified at Thetford, by his uncle and brother. Arze had planned to sail again the following season and hoped, that by staying aboard the Price until the season was over, he might be considered for a promotion or raise in the spring. The extra income would have been needed as, being young and in love, he was engaged to be married to twenty-two year old Kittie Tebeau, daughter of George and Louisa (Sterling) Tebeau, who lived next door to the MacIntosh family on Pug street in St. Clair township.

And so, as most other families in St. Clair county were digging out from the storm, and making preparations for a Thanksgiving feast, the MacIntosh family awaited the arrival of Arze's body from the Canadian shore, and made preparations to bury their eldest son.

Arze was laid to rest in Rose Hill cemetery, China Twp., St. Clair county. His gravesite has two stones, a smaller one placed by the family, and the larger one shown at the left, provided by the Mahoning Steamship Co., owners of the Charles S. Price.

Obituary: Port Huron Times-Herald, November 14, 1913

The lifeless form of Arze McIntosh, wheelsman, was identified on Thursday night as he lay among his comrades in the little morgue at Port Frank, Ont. The remains were sent to Port Huron this morning and will be brought to his late home in north St. Clair. McIntosh was 23 years of age, and leaves a father, mother, three sisters and two brothers as follows; Mr. and Mrs. Milton MacIntosh of Pugg St., St. Clair; Mrs. Walter Smith of St. Clair; Miss Eliza MacIntosh of Detroit; Miss Nellie MacIntosh of St. Clair; and Lee and Manson MacIntosh of St. Clair.

We would like to thank Suzanne Wesbrook Frantz at the St. Clair County Historical Museum for her valuable assistance in preparing this tribute.