Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 98

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

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progressive in his policy of effecting local improvements, particularly the streets of the town, while he was unequivocally opposed to extravagance in municipal expenditures and to the assuming of bonded indebtedness. He took the same personal interest in con- serving municipal economy and good man- agement that he did in his private affairs, and when a source of supply was sought in securing gravel for the improvements of the streets the chief executive himself secured a spade and personally sought out a gravel pit, this act being typical of his energetic and practical administration. His independence and determination were ever in evidence in his executive career, and while he was ready at all times to listen and give heed to counsel he held close to his rigid line of procedure after having once determined the proper course of action. A rather secondary inci- dent may be noted in proof of this assertion. While Mr. Rayfuse was president of the village a certain dog and pony show set up its tents partly in the street and refused to vacate when ordered by the president. He then ordered out the fire department, laid the hose and protected his men while they tore down the tents, the show finally taking its departure without giving an exhibition. This determination in standing to his colors is typical and characteristic of the subject of this sketch, and his integrity, his honesty of purpose and his stanch loyalty have been the attributes which have gained and re- tained to him the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens and all others with whom he has come in contact. He is identified with the local organizations of a number of the fraternal orders, notably the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained to the chivalric degrees, being a member of Pil-

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grim Commandery, No. 34, Knights Tem- plar, while he is also affiliated with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and other local soci- eties.

On the 18th of June, 1878, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Rayfuse to Miss Delia Reiley, of Reed City, the place of her nativity having been the state of New York, whence she came with her parents to Michi- gan when a child. Mr. and Mrs. Rayfuse became the parents of eight children, name- ly : Bernard W., Ida M. (deceased), Leon- ard J. (deceased), Mary M., William C. Maudie C. (deceased), Gracie (deceased), and Eva K.

CHARLES W. PERRY.

Clare county has its full quota of able lawyers, and among the most prominent and honored representatives of the profession here is Mr. Perry, who is to be considered as one of the pioneers of the county, where he has maintained his residence for more than a quarter of a century, impressing his forceful individuality upon the public, civic and business affairs of this favored section and ever retaining the confidence and es- teem of his fellow men, and is recognized as one of the town's most loyal and public- spirited citizens.

Like the majority of those who have at- tained prestige in the learned professions in America, Mr. Perry was born and reared on a farm, the place of his nativity having been the parental homestead in Davison township, Genesee county, Michigan, where he was born on the IIth of April, 1846.

He is a son of Edmund and Clarissa G. (Wilson) Perry, the former of whom was born in Avon, Livingston county, New York, and the latter in the state of Vermont, while both families were established in America in the colonial epoch of our na- tional history. The paternal grandfather of our subject likewise bore the name of Ed- mund, and he came with his family to Michi- gan in 1826, before the state was admitted . to the Union, thus becoming one of the early pioneers of this great commonwealth. He settled at Grand Blanc, Genesee county, the family being the second to take up per- manent residence in said county. He re- claimed a farm in the midst of the virgin forest and there passed the remainder of his long and useful life, being summoned to his reward at the venerable age of eighty-five years. The father of our subject became one of the prosperous and influential farm- ers of Genesee county, where he passed prac- tically his entire life and where he com- manded the most unqualified confidence and esteem, by reason of his sterling attributes of character. He died at the old home, in Davison township, in March, 1903, hav- ing attained to the patriarchal age of eighty- eight years. His devoted wife was sum- moned into eternal rest in 1894, at the age of eighty-two years. Of their seven chil- dren six are living, the subject of this re- view having been the third in order of birth.

