USA > Michigan > Montcalm County > History of Montcalm County, Michigan its people, industries and institutions...with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families Volume II > Part 8
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Clair W. Weeks was educated in the common schools of lonia county and at the Belding high school. after which he learned the trade of a stone- cutter. At this occupation, Mr. Weeks continued at his trade at Gratiot, until 1910, when he came to Greenville, Montcalm county, and established his monument business at this place, erecting a building for his work, and where he now is successfully engaged in the conduct of his business.
Clair W. Weeks was married to Jessie Herrick, who was born at Tri- fant, Michigan, and to this marriage was born one child, Jessie, the mother dying at the time of the birth of this child.
On December 27. 1905, Mr. Weeks was married to Mary E. Shell, who was born in Alpena county, Michigan, and to this marriage have been born four children : Lawrence, Virene, Lucy and Helen. Mrs. Weeks is a com- municant of the Catholic church.
Clair W. Weeks is a member of LeRoy Lodge No. 9. Knights of Pythias, and is a member of Lodge No. 447. Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics, Mr. Weeks is independent of party.
JOHN LEWIS.
John Lewis, vice-president and general manager of the Gibson Refrig- vrator Company, and a citizen prominent in the industrial activities of Green- ville. Montcalm county, was born in Cheltenham, England, on April 19. 1854, and lived in his native country until after the completion of his educa- tion at Northampton, England, and then, in October, 1873, after his mar- riage. came to America.
On reaching America, John Lewis made his home at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for two years and in 1875 went to Chicago, where, one year later. he engaged in the refrigerator business. In 1884 Mr. Lewis moved to Belding, lonia county, Michigan, and became associated with the Belding Manufacturing Company, with whom he remained until 1892, when he came to Greenville, Montcalm county, and together with E. & C. T. Ranney, organ- ized the Ranney Refrigerator Company. In November, 1909, Mr. Lewis .evered his connection with the Ranney Manufacturing Company and organ- ized the Gibson Refrigerator Company, a corporation of which he is vice- president and general manager. As a manufacturer of refrigerators, Mr. Lewis is one of the best known men of the country and it is said that he is the oldest active refrigerator manufacturer in the United States.
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John Lewis, while a citizen of England, was married to Lucy M. Bron- son, a daughter of John Bronson, who in 1856, was the manager of the Edward Malley Company, one of the largest department stores of New Haven, Connecticut. To the marriage of John and Lucy Lewis have been born seven children: J. Frank, of Baltimore; Dr. G. H. Lewis, a graduate of the University of Michigan, now practicing his profession at Cleveland, Ohio; Fred S., of Polsbo, Washington; Alan G., who is private secretary to Harry E. Converse, of Massachusetts; Wilburn B., who is a graduate of Western Reserve University; Edna, who lives at home; and Gertrude, the wife of Dr. W. R. Lyman, of Massachusetts. John Lewis and his family are members of the Episcopal church.
Mr. Lewis is a member of Greenville Lodge No. 96, Free and Accepted Masons, having served as master of the blue lodge, and is a member of Chapter No. 79, Royal Arch Masons. In politics, Mr. Lewis is independent of party.
BERT C. E. SILVER.
Bert C. E. Silver is head of the well-known Silver Family, a company of gifted musicians and public entertainers, known and welcomed in every town in Michigan for years past, long residents of Michigan, recently purchased house and theater property at Greenville, which will be their home in future, are proprietors of the Silver Family Park and theater at Crystal, and are prominently connected with the social and cultural activities of the town. Mr. Bert C. E. Silver is a native of New York, having been born in St. Lawrence county, that state, December 9. 1860, son of Dick and Eliza ( Earl) Silver, prominent entertainers in their time, whose last days were spent in Traverse City. Mrs. Dick Silver is alive now and resides with her eldest son, Bert, at Greenville.
