USA > Michigan > Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state > Part 55
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Mr. Chandler organized the Sault Savings Bank in 1886 and became its first cashier and manager. He was instrumental in the organ- ization of one of the earliest electric light plants in the country, which has made the Sault one of the best lighted cities in the United States. In 1892 he organized the Chandler-Dunbar Water Power Co., and he is now managing both plants. In 1875-76 he conceived the idea of improving the navigation of the inland lakes between Cheboygan and Petoskey, and the famous "Inland Route" is the result. Ile is president of the company and has been one of the chief promoters of the projected St. Ignace & Sault Ste. Marie rail- road.
Mr. Chandler in 1886 married Miss Cata Oren, daughter of Charles and Sarah Oren, formerly of Clinton county, Ohio. They have two children, Thomas, aged 13 years, and Paulina, aged 9. Mr. Chandler is a
HON. WILLIAM CHANDLER.
stanneh Republican, and was a member of the Republican State Central Committee in 1876.
In 1885 Mr. Chandler disposed of his news- paper interests and retired from the newspa- per business, as well as the active participation in political affairs. Although repeatedly urged to do so, it was not until 1898, when he was nominated as a candidate for the legislature, that he consented to accept a political posi- tion. As a member of the lower house, his abilities as a legislator were soon recognized and he was given charge of two of the most important pieces of legislation of the session. The "Chandler Medical Bill," which became a law in spite of the fiercest opposition of the clandestine medical practitioners, made his name known throughout the state and beyond. The passage of the state tax commission law, which is carrying into effect the platform of the Republican party, pledging equal taxa- tion, was due to Mr. Chandler's careful and adroit management. With a single exeep- tion, every bill, both local and publie, that he fathered, became laws.
There have been few business enterprises, especially those of a public nature, in Sault Ste. Marie, during Mr. Chandler's residence there, that do not bear the impress of his ef- forts, advice and counsel, and it is through these that he will be longest remembered.
408
MEN OF PROGRESS.
EDMUND C. MORRIS.
MORRIS, EDMUND C. Mr. Morris was one of a family of twelve children and early began the struggle of life, which, having its many ups and downs, has helped to make his life the success he has attained. His parents, Elisha E. and Margaret (Baker) Morris lived on a farm in Niagara county, New York, where Edmund C. was born, February 18, 1847. His early years were divided between farm work in summer and the district school in winter. When less than 16 years old (1862) he tried to enlist as a soldier in the civil war but was rejected. Later on, how- ever, he was accepted as of sufficient age, and enlisted in the 151st N. Y. Infantry. He par- ticipated in the battles of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania and Monocacy Junc- tion, and many others. At Monocacy Junc- tion he was wounded and left on the field, and after walking forty miles to a hospital, it was six days before his wounded arm was dressed. He had just rejoined his regiment when Lee surrendered. After his discharge from the army in 1866 he tried his fortune in the Cana- dian oil fields and in partnership with his brother he took a contract for putting down a test well, but failing to get oil, they disposed of their contract to other parties, paid up all indebtedness and left the oil country. He then became clerk in a store in Lockport at a salary of $100 for the first year, but his faith-
fulness being appreciated, he was constantly advanced in salary and position. In 1870 he came to Michigan and became a salesman in a hardware store at Big Rapids, remaining there two years. He then worked for his brother at the lumber business in Montcalm county. In 1872 he secured a half interest in a mill at Maple Valley, in partnership with L. H. Col- well, Mr. Morris putting in no capital, except his knowledge of the business, of which he had entire charge. At the end of eighteen months he closed out the deal with $11,000 to the good for himself. The next eight years he carried on a prosperous dry goods trade at Greenville, when he sold out and built a saw- mill at Belvidere, near Lakeview, and was heavily interested in timber lands and lumber. A disastrous decline in the price of lumber compelled him to close out everything at a sacrifice, leaving him some $2,300. With this capital and his former good standing with the wholesale trade, he was able to procure a full stock, and again opened up in the dry goods trade at Big Rapids, doing business alone until 1893, when A. A. Crane became a part- ner. Mr. Morris has ever had the interest of Big Rapids at heart from his first locating there and has become prominent in many lines outside of dry goods. Ile is president of The Citizens' Bank, which he helped to organ- ize in 1897, being the only bank in the city. He is also president of The Parlor Furnace Co. (manufacturers of heating stoves and fur- naces), president and principal stockholder in The Crapo Toll Road Co., director and treas- urer in The Big Rapids Permanent Building & Loan Association, director and treasurer in The Big Rapids Board of Trade, and a direc- tor in The Crescent Furniture Co. He has always been a Republican and is a member of the Republican State Central Committee. He has been tendered nominations by his party at different times but has always declined, his only official position being as a member of the school board, which he has held for the past five years. He has the higher Masonic de- grees (Knights Templar and Mystic Shrine), and is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He was married in 1875 at Greenville to Miss Minnie A. Crane, daughter of Rufus C. Crane, of Greenville, now at Big Rapids. Of their three children, Lucille is a graduate of the State University and a teacher in the public schools at Escanaba. Wilifred is a graduate of the Big Rapids High School, and Frank C. (15 years old) is still at home.
