USA > Michigan > A history of northern Michigan and its people, Volume II > Part 33
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sourceful and versatile advocate at the bar and as a specially safe and conservative counselor, his dicta invariably being based upon wide and accurate knowledge of the science of jurisprudence and upon judgment of noteworthy maturity and discrimination.
In politics Judge Grant has ever been an unwavering advocate of the principles and policies for which the Republican party stands spon- sor, and, without entering aggressively into the tumult of so-called practical polities, he has given yeoman service in behalf of the party cause. In 1903 he was elected city attorney of Manistee, and of this office he was incumbent for three terms. He has sought no office aside from those of direct association with the work of his chosen profession. which he has considered well worthy of his undivided loyalty. In August, 1894, Governor Rich appointed him judge of the Probate Court of Manistee county. to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Nelson W. Nelson, and at the regular election in the autumn of the same year he was duly elected to fill out the unexpired term. Through suc- cessive re-elections he has since continued in tenure of this important office, and his administration of its affairs has been marked by the most scrupulous care in all details, thus constituting a veritable model of efficiency. Judge Grant has shown a most loyal interest in all that has tonched the welfare of his home city, and he served for fifteen years as a member of its board of education. His labors in this eapac- ity were not of perfumetory order, but he insistently advocated pro- gressive measures, in which connection it should be stated that during his service on this board the commercial, kindergarten, music, drawing. manual-training and domestic-science departments were established in connection with the work of the public schools of Manistee. Ile was one of the principal organizers of the Manistee County Savings Bank, of which he is still a director, and since the bank was organized he has been chairman of its discount committee. Upon the death of Hon. Arthur Hill, regent of the University of Michigan, Governor Warner conferred a well merited honor upon Judge Grant by appointing him to fill this vacancy on the Board of Regents of his noble old alma mater. The appointment was made on the 22d of December, 1909, and the term will expire on the 31st of December, 1913.
Judge Grant is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of the Modern Maccabees, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Romans, in whish last-named or- ganization he is an officer of the supreme body. He is also a director of the Northern Assurance Company of Michigan, which has its head- quarters in the city of Detroit.
As a churchman and a worker for the uplift of his fellow men the services of Judge Grant have been earnest and zealous. Ile has long been one of the vertible pillars of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Manistee and has been superintendent of its Sunday-school for more than a score of years. His labors, however, have transcended local lim- itations, as is evident when it is stated that he has been president of the Michigan Conference Brotherhood of the Methodist Episcopal church for two years, and that for three years he has served as president of the Michigan State Sunday School Association, besides which he is pres-
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ident of the Epworth League Assembly at Ludington. Both he and his wife are most devoted workers in the various departments of their church and in their private lives are instant in good works and kindly deeds, so that a natural sequel has been the affectionate regard shown them by those who have come within the sphere of their influence.
At Burlington, Indiana, on the 5th of April, 1883, was solemnized the marriage of Judge Grant to Miss Henrietta Mason, who was born in the state of Indiana, and who is a daughter of Rev. and Mrs. (Elihu) Mason. Her parents passed the closing years of their lives in Kansas. Judge and Mrs. Grant became the parents of five children, two of whom died in infancy. Paul the oldest son, educated in the local schools and in the University, is now in business in Chicago. Edith, the daughter. is now studying in the Conservatory of Music at Oberlin, Ohio, and Arthur, now fourteen, is in the public schools of Manistee.
NORMAN W. DUNAN .- It is a subject for congratulation that the young men in the state of Michigan are coming to the front in such a prominent way. It augurs well for the future of the state. Norman W. Dunan, attorney at law at Lake City, at an age when most young men have yet to show the mettle there is in them, has already had honors be- stowed upon him. Judging from the successes he has already had, he has a great career before him. He was born at St. Mary's, Ohio, Octo- ber 8, 1886. His parents, Otis and Leah Dunan, are natives of Ohio and Michigan respectively. Mrs. Dunan's maiden name was Van Riper and they lived at St. Mary's at the time they were married, where Mr. Dunan was interested in a. bank, and where he is still living engaged as a banker.
