USA > Michigan > Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state > Part 18
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THOMAS RUSSELL SMITH.
retary. Harry. aged 15, is his stepson and is still attending school at Lawton.
Today Mr. Smith is interested in twenty- seven copper claims. He runs a general store at Lawton, a jewelry store at Mt. Pleasant, and a general supply store at Grand Encampment, Wyoming. He has two copper claims devel- oped at that place, located in a section that is exceedingly rich in that valiable min- eral. He has held several political offices, was member of the Cook County Republican Com- mittee of Illinois in 1883 and 1884, and also chairman of the Republican County Commit- tee of Van Buren county for four years. He has held many other county offices, and is now state oil inspector. Mr. Smith goes into poli- tics for recreation, and wants to be a leader or nothing at all. His second marriage took place at Lawton, May 15, 1895, to Mrs. Flor- ence A. Ford, a widow, the daughter of Jesse J. Smith, of Lawton.
Ile is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Oddfellows, Modern Woodmen of America. He was master of the Blue Lodge, F. & A. M .. at. Lawton, for four years, and has filled almost every office in the chapter,
112
MEN OF PROGRESS.
SAMUEL W. SMITH.
SMITH, SAMUEL W. Samuel W. Smith has had an interesting career, and in its course he has done much to benefit the people of Michigan, and win his way into the trust and estecm of his fellow-citizens in Pon- tiac, Michigan, where he now resides.
His father and mother, Nicholas B. and Mary Phillips Smith, came to this State in 1841, and located in Oakland county. The father purchased eighty aeres of new land in Brandon, which he eleared up and improved, and when he had done so sold the property at an advanced price and purchased one hun- dred and twenty acres in Independence town- ship, where, Angust 23, 1852, the subject of this sketch was born.
Samuel W. Smith's early school days were passed in the little village of Clarkson, Mich- igan. He parsned his higher course of studies in Detroit, and after obtaining a fair amount of knowledge he entered the Law De- partment of the State University, from which he graduated with honors in 1878. He had been admitted to the bar in 1877, and, after graduating, he established himself to practice in Pontiac, where for six months he worked
alone, with considerable success, and then formed a partnership with Judge Levi Taft and Hon. Aaron Perry. The latter retired from the firm during the second year of the partnership, but the connection between Judge Taft and Mr. Smith continued without intermission until the death of the former, in 1897.
In 1880 Mr. Smith was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Oakland county, in which ca- pacity he served until 1884, when he was clected State Senator from the Fifteenth Sen- atorial District on the Republican ticket, win- ning the race by a majority of sixteen votes.
Mr. Smith took an active part in the dis- cussion and passage of the law regulating the sale of oleomargarine, which protected the interests of the farmers and dairymen, and of the bills for the coupling of freight cars, which were introduced for the protection of the men in the employ of the railroad com- panies.
On the expiration of his senatorial term he resumed his law practice, but in 1896 he re- ceived the Republican nomination for Con- gress from the Sixth District, to which posi- tion he was elected. As a member of this august body, Mr. Smith won and received more attention and respect than is gen- erally accorded to new members. He was especially active in looking after the in- terests of the old soldiers, and he favored any measures pertaining to the advancement of the farming interests. His bill for the revi- sion of the postal laws met with general ap- proval. The following term he was re- elected to Congress by an increased majority. Mr. Smith is interested in the Pontiac & Flint Electric Railroad. He is a member of nearly all the secret orders.
November 17, 1880, he married Alida E. DeLand, in Waterford, Michigan. Mrs. Smith's father, Edwin T. DeLand, was one of the manufacturers of the celebrated De- Land Soda.
Four sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith-E. DeLand, Ferris N., Wendell and Harlan S. Smith.
113
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
MOORE, HON. GEORGE WILLIAM. George William Moore, of Port Huron, is a descendant of the Hon. William Moore, who settled in New Hampshire in 1682, on land granted the family by the King of Great Britain. In 1775 George III. gave the fam- ily another large grant of several counties in New Brunswick.
George W. Moore was born in Fort Gra- tiot township in St. Clair county, April 12, 1859, and at the age of 10 years he had only spent 12 months in school. His parents were farmers, near Port Huron, and later they removed to Hersey, Mich., where young Moore received the advantage of four terms in the Winter school. At the age of 18 years he found employment rolling and scaling logs for A. V. Mann & Co., of Muskegon, at their mill. Here he worked on the log deek, roll- ing the wet, slippery logs onto the carriage for $1.75 a day. When the foreman put him on this work the men protested because of his youth, arguing that it was not work for a boy, but required the strongest man. Neverthe- less the boy worked at this job all of two sum- mers, sealing logs around in the different log- ing camps during the winter, and earning in the last winter as high as $80 a month.
