USA > Michigan > Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens > Part 27
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tracting and building, his first operation in this line being the erection of two brick busi- ness houses of his own, each two stories high and well adapted to the purposes for which intended. Mr. Crampton put up several other edifices in the town and continued building until the fall of 1898, when he was nominated by the Republican party for the office of sheriff. He had previously been quite active in public matters and an in- fluential party worker and his popularity with the people irrespective of political ties is attested by the fact of his having defeated a very strong opponent by the largest vote ever cast in Antrim county, his majority being greater than that received by any can- didate since the county was organized.
Mr. Crampton served the public with great acceptance and his administration throughout confirmed the wisdom of their choice in his election and justified their con- fidence in his ability and integrity. He dis- charged his official duties fairly and fear- lessly and represented the dignity and majesty of the law in such a determined manner that his name became a terror to evil doers within his jurisdiction, many of whom he ran down and brought before the bar of justice. During his last year as sheriff Mr. Crampton built a large two-story brick busi- ness block in Elk Rapids which he still owns, besides erecting several houses and other edifices in Central Lake. Since the ex- piration of his official term he has devoted his attention chiefly to building and at the present time has several large contracts under way, besides considerable important works of his own in the same line. By the foregoing brief review of his career it is plainly apparent that Mr. Crampton is a man of much more than ordinary energy and en-
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terprise and that he has done much in a material way to advance the varied interests of the flourishing cities to which his indus- trial operations have been principally con- fined. A firm believer in progress, he has put forth his best efforts to promote the growth and development of his part of the state and it is to him and to the public- spirited class to which he belongs that the county of Antrim is indebted for the era of continued prosperity it has enjoyed during the last twenty years and for the proud po- sition it holds among its sister counties of the commonwealth.
Mr. Crampton keeps in close touch with the political issues of the day and as a local leader of his party has rendered valuable service in a number of campaigns, being in- variably chosen a representative to conven- tions and to important places on the various central committees. His fraternal relations are represented by the Masonic and Pythian orders, having been for twenty years an in- fluential member of the former and at this time the latter organization in Bellaire has no more active or capable worker.
Mr. Crampton's marriage was solem- nized on April 29, 1903, with Miss Lena Gorton, of Antrim county, the union being without issue. When elected sheriff the subject moved his family to Bellaire and has since made that city his place of resi- dence. By his thrift in business he has ac- cumulated an ample competence, and his beautiful and attractive home, plentifully supplied with all the necessary conveniences and comforts and not a few of the luxuries of life, is the abode of a generous and refined hospitality as well as one of the popular so- cial centers of Bellaire.
THADDEUS LEWIS, M. D.
The successful and popular physician and surgeon whose career is briefly outlined in the following paragraphs is a native of Canada and was born near Brockville, On- tario, not far from the city of Whitby, in which part of the country he spent the years of his childhood and early youth. At the proper age he entered the public schools, where his progress was rapid and in every respect commendable, and when thirteen years old he began to make his own way in the world by working on a farm, which kind of labor occupied his attention during the ensuing three years, when the educational training received the meanwhile enabled him to secure a license and he engaged in teach- ing.
Dr. Lewis attended school for some time at Uxbridge, Ontario, and at the early age of nineteen entered upon his career as an educator first in the district schools of his native country and later as principal of higher institutions of learning there and in the United States. After teaching about seven years in Ontario he came to Michigan and from 1881 to 1883, inclusive, was principal of the schools of Ironton, during which time he also devoted considerable attention to medicine, the study of which he had pre- viously pursued for about one year in the office of Dr. Reed, of Port Huron. Later he prosecuted his reading and investigations at Charlevoix under the direction of his uncle, Dr. Levi Lewis, who still practices in that city, and his principal object in teaching was to obtain sufficient means to enable him to finish his professional course in the Ben- nett Eclectic Medical College, Chicago, from
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which institution he was graduated with the class of 1884, after achieving an honorable record as a diligent and painstaking student.
