USA > Michigan > Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state > Part 30
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
After graduating and being admitted to the bar he returned to his home at Maple Rapids and spent some time in looking after
HON. GEORGE R. HECK,
his farm, which consists of 430 acres of splen- did land, and which he still superintends. The farm is a part of his deceased grand- father's estate, and is well stocked with fine breeds of cattle. In 1899 he was elected a member of the Legislature on the Republican ticket from Ingham County, and his term does not expire until 1900, He enjoys an extensive practice in Lansing, Michigan, and is ranked as one of the leading members of the Ingham County bar.
In his youth he evinced his ability as an organizer by getting up a circus, of which he was ringmaster and proprietor. IIe has lost none of this faculty as was shown in the Re- publican county convention held in Mason in 1896, when he was a candidate for the nom- ination of prosecuting attorney, and although there were several candidates for the same office, who finally combined their strength, he received 114 votes to 56 on the first. ballot and was the only candidate nominated on the first ballot in that convention. Mr. Heck has been a member and a zealous worker in the Patrons of Husbandry since 1883. He is a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the I. O. O. F.
210
MEN OF PROGRESS.
HON. AUGUST JOHN WEIER.
WEIER, IION. AUGUST JOHN. Au- gust John Weier was born October 21, 1871, in Monroe, Monroe County, Michigan. His father, Anthony Weier, and his mother, whose maiden name was Barbara Shuman, were both born in Germany, emigrating to America in 1854 and settling in Monroe County, where they were also married. Joseph Weier, Anthony's brother, was a member of the Legislature of 1869.
August J. Weier acquired a practical edu- cation in the public and parochial schools of Monroe, and also at St. Francis' College of that eity. AAfter leaving school he entered the employ of his father, who was then engaged in operating a large bakery, and also growing grapes and manufacturing wine, and worked as bookkeeper. In 1891, the elder Weier organized the Weier Wine Company of Mon- roe, and since the organization of this eon- cern, August J. Weier has acted as secretary and treasurer for the company. The Weier Wine Company has a paid up capital of $30,000 and is composed of the father, his two sons and a son-in-law.
When but a young man, August J. Weier
developed an aptitude for the study of social problems and before he attained his majority he was an interested auditor of political dis- cussions and an extensive reader of political economy. Hle did not select his party or principles until he had thoroughly studied all sides of the situation, and then, firm in the belief that the principles of democracy were the true foundations of national pros- perity he identified himself with the demo- cratic party and cast his first vote for its nominee in 1892.
He has been true to Democratic principles ever since, and an ardent supporter and worker of that party. He is mentally sharp, keen and direct, and an agreement with him requires quick wits and a good understand- ing of the subject in discussion. Mr. Weier was elected to the Legislature of 1897-98 by 195 majority, the nomination coming to him unsought, and he was renominated by ae- clamation for the term of 1899-1900, and re-elected by a vote of 1,809 to 1,403 for J. B. Sulier, the Republican candidate, and 22 for Nelson Davis, People's Party candidate.
In the House, Mr. Weier is recognized as a powerful speaker, a keen debator and an able leader. He was the special champion of the celebrated income tax bill which was brought up before the House in 1899, and he worked like a beaver in favor of its passage. He was also the author of the copper and iron taxation bill. All reform measures brought up before the House find a ready supporter in Represen- tative Weier, who is a strong advocate in favor of any measure tending toward reform and the betterment of conditions in this state.
Mr. Weier is as yet a bachelor. He be- longs to the Knights of St. John in Monroe, and is also a member of the Toledo Travel- ing Men's Association, which has its head- quarters at Toledo, Ohio. When not at Lan- sing, Mr. Weier lives in the city of Monroe, Michigan, where he is highly respected by his fellow-eitizens, who look for still higher honors to be attained by the young Demoerat who has so prominently identified himself with his State and party.