Charles W. Perry was reared to the sturdy and invigorating discipline of the farm and in the meanwhile duly availed him- self of the advantages afforded in the com- mon schools of his native county. Of alert mentality and marked ambition, he early formulated plans for his future career, de-

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termining to prepare himself for the profes- sion of the law. He carried forward his lit- erary studies to a proper standpoint and then began the work of technical discipline, finally entering the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1877, being admitted the previous autumn to the bar of his native state. In June of the same year, immediately after his graduation, Mr. Perry came to Clare county and located in Clare, which was then scarcely more than a primitive backwoods hamlet, and here he established himself in the practice of his chosen profession, hav- ing been one of the first members of the bar to locate here. With the development of the country his prestige increased and success attended his efforts from the start. He holds precedence as one of the representative members of his profession in this section of the state and has had to do with much of the important litigation of the courts of the county, while he is recognized as a particu- larly strong trial lawyer and safe and con- servative counsellor, being a close student and one who is well grounded in the minu- tiae of the great science of jurisprudence. Mr. Perry has ever maintained a deep in- terest in all that has concerned the welfare of his home town and county and his aid and influence have been given unreservedly in support of all measures and enterprises tending to conserve civic and material ad- vancement. In March, 1885, Mr. Perry became associated with William Wolsey and C. H. Sutherland in the organization of the Clare County Bank, which continued opera- tion most successfully until July, 1891, when it was merged into the Clare County Sav- ings Bank, which was at that time organ-

ized and incorporated. William Wolsey was the first president of the new institution and held this executive office until Mr. Perry was chosen president, an incumbency which he has ever since retained, directing the affairs of the bank with utmost discrim- ination and judgment.

In politics Mr. Perry is a stanch advo- cate of the principles and policies of the Democratic party and he has taken an active interest in the promotion of its cause, though he has never been ambitious for the honors or emoluments of public office. Upon the incorporation of the city of Clare, he was elected its first mayor, and proving a most loyal, progressive and popular chief execu- tive of the municipal government. He has been interested in many local business enter- prises, to which he has given both financial support and personal influence. He was president of the Clare Wooden Ware Com- pany until the business of the same was closed out, and is now president of the Clare Furnace Company. For more than a score of years Mr. Perry has been a member of the board of education of Clare, and in this connection his services have been of great value in forwarding the cause of education through the providing of proper facilities and the securing of able instructors. Mr. Perry is the owner of one hundred and forty acres of valuable land in Vernon town- ship. Isabella county, the place being equip- ped with the best of permanent improve- ments, including good modern buildings. The land was cleared under his direction, having been covered with the stumps of the original pine trees at the time when he se- cured possession of the same, and at the present time about eighty acres of the tract are under a high state of cultivation, while

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the land is effectually drained by about one and one-fourth miles of tile. On this farm Mr. Perry is giving special attention to the breeding of Shropshire sheep of the high- est type, having at the time of this writing thirty breeding ewes, all registered stock. Mr. Perry has traveled somewhat exten- sively, having visited the various portions of the United States and in 1903, in company with Mrs. Perry, made a trip through Mex- ico, while in 1900 he made a three months' tour of Europe.

In Clare, on the 26th of November, 1879, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Perry to Mrs. Elizabeth A. Merrill, nee Hawkins, who was born and reared in Ann Arbor, this state, being a daughter of Jabez Haw- kins, who passed the closing years of his life in Gratiot county. Mrs. Perry has one daughter, born of the first marriage, Win- nie, who is now the wife of Wm. K. Tasker, superintendent of telegraph lines of the Pere Marquette Railroad, with headquarters in Detroit. Mr. and Mrs. Perry have no chil- dren. They are prominent in the social life of their home town, and their attractive resi- dence is a center of gracious hospitality.

JOHN W. CALKINS.

The well-known and popular proprietor of the Hotel Calkins, at Clare, figures as the subject of this brief sketch, and in a prefa- tory way it may be said that his is the dis- tinction of being at the present time the old- est settler of the town, there being no resi- dent of the place now living here whose ar- rival in the village antedates his. Mr. Calk- ins is a man of genial nature and sterling

attributes of character, and as a citizen and business man he is held in the highest es- teem in the community which has so long been his home, while he has done his share in promoting the advancement and material prosperity of the community.