On receiving his degree Dr. Lewis opened an office in Boyne Falls, and after practicing for about one year at that place moved to Norwood, Charlevoix county, where he ministered to the ills of suffering humanity until changing his abode to An- trim county, in the year 1897. Since locat- ing in his present field of practice he has built up a large and lucrative professional business and now after a successful career of over twenty years' duration, character- ized by a series of advancements in every branch of his chosen calling, he occupies a prominent position among the leading physi- cians of northern Michigan, being equally skilled in surgery and materia medica, and in the discharge of his duties enjoys the con- fidence of all who profit by his services, be- sides standing high in the esteem of the public as an enterprising and progressive man of affairs. He is devoted to his pro- fession and is a close student of medical science, being familiar with all the latest "discoveries in the same and efficient in the use of modern appliances, having always taken pains to test the value of his profound theoretical knowledge, so as to become in all the term implies a true healer and thus a benefactor of the race. Dr. Lewis came to Antrim county before the founding of Cen- tral Lake but shortly after the advent of the railroad and the laying out of the town, he simply moved a short distance so as to be within the corporate limits, and has since made the beautiful and enterprising little city his place of abode, assisting the mean- while in promoting its growth and develop- ment and giving his encouragement to every
movement for the good of the people, while confining his attention chiefly to his ex- tensive practice which takes a wide range throughout the surrounding territory, he has used his influence to attract people to this fertile and favorable section of the state, believing it to be a safe place for the investment of capital, and having great faith in its future as an important agricultural, industrial and general business center.
Dr. Lewis was married after coming to Central Lake to Miss Ann Pearl, a native of Antrim county and the daughter of Lucius Pearl, one of the pioneers of this part of Michigan, also one of its most energetic and successful business men. Mr. Pearl was for- merly a member of the firm of Adams & Pearl, contractors of the large state ditch in Sanilac county, during the construction of which, in the sixties, he located at Big Shore, or Antrim City, and received as part pay for his labor a grant of four sections of land in what is now Banks township, Antrim county, from which he shipped in an early day an immense amount of cord wood to Chicago, realizing from the sale of the same a fortune which made him one of the wealth- iest men in the northern part of the state. Subsequently he erected two saw mills at Norwood and engaged quite extensively in the manufacture of lumber, which he con- tinued with success and financial profit for seven or eight years, disposing of the busi- ness at the expiration of that time to O. D. Wood, who afterward became associated with Mr. Morris under the firm name of Wood & Morris, by whom the enterprise was conducted until a Mr. Nash became pro- prietor, the last named gentleman operating the mills until their destruction by fire some years ago. Mr. Pearl is still living on his
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farm and at this time is the oldest resident of Antrim county, also one of its most prominent citizens and successful men. He is an authority on all matters relating to the settlement and early history of northern Michigan and to him as much perhaps as to any other man is Antrim county indebted for its industrial prosperity and continuous growth along general business and material lines.
Dr. and Mrs. Lewis have a beautiful home in Central Lake and are popular in the social circles of the town as well as deeply interested in charitable work and benevolent enterprises of whatever name or order. They have no children, but their hospitable residence is ever open to young and old alike and within its walls the guest, whether rich or poor, is sure of a welcome such as only comes from hearts in close touch and sym- pathy with what is noblest, best and most elevating in humanity.
EDMUND. A. FOX.
Edmund A. Fox, dealer in drugs, books, stationery, etc., at Central Lake and one of the town's representative business men, is a native of Shiawassee county, Michigan, and dates his birth from the 8th of March, 1868, having first seen the light of day in Owosso, near which city his father, Chester Fox, a successful farmer and prosperous citizen, still resides. After attending the public schools of the town of Ovid for some time, young Fox entered the Owosso high school and later supplemented the training received in this institution by completing the scientific course in the Northern Indiana Normal
University at Valparaiso, following which he spent one year reading medicine. At the early age of eighteen he began teaching in the public schools of his native county and after devoting his attention to this line of work during the ensuing four winters, he spent one year clerking in a drug store at Elsie, Michigan, thence went to Manistique, in the same state, where he held a similar position for a period of four years.
