USA > Michigan > A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan and its people; its mining, lumber and agricultural industries, Volume III > Part 59
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Dr. Marriner is actively identified with the American Medical As- sociation, the Michigan State Medical Society, the Fox River Medical Society and the Menominee County Medical Society. He is held in un- qualified esteem by his professional confreres and his interposition is frequently asked by them in connection with council and critical cases. Dr. Marriner and his wife are zealous members of the Episcopal church and he is prominently identified with the Masonic bodies in his home city, where his affiliations are with Menominee Lodge, No. 269, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he served as worshipful master in 1909; Menominee Chapter, No. 107, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is past
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high priest; Menominee Commandery, No. 35, Knights Templars, of which he is past eminent commander; Ahmed Temple Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in the city of Marquette, Michigan.
On the 28th of November, 1889, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Marriner to Miss Minnie Ranck, who was born at Naperville, Illinois, and who is a daughter of Samuel Ranck, who was born in Pennsyl- vania, and who early removed thence to the state of Illinois, where he was for many years actively engaged in agricultural pursuits. He is now living in the city of Naperville, Illinois. Dr. and Mrs. Marriner had three children, of whom two are now living,-Catherine and Mar- garet.
WILLIAM C. BIRK .-- A young man of enterprise and ability, William C. Birk, of Baraga, takes an active interest in public affairs, and, al- though not an aspirant for political honors, was elected township clerk in 1908, and has since served most faithfully in this capacity. He was born, November 6, 1885, at Calumet, Houghton county, Michigan, of German lineage.
His father, Andrew Birk, was born and reared in Germany, where his parents spent their lives. In company with three of his brothers, he emigrated to America, the poor man's paradise, coming directly to the Upper Peninsula. Locating in Calumet, Houghton county, he built up an extensive business as a dealer in cattle, remaining in that city until his death, in 1909. He married, in Calumet, Katherine Haas, who was born in Germany, and was educated in Berlin. Having com- pleted her studies, Miss Haas came to America to accept a position as teacher of German in Calumet, Michigan, and there met and married Andrew Birk. She died in 1894, leaving three children, namely: Will- iam C., the special subject of this sketch; Walter O., now deceased; and John, deceased.
But seven years of age when his mother died, William C. Birk was adopted into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wahl, of L'Anse, and was there educated, attending the public schools regularly until six- teen years old. Going then to Calumet, Michigan, he was clerk in a hotel for about three years, and then returned to L'Anse. Coming from there to Baraga, Mr. Birk opened a variety store, which he conducted successfully until he was burned out, in 1908. The same year Mr. Birk was elected township clerk, and has continued in this office ever since, having been re-elected at the close of each term.
Fraternally Mr. Birk is a member of L'Anse Lodge, 445, I. O. O. F .; and of Baraga Lodge, No. 354, K. O. T. M. M.
CAPT. RICHARD EDWARDS .- It is safe to say that one of the most able and prominent men connected with the development of the marvelous natural resources of the Upper Peninsula was the late Capt. Richard Edwards. Fairly born to the occupation of a miner, brainy and of proved integrity, original and a leader in enterprise, he possessed not only the esteem, but the admiration of his associates, and the part he played in the many-sided life of the community was anything but a passive one. The second son of a Cornwall miner, Richard Edwards was born in July, 1809, in the parish of Calstock, County Cornwall, England, very near the Devonshire line. His educational advantages were exceedingly limited, as, when but a lad of seven years of age he was put to work in the mines, beginning his career in the humble ca- pacity of a "trunk boy," or slime washer in the wash house. During
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his early life he labored industriously, oftentimes being forced to walk three miles to reach his work, and at night returning home on foot, weary and hungry. He had scholarly tastes and ambitions, however, and after appeasing the appetite natural to a growing boy with the coarse food found on the tables of the mining community, he would turn for comfort to his books, assiduously studying mathematics, geom- etry, geology, and engineering, and finding the sincerest pleasure in mastering these branches of learning. Intelligent, industrious, and em- inently trustworthy, he was frequently promoted to positions of respon- sibility, in 1836, entering the employ of Captain Collom, father of John, Charles and Henry Collum, well known residents of the Upper Peninsula. While associated with that gentleman he was made captain in a Devonshire mine, the Wheal Lopez, and afterwards became its superintendent. He subsequently was given control of several other mines in the vicinity, including the Wheal Franco and the tin mines of Birth Tor and of Wheal Yeolland, properties of the Taylor Com- pany of London.