Norman's boyhood was passed at his native town, where he received his early education. He attended the grammar school and then the high school, graduating from high school in 1904. In the fall of that year he entered Oberlin college, taking a special course. He only stayed there until the end of the school year and in the fall of 1905 he entered the law department of the University of Michigan, located at Ann Arbor, from which he graduated in 1908, receiving the degree of Bache- lor of Law. In July, 1908, immediately after his graduation, he en- tered into a copartnership with Mr. Arthur W. Penny at Cadillac. They named the firm Penny & Dunan and immediately began to do busi- ness. The next month they opened another office under the same name at Lake City. The following month, September, he was nominated on the Republican ticket for the office of prosecuting attorney for the county and although he had not yet appeared in court on any case, he was elected at the November polls. This is a unique experience; there is no record of any other lawyer having been elected to office before he had shown what he could do by winning at least some cases. He made good, however, and held the office for two years, during which time he handled some of the most critical cases known in the history of the court and in each case he sceured conviction. He took two appeals to the Supreme Court of the state and won both of them. During the last three years he has been admitted to practice in all the courts of the state and Feb- ruary 2, 1911, he was appointed by the governor of Michigan to the
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office of Circuit Court Commissioner of Missaukee county. Taken in all, Mr. Dunan's snecess has been phenomenal. He is intensely in ear- nest in regard to his work; each case in turn is to him the most important that could exist. To him, when he undertakes a case there is nothing trivial about it. He offers his best every time, regardless of what the result may be, and the success of such a nature is assured.
Mr. Dunan is not married. In politics he is a Republican. He is not at present identified with any church, but he gives liberally to any worthy object.
RICHARD H. DEADMAN .- The present able incumbent of the office of county clerk of Alpena connty is Richard H. Deadman, who is a native of Canada but who has resided in Michigan since he was eight years of age. He was born at Clandeboye, Middlesex county, Province of On- tario, Canada, on the 20th of September, 1873, and is a son of Dr. Will- iam H. and Christina (McKay) Deadman, concerning whom mention is made on other pages of this work in the sketch dedicated to John F. Deadman, brother of him whose name initiates this review. As ready reference may be made to the article mentioned a detailed account of the family history is not deemed necessary at this point. Mr. Deadman's maternal grandfather, Hector McKay, was a soldier in the war of 1812, in the English service. He participated in the battle of New Orleans and he and two of his comrades were the only ones in his company who escaped death in that terrible conflict.
Richard H. Deadman commenced his education in his native county in Canada and he was but eight years of age at the time of his parents' removal to Alpena, Michigan. After graduating in the Alpena high school he pursued a course in bookkeeping and stenography and was en- gaged in that line of work for a period of eight years. At the time of the inception of the Spanish-American war, in 1898, he enlisted in Com- pany B, Thirty-third Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and he was in the United States army from June until December 28, 1898. While stationed at Camp Alger, Virginia, Mr. Deadman was detailed for special duty at the war department at Washington and later he had charge of the "mustering-ont" rolls of his detachment. After his re- turn to Michigan and during the session of the state legislature in 1901 he served as clerk of the judiciary committee in the house of represen- tatives in Lansing. In the spring of 1901 he entered the employ of the Richardson Lumber Company as bookkeeper and stenographer and he remained with this firm until 1907. In 1906, together with his brothers, John F., of Sault Ste. Marie, and Byron B., of Alpena, he became one of the organizers and incorporators of the Deadman Brothers' Medical Company at Alpena, Michigan. In 1908 Mr. Deadman was given dis- tinetive mark of popular confidence and esteem in that he was then elected county elerk of Alpena county and he was further honored by a re-election in November, 1910. At the polls in the latter election he received a handsome majority.
In politics Mr. Deadman has ever accorded a staunch allegiance to the cause of the Republican party and in a fraternal way he is affiliated with Alpena Lodge, No. 70. Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Al-
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pena Lodge, No. 148, Knights of Pythias; Alpena Lodge, No. 505, Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks; and Arthur Henry Camp, Span- ish-American War Veterans, in which he is vice-commander. It is in- teresting to note that in a family of seven boys Richard H. is the only one to eschew the profession of veterinary surgeon. His grandfather, father and six brothers have all attained distinction in this line of en- deavor.
