USA > Michigan > Kent County > Grand Rapids > Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan: History and Account of Their Progress from First. Vol. II > Part 22
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Heeringa was married May 14, 1912, to Miss Elsie, daughter of Nicho- las and Mathilda (Danielson) Danielson, of Grand Rapids, and they are the parents of two children-George Donald and Beatrice Marie.
George Hefferan .- While the late George Hefferan was for thir- ty years a resident of Grand Rapids, and among her most enterpris- ing and substantial citizens, his business interests were so extensive and widespread as to entitle him to claim identity with the great Middle West. His career added another to the many illustrations which Grand Rapids has furnished to the world, of the splendid re- sults which are attained by intelligence, tact and perseverance, when applied to the building up of a great business under the favoring con- ditions which have, during the past three or four decades, attended all her enterprises. It is true that during this period unusual oppor- tunities have opened to business men, but they have only yielded the meed of great success to those who have had the sagacity to perceive them and the boldness to push them to their best results. The his- tory of the lumber business in Western Michigan has been signalized by the enterprise and ability with which it has been developed, by the extent and magnitude of its operations, and by the munificent re- ward which it has brought to those who have persistently followed it. It was natural that George Hefferan should identify himself with the lumber trade. He was brought up in that business during the flour- ishing era of that industry, having been born at Eastmanville, Ottawa county, Michigan, April 19, 1866, a son of the late Thomas Hefferan, a pioneer business man of Grand Rapids and for many years a bank- er here, whose death occurred Jan. 31, 1915. The early education of George Hefferan was secured at Eastmanville, following which he came to the Furniture City and attended the Grand Rapids Business College until 1886, then entering the Grand Rapids High School, in which he was graduated in 1889. In his youth it was Mr. Hefferan's ambition to follow a professional career, and accordingly he pursued a course in the law department of the University of Michigan, being granted his degree of Bachelor of Laws with the class of 1891. He began practice at that time at Grand Rapids, but during the next several years his interests in the direction of big business so attracted him that he finally gave up the idea of practicing law as a profession, although his knowledge of principles and precedents proved of ines- timable value to him during his business operations. In 1896 Mr. Hefferan became identified with the Michigan Trust Company, being placed in charge of the Mecosta County Savings Bank at Big Rap- ids, and of a number of matters handled by the trust company as re- ceiver. This work was of a special character, but on Jan. 1, 1900, he was appointed trust officer, was elected secretary of the company, Dec. 7, 1903, and on Oct. 6, 1913, was made vice-president, which office he retained until the time of his death. From the year 1895 until his death, Mr. Hefferan also had charge of the Charles Hack- ley estate for the Michigan Trust Company. Associated with Thomas Hume, of Muskegon, Mich., Mr .Hefferan founded the firm of Hume, Hefferan & Company, one of the important firms handling timber lands and other interests, and as a member of the Hume-Bennett Lumber Company he was largely interested in lumber operations in California. He was a stockholder and officer in a number of business concerns in Michigan, among them being the Hackley & Hume Com-
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GEORGE HEFFERAN
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pany, Ltd., of which he was chairman of the board of directors, and the Chase-Hackley Piano Company, of Grand Rapids; the Amazon Knitting Company, of Muskegon, and the Richmond & Backus Com- pany, of Detroit, in all of which he held directorships. Mr. Hefferan was married April 15, 1903, to Ella J., daughter of Frederick H. A. Backus, a prominent pioneer citizen of Detroit. Of this union there came two children: George Backus, born June 1, 1906, and Thomas Hume, born Nov. 2, 1908, both now attending school. Mrs. Hefferan is a member of the Episcopal church and of many of the ladies' or- ganizations of the city. Mr. Hefferan was a Democrat in his political affiliation, but not a politician. He belonged to the Peninsular and Kent Country clubs, and was prominent in Masonry, belonging to York Lodge No. 410, A. F. & A. M .; Columbian Chapter No. 132, R. A. M., of which he was past high priest, and De Molai Commandery, K. T .; and he was also a member of Saladin Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He was a man of many charities, and in his death, which oc- curred Feb. 9, 1916, Blodgett Memorial Hospital lost a generous friend who had been unceasing in his work in behalf of the institution's in- terests. Mr. Hefferan was also one of the active workers in the As- sociation of Commerce, and, in fact, in all movements which had for their object the betterment of his city. As banker, business man and citizen, he filled a conspicuous place. He was worthy of the tradi- tions of the state from which he hailed, the distinction of the name which he bore, and the high place which he filled so honorably and so well.