Realizing, however, that notwithstanding the stability, permanency and emoluments of his own high standing, the future prospects of his young and growing family were not at all brilliant, he gave up his work, bade goodbye to his native land, and sailed with wife and children to America-a land of bright promise. Arriving in New York City in 1849, he spent the following winter in Brooklyn, New York, in the meantime visiting the iron and coal mines of the Pennsylvania region. In the spring of 1850, Captain Edwards came to the Upper Peninsula, locating at Eagle River, then the county seat of Houghton county, and in the interests of his English employers, the Taylor Company, of Lon- don, proprietors of the Albion Mining Company, of Michigan, he as- sumed charge of its Keweenaw county mines, of which he had control until 1853. It was in the above-mentioned year that Captain Edwards came to the present site of Houghton, which was then a mere hamlet. In 1854 he formed a partnership with James Page, and erected the first saw-mill in Houghton county. Buying his partner out in 1855 he continued in the lumber business until his death, which occurred April 20, 1868.
Captain Edwards was very enterprising and in addition to his lum- ber interests he built a dock, which he used in connection with his business as a commission agent. He was always interested in mining, being one of those who foresaw from the first the possibilities hidden in the Calumet & Hecla mines and he very wisely invested in their stock. He was likewise an extensive owner of real estate, at the time of his death having title to upwards of twenty thousand acres of land. A Democrat in his political relations he served as supervisor of Portage township several years previous to his demise.
Captain Edwards married, in 1834, Jane Pryor, a daughter of Jo- seph and Elizabeth Pryor and a native of Devonshire, England. She passed to the higher life, leaving six living children: Thomas W., ad- ministrator of his father's estate; Eliza, wife of J. H. Blandy; Jane, wife of J. P. Hunt; Mary E., wife of George C. Sheldon; James P. and John.
Fraternally Captain Edwards was a member of Houghton Lodge, No. 218, A. F. & A. M., which at his death adopted resolutions ex- pressive of the high respect in which he was held as a man, as a citizen, as a brother and as a Mason. His funeral, which was one of the larg- est ever witnessed in the city, was conducted by the Masonic fraternity, including the deputy grand master of the Upper Peninsula and his
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escort, and the officers and members of the Quincy Lodge, of Hancock, and the Houghton Lodge. The services are still remembered as impres- sive and beautiful to a degree, in keeping with the sincere and truth- ful character of the Captain.
JAMES P. EDWARDS .- Standing prominent among the citizens who have spent the greater part of their lives within the precincts of Hough- ton county and have aided materially in its growth and development is James P. Edwards, who is distinguished both for his own life and work, and as the son of one of its most honored pioneers, the late Capt. Richard Edwards. Of English descent, he was born April 29, 1850, in Brooklyn, New York, a very short time after his parents had emigrated from the Mother Country. That same year the father came to the Upper Peninsula, locating at Eagle River, and assuming charge of a Keweenaw county copper mine, and three years later he located in Houghton.
James P. Edwards received his rudimentary education under private tutorship at Houghton, Michigan, after which he continued his studies at Bishop's College, in Lennoxville, province of Quebec. He then took a course in civil engineering at the University of Michigan at Ann Ar- bor, afterwards teaching school one term at L'Anse. From 1872 until 1874 he was employed in surveying for the Mineral Range Railroad, and was then in the office with his brother, Thomas W. Edwards, ad- ministrator of his father's estate for a while. In 1875 Mr. Edwards, with his brother-in-law, Mr. G. C. Shelden, built the first bridge across the Portage Lake connecting Houghton and Hancock, he being one of its largest stock holders, as well as the engineer in charge of the work. This bridge, a toll bridge, was opened to the public in 1876, and Mr. Edwards, with Mr. Shelden, had charge of it until it was sold to the county, in 1893.
During that entire period and up to the present time, Mr. Edwards has been busily employed as a civil and mining, engineer, among his other works of note having charge for Houghton county of the con- struction of the steel bridge across Portage Lake which replaced the old wooden structure, and having put in the first water works systems at Houghton, at Lake Linden, and also at L'Anse. He was associated with R. C. Pryor and others in opening the Superior Copper Mine, and during the last year and a half discovered and opened the New Baltic Mine, being the first general manager of the same.
