The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-03-23

name Varney would have stuck hut for
the ladies'. One evening a party was
held at the Revere House, at which a
number of the leading ladies of the set
tlement were present, and to these Ihe
Colonel spoke so eloquently in favor Of
Clio that they decreed ii and thus il
had to be and il.
We are informed by one of the very
earliest settlers now living that one of
the first houses to be built within the
| corporate limits of the present village
stood upon the site occupied by the
residence of b. E Conlee, from the alb
stract of title to which site we gain our
information as to he fiftieth annivers-
airy of the village. Noted on this alb
stract, which records dozens, almost,
of transfers, is the information that
the name Clio was approved by an act
of the legislature dated March 70,
1867. The old honse, we are told, was
subsequently moved to new location,
rebuilt, and is now occupied by Will
Houghton. Other early dwellings were
the houses now occupied by John X.
Ayliffe, l.. B. Fuller and b. S. Jennings.
The Fuller house was built by Mr..
Young in the early sixties and was sold
to Charles Cooley, father Of III. w.
Cooley. before it was entirely complet-
ed. The elder Cooley used it as farm
house for years. The Jennings home.
or rather part Of it, for it has been en-
tirely reconstructed and enlacge ed was
built by John Dobbs upon the site of
he present school building in 1852, Mr..
d ,bbs0wning forty acre tract in that
lncality. Another dwelling Of the early
p ioi was built by Manley Davis on
Critics st. and in now the property of
Mrs. H. l.. Benjamin.
From the information we are able to
CLEAN it appears that Amos Critics
bought out the Dean saw mill property
sometime dufi the carly fifties, which
business he continued, later adding a
grist mill, which under various manage
ments did IrivIng business for years.
The original Dean mill is said to have
burned down, likewise in succession five
Other mill structures, which stood upon
the same foundation, the remains OF
which may still be seen. The grlst
mill, which was last operated by j. Il.
Sissins, was totally DESTROYED by fire
Sept mber 5, 1905. Mr.. Critics was not
only one of the earliest pioneers OF this
section but also one of the wealthiest
and most consequential citizens. He
built and for several years occupied,
with his family. the commodious resid-
ence which is now the home of Mrs. A.
Goodfellow. He afte wards moved to
California, where he died, the body be-
ing brought back to this place for
burial. Critics street in Clio was nam
ed for him.
David Huych, uncle of our fellow
townsman, h. E Huyck, was the pion-
eer merchant of the village that after
wards became Clio. 1t appears that he
had served for time, during the early
days of the war, in the Union army,
then came home and. in 1868, started a
grocery, which was the first mercan-
| tile establishment on the site of Clio
| This store was little one story frame
affair that stood just about where the
hagman's house at the P. M Ry cross.
ing is located. 1t fronted east and
west, the end next the railroad hous-
ing saloon, while the other end pro-
vided quarters for Mr.. Huyck's store.
l. M. Beeman was the first clerk. AT
ter about year ip> this building Mr.
Huyck bought piece of land where
the Clio State Bank l.; now located and
built what was known for many years
as the "brown store" so called from
the color which it was painted.
About this time. it would appear, a
copartnership was formed between
Messrs. Huyck & Critics, under the
firm name of Critics & Huyck, who did
a large business as proprIetors of the
saw and grist mills and also in general
merchandise For a number of years
they maintained large boarding house
where their numerous employees were
cared for.
After Mr.. Huyck removed to his new
quarters, |. M. Beemnn bought the lit
tie store in which he had served his ap-
premiership as a merchant and in the
| fall of 1864 set up in business for him
self. He moved the little building to a
point on Vienna ST., near the present
location of The Messenger office, where
he did business for year or so and
then built the large two-story frame
structure at the northwest corner of
Vienna and Mill SITS. where he contin-
ued an honorable and successful busi-
ness career until 1900 when he retired
to enjoy in his declining years the fruits
of his labors. Mr.. Beeman also built
the first brick building erected in Clio
or the township, being that in which
M. c. Doyle now has his implement
store.
Other merchants Of the early days
were j. x Kelsey, grocer; james Will
son, grocer; Lee Salisbury, druggist;
Henry Herring, groceries and hard
ware; Daniel Reed, druggist; d. S.
Halstead, general merchandise. John
Golf, harness; Hill Bros, wholesale ard
retail liquors; Larry & Holmes, hard
ware; Lansby & Van Buskirk, general
store j. B. Garland, general store
VIM. Peterson, blacksmith; Chas RICE
hardware; j. X. Frost. general mer-
chandise; Schofield Bros, clothiers;
John Dobbs, pubic hall and ten pin
alley. Mrs. 'Lige" Heath was the
proprietor of the first regular hotel.
built about fifty years ago on the prop
erty now owned by the Michigan Ry.
Company. This hostelry had many diff
ferent proprietors, underwent exten-
sive alterations and provided entertain
ment for thousands Of travellers during
its history. 1t was destroyed by fire
\ IL e.