USA > Michigan > A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan and its people; its mining, lumber and agricultural industries, Volume III > Part 49
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A native of New England, Charles E. Brotherton was born in Connecticut, in 1834, and when four years of age was brought by his parents to Michigan. Studying civil engineering when young, he came in 1852 to Northern Michigan with the Government surveying party, going to Menominee before completing his work. He after-
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D. a. Brotherton
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wards returned to the lower part of the state, but ere long returned North, and located at Marquette as a pioneer surveyor. In 1868, as land examiner for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad company, with which he had been associated for three years, he came to Escan- aba, and in the development and advancement of the interests of this part of Delta county became active and influential. He was county surveyor several terms; was supervisor of the township before it be- came a city, and was supervisor of his ward after it was incorporated. He was connected with the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad for many years, for at least forty consecutive years being in its land de- partment. He was very prominent in the Methodist Episcopal denom- ination, and was one of the organizers, and a charter member, of the first Methodist Episcopal church formed in Escanaba. He died in 1908, an honored and much respected citizen. He married first Orpha Bishop, a native of New York state. She died in 1882, leaving four children, of whom Delevan A., the subject of this sketch, was the sec- ond child and the oldest son. By his second marriage Charles E. Brotherton became the father of two children, Edna and Irvin.
But a year old when his parents settled in Escanaba, Delevan A. Brotherton was here reared and educated. At the age of thirteen years he began working with his father, and in course of time became an expert civil engineer, familiar with its every branch. He was for two years, however, when young, employed as a clerk, first in a boot and shoe store, and later in a drug store. In 1886 he became asso- ciated with Van Cleave & Merriam, real estate dealers and civil en- gineers, and continued with that firm two years. The following year Mr. Brotherton continued in business alone, but in 1889 formed a part- nership with Mr. Zane, with whom he was associated a year and a half, being afterwards alone. Going to Utah in 1896, Mr. Brotherton spent three years in Salt Lake City. Returning to Escanaba in 1899, he re- sumed his old line of business, and has done much of the surveying in this vicinity, laying out many of the additions to the city, and mak- ing all of the more important surveys in Gladstone. He has also other interests of financial and commercial value, being manager of the Escanaba Potash Company, which manufactures crude potash, and is also president of the Cates Finger Moistner Company.
Mr. Brotherton married, March 28, 1888, Lizzie M. Buckley, a daughter of Andrew and Ursula Buckley, and to them eight children have been born, namely: Ursula, Delevan, Charlie, Kenneth Edwin, Ralph, Zora, Elizabeth and Verna. Mr. Brotherton is active in local affairs, and has served as supervisor of his ward, and is now, as pre- viously mentioned, city engineer and county surveyor. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in which he has taken three degrees, and is an active and valued member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, also of the Knights of Pythias.
WILLIAM CLARK, JR .- An able representative of the great basic indus- try of agriculture and stock-growing in the Upper Peninsula is William Clark, who has maintained his home in Chippewa county for more than a quarter of a century and he is the owner of one of the best improved farms in this section. Mr. Clark was born in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the 4th of August, 1859, and is a son of William and Marie (Phillips) Clark, the former of whom was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1830, and the latter of whom was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1840. The mother died in 1899 and the father, now retired from active business, makes his home with his children. William Clark, Sr., came to America
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when a boy of fourteen years, working his passage on a sailing vessel and landing in the city of Quebec. He found employment at farm work, to which he devoted his attention for a number of years and after his marriage he engaged in the hotel business at Woodbridge, Ontario. Later he located in Huron county, that province, where he reclaimed a farm from the wilderness and became a citizen of prominence and influ- ence. He has lived virtually retired since 1896. He and his wife be- came the parents of four sons and nine daughters and of the number twelve are now living, the subject of this sketch being the eldest.
