Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Rachel Fuller 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. =========================================================================== Portrait and Biographical Album of Huron County, Michigan Pub. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1884 [257-258] CHARLES G. LEARNED, one of the most extensive agriculturalists of the Huron peninsula, resident at Port Austin, was born Dec. 13, 1816, at West Troy, Albany Co., N.Y. His father EDWARD LEARNED, was a native of Roxbury, Mass., and married BETSEY CRAWFORD. She was born in Ireland and died in Pittsfield, Mass. The senior LEARNED was a practical business man and operated many years in the State of New York as a contractor on the public works, building canals, aqueducts, water works and railroads, and died in Albany Co., N.Y. MR. LEARNED commenced his career as a business man in 1835, Two years before attaining his majority, he took a contract in his father's name to build one mile of aqueduct on the water-works of the city of New York, at Dobbs' Ferry. When he arrived at the period of his legal freedom he had made his first $10,000. He was one of the builders of the Erie Canal, and constructed two tunnels on the Boston water-works; also five miles of the aqueduct con- nected therewith. After taking the contract for the latter, his father became interested in its fulfillment. He was also engaged as a contractor in the construction of the dry dock and buildings at Brooklyn, for which he quarried the necessary building material in Maine. He was interested in the building of the Harlem Railroad near Croton Falls, N.Y., and in other similar enterprises until 1859. In addition to his operations as a contractor, he was also interested for a period of five years in farming and lumbering at West Troy, where he owned lumber yards; he also controlled a saw- mill in Rensselaer Co., N.Y. His first knowledge of the pine tracts of the Huron peninsula was obtained in 1857, during a trip to Port Austin to buy lumber of SMITH & DWIGHT, of Detroit, who were conducting their manufactures at this point. The outlook impressed him as promising, and in com- pany with his brother-in-law, FREDERICK S. AYRES, of West Troy, he purchased several thousand acres of pine land. Later, he sold a fourth interest to EBENEZER WISWALL. A mill had already been erected on the tract purchased, and they entered largely into the manufacture of lumber, with yards for wholesale and retail traffic at Sandusky, Ohio. As the county developed, the firm extended their business relations, sunk the first salt well in this county and engaged in mercantile enterprises. In 1871 MR. LEARNED sold his interest in the affairs of the concern to E. R. AYRES. He is still the proprietor of a large acreage. His farming lands are of a fine quality, and he has about 2,000 acres in tillage, on which he raises the usual variety of crops. He employs three general managers on his farms and about 20 men. His dairy herd includes 30 cows of established merit, includ- ing Jerseys, Short-horns, Holsteins and Ayrshires. He has a tho- roughbred Jersey bull, registered "Exquisite," which he purchased in Pittsfield, Mass. A fine grade of butter from his dairy is shipped to Detroit and Philadelphia. The village property of MR. LEARNED at Port Austin includes an elegant residence with grounds attached, containing three acres and worth $12,000. The barns adjacent are of a fine type, and are situated on an additional three acres. Six tenant houses and a number of lots also belong to MR. LEARNED. He is the owner of 2,000 acres of land in Tuscola County, located in the neighborhood of the HalfWay House, between Sebewaing and Bay City, where they keep a quantity of cattle. The marriage of MR. LEARNED occurred in Lewisboro, Westchester Co., N.Y., Sept. 23, 1838, to MARIA RAYMOND. Only one of their four children survive. (See sketch of J. R. LEARNED) Following are the names of three younger children, who are deceased: SARAH, ASA and MARY JANE. MR. LEARNED has had a business career of great extent, making his name prominent in several locations, and he belongs to one of the most substantial families of Eastern New York. While engaged in the lumbering business at West Troy, he resided at Poestenkill, Rensselaer Co., N.Y. At the same time PRESIDENT JAMES A. GARFIELD was a student at Williams College, and taught writing at Poesten- kill. He was an inmate of the family of MR. LEARNED during the term of his teaching and made his home with them in the interims of the college terms. His wife, MARIA LEARNED, who during her life had by her prominent and consistent Christian character, example and deeds of charity, endeared herself to the people in this community, died Jan 10, 1881. On a preceding page a fine lithograph portrait adorns the col- lection selected for this Album. =========================================================================== 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/ ===========================================================================