The veteran entertainer, Dick Silver, whose memory is cherished in this state, spent seventy years of his life on the stage, the greater part of which time he headed the organization, which is still being perpetuated, in the third generation, to which he gave the name of The Silver Family, a company of entertainers which enjoys the unique distinction of being an exclusively state- limited organization. being the only known show of its kind which does not given performances outside the state in which it has its organization, it hav- ing been the policy of Mr. Silver for years to restrict his territory to the state of Michigan. The Silver Family thus never giving entertainments
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more than one hundred and fifty miles removed from Greenville and Crystal. Dick Silver was born in the town of Grotton, Vermont, in 1827, and grew up to the life of the stage quite naturally, for his father, a native of England, was a concert singer of note in his day, member of an old English family, the genealogy of which has been preserved back to the year 1600. Dick Silver was one of a family of nine sons and five daughters and in his early youth was sent to Boston to learn a trade, but instead followed the bent of his natural inclination and became a musician and for twenty years was con- nected with various musical companies traveling out of Boston. He then organized the Silver Brothers' Minstrels and went on tour on his own account. achieving a reputation as a public entertainer, and in 1859. in St. Lawrence county. New York, met and married Eliza Earl, who was born in Jefferson county. New York, in 1840, her father, Samuel Earl. of direct English stock. his family also tracing back to the early part of the seventeenth cen- tury, having come to this country from Canada. Eliza ( Earl) Silver also was an accomplished musician and was a competent and valuable helpmate to her gifted husband in his long life as a public entertainer and was a large iactor in the success of the Silver Family. Their eldest son, Bert, the sub- ject of this sketch. experienced his first view of an appreciative audience from the stage when he was five years of age. he having then been put on in a singing and dancing turn at St. Lawrence county fair, New York, and his life ever since has been devoted to the entertainment of the public. In 1866 the Silvers located at Durand. in Chippeway county, Wisconsin, and remained there until 1868, Dick Silver operating a concert company out of that place, covering Northwestern points, and afterward moved to EauClair. in the same state. where Mr. Silver organized a company which he called the New York Circus, and which he conducted successfully for a period of four years, at the end of which time he took out a dramatic company and traveled for a year. wintering at Shellsburg, Iowa. The next spring he started out with a concert company and in the fall of 1873 turned in at Grand Rapids, this state, which he made his headquarters for a time, later moving the same to Sand Lake, in Kent county, out of which point the family traveled for a couple of years. The season of 1876 was spent by the Silver Family touring Ohio and at the end of that season the family returned to Michigan, which by that time was coming to seem more like home than anywhere else, and located at Crystal, this county, wintering at that point, where they remained for eight months, during which time Dick Silver was made a Mason by the lodge at Crystal. In 1877 the Silver Family toured northern Michigan, running out of Traverse City, which
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latter point Dick Silver thenceforward made his headquarters and there he spent his last days, having been a public entertainer for seventy years, the greater part of which time he headed his own company.
To Dick and Eliza ( Earl) Silver five children were born. all sons, as follow : Bert C. E., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; G. Lote, proprietor of the Dreamland theater at Traverse City; James F., of Greenville, this county; Harry F., proprietor of a theater at Cadillac, this state, and Glenn C., who was born at Crystal, in this county, in 1876, now engaged in the livery business at Traverse City.
Bert C. E. Silver literally grew up to the life of the stage and remained with his father's company until 1889, in which year he engaged in the mercantile business at Chicago, at the same time occupying a place in one of the leading orchestras in that city, and was thus engaged for four years, at the end of which time he returned to Traverse City and took his place in the organization of the Silver Brothers' Company, which operated as a tent show during the summers and as bell-ringers and concert enter- tainers during the winters and was thus engaged for six years, touring principally throughout northern Michigan. In 1899 Bert Silver d'iscon- tinued his connection with the Silver Brothers Company and organized the Silver Family Swiss Bell-Ringers and Concert Company, with headquarters at Standish, this state. and thus continued for five years, operating a tent show during the summers and attached to a lyceum circuit during the win- ters.
In 1904, Mr. Silver bought the Grove property, including Grove Park, at Crystal, this county, renaming the same the Silver Family Park, and opened it up as an amusement enterprise, at the same time making his head- quarters at Greenville, where he now owns valuable town property. besides the theater at that place, and where his family maintains its established home. The Silver Family's route in the entertainment line is restricted, by choice, to the state of Michigan, it being Mr. Silver's boast that his attrac- tion is the only one of its kind that is an exclusive state attraction. The Family uses automobile trucks for transportation, running a road show for the season of sixteen weeks during the summers and has planned for two companies to take the road in the season of 1916.
