USA > Michigan > A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan and its people; its mining, lumber and agricultural industries, Volume III > Part 8
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IDEN G. CHAMPION, the enterprising editor and proprietor of the Delta County Reporter, was born in England, October 13, 1863. This paper is the only one in the Upper Peninsula which espouses the cause of Democracy, and through its readers Mr. Champion has become widely known. He was reared in his native country, received his education at Dulwich College, in London, and in 1883, emigrated to the United States, locating in Chicago, where he became bookkeeper and clerk, having worked in a London bank previous to coming to this country. Later he spent some time in Antigo, Wisconsin, where he was employed as bookkeeper, and from there removed to Crandon, Wisconsin, where he engaged in real estate and newspaper business.
He became editor of the North Crandon Reporter, and in 1894 located in Gladstone, Michigan, where he began dealing in real estate. Mr. Champion established the Delta County Reporter in 1902, and four years later sold his interests to Mr. Barr, but in 1907 he repurchased the paper, and has successfully conducted it ever since. He publishes a bright, newsy paper, with able editorials, and has a circulation of some eight hundred. He has a good advertising section in his paper, and still deals in real estate, in which he is very successful. The paper is issued weekly, and takes a prominent place among the peri- odicals of the Northern Peninsula of the state. Mr. Champion has been a resident of the section some fifteen years, has taken an active interest in public affairs, and for several years served as a member of the city council, and is the present city treasurer. He is a prominent member of the Masonie order, and also belongs to the Knighted Or- der of Tented Maccabees.
Besides Mr. Champion's newspaper interest in Delta county, he is a practical farmer, having eight years ago purchased eighty acres of timber land, four miles from Gladstone, since which time he has put in all of his spare hours in clearing up and improving this piece of land, until today it is one of the best small farms in Delta county.
Mr. Champion married in 1889, Annie Masbaum, and they have two children, Charles I. and Estella.
MICHAEL E. O'BRIEN .- It is speaking with all due conservatism to say that. Michael E. O'Brien is one of the strongest and most influential men to be encountered in all the extent of the Upper Peninsula. His identification with the life insurance world alone would entitle him to this distinction, his general ageney standing third in the United States in the amount of life insurance secured in proportion to the population, among almost one hundred general agents of the Northwest. He is like- wise a banker of wide repute, holding the high and responsible office of president of the First National Bank of Laurium, established in April,
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1907, a substantial institution having a capital stock of $100,000, and a surplus of $40,000, and he is a director of the First National Bank of Hubbell, Michigan. Several lesser institutions and concerns receive the inestimable benefit of his excellent judgment, executive capacity and ability.
Michael E. O'Brien is a life-long resident of Houghton county, his birth having occurred within its limits on the 21st day of September, 1877. As his name indicates his ancestral record soon takes one to Erin's Isle, whose clever, resourceful, and agreeable sons have assuredly given to their adopted America a great measure of her progress and prosperity. His parents were P. J. and Mary (Harrington) O'Brien, both of whom were natives of county Cork, Ireland. Like so many of their neighbors and associates they answered the beckoning finger of opportunity and emigrated to America in 1856. They soon came on to the northern coun- try and lived in both Keweenaw and Houghton counties, the father earning the livelihood for his family as a miner, and it was in the C. and H. mine that he lost his life in the year 1890, being regretted by many who had known him as an honest man, and an intelligent and pub- lie-spirited citizen.
