A history of Pickford Area Pioneer Families Daniel Morrison

MAC INNIS

Records show that Mr. Neil MacInnis, Sr., lumbered in this area before 1885. He later farmed on M-129 across from what is now the Don Rye farm. It was on this farm that Bob Beacom was threshing when the machine caught fire, destroying the threshing machine, barn, and all its contents.

Mr. and Mrs. Neil MacInnis had the followihg children: NEIL, JR., GEORGE, JACK, DAN, CHARLES, BARBARA, CARRIE, and JENNIE.

NEIL MAC INNIS, JR., lived at Stirlingville on the farm now owned by Beatrice Brown. JACK married Edna Gough and their children were Willard and James. After his mother's death, when he was quite young, Willard lived with his Grandparents MacInnis. Jack remarried and had one son, John. Willard operates an advertising business at Rudyard. James, operates the Farm and Garden Center in Sault Ste. Marie. He married June Sweeny and they have two children, Charles and Barbara.

MALTAS

In the year 1066, during the Norman Conquest, a man left France and went with other Huguenets to Yorkshire, England, where he settled. His name was Maltas, and for the next 850 years, the small parishes around Yorkshire were never without a Maltas family on their records.

In 1841 a male member of the Maltas family moved ta Toronto, Canada, where he married another recent immigrant from England. To this couple in 1850 was born a son, William.

At the age of 18 in 1868 William Maltas was converted and after serving as a blacksmith's apprentice for several years, he married in 1871. He worked in the lumber business and operated a store before coming to Sault Ste. Marie in 1889 with six children, the youngest only 6 months old and a wife in poor health. Mrs. Maltas died shortly after. After that William peddled groceries and dry goods throughout the country-side and in many places was asked to preach.

In 1891, over the bitter protests of his children, they moved to a farm near Stalwart where he preached to the people in several localities nearby. He remained on the farm until 1925 when he moved to Pickford.

In November, 1802, William married again. Annie, his wife, was a tremendous help to him in the difficult task of being an itinerant preacher. After 1925 he spent some time in the far West trying to regain his health, but most of his time was spent in Pickford with the people he loved.

MC CARTHY

John and Susanna (Cox) McCarthy came to Michigan from Allison, Ontario, 1897. They brought with them 10 children: Mary(Doyle), Sarah (Duggan), Elizabeth (Armstrong), John (Julia Hassett), Mike (Mildred Follis), Margaret (Harrington), Bill (Effie Rutledge), Lulu (Johnson), Frances (Wykes), and Izeta. lzeta died of the flu when she was 21.

When they first came they lived in Sault Ste. Marie on Magazine Street near the railroad depot. Shortly after, they bought a farm located 5 miles north of Pickford at Tone. They purchased it from Jim McDonald.

John had a sawmill which he moved around to different places. His last sawmill was located in the Rockview area where he was killed in an accident.

MIKE, JOHN, and BILL spent all their lives in the Tone area where they were engaged in lumbering. Now deceased, they have many descendants in Michigan. JOHN had two children, both of whom live in Sault Ste. Marie: Geraldine (Mrs. Donald McDonald) and John, Jr. BILL had four children, the only surviving one being Thelma (Mrs. Glen Smith) of Lansing. MIKE had 10 children, 8 of whom are still living: Reta (Mrs. Clayton Graham) of Flint; John T. (Verona Garrett) of Pickford; Frances (Mrs. Morris Donnelly) of Marquette; Gladys (Mrs. Durwood Carmean) of St. Ignace; Roberta (Mrs. Bernard LaDuke) of Detroit; Irene;(Mrs. Norbert Denker) of Carson City; Audrey (Mrs. Alex Handziak) of Dafter; and Howard of Flint.

John and Verona have four children and four grandchildren. Michael of Rapid River has three children; Jacqueline (Mrs. R. Fineberg) of California has one son, Stephen*; Richard lives in Grand Rapids;and Barbara is a student nurse at L.S.S.C.

There are no survivors ofthe original mcCarhty family remaining. However, BILL's wife, Effie, lives with her daughter, Mrs. Glen Smith, in Lansing. John and Susanna have about 200 living descendants.

MC CONKEY

Richard H. McConkey was born in Wellesley, Ontario, in 1870. When he was eight years old he came with his parents, Richard and Elizabeth Smith McConkey, his brother, and seven sisters to find a new home in Michigan. They came by boat, sailing up the Munuscong River and settling along its banks in the Keldon area. After living there for about a year, they took up a homestead of 160 acres 4 miles east of Pickford. Their first home was a log shanty. Later they built a frame house which is still standing, but vacant, now owned by a grandson, Lynn Aldrich.

Richard's only brother, Charlie, married Susan Duncan of Stalwart and lived in the Pickford area for a few years before going West. He was living in the state of Washington at the time of his death. His wife, Susan, is now deceased also.

