TIMOTHY NESTER, dealer in real estate, pine, hardwood and mineral lands, was born in Canada December 25, 1846; he came to Michigan with his parents in 1853, and resided in Sanilac County till 1865, when he moved to Saginaw. He was engaged in lumbering and railroad contracting. While in the latter business, he was Superintendent of Construction on the Jackson, Lansing & Saginaw Railroad. He also built sixteen and a half miles of the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad. During the summers of 1875, 1876 and 1877, he was engaged in opening a copper mine on Isle Royale. In April, 1880, he came to Ontonagon, where he now resides. Mr. Nester is Superintendent of his brother's extensive real estate interests in this region. Shortly after taking up his residence here, he began to agitate the subject of securing railroad communication with the outer world. It was mainly through his efforts that an interest was awakened on the subject; meetings were held, and eventually an organization effected, which resulted in the formation of the present Ontonagon & Brule River Railway Company. The first meeting was held July 11, 1880. The grading was begun in exactly one year from that day, July 11, 1881, and July 4, 1882, lie had the satisfaction of riding on the first train from Ontonagon to Rockland. To Mir. Nester's enterprise and pluck in pushing the project, are the people of this region more indebted than to any other cause, for what has already been accomplished in this matter and for the very flattering prospects of a speedy completion of the line and direct communication with the lower country. Since it was demonstrated that the railroad was a fixed fact, business at Ontonagon and along the line has revived, real estate has advanced in value, and a general hopeful feeling prevails.