On March 17, 1883. Bert C. F. Silver was united in marriage to Ellen I .. Vescelius, daughter of E. N. and Lottie Vecelius, of Tecumseh, this state, of English and German descent, respectively, and to this union seven children have been born, all of whom are connected with the Silver family.
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entertainers, namely : Frances, who married Sandy Copeland, of Crystal, clarinet player ; G. Earl, who married Irene Felton, of Crystal, who also is connected with the Silver Family; Laura, solo cornetist; Pearl, trap-drum- mer: Ruby, piano and French-horn, and Dick, bass horn. Kittie died at the age of three years. All of these Silver children are accomplished musi- cians and are all graduates of the Michigan high schools, Dick having grad- uated with the class of May. 1915, at Crystal. During their limited time at home. the Silvers take an active part in the social life of their home town and all are held in the highest esteem throughout this section.
Mr. Silver is a member of Mt. Gilead Lodge No. 285, Firce and Accepted Masons, at Crystal, and to which his son, G. Earl, is also attached. the latter being a past master of the lodge. Mrs. Silver and her daughters are members of the Order of the Eastern Star and all take an earnest inter- est in local Masonic affairs. Mr. Silver also is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees and G. Earl Silver is a member of LeRoy Lodge No. 9. Knights of Pythias, at Greenville. Mr. Silver is a Democrat and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs. but has never been included in the office-seeking class.
ALBERT ALLEN.
Albert Allen, a well-known retired farmer, owner of a fine farm of one Inindred acres in section 26 of Eureka township, this county, now living in comfort in a delightful home in Greenville, is a native son of Michigan, hav- ing been born on a farm in Orion township. Oakland county, this state, November 27, 1847. son of Harvey and Malinda ( Jackson ) Allen, both natives of Onondaga county. New York, who later became well-known residents of this county, where both spent their last days.
Harvey Allen was born on March 12, 1802, and grew up on a farm in Onondaga county, New York. In 1822 he married Malinda Jackson, who had grown up in the same neighborhood with him and they continued to live there until the carly 'thirties, when, with their three children, they came to Michigan, settling on an eighty-acre farm in Orion township, where they made their home until 1851 and where four more children were born to them. In the year just named. Harvey Allen sold his farm and he and his family moved from Oakland county to Montcalm county. He bought eighty acres in section 24. township 10, north, range 8, west, which he presently sold and bought the farm in section 26 of the same township,
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which his youngest son, the immediate subject of this sketch now owns. and there he and his wife spent their last days. Mrs. Allen died in 1884 and Harvey Allen died in 1800, at the age of eighty-eight years, long having been one of the best-known and most highly respected residents of that section. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, of whom seven grew to maturity and of whom but two are now living, the two last born, Sallie Ann, wife of Jacob Osman, of Ann Arbor, this state, and Albert, the subject of this sketch: the others having been Levi J., Francis W., Henry F., Esther F., who died unmarried, and Joseph J.
Albert Allen was about five years old when his parents moved from Oakland county to this county and he grew up on the home farm in Eureka township, receiving his education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, remaining on the farm as he grew to manhood and eventually assumed charge of the same for his aged father. He bought the place .in 1872, having in the meantime married, and made his home there until the time of his wife's death in 1909, after which he left the farm and moved to Greenville. His wife was Jane Wilbur, daughter of George Wilbur, of Hillsdale, and to them were born four children, as follow: Wilma, wife of B. M. Noxon, of Greenville; Pearl, who married Effa Forsythe and lives in this county : Cora, who married B. M. Hall, of Manchester, and Hugh B., who married Julia Selsman and lives in Douglass township. this county.
