USA > Michigan > Oakland County > History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests Volume II > Part 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
Chester E. Rundell was born in the state of Pennsylvania, April II, 1834, but was brought up and educated in Oakland county, Michigan. He spent his earlier years as a farmer, but soon after taking upon him- self the responsibilities of a married man he moved to Holly, where he was for several years engaged in the meat and bakery business. Sub- sequently purchasing the Exchange Hotel, the leading public house of Holly, he conducted it successfully until his death, December 30, 1880.
Chester E. Rundell was twice married. He married first, Mary Covert, who died in early womanhood, leaving three children, as follows: Clara, who died in Colorado; Grace, now living in San Francisco, Cali- fornia; and Charley, a resident of Lyons, Colorado. On September 16, 1873, in Pontiac, Michigan, he married Charlotte T. Benjamin, who was born in 1848, in Southfield township, Oakland county, Michigan, a daughter of Ariel and Mary Benjamin, and the only child born of their union was Leroy J. Rundel, with whom this sketch is chiefly concerned. His widow, in June, 1882, married for her second husband Milton Thompson, who then owned "Orchard Lawn Farm." Mr. Thompson was born in LeRoy, Oneida county, New York, in 1825, and died in Rose township, Oakland county, Michigan, May 22, 1900. He married for his first wife, Kate Hankinson, of Steuben county, New York, and in 1864 settled on his farm in Rose township, where his first wife's death occurred January 17, 1880. There were no children born of their union, but they reared an adopted son, Jefferson Thompson, whom they took when he was but three years old, and he is still a resident of Rose town- ship. Mrs. Charlotte (Benjamin) (Rundell) Thompson died on the home farm, March 3, 1908, having survived her second husband eight years.
But eight years old when he came with his mother and step-father to his present homestead, Leroy J. Rundell has succeeded to its ownership, having bought out his brother's interests in the property, and in its im-
701
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
provement has spared neither time nor expense. He has added to the improvements previously put upon it, having erected two new barns, and put the other buildings in good repair, his estate comparing favor- ably in its appointments with any in the neighborhood.
Mr. Rundell married, September 28, 1898, Edna Everts, who was born on the old Everts homestead, October 13, 1877, a daughter of Caleb Everts. Four children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Rundell, namely: Beatrice, born March 15, 1901, died in infancy ; Chester Everett, born May 18, 1902; Ellsworth Leroy, born October 23, 1905; and Marian Elizabeth, born March 8, 1908. Politcally Mr. Run- dell is identified with the Democratic party.
GEORGE A. DONDERO. Among the distinctively prominent and bril- liant young lawyers of Oakland county, Michigan, none is more ver- satile, talented or well equipped for the work of his profession than George A. Dondero, who maintains his home and business headquarters at Royal Oak. During the two years which cover his career as an able attorney and well fortified counselor he has, by reason of unimpeachable conduct and close observance of the unwritten code of professional ethics, gained the admiration and respect of his fellow members of the bar, in addition to which he commands a high place in the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens.
George A. Dondero was born in Greenfield township, Wayne county, Michigan, December 16, 1833, and he is a son of Louis and Caroline (Trutharn) Dondero, the former of whom was born in Genoa, Italy, and the latter in Germany. The father came to the United States about the year 1852, at the age of nine years, and he located in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, where he resided during the ensuing five years. About the time of the inception of the Civil war he was employed by the Colts Pistol Company, at Hartford, Connecticut. On several occasions he was drafted to serve in the war, but each time he was released by his employer, who found it necessary to retain the services of all his em- ployes engaged in the making of cartridges and arms for the Union troops. He worked for the Colts concern during the entire period of the war and in 1867 he and his wife came to Michigan, settling in De- troit, where a younger brother of Mr. Dondero's was engaged in the willow-ware business, at No. 49 Monroe avenue. For the following three years Mr. Dondero was associated with his brother in the above business, but at the expiration of that time he removed with his family to a farm in Greenfield township, Wayne county. In 1885 removal was made by the family to a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Royal Oak township, Oakland county, where the home was maintained until 1898, when Mr. Dondero retired to Grosse Pointe, where he still re- sides, in 1912, Mrs. Dondero, whose maiden name was Caroline Truth- arn, was born in Germany, and she came to America in 1860, at the age of seventeen years, at the request of an elder sister, who had preceded her to this country. She landed in New York City and from there went to Hartford, Connecticut, where she resided until her marriage, in 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Dondero became the parents of four children, all of whom grew to maturity,-Emma died in 1891 ; Gustavus resides at Royal Oak ; Herman maintains his home at Grosse Pointe; and George A. is the immediate subject of this review.
