USA > Michigan > Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state > Part 26
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 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
178
MEN OF PROGRESS.
--
NATHANIEL H. STEWART.
STEWART, NATHANIEL H. While Mr. Stewart is thoroughly American in his convictions and his impulses, and is demo- cratic, not only in the broad sense of the term, but in its partisan sense as well, it is not amiss to say that he traces his lineage from a col- lateral branch of the Stewart dynasty of Scot- land, and later of England. Charles Nelson Stewart, grandfather of N. H., came to Amer- ica in 1780. His father, also named as above, was early designed for the Presbyterian min- istry, but adopted manufacturing (wagons and machinery) as his calling, operating large works at Johnstown, N. Y., where N. H. was born July 20th, 1847. Passing over earlier experiences, he found himself in May, 1868, at Kalamazoo, Michigan, on his own resources, with seven dollars in his pocket. Willing to turn his hand to anything honorable, he found means of meeting his expenses, and entered a law office, for a time sleeping on the floor of one of the rooms rather than become under obligations to anyone. And herein is illus- trated one of his leading traits-to incur neither debts or other obligations. In March, 1869, he accepted a situation at the village of Plainwell, taking charge of an elevator and produce house, at a salary of $75 per month, remaining there one year. His moderate sav- ings enabled him to resume his law studies, and in the Fall of 1870, the firm which he was
with (Edwards & Sherwood) made him an offer, as an assistant, of $325 a year for three years. This being accepted he was admitted to the bar in March, 1872. Judge Sherwood was the active trial lawyer of the firm, and never went into a case without Mr. Stewart's assistance. The firm were attorneys for the Michigan Central Railroad, and his services were so highly appreciated, that when he left the firm he was retained right along as one of the attorneys of the company. He is also attorney for the Chicago & Grand Trunk Rail- road. ITis practice in the line of corporations and patents is large and lucrative. On the dissension of the firm of Edwards & Sherwood, Mr. Stewart became a partner with Mr. Edwards, which continned until November, 1896, when Mr. Edwards retired from the firm and Mr. Stewart continued alone.
A democrat in politics, and through and under Mr. Stewart's management, George L. Yaple was elected to Congress over J. C. Bur- rowes in 1882, and he managed the state cam- paign in the spring of 1883, when the demo- cratic state ticket was for the first time suc- cessful. He has been efficient as committee- man and delegate to conventions, and was the democratic candidate for Congress from his district in 1894.
He takes an earnest interest in the develop- ment of the beet sugar manufacture, having been instrumental in establishing the Kalama- zoo plant, and represented Kalamazoo county at the Omaha National Sugar Manufacturers' Convention in December last. He has large property interests at Fort Worth, Texas, is president of the Lake Mountain Gold Mining Company near Sitka, Alaska, and has other commercial interests, and has acquired a moderately munificient worldly estate. He is a member of the order of Elks.
Mr. Stewart's character may be generally described by the term sterling. He is posi- tive in his convictions, inflexible in principle, energetic in action, forceful and assertive, sometimes almost to harshness, but yet in his personal feelings, most gentle and tender, which is especially exemplified in his family relations, all traits that have distinguished the historic Stewarts.
Ile was joined in marriage at Kalamazoo, December 14th, 1875, to Emily Frances Gates, daughter of Chauncey Gates, of Kala- mazoo. They have two sons, Donald Argyle and Gordon L., born respectively in 1882 and 1885.
179
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
WRIGHT, CASS THOMPSON. Cass Thompson Wright, a prominent citizen of Greenville, Mich., was born in Wrightstown, Wis., June 30, 1846. His grandfather, Hoel S. Wright, located and founded Wrights- town, and his father, Lucien B., was a well- known lumberman in Greenville.
Young Wright divided his early days be- tween working on the farm and attending district school, and he took one term in the graded school of Olmstead, Ohio. His parents removed to Greenville in 1866, where the boy had another winter term in school. His father and his uncle engaged in the lumber business in Greenville under the firm name of Wright Bros., and the boy soon learned every department of the business, going into the woods in winter, helping in the spring drive on the river, and working in the mill in sum- mer in every capacity. He took his father's place in the firm when the former died in 1868, and continued the business. There be- ing no railroads in the early days of their lum- bering operations, the sawed lumber had to be rafted down the river to Grand Haven and sent from there by boat to Chicago. The first. three years the firm of Wright Bros. had a hard struggle for existence, the receipts from lumber sales being barely sufficient to pay run- ning expenses.
