Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 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. =========================================================================== Portrait and Biographical Album of Huron County, Michigan Pub. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1884 [193-194] JEREMIAH LUDINGTON, JR., a pioneer settler of Huron County, resident at Verona Mills, was born May 5, 1828, in Middlebury, Addison Co., Vt. His parents, JEREMIAH and LAURA (CORBIT) LUDINGTON, were natives respectively of Vermont and Connecticut. His father was born June 7, 1800, his mother in 1804. They were married in Vermont and became the parents of four children, three of whom are living, - WILLIAM, a farmer in Kent County, Mich., PHILO B., a sailor and farmer, living at Presque Isle; and MR. LUDINGTON, who is the second in order of birth. The family re- moved to Cleveland Township, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, in 1831, where the father engaged in farming. MR. LUDINGTON was bred to the vocation of farmer and followed that calling in the Buckeye State until 1850. He was married June 5, 1849, in Euclid Township, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, to MARIA A. TRESCOTT. She was born in Ohio, and is the daughter of HUNTING TRESCOTT. The family of MR. LUDINGTON comprises four children - ALMOND A., ALBERT L., DANIEL H., and WILLIE T. MR. LUDINGTON and his wife reached Sand Beach May 13, 1850. The location was in its primeval, natural condition, heavy timber standing as nature had arranged it. He immediately entered upon the manufacture of shingles, employing a considerable force of assistants. He carried on a successful and extensive business, shipping his shingles to Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to his lum- bering operations he conducted a general store. In 1857 he built a saw-mill at Center Harbor, designated by the name of the place, which he retained and managed until Oct. 4, 1864, the date of its sale. The property included 1,100 acres of fine pine lands, and three miles of railroad track, laid to the pine woods from the saw- mill. In December, 1864, he came to Verona Mills and built a saw- mill. His first work was to get out the lumber for his own house and that of his brother-in-law, JOHN KNEAL. They were the first frame buildings in the township. In the spring following he re- moved his family hither, making the transfer on sleighs and ar- riving March 24th. He owned about 1,200 acres of pine land, and employed about 60 men and 10 teams in the manufacture of lumber and shingles, drawing his products in winter to Sand Beach for shipment to market. He has manufactured some of the best lumber in Michi- gan, in the course of his experience as a lumber producer. In 1869 he cut 400,000 feet of lumber, and 100 planks averaging from 36 to 49 inches in width. Two of these are yet on exhibition at the lum- ber yard of WOODS, PERRY & Co., No. 5 Carter Street, Cleveland, Ohio. Each is 16 feet long, one being 46 inches in width, and the other four feet and one inch wide. But on the day of this writing, full accounts of the terrible fire at Cleveland, in which Messrs. WOODS, PERRY & Co., suffered to the extent of $450,000, reach the public. The dispatches give details of the destruction of the office of the firm on Carter Street, where these planks have been objects of curiousity for 15 years. MR. LUDINGTON passed his first ordeal of flame and disaster June 24, 1864, at Sand Beach, when his loss, in railroad track, logs, telegraph poles and farm buildings, was $10,000. His next was on Feb. 22, 1868, when he lost $20,000. The property burned included a steam saw and grist mill, grain, flour, lumber and other miscel- laneous property, wholly uninsured. He re-built the saw-mill, at a cost of $12,000, which he operated successfully until the general conflagration of 1871, when the loss of property in this one in- stance was appalling. On the night of Oct. 9, the saw-mill, lumber valued at $7,000, an inestimable quantity of standing pine timber, 26 valuable buildings (including six residences) and other property vanished in flame and smoke. The value of property that could be estimated reached a figure of about $35,000, all without insurance. He sold soon afterward a considerable amount of property to BALLEN- TINE & PUDDICK, including two and a half million feet of pine lum- ber. He then devoted his energies to agriculture and commercial af- fairs. He erected a store for the purpose of founding a mercantile enterprise, continuing its management from 1875 to 1879, when he gave it to his son Daniel. In the year last named he built a large hotel, 32 x 52 feet in extent, with addition 32 x 42 feet in dimen- sions, and having a large hall on the second floor. The wing is two stories in height, the main building being a half story higher. He rented the hotel until May 4, 1882, when he took personal charge of its affairs. In the fire of 1881 MR. LUDINGTON was again a heavy loser, saving no personal effects excepting one trunk with its contents, a sewing-machine and the hotel property. He lost two fine barns, valued at $4,000. He owns 65 acres of land connected with the hotel in Verona, and also about 600 acres variously lo- cated in the county. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity. MR. LUDINGTON is inseparably associated with the municipal his- tory of the part of Huron County where he has lived for more than 34 years, and which he has been largely instumental in opening to business and progress. He has been active in local official life, having served several years as Treasurer of his township, besides in most other offices in town and county. In the fall of 1874 he was nominated on the Republican ticket to represent his district in the Legislature of Michigan, scoring a triumph of 239 votes majority. He served an additional term, to which he was elected in the fall of 1879, his majority being about the same as at his first election. He served three years as State Swamp Land Road Commissioner, during which time the Huron City & Bad Axe State road was built, under his supervision. He gave his taxes to the enterprise, consisting of 75 days' labor. He built his grist-mill in 1866, and within that year contributed $2,000 to the road building. His aggregate of highway contribution reaches $6,000, and the county is indebted to him principally for the fine roads in this vicinity. In 1866 he employed a gang of men with teams, constructing roads, paying the entire expense. The career of MR. LUDINGTON in Huron County has been deeply marked by the terrible vicissitudes through which it has passed. He has been a very successful business man, and has risen from his several severe misfortunes with courage and energy unabated; and the record of his brave struggles will form one of the most promi- nent and striking chapters in the eventful history of Huron County. In presenting the portrait of MR. LUDINGTON in this work, the publishers are pleased to know they not only give the likeness of one of the county's pioneer settlers, but a man who has identified himself with the interest of the county and her citizens since 1850. The early settlers and a large majority of the present popu- lation of the county will recognize in the likeness of MR. LUDING- TON those features that indicate success, and that accomplish pur- poses only through the channels of honest, energetic endeavor. =========================================================================== 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/ ===========================================================================