USA > Michigan > Muskegon County > History of Muskegon County, Michigan: with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 17
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with hushed tread and sorrowful. mien to take a last fond look of him when dead.
When about 87 years of age he formed a business connection in New York, and left the sea. This proved unfortunate, and in 1847 he removed with his family to a farm near Kenosha, Wis., but the retired life of a farmer did not suit his active temperament, and in 1849 he removed to Muskegon, where for several years he was actively engaged in business for Major C. Davis, Loomis & Newell. In 1857 he undertook the management of the large real estate busi- ness of Judge Newell. In 1859 he established the first bank in the city, now merged into the Lumberman's Bank, and known for years as Capt. Rand's Bank. By devoting his entire time to business his bank was very successful, but by close application his health became impaired, and he died suddenly, December 17, 1872, regretted by all. He married in 1880 Sarah J., daughter Capt. Benjamin Glover, of Beverly, Mass., who lives quietly on Humboldt St., Muskegon, mourning her loss. Capt. Rand left two children, one a son now in the Southern States, and the other now Mrs. A. V. Mann, of Mus- kegon. In 1864 Capt. Rand was honored with the office of County Treasurer, and his ambition was so to live that all men after his death might say with truth, "here rests an honest man;" and his friends, mindful of his wishes, have marked his grave with a tablet bearing his favorite inscription.
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HISTORY OF MUSKEGON COUNTY.
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is also the senior member of the firm of Hackley & Hume, dealers in pine lands, logs, vessel property, &c. Mr. Hackley is prominently connected with the business interests of Muskegon, being a mem- ber of the Muskegon Booming Company, and one of the Directors of the Lumberman's National Bank, besides having the management of the extensive private business interests in which he is engaged.
STEPHEN C. HALL, lumberman, was born in Yates Co., N. Y., August 16th, 1834, and was educated at Pen Yan, graduating from the full mathematical course, as he intended to become a civil engi- neer. When 19 years of age he engaged as clerk in a store, and at 21 he removed to White River, working at whatever he could find to do. At this time his knowledge of surveying, picked up from association with surveyors, enabled him to become acquainted with the best lands in the State. In 1864 he was emyloyed in the final survey of Muskegon city, in which he has permanently settled. In the prosecution of his business he observed at this time in Egelston and Moorland a tract of marsh land, covered to midsummer with
Since his arrival in Michigan Mr. Hills has devoted his attention to lumbering, in which he has acquired a competency. The firm are building a new mill 45x150 feet, with a daily cutting capacity of 125,000 feet. It is situated at the foot of Pine street. They also own the Bay Mills farther down the lake. Mr. Hills is prominent in Masonic circles, having received the Thirty-third Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, for which degree he went to the city of Boston. He has been for fourteen years in succession Eminent Commander of the Knights Templar, and District Deputy Grand Master of Blue Masonry. Mr. Hills has never sought public honors, but rather avoided them. He has, however, had the Treas- urership of the county thrust upon him. He has taken an active part in banking matters, and has been for a number of years presi- dent of the Muskegon National Bank.
HENRY H. HOLT was born March 27, 1831, in the village of Camden, Oneida Co., N. Y. In 1852, he removed to Michigan and settled in Kent Co., near Grand Rapids. He received an academic
MUSKEGON NATIONAL BANK BLOCK.
three to four feet of water. The Government surveyors did not run lines through it, entering it on their books as " impassable marsh." Mr. Hall, confident that it could be drained, acquired the title, and by some expenditure of money and much labor and per- severance, he has transformed it into a fruitful farm. There is no such farm in the State, as it contains 2,000 acres. By careful man- agement Mr. Hall acquired the title to 15,000 acres of pine lands, chiefly in the vicinity of Houghton Lake. Here, with the help of 300 men and 100 horses, he gets out about 20,000,000 feet of logs. As a man of great business energy, thoughtful and far-sighted, Mr. Hall has won wealth and high reputation, while as a gentleman of fine social qualities he is regarded with much favor. As a public officer he has served three terms as Supervisor and two as County Treasurer to the satisfaction of all. In April, 1863, he married Miss Alice A. Clark, of Grand Haven.