On the 29th of April, 1901, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Deadman to Miss Lillian M. Rea, who was born in Portland, Canada, a daughter of Robert and Mary (Austin) Rea, both of whom were like- wise born in Canada. Mr. Rea removed with his family to Michigan in 1886 and established his home at Hillman, where he was engaged in the lumber business for a period of twenty years. He is now actively in- terested in banking, the creamery business and farming and is recog- nized as one of the influential citizens in Hillman. He is a Republican in his political convictions and is serving as supervisor on the school board. Mr. and Mrs. Rea have seven children, Mrs. Deadman being the second child in order of birth. She was reared and educated in Hill- man and is a woman of most gracious personality. Mr. and Mrs. Dead- man have four children,-Elizabeth, Dorothea, Robert Rea and Chris- tina.
CHARLES C. BEAHAN .- One of the substantial and ably conducted business enterprises that has contributed to the industrial and commer- cial prestige of the city of Petoskey is that conducted by the firm of Darling & Beahan, dealers in seeds, general produce and agricultural implements, and as one of the interested principals in this well known and reliable firm Mr. Beahan holds secure vantage ground as one of the representative business men and honored citizens of Petoskey. He came with his parents to Michigan when a boy and is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of this state, within whose borders the major portion of his life has been passed and in which he has so ordered his course as to merit and retain the unequivocal confidence and re- gard of his fellow men.
No commonwealth of the Union has, from the pioneer days to the present time, contributed more generously to the citizenship of Michi- gan than has the fine old Empire state, and Charles C. Beahan is to be placed on record as a native of the state of New York. Ile was born at Ilector, Tompkins county, that state, in what is now Schuyler county, and the date of his nativity was April 21, 1839. IIe is a son of Matthew and Mary (Fossett) Beahan, the former of whom was born in county Kildare, Ireland, and the latter in Tompkins county, New York. The father was seventy-two years of age at the time of his death and the mother was summoned to the life eternal at the age of seventy-three years. Of the ten children Charles C., who is now the only one living, was the ninth in order of birth. Mrs. Mary (Fossett) Beahan was a granddaughter of General Morrison, who was a member of the military staff of General Washington in the war of the Revolution, and her father, George Fossett, was one of the first settlers in Seneca county, New York, where he took up his abode among the Indians.
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Matthew Beahan was reared and educated in the fair old Emerald Isle and among his schoolmates was Alexander T. Stewart, who gained distinction as the first of the great "merchant princes" of the United States. The two young men were companions in their immigration to America, to which country they made the voyage on a sailing vessel of the type common to that day, and they landed in New York city, where Mr. Stewart was destined to become a man of great wealth and in- fluenee and one of national reputation in the business world. In his na- tive land Mr. Beahan had learned the trade of millwright and soon af- ter his arrival in America he located in the town of Hector, in what is now Schuyler county, New York, where he operated a flour mill and was also identified with agricultural pursuits until 1846, when he re- moved with his family to Michigan and located on the site of the pres- ent city of Flint, Genesee county, where he secured a traet of wild land and instituted the development of a farm, besides which he built and operated a grist mill. Ile was one of the pioneers of that county and was influential in public affairs in that section of the state. In addition to being called to various local offices of trust he served one term in the state senate. He was a staunch Democrat in his political proclivities but was equally unswerving in his antipathy to the institution of hu- man slavery, so that he was a zealous abolitionist in the erueial epoeh which culminated in the Civil war. Both he and his wife continued to reside in Flint until their death and their names merit enduring place on the roll of the honored pioneers of that section of the state.