Mr. Edwards married, in 1875, Agnes Mulvey, who was born at Port Oram, New Jersey, a daughter of James and Margaret Mulvey. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Edwards-Richard J. and Charles H. Active and prominent in fraternal circles, Mr. Edwards is a member of Houghton Lodge, No. 218, F. & A. M .; of the Detroit Consistory ; of Moslem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .; of Houghton Tent, K. O. T. M. M .; is a charter member of Duke of Wellington Lodge, of the Sons of St. George, and is Past Grand President for the state of Michi- gan in that order; is a charter member and was the first Chancellor- Commander of Houghton Lodge, K. of P .; and is a member of Han- cock Lodge, No. 381, B. P. O. Elks.
FREDERICK L. EVERLING .- In the history of the development and up- building of the middle and western states there stand out conspicuously the names of men who were conspicuous for their worth, ability, en- ergy, endurance and far-seeing vision of the possibilities of the great territory in which their lot was cast. Their children and children's
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children have reason to take pride in the works and deeds of these ster- ling pioneers, and it is a matter of no slight significance when a citizen of the present generation can revert to his parents or grandparents as having been numbered among those who so ably bore the heat and burden of the day and assisted in the laying of a firm foundation for our pres- ent-day development. The subject of this brief sketch can claim such ancestral distinction, as his paternal and maternal grandparents were numbered among the early settlers of the state of Wisconsin, where they lived and labored to goodly ends. He is today numbered among the representative business men and honored citizens of Sault Ste. Marie, where he is superintendent of the Sault Ste. Marie Lumber Co. and also incumbent of the office of city comptroller.
Mr. Everling was born in the city of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on the 13th of January, 1878, and is a son of Walter V. and Charlotte (Reichley) Everling, both of whom were likewise born in Fond du Lac, the former in 1849 and the latter in 1855, which dates indicate that their respective parents settled in that section of the Badger state in the pioneer days, as has already been stated. Walter V. Everling was reared to maturity in Fond du Lac county and assisted his father in the reclaiming of a productive farm from the forest wilds. For a num- ber of years he continued to be actively engaged in agricultural pur- suits in an independent way and finally he removed to the city of Fond du Lac, where he established himself in the agricultural implement business, to which he gave his personal attention until within three months of his death, which occurred in 1881. He was a zealous member of the Lutheran church, as is also his widow, who still resides in Fond du Lac, and of their two children, the subject of this sketch is the younger ; William H. is a successful business man of Fond du Lac. The paternal grandfather of Frederick L. Everling was a native of Germany, whence he immigrated to America and, like many others of his sterling countrymen, established his home in the pioneer wilds of Wisconsin, as has already been noted.
Frederick L. Everling is indebted to the public schools of his native county for his early educational training and after the death of his honored father he assisted his mother in the management of the home farm, to which they returned soon after the husband and father had been summoned to the life eternal. At the age of eighteen years Mr. Everling became clerk in a general store at Rogersville, Fond du Lac county, where he remained about two years, after which he was simi- larly engaged at Eldorado, Wisconsin, for about one year. He then came to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and located at Hermansville, Menominee county, where he was a clerk in the general store of The Wisconsin Land & Lumber Co. the 12th of February. 1901, when he removed to Sault Ste. Marie and identified himself with The Soo Lum- ber Company, of which his former employer, Dr. Earle, is president. Mr. Everling has proved an able factor in connection with the admin- istration of the affairs of this corporation, of which he has been superin- tendent since 1906. In 1908 he was elected city comptroller of Sault Ste. Marie, and the estimate placed upon his services in this important office was decisively shown in his election as his own successor on the 4th of April, 1910, without opposition. He is aligned as a stalwart in the local camp of the Republican party, is affiliated with Bethel Lodge, No. 358, Free & Accepted Masons, and is past chancellor of Red Cross Lodge, No. 51, Knights of Pythias, both of Sault Ste. Marie.