Thomas Hefferan, whose death occurred July 31, 1915, was one of the strong and forceful figures in the business and financial life of Grand Rapids for many years, and he was president of the People's Savings Bank from its inception, in 1890, until his demise. He was born July 28, 1831, in Washington county, New York, and when nine years of age was taken by his parents from the Empire State to Bar- ry county, Michigan, the little party making the trip by canal boat to Detroit, then taking a train on the newly completed Michigan Cen- tral railway to the terminal at Ypsilanti, and making the last stage of the journey by teams and wagons to their destination. In 1846 the family removed to the Grand River Valley, where they settled on a farm, and there Thomas Hefferan received a limited education in the district schools. Leaving home in 1848, he entered the employ of Dr. Timothy Eastman, who resided in Ottawa county, on Grand river, at a point since known as Eastmanville. The doctor was a farmer and lumberman as well as a physician, and Mr. Hefferan re- mained in his employ for three years. In 1851 he accepted a position under Galen Eastman, a son of Dr. Eastman, in his lumber yard at Chicago, and remained there until 1858, successively and successfully filling the offices of yard foreman, salesman and general manager. The panic of 1857 had so depressed business that he decided to return to Michigan, and there continued to have general charge of the busi- ness of Mr. Eastman. In January, 1865, he engaged in the lumber business on his own account, and in 1869 purchased a saw-mill at Eastmanville from his former employer. He built up a good busi- ness through energy, sagacity and good management, but in 1889, when it became evident that the forests of Southern Michigan would no longer respond to the demand for logs, he closed out his business
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and took his family to Grand Rapids, where he resided until his death. In 1890 Mr. Hefferan was one of the organizers of the Peo- ple's Savings Bank of Grand Rapids, and was elected a director of the new institution and chosen to fill the responsible position of presi- dent, a post which he still retained when he died. He was also for many years a stockholder of the Old National Bank of Grand Rapids and a stockholder and director of the Michigan Trust Company of that city. Politically, Mr. Hefferan was a Democrat, but political honors never had any charm to lure him from his business and finan- cial interests. When the national convention, convened at Chicago in 1896, gave to the country the platform which recommended the free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, Mr. Hefferan decided not to support that measure and was one of the first to propose and assist in the organization of the Sound Money Democratic party. He was a faithful attendant of the Park Congregational church and was widely known in Masonry, in which he attained the thirty-second degree. The following is quoted from the Michigan Tradesman, which, in 1913, printed a biography of Mr. Hefferan: "With a well-rounded forehead rising above calm eyes, with a quiet manner which would be almost shy were it not for the evident self-reliance back of it, with a face that shows patient strength, with the very evident combination of a sound mind in a sound body, such is Thomas Hefferan, a man who has carved out-we might say he hewed out-of the forests of Michigan his fortune. With no prestige of wealth or family influ- ence, with no gifts from favoring fortune, with nothing but the stout heart and indomitable will, ready brains and strong hands, he has made himself a place among the notable men of the city and state, although aided by his innate love of right, which impelled him to deal fairly with all men; and so, not rising on the shoulders of or at the expense of others, he has made his position sure. It has not been a selfish career, that of the man with whom we treat, except as all effort which has as one of its results the