THOMAS NATHAN DOAN

Notes:

Nathan was born in the house at 709 N. Dewitt, Minnie Telfer's house. The family moved to 107 E. Clara when Nathan was 2 years old. That house was originally part of the larger Simm's house before it was split into three parts located at 107
E. Clara, 600 Wenona, 604 N. Dewitt (Dave Stark's house). His mother died in 1931, his father in 1934. He and his siblings were orphans by the time he was 15 years old! The Doan family lost the house at 107 E. Clara and went to live with
various relatives for a while. Before they moved, the city had shut off the water to a slow drip - just enough to fill the toilet if left long enough. Nathan and his siblings eventually lived at Grandpa Stark's House, 600 N. Dewitt, which had
a barn out back, a pig, geese, chickens, a cow, and several fruit trees. One of his jobs was to walk the cow down to Sharon's Field (NW corner of N. Henry and N. Union) in the morning, stake it there for the day, and then retrieve it in the
evening. Grandpa Stark would milk the cow. Most of the year, Nathan would deliver milk to three families on his way to school every morning. On cold mornings, he would have to be quick to deliver the milk before the cream froze and raised
over the lid of the bottle. He worked long hours and frequently came home late, throwing his clothes on the floor. This practice got he and his belongings thrown out of the house. It was only after his sister pleaded with Pa Stark, that
Nathan was allowed to return. Priscilla had promised to always pick up Nathan's things and keep them neat! Grandma Stark died in 1935, Grandpa Stark in 1936! Life wasn't always easy! Nathan was a graduate of Bay City High School, Jan. 1936
where he played drums and baritone in the band. He went to work for the Bay City Board of Education on 2 Feb. 1936, retiring from there in 1984 after 45 years (not counting his years in the Army). He started out as mimeograph operator and
became warehouse supervisor in 1952. Nathan served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He entered service 23 Aug. 1943. His MOS. was classification specialist. He was in San Francisco, Calif. the day his first nephew, Wm. Gaus, Jr., was born, but
left on a ship headed to New Guinea that next day. He then went to Australia. He rose through the ranks from a private to master sergeant in 2.5 years. For a man with no particular technical, academic, or combat skills of value to the
military, this feat is remarkable, and speaks to his ability to work hard and deal with people effectively. He went to the Philippines on the ship British Columbia Express, also on board was the wife and son of Gen. Douglas McArthur in April
of 1945. His career as Santa Claus started in 1940-41 when the church's regular Santa, Uncle Dave Stark, got sick. Nathan was asked to fill in because he was the only one in church with a big belly to fit the suit. Knowing all the names of
the church children and Sunday School teachers, Nathan had a good time. The next year he did a bridge club Christmas party. One of the women at the party was PTA president at Wenona School. She arranged for Nathan to be Santa for her school.
Nathan knew the principal there, who arranged for all of the children to place their school work out on their desk. These papers had the names of the children on them so that `Santa' was able to go up and down the rows, calling each child by
his/her name - much to everyone's amazement. People who were there still wonder how this feat was accomplished. In 1953, Millard Reader, a retailer and member of the church congregation, gave Nathan information about the Santa Claus School at
Albion, New York. Nate graduated from the school in 1953, bought a suit for $75, hair for $50 and became the talk of the town as Santa Claus. This reputation has lasted all of his life. He has been called the good will ambassador of Bay
City, and even had a park named after him. An article in the Bay City Times claimed that he could have run for mayor, a job that was quite controversial at the time, and won over all other comers. He has been Santa Claus in many states of the
U.S. and in Australia (Father Christmas). He has appeared in feature articles in The Saturday Evening Post Dec. 12 1964, Life Magazine, 1964, in Contact Magazine, Oct 1982 and again Dec. 1969, in Friends Magazine (Chevrolet Co., Dec. 1971, in
Chronicle (Metropolitan Life) Winter, 1966, and The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine Dec 20, 1992. Nathan and Mary Ida took over the Santa Claus School At Albion New York, established by the famous Macy's Santa of 35 years, Mr. Charles Howard,
moving it to Bay City, Michigan and later to Midland, Michigan. They have taught hundreds of students in the science of `The Anatomy of a Raindeer', `The Philosophy of Christmas', `Proper Costuming and Makeup', and a thousand different ways to
make believers out of those who doubt Santa Claus. Of the many stories of Santa's believers, two stand out. The first is of a young boy living in the country out near the Tri City Airport. On the night of his pre-Christmas visit to the
home, Nate and his driver parked down the road a bit so as to disguise the mode of transportation, and walked up to the door in the dark. The boy was delighted, amazed, and curious about how Santa had arrived, to which questions; the standard
answers were given. As Santa left the house, the boy watched as Santa walked across the field and disappeared into the darkness. As an airplane departed the nearby airport, with its red light flashing, the boy just knew that he was watching
Santa's sleigh leaping into the sky with Rudolph leading the way. Another is a story of a young family, which lived through the yard from the Gauses. The family was finishing supper, with the youngest balking at finishing the food on his
plate. The interaction between parent and child could be seen and heard from outside the back door, which led to the kitchen. In anticipation of Santa's visit, the parent reminded the child that Santa knows and watches all that the child does.
Santa checks up on these things. This argument was lost on the child who didn't really perceive it as a threat. Suddenly, there was a jingling of sleigh bells, a hardy HO! HO! HO! and a loud knock on the door. The family turned to see the
face of Santa Claus framed in the window of the door. The boy's eyes grew very large as the parent got up to let Santa into the house. As Santa was being greeted, the food on the plate was being cleaned as if by a vacuum sweeper! During the
visit, Santa asked the boy if he believed that Santa knew when little children weren't minding their parents. The boy vehemently answered in the affirmative, and that he would finish his plate and mind his parents from now on! Still another
involves State Representative Howard Wetters Jr. whose father had broken both of his legs while decorating a tree at the family church. "I was 8 years old, and I was really doubting Santa Claus". Howard crawled up on Santa's lap, and before
Howard could say anything, Santa said, "Howie, how's your dad's legs? I'm sure he is going to be OK". Mr. Wetters says, "I still believe in the magic of Santa Claus today because of Nate Doan. He was truly a great, wonderful guy". Nathan
operated a concession at Wenona Beach for years before it closed. Many of his nieces and nephews spent wonderfully remembered evenings 'working' the booth for tickets and ride favors and often a treat. He was a member of the Bangor -
Essexville Volunteer Fire Dept for many years. He served at several big Bay City fires over the years. Nathan has served his church, The Christian Assembly, as Sunday School Superintendent, board member, choir member, and board treasurer.
There were "Santas" from all of the United States who came to pay their respects to Nate upon his passing. The presence these people created by their all being in the same place at the same time with their stories of Mary Ida & Nate, and the
stories of the personal experiences of each of these Santas was very uplifting and warm. It was such a great memorable, moment in time! There is not likely to ever again be a human being with such a perfect blend of the requisite personality,
skill, and charisma which so wonderfully represents the Spirit of Christmas and of Santa Claus as does Thomas Nathan Doan. He can leave young and old alike feeling as if they had just experienced something spiritual.

