USA > Michigan > A history of northern Michigan and its people, Volume II > Part 4
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as member of the Republican State Central Committee. He is one of the founders and directors of the Lake City State Bank. He owns a fine farm on the shores of Lake Missaukee, which he is constantly im- proving and developing. Mr. Dennis is one of the progressive citizens of the county. It is his earnest desire that the county of Missaukee shall take a first place among the counties of northern Michigan. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Macca- bees. His family attend the Methodist Episcopal church in Lake City. Judge Dennis may congratulate himself that he has had such large op- portunities to be of service to his state. The state and his county have reason to congratulate themselves that in Mr. Dennis it has found a man who is both capable and willing to be of use. In his private life, Judge Dennis is without blemish and his political life has been such that no reproach can be cast upon it.
JUDGE CHARLES H. ROSE .- Ou August 28, 1909, Judge Charles H. Rose, one of the most eminent and well-beloved citizens of Evart and Osceola county, whose renown as a lawyer and jurist spread far beyond local boundaries,
"Gave his honors to the world again, His blessed part to Heaven and slept in peace."
It would be difficult to name anyone whose loss would have been of a more general character and more deeply and sincerely regretted than his, for he has been summed up, by one who knew him well, as "an honored eitizen, a good man and a Christian."
Charles H. Rose was a native son of the state in which he was to live his life and win his honors, his eyes having first opened to the light of day in Washtenaw county August 26, 1853, so that at the time of his death he had just passed his fifty-sixth birthday. A glance at the his- tory of the Rose family shows its origin upon American soil to have been made in an early day. The parents of the subject were William H. and Clarissa Rose, the former being a farmer, and it was upon a farm that the younger.days of Judge Rose were passed. He experienced the usual pleasures and activities incident to the life of the farmer's son. engaging in the manifold duties to be encountered upon the homestead, and in the winter taking his place behind a desk in the district school. His publie school training was completed by a course in the high school at Vassar. When he was about nine years of age he removed with his parents to Tuscola county. He early showed some of the usual earmarks of talent, being an inveterate reader and a good student. When a very young man he engaged for a time in a pedagogical capacity, with the hope, with the income thereof, of sometime being able to acquire a more liberal education. There were in the family six children, and one of these was Arthur Rose, a promising young attorney living at Caro, who encouraged him in this ambition. It was upon the advice of this brother that he entered the University of Michigan and entirely upon his own exertion paid his way. After pursuing the regular course he entered the law department and was graduated with the class of 1879. When
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ready to hang out his professional shingle, young Rose chose Evart for a location and was so well satisfied with his choice that he remained here for the rest of his life. He entered into a law partnership with C. A. Withey, under the caption of Rose & Withey, but the association of the two young attorneys was not of long duration, since Mr. Withey removed to Reed City.
The splendid gifts of Judge Rose were soon recognized, and in a short time he came to be looked upon as one of the coming men of Os- ceola county and Michigan. In less than the usual time which elapses, so to speak, before a young lawyer finds his feet, he had built up a large and remunerative practice in this and adjoining counties and be- fore the Supreme Court. As signal mark of the approval in which he was held in the community he received many public trusts and was ever happy to prove the confidence reposed in him well founded, ever meet- ing grave questions with incomparable ability. He served as circuit court commissioner and prosecuting attorney of Osceola county; was village attorney at Evart for sixteen years; and was for many years a member of the board of trustees of the village and of the board of edu- cation. The stalwart champion of good education, it was indeed appro- priate that he should so long be identified with the school board,-eight- een years as its trustee, and the most of that time holding the office of president of the board.
His judiciary career began with his appointment as judge of the Nineteenth judicial circuit by Governor Warner, to succeed Judge Mc- Alvay, who had been elected to the Supreme bench in the spring of 1905; and in April of the same year he was elected to the term of six years, but in 1909, because of continued ill health, he tendered his resig- nation and on August 25, three days prior to his death, his life-long friend and old time business partner, the Hon. Charles A. Withey, was appointed to succeed him.
