USA > Michigan > A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan and its people; its mining, lumber and agricultural industries, Volume III > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
1199
THE NORTHERN PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN
forty years he was engaged in the active work of the ministry as a clergyman of the Congregational church. For twenty-one years he was pastor of one church in Lisbon, New York, and he then came to Royal- ston, Wisconsin, about 1868, where he again held a single pastorate for fully twenty years. His life was one of signal devotion and consecra- tion to the uplifting of his fellow men, and he was especially successful in his evangelistic work in both New York and Wisconsin. He passed the closing years of his life at Royalston, Wisconsin, where he died in October, 1890.
To the public schools of Lisbon, New York, Lewis D. Eastman is indebted for his early rudimentary education, and he later continued his studies in the public schools of Wisconsin, having been about ten years of age at the time of the family removal to that state. He was matriculated in the law department of the Northwestern University, at Evanston, Illinois, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1888 and from which he received his well-earned degree of Bachelor of Laws. Soon after his graduation he secured admission to the bar of the state of Wisconsin and located at Wasseon, where he was engaged in the practice of his profession until the autumn of 1889, when he removed to Menominee, Michigan, where his success in the work of his profession has since been emphatic and cumulative. He served four successive terms as city attorney. In 1890 he was appointed to fill an unexpired term as circuit-court commissioner, and at the expiration of the term he was chosen as his own successor in the office, as was he also at the close of his second term. He has gained a high reputation as a trial lawyer and as a counsellor well fortified in the minutiae of the science of jurisprudence. In politics Mr. Eastman has ever accorded an unfaltering allegiance to the Republican party and he has been an active worker in its local ranks. He and his wife are prominent members of the First Presbyterian church of Menominee, in which he is an elder. He is affiliated with Menominee Lodge No. 269, Free & Ac- cepted Masons.
Mr. Eastman married Miss Clara Baker, who was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, and they have three children, -Evelyne, Sidney L., and Alice May.
GEORGE ALLEN ROYCE .- As secretary of the Portage Lake Foundry and Machine Company, George Allen Royce is officially associated with one of the leading industries of Hancock, Houghton county, and as a man of ability, integrity and stability is one of Hancock's most worthy and valued citizens. A son of the late John F. Royce, he was born, March 28, 1856, at Sing Sing, New York, of substantial English an- cestry.
His paternal grandfather, Allen Royce, was born in County Kent, England, where his parents spent their entire lives. Coming to America in early manhood, he resided a few years in Philadelphia, from there removing to New York City, where he spent the closing years of his life. To him and his wife, three sons were born, as follows: George, Allen, and John F. George was a pioneer settler of Saint Johns, Michi- gan, but spent his last years of life in Hamburg, Michigan. Allen lived in New York City, being quite prominent as a citizen, and at one time being master of one of the pioneer Masonic Lodges of that city.
John F. Royce was born in Philadelphia, but was brought up and educated in New York City, where he served an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade. He settled in Sing Sing, New York, as a contractor and builder, from there removing, in 1856, to Sturgis, St. Joseph
Vol. III-9
1200
THE NORTHERN PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN
county, Michigan, where he was similarly employed for twenty years, when he removed to Lansing. After the death of his wife he made his home with his son, George Allen, living in the Upper Peninsula, and at Hammond, Indiana, where his death occurred, at the venerable age of four score and three years. His wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Schriber, was born at Catskill, New York, of early Dutch ancestry, and died in Michigan at the age of seventy-six years. She reared three children, namely: John, George Allen, and Willie, of whom only George survives.
Brought up in Sturgis, Michigan, and receiving his rudimentary education in its public schools, George Allen Royce began as a boy to work at farming during the summer seasons. In 1872, when but sixteen years old, he entered the Michigan Agricultural College at Lansing, Michigan, and maintained himself during a four year course by teach- ing during the winter months in the district schools near Sturgis. He was graduated with the class of 1875. Accepting then a position in the office of the auditor general, he retained it until 1882, when he went to Baraga, where he was book-keeper for Thomas Nester for five years. In 1887 Mr. Royce was appointed register in the United States Land Office at Marquette, and remained there throughout President Har-
rison's administration. Being then appointed city comptroller by Mayor N. M. Kaufman, he continued his residence in that city two years longer, and then went to Hammond, Indiana, where until 1899 he had charge of the office for a street railway extending from Hammond to South Chicago, the road being owned by Mr. Kaufman. Returning then to the Upper Peninsula, Mr. Royce was a clerk in the office of the Arcadian Mine a few months, when he resigned to accept his present. position as secretary of the Portage Lake Foundry and Machinery Company.