Nathan was Michigan Credit Union Person of the Year, 1991. The energy and drive, love of people and continual optimism of T. Nathan Doan have inspired family member and friend alike, making him a very special, favorite person.

THOMAS married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Notes:

Herman was described as a small man, with a high pitched laugh similar to that of his son Clarence, and with a bow legged gait. He was a well known practical joker, but was otherwise unassuming. Herman lived with his father at 503 Warner in
1910, while working as a machinist. His marriage certificate, June 20, 1916, lists him as an Iron Worker, residing in Monitor Township, Bay County. By 1920, he and his own family lived at 711 N. Dewitt, Bay City. This house was small, with no
indoor toilet, and heat was provided by a stove in the living room that sometimes got so hot that it glowed red. After his daughter, Priscilla, was born, he bought the empty lot on the northwest corner of Clara and Dewitt streets. A house
belonging to the Sims family, on Wenona near Clara was split into 3 parts, one of which was bought by Herman and moved onto his lot. He dug the basement under the house using a horse and a scoop. The house had a bathroom built into the
upstairs which contained only a toilet and sink. Bathing was done in a small galvininized tin tub in the kitchen. The address of the home is 107 E. Clara, and is across the street from 600 N. Dewitt. 600 N. Dewitt was originally the
Stark/Telfer residence, but became a center of the Doan family for many years thereafter. Herman and his family were members of The Christian Assembly church where his father, Charles, was the minister of the gospel. Herman loved his Campbell's
Pork & Beans, and his cigar. On Sunday afternoon, he would walk to the store on N. Henry St. and N. Union St. with one or more of the children and buy a cigar and a can of pork & beans for dinner. He thought it cute to blow the cigar smoke in
the faces of the children. Life was difficult for the family. Margaret Grace died. The home was sometimes heated with wood that he and his son, Nathan, would go and cut. They had to walk out to the farm of Charles W. Doan to get the horse and
wagon, go cut the wood, take it to the house, then take the horse and wagon back out to State Park Dr. and walk home. Coal was sometimes too expensive for the family. Herman also planted potatoes on the fertile hillsides of the waste area of
the sugar plant out on Euclid St. He worked there as a day laborer when he could. It is said that he often had sores from the irritating properties of the lime soil there. He fed the family and made extra money with the potatoes. After Grace
died, Herman started going to the beer gartens often. He would take young Carl with him, because many of the men there thought he was cute and would buy drinks for Herman. Herman got a job at the Defoe Ship Yards as a laborer. He scratched
his hand or lower arm which became infected. Untreated, the infection spread throughout his body. His arm was amputated at the elbow in an attempt to stop the infection's spread. He died a painful death in the hospital. He left behind 5
orphaned children, the oldest just 17 years old.