William Clark, Jr., the subject of this sketch, gained his early ex- perience in connection with the practical affairs of life by his boyhood labors on the home farm. He attended the common schools during the winter terms until he had attained the age of nineteen years, when he came to Michigan and located in Alpena county, where he was em- ployed in the lumber woods and at saw-mill work for two years. He passed the following year at his old home in Ontario and in the fall of 1882 he came to Chippewa county, passing the first winter on Drummond Island, where he was employed in the lumber woods. In the following spring he and his brother Edward purchased a small boat, the "Mocking Bird," with which they did freighting business on the St. Mary's river for one season. Thereafter the subject of this sketch was identified with saw-mill work for five years at the Princess Bay mill, at which he was head sawyer for two years of this period. He then located in Raber township, Chippewa county, where he secured one hundred and sixty acres of timber land and where he erected a log house of primitive order. After this was destroyed by fire he built another log dwelling, to which latter he has since added a commodious frame structure, so that he now has a large and attractive residence. Of his resident homestead he re- claimed fifty acres to cultivation and the remainder of the same is covered with fine hardwood timber, which is constantly increasing in value. In Pickford township he has purchased an additional tract of eighty acres of as valuable land as can be found in Chippewa county and his entire landed estate now aggregates two hundred and eighty acres. Mr. Clark has taken a deep interest in all that has tended to advance the development and general welfare of his home city, has achieved suc- cess from his earnest and well-directed efforts and is one of the valued and honored citizen of the county. He served eight years as justice of the peace, was a member of the school board for fifteen years and is at the present time representative of his township on the county board of supervisors, of which he has been a member for the past five years. He is affiliated with the Sault Ste. Marie Lodge, No. 123, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in the same city is identified with Bethel Lodge, No. 358, Free & Accepted Masons. He is also identified with the L. O. L., and in the village of Stalwart he is secretary of the lodge of Inde- pendent Order of Foresters. In this organization he is high treasurer of the order in the Upper Peninsula. He is also actively identified with the Patrons of Husbandry. His political support is given to the Repub- lican party.
In February, 1883, Mr. Clark was united in marriage to Miss Bessie Beggs, who was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, and whose death occurred in March, 1896. She is survived by five children, -John W., Mabel L., William W., Alva V., and Montford.
EMANUEL M. ST. JACQUES, one of the prominent merchants of Es- canaba, Michigan, came to this place a poor boy thirty-seven years ago, and, unaided, worked his way up to the position he now occupies among the leading business men of the town.
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Mr. St. Jacques dates his birth at St. Hermas, Canada, December 25, 1854. He is the seventh in a family of twelve children, six sons and six daughters, born of Canadian parents, all of whom, with one exception, are still living. The father lived to the ripe age of eighty-nine years; the mother was seventy-eight at time of death. In July, 1872, when a youth of seventeen, Emanuel left the parental home and came over into Michigan, Escanaba his objective point, where he went to work as a common laborer in lumber yards. This occupation he followed until 1885, when, having laid aside a portion of his earnings, he decided to engage in business for himself and turned his attention to merchandis- ing. He began in a small way, with only $1,000 capital, handling gen- eral merchandise. For three years he rented the building he occupied. Then he bought a lot and erected his present store, and with the pass- ยท ing years has continued to prosper in his undertakings.
While his own personal business has received his best attention, Mr. St. Jacques has found time to give to public affairs and has rendered efficient service to county and town. He was treasurer of Delta county four years, elected on the Republican ticket, and prior to his incumbency of that office he was four years city treasurer and four years supervisor. At this writing he is serving his fourth year as alderman.
July 4, 1877, he married Miss Marceline Beauchamp. They have an adopted son, Thomas St. Jacques, a graduate of St. Viateur College, Bourbonnais, Kankakee, Illinois, who is now in the store with his father.
Fraternally, Mr. St. Jacques is identified with numerous organiza- tions, being for six years general president and for eight years secretary of the French Canadian Society and is now its president. He has mem- bership in the Knights of Columbus, the Foresters, the K. O. T. M. and the B. P. O. E., and in the Escanaba Business Men's Association he has for years been prominent and active, at this writing being vice president of the association.
CHARLES W. SCHULZ .- Of the many responsible positions involving the safe-keeping of the traveling public that of lighthouse keeper and custodian is of important order. How many lives are saved on a stormy night by that unwavering beacon and what disasters are avoided by the dismal-sounding fog horn can only be fully appreciated by those who reside near a large body of water, especially one where such terrible catastrophies occur as in the stormy region of the Great Lakes. Upon the capable and willing shoulders of Charles W. Schulz, who is light- house keeper and custodian at St. Mary's Buoy, on Sugar Island, reposes such a trust.
