Memories
From the pen of Edna L. (Shanner) Garland of the era of time 1911 to 1920 when the Shanners and Links lived at Curran.
We arrived by way of the narrow gage railroad, along with our household goods and live stock. I still remember the narrow rails and small day coach we rode in to get to Curran. Sure was a great trip for me.
On our arrival we found a four room log house with flower beds in the front yard. A log barn and grainery, chicken house and a milk house built over a fine flowing well. The pure water from this well along with the change of climate (I was told) helped my mother regain good health.
There was also some cleared land enclosed with a rail fence. Some small timber and a lot of stumps. The place my father bought was then known as the old Pletcher farm.
During our first winter and the following winter of 1912 (which was very very cold with lots of snow) my father and his hired man Robert Link hauled logs (down in the woods) as the saying went then for the Lowde Lumber Co.
In the spring of 1919 the late Dr. and Mrs. John W. Weed moved from Brown City Mich. to their ranch home some where near Flynn Valley. (That is the way I remember) others could tell the exact location. In Oct. of that year I contracted the dread disease Typhoid fevor and nearly died. Because of the fine medical help Dr. Weed gave me my life was saved and he became our family doctor.
In the spring of 1913 my father realized there was a need for a barber shop and as he had been a barber by trade in his earlier years he decided to build a small shop on the cornor of his own land near the railroad tracks (I remember the railroad ran through my fathers property) when the small building was finished he opened his one chair shop in the spring of that year. His business grew fast. His hired man Robert Link learned to barber from the (boss) as he always called my father. So on part time basis Robert worked with him during the winter months, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
In the early spring of 1914 on Mar. 18, Verna D. Shaner became-the
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bride of Robert R. Link at Tawas City Mich.. Following her marriage that spring father closed his barber shop and bought the country store across the road frorm his shop. This store was own then by Mr. Fred Thibault, with living quarters above the store.
In April 1914 father, mother and I moved to the new apartment over the store and my folks opened their store for business. When my sister Verna and husband Robert returned from their wedding trip they set up housekeeping in the farm house which we had moved from.
In the late fall of 1915, father sold the building and goods to the late Joseph and Henry Solomon Bros. of Glennie, Mich.. We moved back to our farm home. My sister and brother-in-law continued to live with us. Father reoponed his barber shop (on part time basis) and he and Robert continued to farm.
At about that thee the people of Curran decided they needed a town hall. Father sold or gave then (I forgot which) a small plot of his land where the town hall now stands. The land on which the Baptist church is was given to be used for the church as long as they to wanted it. It was in that little country church that I first met the Lord.
On May 9, 1916 my neice Lavona Elizabeth Link was born at Oscoda, Mich. This was where Dr. Weed had moved to live.
During the summer of 1916 my father decided to raze his small barber shop and on that site build a nice (what at that time was called nice) country store with living quarters at the rear. He later built a garage near the store after he bought his first automobile a "Ford".
In the early fall of 1916 we moved to our new home. It was a pleasant place where we spent many a happy and some sad hours. Father also had a gas pump installed between the store and the railroad. This made it convenient for himself and his customers.
During 1917 war clouds began to gather, then like a great rolling tidal wave the people of the U.S.A. were plunged into the First World War. All the men old enough from our community were called or enlisted to serve their country. To fight on foreign soils to Preserve Freedom for the World so we thought then. How history keeps repeating itself.
Amid the tumult of war my father with the help of my mother and sister continued the store business until late spring 1920.
In Feb. and Mar. 1920 came death in the form of the Flu epidemic which swept the country and entered our home. Robert Link was called first and eleven days later sister Verna. This left their little daughter Lavona and orphan at the age of four.
In the late spring of 1920 father sold their store to the Flynns of Flynn Valley. Later this store was destroyed by fire. After selling the store we moved to East Tawas to live.
Now years have passed, This is the spring of 1968, I am glad for this opportunity to put on paper some of the dates and facts (as I remember them) concerning our families while in Curran.
This copy of dates and facts to be used along with other material a'oout Curran area for the Mich, Week Program,
Presented to Ten Buck Club on November 15, 1969.
