USA > Michigan > Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state > Part 21
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Dr. Bacon is a direct descendent of the John Bacon family of Massachusetts, his grandfather, John Bacon, lived in Vermont, and his father, Royal Bacon, iu Macomb County, this state. A. E. Bacon was born May 7, 1841, at Enelid, Ohio. His father moved to Ray Center, Macomb County, in 1850 and rented a woolen mill, and afterwards built a sawmill. Young Bacon worked for his board and clothing in the mills, and when his father purchased a farm he was given em- ployment clearing it up, cutting down timber, making rails and stave bolts. He worked at this from his 14th to his 18th year, receiving no money except that which he earned himself from the sale of black salt made from the ashes. He attended district school during the winter months, and his mother, an educated woman, did much toward edneating her chil- dren. When 19 years of age young Bacon had saved enough money working as a farm hand to take a term at the Disco Academy, where he secured a two-year teacher's certifi- cate. He taught school after this at Swan Creek, St. Clair County, and the following summer worked in the store of Jolm MeEIroy, in that place. He and his employer had words about feeding a horse, and leaving the job the young man walked to New Baltimore, where he found work binding oats. Here he came in contact with a recruiting officer, one George Robison, and enlisted in Company F, 22nd Michigan Infantry, under Captain Alfred Ashley. The regiment was ordered to the front on the 1st of September and on the 5th participated in the battle of "Cabbage Hill." At Nashville the young soldier was taken with mumps and later brain fever, but recov- ered. Next came smallpox, and when he re- covered sufficiently to carry a musket again he was sent to rejoin his regiment, arriving just in time to engage in the battle of Chicka- mauga, where his regiment was almost amihil-
HON. AUGUSTUS EGBERT BACON, M. D.
ated, there being only 100 to answer roll call after the battle. He served through the At- lanta campaign and was mustered out in Nash- ville in 1865. Returning to Michigan, he attended the high school at Utica until 1866, when he taught school and earned enough money to pay his way through the University of Michigan. He had read medicine with Dr. E. N. Harris, of Disco, and took up the study in the University. He studied during 1866-67, practiced a year and in 1868 at- tended the University of Philadelphia, from which he graduated in 1869. Going back to Disco, Michigan, he bought ont Dr. Harris and practiced there for 12 years, removing during the month of January, 1883, to Sault Ste. Marie, where he now resides. Ile was elected Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie on the Re- publican ticket in 1897, and was alderman during the years of 1884-85.
Dr. Bacon married Josephine, daughter of William Moe, of Disco, Michigan, March 17, 1868. Dr. Bacon became a Mason in 1865 and is one of the oldest in Sault Ste. Marie. ITe is also a member of the K. P., Eastern Star, G. A. R., and the I. O. O. F.
138
MEN OF PROGRESS.
CHARLES EDWARD BREWSTER.
BREWSTER, CHARLES EDWARD. Chief Deputy Game Warden of Michigan Charles Edward Brewster was born in Fre- mont, Shiawasce county, Michigan, January 4, 1858. Ilis parents both died when he was bnt four years old, and he was taken into the family of an uncle and adopted by him. When he was 12 years of age he ran away from home, and found a position as a cash boy with Newcomb, Endicott & Company, of Detroit, Michigan, where he remained for seven weeks, earning and living upon $2 a week, until his nele located him and took him back home. Ile was sent to the district school near his home, and later to the public schools at Byron, Michigan, from which he graduated in 1874, at the age of 16.
Through the influence of the then Con- gressinan Bogole, he was then appointed ship's writer in the United States navy and assigned to the United States cruiser Tuscarora, which was detached to pursue deep-sea soundings in the Pacific ocean. For three years he en- gaged in this service, during which period he visited ahnost every port between Sitka,
Alaska, and Hobart Town, Tasmania. At the end of this time he was appointed cap- tain's clerk and assigned to the cruiser Pen- sacola, under Captain John Irwin. The Pen- sacola was the flag ship of the Asiatic squad- ron, then having headquarters at San Fran- cisco, Cal. While on this vessel he visited China, Japan, the Sandwich Islands, and the ports of western South America. He re signed in 1884, and returned home to Byron, Michigan. The following year he removed to a small station, named after himself, in Grand Traverse county, and began the manu- facture of hardwood lumber. . The business did not seem to prosper, and he had very little liking for it, and two fires caused him to give it up in 1889, with mueh experience and less capital. That fall he was appointed United States deputy marshal in the western district and assigned to the postoffice depredation work. He had an interesting experience while arresting a counterfeiter in a lumber camp about eight miles from Yuma, Lake connty, and was shot by his man, but while lying wounded on the ground he managed to shoot in return and secured the counterfeiter. This occurred on Thanksgiving day, and he had to drive with his prisoner about eight miles to the settlement. In the four years pre- vions to the inauguration of the present game warden system only 56 convictions were made for violation of the laws, and under the first four years this was increased to 560 convic- tions. Under the administration of Chase S. Osborn, there were 1,960 convictions secured. Mr. Brewster has been connected with this department since its inauguration.