On the 27th of June, 1908, Mr. Everling was united in marriage to Miss Rachel T. Mckay, who was born at Ripley, province of Ontario,
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Canada, and who is a daughter of Malcom and Anna Mckay, both of whom were born in Scotland, and the former of whom passed the clos- ing years of his life in Sault Ste. Marie, where he died in 1898; his widow now resides in the home of her daughter Isabel, wife of Dr. Frank R. Fursey, in the city of Spokane. Mr. Mckay was one of the representative farmers and dealers in farm lands in Huron county, Ontario, where he maintained his home for many years after his re- moval from Scotland to America. He was a most zealous member of the Presbyterian church, as is also his wife. They became the parents of eleven children, of whom nine are now living: Margaret, who is the wife of John Law of Chicago, Illinois; Kate, who is the wife of James A. Bidderman, of Chicago; Anna, who is the wife of James C. Hardy, of Sault Ste. Marie; John, who resides in Chicago, Illinois; Christene, who is the wife of Angus McLellan, of Spokane, Washington ; Malcolm, who is a resident of Chicago, Illinois; Mary, who is the wife of Archibald McFarland, of Spokane, Washington; Isabel, who is the wife of Dr. Frank Ross Fursey, one of the prominent surgeons of Spokane; and Rachel, who is the wife of the subject of this review. Mr. and Mrs. Ev- erling have one daughter, Isabel Lois, who was born on the 20th of August, 1909.
DONALD K. MACQUEEN, M. D .- Among Laurium's prominent citi- zens must be numbered Donald K. Macqueen, physician and surgeon. He is a native of Canada, having been born in the province of Ontario January 6, 1866. His parents, A. F. and Normanda (McLeod) Mac- queen, were also natives of Canada. Dr. Macqueen enjoyed the advan- tage of an excellent education. Upon his graduation from the high school of Walkerton, Canada, where his family resided, he took a course in a private school and then entered Trinity College finishing there in 1890. He commenced his practice in a neighboring town, Copper Falls Mine, and in three years' time came to Laurium, where he opened an office and where he has ever since been engaged in the practice of his profession. In evidence of the confidence in which he is held by the community may be mentioned the fact that he was health officer of Laurium for a period of thirteen years. Dr. Macqueen is in the pos- session of a large and remunerative practice. His affiliations are prin- cipally professional, these extending to the Houghton Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
Dr. Macqueen was united in marriage in 1899 to Miss Caroline Ludlow, daughter of Captain William Ludlow, a much respected citi- zen of Laurium. They have two children, Kenneth L. and Norma E.
ALBERT A. R. STEGEMAN is a scion in the third generation of one of the sterling, pioneer families in the state of Michigan, with whose civic and industrial history the name has been long and prominently identi- fied and within the borders of his native commonwealth he has found ample scope for effective efforts in important channels of industrial and commercial enterprise through which he has not only achieved definite success but has also contributed to the development and progress of the section in which his operations have been made. As a dealer in farm and timber lands, he has built up an industrial business in various counties of Northern Michigan and he is also the Secretary and Treasurer of the Northern Timber Company, producers of all kinds of forest products, with headquarters in the Adams building in the city of Sault Ste. Marie, where he has maintained his home since 1907. Mr. Stegeman is a member of the bar of Michigan, but in pref-
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erence to the practice of his profession he has directed his splendid and alert energies along business lines through his association with which he has gained prestige as one of the representative young cap- tains of industry in the Upper Peninsula of the state.
Albert A. R. Stegeman was born in the city of Allegan, Michigan, on the 19th of March, 1878, and is a son of John and Louise (Renzen- house) Stegeman, both natives of Germany, where the former was born in 1832 and the latter in 1838. They now reside on their beau- tiful country estate, Maple Grove farm, in Allegan county, this state, the same being one of the finest stock agriculture and fruit farms to be found in the entire state of Michigan. The subject of this review was the seventh in order of birth in a family of eight children, all of whom are now living, except two, who died in early childhood. John Stegeman (II), father of the subject of this review, has long been num- bered among the prominent and influential citizens of Allegan county, where he has capitalistic investments of an important order. His life has been characteristic of the highest principles of integrity and honor and he has never been denied the full measure of popular confidence and esteem. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party and both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Albert A. R. Stegeman is indebted to the public schools of his native city for his educational discipline, which included a course in the high school, after leaving which he continued his studies for sometime in the literary department of the University of Michigan. In the law department of this institution he was graduated as a mem- ber of the class of 1900, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In 1901 Mr. Stegeman engaged in the buying and selling of timber and farm lands in Otsego, Alcona, Alpena, Montcalm, Montmorency, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Luce, Mackinaw, Chippewa, Roscommon and Mis- saukee counties, Michigan, and his operations are based upon the con- trol of ten thousand acres of timber and farming lands in the counties mentioned. Mr. Stegeman maintains his office headquarters in the Adams building in the city of Sault Ste. Marie, and the Northern Tim- ber Company, of which he is secretary and treasurer, now has an av- erage output of upwards of $75,000 worth of logs, pulp, cedar ties, poles and posts each year.