Mr. Schulz was born in western Persia, on the 5th of December, 1871, and is a son of Carl and Wilhelmina (Karlmnefel) Schulz. The former was born in Persia in 1834, and the latter in Germany, in 1846; she was summoned to the life eternal in 1898, at the age of fifty-two years. Carl Schulz went to Germany and his marriage was solemnized at Boulton, that country. He and his wife became the parents of eleven children, nine of whom lived to years of maturity and of this number Charles W. Schulz, the subject of this sketch, who was one of twins. All the children were born in Germany and there one daughter, Wilhelmina, died in in- fancy. Mr. Schulz and his family emigrated from Germany to Chip- pewa county, Michigan, in 1880, and at the time of the family removal to America Charles W. was about nine years of age. The family first located at Hamtramck, Wayne county, a place that to-day forms a part of the city of Detroit. Here the father secured employment with the Michigan Stove Company, where he worked for eighteen years. He has
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now attained the venerable age of seventy-six years and is living retired from active labor in the city of Detroit, Michigan.
Charles W. Schulz received his preliminary education in Germany and supplemented the same by vigorous physical and mental training in America, where he soon mastered the English language. On his arrival in America he was afforded the advantages of the Detroit public schools, which he attended until he was fourteen years of age, when he initiated his independent career as a sailor on the Schooner "N. C. West." In 1894, at the age of twenty-three years, he engaged in the United States naval service at Whitefish Point, Chippewa county, Michigan, on Lake Superior, as lighthouse assistant to Charles Kimball. There he remained until 1897, when he was transferred as keeper to Huron Island, in Lake Superior, and, as stated above, in 1900 he was again transferred to St. Mary's Buoy, on Sugar Island. In politics Mr. Schulz gives a stanch allegiance to the Republican party and though never a seeker after pub- lic office he has ever maintained a loyal interest in all matters pertaining to the general welfare of the community. His Masonic affiliations are with Union Lodge, No. 3, Free & Accepted Masons, at Detroit, Michigan ; and Peninsula Chapter, No. 16, Royal Arch Masons, in the city of De- troit.
On the 7th of March, 1901, Mr. Schulz was united in marriage to Miss Gesin Elizabeth Tebelman, who was born in Detroit, Michigan, and who is a daughter of Charles G. and Wilhelmina (Rader) Tebelman, the former of whom was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1834, and the latter of whom was born in Germany. When a mere child Mr. Tebelman re- moved with his widowed mother to Bremen, Germany, where he spent his boyhood days, and while he was still a young man he immigrated to America, drifting through the United States until he finally located in Detroit, Michigan, where he engaged in the manufacture of cigars, which trade he had previously learned in Germany. He is now, in 1910, seventy-six years of age and he and his wife still maintain their home in Detroit, where he is living virtually retired. His marriage was solem- nized in Detroit and to this union were born seven children of whom six are now living. The wife of the subject of this sketch was the first- born. Mr. and Mrs. Schulz are the parents of four children, -- Wilhel- mina Pearl, Carl Otto, Eleanora Ruth and Beatrice May, all of whom remain at the parental home.
EDWARD T. ABRAMS, M. D .- Worthy of especial mention among the leading physicians and prominent citizens of Hancock is Edward T. Abrams, M. D., a man of pronounced medical skill and ability, who is here enjoying a large and remunerative general practice. He was born November 20, 1860, at Eagle River, Keweenaw county, coming from pure English ancestry, his father, Michael Abrams, having been a native of the County Cornwall, England, his birth occurring in the parish of Camborne, where Henry Abrams, the doctor's grandfather, spent his many years of earthly life.
Brought up and educated in Camborne, Michael Abrams was early impressed with the idea that the United States offered better oppor- tunities for a man without means to obtain success in the industrial world, and in 1858 emigrated to the Upper Peninsula, previously locat- ing at Hartford, Connecticut, and later at Eagle River, Michigan, then the county seat of Houghton. After mining in that vicinity a few years, he went to Rockland, Ontonagan county, where he found work at the National and Minnesota Mines. Returning to Houghton county in 1871, he was first employed in what is now the Centennial Mine, after-
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Abrams A.B. Alex. Dr. d.
