TAPED INTERVIEW WITH LAURA (OLSON) HOYT

with son, G. GARY HOYT

11/09/1980

 

Start 0000       Gary & Laura talking of the first homes on Detroit, Cascade & Euclid St. homes.

                        Of 5 years, and Owen Hoyt had not started at Ford’s and Willow Run Airport.

                        About 1935, Owen taking home $35.00, then at Ford’s, took home $45.00 / wk.

                        Albert & Edward Olson came down to work at Willow Run in 1942-43. Louie

                        Living in Inkster, Mi. When Laura’s father, Edward came down to work at Willow

Run, air plane factory, he soon became ill and was diagnosed with TB. Apparently,

Edward caught his chill last 2 winters working in a freezing and cold barns on the

Farm, in Suttons Bay, MI. Doctors sent him to the Taylor Sanatorium from 1942-45

Albert was only male Olson, male, to work the farm with the sisters.

Owen began working at the Willow Run airplane factory when it was being built,

as a crane operator.

           

0650                Jackie was born in grandpa & grandma Hoyt’s house (Marcus & Abbie).

Owen delivered Jackie.

Hansen House (204) lived upstairs until people downstairs moved out, then we

moved downstairs. Then, Gary was born 22 months later.

 

            0800                Laura and Gary talking about the farms near the Olson Farms, and who lived in

them. Laidlaw’s near Grandpa Olson’s.

 

            1050                G. Marcus Hoyt and Hoyt Family had good ethics, born into family of religious

and caring people. Laura never saw a Family so close and open. The Hoyt’s all kissed

and hugged one another. Never spoke ill of another, didn’t criticize one another, and

shared Love & Affection towards one another.

Laura (Olson) Hoyt quoted, “It was one of the Greatest Things to happen to her, was

to come into the Family of the Hoyt’s. In that, she returned to do the same for her

Brothers and Sisters of her Family, and became open, as we were not supposed to talk

openly or question way things were done.

Having the Lord in their (Hoyt’s) hearts, and each day, a Bible reading at Dinnertime,

And each day, of, “How they could make it better for someone else, the caring they

showed to others of less means”.

Grandpa Olson, a Minister? That Mother & Dad Olson were nice people, and Dad let

Her and other children sit on there lap and rock. Dad Olson was a bit nicer and

friendlier, but they never had the time to show affection, nor listen to us.

 

1290                Gary said that Hoyt’s worked mental, while the Olson’s worked physical, which can

be a very different life.

Laura speaks of, that they had fun on the farm, had ice cream, but couldn’t really talk.

 

            1657                All the girls (Olson Sisters), married and left the farm.

                                    Talked of music of the Hoyt’s, except Owen never had anything, and Grandpa and

Grandma, started to pay for Owen or Ken’s piano, but wouldn’t pay the high price

after a while. Grandpa (Marc) Hoyt was tight, but when he saw other parents giving

there kids beer at 16 or 17, he thought that was terrible. Owen didn’t have any money

to spend on anything, and had to rely on school chums to help him out once in a while.

            2020                Backwards, Grandpa Marc Hoyt, in Rose City. He left home in Saline when he was

about 14 *(16-17) years old, as they were so poor they didn’t have enough food. He

stayed nearby, the Presbyterian Church house next door, and they helped in out.

*(This was about 1877, not 1875, just after G. Gerard & Elizabeth Adellia Hoyt moved to Saline, MI; as Bessie (Eliz. Isadore) Hoyt, was born in Muir, MI, on Dec. 29, 1874.So records show that Marcus Hoyt was educated in District & Saline High School. In one of his obits, it had to be 1 or 2 years later, which made him about 16-17 years o

ld, and when Carrie M. Hoyt was born in 1877, and by Sept. 1, 1878, G. Gerald &Elizabeth Hoyt had moved to Elm Hall, Gratiot Co., MI - jeh)

 

When Marcus left home, he went to work for the Railroads, traveling Michigan in

a logging train. When they had stopped at Rose City, he learned of a job with a

doctor in town that would teach a person how to be a pharmacist. Most people, back

then, learned pharmacy, from a doctor, as there were no Pharmacy Schools.

 

2300                Your Grandma (Abbie Geroy Rose), married Grandpa, (Marcus Hoyt), when she

was only 17. But she was an adult, having taken care of her sister Jennie, when she

was but 11 years old, as their Mother was sick in bed for years, that she had to use

a stool or step to cook on the stove. Father was Colonel Rose from Civil War.

More on Jennie and Abigail (Rose) Hoyt and burned out house?

            2700                Gary thought Hoyt money came from Clinton, but Laura says that Earnest and Hugh

                                    started in the Milling Business in Clinton and became successful, but not rich.