In 1875 the F. W. Wright Company pur- chased the interests of the implement firm of Moons, Watson & Co., which for years had been manufacturing plows and stone rollers. They made a success of the new venture and in 1890 built a new brick factory and in- creased their line of goods. Today the firm manufactures plows, wood-sawing machinery, cultivators, potato-planters, feed-cookers and kettles, giving employment to about one hun- dred men. The business has shown a yearly increase, the output is large and the business still growing.
In 1881 Mr. Wright put in the first roller mill ever set up in that section of the country, and this, together with his other mill, pro- dnces the largest portion of the flour and food products consumed in that part of the State.
CASS THOMPSON WRIGHT.
Mr. Wright has many important interests in Greenville. He is the owner and operator of the Greenville Electric Light & Power Com- pany, furnishing the light for the city and power for some of the manufacturing plants there. He was formerly one of the directors of the Ranney Refrigerator Company, of Greenville, and is today one of the directors of the State Bank in that city.
In politics he is a "Silver Republican." He has served his city two years in the office of mayor, and was an alderman for three years. In the spring of 1899 he was elected treasurer of the school board, and he still holds that position.
In 1868 Mr. Wright married Miss Helen Fuller, of Greenville. They have seven chil- dren. Lucien is a bookkeeper for the Green- ville Implement Co .; Ethel, wife of William Patterson, a farmer, living near Kalamazoo; Jesse, travelling salesman for the Greenville Implement Company; Fay, in the milling department; and Earl, Hugh and Vivian at- tend school in Greenville.
Mr. Wright is a member of the Michigan Millers' Association, and not affiliated with any fraternal or secret body.
180
MEN OF PROGRESS.
EDGAR HUGH HOTCHKISS.
HOTCHKISS, EDGAR HUGH. Edgar Hugh Hotchkiss is the son of Ephraim C. Hotelikiss, who came to Michigan in 1837 from Medina, N. Y., and the grandson of Loren L. Hotchkiss, founder of the town of Medina, Mich. The latter combined the oc- cupations of farmer, miller and Baptist min- ister, and was the first representative to the Michigan Legislature, when this State was admitted to the Union. The original family came from Connectient. Edgar HI. Hotch- kiss was born at Hudson, Mich., September 25, 1861. When he was about 18 months old, the family moved to Rochester. N. Y., and later to Buffalo. Here young Hotchkiss attended publie school and was graduated from the Buffalo High School. At the out- break of the civil war his father had abandoned a prosperous business to enlist, at Hudson, Mich., in the Union army. Unsuccessful in re-establishing himself after returning from the service, he finally went back to his old trade, that of carpenter, and when he was 13 years old this trade was taught the boy during his vacations. Upon graduating from the
high school, Mr. Hotchkiss secured a position in the treasurer's office of the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad, at $30 a month. A year later the anditor's office was created and he was transferred to that depart- ment. He remained with the railroad seven years and was earning $1,000 a year when he quit. In 1888 he accepted the position of bookkeeper with the St. Ignace Manufactur- ing Co. at St. Ignace, Mich., where he now resides. The company had not a regular bookkeeper and Mr. Hotchkiss' first work was to untangle the accounts and make a state- ment. At the end of three months he re- ported that the concern was losing money every day, and an investigation by the stock- holders verified this statement. The plant was closed down. The largest stockholders complimented Mr. Hotchkiss on his work, but remarked that he had figured himself out of a position. As there was no way of figuring himself back again, he applied for and was given his old position with the railroad com- pany, and returned to Buffalo, where he re- mained until 1890, when he was tendered the position of cashier of the First National Bank of St. Ignace. He accepted and still occupies that office. Ile is also a director in the bank.
Mr. Hotchkiss is interested in other lines, being secretary and treasurer of the Macki- naw Lumber Co., and also engaged in the in- surance business, under the name of the E. II. Hotchkiss Insurance Agency. For two vears he was alderman of St. Ignace.
Agnes, daughter of James E. Thomson, of Buffalo, N. Y., became Mrs. Edgar Hotchkiss on September 10, 1884. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hotchkiss- Jean B., attending Waterman Hall, a school at Sycamore, Ill .; Herbert H. J., at school in St. Ignace, and Rutheven, whom they have lost. Mr. Hotchkiss is a Mason of high stand- ing, a member of Ivanhoe Commandery, Knights Templar, of Petoskey, and a Shriner, of Ahmed Temple, Marquette.