211
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
CHADDOCK, HON. JOHN BENJA- MIN. Proscenting Attorney of Ionia county, John Benjamin Chaddock, of Ionia, Michi- gan, was born in Westphalia, this state, Octo- ber 19, 1863. Four years later his family moved to the village of Pewamo, Michigan, where, when reaching the proper age, he attended the village school until his sixteenth year, when he was sent to Olivet College for five years, where he took a preparatory and college course. It was his parents' desire that the boy should take up the study of medicine and the boy himself had a leaning toward that profession. While at Olivet College he had competed for and won the Drury prize of ora- tory, which probably was the cause of turn- ing him aside from medicine to law. Upon leaving college in 1886 he entered the law office of Hon. Frank A. Dean, of Charlotte, where he read law and did the work of the office for his board. In 1887 the death of his father made him give up his law studies for a while and returning home remained with his mother until her death in 1888. In the fall of this year he entered the Law De- partment of the University of Michigan. The following summer he read law in the office of Montgomery & Bundy at Grand Rapids, and returning to the University he graduated from that college in June, 1890. He was cleeted orator of his class and made the vale- dictory address. The summer and fall after leaving college he plunged into the heat of a political campaign and stumped the state for the Republican State Central Committee, where his gifts as an orator stood him in ex- cellent stead, and he won considerable honor for his brilliant and logical speeches. After the election the young man went to Ionia and entered the law office of Davis & Nichols, a prominent firm of that eity, remaining with them until 1891, when he formed a partner- ship with James Scully under the firm name of Chaddock & Scully, which partnership re- sulted most successfully and still continues at the present writing.
During the years of 1894 and 1893 Mr.
HON. JOHN BENJ. CHADDOCK.
Chaddock was chairman of the Republican County Committee. Ionia is generally looked upon as a doubtful county, yet Mr. Chaddock was nominated and elected on the Republican ticket for prosecuting attorney in 1896, being the only Republican elected on the ticket that year, and receiving a plurality of 21 votes. He was re-elected in 1898, receiving a plural- ity of 713 votes. Ile was Circuit Commis- sioner from 1892 to 1896, mayor of Ionia in 1894, elected on the Republican ticket by 66 majority, overcoming a natural Democratic majority of 150.
He married Miss Isolene Vosper, daughter of Attorney James Vosper, at Ionia, in 1895. He has two children, Dorothy and John V. Mr. Chaddock is a member of the F. and A. M and the R. A. M.
Mr. Chaddock's father, William H. Chad- doek, came to Michigan in 1849 and located at Adrian. He entered the Medical Depart- ment of the U. of M., while his wife operated a boarding-house in order to pay expenses. In 1867 he moved to Pewamo, Ionia county, where he was for thirty years a successful practitioner.
212
MEN OF PROGRESS.
HON. JOHN VINCENT STARR.
STARR, HON. JOHN VINCENT. For the past three terms St. Joseph, Michigan, has had for mayor of that city, Hon. John Vin- cent. Starr, and Mr. Starr has given to the eity an honest, upright and progressive executor- ship, winning the praise of political factions, and the finn support and friendship of all who are in favor of good government and desirous of seeing the city advance with the times.
John Vincent Starr was born in Greencastle, Putnam county, Indiana, April 23, 1857. His parents were farmers in the Hoosier state, and as far back as he can trace his ancestry they were all engaged in the same pursuit. The boy attended the district school near his home and later the schools of Ladoga, Dan- ville and the Valparaiso Normal School at Valparaiso, Indiana. llis summer work was on the farm, but he had longings to step out of the trail that had become so hardened by the feet of his generations of ancestors, and made a success in life outside of farmi work. He was the first of his famliy to do this. IIc had always been fond of tools, inheriting this from his father who was a known ex- pert in hewing house frames with an adze
from rough timbers, so he made up his mind to follow the trade of a carpenter, and with this end in view, he apprenticed himself to a carpenter for three years, when he was 16 years of age, and rapidly acquired a proficiency with the divers tools used in ear- pentering and building work. Coming as he did naturally by this trade, the boy soon ad- vanced rapidly in the art, and became a pro- ficient workman. He studied carefully, add- ing by reading and practical experience to his knowledge of the trade he had adopted and soon became widely known as an expert builder. He then added architecture to his list of accomplishments, after reading and practicing that art, and he has succeeded in that so well that to-day he is known as one of the finest architects and builders in his section of the state.
Many of the larger buildings in the town of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph were planned and built by Mr. Starr.
Mr. Starr is the only man who can claim the honor of having been mayor of St. Joseph for three consecutive terms. He is enthusi- astie in the growth and prosperity of his city, and is looked upon as a business man of ster- ling integrity, and exceptional business abili- ties. Ile combines with these qualities a rare fund of good humor, a handshake that is cor- lial and welcome, and an unfailing memory that is always holding in its scope the many friends he has made on his way through life.