409
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
MICHELSON, NELS. This name is un- mistakably Norse, and comes direct from Den- mark, Mr. Michelson having been born in that country November 25, 1840. He attended the government schools until fifteen years of age, when he was bound ont to a farmer, under whom he served three years, receiving for the first year $5 and the second year $10 for his services, besides his board. He worked as a farm hand until 1864, when he entered the Danish army in the war between Denmark and Prussia, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Debbel, March 17, 1864. The Prussians put the prisoners to work, first making powder bags, but they made such long stitches that the bags would not hold powder, and not liking that style of work, the Prussians set them to wheeling sand for the fortifications. When the war closed he returned home and worked as a farm hand until 1866, when he came to Amer- ica. Cholera broke out on shipboard and the vessel was held two months in quarantine at New York, over 200 of the passengers dying of the disease. The detention left him penniless and he went direct to his brothers at Racine, Wis. Remaining there only a short time, he went to Manistee, Mich., and went to work in a lumber camp at $1 per day. He worked here two years as swamper, driving team, etc. He then bought a team and took contracts, hauling supplies to lumber camps. In 1869 he joined with R. Hanson, they having together some $1,500, buying an outfit and taking a contract for getting ont logs. Hard luck of varions sorts, culminating with the failure of a bank at Manistee with $1,000 of their money, left them stranded at the end of two years. They started again on credit, with better success, and after a year began buying small tracts of pine land, the timber on which they cut and sold, in- creasing their operations each year, and after a time joining with E. N. Salling, of Manistee, Mich., the co-partnership of Salling, Hanson & Co., of Grayling, Mich., was formed. In 1889 the Michelson & Hanson Lumber Com- pany was organized with Mr. Michelson as President, and in 1892 a large mill was erected at Lewiston, Mich. The two concerns, the Michelson & Hanson Lumber Company and
NELS MICHELSON.
Salling, Hanson & Co. own over 50,000 acres of standing timber in Northern Michigan, and have cnt some 60,000 acres. In 1895 Mr. Michelson purchased some 7,000 acres of land in Roscommon county, near Houghton Lake, which he is making into a stock farm, having at present nearly 600 head of cattle, to which he has recently added 200 sheep as the nucleus of a sheep herd. He is president of the Craw- ford County Exchange Bank of Grayling, has beet sugar interests at Bay City and is a direc- tor in the J. A. Jamieson Lumber Company of St. Ignace, Mich. Mr. Michelson's society connections are Masonic, including the higher degrees, is a member of the National and State Lumbermen's Associations, and of the Michi- gan (Republican) Club. He was married at Racine, Wis., in the year 1870 to Miss Mar- grethe Jenson, daughter of Lars Jenson. Their children are : Bessie, wife of E. E. Hartwick, lumber dealer at Mason, Mich .; Frank L., with Salling, Hanson & Co., of Grayling; Axel, a student at the Michigan Mining School of Honghton ; Olaf N., assistant cashier Crawford County Exchange Bank, Grayling, and Fred- erick, at home. Mr. Michelson's present resi- dence is at Grayling.
410
MEN OF PROGRESS.
EDWARD H. GREEN.
