THOMAS WILLS
THOMAS WILLS, a well known citizen of Calumet, Houghton
County, a retired miner, represents the pioneer element of his section, his location in
Houghton County dating to 1851. Mr. Wills has been identified with
much of the mine development of the Northern Peninsula, and has also
visited other ore producing localities, in the following of his
profession.
Mr. Wills was born in England and was reared in the great mining
region of Cornwall. There he began work, in the lowest capacity, at the
age of 12 years, and by the time he was 22 years old he was a practical
tin
and copper miner. It was at that period that he came to this country,
locating in Ontonagon County, Michigan, securing work at the Piscataqua
mine,
15 miles from the Ontonagon Harbor, and 13 miles from Greenland,
Michigan. In 1853 he was made foreman of the Tultic mine, where he
continued
some years, becoming mining captain there. He was later associated with
the Caledonia and the Hastings mines. He spent one year in gold mining
in
California, and upon his return to Houghton County worked through the
various mines of the section in different capacities. He then made a
visit
to England, and in 1858 went to Melbourne, Australia, where he engaged
in gold mining until 1864. He then returned to the copper district of
Michigan, by way of England, went to work in the Minnesota mine at
Ontonagon,
then to the Indiana mine and back to the Minnesota, and then served as
mine
captain at the Hilton and the Adventure. From the latter Mr. Wills went
to the Flint Steel mine as captain, and after these years of adventure
and
experience, in 1868, became captain of the Calumet & Hecla. For a
period
of more than 30 years Mr. Wills served as mining captain, and a history
of
his many experiences would read like a romance. He now resides quietly
in
Calumet, probably one of the best posted mine men in the section.
Mr. Wills is an active member of the various Masonic branches,
belonging to the blue lodge, chapter, commandery, and temple of the Mystic Shrine. For 30 years he has been a
Forester. He has visited lodges in foreign lands and has lived up to the demands of each
organization.
Source: Biographical Record, Houghton, Baraga and Marquette Counties. Chicago: Biographical Publishing
Company,
1903. |