At the age of two years George A. Dondero was brought by his par-
702
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
ents from Wayne county to Oakland county, where he passed his boy- hood and youth and where he still resides. He was reared on the old farm and received his rudimentary educational training in the neigh- boring district schools of Royal Oak township. At the age of twelve years he was ready to enter high school and he was graduated in the Royal Oak high school in 1903. For the following four years he was engaged in teaching school in Oakland county and in 1907 he decided upon the profession of law for his life work. He pursued his legal studies in the Detroit College of Law, in which institution he was grad- uated as a member of the class of 1910, duly receiving his degree of Bachelor of Laws. He began the practice of law at Royal Oak im- mediately after graduation, and so successful has he been in his chosen profession that he is now considered one of the ablest attorneys in Oak- land county. He has figured prominently in a number of important litigations in this section of the state and is particularly noted for his diligence in the defense of his clients. In his political convictions he is a stalwart Republcan and he has been incumbent of the offices of village clerk, village assessor and township treasurer. He is loyal and public- spirited in his civic attitude and is ever on the alert to lend his aid in support of all measures and enterprises projected for the good of the community. Mr. Dondero is a bachelor.
FRED A. WICKENS. Beginning his mercantile career deeply in debt, Fred A. Wickens has made rapid progress along the pathway of success, and now holds a leading position among the prominent business men of Clyde, where he is well known, not only as a general merchant but as the postmaster. He is essentially a self-made man, his present prosperity being due to his own energetic efforts. A native of Oakland county, he was born December 30, 1859, in Rose township, coming from substantial old England ancestry.
His father, George Wickens, was born and educated in Hampshire, England, living there until twenty years old, when he immigrated to America, settling in Oakland county, Michigan, buying a tract of heavily wooded land in Rose township, the ringing strokes of his axe were soon heard as he felled the giants of the forest to make room for the small house, which he erected in the forest. He succeeded in clearing a farm, which in the course of years he greatly improved, placing much of the land under tillage and erecting a larger dwelling. When ready to give up active labor he sold out, the place now being known as the John I. Cole farm, and moved to Clyde, where he lived retired until his death, July 4, 1907, at the age of eighty-one years. He married, in Pontiac, Oakland county, Michigan, Eliza Noyes, who was born in Hampshire, England, eighty-six years ago, in 1826, and is now living in Clyde. She is sadly afflicted physically, being deaf, lame and blind. Of the nine children born of their union five are living.
Receiving his preliminary education in the pioneer schools of Rose township, Fred A. Wickens subsequently attended Albion College one year, remaining on the home farm until twenty years of age. Entering then the employ of Mr. Taggett, he clerked for him fifteen months, re- ceiving first five dollars a month wages and, afterwards being given a dollar more each month, his wages finally being increased to eight dol- lars a month. Mr. Wickens afterwards clerked in stores at both Holly and Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Having become somewhat familiar with
703
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
the business, he then returned to Clyde and bought out his former em- ployer, Mr. Taggett. Having less than $300 to his name, he ran in debt $4,240 for the stock, and rented the building. Notwithstanding his heavy handicap, Mr. Wickens labored with such pluck, energy and determina- tion that at the end of seven years he had paid off his indebtedness. Continuing along the same lines, he made some money the following year, and later bought and enlarged the building which he occupied, and has now one of the best equipped and best stocked general stores in this part of Oakland county, and is doing an annual business of about $20,000.
Mr. Wickens is a stanch Republican, but is not a politician. Under the first administration of President Cleveland he was appointed post- master, succeeding Mr. A. S. Taggett, whom he bought out, and was again appointed to the same position by President Mckinley, and is now serving his third term in that capacity. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of the Macca- bees, in which he has passed all of the chairs of the lodge, and is also a member of the Masonic fraternity of Milford, Michigan.