181
HISTORICAL SKETCITES.
PENBERTHY, FRANK. Frank Pen- berthy was born in Grass Valley, California, April 3, 1858. His father came to America from Cornwall, England, and in 1849, when the world was set agog by the discovery of the large gold fields of California, traveled across the plains in one of the canvas-covered wagons, or "prairie schooners," and located in that country. He made the trip twice, and in 1851, Mr. Penberthy's mother took the same dangerous trip in order to join her hus- band.
The father died and the family then re- moved to Dodgeville, Wisconsin, where the boy attended the public schools of that city until he was 17 years of age. He then went to work as a printer's "devil" on the Chronicle of Dodgeville, at a salary of $2.50 a week, at least this is the salary that was promised him, but he had to accept it in the form of eirens tickets and stovewood. This remuneration not being sufficient he quit the job and came to this state, where his brother was employed on the Menominee Herald, at Menominee, and owned a news stand. Frank attended to the stand, and set type in the Herald compos- ing room for a year, working for his board and clothes, and then secured a position as clerk in the grocery store owned by Jolm J. MeGillis at Mariette, Wisconsin. His next employment was in the sawmill operated by Ludington, Wells & Van Schaick at Menom- inee, Michigan, first working on the edging machine and then at the picket-saw, at $12 a month. The mill closed down the following fall, and young Penberthy was offered a place in the store run by the same company. He re- mained with the company for four years and then in company with William Peters he started in the retail grocery business on his own account in Menominee, under the firm name of F. Penberthy & Company. The bus- iness was commenced on a limited capital and in a small way but it was properly handled, and met with success almost from the start. Two years later, Mr. Penberthy had made enough money to enable him to buy out his partner and become the sole owner of the
FRANK PENBERTHY.
flourishing business. In 1891 he widened his scope of trade by entering into another part- nership under the firm name of Somerville, Penberthy & Cook, and doing a wholesale gro- cery trade. Later this company was re-organ- ized as Penberthy, Cook & Company, with W. O. Carpenter of Menominee as the com- pany.
This concern now does one of the largest trades of any on the Upper Peninsular. Their goods go into Wisconsin and also all over the Peninsula. The first year's sales amounted to $300,000 and the trade has grown with won- derful rapidity so that in 1899 they exceeded a million of dollars.
Mr. Penberthy is identified with the vonger element of the Republican party. He was elected a member of the School Board at Menominee in 1899, and will serve as such until 1902. He was one of the founders and is a stockholder of the Northern Chautauqua of Wisconsin. The grounds are near Marien- ette, Wisconsin, and large meetings of the society are held there during the summer months. Mr. Penberthy is also treasurer and director of the Menominee Loan and Build- ing Association. He is a Mason.
In 1883 he married Miss Mollie Farrier at Menominee, and he has four children: Pearlita, Paul, Arthur and Francisco.
182
MEN OF PROGRESS.
PETER RUPPE.
RUPPE, PETER. For a man who eom- menced his life in this country as a peddler, Peter Ruppe, of Calumet, deserves great credit for the way in which he has made his way to the comfortable position he occupies in the financial world of Michigan today. He was born in Austria, December 6, 1843, and his sehooling did not commenee until he was eight years of age. His school life was blended with work about the farm, for at 5 o'eloek in the morning the boy had to drive the sheep and cattle out to their grazing land on the hills and remain with them until 8 o'eloek, when, after a hasty breakfast, he was hurried off to school. When he became 12 years of age he attended a German school for two years and from that time on worked as a farm hand until he was 17. His father had emigrated to America some years before, and the boy now took a steerage passage for this country, and joined his father in St. Paul, Minnesota. For two years after his arrival in this country he drove a horse and wagon from door to door peddling, and in 1864 he started with his team for Haneock, where his father had a store. Arriving in Michigan,
he joined his father and worked for him about six months, leaving to - become a trammer in the Quincy mine at $60 a month. The fol- lowing six months he worked in the roek house of the Delaware mine in Keweenaw county, burning rock and packing the native eopper in barrels for shipment. During this time he saved about $300, and with this he started to Chieago to make his fortune. He was handi- capped with a limited knowledge of the Eng- lish language, and he found that his services were not in demand in the big western metrop- olis. For months he sought work until his savings were exhausted, and then he secured a place in a Canal street dry goods house and started at $25 a month. This was very unsatis- factory when he thought that if he could only get back to Michigan, he could make $60 a month at his old job in the mines. He worked for this firm for three years, and then returned to Michigan, and joined his father again at Ilancock. In 1868 he went to St. Paul to work for a wholesale tobacco firm, and while there he attended the branch business college of Byrant & Stratton, where he learned book- keeping, geography, English, writing and spelling and secured a fair idea of the meth- ods of conducting business on the American plan. He returned to Haneoek the next year and May 18, 1869, started the branch store at Calumet. He has been a member of the sehool board sinee 1891 and president of the board for three terms. In politics he is a liberal Demoerat. He was the first president of the village of Calumet and was re-elected three terms. He has been township treasurer for two terms. He is vice-president of the Mer- ehants' & Miners' Bank of Calumet, and a director in the Lake Superior Cold Storage Co. of Houghton.