Mr. Starr is a Mason, a member of Oeeiden- tal Lodge, No. 56, of St. Joseph; Calvin Brit- ain Chapter, No. 72, Roval and Seleet Mas- ters, No. 44, of St. Joseph, the Knights of the Maccabees, the Modern Woodmen of the World, Patrician, New Era, and a charter member of the Commercial Club, of St. Jo- seph.
On September 10, 1883, he married Miss Cordelia Reeves, daughter of W. A. and Martha A. Reeves, of Greencastle, Indiana, the marriage taking place in that eity. He has two children, Louisa, his daughter, being 15 years of age, and Edgar L. Starr, his son, 13 years of age.
213
IHISTORICAL SKETCHES.
CARLSON, CONRAD. Attorney Con- rad Carlson, of Bessemer, Michigan, was born in Falkenberg, Sweden, February 29, 1852. Ilis father was a contractor and builder and his ancestors were farmers and soldiers. As a boy he attended the connnon schools of his native place and afterward the College of Halmstad until 1871.
Hle intended to make law his profession and for one year he worked as clerk in the office of the collector of crown taxes, receiving about $100 a year, and then realizing that there wero few prospects of his ever becoming a snecessful lawyer in his native land, until he acquired prestige with gray hair, he decided to try his fortunes in America. His father advanced him enough money to pay his steer- age passage, and to enable him to pay his way to the western part of this country, and on May 22, 1872, the young man found him- self in Ishpeming, Michigan. He was well educated in Latin, Greek, English and Ger- man, but he found that he could not speak English although he could translate it fairly vell.
There was very little difficulty in obtaining employment in those busy times in that sec- tion of Michigan, if a man really felt the inclination to labor, and young Carlson found work the day after his arrival in the open pit of the Lake Superior Iron mine at $2.50 per day, earning enough in a month to repay his father the money advanced for his passage.
In the dull times of the panic of 1873 all the unmarried men employed on the mine were laid off, and young Carlson waited with many others for word that they would be put back to work. One day he acted as an in- terpreter for some newly arrived Swedes in the office of Dr. B. S. Bigelow and the doc- tor offered him a position in the hospital, where for the first time in six months Carl- son indulged his appetite in a full meal. His salary was $25 a month and shortly after- ward when it was discovered that he was a competent bookkeeper and penman, he was made cashier of the general store of Myers & Bigelow, and remained with the firm
CONRAD CARLSON.
until 1879, when he was elected city recorder of Ishpeming, and served as such for six vears. He was also elected justice of the peace in 1880, and in 1881 he started a Swedish newspaper, which he afterwards sold. In 1884 he opened a general insurance office and while out seeking business he be- came impressed with the prospects in store for the little town of Bessemer, and selling out his insurance business in 1886 he took up his residence in that place. He went into the mercantile business there under the firm name of Markstrum & Carlson and in 1887 was elected county clerk of Gogebie County, and selling out his interest in the general store he served as county clerk for twelve years, and during that time made the abstraet books of the county, which were purchased by Gogebie County in 1899. Mr. Carlson was admitted to the bar in 1893 by Judge Daball, and since his retirement from the county clerk's office he has practiced his profession in Bessemer. Hle married in 1877 Miss Emma llelen Lundahl at Ishpeming, and has two children. Mr. Carlson is a Republican. He is a member of Ironwood Commandery, K. T.
214
MEN OF PROGRESS.
HON. DAVID D. AITKEN.
AITKEN, HON. DAVID D. David D. Aitken, a leading attorney of the city of Flint, Michigan, was born September 5, 1854, in Flint township, Michigan. His father's farm was located about four and one-half miles from Flint, and, as a boy, the first employ- ment of the younger Aitken was on the farm, where he grew up, learning to guide the plow and swing the scythe, attending the district school during the winters. HIc earned a little money for himself now and then, assisting the neighboring farmers when he could be spared from work on his father's place, and finished his school education in the Flint High School.
When 18 years of age he was unfortunate enough to break his leg in five places, through an accident while engaged in hauling wood with a pair of colts on the farm. This kept him confined for some time, and when he had partially recovered he commenced the reading of law in the office of Judge William Newton, but soon left the office to accept a position of bookkeeper with a firm engaged in the lumber business in the state of New Jersey, where he remained for some time, and later on travelled on the road for the same firm.