On September 14, 1892, Mr. Fox con- tracted a matrimonial alliance with Miss Cora B. Sherman, of Ovid, one of his for- mer school mates, and shortly after the mar- riage located at Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, where during the five succeeding years he was a partner in a drug house. During the time noted he applied himself closely to the study of pharmacy and after becoming pro- ficient in every branch of the profession and desiring to establish a business of his own, he severed his connection with his partner and in January, 1899, came to Central Lake, where he opened a drug store, which soon became the most popular and success- ful establishment of the kind in the place. Mr. Fox originally invested in his business" the sum of two thousand dollars, but since then he has added largely to his stock, liis trade the meantime keeping pace with the steady growth of the town, and he now has a large and tastefully arranged store in which are carried full lines of drugs, patent medicines, sundries, also a line of books, stationery, etc., indeed all articles that are usually found in first class drug houses, the whole representing a value far in excess of the amount with which he entered upon his independent career in the business world. Mr. Fox's relations with the public have al- ways been of a most courteous nature and
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to his amiable disposition, eminent social qualities and the ability to win and retain strong personal friendships, are largely due his series of successes in his chosen calling. As already indicated, he is a skillful phar- macist, and keeps in close touch with every- thing relating to his profession, being a close and critical student as well as a careful and judicious business man whose aim is to deal fairly and honorably with customers and always do as he would be done by. In connection with his regular business, he is the local agent for the American Express Company, which position he has held for five years, and which under his efficient man- agement has continued to grow in import- ance until Central Lake now compares with the best minor offices on the line.
Since becoming a resident of Central Lake, Mr. Fox has manifested a lively in- terest in the growth and development of the town, being an influential factor in mu- nicipal affairs, and at different times he has been honored by his fellow citizens with public positions of responsibility and trust. He served three years on the school board and for two years has been a member of the town board of trustees, during which time he has been instrumental in bringing about much important municipal legislation, besides using all honorable efforts to advance the material, social and moral welfare of the community.
Politically Mr. Fox is one of the lead- ing Republicans of Central Lake and as such has rendered valuable service to this party in a number of campaigns. Frater- nally he is identified with the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Pythian brotherhoods, being at the present time chancellor commander of Central Lake Lodge, No. 197, in the last
named order. A prominent feature of Cen- tral Lake business life is the annual street fair organized some years ago and which has since become a very popular and successful innovation, much of this popularity being due to the efforts in its behalf by Mr. Fox, who in the capacity of secretary has done all within his power to make the enterprise accomplish the purposes for which intended. He has also served in the executive depart- ment and in the discharge of his responsible duties keeps in view the good of the town and the entertainment of the people by a means which all good citizens have pro- nounced not only legitimate, but eminently commendable in its every feature. Mr. Fox has been elected by popular vote to the presi- dency of the village and is now serving in that capacity.
Mrs. Fox is popular in the social circles of Central Lake and is also a devoted Chris- tian, and deeply interested in all lines of church and Sunday-school work. She has borne her husband two children, who rejoice in the names of Homer S. and Muriel R.
HOMER & JOHNSON.
Holding worthy prestige among the leading business firms of northern Michigan is that of Homer & Johnson, whose dry- goods house at Central Lake is one of the best known and most popular establishments of the kind in Antrim county. The propri- etors, John F. Homer and Adrain Johnson, enjoy honorable reputations as enterprising, progressive and eminently reliable men in the lines of commerce to which their lives in the main have been spent and since locat-
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ing at their present place of business they have built up, by fair dealing and correct methods, an extensive and lucrative patron- age which in point of magnitude and im- portance compares favorably with that of any other house in this part of the state and which under their able and judicious man- agement is steadily increasing with each suc- ceeding year.
