USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume II > Part 45
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Mr. Pettit has been twice married. On March 4, 1873, he married Miss Jeannette Cook, a native of the Empire state, where she was reared and educated. She was engaged as a teacher in the schools of Monroe county for some years prior to her marriage. Mrs. Pettit died on September 23, 1884, leaving two children,-a son and a daughter. Leo, the eldest, is the wife of William F. Crow, one of the most promis- ing young agriculturists of the county, living in Dundee township. They have three children,-Jeannette, Elwin and Margaret. Mrs. Crow is a graduate of the Dundee high school, and was one of the most popular and successful teachers in the county before her marriage. Irving, the son, is associated with his father in business, as was pre- viously mentioned. He was graduated from the Dundee high school in the class of 1895, after which he learned his trade under the care- ful tutelage of his father, whose early training and subsequent experi- ence rendered him thoroughly capable of instructing another in the details of the trade. Irving Pettit married Miss Jennie Bush, and they have one child, a daughter named Irvena. She is now a student in the seventh grade. Mrs. Pettit was reared and educated in Wayne county, finishing her schooling in the Belleville high school, and for eight years was engaged in teaching in Wayne and Monroe counties.
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She has five sisters who are also engaged in educational work in the county. Irving Pettit is a Progressive in his political faith, and his fraternal relations are maintained with the Masons, and the Knights of Pythias of Dundee.
The second marriage of Mr. Pettit, of this review, took place in Dundee when he married Miss Nellie Thorn, and three children have been born to them, as follows: Harry L. is a resident of Dundee, where he is engaged in the decorating and painting business. He finished his education in the Dundee high school and married Miss Ada Winters; two children have been born to them,-Geraldine and Mary. Harry Pettit supported the Socialist candidate in the last general election. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias of Dundee. Eva remains in the parental home, having completed her education with her gradua- tion from the Dundee high school; and Berenice, the youngest, is a student in the eighth grade.
Mr. Pettit is a Progressive Republican with regard to his political tendencies, and he is fraternally connected with the Masonic order, in which he is a member of the blue lodge and chapter at Dundee. Mrs. Pettit is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is active in the various departments of its good work.
The Pettit home is maintained on Main street, and is a pleasant and comfortable domicile, where the many friends of the family are most cordially welcomed.
FRANK S. TODD is one of the old, established farmers of Ida township. He has been a resident of the township of Ida all his life, born in Ida on June 11, 1867, and is the son of John and Frances (Wolf) Todd. The father, John Todd, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, July 24, 1824, and later in life removed to Monroe county, Michigan. Both are now deceased, the death of the father occurring in 1911, in Monroe county, Michigan. He was but a child when his parents moved to Craw- ford county, Ohio, and thence to Wyandotte county, Ohio, and the year 1865 saw his emigration to Ida township, Monroe county, Michigan, where he and his brother William purchased the old Wing farm in Ida township. He was a very successful man and had accumulated 207 acres of good land in Ida township. Politically he was a Democrat and had held several of the offices of the township.
Religiously he formerly was a Presbyterian but in the later years of his life he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mrs. Todd was a native of Pennsylvania and came from the Penn- sylvania German stock. She was born February 26, 1827, and died June 5, 1880. She received a good common school education, and was one of those grand women who reared her children to lives of righteous- ness, honesty and integrity.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Todd are interred in Lulu cemetery in Ida township, where beautiful monuments mark their graves.
There were nine children, three sons and six daughters born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Todd, and seven are living in 1912, the eldest being Mary J., the wife of D. J. Harwick, a resident of Ida township and a farmer; Margaret, wife of John Sykes, represented elsewhere in
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this work; Ellen, widow of T. G. Verdon, a resident of Ida township; she was a teacher in Monroe county ; Martha Ann, wife of Frank Salter, a resident of Lulu, Michigan; Lena, widow of Edward Patton, a resi- dent of Ida township; Frank S., of this sketch; Effie M. is her brother's housekeeper ; she was educated in the common schools and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lulu, Michigan.