GREEN, EDWARD IL. Mr. Green earned the title of Major by service in the Civil War. He is a native of Lancaster county, Pa., born Oct. 31, 1834. His father, Joseph Green, was a native of Rhode Island and of Puritan stock. His mother, Susan Sloat, was born and passed her life in Lan- caster county. The son's education was rounded out at the State Normal School at Millersville, Pa., upon leaving which he be- came a teacher, in which profession he was engaged when the Civil War burst upon the country in 1861. He enlisted in the first three months' call, re-enlisted for three years, and subsequently again enlisted for service during the war, his regiments being the Tenth and One Hundred and Seventh Pennsylvania, attached to the Fifth Army Corps, when Gen- eral Grant took personal command of the Army of the Potomac. He was wounded at the Battle of Bull Run, Aug. 30, 1862, and after lying six days on the field, was picked up with others and conveyed to Lincoln Hospital, Washington, where he was confined four months. Upon rejoining his regiment he was promoted (Jan. 21, 1863,) from sergeant to second lieutenant, and seven days later to first lieutenant, and November 23rd, 1863, was
commissioned a captain. At the battle of Spottsylvania, May 21, 1864, he was made prisoner and was held as such for nine months, successively in Libby Prison at Richmond, at Macon and Savannah, Georgia, and Charles- ton, S. C., and other points, and was paroled near Wilmington, N. C., Feb. 24, 1865. Hle was made a major by brevet March 13, for meritorious services during the war and was mustered out of the service at its close, July 13, 1865.
In 1866 Maj. Green entered the law depart- ment of the University at Ann Arbor and graduated therefrom with the class of 1868. His ideal star had beckoned him to the west, but his practical monitor led him to northern Michigan, where, under the advice of Judge Ramsdell of Traverse City, he east his lot in Charlevoix, where he has since resided. Hle filled the offices of Prosecuting Attorney and Circuit Court Commissioner of Charlevoix on its organization in 1869 (the former until 1873), was twice elected to the Legislature (1872 and 1874), and served two terms as County Treasurer. He is in politics a Repub- lican, is a member of the Masonie fraternity, including the Knights Templar, and an Epis- copalian in his religious connection. He is a member of the G. A. R. and of the military order of the Loyal Legion, and his war mem- ories are dear to him. He has been com- mander of the Grand Traverse Soldiers' and Sailors' Association. When he located at Charlevoix he had $50, of which he paid $25 toward the purchase of two town lots, on which he subsequently built an office and home. His first week was cheered by a client and a re- tainer of $20. He was the first editor of the Charlevoix Sentinel. The "Charlevoix Sum- mer Home" at Charlevoix, which calls to that place five to six thousand people each summer, owes its establishment and growth largely to Maj. Green's efforts.
Maj. Green has been twice married. Miss Luena A. Mathews of An Arbor, to whom he was married in 1868, and who died in 1886, bore him five children, Fred M., Margaret, Irma, Edna and Guy. The two first named are engaged in professional work, the first as a mechanical engineer and the second as a teacher in vocal and instrumental music. The others are pursuing professional studies. In 1888 Mrs. Genevra (Barnes) Guyles, of Mani- towoc, Wis., became Mrs. Green.
411
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
SAVIDGE, WILLIAM. Mr. Savidge is a resident of Spring Lake, Ottawa county, at which place he was born Sept. 30, 1863. His father, Hunter Savidge, was a native of Penn- sylvania, his parents having come from New Jersey, and being of English extraetion. Hun- ter Savidge was the fifth of thirteen ehildren. After some business experienees in Illinois he came to Spring Lake (then known as Mill Point) in the spring of 1856, to buy lumber, and there organized the firm of Young, Savidge & Montague, the firm engaging in lumber manufacture. Its failure left Mr. Savidge to take care of its indebtedness from his personal means, which he did. In 1858 he beeame associated with Dwight Cutler in the Immber business, resulting in the incorpora- tion in 1874 of the Cutler & Savidge Lumber Company, capitalized at $500,000. Of this company Mr. Savidge was president until his death in 1881. During his lifetime Mr. Savidge was the moving spirit in his loeality. He was one of the organizers of the Ottawa County Boom Company and a director in the Grand River Boom Company and in the Grand Haven National Bank. He built the Spring Lake House, and was active in the municipal and social affairs of the place. The wife of Mr. Savidge was formerly Miss Sarah C. Patten, of Grand Rapids, to whom he was married in 1857, and who is still living. Aside from the son William, Mr. and Mrs. Savidge were the parents of George P. and a daughter, Esther, now the wife of N. Robbins, Jr., of Grand Haven. Mr. Savidge built a fine resi- dence at Spring Lake in 1871, and there his widow and children now reside.