In 1876 he commenced the study of law in New York city, and returned to Flint in 1878, where he was admitted to the bar by Judge Turner, then Circuit Judge, and accepted a position in the office of Long & Gold, then leading practitioners of that city, and, in the following year entered into co-partnership with Ed. S. Lee, under the firm name of Lce & Aitken, and which co-partnership existed for several years until Judge Charles H. Wis- ner was admitted, and the firm name was changed to Wisner, Lce & Aitken, which continued until Mr. Aitken was elected to Congress on the Republican ticket in 1892.
Ile was extremely popular with his party, and his record as a congressman was such that he received by acclamation the renomination for the following term, and was elected by an increased majority. Ile made an enviable record in his office but absolutely refused to be a candidate for a third term, notwithstand- ing the fact that he was practically tendered the nomination by acclamation.
Ile was a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor in 1896, but was de- feated in the convention by Gov. Pingree. After the expiration of his last term in Con- gress, he again took up the practice of law, making insurance law a specialty, in which profession he is still engaged.
Mr. Aitken has been clerk and attorney for the city of Flint. He is a thirty-second de- gree Mason, a Knights Templar and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He is general counsel of the Supreme Tent, K. O. T. M., and of the Supreme Hive, L. O. T. M., and was for sev- eral years on the executive council of the In- dependent Order of Foresters.
Mr. Aitken is interested extensively in farming, owning one farm of 600 acres, on which he raises short-horn cattle. He is a director of the ('itizens' Commercial & Sav- ings Bank, of the Flint Electric Light Com- pany, and of the McCormick Harness Com- pany, all of Flint. He is also one of three persons who constitute the Flint Woolen Mills Company, a co-partnership engaged in the manufacture of woolens.
215
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
WETER, HON. JAMES E. Hon. James E. Weter, representative from the First Dis- trict of Macomb county, Michigan, was born at Palmyra, Lenawee county, in this state, April 9, 1857. His parents were farmers, his father and mother both coming to Michi- gan from New York state in 1836 and locat- mg on a farm in Lenawee county, where the elder Weter is still living.
Young Weter's education was commenced in the district school near his home, and sup- plemented by a two-years' course at the Adrian College, in Adrian, Michigan. He was a mischievous but studious lad and his parents had hard work to keep him at school. They had determined, however, that he should not be handicapped in his future life by a meagre education and prevailed upon him to remain at school as long as possible. To this fact Mr. Weter is indebted for all the success that he has met with. Upon leaving school he rented a small farm and for seven years followed that pastoral occupation, work- ing hard and earnestly and saving his money until, when he attained his twenty-eighth year, he found himself with $3,500 on hand. With this capital he started in the business that he still operates at Richmond, Macomb county, in partnership with another, under the firm name of Weter, Fanning Company, banking and wholesaling eggs. In order to do this he was compelled to go heavily into debt, but the venture proved a successful one, and the firm is now one of the wealthiest in Michigan, hav- ing the largest exclusive egg business in this state.
It took three or four years' hard work to make the enterprise an independent one, but, in that time every dollar of indebtedness was cleared off and the .business built up on a strong foundation. Five years ago Mr. Weter became interested in the manufacture of hay bale ties, and is vice-president of the Consoli- dated Hay Bale Tie Company, of Richmond.
He is also president of the Macomb County Savings Bank of Richmond, Michigan. This bank was organized with a capital of $25,000, September, 1898. It is now
HON. JAMES E. WETER.
one of the sound financial institutions of Macomb county. Mr. Weter is also interested in the Ullrich Savings Bank of Mt. Clemens, and a stockholder in the Michigan State Telephone Company.
Mr. Weter was president of the village of Richmond for six years. He was elected to the House of 1899-1900 by a vote of 1,858 to 1,651 for Warren S. Stone, Democratic-Peo- ple's-Union-Silver candidate, and 48 for John S. Harris, Prohibitionist. As president of the village Board of Trustees in Richmond, Mr. Weter was instrumental in putting in the fine water plant and lighting plant which the in- habitants of that village now enjoy, and in adding many other improvements to the vil- lage. He has travelled considerably in the United States and has spent some time in Texas and Florida. He has been a delegate to many state conventions, and his nomination for the Legislature came to him entirely unso- licited.
