Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 106

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 966

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The Doctor was reared on the home- stead farm in Wayne county, and there he was afforded the advantages of the common schools, making good use of the opportu- nities thus afforded and also making marked progress through individual application and study, as he early became appreciative of the value of liberal education and determined to prepare himself for the profession in which he has attained so much of success and prestige. After leaving the common schools he entered the Michigan State Nor- mal School at Ypsilanti, where he was grad- uated as a member of the class of 1865. He put his scholastic acquirements to practical use by engaging in teaching, to which vo- cation he devoted his attention for some time, his ultimate aim, however, being to enter the medical profession. He began reading medicine under private instruction, and through his labors as a teacher acquired the funds which enabled him to enroll him-

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self as a student in the Detroit Medical Col- lege, in which old and well ordered institu- tion he completed his technical course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1873, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine and coming forth well fortified for the practical work of his chosen profession. He initiated the practice of medicine by lo- cating at Waterford, Oakland county, where he remained about one year, at the expira- tion of which, in May, 1874, he came to Evart, where he has ever since been estab- lished in practice, having a large and lucra- tive professional business and being physi- cian to many of the leading families in this section, while he holds the unqualified regard of his professional confreres and the general public, being a skilled and conscientious dev- otee of his profession and a loyal and pro- gressive citizen.

In the beautiful city of Detroit, on the 26th of October, 1870, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Hepburn to Miss Helen Pepper, who was born and reared in Wayne county, and of this union have been born four children, namely: Mabel, who died at the parental home in 1896, at the age of twenty-four years; and Maud, Myrrha and Roderick P., who still remain beneath the home roof.

ELMER A. BATES.

One of the most straightforward, en- ergetic and successful agriculturists of Kalkaska county, Michigan, is Elmer A. Bates. He is public-spirited and thoroughly interested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of

the community, and he is now one of the valued and honored citizens of the county. Mr. Bates is a native of Minnesota, having been born in Faribault county on April 7, 1868. His parents were Chambers S. and Emily (Newell) Bates, who were both na- tives of the state of Pennsylvania. They came to Antrim county, Michigan, in May, 1895, and located at Mancelona. They had but one child, the subject of this sketch, and when he was about four years old they re- turned to Pennsylvania, locating in Erie county, where they remained for six years. They then returned to Faribault county, Minnesota, and seven years later removed to Lawrence county, Tennessee, which was their home for ten years. During these ten years the subject of this sketch was engaged in the mercantile business in Wayne, Law- rence county, Tennessee, and then came to Kalkaska county, Michigan, and located on the farm on which he now resides, since which time he has devoted his main atten- tion to the tilling of the soil. His farm com- prises eighty acres and of this he has thirty- four acres under the plow and in an excel- lent state of cultivation. He is a painstak- ing and methodical man in everything to which he applies himself, this being the se- cret of the success which has attended all his efforts.

In Lawrence county, Tennessee, on De- cember 25, 1889, Mr. Bates wedded Miss Alma E. Edwards, a native of Minnesota and the daughter of Charles A. and Alma (Clark) Edwards, her birth having occurred in January, 1868. To Mr. and Mrs. Bates have been born five children, Roy E., Helen E., Lee C., Charles E. and one that died in infancy. In public affairs affecting the wel- fare of his community, Mr. Bates takes an

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intelligent interest and has been honored by election to office of trust and responsibility, namely, that of supervisor of Excelsior township, to which he was at first elected in the spring of 1904 and re-elected in the spring of 1905. His fraternal relations are with Forest Lodge, No. 339, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In every relation of life he has been true to every trust and is now enjoying the confidence and regard of all who know him.

RICHARD W. BAGOT.

The honored pioneer of Antrim county to whose life history we now direct attention has been a resident of Elk Rapids for nearly half a century and is one of the represent- ative citizens of Elk Rapids, with whose civic and material upbuilding he has been prom- inently identified, being at the present time president of the Elk Rapids Savings Bank.

