History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

SAGINAW CITY.

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City at that time, and there was no East Saginaw. Saginaw had
but one street, which was Water street. Mr. Herrig established a
grocery store in 1859, with $500 capital. His sales amotnt
to $45,000 annually. Mr. H. is the father of 5 children, of whom
4 are living, 2 boys and 2 girls.
Peter Herrig, manufacturer of lath, staves and heading (by clntract), in Hardin, Plumnier & Co.'s mill, was born in Germany,
Oct. 22, 1848, but was brought by his parents to Saginaw the same
year. His father, Nicholas Ilerrig, was a farmer and merchant
here for many years, and died Aug. 14, 1880. They resided on a
farm in the early days, where wild game was abundant. Some of
of the family have stood in the door of their dwelling and shot
deer. Mr. Herrig was married May 1, 1874, to Miss Anna Ganshaw, by whom he has 1 child, Bertha, born May 28, 1875. Mr.
Herrig is master of the Germania Masonic Lodge, in Saginaw.
Christian Hessler was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, July 23,
1837, where he was brought up until he was 18 years of age, when
he went to Canada, July 23, 1855. He was there nearly three
years, and then went to Lake Superior, remaining there three
years. At the breaking out of the war in 1861 he entered the
army in July, and served until its close, in 1865. He participated
in the battles of the Wilderness, Gettysburg, Fredricksburg, Cold
Harbor and other smaller engagements. At the battle of Cold
Harbor, June 2, 1864, he was wounded and taken to the hospital,
where he was confined for eight months. He was at Appomattox
Court-House at the surrender of Lee, and was discharged at Jeffersonville, Ind., July 8, 1865. The same year he came to Saginaw county, and was three years in Bridgeport, where he worked
in a saw-mill. Sie then went to Buffalo, N. Y., and was married
Jan. 12, 1868, to Christina Riedt, a native of Germany. HIe returned to Saginaw with his wife and opened a restaurant and
saloon, in the old Lutheran church, where three years afterward, in
1871, he bought his present property on the corner of Fayette and
Adams streets. He is the father of 7 children, 5 daughters and
2 sons, residing at home. Mr. Hessler was one of the first
organizers of the Arbeiter society, and has been a member of the
Teutonia society since 1868.
H. L. Hildreth, general dealer in mill supplies and salt-work
fittings, and manufacturer's agent for W. C. Allison, Philadelphia,
Pa., and R. Hoe & Co., New York, was born in Lockport, N. Y.,
March 11, 1841. Mr. Hildreth came to Saginaw in 1864, and
started a small machine shop. This soon becoming inadequate,
in 1866 he built the Saginaw Iron Works. Sold out in 1868 and
returned to Lockport and kept agricultural implements for two
years. He then returned to Saginaw as traveling agent for D. H.
Jerome & Co., which position he held for six years. Mr. Hildreth
is a mechanical engineer of rare ability. He has received patents
on several machines which he has invented. During the agitation
of the Detroit river tunnel question, he devised a plan which he
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