Mr. Weter married Miss Emma A. Whit- marsh, daughter of Charles Whitmarsh, at Lenawee Junction, April 9, 1895. IIe has three children. He belongs to the Masons, Odd Fellows and Maccabees.
216
MEN OF PROGRESS.
HON. EDWARD NELSON DINGLEY.
DINGLEY, HON. EDWARD NELSON. Hon. Edward Nelson Dingley, representative to the house from the First Distriet of Kala- mazoo county, is naturally fitted to take his place among the statesmen of this country. His grandfather, Nelson Dingley, was a member of the State Senate in Maine, and prominent in political and business eireles throughout that state, and Hon. Nelson Ding- ley, Jr., the father of the subject of this sketch, was governor of Maine for two terms. a member of the State Legislature for three terms, and a member of Congress from 1882 until 1899.
Edward Nelson Dingley was born in Lewis- ton, Maine, August 21, 1862. He was edu- cated in the public schools of that city and graduated from the high school in 1879. IIe then spent one year at Bates College, Lewis- ton, and entering the sophomore class of Yale University, graduated in 1883 with the de- gree of A. B. Spent two years in the law department of the Columbian University at Washington, D. C., and graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1885. He then went to Lewiston, where he engaged in the news- paper business and became one of the editors
of the Lewiston Journal. The following year he went to Boston, Massachusetts, and became the legislative reporter and poli- tical man on the Advertiser and Record, leaving that city for Leavenworth, Kansas, to take the position of editor on the Leaven- worth Times. Sinee 1888 he has been edi- tor and publisher of the Kalamazoo daily and semi-weekly Telegraph.
In February, 1897, he was elected presi- dent of the Michigan League of Republican Clubs and was Michigan's candidate for presi- dent of the National League of Republican Clubs, in July, 1898, at the convention in Omaha, Nebraska.' He was candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives in 1890 and 1892, and failed to be nominated both times, but received a unanimous nomination for that office in the Republican Legislative Convention of his district, held in August, 1898. Ile was elected to the house of 1899- 1900 by a vote of 2,376 to 1,671 for Fred- erick Cellem, Democratic-People's-Union-Sil- ver candidate, and 73 votes for Garland B. St. John, Prohibitionist. In June, 1898, he was appointed clerk of the ways and means com- mittee of the National House of Representa- tives, resigning in December, 1899.
He married, December 22, 1888, Miss Mir- iam Gardner Robinson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. HI. C. Robinson, of Boston, Massaeliu- setts. He has had three children, two of whom are living. Irene is ten years of age, and Nelson III. six years; Miriam died when tive months old.
Mr. Dingley has always been intensely in- terested in politics and a contributor of articles on social and political questions to newspapers and magazines. He has made a special study of taxation, sociology and state- craft, and was prominent in the State Legisla- ture of 1899 in the contests over tax bills. llis education, together with his descent from a family of statesmen, has made him a lead- ing authority on politieal questions. He is a good talker and takes firm stands in all his arguments, from which many have tried without success to shake him.
217
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
WAYNE, HON. DUNCAN A. Hon. Dunean A. Wayne, of Bradford, Michigan, comes from a family that claims as its anees- tor that historieal character of early Ameri- ean history, "Mad" Anthony Wayne.
Dunean Wayne was born in the county of Norfolk, Ontario, January 7, 1858, and was the youngest ehild of a family of six. When he was but a year old the death of his father left his mother alone in the world to look after her six little ones, and she struggled hard in order to support them, weaving and selling homespun cloth. The very clothes worn by the children were made by her. In summer they appeared in linen from her own loom and in winter warm woolen garments of homespun from the same source served to keep them warm and comfortable. A little farm which had been left by the father and upon which the family lived, had a small stoek of sheep, and the flax was grown upon the farm from which the linen was made. The farm had been worked and cleared up by the father and elder children from a wild state, and by its means the mother kept her ehildren about her.
When he was 12 years old young Wayne beeame the main support of his mother, work- ing on the farm in the summer-time, helping gather in and plant the crops, and when win- ter arrived going into the woods and working in the lumber eamps. He worked for Stephen L. Wiggins, of East Saginaw, in the lumber eamp operated by him, and the first elothes he ever purchased were carned by young Wayne in this manner. Salaries were not high in those days, and the boy only received $14 a month while working for Wiggins; out of this he sent the greater portion to his mother and saved enough to buy his first suit of store elothes.
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.