Even the brief statements given indicate the extensive order of business directed by Mr. Stegeman, who is the active executive officer of the Northern Timber Company. His father, John Stegeman, Sr., is president of the company, and his brother, Carl is vice-president. This company was organized by the subject of this review on the 16th of October, 1908, and is duly incorporated under the laws of the state with a paid up capital stock of $50,000. In politics Mr. Stege- man gives his support to the Republican party. He is one of the ag- gressive young business men of the Upper Peninsula and his produc- tive efforts along normal lines of enterprise well entitle him to consid- eration in this history.
BENJAMIN T. PHILLIPS, M. D .- One of the distinguished physicians and surgeons of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is Dr. Phillips, who has been engaged in the active practice of his profession in the city of Menominee for more than thirty years, and he is thus one of the lead- ing representatives of his profession in this section of the state, where he has ever commanded the most unqualified confidence and esteem both as a physician and as a loyal and progressive citizen. Ile is a man of most genial and gracious personality and has devoted himself with
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all of zeal and earnestness to the alleviation of suffering and distress and his self-abnegation and worthy service have gained him the affec- tionate regard of the community in which he has so long maintained his home. It was his to render volunteer service as a Union soldier during the Civil war, and in the "piping times of peace" he has won victories that stand equally to his credit and honor.
Senator Chauncey M. Depew in one of his famous postprandial speeches made the characteristic and amusing paraphrase, in which he said, "Some men are born great, some achieve greatness and some are born in Ohio." The distinction implied in the last element in this statement pertains to Dr. Phillips, for he claims the fine old Buckeye state as the place of his nativity and is a member of one of the sterling old pioneer families of that commonwealth. He was born at Wads- worth, Medina county, Ohio, on the 14th of October, 1840, and is a son of the family that was founded in Connecticut in the early Colonial epoch of our national history. He is a son of Nelson and Almira (Hatch) Phillips, the former of whom was born in Connecticut, in 1806, and the latter of whom was born in Vermont, in 1807. In 1830 Nelson Phillips moved with his family to Medina county, Ohio, where he con- tinued to reside until 1845, when he removed to Wisconsin. In the Badger state he first settled in Walworth county, but in 1847 he re- moved thence to Fond du Lac county, where he passed the residue of his long and useful life. His active career was principally one of close identification with agricultural pursuits, and through his earnest and assiduous labors he gained independence and definite prosperity. He was summoned to the life eternal in 1890, and his cherished and devoted wife passed away in 1892. For nearly sixty years they were zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and their deep Christian faith was manifested in their daily lives. Of their eight children, two are living, namely : Benjamin T., to whom this sketch is dedicated, and Lucina A., who is the wife of Dan Crego, of Marinette, Wisconsin. Two of the sons served as soldiers in the Civil War,-Dr. Benjamin T. and William H. The latter was a member of an Illinois regiment of volunteer infantry and is now deceased.
Dr. Phillips was only five years of age at the time of his parents' removal to Wisconsin, where he was reared to maturity on the home farm. After availing himself of the advantages of the common schools, he was matriculated in Lawrence University, at Appleton, Wisconsin, where he was a student for one year. When the Civil war was pre- cipitated upon a divided nation his intrinsic loyalty and patriotism were roused to decisive action and he was among those who responded to President Lincoln's first call for volunteers. In April, 1861, several months before the attaining of his legal majority, he enlisted as a mem- ber of the Second Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry, in which he was made sergeant. He served with this command about a year and then received his honorable discharge. In the spring of 1862 he re-enlisted, as a mem- ber of Company H, Thirty-second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was made second sergeant of his company, and from this office passed through the various grades of promotion until, in December, 1864, he was made second lieutenant. Concerning his military career, the fol- lowing pertinent and interesting account has been given and is worthy of reproduction in this connection.
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