Mr. Bagot is a native of the "right little tight little isle," as Max O'Rell pleasingly designated England. He was born in Lan- caster, England, on the 3d of October, 1832, and is a son of William and Mary Bagot, both of whom came of stanch English lin- eage and both of whom passed their entire lives in their native land, where the father followed the vocation of silk merchant. Our subject was afforded the advantages of the excellent public schools of England and was there reared to maturity. In 1855, at the age of twenty-three years, he emigrated to America, depending upon his own resources in fighting the battle of life and making for himself a home in the new world. He re- mained for a time in New York City and

thereafter resided in Buffalo until May, 1858, when he turned his face westward, coming to Elk Rapids, Michigan, where he has ever since maintained his home and where he has gained for himself a place of prominence in business and social life, while his attitude has ever been that of a loyal and public-spirited citizen and sincere and relia- ble business man. Soon after his arrival in Elk Rapids Mr. Bagot secured a clerical po- sition in the employ of the firm of Dexter & Noble, leading lumbermen and merchants, with whom he remained until 1871, having advanced to a position of responsible and confidential nature. In 1872 Mr. Bagot en- gaged in the grocery and drug business, in which lines of enterprise he continued until 1881, when he sold out, by reason of failing health. Thereafter he lived practically re- tired until 1891, when he became associated with other representative citizens in the or- ganization of the Elk Rapids Savings Bank. He was made president and afterwards cashier of the institution and thus served until 1904, when he was chosen its presi- dent, an incumbency which he has ever since retained, while to his wise executive policy and marked discrimination as a financier is largely due the success which has attended the enterprise, the bank being recognized as one of the solid and ably managed monetary institutions of the county. It is capitalized for thirty-five thousand dollars and is con- ducted in a safe and conservative way, do- ing a general banking business and giving special attention to the savings department.

In politics Mr. Bagot is a stalwart advo- cate of the principles of the Republican party, and he has been called upon to serve in vari- ous positions of popular trust and responsi- bility in the gift of the people of his home

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town and county. He has thus been incum- years, there was removed from that locality bent of the offices of township clerk, justice of the peace, school trustee, etc., while he has also served as county clerk, register of deeds and treasurer, while in 1893 he repre- sented his district with marked acceptability in the legislature of the state. He and his wife are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church, being numbered among the most valued members of St. Paul's par- ish, while he has been a member of the ves- try of this parish for the past thirty years, taking an active and zealous interest in all departments of the church work. In a fra- ternal way our subject is affiliated with Elk Rapids Lodge, No. 275, Free and Accepted Masons; Traverse City Chapter, No. 102, Royal Arch Masons; Traverse City Com- mandery, No. 41, Knights Templar; and Saladin Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in the city of Grand Rapids.

On the 29th of October, 1875, was sol- emnized the marriage of Mr. Bagot to Miss Mary E. Radley, who was born in Stafford, Genesee county, New York, being a daugh- ter of George and Mary Radley. Mr. and Mrs. Bagot have one adopted daughter, Alice Maud Mary Bagot.

The subject of this sketch is a citizen who has proved himself loyal in all the rela- tions of life and he has richly merited the high esteem in which he is held in the county which has so long been his home and the scene of his worthy and prolific endeavors as a business man.

JOSEPH B. COMSTOCK.

In the death of Joseph Baker Comstock, which occurred at Alpena, Michigan, on August 19, 1894, at the age of thirty-four

one of its leaders in various lines of en- deavor. Tireless energy, keen perception and honesty of purpose were among his chief characteristics and while advancing in- dividual success he also largely promoted the material and moral welfare of his commu- nity. Mr. Comstock was born in St. Clair county, Michigan, on July 15, 1860, and was given a good education in his youth. In 1880, at the age of twenty years, he came to Alpena and entered the banking associa- tion of Comstock, Berwick & Company, as partner and cashier, which relations he sus- tained at the time of his death. He had pre- viously graduated from the Detroit Business College and was well qualified for this re- sponsible position, soon demonstrating busi- ness and executive abilities of a high order. He gained a high place in the esteem of his fellow citizens and in 1889 was a member of the city board of aldermen, representing the first ward. He took a deep interest in all things affecting the welfare of the city in either material, social or moral lines and was well liked by every one who came in contact with him.

