Journal Tells of Dolsen Family History in Area

Roy Closs was an engineer on the tug Favorite in St. Ignace in 1939. (Photograph courtesy of Ralph Dolsen)

The following information was supplied to columnist Miriam Blair by Ralph Dolsen of Warren:

A genealogy chart shows the relationship of Gilbert Dolsen, P.J. Dolsen, Charles Dolsen, and Nettie Elizabeth (nee Dolsen) Closs. The name Dolsen or Dolson is used interchangeably.

P.J. Dolsen's journal shows that he bought land and started a farm on Lant Lake Road. When he passed away, Charles Dolsen took the farm. He stayed there with his mother, Mary (nee Lant) Dolsen until she passed away.

He then moved to St. Ignace and gave the farm to the Closs family. Mr. Dolsen's family lived in St. Ignace until 1963.

Mrs. Dolsen's brother owned the farm across the road. Sarah (nee Dolsen) and her husband, Robert Steele, owned the farm west of the Dolsen-Closs Farm. When Ralph Dolsen was young, he spent a lot of summer vacations from school at the Steele and Closs farms.

P.J. Dolsen did farming, logging, and contract hauling with his horses. His son, Charles Dolsen, helped as he grew up.

In 1910 he worked at the brickyard at various times to clear land and mine the clay. They mined the clay with scoops and a team of horses. When Charles Dolsen moved from the farm to St. Ignace, he worked for the railroad as a car inspector, and helped with the derailment car repairs.

In 1909, John Closs did some work for Mr. Dolsen, and he paid him for his labor. He paid Mr. Closs $10.50 for labor on logs for 700 posts, and $3 for two days labor on logs. (Pretty good wages?)

In 1900, 1904, and 1905, records show P.J. Dolsen charged The Republican News for cordwood that may have been for heating. He also charged 80 cents for two bushels of apples, which may have been grown on the farm.