Mr. Calkins is a native of the Wolverine state, having been born in Eaton county, Michigan, on the 22d of June, 1846, and be- ing a son of Elias B. and Lemira Calkins, both of whom passed the closing years of their lives in Isabella county, this state, the father having been a farmer by vocation. When our subject was a lad of eight years his parents removed to Ohio, where they continued to reside until 1861, in which year he accompanied them on their return to Michigan, the family settling in Isabella county, where Mr. Calkins continued to re- side until the time of locating in Clare. His educational advantages had been such as were afforded in the common schools, and while residing in Ohio he learned the tin- ner's trade, becoming a competent workman when still a youth. Upon locating in Isa- bella county he set to himself the task of clearing a tract of land and opening a farm for his father, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres. He and his brothers con- tinued to devote their attention to the im- proving and cultivation of this place until 1870, in which year he first took up his abode in Clare county. Upon coming here he secured employment with the firm of Patt & Baker, contractors, who were en- gaged in constructing a portion of the line of what is now known as the Pere Marquette Railroad. He continued with this firm about six months, working in the vicinity of Farwell, but so annoying became the rav- ages of the mosquitoes in the forests that

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the workmen found it almost impossible to continue their labors, Mr. Calkins acknowl- edging himself defeated by the tiny foe and returning to his home in Isabella county. Late in the autumn of the same year he re- turned to Clare county, intending to again engage in railroad work, but upon his arri- val he found a party of surveyors who were engaged in laying out the plat of the pros- pective village of Clare. Mr. Calkins can- vassed the situation and finally decided to purchase a lot in the new town, the site be- ing at the time covered with the dense growth of native timber. He paid fifty dol- lars for this lot, which lies at the foot of McEwan street and which is now one of the most valuable properties in the central por- tion of the town. Shortly after securing this lot Mr. Calkins entered into a contract to erect a store building for Peter Callam, who had likewise purchased a lot and who had decided to open a general store, though there were but few settlers in the county. Our subject had natural mechanical ability and had worked at the carpenter's trade to a certain extent, so that he felt himself justi- fied in entering into the contract noted. He returned to Isabella county and secured his tools, and upon coming again to Clare insti- tuted at once the erection of the store foi Mr. Callam, who was one of the first to set- tle in the town and who served as the first postmaster here. The store opened in the building mentioned was the first in the vil- lage. After completing his contract Mr. Calkins returned to the lumber woods where for a time he was engaged in manufacturing drays and sleighs for B. C. Freeze, near Loomis. A few months later he returned to Clare and built a store on his lot, hauling the lumber for the same from Mt. Pleasant, a

distance of fifteen miles. The building was sixty by twenty-two feet in dimensions and was practically the best in town, and after the same was completed Mr. Calkins found his available cash capital reduced to forty dollars. As has been noted, he had learned the tinner's trade in his youth, and with his set of tools he opened a tin shop in the rear portion of his building, and thus became one of the pioneer business men of the town. He was desirous of putting in a stock of hardware, but how to secure the same with his small capital was the problem which faced him. He made a trip to Detroit, but was not successful in securing the necessary goods from the dealers there. He then made his way to Saginaw, where he made a vigorous effort and finally secured a stock of goods to the value of eight hundred dol- lars, mainly on credit. He shipped his stock to Clare and opened his hardware store, the first in the town. He finished off a small room in his building and there established his sleeping apartment and domestic do- main, doing his own cooking and catering for nearly a year. It may be noted that his accommodations were far different than he is now able to offer his many patrons in his fine hotel. His business increased in scope and importance with the settling of the town and surrounding country, and after five years had elapsed he found it expedient to secure larger quarters. He accordingly erected a new store building just opposite his old stand, and there he continued in busi- ness until the autumn of 1883. when he sold out. He had accumulated several thousand dollars during his business operations here, and after disposing of his local interests he removed to Arizona, where he engaged in the cattle business, in which he continued