In the summer of 1878, in company with a partner named Cody, he commeneed busi- ness on his own account, taking a contract for putting in logs for the same company. They borrowed enough capital to start with and employing about 40 men commenced opera- tions. When they settled up in the spring they had a fair outfit, but no money com- ing. The next two winters resulted in the same way. In 1881 they transferred their operations to Missaukee County and put in a small steam road to get the logs out. They started $110,000 in debt and did not realize a dollar for three years. Although the pros- pect was not at all promising, Mr. Moore in 1885 bought his partner out, and decided to work alone. The following four years were prosperous, and in 1889, selling ont his inter- est in the concern, and returning to St. Clair township, Mr. Moore purchased the farm he
HON. GEORGE WILLIAM MOORE.
now owns, situated along the banks of the St. Clair river.
In 1889, with his brother, F. T. Moore, he organized their present bank at Capae, and in 1890 Mr. Moore organized the St. Clair ('ounty Savings Bank of Port Huron, of which he is now the cashier. In 1898 the private bank of G. W. and F. T. Moore was opened at Marine City.
Mr. Moore is one of the younger leaders of the Republican party of St. Clair county and chairman of the Republican county commit- tee. Ile enjoys the confidence and support of the young element in his county, and is held in high regard by the more conserva- tive and elder Republicans. He was super- visor and chairman of the board in Massaukee county from 1884 until 1888, and elected State senator from the Eleventh Distriet in 1898. Ile is a stockholder in the Riverside Woodworking Company of Port Huron, and also of the Lang Fish Company in the same eity, both of which are exceedingly prosper- ous concerns.
Mr. Moore married Miss Harriet Radcliffe, daughter of J. F. Radeliffe, at Hersey, Mich- igan, in 1885. They have four children.
114
MEN OF PROGRESS.
BRIG .- GEN. FRED HEWINGS CASE
CASE, BRIG .- GEN. FRED HEWINGS. Fred Hewings Case was born in the vil- lage of Constantine, Michigan, October 30, 1857, where he lived until he was six years of age, when, in 1864, his parents moved to Three Rivers, Michigan. Here he was sent to the public schools until he reached the age of 15, when he began to look about for an occupation in life. That of a journalist appealed to him most, so he applied for and secured a place in the printing office of the Three Rivers Reporter, then the lead- ing newspaper published in St. Joseph county. His position was that of a "devil," and for his first ten weeks' work he received in lieu of salary a book of travel, and after that he was paid $3 a week. The following year he found another position, setting type in the office of the Grand Rapids Democrat, Grand Rapids, Michigan. He remained in Grand Rapids for about eight months, and then went to Kalamazoo, where he secured cases on the Kalamazoo Telegraph. Here he remained and worked steadily for three years, casting his first vote in that city.
In 1879 he went to Chicago, Illinois,
where he worked a year on the Chicago Times, and afterwards on the Herald. While in that city he became a Union man by join- ing Typographical Union No. 3, and he is still a member of that body.
Shortly after this he returned to Three Rivers to connect himself with his father in the publication of the News-Reporter. In 1888 he was appointed mail clerk and given the run between Grand Rapids and Elkhart. Later he was transferred to the main line working between Cleveland, (., and ('hicago.
After six years' service he resigned in 1895 and went back to the newspaper business, hav- ing purchased the Three Rivers Tribune, which he continued to publish until August 1, 1896.
His military record is a history of advance- ments. He first joined as a private in the Kalamazoo Light Guard, known in service as Company , Second Regiment. He was transferred to Company D, Three Rivers, in 1879, and elected Second Lieutenant of Co. D, Second Regiment, in 1880, re-elected in 1881, resigned the following year. June 10, 1885, he was made Captain of Co. D, in the same regiment, and August 22, 1892, was promoted to Major. March 30, 1893, he was elected Lieutenant-Colonel of the Second In- fantry, and February 16, 1897, was appoint- ed Inspector-General by Governor Pingree. Today he holds the office of Adjutant-Gen- eral, having been appointed July 11, 1898, and reappointed January 12, 1899.