Mr. Comstock married Miss Louise McDonald, the daughter of James and Julia (Hill) McDonald, residents of Alpena, al- though James McDonald was a native of Scotland and his wife of the western part of New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Comstock were born the following children : Mildred, Andrew Westbrook. Joseph Baker and Al- fred James. At the time of his death, many were the expressions of regret and eulogy as touching upon the life and valuable serv- ices rendered by the subject in his commu- nity, the following brief but expressive words appearing in the Alpena Evening Echo: "He had not an enemy in the city.

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He was kind and charitable and through his kindness of heart many a business man was tided over a tight place."

GEORGE E. FROST.

Standing today among the eminent legal practitioners of northern Michigan is Mr. George E. Frost, of Cheboygan, whose repu- tation as a sound and safe attorney has not been confined to the boundaries of his own state. Mr. Frost is a native son of Michi- gan, having been born in Pontiac, Oakland county, in 1851. He was reared to man- hood there and secured a good education in the public schools, being a graduate of the Pontiac high school. Determining then to make the legal profession his life work, he studied law in the office of Judge Baldwin, of Pontiac, and later in the office of Alfred Russell, of Detroit. In 1875 he was admit- ted to the bar at Detroit and for three and a half years was engaged in the active prac- tice there. In 1879 he removed to Cheboy- gan and since that time has been closely identified with not only the courts of this county, but with many other interests which have contributed to the growth and advance- ment of this county. His abilities were soon recognized and he rapidly advanced to an enviable position among his professional col- leagues, a position he has ably sustained dur- ing his career here of more than a quarter of a century. Besides a large general pri- vate practice Mr. Frost, as a member of the firm of Frost & Sprague, is the retained attorney for the Detroit & Mackinac Rail- way, the Cheboygan Southern Railway, the First National Bank of Cheboygan, Cheboygan County Savings Bank, the Che-

boygan Paper Company, the Emery Martin Lumber Company, the Pfister & Vogel Leather Company, the Cheboygan Gas Light Company, and other large firms and corporations. In 1894 Mr. Frost formed a professional partnership with Victor D. Sprague, a graduate of the law department of the State University at Ann Arbor, the alliance forming a combination of rare strength and force and which has long en- joyed a reputation second to none in this part of the state. The subject has been con- nected with many important cases in many of the middle western and southern states, being acquainted in the courts as far away as West Virginia and Louisiana. During the last twenty-four years he served as United States commissioner, and for four terms he filled the office of prosecuting at- torney of Cheboygan county. He was also for three terms president of the village of Cheboygan, before the place rose to the dignity of cityhood and has since held several other positions of trust. Compre- hensive legal knowledge, clear and accurate judgment and a thorough appreciation of the absolute ethics of life or of the underlying principles which form the basis of all human rights and privileges,-these are some of the elements which have to so large a degree con- tributed to his success.

A stanch Republican in politics, Mr. Frost has taken an active interest in public affairs and has frequently served as a dele- gate to the state conventions of his party and was an alternate delegate to the national con- vention of 1892. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Possessing a gen- ial disposition, he has easily made friends and few citizens of this section of the state stand higher in general regard than does he.

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ZACH TAYLOR.

A man of marked individuality and ster- ling worth, the subject of this review is a typical representative of that large class of enterprising agriculturists to whom the west owes much of its prosperity and advance- ment and his record shows him to have been faithful in the performance of his duty to the community, to his neighbors and to himself. Mr. Taylor was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 27, 1849, and was the son of Elisha S. and Lucinda (Tompkins) Taylor, the father a native of Ohio and the mother of New York. The former died in St. Catherine's, Ontario, and the latter at Buffalo, New York. When the subject was about four years old he was taken to Niag- ara county, New York, where he lived until he was twenty-seven years old. He here re- ceived a good common-school education and was reared to the life of a farmer. On Octo- ber 6, 1874, in Niagara county, he was mar- ried to Miss Ettie E. Pool, a native of that county, and they made their home there for about a year. They then went to Lincoln county, Ontario, Canada, and resided there until their removal to Kalkaska county, in April, 1880, at which time they settled on the present farmstead. His first purchase consisted of eighty acres, nearly all of which was densely covered with timber, but he has added by purchase until the present estate amounts to one hundred and twenty acres, of which seventy-five acres are improved. Excellent buildings have been erected and other substantial improvements made, the general appearance of the premises indicat- ing the owner to be a man of taste and good judgment. He carries on a diversified sys- tem of agriculture and has met with a suc- cess commensurate with his efforts. Mr.

