02/26/2020
A picture of the Stone House in the winter and a picture of the Bud Tornga Memorial Garden in progress.
THE HISTORY OF OUR LITTLE STONE HOUSE
In 1866, Lois Hardy, her brother Charles (Chatworth) Hardy, and her sister Hannah Noyes and husband Amos Noyes and their family came to Northern Michigan from Hillsdale County, Michigan. They settled on a piece of land west of Ellsworth, across from the current Ellsworth Cemetery. On May 2, 1870 Amos and Hannah Noyes were given 160 acres from the General Land Office of the United States located in the northwest ¼ section of Section 14, Banks Township. On October 1, 1870 Lois Hardy was given 158.81 acres located in the southeast ¼ section of Section 14 of Banks Township. The homestead land patent allowed settlers to apply for up to 160 acres of public land if they lived on it for five years with proof of cultivation. This land did not cost anything per acre, but the settler did pay a filing fee.
Lois Hardy’s property would have covered from the shoreline of Intermediate Lake on the east to approximately 200-300 feet west of the stone house on Hill Street, north to Church Street, now north of the school, and south to Cherry Street, which is now on Essex Road. Her log cabin home was located around the corner of Main and Center Street, currently near the Front Porch Restaurant. Lois Hardy was the original owner of the little stone house property. Lois moved to Norwood Township to live near her sister Almeda Hardy and help raise their nephew Judson Hardy after their brother Charles’ wife died from childbirth in April 1886.
Little is known who may have owned the property until 1880. In the 1880 Census the property was then owned by Bryon and Annette (Boss) Wrisley. They were married in Banks Township on May 24, 1870. They owned property north of Ellsworth and 30 acres up where Hill Street is today. According to the 1897 Plat Map of Banks Township the property was then owned by Archie Wrisley, son of Bryon and Annette. He was married in 1898 to Phoebe Wright. It is assumed there was a home at this point in time. The 1900 Census states they had one child and owned a home with a mortgage and his occupation was farm laborer. In 1910 they lived in Charlevoix County.
The following information was taken from the 1900 – 1940 yearly tax roll books that are in the possession of Banks Township Historical Society.
The 1910 Census and 1910 Plat Book list the home being owned by Mrs. Leah Hubbard. She was a widow and head of the household. Leah had married Hamilton Wright Hubbard on January 14, 1892. Mr. Hubbard had been married previously, his spouse died and they had 15 children. The 1900 Census lists that he was married to Leah, he was 80 years old, and she was 44 years old. They owned a house, had a mortgage and his occupation was a hotel keeper (he probably worked at the Orient Hotel). They had 3 male boarders, one worked as a day laborer and the other two worked as railroad laborers. Mr. Hubbard died June 10, 1909 and is buried in the Ellsworth Cemetery. Leah remarried in 1912 and then moved back to Virginia, where she lived till she passed away. She owned the property until 1918.
The next owner according to the 1918 Plat Book is Grant Kinner. He was a single man and never married. In the 1910 Census, Grant was living with his brother Charles and Myrtle Kinner, who lived a short distance north of the stone house. He was a laborer working for wages. The 1920 Census states he owns his own home with a mortgage and works in lumber and roads for wages. In 1930 He owns his home with a value of $600.00. In the 1940 Census he is living with Myrtle Kinner, his sister-in-law. Grant died at 80 years old in 1943. He owned the property till 1933-34.
In 1935 the property belonged to Harry Taylor. Harry and Eliza Taylor’s son Ralph owned the home in the 1930 Census. He is single and was a farmer. His parents lived two houses apart. Ralph married in 1934 and they lived in Ingham County. In the 1940 Census Ralph and his wife lived in his parents’ home and his brother
Robert Taylor owns the farm and it has a value of $1,200.00. The 1939 Tax book states the property is owned by Versil and Agnes Bolser. The 1940 Census states they lived in the same place in 1935, he works at the cannery and owns the home. They had four children, 3 who were born while living in the home – Len, Max and Judith. Marvin was born on the farm in 1848.
The following information was written by Max Bolser. “In 1938 my parents Agnes and Versil (Pete) Bolser bought the cobblestone house.
It was very cold in the winters and we moved down by the railroad tracks. Summers were very good there. The small lean-to on the back of the house served as a kitchen, but mostly we cooked outdoors on a stove. The driveway served as a playground for my sister Judy and me (Max). My mother washed clothes outdoors and hung them out to dry. There was no electricity, so kerosene lamps were a form of lighting. There was a small heating stove, mostly likely it was kerosene.
The stairway to the second floor took up a lot of living space on the main floor. I can’t remember what type of furniture, it was nothing of today’s styles.
During our lives there, Judy Ann was born in 1940, Max in 1942, and then Len was born there in 1945. My youngest brother was born in 1948, but by that time we lived out on the farm.
My keenest memory was my small scooter car that my parents bought for me. I played with it till the day we moved. My dad took all the personal things to the farm first and on the return trip I was to bring my scooter, but upon returning the car was gone. A big loss to me as I was about 5 years old. This would be about 1946. Dad sold the house in either 1946 or 1947. Sometime later in the 50’s Donald Campbell owned it.”
The next owners were Donald & Louise Popp Anderlie Campbell. They were married on August 30, 1946 in Charlevoix. They lived there from 1946 – 1956. He operated the White Swan Restaurant (now the Golden Nugget) and was employed by Morweld Steel. The Campbells retained the home, returning frequently on fishing trips and spending time with family and friends. They had two stepsons, Eugene and Melvin Anderlie. Louise was married previously to John Anderlie on September 4, 1923 in Morrison County, Minnesota. John died in 1938. Donald died June 7, 1961 and is buried in Southern Cemetery in Central Lake, Michigan. Louise died September 5, 1983 and is buried in White Chapel Park Cemetery in Tory, Oakland County, Michigan.
In 1971 the owners of the stone house were Donald and Gloria Jean Anderlie. Donald was a son of Leo and Martina Anderlie. Leo was a brother of John Anderlie, who was married to Louise Anderlie Campbell. Donald and Gloria were married October 4, 1947 in Clawson, Michigan. A little known secret is that they had their honeymoon at the little stone house and their son Robert was conceived there. The Anderlie’s camped in their tents at the home many times. Donald passed away in 2009. Their children are Robert, Kinda Hupman, Allen and David. On April 29, 2019, Gloria and Kinda donated the little stone house and property to the Banks Township Historical Society.
Gloria and her daughter Kinda Hupman, a nephew Christopher and wife Rachel Logan and Payton Anderlie were at the dedication of the little cobblestone house.
Written and researched by Mary Ann Scott, member of the Banks Township Historical Society.
