Starting in 1940 or possibly the year before, Charles Popp opened the “Modern Shoe Repairing” shop on North Main Street (122 North Main where H...
Almont’s downtown has experienced many fires since the village was first platted by Daniel Black in 1836.
The first major fire occurred in 1842. The buildings were a mix of log cabins and framed wood structures – no brick buildings. Indications are that the entire business district was destroyed. However, the only written reference to this fire only indicates that the township’s earliest official records were lost in the fire.
On September 10th, a young couple came into the museum seeking information about the home that they are renovating. It is the house directly north of the Bowman/Bacholzky house on South Main Street. They had found that the house was once owned by M. E. Martin. That name seemed familiar, so I looked in the 1884 Lapeer County history book at the Almont short biographies. I found a biography for Maitland E. Martin.
George Washington Allen was born September 15, 1813 in Wales Township, Erie County, New York (southeast of Buffalo) to William Allen (1746-1808) and Abigail Gardner Allen (1781-1830). His father and uncle, Ethan Allen (1778-1846), were among the first settlers of Wales Township in 1806. William and Ethan were second cousins to Ethan Allen of the Green Mountain Boys of the Revolutionary War fame.
Herbert Fredrick Hoffman was born November 10. 1901 to Fredrick A. Hoffman (1878-1920) and Emma Medaus Hoffman (1879-1962) probably in Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. He was followed by two sisters; Florence M Hoffman about 19111 and Gertrude R. Hoffman about 1916.
In early June, Cindie received a call from Donna Rider Scott. Ms. Scott is a lifelong resident of the Almont area. She made over 3,000 wedding cakes – including Cindie’s and mine. While living in Almont, she attained Mary Cochrane’s Box (or square) Grand Piano. When she moved to Young Road northwest of Imlay City, she took the piano with her. She is now moving to Florida and does not have space in her new home for the piano. She requested that the museum take the piano.
George A Kimery was born on August 19, 1915 in Illinois to Hubert Lewis Kimery (1885-1956) and Iva L. Haskett Kimery (1890-1984). Before the start of World War II, he enlisted in the Army on January 27, 1941 in Detroit, Michigan.
On April 13th, I was informed that Almont Community Historical Society life-time member, Terry Davidson had passed away.
In the summer of 2017, Terry stopped into the museum. He had come from Colorado Springs, Colorado to attend a relative’s 90th birthday celebration (Geraldine Fiebelkorn) at the Almont Community Park. His mother was Barb Dunbar, Class of 1962. His grandparents were Mildred (Min) and William (Bill) Dunbar. Min was the loan officer of the Almont Savings Bank (now PNC Bank). She gave my parents the loan to build our home on Bordman Road.
Loretta May Swaffield was born on February 5, 1912 in Port Huron, St. Clair County, Michigan to John Benjamin Swaffield Sr. (1894-1965) and Pearl May Moore Swaffield (1895-1962).
She was later joined by four brothers: John Benjamin Swaffield Jr. (1913-1974), James R. Swaffield (1915-1977), Charles Herbert Swaffield (1917-1978), and Donald E. Swaffield (1923-1977).
Noah Webster Jr. (was born October 16. 1758 to Noah Webster Sr. (1722- ) and Mercy Steele Webster (1727-1794) in Hartford, Connecticut. His third great-grandfather, John Webster (1590-1661) brought the family to America in the early 1630s. In 1656, John served as the Governor of Connecticut.
He entered Yale College in 1774 and graduated in 1778. His studies were briefly interrupted by an uneventful brief stint in the militia for the Battle of Saratoga.