William Savidge succeeded to his father's place in the Cutler-Savidge Lumber Com- pany, beeoming its viee-president. He gra- duated from the literary department of the University in the class of 1884 and subse- quently spent one year in the law department
WILLIAM SAVIDGE.
at Harvard. His history up to the present time connects itself mainly with the large business interests with which he is associated. The firm of Cutler & Savidge, of which Mr. S. is a member, have a large lumber mill at Cutler, Ontario, which turns out 150,000 feet of lumber per day, and own timber rights eov- ering 72,000 acres in the provinee. Mr. Savidge is a director in the Grand Haven Na- tional Bank and the Challenge Coru Planter Co., of Grand Haven, and the Grand Rapids Fire Insurance Company. He was elected a member of the State Senate on the Republi- can tieket in 1896, serving during the session of 1897 and 1898. From 1894 to 1896 he served on the Republican State Central Com- mittee as member from the Fifth Congres- sional District. He was president of the Alumni Association of the University in 1892. He is a member of the order of Elks, of the Michigan (Republiean) Club, of the Chieago Yacht Club and of the Alpha Delta Phi (lit- erary) and is not married.
412
MEN OF PROGRESS.
ERNEST NELSON SALLING.
SALLING, ERNEST NELSON. Mr. Salling is a native of Denmark, having been born in Viborg, March 15, 1843. His father, Christian A. Salling, for many years was a eon- tractor at Viborg. His mother, Else C. Dyer- berg, died in 1880 at the age of seventy-four years. There were nine children in the fam- ily, of whom three were boys, Ernest being the youngest. Until his thirteenth year he attended the common schools of his native place, when he became a elerk in his brother's store, where he remained until 1862. In May, 1862, Mr. Salling, bent on seeking his fortune in the New World, left his home and sailed for America. After a short stay in New York he eame west and found employ- ment in a dry goods store in Chicago, as clerk. He then went to Detroit and shortly after- ward made his way to Manistee, arriving there April 3, 1863. His first employment was in the mill of Michael Engehnann, in whose store the following September he went to work as elerk. In the spring of 1864 he was promoted to the position of outside foreman at the Engel- mann mill, in which capacity he served two years. Until 1868 he continued in the em- ploy of Mr. Engelmann, in the winter months
as superintendent of the lumber eamps and in the sunumer as outside foreman at the mill. From 1868 till 1871 he had charge of the En- gelmann vessel property, which ineluded five steamers carrying passengers and freight.
In 1867 Mr. Salling became a partner with Mr. R. Hansen under the firm name of R. Hansen & Co., in the buying and selling of pine lands, which was continued until 1878. In 1871 in conjunction with Mr. Engelmann, he purchased the Waterman & Wing saw mill, in Maxwelltown, which they operated under the firm name of Engelmann & Salling. A year later Mr. S. Babcock purchased an interest and the firm name was changed to Engelmann, Babcock & Salling. In 1879 Mr. Salling disposed of his business interests and returned to Denmark, where he spent a year visiting his old home, and in traveling on the continent. On his return to Manistee he became a partner in the firm of Salling, Han- sen & Co., organized for carrying on a gen- eral lumbering and logging business. The in- terests of this firm inelude valuable holdings in pine lands in Crawford, Kalkaska, Mont- morency and Presque Isle countries. Mr. Salling's individual interests in timber lands extend from Manistee county to Lake and Mason counties in the Upper Peninsula, and to the State of Washington. He is owner of valuable real estate in Manistee, ineluding a number of business bloeks, one of which bears his name.
Mr. Salling is a member of the Congrega- tional Church of Manistee and in politics is a Republican, but never held any offiee. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, having taken the Knights Templar, Scottish Rite and Mys- tic Shrine degrees. On October 25, 1867, he was united in marriage to Miss Marion L. Johnston, of Maekinae Island, who died An- gust 26, 1882, leaving a family of five chil- dren, one son and four daughters. The daugh- ters are all married, and the wives of prosper- ons business men. On April 2, 1884, he was married to Miss Lotta A. Wheeler, daughter of the late Abram Wheeler, of Joliet, Ill. One of the pioneers of Northern Michigan, when Manistee was searcely more than a rough lumber eamp, and with no equipment save that of rugged determination and wil- lingness to work, Mr. Salling has risen to a place among the prominent and wealthy lum bermen of the State.