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until 1890, having met with fair success in his operations. In the year last mentioned he sold out his interests in Arizona and re- turned to his old home in Michigan, the at- tractions of Clare being sufficient to call him again to the place. He was urged to build a hotel here, and after due consideration de- termined to carry forward this enterprise. Within the same year he began the erection of his present attractive and substantial hotel building, which was completed at a cost of somewhat more than twenty thousand dol- lars and which is one of the best in the northern part of the state. The hotel has forty guest rooms and the appointments throughout are thoroughly modern, while the excellence of the cuisine and other de- partments of the service make the hotel most popular with the traveling public, while it is a credit to the town and to its honored owner and proprietor, Mr. Calkins having personally conducted the business from the time of the opening of the hotel.

In politics Mr. Calkins accords an un- wavering allegiance to the Republican party, and he has ever shown a lively inter- est in public affairs of a local nature, while he has been called upon to serve in various township and county offices, his preferment in the connection showing the confidence and esteem in which he is held in the com- munity. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity and with the Knights of Pythias, and is distinctively popular in both business and social circles.

In Clare, on the 25th of February, 1871, Mr. Calkins was united in marriage to Miss Mary Callam, daughter of the late Peter Callam, of whom mention has been made in preceding paragraphs. She was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, on the 12th of

September, 1850, and passed her youthful years there and in Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Calkins became the parents of two children, a daughter who died in infancy, and Charles W., who is engaged in the hardware busi- ness in Clare, being one of the able and popular young men of this city.

IRVIN CHASE.

In an analysis of the character of this well known and honored citizen of Evart, Osceola county, we find the qualities of up- right manhood,-loyalty in citizenship, reli- ability in business, and conscientiousness in the discharge of the duties of private and public life,-and these are so combined as to make his a strong personality, commanding respect and confidence. Mr. Chase has been a resident of Evart for more than thirty . years and during this long period he has been actively identified with business and civic affairs, being at the present time jus- tice of the peace and was also representative of Osceola township on the board of county supervisors.

Mr. Chase was born in Walden, Orange county, New York, on the 27th of June, 1851, and is a son of Asahel and Mary W. (Van Amburg) Chase, both families having been founded in America in the colonial epoch of our national history. They passed the closing years of their lives in Evart, hav- ing come here in 1876, and the death of the honored father occurred in June, 1886. while his wife was summoned to the life eternal in April, 1879. Of their three chil- dren our subject was the second in order of birth. Irvin Chase passed his youthful

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years in the old Empire state, in whose com- mon schools he secured his early educational training, and there he continued to be identi- fied with agricultural pursuits until 1868, when he came to Michigan and located in the city of Saginaw, and was variously occu- pied until the last two and one-half years prior to 1873, when he held a clerical posi- tion in the office of the city clerk. Then he came to Osceola county and took up his resi- dence in Evart, where he has ever since maintained his home and where he has been prominently identified with the advancement and material upbuilding of the town. Mr. Chase virtually founded the Evart Review, one of the pioneer newspapers of the county, continuing as its editor and publisher until 1880. when he disposed of the property and turned his attention to clerical work of var- ied orders. During the administration of President Harrison he served four years as deputy postmaster, and since 1899 he has been engaged in the real-estate and insur- ance business, having built up a profitable enterprise and receiving ,a representative support. He has served most efficiently as justice of the peace for the past several years, and his decision in the matters brought before him for adjudication have been signally fair and impartial, while his advice has been such as to bring about the settlement of many difficulties without re- course to expensive litigation. In 1901 he was elected supervisor of Osceola township, and in this office he has been faithful and alert in protecting and furthering the best' interests of his township and of the county at large. He has been prominently con- cerned in village affairs since 1877 and has served as township and village clerk. In politics Mr. Chase is a stalwart advocate of