He has held the following political offiees : Postmaster at Lake Brewster, 1887-94; jus- iice of peace, 1888-92; chief deputy United States marshal inder James R. Clark, 1890- 94; deputy game warden under William Al- den Smith, 1887; made chief deputy game warden under Charles S. Hampton, re-ap- pointed in 1897 by Chase S. Osborn, and re- appointed in 1899 by Grant. M. Morse. He is a Chapter Mason, and an Elk.
139
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
FROST, HON. GEORGE EDWARD. The present prosecuting attorney of Cheboy- gan, Michigan, George Edward Frost, has been prominently identified with the Repub- lican party in this State, and is an attorney well versed in his profession, a successful prosecutor and a man of sharp insight, judg- ment and discretion. He has held his pres- ent office for three successful terms, during which he has won many cases for the people and established an excellent record.
His father, Alonzo P. Frost, came to Pon- tiac from near Syreense, in New York state, and settled in that city in 1836. Ilis grand- father, Josiah, was an old resident in New York state, the family originally coming from Massachusetts, where the Frosts lived for gen- erations, taking part in the making of the early history of the American colonies and serving with the revolutionary army.
George Edward Frost was born at Pontiac, Michigan, March 24, 1851. Ilis education was received in the district schools near home, the public schools of Pontiac. During his vacations he worked on the farm, and when 21 years old, in 1872, received a second grade teacher's certificate. He taught in varions schools about the county that year, and for the three following years he divided his time be- tween teaching the young idea during the winter months and studying law in the office of Judge A. C. Baldwin, at Pontiac, during vacation periods. Ile studied at night when teaching school, and worked hard to equip himself for the profession in which he now holds such a prominent place. In 1874 he read law in the office of the Hon. Alfred Russel, of Detroit, and was admitted to the bar of the Wayne County Circuit Court, Sep- tember, 1875.
That fall he went into partnership with S. Slessinger, taking an office in the Seitz Block. Detroit. In 1877 he went into business alone, removing to Cheboygan in the spring of 1879 and establishing himself in practice in that city. Ile had $15 capital on which to do this, and some law books. The young attorney did not flourish in his profession for
IION, GEORGE EDWARD FROST.
the first month, and his receipts amounted to just $4 of the end of the month, mostly for conveyancing. The fourth month business be- gan to pick up, and after that the returns were larger and his practice increased monthly.
He was the first. Republican to be elected to the office of president of the village, and was re-elected twice, serving in 1883-84-85. Mr. Frost was United States commissioner from 1881, until 1901. He was an alternate and attended the National Republican Con- vention at Minneapolis, and has been promi- nently mentioned for Congress from his dis- triet. Mr. Frost was first married in Septem- her, 1881, to Mollie L. Bailey, daughter of Dr. Jno. R. Bailey, of Mackinaw Island. She died in November, 1882: Mr. Frost's second wife was Mrs. Emma (. Freeman, daughter of John Waterman, the pioneer lumberman of Cheboygan, in that city, April, 1885. He has three children. George Edward Frost, Jr., aged 13; Stanley Howard, aged 11, and Rus- sel Waterman, aged 4.
Ile is a Mason, and belongs to the Knights of Pythias.
140
MEN OF PROGRESS.
JABEZ BUNTING CASWELL.
CASWELL, JABEZ BUNTING. The ('aswell family, of which Jabez Bunting Ca -- well is a member, lived for many generations in the Mohawk valley of New York state, and it was in llerkimer county of that state that on December 10, 1858, the subject of this sketch was born. At the age of 4 his family moved to Rome, New York. He attended the Rome academy until he reached the age of 17, and then found employment in a shoe store. When he became of age he started west for the Dakotas with the intention of going into business, but stopped on the way to visit a brother in Indianapolis. He went from there to St. Louis, Mo. The Iron Mountain Express was being organized then and the young man was tendered a position with that company. He was bill clerk for one year, and then was made a messenger, rmming between St. Louis and Texarkana, afterwards on the Texas Pacific railroad from Texarkana to Abileen. These were days when train robbers flourished, and when to be an express messenger meant taking one's life in one's hands. Mr. Caswell was leky, how- ever, and did not meet with train robbers.
