| Notes |
- Biographical Memoirs of St. Clair County, Michigan
Published 1903
Page 657
A. A. HASKELL.
Very few post offices in the United States have continued during the first twenty-two years of their existence without a change of postmasters. However, this unique distinction belongs to the post-office of Kenockee. It was through the instrumentality of A. A. Haskell, the subject of this sketch, that the office was established. He was appointed the first postmaster and for twenty-two years, with the exception of four years while Mr. Haskell resided at Brockway, where he was also postmaster, he has administered the affairs of the office to the satisfaction of the patrons and with the sanction and approval of the government. Mr. Haskell is a native of St. Clair county, Michigan, and was born January 18, 1845. He is the son of Hezekiah and Sarah (Miller) Haskell, natives of the state of New York, who emigrated westward in 1840 and settled in St. Clair, where they remained until 1865, when they moved to a farm adjoining the one upon which A. A. Haskell now lives. There the father died, about 1888, and the mother still resides there. They were the parents of twelve children, four of whom are dead, Ann, Florence, Carrie and Frances. The others are A. A., Melvin, Nelson, Fred, Eugene, Jessie, Frank and May. In politics the elder Mr. Haskell was a Republican and one of the first advocates of that political creed. He espoused the cause as early as 1855 and never wavered in his faith in the principles of that party until his death, which occurred at the age of sixty-seven years. He was elected sheriff of St. Clair county, and serving for a period of five years, and also filled a number of minor offices. Soon after the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion he entered the service of the United States and served until 1863, most of the time on Island No. 10, returning home at the expiration of his term of enlistment. In religion he was a Baptist.
The benefits of a good common school education were accorded to A. A. Haskell in his native city of St. Clair, and as he was a good student he profited well by the instruction he received. He was only fifteen years old when the war of the Rebellion broke out, but it inspired in him an intense desire to become a soldier which was intensified later when his father entered the service and went to the front. The impulsive youth was restrained with difficulty until September 4, 1864, when he enlisted in Company I, Fourth Michigan Infantry, and went to Pontiac. From thence they went to the front and were in active service within one week after leaving Pontiac. They were stationed at Bidl's Gap, a place which is in itself a natural fortification. For a while they were at Chattanooga, then they went to Nashville, where they headed off General Hood and a hot skirmish followed. With his regiment Mr. Haskell took part in the New Market raid, was at Stone River and at Murphreesboro. Near the latter place they were cut off from their commissary stores for ten days and their rations consisted of a half-pint of corn meal each day, without seasoning of "any kind. Mr. Haskell tells a story of how he and a companion, Moses Carlton, of Port Huron, induced a government mule to be liberal with them. They had nothing for breakfast but a rugged, healthy appetite and in wandering about the camp they noticed a mule banqueting on an ear of corn. The morsel was too tempting, under the circumstances, to be resisted and one of the boys dexterously twitched the ear from between the mule's jaws and carried it off in triumph to their mess. In April, 1865, Lee had surrendered. President Lincoln had been assassinated and it was generally recognized that the war was over, but they were still fighting down in Texas. Marching orders were received by the Fourth Michigan and within a short time they found themselves in the land of sage-brush and cactus. That summer Mr. Haskell describes as simply a fore-taste of the infernal regions. Many of the regiment were stricken by the terrible heat and there were several fatalities among the soldiers and civilians. At that time Mexico and the United States were on the verge of war and the Fourth Michigan had a number of lively skirmishes with the militia of that country. The presence of Federal soldiers is all that prevented an invasion of Texas by the Mexicans at that time. The Fourth Michigan captured several loads of weapons of all kinds, consisting of guns, pistols, knives, etc., from marauders from across the border. When the last armed Confederate had ceased to be hostile and the threatening war cloud with Mexico had been swept away, the Fourth Michigan was ordered to Galveston, Texas, thence they took boat to New Orleans, from there up the river to Cairo, Illinois, and there boarded the cars for Detroit, where the regiment was mustered out in May, 1866.
Returning home from the service Mr. Haskell purchased the farm upon which he now resides. It consists of one hundred and sixty acres and is nearly all under cultivation, well improved, with a substantial residence, commodious barn and extensive outbuildings. On July 13, 1874, the subject was united in marriage to Miss Margaret A. Card, a lady of talents and accomplishments, and the daughter of Charles M. and Jane (Olds) Card, of New York. Her father is a carriage builder and conducts his business at Edenville, Midland county, Michigan, and is also the owner of a farm of seventy acres, which is well improved. He and his wife are the parents of six children, viz: Mary Jane, Maria S., Leander, Margaret, Harriett and Charles. Mr. Card is a Democrat in politics and in religion a Baptist. The family attend the services of that church and are liberal contributors to its support. To Mr. and Mrs. Haskell five children have been born, viz: Ella F., deceased ; Maynard, deceased ; Ada married John W. Card, a prosperous farmer ; Laura B. and Lewis D.
Since leaving the United States service, Mr. Haskell has followed farming and, in connection with the raising of grain, hay and vegetables, he breeds and feeds cattle, horses and hogs. He believes that the proper way to reach the market is with stock, instead of with the other products of the farm. Durham and Hereford cattle and Poland China hogs he prefers to other varieties and has met with marked success in the rearing and feeding of these.
In politics Mr. Haskell is a Republican. Through him Kenockee was given a post office and he was made the first postmaster. He also served seven years as clerk of his township and might have had various other positions but that his time was too much occupied to attend to them. He is a member of the Baptist church at Goodless and is a friend and supporter personally of every deserving cause. His worth and abilities in the community where he resides are well appreciated.
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1845 - 1921 (76 years)
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