USA > Michigan > Kent County > Grand Rapids > Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan: History and Account of Their Progress from First. Vol. II > Part 19
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always been a stalwart Republican. Mr. Graham is a member of the Association of Commerce, belongs to the various Masonic bodies and the Elks, and is a member of the Highlands Country club and the Peninsular club. He was a charter member of old Company I, Mich- igan National Guard. The marriage of Mr. Graham occurred Sept. 1, 1880, when he was united with Anna, daughter of Wendell and Armina (Summer) Gross, of Rockford, Mich. Their daughter, Jose- phine, is the wife of Ezra Hebard, a prosperous agriculturist of Walker township.
Grand Rapids Brush Company .- Founded more than forty-five years ago, during which period its business has shown a steady and consistent growth, the Grand Rapids Brush Company furnishes a good example of Middle-Western initiative and enterprise. From its inception it has had connected with it business people of recog- nized standing and ability, and the substantial reputation which it has earned is based upon a policy of honorable methods, making it typically representative of the manufacturing interests that have given Grand Rapids its recognized prestige among American manu- facturing cities. The Grand Rapids Brush Company came into ex- istence in 1873, when a company was formed with a capital stock of $50,000, the first list of officials being A. B. Watson, president; Juli- us Berkey, vice-president; W. M. Clark, secretary, and O. R. Wil- marth, treasurer. The concern started operations in the old Powers building, but by 1880 the business had increased to such an extent that it was found necessary to seek larger quarters and eventually the present building on Front street, corner of Pearl, or rather the origi- nal part of it, was erected. Since then various additions and changes have been made in the structure to modernize it and take care of increased trade. In 1884 N. L. Amy succeeded to the vice-presidency and J. A. McKee assumed the dual duties of secretary and treasurer, and subsequently the capital stock was increased to $75,000. J. D. M. Shirts became treasurer and general manager of the company in 1891 and held those positions for eighteen years, or until his death, which occurred May 10, 1909. In the same year that Mr. Shirts as- sumed his official duties, S. S. Gay became vice-president and held that office continuously until his death, Oct. 26, 1907. In 1909 Julius Berkey, who had succeeded to the presidency, also passed away, and a new list of officials were elected, as follows: C. C. Converse, presi- dent ; J. A. Covode, vice-president ; J. E. Coulter, treasurer and man- ager, and Mrs. Kathryn Estes Greene, secretary. These officials still remain, with the exception of the treasurer and general manager, who is H. M. Barnes. The company has always been fortunate in securing men for its employ who have been loyal to the interests of the organization and who have made its fortunes their own. An ex- ample is found in James F. Smith, an expert brush-maker, who came from the East about 1878, joined the company, became manager of the hand-drawn brush department, and remained with the concern for nearly forty years. In 1892 the company began making machine- made brushes, and its product now includes hair, bath, flesh, face, nail, clothes, shoe, hat and horse brushes, with the entire United States as its market. The capital stock of the company is now $100,- 000, and 150 people are employed in the plant, while four traveling salesmen represent the concern on the road. In its personnel the
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company is represented by leading business citizens of Grand Rap- ids ; in its product it furnishes proof that the best goods obtainable can be manufactured in this city, and in its policies and manner of operation it contributes in full measure to the reputation for honor- able dealing that has gained Grand Rapids firms the confidence of the trade throughout the country.
Grand Rapids Fancy Furniture Company .- In the field of furni- ture manufacturing, Grand Rapids has gained a reputation second to none in the country. So famous has it become, indeed, that its recognized nickname is the Furniture City, an appellation that it has won and deserves. In the furniture manufacturing industry here, therefore, there are found enterprises devoted to every branch of the business, for in this field of endeavor, just as in others, specializing plays a large and important part. Of the concerns which have de- voted themselves in recent years to some particular branch of the business, one which is successfully following out the policy adopted at inception some twenty-five years ago, is the Grand Rapids Fancy Furniture Company, the name of which suggests its line. This con- cern was founded in 1892 by David E. Uhl, who started his first modest factory on Pearl street, but seven years later was compelled to seek larger quarters and came to his present vicinity on Hall street, S. W. The business has continued to grow and develop under the able management of Mr. Uhl, who continues as owner of the company, and the concern now has two large buildings, one 60x200 feet, three floors, and one 50x300 feet, one floor, wherein more than 100 skilled mechanics are employed. Seven traveling salesmen are maintained on the road, their territory being the entire United States. The product of the concern, which finds a ready and appreciative market throughout the country, consists of all kinds of fancy furni- ture, with a specialty being made of bookcases, desks and music cab- inets. Mr. Uhl has developed a large and successful business from small beginnings and is considered one of the men to whom Grand Rapids owes its prestige in the furniture trade.