Young Michael pursued his studies in the public and parochial schools, and after graduation from the Sacred Heart High School at Laurium, at the age of sixteen years, he started out to face the serious problems of life. Of no one can it more truly be said that he is a self- made man, for he started with the "fair field," which is the heritage of every American youth, and with "no favors" in the way of financial backing or influential friends. He received his first employment in the office of the Calumet News in the capacity of an all around office boy, which some one has said is in itself equal to a liberal education. During the second Cleveland administration, when the late P. W. Grierson, a Democrat, held the office of postmaster, Mr. O'Brien was proffered a position in the post office, which he filled with marked efficiency for the ensuing five years. It was after the termination of this office that Mr. O'Brien first engaged in the insurance business, and while one is at first sight prompted to dwell on the good fortune of his having been directed to a field in which he has achieved such marked success, yet it doubtless is truer that no matter to what field his energies might have been directed he would have won therein a name for himself, as well as mate- rial advancement. He became associated with the firm of Friederichs, Stringer & Harris, and a short time thereafter became a partner in this agency, a branch being established over the First National Bank of Calumet. He later on formed a partnership under the firm name of Webb & O'Brien, the nature of the business being general insurance and real estate. In 1903 Mr. O'Brien retired from this association, within whose satisfactory duration he had effectually established himself in the world of affairs, and took up life insurance, becoming the Calumet rep- resentative of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, with headquarters at Laurium. In the following year he was appointed dis- triet manager under W. H. Surles, General Agent of the Wisconsin and Northern Michigan, and held this position until 1907, when Mr. Surles died and Mr. O'Brien succeeded to a General Agency. At the present time his jurisdiction extends over the northwest half of northern Michi- gan, and his production of about $1,000,000 of life insurance annually has given him a reputation in the insurance world which extends far beyond its boundaries. Among the official capacities in which he serves is that of secretary of the Montana Clinton Copper Company, his knowl- edge of mining matters being extensive, partly from his close association with them in early youth.
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By no means his least important connection has been with banking interests, and three of the safe and well-founded banks of the county owe their inception directly to him. These are the Calumet State Bank of Calumet, the First National Bank of Laurium, of which latter insti- tution he is president, and the First National Bank of Hubbell.
The social and fraternal side of Mr. O'Brien's nature is by no means in abeyance, and he takes great pleasure in his affiliations, which extend to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the various clubs of Laurium and Calumet. Politically he is independent and gives his support to men and measures which ap- peal to him. He and his wife are members of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. O'Brien's wife was before her marriage Miss Nellie V. Harrington, their union having been celebrated in 1903. To them have been born the following children : Eleanor, Anna, Catherine, John II. and Margaret.
In short Mr. O'Brien is one of the big self-made men of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a man genial and courteous, but of strong char- acter. Whatever he does he does with a vim and he inserts his person- ality into every undertaking. Even his subordinates bear the impress of his individuality and selection, like himself being courteous, but clean cut and firm. Every institution with which he has had to do is and has been a success, and the Upper Peninsula is indeed fortunate not only to have given nativity to, but to have retained in its midst a man of such distinguished ability and one who has so effectually contributed to its progress.
Since the above was written Mr. O'Brien has resigned his position as general agent with the Northwestern Mutual Life, has helped to organize the Detroit Life Insurance Company of Detroit, Michigan, and has been elected its first Vice-President and General Manager.
DR. JAMES MITCHELL, one of the leading physicians of Gladstone, Michigan, was born in Canada, February 10, 1870, and is a son of John and Isabella (Brown) Mitchell. John Mitchell and his wife were both born in Ireland, and were reared in their native country ; they there received their educations and were married. John Mitchell died when sixty-six years of age. and his widow still survives. Of their thirteen children eleven still survive, and Dr. Mitchell is the eleventh child. His twin brother, Thomas, now lives in North Battle- ford, in northwestern Canada.
The boyhood days of Dr. Mitchell were spent in his native place, and there he received a common school education. Later he at- tended Queens University, and graduated from the medical depart- ment in 1899. He began at once upon the practice of his profession, and the same year came to Gladstone, where he has since resided. He stands well in the community, and by his medical skill and many fine qualities has built up a good practice. He is a member of the county, state and American Medical Associations, and is a member of the Masonie order.
Dr. Mitchell is a well known and prominent citizen of Gladstone, where his entire professional career has been spent, and is actively interested in public affairs. He is not bound to any political party, but votes usually for the man he considers best fitted to fulfill the duties of any given office. In 1907 Mr. Mitchell married Eva Maud, daughter of P. E. R. Miller, of Ontario, and they are parents of one daughter, Margaret.
REV. LUCAS KLOPCIC .- A man of earnest convictions, strong charac- ter and deep consecration, Rev. Lucas Klopcie, rector of St. Joseph's
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Church, at Calumet, Houghton county, is widely known as a strong and willing worker in all religious and charitable undertakings.