CHARLES T. HILLS, of Ryerson, Hills & Co., is one of Muske- gon's solid men, being, in connection with Mr. Getty, manager of the largest lumbering firm, and president of the largest banking institution. He was born in Bennington, Vt., Nov. 14, 1821, and came to Grand Rapids in 1838, and to Muskegon in May, 1852.
education. In 1855 he commenced the study of law at a school in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he remained one year, and then entered the Union Law College at Cleveland, Ohio, where he graduated, and was admitted to practice in July, 1857. He returned to Mich- igan soon after, and in September of that year was admitted to practice at Grand Rapids, Judge Martin at that time being the Cir- cuit Judge. In 1858 he removed to Muskegon, where he now re- sides, and engaged in the practice of the law. He was subsequently elected prosecuting attorney of Ottawa 'County, the counties of Ottawa and Muskegon being then one county. In 1859, on the organization of the latter county, he was elected prosecuting attor- ney for the new county, and held the office four years, being re- elected in 1861. He subsequently held various offices of trust in Muskegon County, and in 1866 was elected to the lower house of the State Legislature, and was re-elected in 1868 and 1870. During the latter two terms he was Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. He was also a member of the constitutional conven- tion of 1867. Mr. Holt was elected Lieutenant-Governor in 1872, and re-elected in 1874. In 1873-4 Gov. Holt made quite an ex- - tended tour of Europe, and in 1875-6 he again visited the Old
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HISTORY OF MUSKEGON COUNTY.
World, this time extending the trip into Northern and Eastern Europe, as far as Constantinople, and also visited Egypt and the Holy Land, bringing back quite a collection of pictures, coins, minerals and other curiosities. In April, 1878, he was Mayor of Muskegon, and was re-elected the following year, which may be regarded as a decided compliment, as the city is usually Democratic at the Spring elections, and Mr. Holt was the second Republican Mayor. In November, 1878, he was elected a member of the State Legislature, and was again appointed chairman of the important committee on Ways and Means.
JOSEPH IRELAND, harness manufacturer, Muskegon, is a native of England and arrived in this country in 1847. In 1866 he came to Muskegon from Lake Superior, and engaged in the harness bus- iness, which he has successfully conducted up to the present time. He was elected Mayor of Muskegon in 1871.
FRANCIS JIROCH, Mayor of Muskegon, in 1880-1, was born in Austria, in 1843, and came to this country in 1854. After spend- ing some time in Detroit and Chicago, he came to Muskegon in 1866 and engaged in the manufacture of cigars, and also the whole- sale and retail tobacco and cigar business. In 1876 he was elected a member of the City Council, and re-elected in 1877. In 1880 be was elected Mayor of the city and re-elected in 1881. Mr. Jiroch is a man of fine personal appearance, a very successful business man, and is quite popular with all classes. He took a leading part in the planking of Terrace street and in erecting the City Hall.
EDWIN S. LATIMER, Register of Muskegon county, was born in Ohio, in 1852. In 1860 he came to Newaygo county, where he re- mained until 1866, when he removed to Muskegon. He was elected to the office of County Register in the fall of 1878, and re-elected in 1880. He was married in December, 1880, to Miss Annie Brun- dage, of Muskegon.
CAPTAIN SETH LEE, is one of the pioneers of the Lakes. He was born in Elyria, Ohio, in 1834 and in 1845 began his life as a sailor. In 1856 he took command of a vessel and has followed the life of a lake captain ever since, with the exception of six years from 1875 to 1881, during which time he was Superintendent of the Muskegon Booming Company's fleet. In the spring of 1881 he re- turned to the lake in command of the "Andrew Jackson," carrying lumber from Muskegon to Chicago.
In 1882 he is having a new boat built, and has purchased the "Minder" and the "Centennial", the two ferry boats on Lake Mus- kegon, and intends to give the citizens ample means of ferriage.
T. B. McNIFF of Muskegon is employed by a Chicago lumber firm to attend to their lumber and logging interests. He came to Muskegon from Ottawa county in 1865. Mr. McNiff has repre- sented the Second Ward in the City Council 1879-81 and was Pres- ident of the Council during that period.
DAVID MCLAUGHLIN is a native of Scotland and came to this country in 1851. In 1863 in came to Muskegon from Illinois. In 1866 he was elected County Clerk and Register, and continued in that office until 1879. In 1876 he began the practice of law and at the present time is the senior member of the law firm of Mc- Laughlin, Delano and Bunker. In February 1881 he was appointed Collector of the District, and his time is divided between the duties of that office and those of his profession. Mr. Mclaughlin is a typical Scotchman, full of enterprise, and has always taken an ac- tive interest in educational matters, being for many years on the School Board. He is a prominent Republican politician.