413
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
LARKE, HON. FREDERIC DENNY. While the people of Michigan are considering the matter of a bi-centennary memorial com- memorative of the establishment of the first eivil government under Cadillac, a brief record of some of those who have led the way in developing some of the lesser civil divisions of the state seems appropriate. In this rank Mr. Larke deserves to be placed as the founder and organizer of the county of Presque Isle. Mr. Larke was born in Warwickshire, Eng- land, September 7, 1845. His father, Richard Denny Larke, graduated from and was at- tached to Guys Hospital in London, and is still practicing as consulting physician. It was his desire that the son should follow the same pro- fession, and his education was mapped out by a regular course of hospital practice and study with that end in view, but the medical profes- sion did not appeal to him as his ambition was to seeure a commission in the British army. In this he failed and in 1865 he left home and came to Quebec. A year after his arrival in the new world he joined a party of trad- ers at St. Paul, and in company with them penetrated the wild territory west of Hud- son's Bay. Here he remained for nearly a year, trading with the friendly disposed In- dians and securing a large stock of valuable furs, but some of the more northerly Indians, in the interest of other fur trading parties, be- came unfriendly and his party was forced southward. Selling out his interest in the ven- ture, Mr. Larke went to Detroit and engaged with a government party in the lake coast survey.
The next year presented the opportunity of his life, through which he has made his in- press upon northern Michigan. He was en- gaged to locate land for the Molitor-Rogers Company in Presque Isle county, and it was while in their employ that he selected the site and laid out the village of Rogers City.
He returned to Detroit (winter 1868-9), and prepared for the settlement of this new territory. Early in the spring he piloted a large party of German and Polish emigrants north into Presque Isle county. Here he worked with them to locate a town, cutting down the first tree upon the spot selected for the site of Rogers City, and cutting holes in the ice in order to get soundings and build a doek for vessels.
In 1876 he established the first newspaper in Presque Isle County, the Presque Isle County Advance, in which he still owns one- half .interest.
HON. FREDERICK DENNY LARKE.
Mr. Larke's services have been recognized by the people of Presque Isle county, and he has held almost every office in the gift of the people. He was county clerk for 14 years, and supervisor eight years. He is a Republi- can and has been chairman of the county committee since it first sent delegates to the State convention. He is a Roman Catholic in religion. His present business is dealing in hardwood lumber, cedar and hemlock bark, and real estate, in connection with which he has also a drug and general store. Mr. Larke built the telephone line between Alpena and Rogers City, which was purchased by the Michigan-Bell Company in 1893. He is the postmaster at Rogers City. In 1875 Mr. Larke married Miss Augusta Streich at Rogers City. They have eight children, six sons, Frederick, on the force of the Presque Isle Advance, Basil, Roland, Laurence, Cyril and Marmaduke, and two daughters, Blanche (now Mrs. John Jay Burns) and Isabel.
Mr. Larke is directly descended from Sir Anthony Denny, Earl of Norwich, whom Shakespeare makes one of his dramatis per- sonæ in his play of King Henry VIII., and who history records as being the only one of the courtiers of that uxorious and irascible ty- rant who dared inform him of his approaching fate. Mr. Larke has today some valuable heir- looms, being presents given by King Henry to the ancestor above named.
414
MEN OF PROGRESS.
UBALD R. LORANGER.
LORANGER, UBALD R. The subject of this sketeh sprang from one of the oldest French families of Canada, who came from France in 1640, settling at the now town of Three Rivers, near Montreal. His father, Joshua F. Loranger, was a business man at L'Avenir, a small town in the province of Quebec, where the son was born May 11th, 1863. Ilis mother's maiden name was Her- mine Daigle. The parents moved to Muske- gon, Mich., in 1866, the father engaging in the mercantile business, and subsequently in lumbering. He went down with the panic of 1873, and in 1875 the family moved to Bay City, the son having some school advantages both at Muskegon and at Bay City. In 1876 he engaged as eash boy in the dry goods store of Cook & Co., at $2.50 per week, in the morning peddling the Detroit Evening News in West Bay City, finally becoming agent for the paper at that plaec, improving his even- ings by attending night school. He remained with Cook & Co. five years, having been pro-
moted to the position of elerk. The family having in the meantime returned to Canada. the father later held a position in the interna! revenue service at Montreal. In 1881 the son joined his parents at Montreal, where he spent six years in studying Freneli, the elassies, and in preparing for the University. He returned to Michigan in the fall of 1885, and entered the law department of the University, taking at the same time the course in political science, graduating with the class of 1887. In June, 1887, he located at Bay City, and in July of that year formed a co-partnership with Hon. Archibald MeDonell, which continued for two years, the receipts from the practice af- fording a comfortable living, with a small balance to the good. Since October, 1889, he has practiced alone.
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