Frank S. Todd received such educational advantages as the district schools of the township afforded in that early day, and he also was priv- ileged to attend the Dundee high school. He gave his attention to farm- ing exclusively after finishing school, and has with the years that have passed prospered most agreeably in his vocation. He has come to be the owner of a fine farm of more than one hundred acres, which yields him a generous income under his careful management, and has won a firm place in the public esteem and confidence.
He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lulu, Michi- gan and is a member of its board of trustees. He is fraternally iden- tified by his membership in the K. O. T. M. and the Ancient Order of Gleaners at Lulu, of which latter order he is the present chief. He is a Republican, and has always taken an intelligent and active interest in party affairs. He is unmarried, and his home is cared for by his maiden sister, Miss Effie M. Todd, who, like himself, is prominent and popular in the community.
GODFREY G. OETJENS, clerk of Ida township for the past four years and one of the proprietors of the Ida grist and sawmill, is foremost in the ranks of the leading men of his township. He is a son of J. J. Oetjens and his wife, Dorothea Schreiner, both of whom were born in Germany and came to the United States in their young life. They were married in Marine City, St. Clair county, Michigan. The father, J. J. Oetjens, was a minister of the German Lutheran faith, and for a number of years followed that vocation in Ida. He it was who started the Emanuel con- gregation in Ida township, now a flourishing church, and he was in the service there for many years. He finally gave over his ministerial duties and became interested in business ventures as a merchant, later pur- chasing a half interest in the Ida grist mills, which his sons are now oper- ating. He died in 1898, on the 17th of July. The wife and mother still survives. They became the parents of ten children, eight of whom are yet living. They are Mary, Emma, Clara, John, Lena, Gusta, Godfrey G. and Siegfried.
Godfrey G. was born in Ida on April 30, 1875, and educated in the public schools of the village of his birth. He was early confirmed in the German Lutheran church, of which he is yet a conscientious member. He soon became engaged in the grist business which his father eventually established, and to that he has given the best part of his time and atten- tion since he identified himself with the operations of the firm. He has, however, taken a lively interest in the politics of his township, and has for four years filled most acceptably and creditably the office of township clerk, to which he was elected on the Republican ticket. Mr. Oetjens is recognized as being one of the advancing business men of the village,
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and one who will upbuild the town as a result of his own industrial oper- ations, the village thus seeing in him one of her most valuable citizens.
Mr. Oetjens wedded Miss Louisa K. Stotz, November 28, 1912. She is a native of Monroe county, and was born in Ida township, March 25, 1882. She received her education in the common schools and is a member of the German Lutheran church.
J. EDWARD READY. A representative of a family whose name has been worthily linked with industrial and civic affairs in Monroe county for more than half a century, Mr. Ready has gained prominence and success through his admirable initiative and administrative powers, which he has applied along normal and productive lines of enterprise, and he is known as one of the progressive and influential business men of the younger generation not only in his native county, but also in the city of Detroit, the fair metropolis of the state. His business interests are now largely centered in Detroit, but he still maintains his home in Monroe, his circle of friends in his native county being limited only by that of his acquaintances.
J. Edward Ready was born on the homestead farm of the family, in Ash township, this county, and the date of his nativity was January 27, 1877. He is a son of William and Catherine (Gorman) Ready, both of whom were born in Ireland. William Ready was reared and educated in the fair old Emerald Isle and as a young man, in 1847, he severed the home ties to seek his fortunes in the United States. After spending about three years at Syracuse, New York, he came to Monroe county, Michigan, and purchased a small farm in Ash township. There the family home was established, and in addition to giving general super- vision to his farm the father was identified with construction work on the Canada Southern Railroad, as was he later on the line of the present Pere Marquette Railroad. He devoted a number of years to this line of work and while the demands placed upon him in rearing his large family of children, to whom he insisted upon giving the best possible educa- tional advantages, prevented him from accumulating more than a modest competency, he lived and labored to goodly ends and left a name worthy of all honor. In politics he was a staunch Democrat and he took an intel- ligent interest in public affairs. He never sought public office but he served for some time as drain commissioner of Ash township, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1898, at which time he was seventy-three years of age. He and his wife were devout commu- nicants of the Catholic church, in the faith of which they carefully reared their children. All the ten children, four sons and six daughters, are now living, and of the number the subject of this review was the eighth in order of birth. The mother died in 1886.