Mr. Ruppe married Miss Minnie Mertz at Calmnet, Michigan, in 1874, and has six ehildren. Minnie is at home, Peter E. is book- keeper for his father, George graduated from Michigan University as an attorney, Albert is in the store of Peter Ruppe & Sons, and Creseenee and Agnes are at school. Mr. Ruppe is a Catholie and a member of the German Aid Society.
183
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
FULLER, OTIS. Otis Fuller, of Ionia, Michigan, was born on a farm near Elba, Genesee County, New York State, July 14, 1853. His aneestors were Puritans, both on his mother's and his father's side of the house, both families being of New Hampshire stock.
Until he was 12 years of age Otis Fuller at- tended the district sehool near his home, and when his father brought the family to Michi- gan, and located at Mason, Ingham County, the boy was taught the practical work of the farm, and his education was completed in the Fuller Academy, established by his sisters in the family residence.
At the age of 19 he became a teacher in the district schools, and at 21 was elected town- ship superintendent of schools and secretary of the county association of superintendents.
At 17 he engaged in the occupation of graft- ing trees and raising bees, in connection with farın work, this being really his first business venture, and he followed these occupations with financial success until he reached his twenty-third year, when he became a news- paper man.
Attention had first been attracted to his ability in this direction by several trenchant articles which he had contributed to the Lan- sing Republican, while he was teaching sehool.
His bright style interested a number of party leaders, including Stephen D. Bingham and W. S. George, and waiting on him at his home they prevailed upon him to purchase a half interest and take the management of the Ingham County News, published at Mason. He consented and at once entered the eam- paign. Ingham County at that time was a politieal hot-bed, and the young writer's style of handling political and general news sub- jects pleased the readers of the paper and made it a flourishing eoncern.
In 1877 he purchased his partner's interests and eontinued alone for three years, when he
OTIS FULLER.
sold out to buy the Clinton Republiean at St. Johns, Mich. In 1889 he sold the paper to C. C. Vaughan for twice as much as he paid for it.
In 1889 Mr. Fuller was appointed Deputy Internal Revenue Collector, and served as such until 1894, nearly a year after he had for- warded his resignation to the department. In May, 1894, he was appointed to his present position, warden of the State Reformatory at Ionia, by Gov. John T. Rich and the Board of Control. Mr. Fuller took hold of the institu- tion with the same zeal and business sagacity that had made his other business enterprises so successful, and the institution is now re- garded as a model of its kind.
Mr. Fuller has always been a stalwart repub- lican and a counselor in the party. He is see- retary of the National Wardens' Association, and was for years a member of the Michigan Press Association and of the National News- paper Publishers' Association. Ile was a mem- ber of the republican state central committee for two years; of the sixth district congres- sional committee for six years. He is a Mason and a Knights Templar, belonging to St. Johns Commandery, No. 24.
184
MEN OF PROGRESS.
H. R. WAGER.
WAGER, H. R. HI. R. Wager, of Ionia, Michigan, was born in Summit county, Ohio, June 4, 1835. Ilis father was Jacob Wager, and his mother Betsey, both from the Mohawk Valley, in New York state.
From six to twelve years of age he at- tended the district school during the winter months, and started to work in his twelfth year as a farm hand, and later in a woolen factory until he was 18, earning at no time more than $4 per month and board. Hle then became a spinner in the factory at a salary of $26 per month, out of which he paid his own board.