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ward working at the Allouez and the Osceola, where he spent his last years, passing away July 12, 1889. His wife, whose maiden name was Lydia Chegwin, was born in Mola-St. Agnes, England. Her father, Alexander Chegwin, a mine contractor and a lifelong resident of Corn- wall, England, was a lineal descendant of the Keigwins of Mousehole, County Cornwall, and traced his lineage back in a direct line to the time of King Edward I. Mrs. Lydia Abrams died at Osceola in 1893, leaving seven children, as follows: Edward T., the special subject of this brief biographical record; Annie, wife of James D. Jones, of Calu- met; Harry, a resident of Calumet, Michigan; Amelia, wife of William Terrell, of Great Falls, Montana; James, a prominent physician and surgeon of Red Jacket; Susan, wife of James Sumners, of Calumet ; and Lydia, wife of Oscar Robbins, of Montana.
At the age of thirteen years, having previously attended school quite regularly, Edward T. Abrams began to learn the blacksmith's trade. Utilizing all of his leisure minutes, he continued his studies by himself, in the evenings attending the evening schools. When eighteen years old he taught school, and subsequently earned enough money to enable him to further advance his education. He is a graduate from Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. Having decided to enter the medical pro- fession, Mr. Abrams studied medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. A. I. Laubaugh, afterward attending lectures at Detroit Medical College and the Long Island Hospital, New York. For two years Dr. Abrams assisted his former tutor, Dr. Laubaugh, at Osceola, Michigan, and then settled as a physician at Dollar Bay, Houghton county, being employed by the Lake Superior Smelting Company. Coming from there to Han- cock in 1893, the Doctor has since been in active practice here, his keen- ness in diagnosing diseases and his skill and modern methods of treat- ment of different cases willing him a lucrative patronage and an en- viable reputation as a successful surgeon.
Dr. Abrams married, in 1890, Ida L. Howe, who was born in Howell, Michigan, a daughter of Seymour and Phoebe (Boutelle) Howe, natives of Batavia, New York. Mr. Howe's ancestors lived in Massachusetts for many generations, while the emigrant ancestor of the Boutelle family removed from England to Rhode Island in the early part of the seven- teenth century. The parents of Mrs. Abrams came from New York state to Michigan in pioneer days, settling on a farm in Howell, where both spent their remaining years.
Dr. Abrams is a member of the Houghton County Medical Society ; a member and the president of the Upper Peninsula Medical Society ; a former vice-president of the Michigan State Medical Society ; a member of the American Medical Association, to which he is a delegate from the state of Michigan from 1910 to 1912, and the American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He has a state-wide reputation in his profession and has been the recipient of literary honors, Olivet Col- lege having conferred upon him the degree of A. M. in 1902. The Doctor is a stanch Republican in politics, active in party ranks. He served as a member of the school board at Dollar Bay for many years, and in 1907 was elected to represent his district in the state legislature. While there, he cast his first vote for Mr. Hill as United States senator, but later voted for Hon. Alden Smith. He is an orator of fine ability, and is in much demand on public occasions. He is, without question, the best authority on Cornish history, traditions, and customs in the state.
Fraternally Dr. Abrams is a member of Quincy Lodge, No. 35, F. &
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A. M .; of Gate of the Temple Chapter, No. 35, R. A. M .; of Palestine Commandery, K. T .; of Detroit Consistory; of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Detroit; of the K. of P., and of Mistletoe Lodge, Sons of Saint George. He was a charter member of the Alpha Kappa Kappa Fraternity of Dartmouth, organized in 1888.
STANLEY T. SPRINGER, D. D. S .; is numbered among the able and popular representatives of the dental profession in the Upper Peninsula and is established in the successful practice of his profession in the city of Sault Ste. Marie, where he has finely appointed offices in the MeGirr block.