J. Edward Ready gained his rudimentary education in the district school in the vicinity of his home. He then put his scholastic attain- ments to practical test and utilization by teaching one year in one of the district schools of his native county, but his ambitions were not to be satisfied with the work of the pedagogic profession, his natural tastes and predilections leading him into active business association. In 1902 he .
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became one of the organizers of the State Bank of Carleton, this county, and was elected its first cashier. He retained this position six years and was an influential factor in the upbuilding of the substantial business of this institution, which now has deposits aggregating about $280,000 and of the directorate of which he is still a member. While serving as cashier of this bank Mr. Ready was elected supervisor of Ash township, a position which he retained for four years, during two of which he had the distinction of being chairinan of the county board of supervisors, the youngest member ever occupying that position. A stalwart in the camp of the Democratic party in Monroe county, Mr. Ready was made the nominee of the party for the office of county clerk, to which he was elected in 1906. His popularity in his home county was distinctively shown at this time, as he received a larger majority than did any other candidate on the party ticket. He proved a most alert and punctilious executive and as clerk of the county gave an admirable administration. At the expiration of his term of office, in 1908, Mr. Ready went to the city of Detroit, where he became associated with Judge Harry A. Lock- wood and other representative citizens in the organization of the Detroit National Fire Insurance Company, which was incorporated with a capital stock of $500,000. He was elected treasurer of the company at the time of its incorporation, in November, 1911, and still retains this office, the demands of which, with the substantial and rapidly expanding business of the company, now demand the major part of his time and at- tention. As has previously been noted, Mr. Ready is a director of the State Savings Bank of Carleton, and he is also a stockholder, director and organizer of the State Savings Bank of Essexville, Bay county, Mich- igan. In Monroe he is a stockholder of the River Raisin Paper Company, which is one of the important industrial concerns of his native county, and here he is also a stockholder of the Monroe Democrat Publishing Company, besides which he has given his co-operation in the promotion and upbuilding of other minor enterprises. He has shown himself to be a man of much initiation, constructive and organizing ability, has pur- sued a straightforward and honorable course in all of his business asso- ciations, and has gained success worthy of the name. He merits consid- eration in this publication as one of the essentially representative young business men sent forth by Monroe county, where he has a wide circle of friends and where he maintains deep interest in all that touches the general welfare of the community. He is a communicant of the Cath- olic church, in which he holds membership in St. John's parish, and his popularity in social circles is not the less by reason of the fact that he still remains on the list of eligible bachelors.
HERMAN C. ROEDER. A loyal and public-spirited citizen, who is deeply and sincerely interested in all matters affecting the good of the general welfare is Herman C. Roeder, who resides at Monroe, Michigan, where he is agent for the Stohs Brewing Company of Detroit. He is a business man of unusual ability and up to 1907 was associated with his father in running a brewery at Monroe. The plant burned in that year, however, and since then Mr. Roeder and his father have been agents for the Stohs Brewing Company of Detroit, as already noted.
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Herman C. Roeder was born at Monroe, Michigan, on the 25th of August, 1879, and he is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Eichner) Roeder, both of whom were born in Germany, the former February 19, 1835, and the latter March 28, 1836. Jacob Roeder entered school in his native land at the age of six years and when in his sixteenth year he entered upon an apprenticeship to learn the trades of cooper and brewer. In 1853 he immigrated to the United States, landing in New York City, whence he came at once to Monroe, where he has since resided and where he worked a short time at the cooper's trade. In 1868 he engaged in the brewery business, erecting a plant in which he installed the latest improved ma- chinery. It is said by those who tested the quality of his liquor that it was very tasty and pure. This being the case he was soon enabled to build up a thriving business in Monroe and in the neighboring towns. In 1907, however, the brewery was destroyed by fire and instead of re- building it Mr. Roeder decided to engage with his son as agent for the Stohs Brewing Company, with supply office at Monroe. Jacob Roeder married, in 1859, Miss Margaret Eichner, a native of Germany, whence she came to America about 1850. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Roeder but three survive, namely,-Herman, the imme- diate subject of this review; and Mary and Rosy, both of whom remain at the parental home.