The story of his nomination for judge of the Nineteenth judicial circuit of Michigan is indeed interesting and cannot be otherwise than appropriate for incorporation in this brief sketch. A portion of an account of the affair taken from the current edition of an Evart journal is herewith given with but slight paraphrase :
"Charles H. Rose of this place was nominated for the long and short term for judge of the Nineteenth judicial circuit on the 445th bal- lot at the adjourned judicial convention at 3 o'clock Saturday morning. he receiving thirteen of the twenty-five votes cast for the long term. and afterward the vote of the convention for the short term, and he has since been oppointed by Governor Warner to fill vacancy until election and qualification for short term.
"To Osceola county this is an especially pleasing outcome of a re- markable contest. The convention was originally called to meet at Ludington January 10. Undoubtedly due to oversight, several features of the call of that convention were not right, one of them being to give to Manistee eleven delegates, whereas it was entitled to but nine. The convention organized with Judge Nicholson of Lake county as chair- man and T. R. Welch of Osceola as secretary. The committee on cre- dentials reported full lists of delegates present, namely, two from Lake.
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eleven from Manistee, nine from Mason and seven from Osceola, but recommended that nine delegates be seated from Manistee. Upon adop- tion of the report, Manistee took offense and withdrew from further participation in convention. Those remaining proceeded with business. A. A. Keiser of Ludington and C. H. Rose of Evart were nominated. and when balloting began Mr. Keiser received seven votes of Mason and two of Lake and Mr. Rose seven of Osceola. Balloting proceeded practically in the same order until early next morning when 156 ballots had been taken. Adjournment was made until morning, but the re- newał of the session did not differ in result, the ballots reaching the 203d, and adjournment was made to meet at the same place February 24.
"Upon reassembling of convention all delegations were present, Manistee with eleven. A delegate moved that the eleven delegates from Manistee be seated and be allowed to cast nine votes, which was adopted and the convention proceeded in order, Manistee giving her nine votes to her favorite candidate, John H. Grant, Mason giving her nine to Keiser, Osceola her seven to Rose, with Lake county's two alternating between Grant and Keiser. This proceeded with clockwork regularity until the 445th ballot, when six of the Mason county delegates swung to Rose's support and he received thirteen votes and the nomination.
"And," adds the journal from which this piece of political adven- ture is taken, "there is no question but that Mr. Rose's nomination is a popular one. He is a lawyer of broad learning, of much experience, and one in whose fairness all have confidence. Mr. Rose and the Osceola county delegation were greeted by many at Reed City, Hersey and Evart upon their return and congratulated upon their success."
In the matter of political faith Judge Rose was a Republican. hav- ing an honest conviction of the superiority of the policies and princi- ples advocated by the party, but he was too big a man to be uncompro- misingly partisan or to esteem mere partisanship above securing the best man for an office and the attainment of the greatest good for the greatest number. With him patriotism was more than a mere rhetorical expression and it would be difficult to conceive ideals of citizenship of a higher character than were his.
Judge Rose had interests additional to his profession, having been one of the promoters of the First State Savings Bank of Evart and for a time its president. He likewise did much toward bringing into being the Evart Citizens' Telephone Company, whose lines form an important link in the state independent telephone service, and he served as presi- dent of the company for a time. He also had important property hold- ings in the nature of several fine farms situated in the vicinity. Ile had, indeed, never lost his wholesome love of country life and farming, with which he had been so familiar in his youth, had never lost its charm for him.