Mr. Royce married, in 1881, Kate F. Ely, a native of Alma, Michi- gan. Her father, General Ralph Ely, was born, reared and educated in Chautauqua county, New York. Emigrating to Michigan, he became a pioneer settler of Gratiot county, and one of its best and most re- spected citizens. Soon after the breaking out of the Civil war, he enlisted in Company C, Eight Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and was commissioned captain of his company. He was subsequently promoted through the different grades until breveted major-general, and after the close of the conflict had charge for awhile of the Freedman's Bureau, at Columbia, South Carolina. Returning to Gratiot county, he made his home in Alma until his death, at the age of sixty-three years. General Ely married Mary Halstead, who was born in Cincin- nati, Ohio, and died in Alma, Michigan.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Royce, namely : Ward, Fredric, Ralph, and Donald. Mrs. Royce and her sons are mem- bers of the Episcopal church. Mr. Royce is true blue Republican, and has been his party's candidate as a representative to the State Legis- lature. Fraternally he is a member of Marquette Lodge, No. 101, F. & A. M .; of Marquette Chapter, No. 43, R. A. M .; and of David L. Kendall Council, No. 72, R. & S. M., of which he is now recorder.
WILLIAM D. CHAMBERS reverts with a due measure of pride to the fact that he can claim as the place of his nativity one of the most beautiful islands in North America and it is a source of satisfaction to him that in connection with his business, which is that of real estate and landscape gardening, he has done much to improve and further beautify the natural attractions of the island. He was born on Mac-
thamdere
-
1201
THE NORTHERN PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN
kinac Island, Mackinac county, Michigan, on the 5th of April, 1867, and is a son of Frank and Mary (Murray) Chambers, both of whom were born in county Mayo, Ireland, the former in the year 1833 and the latter in 1836. Frank Chambers emigrated from his native land to America in 1848, making the voyage on a sailing craft and landing in New York City. From the national metropolis he came to Mackinac Island, where he engaged in the fishing business and he became one of the honored and influential pioneers of the Upper Peninsula. Later he spent the summers in fishing on Beaver Island and continued to be identified with this line of enterprise until 1885, when he engaged in the transfer business, to which he has devoted his attention for the last twenty-five years. He is now living, virtually retired, with his wife, at Iron Mountain. In politics he gives his unswerving allegi- ance to the Democratic party and both he and his wife are devout com- municants of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. and Mrs. Chambers became the parents of fourteen children, eight of whom are now liv- ing and whose names are here entered in order of birth,-Patrick, John, Katherine, William D., (the subject of this sketch), George, Barney, Stella and Gertrude.
William D. Chambers was afforded the advantages of the public schools of Mackinac Island and in 1888 he initiated his independent career by engaging in the real estate and landscape buiness, to which he has since devoted his entire attention. He has laid out the grounds for many of the beautiful homes on the island, among them being those of Mrs. Tob Hert, J. L. Cochran, of Chicago, Meredith Nicholson, the author, Charles T. Kountze, a prominent banker of New York city, and many others, who have established summer homes in this beautiful vicinity.
In politics Mr. Chambers is an uncompromising Democrat and his popularity and ability have been shown appreciation by his fellow citizens through his election as councilman, in 1908, of which posi- tion he remained incumbent for one term, and also by his election as mayor of the city in 1909, to which office he was re-elected in 1910. He has proved himself an able executive and has done much in the way of developing the industrial and civic affairs of Mackinac Island. No citizen holds a more secure place in the confidence and esteem of his friends and acquaintances. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and he is a devout communicant of the Catholic church, in which he holds membership in the parish of St. Ann in his home city.