Charles C. Beahan gained his rudimentary educational discipline in his native state and was a lad of about seven years at the time of the family's removal to Michigan, which was then considered on the fron- tier of civilization. He availed himself of the advantages of the pioneer sehools of Genesee county and soon began to render effective aid in connection with the work of his father's farm. He finally engaged in farming on his own responsibility, in Genesee county, and later was identified with the same line of enterprise in the southwestern part of Missouri, where he remained a few years. He then removed to Sionx City, Iowa, where he became one of the organizers of the Sioux City Nursery & Seed Company, in the development of whose business he was one of the principal factors. He remained at Sioux City about eight years, at the expiration of which, in 1893, he returned to Michigan and located in Petoskey, where he has sinee been engaged in the handling of seeds, general produee, agricultural implements and carriages. in which enterprise he is associated with Lou S. Darling, under the firm name of Darling & Beahan. A review of the career of. Mr. Darling is entered on other pages of this work, and it may be noted that the firm controls a large and substantial business of wide ramifications, special attention being given to northern-grown seed peas, beans and potatoes, a storage and transfer business being conducted in connection with other operations.
While a resident of Flint, this state, Mr. Beahan served not only as city treasurer but also as county treasurer and county register of deeds, and he is at the present time a member of the board of park commis- sioners of Petoskey, where he is known as a loyal and publie-spirited
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citizen. In polities he has ever given his allegiance to the Democratic party and he is well fortified in his opinions as to matters of public polity. On the 23d of April, 1867, Mr. Beahan beeame an entered ap- prentice in the local lodge of Free & Aceepted Masons at Flint, Michi- gan, and in this organization, Flint Lodge, No. 23, he was raised to the sublime degree of master Mason on the 5th of the following August. By dimit from his original lodge he beeame actively affiliated with Durand Lodge, No. 344, in Petoskey, on the 5th of January, 1892. On the 19th of December, 1868, he became a member of Washington Chap- ter, No. 15, Royal Arch Masons, at Flint, from which he was dimitted to Emmet Chapter, No. 104, in Petoskey, on the 7th of March, 1892. On the 13th of the following January he beeame a member of Petoskey Council, No. 52, Royal & Seleet Masters. May 11, 1869, marked his reception of ehivalric orders, Genesee Commandery, No. 15, Knights Templars, at Flint, from which he was dimitted to assume his present affiliation with Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 36, at Petoskey. He has been a close and appreciative student of the history and teachings of the time-honored Masonie fraternity and takes an aetive interest in the af- fairs of the various bodies with which he is affiliated.
In the year 1874 Mr. Beahan was united in marriage to Miss Ada Darling, of Flint, this state, and she died at Sioux City, Iowa, in 1890. The three children of this union-one son and two daughters-are all deceased. Mr. Beahan later wedded Miss Eliza E. Eldridge, a resident of Flint, but no children have been born of this union.
WILLIAM J. BARNHART .- A broad-minded and influential citizen and business man of Manistee, Michigan, Mr. William J. Barnhart has re- sided in this city for fully a seore of years and his identification with the industrial and political affairs of this section of the state has been of prominent order. In 1910 he was appointed postmaster of the eity by President Taft and in this office he is aequitting himself most credit- ably.
Mr. Barnhart was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, on the 6th of March, 1851, a son of Urban and Mary A. (MeDowell) Barnhart, both of whom were likewise horn in Canada and the latter of whom is now deceased. The father was a carpenter and joiner by occupation and he settled in Leelanau eounty, Michigan, in the year 1864, at which time William J. was a youth of thirteen years. In 1880 Urban Barn- hart removed to Leland, Leelanan county, but he is now living in Traverse City, Michigan, at the age of eighty-five years. His father, James Barnhart, was born in the state of New York and became an early settler in Canada, where his death occurred. The Barnharts came to America at an early date. Mary A. (MeDowell) Barnhart was a native of Canada, her parents having come to Ameriea from Ireland, in which country they were born, of Scotch parents, and whence they emigrated to Canada about the year 1824. Mrs. Barnhart was sum moned to the life eternal in 1908, at the age of eighty-two years. Of the family of six children, William J. is the only son and was the second in order of birth. All the children grew to maturity and of the number
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three are now living, the two daughters being Miss C. A. Barnhart, of Traverse City, and Mrs. M. J. Blumosar.