The Iron Mountain Company was finally merged into the Pacific Express Company, and in 1882 Mr. Caswell came to Michigan, visiting a friend in Bay City. The friend was in the restaurant business, so all that win- ter Mr. Caswell took the management of this establishment. The next season, as he had always been a lover of the great American game, he organized the Bay City base ball team. The next season he helped organize the Northwestern Leagne, which at one time was a promising organization. He broke his arm in a game that season and was forced to quit the sport.
He then drifted into politics and held many minor city offices in Bay City. He was constable for several years, after which he was made sidewalk inspector by a republican connnon council, and a democratic mayor vetoed the appointment. He continued, how- ever, as sidewalk inspector and the council voted him his salary, which the mayor promptly vetoed, but the Supreme Court sus- tained the council's action. He was after- wards appointed assistant street commissioner by the common council and held that position for three years. Mr. Caswell is one of the first Pingree men in Bay county, and was made salt inspector Jannary 26, 1897. He still occupies this position, having been re-ap- pointed by Gov. Pingree Jammary 26, 1899.
February 28, 1895, he married Clara Worth at Bay City, and Warren, aged two years, is their child.
Mr. C'aswell as a member of the B. P. O. E., the K. P. and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is popular with his party, and he may justly feel a pride in his official rec- ord. He has always had an independent spirit, even when a boy, having on two occa- sions left home to learn a trade, first that of a printer, but was sent back to school by his parents. On another occasion he started to learn the business of an auctioneer, but not liking it, he returned home. "Of all the difficult positions I have held the hardest was that of reporting the first exposition in Detroit for The Detroit News," Mr. Caswell said.
141
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
PELTON, HON. DAVID CLARK. The Pelton family owes its existence in this country to John Pelion, who, born in Essex, England, in 1616 came to America and set- tled in Boston, Mass., in 1630. He removed to Dorchester 35 years later and became by grant a joint owner in the Dorchester patent, receiving 30,000 acres of land. He was one of the 47 owners of the "Great Lots."
David Clark Pelton, the subject of this sketch, was born in La Grange, Ohio, April 16, 1837, where he worked on his father's farm and attended school. Later. when 18 years of age, he worked on a farm in Char- lotte, Mich. After a short time in the latter place he started to walk to Tonia, Mich., and from there traveled down the river on an old scow to Grand Haven. Walking through the pine woods of Oceana County he slept. one night in a house at the mouth of Stoney Creek, and was awakened during the night by an offer of employment loading shingle bolts on a schooner at a shilling per hour. Although he was weary with a 35-mile walk he dressed, and worked a stretch of 30 hours.
October 29, 1858, he married Ellen, the daughter of Hezekiah Williams, at Benona. Michigan. Working steadily and investing every $40 he could save into as many acres of pine, he soon began to accumulate a little property. In 1861 he removed to Racine, Wisconsin, where he started manufacturing shingles, and prospered. He invested a por- tion of his capital in the purchase of part of a lake vessel, and in 1865 was considered well off financially. Purchasing a larger in- terest in the vessel and mortgaging his busi- ness to do so proved an unprofitable invest- ment, for the boat was lost and with it every- thing he had, as it was not insured. Re- turning to Pentwater, Michigan, he worked in a shingle mill until he lost his index finger and was given the position of foreman of the out-door work. He saved enough in 1873 to purchase a towing tug, and was doing a good towing business on the lakes when the tug blew up and left him almost as poor as when he first started. Going back to the
HON. DAVID CLARK PELTON.
woods again he worked as foreman for Charles Mears from 1874 until 1880, then went into lumbering operations, purchasing a half interest in the A. R. Beck Company retail yards at Chicago. In 1885-88 he oper- ated in Lake county, Michigan, and later bought the Mattoon and Robinson sawmill at Cheboygan, which he still owns and operates, manufacturing about twenty-five million feet per annum.
Mr. Pelton is a Republican. He was elected mayor of Cheboygan in 1899, having been an alderman in 1893-94. He was super- visor of Mason County when the county seat was located at Lincoln, Mich. Mr. Pelton's one child, Juliette, is the wife of William Reid, of Pelton & Reid, Cheboygan.