Gen. Case is the descendant of an old Revo- lutionary family, his great grandfather served all through the war of American Independ- ence, and suffered with Washington's troops at Valley Forge. Gen. Case has held a few political offices having been Township Clerk of Lockport, Michigan, for a term and Re- corder of the Village of Three Rivers in 1881- 82. He married in Three Rivers, May 20, 1894, Carrie Roberts Tucker, daughter of Cyrus Roberts of that city. Gen. Case is affiliated with the F. and A. M., Lodge No. 57, Three Rivers, and Lodge No. 43, K. P., of the same place.
115
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
BLAKESLEE, EDWIN A. Merchant, banker and farmer, these are three occupa- tions that Edwin A. Blakeslee, of Galicn, Michigan, follows today, and he is indebted for his present position largely to his own en- ergetie efforts, and the "hustling" qualities with which he seems endowed.
ITis father, George A. Blakeslee, was one of the carlier settlers in Berrien County, where he arrived in 1854. Edwin was born in Galien, Michigan, July 18, 1865, and received his early education in the village school in that place.
Edwin A. Blakeslee started to earn money for his education when he was but 16 years of age. Ilis brother, since deceased, was the proprietor of a threshing machine outfit which he had been most successful iu operating throughout the country. Young Edwin, see- ing that there was plenty of room in the field for another plant of this kind bought a sec- ond-hand threshing machine engine and get- ting a discarded separator which he had made over, started out in business for himself. He was handicapped at the beginning by a $1,200 indebtedness, but he cleared $800 the first year.
He hired a good gang of men, did his own collecting and personally superintended the contracts. Clad in old bluc overalls and a blue Aannel shirt with an old straw hat on the back of his head he filled all stations in the threshing outfit, drawing water, acting as fire- man and engineer, feeding on the separator and filling any vacancy that occurred during the progress of the work.
From the hot days and nights of July un- til the chilly ones of autunm he followed his occupation in the wheat fields for nine seasons, attending school when threshing stopped in the fall until vacation arrived. In this way he earned enough to pay his way through college.
At the age of seventeen he attended the Advent College in Battle Creek, and in 1883 he was a student at the Michigan State Nor- mal School, Ypsilanti. There he finished the scientific course in 1887, and in the fall of 1887 entered the University of Michigan,
EDWIN A, BLAKESLEE.
taking special work in chemistry, history, political economy preparatory to a course in the law department, which he entered in 1890. By the death of his father he was forced that same year to leave college and take up the several business interests that had thus been left to his care. It was harder work than the young man had ever found in his vouth. There was a hardwood sawmill, a general store, private banking interests, and other enterprises which needed strict atten- tion, and he has taken his father's place and all these enterprises are in the best financial condition.
He has always been an ardent Republican, was Township Clerk three terms and Super- visor for two years. He was elected to the State Senate in 1896 and re-elected in 1898. In '97 was chairman of committee on taxation and member of finance and appropriation, and in '99 was chairman of citics and villages, roads and bridges, member of finance and ap- propriation and state affairs.
He was married at Benton Harbor, Michi- gan, May 18, 1898, to Miss Adaline, dangh- ter of J. B. Graves of that place.
116
MEN OF PROGRESS.
JUDGE CHARLES DEAN LONG.
LONG, JUDGE CHARLES DEAN. Charles Dean Long has lived in Michigan nearly 60 years. He was born in Grand Blanc, Genessee county, June 14, 1841, and at the present time is a resident of Lansing, Michigan.
Ilis parents were farmers, and came from New England families. His father's family were from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, and his mother's family from Connecticut. His grandfather's mother was a Chandler, and re- lated to the Chandler family of New Hanip- shire, the ancestors of the late Zachariah C'handler. Until he was thirteen years of age, Charles D. Long worked at farming, and when he started out from a district school to get an advanced education he went to Flint, Michigan, where he did chores for his board, and took care of the school building for his tuition for three years. His mother made his clothes for him, and in four years' time he graduated from the High School in Flint. fitted to enter the university. In order to get the money to attend college he took to teach- ing school in Flint township, and other places. He was very much interested in geography,
and in teaching it he had a hobby. He com- menced by setting rivers, mountains, and the different data connected with them, such as capitols of states, area, etc., into crude rhyme. set to some familiar tune, and this method proved most successful.
The breaking out of the war stopped his idea of a university education. August, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Eighth Michigan Infantry. At the battle of Wilmington Island, in Georgia, April 16, 1862, he lost an arm, and was also severely wounded. As soon as he was able to travel he returned home and commenced to study law in the office of Orear AAdams, now Circuit Judge of the Cheboygan district, and when, in 1864, he was elected County Clerk, and while in that position, was admitted to the bar.