Susan McConkey was the oldest of the seven sisters. She married Robert Yuill and lived in Washington. Nellie (Ellen) married Robert Campbell and lived in Fairview, where the Clark Skinners now live. After her husband's death, she married his brother, Walter Campbell, and moved to his home in Stirlingville. Elizabeth was married to Robert Crawford and lived in Pickford, where they operated a boarding house. Jemima (Mina) was married to Dudley P. Aldrich, who was a photographer and retail merchant in Pickford for a number of years. Their later years were spent at the old family home where their son, Lynn, still resides. Margaret (Maggie) married James O'Neil. They moved from Pickford to Marysville, Washington, and later to Seattle, where she died in 1940. Ida, the youngest member of the family, married William J. Clegg. They lived in Saskatchewan for several years and then returned to Pickford where they made their home. After his death she lived in the Sault and Pickford until her sudden death in January, 1960. Her son, Roy, and his family own and occupy the former family home in Pickford.

Richard McConkey married Mae O'Brien of Stalwart on July 12, 1900, in Sault Ste. Marie. They lived in the family home in Fairview until December, 1909, when they moved to the new frame house which they had built on their new clay farm. This is where their son, Clifford, and his family lived before moving to town. The Richard McConkey family consisted of nine children. There were five girls: MARY (Mrs. Ray Dodds), deceased, November, 1971; PEARL (Mrs. Mervin Nixon); NELLIE (Mrs. Roy Craig) who lives in the Sault; VIOLET (Mrs. Forrest Smith); and MARGUERITE who died at birth. The boys were: HARRY (deceased, December, 1970) who married the former Anne Zwolinski; EVERETT (deceased, February, 1963) who married the former Jennie Peffers; CLIFFORD (deceased, June, 1972) who married Bertha Clow; and FRED who was killed in action in Germany in March of 1945.

In the fall of 1944, due to failing health, the McConkeys sold their livestock and moved to an apartment at the home of their son, Everett. A few weeks later, on October 23, Mr. McConkey passed away. Mrs. McConkey lived in the village of Pickford and enjoyed fairly good health until death in December, 1961. Richard and Mae McConkey have quite a long list of descendants.

MARY and Ray Dodds have two sons. Marvin married Idena Harrison and they have five children: Roger, a graduate of L.S.S.C., married to the former Patricia Regley; Marilyn, working in Bay City;Sherri, Cindy, and Danny at home. Raymond, Jr, married Delores Walker and they have two daughters Kerry Kathleen is attending Northern Michigan University and is married to Gary Hipps. Donna is married to Jack Donnelly and they have a daughter, Jennifer*.

Mervin and PEARL Nixon had three children. Phyllis Jeanne is deceased. Barbara married Bert McKiddie and they have three children, Tammy, Vicki, and David. Frank married Judith Lockhart and they have three children, Richard,Lori, and Randall.

HARRY and Anne had four children. Dale married Connie Sweeney and they have four children: Beth, Robert, Brian and Carol. Raymond married Marian Schmitigal of Goetzville and they have three children, Denise, Gloria and Scott. Beverly married Clarence Nayback and they have three children, Patsy, David, and Wayne. Donald married Winnie Visnaw and lived in Cedarville. Pats

EVERETT and Jennie had six children. Arla Mae married Russell McDowell and they have four children: Larry(deceased 1968): Betty Lou, Alan, and Evan. Betty Lous died in 1954. Everett, jr. married Arlene Black and they have four children: Perry, Lori, Joseph, and Judy. they live in Escanaba. Evelyn married Perter Bush of Sault Ste. maried and they have five children: Terri, Pamela, Susan, Peter, and Diana. Frank married Sandra riley of Sault Ste. Marie and they had four children: David, Danny, Doreen (deceased), and Christopher. Janette married James Hames of Cedarville. They have three daughters, Rhonda, Robin, and Raya, and one son James.

Roy and NELLIE Craig have two children. Violet married William Leisher and they have four sons: Robby, Craig, Reid, and Eric. The Leishers live in Chicago. Robert is with the Fireand Ambulance Service in Fairbanks, Alaska.

CLIFFORD and Bertha have five children. Richard married Kathy Riley of Sault Ste. Marie and they have three children, Diane, Darren, and Paul. Sandra married James Stain. Brenda married Edward Stain of Sault Ste. Marie. Steve and Timmy are at home.

Forrest and VIOLET Smith have three sons. James, is studying law at the University of Detroit. He is married to the former Mary Foster who teaches at Delta Community College. Fred a graduate of L.S.S.C., has completed his tour of duty in Vietnam and is in the insurance and real estate business in Sault Ste. Marie. Robert is at home.

The living descendants of Richard and Mae McConkey add up to a total of 23 grandchildren and 50 great grandchildren.