George Pack
Encyclopedia
George Pack, Jr. was a businessman, landowner, sawmill operator, and postmaster in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The town of Pack's Mills
of which he was also postmaster, was named after him.
Pack had moved to Michigan from upstate New York in 1848. Born in Canada, Pack had first moved to Jefferson County, New York
, with his father, George Pack, Sr., and 10 of his siblings. From there, he removed to Madison County, New York
to be near the parents of his wife, Maria Lathrop. After a few years "near Maria's father, Abram Lathrop, in Madison Clounty; they then moved twelve miles away to Peterboro
", about 25 miles (40.2 km) east and south of Syracuse
. In search of new opportunities, he used proceeds from the sale of a farm near Watertown, New York to purchase 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) just outside of Lexington, Michigan
.
With ten children in tow, the Packs boarded "an Erie Canal
sidewheeler [and] rode it to the end of the line at Buffalo and from there headed up Lake Erie to Lake Huron
, disembarking at Lexington, on the eastern shore of the Michigan thumb, overlooking Lake Huron.". They spent 13 years there; and it was there that George Pack, Jr. made his first investment in timber, "when he paid $1,600 for 720 acres of timberland near the Black River. The acreage was located ten miles north of Lexington, near a town called Farmers, now known as Carsonville
".
Pack opened his first sawmill in Washington Township
in 1856. The second was opened just a year later in the same township. The milltown of Pack's Mills was established nearby. A grist mill and then a flour mill followed soon thereafter. By 1876, "sixteen hundred acres would be in the Pack name"
George Pack was a brother of John Pack
.
Washington Township, Sanilac County, Michigan
Washington Township is a civil township of Sanilac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,636 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all land.-History:...
of which he was also postmaster, was named after him.
Pack had moved to Michigan from upstate New York in 1848. Born in Canada, Pack had first moved to Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, with his father, George Pack, Sr., and 10 of his siblings. From there, he removed to Madison County, New York
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
to be near the parents of his wife, Maria Lathrop. After a few years "near Maria's father, Abram Lathrop, in Madison Clounty; they then moved twelve miles away to Peterboro
Peterboro, New York
Peterboro, located about twenty-five miles southeast of Syracuse, New York, is a historic hamlet situated in the Town of Smithfield, Madison County, New York.-Founding:...
", about 25 miles (40.2 km) east and south of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. In search of new opportunities, he used proceeds from the sale of a farm near Watertown, New York to purchase 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) just outside of Lexington, Michigan
Lexington, Michigan
Lexington is a village in Sanilac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,104 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Lexington Township.-Geography:...
.
With ten children in tow, the Packs boarded "an Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
sidewheeler [and] rode it to the end of the line at Buffalo and from there headed up Lake Erie to Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, disembarking at Lexington, on the eastern shore of the Michigan thumb, overlooking Lake Huron.". They spent 13 years there; and it was there that George Pack, Jr. made his first investment in timber, "when he paid $1,600 for 720 acres of timberland near the Black River. The acreage was located ten miles north of Lexington, near a town called Farmers, now known as Carsonville
Carsonville, Michigan
Carsonville is a village in Sanilac County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 502. The village is situated at on the boundary between Bridgehampton Township and Washington Township, with about half the village in each.The village began with a store...
".
Pack opened his first sawmill in Washington Township
Washington Township, Sanilac County, Michigan
Washington Township is a civil township of Sanilac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,636 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all land.-History:...
in 1856. The second was opened just a year later in the same township. The milltown of Pack's Mills was established nearby. A grist mill and then a flour mill followed soon thereafter. By 1876, "sixteen hundred acres would be in the Pack name"
George Pack was a brother of John Pack
John Pack
John Pack was a member of the Council of Fifty and a missionary in the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-Biography:...
.
Reference
- Eyle, Alexandra. 1992. Charles Lathrop Pack: Timberman, Forest Conservationist, and Pioneer in Forest Education. Syracuse, NY: ESF College Foundation and College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Distributed by Syracuse University Press. Available: Google books