Mr. Pelton is a director and stockholder in the First. National bank of his city: president of the Cheboygan Towing Company, also treasurer of the Great Northern Protective Association of Cheboygan, and an extensive owner of pine lands in Wisconsin and Minne- rota. He is also a large stockholder in the Ashland & Cripple Creek Gold Mining Co., and one of its directors.
142
MEN OF PROGRESS.
GRANT MARION MORSE.
MORSE, GRANT MARION. Grant Marion Morse was born in Portland town- ship, Ionia county, November 18, 1854. Ilis father, Darins 1. Morse, was one of the earlier settlers in Jonia county, locating in Portland township in 1833, where he owned and oper- ated a farm. The grandfather, Thomas J. Morse, came from Ontario county, New York state, and Leonard Morse, the great-grand- father, was a Vermonter.
Grant Marion Morse commenced his edu- cation in the district school adjacent to his father's farm, where he managed to sandwich in sufficient time between his farm work to obtain a fair amount of knowledge. He earned his first money at the rate of 25 cents a day, riding a colt while enltivating corn. When he reached his seventeenth year he was sufficiently advanced in education to enter the Michigan Agricultural College, where he studied from 1872 imtil 1874. When 18 years of age he obtained a third-grade teach- er's certificate, and securing a position in the school in his own district, he started to teach the young idea. This experiment was made more difficult by the efforts of several of his
scholars who had been his schoolmates prior to his becoming a teacher. They made life miserable for their pedagogue, and endeav- ored to make his new vocation fail, but he soon won them over and finished what was unanimously conceded one of the most sue- cessful terms over taught in the district. The money earned by teaching, and in farm work, was used to pay young Morse's way through college. Ile left school and in May, 1875, joined his father in the purchase of a general store and elevator at Collins, Ionia county. Ile was given a half interest in this enter- price and in 1878 he had secured enough money to enable him to complete the payment for the business, and that same year he re- turned to farming.
In 1880 he again embarked in the mer- cantile business, and together with a partner purchased a grocery and crockery store at Portland, Michigan. This business venture proved most successful and after two years he bought out his partner and continued alone. In 1888 he sold out, and entered the insur- aner business. Later he added the real estate and loan business, which he still continues. Mr. Morse is a Republican. In 1876-77 he was made superintendent of schools. In 1896 he was the Republican nominee for judge of the Probate Court, but was defeated with his ticket in the silver tide that swept the county that year. He is a member of the Republican State Central Committee, and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1596. During 1888-90 he was treasurer of Portland Village, member of the Council in 1890-92, and justice of the peace 1890-1900, and has always been as active in the promotion of the many industrial enterprises which have made Portland an enviable reputation, as in the counsels of his party. He was appointed state game and fish warden by Governor Pin- gree, March 16, 1899. Mr. Morse married Sarah E. Perry, daughter of Joseph Perry, at Lodi, Michigan, July 9, 1879. His son, Leon G. Morse, aged 17, is at school. Mr. Morse is a Knight Templar, Mason, K. of P., and member of A. O. U. W.
143
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
GRAHAM, HON. ROBERT D. Robert D. Graham was born November 11, 1855, at Union, Ontario. When he was only a year old his parents moved to Minnesota, where they settled upon the extreme frontier and en- gaged in farming. During the uprising of the Sioux Indians, when the news of it reached the Graham household, they left their little home to the merey of the Indians, the family taking refuge in the settlement. Homes were looted and burned as the Sioux swept through the country on their destroying raid. but, strange to say, although they looted the Graham house, they left it standing, the only one for miles around.
In 1866 the family bought a small farm near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Here the boy received his first schooling during the winter months, as in Minnesota there were not, at that time, any school houses. The father em- barked in the market gardening business, and young Graham took the truck to market. This necessitated getting up at three in the morn- ing, and driving to town with the vegetables. During the winter he was sent to the public school at Grand Rapids, and in 1872 and 1873, in his vacation periods, he clerked in an ice cream and confectionery store at Big Rapids. The next two years he took up the plumbing trade, but as his father had bought more land and increased his output he re- turned when 20 years old to the farm and assisted him. In winter he read law with E. A. Maher, of Grand Rapids, and on April 17. 1879, came before the Supreme Court and passed his examination.
His father, having become financially crip- pled through some bad investments. Mr. Graham returned to the farm and his old work at market gardening. Together with his father, he purchased an adjoining farm, going into debt at 10 per cent. interest for $4,500, which, by hustling, they paid in three years' time, when more lands were purchased and the Grahams became large growers of fruit.
Mr. Graham became a bendiet about this time and then resumed his place on the mar- ket wagon.