From this time on his advance was rapid. Ile was County Clerk of Genesee County from 1865 to 1873; Prosecuting Attorney from 1875 until 1881; a Supervisor of the National Census for Michigan in 1880: Judge Advocate and Major on the staff of Governor Jerome from 1881 until 1883; member of the State Military Board and Colonel on the staff of Gov. Alger 1883 to 1885; eomnis- sioner for Michigan to the Centennial celebra- tion of the adoption of the Constitution of the United States held in Philadelphia in 1887, and Justice of the Supreme Court, January 1, 1883, re-elected in 1897. IIe has been president of the Detroit College of Law since its first organization. Ilis law practice is con- dueted in partnership with George R. Gold.
Judge Long married Alma A. Franklin in December, 1863. Ilis three children live in Detroit. Jessie is the wife of John M. Bar- ton, with Wright, Kay & Co., Detroit, Burt E. is a member of the Metropolitan police force of Detroit, and May is the wife of Ed- ward Schremser, the well-known musical di- rector of that city.
The G. A. R. numbers Judge Long in its ranks, of which he was Department Comman- der for one term ending in 1885. He is a member of the K. O. T. M., the K. P. and A. O. U. W.
117
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
MONTGOMERY, HON. ROBERT MORRIS. Hon. Robert Morris Montgom- ery, justice of the Supreme Court, is a native of this state, and has spent the greatest por- tion of his 50 years in Michigan. He was born in Eaton Rapids township May 12, 1849. The family originally came from Ireland. Robert Montgomery, the grandfather of the present Robert, having come from the north- ern part of that country in 1806, settling first in New York state, and coming to Michigan in 1836, when he located in Ingham county. He was a farmer.
The parents of Judge Montgomery form- erly lived in Eaton Rapids township, and it was here that the boy received the first prin- ciples of his education. Ile attended the lit- tle district schools during the winter terms, until the age of 12 years, when the family re- moved to Eaton Rapids, and thus enabled him to attend the schools of that village.
At the age of 15, prior to his school teach- ing experience, he enlisted in the Seventh Cavalry, which was being organized, in Au- gust, 1864. He was sent to the encampment of the regiment at Jackson, Michigan, but three months later was discharged for disabili- ties caused by a prolonged fever.
Until he was 20 years of age he taught school and worked at farming, except one year when he taught a summer school at Benton Harbor and Millburg, Michigan.
During all these years he had been reading law, and had decided to make that his profes- sion. This idea originated with his mother when Robert was only 12 years of age. IIe became engaged in a controversy with an elder brother, during the time of the cele- brated Lincoln-Douglass debate. The two brothers argued for some time, until finally the younger proved his argument by quoting an article in the Constitution, whereupon the mother decided that Robert should be the lawyer of the family.
While visiting friends at Hart, Occana county, Michigan, he learned that F. J. Rus- sell, of that place, wanted a student in his office. He secured the place, and worked for
HON. ROBERT MORRIS MONTGOMERY.
his board for over a year, reading law and preparing himself to enter that profession, and on July 25, 1870, he was admitted to the bar at Grand Haven, Michigan. His first law office was opened at Pentwater, Michigan. In 1872 he was elected prose- cuting attorney of that county on the Repub- lican ticket. He was re-elected in 1874, and continued his practice at Pentwater until three years later, when he was appointed Assistant, United States Attorney for the Western District. He removed to Grand Rapids. In 1881 he was elected judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, and was re- elected to that office in 1887. After a few months he resigned and formed a partnership with MeGeorge Bundy, under the name of Montgomery & Bundy. He was nominated by the Republicans for the supreme bench in 1691, and elected by 5,000 majority. He took his seat January 1, 1892.
In 1873 he married Miss Theo C. Wads- worth, of Pentwater, Michigan, and they have two children, Morris W., who is a student reading law at Lansing, and Stanley D. is attending the University of Michigan.
118
MEN OF PROGRESS.
HON. FRANKLIN MOORE.
MOORE, HON. FRANKLIN. One of the leading citizens of St. Clair, Mich., a man who has lived all his life in that city and township, Franklin Moore, occupies a high social status among his fellow-citizens and is recognized by them as a publie-spirited busi- ness man, ready to aid any measure for the benefit of the city.