To the public and parochial schools of Monroe Herman C. Roeder is indebted for his early educational training. He also attended and was graduated in the Monroe high school. Upon leaving school he began to work for his father in the latter's brewery and in this way was enabled to acquire a splendid and thorough knowledge of all the departments of the business. When the brewery burnt in 1907 he became agent for the Stohs Brewing Company of Detroit and he is working up a splendid trade for that concern in Monroe county. In politics he is an uncompromising supporter of the principles and policies for which the Democratic party stands sponsor and while he has naught of time for active participation in public affairs, he is ever on the alert and enthusiastically in sympathy with all measures and enterprises projected for public improvement. He served as supervisor of Monroe township for two terms, 1911-1912. In their religious faith the Roeders are devout members of the Trinity Lutheran church, to whose charities and benevolences they are most liberal contributors.
At Monroe, on the 12th of May, 1910, Mr. Roeder was united in mar- riage to Miss Rose Schneider, a daughter of Jacob Schneider, of Monroe. Mr. and Mrs. Roeder have two daughters,-Margaret and Bertha. The Roeder home is in a beautiful brick residence at Laplaisance row, and the same is a recognized center of refinement and generous hospitality.
REV. H. F. R. FRINCKE. The United States ranks today as the fore- most nation of the modern civilized world. It has served as the melting pot of the best characteristics of all other nations and the outcome is a fine, sterling American citizenship consisting of strong and able-bodied men, loyal and public spirited in civil life, honorable in business and alert and enthusiastically in sympathy with every measure tending to further the material welfare of the entire country. The great empire of
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Germany has contributed its fair quota to the upbuilding of this great nation and among its representatives in this country are to be found suc- cessful men in every walk of life, from the professions to the prosperous farmer. He whose name initiates this article is of German descent. He is a man of education and intrinsic refinement and as pastor of the Trinity Lutheran church at Monroe, Michigan, is achieving remarkable success in the way of promoting the spiritual growth of the community.
Rev. H. F. R. Frincke was born in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, January 22, 1860, and he is a son of Rev. Charles and Emma (Hanser) Frincke, both of whom were born in Germany, whence they came to America. The Rev. Charles Frincke received his theological training at Fort Wayne, Indiana. Subsequently he was pastor of the Lutheran congregation at White Creek, Bartholomew county, Indiana. From here he was called to a large congregation at Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was pastor for many years. From 1868 he had charge of a congregation at Baltimore, Maryland, where he died June 5, 1905. His cherished and devoted wife passed away in 1904.
The fourth in order of birth in a family of nine children, Rev. H. F. R. Frincke received his early training in the parochial schools at Indianapolis and Baltimore. In 1873 he entered Concordia College, at Fort Wayne, Indiana, there pursuing a classical course. After gradu- ating in the latter institution he was matriculated as a student in the Concordia Theological Seminary, at St. Louis, Missouri, in which he was graduated May 13, 1882, with the degree of B. A. Soon thereafter he was ordained to the ministry and was called to serve a Lutheran con- gregation at Lincoln, Nebraska, where he remained for the ensuing thirteen years. In 1895 he came to Monroe, Michigan, as pastor of the Trinity Lutheran church, a position he has ably filled to the present time, in 1912. His church has an enrollment of one thousand members and it has a parochial school which boasts an attendance of one hundred and twenty pupils. The beautiful church edifice was erected during the pastorate of Rev. Carl Franke, now judge of probate court. The Trin- ity Lutheran church, with the assistance of its pastor, has been instru- mental in establishing the Old Folks' Home, in Monroe. This institution is controlled by a society of congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran church. The building has been repaired and remodeled and has sixty comfortable rooms for the housing of its sixty inmates. Every comfort is supplied to these old people and the institution is managed by a board of supervisors.