Judge Rose laid the foundations of an ideally happy home life on June 2, 1880, his chosen lady being Miss Emma Lancashire, daughter of Mathew H. and Hannah (Winterton) Lancashire. Mrs. Rose is a native of Wilmington, Delaware, and their union was celebrated at her home in Evart, Rev. J. C. Floyd, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, officiating. Of the five children who were born to bless this
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union three sons are living,-namely : Arthur H., a mining engineer ; Charles Lovell, just completing an agricultural college course, and Rol- land L., in high school. The Rose home is one of the refined and eul- tured abodes of the town and the center of a gracious hospitality. Both Mrs. Rose and her honored husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Evart, Judge Rose having united by letter upon first eoming here, and, zealous in assisting in its campaign for good, he willingly undertook the additional responsibility of serving for many years in an official capacity, being chairman of the board of trustees at the time of his death. As has been said of him in one of the many ap- preciations written at the time of his demise, "During these years he was identified closely with the interests of his home town and county and watched with no little pride their progress from a politieal, social, educational and religious standpoint, not failing himself in being a large contributor in matters that make for eivie righteousness."
A elose and hard student, untiringly devoted to the profession to which he was so great an ornament, he overtaxed his physical powers, bringing on an affeetion of the heart, arterial sclerosis, from which he could not rally, thus being removed from his sphere of activity in the prime of mentality.
It cannot be otherwise than appropriate to quote from the memorial appreciation written by Messrs. James H. Thompson, B. Newton Sa- vidge and William A. Lewis, of the Oseeola County Bar Association, and adopted by that body in open court, at Hersey, on Monday, September 27. 1909. After reviewing the life of the deceased judge.
"Thus briefly is told the story of a life unusually full of activity and achievement and we are startled into the consciousness of the vanity and futility of earthly pursuits. Power, wealth, worldly honor, the ae- complishment of things undertaken, oecupy our every thought, but when our dissolution comes, all fallacies are deteeted, all distinetions vanish, all ranks are levelled, and we must stand mute before the Su- preme Judge of heaven and earth to answer for deeds done in the body. It is on occasions such as this that we come to know our inmost selves, the 'I' whose conscienee must be satisfied or life will be a dismal fail- ure. And so to-day, while the lips of our long time friend are forever stilled, yet he speaks to us more emphatically even than in life, warn- ing us and advising us of the brevity of human life and the necessity of making the most and best of present opportunities. Life is not meas- ured by length of years and it is not for us to say whether earthly eareers are long or short. A noted divine has said, 'The best part of one's life is the performance of his daily duties. All higher motives, ideals, coneeptions and sentiments in a man are of no account if they do not come forward to strengthen him for the better discharge of the · duties which devolve upon him in the ordinary affairs of life.'
"The geat combinations of trade and finance, the marvellous de. velopment of the world's resources, call for vast aggregation of capital and armies of men to carry out the gigantie plans of present day pro- gress. The individual is so far lost sight of that human life seemingly becomes of less and less importance as we go farther from the days of more primitive conditions; yet men in their enthusiasm for aeeomplish-
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ment sacrifice life for the betterment of mankind and the benefit of future generations. It has been aptly said that life is what we cherish most in pursuing our various avocations. The consuming ambition of Charles H. Rose was to excel in his chosen profession. No case was too difficult for him to master, no technicalities of the law too intricate for him to attack. With unconquerable tenacity he worked out the case that came under his care, and gloried in the ability to win against apparently hopeless odds. It was this desire to master the details of his work that caused him to be regardless of his physical needs, and his death is a sacrifice to preent day conditions and his ambition to meet them as a winner. He crowded his nervous, mental and physical capac- ity to the limit of endurance, despite the warnings of friends and physi- cians, in order that his clients might have the best he had to give. This, then, is the measure of human greatness and usefulness :
" 'We live in deeds, not years,-in thoughts, not breaths- In feelings, not in figures on a dial. We count time by heart throbs. He most lives Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best.' "
Judge Rose was a member of the ancient and august Masonic order, belonging to the Blue Lodge No. 320 of Evart, and his impressive obse- quies were under Masonic charge.