accumulation of wealth is to some extent self-centered. He has been and is a man among men. He has had his intimate friends, his business associates, those who have aided him and those whom he has aided; so that the story of Thomas Hefferan is also the story of other business men with whom he has worked hand-in-hand, apparently in fullest accord. Indeed, we may believe from the character of the man, his patience and fair- ness, that what seems to be is the fact. The outline history of his life goes to show that such is the case. * * * Throughout his long and active business life Mr. Hefferan has never lost sight of the lumber interests of Michigan, and, practically speaking, may be said to have seen the rise and decay of that industry in the state. The forests through which he trudged as a boy and worked in in young manhood and which were supposedly almost illimitable in extent and resource, have long ago fallen and given place to the prosperous farms and fruit lands for which Western Michigan is now noted. During the years in which the farmer's boy has, by straightforward energy and upright principles, become the successful lumber manufacturer and honored banker, he has seen the log cabin of the earliest settler give way to the neat and comfortable cottage, the village supplanted by the town, the wilderness transformed into populous cities, peopled by wealthy and intelligent citizens. He has seen benches of the old
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log schoolhouses built by the pioneers for the welfare of their chil- dren supplanted by the polished desks in the great brick structures of our present elaborate school system; while churches, academies, business houses, railroads and all the appliances of modern civiliza- tion crowd the territory where in his boyhood were only the forest, the deer and the Indian. With what interest will such a life be re- garded in the future by generations who will fail fully to compre- hend the hardships and toils of those whose history is that of the past half century, the history of the state of Michigan." Mr. Hef- feran married Emily Kent, a native of Vermont, and they became the parents of three children: George, who died Feb. 9, 1916; Mary, a resident of Grand Rapids, and Thomas William.
Thomas William Hefferan .- Among the men who represent the financial interests of Grand Rapids, one of the best known is Thomas William Hefferan, cashier of the People's Savings Bank. He came to this institution in 1900, straight from college halls, and his entire career has since been devoted to its progress and the extension of its usefulness, while at the same time he has himself broadened and ma- tured until he has taken rank with the substantial and conservative bankers of the Furniture City. Mr. Hefferan was born July 22, 1876, at Eastmanville, Mich., and is a son of Thomas and Emily (Kent) Hefferan. He received his education in the public and high schools of Grand Rapids, and was then sent to Yale University, where he was graduated with the class of 1900. On July 5 of that year he en- tered the People's Savings Bank of Grand Rapids, rose rapidly to the position of manager, and finally was made cashier, which position he holds today. He holds rank among the men who are carefully conserving the interests of individual and business interests, and has a wide acquaintance in banking circles throughout this part of the state. Politically, like his father, he is a Democrat, and also like the elder man has played only a good citizen's role in the game of poli- tics. He belongs to Park Congregational church, of which he is a trustee, is a member of the various Masonic bodies, and holds mem- bership in the Association of Commerce and the Peninsular, Schu- bert and Kent Country clubs. Mr. Hefferan was married Oct. 18, 1904, to Miss Blanche Fuller, daughter of William Fuller, M. D., of Grand Rapids, and they have been the parents of five children: Mar- garet F., who is deceased, and Mary Eleanor, Thomas William, Jr., Robert F. and Emeline Kent.