A native of Austria, he was born, in 1880, in the village of Eisnern, province of Krain, where he acquired his rudimentary education, as a child attending the primary schools, afterwards continuing his stud- ies for eight years at the Laibach Gymnasium, being graduated from that institution with the class of 1900. Three years later he was grad- uated from the Laibach Theological Seminary, and in the same year, 1903, crossed the ocean to America. Disembarking in New York City, he came directly to the Northwest, and spent some time in St. Paul, Minnesota, familiarizing himself with the English language. Accept- ing the charge of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, at Calumet, Michi- gan, in 1904, Rev. Father Klopcie has been especially successful in his efforts towards the building up of the denomination, and is held in high esteem not only by his many parishioners but by a wide circle of acquaintances.
St. Joseph's Church, located on the corner of Oak and Eighth streets, was erected in 1908 at a cost of $90,000, it being one of the most beautiful and costly of any in the city. It is built of red sand- stone, modern in architecture, its pulpits and seats being of the latest approved designs, and its ornaments being unique. The membership of the church, which previous to the completion of the present attract- ive edifice, was very small, has been largely increased under the influ- ence of the present rector, now numbering three thousand souls, while the names of one hundred and fifty children appear on the list of Sunday school scholars.
PLUMMER S. WALKER .- Noteworthy not only as a veteran of the Civil war, but as a pioneer settler of Gogebic county, Plummer S. Walker was actively identified with the best interests of Ironwood for upwards of a quarter of a century, having settled here when the site of the present city was heavily timbered, and neighbors were few and far between, and his death on September 22, 1910, marks another break in the ranks of Ironwood's old settlers. Of New England birth and breeding, he was born, June 26, 1834, in Whitefield, New Hamp- shire, where he grew to a sturdy manhood, gaining health and strength from the invigorating breezes of the White Mountains.
. His father, Jesse Walker, a native of the Granite state, owned and operated a farm in Whitefield, where he spent the greater part of his life. His wife, whose maiden name was Polly White, was also a life- long resident of New Hampshire, which was the birthplace of their ten children.
Acquiring his education in the district schools of Whitefield, Plum- mer S. Walker lived with his parents until 1854, when, impelled by the restless spirit characteristic of the American race, he migrated to the wilds of Wisconsin. Locating in Outagamie county, he bought a tract of timber land in Maple Creek township, and began the arduous task of redeeming a farm from the wilderness, being thus employed when the Civil war broke out. In August, 1864, responding to a call for volunteers, Mr. Walker enlisted in Company K, First Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, went South, and was with his regiment until the close of the conflict, doing guard and defense duty in and around Washington the greater part of the time. In June, 1865, after taking a part in the Grand Review, at Washington, he was honorably dis- charged from the service.
Returning to his Wisconsin home, Mr. Walker resumed work on
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P. M. Peterson
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his farm, and in due course of time had a well-improved estate, with substantial buildings, and everything necessary for carrying on his ' chosen work. In 1884 Mr. Walker came to the present site of Iron- wood to take charge of a boarding camp for Bingham & Perrin, who had contracted to board the laborers employed in the building of the railroad then in process of construction, opening his boarding hall in a log building with a canvas roof. When the town was platted Mr. Walker bought two lots on Aurora street, between Suffolk and Nor- folk streets, and there, in the spring of 1886, erected a hotel. This hotel was burned in the big fire of 1887, and he then purchased a hotel on the corner of Lowell and Ayer streets. This hotel, which was the first one built on the town site, has since been the home of Mr. Walker, who added improvements to the building soon after buying it, doubling its former capacity, and otherwise enhancing its usefulness and value.
Mr. Walker married, June 17, 1864, Caroline Klann, who was born on a farm near Saldfeld, East Prussia. IIer father, Christian Klann, spent his brief earthly life in East Prussia, dying when Mrs. Walker was but a year old. His widow, Mrs. Mary Klann, married for her second husband John Rienert, came to America with her family in 1852, and settled in Winchester, Wisconsin, near Oshkosh, and there spent her remaining days. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Walker, namely: Jesse, Mary, Emma. Dora, Charles and Calvin, who is familiarly known as "Sam." Mr. Walker was a Democrat of the old New England type. Socially he was a member of Pleasanton Post, G. A. R. since its organization in 1887, and they had charge of his funeral arrangements. He was prominent in the business life of the community until his health compelled him to retire.