and Mrs. Taylor are the parents of two chil- dren, Dewitt Clinton, who died aged four months and eighteen days, and M. Ethel, who is the wife of Orville E. Anderson. In local public affairs Mr. Taylor has performed his share, having served as school inspector, township clerk for the long period of eleven years, and supervisor of the township for several years. His fraternal relations are with the Modern Woodmen of America and with Mancelona Lódge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Religiously Mr. Taylor and his wife are active and consistent mem- bers of the Episcopal church. In every re- lation of life Mr. Taylor has been true to all the trusts imposed upon him and is now the recipient of the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens throughout the township.

D. M. KNEELAND.

The subject of this sketch, who is gen- eral manager of the mills and lumbering in- terests of the Michelson & Hanson Lum- ber Company, at Lewiston, Michigan, is a native of New York state, though reared in Wisconsin. He received his education in the public schools of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and at the age of seventeen years initiated his independent career at Omaha, Nebraska. In 1881 he came to Grayling, Michigan, and entered the employ of Salling, Hanson & Company as bookkeeper, remaining with that firm until 1892. In that year he came to Lewiston and became identified with the Michelson & Hanson Lumber Company, with whom he has since remained. being now, as above stated, the general manager of their interests here. In the mills and woods the firm employs about three hundred

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and twenty-five men, running in two shifts, day and night, with a capacity of one hun- dred thousand feet daily, and it is worthy of note that in the planing mill which is run in connection about sixty per cent. of the prod- uct of the mill is dressed and finished. About twenty-five million feet of lumber is handled annually by this firm and they own about eight thousand acres of timber lands, owning also a railway which transports the timber from the woods to the mill. The timber is mixed hardwoods and the firm also buy large quantities of timber from out- side sources. It is one of the largest and best equipped mills in this section of the state and much of the success which has at- tended the enterprise is due to the untiring energy and the sound judgment exercised by Mr. Kneeland in his capacity as manager.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr. Kneeland married Miss Cornelia Buttles and to them have been born two children, Frances and Pierson, both of whom are attending school, the former at St. Louis, Missouri, and the latter in the home schools. Fraternally Mr. Kneeland is affiliated with the time-honored order of Free and Accepted Masons. In ev- ery relation of life the subject has been char- acterized by a candor and straightforward- ness which has won him the confidence of all who have come in contact with him and he is deserving of the high position he holds in the esteem of his fellow citizens.

The subject's parents were Norman and Carrie (Baker) Kneeland, both of whom were natives of the state of New York, the father of near Rochester.

AMOS C. BEEBE.

One of the representative business men of the city of Kalkaska is he whose name

initiates this paragraph and who is a mem- ber of the firm of Beebe Brothers, owners and operators of a fine flouring mill of the best modern type. He is one of the sterling pioneers of Kalkaska county and has contrib- uted his share of its development and mate- rial and civic upbuilding, while to him is ac- corded the fullest measure of popular confi- (lence and esteem in the county which has so long been his home and field of well directed endeavor.

Mr. Beebe came to Kalkaska county in the year 1868 and became one of the first settlers in Helena township, taking up a homestead in section 36, four miles north- west of the present county-seat. He re- claimed forty acres from the virgin forest and continued to reside on this original homestead for a period of seven years. When he came to the county there were but nine settlers located within its present confines and it was at that time an integral part of Antrim county. The other original settlers in Helena township were H. U. Hill, Cyrenus and Loren Rice, William Richardson, Antoine Buckle and William Gerber. Upon the organization of Kalkaska county, on January 27, 1871, Mr. Beebe was chosen as the first county treas- urer, and the first sessions of the local courts were held in his house, which was a log cabin, sixteen by twenty-four feet in di- mensions. The first incumbent to dignify the bench was Judge J. G. Ramsdell, who presided in the court of the county for three or four years. Mr. Beebe was also the first clerk of Helena township, and Norman Ross was the first supervisor, our subject having remained in the tenure of the clerk- ship for eight consecutive years. Our sub- ject also gave material assistance in organiz- ing the first school in the county. in 1868.