Messrs Homer & Johnson came to Cen- tral Lake in 1899, with the object in view of establishing themselves in the dry-goods trade, the town presenting many favorable advantages for business in the line contem- plated. By years of training in large and well-conducted establishments, both gentle- men became well grounded in the principles and ethics of commercial life, and being young, energetic and activated by a laudable ambition to succeed, they embarked upon their enterprise with sufficient capital to make a substantial beginning and with a lively hope in the future which time has de- monstrated was a valuable financial adjunct to their strength. From the beginning to the present time the firm of Homer & John- son has grown steadily in public favor and their former anticipations have been more than realized in the lucrative and wide range of business they now command. Their stock, which represents a capital consider- ably in excess of $5,000, includes a full line of dry-goods of the latest patterns and de- signs, an ample stock of boots and shoes, fancy goods in quantity to suit the trade and quality satisfactory to the most critical and fastidious tastes, while the general notion department, which is one of the most im- portant features of the establishment, em- braces as complete and diversified assort-
ments of articles in this line as are usually found in the large stores of metropolitan cen- ters. Messrs. Homer & Johnson's annual sales are conservatively estimated at from twelve thousand to fifteen thousand dollars, and judging by the steady growing patron- age in the past it is safe to predict a much greater increase in coming years.
John F. Homer is a native of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, and a representative of one of the sterling old families of that part of the Keystone state. He grew to maturity near the scenes of his birth and when a young man started out to make his own future, going in 1888 to Cheboygan, Michigan, where he obtained his first prac- tical experience in business life as an em- ployee of the McArthur Lumber Company, one of the largest enterprises of the kind in that city. After spending seven years with the above company and filling various im- portant positions, he resigned his place and went into the employ of James Lee ; thence. as already indicated, to Central Lake. the scene of his subsequent rise and progress in the business world, where he has since re- sided and in all probability will continue to reside for many years to come. While in Cheboygan Mr. Homer first met his future partner, Mr. Johnson, and between the two a close intimacy soon sprang up, ripening into a warm personal friendship that has continued to the present time. This meet- ing of kindred spirits, with similar ambi- tions and like high ideals, proved of great advantage in that it enabled the two young men, whose habits and manner of life were strictly alike, to formulate plans for their mutual benefit and to work to greater ad- vantage in a capacity which has since drawn
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them into a business partnership which doubtless will continue as long as they both shall live.
Mr. Homer was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Emma Kuhn, a native of that state, and has a family of three interesting chil- dren, whose names are Floyd, Thelma and Evelyn. Of Mr. Homer personally much in the way of compliment might be said ; as a business man he is straightforward, up- right and the soul of honor ; as a neighbor and citizen he has always lived as nearly as possible in harmony with his high ideals of manly existence and rectitude, being kind and generous in his relations with his friends and associates and progressive to the extent of lending his influence and aid to every worthy object for the good of the community and the advancement of his county and state.
Adrain Johnson, a native of Holland, came to Michigan at the age of fourteen and entered a mercantile house in Kala- mazoo, where he laid the foundation upon which his subsequent career as a business man rests. From that city he afterwards went to Cheboygan, where for a period of thirteen years he held an important clerk- ship in a hardware store, during which time he not only gained the confidence and esteem of his employers and made rapid advance- ment in the different lines of mercantile life, but also became a skillful judge of human nature and tactful in his relations with the public. both of which enter very largely into the career of every successful man of af- fairs. The meeting of Mr. Johnson and his future partner while at Cheboygan and the acquaintance which ripening into a strong personal friendship, finally culminating in the mutual interests of a business partner-
ship, has already been described, and it only remains to be stated that the latter relation is destined to continue until the house of which these two gentlemen are proprietors becomes the oldest, as it is now one of the largest and most successful mercantile enter- prises of the kind in the county.