IIe was born in the township of St. Clair, September 6, 1845. Up to the time he was 14 years of age he attended the public school in his district, with the exception of about two years, when he went to private schools in the city of St. Clair. After that he at- tended the Williston Seminary, at Easthamp- ton, Mass., going from there to Yale College, from which institution he graduated in 1868.
Returning to Michigan he became actively engaged in the lumber business at Saginaw, until 1875. In that year he bought a farm in his native township of St. Clair, which he operated for ten years. While still engaged in farming he purchased the St. Clair Repub- lican and owned and edited that paper for a period of seventeen years. During this time he was twice appointed postmaster at St.
('lair; first under the administration of Presi- dent Garfield, serving in all about nine years. While editor of the Republican, Mr. Moore with three other citizens joined in organizing the Diamond Crystal Salt Company, of which he was selected secretary and treasurer, and he still holds that position in this large in- dustry.
He was elected a member of the board of education of the St. Clair city schools in 1877, and remained such until 1883. In 1894 he was again elected to this office and he is still a member of the board at the present writing. In 1896 he was elected supervisor of the first ward. He was elected on the Republican tieket in 1899 as a repre- sentative to the State Legislature.
In politics, Mr. Moore has always been a Republican, but has maintained the right of being perfectiv independent in following his convictions. On the subject of taxation lie has always believed that there should be no favored classes, but that everybody should bear their full burden of taxation.
June 11, 1873, Mr. Moore married Miss Emily Parmelee, daughter of William S. Parmelee, at Toledo, Ohio. Mrs. Moore died .June 20, 1898, leaving four children: Laura, aged 24, who fills her mother's place in the home; Franklin Moore, Jr., aged 22, book- keeper; Margaret, aged 20, a student in Oli- vet College, and Emily C., aged 15, attending school in Chicago.
Mr. Moore attends the Congregational Church, of which he is a member, and be- longs to but one fraternal order, The Knights of the Maccabees.
Personally he is a quiet man, disliking con- troversy, and avoiding as far as possible dis- puting the opinions of others. This has been noticed in his editorials, but when some desir- able object beneficial to his city or state is to be obtained he is a man of remarkably strong purpose. ITis manner of life is quiet and un- obtrusive. In society or church work he does not make any effort to push himself, yet holds a leading position in both.
119
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
MOORE, HON. JUDGE JOSEPH B. Joseph B. Moore traces his ancestry back to Wales. The family came from that country at a very early date and settled in New Jer- sey. They took an active part in the mak- ing of the history of the United States, Mr. Moore's grandfather, Joseph B. Moore, be- ing a soldier in the last war between this country and Great Britain.
The parents of Joseph B. Moore, the sub- jeet of the present sketch, located in Macomb county, Michigan, in 1833, and later moved into the southwestern part of Lapeer county, where the father engaged in the manufacture of household furniture and spinning-wheels.
Joseph B. Moore was born at Commerce, Oakland county, Michigan, November 3, 1845. Hle attended the district schools and assisted his father in his shop, and when the father bought a small sawmill the boy was given a man's work to do about the plant, and without compensation.
At the age of 18 he attended the fall term at Hillsdale College and securing a teacher's certificate, commenced teaching school at Mos- cow Plains. The usual difficulties that faced teachers at that time were met with by Mr. Moore, but although one of his arms had been broken shortly before he took the class, the teacher, by his firmness and taet, won over the ring-leader of the troublesome faction. The school was so successful it was continued be- vond the original term. He was solicited to take charge of the school at "Rongh and Ready Corners," in Wayne county, where he had a repetition of the experience at Moscow. When but 22 years old he was made principal of the village school at Walled Lake, Oakland county.
He read law while working in the saw- mill with his father, and also at intervals during his teaching days. Hle saved up enough money to spend a year in the law department of the University of Michigan in 1868-69. On leaving the University in the latter year he was made deputy county clerk of Lapeer county. Ile was admitted to the bar the following year, and his first case, which
HON. JUDGE JOSEPH B. MOORE.
was before the Circuit Court, gave him a repu- tation and a standing in the county. The case was a peculiar one. A dozen or more leading farmers had been swindled by a hay fork agent, and their supposed receipts for pay- ments turned up in the shape of promissory notes. Young Moore was the only attorney who did not have any of these notes placed in his hands for collection, and the farmers making a pool engaged him. He made his maiden speech to a jury in the Circuit Court, and the result was a disagreement of the jury, and the case was never again tried. This brought many clients to the young attorney and he soon possessed a large practice.
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