William A. Greeson .- It is the judgment of his co-laborers in the work of public education at Grand Rapids that William A. Gree- son is entitled to be numbered among the men who have founded and fostered the best principles of the present excellent school system of the city. Originally coming to Grand Rapids in 1881, much of his earlier training was secured here, and, when he returned to the city after a protracted stay at Chicago, had attained mature manhood and ripe experience, and was admirably fitted to take a conspicuous part in fostering the common school system, and to throw himself, body and soul, into the work of establishing special institutions for the education of the wards of the city and state. It can be said of him in the retrospect of his career at Grand Rapids, that the superintend- ent of public schools has impressed himself upon the life and insti- tutions of the city in a manner alike creditable to himself and pro- ductive of lasting benefit to the community. William A. Greeson was born Jan. 30, 1853, at Alto, Howard county, Indiana, a son of David and Mary (Hodges) Greeson, natives of North Carolina. His parents, who are both deceased, passed the greater part of their lives on their Indiana farm, and there their son was reared amid agri- cultural surroundings. He was six years old when he began to at-
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tend the district schools of Howard county, going about three months during each winter term, and that part of his education was prac- tically finished by the time he was fourteen years old. He next at- tended the public schools of Kokomo, following which he pursued a course of two years at Howard College, and after he had taught school for a time entered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, for further preparation for his chosen vocation of educator. After a short period, however, Mr. Greeson left the Ohio institution and resumed his studies at the Indiana University, remaining one term, and then, at Ann Arbor, during one year, took special studies in high school work. Upon his graduation from the high school in June, 1875, he entered the University of Michigan, in the arts de- partment, where he made an especially brilliant record, in three and one-half years completing the regular five-year course and being graduated with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts. After one and one-half years as principal of the Flint High School, in 1881 Mr. Greeson came to Grand Rapids and in June, 1885, be- came principal of the high school here. In that earlier period of the city's school system he was executive head of the high school for eleven years, but in 1896 went to Chicago to become dean of Lewis Institute and professor of mathematics. Returning to Grand Rapids in 1906, he took charge of the entire city school system, and has con- tinued to act in that capacity to the present time. One can readily imagine the weight of responsibility and the engrossing attention to detail which the management of the public schools of a great and growing city entail upon one who has a conscientious desire to make them practically efficient for the proper training of the youth in knowledge and morality. Having early recognized the unfortunate situation of the mentally defective children in Grand Rapids, Mr. Greeson set about to remedy the conditions with the result that the city has separate schools for those pupils under specially trained teachers. And those children are not subjected to the annoyance which was their lot under the former system; and the result of this forward movement is seen in the great mental improvement of these children. And in the matter of children who have failed to advance with the years, he has developed the plan of having special teachers for them. This plan obtains in all schools where this class of pupils are found in sufficient numbers to form classes. These are two of the many really important features that Mr. Greeson has introduced into the school system of Grand Rapids and they tend to show that edu- cation for all children to the full extent of their capacity is the desider- atum. Mr. Greeson is a Republican, and his religious connection is with the Congregational church. His office is situated in the City Hall. Mr. Greeson was married, Jan. 3, 1892, to Mrs. Emma Lyon Withey, widow of Edward Withey and daughter of T. Hawley Lyon, who was at one time proprietor of the leading hotel of Grand Rapids. Mrs. Greeson died, Feb. 7, 1893. By her first marriage she had two children: Marian, who is the wife of C. N. Adams, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Edward L., who is connected with the Michigan Trust Company at Grand Rapids.