A. V. MANN, lumberman, was born in New Jersey in 1834, and came to Muskegon in 1855, where he has resided ever since, devot- ing his attention to lumbering. During the War four out of five of his brothers were in the army, as his family though Democratic
were all War Democrats-heart and soul for the Union cause. Mr. Mann was son-in-law of the late Captain Rand, the pioneer banker of Muskegon, and resides in the elegant mansion on the corner of Webster avenue and Second street, which is perhaps the finest resi- dence in western Michigan, costing over $20,000, being built of St. Louis pressed brick, and the interior being finished in hard wood.
HON. LYMAN G. MASON is a citizen whose public services are not surpassed by those of any other, as a perusal of the general history will readily show. Born in Belchertown, Mass., in June, 1829, in 1844 he removed to Worcester in the same State, and after six years residence there in 1850 he went to California via Cape Horn, having previously commenced clerking in a store at the age of fifteen. He remained on the Pacific coast until June 1855, engaged in lumbering and steam-boating, and for two years an agent for Wells, Fargo & Co. In 1855 he came to Muskegon, and has ever since been largely engaged in lumbering. He built a mill in 1856 which was burned, when the property of Robertson & Co. in 1869. He next built the Bigelow mill in 1862, selling it in 1865. He then built the mill now operated by the Thayer Lumber Co. In the erec- tion of these mills he was associated with Mr. Charles Davis, under the firm name of L. G. Mason & Co., lately dissolved. His com- pany built also an immense dry kiln, and a large planing mill, bored for salt, built a fine Opera House, since burned, they also erected the Mason Block, one of the finest in the city, and engaged in many other operations. In short to enumerate the services of Mr. Mason would be to give the history of nearly all the institutions of the city. He built the Occidental Hotel, aided largely in introducing gas and water works, promoted all the railway lines that converge into Mus- kegon, succeeded in forcing a better channel for the harbor, and has always taken a deep interest in education, especially in securing the erection of the noble Central School edifice, and in floating the bonds at a low rate. Mr. Mason's elegant residence on "Mason's Forty," as the addition is called, appears in this work.
WM. MARCUS, clothier, has one of the finest establishments on Western avenue, keeping a stock worth $25,000. He was born in Germany which he left when sixteen years of age, coming to his brother's in Wisconsin, in 1857 going to Chicago, where he traveled for a dry goods house. He came to Muskegon in 1866, going into business in Gustin's Block, and in March, 1881, into his present store in Torrent's Block, which is 44 by 90 feet, and is widely known as the "Original Lumberman's Clothing Store." Mr. M. married Miss Blume Herbst and has four children. Residence on Terrace street.
C. S. MONTAGUE is a native of Hartford, Conn., and came to Muskegon in 1865, from Chicago. His business at that time was that of lumber inspector, and later he began to operate in lumber and has continued to do so up to the present. He is one of the firm of Leahy & Co., an extensive dry goods firm on Western avenue, and was one of the original incorporators of the Temple Manufac- turing Co., of Muskegon. He continues the business of inspecting and tallying lumber and still does the largest business in the county in this line.
SAMUEL D. MURRAY, at present proprietor of a popular restaur- ant in Muskegon, is a native of Ithaca, Tompkins County, N. Y., and found his way to Muskegon in 1856. For about five years he followed steamboating, and in 1861 enlisted as a private in the 3rd Michigan Infantry. During his term of service he was promoted to Captain, and received an honorable discharge in 1864, when he re- turned to Muskegon. In the service he was a good soldier and is a gentleman of excellent standing in the community.
HON. C. D. NELSON, lumberman and ex-senator from the 26th Dis- trict of Michigan, was born in Newbury, Orange County, Vermont, May 12, 1824. He is the son of Stephen P. and Rachel (Gates)
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George B Woodbury
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Edward N. Vylie
John Ruddiman
7. Weller
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HISTORY OF MUSKEGON COUNTY.
Nelson. His father was a clothier and farmer. C. D. Nelson re- ceived his early school education in his native town. In 1846 he went to Boston, Mass., where for a time he was engaged in con- tracting and building. He afterwards entered a commercial college in Boston, where he received a thorough business training. After graduating from that institution in 1853, he became manager of a large contracting firm, and remained about three years. In 1857 he moved to Michigan, and settled in Muskegon; where, for nine years, he was manager of the lumber business of Marsh & Foss. In 1868 he formed a partnership with William B. Phillips and Samuel A. Brown, of Chicago, for the purpose of manufacturing lumber in Muskegon, the firm name being Brown, Nelson & Co. In 1873 Mr. D. K. Loveland, of Chicago, purchased Mr. Brown's interest, and the firm name became C. D. Nelson & Co. They manufactured, on an average, about 20,000,000 feet of lumber annually, and this year 30,000,000 feet. Mr. Nelson has held various offices of trust and responsibility. He was elected city Treasurer in 1865-6, and has been Alderman of the city for several years, and also President of the Board of Education in Muskegon since 1871. He has been a Republican since the organization of that party. In 1875 he was elected to the Michigan Senate, and in 1877 was re-elected. In the latter year he was made President pro tempore. His legislative career has been marked by that good sense and independent judg- ment which distinguish the statesman who serves his constituency, from the politician who connives for his party.