HERMAN married MARGARET GRACE STARK on 20 Jun 1916 in Bay City, Michigan. MARGARET (daughter of THOMAS C. STARK and MARGARET JANE TELFER) was born on 7 Dec 1888 in Lake Otsego, Otsego Co., Michigan; died on 4 Jul 1931 in Bay City, Michigan; was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Bay City, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Margaret Grace was a short, heavy woman. She loved to sing and could play the piano slightly, as long as the tune was on the black keyes. She likely finished only the 8th grade. There was a fire at her school, during which she fell and was
trampled on the stairs. She lived only because someone pulled her up and got her down the stairs. She worked for the Carrington family on S. Union St. This family was a wealthy lumber family. They made her use the name Margaret because of a
conflict within that household. She worked there until, at age 28, she married Herman. Her marriage certificate lists her birth place as Lake Otsego, Michigan. Walter Sims presided at the ceremony with Ross Doan and Estella Stark as
witnesses. She and Herman started life with very little. The Carrington's gave her a Tiffany lamp, an old threadbare rug, and an old, broken leather couch. Someone else gave them 2 rocking chairs and a table. That was the extent of what they
owned. She would bake cakes and other goodies on Saturday, which she sold up and down the street on Sunday, for extra money. She was a skilled seamstress. The Sim's family, then of Chicago, would send boxes of clothes for the children.
Margaret would rip the clothes apart, turn the cloth around, and remake the clothes to fit her family. She first became ill around 1928. By the time she was 40 years old, she was unable to walk. Then she had one last child, Carl. She was
unable to care for him very well by herself. Complications of tubercular meningitis was the cause of her death. Her death, a gruesome, painful ending, was witnessed by her family from the doorway of her bedroom. Margaret's funeral was held in
the family home at 107 E. Clara (across the street from 600 N. Dewitt).

Notes:

Charles owned a farm in Arenac Co. on Delano Rd, approximately 1/2 mile from Whitman Rd. Approximately 1907, he moved his family from Arenac Co. to 503 Warner Ave., Bay City where in 1910 the city Directory lists Charles W. Doane (farmer),
Arthur A. Doane (farmer), Herman L. Doane (machinist), Edna Doane (student), Ellen Doane (milliner), Howard C. Doane (laborer), Martha V. Doane (dressmaker, boards at same address). At sometime, Charles moved his home to #70 on N. Henry St.
(State Park Dr.). The farm house still stands. He sold 5 acres of the farm to the Fox family, who again divided that acreage with the Hale family. Charles is remembered as a tall, thin man who worked hard. He claimed he ate so much, that it
made him poor just to carry it around. His farm was 20 acres, had small crops, lots of chickens, 2 horses (1 died), and a large barn. After the one horse died, he and the farmer next door combined each of their horses when either man found it
necessary to use a team for plowing, etc. It ran from N. Henry (State Park Dr.) all the way throught to State St., the next street over. He had grape vines on the farm which are said to have produced the best grapes around. He farmed in Bay
Co. a total of 28 years. He had a remedy which was frequently requested by neighbors who had a sick horse. It seemed to work wonderfully. It was not used on humans. Charles was a lay minister of the Gospel at the Christian Assmbly, and was
active there for many years. He owned a square grand piano which cost him $5 which Olive used to play. Charles was the first of the Bay City Doan's to own a car. The last work he performed before he died was to trim back his favorite grape
vines. The farm sold for $5500 after his death. The 1911 Bay City City Directory spelled the last name of he, his family members, and his siblings as Doane.

CHARLES married MARY DIDAMIA STOUTENBURGH on 3 Jul 1877 in Lexington, Michigan. MARY (daughter of HIRAM STOUTENBURGH and MERCY SMITH) was born on 2 Nov 1857 in Sanilac Co. Michigan; died on 14 Jan 1935 in Bay City, Michigan; was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Bay City, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mary was a very dignified and handsome woman in her photos. She is fondly remembered for her excellent cooking.