                                    When Marcus Hoyt wanted to move from Mio & McKinley, Oscoda Co., MI, as a

druggist, he took a very careful view of where to move, either Suttons Bay or Saginaw.

He took a long time weighing the factors of which place would be successful, and he

decided that the lumbering town of Suttons Bay, and it’s capacity to have rail & boat

travel & shipments, would be better then the potato area in Saginaw with their farmers

and it’s workers would not be suitable.

           

            3050                Great Grandpa Hoyt, George Greenwood Hoyt, he was called “Gerald”*, George

Kenneth was called Ken, and George Marcus was called Marc or Marcus.

            *(The records show that G.G. Hoyt was George Greenwood Hoyt. It is on his daughter’s

death certificate, it is on the Timothy Hoyt Genealogy booklet by his in-law cousin, Helen

Faye Hoyt. Where he obtained the nickname of “Gerald” is beyond our knowledge, at this

 time. Perhaps, when he was younger, he didn’t like his middle name, Greenwood, unless it

was a neighbor or very close friends to his Mother &Father, John G. & S. Isadore Hoyt. – jeh)

 

                                    Grandpa Marc was a Republican, and he held every office of Suttons Bay, and even

learned law, from his books at the drug store. As he missed his proper education, He

self-studied, so he would be knowledgeable to hold offices, like Justice of the Peace

and then going to Lansing.

(Marcus Hoyt elected as Leelanau County Representative, as Legislature 1923-24, to the

State Capitol in Lansing MI - jeh)

 

            3200                Laura and Gary discuses the Olson’s from Norway. How Grandpa and Grandma

Hoyt, either had visit from Norway, or visited in Norway with the Olson’s.

Gary, “It’s important to learn one’s Family and lives while they are still living.

We seem to want to learn and respect our elders only after they have passed.”

 

            0000                (TAPED TURNED OVER) (Con’t on more of Olson’s from Norway?)

That Marc & Abbie Hoyt went to see Aunt, received letters.

Uncle Hugh & Paul, Earnest, Harland did well. Mentioned the Hoyt sisters,

Aunt Elizabeth Fell, Aunt Carrie, and Aunt Ada. & kids and Great Grandma

Hoyt (Elizabeth) keeping tabs on them, Great Grandpa died young?(76).*

            *( George Greenwood Hoyt,  at 76 years of age, so he was around quite a while

after all the 7 children were born. George Greenwood Hoyt came to Muir, Ionia Co.,

MI with his Father John G. & Isadore Hoyt about 1860, and married in 1870, in Muir

 to Elizabeth Adellia Gerould. They had farms in Muir, Mi and may worked at the Anchor

 Grist Mil there in Remus. (see my Hoyt’s in Mill Business web page). Gerald Hoyt had

 taken the Family to Saline to be with his Father and his brother, William S. Hoyt, until

1878, after having Carrie, the Gerald Hoyt Family moved to Elm Hall, Gratiot Co, MI,

 then, in 1883, (I learned that Elm Hall Saw, Planning & Shingle Mills across from the

 flouring Mill, burnt down in 1885, and the Flour Mill burnt down by 1900. Their were

many years of food starvation in Gratiot County during these years of 1878-1883).

Gerald Hoyt Family moved to Mack City,(Curtisville),Oscoda Co., ,MI (farther North,

 from 1883 till 1885.They moved to Stanton, Ionia County, MI (South), in1885,, he then

 moved the Family with baby in  tow, Gerald & Eliz. Hoyt lived in Stanton, MI until

Mill burnt down in 1895, then they moved to Remus, Mecosta Co., MI to operate the

Flour mill there, until they sold it in 1906, and G. Gerald retired. Gerald did the books,

while sons, Earnest &Hugh P. Hoyt did the operations.

George“Gerald” Hoyt died Dec. 4, 1922 in Remus.–jeh)

 

            0230                Marcus Hoyt worked with a doctors at Rose City, MI, and he was able to get his

Certificate of Pharmacy, which hung on the Drug Stores wall in Suttons Bay.

The State recognized him as being Certified, without having attended a School

of Pharmacy, and must have been supported, (sponsored), perhaps by the

Doctors at Rose City & Suttons Bay,  (Dr. W.M. Payne -jeh).

 

0350                Gary talked of while traveling in U.P., he fell down the falls, and while Owen

(Dad), and him were there with Grandma, Owen grabbed a paper bag, and

tried to write everything down of what she was saying.

Gary was 38 years old, and in 1972, he was 42 years old. Family history was

there but not important.

 

            0500                Laura mentions, Religious background. Reading from the Bible, relating to

everyday life as examples from the reading..

“What can you do, to do the best to others”.

 

            0540                END OF TAPED INTERVIEW

of Laura (Olson) Hoyt, of Suttons Bay, Leelanau Co., MI

11/09/1980 by son, G. Gary Hoyt