AUGUST MENGE .- Standing prominent among the active and valued citizens of L'Anse is August Menge, who has served town, village and county in various official positions, and as proprietor of a dispensary was for thirty-five years associated with its mercantile interests. A self-made man, he has achieved success in business, and having ac- cumulated a fair share of this world's goods is now enjoying a reward of his many years of toil. A son of Karl Menge, he was born, May 4, 1845, in Saxe-Weimar, Germany.
Karl Menge was a native of Saxony, Germany, where his parents were life-long residents. Learning the trades of a miller and of a mill- wright, he followed them in the Fatherland until 1850, when, with his wife and three sons, he embarked on the sailing vessel "Adelheit," and after a tempestuous voyage of thirteen weeks landed in New York City. Starting westward, he went by rail to Dunkirk, New York, thence by boat to Chicago, from there proceeding to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. He
1202
THE NORTHERN PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN
found work in a saw mill, later becoming a sawyer, and continued thus employed until he had the misfortune to lose his right hand in 1856. He afterwards worked at various kinds of labor, continuing a resident of that place until 1882. Coming then to L'Anse, he resided here until his death, in 1893, at the age of eighty-three years. He married Theresa Fleisher. She was also born in Saxony, Germany, where her parents spent their entire lives. She died in 1876, aged seventy-five years, leaving three children, as follows: August, with whom this brief sketch is chiefly concerned; Charles, a resident of Chicago, Illinois; and William, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
A little lad of five years when his parents located at Manitwoc, Wisconsin, August Menge was there brought up and educated. At the age of eleven years he began to learn the trade of a printer in the office of the North Westen, a weekly German newspaper published in Mani- towoc, beginning as printer's devil, and working his way up to fore- man in the office. Leaving that office in 1864, Mr. Menge went to Houghton, Michigan, where for four months he was employed in the rock house of the Hancock Mine. He subsequently tended bar at Houghton until 1871, when he entered the employment of Francis May- worn, with whom he remained six years. On August 1, 1871, just as the new town of L'Anse, Baraga county, was being platted, and the railroad was in process of construction, Mr. Menge arrived in the vil- lage. Immediately buying a lot, he erected a building, and opened a dispensary, which he conducted successfully until May 1, 1906, when he retired from active pursuits, being succeeded in business by his son Charles. Since that date, with the exception of looking well after his private interests, he has lived retired from business cares.
Mr. Menge married, in 1870, Theresa Sibilskey. She was born in Schwartzburg-Rudolstadt, Germany, on July 22, 1851, a daughter of Nicholaus Sibilskey. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Menge, namely : August H .; William T., who married Katherine Wahl, and has five children, Raishe W., Gage T., Ellis Richard, Lola H. T., and Karl W .; Charles H. married Daisy M. Bowers, and they have two children, Gladys and Carl; Selma M., wife of A. G. Schlaak, has one child, Margaret M .; Emma D .; and Theresa M.
In his political affiliations a decided Democrat, Mr. Menge has ably filled public positions of importance. For seventeen years he was a member of the village council, serving as its president seven years. He has served on the L'Anse school board twenty-four years, and is now its secretary. He also held the office of Village Treasurer, Supervisor of L'Anse township for several years, County Treasurer for four years from January 1, 1878, to December 31, 1882, Superintendent of the Poor for three years and is Village Assessor at the present time.
OTTO SUPE .- At 304 Ashmun street, in the city of Sault Ste. Marie, is located the handsomely appointed and well stocked jewelry establishment conducted by Otto Supe, who is numbered among the popular and influential business men of the city and is thus well en- titled to consideration in this publication.
Otto Supe is a native son of the state of Michigan, having been born in Blumfield, Saginaw county, on the 3d of September, 1864, and being a son of Charles and Caroline (Rademacher) Supe, both natives of Germany, where the former was born in 1836 and the latter in 1841, and where their marriage was solemnized. They became the parents of five children and four of these are now living,-Charles Jr., Otto, Gustavus and Caroline A.