He was taken very ill while in sontheru Ohio, among strangers, and had very little medical aid or nursing. His parents being notified that he was not likely to recover, drove 100 miles during one night and a day with a team, and a two-horse carriage taking him home to Portage county. Hle recovered slowly and afterwards was given two terms in Hiram College. James S. Garfield was his class mate in some studies and teacher in others.
When he was 21 years old he came to
Michigan and worked in a factory as a spin- ner in Battle Creek for one year, then went to Jackson to learn the clothing business. He started in this business at a salary of $6 per month and by the end of the first year he was receiving $40 a month. He was raised to a Master Mason in Jackson, and also took the Chapter degree in the lodge in that city.
Ilis employer in the clothing business failed during the panic of 1857, and for six months Mr. Wager clerked in the old Amer- ican Hotel in Jackson.
He then went to Lyons, Michigan, where he studied medicine for two years, and even- tually got his first start in life. He pur- chased a stock of merchandise invoicing at $3,700, giving his notes for six, eighteen and twenty-four months, without security, hav- ing no money or property of any description. He paid the notes as they matured and estab- lished an exeellent credit. Mr. Wager married Miss Ophelia E. Libhart in 1859, and seven children were born to them, three of whom are living. One, Fred L. Wager, is in the lumber business at Mobile, Ala- bama; Ernest E. Wager is now running a line of steamers from Mobile to Cuba and C'entral America, and the only daughter, Nellie, married R. Lee Page and is living in Ionia, Michigan. Mr. Wager attributes his suceess in life largely to his wife and noble mother.
In 1860 Mr. Wager sold ont his business in Lyons and went to Muir, Michigan, where, with $3,000 net, he started business with a general merchandise stock. In 1870 he em- barked in lumbering with a net eapital of $18,000 and is still engaged in that business.
He became a K. T. at Ionia, in 1880, and joined the Shrine at Grand Rapids in 1894. lle has been president of the Wager Lumber Co. about 30 years, and president of the Stanton Lumber Co. about 12 years, with Julius Houseman, of Grand Rapids, and L. B. Townsend, of lonia, as the company. He has bought and sold large groups of timber lands in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, Alabama and Mississippi, and still holds large and valuable tracts in Ala- bama and Washington. At 65 years old he feels he is just in his prime and still remains in aetive business, being president of Ionia County Savings Bank, Lake Odessa Savings Bank, Tonia Electrie Co., Michigan Clothing Co. and Wager Lumber Co.
185
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
PERRY, GEORGE RUSSELL. The sub- jeet of this sketch is one of the hustlers who have made Grand Rapids and Western Mich- igan famons throughout the land. Born Jan- uary 30th, 1849, at Bridgeport, Conn., he came to Michigan in 1852, his parents locat- ing in Detroit, where young George attended school and secured his start in life. His father was originally from Dunberry, Con., where he was engaged in the hatter's trade, and his mother, Hannah Dobbs, was born at Dobbs Ferry, New York. The Perrys were origi- nally from Ireland, whence they emigrated to England, and then to America, in a very early day.
At the age of fourteen Mr. Perry left the public schools and attended Patterson's pri- vate school at Detroit for two years. At six- teen he entered the employ of H. Simeneau & Co., druggists at Detroit, whom he paid $75 for the privilege of learning the business, the first year. He remained with the firm three years, working his way up to a $20 a month position. He then worked his way across the country to Grand Rapids, where he secured employment in a drug store, remaining until 1872, when, at the time of the great Chicago fire, he went to that city and opened a store for T. J. Bluteast. In 1874 he returned to Grand Rapids and married Jennie Blake, daughter of Alexander Blake, one of the earli- est settlers of Kent county, who for many years was engaged in extensive humber opera- tions. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Perry, only one of whom is living, Jeanette, aged seventeen, who is attending Vassar College.
After his marriage, Mr. Perry again went to Chicago, where he remained until the spring of 1875, when he returned to Grand Rapids as bookkeeper for L. H. Randall & Co., wholesale grocers. Six years later the firm was reorganized under the name of Free- man, Hawkins & Co., Mr. Perry being one of the firm, with Mr. Randall as special partner. This partnership continued until 1890, having in the meantime merged into the firm of Haw- kins & Perry. In that year Mr. Perry sold
GEORGE RUSSELL PERRY.
his interest and opened a brokerage office for grocery staples, which business is now a very large one.
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.