Sylvester Beecher Ennes

    “SYLVESTER BEECHER ENNES, painter, timber cruiser, son of Alonzo Havington Ennes and Olive Bird, was born in York Township, Union County, Ohio, June 26, 1863.
When young, Beecher Ennes helped his father on the farms at Texas, Ohio, where they had lived since he was two. Later he traveled with his uncle, Albert Brown who ran a huckster wagon in northern Ohio…
On September 5, 1886, Beecher Ennes married, at Texas, Ohio, Margaret Hardy who was born in Damascus Township, Henry County, Ohio, April 30, 1868. Margaret died at Tower, Michigan, April 16, 1957 and was buried there in the family lot in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Margaret was the daughter of Jacob Hardy who was born August 8, 1844, and Harriet Bortel who was born 3-21-1850 and who died at Texas 7-15-1905…
After their marriage Sylvester B. Ennes and Margaret lived in Texas in a house on the bank of the canal next to David Hardy's about one block from Jacob Hardy's home. In 1890, Sylvester Ennes and Margaret moved into the house on his inherited forty acres of the Old Ennes Farm. In 1893 they moved into one of the larger Old Ennes Farms on The Wide Water of the Canal. In 1896, they  moved to Au Gres, Michigan by covered wagon. They begat:
Calvin Ennes, born 10/3/1887 at Texas, Ohio, married Veva I. Harris.
Mark Ennes, born 8/3/1889 at Texas, Ohio, married Blanch Terrian... divorced married
Marie DeBaeker
Roscoe Ennes, born 1/6/1892 at Texas, Ohio, Married Gladys Chamberlain.
Max Ennes, born 9/1/1893 at Texas, Ohio, married Lila Veihl.
Olive Ennes, born 11/1/1900 at Au Ores, Michigan, married Charles Collins.
Asa Ennes, born 11/14/1903 at Au Gres, Michigan,, married Mrs. Lois Watson.
Helen Ennes, born 8/27/1905 at Au Gres, Michigan, died 9/29/31.
Cecil Ennes, born 9/2/1908 in Tennessee, died 6/28/1929.
Mary Ennes, born 2/1/1913 at Ontonagon, Michigan, married Ambert Wilkins.
In 1908, Sylvester Beecher and family moved to Ontonagon where they lived until 1917. Then they moved to Tower, Michigan. There he lived until he died January 21, 1953 and was buried in the Forest Lawn Cemetery there.”

-from A Bit About the Ennes, by Calvin Ennes, Au Gres, Michigan, 1969.

 Also included in A Bit About the Ennis is found the following story by Sylvester Beecher:
"In 1877, when I was 14 years old, I visited relatives in Washington Township in Union County. That spring, father had the shoemaker on his annual trip to Texas make a pair of shoes for each member of our family. He made me a fine looking pair of leather boots with shiny brass toes. Father told me I could visit my mother's folks, uncle Gorham Bird and other relatives living south of Mount Victory in Union County, Ohio after the spring crops were planted.
As it was only 60 miles from Texas (Henry Co., Ohio) to uncle Gorham's farm, I walked. I had gone only a few miles when I found my new brass-toed boots were too tight. They pinched my feet. I took them off and walked bare-footed. In two days I was there. I was treated royally by all the relatives. Everywhere I went, they kept me stuffed with pie, cake and goodies for I was the only member of the Ennes family at Texas who had ever visited them."
On the morning of my third day, there, uncle Gorham came to my cousin and me and said "Boys, mother is sick. I want you to go to Mount Victory and get the doctor." Uncle Gorham had many fine riding horses. We each mounted a horse and galloped to town. Just as we were entering Mount Victory, a circus was erecting its tents. We had never seen a circus. The wild animals thrilled us. We were so excited we forgot all about getting the doctor. We tied our horses to fence posts. We had no money. We wanted to see everything. We got a job feeding elephants and carrying water for admission. We had our work done and were about to enter the tent when we looked up the road."
There was uncle Gorham, riding like the wind, his long whiskers parted as he rode toward us. He dashed up. He shouted, 'Where is the Doctor! You scampers, your mother dying, and you're attending a puppet show! Get home at once.' We jumped on our horses and rode home. Uncle rode on for the doctor. When we arrived at the farm, there was my aunt Arcadilla sitting in a rocking chair on the large front porch, serenely smoking a clay pipe. She did not look very sick to me. I might mention that aunt Arcadilla was the daughter of General Winfield Scott of Mexican War fames."
About three o'clock the next morning, I suddenly woke up with the cramps. The excitement of missing the circus and the "hog" I had made of my self by eating too much pie and cakes had physiced me. I attempted to make it out to the privy by the granary but didn't. I was so ashamed I never went back in the house for my boots. By daylights I was well on my way to Texas, barefooted." (Italics added by Michelle Boyd.)

To contact me:  michelle@boydhouse.com
Last updated Jan. 21,2002.