the principles of the Republican party, with which he has been identified from the time of attaining his legal majority, his first pres- idential vote having been cast for U. S. Grant. He is the owner of a considerable amount of real estate in the village and county and also handles properties for oth- ers. In a fraternal way Esquire Chase is affiliated with Evart Lodge, No. 320, Free and Accepted Masons, and Evart Chapter, No. 97, Royal Arch Masons. In Saginaw, this state, on the 29th of February, 1876, Mr. Chase was united in marriage to Miss Libbie Fishpool, and they have one child, Homer, who is now engaged in electrical work at Evart.

DAN L. DUMOND, M. D.

The medical profession in Osceola county has an able representative in the sub- ject of this review, who is to be considered as one of the pioneer physicians and sur- geons of this favored section of the state, where he has been established in practice for more than a quarter of a century. He main- tains his home in the attractive little city of Evart, with whose civic and social affairs he has been closely identified, and he con- trols a large and representative practice throughout this section of the county, where he is held in the highest esteem as a physi- cian and as a public-spirited and loyal citi- zen.

Dr. Dumond was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, on the 9th of Septem- ber, 1843, and is of French and English genealogy. He is a son of John F .. and Sarah ( Rice) Dumond, both of whom were

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likewise natives of Canada, and in 1847 they came from the dominion to Michigan and located in Ionia county, where the father purchased land and developed a good farm, having been one of the early settlers of that section of the state. There he and his noble wife passed the remainder of their lives, his death occurring in 1886, while she was summoned to eternal rest in 1893. Of their seven children five are living, the Doctor having been the second in order of birth.

Dr. Dumond was reared to the invigor- ating discipline of the old homestead farm, and his rudimentary education was received in the district schools of Ionia county, while he later attended the public schools in the city of Ionia. When eighteen years of age, in pursuance of his cherished ambition, he took up the study of medicine under the pre- ceptorship of the late Dr. Charles W. Dolly. of Smyrna, Ionia county, with whom he con- tinued for two years, making marked ad- vancement in the acquirement of the requis- ite technical and practical knowledge. He was then matriculated in the medical depart- ment of the fine old University of Michigan, where he completed the prescribed course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1867, receiving his coveted and well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine. He initiated the practice of his chosen profession by locating in the village of Smyrna, in his home county, and there successfully contin- ued until February, 1872, when he came to Osceola county and took up his residence in Evart, which was then a small and unpre- tentious village but one which promised much for the future. Here he has ever since been engaged in general practice as a physi- cian and surgeon, having gained and main-

tained a strong hold upon popular confidence and regard and having a clientage of distinc- tively representative character. The Doctor is a close and enthusiastic student of his pro- fession and through recourse to the best standard and periodical literature pertaining thereto keeps in touch with the advances made in the sciences of medicine and sur- gery, while he has accomplished valuable re- sults through original research and investi- gation. He is a member of the Michigan State Medical Society and the Osceola County Medical Society, and takes an active interest in the work of each. He has held the office of county physician for the past twenty-eight years, and his long retention in the position indicates the estimate placed upon his services in the connection. In poli- tics we find him stanchly arrayed as a sup- porter of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and while he has never been ambitious for public office he has taken a lively interest in local affairs and has served eighteen years as a member of the vil- lage council. while for four years of this period he was president of the board of trus- tees and fourteen years a member of the council. Fraternally he is affiliated with Evart Lodge, No. 320, Free and Accepted Masons: and with Evart Chapter, No. 97. Royal Arch Masons.

In Ionia county, on the Ist of May, 1869, Dr. Dumond was united in marriage to Miss Rosella Purdy, who was born in the state of New York, whence her parents removed to Ionia county, Michigan, when she was a child. Dr. and Mrs. Dumond have one son, Charles A., who was born on the 15th of August. 1873, and who is now engaged in farming near Evart.

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Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 98

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