Mr. Wickens married, in 1889, Carrie O. Sears, a native of Center- burg, Ohio, and they are the parents of two children, namely: Gertrude S., a student at the Michigan Agricultural College, and Bruce E., now with the Western Electric Company of Chicago.
JAMES W. MCLAREN, member of the firm of J. D. McLaren & Com- pany, owners and operators of a chain of elevators in Michigan, and buyers and shippers of all kinds of produce, as well as dealers in cement, coal and land fertilizers, was born on a farm in Plymouth township, Wayne county, Michigan, May 7, 1884. He is the son of J. D. McLaren and Amy (Van Fleet ) McLaren. The McLaren family is one of Scotch descent. James McLaren, the father of J. D. McLaren and the grand- father of the subject, was born at Lima Centre, Michigan, and died upon the farm which was his birthplace. He at one time owned every fifth section of land in Isabella county, Michigan, and among other valuable lands owned the site where is now located the city of Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
James W. McLaren was educated in the schools of his native town and at Plymouth high school, after which he completed a business course in Dutches' Business college of Detroit. His first entry into business was at Salem, Michigan, during vacation days, where he assisted his father in buying produce. He also worked at the Plymouth elevator and on the home farm until 1909, when, with his father, he purchased the elevator at Wixom of Yerkes Brothers, and he came to Wixom to take charge of their interests. The firm has made rapid strides in the business since that time and their annual purchases will approximate 40,000 bushels of potatoes, 20,000 bushels of wheat and 15,000 pounds of wool.
In November, 1906, Mr. McLaren married Miss Cora Warner, of Plymouth township, where she was born. She is the daughter of Aaron and Ella ( Hayward) Warner. She was educated in her home town and attended the Cleary Business College of Ypsilanti, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. McLaren have one child,-Harold, born February 2, 1908.
GEORGE GILBOE. Give a worthy and upright Canadian a chance of any kind in any place where the conditions are governable and he will make a creditable record and a success in life. This is well illustrated in Vol. II-14
-
704
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
the life and career of George Gilboe, of Pontiac, who is one of the sub- stantial citizens of the city, and who has come to his present estate wholly through his own efforts and natural ability. Fortune has not smiled on him with any of her special favors at any time, and circum- stances have not opened hands of bounty to him, or given up anything for his benefit except what he has compelled them to yield. But he has never cringed in the face of Fate, and has even forced her to give him a right of way for progress among men.
Mr. Gilboe was born in Essex county, province of Ontario, Canada, on October 13, 1846. His parents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Wigle) Gil- boe, were also natives of Canada, the former born in the city of Montreal and the latter in Essex county. The father left his native city in 1812 and took up his residence in Essex county. There he met with and mar- ried the mother, and in 1848 they came to Michigan, bringing their off- spring with them, and located in Oakland county. Here the father passed the rest of his life, industriously and profitably engaged in farm- ing. He died in Oakland and the mother passed away in Canada. They were the parents of thirteen children. Of this number John, Charles, Isabell, Winley, Mary Ann, Susan, Julian and Simon have died, and an- other child died in infancy before receiving a name. Winley, the fifth child in the order of birth, was killed by Indians, while on his way to California during the early excitement over the discovery of gold in that state. The children who are living are: Peter, who lives in Canada and is now seventy-nine years old; Joseph, who is a resident of Waterford township in this county, and is seventy-seven years old; Solomon, whose home is at Brooklyn, Jackson county, Michigan; and George, the im- mediate subject of this brief review, who is the youngest. living member of the household.
At the age of fourteen Mr. Gilboe took up farming as his regular oc- cupation, working for one of his brothers, with whom he remained seven years. He then went back to Essex Center in his native county and passed a year there in various employments. At the end of the year he returned to this county and located in Bloomfield township, where he found plenty to do in the woods chopping wood. His compensation for this arduous labor was one dollar per cord, and he made good wages at it, chopping regularly and putting up five cords a day, for he was ambitious to get on in the world and never lost an hour that he could devote to his work. .
In the intervals between his employment with the woodsman's ax he worked on farms in the neighborhood. He still had a hankering for his native land, however, and yielding to this, he bought one hundred acres of land in Canada. It was wholly unimproved and uncultivated, and he determined to make a valuable farm of it. With this end in view he put up a log cabin for a dwelling and began to break up his land. He had a good offer for it in a short time and sold it, and after that rented a farm in Canada for a few years, and worked it with profit.