PETER M. PETERSON .- One of the most important business houses of the city of Menominee is that of the People's Square House Furnish- ing Company, of which Peter M. Peterson is president and manager, the large and finely equipped establishment of the company being located at 355-404 Grand avenue. Mr. Peterson has shown marked energy and initiative ability, and through well directed employment of the same has achieved distinctive success, being a self-made man in the best sense of the term, and having gained recognition as one of the thoroughly representative business men and loyal and public- spirited citizens of Menominee. The company of which he is the executive head, has facilities for furnishing homes complete, and in addition to handling the manifold lines demanded for this service. the concern also keeps well ordered stocks of hardware, watches, jewelry, sewing machines, musical instruments, bicycles, notions, guns, revolv- ers, ammunition, etc., and conduets, at 903 Main street, in the Odd Fel- lows block, a well ordered undertaking establishment.
Peter M. Peterson was born near Christiana, Norway, on the 12th of November, 1857, and is a son of Peter and Lena Peterson. who passed their entire lives in their native land, where the father was a farmer by vocation. Mr. Peterson received limited educational ad- vantages in his native land and was but twelve years of age when. in 1869, he embarked with his mother and three children on a sailing ves- sel and set forth to fight the battle of life for himself in America. The valorous lad who thus faced many difficulties and problems he wotted not of, landed in the city of Quebec, Canada, whence he made his way to Wisconsin, and located at a point about twenty-two miles south of the city of Milwaukee, where he found employment on a farm. re- ceiving at first only one dollar a month and his board in compensation
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for his services. He continued to be identified with agricultural pur- suits in Wisconsin until 1873, when he came to Menominee, Michigan, and the first summer he was employed in a saw mill of the well-known firm of Ludington & Wells. In the autumn of the same year he went to Manistee, Michigan, where he was employed during the winter, and upon his return to Menominee in the following spring, he secured em- ployment in a shingle mill. For eighteen years he was connected with this line of industry, and at the expiration of that time, in 1890, he en- gaged in buying and selling new and second-hand goods. In establish- ing this enterprise he became associated with R. H. Smith, under the firm name of Smith & Peterson. After a lapse of about nine years he purchased Mr. Smith's interest, since which time he has been the sole owner of the great business house which he has built up and which is the largest of its kind in this section. His undertaking business was established in 1906.
Mr. Peterson is a citizen who shows the utmost loyalty in all that touches the advancement of the material and civic welfare of his home city. In politics he maintains an independent attitude, giving his sup- port to men and measures meeting the approval of his judgment. He is affiliated with Menominee Lodge, No. 269, Free & Accepted Masons, and with Lodge No. 107, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
In the year 1883 Mr. Peterson was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Smith, who was born in the city of Albany, New York, and who is a daughter of William Smith.
Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have seven children: Ida, Clarence, Alice, Florence, Pearl, Frederic, and Beryl.
WILLIAM ALFRED HOLMES .- Holding high rank among the keen, progressive, and enterprising business men who are so ably conduct- ing the extensive lumber interests of the Upper Peninsula is William A. Holmes, of Crystal Falls, who is one of the oldest native-born cit- izens of the Peninsula residing in Iron county, his birth having occurred, March 12, 1860, in Menominee. His father, William Holmes, still resides in Menominee. His grandfather, James Holmes, a native of Scotland, emigrated to America when young, settling in New Brunswick, where he was afterwards employed in lumbering until his death, in 1858.