Dr. Springer was born in Nelson township, Halton county, province of Ontario, Canada, on the 8th of October, 1878, and is a son of Adam and Sarah (Ingalls) Springer, both of whom were likewise born and reared in that township, where they have continued to reside during the long intervening years. The father was born in the same house as was Dr. Springer and the date of his nativity was May 18th, 1838. Of the three children the Doctor is the youngest; Frederick has the general man- agement of the old homestead farm; and Susan is the wife of Thomas M. Alton of Nelson township, Halton county, Ontario, where he is a farmer and stock-raiser. Adam Springer is a son of David and Margaret (Thompson) Springer, the former of whom was born in the province of Ontario, in 1800, and the latter of whom was a native of Scotland. They became the parents of three sons and four daughters, of whom Adam was the fifth in order of birth. David Springer, who attained the patriarchal age of ninety-two years was numbered among the prom- inent farmers and influential citizens of Nelson township and there con- tinned to reside until his death, as did also his wife. He was a son of Richard Springer, who was born in the state of Vermont and he was loyal to the crown at the time of the war of the Revolution by reason of which fact he removed to Canada, where he and his three sons secured grants of government land. The lineage of the Springer family is traced back to Swedish origin and the original progenitors in America here took up their residence in the early colonial epoch. Mrs. Jeanette H. Nicholson, great-great-grandmother in the maternal line, was born in Dumfries, Scotland.
Adam Springer, father of the Doctor, was afforded excellent educa- tional advantages in his youth, including a course in Victoria College, at Coburg, Ontario, in the law department of which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1860. He was thereafter engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, until ill health compelled him to seek a change of climate. He thereafter passed some time in Denver, Colorado, but he was eventually compelled to abandon the work of his profession and under these conditions he re- turned to the old homestead farm, where he and his wife have since maintained their home. Dr. Springer passed his boyhood and youth on the home farm and after duly availing himself of the advantages of the versity of Illinois, at Champaign, in which he was graduated as a mem- public schools he continued his studies in Hamilton Collegiate Institu- tion, at Hamilton, Ontario, after leaving which he was engaged in teach- ing school for six months. He entered the dental department of the Uni- ber of the class of 1901, and from which he received his degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. In the same year he established his home in Sault Ste. Marie, where he has since been successfully engaged in the practice of his chosen profession. He is a member of the G. V. Black Dental So- ciety of St. Paul, Minnesota.
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In politics Dr. Springer gives his support to the cause of the Re- publican party and his Masonic affiliations are as here noted: Bethel Lodge, No. 358, Free & Accepted Masons; Sault Ste. Marie Chapter, No. 126, Royal Arch Masons; Sault Ste. Marie Council, No. 69, Royal & Select Masters; Sault Ste. Marie Commandery, No. 45, Knights Tem- plar; and Ahmed Temple of the Mystic Shrine, at Marquette, this city. He also holds membership in the Red Cross Lodge, Knights of Pythias, in his home city and is past chancellor of the same.
On the 17th of June, 1903, Dr. Springer was united in marriage to Miss Louise Baxter, who was born at Maywood, Cook county, Illinois, and who was a daughter of John and Louise (Hayman) Baxter, both of whom were born in Wallington, England. Mr. Baxter died at his home in Illinois, in 1895, and his wife passed away in 1903. Of their two children Mrs. Springer is the elder, the other being Rose E. Dr. and Mrs. Springer have three children, Louise, Rose and Isabella.
JAMES J. BROWN .- The honored subject of this sketch holds prestige as one of the able and venerable members of the bar of the Upper Penin- sula, is a scion of one of the pioneer families of Michigan, which has rep- resented his home throughout his life, and he is now city attorney of St. Ignace, where he has maintained his home for fully forty years. He has followed the work of his profession in various places in Michigan and there his able service has dignified and honored the profession to which he has given his attention. He has also been called upon to serve in various offices of distinctive public trust and in all the rela- tions of life he has adhered to the highest principles of integrity and honor so that he has never been denied the fullest measure of confi- dence and esteem.
Mr. Brown was born in the city of Pontiac, Oakland county, Mich- igan, on the 13th of November, 1839, at which time that now thriving city was a mere village. He is a son of John and Emma (Smith) Brown, the former of whom was born in Franklin county, New York, and the latter in the city of Rochester, that state. They passed the closing years of their lives in the city of Chicago, where the father died in 1890, at the age of seventy-five years, and where the mother passed away in 1880, at the age of seventy years. Of their three children two are living,-Fidelia, and James J., who is the subject of this review. John Brown came to Michigan in the pioneer days and for some time was engaged in the banking business in the city of Detroit. Later he removed to Chicago, where he engaged in the coal business, with which he continued to be identified until his death. He was originally a Whig in his political allegiance but identified himself with the Republican party at the time of its organization, and ever afterward continued a stanch advocate of its principles. He was a man of fine character and much ability and was duly successful in his various business operations.
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