Once more he returned to Essex Center, where he built a livery stable, and carried on business for a year. He then sold that and betook himself to the logging camps, alternating his work in them with employ- ment in operating a saw mill. In 1880 he came to Pontiac to live, and during the next seven years he kept a wood yard. When he abandoned that he began contracting and teaming, and in these occupations he has also succeeded, as he has in every other, because he has compelled success
har and was to A Harrison
1
705
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
to come to him by his industry, enterprise and good management of his business.
Mr. Gilboe has considerable valuable property which he has accum- ulated in his laborious life and can defy all the ordinary forms of ad- versity. He owns the comfortable home he occupies, three vacant lots in Pontiac, four houses on Clinton street in the city and forty-two acres of land in Waterford township, besides other interests of value.
On March 24, 1869, he was united in marriage with Miss Julia Con- klin, a daughter of Thomas and Susan (Wigle) Conklin, both natives of Canada. The father died on February 23, 1863, and the mother on September 4, 1880. They were the parents of eight children: Isabelle, Mary Jane, Elizabeth and Jane Olivia, who have died; Mina, Arthur and David, who are residents of Canada; and Mrs. Gilboe. Mr. and Mrs. Gilboe have had nine children, eight of whom are living: Mina Belle, the wife of George E. Berdslee, a lawyer in Seattle, Washington ; De Ette, the wife of George Knisley, of Pontiac, a contractor ; Winona, the wife of William Smith, of Detroit, Michigan; Norine, the wife of Burt Batchelor of Seattle, Washington; Walter, who resides in Detroit ; David A., a resident of Pontiac; Maud, the wife of Morris Spruineg, of Pontiac ; and Mort., who also lives in Detroit. The eighth child in the order of birth, a son named Horace, died some years ago.
Mr. Gilboe is independent in politics. He served as a detective in Canada and has also been a constable in the Fifth ward in Pontiac. Fraternally he belongs to the Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of the Maccabees. In church membership he is a Methodist. Everybody who knows him regards him as an enterprising, progressive and public- spirited citizen and an upright, conscientious and most estimable man.
CHARLES A. HARRISON. The stern fate which brings sadness to a home by removing the husband and father when his offspring are still of tender years had much to do with shaping the destiny of Charles A. Har- rison, who is numbered among the distinctive citizens of Pontiac. His father passed away at the age of twenty-eight years, and Charles Har- rison was but two years old when his mother took up her home in Michigan.
The senior Harrison, whose name was also Charles A., was a na- tive of France, born in Paris of English parentage. He married Mar- garet Winter, an English girl, their union occurring in Canada, whither Harrison had come at the age of sixteen. He was a ship joiner and shoe worker by trade and lived in Chatham, Ontario, until his death, which occurred, as previously mentioned, at the very early age of twenty-eight years. His wife died in August, 1877. The two children of this union, both of whom were born in Chatham, were William Henry Harrison, who is a retired physician living in Bay county, and Charles A. Their mother brought them to Michigan soon after the death of their father, and at the age of eight it was necessary for the subject of this sketch to look out for himself and contribute to the family liv- ing. His mother married Henry Stover, who is now deceased, and by this union had six children-Elizabeth, widow of James Duff. of De- troit : Ida, George, Wesley, Robert and Peter, all of whom are de- ceased.
In the meantime Charles Harrison was striking out for himself with lusty strokes, unafraid for the future. For eight years he fol-
706
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
lowed farming, staying with a Mr. Peer on the latter's farm. Then he went to Detroit and learned the upholsterer's trade, afterward tak- ing up stationary engineering. Carpentry and joining claimed his at- tention, and after seven years of work in this capacity he broadened the scope of his endeavor and engaged in contracting, which he followed up to four years ago. The date of his locating in Pontiac was 1877. He has prospered materially and owns five houses besides the handsome one in which he resides, having also a double house on South Saginaw, and being owner of the Harrison block, a substantial and modern structure.