On October 19. 1910. Albert Allen was married. secondly, to Mrs. Emma (Cusick ) Kent, widow of William Kent and daughter of Charles HI. and Sylvia ( Hebard ) Cusick, well-known residents of the neighboring county of lonia. Charles IT. Cusick was born in the city of Utica. New York, in 1836. As a young man he came to Michigan and settled in Lapeer county where in 1857. being twenty-one years of age, he bought a quarter of a section of land. presently married Sylvia Hebard, whose parents were pioneers of that section, and there made his home for fourteen years, and then he sold his place and bought a farm of eighty acres in Ottawa county. where he lived a short time and then gave up farming and moved to Grand Rapids, where he made his home for several years, later moving to Ionia county, where he bought a farm in Otisco township and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Charles H. Cusick died in 1900 and his widow died in 1909. They were the parents of seven children, of whom five are now living. as follow : Fred F., who lives in South Dakota; Emma, wife of Mr. Allen : Oscar, who lives in St. Anthony, Idaho: Addie, wife of Frank Motter. of Mackinac City, this state, and Claud. who lives in
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Eugene, Oregon. Sarah, the firstborn of the above union, who married Bert Bowman, is but lately deceased.
Mrs. Allen is a member of the Methodist church and she and Mr. Allen are interested in all movements having as their object the promotion of the best interests of the community in which they live. Mr. Allen is a Repub- lican and has served the public from time to time as justice of the peace, constable, drainage commissioner and in other useful ways, long having been regarded as a public-spirited citizen. He and his wife have many friends hereabout and are held in high esteem by all.
ORANGE S. ALMACK.
Orange S. Almack, who came to Michigan thirty-four years ago and has been a resident of Montcalm county since 1911, and who, since the latter year, has been a merchant in Sheridan, this county, doing an extent- sive business in the general merchandise line, was born in New Castle town- ship. Coshocton county, Ohio, on July 24, 1853. son of Thomas II. and Arabella (Coplen ) Almack, who moved from Ohio to Indiana in 1863, set- iling in Fulton county, whence they later moved to Whitley county, same state, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
George S. Almack was but ten years of age when his parents moved into Indiana and he was educated in the schools of that state. On August 10. 1876, at Warsaw, Indiana, he was united in marriage to Sarah E. Phil- lips, who was born near Pierceton, Kosciusko county, Indiana, on February 21. 1859, daughter of Henry and Margaret ( Walker) Phillips, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio, who were married in Ohio and later located in Kosciusko county, Indiana, where their last days were spent. Henry Phillips and wife were the parents of twelve children, of whom five are still living. George W., John P., Mary R .. Lena M. and Sarah E .. the latter of whom was the last born. To Mr. and Mrs. Almack three children have been born. Alice A., who married George Bean and lives in Allegan county, this state, and Gertrude M., who was graduated from the common schools of this county and from Parson's Business College at Kalamazoo, married Artie Feighner and lives at Sheridan, this county.
In 1911, Mr. Almack came to Montcalm county and in the latter year opened a store at Sheridan, and ever since has been very successfully engaged in business there. Mr. and Mrs. Almack are members of the
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Christian church. They also are much interested in the work of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, Mr. Almack being a member of Lacota Lodge No. 33, of that order, of which he is a past noble grand, and is also attached to the encampment of the same order, and Mrs. Almack is a member of the Sheridan lodge of the Danghters of Rebekah, the woman's auxiliary of the Odd Fellows, and is a past noble grand of that lodge and a member of the grand lodge of Michigan. Mr. Almack was one of the charter members of the lodge to which he is attached. He is a Democrat and gives a good citizen's attention to politics, but the close application that he has ever given to his business affairs has prevented him from taking a very active part in campaign work. He is one of Sheridan's most enter- prising and public-spirited citizens and is ever alert to advance any move- ment looking to the best interests of that thriving village. He is an excel- lent citizen and a good neighbor and is held in high regard throughout that community.
CHARLES W. FRENCH.
In banking circles hereabouts few names are better known than that of the gentleman whose name the reader notes above. Charles W. French. cashier of the State Savings Bank, of Stanton, this county, who has been connected with the banking business since he was nineteen years old and who has been prominently identified with the banking interests of Stanton since 1895.
Charles W. French was born in Willoughby, Ohio, on May 9, 1864. son of George W. and Margaret ( Pelton) French. the former of whom was born at Rutland, Vermont, and the latter at Willoughby, Ohio. George W. French was the son of William French and wife, Vermonters, who died well along in years. William French was a harness-maker and he and his wife were the parents of the following children: Eliza M., George W., Emma. Paul, John W., Mary N., Henryette. William P .. Horace. Samuel P., Aleline. Emeline and Sarah N., all deceased.