Noah F. Helsel .- Few men who attain the age of seventy years bear so few of the marks and scars of the warfare of modern agri- cultural and business life as does Noah F. Helsel. In a vast ma- jority of cases those who attain a large measure of success cannot justly claim that their paths have not been strewn with the wrecks of other men's fortunes. Noah F. Helsel, however, is one who from a most humble financial position has worked his way upward to wealth and prominence and at the same time has enjoyed in full measure the honor and respect of his fellow-men by reason of the straightforward business policy which he has ever followed. A resident of Algoma township since the pioneer days, when there were still plentiful evidence of the frontier life, he has figured during his career as one of his community's leading citizens and as a promoter of the most progressive tenets of agriculture. Mr. Helsel belongs to II-11
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one of his community's earliest families. He was born in Algoma township, Kent county, Michigan, Aug. 12, 1848, son of Henry and Julia Ann (Helsel) Helsel, who removed from Pennsylvania, their native state, to Ohio, and came to Algoma township among the pio- neer settlers in 1844. Here Henry Helsel purchased eighty acres of land from the United States government, on which his first work was the clearing of a spot in the timber so that he might erect a rude log cabin to serve as the original family home in the wilderness. His first years were practically identical with those of other sturdy pio- neers, but he faced his hardships and privations willingly, for he was ambitious to make a success of his life and saw the opportunity be- fore him. His continuous industry, intense energy, and unwavering determination soon placed his feet upon the high road to success, and before his first tract was entirely cleared and put under cultiva- tion he was making arrangements for the purchase of more land. Subsequently, he added 320 acres to his original purchase, and about that time moved into more comfortable and commodious quarters, supplied by a good frame house of his own erection. Still later, this successful and hard-working man was able to increase the extent of his acreage by the purchase of an entire section of land. Not only was he prominent and successful as an extensive agriculturist and large landholder, but because of his activity in public affairs, where he was an influential factor in the civic life of the community. He was a Democrat in his political views and for a number of years occu- pied school offices and acted as overseer of the poor in Algoma town- ship. He and the members of his family belonged to the Disciples church. By his first wife, Julia Ann Helsel, Mr. Helsel had the fol- lowing children: Francis, who died at the age of sixteen years; Noah F., of this review ; Jeremiah, and Darius, deceased. By his sec- ond wife, Sarah Deer, he had the following issue: Amberth; James, deceased ; Zotas and Zora, twins; Cleon and Frankie. Noah F. Hel- sel attended the primitive district schools of Algoma township, but the greater part of his education was secured while wielding the axe and saw in the woods, while his training came in the academy of hard work and experience. His father was a man of comfortable circum- stances and could have afforded to start the youth off well in life, but. he believed that hard work was greatly beneficial, called upon his sons to make their own way, and taught them to respect the value of a dollar. Also Noah F. Helsel was independent and self-reliant and de- sired to ask help from no one, not even his father. He continued to work on the elder man's place until he was thirty-five years of age, by which time he had accumulated sufficient funds with which to buy forty-three acres of land. Much of the money for this had been earned by working in the lumber woods during the winter months. Later he added ninety-three acres to his original purchase, and he is still the owner of his well-developed property, which lies in sections 21 and 22. It is productive and fertile, has fine improvements and substantial buildings, and its apparent prosperity and attractiveness are a credit to the ability and good management of its owner as an agriculturist and business man. Mr. Helsel is a Republican and at various times during his career has served in school offices, although he has not been a politician or an avowed seeker for public office. With the members of his family he belongs to the United Brethren
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church. Mr. Helsel was married in December, 1884, to Miss Abbie Rowsen, daughter of Harley Rowsen, a well-known agriculturist of Algoma township, and of this union have been born the following children: Verdie, wife of Albert Cane, of Algoma township, and has one child, Clair; Ora, a farmer of Sparta township, who has a son, Dale, and Ray resides at home and assists his father in the operation of the homestead place.