To the common schools of his native land and to those of Leland, Michigan, Mr. Barnhart is indebted for his educational training. Up to the age of twenty-one years he was identified with his father in the work of his trade, and he came to Manistee in 1872. For one year thereafter he worked in the old ship-yard on Manistee Lake, finally re- moving to a farm in Browntown, Manistee county, in the spring of 1875. In addition to farming he did considerable carpenter work for the ensuing five years, at the expiration of which he moved to Bear Lake, where he engaged in the contracting and building enterprise and where he erected a planing mill, which he operated for some seven years. In the latter business he had associated with him a Mr. Wareham, who later disposed of his interest to D. D. Smith. In 1882 Mr. Barnhart bought Mr. Smith out and continued the enterprise alone until the fall of 1887, when lie sold out and the following March removed to the city of Manistee, where he has since resided. He entered the employ of Buckley & Douglas, now the Buckley & Douglas Lumber Company, as millwright and superintendent of transmission and has remained in their employ ever since. In 1905 he was promoted to the office of gen- eral superintendent of the immense lumber business of this company, operating, at the time of this writing, in 1911, two mills and two salt blocks. He is an eminently able business man and in a political way has had many honors heaped upon him.
Mr. Barnhart is aligned as a staunch supporter of the cause of the the Republican party and he has been an active factor in furthering the welfare of the county and city. He was a member of the city council from the Seventh ward for a period of four years, was a member of the board of water commissioners for nine years and was elected mayor of Manistee in the spring of 1909, giving a most satisfactory administra- tion of the municipal affairs of the city during his incumbency of the latter office. In 1910 he was appointed by President William A. Taft postmaster of the city. These preferments indicate sufficiently the con- fidence and esteem awarded to Mr. Barnhart by his fellow citizens, so that further comment would be superfluous at this point. That he has always been interested in the progress and growth of the community in which he has been a resident is illustrated in the following account : "It was while a resident on his farm that Mr. Barnhart was chiefly instrumental in having built the first school-house to be erected in the district where he resided, walking from his home, some twenty-two miles distant, to Manistee, where after considerable difficulty he sue- ceeded in disposing of the two hundred and fifty dollars worth of bonds which had been issued by the district to defray the cost of building the school. Then tramping back home he and his neighbors turned ont and with their own hands built the building and were rewarded by hav- ing a school opened there upon its completion."
In the year 1873 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Barnhart to Miss Mary Shiria, a daughter of Adam and Nancy Shiria. Mrs. Barn- hart was born and reared at Pennsylvania and she is a woman of most pleasing personality. Mr. and Mrs. Barnhart became the parents of five Vol. II-17
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children, two of whom are deceased, namely,-Rose and Florence. Those living are: William G., born on the 16th of August, 1879; Lulu, born on the 23d of November, 1886; and Mabel, born on the 12th of May, 1888. William G. married Miss Josephine Petoskay; Lulu mar- ried J. J. Love, a dentist, of Manistee, Michigan ; and Mabel married S. B. Chapman, of Manistee.
In a fraternal way Mr. Barnhart has passed through the circle of Scottish Rite Masonry, having attained to the thirty-second degree and he is also affiliated with the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias. In his religious faith he and his family are affiliated with the Congregational church and it may be said of him that his charity knows only the bounds of his opportunities. For thirty- eight years he has been a resident of Manistee county and during all that time he has so lived and conducted himself that his life-record will bear the search-light of fullest investigation.
WILLIAM F. LEWIS, M. D .- Although he has been a resident of Luther, Lake county, but a comparatively short time, William F. Lewis, M. D., has, by his uniform courtesy of manner and promptness in plac- ing his services, medical or otherwise, at the disposal of all, gained for himself the general respect and good will of the community, and won a fair share of the medical practice of the place. He was born, August 8, 1873, in Charlevoix, Michigan, the son of a pioneer physician of north- ern Michigan, Dr. L. Lewis, of whom a brief sketch may be found on another page of this volume.
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