He was married in 1845, to Miss Carrie Wason, an estimable young lady of Newbury, Vermont. They have a son and daughter. His son, Harley W., is book-keeper to the firm. Residence corner of Third Street and Clay Avenue. Mr. Nelson has been Alderman, City Treasurer and Supervisor for many years.
F. A. NIMs is an old and prominent resident of the city, al- though still a very young man. A perusal of the general history will show that he has infused a progressive spirit into the city, and that he has beeen identified with its progress in many ways. Com- ing from Grand Rapids in 1865 he has secured the leading position as a railway lawyer, and has been connected with all the railway movements in the county, succeeding at least in collecting the scat- tered members into one organization. He has an enviable record in the Board of Education, and the legal firm of which he is a prominent member, stands high throughout the State.
The firm of SMITH, NIMS, HOYT & ERWIN, has a very fine suite of offices, and one of the largest libraries in the State. Mr. Smith came from Canada in 1866, and a partnership was formed in 1867 between a Mr. Gray of Grand Rapids, and Messrs. Smith and Nims. Mr. Erwin, the business man of the firm, was a student in the office of Gray, Smith & Nims, admitted to the bar and into the firm in April, 1870. Mr. Hoyt came in 1874, and the firm took its present name in 1879.
W. W. OWEN, bookseller and stationer, Western Ave., Muske- gon, was born in Sussex County, N. J., August 15, 1840, at the age of 15 came to Pontiac, Mich., and learned the book and stationery business, coming to Muskegon in September, 1859, entering into post-office bookstore; after five years he traveled two years with Mrs. Owen to recover her health. Then after two years in business in music aud real estate, he entered into the book and stationery business. He built the first brick store ever erected in the city, now occupied by Dennis Smith. Mr. Owen does a large trade. His pres- ent place of business is in the Bolza block.
FATHER EDWARD VAN PAMEL, priest of the Roman Catholic Church, is a most genial and courtly gentleman. full of reminiscen- ces of the early times and cheerfully communicative of his knowl- edge of the past. He was born in Belgium in 1828, received a careful training in the old Stone College of the 15th century in
Thielt, finishing his studies in Detroit, where he came in 1850, hav- ing at that time a brother, a missionary to Lake Superior Indians, who is now in England. Rev. Father Van Erp was priest at Grand Rapids in 1853, having all the region from Holland to Manistee. Father Van Pamel was first in Muskegon in 1853, visiting the Cath- olic families quarterly. In 1857 he brought over the first resident priest, Father F. Steinhauser, and purchased the lots cornering on Clay Avenue and First Street for $50, and built the first church in the city. In 1877 he came to Muskegon from Detroit, and has been settled there ever since.
Among the respected pastors of the Catholic congregation in Muskegon was Father Henry Rievers, who officiated from July, 1866, to 1876, zealously discharging his duty. He died February, 1877, aged 54 years and 3 months, having been born in Holland in 1822. He was courteous and affable to all, irrrespective of their belief.
GEORGE RUDDIMAN, retired mill owner and lumberman, is a na- tive of Scotland, who came to Muskegon in April, 1840. In 1849 he built the first tug ever on Muskegon Lake, built like a scow, with paddles in the stern. Before this date logging was done by oxen. He made an improvement on this tug, and built another seventy feet long by sixteen wide, a side-wheeler, which was a success. He was an active lumberman from 1844 to 1866, when he retired, and now enjoys the fruits of his labors and well earned ease. He is a worthy and upright citizen whose memory will be cherished by all who have known him.