FREDERICK R. WALKER, who is well known because of his effective, earnest labors in behalf of the Republican party and who is now serving with utmost efficiency as judge of the probate court, is a resident of Traverse City and he has maintained his home in Grand Traverse county, Michigan, since 1884. He is a man of remarkable executive ability, and through perseverance and close application to the work at hand he has gained precedence as one of the most prominent business men in this section of the state. Judge Walker was born on a farm in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of April, 1859, and he is a son of John C. and Catherine (Snyder) Walker, both of whom were born in the great German Empire. The mother came to America in 1837 and the father in 1845. Their marriage was solemnized in Indiana county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1848, and they became the parents of nine children, of whom Frederick R. was the seventh in order of birth. All the children were born in Pennsylvania and of the number six are now living. In 1868 the Walker family removed to the state of Tennessee and in 1883 the parents came to Michigan, locating on a farm in Grand Traverse county. The father died on the 2nd of February, 1898, while on a visit to his son, David W., of Putnam county, Kansas, and the mother is still living at the age of eighty-seven.
Judge Walker was a child of but nine years of age at the time of his parents' removal to Tennessee, where he completed his educational train- ing and where he continued to reside until he had attained to the age of nineteen years, at which time he went to Kansas, passing the ensuing four years in the counties of Reno and Osage, where he was identified with agricultural pursuits. In the spring of 1884 he came to Grand
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Traverse county, Michigan, purchasing one hundred and eighty acres of most arable land-one hundred and ten acres in Mayfield township and seventy acres in Grant township. He immediately turned his attention to diversified farming and has continued to be identified with that line of enterprise during the long intervening years to the present time, in 1911. He now owns a splendid estate of two hundred and thirty acres, to the management of which he gives a general supervision, the while most of his time is taken up with his duties as probate judge. He is the owner of considerable real-estate in Traverse City and in addition to his other interests he is a heavy stockholder in the Walker-Buckley Bank, at Buckley, Wexford county, Michigan, in which his brother is likewise interested.
In his political convictions Judge Walker is a loyal advocate of the principles and policies for which the Republican party stands sponsor, as previously intimated, and during his residence in Grand Traverse county he has been incumbent of many important positions of public trust and responsibility. His first public office was that of justice of the peace, to which he was elected in the spring of 1885. For eight years he was school inspector and in 1891 he was elected a member of the board of supervisors of Grand Traverse county, of which he was chairman for three years. He was a prominent factor in the building of the county court house at Traverse City and in 1904 was further honored by his fel- low men in that he was then elected probate judge of Grand Traverse county. He was re-elected to this responsible position in 1908, and is incumbent of this office at the present time, in 1911. He has ever mani- fested a deep and sincere interest in all matters projected for the good of the general welfare and he holds a high place in the regard of his fel- low citizens. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with Sherman Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons; and with Traverse City Lodge, No. 222, Knights of the Tented Maccabees. He and his wife reside at Traverse City, where they are popular factors in connection with the best social activities.
At Mayfield, this county, on the 26th of April, 1898, was recorded the marriage of Judge Walker to Miss Myrtle Dixon, whose birth occur- red in Grand Traverse county on the 11th of February, 1874. She is a woman of the most pleasing personality and is deeply beloved by all who have come within the sphere of her gracious influence. To this union have been born four children, namely,-Russell R., Frederick R., Jr., Reginald and David C. Judge Walker is possessed of a noble char- acter, one that subordinates personal ambition to public good and seeks rather the benefit of others than the aggrandizement of self. Endowed by nature with high intellectual qualities, Judge Walker is a man of broad information and experience and he well merits the honor con- ferred upon him in his election to his present office.
ASA C. GRAY .- A man of versatile talents, possessing good business ability and judgment, Asa C. Gray, of Harrison, has had a varied ex- perience in life, and through his own efforts has steadily climbed the ladder of attainments. A son of Elijah Gray, he was born, October 15, 1852, at Speaker, Michigan.
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His Grandfather Gray was born, reared, and married in New York state. In the earlier part of the nineteenth century he started with his family from LeRoy, New York, for Ohio, which was then considered the "Far West," taking with him $6,000 in gold, intending to invest in Ohio land. At Buffalo he embarked on a lake boat, but the vessel was wrecked near Long Point, and he lost all of his possessions, includ- ing his gold. Unable to continue the journey, he settled in Canada, and there he and his wife spent their remaining days.