His public services comprise a term as highway commissioner and eight years in the office of building inspector of the city. Mr. Harri- son is a Democrat. He attends services at the Methodist church and Mrs. Harrison is a Presbyterian. His lodges are those of the Masons and the Elks. He has been one of the trustees of the Masonic Temple for twelve years and served as president of the board for two years.
Mr. Harrison married Elizabeth M. Bray on January 14, 1896. She was born in Kuhr, Switzerland, December 31, 1843, the only child of Christian and Sophia Bray, who were natives of Switzerland and who came to the United States in 1844, when Mrs. Harrison was about a year old. They settled in East Tennessee, where the father died in Morgan county in 1888. His widow there made her home with Mrs. Harrison until her death in 1895.
Mrs. Harrison first married Frederick Walter, also a native of Switzerland, who came to the United States when about eighteen years of age and settled in Iowa. He subsequently went to Memphis, Ten- nessee, where he was married and he was a merchant there, and in 1867 he came to Pontiac and engaged in the grocery business, thus con- tinuing until his death in 1894, at the age of sixty-three years. He was an active Mason, a Knight Templar and a Shriner and was quite successful. They had three children, all whom died when young, and they reared an adopted son, Fred Walter, now in Florida.
EDWARD M. MURPHY. The late Edward M. Murphy was a citizen whose particular prominence in Pontiac grew out of his activity as a manufacturer. He was a native of Wayne county in this state and was the son of John B. and Margaret (Moylan) Murphy, both of whom were originally from Ireland. Of their family of six children all grew to maturity, and all of Edward Murphy's brothers and sisters survive him. Katherine, the eldest, is the widow of Martin Pulcher, of Detroit. Robert Murphy is a resident of Detroit. Ann, the second daughter, lives in Pontiac. John Murphy still makes his home in Wayne county. Dr. James J. Murphy practices his profession in this city.
Edward M. Murphy, the fifth child and third son of his parents, was born December 19, 1863. His education was that of the public schools of Wayne county and his first vocational experiments were found in assisting hardware dealers. Having learned the practical phases of this business during his residence and experience in Detroit, he took charge of a hardware establishment in Pontiac and spent some years as a retail dealer in commodities of that class. His interest in and ability for manufacturing led him to enter into partnership with C. V. Taylor in the buggy business. It was not long, however, until his initia- tive and executive power demanded a rather wider scope and he pres-
707
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
ently established in conjunction with Samuel E. Beach and Anthony Emmendorfer, his father-in-law, manufactory and shops, giving them the firm name of the Pontiac Buggy Company, a concern that has since that time prospered to a gratifying degree.
His connection with enterprises of a similar sort has gradually in- creased in extent. In addition to his relations with the Dunlap factory, he has been connected with several concerns of the sort, acting as presi- dent of some of these. It was a natural step and one which was the logical outcome of Mr. Murphy's success with other vehicles that he should become interested in the business of automobile manufacturing. He next associated his commercial interests with those of the Oakland Motor Car Company, with which he remained until his death.
He was appointed trustee of the Pontiac State Hospital by Gov- ernor Fred Warner, and was holding that position at the time of his death, having served about six years. He was also a trustee of the Oakland county hospital.
Mr. Murphy was a member of the organizations of the Knights of Columbus and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He and his family have been numbered with the important members of the Roman Catholic church. Mrs. Murphy was Miss Mary Emmendorfer before her marriage, and was the daughter of Anthony and Mary (Reilley) Emmendorfer. Her father, who had come from Germany to America, passed from this life three years ago; the mother, who was a native of the state of New York died January 24, 1912, in Pontiac. Mrs. Murphy's brothers and sisters were four in number. Elizabeth, the eldest, makes her home in Pontiac. Eva, who became the wife of Walter J. Fisher, of Pontiac, is now deceased. A brother William resides at Orchard Lake. Frederick, a younger brother, lives in Pontiac. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Murphy are two sons and two daughters. Charles A. and Edward H. are students at Notre Dame University; Margaret E. is at St. Mary's College at Monroe, Michigan; and Mary Catharine is still at home. It is needless to add that in the life of the family sur- viving him, in the memory of his townsmen and former business col- leagues, as well as in the business he had worthily built up, Edward M. Murphy still holds a vitally important place, although he was called from mortal existence on September 4, 1909.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.