1203
THE NORTHERN PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN
Charles Supe Sr., was about fourteen years of age at the time of the family immigration to America, in 1850. He is a son of Theodore and Mary Supe and upon their arrival in the new world they first located in the city of Buffalo, New York, where Theodore Supe secured employment in a machine shop. He later removed with his family to Saginaw county, Michigan, where he reclaimed a farm from the untrammeled forest, being ably assisted in this work by his son, Charles. The latter gained his early educational training in his native land and effectually supplemented this by self discipline and association with practical affairs after coming to America. After leaving the home farm he secured a position as clerk in a store in Bay City and when about twenty-two years of age he went to Australia, making the long voyage on a sailing vessel and being employed for some time as a bookkeeper for a shipping butcher in that country. On his return to the United States, he engaged in business in the town of Blumfield, Saginaw county, and later he returned to Germany, where he married. In com- pany with his young bride he took up his residence in Bay City, Mich- igan, where he engaged in the retail grocery business, which enter- prise he eventually expanded into one of wholesale order. He erected the first grain elevator in the Saginaw valley and he continued to ope- rate the same as well as to conduct successfully the wholesale grocery business until 1886, when he disposed of his interests in Bay City, and removed to Sault Ste. Marie, where he took up his residence in the spring of 1887. Here he engaged in the retail and wholesale grocery business through the able conducting of which he added materially to the commercial prestige of the city and he was actively identified with this line of enterprise until 1902, when he disposed of his interests and retired from active business. While a resident of Bay county, Mich- igan, he served as county treasurer and city treasurer as well as a mem- ber of the board of aldermen and board of education in Bay City. In politics he is a Republican. He and his wife are held in high esteem in their home city, where their circle of friends is coincident with that of their acquaintances.
Otto Supe gained his early educational discipline in the public schools of Bay City, where he completed the curriculum of the high school. When sixteen years of age he began work in his father's grain elevator at a stipend of one dollar a week and he was thus employed until 1882, when he entered upon a three years' apprenticeship to the jewelry trade. His maximum recompense within this time was four dollars per week, which he received during the last year of his ap- prenticeship but out of his earnings he saved enough to buy his clothes and to buy a set of jeweler's tools. After becoming skilled in his trade he was employed at the same in Baraboo, Wisconsin, for eight months, at the expiration of which he went to Evansville, Indiana, where he was similarly engaged until 1887. In that year he established his home in Sault Ste. Marie, where he engaged in the jewelry business in the building owned by his father, at the corner of Portage and Ferris streets. There he continued the enterprise, with ever increasing success, until 1894, when he located in the Hoyt block, on Ashmun street, from which location, in the spring of 1898, he removed to his present eligible location and most attractive quarters, at 304 Ashmun street. His establishment is metropolitan in its appointments and in the same are handled a select line of diamonds, jewelry, watches, clocks, silver ware, cut glass, etc. The patronage accorded the establishment is of representative and appreciative order and the enterprise is one of the most successful of its kind in this section of the state. Mr. Supe
1204
THE NORTHERN PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN
was formerly president of the Sault Ste. Marie Merehants' Building & Loan Association and is still a member of its directorate.
Mr. Supe is a Republican in his political adherency. He also holds membership in the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and in Bethel Lodge, No. 358, Free & Accepted Masons. He identified himself with the Michigan National Guard in 1897 and was the first captain of Com- pany G, Fifth Regiment, in Sault Ste. Marie.
On the 20th of September, 1892, Mr. Supe was united in marriage to Miss Hadie W. Ellis, who was born at Orangeville, province of On- tario, Canada, and who is a daughter of David J. and Sarah (Wiggens) Ellis, both natives of Ontario, where both were born in 1841. The mother died in 1895 and of the two surviving children Mrs. Supe is the younger; Albert is a resident of Duluth. David A. Ellis was iden- tified with business interests at Orangeville, Ontario, until the time of his removal to Sault Ste. Marie, where he secured employment in con- neetion with government-surveying work. From 1887 to 1895 he was a member of the police force of this city, after which he was engaged in the cigar business in connection with the operation of a pool and billiard room until 1905, since which he has lived retired. Mr. and Mrs. Supe have three daughters,-Margaret, Ottilee and Hadie.