Charles L. Grinnell .- While changes have taken place in the nom- enclature of different important business houses of Grand Rapids, many of them are in reality the same concerns that were founded in
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the early days of the city's history, and some have the advantage of being governed by members of the same family who were originally responsible for their establishment. The advantages of such condi- tions are easy to determine, and are generally recognized, for interest is always sustained and old standards maintained when no radical changes have been effected in the management. Among other houses of this kind in Grand Rapids is the Grinnell-Row Company, insurance dealers, which is not only a leader in its line in the state, but is the outgrowth of the insurance business established in the city in 1875 by the late Henry Grinnell. Charles L. Grinnell, member of the pres- ent firm, was born at Grand Rapids, Mich., Aug. 12, 1858, a son of Henry and Henrietta S. (Squier) Grinnell. His father was born at Rochester, N. Y., and his mother at Penn Yan, that state, and both died at Grand Rapids, the former in October and the latter in Septem- ber, 1904. About the year 1850 Henry Grinnell came to Grand Rapids and engaged in buying wheat, but after his marriage, in 1857, turned his attention to the milling business, to which he gave his attention for some years. In the meantime he became interested in insurance, and in 1875 founded the present business, in a modest way. When his second son, Henry, Jr., reached manhood, he was admitted to partner- ship and the business became H. Grinnell & Son, this style being maintained until about 1887, when the younger man left the concern and was succeeded by Charles L. Grinnell. He remained with his fa- ther until the latter's death. Henry Grinnell, the elder, was a member of the Congregational church. In politics he supported the Demo- cratic party, and took some interest in public affairs, serving for sev- eral years as a county supervisor. He and Mrs. Grinnell were the parents of three children : Charles L., Henry, Jr., who is now a resi- dent of Washington, and John, deceased. Charles L. Grinnell attended the public schools of Grand Rapids until he was seventeen years of age, at which time he secured a position with the old First National Bank of Grand Rapids, continuing in the employ of that institution until joining his father in the insurance business. After his father's death, in 1904, he continued the enterprise alone for about two years, when Frank G. Row, formerly of Lansing, Mich., and an experienced insurance man, joined him, the business then becoming Grinnell-Row Company. Three years later W. L. P. Althouse was admitted to partnership and the firm style of Grinnell-Row-Althouse Company was adopted, but Jan. 1, 1917, the last named left the concern, which then reverted to its old style of Grinnell-Row Company, and the busi- ness was incorporated with a capital of $50,000, the following being the present officers : C. L. Grinnell, president; L. G. Withey, vice- president ; F. G. Row, secretary and treasurer. This agency is now one of the largest in the state of Michigan, employing twelve office people, two salesmen on the road and two in Grand Rapids, and occu- pies rooms 102, 103, 104 and 105, Michigan Trust building. All kinds of insurance is written, including fire, compensation, liability, auto- mobile, property damage, collision, burglary, boiler, use and occu- pancy, sprinkler leakage, water damage, surety bonds, accident, health, disability, plate glass, parcels post, registered mail, fly wheel, tourists, transit, tornado and fidelity bonds. Among the companies which it represents are Atlas of England, Caledonia of Scotland, American Eagle of New York, German Alliance of New York, Home of New
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York, Liverpool, London & Globe of England, Mercantile of New York, New Hampshire of New Hampshire, Pennsylvania of Pennsyl- vania, National Union of Pittsburg, Phoenix of Hartford, Conn., Springfield Fire & Marine of Massachusetts, New York Underwriters' Agency of Hartford, Mechanics & Traders of New Orleans, West- chester of New York, Inter-State of Detroit, Franklin of Philadelphia, Federal of New York, Aetna Life of Hartford and Aetna Accident, Liability and Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford; also the Hartford Steam Boiler and Inspection Company of Hartford, Conn .; these concerns having combined assets of over $500,000,000. Mr. Grinnell is a Democrat, but has not sought political or public honors, preferring to give his attention to his large business interests and to show his good citizenship by supporting good men and beneficial movements. He belongs to the Owashtanong, Peninsular and Kent County clubs and to the Association of Commerce. Mr. Grinnell was married, Oct. 8, 1884, to Meena, daughter of Frank G. and Amanda Baker, of Detroit, and they have three children: Olive, who is the wife of A. H. Merrill, of Hartford, Conn .; Ruth, and Henry, who is a graduate of Princeton in the class of 1916, and now is in the United States navy.