Elijalı Gray remained in Canada until after attaining manhood, but after his marriage located in Speaker, Michigan, where he was for a few years employed in agricultural pursuits. He was three times married. He married first, in Canada, Phoebe Ostrander, who died in Michigan, when her son, Asa C. Gray, was but five years of age.
Left motherless in childhood, Asa C. Gray went to Eden, Elgin county, Canada, to live with his father's sister. Two years later his aunt came with her family to Michigan, locating near what is now Mays- ville, where Asa continued his schooling. His father, who had previous- ly settled in Fayette county, Iowa, there married again, and he came to Michigan and took Asa home with him. His wife was a school teacher prior to her marriage, and under her tuition Asa made good progress in his studies. She died two years later, and the boy returned to Michigan, his old home, and worked for his aunt's husband, his uncle by marriage. This uncle exchanged his Michigan property for a farm in Canada, but before he had moved his family there the uncle's brother, and brother-in-law were drafted into the Union army, and they skipped to Canada, leaving Asa, his aunt and her children to harvest their crops. When the family were ready to move to Canada, in order to have a team there, one load of household goods was sent over the road, Asa and his uncle driving the team the entire distance of three hundred miles. At the end of three years the family returned to Michi- gan.
The ensuing eleven years Mr. Gray was engaged in lumbering in Michigan and Canada, and had accumulated some money. Coming to Clare county in 1882, he bought land near Harrison, and was profitably engaged in lumbering and farming until 1904, when he was elected judge of probate of Clare county, Serving most ably and faithfully in the position, he was honored with a re-election in 1908, and is now serv- ing his second term with the same satisfactory results.
Judge Gray has ever taken a deep interest in promoting the welfare of town and county, and while living on his farm served several terms each as supervisor and town clerk; was town treasurer four years; and for a long time was director, and moderator, of the local school board. Fraternally the Judge is a member of the Ancient Free & Accepted Order of Masons; of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and of the Court of Honor. In his religious views he is liberal, believing in the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man.
Judge Gray married, in 1880, Mrs. Louisa C'urrell, nee Russell, of Vassar, Michigan. She was born in Genesee county, Michigan, where her parents located on coming to this state from New York. Judge and Mrs. Gray's marriage has been blessed by the birth of two children,
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namely : Harry Garfield, who lived but one brief year; and Jessie May, born in 1889.
HON. HOMER H. QUAY .- For the important and responsible official position which he is now filling with so much credit to himself and ben- efit to the people, Hon. Homer H. Quay, probate judge of Cheboygan county, has had excellent preparation in and out of professional lines. Operations in useful industry in a number of different localities and amid people of widely varying circumstances, pursuits and habits, gave him an extensive and accurate knowledge of human nature, while his scholastic attainments, acquired in good schools, and his professional training, gained in diligent study and instructive practice, fitted him well for the intellectual requirements of his official duties, and for the performance of them he also had the aid given by experience in other offices directly related to the one he occupies now.
Judge Quay was born at Forester, Sanilac county, Michigan, on Octo- ber 30, 1875, and is a son of David and Eliza (Quirt) Quay, the former born in the state of New York in 1830 and the latter in Canada in 1833. He was the last born of their seven children, five of whom are living. The father came to Michigan in his young manhood and soon afterward went to California during the early excitement over the discovery of gold in that state. He passed a number of years on the Pacific slope, mining, prospecting and doing whatever else opportunity offered or his necessities required.
The young adventurer was not, however, very successful as a miner and grew weary of the wild life the occupation involved. He therefore returned to Michigan and again took up his residence in Sanilac county, In 1876 he came to Cheboygan, and here he was engaged in milling and the lumber business to the time of his death, which took place in 1898. His widow survived him eleven years, passing away in 1909. He attained prominence in his locality and for a time served as county treasurer. In political faith he was a pronounced Republican, and in religious con- nection was united with the Methodist Episcopal church.
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