Rev. Frincke exercises his right of franchise in favor of the Demo- cratic party. He contributes liberally to all matters projected for the good of the general welfare, is an ardent believer in higher education, and at all times is ready and anxious to lend a helping hand to the poor and needy. He is a man of great philanthropy but there is a modesty and lack of all ostentation in his work as a benefactor. His deep sym- pathy and innate kindliness of spirit endear him to all with whom he comes in contact.
August 29, 1883, Rev. Frincke married Miss Marie Bode, a daughter of the Rev. C. E. Bode, of Seward, Nebraska. Mrs. Frincke was born and reared at Fort Wayne, Indiana. Seven children have been born to
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bless this union, namely,-Clara, who is devoting her attention to the cultivation of her musical talents; Victor, a machinist employed in the Michigan Central car shops at Jackson, Michigan; Selma, a stenog- rapher; Oscar, a nurseryman; Bruno, watchmaker with the Wagner Brothers, jewelers; Albert, a student at Concordia College, Fort Wayne, Indiana, preparing for the ministry ; and George, who remains at home. The attractive residence of the Frincke family is at No. 159 Scott street.
FRANK M. HAUSMANN. To build a mercantile business and maintain its trade successfully year after year requires ability and enterprise of high order, and the successful merchant is properly esteemed as one of the citizens upon whom the permanent welfare and prosperity of a community depend. If one were to name a few of the men in Monroe county who started their careers in a modest way as wage earners and have advanced through their own resources and ability to first rank among business leaders, Frank M. Hausmann of Monroe would be men- tioned without hesitation.
A lifelong resident of the county, he was born in the village of Ida on March 5, 1869, attended the local parochial school and also received part of his education at Saginaw, finishing in St. Michael's in this city. In his fourteenth year he began his practical career in the employ of S. B. Lewis, the nurseryman, with whom he remained eighteen months. With Antoine Weier he learned the baker's trade, and later for five years was clerk in Captain Jones' grocery, and later in a similar capacity was with Ernest Entermann. His independent business life began in 1898, when he established the business which during the past fifteen years has grown to be one of the most important in the mercantile district. In 1908 he erected the two-story cement-block store, 25 by 63 feet. The Hausmann store is in fact a department store, carrying large and varied stocks of groceries, meats, hardware, and also a drug department. This general supply house is one of the popular trading points in Monroe, and its value as a flourishing and going concern re- flects great credit on the founder and promoter.
Mr. Hausmann's parents were Martin and Anna (Gessner) Haus- mann, both of whom were born in Germany and came to America before they were married. The father was educated in his native land, but was still quite young when he crossed the ocean, and from New York came direct to Monroe. Not long afterward the Civil war came on, and he enlisted in the Fifteenth Michigan Infantry, Colonel Oliver com- manding, with which regiment he participated in several battles and saw considerable service before his honorable discharge in 1864. Soon after his return to Monroe he moved to Saginaw, where at first he was engaged with the F. & P. M. R. R. in the machine shops. He later returned to Fort Gratiot and was employed by the Grand Trunk railway, but after two years here he went to Elkhart, Indiana, where he was connected with the Elkhart Iron Works until his death in 1895. His wife passed away in 1873. Their three children were Frank M., Anna and Lena, both daughters being residents of Elkhart, Indiana.
Mr. Frank Hausmann was married in 1890 to Miss Minnie C. Kra- mer, daughter of Charles and Minnie (Zarg) Kramer. They are the
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parents of three very accomplished children. Beatrice Hazel is a gradu- ate of the Monroe high school, is a talented violinist and is now studying music at St. Mary's academy. Una May is also attending St. Mary's, and Frank J. is at home.
Mr. Hausmann is a citizen of broad interests and activities, and be- sides his store has financial interest in several of the industries of this city. He is a member of the Merchants & Manfacturers club, of the Monroe Yacht club, and his fraternities are the Elks, the Modern Wood- men of America and the Foresters. He is now serving his second term as alderman from the Third ward. In politics he is a Democrat, and his family attend the St. John's Catholic church.
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