Like his associate, Mr. Johnson is es- sentially an up-to-date man, alive to the needs of the times and with a safe conserv- atism that forbids undue haste in matters of business, possesses a truly progressive spirit and a clearness of judgment which enables him to lay his plans judiciously and to fore- see with remarkable accuracy the future out- come of present action. With his partner, he is interested in the Central Lake Canning Company, both being stockholders in the concern, and his name is generally found in connection with public enterprises which make for the material advancement of the town and the general welfare of the people. Messrs. Homer and Johnson opened a branch store at South Frankport, Benzie county, in March, 1903, Mr. Johnson having charge, where he has taken up his residence. This is also a general store and is being conducted on the same broad principles which have built up the home store. Like the majority of wide awake men in nearly every community, Mr. Johnson is a believer and zealous worker in secret fraternities and benevolent organizations, to several of which he be- longs.
MR. AND MRS. R. T. SISLEY.
Mrs. R. T. Sisley, whose maiden name was Permelia J. Clow, is a native of Canada and one of a family of eleven children, four
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sons and seven daughters, whose parents were Robert and Eliza (Wooley) Clow. She was reared and educated in the land of her birth and at the age of twenty-two became the wife of William Sliter, of Canada, with whom she removed to Antrim county, Michigan, after the birth of her two oldest children, her parents having preceded her to this part of the state two years before. .
Mr. Sliter took up a homestead of one hundred acres near Central Lake, which with the assitance of his young wife he at once proceeded to improve, working between times at carpentry, by means of which he earned sufficient money to clothe his family and buy such necessities as the farm did not produce. He was an energetic, hard work- ing man, and labored earnestly to clear his farm and provide comfortably for the loved ones dependent upon him. He had his work well in hand and the future looked bright and promising when he fell a victim to ty- phoid fever, dying at the early age of twenty-six years, leaving a widow and three children and a farm which had not yet been proven up. After the death of the husband, Mrs. Sliter took charge of the homestead and, in addition to attending to her house- hold duties and caring for her children, man- aged the farm so successfully that she was enabled to meet the indebtedness promptly as the payments came. During the years of her widowhood her life was a ceaseless round of activity and to her credit be it said that she neglected no duty, but cheerfully faced the future, lived well and added greatly to the value of her home. After living in this way for six years, she married R. T. Sisley, a native of England who came to Antrim county in 1877, as a teacher, and who at once took charge of the farm and
carried on the work of its improvement so auspiciously begun. The place, being con- tiguous to Central Lake, increased in value with the growth and development of the town and surrounding country, and in due time the corporation was extended so as to include the greater part of the homestead. When this was done, Mr. Sisley platted an addition to the town which he sold by lots, at good prices. The present area of the farm is eighty-seven acres. Mr. and Mrs. Sisley have a beautiful and attractive home and from the products of their highly cultivated farm, much of which is planted with the finest varieties of fruits, realize a liberal in- come, being at this time among the finan- cially well-to-do people of the community, as well as members of the best social circles of the place.
By her former marriage Mrs. Sisley, as already stated, had three children, the oldest of whom, Ella L. Sliter, is now the wife of Prof. Anson Caviness, superintendent of the public schools of Fairbury, Nebraska. Dur- ing her young girlhood and womanhood Mrs. Caviness was also a teacher and from her fifteenth year until her marriage, at the age of twenty-two, was engaged in educa- tional work in Antrim county, many of her pupils having been her former companions and schoolmates. Robert Sliter, the second in order of birth, went to California when a young man to engage in mining, and died at the age of twenty-seven while pursuing that vocation. Herbert W. Sliter, the youngest of the family, is employed in the large lumber business at Pellston, Michigan, but makes his home with his mother. Mrs. Sisley is active in religious and benevolent work, and with her husband is prominent in the National Protective Legion, having
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