History of Caro's Banks and Railroad, Caro, Tuscola County, Michigan

Copyright © 1998 by Bonnie Petee. This copy contributed for use in 
the USGenWeb Archives.  

 

USGENWEB NOTICE:  In keeping with our policy of providing free
information on the Internet, data may be freely used by
non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all
copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any
format for profit or presentation by other organizations.
___________________________________________________________________

THE  PIONEER MERCHANT AND BANKER

Mr. Charles Montague is the oldest merchant in Caro, having been continuously in the 
mercantile business longer than any one now engaged in the pursuit in the place. He was 
also the first to engage in the banking business in Caro.

Mr. Montague was born near London, in Ontario, Canada, and came to Macomb County, 
Mich., in the year 1859.  In 1863, being then about eighteen years of age, he came to 
Centerville, now Caro, and was temporaily in the store of J. C. Montague as clerk.  He 
then enlisted and went into the army where he remained nearly two years.  Returning to
Centerville, he went into the mercantile business in 1865 with J. C. Montague, the 
style of the firm being J. C. Montague & Co.  From that time to the present he has been 
continuously interested in the mercantile business, though for several years his 
personal attention had been given to more extensive business operations.  In 1867 J. C. 
Montague & Co. sold out and Charles bought out D. C. Bush.  He was alone in business 
until February, 1868, when he took William E. Sherman into partnership.  That firm 
continued until 1870, when Mr. Sherman withdrew and Mr. Montague continued business 
alone for a time.  The present firm is Charles Montague & Co.

In 1875 Mr. Montague engaged in the banking business, a  history of which is given on 
another page.

Mr. Montague has been very successful in his business operations, and his liberal 
enterprise has had much to do with the prosperity of Caro.  In 1869, as a member of 
the firm of Montague & Sherman, he built the first brick block in Caro, now the Wilsey 
Block.  In 1878 he built the Opera-house Block, in which the Opera-house is located.  
The following year he built the Bank Block, in 1880 the Citizen's Block, and in 1881 
the block of six stores on Frank Street, at the corner of State Street.  These blocks 
are all of brick and constitute an important part of the business building of the 
village.

In all public enterprises calculated to contribute to the welfare of Caro, Mr. Montague 
has taken a prominent part, and aided them liberally with his means.  It was largely 
due to this efforts that a railroad was secured to Caro.  He gave $5,000 in money, 
besides donating the depot grounds, and guaranteeing the payment of the $30,000 that 
was subscribed by the people of Caro and vicinity.  He made the contract with the 
company to pay the sum of $30,000 and furnish the right of way.

Mr. Montague's business in Caro at the present time is principally in real estate 
operations and banking.  He is the owner of a large amount of real estate, in both the 
village and county, the management of which occupies a considerable portion of his time.
But his most important interest is in the lumbering business of the firm of Van Winkle 
& Montague near Green Bay, Wis.  This firm has been operating about two years, and is 
one of the most extensive lumber manufactures in that part of the State.  Their mill 
is located on Garden Bay and cuts annually about 30,000,000 feet of lumber.  The firm 
own about 100,000,000 feet of standing pine on Fish Dam River, and control the booming 
operations of the river.  Their investment at this point represents nearly half a 
million dollars.

In tracing the rise and progress of Caro it will be observed that Mr. Montague has been 
prominently identified with all the public enterprises which have combined to work out 
prosperity in the place.

RAILROAD COMMUNICATION

Since the year 1871 various railroad projects have been brought to the attention of the 
Caro people, but only one has been carried to completion.

In 1871 the Flint & Pere Marquette Company proposed to build a road from East Saginaw 
to Caro, and asked a bonus of $15,000 from the people of this village.  Nothing was 
done, however, toward raising that amount, but a route was surveyed by the company and 
some work was done on a portion of the line and then the project was abandoned.

In 1877, after a good deal of agitation, the preliminaries of a road from Vassar to 
Caro were arranged.  The people of Caro and vicinity subscribed the sum of $30,000, of 
which Charles Montague, of Caro, and William A. Heartt, of Wahjamega, subscribed $5,000 
each.  Mr. Montague donated the depot ground, and gave a personal guarantee for the 
payment of $30,000 and that the right of way should be furnished.  The road was 
completed in the summer of 1878 and commenced business in July.

Another project is the Grand Trunk Line from Port Huron to Bay City by way of Caro.  
This has been agitated for some time and there is some prospect of its being carried 
out.  There is a railroad committee organized in Caro, composed of some of its leading 
business men, for the purpose of looking after the railroad interests of the place.



dz