Gustaf A. Hemple .- Among the general practitioners of law at Grand Rapids, one who has won success and recognition in his pro- fession and a satisfying and representative clientage within the short period of five years is Gustaf A. Hemple. Mr. Hemple entered upon his career with an excellent training and prior to coming to Grand Rapids had practiced for over two years on the Pacific coast. His real success, however, has been attained in the Furniture City, where, owing to a wealth of legal talent of a high order, the mere possession of a place of prominence argues for the holder something more than ordinary talent. Mr. Hemple is a native son of Michigan and was born at Jackson, Jan. 24, 1885, son of Ernest and Emma (Peterson) Hemple, natives of Sweden. His father, who is a mechanic by trade, came to the United States in 1866 and first settled at Jackson, where for nearly twenty years he was identified with various concerns and in numerous capacities. In the year of his son's birth, 1885, he re- moved with Mrs. Hemple and their three children to Grand Rapids and this city has continued to be their home to the present time. Mr. Hemple has been an industrious and hard-working man and good citi- zen, who has reared a family of sons to take honorable positions in the world and to be a credit to their communities, their birth and their training. The children were: Charles, a resident of Chicago, Ill .; Fred, whose death occurred in 1903; Gustaf A., of this notice; Emil, Albin and Henry, who are all business men of Chicago, and Edith, the only daughter, who is deceased. Gustaf A. Hemple was an infant in arms when brought by his parents to Grand Rapids, and in this city the greater part of his life has been passed. He grew up here and attended the public grammar and high schools, and here it was that he determined upon the law as his life work, although his train- ing for his profession was largely received elsewhere. After some preparation Mr. Hemple went to Chicago, where he pursued a full course at the Chicago Law School, being duly graduated in 1908 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws and admitted to the bar in the same year. Mr. Hemple remained at Chicago for a short period and also spent a short time in other communities of the Middle West, finally going to the Pacific coast and locating at Astoria, Ore., where he re- mained for two and one-half years. While he was successful in his practice at that point, he was attracted back to the state of his birth, and in 1912 returned to Grand Rapids, this time to open an office and start a professional business. Since that time his practice, which is of a general character, has grown in importance and in size and the success which has been his in a number of important cases has stamped him as one of the rising young lawyers of the Grand Rapids bar. His offices are located in the Commercial Bank building. He belongs to the Grand Rapids Bar Association, among the members of which he has numerous warm friends, and to various of the clubs of the city, in which he is also popular. In his political stand he is
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independent, preferring to rely upon his own judgment in making a choice of candidates rather than to blindly follow the lead of party. His only public office is that of assistant city attorney, in which he is serving at the present writing. Mr. Hemple's parents are members of the Lutheran church, in the faith of which he was reared, and to which he now belongs. He has a high standing in Masonry, belong- ing to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council, Consistory and Knights Templar, and is also a Shriner and a member of the Knights of Pythi- as. Mr. Hemple was married, June 21, 1910, to Freda Katherine, daughter of John and Fredricka (Johnson) Newberg, of Grand Rap- ids, and they are the parents of three children-Gustaf A., Jr., Ruth Katherine and Alice Margaret Elizabeth.
Col. Joseph Carl Herkner .- Combined with a righteous sense of civic and military duty and an unflagging interest in the affairs of his municipality, the late Col. Joseph Carl Herkner had a vast experi- ence with people and affairs and made an enviable record of achieve- ment during his life at Grand Rapids. When he came to this city in 1849 he was only a poor German immigrant lad, but he successively became a Civil war hero, a successful man of business, a distinguished citizen, a prominent figure in national guard circles and a well-known factor in fraternal matters, as well as a constructive worker in civic and philanthropic movements. Colonel Herkner was born at Kratzau, Bohemia, Dec. 1, 1840, son of Joseph Herkner, who immigrated to the United States in 1849, arriving at Grand Rapids Nov. 15 of that year. The elder man died less than a year after coming to Grand Rapids and this left the son somewhat dependent upon himself and denied him many of the advantages that he would have secured other- wise. However, he managed to obtain a common school education and when he was sixteen years of age began to serve his apprentice- ship to the business in which he was destined later to reach such pros- perity, in the store of N. T. Butler. At the end of four years he had mastered his trade and accepted a position as clerk and watch re- pairman in the Pearl street store of George Barnard, a pioneer jewel- er and bookseller. His career was interrupted by the outbreak of the Civil war, and when the call to arms came, following the firing upon Fort Sumter, he was one of the first to enlist, joining Company D, First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, one of the first organized volunteer commands in the state, and later one of the most famous. As a member of this command he marched to the sea with the forces of General Sherman and took part in some of the hardest-fought bat- tles of the entire war, and through fidelity, devotion to duty and gal- lantry in action won promotion. In November, 1861, he became first lieutenant, having advanced from private and orderly sergeant, and in February, 1864, was made captain, with which rank he re- turned to Grand Rapids at the close of hostilities. Shortly after re- suming his civilian duties, Colonel Herkner embarked in business as a partner in the Hodenpyl store, with which he was identified until 1870, and in that year engaged in an enterprise of his own, with a modest stock of jewelry and a repair bench at No. 25 Monroe street. His aptitude for the business, with his industry and his faculty for satisfying even the most exacting patrons, brought the natural re- sults of continuous and substantial growth and expansion. Today the J. C. Herkner symbol of quality and its trade extends over many
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