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Of the first settlers mentioned only one still remains located on his original farm, this being Loren Rice, one of the highly honored pioneer citizens of this section. David Por- ter Beebe, brother of our subject, located in Kalkaska county in May, 1867, and still remains a resident of the city of Kalkaska. He was the third sheriff of the county. Sher- man W. Beebe, another brother, came here in the autumn of 1868 and is now associated with our subject in business. In the early days the settlers were isolated from supply points, and the necessities of life were se- cured only through devious ways and strenu- ous effort. Our subject and his brothers were located in the woods at a point six miles from the lake. Provisions were brought by boat to Elk Rapids and thence were usually transported in row boats to Round Lake, from which point they had to be carried inland the six miles to the pioneer cabin. In the connection Mr. Beebe recalls the fact that he and his brother thus trans- ported a barrel of flour on their backs, there being no roads and no other means of trans- portation. Deer, bear, etc., were much in evidence, and the wild game did much in furnishing the larders of the pioneers.

Upon his election to the office of treas- urer Mr. Beebe took up his residence in Kalkaska, which was then a mere hamlet in the forest, and after the completion of his term he engaged in the general merchandise business here, associating himself with Al- bert T. Kellogg, who had previously opened a general store in the town, as had also Rob- ert S. Abbott and D. E. McVean, who are well remembered pioneer merchants. Our subject continued to be actively concerned in this mercantile enterprise for a period of seven years, at the expiration of which he identified himself with the great lumbering

industry of this section, buying logs and manufacturing the same into rough lumber, while for one year he was traveling salesman through the northern counties of the state for a wholesale grocery concern in the city of Grand Rapids. In the meanwhile he was one of those concerned in the erection of the first brick business block in Kalkaska, his as- sociates in this enterprise being Messrs. A. E. Palmer, A. A. Blaisby and C. P. Sweet. They put up a substantial and modern brick building two stories in height and containing four stores, and this still continues to be the most pretentious business block in the town, having been erected at a cost of about twenty thousand dollars. Mr. Beebe is essentially and primarily a progressive business man, and his influence has been potent in connec- tion with the advancement of business and industrial interests in this county. He was associated with D. E. McVean in the gro- cery business for five years, utilizing one of the stores in the block mentioned, and upon retiring from this business he purchased his present milling property, in the operation of which he is associated with his brother, as has been stated. He became identified with the enterprise about 1889, purchasing the property from its builder, George Sheldon, who erected the mill in the '70s, continuing to conduct the enterprise until he was suc- ceeded by the subject of this sketch. It was originally a buhr mill but is now equipped with the full roller process machinery and is of the best modern type. After operating the mill about six years Mr. Beebe sold the property, but five years later it reverted to his possession. In the meanwhile he had secured an interest in the Freeman Manu- facturing Company, identifying himself with the same at the time of its reorganiza- tion, subsequently to the destruction of the

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original plant by fire. For several years he gave the major portion of his time and at- tention to the affairs of this corporation, his brother having the management of the mill- ing business. At the present time the super- vision of the latter is largely in the hands of our subject, while he still exercises executive functions in connection with the Freeman Company. The roller process was installed in the Beebe mill in 1899 and it now has a daily capacity for the outputting of thirty- five barrels of flour. A general merchant and exchange milling business is conducted and the enterprise is one which has impor- tant bearing upon the industrial activities of the town and' county, affording facilities which are greatly appreciated, as the prod- ucts of the mill are of the best order and the business conducted upon the strictest princi- ples of equity and reliability.

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Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 106

Author: Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 966

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 966