Among the enterprising citizens of Antrim county who owe their success and advancement in life to their own industry and well directed efforts, is Calvin Cuttler, of Forest Home township. He is a native of the dominion of Canada, where he was born in 1843 an(l son °f Calvin Cuttler, a native of the same place, who was born in 1814. The subject devoted all the years of his youth to obtaining a fair knowledge of the common school branches and upon attaining his majority was fairly well qualified to take up the battle of life on his own account. He followed the pursuits of farming in his native land until 1880, when, feeling that in “the states” were to be found better opportunities for a man of energy and thrift, he came to Antrim county and settled upon his present farmstead. Everything in this locality was then in its primitive condition and it was necessary to carry the most common household supplies a long distance. Mr. Cuttler states that he has paid as high as one and one-half dollars a pound for tea and twenty dollars per barrel for flour. Notwithstanding the unfavorable condition of things at that time he was not dismayed, but persevered in his efforts, and the subsequent years have proved the wisdom of his course. He added to his original tract from time to time as his financial condition permitted and is today the owner of one hundred and sixty-four acres of land, of which sixty-five are under cultivation. Mr. Cut-tier’s wife is also interested in the farmstead in a financial way and receives her due share of its products. She retains control of the orchards, comprising sixteen acres of splendid fruit trees, and has also given special attention to the raising of potatoes, her average annual sales amounting to over two hundred bushels. In connection with farming-, Mr. Cuttler has given considerable attention to lumbering operations, in which he has achieved a distinct success. Much hard labor has been necessitated in order to develop the farm to its present high state of efficiency, but Mr. Cuttler and his wife are now reaping the fruits of their years of hard and consecutive toil and now their farm compares favorably with any in the township.
In 1870 Mr. Cuttler was united in marriage to Miss Margaret McCarthy, the daughter of Daniel and Johanna (Barrow) McCarthy. Mrs. Cuttler’ s father was a native of London, England, born in 1824, while her mother was born in 1847 at Dublin, Ireland. Johanna McCarthy was married at the age of fifteen and became the mother of seventeen children. To Mr. and Mrs. Cuttler have been born the following children : Charles, John, Catherine, Calvin, Daniel, Benjamin, Frank, Libbie, Margaret (deceased), James (deceased), Floyd (deceased), and two others who died in infancy. The son John enlisted for service during-the Spanish-American war in the Eleventh Michigan Volunteer Infantry and with that command served in the Philippine islands. He is now a captain on a boat on Torch Lake. The subject of this sketch is a man of mature judgment, has led a clean and honorable life and retains the warm regard of his acquaintances. He is up-to-date in his methods and does not believe in following in the old roads when more modern methods will complete the work quicker and easier. In the social circles of the township he and his family hold a high position and their individual qualities have won for them the esteem of the entire community.
Source: Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens; Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1905.