Joseph G. Griswold .- In preparing a work in which appear the representative men in various walks of life in Kent county and Grand Rapids, it is found that the name of Joseph G. Griswold is one that impels more than passing notice. Mr. Griswold is one of the essen- tially active men of Grand Rapids, and the fact that he has not over- looked his opportunities is shown by his being a member of the promi- nent Widdicomb Furniture Company at an age when many men are just getting their start. He has spent his entire career in the furniture trade and few men have had a more thorough schooling in this field of activity. Mr. Griswold was born at Vermontville, Mich., Feb. 16, 1881, son of William M. and Rose (Loring) Griswold. He was given ordinary educational advantages in his youth, and after his graduation in the high school at Vermontville, in 1899, he came to Grand Rapids. It is a curious and interesting coincidence to note that he gained his first business experience with the firm of which he was later to be- come a member. At that time Mr. Griswold remained with the con- cern for only two years, and then went to Chicago, where he accepted a position with the Tobey Furniture Company, with which house he remained eight years. When he returned to Grand Rapids, as he did in 1909, he entered the employ of the Grand Rapids Chair Company and Imperial Furniture Company, where he still furthered his ex- perience, and then took the opportunity presented him of being con- nected as a partner with the Widdicomb Furniture Company. This was in December, 1915, and since that time Mr. Griswold has been an active factor in furthering the company's prosperity. Mr. Griswold's success has been the sequence of the gradual unfolding of his native powers and their development, and close application, indefatigable energy, integrity and determination have contributed toward consti- tuting the foundation of his achievements. He is a Republican, but his activities in political matters are mainly confined toward the exercising of his franchise as a voter and he has had no public aspira- tions. His social connections are with the Peninsular, Owashtanong, Kent Country, and Schubert clubs. Mr. Griswold was married, Oct.
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25, 1911, in Chicago, to Miss Marguerite Hurd, of that city, and of this union have come three children, all living: Joseph G., Jr., born April 19, 1914, and William and Mary, twins, born April 13, 1917.
John G. Gronberg .- The average American home is one in which an air of material comfort is a prevailing note. According to indi- vidual choice and plethoric or meager purse, the furniture may be simple or ornate, but through the manufacturing skill of great furni- ture factories like those that have brought unexampled prosperity to Grand Rapids, it is almost certain to be comfortable. A representa- tive business house of this kind is the Dean-Hicks Company, with which John G. Gronberg is identified as secretary and for several years was vice-president. He has been a resident of Grand Rapids since 1884, but his native place is Lisbon, Mich., where he was born, Feb. 25, 1869. His parents were Carl A. and Sophia (Carlson) Gronberg, both of whom are deceased. They were born, reared and married in Sweden. When they came to the United States, in 1862, they located at Lisbon, Mich., where they lived until 1905 and then moved to Conklin, Mich. Carl A. Gronberg was a wagonmaker and black- smith, a worthy, hard-working man, who was respected by all who knew him. Both he and wife belonged to the Lutheran church. They had eight children, three of whom are living: John G., Sigrid, now Mrs. Charles L. Bean, of Conklin, Mich., and Audie, who lives at Grand Rapids. John G. Gronberg attended the public schools in his native place until fifteen years of age, when he came to Grand Rapids with the intention of learning a trade. He found employment at first with the Grand Rapids Brass Company, later was with the Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company, and for fourteen years was employed in the Morton House. Mr. Gronberg then came with the Dean-Hicks Com- pany and in 1900 founded the Furniture Record, a trade paper that met a recognized need. Mr. Gronberg became yet more closely iden- tified with this company, accepting the vice-presidency and serving as such until 1913, when he became secretary and general manager of the company's publication department. In that year he began the issue of the magazine "Good Furniture," which is not only a good advertising medium but also in its literature assists in building up a discriminating taste in furniture that combines utility and comfort with beauty of design and finish. Mr. Gronberg was married, June 26, 1896, to Miss Olga A. Peterson, of Grand Rapids, and they have three children : Madeline E., Anson B. and John L. In his political views he is a Republican. He belongs to the Grand Rapids Association of Commerce and to the Highlands Golf club. His Masonic connections are worthy of note, these including membership in York Lodge, F. & A. M.,; Columbia Chapter, DeWitt Consistory, De Molai Com- mandery, of which he is the present captain-general, and he is also a Shriner. He is a member of Trinity Lutheran church. The greater part of his life has been spent in a busy center where men must give and take, and he has always been able to maintain his independence, has impressed others with his sound judgment and is numbered with the able and upright business men of this city.