Shortly afterwards he was elected a dirce-
HON. ROBERT D. GRAHAM.
tor of the Fifth National Bank of Grand Rapids, and made a Knight Templar, so he was hnekster in the morning, bank director at noon, farmer in the afternoon and society man at night to some Masonic party.
He is vice-president and a member of the Executive Board of the State Horticulture Society, a member of the executive board of the State Agricultural Society, and a mem- ber of several fruit growers' associations. Be- sides being a director in the National Bank he is also a director of the West Side Building and Loan Association of Grand Rapids, a director of the Citizens' Telephone Company of Grand Rapids, and identified with several of the important local industries. In 1899 he was elected president of the Fifth National Bank.
He was elected supervisor of Kent County in 1885, being the first Republican elected in that township in over 32 years. In 1895- '96 he was representative from the Third District of Kent County, re-elected in 1897- '98, and elected State Senator from the Seven- teenth District in 1898-99.
Ile married Anna, danghter of Wendall Gross, at Rockford, Michigan, in 1880, and they have one child, Josephine, aged 13.
144
MEN OF PROGRESS.
ARTHUR PERKINS LOOMIS.
LOOMIS, ARTHUR PERKINS. Arthur Perkins Loomis was born in Berlin township, Michigan, September 12, 1859. Ile attended the district schools of the township until he was 15 years old, then he became a scholar at the Ionia public schools, living at home on his father's farm and walking back and forth several miles to school. He is still, and has always been, identified with the farming interest of this state, owning a farm near Ionia at the present day.
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In politics he is a Republican, adopting that party when he became of age, and re- maining faithful to its interests ever since. For many years he was a member of the county committee. Hle has served as direc- tor, treasurer and secretary of the Ionia Fair Association, and as president of the Ionia County Farmer's Institute Society. During the years of 1893-94-95-96, Mr. Loomis was private secretary to Gov. John T. Rich, in which capacity he gained an extended ac- quaintance throughout the state, making many friends. After the retirement of John T. Rich, Mr. Loomis returned to his farm, and on May 1, 1897, he was tendered the posi- tion of deputy state land commissioner under
William A. French, which he accepted and holds at the present time.
A peculiar coincidence in the appointment of Mr. Loomis to be private secretary to the governor of Michigan was brought ont in the fact that the same day of his appointment, a younger brother, T. M. Loomis, who had located in the Northwest, was appointed Pri- vate Secretary to Governor Charles H. Shel- don, of South Dakota.
Socially. as well as in political circles, even among the parties of the opposing political creed, Arthur P. Loomis is well liked and possesses a large following and many friends. Ile has that happy faculty of making friends and keeping them, which marks the success- ful man. Ile is a member of the Grange of Michigan, Modern Woodmen and Knights of the Maccabees.
Mr. Loomis married Miss Carrie M. Ses- sions, the daughter of ex-Lieutenant-Governor Alonzo Sessions. The marriage took place at Ionia, Michigan, Nov. 16, 1894. They have one child, a daughter, Mary Frances Loomis, aged four years. Mr. Loomis has a comforta- ble and handsome residence in Berlin town- ship, Fonia county, Michigan.
145
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
CAMPBELL, HON. ANDREW. An- drew Campbell, as his name implies, is a Scotchman by birth, although now an Ameri- can citizen, and is largely identified with the progress of Michigan. He owns and operates a large farm near Ypsilanti, Michigan, and as a farmer he is following in the steps of his father and his father's people before him. Ile was born in Laurenston, parish of Dalrymple, Ayrshire, Scotland, May 29, 1832, and is 68 years of age at the present writing. Ilis father, Robert Campbell, when Andrew was about 11 years of age, was forced by the high rents existing in the old country, to try his fortunes in the new, and March 1, 1843, he located in Angusta township, Washtenaw county, Michigan.
The work incidental to opening up the farm kept Andrew away from school, except. about it four months, when he managed to attend the district school and get a glimpse of education. He helped his father and his brother in clearing up the farms, and attended the Normal School at Ypsilanti, graduating in the fall of 1859. The two winters intervening he taught a district school at Livonia, Wayne county. Judge Dur- fee, of Detroit, was one of his scholars. In 1861 he purchased a farm in Pittsfield town- ship, near the University of Michigan, and for a number of winters attended courses on his- tory, political economy, international law, his- tory of philosophy and ethics. To do this he went into debt $8,200, and started operations with only a few tools and a little stock. It ro- quired nearly 20 years to pay for his farm, and in that time he paid out nearly $8,000 as in- terest.
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