When twelve years of age, George W. French left home to make his own way in the world. He went to New York City and thence to Grand Rapids, Michigan, in which latter city he learned the carpenter trade and while thus engaged helped to build the old Sweets hotel. Presently he went up Grand river to Muir, where for a time he was engaged in the clothing business, later going into the lumber business and for twenty-five
CHARLES W. FRENCH.
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years operated a saw-mill at Muir, becoming one of the best-known lumber- men in that region. After middle life he was attracted to the South as a place of residence and went to Johnson City, Tennessee, where for a time he was engaged in the manufacture of plug tobacco, after which he returned to Muir, his established home, where, two years later, in 1896, he died at the age of sixty-seven years. During the Civil War, George W. French served as a soldier in the Union army for about five years. He enlisted as a private in the Tenth Michigan Cavalry; presently was promoted to quar- jermaster and was mustered out with the rank of captain Captain French was a valiant soldier and participated in many hard-fought engagements, the division in which he served having been in the thick of several of the most important campaigns of the war. During his long residence at Muir, Captain French took an active part in civic affairs and for some time served as president of the village council. He also served as township trustee and in numerous other ways displayed his good citizenship and desire in every way to promote the growing enterprises of the place.
To the union of George W. French and Margaret Pelton five children were born. as follow: Margaret, who is the wife of George G. Brown, cashier of the Cadillac State Bank; Charles W .. subject of the biographical ketch : Fannie, wife of William Y. Serrin, of Chicago: William, deceased, and Jennie. wife of L. G. Hollbrook, of Des Moines, Iowa. Mrs. French died in 1872. at the age of thirty-six years. Her parents, the Peltons, were natives of New York state and early settlers of Willoughby, Ohio, in the neighborhood of which they lived as farmers until old age. They were the parents of five children, Charles. John. Harriett. Jane and George. Mr. and Mrs. French originally were members of the Christian (Disciples) church, but later became Presbyterians and in this latter faith both died.
The boyhood of Charles W. French was spent at Muir, his early edu- ration having been received in the public schools at that place, which he supplemented by a course in a business college at Grand Rapids. In his south, between the ages of fourteen and nineteen, he worked in his father's ** W-mill. on the river and in the timber. after which he entered the bank Webber. Just & Company as a bookkeeper. . Following this initial service in the banking business. he worked in other banks for about two years, at the end of which time. in 1886. he was made cashier of the bank of Webber, Inst & Company. He presently bought Mr. Just's interest in that bank, also that of P. M. Fox, the bank firm then becoming known as S. W. Webber & Company, and continued this connection until January 1, 1892,
(7h)
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at which time he organized the Oakland County Savings Bank, of Pontiac. Michigan, and served as cashier of that institution until June, 1895, at which time he came to this county and bought the bank of H. R. Wagner at Stanton, operating the same under the firm name of (. W. French & Company, Josiah E. Just being a partner in the enterprise. Following the death of Mr. Just, Mr. French for a time continued as sole proprietor. In September. 1901, Charles W. French organized the State Savings Bank of Stanton, with a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars, and has since that time been cashier of that concern. Associated with him in this institution are Fred R. Messenger, president; Benson L. Gaffield. vice-president, and William S. French, assistant cashier.
On April 4, 1888, Charles W. French was united in marriage to Belle Squires, who was born in Saline, Michigan, daughter of Samuel and Eleanor (Shekel) Squires, both of whom now are dead, and to this union one child has been born, a son, William S., a graduate of Ferris Institute. who is assistant cashier in the State Savings Bank at Stanton. Mrs. French has a brother, John Squires, and a sister. Kate. Mrs. French is a member of the Episcopal church. While Mr. French is not actively identified with any of the churches. he is friendly to all and a liberal contributor to worthy causes, as is his wife, and both take an active interest in local measures designed to advance the common good. They are prominent in the social life of their home city and have a wide acquaintance throughout the county. their friends holding them in the highest esteem. Mr. French is a Repub- lican and a Mason, his membership in that ancient order being in Stanton Lodge No. 250, Free and Accepted Masons. He is widely known in com- mercial and banking circles throughout this part of the state and possesses the entire confidence of the business community.
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