JAMES C. FOSTER is numbered among the progressive business men and public spirited citizens who have contributed materially to the civic advancement and material upbuilding of the Upper Peninsula and is numbered among the leading business men of the village of Newberry, the judicial center of Luce county. He has been called upon to serve in various positions of distinctive public trust and ability, including that of county treasurer, and in all relations of life he has so ordered his course as well to justify the unqualified confidence and esteem accorded him in the community that has long represented his home. Mr. Foster was born at Brewer's Mills, Lanark county, province of Ontario, Canada, on the 21st of December, 1869, and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Manhard) Foster. The ancestry is traced baek to stanch Scot- tish stock and the family was founded in the province of Ontario, Canada, many years ago. Thomas Foster was a miller at Brewer's Mills, Ontario, at the time of his death, which occurred in 1871, at which time he was but thirty-five years of age. His widow now re- sides in Newberry, Michigan, and makes her home with the subject of this review, who is her only living child, the other son, William, having died in infaney. She is a devout member of the Baptist church, and her husband was a Presbyterian.
James C. Foster gained his early educational training in the public sehools at Smith's Falls, Ontario, and at the age of fifteen years he there entered upon an apprenticeship at the machinist's trade. After fifteen months of close confinement in the shop he determined that some other field of endeavor would prove more to his liking. Accordingly he was sent to Newberry, Michigan, where he eventually became man . ager of the hardware store conducted by his maternal uncle, M. R. Man- hard. He continued incumbent of this position until 1895, when the business was reorganized by the ineorporation of a stock company, of which he became secretary. The title was then changed to the M. R. Manhard Company and Mr. Foster continued in charge of the busi- ness as secretary until 1903, when he assumed full control of the large and important enterprise, which is conducted under the title J. C. Foster. He also owns and conducts a general store at McMillan, Luce county, having established the same in 1905. His judgment and pro-
Levi & Rice
1205
THE NORTHERN PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN
gressive ideas have prompted him to make investments in local realty and he is now the owner of a valuable farm of about four hundred acres in Lakefield township. He has given much attention to the recla- mation and improving of this farm, one hundred acres of which are now available for successful cultivation. He is now devoting special attention to the raising of full blood Holstein cattle.
In politics Mr. Foster accords an uncompromising allegiance to the Republican party and he has long taken an active interest in public af- fairs of a local order. In 1892 he was elected a member of the board of village trustees of Newberry and it is worthy of note that at this election he cast his first ballot. He served as trustee of the village for fully twelve years and in his official capacity did much to further needed improvements in the village. In the autumn of 1892 further recognition of the eligibility and personal popularity of Mr. Foster was given by his election to the responsible office of county treasurer, the duties of which he assumed on the 1st of January, 1893. His admin- istration of the fiscal affairs of the county met with marked approva. as was shown by his re-election as his own successor. In the fall of 1900 he was again elected to this office, in which he gave service for two consecutive terms. He is president of the village of Newberry at the present time and has been incumbent of this position for three terms, during which he has given a thoroughly businesslike and pro- gressive administration. He also held the office of under-sheriff at the time of the regime of Adam G. Louks as sheriff of the county. In the Masonic fraternity the affiliations of Mr. Foster are here briefly noted, -McMillan Lodge, No. 400, Free & Accepted Masons; Manistique Chapter, No. 127, Royal Arch Masons; Lake Superior Commandery, No. 30, Knights Templars, in the city of Marquette; and Ahmed Teni- ple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in the same city. He also holds membership in Luce Lodge, No. 89, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife holds membership in the Presbyterian church.
On the 3d of August, 1896, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Fos- ter to Miss Tena May Campbell, who was born at An Sable, Michigan. where her father, A. D. Campbell, was a representative business man. Mr. and Mrs. Foster have eight children, Evelyn, Sidney, Harold, James C., Jr., Florence, Lola, Mary and Thomas M.
LEVI SAMPSON RICE .- With a personal endowment of mental and ex- ecutive ability and much strength of character, Levi Sampson Rice of Bessemer has attained a position of note among the prominent attor- neys of the Upper Peninsula, as a member of the firm of Riley & Rice being widely and favorably known. A son of Micajah Rice, Jr., he was born November 5, 1855, in Lapeer county, Michigan, coming from patriotic New England stock.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.