The birth of William Holmes occurred, April 16, 1830, in New Brunswick, where he was brought up and educated. Starting in life for himself in 1847, when a youth of seventeen years, he crossed the line into Maine, where he was employed in a Inmber camp for several seasons. Starting for the frontier in 1854, he located first at Green Bay, Wisconsin, from there going to Escanaba, Michigan, entering there the employ of the N. Ludington Company. In 1858 he settled in the frontier town of Menominee, and after working for awhile for A. Kirby, selling lands and timber, he embarked in business on his own account, becoming an independent dealer in lumber. He also became financially interested in a paper mill, and a director in the Lumbermen's National Bank, and is still a resident of that city, being now a venerable and respected man of four score years. He married Augusta Jane Chandler, who was born in Maine. Her father, Alden Chandler, came from Maine to Michigan in 1849, and was one of the pioneer settlers of Escanaba, where for many years he owned and operated a saw mill. Five children were born to William and Augusta J. Holmes, namely : William Alfred, Gny W., Arthur K., Raymond W., and Charlotte L. The father stands high in Masonic
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circles, belonging to the Blue Lodge, the Chapter, Commandery, and to the Mystic Shrine.
Acquiring his early education in the Menominee schools, William Alfred Holmes began steamboating on the Lakes when sixteen years old, and was thus employed summers a number of seasons, the re- mainder of the time being engaged in lumbering. In 1883, while the entire surface of Iron county was covered with a heavy growth of timber, he located at Crystal Falls, and has since been here actively and profitably engaged in the lumber business, being an extensive dealer. During his residence here Mr. Holmes has witnessed the entire development and growth of this section of the Upper Peninsula, and, it is needless to say, has lent his aid and influence to promote the interests of the community in which he lives.
Mr. Holmes married, in 1884, Caroline Sackerson, a native of Sweden, and to them three children have been born, namely: Flora J., Leslie L., and Muriel M. Fraternally Mr. Holmes is a member of Crystal Falls Lodge, No. 385, F. & A. M .; of Crystal Falls Chapter, No. 129, R. A. M .; and of Hugh MeCurdy Commandery, No. 143, K. T .; Ahmed Temple, Mystic Shrine of Marquette.
ROBERT BURKE WADDELL is the manager of the Weston Manufactur- ing Company of Manistique. He was born at Webertown in Warren county, New York, April 10, 1859, a son of Robert and a grandson of Hugh Waddell, both of whom were born at Johnsburg in Warren county, New York, the father on the 29th of July, 1833, and the grand- father on the 6th of May, 1805. Hugh Waddell married Eveline Wal- dron, born at Johnsburg on the 10th of April, 1807, and she died on the 10th of October, 1849, but Mr. Waddell survived until the 26th of July, 1884. He was of English descent, while his wife was de- scended from a Holland family.
Robert Waddell was reared and educated in his native town of Johnsburg, and he was there married to Mary E. Bradshaw, born in the same place, and Robert Burke was their only son and child. After the death of his first wife Robert Waddell married Electa J. Roblee, and there were two sons and two daughters born of that union. Rob- ert Waddell was a lumberman and a general merchant, and he was very prominent and active in the affairs of his community, at one time representing his district in the state legislature. He died on the 4th of January, 1877, when he had attained the age of forty-four years.
Robert B. Waddell spent the first eighteen years of his life in his native state of New York, attending meanwhile the public schools and Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie. He came to Manistique, Michigan, in the year of 1878, accepting a position in the general mer- cantile department of the Chicago Lumber Company, but after two years he returned to New York and spent a year there. Coming again to Manistique at the close of that period he resumed his connection with the Chicago Lumber Company, but in 1888 he left that corporation to become the manager of the Weston Lumber Company, a position he has ever since held. He has been for thirty-one years a resident of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan, and in that time he has acquired a splendid reputation in business circles. He has served his town as village assessor, and he is identified politically with the Republican party.
In 1883 Mr. Waddell was married to Julia Quick, a daughter of Hiram Quick, and the only child of that union, a son, died in infancy. The mother is also deceased, dying on the 16th of April, 1904. On the
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15th of July, 1908, Mr. Waddell married Maud M. Aiken, a daughter of Hugh Aiken. Mr. Waddell has attained high rank in the Masonic order, affiliating with the Blue Lodge No. 371, Manistique Chapter No. 127, Hiawatha Council No: 65, Escanaba Commandery No. 47, Ida Chapter No. 54, Order of Eastern Star.
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