Major Howard A. Grube was born at Plymouth, Ind., April 18, 1869, son of Daniel S. and Hannah S. (Snively) Grube. He was educated at the Plymouth High School and in the medical department of the University of Michigan, in which he graduated in 1891. He
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engaged in the practice of his profession at Coldwater, Mich., until the outbreak of the Spanish war, at which time he enlisted and ren- dered such efficient service that he was recommissioned in the regu- lar army and served with the Third and Fourth United States cavalry and the Fifth, Seventh and Twentieth United States infantry as bri- gade surgeon on the staff of Gen. S. S. Sumner. Upon his return to the United States he was appointed chief surgeon of the Michigan Soldiers' Home. His connection with the National Guard began in 1905, at Coldwater, when he was commissioned assistant surgeon of the Thirty-second regiment, and after coming in touch with Grand Rapids, in 1908, he was placed in command as major of the reorgan- ized field hospital. During his military service he has received four commissions signed by President Mckinley, one by President Roose- velt and one by President Taft. At the time that the Guard was called for service on the Mexican border he had charge of the field hospital at Grayling, which was operated as a camp hospital and ren- dered excellent service in preserving the health of the Michigan sol- diers at El Paso. The field hospital unit returned to Michigan, March 12, 1917, after having received valuable experience on the border, and this was followed by three months' training at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, enjoyed by Lieuts. Alexander Martin, Fran- cis G. Fisher, four sergeants and five privates of the first class.
Maynard A. Guest .- During a period of thirty-five years May- nard A. Guest has been a resident of Grand Rapids, having come here with his parents when a lad. He is therefore, while not a na- tive of the city, a Grand Rapids man by education, training and pref- erence. He is an exemplification of the alert, self-reliant, progress- ive citizen whose record speaks for itself, and in his capacity as sec- retary of the Widdicomb Furniture Company he is demonstrating the possession of a high order of executive capacity. Mr. Guest was born at Cadillac, Mich., Sept. 9, 1879, son of Chauncey and Jennie (May) Guest. He was about four years old when his parents brought him to Grand Rapids, and here he grew up, his education being the ordinary one to be acquired through attendance at the graded schools. The first business experience was gained by Mr. Guest while in the employ of the G. R. & I. railroad, but after three months with that service he resigned and transferred his activities to the Michigan Chair Company, where his early information and later training came in regard to the furniture business. Mr. Guest remained with this concern for some seventeen years, becoming secretary and treasurer of the company, and leaving, in 1916, to become secretary of the Widdicomb Furniture Company, which position he has retained to the present time. In his political proclivities Mr. Guest is a Repub- lican and has always taken an interest in the success of his party, al- though never having desired to be a candidate for public prefer- ment. He is a valued member of the O-Wash-ta-nong club, the High- lands Golf club and the Furniture club, has other connections of a business and social nature, and is popular with a wide circle of friends. Mr. Guest was married Oct. 8, 1906, to Miss Rhona Schaf- fer, of Saline, Mich., and of this union have been born four children- Adelia Estelle, Marjorie, Donald Maynard and Jean.
Ferdinand A. Hall .- The late Ferdinand A. Hall was for more than a quarter of a century a resident of Grand Rapids, and during
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