JOHN RUDDIMAN, retired lumberman, was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1814, and immigrated to America when 16 years of age, when he had finished his school education. He came first to Penn- sylvania, and served his apprenticeship as a pattern maker,at Pitts- burg, remaining there from 1832 to 1836. He then went to Detroit, and shortly after to Chicago, and after 1840 was three years engaged in farming in Wisconsin, coming in 1843 to Muskegon, where his brother George had been for three years. He worked for George for one year lumbering at the mouth of Bear Lake, and then went to Milwaukee for four years, occasionally visiting Muskegon. In 1848 he built a steam mill in North Muskegon, near where the Torrent & Arms mill is, aud operated it until 1860, but the financial panic of 1857 was a severe blow to Mr. Ruddiman. After 1860 he oper- ated a mill on the site of the present Farr mill, and in 1862 moved to the mouth of Bear Lake, and built a grist mill, the first in the county, and ground in the summer, one day a week being sufficient for the gristing. He also raised fruit, having a 15 acre orchard and vineyard. He has not sought public honor, but has been three times elected Supervisor of Laketon. He married in 1840 in Wis- consin, Miss Mary Bunker, who died in 1877. He has two surviv- ing children, Adeline (Mrs. Eldred), with whom Mr. Ruddiman resides in her fine residence corner of Terrace and Delaware Streets, formerly the property of J. B. Murphy. His second daughter is Emma (now Mrs. Horning), who resides at Winfield, Kansas.
Mr. Ruddiman is one of the most respected pioneers of Muske- gon, and is regarded with universal esteem. His portrait will be found in this work.
MAJOR WM. L. RYAN, Police Justice and Justice of the Peace was born in Queen's Co., Ireland, April 15, 1832, and received his education at the common school. Actuated by a desire to achieve fortune in the New World, he emigrated in the Spring of 1854, re- maining a few months in the Huron district of Canada, but in the same Fall settling in Grand Rapids, afterwards going to Spring Lake, and in 1857 to Muskegon. In the Spring of 1861, on the first call for 75,000 men, he went out as Second Lieutenant of the Muskegon Rangers, afterwards Co. H. of the Third Michigan In- fantry. In three months he was promoted to the First Lieutenancy,
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HISTORY OF MUSKEGON COUNTY.
. and shortly after being wounded at the second Bull Run he was made Captain. After a leave of absence, in 1863, he returned to his regiment, but was obliged to resign on account of his wound, and was appointed on the Veteran Reserve Corps as First Lieuten- ant, which commission he had from President Lincoln, and after- wards that of Captain and Brevet Major, by President Johnson, for gallant and meritorious service in war. He then served in the Veteran Corps at Newark, N. J., and assisted in quelling the July riots in New York in 1863. Thence he was transferred to Boston as Assistant Mustering Officer, and Inspector of Passports at the harbor. He was transferred thence to Mississippi as Assistant Com- missioner of the Freedmen's Bureau, and returned in 1867 to Mus- kegon, where he was elected City Marshal for three years, and Sheriff for four years, from 1874 to 1878, when Sheriff Waters was elected. In the Spring of 1879 he was elected Justice of the Peace for four years, and April, 1881, Police Justice, to which office he has just been re-elected. Mr. Ryan has given the utmost satisfac- tion in all the positions he has held.
IRA O. SMITH, lumberman, was born at Victor, Monroe Co., N. Y., Jan. 28, 1827, his father, Oren Smith, being one of the founders of the city of Rochester, and an extensive land owner there when it was an insignificant village, and also an eager promoter of the construction of the Erie canal. His son, Ira, received such educa- tion as the district schools afforded, and when eleven years of age removed with his family to Flint, Mich., where he worked on his father's farm until twenty years old. He then went to Grand Haven, engaging with W. M. Ferry, Sr., for five years. Having acquired some property, he purchased the Black Lake mill in 1852, but the place being a wilderness he was compelled to build roads and make such other improvements as were necessary to get out his lumber. Notwithstanding these drawbacks, he carried on business with considerable success for ten years. He then sold out and en- gaged for five years in mercantile business in Muskegon. In 1867 he became a junior partner in the firm of Swan, White & Smith, and afterward became managing partner of the firm, which, by the aid of his ability, has been very successful. He also became a stockholder in the Booming Company, in 1872 was elected its Sec- retary, and in 1874 President, which he held for seven years, re- ceiving a complimentary address, accompanied with $1,000. He has been successively elected County Clerk, Register, Supervisor and Alderman, all of which he has filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to those who supported him. He is also a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Odd Fellows. As a public spirited citizen he has largely identified himself with the growth and prosperity of Muskegon.
JAMES SMITH is the Muskegon member of the Beidler Lumber Manufacturing Company. Mr. Smith is a native of England and came to this country in 1855. He first went to Saginaw and re- mained until 1860, when he came to Muskegon and went to work for the Beidler Manufacturing Company. He rose to be foreman of the mill and filled the position to the thorough satisfaction of his employers. In the Spring of 1880 the company was reorganized, and Mr. Smith took an interest in the business, and since that time has had the entire management of the mill and business at Mus- kegon. He has been Alderman for two years for the Fourth Ward -during 1878-80.
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