Notes:

"Pa Stark" was well versed in Scottish tunes and could sing them in Gaelic. When Thomas actually moved to Michigan is unclear, but he was in Lake Otsego, Michigan in 1888 when his daughter, Margaret, was born there. His naturalization papers,
The Certificate of Citizenship, October 30, 1896, places him in Bay City at about the time he and His father-in-law, Andrew Telfer, started building the house at 600 N. Dewitt St. in Bay City. This house was occupied by the Telfer family
upstairs, and the Stark family downstairs. The property had a barn which housed 2 or 3 cows which provided milk, chickens, which provided meat and eggs, and occasionally a pig. There were also some fruit trees, of which a plum and pear tree
each still remain. The Bay City Directory lists Thomas as a Sawyer in 1910, residing at 600 N. Dewitt. In 1915, he is listed as a carpenter, and in 1920, his employment was as a custodian at the Wenona School, where he remained for many years.
Thomas died in his home after a lingering illness. His funeral was held at 600 N. Dewitt, one of many in that home from 1922 to 1938.

THOMAS married MARGARET JANE TELFER on 14 Apr 1886. MARGARET was born on 25 Feb 1863 in Bristol, Pontiac Co., Quebec, Canada; died on 23 Nov 1935 in Bay City, Michigan; was buried on 26 Nov 1935 in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Bay City, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Margaret had been a resident of Bay City for 50 years at the time of her death. She died at her home, 600 N. Dewitt St., Bay City, after a lingering illness. The funeral was held there also.

Notes:

Nathan was treasurer of Custer Twp, Sanilac Co. Michigan.

NATHAN married DEBORAH P. GOODWIN on 18 Aug 1839 in Malahide Bapt. Church, Malahide, Ontario. DEBORAH (daughter of DOMINUS GOODWIN and RUTH KNOWLES) was born on 4 Jun 1822 in Nova Scotia, Canada; died on 30 Jan 1899 in Deckerville, Sanilac Co., Mich.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Deborah owned a farm in Custer Tsp, Sanilac Co. Michigan adjoining that owned by Nathan L. Doan.



We previously had her listed as Deborah Cameron, but changed this when Wm. Gaus sent in his information.

Notes:

Hiram was the oldest child of the family during hard times. As his brothers and sisters were being taught to read and write, he was required to help support the family. While still living on Scaugog Island, he worked for a man for 3 days to
earn a violin. He had to reglue the instrument after his father smashed it, claiming it made sweeter music afterwards. When he was 23 years old, Hiram moved to Flint, Michigan with his parents, stayed for a couple of years, then the family
moved to the farm at Port Sanilac. Hiram was married in a double ceremony with Hiram Smith, brother of Mercy, and Elizabeth Stoutenburg, sister of Hiram Stoutenburg. In March, 1861, Hiram bought a 40 acre farm 1.5 miles east and 1 mile north
of Applegate, Michigan for $240. A mortgage of $168.80 was taken From Mr. Hartman London, and was paid off in Aug, 1871. In Dec. 1862, Mercy bought 20 acres for $75. cash which she had inherited from her father. In 1862, Hiram played violin
for the opening dance at the Cadillac Hotel in Lexington, Michigan. He started at 8 PM and was playing and calling the dance still after midnight. He earned $10 for his effort. It was the most money he ever earned for one dance, and it
seemed like a fortune. Hiram got his leg broken at a logging bee at Sam Dickens farm when his oxen ran away with a log which swung aroung, catching him between it and another log. The story goes that the doctor was drunk when he set the leg,
which is why one leg was shorter then the other. While he was recovering, the county supervisor visited saying that Hiram had to accept aid from the county. Hiram agreed, only after it was determined that this was a loan, and not aid. He
didn't want his children to see his name on the county books. He paid back the $16. In 1876, the family sold the old farm and bought 120 acres in Custer Tnsp. from Wm. Chapman. Mother, Father, and nine children moved there. The farm had
40 acres on the south side and 80 acres on the north side of Forester Road.

HIRAM married MERCY SMITH on 19 Nov 1859 in Lexington, Michigan. MERCY was born on 9 Jul 1839 in Ontario, Canada; died on 5 Mar 1899 in Carsonville, Sanilac Co., Michigan; was buried in Washington Tsp. Cem., Sanilac Co., Mich.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mercy paid $75.00 cash for 20 acres of farmland in 1862. She died of angina pectoris after being ill for about a year. Her Tombstone reads, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God".